Gold Cage - Chapter 11

A few days later, Mu Yu left for the United States, taking Lu Hao and Xie Ming with him.

Fan En personally met them at the airport. The tall man embraced Mu Yu. "My Helkin*! You've finally come to help me. You have no idea how hard it's been without you all."

*T/N: Helkin is Mu Yu’s name, in case you guys forgot

Mu Yu pushed him away, "Cut the crap. I see you're having the time of your life partying at bars and clubs every day."

Fan En chuckled, greeting Lu Hao and Xie Ming warmly before leading the group to their accommodations. Mu Yu and Lu Hao stayed at their old studio—Mu Yu's house on Congress Street—while Xie Ming checked into a hotel alone.

Mu Yu's visit was for an important business deal. Fan En had negotiated with the other party several times, but as an established industry leader, the brand looked down on their small company, leaving talks at a standstill. After careful consideration, Mu Yu decided to bring Xie Ming along for this trip.

After dinner, they gathered at Mu Yu's place to discuss. Xie Ming reviewed documents while Mu Yu worked on a proposal at his computer. Fan En sidled up to him, "Starting work on the first day? I thought we could grab some drinks and chat about happier things. What do you say?"

Lu Hao interjected, "He's on a complete no-smoking, no-drinking regimen now. If you want him to live longer, you'd better cooperate."

Mu Yu said impassively, "If we don't seal the deal today, someone else will beat us to it tomorrow. As the boss, do you really lack that sense of urgency? And what kind of half-baked proposal is this? No wonder they're ignoring you. Are you high? I told you to stay sharp when working!"

Fan En, who had barely had time to catch up with his old friend before being scolded, raised his hands in surrender without another word.

Xie Ming worked with remarkable efficiency, presenting a comprehensive negotiation strategy and documents the very next day. Stunned, Fan En asked Mu Yu where he'd found such a capable assistant. Mu Yu replied that Xie Ming had applied on his own.

Fan En exclaimed, "Someone like him just walked into our company to apply? Are you kidding me, Helkin!"

Lu Hao laughed, "Have you forgotten about Helkin's family connections? He just doesn't bother using them, but that doesn't mean they don't exist."

Only then did Fan En relax. He scheduled a meeting with the brand for the following day. Mu Yu took the opportunity to visit the company and, after confirming that Fan En was managing things properly, left Xie Ming behind to handle accounts while he took Fan En and Lu Hao home.

Lu Hao's stomach growled with hunger, so he ordered pizza and Coke. The three sat on the carpet eating and chatting, just like their college days. Mu Yu's house remained unchanged—Fan En had arranged for regular cleaning and sometimes worked or rested there himself.

"Helkin, you don't look too well. What happened after you went back?" Fan En asked.

Lu Hao answered, "Just his usual family drama."

Fan En sighed sympathetically, "I told you not to go back. At least here, you're free."

Mu Yu leaned lazily on the sofa, sipping black tea, "Going wherever I want is my idea of freedom."

Fan En shrugged. He wolfed down a slice of pizza and gulped his Coke before suddenly remembering something, "Oh, I forgot to mention something that might be trivial."

"If it's trivial, why bring it up?"

"Because it's unimportant to me," Fan En shrugged. "Just some gossip. The brand's CEO is gay—slept with plenty of men and was once sued for sexual harassment."

Lu Hao nearly spat out his pizza. Mu Yu remained unfazed, while Fan En pondered, "He'll likely show up at tomorrow's meeting. As an experienced gay man, he'd probably recognize Helkin's sexuality at a glance. If he takes a liking to Helkin, wouldn't that be disastrous?"

Mu Yu smiled. "Wouldn't that be perfect? If he fancies me, I'll just sleep with him, and we won't even need to bother with negotiations deal done."

Lu Hao and Fan En both shouted, "Don't even think about it!" and sternly condemned his shamelessness. Overwhelmed by the noise, Mu Yu rolled his eyes, tossed his cup aside, and went upstairs to sleep.

