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Chapter 267 Going Through Fire and Water, Sister Ruyan
It was clearly Lin Mo who wanted to open a restaurant, but it felt like it had nothing to do with him at all. He just started the whole thing, and then he saw Liu Ruyan and Comrade Yuan begin their open and covert struggle.

Before we could even react, they had already made the decision. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were the ones who wanted to open the restaurant.

As the saying goes, man proposes, God disposes. He had initially hoped that these wealthy patrons would introduce him to some equally wealthy clients, but he never expected the final result to be like this.

It wasn't until he stood at the entrance of the farmhouse and watched the Yuan family of three drive away that Lin Mo suddenly realized he hadn't done anything.
Although he achieved his goal, he still felt a little strange. Had he been tricked? Not quite, but he felt that Liu Ruyan and Comrade Yuan had arranged everything for him.

Although it's unclear how the two eventually reached an agreement, it seems Liu Ruyan won, and Old Yuan got a small share of the benefits.

It can only be said that even though Lin Mo has a cheat code, his vision and knowledge are still far behind others, which is something that his cheat code cannot make up for in the short term.

"Hey, snap out of it! What are you thinking about?" Liu Ruyan waved her hand in front of Lin Mo's eyes after he left.

As the ultimate victor, she certainly wouldn't give anyone a chance to take advantage of her. Feelings are feelings, and business is business. Although they had discussed everything verbally during dinner, there was no written contract, so she had to stay and clarify things with Lin Mo.

There was nothing Liu Ruyan could do; seeing Lin Mo's clear yet foolish eyes, she knew that Lin Mo's college student traits had kicked in again.

But she didn't think much of it. After all, how could a college student from an average family, who hadn't even graduated yet, possibly understand the intricacies of business?
"It just feels a bit unreal. Also, have you two been up to something behind my back?" Lin Mo turned his head and asked.

Although he had doubts about Comrade Yuan, he wouldn't be so direct. But he didn't have that concern for Liu Ruyan. They were acquaintances, so he could just say whatever he wanted.

Hearing this, Liu Ruyan rolled her eyes at him and then said, "Alright, see if there's anything else you need to take, we'll talk about it when we get back!"

Lin Mo did not object to this, after all, this was not the place to talk.

I went to the kitchen, put the dishes I had prepared in advance into a food box, packed them up and took them with me, since I still had two adopted sons at home who were crying for food.

Although they weren't of much help today, they did get up early with him, so of course he should think of them when there's something good to be had.

After settling the final payment with Mr. Lin, the owner of the agritainment business, Lin Mo got into Liu Ruyan's car and drove away.

We don't need him to do cleaning; we've already paid him, why would we ask him to do such trivial things?

At 7 p.m., as darkness fell and a sudden chill filled the air, the area around Jiangning University of Science and Technology became much livelier.

Today is the first day of school after the holiday. Except for a few senior students who haven't returned, all students from the other three grades have returned to school. Groups of college students can be seen everywhere at the back gate of the school, seemingly going about their business.

At the entrance of Chengyue Residential Complex, Liu Ruyan parked her car on the roadside because her car was not registered and therefore could not enter the complex.

As soon as the two got off the bus, they saw Chuanmei and Wang Chu looking around at the door, with class monitor Wang Jing and He Xiaoyue following behind them.

He Xiaoyue only came back today. In the afternoon, Director Wang and Chuanmei came back and took a nap. Then the four of them started gossiping about Zhao Tingting.

Unaware that Lin Mo was back, the four of them were just about to gossip with him when they spotted Liu Ruyan getting off the bus with them.

"Hello, everyone!" Liu Ruyan greeted the four people with a smile and a wave, appearing very natural.

But because she was so strikingly beautiful, she created a sense of distance, and the four of them just smiled and nodded, too embarrassed to exchange warm greetings.

If it were Miss Yuan, Director Wang and Sister Chuan would have already come over to fawn over her, since Sister Yuan is so kind and generous.

"You're here to visit him, right? Perfect timing! Come upstairs and sit down. Your brother even brought back some dishes for you," Liu Ruyan warmly invited.

As someone who is beautiful and self-aware, Liu Ruyan naturally knows that her temperament is not easily accepted by strangers, so she has tried her best to appear warm and easygoing.

Even Lin Mo, if it weren't for his cousin Su He helping to break the ice, would probably be about the same as these people in front of him.

The two women were alright; they were simply not familiar with Liu Ruyan. But the Sichuan girl and Wang Chu were different, especially the Sichuan girl. When they first met, he had even impersonated the Empress Ruyan in front of the real Liu Ruyan, which was quite embarrassing to think about.

"Um... let's do it another day, we won't bother you then," the Sichuan girl said with a forced smile.

Director Wang, who was standing to the side, nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's right, we'll come another day!"

