"Dad, do you have any trustworthy subordinates who'd still be willing to follow us? I'm planning to restore the Gu Family's glory!"
"??? Don't call me Dad. You're going to be everyone's daddy, after all!"
"Dad, don't sweat the details!"
"Heh, fine, I won't. So Young Master Gu is back? Ready to start working hard now? Wasn't your catchphrase 'Working hard is never going to happen'?"
"What choice do I have? My parents have given up and checked out, so I have to step up! I wonder if certain people feel guilty for forcing a perfectly good kid to become a hustle freak!"
"??? ...Where's the money for this comeback coming from? And how are you planning to start? Become a boss from scratch?"
"Ahem, I spent a month in seclusion, thinking over the Gu Family's advantages and your past experience. I figured we could combine funeral services with real estate to create a unique competitive edge. In the future, I'm also planning to branch out into logistics, defense manufacturing, the service industry, and so on!"
"Son, be honest with your dad. Are you having trouble accepting how far we've fallen? Really, it's not that bad when you think about it. We still have a home, some land, and our old family place. We're better off than plenty of people. You need to hold it together and stay strong!"
Gu Zhe was speechless.
What? Do you all think I'm that easily driven off the deep end?
He kept tapping away:
"I'm serious, Dad. Enough of that. Just tell me if you have any trustworthy subordinates. I need someone to do odd jobs and run errands!"
"Hmm, I'll assume you're fine, then. Let me think. All right, I've got my answer: none!"
"Seriously? You did that badly? What a failure you were as Chairman Gu! After all those years, you don't even have a trusted aide or some die-hard loyalist?"
"You're getting carried away, you little brat. The more successful you become, the harder it is for even your closest aides to stand the test. After the Gu Family got blown apart from both inside and out, who could I still trust? Maybe there's someone, but how could I be sure? Besides, those senior executives and core staff can just move to another company and keep earning a living now that the Gu Family has gone bankrupt. Why would they suffer alongside a youngster like you? Don't call your dad a failure. How have those buddies of yours been treating you, then?"
Gu Zhe instinctively rubbed his nose.
That was a little awkward.
"Ahem, Dad, don't change the subject. Forget it. If you don't have anyone, you don't. At least I have sweet, adorable girls who care about me and comfort me. Much as I hate to admit it, there's no denying I'm handsome."
"Heh, as if you're the only one!"
"Heh, does Mom know you're this cocky?"
"Don't, son. Whatever you do, don't tell your mom. Your dad was just making a harmless joke. By the way, are you sure there really isn't anything wrong with your head?"
"Stop. My mistake for asking. Just remember this, Dad: people used to say I was Chairman Gu's son. In the future, they'll say you're Chairman Gu's dad!"
"Heh, you little brat, you've been nursing that grudge for ages, haven't you? Now you're giving me that whole 'Today I'm proud of my school; tomorrow my school will be proud of me' routine. Remember to give people their change when you set up your stall. Starting a business is more dangerous than prostitution, gambling, and drugs. Don't squander the last little storefront your mom and I left you!"
Gu Zhe shook his head.
Dad, I'm not joking about starting a business. The Gu Family really does have a special connection with dead people!!
Was starting a company hard?
Not at all.
In the Underworld, there was nothing to discuss. If your fists were strong enough, you could open for business.
In the living world, it was a little more troublesome, but still easy. For a few thousand yuan, someone would run around for you, verify your capital, and get your business license.
Granted, that generally got you a shell company, but a shell company was still a company.
Gu Zhe had once been a rich kid, after all. He could still scrape together a few thousand or even tens of thousands of yuan.
He wanted a trustworthy subordinate mainly to run errands for him. If some miscellaneous task came up, he couldn't possibly handle everything himself. What about his prestige? What about Young Master Gu's style?
It was understandable that his dad considered his former subordinates unreliable. The higher you climbed, the more complicated people became. Most of the adult world revolved around self-interest.
He would just have to find someone himself.
After thinking it over, he picked up his phone again.
[Hiring: Gu Group, round two. Seeking one assistant.]
[Requirements: any gender, associate degree or higher, any major. Fair skin and good looks are a plus; a gentle, refined disposition is welcome; hardworking and capable applicants receive priority!]
[Duties: including but not limited to serving tea and water, odd jobs and errands, receiving clients, handling taxes, and so on! Ahem, everything is subject to the boss's wishes!]
[Pay: negotiable.]
[Benefits: plenty. Ahem, the details are still being planned. For now, examples include afterlife coverage for family members, guaranteeing a worry-free existence after death and a secure life in the Netherworld. Employees loyal to the company may also take charge of Netherworld operations after they pass away...]
[Prospects: excellent. If I weren't the boss, I'd want to apply myself. The company has tremendous prospects, a far-reaching vision, and unlimited potential. Believe it or not, I certainly do!]
"??? Son, let your dad check one more time. Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital? I have a therapist's contact information."
"My precious boy, don't scare your mother!"
"Oh, Young Master Gu is hiring. Found a project to start over with, have you?"
"Ahem, is that 'hardworking and capable' requirement supposed to be innocent?"
"Still a spoiled playboy, just as I thought. Breaking up with you was the right decision. Look at what you wrote. You think you can recruit people with this?"
"Heh, bro, even though my phone gets confiscated most of the time and I can't take calls, I still have to say this: you've gone too far. Afterlife coverage? Are you cursing people's families to die? Besides, your family's crematorium and cemetery are long gone. What are you going to cover them with?"
"Taking charge of Netherworld operations after death? Does the government know you're this badass?"
"You've lost it, completely lost it. Gu Zhe, you're not the Gu Zhe you used to be. From now on, I'm cutting ties with you. We're no longer friends. Remember, it's not because your family went bankrupt. It's because you've turned into a total head case, and I can't afford that embarrassment!"
"Haha, you can apply even if you're the boss. It's just a tiny stall, after all. One person can be the boss and the assembly-line worker!"
"Believe it or not, I certainly don't. People need to accept their fate. Old Gu, the past is gone. Why cling to your pride? Call me boss and I'll take you places. I called you that so many times before. Calling me that now won't cost you anything!"
Yun Qing: "? Could it be true? Is that Gu Family over there really connected to you? If I weren't tied up, I'd come be your assistant. Hehe, I wonder if a certain someone would still welcome me."
Gu Zhe: "@Yun Qing, of course I would! Where have you been these past few years? I was a little worried about you!!"
Yun Qing: "Hehe, just worried?"
Gu Zhe: "@Yun Qing, heh, of course I missed you too. Everyone knows Young Master Gu has a soft spot for pretty girls. Besides, you're my little sister!!"
Yun Qing: "Hmph, you clueless guy. I'm off to clear my mind. Bye!"
Gu Zhe stared at his phone.
Why does my brain always give me the wrong orders at the crucial moment? Am I really that hopelessly clueless with women?
We're just too familiar with each other. I instinctively start playing the gentleman!
Forget it. This is fine too. I only just "dumped" that manipulative girl. Jumping straight into another relationship wouldn't be good.
Liu Zhaodi: "Brother Gu, me, me, me! You obviously tailored this job opening for me. I'm absolutely gentle, hardworking, and capable. Really capable, hehe! I want to start this business with you, get promoted, get raises, and reach the top!"
Gu Zhe: "@Liu Zhaodi, stop messing around, kid. Besides, this old man likes girls who can't see their toes!"
Liu Zhaodi: "??? If you weren't so good-looking, I'd have stopped talking to you ages ago. Men are all pigs!"