Chapter 06

Enough! Gu Fenghan interrupted Meng Han's words without courtesy. How could he not know that Meng Han was merely reminding him time and again, reminding him that Fang Feijin and Su Wan were currently in a state of blissful intimacy? Yet, despite being fully aware of her little tricks, he still could not help but become angry time and again.

Su Wan was momentarily speechless. From a management perspective, Fangyuan Tiandi is indeed quite loose, which is a consensus between Fang Feijin and her, to work in a relaxed environment doing what everyone enjoys. In Fangyuan Tiandi, as long as one does their job well and keeps their phone on to ensure they can be reached in critical moments, what one does at other times is entirely voluntary—such management, in Gu Fenghan's view, is undoubtedly a shameful waste. In Fangyuan Tiandi, as long as one does their job well and keeps their phone on to ensure they can be reached in critical moments, what one does at other times is entirely voluntary—such management, in Gu Fenghan's view, is undoubtedly a shameful waste.

He has always been a taciturn person, rarely smiling, with only a slight curl at the corners of his lips, making it difficult for others to discern whether he is smiling or not

The foundation of Fangyuan is solid, and if we focus solely on the tourism industry, there are currently no companies in the field that can compete effectively. Especially now, when no other enterprises are vying for a share of the market, it is an excellent opportunity for you to showcase your capabilities and monopolize the market. However, just look at the situation—two years ago, Fangyuan was progressing strongly, but in the past two years, it has been completely stagnant, showing no ambition whatsoever

I would like to see what price would be required to make Fang Feijin give up on Fangyuan Tiandi, which holds such significant meaning for you and him

That was many years ago, when a female classmate was harassed and threatened by a unscrupulous professor. She discovered it by chance and, driven by a strong sense of justice, stood up for her. As a result, the professor retaliated and she lost her qualification for graduate school recommendation. She confronted the professor in front of the college leadership, while the classmate she defended shrank back and dared not testify for her. Although the truth eventually came to light, the unscrupulous professor was suspended and the college leadership apologized to her for the incident, she felt disheartened and decided to take the GRE to prepare for studying abroad.

Yesterday, he saw her without even greeting her or offering any explanation, as if he did not know her at all; today, he actually played such a trick again, making her believe that he still had lingering feelings for her, and she almost fell for it!

Their tone seems as if they are still five years ago, as if they... are still in the time before they met Meng Han

"Why bring up past events?" Su Wan smiled awkwardly, attempting to ease the tension in front of him. However, Gu Fenghan ignored her discomfort and reminisced to himself: "I still remember how you were like a little madwoman back then, passionately accusing that professor from your department of being a beast; later, when your classmate was too timid to act, you were so furious that you nearly kicked me into disability..."

A trace of inexplicable anger rose within him; what does this mean?

Gu Fenghan recalled the past with a hint of melancholy, and such a tone and expression made her momentarily stunned. It turned out that he still remembered so many things, it turned out...

She exerted strength in her hand gripping the doorknob, intending to remind Gu Fenghan not to block the way. Gu Fenghan, with a slightly mischievous and childlike smile, asked: "Are you angry?"

In the private room, there is a bamboo screen. Gu Fenghan leans against the screen, his gaze a mix of a smile and something else. Su Wan hears footsteps from outside and the voice of a middle-aged man: "Boss, should we go look for Miss Su again?"

Gu Fenghan silently moved closer to her, leaning slightly against the door to the private room, and gently locked the door: "I really cannot understand, with your abilities and background, why you would want to remain in that shallow pond of Fangyuan. Fang Fei's salary for you is not particularly high, and the position..." Gu Fenghan couldn't help but let out a light scoff, "You have been with him for five years, which makes you a founding contributor to Fangyuan. You should at least be able to secure a VP position, so why are you..." He stopped speaking, but the implied mockery and sarcasm were unmistakable.

Thank you for your concern, General Manager Gu," Su Wan said with a faint smile. "However, different people have different working styles. For you, it is the right path to excel in every field you engage in; but for us, we simply want to do things we enjoy and can do well.

Gu Fenghan gently turned the doorknob, locking it, then opening it, locking it again, and opening it once more, gazing at the direction in which her silhouette disappeared, a faint and cool smile appearing on his face. In less than two minutes, Meng Han came upstairs and tentatively asked, "When I just returned, it seemed I saw Wanwan; was she also here for dinner?"

"You are truly unreasonable!" Su Wan was extremely furious: "I know that the Gu family is powerful and wealthy, and this is how this circle operates, with big fish eating small fish and small fish eating shrimp. But I never expected you to be this unreasonable! Do you take pride in playing such tricks, turning things around at will?"

She still remembers the day she first met him, when he looked at her, disheveled and in a mess, and chuckled softly: "Silly girl." At that time, the corners of his lips were slightly curled up just like they are now, his slender phoenix eyes slightly raised, and in the depths of his eyes, there seemed to be a hint of laughter, yet it also seemed absent.

