Chapter 12

Return to Me in Joy (12)

Chapter Twelve

Call the police?

!

Call the police for what?

Why call the police?

After three moments of bewilderment, Mu He finally realized that the server aunt had misunderstood because she had overheard the lines she had just recited, and she felt both amused and exasperated: “Auntie, you’ve misunderstood.”

She briefly explained the situation.

The aunt didn’t believe a word. She even assumed that Mu He must have been coerced by the man into saying such things. A delicate young girl, illegally confined, stripped of her personal freedom, yet defending the man, even inventing the absurd excuse of acting out lines—who knew what terrible suffering she had endured in private to twist her mind so?

Her sympathy deepened, and like a mother hen protecting her chicks, she positioned herself in front of Mu He: “Miss, don’t be afraid.”

Mu He really felt like she had jumped into the Yellow River and couldn’t wash it clean. She looked to Huo Shiheng for help. Even under the aunt’s fierce glare, Huo Shiheng remained calm and collected. He caught the signal in her eyes and recalled the last time the hourly cleaner had linked the bloodstains on the sheets to sexual activity…

He slightly raised the corner of his lips, giving her a meaningful glance before looking down to adjust his sleeves, clearly adopting a “whoever caused it, solves it” attitude.

Mu He had no choice but to risk exposure, scrolling through her phone to show photos and short videos to prove to the well-meaning aunt that she was indeed an actress.

Only then did the aunt realize her mistake. She bowed apologetically for her abrupt behavior: “I’m sorry, sir.”

“It’s alright, Auntie.”

Mu He smiled gently, her tone sincere: “Thank you so much for standing up for a stranger.”

The aunt felt embarrassed by the praise. As a mother, the greatest worry is seeing a child alone and vulnerable. She empathized; if she had chosen to ignore it, her conscience would have been uneasy.

She thought of her daughter, who idolized celebrities: “By the way, you’re an actress, a star, right? Could you sign an autograph for me?”

Mu He awkwardly avoided her enthusiastic gaze: “…Of course.”

Since Mu He’s real name was being mercilessly trashed online, she signed the note that read, “Miss, if you need help calling the police, blink three times” with a pseudonym: Mu Yangyang.

The aunt took it with both hands, thanked her, and left.

Mu He exhaled in relief. If the aunt had really called the police after the misunderstanding, they wouldn’t still be sitting here—they would be at the local police station.

Huo Shiheng calmly poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of her. Thinking of his earlier nonchalant stance, Mu He couldn’t help but lightly kick his foot under the table. When he looked over, she blinked innocently: “Oh, I just accidentally touched it.”

He immediately understood her hidden thought but didn’t call it out, subtly indulging her without even realizing it.

A while later, the server brought four dishes and a soup. Mu He, now quite hungry, scooped two bowls of soup, generously giving him one, and then lowered her head to eat. The warm liquid flowed down her throat to her stomach, bringing a comforting, secure warmth.

As expected, good food was the best remedy.

She ate like a greedy little squirrel—this tastes good, that tastes good, cheeks puffed slightly, her eyes lit with laughter, as if countless stars were emerging from the dark night.

Huo Shiheng barely touched his chopsticks, watching her eat. The worry buried deep in his heart vanished in an instant, and his carefully planned route of action was overturned. Based on his understanding of her, she would never allow the situation to spiral out of control.

Even if she couldn’t resolve it, wasn’t he there to help?

Mu He rarely ate so contentedly at night, her eyes curved in a satisfied smile.

After sitting for ten more minutes, they prepared to leave.

Luckily, the way back was smooth, wide and straight, with cars flowing slowly, forming a river of lights that met the Milky Way at the horizon.

Mu He sat in the passenger seat, watching Huo Shiheng skillfully steer. The lights outside flickered across his strong, defined side profile, casting soft shadows, then fading into darkness, like a slow black-and-white movie.

He was the only male lead, and the only one in her eyes.

“Xi Heng.”

Huo Shiheng kept his eyes on the road, casually replying with a “Mm” while overtaking.

After the car safely changed lanes, Mu He asked the question lingering in her mind: “What kind of work are you doing now?”

After a few seconds with no reply, she thought he hadn’t heard and was about to ask again, when she heard his low chuckle: “Running errands for people.”

If Master Huo heard that, he would probably choke on anger. The Huo family, a century-old prominent family in Fuchun City, reduced to what looked like a third-rate small workshop in his eyes?

!

Mu He found it equally unbelievable. Her curious gaze lingered on him. He didn’t look like someone who ran errands. And with his proud temperament, would he really do menial tasks for others?

She wanted to probe further, but seeing a faint smile in his eyes distracted her. Her eyes fixed on him; he was truly handsome.

Her own looks were high, so she should have been immune to beauty, but he had a unique aura that transcended mere looks. She knew it was dangerous, yet she couldn’t help falling for him.

What kind of woman could ever capture a man like him?

“Xi Heng,” Mu He asked softly, “do you have a girlfriend?”

The light turned red. Huo Shiheng stopped steadily, turned his gaze to her with a teasingly intriguing look, catching every expression on her face.

