The way Uma Musume looks at me is so scary!

As the eldest daughter, she had been selected as a candidate for family head since childhood and was being groomed for the position. Hearing these words from Xiu Xingmeng made her feel that her efforts had paid off.

"My sister is still in school. I need to study hard so that I can succeed her as the head of the family in the future."

"But what you said makes me very happy."

Hearing her words, Xiu Xingmeng frowned in confusion and asked again.

"Going to school? Does it refer to the specialized training undertaken in preparation for inheriting the family headship?"

"That's part of it, but it mainly refers to the regular courses at Treson Academy."

Looking at Mubai Gaofeng, who was smiling for some reason, Xiu Xingmeng became even more puzzled. She tilted her head and asked.

"Te...Lesen? You're still in school?"

Upon hearing Xiu Xingmeng's words, Mu Bai Gaofeng's lips stiffened for a moment, but he suppressed his unease and continued to smile.

"I can understand. After all, kids tend to imagine older female students as very mature."

Xiu Xingmeng didn't speak, but her eyes looked as if she were looking at a strange older sister who had no shame and liked to act young.

Chapter 170 Concealment

Looking into Xiu Xingmeng's seemingly speaking eyes, Mu Bai Gaofeng's smile became increasingly stiff, and she even felt her face turn a little red.

"Do you need me to show you my student ID?"

Megumi Takamine said through gritted teeth. She had always known that her temperament was different from that of the other students, and there were many rumors in Treson, but they dared not show it in front of her.

Xiu Xingmeng was the first person to dare point this out to his face, and he couldn't say anything too harsh to her. In Mubai Gaofeng's eyes, she was practically his nemesis.

"no need."

However, Xiu Xingmeng did not pursue the matter. She did not intend to provoke Mu Bai Gaofeng; she simply found it somewhat unbelievable that Mu Bai Gaofeng was still a student, given her demeanor.

However, she just thought of another mature racehorse girl from Treson, Rudolph, who symbolizes that perhaps some racehorses are just born more mature than others.

Just like some horse girls are naturally a bit naive, if it weren't for someone telling you, who would know that the East Sea Emperor and the Embroidered Star Dream were actually horse girls from the same generation in real life?

Looking at Xiu Xingmeng, whose eyes were vacant and who clearly didn't care about him, Mu Bai Gaofeng could only take a deep breath and keep telling himself that she was just being immature.

"Living in that kind of environment for so long, one would inevitably become somewhat naive about human nature," Megumi Takamori said to himself.

However, what she didn't know was that Xiu Xingmeng wasn't ignorant of people's hearts; she just didn't care or pay attention. Since she hadn't thought about getting along well with anyone, she naturally just said whatever came to mind.

Winning the game is more important than getting along with others.

After hearing her grandmother's last whispers and understanding how her mother had pushed herself to the limit for the sake of the Emperor's Spring and Autumn Period's hegemony and the glory of the Northern Family, Xiu Xingmeng made up her mind to recreate the glory of the Northern Family in this scripted world.

As for how others perceive her, she doesn't really care.

The car fell silent once again. Megumi Gaofeng was unsure how to interact with Xiuxingmeng, while Xiuxingmeng simply didn't bother to speak because no one was looking for her.

In the silence, the driver quickly drove the black sedan into a luxurious manor. A magnificent red carpet had been laid out at the entrance, leading directly to the manor's central building. An elderly man dressed as a butler, accompanied by a line of servants, stood respectfully on both sides, watching the vehicle slowly drive into the Mejiro residence.

Meguro Takamine thought that Xiu Xingmeng would be somewhat surprised by such a grand display, but to his surprise, she remained calm and stepped out of the car while facing everyone's gaze.

Watching her retreating figure, Mu Bai Gaofeng narrowed his eyes, but he didn't say anything more. Instead, he got out of the car and led Xiu Xingmeng through the respectful crowd toward the mansion.

The two remained silent throughout the journey. Mubai Gaofeng kept looking at Xiuxingmeng, trying to find a hint of surprise in her eyes, but he did not see any change in her expression until they reached the head of the family's office.

"You are much stronger than I imagined."

Meguro Takamine placed his hand on the doorknob and spoke vaguely to Xiuxing Meng, then pushed the door open without waiting for her response.

The figure in the room, who had been gazing out the window with her back to the door, turned around upon hearing the sound. The old woman, wearing a green beret and sporting neat short white hair, looked at Xiu Xingmeng, who remained expressionless, her gaze lingering on her for a long time, seemingly lost in thought.

"It's so similar... especially those stubborn eyes."

Xiu Xingmeng did not hear her muttering to herself, but took a step forward and spoke.

