Chapter 9: Day Nine of Pretending to be A

Chapter 9: Day 9 of Pretending to be Alpha

Chu Mo hurriedly stood up, put down the wine glass in his hand, and lowered his voice to ask Li Shuo, "What exactly happened?"

"Zhou Ming cracked a few jokes when the negotiation was about to end," Li Shuo reported nervously, "Later, he whispered something in Xie Songchen's ear, which made Xie Songchen angry, so he hit him..."

A look of disbelief flashed in Chu Mo's eyes.

This can't be right?

He remembered that Zhou Ming only revealed his perverse nature in the later part of the novel.

Even if we take a step back, if Zhou Ming now revealed his liking for Chu Yun, Xie Songchen wasn't the type of hot-headed person who would resort to violence.

What exactly did Zhou Ming say to Xie Songchen?

Chu Mo didn't have time to think too much and marched out of the VIP room.

He didn't even have time to knock on the door of the adjacent VIP room and pushed the door open directly.

Inside the VIP room, teams from both sides were holding back Xie Songchen and Zhou Ming, fearing that the two would get into a fight.

The entire negotiation scene was in complete disarray.

Chu Mo's arrival made the room fall silent for a moment.

Chu Mo instinctively looked at Xie Songchen and saw that Xie Songchen had a cut on the corner of his mouth.

Obviously, Zhou Ming had fought back.

When Xie Songchen saw Chu Mo, he went quiet.

He knew he had done something wrong and didn't look at Chu Mo, averting his gaze.

His bangs cast a shadow over his face, making it impossible for Chu Mo to see his expression at this moment.

At this moment.

"Mr. Chu, it's an honor to finally meet you," Zhou Ming looked directly at Chu Mo, smirked, but his voice was icy, "Your subordinate really gave me quite the introduction."

Although Zhou Ming was speaking sarcastically, his gaze remained on Chu Mo's face.

He rarely saw someone who looked better in person than in videos and photos.

Chu Mo's face looked even more striking in reality.

"What happened," Chu Mo ignored Zhou Ming and directly looked past everyone, addressing a certain alpha, "Xie Songchen."

Xie Songchen was stunned.

He clenched his jaw, tightened his fingers into a fist, and snapped, "I hit him."

He didn't plan to make any excuses for himself.

Zhou Ming shrugged: "See, Mr. Chu, I didn't wrong your employee."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Zhou," Chu Mo looked at Zhou Ming and said calmly, "Xiao Xie is an intern. Please don't hold it against him for my sake."

Xie Songchen lowered his head.

Hearing this, his fists clenched tighter, nails digging into his palms.

Zhou Ming glanced at Xie Songchen with a smug expression, his tone a bit smug: "Your employee acted this way toward me, and you think a simple apology will suffice? If you don't make it up to me, I don't think this cooperation is worth discussing."

Chu Mo looked at Xie Songchen and said calmly: "Xiao Xie, no matter what, you were the one who started the fight. Apologize to Mr. Zhou."

From this angle, Chu Mo only saw Xie Songchen's tightly pursed lips and tense jawline.

Somehow, looking at him, Chu Mo felt a hint of... grievance?

Like a big dog that fought for its owner but was scolded.

"I won't apologize," Xie Songchen said, lips pursed, his tone stubborn.

Chu Mo's gut told him that things weren't that simple.

So, he turned to the other employees and asked, "Can anyone tell me what exactly happened just now?"

A few of the bolder employees spoke up, one after the other.

"Mr. Zhou said he wanted your WeChat contact."

"Xie Songchen refused to give it, and Mr. Zhou asked if he was holding back."

"Mr. Zhou also said that Xie Songchen was afraid you'd develop feelings for him, so he didn't give it."

"Mr. Zhou said something quietly to Xie Songchen, but we don't know what he said."

Chu Mo froze in place— They fought, but not because of Chu Yun?

Listening to the employees' words, Zhou Ming grew a little uneasy.

He put on a calm front and looked at Chu Mo, saying, "Mr. Chu, I was just joking. Your subordinate didn't need to take it so seriously, did he?"

