"Is that Bing Shi? She is beautiful!"

A buzzing sound between older women started when a young lady arrived at the party with her parents.

"From her photos, she should be a plump girl. Can somebody's appearance change so much just by losing weight?" a woman in a red dress asked in doubt.

"Plastic surgery?" implored a woman in green.

"It's only because of her first impression. When you look closer, she is not that beautiful, above average at most. She can't be compared to your daughter, don't even mention celebrities," answered woman with the keenest eyes.

"I agree...but... I can't look away from her. Strange... Is it thanks to her clothing?" asserted a woman in yellow. All women with colorful dresses agreed with her.

Standing near the entrance, Bing Shi's way of clothing was very feminine; a dark green, almost black vintage dress with long sleeves and a high neck collar. Above her chest was a Chanel pearl brooch. Her hair was braided to her side; without her black-rimmed eyeglasses, she looked high class.

When Bing Shi walked towards the round tables, she greeted all a.d.u.l.ts, from the eldest to the youngest, not forgetting her upbringing. When they started to speak to her, they couldn't stop. She stole all people's hearts. They couldn't help but like this young lady who wasn't acting all innocent, nor did she over sweet-talked to them.

"How is your skin so pale? Your mum looks younger compared to before. She said it's all thanks to you!" they asked.

░Easy. Don't go outside.░

"If you want to maintain your youthfulness, first, start to use sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Second, try to avoid stress by laughing," Bing Shi chuckled, seating herself on a vacant seat next to a woman in red, "Because when you laugh, you feel no stress."

Bing Shi made them laugh with her sunny smiles. Their mood significantly improved, the more they talked to her. All of them wanted her as their daughter in law! They rushed their sons to speak to her, then went to help out in the kitchen. All the families in this party became rich with their hard work. They still liked to cook their food.

All the sons refused. Their instincts told them to stay away from Bing Shi, being warry of her. Their mothers would always find faults with other girls. But Bing Shi? She won over all of them!

But there would always be an overconfident man, Tan Huo, a handsome man who finished school and started his own company with the help of his parents. He was fascinated by how Bing Shi could easily communicate with his hard to please mother.

░Life without Xuan Mu is so boring~░

"Hi, I'm Tan Huo," he came near Bing Shi and sat down next to her seat. With a polite smile, he offered his hand for a handshake.

░Who? Please, go away.░

"Hi. I'm sorry, I don't handshake," Bing Shi refused politely with an apologetic smile.

░Stay away. Stay away. Stay away.░

"Why?" he took his hand back, feeling curious.

"Because they get sweaty a lot. I don't want you to feel disgusted," Bing Shi explained and checked her phone afterward, looking for any messages from Xuan Mu. There were none, he's probably still at work.

░Xuan Mu is so hardworking~░

"I don't mind." When he saw how she checked her phone, there was no sweat. He didn't give up. He offered it again, encouraging her with a bigger smile.

░What's wrong with this guy?░

"But, I do mind. Sorry," proclaimed Bing Shi with a forced smile. She put away her phone and started to eat the food offered on the table.

"..." Now, how should he continue the conversation? She refused politely, but somehow he felt like she was so disgusted by him to even speak to him. "Is it tasty?" he asked. He met many girls. But what's wrong with Bing Shi? Why was it so awkward?

"...Mmm..." As her mouth was full, Bing Shi nodded without looking at him.

░Now. Leave. I don't talk when I eat.░

"It was nice to meet you. I have to go back." Feeling she wasn't interested, he wanted to run away as this awkward feeling was suffocating.

Bing Shi waved her hand at him as a goodbye gesture.

░Bye-bye~░

When Tan Hua went back, everyone started to ask questions.

"How is she?"

"Her whole being is screaming at you to leave her alone. The longer I sat with her, the harder it was to talk to her," said Tan Huo.

"A challenge, should I try too?" a young man snickered confidently.

"Go ahead. You've got no chance," warned Tan Huo.

