RTCBM 38

“A Zhi-ge, isn’t our boss usually at odds with that guy Wen? When did their relationship get so good?” Back at the Sixth House, Xiao Xing couldn’t hold it in anymore and finally asked A Zhi.

“How the hell would I know?” A Zhi snapped back. If he had known, he wouldn’t have ended up getting cursed out like crazy at the hospital just now for accidentally exposing their boss’s “gossip” in front of everyone.

“A Zhi-ge, do you think the boss really might be together with that Wen guy?”

“Bullshit.” A Zhi shot the idea down immediately. “The boss is the real deal. He’s not soft. How could he possibly like men?”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that…” Xiao Xing glanced around, then leaned in close to whisper, “A while ago, the boss suddenly asked me a bunch of questions about that kind of thing.”

“What kind of thing? Be specific.”

“You know… that kind of stuff between men.”

“Why the hell would the boss come ask you?” A Zhi was puzzled for a while before something clicked. He squinted and stared suspiciously at Xiao Xing. “Wait a second. Are you gay?”

Xiao Xing was straightforward and honest by nature. He didn’t know how to lie or cover things up. The way he hesitated and stammered gave A Zhi all the confirmation he needed.

“Shit. You really kept that under wraps.”

A Zhi didn’t make a big deal out of his orientation. After a few surprised comments, he quickly steered the topic back to Mu Yuan.

Gossip isn’t just a woman’s pastime. Sometimes, guys are no exception. The two of them were chatting away when He Dongying suddenly walked up behind them and gave each of them a slap on the back.

“Talking gossip behind your boss’s back? Better hope he doesn’t find out, or he’ll beat the shit out of both of you.”

A Zhi and Xiao Xing jumped in unison and immediately shut their mouths.

“Got nothing better to do? Hurry up and get to work.” He Dongying held a cigarette between his lips, lifted his chin, and barked the order.

The two of them nodded repeatedly in response and were just about to step out the door when He Dongying called out to them again from behind.

He took the cigarette out of his mouth and pinched it between two fingers, gesturing toward A Zhi and Xiao Xing.
“Tell the others too. Don’t go running your mouths about what happened this morning. Got it?”

Even though they were still full of curiosity, both of them made a zipping motion across their lips at the same time, signaling that the gossip session was over.

On the day Mu Yuan was discharged, Wen Shang had originally planned to pick him up at the hospital. But his schedule clashed with a business trip, so he couldn’t be there. He ended up calling a flower shop and ordering a bouquet of pink carnations to be delivered instead.

It was probably a good thing Wen Shang couldn’t make it. If he had shown up again in front of all those underlings welcoming Mu Yuan, it would have stirred up another round of misunderstandings.

Mu Yuan held the bouquet in his arms and quickly skimmed the message written on the card. One of the boys nearby was curious and tried to sneak a peek, but Mu Yuan snapped the card shut and stuffed it into his pocket. He smacked the kid on the head and glared at him. “What are you looking at? Nosy.”

The boy rubbed his head where he had been hit, looking a bit wronged, but didn’t dare say anything.

After returning home, Mu Yuan placed the bouquet in a vase. He took his time adjusting the position, and after some thought, decided to put it in the most visible spot in the living room.

He sat on the couch, staring at the blooming carnations for a long while. After a moment, he grew curious about what Wen Shang was doing during his trip. He took out his phone and sent him a WeChat message.

At some point, Wen Shang’s contact name on Mu Yuan’s phone had been changed. It used to be “damn pervert,” but now it was saved as “Big Tits Wen.”

He took a close-up photo of the carnations and sent it to Wen Shang.

Not long after, Wen Shang replied with a photo from his trip. It was a picture of the building at 23 Wall Street. But no matter how long Mu Yuan stared at it, he couldn’t figure out where it was.

Xiao Muyu: Where exactly did you go for this trip?

Wen Daxiong: New York.

Xiao Muyu: Oh. When are you coming back?

Wen Daxiong: If nothing comes up, I’ll be on the return flight next Wednesday.

Mu Yuan thought for a moment and then typed a playful message.
Will you bring me a souvenir?

He even added a starry-eyed emoji full of expectation.

He waited for a long time with no reply. He assumed Wen Shang was ignoring him on purpose. Fine, whatever. It was just a casual question anyway.

Suddenly, his phone on the coffee table lit up. Images began flooding in one after another. Wen Shang had sent dozens of pictures in one go, all showing local specialty items from nearby shops. There were snacks, daily goods, and even toys.

