When Xu Mu got home, he found Ye Tong already in the bedroom.
After a day of running around, he took a shower first. While washing, he noticed faint bloodstains on his pants.
He knew very well that Feng Yue just now had been as inexperienced as Ye Tong was the first time.
Even though she tried to act skilled, Xu Mu could tell at a glance.
It proved she hadn't lied before—she had never let any man have his way.
But what he couldn't understand was this: judging from her eyes, she clearly didn't like him.
Her Favorability hadn't even risen into positive numbers.
"Forget it."
Xu Mu shook his head lightly and stopped dwelling on it.
The whole thing had been a blur—he almost wondered if he'd dreamt it—suddenly getting swept along by Feng Yue's torrent of words.
If, in that situation, he had pushed her away, that would have been a bit unmanly.
The "battle" had been fierce. On an unfamiliar course—and on someone else's home turf—Xu Mu had nearly been defeated.
Especially when faced with the opponent's mountain-heavy, repeatedly crashing offensive.
He dubbed that move the "Peach Banquet."
So far, among the women he'd met, the one who'd planted the biggest and roundest "peach trees" was Feng Yue.
Most people couldn't withstand that kind of onslaught.
But Xu Mu wasn't most people; in the end, relying on sheer willpower, he carried the day.
He came to lie beside Ye Tong and saw she was still on her phone.
"You're back."
Ye Tong greeted him with a smile.
"What are you looking at?" Xu Mu asked as he lay down.
"Chemical formulas. The weight-loss drug succeeded—it's bringing a huge influx of funds to the Xu family. We're planning to develop a new medicine," Ye Tong said with a smile.
"No work at home."
Xu Mu hugged her, took the phone, and slipped it under the pillow.
This was his woman. As for Feng Yue—let the past be past.
"Wife, relax."
As a pianist, Xu Mu was well-versed in duets—that was basic.
He'd only "played" once at Feng Yue's place just now.
It didn't affect his duets at all. As a self-styled master, he figured he could even manage a trio, maybe a quartet.
He hadn't tried, though; until now he'd only ever performed a duet here with Ye Tong.
Before it was over, Ye Tong was already done in.
He felt that pulling off a trio would be hard—unless there were three "listeners" at once.
…
Early the next morning, Xu Mu woke up bright and early.
He'd been busy yesterday and hadn't managed to complete ten-draws.
Mu Qingying and Feng Yue had both popped Favorability prompts, but since their Favorability was still negative, there was no multiplier bonus.
Seeing Xu Mu up, Ye Tong hurried to get out of bed too. After a quick wash, she went to make breakfast for him.
After they ate, the two left the villa together for the company.
Xu Mu again warned Ye Tong to be extra careful—even if Lin Yang had gone to ground for now.
Ye Tong agreed.
Xu Mu didn't go straight to the office. He wasn't even sure how, but he found himself detouring to Feng Yue's bar.
It was the same as yesterday: doors tightly shut, the characters "For Transfer" pasted on them.
He took out his phone and pulled up Feng Yue's contact. He meant to call, but in the end gave up.
Back at the company.
He was spacing out in the boss chair until the phone's vibration jolted him.
He glanced at the screen—it was a message from Xu Shou, asking him to come up.
Xu Mu stretched and stood.
In the chairman's office, Xu Ningbing was there as usual.
"What's up? What did you want me for?"
Xu Mu sat on the black leather sofa.
"People go upward, water flows downward. Our weight-loss drug is a big success, so I'm preparing to push into Yang City again," Xu Shou said with a smile. "What do you think?"
"No objections. That's a sure thing. Yang City's economy is stronger, and we already have a company there."
Xu Mu had expected this: the Xu Group would certainly re-enter the Yang City market.
"You ran into trouble yesterday?" Xu Shou lit a cigarette and said quietly. "Before, whenever you hit trouble, you called me first."
"I could handle this one myself, so I didn't bother you," Xu Mu chuckled.
Xu Ningbing shot him a glance. In the past, for every little mess, Xu Mu was the first to tell Xu Shou and have him clean it up.
Now he'd handled something big on his own.
Her little brother really had changed—grown a bit unfamiliar.
"Lin Yang kidnapped Feng Yue and Mu Qingying to threaten you—weren't you afraid for your life?" Xu Shou frowned and drew hard on his cigarette. "From now on, in that kind of situation, you must not take the risk yourself."
"I got it. And I'm fine, aren't I?"
He was speaking when his phone rang. He checked it—Meng Wanyue.
"Wanyue, what is it?"
"Mr. Xu, people from the Jiang City Security Division are here. They want to talk to you," Meng Wanyue said.
"What? Didn't they already question me yesterday?"
Xu Mu was a bit surprised. "I'll head down."
"What's going on?" Xu Shou asked.
"Probably still about yesterday. I'll take a look."
Xu Mu pocketed the phone and left the office.
He took the elevator to his floor. Outside his office stood two people.
One was a man around thirty in a police uniform.
The other was an even younger woman in black casualwear, long hair loose, a valiant profile.
Hands in her pockets, she blew a bubble with her gum from time to time.
Xu Mu gave them a quick sweep with the Divine Eye.
The man was ordinary—but the woman instantly made Xu Mu's eyes widen.
Name: Jiang Huihui
Identity: Cleaner of the Dragon Nation; heroine of The Master Descends the Mountain, My Seven Senior Sisters Are Nation-Toppling Beauties.
Favorability: −20
Fate Level: 9 (max 10)
Xu Mu was a bit dumbfounded—another heroine.
This could be bad.
He hadn't read that particular novel, but he'd seen plenty of this type.
In a word: the senior sisters are awesome, but the male lead is even more awesome.
"You two were looking for me?" Xu Mu asked calmly as he walked over.
"Xu Mu, here are my credentials."
The thirty-something officer showed his badge first, then gestured to the woman. "This is Jiang Huihui, our unit's team leader. Answer her questions and cooperate fully."
"Alright."
Xu Mu nodded. As expected of a Cleaner—she really did wield substantial authority.
The man said a few more words and left, leaving Jiang Huihui alone.
She gave Xu Mu a look. "Let's talk in your office."
"Sure," Xu Mu answered, leading the way in.
Inside the office.
Xu Mu sat in the boss chair while Jiang Huihui, hands still in her pockets, let her eyes roam over the room.
"Miss Jiang, what do you want to ask?"
Seeing her keep silent, he took the initiative.
"Your car—should be this Cadillac Escalade, right?" Jiang Huihui placed her phone on the desk.
Xu Mu checked the photo; the plate matched. He nodded. "That's right."
"Yesterday you said the kidnapper called you in the morning. Why did you wait until afternoon to report it—what were you doing in between?"
She moved around to his side, one hand pressing on the desk while the other pulled open a drawer.
"Even if you're a team leader, you can't just go through personal belongings at will, can you?" Xu Mu's face darkened.
"I have a search warrant. If you don't believe me, I can have them bring it up."
Jiang Huihui gave him a cool sideways glance. "Move."