novelraw Chapter 163 : Talk, Talk Fiercely
Chapter 163 : Talk, Talk Fiercely
Chapter 163: Talk, Talk Fiercely
“Le le le——”
“Get up and eat!”
The next day, Lin Mo’s familiar shout echoed once again in the dormitory, something that hadn’t happened in a long while. Everything felt so familiar.
That morning, after finishing his morning exercise, he brought breakfast back for his two unfilial roommates. It was Saturday, and the freshmen had just finished their military training—it was exactly the time when everyone wanted to sleep in. So, the cafeteria was rather empty, and there was no need to queue at all.
“Early in the morning, Old Mo, don’t disturb people’s sweet dreams!” Sichuan Girl mumbled as she poked her head out.
Wang Chu didn’t speak, only stretched his leg out as a silent protest.
“Oh, I see. What a pity then. I brought soup dumplings, fried eggs, beef pies, congee with preserved egg and lean pork, crystal dumplings, sausages, and a large portion of cold dishes. Since that’s the case, I’ll just—”
Before Lin Mo could finish speaking, he turned to leave with the food, but before he could take a step, someone grabbed his shoulder.
“Put it down!”
When Lin Mo turned around, he saw that the floor, which had been empty just a second ago, now had two starving ghosts standing on it—both staring intently at the breakfast in his hand.
He had to admit, men’s speed was something else—one second they were lying flat in bed, the next they were up, dressed, washed, and ready to go.
Wang Chu said, “Damn, why’s breakfast so fancy today? Don’t tell me it’s relief food from the government?”
Sichuan Girl replied, “Come on, obviously not. This looks like a death row meal to me!”
Their dorm usually had a breakfast standard—plain meat buns, soy milk, or porridge—keeping it under ten yuan per person, averaging around seven or eight.
But today’s meal clearly cost more than that. Everything was top-notch. Soup dumplings aside, there were even crystal dumplings. Compared to their usual fare, this really did look like a death row meal.
“Hurry and eat! It’s on me today. In a bit, you two are helping me move!” Lin Mo announced.
There was no such thing as a free lunch—if they wanted to eat, they had to work. Today, he’d be the capitalist and squeeze some labor out of them.
The two, who had been wolfing down food, froze instantly.
Sichuan Girl said, “See? I told you this was a death row meal. Look, he’s revealing his true colors already.”
Wang Chu sighed, “If I puke it up now, will that get me out of it?”
Sichuan Girl replied, “Eat. With Old Mo’s personality, even if you puked it out right now, it wouldn’t matter—he’d still make you work. What are you thinking?”
After exchanging glances, the two immediately resumed their wolf-like eating. After all, they’d have to do the work anyway—might as well eat more to keep up their strength.
Seeing that, Lin Mo nodded in satisfaction. He then went to the bathroom for a shower, coming out holding a sweat-soaked Back Straightener. Unfortunately, the strap had already snapped—it was no longer usable.
Counting the days, today marked the 21st day. No doubt about it—the thing had completed its mission.
He had thought it could be used indefinitely and had even planned to treat it as a family heirloom—something to pass down to his children one day. But turns out, it was a one-time experience card.
Still, not a loss. After all, in these past few days, his posture had become upright and firm. When he stood, his whole aura seemed to have improved.
The change was gradual, so Wang Chu and Sichuan Girl hadn’t noticed it.
As for the products he had seen last night on the shopping page, he decisively bought the one called Thirty Years of Professional Chicken-Making. The name was a bit unfortunate, but no one else knew what it meant, so it didn’t matter much—just a little dark humor.
The effect, however, was truly incredible. Not only that, it was probably the most expensive item he had ever bought—five hundred yuan.
Still, to reach the level of a state banquet chef, five hundred wasn’t much. Even if it only applied to chicken dishes, that was already impressive.
Besides, a state banquet chef usually earned much more—so spending five hundred to master their skills was practically a dream bargain.
He wondered if the MC Company might poach him for a job someday, given that he was still an amateur.
After breakfast, the two helped Lin Mo pack up his things. He didn’t have much compared to Sichuan Girl—mostly clothes and his computer.