Wen Daxiong Pick one. Whatever you want.

Mu Yuan was pleasantly surprised. He hadn’t expected Wen Shang to take his words seriously. Still half-doubting, he typed back:

Xiao Muyu: Seriously?

Wen Daxiong: Cut the crap. Just pick.

Xiao Muyu: I can’t decide. I want them all.

Wen Daxiong: Sure.

Mu Yuan still couldn’t believe it. He asked again.

Xiao Muyu: Are you serious?

Wen Daxiong: Forget it.

Xiao Muyu: No no no, I want them.

Xiao Muyu: Make sure you come back early. I’m waiting for your gifts.

Even across the screen, Wen Shang didn’t forget to remind him: no smoking, no drinking, no greasy food. Remember to take your medicine on time, keep a proper schedule, and don’t think I can’t keep an eye on you just because I’m not there.

Looking at the chat on the screen, Mu Yuan felt completely satisfied. He shook his head and laughed to himself for a while, then muttered, “Always nagging. Just like a wife.”

The one who probably had it the worst was Chris. She had been busy the whole day and had just returned to the hotel, finally ready to lie down for a proper night’s sleep. But before she could even close her eyes, she was bombarded with a series of late-night calls from her boss, asking her to look up every well-known gift shop in New York and send him as many options as possible. Her boss had always been cool-headed and rational. For him to suddenly lose all sense of timing and wake his assistant just to choose gifts, it could only mean one thing. He was definitely trying to please his girlfriend. She clicked her tongue and muttered to herself that she would love to see just what kind of enchantress had turned her clear-minded boss into a lovesick mess.

The day after Wen Shang returned from his trip, Mu Yuan dressed up deliberately and showed up at his office.

After the chaos last time, the employees at Wen Shang’s company had all become jumpy. The moment they saw this flashy thug in his over-the-top outfit walk in, everyone stiffened. The entire floor went on alert.

No one visits without a reason. Mu Yuan’s intention couldn’t have been more obvious. He was there for the souvenirs. Still, he pretended to be polite, showing up with a bag of fruit and claiming he was just passing by and thought he’d drop in to check on Wen-ge.

Wen Shang saw right through his little act. He didn’t bother playing along with the polite small talk.“They’re all at my place. I didn’t bring them to the office. I’ll give them to you tonight after I get home.”

Mu Yuan beamed. “No worries, I’m not in a rush. Doesn’t matter if it’s today or tomorrow.”

Wen Shang buried his head back into a stack of files. After a while, the office went quiet. He thought Mu Yuan had already slipped out without a sound. But when he lifted his head and looked toward the sofa again, that guy was still sitting there, silent, just watching him.

“Why are you still here? Didn’t I say I won’t be free until tonight?”

Mu Yuan grinned.
“You go ahead with your work. I’ll just sit here a little longer. I won’t bother you, don’t worry.”

Having someone sitting nearby and watching him the entire time inevitably affected Wen Shang’s focus. Eventually, he couldn’t take it anymore. He put down his pen, rubbed his brow, and looked back up at Mu Yuan.

“How long do you plan to sit there?”

Mu Yuan didn’t respond. He hadn’t even heard the question. His eyes had been fixed on Wen Shang the whole time. After just a week apart, he noticed that Wen Shang had trimmed his hair, making him look even sharper than before. As his gaze moved down, it landed on the navy-blue diagonal tie, fastened with a gold tie clip. It looked familiar. Mu Yuan stared at it for a while before realizing it was the birthday gift he had given Wen Shang.

Seeing something he had given being worn by the other person filled him with a quiet kind of joy.

When Wen Shang saw that Mu Yuan didn’t respond, he tapped the back of his hand against the desk. “Did you hear me or not?”

“That look suits you today. You look good.” Mu Yuan ignored the question and answered with something completely unrelated. Smiling wide, he snapped his fingers and pulled out a box of strawberries from his bag. He gave the box a little wave toward Wen Shang.

“Want some strawberries? The owner of the fruit shop said they were flown in from Liaoning this morning. I tried one before buying. Super sweet.”

Wen Shang glanced at the strawberries in his hand. “Leave them there. I’ll eat later if I have time.”

“They’re really sweet. Sweeter than the ones your assistant bought last time.” Mu Yuan brought the box over and sat down right on Wen Shang’s desk. He rested one hand on the surface, leaned in, and gave him a crooked smile, eyes full of teasing.

