Chapter 1042: Mo Family Princess’s Marriage [44]

Chu Xiuhuang was awoken early in the morning by a series of frantic calls.

He checked the time; it wasn’t even nine o’clock yet!

This old man!

He answered the call with a frown, “Grandfather, you’d better have something very important to report, otherwise…”

The next second.

“What did you say?” Chu Xiuhuang leaped out of bed, “Damn… What nonsense are you spouting? It’s early in the morning, have you gone senile, old man? Are you losing your mind over your granddaughter-in-law again?”

“…”

As the voice on the other end of the phone continued, Chu Xiuhuang’s eyes widened more and more, but his eyebrows knitted tighter.

A minute later.

“Grandfather, I have something else to do, so I’m hanging up first.”

After speaking, he didn’t wait for a reaction from the other end and hung up the phone directly.

**

Mo Group.

The main conference room on the top floor.

After Mo Yaoxiong entered, he habitually looked towards the back of the position on his left hand side.

Today was the monthly executive meeting of the group. With less than five minutes until the start of the meeting, Xiao Yebai, who usually arrived ten minutes early to prepare, had uncharacteristically not shown up?

He didn’t think too much of it, assuming Xiao Yebai was busy with work.

But as time ticked by, the senior managers arrived one after another, filling up the meeting room.

Mo Yaoxiong checked the time and frowned, “Has the investment department arrived?”

**

Zhong Kai hurried into the investment department, heading straight for Xiao Yebai’s office door.

He knocked on the door and entered to see the man sitting in his office chair, his back to the door.

“Director Xiao, it’s time for the meeting,” Zhong Kai said.

The room was quiet.

Zhong Kai frowned and simply walked over.

It seemed Director Xiao really was exhausted lately. Ever since he became the vice director, he was working like mad. He had actually fallen asleep in his office during work hours for the first time…

Director Xiao was not having an easy time. No matter how capable he was, after all, Mo family blood did not flow in his veins…

Pity aside, Zhong Kai still approached and called out softly, “Director Xiao? Director Xiao?”

Just as he was about to reach out and push…

“What is it?” The man’s cold voice suddenly rang out.

Without exaggeration, this voice was very intimidating, and with Zhong Kai completely unprepared, he was instantly scared to the point his scalp tingled.

When Xiao Yebai slowly turned his chair around, and those black eyes behind his glasses lifted…

“Director Xiao.” Zhong Kai hurriedly spoke, “There is a high-level meeting at 10 a.m. in the top floor conference room, and it’s already ten minutes past…”

Xiao Yebai narrowed his eyes.

For a moment, Zhong Kai thought he saw a look of… bewilderment cross Xiao Yebai’s face?

But quickly, Xiao Yebai had already stood up, taking the tablet from his desk, “Let’s go.”

He was dressed in a suit and leather shoes, with a tall and slender figure of over one meter eighty, and wearing glasses, he presented the image of an elite business tycoon.

Zhong Kai snapped back to reality and hurriedly followed.

**

The executive meeting lasted for nearly two hours.

Because the project Xiao Yebai had high hopes for had suddenly been poached by Huangyou, the investment department’s budget and workflow had to undergo significant adjustments.

After a certain senior executive in charge of finance summarized his work, he looked meaningfully at Xiao Yebai, “I understand that young people these days are ambitious and energetic, but when doing things, you can’t just focus on making progress; it’s best to look at your feet from time to time, otherwise if someone suddenly trips you up, not only will you fall yourself, but you might also delay others.”

Mo Yaoxiong frowned but said nothing.

After the meeting, everyone started to get up and leave.

“Yebai, stay behind for a moment.”

The words of Mo Yaoxiong drew several subtle glances from the people.

When everyone had left and the door closed.

“Yebai, there haven’t been any problems in the investment department recently, have there? After your case was snatched away, old Wang didn’t say anything, did he?”

Old Wang was currently in charge of the investment department, having worked in the company for over a decade, and was considered an old subordinate.

Xiao Yebai, who had been there for less than a year, had risen from a team member to a supervisor, and last month his project funding doubled, leading to an exceptional promotion to deputy manager of the department.

