Chapter 38: Daily Life

“What’s my dad’s phone number again?”
Mu Yu sat fiddling with his phone in a milk tea shop. The newly issued communicator could only be used for contacting the liaison, so he’d gone out and bought a new phone. Thankfully, the bonus had already been deposited into his bank account—otherwise, he would have been stranded.

“Hello, Dad?”
After a few rings, the call connected, and a deep male voice came through.
“Son, did you change your number?”
“Yeah, I lost my phone. Dad, where are you these days?”
“I’m in Yong City. There’s a new project here, and I had to come check it out.”
If he listened closely, Mu Yu could hear the faint roar of heavy machinery in the background.

“Something up? Need anything?”
Mu Weiguo wiped the sweat from his brow, waved at someone nearby, and moved to a quieter spot. He knew his son well—neither of them were fond of phone calls. If it wasn’t something big, they’d just exchange a few texts.

“Dad, if you have time, can you come home? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“...Did you get arrested for something illegal?”
“What are you thinking! It’s something serious!”
“Alright, I’ll be home the day after tomorrow at the latest. If that’s all, I have to hang up, I’m busy here.”
Though he’d joked, Mu Weiguo still cared deeply about his son. He decided to hand things over to a colleague and head home.

“Okay.”
Before Mu Yu could say anything else, all he heard was the busy tone.

“Really now…”
Mu Yu shook his head helplessly, finished the last sip of his milk tea, and headed out. A young couple nearby had been whispering sweet nothings to each other, but the girl suddenly froze, her face turning pale.

“What’s wrong, honey?”
Her delicate boyfriend leaned in, sounding puzzled.
“Did you see it? There’s a face behind that man!”
Disbelief was written all over her face, her voice trembling.

“Sweetheart, you must be seeing things. How could—”
He followed her gaze out of curiosity, only for his expression to freeze as well.
“There’s a face.”

A featureless face, with only blurred outlines, peeked out from Mu Yu’s clothes, staring curiously at the milk tea cup on the table. Sensing their horrified gazes, the ghostly figure nodded apologetically and vanished back inside.

“A ghost!”
The couple’s eyes rolled back in unison as they fainted.

Nearby, an uncle drinking milk tea froze, letting the cup slip from his hand as if shocked.
“Damn, is there poison in the milk tea?”

“What’s that noise?”
Mu Yu glanced back at the chaos inside the shop, puzzled, then continued out, where a familiar car was waiting.

“Have you made up your mind, Mr. Mu?”
As Mu Yu settled into the back seat, Old Ding maintained a posture of utmost respect, not moving an inch. In truth, unless Mu Yu gave a clear refusal, Old Ding didn’t mind acting as his personal driver. In Fengzhou, a newly emerged member with unused protection privileges was more than worthy of such treatment.

“Here, an attachment confirming my identity.”
Mu Yu, tired of playing games with these old foxes, pulled a sheet from an envelope and tossed it to the stupefied elder.

---

“Our Ding family will be your loyal friends and supporters from now on.”
Old Ding hadn’t expected Mu Yu to be so straightforward after one meeting, but he quickly composed himself, a humble smile on his face.

“Don’t celebrate too soon. I’ll be away for a while. I’m sure with your resources, you’ve already found my family’s address, haven’t you?”
“Never, never,” Old Ding stammered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. In fact, since Mu Yu had joined the investigation team, his files were encrypted, but he’d once been an ordinary man—if not through him, there were always ways to dig up traces from his colleagues. That was how Old Ding had managed to intercept him.

“There are one…two children at my home. While I’m gone, I want you to watch over them. Try not to let them notice. If I come back and they’re safe and sound, the protection privilege is yours. If anything happens to them, the Ding family won’t need to exist anymore.”
Mu Yu’s face was cold, mimicking a scene out of The Godfather.

Old Ding had no doubt about Mu Yu’s abilities. If Mu Yu withdrew his protection, the vast Ding family would collapse in an instant. The death of a protector and the withdrawal of protection were two very different things: for the former, a new protector could be found; for the latter, no one in their right mind would risk offending a colleague to take over.

Even the investigation team, after so many incidents, had a few tricks up their sleeve.

“Yes, I will follow your orders to the letter.”
Old Ding carefully placed the document in a safe, his response decisive. For the sake of the Ding family, not a single hair on those children’s heads would be harmed!

After discussing a few more details, the car slid to a halt at the entrance to Mu Yu’s apartment complex.

“When will you be leaving? I can arrange transportation.”
Old Ding followed Mu Yu out of the car and asked.

“Tomorrow morning. I’ll go by myself.”
Mu Yu didn’t intend to involve the Ding family in everything. If not for his upcoming trip, he wouldn’t have agreed to their request at all. Two consecutive incidents had made him more cautious. The calm surface of Fengzhou might not last much longer.

