Gu Zhan looked helpless. "Can't you get to the point?"

"That's the point for me." Fu Yan smiled, and in a straddle position, lifted Gu Zhan up and carried him towards the bedroom.

Gu Zhan was quite tall, and had never been lifted like this before. Even though Fu Yan was trained, Gu Zhan was still very nervous. He clung to Fu Yan like a kangaroo, afraid of falling. Fortunately, they both landed safely on the bed, and Fu Yan leaned forward and pounced on him.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting a sliver of light into the room. The dust particles in the air seemed to dance in the warm yellow light.

In the moonlight, Fu Yan traced Gu Zhan's brow with his fingertips. After their playful banter, Gu Zhan's expression, which had been troubled all night, was now much more relaxed.

Fu Yan knew Gu Zhan was cautious and thoughtful, and that asking him to come out to everyone wasn't something that could be done overnight. He also couldn't predict the impact Gu Zhan's coming out would have on Slungshot.

But having chosen to date Gu Zhan, he genuinely hoped that one day he could walk freely and comfortably down the street with the person he loved, basking in any dazzling light. He longed to introduce Gu Zhan to his family and friends and receive their blessings.

Furthermore, Fu Yan was acutely aware of the shadows Gu Zhan had experienced in this matter and understood the pressures Gu Zhan faced from his career and family. Therefore, he sometimes had to consider how much of Gu Zhan's sincerity remained when faced with these real-world obstacles.

When Fu Yan first realized he had such thoughts, he was startled. He had never experienced this feeling in a relationship before… Perhaps it should be called… 'anxiety and insecurity'. Always a winner in relationships, even after numerous breakups, he only ever felt a sense of defeat from the experience itself, not from losing someone he loved deeply.

Fu Yan had always believed in rational and calm love; he knew how to keep the scales balanced. However, this time, in his battle with Gu Zhan, he realized he had unknowingly added weight to his side, causing the scales to tip.

Fu Yan gazed deeply at the person before him. "Gu Zhan, I can wait for you, wait until you overcome your inner hurdle, wait until you feel the time is right, but don't make me wait too long, okay? Because this time, I'm more serious than ever."

Gu Zhan met his eyes, his gaze bright. "Mm."

Before, Gu Zhan wanted to achieve great things with Slungshot because he wanted to prove himself, because of his own dream. Now, his dream would also carry the expectations of another person.

Fu Yan, absorbing the light in his eyes, passionately pinched his chin, leaning closer and closer.

“You think you can get away with just a few sweet words tonight?” Gu Zhan flipped him over, pinning him beneath him. “Assistant Fu, you’ve got some nerve, daring to kiss me on the court? Openly seducing me in public, I’ll teach you a lesson!”

Fu Yan chuckled, spreading his arms, lying down in a submissive posture. “Just say what you want, I’ve always let you have your way.”

Gu Zhan laughed too, then his expression turned serious. “Fu Yan, how can you be so good to me? Is there anything you’ve always wanted to try or are too shy to talk about? Tell me, and I can fulfill it for you.”

Hearing this question, Fu Yan couldn’t help but chuckle. He just found Gu Zhan very amusing, a kind of amusing that resonated with him.

Deep down, he was actually someone who quite enjoyed pursuing passion, but most of his previous girlfriends were either quite innocent or willing to feign innocence in front of him. He used to fall for that, and if he made any demands in bed, it felt like he was making things difficult. Gu Zhan was completely different. He unearthed all the latent passion within him. In public, he was the impeccably proper CEO Gu, but in bed, he was incredibly honest—truly exciting.

For some reason, a WeChat message popped into Fu Yan's mind: "Wear...a skirt."

"What the hell?" Gu Zhan was also utterly astonished.

Fu Yan was too embarrassed to mention the WeChat message he'd seen on Yao Jing's phone, and besides, mentioning another man at this moment would indeed be a bit of a downer.

"Do you want me to wear it, or you to wear it yourself? The former is out of the question, but I can reluctantly cooperate with the latter." Gu Zhan said "reluctantly," but a slight smile played on his lips. "However, there's no way tonight. We need to prepare something else; you can choose something else."

