Returning to his senior year of high school, he went all in and made billions by buying at the botto

After a moment of silence in the car, Xu Yaqin slowly spoke.

"Xiao Wan, you've lost weight recently."

Lin Wan was slightly taken aback.

"I've been quite busy lately."

Xu Yaqin looked at her.

Sitting beside her, her daughter, with her exquisite makeup and composed demeanor, was already the Lin CEO that everyone outside praised.

But she could see that Lin Wan looked a little tired.

Xu Yaqin felt a pang of sadness; she and Lin Wan had only known each other for a short time.

She was absent from a past that many mothers take for granted.

Lin Wan didn't know what she liked to eat when she was little, what she was afraid of, whether she would cry when she was wronged, or whether she liked to cuddle and act cute when she was sick.

She wanted to make up for it, but many things, once missed, are missed forever.

Therefore, she never dared to be as direct with Lin Wan as an ordinary mother.

I'm afraid that if I interfere too much, my daughter will feel like a stranger.

I was afraid that asking too few questions would seem indifferent.

In the end, we could only approach in a very cautious way.

For example, right now, what she really wants to ask is, how far have you and Chen Mo gotten?

But the answer turned out to be, "You've lost weight."

Lin Wan's heart softened slightly.

"Mom, I'm fine."

Xu Yaqin gently held her hand, without speaking immediately, but simply cupped her hand in her palm.

After a while, she casually asked, "You seemed flustered when he held your hand just now."

Lin Wan's ears burned.

"mom."

Xu Yaqin smiled.

"I saw it."

Lin Wan looked down at the folder on her lap, her voice very soft.

"He did it to help me."

"Will I block Jia Shu for you?"

Lin Wan did not deny it.

"Um."

Xu Yaqin looked at her daughter.

"So, do you hope he's just helping you, or do you hope he's doing more than just helping you?"

Lin Wan was speechless for a moment.

The lights of the elevated highway outside the car window flashed by, casting dappled shadows on her face.

Xu Yaqin did not press her for an answer.

She simply said softly, "Xiao Wan, your father and I are not here to force you to marry anyone."

Lin Wan looked up.

Xu Yaqin's tone remained gentle.

"Jia Shu is a good kid, that's for sure."

"His father and your father have some connections. Shengyuan Group's visit to Jiangcheng this time is indeed related to the investment promotion conference."

"But if you don't want to, we won't make the decision for you."

Lin Wan looked at her, and the tension in her heart suddenly eased a little, but another kind of doubt arose.

If she wasn't being forced to go on a blind date, then why did she have Shen Jiashu come along?

Xu Yaqin seemed to sense her question, but didn't elaborate.

She simply looked out the window and said softly, "Your current position is different from before."

"The people around you are different from before."

"Some things, it's not enough for you to understand them yourself; others also need to understand them."

Lin Wan's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, and an indescribable shock and realization instantly swept over her.

Mother's meaning is... They brought Shen Jiashu here not to act as a matchmaker, but to act as a go-between!

They want to force Chen Mo to step into the sunlight himself!

"Mom, this time..." Lin Wan's breathing became rapid.

Xu Yaqin turned around and smiled gently at her: "We just came to see you and, incidentally, to give my precious daughter a good look."

..........

In another car.

Lin Chengze sat in the back row, and Chen Mo sat next to him.

Zhou Zheng was driving, and the car was very well soundproofed.

Lin Chengze did not speak immediately.

He first glanced at Zhou Zheng in the front row, then at the security vehicles following behind.

Only then did I look out the window.

"Changhu has changed rapidly in recent years."

Chen Mo nodded.

"After the high-tech zone was established, the city's framework was laid out."

"Will Jiangcheng be like this in the future?"

"Jiangcheng is not as large as Changhu."

Chen Mo spoke calmly.

"But if resources, materials, manufacturing, and transportation hubs can be connected, it shouldn't be a problem to create a sub-center for the new energy materials industry in western province."

