Chapter 17

Chapter 17

*

If anyone else had said something this crazy, Jin Mo would have just laughed it off as a joke.

But coming from Yin Jihong's mouth, she really couldn't rule it out—something this absurd wasn't exactly out of the realm of possibility for him.

Perhaps sensing the doubt in her eyes, Yin Jihong shook his head helplessly. "So in your eyes, your Brother Ji is the type to steal and snatch, someone that unreasonable?"

Jin Mo obviously wasn't about to play along with that. "...No, it's just that this ski suit is globally limited—"

"Hey, you're not wrong to think that." He cut her off softly, shifting gears with a roguish grin. "This is exactly what your unreasonable Brother Ji went and snatched."

Jin Mo: "..."

Then, in a few quick sentences, Yin Jihong casually explained how he'd pulled off the impossible—getting in touch with ski queen Ailing and Bogner worldwide, and how he'd "sweet-talked and strong-armed" the brand into breaking protocol to rush out the world's second set of the limited-edition ski suit in under a month.

Even if Jin Mo was slow on the uptake, there was no way he was gonna pull one over on her that easily.

Forget how hard it was to even get in touch with the ski queen—just getting Bogner to make an exception, and on a tight deadline, to produce an extra set of a globally limited edition, was already a pipe dream most people wouldn't even dare to imagine.

Money was the least of it; the debt of gratitude was probably something that would take eight hundred lifetimes to repay.

She gently placed the ski suit back in the box and said quietly, "...This gift is really too precious."

"You won't accept it?" Yin Jihong reached out like he was gonna grab the ski suit. "Then I'll toss it in the kitchen trash."

Jin Mo was at a loss for words and could only block the box. "...If I don't accept it, you're going to throw it away? Yin Jihong, how can you be so wasteful? You're gonna get struck by lightning."

"If you don't take it, nobody else can wear it." Yin Jihong pulled out his phone, turned on the flashlight, and lifted the inside of the collar of the ski suit. "Because your name is embroidered on this suit."

Jin Mo followed his finger and clearly saw, under the light, the delicate, elegant embroidery of her name—uniquely hers.

"Getting them to embroider the name was harder than making the suit itself, honestly. Germans have heads as hard as their water—no give at all." Yin Jihong complained casually. "I went back and forth with them for almost two weeks over the embroidery, and we barely made it in time for today."

As if not giving her a chance to decline the gift, he'd already moved on to introducing the ski gear next to it. "Look at this—these are the top-tier racing twin skis, same model as Queen Ailing's. When you're skiing powder or charging at high speed, the stability will be rock solid."

"And this." He picked up the chunky red-and-gray backpack. "Black Diamond, the best backcountry ski backpack in the world."

The last four words hit Jin Mo like a bolt of lightning.

Anyone who skis, especially those into advanced backcountry, knows exactly what a backcountry ski backpack is.

Backcountry skiing is completely different from regular groomed slopes—way harder, riskier, and not always available. Like many advanced skiers, Jin Mo loved going to Xinjiang to ski, mostly for the backcountry powder.

At Jikepulin, after a snowfall, you could ski thick, soft powder first thing the next morning.

Backcountry is a paradise that elite skiers flock to, but it also comes with hidden, deadly dangers—because avalanches can happen at any time.

Before entering the backcountry zones of Jikepulin, everyone is required to carry either an avalanche safety kit or a backcountry ski backpack in case of a sudden avalanche.

The avalanche safety kit isn't a self-rescue tool—it's a rescue tool, because backcountry skiing is usually done in groups, and the kit is used to locate and rescue your buddies.

The backcountry ski backpack, on the other hand, is the real deal for self-rescue. If an avalanche hits, you pull the zipper, and the built-in airbag inflates instantly, keeping you on the surface of the snow instead of burying you—it's something that can genuinely save your life in a life-or-death situation.

Jin Mo loved backcountry skiing—how could she not know the significance of a backcountry ski backpack?

