Mr. Mu, stop bullying Professor Jian.

The cold voice of "Teacher Jian" was like a sharp blade that pierced Jian Zhinian's heart, causing him great pain.

Jian Zhinian closed his eyes and stammered for a long time without uttering a single word. The courage he had to wait patiently despite what others said was gone.

"Xingchen, you..."

"Teacher Jian, today is my grandfather's birthday party, not your blind date party!"

"I didn't, it's not what you think..."

His instinctive explanation was feeble and powerless. He looked back at his father's flattering smile at the banquet, smiled awkwardly and self-deprecatingly, and could only apologize: "Sorry, I didn't mean it..."

Mu Qingyuan snorted coldly. He wanted to say, aren't you always aloof and don't like this kind of occasion? Why did you end up being put on the chopping block by your relatives to cling to the higher branches?

But what he said turned into a mockery——

"After so many years, Teacher Jian is no longer as young and beautiful as before. I'm afraid handsome men and beautiful women won't be interested in you. You can only settle for a faded rich woman or a greasy middle-aged man, right?"

"Mu Xingchen, do you really have to talk like this?" Jian Zhinian gritted his teeth, blushing in shame.

Mu Qingyuan said with a cynical smile on his face, "I thought Teacher Jian came to me to reminisce about the past. After all, there is still some old relationship between us that can be rekindled, and perhaps it can be exchanged for one or two benefits, right?"

Jian Zhinian shook his head and said, "No, I just want to explain to you what happened back then..."

"Don't mention the past to me again!" Mu Qingyuan shouted in a deep voice.

Jian Zhinian whispered, "I'm sorry, although it's a little late, but I owe you."

Mu Qingyuan's face was as cold as frost, and the apology did not melt his face at all. He stared at the familiar face in front of him and asked coldly: "Jian Zhinian, do you regret it? Do you regret abandoning me?"

Regret?

Jian Zhinian gritted his teeth, faced those calm and distant eyes, and didn't dare to say that he regretted it.

Jian Zhinian's silence shattered Mu Qingyuan's last bit of hope.

What on earth was he expecting?

Mu Qingyuan sneered at himself and said arrogantly: "Jian Zhinian, you treated me like a piece of trash back then, but now I am out of your reach!"

After saying that, Mu Qingyuan stood up, drank the wine in the glass, and walked away.

When he passed by Jian Zhinian, he stopped and spoke in a bone-chilling voice—

"Don't call me 'Mu Xingchen' anymore. I'm not that. Five years ago, I was Mu Qingyuan!"

The stars have gone last night, and today the green mountains are getting farther away.

Jian Zhinian's face turned pale, and he said softly, "Well, I understand."

Knowing that he is out of reach, knowing that he has lost his star...

Jian Zhinian returned to the cocktail party with his mind in a mess. He felt as if he had no way to get rid of the shackles he had been carrying for five years, and he was exhausted.

"Zhi Nian, how was your conversation with President Mu?"

But at this time, Jian Zhongxing came to him with a smile and asked him how he could have the nerve?

Jian Zhinian could no longer control his resentment and said, "Dad, didn't you know that I left him alone in the Academic Affairs Office? Now he is no longer the same as before. Aren't you afraid of revenge if you get close to him again?"

Jian Zhongxing looked embarrassed and said guiltily: "I didn't do anything back then..."

Jian Zhinian had long been unable to communicate with this man. He picked up a glass of wine from the table beside him and drank it all in one gulp.

The spiciness in the throat covered up the dull pain in the heart like a knife cutting, as if it was a relief.

Jian Zhinian, who never drinks, drank several glasses in a row.

Jian Zhongxing took a look, a calculating look flashed in his eyes, but he did not stop it.

Jian Zhinian was upset, and the wine got into his heart, and he couldn't stop...

Mu Qing watched the man from afar as he drank one cup after another. His face became increasingly gloomy, and he exuded a chill.

"Brother, do you think he came here to drink with us?" Mu Qing'an held the wine glass in his hand and raised his chin in a certain direction.

Mu Qingyuan glanced at him coldly and ignored him.

Mu Qing'an put down his wine glass, patted Mu Qingyuan's shoulder, and produced a card from somewhere with his fingertips. He opened Mu Qingyuan's suit and stuffed it into his chest pocket.

