Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Shen Muyun was roused by the commotion outside. Checking the time, he realized it was already past three in the afternoon the next day. Rubbing his drowsy eyes, he was startled to find a crowd around him, as if he were a panda on display.

He gently pinched his cheek and patted the stuffed animal beside him. Lifting his head again, he was shocked—could this world possess some magic, causing people to spontaneously appear in his room?

The mattress beside him dipped slightly. Shen Liuyun, holding a tablet and casually dressed in an off-white leisure suit, habitually adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. Seeing Shen Muyun awake, he set the tablet aside and gently touched Shen Muyun’s forehead with his fingertips. "Awake now? Was it too noisy outside?"

Shen Muyun was deeply enveloped in Shen Liuyun’s gentle presence, taking a moment to fully register his surroundings. Shen Liuyun’s eyes were filled with an unadulterated tenderness, as if Shen Muyun were the sole focus of his gaze. Could it be that even the villain gets a springtime?

Looking past Shen Liuyun, Shen Muyun noticed a tall girl standing behind him. Wait? Why was there a girl in his room? His mind felt foggy, but he could make out her appearance.

Her long, striking golden hair stood out, paired with a pink leather dress. A black-and-silver Maserati key fob hung from her wrist, giving her a fashionable and vibrant look. However, the girl wore an angry expression, her brows furrowed as she stared dissatisfied at Shen Muyun. Behind her were several similarly aged girls and a few bodyguards dressed in black.

There were murmuring noises at the door, and occasionally, curious faces peeked in.

Shen Muyun pinched his arm hard. Ouch... The pain instantly jolted him fully awake. This wasn’t a dream. That person... And Shen Liuyun’s unsettlingly gentle demeanor—the room had been locked, so there was no doubt Shen Liuyun had let these people in.

Shen Muyun ran his hands through his disheveled hair, yawned, and stretched. "Brother, what’s going on? Why is everyone in my room?"

Shen Liuyun looked at him kindly, pinching his cheek and smoothing down a tuft of hair that had stuck up. His gaze drifted downward, taking in Shen Muyun’s well-defined eight-pack abs and even the visible definition down to his groin. Shen Liuyun’s fingertips unconsciously brushed against Shen Muyun’s collarbone—his skin was fair and smooth. It seemed he had never examined him this closely before.

Shen Muyun immediately reacted, pulling the blanket up to cover himself and curling into a defensive ball. He shivered at the sight of the crowd around him. Were they here to cause trouble? Crap, he was outnumbered.

Seeing his expression, Shen Liuyun felt as if an electric current had struck his heart. He had never seen Shen Muyun like this just after waking—sleepy-eyed with faint redness at the corners of his eyes.

A thought surfaced in his mind: He really didn’t want others to see Shen Muyun like this. With so many people having seen him, would they get ideas? Shen Liuyun shook his head, dismissing the fleeting thought.

"Muyun, this is your betrothed. Don’t you remember? She’s here to break off the engagement..."

Shen Muyun pondered for a while. His memory seemed fragmented, and he only had a vague impression of the girl. Well, if he couldn’t remember, there was no point straining himself. He shook his head repeatedly. "Brother, I really can’t remember."

Hearing this, Lu Luozhi exploded. "Hey! Shen Muyun! You don’t even remember me? Your brother needs to tell you who I am? Meeting you was the worst luck in eighteen lifetimes!"

The girls behind her quickly stepped forward to hold her back.

"Luo Zhi, look at him. He’s forgotten all about you. Why are you still stuck on him? Breaking off the engagement is no big deal. I’ll find you someone even handsomer!"

"Exactly! Just let it go. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Why cling to this crooked tree? This Second Young Master Shen doesn’t seem all there mentally. Who knows what problems he might cause later?"

"Maybe he waterlogged his brain after falling into the sea from the cruise ship. The news said he almost killed someone and tore up someone else’s contract, broke the contract. Luo Zhi, you can’t marry someone like that!"

Lu Luozhi leaned down and pinched Shen Muyun’s chin. Knowing he was in the wrong and adhering to the principle of not fighting with women, Shen Muyun didn’t move a muscle.

Seeing his handsome face, Lu Luozhi couldn’t help but gaze transfixed into his eyes. What should she do? He was unfairly handsome. Breaking off the engagement? Well, she was starting to regret it.

Seeing Lu Luozhi silent for so long, Shen Liuyun quickly cut in to smooth things over. "Luo Zhi, my brother has always been unreliable and has some bad habits. This engagement was arranged by our mother and Mrs. Lu back then. Since you two aren’t compatible, it’s better to call it off. There might be someone better for you later."

