Chapter 217: He Came Prepared?

Chapter 217: He Came Prepared?

It was precisely because Li Ruotai had made Wu Chen sound so extraordinary that Gu Ruibo had decided to take a “risk” and test him.

What Mao Rusong had said in the car was another reason. Mao had mentioned that Wu Chen knew how he had once set Ding Ruilong up—something no outsider should ever have known.

It left Gu Ruibo with the distinct impression that Wu Chen knew a great many things.

So he tested him.

Gu Ruibo did not actually expect Wu Chen to solve his problem. He only wanted to see how Wu Chen would respond and how much he could say. That would give Gu a clearer sense of what Wu Chen was truly capable of.

What he did not know was that the question had played directly into Wu Chen’s hands.

According to Wu Chen’s original plan, after arriving in Modu, he had intended to approach Mao Rusong first and Gu Ruibo afterward.

Mao Rusong was of little use to him for the moment. Wu Chen merely needed him to stay out of the way.

Gu Ruibo, however, could prove extremely useful.

Wu Chen had expected to proceed one step at a time.

He had not imagined matters would unfold even more smoothly than he had planned.

“Your elder brother…” Wu Chen turned toward Gu Ruibo, set down his chopsticks, and smiled. “It won’t be easy to surpass him. Huarui Fund has some fairly serious problems, but overall, it remains in good shape. He has a keen eye for investments, and several of his deals in recent years have done very well…”

Gu Ruibo’s elder brother was his full biological brother.

His name was Gu Ruiqiang.

Gu Ruiqiang was thirty-five, three years older than Gu Ruibo, and currently regarded as the foremost member of the Gu family’s third generation in Modu.

The two brothers were both core members of the Gu family. They shared the same parents and were close in age. In fact, they had a good relationship.

They were not enemies.

Both were business prodigies. Before turning thirty, each had earned a place on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Within the circles of major families, the brothers had once even shared a complimentary title—

the Gu Family’s Twin Stars.

Gu Ruibo was capable of going head-to-head with Ding Ruilong in business. He was genuinely formidable.

But in terms of commercial achievement, honors, and total assets, he still lagged behind his elder brother, Gu Ruiqiang.

The brothers got along well enough.

Gu Ruibo simply refused to admit that his brother was better than him.

He had always believed that Gu Ruiqiang’s only advantage was being born a few years earlier. Otherwise, Gu Ruibo was certain his brother would not be his equal.

He believed that he was the one who deserved to stand foremost among the Gu family’s third generation.

Thus, their relationship was best described as…

healthy competition.

Wu Chen spoke only briefly.

From Gu Ruibo’s perspective, his words confirmed that he did indeed know something about the Gu family.

But…

It was all empty talk.

There was nothing of substance.

Then Wu Chen continued.

“However…” He turned to Gu Ruibo with a smile. “Most of the Gu family’s resources are directed toward your brother. You’ve done very well yourself, but you can’t clash with him in business, and he receives priority whenever family resources are allocated.

“So yes, surpassing him will be difficult.

“But… it isn’t impossible.

“It all depends on whether you dare.”

Not impossible?

Whether he dared?

Gu Ruibo considered the meaning behind those words.

Did Wu Chen truly have a way?

Gu had only been testing him.

And Wu Chen actually had an answer?

“Mr. Wu, when you ask whether I dare…” Gu Ruibo looked uncertain, then took the initiative to explain. “My elder brother and I have a good relationship. So when you say ‘dare’…”

He left the sentence unfinished.

But Wu Chen understood.

Gu Ruibo had misunderstood him.

When Wu Chen asked whether he dared, Gu had assumed he meant harming Gu Ruiqiang or sabotaging his business.

Gu Ruibo would never do such a thing.

He only wanted to prove to his family—and to his elder brother—that he was the better businessman.

By nature, Gu Ruibo was relatively even-tempered. Brother Gu had an excellent reputation.

In his business wars with Ding Ruilong, he was perfectly willing to employ underhanded tactics, but he kept them confined to the business arena. He never dragged unrelated matters into the conflict, even though he knew perfectly well how many problems Ding Ruilong had as a person.

“This has nothing to do with your elder brother,” Wu Chen said with a smile. “We’re talking about business. About making money.

