Gold Cage - Chapter 8

 Under the crisp chime of wind bells, Mu Hanxiao stood before Mu Yu in his grand wedding attire, casting a merciless shadow. Amid the murmurs of the crowd, Zhao Mengling rose from her seat, the chair scraping against the floor with a grating sound.

"My apologies, everyone. My children do love to make a scene."

Zhao Mengling smiled apologetically at the guests, then put on a doting expression as she said to Mu Zeju, "Ah Ju, take your brother and sit him down properly. No more disruptions."

Mu Yunting, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke slowly, "Mu Yu, go back to your seat."

Mu Zeju immediately seized Mu Yu's wrist and dragged him away.

Only then could the interrupted wedding proceed.

Mu Zeju pulled Mu Yu down to sit beside him. Lan Mo, who hadn't been invited and had arrived unexpectedly, cautiously took a seat next to Mu Yu, looking around curiously.

But Mu Yu seemed to have forgotten what had just happened, chatting casually with Lan Mo and other guests, toasting back and forth until he'd downed three glasses in no time.

Mu Zeju frowned. "Drink less."

"How can we not drink on such a joyous day?" Mu Yu raised his glass with a grin. "A toast to our eldest brother finally getting married! Cheers!"

Mu Zeju wanted to gag him. Watching him down another glass, he impatiently snatched the cup away. "I said drink less! Where's Li Bing? Who let you leave the hospital?"

Mu Yu feigned surprise. "Oh, so you all knew I was hospitalized? I thought no one was aware."

Mu Zeju fell silent, his face dark. Lan Mo tugged at him. "Brother, really, you shouldn't drink. You're not fully recovered yet."

Mu Zeju had been eyeing the girl since earlier. "And you are?"

Before Mu Yu could answer, Lan Mo quickly said, "I'm Xiao Yu's friend. I'm a nurse, so I'll make sure he stays healthy."

Mu Zeju was thoroughly exasperated by the two. He warned Mu Yu in a low voice, "Behave. Don't cause trouble at your brother's wedding."

Mu Yu hummed a tune, lightly swirling his glass. "Brother, I dragged my sick body here just to celebrate and bless our eldest brother. How can you say I'm causing trouble? That hurts."

Lan Mo added, "That's right, Brother Zeju. Xiao Yu's been in the hospital so long—why hasn't anyone visited him?"

Mu Yu alone was enough to drive Mu Zeju mad, and now this overly familiar girl had appeared out of nowhere. He'd heard his mother and eldest brother had arranged a match for Mu Yu—was this her?

What he found hard to believe was that Mu Yu had actually accepted an "arranged fiancée."

Back when he was young and foolish, he'd had plenty of scuffles with Mu Yu, and he knew all about Mu Yu's petty, dark temperament. He wasn't naive enough to believe that time had truly changed Mu Yu's nature.

Mu Zhiye sat beside Mu Zejun, arms crossed and face cold. Mu Yu seemed to notice him only then, his eyes lighting up, "Xiao Ye, so you came too?"

Mu Zhiye closed his eyes and took a deep breath, looking like he was about to explode any second. Mu Yu grinned, leaning over Mu Zejun's chair to clink glasses with him, "Don't be mad, little brother. You took a punch from me, and I got a beating from your mom—we're even now."

Mu Zhiye gritted his teeth, "Don't call me little brother!"

Mu Zejun stepped between them, "No one causes trouble today, got it?"

"But is it okay for Xiao Ye to bully girls?" Mu Yu asked curiously, as if he hadn't heard Mu Zejun, "Doesn't our dear Mrs. Zhao discipline her precious son at all?"

Mu Zhiye lifted his chin arrogantly and sneered, "Why would my mom punish me? She was too busy being heartbroken after some bastard pushed me into the water. Let me tell you, Mu Yu, no matter what I do, no one will punish me—not my parents, not even big brother!"

Mu Zejun frowned, "Xiao Ye!"

Mu Yu nodded politely, "Right, no wonder you turned out such a waste—spoiled rotten. How pathetic."

"You—"

Mu Yu laughed recklessly. Ignoring the brothers, he picked up his glass and turned to toast someone—anyone—throwing his arms around strangers like a madman, calling them brothers, saying what a great day it was, urging everyone to drink up.

Despite his sickly pallor, Mu Yu's face was strikingly vivid, standing out in the crowd. He was a smooth talker in front of outsiders, and many came over with drinks to chat. In high spirits, Mu Yu refused no one, ignoring Lan Mo and Mu Zejun's attempts to stop him, downing glass after glass until his cheeks flushed pink, his eyes glazed with intoxication, his lips a tempting red.

He was in the middle of rambling about international economic trends to some random guest when his full glass was abruptly taken from his hand and set on the table.

The entire table stood up. Mu Yu turned to see Mu Hanxiao and Liu Shuyan standing behind him—he hadn't even noticed their arrival.

The moment Mu Hanxiao appeared, the crowd of strangers around Mu Yu scattered. The man had an overwhelming presence; if he didn't speak, no one dared approach his territory.

"Big brother—" Mu Yu drawled, his alluring eyes hazy with drunkenness, "Don't ruin the fun."

Mu Hanxiao restrained him: "Who let him drink?"

For a moment, no one spoke. Mu Zeju finally admitted with difficulty, "Big brother, I couldn't stop him."

