Volume One, Chapter Eight: Yu Mo Is Truly a Seductive Vixen!

Fu Yanting stared at Mu Shaozhou in disbelief.

Lin Hua was shocked to her core.

So he really was the Crown Prince—no wonder she had always felt his aura was extraordinary.

If only she could become the Crown Prince’s girlfriend—

She wouldn’t have to spend her days coaxing this fool, Fu Yanting.

With such thoughts, she quietly loosened her grip on Fu Yanting’s arm and subtly put some distance between them.

Xie Mengqi was thinking the same thing.

She unconsciously tucked her hair behind her ear, tugged at her collar to reveal more cleavage, and deliberately thrust her chest forward in Mu Shaozhou’s direction.

Mu Shaozhou didn’t spare her a single glance.

His gaze landed on Yu Mo.

Yu Mo knew the Crown Prince would attend today, but she hadn’t expected him to come so early.

The birthday banquet had only just begun.

She’d thought he’d arrive midway or toward the end.

Mu Shaozhou shifted his eyes to the still-stunned Fu Yanting.

His thin lips parted just slightly.

“Mr. Fu, apologize to Miss Yu.”

After speaking, his cold gaze swept towards Xie Mengqi and Lin Hua.

“And you two as well.”

Xie Mengqi trembled, looking resentfully at Yu Mo.

But facing the Crown Prince, she had no choice but to bow her head.

“I’m sorry, Yu Mo. I was wrong just now. Please forgive me.”

Lin Hua, though inwardly unwilling, managed to put on a repentant face.

“Yu Mo, we were reckless earlier. I’m sorry.”

Lin Hua hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to actually show up today. She had no idea what Yu Mo had done to invite him here.

Perhaps she had seduced him; how else would he take her side?

Yu Mo was truly a wretched vixen.

Mu Shaozhou then looked at Xu Hong, still lying on the ground, his eyelashes fluttering.

“Wake him up and have him apologize.”

His tone allowed no dissent.

Zhao Ming quickly called for someone to help Xu Hong up from the floor and pinched his philtrum hard.

“Ah!”

Xu Hong woke in pain and looked at Mu Shaozhou with abject terror, as if he were some wild beast.

He fell to his knees, bowing repeatedly.

“Your Highness, I swear I didn’t know it was you. Otherwise I never would have—”

Mu Shaozhou’s expression grew colder.

Zhao Ming hurried to remind him.

“Xu Hong, the Crown Prince wants you to apologize to this young lady.”

Xu Hong immediately turned and knelt before Yu Mo.

“Yu Mo, Miss Yu, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Please forgive me. I beg you—ask His Highness to spare the Xu Group. I truly know I was wrong.”

He bitterly regretted his arrogance.

He regretted ever abusing his power.

Mu Shaozhou’s face remained dark as he turned again to Fu Yanting.

“Mr. Fu, are you sure you won’t apologize? Then the consequences—”

Old Master Fu quickly interjected.

“Fu Yanting, apologize to Mo Mo at once!”

Whether to save face in front of the Crown Prince or for other reasons, Fu Yanting had to apologize.

Fu Yanting felt as if he’d swallowed a fly.

All these years, he’d never once apologized to Yu Mo.

He carefully assembled the words, rehearsing them several times in his mind before finally forcing them out.

“Yu Mo, I’m sorry.”

His tone was stiff, utterly devoid of sincerity.

Yu Mo looked at Xu Hong kneeling before her, then at Fu Yanting, who had just apologized.

Finally, she gazed at Mu Shaozhou.

She was puzzled.

Why would the Crown Prince of the Imperial Capital, with such an exalted status, help her so much?

Even though he had come to her aid, what if she still didn’t want to forgive them?

Mu Shaozhou’s lips curled slightly as he met Yu Mo’s searching gaze, a faint light flickering in his eyes.

“Don’t want to forgive them? Then let’s give them a more practical punishment.”

