From rejecting the beautiful female CEO to becoming extremely powerful

The projection screen in front of the float was cracked, and Tang Shaoyu lay in the mud, unable to get up despite several attempts to prop himself up with his arms.

Several bodyguards rushed over and dragged him to the back of the car. His white suit was covered in mud, and the diamond ring box in his hand fell to the ground. The lid of the box cracked, and the ring rolled into the drain.

The marriage proposal video on the wall was still playing, with red lettering against his back.

On the screens of several nearby phones, comments kept scrolling up.

The people who were shouting enthusiastically earlier dispersed to the roadside, and the property security guards blocked the floats and drone equipment.

The Tang family arrived to clean up the mess, and no one dared to approach Lu Yunzhou again.

Mu Qingying pulled him through the crowd.

She walked quickly, her heels splashing through the puddles, and only stopped when she reached the entrance of the building.

Her hand was still gripping his sleeve, her shoulders taut in a straight line.

"You went too far."

She was scolding him verbally, but her hand never loosened its grip.

Lu Yunzhou looked down at her rumpled collar and smoothed it out with his hand: "He touched you, so he should pay the price."

Mu Qingying turned her face away.

She wanted to warn the Tang family that they would cause trouble, but when her gaze fell on the scratches on the back of his hand, the words stuck in her throat.

The car door closed, and she took out a wet wipe from her bag and grabbed his wrist to wipe away the blood.

"I'll do it myself."

She glared at him and said, "Sit still."

She only replied with two words, without stopping her actions.

Lu Yunzhou looked at her drooping eyelashes and let her handle it.

My phone vibrated continuously; a call from Tang Shaoyu filled the screen, followed by several threatening text messages.

Lu Yunzhou scanned the content and then blocked all of them.

Mu Qingying tossed the wet wipe into the paper bag and looked up.

"Take me home, and we'll call it even for today."

After she finished speaking, she looked out the window again, where the large characters on the building wall swayed in the rain.

Lu Yunzhou started the car and asked her where she wanted to go.

Mu Qingying raised her chin: "Let's go to the mall."

Lu Yunzhou turned his head and glanced at it: "Now?"

She placed the paper bag on her lap and said in a low voice, "I don't want to go back and see those flowers."

Lu Yunzhou didn't try to dissuade him, turned the car around and drove out of the residential area, heading towards the city center.

Several phone calls came in on the way, but he didn't answer any of them.

Mu Qingying leaned back in her seat, her hands pressed against the car window, until the projected light was blocked by the street corner, then she relaxed her shoulders.

The mall was crowded, and the security guard at the entrance recognized Mu Qingying and made way for them.

She linked arms with Lu Yunzhou as they walked through floor after floor, bought two hot drinks, took a few sips, and then put them aside.

She pressed the lid several times, but couldn't open it.

Lu Yunzhou didn't press the matter.

She stops, and he stops.

She continued walking, and he followed beside her, letting her hold his arm.

Walking up to the wall of formal wear, Mu Qingying stopped in front of a picture of a snow-white long dress.

The skirt on the model reached her feet, and the waist was neatly cinched. The light shone through the fabric, giving it a subtle luster.

"I want to buy a birthday dress."

Lu Yunzhou turned his head to the side: "When is your birthday?"

Mu Qingying took out her phone; the date on the calendar was circled in red.

She held the screen up to him: "Saturday, six days from now."

Lu Yunzhou took the phone and stared at that day for two seconds.

Since returning to China, she has been busy with company affairs and hasn't mentioned her birthday at all.

Mu Qingying put her phone away and walked towards the elevator: "Su Qingwan already knows."

She took a few steps, then stopped and added, "The Chengbei Manor has been booked. Xiao Sihai is going to host a banquet for me. My family, business partners, and many guests I don't know will all be there."

Lu Yunzhou followed: "What do you want to do?"

