I Really Didn't Mean to Make Money

Beiming County.

New Year’s Eve.

After visiting relatives with his parents, Chen Mo returned home.

His parents were in the kitchen making dumplings.

Chen Mo, meanwhile, sat in the living room, ready to carry out a plan he’d been plotting for a while.

He pulled out his phone, opened his messaging app, and entered a work group chat.

This group had been set up before the holidays, consisting of executives from various companies. He had been waiting for this moment.

After a bit of thought, he sent out a red envelope: 200 yuan split into 50 packets.

Almost immediately, people began claiming them.

Wei Yan claimed a red envelope...

Li Shen claimed a red envelope...

Wu Yu claimed a red envelope... 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

...

Watching the flurry of activity, Chen Mo smiled to himself.

You took my red envelope—sending one back isn’t too much to ask, is it?

Before long, His phone started buzzing.

Wei Yan transferred you 10,000 yuan. Message: President Chen, Happy New Year! Wishing you great success in the coming year.

Fang Chang transferred you 10,000 yuan. Message: President Chen, Happy New Year! May the new year bring new beginnings and soaring achievements.

Wu Yu transferred you 10,000 yuan. Message: President Chen, Happy New Year! May your career reach new heights this year.

Shen Rou transferred you 10,000 yuan. Message: President Chen, Happy New Year! 🎆

...

Looking at the stream of transfer notifications, Chen Mo nodded in satisfaction. Say what you will, these employees knew how to play the game. Pretty much everyone at the managerial level had sent him 10,000 yuan.

He hadn’t expected that.

Maybe they coordinated it behind the scenes?

Chen Mo did a quick tally. This round of New Year’s red envelopes had netted him over 160,000 yuan.

Spending 200 yuan to make 160,000? Not a bad return at all. In fact, it was more than he’d earned from several of his previous system settlements.

His personal funds had now surpassed 300,000 yuan.

He was already looking forward to next year’s Spring Festival. This was way easier than relying on the system.

If only those transfers didn’t come with all those cheesy greetings...

Still, for that kind of money, he could forgive them.

Chen Mo chuckled to himself and put away his phone.

His parents were still in the kitchen making dumplings. The New Year’s Gala had started playing on the TV in the living room, and the sound of firecrackers crackled outside the window.

It was New Year’s Eve!

“Come on, the dumplings are ready! Eat them while they’re hot!”

Some time later, His parents each brought out a plate of dumplings and set them on the dining table.

Hearing them, Chen Mo got up and walked over.

“Dig in! Let’s see who gets the lucky coin this year.”

His mother, Yang Xiulian, set out the bowls and chopsticks, urging them to eat.

It was a long-standing tradition in their area to hide coins in dumplings during the New Year. Whoever found one was believed to have good luck, smooth career progress, and maybe even a promotion or windfall in the coming year.

Chen Mo looked at the four plates of dumplings and hesitated. Maybe he should eat fewer.

Good luck?

He didn’t need it. Honestly, he’d rather all his ventures lose money this year.

Even those two hit games—he wouldn’t mind if they suddenly flopped.

“Come on, eat! They’ll get soggy if you wait too long.”

His mother pushed a plate of dumplings toward him.

Chen Mo picked one up casually and took a bite.

The moment he bit down, he felt something hard against his teeth.

Crap.

His heart sank. There was only one reason something would hit his tooth like that—he’d bitten into the coin-filled dumpling.

He bit down gently a couple more times, then spat a small coin onto the table.

“First dumpling and you already got the coin? Looks like my son is going to have a lucky year—strike it rich!”

His mother, Yang Xiulian, beamed as she looked at the coin on the table.

Over the past few days, the neighbors had been buzzing about her son—some praising him, others trying to set him up with someone—all because he’d come home driving a car.

Now he’d gotten the lucky coin from the very first dumpling. That had to be a good omen. His career was bound to soar this year.

Chen Mo stared blankly at the coin, muttering to himself.

It’s just superstition... it doesn’t mean anything...

After all, every household does this coin-in-dumpling thing during the holidays. Plenty of people get the lucky one, but how many actually strike it rich?

So what if he got it?

He tried to comfort himself with that thought, then picked up a second dumpling. Since he’d already gotten the coin, there was no point being superstitious anymore. Might as well eat his fill.

The New Year’s Eve dinner wrapped up quickly.

On the second day of the New Year, Chen Mo and his father set off a string of firecrackers downstairs before heading back up.

His mother was prepping food in the kitchen, and his father went to help.

Chen Mo was left alone in the living room again. But before long, there was a knock at the door.

He walked over and opened it.

“Big Brother? Sister-in-law? What brings you here?”

Standing at the door were his older brother Li Zhengqi and sister-in-law Song Qing. Chen Mo looked surprised.

“We came to thank you,” Li Zhengqi said, handing over a bag of gifts.

“Thank me? For what?”

Chen Mo looked puzzled.

“It’s about Song Xia. She came home the day before yesterday. She’s earning over 10,000 yuan a month now, and it’s all thanks to you.”

“Even if Song Xia is a college graduate, I don’t believe she could land a job with that kind of salary right out of school without some help. You must’ve pulled some strings.”

“Really, thank you so much.”

Song Qing looked at Chen Mo with sincere gratitude.

After Song Xia’s failed milk tea shop venture, her family had been in a constant state of worry. She’d even been too scared to go home and had been hiding out with Song Qing.

Thankfully, Chen Mo had arranged a job for her, giving her some much-needed stability. How could they not be grateful?

As Song Qing spoke, Chen Mo realized what this visit was about.

So they were here to thank him for that.

But the salary he’d arranged for Song Xia was more than just 10,000 yuan. Clearly, she’d downplayed it.

Which made sense—if her salary was too high, it might raise suspicions at home. And he definitely didn’t want the family to find out about her failed coffee shop business.

Having sorted it out in his mind, Chen Mo looked up at his brother and sister-in-law.

“Come in, it’s cold out there.”

He quickly ushered them inside.

“Auntie, Happy New Year! Uncle, Happy New Year!”

Just as they stepped in, they bumped into Yang Xiulian and Chen Jingrui coming out of the kitchen.

“Happy New Year! Have you eaten yet?” Yang Xiulian greeted them warmly.

“Not yet. They just started cooking at home. We’ll eat when we get back,” Li Zhengqi replied.

“Why go back? I just finished cooking. Stay and eat here.”

As she spoke, Yang Xiulian pulled Li Zhengqi over to the dining table.

After some back-and-forth, Li Zhengqi and Song Qing were finally persuaded to stay.

During dinner, Mother Yang Xiulian had already learned why they had come, and she quickly spoke up to remind him.

“Chen Mo, that little Xia is working at your company now. You should look after her.”

“I know,” Chen Mo nodded.

He thought to himself,

If only you knew that Song Xia is actually the general manager of an entire company now—you’d understand just how much I’m looking after her.

Though... it’s a company that’s been losing money from the start.