He was enjoying the bliss.
Suddenly, his phone vibrated.
Gu Zhe pulled it out and took a look.
A few words appeared on the screen-Dear Father!
Lin'er saw it too, admiration shining in her eyes.
"It's your father!"
She had to admire him. Gu An, the richest man in Yuzhou, was a legend.
Gu An's ancestors had merely run a funeral business.
But under Gu An, that funeral business had gone global, with cemeteries, crematoriums, and related operations established in more than fifty countries.
He had later expanded into international trade, international real estate, international logistics, international financial investment, and more.
Even over the past few years, the international landscape seemed to have been undergoing some kind of change.
Under those circumstances, he had still kept his conglomerate running without any particularly powerful government connections or family backing. No one could deny his shrewdness and ability!
Several years ago, he had already become the richest man in Yuzhou and one of Dragon Country's leading tycoons!
He was a titan of business. Anyone who knew his story had to admire him.
More importantly, he had only one son!
That really was perfect!
Seeing a call from his father and financier, Gu Zhe raised a hand and pressed it downward in the air.
The entire room instantly fell silent.
It proved that even while everyone indulged themselves, they were all paying attention to him.
Gu Zhe knew he carried considerable weight with these people.
He saw nothing wrong with that. Hadn't Cong, back in the world of his previous life, been exactly the same?
He calmly switched on the speakerphone.
Then he asked lazily:
"Dear old Dad, what wisdom have you got for me? Yeah, I've got enough money. There should still be tens of millions on my cards, so you and Mom don't need to worry..."
There was silence on the other end.
Gu Zhe frowned.
This wasn't his father's usual style.
"Hello, Dad? Is the signal bad, or what..."
Only then did a voice come from the other end.
It sounded a little hoarse and weary.
There was also a hint of apology and embarrassment.
"Son, I've let you down. From now on, you'll have to work hard yourself. Stop wasting money on drinking and partying."
A bad feeling flashed through Gu Zhe's heart.
Before he could ask anything-
"Son, the world really has changed. I wanted to seize the opportunity to take the conglomerate public, spread the risk, and bring in cash. Who knew I'd still be one step too late? Timing and fate..."
"Our 132 crematoriums across fifty-eight countries, along with countless cemeteries and our other funeral operations, have all been hit. Most were forcibly seized by those governments..."
"Our real estate took an inexplicable hit and plummeted. Our investment projects were talked down, and logistics and finance ran into crises too..."
"The listing failed, the banks called in their loans, and we lost on the performance-bet agreements. Ah..."
The private room grew even quieter.
Gu Zhe fought to contain his pounding heart.
"Meaning?"
"Son, it means our family's bankrupt. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The world is getting stranger and stranger. Keeping a low profile and becoming ordinary people might turn out to be a blessing in disguise..."
"Son, ordinary people's lives are actually pretty good. Simpler, warmer, without all that scheming and backstabbing. Just focus on your studies..."
As his father, Gu An, tried to comfort him-
Gu Zhe felt utterly shattered.
I'd already had enough of that 'simple' life as an ordinary person in my last life!
He could also feel that everyone else in the room was looking at him differently.
The soft, warm, lovely body beside him seemed to have stiffened, and her face no longer looked quite so rosy.
She had also lowered the fruit she had been about to feed him.
Had this enormous upheaval frightened Lin'er too?
"Dad, don't give up. Back then, you managed to..."
"Forget it. I've got no fight left in me. After all these years in business, I'm tired. Besides, our competitors probably won't let us get back on our feet."
"This world isn't kind. Your mother and I have accepted reality. We're tired of all those business dealings anyway. Ha, I know you, brat. You've always wanted to live off us. Unfortunately, with me like this, you'll have to rely on yourself from now on..."
"Really, being an ordinary person isn't as painful as you imagine. Back when your mother and I... looking back, we were pretty happy..."
Listening to his father-
Gu Zhe was speechless for a moment.
Dad, how could you give up just like that? Couldn't you keep fighting? Couldn't you make me proud for once? Look at other people's fathers...
"Ahem, Boss Gu-uh, no, Gu, I've still got a paper to write, so I'll just..."
"Heh, Gu..."
The lovely girl in his arms seemed to be getting up too.
Suddenly, his mother's voice came over the phone.
"Son, don't worry about us, and don't worry about going hungry!"
"Your father and I still have a building. We'll be moving there. We've made arrangements for you too. The family's old business is still around..."
"Uh, the paper can wait..."
Gu Zhe perked up.
The others' gazes softened too.
A whole building?
Even a fallen tycoon was richer than ordinary people!
A building in Yuzhou could still be worth several hundred million.