After a moment, he curled his lips slightly and flicked his index finger on her forehead.

The meaning was clear—

Adult matters, children stay out.

Mu He felt a pang in her brow, pretending to be angry: “So mean.”

If he didn’t say, he didn’t say. Why always bully her?

Huo Shiheng’s smile deepened. His long fingers tapped the steering wheel rhythmically, eyes showing subtle amusement.

On the opposite lane, a red Maserati carried Zhao Yike in the back seat. She had just finished a gathering with her girlfriends, had a spa, and drunk a little. Tipsy, she held her phone, displaying Mu He’s Weibo page filled with overwhelming criticism, and she felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

Zhao Yike hadn’t planned to take action against Mu He personally. But fans of Keke under Director Xie’s Weibo had humiliated her, ruining her reputation. Offending Director Xie essentially meant being shut out of mainstream TV.

She needed a shocking piece of news to suppress this wave of attention.

Clearly, she had succeeded.

Even a rising actress could have her career ruined by a single black mark.

And Mu He, just one girl, could be crushed forever by the accusation of abusing stray cats alone.

Netizens were proving invaluable, fighting on her behalf, and all she had to do was sit back and watch Mu He get blackened mercilessly.

The worse Mu He was insulted, the happier Zhao Yike became.

Now that Mu He’s reputation was ruined, Director Xie would never use her again. All her scheming and effort to get a role, what’s the point?

Better to never get it than to get it and lose it, while being condemned across the internet.

It was all her own fault—deserved.

Zhao Yike slowly smiled, her face twisted in the interplay of shadows.

The light turned green.

The brake lights of the cars ahead dimmed. Huo Shiheng released the brake, and the black car moved forward. Twenty minutes later, they crossed the river bridge, and Golden Moon Bay was in sight.

Mu He wondered when they would meet again. A tinge of reluctance arose, but no matter how unwilling, she couldn’t keep him.

She could only watch him leave into the night until he completely disappeared.

In the elevator, Mu He recalled the “left jump for wealth, right jump for disaster” question. Given the current total internet shaming, she was right. Of course, she wouldn’t discuss it with him again.

Because every mention would inevitably trigger the “bra” incident. She wasn’t that foolish.

Back home, Wanwan, waiting by the door, ran over immediately, circling her and meowing.

She bent down to pick it up, nuzzling its nose: “Wanwan, you might have to appear on camera a little later.”

Wanwan seemed to understand and meowed happily, wagging its tail.

After filming the video, Mu He sent copies to Ye Xi and Tan Mian. Just as she was about to put down her phone, Tan Mian called. Excited, her voice trembled: “Teacher Mu! The video you just sent me…”

“Oh my god, my scalp is tingling, it’s about to explode! I might not sleep at all tonight!”

Ye Xi also tried calling Mu He, but Tan Mian got through first. The line was busy, so she called the

From the moment the scandal about Mu He broke in the entertainment industry, Ye Xi had been spinning like a top, so busy she didn’t even have time to drink water. Even though she had coordinated with major platforms and set up filters, it was obvious that someone had hired online trolls to stir up trouble—negative comments about Mu He kept pouring in, and she was nearly exhausted.

Fortunately, Mu He had sent her that video, so tonight she could finally sleep soundly.

Before going to bed, Ye Xi called Mu He, discussing all the details, and the call didn’t end until her phone was burning hot.

Mu He was preparing to sleep as well. Lying in bed and staring at the starry night sky, she couldn’t resist opening Weibo.

Her private messages had already exploded. At the top was a message from the national Mu He fan support group, a screenshot from the group chat. The fans were all supporting her, firmly believing she wouldn’t commit such a heinous act…

Mu He felt her eyes warm. There were still strangers willing to believe in her, willing to protect her. She felt very comforted, very safe.

She could not be defeated—not just for herself, but for them.

To one day have the strength to protect them even more.

The comments under her latest Weibo post had already surpassed one million. Various venomous curses were chilling to read, and some even photoshopped memorial images of Mu He…

Mu He chose to ignore it. She put her phone in airplane mode, set it aside, and closed her eyes to sleep.

As long as she cut off the internet quickly, online abuse couldn’t catch up with her.

That night, countless internet trolls raged, battling until dawn, while Mu He slept peacefully and soundly. She woke up in the morning sunlight, as usual collected energy from the Ant Forest app, fed the chicks in the manor, and then went to the bathroom to wash up.

At exactly nine in the morning, Mu He posted a Weibo: “I’ve always felt that meeting you was one of the most beautiful things in life [video].”

The black fans lurking on her Weibo didn’t even watch the video before attacking:

“Hehe, finally not playing dead! Did the vengeful spirit of that cat come to haunt you last night?”

“Trying to be so artsy makes me so sick, ugh ugh ugh!”

“How do you still have the face to post on Weibo? Shouldn’t you go die first?!”

…

Finally, someone watched the video and realized something was off.

“Is it just my illusion?

The cat in the video looks just like the one she abused back then.”

“+ID number.

You’re not alone!”

“Terrifying when you think about it… I think it might not just be a resemblance. It’s exactly the same, okay.”

“Could it… be a plot twist?!”