Chapter 271 - 223: Socializing and Status

Chapter 271: Chapter 223: Socializing and Status

「Evening. Northeast Asia International Financial Center.」

Chu Zhengxiong stood before the main entrance, dressed in a suit. Several entrepreneurs from Ji Province, all of whom he knew, stood beside him. He idly chatted with them, his gaze periodically drifting toward the distant, traffic-controlled entrance.

"Chairman Chu, it’s about time."

Lu Tao, the chairman of Huayang Industrial Group, picked the right moment to suggest, "Shouldn’t we head into the banquet hall?"

"I’m waiting for someone."

"You all can go on ahead."

Chu Zhengxiong glanced at his watch and replied with a faint smile.

’Waiting for someone?’

’Who could possibly be important enough for Chu Zhengxiong to be waiting for them so formally?’

The men gathered around Chu Zhengxiong were all well-known, wealthy entrepreneurs from Ji Province themselves. Hearing Chu Zhengxiong’s words, they exchanged glances, a subtle glint appearing in their eyes.

"So Chairman Chu is waiting for someone."

Hearing Chu Zhengxiong’s reply, Lu Tao immediately let out a laugh. "In that case, we’ll wait a little longer with you, Chairman Chu."

"We’re in no hurry at all."

Someone else quickly chimed in.

Upon hearing this, Chu Zhengxiong merely smiled without saying anything further.

’They’re all a bunch of sly old foxes,’ he thought. He knew perfectly well what they were up to. They just wanted to seize the opportunity to see who this person was that he was treating with such importance—to learn their identity and see if they could snag an introduction.

’After all, wasn’t networking the whole reason they’d come to the Ji Province Entrepreneurs’ Gala tonight?’

’Networking is networking, no matter where it happens.’

Soon, the group resumed their lively chatter.

About five minutes later, Chu Zhengxiong was mid-sentence when he spotted a pure white Rolls-Royce Cullinan entering through the distant traffic-controlled checkpoint. He immediately perked up and walked away from the entrance of the Northeast Asia International Financial Center to greet the car.

"Whose car is that? Do any of you recognize it?"

After Chu Zhengxiong walked off to greet them, Lu Tao asked the others in a low voice.

"I don’t."

"Don’t know."

"Never seen it before."

The others all shook their heads, indicating they’d never seen it before.

"Xingchuan International Group just completed a successful funding round not long ago, and Chu Zhengxiong’s net worth has multiplied several times over," one of them mused. "Logically speaking, we should recognize the personal car and license plate of anyone in all of Ji Province important enough for him to treat with such deference."

The men watched Chu Zhengxiong’s retreating back, murmuring amongst themselves.

Soon, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan drove unimpeded from the checkpoint all the way to the main entrance of the Northeast Asia International Financial Center.

The rear door of the Cullinan opened, and Gu Heng stepped out, clad in a bespoke black suit and expensive leather shoes.

When Lu Tao and the others saw Gu Heng’s shockingly young face, looks of astonishment appeared on their faces almost in unison.

’The person Chu Zhengxiong had been waiting for was this young man?’

However, while Lu Tao and the others were still stunned, Chu Zhengxiong was already hurrying forward to greet him. The dignified, imposing expression he had worn just moments ago melted away like ice in the spring, replaced by a warm and friendly smile.

"Chairman Gu, you’re here!"

Chu Zhengxiong’s tone was exceptionally warm.

"Chairman Chu, why aren’t you inside?" Gu Heng asked, a little surprised to see him waiting.

"Since this is your first time attending our Ji Province Entrepreneurs’ Gala, Chairman Gu, you might not be familiar with the layout. I figured I’d wait for you at the entrance so we could go in together," Chu Zhengxiong explained with a smile.

"Ever the thoughtful one, Chairman Chu," Gu Heng remarked with a faint smile, his tone familiar.

Yesterday, after receiving the gala invitation from the Ji Province Department of Commerce, Gu Heng had figured that Chu Zhengxiong, as the head of a leading enterprise in the province’s entertainment industry, would most likely have been invited as well. So, he had given him a call directly.

As he had expected, Chu Zhengxiong was on the guest list.

Chu Zhengxiong had explained that the Ji Province Entrepreneurs’ Gala had been held for four consecutive years, making this the fifth. It was always held on December 31st, the last day of the year, to symbolize bidding farewell to the old and ringing in the new year with a fresh start.

The event was an official function organized by the Ji Province Department of Commerce. The guest list included all private entrepreneurs in Ji Province whose companies had a market capitalization exceeding five hundred million yuan.

Currently, Gu Heng wholly owned the Beichun Junlan Hotel and the Zhen Cui Group. He also held 34% of Xingchuan International Group’s shares and 13.67% of Ruyi Airlines’ shares. With total assets of over five billion yuan, he far surpassed the five-hundred-million-yuan threshold for the gala.

While others might not be aware of the extent of Gu Heng’s wealth, the government officials certainly were. Therefore, it was only natural that he would receive an invitation from the Ji Province Department of Commerce.

As Gu Heng and Chu Zhengxiong spoke, they ambled into the Northeast Asia International Financial Center.

