Chapter 22
"Changan, your Changsheng Group is developing well!" The hoarse voice of Mr. Gu echoed in his ears. "The Gu family has now launched a national expansion strategy. We're looking to absorb some influential enterprises in local provinces and cities. Would you be interested in joining the Gu family's big business family?"
"Mr. Gu, my company is just a small one, I wouldn't dare to aim that high." Gu Changan chuckled politely. "Besides, I'm used to a free and easy lifestyle—being in a big corporation would be too restrictive for me."
"The system of a company may be rigid, but people are flexible. As long as you join Gu's, there will naturally be capable people to support you." A gleam flashed in Mr. Gu's eyes. "The Gu family is deeply rooted and flourishing. If you come in, you'll be part of our family."
Mr. Gu's offer was tempting. However, Gu Changan had no intention of working under anyone. No matter how gilded the cage, it was still a cage. Though Gu's was powerful, Changsheng Group had already made a name for itself in Jiangcheng. He didn't need to ride on Gu's reputation.
That thought was like a flash of lightning to him. He had some understanding of the Gu family's national business layout. With the national real estate market just beginning to boom, Gu's had started staking claims in first-tier cities. While Jiangcheng wasn't one of them, it held a unique advantage—it was adjacent to the ultra-first-tier city of Haixin.
Since last year, a popular phrase had been circulating in China's real estate circles: "Whoever gets Jiangcheng, gets Haixin." It implied that Jiangcheng was the springboard to capturing Haixin—a place that could serve as both attack and defense. Once the heat of development in Haixin cooled, Jiangcheng, as a strong second-tier city, could carry the momentum forward.
Haixin happened to be the weak link in Gu's real estate blueprint. Several of Gu's attempts to break into Haixin had been thwarted by local powerhouses. They had managed to snatch a few parcels of land, but whether in terms of location or project scale, none could rival the local giants.
Coincidentally, just last month, Changsheng Group had secured a prime plot of land near the Haixin Development Zone. One or two factors might not have raised eyebrows, but when connected together, they became alarming.
Could it really be like what Xixi said? Was the Beijing Gu family here to swallow up his company?
If they simply wanted to do business, they could have worked together. Why go so far as to destroy someone?