At the unfinished construction site on the northern outskirts of the county town, dust filled the air and the roar of machinery was deafening.
Chen Mo found Wei Shan below the scaffolding.
At this moment, Wei Shan was shirtless, his bronze muscles covered in sweat and cement dust, as he was carrying two bags of cement weighing nearly 200 pounds in total upstairs.
"Shanzi!" Chen Mo called out, cupping his hands around his mouth.
Upon hearing that familiar voice, Wei Shan shuddered. He immediately unloaded the cement he was carrying onto the ground, hastily wiped his face with the towel hanging around his neck, and strode over.
"Brother Mo? What are you doing here? Isn't today your registration day at No. 1 High School?"
Wei Shan stood in front of Chen Mo with a look of surprise on his face, at a loss for what to do, afraid that the mud and dust on his body would get on Chen Mo's clean school uniform.
Looking at the man before him, who had been loyal to him in his past life but suffered a lifetime of hardship, Chen Mo felt a warmth in his heart and patted his broad shoulder:
"You've finished reporting. Shanzi, take your ID card, wash your face, change your clothes, and come with me. Also, how much money do you have on hand right now?"
Wei Shan was stunned for a moment. He didn't ask what they were going to do or why they needed money. He just subconsciously pulled out a small bag wrapped in plastic from his inner pocket.
"My mother's medicine bill was just settled last month. I've been working on the construction site for half a month straight, pulling all-nighters. There's 4,200 yuan in this bag, which is all I have left."
Wei Shan carefully peeled off the plastic sheet, revealing a roll of crumpled hundred-yuan bills and change, and stuffed it all into Chen Mo's hand.
Although he hadn't read many books, his intuition was frighteningly accurate.
Although Chen Mo in front of him still looked like a high school student, the feeling he gave him was completely different from before.
"Brother Mo," Wei Shan swallowed, "Is this enough? If not, I'll ask the foreman for an advance on next month's wages later."
Looking at the burly man in front of him, Chen Mo was somewhat dazed.
"That's enough, no need to beg anyone." Chen Mo carefully put the money away, his eyes resolute. "Shanzi, trust me, I'll show you how this money will grow tenfold, a hundredfold, very soon. Now, go wash your face, let's get down to business."
"Brother Mo, I don't trust anyone but you. Whatever you say goes." Wei Shan immediately said.
Half an hour later, Chen Mo, along with Wei Shan, successfully opened a Da A (A-shares) capital account using Wei Shan's ID card before the securities company's business department closed for the day.
As I left the sales office, the sun was already almost setting.
"Shanzi, I'm assigning you a task now."
Chen Mo handed Wei Shan a Honghe cigarette he had just bought by the roadside, and lit one for himself as well. "You must know a lot of honest and hardworking brothers on the construction site or in your village, right?"
"Most of the people I know are unfortunate souls I know well," Wei Shan nodded.
"Go and give them a heads-up. Tell them that some big boss in the city needs to borrow your ID to open an empty account and make some transactions. It's absolutely not illegal or criminal, and they don't need to pay anything. All they need to do is show up at the branch with their ID to open an account, and I'll give them a hundred yuan for their help."
Chen Mo exhaled a smoke ring. "Remember, only honest and reliable people are acceptable. Don't accept any of the sly, cheating, or criminal records. Compile the list and names first, and I'll give you further instructions later."
Wei Shan took a deep drag of his cigarette and nodded emphatically: "Don't worry, Brother Mo, I've got it covered! Anyone who dares to gossip about this will have their bones crushed!"
……
Just as Chen Mo began to plan his first pot of gold in life.
Feiyu Internet Cafe, South Street, County Town.
The room was filled with smoke and the sounds of keyboards, mice, and shouting filled the air.
Wang Hao, his face swollen like a pig's head, grumbled and cursed as he walked through the lobby and went straight into the innermost VIP room.
Inside the private room, a tall, thin young man with dyed yellow hair and a dragon tattooed on his arm was playing League of Legends while smoking a cigarette.
This man was none other than Brother Dao, a notorious gang leader in the South Street area.
"Brother Dao! You have to stand up for me!" Wang Hao cried out in distress upon seeing Brother Dao, pointing at his face.
Dao Ge glanced at him sideways, frowning in disgust: "Haozi? What happened to you? Did someone gang-rape you?"
