"The headquarters of Marching Ant Company is complete."
Zhao Min's call came as no surprise to Chen Mo.
It was the fourth day of the new year. Over the past few days, Chen Mo had been relaxing and spending quality time with his parents. But with the holiday winding down, it was only a matter of time before work came calling.
"The construction team worked overtime and pushed hard. It's officially done," Zhao Min said. "I meant to inform you earlier, but you and Xiao Yu were already on leave. I didn't want to bother you. It's not a big delay, so I'm telling you now."
"Alright. Xiao Yu and I will head back tomorrow," Chen Mo replied.
"There are some things I can't explain clearly over the phone. I'll tell you the details when you return. Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year."
After hanging up, Chen Mo turned to look at his mother, who was teasing a small golden-haired puppy. The little dog had been Xiao Yu's idea—a gift for his parents.
Now that Chen Mo and Xiao Yu would be away at work most of the time, having a pet around could ease the loneliness. A companion to walk, play with, and care for during the quieter hours.
Chen Mo had offered to move his parents to Binhai City many times, but they always refused. They'd lived in this city their entire lives. All their friends and routines were here. Uprooting them now would only make things harder.
He didn't push the matter. After all, coming back home only took a few hours. As long as they could share meals, talk, and be together occasionally, it was enough.
"Mom, I'll head back to the company tomorrow afternoon," Chen Mo said gently.
His mother's smile faltered just a bit. Her hand paused mid-air, resting on the puppy's soft fur. A flicker of reluctance passed through her eyes—it hadn't been long since he came back.
But a son with a career couldn't stay home forever.
"Alright." She nodded, then turned to Xiao Yu. "Take care of him, Xiao Yu. He doesn't pay much attention to himself sometimes. With you around, I feel at ease."
"I will, Mom," Xiao Yu said with a soft smile, gradually settling into her role as a soon-to-be daughter-in-law. "We'll come back often on weekends and holidays."
"Good," his mother replied, her smile returning.
Chen Mo's father, who had been silent nearby, finally spoke up.
"Xiao Mo, we were looking for a chance to talk to you yesterday…"
Both parents looked at him with a trace of hesitation. Now that Chen Mo was the head of the family, some things were harder for them to bring up.
"Your uncle—he's running into some financial trouble with his business. He wants to borrow 500,000 yuan," his mother added, glancing at him uncertainly. "Should we lend it or not?"
Chen Mo leaned back on the sofa, calm as always. After a moment, he nodded.
"Lend it to him."
His mother visibly relaxed and smiled in relief. She had been worried he would hold a grudge from the past.
"We'll head to bed then. I'll make breakfast for you both in the morning." She handed the puppy to Xiao Yu. "Watch some TV, don't stay up too late. You have to leave early tomorrow."
Once his parents disappeared into their room, Chen Mo remained lounging on the sofa, thoughtful.
"What are you thinking about?" Xiao Yu asked gently.
"Eighteen years ago," Chen Mo said, eyes distant. "Back then, my dad's boss ran off overseas with company funds. The employees' wages weren't paid, and Dad was out of work. We didn't even have a proper place to stay. He borrowed 20,000 yuan from my uncle to build a small house and get through that time.
"My dad hadn't found stable work yet. He was doing odd jobs to support us. During Chinese New Year, my aunt—afraid we'd default—publicly demanded my mom repay the loan in front of all our relatives. I saw my mom cry for the first time."
His tone was calm, but Xiao Yu could hear the weight behind the memory.
"There really was no money to repay it," he continued. "Eventually, the fisherman's family—my mom's side—helped us out. Since then, we haven't spoken to that side of the family in over ten years. I didn't expect them to show up now."
Xiao Yu sat quietly, listening.
"I'm not petty," Chen Mo said. "My aunt's personality isn't great, but my uncle did help us when we were at our lowest. And he's my mother's brother. Blood is thicker than water.
"Besides, if I said no now, Mom would feel terrible. Even if she doesn't say it, she would remember. It's not worth it."
Xiao Yu leaned over and patted his arm. "Don't dwell on it. Get some rest—we have to get up early tomorrow."
The next morning, Chen's mother had packed Chen Mo's car with food and snacks, afraid he'd go hungry back at work.
She did this every time he returned to school or work, and this time was no different. Chen Mo didn't refuse—he loaded it all into the trunk without complaint.
"Dad, Mom—no need to see us off," he said with a smile.
After saying their goodbyes, Chen Mo and Xiao Yu got into the car. Wang Hai, now replacing Black Hawk as his full-time bodyguard and driver, started the engine and headed toward Binhai.
Black Hawk had returned home for a brief visit after the holiday, handing over his duties temporarily.
Zhao Min was already waiting in Chen Mo's office when he arrived.
She wore a tailored professional outfit and high heels, the rhythmic click of her footsteps echoing through the room. She placed a stack of documents neatly on his desk.
"During the Spring Festival, we received 38 new seismograph orders," Zhao Min reported, taking a seat across from him. "From the Philippines, Iran, and Nepal."
"Not bad," Chen Mo said, flipping through the papers.
The report also included a breakdown of the construction costs for the new headquarters.
"The cost was high due to the short construction window," Zhao Min explained.
The total cost had exceeded 7 billion yuan—a hefty sum, but well within the company's means. The building was complete and ready for move-in.
Their current offices were rented and could no longer support the scale of operations. The new headquarters, fully customized and equipped, had been a long time coming.
Since the start of construction, the project had been on a fast track. State-of-the-art laboratories and high-end equipment had been ordered, pushing the budget higher.
"Let's move in this week," Chen Mo said. "New year, new headquarters. Let's not waste time."
Time was more valuable to Chen Mo than money now. His projects were too big, too ambitious to delay. The sooner they were operational, the better.
The new labs were far more secure and spacious—perfect for his next phase of work, especially with advanced research in areas like chip manufacturing and superconducting computers.
To Chen Mo, the tech in the Science and Technology Library was endless. Even with ten lifetimes, he wouldn't finish it all. The only way forward was to ramp up productivity, shorten development cycles, and multiply his research output.
His ultimate goal: total mastery of the entire library.
"Understood," Zhao Min nodded. "We're ready on our side. Let's make the move official on Monday. I'll inform everyone—this'll be our first big milestone of the year."
The announcement brought a wave of excitement across the company.
For the employees of Marching Ant, finally moving into the new headquarters felt like finding a home. On the internet, people called themselves "ants," and now, they were finally returning to their "nest."
A real home base. A new beginning.
On Monday, the grand opening ceremony would officially begin.