Su Guo held her phone in silence, one name echoing over and over in her mind:
Chen Mo.
Chairman of the Marching Ant Company.
The elusive figure behind one of the most powerful and mysterious tech firms in the country—rarely seen in public, never caught up in scandals, and never known to participate in high-profile events.
And the first time he showed up, it was her event.
A charity night that descended into a PR disaster.
If this incident got out, her years of building reputation through hosting charity nights would be ruined in a single blow.
"The chairman of Marching Ant came in person—why didn't anyone tell me?" Su Guo snapped, trying to steady her breathing.
A nervous voice came through the other end of the call. "We… we didn't know he was the chairman. We thought Marching Ant sent two low-profile reps. It wasn't until we called them today that they confirmed it."
"Useless," she hissed, slamming the phone shut.
Her chest rose and fell with frustration. She replayed last night's scene over and over in her mind—Yao Yi, Dong Zhu, the others—all leaving together. Now it made perfect sense. Their silent exit wasn't just disappointment—it was protest.
And she had seated Chen Mo at a third-rate table, ignored his company's donation, and handed a reward meant for him to Xiang Nan of Huayi Group.
Worst of all, the media was present. The story would explode if it leaked.
But she still had time to act.
Gritting her teeth, Su Guo quickly dialed another number.
"Wang, I need a favor."
"Su Guo? Of course. Say the word—what do you need?"
"I need you to help me with trending topics over the next few days. There was an incident at last night's charity night. Charity's hard enough to organize without rumors dragging us through the mud. I just need the public distracted."
"No problem. I'll make sure the hot search is taken care of."
Su Guo finally let out a breath of relief and ended the call. But after a moment of hesitation, she picked up her phone again and dialed one more number.
Though the charity gala ended on schedule, many guests left wiping cold sweat from their brows.
It had been a turbulent night—if not for quick thinking, the damage could've been worse.
The next morning, headlines exploded across the internet.
"Gao Wenwen's Brave Fall at Charity Night!"
"Men's Surprise? More Like Men's Shock!"
"Record-Breaking Donations at Haisha Charity Gala!"
Countless articles flooded the web. Gao Wenwen's dramatic fainting and head injury stole the spotlight. Just that moment alone provided enough content for a full media cycle.
In the entertainment industry, drama always outperformed truth.
Netizens buzzed with speculation—who donated what, which stars made surprise appearances, and who stole the spotlight.
Behind the scenes, however, invisible hands guided the narrative, burying any doubts about the charity night under glossy photos and star-studded recaps.
The truth? Hidden.
Those who knew it? Silent.
In a car headed across the city, Su Guo scrolled through trending topics on her phone. When she saw the results, she finally relaxed.
The worst had been averted—for now.
Everyone knew Gao Wenwen had been earmarked for Xiang Nan. It wasn't a secret among insiders.
Her agent had privately arranged the whole thing, using charity as a public stage to impress Huayi's president.
And Su Guo had silently gone along with it, letting the arrangement pass under the banner of goodwill.
But no one expected Gao Wenwen to take such drastic action—to fall and injure herself just to escape the situation.
Thankfully, the crisis had been contained, and the public's attention redirected.
Still… one issue remained unresolved.
Marching Ant Company.
Their silent departure was an undeniable sign of offense. And she'd seated their chairman—Chen Mo—at a back-row table, ignored his massive donation, and then skipped over his name entirely.
That kind of disrespect wouldn't go unnoticed.
If she didn't make amends, she was finished.
The car pulled to a stop in front of the Marching Ant headquarters. Looking up at the gleaming office tower, Su Guo straightened her blazer and walked in.
"Hello," she greeted the receptionist with a polite smile. "I'm here to see your chairman. It's regarding last night's charity event."
"Do you have an appointment, ma'am?" the front desk receptionist asked, still smiling professionally.
"No," Su Guo admitted. "But I'm the organizer of the Haisha Charity Gala, and this concerns last night's event. I'd like to thank him personally—and apologize."
"Please wait a moment," the receptionist said, lifting the landline.
"Ms. Xiaoyu? There's a woman here to see the chairman. She says she's the organizer of last night's charity night."
On the other end of the line, Xiao Yu paused. "She said her name?"
"She said she's Su Guo."
"I see. Tell her to wait. I'll come down."
Xiao Yu stepped into the lobby moments later and walked up to Su Guo.
"Hello," she greeted. "How can I help you?"
"I'm Su Guo, the head of the Haisha Charity Night. I came to personally thank your chairman for his generous donation—and to apologize."
As she looked at Xiao Yu, Su Guo couldn't help but feel surprised. The young woman in front of her looked like a recent graduate—yet she clearly held weight in the company.
Xiao Yu nodded, then pulled out her phone and dialed Chen Mo.
"Chairman, Su Guo from the charity night is here. She wishes to thank and apologize to you in person."
Chen Mo's voice came through clearly.
"Tell her there's no need. What happened last night is behind me. No thanks or apology necessary. Just remind her: charity should be charitable."
"Understood."
Xiao Yu hung up and turned back to Su Guo.
"Ms. Su, the chairman said there's no need for thanks or apologies. He considers the matter closed. He asked me to remind you—charity should be charitable."
"Can't I speak to him directly? Just a moment?" Su Guo asked, her voice hopeful but tense.
"I'm sorry," Xiao Yu said with a polite smile. "The chairman is currently occupied and not accepting meetings."
"Then… can you schedule a future time? I can return another day."
"I'm afraid we can't set his schedule. It changes often," Xiao Yu replied smoothly.
Su Guo sighed, then pulled out a card. "This is my contact information. Please give it to your chairman. If he ever has a moment, I hope he'll agree to meet."
She knew the odds were slim—Chen Mo's message had been clear. But she had to try. Missing this opportunity to connect with one of China's top entrepreneurs would haunt her otherwise.
Upstairs, on the top floor of the Marching Ant Company, Chen Mo sat quietly on a sofa.
A robotic assistant served him coffee as he flipped through a book in serene silence.
He had no intention of seeing Su Guo.
There was no benefit to pursuing the matter—digging into the scandal would only drag his name through pointless controversy. Charity in name only wasn't his concern. Let those in the business worry about it.
The screen on the wall lit up, and the voice of Ink Girl echoed softly through the room.
"Chairman, Zhao Min is calling."
"Put her through."
The screen shifted, and Zhao Min's voice came on—her tone sharp and laced with frustration.
"Chairman, I need to brief you on something. We just received a message from Altice Group, the European telecom company. They've officially refused to move forward with the partnership agreement."