Chapter 76 No More Pretending 2

Chapter 76 Dropping the Act 2

Dropping the Act 2

The moment Chu Mo's voice faded, the entire livestream nearly went down.

Fortunately, his dependable younger brother Chu Yun had leaked the news to the government in advance.

The government urgently provided a backup channel for Chu Mo's livestream, ensuring it proceeded smoothly.

As Chu Mo publicly disclosed the information and released concrete research reports on the official website, the press conference transformed from financial tabloid fodder into global headline news.

This news was nothing short of a bombshell across all industries.

Soon, capital from various investment banks poured into Chu Group simultaneously, driving its stock price to record highs and setting a record for the highest single-day gain in history.

The market doesn’t lie.

As the news spread worldwide, Chu Mo's face quickly appeared on screens across the globe.

Meanwhile, within Chu Group, where celebrations should have erupted, all hell broke loose instead.

The shareholders watched the scene unfold, stunned, unsure whether to celebrate or panic.

They had no knowledge of Original Track Pharma's existence.

In unison, the shareholders turned their eyes to Chu Yansheng.

Chu Yansheng stared at the livestream on his phone, in denial.

Chu Mo's company had developed a drug capable of shutting down glands?

No fucking way!

This had to be a last-ditch lie by Chu Mo to avoid being ousted!

Too far gone to reconsider, Chu Yansheng, consumed by his determination to remove Chu Mo, only wanted to win this battle.

After all, he had been plotting this coup for far too long.

Jaw clenched, Chu Yansheng looked at the shareholders gathered for the dismissal meeting and spoke coldly:

"I know nothing about Chu Mo's miraculous drug. This is likely just a Hail Mary to save his seat. Now, let’s proceed with the dismissal process. Please cast your votes—"

Before he could finish,

The door to Chu Group’s conference room was slammed open.

Chu Yansheng went rigid, about to demand why security hadn’t stopped the intruder—only to realize it was his youngest son, Chu Yun.

Chu Yun marched in solo, like a one-man army.

He locked eyes with Chu Yansheng on the podium and spat, his voice loud enough for all to hear:

"Planning to oust my brother? Let me remind everyone here—Original Track Pharma is my brother’s wholly-owned venture. If he leaves Chu Group, none of you will have a dime’s worth of stake in the new drugs."

Chu Group had never been prominent in the pharmaceutical field, lacking any substantial medical industry.

But if Original Track Pharma were integrated into Chu Group’s portfolio, it would plug that hole for good.

The new drug could help Chu Group pull ahead of competitors and even become the market leader.

No, not just the market leader—it could influence all industries!

But all this hinges on whether Chu Mo is willing to merge OriginTrack with Chu Group.

"Moreover, pushing Chu Mo out at such a time," Chu Yun said with a sneer to the stunned shareholders, "would make everyone think Chu Group is rotten to the core, firing a CEO who just developed a breakthrough drug."

Silence.

Endless silence.

The meeting to oust Chu Mo had become farcical.

Everyone wore uncomfortable expressions.

Especially Chu Yansheng.

"Chu Yun, what are you doing?" Chu Yansheng gritted his teeth, unable to refute, resorting to moral condemnation. "Do you realize this is a company, not a marketplace? Can’t you show some professionalism? Do you think running a business is some game, where you do whatever you want?"

Just as the room remained silent, the first to counter Chu Yansheng wasn’t Chu Yun.

The shareholders below, watching their soaring stock prices and fearing a sudden drop, began throwing their weight behind Chu Mo.

"Chairman Chu, the removal vote is just procedural—we never insisted on ousting Chu Mo."

"Exactly, I’ve always thought Mr. Chu did a great job."

"We shareholders only want what’s best for the company."

One after another, they cautiously defended Chu Mo.

Chu Yansheng stood rooted to the spot.

Chu Yun watched the shareholders squabbling over their gains and arched an eyebrow, sneering,

"Seems this place isn’t exactly high-class."

Chu Yansheng turned purple with rage, his beard quivering with fury.

Now, he was backed into a corner.

Chu Yun pressed further, "Oh, and my brother asked me to remind you—better cover those shorts soon."

Chu Yansheng didn’t need to think to know his secret short-selling would get slaughtered.

Taking a deep breath, he lowered his voice, trembling as he asked his secretary,

"Have we covered our shorts yet?"

The secretary’s lips were pale, sweat beading on his forehead. "Chairman Chu... the rally was too sudden. The stock surged, and we got margin-called..."

Margin-call meant wiped out.

Chu Yansheng sank back in his chair, eyes shut.

He hadn’t expected this...

