Chapter 27: The Lady by the Luo River

Qin Mu’s imposing presence was simply terrifying; with just a single move, he had already snatched away the Heart of the Ocean before Han Qingqing could even react.

“Why did you take that? Give the Heart of the Ocean back to me!” Han Qingqing demanded, her tone self-righteous as she reached out and snatched it back from Jiang Zheng’s hands.

“Why are you being so aggressive toward a girl? Are you even a man?” Li Chengtai seized the opportunity to speak up, as though he had finally found a reason to intervene.

Qin Mu frowned slightly and said, “Put it down, and I’ll pretend nothing happened.”

After all, these were Jiang Zheng’s old classmates; Qin Mu didn’t want to make things too ugly.

But Han Qingqing didn’t care about saving face for Qin Mu. She swiftly stuffed the Heart of the Ocean into her pocket.

“Qingqing, that’s not yours, how can you—give it back!” Jiang Zheng cried anxiously. She knew Qin Mu’s temperament all too well—decisive and quick to act.

Han Qingqing shook her head repeatedly, clutching her pocket tightly. “What’s the big deal? Why are you all so fierce? It’s just a diamond necklace, isn’t it?”

“If you don’t put it down, you’ll regret it,” Qin Mu said coldly. He disliked wasting words.

If these were strangers, he would have thrown them out without hesitation.

Besides, this was a gift he had given Jiang Zheng. She had been deeply moved, loving it dearly. In ten years, he had never given her a proper present, and this was the only one. How could he let it be given away so carelessly?

Moreover, the other party was simply preposterous, thinking she could just take it because she liked it.

“Jiang Zheng, wasn’t this a gift from Qin Mu? Then it belongs to you,” someone interjected.

“What are you worrying about him for? As long as you agree. We’re close as sisters, sharing everything. You gave me makeup before; it’s just a necklace. Just have your brother buy you another one,” Han Qingqing said.

“But this is—” Jiang Zheng’s throat tightened with emotion.

Han Qingqing truly was her good friend, and because of that, she didn’t know how to refuse her.

Qin Mu raised an eyebrow at this. Judging from their words, it seemed Han Qingqing had been taking things from Jiang Zheng since they were young.

Seeing Qin Mu remain silent, Li Chengtai hastened to add, “Exactly! You’re so wealthy; you buy sports cars and houses without a second thought. My Qingqing isn’t as well-off as you. Just consider this a gift for her, a gesture of friendship.”

“Then it’s settled—Jiang Zheng, just say you gave it to me,” Han Qingqing said, eager to seal the matter and claim the necklace for herself.

But unexpectedly, Wu Mu, who had been standing by, strode forward and slapped Han Qingqing hard across the face.

A sharp crack echoed.

“Shameless, ill-bred woman,” he spat.

For a moment, everyone was stunned into silence.

Some of their classmates, who had followed along, had been eyeing the Heart of the Ocean greedily when Han Qingqing took it, hoping Jiang Zheng might ask Qin Mu to get them some of those extravagant, luxurious pieces as well.

But now, faced with this scene, no one dared utter a word; all fell silent.

“Who are you? Just some lackey, and you dare hit a girl!” Han Qingqing shouted at Wu Mu, furious.

Wu Mu straightened his collar and revealed his shining military insignia. “Colonel Wu Mu, Ministry of Defense.”

What?!

Li Chengtai, witnessing this, glanced back at Qin Mu. He had heard that Qin Mu had left to serve in the military, but what exactly was his status now, to have a colonel as his subordinate?

But Han Qingqing cared nothing for that. All she cared about was her stinging, reddened face. Pointing at Wu Mu, she cried, “A soldier? Soldiers are supposed to protect the people! How can you hit a defenseless woman? Are you even fit to be a soldier?”

Wu Mu raised his hand again, delivering another slap. “To me, there’s no distinction between male and female, only between those who respect the rules and those who don’t!”

“To seize what belongs to others—how are you any different from those scum who covet the lands of other nations?”

With that, he raised the issue to an entirely different level.

Li Chengtai had intended to argue further, but after Wu Mu’s words, he dared not make a sound.

“And we soldiers protect the people—but not ill-mannered beasts!” Wu Mu said, delivering one final slap before retrieving the Heart of the Ocean from Han Qingqing’s pocket and handing it back to Jiang Zheng.

“Hurry up and take her away. Go home and teach her some proper manners, so she doesn’t disgrace herself in public again.”

Li Chengtai’s face turned ashen; several times he tried to intervene, but Wu Mu’s overwhelming presence kept him frozen in place. In the end, he could only slink away with Han Qingqing in tow.

The other classmates, too, dared not linger and quickly slipped away.

Once everyone had left, Wu Mu asked, “General, did I go too far?”

“It’s fine. Some people have been pampered and domineering for too long. A little pain today will teach her a valuable lesson.”

“Alright then, young lady, I’ll have Wu Mu take you to meet your godfather and the others. I’ll be heading back now,” Qin Mu said, feeling his mood soured by the incident.

“Alright.” Jiang Zheng understood—after everything that happened, Qin Mu was bound to be upset.