Volume 1, Chapter 24: How Do You Want Me to Go Bankrupt?

The marriage proposal was officially finalized amidst the warm laughter of Old Master Ning and Fang’s father. Since the two had already registered their marriage and were well-acquainted with each other's backgrounds, the elders had no reason to object.

In the words of Fang’s father, Ning Yue-lan must have been blind to set her sights on Fang Mo. Fang Mo must have saved the galaxy in his past life to be favored by her. To the Fang family, gaining a bride who looked like a celestial being was a stroke of immense luck; it would be ungrateful to refuse such a match.

That afternoon, Fang Mo accompanied his parents for a stroll. Ning Yue-lan had left earlier due to urgent matters at her company. Fang Mo could clearly sense that she was dealing with something significant over these past few days. Not only had she returned home late the night before, but her expression had changed instantly after receiving a phone call that afternoon. She had apologized to the elders and departed in a hurry.

"Now that you’re married, you need to get serious about finding a job. Even though the Ning family is wealthy, you aren't a live-in son-in-law. You can't just keep asking your wife for money," his father nagged as they were about to part ways that evening.

Fang Mo nodded with a bitter smile. He had never harbored any intention of living off a wealthy woman...

"After your wedding, a friend of mine is coming to Jiangcheng. His family runs a banking business; you can go to his company to build up your credentials."

In the eyes of traditional parents, there were only three types of "iron rice bowl" jobs: civil servant, banker, or teacher, with doctor being the only possible addition. Fang Mo wanted to wave it off, but upon meeting his father’s stern gaze, he shrank back and muttered, "I understand." Knowing his father’s temperament, he knew that if he refused now, he would be met with a barrage of scolding.

After seeing his parents off, Fang Mo returned to Ning Yue-lan’s residence. Exhausted from the day’s events, he lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Thinking about it, it had already been four days since he and Yue-lan had registered their marriage. It felt truly surreal. Every time he closed his eyes, his mind was filled with her every glance and smile.

*Have I really... fallen for her?*

About half an hour later, Ning Yue-lan returned, smelling of alcohol. "Little brother, have you eaten? I brought you some braised pot."

She called out twice, but there was no response. Carefully, she pushed open the study door to find Fang Mo fast asleep, though there were several scraps of paper on the bed. Ning Yue-lan gathered the scraps with curiosity, barely able to piece together Fang Mo’s handwriting: "Does Yue-lan like me?"

*Like, dislike, like, dislike...*

Ning Yue-lan let out a soft, delighted laugh. Her cheeks, already flushed from the wine, turned an even deeper shade of red. "To be united with you is worth more than gold; I vow to stay with you until the end of time."

After whispering these words, she gently tucked him in and quietly exited the room.

The next day, Fang Mo was awakened by his phone. He had been exhausted from visiting the Ning estate and shopping with his parents, so he had slept soundly—the kind of sleep that even a massive earthquake wouldn't break. Xiao Jie had made breakfast but hadn't woken him, so he slept until the sun was high.

There were over a dozen unread messages on his phone, all from Li Haowen. Fang Mo froze for a moment before slapping his forehead—he had promised to accompany Li Haowen to pay respects at a grave today.

"Damn it, I left my phone on silent..."

He rushed to the bathroom to wash up and immediately called Li Haowen. "Hey? Where are you?"

Li Haowen’s voice was filled with thick resentment; he had clearly been waiting. Fang Mo apologized profusely, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stand you up. I was just exhausted yesterday, and I have a habit of keeping my phone on silent. I didn't see your messages. Where are you? I'll come to you."

Li Haowen snorted, "Forget it, I forgive you. After all, with a beauty like President Ning in your arms, few men could hold back. It’s normal to be worn out, but you should still practice moderation!"

*Moderation, my foot!*

Hearing the teasing, Fang Mo’s guilt vanished. Did this guy have hormones instead of blood in his veins? Why was his mind so filthy?

"I'm at the office. I have a meeting later; just wait for me in my office."

"Alright, I'll catch a cab over."

Fang Mo dressed quickly, grabbed two cold buns from the dining table without bothering to heat them, and headed out. The Li Group was well-situated, having been one of Jiangcheng’s top ten enterprises in the past. Its decline began during the generation of Li Haowen’s father. According to Li Haowen, his father lacked management skills and ruined many projects, causing the company to lose so much money that the elder Mr. Li had to step in to stabilize the situation. Unfortunately, it is easier to start a business than to maintain one, and the Li Group continued to fade.

Upon reaching the office building, Fang Mo gave his name to the security guard. As expected, Li Haowen had already told them, so he was let in without issue.

"Are you Young Master Fang? Hello, I am President Li’s secretary. Please, follow me."

A young woman in professional attire greeted him at the front desk and led him to Li Haowen’s office. Only then did Fang Mo notice the decor of his friend’s office—the old, imported Italian chair smelled slightly musty from the sun. Fang Mo couldn't help but shake his head. "From these details, it’s clear that Haowen’s situation isn't optimistic."

About ten minutes later, his friend walked in, wearing a suit. "Damn those old foxes! Do they really think President Ning is a fool, waiting to be fleeced?"

