Chapter 163

Mr. Jiang is always portrayed as a leader and the head of the family, whether at work or at home. The last time he was abused like this was probably when he was in elementary school. He was a little confused.

"Sister Xiuxiu," Jiang Nuo mumbled because her face was being pinched, "Search now."

"Xiaoxiao!" Aunt Fang also said reproachfully, "You can't be so unreasonable."

Fang Xiaoxiao pouted and finally let Jiang Nuo go, but before Jiang Nuo could rub his face, Fang Xiaoxiao pulled him away by the arm.

Jiang Nuo: "Hey——?"

Mrs. Fang: "Xiaoxiao, what are you taking me for?"

"We're done with our work, let's have some fun, don't worry about it!" Fang Xiaoxiao walked briskly in her high heels. Jiang Nuo didn't dare struggle, fearing he'd throw her, so he followed her to the guest room. Yu Xi stood at attention.

The guest rooms in the Fang family villa are not large, but each one is very exquisite, from the ornaments to the paintings and flower arrangements, they are all very particular and have a very artistic atmosphere.

Fang Xiaoxiao pushed Jiang Nuo into a chair and leaned in close to ask seriously, "Xiao Nuonuo, has your husband ever attended a men's ethics training class?"

Jiang Nuo: “…………”

Fang Xiaoxiao blinked her 12mm mink lashes. "How do you cultivate a boyfriend? Can you start a class? Please!"

Jiang Nuo: "...what did he say to you?"

Fang Xiaoxiao: "I just followed the speech we'd agreed on, saying I was generous and that being married wouldn't stop him from finding a lover. But he lectured me about how I didn't respect myself, that this was an unequal marriage, and told me not to objectify myself. I told him I could be a great helper, that I was well-educated, good-looking, and willing to take care of the family. He told me to be self-reliant and not to waste my knowledge!"

Imagining how Gu Jiangkuo looked when he said this, Jiang Nuo couldn't help laughing.

"Laugh! You're still laughing? You're making me so mad!" Fang Xiaoxiao pretended to pinch Jiang Nuo's face.

President Jiang quickly covered his face and leaned back tactically: "Stop, stop, stop! Men and women shouldn't touch each other!"

"What are you afraid of? We have different sexual orientations." Fang Xiaoxiao said angrily, not having managed to pinch anyone. "I was completely humiliated by him at the time. Gu Jiangkuo is such a... jerk! But, thinking back on it, everything he said made sense. He's a very upright man, and he truly loves you. Honestly, this kind of relationship is so enviable. How did you cultivate it? Please publish a book, please."

Jiang Nuo smiled but didn't answer.

Some people think that Gu Jiangkuo is "very upright", while others - such as Uncle Gu - think that he is "scheming and unforgivable", but Jiang Nuo just thinks that he is a boyfriend with flesh and blood, who can make dirty jokes, act coquettishly, and is very jealous.

"He's not as good as you say." Jiang Nuo said.

"Really? Good men like him are almost extinct in this world." Fang Xiaoxiao said, "Don't worry, in a few days, he will pass the old lady's test and gain both fame and fortune."

"Who knows?" Jiang Nuo said.

"No way? He's so determined, and you still don't have confidence in him?" Fang Xiaoxiao was shocked.

"Human nature cannot withstand the test," Jiang Nuo said quietly, "It's also immoral to test others for no reason. This actually makes me feel quite guilty."

In fact, according to Jiang Nuo's own wishes, he was unwilling to play any tricks to test people's hearts. As a human being, it is rare to be confused. He would rather be carefree with Gu Jiangkuo. If they are compatible, they will stay together, and if not, they will separate. Even if he generously donated hundreds of billions to support Gu Jiangkuo, he did not expect to use this money to exchange for his lifelong gratitude. He just did what he felt in his heart.

Who made him really like him at this moment?

Mr. Jiang has experienced life and death and lived two lives. He has become much less concerned about feelings and no longer believes in the myth of a couple being together for a lifetime. He just wants to enjoy life while he can.

What's more, he is really busy.

It is impossible for a successful person to have so much leisure time to indulge in leisure. More than 80% of his time and energy in his life are devoted to the company.

Sometimes he is so busy that he doesn't even have enough time to sleep. It is a miracle that he can cooperate in paying his dues. How can he have the time to think about random things? Questions like "Does he love me?" and "How much does he love me" are really not worthy of appearing in Mr. Jiang's mind together with thoughts like "stock index futures market" and "strategic financing plan".

However, being forced to be idle these days, these problems suddenly came to him, leaving Jiang Nuo a little at a loss, sometimes satisfied, sometimes disappointed.

"Why do you feel guilty?" Fang Xiaoxiao said, "Xiao Nuonuo, please don't be so moralistic. This is the old lady trying to test him, not you. It has nothing to do with you."

"But I..." Jiang Nuo said, "Do you know why my aunt asked me to come here?"

Fang Xiaoxiao: "The old lady said you are too smart and are the think tank around A Kuo. If I hadn't informed you in advance, you might have been able to see through it."

Jiang Nuo: "...You think too highly of me. How can I be that amazing?"

