Chapter 178: Chapter 176: I Think Hiring a Girl Group Is a Good Idea
With a new perspective, Lin Chu was in a great mood and headed to the buffet table to grab something to eat.
Chen Jinyu, enveloped in her white chef’s uniform, was leading two assistant chefs out with a tray of macarons. The moment she saw Lin Chu, her eyes flickered. She felt goosebumps break out on her arms, and a jolt of electricity shot through her entire body.
’I never expected...’
’To have... a chance encounter in a place like this.’
’He’s a member of the club, right? Here for the party? He must have seen my display card, so why didn’t he send me a single message?’
Chen Jinyu turned her head away, wanting to retreat to the back kitchen, but her feet moved of their own accord, carrying her toward Lin Chu.
’Some men are like a bottle of poison.’
’You know they’re dangerous, but they’re just so damn captivating.’
’That aura of a well-dressed gangster, that powerful physique, and... all that wildness, the slight sensation of pain... she often found herself reliving it, again and again, on lonely nights.’
"Hey, Ah Chu, you’re here too?"
Chen Jinyu patted Lin Chu on the back, smiling as if it were nothing. She could feel her face burning. The instant she started talking to him, an irrepressible joy came bubbling up from the depths of her heart, fizzing gleefully like a Vitamin C tablet dropped into a glass of ice-cold Sprite.
’How long has it been?’
’Actually, it hasn’t been that long. Less than a month.’
"I saw your name earlier," Lin Chu explained with a casual smile. "I figured you were working, so I didn’t come over to bother you. I knew we’d run into each other eventually. Hey, you’ve slimmed down. Looks like your fitness routine is paying off."
Lin Chu explained with a casual smile. Still smiling, he reached out and touched her face, pinching her cheek as if she were a little girl.
Not a hint of awkwardness.
’If he didn’t have this much composure, what kind of player would he be?’
Chen Jinyu’s face flushed. She wanted to offer a coquettish retort, but the words caught in her throat; Lin Chu had already preempted her.
Biting her red lip with her pearly white teeth, she gave Lin Chu a look of playful reproach. "You sweet-talked me into getting a gym membership, but you don’t even go yourself. You’re too much. What have you been busy with lately?"
"Oh, me? I went to Southeast Asia on a business trip, bought an island, then went to Yang City and bought a factory," Lin Chu said with a grin. "I’ve been so busy it’s been a total nightmare."
Chen Jinyu nodded, her smile gentle and graceful. "Well, look at you, your business is getting bigger and bigger. Congratulations."
"It’s okay. Just enough to get by," he said. "Are you busy? If not, sit down for a while."
Casually grabbing a plate of food, Lin Chu extended the invitation. ’A reunion hookup buries all hatchets. What’s there to even think about?’
’We’re both here. We’ve already run into each other.’
’A woman in her thirties is bound to get lonely sometimes, right? Besides, she has a very... sensitive constitution.’
"I can’t right now, it’s still busy in the back."
Hearing the word "sit," ripples spread through Chen Jinyu’s heart. But she was on the clock and truly couldn’t get away. Her gaze lingered on Lin Chu, and her voice softened. "After I’m done, maybe. We can get coffee together."
"Sure."
"No problem."
Lin Chu nodded with a smile.
As they were chatting, Zhu Yixian came over. He smiled and greeted Chen Jinyu, thanking her for her hard work, then turned to Lin Chu. "You two know each other?"
"I used to be a regular at Ensue..."
Lin Chu replied casually. He glanced at Zhu Yixian, sensing something delicate about the timing of his arrival. A thought flickered in his mind, but he changed the subject. "So, you knew Geng Yue?"
His gaze was teasing.
Even though the man was the host and the third-generation heir of Mission Hills, Lin Chu didn’t bother with honorifics like "President Zhu" or "Young Master Zhu." It just wasn’t in his nature.
Zhu Yixian noticed the teasing glint in Lin Chu’s eyes. He subconsciously rubbed his nose and smiled. "I bought his company’s stock once. Lost money on it. I just happened to run into him a couple of days ago, and since sharing business case studies is a regular thing here, I roped him into coming. If President Lin has anything he’d like to share on stage, just let me know and I’ll arrange it."
Lin Chu nodded. "I don’t need to at the moment, but thanks."
