Futile Devices Scans

“The winner of Plot No. 6 is Zhou Corporation. Their bid price was 670 million yuan. Congratulations to Zhou Corporation.”

The moment they heard the announcer’s voice, Zhao Jiansheng was completely stunned. If Wang Cheng had truly been guarding against him from the beginning, then how did Zhou Corporation still manage to secure Plot No. 6? Could it really be just as Wang Cheng said—that he changed his mind at the last minute? Zhao Jiansheng became confused again. No matter how he thought about it, he felt things were not that simple.

Across from him, Ji Tianyu’s expression also turned grave. Zhou Cheng’s actions had become impossible for him to read. He had no idea what the younger man was plotting anymore. That feeling of being completely unable to grasp the situation made his mood terrible. Never before had a junior made him experience such frustration.

As expected, Plot No. 7 fell into Huaying Real Estate’s hands without incident. Very soon, it was time to announce the results for Plot No. 12. Both Zhao Jiansheng and Ji Tianyu focused all their attention on the announcer. If the winner of Plot No. 12 also turned out to be Zhou Corporation, then it would prove their suspicions correct—that Wang Cheng had deliberately manipulated the situation.

“The winner of Plot No. 12 is Hengyu Group…”

The instant Zhao Jiansheng heard those words, cold sweat exploded across his back. He immediately found an excuse to leave the venue and hurried outside to call Zhou Lin.

Ji Tianyu’s expression alternated between green and pale. He simply could not accept the fact that he had been tricked by a junior. Yet at the same time, there was still something he could not understand. If the government truly planned to reclaim Plot No. 12, then before the bidding deadline ended, the government should have issued an official notice. But since no such notice appeared, that meant it was impossible. This kind of matter involved the government’s reputation. The government would never foolishly do something like that.

People gradually began leaving the venue, but Wang Cheng and Chu Yifeng still had not departed. They were still waiting.

The value of the plots decreased progressively from Plot No. 1 through Plot No. 36, so the later-numbered plots naturally had lower value. Because Gu Ping’s intended project did not require an excellent location, the plot he bid on was Plot No. 19.

Before long, the announcer reached that plot.

Gu Ping stared fixedly at the announcer’s mouth, his hands clenched tightly together. Sweat had already begun sliding down his forehead. The moment the announcer declared the final winner, his mind exploded with a buzzing sound. It felt as if the entire world had suddenly become silent.

“Manager Li!”

More than ten seconds later, Gu Ping suddenly grabbed the arm of Manager Li seated beside him and asked blankly, “He said Gu Corporation just now, right?”

Manager Li shook his head, equally unable to believe it. The price they submitted was not low at all, so why had Oubang Group won the bid instead?

All strength drained from Gu Ping’s body. He could no longer deceive himself.

Seeing that scene, Wang Cheng finally left the bidding venue in satisfaction. The moment he got outside, he immediately called Wang Ning’an to report the good news.

Once the news reached Gu Corporation, upper management convened a meeting to summarize the results of the bidding conference. Due to Gu Ping’s poor judgment, Gu Corporation lost the advantage of being among the first companies to develop in U City. Although the loss to Gu Corporation was not particularly significant, such a mistake was unacceptable for a decision-maker. As a result, news of Gu Ping’s promotion disappeared.

The executive whom Old Madam Gu had previously persuaded to support Gu Ping was also publicly criticized by Gu Shouzhuo during the meeting. Since that executive had personally assigned the project to Gu Ping, he naturally bore responsibility as well and was punished accordingly. After this incident, the other executives no longer dared to openly give Gu Ping special treatment.

Later, Gu Corporation acquired another excellent plot of land in U City through different channels. However, the person placed in charge of that project was Wang Ning’an. None of the executives dared object because Wang Ning’an himself had secured the land.

After hearing about this matter, Gu Ping increasingly felt he had been set up by Wang Ning’an. Still dissatisfied, he told his father about the incident. Gu Jiaqing originally wanted to arrange a meeting with Old Madam Gu, but after considering that she might not agree to come out, he instead chose a time to call her.

Old Madam Gu already knew about the incident, though her reaction remained minimal.

“Third Grandmother, you promised before that you would help my son. But Wang Ning’an is now framing him. It’s possible he was the one who leaked Gu Corporation’s information.”

“Do you have evidence?”

Old Madam Gu’s single question instantly rendered Gu Jiaqing speechless. If he truly had evidence, he would not need to beg her for help. He would have already exposed Wang Ning’an publicly during the executive meeting.

“The fact that your son lost his promotion opportunity only proves his methods are inferior. I already gave him the opportunity. Whether he could seize it depended entirely on his own ability. But clearly, he lacks that ability. In that case, he has no one else to blame.”

Though her tone remained calm and casual, Gu Jiaqing felt deeply humiliated. Saying his son lacked ability was no different from mocking him, the father, for failing to teach him properly. At the same time, he realized Old Madam Gu likely intended to stand aside and do nothing this time. A trace of anger immediately entered his voice.

