Chapter 265 264: Welcoming Guests

Having just escaped the jaws of death, Tang Zhi still looked dazed, his eyes vacant.

Mu Lin looked at him, and something suddenly occurred to him. He said,

"Brother Tang, you've performed a great service, so you might get access to more intelligence. Could you help me look into the dealings between the Bai Family and the Military Suppression Bureau?"

"You mean the Bai Family here in Songyang? What could they have to do with the Military Suppression Bureau?"

Tang Zhi was surprised. After studying Mu Lin's face, he realized Mu Lin wasn't joking.

"Alright, I understand. I'll help you look into it."

Tang Zhi nodded. If Mu Lin wanted to know, he would help him investigate.

Mu Lin walked out of the hospital with Tang Shuang, who was scrolling through a list on a review app, trying to decide where to go.

Suddenly, Mu Lin's phone rang.

"Brother Mu, that's not cool! You came to Songyang and went to my dad before you even looked for me. Are we even brothers anymore?" Chen Bing's voice crackled over the phone.

Mu Lin said, "I came to Songyang on business. I only went to your father after I heard Xingchen Building Materials was in trouble, so I lent him a hand. If I were here to party, you'd be the first person I'd call!"

Chen Bing replied, "I don't care. I have to treat you. Where are you? I'll come get you, and we'll have a proper meal."

Mu Lin thought for a moment. "Alright, come to the City Hospital."

Mu Lin glanced at Tang Shuang. "Miss Tang, it looks like you won't have to pay. A bigger fish is eager to foot the bill."

Tang Shuang found this absurd. "What do you mean?"

Mu Lin explained, "Boss Chen's son wants to treat me, so we don't have to pay for our meal. Simple as that."

Tang Shuang thought it was strange, but she definitely understood the "not having to spend money" part.

No matter the circumstances, a free meal was always the best kind.

In no time, Chen Bing pulled up to the main entrance of the City Hospital in a luxury car, attracting a wave of excitement from onlookers.

A crowd gathered around the car, gawking with wide eyes.

Chen Bing hopped right out of the car and ran cheerfully toward Mu Lin. "Younger Brother Mu, I've missed you to death!"

He lunged toward Mu Lin, then immediately noticed Tang Shuang standing beside him.

'Wow, she's gorgeous!'

'Does Mu Lin have too many women around him or what?'

'There's Luo Wanqing, the young mistress of Hidden Sword Manor; Zhao Ling'Er, the granddaughter of Nanjiang's famous doctor Zhao Yang; and even the renowned president of the Li Group is close with him.'

'Heaven knows where the guy finds so many beautiful women.'

'Every single one of them is campus-belle material, at the very least. The kid's got some serious luck with the ladies.'

"Hello there, Miss. You're a lucky one! Our Younger Brother Mu here is quite the catch, you know!"

Tang Shuang's heart thumped in her chest, but she gave a confident smile.

"Of course! I have first-rate taste."

Mu Lin scratched his head. 'There's just no stopping them,' he thought.

'I can't let Tang Shuang and Lin Shishi cross paths. Wouldn't they end up in a catfight?'

"Brother Chen, where are you taking us to eat?"

Chen Bing gave a suave wave of his hand. "Get in the car, and we'll talk!"

Tang Shuang excitedly hopped into the car and was immediately blown away by the luxurious interior.

"This is gorgeous!"

"Isn't it!" Chen Bing said with a happy chuckle.

"So, Brother Chen, where are you taking us to eat?"

"It's a secret!"

Chen Bing grinned smugly. Unaware that Tang Shuang was a local, he was determined to show both her and Mu Lin something special.

A few minutes later, Chen Bing pulled up in front of the Celestial Phoenix Hotel.

Mu Lin had to stifle a laugh. He was already the owner of the Celestial Phoenix Hotel, so being brought here as a guest was rather comical.

Tang Shuang found this odd. She was a straightforward person who couldn't stand seeing someone fooled, and this whole scene just felt wrong to her.

"Brother Chen..." She started to speak, but Mu Lin gave her sleeve a gentle tug, signaling her to keep quiet.

The words on the tip of Tang Shuang's tongue changed to: "This hotel is so magnificent!"

Chen Bing guffawed proudly. "Magnificent is an understatement! This is the best hotel in all of Songyang. Don't look down on it. People will come from all over, making a special trip to Songyang just to eat here."

"The big boss behind this place is incredibly powerful. You could say that besides Dong Wu, he's one of the top experts around."

