Chapter 42

Chapter 42: The Rolling of Money

“Your aunt is a broad-minded woman… I had no choice being a businessman, you know.” Chen Baichuan behaved as if he were a child that had made a mistake after being scolded by his daughter. Despite being furious, he still tried to save his face, though.

That was a typical man from the north, good-hearted yet face-lover.

“Oh, so the scratches on your face come from nowhere? You have her do whatever a wife should do, but you don’t bring her out to meet your friends. Nor do you dare to tell her about your “businessman behavior”. Oh gosh, Boss Chen, you are indeed unrestrained; how excellent of you to ignore what she cares about!”

Chen Baichuan’s face flushed and turned pale after hearing what Chen Qianmo said. He felt both angry and humiliated. His face was totally lost after being exposed by his daughter.

“You know nothing about business! I’ve to attend some dinners as a businessman and act according to the situation!”

“Is attending dinner the same as hugging women? If that’s the case, then all businessmen have to sacrifice their own bodies to get deals done? Dad, you are selling sea cucumbers, not your body. If we really need you to hug women so that we can get by with our life, I don’t think aunt and I need you anymore.”

Chen Baichuan gasped. Since when did his daughter get so sharp with her tongue?

“Your so-called dinners are all about hanging out with your mob friends for some bragging. How many of those people really talk about business? Better stay away from those guys who only drink with you, and that’s not how contacts are used! Let me ask you one thing, how many friends will stand by you when you have nothing left in your pockets?”

When she did business in her previous life, she didn’t make a deal by hugging others at the table. Well, that could have something to do with her identity, though. Who dared to hug Master Mo’s woman unless he wanted to die as soon as possible?

It was undeniable that some business transactions did require some “improper behavior”. Yet, Qianmo still hoped that her father could be a businessman who took one step at a time. The principles must be kept, and a bottom line must be drawn, even if that meant some loss of money.

Chen Baichuan felt increasingly guilty inside his heart, although he didn’t show his care on the surface.

“Just leave those things to us adults. Ah, why is Mianmian not back yet?”

He stood up, pretending to turn towards the door when he saw the tearful lady coming in with the food and rolling her eyes at him.

Chen Baichuan got startled. Oh god, how long had she been listening outside the door?

Did she hear the part where he drank and had a mistress in his arms?

Qianmo threw an amused look at her father, who had just claimed himself as the man of the house and had taken a step backward. Now, he had instantly turned into a puppy that was wagging its tail around her aunt enthusiastically.

“Mianmian, is it hot outside? Oh, you’re sweating; let me wipe it away for you…”

“Move aside!” Aunt gave him a push and rolled her eyes at him.

Well, that demeanor was more fitting to the head of the prison in her previous life. Qianmo did enjoy this scene and decided to keep telling Aunt that she should not be too obedient to her man. After all, her father was someone who would bend in front of the strong rather than the weak.

That was what 70% of men were like—the more active a woman was, the less valuable she was to a man. Yu Changmo, however, did not belong to that category.

“Come, Mo, let’s drink chicken soup.” Mu Mianmian behaved like an affable mother to Qianmo. In her mind, she was also busy thinking about what dish she should make for her niece tomorrow.

Chen Baichuan leaned forward due to hunger and extended his hand to touch the chicken soup that was emitting a pleasant aroma. Without even turning her head, Mu Mianmian stretched out her foot and stomped Chen Baichuan, who let out a cry and stopped whatever he was doing.

Qianmo felt like laughing. He was simply too timid to behave “like a businessman”.

Chen Baichuan, who had been ignored, understood that he was the guilty one. Therefore, he didn’t dare to fight against Mu Mianmian and deduced that his daughter had turned herself to his future wife instead. With two women at home going against him, he simply didn’t dare to make a further move.

So Chen Baichuan kept telling himself that he was a gentleman who didn’t fight with women while sitting back on the sofa, pretending to be the man of the house with his legs crossed. At the same time, he also tried his best to ignore his grumbling stomach, putting up a brave front.

“Lin Xiang is hooked by the ginseng thing.” He stressed the word “ginseng”, trying to tell his wife that he was really selling ginseng, not something else!

“Why is Lin Xiang so dumb?” Mu Mianmian was confused.

“He’s blinded by his greed,” Qianmo said calmly.

The reason why Lin Xiang was hooked was that she had mapped out a complete and thorough scheme. Her prerequisite plan with Mu Feifei was not a complete waste of time, either. She had chatted with Mu Feifei at noon, and Lin Xiang already started to learn the information about ginseng at night.

Qianmo suddenly came up with another idea.

“Dad, call your mob friends and borrow 100,000 yuan from each one of them, claiming that you are in desperate need of money.”

“…Why should I borrow money from them? We have money, a lot of it!” Chen Baichuan loved to keep his own reputation intact. He loaned the money generously, but he barely borrowed any from anybody.

“Just tell them that you need funds for the goods. We’re only putting a show for Lin Xiang. Besides, you can also see how sincerely your friends are treating you.”

Chen Baichuan was not in the mood to make the call, however.

Nevertheless, Mu Mianmian nodded continuously next to her. “Yes, call them now!”

She had been very displeased by her brother-in-law’s so-called friends, who called him deep at night for some KTV activities and asked him to pay for the bills. They thought of him as someone generous, treating him as their ATM. Yet, they all retreated whenever they were needed.

Even though the two women at home stood on the same side, Chen Baichuan, who looked strong on the surface yet weak inside, still refused to make the call. In spite of that, Mu Mianmian tried to get his phone for him.

“I’ll make the call if you don’t want to. The plantation boss borrowed 10,000 yuan from you before Chinese New Year, and he still has not returned the money!”

He had borrowed the money and allowed her man to hug his mistress, damn!

“Yes, Aunt, you make the call. My father just doesn’t want to accept the truth that nobody will lend the money to him, causing us to laugh at him.” Qianmo tried to stimulate her father.

“Alright, alright, you two ignorant women! Let me show you what being popular means!” Chen Baichuan took over the phone and started to make the calls.

“Ah, Liu, this is Baichuan. I’m in a financial crisis currently; can you lend me 100,000 yuan? Oh, you agree?”

Mu Mianmian hurriedly took over the phone and put on the speaker before Chen Baichuan could hang up the phone. The man on the other side of the phone said clearly.

“I just put some investment in fries; what about Zhao?”

Chen Baichuan’s face reddened as Mu Mianmian waved the cell phone in front of him. Aha? That was what being popular meant?

“He’s just one man! I’ve got several more! I’ll make the call outside since Mo needs rest! Let’s leave her alone for a bit.”

Chen Baichuan tried to sneak out, but Aunt caught him from the collar.

“I don’t need rest. Dad, make the call now! It’s good for appetite!” Qianmo gestured at the bowl, meaning that it would be a good show to be watched at the dinner table.

Ten minutes later, Chen Baichuan seated himself back on the sofa with a blackened face. He had only managed to borrow 20,000 yuan after making so many calls.

“Giving your blessing is a small thing, but offering his help when needed is what a true friend does. Dad, watch out whom you make friends with.” Before Qianmo finished her words, she heard her cell phone beeping on the side table. It was a text message.

She took it over and found that it was a text from the bank.

Your card with 2774 as the last four numbers received a transfer of 10… with 4 more zeros, as Qianmo had counted.

Who had transferred 100,000 yuan to her?!

On the other side of the wall, Yu Changmo was getting anxious about what he had done as he looked at his cell phone—was 100,000 yuan really enough? It seemed his sister’s bag cost more than that…