Lin Chengze's eyes flickered slightly.

The answer was more direct than he had expected.

Lin Chengze said calmly, "County Chief Gu must value Shengyuan Group highly at this investment promotion conference."

"County Chief Gu has just arrived in Jiangcheng and needs a report card on investment attraction that can be quickly presented."

Chen Mo said, "Shengyuan Group comes from Jiangnan and has experience in new energy supporting facilities, precision manufacturing and industrial park investment. It does seem like a good fit."

"Just what it looks like?"

Lin Chengze turned to look at him.

Chen Mo smiled.

"Uncle Lin should know better than I do."

"If Shengyuan enters Jiangcheng, what it wants will not just be a few plots of industrial land."

Lin Chengze remained silent.

Chen Mo continued, "They want to take over the supporting funds from Jiangcheng Industrial Investment, want to get the core location of the industrial park, want to enter the supply chain of Xingxin Mining and Deer Technology, and also want to use Xingchen Technology's current industrial momentum to open up the market in the western province for themselves."

"These demands are all normal."

"Businessmen who come to Jiangcheng are unlikely to do charity."

Lin Chengze looked at him.

"Would Star Technology be willing to provide it?"

"It depends."

Chen Mo said, "Cooperation can be discussed, but the rules cannot be unilaterally set by Shengyuan."

"Jiangcheng is not the Jiangcheng it used to be."

"Star Technology is not a small company that lacks projects, funds, or endorsements."

Lin Chengze suddenly smiled.

"Is Xiao Wan's tone of voice something she learned from you?"

Chen Mo smiled too.

"Maybe it's because she's been spending too much time with me."

Lin Chengze glanced at him, then changed his perspective and continued, "You know my relationship with Xiaowan isn't like that of an ordinary father and daughter."

Chen Mo looked at him.

Lin Chengze's voice was calm.

"We met late in life."

"Neither her mother nor I were there when she needed her parents the most."

Chen Mo did not interrupt.

Lin Chengze continued, "So neither her mother nor I had many justifiable demands on Xiaowan."

"We were worried when she left the bank to go to Xingchen Technology, but we didn't stop her."

"It's not that we're particularly enlightened; it's that we know she got to where she is today not because of us."

Chen Mo's expression became slightly more serious.

Lin Chengze turned to look at him.

"Xiao Wan is a proud person."

"She appears to be very tactful on the surface, but she's actually quite hard-hearted."

"The reason she was willing to dedicate herself and her youth to Xingchen Technology is not just because you gave her money and status."

Chen Mo remained silent for a few seconds.

"What does Uncle Lin want to ask?"

Lin Chengze looked at him and finally asked the real question.

"I want to know, what exactly is her status in your eyes?"

Chen Mo didn't answer immediately. He suddenly realized that Lin Wan's parents weren't there to force her to go on blind dates, but to force him.

Or rather, force him to give an answer.

The parents, who had only recently reunited but had been carefully trying to make amends to their daughter, brought a truly outstanding man to Jiangcheng in an extremely dignified manner.

They didn't force Lin Wan to agree, nor did they directly question Chen Mo.

They simply presented him with the choice.

If Chen Mo doesn't come, it means that Lin Wan isn't important enough to him to warrant his personal appearance.

If Chen Mo comes, they will see for themselves whether this young man, who has made their daughter stake her youth and emotions on him, is truly qualified to take her on.

The car was very quiet.

Zhou Zheng sat in the front row, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Lin Chengze did not urge him.

After asking that question, he quietly looked at Chen Mo.

This is a father's problem.

Chen Mo looked out the window at the road rushing past, and after a few seconds, he slowly spoke.

"Lin Wan is more than just the CEO of Xingchen Technology to me."

Lin Chengze's eyes flickered slightly.

"She is someone I trust very much, and someone I don't want to lose."