Tang Shuang was a little bewildered. "Oh... I see..."

She wasn't even familiar with Dong Wu, let alone anyone else.

The boast was completely lost on her.

Mu Lin waved a hand dismissively. "Enough with the talk about fighting and killing. Let's talk about the food. Didn't you bring us here for a meal?"

Chen Bing slapped his forehead in mock annoyance. "Look at me, getting carried away with boasting. I haven't even mentioned the most important part—the food."

"The chefs at the Celestial Phoenix Hotel were personally scouted from all over the country by the famous local expert, Su Longfei. His methods might not have been entirely... legitimate, but it's been a huge blessing for us foodies in Songyang. We can get a taste of all the top cuisines from across the country right here at our doorstep and eat our fill!"

"Miss Tang, now that you're in Songyang, you can't leave with any regrets!"

Tang Shuang paused for a second, then her face broke into a grin. "Of course! I have to eat until I get my money's worth!"

"I guarantee you'll eat your fill!"

Chen Bing then looked at Mu Lin. "Younger Brother Mu, you too. You need to relax and eat your heart out. Now that you're here, you have to enjoy yourself, even if the sky itself were to fall. Build up your strength so you can get back to your business! I've arranged the best for you, so if you're all half-hearted about it, my money will have been spent for nothing."

Mu Lin smiled. "You said it yourself, this is a top-tier hotel. I naturally have to show a top-tier hotel some respect."

"Perfect!" Chen Bing was quite pleased with Mu Lin's declaration.

Mu Lin's phone buzzed twice. He glanced down at the screen.

It was a message from Tang Shuang: *Is it fun messing with this lovable oaf?*

Mu Lin replied: *Of course it is!*

Tang Shuang: *What are you going to do when he finds out you're the actual owner of this place?*

Mu Lin: *I'll just tell him the truth.*

He trusted that Chen Bing would understand.

The layout of the Celestial Phoenix Hotel was quite interesting. There were, of course, dozens of standard private rooms, which were never short of customers.

The premium private rooms were divided into four tiers: Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow. There was only a single Heaven-Tier room. Below that were two Earth-Tier rooms, five Mystic-Tier rooms, and eight Yellow-Tier rooms.

Each was extremely exclusive. Even the lowest Yellow-Tier room was leagues above the quality of the standard private rooms.

Once they were in the Top-Rated Private Room, Chen Bing asked, "Younger Brother Mu, I was thinking of inviting a few friends to join us. Would you mind?"

Mu Lin chuckled. "I don't mind at all. You're the host, so it's your call."

Chen Bing said happily, "It's just a few people. It won't be overwhelming."

"Like I said, I don't mind. Whether we eat with a hundred people or ten thousand, what's the difference?"

Hearing this, Chen Bing was deeply moved. "Thank you, Brother Mu, for helping me out!"

Seeing how serious Chen Bing was being, Mu Lin asked, "Hold on, hold on. Helping you out? What am I helping you out with?"

Chen Bing explained, "These guys are my true brothers, the ones who stuck with me through my lowest point. I used to have plenty of fair-weather friends, back when I was considered a martial arts prodigy. They were all chummy with me then, but after my meridians were shattered, they all cut ties."

"The only ones who remained were these few... Hah..."

Seeing Chen Bing looking so down, Mu Lin patted his shoulder. "That's all in the past now. There's no need to keep dwelling in misery."

"You're right, Younger Brother Mu. And of course, I was only able to pull through thanks to your help. I'll never forget this great debt of gratitude!"

As they spoke, Chen Bing's friends arrived.

They were all about his age and dressed sharply.

There was Cheng Shizhong, whose family was in the art business.

Guo Haichen, whose family was in foreign trade and owned a sizable local brand.

The third person was named Chen Benma. He was a Martial Artist, but he hadn't yet cultivated any Inner Strength and was still hovering at the threshold of the path.

Mu Lin greeted each of them in turn. "Hello, everyone. It's a great honor to have the privilege of dining with you all."

"Don't be so formal. Our brother Chen Bing has told us all about you—your medical skills are extraordinary. If you hadn't intervened, he'd probably be a cripple by now."

Mu Lin laughed. "It's a trivial matter not worth mentioning again. As a doctor, relieving a patient's suffering is simply my duty."

"Younger Brother Mu is being too modest," Chen Bing laughed. "Don't listen to him, everyone. If you have any ailments in the future, just look for him. He's the real deal."