Chapter 123: A Moment of Inattention?

Even Mo Yi, who was driving, turned his head in surprise before silently raising the privacy partition. Such a display of public affection was not meant for his eyes.

Once she realized his tone was mocking, Shangguan Renran grew utterly indignant. She questioned him loudly, "Huangpu Shenqing, please do not question my accomplishments in music. Furthermore, it was you who got angry and left last time! You smashed my painting, said hurtful things, and spouted nonsense about forgetting me. Shouldn't you be apologizing to me and begging for my forgiveness?"

At times, Huangpu Shenqing truly wished he could just tell her everything. Otherwise, he was left to stew in his own resentment while she accused him of being the one at fault. Yet, he feared that if she recalled what had happened, it would only fill her with fear and terror. Why else would she have forgotten that specific incident alone? He suspected it must have been a traumatic memory. It seemed he would have to investigate it thoroughly; this feeling of being kept in the dark was truly unbearable. Still, he could not speak yet. Once he found some leads, he would uncover the truth of what the girl had experienced, no matter what it was.

"Huangpu Shenqing, did you hear what I said?" The girl’s cold, crisp voice pulled him back to reality.

"I heard you. It was my fault. I shouldn't have lost my temper so recklessly, and I shouldn't have smashed your painting. I sincerely apologize for the things I said. I wonder if Miss Shangguan Renran can forgive me?"

"Well... that will depend on how you behave from now on!" The girl’s haughty expression was so vivid she might as well have been waving a silk handkerchief.

Mo Yi, driving in the front, was so startled by his boss’s words that he accidentally swerved the car into a trash can on the side of the road. He felt utterly horrified.

"Mo Yi?" The man’s cold voice drifted from the backseat.

He returned to his usual professional demeanor so quickly that Mo Yi felt as if he were two different people. Mo Yi was on the verge of tears. "I am sorry, President. I wasn't paying attention for a moment, and I hit it..."

"Not paying attention for a moment?" The man repeated the phrase slowly.

Terrified, Mo Yi’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest. He blurted out, "I am sorry, Miss Shangguan. I truly wasn't paying attention. I hope you can forgive me."

Shangguan Renran guessed it wasn't intentional. She tugged at the man's sleeve and said to Mo Yi, "It’s fine, let’s go! Remember to head to the Skekoi family castle."

The man pinched her waist. "Why go there?"

"I promised Grandpa Jieliya I would go. Ye Xin is still there."

The man did not argue further; he buried his face in her shoulder to catch some sleep. For the past six days, he hadn't had a single peaceful night's rest.

When they arrived at the Skekoi family castle, Mo Yi stopped the car, and the man woke up. The bloodshot look in his eyes faded, leaving them clear and sharp, like a snake after hibernation, ready for its next hunt.

Shangguan Renran and Huangpu Shenqing stepped out, followed by Mo Jiu and Mo Shi, who exited the cars behind them. The castle butler came forward to greet them.

"Dearest Miss Shangguan Renran, welcome back!"

"Duke Bolia has returned, and the members of the Skekoi family are waiting for you in the main hall. Please, follow me."

"I am so sorry to keep them waiting. Thank you, Butler Getina."

Getina smiled and shook his head, leading them into the castle's great hall.

Jieliya had been sitting in the hall for a long time, feeling restless and frequently glancing toward the castle entrance. When he saw Getina leading them in, he wanted to happily pull the girl into his arms and pat her back, but he stopped when he felt the oppressive aura radiating from the man beside her.

"Little girl, who is he...?"

Besides him, Pigri also cast an inquisitive gaze, and Duke Bolia stood up, feeling as though he had seen this man somewhere before. Pigri’s brother, Kehemor, and Mo also stood up politely.

Ye Xin had received word and had been waiting in the hall; seeing that her young mistress had returned safely, she finally relaxed.

Shangguan Renran held Huangpu Shenqing’s arm and introduced him to the group. "Grandpa Jieliya, this is my boyfriend, Huangpu Shenqing."

Jieliya looked at Shangguan Renran, feeling hurt, as if a treasure he cherished had been snatched away. "Little girl, you have a boyfriend? How old are you? Why are you dating? Really, I don't know..."

Huangpu Shenqing’s piercing gaze and intense pressure bore down on Jieliya, forcing him to swallow the rest of his words.

Bolia broke the tension. "Greetings. I am Duke Bolia of the Skekoi family. This is my eldest son, Kehemor Skekoi, and you should already know Pigri Skekoi."

Shangguan Renran tugged at the man’s sleeve and greeted them politely. "Good evening, Duke Bolia, Kehemor. I am Shangguan Renran. These are Mo Yi, Mo Jiu, and Mo Shi. My apologies for the intrusion."

Bolia said warmly, "Please, don't say that. You are the student our father values most; it is our honor to have you stay here."

Jieliya added, "Alright, let them prepare dinner quickly. The girl must be hungry."

Jieliya led them into the living room. Bolia walked behind them, whispering to his eldest son, "Do you feel like this person is very familiar?"

Kehemor replied respectfully, "Father, he is from the Huangpu family—the legendary eldest young master."

"What? This..."

At the dinner table, Jieliya sat at the head. To his right sat Shangguan Renran, Huangpu Shenqing, Mo Yi, Mo Jiu, Mo Shi, and Ye Xin. Opposite them sat Bolia, Kehemor, and Pigri.

"Little girl, eat more, don't be constrained. I’ve wanted to invite you over for a long time, but there was never a suitable time. Now that you’re finally here, you must..." Jieliya rambled on, completely unaware that the girl beside him was distracted.

The man’s hand snaked beneath her clothes, tracing a path up her leg. She squirmed uncomfortably. "Mr. Huangpu, what are you doing?"

He used his left hand to serve her food and whispered into her ear, "Ranran, you certainly know how to attract bees and butterflies."

First Ye Zuo, and now Pigri.

She glared at him. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Pigri had been silent and dejected since they were in the hall. He had never imagined that the girl who had always provided him with direction would have a boyfriend, and furthermore...

Watching the sweet, impenetrable atmosphere between them, he could only deliberately look away.