"Miss Mu, you are very beautiful," the lady said gently as she packed away her brushes and palettes. "But you should pay more attention to your skin. With proper care, your beauty would be even more radiant."
"Thank you. I'll take note of that," Mu Xiu replied politely.
The lady had just reached the door when Mu Xiu suddenly spoke.
"Wait… may I know your name?"
The woman turned slightly, a faint, elegant smile curving her lips.
"Vivian Lin."
Then she left.
Mu Xiu froze.
Vivian Lin? The Vivian Lin?
The internationally renowned designer whose custom pieces were priceless and nearly impossible to obtain? The makeup artist whose hands could transform anyone into royalty? Even her clothing collections were limited editions reserved for the elite.
How did she end up doing her makeup personally?
Mu Xiu stared at her reflection in the mirror, her heart pounding.
"How could you be surprised, Mu Xiu?" she scolded herself silently. "For heaven's sake… he's the president."
Her gaze softened as she studied the woman in the mirror.
When was the last time she had dressed up like this?
In the past, she would carefully choose her dresses, style her hair, and apply delicate makeup—just for Ning Lingchen. She used to wait eagerly for his compliments that never came.
Her expression darkened.
"Why are you thinking about him?" she rebuked herself quietly. "That part of your life is over."
Lost in her chaotic thoughts, she didn't notice the door opening.
Pei Qianhao stepped inside.
He stopped in his tracks.
For a brief moment, even his usually calm and composed eyes flickered with undisguised astonishment.
She was breathtaking.
The soft glow of the lights accentuated her delicate features. The dress hugged her figure perfectly, elegant yet not overly revealing. There was a quiet confidence about her tonight—a restrained charm that made it impossible to look away.
"Mu Xiu."
His deep, husky voice pulled her back to reality.
She turned abruptly. "When did you get in?"
The question escaped before she could stop it.
She quickly waved it off. "Never mind. Don't answer that. Let's leave."
She moved toward the door, but before she could take another step, Pei Qianhao gently caught her wrist and pulled her back.
The movement was firm yet careful.
She stumbled slightly into his chest.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, the world seemed to quiet down.
He lifted his hand and carefully tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, his fingers brushing her skin ever so lightly.
"Mu Xiu," he said softly, his voice lower than usual, "you are extremely beautiful. You always have been."
There was a faint smile on his face—one so natural that even he didn't seem to realize it.
Her heart skipped.
"Thank you," she replied, her lips curving gently. "You look exceptionally handsome in your suit as well."
"Hm." A low sound of acknowledgment escaped him, but his eyes lingered on her a second longer than necessary.
He led her outside.
The night air was cool. The black luxury car waited under the soft glow of streetlights, their envoy positioned neatly behind it.
They drove in comfortable silence.
When they arrived, the grand villa came into view—magnificent and brilliantly illuminated. Crystal chandeliers could be seen through the tall windows, and luxury cars lined the driveway.
Wu Ling stepped forward immediately and opened the car door respectfully.
Pei Qianhao exited first, then extended his arm toward her in a gentlemanly manner.
Mu Xiu smiled faintly and slipped her hand through his arm.
Together, they walked inside.
The moment they entered the banquet hall, conversations began to falter.
"The president has arrived."
"But… who is that woman with him?"
"Which family's daughter is she?"
Whispers rippled across the hall like waves.
All eyes were on them.
Pei Qianhao was long accustomed to such attention. His expression remained indifferent, calm, untouchable.
Mu Xiu, however, felt the weight of dozens of curious and assessing gazes.
Her fingers tightened slightly around his arm.
She forced herself to remain composed. Her chin lifted subtly, her steps graceful and steady. She would not embarrass him.
But Pei Qianhao noticed.
He felt the slight tension in her grip.
Without changing his expression, he gave Wu Ling a faint look.
Wu Ling immediately understood.
Within seconds, he stepped forward smoothly, addressing the guests with polite efficiency and skillfully dispersing the crowd, creating space around them.
The whispers quieted.
Pei Qianhao leaned slightly toward Mu Xiu and murmured in a voice only she could hear.
"You don't need to be nervous. As long as you're by my side, no one will dare trouble you."
His words were calm.
But the protection within them was unmistakable. Then he led her to were they will be sitting, she was stunned when she saw the people sitted.
They were influential people that she usually saw in the news and most importantly she saw her senior who was ranked higher than her by one rank, Huo Bingye.