Love in the Fast Lane - Novelbike

Qi Xiaomeng’s warning made Mo Zihan feel a surge of unease.

She had already sensed that Li Ke’s intentions were not entirely positive. Although her parents were academics, they had encountered plenty of schemes in their lives and had a wealth of experience. Since they said Li Ke had a plot, it was almost certainly true. If they mentioned his interest lay in the small company that hadn’t opened yet, they were likely spot on.

Even though Qi Xiaomeng hadn’t explicitly stated that Li Ke’s goal was the small company, her remark, “We all need to be vigilant,” made it clear. Apart from friendship, the only thing connecting Qi Xiaomeng, herself, and Tang Ning was the small company.

Regarding friendship, Mo Zihan trusted that Li Ke wasn’t interested in breaking it apart. Moreover, there was no reason to do so. Every action this man took was driven by either desire or profit. The only thing that satisfied both was the small company.

“Yeah, even though we can’t figure out Li Ke’s exact intentions, there’s no gain without a motive. Honestly, we don’t have anything that would capture his interest. In terms of looks or wealth, we’re nothing compared to the women around him. Why would he fixate on us? I feel like Li Ke’s goal extends beyond our company. Although this small company is worth a few hundred thousand now, it’s not significant enough for Li Ke to go through so much trouble. Besides, if he wanted to ruin our yet-to-open company, there are simpler ways to do it. Anyway, it’s always better to be cautious,” Mo Zihan said, placing the cleaned vegetables in a basket, defrosting the fish in the sink, and handing a towel to Qi Xiaomeng after drying her hands.

Qi Xiaomeng nodded. “Exactly, from the beginning, I’ve thought Li Ke doesn’t seem steady. He has many desires, and now that he’s suddenly interested in us, that’s not a good sign. You might not know, but although Li Ke isn’t a local, years of effort have allowed him to build his own company, small as it may be, it’s still worth a few million.”

Mo Zihan was surprised; she hadn’t realized that.

Qi Xiaomeng continued, “Even if we know these things, we can’t foresee too far ahead. Tang Ning is quite shrewd. When he returns, I’ll tell him what I know and see what he thinks. We’re not that capable, so it’s better not to worry too much. Anyway, I’m just here for a free meal, so you better get cooking.”

Mo Zihan teased her a bit, and soon Tang Ning returned. After greeting Qi Xiaomeng, he shepherded them out of the kitchen and started bustling around.

Sitting on the couch and wiggling her toes, Qi Xiaomeng sighed, “How did you end up so lucky, casually picking up a great man like Tang Ning? He can handle the living room and the kitchen. Hmm, I don’t even need to say more; judging by that look of bliss on your face all the time, it’s obvious. I mean, how did such an amazing and rare guy end up with you? It’s not logical, not logical at all!”

Mo Zihan gave her a contemptuous look. “You rogue, shouldn’t you feel ashamed? If you’re so capable, find a man for yourself. What’s the use of just envying me? I hear there’s a culinary training class at some school with plenty of young men. Why don’t you find one who can cook and is presentable, right?”

Qi Xiaomeng pounced over, playfully pinching and tickling Mo Zihan. “You’re full of bad ideas. Why don’t you go find one yourself? You’ve already hogged the good one, and I can’t say anything about it, right?”

They continued their playful banter until six o’clock, when the aroma of food started wafting from the kitchen. Qi Xiaomeng sniffed the air and said, “Smells so good. Tang Ning’s skills are getting better. Looks like I, being single, should come over more often to freeload. I might as well not take my share of the company; consider it my meal fee.”

Mo Zihan grinned widely. “Alright then, sign on the dotted line. A meal a day, and it’s a deal for us. When our company grows big and becomes one of the Fortune 500, ha ha, then we’ll have struck gold.”

Qi Xiaomeng scoffed. “Fortune 500? I’d be content if we ranked top 500 in this city. But, young friend, your ambition is admirable. I won’t dampen your spirits, just a bit of encouragement-hey, my first kiss is yours!”

Mo Zihan rolled her eyes. Your first kiss? You gave that away at eight when you pulled the neighbor boy over. If you had that many first kisses, a bomb would drop on the world!

When the dishes were served, Qi Xiaomeng acted like she was at home, eagerly grabbing the utensils and diving in.

Mo Zihan lamented with relief, “Good thing I didn’t ask for your shares. Look at you, eating like a starved ghost reincarnated. If you freeload here every day, in less than ten years, even if we net a million a year, we couldn’t sustain your eating habits. I don’t get it. How can you eat so much and not gain weight? Generally, if you eat and sleep well, you’d be chubby.”

