Volume 1, Chapter 26: A Good Dog Does Not Block the Way

After leaving the Li Group, Fang Mo sat in Li Haowen’s vintage Rolls-Royce—a car purchased back when the Li family was at the height of its glory.

Now, this vehicle was the only thing left that served as a testament to those former golden days.

Everything else that could be quickly liquidated had been picked clean by the bloodsucking shareholders, who had stripped the company to the bone following the death of Li Haowen’s older brother, Li Wenhan.

"I think I finally have a deep, personal understanding of what it feels like to be the brother of someone who’s hooked a rich woman," Li Haowen said with a grin as he navigated the steering wheel.

Fang Mo coughed in response. "Haven't I explained this to you already? Registering my marriage with Sister Yuelan was a total accident. Everything that followed was just keeping up the charade to fool Old Master Ning..."

"Pfft." Li Haowen rolled his eyes. "Are you addicted to lying to yourself? Can you honestly look me in the eye and say you believe that?"

*What’s so hard to believe about that?* Fang Mo muttered to himself.

As if he could read Fang Mo’s mind, Li Haowen added, "Tell me, just imagine for a moment: if one day Ning were to be with another man—if you saw her arms around someone else’s waist, saw her kissing someone else’s lips—how would that make you feel? You still have the nerve to call it an 'accident'? Even you don't believe that word."

Fang Mo flushed. He was finally willing to admit that the bond they had cultivated over the past few days had grown with startling speed, and he might actually have fallen for Sister Yuelan.

Li Haowen was right. Just two days ago, when he ran into Chen Kaixuan at the Ning family mall and heard that Sister Yuelan was going to marry someone else, Fang Mo’s heart had felt as though it had skipped a beat. It was as if something vital had been lost.

"Say, should I buy a funeral wreath for your brother? The selection at the cemetery is too sparse, and they’re all just for show—not enough sincerity," Fang Mo said, quickly changing the subject as they neared the cemetery and passed vendors selling funeral offerings.

Li Haowen didn't bother calling his bluff. "Forget it. I’ve already got everything prepared in the car. Just sit tight. Honestly, you should be more worried about your own 'President Ning.' The Ning Group’s stock hasn't been looking good these last two days. Being the top wealthy family in Jiangcheng, they’ve invested in every industry imaginable. In an economic climate like this, where ninety percent of stocks are plummeting, the pressure on her liquidity must be immense."

Fang Mo was stunned. He had never heard a word of this from Sister Yuelan. Was she really under that much financial strain? The Ning family’s assets were in the billions, and their social connections were unfathomably complex. If even Li Haowen said the pressure was high, then the burden on Ning Yuelan’s shoulders over these past few days must truly be heavy.

"And despite all that, she still has the heart to tease me," Fang Mo mused, rubbing his nose. He realized now why she had been coming home so late lately.

"Under normal circumstances, Han Yue'er wouldn't dare offend her, but do you know why that woman was so arrogant today?" Li Haowen clicked his tongue. "It’s because they have strong connections at the bank. If the Ning Group’s cash flow breaks and they need a large injection of capital, their best option is a bank loan. Han Yue'er knows about Sister Yuelan’s current predicament, which is why she dared to confront her."

Fang Mo’s brow furrowed immediately. If that was the case, did offending Han Yue'er today mean that Ning Yuelan’s business could suffer later?

"I heard she’s been trying to make contact with Old Master He of the Central Bank, but for some reason, he isn’t seeing anyone." Li Haowen sighed. "It’s lonely at the top. To outsiders, she’s powerful and prestigious, but only she knows the weight of the pressure she carries."

*President Ning, don't blame me for not providing an assist! I've already done my part; the rest is up to you.*

"The Central Bank? The He family?" Fang Mo paused. "You don't mean the He family—the ones known throughout the Jiangnan region for their wealth? The ones who have no real industry support but made their fortune purely through stock speculation, ranking in the top ten of China's wealthy, and even owning their own bank?"

He hadn't delved deep into business, but he had read the reports on the He family. So, Sister Yuelan was trying to borrow money from one of China’s top corporate entities? As expected of the Ning family—even a small hiccup in their cash flow required borrowing from the richest bank in the country. It was a testament to the sheer scale of the Ning family empire.

"Yes," Li Haowen nodded. "But the He family’s money isn't easy to borrow. Even if she gets in touch with the Old Master, whether she can secure the loan is another question. When Old Master He was in charge, he famously said that he never recoups a loan at less than double the market interest rate. If he can't get that, he’d rather throw the money into the stock market."

*That’s ruthless,* Fang Mo thought, swallowing hard.

Li Haowen left it at that. As he finished speaking, the car came to a smooth stop in front of the cemetery. The mood grew somber. Fang Mo knew what his friend was feeling and gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"Let’s go. It’s been half a year since I took over the company, and I haven't been here once. I really miss him."

Li Haowen opened the door and pulled two large boxes from the trunk, filled with everything needed for the grave visit: wreaths, spirit paper, white liquor—everything was accounted for.

Upon reaching the hillside, Li Haowen quickly found his brother's tombstone. It had been months, and the stone was covered in dust. Aside from the offerings they brought, there wasn't even a single fresh flower to be found. It looked desolate and cold.

Fang Mo and Li Haowen cleaned the stone with water before lighting incense.

"Brother, I miss you." Li Haowen’s eyes reddened the moment he put down the rag. "Dad still didn't come to see you this year, and neither did Grandpa. They’re so cold-blooded. I can't feel a shred of familial love in that house. Honestly, I’m so tired lately. I don't think I can hold on much longer. Only now, standing in this position, do I realize how much pressure you were under all those years, shielding me from the storm... Brother, I really miss you."

Fang Mo felt the weight of Li Haowen’s grief and his own mood darkened. Just then, three slender silhouettes appeared in the distance. The three women were also dressed in black. Had Ning Yuelan been there, she would have instantly recognized them as some of her few close friends in Jiangcheng.

Wu Jiabei paused, surprised to see someone weeping before Li Wenhan’s grave. She had pursued Li Wenhan for seven years and knew the Li family background well. Li Haowen’s father was a man of vice who had gambled away the family fortune, shrinking the Li Group to a tenth of its peak until the Old Master stepped in to salvage what remained.

The once-glorious Li Group had fallen from grace. The father, ashamed to face the Old Master and fearing retribution from the shareholders he had swindled, had fled abroad and hadn't returned in nearly a decade. Those former partners were full of nothing but hatred for the Li family; they wouldn't even think of paying their respects, let alone sending someone to sweep the grave.

"That must be Li Wenhan’s brother and his friend," Wu Jiabei said, biting her lip. Her face looked more haggard than it had when she met Ning Yuelan at the tea house two days prior.

Just then, a voice rang out behind Fang Mo and Li Haowen: "Hey, kid, get moving! Don't block the path—can't you see I’m carrying all this stuff?"