RTCBM 50

Walking along the quiet street, Mu Yuan couldn’t stop replaying Wen Shang’s words from the phone call just now.

“From now on, I’ll take care of you.” Just few simple words, yet they carried more weight than any grand vow. Somehow, Mu Yuan believed them and he felt certain Wen Shang would keep that promise for life.

His mood was unbelievably good. He bounced along, humming a little tune to himself, planning to grab some stir-fried beef noodles before heading home.

Not far ahead, a white sedan was parked near the corner. Its signal light kept blinking. On the sidewalk, a man and a woman seemed to be in some sort of argument. Mu Yuan thought they were just an ordinary couple having a fight, and he planned to walk around them. But then, a sudden cry broke the silence of the street.

“Help me!”

Mu Yuan stopped and looked toward the source of the voice.

The man was gripping the woman’s arm tightly, trying to drag her toward the car. She was resisting with all her strength, crying and struggling, clearly unwilling to go with him. Only then did Mu Yuan realize something was wrong. he ran straight toward them.

As he got closer, he finally saw the woman’s face. It was Chris, Wen Shang’s assistant. Mu Yuan had never been close with her, but the look of desperation in her eyes told him that she needed help.

“Please help me! I don’t know this man. He got out of his car and tried to drag me into it,” she cried. In her mind, Mu Yuan had always been an intimidating thug. She had always been afraid of him. But right now, seeing him again felt like catching sight of hope in a hopeless situation.

The man snapped at her, anger turning into shame. “What nonsense are you spouting? Quit making a scene, okay? Come on, let’s go home and talk it out.”

Then he turned to Mu Yuan with a forced smile and said, “Sorry about this. She’s my girlfriend. We had a little fight. Don’t take her too seriously. She just says crazy things sometimes.”

Sensing Mu Yuan’s suspicion, the man suddenly grew more aggressive. He grabbed Chris even harder, trying to force her into the car before things escalated.

“Fuck your mother!” Mu Yuan lifted his leg and slammed it into the guy’s stomach. The man crashed to the ground with a thud. Mu Yuan didn’t let up. He yanked him up by the collar and started pounding his face with punch after punch.

“You seriously picking a fight on my turf? Tired of living or what?”

The guy tried to fight back but that only made Mu Yuan hit harder. His face, already nasty-looking, was now swollen like a pig’s head.

There was no way Mu Yuan was letting him off that easy. The law was too soft, way too forgiving. Scum like this deserved to be handled with violence. He made a call and had a few of the boys from Sixth House come over. Once they arrived, he threw the guy at their feet and gave them orders.

“Do whatever you want. Just don’t kill him.”

Mu Yuan brought the shaken Chris to a 24-hour convenience store and bought her a hot drink to calm her down.

Chris hesitated for a long while, then finally said, “Thank you for helping me just now.”

“Anyone with a spine would’ve stepped in. Nothing to thank me for,” Mu Yuan replied with a carefree grin. Under that rough, delinquent exterior beat a heart full of grit and loyalty.

Chris couldn’t help feeling a wave of guilt for judging him by his appearance all this time.

“It’s late. What were you doing out here alone?” Mu Yuan asked, then noticed she was still wearing her work clothes.

“I stayed late at the office to finish up some things. Tried to catch a ride home but couldn’t get one, so I figured I’d walk and look for a cab along the way.” Chris took a sip of the warm drink in her hands. “Didn’t think I’d be unlucky enough to run into someone like that…”

“Fuck, your boss really squeezes the hell out of his staff. Forcing you to work overtime this late at night? When we get back, I’m calling him up to give him a piece of my mind. I’ll curse him out for you.”

“No, no, you’ve got it wrong.” Chris quickly waved her hands and explained, “It’s not Boss’s fault. I just had some leftover work to finish. I stayed behind on my own.”

“You care about the company that much? He ought to give you a raise. Don’t worry, I’ll put in a good word for you next time I see him.”