But the backpack was so expensive that regular skiers rarely got one; most people figured the avalanche safety kit was enough.

"When I was getting your ski suit and skis ready, I figured I might as well throw in the backcountry backpack too, though I hope you'll never have the chance to use it." He handed the backpack to her, his tone light. "Anyway, might as well rob one as rob two."

Jin Mo couldn't help but laugh at his completely shameless confidence.

She could almost picture exactly how someone had been "throwing their weight around" like a bully.

Not only snatching up a globally limited ski suit, but also using his connections to further "loot" the top-tier twin skis and backcountry backpack all at once.

And all his "thievery" was for her.

"...Queen Ailing and those brands must be cursing my name by now."

She hugged the backcountry backpack carefully to her chest, letting out a sigh that was both happy and a little sheepish.

"Don't worry, they definitely hate me way more." Yin Jihong shrugged. "I didn't do myself dirty either."

Hearing that, her jaw dropped. "You didn't..."

"I had them make me a men's globally limited ski suit too, with my name stitched on."

"Also grabbed the same pair of twin skis."

"And the backcountry backpack in a different colorway."

...

Jin Mo covered her mouth and burst out laughing. "Running into you, they're really in for it."

Yin Jihong watched her laugh with her eyes curved into crescents, and his heart melted into a puddle.

He helped her put the backpack back in the box and closed the trunk.

She quietly watched his handsome profile under the villa's lights and said softly, "I really, really love it. Thank you."

"Glad you like it." He casually opened the passenger door for her. "All that back-and-forth with those foreigners was worth it for a smile from my Momo."

Jin Mo got into the car and lightly squeezed her own palm. "I'll make up for the New Year gift later."

Hearing that, Yin Jihong, who was about to close the car door, paused.

He braced one hand on the door frame, leaning down slightly, closing in on her in a pose that was both intensely imposing and ambiguous.

"How do you plan to make it up?"

Yin Jihong's features were already aggressively handsome—thick brows, deep-set eyes, slightly upturned corners that were alluring when he smiled and imposing when he didn't. A high-bridged nose led to sharply defined lips, and his whole face was bold and sharp, just like the man himself—inherently invasive.

Even though she'd grown up looking at him, having that handsome face staring at her so intensely from such close range was something Jin Mo found increasingly hard to handle lately.

So she turned to pull her seatbelt, naturally avoiding his gaze. "Can't tell you yet."

"Momo, you've learned to be naughty." He narrowed his eyes. "Now you're teasing people too."

Jin Mo clicked her seatbelt into place and deliberately teased him back. "Well, that's because I have a good teacher."

Yin Jihong let out an exaggerated, frustrated sigh. "Ah, great. Now I'll be dying of curiosity until when?"

She smiled with her eyes curved. "Just suffer."

As the two joked and laughed, neither noticed that on the second-floor balcony of the villa, Jin Ping was leaning against the railing, his face dark and heavy as he watched their direction—unclear how long he had been standing there.

-

After returning from Chenghua Temple in the early morning, Yin Jihong let Old Yang head home for the New Year.

His driving style was just like the man himself—wild, treating the car like a rocket. But Jin Mo never felt uneasy riding with him, because although he drove fast, he never drifted; he was a true pro behind the wheel.

On the night of New Year's Eve, the roads in S City were unusually empty and wide open.

Yin Jihong hadn't been driving long before they left the city and arrived at the border between S City and the neighboring city.

When she got out of the car, Jin Mo saw a seemingly endless stretch of open land before her.

No, more than empty land, it looked like a development zone that hadn't broken ground yet.

Clutching a handful of sparklers she'd grabbed from the trunk, she asked in confusion, "...Where the hell did you find this spot?"

"Guess."

Yin Jihong set down a big pile of fireworks, then pulled out a long tube firework, planted it firmly in the dirt up ahead, bent down, and lit the fuse.

The sparks shot up, and he immediately backed away, not forgetting to pull Jin Mo behind him.

