After the Reborn Young Master Embraced a Life of Wellness – Chapter 63

The evening social event was arranged at a private Chinese restaurant, a high-end establishment with an elegant ambiance filled with traditional Chinese elements. According to Lao K, it was purely for appearances. The current head of the investment firm presented himself as a cultured, aloof intellectual—someone who wouldn’t normally bother with new talents unless he had to.

At first, Chen Mo found this a bit puzzling. Logically speaking, such a person shouldn’t be easily swayed by ordinary conditions.

But the moment he saw the man, he understood.

The large private dining room could accommodate twenty people.

The round table was laden with an extravagant spread—abalone, ginseng chicken soup, Australian lobster, and other luxurious dishes. Seven or eight people were already seated, all key stakeholders.

Sitting at the head of the table was October Sky, holding a folding fan with the words “Heaven rewards hard work” inscribed in brush calligraphy.

He was a middle-aged man in his forties, bald, and idly rolling two polished walnuts in his palm.

As soon as Lao K entered the room, he leaned close to Chen Mo and muttered, “Heaven rewards hard work? The guy dumped his first wife, married into wealth, and repackaged himself as a highbrow intellectual. Tsk.”

Chen Mo glanced at him and remarked, “You’re criticizing him while enjoying his hospitality? You still planning to ask him for funding tonight?”

Lao K scoffed, speaking rapidly, “I can’t help it, this stuff just makes me mad. If it weren’t for the internal shake-up at Huanshang Venture Capital and the resignation of the original head, this guy wouldn’t even have the chance to put on airs in front of us. Watch out tonight—I just found out his wife had a feud with Mr. Zhu at Huanshang. Things could get ugly for us. Just follow my lead.”

Chen Mo said nothing.

The Mr. Zhu Lao K mentioned was the vice president of Huanshang Venture Capital—the very person who had championed Xinrui’s collaboration with them from the start.

As a next-generation tech company, Xinrui’s core philosophy was to provide capable young innovators with the maximum creative freedom while preserving the innovative spirit of academia. They sought investors who were wealthy but hands-off, investors who wouldn’t meddle in things they didn’t understand.

Mr. Zhu had been one such investor.

Over the past two years, their partnership had gone smoothly, even leading to the successful launch of the groundbreaking R2D project.

But just last month, Mr. Zhu had been reported for misconduct and recalled to the overseas headquarters for an investigation.

As soon as Chen Mo and Lao K entered, all eyes in the room turned toward them.

A representative from one of Huanshang’s largest medical device distributors gestured to them, saying, “Ah, there you are! We were just talking about you. Come, have a seat.”

“Brother Liu.” Chen Mo greeted him with a nod before settling into the vacant seat beside him.

He had known this person for quite some time.

Their acquaintance hadn’t begun in a business setting—Brother Liu was an alumnus from Chen Mo’s university, someone who had been working in this industry for years.

Brother Liu, already balding before thirty, glanced over at Lao K—who had smoothly made his way to the head seat, raising a toast to the bald investor with a big grin. Shaking his head helplessly, he murmured to Chen Mo, “Lao K is really good at adapting to situations… Huanshang’s situation is uncertain right now. Some say this guy’s wife, Lu Yi, was the one who reported Mr. Zhu. A lot of people are watching and waiting.”

Chen Mo turned slightly and asked, “Any news on Mr. Zhu?”

Brother Liu shook his head. “No idea. But I doubt he’s actually guilty of embezzlement. The year before last, when you first proposed the R2D project, he was the one who backed it.”

“Yes, that was him,” Chen Mo confirmed.

Brother Liu sighed, raising his glass slightly as a symbolic toast. “It’s rare to find an investor like him. I hope he’s okay.”

It was just a ceremonial gesture, and Chen Mo didn’t take a sip.

After all, as an alumnus, Brother Liu knew what kind of person Chen Mo was.

Even though Chen Mo was sitting here today, dining with a pretentious investor, the moment he left this table, he would still be one of the brightest young minds in the industry. With his achievements, he would be sought after wherever he went.

At that moment, a loud voice rang out from the head seat.

“I want him to drink!”

The sudden command drew everyone’s attention to the bald man pointing straight at Chen Mo.

The young man was dressed in a suit, though not as formally as the others. His jacket was unbuttoned, and the shirt underneath fit snugly around his waist and abdomen. Leaning back casually on his stool, he exuded an effortless ease.

His expression remained calm. After hearing the demand, he cast a glance toward the head of the table.

Then he stood up.

As he walked forward, Lao K quickly intervened.

“Boss Xu, this is the head of our tech department. His work requires absolute concentration year-round—he has to review every step meticulously. He really can’t drink.”

