Zhou Zimo touched his nose and said, "True. That person surely knows the origin of this pen if he gave it to Aunty Zixi. Chen, are you betting on his feelings for Aunty Zixi? I'm really starting to think this isn't working. We'd be doing all these for nothing if he doesn't show up."

Mu Yuchen's eyes darkened suddenly as he sipped some tea and took a deep breath before leaning back against the chair. "On Lingtian's birthday, there was a cake before Lingtian's grave. We saw a man but only got his back because he avoided us on purpose, and he knew Aunty liked lilies. Ah Mo asked the guard there and found out that someone would send a bouquet of lilies over on the 15th of every month.

"At first, I thought it was Sis Lan, so I called the flower shop and found out that it was a 10-year order from a woman. I only found out it wasn't her after I asked her about it. I think it should be someone close to Lingtian and Aunty, and there's only one person that fits the role," Mu Yuchen explained calmly.

"That's Lingtian and Lingshi's father! Do you mean that man still has feelings for Aunty Zixi?" Zhou Zimo asked.

"It's just a guess, but I hope I'll get lucky."

Mu Yuchen looked down. The man just now offered $5.2 million after Gu Lingsha placed a bid of $5 million. Gu Lingsha then offered $5.5 million and the whole venue went silent.

"$5.5 million! Great! This lady over here has placed a bid of $5.5 million. Is there anyone with a higher price? $5.5 million, once!"

"$5.5 million, twice!"

"$5.5 million-"

"$6 million." As the auctioneer was about to slam his hammer, another offer was made. Zhou Zimo and Ah Mo both noticed the bidder who had not made any offer just now.

"$6.5 million!" Gu Lingsha's voice was heard loud and clear moments later.

"$7 million!" The man continued with another offer, and Zhou Zimo squinted as he glanced at Mu Yuchen.

Mu Yuchen turned to Ah Bao and said, "Find out about that person, and investigate Gu Lingsha's purpose of bidding for the pen."

"Yes, Master!"

"Then, we..." Zhou Zimo chuckled, "Gu Lingsha really helped us out big time. I never expected her to be so desperate for this pen. It seems like she does care about Lingtian."

"How do you know that it's not for Doris? Lingtian preserved this pen very well and rarely showed it to anyone. I'm not sure if Gu Lingsha has seen it before. It's way too early to make any conclusions now, so let's wait and see." Mu Yuchen was being oddly cautious.

"$8 million!"

Despite just being a pen, its price had skyrocketed 4 times higher than its starting price! How impressive!

"$8.5 million!" Gu Lingsha's sounded a little angry, proving just how desperate she was to get it.

The man hidden inside his room was about to continue bidding, but a bodyguard suddenly went up to him and handed him a phone. "Bro Yong, it's Boss!"

Ah Yong quickly picked it up. "Boss?"

"Give up right now and leave through the back exit. Hurry. I've arranged for a car to pick you up." A man's deep voice came through the phone, and the call was hung up before Ah Yong could reply.

Ah Yong glanced at the pen before punching the table frustratedly and leaving the room. "Let's go!"

His two bodyguards quickly followed him.

Mu Yuchen and Zhou Zimo waited for a while and noticed that the man from earlier did not increase his bid anymore, so the auctioneer raised his hammer.

"Hmm, that man doesn't seem to be placing any more bids. That's odd. He was pretty loud when he bid $8 million, but he's running away now? What should we do? Increase the bid?" Zhou Zimo asked.

"There's no need. It's fine to let her get it. I want to know what she's going to do with it too. Ah Bao, that man might have left already. Make sure to find him and don't lose him."

"Yes, Master!" Ah Bao quickly left the room after giving a brief reply.

In the end, Gu Lingsha won the bid with $8.5 million dollars.

There were still a lot of rare collector items after that, but Gu Lingsha never placed any bids again.

It was 10.30 p.m. when the auction ended.

Mu Yuchen and Zhou Zimo arrived outside the hotel through the VIP route while Li Si had already arranged for a car to fetch them.

"Master, are we heading back to City Z straight?"

Mu Yuchen frowned. "Is there no news from Ah Bao yet?"

"I just received news. The car went straight towards the outskirts area. Ah Bao also noticed another group in pursuit apart from us. Worried he might get noticed, he let the other group go in front. Ah Bao kind of heard that someone called Bro Yong is involved."

