Chapter 149 (Combined with Chapter 149)
149:
"Speak," Mu Shaowu said, glancing at his son and then at his sister. "When did Xiaoxi find out?"
Ye Qingxi: ...
Mu Shaoting: ...
"Well..." Mu Shaoting hesitated for a moment, "After I sign up, before the audition."
Mu Shaowu: !!!
"So he knew from the very beginning!"
Ye Qingxi: ...
Ye Qingxi felt that she was finally shining a little.
He shouldn't be here; he should be in bed, so that he wouldn't be so exposed in front of Mu Shaowu.
“…Hmm,” Mu Shaoting murmured.
Mu Shaowu exclaimed in disbelief, "You told him a long time ago but didn't tell me?!"
"That's because Xiaoxi is young. Even if Dad knew, he wouldn't say anything to her," Mu Shaoting argued.
Mu Shaowu turned to look at his son.
Ye Qingxi immediately raised the corners of her lips in a tactical smile.
"You knew all along, and you didn't even tell me?!"
Ye Qingxi: ...It's because your sister told me not to say it.
"Oh dear, don't talk about him," Mu Shaoting said anxiously. "I told him not to tell you."
Ye Qingxi blinked, looking completely innocent.
"You really won't say anything if your aunt tells you not to?" Mu Shaowu continued to stare at his son.
Mu Shaoting: "You said it yourself, I'm his aunt, so of course he'll listen to me!"
"I'm still your brother! I've never seen you listen to me!" Mu Shaowu turned around and glared at his sister.
Mu Shaoting: ...
"I'm only thinking of you, aren't I?" she pouted.
Ye Qingxi also seized the opportunity to use her charm and coquettishness.
"Daddy~" he called out, hugging Mu Shaowu's arm and leaning against it. "Daddy, don't be angry with me~"
Mu Shaowu looked down and saw Ye Qingxi winking at him cutely, "Daddy, kiss me~"
Mu Shaowu: ...You want more kisses? Your dad needs kisses now!
Ye Qingxi puffed out her cheeks, "Daddy~~~"
"What are you doing?!" Mu Shaoting practically wanted to kiss him instead. "Hurry up and kiss him! If you won't, I will!"
As Mu Shaoting spoke, he stood up.
Mu Shaowu glared at him and said, "You sit down right now!"
He looked down at his son, who was pretending to be obedient, and sighed helplessly.
It's really not Ye Qingxi's fault. At most, he was just a tiny, tiny accomplice. His aunt wouldn't let him talk about it, so what could he do?
Ultimately, it's his sister's fault!
So Mu Shaowu lowered his head and kissed his adorable son's little face.
"Daddy isn't angry with you, Daddy isn't mad at you~"
"Really?" Ye Qingxi leaned on his arm, looking at him expectantly.
"Really~" Mu Shaowu patted his head.
“Then Dad won’t be angry with Auntie either.” Ye Qingxi pressed her advantage.
Mu Shaowu: ...
Mu Shaowu turned to look at his younger sister.
Mu Shaoting smiled sweetly.
Mu Shaowu then laughed as well.
"Don't worry, Dad won't be angry with your aunt~"
"Really?" Ye Qingxi was very skeptical.
"Really." Mu Shaowu nodded.
that is……
"Whether your grandfather will be angry, I don't know."
Ye Qingxi: ...Oh, this.
Mu Shaoting: ...Does this even need to be thought about?!
Her dad will definitely be angry!
"Think about it yourself, how are you going to tell Dad about this?" Mu Shaowu looked at his younger sister.
Mu Shaoting: ...
Mu Shaoting felt hopeless.
"I've thought it through. I'll tell Dad in a bit."
"A little while?!" Mu Shaoting was instantly filled with despair. "Let's talk about it tomorrow! It's so late..."
"Dad isn't asleep either," Mu Shaowu interrupted him.
Mu Shaoting: ...
Ye Qingxi: ...
You say it so casually, are you really not worried at all about your dad dying young in his old age?
Ye Qingxi thought that his father should go back to work.