However, as the two talked, their eyes kept glancing at the food Lin Mo had packed up. Having tasted his cooking before, the food was naturally very appealing to them.

Lin Mo was too lazy to tease them, and handed them the packed food: "I specially saved this for you. The class monitor and the others are here too, so the four of you can eat together."

Upon hearing this, Director Wang and Chuanmei stepped forward and took the things from his hands.

Chuanmei: "Godfather, I can't thank you enough. Just let me know if you ever need anything."

Wang Chu: "I'll go through fire and water for you, Godfather!"

Lin Mo rolled his eyes, while Liu Ruyan covered her mouth and chuckled.

Although she had graduated for several years, she still knew that the boys in the dormitory were all like godfathers to each other.

Lin Mo then greeted the class monitor and He Xiaoyue before taking Liu Ruyan upstairs. He had important business to attend to and didn't have time to chat with these guys.

After the two women disappeared from sight, class monitor Wang Jing couldn't help but exclaim, "Although it's not the first time I've seen them, they're just too beautiful, and they have such great figures too!"

He Xiaoyue nodded in agreement: "Who says otherwise? By the way, what's Lin Mo's girlfriend's name? Do you guys know? It sounds like Liu Ruyan, the female lead in a novel!"

Upon hearing this, Director Wang and Chuan Mei exchanged a glance and laughed in unison, "Liu Ruyan!"

“She looks like Liu Ruyan, the heroine of a novel. I’m asking for her real name!” He Xiaoyue asked.

Sichuan girl: "It's Liu Ruyan!"

He Xiaoyue: "Are you sick? Do you even know what a real name is? Who asked who she looks like!"

Director Wang: "Her real name is Liu Ruyan!"

He Xiaoyue:
"Ah, this... the heroine from a novel has come to life? Lin Mo deserves to die! It's just a pity his name isn't Ji Bochang!"

Clearly, this was another homebody obsessed with watching short dramas. "Hey? Another one! Wow, this lady is so beautiful and cool!" Just then, He Xiaoyue looked across the street and exclaimed.

Upon hearing this, the three followed her gaze, and the next second, a short-haired woman with an outrageously good figure and an exaggerated waist-to-hip ratio appeared in everyone's eyes. Although her skin was not as fair as Liu Ruyan's, it was still healthy, which added a touch of heroism to her. Who else could it be but Zhao Yun?

Chuanmei and Wang Chu both exclaimed "Holy crap!" and then took off running.

The two girls looked completely bewildered when suddenly class monitor Wang Jing glared at them and said, "Wang Bo, don't steal any food! Leave the dishes for me!"

He then chased after her, leaving He Xiaoyue standing there stunned for a while. Only after Zhao Yun entered the residential area and disappeared from sight did He Xiaoyue come to her senses and murmur:
"100% lesbian, but this is so beautiful!"

After saying that, he looked down at himself and realized he couldn't compare at all!
Upstairs, Liu Ruyan kicked off her shoes and ran barefoot to the refrigerator. She grabbed a bottle of water, then lay down on the sofa. Her movements were even more fluid than when she was making tea, showing no sign of being an outsider.

Firstly, it wasn't her first time here; she had even stayed here for several nights. Secondly, her things were everywhere in the room, so she wasn't unfamiliar with it at all, as she had arranged everything herself.

Turning her head, she saw a pair of clean white socks on the clothes rack on the balcony. Liu Ruyan's mood improved even more, and she smiled slightly, saying, "Ask me anything you need. I'm in a good mood today, so there are plenty of benefits to be had."

Upon hearing this, Lin Mo couldn't wait any longer and quickly asked, "Sister Ruyan, you're entrusting the restaurant and renovation to me, so will the house be registered in my name?"

"Pfft~~"

While drinking water, Liu Ruyan spat it out, then looked at the little man in front of her in disbelief, pointed at him and said, "You're shameless!"

"Sister, I've lived this long and this is the first time I've ever seen a man ask a woman to add her name to his house deed. I'll give you the restaurant to use for free, no rent required, and I'll cover all the renovations. I'll even introduce you to customers and supply ingredients. If you lose money, it's on me; if you make a profit, I won't take a penny. It's all yours. You don't take any risk at all, and you still want to eat and take everything?"
"What, you want to marry into my family?"

Lin Mo was a little embarrassed when he heard this, but he thought it would be foolish not to take advantage of the situation. Asking wouldn't hurt him, so why make such a big reaction if they didn't want to give it to him?

He quickly pulled out two tissues and handed them over, laughing, "I was just asking, don't get excited, wipe yourself off quickly, thank goodness it wasn't milk!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan was taken aback, then laughed incredulously, "Oh, little brother, you've actually learned to drive! You've improved!"

"Ahem, I mean, milk is hard to clean," Lin Mo quickly added with a smile.

