This torment lasted a full half hour.
When Gu Chen stood before the full-length mirror wearing ten-centimeter red-soled stiletto heels, he felt that the Young Master Gu who once commanded the wind and rain in Beijing had died so thoroughly that not even a scrap remained.
The person in the mirror possessed naturally seductive bones.
Her sleek black hair was tied up neatly, exuding a cold, gorgeous charm mixed with an ascetic allure that made one want to commit crimes.
“Stunning.”
Qin Hongyi pressed up from behind, fingers threading through Gu Chen’s hair.
“Let’s go take back what belongs to us.”
Half an hour later at Qin Corporation Headquarters.
After Qin Mu was kicked out, the Qin Group looked like a giant whale that had lost too much blood.
Even though Gu Chen had stabilized the stock price the previous night, the internal management was already rotten to the core.
Several old foxes from Beijing’s elite circles sat in the conference room, ready to take advantage of the fire.
Leading them was the Wang family’s second son, Wang Teng.
This guy used to not even dare fart loudly in front of Gu Chen.
Now here he was, dressed up properly and flipping through the acquisition proposal.
“President Qin, Qin Corporation’s current funding gap is as high as thirty billion. What are you going to use to fill it?”
Wang Teng sat with his legs crossed, his restless eyes constantly sweeping over Gu Chen behind Qin Hongyi.
He clearly didn’t recognize that this beauty he was lusting after was the Young Master Gu who could decide his life or death.
“What a gorgeous little chick.” Wang Teng licked his lips.
“President Qin, I can invest the money, but can you lend this little secretary to me for a couple of days?”
Qin Hongyi’s gaze instantly turned cold. Her hand had already moved toward the tactical knife under the table.
But Gu Chen acted faster.
He didn’t waste any words.
Casually flipping open the joint venture proposal on the table, his gaze sharp as a blade, he read ten lines at a glance.
“Page three, clause six—offshore trust hedging at a 12% premium. Are you treating Qin Corporation like a pig ready for slaughter?” Gu Chen spoke.
His voice remained soft and charming, yet the absolute sense of control in his tone made every old fox in the room’s heart tremble.
“Wang Teng, are you slaughtering Qin Corporation like a pig, or are you playing your father for a fool?”
Wang Teng was stunned. Before he could retort, Gu Chen’s attacks came like a barrage of cannon fire.
“Chapter four on patent licensing cross-immunity—you buried two low-level loopholes. Wang Teng, if your father finds out you used the Wang family’s three logistics stations in Beimei as stakes, he will break your dog legs on the spot.”
Gu Chen closed the contract and swept his eyes over Wang Teng like he was looking at garbage.
“Are you throwing this piece of trash full of holes in the Wang family’s face?”
The conference room fell so quiet one could hear breathing.
Qin Hongyi raised an eyebrow and leaned back in the main seat with an expression that clearly said she was enjoying the show.
Wang Teng’s face couldn’t hold. In shame and rage, he slammed the table and stood up: “Who the hell do you think you are, lecturing me here?”
He reached out to grab Gu Chen by the collar.
Gu Chen didn’t dodge.
He didn’t need to.
Su Rou, who had been standing motionless behind Gu Chen like a statue, moved.
No one saw her action clearly.
They only heard a dull thud.
Before Wang Teng’s hand could touch Gu Chen, Su Rou grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him into the air.
Then came the sounds of bones dislocating and a heart-wrenching scream.
Su Rou didn’t kill him—she remembered Gu Chen’s morning instruction to “keep a low profile.”
So she carried Wang Teng with an expressionless face into the bathroom.
Two seconds later.
The loud sound of a toilet flushing came from inside, along with Wang Teng’s muffled cries for help.
Su Rou walked out clapping her hands and returned to stand behind Gu Chen.
The black lotus mark on her forehead flickered slightly, as if seeking praise.
Gu Chen’s eyelid twitched.
“Continue,” he tapped the tabletop, his tone flat.
“Regarding the hundred-billion order reorganization agreement, I’m giving you three minutes. After three minutes, anyone who hasn’t finished signing will take Young Master Wang as their example.”
The remaining people exchanged glances. Cold sweat poured down the backs of their necks.
They had never seen such a combination before—a beauty like a temptress paired with the methods of a madman.
Two minutes and fifty seconds later.
All contracts for the thirty-billion capital recovery and resource integration were completely signed.
Gu Chen casually tossed the pen onto the table and looked at Qin Hongyi.
“The contracts are signed. When will my 5% shares be transferred to my account?”
Qin Hongyi stood up.
In front of everyone, she reached out to straighten the slightly loosened buttons on his suit.
“What’s the rush?” She leaned close to his ear, her breath fragrant.
“You performed so well today. I’ll have to give you an extra meal tonight.”
