This was a rental apartment in an ordinary residential area of Binbei City. It was a simple two-bedroom and one-living room apartment, almost devoid of furniture, giving it a sparse and empty feel.
The morning sunlight streamed in through the windows, filling the empty space with warmth and light.
In the center of the living room stood a white marble table, the most eye-catching piece of furniture in the room. Two simple breakfasts were laid out on the table, with Mu Zi and Li Tian sitting opposite each other, slowly eating their meal.
Li Tian was wrapped in white bandages all over his body, his face covered with randomly placed band-aids. It was clear that whoever had bandaged him wasn't skilled in the art, as the bandages and band-aids looked haphazardly applied, making Li Tian resemble a resurrected mummy.
As he sipped soy milk, Li Tian kept frowning in pain, clearly troubled by his wounds which ached with every muscle twitch.
Mu Zi, munching on a fried dough stick, occasionally looked up at Li Tian, who was wincing in pain, and finally asked, "Does it hurt a lot?"
Li Tian set down his straw and cautiously touched the wounds on his face, looking at Mu Zi and said, "I thought you would take me to a hospital."
Mu Zi paused for a moment, then continued eating. "You don't look like someone who can afford medical bills."
"I thought you would help me out completely!" Li Tian exclaimed in pain as he accidentally touched his wound again.
Mu Zi replied quickly, "You're wrong."
"That's not very considerate…"
"It's not that. I don't have money for medical expenses either."
"That doesn't seem likely," Li Tian asserted, glancing at the silver Harley motorcycle parked below the window. "Anyone who can ride a bike worth a couple hundred thousand surely can afford a few hundred bucks for medical expenses?"
"Hmm," was all Mu Zi said.
"To ride a motorcycle worth a couple hundred thousand and then claim to not have money for medical bills? That's laughable," Li Tian said, attempting to form a scornful smile despite the pain.
"Unfortunately, it's just a black market bike I got for 30,000 yuan," Mu Zi squinted, gazing at the Harley below. "In fact, after buying it, I spent over ten thousand on modifications. So, it has almost drained all my funds."
Li Tian was speechless…
Mu Zi quickly finished his breakfast, checked the time on his primitive old phone - 7:30 AM.
"Please take care of the dishes and plates. I have to go to class now." Mu Zi glanced at the woeful Li Tian, got up with a smile, and grabbed his backpack hanging on the wall.
"What?" Li Tian looked incredulously at Mu Zi, pointing at his bandages and band-aids. "I'm a patient, you know?"
"Moving around is good for recovery," Mu Zi said with a smirk, heading to the door. He paused as if remembering something, turned back to Li Tian and said, "If you want revenge, you have to find the right and effective way. I assume you won't make the same mistake twice?"
"Of course," Li Tian raised an eyebrow. "Your guidance last night has been deeply ingrained in my mind. Plus, do I look like someone foolish?"
"That's good," Mu Zi replied nonchalantly, then left and closed the door behind him.
Li Tian watched from the window as Mu Zi walked out of the apartment complex, heading towards the gate.
"Hey! Wait!" he suddenly shouted out the window. "Aren't you taking your bike?"
Mu Zi turned, looking up with a resigned expression. "Brother, do you think I have money for gas?"
With that, he turned and walked out of the complex gate, leaving Li Tian in a moment of realization.
Li Tian watched Mu Zi's receding figure for a long time. Despite having known this young man for just over ten hours, he felt a connection as if they were old friends - close, trusting, and open. He was grateful for Mu Zi's help and shelter and felt fortunate to have met such a mature, considerate, and meticulous person, despite being nineteen years his junior.
Mu Zi was no ordinary person. This enigmatic young man surely had a rich past and a promising future.
Last night, after rescuing and bandaging him, they talked all night. Listening to his story, the 18-year-old Mu Zi didn't show any surprise or emotion. He calmly analyzed Li Tian's situation and the likelihood of successful revenge.
Finally, Mu Zi asked, "Do you trust me?"
At that moment, Li Tian forgot they had just met and that Mu Zi was only eighteen. He replied without hesitation, "I do."
"Then good, follow my lead. Okay?" Mu Zi's eyes sparkled with wisdom under the light. This reassured Li Tian, giving him a sense of dependence. It might sound funny, but he was certain of it - this young man was reliable. He answered without hesitation, "Okay."
Mu Zi smiled, his young face returning to its lively, optimistic state.
"First, stay here for now and don't go out. Your main task is to heal," Mu Zi said seriously, playing with his hair.
"I'm happy to, but just so you know, I can't pay for food, rent, or utilities," Li Tian said earnestly. "In fact, I don't have a single penny on me."
"I know that," Mu Zi replied quickly. "Secondly, you said Chu Xuelin deceived you seven years ago and framed you. I need you to find evidence. Also, what are your chances of legally taking him down and getting your property back?"
"No chance," Li Tian shook his head helplessly. "I trusted Jiang Xiaofen too much. She handled all the company's accounts, and…"
"I just want the key points," Mu Zi interrupted his reminiscing.
"Alright. As for the accounts, I'm sure Chu Xuelin has destroyed them all by now. The only chance to find evidence is to have Jiang Xiaofen, the co-conspirator, testify against him."
"Oh," Mu Zi pondered, twirling his hair. "If Jiang Xiaofen turns against him and testifies for you, is there a 100% chance of winning?"
"At least 90%," Li Tian affirmed. "But that's as good as none. Besides her being his wife and mother to their daughter, she was a main conspirator. If I win, she'll face jail time too."
Mu Zi pondered for a moment, then said, "Never be too hopeless. There's always a right and effective method."
"Why are you helping me?" Li Tian looked at the youthful face of Mu Zi, bewildered.
"If I help you get your property back, you'll give me a share. A big one…"
Mu Zi had already left the complex and disappeared from Li Tian's sight.
I don't know why I trust you so inexplicably, but... I really do...