Chapter 100: The Dagger Revealed
Gu Xu had recently become increasingly aware that Chu Yan was deliberately targeting the Gu family. What unnerved him was that Chu Yan didn't seem to be deliberately hiding his intentions. Even in tender moments, when the two of them were embracing and enjoying the quiet afterward, Chu Yan would openly answer the phone and issue instructions in a clear and calm voice, all directed towards the core business of the Gu Group.
It was a strange feeling, as if he were allowed to glimpse a brewing storm, but had no idea where he stood in it.
Finally, after Chu Yan finished talking to Gu Hongjian and casually threw his phone to the bedside, Gu Yan couldn't help but raise his head from his arms, frowning slightly, and asked the question in his heart: "Have you been targeting the Gu family recently?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Yan raised his eyebrows lazily, with a hint of lust still on his face: "Targeting? Wasn't I just discussing with Gu Hongjian about injecting capital into Gu's? I'm helping them consolidate their control." He was referring to the plan to push Gu's to conduct a targeted share issuance. On the surface, this would indeed enhance the main family's voice.
Hearing Chu Yan's sophistry, Gu Xu straightened up, and the thin blanket slipped off his shoulders, revealing his beautifully shaped collarbone and chest, but his expression gradually became serious.
He had been in the business world for many years and possessed a keen eye. Unlike Gu Hongjian, he wasn't blinded by Chu Yan's promises and immediate benefits. Knowing Chu Yan's approach, he knew there must be a deeper agenda behind this move. "A private placement will significantly dilute the already limited equity held by the Gu family's collateral branches. This will only exacerbate the conflict between them and the main family, further fragmenting the already fractured Gu family. Are you deliberately provoking their discontent?"
Chu Yan listened to Gu Xu's clear and logical questions without getting anxious. Since he hadn't deliberately concealed anything, he naturally had no fear of Gu Xu's questioning.
He even leisurely stretched out his hand and gently stroked Gu Xu's jawline, which was slightly tense due to his seriousness, with his fingers, and asked: "How is Gu's company now? Do you still care?" He naturally knew that Gu Xu had deliberately avoided all news related to Gu's company since he successfully established himself in City A.
Gu Xu pursed his lips. Chu Yan's evasion made him feel even more uneasy. He grabbed Chu Yan's hand and stared at him sharply, "Chu Yan, stop beating around the bush. Tell me what you want to do."
Chu Yan stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. That smile was beautiful, yet tinged with a cold cruelty. He stopped beating around the bush and gave a direct answer, concise and to the point:
"I want Gu Hongyuan to step down."
——Then, help Gu Ye to the position.
"...Why?" Gu Xu's voice was dry, his heart feeling like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand. He had considered many possibilities: business competition, exchange of interests, but he had never imagined that the answer would point to a naked subversion of power, and that it was directed at his biological father.
Chu Yan tilted his head, his eyes filled with an almost innocent cruelty. He used his fingertips to touch the old scars on Gu Xu's knees that had long faded but were still faintly visible. His tone was as light as a love word: "Isn't this a good reason to let you vent your anger?"
Naturally, he would not confess that all this was done to complete the mission. Now that he was only one step away from success, Gu Xu's personal feelings could no longer influence his established plan.
Gu Xu stared intently at Chu Yan, trying to find even the slightest hint of a joke in his deep eyes, but he failed. Chu Yan's gaze was calm, even possessed of a matter-of-fact indifference. A chill instantly shot up his spine, and Gu Xu suddenly realized that something crucial was slipping completely out of his control, perhaps even something he had never truly controlled in the first place.
He took a deep breath, unable to stay in this bedroom full of charming atmosphere any longer. He threw back the quilt, stepped on the floor barefoot, and walked straight to the study. He needed to find out what happened immediately.
Chu Yan watched Gu Xu's departing back with great interest.
[Wow, is there a fire in your backyard?] The system popped up to watch the fun.
"It's not a fire," Chu Yan replied in his mind, his tone calm. "I let him know on purpose. He and her mother still hold 3% of Gu's shares. This little bit of leverage might be useful at a critical moment." His calculations were chillingly calm.
What's more, when it comes to the final board meeting, Gu Xu, who holds shares, will naturally attend. It is better to know it earlier than to be discovered then.
In his study, Gu Ye turned on his computer and began contacting his former colleagues and connections in City A, eagerly gathering every detail he could about the Gu family's current situation. Soon, a flood of information poured in, and a name he had almost forgotten, yet was incredibly familiar, was mentioned repeatedly: Gu Ye.
Gu Ye was no longer the "wild kid" he once had to keep a close eye on. He had officially become the heir to the Gu family, and his recent actions, often with drastic tactics, had not only garnered the explicit support of some of the Gu family's collateral branches, but his prestige and influence within the group had also rapidly expanded. He was even poised to replace Gu Hongyuan as the de facto leader of the Gu family. The only thing Gu Hongyuan could do to suppress him now was his relatively large stake.
Behind all the information, there is a shadow faintly flickering - Jinshi Investment.
Gu Xu quickly scanned the shocking information, his face gradually paling until it was almost completely bloodless. He felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave, his entire body shivering. It turned out that while he was focused on Rui Chuang and immersed in his "love" with Chu Yan, a subversion of his family had already quietly been largely completed.
At this moment, the study door was gently pushed open, and Chu Yan walked in carrying a plate of cut fruit.
He saw Gu Xu sitting in front of the computer in a daze, as if all his strength had been drained out of him.
Chu Yan tilted his head, walked over, and casually placed the fruit plate on the corner of the desk. Then, he leaned over from behind very naturally, put his arms around Gu Xu's cold shoulders, and rested his chin affectionately on the crook of his neck. His voice was as gentle as usual: "Brother Xu, what are you looking at?"
His embrace was still warm, but at this moment Gu Xu felt that the warmth was like a branding iron, burning him so much that his whole body was in great pain.
Gu Xu's body trembled violently. His voice became hoarse and broken due to pain and depression. Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth with difficulty:
"You've been using me...from the beginning to the end, right?"
He stared blankly at the cold computer screen in front of him, not even having the courage to look back at Chu Yan's expression, for fear of seeing any acquiescence in those beautiful eyes.
"Your goal, from the very beginning... was to allow Gu Ye to control the Gu family, right?"
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