Mu Nanqiao didn’t reply to him immediately. Presumably, the general manager was asked to work overtime on the weekend afternoon. It must be an urgent matter. Lu Qi was in no rush, so he took out his tablet to continue an unfinished drawing.

After about an hour, Lu Qi stood up and stretched his waist, getting up to move with his mobile phone in his hand.

The place he was drawing was in Mu Nanqiao’s study. The landlord had arranged a small corner for him with a snack rack at hand, and Mu Nanqiao’s desk was there when he looked up. On the desk was a photo of the two of them taken in the Red Square.

Opposite the study was the fitness room, which contained several types of fitness equipment. The sandbag was in the center. Lu Qi saw with satisfaction that the boxing gloves he had bought for Mu Nanqiao were still hanging on the wall. It was true that he had no scratches on his hands recently. He was relatively obedient.

Squeezing the soft meat on his belly, Lu Qi turned on the treadmill and jogged on it. Just at this time, Mu Nanqiao called.

Lu Qi turned on the speakerphone, and a leisurely voice came out: “Детка, did you pat my WeChat because you want to pay the rent?”

Lu Qi was already used to his shamelessness, so he simply refused to answer his words and said while jogging: “I just went downstairs for a walk and met someone. Lin Yuan’s aunt.”

Mu Nanqiao hummed. “She also lives here? But based on the current situation of the Lin family, she should be moving out soon.”

After all, Prosperous Cloud’s property fee alone was a huge sum.

“She has moved away.” Lu Qi began to pant a little, and told Mu Nanqiao about the conversation between the two today. He asked in the end: “I just feel that she has changed so much. It’s a bit pitiful.”

“My baby is kind.” Mu Nanqiao laughed, and added after a brief pause: “But I absolutely don’t believe those paraphrased words wishing up happiness.”

“Ah?” Lu Qi was confused. “Then why did she lie?”

“Hmm…..” Mu Nanqiao thought for a moment. “She also said you were wronged, and that Lin Yuan isn’t even an ex-boyfriend…..”

He gave a light chuckle. “She is actually pleading for Lin Yuan. She probably thought that the more she downplayed the relationship between you and him, the less hostile I will be toward Lin Yuan.”

It was a pity that Lin Xiaoshuang didn’t know what Lin Yuan had done, and thought that the feud between him and Mu Nanqiao could be summed up as simple jealousy.

“It turns out that…..huff…..that was her intent.” Panting, Lu Qi turned off the treadmill and wiped his face with a tissue. “Suddenly acting so inexplicably, it turns out she wanted to use me to plead with you…..en, I didn’t hear that. I’m really a little stupid…..”

“You’re not used to thinking about this stuff,” Mu Nanqiao said. “That’s fine, I will think of it for you.”

Some people were just not proficient at these twists and turns. Lu Qi didn’t continue with this insignificant problem. He took a glass of water, drank two sips, and asked again: “Is the meeting over? Did it go well?”

His voice was clear, and always had a youthful feel to it. Mu Nanqiao heard it, and the corners of his mouth curled up unconsciously. His irritability from arguing with those shareholders in the afternoon was suppressed a lot.

“It was fine…..” He sighed and said with a drawl, “There are still social activities in the evening. I will have to drink some wine, and I will be back late.”

Lu Qi hummed and said cheerfully: “Then I won’t wait for you for dinner!”

Mu Nanqiao suddenly didn’t feel good. “Baby, didn’t you really want me to come home every day?”

“Cough…..” Lu Qi couldn’t hide the guilt in his tone, whispering, “Who made it so that all you can think about lately is collecting rent…..”

“Little friend, please be reasonable.” Mu Nanqiao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “You were the one who flirted with me first this morning…..”

Lu Qi’s ears turned red.

He was the one who asked to pay the rent first in the morning, but that was because he hadn’t seen Mu Nanqiao in several days. He really wanted to get close to the big fox, but in the end, Mu Nanqiao clearly pushed his limits. He cried profusely and still felt embarrassed. 

Someone was talking to Mu Nanqiao on the other side of the phone. It seemed to be Mu Chuanbai. Lu Qi took the opportunity to say: “Then get busy, I…..”