When it comes to driving, he's no match for this woman. Besides, we're talking about serious business, which involves interests. He needs a clear head and can't let his blood rush to his head, otherwise his brain will be oxygen-deprived and his IQ will drop.

"Hmph, you know what you're thinking, and I'm doing this for your own good."

I know you have four or five million yuan. If you open a restaurant in Jiangning, it would be enough, but the area would definitely not be large, the location would definitely not be good, not to mention the decoration.

But if you want to go for high-end private dining, where a meal costs at least tens of thousands, and often hundreds of thousands, then the restaurant's environment and decor must be top-notch.

"You know, while some rich people who can afford to spend a lot of money on meals are there to enjoy the food, most are there to entertain business partners. If the environment is just average, the effect will be diminished, and it will also affect the pricing of your dishes. So, the little money you have is simply not enough, understand?" Liu Ruyan tapped Lin Mo's forehead and scolded him.

Hearing this, Lin Mo nodded. Although he hadn't thought about it so carefully before, he agreed with Liu Ruyan's words.

“With your older sister here, things will be much simpler. I’ll find you a restaurant; it’ll definitely be big, and you won’t have to spend any money on the renovations. I’ll arrange everything for you, from finding customers and food suppliers to even the restaurant’s operations, including how high you should price your dishes and the staff. You just need to cook good food and you can lie back and count your money,” Liu Ruyan continued.

Simply put, Lin Mo only needs to cook; he doesn't have to worry about anything else, and all the money he earns is his. Even an angel investor couldn't be better off.

Such generous terms made Lin Mo, who was shamelessly trying to take advantage, feel a little embarrassed. He was like a cow eating grass and milking milk, asking for nothing in return.

"Isn't that too much for Sister Ruyan? I'm a little uneasy that you don't want anything," Lin Mo said, rubbing his hands together, somewhat embarrassed.

From the conditions Liu Ruyan mentioned, Lin Mo couldn't find anything the other party could gain. She didn't ask for shares or a share of the profits; all the benefits were given to him.

Although he was a college student, innocent and naive, it didn't mean he didn't know that there's no such thing as a free lunch.

It's said that whoever feeds you is your mother, and Liu Ruyan certainly does, but he can't very well call her "Mom," can he? He's not Wa Xuedi (a nickname for a student).

"What a pipe dream! I've put in both money and effort, how could I possibly ask for nothing in return?"

"Now that we've covered the benefits, let's talk about what I want. Listen carefully, I only want one thing: the right to handle the restaurant's customer service."

Lin Mo: ? ? ?
Looking at Lin Mo's blank, innocent yet foolish expression, Liu Ruyan knew she had wasted her breath.

"What's this agency right? What's that?" Lin Mo asked curiously.

He genuinely didn't know. Was this thing really that valuable? Was Emperor Ruyan investing so much money and resources in it? Was he losing out?

"Simply put, I decide who you serve each time your restaurant is open."

"As long as it doesn't affect your business hours, my customers will be given priority. If I don't have any customers, I'll notify you in advance. If you can bring your own customers, you can naturally serve them too. Do you understand?" Liu Ruyan explained in detail.

She valued the same thing as her Uncle Yuan; she hoped to obtain this right so that she could meet more people through Lin Mo's restaurant, which would greatly benefit her family's business.

As for the restaurant, no matter how profitable it is, Lin Mo is the only one cooking; how much can he possibly earn?

This time Lin Mo understood. It was just a VIP membership, but he didn't quite understand what it was for. After all, even without it, he still needed Liu Ruyan and the others to introduce customers to him.
"That's it? I don't think you got anything out of it. If you really can't handle it, you can invite two rich women over for dinner and I'll go to the bar with them. Otherwise, I won't feel right keeping this money!" Lin Mo said somewhat nervously.

Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan rolled her eyes at him and said angrily, "Pah, dream on. Anyway, your sister won't lose out."

Besides, do you think I want to take care of you like this? It's only because we're acquaintances and your cousin is here. If I really took advantage of you and exploited you like a beast of burden, Su Su might not think much of me.

For an ordinary person, Uncle Yuan's initial terms were already extremely favorable. In the end, not only would the restaurant not be yours, but you would also have to share the profits with him. You would be no different from a chef with a slightly higher salary.

"You're lucky you met me! Don't agree to anyone's demands in the future, especially not from rich people. Do you even know what a capitalist is? You'll be eaten alive!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Mo couldn't help but recall Old Yuan's initial conditions. Then, a thought struck him: if what Liu Ruyan said was true, then he would truly be a slave, since investment meant shares and profit sharing, which were far less generous than Liu Ruyan's terms.

If you're really just working for someone else, then you might as well not open the restaurant at all.

He then grabbed Liu Ruyan's hand and said passionately, "I'll go through fire and water for you, Sister Ruyan!"

Liu Ruyan:
(End of this chapter)