I Could Never Fall In Love With A Villain - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Have You Ever Truly Known Me?

Mu Yin remembered that the Song family valued their reputation above all else, so they didn’t have the messy scandals typical of men like Mu Jiarong. Song Jinxun and Song Xingyao were biological brothers, born of the same mother.

Yet, despite what happened to Madam Song tonight, Song Xingyao was nowhere to be found.

Was he just coincidentally absent… or did he find having such a mother too embarrassing to face?

The car glided through the neon-lit city streets. Silence reigned inside the cabin. After finishing a reply to a message, Song Jinxun shifted his gaze from his screen and spoke hesitantly: “About tonight…”

Mu Yin felt she was being exceptionally understanding. “Relax, my lips are sealed.” Besides, she wasn’t the type to use a sick person as fodder for gossip.

“Thank you.” Song Jinxun’s expression relaxed. After a pause, he added, “It was far too dangerous today. Miss Mu, please choose to stay away in the future… Truthfully, even if that knife had been pointed at me, it wouldn’t have mattered. She is, after all, my—”

He didn’t finish, whether out of difficulty speaking the words or some other reason.

Mu Yin said flatly, “I didn’t stay away for your sake. I stayed because her psychological issues need to be addressed and I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. It has nothing to do with you.”

Her words served as a cold reminder for him not to flatter himself. Song Jinxun let out a soft, inward chuckle. “Understood.”

Suddenly, the phone in Mu Yin’s hand vibrated. As soon as she answered, Mu Xuan’s teeth-gritting voice erupted from the other end—he made no effort to control his volume, causing even Song Jinxun to look over.

“Where the hell are you?!”

Mu Yin: “On my way home.”

“Song Jinxun is taking you?” Mu Xuan’s volume dropped slightly, but his tone remained dissatisfied and mocking. “What? Did he cover your mouth and force you into the car? Otherwise, why didn’t you tell me?”

When this man got angry, his verbal sting was top-tier.

Mu Yin replied righteously, “You didn’t ask me to wait for you.” She continued as if it were obvious, “Besides, isn’t it great to take Jinxun’s car back? If Lin Ying sees it, not only will she nag less, she’ll probably praise me for a job well done.”

“…”

Beside her, Song Jinxun pressed a fist to his lips, unsure of how to react. Should he praise her for her bluntness?

Mu Xuan hung up in a rage.

Mu Yin put her phone away and turned to Song Jinxun. “How does your family plan to treat Madam Song after this?”

“Grandfather is already arranging a sanatorium abroad. She’ll likely be sent out in a few days.”

“No plans for proper treatment?” Mu Yin’s tone sharpened. “Distance from family and reinforcing the idea that she is ‘unimportant’ might only worsen her condition.”

Song Jinxun was surprised by her reaction. He couldn’t understand why she cared so much. Was it an arrangement from the Mu family? It didn’t seem like it.

“We’ve seen many doctors; they’re all at their wits’ end. We’ve tried many things,” he said, brushing off the weight of the topic before suddenly pivoting. “Do you know Pei Che?”

Mu Yin was also surprised. “No. First time meeting him.”

Song Jinxun’s gaze lingered on her. “He jumped into the lake the second you fell.”

“A truly good person,” Mu Yin remarked. “If everyone were like him, what a beautiful world this would be.”

“…” That was a statement one couldn’t easily follow.

The car returned to silence. After a long while, Song Jinxun’s voice rose softly: “You’re different than before.”

Mu Yin laughed. “Have you ever actually known me?”

Song Jinxun seemed choked by the question, falling silent. Although they had been engaged for a long time, they never interacted privately. Every meeting was a public affair dictated by their elders. They truly didn’t know each other.

The silence didn’t last long; they soon arrived at the Mu villa. After getting out, Mu Yin walked away without looking back.

The window rolled down, and the night breeze brushed Song Jinxun’s face, carrying the lingering scent of her perfume. He watched her figure recede. Taking off his rimless glasses in the quiet darkness where no one could see, the gentleness in his eyes finally dissipated.

“Let’s go.” The car pulled away, vanishing into the night.

…

The Two Faces of the Mu Household

Stepping into the house late at night, Mu Yin felt her eyelids growing heavy. Relaxation brought an immediate wave of exhaustion. The dining room lights were still on, the scent of food lingering in the air. Mu Jiarong and Lin Ying were having a late-night snack.

Seeing Mu Yin pass by, Lin Ying asked, “Where’s your brother?”

“Hasn’t returned yet.”

Hearing this, Lin Ying simply lowered her head and warmly served Mu Jiarong another bowl of soup. Neither of them acknowledged her further. Mu Yin was glad to avoid any unpleasant conversation and headed straight upstairs.

