The Same University

Everyone in the Mu Family stared with eyes as wide as saucers, waiting to hear Yan Wen's thoughts.

Feeling their gazes on him, Yan Wen looked around in confusion. "Why... are you all looking at me like that?"

Everyone quickly scattered. Some made phone calls, others polished vases, and everyone looked very busy.

Yan Wen scratched his head in bewilderment, then said to Xiao Qi, "Xiao Qi, have you pulled up the video?"

"It's ready, host. Take a look!"

Yan Wen munched on potato chips as he watched with relish, keeping up a running commentary in his head.

"This feature's pretty good. Not only does it show the footage, it even has sound. No wonder Mu Xu Ci's such an idiot. They provoked him a little, and he fell right for it. Two whole bottles of liquor—if he didn't pass out, who would?"

"Oh my god! Bai Qianqian really went all out. With photos like these, Mu Xu Ci couldn't clear his name if he tried."

Xie Yunshu said, "Then... is there no hope for Xu Ci?"

Mu Xu Xi looked grief-stricken. "My second brother is just going to..."

Xie Yunshu stroked Mu Xu Ci's face, her heart aching. "My poor son. Don't worry, okay? If there really is no hope for you, Mom will arrange for you to go abroad."

Mu Xu Xi clutched her chest. "I'll visit you abroad often, big brother."

Mu Xu Ci waved the two of them away. "What nonsense are you talking about? Yan Wen hasn't even said anything yet. How do you know there's no hope for me?"

As though she had found a lifeline, Xie Yunshu let out a long breath of relief. "Right, right. We still have Xiao Wen."

Yan Wen finally finished watching the whole incident. "Let me think about how to expose Gao Zhen and Bai Qianqian's scheme. Xiao Qi, help me think."

"Host, the dates on Bai Qianqian's pregnancy report don't add up."

"That's right! The photos were taken three months ago, but Bai Qianqian's four months pregnant. The dates don't match. But how do we prove the report was faked?"

Just then, Mu Huai'an came downstairs, and the tone of Yan Wen's thoughts abruptly changed. "Here comes the entertainment."

Mu Xu Ci was very unhappy with Mu Huai'an right now. Wasn't he just getting in the way? Couldn't he have waited another two minutes before coming downstairs?

Xie Yunshu asked, "Huai'an, what is it?"

Mu Huai'an glanced at Yan Wen without betraying anything. "Mom, school starts in a month. The university said we can bring our parents to look around the campus and cafeteria. I figured Dad would be busy then, so I came to discuss it with you."

Xie Yunshu took Mu Huai'an's hand and was just about to agree when she heard Yan Wen's voice. "He could've waited a while and talked to Mom alone, but he just had to bring it up now. His intentions couldn't be more obvious."

Xie Yunshu changed tack. "Well... but Xiao Wen's starting university too."

Mu Huai'an said sadly, "Mom, don't you want to see the university where I'll be spending the next four years? All the other students will have their parents with them, and I'll be the only one without mine. I'll be upset."

Xie Yunshu was torn. She didn't want Mu Huai'an to be sad, but she didn't want to slight the son she had only just found either.

Yan Wen asked, "Xiao Qi, which university did Mu Huai'an get into?"

"Mu Huai'an got into Shengyuan University."

"Shengyuan? I didn't expect Mu Huai'an to actually have some ability. Still, I'm looking forward to registration day. What will his face look like when he finds out I'm at Shengyuan too?"

"Host, aren't you going to tell Mrs. Mu you're going to Shengyuan too?"

"What's there to tell? It's something they can find out with a quick search online. If they remember Mu Huai'an's education, they should remember mine too. If they don't, it just means they don't care about me."

"You're right, host. People who genuinely care don't need to be reminded."

Yan Wen sighed. "Speaking of which, I want to ask my Yan Dad and Yan Mom to come look around the university with me. They raised me for sixteen years without a single complaint or regret. Without them, forget getting into university—I might not even have survived. But how do I tell Mom? That bastard Mu Huai'an might say I don't care about the Mu Family."