Chu Mo put two and two together in his mind.

It seemed that Zhou Ming had made fun of Chu Mo in front of Xie Songchen.

And Xie Songchen, seeing his boss being mocked, felt embarrassed.

Probably, Zhou Ming had also said more humiliating things quietly about Chu Mo into Xie Songchen's ear.

Out of his alpha instincts, Xie Songchen punched Zhou Ming.

That was the only explanation.

Otherwise, Chu Mo didn't get why Xie Songchen was so angry.

Chu Mo hadn't expected that Xie Songchen would defend him.

He glanced at Xie Songchen, frowning deeply.

Xie Songchen hung his head, seeming ready to admit fault but refusing to apologize.

Chu Mo had planned to make Xie Songchen apologize to Zhou Ming, but now he changed his mind.

He walked casually over to Xie Songchen's side.

Xie Songchen was startled and looked up at Chu Mo.

Chu Mo stood opposite Zhou Ming, looking at him calmly, smiled and spoke slowly:

"Mr. Zhou, if you want to add me on WeChat, that's a small matter. As long as you sign, I'll send you morning greetings every day."

Hearing this, Xie Songchen was so angry that he wanted to stand up and leave the meeting room.

Chu Mo quietly reached over and pressed his shoulder.

Xie Songchen furrowed his brow, almost unable to contain the anger in his eyes.

"I hope you mean it," Zhou Ming looked at Chu Mo, unable to suppress the smile on his lips, "I've long heard that Mr. Chu is well-connected in any social circle, and today I finally saw it for myself."

Chu Mo slid the contract in front of Zhou Ming, along with his WeChat QR code:

"Then, please sign, Mr. Zhou."

Chu Mo nodded slightly, giving Zhou Ming a knowing smile.

This scene was uncannily similar to the video Zhou Ming had just liked.

Zhou Ming was captivated.

Xie Songchen beside him deepened his frown.

Zhou Ming was already planning to sign the contract.

Now that Chu Mo offered him an out, he happily took the opportunity.

Zhou Ming gestured dismissively and signed the contract, then had his assistant stamp it with the official seal.

In just a few minutes, Chu Mo's presence had Zhou Ming signing.

The entire Shengmo team let out a collective sigh of relief.

Except, of course, for Xie Songchen.

He was not happy at all, his face cold enough to freeze over.

After confirming the negotiation was complete, the smile on Chu Mo's face faded.

Zhou Ming stood up and extended his hand, offering a handshake with Chu Mo.

"Mr. Zhou, since we are about to enter into a partnership, let's be clear upfront," Chu Mo did not shake Zhou Ming's extended hand but looked at him, word by word, "Respecting me and my team is the foundation of our cooperation."

Zhou Ming's hand froze, and his expression turned unpleasant: "Mr. Chu, what do you mean by this?"

Xie Songchen beside him was startled.

He looked up in surprise at Chu Mo standing beside him.

"Dingming Group has many business dealings with our Chu Group," Chu Mo looked at Zhou Ming, his polite tone carrying a hint of coldness, "We have also dealt with several CEOs of Dingming, and it has always been this way."

Chu Group is a dominant behemoth in H City.

It is even ranked nationally.

Dingming Group pales in comparison to Chu Group.

Even many of Dingming's upstream and downstream industries depend heavily on Chu Group.

Zhou Ming is just a small-time CEO, hardly worth a mention compared to the future heir of Chu Group.

Even so, Chu Mo still gave Zhou Ming the respect he deserved.

This tactic of being polite before getting tough caught Zhou Ming off guard.

Chu Mo leaned forward slightly, one hand on the table, and grabbed Zhou Ming's collar.

This move was identical to Xie Songchen's earlier action.

But Chu Mo's aura of menace was far more chilling than Xie Songchen's.

Zhou Ming had shown no fear when facing Xie Songchen earlier.

Now, a cold shiver ran down his spine.

"If you dare touch my people again," Chu Mo said word by word, each syllable sharp and clear, "it won't be as simple as this."