Gu Chen cursed inwardly while maintaining a cold, professional smile on his face.
As they exited the conference room, Gu Chen coldly glanced at Wang Teng, who was still vomiting violently by the bathroom door.
“Su Rou.”
Su Rou immediately perked up.
“Next time when you stuff someone like this away, remember to press the lid down tight so he doesn’t come out and pollute the air.”
“Yes, Master.” Su Rou replied obediently.
Qin Hongyi walked ahead.
Gu Chen followed behind, tugging at the painfully tight stockings around his thighs.
“President Qin, I want to eat at that private restaurant in Xidan—the one that doesn’t offer discounts,” Gu Chen suddenly said.
“Sure. You can pay with your dividends,” Qin Hongyi answered without turning her head.
“Might as well choke you to death with your stinginess.”
This pointless bickering actually made Gu Chen feel that this damned human world wasn’t so terrible after all.
Xidan, Listening Rain Pavilion.
This place had an unwritten rule: it didn’t recognize money, only faces.
Without that gilded old membership card, even if you dumped several sacks of cash at the entrance, you could only stand outside and smell the braised sea cucumber with scallions wafting out.
But that rule was worthless in front of Qin Hongyi.
Her face was the pass. The murderous aura surrounding her worked better than any membership card.
The lobby manager was a sharp-eyed veteran. He spotted them from afar and hurried forward with a smile: “President Qin, it’s been quite some time since you last visited. The usual?”
Qin Hongyi didn’t respond. She stepped aside, letting the person behind her take the lead.
Gu Chen walked steadily in his high heels.
Ignoring the manager’s stunned, admiring gaze, he headed straight inside. As he passed the counter, his slender fingers tapped twice on the rosewood surface.
“The yellow croaker must be wild-caught, over three catties. Don’t try to fool my tongue with farmed fish. Also, bring up that jar of ten-year Daughter’s Red from the cellar.”
The manager was stunned.
This demanding taste, this rhythm of tapping the table, and this commanding tone were exactly like the Gu family crown prince who had supposedly “passed away.”
“This young lady is…”
“Just do as you’re told. Why so much nonsense?” Qin Hongyi shot him a cold glance.
The manager didn’t dare ask further and retreated while wiping sweat.
The private room was the Heavenly Suite—Gu Chen’s former permanent reservation.
The three of them sat down.
The men’s suit on Su Rou was obviously one size too big and hung loosely on her body.
She squatted on the grandmaster chair like a wild monkey that had entered a grand garden, her claws restlessly picking at the carvings on the table.
“Sit properly.”
Gu Chen tapped the back of her hand with the tip of his chopsticks.
“That’s rosewood. If you damage it, selling you wouldn’t be enough to compensate.”
Su Rou withdrew her hand, put her finger in her mouth with a wronged expression, and mumbled unclearly, “Hungry… meat…”
“Pathetic.” Gu Chen tossed the menu aside.
The dishes arrived quickly.
While they were eating, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open.
Even a refined establishment like Listening Rain Pavilion couldn’t stop those nouveau riche who got drunk on cat piss and lost all direction.
The intruder was a fat man in a shiny suit, his face full of greasy, reflective flesh.
He carried a wine decanter in one hand, followed by two or three fawning lackeys.
“Aiyo, I heard the manager say President Qin was here. I didn’t believe it at first.”
The fat man burped, swaying as he walked over.
His beady eyes roamed over Qin Hongyi once before locking firmly onto Gu Chen’s face, practically drooling.
“This one looks new. President Qin, which family’s newcomer is this? Absolutely stunning.”
The knife Qin Hongyi was using to cut her steak stopped.
Gu Chen didn’t even lift his eyelids.
He continued picking fish bones at a leisurely pace: “Zhao San, it’s been a few years. Have you made your fortune by begging now?”
The man called Zhao San froze.
This nickname—only the top figures from the old circle dared to call him that to his face.
Nowadays, who outside didn’t respectfully call him Third Master Zhao?
He narrowed his eyes and, fueled by alcohol, leaned closer: “Beauty, do we know each other?”
Gu Chen smiled.
He put down his chopsticks, picked up the wet towel beside him, and wiped his fingers one by one.
“You think you’re worthy?”
Three light words. Low damage, extremely high insult.
Zhao San’s face instantly turned the color of pig liver.
He had mixed in Beijing’s circles for so many years.
Aside from that dead ghost Gu Chen, no one had ever dared humiliate him like this.
“Little girl, you’ve got quite a sharp mouth.”
Zhao San grinned viciously and slammed the decanter onto the table.
“Since President Qin is here today, I’ll give her face. Come, drink this cup. Let’s make friends.”
As he spoke, he grabbed the wine glass in front of Gu Chen and poured red wine into it until it overflowed, spilling all over the table.