Tycoon: From Rags to Riches

As dusk settled, the sharp lines of The Bund’s historic buildings softened. Dim, amber-hued sconces cast diamond-shaped pools of light against the walls. The night sky over Zhonghai was like a bolt of ink-soaked silk, yet it couldn’t contain the light spilling from the city below.

Nanyang Road, within the Rong Mansion Banquet.

Inside a spacious and brightly lit private room, the impeccably dressed Gu Heng, Wang Junjin, Wang Junhao, and others were toasting one another, their glasses clinking in a lively banquet.

Surrounding the massive, traditional round table were either key members of the Wang Family, directors from Junyao Group and Ruyi Airlines, or the aides who had accompanied Gu Heng to his new post that day.

"Chairman Gu, you’re so young and accomplished. I wonder, are you married?"

After a few rounds of drinks, the guests were no longer confined to their seats. They mingled and chatted freely, and the private room, which featured its own open-air courtyard, fostered a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

"Married..."

"Not at the moment."

Gu Heng replied with a wry smile, looking at the elegant, noble-looking woman before him.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, the woman’s eyes instantly lit up.

But before she could say another word, Wang Junjin, who was beside her, cut in. "My dear, Chairman Gu is only eighteen. He isn’t even old enough for the legal marriage age yet. Isn’t it a little early to be discussing marriage?"

Seeing Wang Junjin interrupt her, the woman retorted, clearly annoyed, "What do you know? It’s best to cultivate a relationship early. Look at your son, Wang Yan! He’ll be almost thirty-five next year, and there’s still not a single prospect of marriage in sight!"

Standing nearby, Wang Yan hadn’t expected the conversation to suddenly be about him. He could only offer Gu Heng an awkward yet polite smile.

"Chairman Gu, I have a good friend."

The woman turned her attention back to Gu Heng and continued enthusiastically, "Her youngest daughter is around your age. I’ve met the girl once, and she’s truly wonderful in every way..."

Seeing this, Wang Junjin couldn’t help but shake his head in resignation.

"Your mother’s gotten addicted to playing matchmaker."

Wang Yan nodded in profound agreement.

"What the hell are you nodding about!"

"Wang Yan, let me tell you something!"

Wang Junjin’s eyes suddenly shot open in a glare. "I’m giving you one more year. If you don’t bring someone home by next year, don’t blame me for arranging a marriage for you. And when that time comes, whether you like her or not, you’ll bite the bullet and marry her!"

"Ahem..."

"Dad, please, Chairman Gu is right here."

Wang Yan pleaded, his face a mask of misery. "Could you at least let me save some face?"

"All you do is fool around all day!"

Wang Junjin chided his son, but then his tone shifted. "Since you love having fun so much, you can be responsible for Chairman Gu during his time in Zhonghai."

"Make sure you show Chairman Gu a good time. Can you handle that?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yan first shot Gu Heng a mischievous grin before turning back to his father. "Dad, don’t you worry. I guarantee I’ll take great care of Chairman Gu!"

"Chairman Gu," Wang Junjin said, turning to him, "while you’re in Zhonghai, if you need anything at all, just tell Wang Yan. If he shows even the slightest neglect, you let me know, and I’ll break his legs."

Gu Heng watched the father-son duo’s little performance, maintaining a polite smile throughout.

...

The banquet began at seven o’clock and didn’t wind down until just after nine.

As the guest of honor, Gu Heng had certainly had his fair share to drink.

As the guests filed out of the Rong Mansion Banquet, Wang Yan suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He gave Gu Heng a sly wink. "Chairman Gu, it’s only nine o’clock. The nightlife in Zhonghai is just getting started. How about we move on to the next spot?"

Gu Heng was intrigued.

He had long heard tales of the vibrant nightlife in the bustling city of Shanghai. Since this was his first day here, he was naturally eager to experience it for himself.

Besides, the drinks from the banquet had left him in that awkward in-between state—not quite drunk, but not sober either.

He was perfectly buzzed and feeling energetic.

Wang Yan noticed Gu Heng’s interest and immediately pressed on. "Chairman Gu, these business functions are the worst. We’re young; we should be doing things young people do. Just leave the arrangements to me tonight, what do you say?"

Hearing Wang Yan put it that way, Gu Heng dropped the formal pretense and agreed with a smile.

With a local operator like Wang Yan leading the way, the resources at their disposal would be a hundred times better than whatever Gu Heng could find just wandering around on his own.

As an international metropolis and a window to the world, Zhonghai had many attractions that weren’t for public consumption. They were hidden in plain sight, accessible only to the absolute elite.

"Chairman Gu, have your accommodations for the night been arranged?"

Wang Yan asked, already on the phone with someone.

"Deloitte arranged a room for me at the Bvlgari, but I haven’t had a chance to check in yet."

Gu Heng replied honestly.

"Chairman Gu, in that case, you should have Deloitte cancel the room at the Bvlgari."

Wang Yan suggested tentatively, "I’ll book a room for you at the Bund W Hotel. Our next stop is on the top floor there anyway. It’ll save you the trouble of moving around later. When we’re done, you can just go downstairs to your room."

"Alright."

Gu Heng nodded, then added with a laugh, "President Yan, since we’re going out to have some fun, you can drop the formal address. It sounds a bit stiff."

"If you don’t mind, just call me Ah Heng."

"You’re much older than I am, so I’ll call you Brother Yan."

"How does that sound?"

On paper, Gu Heng was an independent director of Ruyi Airlines while Wang Yan was the Executive Vice President. While there seemed to be a gap in their positions, in terms of actual standing, they were more or less equals.

After all, Wang Yan was Wang Junjin’s only son. Given the extent of Wang Junjin’s control over Junyao Group, Wang Yan was considered the conglomerate’s crown prince. Furthermore, based on Gu Heng’s observations during dinner, it was clear that both Wang Junjin and Wang Junhao intended to groom Wang Yan as the heir.

In contrast, Wang Han, the Vice Chairman of Ruyi Airlines, seemed isolated and alone. He had even left the banquet early, before it had officially concluded.

’Gu Heng had no interest in the power struggles of wealthy families.’

’Whoever could guarantee that his own interests remained protected would be his ally.’

’Everything else was irrelevant to him.’

"Since you’ve put it that way, brother, it would be pretentious of me to refuse."

Wang Yan hadn’t expected Gu Heng to take the initiative to bridge the gap in their status. It made him respect the young man even more. After all, most people Gu Heng’s age were obsessed with titles and empty prestige.

"Then it’s settled. We’ll be brothers in private," Wang Yan said with a laugh. "And during work hours, we can go back to our official titles. How’s that?"

"Sounds good," Gu Heng agreed with a smile.

This brief exchange brought the two of them much closer.

Afterward, once most of the other guests had departed, Gu Heng and Jiang Ruan got into the same Rolls-Royce Phantom they had arrived in and headed for the W Hotel, Zhonghai Bund. Meanwhile, Wang Yan had his driver follow them in his Bentley Flying Spur...