Volume One Chapter 68: I Drank Too Much

Qi Yancheng glanced at Yu Mo, instantly realizing she was doing this on purpose to provoke Mu Shaozhou.

But his original intention had only been to let Yu Mo know Mu Shaozhou’s true identity—he had never meant to become Mu Shaozhou’s “romantic rival.”

After all, he’d already experienced Mu Shaozhou’s combat prowess firsthand earlier; he had no desire to be beaten up again.

“Mu Shaozhou, listen, I’m Yu Mo’s younger brother, she and I—” Qi Yancheng didn’t finish his sentence before Mu Shaozhou seized Yu Mo’s wrist and made to lead her away.

His gaze was icy, jaw clenched, and his voice was chillingly cold. “Miss Yu, I’ll take you to change into a clean gown.”

Yu Mo, of course, had no intention of going with him.

She struggled to break free from his grasp, but his strength was overwhelming, and she couldn’t escape.

“Even if I need to change my clothes, I don’t need you to come with me. I have a boyfriend,” she declared.

Those three words—“I have a boyfriend”—stabbed sharply into Mu Shaozhou’s heart.

He shot Qi Yancheng a sidelong glance.

Qi Yancheng felt it was imperative for Yu Mo and Mu Shaozhou to have a proper conversation. Otherwise, she might not sleep at all tonight.

Suddenly, he pressed a hand to his forehead. “Ah, I drank too much. Your Highness, I’ll leave her to you.”

Without caring about Yu Mo’s shocked expression, he slumped over the table.

Yu Mo was stunned for a moment.

Then, abruptly, she ceased her struggling and met Mu Shaozhou’s narrowed eyes head-on.

“If Your Highness isn’t afraid of being misunderstood by your fiancée, then I’ll trouble you,” she said evenly.

Since Mu Shaozhou wasn’t afraid, why should she be?

His eyes didn’t even flicker; he simply pulled her along, intent on leaving.

Tang Xinyan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about the three before her.

She stepped in front of the pair. “Brother Mu, let me take Sister Yu to change.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Mu Shaozhou’s face remained cold as he walked around her, taking Yu Mo with him.

Upstairs, in a guest room.

The moment they entered, Mu Shaozhou pressed Yu Mo against the door, his eyes as dark and intense as wet ink locking onto her almond-shaped ones.

Yu Mo stared back just as fiercely, neither willing to break the silence first.

After a long moment, Mu Shaozhou spoke. “I’m sorry.” He loosened his grip on her hands, his gaze dropping slightly.

In the end, he had deceived her. She had every right to be angry.

“Yu Mo, when did you and Qi Yancheng get together?” His own voice was tight with jealousy at their closeness.

Yu Mo had intended to explain her relationship with Qi Yancheng, but now she couldn’t be bothered to care about his feelings. Her tone was light.

“He’s my brother. I said he was my boyfriend just to spite you.”

As soon as the words left her lips, she sensed the coldness around him ease considerably.

She gave a slight, wry smile and continued, “I don’t care who you are. Let’s break up. We’re not suitable.”

Indeed—he was a prince, high and untouchable. She was just an ordinary woman. She didn’t want to be entangled in family power struggles, and besides, who knew if the Mu family would ever accept her. It was best to cut her losses now.

Mu Shaozhou’s grip on her hand tightened.

“Break up?” he rasped, his voice hoarse.

Impossible. Even if she ended up with Qi Yancheng, he would steal her back.

He forced the words out from his throat: “There’s no way we’re breaking up in this life. Don’t even think about it.”

Yu Mo had never seen him like this. The pretty, gentle face she knew always coaxed her with a smile, but now, with his true identity revealed, he was so domineering and forceful.

“Which one is the real you? Mu Shaozhou? Mu Yu? Is that your name too?”

He felt the gloom radiating from her, as if his heart were being wrenched so hard it nearly stopped.

