TMCOC CH 1

Chapter 1: Tell Me, Cash or Check? (I)

“Tell me—cash or check?”

The top floor office of the Wei Corporation had just been broken into. The security guards outside were practically decorations, uselessly chasing after the intruder.

The CEO, who had been interrupted, slowly lifted his head from the documents in his hand. That unhurried movement only made the man standing before him even more irritated—a well-defined, slender hand, so beautiful it made people want to touch it, came down and slapped the stack of documents flat on the desk.

Wei Gaochen sighed softly, halting his work in resignation. With his other hand, he discreetly closed the phone beside him—the one that had, just moments ago, been showing a live news broadcast. And the man who had appeared on that screen… was now standing right in front of him, as if a paper figure had broken through the wall between dimensions.

Wei Gaochen smoothed the wrinkled papers and looked up with a mild smile. “What brings President Du here? Don’t tell me it’s about that tiny, insignificant case—the one our Wei Corporation snatched for only a few million?”

“…You looking for death?”

The documents pinned under the man’s palm instantly became a crumpled mess.

Outside the door, the secretary stopped the guards from barging in. She knocked calmly.

“President Wei, shall I bring in some coffee?”

“President Du, black coffee?” Wei Gaochen leaned toward the door. “Anna, make it a cup with no sugar—”

“Get lost.”

But before he could finish, his chin was caught and turned back forcefully. The furious President Du glared at the secretary so sharply that she immediately logged herself out of the office scene.

The ever-efficient secretary gave a brief nod and, as calmly as ever, closed the door behind her.

Now, only two CEOs remained in the room.

Wei Gaochen had no choice but to refocus his gaze on the man before him. The tailored suit emphasized his excellent physique—tsk, tsk. Look at those broad shoulders, the solid chest beneath that dress shirt. Can’t touch, but he’d bet on six abs… no, maybe eight.

Wei Gaochen squinted slightly and looked up higher.

If the body was already a bonus, then that face was a perfect score.

Sharp features, thin lips, and eyes that even when simmering with restrained anger, didn’t lose their allure—if anything, the cold edge only made him more dangerously handsome.

The man’s voice came again, low and rough by his ear.

“One sentence—how much do you want?” His voice was deep, seductive enough to host a midnight radio show. “Wei Gaochen, I’ll give you one chance. Tell me, cash or check?”

—You.

Wei Gaochen almost blurted it out. As a hardworking CEO, he knew how these melodramatic scripts went.

But instead, he merely blinked leisurely and curved his lips into a subtle smile, brushing the other man’s hand away.

“President Du, you just finished your press conference. Are you here to start another show?”

Du Linghe felt the veins on his forehead twitch again. Meanwhile, the young man before him crossed his legs in a picture-perfect CEO pose—pity that his pale skin, still marked by faint fingerprints on his chin, looked a little too delicate to pull off the domineering image completely.

“Though I’ve said before that the doors of Wei Corporation are always open to you,” Wei Gaochen went on cheerfully, “that offer comes with one condition—only if you bring Du Corporation’s shares with you. After all, our shareholders hate your company so much they’d probably like to tear you apart and swallow the bones.”

He smiled wider. “But don’t worry too much. Personally, I’m quite happy to welcome you.”

Du Linghe took several deep breaths to calm the urge to punch that infuriatingly handsome face—what on earth was this man trying to do…

How could this man sit there with that expression—like someone who’d never been punched in his entire life?

It wasn’t the first time Du Linghe had thought this. Ever since the Wei Corporation appeared in their business circle, tragedy had followed.

The Du Group, a company that had stood for three generations, had never suffered such heavy losses.

Looking back on the past year—it had been a hellish grind that made every Du employee silently shed tears of exhaustion. The overtime hours were endless, the electric bills astronomical, all because of the endless messes caused by Wei Corporation’s constant interference.

