Volume One, Chapter 25: A Perfect Match

The Mercedes had just entered the gates of the residential complex.

Gu Huaixu, seated at the wheel, suddenly slapped the steering wheel.

“Goodness, I just remembered I have an engagement tonight—I probably can’t…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Wan gently interjected, “It’s alright, you do what you need to. I’ll wait at home for you, no matter when you return.”

Her voice was soft, exceedingly considerate. In truth, this was exactly what she wanted.

When Gu Huaixu took her away from the Gu family, she had already guessed his intentions were not pure. Most likely, he had other plans for the evening. He simply wanted to avoid Yan Yan’s supervision, so he used the excuse of “pampering his wife” to leave early.

A mutually beneficial arrangement—both got what they wanted.

“You’re so sweet,” Gu Huaixu murmured, burying his face in her neck, giving it a playful bite before letting her out of the car.

In the days that followed, Jiang Wan regained her freedom and enjoyed peace and quiet. Gu Huaixu, meanwhile, indulged in nightly revelry, living in a haze of luxury and excess.

Only when the bidding conference was imminent did he reluctantly pull himself out of this chaotic lifestyle.

According to Yan Yan’s instructions, Jiang Wan was to accompany him to the event.

The bidding conference was held at a business hotel in Rong City. Owing to the fame of the so-called “King of Land,” the public auction attracted much attention. Reporters had been stationed outside early on, providing real-time coverage.

When Jiang Wan and Gu Huaixu arrived at the venue, many bidders were already present. Upon seeing Gu Huaixu, several came over to greet him.

Polite exchanges were made; glances passed between them, full of tacit understanding.

Clearly, Gu Huaixu had already won them over during this period. Subsequent cooperation and profit-sharing had been negotiated. Rather than competing against each other, they chose to be accommodating, allowing the “Prince of the Capital” to take the land while they each got their share—a win-win solution.

Gu Huaixu was always adept at social maneuvering. He mingled effortlessly with everyone present.

Until a cool, aloof figure appeared.

Lin Zhi, clad in a tailored women’s suit, her sharply cut shoulder-length hair tucked behind one ear, revealing elegant earrings.

She carried a folder and was accompanied by several members of the Lin Group.

The moment she appeared, the laughter and chatter in the crowd abruptly ceased.

“Lin Zhi? What’s she doing here?”

Gu Huaixu, puzzled, turned to those around him, “The Lin Group is participating too? Why didn’t I hear about it? When did she join them?”

The others shook their heads, clearly unaware.

The Lin family held considerable sway in Rong City, mostly thanks to Lin Hongguang’s first wife. Her father had once been the city’s top official. After Lin Hongguang married her, he became close with the city’s upper echelons, and the Lin Group he founded soared to new heights.

It was expected that Lin Hongguang’s divorce and remarriage would damage his business, but he leveraged his connections to push the Lin Group from obscurity to prominence.

That lasted until the real estate boom peaked a decade ago. Since then, the group’s growth stalled.

Rumors abounded that Lin Hongguang intended to adopt a conservative approach, maintaining stability rather than investing heavily in new projects, to safely navigate the plateau.

No one expected Lin Zhi to arrive with her team.

Jiang Wan was not as surprised as the others.

On the contrary, at the moment she saw Lin Zhi, the uneasy speculation that had troubled her heart finally settled.

The fog parted, and the truth began to emerge.

The bidding conference was scheduled to last four hours, from morning to afternoon.

Gu Huaixu’s confident expression gradually turned sour as the hours dragged on.

Lu Wenzhou had yet to appear.

He thought Lu would arrive late, but even as the event neared its conclusion, there was no sign of him.

Those whom Gu Huaixu had won over began to panic.

Everyone had already reached an agreement in advance; most bidders hadn’t prepared detailed documents, expecting to ride the coattails of the Prince of the Capital and reap the rewards.

But instead—

Under pressure, Gu Huaixu contacted Yan Yan.

He was ultimately told that Lu Wenzhou had vanished and his whereabouts were unknown.

He might have already left Rong City.

The news caught everyone off guard.

By the time they realized and tried to join the competition, it was too late.

After the conference ended, only Lin Zhi and her companions remained composed. The rest left crestfallen and full of resentment.

“What on earth is with Lu Wenzhou? Wasn’t it said that he’d stop at nothing for what he wanted? How could he change so suddenly?”

Back at the Gu residence, Gu Huaixu was beside himself with rage.

“Great, now what am I supposed to say to the bidders? They’ll want my head!”

He grabbed a cup and hurled it to the floor in frustration.

Jiang Wan quietly cleaned up the mess.

Yan Yan was equally baffled but clung to a shred of hope. “The results aren’t out yet, so don’t panic.”

“He’s been dealing with the city leaders recently. Maybe it’s already decided behind the scenes. Even if he skips the conference, he could still secure the land.”

Her speculation calmed the mood.

Jiang Wan finished sweeping and handed Gu Huaixu a glass of warm water.

She remained silent throughout, her earlier uncertainty now replaced by growing conviction.

Lu Wenzhou truly wanted that land.

But his idea of wanting it was to hand it over, properly and legally, to Lin Zhi.

Gu Huaixu and the others were merely his pawns.

Clearing obstacles for Lin Zhi—that was his real aim.

Jiang Wan pondered this quietly.

Soon after, Yan Yan’s phone rang.

“What did you say?!”

Yan Yan’s complexion turned pale after hearing the news. The sharpness and anxiety in her voice and expression revealed things were dire.

As soon as the call ended, Gu Huaixu rushed over.

“Mom, what’s the verdict?”

Yan Yan collapsed onto the sofa, her hand trembling as she held the phone.

“What happened?”

Gu Huaixu’s voice rose, tension filling the air.

“That piece of land will most likely go to the Lin Group.”

“Damn!”

Gu Huaixu cursed, kicking the sofa in anger. He continued ranting, while Yan Yan’s expression grew grave as she considered her next move.

Eventually, her gaze settled on Jiang Wan, who had been silent and unnaturally calm from the start.

“Jiang Wan, do you know something?”

Yan Yan’s brows knitted in stern scrutiny.

Suddenly questioned, Jiang Wan was still pondering how to respond when Gu Huaixu stepped forward.

“Mom, is this really the time to pick on our sweetheart? If she knew anything, would we have been so embarrassed at the conference?”

“How does the Lin family winning help her?”

His words dispelled Yan Yan’s suspicion and made her reconsider.

Her gaze remained fixed on Jiang Wan, then she stood and pulled Gu Huaixu up.

“Let’s go, we’re visiting the Lin family.”

Yan Yan made the decision swiftly, leaving no room for hesitation.

Gu Huaixu drove, and the three soon arrived at the Lin family villa.

Under Yan Yan’s pressure, Jiang Wan reluctantly pressed the doorbell.

There was no response for a long time.

She had to press again and again.

Late autumn’s wind grew sharper, biting.

They waited outside for ages before Ji Jiali finally appeared.

“Well, what brings you all here?”