Mu Yuan gave her a playful wink. Chris couldn’t help laughing, completely wiping away all the prejudices she used to have about him. For the first time, she looked at him without fear, and even with a little warmth.

Mu Yuan walked her to her apartment building. Only after she texted to say she was safely inside did he finally leave.

—

Wen Shang started noticing something off with his assistant lately. Back then, every time Mu Yuan came to the office, Chris would stay as far away as possible, avoiding him at all costs. But starting sometime last week, her attitude did a full one-eighty. Now she greeted Mu Yuan with a big smile, even took the initiative to chat with him, and was constantly asking if he wanted fruit or something to drink.

The way she looked at Mu Yuan was obviously flirty.

Wen Shang wasn’t just imagining things. He had been paying attention to Chris for a full week and was sure of what he saw. Just yesterday, Mu Yuan had dropped by to bug Wen Shang for no reason, and Wen Shang happened to catch him chatting and laughing with Chris in the pantry. She kept inching closer to him. If it hadn’t been for a few clients nearby, Wen Shang might’ve lost it and dragged them apart right then and there.

With the way she was acting, there was no fucking way Wen Shang believed Chris didn’t have feelings for Mu Yuan.

The more he thought about what happened yesterday, the more irritated he felt. All of a sudden, he slammed his hand on the desk and stood up. He walked out, pretending to casually check the office, and just so happened to “casually” end up next to Chris’s desk.

Chris was grinning at her phone, clearly messaging someone. Wen Shang knocked the back of his hand on her desk and looked down at her with a cold face.

“That proposal I asked you to follow up on, is it done?”

“Yup, it’s done. I already placed it on your desk,” Chris replied efficiently.

Not satisfied, Wen Shang kept digging. “What about the ad campaign from last week? You finished that?”

“There’s still a little left. The contract terms with the photography agency haven’t been finalized yet..”

Before she could finish, Wen Shang cut her off.

“Then go finish it. Don’t give me excuses. The company doesn’t pay you to sit around scrolling your phone during work hours. You’re here to get things done and bring in results. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Chris didn’t dare argue. She quickly put her phone away and got to work. She had no idea why her boss was suddenly in such a shitty mood today. He was usually lenient and never snapped at someone just for checking their phone at work.

They always say women are hard to figure out, but honestly, Wen Shang’s moods were no better.

Meanwhile, Mu Yuan had just finished seeing Ji Fu and the others off at the airport and was about to drive back to the city. He had just started the engine when his phone rang. It was Wen Shang calling.

“What’s up?” Mu Yuan asked.

“Where are you right now?”

“Just dropped off some friends at the airport. About to head back.”

“Perfect. Come pick me up from work.”

Mu Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you usually have a driver?”

“He took the day off.”

Mu Yuan really didn’t feel like going over. “Then just call a cab. It’s rush hour. Traffic near your office is terrible right now.”

Wen Shang didn’t like what he was hearing. “Exactly. It’s rush hour and I can’t get a ride. That’s why I’m asking you to come get me. Quit whining and get over here. I’m waiting at the office.”

His tone left no room for argument. Wen Shang didn’t care whether Mu Yuan agreed or not. He hung up the moment he finished speaking.

At a quarter past six, Wen Shang stood at the office window for what felt like the hundredth time, looking down at the street. That white GTR finally rolled into view. Only then did he let out a quiet sigh of relief, and grin crept up on his face before he could stop it. As if trying to appear more “dignified” and “reserved,” he deliberately made Mu Yuan wait downstairs for another ten minutes. After adjusting his collar and composing himself, he left the office at a leisurely pace.

That good mood didn’t last long. The moment he walked out of the building and saw Mu Yuan laughing and joking with his assistant in public, the light on his face was immediately drowned by a dark cloud.

Maybe Mu Yuan sensed his gaze, because he suddenly turned and looked up at him. With a carefree grin, he waved. Standing beside him, Chriss noticed her boss’s stormy expression and felt a chill rise from her chest. Her survival instincts kicked in, and she bolted before Wen Shang could reach them.

