Max Mo carried the dessert that Cecilia Gu had given him and returned to the car.
As soon as he got in, Max Mo leaned back against the seat and gently closed his eyes.
His assistant sat quietly in the driver's seat, waiting for instructions.
"Let's go." Max Mo sighed softly, turning to look at the figure through the glass window, greedily engraving that silhouette deep in his heart.
The car slowly started, leaving that figure completely behind.
Max Mo stopped in front of a two-story villa.
All the houses in this area were newly built villas.
Anyone who could afford a house here must have some money.
Max Mo got out of the car, but left the dessert inside, heading straight in with his assistant.
As soon as he entered, a middle-aged man with a scar on his face greeted him enthusiastically: "Zixin, you're finally here! My daughter has been nagging me to death about you!"
Max Mo glanced at the small figure behind Coach Lee, a flash of unreadable emotion in his eyes. He smiled lightly and said, "The little girl is just too mischievous."
Coach Lee laughed heartily and pulled Max Mo inside.
Lisa Li saw that Max Mo was ignoring her and instantly felt even more indignant.
She kept thinking that the woman she ran into at the private bakery today looked really familiar...
It felt like she'd seen her somewhere before.
Lisa Li sat down on the sofa, but something poked her. She turned around and saw it was a Coach handbag.
Seeing the bag, Lisa Li suddenly remembered!
That woman was the one who had compensated her for the Coach bag at the hotel entrance!
That was the day she first met Max Mo—and started crushing on him!
That was also the day the woman came out of the hotel, bumped into her, and ended up compensating her with a bunch of last year's Coach bags!
What a small world!
No wonder she felt something was off about that woman today—so that's why!
Lisa Li pouted, looking completely unconvinced.
The way Max Mo looked at her was obviously different.
But Max Mo was the man she liked—how could she let anyone else have him?
Seizing a moment when Max Mo was alone, Lisa Li suddenly blocked his way.
Max Mo saw the girl in front of him, not even twenty years old, and calmly said, "Do you need something?"
Lisa Li bit her lip and asked, "Do you like that woman?"
Max Mo chuckled, "Yes."
Lisa Li felt a stab in her heart and immediately protested, "But she doesn't like you!"
"I know," Max Mo replied calmly.
Lisa Li grew even more upset and blurted out, "I like you! Why don't you like me?"
Max Mo shook his head and turned to leave.
Lisa Li blocked Max Mo again.
This man was just so perfect.
Handsome, gentle, wealthy, devoted, and successful.
He was practically the prince from her dreams.
But aren't princes supposed to protect princesses?
Why wouldn't he even pay attention to her?
Lisa Li felt even more wronged, tears streaming down her face. "Uncle, what's wrong with me? Why don't you like me? Just tell me—I'll change, okay?"
Watching the young girl cry so easily, even Max Mo—a man in his thirties—felt a headache coming on.
"Uncle, I'm young and pretty, and I'd do anything you say. Will you marry me?" Lisa Li cried even harder. "You're so handsome, and I'm beautiful too. Our kids would be gorgeous, wouldn't they?"
Max Mo couldn't help but laugh.
His smile was so dazzling, it was almost unfair.
Lisa Li cried even harder, "How can you still laugh when I'm crying like this?"
Max Mo reached out to pat Lisa Li's head, but realized her hair was stiff—nothing like Cecilia Gu's soft, irresistible hair.
"You're still young. You'll meet a man who's truly right for you," Max Mo said gently. "I'm too old for you."
"You're lying. You're only thirty—how is that old? You just don't like me." Lisa Li might be spoiled, but she wasn't stupid.
Max Mo nodded, "Yes, I don't like you. In this world, just because you like someone doesn't mean they have to like you back. Even if you wait a lifetime, or even across lifetimes—if it's not love, it's not love. There's no reason for it. Like you loving me, I'm stubbornly in love with someone else. In love, neither of us is wrong, but somehow we're both wrong."
Lisa Li stared wide-eyed—she couldn't understand what Max Mo was saying.
And she didn't want to understand.
"I'm never getting married," Max Mo's blue eyes softened. "Last lifetime, she gave me one marriage. To love her for two lifetimes—I'm content."
"Uncle, that's just mean! If you don't love me, why did you have to show up and make me fall for you?" Lisa Li cried as she ran off.
Watching the girl sob her heart out, Max Mo could only shake his head helplessly.
Turning around, he saw Coach Lee standing nearby, looking a bit embarrassed.
Max Mo said softly, "Sorry for making your daughter cry."
Coach Lee scratched his head and said, "You can't really be blamed for this. Honestly, with your looks and background, I don't think any woman could resist your charm."