“Third Grandmother, don’t forget about that matter back then. When the Mu family targeted Gu Corporation, you were involved as well. Third Grandfather still doesn’t know you participated in it too. If he ever found out, I doubt you’d want to see what happens next.”

A cold, sinister light instantly burst forth from Old Madam Gu’s eyes.

“For all these years, Third Grandmother has been using that incident to make Third Grandfather feel guilty toward you. If he ever learned everything had been staged and orchestrated by you personally, I imagine the outcome would be quite spectacular.”

The reason Gu Jiaqing had been able to repeatedly force Old Madam Gu to help his son was because he knew the truth behind the Mu family’s schemes against Gu Corporation more than ten years ago. Gu Shouzhuo himself did not know. Because of that, he had always carried a slight sense of guilt over the destruction of his wife’s natal family.

Old Madam Gu understood her husband’s feelings very well. So she told Gu Shouzhuo that she had never blamed him, while secretly pretending to grieve alone. By presenting herself as the victim and retreating instead of advancing, she deepened Gu Shouzhuo’s guilt and caused him to become even more tolerant toward her. The reason she could still interfere in Gu Corporation’s affairs today was entirely due to Gu Shouzhuo’s indulgence.

“Gu Jiaqing, don’t push your luck,” Old Madam Gu said while suppressing her fury.

“Push my luck? I only want to secure the benefits my son deserves. Gu Ping has worked tirelessly for Gu Corporation for so many years, yet he’s still stuck in that mediocre position. Meanwhile, Wang Ning’an entered the company and immediately became executive president. How am I supposed to accept that? Third Grandmother, can you truly accept it either? If your son hadn’t died, you would already have grandchildren by now. Perhaps the one sitting in that position today would be your grandson—not some country bumpkin who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.”

Gu Jiaqing deliberately tried to provoke her hatred toward Wang Ning’an.

“You don’t need to say these things. I’m already an old woman with one foot in the grave. Wealth cannot be brought into this world, nor taken away after death. Whoever inherits Gu Corporation has nothing to do with me.”

Gu Jiaqing had not expected her to display such enlightenment.

He immediately said, “In that case, Third Grandmother probably won’t mind if Third Grandfather learns the truth about that matter.”

“Wait.”

Gu Jiaqing’s expression did not change. He had known all along that she could not truly be indifferent. If she truly did not care, she would not have allowed herself to be controlled by him for so many years just to protect that secret.

In the end, Old Madam Gu promised she would find another opportunity to help Gu Ping. Gu Jiaqing told her he hoped she would not make him wait too long.

After ending the call, Old Madam Gu walked downstairs. She discovered that Gu Shouzhuo, who had been taking a walk outside moments ago, was now already seated in the living room. Before she could approach, Gu Shouzhuo called for her to come sit beside him, seemingly wanting to talk.

Yet after she sat down, he did not speak immediately. Instead, he calmly focused on brewing tea. The rich aroma of tea gradually spread through the room.

Only after preparing two fragrant cups did he place one on the tea table before her while slowly sipping from the other himself.

“Mu Yao…”

Gu Shouzhuo let out a soft breath.

Old Madam Gu froze. It had been many years since she last heard her husband call her by name.

Gu Shouzhuo appeared not to notice her reaction. “We’re already both in our seventies and eighties. We don’t have many years left to live. Since certain matters happened so long ago, I no longer wish to dig them up again. Husband and wife making it this far together isn’t easy.”

Yet to Old Madam Gu, it felt as though someone had smashed heavily into her brain. Her expression changed dramatically. Precisely because they had been husband and wife for so many years, she understood his temperament extremely well. Gu Shouzhuo never said meaningless things for no reason. Those words were clearly a warning. And not just any warning—it was a final ultimatum.

“Ning’an is the successor I personally chose. In the future, I will hand Gu Corporation over to him. No one can change that. So I do not wish to see anything happen to him.”

If she had not been absolutely certain nobody else overheard her conversation with Gu Jiaqing earlier, she would almost suspect her husband already knew every word they had exchanged.

Gu Jiaqing’s constant pressure for her to help Gu Ping had not been entirely ineffective. His attempts at provocation had indeed planted resentment in her heart. Now, every time she saw her husband reunited happily with his biological son and grandson, she would inevitably think of the son and family she herself had lost.

Reality was truly ironic. At one point, she had even harbored murderous thoughts.

“Why?” Old Madam Gu finally asked.

Gu Shouzhuo’s eyes—deep and weathered by time—settled upon her. Those eyes seemed capable of seeing straight through people’s hearts.

“Why don’t you ask yourself that question?”

His calm, matter-of-fact tone caused Old Madam Gu’s heart to pound violently several times. More and more, she felt convinced her husband already knew something. By the time she recovered her senses, Gu Shouzhuo had already gone upstairs.

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