This was the first time in Chu Yansheng's life that he had suffered such a crushing defeat.

Fortunately, his family fortune was vast enough that this loss wouldn’t bankrupt him.

Moreover, he still held a portion of Chu Group’s shares, which could cushion the blow.

Chu Yansheng took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

He turned to his secretary, his throat working, finally ready to face the omega son responsible for this defeat:

"Pull up the livestream. I want to see what else that kid has to say."

At this moment, Chu Yansheng held his breath, his expression more serious than ever before.

For the first time, he realized that Chu Mo had grown into a business rival who could not be ignored.

While feeling a lingering dread, Chu Yansheng was also somewhat relieved—after all, this "rival" was his own son.

There was still hope for Chu Group.

As long as Chu Mo was willing to fold Original Track Pharma into Chu Group’s umbrella, the money Chu Yansheng had lost could still be recovered.

Inside the livestream:

Facing the camera and the surging viewership, Chu Mo continued calmly:

"It was only because I passed as an alpha for so many years that I found the opportunity to develop this drug. I know some may be disappointed that I’m an omega, but passing wasn’t my intention. Now I’ve come to realize that being myself and embracing my gender isn’t something to fear."

Chu Yansheng’s eyes flickered.

He hadn’t expected Chu Mo to approach his coming out with such composure.

In fact, there was even a sense of gratitude toward his own gender in Chu Mo’s words.

If not for being an omega, Chu Mo wouldn’t have had the chance to develop a resistance to suppressants, nor would he have been able to create the necessary experimental conditions.

"Passing as an alpha was painful—constant physicals and injections, my pheromones gradually becoming unstable and requiring greater control, keeping my distance from all alphas… Perhaps I’m not the only one in this world who has gone through this."

For the first time, Chu Yansheng saw an expression on Chu Mo’s face that was…

Unfamiliar.

Something like empathy, even compassion.

Chu Mo’s words quickly resonated with everyone present, and viewers in the live chat began praising him for his big-picture thinking.

Suddenly, Chu Yansheng froze.

Because he suddenly remembered what Chu Mo had said to him on the phone earlier—

"The ‘why’ outweighs the ‘how.’"

"So that’s what he meant…"

Chu Yansheng muttered under his breath, his face darkening as he drifted into thought.

An idiom suddenly surfaced in his mind—

"The righteous never stand alone."

Chu Yansheng felt his scalp prickle and a chill run down his spine.

If the drug was proven effective, Chu Mo wouldn’t just emerge victorious in this battle—he would gain the support of the entire world.

By then, it wouldn’t be a matter of Chu Group ousting Chu Mo, but whether Chu Mo would even keep Chu Group!

"From now on, I am Chu Mo, an omega, and also a co-founder of Original Track Pharma. I announce that Xu Yi’s research team will also join as my equal partners."

With these words, Chu Mo declared Xu Yi as his partner, granting him shares in Original Track.

Watching from off-screen, Xu Yi's face was a picture of disbelief.

He looked at Chu Mo like he was looking at the person who gave him new life.

Xu Yi never expected that Chu Mo would not only resolve the PR crisis but also secure an unassailable position far beyond Chu Yansheng’s reach.

Just then, a reporter called out a question to Chu Mo:

"Will Original Track Pharma become a subsidiary of Chu Group in the future? Is Chairman Chu Yansheng aware of this?"

Chu Mo didn’t answer directly.

Instead, he glanced at the crowd, quirked his lips, and said slowly,

"Of course, I must also thank my father here. If not for his harsh training and his attempts to stop me from coming out about my gender, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to develop this drug."

"After all, my original intention in researching this drug was to continue being the heir of Chu Group."

The words struck like a stinging slap across Chu Yansheng’s face.

On the surface, Chu Mo’s words were gratitude, but in reality, they were biting sarcasm directed at Chu Yansheng’s decision to remove him over his gender.

Chu Yansheng’s throat went dry. The shareholders' eyes burned into him, but he couldn’t utter a single word.

Chu Mo had played this game masterfully.

"Finally..." Chu Mo's eyes grew distant, mixing nostalgia with quiet triumph, "I want to thank the person who, during my hardest times, dropped everything, avoided journalists, and moved heaven and earth to stay by my side and help me solve my problems..."

Before anyone could ask who that person was, Chu Mo had already turned and left them in his wake.

Reporters shouted after him, pelting him with questions:

"After coming out as omega, have you considered marrying an alpha?"

"Can you still remain the heir of Chu Group?"

"When will this hibernation drug be available on the market?"

"..."

All kinds of questions were left unanswered as Chu Mo strode away.