Fu Yan stared intently for a moment, thinking carefully. "Actually, I've always thought Mr. Gu's hands are particularly beautiful..."

"That's it?" Seeing him ponder for so long, Gu Zhan thought he was brewing some amazing trick. "This is at most a 'buy one get one free' bonus."

Fu Yan pretended not to understand, but his eyes lit up. "What do you want to buy?"

Gu Zhan realized that this old rogue was quite the expert in bed. He used to think it was dirty and had never done it for anyone, but if the other person was Fu Yan…

He leaned close to Fu Yan's ear, licking around his earlobe before biting it and whispering, “Close your eyes, feel it.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Later, the sound of running water stopped. Fu Yan, supporting himself against the wall, slowly walked out of the bathroom. His cheeks, which had been flushed earlier, were now as red as ripe apricots from the steam.

Gu Zhan was gathering their clothes, which they had scattered on the floor, into the laundry basket. He looked up at Fu Yan and asked cheerfully, "Finished washing?"

"Yeah." Fu Yan turned his smug face away. "Can I borrow your computer for a bit? I have a video conference in a bit."

"Sure, there's a computer in the study." Gu Zhan took a clean bathrobe from the closet, intending to take a shower himself. As he passed Fu Yan, he couldn't resist pinching his flushed cheek. "Why is Mr. Fu so ambitious these days? Even after work, you're having meetings."

"I left early this afternoon to watch a game with my boyfriend. Now I have to catch up."

"Oh, your boyfriend is really lucky." Gu Zhan smiled knowingly, his words carrying a double meaning. His restless hand gave Fu Yan a good slap on the man's ample buttocks with the bathrobe.

Very well, Mr. Gu really is a man of his word, meticulous and true to his word. He got his revenge for the rooftop fight last time.

Fu Yan silently closed his eyes, striving to maintain a calm expression, and went to his study with a heavy heart.

Gu Zhan came out after showering, and Fu Yan's meeting was almost over.

"Chuyin, send me the technical plan in a bit, I'll take a look."

"Okay."

"Then let's call it a day if there's nothing else. Sorry for taking up everyone's rest time."

After waiting a minute or two, everyone should have turned off the video. Fu Yan was about to turn it off as well when a voice came through:

"Brother, you're not home, are you?"

The voice was quite young, with a somewhat casual and indifferent tone. Through the signal waves, it gave Gu Zhan a sense of déjà vu, as if he had heard it somewhere before. He walked towards the study while drying his half-dry hair.

"I'm..." Fu Yan was afraid the other person would keep going, so he wanted to say he was in his apartment.

"Was that the place you went back to last time for Li You's birthday? It's an old neighborhood, older than me. The window behind you looks like a design from that era."

Fu Yan glanced helplessly behind him and teased, "Having a younger brother with an IQ of 180, you have nowhere to hide."

"Grandma said you're dating someone."

"Yeah."

"Why are you staying at their place every day? Are you living together?"

"Little Chuyin, you're asking a lot of questions tonight." Fu Yan's voice unconsciously softened, like he was coaxing a child. "It's so late, go to sleep."

"Okay."

"I'll take you to your favorite pizza place tomorrow at noon."

"Okay."

"Goodnight, Little Chuyin."

"Goodnight, brother."

The other person hung up the video call. Gu Zhan leaned forward and used a dry towel to dry Fu Yan's hair. Fu Yan introduced, "He's my second uncle's son. He works in the company's technical department."

While listening to their conversation, Gu Zhan recalled that the voice belonged to the young man in the black zip-up hoodie among the group who had driven Fu Yan home that night. "He seems quite close to you."

"My second uncle neglected him when he was little, and he passed away early. He was a poor little thing, sometimes a bit clingy," Fu Yan said, a warm smile spreading across his face as he spoke of his younger brother.

Gu Zhan had heard of Fu Yan's second uncle before. He had many drinking buddies in the business world, and after a few drinks, he loved to gossip about scandalous affairs—no more refined than the village gossip.