Qi Xiaomeng replied smugly, “Can’t help it, I’m naturally blessed. Why don’t you mention how you never use cosmetics yet your skin looks better than those who spend thousands on makeup? Typical case of being envious of others doing well!”

Mo Zihan teased, “Please, could you swallow your food first, lady? Do you like eating your own spit all over the table?”

Tang Ning was already used to this bickering between the best friends. The world was just that marvelous; everyone always has one or two silly friends. Mo Zihan was lucky to have Qi Xiaomeng as her best friend. Conversely, in a big, cold city, Qi Xiaomeng could only be so carefree and expressive in front of Mo Zihan.

“What’s the price of being ladylike?” Qi Xiaomeng said, putting another bite of food in her mouth, unfazed by Mo Zihan’s potential mockery.

After a lively meal filled with banter, Mo Zihan and Qi Xiaomeng continued their playful arguing as they washed the dishes in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Tang Ning brewed tea in the living room and prepared snacks for the two women. He thoroughly enjoyed these moments. Being with Mo Zihan was not only about mutual acceptance, but her personality was what he truly adored.

Just like now, Mo Zihan loved spending time alone with Tang Ning, but she was equally delighted when her best friend visited. Sharing a meal, having some laughs, and then chatting over tea was perfect for her.

Tang Ning understood Qi Xiaomeng well, too. She was sensitive, and only a best friend like Mo Zihan could make her feel completely at ease anywhere and blend into the friendly atmosphere effortlessly.

As they finished their pot of tea, the conversation turned to Li Ke’s odd behavior earlier that day. Tang Ning listened without interrupting, as his knowledge of Mo Zihan’s circle was limited to Qi Xiaomeng.

Mo Zihan recounted the situation, explaining how Li Ke had brought up the acting incident from last year to their family. She concluded, “What’s clear is that Li Ke hasn’t really kept up with us for over a year. His actions are based on an understanding of us from before your parents visited last year. Whoever is feeding him information about us also doesn’t know much. Given this, his sudden interest in us is not a good sign. My suspicion is that he’s interested in our small company. Even though I haven’t figured out what asset of ours caught his eye, it’s surely not something positive.”

Qi Xiaomeng snorted, “Who can understand him? I’ve told you about Li Ke’s situation; he’s been building his career here for nearly ten years. He’s a bit older than us and admittedly quite smart-he started school and entrepreneurship early. Over these ten years, he’s built up a few million. But that isn’t enough for him. His business largely depends on his connections with a variety of women, which is unstable. I suspect Li Ke has set his sights on our little company. He wants to control us, then control the small company, ultimately linking up with Murong Group. He wants us to make the connection so he can use this link to move his assets while grabbing bigger profits.”

Mo Zihan was puzzled, “Why didn’t you mention this when you got here this afternoon?”

Qi Xiaomeng replied sheepishly, “Did you think I’m a prodigy? I only thought of this possibility while we were eating. Tang Ning, what do you think?”

Tang Ning responded with a question, “Where are Li Ke’s main assets concentrated?”

After pondering for a moment, Qi Xiaomeng said, “I know he owns a high-end apartment worth about two million, and it’s still appreciating. Other than that, I’ve heard that most of Li Ke’s initial investments were in finance, but I don’t know the details. With the properties I’m aware of, there’s likely some exaggeration, and he probably has hidden assets we’re unaware of.”

Tang Ning shook his head after a moment’s thought. “No matter how we look at it, we’re just speculating without solid evidence. My first impression of this guy is that he’s too eager. I suspect his actual assets are more than what we know, and they might not all be legitimate. He might be looking to use our small company connected to Murong Group to transfer his assets. However, I also feel his intentions aren’t that simple. Have you noticed a prominent pattern in all his actions? He never leaves a backup plan.”

Indeed, Li Ke’s behavior-threatening Mo Zihan, exploiting Qi Xiaomeng, and his overall strategy-was marked by urgency, with no regard for whether he could maintain his facade even if he succeeded.

“What does that imply?” Qi Xiaomeng asked curiously.

Tang Ning explained, “It’s simple. It implies that once Li Ke achieves success, he won’t stay in this city. Therefore, he doesn’t need to be too cautious, nor does he need to worry about the pressure from powerful entities like Murong Group. That’s why I say his intentions go beyond just our small company.”

“So, what should we do now?”

After considering, Tang Ning suggested, “Our company, even when operational, will be quite fragile and can’t withstand much turmoil. To ensure safety, I think we need a two-pronged approach. First, hire a detective agency to investigate Li Ke discreetly. Second, we must arrange our travels carefully. Xiaomeng, you should go home this year, and we should all leave and return simultaneously. If Li Ke is truly in a hurry, his true intentions will be revealed by the time we return.”