Chapter 83: Conclusion: Li Mo’s Belated Comfort for Liu Pingping
Li Mo had always possessed a natural sensitivity to emotions.
When Su Qingyan was upset, he could tell immediately.
Liu Pingping was no exception.
Clearly, she was in a bad mood.
Was it because of Auntie Bai?
But with so many people around, Li Mo didn’t say anything.
At this moment, jealousy churned violently in Liu Pingping’s heart.
In her mind, she was Li Mo’s closest elder, someone he had been inseparable from these past few days.
Their bond had deepened, as if he were her own son.
Li Mo, too, had been exceptionally affectionate toward her, accommodating her every request with thoughtful care.
Almost everything she could think of, Li Mo had already prepared for her.
By now, she had grown accustomed to this role, standing by Li Mo’s side as his mother figure.
But suddenly, a woman her own age appeared.
A woman just as beautifully preserved as she was, with deep ties to Li Mo.
Liu Pingping already knew about the Mobile Tencent project, Li Mo and that woman, Ji Wanxian, clearly had a complicated history through this collaboration.
Would Bai Lulu end up replacing her in Li Mo’s heart?
That cherished position as the elder by his side?
Not only was Liu Pingping consumed by jealousy, but she also felt a profound sense of crisis.
As they walked, Ma Tengyun’s mind remained unsettled.
Was Mr. Mo some kind of chosen one?
In the stock market, he had raked in 30 million.
In real estate, he had earned 300 million.
Now that he thought about it… it really did seem possible.
His faith in Tencent’s future grew even stronger.
By dusk, Ma Tengyun couldn’t contain his excitement.
“Mr. Mo, the West Lake Summit is about to begin.”
“We should head over soon.”
Since the summit was held by the lake, the distance wasn’t far.
The weather had cooled pleasantly by now…
“Let’s go. It’s time.”
Li Mo set off with the Five Tigers, Liu Pingping, and Su Qingyan.
Su Qingyan remained her usual carefree self, but Liu Pingping was completely different.
Her delicate face was clouded with unhappiness.
Bai Lulu’s sudden appearance had truly shaken her.
Her sense of crisis grew stronger by the minute, she only wanted to be the sole elder in Li Mo’s life.
Soon, they arrived at the West Lake Summit venue.
The grandeur of the scene left Su Qingyan utterly stunned.
“Brother, this is insane!”
Cameras and reporters crowded the lakeshore, every major media outlet was present.
Traditional press, digital platforms, hundreds of journalists had gathered.
She never imagined the summit would be on such a monumental scale.
This was nothing short of an internet industry conference!
“Brother Li Mo, you’ve arrived.”
Jin Liangyong stepped forward as soon as he spotted Li Mo, greeting him with a respectful clasped fist.
Ma Yun also approached.
“Mr. Mo, quite the crowd today, Chen Tianqiao from Shanda is here. The popularity of ‘Legend’ and ‘Journey’ is undeniable nationwide!”
“Bao Yueqiao from Lianzhong Games.”
“Xu Xin, investor in NetEase.”
“Li Hongyan from Baidu, they’re all here.”
“And Zhou Hongwei from 7348.”
Even Ma Yun couldn’t help but marvel.
He had hoped to leverage the “Big Three’s” fame to boost the event’s prestige.
When Ma Yun mentioned Zhou Hongwei, Li Mo knew, this was the man who would later create 370 Antivirus.
A product that would inevitably drive Qiu Bojun’s Kingsoft into dire straits.
“But today, there’s one particularly special tycoon heir.”
“His name is Yan Feilei. Rumor has it he’s from the capital.”
[Note: This character has no further appearances, only exists as setup for Alipay’s later plotline. No protagonist suppression.]“He’s been in business for years, no one knows his exact net worth!”
“Zhou Hongwei, Li Hongyan, even Bao Yueqiao, they all sing his praises.”
“Even the Big Three are fawning over him.”
Li Mo spotted an unremarkable-looking man in the distance.
Around thirty years old…
Surrounded by Zhang Zhidong and the famed “Investment Queen” Xu Xin.
Yet Jin Liangyong regarded him with open disdain.
“Just a spoiled brat.” Clearly, Jin had no respect for the man.
Ma Yun felt the same, he would never partner with someone like that.
If he needed investment, Mr. Mo was his first choice.
If that fell through, SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son would come before Yan Feilei.
Li Mo stayed silent.
Liu Pingping also glanced at Yan Feilei, but she felt nothing.
In her heart, only one young man mattered, Li Mo.
No one else could compare, least of all in looks or presence.
The world had plenty of wealthy youths, but none held irreplaceable meaning for her like Xiao Mo.
Except… now he was getting too close to Bai Lulu.
If he married Ji Wanxian someday, would he call Bai Lulu Mom?
“Everyone!”
“Welcome to the West Lake Summit!”
Jin Liangyong’s voice commanded instant silence.
Without him, this event would never have happened, his influence was unmatched.
The crowd respected his status, which transcended mere wealth.
“Thanks to Brother Xiaoyun’s efforts, today we gather the internet industry’s leaders!”
“This summit focuses on our future, let the discussions begin!”
Attendees took their seats, debating industry prospects while touting their companies’ achievements to attract investors.
Amid the internet winter, many firms desperately needed cash flow, this was their chance.
Li Ming sat in a corner with Liu Pingping and Su Qingyan, waiting for proceedings to end.
Ma Tengyun acted as his representative, any statements would come from him.
Soon, CEOs began challenging Ma in debates.
Many argued instant messaging’s profitability remained uncertain, short-term success couldn’t sustain long-term growth.
As arguments heated up, the Five Tigers jumped in.
“Our Mobile QQ division already generates hundreds of millions annually!”
Their repeated rebuttals left rivals speechless.
Before hundreds of journalists, the Five Tigers stole the spotlight.