The Fu family ancestors were officials, but unfortunately, by Fu Hongping's generation, they had fallen from grace. Fortunately, Fu Hongping was a shrewd businessman, bringing honor to the family. However, his only younger brother was a good-for-nothing, spending his days idly, indulging in drinking, gambling, and womanizing. He never married, ruined his health with alcohol, and died young. Rumor has it he had an illegitimate son, presumably the Fu Chuyin, Fu Yan mentioned.

This wasn't exactly a source of pride for the Fu family, so Gu Zhan, with his keen insight, didn't press the matter further, changing the subject: "You also want to acquire Youfan.com?"

He inadvertently glanced at the file Fu Chuyin had sent on the computer screen: "Youfan.com Technology Acquisition Plan." "Yes, Slungshot is interested too?"

"Youfan.com was one of the earliest e-commerce platforms in China. They created their own brand, Youfan Select, a long time ago. Now, due to poor management, they can't sustain themselves, but it's a well-established brand with a good reputation. Slungshot is also building its own brand. If they could merge with Youfan Select, it would undoubtedly be a huge boost."

"President Gu, we've cooperated several times; this is the first time we've become competitors."

"Yes, President Fu, are you scared?" Gu Zhan's smiling eyes were eager to try.

"Hmph, whoever's scared is a wimp." Fu Yan's tone was deliberately childish.

Gu Zhan affectionately pinched his nose. "In that case, how about we make a bet?"

"What do you want to bet on?"

"Whoever loses..." Gu Zhan frowned and thought for a moment, "Who calls the other 'husband'."

"Why are you still thinking about that?" Fu Yan smiled helplessly. Just now in bed, Gu Zhan had been trying to coax him into calling him 'husband,' but he hadn't complied. At first, he wanted to whet Gu Zhan's appetite, but later, when he couldn't resist the urge to call out, the words wouldn't come out. He probably couldn't get past his own mental hurdle; after all, he was a man of his word. Later, he was so overwhelmed that he almost lost consciousness and couldn't speak anymore.

"If you want me to call out like that, I'd rather you do it a hundred times."

"Sure."

Fu Yan pressed down on his chin and pinched it a couple of times. "So confident, who wins and who loses is still uncertain."

"We'll see." Gu Zhan turned to walk towards the bedroom.

It was getting late, and Fu Yan was also preparing to go to bed. But as soon as he got up, his buttocks barely left the chair before he slumped back down. Luckily, the chair in Gu Zhan's study was upholstered in genuine leather and very soft.

"Slow down," Gu Zhan turned back to help him. "How about I carry you?"

Fu Yan waved his hand. "Can you carry me?"

"We'll see when we try."

Before he finished speaking, Gu Zhan had already lifted Fu Yan up by the backs of his knees. Fu Yan instinctively reached out to wrap his arms around Gu Zhan's neck to prevent himself from falling.

Gu Zhan lightly lifted him, making sure he was securely in his arms, and calmly walked towards the bedroom.

Fu Yan, who had always been a top, had never imagined that he would be carried like this, especially in a princess carry. It seemed a little strange, but the feeling—being carried to bed after a long day—was actually quite nice.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

The acquisition of Youfan.com was a public bidding process. The first round of bidding didn't involve submitting a price; instead, each buyer presented their acquisition proposal, and then the seller selected the companies eligible to enter the second round of bidding.

This arrangement was mainly because Mr. Wang Mo, the founder of Youfan.com, had a deep emotional attachment to his company. As one of the earliest e-commerce platforms, Youfan.com, though lost in the turbulent currents of the internet, carried almost half of Wang Mo's life's work. CEO Wang was unwilling to let his beloved son, whom he had raised, simply accept any new father; he wanted to at least confirm whether this stepfather could treat his son well.

On the day of the competition, the Youfan Building was packed with distinguished guests, a sea of ​​suits and ties, quite a lively scene.

Gu Zhan, accompanied by the product manager and financial director, arrived at the venue. Just as they reached the entrance, they encountered the Fu family's group. Fu Yan, tall and long-legged, walked at the front, quite eye-catching.

The two men's eyes met. They gave each other a formal nod, then subtly and naturally moved closer, walking side-by-side.

"Mr. Gu, long time no see."

"Mr. Fu, long time no see."

