Gu Changsheng felt a surge of irritation, yet it was not directed at the Jade Pavilion.
It was aimed at those incompetent fools.
After all, there is a logic to everything.
'I've been gone for too long, I'm afraid some people's intentions are no longer so pure!'
However, Gu Changsheng was not in a hurry. Since he had sent out the signal, they would come looking for him sooner or later, and that would be the time for a true purge.
…
The Jade Pavilion.
The signboard had been taken down, and a group of salespeople were busily packing up the jade and jadeite.
A middle-aged man with a gloomy face and dark circles under his eyes was the owner of this Jade Pavilion; his appearance alone revealed his lack of rest for the past few days.
The storefront in Huaqi Mall had always been highly sought after. The business had been thriving, and now to be forced to leave overnight was naturally hard to let go of, yet there was nothing he could do about it.
Gu Changsheng, holding Zhou Jiayi's hand, dismissed those complex thoughts and was relatively pleased with the current situation.
But Zhou Jiayi was still kind-hearted. She tugged at Gu Changsheng's hand, "Changsheng, let's hurry up and go. Don't stand here gawking. It's not easy for them now that they've closed down."
Oh, my kind-hearted angel.
Have you forgotten how they humiliated us in the beginning?
Gu Changsheng did not spell it out, "I am not gloating over their misfortune. It's just that fortune and disaster have their causes, and I'm just reflecting on that."
The two were about to leave.
Inside the store, that same salesperson who had had a conflict before suddenly shouted, "You two again? Get away from here! We're tallying up the inventory. If anything goes missing, can you afford to take responsibility?"
The salesperson had a good memory and clearly remembered Gu Changsheng and his companion.
What's more important, with the closure of the Jade Pavilion, she was facing unemployment and was inevitably agitated, thus venting her frustration everywhere.
Gu Changsheng's gaze turned icy, "I haven't entered your store, nor have I touched anything of yours. Do you have some kind of intellectual disability to come up with such an absurd accusation?"
"You're calling me retarded?!"
As an argument seemed imminent, the owner of the Jade Pavilion suddenly came over and said to the salesperson, "What's going on? Who are these two people?"
"Boss, these are the two paupers I told you about the other day. They couldn't afford anything and even claimed that our jade was inferior. They must be here now to gloat," the salesperson reported.
Upon hearing this, the owner's expression turned sour. He stepped forward and said, "Friends, I, Tian Dong, run an open business and have never sold fakes or inferior goods. What did you mean by your words the other day?"
"Sick!" Gu Changsheng couldn't be bothered to engage and started to walk away with Zhou Jiayi.
Seeing himself being dismissed, Mr. Tian's anger flared up instantly, "Stop right there! You're not leaving until you make it clear today!"
Hmm, interesting.
Gu Changsheng stopped in his tracks, patted Zhou Jiayi's hand, "Wait here for me." Then he walked over, smirking at the man, "What is it that you'd like to 'make clear'?"
"Make it clear? Either you apologize now and get lost, or you clarify how our jade is inferior. If you can't explain, then, heh, just ask around and find out what sort of person I, Tian Dong, am in Yun City!"
Gu Changsheng could not help but chuckle.
These days, anyone who looks a bit posh thinks they can bark loudly and act all high and mighty.
And this man here did have a bit of a rogue air about him, but to say he was truly formidable was another matter. At most, he made his wealth in the grey areas, and with money bolstering his courage, he had become nothing more than a nouveau riche.
"Are you threatening me?"
Tian Dong crossed his arms, "You can take it that way if you wish."
Gu Changsheng's laughter betrayed no anger. He stepped forward and whispered for only the two of them to hear, "Have you not realized whom you've provoked, leading to your eviction from Huaqi Mall? You were supposed to close in an hour, yet here you are, dragging it out to today... "
Some things are best left unsaid; a hint is all that's needed.
And Tian Dong shook visibly, "Who… who are you?!"
Gu Changsheng said with disdain, "You're not even qualified to know, but in the future, make sure you do business more openly, and don't stir up trouble without cause. Some people are beyond your reach."
Without waiting for a response, Gu Changsheng turned and left.
"Let's go, let's go eat. What a bunch of wet blankets."
Zhou Jiayi was dazed and had a naive look, "What did you say to them? The boss looked really panicked."
"I exposed their sale of fake jade, of course, he's nervous," Gu Changsheng lied and walked on.
However.
They had only walked a few steps when shouts came from behind—
"Wait, wait."
Their pace slowed, and the man from behind, Tian Dong, caught up and blocked their path.
Gu Changsheng frowned, "Mr. Tian, do you have more business with me? I don't have the time to entertain you."
"Ah, young man, can we talk privately?"
Gu Changsheng didn't want to bother, but Zhou Jiayi was there; a few more words from Tian Dong and some issues might not be as easy to explain away. So, he had to ask Zhou Jiayi to wait and went aside with Tian Dong.
"Speak, you have one minute."
Tian Dong sized up Gu Changsheng, his heart shocked, but even more, he was incredulous.
This kid planned to put him out of business?
Impossible!
But he decided to probe, "Young man, I'm a businessman. It wasn't easy to set up shop in Huaqi Mall, and I haven't recouped the costs yet I'm being kicked out. It's a huge loss. So... if you can help me settle this, I'll give you half a million, as your reward. What do you say?"
Half a million?
"Are you kidding me? You make at least ten million annually from Huaqi, and you think you can send me away with half a million? Are you the idiot, or do you take me for one?" Gu Changsheng sneered, "Move aside, you're wasting my time."
Seeing his reaction, Tian Dong grew anxious and blocked him again, "Young man, let's talk nicely, we can discuss the price. What about one million? No, five million, five million max. If you can solve this, there's a bank downstairs, we can do the transfer right now!"
"Sorry, I don't need money."
What's done cannot be undone, Gu Changsheng never went back on his actions.
And Tian Dong was out of options.
However, just then.
"Mr. Tian, Mr. Tian, oh dear, what are you doing here?"
Tian Dong was startled, "Oh, Mr. Zhou?"
Following closely behind was Zhou Jiayi's voice, "Dad, what are you doing here?"
"Ah, Jiayi? And... Gu Changsheng?" The newcomer was Zhou Jiayi's father, Zhou Jianmin.
With that scene.
Everyone was stunned.
Turns out, they all knew each other.
Tian Dong's mind raced—so these two were Zhou Jianmin's daughter and son-in-law? They're all from the Zhou family? And from the least successful third branch of the family?
"Hmph!" Tian Dong laughed once he realized it, "Kid, not bad acting, you almost had me fooled. A small fry like the Zhou family could enlist Huaqi's people to drive me away? You're too naive!"
Zhou Jianmin asked puzzledly, "Mr. Tian, what's going on?"
"Oh~! It's nothing much. Your son-in-law here has a big mouth, claiming he could help me reopen my store and asking for five million. But now the truth is clear, I was so close to being scammed by him."
"What?!" Zhou Jianmin exclaimed angrily, "Gu Changsheng, what tricks are you playing now? Extortion? You even tried to extort Mr. Tian? Utterly useless! Get out of my sight!"