Volume One, Chapter 23: The Scene of Flattering Praise

On the way to the hotel, Yu Mo received several calls from Director Huang in succession.

Director Huang’s words were even more direct than Manager Yao’s.

“Yu Mo, the Fu Pharmaceutical Factory will be holding a pharmaceutical industry exchange meeting this week. If you can invite the Crown Prince to attend as our special representative, the board of directors will agree to let you participate in all the important meetings in the future.”

Yu Mo touched the lustrous pearl on her earlobe, smiling as she spoke.

“Director Huang, you’re well aware of who the Crown Prince is—probably even better than I am. I have no personal connection with him, so stop dreaming of shortcuts like this. It’s better to manage the factory properly and walk the right path.”

She hung up and leaned against the shoulder of the pretty-faced man beside her.

The endless calls had exhausted her; all were probing about her relationship with Mu Shaozhou.

Yu Mo pulled out her phone and opened the trending news. The top stories were all about the Crown Prince, Mu Shaozhou.

They claimed Mu Shaozhou now had a girlfriend, whom he treated with utmost tenderness.

She opened a few articles. Inside were photos—several captured her walking arm-in-arm with Mu Shaozhou.

Flipping through, she noticed none showed her full face, just a few indistinct profiles. But anyone familiar with Yu Mo would recognize her instantly.

No wonder Manager Yao and the board kept calling her one after another.

The man beside her reached out, intertwining his fingers with hers.

He spoke softly. “Yu Mo, when people ask you later, how will you introduce me?”

Yu Mo lifted her face, her gaze meeting the perfect line of his jaw.

It always felt as though she was being pushed to the edge.

“A companion,” she replied.

What else could he be?

His grip tightened.

“Not your boyfriend?”

Yu Mo couldn’t see his face, but she could feel his intense gaze locked onto her.

She answered, calm yet helpless. “No.”

“Oh.” The man’s voice above her sounded low and dejected.

Yu Mo gave a wry smile, quickly smoothing it away.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like him. Rather—

She was afraid.

Afraid of getting hurt.

They arrived at the hotel entrance.

Yu Mo opened the car door. The ground lights of the five-star hotel glowed in soft amber, like drifting colored mist across the earth.

She glanced back at her handsome companion.

He wore a perfectly tailored suit, a white silk handkerchief peeking from his breast pocket.

A blue tie matched her red dress exquisitely.

With one slender arm, Yu Mo linked herself to him and entered the banquet hall.

The hall’s floor was covered in deep brown, high-grade wool carpet. From the ceiling, dazzling chandeliers spilled radiant light over her pale, refined features, making her look even more enchanting.

The hall bustled with people, many of whom worked at Fu Pharmaceutical.

The single men from the technical department, seeing Yu Mo with a man on her arm, all wore expressions of disappointment.

Yu Mo’s gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Fu Yanting and Lin Hua not far away.

Tonight, Fu Yanting was impeccably dressed, embodying the excellence of an aristocratic heir. Many women tried to approach and chat with him.

At his side, Lin Hua wore a cream-colored lace gown, the neckline adorned with dozens of dazzling diamonds.

She followed quietly beside Fu Yanting, keeping other women at bay.

As the sole heir of the Fu family, Fu Yanting was never short of flattery.

As for Lin Hua, to become a manager at Fu Pharmaceutical at such a young age by her own merit, she attracted plenty of goodwill too.

“I hear Young Master Fu and Miss Lin are getting engaged soon. Be sure to let me know the date—I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

“You two truly are a power couple. With you leading, the Fu Group will only grow stronger.”

“Miss Lin, how did you negotiate with President Lin? I know what kind of person he is. If you managed to secure him, I’m genuinely impressed!”

“With Miss Lin at Fu Pharmaceutical, there’s no need to fear any rivals. You’ll surely dominate half the market in the city!”

Compliments poured out one after another.

Fu Yanting wore a proud smile, one arm around Lin Hua’s waist, the other holding a glass of champagne, occasionally clinking glasses with others.

