I Am Her Secret Beauty - Chapter 30

The next day when Mu Xi woke up, the marks on her neck had already faded.

Not only that, but by the third day, they were completely gone.

The fourth day.

The fifth day.

Nan Xi was angry.

Well, maybe not necessarily angry, perhaps just disappointed in Mu Xi. In any case, she stopped all the verbal and physical teasing she used to casually throw Mu Xi’s way. She barely even spoke to her now. Every day after getting in the car, she would just stare out the window, and when they arrived, she’d wordlessly grab her bag and leave.

Sometimes, Nan Xi would still leave work with Tong An’an like before, but the moment she spotted Mu Xi, the relaxed, cheerful expression on her face would vanish. The shift was so obvious that even Tong An’an could tell, and she’d quickly slip away each time, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire if the two of them ended up in a confrontation.

Nan Xi would then get into the car with a frosty expression, ignoring Mu Xi’s greetings, and they’d ride home in silence.

The stalemate lasted until the sixth day.

Truthfully, Mu Xi really wanted to take the initiative to mend things with Nan Xi. Her heat was getting closer, and Nan Zhiya had already started bringing up the topic of finding Nan Xi a high-quality alpha again. Mu Xi needed Nan Xi to tell her what kind of alpha she preferred, or at least give a clear refusal so Mu Xi could report back.

Mu Xi still found the whole thing awkward and strange, but it wasn’t something she could just ignore.

“Young Miss.”

It took considerable effort for her to speak up, because this wasn’t just one of their routine greetings before getting in or out of the car. Initiating conversation with Nan Xi like this felt like admitting some kind of defeat.

It was strange, somehow, between her and Nan Xi, there was this unspoken competition where even talking first felt like losing.

But the moment Mu Xi spoke, Nan Xi’s expression immediately darkened, and she turned her face even further toward the window.

She decisively rejected Mu Xi’s olive branch, dividing the car into two separate little worlds.

Mu Xi was left floundering, unsure whether she should keep talking.

She rarely ever felt this uneasy, she had always prided herself on staying composed, but around Nan Xi, she had already lost her cool too many times…

So, now, should she keep trying to talk or not?

Just as the suffocating silence between them reached its peak, Mu Xi’s phone rang, saving her.

It was her work ringtone, meaning the call was from someone in the Nan family.

Mu Xi answered.

“Butler Mu.” Nan Lian’s exhausted voice came through the other end. The background noise suggested she had just stepped out of some work event. “Could you come pick me up? I’ll send you my location right away.”

Mu Xi glanced at Nan Xi’s reaction in the rearview mirror.

Nan Xi’s reaction was no reaction.

She had to have heard the call, but she stubbornly refused to say a word to Mu Xi.

Mu Xi had no choice but to reply, “I’m with the Young Miss right now. Would it be alright if we both come to get you?”

“Sure, just hurry.”

Nan Xi silently agreed to go with Mu Xi to pick up Nan Lian.

Mu Xi quickly adjusted their route, heading toward the location Nan Lian had sent. It was the parking lot of a large hotel, and given the time, Nan Lian had probably just wrapped up some business engagement.

As Nan Zhiya’s successor, she handled most of the work outside of Nan Zhiya’s direct responsibilities, which explained the exhaustion in her voice earlier.

When they arrived, the main entrance of the hotel was chaotic and crowded, forcing them to take a side road to reach the parking lot.

Nan Lian draped a coat over her evening gown. Though the sky had darkened completely, she wore sunglasses. Seeing Mu Xi step out of the car, she strode briskly toward her.

“Let’s go.”

Mu Xi immediately realized Nan Lian was avoiding someone.

Without asking further, she opened the opposite rear door and gestured for Nan Lian to get in. Nan Xi, curious, peeked out to greet her sister.

Just as Nan Lian was about to enter the car, a figure suddenly darted out from the roadside, disheveled, yet with eyes gleaming. “President Nan! President Nan, you can’t leave!”

Nan Lian froze, a flash of disgust and impatience crossing her face before she wordlessly slid into the car and locked the door.

Through the window, Nan Lian glanced at Mu Xi, who stood bewildered outside.

Mu Xi understood, dirty work was inevitably hers to handle. She turned bravely to confront the woman, trying to calm her down for a proper conversation.

Meanwhile, inside the car, the Nan sisters remained unperturbed:

“Sis, is this your new companion?”

Nan Lian removed her sunglasses, her gaze cold. “Not anymore.”

“Chased you all the way here? Were those people at the entrance also because of her?”

“I already sent her a message. And money.” Nan Lian pulled a handkerchief from her coat pocket, wiping her fingertips, stained with dried blood. “But she refused to part amicably. Today, she secretly followed me here, saw my new companion, and lost control.”

Nan Xi leaned closer to inspect her fingers. “You’re hurt?”

“It’s not my blood. It’s hers.”

“Oh.”

…

In the midst of their casual exchange, Mu Xi’s suit was nearly torn apart by the woman.

The young, beautiful omega was anything but fragile in her struggle with Mu Xi, shoving with all her might, her face twisted in resentment yet brimming with tears.

Mu Xi couldn’t help but pity her. The strength disparity between an alpha and omega made it impossible to retaliate in earnest, so she could only block the woman from approaching the Nan family’s car, hoping she’d exhaust herself and give up.

Sure enough, the woman soon ran out of steam, releasing Mu Xi’s sleeve and pointing accusingly. “Whoever you are, get out of my way. This is between me and Nan Lian. I don’t need you lackeys interfering.”

Mu Xi, unjustly labeled a lackey: “…”

Truthfully, if not for Nan Lian’s orders, who’d willingly do such heartless work? It was obvious Nan Lian had wronged this woman and was now being held accountable.