“No.” The man named Xu waved his fan, sizing up Chen Mo with a sneer. “I understand that young people can be a little arrogant. I’ve always heard that Xinrui’s core technology team is full of Q University’s top students. And sure, Q University has the right to be proud. But I hope you guys don’t forget—investors’ money doesn’t fall from the sky.

“Yes, R2D has been listed, but I also heard your second-phase project has started production. You really don’t want that remaining 50% investment? At the very least, you should show the proper attitude.”

“You—” Lao K nearly lost his temper.

Chen Mo pulled him back and stepped forward.

He picked up a glass of red wine from the table, holding it up against the warm lighting of the private room. The deep crimson hue refracted within the glass, resembling the color of blood.

Then, with Mr. Xu smirking and waiting for him to compromise, Chen Mo slowly set the glass down and remarked,

“I don’t mind drinking, but let’s get one thing straight—who do you think you are?”

The smirk on Mr. Xu’s face vanished instantly. The corners of his mouth twitched, his face turning red with embarrassment.

The entire room fell into stunned silence.

Lao K tugged at Chen Mo’s sleeve, signaling him not to push too far.

Yet Chen Mo remained completely composed. He had been the calmest person in the room from the start. He even walked over to Mr. Xu’s seat and sat down on the edge of the large round table, one hand on the surface, one leg stretched out lazily.

Seeing this, the bald investor instinctively flinched back.

“What are you doing?!” he blurted out.

Chen Mo knocked his knuckles lightly against the table. “Mr. Xu, why are you so nervous? Relax. I’m not going to hit you. I’m a reasonable person—we’ll just talk.”

The man looked skeptical. “Talk about what?”

“Let’s discuss whether you’re blocking us because of Chuanxing Technology or simply due to internal power struggles at Huanshang.”

Chuanxing Technology—a rising tech firm from the past two years.

Xinrui’s biggest competitor.

It wasn’t just a coincidence—their company structure, research focus, and investment battles all overlapped significantly with Xinrui. With backing from the foreign UA Group, Chuanxing had formidable financial strength and had been aggressively competing with Xinrui.

Competition itself wasn’t the problem.

But malicious competition?

That was the real threat.

And Chuanxing had been playing dirty behind the scenes for a long time.

As expected, the moment Chen Mo said that, Mr. Xu’s eyes flickered.

Bluffing, he said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just mitigating risks. But you, as Party B, have such a terrible attitude. You really don’t know how high the heavens are and how deep the earth is!”

“Indeed.” Chen Mo nodded and stood up. “We may not know our own limits, but President Xu clearly does. As far as I know, Huanshang has no way to secure additional funding, and the smart technology sector is a lifeline. Does Huanshang’s boss know that you’ve been taking benefits from other companies behind his back? Or is Vice President Lu Yi willing to cover for you?”

The color on Mr. Xu’s face fluctuated between red and white in a rather spectacular fashion.

With a loud bang, he pushed back his chair and stood up. His hand gripping the fan was unsteady, and he didn’t even bother maintaining appearances in front of the others in the room as he threatened, “Aren’t you afraid that your Phase II project will be ruined in your hands?”

“Mr. Xu, I think you haven’t figured something out.”

Chen Mo patted Old K on the shoulder, who already had the look of Forget it, we’re screwed, just go all out, and said, “This boss here came from a poor background and firmly believes in the saying Heaven rewards hard work. For the healthy development of cutting-edge companies, we accept investment and cooperation within reason. But we are not actually poor, you understand?”

In other words: I’m not desperate for money, and you don’t get to act high and mighty.

They didn’t eat much at that dinner.

After leaving, still hungry, Chen Mo and Old K ended up squatting at a roadside food stall, each ordering a bowl of noodles.

“I was ready to drink myself to death tonight,” Old K said as he slurped down his noodles. He pointed at Chen Mo, who had barely taken two bites and now sat still. “I used to go out with Mr. Su, and suddenly going out with you instead… I almost forgot that you’re not someone who can be intimidated.”

Chen Mo gave him a look. “It was obvious he had taken a bribe. All it took was a little push to see if he’d stumble.”

“I’m not like you.” Old K sighed. “You know how hard it’s been for Xinrui to get where it is today. So many people rely on us for their livelihoods now—I don’t dare take risks. Honestly, if you hadn’t invested all your own money to save the company back when you were a freshman, I’d have thought you were just another rich second-generation kid.”

Chen Mo wiped his fingers with a napkin. “I grew up in the countryside. I’d rather be a first-generation rich man.”

“I didn’t mean anything bad by it. I know you’re rich now. The two patents you secured in your senior year must be worth a fortune, not to mention your other investments.” Old K leaned in excitedly, his eyes gleaming. “Come on, tell me something, give me an idea.”