“Pick me up tonight.” Mu Nanqiao said justly and forcefully, “I will be drunk and unable to drive.”

Lu Qi: “…..Don’t you have a driver?”

“The driver has taken leave, and so has the assistant.” Mu Nanqiao glanced at Assistant Zhang, who knowingly mimed zipping his mouth.

“Then you take a taxi…..” Lu Qi said, “Although I have a driver’s license, I don’t drive much…..”

Mu Nanqiao: ……

“Детка……” He sighed helplessly. “I just want to walk along the road with you.”

Lu Qi thought to himself that his boyfriend was really coquettish and clingy, ah. But he was also a poor, distressed little thing, so what could he do?

Spoil him.

So he nodded and agreed, and told Mu Nanqiao to send him the address later.

. . . . . . .

The smile on Mu Nanqiao’s lips was still there after he hung up the phone. Dong, dong, two dull knocks brought him back to his senses.

Mu Chuanbai knocked on the floor with his crutch to call his son’s soul back.

“Look at you.” He mocked, “With that smile full of love, could it be that you have good future prospects?”

It was a pity that Mu Nanqiao’s face was thicker than cowhide, and such a sarcastic comment didn’t hurt him at all. On the contrary, he understood the jealousy of his old father who was alone in an empty room.

He felt sorry for his dad, who was unbearably lonely and still had to deal with the old guys upstairs. 

Mu Chuanbai: “…..Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s nothing.” Mu Chuanbai and began to talk about business. “Dad, those people upstairs have been living peacefully for half a year, and now they can’t sit still anymore. We have to find a way to get their shares back.”

When it came to serious matters, the father and son still worked together. Mu Chuanbai nodded and took out his mobile phone, saying: “I’ll give you the business cards of several people I recommend, you should get in touch with them more. These people are different from the second generation ancestors who invited you to dinner tonight, they are truly useful people…..”

But the second generation ancestors also had some use. Most of the young people in the circle represented the will of the elders behind them. Mu Nanqiao also had to deal with them.

Several business cards were sent to Mu Nanqiao’s WeChat. Mu Chuanbai noticed that he had changed his avatar, and it looked like St. Basil’s cathedral. There was a back view of someone making victory hands on the square, which must be Xiao Lu. He tried to zoom in and take a closer look, but accidentally clicked twice in succession.

[I pat Nanqiao on the shoulder to remind him that it is time to collect the rent]

Mu Chuanbai: ? ? ? 

He raised his head and asked his son, “Which house did you rent out?”

Mu Nanqiao’s expression remained unchanged as he stood up and straightened his tie. “I’m renting out that apartment, but it’s still empty.”

Mu Chuanbai: ? ? ? 

So which one was it?

. . . . . . .

Tonight’s banquet was a little awkward in the end. The young masters looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

When everyone got together in the past, Lin Yuan was a person who knew how to have fun. Whether it was picking up girls at the bar or inviting a few men and women from outside to come over and have a drink with them, he was skilled at the job. Now, Lin Yuan had fallen by thunderous means. But these skin-deep brothers would not fight against the Mu family for him, and were really unspeakably weak when facing Mu Nanqiao.

This man sat across from them with an aura that said “taking care of them would be like chopping melons and vegetables,” which put uncontrollable reverence in their hearts.

But it was not like nobody talked to Mu Nanqiao. The educational resources of wealthy families were still very abundant, and those who were educated were not all dandies. There were always one or two elites. Two or three people were talking to Mu Nanqiao about the recent bidding, and when they tried to pry, they were all dismissed by Mu Nanqiao with a, “We’re just out to play, don’t talk about work.”

Out to “play.” That was to say, having a regular meal. The young masters who had played with Lin Yuan were on the verge of tears. They recalled that the last time they had such a pure dinner party was the last time they celebrated Children’s Day. Fortunately, Mu Nanqiao didn’t hold them, and everyone who came over to greet him was given a drink to give them face. After completing their elders’ tasks, they went to eat agreeably.

Everyone was happy, at least on the surface.

