Chapter 18: Paying Respects at Jingkun's Door

Returning to his newly acquired Western-style villa that evening, Chen Mo still felt a bit unaccustomed.

Having lived in a small apartment for several years, suddenly moving into a mansion actually felt a little too spacious.

Truly a mountain pig that can't stomach fine grain.

Mainly, Chen Mo felt the house lacked a lived-in warmth.

Hmm, it was missing a lady of the house.

Chen Mo counted: the house had three floors — the third floor had a large master bedroom and a study, the second floor had two slightly larger secondary bedrooms and two guest rooms, and the first floor had only two small rooms, presumably for the maid and driver.

Chen Mo silently resolved that sooner or later, every room on the second and third floors would have a lady of the house.

The next day, approaching noon, Chen Mo didn't head to the office until after he'd eaten lunch.

Not long after he arrived at the office, Da Sha had someone drive the two cars over.

Two Crowns parked at the nightclub entrance — Da Sha had deliberately arranged two different colors, one black and one gray, both very low-key.

At that moment, a group of underlings was gathered around the two cars admiring them, drool nearly dripping from the corners of their mouths.

It couldn't be helped — for foot soldiers like them, a single car was worth over a dozen years of saving up.

"Hey hey hey, all of you stand back a bit, don't drip your drool on the cars!"

Seeing Chen Mo and Gao Jin approach, Da Dou hurriedly dispersed the underlings crowded around the cars.

"Ah Jin, which one do you like?" Chen Mo ignored the group of underlings and turned to ask Gao Jin.

"Either is fine. Mo Ge, you pick first."

"I'll drive the black one. The gray one is yours."

Though both cars were nice colors, Chen Mo still preferred black.

It looked more mature.

He tossed the keys to his old Mazda to Da Dou standing nearby.

"Da Dou, my old car is yours now. From now on you're in charge of the mahjong parlor — do a good job!"

It was called a mahjong parlor, but it was also a gambling den. The customers, apart from the old neighbors nearby, included all sorts of shady characters — a real mix of fish and dragons.

Based on what Chen Mo knew of the original story, Da Dou was a very loyal person.

And he was sharp and smooth — perfect for watching over the mahjong parlor.

It also gave Chen Mo a chance to see whether he actually had the ability.

"Thank you, Mo Ge!"

Da Dou, taking the car keys, was absolutely thrilled.

Even though it was a Mazda Chen Mo had driven for years, it was still worth tens of thousands.

Chen Mo had barely returned to his office when Thirteen Sister called.

"Hey, Ah Mo, why did you give me such a nice car? If I didn't know your taste, I'd have thought you were trying to hit on me!"

Thirteen Sister's voice was full of pleasant surprise.

"Sister Mei, don't say things like that — it could get someone killed! You're my Big Boss! A little brother paying tribute to his Big Boss is only right!"

Chen Mo was startled by Thirteen Sister's words and hurried to explain.

If Han Bin got the idea that Chen Mo was trying to hit on Thirteen Sister, he would absolutely come over to kill him.

"Ai~ I'm just joking! But you're putting me, your Big Boss, in a very passive position — I don't even know what to get you in return!"

"Sister Mei, no need to be so formal with me, right? I'm your little brother — are you really going to give me a return gift?"

"Of course I am, otherwise I'd lose too much face! You have to ask for something!"

Chen Mo thought for a moment, then said, "Tell you what, Sister Mei — give me Ah May. My nightclub happens to be short of a mama-san."

With Ruby not back yet, the nightclub couldn't do without a mama-san.

Ah May was the mama-san at the original Chinatown nightclub.

Chen Mo wanted her over purely because she was skilled at managing people — not because of any special talents.

"Alright, I'll have Ah May come find you in a bit. That's it, nothing else you want?"

"That's enough, Sister Mei! Ah May coming over is already a huge help to me!"

"Fine then. But if there's anything you need help with, just say so!"

Thirteen Sister was growing more and more fond of Chen Mo as a little brother.

In her eyes, Chen Mo had ability, ambition, brains, and loyalty — someone like that could rise to the top in any Triad Society.

In private, Thirteen Sister had long since dropped her Big Boss airs and placed the two of them on equal footing.

After hanging up Thirteen Sister's call, Chen Mo drove his new car straight to Jingkun's film company.

To operate on Wang Jiao turf, it was necessary to come pay respects at Jingkun's door.

Jingkun's film company was sizable, occupying two entire floors of a commercial building.

Though it didn't have a huge staff, every role was covered — it already counted as a complete production crew.

The two floors had been renovated by Jingkun into all kinds of sets — bedrooms, offices, hotels, teahouses, you name it — there were even period-drama sets.

Of course, all of it was for shooting Category III films.

When Chen Mo arrived, Jingkun was in his office putting out a fire.

Chen Mo went over to the set and watched for two minutes, burning with envy.

Not over the female lead, but over the entire film company.

Jingkun's whole Qiankun Film operation, even without counting the value of those two floors, was worth tens of millions.

"Ah Mo, any interest in coming over to be my leading man? With your looks, you'd be a smash hit for sure!"

Jingkun came out of his office clutching a fire extinguisher, shouting in his hoarse, broken voice at Chen Mo, who was watching the male and female leads' acting.

"Brother Kun, don't make that kind of joke! I'm a Red Pole now, after all!"

"If I go to shoot a third‑rate film, I'm afraid the older sister will have someone chop me!"

The two walked into the office laughing, and a faint scent of stone magnolia flower still lingered in the office.

"You definitely didn't come to the Three Treasures Hall for nothing. What do you want from me?"

After they sat down, Jingkun got straight to the point.

Although he didn't want to offend Shisanmei, he still had to be superior to Chen Mo in both status and ability.

It's fine to joke a few words with Chen Mo, but he won't place Chen Mo on an equal footing with himself.

Chen Mo had no dissatisfaction with Jingkun's attitude, because that was how it should be.

"Come, Brother Jingkun, let's pay respects at the dock, and by the way bring you a little business."

Chen Mo planned to turn that large shop into a bar.

The location and size of that shop are a bit small for a nightclub; it could only be opened as a restaurant or bar.

Opening a restaurant, Chen Mo is not good at it.

But opening a bar is different.

These Triad Society members deal most often with bars and nightclubs; they already have ready-made liquor channels and hostesses, which couldn't be simpler.

Moreover, if they open a bar, this bar will directly become the largest bar on the surrounding streets.

By then the profit will be several times higher than opening a restaurant.

As for the bar's renovation work, Chen Mo prepared to have Jingkun's people do it.

The material purchases, worker wages, renovation contract quotes, and so on involved in the renovation are good channels for money laundering.

This has led to the fact that basically all building renovations on the whole Gangdao are controlled by the major Triad Societies.

They don't necessarily have to make a lot of money from renovation projects, but they can definitely launder money this way.

Although Jingkun's film company is also used for money laundering, he hasn't given up the renovation work.

Chen Mo had just taken over Nüren Jie, and he didn't have his own construction crew.

Handing the renovation over to Jingkun is just perfect.

Given Jingkun's character, he basically looks down on this small amount of money from renovation.

Not only will he not tamper with the renovation, he might even help Chen Mo save a lot of money.

What a great thing—why not do it?