Given his special identity, being promoted too quickly within the department could easily attract criticism…

Now that the project was suddenly gone, it was like giving others something to hold over him. The senior executive from finance had even dared to mock him in front of all the executives, and it could only be worse behind closed doors!

“It’s okay,” Xiao Yebai said succinctly.

Mo Yaoxiong nodded, “Don’t feel pressured, it’s not your sole responsibility that the case was taken away. Just move forward with the other projects; I believe in you.”

After decades in the business field, although he wasn’t as cunning as the old master, Mo Yaoxiong understood all the intricacies, being a person who had been through it all.

Every time, however, Xiao Yebai maintained his composure, even when he was first brought into Mo Group to start from a small-time salesman, he had casually accepted with the same cool demeanor…

This kid…

Whose temperament has he really inherited?

Suddenly, a cellphone vibrated on the table.

Mo Yaoxiong snapped back to reality and answered the call, “Dad, what is it?”

Xiao Yebai sat there, his handsome scholarly face devoid of expression.

“Okay, I understand. I’ll talk to Yebai about it.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yebai’s gaze shifted slightly, looking over.

Mo Yaoxiong soon hung up the call, “Yebai, the old master wants me to convey a message to you; he says to come home early tonight.”

Xiao Yebai remained unexpressive, “What for?”

“What else?” Mo Yaoxiong slightly twisted his mouth, “Apart from Yiyi’s wedding matters, the old master is not focusing on anything else right now.”

Even when the company’s project got snatched, he merely snorted coldly, without much reaction.

He placed the phone back on the table, only to hear Xiao Yebai ask again, “Do I have to return early too?”

Mo Yaoxiong looked up, “Yes.”

Hadn’t he already said that?

Xiao Yebai didn’t speak.

Mo Yaoxiong frowned, “Do you have plans for tonight?”

Xiao Yebai said, “No.”

Mo Yaoxiong: “???”

Recalling the previous night, because Xiao Yebai didn’t return on time and incurred the old master’s rage…

“Then be sure to come back early,” Mo Yaoxiong advised, “The old master said, Yiyi specifically asked for the whole family to be there since it’s a significant event in life, something that happens only once.”

The man’s brow twitched abruptly, his lips parted slightly, then he resumed his silent demeanor.

“What is it?” Mo Yaoxiong felt something was odd.

Xiao Yebai looked at him, his dark eyes pitch black, and after a long while he spoke just two words, “It’s fine.”

Mo Yaoxiong: “…”

**

Zhong Kai felt that there was something off about CEO Xiao today.

This morning, forgetting the monthly high-level meeting was one thing, but after returning from the meeting room, CEO Xiao sat in his office until the end of the workday without summoning him.

Ever since Xiao Yebai was promoted to be the deputy manager of the investment department, as his assistant, Zhong Kai was also promoted to be a special assistant, with the workload increasing more than double than before.

Add to that the recent project changes, the workload increased even more. Every day, CEO Xiao would give him several cases to research, and from time to time, he would also issue new tasks.

But not today, not a single one.

It wasn’t until five o’clock in the afternoon, finally!

The deputy general manager’s office door was pushed open, and Xiao Yebai came out, wearing glasses and dressed in a suit.

Zhong Kai subconsciously stood up, “CEO Xiao, I have finished reading the five documents from yesterday, and the analysis report has also been sent to your mailbox. Tonight…”

Xiao Yebai stopped in his tracks, “There’s nothing scheduled for tonight.”

Zhong Kai was startled, “…Ah?”

No arrangements for tonight?

“I’ll be leaving work early, you should head back early too once you’re done,” with these words, Xiao Yebai left.

Zhong Kai stood there, his face a picture of confusion.

What’s going on?

Not only did he not assign any work to him, but he also wasn’t going out for evening engagements, and he actually left work on time for the first time in six months!

Had the sun set in the east?

**

Xiao Yebai arrived at the underground parking garage, and a car horn sounded.

A black Audi in front stopped, and its rear window rolled down.

Mo Yaoxiong was sitting inside, “All finished?”

Xiao Yebai nodded.

“Good, let’s go back together then, and drive safely,” with that, the rear window went up, and the Audi moved forward.

Xiao Yebai walked to his parking spot, opened the car door, and got in.

After starting the engine, he watched the unhurried black Audi in front of him, his hands gripping the steering wheel, sitting there expressionless.

