Chapter 479: Let's compare with my future brother‑in‑law

Mu Youyu didn't have time to look a few more times before Mu Xin had already come in through the front door.

As soon as he entered, half of the gazes in the banquet hall fell on him.

Mu Xin wore a dark blue preppy-style uniform today, not knowing who prepared it, which happened to form a subtle echo with his sister's light blue dress.

Mu Yichen and Mu Yichi followed on his left and right, masks covering most of their faces, their steps so in sync they seemed like one person split in two.

Qing An came last, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed as if he were just there to mooch a meal—which was exactly the case.

Mu Youyu waved at them, and Mu Xin gave her a slight smile, curling his lips.

Song Huaixian pulled out the chair beside himself, being overly attentive unlike a birthday person, saying, "Mu Xin, you've been waiting a long time, come on, come on, sit here."

Mu Xin didn't decline and sat down on the other side.

Mu Yichen and Mu Yichi each took a seat near Mu Xin, and as they passed they casually ruffled their sister's hair.

Qing An shoved himself next to Song Huaiyu without hesitation, saying, "Huaiyu, happy birthday—you're the biggest today."

Song Huaiyu pushed the fruit plate in front of him over a bit, as a response.

Qing An couldn't believe it, "No way, you're still mad?"

Song Huaixian: "See if my brother pays you any heed."

Mu Yichi spoke up for the birthday person, "How did you make Xianxian angry again? He's the birthday person."

Song Huaiyu, Song Huaixian: "……"

Mu Youyu and Jiang Liangjin quietly watched the few goofy older brothers.

Mu Yichen reminded, "You've mistaken the person."

"Oh, I'm really sorry, it turns out it's our cute Huaiyu—I'll punish myself with a drink." Mu Yichi raised a cup of milk, deadpan.

The other brothers couldn't bear to watch.

Mu Yichen said, "If you want to drink milk, just drink it; don't make excuses."

The two birthday people: "……"

The banquet began, and the noise started to rise.

Mu Youyu sat in her seat, the juice before her already half-drunk, she felt a bit like going to the restroom, so she whispered to Jiang Liangjin beside her.

He nodded slightly, stood up and pulled out her chair, then chatted with Mu Xi nearby; Mu Youyu didn't let him follow her.

When she came out of the restroom, Mu Youyu bumped into the black-clad girl at the hallway corner.

The girl leaned against the wall, head down looking at her phone; the screen showed a design sketch with intricate lines and bold colors, which oddly felt somewhat familiar.

Hearing the footsteps, she lifted her head, lips curling, "Oh, it's you, sis—what a coincidence."

Mu Youyu nodded slightly, "Sister Zhu, take care."

"Sis, you're doing great." Zhu Yan straightened up, half a head taller than Mu Youyu, her expression unnervingly gentle, "What are you up to?"

The friends nearby hearing that tone got goosebumps: "What what? What what? Is this their Sister Yan?"

Mu Youyu lifted her face, her gaze pausing on Zhu Yan's face for a moment.

The other's usual icy beauty had been deliberately reined in by half, revealing an almost affected gentleness, clearly trying hard to play the easy‑going type.

Behind her, two heads peeked out from the hallway corner—one male, one female—expressions subtle, the girl's mouth forming an O.

The boy held his phone high, the camera aimed this way, unclear whether he was filming a video or sneaking a shot.

Mu Youyu didn't notice, just shook her head, "Nothing, I just came out of the restroom, getting ready to go back."

Zhu Yan realized, stepped aside to clear the path, and turned off her phone screen, "Me too, together?"

Mu Youyu nodded, and the two walked side by side toward the banquet hall.

The two heads behind them quickly retracted.

Upon reaching the side door of the banquet hall, Zhu Yan turned her head to glance at her, lips moving, "You look really beautiful today, the dress really suits you."

Mu Youyu was taken aback by the sudden praise, "Sister Zhu, you too—this outfit really suits you."

Zhu Yan raised an eyebrow, "Really? I just threw it on."

"Where…?"

"Your hair color looks great too." Zhu Yan laughed, cutting in, "I saw a feature on this color scheme in a magazine last time and wondered who could pull it off. Seeing you today, I've found the answer."

Mu Youyu didn't know what to say, while the other kept exaggerating, praising this and that: "... All in all, your captivating face could bewitch a crowd even in a ragged cloth—truly enviable that Huaixian has a sister like you."

Mu Youyu felt a bit dazed from the string of compliments, "Sister Zhu, praise me any more and I'll start floating."

"Then float—I'll catch you no matter how high."

Mu Youyu pressed her lips, unsure how to respond.

Her friends froze at the corner, thinking only, "Sister Yan must have taken the wrong medicine today."

The two entered the banquet hall one after the other; Zhu Yan didn't return to her own table but headed straight for the main table.

She pulled out the other chair beside Song Huaixian and sat down, then casually picked up a cup of water on the table—whose it was unknown—and took a sip.

Song Huaixian glanced sideways at her, raised an eyebrow, "Oh, Miss, aren't you unwilling to sit over here?"

"The situation has changed."

"Fine."

The head previously peeking from the wall corner—the low‑humor grey‑haired boy—had now returned to a normal expression.

Just the corners of his mouth still turned up, he kept a straight face as he sat beside Zhu Yan, lowering his voice to say something unknown.

After hearing a few words, Zhu Yan glanced sideways at him, her expression fading; the grey‑haired boy immediately shut up, lifted the juice before him and pretended to drink, "I didn't say anything."

Zhu Yan spoke in a flat tone, "Get lost… move out of the way, stop being an eyesore."

The atmosphere between the two was extremely subtle, neither like lovers nor like ordinary classmates.

Song Huaixian gloated, "Heard that? Told you to scram."

The grey‑haired boy glared at him fiercely, "Don't get cocky—next time it'll be you… I won't hold it against you for your birthday today, but tomorrow we'll settle it one‑on‑one."

"Who has time to duel you one-on-one?"

As soon as the words fell, Song Huaixian's eyes shifted, he changed his mind, pointed to his older brother, and said, "You and my brother, let's compare academics."

Song Huaiyu glanced at him, not refusing.

The grey-haired man snorted, "What's there to compare in academics? If you want to compare, then compare martial skills!"

Song Huaixian walked up to Jiang Liangjin, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, "Come, let's compare with my future brother-in-law."

The grey-haired man had indeed heard rumors of Jiang Liangjin—at such a young age he held so many positions, his methods were formidable; on the very first day he became chairman of the Shen conglomerate, Shen underwent a major overhaul.

Besides what Song Huaixian had said earlier, Jiang Liangjin, back then, to protect the Mu family's eldest daughter, had practiced taekwondo, sanda, and such since childhood, training even harder than him, unafraid of exhaustion, as if he didn't care about his life.

Damn, how does everything good keep falling to Song Huaixian?

Now, the grey-haired man timidly walked off to another spot, saying, "I withdraw."

Jiang Liangjin's lips curled up, then quickly pressed down.