“I’ll accept any punishment! Your Highness, as long as you spare my company, I’ll do whatever you say!” Xu Hong kowtowed to Mu Shaozhou again.

Fu Yanting’s face turned ashen.

He, young master of the Fu family, was about to be punished by the Crown Prince because of Yu Mo.

It was a disgrace.

How could Yu Mo possibly deserve such favor from the Crown Prince?

She was nothing but a worthless woman!

Lin Hua and Xie Mengqi thought much the same.

Lin Hua, eager to preserve her image, could only grit her teeth and accept it.

“How does Your Highness wish to punish us?”

Xie Mengqi, indulged all her life, could no longer contain herself.

“Your Highness, I’ve already apologized to Yu Mo! Why must you still punish us?”

At last, Mu Shaozhou deigned to look her in the eye, finding her voice intolerably shrill.

He raised his hand, lowered his gaze to inspect his own fingers, exuding an air of supreme indolence.

“In that case, let’s drink.”

After enough wine, there would be no strength left for such noise.

Zhao Ming immediately ordered the wine brought out and arranged, cup after cup, on the table.

The long rectangular table was lined with more than a hundred glasses.

The guests at the banquet were all drawn over.

At one head of the table sat Mu Shaozhou, radiating the aura of a king.

On one side stood Xu Hong and Xie Mengqi; on the other, Fu Yanting and Lin Hua.

Mu Shaozhou rested his hand lightly on the tabletop, tapping it rhythmically.

He looked at Yu Mo beside him.

“Shall we begin?”

Yu Mo, overwhelmed by this unexpected favor, nodded.

The Crown Prince was not as cold and ruthless as the rumors claimed. It seemed hearsay could not be fully trusted.

Behind his mask, Mu Shaozhou’s eyes narrowed with amusement, the corners of his lips lifting—revealing his pleasure.

The next moment, his voice turned cold.

“Begin.”

At Mu Shaozhou’s command, Xu Hong picked up a glass.

Down it went in one gulp.

He set down the empty glass and immediately reached for another, tilting his head back and draining it.

Again and again.

Fu Yanting looked at Mu Shaozhou, his eyes flashing with defiance, though he was powerless to resist.

He tightened his grip on Lin Hua’s hand.

He then glanced at Yu Mo, deeply dissatisfied with her indifference since this all began.

“Yu Mo, don’t you remember I can’t drink?”

For years, as she treated his chronic illness, Yu Mo had never allowed him to touch alcohol, saying it would worsen his condition.

Yu Mo looked at him as though he were a fool.

“Of course I remember. But now it’s the Crown Prince ordering you to drink. If you don’t want to, let Lin Hua drink for you. Aren’t you two a devoted couple?”

Fu Yanting’s face darkened, his hand trembling at his side.

He swore, even if Yu Mo begged him on her knees in tears for forgiveness, he would never relent.

Lin Hua patted his shoulder.

“Yanting, shall I drink for you instead?”

“No need.”

Fu Yanting gripped her hand in return.

He picked up a glass and said to Mu Shaozhou, “Your Highness, my girlfriend can’t drink. I’ll take her share.”

Mu Shaozhou said nothing.

Fu Yanting drained the glass in one go.

His brows knitted together—this wine was awful.

He glanced at Zhao Ming, realizing this arrangement was deliberate.

But he had no right to refuse.

So he lifted another glass and drank.

Xie Mengqi pleaded with Mu Shaozhou.

“Your Highness, may I be excused? My stomach is weak.”

Mu Shaozhou cast her a sidelong glance, his presence suffocating.

His thin lips parted.

“Then clean the hall carpet, every inch of it.”

Xie Mengqi’s eyes went wide.

Mu Shaozhou’s cool voice continued, languid and chilling.

“Finish before the banquet ends, or else—”

He let the threat linger, his perfectly sculpted jaw lifting ever so slightly.