Chapter 84: Fu Siyue Is Not Worthy

“Are you repulsed by me?” he asked, gazing at her intently. His voice was calm and unhurried, exerting no pressure on her.

Mu Yinyin replied with composure, “We’re both adults. Why would I not understand?”

Lu Sinian’s lips curved faintly. “You may not understand as well as you think.”

Mu Yinyin blinked in surprise. “???”

She looked at him silently.

He only chuckled and said, “Get some rest.”

With that, he turned and left, not bothering to wait for her reply.

Mu Yinyin studied the man before her, a complex emotion flickering deep in her eyes. If he continued pressing forward with such persistence, she feared he would become a source of trouble for her—an entanglement she did not need.

Not lingering in the living room, she returned to her bedroom, took a shower, and lay down. Checking the group chat on her phone, she typed a reply to her friends’ concerned messages.

— Mu Yinyin: [Don’t worry, I’m fine now. No need to fuss.]
— Gu Xiaoqi: [Really? You always pretend to be strong and go it alone. Sigh...]
— Mu Yinyin: [I won’t anymore. I cherish myself now. Only if I live well can my enemies suffer. I haven’t avenged myself yet; I can’t die before that.]
— Li Chuan: […]
— Jiang Ling: [Well said. Just don’t say it again next time.]
— Gu Xiaoqi: [Hahahahaha... You’ve rattled Boss Jiang! I’m dying of laughter!]

Jiang Ling was never one for jokes. He was refined and genuine, so banter was rare. Yet today, he’d actually retorted to Mu Yinyin, catching her off guard.

She sent a picture of an awkward smile.

— Mu Yinyin: [I really am fine. Don’t worry~]

She didn’t say more—not about her encounter with Lu Sinian that day, nor anything superfluous. After chatting a while longer, her friends, seeing that she was all right, urged her to rest.

The next morning.

Mu Yinyin didn’t go to the office, as her friends had firmly forbidden it. Reluctantly, she stayed home to rest. Today also marked the final day she’d given Fu Siyue.

Lu Sinian didn’t visit that day, and Mu Yinyin felt a sense of relief.

That evening, her phone suddenly rang. Seeing the caller ID, a cold edge flashed in her eyes, and her lips curved with a trace of icy disdain.

So he’d finally decided to come find her—this man was truly adept at wasting time.

Mu Yinyin answered without a word.

“Where are you?” The man’s voice was low and somber.

“If you have something to say, just say it,” replied Mu Yinyin, her tone equally cool.

Fu Siyue’s expression darkened; his magnetic voice was coated with chilling frost. “I don’t like discussing business over the phone.”

Mu Yinyin fell silent for a moment before giving him her address.

He said nothing further, simply hung up.

She was neither surprised nor displeased. There was a time when she’d call Fu Siyue and he would either ignore her or answer only to hang up impatiently after a few brief words. Back then, she’d felt so desolate she wanted to cry. But now...

Now, she actually found it preferable—no need for pleasantries or farewells. It was efficient. If this was how they would work together in the future, it might even be bearable.

An hour later.

Fu Siyue arrived.

Mu Yinyin had just finished a bowl of noodles she’d cooked herself and tidied up the dishes.

When the doorbell rang, she went to open the door for him.

Fu Siyue took in the place at a glance. The setting was simple, yet warm—unlike their former marital home, which, though elegant, was cold in tone and atmosphere. This place was far more comfortable.

Their old home had been all cool hues, but here, the colors were softer, more inviting...

As the thought struck him, his face darkened. Why was he making comparisons?

Mu Yinyin had no idea what was on his mind. She simply stepped aside and walked toward the sofa.

Fu Siyue pressed his lips into a thin line, his eyes sharp and icy. In the end, he changed his shoes and sat across from her.

He’d come empty-handed. Mu Yinyin’s lips twitched in a faint smile. “You come to discuss a partnership but bring no contract. Are you here to negotiate additional terms, President Fu?”

“Additional”—she emphasized the word.

From her perspective, the proposal she’d presented left no room for him to alter the profit split, and the details didn’t all need to be spelled out in the contract—only the key points mattered.

That left just one thing for him to try to change—

Mu Yinyin’s expression grew colder. She fixed Fu Siyue with a level look. “If this is about the Mu Corporation, then there’s nothing more to discuss.”

The Mu Corporation was her bottom line. If he crossed it, there was nothing left to say; she’d rather forfeit the collaboration than allow the company to continue as it was. Even though it was her father’s life’s work, she would not let others reap the rewards. She would rather acquire it herself and carry on her father’s legacy.

Fu Siyue’s brow furrowed more deeply. “You’re truly selfish, Mu Yinyin.”

She let out a cold laugh. “Selfish?”

She found it amusing.

Seeing the storm gathering on his face, she added pointedly, “A person should live with a bit of selfishness. Otherwise, if you’re too selfless, you’ll only be trampled underfoot, won’t you?”

Fu Siyue seemed almost amused by her words, though his eyes brimmed with scorn. “You think you were ever selfless?”

She lifted her gaze to meet his.

As he sat there radiating a chill like something risen from the abyss, she smiled lightly. “So, President Fu, are you here to lecture me tonight, or to discuss business?”

Her voice was light, airy—she had no intention of rehashing the past.

Once, if Fu Siyue had accused her so, she would have bent over backwards to explain, desperate for him to believe her.

But now...

Mu Yinyin felt only disdain.

Fu Siyue, of all people, did not deserve her love.

His expression darkened further.

He, too, could see how she had changed—utterly transformed, no longer the woman he once knew.

Was it that she had changed too quickly, or that she had always been pretending?

“If you’re here to reason with me, I’m afraid I can’t oblige. You know where the door is—please see yourself out.”

Fu Siyue stared at her, silent.

Unmoved by his cold, venomous gaze, Mu Yinyin continued, “But if you’re here to discuss business, we can have the contract drafted and signed immediately. The project can begin at once. Everything else is off the table.”