Chapter 20: Heart Stolen

Two days later, the family arrived in Yanjing. Had it not been for the two elders constantly urging Mu Tong to drive slowly, she could have reached the capital in a single day.

Seeing a house even more beautiful than their previous home, little Shenghan asked happily, "Auntie, will I live here from now on?"

"Of course. Auntie’s home is little Hanhan’s home," Mu Tong said, affectionately kissing Mu Shenghan. "Come, let me take you to your room."

Since there were only three bedrooms and two living rooms, Mu Tong arranged for her parents to share one room, while Mu Chang and his son shared another. In the room for the father and son, she installed a bunk bed; Mu Chang slept on the bottom, and Mu Shenghan on the top.

"How is it?" Mu Tong asked little Shenghan after quickly making the new bed.

"It’s so pretty! It’s beautiful!" Mu Shenghan’s eyes widened. "Auntie, will I still go to school?"

"Of course you will. Our family's Hanhan is going to university one day, so how can you not go to school? Tomorrow, Auntie will find you a school, and you can make new friends."

"Auntie is the best, I love you!" Mu Shenghan hadn't been to school for a while and missed his classmates, but since they were in Yanjing now, making new friends sounded great.

Soon, the family was settled. A day later, Mu Shenghan successfully enrolled in a new preschool, and by September, he would be able to start primary school.

Since arriving in Yanjing, Mu Tong did not take Mu Chang to the hospital. Instead, she had him take pills blessed by a "high monk" every day. Mu’s parents had been worried at first, but seeing their son becoming more energetic and healthier every day, they let their daughter handle his medication.

In truth, Mu Tong found it rather troublesome; if not for the sake of her parents, she would have long since healed her brother with magic. Even the current rate of Mu Chang’s recovery surprised their parents, as Mu Tong could tell from their expressions. Fortunately, they managed to hold back from asking questions. If she sped up his recovery any further, she feared they wouldn't be able to resist. She decided to let it be; slow was fine, as it didn't really matter.

Inside a luxury villa in the capital.

"Stop right there, where are you going?" Jiang Tao, dressed in a pristine white wedding gown, shouted angrily at Shen Kai, who was about to leave.

"I go where I please; it’s none of your business!" Shen Kai paused, but did not look back.

"We just finished our wedding, and you’re leaving? I am your legal wife; why is it none of my business?" Jiang Tao gritted her teeth.

"You got the status you wanted, and the wedding you wanted. What more do you want? This body? Sorry, our contract didn't include a clause requiring us to have sex just because we’re married, did it?" Shen Kai raised an eyebrow.

"I want you—your heart and your body must belong to me!" Jiang Tao glared at him. From the beginning until now, this man had a knack for making her fly into a rage. As a "heavenly darling," she had never felt so humiliated in her life.

"My heart was stolen by someone else, and my body no longer belongs to me! I cannot offer you either," Shen Kai said. These were the two things he had to protect. He remembered that a certain woman once said: if his body were touched by another woman or his heart stolen by one, she would not want him anymore. He could submit to a marriage his parents forced upon him, but he refused to lose his heart and body. That was his bottom line and the principle he held onto. As long as he kept his integrity, there was a glimmer of hope that he might still be with her.

"Don't think I'm unaware of your secret schemes. I said: do not target her or her family again, or I will file for divorce." His patience had limits. Her endless petty maneuvers only made him loathe her more. Fortunately, no further harm had come to them, or he would have divorced her regardless of his parents' pressure.

He turned and walked away.

Watching his retreating back, Jiang Tao’s facial muscles twitched. Why? Why was she inferior to that woman? Why did he treat her with such disdain? She couldn't understand how someone could be unmoved by background, wealth, power, or beauty. She didn't lose to that woman in any of these aspects, so why couldn't she capture his heart?

No, there was nothing that she, Jiang Tao, couldn't have. Shen Kai, I don't believe I can't steal your heart!

A week later, at the fiftieth birthday banquet for Jiang Tao’s father, Jiang Xiaotian, the venue was filled with guests, socialites, tycoons, and noble ladies.

Jiang Tao casually took two glasses of red wine from a handsome waiter and handed one to Shen Kai. "Kai."

Shen Kai looked at the smiling Jiang Tao, feeling impatient. To hate someone so much yet pretend to be affectionate in public—was this what they called a noble lady? If it were Tong, she would never be so vulgar.

Thinking of Mu Tong, Shen Kai felt a sharp pain in his heart. How was she doing now? He missed her—the woman who would sometimes shut herself away, sometimes act recklessly, sometimes behave mysteriously, and sometimes do whatever she pleased. Even if others saw her as full of flaws, in his eyes, she was perfect.

Because of Jiang Tao’s meddling, Shen Kai and Jiang Tao had been at constant odds since the day after their wedding, alarming both their families. Eventually, under the mediation of both sets of parents, Shen Kai agreed not to concern himself with anything related to Mu Tong—on the condition that neither Jiang Tao nor the two families would harass Mu Tong or her family.

For this reason, Shen Kai had stopped sending people to gather information about her, so he naturally knew nothing of her current life. However, with the guarantees from the heads of the Shen and Jiang families, he was quite at ease regarding the safety of the Mu family.

Today was Jiang’s father’s birthday. Shen Kai, who usually never attended such banquets, had to bite the bullet and attend, forced to play the role of a devoted husband in front of everyone.

Taking the wine glass from Jiang Tao, Shen Kai said politely and distantly, "Thank you."

Jiang Tao’s eyes curved into a smile, though she remained silent. Once he drank this drugged wine, Shen Kai would be hers. She didn't believe that once their relationship was consummated, he would remain so cold. If she were lucky enough to have a child, she would have nothing to fear.

Although Shen Kai was the legitimate son, he had been sickly since childhood and was not valued by the family. That was why he had been able to live freely for so many years; even his family didn't know that Mu Tong had restored his health. However, a chance encounter with Jiang Tao led her to fall for him instantly. This young man with a pure, jade-like aura was exactly her type.

As the little princess of the Jiang family, Jiang Tao had always gotten whatever she wanted. She set her sights on Shen Kai, and the Shen family was naturally happy to use a "useless" son to marry into the powerful Jiang family. That was why Shen Kai had been forcibly taken away and had disappeared from Mu Tong’s side for over half a year.

Jiang Tao believed that once she captured him and became pregnant, he would surely fall in love with her. Even if he didn't, the Shen family would treat her well because of the Jiang family’s influence. If she added a child to the mix, the bond would be even stronger.

Hmph, if her father hadn't