“Mu Yu is also my name. My mother gave it to me as a childhood name. Very few people know it,” he said quietly.

The character “Yu” signified a feather—her wish was for him to soar high and see far.

Yu Mo laughed coldly, a trace of weariness on her pale face.

“So you’re telling me this as if it’s some kind of gift? That I know more than others?”

She was exhausted, no longer wanting any involvement with him.

“You know that’s not what I mean, Yu Mo. I never meant to deceive you.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. You have a fiancée. Be good to her—she’s a very nice girl. I wish you both—”

Before she could finish, his lips claimed hers.

The soft touch sent a tremor through her—it was so achingly familiar.

It took her several seconds to react, but by then her hands and body were firmly pinned in place by him.

Mu Shaozhou was a master kisser, his lips possessive and lingering.

Soon enough, Yu Mo was breathless, her body growing limp, relying on his strength to keep from sliding to the floor.

The sensation of near suffocation robbed her of thought.

A clean, fruity scent of wine lingered between their lips and teeth—his taste was intoxicating; he was her poison, a bone-deep addiction she could never escape.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

A crisp knock on the door jolted Yu Mo awake.

Strength returned to her limbs as she tried to wrench free from Mu Shaozhou’s embrace.

His breathing was ragged, his kiss growing fiercer, only letting her draw breath when she was on the verge of collapse, gently caressing her lips.

“Brother Mu, Sister Yu, are you in there?” came Tang Xinyan’s voice from outside.

Yu Mo froze, her struggles intensifying.

Suddenly, she felt as though she was having an illicit affair—Mu Shaozhou’s fiancée was right outside the door, while she was locked in a passionate kiss with him on the other side.

She refused to be branded the “other woman.” Gritting her teeth, she bit down hard on his lip.

He hissed in pain, but still refused to let her go.

The strong taste of iron filled her mouth, and Yu Mo began to panic. Was he really so unwilling to let go?

Outside, Tang Xinyan’s voice and that of a waiter drifted away, growing more distant.

Yu Mo’s tense heart finally relaxed, and with that relaxation, Mu Shaozhou’s assault grew even bolder, conquering her defenses.

At last, when she was about to fall apart, he released her lips and wrapped a long arm around her waist, pressing their bodies even closer.

He seemed satisfied, his gaze fixed on her lips, now swollen and nearly bleeding from his kiss.

Yu Mo rested for a moment before she could speak.

“I told you I wanted to break up. I wasn’t joking. You already have a fiancée. If you don’t want people to know the crown prince is a scoundrel, then let’s act like strangers from now on.”

Mu Shaozhou’s large hand tightened, his eyes dark and brooding.

After a moment, he loosened his grip.

“Tang Xinyan was arranged by my father. I didn’t know about it, nor will I ever be with her.”

“That’s your business. It has nothing to do with me,” Yu Mo replied, shaking off his arm and turning to leave.

“At least change your clothes. Otherwise, when you go back downstairs…” Mu Shaozhou said, holding her hand.

Yu Mo gave a wry smile. “So the crown prince does care about his reputation after all.”

She took the clothes he handed her. Not wanting to change in the bathroom, she said to him, “Turn around.”

Now that he knew her relationship with Qi Yancheng, Mu Shaozhou was in a better mood.

He folded his arms, his gaze lingering on her.

“There’s nothing about you I haven’t seen before.”

…

Yu Mo changed into a white gown and went downstairs with Mu Shaozhou.

Tang Xinyan approached them. “Sister Yu, you have such a great figure.”

Yu Mo glanced at Tang Xinyan’s flat figure, then at Mu Shaozhou—perhaps a little self-restraint wasn’t a bad thing.

Mu Shaozhou walked up to Qi Yancheng, an apologetic look on his face.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have laid hands on you earlier.”

Qi Yancheng folded his arms, looking at Yu Mo and Mu Shaozhou like a patriarch judging his descendants.

“So, did you two talk it out—or did it all fall apart?”