Chu Yansheng glared at the terminated broadcast, his hands clenched involuntarily.

Chu Mo had given no commitment in the broadcast about Original Track Pharma's acquisition by Chu Group.

This had effectively become his ultimate bargaining chip.

With this leverage, Chu Yansheng was powerless against him no matter what.

Chu Yansheng took a deep breath, and a flicker of tension stirred in him—

What if… what if Chu Mo refused to hand Original Track Pharma over to Chu Group?

He could even go independent and start his own venture.

By then, it would only mean a tremendous loss for the entire Chu Group.

At this moment, the market frenzy finally began to subside.

Chu Group's shares dipped.

Everyone realized one thing—Original Track Pharma might not necessarily become a subsidiary of Chu Group after all.

The entire business world began to watch closely, waiting to see if Chu Mo would leave Chu Group.

Inside the meeting room, however, the shareholders remained optimistic.

"As long as we don't oust Chu Mo, he'll still hand the pharmaceutical company over to Chu Group."

"He can't keep the drug’s success to himself."

"We should retain Chu Mo as CEO."

Chu Yansheng swallowed hard.

He was starting to feel afraid.

Given Chu Mo's personality…

Chu Yansheng didn’t dare to think further. He could only muster a strained smile at his younger son, Chu Yun, and say:

"Xiao Yun, your brother and I just had a minor clash. We're family—things are negotiable… Your brother, he should be willing to hand Original Track over to Chu Group, right?"

But Chu Yun deadpanned:

"That decision, of course, is up to my brother."

With Chu Group's future uncertain, Chu Yansheng felt his limbs turn cold, desperate to confront Chu Mo immediately.

Meanwhile.

Chu Mo was surrounded by a crowd, pushed and shoved by reporters on all sides.

Just then, a familiar figure cut through the throng, reaching out to grab Chu Mo's wrist and yanking him free.

Chu Mo stiffened.

He never imagined Xie Songchen would intervene.

With bodyguards clearing the way, Xie Songchen led Chu Mo away from the rooftop, slipping out of sight.

Once they reached the parking lot, tension finally drained from Chu Mo's body.

Honestly, he had been worried his plan would backfire the entire time.

It all unfolded too fast.

If any single step went wrong, the news might not have been released, and all Xie Songchen's carefully acquired stocks would've been worthless.

"Xie Songchen, did you just..."

Chu Mo was about to ask Xie Songchen for some updates on the stock market.

The next second, before he could finish, he was pulled into a strong embrace.

Xie Songchen said nothing.

Chu Mo could hear Xie Songchen's breathing by his ear.

"What's wrong?" Chu Mo, still in combat mode, asked in confusion. "You didn't lose all my money, did you? Or did you not manage to buy in time?"

Xie Songchen remained silent, just held Chu Mo tighter.

Just as Chu Mo began to wonder if Xie Songchen had made some mistake, Xie Songchen finally spoke:

"I'm sorry."

The words came out hoarse, filled with remorse.

Chu Mo stiffened, unsure why Xie Songchen was suddenly apologizing.

After a moment of hesitation, Chu Mo said slowly, "It's okay... They'll keep going up..."

Xie Songchen rested his chin on Chu Mo's shoulder, his voice thick:

"I never imagined you'd endure so much pressure just to keep pretending to be an Alpha... I didn’t know Chu Yansheng would force you to keep up the act..."

In the past, Xie Songchen had just been a college student, still immature.

He always believed his years of unrequited feelings deserved some kind of resolution.

But he never considered Chu Mo might have his own reasons.

If he could do it over, Xie Songchen wouldn’t obsess over why Chu Mo hid his gender—he’d simply be there for him.

"I'm sorry I left you alone these past six months," Xie Songchen's voice grew more pained, his voice trembling. "If I’d known sooner, I wouldn’t have blamed you for missing my matches... or pushed you to tell me your gender."

As he spoke, Xie Songchen felt his chest tighten.

Hearing this, Chu Mo’s expression softened involuntarily.

He said, "You couldn't have known. None of this is your fault."

A moment later, Xie Songchen released Chu Mo, looked at him, and said in a low but resolute voice:

"From now on, no matter what happens, I’ll stand by your side unconditionally—I can give you all my liquid assets, take on Chu Yansheng. I can even call more reporters for you, and I have connections in government departments..."

Chu Mo thought Xie Songchen was getting carried away and was about to tease him.

But as he started to smile, he saw the redness in Xie Songchen's eyes.

Chu Mo's breath caught.

The boy Chu Mo had once saved now wanted to step forward, shield him, and take on the world for him.