Chen Moran's eyes narrowed instantly upon seeing the sword on the counter.

"Mu Chen, are you returning this sword?" Chen Moran pointed at the sword on the counter, glaring at Mu Chen in outrage.

Mu Chen nodded, as if it were the most natural thing to do. "Yes, that's right."

"How can you do this?" Chen Moran looked at Mu Chen as if he had committed a heinous crime.

Mu Chen curled his lip, thinking to himself: How does me returning my own thing concern you? Why such a reaction?

"It's my own thing. What's wrong with returning it?" Mu Chen said indifferently.

"But it was meant for Zhuang Yu," Chen Moran said aggressively.

Mu Chen nodded. "And Zhuang Yu didn’t want it. Isn't it normal for me to return something that's not wanted?"

Chen Moran glared at Mu Chen, accusing him of being excessive.

Mu Chen rolled his eyes helplessly, failing to see how he had been unreasonable.

Zhuang Yu tugged at Chen Moran's sleeve, saying, "Enough, Moran. Don’t be like that. It’s Mu Chen's own thing. How he wants to deal with it is his freedom."

Mu Chen gave Zhuang Yu a detached look. Zhuang Yu had fair skin and bright eyes, making him stunningly attractive...unfortunately, not Mu Chen's type.

Mu Chen, who also preferred men in his previous life, liked them tall, handsome, and masculine, the very type he loathed because they usually went for someone like Zhuang Yu.

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Chen Moran looked at Mu Chen resentfully. "Mu Chen, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll drop this idea of returning it. It was a gift for Zhuang Yu; how can you just return it?"

Mu Chen, with arms crossed, gave Chen Moran a cold look, a hint of menace in his eyes. This sword was his and had nothing to do with Chen Moran. Why was he making a big deal out of it?

"Shopkeeper, four hundred and fifty yuan stones," Mu Chen said coldly to the owner.

The shopkeeper, hesitant after looking between Chen Moran and Mu Chen, finally asked, "Are you really sure, Young Master Mu Chen?"

Mu Chen nodded. "I’ve made up my mind."

With a sigh, the shopkeeper reluctantly handed over four hundred and fifty yuan stones to Mu Chen, who immediately stashed them into his spatial ring.

Zhuang Yu, standing behind Chen Moran, watched this with a complicated expression.

As Mu Chen's gaze briefly met Zhuang Yu's, he found Zhuang Yu’s eyes filled with confusion and sorrow, making him uncomfortable.

"Mu Chen, I challenge you to a duel," Chen Moran said through gritted teeth.

Mu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. In the original story, Mu Chen’s outburst over the returned sword led to a fierce confrontation with Chen Moran. Now, without seeking trouble, Chen Moran was coming for him.

"No time," Mu Chen replied without hesitation.

In the original narrative, the fight between Chen Moran and the protagonist left both heavily injured. Having just arrived, Mu Chen knew his coordination wasn’t at its best. Engaging Chen Moran now would surely end in defeat, and he wasn’t about to start his new life with a battered body.

Chen Moran scoffed, "You coward."

Zhuang Yu pulled at Chen Moran's sleeve, "Moran, stop it."

Mu Chen gave Chen Moran a cool glance before attempting to leave.

"Young Master Mu," Zhuang Yu called out to Mu Chen, stopping him.

Mu Chen turned around to face Zhuang Yu. "Yes?"

Zhuang Yu looked at Mu Chen, his eyes showing a hint of apology, "I'm sorry, Mu Chen. But there are things that just can't be forced."

Mu Chen smiled, "I understand."

Leaving with Ren San, Mu Chen walked away, leaving Ren San pondering deeply.

Chen Moran watched Mu Chen's retreating figure with disdain, convinced that Mu Chen had become even more cowardly than before.