The man didn't hear him. He was on his way to Bing Shi. "Hi, I'm Tony," he waved at her with a cute smile.

"Sorry, I'm at the good part of the novel. I can't speak to you," mumbled Bing Shi, who was reading a novel. Making sure nobody was going to interrupt her again, she put on her headphones.

"..." Tony dejectedly came back.

Everyone laughed at him and started to make tactics on how to catch her interest, "A polite man didn't work."

"What about a cold man?" they started.

"She will ignore you."

"What about a bad boy?"

"Good Idea!"

"Should we try to tease her? Like grabbing her phone and run away?"

"I'd like to see her reaction!"

"Who is going ?" they all looked at the bad boy in their group.

"No way, I'm not bullying her. Don't you remember who her backers are? All of our mothers!" The notorious bad boy backed away.

Realizing the truth, they got goosebumps. Bing Shi, she was too powerful. They are not afraid of their mother, really. "I give up. She is not even that beautiful."

"Too ugly." They all agreed shamelessly. Nobody was stupid enough to challenge Bing Shi, "Let's try other girls?"

"All the girls are helping out in the kitchen. Wait, why is Bing Shi not helping them?"

"Probably because of our mothers..." All of them went silent. What's with all these privileges? She just talked to them! Did she think she was a Queen? (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

During that Christmas eve, some people could finally get a glimpse of the rumored Bing Shi. True to her image, she was exactly like her parents described her.

· · ─── · ⊱❈⊰· ─── · ·

Bing Shi, after the first semester, got more used to the pressure and stress. But somehow, after she lost weight, she kept catching bees and butterflies everywhere, without even trying to be eye-catchy. Was this how it felt like to be an above-average looking? She started to pity those goddesses.

░They sure have it hard, don't they?░

"Hey, you are Bing Shi, right?" asked a young man who sat in front of Bing Shi. Before the physic class could start, he attempted to engage in a conversation with this quiet lady.

░Xuan Mu, someone is speaking to me again. Save me~░

"Yes?" answered Bing Shi with a smile. At school, she has her eyeglasses on. There was no need to put her contact lens on.

"I went to a club yesterday. There were many Asian girls. But I never saw you. How come?" he asked.

"I don't go clubbing," Bing Shi answered.

"Trying to be a good girl?" he asked.

"Yes."

"What a pity. You know, compared to those girls, you are the most beautiful one."

"Thank you for the praise," Bing Shi laughed at the cheesiness.

"Let's go togeth-..."

"No, thank you," Bing Shi smiled at him politely, "Sorry."

"Ah, fine. Sorry." He tried to ask her out, but before he could finish his sentence, he was refused. Her girlfriend told him that Bing Shi had a boyfriend, but nobody saw him before, the didn't believe her.

The first year of the university went by quickly, the drop out rate was about 50%. Bing Shi, this time didn't stress as much, adapting fast, she finished her exams without any major complications.

· · ─── · ⊱❈⊰──── · ·

After Xuan Mu made sure that Bing Shi's eating habits returned back to normal by watching her meals and weight, he started his plan sooner than he thought.

Xuan Mu began with the man he hated the most, his father. He came from an influential family. But his parents were just the branch of the tree, the poorest and weakest members. They became rich only because of his uncle, who would sometimes visit his father to play golf.

His uncle, who had the highest status in the family noticed, how Xuan Mu's father was so useless compared to his son. Finding it interesting, he offered Xuan Mu a job in his company. The second biggest wholesale company in the country, from food to cosmetics, they had it all. Thanks to Xuan Mu, they became first.

"What?! He didn't make a mistake until now? How is that possible?" asked one of the directors during a meeting.

"It's like the whole marketplace is in the palm of his hand..." answered the head manager of the marketing department with worship in his eyes.

"He is too smart, be careful, don't fall for his traps. Keep it a secret from others," ordered Xuan Mu's uncle.