“Of course, safe travels.”
With the help of the driver, Old Ding bowed deeply, only straightening after Mu Yu’s figure vanished.

A short distance away, several men in suits watched the exchange with grim expressions, exchanged glances, and dispersed.

“Dad, the new protector has already been recruited by the Ding family.”
“Yes, I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Yes, understood.”

One man hung up, shaking his head in resignation. They’d hoped to act before the Ding family reacted and seize the protection privilege, but the Ding family had intercepted Mu Yu first. Truly, they were the local power in Fengzhou—formidable even on the brink of collapse.

Those who eyed the Ding family hungrily could only order their subordinates to stand down. Attacking a protected family was strictly taboo; if discovered, even their own protector would abandon them.

“Aunt Wang, still busy?”
Mu Yu first returned home to put away his things, then hurried downstairs. It was already late, and Aunt Wang was cleaning up her stall alone. Seeing this, Mu Yu quickly went to help.

“Sit down, what’s up? Not working anymore?”
Aunt Wang’s willow-shaped brows arched as she pushed his hands away. She’d watched Mu Yu grow up; she could never really be angry at him—it was just her sharp tongue.

“My boss was pleased with my performance last month and gave me some paid time off.”
Mu Yu grinned, collecting the steamer baskets and carrying them to the back kitchen, gently nudging away Huangzi, the yellow dog, who looked up at him with a wounded expression.

---

Heartless thing, I brought you food out of kindness, and that’s the look you give me.

“Well, what is it, you ungrateful boy?”
Aunt Wang washed the kitchenware with a hose as she eyed Mu Yu, who was now crouched with Huangzi.

“Aunt Wang, would you consider moving to a new place?”
Mu Yu stroked the dog’s belly, cautiously broaching the subject. He considered them family, but still had to respect her wishes—he couldn’t make decisions for her.

“What, you sick of me already and want to kick me out?”
She tossed her rag onto the sink, her charming eyes wide, reaching to twist his ear.

“Hey, hey, talk, don’t use your hands!”
Mu Yu grimaced in pain, forced to laugh and beg for mercy.

“No, I’m just moving soon and there’s space. Thought I’d ask if you’d like to come with.”
“Hmph, at least you have a conscience.”
Aunt Wang let go, giving his head a light smack.

“Where did you get so much money? Was it Sister Zhuang and the others who helped you?”
She pulled over a stool and sat opposite Mu Yu, ready to talk seriously. She knew him well—how could he have saved up enough for a house just a year after graduating?

“Did you discuss this with your parents? If not, let me see where you bought it—I might buy a place nearby too.”
“I didn’t know you were so well-off, Aunt Wang!”
“Of course. And stop calling me ‘Aunt,’ you make me sound old!”

Wang Ningjie’s face shone with pride. She was in her thirties, but still had the spirit of a young girl. She had her own concerns; after all, she was an outsider. If Mu Yu’s parents had paid for the house, what would it look like for her to move in? She’d saved up quite a bit over the years—if prices weren’t too high, maybe she’d buy a place nearby. In this city, Mu Yu’s family was the only one she was close to.

“It’s fine, I earned it myself. Landed a big contract last month—company bonus.”
“And it’s a private building, Aunt Wang, you can’t buy a unit there.”
Mu Yu was evasive. He couldn’t exactly say he’d earned it by cutting down dozens of humanoid creatures and being rewarded by the organization. Not that it would matter—if he told her, she’d just laugh it off as a joke.

“Maybe I shouldn’t. You’re getting older, you’ll want a girlfriend, and I’d just be in the way. We’re in the same city anyway—I’ll visit if I miss you.”
Aunt Wang hesitated. Like most guardians, she always put the child first, her own feelings coming second.

“I don’t have a girlfriend…and you don’t have to overthink it. If you see me every day, you won’t miss me.”
“Bah, who’d miss you? Who was it who begged me to marry him as a kid, and now he’s all grown up and denying it?”
A flush crossed Wang Ningjie’s face, quickly replaced by a mock expression of wounded pride.

“That was middle school! Aunt Wang, come on, I’m being serious here.”
Mu Yu coughed, trying to steer the conversation back.

“Ungrateful boy. Let me think about it for a couple days.”
“Sure. I’ll be away for a bit—could you keep an eye on Mu Qing for me?”
“Of course.”

Mu Yu patted Huangzi’s wagging tail and stood up. The kitchen was small, some ingredients still on the counter—Aunt Wang’s preparations for lunch, it seemed. Mu Yu glanced at them and, for some reason, felt a faint sense of unease, his brows knitting together.