The card table was lively. After looking at his hole cards, Yan Chen laughed, "Hahaha, Li Yan, you're going to lose big this time!"
Xiao Li Yan raised an eyebrow, "I don't think so. How about we raise the stakes even higher?"
Yan Chen's eyes narrowed, "How much?" He wondered inwardly, could this man have a good hand?
Amidst the laughter, the door to the private room was pushed open forcefully.
The expressions of several people changed, and they turned to look in unison.
Lu Mingxi stood at the door of the private room, his face stern as he looked into the room.
Yan Chen recognized the person and "tsk"-ed, throwing his cards onto the table.
Xiao Li Yan stood up, a faint smile on his face as he followed Yan Chen to his feet, "Is there something, Young Master Lu?"
Lu Mingxi's face was icy, "I'm looking for Gu Qi Chen!"
As he spoke, he made to enter the room.
Yan Chen stood up and blocked him with his body, "Who let you in, huh?"
Lu Mingxi narrowed his eyes and pushed Yan Chen away with a swing of his hand.
"What the—!" Yan Chen, caught off guard, was pushed back two steps. He cursed under his breath and rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight.
"Yan Chen, stop!" A low growl came from the shadows.
Yan Chen had a violent temper, and when he got angry, he wouldn't listen to anyone. He raised his fist.
Xiao Li Yan, from behind Yan Chen, wrapped his arms around his neck.
"Xiao-Xiao-Xiao Li Yan!"
Lu Mingxi ignored the menacing Yan Chen and walked directly towards the sofa where Gu Qi Chen was seated.
As he approached, he saw the attendant sitting next to Gu Qi Chen and a flicker of mockery flashed in Lu Mingxi's eyes.
"Gu Qi Chen, I never realized you were so unscrupulous. Using Lu Corporation to threaten Qin He into separating from me?"
Gu Qi Chen's expression was indifferent, his deep eyes locked onto Lu Mingxi.
If it weren't for not wanting to anger Qin He, he would have already found a way to get Lu Mingxi out of Qingcheng.
"We're all in the business world. If President Lu were truly upright, he wouldn't have secured the cooperation with the Lin family last month, would he?"
Gu Qi Chen said faintly, his voice laced with distance.
Lu Mingxi's gaze flickered. The cooperation with the Lin family had always been strictly confidential and had not yet been announced to the public. How did he know?
Gu Qi Chen had already put down his glass, his cold voice carrying a warning, "Lu Mingxi, I'll only say this once. Qin He is my woman. If you want Lu Corporation to continue to exist, stay away from her in the future!"
Lu Mingxi sneered, "Then I'll make my stance clear today. I will never give up on Qin He. If you want Lu Corporation to disappear, you'd better weigh whether you have the ability!"
In the private room, the others who had been playing cards with Yan Chen and Xiao Li Yan also stood up upon hearing Lu Mingxi's words.
"President Lu is truly arrogant. Feel free to try and oppose Brother Chen and see the consequences."
Some people also mocked Lu Mingxi, "If your own brother hadn't died, you would have just been a tool for the Lu family's arranged marriage. Now that you've gained power, you don't seem to respect anyone!"
Lu Mingxi's face turned cold. He turned his head, his gaze sharp and icy, towards the person who spoke.
"Say that again."
"I will. Everyone in Qingcheng knows about your family's affairs. Lu Corporation was never meant to be inherited by you. Who knows if your own brother— Ah—"
The man cried out in pain. No one had expected Lu Mingxi to actually make a move here.
The young masters in the private room were all shocked. Apart from Yan Chen and Xiao Li Yan, no one in Qingcheng dared to make a move in front of Gu Qi Chen.
Even during casual gatherings, they would joke with consideration for Gu Qi Chen's feelings.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned tense. Yan Chen spat. Xiao Li Yan, with his arms still around Yan Chen's neck, prevented him from exerting his strength.
