Ren Jiaoming didn’t like excessive physical contact with others, so he removed Wen Yan’s hand and said, “I don’t want anything.”

As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced at Chu Shangluo, who was munching on sunflower seeds. He remembered how Chu Shangluo once mentioned giving him a gift for his birthday. He had never looked forward to birthdays before, but just now, when Wen Yan asked him what he wanted as a gift, the first thing that came to mind was wondering what the “big gift” Chu Shangluo had mentioned would be.

Ren Jiaoming pulled his gaze back. Thinking about it now was pointless. He stared at the streetlights outside, glowing like fire, and his memory drifted back to the night of the fire many years ago. Moments later, the icy clarity returned to his eyes.

Yu’s Island was enormous, and the luxury car drove for a long time before finally reaching the reception hall. When they got out of the car, Chu Shangluo walked behind with Lin Zhi. Chu Shangluo glanced at Ren Jiaoming unintentionally. His figure was cold and distant, just like the first time Chu Shangluo had seen him.

Chu Shangluo lit a cigarette, taking slow drags. The scene felt like they had returned to the beginning, yet it wasn’t the same. This time, he wouldn’t chase after him again.

Everyone gathered in the reception hall, but the two mysterious heads of the Yu family were still nowhere to be seen. People were sent to different meeting rooms according to their scheduled appointments.

The person who received Chu Shangluo was a beautiful young woman. She poured him a cup of coffee and accepted the cooperation proposal he had brought along. Smiling, she said, “Mr. Chu, please wait a moment. Our manager will be here shortly.”

With a cigarette between his lips, Chu Shangluo looked around the meeting room’s decor. The two vases by the door were definitely from the Qing Dynasty. Damn, the Yu family was loaded.

Chu Shangluo was very confident about being chosen for this collaboration, as he knew exactly what the Yu family wanted.

The Yu family wasn’t lacking money, with so many companies eager to curry favor with them. They also didn’t lack connections. What they lacked was a solid foothold in the business landscape of the capital.

Most of the Yu family’s industries were based abroad, and it would take time to shift them back to China. When the Chu family collapsed, the Yu family immediately filled the vacuum left behind, which made it clear that they either wanted to prevent the Wen family from monopolizing the market or intended to dominate it themselves.

However, so far, the Yu family hadn’t secured a solid foundation in the capital.

What Chu Shangluo could offer the Yu family was his family’s long-established expertise in the seafood industry, including their operational strategies and the Chu family’s natural talent for fishing.

The Capital, being a coastal city, had a thriving seafood industry and was nicknamed the “Seafood Capital.” Large quantities were supplied to other cities and even exported abroad, with strong government support and annual subsidies.

This was why both Mr. Chen and the Wen family wanted a share of the seafood market.

However, since the Chu family had discovered this lucrative market early and possessed expertise in the trade, they had become industry leaders.

Previously, the Wen family had suffered significant losses due to a move by Chu Shangluo. Even though they had partnered with multiple seafood companies for a near-monopoly, the sudden collapse of the Chu family left a supply gap they struggled to fill. The Wen family was inexperienced in the field, and coupled with the blow delivered by Chu Shangluo, The City’s seafood supply couldn’t meet demand.

Now was the perfect time for the Yu family to claim a stake in the seafood industry of City.

Chu Shangluo was willing to offer the Yu family skilled workers, boats, and experience. He was sure the Yu family wouldn’t be able to resist.

This time, Chu Shangluo had indeed given everything to the Yu family without holding anything back. If they hadn’t lost their sales channels and reputation, Chu wouldn’t have laid all his cards on the table like this.

If the Yu family agreed to cooperate, Chu Shangluo wouldn’t lose out. It would be a win-win: first, it would completely shatter the Wen family’s monopoly ambitions in the seafood market, and second, it would provide jobs for the unemployed Chu family members.

As he finished his cigarette, the door opened. The female assistant said, “Mr. Chu, this is our Manager Song.”

Chu Shangluo turned his head. “Manager Song—” His words suddenly halted. He took a deep drag from his cigarette, then said coldly, “Hello.”

Song Yuchu froze on the spot. Lin Zhi, standing nearby, was equally surprised—it was the same secretary from two jobs ago who had run off with the boss’s money.

The meeting room fell into dead silence.

After a long pause, Chu Shangluo stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and pulled Lin Zhi toward the door. “Manager Song, please hand my proposal to your bosses.”

Song Yuchu’s face, already pale, turned even whiter. He suddenly grabbed Chu Shangluo’s wrist, his eyes reddening. “Mr. Chu…”

Chu Shangluo resolutely shook him off and left the room.

Song Yuchu stood there in a daze for a long time before finally picking up the documents on the table. He said, “Send this to the bosses immediately. Tell them it’s a good proposal.”

The assistant was slightly surprised. “Manager, aren’t you going to review it first?”

Song Yuchu shook his head weakly. “No need. I trust him. Besides, I owe him.”

Among all the businessmen seeking cooperation with the Yu family, Chu Shangluo was the first to leave the meeting. On the second floor, a lavish banquet had already been prepared for the guests. It was rumored that the Yu family’s bosses would make an appearance during the meal.