Chen Mo tossed the napkin at him. “Get lost. If that Xu guy hadn’t been so disgusting, would I have bothered dealing with him?”

“Not really,” Old K chuckled. “Honestly, who could stand that kind of attitude? If you hadn’t stepped up, I would’ve had to figure out a way to get Huanshang to replace him. Are you really not going to eat?”

Chen Mo: “No.”

Old K: “Come on, eat a little. What’s wrong with you? If you lose any more weight, Lao Gou is going to chew me out for working you too hard again.”

Chen Mo: “When did he ever scold you?”

Old K muttered weakly, “Last year, when you led the team on that business trip… The final health checkup showed malnutrition…”

Chen Mo: “I just wasn’t absorbing nutrients well. I’ve already taken care of it. And I’ve said a dozen times that I’m not hungry. Thanks.”

—

Across the ocean, it was eight in the morning.

In the city center, skyscrapers towered over the landscape.

On the 32nd floor of one such building, a spacious, quiet office overlooked a vast expanse of the city through floor-to-ceiling windows.

The sound of high heels clicked against the marble floor as a blonde woman approached the office door and knocked twice.

A voice came from inside: “Come in.”

“Here are the documents that need your signature.” The blonde smiled as she handed over a file.

The man behind the desk was young—about 1.8 meters tall, with broad shoulders, long legs, and deep-set dark eyes. Two years ago, he had graduated from a prestigious university with a full set of degrees. Using his family’s power and industry as a stepping stone, he had anchored himself in this financial center. In just five years, his business empire had risen like the skyscrapers outside, becoming a force impossible to shake.

Everyone remembered his surname—Xi.

The youngest decision-maker of the Xi family: Xi Siyan.

His secretary, Jenny, had been promoted by his assistant, Han Qian. She had fiery red lips and a stunning figure.

Many speculated that Han Qian had recommended her as a way to win favor—perhaps even as a bed partner for the young boss. But Jenny knew better. She had risen through the ranks not because of seduction, but because she was smart, capable, and knew her place.

Because Han Qian had once told her: Mr. Xi is gay.

Jenny didn’t necessarily believe it, but she was smart enough to never cross the line.

The man before her spoke fluent English, carried himself with elegance, and maintained a disciplined fitness regimen. When he removed the cap from his pen, the outline of toned muscles beneath his suit was visible.

His voice was low and steady: “Jenny, has Zhu Zhengtao landed yet?”

“He has.” Jenny nodded. “He arrived at three in the morning. The investigation team from PY has already started questioning him.”

Xi Siyan capped his pen and handed back the signed document.

“Find a way to save him.”

Jenny was taken aback.

Zhu Zhengtao’s company had direct conflicts of interest with the Xi family’s businesses. She had assumed her boss was monitoring him for strategic reasons, but now he wanted to protect him?

Jenny hesitated before asking, “Because he’s also Chinese?”

“Of course not.”

The young boss rose from his seat and buttoned his suit jacket at the waist. “Don’t ask unnecessary questions. Just do it.”

“Understood.” A good secretary knew when not to pry.

As she left the office, she heard her boss making a phone call.

She didn’t understand Chinese, but she caught a name—Han Qian.

And, for the first time, she heard this man—always composed, always decisive—speak in a tone so low and cautious, as if he were unconsciously mentioning someone important.

On the other end, Han Qian asked, “Still having those dreams?”

“Yeah.” Xi Siyan gazed out the window. “I don’t want to believe it, but I can’t shake this feeling that Zhu Zhengtao’s incident is a warning sign. Han Qian, I need to return home. Immediately.”

Han Qian sighed, exasperated.

“Ever since you got hit on the head with that stick three years ago, you’ve started believing in omens. You keep dreaming that Chen Mo is gone. It’s ridiculous.”

“You recommended Chen Mo’s company, Xinrui Technology, to Zhu Zhengtao three years ago, remember? Zhu Zhengtao said back then that Chen Mo was fully dedicated to research, rarely involved in business. What could possibly have happened? Face it, you just can’t get over the fact that you two broke up.”

Xi Siyan pressed his fingers against his temple. “Book the tickets. Stop talking nonsense.”

“You’re the boss, so of course, you call the shots,” Han Qian grumbled. Then, as if struck by a thought, he added, “But seriously, you two haven’t had much contact in years, right?”

A pause.

“My ex suddenly showing up at my door, saying ‘I had a dream you were going to die’? How is that any different from those bitter exes who curse their former lovers to drop dead?”

Xi Siyan’s tone turned ice cold.

“Don’t use that word.”

Han Qian fell silent.

Then, with a long-suffering sigh, he muttered, “I swear, I’m dying from exhaustion over here. Can’t you show a little sympathy?”