Kong Xue'er: "..."
After saying this, Jiang Mo noticed the other girl freeze in shock and patted her own mouth.
Damn this mouth—why did she blurt out her inner thoughts?
The girl just went through a breakup, and here she was saying something so inappropriate.
Jiang Mo pressed her lips together and quickly backpedaled, "Heh, um, I meant us ordinary folks, you know? Making money is more important than dating."
"Do you think I'm a love-struck fool?" Kong Xue'er sniffled softly. "Do you have more tissues? Give me a couple more."
"Yeah, yeah." Jiang Mo rummaged through her bag and handed over the entire pack.
"Thanks." Kong Xue'er pulled out a fresh tissue. "I'm not some lovesick idiot. I take my career seriously too. It's just... when fate comes knocking, you can't ignore it."
Jiang Mo leaned in. "Does your manager—or your fans—know you were dating?"
Kong Xue'er: "...No. That scumbag said keeping it quiet was better for my career."
"Let me guess—was he kind of famous too?" Jiang Mo probed.
"Sort of." Kong Xue'er nodded, eyes brightening. "How’d you know?"
"Classic playbook. I’ve read enough novels to recognize the pattern." Jiang Mo laid it out. "Sounds noble, right? ‘For your career’? Nah, it was for his. He needed to keep his ‘single’ image to milk his fangirls."
"Bet he introduced himself as single to other girls too. Can’t flirt around if he’s ‘taken.’"
"That bastard!" Kong Xue'er fumed. "No wonder he refused when I brought up going public—twice! And I even hooked him up with roles for his last two projects. Wasted my favors!"
"Last month, for his birthday, I gave him a luxury watch. Ugh, what a rip-off."
Now it was Jiang Mo’s turn to freeze. Sis, with all this, you’re still claiming you’re not love-struck?
Gifting roles and luxury items? Pushing to go public? If the guy had a bad rep, it could’ve tanked her career.
After her rant, Kong Xue'er realized she’d spilled everything. Her expression turned sheepish. "Uh… about today’s conversation—could you keep it between us?"
Jiang Mo stroked her chin. "...Wait, what did you say earlier? My hearing and memory aren’t great."
Kong Xue'er: ...This girl’s acting skills are top-tier.
Still, after their chat, Kong Xue'er trusted Jiang Mo’s discretion. The last thing she needed was her drama trending online.
As for the scumbag? She’d settle things with him later and bury this messy chapter for good.
"Hey, let’s swap contacts. Feels like we clicked," Kong Xue'er suggested.
Jiang Mo happily pulled out her phone. Ding—another connection added.
Not bad for Jiang Mo—her network now spanned high society and the entertainment industry.
After some time outside, Kong Xue'er had calmed down.
"The wind’s picking up. Wanna head inside?" Jiang Mo asked.
"Sure." Kong Xue'er tugged her sleeve. "Wait—does my makeup look okay? Not smudged?"
"All good. Let me fix it a bit—still flawless." Jiang Mo adjusted a few details before they returned.
Bai Hui spotted them and latched onto Kong Xue'er again, angling for another selfie.
Kong Xue'er was over it. Every time they met, Bai Hui schemed for photos, tweaking angles and editing her own face while leaving Kong Xue'er unflattering—then posting them online with vague captions.
"I need a break," Kong Xue'er told Jiang Mo, ignoring Bai Hui and walking off.
Left hanging, Bai Hui—utterly oblivious—scurried after her.
After the detour, Jiang Mo freshened up and went to find Grandpa Gu.
The three old-timers were deep in a heated mahjong battle, the tiles clacking fiercely.
Gu Baotian waved her over. "Xiao Mo, take over for me!"
While swapping seats, he whispered, "If we win, we split the earnings 50-50. If we lose, it’s on me."
Su Yunjin had mentioned the girl’s sharp mahjong skills—certified, even.
Jiang Mo saw right through him. "Grandpa… how much are you down?"
She didn’t know Gu Baotian well, but she knew gamblers. If he were winning, he wouldn’t need backup.
Gu Baotian: "...Don’t worry about it."
Pan Weidong, however, was happy to expose him. Grinning, he gestured at his pile of chips. "Not much—just six or seven million."
