Chapter 21: What Use Is Pride?

Hearing Chen Xi’s curiosity, Li Mo’s lips curled into a slight smile, as delicate as a blooming peach blossom, as he slowly revealed the contents of the file he remembered.

"Wu Wenqiang, the chairman of Xinhui Group, originally had three sons and two daughters."

"However, over the past seven years, Wu Wenqiang’s two legitimate sons, two daughters, and those five rumored illegitimate children have all fallen like shooting stars. Various accidents claimed their lives, leaving behind only his eldest son, Wu Wenlong."

"Today, Wu Wenlong is not only the executive director of Xinhui Group but also the one wielding the power of Chairman Wu Wenqiang."

"Within Xinhui Group, a rumor wanders like a ghost: that those heirs of Wu Wenqiang met their tragic ends precisely because they threatened Wu Wenlong’s position. That is why, when Wu Wentao heard me mention the rumor that he was Wu Wenqiang’s illegitimate son, he became as panicked as a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring."

Upon hearing Li Mo’s words, Chen Xi’s confusion was not in the least bit alleviated. "Surely that isn't enough to make him so terrified?"

"Of course, if he could be certain that he wasn't Wu Wenqiang’s illegitimate son, he would naturally be as steady as Mount Tai," Li Mo said softly.

"Huh?"

A look of astonishment instantly washed over Chen Xi’s face, as if she had been struck by lightning. "So you mean, he really is Wu Wenqiang’s illegitimate son?"

"Absolutely."

Li Mo smiled faintly, like the warm sun in winter. "I learned this piece of information by chance, and it was only out of curiosity that I looked into it a bit."

As for the major case involving Xinhui Group, Li Mo naturally would not reveal a single detail to Chen Xi at this moment. After all, he could excuse his knowledge of Wu Wentao as incidental, but if he were to disclose the secrets of Xinhui Group, the source of such information would be impossible to justify.

Chen Xi nodded gently and stopped dwelling on Wu Wentao and Tang Wei, instead acting like a cheerful little bird, pulling Li Mo along to pick out clothes.

Behind them, Wu Wentao stood deathly pale, looking around in a state of terror.

"Wentao, what’s wrong with you?" Tang Wei asked, looking at Wu Wentao in confusion.

"Don't ask, let's go!"

Wu Wentao’s eyes darted around, terrified that someone might suddenly pounce from the shadows to kill him.

"What about my bag?"

"Forget the bag! If you aren't leaving, I am!"

Wu Wentao roared, abandoning Tang Wei and sprinting toward the exit of the Wanda Plaza.

Tang Wei was stunned. It wasn't until Wu Wentao had run several meters away that she snapped out of it, chasing after him while calling out, "Wentao, Wentao, wait for me..."

Li Mo did not expect that a single sentence of his would leave Wu Wentao too afraid to step out of his villa for quite some time. When Wu Wentao finally left his villa for the first time several days later, he would walk straight into the doom of Xinhui Group.

Li Mo and Chen Xi spent the afternoon wandering through Wanda. Chen Xi bought three outfits for Jiang Cheng, and Li Mo bought two for Chen Xi.

They walked out of the mall with bags in their hands, arms linked like a pair of lovers deeply in love.

Back in the car, after putting the items away, Chen Xi looked at Li Mo, her eyes filled with determination. "Li Mo..."

Hearing Chen Xi’s voice and seeing her expression, Li Mo roughly guessed what she was about to do.

Li Mo brought his hand from behind his back, and in it was a bouquet of roses. "Xi Xi, will you be my girlfriend?"

Chen Xi, who had been preparing to take the initiative to pursue Li Mo, was interrupted by his preemptive move. Looking at the bouquet in his hand, her face was a mixture of shock and pleasant surprise.

"Xi Xi?" Li Mo called out softly when he saw she didn't answer or take the flowers.

"I will!"

Chen Xi’s eyes turned red, and with a joyful smile, she took the roses from Li Mo’s hand.

Seeing her agree and accept the flowers, Li Mo smiled, his heart filled with joy.

At this moment, the fate of his life since his rebirth had finally changed completely. Although his status remained that of a police officer at the Pu County Public Security Bureau, everything was now different from the future he had once lived.

"Let’s hurry back; I want to tell my mom this good news!" Chen Xi said to Li Mo.

"Huh? You want to tell Aunt Mu now?" Li Mo asked, taken aback.

"Of course," Chen Xi said, as if it were only natural. "Not just my mom, I’m going to tell my dad too. Don't worry, my mom supports us being together, and as for my dad, he shouldn't object either!"

As she spoke, she took a deep breath of the roses. While her face was full of happiness, she also looked at Li Mo with some confusion. "Wait, Li Mo, we’ve been shopping for clothes together the whole time—where did you get these flowers?"

"There's a flower shop across from the store where you were trying on clothes. I asked the shop staff to buy them for me and have them packed in a box," Li Mo explained with a smile.

"So that's it." Chen Xi looked enlightened and asked happily, "So, you were planning to confess to me too?"

"Of course. I’m not a wooden block; I could feel how you felt about me. I couldn't let you be the one to confess first, could I?"

As he spoke, Li Mo started the car and drove toward the Provincial Party Committee residential compound.

The car pulled into the villa garage. As he was about to get out, Li Mo hesitated.

"My dad isn't home this afternoon." Chen Xi noticed his embarrassment and spoke up.

"Oh."

Li Mo immediately perked up and opened the door to get out.

Although his relationship with Chen Xi was based on mutual affection and he had saved her, putting the Chen family in his debt, the pressure of facing a partner's father—especially one with the status of a provincial governor like Chen Teng—was, for Li Mo, an insurmountable obstacle.

Seeing Li Mo get out of the car, Chen Xi asked with a hint of playfulness, "What, are you that afraid of my father?"

"Who’s afraid? I was just a little tired!"

Seeing Li Mo stubbornly feign confidence, Chen Xi smiled and said, "That's good, because my dad should be home from work soon."

"Cough, cough..."

Hearing this, the momentum Li Mo had just managed to muster instantly collapsed.

"Xi Xi, look, it's my first time visiting as your boyfriend, and it's not great to come empty-handed. Maybe I should come back next time..."

Before Li Mo could finish, Chen Xi was already dragging him toward the villa, bags in hand.

"Next time? What next time!" Chen Xi said indignantly. "You weren't afraid when you were confessing to me with flowers just now. Let's go!"

With no other choice, Li Mo followed Chen Xi into the villa.

In the living room, Mu Jinyi was sitting on the sofa. Seeing Chen Xi and Li Mo enter together, a playful smile appeared on her face. She looked at Chen Xi and said, "Oh, has our lady general returned victorious?"

"Mom!" Hearing the teasing, Chen Xi protested, "Spare me some dignity."

"Wow, my daughter is all grown up; she cares about her dignity now," Mu Jinyi continued with a teasing grin.

Chen Xi blushed, and just as Li Mo was about to speak, a deep voice rang out from behind them: "What’s this about dignity?"