Only when the black Audi left his line of sight did he expressionlessly start the engine.

…

The distance from Mo Group to the Mo Family old residence wasn’t long, just a half-hour drive. When the dark iron gate of the Mo Family house appeared before him, Xiao Yebai narrowed his eyes and, with a tap of his foot, drove the car past the entrance and in.

In the garage, Mo Yaoxiong had already gotten out of his car and was waiting there.

Clearly, he intended to enter the house together with him.

If anyone in the Mo Family, aside from Mo Weiyi, showed the most enthusiastic care for him, the adopted son, it was this nominal foster father.

Even within the company, many people knew that while Xiao Yebai was not favored by old Mr. Mo, he was very much cherished by Mo Yaoxiong.

Xiao Yebai’s thin lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of scoff.

After getting out of the car, the two walked towards the villa on the stone path.

In the early summer, the old house was full of vibrant purples and reds, and various scents of flowers and grass mixed together, scattering in the wind.

The two men walked in silence.

Until they were almost at the villa’s door…

“Yebai,” Mo Yaoxiong stopped, finally unable to restrain himself from speaking first, “Have you carefully considered what I said last night?”

There were some things he didn’t want to say too explicitly.

Xiao Yebai was smart, and although he was always silent, Mo Yaoxiong knew the young man was ambitious.

If that were the case, why not choose the easier path?

If it’s any later…

It would really be too late.

But…

After hearing his words, Xiao Yebai’s face showed little emotion, and his voice was as usual, calm, “Let’s go inside and talk about it.”

Mo Yaoxiong felt a headache coming on.

In his view, marriage was nothing more than a necessary procedure in a man’s life.

Even the most passionate of loves would ultimately fade completely.

In the best case, it could turn into affection, thereby maintaining the relationship for a long time.

But more often, it ended with both parties going their separate ways.

Even to the point of turning against each other, parting on bad terms.

Since that was the case, why not choose a marriage that was more beneficial for oneself?

Furthermore, Mo Weiyi truly liked him, and although old Mr. Mo didn’t favor Xiao Yebai, in his heart, his granddaughter was the most important…

“Sir, Young Master Xiao.”

A voice suddenly came from ahead.

The butler stood at the door in a servant’s attire, his face beaming with a smile, “It’s hot outside, the old master and the princess have been waiting for half a day, please come in quickly.”

Mo Yaoxiong could only nod, “We’re coming.”

As the two entered the living room, and while changing shoes at the entrance, he looked at the butler who was still standing outside, his brow furrowing, “Uncle Shi, aren’t you going in?”

Shi Kang replied cheerfully, “I’m waiting for a guest, they should be arriving soon.”

Hearing this, Mo Yaoxiong was taken aback, “Who’s coming over?”

He hadn’t heard the old master mention it.

Shi Kang smiled, “The future in-laws.”

Mo Yaoxiong: “…”

He subconsciously looked towards Xiao Yebai.

But all he saw was the man’s retreating figure…

**

The living room.

Old Mr. Mo sat on a warm white sofa, with Mo Weiyi sitting beside him, in front of them on the coffee table lay many albums-like items.

As Xiao Yebai entered the house, he heard their conversation.

“This is good, weddings should be festive, this red banquet hall is the most suitable…”

“No, I don’t like it!”

“Grandfather knows best, you’re still young, you don’t understand, weddings must be celebrated vigorously…”

“I don’t want that, I want this!” Mo Weiyi cooed, “A church is the only romantic place for a wedding, I like churches, and there has to be a foreign priest, preferably one that speaks French…”

Old Mr. Mo clicked his tongue, “Then how about this, go to the church at noon for a Western-style wedding, and in the evening, listen to me, we will have another Chinese-style banquet in this hotel…”

Xiao Yebai stood there, his handsome face retaining its usual cool detachment.

Until Aunt Zhou came out from the kitchen, “Young Master Xiao, you’re back.”

The two on the sofa, engrossed in their discussion, seemed to notice him just then, and looked up in unison.

Old Mr. Mo’s originally beaming expression instantly turned cold.

As for Mo Weiyi.

She looked at Xiao Yebai, her lips still curled into a sweet smile, her cat-like eyes innocent and pure, “Xiaobai is back.”