Seeing Fang Mo sitting on the sofa, Li Haowen rubbed his temples. "You're here?"

"Yeah. What happened? Does it involve Yue-lan?" Fang Mo asked. He knew that when Li Haowen referred to "President Ning," it could only be her.

"Yes. After she met us last time, she established a partnership with our Li Group. Although they were just a few small projects the Ning Group didn't want, it’s enough to make the Li Group profitable. You can't swallow a giant in one bite, but these profits already exceed what the Li family made in half a year. I was satisfied with that."

Li Haowen stomped his feet in frustration. "But there are some old foxes in the company who think that because the famous Ning Group is willing to work with us, they've found a golden ticket. They’re trying to fleece President Ning for all she’s worth. We do design work, and the project she gave us—the initial quote for the model rooms was 30 million, and those old bastards raised it to 50 million in one go. Damn it, just because the Ning Group is wealthy doesn't mean they're suckers."

Fang Mo gasped. Raising the quote by 20 million in one go was blatant price gouging.

"How do you plan to handle it?" Fang Mo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How else? I have to have President Ning herself come over to clean up this mess," Li Haowen shrugged.

Fang Mo punched him lightly. "Why do you talk like that? 'Cleaning up your mess'..."

Li Haowen rubbed his shoulder, wincing. "Come on, are you really that jealous? Even if I coveted President Ning, she wouldn't look at me. Besides, you two are newlyweds—in the honeymoon phase. I have enough self-awareness!"

Fang Mo huffed. "You're smart to know that. But as a thank you, shouldn't you at least make me some tea? I want West Lake Longjing."

Both men knew exactly why Ning Yue-lan was willing to work with the Li Group. It was to give her dear husband face. If not for that, the Ning Group had countless options; the struggling Li Group wouldn't even be on their radar.

"Tch, Young Master Fang is getting quite demanding. But since you're the husband of my 'client-daddy,' I'll make the tea. If you asked me to sleep with you, I might even agree," Li Haowen joked.

As they chatted over tea, a sudden commotion erupted outside the door. Before Li Haowen could ask his secretary what was happening, the door was shoved open, and a woman weighing over 200 pounds walked in.

"Have you considered it, Young Master Li? I, Han Yue-er, am sincere about you. When your brother Li Wenhan was still alive, I asked him to marry into the Han family, but he was too stubborn."

The woman pouted as she entered, her eyes fixed on Li Haowen, acting as if no one else existed. "Rest assured, there aren't many companies in Jiangcheng willing to work with the Li Group. Our Han family is basically the only one, and that's only because you, the second young master of the Li family, are handsome and charming."

She rolled her eyes. "Young Master Li, as long as you marry me, I guarantee you'll get through this crisis! Of course, I'll say this plainly: if you, Li Haowen, refuse me, no company in Jiangcheng will dare to give you any projects. Whoever dares to, I will crush them."

The woman’s words were dripping with arrogance. Fang Mo suddenly realized something: when a beauty like Ning Yue-lan was angry, it was charming and fierce. But this fat woman’s posturing was the behavior of a nouveau riche, which only provoked immediate disgust.

*So, I don't hate a woman's anger; I just hate ugly people making a scene.*

Seeing Li Haowen’s awkward expression, Fang Mo held back a laugh, his eyes teasing as if to say, "You've got quite the admirer!"

Li Haowen glared at him and coughed. "I'm sorry, Ms. Han, the Li Group has already found a partner. They are willing to establish a long-term cooperation with us. Your company’s offer can be forgotten."

He might not be the world's most handsome man, but he was decent enough. Why should he lower himself like this?

Han Yue-er flew into a rage. "Who? You're courting death! In Jiangcheng, I, Han Yue-er, have already made it clear: you, Li Haowen, are mine. Who dares to offend me?"

Fang Mo had been laughing, but upon hearing this familiar line, his expression shifted. "This lady, matters of the heart require mutual consent. Just because you like Li Haowen doesn't mean he has to be with you. A forced melon is never sweet. You're an adult, aren't you?"

Clearly, Han Yue-er’s words reminded Fang Mo of the incident from two mornings ago. Although Ning Yue-lan had explained the matter with Chen Kaixuan, Fang Mo still felt uncomfortable. What man would want another person coveting his wife?

"Who do you think you are to jump in and point fingers?" Han Yue-er, already furious, shifted her target. "I get it now. Li Haowen, you're playing hard to get, right? The Li Group is on the verge of bankruptcy; who would be willing to work with you, let alone invest?"

"Don't be arrogant just because I like you. Don't push your luck. I'll say it today: if you don't marry me this week, the Li Group can just wait for bankruptcy. Let's see if our Han family has the power to do that."

Li Haowen frowned. This was an open threat.

Han Yue-er continued coldly, "Whether or not someone is really investing in you, if anyone dares to ruin my plans, I will be the first to destroy them. Just wait and see."

"Is that so?"

At that moment, the office door was pushed open again. A slender, elegant figure walked in slowly.

"For my husband's sake, the Ning Group has established a partnership with the Li Group. I wonder what advice Ms. Han has? How exactly do you plan to make the Ning Group... go bankrupt?"