Mu Yuchen's phone started ringing as Li Si finished his sentence. It was from Ah Bao.

"It's me," Mu Yuchen replied.

"I'm sorry, Master. I lost them. The other group probably noticed us too, so I told our group to disperse. We found out..." Ah Bao sounded apologetic.

"It's fine. Let's talk about the specifics back at the hotel." Mu Yuchen hung up on the call while his eyes darkened.

"We're not going back to City Z?" Zhou Zimo asked.

"We might as well sort things out since we're here already. Let's return to the hotel for now."

"Alright, back to the hotel."

...

At the same time, in Hospital T in City Z, Xi Xiaye had just finished feeding her son. The nurse came and took the baby away after he fell asleep. Moments later, Mu Tangchuan came in with Zhuang Shurong accompanying her for the night.

"Have something to eat. You'll tend to get hungry at night. Your father just returned from an event, and he brought you some snacks and porridge from the hotel. Here, have some," Zhuang Shurong said as she grabbed the things from Mu Tangchuan.

Xi Xiaye wanted to reject their offer because she did not feel quite hungry, yet she did not have the heart to reject their kind gesture.

Mu Tangchuan was rushing over for a dinner party, and he felt that the restaurant's pastries were not bad. In fact, his own wife was taking care of their daughter-in-law at the hospital too, so he brought some pastries over.

"Thank you, Father, Mother."

Mu Tangchuan, who stood behind Zhuang Shurong by the bedside, nodded and smiled. "It's fine. Your mother fancies these little pastries. They're only slightly sweet and not too greasy, so they should suit your taste too. If you want anything, just let your mother-in-law or grandmother make it for you."

"Mother and Grandmother have been stewing lavish meals for me every day. There's been a different flavor a day. I can't say for sure, but Grandmother and Mother's skills are wonderful. Don't worry. I'm recovering very well, but I'm just worried that when this confinement's over, my figure..."

As Xi Xiaye responded, she sat up with disheveled hair. Zhuang Shurong considerately fixed her hat and coat. "Be careful. You have to eat more with this physique of yours. Don't get sick during your confinement. Otherwise, when you get older, you'll be the one suffering. I remember when I gave birth to Ah Chen, I became much fatter, and I even put on 10 kilograms from before I was pregnant."

When Zhuang Shurong finished, Mu Tangchuan answered for her from behind, "15 kilograms."

As Mu Tangchuan said this, he was immediately met with a dangerous glare from Zhuang Shurong. He then turned around and cleared his throat. "Okay, it's getting quite late now. You can rest when you're done eating. Tonight, your mother will be accompanying you, so I'll be going back first."

Mu Tangchuan hinted at Zhuang Shurong with his gaze, his intentions clear. He wanted her to send her off.

Zhuang Shurong ignored him and handed the porridge to Xi Xiaye.

Xi Xiaye took the bowl and smiled through pursed lips. "Mother, how about you go back with Father first? I'm fine here. I can already get down from the bed and move around anyway. There are bodyguards outside and personal nurses. Don't worry. It's the eighth day of the New Year tomorrow, and you two have to go to work. Really, don't worry about me."

"Well, Xiaye, I just have some things to discuss with your mother. Later on, she'll still look after you. Don't worry," Mu Tangchuan said, and held Zhuang Shurong by the arm as he walked out of the door.

When Xi Xiaye saw this, she could only shake her head. Then, she silently lowered her head to have the porridge.

After she had half a small bowl, she did not continue. She drank a few gulps of warm water, and the phone that was set aside on the table vibrated. She quickly picked up to hear that it was the man.

"Hello? Mr. Mu."

"Mmm, haven't slept yet?" His deep and sensitive voice immediately came from the other end.

"Not yet. Earlier, the baby was hungry. Then, Father brought some pastries over. They're quite good. How's your thing coming along?" She propped herself up and pulled up the blanket as she asked.

"Mmm, not bad, but I don't think I'll be able to go home tonight. There are still some things to handle, so I plan to stay here for a bit more. Are you okay on your own?"

"I'm fine. I'm an adult, and I can take care of myself. Besides, Mother and the rest have been watching me. Mr. Mu, why do I find that you're getting more and more long-winded like you're reaching andropause or something?" Xi Xiaye was finding his cautious tone a little unusual.

"I'm just worried that you won't feel comfortable with them. What a heartless woman!"