The board of directors had called emergency meetings more times than anyone could count, all to find a way to stop the bleeding—and though the holes were eventually patched, Wei Corporation kept gleefully poking new ones, each more irritating than the last.

The worst part? Despite being a young, self-made company, no matter what tactics Du Group used, Wei Corporation just wouldn’t die.

It wasn’t like they hadn’t been prepared for competition in the same industry—but you can only guard against fair rivals, not shameless ones.

Time and time again—Deals that were practically in their grasp were snatched away by the same meddling man in front of him. Multi-billion contracts turned into playthings, jokes for him to toy with.

Once, fine—it was Du’s missed opportunity. Twice—maybe they were short on capital. But three times… four times…

This was nothing short of deliberate provocation.

And in the end, Wei Corporation clawed its way to the top, monopolizing the entire acquisition pipeline, and had the nerve to stand as Du Group’s equal.

Proper upbringing was the only thing keeping Du Linghe from cursing out loud. When a real CEO got angry, it wasn’t loud—it was low, dark, and carried a weight that made everyone around instinctively hold their breath.

He reached across Wei Gaochen’s desk with his long arm, grabbed the other man’s tie, and yanked hard in a motion that defied all logic.

Dragged forward, Wei Gaochen raised a brow in faint surprise. His eyes met that chiseled face now dangerously close to his own—up close, even better looking. Flawless. Handsome.

“You’ve crossed the line this time.” The words squeezed through Du Linghe’s clenched teeth, every syllable sounding like he might throw the man out the window at any second.

“This project might be small to you, but you knew perfectly well the Orzhou development plan belonged to Du Group. You deliberately stole it. If we can’t secure the next quarter’s results, our stock will take a hit. You’re a businessman too—if Wei Corporation wants to survive in this field, I suggest you stop pushing your luck.”

Wei Gaochen (thinking): Wow, I’m so scared.

Outwardly, Wei Gaochen’s expression didn’t change, but inside, he was thoroughly enjoying the sound of President Du’s baritone scolding—his mind wandering as he counted the surprisingly long lashes framing that furious gaze.

Du Linghe was exactly his type—every move hit right on his G-spot. Even earlier, when he’d been sneaking a look at the live press conference on his phone, just watching Du Linghe sternly reading the quarterly report in that low, strict tone… had been enough to make him think about having a little “extra dish” with dinner tonight.

Well, daydreaming isn’t illegal. This was pure, platonic appreciation.

Though his inner thoughts were running wild, Wei Gaochen’s posture remained every bit the composed CEO. He smiled lightly, then casually brushed off Du Linghe’s hand.

“You know me—I don’t have many hobbies,” he said mildly. “The only thing that interests me is acquiring companies. I buy them and toss them aside; management’s not really my strong suit. But if you want me to hand this project over, it’s not impossible. I accept both cash and checks—depends on how much President Du’s willing to pay.”

Leaning back in his chair again, Wei Gaochen rested his chin on his hand, smiling with that same infuriating calm. His light-colored eyes reflected Du Linghe’s dark, stormy expression.

Sunlight spilled through the tall windows, outlining Wei Gaochen’s frame. His smile looked harmless, gentle—even approachable.

“Or,” he added, raising his hand and pinching his fingers close together, “if you’d like to offer yourself as collateral, I could consider that too.”

“After all, acquiring a CEO has always been one of my life goals.”

Of course, nine out of ten things that came out of this man’s mouth were enough to make anyone’s blood pressure spike.

(To be continued…)

Translator’s Note:

Oh my gosh, this first chapter comes in way too strong, hahaha! 😂 Wei Gaochen, you shameless man, you’ve already stolen the spotlight—and it’s only Chapter 1! The way he acts so bold and confident like he owns the world… I can’t even! 🤭

I’m so looking forward to translating the next chapters! If Chapter 1 already starts like this, I can only imagine how wild things are going to get later on. I’m seriously so excited for this novel—let’s buckle up for a fun ride together! 💕