Just as she was about to push her door open, she heard movement downstairs. Mu Xuan was back.

Lin Ying’s voice rang out with enthusiastic warmth: “Xiao Xuan, you’re back? Your father and I are having a snack, do you want some?”

The contrast in treatment was polar.

Mu Xuan ignored her and asked, “Is Mu Yin back?”

“She is. Went straight upstairs without a word…” Lin Ying complained immediately. “That child never listens, no matter how much I teach her. She’s nothing like you, Xiao Xuan.”

Mu Xuan looked impatient. He turned to the kitchen auntie and said, “Brew a bowl of hot ginger tea for Mu Yin.”

Lin Ying froze and frowned. “What happened that she needs ginger tea? Did she cause trouble outside again?”

Mu Xuan cut her off expressionlessly. “Did the old man lose his tongue because it was given to you? Is that why you have two tongues and so much to say? If you don’t know what ginger tea is for, look it up yourself. Being talkative, lacking common sense, and daring to broadcast your ignorance—don’t you find it embarrassing?”

“…” “…”

The dining room fell into a deathly silence. After Mu Yin finished washing up in her room, a knock sounded at her door. She took the ginger tea from the auntie and drank it in one go. She slept soundly that night.

…

The “Diligent” Socialite

The silence lasted into the next morning. Mu Jiarong left for a business trip early, and Lin Ying looked gloomy, seemingly unwilling to speak. Mu Yin enjoyed the peace.

After breakfast, she walked out. The driver immediately stepped forward. “Miss, where to? I’ll drive you.”

“To the company.”

The driver couldn’t hide his shock. Mu Yin sat in the car, acting perfectly natural. “It’s a workday. Of course I’m going to the office.”

The driver’s expression grew even more distorted, but his professional training kept him silent as he started the engine.

The driver’s reaction was reasonable. After graduation, Mu Yin had been placed in the family company. Knowing her temperament, Mu Xuan had specifically kept her under his nose to prevent her from causing trouble. However, Mu Yin and Lin Ying only viewed the job as a PR stunt for her image; she had never intended to actually work. She took leave constantly, and since no one dared to discipline her, Mu Xuan usually turned a blind eye.

Tianmu Entertainment was a giant in the industry, boasting several top-tier idols. But none of that concerned Mu Yin. She was in the PR department with a fancy title—Senior Consultant for Brand Image Planning—which was essentially an idle role.

She found her office based on her memories. Her appearance caused the bustling room to fall silent. While she showed up occasionally, the fact that she wasn’t late was mind-boggling. Even stranger, she sat down, opened her computer, and started browsing the company chat logs as if she intended to work.

The employees lowered their heads, gossiping furiously in private groups about her motives. They just hoped her whim wasn’t to actually “do work,” because that would be a nightmare for the real laborers. If the eldest miss proposed some fantasy idea, would they have to flatter her or tell the harsh truth?

Fortunately, an hour later, their fears vanished. The eldest miss was still the eldest miss. Though she scrolled through messages, she did zero work. Soon, she asked for the archives and disappeared into them until noon. The office workers sighed in relief.

…

When her stomach started growling, Mu Yin emerged from the archives to head to the cafeteria.

Ding.

The elevator doors opened to reveal a standout figure. Among the crowd, Mu Xuan was like a crane among chickens. Surprisingly, he was “man of the people” enough not to use a private elevator.

Mu Yin stepped in, acting as if she didn’t see him. This was standard; the siblings were quite distant.

Mu Xuan: “Lunch together.”

“…”

Mu Xuan: “If you don’t want your ears, they can be recycled.”

“…” Mu Yin turned and pointed at herself. “Are you talking to me?”

“Who else?”

Under the stunned gazes of the other elevator occupants, Mu Yin followed Mu Xuan out. He didn’t eat at the cafeteria; he took her to a restaurant near the building. Mu Yin guessed this wasn’t a sudden burst of sibling affection. He had an ulterior motive.

Sure enough, he started with a prelude: “What wind blew the Eldest Miss into the office today?”

“Normal clock-in. Problem?”

He sneered. “Heh, truly a rare sight.”

After ordering, he got to the point. “I heard that after you fell into the lake last night, Pei Che and an intern saved you?” His tone was casual, but Mu Yin knew he had asked specifically for this.

She didn’t expose him. “Mm-hmm.”

Mu Xuan stared at her. “That intern is the college student we met recently who was working part-time as a waitress.”

“Mu Xuan,” Mu Yin placed her chin in her hands, smiling. “You really do have a crush on her.”

“Bullshit.” His gaze intensified, something deep churning in his eyes. “Do you actually know her or not?”