Inside the CEO’s Office of Chu Group
Chu Mingchen looked at the message Chu Lingyi had sent on his phone and pressed the intercom, his voice as cold as a blade. “Assistant Zhang, come in.”
Assistant Zhang entered and asked respectfully, “Mr. Chu, what are your instructions?”
“I’ve sent you the information of a person. Investigate them.”
“Yes, Mr. Chu,” Assistant Zhang nodded in acknowledgment.
“Additionally,” Chu Mingchen said icily, “look into who Fu Huaixu has been in contact with recently…”
“Understood.” Assistant Zhang accepted the order and left, the office door closing softly behind him.
“You may go.”
Although he disliked Fu Huaixu’s arrogant demeanor that looked down on everyone, he had to admit that the man was indeed capable in business—even more so than the late Old Mr. Fu, who had once dominated the business world.
Since taking over Fu Group, Fu Huaixu had doubled its stock price in just a few years, not to mention his private ventures, whose combined market value already exceeded that of Fu Group.
It was precisely for this reason that if Lingyi could successfully marry into the Fu family, the resources and benefits the Chu family could obtain would far exceed their expectations.
Fu Family Old Mansion
For the convenience of Old Mrs. Fu, the birthday banquet for Third Uncle Fu Linchuan was held at the old mansion.
Old Mrs. Fu had given birth to three sons. The eldest son was frail from birth and passed away at the age of ten.
The second son, Fu Linzhou—Fu Huaixu’s biological father—had a son and a daughter with Mu Manmei. Their younger daughter, Fu Yuyan, was twenty-three years old.
Fu Huaixu was twenty-six. Because he resembled his late eldest uncle, he was particularly doted on by Old Mrs. Fu and Old Mr. Fu, though Old Mr. Fu had passed away six years ago.
The third son, Fu Linchuan, was married to Li Qing and had two sons. The elder son, Fu Jinnian, was two years younger than Fu Huaixu and currently served as the general manager of a subsidiary. The younger son, Fu Jin’an, had just graduated this year and was working in an entry-level position within the group.
When Fu Huaixu entered the old mansion’s reception hall, Mu Manmei shot him a sidelong glance, her tone filled with displeasure. “Didn’t I ask Lingyi to find you? I told you to bring her along.”
“Lingyi even humbled herself to go to you, and you drove her out, even scolding her until she cried. The Chu family is definitely going to hold a grudge against you.”
She had watched Chu Lingyi grow up, and the two families were old friends. Whether it was her appearance, education, family background, or temperament, Lingyi was exceptional in every way—gentle, sensible, and flawless.
Fu Huaixu let out a derisive laugh. “She was the one shamelessly seeking me out. When have I ever paid her any attention? What does their grudge have to do with me?”
“I’ve said it before: who sits in the position of Mrs. Fu is for me alone to decide.”
He tugged at his tie, his tone dripping with casual sarcasm. “Besides, instead of meddling in my affairs, why don’t you focus on managing my father? Stop him from fooling around outside all the time. The ‘sisters’ he keeps bringing back for you could fill several mahjong tables by now.”
Fu Linzhou, sitting on the nearby sofa, choked on his tea and coughed lightly, giving Fu Huaixu a look that hinted he should at least save some face for his father.
Mu Manmei was left speechless, her face alternating between shades of green and white. In the end, she could only glare fiercely at Fu Huaixu before turning her head away and falling silent.
Fu Yuyan had long been fed up with her brother’s arrogant, dismissive attitude. Her tone carried a hint of self-righteous admonishment: “Brother, Lingyi is so wonderful. Aren’t you being too ungrateful?”
“What? Since when is it your place to lecture me?” Fu Huaixu’s gaze swept over her like an icy blade, his voice laced with coldness. “You and our dear father are truly cut from the same cloth. At such a young age, you’ve already started learning how to keep a toy boy, and how much money have you wasted throwing it at those minor celebrities? Don’t you have any shame?”