Yes, it had been a long time. From morning until now, they hadn't seen each other for over six hours, even though they had been together the night before, in a way that created a negative distance between them.

Two towering figures, both over six feet tall, walked side-by-side with impressive style. Their long legs strode confidently forward, like a jade mountain moving, the wind seemingly parting to make way for them.

Following closely behind Fu Yan was a young man in a black hooded sweatshirt. He was tall and slightly shorter than Fu Yan, with a smoky gray diamond stud in his left ear. His hands in his pockets and his somewhat casual walk made him stand out awkwardly among the upright gentlemen in suits.

The arrival of the Fu family naturally made them the center of attention. The smaller members of the group eagerly sought an opportunity to socialize. Wang Mo also stepped forward with a beaming smile to greet them.

Wang Mo, in his forties, was not tall and had dark skin. His smile was quite unassuming. "President Fu, President Gu, it's truly an honor for Youfan to have you here."

"President Wang is still so humble."

The crowd engaged in a professional exchange of flattery, and soon everyone's attention was drawn to the young man behind Fu Yan.

Fu Yan smiled and introduced, "This is my cousin, Fu Chuyin, a top student in Computer Science from Tsinghua and Peking Universities, and the Deputy Director of the Technical Department at Fu's Group."

"So you're Young Master Fu! My apologies for not recognizing you sooner."

"Young Master Fu is truly remarkable; he's already a Technical Director at such a young age."

"Kids these days are so ambitious. They're already interning at companies in college. When we were in college, all we did was play games."

The crowd showered him with compliments, originally intended as flattery, but the Fu Group members ended up looking awkward.

Fu Chuyin had fair skin and youthful features, and dressed sportily, he even looked like a high school student—hardly the image of a Technical Director. But the Fu Group members all knew that their young Master Fu had already graduated from a prestigious university with genuine talent. These compliments backfired, implying that Fu Chuyin was young and inexperienced.

He's a rich kid; getting into their company, let alone a director position, is just a matter of a word.

However, Fu Chuyin was introverted. Although he sensed the hidden meaning in their words, he was too lazy to argue and simply turned his head away impatiently.

Fu Yan, noticing his mood, chuckled and gently stroked the back of his drooping head. "Chuyin graduated two years ago. He skipped a grade in junior high and was admitted to high school without taking the entrance exam, so he's still young."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes widened instantly. Even Gu Zhan couldn't help but give Fu Chuyin a second look.

"Alright, everyone, stop standing around chatting in the aisle. Please take your seats," Wang Mo said, conveniently glossing over the matter.

After all, Wang Mo was the main character today, so no one lingered and everyone headed to their seats.

Slungshot and Fu's were seated on opposite sides of the aisle. Just as they were about to separate, Gu Zhan leaned close to Fu Yan's ear and whispered, "Go for it, Mr. Fu! I'm not letting you win this time. Don't cry if you lose."

Fu Yan casually put his arm around Gu Zhan's shoulder and chuckled in a low voice, "I didn't expect you to let me win here." His tone was ambiguous, radiating a strong sense of masculinity.

The venue was crowded and noisy, and it wasn't unusual for men to be seen talking with their arms around each other. Who would have thought that these two CEOs, while outwardly discussing business seriously in public, were secretly flirting?

Only Fu Chuyin, who had been following his brother, noticed his brother whispering to someone. His drooping head snapped up, and he immediately started watching the two men. Even after separating from Gu Zhan and sitting in his own seat, Fu Chuyin was still glancing at him.

Six companies submitted bids. Although Youfan had declined, it wasn't a company any company could easily acquire. After eliminating some small companies that were clearly just there to make up the numbers, only Fu's and another established traditional business company, Chenglang, could truly compete with Slungshot.

Chenglang started as an electronics retailer in the 1980s. Even today, with e-commerce booming, it still holds a considerable market share. However, any company that wants to progress must adapt to the times. E-commerce is currently the dominant trend, so Chenglang's intention in acquiring Youfan is self-evident: to expand into the e-commerce market and build its own e-commerce platform.

