Chapter 602: Stand on Ideals, Embrace Reality

While Lin Chu held his meeting, Wu Hao practiced his forms nearby, sinking into a horse stance and casually listening in.

At first, he didn’t pay much attention.

‘It was all his boss’s business, and it had nothing to do with me.’

But as Lin Chu spoke more, he gradually began to understand, and a sense of curiosity and excitement started to build within him.

This…

‘What Lin Chu is talking about…’

‘I don’t know if the others recognize this, but I sure do!’

‘Isn’t this just a… “Hall”!’

‘It has men! It has money! It even has entertainment!’

Wu Hao didn’t have many other hobbies. His greatest interest was reading all sorts of novels, limited to wuxia fiction and various “secret histories of the old martial world.”

To be honest, he deeply yearned for the ways of that bygone era.

It was just that in the modern era, he often felt that people’s hearts were no longer what they used to be.

And at this moment…

He felt a strange thrill.

‘This Mr. Lin… On one hand, he’s messing with high-tech gadgets like low-altitude flying vehicles, and on the other, he wants to establish this kind of “organization”…’

He really was a strange one.

But the life he led was certainly something to aspire to.

‘If this kind of organization took shape, something akin to the Qing Bang or Hongmen, and then you wrapped the generational hierarchy in the packaging of a modern corporate system… he’d be a true “Godfather.”‘

‘It’s old-fashioned, but it’s truly effective. Your words carry weight.’

‘You really have to be rich, though.’

‘With money, you can change the world—at least to some extent—into the way you want it to be.’

If he were as rich as Mr. Lin, Wu Hao thought, he’d probably establish martial arts schools. Lots of them. He’d make it like compulsory education, so that every child with potential talent could receive foundational training from a young age.

‘Of course, that’s pretty much impossible. How much money would that even cost?’

‘And in today’s society, fewer and fewer parents are willing to let their children walk this path.’

‘But… can’t a man dream?’

Watching Lin Chu, he remained silent and continued to activate the smaller muscle groups throughout his body.

After the meeting, Lin Chu felt a sense of complete clarity. All the problems had been solved and the goals for next year were set. As the helmsman, he felt he had done what needed to be done.

Barring any surprises, next year was sure to be a banner year, both in terms of business scale and headcount.

Whether they’d turn a profit remained to be seen…

But for him, this would naturally make farming money even more convenient.

Combined with his personal goal of “advancing one pawn a day,” new brothers would definitely be joining their ranks next year.

At the same time, if all went well, he would also be a father.

For him, this was what it meant to build an empire one solid step at a time.

Tsk.

‘Bigger and stronger!’

‘Let’s just get it done!’

「After the general meeting.」

Lin Chu spoke privately with Gu Jiayan.

During the general meeting, it had been revealed that charitable spending was the company’s second-largest expense, right after employee benefits.

The numbers were shocking once they were actually calculated.

Seeing these stark figures laid out in front of her was the only way for Gu Jiayan to truly grasp just how much Lin Chu had invested in this cause.

The charity foundation’s monthly expenses now exceeded one hundred million.

They were helping an incredible number of people.

Orphans, the elderly, medical patients…

Furthermore, construction on the retirement center and the orphanage was projected to be completed by next summer.

She couldn’t even imagine how many people would benefit once they were finished.

It was truly an act of… boundless merit.

‘Of course, I don’t believe in that sort of thing.’

On the contrary, in the process of doing charity work, she had gradually learned how to be calculating, how to “use systems to restrain malice,” and what it meant for “kindness to have teeth”… and so much more.

After all, almost every day now, she faced trials of human nature.

In the beginning, she had been burned quite badly and fallen for scams a few times.

“So, Female Bodhisattva, how are you doing?”

Lin Chu asked with a cheeky grin.

Hearing his teasing, Gu Jiayan felt a sense of exasperation. It was as if she were seeing an illusion—the wise, rational, and powerfully domineering man from the meeting had once again transformed into a slick, frivolous rogue.

“I’m fine. I’m doing well every day.”

Gu Jiayan replied with a faint smile, but her voice held a hint of wistfulness.

The man before her was already navigating a sea of stars, hacking through all obstacles in his path.

‘I can’t even be considered his girlfriend. The time we spend together is pitifully scarce. I was just someone he forcefully “took” in the past.’

But on another level…

…this man had given her an unparalleled life experience, helping her become the person she’d always wanted to be, while also indirectly helping countless others.

Gu Jiayan felt that a relationship like this was truly difficult to put into words.

As for his private morals versus his public virtues, it was truly hard to judge.

In comparison, mere romantic feelings seemed trivial and shallow, hardly worth mentioning.

“Oh, right. I have something to tell you. Our foundation was selected for this year’s Peng City Youth Charity Ambassador awards. As the founder, you can come accept the prize. A lot of important officials will be attending.”

“I think this kind of official recognition is quite useful. It should be helpful for the company’s development.”

Gu Jiayan said softly, her entire being devoid of any sharp edges, her gentleness seeming to permeate her to the very bone.

“No need. You go,”

Lin Chu said with a casual smile. “A title like that is meaningless to me. It’s just a waste of time.”

‘I don’t really need to stack buffs, to be honest,’ he thought. ‘Especially not minor ones like this.’