His dad went to work, so he could sleep with his grandpa and make sure he went to bed early and got up early.
He has now realized that there is no one in his family who is easy to deal with, from the oldest to the youngest!
Mu Shaowu said earnestly, "You can't let Dad find out about this from other people. He's such a proud person. If he finds out from other people that his daughter went on a talent show and is about to become famous, but he's still kept in the dark, what will he think?! But your story is already trending on social media, so there's no guarantee that other people you know won't see it. Every minute that passes increases the chance that someone will see it and tell him. So you have to be honest with him now. That's the best thing for both of you."
Mu Shaoting: ...
Mu Shaoting nodded, "Alright then, I'll go find him now."
"I'll go with you," Mu Shaowu said, ultimately feeling sorry for his sister. "I'll speak for you."
"No, no, no," Mu Shaoting refused, "If you come with me, it will only make you die faster."
Mu Shaowu: ...
“Then I’ll go with you, Auntie,” Ye Qingxi volunteered.
His grandfather definitely won't say anything about it!
"No need, no need." Mu Shaoting was reluctant. "You've accompanied me so many times already. This time, I'll go by myself."
"Go to sleep now, and when you wake up tomorrow, your aunt will sing you a song~"
After Mu Shaoting finished speaking, he waved to the two of them and went out the door.
Ye Qingxi looked up at her adoptive father.
Mu Shaowu pinched his little face.
"Alright, go to sleep."
"And what about you? Aren't you going to sleep?"
"I have to stand guard at the door, right? In case your grandfather really makes your aunt cry, someone has to comfort her."
Ye Qingxi nodded, "Then you comfort your aunt, and I'll comfort Grandpa."
He said, "If Grandpa really made Aunt cry, then Grandpa must be very, very angry. There has to be someone to calm him down."
"That's why I say you're a little devil~" Mu Shaowu poked his forehead, "No wonder your grandpa dotes on you~"
Ye Qingxi smiled.
He hugged Mu Shaowu's arm again and leaned back against it. "So, Dad, you're not angry with me anymore?"
"I'm not angry with you at all." Mu Shaowu flicked his nose.
"Aren't you angry with your aunt?"
“I’m not angry, I’m just worried about her.” Mu Shaowu sighed. “Your aunt is a girl, and she even changed her name. I’m afraid she’ll suffer or get into danger. We, her older brothers and fathers, don’t know anything about it.”
Hearing his words, Ye Qingxi couldn't help but think of what he had said before—"Even if I knew, could I tie you up and stop you from going? At most, I'd get a few scoldings from Dad. Is that more important than you going smoothly and safely?!"
His father was indeed a good older brother.
A loving older brother who cares for his younger sister.
But his aunt's intentions were also for her brother's sake.
One of them was afraid that his brother would be blamed, and the other was worried that his sister would be taken advantage of or wronged.
They were both doing it for the other person's good.
Yet it was precisely this desire to do the best for the other person that led to their family's destruction and death in the original story.
How ironic.
Seriously, that's full of malice.
Ye Qingxi hugged Mu Shaowu's arm tightly. Thankfully, this time, none of that would happen.
His aunt will be fine.
His father will be fine too.
"Let's go, Dad, let's go downstairs and wait," Ye Qingxi said, looking up.
"Wait a little longer," Mu Shaowu advised him. "Judging from your aunt's guilty look, she might not even be in your grandfather's study yet."
Mu Shaoting did not go in.
She raised her hand several times, then fearfully pulled it back.
As time ticked by, Mu Shaoting hesitated at the door.
She didn't know how much time had passed when the door was opened from the inside, and Mu Feng appeared in front of her.
Mu Shaoting immediately gave an awkward laugh: "Dad..."
"Come in if you have something to say, otherwise go back to sleep," Mu Feng said indifferently.
Mu Shaoting: ...
Mu Shaoting had no choice but to be honest and say, "Something's wrong."
Mu Feng turned around and walked back to his desk.
Mu Shaoting followed him inside, closed the door, and stood in front of his desk.
She clutched at the hem of her dress, her heart pounding. "I...I..."