"If you let Father and Mother hear this, they probably won't be happy. How uncomfortable could we be as a family? I think it's quite okay. Grandmother and Mother have been taking care of me well these few days. It's just that I've been trapped inside this ward for many days, so I'm feeling a little miserable." Xi Xiaye sighed and held her head, feeling a little distressed.

"Be patient. You can go home in another two days. Now, do you know that it's tough?" His chuckle was heard, sounding warm in her ears.

"I don't find it tough. Mr. Mu, we have a son now. Let's have a daughter too." As Xi Xiaye said this, her eyes brimmed with a hopeful light. She must satisfy his wish of having a daughter.

While looking at the scenery by the balcony, Mu Yuchen suddenly laughed. He gazed down at the alternating flickers from the streetlights and cars, and a faint tenderness surfaced on his handsome face. "We'll talk about this later on. Our son's still young now. What are you rushing for?"

"Of course, I'm rushing. I'm already 28. When he's two years old, I'll be 30. After that, I'll really be at an advanced maternal age. I want you to promise me first."

"Okay, you don't have to keep bugging me about this question. With Xiao Ru, we have two sons now. We'll wait till you can get used to it. Do you really think raising children is easy?"

With her health, Doctor Huang had said that it would not be easy for her to get pregnant again, so he could only console her.

"Even if it isn't simple, I can handle it. I trust in my abilities!"

Xi Xiaye made a solemn vow. She would only know later on how tough it would be to persist. No, Mu Yuchen would be the one suffering. She had already become the queen of the household, so how could he bear to let her suffer?

They had just hung up when Zhou Zimo called out in the house. Mu Yuchen smiled and put away his phone before his expression returned to its usual silence and calm.

Li Si, who was waiting on the side, immediately went up when he saw Mu Yuchen as he reported, "Master, Ah Bao's back. He's right outside."

Mu Yuchen nodded and went to sit on the sofa. "Let him in."

"Drink up a little." Zhou Zimo handed him a glass of liquor.

Ah Bao briskly walked in with a gloomy expression. He bowed respectfully towards Mu Yuchen. "Master!"

Mu Yuchen lowered his head to take a sip before he said calmly, "Explain the situation."

"Yes, Master! Our people were following that car earlier, and we turned into Xicheng district's traffic port. Then, we realized that apart from us, a group of people was following the car in front too. They followed them all the way towards the road to suburbs from Xicheng district. Because I was worried about being noticed, I gave up on following them, but I noticed that those people seem to be from City B too. Afterward, they lost them," Ah Bao answered.

"Does that mean you didn't get anything from your trip this time?" Mu Yuchen's gaze instantly turned dark, and his tone contained a hint of coldness too.

"That might not be true, Master!" Ah Bao answered and took a step forward as he continued, "I know one of them who was among those also chasing after them! As long as I find him to understand the situation, and see who they were trailing after, we'll know the identities of those people!"

When Ah Bao finished his narration, Mu Yuchen's profound eyes suddenly flashed with a cold light. He noticed the gaze that Zhou Zimo was giving him, and he returned the look with depth too. Then, he stopped what he was doing and looked at Ah Bao. "How much time do you need to find that person?"

Ah Bao bowed slightly and responded, "We'll definitely find him by noon tomorrow!"

Mu Yuchen nodded. "Okay, I'll give you one day. In one day, you have to find that person and find out why they were chasing after that person in front. Also, find a way to find out who they're working for."

"Yes, Master, don't worry. I'll go investigate right away!" Ah Bao responded, then rushed down.

When he heard the door close, Mu Yuchen looked up at Li Si. "Have you found out more about Gu Lingsha?"

"I haven't found out much for now. After the auction ended, our people have been secretly following Doris and Gu Lingsha. We realize that the mother and daughter went to VR Spa. We haven't gotten any news until now, so they haven't left for sure."

"This mother and daughter really do know how to enjoy themselves. At VR Luxury Spa, there are only 88 members. It's where the nouveau riche and aristocrats gather as a symbol of status. It's a money-squandering establishment inside. Even if you have the money, you might not be able to get a membership card as long as the name list is full. Hmm, how did they get in?" Zhou Zimo finished the drink in his glass at a go and asked in mystification.

"Master Mo, don't you already know? The Gu family is very close to the boss. The member card that Doris has was arranged for behind closed doors. You can tell how nice he is to his wife, Doris! No wonder Gu Lingsha has the guts to be so prideful."