Lu Luozhi let go of Shen Muyun’s chin and glared angrily at the two brothers, her cheeks flushed with rage. "Just you wait! I’m going to find my brother!"

With a "hmph," she turned and left, her high heels stomping loudly on the wooden floor, followed by her friends and bodyguards.

After Lu Luozhi left the room, Shen Liuyun cast a cold, sharp glance around, and the crowd quickly dispersed.

"Muyun, get up. There’s a banquet later."

Relying on his memory, Shen Muyun headed to the closet. Since it was a charity banquet, it was better to dress low-key—not like a peacock on the cruise ship earlier. He didn’t like flashy styles anyway, so he deliberately picked a black suit, thinking it would help him keep a low profile. After all, it was the Lu family’s event, and he shouldn’t draw too much attention.

The charity banquet was held at the Lu family’s wine estate, which was a good distance from the city center. By the time Shen Liuyun and Shen Muyun arrived, most guests were already there.

The Shen family was a prominent family in Jiangcheng, so their arrival was met with welcome. However, most attention was focused on Shen Liuyun, with little interest shown in Shen Muyun.

"President Shen, you’re here for the charity banquet too!"

Shen Muyun turned to see a middle-aged man—balding, overweight, and exuding sleaziness. No other words came to mind to describe him. The man smiled fawningly at Shen Liuyun, clearly wanting something.

Out of courtesy, Shen Liuyun nodded. "President Xu, hello."

Seeing Shen Liuyun respond, the so-called President Xu took a few steps forward and smiled ingratiatingly. "Well, President Shen, I heard you’re planning to collaborate with the Lu family on the land in the north of the city. That’s the main urban area of Jiangcheng. I’m in the catering business, so I was wondering..."

Shen Muyun instantly understood what President Xu wanted—probably to secure a spot for his business there. But he had no interest in business schemes. In his previous life, he worked in a lab precisely to avoid dealing with people. Cold machinery was far more comfortable.

"Big brother, this is so boring. I’m going to take a walk outside."

Shen Liuyun nodded, indicating Shen Muyun was free to do as he pleased.

Relieved to escape the business talk, Shen Muyun slipped away and found a secluded corner. A wine estate surely had good wine. The $3 million bottle he broke on the cruise ship still stung a little, but now he could freely enjoy the drinks. Perfect.

Out-of-the-way spots were least likely to attract attention, especially with Miss Lu around. If she found him, who knew what kind of scene she’d make? Better to avoid her altogether.

Shen Muyun looked at the champagne rose tower in front of him and picked up a glass. The pale yellow liquid, adorned with rose petals on the rim, was elegantly presented. The wine exuded a sweet grape aroma with a hint of rose—quite delightful.

The centerpiece of the banquet hadn’t started yet—the gemstone. Would buying it lead to something extraordinary? The system hadn’t explained clearly, but why worry? Enjoying the moment was what mattered. No need to overthink things.

Shen Muyun picked up a rose and sniffed it. Roses symbolized love, but he had never been interested. After transmigrating, survival was his priority. The idea of romance had to be crushed early on.

"Well, if it isn’t Second Young Master Shen? Drinking alone here? Could it be you’ve been neglected? Tsk tsk, where’s all that bravado from the other day?"

Shen Muyun knew immediately who it was—Zhou Shiqing. Ugh, even this guy was here.

"Zhou Shiqing, I suggest you save your breath. Didn’t you get enough of the taste of a knife or the pain from broken glass?"

Zhou Shiqing bristled like a cornered animal and stepped forward, pointing accusingly at Shen Muyun. "Shen Muyun, who do you think you are? If it weren’t for your brother, you wouldn’t even be here! You’re just leaning on the Shen family’s name. What brains do you have? All you do is party. Don’t think I don’t know—you’ve been avoiding Miss Lu!"

Shen Muyun smiled and brushed his hand away.

"Tsk, you seem to know a lot. Avoiding? I, Shen Muyun, fear no one. Miss Lu? Oh, right, I forgot to tell you—I have my sights set on the Lu family’s young master too. Got a problem with that?"

"You—!"

"Enough. If you’ve got nothing else to say, move aside. I don’t have time to waste arguing with you."

Shen Muyun was thoroughly annoyed by Zhou Shiqing. He didn’t understand why this guy held such a grudge against him. Perhaps he was just jealous of everything Shen Muyun had.

Just as Shen Muyun was about to turn away, a voice echoed in his mind: "Beep beep, host has unlocked the second phase mission. The gemstone at the banquet is a mysterious token—it must be won. Beep beep, important reminder, important reminder!"