Xu Shou glanced at Xu Ningbing and said calmly, "Your reason?"
"Don't blame me for being blunt," Xu Ningbing said. "Xu Mu's relationship with that bar owner isn't exactly distant. I'm afraid a few sweet words from her, and he'll spill everything."
She cast a sidelong look at Xu Mu.
Xu Mu simply shook his head — this Xu Ningbing really was cautious to the extreme.Perhaps the previous "villain Xu Mu" had left too deep an impression on her.
"Kid," Xu Shou said with a faint smile, "Ningbing has a point. So tell me — why do you want those materials?"
"I know a little about traditional Chinese medicine," Xu Mu replied casually, leaning back on the sofa. "I just want to take a look at the ingredients and methods. Maybe I can suggest a few alternatives."
"What?"
Xu Ningbing was stunned.
Xu Mu had once said he knew "a little" about piano — then a world-class pianist had wanted to take him as a teacher. Later, he'd said he knew "a little" about martial arts — and easily defeated her, someone who'd trained since childhood and was strong enough for professional combat.
Now he was saying he knew "a little" about Chinese medicine?Was he serious? That leap in skill sets was absurd.
"Hahaha, interesting," Xu Shou laughed. "I don't believe you, but I'm curious to see what you'll come up with."
He turned to Wang Weiliang. "Old Wang, give him the details."
"All right. I'll organize them and send them to your phone," Wang said, nodding. He wasn't concerned about leaks — after all, the company belonged to Xu Shou. If something went wrong, it wasn't on him.
He pulled out his phone and started typing up the data on the spot.
Meanwhile, Xu Shou ordered the kitchen to prepare dinner.
During the wait, Xu Mu strolled leisurely around the spacious living room. It was, after all, his first time in this grand house.
"Come with me, kid," Xu Shou said, patting him on the shoulder, and led him toward the study.
Xu Mu followed with his hands in his pockets.
Inside the study stood a large, dark red wooden desk and rows of bookshelves. Xu Mu's eyes were immediately drawn to a framed photo on one of the shelves.
Four people were in it — and as the memories in his mind stirred, the identities became clear. It was Xu Shou and his wife — Xu Mu's mother — from when they were young.
For a moment, Xu Mu's thoughts blurred.
In his original world, he had long forgotten his real father's face, though photos at home remained. And that man looked exactly like Xu Shou. The beautiful, long-haired woman beside him bore a striking resemblance to his late mother.
In the photo, a little girl stood before Xu Shou, while a boy was held in the woman's arms. Those two children were, of course, Xu Ningbing and Xu Mu.
"When you were little, I was in the middle of building my career," Xu Shou said softly as he sat down. "I didn't protect you two well enough — that's why your mother… met with tragedy."
Xu Mu had no memories of that incident. He only remembered being told that his mother had died, but the details were never mentioned.
"So, what did you call me here for?" Xu Mu asked with a smile.
"You've been acting strange lately," Xu Shou said, leaning back. "And logically speaking, Ningbing's worries aren't wrong. I'm not a fool — sometimes I think a lot."
He smiled faintly at his son. "Tell me your worst-case scenario."
Xu Mu walked up to the desk.
"My worst-case scenario?" Xu Shou continued, his voice calm. "You're a pawn — someone's controlling you. The recording you brought me might've been planted deliberately. Their goal would be to make us believe you've changed — that you're no longer a spoiled fool, but clever and reliable. Then you'd ask to see the formulas and methods, and as your father, of course I'd give them to you."
Xu Mu nodded. "I see. And then I'd hand those materials straight over to someone else."
"Exactly. That's my worst assumption," Xu Shou said. "This formula has immense potential. If they wanted to steal it, that'd be the perfect setup."
He studied Xu Mu closely. "If not for the fact that you look exactly the same, I'd almost think you were an imposter."
Xu Mu smiled faintly. It was understandable — his father's suspicion came from deep care and familiarity. If a son's entire personality had changed overnight and the father didn't notice, that would be ridiculous.
"If what you said were true," Xu Mu asked, "what could they possibly offer me to make me betray you to that extent?"
"Not money," Xu Shou said quietly. "All these years, whenever you've asked for allowance and explained why, have I ever refused you?"
He leaned back again. "No — if anything, you might have made the same mistake as Qian Gang."
"A woman?" Xu Mu asked.
"Exactly," Xu Shou replied. "I know you're not very fond of Xiao Tong. I can't force you to love her, but when you're older, you'll realize she's far better than the kind of women you've been chasing."
Xu Mu took a deep breath. He didn't need to "grow older" — he already knew that.
"Old man, I've got a way to clear your doubts," Xu Mu said.
"Oh? Let's hear it." Xu Shou chuckled.
"When Mr. Wang sends the formula to your phone, let me read it directly on your device," Xu Mu said. "I'll give a few suggestions right then and there — and you can have Mr. Wang evaluate them. In your eyes, I'm supposed to be a brainless fool, right? You wouldn't expect me to memorize anything just by glancing at it."
"Heh. Usually, the ones who call themselves fools aren't fools," Xu Shou said with a grin. "It's the ones calling others fools you have to watch out for."
As he finished, his phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen — Wang Weiliang had already sent over the full formula and production details.
Even after a quick skim, the complex list of ingredients and processes made his head spin. Without taking pictures, it'd be impossible to memorize — especially for a non-expert.
He handed the phone to Xu Mu. "Here. Take a look for yourself."
Xu Mu nodded and scrolled through the data. As he read the technical terms, his mind automatically supplied the corresponding medicinal effects.
"So that's how it is…"
After reviewing the contents, Xu Mu walked to the doorway and called out, "Mr. Wang, could you come here for a moment?"
Wang Weiliang, who had been chatting with Ye Tong and Ye Yu, turned his head, then walked over into the study.
"What's the matter?" he asked curiously.
"I was thinking," Xu Mu said, "for this weight-loss drug, we can reduce or remove the amphetamine and fenfluramine components. Even though they're technically harmless, our brand image is built on being purely herbal."
He looked down at the phone and continued, "We can replace them with specific Chinese herbs. Some are difficult to extract alone, but when processed together with complementary ingredients, the active compounds stabilize more easily."
As he spoke, Xu Mu used Xu Shou's phone to send Wang a long message.
"These herbs can fully replace the synthetics — and they'll achieve the desired effect," Xu Mu added.
At first, Wang looked skeptical — but as he scrolled through the message, his eyes widened in disbelief.
The combinations and extraction methods Xu Mu listed included several trade secrets that Wang had discovered only after hundreds, even thousands, of experiments.
Yet Xu Mu had stated them effortlessly — and even proposed a few novel combinations Wang had never seen before.
"T-This… Mr. Xu, where did you get this information?" Wang stammered, swallowing hard.
Xu Shou froze.
What was happening?
His supposedly "useless" son really did know a little about Chinese medicine?