Fang Xiaoxiao said mysteriously, "Actually, there's another reason, but the old lady won't let me tell you."

Hearing this, he knew that the secret was going to be leaked, so Jiang Nuo pretended to listen attentively.

Fang Xiaoxiao lowered her voice and said, "The old lady said you're too good-looking, like a male vixen. It's best to separate Ah Kuo and you. If Gu Jiangkuo passes the test, she'll have gained a loyal and righteous descendant who has nothing to do with Chairman Gu. If Gu Jiangkuo fails, and you're asked to come and witness everything, it'll definitely ruin your relationship. It'll be considered as eliminating a hidden danger for her sister's descendants."

Jiang Nuo: “…………………………”

Fang Xiaoxiao patted him on the shoulder. "The old lady doesn't really mean any harm. She just has a stereotype. Her sister's husband was taken away by a beautiful mistress, and her own marriage isn't very happy either—otherwise, why would Aunt Fang be named Fang? In short, she has a natural prejudice against good-looking people. Don't mind it."

"...How could that be?" Jiang Nuo laughed dryly. "Auntie is doing a good job of risk hedging."

Fang Xiaoxiao: “?” What did you say?

.

Gu Jiangkuo did not tell Jiang Nuo about this little episode, and Jiang Nuo also reduced contact with Gu Jiangkuo as requested by his aunt. However, this did not make Gu Jiangkuo suspicious - the acquisition invitation was in progress, and as the stock price of Gu Group continued to fall steadily, there were news reports almost every day about investors cashing out and running away, and retail investors followed the trend and rushed to sell.

Rumors abounded, with one claiming, "Old Master Gu has passed away, the Gu family is keeping the news a secret, the feud between his descendants has intensified, and because Chairman Gu didn't leave a will, the Gu Group will be split in two and will undoubtedly suffer significant losses." Another claimed, "All of Gu's industrial production lines will soon be shut down, and they're preparing for massive layoffs."

People are in panic.

In such an environment, some shareholders, both large and small, could not sit still and could not bear to trade with Gu Jiangkuo. However, within a dozen days, the more than 50 billion yuan of funds had reached the bottom, and they had to use the margin loan financing.

The money was being spent so quickly, but he couldn't stop. After all, Gu Jiangkuo was just bluffing. Once he stopped, this psychological warfare would fail.

But until now, there is still no news from the Fang family.

.

Gu Group Headquarters.

This is the twentieth board meeting held in the past month.

——It’s impossible not to panic. The shares in everyone’s hands are depreciating faster than the Zimbabwean dollar. Who wouldn’t be panicking?

"If this continues, I'm going to sell my stocks."

"Mr. Chen, is the news you're asking about accurate? Why is there a rumor going around that the old chairman has passed away? If he were still alive, could you please just let him give us a quick update on his safety?"

“…”

There are more and more voices like this that are shaking the morale of the troops. Chen Zhigu believes that they are frightened by the current situation, and he also wonders if anyone on the board of directors has been bribed by Gu Jiangkuo... There is no need to doubt it. It is obvious with your toes that Gu Jiangkuo will not let go of such a proxy struggle.

But as long as it doesn't exceed half, there will be no problem.

Gu Jiangkuo is not capable enough to win over more than 50% of the board members.

"Don't worry." Chen Zhigu acted as if everything was under control and spoke calmly. "Old Chairman Gu is just recuperating. I just spoke to him on the phone this morning. He said everything is fine. There's no way Gu Jiangkuo can buy up 51% of the shares. Everyone, just be patient and wait and see. He'll hold out for another two weeks at most before he calls off the tender offer."

.

While Chen Zhigu was trying hard to calm people's hearts, on the other hand, Mr. Gu, who he claimed had just spoken to him on the phone this morning, started a hunger strike.

After being busy outside all day, Gu Jiangkuo rushed back under the cover of darkness and was led to the old man's bedroom by an anxious servant.

The old man lay dying, his dim eyes glowing green with hunger. He stared at Gu Jiangkuo weakly and resentfully, "What are you doing here?"

"If I don't come, who are you performing for?" Gu Jiangkuo took off his suit jacket, handed it to the maid beside him, and asked casually, "Did he really not eat a single bite? Did he not sneak any snacks or anything like that?"

Mr. Gu stared at him in shock.

The maid shook her head: "I didn't eat anything, just drank some water."

"I understand." Gu Jiangkuo said.

"Did you hear that?" Old Master Gu said weakly, "If you don't let me out, I'll starve to death here. Let's see how long you can keep this a secret."

Gu Jiangkuo walked over. His broad shoulders and narrow waist made him look stylish in the simplest white shirt and black trousers. He was like a walking hormone, a young, strong, fierce wolf leader, confronting the former wolf king who was on the decline.

"You want to starve to death?" Gu Jiangkuo chuckled. "Why are you bothering me with such a small matter?"

Mr. Gu: “???”

"Aren't you worried that I'll die here?"

"How could that be?" Gu Jiangkuo bent down and said to Gu Zhonghong face to face, "With me here, Grandpa, you will surely live a long life and recover from your long-standing illness."

