Chapter 5

Lin Zian stared at the look of confidence on Mu Beichen’s face — as if Xia Chuwei was destined to be his and no one else’s — and a complicated wave of emotions rose in his heart.

The faint smile on Lin Zian’s face froze instantly. He stayed silent for a long moment before slowly speaking.

“Then did you happen to see who it was having dinner with Gu Shisheng at the Western restaurant?”

There was a trace of imperceptible mockery in his voice. He gave a small chuckle before continuing.

Mu Beichen found the question somewhat strange. He frowned, recalling the scene, then shook his head.

“I didn’t see his face clearly. Just a back view. And that back looked familiar… like I’ve seen it somewhere before.”

Lin Zian felt even more exasperated.

Familiar? Of course it was familiar! That back belonged to none other than Mu Beichen’s fiancée — Xia Chuwei.

“Mu Beichen, you need to understand — no one in this world will just foolishly wait in place forever.

Xia Chuwei might not always be waiting for you. If you truly still want to marry her, then cherish her, treat her well, or else you’ll regret it one day.”

Lin Zian spoke with a solemn face.

But Mu Beichen only laughed indifferently, thinking Lin Zian was worrying too much.

In his mind, Xia Chuwei had no other choice but to marry him and rely on the Mu family.

After all, all these years, it had been the Mu family sheltering her.

“A lonely orphan like her — where could she possibly find a man with better prospects than me?” Mu Beichen’s lips curled into a mocking smile, his tone dripping with arrogant superiority.

Lin Zian’s brows furrowed. He knew Mu Beichen’s personality, but hearing these words still made him speak out.

“Mu Beichen, watch your words.”

Mu Beichen clearly didn’t take the warning seriously. He turned his head, stared straight at Lin Zian, and raised an eyebrow.

“What? You pity her because your background is similar to hers?”

Lin Zian’s expression darkened. He took a deep breath to suppress his displeasure.

“I’m not pitying her. I just think what you’re saying is going too far.”

Mu Beichen sneered. “Too far? I’m only speaking the truth.”

Lin Zian’s temper flared. “Do you even know why she became an orphan? Her father died saving your father’s life. Her mother couldn’t bear the loss and took her own life to follow him.

If it weren’t for her father, it would be your father lying in the grave. And if your mother had been as fragile as hers, the orphan without parents would be you.

Her father gave his life for your father, and you not only fail to be grateful, but you demean her like this? Do you even have a conscience?

Mu Beichen, don’t forget — your current high status in the Mu family, your noble title as the Mu family’s eldest son — all of that is built on the corpses of her parents. What right do you have to look down on her as an orphan?

What right do you have to speak of her with such disdain?”

Lin Zian was shaking with anger, his voice trembling.

He suddenly grabbed Mu Beichen by the collar, yanking him close until they were face-to-face, close enough to feel each other’s breath.

“Mu Beichen, let me tell you this — anyone else in the world might have the right to look down on her for being an orphan, but you, and the Mu family, have no such right.”

His voice was ice cold.

With that, Lin Zian suddenly released him. Mu Beichen staggered back without support and crashed into the door behind him.

“Look at your collar. See what’s on it!” Lin Zian pointed at him.

Mu Beichen glanced down in confusion — there was a faint lipstick stain at the collar. It was from Xu Xueqing.

“And you still dare to say there’s nothing going on between you and Xu Xueqing?”

Lin Zian gave a cold laugh. “If you truly want to get your marriage license with Xia Chuwei, then after work tomorrow you’d better rush home and do it. And from then on, never have anything to do with Xu Xueqing again. Otherwise, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

Rubbing his brow, Lin Zian felt torn — one was his sworn brother, the other the girl he had watched grow up. He didn’t want them to end up like strangers trapped in a loveless marriage.

“Whether Xia Chuwei marrying you is a loss for her, I can’t say for sure. But I can tell you this — if you fail to marry her, it will be your loss.”

Seeing people gathering to watch, Lin Zian stopped arguing and turned back inside.

Mu Beichen, annoyed, grabbed him. “Whose brother are you, anyway? Always speaking up for her — do you like her or something?

Let me tell you — don’t even think about it. She only has eyes for me. No matter how I treat her, she won’t leave me.”

Lin Zian shook off his hand. “I’m not helping her, I’m helping the truth. And don’t talk nonsense — it would harm her reputation. To me, Chuwei is just a younger sister.”

“Unlike you — she’s your fiancée, but you won’t acknowledge her publicly, calling her your ‘sister’ instead, while enjoying the benefits of a fiancé. Be a man,” Lin Zian said quietly into his ear.

“People are coming. Do you want them to see us fighting over Chuwei?” He glanced at the hand on his arm.

Mu Beichen looked up and saw someone approaching. He released Lin Zian’s arm.

“Remember what you said — know your place,” Mu Beichen warned. Xia Chuwei was his fiancée; no one else had the right to interfere.

Lin Zian smirked. “That’s exactly what I should be telling you. A man with a fiancée should know his boundaries, or you’ll regret it.”

Ignoring Mu Beichen’s anger, he turned and slammed the door shut.

He shouldn’t have even come out earlier — he should have just watched Mu Beichen dig his own grave.

Mu Beichen, looking at the closed door, gave a humorless laugh. He glanced at the lipstick mark on his collar and frowned, kicking the door in frustration. Lin Zian hadn’t even given him a chance to explain.

That lipstick mark was an accident. He went inside, took off the shirt, and tossed it onto a chair.

—

Elsewhere, at the military compound.

Gu Shisheng, watching Xia Chuwei about to enter, spoke up. “Chuwei, I’m serious. Tomorrow I’ll submit the application. I’ll give you two weeks to think about it.

Of course, if you want to get the license earlier, we can. As for the Mu family, I’ll handle it. I won’t let people gossip about you.”

Xia Chuwei turned back to look at him, biting her lip. “Brother Gu, do you like me?

Or are you just thinking that since we’ve known each other for years, you’ll casually find someone to marry and satisfy Uncle Gu?”

Could a marriage without feelings really last?

“If you don’t have feelings for me, then marrying you or marrying Mu Beichen wouldn’t be much different.”

Gu Shisheng was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting her to ask that.

Seeing how nervously she gripped her clothes, he chuckled softly. “Chuwei, be confident. Remove the ‘if.’ If I didn’t like you, I wouldn’t have said I wanted to marry you.

If I didn’t want to get married, even if the old man held a gun to my head, I wouldn’t agree. No one can force me to do something I don’t want to do.”

“From tomorrow, count fifteen days. On the fifteenth day, I’ll be waiting for you at the bureau entrance. If you don’t want to come, then don’t. I’ll wait for you.” He left her no chance to refuse.

Looking at his serious expression, Xia Chuwei nodded. “Alright, I understand.”

Half a month — if she still couldn’t make Mu Beichen fall in love with her, she would break off the engagement and marry Gu Shisheng, leaving the Mu family.

“If I can’t make Mu Beichen like me in half a month, I’ll marry you. But rest assured, after marriage, I’ll do my best to fulfill a wife’s duties and learn to love you as soon as possible,” Xia Chuwei promised.