A week later, at the Fu Corporation headquarters.
It stood in the most prosperous financial district of the capital city.
The eighty-eight-story skyscraper was the tallest building in the city and the ultimate aspiration of countless working professionals.
To enter Fu Corporation meant top-tier compensation and year-end bonuses in the industry, a resume that would make the entire family proud, and the chance to see with one’s own eyes that legendary figure.
Fu Linzhou.
Three years ago, he was still just the young master of the Fu family. His father was gravely ill, the family was in turmoil, and everyone was waiting to watch him get devoured alive by his uncles.
Three years later, he was the sole power holder of Fu Corporation. He had purged all opposing forces, consolidated authority in his own hands, and expanded the business empire several times over.
In news reports, he was a business prodigy—ruthless and decisive in his methods, with a capital accumulation speed that left people dumbfounded.
Those who had once doubted him now trembled at his feet.
Take, for example, Su Mingyuan, who now stood before the Fu Corporation building.
He was Su Qingsi’s father and the current head of the Su family.
Su Mingyuan looked up at the towering skyscraper, his heart a jumble of mixed emotions.
When the Fu family had been in turmoil three years ago, he had been the first to draw a clear line of separation, sending his daughter abroad.
Back then, he had thought Fu Linzhou was finished, and the Su family couldn’t afford to be dragged down with him.
But who could have imagined that not only did that young man not fall, he had brought the Fu family to unprecedented heights in just three short years.
If Sisi hadn’t broken up with him back then, if the Su family hadn’t stood by and done nothing, the Su family could have hitched itself to the Fu family and risen straight to the top.
Su Mingyuan sighed and pushed those thoughts aside.
There were no “ifs.”
Now the Su family was on the decline. Several projects had their capital chains broken, and those outside investors were trimming their sails, all hiding away and refusing to help.
The only one he could turn to was Fu Linzhou.
“President Su, this way, please.”
The receptionist’s smile was perfectly standard as she led him to the private elevator.
The top floor. The CEO’s office.
The executive secretary greeted him with a respectful smile and handed him a cup of tea: “President Su, President Fu is in a meeting. Please wait a moment.”
Su Mingyuan sat on the sofa in the reception area, hands clasped together, somewhat ill at ease.
He noticed the look in the executive secretary’s eyes—polite on the surface, but with contempt hidden underneath.
Well, who didn’t know what the Su family had done back then?
When the Fu family ran into trouble, the Su family immediately drew a line of separation, and the Su family’s daughter couldn’t wait to break up and go abroad.
Now that they saw President Fu’s power had grown, they shamelessly came crawling back to curry favor.
Su Mingyuan could guess what the executive secretary was thinking.
But he had no choice. The Su family couldn’t fall.
After waiting about half an hour, the executive secretary finally came over: “President Su, President Fu will see you now.”
Fu Linzhou’s office was enormous, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire city.
He sat in a black leather chair and, hearing the footsteps, looked up.
“Uncle Su, have a seat.”
Su Mingyuan sat down across from him, studying the young man before him.
Fu Linzhou was twenty-seven this year, dressed in a dark gray suit. His features were cold and sharp, his bearing steady and composed—no trace of his younger self remained.
He was a true power holder now.
“Linzhou, ah.” Su Mingyuan spoke, trying to make his tone sound warm and familiar.
“Long time no see. If your father were still here, seeing you like this, he would be very proud.”
There was no ripple in Fu Linzhou’s eyes. “Uncle Su, is there something you need?”
Su Mingyuan was caught off guard by his bluntness.
He cleared his throat and put on a fawning smile. “It’s like this—the Su Family has a few projects recently, and we’ve run into some issues with our capital chain.”
“I was thinking, since our two families have been close for generations, and your father and I were old friends back in the day, I wanted to ask—would Fu Corporation be interested in investing?”
Fu Linzhou tapped his fingers lightly on the desk.
When he spoke, his voice was all business. “Uncle Su, I’ve looked over the materials on the Su Family’s projects.”
“The return rate is too low, the risk is too high. There’s nothing there worth Fu Corporation’s investment.”
Su Mingyuan’s face went pale. “Linzhou, we can negotiate. Name your terms—the Su Family can accept anything…”
“It’s not a matter of money.” Fu Linzhou cut him off.
“It’s a matter of the projects themselves.”
“The Su Family has been on the decline these past few years—not because of a lack of funds, but because of poor decision-making.”
“No matter how much money you pour in, it’ll just go down the drain.”
He said it plainly, without pulling any punches.
Su Mingyuan clenched his fists.
He remembered three years ago, when Fu Linzhou’s father lay on his sickbed, holding his hand, begging him to help Linzhou.
What had he said back then?
“Old Fu, it’s not that I won’t help—it’s that the Su Family has its own troubles.”
And then he’d turned around and sent his daughter abroad, cutting all ties with the Fu Family.
Now, the tables had turned.
Su Mingyuan spoke humbly. “Linzhou, the Su Family can’t go bankrupt. Just consider my friendship with your father—or even for Sisi’s sake—please help me.”
Fu Linzhou’s gaze darkened. “Uncle Su, business is business. Friendship is friendship. Let’s keep them separate.”
Su Mingyuan could see it—Fu Linzhou wasn’t going to budge.
He grew desperate.
He knew Fu Linzhou held grudges. The Su Family had been ruthless back then, and now asking for help was like trying to climb to heaven.
But he had no other path.
Those friends who used to call him brother—the moment they heard the Su Family was in trouble, they scattered faster than anyone.
The banks refused to lend, investors pulled out, and one project after another fell through.
Without new capital, the Su Family wouldn’t survive three months.
The Su Family had been prominent for centuries. Su Mingyuan couldn’t let it collapse on his watch. He couldn’t be the one to bring the family down.
He remembered a few days ago, when Butler Liu told him that Fu Linzhou had gone to the Su residence to see Sisi.
Did Fu Linzhou still have feelings for Sisi?
Su Mingyuan gritted his teeth and suddenly changed the subject. “Linzhou, about the partnership—let’s discuss it at length later. No rush.”
“But there’s something else I’d like to talk to you about.”
Fu Linzhou looked up at him, waiting.
Su Mingyuan swallowed hard and spoke carefully. “Sisi studied design, but she’s the Su Family’s only daughter. Eventually, the family business will fall to her.”
“I want to give her some hands-on experience, teach her a thing or two about management.”
He watched Fu Linzhou’s expression and pressed on.
“I was thinking—could she spend some time by your side?”
“You’re a few years older than her, and you’ve watched Sisi grow up. Could you take her under your wing? Consider it a favor to your Uncle Su.”
The office fell silent.
Fu Linzhou looked at Su Mingyuan, his eyes unfathomable.
Su Mingyuan’s heart was in his throat.
He was gambling.
Gambling that Fu Linzhou still had feelings for Sisi, gambling that he’d relent.
Fu Linzhou finally spoke, his voice low. “Uncle Su, do you know I have a girlfriend now?”
Su Mingyuan froze for a moment, then quickly nodded. “Yes, I know—the Wen Family’s daughter, Wen Yirou. But…”
“But what?”
Su Mingyuan licked his dry lips. “But Sisi grew up with you since childhood. Even without that relationship, you two are still childhood friends, aren’t you?”
Fu Linzhou didn’t respond.
For the past three years, rumors outside had been saying that Su Qingsi was his first love.
He had never admitted it.
He only occasionally thought of her, feeling a hint of unwillingness, a trace of emotions he couldn’t quite name.
But now that she was back, she truly left him with a tangled mess of thoughts.
If he kept her by his side, once the novelty wore off, perhaps he could finally let go completely.