"Whoosh—"

A sharp whistle cut through the night sky, flames shot straight up, and firework after firework shot into the sky, bursting into a shower of golden rain.

Jin Mo tilted her head back at the dark sky, watching the flowers bloom one after another, her heart warming right along with them.

Since leaving her teens, she'd never imagined she could watch a grand, wild fireworks show up close like this again.

And with him, of all people.

Everyone in her real life, especially Jin Ping, constantly lectured her: Jin Mo, you're grown up now. You need to be mature, sensible, steady, keep a lid on your emotions, and act with the restraint of a grown-up.

But not Yin Jihong.

He always spoiled her.

It was like he was always saying, even though you're in your twenties now, as long as you want, you can still be that fun-loving, giggly girl from your youth.

He was always finding ways to build her a fairy-tale world that was all her own.

"Momo, remember this exact moment."

She was lost in the dazzling fireworks when she dropped her gaze and met Yin Jihong's eyes, brimming with a smile.

He opened his arms wide to her, his voice cutting through the sound of the fireworks: "You'll be the first to witness the next piece of the Yin Corporation's empire."

Jin Mo was momentarily stunned.

"Once we close the deal with A+ Streaming, Yin Corporation will expand massively—setting up a new overseas streaming division and a domestic platform business unit. At that point, the current headquarters won't be big enough to hold all the employees, equipment, and signal transmission centers."

"I've had my eye on this land for a while. It was originally supposed to be a commercial zone developed jointly by S City and the neighboring city, but I fought tooth and nail to get it. We officially signed the contract just last week, and construction will start right after the New Year. If all goes well, it'll be built within a year or two."

"I don't want Yin Corporation to just be a media empire."

Fireworks burst behind him, making his eyes shine with startling brilliance.

"I want Yin Corporation to become the very definition of 'entertainment' in everyone's mind."

"Every part of people's lives—social media, streaming platforms, concerts, cultural content... every form of entertainment you can imagine—will be part of Yin Corporation's territory."

"I want Yin Corporation to become an indispensable part of our lives."

...

The New Year's Eve winter night was biting cold, but Jin Mo stood there, her blood boiling with excitement.

As the new year was about to roll in, the man she admired stood before her, laying his ambitions and hopes bare without reservation, inviting her to dream with him of a golden age worth chasing.

Over the twenty-plus years they'd walked together, this person she'd always watched and quietly admired never stopped having that unique power and glow that made her blood and every cell in her body sing time and time again.

Maybe the world would call him arrogant, reckless, thinking he was biting off more than he could chew.

But she believed every single word he said.

She was that certain he could achieve his hopes and ambitions, that he could make the world a better place.

Jin Mo gazed at his smile and the fireworks filling the sky behind him, etching the scene deeply into her memory with her eyes.

As the last cluster of fireworks burned out in the sky, she too broke into a smile.

"Alright, I sincerely look forward to that day arriving soon."

-

Before midnight struck, they set off fireworks and chatted about everything under the sun.

On the boundless open land, only the two of them and the brilliant fireworks filled the space, like a grand, beautiful dream.

Midway through, Yin Jihong went to the car to take a work call. When he climbed back out, his steps suddenly halted.

Jin Mo had gotten warm from playing and tossed her coat aside, leaving only a fitted sweater, and had tied her long hair into a neat high ponytail. The cold wind had flushed her little face pink, like a plump, tempting Christmas Eve red apple.

Perhaps because she was genuinely happy at that moment, she swung two sparklers in her hands, humming a tune as if no one else was around, swaying her head and stepping to the beat.

When she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth, and the fluffy pom-pom on her hat bobbed back and forth by her cheek—utterly adorable.

Seeing this, he had no intention of interrupting. Instead, he smiled, crossed his arms, and watched from a distance for a moment, then silently pulled out his phone from his coat's inner pocket and quietly pressed the camera shutter.

After taking the photo and quickly making some settings on his phone, he leisurely strolled back to her side.

