Chapter 424 - 424: The Little Wolf Cub’s Desire to Dominate
Gu Ziyu had long stopped caring about Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan’s relationship. His parents were both incredibly intelligent and deeply in love with each other. If they were not together, there must be a reason, and they wouldn’t get back together just for him. So, Gu Ziyu had let it go and adopted a more neutral stance, being a child of divorced parents. However, when it came to accepting Gu Ci’s marriage to Zhou Li, Gu Ziyu felt uneasy.
“Mom, do you like Zhou Li?” he asked.
“Of course!” Gu Ci replied. “I like him a lot, just like 1 like Qin Wan and Jinjin.”
She was her best friend, and over the years, Gu Ci had made many friends, mostly classmates from A University. Most of them were working in A City, except for those who had gone abroad for further studies. Zhou Jinjin was quite sociable, and when she wasn’t working, she enjoyed organizing gatherings with her classmates. Gu Ci attended these gatherings less frequently, but she had always maintained her connections.
“Why did you go to see Dad today?” Gu Ci inquired.
“There’s a case related to them, and digging into it could strain our relationship. So, I informed him and let him investigate on his own,” Gu Ziyu explained. The Ministry of State Security often collaborated with the underworld dark web, and some information was shared between them. Gu Ziyu was somewhat conflicted. “Mom, there’s something I’m considering whether to tell you.”
“Tell me your thoughts first, and then I’ll decide whether to listen,” Gu Ziyu said, sitting up straight. “I’m not sure about Dad’s intentions in asking about this matter. First, it could be just casual conversation, a way to test me, but that’s unlikely. Dad usually doesn’t engage in pointless tasks. Second, it could be a deliberate attempt to make me convey this to you, so you become cautious, and then he can trace and find the information he wants. If I tell you, and you take action, he’ll follow your lead to locate the person. If he does find the person, it could get complicated. So, I’m not sure whether to tell you.”
Due to differing positions within the family, they all had their own hidden agendas, and Gu Ci couldn’t help but feel helpless.
After a moment of hesitation, she said, “Go ahead and tell me.”
“It seems like Dad is still looking into Tang Mingzhou’s whereabouts. He hopes 1 can tell him where Tang Mingzhou is,” Gu Ziyu revealed.
“Why is he suddenly asking about Tang Mingzhou?” Gu Ci wondered.
Gu Ziyu shook his head. “I’ve already brushed him off, and he’ll likely believe me. I think he might have received some information or maybe he hasn’t received any information at all, but he’s convinced that you have it. Once you know, you’ll confirm Tang Mingzhou’s whereabouts. If that happens, he can trace it through your actions and potentially locate Tang Mingzhou.”
After all, a few years ago, Tang Mingzhou had gained his freedom, and now, only the underworld’s dark web knew his whereabouts.
It was a kind of freedom, to be sure. He had been given enough money and a new identity to start life anew. However, the dark web had kept a close eye on his movements, and Tang Mingzhou had lived a disciplined and systematic life during these years.
Based on the intelligence and information provided by Tang Mingzhou, the National Security and the underworld had collaborated to solve an economic case from several years ago. It had remained unsolved for many years due to insufficient evidence, and many individuals had escaped the clutches of the law.
This was the sensational coastal economic case that had shaken the entire nation, implicating a large number of people and resulting in a complete overhaul.
Tang Mingzhou’s contributions outweighed his past transgressions, earning him immunity, which was considered fair.
“I understand,” Gu Ci said as she got up. “I’m going out for a bit. You should rest early.”
“Alright!”
Gu Ci left the house and headed to the Jiang family’s residence.
The Jiang family was currently arranging a blind date between Jiang Junlin and a young lady from a prestigious family named Lin Anna. Lin Anna’s father was the CEO of a securities company, and her mother was the general agent for an international top-tier brand in the Asian region. Lin Anna had received education in China from a young age and spent a year studying fashion design in France after graduating from college. She now owned a high-end clothing store and benefited from her mother’s resources, making her highly sought after by the upper echelons of society.
Lin Chunli also liked to shop at Anna’s store, and the relationship between Mr. Lin and Jiang Minghua was quite good. So, they had the idea of a marriage alliance. Jiang Junlin had just returned from a business trip to Europe, completely unaware of the impending blind date. There were no signs at all.
Lin Anna strongly disliked blind dates and preferred the idea of free love. She considered blind dates to be a very old-fashioned concept, driven solely by the wishes of the older generation. Out of respect for her parents, she reluctantly accompanied them to the Jiang family’s dinner.
Jiang Junlin had kept a low profile in recent years, not appearing in financial news, and it was challenging for the public to obtain a photograph of him. This young leader of Hualan Bank was a prodigy in the financial world, highly renowned, and Lin Anna had never seen Jiang Junlin. She assumed that a family heir groomed from a young age would be dull and uninteresting, much like the other family heirs she had encountered.
Moreover, Jiang Junlin was already thirty-three years old!
The eldest sons of upper-class families usually married early to continue the family line, especially if they were the designated heirs. Typically, the eldest son would inherit the family business, while the second son had more freedom.
At the age of thirty-three, the eldest sons of prestigious families usually had children who were already in kindergarten. Jiang Junlin’s fate of ending up on a blind date left Lin Anna wondering if he had an undesirable personality or appearance. Otherwise, why would he need a blind date?
However, as soon as Jiang Junlin entered the room and casually handed his coat to the butler, Lin Anna’s eyes lit up. It was no wonder she had a conservative impression before; no one had informed her of how handsome Jiang Junlin looked.
Jiang Junlin, compared to five years ago, had hardly changed at all. The only thing that had grown with his age was his dignified aura. He was exceptionally handsome, with broad shoulders and long legs, almost like a walking clothes hanger.
Miss Lin was immediately captivated. With such looks and charm, if he were still single, it would be a matter of overly picky preferences. Lin Anna had always been confident and accomplished, and at that moment, she was determined to engage in a meaningful conversation.
Jiang Junlin understood the situation immediately. His upbringing and family values didn’t allow him to show displeasure or use harsh words. After washing his hands, he greeted the Lin family members one by one, sat down, and began dining. The atmosphere was jovial. Lin Anna and Jiang Junlin had both attended the same elementary and middle schools, although Jiang Junlin was six years her senior. When he graduated from elementary school, Lin Anna had just entered the first grade.
Jiang Grandfather and Jiang Grandmother never rushed the topic of marriage, and it naturally arose as both Jiang Junlin and Lin Anna were interested in it. The two families even made plans to have a picnic together over the weekend.
After dinner, they moved to the living room for tea and casual conversation.
Lin Anna found topics to chat about with Jiang Junlin. When she learned that he was in the fashion business, she was a bit surprised. “You’re a fashion designer?”
“Yes,” Lin Anna nodded. “I studied finance for my undergraduate degree, but I didn’t really like it, so I went to France to study design for a year.”
Lin Anna had sharp eyes and smiled as she asked, “Is your clothing from Dragon Phoenix Tower?”
“Yes!” Jiang Junlin nodded. “Good observation!”
“Dragon Phoenix Tower’s men’s designs are rare and quite unique. When you first walked in, 1 noticed that your coat was from Dragon Phoenix Tower, with the embroidered logo on the collar,” Lin Anna remarked. “Is it the work of the head designer? He only designs two women’s outfits and one men’s outfit a year, and they’re in high demand. I never expected that he would design an entire set for you.”
Even the accessories bore the Dragon Phoenix Tower emblem..