C5 Interested in Her

After the men in the flowery shirts had left, Lee Mu set about tidying up the grocery store. By the time he and his mother made it back home, an hour had already passed.

"Xiao Mu, Mom... I'm sorry," Qin Mian said, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at her son.

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Lee Mu asked with a gentle smile.

"Can I finish what I'm saying?" Qin Mian turned away to wipe her tears, not wanting her son to see her cry. Once she had composed herself, she turned back and continued, "It's my fault. I haven't been able to give you a better life. Don't blame your mom, Xiao Mu."

The more Qin Mian spoke, the more her heart ached, and her tears flowed freely. She regretted the fallout with the Qin family, knowing that it had affected her son's life.

"Those loan sharks are relentless. They won't stop after today's setback. They might even go to your school to stir up trouble. I've decided to sell the grocery store within the next couple of days. The money we get should be enough to pay off our debts..."

"Mom, we can't sell the store," Lee Mu interjected firmly.

The store was thriving, and though it didn't make a lot of money, it represented years of his mother's hard work and emotional investment.

"Don't worry about the money, Mom. I'll figure something out. I actually came back today to tell you that my teacher noticed my good grades and offered me an internship opportunity at the hospital. Even though I'll just be an intern, the pay is quite decent," Lee Mu said, holding his mother's hand.

"Really?" Qin Mian's eyes sparkled with hope.

"Really," Lee Mu confirmed with a firm nod, his thoughts then turning to Xu Jin.

Xu Jin was a senior engineer at KM Pharmaceuticals, and most hospital directors in Tubert City respected her. She had witnessed his medical skills firsthand. That morning at KM Hospital, he had, in a way, saved her life. It didn't seem unreasonable to ask for her assistance in securing an internship at the hospital.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

As they were discussing this, Xu Jin's call came through.

"Come downstairs." The woman's icy voice pierced through as soon as the call connected.

"What's the matter?" Lee Mu inquired.

"I'm downstairs," she replied, her voice still frosty.

Xu Jin, an engineer, was supremely confident in both her pharmaceutical expertise and her looks.

Highly educated, intelligent, attractive, and fit.

Ever since her university days, Xu Jin had never been short of admirers. She was convinced that anyone would be thrilled to receive a call from her. Yet, judging by this man's tone and demeanor, was she not supposed to reach out if there wasn't a problem?

By now, Lee Mu had made his way to the window.

"Just a second."

He glanced at the Porsche below before hanging up and briefly speaking with his mother in the living room. Then he descended the stairs and got into Xu Jin's car.

Without her lab coat, Xu Jin exuded a different kind of allure.

Her slightly curled hair cascaded down, complementing the waist-defining V-neck of her sky-blue dress. She had swapped her silver high heels for a pair of comfortable flats, suitable for driving.

Her makeup was subtle yet striking, perfectly suiting a woman like Xu Jin.

"Any food allergies or preferences?" Xu Jin asked as she started the engine.

"I can't handle spicy food."

After Lee Mu responded, he glanced at Xu Jin's hands on the steering wheel.

Her skin was pale, her fingers long and elegant. However, a faint ring mark on her right ring finger betrayed her usual accessory.

"Will your boyfriend be upset if you're treating me to dinner?" Lee Mu suddenly asked.

He had no interest in stirring up any gossip or trouble; he was a man with a girlfriend and took pride in his integrity.

If she weren't driving, Xu Jin might have leapt up to throttle this presumptuous man. She was offering a simple meal, and there he was, eyeing her warily as if she might pounce on him in the car.

"We broke up," Xu Jin admitted, her voice tinged with reluctance.

"Oh, you broke up... that's a relief," Lee Mu said, a smile breaking across his face, oblivious to Xu Jin's ashen expression and the way her fingers tensed around the steering wheel.

Could it be that I didn't break up with him the right way?

Typically, after a man hears about a breakup, he should at least offer a few words of comfort, right?

What does 'that's good' even mean?

Forget it, I'm not one to lose my cool. I won't stoop to the level of someone who's not all there. Xu Jin reassured herself.

Springtime is situated right in the heart of Tubert City.

Its red and blue Ming Qing architectural style stands out distinctly in the bustling commercial district. Rumor has it that the chef here was personally trained by the Imperial Grandmaster Chef of the National Banquet. In the past, the New Year's Eve dinner here fetched astronomical prices, and even on a regular day, it's a challenge to secure a reservation.

It was now the peak of lunch hour.

Xu Jin handed her car over to the valet and led Lee Mu into Springtime.

"Welcome, Ms. Xu. Your table is number eight by the window. Please follow me," greeted the waitress, clad in a qipao, with a warm smile as they entered.

Ms. Xu always chose the number eight window seat, a fact well-known to everyone at Springtime, from the owner to the waitstaff.

The number eight seat offered the best view and was the quietest spot in the entire ground-floor dining area.