The negotiation was scheduled at the other company's headquarters. Mu Yu changed into a suit, slicked back his hair to reveal his forehead, and put on a pair of pretentious gold-rimmed glasses before leading the other three into the meeting room to greet their counterparts.

One man stepped forward enthusiastically to welcome Mu Yu. "Hello, you must be Mr. Grinka. I'm Tom, and I'll be primarily responsible for the business collaboration with your company. Here's my business card."

Fan En shot Lu Hao a meaningful glance behind Mu Yu—this was the guy, the gay one. Catching the hint, Lu Hao noticed Tom still holding Mu Yu's hand and immediately intervened, grabbing Tom's hand himself. "Hello, hello! I've long heard of your reputation, Mr. Tom!"

Mu Yu also sensed something off about the man's gaze but pretended not to notice. To emphasize the importance of their partnership, Mu Yu personally delivered the product presentation. Throughout his speech, Tom listened attentively, nodding occasionally and asking questions, seemingly very interested in their business.

By the time the meeting ended, it was nearly dinner. Tom proactively invited them to dine together, suggesting they could discuss contract signing the next day—a hint that things were progressing smoothly. The group accepted his invitation.

During dinner, Tom played the gentleman, engaging Mu Yu in conversation. When he tried to pour Mu Yu wine, Lu Hao interjected that Mu Yu was allergic to alcohol. Tom didn't insist and instead ordered juice for him. Noticing Mu Yu's fondness for a particular cream dessert, Tom launched into a detailed history of American desserts and the merits of plant-based versus dairy cream. Mu Yu played along, listening intently and occasionally feigning surprise or admiration with convincing realism.

After dinner, Tom invited them to reconvene in a week to finalize the contract details, insisting that Mu Yu attend. Mu Yu agreed cheerfully before bidding Tom farewell.

Reflecting on their rapid progress, Fan En remarked, "Had we known this guy was such a horndog, we shouldn't have wasted our breath—just brought Helkin from the start."

Mu Yu countered, "You're not much different when chasing women."

"Hey! How dare you compare us gentlemen to that kind of trash?"

"Sure, sure."

Meanwhile, Xie Ming voiced his concern. "Boss Mu, this man has ill intentions. Next week, let me handle the negotiations instead. You should—"

Mu Yu chuckled. "Relax, I won't actually sleep with him. I do occasionally value my health—at least enough not to die of some disease."

His indifferent tone left Xie Ming with no choice but to drop the matter.

Fan En insisted on taking Mu Yu and Lu Hao out for some fun. The three of them drove from the east to the west coast, with Xie Ming tagging along for some reason. Despite his age, he squeezed himself among the three young men. The off-road vehicle sped along the coastal highway as Fan En played his favorite country music, singing along and bobbing his head while driving. Lu Hao joined in, swaying and singing too, while Mu Yu sat by the window, resting his chin on his hand as he gazed at the ocean outside, the wind tousling his short hair.

He couldn't touch alcohol or cigarettes at all now. After hearing Lu Hao's exaggerated retelling of how Mu Yu had been hospitalized due to drinking, Fan En immediately switched sides and joined the team supervising him. Mu Yu was stuck with nothing but coffee, juice, or plain water every day—utterly dull.

Fan En's family had made their fortune in the hotel business, so he led them to stay in one of their own hotels, in the best room where the balcony offered a view of the sky and the sea.

The other two would rush out early every morning with their surfboards, surfing, diving, and sunbathing, radiating their excess hormones under the spring sun. Mu Yu, on the other hand, sat alone on the balcony, legs crossed, sipping coffee. He had no interest in surfing, let alone baking under the sun, and he watched disdainfully as those two monkeys dashed around on the beach.

Xie Ming came into the room to deliver lunch and brought some news: Mu Hanxiao had also come to the U.S. for business.

