Chapter 33

Before long, everyone in the industry was envying Chen Mo's good fortune. After all, being cast in an important role in a big-budget film and as the male lead of a low-budget film right after debuting was not an experience just anyone could have. Not to mention that Huaxia Entertainment's top agent had signed him to a platinum contract and was determined to promote him. It seemed Chen Mo really had been blessed after surviving a great disaster.

At the Mu Family home, Old Master Mu and Old Madam Mu, both of whom were over sixty, sat side by side on the sofa. On the television was the scene from Emperor Wu of Han: The Young Emperor in which Han Yan was sentenced to death by the Empress Dowager.

The exquisite costumes and makeup, along with the lavish sets and props, made Han Yan's handsome, unworldly appearance stand out even more. Under Chen Mo's infectious performance, the other actors were drawn into their roles as well. The young emperor, his hair disheveled, knelt before Weiyang Palace and begged his mother to spare Han Yan. Torrential rain poured down as though it could wash away all the filth in the world. Accompanied by the mournful ending theme, the tragic atmosphere was heightened to its very peak.

Watching Han Yan finally die in Emperor Wu of Han's arms, Old Master Mu and Old Madam Mu could no longer hold back their tears. They immediately pulled tissues from the boxes in their arms to wipe their faces. Old Madam Mu cried as she muttered, "What a wonderful child. He's so handsome, and his acting is so good. How could that Empress Dowager Wang bear to kill him..."

Old Master Mu said as well, "Yes. I heard the actor himself is quite impressive too. He may be young, but he studies very well, he's capable, and he has a kind heart. I've been following what happened recently. That family of the person responsible for the accident is truly shameless. How could they pressure a child like that—such a good child, at that? How could they live with themselves... Oh, right. Don't you like men? Even if you do, you should at least bring someone like this home."

He said that last sentence after turning to his eldest son, who was sitting on another sofa watching television with them.

The moment Old Madam Mu heard her husband's words, her eyes lit up. She turned to her eldest son and said, "Exactly, exactly. It's fine if you like men, but you still need to bring one home. Bring this young man back. It would be good for you to try getting along. I don't want the people from the second and third branches pestering you during the New Year over whether you're gay or asexual."

Hearing his parents, Mu Yu's expression did not change, but his gaze involuntarily settled on the television.

Chapter 33

When Chen Mo received Mu Yu's call, he was in a VIP room on the third floor of the Huajing Securities Exchange, carrying out his first "live exercise" under Pei Qingjue's instructions.

The task Pei Qingjue had assigned him sounded simple: every day, he had to select twenty stocks from the vast sea of available shares for trading, trying his best to buy at their lowest and sell at their highest. At the same time, whether he made a profit or a loss, he had to go all in with every purchase and sale. In other words, if he won, he had to win thoroughly; if he lost, he had to lose thoroughly. Taking various factors into consideration, this first "live exercise" would last one month. That meant Chen Mo had to buy six hundred stocks within a month and do his best to ensure that none of his decisions were wrong.

"But what's the point of this? Everyone knows short-term trading is exhausting and doesn't make money." Though Chen Mo had not studied finance much, his eldest brother was known as a business genius in the financial world. Even through casual exposure, Chen Mo knew how unreliable Pei Qingjue's assignment sounded.

"Don't forget our agreement. Don't ask questions, don't doubt me, and just do as you're told." Pei Qingjue brushed him off casually. After a pause, he added, "Still, seeing as you've been working hard lately and haven't slacked off, I'll make an exception and explain it once. This isn't about making money. It's to test your eye for opportunities, your analytical ability, your judgment, and your mental resilience."

Pei Qingjue looked Chen Mo in the eye and spoke slowly. "The financial industry is different from other traditional industries. Relatively speaking, it has far more uncertainty. Competition or cooperation, loyalty or betrayal—you can never truly see things clearly until the dust settles. A major player can lose everything with one wrong move, while an ordinary retail investor might strike it rich without any preparation. Overnight fortunes and overnight bankruptcies are even more common. You can't guarantee that you'll keep winning forever, but you can make sure that after losing everything, you still have the mental strength and ability to turn things around and start over. Start with short-term trading. Profit or loss, once you get used to it, you'll realize that it's all just a pile of numbers. How does that saying go... Neither delighted by external gains nor saddened by personal losses. Only when you reach that point can you be considered a qualified trader."

Chen Mo noticed Pei Qingjue's expression and tone as he spoke, and for some reason, he felt that this was a man with a story.

The shrill ring of a phone shattered the silence in the room. Chen Mo took his phone from his pocket and saw that Boss Mu was calling. He raised his brows subconsciously, pointed at the phone to Pei Qingjue, and Pei Qingjue made a gesture telling him to do as he pleased. Chen Mo smiled in response, then opened the door and answered the call in the hallway.

Over the phone, Mu Yu asked whether Chen Mo had time to have dinner together, saying it was to thank Chen Mo for treating him to porridge that night. To show his sincerity, Boss Mu specifically emphasized that he had chosen a Sichuan restaurant according to Chen Mo's tastes.

"I heard their boiled fish is excellent. You like spicy hot pot, so you'll definitely like boiled fish too."

"Isn't your stomach bad? How can you eat Sichuan food?" Chen Mo asked with a raised brow.

Mu Yu fell silent for a moment before saying, "They have non-spicy dishes too."

Chen Mo thought for a moment, then said, "There's a Food for Heaven across from our company. Their food is good too. How about I treat you instead? I happen to have something to thank you for."

Mu Yu was slightly surprised by Chen Mo's words. However, under Chen Mo's insistence, he agreed and asked, "Where are you now? I'll drive over and pick you up."