"I have something I want to ask you about my mother."

Her goal in coming here with Meguro Takamine was to learn more about her mother's past, and it was certainly easier to ask the Meguro elders who had witnessed her mother's growth than to try to understand from inanimate objects.

"And... there's something about a horse girl named Mejiro Asama."

Moreover, judging from the grandmother's tone, it can be inferred that the horse racer named Megumi Asama seems to still be alive. Xiu Xingmeng also wants to confront her face to face and question her about why she said those words to her mother back then.

Upon hearing her words, the old woman wearing a green beret subconsciously adjusted the brim of her hat and whispered to Xiu Xingmeng.

"Xingmeng, there's no need to be in such a hurry."

"Didn't you already use the limiter? There's still a long time ahead. You'll find out everything you want to know someday."

Although Xiu Xingmeng didn't know why the head of the Mejiro family wasn't a horse racer, her goal remained unchanged.

She took another step closer, responding defiantly.

"Is it that I, as a daughter, have no right to know about my mother's past, or is that horse racer girl named Megumi Asama deliberately avoiding me?!"

The head of the Meguro family sighed. She looked at Xiu Xingmeng with a gaze that Xiu Xingmeng couldn't understand, but didn't respond. Instead, she waved her hand and said to Meguro Takamori beside her.

“Gao Feng, Xing Meng must be very tired coming back from such a terrible mountain road. Let’s go to the place where her mother used to live and rest for a while.”

"I just want to know the truth!"

Seeing that she was being ignored, Xiu Xingmeng took another step forward. The information her grandmother had left behind was still too little for her; she wanted to know more about her mother.

But just as she was about to walk to the side of the head of the Meguro family, Meguro Takamine, who had been standing beside her, suddenly pulled her back, his slightly narrowed eyes revealing a rare sternness towards Xiu Xingmeng.

"Xingmeng, you should show more respect to the family head and elders."

Seeing that they were unwilling to say anything, Xiu Xingmeng gritted her teeth, shook off Mubai Gaofeng's wrist, turned around, pushed open the door, and left.

Seeing Xiu Xingmeng run away, the head of the Mubai family sighed and said to Mubai Gaofeng.

"It seems I'm disliked. I'm sorry, Gao Feng, I've dragged you into this."

After hearing this, Megumi Takamine turned her gaze back from where Xiu Xingmeng had left. She saw that the stern look in the eyes of the family head she admired had not diminished at all, but had instead intensified.

What exactly are you hiding from me?

"Her appearance is not as simple as you describe!"

The head of the family on the other side remained silent for a while before responding in a low voice with a sense of helplessness.

"It's just some old stories left behind by the older generation."

"Then why didn't you just say it outright?"

Meguro Mineki stared intently at the other man's green beret, speaking in an icy tone.

"Mejiro...Grandma Asama."

Chapter 171 Wise General

After rushing out of the room, Xiu Xingmeng wandered around the mansion like a headless fly, having forgotten how to leave due to her unpleasant encounter with the head of the Meguro family.

The uniform decor here made it impossible for Xiu Xingmeng to tell if she had been here before. The entire Mejiro family mansion was like a maze, trapping Xiu Xingmeng's steps.

Somewhat embarrassed and angry, Xiu Xingmeng turned her gaze to the window by the corridor and muttered to herself.

"Why does the Meguro family's house look like a demon king's castle? Do we have to fight the Four Heavenly Kings to get out of here?"

As she spoke, she quickly walked to the window and stuck her head out to check the height.

That's right. Since you can't find your way, you might as well just jump out of the window. Anyway, this isn't a real maze. Once you jump out of the mansion, finding the main gate will be easy.

Anyway, I'm a racehorse girl, so this height is easy for me!

Just as Xiu Xingmeng placed her hands on either side of the window, preparing to jump out and run away, a somewhat familiar voice suddenly came from the other end of the corridor.

“Miss Hoshino? So you’ve already returned to the Mejiro family.”

Feeling a little awkward, as if she had been caught red-handed doing something wrong, Xiu Xingmeng lowered her hand, pretended to pat her clothes a couple of times, and then turned around to look.

"What...what were you doing just now?"

The middle-aged man, whom she had met once before, was wearing a white coat and looked at Xiu Xingmeng with surprise.

As long as no one sees it, it doesn't matter how outrageous the things I do.

But since she had been recognized by an acquaintance, Xiu Xingmeng, who had just been overwhelmed by embarrassment and anger, quickly regained her senses. She coughed twice, glanced at the other person's attire, and immediately changed the subject.

"So you really are a doctor. I thought you were one of those scholars who specialize in medical research."