Mu Yu's reaction was indifferent—just a simple "Oh"—before continuing to munch on his crispy biscuits and flip through his book. Without cigarettes, coffee and biscuits were his only solace.

He didn't even ask why Mu Hanxiao was here, just pointed a biscuit stick at Xie Ming and said, "You're working for me now. Focus on your job and stop worrying about your former boss."

Xie Ming could only laugh helplessly and agree.

Fan En and Lu Hao couldn't stand Mu Yu holing up in the hotel every day to "recuperate," so they dragged him out for some shooting. There was a shooting range along the coast, and Mu Yu was quite interested—it had been a while since he last handled a gun, and his skills were getting rusty.

Mu Yu wore a loose jacket and jeans, his slender waist and long legs standing out as he leaned over the table, selecting a Model 686 revolver and inspecting the barrel and cylinder.

The instructor, noticing his practiced movements, smiled and asked, "Do you shoot often?"

"Not really."

Beside them, Lu Hao turned to Xie Ming, who was sitting and sipping tea. "Uncle Xie, not joining us?"

Xie Ming waved a hand. "Too old for this. My eyes aren't sharp, and my hands aren't steady. I'll leave the fun to you youngsters."

Fan En and Lu Hao put on their earmuffs, while Mu Yu politely declined the instructor's offer, raising the pistol and narrowing his eyes slightly as he aimed at the target.

A gunshot rang out, hitting the mark. Mu Yu fired three consecutive shots, all landing within the three-ring zone of the human-shaped target. The instructor praised, "Are you a professional?"

Mu Yu replied, "No. Someone just taught me."

On the way back, Fan En showed off photos and videos of his recent skydiving adventure, flaunting his "Brave Skydiver" certificate. Mu Yu was curious, and Fan En mentioned there was a coastal skydiving base nearby.

"Is it fun?"

"Jumping from a thousand meters up, seeing the earth from above the ocean, the city, everything laid out before you. It's a view you'll never get standing on the ground," Fan En said. "Flying through the sky like a bird, feeling like the heavens and the earth belong to you—is there anything more thrilling? Of course, if you've got a weak heart, better skip it."

Mu Yu pondered: "My heart is perfectly fine."

Lu Hao: "The hell it is. Don't tell me you're thinking of trying this."

Mu Yu suddenly became enthusiastic. "Let's go tomorrow!"

"That's not a ten-meter diving platform—it's jumping from four thousand meters! Can you handle that? Fan En, stop egging him on. Look at his physique—is he even fit for skydiving?"

Fan En shrugged. "Helkin has no heart or blood pressure issues, no fear of heights, and no surgical history. In theory, he can do it."

Mu Yu mirrored his shrug. "Exactly."

Lu Hao was left speechless. Xie Ming, standing nearby, also advised, "Skydiving is an extreme sport and carries inherent risks. Please reconsider carefully, President Mu."

For some inexplicable reason, Mu Yu became fixated on skydiving. Fan En, ever the carefree one, immediately contacted the base and booked a jump for three days later. Lu Hao had no choice but to drop the matter, but Xie Ming remained deeply concerned. Throughout the trip, Xie Ming seemed to have taken on the role of Mu Yu's guardian—not only handling business matters but also meticulously monitoring his diet, rest, and intake of alcohol and cigarettes.

That evening, as Mu Yu worked on his laptop in his room, Xie Ming knocked and entered, placing a cup of warm milk by his side.

"President Mu, have you given more thought to the skydiving matter?"

Mu Yu smiled without looking up from his laptop. "What's the big deal? Why is Uncle Xie so concerned?"

"Everyone is very invested in your well-being."

Mu Yu glanced at him, took a sip of the milk, and felt the warm liquid soothe his stomach.

His thoughts drifted elsewhere, and he asked Xie Ming, "How long have you been with Mu Hanxiao?"

Xie Ming answered truthfully, "Roughly twelve years, give or take."