The more serious Wen Shang looked, the more Mu Yuan felt the urge to mess with him. He reached into the box and picked out the biggest, reddest strawberry, then held it up to Wen Shang’s mouth. Putting on the kind of greasy, flirtatious tone he usually used when chatting up club girls, he said, “Come on, open up. Ah—Master Mu is feeding you.”

Wen Shang stared straight at Mu Yuan, then looked down at the strawberry in his hand. At that moment, the office door suddenly turned open from the outside.

“Boss, I have a contract here that needs your signa—” Chris stopped halfway through her sentence.

She had an urgent document that needed to be signed and, in her rush, had forgotten to knock. She had hurried in, only to catch this strange scene unfolding right in front of her.

Wen Shang calmly adjusted his jacket and, without changing his expression, said to his assistant,
“Bring it over. I’ll sign it now.”

“Ah… okay…”

While Wen Shang was signing, Chris kept her head down and her eyes lowered the whole time. She avoided looking at Mu Yuan at all costs, afraid that even one stray glance might bring her trouble.

“Hey, pretty girl. Want a strawberry?” Mu Yuan smiled and offered the box to her. He was just being polite, but didn’t realize that his so-called friendly gesture, in her eyes, looked no different from some sleazy guy hitting on women. Especially with that over-the-top, tacky outfit that screamed nouveau riche.

Wen Shang quickly signed the document and handed it back to Chris, telling her to stop wasting time and get back to work.

Chris silently thanked her boss in her heart and ran out of the room.

Mu Yuan clicked his tongue and shook his head. “You’re pretty harsh with your staff, aren’t you? Look how scared that pretty assistant was. Don’t you know how to show a little gentleness to a beauty?”

Who was the one actually scaring people off? Wen Shang shot him an annoyed glance, grabbed the entire box of strawberries out of his hand, slammed it down on the desk, then pointed at Mu Yuan’s greasy slicked-back hair, the thick gold chain around his neck, and the gold rings on his fingers.
“Seriously, don’t you get tired of dressing like this every damn day?”

Mu Yuan didn’t back down. He pointed at Wen Shang’s spotless suit and tie, mimicked his tone with exaggerated sarcasm, and repeated word for word,
“Seriously, don’t you get tired of dressing like this every damn day?”

That expression of his was just asking for a beating.

Even though Wen Shang had come to terms with his feelings for Mu Yuan, sometimes he still caught himself wondering what the hell he even liked about this guy.

Mu Yuan spent the whole morning annoying Wen Shang in the office, and the worst part was he couldn’t be kicked out. Near lunchtime, he spotted an ad on his phone about a new teahouse opening nearby. They were running an opening discount with everything at twenty percent off. The pictures looked good, so he suggested they go for dim sum.

“After lunch, you’re going straight home. That’s all I’m asking.” That was the only thing Wen Shang said in response.

“Yeah yeah, I know.” Mu Yuan waved his hand dismissively and headed out first to get the car from the parking lot.

After he left, Wen Shang picked up the phone and called Chris at her desk.
“If that guy shows up again, don’t bother checking with me. Just bring him straight to my office.”

Chris froze for a second. Wen Shang grabbed his coat from the rack, ready to leave, then suddenly remembered something and added,
“Also, let security downstairs know. From now on, they can let him through without doing the visitor registration.”

Chris nodded and didn’t ask why. She knew her boss didn’t like his staff prying into things. Still, thinking back to that time when Wen Shang had gotten his head smashed with a bottle by Mu Yuan, she quietly came to her own conclusion. Maybe the boss was being threatened by a gangster. If someone like Wen Shang, with all his money and power, had to cave to a street thug like that, then this company was probably not going to last long.

As she watched the boss walk out, this highly capable assistant seriously started thinking about whether she should start looking for another job soon.

The newly opened teahouse was unusually crowded. Even just getting a two-person table took Mu Yuan and Wen Shang half an hour of waiting before their number was called.

For Wen Shang, going out for lunch in the middle of the day was a waste of time. To save time, he usually ate at the company cafeteria. Around this time of day, he would have already finished eating and returned to his office to rest. But every time he saw how excited Mu Yuan got about going out to eat with him, Wen Shang found it hard to say no. That was how it was last time, and this time was no different.

Mu Yuan hadn’t been to a teahouse in a long time. He ended up ordering nearly two-thirds of the menu. Wen Shang couldn’t help but speak up.
“Are you seriously going to eat all that?”

“If I can’t finish, I’ll just get it packed to go.” Mu Yuan didn’t care at all and handed the menu over to the server.

