Everyone in the Group is a Main Character, Except Me Who's the Villain

152: Birthday banquet with frequent anomaliesHong Mei nodded solemnly and left quickly to make arrangements.

The banquet was boisterous; although the guests couldn’t hear the specific dialogue between the two parties, they could all sense the subtle shift in the atmosphere.

Whispers broke out once again, and the gazes directed at the Lu Family’s table were filled with curiosity and speculation.

Mu Zhengyang ignored the others and immediately pulled his daughter aside.

”Xiaoxue, that Wu Mingyuan clearly comes with ill intent. What kind of grievance do you actually have with the Lu Family?”

He wasn’t stupid; he could naturally see that something was wrong between the two sides. It was just that businessmen valued appearances and wouldn’t tear off the mask of civility in public unless absolutely necessary.

Mu Qingxue didn’t hide anything and quickly recounted Ye Nuannuan joining the company and the Lu Family coming to their door.

”Actually, it’s nothing much, it’s just that back then Ye Nuannuan...”

Ye Nuannuan was the female lead in Lu Chenzhou’s plot. Because the matter had been exposed, Lu Chenzhou was being hounded to death by the joint efforts of Xing Tie and the Xue Family. To save Chen Zhou, they had to get Ye Nuannuan to relent.

The matter was simple and easy to understand, but Mu Zhengyang frowned as he listened. ”Offending the Yanjing Lu Family for a girl you don’t even know? This isn’t your style.”

Businessmen put interests first, and Mu Qingxue was an ice-cold female CEO who had grown up in a wealthy family, influenced by what she saw and heard since childhood.

He didn’t believe his daughter would do something so foolish.

”Indeed, if it were just for one Ye Nuannuan, it wouldn’t be worth falling out with the Lu Family. But, Dad, do you remember the two crises my company faced at the beginning?”

Mu Zhengyang nodded slightly. ”Of course I remember. At that time, even I felt your company’s situation was exceptionally dangerous, yet you managed to turn the tide both times.”

”I asked you about it, and you said you were intentionally using that method for hype, creating reverse momentum...”

Although he didn’t interfere in his daughter’s company affairs, how could he not know about such a major event?

”Dad!” Mu Qingxue pursed her lips, knowing she couldn’t hide it anymore, so she simply confessed: ”Actually, those two times... it wasn’t my ability, nor was it hype. There was a Master helping me behind the scenes.”

”A Master?” Mu Zhengyang’s eyes sharpened.

”Yes.” Mu Qingxue nodded, her eyes complex as she recounted the circumstances of those two occasions again.

The jade dew formula, and Liu Changqing’s betrayal!

Mu Zhengyang listened in stunned silence. After a long while, he murmured, ”In this world... there’s actually such a person? Helping in secret without seeking fame or fortune?”

”There is,” Mu Qingxue said with certainty. ”That Ye Nuannuan was sent to me by him.”

Mu Zhengyang was silent for a few seconds. His gaze swept over Ye Nuannuan, who was sitting quietly in the distance, then looked at the inscrutable Wu Mingyuan at the opposite table, and slowly exhaled.

”So, you’re not just helping an ordinary employee, you’re... taking a stance?”

”You could say that.” Mu Qingxue’s eyes were as firm as a party member’s. ”The other party could make the Lu Family suffer a setback; the power behind them is beyond imagination. Moreover, the Lu Family acts too overbearingly. Today they dare come to our door for a Ye Nuannuan, tomorrow they’ll dare to step on our Mu Family’s head for something else. So...”

Mu Qingxue didn’t finish her sentence, but Mu Zhengyang understood her meaning.

Looking at his daughter’s stubborn and clear eyes, after a long time, Mu Zhengyang patted her shoulder, his voice steadying.

”Alright, I understand. Since you’ve decided, Dad supports you.”

”Thanks, Dad!!”

...That Mu Qingxue and Ye Nuannuan had a Master behind them was no secret to these smart people caught in the whirlpool.

Qin Xiao and the Lu Family could guess it, and Fang Ming could guess that they could guess it.

Therefore, Mu Qingxue revealing these things to her closest relatives wouldn’t affect Fang Ming in any way.

While the father and daughter chatted, Mu Qingshan went up to the stage to give a speech, supported by two of his children.

