Chapter 117: An Old Friend in Trouble Cannot Be Ignored (Part 2)

“Shameless!”

Qin Nanyu simply couldn’t put up with Yang Xiaofan’s brazen audacity any longer.

Yang Xiaofan was about to say something flirtatious when suddenly his phone rang.

He glanced down and saw it was Liu Hu calling.

Without much thought, he answered the call.

“Hey! Brother Hu, what made you call me all of a sudden?”

On the other end came Liu Hu’s hearty voice.

“Xiaofan, you’re not being loyal. You’ve been so popular lately, but when you came back to Jiangbei, you didn’t even call me or invite me out for a meal.”

Yang Xiaofan slapped his forehead.

“Sorry, sorry. I’ve been so busy these past few days that it slipped my mind. I’ll make some time tonight and arrange a dinner at the Northern Su Hotel.”

“No need for that. I was just teasing. Actually, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you know if anything’s gone wrong with President Mu’s side recently?”

“What do you mean?”

Hearing about Mu Shuyu, Yang Xiaofan’s expression grew a bit serious.

It wasn’t that he had any special feelings for her, but she was his very first customer. If it hadn’t been for Mu Shuyu buying his paintings and helping him expand his connections, he wouldn’t have risen so quickly.

At least, it would have taken him a lot longer to develop.

So, in a way, Mu Shuyu meant something like an older sister to him — at least that’s how Yang Xiaofan felt.

On the other end, Liu Hu continued.

“I’m not entirely sure, but recently President Mu was supposed to transfer a batch of your paintings to me. Something feels off. The Mu family has been established for years. President Mu inherited the family fortune and has never been short of money. Plus, she’s a business elite — even I feel inferior to her. So, she shouldn’t be lacking funds.”

“Also, I looked into it. The Mu Group hasn’t made any major investments lately. Moreover, she’s a collector and wouldn’t easily part with her collections. It seems unusual, so I wanted to ask if something’s wrong on President Mu’s end?”

“I see. I’ll go ask her right away.”

“All right, if there’s any trouble, let me know later. We’re friends; if I can help, I will. These days, the business world is full of schemes and betrayals — having a friend is rare.”

“Got it.”

After responding, Yang Xiaofan hung up immediately.

Then he dialed Mu Shuyu’s number.

Unexpectedly, she didn’t answer.

This only made Yang Xiaofan feel more unsettled.

After a moment’s thought, he turned to Qin Nanyu.

“Nanyu, drop me off by the roadside. You go back to the hotel first. I have some matters to attend to.”

“Okay.”

Qin Nanyu was a well-mannered woman, unlike some clingy, foolish little vixens who wouldn’t leave a man alone.

After getting out of the car, Yang Xiaofan avoided hailing a random taxi, fearing he might run into some fans and bring on a heap of trouble.

Fortunately, Mu Shuyu’s residence was nearby, not too far away.

He pulled down the brim of his cap and wore a mask, then jogged swiftly until he reached her place.

He knocked on the door, and after a while, a dazed Mu Shuyu opened it.

“Whoa! What happened to you?”

Yang Xiaofan was taken aback.

Every time he saw Mu Shuyu before, she was stunningly beautiful.

She was like a ripe peach — perfectly shaped and always impeccably dressed.

A true goddess.

But today, she looked like a madwoman.

Her hair was messy, fluffy, and greasy, probably unwashed for days.

Her skin remained pale but no longer the healthy rosy milk-white it used to be; instead, it was a waxy pallor.

Her lips were dry — maybe she hadn’t eaten or drunk water in a while.

Dark circles framed her eyes like panda eyes.

Even her clothes were loose pajamas, utterly without any sense of style.

Yet, she was still very beautiful — good genes run deep.

“Why are you here?”

Mu Shuyu looked shocked, clearly not expecting his sudden visit.

Yang Xiaofan frowned.

“You ask me? You didn’t pick up when I called. Brother Hu said you might be in trouble. I was worried you were in danger, so I came right away.”

After speaking, he walked into the house without waiting for an invitation.

Once inside, his already furrowed brow deepened.

“What’s going on? You haven’t even opened the windows. The place smells stuffy.”

Mu Shuyu’s cheeks flushed slightly.

“Nothing. Just feeling lazy, didn’t want to clean.”

“Cut it out. You’re not that kind of person. Tell me, what’s really going on? Did you have a breakup?”

Although they hadn’t interacted much, Yang Xiaofan understood Mu Shuyu somewhat.

On the surface, she seemed gentle, but deep down she was a strong businesswoman.

Unless she’d suffered a heartbreak, he couldn’t imagine what else could cause her to fall apart like this.

“Go to hell.”

Mu Shuyu shot him a glare.

After a pause, she spoke again.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about me. I just wanted some time alone these past few days.”

“Really?”

Yang Xiaofan eyed her skeptically. Mu Shuyu glanced away.

“Of course, it’s true. I have no reason to lie to you.”

Yang Xiaofan gave her a knowing look.

“Come on. Psychology says when someone lies, they avoid eye contact because they’re afraid to look you in the eye. Their gaze betrays the deceit.”

He paused, then pressed on.

“Is something wrong with your company? Financial issues? Or something else?”

This seemed to strike a nerve, as Mu Shuyu’s eyes flickered involuntarily.

Such subtle expression didn’t escape Yang Xiaofan’s sharp gaze.

“Just as I thought!”

“Shuyu, even though we’re not that close, you’ve done a lot for my career. I’m not someone who forgets favors. If there’s a problem, just tell me straight.”

Mu Shuyu shook her head.

“You can’t help with this. It’s not about money.”

“Then what’s going on? At least tell me so we can think of a solution together.”

Unable to resist, Mu Shuyu sighed and sank onto the sofa, helplessly revealing the truth.

“It’s that Li Dacheng! Didn’t I fire him before? But he stole all my company’s trade secrets and sold them to my competitors. Now, all our products have been preemptively designed by them — including next year’s designs. With such a long gap and no new designs, my company simply can’t survive.”