Each word cut like a knife, leaving Zhou Ming gasping for air.

No one in the private room dared to speak.

Xie Songchen was utterly stunned, his face a mask of disbelief.

Recalling the cut on Xie Songchen's lip, Chu Mo let go of Zhou Ming's collar and slapped his face twice.

The slaps were not gentle.

This was Chu Mo's way of warning Zhou Ming.

The physical harm was slight, but the humiliation was profound.

Zhou Ming's throat tightened, and after a long silence, he muttered, 'I understand.'

Chu Mo pulled back, stood tall, and resumed his usual composure.

He curled his lips into a smile and said to Zhou Ming, 'Pleasure doing business with you.'

But his smile didn't touch his eyes.

With that, Chu Mo strode out with his team, exuding triumph.

Dingming's team was plunged into dead silence.

Everyone braced for Zhou Ming to lose his temper.

Yet, Zhou Ming stayed seated, his hand instinctively rising to touch the spot on his left cheek where Chu Mo had struck him.

His throat tightened again, and he felt parched.

Meanwhile,

Xie Songchen climbed into the same business car as Chu Mo.

Chu Mo sat next to him, scowling, and snapped, 'What were you thinking, an intern, trying to play the hero? How dare you lay a finger on Zhou Ming?'

Xie Songchen frowned, saying nothing.

After a moment, Xie Songchen blurted out, "That guy’s a creep."

His expression darkened as he spoke.

Chu Mo froze.

He knew Zhou Ming was a creep.

But he hadn’t expected Xie Songchen to figure Zhou Ming out so fast.

"What did Zhou Ming even say to you?" Chu Mo couldn’t help but ask curiously. "Why’d you punch him out of nowhere?"

Xie Songchen pressed his lips together, his face icy. "Drop it. I’m not saying."

His tone was firm.

Chu Mo knew Xie Songchen well enough—if he didn’t want to talk, he wouldn’t.

Whatever Zhou Ming had said, Chu Mo had no clue.

Chu Mo scoffed, "Whatever. Keep it to yourself."

On the drive back to the office.

The scenery outside the window blurred past.

Xie Songchen stared out the window, his fists clenching.

The car was quiet, save for the occasional voice from the GPS.

After a pause, he turned to Chu Mo and said, "Thanks. For earlier."

Chu Mo was floored.

His eyes widened in shock.

Did Xie Songchen just thank him?

He said *thank you*?!

Chu Mo was too stunned to speak.

Xie Songchen quickly looked away, pretending nothing had happened.

But Chu Mo noticed Xie Songchen’s ears turning red.

"What’s there to thank me for?" Chu Mo straightened up, his tone haughty. "You think I’d just leave my people hanging?"

"Not really," Xie Songchen said flatly.

Chu Mo: '...' (silence)

After a beat, Xie Songchen asked, "You’re not mad?"

After asking this question, he glanced at Chu Mo seemingly unintentionally.

Naturally, Chu Mo wasn't angry.

Zhou Ming didn't respect him, so he was happy to see someone stand up for him.

Chu Mo just didn't expect Xie Songchen, who usually seemed like an iceberg, to get so angry.

"It's fine," Chu Mo paused and said, "Not as mad as you are."

Xie Songchen was taken aback.

He then pursed his lips, looking out the window with a hint of annoyance.

"If you want to stay at Shengmo, don't be so impulsive in the future," Chu Mo said coldly, looking at Xie Songchen. "An alpha like you, who resorts to violence at the drop of a hat, can never marry into the Chu family."

Hearing Chu Mo mention "marry into" again, Xie Songchen fell silent once more.

After a moment, he said to Chu Mo, "You're the one who should be hearing this."

Chu Mo was stunned, not understanding Xie Songchen's meaning.

"Earlier, you shouldn't have hit Zhou Ming," Xie Songchen looked at Chu Mo, his brows furrowed. "You were rewarding him."

Chu Mo looked confused and bewildered. "How is that rewarding him?"

Xie Songchen's frown deepened, and then he pursed his lips into a line, looking out the window without saying another word.