Mu Hanxiao's expression was far from friendly—one would expect him to at least smile on such a joyous occasion. Lan Mo interjected, "Brother Mu, please don't be angry. It's my fault—I didn't take good care of Xiao Yu."

Mu Hanxiao's gaze shifted to Lan Mo. Oblivious, she smiled and greeted the woman beside him, "Sister Liu, long time no see."

Mu Yu asked curiously, "You two know each other?"

Liu Shuyan's expression had softened considerably. She replied gently, "I spent two years in England and got to know Lan Mo there. She was still studying back then—time flies, she's already graduated."

Lan Mo beamed sweetly, "I never expected to stumble upon Sister Liu's wedding today! I came so suddenly without a gift— please forgive me, Brother Mu and Sister Liu."

With practiced grace, she poured herself a full glass of wine and raised it, "I'll punish myself with this drink!"

Mu Yu, still beside her, gave her a thumbs-up, "Now that's bold!"

Mu Zeju couldn't bear to watch.

Mu Hanxiao ordered, "A’ju, take Mu Yu to rest."

Seizing the moment while his brother's tone remained calm, Mu Zeju dragged away the still-rowdy Mu Yu who insisted on drinking, along with the clueless and inappropriate Lan Mo, escaping the headache-inducing scene.

True to form, after sneaking out of the hospital, Mu Yu drank himself sick—that very night, he suffered stomach cramps and spiked a fever. Mu Zeju accomplished no work that day, spending it shuttling Mu Yu back and forth to the hospital. As Mu Yu vomited in the ward and received IV fluids, Lan Mo's anxious voice occasionally drifted out. Meanwhile, Mu Zeju paced the corridor, rescheduling work over the phone with his secretary.

In the past, he would have walked away long ago. But now, every time he saw Mu Yu, he remembered that night when his eldest brother suddenly summoned him back to Bibotang. He never dared disobey his brother's orders. When he rushed back to the estate, he found Mu Yu kneeling in the study, their mother's bodyguard standing over him with the family discipline rod in hand.

The sight of that rod triggered deep-seated dread in him. He watched in horror as their mother beat Mu Yu until he vomited blood and collapsed unconscious.

Unlike the three brothers, Mu Yu simply couldn't withstand such punishment—their mother knew this, yet she still struck with such brutality.

No matter how much Mu Zeju disliked Mu Yu, he didn't want blood on his hands. Especially since... it was his eldest brother who had called him back.

The complex implications overwhelmed him. All he could do was persuade their mother to stop, then quickly take Mu Yu to the hospital.

Mu Zeju chain-smoked by the stairwell window for a long time. When he returned to check on Mu Yu, the younger man had vomited, taken medicine, and fallen into a feverish sleep. Lan Mo kept vigil beside him. Seeing Mu Zeju enter, she asked, "Brother Zeju, are you leaving?"

Mu Zeju silently studied the sleeping Mu Yu for a while, his brow furrowed. Finally, he said, "Please take care of him," then turned and left the ward.

Mu Yu burned with fever for a full day and night. Li Bing remained at his bedside without leaving, torn between frustration and resignation at his employer's hospital escape with Lan Mo—it seemed he'd grown accustomed to Mu Yu's habitual recklessness.

Li Bing, as Mu Yu's family doctor, was very responsible. Despite his employer's smoking, drinking, and reckless disregard for his health, he still dutifully performed regular check-ups like a devoted mother, reminding Mu Yu to take medication in moderation, maintain a regular routine and diet, and cut back on smoking and drinking.

Not that Mu Yu ever listened.

After prescribing medicine for Mu Yu, Li Bing returned to the ward to find him awake. The man on the bed looked pale and languid, leaning weakly against the headboard. The sunlight today was just right, casting a warm glow over him as he stared absently at the wall, lost in thought.

Li Bing approached the bedside, picked up the kettle, and poured him a glass of water. "Feeling any better?"

Mu Yu didn't respond, silently accepting the water and sipping slowly. Whenever he fell ill, he lost weight—his collarbones hollowed out, his chin sharpened, and even his lips seemed thinner.

Li Bing had an excellent temper, displaying endless patience even with an uncooperative employer like Mu Yu. He spoke gently, "You really shouldn't drink anymore."

Mu Yu lazily replied, "Sure."

"And you must cut down on smoking. Your insomnia has worsened recently—nicotine stimulates your brain and disrupts relaxation before sleep."

"Get me more melatonin."

"You've already finished an entire bottle."

Mu Yu drifted off again, lost in thought as he gazed at the faint golden reflections shimmering in the remaining water in his cup.

He murmured to himself, "Why?"

Li Bing watched him. Mu Yu's thoughts seemed to leap elsewhere again—he suddenly pulled out the IV needle from his hand, making Li Bing's eyelid twitch.

Mu Yu threw off the covers and started changing clothes. Li Bing stood up, hovering nearby. "Mr. Mu, at least finish the IV?"

Mu Yu slipped on his coat and shoes. "Did you drive here?"

"Yes."

"Take me to Mu Hanxiao's place."

"Mr. Mu..."

Mu Yu straightened his collar and strode toward the door. "Not willing? I'll go myself."

He pushed open the ward door and staggered out. Li Bing sighed, glancing at the dripping IV needle, then quickly pulled out his phone to call Lan Mo, asking her to clean up the room before hurrying after Mu Yu.

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