I believe that this acquisition will empower Lingli Industry and Galaxy Group, and I also believe that Fangyuan Tiandi will achieve a qualitative leap under the insightful guidance of General Manager Gu. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then raised her head, wearing a formulaic smile, and gazed directly into Gu Fenghan's deep and distant eyes: "I wish Fangyuan Tiandi great success and boundless prospects under General Manager Gu's leadership!"

Su Wan's unwavering gaze suddenly softened a bit, even... carrying a hint of disappointment. Did he simply... not want her to be wasted? Perhaps so. Five years, neither long nor short, how many five-year periods can one have in life?

"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore," Gu Fenghan slightly turned his body, yet did not allow her to leave immediately. He smiled and explained to her: "In fact, Fangyuan Tiandi still has great potential. I have always avoided unprofitable ventures. There are several major cases coming up in the Galaxy, and if we have the support of Fangyuan Tiandi's existing resources, it will be much easier to handle. To Fang Weiming, Fangyuan Tiandi is merely a hindrance, but I believe... once it comes under the umbrella of Lingli Industrial, it will have a better development prospect. This will be a successful merger; don't you believe it?"

Since we are passing by here anyway, how about we go to Fangyuan Tiandi after dinner? Although you and Young Master Ling agreed that he would take charge of the business after the acquisition, it would still be beneficial for us to understand the operations of Fangyuan Tiandi in light of our future development plans. Moreover, Fangyuan Tiandi represents the years of effort invested by Young Master Fang and Wanwan.

He wore a mocking expression, accompanied by a mischievous smile that suggested he had succeeded in teasing her, just like the smile he had after successfully designing the moment when he first held her hand.

It is worth a look; he indeed wants to see what the prodigal son of the Fang family has that is worth her risking everything, what is worth her going away without return, and what can make her forget him completely, never to be heard from again

The templated rhetoric, resembling a pre-prepared press release, caused Gu Fenghan to furrow his brows slightly in helplessness: "I truly do not want the excellent foundation of Fangyuan to be wasted, limited only to the current business without considering how to expand and develop. In this era, that is not feasible. Wanwan, you too, I have mentioned before, with your abilities and background, there are better prospects for development at Gu's. I do not want you to be wasted as well."

Su Wan wore a look of confusion, her attitude towards him filled with doubt. It couldn't possibly be... could it have anything to do with her...? She quickly dismissed this thought, as it had been nearly two months since the Gu family proposed the acquisition of Fangyuan. She... had only just encountered him again yesterday

Su Wan's face flushed red and then pale as she retorted angrily, "That is also because President Fang is overly concerned, I didn't expect President Gu to be so concerned about other people's family matters!" She abruptly turned the door lock, only to realize that Gu Fenghan's hand resting on the door was not applying any force, and she didn't need to exert so much effort. She hurriedly left the private room, running back to the company, unconsciously biting her lower lip until her lips turned dark purple.

Gu Fenghan nodded slightly, feeling somewhat annoyed with himself for his earlier impatience. He had merely intended to remind Fang Weiming to take his son back for some discipline, yet unexpectedly, he could not hold back and confronted her like a hot-headed young man. It was not as if he did not know what her temperament was like; he truly brought humiliation upon himself

She is unwilling to be looked down upon by him, especially at such times

You—" Su Wan immediately wished to find a hole to burrow into. How could she have forgotten that they had just reunited yesterday, and that the Gu Corporation's acquisition of Fangyuan had been in discussion for nearly two months? With just a few nonchalant words from him, she almost thought—thought that he was jealous of Fang Feijin? Her face flushed bright red as she turned her head away, unwilling to look at his smug smile.

If they had not gone to Philadelphia together, she would not have met Meng Han

Fang Weiming's voice came through with a hint of disdain: "Forget it, she probably won't come up with anything new."

We? Gu Fenghan's slender eyes unconsciously narrowed, and he let out a disdainful and dismissive hum: "Unfortunately, I do not believe that Fang Weiming invited you to dinner today just to sip a cup of wife tea"

"You are always like this," his tone seemed to carry a hint of nostalgia, "what good does being so stubborn do for you? I still remember when you were in university, a professor from your department harassed your classmate, and you tried every means to make that beastly man back off, but as a result, you lost your qualification for graduate school recommendation..."

I am willing!" Su Wan raised her eyebrows and looked directly at him, like a hedgehog sensing danger and bristling with its hard quills. Gu Fenghan seemed to anticipate her reaction, and in his deep eyes, there remained a faint smile: "You may be willing, but others may not appreciate it. Look at Fang Weiming; he does not appreciate it. The territory you helped Fang Fei build with great effort was easily taken by Fang Weiming to be sold as a favor. Moreover, the Fangyuan Tiandi has not even gone public, and it has been sold... Your investment and returns are highly disproportionate. What seems very important to you may just be a joke in the eyes of others.

