Volume One, Chapter 144: How Did He Manage to Play Such a Good Hand So Badly?

Since returning from the hotel, Liang Muzhi had fallen into a state of complete despair.

In the past, it was Liang Zhengguo who had to keep bodyguards stationed to prevent him from leaving, but now, he seemed to have no desire to go out at all, spending his days languishing in bed in a state of decadence.

When Fu Wanwen brought him food, he would only force down a few bites if her pestering became too much to bear. Over the last two days, perhaps to put an end to that annoyance, he had simply barricaded his door from the inside.

He would lie there on his bed, facing the wall, frequently lost in a daze.

Habit is a terrifying thing. He had become too accustomed to the presence of Xu Zhi. For the twenty-plus years of his life until now, she had always been there.

But she was no longer there.

She would never come to coax him again; the look in her eyes when she gazed at him was one of pure disgust. And the most ridiculous part was…

She hated him because of Liang Jinmo.

She had said she loved Liang Jinmo, that they had promised each other they would never part. These words echoed in his mind over and over again, eventually always distilling into that one final sentence:

"I beg you, get lost and stop bothering me! I am truly sick of you. Why don't you just go die?"

It felt as though a hole had been gouged into his chest. That raw, bleeding pain spread slowly and lingeringly through his limbs and bones, as if it had no end. The irony was that nothing was ever meant to be this way.

She had once loved him. To him, that was even more cruel. Why hadn't she said so before? If only she had spoken up…

Perhaps everything would be different. At the very least, he wouldn't have treated her that way. He wouldn't have made her take the fall for Chen Jing, wouldn't have brought Chen Jing along to pick her up only to dump her halfway, and wouldn't have insisted on taking her along when he went to the ski resort with Chen Jing.

Right—that day at the hotel, he had been intimate with Chen Jing while she was just on the other side of the door.

Did she hear? He didn't know. He only felt regret. A deep, profound remorse completely engulfed him. Many things he had done in the past without a second thought now felt like a sharp blade, one that pierced not only the Xu Zhi of the past but also the version of himself in the present.

It was no wonder she had given up. No one could tolerate… He tried to imagine—no, there was no need to imagine. At this very moment, perhaps Xu Zhi was in Liang Jinmo’s arms.

They were an engaged couple; Liang Jinmo had the right to hold her, kiss her, and even possess her more intimately.

He recalled that small box and the hickey on her neck.

So this was how cruel it felt when the person you loved was intimate with someone else. He didn't want to think about it, yet he couldn't stop his mind from drifting there. His little Gardenia was no longer his little Gardenia.

From her heart to her body, she belonged entirely to another man—the man he loathed the most.

But he had originally had a chance. He had possessed every advantage: they were childhood sweethearts, he had known her longer, had more contact with her, they had an arranged marriage, and she had loved him first. Why had he managed to ruin such a winning hand?

Why was it only after losing her that he realized how important she was to him?

He didn't want to let go, but what else could he do?

Struggling through days of anger, sorrow, and confusion, he developed an unprecedented sense of self-loathing. He couldn't muster the energy to do anything; he didn't want to see anyone, nor did he want to speak. Sometimes, lying in bed, he would think it might be better to just go die, as she had suggested.

But he wasn't resigned to it. Was he really that useless? How could he be inferior to Liang Jinmo? That man must have schemed to get close to her; he didn't believe that man could truly be good to her.

That evening, he realized his condition had worsened. Perhaps due to the lack of proper sustenance over the long term, his stomach pain intensified, accompanied by acid reflux and nausea. When he got out of bed, his hands were trembling uncontrollably.

He pushed aside the cabinet blocking the door, using a great deal of effort. He felt weak now, gasping for breath with every movement. It took a long time for him to recover before he opened the door and walked out.

It was as if Fu Wanwen had installed a monitor at his door; she immediately pushed her own door open and hurried over, asking, "Muzhi? You’re out. What’s wrong? Are you hungry? The nanny has been keeping your food warm..."

Liang Muzhi still didn't want to speak. He intended to find the medicine cabinet for stomach medication, so he headed straight toward the living room on the second floor.

