Chapter 113: Reality and Illusion
Jiang Jin's reminder was very timely. In fact, Gu Ningwei himself was a little nervous.
He was not afraid that his uncle would really do anything to him. After all, he still had his father. Even if Gu Zhiguang hated him, he was a shareholder of Chengguang, and they would prosper and suffer together.
In the words of his father Gu Zhicheng, even if the bones are broken, the tendons are still connected. No matter what, they are still a family, a family bound together by Chengguang's interests.
But the He family is different.
There were rumors outside that they were old friends, but Gu Ningwei knew that those were all bullshit old friends, and they were not even remotely related.
Mr. He Guoliang worked as a serviceman when he was young. He followed the leaders in the army for many years, traveled all over the country and saw the world.
He Guoliang was a person who could read people's faces and understand people's hearts. He was very good at pleasing his superiors, so he was promoted all the way.
But because he was too good at pleasing others, he fell again.
Because of a misjudgment, he stood on the wrong side and lost the possibility of advancement, so he simply changed his career and returned to the local area, where he became a small cadre in a state-owned factory, feeling depressed and frustrated.
In the early 1990s, He Guoliang met his old leader whom he had not seen for many years at a gathering of his comrades-in-arms. After receiving some advice, he quickly resigned from his job and went into business.
At first, he got up early and went to bed late, working diligently, hoping to get rich through hard work, but he only made a little money and could only live a comfortable life.
He Guoliang was not satisfied, he needed to make more money. After being choked and cheated several times, he quickly realized that if he wanted to make money, relationships came first.
With connections, he can get scarce resources that others cannot, such as quotas, permits...
He Guoliang traveled back and forth, doing business resale. With his extraordinary emotional intelligence and the connections he had accumulated over the years in the army, he quickly made his first fortune.
With the initial capital, He Guoliang started to engage in industry, doing whatever could make money and getting involved in a wide range of areas. In less than 20 years, he turned He's Enterprise into a well-known group enterprise.
Both of his sons are married and have children. Now they are middle-aged and hold important positions in the group.
On the surface, He Guoliang retreated to the second line and only held the title of chairman of the board of directors. In fact, he still firmly controlled all matters related to the operation of the company. His two sons were just puppets.
Nowadays, on the surface, the youngest son of the He family is in charge of the group's affairs, while the eldest son and his family have already immigrated abroad and retired from the business world.
To outsiders, He Guoliang favors his youngest son and leaves the huge family fortune to him. In fact, Gu Ningwei had heard a long time ago that He Guoliang values the eldest son and his son the most.
Therefore, most of the funds were transferred abroad and handed over to the eldest son and grandson, leaving only an empty shell in the country.
He started this plan seven or eight years ago, and Gu Ningwei had to admire He Guoliang's foresight.
Therefore, Gu Ningwei still had a bit of awe in his heart towards this old man. He thought about it and realized that it was because of him that the He family lost face in the circle twice.
What He Guoliang values most is his old face.
Gu Ningwei found a day to visit and apologize.
He Guoliang was standing at the window in his study, twisting bird food and teasing the golden canary in the cage.
When he heard the butler Yang Zhen come in to report, his brows furrowed slightly, with a hint of surprise, but that was only a momentary surprise.
He quickly restrained his expression, sucked his lips, and made a hissing sound, teasing the nimble and delicate bird.
Butler Yang Zhen stood at the door, his hands hanging solemnly, waiting for the old man to speak.
He Lian's father, He Guoliang's youngest son, He Yongqiang, was the first to lose his temper. He frowned and said to Yang Zhen, "Uncle Yang, just say that the old man is not at home."
He Guoliang glanced back at him.
He Yongqiang thought about it and became indignant again. "Damn it! That brat, barely wet behind the ears, barely even fully grown, actually fooled us twice in a row. He really thinks our He family is a soft persimmon, and he can do whatever he wants. What does he think of my daughter? Uncle Yang, tell him to get out."
Uncle Yang was He Guoliang's former comrade-in-arms in the army. He was older than He Guoliang. He graduated from junior high school and only went to school for a few days. After retiring from the army, he couldn't find a job and started hanging around outside. He Guoliang was nostalgic for the old times, so he found him and kept him by his side.
Uncle Yang is not well-educated, but he is loyal to the He family. He Guoliang is very generous to him. Except for not giving him a position, he is treated no differently from an executive in other aspects.
Uncle Yang only listens to He Guoliang, and no one else can call him.
He Guoliang didn't say anything, and Uncle Yang didn't move, just looked at him.
He Guoliang glanced back at his son, his face darkening slightly as he sneered, "You probably don't know what kind of person your daughter is."
He Yongqiang lowered his head and said nothing. He knew that the old man's words were full of hidden meaning.
He Lian's gossips with young handsome men and young studs have long been known to everyone in the circle.
He was a man, and he felt embarrassed when he heard those rumors that seemed true or false, but he was a father, and he could not ask his adult daughter to control her sex life. He could only often get angry at He Lian's mother.
He Lian's mother, Ms. Kong Yao, did not believe the rumors at all. She turned a deaf ear to He Yongqiang's accusations and just cried and made a fuss when she was anxious. She said that He Lian had died several times and she could do whatever she wanted. As long as she could live well, nothing else mattered.
He Yongqiang choked back the words that were about to come out of his mouth.
There is nothing else to do except sigh and lament.
He Guoliang looked at his youngest son, sighed, and said to Yang Zhen, "Take him to the small living room and wait for me. I'll be there soon."
