A President's Out-of-Body Experience

Hence, without much consideration, he accepted the name card Heizi sent him and called Yu Yunren.

Yu Yunren’s decision to help Mu Chutong was made a few days ago. At that time, Renzi was affectionately and sweetly planning his move into Gu Xiaoshan’s apartment. Thinking about how pitiful Mu Chutong was, he decided to give him a helping hand. Now, Yu Yunren was suffering from blows Old Mister Gu had left him with, and he did not register that his phone was ringing. Mu Chutong called him twice in a row before Renzi answered it in a trance, “Hello?”

Mu Chutong thought that the other person was putting on airs by not answering his call immediately. Thinking that these young masters really all were fucking cut from the same cloth, he still spoke in an agreeable manner, “Is this President Ren, Yu Yunren of the Yu empire?”

“Mn, it’s me.” Renzi replied, “You’re...?”

“I’m Mu Chutong from Company XZ.”

“Mu Chutong?” Renzi’s spine tensed immediately upon hearing this name.

Noticing the undisguised precaution in Renzi’s voice, Mu Chutong sighed internally. “Mn, yes. I heard that you’re interested in discussing about a project with my company. I’m here to confirm it with you, as well as see if there’s a suitable time to have a meeting...”

Yu Yunren’s mind was currently muddled. After being reminded by Mu Chutong, he then remembered that there was something like this. “Since you’re in trouble, can’t Gu Xiaoshan help you out?”

Why did I even try? This young master isn’t here to give me a helping hand, but to fucking rub it in my face. It’s fine if you want to humiliate me, but don’t waste my time! My company’s about to die, don’t you know that?

However, Mu Chutong still responded fawningly, “If he’s willing to help, why would our partnership fall through? He’s really heartless. Now I can’t even afford to pay my staff. All their families, and some even unable to eat... If I can’t find any solution, I’ll have to jump off a building!” Mu Chutong sold his tragicness as hard as possible, sounding just like a weeping beauty. Renzi’s heart softened as he listened to him, and so arranged a time to meet with him.

This President Ren’s mood doesn’t seem too stable.

However, President Ren was now his financier. It did not matter if his mood was stable or not, it was fine as long as he had the money. Mu Chutong wrote down the date and time of the meeting with Yu Yunren into his schedule, and asked Yu Yunren for the contact details of the person actually in charge of the project, so that he could enquire about the project requirements. That person learnt that it was Yu Yunren who pulled Mu Chutong into this project, and so he was politer.

Mu Chutong studied the project, then received a call from the Gu empire, saying that the project that had been taken away from him might be returned to him, and requested for him to attend a meeting. Mu Chutong was shocked, thinking, “What sort of lucky day is it today?”

The location of the meeting was not in the Gu offices, but at a private club. Mu Chutong muttered, “Is Gu Xiaoshan that much of a scum? He has a boyfriend, but still want me to go through such back avenues?”

However, what choice did he have?

Mu Chutong went to the club, only to discover that the person he was meeting was not Gu Xiaoshan but Gu Xiaoshan’s father.

Is Gu Xiaoshan’s father going to give me money and chase me away again? That works too. After all these years of inflation, as well as the rise of my background, does that mean I can get a little more?

Old Mister Gu smiled at him, and invited him to take a seat. Mu Chutong sat down with a smile, waiting for Old Mister Gu to take out a check. He was already calculating what sum of money would maximise his profits the most.

Old Mister Gu smiled, “When I gave you a sum of money that year for you to start off your career, I knew you would definitely have some accomplishments!”

Hearing this, Mu Chutong felt that something was not quite right, but he laughed along. “No, no. I don’t deserve that. Look, my company’s about to close down now!”

“In business, it’s very normal to be in debt and get involved in lawsuits. In fact, without such issues, you won’t be able to expand your business! Everyone has gone through such problems.” Old Mister Gu chuckled, “Also, all this happened because someone deliberately caused trouble for you?”

Mu Chutong smiled, “Oh? Who deliberately caused me trouble? How come I don’t know about it? It’s me who isn’t good at managing my company, I can’t blame anyone for it.”