"What kind of person do you think he is?"

Even though he was no longer employed by Mu Hanxiao, Xie Ming dared not speak ill of his former employer. He replied dutifully, "Mr. Mu is decisive, discerning, impartial, and visionary—a truly admirable man."

"Any recent moves from him?"

"To my knowledge, Mu Corporation's focus remains on international operations."

Mu Yu swirled his milk absentmindedly. "What about Hongfeng?"

Xie Ming hesitated slightly. "Hongfeng's core business lies in domestic manufacturing and import-export trade. In recent years, they've ventured into emerging technologies with decent results."

"Companies like Hongfeng are a dime a dozen. They're barely holding on—if it weren't for Liu Shuyan taking the reins, her useless brother would've run it into the ground." Mu Yu mused, "Liu Shuyan's grandfather was a high-ranking official, but that lineage has long since declined. What good is it now?"

Xie Ming remained silent, unwilling to comment on his former employer or the man's wife. Mu Yu chuckled to himself as if talking to no one in particular. "Seems like he's genuinely fond of her."

Suddenly, all his enthusiasm vanished. Sensing the shift, Xie Ming tactfully excused himself. Mu Yu pushed his laptop aside and sat staring blankly at the chair. Outside, the rhythmic sound of ocean waves mingled with the never-ending glow of the West Coast's nightlife, where parties and gatherings never ceased. Mu Yu had always been the type to revel in such lively scenes.

But tonight, he declined Fan En and Lu Hao's invitations, choosing instead to stay alone in his room, gazing at the star-filled sky beyond his window.

Three days later, Mu Yu arrived at the skydiving base at the appointed time. The skydiving instructor had been waiting for a while. Fan En, still somewhat uneasy, had also agreed to board the helicopter with him. As for Lu Hao, his fear of heights left him no choice but to sit sulking on the ground and watch.

The trainers and instructors had thoroughly briefed Mu Yu on the precautions. After signing the agreement and donning his gear, Mu Yu walked with Fan En toward the helicopter parked in the open area.

Fan En clapped him on the shoulder. "Boss, I underestimated you before. I never thought you'd be this daring!"

Mu Yu slung an arm around his shoulders in return. He seemed to be in high spirits again today and grinned. "What's there that I wouldn't dare to do?"

The skydiving instructor hadn't come out yet, so the two of them stood by the helicopter, chatting idly. The sunlight was perfect, the air crisp, visibility excellent, and the temperature just right—an ideal day for an outing.

Lu Hao sat under a canopy, legs crossed, listlessly munching on a chocolate bar when someone suddenly walked past him. He glanced up absentmindedly and froze, the chocolate bar forgotten halfway to his mouth.

Mu Yu and Fan En were chatting on the grass when Fan En looked up behind him, his expression one of disbelief. He nudged Mu Yu. "Helkin, who's that coming over?"

Mu Yu turned around.

A tall man emerged from the base in the distance. Mu Hanxiao wore sunglasses, his expression stern as he fastened an altimeter to his arm while conversing with the skydiving instructor. Xie Ming followed behind them and, noticing Mu Yu's gaze, gave him a polite nod.

The skydiving instructor had originally been assigned to guide Mu Yu today, but after a brief discussion, he handed the parachute pack and all the necessary equipment to Mu Hanxiao. Mu Hanxiao took them and strode toward Mu Yu.

Fan En muttered incredulously behind him, "What's going on? Your brother's taking you up?! Does he even have an instructor's license? Wait—how does he even know you're here?"

The bright, golden sunlight bathed the entire base. Mu Hanxiao's figure was striking as he approached, carrying the parachute pack with black-gloved hands. His sunglasses concealed his expression, but Mu Yu could see the tight line of his lips, a clear sign of displeasure.

"He does."

Mu Yu suddenly remembered—Mu Hanxiao did have a skydiving instructor's license.

Because this man was truly obsessed with extreme sports.

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