"Ms. Xu, shall we start with the dishes you pre-ordered?" inquired the waitress.

Xu Jin passed the menu to Lee Mu, saying, "I've only selected a few of the house specialties. Would you like to add anything?"

"No need, your choices are fine," Lee Mu replied with a smile.

"Great, we'll go with these for now," Xu Jin told the waitress.

Once the waitress had left, Xu Jin began discussing Lee Mu's expertise in medicine.

Just then, a man who had taken a seat nearby spoke up loudly, "Babe, what do you think of this place? I was here just last week. The chef was specially brought in from the capital, and the flavors are incredibly authentic. Have you ever been here before?"

The man, in his twenties, was dressed in trendy, designer clothes, and he flamboyantly glanced at his Givenchy watch while speaking. Across from him sat a girl with delicate features, albeit heavily made up.

"I've always heard about this place but never visited until now. Booking this table must have cost you a pretty penny, right?" The girl was clearly delighted, her voice dripping with sweetness.

"I'd spend any amount of money for you," the man declared before he began to order. He gave the menu a cursory glance and confidently told the waiter, "Bring us everything on the most expensive page."

"Babe, how do I treat you? Better than your broke ex-boyfriend, right?" he asked with a grin.

The girl quickly soothed him with an explanation, "Babe, why bring him up? Just listen to me. I was deceived by him. If he hadn't kept pestering me, I would've broken up with him long ago to avoid any drama affecting my graduation. He's nothing compared to you."

"I just love the way you talk," the man laughed. "You had your eye on that watch, didn't you? There's a boutique right next door. Let's go buy it after we eat."

The surrounding tables frowned at the disturbance, but it was clear to everyone that this was a flashy couple out for a meal.

Springtime Restaurant was known for its rich, delicate cuisine and tranquil ambiance amidst the hustle and bustle, making it a prime spot for business discussions. But the noisy couple's arrival meant that the nearby patrons could barely hear their own conversations.

This was particularly true for Xu Jin and Lee Mu.

Xu Jin was inquiring about Lee Mu's interest in a hospital internship when their conversation was derailed by the ruckus, causing her to lose the desire to continue.

Xu Jin sat up straight, casting a glance in their direction.

Lee Mu straightened up as well and turned to look, his brow furrowing at the sight.

By chance, he recognized the couple.

The man, Yang Jian, was decked out in designer gear and a luxury watch, a well-known scion of wealth at Usiross University. The woman with him was Bai Shanshan, his girlfriend of six months.

What was more coincidental was that Bai Shanshan was oblivious to Yang Jian's true circumstances, but Lee Mu was well aware.

Yang Jian's reputation as a wealthy heir was common knowledge at Usiross University, where his ostentatious lifestyle and flashy possessions drew the attention of many naive girls. He never wore the same outfit twice, each worth tens of thousands, and he switched up his expensive watches and cars daily. However, unbeknownst to most, Yang Jian was not actually the rich heir he claimed to be; he was a man who lived off women's money.

Lee Mu was familiar with the girl who was financially supporting him.

"Could you please keep your voices down? You're disturbing everyone's dining experience," Xu Jin stood up and interjected.

She was fed up. If only she had known, she would have booked an upstairs private room. Unfortunately, today of all days, when she had arranged to meet Lee Mu for an important matter, they had to encounter this troublesome couple.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Do you own this place?" Yang Jian looked up and snapped. But when he saw the standing Xu Jin, a stunning beauty, his voice trailed off, and his angry expression melted into a smile. "Oops, my apologies, gorgeous. We didn't mean to disrupt your meal. We'll keep it down, sorry about that."

The chairs at Springtime were high-backed and made of redwood, which meant from Yang Jian and Bai Shanshan's angle, they couldn't see Lee Mu, who was seated with his back to them.

Lee Mu remained seated. He didn't need to stand or turn around to know that Yang Jian's gaze at Xu Jin was lecherous, especially since it was Xu Jin's beauty that had caused Yang Jian to suddenly soften.

Xu Jin had no time for such people. After sitting back down, she noticed Lee Mu was busy texting.

"Is something wrong?" Xu Jin inquired.

Lee Mu shook his head and smiled, "No, nothing at all."

Yang Jian, having offered his apologies, sat back down, but Bai Shanshan was not appeased.

"Yang Jian, why do you keep staring at her and calling her beautiful? Do you fancy her?" Bai Shanshan's voice was loud, clearly upset.

"Baby, what are you talking about? You're the most beautiful. How could I be interested in her? Let's just order some food."

"Don't try to sweet-talk me. I know you're smitten with her. Are you planning to pursue her next? That flirtatious vixen, parading around like some wealthy heiress, probably has been with countless men. Why do you have such terrible taste?"

Bai Shanshan's words were laced with envy as she glared at Xu Jin.

With a swift motion, Xu Jin stood up, her face stern, her hand already clutching the aperitif placed on the table...