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Xu Mo stood quietly on the high balcony, watching Xu Wanting and Xu Shuying cry below. They held each other, staggering as they left the Mingding Building, his face remaining expressionless.
Not far from Mingding Building was the Fu Yi Hospital, which was always bustling with people and traffic.
The streets around Fu Yi Hospital were filled with Xu Mo’s bicycles, numbering two or three hundred in this area alone.
At this moment, he stood motionless on the balcony, watching Xu Wanting and Xu Shuying gradually disappear from sight.
“Knock, knock, knock!”
A sudden knock on the door echoed behind Xu Mo, but he neither turned nor spoke. The office door swung open, and a graceful figure slowly walked in, closing the door behind her.
It was Gu Huanxi!
She approached the balcony, standing beside Xu Mo. She looked up in the direction of Fu Yi Hospital, a complex expression on her face.
However, she did not speak or look at Xu Mo. Instead, she extended her hand, feeling the sunlight streaming through the glass, as if trying to grasp it, her expression serene.
“Xu Mo, are you alright?” she suddenly turned and asked.
“I’m fine,” Xu Mo replied calmly.
Gu Huanxi thought for a moment, then smiled. “Do you remember when we were eight? In the orphanage, we longed for these things so much. At least you’re lucky—you know they’re still alive.”
“They’re already dead,” Xu Mo said flatly.
Gu Huanxi chuckled. “Tang Lei, Li Banzhuang, and I are all worried about you. You’ve been acting strange lately. You’re always in a rush to prove yourself, working incredibly hard…”
Xu Mo shook his head. “I don’t need to prove anything to them. The reason I’m doing all this is so we can have a better future.”
“Alright then, if you say so!” Gu Huanxi smiled. “Do you remember that year when the four of us played that family game in the room? We took turns pretending to be each other’s family, imagining what they might look like. Except for Banzhuang, who had a bit of memory, the rest of us had no recollection at all. We drew what we thought they might look like, made masks, and wore them on our faces!
“We had so much fun, we were so happy, thinking that maybe this was what they really looked like! We all fantasized about seeing them in our dreams one day.”
Xu Mo fell silent, not saying a word.
“Many times, just a single photo or an item they left behind would be something we cherished and protected closely,” Gu Huanxi continued. “We all believed that it was impossible for them to have abandoned us. We thought that ending up in the orphanage had to be due to some unavoidable reason, and that given time, they would definitely come and take us back.”
“Both Tang Lei and I were waiting for that day. We waited and waited, but nothing ever happened. It seemed like they would never come, never appear.”
“Do you remember when you were fourteen, the day your identity was confirmed? Tang Lei, Banzhuang, and I cried our hearts out in the room for an entire day. We hated them(their family) for not coming all together.”
Xu Mo turned to look at Gu Huanxi, seeing the glistening tears streaking down her delicate face. As she spoke, her voice grew hoarse, “But I don’t even know what they look like! They never appeared!”
Xu Mo thought for a moment and then gently patted her back.
Gu Huanxi sniffled, lifting her head to prevent her tears from falling. She suddenly smiled, “We used to long for these things, long to see them, to receive their love, to have everything that belonged to them. But now, we no longer long for them. We have finally grown up!”
Xu Mo remained silent for a moment, then opened his arms.
Gu Huanxi, tears streaming down her face, let out a soft laugh as she walked towards him, stepping into his embrace.
Xu Mo immediately held her tightly.
This was the first time Xu Mo had hugged her since turning eighteen. Before, due to the impropriety between genders, they never engaged in such intimate actions.
As he held her close, Xu Mo immediately caught a whiff of the fragrant scent emanating from the young woman, a scent that was very pleasant.
Gu Huanxi was resilient and hardworking, just like all the children from the orphanage, never spoiled and always very strong.
After holding each other for a while, Gu Huanxi finally managed to stop her tears and gently struggled out of his embrace.
“I don’t know what you’ve been through with the Xu family, but Tang Lei, Li Banzhuang, and I are all very worried about you. You’ve been acting a bit crazy lately,” Gu Huanxi said, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes.