"Don't even mention it! A transfer student from the countryside joined our class today, and he's incredibly cunning. He and two of his buddies ambushed me!"
Wang Hao, of course, dared not say that he was outnumbered and killed, so he exaggerated and described Chen Mo as an arrogant and domineering thug, "He even said that he didn't take Brother Dao of South Street seriously at all, and that you're just a stinking beggar!"
"Damn it! He's gone too far!" Dao Ge slammed his hand on the keyboard, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes.
In the world of street hustles, face is more important than anything else.
How dare a high school kid ride on his head and poop?
"Tomorrow after school," Dao Ge stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, sneered, "I'm taking a few brothers to ambush him at the gate of your No. 1 Middle School. I want to see if this little brat's bones are as tough as his mouth!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Hao's eyes lit up: "Thanks, Brother Dao! After this is done, I'll treat everyone to drinks and a good time!"
……
On the other side, Chen Mo rode the bumpy No. 2 bus back to the staff quarters of the health center in the town.
This is a red brick tenement building built in the 1990s. The corridors are filled with honeycomb briquettes and old bicycles from each household, and the air is filled with the familiar smell of cooking.
Chen Mo stood in front of his own green-painted wooden door, his hand outstretched in mid-air, but he hesitated to bring it down.
The closer I get to home, the more timid I become.
In his previous life, ever since he joined a private equity firm and was transformed into a money-making machine by the high-pressure work, he rarely went home.
Even after he became a millionaire, his parents stubbornly stayed in this small county town until he fell off the cliff, and they were unable to enjoy a few days of true peace and quiet.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Mo pushed open the door.
"Creak—"
In the cramped living room, an old television was broadcasting local news.
The sound of spatulas clattering came from the kitchen.
Hearing the door open, Li Xiuyun, wearing an apron, came out carrying a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Seeing Chen Mo standing in the doorway in a daze, she immediately laughed and scolded, "What are you standing there for? Go wash your hands, your dad will be home from get off work soon."
Looking at his mother's still-black hair and the wrinkles around her eyes that weren't yet deep, Chen Mo's eyes instantly welled up with tears.
He blinked hard, forcibly suppressing the sour feeling in his eyes, and put on a bright smile: "Okay, Mom, what delicious food did you make today? I could smell it from the hallway."
"Your nose is the sharpest."
Not long after, Chen Jianguo, the father, also pushed open the door and came in, carrying half a watermelon in his hand.
Chen Jianguo still had that stern, unsmiling look, but when he saw Chen Mo, he couldn't hide the concern in his eyes.
The dinner table.
"How was your first day at No. 1 High School?" Chen Jianguo asked casually, picking up a piece of food with his chopsticks. "It's a top high school in the county, the pace is fast, and the students are all top-notch. Can you keep up? Has anyone bullied you because you're a transfer student?"
Chen Mo felt a warmth in his heart, took a big bite of rice, and smiled without changing his expression, saying, "Dad, don't worry. The teacher taught very well, and the classmates were all very enthusiastic. Some even lent me their notes. Nobody bullies me. With your son's physique, who would dare to bully me?"
In his past life, he stammered at the dinner table, not daring to even lift his head.
At this moment, he skillfully alleviated his parents' worries.
"That's good. You're in your final year of high school now, so focus all your energy on your studies. Your mother and I will sell everything we own to send you to university." Chen Jianguo nodded with satisfaction.
Just as the family of three was enjoying a happy time together, a crisp knock came from outside the door.
"Oh, at this hour, it must be the Chu family's two girls." Li Xiuyun put down her chopsticks, smiled, and went to open the door.
Chen Mo also turned his head curiously.
Old Chu, Chu Weiguo, was my father's colleague at the health center and also his neighbor.
The two families had a very good relationship. Whenever one family's parents worked the night shift, the other family's children would often eat at the other's house.
The door opened.
Two slender, tall figures peeked in, accompanied by two fresh, slightly orange-scented girlish scents, instantly brightening the somewhat old-fashioned room.
These are twin sisters who look almost identical.
Both of them were wearing simple white T-shirts and faded jeans, with their hair tied in neat ponytails.
Her features are delicate and sweet, and her skin is as white as porcelain.
The only difference is that the girl on the left has a lively and mischievous look in her eyes, while the girl on the right appears quiet and gentle.
