"What?! You're saying Qingxue wants to marry Ye Mo? That's out of the question!" Su Jingwen was just as shocked by Li Mumei's words. She couldn't believe Ning Qingxue would come up with something so drastic. Her first instinct was to object.
Li Mumei glanced at Su Jingwen with a hint of surprise—her reaction seemed… a little too intense.
Su Jingwen also realized she had overreacted and chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I mean, Qingxue is such an outstanding woman. How could she… how could she marry someone like Ye Mo? And with his… condition. Even if she's trying to avoid that engagement, she shouldn't ruin herself like this."
Li Mumei sighed. "It's because of Ye Mo's condition that Qingxue made this decision. She really is in a difficult position. But honestly, Ye Mo… he's changed so much from the person I remember. It's almost unbelievable. If only he hadn't been kicked out of the Ye family, or if his body wasn't like that…"
Su Jingwen fell silent. She didn't know why, but she instinctively wanted to oppose the idea of Ning Qingxue marrying Ye Mo. Yet she couldn't find a reason—not even the dance they had shared earlier, or the fact that he reminded her of the talisman master who had saved her mother.
"What's wrong, Jingwen?" Li Mumei asked, noticing her dazed look.
"Oh… nothing. I was just wondering… what can I do to help?" Su Jingwen returned to reality.
Seeing her spacing out so much, Li Mumei could only continue, "I'll get photos of Qingxue and Ye Mo in pajamas, together in the same room. You just need to contact an entertainment outlet and have them publish it. Then get another media company to follow up with news about their marriage."
Su Jingwen stared at her in disbelief. It took her a moment before she finally said, "You actually came up with such a crazy idea? That would ruin Qingxue's reputation!"
Li Mumei sighed again. "Even so, it's better than falling into Song Shaowen's clutches. You're from Beijing, so I'm sure you know what kind of monster he is. If Qingxue had any other choice, do you think she'd choose this?"
Of course Su Jingwen knew. Calling Song Shaowen a villain would be an understatement—he was a monster in human skin. Countless women in Beijing had been ruined by him. Now she finally understood why Ning Qingxue was so desperate.
After a long pause, Su Jingwen finally said, "But then… wouldn't Ye Mo be the one getting hurt? He's innocent in all this."
"I know," Li Mumei admitted. "At first, I thought we could just offer him some money—he'd probably jump at the chance. But this Ye Mo… he's not the same person anymore. I can't believe how much he's changed. Can someone really change that much under pressure? Honestly, I don't think I can help anymore. It's all up to him now—whether or not he's willing to help Qingxue."
Su Jingwen opened her mouth but didn't say anything. The two of them fell into silence.
Back at the party, Ye Mo asked Ning Qingxue with a hint of confusion, "You insist on coming to my place? Is it really something that can't be discussed here?"
Ning Qingxue lowered her head. She didn't know how to explain. If Ye Mo refused Li Mumei's plan, she'd have no choice but to leave the country. After a long pause, she bit her lip and said, "I just… want to stay at your place tonight. There's something I want to talk to you about. That's all."
Seeing the deep furrow between her brows, Ye Mo sighed. He didn't know what she was planning, but something about her reminded him of his master in a moment of worry. "Alright, let's go. I'll say goodbye to Jingwen first."
"You're agreeing?" Ning Qingxue asked in surprise as she stood up. Given how different Ye Mo was now compared to what she'd heard, she had prepared herself for rejection. She didn't expect him to say yes so easily.
"Jingwen, I'm heading out. Qingxue has something she needs to talk to me about," Ye Mo said, just as Su Jingwen and Li Mumei walked over. He vaguely recognized the other girl but couldn't quite place her.
Li Mumei saw Ye Mo looking at her as though he didn't recognize her at all and thought, He really has changed.
"You're going with her?" Su Jingwen asked, her tone slightly off. Only after the words left her mouth did she realize she didn't even know why she'd asked.
Ye Mo noticed the complicated expressions on the women's faces. There's something I'm missing here, he thought. But he didn't let it bother him. He smiled faintly. Even if there was some secret he didn't know, he feared nothing.
When Ning Qingxue followed Ye Mo into the taxi, carrying a small bag, she suddenly felt… strangely at peace. It was as if all the tension and anxiety she'd been holding onto melted away the moment she stepped into the street beside him.
"This is where you live?" she asked, eyes lighting up as they arrived at Ye Mo's small courtyard. It was quiet and elegant. She loved it immediately. He really has an eye for places… this is perfect.
Ye Mo smiled. "Yeah, not as nice as where you live. It's pretty simple."
Ning Qingxue shook her head. "No—I really like it."
Just then, Xu Wei walked out of the house. "Ye Mo, you're back. I've got to tell you—wait, who's this?" Her words trailed off as she laid eyes on Ning Qingxue, stunned by her beauty.
Xu Wei had always thought she was pretty decent-looking, but standing next to Ning Qingxue, she felt like an ugly duckling.
This nerdy guy actually brought home someone this gorgeous? I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover. Then again, Ye Mo wasn't bad-looking himself…
Ning Qingxue also noticed Xu Wei. She gave off a fresh, girl-next-door vibe—pure and approachable. He has good taste, she thought. No wonder he hesitated to bring me here—he's already living with someone.
Wait... isn't he supposed to be… that "thing"…? The thought felt a little indecent, and Ning Qingxue scolded herself mentally. Why do I care about this? I'm just here to stop the Song family. That's all.
But… if they're living together, will she agree to our marriage?
An awkward silence fell over the three. The two women looked at each other, waiting for Ye Mo to introduce them. But Ye Mo simply walked into the house without a word. Ning Qingxue hesitated, then followed him in.
"You can sleep in my room tonight," Ye Mo said as he led her inside. "Now, what exactly do you need to talk about?"
"Huh? Then where will you sleep?" Ning Qingxue had planned to share a room—he could take the bed, she'd take the couch. The point was for others to think they were sharing a room. But now…
Then she remembered the girl at the door. So he already has a girlfriend. No wonder he hesitated.
"Don't worry—I've got somewhere else I can sleep," Ye Mo said casually.
"I'm sorry, Ye Mo. Did I cause trouble with your girlfriend just now?" Ning Qingxue asked nervously. There was a hint of probing in her tone—she wanted to confirm whether that girl really was his girlfriend.
Ye Mo waved her off coolly. He didn't bother explaining. He didn't owe anyone an explanation.
Instead, he said, "So—now that you're here, go ahead. What is it you wanted to talk about?"