Looking for a Match

To Xu Mu's surprise, Xu Shouming clearly knew the effects of the Marrow-Cleansing Pill, yet even after taking it, he didn’t rush to the bathroom.

"Done yet?" Xu Ningbing asked, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Wait a little longer."

Xu Mu was still observing Xu Shou, who leisurely made his way to the bathroom and hung all his clothes behind the door.

Beneath his suit, Xu Shou had a muscular build, with well-defined muscles and slightly visible abs.

As time passed, the effects of the Marrow-Cleansing Pill began to show.

However, only faint traces of dark impurities appeared on Xu Shou’s body—nowhere near as much as Meng Wanyue’s.

Xu Mu could tell at a glance that Xu Shou must have taken the pill before.

"You didn’t fall asleep, did you?"

Xu Ningbing pushed Xu Mu aside, standing up with one hand on her hip and the other pointing at him.

Before she could say anything else, she noticed the pill in Xu Mu’s palm.

[Affection Points +5]

"Ahem! That’s more like it."

Xu Ningbing took the Marrow-Cleansing Pill and said, "You can leave now."

"Tsk, what an ungrateful woman. Do you even know how precious this pill is?"

Xu Mu shook his head lightly and stood up to leave. "Remember to take off your clothes before taking it."

Only when Xu Mu reached the door did Xu Ningbing speak up. "Xiao Mu, thank you."

[Affection Points +5]

"No need. I’ll drop by again sometime to relive childhood memories."

With that, Xu Mu left.

Xu Ningbing’s affection had turned positive, but he still couldn’t let his guard down.

Unlike Meng Wanyue, who had clearly sided with him over the Dragon King, Xu Ningbing’s stance toward the Dragon King remained uncertain—especially since the Dragon King hadn’t returned yet.

Still, Xu Mu had already demonstrated his capabilities.

Given Xu Ningbing’s personality, she would never hand over the Xu family’s assets to the Dragon King.

But even if Xu Ningbing alone ended up following the Dragon King, Xu Mu would feel deeply resentful.

How could he let someone else take over his childhood?

---

Returning to his office, Xu Mu noticed the sound of running water still coming from the bathroom.

Using his perception, he checked—Meng Wanyue was still showering.

He couldn’t understand women. With so little surface area, why did they take several times longer to wash than men?

"Wanyue, not done yet? Need me to scrub your back?" Xu Mu called out.

"No, no!"

Meng Wanyue’s flustered voice echoed from inside.

Xu Mu tilted his head up, expanding his perception further.

He took a deep breath—her proportions were so perfect they seemed unreal.

Raising his hand, he mimed grasping the air a few times. How terrifying—how could his perception barely cover it all?

Just then, Meng Wanyue stepped out of the bathroom.

As the door opened, a wave of warm steam billowed out, giving her an ethereal, fairy-like aura.

She was dressed in her office attire, her long black hair still damp, the curls at the ends more pronounced than when dry.

Her delicate face, framed by her bangs, was flushed a soft pink, like a ripe peach ready to burst with juice.

The cold indifference that usually lingered in her eyes was nowhere to be seen when she looked at Xu Mu.

"Director Xu, what… what are you looking at?" Meng Wanyue asked shyly, lowering her head.

"When the door opened with all that steam, I thought a fairy had descended."

Xu Mu used an old, clichéd compliment.

[Affection Points +10]

Though outdated, it worked perfectly on Meng Wanyue.

"Stop it."

She walked over and bowed slightly. "Thank you, Director Xu."

"No need for formalities."

Just then, his phone buzzed with a message.

Pulling it out, he saw it was from Wang Biao.

Checking the time, he realized it was already after work hours—Wang Biao must be taking this matter seriously.

"Wanyue, come with me for a bit."

Xu Mu glanced at her.

"Okay."

Meng Wanyue nodded softly.

The two left the office together to meet Wang Biao.

When Wang Biao saw Xu Mu, he gave a simple, honest smile. "Young Master Xu, sorry to trouble you."

"No trouble at all. Your business is mine."

As they spoke, Xu Mu led them downstairs.

They took the elevator to the underground parking lot.

Wang Biao pressed his car key, and a BMW 5 Series lit up in the distance.

From his memories, Xu Mu knew this was a car the original villainous Xu Mu had gifted Wang Biao.

"Old Wang, don’t take this car."

Xu Mu warned him. "I’ll drive you there. Just say you only own a budget car worth 100,000."

Wang Biao nodded. He understood Xu Mu’s reasoning.

This car didn’t suit his status—if he were to buy one himself, it’d be something modest.

The kind of wife he wanted was someone who valued practicality.

"You sit in the back. I’ll drive today."

Xu Mu took the driver’s seat, while Meng Wanyue naturally settled into the passenger side.

Wang Biao climbed into the back.

"Old Wang, let me recommend a restaurant," Xu Mu said as he started the car.

"Young Master Xu, she already picked—West Ocean. She’s almost there," Wang Biao replied, checking his phone.

"What? West Ocean is a Michelin three-star restaurant. A single steak costs thousands. Is she trying to take you for a fool?"

Xu Mu’s expression darkened. "Fine, let’s go see."

Wang Biao was also annoyed. He wanted a down-to-earth woman.

If this was just a test, fine. But if she was always like this, he’d call it off.

---

West Ocean Restaurant.

Located in the bustling district of Jiang City, Xu Mu parked a distance away before walking with Wang Biao toward the restaurant.

The place was spacious but not crowded—after all, only a few could afford such luxury.

As soon as they entered, a uniformed waitress greeted them with a smile.

"I’m meeting someone at Table 10," Wang Biao said calmly.

"Table 10? That’s by the window."

The waitress gestured toward a spot near the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Wang Biao looked over—two women sat there, busy taking photos of their food, making sure the restaurant’s logo was visible.

Xu Mu studied them. With his mastery of medicine, he could easily discern the truth.

His diagnostic skills—observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking—were unparalleled.

The two women’s bone structure didn’t match their faces. Clearly, they’d gone under the knife.

One had double eyelid surgery and a nose job.

The other had clearly undergone jaw reduction to achieve a V-line face—though most people wouldn’t notice.

"Sir, are you two together?"

The waitress noticed Xu Mu and Wang Biao weren’t a pair and smiled politely.

Xu Mu pulled out his phone, showing an app with a membership card.

The waitress’s professional smile instantly turned respectful. "You’re one of our VIP members. Please follow me—we can arrange a private room for you."

"No need. We’ll eat in the main hall."

Xu Mu led Meng Wanyue to a table near the windows, just one over from Wang Biao.

"Brother Wang, come sit!"

The woman with the reshaped jaw—Li Shuang—stood up with a grin. "I’m Li Shuang. This is my bestie, Chang Li."

"Brother Wang, you’re so tall and strong. You look like you’d make anyone feel safe," Chang Li added with a flattering smile.

Wang Biao gave a sheepish grin as he sat across from the two. "Have you ordered yet?"

"We already did. See how thoughtful I am? I even got Brother Wang a steak," Li Shuang said with a laugh.

"Mhm."

Following Xu Mu's advice from the car ride, Wang Biao cut straight to the chase. "Xiao Li, let’s talk about the blind date."

"Alright, Brother Wang. I don’t like beating around the bush either, so I’ll just ask."

Li Shuang smiled at Wang Biao. "What’s your job? How much do you earn? Do you own a place in Jiang City’s Third Ring? What brand is your car? And how much do you have in savings?"