Xu Mu stepped forward and answered the call. "What's wrong?"
"Ye Yu just messaged me," Ye Tong said over the phone. "She said she's heading home tonight for dinner at the Xu family manor. I was thinking of bringing her along."
"Sure," Xu Mu replied. "Should I pick her up after work?"
"No need. I was planning to go out anyway—to buy her an electric scooter. I'll pick her up myself," Ye Tong said with a smile. "I don't have anything else going on."
"Alright," Xu Mu agreed.
After work, he drove straight home.
He hadn't invited Meng Wanyue today—he couldn't push too hard, too fast.
Besides, tonight's meeting concerned the Xu family's future, and Meng Wanyue was still one of the Dragon King's people.
The Dragon King's first goal upon returning would be to seize control of the Xu family—so bringing her along was out of the question.
Meanwhile, Ye Tong had just bought a new Aima electric scooter, worth a little over two thousand yuan, and was heading to Jiang City High School.
She parked near the front gate and waited quietly.
Ever since she and Xu Mu registered their marriage, she hadn't seen Xu Shou again.
All the grievances she'd endured—she had swallowed them without a word, never complaining, feeling she owed too much already.
She even considered buying gifts this time. After thinking it over, she decided to ask Xu Mu when she got home.
"Hey! Gorgeous—can I get your WeChat?"
Two blond punks passing by had immediately been drawn to her.
Ye Tong was wearing jeans today for convenience while riding the scooter. The tight denim perfectly outlined her long, slender legs—straight, shapely, flawless.
Honestly, she could pass for a top model. And her face was even more striking.
One of the blond punks happened to be Liu Tu—the same guy Lu Xueyao had approached before.
After being warned by Xu Mu last time, Liu Tu hadn't dared bother Lu Xueyao again.
But he knew Xu Mu's warning had only been to impress her and score some Favorability points.
It had been a few days now. A rich guy like Xu Mu surely would've grown bored by now.
Liu Tu had come to the school today planning to look for Lu Xueyao—but instead, he'd stumbled upon an even prettier woman.
"Sorry, I'm married," Ye Tong said flatly.
She was used to this kind of thing—getting hit on was nothing new.
"Shame," Liu Tu smirked. "You just missed your chance with a good man like me."
Noticing her cheap electric scooter, he assumed she wasn't from a wealthy family. He wasn't about to give up.
If a guy like him didn't dare chase a woman, was he supposed to wait for one to chase him?
"Come on, beauty—just add me. My buddy's here; don't make me look bad," Liu Tu pressed.
Ye Tong was about to refuse when she saw students streaming out of the school gate.
Ye Yu was one of the first to run out—and right behind her was Lu Xueyao.
Lu Xueyao had followed Ye Yu out for one reason—she thought Xu Mu might be coming to pick her up. She just wanted to say a few words to him.
"Big Sis!" Ye Yu called cheerfully, running over.
"What the—!"
Liu Tu's jaw dropped.
These two were sisters?
"Hey, beauty, add me if you won't—then let your sister add me," Liu Tu grinned.
Ye Tong ignored them. She'd seen their type plenty of times before. Broad daylight—there wasn't much they could do besides run their mouths.
"Let's go," she said, motioning for Ye Yu to hop on the back seat.
"Hey, wait—"
"She said no! You deaf?"
A woman's voice rang out from behind.
Liu Tu turned—and his eyes lit up. "Holy shit… you're Lu Xueyao?"
When she'd contacted him before, she'd been wearing heavy makeup and dyed blond hair.
And to be fair, any woman with decent looks could appear attractive under makeup.
But seeing her now—he hadn't expected Lu Xueyao to look this beautiful in real life.
"That's right. Don't recognize me anymore?"
Lu Xueyao wore a baseball cap, carrying a backpack, speaking lightly.
Her gaze drifted toward Ye Tong. She'd overheard from behind—Ye Yu had called her "Big Sis." That meant this woman was Xu Mu's wife.
She had to admit—she was stunning.
And that refined, elegant aura… something Lu Xueyao knew she could never imitate in her life.
"Lu Xueyao, what kind of attitude is that? Is that how you talk to me?"
Liu Tu's face twisted in anger.
It had only been a few days, yet she seemed like a completely different person.
Before, she'd always been timid and submissive. Now she dared glare at him like this?
Lu Xueyao didn't even look at him. She was debating whether to greet Ye Tong or not.
"I'm talking to you! Are you deaf?"
Liu Tu growled, striding toward her, hand reaching for her clothes.
Did she really think sleeping with a rich guy made her someone special now?
Calmly, Lu Xueyao unzipped her backpack.
As he lunged closer, she pulled out a can of pepper spray and fired straight into his eyes.
Pssst—!
"AH! MY EYES! DAMN IT!"
He hadn't expected the once-cowardly Lu Xueyao to actually fight back.
Covering his face, he swung blindly at her—but she kicked him squarely in the chest, sending him sprawling.
Growth doesn't always happen gradually. Sometimes it takes one defining moment to change a person completely.
And for Lu Xueyao—this was that moment.
"Don't just stand there! Grab her!" Liu Tu screamed, clutching his face.
The other blond—chubby and uncertain—hesitated, then began stepping forward.
"What do you think you're doing? I'm calling the police!"
Ye Tong pulled out her phone, face cold.
After all, the girl had just stepped in to defend her and Ye Yu.
Lu Xueyao decided not to greet her today after all. She turned to leave—
—but then saw a bald man approaching from a distance with two others in tow.
Her expression darkened. It was Zhao Yan.
Was he here for revenge?
"Don't you dare run!"
Liu Tu, eyes red and barely open, charged forward—only to slam right into a tall, muscular man.
"You blind—?! Oh, Zhao—Zhao Bro! Sorry, I didn't see you!"
The ferocity drained from Liu Tu's face instantly.
Zhao Yan was well-known on the streets.
His old boss used to be on par with Brother Hu from the next district.But two years ago, that boss had been arrested and sentenced to over a decade in prison.
Zhao Yan, the second-in-command, took over afterward. He wasn't as powerful as Brother Hu, but he still ran a few establishments and had over a hundred men under him.
"You tired of living? You dare mess with Sister Lu?"
Zhao Yan slapped Liu Tu across the face.
Liu Tu froze. Sister Lu?
What the hell?
Zhao Yan—that Zhao Yan—was calling Lu Xueyao "Sister Lu"?
Not only Liu Tu, but even Lu Xueyao was stunned.
But she quickly realized—it must be because of Xu Mu.
"Sister Lu, how should we deal with him?" Zhao Yan asked with a flattering smile.
He wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.
Last time, Brother Hu was still lying in the hospital. His arm might've been reattached, but he'd never be able to do hard labor again.
Before leaving that day, Xu Mu had only looked at him—and that alone had been mercy.
If Xu Mu ever found out that Zhao Yan had stood by while Lu Xueyao was bullied and did nothing—he'd be signing his own death warrant.
Lu Xueyao stepped up to Liu Tu, expressionless.
He kept his head bowed, not daring to meet her gaze.
Inside, Lu Xueyao felt only awe.
All of this—this strength, this respect—was something Brother Xu Mu had given her.
Forget being the fifth or sixth—she'd gladly be the seventh or eighth if it meant staying by his side.