He recalled his first meeting with Hou Chengjin, and their verbal "open strife and veiled struggle." ’Compared to back then,’ he thought, ’I’m much more mild-mannered now. It’s not that the sparring is gone; it’s just more restrained, the words gentler. But inside, I’m colder, and my social intuition is sharper.’
For instance, Lin Chu had a feeling just now that this Zhu fellow had a thing for Chen Jinyu.
"Don’t mention it."
"Care to chat for a bit?"
Zhu Yixian offered. After all, this kind of event was meant for casual conversation.
Lin Chu nodded, not refusing the offer.
Carrying his plate, he walked back to his seat with Zhu Yixian. Gu Tong was still there. Seeing the event’s host, Zhu Yixian, approach, she greeted him respectfully. It also confirmed her earlier judgment: Lin Chu had to be on the same level as him.
’That kind of aura was subtle, but you could tell at a glance who was superior, who was inferior, or if they were equals.’
"Are there any other items on the agenda? Or activities?"
Lin Chu asked casually after taking a bite of food.
Zhu Yixian smiled. "What did President Lin have in mind? Anything goes, really. Feel free to suggest something, as long as others are willing to join in. Usually, after a bit of chatting, everyone heads out to play a round. The weather’s great today; the sunset should be gorgeous."
"This kind of superficial networking is pretty pointless. Not enough beautiful women, the atmosphere is dead. Next time, you should get a female celebrity to perform or something."
Lin Chu offered his critique with a casual smile.
’I’m a client, so it’s perfectly reasonable for me to give the host some suggestions, right?’
Zhu Yixian looked at him, momentarily speechless. In all the time he’d been hosting these events, this was the first person to be so blunt and actually offer criticism.
"Of course, I’ll consider it for next time. Is there anyone in particular President Lin would like to see?"
Naturally, it was a request he could never agree to, but he wouldn’t refuse it outright either. He was just humoring him.
"I think a girl group would be great. Korean pop stars aren’t even expensive these days. They’re dirt cheap."
Lin Chu said this with deadpan, enthusiastic seriousness, clearly trying to be provocative.
Zhu Yixian was speechless.
’This is a golf club!’
’Not an orgy!’
Maintaining his excellent composure, he gave a slight smile. He couldn’t humor him any longer; this suggestion had to be shot down. "That... probably wouldn’t work. Most of the people here prefer a quiet atmosphere. That sort of thing is better suited for smaller, private gatherings."
Lin Chu looked at him nonchalantly, then just waved his hand with a smile and dropped the subject.
Then, he changed the subject again.
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
Zhu Yixian smiled and nodded. "Of course. Ask away."
"How is the line of succession determined in your Zhu Family? No offense, I’m just curious about your family’s customs, your rules of inheritance, that sort of thing."
Lin Chu asked bluntly. It wasn’t that he was deliberately trying to hit a nerve; he was also just feeling a bit nosy.
’They’re a wealthy family, after all.’
’I’ve never seen one up close, so why not ask?’
Zhu Yixian’s composure was truly impeccable. He thought for a moment before answering lightly, "Well, there’s an old saying about that. The way to build a family’s fortune: if the family is poor, the eldest son must take risks while the second son provides stability. If the family is rich, the eldest son must provide stability while the second son takes risks. The risk-taker is the spear, forging a path forward. The stable one is the shield, protecting the family’s home front. And me? I’m the second son."
Lin Chu nodded thoughtfully, then teased with a smile, "Alright then, Zhu Yidun. So, hey, you like that chef, the one with the surname Chen?"
Zhu Yixian:?
The nickname made him pause for a second. He hadn’t expected such a childish joke from Lin Chu. The abrupt change of subject brought a flicker of awkwardness to his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled. "I admire her. I find she has a certain classic beauty."
He had at least that much self-control.
Lin Chu sized him up.
’Hmm...’
’Don’t tell me you’re a bootlicker?’
’Or... a "nice guy"?’
’It’s hard to say. He has the right sort of vibe for it. Besides, people from families like his usually have a very good upbringing. While that’s a huge advantage, it also means he lacks a certain aggressiveness. After all, his role in the family is the "shield."’
For a moment, Lin Chu almost wanted to laugh.
...
...
