Gold Cage - Chapter 16

 Half a month later, Mu Yu's health gradually improved. Lan Mo brought a game console from home and often sat on the bed playing with him. The head nurse caught them several times but could only fume silently—after all, it was the hospital director's daughter leading the mischief.

Mu Yu was terrible at games, so Lan Mo taught him. To outsiders, they appeared to be a loving, engaged couple. Only the two of them knew they were just friends, using the "engagement" as a shield against pestering. Mu Yu had once worried about tarnishing Lan Mo's reputation, but she just laughed it off.

"I like girls," Lan Mo giggled, turning back to focus on her game. "So it's fine."

Mu Yu thought she was joking, but Lan Mo tossed the controller aside and flopped onto the bed. "Seriously, bro! I'm gay. I've liked girls since I was little, but my parents don't approve. They keep pushing me to marry a man."

She sprawled childishly next to Mu Yu and showed him photos in her phone album. "Look, I joined the LGBT pride parade every year when I was studying in the UK. This is the rainbow makeup I wore! Cool, right? I actually wanted to switch to sociology to study queer subcultures, but Mom and Dad wouldn't allow it, so I had to stick with medicine."

Hearing this, Mu Yu felt a pang of sympathy for her. Born into a family of doctors, bound by strict parental expectations—her life wasn't her own. He set down his controller and asked, "Do you have someone you like?"

Lan Mo sighed. "Yeah. But she doesn't like me back. It's one-sided."

Mu Yu comforted her, "You're amazing. You'll find someone who loves you just as much someday."

"Bro—you're the best—"

Lan Mo tried to hug him, but Mu Yu laughed and pushed her away. Just as they were messing around, a knock sounded at the hospital room door.

"Come in," Mu Yu called.

Lan Mo immediately sprang up, smoothing her clothes and hair, trying to look serious. But when the door opened, a father and son entered the son leaning on a crutch, followed by a large group. The father shoved his dejected son forward, startling Lan Mo, who ducked behind Mu Yu.

"Lan Mo, step outside for a bit," Mu Yu said.

She shook her head nervously. "No way, there are too many strangers. I'm staying with you."

Mu Yu had no choice but to let her stay. The chairman of the He Group pushed his son, He Cheng, toward Mu Yu's bed with visible frustration. He Cheng stumbled, barely keeping his balance, head bowed like a beaten dog, not daring to meet Mu Yu's eyes.

The He family had brought piles of gifts, each held by someone standing behind the father and son. The elder He greeted Mu Yu with exaggerated courtesy, inquiring about his health and repeatedly apologizing. "My deepest apologies, Mr. Mu. We wanted to visit sooner, but the hospital insisted on limiting visitors due to your slow recovery. We could only come today— our fault entirely."

Mu Yu, now sitting cross-legged on the bed with a jacket draped over his shoulders, smiled. "No need for formalities, Chairman He. I'm just a nobody—hardly worth your esteemed presence."

A few people in the back stiffened. The elder He kept smiling. "Please don't say that, Mr. Mu. These are just small tokens of our sincerity. We weren't sure what you'd like, but we hope you'll accept them."

Mu Yu immediately raised a hand to stop him. "No, thanks. My room's already cramped. If you dump all these boxes in here, I won't even have space to walk. Please take them back. And with this crowd blocking the door, people might mistake it for a mob coming to pick a fight. Honestly, it's a little scary."

The elder He instantly turned and ordered the group to remove the gifts. The crowd that had arrived laden with presents now left just as burdened, clearing the doorway until only the father, son, and a few board members remained.

He Cheng had been shot by Mu Yu—his thigh shattered, an ear blown off, his shoulder injured, now wrapped in bandages and a cast, forced to walk with a crutch. His face was ashen, none of his former arrogance left in him.

Mr. He stood respectfully before Mu Yu. "I failed to properly educate my son, leading him to commit this grave mistake. I've already severely disciplined him. Bringing him here today is to have him personally apologize to you, Young Master Mu, in hopes of obtaining your forgiveness."

Turning angrily to He Cheng, he snapped, "Aren't you going to apologize?"

He Cheng trembled, squeezing out words through tear-reddened eyes, "...I'm sorry."

"Louder! What did I teach you before coming here?"

"I'm sorry, Mu... Brother Mu Yu." He Cheng took a deep breath. "I was wrong. Please forgive me."

Mu Yu hadn't expected these people to actually come to him. Given the relationship between the He and Mu families, he'd assumed the Mu family would let the matter rest—after all, He Cheng was still young. Who would truly blame a "poorly raised" child?

"Uncle He has raised quite the son. Who knows what drug he gave me that left me hospitalized even now." Mu Yu spoke softly and deliberately. "If a simple apology suffices, wouldn't that make me seem too easy to deal with?"

Mr. He immediately responded, "Whatever you need, I'll arrange it right away—"

Mu Yu interrupted, "How about having your son kneel and kowtow as an apology?"

The hospital room fell so silent one could hear a pin drop. Lan Mo cautiously glanced at Mu Yu's face—his expression was calm, showing no hint of joking. The directors behind them turned pale, stealing glances at Mr. He's reaction. He Cheng's face flushed purple with rage, breathing heavily; if not for his father restraining him, he might have grabbed his crutch to attack Mu Yu in mutual destruction.

"The fault of the child reflects the failure of the father." Mr. He's voice was strained. "My son... has difficulty walking. I'll kneel in his place."

The directors immediately intervened, "President He! There's no need to go this far!"

"President He!"

"Let me go!"

Lan Mo angrily interjected, "Please keep your voices down in the hospital room! Patients need rest!"

Mu Yu laughed.