As the core of Ji Province’s "Financial Agglomeration" project and the only comprehensive financial services zone within the province’s modern service industry cluster, the entire Northeast Asia International Financial Center was an architectural marvel—imposing, sophisticated, and grand.

Gu Heng had heard Qian Zhengxing and the others mention this place in passing, but this was his first time seeing it in person.

"Chairman Chu, this is..."

Since Lu Tao and his group were waiting right by the entrance, the two parties naturally ran into each other.

"Let me introduce you. This is Chairman Gu, Gu Heng."

Chu Zhengxiong, knowing full well what was on the minds of Lu Tao and the others, made the formal introduction. "The Beichun Junlan Hotel and the Zhen Cui Group were both wholly acquired by Chairman Gu. He is also an investor and a director on the board of our Xingchuan International Group."

Lu Tao and the others had been racking their brains trying to figure out Gu Heng’s background and why Chu Zhengxiong was treating him with such deference. They never imagined his origins were so formidable.

The Beichun Junlan Hotel was a top player in Ji Province’s hotel industry, and the Zhen Cui Group was a leader in the restaurant sector. Even though these men worked in different fields, they had all heard gossip about the recent change in ownership for both companies.

They had only heard that the buyer was young, but they hadn’t expected him to be *this* young. It was even more shocking to learn that the same person had acquired both the Beichun Junlan Hotel and the Zhen Cui Group, and had even orchestrated the funding for Xingchuan International Group.

’Holy hell!’

’Where in the world did this titan come from?’

’How have we never heard of him before?!’

Lu Tao and the others stared at Gu Heng, their eyes filled with utter shock.

"Chairman Gu, this is Lu Tao, chairman of Ji Province’s Huayang Industrial Group. They’re primarily in the automotive parts manufacturing industry."

After introducing Gu Heng, Chu Zhengxiong proceeded to introduce Lu Tao and the others to him. Since they had all met, it would have been poor etiquette for him, as the one connecting them, not to make the introductions.

"Chairman Lu, a pleasure," Gu Heng said with a slight smile, offering the first greeting.

"Chairman Gu, the pleasure is all mine!"

"Here’s my card!"

Lu Tao was exceedingly enthusiastic, immediately pulling out his business card.

"And here’s mine."

Gu Heng produced his own card and exchanged it with him.

When Lu Tao took Gu Heng’s card, his gaze instinctively swept over it. His expression froze for a second when he saw two additional titles listed under Gu Heng’s name:

Director, Ruyi Airlines!

Director, Zhonghai Junyao Group!

Lu Tao’s mind reeled with shock, but Chu Zhengxiong had already moved on to introducing the next person to Gu Heng.

"This is Gao Qirui, chairman of Fengrui Technology Group. His work is primarily in agricultural technology and feed research and development."

"Chairman Gao, a pleasure to meet you."

"Chairman Gu, it’s great to meet you!"

...

Chu Zhengxiong introduced the four well-known entrepreneurs from Ji Province to Gu Heng one by one. They all exchanged business cards, and naturally, Gao Qirui and the others also noticed Gu Heng’s additional titles.

Lu Tao and the others thought they had already held Gu Heng in high enough regard, but after learning of his other two titles, they felt they had to practically crane their necks to look up at him.

Ruyi Airlines was one of the top private airlines in the entire country, a corporate behemoth with a market capitalization of over twenty billion yuan. For Gu Heng to serve as a director there, and what’s more, to also be a director at its parent company, Junyao Group—all at his age—was a testament to his incredible status and influence.

’No wonder Chu Zhengxiong acted that way...’

’So that’s why!’

’That explains everything!’

It all clicked for them in an instant. At the same time, the way they looked at Gu Heng secretly grew even more fervent, as if they were gazing upon the God of Wealth himself.

’If he invested in Xingchuan International today, maybe he could throw some money their way tomorrow.’

Without anyone realizing it, Gu Heng had become the center of their group.

Chu Zhengxiong walked beside him, while the others flocked around them.

As they walked from the entrance of the Northeast Asia International Financial Center toward the banquet hall for the gala, they passed the offices of many well-known, publicly listed companies, most of them in the financial sector.

There were banks, securities firms, and asset management companies. Gu Heng even saw that Ji Province Bank had moved its private banking headquarters here; its storefront was incredibly grand.

As Gu Heng’s group approached the banquet hall, the number of plainclothes police, security personnel, and government staff in the corridor began to increase. Finally, they reached the entrance to the hall, where a large sign-in board was set up.

"Chairman Gu, after you," Chu Zhengxiong said, gesturing for him to go first.

Gu Heng raised a hand in protest. "That wouldn’t be right."

"Please, Chairman Gu, you first."

"Chairman Gu, it’s only right that you go first."

"Chairman Gu, don’t stand on ceremony with us."

When Gu Heng glanced toward Lu Tao and the others, they all waved their hands in refusal. One of them even picked up a marker and thrust it into Gu Heng’s hand.

"Alright, then."

Seeing that Lu Tao and the others were insistent, their expressions firm, Gu Heng no longer hesitated. He uncapped the marker, strode to the sign-in board, and, under the astonished gazes of the many onlookers who didn’t recognize him, signed his name—Gu Heng—with a flourish...