Chapter 126: Prepared for the Occasion

Cheng Hui returned after finishing his call and once again earnestly implored Su Zheng.

"I still cannot give you an immediate answer to that."

Su Zheng remained firm, though he softened slightly. "How about this: even if I don't join your company, as a friend, I can help you whenever you need it."

He knew Cheng Hui only wanted his help in selecting jade stones. This was something he could occasionally assist with without disrupting his own schedule.

Cheng Hui’s eyes lit up at these words. His face full of joy, he nodded repeatedly. "That works too! Don't worry, Brother Zheng. Once we cut into high-quality jade, I will give you a percentage of the profits!"

With that, he toasted Su Zheng again and downed his drink in one gulp.

On the drive back from the hotel, Chen Muxue drove with a cold expression, ignoring Su Zheng the entire way; she was clearly still sulking.

"Are you really angry?"

Su Zheng leaned lazily against the seat, turning his head to smile faintly at Chen Muxue. "It seems you really do care about me, even taking my career so much to heart."

Hearing this, Chen Muxue felt even more frustrated. She felt that Su Zheng was like mud that couldn't be helped onto a wall; no matter what she said, it was useless.

Thinking of this, she forced a smile and tried her best to affect an indifferent tone. "Excuse me, you're overthinking it. Your life is yours to manage. If you want to live off a woman for the rest of your life, I wouldn't mind; I've long since gotten used to it anyway!"

Su Zheng gazed at Chen Muxue’s well-defined, exquisitely beautiful side profile with clear eyes. A hint of warmth flashed through his gaze. He turned to look out the window and whispered to himself:

"Yes, living off a woman like this for a lifetime... that wouldn't be so bad."

In that moment, he realized that as long as Chen Muxue could be by his side, this life would truly be enough.

It wasn't that Su Zheng was content with the status quo. Beyond simply not wanting to be tied down by a job, he was considering his future more thoroughly.

He had now collected the death energy from the red jade pendant and the rich life force from the "mud ball" he hadn't yet fully opened. Once he refined both, his body would undergo an even more significant transformation. Whether it was his constitution or his vitality, there would certainly be an astonishing metamorphosis.

Moreover, the mysterious hidden ailment within Chen Muxue’s body had not completely dissipated; he needed to collect the "Five Poisons" to neutralize it. Until now, he had spent most of his time helping Chen Muxue with her business, leaving him no energy to identify or resolve which five toxins they were.

As the days passed, there was a risk that the hidden ailment in Chen Muxue might flare up again one day, and by then, it might truly be too late.

Therefore, Su Zheng did not want to waste time on other matters. Compared to Chen Muxue’s life, a mere bit of profit meant nothing to him.

After returning to the company and having lunch, Su Zheng went to driving school again in the afternoon. Chen Muxue’s schedule was packed; having signed the cooperation agreement with the Cheng Hui Group, her top priority was to accelerate the production of her rejuvenation cream to meet their supply demands.

By dusk, Su Zheng returned from driving school and went to the company to pick Chen Muxue up for home. As soon as he entered the office, he saw that, besides Chen Muxue, her parents, Chen Jianguo and his wife, were also there.

Hm? Su Zheng was puzzled. Why were his parents-in-law at the office today?

"Haha... Muxue, don't worry. This friend of mine is extremely reliable. You don't need to fret about the medicinal herbs; I can have him sort it out for you with just one phone call!"

At that moment, another person walked through the office door—it was Wu Chenghao.

The injuries he had sustained from Su Zheng’s beating had mostly healed. He walked in with a smile, clearly having just returned from the restroom. When he saw Su Zheng, the smile on his face vanished instantly. He narrowed his eyes slightly, but soon regained his calm expression and said:

"Oh, look who it is. Finished with your driving lessons? You're back quite early!"

Although Wu Chenghao wore a faint smile, he was sneering inwardly. He had come prepared today, and he secretly looked forward to witnessing Su Zheng’s miserable downfall shortly.

Su Zheng glanced at him dismissively and ignored him. Instead, he looked at Chen Muxue with an inquisitive gaze, wanting to know why Wu Chenghao and his parents-in-law were there.

"Chenghao knows we are in urgent need of a batch of traditional medicinal herbs for production, so he came to introduce a friend to me. The price is reasonable, and the quality is guaranteed!" Chen Muxue explained coldly, her eyes still holding a trace of resentment toward Su Zheng.

"Heh... don't worry, Muxue. This friend of mine is quite well-known in the Qingyang herb industry. When he heard about our relationship, he patted his chest and promised to provide the highest-quality herbs at a price at least ten percent cheaper than the market rate!" Wu Chenghao cast a sidelong glance at Su Zheng, boasting proudly to Chen Muxue.

Chen Muxue’s eyes lit up, and she was about to express her thanks when Su Zheng spoke up first, addressing Wu Chenghao:

"With the same raw materials and the same labor costs, yet you're charging ten percent less than the market rate—what exactly is your friend using to guarantee the quality?"

Su Zheng then looked at Chen Muxue. "Muxue, I know a little about medicinal herbs. Don't be in such a hurry to sign the contract; let's inspect the goods first."

Chen Muxue frowned, her rebellious streak flaring up. "I know more about the company than you do. I know what I'm doing; I don't need you to interfere!"

"Tsk! Is this really a place for you to be barking orders?" Wu Chenghao, watching the scene, felt even more smug and couldn't help but jeer.

"Su Zheng, say less. You don't understand the business Muxue and Chenghao are discussing, so don't interrupt!" Lu Hongmei, sitting on the sofa, warned Su Zheng, worried that his words might jeopardize her daughter's business.

"Heh... it's fine, Auntie. Let him talk. Muxue and I aren't going to listen to him anyway; just treat it as him babbling nonsense!" Confident in his preparations, Wu Chenghao showed no fear and intentionally humiliated Su Zheng again.

"I’ve been so busy with business lately that I haven't had time to visit Muxue. Since I'm free today, I've already booked a table. Why don't we go eat and chat?" Wu Chenghao suggested, looking triumphant.

"Great! Haha... Chenghao has really done Muxue a huge favor this time. Knowing she needed raw materials, he brought the supplier information. I must say, you two really have a natural rapport!" Chen Jianguo said with a delighted smile.

"Dad! Say less!" Chen Muxue frowned, feeling very dissatisfied with her father’s words.

The credit for the cooperation with the Cheng Hui Group belonged primarily to Su Zheng, yet her father’s words attributed all the success to Wu Chenghao—it made no sense at all! However, when Chen Muxue recalled Su Zheng’s flat refusal to work at the Cheng family’s jewelry firm, a wave of resentment washed over her again; she felt he was simply too lacking in ambition.

"Fine, I won't say anything else. All right, let’s get going. As for Su Zheng... hmph! He doesn't need to come. It’s got nothing to do with him anyway." Seeing his daughter’s displeasure, Chen Jianguo changed the subject and made it clear he didn't want Su Zheng tagging along.