Yang Zhen nodded and turned to leave. He Guoliang dropped the bird feed in his hand and went to the bathroom to wash his hands. While wiping his hands with a towel, he said to He Yongqiang, "You're already such a grown-up, but you're so impatient. Since he's here today, let's hear what he has to say. You're so anxious to chase him away, isn't that just giving him something to talk about? Then it will be our turn to be right or wrong. What do you say, right or wrong?"
He Guoliang shook his head and secretly blamed his son for not being smart enough. If he handed over such a large enterprise to them, it would definitely be squandered in less than three to five years.
He Yongqiang sighed, "I just don't want to see him. I get angry just thinking about him. He keeps doing this to our He family. Their Chengguang Group is on the verge of collapse, and they're still trying to control us and put on an act."
He Guoliang didn't answer. He threw the towel in his hand towards the bathroom, brushed off the wrinkles on his clothes, put his hands behind his back, and swaggered out of the study.
He Yongqiang paused slightly and quickly followed him.
The He family’s mansion is very large and is decorated in Chinese style.
It is said that when people get older, they always like Confucianism and the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, and He Guoliang is no exception.
This set of Ming-style furniture made of Hainan Huanghuali wood has simple and smooth lines, warm and delicate colors, clear textures, and a slight fragrance when you smell it carefully.
On the bookshelf were placed complete sets of "The Complete Works of Zeng Wenzheng" and "The Complete Works of Wang Yangming". Gu Ningwei reached out and touched them. They were real books, not so-called decorative books.
A huge landscape painting hung on the wall, which attracted Gu Ningwei's attention.
The painting depicts scattered mountains and rocks, towering pines, steep cliffs and ridges, and rushing springs. Between the pavilions and towers, there are two sages sitting opposite each other in a bridge pavilion, silently contemplating the wonders of nature. Beside them lies a trickle of clear water, which flows out of the mountain stream and hides in the bushes and stone cliffs.
The painting style is rich and unique, the ink is used freely and seamlessly. Gu Ningwei took a closer look and found that it was somewhat similar to Shi Tao's style.
He moved closer to take a closer look.
"It seems that Mr. Gu also likes Chinese painting," a deep voice came from behind.
Gu Ningwei turned around and saw He Guoliang walking in, followed by He Yongqiang and Yang Zhen.
Gu Ningwei smiled and bowed slightly: "Hello, Grandpa He, hello, Uncle He." He then glanced at Yang Zhen: "Hello, Uncle Yang."
He greeted the elders respectfully, with a warm smile and polite manner.
He Guoliang waved his hand, Yang Zhen nodded slightly, but He Yongqiang had a stern face, curled his lips, and ignored him.
Gu Ningwei remained calm, standing aside and looking back at the landscape painting with admiration on his face.
Seeing his admiring look, He Guoliang smiled proudly and said, "Why? Mr. Gu also likes ancient paintings? This is rare among young people.
ah. "
Gu Ningwei smiled and said, "I'm just taking a look, I don't really understand." He pointed to the painting on the wall and said, "This one looks very impressive."
He Guoliang said proudly, "Do you know where it came from?"
Gu Ningwei shook his head and said with a smile, "I don't know, I just think it looks good."
He Guoliang walked closer to the painting, looked up at it with tender eyes, nodded, and said, "This, to be honest, I bought it at a high price. It is said to be the work of Shi Tao, a great painter from the Qing Dynasty."
"Really? He's a great painter." Gu Ningwei exclaimed.
"Well, that's what you said, but who can guarantee that it's really Shi Tao's work?" He Guoliang laughed, "I just liked it at first sight."
"It can't be fake if it's sold at an auction house." Gu Ningwei said flatteringly with a smile: "Besides, Grandpa He, you have a keen eye. You can't hide whether it's real or fake."
"Hahahaha." He Guoliang laughed out loud, walked to the chair and sat down, motioning Gu Ningwei to sit down as well. "Forget it, I've already spent so much money on it. Whether it's real or fake, I won't delve into it. I'll just assume he's real."
Gu Ningwei pursed his lips and smiled, thinking to himself that if the "Landscape and Pure Sounds" by Shi Tao in front of him was real, then the national treasure-level works in the Shanghai Museum's collection would be fake, but the possibility of this was almost zero.
In order to launder money, He Guoliang really used every trick in the book.
When the fakes are sold at auction houses, the funds have a reasonable flow, but where they go is like the mountain stream in the painting, gurgling and elusive, and no one knows.
"Grandpa He is an expert and he can guarantee that he will not be wrong." Gu Ningwei smiled faintly.
"You're not bad either. I heard that you bought a lot of Lian'er's paintings. Do you like her paintings very much?" He Guoliang smiled faintly, glanced at Gu Ningwei, and changed the subject.
"I don't know much about painting, but with He Lian's current fame and status, the market price of her paintings is expected to rise. I charge a little more now, thinking that I can make money in the future." Gu Ningwei said sincerely.
He Guoliang smiled and nodded: "You are telling the truth."
Gu Ningwei lowered his head a little embarrassedly.
He Guoliang continued, "To be honest, I don't understand her paintings either."
Gu Ningwei smiled meaningfully: "As long as there are people in the market who understand, I won't lose money."
"That's true." He Guoliang nodded, paused, and then changed the subject, asking, "You and Lian'er have known each other for a long time. I heard that you two have a good relationship. What's going on now?"
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