While waiting for the food, taking advantage of the noisy environment around them, Mu Yuan started talking to Wen Shang about Fat Bear, Chang Yunxuan, and his third uncle.

“How much do you actually know about your third uncle?”

“Almost nothing,” Mu Yuan told him.
“I had Dongzi help me look into it, but the investigation showed that he went missing nine years ago. As for where he might be now, there’s not a single lead.”

Wen Shang listened, then thought it over. Usually, there were three possibilities. Either the person was already dead, had gone into hiding under a new name, or had assumed an entirely new identity and continued living. No matter which it was, it would be hard to track.

Wen Shang gave Mu Yuan his opinion. Rather than starting with Mu Yong’an, it would be better to go after more reachable targets first, like Fat Bear and Chang Yunxuan.

“Have you ever thought about why, even though you and Chang Yunxuan have no direct connection, he still removed one of the triad’s key men just because you were hospitalized from drinking?”

“I don’t get it either.”

“Maybe he used to be close with your second uncle?” Wen Shang guessed.

“Chang Yunxuan is a pretty well-known figure. A lot of people in the underworld have heard stories about him, but I’ve never heard of him having any connection with my second uncle.”

“Maybe it was personal,” Wen Shang said. “Shen Dandong, the leader in our triad, has a good relationship with Chang Yunxuan. I can ask around and see what I can find out.”

“I’d appreciate it.”

Mu Yuan had argued with Wen Shang so much in the past that hearing him suddenly speak politely felt strange.

Wen Shang didn’t respond. He picked up a dim sum dumpling from a steamer basket and took a bite.

Mu Yuan noticed his teacup was nearly empty and picked up the pot to refill it for him.

“That Dongzi you keep mentioning. Who is he?” Wen Shang asked.

“You’ve met him, haven’t you? He was my partner at the Flower Cannon last time.” The moment Mu Yuan brought up his childhood friend, he went on a mindless streak of praise, boasting like the guy had no flaws at all. He didn’t even notice the shift in Wen Shang’s mood as he sat across from him, face looking less than pleased.

“Damn, speak of the devil and he shows up.” Mu Yuan tapped the back of Wen Shang’s hand and pointed a few tables over.

He Dongying had just finished lunch with some friends and was getting ready to leave. He saw Mu Yuan waving at him and started to walk over. But then he noticed Wen Shang sitting at the same table. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if he was imagining things, but it felt like Wen Shang was looking at him with a bit of hostility.

“Dongzi, what brings you here?” Mu Yuan asked. “Your office is in the next district. This place is kinda far.”

“That tie clip you gave me broke. A small piece came loose, so I brought it to the flagship store for repair. Just picked it up today.” He Dongying raised the shopping bag in his hand. It was from that store.

Mu Yuan instantly flared up.
“I spent five, six thousand bucks on that birthday gift, and it’s already broken? Fuck, what kind of shitty quality is that? And you actually went back to get it repaired? Screw that. I’m going to the store with you and making them give us a refund.”

He got so worked up he nearly jumped out of his seat. He Dongying pressed down on his shoulder and forced him back into the chair.

“I broke it by accident. It had nothing to do with the store. Can you chill with that temper of yours?”

“Oh. Alright then.” One moment Mu Yuan was burning with rage, the next he was back to normal, calm as anything.

He Dongying was like a seasoned animal trainer. No matter how wild this beast got, he always had a way to pull him back from the edge and smooth him out without breaking a sweat.

A sharp, intense stare shot over in his direction. When He Dongying turned around, the first thing he noticed wasn’t Wen Shang’s grim expression, the kind that made it seem like he wanted to disappear on the spot, but the golden tie clip pinned to his chest.

Even someone as sharp as He Dongying had moments where he miscalculated. He gave Mu Yuan a long, meaningful look.
“Enjoy your lunch with your ‘friend.’ I’ve got other business to take care of. I’ll be going.”

He turned and left, leaving Mu Yuan to deal with the black-faced god on his own.

Mu Yuan was completely oblivious. He still hadn’t connected the dots about the tie clip. He looked at Wen Shang, who had already put down his utensils and was sitting in silence, a dark cloud covering his face.

Mu Yuan blinked. “What’s with you? Done eating already?”

Wen Shang looked down at the tie clip on his chest, unfastened it, and held it up in front of Mu Yuan.

“How much did this cost?”