Chenglang's CEO, Chen Lang, personally delivered a passionate speech, painting a rosy picture of Youfan's future. It was as if Youfan wasn't facing bankruptcy or acquisition, but rather a phoenix rising from the ashes, earning applause from the audience, and even bringing tears to Wang Mo's eyes.

The product director of Slungshot gave the presentation. Gu Zhan's main interest was in Youfan's self-operated brand; he wanted to incorporate "Youfan Selected" into his own brand to jointly establish "Feifan Selected."

This was exactly what Wang Mo wanted. A large part of the reason Mr. Wang was reluctant to give up Youfan was because of the brand "Youfan Selected," which he had nurtured from scratch. If Youfan were acquired, Youfan Selected would disappear from the market, which would be the last thing he wanted to see.

The people present were all shrewd businessmen. They could easily distinguish who was making empty promises and who was a true ally with shared goals. Gu Zhan had been closely observing Wang Mo's attitude. He noticed that after Slungshot's presentation, Wang Mo's expression had become much more amiable. Gu Zhan was already confident, and now he was even more determined to succeed.

Fu was the last to speak. Fu Chuyin carried a thin Mac to the stage, while an assistant played a PowerPoint presentation. He barely glanced at it, simply reciting the key points listed on the Mac.

Fu Chuyin's demeanor on stage was completely different from usual. His usual nonchalant air had vanished; his gaze was focused, and his professional knowledge was accurate and insightful. If those who had been fawning over him earlier had seen him now, they would never have mistaken him for an intern who hadn't yet graduated.

The presentation was unsurprisingly successful, receiving thunderous applause and transforming a bidding meeting into a technical exchange conference.

Fu Yan leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze piercing through the crowd, a smug smile playing on his lips as he looked at Gu Zhan. Gu Zhan, in turn, was watching him with a knowing look.

President Fu had indeed played his cards well, hitting the nail on the head and addressing the root of the problem.

Wang Mo, with a technical background, had painstakingly coded the early Youfan.com website line by line through countless sleepless nights. Besides its brand, Youfan's most valuable asset was its technical architecture. While this architecture wasn't the most advanced in China, and lagged far behind international standards, its underlying design principles were ingenious and had never been open-sourced. If the Fu family could develop and expand this architecture to more scenarios, it would undoubtedly be what Wang Mo wanted to see.

Gu Zhan gave Fu Yan a slightly contemptuous smile, then raised his signboard and asked, "As far as I know, the Fu family has already developed a complete cloud-native architecture and applied for numerous patents. Its current professional level is second to none in China. So, why does the Fu family need an architecture that's even older than itself? Are you going to pass this code down through generations?"

"Hahaha—" The entire room erupted in laughter.

Wang Mo also laughed; Gu Zhan had voiced his doubts. Although he was reluctant to abandon Youfan's technical architecture, he knew very well that technology was constantly evolving, and outdated technology was like expired food—theoretically worthless.

Fu Chuyin, of course, couldn't tolerate his professional abilities being questioned. He deliberately chose several obscure and niche technical questions to retort to Gu Zhan, but Gu Zhan answered them all correctly, confidently and fluently.

Fu Chuyin stared at the smiling Slungshot CEO in the audience for a few seconds. He hadn't expected this seemingly sophisticated and pretentious social elite to actually understand technology.

This wasn't his prejudice; people who focus on technology are usually able to sit on the sidelines patiently, so most of them are relatively taciturn. CEOs like Gu Zhan, who can talk a good game, are mostly from marketing or product backgrounds; few understand technology.

Fu Chuyin, head held high, said, "Theoretical discussions are nothing. Fu's Group possesses top-tier technology laboratories and scientific research institutes, capable of revitalizing any technology that has been gathering dust."

Gu Zhan clapped his hands with a smile, "Young Mr. Fu is absolutely right. Gold always shines. I believe this is the common goal of any IT company dedicated to technological innovation."

"You…" Fu Chuyin was momentarily speechless.

Gu Zhan's words were quite succinct. He not only avoided embarrassing Fu Chuyin but also pinpointed a flaw in Fu's acquisition plan. The idea of ​​acquiring technology was indeed good, capturing Wang Mo's attention, but it wasn't irreplaceable, as any IT company could offer Wang Mo similar terms.

