Xu Mu asked calmly, "What did he say to you?"
"He asked how Ye Tong and Ye Yu have been lately, and I told him the truth," Meng Wanyue replied quietly while sweeping the floor.
"He also said he has a mission at hand. Once it's completed, he plans to return to the Dragon Nation—and he wants to meet you when he's back."
Xu Mu rested his cheek on his palm, his expression unmoving. It seemed he couldn't afford to relax at all.
According to the story's plot, when the Dragon King returned, he didn't yet know that Xu Mu was only the Ye family's adopted son. To him, Ye Tong and Ye Yu were merely sisters by bond.
But as he investigated the Ye family's downfall, he would eventually discover the truth—that Xu Mu shared no blood ties with them. Only then would he start harboring thoughts of taking Ye Tong and Ye Yu for himself.
Xu Mu pondered for a while. Under the current circumstances, even if the Dragon King did return and saw him living harmoniously with Ye Tong and Ye Yu like a real family, he'd have no reason to move against him.
Still, Xu Mu would never entrust his safety to anyone else. True security came only from having strength of his own.
The Dragon King might not attack him directly, but he might try to seize control of his family's business empire through force.
As Meng Wanyue finished sweeping and went to take out the trash, Xu Mu couldn't help but smile faintly.
Positive Favorability really did make all the difference—before, she would never have told him about this call.
At the company that day, nothing notable happened. Xu Mu stayed at his desk until late afternoon.
He was driving home when his phone suddenly vibrated.
It was a call from Xu Shou.
"What's wrong?" Xu Mu asked as he answered.
"Chen Bei just sent me a message," Xu Shou said from the other end.
"Qian Gang has already invited him out. The meeting place—same as last time—the National Banquet Restaurant."
"And why are you telling me this?" Xu Mu rolled his eyes.
"I trust your methods," Xu Shou replied with a chuckle. "Last time, you managed to eavesdrop on Qian Gang's call. I figured you could do it again. I'm curious what excuse he'll use to make Chen Bei hand over the formula."
Xu Mu sighed helplessly. "Alright, fine—I'll try."
"Good," Xu Shou said, and hung up.
Xu Mu looked at his phone, hesitated briefly, then texted Ye Tong to tell her he'd be home late tonight.
Her reply was short: "Okay," followed by a cute emoji.
He smiled slightly—sure enough, his Fate Points had increased again when he checked the system.
He turned his car around and headed toward Meng Wanyue's apartment.
If he wanted to eavesdrop again, he'd need more listening devices—and she surely had plenty.
Arriving at her residential complex, Xu Mu parked below her building. He was about to head upstairs when he noticed a snack shop nearby.
He remembered her sofa had been littered with snack wrappers, so he went inside.
He didn't buy much—just spent about a hundred yuan on two big bags of assorted snacks.
After paying, he used his Perception Sense to confirm she was home, then entered the complex.
Reaching her floor, he knocked on the door.
Meng Wanyue, now in pajamas and bunny slippers, hurried over and opened it. When she saw Xu Mu, her usually cold, emotionless eyes widened. "President Xu? What are you doing here? I thought it was my food delivery."
"Well, technically, it is a delivery," Xu Mu said with a warm smile, holding up the bags. "When I dropped you off last time, I saw all the snack wrappers on your couch, so I figured you liked this kind of stuff. I bought you some."
Meng Wanyue stared at the snacks and at Xu Mu's gentle smile, momentarily dazed.
Since the day she could remember, she'd never had entertainment.
As an assassin, her life had only two parts—killing, and locking herself away afterward.
If she had one indulgence, it was junk food.
She was easy to satisfy—money didn't interest her. Clothes, as long as they fit, were fine. Food, as long as it filled her stomach, was enough.
Even if she spent the next decades living on plain buns and bread, she wouldn't complain.
Money was meaningless to her, just like when Xu Mu gave her two hundred yuan after she helped him the other day—she'd felt nothing.
But now, seeing the snacks he bought with only a hundred yuan, she felt something stir inside her chest.
If she remembered correctly… Xu Mu was the first man who had ever bought her snacks.
Not her old organization. Not even the Dragon King.
[Favorability +10]
"President Xu, please come in, don't stand outside," she said softly, stepping aside with a shy tilt of her head. "Sorry, the place is a bit messy."
"No worries. I've seen it before when I brought you back," Xu Mu chuckled.
"So, what brings you here?" she asked quickly, trying to change the subject.
She didn't mind clutter, only cleaning it when it piled up too much.
"Do you still have any listening devices?" Xu Mu asked. "It's about the same thing as before—Qian Gang's trying to win over people in the company. I want to listen in."
"I've got plenty. Wait here—I'll grab them."
She hurried into the bedroom and came back with a handful of compact devices from her luggage.
"You're giving me all these? What about you—won't you need them later?" he asked.
"I still have a few left. And if I run out, I can always buy more."
"Alright," Xu Mu nodded, pocketing them. "Then I won't bother you any longer. Oh, and don't order takeout all the time. Since you live close to me, come over for dinner sometime. I'll cook for you."
"President Xu, you're too kind," she said with a faint smile.
"I'll get going," he said, waving as he left.
Meng Wanyue looked at the snacks on her table—black text appeared again above her head:
[Favorability +5]
Back in his car, Xu Mu opened his storage space and placed most of the listening devices inside, keeping just one.
He activated it the way Meng Wanyue had shown him before, then drove toward the National Banquet Restaurant.
Parking a distance away, he put on a mask and approached on foot.
Using his Perception, he scanned every room in the building but found no sign of Qian Gang or Chen Bei.
He must have arrived too early.
After waiting about ten minutes, an Audi A8 pulled up nearby.
Xu Mu didn't even turn his head—his perception was clearer than sight.
Qian Gang stepped out and entered the restaurant.
Not long after, a Porsche Cayenne pulled up out front.
When Xu Mu saw the woman who got out, his eyes narrowed slightly—Feng Yue, the bar owner.
Beside her was another woman, around thirty-six or thirty-seven, lacking Feng Yue's sultry allure but exuding mature charm.
Just one glance, and Xu Mu knew what Qian Gang was planning—
They were going to use a honey trap.