Gu Qijun lived in an old neighborhood. It lacked the luxury of a mansion, but it had a liveliness and warmth no mansion could offer.
The neighborhood was full of retired seniors. Some tended flowers, some kept birds, and others practiced tai chi. From morning until night, the entire neighborhood felt peaceful and serene.
As Chen Hao took in his surroundings, his impression of Gu Qijun changed a little.
Gu Qijun lived with his wife in a two-bedroom apartment of only a few dozen square meters.
"Chen, my friend, make yourself comfortable. The place is a little small, so I hope you don't mind."
Seeing how courteous Gu Qijun was, Chen Hao quickly smiled. "Chairman Gu, you're too kind. Why would I mind?"
With Gu Qijun's current standing and wealth, buying a larger home would have been easy. But Chen Hao could see that he cared little for fame or fortune, so he gave it no further thought.
"Chen, you said you had something important to discuss with me. What is it?"
Chen Hao got straight to the point. "I came to see you because I need to raise some money urgently."
"Oh?" Gu Qijun was slightly taken aback. "How much?"
"About twenty billion."
"What? Twenty billion!" The words made Gu Qijun choke, leaving him barely able to speak.
After a pause, Gu Qijun recovered enough to say, "Twenty billion is no small sum. You think far too highly of me."
Chen Hao smiled. "Chairman Gu, you're highly respected and well connected. You must know plenty of powerful, influential people. I was hoping you could introduce me to some of them."
Gu Qijun pondered for a long time before giving Chen Hao a rueful smile. "Chen, to be honest, most members of our Calligraphy and Painting Association are prominent collectors