First Battle with Old Deng: Complete Victory

The tactics of the wealthy are all pretty much the same.

It’s just that there are many ways to execute them.

Moving away is one method, and making Lin Mo take the TOEFL or IELTS to study abroad is another.

"You sure know how to dress it up nicely, President Jiang," Lin Mo said, lightly tapping his fingers on the table.

"Did no one tell you that the same move won’t work twice on a Saint? Or do you think that after I go abroad, Jiang Yunlu will gradually drift apart from me, just like moving away? And in the end, like Xia Yusheng, a few years apart will blur and erase all feelings? You’ve got quite the plan, President Jiang."

"The dry-tossed Guilin rice noodles are here."

A massive bowl of dry-tossed Guilin rice noodles was placed on the table. The amount of beef slices piled on top could probably keep that Lanzhou hand-pulled noodle shop across the street in business for a year.

Seeing the overflowing bowl, Lin Mo couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up.

"Boss, you’re too generous."

It wasn’t clear whether the thumbs-up was meant for Jiang Chengshan or the noodle shop owner, but the latter responded first.

"Since the money’s already been paid, of course I’ll do the job right."

"No argument there."

Lin Mo picked up his chopsticks and happily took a big bite of meat. With the bowl packed so full, the first bite couldn’t even reach the noodles.

Too honest.

Lin Mo glanced up and noticed Jiang Chengshan’s expression.

"What? Jealous? Ask the boss to make you a bowl too."

Jiang Chengshan suppressed his anger and took a deep breath.

"Name your price. How much do you want to—"

Lin Mo cut him off mid-sentence.

"Boss, let me ask you something."

The noodle shop owner walked out, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips.

"What’s up? I’m not selling the broth recipe, though."

Lin Mo raised a finger. "Boss, do you have a daughter?"

The boss frowned and gave Lin Mo a once-over. "What’s it to you? I don’t have a daughter, just a son."

"That works too. Let’s say your son is the top student in the province, future valedictorian, and a rich girl falls for him. But her dad offers your son five million to disappear. What would you think?"

The boss glanced at Jiang Chengshan beside them. He wasn’t deaf—he’d heard everything from the kitchen.

Jiang Chengshan’s face was completely dark.

"Don’t mind him. He’s just a one-time customer who already paid. What’s there to be scared of?"

That made sense.

Hearing this, the boss slapped his thigh without hesitation.

"If my son could be valedictorian, five million wouldn’t mean squat. Not even ten million could buy his happiness."

At this point, Jiang Chengshan interjected coolly,

"What about a hundred million?"

The boss froze. He looked at Lin Mo, his eyes asking:

Is he really that loaded?

So Lin Mo nodded.

Yes, he’s that loaded.

But Lin Mo added,

"And what if the rich girl is an only child?"

Damn. Jiang Chengshan’s face turned even darker.

Without missing a beat, the boss slapped his thigh again.

"Then of course—"

"ENOUGH!!!" Jiang Chengshan slammed the table and stood up.

"I never thought you’d stoop this low. I will never let Yunlu end up with you. Never!"

It was clear Lin Mo had finally pushed Jiang Chengshan over the edge.

The noodle shop owner shrank back and quickly retreated to the kitchen.

Only then did Lin Mo look up at the fuming Jiang Chengshan.

"So President Jiang does understand how insulting this is? You don’t feel it when you’re the one dishing it out, but the moment it’s turned on you, you can’t take it?"

Lin Mo kept eating, his tone calm, clearly unfazed by Jiang Chengshan’s outburst.

"If you called me out just to talk about this, then you can leave now. I have my own path to walk, and so does Jiang Yunlu..."

Hearing this, Jiang Chengshan sat back down. He wasn’t stupid—he understood what Lin Mo meant.

He took another deep breath and slid a bank card across the table.

"Five million. All I’m asking is for you to help me reconcile with Yunlu. Simple, right?"

Lin Mo kept slurping his noodles.

"Even without my help, you and Jiang Yunlu will make up eventually. There are no lasting grudges between father and daughter, right?"

Jiang Chengshan felt like he truly couldn’t read Lin Mo.

Just moments ago, his words had practically screamed gold-digger.

Yet now, he wouldn’t even glance at a five-million-yuan card.

Jiang Chengshan was lost.

"What do you actually want?!"

"What do I want? Heh."

Lin Mo raised his voice toward the kitchen. "Boss, two more bowls of dry-tossed noodles to go. Extra meat, light on the noodles."

"Coming right up!" The boss scurried off to boil the noodles.

Only after that did Lin Mo turn back to Jiang Chengshan.

"From the start, you’ve assumed I want something. But why don’t you ask what Jiang Yunlu wants? Not everyone has to marry and have kids by eighteen."

At those words, Jiang Chengshan stiffened.

Others might not notice, but Lin Mo had clocked Jiang Chengshan’s age the moment they met.

Having a daughter that old meant Jiang Chengshan and Jiang Yunlu’s mother had gotten busy very early.

Lin Mo tapped the table.

"Liking someone is about indulgence, but loving them is about restraint. Show some restraint, President Jiang."

No choice—he couldn’t just punch Jiang Chengshan. He was Jiang Yunlu’s father, after all.

Men are rational creatures. The only way to persuade them is through logic.

With that, Lin Mo walked to the kitchen and picked up the takeout bags.

"Thanks for lunch, President Jiang. I’ll head back now—wouldn’t want your daughter to go hungry."

Jiang Chengshan didn’t stop him. He knew there was nothing he could do to Lin Mo.

Instead, the noodle shop owner came out again, placing a bowl in front of Jiang Chengshan.

"That kid’s something else. Is he really the top student in school?"

Jiang Chengshan was momentarily thrown but nodded.

"Yeah, number one in the school."

"That kid’s sharp as a tack. You can tell he’s no ordinary guy. But if I had a daughter..."

The boss paused.

Jiang Chengshan turned to look.

"...I wouldn’t let her marry him. Too cunning. And daring to stand up to his future father-in-law? No one could control him."

Jiang Chengshan’s face went stiff.

"But... that’s exactly the kind of guy who’d protect his wife best. Won’t let her suffer even a bit."

That last line hit Jiang Chengshan like a truck.

If Lin Mo were here, he’d have quipped:

"Boss, ever heard of ‘don’t remind a man of his wounds’? Telling a widowed dad who’s obsessed with his daughter something like that is just twisting the knife."

But Jiang Chengshan had already taken enough emotional blows today.

He could still handle it. He just picked up his chopsticks and ate the noodles—extra meat included.

After finishing, he wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

"Boss."

The boss, now smoking, grunted in acknowledgment.

"How much for the recipe? I want to make it for my daughter."

"Not selling, not selling. If your daughter wants it, isn’t that kid gonna buy it for her?"

Perfect. Jiang Chengshan’s murderous intent flared again.

"One million. Take it or leave it."

"That's absolutely no problem. I'll teach you hands-on, holding nothing back—not even the slightest bit."