Su Wan suddenly widened her eyes, unable to believe that Gu's earlier aggressive stance, even going so far as to threaten with the Fang family's business in Ningjiang, was for such a ridiculous reason! She stared incredulously at Gu Fenghan, whose eyes glimmered with a hint of pride. For such a laughable reason—she had devoted five years of effort to Fangyuan, while he merely had to lift a finger to easily take it up and put it down. The corners of Gu Fenghan's lips curled into a cruel arc: "I am also curious, what price would it take for Fang Feijin to completely give you up?"

Five years is already enough to change many things, such as their current situation, standing here and speaking such formulaic and polite words

His faint sarcasm sounded particularly harsh to Su Wan. Although she was not as shrewd as him in business matters, even she understood why Fangyuan Tiandi was sold by Fang Weiming. What kind of trouble could such a "shallow pond" like Fangyuan Tiandi have caused? In this industry, Fangyuan Tiandi did not seek to be the leader but aimed to establish its own identity, and it had managed to do so quite well. If it weren't for the aggressive tactics of the Gu family, even though it was not a profitable subsidiary for the large Fangyuan Group, it would not have reached the point of needing to take action. She was filled with anger and immediately retorted: "Of course, to President Gu, a shallow pond like Fangyuan Tiandi is nothing. I just don't understand why, for a joke, President Gu would go to such lengths to pay a high price to acquire it, even going so far as to take on the two plots of land from Ningjiang to threaten Fangyuan Group?"

Su Wan suddenly felt extremely embarrassed. Why was it that every time she encountered him, it was always in such a disheveled state? The lingering, enchanting ambiguity that had filled the private room dissipated in an instant, replaced by awkwardness and discomfort. Su Wan unconsciously straightened her back, meeting Gu Fenghan's seemingly smiling yet mocking gaze: "I apologize for letting Mr. Gu witness such a spectacle."

Angela Meng, the current Senior Vice President of Galaxy Group, has reportedly received the approval of Gu Xiangqi, the head of the Gu family

Just like now

Su Wan could not discern the meaning behind his words at all. In what capacity was he speaking to her now? He still called her "silly girl," which meant he remembered her. Shouldn't he also explain how he transformed from a penniless Jiang Shangbai into the privileged Gu Fenghan? Why did Meng Han, whom he referred to as an "outsider," already know his identity, while she, his "girlfriend" of seven years, remained completely unaware?

I do not remember things from so long ago, why do you still remember so much!" She hurriedly interrupted him, shaking her head vigorously, trying to cast away these memories that had entangled her for many years and were hard to shake off, forcing out a faintly strained smile: "Regarding matters of the world, I know I have no position to advise you on anything. If you insist on this, I have nothing more to say. Perhaps we will meet again in the future!" She extended her hand to signal him to clear the way for her to leave, but her trembling right hand betrayed her current state of panic and helplessness. Forced out a faintly strained smile: "Regarding matters of the world, I know I have no position to advise you on anything. If you insist on this, I have nothing more to say. Perhaps we will meet again in the future!" She extended her hand to signal him to clear the way for her to leave, but her trembling right hand betrayed her current state of panic and helplessness.

"Are you being coerced... Do you want to know why?" Gu Fenghan's eyes suddenly took on a different hue, resembling a swirling vortex, enticing one to fall deep within. Su Wan couldn't help but widen her eyes, eager to uncover the answer to the riddle that had puzzled her for so long. Gu Fenghan maintained a calm and indifferent demeanor, smiling slightly as he said, "Fang Yuan... can be considered the territory you and Fang Fei have jointly fought for, right?"

Su Wan let out a deep sigh in her heart; he always knew her limits, gently probing and testing, then quietly retreating, leaving her with no choice. This had once been a form of charm, but now...

In seven years, he and she have known each other for seven years, yet she can so nonchalantly wave her hand and withdraw from his life without any lingering attachment

Gu Fenghan slightly furrowed his brows, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes as he looked at her in confusion. Su Wan, undeterred, glared back at him and reached for the doorknob behind him, signaling him to clear the obstructed path. Gu Fenghan fixed his gaze on her, seemingly wanting to unveil the disguise she wore. After a moment, a sly smile suddenly appeared on his face: "Su Wan, how come after all these years you are still so stubborn? You can't handle even a little provocation. I thought after all this time you would have learned to be a bit smarter, but who would have thought... you haven't changed at all, still the same as before."

Listening to the footsteps on the stairs, Su Wan speculated that Fang Weiming must have walked far away. She nodded slightly to Gu Fenghan and turned to step out of the private room. A barely discernible smile appeared on Gu Fenghan's face: "It's rare for Fang Weiming to come to Wucheng, and his schedule is quite full, yet he still made time to find you for Cantonese cuisine. You really have quite a reputation."