After Mai Jiaqi left, Mu Shaoyang sat smoking, his mind consumed with thoughts of capital. The presidential suite was also nearing its expiration date, necessitating another large expenditure, which gave him a headache.
He considered asking his father for money, but decided against it. The 2 million yuan he'd received a few days prior was already an unprecedented amount. Asking for another 18 million would surely lead to a beating. His mother likely didn't have much money left either, with her daily high-end beauty treatments costing millions each month, leaving little behind unless she sold her jewelry.
"Jewelry?" The thought sparked a glint in Mu Shaoyang's eyes, and he immediately formulated a plan: "Steal the dragon and replace it with a phoenix."
Upon returning home, his mother was already dreaming of her young lover, and his father was nowhere to be found, likely indulging in some romantic escapade. This was his chance. Mu Shaoyang sneaked into the study, recalling that he had seen his mother store her jewelry in there previously.
The password? Mu Shaoyang knew it by heart. He'd overheard his father mentioning it once when he was drunk. He’d remembered it ever since, but had never dared to try it. His father would at least skin him alive if he found out. The thought made him hesitate.
But as he thought about entering the ranks of the elite, courage surged through him. "Damn it, at worst, I'll get a beating."
Glancing around, he gently closed the door and opened the cabinet. Mu Shaoyang was not entirely without common sense; he even brought disposable gloves to turn the combination wheels.
"Hope it hasn't been changed," Mu Shaoyang prayed, slowly turning the dials. 8-9-6-9...
"Click~"
After the last number, he heard a click. Mu Shaoyang held his breath, turned the handle, and gently pulled. "Clang~" The safe door slowly opened. Mu Shaoyang could no longer contain his excitement, stomping his feet a few times, the ground rumbling. If not for the fear of being discovered, he would have roared to the heavens.
As the safe door swung fully open, a dazzling array of precious gems met his eyes, each clearly worth a fortune. He was overjoyed, already envisioning how he would spend the money once he got it.
Looking at the sheer volume of jewelry, he didn't know where to start. He gazed at the alluringly sparkling gems and could no longer restrain himself. Making up his mind, he decided to take them all. "Huh, what's this little USB drive? Could it be some good seeds my dad stored? Hehe, I'll copy it later and bring it back."
Mu Shaoyang looted all the jewelry, gently closed the safe door, and tiptoed out of the villa.
He hailed a ride-hailing car and went to a secluded computer shop, which was a front for something else entirely.
"Monkey, you're making a good living. Why the rundown shop?" Liao Wenxuan chuckled and pushed open the back door, revealing a different world inside. It was brightly lit, with two people intently examining tools under magnifying glasses.
"Young Master Yang, just trying to make a living. It's nothing major, and I thank you for your continued support."
"Alright, I'm in a hurry. Put everything else aside and replicate mine first." Mu Shaoyang produced a bag and poured out all the jewelry.
Liao Wenxuan's eyes flickered with greed, but he quickly regained his composure. Dealing with these kinds of people, he knew what to ask and what not to ask. He just needed to do the job for the money.
"Young Master Yang, when do you need them by?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"This~" Liao Wenxuan looked a bit hesitant. "Young Master Yang, that's too short a time. The quality might not be very good."
Mu Shaoyang agreed, realizing the replicas had to be very convincing. "What's the latest?"
"Tomorrow evening. I'll get a couple more people to help."
"Alright, I'll leave them with you. Don't play any tricks. I'll give you an extra 30,000 yuan."
"Don't worry, Young Master Yang. You can trust Monkey to handle this. I wouldn't dare to cheat you even with a hundred dares."
"Good. It's best if that's the case. I'm leaving now. Hurry up, and notify me when they're done." Mu Shaoyang left, and as he passed the shelf of accessories, he casually picked up an identical USB drive and pocketed it.
Upon returning home, Mu Zhengtong had just returned, which sent a chill down Mu Shaoyang's spine. Fortunately, his father was drunk and was helped inside by his driver, rambling incoherently on the sofa, spewing all sorts of obscenities. Hearing Mu Shaoyang wanted to slap him, but decided against it. He was no better himself, and his mother knew about it and didn't care, so why should he bother with his father?
He grabbed a blanket, covered Mu Zhengtong, and went upstairs to sleep. Lying in bed, he was too excited to sleep, his mind filled with the jewelry. He tossed and turned for over an hour and finally dozed off after practicing his "qilin arm" for a bit.
He woke up to the sun high in the sky, feeling a knot of anxiety. He cautiously went downstairs.
"Why are you walking so slowly!"
Mu Zhengtong's sudden voice from behind startled Mu Shaoyang, causing him to lose his footing and tumble down the stairs. "Ah...!"
"Son... Son!" Zhang Ziqi anxiously rushed over to help Mu Shaoyang up, feeling him all over. Seeing that he hadn't broken any limbs, she was relieved.
Fortunately, it was only three steps. If it had been from the top of the stairs, he would likely have been attending his own funeral tomorrow. Even just three steps left Mu Shaoyang dizzy and in pain.
"You really are something, so grown up yet still so careless. Does anything hurt?" Zhang Ziqi said with a hint of accusation.
Mu Shaoyang rubbed his backside and face, complaining in pain, "Dad, it's all your fault. You almost scared me to death."
Mu Zhengtong felt he was in the wrong but couldn't easily admit it, so he coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment. "You haven't done anything wrong, what are you afraid of?"
After lunch, Mu Zhengtong and his wife went out separately, neither checking the safe. Mu Shaoyang, who had been on tenterhooks, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He waited until five in the afternoon for Monkey's call. He immediately rushed over and was delighted to see the high-quality replicas, feeling very satisfied.
"Monkey, well done. I've transferred the money to your account. And remember to keep your mouth shut," Mu Shaoyang said, glancing at the other two employees working.
"Don't worry, Young Master Yang. We all make a living doing this; we know the rules."
Mu Shaoyang nodded without saying more, picked up two bags of jewelry, and headed straight to Bin Hai's largest pawnshop, Qian Ge.
He had expected to pawn them for at least over a hundred million, but was surprised to only get 80 million. "If I want to redeem them in three months, it will cost ninety million. Damn, they're really ripping me off."
Mu Shaoyang only grumbled inwardly, knowing he'd get even less at other pawnshops.
With the money in hand, he forgot everything else and immediately went to Hong Haiquan's second-hand luxury car dealership. He spent 5 million to buy back his beloved car. "Damn Hong Haiquan, not giving me any face. I'll definitely have my uncle deal with your family. Let you guys have your fun for now."