Chapter 109: Chu Family, Chu Mo
Outside the exhibition hall lay a long corridor.
At the end of the corridor was a vast resting room.
As the eldest grandson of the Zhou family celebrated his grand wedding, Zhou Shixing, the current patriarch and an elderly man of seventy-nine, was unwell, but still insisted on being present.
The old man in the wheelchair couldn't withstand much activity, so instead of going up to receive the newlyweds' blessings, he was arranged to rest in the resting room.
Just now, after the bride and groom had exchanged rings, they first went to greet the elder and then proceeded to entertain the guests in the hall amid his hearty laughter.
At this moment, in the corridor leading to this resting room, Zhou Weimin, the second-generation helmsman of the Zhou family, walked ahead expressionlessly leading the way, followed by Liu Manli and Chu Mo.
Unlike the boisterous and warm atmosphere of the hall behind them, the corridor was quiet; apart from the sound of footsteps on the floor, there was no other movement.
When the three of them arrived at a door, Zhou Weimin pushed it open and entered. Only then did Chu Mo, who had taken a deep breath, truly brace himself.
Stepping into the room one after the other with Liu Manli, the first thing that caught their attention was the huge crystal chandelier overhead, whose dazzling golden light reflected into their eyes...
Chu Mo's gaze first landed on the old man sitting in the wheelchair in the room.
This was a white-haired old man, slightly frail and thin; illness had stripped away the vitality he once possessed, leaving him looking decrepit.
Yet, when the old man's eyes gently opened, one could still sense a sharpness in them.
If one could turn back the clock forty years, this old man was once a figure who commanded the respect of the entire Magic Capital.
In those days, Zhou Shixing was full of vigor, his decisions could shape the destiny of the Magic Capital.
However, time waits for no man, and now the old man was seriously ill. His grandson, Zhou Tianqi's wedding, was simply the fulfillment of one of his wishes...
As for his last wish to hold his great-grandson, given his current health, it was nearly impossible.
The Zhou family's medical team had clearly informed all family members of Zhou Shixing's condition; given his dire state, he might last another two months at most, or as little as one or two weeks before his light would extinguish.
And when that time came, the Zhou family, without their pillar Zhou Shixing, would enter a period of staying out of the limelight for quite some time.
Selling off the Magic Capital Financial Center was also part of the Zhou family's strategy to move into the background.
As Chu Mo assessed the old man, Zhou Weimin's voice gently came through.
"Father, the Liu family's Liu Manli has arrived. Also, this young man is Chu Mo, the one who recently spent tens of billions to acquire Bafang International."
In front of the old man, Zhou Weimin spoke softly as if afraid that raising his voice would disrupt the old man's peace.
The old man slowly opened his eyes, and Liu Manli, stepping forward with a smile, said:
"Elder Zhou, my father often mentions you, and he asked me to greet you on his behalf. He said he wants to see who can live longer."
Liu Manli's father was eighty this year, one year older than the old man in front of them. He, too, was plagued with illnesses, and the two old men had been friends from the old times, naturally without any need for formality.
As if reminiscing about his own glorious years, the old man suddenly burst out laughing and said:
"That stubborn old Liu Zhiyu, if only he had agreed to let you, Manli, marry into our Zhou family... oh, what a wonderful thing that would have been."
With a hint of wistfulness, the old man sighed while the unarguably agreeable Liu Manli replied with a smile:
"I just didn't have that fortune."
At this moment, Zhou Weimin stepped forward and said:
"Father, the doctors have said that you need more rest and should avoid overworking yourself..."
The elder waved his hand dismissively and his gaze fell on the middle-aged man's face, the smile on his lips fading slightly.
"Weimin, I know you don't really want to sell the Financial Tower, after all, it is a testament to the Zhou family's glory, and I'm no less reluctant to part with it."
After uttering just a few sentences, the old man's breathing became somewhat disorderly and he paused for a moment before continuing softly:
"The only thing I hope for is that after I'm gone, you two brothers must not do anything to make your enemies rejoice and your kin suffer. Keeping the Financial Tower will be a source of conflict between you. If it's dealt with sooner, I can depart this world in peace."
Zhou Weimin bowed his head, his eyes reddening, and this time he did not insist, but instead responded compliantly:
"Father, Weimin understands."
Then, the elder turned his gaze to Liu Manli and spoke gently:
"After all, the Financial Tower is the foundation of our Zhou family's business. I've spoken with your father on the phone, 27.5 billion, we can't lower the price anymore."
After a light cough, the pale-faced elder said quite casually:
"It's not just your Liu family interested in the Financial Tower, the Wu family is also looking to get involved. However, since your father and I have a prior agreement, if you don't agree to the 27.5 billion, we will have to turn to the Wu family. Discuss it with your father when you get back and give me your answer within two days at the latest."
As the elder's words fell and he bowed his head slightly, Zhou Weimin, who had been quiet at his side, stepped behind the wheelchair and gently pushed the seated elder towards the exit.
Chu Mo, who had been silent the entire time, turned his gaze to Liu Manli. This formidable businesswoman suddenly spread her hands towards Chu Mo, sighed softly, and then gestured casually to him.
Chu Mo knew that Liu Manli's bottom line was 25 billion, 27.5 billion was still far above her limit.
Since the other party was giving up, it was naturally his moment to make a move.
Taking a deep breath and seeing that the elder was about to exit the resting room's door, the bright-eyed Chu Mo suddenly spoke out:
"Elder Zhou, 28 billion, I'll take it."
Chu Mo's voice wasn't loud, but it resonated clearly and firmly in the quiet hall.
The Zhou father and son, who were about to leave the parlor, stopped in their tracks. Zhou Weimin turned around and looked deeply at Chu Mo. In that moment, he suddenly remembered what Liu Manli had said when introducing Chu Mo previously, that the young man before them might just bring a pleasant surprise to his family's senior elder.
Was the so-called pleasant surprise spending 28 billion to acquire their own Financial Tower in the metropolis?
Zhou Shixing, who had been resting with his eyes downcast, also raised his head. This man, who had been brilliant all his life, looked at Chu Mo seriously for the first time. The elder, with a flickering gleam in his eyes, contemplated and asked:
"28 billion? Young man, which family are you from?"
Chu Mo, unafraid, met the elder's gaze and replied evenly and composedly:
"My surname is Chu, Chu Mo. 28 billion, cash. If it's alright with you, we can sign the contract right now."
The elder nodded slowly, his face solemn. In that moment, Zhou Shixing, a figure akin to a deity in the Zhou family, breathed rapidly, his chest rising and falling sharply. After a while, the elder, his face still grave, spoke:
"The Chu family... Chu Mo... Is another hidden family coming into the light... Good, good, good."
"Since Manli brought you here, let's settle for the same price, 27.5 billion. Young man from the Chu family, have your lawyers draft the contract tomorrow."