Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  At this point, Butler Mu explained once again for fear that Qin Ran didn’t know about it. “The Mo family is a huge household in Shanghai. It’s hard to make things clear.”


  Cheng Mu nodded. “I see.”


  He had never heard of the Mu family, but he knew of the Mo family as they had worked with the Cheng family before. But Cheng Wenru had been the one to liaise with them back then. Perhaps Cheng Tu and Cheng Shui could hold a conversation with the Mo family, but Cheng Mu had never been involved in such matters.

  Even so, he figured that the Mo family’s place in Shanghai was somewhat like the top four households’ in Beijing.

  Cheng Mu was in his thoughts.

  Qin Ran looked up and put down the spoon in her hand. She turned to Mu Nan and said calmly, “You can go back first, things are not urgent here.”


  Mu Nan hesitated.

  Cheng Juan, Qin Xiuchen, Cheng Wenru, and the rest had told him time and again to watch Qin Ran closely.

  “Young Master Mu Nan, don’t worry. Boss Wang and the rest will be here soon. They’re knocking off early today and have the afternoon to rest,” Cheng Mu added as he saw Mu Nan hesitating.

  Mu Nan knew who Boss Wang was; they had met before at the wedding. Boss Wang was Yan Xi’s manager, and he had tried to get him into the entertainment circle too.

  Although Yan Xi and Cheng Mu weren’t too reliable, Boss Wang was. Mu Nan felt more at ease knowing he was coming.

  Butler Mu heard from Cheng Mu that a Boss Wang was coming to look for him, and found the name a little strange. He didn’t probe, though.

  “In that case, I’ll come over again in the afternoon.” Mu Nan decided after much thought and left with Butler Mu.

  Mu Nan wanted to make things clear to Butler Mu on the way.

  “I won’t stay in Shanghai. My specialization is in Physics,” Mu Nan said to him in the car.

  Butler Mu looked up at him. “Young Master Xiao Nan, you……”


  Mu Nan peered out the window.

  Ning Wei had never talked to him about his father.

  When he first learned about the Mu family, Mu Nan had been rather cold towards them. But two days ago, after he heard Ning Wei mention his father, Mu Nan felt much less enmity towards the Mu family.

  It was also Ning Wei who suggested that he returned with Butler Mu.

  Ning Wei said that he should know what sort of person his father was.

  Mu Nan seemed a little lost. It was a while later when he said, “Do you know what sort of person my father was?”


  Butler Mu went quiet upon hearing his question. He thought through it for a while before replying, “Eldest Master dedicated his entire life to research……”


  Mu Nan quietly listened. He was trying to piece together information from Butler Mu and the picture he had seen yesterday.

  The atmosphere was solemn in the car.

  It didn’t take too long to arrive at the Mu household.

  It was crowded and lively at home that day, perhaps because some had heard about Mu Nan’s cousin’s visit.

  In the crowd was Mu Ying, whom Mu Nan hadn’t seen in a year.

  It was evident that Mu Ying was trying her best to integrate with the rest of them, but it wasn’t so easy. She tried talking to two girls of similar age.

  Mu Nan looked away from her.

  There were many people in the house today. Old Master Mu kept Mu Nan by his side and introduced him to the rest of the Mu family.

  “So, this is Big Brother’s son. He’s a good-looking chap, indeed.” Second Master Mu Zongxi glanced at Mu Nan and said what had to be said.

  Although Mu Nan’s return meant one more person to split the assets with, Second Master Mu didn’t have much to worry about, for he had Mu Zining with him.

  Everyone knew Mu Nan’s identity, but as a Young Master who had just returned to the family, he wasn’t in the running for anything.

  If this event was held only for Old Master Mu to introduce Mu Nan to the rest, the turn-up rate wouldn’t have been this good.

  Most people were actually here for Mu Zining.

  Mu Nan listened to the murmurs and discussions quietly. Old Master Mu was very nice to him, but it was apparent that his health was indeed failing. Otherwise, Butler Mu wouldn’t have gone all the way to Beijing to look for him.

  The family banquet was at noon.

  Mu Nan was punctual, just like Qin Ran.

  But Mu Zining wasn’t back even at 12:10 pm.

  The Mu family didn’t seem impatient at all. They waited on with unhurried smiles.

  At half-past 12, the guard standing by the door finally came to report that Miss Mu Zining was back. The groups of people chattering in the living room immediately got up and headed for the entrance to welcome her.

  Old Master Mu’s health was poor. He was simply holding out these two days.

  Mu Nan handed Old Master Mu a cup of tea but did not call him Grandpa.

  “Look, that’s your Sister Zining. I’ll take you to her, you can get to know each other,” Old Master Mu said.

  “I’m sorry, Grandpa. I was out negotiating a deal, so I ran late.” Mu Zining was wearing a body-hugging cheongsam.

  Her looks and figure were impressive, and her mannerism was elegant and learned.

  Upon hearing that, most of the people around pricked up their ears.

  Mu Zongxi’s eyes lit up. “The deal with Pinnacle Studios?”