Mu Qingyuan's eyes were filled with anger: "Mu Qingan, how dare you accept something like this?"

"Brother, don't be so fierce. You can't scare me."

"Take it away!" Mu Qingyuan warned in a deep voice.

Mu Qingan was not afraid at all, and said, "Are you sure you don't want it? Mr. Jian worked hard all night and secretly asked me to pass it to you. If you don't accept it, I will give it to someone else!"

Mu Qingyuan stared at Mu Qingan with a cold look.

Mu Qingan shrugged, put Mu Qingyuan's suit back to its original shape, and said, "I don't know how many copies of this room card Mr. Jian has prepared. You can do whatever you want. I'm leaving..."

Mu Qingyuan drank the wine in the glass, put down the goblet, and turned to go into the box.

He did not forget that he was here to celebrate the old man's birthday tonight!

In the box, Mr. Mu was in high spirits as he was celebrating the good news. He sat in the middle and smiled as he gave instructions to his children and grandchildren one by one. When he saw Mu Qingyuan come in, he waved.

"grandfather……"

Everyone made room for Mu Qingyuan to sit down next to Old Man Mu.

"Qingyuan, you grew up in H City. Don't rush back this time. Stay a few more days."

"Grandpa, there are still many projects waiting for me to deal with at the headquarters, and I'm afraid I can't get away." Mu Qingyuan frowned.

Mr. Mu held Mu Qingyuan's hand and said, "Your uncle is still at the headquarters, so don't worry. H City is the ancestral home of the Mu family and its foundation. Don't forget your roots."

"I won't, grandpa." Mu Qingyuan promised solemnly.

Mr. Mu nodded with satisfaction and reminded, “This time, the H City government has vigorously promoted investment and provided a lot of policies to the Mu Group. H City has a long-established traditional automobile industry and a complete new energy industry chain. You must seize the opportunity.”

"I understand that I have been trying to communicate about patents related to new energy battery safety."

"That's good. I heard that this latest patented technology is in the hands of an individual."

Mu Qingyuan frowned and said, "Yes, I am still sending people to investigate. They said it was a scientific researcher at K University."

"K University is in H City." Mr. Mu's face darkened.

Mu Qingyuan gritted his teeth, secretly adjusted his mood, and said with a smile: "Okay, I'll listen to Grandpa."

Now is not the time to go against Mr. Mu.

Mr. Mu laughed and stayed for a short while. Seeing that it was getting late, he got up, walked around the banquet hall, and left first.

The host of the banquet left the table and the guests gradually dispersed.

With Mu Qingyuan's current status, he could have left earlier, but for some reason he sent everyone away one by one, being humble and polite.

When I returned to the banquet hall again, the figure hidden in the corner was hunched over and leaning against the wall, with his right hand seemingly pressing on his abdomen, looking lonely and embarrassed.

Jian Zhinian's stomach has always been in poor condition...

Mu Qing watched from afar, his dark eyes were mysterious and his whole body was still cold.

Suddenly, the figure rubbed his brows, leaned against the wall and turned into the elevator...

Mu Qingyuan thought, he is the host tonight, he can't be mean to a guest because of old grudges. This guy looks horrible, if anything happens to him, it will ruin the reputation of the Mu family!

Jian Zhinian endured the severe pain in his stomach and waited for the elevator with difficulty. He searched in his suit pockets and it seemed that Jian Zhongxing had booked a room for him downstairs in the hotel, saying that he could just rest there if he got drunk...

There was a shadow in front of him, and all he could see were shiny leather shoes and a pair of slender legs.

A strange smell approached in the narrow elevator space. Jian Zhinian instinctively took a step back. Perhaps due to the alcohol, his fingers trembled and the room card he took out of his pocket fell to the ground with a click.

His stomach ached and he slowed down a bit.

The figure beside him was a step faster and bent down to pick it up.

When Mu Qingyuan saw the familiar room number, his face darkened, his aura became cold, and his body overcame his reason.

The room card in his hand slammed on Jian Zhinian's face. He grabbed Jian Zhinian's collar with a ferocious look on his face.

"Jian Zhinian, after five years, you have become so cheap. Can you be with any man or woman?"