"Ten minutes until the New Year." He picked up another bundle of sparklers from the ground, tore it open, and handed it to her. "Have you thought about what New Year's wish you want to make?"

Jin Mo took the sparklers and said helplessly, "Didn't I just make a wish at Chenghua Temple? Where would I get so many wishes to make?"

"How could you not." He shrugged. "Your Brother Ji has a nickname—Aladdin's Lamp. Didn't you know?"

Jin Mo: "...When did you get that nickname?"

Yin Jihong: "Just now."

Jin Mo: "..."

"Oh right, I missed something." He lit her sparklers, twirling the lighter between his fingers. "Aladdin's Lamp, parentheses, Momo-exclusive edition."

She burst out laughing at his antics.

Seeing him persist in insisting she make a New Year's wish, Jin Mo had no choice but to make something up: "Then I hope that when we go skiing in Xinjiang this time, my skiing skills improve a bit more."

Yin Jihong let out a soft "tsk."

Jin Mo shot him a look. "What?"

"I see it now." He sighed lazily. "You clearly don't think much of my Aladdin's lamp—all you're wishing for are these low-effort wishes. You have the most professional and dedicated ski coach in the world; isn't improving a total no-brainer?"

She was just as helpless. "I seriously don't have any other wishes left. I was even going to wish I wouldn't get transferred, and you already pulled off that hellishly difficult feat for me just now. Isn't that high-value enough?"

A few simple words were all it took to put the Young Master of the Yin Family in a great mood. If he had a tail, it'd be wagging like crazy right now.

"...Fine." He put on a "this young master is condescending to oblige" expression. "Then whenever you think of a new wish, the Yin-family lamp will get back to work and shine bright again."

Yin Jihong quickly pulled up a precise countdown timer and started loudly counting down to the new year.

"Ten."

"Nine."

"Eight."

His deep, pleasant voice echoed across the vast open space.

Jin Mo watched his profile as he looked down at the timer, her heart skipping a beat, and she started counting softly along with him.

...

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

The moment "zero" hit, a spinning firework flew from Yin Jihong's hand.

The crackling firework looked like a shimmering butterfly, tracing an elegant arc and painting beautiful trails of light through the night.

He turned his head, his gaze tender and focused, landing directly on her lovely face:

"Momo, for the twenty-fifth year, still wishing you a happy new year, safe and sound."

-

They really stayed until they'd set off every last firework Cheng Shu had brought to the future new Yin-family district before heading home.

On the way back, Yin Jihong sneezed a couple of times.

Jin Mo didn't think much of it at first, but by the time they reached the gates of the Yin mansion, he'd already sneezed three or four times in a row before even closing the car door.

She quickly walked over to him. "Are you catching a cold?"

He'd worn so little when carrying her up the mountain earlier, stayed with her to watch the sunrise at the summit, given her all the blankets, and just spent hours playing with fireworks with her in the suburbs—going back and forth between cold and warm like that, it was easy to catch a cold.

"No way." Yin Jihong sniffed and nonchalantly closed the car door with his back. "I've got an iron body—viruses take one look at me and turn the other way... Probably someone's talking smack about me behind my back."

As he said that, he sneezed several more times.

Jin Mo couldn't help but laugh. "Talking smack about you that hard?"

A glint flashed in Yin Jihong's eyes. "Case closed—it must be Brother Guo cursing me."

"Brother Guo?" Jin Mo thought of Dan Jingchuan's stern, bronze-cold face. "Why would he curse you?"

He strode toward the mansion, a hint of smugness in his tone. "Because I forced him to share in my suffering."

Jin Mo was totally confused, but looking at Yin Jihong's face, she still felt uneasy. She followed behind him and said, "Let me go make you some cold medicine."

"Really, no need." Yin Jihong winked at her, looking perfectly fine. "Even if I did catch a cold, what good would medicine do? Might as well drink."

Jin Mo was left speechless by his twisted logic, but before she could retort, her gaze suddenly stopped.

