All The Villain Wants Is Money - Chapter 7

“How can you speak as if I had planned it all?” Xie Gu said righteously. “It’s clearly a mutual interest where both sides hit it off and naturally reached a deal.”

“So?” Xie Wentang’s tone was anything but pleasant.

“So, old man, you just go ahead and talk with the manager from the Li family for now. Remember to act hesitant. For the expression, just use the one you wear when you’re constipated—that’ll do. And if they ask why you’re selling, just say it’s because your unfilial son is causing trouble.”

Xie Wentang snorted coldly. “At least you’re aware you’re causing trouble.”

But hearing the confidence in Xie Gu’s tone, Xie Wentang felt a little reassured. “Are you really serious about selling?”

“Of course,” Xie Gu replied. “Why else would I do all this? I’ve brought the Li family to your door, so just make sure to push for a high price.”

With that, Xie Gu ended the call, leaving Xie Wentang glaring at the now-dark screen of his phone.

It wasn’t until Guan Hongtu called out to him that Xie Wentang snapped out of it. He quickly plastered on a polite smile and cautiously continued entertaining his guest. Following Xie Gu’s instructions, he pretended to hesitate while subtly raising the asking price. Though not particularly shrewd or well-educated, Xie Wentang had spent enough years in business to pick up a few tricks. In any case, based on what his unfilial son said, the Li family seemed quite interested in the coal mine.

A few exchanges into the conversation, Xie Wentang finally confirmed that Xie Gu was telling the truth.

Compared to the Xie family’s small scale of operations, the Li family was a true giant. Their Liyuan Group controlled countless businesses across the country, with a significant presence even overseas. While their success was partly due to their sharp business acumen, a key factor was their ability to attract top talents.

Take Guan Hongtu, for example. He held a senior position within the Liyuan Group, and his visit to negotiate with Xie Wentang was already a sign of how much the Li family valued this exchange.

In short, from any perspective, the Xie family couldn’t afford to offend the Li family.

So from the moment the Li family came knocking on his door, Xie Wentang knew he had no choice but to sell the coal mine. The only question was how to seize control of the negotiations to earn even a little more profit. His earlier complaints to Xie Gu stemmed mostly from not understanding his son’s intentions.

Though, he still couldn’t figure it out.

Three days later, Xie Gu flew back to Hanyun City from Douliao, accompanied only by Yu Qiao. Secretary Qin and Jiang Caijie stayed behind in Duliao to work with the professional appraisal team that had arrived to inspect and organize the coal mine’s data. It would probably take a few more days before they could return.

On Xie Wentang’s side, negotiations with Guan Hongtu were pretty much complete. Both parties had agreed on the terms of the transaction, and the price range had been settled. They were just waiting for the appraisal team’s final assessment before signing the contract to finalize the deal.

Once word of this spread, the outside world went into an uproar.

“A week ago, you told me Xie Gu went home to inherit a coal mine. A week later, you’re telling me he’s selling the coal mine???”

“This is beyond confusing.”

“I don’t know whether to laugh or laugh.”

“Laugh! Selling the mine will net his family at least tens of millions. Besides, Xie Gu’s dad doesn’t only have the mine. If they reinvest the money elsewhere, isn’t it still a win?”

While there were plenty of level-headed opinions like the last one, most people thought Xie Gu was just making a mess. Selling such a profitable coal mine that could generate income on its own seemed like nothing but a loss to them.

For casual onlookers, the reactions were limited to acting as keyboard warriors and ranting online. But the relatives of the Xie family immediately burst into rage.

Hadn’t they been living comfortably off Xie Wentang’s resources all these years precisely because of that coal mine?

Now Xie Gu went and sold the mine. Did he even consider his family before making that decision?

The day after the news broke, relatives from the Xie family and the Zheng family swarmed into Gu Fei Catering’s headquarters and cornered Xie Gu, the newly appointed CEO.

The Xie family’s side was especially large. Six people stood together in an aggressive and hostile lineup. Xie Gu swept his gaze across them, recognizing each one as the same uncles, aunts and cousins from the original host’s memories. The very ones who used to fawn over the family during holidays and festivals.

He said nothing at first, sweeping his gaze over to another, smaller group—relatives from the Zheng family. The Zhengs were the family of the original host’s late mother, Zheng Fei. They were fewer in number but had still managed to gather here in full force.

Gu Fei Catering was the new brand Xie Wentang had established in recent years. However, due to his lack of expertise in the restaurant industry, its scale remained modest, with only a few chain restaurants in Hanyun and nearby cities. The business frequently operated at a loss, relying on profits from the coal mine to stay afloat.

Now that Xie Gu had sold the coal mine, Xie Wentang simply handed over Gu Fei Catering to him and retired.

This was why relatives from both the Xie and Zheng families came directly to confront Xie Gu instead of seeking an explanation from Xie Wentang.

It was still early morning on a weekday, and the crisp autumn air carried a chill. Since it was too early in the season to turn on heating, people were stomping their feet and rubbing their hands for warmth when heading out. Now, with the crowd packed into the president’s office, Xie Gu’s first thought was —

It’s quite warm in here.

He sat behind his desk in the boss’s chair, not bothering to stand up to greet anyone. Instead, he lazily sipped his water, looked up with a faint smile, and asked, “To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

After a brief stir among the crowd, Xie Gu’s uncle, Zheng Ting, was about to step up and speak, but was quickly pulled back by his younger sister, Zheng Wen. It was Guang Liang, the eldest son of Xie Gu’s aunt, who spoke up instead.

Guang Liang’s mother was called Xie Wenxin and she was Xie Wentang’s older sister, which made him Xie Gu’s cousin. He, who was nearly ten years older than Xie Gu, stood with an air of authority and said, “Cousin, we’ve come all this way to see you. Isn’t it a bit rude not to greet us first?”

Xie Gu languidly picked up Gu Fei Catering’s financial report. “You’ve come to see me? I thought you were here for the family coal mine.”

Xie Wenxin immediately retorted, “We came to see both the mine and you —”

But Guang Liang cut her off, smiling as he replied, “Cousin, there’s no need to be so distant. We’re all family, aren’t we? There’s no need for such formalities. But, speaking about the mine, it really wasn’t right for you to sell it…”

The tone he preached with was condescending, and he carried himself as if he was a successful businessman.

Xie Gu flipped through two pages of the report, glanced at Guang Liang, and asked, “Oh? So, cousin, you’re an expert in this field?”

Guang Liang, sensing an opportunity, eagerly replied, “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m an expert, but—”

“But you’re just a vocational school graduate who spent three years hauling bricks on construction sites. You ended up in a pyramid scheme for three years because you were tricked into an investment scam, and owed a mountain of debt when you were finally rescued. My old man had to lend you half a million yuan to cover that mess,” Xie Gu interrupted smoothly, his tone unhurried. “In that sense, cousin, you really do know a lot—about conning people.”

With a crisp snap, Xie Gu closed the financial report, finally making direct eye contact with Guang Liang, who was dressed in a suit. His words, however, were ruthlessly sharp. “With that said, cousin, my family’s coal mine—what does it have to do with you?”