As the vice president of Shengyu Group, Fu Boxuan still relied on Fu Tingshu for his salary. However, with his allowance and salary combined, it wasn't like Fu Boxuan couldn't get by. He was just a great actor.
Fu Tingxiu looked at Fu Boxuan with disdain as he clutched his arm. "Get your claws off me."
Fu Boxuan quickly let go, looking pitiful, like a resentful wife. "Brother, was the movie not a good choice? Impossible! I've seen that film; it's full of romantic tension. In such a dimly lit environment, how could there not be some sparks?"
"It was too explicit," Fu Tingshu replied. "The environment was inappropriate."
Fu Boxuan immediately understood, grinning mischievously. "Brother, that was my mistake. Next time, watch it at home with sister-in-law, or go to a private cinema where you can be alone. The atmosphere would be so much better."
Fu Boxuan's comments were getting increasingly outrageous.
Fu Tingxiu made a move as if to hit Fu Boxuan, who quickly dodged and laughed. "Brother, I get it. I'll go check on sister-in-law at the branch office. It's her first day, and I'm worried she might not adapt well. She's so beautiful; what if she faces hostility or gets too much attention from men?"
"I've already spoken to Liang Chao at the branch. Don't meddle," Fu Tingxiu said, tossing a stack of documents to Fu Boxuan. "Stop looking for excuses to leave. Review and handle these projects."
Fu Boxuan looked like he was about to cry. "Brother, you've been exploiting me since we were kids. Now you're still exploiting me and even cutting my allowance. Why didn't I run faster back then? If I were the eldest, things would be different."
In the world of wealthy families, brothers often fought openly and secretly for the position of heir. But the Fu brothers were an exception; each was more cunning and lazy than the other, trying to avoid responsibilities.
Fu Tingxiu put on his coat and patted Fu Boxuan's shoulder. "You can keep dreaming about that. Just get the work done. I'll be spending more time with your sister-in-law, so you'll need to take care of the company."
Fu Boxuan smacked his lips and muttered, "Why didn't our mom have more kids? Then I could slack off and live a life of leisure, just being a playboy. Or why didn't dad have an illegitimate child to compete for the family assets? Our family is like a breath of fresh air in the world of wealthy families, with no challenges at all."
Given the Fu family's wealth and status, they could live in luxury for generations without needing to work hard. Fu Boxuan had no desire to strive; it seemed utterly pointless when the Fu family had no shortage of money.
Fu Tingxiu shot Fu Boxuan a death glare. "Don't let Mom hear you say that. If Dad ends up sleeping on the couch because of you, don't be surprised if he cancels all your cards."
Fu Boxuan chuckled. "I'm just joking, just joking. Brother, you go ahead and get busy. I'll look over the projects. Have a good time with sister-in-law and try to expand the Fu family soon."
Little did Fu Boxuan know, his casual remark today would soon become a prophecy.
There are indeed still matters to attend to, so Fu Tingxiu delegated the company affairs to Fu Boxuan and walked out of the office himself.
Secretary Luo Cheng hurriedly caught up and Fu Tingxiu asked, "How did the matter with Gu Changming go?"
Luo Cheng replied, "Mr. Fu, everything has been taken care of. Gu's family factory can't recover, and his law firm had to close its doors. Gu Changming's reputation in the industry is ruined, and his lawyer's license has been revoked. He's finished."
"Fu Tingxiu instructed, "Keep an eye on him. Someone like Gu Changming might try something desperate." He only cared whether Meng Ning would be harmed, not what would become of Gu Changming.
Luo Cheng said, "Understood."
Fu Tingxiu walked out of Shengyu Building, where a Rolls-Royce was parked at the entrance.
Fu Tingxiu got into the car, followed by Luo Cheng, and the driver started the car.
Today, Fu Tingxiu had an engagement to meet with a bank president.
At the hospital.
Gu Changming, beaten up, had many soft tissue injuries and his ribs were broken, leaving him confined to bed rest for now.
Gu's mother's eyes were swollen from crying, her husband was arrested, her son was beaten into the hospital, and their factory and law firm were both gone.
The Gu family was deeply in debt, and creditors were blocking their doors. How would they survive the days ahead?
Gu Changming lay resentfully on the hospital bed.
At that moment, Zeng Jing came in. In just one night, Gu Changming had been beaten into the hospital, so when she saw him, she was also surprised.
"Gu Changming," Zeng Jing said with heartache, "How could they do this? Just because of debt? This is going too far."
Seeing Zeng Jing, Gu Changming immediately perked up and insisted on sitting up, "Zeng Jing, did you find out what I asked you to check?"
"I did," Zeng Jing sat down, looking at Gu Changming seriously, "Gu Changming, once you recover, we should leave the country for a while. You can't compete with that person."
Gu Changming immediately had a bad feeling and asked sharply, "Who? What's this person's background?"
Zeng Jing solemnly replied, "Fu Tingxiu, the CEO of Shengyu Group."
In just a few words, Gu Changming was thunderstruck.
Even if he had suspected Fu Tingxiu's unusual background, possibly knowing some big shots, he never imagined that Fu Tingxiu himself was such an important figure, the powerful figure in Beijing who no one dared to provoke, the head of the Fu family.
"No, no way," Gu Changming refused to believe, "He drives a car worth just over a hundred thousand, and doesn't look like a rich man at all. He doesn't dress like someone from a wealthy family; he's just a poor loser. How could he be the billionaire head of the Fu family? Didn't Meng Ning say he was just a worker?"
Zeng Jing said, "I didn't believe it at first either. But I met someone I knew before, now a senior executive at Shengyu Group. It's definitely true. Meng Ning's husband is indeed Fu Tingxiu, CEO of Shengyu Group."
"No, no, it must be someone with the same name and surname," Gu Changming insisted. "I've been to their neighborhood, Shuimu Tiancheng. It's just an ordinary neighborhood. How could the head of the Fu family live there?"
Gu Changming refused to believe it. If this were true, his previous sense of superiority would be nothing but a joke.
At the class reunion, he shamelessly boasted about having a chance encounter with the CEO of Shengyu Group. In Fu Tingxiu's eyes, was he just like a clown jumping around?
Gu Changming couldn't bear such a blow; it was a direct hit to his soul.
Just an hour ago, he was still threatening Meng Ning over the phone, still plotting how to turn his fortunes around.
If Fu Tingxiu is indeed the CEO of Shengyu Group, then Gu Changming will never be able to turn his fortunes around.