Chapter 78: “HELP! HELP!”
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t fathom the limits of Li Mo’s potential. His brilliance seemed boundless.
Tomorrow’s Summit would surely be even more astonishing.
Late into the night, she still couldn’t sleep, her mind replaying Li Mo’s effortless charm.
“Xiaoxiao… just what kind of genius did you let slip away?”
“Xiao Mo… is the most extraordinary man I’ve ever met.”
The West Lake Summit Gains Momentum
The buzz around the West Lake Summit grew stronger by the hour.
By the next day, the lakeside was already being prepared for the event, which would officially begin at dusk.
Meanwhile, Li Mo had already taken Liu Pingping and Su Qingyan out on a boat.
Aside from the boat staff and accompanying personnel, he had also brought along Lei Xiaojun and Ma Tengyun.
Lei Xiaojun was floored by the honor, Ma Tengyun, as Li Mo’s trusted right-hand man and CEO of Tencent (a company Li Mo held a controlling stake in), was an expected guest.
If Li Mo had invited Wang Zhidong or Zhang Chaoyang, Lei Xiaojun wouldn’t have been surprised.
But him?
This was completely unexpected.
Lei Xiaojun’s Shock
“Mr. Mo, I truly didn’t expect you to bring me along,” Lei Xiaojun said, his voice tinged with disbelief as the boat glided across the lake.
“Didn’t I say yesterday? Out of all the internet moguls, I have the highest hopes for you,” Li Mo replied casually.
Even Ma Tengyun was surprised, he hadn’t realized Li Mo held Lei Xiaojun in such high regard.
“I… I really don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this,” Lei Xiaojun murmured, gripping a glass of red wine as he stood on the deck, visibly overwhelmed.
Li Mo smiled.
“I respect you because I believe in your talent. Don’t undervalue yourself. Today, there are no outsiders here.”
Then, lowering his voice slightly, he added:
“Let me be frank, Kingsoft’s golden era is coming to an end. And you, Xiaojun, will leave Kingsoft eventually.”
“When that day comes, join me. I’ll offer you the same salary as Tengyun.”
“And I’ll fund a new project for you.”
Lei Xiaojun was speechless.
Ma Tengyun was Li Mo’s top executive, being offered the same treatment was unthinkable.
“I… I don’t know what to say.”
“Mr. Mo, if I ever leave Kingsoft, I’ll come to you immediately. Refusing would be sheer foolishness.”
But then a thought struck him, was Kingsoft really declining?
A pang of melancholy hit him.
He wouldn’t believe it from anyone else…
But if Li Mo said it, he had to consider it seriously.
Still, he resolved to finish “Swordsman Online” properly before making any decisions.
A Scenic Escape
As the yacht cruised through West Lake, the surrounding scenery grew even more breathtaking.
Liu Pingping and Su Qingyan, standing to the side, were completely enchanted by the view.
Women, it seemed, had a keener appreciation for such beauty than men.
Su Qingyan snapped photos excitedly with her camera, eager to share them with her dormmates later.
But then,
A Fateful Encounter
Up ahead, a stunningly beautiful mature woman in a cheongsam and black stockings sat gracefully at the bow of a small boat, admiring the lake’s beauty.
She bore an uncanny resemblance to Ji Wanxian.
The boat was rowed by a sturdy-looking peasant woman, and aside from her, the woman was alone.
If Li Mo’s eyesight were sharper, he would’ve noticed:
This woman had the exact same features as Ji Wanxian.
But her aura was far more gentle and refined.
She was Bai Lulu, Ji Wanxian’s mother.
As the second wife of Ji Wanxian’s late father, Bai Lulu had married into a powerful family and given birth to Ji Wanxian.
For years, she had lived in gilded confinement, constantly shadowed by bodyguards.
This trip to West Lake was a rare moment of freedom, a chance to enjoy the scenery in peace.
But then,
A Sudden Collapse
A wave of dizziness struck her.
Her vision blurred.
She never expected that her long-dormant congenital illness would flare up now, of all times.
She slumped onto the boat, her consciousness fading fast.
Her medicine was in her bag, but she no longer had the strength to reach for it.
Panic on the Lake
“HELP! HELP!”
The peasant woman, terrified and clueless, screamed desperately toward Li Mo’s yacht.
“Hurry over there!!” Li Mo ordered.
The staff immediately steered the boat toward the distressed vessel.
Without hesitation, Li Mo jumped onto the small boat to administer first aid.
It didn’t matter if this was connected to the investment hint on his phone, he would’ve saved her regardless.
Lei Xiaojun moved to follow, but Ma Tengyun stopped him.
“The boat’s too small, we’ll just get in the way.”
Su Qingyan and Liu Pingping also held back.
When Li Mo reached the woman, he froze.
“Ji Wanxian?”
No, this woman was slightly shorter, and her demeanor was far more mature and elegant.
But the resemblance was uncanny.
Who was she?