Having her private affairs exposed in public, Fu Yuyan’s face flushed crimson instantly. She opened her mouth but could only stammer out two words after a long pause: “I—I—”
Li Qing, who had been sitting quietly to the side, suddenly spoke up. She adopted a kindly demeanor, as if concerned for the younger generation, yet her tone held a hint of schadenfreude: “Yuyan, how could you be so reckless? A young lady should maintain her purity and dignity. This reflects poorly on the Fu family’s upbringing. What respectable young master from a prominent family would dare marry you in the future? And Huaixu, you’re not getting any younger. If you still haven’t found a suitable match, you really should consider Lingyi. She’s devoted to you, and that’s such a good thing.”
“Yes, Huaixu,” Fu Linchuan chimed in, his calculations transparent. “If you marry her, an alliance with the Chu family would not only elevate the Fu Corporation to new heights, but that girl has a good temperament and is a renowned painter. She would absolutely make an excellent supportive wife.”
Fu Huaixu lazily leaned back against the sofa, the corner of his eye lifting slightly as he smiled with unrestrained nonchalance: “Do you know why some people live long lives? Because they know better than to meddle in other people’s business. Third Uncle, if you’re so envious of the Chu family’s support, why don’t you marry her yourself? I wouldn’t mind having another aunt. For the future development of the Fu Corporation, Third Aunt surely wouldn’t mind, right?”
Fu Linchuan’s face turned a mottled red and green from being shut down. Furious, his fingers trembled and his chest heaved violently. “How dare you! I am your elder! Is this any way to speak to your elders?”
“What nonsense are you spouting?” Li Qing’s expression instantly changed.
“Who has the final say in the Fu family now? Don’t you have any idea?” Fu Huaixu nudged the coffee table with his foot, his gaze sweeping over Fu Linchuan and his wife, a mocking smile curling at the corner of his mouth. “Third Uncle, Third Aunt, your two precious sons are still trying to make a living under me. If I ever get displeased, I could just send them both off to dig for minerals in F Province.”
The faces of Fu Linchuan and his wife instantly turned ashen. The curses on the tips of their tongues were forcibly swallowed back—they knew all too well Fu Huaixu’s nature of following through on his words. If they truly angered him, their sons’ futures would be completely ruined.
Fu Jinnian and Fu Jin’an, sitting to the side, nervously tugged at Fu Linchuan and his wife, urging them to stop talking.
As for the other members of the Fu family branch, they didn’t even dare to speak. They understood Fu Huaixu’s methods. Whoever displeased him would face retaliation a hundredfold.
“You think just because you sit in the seat of power, you can dominate the Fu family single-handedly?” Fu Linzhou’s temples bulged with rage. He slammed his palm down on the coffee table, causing the cups and saucers to clatter loudly. He had long been disgusted by Fu Huaixu’s arrogant, dismissive attitude.
An icy chill spread from the corners of Fu Huaixu’s eyes. He suddenly let out a derisive laugh. “My dear father, to hold this position securely, I certainly have the capability. What, have you forgotten the fate of that bastard of yours five years ago? Weren’t you also powerless to do anything to me?”
“You unfilial son! You heartless, ungrateful wretch—” Fu Linzhou trembled all over like a sieve, raising a hand to point at Fu Huaixu, his fingertips shaking so violently he couldn’t utter another complete sentence for a long time.
Five years ago, when Fu Huaixu had just returned, he had ruthlessly snatched the position of head of the family from his hands. Because he had been too lax in discipline since childhood and was difficult to control, Fu Linzhou had brought back the child from outside to groom, only to have Fu Huaixu break both his legs and send him abroad, condemning him to a lifetime confined to a wheelchair.
Fu Huaixu’s sharp gaze swept across the varied expressions on every face present like a blade forged in ice, his voice cold and resolute:
“From now on, you’d better not even think of interfering in my affairs. If you truly anger me, don’t blame me for showing no mercy. I’ll dissolve the Fu Group outright, and you can all go drink the northwest wind. I mean what I say.”
As soon as the words fell, he didn’t bother sparing them another glance, turning to walk out—looking at the hypocritical faces of this family, each harboring their own ulterior motives, he felt sick enough to vomit up yesterday’s meal.
Left behind, the Fu family fell instantly silent. They all knew that Fu Huaixu privately held countless businesses; the Fu Group was merely a bonus for him.