Xiao Mu was quite surprised that Xia Xue found him in such a short time. When he saw Xia Xue standing in the living room, he couldn't help but appreciate Xiao Lin's taste. "Miss Xia, shouldn't I be calling you sister-in-law instead?"

Upon hearing Xiao Mu's voice, Xia Xue turned around, blinking her eyes, clutching her purse tightly. Facing Xiao Mu, she couldn't help but feel nervous. Instinctively, when facing danger, one's intuition becomes extraordinarily sharp; it's a kind of instinct. She forced a smile at him, a stiff smile, her white teeth hidden under her lips, her rigid muscles still maintaining a smiling face. Yet, as Xiao Mu approached, Xia Xue began to involuntarily step back until her legs hit something hard, forcing her to stop.

"You still look very afraid of me. Do I look that terrifying?" Xiao Mu said as he looked in the mirror. "How can I say that Xiao Lin and I are born of the same father, in many ways, we're quite similar, don't you think?"

"You're very alike!" Xia Xue took a deep breath, forcing herself to look directly into Xiao Mu's eyes, hoping to see into his depths. However, unfortunately, this courage lasted only a few seconds. Apart from a hint of mockery, she saw nothing.

To Xiao Mu, Xia Xue's evasiveness was amusing. The woman's toughness made him somewhat regretful; if he had met this woman before Xiao Lin, perhaps he would have pursued her. A fair maiden is a gentleman's desire.

"Miss Xia, your information network seems quite powerful, and the courage to directly come to my residence is something I admire. But I wonder if the purpose of your visit this time will allow me to have some expectations and satisfaction." Xiao Mu stopped two steps away from Xia Xue; stepping forward, he couldn't guarantee that the glass coffee table behind her wouldn't break by her retreating. It was an expensive new product airlifted from Italy earlier. "Please, have a seat."

Xia Xue clearly felt Xiao Mu's contrasting personality. This was her second time seeing this man; compared to 'Rhine,' today's Xiao Mu didn't seem as fake, or rather he didn't need to pretend, which unexpectedly made her feel a bit more at ease.

"I found the recording tape you wanted, but how can I trust you?" Xia Xue took out a disc from her purse.

"You don't have a choice but to trust me." After glancing at the disc in Xia Xue's hand, Xiao Mu's pupils contracted slightly, showing no emotion from his usual expression.

"Can't trust you." Even though her voice trembled, Xia Xue carefully placed the disc back into her purse. "I need assurance."

The woman's defiance matched her strength, and the more stubborn a woman is, the more one desires to conquer her. Xia Xue is a woman who incites a desire to conquer, and Xiao Mu's eyes turned mysterious as she gradually calmed down. "If you are willing to become my woman, I can remove all obstacles in front of Xiao Lin and ensure he smoothly ascends to the position of the Xiao Family heir."

Xia Xue widened her eyes; she could not believe what her ears heard. This person is a lunatic, a complete lunatic. She grabbed her purse and stood up from the sofa to head for the door. She saw no necessity to stay here any longer.

Xiao Mu blocked Xia Xue, grabbing her chin with one hand. She wanted to break free but found his strength overwhelming. She frowned, trying hard to pry off that strong hand with her own. "Let go!"

Xiao Mu obediently released his grip, a smile curling at his lips. "What do you want me to do to make you give me the disc? If Miss Xia cannot trust me, how can I trust that the disc in your hand is real?" Xia Xue bit her lip, genuinely afraid moments ago that this man would do something to her. "You seem really afraid of me." Xiao Mu leaned closer, one hand resting on the door frame, smelling the fragrance on Xia Xue. "How about this, I'll negotiate with Fatty Wang in front of you. How's that?"

Xia Xue was wondering if this could be considered a compromise. Her hesitant eyes glanced at Xiao Mu, who was close to her. "May I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead, for a beautiful woman, I won't hold anything back."

"You're his brother, why do this?" Apparently anticipating this question, Xiao Mu withdrew his hand from the door frame and walked back to the liquor cabinet.

"Want a drink? I think you should have some red wine; it will help you stay calm." The sound of crystal clashing with glass was melodious, and the question was merely a statement, something very much like Xiao Lin, indisputably asserting their dominance, yet fundamentally different.

"Thank you!" Xia Xue accepted the wine without refusal, merely holding it in her hand.

"Although I really want to answer your question, Miss Xia, among the Xiao Family members, familial ties are as thin as water." A statement that summed up everything, yet Xia Xue heard a faint sadness in it. Is this why Xiao Lin never mentioned his family?

"Here's the disc; I don't know if it's real. If you have doubts, you can listen first and then decide." The disc was placed on the table, resting beside the red wine. Xia Xue's straightforwardness made Xiao Mu hesitate, his gaze falling on the glossy surface with no markings.

Xiao Mu hesitated, being a very suspicious person. It wasn't the authenticity of the disc he doubted, but Xia Xue's motives.

"I have no other intentions; I just want my man to be safe." Seeing Xiao Mu's hesitation, Xia Xue pushed the disc towards him. "Please, Third Brother, begin."

The disc made a rhythmic sound in the drive, and a not very clear audio started playing in their ears. As the content progressed, the emotions of the people in the audio began to rise, and as listeners, their expressions diverged.

"This alone can put Fatty Wang on the guillotine; Xiao Lin can act directly without any judicial procedures, acting first and reporting later." Xiao Mu stopped the disc at a certain point. "Miss Xia, I'll have someone send you back."

"No!" Xia Xue refused with a notably agitated and angry volume. "I want to see you make the transaction."

"Suit yourself!" Indifferently, Xiao Mu connected to a network call with Fatty Wang right in front of Xia Xue, and a repulsive face appeared on the screen. Xia Xue purposely found a corner, avoiding the camera view, and only at this moment did she pick up the wine Xiao Mu had prepared for her.

"Have you gotten it?" Fatty Wang's first question after a screen flicker allowed Xia Xue to easily see the stern look on Xiao Mu's face. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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