Chapter 23: Signing the Contract

Su Corporation Building, penultimate floor, in Su Qingcheng’s office.

Su Qingcheng sat in her plush executive chair, idly toying with the deep red divorce certificate in her hand, her gaze unfocused, as if at a loss for what to do next. As for Liu Chuanfeng, he had already left after dropping her off, compelled by business matters of the Liu family.

After a while, Su Qingcheng composed herself, tossed the divorce certificate into a drawer, and powered on the curved computer monitor before her. She wanted to check Su Corporation’s stock performance and see just how high it might soar after the market opened.

As she had predicted, by nine-thirty in the morning, as soon as trading began, both Su Corporation’s stock and those of its subsidiaries started climbing. It was as if they’d been shot out of a rocket—rising rapidly, doubling in value within half an hour, then, after holding at that level for a few minutes, surging even higher, instantly becoming the hottest property in the financial world.

“Hmph, they always said that a good son-in-law would bring prosperity to the Su family for three generations. Well, now that I’ve kicked Mo Ran to the curb, isn’t the Su family thriving just the same? No, even better than before, I’d say.” Su Qingcheng looked at the ever-climbing lines on the screen, a self-satisfied smile on her lips.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Liu Chuanfeng.

“Qingcheng, have you checked the market?” Liu Chuanfeng’s tone sounded calm, but beneath the surface, there was unmistakable excitement barely contained.

“I have. Su Corporation’s stock is soaring,” Su Qingcheng replied with an air of pride, immediately guessing what he wanted to discuss.

“Congratulations are in order! Judging by the numbers, Su Corporation is either on the verge of breaking into the hundred-billion tier, or perhaps it already has. You’re at least worth ten billion now.” Liu Chuanfeng corrected himself mid-sentence as he watched Su Corporation’s stock refresh again and again, his voice tinged with envy. This really was the speed of money in finance—how quickly a ten-billion corporation could be catapulted to the ranks of the hundred-billion giants.

“It’s nice to look at, A’Feng, but it’s not like I can sell my shares right now,” Su Qingcheng replied with feigned modesty, having caught the envy in his voice. Yet the upward curl of her lips betrayed her true feelings, hard to suppress as they were.

“Beep beep beep”—just as they were talking, the alert on Su Qingcheng’s desk sounded.

“A’Feng, hang on a moment, something’s come up. I’ll call you back.” Noting the interruption, Su Qingcheng explained briefly before hanging up, leaving Liu Chuanfeng with his next words unsaid, the dial tone already humming in his ear.

“A’Feng, what did the Su family girl say?” Mr. Liu looked at his disgruntled son and asked anxiously.

“She hung up before I could finish my sentence,” Liu Chuanfeng replied, slipping his phone into his pocket, his irritation evident.

“You need to control your expressions and your moods. Whether we can keep our seat at the top depends on you.” Seeing his son’s face, Mr. Liu immediately reminded him.

“Don’t worry, Dad,” Liu Chuanfeng nodded, fully aware of the stakes. Why else would he marry a twice-divorced woman? Even if she was a pristine beauty, it was still hard to swallow, especially after Mo Ran’s little “stand up and kick” remark that morning. It made him wonder if Su Qingcheng truly was untouched.

Meanwhile, Su Qingcheng’s personal secretary arrived with an official government notice, instructing her to visit city hall that afternoon. Secretary Xiao Weiguo would be signing a partnership agreement with Su Corporation on behalf of the government.

The news sent Su Qingcheng into a frenzy of joy. If she could represent Su Corporation in signing with Secretary Xiao, wouldn’t that mean another leap forward in her career? The handshake photo after the signing, posted on Su Corporation’s publicity board—she’d love to see whether the company would be associated with her branch or with Su Dashan’s.

As Su Qingcheng sat lost in visions of glory, dreaming of seizing the company’s inheritance from her uncles, aunts, and cousins, Mo Ran, on the other side of the city, received the news as well.

“So, how does it feel? In just two hours, your ex-wife has become a billionaire,” Xiao Xiao teased, her eyes twinkling as she watched so-called “experts” on a financial news program, spouting questionable theories and lavishing praise on Su Corporation as if it were a gift from heaven.

“Envy, jealousy, hatred—what good is any of that? It’s not mine,” Mo Ran replied with calm indifference. He cared only for tangible money; pie-in-the-sky dreams were never part of his calculations.

“Oh, you’re so free-spirited. Don’t worry—today, I’ll make sure she flies too close to the sun. To destroy her, first she must be made mad with success. This is my first gift to you, to thank you for saving my life.” Xiao Xiao grinned at the television, her tone carrying a sly undertone that made Mo Ran shiver.

“And the second gift?” Mo Ran asked, seizing the opportunity to change the subject. For him, Su Qingcheng was already a thing of the past. She’d paid him handsomely, and he’d repaid her by working like a horse for three years. Their debts were settled; what happened next would be her own doing.

“The second gift? You’ll have to ask my cousin,” Xiao Xiao replied mysteriously, nodding toward Zhang Lei.

Just then, the honk of a three-wheeler echoed from outside.

“They’re here! The gift I prepared for you—my best way of repaying your lifesaving kindness,” Zhang Lei said, leaping to his feet at the sound.

Curious, Mo Ran followed Zhang Lei outside, with Xiao Xiao trailing behind.

“Well, well, a whole cart of barbecue equipment. Am I getting grilled meat tonight?” Mo Ran asked, puzzled by the sight.

“Little Mo, I’m not hosting a barbecue for you. Once you learn, you’ll grill for yourself,” Zhang Lei’s father laughed heartily. “My sister—Xiao Xiao’s mother—said it herself: you’re our family’s benefactor, and you must be repaid. I thought about giving you money—but that’s not quite right. Helping you find a job is tough too. After some thought, I realized I could teach you a trade. I’ve been a chef, working with fire for twenty years. When it comes to barbecue, I have a secret recipe. If you’re willing, today I’ll teach you.”

The meaning behind his words was clear—a path to wealth was being offered. Mo Ran was deeply moved.

“Thank you, Uncle,” he said, deciding at once. He had only ten thousand yuan to his name, not even a place of his own to live, so who was he to turn down such kindness?