During the New Year, following the usual tradition, she, Jin Ping, and Jiang Ting would stay overnight at the Yin residence. But when she'd walked in just now, she hadn't seen Jin Ping's or Jiang Ting's shoes in the shoe cabinet.

"Did my parents go home?"

"Oh, yeah." Yin Jihong changed his shoes. "I forgot to mention—my mom texted me saying Uncle Jin and the others finished their mahjong game and headed home. They'll come back tomorrow morning. If you want to stay, you're welcome to crash here."

Jin Mo parted her lips, thinking Jin Ping probably wouldn't be too happy about her staying over, when she saw Yin Jihong open the massive wine cabinet that spanned the entire living room wall and casually pull out two pricey bottles of red wine. "The old man brought these back from a French château a few days ago. If we don't drink them down, wouldn't that be a slap in his face?"

She laughed. "You've already drunk so much with Grandpa since noon—can you still handle any more?"

"The title of S-city's wine immortal isn't just for nothing." Yin Jihong grabbed two wine glasses from the side. "Come on, upstairs."

Jin Mo hesitated for two seconds, then ultimately followed him.

In the early hours of the first day of the new year, hardly anyone was asleep.

Jin Mo leaned against the balcony of Yin Jihong's room, sipping wine while replying to friends' New Year texts.

She didn't have many friends, but the ones she had were all genuine at heart, always thinking of her during holidays—none of them ever forgot the quiet, socially awkward one among them.

Her best friend Yan Qinxuan naturally didn't miss out. Miss Yan sent a voice message right away, her voice brimming with warm, lively laughter: "Momo! Happy New Year! May we both keep getting richer and prettier in the new year!"

She had the voice message on speaker, so Yin Jihong beside her heard every word.

His phone buzzed nonstop, yet he still found time to pour her wine and throw in a comment: "Miss Yan's wish is a bit too basic, don't you think? Aren't you two already pretty enough? Rich enough?"

"Well, we're both a bit greedy." She smiled as she texted Yan Qinxuan back. "Oh, by the way, let me send New Year wishes to Brother Yuanshan and Brother Guo as well."

"Why wish them a happy new year?" Yin Jihong raised an eyebrow. "One's never short of good sisters, and the other's been thinking with his dick lately—they won't have time for you."

Jin Mo sensed a hint of pettiness in his words and teased him in return: "What, you jealous?"

He downed the wine in his glass. "...Jealous my ass. What do they have that I'd be jealous of?"

Before Jin Mo could respond, Yan Qinxuan's next voice message came through: "Oh! Almost forgot! Hope you get into a great relationship this year! Shake off that forever-single label! Stop hanging around that Young Master all the time!"

The moment the voice fell, the entire balcony went silent.

More precisely, Jin Mo could clearly feel the man beside her suddenly stop what he was doing, his gaze locked directly on her.

They were sitting extremely close, almost shoulder to shoulder, so she could keenly pick up on even the slightest change in him.

Yan Qinxuan had a boyfriend named Lu Tianli, who was decent in looks, family background, and all other aspects—otherwise, he wouldn't have caught her eye. Most importantly, he had a gentle temperament and was completely devoted to Yan Qinxuan, who was very dependent on him.

Although Jin Mo, for reasons she couldn't quite explain, had reservations about Lu Tianli ever since they got together. His worldliness and slickness sometimes made her feel an indescribable discomfort, but since Yan Qinxuan liked him, she never said much.

Besides, when it came to worldliness and slickness, the man she spent the most time with was the ultimate master of it—she had no right to judge anyone else.

And precisely because of that, ever since Yan Qinxuan got into a relationship herself, she would nudge Jin Mo to find love every New Year, hoping they could travel together as couples. It was the most normal of jokes.

But at this moment, receiving that blessing in front of Yin Jihong, Jin Mo felt a bit uneasy, her cheeks flushing slightly.

After a brief silence, Yin Jihong was the first to speak lightly: "Miss Yan's blessing is quite practical—though she didn't forget to take a jab at me while she was at it."

