Jiang Muyan took off his white coat and glasses, put on a black mask and baseball cap, and headed straight for a secluded private room on the club's top floor.
The moment he pushed the door open, a figure shot toward him like a cannonball and threw his arms around him, sobbing as though his world had ended. "Brother, you finally woke up. Three months... three whole months! Do you have any idea how I survived those three months?"
Expressionless, Jiang Muyan peeled him off. "Old Gu, you look like you've been living pretty well to me. Gained another three pounds, haven't you?"
Gu Zheng was his college roommate, a little demon king whose family had military connections.
Back then, Jiang Muyan had contributed the technology and hard work, while Gu Zheng had provided the money and connections. Together, they had founded Hengxing Technology.
They had eventually taken the company public. Gu Zheng served as its public-facing president, handling outside engagements and every occasion that required someone to appear in public.
The actual core technology and major decisions were all in Jiang Muyan's hands.
"That's stress weight. Stress weight, understand? During those three months you were unconscious, those old foxes tried a different trick every day to poach our people. The headhunters practically rang the phones of our key technical staff off the hook. And that project in Southeast Asia-the other side insisted on negotiating with you in person. I told them you were abroad on a business inspection, but they wouldn't believe me..." Gu Zheng sported a messy mop of medium-length hair, with one small lock dyed blue.
Even in suit trousers, a white shirt, and a tie, looking every inch a successful professional, he still couldn't hide the devil-may-care attitude in his bones.
As he poured out his woes, he pulled a stack of documents from his briefcase and slapped them onto the table. "These all need your signature. Technology licensing, equity changes, new project launches... if you hadn't woken up, I could only have... well, gone home to inherit the family business."
Jiang Muyan rolled his eyes at him and picked up the top document. "Has Legal reviewed these?"
"Yes. Seven revisions." Gu Zheng leaned over and pointed to several key clauses. "Here, and here. They insisted on adding liability clauses for breach of contract, with absurdly high penalties. I pushed back three times, and we finally compromised on this figure."
Jiang Muyan scanned the contract ten lines at a glance, examining it carefully, then finally picked up a pen and signed his name with a decisive flourish.
One after another.
Technology patent licensing agreements, an executive equity incentive plan...
Watching beside him, Gu Zheng suddenly fell quiet.
Only after Jiang Muyan signed the last one did he speak softly. "Boss, your health... are you really all right now?"
Jiang Muyan removed his mask and patted his shoulder gratefully. "I still have to thank you for arranging Doctor Fang for me."
His current medical team had been introduced by Gu Zheng in his capacity as an old classmate.
Given his family's background, Old Master Jiang had ultimately hired the team.
That was also precisely why Doctor Fang would follow his instructions.
Gu Zheng's eyes turned cold. "Zhao Chuan told me all about Jiang Qingyu's little moves. I wouldn't feel safe unless the doctor was one of our own. If I hadn't been afraid of disrupting your earlier arrangements, I'd have brought Zhao Chuan straight to Hengxing and put him under protection. Even if I openly went against him, what could that Jiang fellow do about it?"
"Even a mighty dragon doesn't overpower the local snake. Besides, your old man is at a critical juncture. Don't cause trouble for him. Anyway, thank you."
"We shared a bunk bed, and you're saying that to me? Back when I got kicked out of the house and nearly starved to death in our dorm, I only scraped by thanks to mooching off your meal card. It was only because I started a business with you that my old man thought I wasn't a complete lost cause and reluctantly let me back into the family fold. Without you, even if I hadn't starved, I probably would've spent my whole life as some rich wastrel... boo-hoo... I really can't live without you... I really don't want to go back and inherit the family business... my brother's too ruthless. I can't beat him... boo-hoo..."
The more Gu Zheng talked, the more worked up he became.
He clung to Jiang Muyan's arm, streaming tears and snot.
Jiang Muyan handed him tissues in disgust while dealing with company business.
By the time he finished the last document, half an hour had passed.
Not daring to delay, Jiang Muyan prepared to get up and leave.
Gu Zheng hastily grabbed his arm. "Leaving already? Stay and chat a little longer. You have no idea how much I've been bottling up these past three months..."
Jiang Muyan put his mask and baseball cap back on. "Next time. Song Yutang could go back at any moment."
Gu Zheng pouted but obediently saw him out.
The elevator descended slowly from the private rooms on the top floor and stopped on the fourth.
When the doors opened, the sight in the corridor made Jiang Muyan pause.
The club manager was leading seven or eight young men toward them.
Every one of the boys was tall and long-legged, wearing well-tailored white shirts and black dress trousers, their hair impeccably styled. Some had delicate, handsome features, others a striking, masculine look, each with his own distinctive charm.
At the sight of Gu Zheng, the manager immediately approached with a beaming smile. "President Gu, what brings you down here? Is there anything you need?"
Gu Zheng was the club's owner on paper.
They had originally opened the place mainly to entertain clients conveniently and provide a secure setting for business discussions.
Jiang Muyan also held a stake, but he never showed his face.
"Nothing. Just looking around." Gu Zheng swept a casual glance over the boys and raised an eyebrow. "This batch is pretty good. New arrivals?"
The manager's smile grew a little awkward, and he lowered his voice. "Well... actually, two distinguished guests came tonight, so I called in all our best."
"Distinguished guests? Who?" Gu Zheng still cared a great deal about his own business.
The manager lowered his voice. "The two young madams from the richest family, the Jiang Family. Both the Third Young Madam and the Eldest Young Madam are here. I was afraid the ordinary ones wouldn't catch their eye, so I specifically brought out all our hidden treasures."
The smile instantly froze on Gu Zheng's face. "...Who did you say?"
"The richest family, the Jiang Family." Not noticing anything amiss, the manager continued marveling. "I never imagined the Jiang Family's young madams would come here too... but it makes sense. Our place is clean, and we keep our mouths shut. Don't worry, President Gu. I know the rules. Not a single word that shouldn't get out will leave this place."
Gu Zheng seized Jiang Muyan's arm and pulled him out of the elevator into a deserted corner, lowering his voice furtively. "If I remember correctly, this so-called Eldest Young Madam... should be that wife who married you to bring good fortune and ward off calamity, Song Yutang?"
Jiang Muyan gave him a look that said he had nothing left to live for. "Ha. Ha..."
Gu Zheng pressed a hand to his forehead. "Holy shit... I did hear about it. I remember when you investigated your fiancée, Song Ruowei, you followed the vine to the melon and ended up looking into Song Yutang too. The poor girl had it rough, but there wasn't anything wrong with her character. I figured we might as well treat a dead horse as though it were still alive, so I didn't interfere. Who knew... our little sister-in-law liked to play this wild?"
Jiang Muyan was so angry he laughed. "Neither did I."
Still less had he expected the two of them to come to this club.
Watching his reaction, Gu Zheng asked cautiously, "Well... you don't mind, do you? You're husband and wife in name only anyway. It's normal for her to find herself a little fun..."
Before he could finish, a look from Jiang Muyan made him shiver with cold.
Gu Zheng immediately shut up, but his eyes darted about, and he couldn't resist running his mouth again. "Actually... our models really are top quality. Look at that one over there. Eight-pack abs, a V-line, a stud's waist... tsk, tsk. You've been lying in bed for three months. Your physique definitely can't compare to his."
Jiang Muyan finally spoke, forcing the words through clenched teeth. "Would it kill you to shut up?"
Gu Zheng admitted honestly, "I'd die from holding it in."
Jiang Muyan shot him a vicious glare. "Since you have so much time on your hands, go find me a set of clothes."