He stood up and ordered, "Doanna, go call the private doctor and prescribe a bottle of glucose for the master."

"Glucose can maintain your basic vital signs. Since you don't want to eat, just give it an IV. Also, glucose goes directly into your bloodstream, so your stomach will still be empty, and your hunger won't go away," Gu Jiangkuo looked down at Old Man Gu. "If you can't stand the suffering, I advise you to just eat."

After saying that, he left without looking back.

.

Time flies, and another week has passed. Gu Jiangkuo still insists on not bowing to the Fang family - Jiang Nuo can no longer bear it, so he picks up the backlog of work and holds remote video conferences every day.

Fortunately, Jiang Group's subsidiaries and main businesses are on the right track. If they proceed step by step, there will be no problems.

Jiang Nuo wanted to go back to Yanlin, but whenever he had free time, he couldn't help but read the news related to the Gu Group. He would also silently calculate how many shares Gu Jiangkuo had bought, how much money was left, and how long it could last.

The more he calculated, the more frightened Jiang Nuo became.

The investment was too great. Gu Jiangkuo was more persistent than he'd imagined. The stock price continued to fall. The fifty billion yuan wasn't a problem; he was the creditor. But what about the other funds raised by leveraging his assets? If he still couldn't successfully acquire the Gu Group, all his hard work would be wasted, and he might even end up in debt.

He urgently needs the support of the Fang family.

Just when Jiang Nuo felt that he might not be able to hold on any longer, Gu Jiangkuo called.

"Hello."

"Hey, Nuonuo." Gu Jiangkuo's voice was a little hoarse, and Jiang Nuo couldn't help but feel distressed when he heard it.

According to the agreement, he could not hint to Gu Jiangkuo in any way that everything the Fang family did was a "test". Once discovered, the Fang family would give up funding Gu Jiangkuo forever.

Jiang Nuo was not sure whether there were any servants from the Fang family outside the door at this moment, so he did not dare to take the risk. He had to accompany Gu Jiangkuo in his suffering and said some meaningless words to comfort him.

Gu Jiangkuo said, "Nuonuo, I've reached my limit now."

"What?" Jiang Nuo subconsciously twisted the artistic, gorgeous Rococo-style tablecloth with his fingers, and a bad feeling arose in his heart. "Do you have an important decision to tell me?"

The phrase "it has reached its limit" obviously does not refer to Gu Jiangkuo's mental state, but to his funds. He can no longer invest in them, otherwise he will really be unable to make ends meet.

At the beginning, the Fang family's attitude was so ambiguous, and Gu Jiangkuo had enough chips. Who could have imagined that the Fang family would suddenly play by their own rules? Now that they had invested all their money in the early stages, there was really no other way out. Gu Jiangkuo had reached the end of his rope and had to bow to the Fang family.

"Well," Gu Jiangkuo smiled bitterly, "It's a very difficult decision, and it's bad news. Can you promise not to get too emotional after listening to me?"

Jiang Nuo: “…”

"Nuonuo?"

"Nuonuo, can you hear me?"

Jiang Nuo was silent for a long time, almost tearing the tablecloth apart, but he didn't say a word.

He had a premonition that Gu Jiangkuo wanted to be honest with him. Would he directly tell him about his plan to "marry the daughter of the Fang family", or would he throw this difficult problem to him and let him take the initiative to break up?

There are only these two possibilities.

Jiang Nuo felt so choked up that he even had a physical urge to retch. It turns out people really do feel like vomiting when they're sad. Breaking up with Gu Jiangkuo had really made him so miserable.

I had anticipated that this might be the consequence, but now that it has come to pass, is it so difficult to accept?

Reason told him that this matter concerned human nature. It was the Fang family that had originally tested Gu Jiangkuo, so he shouldn't resent him. But a host of irrational emotions overwhelmed his mind. Wronged, resentful, and painful... they washed over him chaotically until a tear suddenly landed on the tablecloth, soaking it all. Only then did Jiang Nuo realize, belatedly, that he hadn't finished his call.

The 'ultimatum' has not been heard yet.

"Hello," Jiang Nuo cleared his throat and said in a fairly normal tone, "The signal was bad just now. What do you want to say?"

"Oh." Gu Jiangkuo, "Can you hear me now?"

"Well, go ahead."

Gu Jiangkuo was silent for a while before saying, "Nuonuo, I failed. The situation is worse than I expected. If I continue to invest, I will not only lose everything, but also be in debt. So..."

Jiang Nuo subconsciously clenched his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"So," Gu Jiangkuo whispered, "I want to cut my losses now. I may have to rely on you to support me in the future."

"!!!!" Jiang Nuo, "What did you say?"

"I'm telling you, I might not be able to make it in Nanyang anymore," Gu Jiangkuo said with a wry smile, resigned to his fate. "If I miss the opportunity to get what I want, I'll probably never get it again. So, there's no point in staying here. I want to go back to Yanlin."

"But it's not a bad thing," Gu Jiangkuo took a deep breath, "I can still be reunited with you. ... Nuonuo? No signal again?"

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Today's additional trigger conditions are also a lot of comments! Good night