His bedding and books, he left in the dorm. He planned to buy new ones later, including a mattress and quilt.
Because of that, the three managed to move everything in one trip. Then Lin Mo took them to the mall. Considering his newfound state banquet chicken-making skills, he bought some kitchenware too—and of course, snacks and drinks were a must.
Who among them didn’t envy Miss Yuan’s fridge? It was like a never-ending treasure chest. Every time they visited, they feasted.
By noon, the three had nearly finished setting up Lin Mo’s new home.
They focused on arranging the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen.
The Anti-hair Loss Solution went in the bathroom; the honey in the kitchen. As for the fish oil and Bone Strengthening Oral Liquid he’d bought for his parents, he locked them in the glass display cabinet in his bedroom—good stuff like that had to be protected.
He didn’t buy a desktop computer—his laptop and tablet were enough for gaming and shows.
If he wanted to team up for games, he could always go find Miss Yuan.
Ever since her secret base had been completed, the trio hadn’t played in the dorm again. Once they’d experienced high-end equipment, their own computers felt unbearable—the graphics too rough, the gameplay laggy. Truly, you get what you pay for.
Lin Mo was even considering selling his two laptops on Zhuanzhuan.
Awards, certificates, banners, and the Creation Mountain board game were displayed in the living room cabinet—front and center.
Even after buying a lot of groceries, the place still looked rather empty—it was a big house.
“Damn, I’m beat. Even when Sichuan Girl moved, she didn’t have this much stuff. You sure live fancy. And this Coke’s not even cold,” Wang Chu grumbled, collapsing onto the sofa.
Sichuan Girl was even worse—tongue out, sprawled in front of the air conditioner, trying to recover.
“The fridge just started running. Give it a bit. But man, your stamina’s weak. We only moved a few things, and you’re this tired?” Lin Mo teased.
That set Wang Chu off. “You’ve got some nerve. That big mattress? I carried it myself! And all that kitchenware—you even know how to cook?”
“Just wait a couple of days. I’ll show you what state banquet level means. But forget cooking today. Come on, let’s call Sister Yuan and eat something nice—I’ll treat.” Lin Mo waved grandly, in a great mood.
Then he and Wang Chu each grabbed one of Sichuan Girl’s arms, dragging her up from under the air conditioner, and the three went downstairs, heading toward Miss Yuan’s apartment building nearby.
Just as they turned the corner, a tall, curvaceous figure glanced their way.
“Did I see that right? That looks like—”
Before finishing, she shook her head and walked into the same building the trio had just come out of.
Meanwhile, since it was Saturday and the company had a day off, Liu Rushuang—the boss herself—had taken the rare opportunity to go home for a visit.
Before, even when the company was off, she never truly rested. As the leader, she had too many things to handle—especially the mess left behind by the former general manager, Yang Chuan.
Fortunately, after nearly a month of reorganization, the company had stabilized. Now she finally had a chance to breathe.
Her home was a villa on the outskirts of Jiangning’s eastern district.
The area was surrounded by mountains and rivers, close to the ancient city of Jiangning—beautiful scenery all around. Several villa communities sat here, where many of the city’s wealthy lived.
It was peaceful and scenic—a perfect place for rich people to settle down.
Miss Yuan’s home was in one of these villa areas—not far from Liu Rushuang’s neighborhood, in fact quite close. Since the two families did business together, they had gotten to know each other over time—hence their long-standing acquaintance since childhood.
Liu Rushuang’s home was a sizable standalone villa, complete with gardens and corridors. The flowers and trees were clearly well-tended.
In the living room, Liu Rushuang lounged lazily on the sofa, lost in thought.
Just then, a woman in home clothes came out, holding a small bowl.
“Xiao’e, come taste the iced tofu pudding your mom made.”
The woman was Liu Rushuang’s mother, Cheng Qing. Despite her age, she was remarkably well-preserved. Her features were strikingly similar to her daughter’s—one look, and you could tell she must have been a stunning beauty in her youth.