After hesitating for a while, Mu Shaoting finally made up his mind and said quickly, "I signed up for a talent show and I've already made it into the top fifty. I plan to continue participating and try to win the championship."
Mu Shaoting finished speaking in one breath, then lowered his head, not daring to look at his father.
Mu Feng looked at her quietly and calmly.
Mu Shaoting slowly raised her head, her heart trembling, and asked, "Are you... angry?"
"Does getting angry help?"
Mu Shaoting: ...
Mu Shaoting's voice was low, "You know, I've always wanted to be a singer."
"And then?" Mu Feng asked her, "How long do you plan to be a singer?"
Mu Shaoting: ...
Clearly, Mu Shaoting hadn't considered this issue.
"Can't we go all the way up to singer?" Mu Shaoting asked.
"lifetime?"
Mu Shaoting nodded, "Mm."
Mu Feng nodded slightly and leaned back in his chair. "You're going to be a singer, so what about your future husband? Will he also be a singer? Or an actor?"
Mu Shaoting: ? ? ?
Mu Shaoting had never even considered this question.
But, "Is it not allowed?"
Mu Feng sighed, "What do you think?"
"I think... that's fine too," Mu Shaoting said. "No, it's fine as long as I like it."
“No.” Mu Feng stared at her, his voice deep. “Mu Shaoting, if you want to be a singer, then your husband, and even your boyfriend, cannot be in the entertainment industry.”
Mu Shaoting asked, puzzled, "Why?"
"Why?" Mu Feng felt she shouldn't have asked that question. "Why do you think it is?"
“I don’t understand,” Mu Shaoting said. “When you’re dating, it’s just a matter of what you like, and when my older brother gets married, it’s just a matter of what he likes. Why is it that when it comes to me, it’s not a matter of what I like?”
“Because you yourself gave up this right,” Mu Feng replied.
He looked at his daughter with a deep gaze. “Not every girl is born like you. Shaoting, you’re not a child anymore. You should know very well how many of your childhood friends were the ones your families had high hopes for, and how many were just girls your families hoped would grow up to be pretty and presentable so they could help the family arrange marriages.”
“From childhood to adulthood, whatever your brother learned, I made you learn too. Even if your brother and his friends learned martial arts or Sanda, I made you learn it too. My requirements for you have never been to dress you up beautifully or to make you someone’s wife or lady.”
“My requirements for you are the same as those for your brothers: to stand at the top and have power! So I want you to join the company, I want you to establish yourself in the group, I want you to manage the branch offices, I want you to become President Mu, not someone’s wife, and certainly not a singer.”
“But I don’t want to.” Mu Shaoting looked at his father. “I’ve never been interested in these things since I was a child. I don’t want to manage the company. I get a headache just looking at those documents. I’m just not cut out for this kind of thing.”
"I'm not dead yet!" Mu Feng said angrily. "How could I abandon you? Of course I will help you, I will guide you step by step and teach you, as long as you are willing."
"But I don't want to!" Mu Shaoting didn't understand. "Why should I work hard in a field I'm not good at? Why can't I walk my own path and live in the field I'm good at? I can succeed as long as I sing and open my mouth. Why do I have to manage a company, study, work hard, and endure hardship?"
"Because you've lived in power since you were a child, you've become very used to this kind of life. If one day, the power you've taken for granted disappears, that's when you'll truly be unhappy!" Mu Feng said sternly.
"Do you think that people are born to live a carefree life and do whatever they want? There are many people in this world who suffer injustice but can only swallow their anger, and who have to apologize even when it is someone else's fault. Can you accept that?! Can you do it?"
"Mu Shaoting, you want to be a singer, and you think you can marry whoever you like. Then let me ask you, what if you are bullied after marriage? What if I die and you are bullied? What if your child encounters what happened to Xiaoxi before, and is also bullied by someone like Qiu Lu? Tell me, what would you do?"
"Of course I will avenge my child."
"How will you get revenge? With your identity as a singer? Your second brother has almost finished his acting career, but what can he do after Xiaoxi was wronged?! In the end, won't he still have to rely on your eldest brother?!"