"Grandpa, you swore you were a pro!" Jiang Mo sighed. She’d only been gone briefly.
"Bad luck today, bad luck," Gu Baotian deflected.
Liu Guochuan, also ahead, chuckled. "If your luck’s rotten, let’s see how Xiao Mo’s holds up."
Drafted into service, Jiang Mo took the seat. She’d played with Liu Guochuan before—casual games, nothing serious.
An hour later, Pan Weidong frowned. His chip stack had dwindled.
"Xiao Mo, you’ve been holding out on us," he mused, eyeing the tiles.
Jiang Mo grinned sheepishly. "Beginner’s luck, that’s all."
She drew another tile. "Oops—mahjong."
"Your skills leveled up fast," Liu Guochuan remarked, studying his own strong (but useless) hand. "You sandbagged us before, didn’t you?"
"Uh… busted?" Jiang Mo scratched her head.
Liu Guochuan: "Knew it."
Tasked with salvaging the game, Jiang Mo fought hard—but the veterans weren’t pushovers.
By the end, she’d not only recouped the losses but even turned a small profit.
"Old Gu, that’s cheating," Pan Weidong teased. "Without Xiao Mo, you’d be down to your underwear."
Gu Baotian waved him off. "If you can’t beat a girl, maybe you’re the problem."
"Me? I just stand here and collect money."
Jiang Mo nudged him. "Grandpa, tone it down. We’ll get roasted."
Sure enough, Liu Guochuan fired back, "You shameless old coot! Next time, face us solo."
...
As evening approached, the estate grew livelier.
The banquet was the main event, drawing those who’d skipped the afternoon gathering.
There, Jiang Mo ran into Liu Chen.
Their last meeting had been… awkward.
"Brother Liu," she greeted, since ignoring him wasn’t an option.
Liu Chen didn’t expect to see Jiang Mo here, but considering her close relationship with Grandma Zhong, it wasn’t surprising she had been invited.
"Hey, did you arrive at noon?" Liu Chen glanced at her, noticing she looked quite different from before.
Previously, she had seemed like a fresh-faced college graduate—innocent and naive. Today, she carried herself with the elegance of a refined young lady. Sincerely impressed, he complimented, "You look beautiful today."
"Thank you," Jiang Mo replied, knowing his words were merely polite. She made small talk, "Why didn’t you come over at noon?"
The Liu and Zhong families had business ties, and their relationship was quite close. As a junior member of the Liu family and its next-generation successor, Liu Chen was expected to make an appearance at such occasions.
"I had matters to attend to during the day," Liu Chen explained. "Has my grandfather been bothering you lately?"
"No, not at all," Jiang Mo assured him.
As the two conversed, Liu Guochuan spotted them from a short distance away.
Standing side by side, they looked perfectly matched.
What a shame his grandson wasn’t more proactive.
Gu Baotian, sharp-eyed, followed Liu Guochuan’s gaze and noticed a handsome young man in a well-tailored suit.
As the saying goes online: when in doubt, snap a photo first.
After taking a couple of pictures, Gu Baotian tucked his phone away and casually asked, "Old Liu, do you know that good-looking young man over there?"
Pleased to hear his grandson being praised, Liu Guochuan chuckled. "You’ve asked the right person—I do know him."
"Who is he?"
Liu Guochuan clicked his tongue. "Can’t you see the resemblance? He looks just like me!"
"Where?" Gu Baotian questioned skeptically.
"...Your eyesight must be failing!" Liu Guochuan huffed. "That’s my eldest grandson!"
"Oh, so it’s your grandson," Gu Baotian mused, now scrutinizing the young man more carefully.
After a moment, he concluded—not as handsome as his own two grandsons.
The Gu family genes still held the upper hand.
Liu Guochuan beckoned Liu Chen over, and Jiang Mo followed as they made their way through the crowd to the two elders.
"Come, Xiao Chen, let me introduce you. This is Gu Baotian, founder of Gu Corporation."
Turning to Gu Baotian, Liu Guochuan added, "This is my grandson, Liu Chen."
"Hello, Grandpa Gu," Liu Chen greeted respectfully, extending both hands. "I’ve been working with Young Master Gu Xun on a collaboration recently. I didn’t expect to have the pleasure of meeting you here today."
