Chapter 19

“It was me who made him worry. If not, can I copy the lines for him instead?” Xia Chu Wei’s voice carried both earnestness and helplessness. She knew there was no escaping the punishment of kneeling, but she still wanted to do whatever she could to help Mu Beiwang, even if it was just a little. After all, if it hadn’t been for her, he wouldn’t have skipped school to go hit Mu Beichen.

Madam Mu looked at Xia Chu Wei’s pleading face and couldn’t help feeling moved. She knew that if she refused the girl’s request, Chu Wei might end up kneeling alongside them. After hesitating for a moment, Madam Mu finally said, “Alright, no copying lines—just kneel outside for two hours and then you can get up.”

Hearing this was like receiving a royal pardon for Mu Beiwang. He quickly stood, hurried to the door, and knelt without hesitation. For him, two hours of kneeling was nothing—he was physically strong, and as long as he didn’t have to copy those lines, anything was fine.

Mu Beichen, however, did not go out immediately like his brother. He stood quietly in place, his gaze fixed on Xia Chu Wei, as if waiting for something. Seeing this, Chu Wei looked back at him, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something.

But before she could speak, Madam Mu suddenly cut her off. “Chu Wei, go back to your room. We’ll talk when your uncle comes home. Don’t plead for Mu Beichen—if you still see me as your aunt, go upstairs now. Be good.” Her tone was gentle, but the firmness in it was unmistakable.

Chu Wei felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. She knew that no amount of pleading would change anything. Silently, she turned and slowly walked upstairs. As she turned, she didn’t dare glance at Mu Beichen again, afraid she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from speaking.

Only after hearing the door to Chu Wei’s room close did Madam Mu turn her head toward Mu Beichen.

Her eyes were filled with disappointment and anger, as if trying to see through him completely. Taking a deep breath, she spoke in a cold tone tinged with sarcasm: “If you think that if Chu Wei were like you—lying about being busy and unable to celebrate your birthday, but actually out flirting with men, drinking cross-cup toasts with another man, and giving the gift meant for you to someone else—you could accept that and think it’s no big deal, then fine. Don’t kneel. Just stand here until your father comes back, and let him be the one to dissolve your engagement.”

With that, she sat down on the sofa without a trace of sympathy, leaning back slightly, her arms crossed over her chest, looking down at Mu Beichen with a cold, commanding air.

Mu Beichen’s hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned pale. His lips pressed together in silence, but the tight set of his jaw betrayed his inner struggle and pain.

He hesitated for a moment, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward the staircase, as if debating whether to go upstairs and explain.

In the end, he made up his mind. Without a word, he turned, taking heavy steps toward the door, and knelt down beside his younger brother.

Mu Beiwang looked at his brother’s action with a flicker of surprise, followed by disdain. With a cold snort, he stood up, patted at imaginary dust on his clothes, then looked up toward the second floor.

Next, he walked straight over to the window of Chu Wei’s room, knelt down on both knees, and resolutely stayed there.

From inside the house, Madam Mu saw this scene. Though a little surprised, she did not say anything to stop him.

She let out a helpless sigh. Never had she imagined that her usually capable and decisive eldest son would do something like this.

All she could hope for now was that when her husband returned, he would show some mercy—and not beat Mu Beichen so badly he’d be crippled. After all, he was still her own flesh and blood.