Mu Qingying placed her hand on his sleeve, her fingers pressing wrinkles into the fabric: "I don't like crowds. Aunt Su said this is my first birthday since returning to China, and I can't refuse."

The elevator doors opened.

She pulled Lu Yunzhou inside, moving closer to him: "You have to stay with me."

Lu Yunzhou nodded: "I'll go."

Mu Qingying's tense shoulders relaxed, and she wrapped her arms around his again: "On my birthday, you stand next to me. If someone asks you to drink, watch my expression first."

"I'll listen to you."

She looked up at him, her ears burning, but quickly looked back at the floor numbers.

Lu Yunzhou didn't expose her, but simply tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear.

She didn't dodge, but tightened her grip on her arm.

Lanxu Gaoding is located on the top floor.

The store entrance is separated by dark wood panels and a full glass wall. Inside, dresses are hung on individual racks, and a sign outside the fitting room indicates size confirmation, liability for damage, and insurance coverage.

Regular customers can only select items in the outer hall, while the exclusive high-end area requires dedicated staff for assistance.

Mu Qingying opened her phone's photo album, which contained several pictures of dresses.

She wanted a long dress with a fitted waist and a hem that wouldn't drag on the ground, as she needed to accompany Lu Yunzhou at the birthday party.

She handed her phone to the shop assistant at the door, asking him to write down her request.

Ah He stood guard by the door, his name tag brand new, and he wasn't very familiar with the tablet in his hand.

Seeing the two approaching, she quickly went out to greet them.

"Would you two like to look at dresses? Do you have an appointment?"

Lu Yunzhou shook his head.

Before Mu Qingying could speak, Ahe had already opened the registration page: "You can register even if you're just here temporarily. I'll write down the measurements first, and then ask the designer to confirm the pattern."

She stepped aside to make way, preparing to lead the two inside.

"Ahe, stop for a moment."

The woman behind the counter came out.

Jiang Li was wearing a black suit with a store manager's badge hanging around her neck.

She recognized Lu Yunzhou, paused, first looked at his old coat, then at the shopping bag in Mu Qingying's hand, and finally glanced at their arms linked together.

Lu Yunzhou recognized her as well.

When they were classmates in college, Jiang Li loved to show off her new clothes in the class group chat.

The two lost contact after graduation. Now she stands in a haute couture store, speaking with the tone of a store manager.

Jiang Li took the tablet from Ahe's hand and closed the registration page: "The independent section is full today. Just take a look around. There are some old-season dresses on the right, the prices are reasonable, pick one there first."

She made the word "suitable" clear, her gaze lingering on Lu Yunzhou for a moment.

Ah He reached out to take back the tablet: "Sister Jiang, the store's procedure is to register first, and then the designer confirms the fitting style."

Jiang Li looked up at her: "You're new here. Learn to read the customers first. Bringing in just anyone without an appointment, what if there's a problem with their clothes? Can you take responsibility?"

Ahe's hand froze in mid-air, and the smile that had just appeared on her face also disappeared.

She glanced at Lu Yunzhou, then at Mu Qingying, and didn't dare to go any further.

Mu Qingying glanced down at the clothes rack on the right.

The dresses in that row were faded in color, with creases on the hems, and some even had marks on the cuffs indicating they had been tried on repeatedly.

She picked up the shopping bag and turned to leave.

Lu Yunzhou pressed down on the back of her hand and shook his head.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Jiang Li mistakenly thought he had given in, and pointed to the row of older models: "Lu Yunzhou, it's fine to bring your girlfriend here to broaden her horizons, but don't treat the store's rules as mere decorations. If a haute couture garment is damaged, the compensation will be more than just tens of thousands."

Mu Qingying tensed her jaw and looked up at Jiang Li.

Lu Yunzhou released her hand, walked past Jiang Li, and went directly to Ahe.

He pushed the tablet back into Ahe's hands, his voice flat: "Follow your normal procedures. First, confirm the design, then calculate the insurance coverage for the fitting."