Chapter 25
"Hmph, there are no secrets in this circle," Gu Changan said with a shake of his head. "I didn't believe you before when you said Fuhua might be connected to the Gu family in Beijing, but after seeing how evasive they were this time, I'd say there's a 50 to 60 percent chance you're right."
He frowned, puzzled. "If they're trying to trip me up just to get a foothold in Haixin's real estate market, that's one thing. But why go to such ruthless lengths?"
In the world of business, competition was inevitable. But no company would go so far as to murder someone over a plot of land. Business rivalry usually stayed within certain bounds—pulling strings in government, undercutting financing, or outbidding in land auctions. But this time… someone had crossed the line. A line that, in Gu Changan's experience, had never been broken before.
This wasn't a simple dispute anymore—it was a setup that could have cost lives.
Real estate might be a cutthroat industry, but even developers had a baseline of ethics. And someone had just shattered it. When Gu Changan thought about the consequences he'd narrowly avoided, a surge of anger rose in his chest.
"They planned it out very carefully," he said with a bitter smile. "Zhang Yue confessed yesterday. The moment the building collapsed, the police would've rushed to the scene. As the general manager of Changsheng Group, I'd be the prime suspect. With so many eyes watching, even if I wanted to run, I couldn't."
"So vicious?" Gu Xi's expression turned grave.
"More than vicious. They even bribed the reporters."
Once something happened at the Shuangguanqiao construction site, the media would pounce, and the police would act fast. Gu Changan wouldn't even have time to respond, let alone mount a defense. Fuhua's move wasn't just about stealing market share—it was about destroying him.
"But I've never had any bad blood with Fu Dayong," he muttered, confused. "Why would he do something like this?"
"Dad, maybe there wasn't a grudge before," Gu Xi said thoughtfully, "but after the investment from Gangcheng came in… it might be a different story."
"What do you mean?"
"I didn't connect the dots at first. But later, I remembered something."
Gu Changan raised an eyebrow. "Don't keep your dad in suspense. I don't have that much free time. Just tell me straight."
Gu Xi grinned playfully. "Okay, okay. Dad, you know my uncle is up for a promotion, right?"
Gu Changan nodded. Her uncle was a deputy official in Yunzhou's municipal government. This year was crucial for his advancement. The competition was fierce, and Gu Changan had been quietly worried for him.
"You also know the two options he has—either he takes a full position in Yunzhou or transfers to Jiangcheng as a deputy. Either one is a step forward."
"Yeah."
"Well," Gu Xi lowered her voice slightly, "I heard something from Fu Jian. One of the people competing with my uncle is a cadre from Beijing."
She paused, her tone cautious. "His name is Gu Wantong."
"What?" Gu Changan abruptly stood up. "Someone from the Gu family in Beijing?"
"Yes. You remember him, don't you?"
"How could I not?" Gu Changan let out a bitter laugh. "The second son of the Gu family in Beijing… Of course I remember."
His face darkened. "No wonder they're out for blood. So that's what this is really about."