Jin Mo didn't know how to respond and wanted to brush it off fast: "...She's just teasing me about being a homebody, not going out to socialize, only ever hanging out with you."

“So what if I’m a bit of a homebody? What’s wrong with being close to me?” Yin Jihong gave a slight lift of his eyelids, but he wasn’t about to let the topic go. “…Or is it that you’re thinking about dating too, Momo?”

Jin Mo’s fingers gripping her wine glass suddenly clenched.

She had actually had quite a bit to drink today, but she was nowhere near drunk.

Yet at this moment, facing his question, she felt a strange, inexplicable urge to fake being drunk.

Yin Jihong knew her tolerance well—faking being drunk would be too obvious, but pretending to be slow and dazed might come off as more believable.

Seeing that she remained silent, he added with a soft, charming smile: “Go on, your very own genie is right here.”

So, she took a deep breath, deliberately put on a bright, cheerful smile, and raised her glass to meet his gaze: “Yeah, I do kind of want to date. Will my personal genie make that wish come true?”

Under normal circumstances, when she was in her right mind, she would never have said something so blunt and daring in such a manner and tone.

But today was the first day of the new year, and she was “slightly tipsy”—all the out-of-character behavior could be blamed on the alcohol and the new year, making it all seem reasonable.

Yin Jihong was rarely silent, but he paused for a moment.

His gaze was intense and burning, his eyes carrying a hint of tipsiness, but beneath that lazy drunkenness was an unmistakable hint of probing and seriousness.

Jin Mo soon got the answer she had been deliberately fishing for.

“The genie can give it his best shot.” He raised his own glass and gently clinked it against hers, the rim letting out a crisp ring. “If we’re lucky, it’ll be buy one get one free—I might as well pick one up for myself too.”

His nonchalant, deflecting reply landed lightly, leaving a faint sting in Jin Mo’s heart.

But what else could she expect him to say? Could she really hope he’d say—“You want to date? Then date me”?

She didn’t dare to hope for it, nor could she allow herself to.

Jin Mo hid the brief flicker of gloom in her eyes, tilted her head back, and drained her glass in one gulp.

“Why the sudden interest in dating?” Just as she set down the empty glass, she heard him speak up out of the blue. “Yan Qinxuan hasn’t been nagging you about this since yesterday, has she?”

Jin Mo’s lips parted slightly.

Yin Jihong looked at her. “Have Uncle Jin and Aunt Jiang been putting pressure on you to marry?”

She shook her head in response.

…At least they hadn’t started pressuring her yet.

His gaze on her was too intense, and with nowhere to hide from it, Jin Mo finally murmured softly: “I’ve never been in a relationship in my entire life, so I’m bound to be a little curious, right?”

“Curious?” He curled his lips. “You’ve watched so many TV shows and movies—don’t they all show you how dating works? And you’re still curious?”

His tone was somewhere between teasing and being serious, tinged with a strange, hard-to-place sulkiness and irritation, which made her even more unsure of how to respond.

So, after hesitating for a few seconds, she asked softly in return: “…Am I not allowed to date?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Of course I can.” The smile at the corners of his lips deepened, but there was no real warmth behind it. “It’s just that you’ve never mentioned it before, so it just caught me a bit off guard.”

Just as Jin Mo was secretly wondering why her wanting to date would catch him off guard, he had already silently downed three glasses in a row.

The bottle was empty, and he just sat there, staring at her without moving.

Under the combined influence of the night and the alcohol, his already deep eyes grew even darker and heavier.

Jin Mo’s heart began to race uncontrollably.

She had a vague feeling that he was about to blurt something out.

But in the end, he just curled his lips slightly and said something completely offhand:

“This wine is awful. The old man probably got totally ripped off by the French.”

-

The two chatted desultorily for a bit longer, but the atmosphere had clearly cooled, and they talked less and less.