Still clueless, My Yuan cheerfully waved Chris off. When Wen Shang came over, he acted like nothing was wrong, completely blind to the pissed-off expression on his face. He clapped him hard on the shoulder.

“I’ve been waiting forever. Didn’t you say you were off work already? What took you so long?”

“There’s still a shitload of things to do after work. You think I’m like you? Wandering around with nothing to do all day?”

Mu Yuan rolled his eyes and snapped back, “You don’t know shit. There’s a ton of stuff I have to handle in the gang every day. Where were you when I was running myself into the ground?”

Wen Shang scoffed, walked around to the other side of the car, opened the door, and sat down in the front passenger seat.

“Want some?” Mu Yuan got in the car, pulled out a pack of M&M’s, and shook it in front of Wen Shang’s face.

Wen Shang didn’t usually go for overly sweet stuff and was about to turn him down. But then Mu Yuan just had to add, “Your pretty little secretary gave them to me earlier.”

The moment those words came out, the pack was snatched right out of his hand. Wen Shang tore it open and started shoveling handful after handful of the chocolate into his mouth.

“Hey, don’t eat them all by yourself. Leave me a few,” Mu Yuan reached over to grab some, but Wen Shang smacked his hand away.

“Eyes on the road. Drive.”

Mu Yuan muttered, “Then you feed me.”

One hand on the wheel, he leaned slightly toward Wen Shang, waiting for him to do it. Wen Shang acted like he hadn’t heard a thing. He tilted his head back and dumped the rest of the chocolate straight into his mouth.

Mu Yuan stared. “…Seriously?”

“You didn’t leave me even one? Who the hell eats like that?”

“If you want some, I’ll buy you a whole box later.”

“Forget it. It’s just a pack of chocolate. I’m not that petty. I’ll let it slide.”

Unless Wen Shang spelled it out, there was no way Mu Yuan would pick up on the sour mood filling the car. He figured Wen Shang had just been hungry. It was dinner time anyway, so he offered, “Wanna grab something to eat? My friend’s got a Southeast Asian place nearby. The food’s great.”

Wen Shang crushed the empty chocolate wrapper into a ball and said, “Alright.”

The restaurant Mu Yuan mentioned was on the top floor of an empty commercial building in Hui District. Wen Shang passed by the area all the time, but this was his first time learning there was such a hidden place up here.

In stark contrast to the cold, quiet surroundings outside, the restaurant inside was surprisingly packed. Almost every seat was taken.

They hadn’t even stepped through the door yet when the host standing at the entrance spotted Mu Yuan. The man immediately walked over with a knowing look and greeted him respectfully.

“Boss Mu.”

Mu Yuan gave a slight nod and glanced inside. He noticed the interior had changed.

“You guys remodeled?”

The host smiled. “That’s right. We’re not doing Southeast Asian food anymore. The boss switched it to Japanese. Said it brings in more money.”

“Oh? Got any tables left tonight?”

Before the man could answer, a big-built, burly man in his mid-thirties came striding out. He had a full beard, shoulders like a bear, and a booming voice that echoed with energy.

“Mad Wolf actually showed up. Even if we were full, I’d throw in an extra table just for you.”

“Seriously full?” Mu Yuan raised his brows, playing up the surprise.

The man laughed. “No, come on in. I’ll set you up at a VIP table.”

“Hell yeah. Thanks, Uncle Zhong.”

“No need to thank me. We’re all familiar faces here,” Uncle Zhong said, then shifted his gaze from Mu Yuan to Wen Shang. This was the first time he had ever seen Mu Yuan bring someone outside of the gang to eat here. Naturally, he was a little curious. The guy even looked kind of familiar.

Uncle Zhong thought about it for a while before it finally clicked. Wasn’t this the guy at the center of that mess during the Flower Cannon festival? Since when did two people who used to be at each other’s throats end up sitting down for a quiet dinner like this?

He couldn’t wrap his head around it no matter how he looked at it. Throughout their meal, he kept watching the two of them closely. When Wen Shang got up to use the restroom, Uncle Zhong made a beeline for Mu Yuan and lowered his voice.