Lin Chengze's eyes finally showed a noticeable change.

This answer isn't very nice.

I don't like her, and I don't know if I would marry her.

There were no promises that young people typically make when facing their elders.

However, "not wanting to lose" carries significant weight for someone like Chen Mo.

Lin Chengze looked at him.

What can you give her?

Chen Mo remained calm.

"I will give her a promise. As long as Lin Wan is still willing to stand by my side, I will not let anyone take her away from me."

Lin Chengze's gaze sharpened slightly. He suddenly understood why his daughter had fallen for him.

"Does Xiao Wan know what you just said?"

Lin Chengze asked.

"have no idea."

Chen Mo answered quickly.

"Then why didn't you tell her?"

Chen Mo remained silent for a few seconds.

"She is a very proud person."

"But I hope that every step she takes in the future will be a conscious choice of her own, rather than being pushed forward by a promise from me."

Lin Chengze slowly leaned back in his chair.

This time, he didn't speak immediately.

He has seen too many young people.

I've also seen too many seasoned businessmen.

The former is prone to impulsiveness, while the latter is prone to scheming.

Chen Mo was quite strange; he possessed the greed of a teenager, yet also the self-control that even adults might lack.

However, Lin Chengze was already quite satisfied that Chen Mo had made such a promise.

After all, he had done a thorough investigation of Star Technology before coming here.

The man in front of me is the head of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate at the tender age of eighteen.

At least in front of him, Chen Mo did not use his wealth to intimidate him, nor did he put on airs because of his status.

He didn't even say a single flattering word.

Lin Chengze looked out the window and nodded slowly.

"Your answer is better than I expected."

Chen Mo did not respond.

Lin Chengzhe was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I come from an industrial investment background. I have dealt with many institutions and platforms in Jiangnan."

"Principal Investment, is that yours too?"

Chen Mo was not surprised.

The original structure was not deliberately hidden below the surface of the water.

Moreover, given Lin Chengze's resume and connections, it's not surprising that he would have found out about Tai Chu since he had done his homework before coming.

"Yes."

He answered very decisively.

Lin Chengze turned and glanced at him.

"They don't try to hide anything at all."

"Since Uncle Lin asked, it means there's already an answer," Chen Mo said. "There's no point in me denying it anymore."

Lin Chengze smiled.

"If I hadn't seen you with my own eyes, I would hardly believe that there are young people like you in this world."

"I'm sure you know why Xiaowan's mother and I came here this time."

Lin Chengze lowered his voice.

"We're not here to make decisions for her."

"To be honest, we have no right to make decisions for her."

As he said those words, a faint hint of self-mockery flashed across his eyes.

Chen Mo did not interrupt.

Lin Chengze continued, "But she is, after all, our daughter."

"She is standing by your side now, which can bring her achievements, wealth, and status, but it can also bring her a lot of grievances and risks."

He looked at Chen Mo, his gaze finally becoming more serious.

"You probably have quite a few women around you."

Chen Mo's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not refute.

Lin Chengze didn't need his rebuttal.

"I just hope you remember what you just said."

"Don't let her look back one day and find that she gave away the best years of her life, only to end up with a dispensable position."

The car fell silent.

Chen Mo looked at Lin Chengze.

After a moment, he slowly spoke.

"I will do it."

Lin Chengze's expression softened slightly.

He looked out the window again, as if he had finally let go of something weighing on his heart.

"That's good."

After a while, he added casually:

"Xiao Wan has her own pride and stubbornness."

"If you ever betray her, she may not cry or make a scene."

She will just turn around and leave.

"But as a father, I don't want to see that day."

Chen Mo nodded.

"That day will never come."

Lin Chengze did not ask any further questions.

He knew that he had said enough.

Going further down the line, it's no longer a reminder, but coercion.

The young man in front of me was clearly not the kind of person who could be forced to give me an answer.

The car slowly drove towards Jiangcheng.