  Mu Zining smiled. “That’s right. We’ve signed a contract, and Young Master Mo has been trying to get me to edit his scripts for him.”


  Anything that involved the Mo family or the Liu family in Shanghai was a rather big deal.

  “I thought that you’d be doing well if you stayed with First Cousin. But it seems like there isn’t much of a difference from before.” Everyone’s eyes were on Mu Zining. Meanwhile, Mu Ying walked towards Mu Nan and continued, “That’s Mu Zining for you. Do you know the Mo family? The big boss whose words trump all others’?”


  After accepting twenty thousand yuan from Ning Wei, Mu Ying had gone to Shanghai with Old Master Mu and even attended a school to learn about etiquette.

  Mu Nan glanced at Mu Zining and then looked away. He didn’t respond to Mu Ying.

  After lunch, only the main members of the Mu family were left.

  Old Master Mu looked at Mu Nan. “I plan to hold a banquet for them to get to know the rest in the industry.”


  Of course, this was all because Old Master Mu wanted to prove to the rest of the business counterparts that he acknowledged Mu Nan and Mu Ying.

  It wasn’t a big issue, but it wasn’t a small one either.

  Everyone exchanged glances.

  Mu Nan looked at Old Master Mu and was just about to decline his offer.

  Old Master Mu covered his mouth with his handkerchief as he went into a coughing fit. Then, he said with bloodshot eyes, “Xiao Nan, if you don’t agree to this, how am I going to face your father when I pass on?”


  Mu Nan went quiet.

  He could clearly see that Old Master’s handkerchief was stained with blood.

  Mu Nan was somewhat like Qin Ran—they didn’t like being forced. If Old Master Mu was ordering him today condescendingly, he would definitely have refused to go ahead with it.

  But now……

  Mu Nan hesitated as he looked at the condition Old Master Mu was in. “Let me think about it.”


  Old Master Mu could sense that Mu Nan was wavering. He quickly nodded and said, “Alright, take your time.”


  Mu Nan looked at the time; it was already past two. He got up, ready to take his leave.

  “You’re going to look for your cousin?” Old Master Mu heard about his cousin from Butler Mu. “Why didn’t you bring her here today?”


  “She doesn’t like crowds.” With that, he left.

  Mu Zining, who had remained silent throughout, wiped her lips as she watched Mu Nan walk out. When everyone had left, she asked Old Master Mu, “His cousin came over as well?”


  “I heard she’s here to meet a friend,” Butler Mu said.

  Mu Zining thought about Mu Ying, whose reputation in the industry wasn’t too good. She didn’t have a good impression of Ning Wei’s family. Upon hearing what Butler Mu said, she smiled and commented, “Here to see a friend, huh.”


  Butler Mu used to be prejudiced against Qin Ran too, but having interacted with her for a few days, he found that she wasn’t the sort of person he thought she was.

  But even as he saw Mu Zining’s odd smile, Butler Mu didn’t say a word……

  Shanghai Hotel.

  Cheng Mu was sitting at the dining table, speaking to Boss Wang.

  Boss Wang sounded agitated. “Really? You have the original version and the autographed one? Really? Where did you get it from?”


  Cheng Mu intuitively turned to Qin Ran.

  Qin Ran was sitting beside Yan Xi.

  She picked up a video call as she spoke to him.

  Cheng Juan was still at the lab, busy wiping his glasses.

  Seeing that the call had been connected, he put his glasses back on and asked, “What are you eating tonight? Let me see it.”


  Qin Ran turned the camera to her food and then asked, “What’s with this new pair of glasses?”


  “Uncle Lin gave them to me.” Cheng Juan leaned against a table. “He said the students in the lab are afraid of me. They’d be frozen by my gaze if I didn’t put some glasses on.”


  Qin Ran was speechless.

  Was he that scary?

  “Have your meal first, I’ll be back just the following day.” Cheng Juan didn’t want to disturb her while she was eating.

  After hanging up, she found that Cheng Mu and Boss Wang were looking at her.

  “What?” Qin Ran raised a brow.

  Cheng Mu paused for a while and then asked, “Sister-in-law, do you know…… Magic Lamp?”


  Cheng Mu wouldn’t be surprised at all if Qin Ran knew Magic Lamp.

  Qin Ran picked up vegetables with her chopsticks. “What is it?”


  “Can you ask that boss why it isn’t being continued? I’ve waited for years, but it’s stuck at Professor Dada’s part!” Boss Wang seemed uptight. “Or could you ask him what’s going on with Professor Dada?”


  Qin Ran calmly replied, “He’s dead.”


  “What?” Boss Wang widened his eyes at her.

  Qin Ran looked up. “The professor is dead. Everyone in the lab is dead.”


  “That’s impossible! What’s going to happen to the rest of humanity if he’s dead! What about all the superheroes……”


  “Don’t believe my Sister-in-law’s nonsense. She hasn’t even opened ‘Celestial Wolf’ yet, how would she know the plot……” Cheng Mu was very sure of it.

  At night.

  Back in the hotel.

  Qin Ran opened her laptop and stared at the login page for a while before slowly opening the browser.