“Mad Wolf, is that your boyfriend?”

“No…” Mu Yuan denied it. The two of them hadn’t made anything official, so it didn’t count as being in a relationship. Still, after saying it out loud, he couldn’t explain why a strange twinge of guilt crept into his chest.

“Really?” Uncle Zhong looked unconvinced. “I saw everything. He kept piling food into your bowl, and you were doing the same for him. I should’ve filmed the whole thing so you could see how fucking mushy the two of you looked.”

“We’re just close. What’s wrong with that?”

“Please. You were close with Yingxiong too, but I’ve never seen you two act like that.”

Mu Yuan ignored him on purpose, cleared his throat, and waved him off impatiently. “Alright, get lost. Don’t block the seat. He’s coming back.”

“Oh? Did I just catch you getting embarrassed? That’s rare,” Uncle Zhong teased.

“You’re annoying as hell. Beat it already.” Mu Yuan waved his fists in the air at him from across the table.

Uncle Zhong didn’t say anything more, but the grin on his face said plenty. When he walked off, that sly smile was still hanging on his lips.

Mu Yuan didn’t think much of it at the time. Not until dinner was over and he asked for the bill. The moment the server handed it to him, he froze.

“What the fuck is this bill? How the hell did you calculate this?” Mu Yuan snapped. “It’s just the two of us. We didn’t even order that much. Are you seriously trying to rip us off?”

He had thought coming to a friend’s place would at least get him a discount. Instead, he got stabbed in the back. They were charging him more than retail. Mu Yuan snatched the receipt from the server and slapped it down on the table.

“Go get Uncle Zhong. Now.”

Wen Shang picked up the bill and looked it over with mild curiosity. He had long been used to dining with clients at top-tier establishments, so prices at most restaurants didn’t really bother him. After scanning the list, he looked up and said, “Let me pay for this one.”

He reached for his phone, but Mu Yuan slammed his hand back down onto the table.

“This isn’t about who’s paying. The numbers on this bill are straight-up bullshit. I’m not playing the fucking sucker here.”

Uncle Zhong strolled over with his usual calm, but before he could even open his mouth, Mu Yuan cut in.

“You messing with me? Explain this bill. Right now.”

“It’s all correct. You don’t believe me? Let me read it for you. One mid-range sashimi platter, nine hundred. Matsutake mushroom rice, four-fifty. Sushi boat, eight hundred. Sake, four sixty-six. Service charge, four twenty-eight. Every single ingredient is flown in fresh from Japan. All the chefs are top-grade. And everything is clearly priced on the menu. We’re running a proper business here. If you didn’t bother checking the prices when you ordered, that’s not my problem.”

Mu Yuan suddenly recalled what the waiter had said earlier about switching to Japanese cuisine. Now he got it. This shit was priced to gut people. No wonder it was so profitable.

He didn’t want to be played for a sucker. But what could he say? He had ordered without even glancing at the prices.

Uncle Zhong looked at him and said calmly, “We’ve got a White Day promo going on. Doesn’t matter if you’re a straight or gay couple. If you’re together, you get fifty percent off. So, what about you and this handsome gentleman here…”

Mu Yuan knew perfectly well Uncle Zhong was messing with him. The whole setup was intentional. But he wasn’t like Wen Shang. He didn’t have money to burn. For him, price always came first. Half off was half off. Who gave a shit whether they were a couple or not?

He didn’t hesitate. He took the deal.

“Would you like to take a photo together?” A staff member walked over holding a Polaroid and asked warmly, “We post all couple photos on our feature wall.”

“No thanks.”
“Sure.”

Mu Yuan and Wen Shang gave completely opposite answers at the same time. They looked at each other. Wen Shang reached out and put his arm around Mu Yuan’s shoulder, pulling him in close as he faced the camera.

“Did you mean it when you called us a couple?”

Mu Yuan heard Wen Shang’s low voice in his ear but didn’t respond. The AC inside didn’t feel cold enough. His face had started to heat up.