“I’m fine. It’s just that some things haven’t been resolved yet,” Xu Mo replied indifferently. “I wish they had never appeared.”
Hearing this, Gu Huanxi suddenly reached out and gently caressed his face. “But they did appear, and no matter what, that’s something to be grateful for. Despite their many faults, they still took you back.”
Xu Mo shook his head. “Huanxi, you don’t understand. They don’t deserve it. In all my years, I’ve never seen people more despicable.”
Gu Huanxi couldn’t help but give a bitter smile. “Alright, alright! I won’t interfere in your matters. Tang Lei, Li Banzhuang, and I just want you to be okay. We still have so many things to do, so many places we haven’t explored. We’ve never really enjoyed life. Now that our business is taking off, we can finally start living seriously.”
Xu Mo nodded. “The issues with the Xu family aren’t over. I just haven’t been ready yet.”
“The enemy is very strong?” Gu Huanxi tilted her head.
“Extremely strong! He hasn’t made a move yet. He’s been watching, waiting,” Xu Mo said calmly. “Last time, I provoked him a bit. I thought he wouldn’t be able to resist, but it seems he did. He stayed still, didn’t make a move at all.”
“If you need help, please let us know. I believe that as long as we work together, we can overcome any obstacle,” Gu Huanxi spoke up.
Xu Mo remained silent for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”
“I’ll go to the Fu Yi hospital after work this afternoon! Let’s focus on our work now! I have to go to school, and there are still many things to be done!” Gu Huanxi said, turning to leave before Xu Mo could say anything further.
“We all have desires, even if it’s under dire circumstances, we still don’t wish for their actual demise! Tang Lei and I have never seen what they look like. I’ve always thought, even if they reject us, even if they loathe us, we still… really want to see them! Even if it’s only in dreams!” Gu Huanxi added as she reached the door.
“You don’t need to worry about it!” Xu Mo reassured her.
“I understand!” Gu Huanxi smiled. “Then, let’s focus on work from now on! There’s no need to let our mood be affected by them!”
Xu Mo sighed inwardly. “Alright.”
“I’m off! Thanks for the hug earlier, I feel much better now!” Gu Huanxi playfully winked at him and then opened the door to leave.
As Xu Mo watched her leave, he turned his head to glance in the direction of the Fu Yi Hospital, his expression serious.
Gu Huanxi thought he was still longing for those things, but she didn’t know that Xu Mo had long since given up any hope.
As someone who has experienced death once, Xu Mo knows very well what kind of nonsense the Xu family is. They wouldn’t be unjustified even if they were torn apart by a thousand knives.
If he weren’t so busy, Xu Mo would have bought a few strings of firecrackers and set them off at the hospital entrance to celebrate properly.
Whether those people over there live or die, he doesn’t care at all.
Xu Mo couldn’t be bothered with these matters either. After taking a short rest, he called Tang Lei and the others back in and resumed the meeting.
Due to the company’s expansion and the emergence of new concepts, Xu Mo recently needed to attend several meetings to explain the concept of the Internet sharing economy.
This was requested by Zhou Shiming, an investor in Little Monster Bike, in order to lay the groundwork for the next round of financing for Little Monster.
Xu Mo is likely to need another round of financing, and this time, he hopes to increase the company’s valuation by five or six times.
Currently, Xu Mo’s company is valued at about 1.5 billion, and with an increase of five to six times, it could reach between 7 and 8 billion.
Once it reaches this level of development, Xu Mo can consider selling off and cashing out.
The shared bike project has already garnered significant attention, and as it continues to develop, competition will be fierce. Without proper control, things could spiral out of control, leading to bankruptcy.
Therefore, cashing out at the peak of the company’s valuation is the best choice.
Xu Mo hasn’t discussed this matter with Tang Lei and Gu Huanxi yet. They need to first develop further before considering such a move.
Once the company is sold and the money is in hand, Xu Mo will need to make the next step in his plan.
He’s already clear on what the next step entails. It’s a project that’s more valuable and creative than shared bikes, and it’s the true endeavor that he and the other three should pursue together!