I Really Didn't Mean to Make Money

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the Lantern Festival.

After finishing tangyuan that evening, Chen Mo decided he would return to Jiangcheng the next day.

He’d been home long enough—and the longer he stayed, the lower his status in the household seemed to fall.

It wasn’t like when he’d first come back, when whatever he wanted to eat would be made for him on the spot.

“You’re leaving tomorrow? Why not stay a few more days? Didn’t you say work doesn’t start until March 1st?” Yang Xiulian asked.

“No, I won’t stay. March 1st isn’t far off. As a company leader, I should go back early to handle some things,” Chen Mo replied casually.

It wasn’t just an excuse—he did have things to take care of once he got back.

If he was going to set up a film and television company, there would be paperwork to handle and a location to finalize.

The location wasn’t much of a problem.

Wang Yang had already messaged him that the ten-story office building was fully renovated.

Using one floor for the film and television company would be more than enough.

But the paperwork—that would need his personal attention.

Then there was the elderly song and dance troupe project he had in mind. That money-losing venture was a top priority and needed to get underway as soon as possible.

So heading back a few days early to take care of all this was definitely necessary.

“Alright, work comes first. They’re paying you a good salary—you’ve got to take responsibility,” Yang Xiulian said, no longer trying to stop him once she heard it was work-related.

“I know,” Chen Mo nodded.

So far, his family still believed he was just managing a factory he’d opened with a friend.

The next morning, Chen Mo got in his car and started the engine. When he’d come back, the car had been packed with New Year’s goods.

Now, as he left, it was loaded with local specialties from home.

“Drive safe.”

“Don’t eat takeout all the time—make sure you eat properly.”

“If work gets too tiring, take a break. Don’t wear yourself out.”

“...”

Yang Xiulian stood by the driver’s side, giving a stream of motherly reminders, her eyes filled with reluctance.

“I got it, Mom. I’m heading out now!” Chen Mo waved to his parents, then drove off.

Through the rearview mirror, he could still see his parents standing there, watching him leave.

During the New Year, he had casually brought up the idea of them moving to Jiangcheng, but they had gently refused, saying they were used to life here and didn’t want to leave.

After all, this was the place they had lived their whole lives. Leaving would mean abandoning their roots.

More importantly, both his parents held respectable jobs—one a teacher, the other a government employee.

Their salaries weren’t high, but more than enough for their needs.

They lived comfortably.

So Chen Mo didn’t press the issue.

He left in the morning and arrived in Jiangcheng by afternoon.

Instead of going straight to his place at Changbai Scenic Garden, he headed to the office building.

Since renovations were complete, he naturally wanted to check it out—especially his luxurious new office.

Mingri Group.

Standing at the base of the building, Chen Mo looked up. At the very top, four large characters caught his eye.

Though they weren’t entirely clear from this angle, he knew what they said: Mingri Group.

He entered the building and went straight to the top floor.

As soon as he stepped out, the view opened up before him.

It looked just like the corporate offices you’d see on TV—bright, clean, and tastefully decorated with greenery and potted plants.

It gave off an air of sophistication and class.

After glancing around, he headed straight for the CEO’s office.

He gently pushed the door open.

Before he could even take in the décor, he noticed someone inside.

Shen Rou!

What was she doing here?

It looked like she was cleaning the office.

Hearing the door open, Shen Rou looked up.

She froze for a second, then said in surprise, “President Chen, you’re back.”

“Yeah. What are you doing here? I thought work doesn’t start until March 1st?” Chen Mo asked, eyeing the cleaning cloth in her hand.

Shen Rou explained, “I didn’t have anything to do during the break, and I heard a couple of days ago that the office building was finished, so I came over to tidy up a bit.”

“Oh, and they replaced all the desks and chairs during the renovation, but not the computers. I was worried there might be important files on them, so I had the computers from the clothing factory moved over.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it,” Chen Mo said, then began walking around the office.

This was the largest office he’d ever had—nearly 300 square meters, including a private lounge.

Shen Rou’s assistant office wasn’t inside his office this time; it was next door, with a connecting door between them.

The main reason for this setup was that Chen Mo had delegated most of the day-to-day tasks to Shen Rou. So unless it was something major, employees didn’t need to come to him—they could go straight to Shen Rou.

Putting her office next door meant employees wouldn’t have to enter his space to find her, and she could easily come to him through the connecting door when needed.

As he strolled around the office, taking in the bookshelves, executive desk and chair, sofa, coffee table... this was what a real boss’s office should look like.

He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out. In the distance, the winding Qingyun River was clearly visible.

Then he turned and stepped into the lounge.

It was furnished like a regular apartment—about 90 square meters, with a bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom, and living room. All the furniture and appliances were fully equipped.

There wasn’t a kitchen, of course—it was just a lounge, after all.

After touring the office layout, Chen Mo sat down in the executive chair, satisfied.

Aside from his personal net worth, he now looked every bit the part of a proper boss.

“President Chen, your coffee.”

Just as he sat down, Shen Rou walked over with a cup of coffee.

“Thanks,” Chen Mo said, taking the cup and sipping it gently.

“Did you change the coffee beans? This batch tastes a little different.”

Looking up at Shen Rou, he noticed the coffee had a richer, fuller flavor this time.

Shen Rou smiled slightly at his comment.

“No, it’s the same beans. But on Teacher Su’s recommendation, we switched to a new coffee machine. The flavor comes out more robust with it.”

“Oh!”

Chen Mo nodded lightly, silently thinking that Teacher Su really did know her stuff.

Leaning back comfortably in his executive chair, his gaze drifted and landed on a plant in the distance. It had a tall trunk and lush leaves—something he hadn’t noticed before.

“What’s that plant?”

“That’s a Money Tree. Li Shen brought it over yesterday. He said he was worried about the feng shui here, so he bought several and placed one on each floor.”

Shen Rou spoke with a smile.