After the Rothschild family meeting concluded, Alexander followed his father back toward the study in silence.
His face was grim. The pressure from the other departments of the family had been overwhelming. They'd cornered him politically—threatening separation, division of profits, and outright replacement—until he had no choice but to compromise.
Roche had managed to survive for over 250 years. The key reason was its ancestral discipline: unite as one, no infighting. While internal tensions still existed, they were always controlled. When necessary, someone would sacrifice their own interest for the greater good.
Now, Alexander was that person.
And, truthfully, the others did have reasons to push back. Because of his decisions, some of the family's core businesses had suffered heavy losses.
Once inside the study, Alexander broke the silence.
"Father, I'm sorry," he said quietly.
David Rothschild stopped walking and looked at his son. "Why are you apologizing?" he asked without hesitation.
Alexander paused, then frowned. "I… don't know. I just feel responsible."
David's gaze was steady. "If you haven't done anything wrong, then there's nothing to apologize for."
Alexander fell silent for a moment, then admitted, "I shouldn't have made that promise."
He was referring, of course, to the agreement to raise the bank's profits by 25% in a year and a half. If he failed, he would step down as heir.
"That promise…" he continued, "puts us at real risk. If we lose control of the bank, we lose Roche's most powerful position."
David raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you can meet the target?"
"To be honest," Alexander sighed, "I'm not sure."
In the banking world, achieving even a 10% annual profit increase is already considered excellent. A 25% jump in just 18 months—especially in the current market conditions—was nearly impossible.
David studied his son for a moment. "If you lack confidence in yourself, it's better to retreat now and salvage what you can. But if you truly believe in your decision, don't back down. If the decision maker doubts himself, why should anyone else believe in him?"
Alexander's expression grew determined. "I want to try. I believe in this path. My instincts tell me the future lies in China. Our cooperation with the Marching Ant Company could take our bank to heights no one imagined."
David's stern face finally relaxed slightly. He nodded.
"Then do it," he said. "Even if it turns out to be the wrong road, remember—sometimes there are shortcuts on the wrong path that lead you to the right place."
He clapped Alexander gently on the shoulder.
"I entrusted the bank to you because I believe in your ability to make it grow. Don't make me regret that."
"I won't," Alexander said with quiet determination.
David smiled faintly. "So, what's your plan?"
"Continue expanding our cooperation with Marching Ants. I'll cancel some of our weaker investment projects and redirect funds to areas aligned with Marching Ant's ecosystem."
David looked surprised. "You're really going all in?"
Alexander nodded. "Yes. I've seen something at Marching Ant… something that convinced me this gamble is worth it."
He took a deep breath.
"I saw the future."
Meanwhile, in a hospital ward at Southern Medical, Zhou Man stood in front of a mirror, staring in wonder at her reflection. A bright smile lit up her face as she glanced down at her now-proudly curved chest.
As a woman, she'd always felt self-conscious about her figure. Her looks were otherwise attractive, but her underdeveloped chest had been a lifelong source of insecurity—and a reason, she believed, her ex-boyfriend lost interest in her.
After their breakup, she decided to pursue enhancement surgery. But instead, she discovered a clinical trial being conducted at Southern Medical Hospital. A natural drug, made from traditional Chinese medicine, was being tested for breast enhancement. It was backed by a reputable institution and had good word of mouth.
She signed up.
Shortly after starting the treatment, she experienced swelling and tenderness—symptoms that initially scared her. But the doctors assured her it was normal: the medication was working.
Every time she showered, she saw real changes in the mirror. Day by day, her confidence grew.
And today, her final physical check-up had confirmed it.
"All test results are normal. Your body's healthy, and your breast tissue is developing naturally. Congratulations," the doctor said with a smile.
Zhou Man beamed with joy.
Elsewhere in the hospital, the research team behind the clinical trial was celebrating quietly.
Shi Lin, team leader of the project, was visibly emotional. The successful completion of the trial meant more than just a professional win—it meant fulfilling a mission entrusted to him by Chen Mo himself.
Years ago, Jianghe Pharmaceutical and Lanhong Pharmaceutical were both acquired by Marching Ant Company due to their stagnant growth. After restructuring, they merged into what was now Jianghe Pharmaceutical—a testbed for Marching Ant's foray into medicine.
Shi Lin, previously the head of drug R&D at Lanhong, now led one of the new drug teams under the Marching Ant umbrella.
He still remembered the day he met Chen Mo.
Back then, he never imagined that the young tech genius would personally hand them several experimental formulas and task them with refining and testing them. One of those prescriptions had been for this very drug: a breast enhancement agent made entirely from Chinese herbs.
Shi Lin specialized in traditional medicine, so it was only natural he took charge of the project.
To his surprise, the prescription was already nearly perfect. All his team had to do was validate it.
After submitting the paperwork and gaining regulatory approval, the team began recruiting volunteers. Because it was a topical, external-use medicine, testing progressed quickly and safely.
During Phase I, they identified dosage parameters.
During Phase II, they observed remarkable results—almost all volunteers showed measurable improvement in chest circumference.
Now, Phase III—the large-scale, randomized, double-blind trial—had been completed successfully.
The final subject was confirmed healthy. They had enough data to submit a drug registration application.
For Shi Lin and his team, this was a breakthrough.
Jianghe Pharmaceutical had always been the underperformer among Marching Ant's subsidiaries. Despite profitability, their quarterly earnings were consistently at the bottom of the list.
Now, that was about to change.
This single product had the potential to cause a market sensation. A safe, natural, non-surgical enhancement drug for women? The demand would be massive.
And this wasn't their only success.
Other research teams under Shi Lin had been progressing well on different medications—thanks to more of Chen Mo's strange, impossibly effective prescriptions.
Shi Lin couldn't hide his admiration anymore. He looked up to the Marching Ant CEO like a mythical figure. The man wasn't just a tech genius—he might be a medical prodigy too.
Turning to his assistant, Shi Lin's voice was steady, but filled with barely suppressed excitement.
"Inform Manager Hou immediately. Tell him the clinical trial has succeeded."