Gold Cage - Chapter 20

The evening banquet was held at a manor hotel, its host personally greeting the distinguished couple upon arrival.

Mu Hanxiao and Liu Shuyan immediately became the center of attention. The striking pair made for a breathtaking sight—Hanxiao impeccably dressed in a handsome suit, Shuyan radiant in an apricot-hued gown that shimmered against her snow-white skin, her hair elegantly pinned up, exuding both beauty and grace.

People kept coming to speak with Mu Hanxiao. Later in the evening, Liu Shuyan grew somewhat tired. The two of them slipped away from the crowd and turned toward a quieter garden path at the corner of the estate.

Mu Hanxiao could tell Liu Shuyan seemed to have something she wanted to say to him. His wife strolled among the starlit lanterns and flower beds, her dress shimmering with iridescent hues, fluttering lightly in the breeze.

"I can't remember the last time I took a walk like this, just to admire the flowers," Liu Shuyan said self-deprecatingly. "Every day I wake up to work, without even a moment to catch my breath."

Mu Hanxiao replied, "If you don't trust your subordinates' capabilities, I can recommend a few people to you."

Liu Shuyan waved her hand with a smile. "You've already helped me so much. Maybe it's not just them—I don't trust anyone but myself. My brothers still covet my position, and Father stands on their side... But let's not talk about that."

Mu Hanxiao changed the subject. "How has Old Master Liu been recently?"

He was referring to Liu Shuyan's grandfather, who was already eighty years old and had been living in retirement. Liu Shuyan answered, "After Grandma passed, he's been living alone, and his health has worsened. Back then, he had so many students under his wing, but now his home is deserted. Only Uncle Long visits him regularly."

"Uncle Long is almost sixty now."

"Yes. This time, he's being transferred to the south. Who knows when he'll be back after leaving."

Mu Hanxiao fell into silent contemplation. Liu Shuyan stepped closer to him. Under the moonlight, her beautiful face seemed hazy, her usually cool and sharp features softened.

"Hanxiao, I..."

She trailed off, as if lost in thought, but quickly composed herself. "I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. I know there are conditions attached, but your presence has given me so much peace. Before, I was just a wallflower in their eyes, but now I can finally hold onto what I want."

"The first time I saw you as a child, I knew you were different from everyone else. Later, I watched you become an untouchable figure, passing through countless admirers without a single one leaving a mark... Who would have thought a crumbling Liu family would become your choice?"

"With you here, the Liu family has no reason to belittle itself."

Liu Shuyan smiled. There was a coldness to her smile, whether from her natural features or something else. Suddenly, she lowered her voice. "Hanxiao, I know you've had your own feelings before, and so have I. But since fate has bound us as husband and wife, perhaps it's given me a reason to settle down. I've drifted for too long... I'm tired."

Mu Hanxiao murmured, "Now you can rest."

Liu Shuyan stared blankly at the man before her. This tall, handsome man was her husband, yet even now, she sometimes found it unreal. Was this unreality from finally gaining the status and power she desired, or from the emptiness she kept hidden inside? She couldn't tell. Nor could she discern how much of Mu Hanxiao's gaze held affection when he looked at her.

Liu Shuyan raised her hand and lightly touched Mu Hanxiao's cheek, her voice barely a whisper. "Hanxiao, I want to fall by your side. Will you catch me?"

She closed her eyes, lifted her face, and kissed Mu Hanxiao's lips.

Mu Hanxiao remained still, not rejecting her.

The moonlight poured down like liquid silver. Leaves rustled in the garden while the distant hum of the party carried through the air. Suddenly, Mu Yu's voice came from below the steps: "If you keep wandering around like this, we'll never find our way back…"

His voice cut off abruptly. Mu Hanxiao and Liu Shuyan broke apart and turned to see Mu Yu and Lan Mo just ascending the steps. The pair seemed to have been strolling through the garden—Lan Mo wore a delicate chiffon dress, her hair slightly disheveled, traces of laughter from playing with Mu Yu still lingering on her face. But all expression froze when she saw the two of them kissing.

Mu Yu stood in a white shirt, stray locks brushing his ears, his trousers dusted with dirt. For a moment, his gaze lingered on the couple in the garden before coolly looking away.

Liu Shuyan felt the body beneath her palm tense instantly.

Mu Yu addressed them politely: "Apologies for interrupting."

