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Chapter 64: Provocation
The desire for wealth had crossed the flow of time and ages as the power of money was the main drive that composed the sonata of desires in a human's heart. People might say that everyone was born equal, but once one had achieved a certain level in life, they would come to the truest understanding that – the world was divided into classes.
Although Gu Yuetao was not at the top of the pyramid's food chain, but he was the only party municipal first secretary's son, so he also aware about this truth.
He couldn't help but probe as he whispered, "Young Master Long seems to pay a lot of attention to this friend of yours. He must be a big shot, right? Is it possible for you to introduce me to him?"
Long Zhengyu nodded. He had long known about Gu Yuetao's behavior and was very clear about his conduct. Relying on his father's influence, Gu Yuetao had been running rampant in Star City. He could be described as arrogant, bossy, and frivolous. He had done numerous bad conducts in the recent years, people even lost count of it. Had it not been for his father cleaning up his mess, he would perhaps have to spend his life in prison.
“He came!”
7 or 8 minutes later, Long Zhengyu was happy as he immediately got up and walked forward to greet Tang Xiu.
“Big Brother Long!”
A strange, funny, and amused feeling filled Tang Xiu's heart. If his 10,000 years of life was to be counted, he was an old Gu monster. But he called a mere slightly over 20-year-old youngster big brother.
Long Zhengyu laughed, “Little Brother Tang, you're one of the people that is even more difficult to meet than ascending to heaven! Long Zhenglin has been calling for so many times, but you have never answered his call even once."
With a somewhat apologizing expression, Tang Xiu replied, “Ah, I'm really sorry. I don't' have a habit of using my cell phone. Not to mention that the battery runs out and I can't find it. Anyways, who's this?"
Long Zhengyu glanced at Gu Yuetao and answered, "He's Gu Yuetao, my friend. The reason I came to South Gate Town is also because my friend wants to sell his villa, and Gu Yuetao is the one who wants to buy it. So I came over and lent a hand."
Tang Xiu suddenly realized as he nodded at Gu Yuetao, and then asked, "I didn't disturb you, did I?"
Long Zhengyu laughed, “It’s fine.”
Gu Yuetao had never once expected that the very friend that Long Zhengyu had paid a lot of attention to would be a youngster. Although he also could tell that this youngster had an extraordinary bearing, however, he couldn't help but feel contempt inside. He only casually nodded and asked, "Little Brother Tang seems very young. What's your respected occupation?"
Little Brother Tang?!
Tang Xiu's brows slightly slanted, as he couldn't help but feel slightly cold toward Gu Yuetao. He could accept Long Zhengyu calling him “Little Brother Tang”, since he had quite a friendship with him, as well as for the sake of Long Zhenglin. But Gu Yuetao's look toward him was focused on his surface appearance, and he spoke with such frivolous words and tone, giving him an ill-feeling.
“Student!”
Considering Long Zhengyu's face, Tang Xiu replied him with an indifferent tone and spoke thoughtlessly.
Gu Yuetao was also keenly aware of Tang Xiu's attitude. Anger suddenly rose in his heart. However, since he had yet to know Tang Xiu's real identity, he was still able to patiently tolerate it, and didn't rage out. He then spoke lightly, "Little Brother Tang, since Young Master Long has acknowledged you as a friend, you should have a very big background, shouldn't you?"
Background?
Coldness flashed in Tang Xiu’s eyes now.
He was a cultivator in the Immortal World and had killed countless of arrogant young masters because he had a deep disgust about those young masters with a background. As the saying goes, "someone who only relied on their parents, never once will they be able to become a real man". One could only be a real man if they were tempered with tribulations and constantly strived to improve themselves. Their fighting spirit wouldn't flinch even if they had to go against the heavens.
Besides, if someone respected him for an inch, he would him ten inches of respect.
Rarely would Tang Xiu take the initiative to provoke others, but if others provoked him, he had always been ready to pay the blood with blood and exchange a tooth for a tooth. Hence, he chose to ignore this kind of chap at present.
“Big Brother Long, about that professional manager issue, is there something wrong?"
Long Zhengyu was also angry seeing Gu Yuetao’s attitude. However, he was a businessman and it was inevitable to have contacts and deals with people from the government. Not to mention that the Long Family's businesses were quite large and inextricably linked with the government. Even if Gu Yuetao's father did not have real power, he still was the municipal level party's first secretary and had a special status, and was not someone who could easily be offended by many people.
But since he saw Tang Xiu directly ignore Gu Yuetao, he was also disinclined to pay attention anymore. He then looked at Tang Xiu and spoke, "There's nothing wrong, but I have something important to discuss with you."
Then…
He asked Tang Xiu to sit down and continued, “A few days ago, my 2 good friends from Beijing came to my office. I heard from them that 3 years ago the Gold-ranked professional manager, Kang Xia, who was working at the World Financial Center Wall Street had come back and now has resigned from the Beijing's Pang Group. If you can, you can go to Beijing and personally invite her."
“Kang Xia?” Tang Xiu was confused, “Is this person really good?”
“She's great!”
Long Zhengyu replied with a serious expression.
The middle-aged man's complexion who stood beside Gu Yuetao changed. He then spoke, "Kang Xia is 'good'? She's a legend in the business circles. She has successfully managed a lot of acquisition and financial mergers, developed a lot of new projects as well as established a lot of marketing channels. She has an undisputable reputation, and is very famous in Wall Street."
“3 years ago, she returned to our country and was hired by the Pang Group as a CEO with an enormous contract price. In less than 3 years, she successfully increased the Pang Group's total assets 4 times over from before. If it were not because of that idiot Second Young Master Pang, the Pang Group would perhaps have been able to enter into the top 50 enterprises in our country in the next few years."