"Li Yan, let me go."
Gu Qi Chen stood up, "Li Yan, please escort President Lu out."
This was Yan Chen's territory, and soon bodyguards flooded in. Lu Mingxi pushed away the hand of a bodyguard, his single-lidded eyes filled with malice.
He gave Gu Qi Chen one last look.
"Gu Qi Chen, not everything can be controlled by you. You've lost her once, and there will be a next time."
Lu Mingxi left.
The young masters in the room tried to console Yan Chen, but no one dared to console Gu Qi Chen.
The lighting where he stood was dim, making it impossible to discern his expression.
The conversation between the two men had made it clear to everyone in the room what the issue was.
"This Lu Mingxi is truly ignorant of his own limitations, daring to fight with Brother Chen for a woman. Isn't he looking for death?!"
"Exactly. Although the Lu family has developed well, they are nothing compared to the Gu Corporation."
As they spoke, seeing that Gu Qi Chen remained motionless, someone feigned intelligence, "That Qin He is also something else. Is she blind? How can Brother Chen and Lu Mingxi possibly compare!"
"Right, she's the eldest daughter of the Qin family, but she has no judgment in men!"
Yan Chen frowned. Despite his fiery temper, he had a subtle side and immediately realized that what these people were saying would touch a nerve with Gu Qi Chen.
"Shut up!"
The men were stunned and exchanged glances.
Xiao Li Yan saw the person on the sofa stand up and walk towards the card table. He shivered inexplicably.
Gu Qi Chen walked up to the two men who had called Qin He blind.
"Do you know Qin He?"
"No, no, we don't. Although she's from the Qin family, she hasn't appeared much at banquets or parties in recent years." One of them stepped forward obsequiously.
Gu Qi Chen nodded, "Then why did you say she was blind?"
The man froze, suddenly feeling as if he were being stared at by a fierce beast.
"I, I just felt that she didn't recognize true worth—"
Gu Qi Chen let out a cold laugh.
Sweat beaded on the man's back, his legs feeling weak. He couldn't stay seated and stood up, bowing ninety degrees, "Brother Chen, I misspoke!"
"You didn't say I was blind, so why are you apologizing to me?" Gu Qi Chen leaned back on the chair, his handsome face displaying an inscrutable expression as he looked at the man.
The man trembled, "I, I was talking nonsense. I'm blind!"
Having been with Gu Qi Chen for many years, Xiao Li Yan could tell from his expression that something was amiss.
He stepped forward, "You two, if you know you made a mistake, why don't you get out of here quickly!"
The two men acted as if they had been pardoned, sheepishly apologizing and backing out of the private room while continuing to apologize.
Seeing that the situation was not right, the rest of them also dispersed. Yan Chen asked the female attendants in the room to leave.
Soon, only Gu Qi Chen, Yan Chen, and Xiao Li Yan were left in the private room.
Yan Chen fiddled with the cards on the table, idly shuffling them, "Qi Chen, do you want me to help you deal with that surnamed Lu?"
Gu Qi Chen closed his eyes. It took him a few seconds to suppress the killing intent in his heart.
"No need." He had promised Qin He, and if he moved against Lu Mingxi now, she would definitely be angry.
"That brat Lu Mingxi is indeed bold," Yan Chen sneered, a fierceness in his eyes.
Gu Qi Chen leaned back on the chair, "He's not simple. Last month he secured a cooperation with the Lin family. If that cooperation is successful, Lu Corporation's strength will reach another level."
"Oh?" Xiao Li Yan looked up at Gu Qi Chen and chuckled, "To get such a remark from you, it seems he's truly formidable."
In the dim room, Gu Qi Chen's eyes flickered slightly.
Yan Chen poured a glass of wine, "Alright, stop thinking about these things. Have a drink?"
Gu Qi Chen stared at the red wine glass, and a supremely bothersome thought flashed through his mind. His brow furrowed sharply, "Take it away!"