Max Mo shook his head gently, "No, there is one. The woman I've loved for two lifetimes—she's never loved me back."
Coach Lee was stunned for a moment. Max Mo quickly added, "Alright, enough about that. Let's go have a drink! It's been years since we last did this. Tonight, we don't go home until we're drunk!"
Coach Lee laughed heartily, "Alright, we drink till we drop!"
The two men slung their arms around each other's shoulders and left together.
After crying in her room for a long time, Lisa Li finally calmed down, sniffling as she thought things over.
No way—she couldn't give up so easily!
She'd finally fallen for a guy—there's no way she'd let him slip away so easily!
(This chapter isn't over yet~.~ Click next page to keep reading the exciting story!)
Lisa Li grabbed her bag and ran back to the private bakery.
But by then, the place was already empty—everyone was gone.
Lisa Li clenched her teeth and swore to the sky, "Max Mo, I like you! I'm not giving up on you that easily!"
Cecilia Gu bought her favorite desserts and brought a portion for everyone in the villa.
Everyone received the desserts personally brought back by the young mistress, and all came over to thank Cecilia Gu.
The treats weren't much, and not expensive either, but it was a gesture of kindness—and respect.
The housekeeper and Mrs. Zhang were all smiles, their eyes crinkling at the corners.
After all, Cecilia Gu was the young mistress of the Yin Family—the future matriarch for decades to come.
With such a generous and gentle mistress, life was much easier for everyone in the household.
At four in the afternoon, Rona Muir burst in from outside.
Seeing the desserts on the table, she grabbed one and stuffed it in her mouth. "I'm starving! Mrs. Zhang, hurry and get me something to eat!"
Mrs. Zhang quickly instructed the kitchen to prepare some simple, easy-to-eat food.
Cecilia Gu hurriedly pushed the desserts over and couldn't help but tease, "What happened to you? Did you get possessed by a hungry ghost or something?"
Rona Muir stuffed food into her mouth, gulped down a big glass of water, and finally said, "Don't even ask! It was a nightmare! I went to check out the excitement, and the TV station dragged me over to see how things were going. Turns out, lots of contestants forgot their makeup, so I blurted out that Danni Cosmetics would sponsor them—as long as the TV station gave us enough ad space."
"I didn't expect the TV station to agree right away, so I rushed back to the company to send all our products to the scene. Oh my god, I had no idea how many people were there! I sent five hundred sets of makeup, and they all got used up in one day! Can you imagine how many people that is? Normally, a set of makeup lasts ages, but five hundred sets—gone in a flash! I had to scramble to restock from other places."
"While I was restocking, several counters told me some product lines were sold out and needed replenishment. So I went to Jiro Hirayama to get more supplies. I was so busy I barely touched food or water. I'm exhausted! No, wait—I'm starving!" Rona Muir finished in one breath, then shouted to Mrs. Zhang, "Mrs. Zhang, anything edible is fine!"
Mrs. Zhang quickly came over with her staff. "We can't whip up much on short notice. How about a bowl of noodles?"
"Sure, sure, thank you!" Rona Muir took the bowl and slurped it all down in no time.
Watching Rona Muir eat, Cecilia Gu thought it looked less like simple hunger and more like someone escaping from a war zone.
Cecilia Gu thought for a moment and said, "That's right, I can't believe I forgot about this! It's the perfect chance to boost Danni's brand recognition."
After eating her fill, Rona Muir sprawled out on a chair and said, "Exactly! I only realized the problem at the last minute. Honestly, Cecilia, you were so smart not to go today! There were only a million official contestants, but tons performed with their family groups—whole crowds went up! Seriously, it's like we're picking wives, not holding a talent show! You have no idea how funny it was out there!"
Cecilia Gu shook her head speechlessly. "The TV station will send us the recordings."
Rona Muir waved her hand. "No, no, that's just what's on stage—the real fun was offstage. Hey, I actually think this is a great idea. How about we host one every year...?"
Cecilia Gu shot her a look. "The Yin Family only has two brothers. Who are you planning to match up next time?"
Rona Muir slumped and said, "Yeah, Jiro and Mia Yin are still kids. Guess it'll be a while."
Pfft...
Everyone burst out laughing.
Once Rona Muir was full, Cecilia Gu dragged her off for a walk around the courtyard.
After eating so much, you had to walk it off, or you'd end up with indigestion tomorrow.
As they strolled, Rona Muir suddenly blurted out, "Cecilia, do you remember the woman who stuck close to Max Mo at your birthday party?"
Cecilia Gu thought for a moment, then nodded.
"I saw her today," Rona Muir said. "She's a lawyer—her name's Julia Yu."