Yin Jihong was already swamped with messages, his fingers constantly replying to a steady stream of people eagerly sending him New Year’s greetings. Jin Mo, meanwhile, was gradually feeling the alcohol start to go to her head, and she was getting drowsy, scrolling through Weibo with heavy eyelids, growing sleepier by the minute.

She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but ever since the topic of “dating” had come up, Yin Jihong had clearly lost interest.

His tone was still light, but there was no real smile in his eyes.

He gave off an air of vague, indefinable listlessness.

She chatted a bit more with Yan Qinxuan and didn’t forget to send New Year’s wishes to Jin Yuan. Jin Yuan did reply this time, but she seemed to be in a low mood. Jin Mo asked about her plans for the holiday and suggested dropping by to see her in the next day or two, but Jin Yuan politely declined.

Jin Mo figured that the Jin family probably had their own arrangements during the New Year and weren’t in a good position to have visitors.

After finishing both bottles of red wine they had brought up, Jin Mo said she was heading back to her room to sleep.

If it had been any other time, given Yin Jihong’s nature, he would likely have been clingy and begged her to stay a little longer. But today, he was unusually agreeable and simply nodded to let her go.

After she left, he sat in silence for a while, his expression heavy, then opened his laptop and started working.

Emails from Europe and the U.S. kept piling in one after another. He glanced at them, his expression turning slightly serious, and directly dialed Cheng Shu.

Completely disregarding that it was 2 a.m. on the first day of the New Year.

Cheng Shu picked up faster than expected, though his voice was still thick with sleep: “Mr. Yin.”

Yin Jihong got straight to the point: “The people from A+ just emailed saying they’re planning to fly to S City to continue negotiations with us. If they catch the earliest flight, they could be in S City by this evening.”

Cheng Shu was fully awake now: “That’s great. I’ll drive back to S City right away and coordinate the details for tomorrow’s meeting with them.”

The last time they had met with the A+ team was back in December, and the situation had been deadlocked ever since. For them to proactively propose an in-person follow-up at this time clearly signaled a substantive shift in their stance on the partnership.

This matter was crucial to Yin Jihong and to the entire Yin Corporation. Never mind the Spring Festival—even if the Queen Mother of the West descended from heaven, the negotiation had to happen.

The two quickly ironed out a few more details, and just as they were about to hang up, the sound of a car engine starting could already be heard from Cheng Shu’s end.

Yin Jihong rubbed his brow and drawled lazily: “Sorry for ruining your Spring Festival and your blind date.”

Cheng Shu didn’t deny it, only saying: “It’s no trouble, Mr. Yin.”

But then, the next second, he heard Yin Jihong add lightly: “Well, if it’s ruined, it’s ruined. What’s there to talk about in love? As long as I’m not dating, no one else gets to date either.”

Cheng Shu: “…?”

Wasn’t it this very man who had repeatedly emphasized that dating counted as his KPI this year? And now he was going back on his word?!

-

Jin Mo had never been picky about beds, so she could sleep soundly anywhere.

But she had a fairly rough night this time—maybe she had napped too much in the afternoon, or perhaps it was those unspoken thoughts weighing on her mind. She tossed and turned for a long time before finally drifting off.

And the next morning, she woke up very early as well.

After washing up and opening the door, faint voices drifted up from downstairs.

More than conversation, it sounded like an argument.

The Yin family mansion had four floors in total. Her and Yin Jihong's rooms were on the fourth floor, while Yin Cheng and Deng Ying's were on the third.

She had just descended two steps when she saw Yin Jihong standing at the stairwell on the third floor.

Yin Cheng stood at his own doorway, a few steps away from him.

Yin Cheng's displeased voice rumbled low: "The Yin Corporation's foundation is deep-rooted—it's the result of your grandfather and me working together. You always want to rush ahead with such radical methods to prove yourself. Have you ever stopped to weigh your own abilities? If you keep this up, in the end, you'll only destroy the Yin Corporation and yourself along with it."