"Alright, I greatly appreciate your insightful observations. Thank you all." Wang Mo stepped onto the stage to give his concluding remarks, then asked everyone to rest briefly while the board discussed and finalized the list of candidates for the second round of bidding.

Youfan had prepared a refined tea break, and while waiting, the attendees began to socialize again.

Fu Yan introduced Fu Chuyin to a few friends. Seeing that he couldn't even be bothered to put on a professional fake smile, he simply let him go, picking up a piece of his favorite cherry black forest cake and saying affectionately, "Are you hungry? Your speech was great, I'm so proud of you."

Fu Chuyin glanced at his brother, then turned back to stare at President Gu, who was chatting and laughing with someone not far away. His small eyes were complex, filled with resentment, unwillingness, and disbelief.

It was hard for anyone to connect the now-successful President Gu with the quiet, reserved, poor boy who used to work on algorithms with his computer before starting his business.

Fu Yan followed his gaze. He had always known that Gu Zhan was technically skilled, but he had only ever seen President Gu eloquently pitching investments and projects before; this was the first time he had seen him talk about technology.

He's so handsome, no wonder he's my boyfriend, Fu Yan thought to himself.

Previously, he only thought Gu Zhan's gold-rimmed glasses concealed a businessman's shrewdness, but now he also felt that his refined appearance possessed a scholarly air, making one unable to resist thinking…

“Is it him?”

Fu Chuyin's sudden question pulled Fu Yan back to reality.

“Hmm?” He tried to straighten his expression, clearing his mind of the lewd thoughts.

Fu Chuyin glanced at him. “Grandma said that my brother's 'girlfriend' is as tall as him and has skin as fair as mine. I've been thinking about people around my brother who fit these criteria, and who he might be interested in, and it's probably this President Gu.”

Fu Yan's sexual orientation was never a secret. Except for his elderly grandmother, who was a bit confused, everyone in the family knew he was gay, including Fu Chuyin.

So when Fu Chuyin asked, Fu Yan didn't intend to hide it.

“Yes, I'll introduce you two privately sometime.” Fu Yan smiled, taking a sip of his red tea.

Seeing his reaction, Fu Chuyin's already gloomy face darkened even more. He stared intently at Gu Zhan's retreating figure and took a large, vicious bite of his cake.

Shortly afterward, Wang Mo announced the list of bidders advancing to the next round: Fu's, Slungshot, and Chenglang.

This result was essentially a foregone conclusion. Slungshot was building its own brand, giving it a natural advantage in its collaboration with Youfan; Fu's proposed technical solution was commendable and indeed attractive; as for Chenglang, on one hand, there was Chen Lang's industry standing, and on the other hand, Youfan might want to see how much the financially strong Chenglang could offer in the second round.

The second round of bidding would officially begin in a week. Each unit could adjust its bidding proposal based on the first round's results for the next round.

The final winning bid wasn't solely determined by 'highest bidder wins,' but rather by Wang Mo and the board of directors considering both the bid and the acquisition plan. In other words, there was considerable room for maneuver.

The venue was nearly empty.

Ever since the results were announced, Chen Lang had been chatting idly with Wang Mo, making small talk about this and that.

This man was in his early fifties, overweight, and balding. Gu Zhan had met him a few times and knew he was a cunning and manipulative old fox. Now, he was being so friendly and friendly with Wang Mo, a junior colleague. Gu Zhan immediately knew what he was up to and couldn't let Chen Lang get the upper hand.

Chen Lang smoothed his sparse, shiny hair and said smugly, "Mr. Wang, let's have a casual dinner together tonight."

"I'll be back in a bit..."

Wang Mo was about to refuse when Chen Lang interrupted him, "I've already made reservations at the restaurant. It would be a shame if Mr. Wang didn't give me the honor of joining us."

"This..."

"Mr. Wang," Gu Zhan approached with a smile, "I have a question I'd like to ask you?"

"Mr. Gu, please feel free to ask." Wang Mo greeted Gu Zhan like a savior. He didn't actually want to be too familiar with Chen Lang, because he wasn't inclined to hand his son over to Cheng Lang. However, given Chen Lang's wealth and high social status, he didn't want to offend him easily, which was why he allowed him to enter the second round.