Speaking up to there, the middle-aged man then revealed a contemptuous look and sneered, “Even the country’s major enterprises tried with everything they have to hire Kang Xia, which even some of them came up and offered large company stocks, but unfortunately all had failed. Little Brother is this young, I think you see yourself too highly. Kang Xia has been ignoring those high-class people, could she possibly take you seriously?"
Tang Xiu was silent for a few seconds as he then looked at Long Zhengyu and spoke, “Give me her contact.”
“Okay!”
A different light emerged in Long Zhengyu's eyes. He had an inexplicable sense of trust toward Tang Xiu after having experienced the last gamble event. Others might have no chance but he believed that Tang Xiu could make the difference and give him a big surprise.
After he gave Kang Xia's number to Tang Xiu, Long Zhengyu suddenly spoke, “Little Brother Tang, can I buy the shares for the company you want to set up? I'll provide 20 million yuan to buy the stocks you provide!"
Buying shares?
Tang Xiu's brow slightly wrinkled.
Long Zhengyu quickly said, “If you think the money is too few, I'll add more. Little Brother Tang, you haven't ran any businesses before, there are a lot of things you have yet to know. A wide range of problems need to be managed in running businesses. The Long Family has long been running businesses in Star City and I can help solve a lot of things for the company you will set up in Star City."
Tang Xiu took a deep look at Long Zhengyu's eyes before he nodded and said, “5% shares! You cannot have more than that. If Kang Xia comes and she doesn't know about the situation here, you help her!"
At this moment…
Tang Xiu had known about Long Zhengyu's goodwill and he had a favorable impression of him. About the cosmetics business he was about to set up, he only told Long Zhengyu and didn't tell him any details. But Long Zhengyu trusted him wholeheartedly, and this made his heart warm.
With a strange expression, Gu Yuetao observed Long Zhengyu and sneered, “Young Master Long, you really have the wealth to burn, eh? How could you be this happy to foolishly spendthrift your money? 20 million in funds for a mere 5% share? And you have to establish the connection and relations also? Have you really lost your mind? This kid said that he would be able to invite Kang Xia, how could it be possible relying on him only? Does he think that he's the country's first leader descendant, eh?"
Long Zhengyu's face turned cold as he replied with a disgusted tone, "Whether I'm crazy or not, you'll find about it later."
“Tin tin tin…”
At this time, the car's horn sounded…
Two black Mercedes-Benz limousines slowly approached and then stopped nearby, as 2 middle-aged men then got off. When they saw Long Zhengyu amongst the people, they suddenly smiled and then approached.
“Dad, how come you came over?”
Long Zhengyu approached and greeted him as he asked with a curious expression.
Long Hanwen's vision swept toward Tang Xiu and Gu Yuetao as he then laughed and spoke, "I'm free today, so I came with your Uncle Li to drink."
Long Zhengyu quickly turned toward the other middle-aged man and greeted, “Uncle Li, how have you been?”
He laughed and replied, “Little Yu, you're good. Recently, I heard that you've performed a major achievement and put a few other youths in Star City into a miserable state. A tiger father indeed wouldn't beget a dog son!"
With a humble smile, Long Zhengyu replied, "Uncle Li overpraised me. Actually, the one who has to be credited in winning the gamble is my brother. Dad, I introduce you Tang Xiu."
Long Hanwen slightly squinted his eyes as he sized up Tang Xiu a few times. He then nodded and spoke, "As the saying goes, heroes emerge amongst the youth. Tang Xiu, you're really amazing, good, very good. Later, when you have time, I'll ask Little Yu and Lin to take you to our home. Your aunt will prepare a delicious meal for you!"
Tang Xiu nodded, “Well, thanks Uncle Long."
Long Hanwen nodded with satisfaction.
Long Zhengyu then spoke, “Dad, Tang Xiu is preparing to set up a company and I want to buy some of the shares."
Setting up a company?
Injecting funds and buying the shares?
Long Hanwen looked at Tang Xiu with an astonished expression. He had investigated Tang Xiu's background and knew that this youth came from the countryside. He did not have much capital to boast and was only a high schooler. Now he wanted to set up a company. Could it be that he wanted to make some pocket money?
Long Hanwen thought for a moment before he smiled and replied, "Then buy the shares! Even though Tang Xiu is still young, but I can tell he's very mature and has a steady nature. He would be a competent and important big shot in the future. Well, you'll arrange it and have a good chat."
“Wait!”
Tang Xiu felt somewhat a favorable impression toward Long Hanwen even though they only had a brief contact. The saying was indeed true that a good father would raise outstanding sons. Long Zhengyu was outstanding and his father was also excellent. Befriending Long Hanwen might help in completing his plan and purposes later.
Long Hanwen was confused, “Do you still have something to say?"
Tang Xiu gently nodded as his eyes fell on another middle-aged man's body, who was called Uncle Chen. He found that this middle-aged man named Chen had a problem within his body. After having carefully observed, he could tell that his observation was true.
“Stretch out your wrist.”
The middle-aged man called Chen, as well as the other two were clueless about it. He looked at Long Hanwen and Long Zhengyu first, but although he was puzzled by Tang Xiu's purpose, he still extended his left hand out.
Under the gazes of everyone who looked at him with a puzzled expression, Tang Xiu checked the middle-aged Chen's pulse. 10 seconds later, his fingers pressed the Tanzhong point [1] and then spoke in a deep tone, “Try to breathe."
[1] Tanzhong point: or Danzhong point is an acupuncture point in the middle of the chest at the level of the breasts. Please google it yourself since I can't find about the reference. I know about it since I'm also a martial art practitioner. I used the name in acupuncture technique not the name in my martial arts style since I think it would be easier to find in the internet.