C14 I Beg You!

Mu Wanxing was walking along the street when Soong Yichen's car screeched to a halt beside her. He yanked her into the car, shoved her into the passenger seat, slammed the door, and swiftly returned to the driver's seat, starting the engine.

Dazed, Mu Wanxing leaned against the seat, her back to Soong Yichen, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Are you avoiding me because I dealt with your lover, or are you just giving me the cold shoulder?" Soong Yichen asked irritably.

Mu Wanxing knew he was looking for a fight and coldly replied, "You said you wanted to see me earlier. What's this about?"

She had learned to be realistic. If there was nothing important, he wouldn't have sought her out.

"Do I need a reason to find you?" Soong Yichen scoffed. "I was worried you'd get yourself killed out there. But it seems you're having a grand time. Even on the brink of death, you can't stay out of trouble."

So, he was worried she'd die before they could harvest her heart for Kin Qier. But accusing her of living it up was too much.

"My relationship with Kin Lan is perfectly normal. Don't use your twisted mind to judge us!" Mu Wanxing declared firmly, unable to resist asking, "What did you do to him just now?"

She didn't want to drag an innocent, kind person into this mess.

Soong Yichen abruptly stopped the car and grabbed Mu Wanxing's chin. "You're so concerned about him, yet you claim it's a normal relationship. Who would believe that? Tell me, when did you two meet?"

Facing his cold, piercing gaze, Mu Wanxing shivered. "Stop twisting things. I didn't even know his name before today. How long could we have known each other? You're acting like you're jealous."

A flicker of hope sparked in her mind. Maybe his intense reaction meant he cared, right? On one hand, she wanted to provoke him into stopping this endless cycle.

But Soong Yichen's response quickly shattered her illusions: "Ha, that would be a misunderstanding. I just don't want what's mine to be tainted by others!"

"Thing?" Was she just a "thing" to him?

A wave of sadness washed over Mu Wanxing. "Didn't you say we were just a transaction? Why the double standards?"

"Double standards?" Yichen tightened his grip, bringing tears to Wanxing's eyes. "You're carrying the title of Mrs. Soong. You can't be out there flirting with other men. I have a reputation to uphold!"

Through her tears, Wanxing retorted, "And what about my reputation?"

Was marriage only about restricting her? He could do whatever he wanted with Kin Qier!

"What reputation does a woman need?" Yichen scoffed.

So he really looked down on women. Wanxing realized she couldn't communicate with someone like him. She struggled to break free from Yichen's hold. "Let me out of the car!"

"If you dare step out, I'll make sure Kin Lan can't stay on Cloud Island!" Yichen threatened harshly.

Wanxing fell silent.

"Beg me, and I might reconsider causing him trouble," Yichen said, watching Wanxing's rigid back with a smirk of satisfaction.

Mu Wanxing turned around with difficulty. "Please..."

She knew Soong Yichen was ruthless and well-connected. It would be too easy for him to deal with someone like Kin Lan, just a barista.

"Is that all?" Soong Yichen sneered.

"What do you want?" Wanxing's heart sank as she glanced outside. "Do you want me to beg you on my knees out there?"

"No need."

Soong Yichen loosened his belt, his eyes filled with implication, making Wanxing's face flush with embarrassment. "You want to protect someone but lack the ability. Shouldn't you show some sincerity?"

"We're on a public street!" Wanxing was mortified. She had never been in such a situation before. She wondered why Kin Qier couldn't satisfy him.

"So... I'll allow you... to use your hand," Soong Yichen shamelessly suggested.

Wanxing was speechless.

"My patience is limited," Yichen urged.

Wanxing remained silent.

"Fine, then we'll go back to the café," Yichen said with a cruel smile, his words dripping with menace.

"No!" Wanxing stopped him in a panic, closing her eyes as she extended her hand. If he did something humiliating in front of everyone at the café, it would be unbearable. At least here, they were out of sight.

Half an hour later, Soong Yichen adjusted his clothes, satisfaction evident on his face.

Mu Wanxing vigorously wiped her cramped hand with a wet wipe, silently cursing Soong Yichen countless times.

"Remember, don't think a man helps you out of the goodness of his heart. I know exactly what men think about women," Soong Yichen lectured, impeccably dressed as he started the car.

At this moment, such words were hard to take positively.

"..." Mu Wanxing couldn't look at him directly. "I need to go to the hospital!"

"Why the hospital?"

"To visit my dad."

"No way!"

"Stop the car, I'll go myself."

"It's late. Who knows if you're just making an excuse to meet some guy."

"You can come with me!"

"No time!"

...

Soong Yichen drove Mu Wanxing straight back home.

Mu Wanxing originally wanted to check if her father, Mu Sheng, had heard any news, worried that learning about Soong Yichen's plan to acquire Muse would worsen his condition. But today, she realized that not going along with Soong Yichen would only bring trouble, so she had to change her plans.

The next afternoon, an unexpected visitor showed up at Mu Wanxing's office.

"Wanxing, I heard you were sick?" Xu Qiangwei scrutinized her.

Mu Wanxing had a bad feeling. "Mom, what are you talking about?"

"I heard you have melanoma... the same thing your mom had?" Xu Qiangwei said bluntly.

Mu Wanxing's heart raced.

"Did Yichen tell you?"

"Yes," she admitted honestly.

Xu Qiangwei knew Wanxing had a heart condition, so she didn't approve. Now, learning it's late-stage melanoma, she couldn't accept it either. She might even blame her for hiding the illness.

Sure enough, Xu Qiangwei immediately erupted, "You're in this condition, why didn't you say something sooner? And now you're dragging Yichen into marriage? People who don't know might think there's something wrong with Yichen, saying he's cursed or something! Thank goodness Qier came to tell me."

Lee, who had been working nearby, gave Wanxing a sympathetic glance, gathered his things, and left, closing the door behind him.

Wanxing: "..."

It's said that true feelings show in adversity, and Xu Qiangwei had seemed pretty decent before. But Qier just couldn't stay out of it.

"Wanxing, I'm just being straightforward..."

Xu Qiangwei softened her tone, "Don't blame me for being practical. We were hoping you'd have a child for the Soong family, but your illness is genetic, isn't it? And you don't have much time left. I'm worried Yichen will tire himself out and your condition will worsen... Maybe you should..."

"Auntie, just say it," Wanxing couldn't muster a pleasant expression anymore.

Others had already drawn the line with their words, excluding her, so why should she still call her 'Mom'?

Xu Qiangwei kept a stern face, "Then I'll be blunt. I hope you divorce Yichen immediately."

“Yichen is sentimental and struggles to bring it up. You should be the one to talk to him.”

Xu Qiangwei really sees things through rose-colored glasses. The Yichen of today is a far cry from the past; there's nothing he can't say now.