When Li Si recalled Gu Lingsha's elegant and noble face, he only thought it was pretentious. Their Director Xi, their Missus, was better. Even though she also had a celebrated status, she was like their low-profile Master. Most importantly, she was a friendly person and was kind to everyone. She did not discriminate when it came to treating others.

Gu Lingsha was different. Previously, when she was not with Master but with Mu Yinan, he had been in contact quite a few times with Gu Lingsha. Gu Lingsha had always been self-righteous. Even though she seemed courteous on the surface, she was actually very distant, and her tone when she spoke sounded odd.

Li Si felt repelled by her instinctively.

"Is it Gu Qiwu? I did hear that Gu Qiwu is quite loyal to his woman, Doris. Years ago, to get her, he did sacrifice a lot, and in the end, he did win the belle. They have been loving up till now. They are a fine example of a husband and wife, aren't they, Li Si?"

Zhou Zimo did hear some rumors about Gu Qiwu and Doris.

"That's true, but Doris really does have a way of making her man spoil her. Look at when she stood with Gu Lingsha. They don't look like mother and daughter but sisters. She's already over 50 years old, yet she still looks like a young and delicate lady. You can see that this woman's quality of life must be pretty luxurious," Li Si quickly responded.

"Two bloody-sucking evil spirits!" Zhou Zimo flicked away some strands of hair that fell on his forehead. When he remembered the way those two women had waltzed in and caused quite a few reactions, he could not help but sigh. "At such a huge occasion, she was still dressed all sinister-like at her age. It's no wonder you don't really like her, Chen."

As he spoke, he glanced at Mu Yuchen with an odd expression.

Nonetheless, Mu Yuchen just glanced at him with a lukewarm gaze. He suddenly sneered and said something shocking, "'Evil spirits' is a good term to me, so don't insult this term. They are only fitting to be two leeches."

When Mu Yuchen said that, Zhou Zimo spat his drink out and felt goosebumps. After trembling slightly, he subconsciously winced and shrunk his body!

Leech!

A disgusted fear flashed past in Zhou Zimo's eyes. He eased himself for quite a while and then nodded vigorously. "Leeches! Chen, you're so imaginative! In fact, nothing can describe them better. They are beyond disgusting, focused on blood-sucking, and they can't be rid off. Even just thinking about it makes me scared."

Mu Yuchen, Su Chen, and Zhou Zimo were three buddies who used to frequently have training in the wild when they were still in the army, so they would always bump into such creepy crawlies. Zhou Zimo still had lingering fears, and he felt rather disgusted and afraid of those things.

Meanwhile, Li Si could not help but laugh out loud. Although Mu Yuchen remained seated with an indifferent expression, he looked solemn, thus it was hard to imagine that such harsh words had just come out of his mouth.

"Li Si, go investigate how it's like near Doyle Street. Think of a way to find out about the exact location of Xiang She Residences. We'll go over to take a look tomorrow. Watch Gu Lingsha closely and find out what she's trying to do."

"Okay, Master. Right, Master, the mother and daughter pair entered VR Spa. Do you think they're doing anything inside? Could they have just handed over the pen they bid for to someone else, or do some kind of transaction with someone else?" Li Si stopped laughing then and shared his suspicion.

With a sigh, Mu Yuchen turned to take a look at Zhou Zimo with a knowing gaze. "I should've brought Su Chen over."

"Su Chen? Why? Do you think that little amount of money in his card could help you win the bid for that pen?" Zhou Zimo whined unhappily.

"But that police badge he wears is much more useful than the card on you," Mu Yuchen retorted and then slowly got up to walk towards his room.

"He kind of makes sense too. Well, it's late. Quickly wash up and sleep then. Chen, I'm sleeping with you tonight!" Zhou Zimo followed him.

"No, you can't—"

"Fine, you're making it seem as if you haven't slept with me before."

"Get out!" His deep and cold voice reverberated while a slipper flew towards Zhou Zimo.

Evading it, Zhou Zimo did a comical action toward Li Si before running to his room. Li Si was stunned before he left the room while suppressing his laughter.

These two buddies might be quite serious on the daily, but once they were playful, it would truly make one widen their eyes. If Master Su Chen was around, it would be even livelier here. Sometimes, Li Si admired their brotherhood.