"You dare try to steal my man?"

Faced with Qin Luoli's question, Tang Man's expression became flustered.

"I... It's not what you think..."

Tang Man's family background was not very good; in fact, it could be said to be quite ordinary. But ever since she was young, she had longed for a better life—to eat well, dress well, and live well. That's why, after starting high school, she chose to be with Yu Fei.

Yu Fei was a playboy and had countless girlfriends during their time together, but Tang Man didn't care at all, as long as he could give her what she wanted. So, over the years, she had him wrapped firmly around her finger, to the point they were even discussing marriage.

That was, until Lin Mu appeared.

Only then did Tang Man realize that among the people she knew, there was someone more outstanding and wealthier than Yu Fei. That person was Lin Mu.

At the class reunion, she had intentionally approached Song Wenrou just to show off how well she was doing. Targeting Lin Mu was a way to make him understand the gap between him and Yu Fei.

Tang Man only regretted her decisions after Lin Mu's identity was revealed. She regretted not choosing Lin Mu over Yu Fei from the start. She regretted deliberately targeting Lin Mu at the gathering instead of trying to win his favor. She only came to this realization after Yu Fei slapped her.

She believed that by leaving Yu Fei, a woman of her caliber could easily find a man more outstanding than him. Thus, Lin Mu became her top choice. As far as she knew, he probably didn't have a girlfriend, so she thought her chances were high. Still, Tang Man feigned reservation, telling Lin Mu he "had a chance" as a hint that he could pursue her.

But she had never expected a woman who drove a luxury car, was more attractive, had a better figure, and possessed a more refined temperament than her to appear by Lin Mu's side.

A beauty capable of toppling nations, peerless and unparalleled!

Those were the only words Tang Man could think of to describe Qin Luoli. That aloof and icy gaze perfectly defined what it meant to have a powerful aura.

"Is the ribbon-cutting ceremony over?"

Completely ignoring Tang Man, Qin Luoli carefully straightened Lin Mu's clothes.

"Yeah, I was just about to call you," Lin Mu smiled. "Let's go, it's about time."

The sedan started and sped away, leaving Tang Man standing in place, her face alternating between pale and flushed.

"Lin Mu..."

After a long moment, she finally forced his name out, her voice filled with venomous resentment.

***

"Luo Li, about that person just now..." In the car, Lin Mu felt he should offer an explanation.

Driving the car, Qin Luoli said, "There's no need to talk about other women."

She reached out a hand and gently took Lin Mu's. "Because I trust you."

I trust you.

Those three simple words contained Qin Luoli's absolute trust in Lin Mu. At that moment, he felt that among the millions of women in the world, not a single one could compare to her.

As far as the eye could see, across the vast sea of stars, she was the only one.

***

「River City. Qin Family Old Residence.」

By now, Lin Mu's status in the Qin Family was a world apart from what it used to be. Even Qin Hongshu would greet him with a nod and a broad smile. It couldn't be helped. After all, he was now the most sought-after figure in the Qin Family. He had the methods, the strength, and the ability to make money.

It could be said that the Qin Corporation owed its firm position as River City's number one family entirely to Lin Mu. This was something everyone in the Qin Family, from top to bottom, understood. The Qin Family was truly the Earth Emperor of River City. Qin Luoli was the queen of River City, and Lin Mu was its helmsman, operating from behind the scenes.

"Young Lin, you must have had a tough time in Jiangling recently," the Old Madam said at the dinner table, personally placing a piece of food in Lin Mu's bowl. "Business is important, but you must also take care of your health."

"I'm doing fine, Old Madam," Lin Mu replied quickly, accepting the food. "You should take care of your health as well."

"Call me Great-grandma," the Old Madam said, dissatisfied.

"Alright, Great-grandma."

The Old Madam instantly beamed, and a warm, cheerful atmosphere filled the dining room.

Seeing Lin Mu chatting and laughing with the Old Madam, Qin Hongshu sighed heavily to himself before squeezing out a smile.

"Lin Mu, don't blame your Second Uncle for being nosy, but you and Luo Li aren't getting any younger. Aren't you planning on having a child?" Qin Hongshu said with a sigh. "Our Qin Family is so large and prosperous now, and among the younger generation, everything rests on you two. You'd better hurry."

Indeed, Qin Hao had been driven out of the Qin Family. As for his son Qin Ming, Qin Hongshu knew the situation all too well, so his words were also an attempt to curry favor with Lin Mu.

"Second Uncle, what are you talking about?" Qin Luoli's face flushed slightly, and she kicked Lin Mu under the table.

Lin Mu's expression remained unchanged. "Thank you for your concern, Second Uncle, but the Qin Family's business is just getting started. Luo Li and I don't have any plans for that yet."

"No plans?" the Old Madam interjected disapprovingly. "This time, I think your Second Uncle has a point. It's time to consider it."

Lin Mu put down his chopsticks and said earnestly, "Great-grandma, it's not that I don't want to have a child. But as you know, our Qin Family may look impressive, but our foundation is unstable. I want to wait until the Qin Family is on completely solid ground before having children."

"Completely solid ground?" Qin Hongshu was taken aback. "Lin Mu, our Qin Family is the most powerful family in River City, and the Qin Corporation is flourishing. How can our foundation be unstable?"

"It is precisely for that reason that our foundation is unstable," Lin Mu said. "A tall tree catches the wind. Second Uncle, surely you understand this principle?"

The expressions of everyone at the table grew serious.

Qin Luoli added, "Lin Mu is right. Although we're number one in River City, in Jiangling, we're nowhere near the top."

"You mean..." Qin Hongshu's eyes widened with a hint of shock, as if he had guessed something.

Lin Mu smiled faintly. "If we're going to do this, we'll aim to be number one in all of Handong Province!"

His declaration shocked everyone into silence.

***

"Lin Mu, you weren't serious about what you said earlier, were you?" On the way back, Qin Luoli looked at him, her face still showing a trace of disbelief.

This guy just can't say something without it being completely shocking. Number one in Handong Province? What is he thinking?

"Why would I lie?" Lin Mu said with a smile. "Once I've handled things here in River City, I plan to focus on developing in Jiangling."

"Alright," she agreed. Qin Luoli always supported Lin Mu's decisions and would never object.

As soon as they returned to Qin Zhu Courtyard, Lin Mu saw his mother sitting on the living room sofa, silently crying.

Seeing them, Mother Lin quickly wiped her eyes and stood up. "Xiao Mu, Luo Li, you're back? Have you eaten? I'll go get you some food."

Lin Mu walked over, took his mother's hand, and asked with concern, "Mom, what happened?"

"It's nothing, Xiao Mu. Your mom is fine." Her eyes were red, still holding a hint of pain.

"Mom, what exactly happened?" Lin Mu spoke with a tone of reassuring firmness. "Tell me, and your son will find a way to help you."

Mother Lin could no longer hold it in. She hugged Lin Mu tightly and sobbed, "Xiao Mu, your grandfather... he's gone!"

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