Chapter 61: Come to My Room?

After dinner, Mu Lin watched some TV with Elder Li before Mrs. Li helped the elder upstairs to rest.

Mu Lin stretched and decided to head to his own room to rest as well.

As he reached the corner of the hallway, he saw Li Xue wearing a small white camisole with a pair of dolphin shorts below her waist. Her fair, long, and well-proportioned legs shimmered in the white light.

To be fair, if Li Xue had a better temper, she would be absolutely beautiful.

'Or perhaps, her temper is actually fine—it's just different when she's dealing with me.'

Mu Lin considered this for a moment, then turned to leave.

"Don't you want to come in for a bit?" Li Xue asked.

Mu Lin thought for a second. "No."

Li Xue felt the blood rush to her head.

'You run around outside all day and even fool around with a married woman. Am I really not as good as her?'

"Master once said that if a woman throws herself at you, she's definitely out to get you killed. I'd like to live a couple more years, so no thanks!"

"This thing between us is just an act. You'll have to get married someday, so it wouldn't be good to ruin your reputation."

With that, Mu Lin pushed open the door to his room, went inside, and closed it behind him.

Li Xue's jaw dropped. 'How can someone like him actually exist in this world?'

Mrs. Li walked by and saw Li Xue standing there, stunned. She didn't say anything and just turned and walked away.

'Why must she be like this? If she had just been honest sooner, things wouldn't have ended up like this.'

In the small courtyard of the Holy Medicine Hall, Qiao Canhua was watching the stars with his wife.

Mu Lin's medicine was truly effective. After just one day of taking two pills—one in the morning and one at night—he could already see his wife's complexion starting to return to normal.

"Honey, we really have to thank young Mu Lin properly. Without him, I'm afraid I..."

Qiao Canhua stroked his wife's head. "It all depends on whether I'm fortunate enough! As for repaying him, I might not even be worthy!"

His words left his wife momentarily lost in thought. "What do you mean, not worthy? He doesn't come from any special background. How could you not be worthy?"

Qiao Canhua said, "His origins are actually extremely special. When Elder Li told me about it... well..." He sighed.

"He's more like a man of the Jianghu. All I can offer him is a high-level executive position in a company, which would just add a ton of restrictions... And for someone like him, restrictions are probably the last thing he wants."

His wife gently caressed his face and smiled. "Mu Lin is a good kid. You don't need to overthink it for him. I believe he'll understand you. But whether he accepts your offer after understanding it, that will be up to him."

"Come on," his wife said, taking Qiao Canhua's hand. "Come soak in the hot spring with me."

The courtyard was located on a natural hot spring. A pump drew the hot water into the bathhouse, ensuring a wonderfully warm bathing experience.

Zhao Yang had also said that the sulfur steam helped with antioxidation.

"Alright," Qiao Canhua said gently. They didn't emerge until nearly an hour later.

Qiao Canhua had also figured some things out, and a determined glint flashed in his eyes.

He sent a message to Wu Long, laying out his demands.

When Wu Long received the message and read it, he flew into a rage.

Arrange a project for the Yuelong Group outside of Anhua City, and in return, have them give up the fight for the land at Number Six Southside.

Furthermore, they were to stop suppressing the Li Group and guarantee their safety.

Moreover, once Wu Long agreed, he could not go back on his word. Otherwise, Shengding Group would use its market position to inflict severe punishment on Yuelong Group.

'Qiao Canhua is this concerned about the Li Group? To the point that he's willing to personally intervene and help them like this?'

Every word of that message carried immense weight. Business people would never make such statements lightly.

If the other party took you seriously, you would have to spend real money to follow through.

But to Wu Long, this was utter bullshit. He was the local tyrant of Anhua City. He had the final say in everything that happened on this turf.

Every one of Qiao Canhua's demands was a challenge to the authority Wu Long had built in Anhua City over many years.

This authority was bone-deep, and any casual challenge would unleash a tidal wave.

"Does he have a death wish? Don't forget, he's on my territory now!"

Wu Long called Guo Lei. "Go teach Qiao Canhua a lesson. Make him understand that on my turf, he plays by my rules!"