Chen Mo told him he was at the Huajing Securities Exchange. On the other end, Mu Yu lowered his eyes slightly and said, "Then we really are fated. I happen to be nearby too."

Ten minutes later, Mu Yu drove up to the entrance of the Huajing Securities Exchange. He happened to see Chen Mo saying goodbye on the roadside to a handsome young man.

Winter in Huajing was bitterly cold. The northwesterly wind, mixed with remnants of snow, howled through the streets. Pedestrians all wished they could wrap themselves up like bears, but Chen Mo relied on his youth and vigorous constitution. He wore only a camouflage down jacket over a gray crew-neck sweater, leaving it unzipped without even a scarf around his neck. Standing amid the stream of bundled-up passersby, he was exceptionally conspicuous.

Mu Yu frowned imperceptibly. He casually picked up his dark gray cashmere scarf, got out of the car, walked up to Chen Mo, and said, "It's cold. Dress properly."

With that deeply furrowed brow, if they had not been standing in the street, Chen Mo might have thought Mu Yu would wrap the scarf around his neck himself.

He really resembled Chen Mo's eldest brother, who looked aloof and indifferent but was actually always nagging endlessly.

Chen Mo curled his lips unconsciously, only to see Mu Yu force the scarf into his hand before suddenly turning to Pei Qingjue and asking, "Have we met somewhere before?"

Pei Qingjue raised a noncommittal brow and said bluntly, "That pickup line is too old-fashioned. I can guarantee we haven't met."

With that, Pei Qingjue nodded to Chen Mo, put on his sunglasses, and walked around them toward his car.

Mu Yu watched Pei Qingjue drive away, then turned back to look at Chen Mo, who was laughing uncontrollably. He felt a little helpless.

Only after they got into the car and drove for some time did Mu Yu say, "It wasn't a pickup line."

"Huh?" Chen Mo, who was looking down as he replied to his agent on WeChat, did not react at first. He looked at Mu Yu in confusion.

Mu Yu said expressionlessly, "It wasn't a pickup line. I really thought he looked familiar. That's why I said it."

"Of course I know." Chen Mo could not help laughing. "Don't mind him. Teacher Pei is just that kind of person."

"His surname is Pei..." Mu Yu frowned, then suddenly asked, "Was that Pei Qingjue?"

"Yeah! I heard he's a finance graduate who returned from M Country, and he teaches math at our school now. But considering his abilities, it wouldn't be strange even if you had heard his name." Chen Mo spoke casually, not forgetting to tease Mu Yu further. "So even if you really were trying to hit on him, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. A remarkable person like Teacher Pei getting hit on isn't strange at all."

Mu Yu gave Chen Mo an expressionless look and suddenly said, "I recall someone saying he wanted to treat me to dinner in order to thank me."

Chen Mo: "?"

Mu Yu continued expressionlessly. "So now you've hurt your benefactor!"

"..." Chen Mo fell silent for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter. He looked at Mu Yu in surprise and said, "I never expected someone your age, Boss Mu, to understand this kind of dry humor."

"...Someone my age?" Mu Yu's expression became difficult to describe. He stepped on the brakes, pulled the car over to the side of the road, turned toward Chen Mo with a serious expression, and repeated in an amused tone, "Someone my age...?"

Oh no!

Chen Mo gave an awkward laugh. If some of Mu Yu's actions had not reminded him of his eldest brother, he would not have absentmindedly blurted it out and joked with Mu Yu.

As he wracked his brain for a way to make up for his slip, Mu Yu helplessly pulled out his ID card from his wallet and held it before Chen Mo. "I was born in XX. I'm twenty-seven this year. Would you like to see my identification?"

"Haha." Chen Mo dryly waved his hands, laughing awkwardly as he said, "Boss Mu really is young and accomplished!"

Mu Yu continued looking at Chen Mo expressionlessly and said, "Get out."

"Huh?" Chen Mo stared at Mu Yu in a daze.

"Get out!" Mu Yu repeated patiently.

Chen Mo's confusion soared. At a loss, he looked at Mu Yu. Before he could silently invent an explanation for Mu Yu's thoughts, Mu Yu helplessly pointed outside the window and added, "We're here."

Chen Mo: "..."

They entered the restaurant in silence, ordered, and waited for the dishes. Once all the food had been served, Chen Mo raised his glass to Mu Yu and toasted him. "Thank you, Boss Mu, for stepping in when I needed help."

A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved Mu Yu's lips. He raised his glass toward Chen Mo, but deliberately asked, "What exactly are you thanking me for?"

Chen Mo said, "Someone anonymously revealed online that I donated to Project Hope... At first, I was only curious and wanted to find out who had helped me. I didn't expect the result of my investigation to surprise me."

Mu Yu looked Chen Mo over in slight surprise and said, "Your reaction surprised me too. I thought their actions would have been more thorough."

At the very least, they should not have been discovered so easily.

Chen Mo smiled. "It wasn't that they weren't secretive enough. I'm just naturally sensitive about certain things. And since I paid particular attention to this matter, I found out."

Mu Yu raised his brows and teased him seriously, "Could it be that your talent lies in data analysis, intelligence gathering, and intelligence analysis?"

Chen Mo merely smiled without answering. He ladled a bowl of crucian carp and tofu soup for Mu Yu and said, "People with bad stomachs should drink more soup."

"Are you trying to shut me up?" Mu Yu chuckled. He took the soup from Chen Mo, then used the serving chopsticks to place a piece of honey-glazed roasted chicken leg onto Chen Mo's plate. "You should eat more too."