However, at that moment, Chu Shangluo had no interest in meeting them. He went upstairs, grabbed a bottle of liquor, and sat alone in a corner, drinking glass after glass.

He felt utterly disheartened. Why were all those who had deceived and betrayed him now thriving while he had fallen so low?

Lin Zhi, sensing his pain, knew it must have been unbearable for his boss to seek cooperation only to find the gatekeeper was the very secretary who had once betrayed him.

“Boss, we’ll definitely rise again,” Lin Zhi encouraged.

Chu Shangluo took a deep breath. “I’m fine… just frustrated. It feels like good people never get rewarded.”

“Don’t say that!” Lin Zhi snatched the bottle from Chu’s hand, took a bold swig, and with a flushed face, declared, “I don’t know about other people, but I’m sure you’ll be rewarded! Your good days are still ahead! Right now, you’re just facing a few scumbags—it’s all a test from the heavens.”

Lin Zhi’s face reddened from the drink. Chu Shangluo looked at him and chuckled. “You’re pretty superstitious, huh?”

“That’s not superstition! Boss, you’re definitely going to have great fortune coming your way!”

At that moment, Chu Shangluo’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, ruffled Lin Zhi’s soft hair, and stepped out to answer the call.

While heading downstairs, he ran into Ren Jiaoming and Wen Yan head-on. Chu Shangluo didn’t spare them even a glance, brushing past them indifferently. Ren Jiaoming paused slightly, noticing the bottle of liquor in Chu’s hand.

Outside, the rain continued to drizzle. Chu Shangluo answered the phone, slowly pacing along the empty corridor.

The call was from the relocation office:
“Mr. Chu, we really can’t delay this any longer. We’ve already provided your Chu family members with rental compensation. It’s unreasonable that you’re still refusing to move out. The person in charge of the old district redevelopment project takes this matter very seriously. Please don’t make things difficult for us.”

Chu Shangluo furrowed his brow. “I’m not making things difficult for you. There are over 20,000 people in the Chu family living there, all with families to take care of. Beijing is only so big. Where am I supposed to relocate them all on such short notice?”

“Mr. Chu, please find a solution. I know it’s tough on you too, but we can’t delay anymore. If you’d agreed earlier, you could’ve received the compensation already. Wouldn’t that have been better?”

Chu Shangluo understood the logic. He took a sip of his drink and massaged his temples. “Give me another week—no, ten days. I’ll figure something out within ten days.”

“Mr. Chu—”

“Don’t try to persuade me. Just ten days. If not, I don’t know what else to do. I have things to handle. Goodbye.”

After ending the call, Chu Shangluo scratched his head in frustration. Ten days was still too tight. If it really came down to it, he might have to send his people back to the county. But the county was a two-hour drive from Beijing. Those with cars might manage, but what about those without? Commuting for work or having children attend school in Beijing would be incredibly difficult.

Lately, this issue had been weighing heavily on him, even causing stress ulcers in his mouth.

When life turns against you, misfortunes seem to pile up endlessly. Plenty of businessmen had fallen from grace under similar circumstances, unable to rise again.

Feeling the weight of it all, Chu Shangluo drained the last sip of liquor from his bottle.

As the alcohol hit him, Chu Shangluo felt a wave of drunkenness wash over him. In his haze, he thought—if only there was a way to solve the Chu family’s housing issue right now, he wouldn’t hesitate to seize it.

“Well, isn’t this Chu Shangluo?”

The familiar voice made Chu Shangluo turn his head. A handsome, charismatic man with a flirtatious air was approaching him.

Chen Tianyun, clearly intoxicated as well, slung an arm around Chu Shangluo’s shoulder.

“Chu Ge, I overheard your call just now. We’re business partners, after all. I can’t just stand by and laugh at your troubles, can I? I happen to have a residential complex on hand. As long as you ask, I’ll let you have it for a low price.”

“How low?”

“I’ll give you a 60% discount on the price of a house in the capital. I know you’re broke now, but you can owe me the money for now.”

Chu Shangluo flicked the ash off his cigarette, his eyes glazed with intoxication: “What are your terms, Mr. Chen? It can’t just be our partnership, can it?”

Chen Tianyun’s gaze swept from Chu Shangluo’s beautiful face, flushed with alcohol, to his lean waist and perky hips. He decided to take advantage of the situation and chuckled: “I’ve tasted many different types of boys, but I’ve never tried someone like you, Mr. Chu. Honestly, I don’t usually like your type, your physique is similar to mine, I doubt you’d be soft to the touch. But when I looked at you today, Mr. Chu, I felt you were different. I can’t say exactly how…” Chen Tianyun’s eyes were practically sparkling with desire, “It’s like a flower that’s been nourished, so tempting no matter how you look at it.”

Chen Tianyun was a good-looking man, even in the business circle, his appearance was top-notch. But as soon as he started with his lecherous attitude, it was easy to ignore his looks and just feel disgusted.