He guided Lan Mo by the shoulder: "Let's go back."

Lan Mo kept staring at them. Liu Shuyan glanced at her before turning away without even greeting them. Lan Mo stood dumbfounded, seemingly murmuring "sister," but her voice was too faint to hear.

Mu Yu led her out of the garden.

The estate was too vast, flowers stretching endlessly. Mu Yu walked aimlessly with Lan Mo, unsure where to go. His mind was consumed by the image of Mu Hanxiao kissing Liu Shuyan in the garden. He felt almost numb, even experiencing a twisted relief—as if Mu Hanxiao had finally dealt him the killing blow after prolonged agony.

If Mu Hanxiao truly loved his wife, then so be it. He wished them eternal happiness and unity.

Dazed, he reached the lake shore. Lanterns dotted the perimeter, occasional guests passing by. Mu Yu stopped, gazing at the starry reflection in the water. His hands trembled slightly, legs weak—as if all strength had drained from him, yet he forced himself to remain standing.

Lan Mo's hand was ice-cold. When Mu Yu turned, he found her wide eyes vacant, also fixed on the shimmering lake. She murmured bewilderingly: "How could this happen."

"Lan Mo?"

"It shouldn't be like this... no, this can't be."

Her breathing grew rapid. She began repeating phrases nervously, tears welling in her eyes. Red-rimmed, she looked up at Mu Yu with helpless fear. "Brother, why were they kissing?"

Mu Yu gripped her shoulders: "Lan Mo, calm down first."

But she shook him off. Pacing anxiously on the grass, biting her nails and muttering to herself, she seemed transformed—carefree laughter with Mu Yu moments ago now replaced by devastation after accidentally witnessing that intimate scene.

"Why did sister look at Brother Mu that way?" Lan Mo stood frozen like a timid child afraid to face reality. "Wasn't she supposed to like me?"

Mu Yu wanted to respond but lacked the energy. The absurdity overwhelmed him—Lan Mo's beloved turned out to be Mu Hanxiao's wife, this trapped girl unable to control her own marriage while watching her love wed another.

Which of them was more pitiable?

"She used to treat me so well! She liked me too!"

"Lan Mo."

"It's true, brother! I'm not lying. Sister just never said it, but in her heart-”

Mu Yu cupped Lan Mo's face in his hands, and she quieted down, staring at him with crimson eyes filled with nothing but confusion and fear.

What was she afraid of? The realization that she had ultimately been abandoned, or the permanent loss of her beloved?

"Stop lying to yourself," Mu Yu whispered as he gently wiped away the tears at the corners of Lan Mo's eyes.

A dull, suffocating pain throbbed persistently in his chest, as if the future had already come to an end. Both he and she had been nailed to the gallows of abandonment—only Lan Mo was still struggling in the flames, while he no longer cared if the fire consumed him.

He wouldn't hold onto any more expectations.

***

After arranging all company affairs, Mu Yu set off for the United States. It wasn't a permanent departure—Fan En needed him there. Even so, Huo Shiyin and Lu Hao feared he might disappear for years, so they bombarded him with warnings at the airport, threatening him not to abandon his responsibilities back home.

Mu Yu didn't bring Phil or Li Bing. He dismissed them, paying a substantial severance and compensation package, along with purchasing insurance for them. Though he knew neither would truly be left unemployed, nor would they necessarily need his money.

Upon hearing the news of his dismissal, Phil remained composed, silently packing his things and leaving. Li Bing, however, didn't accept it immediately. He had just uncovered some clues about that bar—its owner was indeed unusual, running an entertainment business on the surface but involved in smuggling on a significant scale. After the shooting incident, Li Bing traced the owner's escape to the U.S., though he hadn't yet uncovered the whereabouts of the smuggled goods, and the trafficking chain had gone quiet.

"There's no need to investigate further," Mu Yu told Li Bing. "You've worked hard. Now you won't have to deal with a troublesome employer like me—take a good rest."

Li Bing replied earnestly, "Mr. Mu, I never found you troublesome."

Mu Yu brushed it off casually, "Alright, no need for sentimental talk."

His stance was firm, so Li Bing said no more, packing his things and bidding farewell that same day.

As for Xie Ming, Qing Fei still had use for him, and Mu Yu had no intention of interfering further.

He boarded a plane, leaving Yu City behind for a foreign land across the ocean.

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