Mu Xu Xi took the initiative to bring it up. "Xiao Wen, I looked at the admissions list a couple of days ago. You're going to Shengyuan too! And you had the highest score."

Xie Yunshu secretly gave Mu Xu Xi a thumbs-up. That's my daughter! You really came through. I'm increasing your allowance.

Xie Yunshu played along. "You're both going to the same university, so now Mom doesn't have to agonize over it. Oh, and Xiao Wen, invite your adoptive parents to come too. I've been wanting to have a meal with them and properly thank them."

"Okay!" Yan Wen nodded eagerly. "Yes!"

Mu Huai'an could barely maintain his smile. "Could... could there have been a system error? The place where Xiao Wen used to live probably didn't have many good schools, right? How could he have gotten into Shengyuan?"

Mu Xu Xi held her phone up in front of Mu Huai'an. "This is Shengyuan's admissions list. Don't you know what kind of university Shengyuan is? How could there be a mistake?"

Yan Wen scoffed. "Are you saying students from small towns don't deserve to get into good universities? That kind of talk will make you plenty of enemies."

"Of course not! Xiao Wen, I'm really thrilled that you got into the same university as me. We'll have each other for company now."

"I'm happy too. I was worried I wouldn't be able to settle in at Shengyuan, not knowing anyone or the place. But now that you'll be there too, I feel much more at ease."

In a good mood, Xie Yunshu hurriedly told the servants to add two more dishes to dinner.

Mu Xingfeng had important company business to handle that day and couldn't come home to eat with them.

Yan Wen looked at the dishes on the table. "There are even my favorites, cola chicken wings and braised fish? I don't remember mentioning what I like to eat."

Xie Yunshu came up with an excuse. "I noticed you eating those two dishes a lot at mealtimes, so I guessed you liked them and had them made."

Yan Wen believed her. In truth, he had thought about them a couple of times during his first two days back with the Mu Family, and Xie Yunshu had remembered.

Xie Yunshu kept putting food on Yan Wen's plate. "Eat some more. Here, try this chicken wing and see how it tastes. And this soup—would you like some soup first?"

Yan Wen quickly stopped Xie Yunshu's hand before she could give him more food. "Mom, I won't be able to finish if you give me too much. You should eat too."

"All right, all right. Eat plenty, Xiao Wen. Tell Mom what you like, and I'll have the kitchen make it every day."

"What if I get sick of it from eating it every day?"

"Then we'll switch to something else."

Mu Huai'an felt like an outsider. In the past, Xie Yunshu had only put food on his plate and only asked him what he liked to eat.

The moment Yan Wen appeared, everything changed.

First Mu Xu Xi, then Mu Xu Ci, and now even Xie Yunshu, who had always doted on him the most, had begun fussing over Yan Wen.

Mu Huai'an thought that if he didn't drive Yan Wen out of the Mu Family soon, his position as the family's young master would be in jeopardy.

He had no idea what Yan Wen had done to make the Mu Family treat him so well in just one week. He needed to find a way to make them lose faith in Yan Wen and throw him out.

Yan Wen was enjoying his food when Xiao Qi suddenly spoke. "Host, there's some juicy gossip, and it's about you."

Yan Wen paused, then kept eating. "So now I'm the subject of the gossip? Let me guess. It's Mu Huai'an again, isn't it?"

"Bingo! In a little while, Mu Huai'an will go upstairs, steal Mu Xu Ci's most prized figurine, and hide it in your room. Once Mu Xu Ci notices it's missing, Mu Huai'an will steer his suspicions toward you."

Yan Wen shook his head inwardly. "If he put that effort into something worthwhile, he'd already be famous. Since he wants to play, I'll play along. Xiao Qi, once Mu Huai'an leaves my room, move the figurine under his bed."

"Understood, host."