"Yes, you can rely on your older brother! Your children can rely on your older brother! Xiao Cheng relies on him, Xiao Xi relies on him, and your children rely on him too. Your older brother is also a person. He is your brother, not your father! Doesn't he have dreams, hobbies, or anything he likes to pursue?! Was he born to be President Mu, with endless work, and destined to constantly and endlessly bail out his younger siblings and their children?!"
Mu Shaoting was stunned.
She had never thought about this question.
During her brief but happy twenty years, turning to her older brother for help when she needed it was as natural as sleeping or eating.
She never thought there was anything wrong with it, and her brother never told her that there was anything wrong with it either.
So, she almost forgot that her brother wasn't born CEO Mu or born to love working.
Mu Feng took a breath and softened his tone, saying gently, "Shao Ting, it's not that your father doesn't want you to date freely, but that you can't bear the consequences of dating freely right now."
“If you were like me, like your older brother, with power in your hands and a ruthless heart, then you could naturally love whoever you want. But you are not like that. You are soft-hearted and deeply affectionate. Didn’t you learn this in school? A man’s infatuation can be escaped, but a woman’s infatuation cannot.”
"There are plenty of people in the entertainment industry who want to marry into wealthy families, regardless of gender. To them, a girl like you is like a golden pie. They love your beauty, your family background, and everything that makes them proud. But what can they bring you?"
"If you suffer injustice, what can they do? They can't do anything; you can only rely on your father and brother. If your child suffers injustice, he still can't do anything; your child can only rely on your father and brother. So, what is his purpose as a husband and father?"
“I’m telling you why I’m here: to argue with you constantly and make your life miserable. Because he’s useless, because you’ll find out he’s useless, because your children will find out he’s useless, because he’s insecure yet proud, because you’re not only a singer but also the eldest daughter of the Mu family, while he’s just a singer or an actor. You won’t be happy. Your marriage, your children, and you will all be unhappy.”
Mu Shaoting listened and agreed with what he said.
Mu Shaoting often felt that her father rarely spoke.
He was indeed a man of few words, especially when her mother was still alive. Her father would barely say a few words to his children each day.
But now, her father is talking non-stop, almost chewing up the logic and trying to feed it to her.
When they lost their mother, her father took on the responsibilities of a mother and had to worry about everything.
To ensure their home remains intact.
"I understand," Mu Shaoting replied. "I won't date anyone in the industry."
This is not what Mu Feng wanted.
Mu Feng wanted her to join the group, take over the branch offices, and even take over the entire group.
Of all his children, Mu Feng was most worried and concerned about his only daughter.
He wanted his daughter to live a good life, so that even after he died, she could live as happily and freely as she did when he was alive.
Therefore, he wants his daughter to have power.
Mu Feng was never afraid that Mu Shaoting was too ambitious, but Mu Shaoting just happened to have no ambition.
All she wants is to be happy.
Little did she know that her happiness and joy were built under the golden empire that her father and brothers had constructed for her.
If Mu Shaoting were just an ordinary child today, and she wanted to become a singer, Mu Feng would worry, but he wouldn't stop her, because singers are much richer than ordinary people, and she would live a better life than ordinary people.
People always strive for higher positions, and Mu Feng has always supported this saying.
But now, Mu Shaoting is going downhill.
Mu Feng didn't want her future to be worse than it is now because of her current choices.
He hoped she could always do whatever she wanted, and that she would never have to compromise or feel powerless to do what she wanted.
Therefore, he wanted her to have power.
Power is only truly reassuring when it is firmly in one's own hands.
Therefore, he always wanted Mu Shaoting to possess it herself, so that as long as Mu Shaoting possessed it, she could live a life of her own forever.
But Mu Shaoting refused.
Mu Feng felt saddened by this, but was powerless to do anything about it.
What could he do? He couldn't just tie his daughter up and prevent her from competing, and force her to work for the company, could he?
What's the point of being physically present if your heart isn't in it?