Yin Jihong let out a scoffing laugh: "Can you keep up with the times? Just because you don't approve of a path doesn't mean it's not a good one. Even the ancestors haven't objected, so why are you jumping around making a fuss?"

Yin Cheng's anger flared at being cornered like that, and he snapped sternly: "Are you determined to ruin everyone's New Year?"

Yin Jihong had his back to her, so she couldn't see his expression—only his voice, as casually dismissive as ever: "You've got it wrong. There's no 'everyone' here—just you. You're the one with nothing better to do, looking for trouble for yourself."

Yin Cheng shook his head in exasperation: "I've got nothing better to do? Fine, yes, I'm well-fed and have the leisure to worry about your mess, to torment myself over you and those idiots under your command."

"Then stop worrying," Yin Jihong said flatly. "I'm not some weaned baby, and you should've retired to a life of ease long ago. I've told you eight hundred times—stay out of company matters. Isn't taking Mom on a world tour a better use of your time?"

Yin Cheng sneered: "By the time I come back from a world tour, the Yin Corporation will already be bankrupt from your antics."

"Tsk." Yin Jihong irritably picked at his ear. "Don't say such things during the New Year—why curse yourself? If the ancestors hear that, you'll be waiting to get your legs broken."

Yin Cheng's fury grew: "Yin Jihong! Do you absolutely have to bring in A+ Streaming? Do you have to push the Yin Corporation into a fire pit and make enemies on all sides? You just can't be satisfied unless you take a big fall in life, can you?"

In Jin Mo's impression, Yin Cheng was actually a gentle and steady father. Though traditional and conservative, he wasn't as rigid and unyielding as Jin Ping. Most of the time, he was quite reasonable. Especially with her, Yin Cheng was even remarkably tender.

But only when facing Yin Jihong did he get provoked so easily.

Of course, that was partly Yin Jihong's own fault—he never acted serious and was always erratic. But perhaps it was also because they were father and son by blood, and Yin Cheng's concern clouded his judgment, causing him to reveal an impatience he'd never show otherwise.

People of Yin Cheng's generation, especially men, generally weren't good at saying soft or pleasant words. Their care was never expressed face-to-face—either shown through actions or wrapped up in scolding and shouting.

But such a relatively crude way of communicating, if accumulated over the years, often backfired and only bred more misunderstandings.

Especially when it came to A+ Streaming.

That was the "forbidden word" between father and son.

Sure enough, the moment it was mentioned, the casual, joking air around Yin Jihong vanished completely.

He turned slightly to the side, and Jin Mo, standing at the stairwell corner, could clearly see his face had gone completely cold.

"Don't bring up A+ again," he said in a low voice with no room for negotiation. "Even if you threaten to jump from here, I won't change my mind."

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Author's note:

A hefty 10,000-word chapter is here! Starting tomorrow, I'll resume the 8 PM update schedule~ Hope you all enjoy the fierce update! Red envelopes will continue to drop randomly! Keep showering me with collections, comments, and nutrient solutions~ Love you all! Also, don't forget to collect my column! Feel free to check out my next new book *The Crane* in my column—a Beijing circle story (might also switch to a Beijing circle ensemble piece). Either way, it's mature men and women, very exciting, haha.

Ahhhh, another chapter packed with so much information!!! One second I'm like: ahhhh so sweet~~ Momo's exclusive magic lamp~~ Good boy, you're so smooth! So handsome! Blood boiling! Go Yin Corporation!!! The next second I'm like: Damn mouth! Just say it! Get yourself a partner too!? Why don't you say, "If we're talking romance, I'll do it with you"? Just go for it and kiss her already!!

No wonder that guy gets to have a nightlife—he just loves bullying Cheng Shu! I'll see how you end up in the doghouse chasing after your wife later! Hmph!

The male lead number two you've been waiting for is about to appear. Just wait—what's coming is too exciting. I haven't had this much fun writing a novel in years, hahaha.

Comment now!!! I want to see your comments!!!