Chu Shangluo slowly inhaled his cigarette, raising an eyebrow: “Didn’t expect I’d be so expensive, huh? Did it make you willing to trade a whole apartment block for a night?”

Chen Tianyun laughed: “I’m very generous with my bed partners, what do you think, Mr. Chu?”

Chu Shangluo remained silent for a moment, then said: “Mr. Chen, how about we sign a contract now?”

“Sure.” Chen Tianyun snatched the cigarette from Chu Shangluo’s hand, took a slow drag, a light smile playing on his lips.

Chu Shangluo took out his phone and quickly drafted an electronic contract. Chen Tianyun, who was naturally more interested in sex than money, didn’t hesitate and signed the contract without a second thought.

Chu Shangluo looked at the contract while Chen Tianyun hooked his arm and led him towards the hotel. As they turned, they saw Ren Jiaoming standing not far away.

Chen Tianyun teased: “Oh, Mr. Chu, is your little ex jealous and trying to ruin our good time?”

Chu Shangluo didn’t even look at Ren Jiaoming, he sneered: “What does he have to do with it?”

Ren Jiaoming was ignored by Chu Shangluo once again. He watched the two of them walk away, arm in arm, his fists clenched tightly.

*

Chen Tianyun was a man of action, and after a few drinks, he became even more impatient.

As soon as they reached the hotel room, he pushed the drunken Chu Shangluo onto the bed. He was afraid that if Chu Shangluo sobered up, he wouldn’t be able to get what he wanted.

Chu Shangluo leaned against the headboard, took out a cigarette, and slowly lit it. The smoke curled around him, making him look both sexy and mysterious.

Chen Tianyun, watching this version of Chu Shangluo, became even more aroused. He loosened his tie, sat beside Chu Shangluo, and gazed at his red lips, flushed from the alcohol.

Chu Shangluo expertly held the cigarette, his red lips opening and closing, slowly releasing puffs of smoke.

Chen Tianyun reached out and pinched Chu Shangluo’s chin. Damn, why hadn’t he noticed how hot Chu Shangluo was before!

He leaned towards those lips, which he was sure would taste amazing, but Chu Shangluo turned his head away and said calmly: “Let’s skip the kissing part.”

“Damn… you’re so picky. You’re about to get fucked, what’s the point of acting all pure?”

Chen Tianyun unbuttoned Chu Shangluo’s shirt, revealing a patch of sexy skin. He ran his fingers over the smooth surface, a stark contrast to the soft boys he’d been with before. He thought that Chu Shangluo definitely had the assets to warrant a 60% discount.

He leaned in and kissed Chu Shangluo’s delicate neck.

Chu Shangluo, holding his cigarette, looked both intoxicated and dejected. He thought that this kind of thing really depended on who you were dealing with. Chen Tianyun was a real pain in the ass.

Chu Shangluo calculated the time, it should be about time.

The next moment, the door was kicked open with a loud “bang!” Chen Tianyun was startled and turned around angrily, yelling: “Who the hell is so blind!”

The handsome young man standing at the door was startled for a moment, then tears immediately fell from his eyes. He cursed, “Chen Tianyun, didn’t you say you changed for me? And yet you’re still doing this with someone else! I won’t believe you anymore. I’m going abroad!”

Chen Tianyun was shocked. He suddenly stood up, hurriedly put on his coat, and glared fiercely at Chu Shangluo, who was leaning against the headboard smoking a cigarette with a faint smile on his face. He cursed, “Damn it! You’re ruthless! You tricked me into signing the contract and then called my wife here!”

Chu Shangluo held the cigarette between his fingers and glanced sideways at Chen Tianyun. “President Chen, you can keep going, you know. I never told you to stop. If I had stopped you, that would mean breaking my promise. But you stopped voluntarily, right? Look, I’m still here. You can close the door and take off your pants to continue if you want.”

He took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled the smoke slowly. “You wanted to take advantage of me being drunk, so I just turned the tables on you. How can you call that deception?”

“Shut the hell up!” Chen Tianyun had no time to keep arguing with Chu Shangluo. He rushed out to chase after the young man.

Chu Shangluo clicked his tongue and exhaled another puff of smoke. “Afraid of his wife but still sneaking around? What’s even going on in his head?”

He continued smoking, his gaze no longer fixed on the door. He knew the person who had just barged in wasn’t Chen Tianyun’s lover. With those scrawny arms and legs, he couldn’t have kicked the door open like that.

The man silently stood at the door, his eyes filled with anger as he noticed Chu Shangluo’s open shirt and the kiss marks on his neck. Usually calm, his eyes now burned with fury.

He approached the bed and reached out to button Chu Shangluo’s shirt.

Chu Shangluo slapped his hand away and flicked the cigarette ash, his voice cold. “Why are you here? I never asked you to come.”

Ren Jiaoming stared at Chu Shangluo’s calm demeanor, his chest heaving violently as he suppressed his anger. He softly said, “Button up, or you’ll catch a cold.”

Chu Shangluo’s expression darkened, and he threw the cigarette butt at Ren Jiaoming. “Screw you. Get out.”