When Guo Lei received this assignment, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

This didn't involve a high-risk individual like Mu Lin, and the target was just a rich businessman, so he treated it as a routine job.

'A simple threat should be enough, right?'

'But where is he staying?'

Guo Lei checked the reservation systems of every hotel, but found nothing.

He was stumped.

After he dutifully reported this to Wu Long, the impatient and irritable man slapped him across the face.

"Useless! Go find him! I don't care if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find me that man's whereabouts!"

Guo Lei was filled with resentment. 'I busted my ass looking for him for you, didn't sleep all night, and this slap is what I get for it.'

He wildly imagined killing Wu Long and becoming the boss himself, but alas, it was just a fantasy.

Wu Long had plenty of loyal underlings. Even if he managed to kill him, there was no guarantee he'd securely take over as boss.

The main reason Guo Lei had been able to replace Pang Dahai was that Pang Dahai himself was just a dog that no one respected. As long as someone was useful, it didn't matter who they were.

Taking the next step up wouldn't be so simple.

Focusing on the goal of finding Qiao Canhua and teaching him a lesson, he knew he had to find someone familiar with that industry.

Guo Lei found an employee from Yuelong Group and offered him a Golden Silk Zhenghua cigarette.

"Hey brother, help me out. I'm trying to find this person. Do you know anything?"

"Qiao Canhua?" The Yuelong employee mulled it over. "He's a legendary figure. What are you looking for him for? You trying to get involved in the Group's business? Believe me, if Chairman Wu finds out, he'll kill you!"

As an enforcer, all he had to do was carry out his boss's orders.

Meddling in the Group's business was absolutely forbidden; the slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

But Guo Lei couldn't tell the guy he was looking for Qiao Canhua to go after him, so he could only laugh it off, wasting a good cigarette for nothing.

That guy was already the person he was on the best terms with inside the company. There was probably no point in asking anyone else.

After thinking it over carefully, Guo Lei finally set his sights on Mu Lin.

'That guy is definitely a safe bet. He's detached from worldly affairs, so he's bound to have a clear idea of where people are.'

After lunch, Mu Lin was taking a stroll when he saw a skinny man pacing suspiciously near the company building.

Without a second thought, Mu Lin approached him. "What are you doing?"

The man's expression changed. "Brother Lei sent me to find you. He needs your help with something. Go to this place tonight!"

As he spoke, he shoved a slip of paper into Mu Lin's hand. Mu Lin glanced at it; it was the name of a bar.

'Looks like they want me to meet them there.'

"What's it about?" Mu Lin asked.

The kid shook his head. "I don't know. Brother Lei didn't tell me."

Mu Lin said, "That means he doesn't trust you yet. You'll have to work harder!"

The kid scratched his head, clearly not understanding what Mu Lin meant.

When it was time to leave work that afternoon, Mu Lin said he wasn't taking the car home, which sent Li Xue into a flurry of anxiety.

Mu Lin deliberately added, "I have some business to take care of. With a guy. You don't need to worry."

"Who's worried!"

Li Xue turned and stormed off.

Seeing that it was still early, Mu Lin decided to walk, taking his time.

After walking for a little under an hour, Mu Lin arrived at the bar just as the sky began to dim.

The bar was already bustling with activity.

Powerful music throbbed through the space as many people danced to the dense beat.

Inside was a world of its own, without day or night. Even if it was bright as day outside, you could still find the feeling of nighttime in here.

So, day or night, the bar's dance floor was always full of young men and women with nothing better to do, looking to enjoy their youth.

There were ten hotels within two hundred meters of the entrance, so you could go rest there when you got tired of dancing.

As soon as Mu Lin walked in, a scantily clad barmaid carrying a few beers approached him.

"Sir, care for a drink?"

Mu Lin tossed a hundred-yuan bill onto her tray. "Find me a quiet seat. And when does your boss get here?"

The girl was taken aback when she saw the hundred-yuan bill, but then she realized it was for the drink and her tip, and she couldn't help but get excited.

"You're looking for our boss? But he doesn't usually come here; the manager handles things. What do you need our boss for?"

Mu Lin didn't speak, just stared at the girl. His gaze made her skin crawl, and she instantly understood that she had said something she shouldn't have. She could only force a smile and quickly walk away.