"Though Uncle He failed in parenting, I'll judge this matter objectively." Mu Yu lightly held a bookmark between his fingers, pointing at He Cheng. "He's the one who should kneel."

He Cheng's hands trembled in clenched fists at his sides, filled with hatred and fear. At this moment, he wished he could kill Mu Yu, yet was terrified of the power behind him. He hated Mu Zhiye for deceiving him—claiming Mu Yu was just an unmanaged bastard in the Mu family. In his momentary arrogance, he'd believed it. Not only had he failed to obtain his target, but he'd been shot twice, left with no recourse, and now watched as his family teetered on collapse.

Mr. He roared at He Cheng, "You brat! Kneel and apologize to Young Master Mu!"

Unable to bear the humiliation, He Cheng shouted furiously, "I won't kneel! You're the one who can't manage the company! Why should I kneel?!"

Mr. He slapped him hard across the face, leaving He Cheng's cheek rapidly swelling. He Cheng cried out in furious anguish. Enraged, Mr. He snatched He Cheng's crutch and struck his injured knee. He Cheng screamed in pain as his unhealed gunshot wound took the blow, prompting the directors to separate the father and son. Fearing Mu Yu might be affected, Lan Mo hastily shielded him while calling for help. Bodyguards stationed outside immediately entered, standing sentinel on either side of the hospital bed like guardian deities.

He Cheng was ultimately beaten to his knees. His wounds reopened, blood gradually seeping through the bandages.

Mu Yu looked down at him coldly. "Now kowtow."

He Cheng broke down emotionally, tears streaming down his face as he cursed wildly, "You fucking bastard will get what's coming to you! Motherless piece of shit—"

"Shut your mouth!" Old Man He bellowed, grabbing He Cheng's head and slamming it toward the floor. "Raised a goddamn ungrateful idiot for nothing! Say one more word and I'll rip your fucking mouth off!"

He Cheng's head hit the ground with a heavy thud. He howled like a rabid beast, limbs flailing wildly as he struggled. His fingers clawed a bloody gash across his father's neck before several directors, sweating profusely, managed to pin him down.

Mu Yu watched the spectacle with amusement before finally speaking up good-naturedly, "Alright, alright, no need to put your family through this. Let your son up."

The others sighed in relief and hastily hauled He Cheng to his feet. The bandages on his legs were already soaked with blood. Old Man He, panting heavily, wiped the blood from his neck with a grimace before forcing a smile at Mu Yu. "My son has always been hot-tempered. I'll discipline him properly when we get back. As you can see, he's already apologized as you demanded..."

Mu Yu: "Hmm?"

Old Man He maintained his ingratiating smile. "Young Master Mu, if you could put in a good word with President Mu... Our company is in dire straits right now. If President Mu were to sever our long-standing partnership and friendship at this time, it would truly be the last straw..."

Mu Yu suddenly laughed. The moment he did, Old Man He fell silent. Mu Yu seemed to find the situation utterly hilarious as he said gently, "Then you've come to the wrong person, Uncle He."

Old Man He stiffened. "You're President Mu's beloved younger brother..."

"If that's how you see it, you'd have better luck begging Mu Zhiye for mercy." Mu Yu smiled benignly. "I'm just a bastard—no status in the Mu family, despised by everyone. I've never had a hand in the family business. Surely you know I'm just a poor entrepreneur running my own small company now? Asking me for help is a wasted effort."

In other words, all that grand display of groveling and kowtowing had been for nothing.

Old Man He's face twisted through a spectrum of emotions before his smile finally cracked, his expression practically screaming that he wanted to tear Mu Yu apart. "You... you..."

Mu Yu lazily reclined on the bed. "Finished? Then show our guests out."

The bodyguards stepped forward at once, politely ushering everyone out. Towering and stone-faced, they efficiently escorted the seething, humiliated crowd from the room. As Old Man He was herded to the doorway, he turned and raised his voice at Mu Yu: "Don't think your youth gives you the right to act recklessly! The ignorance and impulsiveness of people like you will destroy entire legacies one day—even the Mu family won't be spared!"

Mu Yu laughed and clapped his hands. "That's perfect! I sincerely look forward to that day."

He Cheng was seething with rage, stubbornly glaring at Mu Yu before being forcibly pushed out by the bodyguards gripping his shoulders.

The hospital room quieted down again.

Lan Mo clutched his chest and ran to the window to peer outside for a while before rushing back. "That scared me to death! I was so afraid they'd actually hit you. Brother Yu, you're way too bold—how dare you provoke them like that? Especially that kid. I swear he looked like he wanted to kill you."

Mu Yu chuckled and casually flipped open his book to continue reading. "Let him heal his leg first."

"But is Brother Mu really going to cut ties with the He family?"

"Who cares about their mess?"

Lan Mo propped his chin on his hand and muttered, "Brother Mu is so cold-hearted too. It's been so long, and he still hasn't come to see you."

Mu Yu didn't respond, silently staring at his book in a daze.

Of course, he knew the bodyguards stationed outside his door, the nurses assigned to care for him in shifts, even Phil—all were arranged by Mu Hanxiao. He was now under tight protection. The idea that he was some neglected "stray child" no longer held water.

Yet Mu Hanxiao himself maintained a strict distance. It seemed he only fulfilled the bare minimum of his obligations as an elder brother—ensuring Mu Yu's safety. But he no longer exercised any closer rights, not even simple visits or calls. There wasn't even a word of comfort.

He remained only his stern, uncompromising elder brother.

Mu Hanxiao wanted the distance between them forever nailed to the standard of elder brother and younger brother, with not an inch of deviation allowed.

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