"Haha, it's nothing serious, just me and my brothers." Gu Zhan glanced at the product director and finance director behind him. "It's our first time at Youfan, and we didn't know if there were any good places to eat around here. They've worked hard today. I can go hungry myself, but I can't let them go hungry."

Gu Zhan spoke with a radiant smile, perfectly embodying the image of a caring boss.

The general manager of Youfan, following behind Wang Mo, beamed. Young as he was, he already admired the young and capable Gu Zhan, and seeing his approachable demeanor only increased his appreciation. If Youfan were to be acquired by Slungshot, then Gu Zhan could very well become his boss.

The general manager grinned and said, "There are several good restaurants in that area to the west. If Mr. Gu doesn't mind, I can take you there."

"Hey, how could we let Mr. Gu eat out alone?" Wang Mo waved his hand, adding timely, "It's our fault for not being hospitable enough. We didn't expect a bidding meeting to go so late, it's almost dinnertime. How about this, I'll treat everyone to dinner."

"Mr. Wang, you're too kind. I'll accept your invitation." Gu Zhan patted his hand warmly.

"And Mr. Fu, Mr. Chen, let's all join in." Wang Mo invited all those who made it to the second round. Having been in the business world for many years, Mr. Wang was certainly shrewd. Inviting everyone together ensured no one was offended.

This was good; fair and just, no one could try to take shortcuts, everyone would speak based on merit.

Fu Yan, accompanied by several subordinates, walked towards them. "Want to go eat?"

"Yes, President Wang is treating." Gu Zhan smiled at Wang Mo. "President Wang, what are we going to eat?"

"Eat..." Wang Mo paused at just the right moment.

"Hey, everyone, follow me. I booked the restaurant a long time ago." Chen Lang, who had been observing quietly for a while, readily chimed in. "Let's all have some fun together, haha."

"Sure, President Chen is so thoughtful." Wang Mo chuckled, urging everyone to follow.

Chen Lang strode ahead, leading the way, a bitter smile hidden on his face. He couldn't help but curse inwardly; these days, each "president" was more cunning than the last. He, the old guard, was truly being swept away by the new generation.

Dinner was arranged at a private garden restaurant. Chen Lang had someone move them to a large private room.

Just as they sat down, before the food even started to be served, Chen Lang received a phone call, then whispered something to Wang Mo beside him with a smile.

Wang Mo hesitated, a slight pause on his lips, "Wouldn't that be inappropriate..."

"What does it matter? What's the point of a table full of men eating together?" Chen Lang's smile grew increasingly suggestive, then he cheerfully told everyone, "A friend of mine is hanging out nearby, and he's bringing a few ladies over later. Does anyone mind? Haha—"

"Haha, that would be perfect."

"Mr. Chen's friend is our friend too."

The crowd responded with laughter and agreement.

Gu Zhan also forced a smile; he was long accustomed to these business pleasantries. He didn't know when it started, but it seemed that without a few drinks and some atmosphere-building, business deals couldn't be closed.

Fu Yan, sitting opposite Gu Zhan, noticed his stiff expression. He then glanced at Fu Chuyin, who was engrossed in drinking juice beside him, and then at Wang Mo. "President Wang, my brother..."

Wang Mo's hesitation earlier was actually due to his glance at Fu Chuyin. They were a bunch of seasoned veterans, indiscriminate in their pursuit of pleasure, but Fu Chuyin looked like a scholar. He wondered if this would displease Fu Yan, and he didn't want any unpleasantness with the Fu family.

Wang Mo chimed in, "Yes, President Chen, look at young President Fu, so scholarly. If we invite some old friends, they'll say we're corrupting a bright student."

"But I... I've already made arrangements with them..." Chen Lang feigned difficulty.

"I just remembered I have an urgent matter. Perhaps we should leave now?" Fu Yan was about to pull Fu Chuyin away.

Gu Zhan, sitting opposite, gave Fu Yan a look, gesturing for him to sit down.