Chu Yinuo, Chu Yiran.
In his past life, these two sisters were also a bright spot in Chen Mo's dull youth.
"Aunt Li, Uncle Chen!" Chu Yiran, the lively younger sister, greeted them sweetly. "My parents were both forced to work the night shift again tonight, so we've come to freeload!"
"Come in, come in! The bowls and chopsticks are all ready for you!" Li Xiuyun smiled broadly and quickly invited the two to sit down.
Chu Yiran pulled her sister Chu Yinuo to the dining table, her gaze immediately falling on Chen Mo, whose demeanor had changed drastically and who was looking at them with a smile.
"Huh?" Chu Yiran leaned closer to Chen Mo as if she had discovered something new, blinking her big eyes. "Brother Chen Mo, you went to school in the city all day today, and you seem... like a completely different person? You've become even more handsome!"
The older sister, Chu Yinuo, sat down quietly next to her younger sister, secretly glancing at Chen Mo. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded gently, echoing in a soft voice, "Yes, Brother Chen Mo, you seem much more energetic."
Looking at the two vibrant young sisters, Chen Mo smiled gently, but a fleeting pain flashed across his eyes.
Memories of my past life flooded back uncontrollably.
In this secluded town, the Chu twin sisters were the perfect fantasy for countless young men experiencing their first stirrings of love.
Because the two families had an excellent relationship, Chen Mo, in his previous life, was always able to sense the unspoken but pure feelings the two sisters had for him.
The older sister, Chu Yinuo, had a tender and delicate affection for him; she would secretly knit him a not-so-pretty scarf in the dead of winter.
His younger sister, Chu Yiran, is fond of him, but also spoiled and adorable. She always steals his snacks, but when others say anything bad about him, she becomes fiercely protective like a cat with its fur standing on end.
Although Chen Mo was taciturn and self-conscious at that time, he had also been lost in thought while gazing at the moonlight outside the window on countless nights.
However, fate played a cruel trick on us.
In his previous life, his peaceful and beautiful life came to an abrupt end the year he graduated from university.
The Chu family was suddenly struck by misfortune, resulting in an extremely serious family upheaval.
Later, Chen Mo only heard his parents sighing on the phone, saying that Uncle Chu had encountered a serious accident and the family was in debt that they could not repay.
To avoid trouble and for survival, the two once pampered sisters were sent abroad overnight.
Since then, there has been no further news.
No matter how powerful and influential Chen Mo became in the financial world, or how many connections he used to inquire across the ocean, he could not find any trace of them again.
That unfulfilled youth, and the uncertain fate of the two girls, became an untouchable dark scar in Chen Mo's heart in his past life.
"Brother Chen Mo?"
Chu Yiran leaned closer to look at him, then suddenly blinked and said, "You went to school in the city all day today, and you seem like a completely different person?"
She paused, lowering her voice, but couldn't suppress her laughter.
"You've gotten more handsome."
Chu Yinuo also secretly glanced at Chen Mo, her cheeks slightly flushed, and nodded gently.
"I feel much more energetic."
Chen Mo snapped out of his daze, smiled, and gently tapped Chu Yiran's forehead with his chopsticks.
"Hurry up and wash your hands and eat. If you wait any longer, I'll have eaten all your favorite scrambled eggs with tomatoes."
"oops!"
Chu Yiran covered her forehead, her face turning red instantly.
"Aunt Li, look at him! Brother Chen Mo is bullying people!"
Li Xiuyun couldn't stop smiling.
Chu Yinuo was pulled by her younger sister towards the restroom, and before going in, she couldn't help but look back at Chen Mo.
For some reason, she felt that Chen Mo had something inexplicable about him today.
It's like I've suddenly grown up.
It's also like being able to shield people from a lot of wind and rain.
The dinner was a lively and enjoyable affair.
After the meal, the two sisters helped clean up the dishes before reluctantly returning to their room next door.
Chen Mo returned to his small bedroom and closed the door.
The room was covered with faded basketball posters, and the desk was piled high with study materials.
He pulled out a chair, sat down, took the securities account receipt out of his pocket, and quietly placed it on the table.
Five thousand yuan.
Very few.
But for Chen Mo, that was enough.
The world will give him the answer after the market opens tomorrow.
If his memory hasn't shifted, then his first scythe will fall starting with a brokerage stock.
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