“If you want to become richer and more successful than your brother, then you’ll have to…”

Wu Chen trailed off, still smiling.

“I’ll have to…?” Gu Ruibo still did not understand. “Then what exactly do I need to dare?”

“Ding Ruilong,” Wu Chen said with a laugh.

“Ding Ruilong?” Gu Ruibo’s expression changed.

Of course he knew that Wu Chen was a thorn in Ding Ruilong’s side—and that Wu Chen was also moving against him.

Their conflict stemmed from Li Ruobing.

On a larger scale, it involved the proposed marriage between the Ding and Li families.

This was no minor affair.

Gu Ruibo had no desire to become involved.

Did he dare?

Was Wu Chen asking whether he dared go after Ding Ruilong ruthlessly enough to destroy him?

That was Gu Ruibo’s first thought.

But he immediately realized that could not be what Wu Chen meant.

Wu Chen had just said they were talking about business and making money.

The meaning was perfectly clear.

“Mr. Wu, Ding Ruilong and I…” Gu Ruibo paused to think, then continued, “I’ve been competing with him for years. If I could beat him, I would have done it already. I’d love to take his business, but…”

What was there to “dare”?

If all they were discussing was waging a business war against Ding Ruilong, seizing his deals, and growing stronger at his expense, Gu Ruibo had never been afraid to do that.

It was what he had been doing for years.

One point was worth clarifying.

Gu Ruibo’s rivalry with Ding Ruilong centered on the investment business.

Ding Ruilong had been involved in investment even before making his wager with Li Ruobing.

Ruilong Group—the company named after him and established because of that wager—was an entirely separate business.

Over the past four years, Ding Ruilong had devoted most of his attention to Ruilong Group, but naturally, he had never abandoned his original investment business. He still made its decisions himself, supported by a large number of capable commercial professionals from the Ding family.

“I understand.” Wu Chen cut him off.

After a brief pause, he continued, “I know about your business rivalry with Ding Ruilong.

“That’s exactly why I said it depends on whether you dare.

“Your old methods will never work.

“But… if you dare to do what I’m suggesting, then within a year at most, your commercial achievements won’t merely catch up to your brother’s.

“You’ll leave him far behind.”

That was outrageous.

One year?

Not only catch up to Gu Ruiqiang, but leave him far behind?

That was way too much of an exaggeration.

“If you’re interested, we can find somewhere to discuss it privately,” Wu Chen said with a smile.

Gu Ruibo hesitated.

After considering it for a moment, he asked, “Only… business?”

He needed to be certain.

If Wu Chen was referring only to business and commercial methods, then although Gu Ruibo did not yet believe his claim, he was still very willing to hear him out.

“Yes. Business. Making money,” Wu Chen confirmed.

“All right, then. After we finish eating, we’ll find somewhere else to talk,” Gu Ruibo agreed.

“Good. In that case… I’ll make a call.”

The moment Gu Ruibo agreed, Wu Chen took out his phone, dialed a number, and raised it to his ear.

Gu Ruibo froze at the sight.

What?

He was calling someone already?

A sudden chill ran through him.

Because he could feel it clearly—

Wu Chen had come prepared.

This entire subject had arisen from Gu Ruibo casually testing him during conversation, yet Wu Chen’s reaction made it seem as though he had prepared for precisely this in advance.

The more Gu Ruibo thought about it, the colder he felt.

Because if that were true…

Wu Chen had come to Modu for Mao Rusong, not Gu Ruibo.

Gu Ruibo had been the one to approach Wu Chen in the first place, hoping to resolve Mao Rusong’s problem.

While Gu Ruibo was still thinking, the call connected.

“Hello? We just spoke. Miss me already?”

Gu Ruibo could faintly hear a woman’s voice through the phone.

Sweet.

Gentle.

“Come to Modu,” Wu Chen said directly.

“Hm? Me? You want me to come?”

“Yes. Come over. We need to discuss business.”

“All right. I’ll get ready and leave immediately.”

Decisive.

After ending the call, Wu Chen turned toward Gu Ruibo.

“She’ll be here in a few hours.”

“Who?” Gu Ruibo asked at once.

“You’ll know when you see her.” Wu Chen smiled.

Then he added, “You know her.”

It was Wu Yurong.