In truth, Fu Yan wasn't oblivious. Chen Lang had invited him to dinner tonight to ingratiate himself with Wang Mo and obtain firsthand information. He'd even gone so far as to arrange for a "festive atmosphere" team—partly to please Wang Mo, and partly to send the Fu brothers away.

Fu Yan clearly protected his younger brother well; how could he allow him to associate with such shady characters? Besides, everyone in the circle knew that the Fu family's heir was a good-for-nothing. Chen Lang's bringing a group of pretty girls was deliberately designed to annoy him. With the Fu family gone, Cheng Lang would lose a formidable rival.

At this crucial juncture, whoever left first might miss out on the insider information for the second round of bidding.

Fu Chuyin showed no intention of leaving. "Brother, it's okay. I'm not a child anymore."

Yes, Fu Chuyin was already 22 this year, and sooner or later he'd have to navigate the business world. If Fu Yan continued to treat him like a child, it might not be a good thing for him.

Besides, Fu Yan glanced at Gu Zhan across from him; he wasn't comfortable leaving the incredibly charming CEO alone in this kind of situation.

"That's more like it," Wang Mo chimed in, trying to smooth things over. "Nobody leaves hungry."

"Eat first. Even the most urgent matters can wait until we've filled our stomachs."

Within ten minutes, a group of beautiful, fair-skinned, long-legged girls arrived.

Chen Lang, clearly an experienced man, possessed maximum control over the situation. He immediately and skillfully distributed the girls among the various executives, placing one next to Gu Zhan. When it came to Fu Yan, he waved his hand in refusal.

Chen Lang slapped his thigh, feigning belated realization, "Oh, I forgot. Mr. Fu is different from us. I'll call and ask to find a few..."

Fu Yan interrupted him, "Mr. Chen, don't bother. I just want to have a proper meal tonight." The latter part of his sentence noticeably cooled, revealing a hint of displeasure.

Chen Lang chuckled inwardly. He was eager to drive the young master away, but outwardly he smiled warmly, "Alright, then Mr. Fu, please eat more. This place is quite good."

The atmosphere-setter certainly lived up to the hype. With the encouragement of Mr. Chen's various "friends," the dinner became increasingly lively. After a few drinks, everyone was chatting animatedly, calling each other brothers, and even the initially reserved Mr. Wang Mo unconsciously placed his hand on the waist of the girl next to him.

Gu Zhan watched as Chen Lang and Wang Mo, from the hardships of starting a business to the stock market trends, became increasingly congenial. Naturally, he couldn't stand idly by and joined their conversation, occasionally clinking glasses with them.

Fu Yan seemed to be left out. In business, that's often how it is; you might not click, but you might click on conversation. This was one of the reasons Gu Zhan hadn't yet come out to his business partners.

Fu Hongping often told Fu Yan, "Doing business is about relationships." Fu Yan didn't deny it, but tonight he just didn't want to chat and laugh with these people. He was simply in a bad mood, especially as he watched the heavily made-up girl sitting closer and closer to Gu Zhan.

Fu Yan's cold gaze remained fixed on the person opposite him, his hand gradually clenching into a fist. He desperately wanted to rush over and publicly come out as Gu Zhan, issuing a stern warning, "Don't touch my man!"

Gu Zhan wasn't unaware of the emotions on the other side. When the girl next to him leaned in, he always naturally avoided her, maintaining his aloof and ascetic image. He even occasionally mentioned Fu Yan when chatting with others, trying to get him to join the "group chat."

But Fu Yan only gave a perfunctory reply before burying himself in his food, channeling his grief and anger into his appetite. Before he knew it, the CEO had devoured four bowls of white rice.

Fu Yan had no intention of dealing with this group, especially that CEO Chen from Chenglang. In his eyes, he was just a greasy middle-aged man. If he hadn't been worried about Gu Zhan being groped alone, he would have left long ago.

Perhaps it's because a rich and handsome man like Gu Zhan is so attractive wherever he goes, the girl opposite him visibly moved closer and closer, even putting her hand on his shoulder when toasting.

Fu Yan slammed his fist on the table with a "bang!" and jumped up, glaring at the girl opposite him with a dark expression.