"Son, that building back home on the outskirts of Feng County-we'll live in part of it and rent out the rest. That'll bring in a few thousand a month, which is actually enough for ordinary people to live on. As for you, there's a funeral supply shop of a dozen or so square meters at 49 Old Street, Stillheart Road, Yuzhou South District. Your grandfather left it..."
"Ha, thinking about it, that's pretty nice too. A quiet, simple life is more comfortable!"
Gu Zhe fell silent.
Dad, Mom, you were a fabulously wealthy family until just now. With a fall this huge, couldn't you take a little longer to adjust? Aren't you being a bit too philosophical?
"Your son doesn't want to suffer through life's hardships!"
For a moment, Gu Zhe felt a little lost.
At least he still had a girl he loved, who loved him too, by his side.
Over the years, he had made plenty of friends and brothers. Connections were resources too. He wasn't completely out of options.
It was still much better than starting from nothing as a loser in his previous life.
With those thoughts-
He looked at Lin'er.
"Lin'er, don't worry. I won't let you..."
Zhou Linlin stood up, her face icy.
"What's this 'Lin'er' nonsense? I was only teasing you yesterday. Gu Zhe, look at yourself. What have you got besides a pretty face? You've accomplished nothing. Your studies are mediocre, and you don't even have a career..."
"Did you really think I'd like you? Hmph. If my family hadn't insisted, I wouldn't have had any interest in someone like you. I like men with talent and substance..."
Gu Zhe: ???
"Lin'er, didn't you say you liked me inside and out..."
Beep, beep, beep...
Zhou Linlin's phone rang.
"Lin'er, the Gu family is finished. Stop getting involved with that boy. Heh, they're no longer in the same class as us!"
"Oh, and I've met a genuine high achiever these past few days. I'll introduce you two sometime!"
Zhou Linlin casually ended the call.
She spread both hands.
"You saw that!"
The corner of her mouth lifted.
"By the way, Gu Zhe, what's your star sign?"
Gu Zhe answered instinctively:
"Taurus. Didn't you say that sign was honest, dependable, and faithful in love?"
Zhou Linlin sneered.
"Heh, I'm an Aquarius. We're incompatible. So remember, I'm leaving you only because I can't stand your shallowness and our signs don't match, not for any other reason. Don't go bad-mouthing me, or else..."
She straightened her collar.
"Or else, given what you now amount to in the eyes of the Zhou Family... you know perfectly well..."
Then she walked away coldly.
Not a trace remained of her earlier tenderness.
"Gu, I'll head out too. Oh, that trip to Europe you said you'd treat me to-you owe me that. But since we're brothers, I'll let you off!"
"Heh, what rotten luck. A funeral supply shop on some old street! And a whole building, huh? I've got several mu of land back home. Did you see me bragging?"
"Gu Zhe, don't lose heart. Study hard. Maybe I'll take you under my wing someday! Heh, I've got student council business, so I'll go first!"
"Brother, don't call me unless it's important. Remember, simplicity is beautiful. Heh, heh, heh!"
"Hello? Hello? Bad signal, bad signal..."
"Fuck, some little bastard said I was someone else's lapdog earlier. I'm a man with dignity. Wouldn't you agree, Gu Zhe?"
After a while-
Gu Zhe finally came to his senses.
He gave a bitter laugh.
"When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter!"
"And love... it's all fucking fake. Well, that makes sense. In the adult world, love has always been a luxury, and now I don't qualify to enjoy it."
"Wait, stop right there! I'm not paying for everyone..."
His credit cards had been suspended, and all his other cards had been frozen.
Even his black card no longer worked.
Fortunately amid all the misfortune, he had previously prepaid several million at Heaven on Earth.
Gu Zhe didn't know how he had walked out of Heaven on Earth.
Those mocking looks, those smug smiles.
Not a shred of gratitude for his treating them, only delight at his downfall.
People's hearts!
He turned back to look at Heaven on Earth, the nightclub still alive with song, dance, and dazzling lights.
As he left, the rock music grew even louder. There was none of the quiet send-off he used to receive.
And then there was...
He looked at the hundred-yuan note in his hand.
The manager of Heaven on Earth had arrogantly told him that, since he had treated everyone, his prepaid balance of over seven million was down to a hundred yuan. Yuan, not ten-thousands.
He hadn't even been shown the bill.
Gu Zhe knew they couldn't possibly have spent that much.
But news of the richest family's sudden downfall had made even these places, which once made him feel so welcome, take one last bite out of him.
A bitter smile appeared on Gu Zhe's pale face.
"Fine. At least they didn't leave me up to my neck in debt. Hmm... not out of kindness, either. They're probably worried that my family might still have a few friends..."
"But..."
Gu Zhe thought back to what those fair-weather friends and his "soulmate" had just said.
"No wonder Mom and Dad want to go back home. What genuine friendships are there left?"