IHWL – Chapter 58.1

Chapter 58: Beauty Saves The Hero (Down)

 The crisp sound of horseshoes fell on the ground, accompanied by dust flying with grass seeds.

    Two horses, one white and one bay, galloped side by side, but when they were about to reach the finish line, the bay horse halted and gave up the championship to the white one.

    Su Jishi jerked the reins, turned the horse’s head, and looked somewhat angrily at the man on the bay-colored horse: “I told you earlier. A race is a race, and there’s no need for you to let water out((to throw the game)).”

    Linda Hu was not a racing horse, and in terms of speed, it was certainly no match for the horse under Mu Xiulun’s crotch. But they had tried racing many times, and each time, the speed of the two horses was neck and neck. Moreover, this time, the bay horse simply paddled the whole time; anyone could see that its rider deliberately lost.

    “It’s not that I’m letting the water out.” Mu Xiulun patted the horse’s neck and said, “It’s him who’s letting the water out.”

    Su Jishi’s beautiful eyes darted around, and her suspicious eyes fell between the bay-colored horse’s hind legs. There she saw two round date red balls, hanging beneath the horse’s butt. With the horse’s tail raised, they were particularly conspicuous.

    “Oh~” Su Jishi understood and laughed, “They say that stallions are amorous. Does it fancy Linda Hu?”

    In horse ranches, the most common were the geldings, followed by the mares, and the one in a million were the stallions chosen for breeding. This stallion was young, but he had a crush on Linda Hu, who was several years older than him. He even refused to run with all his strength during the race, and always deliberately approached the white horse. 

    When it came to his horse, Mu Xiulun was very proud: “Linda Hu not only won several times, but was named the most beautiful horse on the track two years in a row. I can’t count how many owners have emailed me since she retired, hoping to  mate her with their stallions.”

    “Oh? I didn’t expect Boss Mu to be so charming. So many people are pursuing your girlfriend, yet you’re not angry at all.”

    “Why should I be angry?” Mu Xiulun asked rhetorically, “Doesn’t the fact that my better half has so many suitors show that I have a good eye?” His eyes first fell on the white horse, and then, as if inadvertently, they slid over Su Jishi.

    The two chatted while slowly pacing up and down the track. Linda Hu was walking gracefully and unhurriedly around the track, but the young stallion beside her was particularly naughty. He frequently leaned sideways, completely ignoring the rider on his back —— Several times, Mu Xiulun’s calf had rubbed against Su Jishi’s knee.

    The distance between the two was forced to such a close distance, and the scent between the girl’s hair was distinct. She casually wiped off the beads of sweat hanging on her forehead with the back of her hand, dashing and casual.

    Mu Xiulun forced himself to look away. However, his eyes uncontrollably fell on her out of the corner of his eye.

    He had a lot of business matters to attend to every day, and he couldn’t remember how long it had been since he had enjoyed such a leisurely time. On his first day back home, he took the initiative to ask Su Jin out for a horseback ride, and even put off all his work…If his partners were to know about it, they’d probably be dumbstruck.

    There was very little conversation between them, but the atmosphere was particularly harmonious.

    Mu Xiulun suddenly asked upon remembering something, “By the way, after that day, my foster mother did not trouble you again, did she?”

    “No,” Su Jishi replied with a smile, “The money she offered was too little. I thought the rich lady had at least a mountain of silver in her hand. Unexpectedly, she only had a light check.”

    “They have a mountain of gold and silver, but it’s not in her name.” Mu Xiulun said, “Mu Minde is very shrewd, and he handed all his most valuable precious metal mines in the hands of his younger brother. My foster mother has always wanted to intervene, but unfortunately did not find the opportunity.”

     Speaking of his parents, his tone was cold, without a trace of affection in them. He even called his foster father by his name. Taking cue from the few words he uttered, Su Jishi had no intention to explore the complexities of his family, giving him full respect.

    She digressed and deliberately exaggerated, “You know, she approached me that day in a rage, saying that it was absolutely impossible for an actress like me to marry into the giants. Her words made me curious. Mr. Mu, just how high is the threshold of your wealthy and influential family?”

    Mu Xiulun snorted in disdain: “She’s so concerned about the concept of thresholds. She and Mu Minde were on equal standing at the beginning, but after so many decades of dallying, haven’t they turned into a estranged couple?” He added casually, “I’m more focused on intellectual resonance than family origins.”

    “Oh?”

    “I hope that my other half can have enough conviction and is courageous enough; when faced with sharp accusations, she’ll settle on meeting them head on; when caught in an isolated predicament, she won’t give up the last glimmer of hope…” Mu Xiulun spoke vaguely, but every sentence was detailed, as if he already had a figure in his heart, and it was only because of various reasons that he couldn’t reveal her name.

    He didn’t know if Su Jishi understood, but she sang the opposite, “If you were to put your criteria for choosing a spouse on the dating site, you’ll probably soon be brushed off. I think you’d  better have those quantitative standards such as height, weight, appearance, and job qualifications. Specify them one by one and you’ll certainly get the right person in the box.”

    “Quantitative standards?”

    Mu Xiulun frowned, remembering that when he hadn’t started his business a few years ago, he was ‘deceived’ by an advertisement on a dating site because of a momentary curiosity. Not only did he register, but he also spent a full twenty minutes filling out his requirements for his significant other. As a result, the reviews weren’t approved several times. He wrote to ask for the reason, but customer service actually replied, “Sir, I suggest you look for her in your dreams.”

    …Later? The rotten website shut down; no surprise there.

    Su Jishi laughed while listening: “What criteria did you write that drove customer service to madness?”

    Mu Xiulun said seriously, “In simple terms, she should be good-looking, good figure, and have a high academic degree..”

    “…That’s not simple.”

    Mu Xiulun: “Is it?” He carefully recalled, “Perhaps it is indeed a bit high. I filled in the column for ‘Desired degree of the other party’ with a Doctorate.”

    Su Jishi: “…”

    “To work in my company, you have to have at least a master’s degree from a well-known domestic or foreign institution. I require my spouse to have a doctorate degree, which is also in the hope that we can reach the same level of thinking.”