Paying too much attention to face leads to a life of suffering

Feng Yue sighed softly upon hearing this. "I shouldn’t have said anything."

"Take me back. You should return to Yang City soon too. I want to see the beauty pills hit the market as quickly as possible."

Xu Mu crossed his arms, his gaze drifting toward the window.

Feng Yue was momentarily taken aback before asking, "You trust me this much? Without even signing a contract? Aren’t you afraid I’ll go back on my word later?"

"At least until I help you settle things with the Feng Family, you’ll stay loyal to me."

Xu Mu cracked the window slightly, letting in a breath of the outside air.

"Even after the Feng Family is dealt with, I’ll still be yours. My body isn’t as tough as reinforced concrete."

Feng Yue recalled the move from last night—something she wouldn’t have believed if she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes.

"Unless you push me too far, I don’t make a habit of killing."

Xu Mu glanced at Feng Yue. "Head back early, and be careful this time. If you get captured again, it’ll be a headache for me."

"Can I take that as concern from Young Master Xu?"

A faint smile played on Feng Yue’s lips.

Xu Mu didn’t answer, only giving a slight nod.

[Affection +5]

Feng Yue opened the car door and said to Xu Mu, "You drive. I’ll take the passenger seat."

Without waiting for his response, she stepped out and walked around to his side.

Though puzzled, Xu Mu unbuckled his seatbelt and moved to the driver’s seat.

Once both were securely belted in, Xu Mu turned the car around and headed back toward the company.

"Young Master Xu, what exactly am I to you now?"

Feng Yue turned to look at him, her eyes fixed on his profile as he kept his gaze on the road.

"What do you mean?" Xu Mu asked, confused.

"Am I a servant? A friend? Or…"

She swept her dark, wavy hair aside, her peach-blossom eyes brimming with allure, "…your woman?"

Xu Mu’s throat tightened, but the memory of Feng Yue drinking with other men at the bar soured his mood.

Deep down, he already had an answer. "For now, let’s say you’re my woman."

"If you’d drop the ‘for now,’ I’d be thrilled. Still, I should thank you—for saving a woman who was about to lose her way."

Feng Yue pulled a black hair tie from her wrist, gathering her loose waves into a simple ponytail that framed her flawless profile.

"Don’t talk about yourself like that. It’s beneath you," Xu Mu said, watching her.

[Affection +5]

"I was never high-class to begin with. Just a woman consumed by hatred. But after that night with you, I decided to embrace the darkness."

As she spoke, Feng Yue rested her hand on Xu Mu’s thigh. "To be honest, I’ve been studying up on how to please a man—watched a lot of ‘educational’ videos recently."

"Where’d you find those?"

Xu Mu shot her a sidelong glance.

"If Young Master Xu wants them, I can send you the links."

Feng Yue covered her mouth, laughing softly.

"You really treat me like one of your own, don’t you? Telling me everything."

Xu Mu sighed, realizing this woman wasn’t as easy to handle as he’d thought.

"Want to test my skills?" Feng Yue’s peach-blossom eyes curved into crescents.

"I’m driving."

Xu Mu waved her off. Being around Feng Yue gave him the odd sensation that their roles were reversed—he was the one feeling flustered.

Suddenly, Xu Mu’s eyes widened, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.

……

Finally, Xu Mu parked the car outside the Xu Corporation building.

The drive had left him sweating. As a martial artist, he wasn’t afraid of a crash—but he dreaded losing control and harming someone else.

"Feng Yue, if you ever pull something like that again, I’ll have to teach you a lesson."

Xu Mu glared at her.

"Young Master Xu, aren’t you a martial artist? Why worry about a car accident?"

Feng Yue grinned mischievously.

"And what about you? What if something happened to you?" Xu Mu demanded.

Feng Yue froze for a moment, then lowered her head like a scolded child, staying silent.

But above her head, black text appeared:

[Affection +10]

"Alright, go home. Call me if you run into trouble."

Xu Mu patted her shoulder.

"Mm."

Feng Yue nodded softly.

After stepping out of the car, Xu Mu watched her leave.

"Tsk, so stubborn. Dangerous, but thrilling."

Shaking his head, he headed back into the company.

No sooner had he settled into his office chair than Xu Shou summoned him.

Taking the elevator to the top floor, he knocked on the CEO’s office door and entered at the call from within.

Inside, he found Xu Ningbing already there.

Unlike before, the way she looked at him now carried a warmth he hadn’t seen before.

"What’s up?"

Xu Mu dropped onto the black leather sofa.

"You turned your sister into a martial artist too?" Xu Shou asked with a smile.

"Right. Preparing for our move into Yang City. If those hidden families come after us, we need to be ready."

Xu Mu nodded.

"I’d like to meet this ‘old master’ you mentioned. Handing out techniques so freely—we should at least thank him properly."

Xu Shou’s gaze was expectant.

"Can’t help you there. The old man doesn’t even own a phone. He’s the one who contacts me when he feels like it."

Xu Mu brushed it off—the "old master" was just a cover.

"Fine. Next time you see him, ask if he’d be willing to meet me."

Xu Shou sighed. Some masters were eccentric; he didn’t hold out much hope.

"Got it."

Xu Mu agreed.

"One more thing—you developed another new drug today?" Xu Shou grinned.

Xu Ningbing also turned to him, disbelief in her eyes. Just how much of a genius was her brother?

"Yep."

Xu Mu crossed his legs.

"Mr. Wang called me earlier. Said he’s volunteering as a test subject—plans to try it out with his wife tonight."

Xu Shou couldn’t help laughing.

Xu Mu chuckled too. Wang Weiliang was getting up there in age, yet still so… enthusiastic.

"With his wife? What kind of drug is it this time?" Xu Ningbing asked, curious.

Xu Shou had only mentioned a new drug, not its effects.

"For stamina."

Xu Mu stated it plainly.

"You—!"

Xu Ningbing shot him a glare. "Disgusting! What kind of things are you researching?!"

Despite her words, no negative affection points appeared above her head.

"Ningbing, don’t say that. The market for this is huge—bigger than weight-loss pills, even."

Xu Shou smiled. "Men can accept being overweight, but never being… incapable."

Xu Ningbing pursed her lips but didn’t argue.

"Alright, let’s get to the main point."

Xu Shou stood, hands pressed on the desk. "Starting tomorrow, we’re relocating the primary production of our weight-loss pills to Yang City."

Xu Mu leaned back on the sofa. Finally, things were moving.

"Tomorrow night, our Yang City branch will host a banquet. I’ve invited associates from both cities—you’ll both attend."

Xu Shou’s eyes settled on Xu Mu. "Might be a tough fight."

Xu Mu could already guess—the businessmen in Yang City wouldn’t let them off easy.

……

After work, Xu Mu drove Meng Wanyue home. Through his perception, he noticed Xiao Ran wasn’t there—perhaps she had already left.

Just as Xu Mu was about to head home, his phone rang.

He pulled it out and glanced at the screen—it was a call from Zhao Yingying.

He answered, "Yingying, what’s up?"

"Mu, are you busy right now? If not, could you come over to my place?" Zhao Yingying’s voice came through the phone.