Chapter 127: Mother Goes Missing

Chen Muxue originally intended to retort, but the thought of Su Zheng’s lack of ambition filled her with such resentment that she held her tongue.

"Muxue, remember what I said: don't be in a rush to sign the agreement for the raw materials. Look at a few more suppliers first." Su Zheng couldn't help but offer a final reminder.

"I know what I’m doing. I don’t need you to teach me!" Chen Muxue snapped, turning to glare at him coldly.

Just as Su Zheng was about to speak again, his phone rang. Beside him, a flicker of hidden malice finally surfaced in the depths of Wu Chenghao’s eyes; he knew his plan was now in motion. He had come here today in front of Su Zheng only after making thorough preparations and spending a considerable sum.

"What?! My mother is missing?! Have you called the police?" Su Zheng’s expression shifted violently after hearing the panicked report from the housekeeper over the phone, and he shouted the questions. "...Don't call the police yet. I’m on my way!"

Su Zheng hung up, his once-calm face now etched with anxiety and worry.

"What’s wrong?" Though she was still angry, Chen Muxue couldn't help but ask out of concern when she saw his distraught state.

"My mother has gone missing. I have to go find her right away. We’ll keep in touch by phone!" Without waiting to explain further, Su Zheng turned and rushed out.

"Wait... hold on, do you want me to come with you?" Chen Muxue started to follow, but Wu Chenghao blocked her path. "Muxue, don't bother going. The old woman probably just lost her way; it’s nothing serious. Su Zheng can handle it on his own. Besides, we still have to meet Mr. Sun later to discuss the order!"

"Exactly. Let him go find her himself. Why get involved? If something were to happen to you, your mother and I would be so worried!" Chen Jianguo also firmly opposed the idea of Chen Muxue tagging along.

By the time Su Zheng had left the office, Chen Muxue stood stunned for a moment, ultimately abandoning the thought of following him. Nevertheless, a lingering sense of unease and worry gnawed at her, a premonition that something was wrong.

After leaving the company, Su Zheng hailed a taxi and raced toward Qiao Lan’s villa. Meanwhile, Chen Muxue and her family rode in Wu Chenghao’s car to an upscale restaurant for dinner.

As the streetlights flickered on, the night air turned cool. Inside a private dining room, Chen Muxue met Wu Chenghao’s acquaintance—a man in his forties named Sun Hong, a wholesaler of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs based in Qingyang.

"Haha... A pleasure to meet you, President Chen. I am Sun Hong. I hope we have a pleasant cooperation in the future!" Upon seeing Chen Muxue, Sun Hong froze for a split second, a look of lust and heat rising in his eyes. He masked it quickly, however, and reached out with a smile to greet her.

"Hello, Mr. Sun." Chen Muxue shook his hand perfunctorily and sat down in a neutral spot. Sun Hong rubbed his fingers together as if savoring the lingering sensation of the handshake, but seeing Wu Chenghao nearby, he suppressed his agitation and began the small talk.

"Haha... President Chen, you look so young. To have carved out your own territory in the Qingyang cosmetics market—that is truly rare, truly remarkable!" Sun Hong laughed, though a hint of jealousy simmered beneath his words. He thought to himself that a spoiled second-generation rich kid like Wu Chenghao was incredibly lucky to have hooked such a stunning woman. If not for the power of the Wu family, he would have found it hard to restrain his base impulses.

"Alright, Old Sun, let's get straight to the cooperation. You can leave early; my family and I have things to discuss later!" Wu Chenghao noticed the strange look on Sun Hong’s face. While it fed his ego, it also made him feel disgusted, so he urged him to hurry. Relying on the Wu family’s influence, he knew he could keep Sun Hong on a tight leash.

Sun Hong didn't dare say anything, instead pulling a list of material specifications from his bag and handing it to Chen Muxue to select what she needed. Chen Jianguo and his wife sat in silence, terrified of disrupting Chen Muxue’s train of thought, yet their eyes were filled with gratitude and joy as they looked at Wu Chenghao. To them, Wu Chenghao was incredibly capable—he commanded the wholesaler with such authority, and the man didn't even dare to talk back. They grew fonder of him by the second, convinced that if their daughter were to end up with him, they would never have to worry about business matters again.

Wu Chenghao basked in their admiring gazes, feeling immensely satisfied and proud. He felt the price he had paid was well worth it. Not only would he drive Su Zheng to ruin, but he would also resolve Muxue’s raw material issues in one go. He didn't believe for a second that after this, Chen Muxue wouldn't happily accept him.

"President Chen, normally I wouldn't agree to this price, but for Young Master Wu’s sake, I’ll treat this as making a new friend, haha..." Sun Hong said, putting on a generous facade as he took note of the herbs Chen Muxue had selected. He then pulled a contract from his bag and handed it to her. "Please sign this, President Chen. If you transfer the funds to my company tonight, I’ll ship the goods first thing tomorrow morning!"

Seeing Chen Muxue hesitate, he added, "The contract is just a formality. With Young Master Wu here, how could I possibly pull any tricks? Besides, our company usually requires a deposit from new clients, but I’ve waived that for you just to help with your cash flow. That’s generous enough, isn't it?"

Chen Muxue thought of Su Zheng’s words and remained indecisive. The prospect of transferring funds without having seen the quality of the herbs left her feeling unsettled.

"Muxue, just sign it. With me here, are you really worried that Old Sun would dare to play games? If he dares to supply you with substandard herbs, I’ll be the first to hold him accountable!" Wu Chenghao said boisterously, glaring at Sun Hong. The latter lowered his head and offered an awkward smile, though a flash of resentment and malice crossed his eyes.

"Muxue, since Chenghao has already put it that way, what are you still worried about? I don’t understand these processes, but I trust the boy. Just sign it!" Seeing his daughter’s hesitation and noting Wu Chenghao’s darkening expression, Chen Jianguo quickly signaled her with his eyes, frowning in impatience.

"But..."

"Oh, come on. If it weren't for the support of the Wu family, Old Sun would still be struggling to make a living in some gutter somewhere. Muxue, just trust me. I’ll take responsibility for anything that goes wrong. I’ll even put up the funds for you if I have to—does that satisfy you?" Wu Chenghao felt humiliated by Chen Muxue’s hesitation, especially knowing it was because of that bastard Su Zheng, so he pressed her again.

"That won't be necessary. Don't misunderstand, Chenghao... I... I’ll sign it."