After three rounds of drinking, they took care not to overdo it. Someone said that their graduation project was not finished yet, and proposed to step out first, so everyone stood up one after another. Mu Nanqiao and those who had been exposed to the family business early still had some things to talk about, so the younger ones left first.

“Fuck, I’m laughing to death, hahahahaha…..” After exiting the hotel door, the group of people laughed loudly and started making a ruckus. “Gao Lao’er, how can you mention graduation? Do you even know the name of your major?”

“Scram, scram, scram!” The person being mocked yelled angrily: “Don’t you guys dare say anything. We rolled dice in the WeChat group, and it fell on me. What else could I say? That Mu Nanqiao is not much older than me, it’s weird! Sitting there, he looked just like my dad! I have never seen my own father so well-behaved!”

“Fuck, who isn’t afraid of him?” Someone cursed in a low voice. “The grass has grown on Mu Rui’s grave, and Lin Yuan was arrested. His methods are so powerful…..”

The group of people walked to the parking lot, and someone whispered: “Damn, luckily I’m a few years younger than them and didn’t get involved in those things…..huh? Brother Gao, look at that kid on the roadside riding a motorcycle. There’s something about those legs, waist, and hips…..”

Hearing this, everyone subconsciously looked in the direction he was pointing. A straight man laughed out loud: “Damn, your gaydar went off again…..”

But to be fair, he was indeed a tall, handsome young man at first glance. The motorcycle was black and red, and he was wearing casual clothes with a white jacket as he propped his long legs on the ground and lowered his head while texting. Viewed from this angle, his face was surprisingly fresh, with a small dimple on his cheek, exuding a well-behaved look.

“Damn, sweet and spicy…..” Someone murmured.

This contrast made a person’s heart itch. Under the influence of alcohol, several people were ready to make a move. One of them cried out in a whisper: “I know this kid, he was Lin Yuan’s. He has a stubborn spirit, and as far as I know, he’s still a virgin. Young Master Lin didn’t even eat him before he went to prison.”

Someone asked: “Didn’t Lin Yuan want to find, cough, a substitute for that person before? He doesn’t look like him to me, ah…..”

Everyone fell silent, feeling that Lin Yuan was somewhat blind.

“It doesn’t matter, I want to eat this one. I’ll go see if I can get him…..” Young Master Gao, the one who said he hadn’t handed in his graduation project, cleared his throat and strode over. He said to the young man in a flirtatious voice: “Friend, have we met somewhere before?”

The other party finally raised his head and glanced at him. 

He had a pair of round, deer-like eyes, with a lingering youthful air. The flickering lights fell on those eyes, which were like a clear forest stream reflecting the twilight.

Looking at this face from a close distance, Young Master Gao was almost too excited to stand still. Some little stars were beautiful, but they all wore makeup and filters. However, the face of the person in front of him was clean, and his cool white skin was like exquisite porcelain. 

Young Master Gao licked his lips and continued to say in a hoarse voice: “Oh, I remember. You were kept by Lin Yuan, right? Now that he’s in prison and you have no support, why not go with me? At least I won’t make you a substitute…..”

“Oh.” The young man nodded with a smile in his eyes, and looked behind Young Master Gao slyly. “You also know I was a substitute. I’m not up to grade, la, why don’t you go find the original person?”

Young Master Gao thought that the little beauty was talking to him, and was so happy that he was lost and confused. Hearing him mention the original person, he suddenly trembled. But he couldn’t show cowardice at the moment, so he said with lacking confidence: “This…..this original person has a good-looking face, but he has a double-door figure…..I…..I like ones that are a little petite…..”

When he finished speaking, the little beauty was already bent over in laughter, and smiled as he said: “Mu Nanqiao, did you hear? People think we’re King Kong and Barbie, ah. Hahaha…..”

Young Master Gao’s hair stood on end. He forced himself to look back, and almost lost control of his bladder on the spot.

Mu Nanqiao stood behind him with an unpredictable expression, his face as gloomy as a cumulonimbus cloud. He asked expressionlessly: “You want to keep me?”

“Hahahahaha…..” Lu Qi laughed with tears falling down.

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Chapter Forty << Table of Contents >> Chapter Forty-Two