Old Mister Gu laughed out loud, “You’re still as sly as ever. You think I’m on the same side as Shu Jingyi?”

“What are you saying? The respected young master is my older brother!” Mu Chutong gave a mild smile, “I have the utmost respect for him. Whichever side he stands on will be whatever side I would be.”

“We’ve known each other for so long, there’s no need for such shams. I invited you to such a private place today is to allow you to speak your mind. If you are facing any troubles, feel free to tell me about it. I’ll help you out wherever I can.”

Mu Chutong was confused, and probed, “Wherever you can? Then why don’t you just approve of my proposal!”

“That’s not a problem.” Old Mister Gu asked his assistant to take a folder out. “I was about to talk about this. I think your company’s proposal is very good. Xiaoshan was blind to not approve it.”

Mu Chutong looked at the folder on the table, secretly pinching the back of his hand. Only when he felt the pain did he know he was not dreaming. “Huh? Hmm... What is the meaning of this? Old Mister Gu, please explain this to me!”

Old Mister Gu smiled, “I’m a man of my words. Are you?”

“Of course, of course.” Mu Chutong laughed.

“That time, you said you would definitely end up together with Xiaoshan. Do your words still count?”

Mu Chutong frowned, “Uhh... Hmm... It’s been so many years. He now already has someone new. If I do that, isn’t it... not very nice?”

“But you clearly were the one who got engaged with him first.” Old Mister Gu said, “If we’re to say who’s interfering, it should be Yu Yunren.”

Engaged? At that time, you even said that we were having illicit sexual relations and were shameless! People who heard them would have thought that we were acting in some family drama!

Mu Chutong chuckled. “This, this ‘engagement’... What exactly happened, and the reason for it... We both understand clearly. Actually, this thing has already long since passed, and I’ve thought it through as well. I’m such a crude and shallow person, I’m completely not suitable for Gu Xiaoshan. My feet’s now firmly on the ground. I don’t think about love and romance now, and I don’t get involved with men anymore. All I care about is money.”

Old Mister Gu instead spoke, “Love and romance, you should still think about it. If not, are you planning on spending the rest of your life alone? I’m unwilling to let my son do that too.”

Mu Chutong then tried to turn the conversation around. “But doesn’t your son already have President Ren? With a matching family background, they get along very well as a couple. What piece of shit am I to intrude?”

This Mu Chutong has really suffered in the Shu family. Even when he calls himself a “piece of shit”, his face doesn’t even redden.

Since that was the case, Old Mister Gu also followed Mu Chutong’s “practicality”. Stately, he said, “Since you only care about money, I’ll give you an opportunity. Let’s see if you’ll be able to grab onto it.”

“Hmm?” Mu Chutong’s ears perked up. “Please, Old Mister Gu, enlighten me!”

Old Mister Gu seldom left the house, but when he did, he naturally wanted to accomplish the task with a stroke of his pen, and settle everything. After all, it was not good for an old man to be walking here and there, what would happen if he injured himself? As such, he laid everything out skilfully for Mu Chutong, even using “intimidation” and “luring him with bait”. Finally, he called in another person — a very important person — his son, Gu Xiaoshan.

When Gu Xiaoshan walked through the door, he saw that this place still looked exactly the same. The furniture was of the styles of Ming and Qing dynasties, and through the engraved window lattices came the rays of the sun. Next to the window was a Brazil Ironwood tree, and in the Chinese-styled furnishings, it added a exotic flair. Old Mister Gu was sitting at a carved table in the middle of the room and smiling at him.

It was as though time had turned back to when Gu Xiaoshan was still a student, when his allowance was based on his merits, and Old Mister Gu was still the absolute authority at home.

In accordance to habit, Gu Xiaoshan chose to take a seat on the yellow pearwood stool. Although yellow pearwood was expensive, the stool was lower, and did not have a back to lean on. It was not very comfortable, and was meant for a person of a lower status. Each time this situation occurred, Gu Xiaoshan knew he had done something wrong. However, it had been very long since Gu Xiaoshan had made a mistake.

Or rather, it had been very long since Old Mister Gu had an issue with the mistakes Gu Xiaoshan made.