Chen Mo and Xiao Yu followed Yao Yi toward the front of the hall and took seats at the most prestigious table near the stage. As they sat, the others at the table—executives from major domestic companies—turned and gave the two newcomers a curious once-over.
Yao Yi took the central seat. To his left was Chen Mo, with Xiao Yu beside him. On his right sat Dong Zhu. The seating arrangement alone made a statement.
Xiao Yu, for her part, immediately tensed up. The sheer status of the people at this table was intimidating. These weren't average entrepreneurs—they were the titans of Chinese business. And she was sitting among them.
"Dong Zhu, these two…" someone asked, unable to hide his curiosity.
Dong Zhu nodded toward Yao Yi. Before she could speak, a clean-cut man in a tailored suit stood up and greeted Yao Yi.
"Secretary Yao, do you remember me? Sun Hua, President of Yinglong New Energy."
"Of course I do," Yao Yi replied warmly, shaking his hand.
Sun Hua's eyes moved to Chen Mo and Xiao Yu. "These two are unfamiliar faces—aren't you going to introduce them?"
"This is Chen Mo, Chairman of Marching Ant Company," Dong Zhu said calmly.
"Nice to meet you," Chen Mo offered simply.
The table went silent.
No one showed a dramatic reaction, but everyone was stunned. The Chen Mo?
The mysterious chairman behind Marching Ant?
He was… this young?
They exchanged looks but said nothing, watching Chen Mo with renewed interest.
"Chairman Chen," Sun Hua was the first to recover. "Our company, Yinglong, is working in new energy. Since your company has developed carbon crystal technology, we should discuss a collaboration—perhaps on advanced car batteries. I've also heard you're preparing to enter the automotive space?"
Chen Mo gave a polite nod. "Most of our company's operations are managed by Zhao Min. You can reach out to her directly about potential partnerships. We are looking for collaborators, so there shouldn't be a problem."
"Great." Sun Hua smiled, already calculating the value of such a deal.
Another man across the table, older and rounder, leaned in. "Chairman Chen, Liu Gang. I have a real estate development in the Qinhai region—Island Garden. Initial investment is seven billion. Qinhai's been booming, and I'm looking for strong partners."
"I'm not interested in real estate," Chen Mo said without hesitation.
The market was unstable and over-inflated, and government policy was suppressing real estate expansion. There were more meaningful areas to invest in.
If he wanted a cash cow, he'd rather launch a pharmaceutical company and start selling things like breast enhancement supplements or libido boosters—easier money and fewer regulatory hurdles.
"A shame," Liu Gang chuckled awkwardly. "Maybe next time, then." He lifted his glass for a polite toast, which Chen Mo returned with a nod.
"Any plans to go public?" Sun Hua asked next.
"The company is still new. There's no timeline for an IPO," Chen Mo replied.
He hadn't even considered going public. They didn't need financing, nor did they lack for technology or talent. Listing would only invite complications and unnecessary external control.
"If you do, let us know in advance," Sun Hua said with a grin.
Now the table's full attention was on Chen Mo.
The Marching Ant Company was a beast—flush with cash, expanding rapidly, and still privately held. If any of them could secure a stake, it would be a jackpot.
Chen Mo could sense their eagerness. He'd seen this before.
But to him, it was laughable.
Every breakthrough in the company came from his system, from his mind. Why would he ever hand out shares to opportunists who'd done nothing for the foundation he built?
No, he wasn't that generous—or foolish.
This kind of event really wasn't for him. He'd rather sit in a quiet corner, snack on fruit, and avoid all the small talk.
Thankfully, Yao Yi redirected the conversation. "Let's not talk business. It's a charity night. Talk about business all the time and you'll forget what stars look like."
Just then, the host took the stage and the lights shifted. Everyone quieted down to focus on the opening lines of the event.
Chen Mo picked up a glass of juice and turned his eyes to the stage.
The first act was an art auction—antiques and collectibles.
Chen Mo didn't care much for this part. He couldn't tell a rare porcelain vase from a flowerpot, and had no interest in pretending otherwise. But watching the crowd throw out millions like pocket change? That was entertaining.
After the auction and a brief celebrity performance, the second portion of the evening began—the donation round.
This was the real reason Chen Mo had agreed to come.
The host's voice carried across the room. "Our next project is for rural ambulance deployment. Each ambulance costs ¥70,000. Donations will be grouped into teams of ten vehicles. Each donor's name—individual or company—will be displayed on the units."
He smiled mysteriously. "The donor of the most ambulances tonight will receive a special surprise… just for the men."
A ripple of laughter and curiosity spread across the crowd.
"Only for men?" someone muttered, intrigued.
It did pique curiosity, but donating seven hundred thousand yuan on a mystery was a big leap—not everyone could casually throw that much out.
Yao Yi elbowed Chen Mo playfully. "Chen Mo, did you hear that? A man's surprise. Could be a kiss from a female celebrity. I'm just here to raise the bidding. You, on the other hand, are the real big spender."
"I'll donate four ambulance teams under Marching Ant Company, two teams under my name, and two under Xiao Yu's name. That's eight teams in total," Chen Mo said calmly.
"Don't drag me into this," Xiao Yu whispered, nudging him. "Do it under your name. I know your heart's in the right place, but let's be clear: if you get some kind of kiss tonight, I'm not responsible for the consequences."
Chen Mo laughed and handed her a donation slip. "Fine. You write my name, I'll write the company."
"You're hopeless," she teased, but did as he said.
"Truly generous," Yao Yi chuckled. "It's refreshing to see a young man who's not just successful, but socially responsible."
"Secretary Yao, it's nice to see Binhai has such talent rising up," Dong Zhu added with a smile.
"If I didn't donate, you'd all say I was stingy," Chen Mo said, signing and handing off the slips to a waiting hostess.
"Of course not," Yao Yi said with a grin.
Soon, the donation totals were tallied, and the host returned to the stage with a flourish.
"Tonight, we received enough funds to donate forty-seven ambulance teams. And now, for the most generous contributor of the night…"
The crowd leaned in.
"The donor of eight full ambulance teams… President Xiang Nan of Huayi Group! Four teams donated via the company, and four personally!"
A round of applause followed.
The host raised his voice theatrically: "President Xiang wins tonight's bonus prize: a brand-new BMW X8, and the men's surprise…"
He grinned and pointed toward the stage.
"The surprise is a kiss from beloved actress Gao Wenwen!"
The crowd erupted in laughter and applause. The camera cut to Gao Wenwen, who covered her face, clearly blushing.
Back at Chen Mo's table, everyone turned to look at him.
Their gazes were… complicated.
Especially since the eight-team donation had clearly come from Chen Mo—but somehow, someone else had taken the prize.
Chen Mo just raised an eyebrow, then turned to Xiao Yu with a faint smirk.
"Looks like we dodged a kiss," he whispered.
She grinned. "You wouldn't survive it anyway."