Noon, at Redstone Café tucked away in a quiet street of Pudong.
Red brick walls, golden light, soft jazz playing in the background. Everything was balanced—neither noisy nor cold. The perfect space for conversations… or bold decisions.
Lin Hao sat at a table near the window. Steam curled lazily from the white porcelain cup in front of him, though his eyes never once rested on the coffee.
Across from him was Tuo Yuan, almost thirty, glasses perched on his nose, carrying an air of intellect. Yet his gaze wavered slightly, seeing the boy before him—barely eighteen.
"You're Lin Hao?"
"Yes." Lin Hao shook his hand. "I want to hear about your company. And I want to invest."
Tuo Yuan frowned faintly.
So young—yet Lin Hao's eyes were still and calm, like an undisturbed lake. He listened to the pitch about the product, the team, the roadmap. Not once did he flinch. Instead, he occasionally interjected with sharp questions that forced Tuo Yuan to pause and reconsider before answering.
Not simple, Tuo Yuan thought, silently reevaluating.
By the end, when Lin Hao proposed one million yuan for fifty percent equity, silence hung between them for nearly a full minute.
This boy hadn't even entered university. Yet, Tuo Yuan knew all too well: NextStep was running on fumes. The project was stalled. His employees had been surviving on instant noodles for two weeks.
Right now, any investor—no matter who—was a lifeline.
"You realize the risk you're taking?" Tuo Yuan adjusted his glasses, voice low.
"I do," Lin Hao answered. "If it succeeds, great. If not, it's tuition. I'm young. I still have time to learn from mistakes."
His gaze was steady—not arrogant, not humble, but carrying the quiet authority of someone accustomed to making decisions.
Tuo Yuan exhaled, then nodded.
"Alright. We need the capital. You need experience. Let's hope for a good partnership."
They signed the contract right there at the table.
Outside, the autumn breeze off the Huangpu River carried a faint salty dampness. Sunlight struck the glass towers, scattering in blinding brilliance.
Lin Hao stepped out of the café, a folder tucked neatly under his arm.
No one noticed the eighteen-year-old boy who had just signed his first investment contract.
No one knew… he wasn't merely stepping into the business world. He had also quietly chosen a proud, cold-eyed woman as the rival he intended to surpass.
That evening—at home.
Dinner, as usual, was warm and simple. Dishes spread across the table under the honeyed glow of the overhead lights.
Lin Zhi Yong—the calm father—peered at his son over the rim of his reading glasses.
"I heard from your mother you've chosen economics as your major?"
"Yes."
"Study properly. Don't call staring at stock apps 'market research.'"
Lin Hao smiled faintly and nodded.
"I understand."
Madam Wu Yue Lan set down a bowl of soup, her eyes soft.
"I worry you're diving into investments too early. You're only eighteen… you should still live like a teenager."
"I live young enough, Mom. I just want to try being a little older."
"Then you'd better keep your promises!" Xiao Ning piped up, narrowing her eyes. "You promised me a birthday present!"
"What do you want?"
"A model robot set. Eight hundred yuan!"
"You're investing a million at eighteen but haggling over eight hundred with your sister? Are you even my brother?!"
Lin Hao set his chopsticks down and looked at her seriously.
"One: the robot. Two: shares in a game company. Pick one."
"I want both!"
"Then change your surname."
"Dad! Mom! He's bullying me and trying to strip me of the family name!"
Wu Yue Lan laughed, pulling her daughter close.
"Enough. Don't fuss. Your brother may calculate everything, but he's softest when it comes to you."
Xiao Ning pouted, muttering under her breath.
"Soft? More like traps hidden under that smile…"
Lin Zhi Yong propped his chin on one hand, watching his children bicker, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"By the way… your mother doesn't know what contract you signed yet, does she?"
Wu Yue Lan immediately turned.
"What contract?"
Lin Hao: "…"
Xiao Ning—chewing her rice, hand shooting up like lightning:
"I know! I saw him with a thick folder! With red stamps and signatures!"
"If you made a reckless investment, you're grounded," his mother said half-joking, though her eyes searched his face carefully.
"No. I invested in the right person."
Lin Zhi Yong sipped his tea, his tone casual but edged.
"Just hope it's not… the right woman."
"… "
Xiao Ning burst into laughter, nearly choking on her rice.
"Dad, that was perfect! You're hilarious!"
"Mom! Did you hear? Dad's actually adorable!"
Wu Yue Lan arched a brow.
"So you didn't invest because of some girl, right?"
"No." Lin Hao's voice was calm. Then he added, with the faintest curl of a smile:
"But if I did… she'd be the one trapped by me, not the other way around."
The table froze for a beat.
Only Xiao Ning recovered quickly, blurting out:
"What kind of trap is that? You sound like a romance novel villain! No one would ever fall for you with that sharp tongue!"
Lin Hao chuckled, offering no rebuttal.
Because in his mind, the image had already returned—the woman from that night. Proud. Cold. Driving him out without a backward glance.
Next time we meet… I'll be the one setting the terms.