Chu Mo was left utterly puzzled.

Didn't I just slap Zhou Ming twice?

How is that rewarding him?

Back at the company office.

Noticing Xie Songchen's wound, Chu Mo asked an assistant for the first aid kit.

"It's not necessary," Xie Songchen frowned.

"You got hurt by Zhou Ming," Chu Mo said, frowning at him. "If you don't patch that up, people might think I did it."

This was no exaggeration.

Everyone in the company thought there was a "rivalry over a younger brother" between Chu Mo and Xie Songchen.

But Xie Songchen resisted this strongly. "I said, it's not necessary."

The assistant brought the first aid kit, and Chu Mo coldly ordered Xie Songchen, "Take a seat."

Xie Songchen was stunned.

Chu Mo then pushed him into the CEO's chair.

The young college student in the CEO's chair looked oddly cute and comical.

Chu Mo insisted on treating Xie Songchen's wound, fearing he might get disfigured.

What if it messed up the main characters' romance!

"You don't want the medicine, and I don't want to help you," Chu Mo said with a cold laugh, looking at Xie Songchen. "I'd love it if you got disfigured, so my little Yun wouldn't want you."

Xie Songchen's face turned grim: "I'm not so delicate that a split lip would ruin my appearance."

Chu Mo grabbed a cotton swab, dipped it in iodine, and leaned down to treat Xie Songchen's wound.

"Ouch..."

As Chu Mo's cotton swab touched Xie Songchen's wound, Xie Songchen sucked in a sharp breath.

Chu Mo noticed Xie Songchen's hands tightly gripping the swivel chair, his whole body leaning back, spine stiff.

He was so tense that even his thigh muscles were flexing, making his trousers tight.

Chu Mo was momentarily taken aback.

Is he really that scared of pain?

That wasn't in the original story.

Chu Mo gently dabbed at Xie Songchen's wound again, and Xie Songchen shuddered all over.

Clearly, Xie Songchen couldn't handle pain well.

"Scared of a little pain?" Chu Mo let out a derisive laugh, mocking mercilessly, "How can you be an alpha if you're so afraid of pain?"

Xie Songchen was startled and instinctively shot back, "Why would being an alpha be painful?"

Chu Mo was shocked.

The next moment, his face turned red with irritation, "Xie Songchen! I mean, how can you be such a big alpha and still be so scared of pain? What good are you?!"

What the hell is going on in this guy's mind?!

"Ahh!"

Xie Songchen suddenly yelped in pain.

Chu Mo, caught up in the moment, pressed too hard.

Chu Mo glanced awkwardly at Xie Songchen's reddened lip, pursed his lips and said stiffly:

"...Just deal with it."

Though his tone was harsh, there was a hint of reassurance in it.

Xie Songchen looked at Chu Mo and was momentarily stunned.

Right then, they were really close.

So close that Xie Songchen could see the faint mole on Chu Mo's nose bridge, the fine fuzz on his nose tip, and the eyelashes on those cool, beautiful eyes...

Chu Mo inadvertently made eye contact with Xie Songchen.

The next second, Xie Songchen's whole body stiffened, all his muscles tensing up.

He instinctively closed his eyes, pressing even harder against the chair's backrest.

More nervous than a kid getting a shot.

"Is it really necessary to be this nervous?" Chu Mo couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He cleared his throat and put on a serious face to maintain his character: "Good thing Xiao Yun isn't with someone like you, or he definitely wouldn't be happy."

Xie Songchen's throat moved, but he remained silent.

While Chu Mo was carefully cleaning his wound, Xie Songchen quietly opened one eye and sneaked a peek at him.

A moment later, Xie Songchen couldn't help but smile.

But as it pulled at his wound, he let out another cry of pain.

"Xie Songchen, can you just stay still..." Chu Mo said in frustration.

At this, Xie Songchen obediently stayed still, letting Chu Mo take care of his wound.

The pungent smell of iodine filled the air.

It was Xie Songchen's least favorite scent.

But right then, he thought the smell of iodine had a touch of sweetness to it.