"As a retainer of the Meguro family, it's natural that I need to know a little about everything. It might sound a bit boastful, but I have earned dual doctoral degrees in biomedical engineering and clinical medicine!"

Hearing Xiu Xingmeng change the subject, the middle-aged man didn't notice anything amiss. Instead, he straightened his collar and spoke seriously to Xiu Xingmeng.

The face that had been cold and expressionless for so long now showed a hint of radiance.

It's clear he's quite proud of having earned two doctoral degrees, and he probably always makes sure to mention it whenever he gets the chance, just like today.

"Two medical doctors? That's impressive."

Xiu Xingmeng was somewhat surprised. Before stepping onto the competition field, her biggest goal was simply to get into a good university and find a job. The word "doctor" was too far away for her.

Xiu Xingmeng's surprise clearly made the middle-aged man even more smug. Although he still kept a blank expression and pretended not to care, he was actually cheering in his heart. After all, there weren't many opportunities to put on such a show in front of the prestigious young lady of the Megumi family.

"But... if you're already this powerful, why did you come to the Mejiro family as a retainer?"

"There are clearly many better options, aren't there? Whether it's becoming a doctor at a university-affiliated hospital or a lab technician at an international pharmaceutical company, it would be far more lucrative and prestigious than staying here as a retainer."

Xiu Xingmeng couldn't understand why the other party would give up so many excellent opportunities to come here and become an unknown retainer.

Even if he really loves horse racing, he could apply for a doctor position in the central government.

The middle-aged man was taken aback when he heard the question. He seemed not to have expected that Xiu Xingmeng, the eldest daughter of the Megumi family, would ask such a question.

He hesitated for a moment before answering.

"One reason is that the Meguro family has some connections in the medical field. Being a retainer here is not just about treating the young ladies, but also about making a name for oneself in the medical world."

"The other one is that I myself have some connection with the Mejiro family."

"When I was about the same age as Ms. Hoshino, my friends dragged me to the racetrack. There I saw something dazzling like never before, and the racehorse girl who gave me that light also had the blood of the Mejiro family."

His calm gaze gradually warmed as he reminisced, for that memory seemed to be more important to him than his two doctoral degrees.

However, Xiu Xingmeng didn't think that much about it. If she had to dig out everyone's secrets, it would be too tiring. The purpose of her staying here and talking to the other person was not only to dispel their suspicions, but more importantly, to get closer to them.

Then you can find out what you want from him.

Indeed, although she was initially somewhat panicked, Xiu Xingmeng immediately realized the other party's value once she calmed down.

A high-value talent like a middle-aged man with two doctoral degrees would certainly not have a low status in the Meguro family; otherwise, he wouldn't have been the one to send the limiter to the Northern family in the first place.

Therefore, he must be very familiar with the Mejiro family's manor, and may even know the place where his mother once lived in the Mejiro family.

That's right. Since the head of the Meguro family doesn't intend to tell her the truth, she'll just have to find it herself.

It's better than her slinking back to that office alone to ask Megumi and the others for directions.

Moreover, this middle-aged man might even tell him something the head of the Meguro family was hiding, such as where Meguro Asama is right now.

After making up her mind, Xiu Xingmeng nodded and said in a casual manner.

"It is indeed a wonderful coincidence. You must know a lot about the history of the Mejiro family."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man immediately straightened his back and confidently said, "Of course."

"So... do you know Megumi Asama, the racehorse girl?"

After Xiu Xingmeng finished speaking, the middle-aged man was slightly taken aback, a hint of unclear thoughts flashing in his eyes before he shook his head and said.

No, I'm not sure.

"Yeah……"

Xiu Xingmeng was a little disappointed. She didn't expect that someone like the other party would not know anything about Mubai Qianjian. Could it be that she was actually a secret in the Mubai family? This also explains why the Mubai family head didn't say anything just now.

Before she could continue speaking, the middle-aged man in front of her spoke first.

"So, what brings you here? After all, this mansion is usually used for offices and family gatherings; other young ladies don't usually come here."

"Could it be that……"

Seeing the other person's suspicious gaze, Xiu Xingmeng subconsciously glanced at the window she had opened behind her, ready to jump out and run away at any moment.

Are you lost?

Chapter 172 A Feeling of Closeness

To Xiu Xingmeng's surprise, the middle-aged man did not doubt her purpose in being there, nor was he particularly surprised that she was lost. He simply nodded with some empathy and then asked Xiu Xingmeng where she wanted to go.

Seeing that he was so easy to talk to, Xiu Xingmeng simply stated her purpose directly, asking the middle-aged man if he knew where her mother used to live.