”Thank you, old and new friends, for honoring me with your presence at this old man’s birthday banquet. Regardless of what intentions you’ve come with, since you’ve entered the doors of my Mu Family, the wine is plenty. Everyone, eat and drink your fill, please don’t be formal...”

Although the old man was seventy, he was sturdy and had a resonant voice. After a simple speech thanking the guests, he announced the official start of the banquet.

Everyone raised their glasses and congratulated him in unison.

Just then, Mu Qingshan suddenly felt his head spin.

Hong Mei walked to Mu Qingxue’s side and whispered in her ear, ”CEO Mu, our Bodyguards disguised as staff caught two suspicious characters. They have guns on them; preliminary judgment is that they are assassins.”

”Assassins?” Mu Qingxue was somewhat surprised, then immediately calmed down. ”The Lu Family is certainly playing a big hand. Secretly hand them over to the police; don’t let it affect the other guests.”

”Yes!”

...Smash!

Just as Hong Mei left, the sound of a glass shattering rang out, followed by a woman’s scream.

”What did you say?! Xiao Wu was beaten and sent to the hospital? Which hospital? How are the injuries?!”

Mu Qingshan had three sons and one daughter.

Mu Qingxue’s father, Mu Zhengyang, was the second child. The woman was named Li Xiuyun, the wife of the eldest Mu son, Mu Zhengde.

Hearing her voice, Mu Zhengyang hurried forward. ”Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?”

”Xiao Wu hadn’t arrived yet, and when I called him, no one answered. I felt uneasy...”

Li Xiuyun’s eyes were red, and her voice carried a sob. ”Then his martial arts gym coach just called to say... someone came to challenge the gym this afternoon. Xiao Wu was seriously injured and is currently being resuscitated at the hospital!”

”No, I have to go to the hospital!”

She was about to rush out when she was grabbed by her husband, Mu Zhengde, who had hurried over upon hearing the news.

Mu Zhengde was the eldest son of the Mu Family. He had a square face and a steady temperament, but at this moment, his face was as dark as water.

He first patted his wife’s back, then turned to Mu Qingshan at the head table. ”Dad, something happened with Xiao Wu. Xiuyun and I will go over to check on him first.”

Mu Qingshan was, after all, someone who had weathered great storms. Hearing this, he only nodded steadily. ”Go. Be careful on the road, and call immediately if anything happens.”

Having received permission, the Mu Zhengde couple, accompanied by two Mu Family juniors, hurriedly left the banquet hall.

This sudden turn of events added a few more layers of oppression and speculation to the already subtle atmosphere in the banquet hall.

Mu Qingxue hesitated for two seconds, placed the champagne glass in her hand onto a passing waiter’s tray, and walked over to stand before Wu Mingyuan.

”Did you do this?” she asked directly, still in a manner that showed no face.

Wu Mingyuan was leisurely savoring a bowl of stewed soup. Hearing this, he looked up, his face still wearing that smile of slightly fake apology.

”Eldest Miss Mu, where is this coming from? We of the Lu Family have come from afar to celebrate the Old Master’s birthday. We’ve been sitting here minding our own business, barely even raising a glass. How could we do such a thing?”

”Besides, the Mu Family’s eldest grandson runs a martial arts gym, right? Sparring and challenges are common occurrences for a gym, aren’t they? To pin this on us guests is a bit... unreasonable!”

His words were watertight; he both cleared himself of involvement and subtly mocked Mu Zewu for his lack of skill. He also emphasized the word ’guests’ heavily, bringing the other guests onto his side.

Mu Qingxue’s full chest rose and fell slightly, knowing it was useless to get into a war of words with such an old fox.

She was about to say something more when another sudden change occurred in the hall!

A cry of alarm came from the head table: ”Dad?!”

”Old Master?”

Mu Qingshan, whose head had already been spinning, suddenly turned pale. His brow furrowed tightly as one hand clamped over his heart. The other hand tried to grab the edge of the table for support but missed, and his entire body fell straight back without warning!

Thud!

The old man hit the soft carpet with a dull sound.

”Grandpa!”

”Quick! A doctor! A doctor!!”

The birthday banquet scene instantly fell into chaos!