Fu Wanwen followed carefully, continuing to urge him, "Please, just eat something. You haven't touched a thing all day..."

Before she could finish, her words trailed off.

The reason was that Liang Zhengguo was sitting on the sofa in the second-floor living room.

Liang Zhengguo was reviewing work documents on his tablet. He had heard every word Fu Wanwen said. He glanced at Liang Muzhi and told her, "If he doesn't want to eat, let it be. Don't trouble the nanny. Throw the food away."

He was determined to break Liang Muzhi’s spirit. If he couldn't handle Liang Jinmo, surely he could handle this good-for-nothing.

Liang Muzhi didn't react. He walked over, bent down in front of the TV cabinet, and opened the drawer to look for the medicine kit.

Fu Wanwen stood where she was, not knowing what to do.

Liang Zhengguo spoke coolly: "Muzhi."

Liang Muzhi remained silent.

"You promised me three conditions before; there is only one left now," Liang Zhengguo continued, unperturbed. "Between studying abroad for further education or gaining experience at the company, which do you prefer?"

Liang Muzhi still didn't speak.

He had gone to see Xu Zhi, but that wasn't the result he had wanted. He had tried so hard just to speak to her, only to be met with her disgust.

Nothing mattered anymore.

Liang Zhengguo stared at his back for a long moment before saying, "Fine. It seems you intend to cede the inheritance to Jinmo."

Liang Muzhi’s body stiffened. He immediately rose and turned back. "I never said I was ceding it! I wouldn't give it to him even if I were giving it to anyone else!"

He was incredibly weak; after shouting a couple of times, he began to cough violently.

Fu Wanwen rushed over to support him, her heart aching. "Don't be so anxious... don't yell. Talk to your father properly... Look at what you've done to yourself..."

Liang Zhengguo was satisfied with his reaction. "Then tell me your plan. Do you intend to manage the Liang Corporation by lying in bed and starving yourself?"

Liang Muzhi, panting for breath, clenched his trembling fists. "I am the heir. The Liang Corporation is mine. What is Liang Jinmo? Does he even deserve to compete with me?"

Liang Zhengguo placed his tablet on the coffee table with a crisp sound.

"Jinmo is also my son, your brother. He just won an award at an exhibition competition in another province—in a field that isn't even his specialty. He has also made significant contributions to the company. You tell me: does he deserve to compete with you?"

"But he's just an illegitimate..." Fu Wanwen tried to interject, but a sharp glare from Liang Zhengguo silenced her instantly.

Liang Muzhi, his rage peaking, blurted out, "That's only because I haven't been at the company!"

Liang Zhengguo countered, "Since you haven't been at the company and don't intend to go, what reason do I have to hand the company over to you in the future?"

Liang Muzhi was so angry his face turned ashen, yet he could not refute this.

After a long while, he finally choked out: "I'll start working at the company tomorrow!"

Having achieved his goal, Liang Zhengguo’s tone finally softened slightly. "Go eat first. How else will you work tomorrow?"

Fu Wanwen took Liang Muzhi downstairs to eat, only then wondering why she hadn't thought of using reverse psychology herself.

The next day, Liang Muzhi really did go to the Liang Corporation.

Because of the atmosphere the day before, he hadn't managed to have a proper discussion with Liang Zhengguo, and he didn't even know what his position would be. As soon as he arrived, he wanted to ask his father about it.

However, Liang Zhengguo was busy, already in meetings since early morning, so he had no choice but to wait.

An hour passed. The main office of the President’s suite became a bit restless as a group of people arrived, and the administrative staff began welcoming them.

He stepped out of Liang Zhengguo’s office and saw the group clearly.

The person leading them was none other than Liang Jinmo.

He stood there, rigid, his fists slowly clenching once more.

Those around them were calling Liang Jinmo "Young Mr. Liang" and offering their congratulations—likely due to the competition Liang Zhengguo had mentioned.

Liang Jinmo, holding some documents and speaking to his secretary, turned and caught sight of Liang Muzhi, who was staring fixedly at him.