Of course, Mu Xi couldn’t say that. She remained a silent barrier before the girl.

Seeing Mu Xi unmoved, the girl’s lips quivered, and she burst into tears.

She was a pitiful sight, her makeup long ruined, tears streaked with black trailing down her chin. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes askew. Clearly, Nan Lian had wounded her deeply. What a tragedy.

Her shoulders shook as she pleaded, “Please, just let me talk to her. I’m not harassing her, I really love her.”

“…”

Still in love with her?

If not for her role as the Nan family’s steward, Mu Xi would’ve gladly sat down and talked some sense into the girl.

Unfortunately, she was only earning the wages of a lowly assistant to A’s mother, so all she could do in such a situation was remain silent.

“…You! You’re in cahoots with them, you have no heart, no sense of shame! No compassion at all!” She vented her anger on Mu Xi, hurling a torrent of abuse at her. “What kind of fulfillment can you possibly get from working for people like this? Do you even know what she did to me? Or are you just like her?”

Silently, Mu Xi thought that if she were in Nan Xi’s shoes, she might very well be exactly that.

But Mu Xi’s thoughts remained locked in her mind, her expression as calm and unreadable as still water.

Seeing that Mu Xi was unmoved by both soft and hard tactics, the girl seemed to deflate all at once, her eyes dimming as she played her final card:

“I-I’m pregnant. The child… needs a mother.”

Mu Xi’s eyes finally widened slightly.

Could it be that the Nan family was about to become one of those families that reliably produced two illegitimate children every year? She had always thought Nan Lian was more careful than that.

All household managers were particularly sensitive to topics like illegitimate children. Left with no choice, Mu Xi took out her phone and dialed Nan Lian’s number, reporting from ten meters away to the woman in the car:

“Miss, this young lady says she’s pregnant and would like to speak with you.”

The disheveled girl before her eyes lit up with hope.

But Nan Lian’s cold voice soon came through the phone: “So what? If she really is pregnant, if she insists on keeping it, the Nan family isn’t short on money to raise an unloved child.”

The girl froze as if struck by lightning the moment she heard those words.

Not just her, even Mu Xi was momentarily stunned, thinking Nan Lian’s words were truly… ruthless, heartless, cruel.

Slap!

Mu Xi’s hand, holding the phone, trembled.

Her cheek stung from the impact, she had been slapped.

By the heartbroken girl standing before her, who had lost all hope and passion. She had struck Mu Xi with all her strength, an incredibly forceful slap across the face.

Finally, Mu Xi spoke: “You… why did you hit me?”

Heavens above!

After working for the Nan family for so long, she had assumed that if anyone were to slap her, it would be Nan Zhiya, or maybe even Nan Xi.

But how had it ended up being this random, unrelated girl instead?!

Her employment contract with Nan Zhiya definitely didn’t include taking slaps on behalf of others, did it?

Nan Lian and this girl could play out their domineering CEO and pitiful heroine drama all they wanted, but who was going to compensate the house manager for this slap? Who? Who?!

Mu Xi held up her phone, her voice a mix of shock and indignation.

But the girl was far more aggrieved than she was. That slap seemed to have drained her completely, and she collapsed to the ground, burying her face in her hands as she began to sob.

She seemed incapable of doing anything but cry now, no longer even concerned about the child she had claimed to carry. Her wails were heart-wrenching, filled with such profound pain that even Mu Xi found it hard to bear.

If she really was pregnant, this couldn’t be good for the child, the ground was cold, after all.

After a moment’s hesitation, Mu Xi set aside her grievances and reached out to help her up. At the very least, if she had to cry, she should do it somewhere warm and comfortable. Consider it a small act of virtue on Nan Lian’s behalf.

It was mainly because she felt this person was truly pitiable, holding her sincere heart in her hands and even casting aside her dignity. To love someone to such an extent, regardless of whether it reminded Mu Xi of anyone else who had lost themselves in love, she found her both pitiful and tragic.

As for the slap she received, to be honest, Mu Xi believed the blame lay mostly with Nan Lian for being utterly unreasonable. She was just taking the hit in Nan Lian’s place.

She slowly crouched down to help the girl up, coaxing and pulling at the same time, unaware of the sound of a car door opening behind her, as if someone had rushed out in a frantic hurry.

“Let me take you inside first. It’s too cold out here, and there are too many cars, it’s not safe.”

With a mix of persuasion and gentle force, Mu Xi managed to lift the weak-limbed girl from the ground. Upholding the compassion of a professional domestic worker, she even prepared to escort her into the hotel.

But just as she steadied the girl on her feet, she saw Nan Xi dragging Nan Lian toward her in a furious rush.

Mu Xi was utterly confused.

She had almost succeeded in driving the girl away, why was Nan Xi making things worse?

Before she could say anything, Nan Xi released her grip on Nan Lian, snatched the limp Omega from Mu Xi’s side with startling force, and shoved her into Nan Lian’s arms.

The strength behind that pull was the greatest Mu Xi had ever seen from Nan Xi, not only powerful but also lightning-fast. So fast that before Mu Xi could react, the person she had been supporting was gone.

Well… at least the girl had gotten her wish to see Nan Lian.

Mu Xi sincerely felt happy for her, if only she’d be willing to compensate for the emotional distress, that would be,

“Are you stupid? She hit you, why didn’t you dodge? And when she struck you, why didn’t you hit back?”

Nan Xi immediately began berating her.

Mu Xi blinked, as if to say, so you’re actually talking to me now. She wasn’t sure if Nan Xi could decipher that.

After scolding Mu Xi, Nan Xi turned to the two silently embracing each other, her tone even angrier: “Whatever issues you two have, solve them yourselves. Stop dragging others down to drown with you.”

“Sis, Butler Mu took that slap from this lunatic in your place. You better return it to her later.”