Mu Feng sighed, knowing she was unwilling but still trying to persuade her, "You're young now, you want to pursue your dreams, you want to have fun, I can give you time. But Shao Ting, I still hope you can work for the group, no matter when, no matter if you're in your twenties or thirties, as long as I'm alive, as long as you're willing, Dad will help you."
"You don't need to give me an answer now. You can think about it slowly, until one day you understand and are willing, then tell me."
"Go back now, good luck in the game," he said to his daughter.
Mu Shaoting looked at him quietly, wanting to say something but ultimately saying nothing. She slowly nodded and walked out of the study.
Mu Shaoting closed the door, turned around, and saw Mu Shaowu and Ye Qingxi standing at the top of the corridor stairs.
At that moment, she suddenly felt like crying.
Her father earnestly advised her, while her brother and nephew quietly stayed by her side.
One of them was inside the door, and the other two were outside.
All I wanted was for her to have comfort in the present moment and happiness in the future.
—They all truly loved her.
Mu Shaoting was moved and softened by this.
She slowly walked up to Mu Shaowu. Mu Shaowu patted her head and said in a gentle tone, with the affection of an older brother for his younger sister, "Did you get scolded?"
Mu Shaoting shook his head, "Dad didn't scold me."
She said, "My dad just hopes that I can have a better life in the future."
“I hope so too,” Mu Shaowu said.
Mu Shaoting felt even more like crying.
“But I can’t do what my dad wants. He wants me to join the company, but I don’t want to. I want to do what I like.”
"It's alright," Mu Shaowu said gently. "Compared to hoping you join the company, Dad wants you to be happy. He's just worried that if you don't join the company, after he's gone, no one will be able to protect you unconditionally and forever like he did. He's afraid you'll suffer, but I can, and so can your older brother. So as long as we're still here, you can still do whatever you want."
“But…” Mu Shaoting looked at him, “Dad just said something that I think is very true. Dad asked me if my eldest brother doesn’t have his own hobbies? Doesn’t he have dreams and things he wants to do? If my eldest brother does, why should he be the one to give up? Just because he’s the eldest among us?”
Mu Shaoting looked at her brother and said, "Brother, when I came out, I thought of a simple principle we learned when we were very young: a chopstick is easy to break, but ten chopsticks are hard to break. A hand has five fingers. We are a family, and we should all be in the company supporting each other. But now, only you are working in the company. Don't you get tired?"
“Dad is already this age, and he still has to read documents. Shouldn’t these be things we should share? But we all have our own hobbies and we all want to pursue our own passions. So we haven’t taken on our own responsibilities, and we can only let Dad take them on for us.”
"Brother, I..."
"Don't overthink it." Mu Shaowu looked at her, who looked like she was about to cry. "You're only twenty. You haven't even graduated from university yet. You're not old enough to take on responsibilities. What you need to do now is do what you love, compete well, and not let yourself have any regrets or feel bad. That's what you should be doing at your age."
"But……"
"No buts." Mu Shaowu touched her face. "Dad told you those things because he hopes you will grow up, but he doesn't mean you will be unhappy. Growing up is not something that can be done in one step. Growing up is a slow process. You have your brother and your father, so you can grow up slowly. You don't need to achieve it all at once, and you don't need to suddenly abandon yourself and become someone you don't want to be when you are twenty years old."
"Take it slow." Mu Shaowu coaxed her gently, "Take it slow, don't rush, think it over slowly, experience it slowly, don't put too much pressure on yourself. I will help my brother with the company's affairs. It's not just my brother who is working hard. We will all help him slowly. You have to believe that my brother can handle it on his own, and you also have to believe that you will be able to help him in the future. Don't make things difficult for yourself now."
Mu Shaoting listened to his words, letting herself think slowly, and her father also told her to think slowly. They treated her like a child who had not yet grown up, giving her a long time to grow with tolerance and understanding.
Mu Shaoting thought that she was indeed a rare kind of happiness, with a family that loved her and a family that was always willing to wait for her.
She nodded, and said earnestly and softly, "Mmm,"
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