Lin Hua responded with modesty, her expression serene and detached.

She gave off an air of indifference to fame and fortune.

Her eyes met Yu Mo’s from afar, and she sent a secret, triumphant smile her way.

Yu Mo, arm in arm with her handsome companion, walked over to Fu Yanting and Lin Hua.

The crowd barely noticed them, continuing with their barrage of compliments.

Yu Mo listened for a while, finally unable to suppress a laugh.

Her voice was clear and crisp, drawing everyone’s attention.

Some recognized Yu Mo, aware of her rivalry with Lin Hua for control of the pharmaceutical factory.

Their words dripped with sarcasm.

“Yu Mo, you still have the nerve to show up today? How can you be so thick-skinned? As the loser, shouldn’t you lay low instead of swaggering into Miss Lin’s celebration? What were you thinking?”

“Exactly. If it were me, I’d hide at home and reflect on my abilities, not come out and make a fool of myself.”

“You’re not here to curry favor with Miss Lin, are you? With what, exactly?”

Yu Mo nearly rolled her eyes.

Her, curry favor with Lin Hua?

Only if the earth exploded.

She loosened her companion’s arm, folded her own across her chest, and switched to combat mode.

Pointing at a slightly overweight man, she said, “Your own son isn’t even yours, yet you have the leisure to meddle in others’ affairs. You’d better worry about when Old Wang next door will climb through your window.”

“And you—you hog the company restroom every day with your constipation. Drink more honey water! And look at that foul mouth of yours—it’s like a toilet bowl. I’m tempted to scrub it clean myself.”

“Don’t laugh—you, with your affairs outside, your wife already knows. She’s quietly separating her assets and gathering evidence of your infidelity. Soon you’ll be out on the street with nothing. Still in the mood to laugh?”

“And you at the back, stop covering your mouth to laugh at others. If you knew your wife was actually the one he’s seeing outside, would you still be laughing?”

Yu Mo went for the jugular, pointing out each of her detractors and exposing their secrets.

Her blunt words sent two of the men into a brawl.

The scene grew chaotic.

Fu Yanting glared at her coldly.

He raised a finger, pointing at Yu Mo. “Yu Mo! This is Lin Hua’s celebration. Don’t cause trouble here. Who let you in? Get out—now!”

Lin Hua affectionately took Fu Yanting’s arm, leaning closer to him.

She gently lowered his hand from its accusatory point.

“Brother Yanting, I was the one who asked the board to invite Yu Mo. We’re all friends here.”

“You call her a friend, but she’s only here to make trouble for you. Lin Hua, you’re too kind,” Fu Yanting said, his tone earnest toward Lin Hua but even more contemptuous toward Yu Mo.

Yu Mo glanced at him coolly.

Tonight, her red lips highlighted her bold, untamable nature.

“Fu Yanting, you owe me five million. I’ll be charging interest. If you keep dodging repayment, I won’t hesitate to send a debt collector after you.”

“Yu Mo, this is blackmail! When did I ever owe you money? You boiled those medicines for me willingly—how can you start demanding payment now?”

Fu Yanting’s veins bulged with anger, his voice sharp.

Yu Mo arched a brow. “If that’s so, I’ll just write about my experience and let the city’s netizens weigh in.”

“You think I’m afraid of that?” Fu Yanting scoffed, about to call security to throw her out.

But Lin Hua stopped him.

“Brother Yanting, this is my celebration. If things get out of hand, how will the board perceive me?”

She turned to the man at Yu Mo’s side.

She’d noticed him earlier—his features were striking, his waist slim, his legs long, easily the most attractive man she’d ever seen.

A surge of jealousy rose in her heart.

Why should Yu Mo have such luck?

But her words took on a different tone.

“Yu Mo, where did you find such a companion? He’s so outstanding in appearance. Since you’re close to the Crown Prince, is he one of his friends as well?”

At this, everyone immediately recalled the day’s headlines about the Crown Prince.

Looking at Yu Mo, they connected her face to the woman in those photos.