Protecting Him

The men continued drinking until midnight.

Yan Xi was so intoxicated that he sprawled across the table. Gu Siting was in a similar state. Mu Chengjin, due to his health, drank less and remained somewhat sober.

Yan Xi and Mu Chengjin's chauffeur arrived to pick them up.

Once Yan Xi got into the car, Ming Yao assisted in getting Mu Chengjin out of the villa.

Mu Chengjin looked up at Ming Yao and said clearly, "Please take care of Fourth Brother tonight."

"Don't worry, Young Master Mu. I'll take care of Fourth Master."

The temperature was slowly dropping, especially at night, making the air slightly chilly.

Mu Chengjin couldn't help but cough as the cold wind brushed against him.

Ming Yao noticed Mu Chengjin's discomfort and pulled out a medicine bottle from her pocket, handing it to him before he entered the car. "Young Marshal Mu, this is effective for treating coughs. Take one pill daily when you return."

The medicine was a Chinese herbal pill she had crafted during her free time. It was not only effective for coughs but also beneficial for overall health. She intended to give some to Old Lady Gu when she returned to Li City.

Mu Chengjin examined the medicine bottle handed to him by Ming Yao. There was no label indicating the medicine's name or manufacturer. It seemed to be a homemade remedy.

However, Mu Chengjin didn't reject Ming Yao's kind gesture due to his good manners. "Thank you."

"Young Marshal Mu, make sure to take care of yourself. With your cough, you should see improvement within half a month if you eat well."

Mu Chengjin found Ming Yao's confidence amusing. Even the most skilled doctor in Li City hadn't been able to fully address his chronic cough, which was the core of his ailment. Yet this young woman was speaking so assuredly.

Mu Chengjin nodded at Ming Yao and rolled up the car window.

Upon entering the Mu residence, they were met with the sound of Papa Mu's angry shouts.

"Back when he became disabled, I told you to give me another son. Now that he's grown up, he can't possibly give birth!"

"We're the main branch of the Mu family, yet all we have is a handicapped son. The second and third branches are trying to seize power."

Mama Mu sobbed. "Chengjin might still have a chance to recover. Didn't Fourth Master promise to support Chengjin?"

"How many years has it been since he made that promise? Has Chengjin made any progress? After all, he wasn't the one who ended up disabled. Of course, it doesn't bother him much!"

Mu Chengjin's typically gentle expression turned serious. "Dad, Fourth Brother isn't the type of person you're describing."

He was aware that Fourth Brother had invested considerable connections, money, and effort in locating Fog.

However, Fog remained an elusive and enigmatic figure.

Papa Mu's expression darkened as he saw Mu Chengjin. "Did you meet with Gu Siting tonight? Did he agree to cooperate with the Mu family on the west city land deal?"

Since Mu Chengjin's accident, the Mu family had gained numerous advantages from Gu Siting.

"Father, I don't want the Mu family to rely solely on Fourth Brother's connections any longer. Everyone is vying for the west city land. If the Mu family is strong enough, we can participate in the competition."

Before Mu Chengjin could finish speaking, Papa Mu grabbed the ashtray from the coffee table and hurled it at him in a fit of rage.

Mu Chengjin didn't evade the object. The impact broke the skin on his forehead, causing blood to flow.

Mama Mu screamed and attempted to rush toward Mu Chengjin, but Papa Mu restrained her.

"He maimed your leg, and still you defend him? Even if he surrenders the entire Gu family, he still owes us!"

Mu Chengjin raised his gaze, his usually gentle eyes now piercing. "Fourth Brother has never owed our family anything. In fact, our Mu family has been like a leech, feeding off Fourth Brother's sacrifices!"

"Rebel! I warned you against associating with Gu Siting and advised you to spend more time with his brother, but you didn't listen. Ultimately, you disabled yourself and sacrificed your hand to save him! Gu Siting is cursed; nobody who befriends him fares well!"

"That's enough. If you dare speak ill of Fourth Brother again, I'll sever our father-son relationship!"