Volume One, Chapter Four: The Crown Prince's Sexual Orientation

Mu Shaozhou.

Yu Mo silently repeated the name in her heart.

Why did it sound so familiar?

She stood up.

“Grandfather, Aunt, I still have some matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave now.”

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Fu Yanting and Lin Hua still lingering in the courtyard.

The two hadn’t left yet.

Fu Yanting was consoling a tearful Lin Hua.

“Xiaohua, you don’t need to worry. I promise you, the young mistress of the He family will definitely be you—there won’t be anyone else, and it certainly won’t be Yu Mo!”

His words were resolute as he held Lin Hua tightly in his arms.

Lin Hua wept in his embrace, her tears falling like pear blossoms in the rain.

A sharp glint flickered in her eyes.

“Yanting, I believe you. I don’t care about any of this. I just want to be with you, that’s enough for me.”

Yu Mo ignored the pair entirely and walked right past them.

Fu Yanting called out to her coldly.

“Yu Mo, you wretched woman! I don’t care what you said in front of Grandfather and Mom, don’t even dream of inheriting the Fu family.”

The Fu family had many members, but those fit to inherit the Fu Corporation were pitifully few.

Yu Mo was well aware of this; she gave a disdainful smile and turned to face the two scoundrels.

“Fu Yanting, since Grandfather wants to hand the Fu Corporation over to me, I’ll certainly help him manage it well.”

“Yu Mo!”

A fierce light flashed in Fu Yanting’s eyes.

“Regarding today’s incident, apologize to Xiaohua and I’ll let it go. Otherwise—”

“Otherwise what?”

Yu Mo folded her arms, a slight smile curving her lips.

She was curious—what method would Fu Yanting use against her?

Fu Yanting froze, thought for several seconds, and finally spoke.

“Even if I can’t be with Xiaohua, I will never be with you. Give up now. I will never, in this lifetime, like you!”

Yu Mo was amused by his words, her beautiful eyes shimmering as she raised her chin.

“Fu Yanting, you’re far too conceited. Do you think every woman in the world revolves around you? There are plenty of men with better build and looks than you. Where do you find the nerve to say such things, hmm?”

Fu Yanting was dismissive—Yu Mo had chased after him for six years.

Now, she was just trying to salvage her dignity in front of him and Lin Hua.

He believed she would cry once she got home.

“Yu Mo, do you think pretending not to care will make me notice you? Dream on!”

Yu Mo was defeated by his confidence.

“Then pay the six million in medical fees first.”

“You—!”

Fu Yanting was furious.

“I’ll pay you right now!”

He pulled out his phone, operated it for a bit, and his expression turned grim.

“What’s wrong?”

Yu Mo folded her arms, watching the show.

Fu Yanting looked up at her, his eyes blazing.

“Did you have my card frozen?”

Yu Mo shrugged.

“Do you think I have that much power? You have six days. If the money isn’t in my account by then, don’t blame me if my hand slips and the story ends up online.”

“Yu Mo—”

Before Fu Yanting could finish, Yu Mo strode away.

She got in her car and left the Fu residence.

Yu Mo parked by the roadside.

Her phone received the contact information for Dai Ming, the assistant to the Crown Prince of the Imperial Capital, sent by Old Master Fu.

She dialed the number.

After a while, it connected.

Yu Mo spoke.

“Assistant Dai, in five days, it’s Old Master Fu’s birthday banquet. I’d like to invite—”

Mu Group.

On the other end, Dai Ming accidentally had the speaker on.

Before Yu Mo could finish, he cut her off.

“Sorry, Mr. Mu doesn’t have time.”

Click.

The call was abruptly ended.

Yu Mo wasn’t discouraged by the rejection. She steadied herself and put down the phone.

She decided to try again another day.

Just calling wasn’t enough; she needed to find out where the Crown Prince frequented.

She wanted to invite him in person.

Dai Ming had just hung up when Mu Shaozhou stood up and walked over.

He spoke a few cold words.

Yu Mo was just about to drive home when her phone rang.

She glanced down—it was Assistant Dai.

She paused for a moment, then answered.

Assistant Dai’s voice was a bit nervous.

“Miss Yu, I just checked. Mr. Mu happened to have a meeting canceled on that day, so regarding your invitation—”

“I’ll deliver it in person.”

After hanging up, Yu Mo felt a mix of excitement and confusion. She hadn’t expected to secure an invitation with the Crown Prince so easily.

What Assistant Dai had said seemed almost too convenient.

She needed to tell Grandfather Fu this good news right away.

After hanging up, Dai Ming turned to Mu Shaozhou.

“Mr. Mu, I’ve agreed to Miss Yu’s request.”

Mu Shaozhou stood nearby, his elegant face now carrying a barely perceptible hint of pleasure.

Dai Ming couldn’t understand—just yesterday, he had refused Miss Yu.

Today, the CEO had come in, looking refreshed, and suddenly instructed him to accept the invitation to the Fu family’s birthday banquet.

This was out of character for the CEO.

The Fu family was just an unremarkable clan in the city.

For the CEO to make an exception to attend the banquet, there must be something special.

On the day of the banquet.

The city’s elite gathered at Yunlan Hotel.

Yu Mo arranged for people to greet the guests, keeping herself busy.

The wine for the banquet hadn’t been delivered, so she hurried to the hotel’s storeroom.

Several crates had fallen, spilling wine everywhere and filling the air with its aroma.

Yu Mo didn’t have time for the staff’s apologies; she quickly pulled out her phone.

She ordered several cases of premium wine on rush delivery, paying far more than usual and demanding it arrive within thirty minutes.

With that settled, Yu Mo hurried to the banquet hall.

Sun Jingyi found her.

“Mo Mo, is everything ready? The Crown Prince is coming; this banquet cannot fall short.”

Yu Mo nodded.

“Auntie, everything’s prepared. Please rest assured—I’ll keep an eye on things.”

These days, she’d heard various rumors about the Crown Prince from Grandfather Fu and others.

Mu Shaozhou, eldest grandson of the Mu family, the wealthiest in the Imperial Capital.

Old Master Mu had three sons; the eldest, Mu Chengqian, had only one son—Mu Shaozhou.

The second son, Mu Boyu, was a disappointment—a playboy with countless women and illegitimate children, none worth mentioning.

The third son, Mu Ruifeng, squandered his inheritance through gambling within a few years.

So Old Master Mu pinned all his hopes on Mu Shaozhou.

It was said that Mu Shaozhou took over the entire Mu Group at twenty, and in eight years, grew its performance thousands of times over.

He secured the title of the richest man in the Imperial Capital, an unshakable position.

Mu Shaozhou was a low-key person, never appearing in the media. Public impression was that he was cold, indifferent, and ruthless—otherwise, he could never have managed the Mu Group so well.

Rumors had it he was indifferent to women; he was never seen with any, leading people to speculate about his orientation.

In recent years, as the Mu Group expanded into the city, Mu Shaozhou settled here.

Countless people tried to befriend him or invite him to various business events, but he always refused—impervious to both flattery and pressure, nearly impossible to approach.

Someone once sent a woman to him, only for her to be thrown out. The sender’s company mysteriously collapsed the next day.

Yu Mo’s thoughts were interrupted by the ringing phone; she answered.

The wine had arrived, so she hurried to the hotel rear.

Once everything was settled and she returned to the banquet hall, Old Master Fu had come downstairs, surrounded by many.

Yu Mo passed by a man.

The man suddenly shouted,

“What’s wrong with you? Do you know how much this suit costs?”