While the higher-ups were trying to get a hold of Xuan Mu by offering him shares, the regular employees knew nothing.

"What are the higher-ups thinking? Giving the position of a manager to a brat like him? Isn't it too irresponsible?"

Three male employees gossiped in the hallway.

"He made me change my plan five times! I don't want to be ordered by a kid anymore!"

"That position should be mine. He got it only because of his family connections. I saw him. He is just a brat in high school," said a dissatisfied man in his forties, hearing those three men's complaints, he decided to express his disapproval of Xuan Mu too.

What he said was actually 100% truth.

"They should give it to you! You are our senior!"

"I didn't know I stole your position. Why don't you come with me? I can ask my uncle to return it back to you."

They heard a voice behind them. When they turned their heads, they saw a tall youth with dark circles under his eyes, smiling at them.

Crap.

Xuan Mu laughed, "I remembered all of your faces and names. You can forget about your bonuses this month." Didn't Bing Shi say that he was a natural-born leader? So why was everyone badmouthing him?

All three males apologized and scattered away in regret. Now, their bonuses were all gone! Xuan Mu had to be laughing at their stupidity, didn't he?

"Really?" the older man remained rooted in the spot, asking with a voice full of hope.

"Of course. I hate injustice," Xuan Mu smiled at him, continuing to walk ahead, "Follow me."

"Y-yes..." The man's behavior made a three hundred and sixty-degree turn as he followed after Xuan Mu like a devoted disciple.

Arriving before mahogany doors with a golden nameplate on the side, Xuan Mu knocked on his uncle's office. They greeted each other while the older man was ignored.

"Seems like, I stole his position. This is no good. I should return it to him," said Xuan Mu with regret, pointing his thumb behind his shoulder at the ignored man.

His uncle's mouth cracked — this brat.

"Ehm, why don't I give you a promotion?" his uncle asked.

"What are the benefits?" inquired Xuan Mu disinterestedly.

"More company shares. But I have to discuss it with the higher-ups."

"Alright," agreed Xuan Mu, then he turned to the older man. "Now, it's your turn to fight for your justice," he said and walked out of the office.

The older man looked at the closed doors with shock in his eyes, not daring to face the CEO, "..."

"Good job, what's your name?" asked a cold voice of the CEO.

"I...I'm.. " The older man shivered from fear.

That's how the higher-ups demoted and promoted two of their employees. Did he think he could be better than Xuan Mu? Continue dreaming.

In one year, Xuan Mu's wage tripled. He also received company shares as a bonus. He gained recognition from all the people around him, except the regular employees, who refused to listen (in their minds) to a boy, whose age could be compared to their sons, if not younger.

Xuan Mu could start his own company, but it wasn't what he was looking for. It would need too many resources and time. Making connections and using others was more efficient for him.

Also, there is still that person.

Xuan Mu caught that man's attention in one of the company parties. The man needed his help, and he agreed. That person had another condition, and it was for him to move inside the man's mansion. Without opposing, he agreed with a smile, the sly one.

One of Xuan Mu's motto: Never ask people for help. Instead, make them ask for help themselves, this way, they will be indebted to you, soon, they'll turn into your slave, they will listen to everything you say.

Did the motto have anything to do with Bing Shi? A little bit. After their war of minds, they ended with a tie as both of them had power over the other.

Also, Xuan Mu fell in love too fast. Well, who wouldn't? Especially his obsession, it clouded his mind. If not, he would've ended up as the winner.

Bing Shi could be convincing, but she had a weakness. She couldn't even give a handshake. In a world ruled by men, she wouldn't survive. She would still need to overcome her disgust from touching. But would Xuan Mu allow it?

No.

Guan Lin, a man who had power in the economy, politics, and military.

The most powerful person in the country, according to Xuan Mu.

His final target...

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╔════ Author's note ═════╗

If you liked the chapter, leave a vote, please. Thank You! (~‾▿‾)~

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