To Xu Mu's surprise, even though Xu Shou clearly knew the effects of the Marrow-Cleansing Pill, after taking it he didn't rush to the bathroom at all.
"All done?"
Xu Ningbing asked, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Wait a little longer."
Xu Mu continued observing Xu Shou, who unhurriedly walked to the bathroom and hung his clothes neatly behind the door.
Under his suit, Xu Shou's body was sturdy and muscular, with faint abs still visible.
As time passed, the pill's effects began to show.
But only a faint trace of dark residue appeared on Xu Shou's skin—far less than what Meng Wanyue had expelled.
From one glance, Xu Mu could tell that his father had taken a Marrow-Cleansing Pill once before.
"You didn't fall asleep, did you?"
Xu Ningbing shoved Xu Mu aside, stood up with one hand on her hip and the other pointing at him.
Before she could say anything more, she spotted the pill in Xu Mu's palm.
[Favorability +5]
"Ahem! That's more like it."
Xu Ningbing took the pill and said coldly, "You can leave now."
"Hey, you rotten woman, do you have any idea how valuable this pill is?"
Xu Mu shook his head helplessly and stood up. "Remember to take your clothes off before using it."
As he reached the door, Xu Ningbing finally said softly, "Xiao Mu… thank you."
[Favorability +5]
"No need to thank me. I'll come back later—to reminisce about childhood again."
With that, Xu Mu left.
Ningbing's Favorability had finally turned positive, but Xu Mu didn't dare relax.
She wasn't like Meng Wanyue, who was now clearly on his side rather than the Dragon King's.
The Dragon King hadn't returned yet, and Xu Mu couldn't predict how she would feel about him when that happened.
Still, Xu Mu had already shown his abilities.
With Ningbing's personality, there was no way she would hand the Xu family's assets to the Dragon King in the future.
But even if she merely followed the Dragon King, Xu Mu would be annoyed.
His "childhood"? No way he'd let someone else have it.
Back in his office, Xu Mu noticed that the sound of running water still came from the bathroom.
Sensing through his Divine Eye, he realized Meng Wanyue was still showering.
He didn't get it—how could women have so little surface area to wash yet take several times longer than men?
"Wanyue, you done yet? Want me to scrub your back?" he called out teasingly.
"N-no need!"
Her voice came back, flustered.
Xu Mu glanced up toward the ceiling and expanded his spiritual perception.
He took a deep breath—that ratio was divine.
He raised a hand and mimed grabbing at the air. Damn… with just one sense sweep, it's like my hand can't even cover it!
Just then, Meng Wanyue stepped out of the bathroom.
A wave of steam rolled out behind her, mist curling like celestial clouds.
She wore her office uniform; her long black hair still damp, the curled tips more defined than when dry.
Under her fringe, her delicate face was flushed pink—like a ripe peach glistening with dew.
Those usually cool, distant eyes had completely softened in front of Xu Mu.
"M-Mr. Xu… what are you staring at?" she asked shyly, lowering her head.
"When you opened the door, all that mist came out—I thought a fairy had descended to the mortal realm," Xu Mu said, pulling out an old-school line.
[Favorability +10]
Corny as it was, it worked wonders on her.
"Oh, stop it."
Meng Wanyue came closer and bent slightly in gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Xu."
"No need to be so polite," Xu Mu said—when suddenly his phone buzzed.
He glanced at it: a message from Wang Biao.
Checking the time, he realized it was nearly after work. Looks like Wang Biao was taking this blind date very seriously.
"Wanyue, come with me for a bit," Xu Mu said.
"Alright," she nodded softly.
Together, they left the office to meet Wang Biao.
When Wang Biao saw Xu Mu, his simple, honest smile appeared. "Brother Xu, sorry to trouble you."
"Trouble? Nonsense. Your business is my business."
With that, Xu Mu led the group downstairs.
They took the elevator to the underground parking lot.
Wang Biao pressed his key fob, and a BMW 5-series blinked its lights from afar.
Xu Mu remembered—it was the same car the original villain Xu Mu had gifted him.
"Old Wang, don't drive that one," Xu Mu warned. "I'll take you there. Just say you own a ten-thousand-yuan runabout."
Wang Biao nodded; he understood.
That car didn't fit his real status anyway. If he'd bought it himself, it would've been a modest compact.
His ideal wife was someone practical, not materialistic.
"Sit in the back. I'll drive today," Xu Mu said, taking the driver's seat.
Meng Wanyue naturally took the front passenger seat, and Wang Biao climbed into the back.
"Old Wang, I'll recommend a good restaurant for you," Xu Mu said, starting the car.
"She said she wants to go to West Sea," Wang Biao replied after glancing at his phone. "She's almost there."
"What? West Sea? That's a Michelin three-star place! One steak costs several thousand! She's treating you like a fool!"
Xu Mu's expression darkened. "Forget it—let's go take a look."
Wang Biao was irritated too. He wanted a woman who knew how to live a normal life.
If this was a test, fine. But if she was always like this, he was done.
West Sea Restaurant.
Located in the bustling center of Jiang City, Xu Mu parked some distance away and walked there with Wang Biao.
The place was large but sparsely filled—after all, few could afford it.
As they entered, a uniformed waitress greeted them with a professional smile.
"I'm looking for a guest at table 10," Wang Biao said evenly.
"Table 10? Right by the floor-to-ceiling windows," she replied, pointing ahead.
Wang Biao looked over and saw two women sitting at the window, phones out, taking photos to show off the restaurant's logo—making sure everyone knew where they were.
Xu Mu's eyes narrowed. With his near-divine level of medical insight, he could tell at a glance that both women's facial structures didn't match their bone shape.
Artificial work.
One had double-eyelid surgery and a nose implant; the other had her jaw shaved into a pointed V-shape. An average man wouldn't notice, but Xu Mu saw it instantly.
"Sir, will there be two of you?" the waitress asked, noticing Xu Mu and Wang Biao seemed separate.
Xu Mu opened a certain app and showed her his VIP card.
Her professional smile immediately turned respectful. "Ah, you're one of our premium guests! Please, allow me to arrange a private room for you."
"No need. We'll just eat here in the main hall—we won't be long."
He led Meng Wanyue to a table right beside Wang Biao's.
"Brother Wang, sit down!"
The woman with the wavy perm and surgically sharpened jawline stood up with a smile. "I'm Xiao Li—Li Shuang. This is my best friend, Chang Li."
"Brother Wang, you're so tall and strong—you look like such a dependable man," Chang Li said, giggling.
Wang Biao grinned sheepishly and sat across from them. "Have you ordered yet?"
"We already did," Li Shuang said brightly. "See? I'm so thoughtful—I even ordered you a steak."
"Mm."
Following Xu Mu's advice in the car, Wang Biao got straight to the point. "Xiao Li, let's talk about the blind date directly."
"Alright, Brother Wang, I'm not one to beat around the bush either," she said with a smile. "Let me ask first—what's your job? How much do you make? Do you own a house within the third ring of Jiang City? What car do you drive? How much savings do you have?"