Even though she was older now, her elegance remained undiminished. Her hair was neatly coiled and fastened with a hairpin, just like Liu Rushuang’s, radiating a timeless grace—proof that beauty doesn’t fade with age.
Liu Rushuang had clearly inherited all her mother’s best features, even her small habits—like using a hairpin to tie her hair up, exuding the same refined air.
As for “Xiao’e,” that was Liu Rushuang’s childhood nickname—no relation to the Lou Xiaoe from Courtyard Stories—it was simply chosen together with her formal name.
Her name, “Liu Rushuang,” might sound abstract now, but it was truly a beautiful name.
Her parents had spent much thought naming her, drawing inspiration from Ming dynasty scholar Shu Fen’s poem The Examination Triumph:
Among five hundred scholars, she was the first immortal,
Flowers like silk, willows like mist;
Clad in green robes, blessed with royal grace,
Her name inscribed freshly upon the golden list;
Rising from humble home to heavenly heights,
Her hand reaches for laurels bright;
None should wonder at her early fame,
For even the moon goddess favors the young and bright.
Thus her name was set, and her nickname came from the last line—easy to say and pleasant to hear.
“Thanks, Mom,” Liu Rushuang said, smiling as she took the bowl and began to eat small spoonfuls.
“You, my child, you’ve been back for so long, yet you rarely visit. No matter how busy you are, you have to rest, right? Don’t listen to your father—so what if things don’t go perfectly? When we’re old, everything will be yours anyway. Just look at you, you’ve gotten thinner,” Cheng Qing said, her tone full of concern.
But with both father and daughter being workaholics, she couldn’t do much. In her view, even if they stopped doing business someday, it would be fine—they had already earned enough. Using her only daughter like a son—it was no wonder she felt heartache.
“Oh, Mom, I just took over recently, so things have been busy. It’s much better now, I’ll come home more often,” Liu Rushuang said, hugging her mother’s arm sweetly.
Cheng Qing rolled her eyes affectionately. “You always say that just to please me. You’re exactly like your father—putting work above everything. But I must say, your skin looks fairer and softer lately. What are you using?”
“Maybe I’ve just been sleeping better lately,” Liu Rushuang replied. If Lin Mo hadn’t told her that his secret formula was gone, she’d have bought more in a heartbeat.
“Really? Well, your Aunt Jiang from the Yuan family’s been looking much younger lately too. I asked her what she used, and she said it was a secret formula—said she ran out. Stingy woman,” Cheng Qing huffed, clearly still annoyed.
She had beaten that woman in looks her whole life—who would’ve thought she’d lose ground now, in her later years?
Liu Rushuang froze upon hearing this. She had come home today to calm her mind after yesterday’s incident with Lin Mo—and yet, she was hearing about him even here.
Just then, Cheng Qing continued,
“You know, while you’re still young and beautiful, you should find yourself a handsome man—someone you really like. A few years later, when beauty fades, no amount of money can buy it back.”
Liu Rushuang had just been thinking of Lin Mo, and at those words, her cheeks flushed red. “It’s still early, no rush,” she stammered.
But Cheng Qing wasn’t fooled—she instantly noticed her daughter’s odd reaction, eyes widening in excitement as she straightened up.
“What? You already have someone in mind?”
“N-no, I don’t!” Liu Rushuang’s voice jumped an octave.
“Sure you don’t—look at how red your face is,” Cheng Qing teased, tapping her daughter’s forehead playfully.
That little forehead-tapping habit—Liu Rushuang had learned it perfectly from her.
“Really?” Liu Rushuang asked, touching her face with both hands.
Cheng Qing smiled. “You do now, even if you didn’t before. Come on, tell me. Let Mom analyze it for you.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Liu Rushuang finally said softly, “It’s not really dating… just that there’s a guy who’s been getting kind of close lately.”
Cheng Qing: “Skip the details—is he handsome?”
Liu Rushuang: “???”
Was her mother such a romantic? She didn’t ask his age, job, or family—just if he was handsome?
But thinking of Lin Mo’s face, she still nodded.
“He’s… quite handsome.”
Cheng Qing grinned. “Then talk. Talk fiercely!”
Liu Rushuang: