Summer #51

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Chapter 51

Neon lights, tasty wines, hearty laughs and pleasant chats.

This is the most expensive clubhouse in the city, and this is the coldest but also most heated night in the winter time.

Lin Mochen and Mu Hanxia sit in the rosewood chairs, his arm behind her. She pours him a hot cup of tea, helping weaken the strength of alcohol a little. From outsiders, there are the same weak smiles on their faces. They seem to have merged into the dazzling lights and enchanting wines, but they also seem to be keeping their distance.

Across the table, Sun Zhi is taking the role of getting Cao Dasheng drunk with the help of a few subordinates. Apparently this is where Cao Dasheng likes the most. His face burning red because of too much drinking, his eyes shining, he keeps gripping Sun Zhi’s hands and tells him, “Chief, Chief Sun, since your money is ready, let’s sign the contract right away. What to wait for? Since we’re having such a delightful conversation, I’m not going to consider other buyers! I’ll do Chief Lin the favor! Chief Lin, right?”

Showing a smile as pleasant as the spring breeze, Lin Mochen picks up the glass and toast to him. Sun Zhi gives Cao DaSheng a heavy slap on the shoulder and says, “Chief Cao, rest assured, the bank has got our money ready and we’ll sign the contract in a day or two. No problem! The day after tomorrow, right on the day after tomorrow, you just wait to count your money. Hahaha!”

Cao Dasheng keeps nodding his head and seems very happy, so happy that he starts to get his hands fumbling restlessly on the female secretary he has brought along.

Mu Hanxia can hardly bear the scene and lowers her head. Lin Mochen whispers to her in a voice only the two of them can hear, “Sorry for contaminating your eyes. The Lady Boss is the same as the Boss, having to fake smiles. Try to bear it just a little longer.” Mu Hanxia can’t help but smiles.

The scheme-filled dinner is finally over. But Cao Dasheng, with his nature exposed, calls loudly for Sun Zhi to arrange “the following activities.”

Mu Hanxia acts as if she hasn’t heard a word, while Lin Mochen already speaks with a smile, “Chief Cao, please excuse me from joining you. My own lady is here and I must take her home.”

Cao Dasheng glances over to Mu Hanxia with a dubious eye but doesn’t insist. He even calls out to Mu Hanxia, “Sister-in-law, you take care. Chief Lin and me are brothers from now on. Anything happens to you in Lin City, just come look for me.”

Mu Hanxia smiles and says “thank you”.

Sun Zhi, followed by a group of people, leave in cars, while Mu Hanxia and Lin Mochen just take a taxi.

In the flowing night light, Lin Mochen is a little tired. Holding her hand in his, he leans back against the seat and closes his eyes. Mu Hanxia gazes at his profile.

Actually she understands why Lin Mochen brought her to the dinner with Cao dasheng. A few days ago, he also took her to see that lot when Cao Dasheng was present. All this is to make Cao Dasheng believe that Feng Chen doesn’t know the truth yet and is eager to get that defective lot from him, and to make him believe that Feng Chen will soon bring money to sign the contract with him. See? The boss has even taken his woman to see the lot and has promised a big house on the lot as their dear new home. How can this not be true?

“Will he fall for it?” she asks in a low voice.

Lin Mochen opens his eyes. There isn’t any laziness in the eyes. Instead they are quiet and deep.

“He will.” He replies, “Simply because of one word: greediness. This kind of people this like a hungry dog, if the interest thrown his way is big enough and attractive enough, he will follow my way.”

Mu Hanxia leans against his shoulder.

“I’m going to Beijing again tomorrow. You be careful with everything.”

Lin Mochen isn’t someone who would act intimately with a woman in public, but now, he takes in the fragrance of her hair, presses against her soft cheek, lowers his head and finds her lips which he starts to kiss.

Mu Hanxia stays very close to him in the dim light, the corner of her eyes catching glimpse of the taxi running forward smoothly and noiselessly in the dark night. There is a sense of distance and solitude, but it still makes her feel boundlessly beautiful.

After a while, his lips leave hers. His eyes are very close to hers, both smiling. Mu Hanxia reaches out to give his chin a light pinch, “Hey, be honest, the night life Sun Zhi took them to, have you ever been there?”

“Ahh...do I look like a guy who has unsatisfied desires and needs to find comfort at those dirty places?”

Mu Hanxia: “Oh, so you don’t have unsatisfied desires. That’s good.”

With a calm face, Lin Mochen reaches out and gives her a hard pinch on her waist. Mu Hanxia cries with a loud oach.

---------

Antony, Lin Mochen’s classmate, has always been a merry young man. Since he came to help Lin Mochen in China, he has a feeling that he has found the new value of his life. Starting an enterprise in the great time of Chinese economic development, is there anything more exciting than this?

And Lin Mochen has made secret plans to find some geological survey agency to conduct a more accurate survey on Cao Dasheng’s two lots. Antony volunteers to take the job. In fact, the sinister Cao Dasheng also lowers Antony’s bottom line, who agrees with Lin Mochen on defeating this evil guy with schemes and plots.

It’s a beautiful sunny morning. The streets are filled with flowing vehicles.

Followed by his assistant, Antony comes out from the survey office. In his hand, are the two sealed reports. They will be able to tell whether there are serious geological problems with the Lot A Cao Dasheng is trying to sell them. And the reports will also tell them the value of the other lot he has.

Antony has to sigh with admiration that Lin Mochen is really a careful and detail-oriented guy. With such a strong witness as that street girl, he still needs this solid evidence.

There are many people at the peak hour, and the two are walking very fast. Some young fellow on a bicycle rides past and accidentally bumps into them. Antony lets out a painful cry, and that young man also falls down hard. But he hurries up and helps them pick up the documents, full of apologies. He leaves in a hurry only after making sure they are both unharmed.

Even with such a small unpleasant incident, Antony’s excitement is not affected. He knocks the dust off the envelopes, calls a taxi with his assistant, and rushes back to the company at the earliest time possible.

The newly arrived reports are now lying on Lin Mochen’s desk. Black ink on white paper, they clearly tell everybody that beneath the surface of Lot A there’s all soft soil which is difficult for foundations to stand on. Although it can still be developed, the difficulty will be very big and the investment has to be greater. Whereas, there’s no problem with Lot B.

After reading the two reports, Lin Mochen nods slightly and says, “proceed according to our original plan.”

--------

The company that Cao Dasheng claims to own is actually about a dozen people he hires working in two residence suites he rents, half of whom are his relatives. His is a typical briefcase company.

But in the eye of his several sidekicks, Cao Dasheng is in a very high spirit lately. On the one hand, Feng Chen, the most famous company in Lin City nowadays, is going to buy a lot from him. But they all know that lot is a useless one with soft soil. A great fortune is about to fall into his pocket in exchange of that rotten land.

On the other hand, the other lot he has is about to have a cooperative party. Cao Dasheng isn’t as rich as Lin Mochen, so he can’t buy a whole real estate company. If he wants to develop Lot B and make money, he has to cooperate with a real estate company with valid credentials. Originally, they have been in contact with several companies and got pretty good terms. But there comes a new company the last few days, which is said to have venture capital and likes the lot and offers very good terms. But they just require them to sign the contract immediately and get the money in place so that the project can start as soon as possible, because they think right now is the best time since the real estate market is just about to revive in China. They even provides Cao Dasheng with a stack of investment analysis reports.

Cao Dasheng doesn’t understand the big trend of real estate market, but he is so temped by such positive opinions of the company. However, the money he needs to develop Lot B has to rely on Lin Mochen. But it so happens that, after having made the appointment to sign the contract and exchange money and the lot one of these days, Lin Mochen told him the last minute that Rong Yue has some things coming up and he has no spare time, being trapped in endless meetings several days in a row. So he’s unable to sign the contract. In short, Feng Chen keeps postponing.

However, Lin Mochen especially gives him a call and tells him very earnestly, “Chief Cao, we will definitely purchase this lot. It’s just that I’m fully occupied by the business with Rong Yue and can’t find time now. I really can’t offend Rong Yue, I truly hope you’d understand. If I don’t want the lot, why would I keep contacting you? To be honest, it’s really hard to find such a good lot as yours in Lin City. Therefore, Chief Cao, please rest assured. There will be no change of the price and terms that we’ve agreed upon. Just give me a few days. As a compensation, I will give you 0.5% more on the price.”

Thus, Cao Dasheng can’t urge him any more. Half a percent, that isn’t a small amount. Besides, Lin Mochen’s business with Rong Yue is really bigger than with his.

But, the company who’s going to work on Lot B with them can’t wait any longer. The two parties have signed the agreement of intent, and are just waiting for the formal signing of the contract. One of the bosses of that company is a foreigner, who is flying abroad very soon. After urging them several times, that company gets impatient and tells Cao Dasheng, “Chief Cao, our CEO Max is flying to England. If we can’t sign before he leaves, then after he comes back, we’re not sure if he will change his mind. After all, there are quite many projects that we can invest in. If you really can’t get money around, maybe we cooperate next time?”

Cao Dasheng says, “Don’t, please don’t. Our luck draws us to each other and that must mean something. After all, we’ve been talking for so long about this lot and the cooperation plan is almost finalized.”

That other one asks, “So can we sign the contract?”

Cao Dasheng clenches his teeth and says, “Yes, I can! But can we postpone the money transfer deadline for two weeks? Because I have a big amount of money that won’t be transferred to me until some time later.”

The other one says it’s fine after reporting to his boss for approval.

So they pick the date and sign the contract, agreeing that in two weeks the money from both parties will be in place for the cooperative development, and no violation is allowed.

However, starting from the day after the signing, Cao Dasheng can no longer get through when he dials Lin Mochen’s phone. It’s the same when he tries to call Sun Zhi.

He doesn’t think much of it for the first few days. But then when more days pass by, he can wait no more. He brings some people to look for Lin Mochen in his company but are driven away by some muscular guards who look more like moving workers.

“Our Chief Lin is super busy. How can you just force in when you haven’t even an appointment?” Even the front desk lady who he tried to talk to during previous visits appears not to recognize him.

Cao Dashen is furious. So he falls back on his old hooligan ways, gathering a bunch of gangsters, trying to stir up somethings. But Lin Mochen is long prepared for it, protected by bodyguards every time he goes out. And so, Cao Dasheng can’t find him or do anything at all.

Soon, it’s almost time for the money transfer deadline of Lot B.

Cao Dasheng calls Sun Zhi again and suddenly gets through. Sun Zhi smiles warmly on the other end, “Chief Cao, what’s the matter?”

Cao Dasheng almost hollers, “Sun Zhi, what do you mean? You said you would sign the contract soon. But now what the hell do you mean? I’ve already, I’ve already...”

Sun Zhi smiles slowly and says, “Cao Dasheng, isn’t it just that you’ve already signed Lot B to another company and now you don’t have money to pay your part? We’re not going to buy such a rotten land as Lot A. You’ve treated us like idiots for so long. Let’s keep the peace and leave it behind, OK?”

He is about to hang up when Cao Dasheng yells really anxiously, “Wait! You don’t want Lot A, what do I do now? Chief Sun, Chief Sun, please talk to Chief Lin again, it’s my fault hiding the situation of Lot A from you, but it’s not totally unable to develop. I’ll give you discount, sell it cheap, really cheap. What do you think? Without the money, Lot B, Lot B...I’ll have to break the contract and my rights will have to be transferred!”

But Sun Zhi just smiles on the other end, “Well, then, why don’t you go ahead and transfer Lot B?” 

Summer #50

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Chapter 50

Does someone ever tease his own girlfriend like this? Mu Hanxia: “Mhm, milk is just fine too.” Taking the wine he hands over, she sits down in the couch by the window with his arms around her. The light is serene and the stars sparse. The room is warm and cozy with the heater on. Everything is so cozy.

“You didn’t date someone when you were in high school?” He suddenly asks.

Mu Hanxia gives him a surprised glance and answers, “Of course not.” After pausing a little, she continues, “My mom was badly sick at that time, I could barely copy with daily hospital visits those days. Besides, I never thought about dating in high school. Why would I do such a thing that could ruin my own future?”

Mu Hanxia glances up and catches the faint smiles at the corner of his mouth. She is baffled: “What are you laughing at? What’s laughable about this?”

“Nothing.” Naturally Lin Mochen won’t tell her too much about his thoughts at the moment. But the corners of his eyes and tips of eyebrows are tinted with slight delighted smiles. He puts down the wine glass, pulling her over to his laps, lowers his head and asks, “So...with me, this is your first time?”

Mu Hanxia answers with a “mhm” and says, “What’s wrong with dating for the first time? Am I not doing well? What a nice girlfriend!”

Lin Mochen is amused. Lowering his head, he starts to kiss her.

They kiss for a long time, some emotional turbulence going on quietly―seducing, tempting and coming closer―of which only they themselves know. But they come to a stop with Mu Hanxia successfully defending her last frontier and Lin Mochen wanting even more. Lin Mochen is a noble man. If he can’t get further with implicit or explicit suggestions, he will only gracefully continue to... seduce, instead of forcing her.

He has long taken off his suit jacket. Wearing just the shirt and the suit pants, his one arm leisurely rests on the armrest, with her lying against his chest. She is also very relaxed. Never before has she ever imagined herself being so relaxed in a man’s arms. She rests her head on his shirt against his chest and plays with his other hand.

“When your classmate mistakenly took you as a waitress, why didn’t you explain?” He asks.

Mu Hanxia answers, “Didn’t think there’s any need. Those who care about me won’t change their attitude based on whether my circumstances are good or bad. As to those who don’t care, whether I clarify or not just doesn’t matter. But I just don’t understand one thing―I had little connection with her in high school and never offended her. Why she... doesn’t seem to hope to see me do well?”

Lin Mochen stokes her long hair and replies, “What’s strange about that? You were so outstanding in high school. You were better than her and she naturally would be jealous. Summer, not all bad intentions have rational explanations. Ah, we will see plenty of those mediocre people in our life. They always remain where they are on the road, focusing their eyes on others, and won’t really achieve anything. But we are different. We only need to move forward.”

His words make Mu Hanxia sigh to herself. She reaches out and wraps her arms around his neck: “You said it so well.”

Her hug makes Lin Mochen feel so comfortable that he can’t help lowering his head to kiss her again.

Half of the night, they just idle by, talking, kissing, hugging, and giggling, so close and so tender. The stars outside the window and the clouds in the sky are all reflected in each other’s eyes.

Mu Hanxia also tells him about the unfortunate happenings of her family years ago.

In fact those weren’t very unusual happenings. In this world, poverty and sufferings, difficulties and struggles are happening every day.

But Mu Hanxia and Lin Mochen are born different people. Even though he is from a divorced family, he never had to worry about money and circumstances. He wouldn’t have a time that he could hardly survive. He couldn’t even imagine a time when there’s no food in the family or when a hundred yuan would be an impossible amount to get.

But Mu Hanxia has been like this. She is like most of us, coming from a very common family which is not rich but enjoys the common happiness. However, an accidental strike of some unforeseen event could drag the family down. For example, her mother’s serious illness.

The family became short of money and turned to chaos. Smiles disappeared from their faces. Her father no longer smiled, neither did her mother, and nor the once lucky and proud Mu Hanxia. Father started to run shipping business just to make a little more money for medical expenses. At the time she was in the final year of high school, and had to visit the hospital every day. But she never told anyone her difficulties.

Then, Father had an accident and died with a huge debt.

Mu Hanxia almost fell apart.

......

“My mind wasn’t steadfast enough at the time.” In his arms, she said gently and slowly, “Clearly as I knew I could only change my fate by getting admitted into a college, I knew only after I got admitted, could I find ways to apply for charitable assistance. But I could not stop thinking what I could do even if I got admitted. Who would take care of my mother? Hire somebody? How could I trust them? What if no charity or company would want to assist me even after I got admitted? With only scholarship from the college, it wouldn’t be enough at all. There would be no way out whatsoever. Admitted, not way out. Not admitted, no way out either.”

Holding her hand in his, Lin Mochen’s eyes are like quiet water, flowing silently.

What then?

Then, the day before the College Entrance Exams (CEE), she received the notice of her mother in critical condition one more time. She was sleepless the whole night that night. The second day, when she sat in the exam venue that was filled with nervous atmosphere, she just felt as if the whole world was falling apart. No one could help her. No one understood the heavy burden on the shoulders of this eighteen-year-old girl. In the whole world, it felt like no single other person would face it with you.

Then, it was no surprise that she failed the CEE and couldn’t get into any college. For some time, she was do disappointed and distressed. But she didn’t even have time to complain or to look for other solutions. Instead, she found a job in the supermarket near home, because only this way, could she take care of her mother at home.

Then, three years later, her mother passed away, full of apologies and sorrow. But for Mu Hanxia, who had settled her mind during the three years, there was only love to her mother. She didn’t have the least complaint. She said to her mother, “Mom, leave with peace and rest assured. We both tried our best. If you live in heaven, be happy and be free of illness and suffering. As for me, I will live well. I don’t feel I lost anything. This is just the way of my life. If I lose something, then I’m sure I have gained something as well. I gained the three years we spent together and I have absolutely no regret of that.”

......

“Later I gradually understood,” Mu Hanxia says, “There are many beautiful things in life that can be easily taken away by fate. So I told myself to live the present all the more and always try to enjoy the present.”

She smiles, but with a slightly absently look, and says, “However, if I could choose for a second time, I would calm myself down for the CEE and try to get a good score, instead of being totally beaten by the frustration. It was me myself who didn’t follow the path well.”

Lin Mochen has been listening quietly. But he suddenly grips her hand hard at these words: “What’s so bad about this path? There’s me on this path.”

His voice is low and tender in the deep night. Mu Hanxia is so touched. She looks up at her, murmuring coyly and vaguely, “But my classmates all follow their paths well. Seeing them still makes me somewhat regret about myself. I have always been trying to catch up. But it’s so hard...”

“You don’t need to catch up with them.” He says, “You will have the best in the future.”

“Mhm.” She will get the best, she decides, through her own hard work.

Kissing her, he is also thinking that he will give her the best.

His Cinderella has descended to the mortal world to experience all those hardships before coming to him.

But he just wants to get the best from the world and put them all at her feet.

--------

The next day, Lin Mochen instructs Sun Zhi to keep in-depth contract with Cao Dasheng, showing a determination of acquiring the lot by all means.

Summer #49

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Chapter 49

They walk on and go into the the hotel’s grand hall.

It’s around eight or nine o’clock in the evening. The hall is brightly lit and looks splendid. Mu Hanxia goes in to a 24-hour convenience store attached to the hotel to get some feminine products and refuses to be followed by Lin Mochen. So Lin Mochen just waits in the couch by the door.

Carrying a shopping basket in her hand, Mu Hanxia is standing in front of the shelf making her choices when suddenly comes a voice of surprise: “Mu... Hanxia?”

Mu Hanxia turns to look over her shoulder. Lin Mochen, who’s not far from the door also looks up.

It is one of her high school classmates. After a moment’s pause, Mu Hanxia also calls out the other person’s names: “Chen Sijin?”

Chen Sijin is wearing an aqua blue night dress, exposing much of her shoulders and back. She wears a delicate makeup, looking slender and pretty, with her hair combed into a bun. It’s a good-looking woman. Her arm is in the arm of a young man in his formal suit. They appear to be just back from an evening banquet.

Seemingly surprised, Chen Sijin eyes Mu Hanxia and says, “My old class monitor, why are you here? Aren’t you...working in Jiang City?”

He intently surveys Mu Hanxia straight up and down a couple times, which makes Mu Hanxia somewhat uneasy. In fact they weren’t very familiar in high school. Mu Hanxia only remembers that she was a rather introverted girl, good-looking, with average grades. Can’t imagine she turns into such a radiant figure nowadays.

Mu Hanxia answers with a little smile, “I recently came to work in Lin City.”

“Oh.” Chen Sijin nods. Glancing at the simple casual outfit she’s wearing, she seems to understand, “You are ... the waitress in this hotel?”

Mu Hanxia is stunned, but she just smiles without saying yes or no.

But Chen Sijing takes it as a silent admission. The look in her eyes... is somewhat hard to describe. They seem to say “so it is really what she’s doing.” There’s a little pity and a little sense of being superior, very obvious.

So, Mu Hanxia has no desire to say anything else. Just as she is ready to say good-bye, the man beside Chen Sijing suddenly speaks up, “Linda, who’s this beautiful lady?”

Chen Sijin gives him a glance and pouts prettily, “She is my former classmate, Mu Hanxia. Hanxia, this is my boyfriend, Bob. He is the executive manager of Welson Company in the great southwestern region. I’m here to attend the company’s anniversary banquet with him.”

Mu Hanxia smiles, “Nice to meet you.”

She is just about to say goodbye, when Chen Sijin starts emotionally, “Actually Hanxia was also one of the top students in our class. If it’s not that something happened to her family―her father got into an accident and owed a big debt, and her mother was seriously ill so she had to look after her every day―she wouldn’t have tumbled in the College Entrance Exams. Hanxia, we are all old classmates. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask. Those classmates of ours are doing pretty well nowadays. We may not be able to help with big things, but we will do our best with small things. To be honest, don’t blame me for being outspoken, I think you’d better work hard to improve your diploma. Don’t drift around like this, get a stable job, right? Hanxia, good luck!”

Her words seem to be really sincere. Her boyfriend Bob also looks at her with a gentle expression. Mu Hanxia is silent for a moment, musing: “Whenever was I ‘also’ ‘one of the top students?’ I was THE top student of the whole grade. ” But this thought only makes her sigh for herself. At last, she just nods with a smile, “Thank you.”

“Mhm.” Chen Sijin smiles, “We will wander around a little more and won’t hold you up any longer.” 

“OK.”

Chen Sijin leans against Bob’s shoulder, looking at Mu Hanxia no more, and says in a sweet voice, “Go buy a lipstick for me. You can find it at the counter. Hurry!”

“Summer, these are?” Interrupts a clear but low voice.

The three of them all come to a pause.

Lin Mochen stands behind Chen Sijing and Bob, the black overcoat in his arm, the amber-colored sleeve button glimmering in the light. He gives just one glance at those two and walks straight to the side of Mu Hanxia. Winding his arm around her waist, he says in a low voice, “I’ve been waiting so long. Turns out you run into former classmates here?”

The overly gentle tone makes Mu Hanxia gives him a couple extra glances before she makes the introduction: “My high school classmate Chen Sijin, and her boyfriend Bob. Sijin, this is Lin Mochen, my...”

“Boyfriend.” Lin Mochen smiles slightly and extends his hand to Bob, “Nice to meet you.”

Bob stiffens a little. “Lin Mochen? Are you not... the Feng Chen CEO Lin Mochen?”

Lin Mochen glances at him and then glances at that not-so-agreeable girlfriend of his. Hah, this guy knows the right clue to pick up.

His tacit acknowledgement makes Bob excited. He grasps his hand and shakes it nonstop: “So nice to meet you. Really, really nice to meet you. I’ve heard of you for a long time. What a pleasant surprise to see you here. What a pleasure. Chief Lin is such a celebrity in the great southwestern region recently. My CEO even said that you’ve changed the development mode of a whole industry. He wants so much to get to know you as well...”

“Thanks for the compliment. But it’s your Chief Deng who’s the best of the industry.” Lin Mochen says with an even tone.

The two men chat on, mentioning Mu Hanxia as Feng Chen’s marketing manager in between their exchanges, which makes Bob look at her with new attitude and even shake hands with her again. Whereas Chen Sijin is dumbfounded by the news. She moves her lips a little but can’t utter a single word. All she can do is watch them with forced smiles.

But when she peers at Mu Hanxia again, she realizes that she’s actually different from a supermarket sale assistant who she heard Mu Hanxia was. Although she’s wearing a casual outfit, the textile and workmanship are both quite good, not the kind that a store assistant can afford. Her face is light-colored and fresh-looking, at least well cared for recently, having no sign of being exposed much in the sun or wind. What’s most important, she actually has such a boyfriend, tall and handsome and holding a position even higher than Bob. His financial strength must be even greater. He is better than Bob in every way, and Mu Hanxia herself has actually got to a middle-level manager position.

She has actually turned her own life over.

For a long moment, Chen Sijin doesn’t know how to feel.

Of course, Mu Hanxia has noticed the somewhat awkward expression of her old classmate. In fact, when Chen Sijin deliberately showed off herself at the beginning, Mu Hanxia didn’t think about fighting back and show off herself. But Lin Mochen just pops in all by himself. One has to know that most outstanding young men will lose much of their glamour when put in front of Lin Mochen. No wonder Chen Sijin is not happy now.

At last, Bob has Lin Mochen’s name card in his hand and sees them out the small convenience store with great courtesy, holding Chen Sijin with him...

Mu Hanxia and Lin Mochen take the elevator upstairs. He says in a low voice, “Drop by my room for a moment?”

Mu Hanxia: “OK.”

His room is a suite, much larger than Mu Hanxia’s room. After coming into the room, he opens the refrigerator, taking out a bottle of red wine and two glass cups.

But Mu Hanxia doesn’t have the refined habit of drinking wine anytime. She asks, “Got juice?”

Lin Mochen chuckles and replies, “No, I don't. Next time I’ll prepare kid’s milk.”

Summer #48

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Chapter 48

Seeing her walking out, Mu Hanxia immediately stands up. Even though neither she or Lin Mochen, who’s behind her, has a good expression, Mu Hanxia still greets her with a smile and nods.

He Qingling gives her a glance and asks Lin Mochen, “Your girlfriend?”

Lin Mochen replies dryly, “The one I plan to marry.”

Mu Hanxia stiffens, but HE Qingling just says flatly to her, “Be good to him,” and walks away.

The room is quiet again.

Lin Mochen picks up the name card and glances at it. Mu Hanxia walks over and says, “Why did you say that?” They are far from getting married.

He says nothing.

Mu Hanxia asks no more. She turns her attention to the name card in his hand: “Are you going to contact this person?”

Lin Mochen answers, “If he is useful, why shouldn’t we use him?”

--------

Feng Chen has been constantly following up with Cao Dasheng about the lot. But as the negotiation gets deeper, the money issue becomes very urgent.

These few days, Lin Mochen arranges to meet a few people of investment. Of course, they include the Mr. Zhou from the banking system referred to him by HE Qingling. But as it’s the year-end right now, all the financial organizations are tightening up the investments. It’s not an easy business as the amount Lin Mochen wants to loan is huge.

That Mr. Zhou, however, is very kind to him. He is in his fifties who has gradually retiring from the banking business and calls himself Lin Mochen’s uncle. Talking about HE Qingling, Mr. Zhou claims that she did a great favor for him in earlier years and he never had a chance to pay her back. So he will try his best to help Lin Mochen. Although Lin Mochen doesn’t like to talk about his mother with people, he will not refuse the kindly offers from Mr. Zhou either, after all this is all about business.

After some days, Mr. Zhou is actually able to get some money for him. He uses part of his quota in a bank with HE Qingling being the loan guarantor. But the money can only arrive in installments. The second installment has to wait until after the Chinese New Year.

Everything is ready except one condition―the money. If they can acquire the lot from Cao Dasheng, Feng Chen will own a second lot in Lin City. Not to say as powerful as Rong Yue, they at least will become one of the first-tier real estate developers in Lin City.

But Lin Mochen just keeps delaying signing the contract with Cao Dasheng, neither has he signed the contract of loans. Mu Hanxia asks him, “What are you waiting for?” He just says, “Summer, this lot is critical to Feng Chen’s whole survival. I have to see it more clearly before I can get my hands on it.”

So Mu Hanxia understands that before the huge profit which seems easily obtainable, when he is surrounded by all kinds of compliments and admiration, this person still keeps his cool and looks at things clearly.

It so happens that after a couple of days, there really comes the problem.

There is problem with that lot of Cao Dasheng’s.

That day, while Lin Mochen and Mu Hanxia are having dinner in a reserved restaurant room, Sun Zhi knocks and comes in, followed by a girl.

Talking about Sun Zhi, he is really talented. A local of Lin City, about 32 or 33 in age, he has been in the real estate business for over ten years. He is very experienced and strong-minded, but with a personality not too pleasant. He was the general manager of the real estate company when Lin Mochen bought it, hired by the original owner. But because the original owner controlled things too tightly and did everything by the book, they constantly had conflicts. Later when the owner changed to Lin Mochen, Sun Zhi was ready to pack up and leave. But Lin Mochen paid him well and asked him to stay, promising him company shares and maximum authorities. As a result, he willingly submits to Lin Mochen and does his best at everything. And after observing him for a while, Lin Mochen also relies more and more on him.

Those who do real estate business usually have some relations in both the dark and bright worlds. Sun Zhi is no exception. Lin Mochen does need such a person to help him with his real estate development endeavors in Lin City.

Although Lin Mochen remains calm at what Sun Zhi is doing now, Mu Hanxia is totally lost.

Sun Zhi’s face is very serious. The girls he brings in is flamboyantly dressed and wears a heavy makeup with smoky eye shadows. She has an air of low taste charm. Even someone like Mu Hanxia, who has seen little of the gray zone, can tell she may not be a girl of good family.

“This girl is Xiao Ying.” Sun Zhi says, “Xiao Ying, tell the boss what you heard.”

Xiao Ying does not hesitate and starts to talk away.

Slowly, Mu Hanxia grasps the idea. It turns out that Sun Zhi has paid several girls like Xiao Ying to approach Cao Dasheng and sound him out. Sound out about what? Sun Zhi didn’t say. Just whatever is related to the lot they are buying.

Upon hearing this, Mu Hanxia glances at Lin Mochen, who’s slowly sipping his tea, and guesses it must be his arrangement. In the process of grabbing more profit, he is extremely cautious with every move.

But Cao Dangsheng, even though rough, is a very careful fellow. No matter how the girls make him drink or flirt with him, he just doesn’t say anything about business with anybody in bed.

But Xiao Ying is not an ordinary girl. To get the 100 thousand yuan promised by Sun Zhi, she approached another girl who is a long-term mistress of Cao Daosheng, and the two of them got very close.The name of that girl is Xiao hong. She wouldn’t be bribed, but there’s the thing called sisterly love. So at a time, Xiao Ying got Xiao Hong drunk and learned the following information―

Xiao Ying: “Sister Hong, your husband is really incredible, giving you such a big house to live in. He must have a big business.”

Xiao hong is also proud. She replies with blurry drunk eyes, “Of course, he said he’s doing another deal of business. When it’s done, he will get a bigger house for me.”

“Wow, that’s awesome! So sister... has he divorced his wife yet?”

Xiao Hong is instantly quiet, and she becomes somewhat irritated. She says, “Um, how does it matter whether he’s divorced or not? I will just take whatever I’m entitled to.”

Taking the opportunity, Xiao Ying asks, “Sister, what business is my brother-in-law busy at right now?”

