Chapter Seven: Burning the Basement

After watching the snow, Mu Deyan sat on the bed, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his eyes as he watched his grandchildren, Mu Weiyi and Mu Weien, put on their live children’s play combined with an animal show.

“Grandpa, if you like it, Enbao will perform again for you. This time it's Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Gray Squirrel. Next time, how about Snow White and the Seven Little Hamsters?” Mu Weien, standing before Mu Deyan, had shed her earlier spoiled demeanor and now sounded like a sweet little child.

“All right, all right. Our Enbao loves animals so much; such a caring heart.” Mu Deyan smiled warmly, patting Mu Weien’s head.

Since his little granddaughter loved these things, he would of course support her wholeheartedly.

“Enbao, how about we go camping next week? Grandpa bought you a piece of land nearby, with lots of animals to play with!” Hearing this, Mu Weien screamed with joy—sharp and piercing, almost deafening the elderly man.

“Mu Weien, you’re torturing Grandpa!” her brother Mu Weiyi said, displeased.

He also loved animals, so why did Grandpa only buy land for Mu Weien? After all, he was the only grandson of the Mu family!

“You’ll have your gift too, I won’t favor one child over another,” Mu Deyan said, originally with a smile, but a shadow crossed his face as a certain figure flickered in his mind.

Mu Weien didn’t notice these subtle changes; she was loudly defending herself.

“Bad brother! How am I torturing Grandpa? Today, the one who made Grandpa sick is that freeloader Mu You! Why don’t you scold her instead of taking it out on me…”

“Enough!” Mu Deyan’s voice suddenly rose, startling the two children into silence, their eyes wide with tears.

“All right, all right, Weiyi, Weien, it’s getting late. Grandpa should take his medicine and rest now.”

At that critical moment, Xu Ya, who had been waiting outside the door, stepped in to smooth things over.

Li Jiaojiao quickly ushered the children out of the room, then her expression darkened.

She couldn’t understand how the old man felt about Mu You. Was she no longer to be mentioned?

“Mommy, Grandpa is so fierce, Enbao is scared,” Mu Weien said, nearly in tears.

Mu Weiyi, both angry and afraid, began practicing military-style punches into thin air.

“Don’t be afraid, Grandpa still cares for you. You must coax him well, only then will you get what you want,” Li Jiaojiao said, stroking Mu Weien’s hair, her eyes glinting with determination as she glanced toward the basement.

Mu You, oh Mu You, why didn’t you freeze to death in the back mountain? Why must you come back to disgust our family and drag my children into your mess?

I won’t let you have it easy!

In the basement.

Mu You had successfully brought Qi Haoxuan back and found the phone he had dropped.

“Thank you, Youbao, for coming with me to such a dangerous and scary place.”

“No problem. Aren’t we friends? Friends help each other!” Hearing Mu You’s words, Qi Haoxuan was almost moved to tears.

Besides family, he had never met such a good friend! People either smiled insincerely when they knew he was from the Qi family or were terrified of him.

“Youbao, please agree to come back with me to the Qi family. We will treat you well and no one will bully you!”

For the second time, Qi Haoxuan spoke earnestly.

With so many devils in the Mu family, he truly worried if Mu You stayed here—would she survive?

“I…” Mu You felt embarrassed to refuse Qi Haoxuan again but really couldn’t accept.

Suddenly, a familiar “squeak squeak” echoed through the basement.

Hearing the mouse’s cry, Qi Haoxuan stopped caring about Mu You’s answer, immediately covering his ears, holding his breath, and trying to make himself as small as possible.

“Mr. Mouse, are you hurt?” Mu You asked worriedly.

She had just heard the flower mouse cry in pain, weak and suffering.

“Squeak squeak.”

[Yes, I was greedy and ate baited food from the trash bin. I probably don’t have much time left.]

Knowing death was near, the flower mouse recalled what it had overheard, pushing its body to return to the basement, guided by the scent.

[You’re a good child. Here, I received respect and care I never had before.]

[As your father said, nature is cruel, the weak are prey to the strong, so you must grow up quickly and become strong to protect yourself!]

[Good child, leave here quickly. Don’t worry about me, just go! The bad woman in the house plans to burn you alive in the basement…]

With its last strength, the flower mouse tried once more to save her.

“Thank you, Mr. Mouse…” Mu You felt deeply saddened.

“Youbao, do you smell something strange?” Qi Haoxuan sensed something wrong and, summoning courage to overcome his fear, came over in the dark.

“It smells like gasoline. We have to get out of here!” Mu You said, grabbing Qi Haoxuan’s arm, ready to head for the escape route they had used earlier.

But thick smoke was already filling the basement, faint flames visible.

“Not good, it’s on fire!!”

Meanwhile, Mu Yao was pouring out his troubles to Xu Ya.

Several of his businesses were on the brink of bankruptcy, and he liked to party, racking up heavy debts.

“Mom, Dad doesn’t like me at all. He only loves that dead woman. He won’t give me money!”

“If you can’t pay back, those people will come causing trouble. If Jiaojiao takes the kids and leaves, I won’t survive either!”

Seeing Mu Yao so distressed, Xu Ya felt heartbroken.

After all, a son is a mother’s flesh and blood.

Though she remarried Mu Deyan, Mu Yao was their biological son, the eldest…

“Ya, you can’t say such unlucky things!” Xu Ya’s eyes flickered as she pondered how to solve the money problem.

“Wait, I remember!” A figure appeared in her mind.

“The Qi family! The old master of the Qi family and I used to have some connection. Maybe we can ask for help!”

Having little hope in his mother, Mu Yao’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“The Qi family in City A? The richest family in Huaguo?!” Xu Ya nodded.

If it weren’t for her son’s dire situation, she wouldn’t have lowered herself to contact that man.

She wasn’t sure if he had forgotten the favor from years ago.

“I never thought, Mom, you actually know the old master of the Qi family! That’s great, I’m saved!”

After Mu Yao left, Xu Ya took out her phone and called the old master of the Qi family.

Just as she was about to return to her room to rest, the butler reported many people from the Qi family had arrived at the back gate of the Mu residence.

“They came so quickly?”

“Wait, you said they’re at the back gate? Why not the front gate?”

Xu Ya frowned.

Something was wrong!

“Report to the matriarch: I’m not sure of the details, but the Qi family members came with force and barged into the Mu residence without saying a word!”

“They’re trying to break into the basement!”

“What?”