Mu Yuan was in the middle of chomping down on a shrimp dumpling when his smile suddenly froze. It finally clicked. He slowly swallowed the food in his mouth, then mumbled, “I forgot…”

Wen Shang wasn’t stupid. That tie clip Mu Yuan gave him hadn’t even lasted a full month before the gold coating started peeling off. Even calling it a hundred-yuan item would’ve been generous.

He had assumed it was a birthday gift from “Xiao Xing.” Cheap or not, it was still a gesture of sincerity. He didn’t care about the price. He used it anyway, even liked using it. But today he found out he wasn’t the only one who had received a tie clip as a birthday gift from Mu Yuan. That alone would’ve been fine. What pissed him off more was that the one He Dongying received was worth a hundred times more.

No comparison, no hurt. Now that there was a comparison, the resentment hit him hard. Even if he didn’t want to make a fuss about it, it was already lodged deep in his chest.

Mu Yuan stared at that face, darker than the bottom of a pot, and knew exactly why Wen Shang was mad. But for the life of him, he couldn’t come up with a good excuse. The truth was, there was no excuse. He bought that tie clip just because it was cheap. The shopkeeper originally asked for a hundred, and he bargained it down to fifty. He even shamelessly asked them to waive the five-yuan gift wrapping fee.

If he told Wen Shang the truth, he wasn’t sure the man wouldn’t pick up the teapot and splash scalding tea straight into his face.

In the noisy, bustling teahouse, their table felt like it was sealed off from the rest of the atmosphere. Sitting in the middle of that suffocating pressure, Mu Yuan couldn’t help but feel his scalp tingle.

The more Wen Shang stayed silent, the more guilty Mu Yuan felt. If this were before, he would’ve wished for Wen Shang to get so pissed he’d nearly drop dead, then he’d go light firecrackers to celebrate. But now? Now he was actually worried about what the guy was thinking, whether he’d taken it too far.

Wen Shang glanced at the dishes on the table and spoke in a flat tone.
“Take your time and enjoy it. I’m going back to the office.”

Seeing Wen Shang mad made him panic a little. Before Wen Shang could turn to leave, he quickly reached out and grabbed his arm.

“Hey! Wen-ge, don’t go. Come on, you know back then we weren’t on good terms, right? We both hated each other. Why the hell would I spend a lot on a gift for someone I hated, right?”

“And now?”

“Huh? What do you mean, now?” Mu Yuan stared at him, confused.

“How do you feel about me now? Do you still hate me?”

Mu Yuan answered honestly.
“Doesn’t seem like I do anymore.”

“Alright then. After lunch, you’re coming with me to the flagship store. You’re buying me a new tie clip. And it better cost no less than six thousand.”

Mu Yuan blinked a few times with a blank look on his face, completely lost. After a short silence, he asked, “Why?”

The second he asked that, Wen Shang’s anger flared up again.

“Are you seriously asking why? You ever heard of putting sincerity into a gift? I’m making you make up for that fake-ass gesture from before.”

Gifting someone wasn’t just about spending money. He Dongying is a brother who’d risked his life with him. No matter how much it cost, it was worth it. He felt it was the right thing to do. But if it was for Wen Shang, he suddenly couldn’t bear to part with the money.

Mu Yuan clicked his tongue and shook his head, pretending to be all philosophical.
“The most important thing in life is sincerity, not money.”

Wen Shang wasn’t buying it.
You didn’t even have the most basic sincerity back then.”

The truth was simple. Mu Yuan just didn’t want to spend real money. Still unwilling to let it go, he tried to bargain. “Why does it have to be that tie clip? How about I make it up to you with something else?”

“That’s fine. But it better cost no less than six thousand.” Wen Shang gave him a clear bottom line.

Shit.
Mu Yuan went quiet. That was basically extortion.

From the hesitation on his face, Wen Shang could already see right through him. Either way, the guy just didn’t want to spend money on him. With a smile tinged with annoyance, Wen Shang let out a cold jab.
“Fucking cheapskate. If you’re broke, just say so. What’s the point of putting on a show? Doesn’t it exhaust you?”

Mu Yuan was never one to take provocation well. As soon as Wen Shang poked at his pride, he couldn’t hold it in. He slammed his hand on the table, hard enough to rattle the dishes.

“Fuck this. What, you think you’re the only rich second-gen in the world? Stop looking down on people. I’ll fucking buy you the most expensive one today, just to shut you up. And when I do, you better take a picture, post it on your Moments, tag me by name, and write a thank-you. Nine goddamn photos, you hear me?”