Chapter 126: No wonder they had a falling out!

After settling Lu Hongluan and Lu Xiangru, Xu Mo flew back to the capital.

Xu Deming had just left, staying with Lu Hongluan and her mother. Once Lu Xiangru had taken care of her family’s matters, they were also planning a trip to the capital.

Lu Hongluan had heart problems, so Xu Mo suggested she get a checkup in the capital and undergo surgery there if needed.

In the previous life, Lu Hongluan died prematurely at seventeen. At that time, the Xu family was going through a lot, and Xu Deming and Xie Bingyan’s severe actions deeply affected her, leading to her untimely death.

In this life, Xu Mo hoped she could have a more peaceful life.

Upon returning to the capital, Xu Mo quickly initiated major actions. Pinduoduo began large-scale data-driven marketing, launching group-buying and price-slashing modes, with an estimated investment of one hundred million yuan.

Additionally, Xu Mo announced another one hundred million yuan to subsidize users and merchants, implementing a “refund without returns” policy.

They attended the World Internet Conference, where they met numerous business giants, effectively boosting their reputation.

Xu Mo was uncertain how the Ali Group and Jingdong Group would react, but he hoped to see some returns quickly.

The current investments were not the end; additional funding was on the way.

For Pinduoduo to grow into a behemoth, it would likely require several rounds of financing. Xu Mo didn’t mind initiating the second and third rounds of financing as soon as possible.

“Xu Mo, the Xu family members have also returned to the capital!” Tang Lei said as he walked into the office.

“I know,” Xu Mo nodded.

Tang Lei glanced at him, thought for a moment, and handed him a document. “This is the recent information we’ve uncovered. There’s quite a lot, and it seems it was suppressed, causing no major stir. Fengxiang Jewelry does indeed have ties to telecom fraud; some of the money was laundered through Fengxiang Jewelry.”

“Oh? How much money are we talking about? Have we identified the amount?” Xu Mo asked, surprised and intrigued.

“The amount we’ve found so far isn’t large, just around three to four hundred million yuan. However, that’s still a substantial sum, enough to accomplish many things if used wisely,” Tang Lei explained.

“Three to four hundred million… that’s sufficient! For now, keep this matter under wraps. The Xu family has the capability to suppress this without much difficulty,” Xu Mo instructed.

“And you? How are you holding up?” Tang Lei looked at him with concern. “Gu Huanxi, Li Banzhuang, and I are really worried about you. I don’t think this is appropriate. You must realize that once this issue is exposed, Fengxiang Jewelry will suffer greatly, possibly even face bankruptcy.”

Xu Mo smiled at him and said, “It’s not that easy. You’re underestimating the Xu family. The Xu family isn’t that easy to topple. Do you know who backs the Xu family?”

“Who?” Tang Lei asked, surprised.

“The Xie family,” Xu Mo calmly replied. “Compared to the Xu family, the Xie family is much more formidable. As long as the Xie family stands, the Xu family is hard to bring down.”

Tang Lei looked worried and unsure of what to say.

Xu Mo remained calm, “Keep this information with me for now. We’ll use it later. Continue to instruct the investigators to dig deeper into Fengxiang Jewelry’s involvement in money laundering. I need more detailed data and evidence.”

“Understood,” Tang Lei nodded after a moment of silence.

Involvement in telecom fraud and money laundering is a serious crime. It’s tough to get useful information on such matters. Fortunately, Xu Mo knew some key points, enabling him to obtain part of the information from the police.

The Xu family indeed has the means to suppress a lot of information. However, there are still many flaws within the Xu family, and it wasn’t hard for Xu Mo to exploit them.

He continued to stay busy in the office, handling company documents.

…

Xu Deming, along with her daughter and Lu Hongluan, stayed in Wuzhen for two days to sort things out before sending them to the capital.

Xu Mo went to pick them up, settled them in, and then helped Lu Hongluan arrange her hospital visit.

“Brother Xu Mo, I… I’m sorry!” Lu Hongluan said timidly, looking guilty as if she felt she was troubling him.

“What’s there to be sorry about?” Xu Mo smiled as he patted her head. “I’ve arranged for the best doctors and the best hospital for you. Just focus on your surgery and rest assured. Once it’s successful, you’ll recover and be healthy again!”

“Brother Xu Mo, have you been through a lot of hardships?” Lu Hongluan asked, her big eyes glistening with tears as she looked at him.

Xu Mo was taken aback, then laughed. “Who told you that? What hardships have I gone through?”

“It… it was Dad! He said that you grew up in an orphanage before being brought back to live with the Xu family,” Lu Hongluan said, her delicate face showing a trace of pity. She suddenly grabbed Xu Mo’s large hand. “Brother Xu Mo, I really like you and don’t want you to suffer anymore!”

Xu Mo shrugged and smiled. “The saying goes, ‘Only by enduring hardship can one rise above others.’ Besides, I wouldn’t say I suffered before. At least until I was 14, I was very happy!”

“Dad said you used to earn money by mourning for the dead and spent a lot of time with corpses!” Lu Hongluan seemed even more heartbroken seeing Xu Mo’s indifferent expression.

Xu Mo immediately pinched her cheek lightly and said, “What’s the big deal about being with the dead? They never hurt me at all. I even dared to dance next to them! So, I was actually very happy before! Don’t go imagining things.”

“Oh!” The young girl’s big, watery eyes spun as if she was thinking about something.

“Rest well and get ready for the surgery! I’ll come to see you in a couple of days,” Xu Mo said with a smile, pinching her cheek again before stepping out with Lu Xiangru.

“Xu Mo!” Lu Xiangru looked at him and sighed slightly.

She seemed to be in good spirits, likely having resolved some of her issues, and she gazed at Xu Mo with gratitude.

“Hongluan wasn’t always this talkative! She was timid, introverted, and had poor health since she was young, making her rather melancholic. She didn’t have many friends,” Lu Xiangru said. “Now, seeing her so happy and chatty with you makes me very happy!”

“She used to be very introverted?” Xu Mo asked, surprised.

“Yes! She’s been like that since she was a child. But after meeting you, she seems to have changed a lot! A few days ago in Wuzhen, she was excitedly telling me about you, full of admiration. To her, you’re probably an idol!” Lu Xiangru explained.

Xu Mo chuckled, “Being an idol is tough. If I’m not careful, I might let her down!”

Lu Xiangru smiled, “Regardless, we have to thank you!”

“No need to thank me. I’m just doing what I want to do. From now on, I’ll follow the plan, and no matter what, I’ll ensure that Hongluan gets the recognition she deserves,” Xu Mo said.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!” Lu Xiangru expressed her gratitude with a heartfelt look.

Xu Mo nodded and then turned to leave.

For Lu Xiangru, gaining some status was more important than anything. The Xu family was a wealthy family with assets worth billions. Even a small share would be immensely valuable. If Lu Hongluan could gain recognition from the Xu family, she would likely never have to worry about her livelihood for the rest of her life.

This was what Lu Xiangru desired the most. However, in the past, Xie Bingyan’s interference had made it seem impossible.

Lu Xiangru also felt some pity for Xu Mo, the true heir of the Xu family. His childhood had been tragic, abandoned by Xie Bingyan, who was excessively ruthless.

No wonder they had a falling out.