“Fussing over the land. What else can it be?”

“Land of where?”

“Long Xi County.”

Xiao Ying: “Ahh, I’m from Long Xi too. Is it the lot at the west side of the county? I heard long ago that the lot was bought by a wealthy developer. Turns out it’s my brother-in-law! Sis, Sis, when brother-in-law has the houses built, let me have an unit with discount, won’t you?”

Xiao Hong smiles slightly, “Build the heck. He doesn’t build houses. He just sell the lot to others. That lot...can hold buildings.”

“Why not?”

“Let me tell you the secret. He got someone to inspect the lot and underneath it was all very hard rock of hundreds of years old. They can’t be punctured. Whoever invests in it will definitely lose money. But that’s fine, my little sis, your brother-in-law actually has another good lot hidden. It’s also in Long Xi. After he got some dumb head to buy this lot, he will start to develop the other good one. At that time...we can be neighbors...”

......

After seeing Xiao Ying off, Sun Zhi comes back and says, “The land inspection report Cao Daoshing provided us before showed no problem with the lot. He got the lot with some underhand methods and completed all the legal procedures afterwards. So the information was well hidden. But after hearing what Xiao Ying reported, I had someone go after the information and did find out he got two lots at the beginning. He’s already talking about development cooperation about the other one. In another word, this bastard is planning on selling this rotten lot to us and use the money he gets to develop the other lot.”

The night is quiet outside the window. Lin Mochen remains calm and says nothing.

Mu Hanxia now has a basic understanding: The information Xiao Ying found out is probably true. Cao Dasheng appears to be a rough person, but he is actually very evil and has no honesty. He hid the problem with foundations of the lot he is trying to sell Feng Chen. If Feng Chen buys it, later they will be trapped, which will be a big trouble for Feng Chen. Whereas, Cao himself will take what he gets from the deal and goes to develop the other lot in his hand, the good one.

It is not impossible to have a thick layer of non-penetrable rock underneath the foundation, but it is very rare. So, it’s reasonable that Lin Mochen didn’t think of it before. But now, Mu Hanxia wants to thank their good luck. If not for such an accidentally discovered clue, it will be really hard for them to find out about the problem.

But on a second thought, she has a feeling that this result is inevitable. Who else except Lin Mochen can still be this cautious and unhurried at this stage? It is exactly because that he has commanded Sun Zhi to be extra careful with Cao Dasheng that leads to this accidental discovery. So it really can be said that opportunities are for those who are prepared. To reach where he is today, Lin Mochen doesn’t merely rely on his talent and ambition, there’s also the cautiousness and diligence much greater than regular people. Canny as him, Mu Hanxia thinks, who in the world can ever trick him?

Mu Hanxia and Sun Zhi both stare at Lin Mochen.

They thought they could win another battle, but it turns out someone has dug a trap right by their feet which they would easily fall in if they were a bit less cautious. What will he do next?

Lin Mochen looks up at them and smiles coldly, “Ha... a dumb headl?”

--------

That night, Lin Mochen and Mu Hanxia return to the hotel.

About how they will deal with Cao Daosheng, Lin Mochen hasn’t said anything yet. But Mu Hanxia is sure that he won’t let him slip away easily. Will he take immediate action? Of that she’s not sure. After all, Lin Mochen is a crafty man who can wait a lot time just for the right opportunity to take revenge.

With these thoughts, Mu Hanxia gazes at his slim and handsome profile and can’t help but smiles. He notices it and asks, “What are you smiling at?”

“Nothing.”

He studies her thoughtfully for a moment and also breaks into a smile, saying, “As the old saying goes, one who loses in his business will gain in the love affair. I had frustrations today. As my girlfriend, what do you plan to do to console me?”

Mu Hanxia’s face starts to burn at these ambiguously implying words.

“... that’s so much of frustration you had!”

Lin Mochen wraps his arm around her shoulders and chuckles in a low voice.

Mu Hanxia asks, “About Cao Dasheng, what’s your plan?”

Lin Mochen pauses for a moment and says, “It’s not hard to get rid of Cao Dasheng. But is there someone else behind him? How powerful are they? And do they have subsequent actions?”

Mu Hanxia is taken aback and listens as he continues: “They set up such a trap hoping me to jump in. Do I jump in and fight with them, or just put it aside and let it cool without confronting them directly? I need to think it over.”

“OK.” Just as she thought, even though he was irritated by the word ‘dumb head’, he is still calmly weighing the situation without taking hasty actions. But judging from his cold eyes, she’s sure he will take revenge.

This is exactly what she loves about him.