His words effortlessly bridged the gap between them.
Gu Baotian shook his hand with one hand while patting his arm with the other. "What a fine young man—talented and accomplished."
"Not at all, I’m nowhere near Young Master Gu’s level," Liu Chen replied modestly.
Gu Baotian smiled. "You’re both outstanding. Let’s find more opportunities for our families to collaborate."
Liu Chen nodded. "Absolutely."
After the introductions, the elders resumed their conversation.
Jiang Mo rubbed her stomach, realizing she was getting hungry.
"Hungry?" Liu Chen noticed her subtle gesture. "There are desserts and fruits over there if you’d like something to tide you over."
"Honestly, I’ve already had too many sweets today," Jiang Mo admitted, deciding to wait for the dinner service instead.
When the banquet began, she found herself seated next to Liu Chen.
Liu Guochuan declared, "You young folks should sit together—easier to chat. No need to stick around us old men."
Jiang Mo sighed inwardly. "Um, Grandpa Liu, it seems like..."
"Seems my grandfather still hasn’t given up," Liu Chen cut in bluntly. "But we don’t have to humor him."
"Yeah, that’s what I was thinking," Jiang Mo agreed. "The food here is quite good—I tried some at lunch."
Liu Chen smiled and nodded. "Mhm."
At the neighboring table, Liu Guochuan was quite pleased with his seating arrangement.
He didn’t want the two to feel stifled under the watchful eyes of the elders.
And sure enough, they were chatting and laughing—clearly hitting it off. Maybe there was hope after all.
"Don’t they make a perfect pair?" he asked Gu Baotian.
Gu Baotian, having just sent a photo to Gu Ye, glanced up. "Hmm, a fine match."
Still, something felt missing.
His phone buzzed with incoming messages.
Gu Ye: "Grandpa, who’s the guy next to Jiang Mo?"
"Don’t tell me you set them up?"
"You actually introduced them?"
...
Gu Ye: "Grandpa, say something!"
Gu Baotian leisurely read the messages before sending a voice note.
"Look at you, getting worked up over a photo. I’m in the middle of dinner."
"I don’t know the guy, but he seems decent-looking."
Gu Ye fired back: "Grandpa, didn’t you even ask about him? What if he’s got bad intentions?"
Gu Baotian: "Unlikely. He carries himself well."
Gu Ye remained suspicious: "You really didn’t arrange this?"
"Enough. I’m done talking," Gu Baotian pretended to be offended.
Gu Ye immediately backtracked: "Grandpa, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!"
Satisfied, Gu Baotian relented.
"That’s the Liu family’s grandson. They live in the same villa area as us."
There was a pause as Gu Ye processed the information.
"I don’t remember much about the Lius. Grandpa, keep an eye on Jiang Mo for me."
He added, "She’s my old classmate, and she came with us. We should look out for her, right?"
Gu Baotian snorted but didn’t reply.
This kid needed to figure things out on his own.
Meanwhile, Jiang Mo remained blissfully unaware of the exchange, fully engrossed in enjoying the feast.
Dinner was even more lavish than lunch, and she ended up eating more than she intended.
Noticing her empty glass, Liu Chen poured her some more juice.
"Thanks," Jiang Mo said, impressed by his attentiveness.
Their table finished eating before Gu Baotian’s group, who lingered over drinks.
Zhong Xiaoqin rolled her eyes at the elders. "A few drinks in, and they’re bragging nonstop again."
Jiang Mo giggled. "If I had their achievements, I’d brag too."
Once dinner concluded, Liu Guochuan announced, "Xiao Chen, take Jiang Mo home in your car."
"No need, I can ride back with you all," Jiang Mo protested.
Liu Guochuan waved her off. "We’ve all been drinking—you’ll reek of alcohol. Take his car."
Liu Chen chimed in, "It’s no trouble."
Jiang Mo glanced at Gu Baotian, who nodded. "Go with Liu Chen. Our cars will be right behind each other anyway."
"Brother Liu, thank you," Jiang Mo conceded.
She couldn’t help but think: Chinese-style matchmaking strikes again.
