And what makes you nobler than me

Finally, a middle-aged alumnus with a slicked-back hairstyle, appearing refined and scholarly, couldn't hold back any longer. He spoke with a forced smile, his tone dripping with the condescension of a self-righteous mentor.

"Student Lin, I’ve heard Principal Shen mention that your family circumstances aren’t ideal. Young man, money should be spent wisely. Blowing so much on fireworks—isn’t that a bit impulsive?"

The words sounded well-intentioned, but they were nothing short of an accusation.

Lin Mo didn’t even lift his eyelids, replying indifferently,

"Because it was worth it."

"If it made me happy, then it was worth it."

At the time, everyone had been happy, so Lin Mo felt it was more than justified.

He paused, then added, "Besides, the money was earned by me. How I spend it should be my decision."

The nonchalant attitude made the slick-haired man’s chest tighten.

His name was Chen Dong, a vice president at a company worth tens of millions. Though not yet publicly listed, it met all the criteria for an IPO, and once it went public, his assets would multiply.

Feeling his authority challenged, his voice turned icy.

"Thirteen thousand yuan—that’s enough to cover a poor family’s expenses for an entire year! And you just burned it away without a second thought? Don’t you feel any guilt? Do you think you’re worthy of the school’s resources or the kindness of us alumni?"

The remark was clearly an attempt to rally the group’s sentiments against Lin Mo.

But the others, seasoned in the cutthroat world of business, didn’t chime in. Instead, someone intervened.

"President Chen, that’s too harsh."

Lin Mo finally looked up, his gaze sweeping past the crowd and landing on Chen Dong’s wrist.

There, an exquisite watch glimmered under the lights.

"President Chen, is it?"

Lin Mo suddenly spoke, his voice quiet yet carrying clearly across the conference room.

"That Vacheron Constantin Patrimony 1120 on your wrist—if I’m not mistaken, it’s worth at least 1.2 million yuan."

Chen Dong froze.

Every pair of eyes in the room shifted from Lin Mo to Chen Dong’s wrist.

No one knew where Lin Mo was going with this.

Then, Lin Mo continued, unhurried:

"1.2 million yuan could support 120 poor families for a year. Yet you wear it every day, just to watch time pass… isn’t that also a bit… inappropriate?"

"You—!"

Chen Dong was left speechless, his face flushing with anger. "What do you know? This isn’t the same! I earned this money myself! It’s the fruit of years of hard work!"

Chen Dong was clearly livid.

But Lin Mo only chuckled and turned to Ma Linxi. "Mr. Ma, if I recall correctly, that 13,000 yuan came from selling fish, right? Technically, that’s money I earned too."

Ma Linxi, hands clasped behind his back, nodded leisurely with a faint smile.

"Indeed, it was Student Lin’s own earnings."

"So, President Chen, we’re both spending our hard-earned money on things we love."

Then, Lin Mo added, enunciating each word:

"What makes you think you’re any nobler than me?"

Lin Mo scoffed, locking eyes with Chen Dong.

"I assume my provincial competition prize money wasn’t sponsored by you, President Chen."

Even if it had been, Chen Dong wouldn’t dare admit it now.

It was only then that Shen Zhongping noticed the commotion. He had been on the other side of the room, discussing group photo arrangements with the photographer.

Just half a minute of inattention, and he heard Lin Mo embroiled in an argument.

Catching Lin Mo’s final remark, Shen Zhongping pushed through the crowd.

All eyes turned to him, the air thick with tension and awkwardness.

He strode to Lin Mo’s side, his imposing frame like a wall shielding his student from Chen Dong’s glare.

"President Chen."

Shen Zhongping’s voice was calm but brooked no argument.

"Lin Mo is our school’s pride. Every penny of his prize money was earned through his own merit. If you think a few thousand yuan in awards for my students isn’t justified, then you’re free to leave now."

The words wiped the color from Chen Dong’s face.

Shen Zhongping was a high-ranking administrative official—at the county level, he’d be the top authority.

He had no need to curry favor with these alumni businessmen. The school’s invitation for sponsorship was a courtesy extended to them!

Seeing his star student bullied by a businessman, Shen Zhongping’s protective instincts flared.

Especially hearing his prized pupil provoked.

The room fell dead silent.

Just as Chen Dong found himself trapped, Xue Zigui’s lazy voice drifted over.

"Wait, the prize was only a few thousand? I thought it was at least tens of thousands."

"Pfft."

Someone nearby couldn’t suppress a laugh.

Tong Dong silently gave a thumbs-up. If it had been his father, he might’ve mocked him outright—but now...

This was practically peeling Chen Dong’s pride off and stomping on it.

Chen Dong’s face cycled between red and white, his chest heaving with barely contained fury.

But as a seasoned businessman, he knew who he could and couldn’t afford to offend.

Shen Zhongping was not someone to cross.

In the next second, his anger dissipated like a receding tide, replaced by a strained, ghastly smile.

"Principal Shen, you’re joking, of course! I was just teasing Student Lin to lighten the mood!"

He waved his hands at Lin Mo, his demeanor abruptly humble.

"Student Lin is young and accomplished. I was too abrupt—just a poorly judged joke. Please don’t take it to heart!"

A businessman knew when to bend. Pride meant nothing.

If he could smooth things over now, who would remember this later?

All that remained was for someone to mediate.

Ma Linxi, sensing the moment, finally broke the stalemate.

"Student Lin, when do you plan to go fishing at the farm again? I’ve visited often but never saw anyone catch such a big fish. If you can hook another one like that, name your price."

Lin Mo rubbed his chin. "There are plenty of bigheads in the reservoir, but ones that size aren’t easy to catch. We’ll see."

Truthfully, Lin Mo rather liked Fang Jun’s uncle’s farm.

The change of topic eased the tension.

With Chen Dong backing down, Shen Zhongping let the matter drop.

The group proceeded with the photo session.

Lin Mo’s provincial award had been sponsored by Ma Linxi, so it was only fitting that Ma Linxi presented it to him personally.

Lin Mo accepted it politely with both hands, smiling for the camera.

Click.

The moment was captured.

Soon, these images would grace the school’s bulletin boards, showcasing Lin Mo’s expertly practiced smile.

With the award ceremony over and the class bell ringing, Lin Mo prepared to leave.

But Ma Linxi suddenly called out to him.

"Student Lin, have we met before the farm?"

Lin Mo raised an eyebrow, feigning thought before shaking his head.

"Probably not."

With that, Lin Mo turned and walked away.