Tycoon: From Rags to Riches

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Principle

99% of the world’s problems can be solved with money.

The remaining 1% require gold.

Lately, Gu Heng found himself agreeing more and more with this profound truth Wang Baoshan had once told him.

Impossible?

As long as the price is right, nothing is impossible.

At that very moment, Huang Xue, the Vice President of Xinghuo Fitness Studio, was left a little stunned by his words.

Although the studio’s clients were all wealthy, she had never met a customer like Gu Heng before—one who skipped all preamble and immediately offered to throw more money at it.

"Chairman Gu, please don’t misunderstand. We’re not trying to stall. We have our own internal procedures and rules, we..."

Sensing Huang Xue was about to launch into a long-winded explanation, Gu Heng cut her off with a new offer. "1.5 million!"

Xinghuo’s original quote was one million. Gu Heng had just raised it by half.

"Chairman Gu, it’s really not about the money."

"It’s just that the two-day timeframe you’re demanding is far too short."

Huang Xue’s voice became noticeably quieter, her confidence wavering.

"2 million!"

"Two days. I’m asking you, can you do it or not?"

Gu Heng’s voice was tinged with impatience. "If you still can’t do it, then let’s just forget it. No need to waste any more of each other’s time. I can just as easily contact another studio."

For Gu Heng, his time was far more valuable than the training resources.

He would certainly fight for the best training resources if he could get them, but if it was truly impossible, he was willing to settle for the next best thing.

After all, his goal was simply to lower his body fat percentage quickly, not to prepare for the Mr. Olympia contest. His professional standards for the team didn’t need to be exceptionally high.

A million-dollar quote, doubled on the spot.

With Gu Heng’s offer of cold, hard cash, Huang Xue ate her words.

’Rules?’

’What the hell were rules, anyway!’

"Chairman Gu, I’m booking a flight right now."

Huang Xue said no more, her attitude now crystal clear. "I’ll be there to see you tomorrow. The day after, your exclusive training team will be fully assembled."

"I can guarantee the personnel."

"As for the contract, we can fast-track everything and keep it simple."

"The only issue is the physical therapy equipment. We need to air freight it from Port City to Beichun. Two days is truly not enough for that; the absolute fastest it could get there is about a week."

She finished, her tone utterly sincere.

"The equipment can wait. Just get the team here first."

Gu Heng valued speed, but he wasn’t unreasonable. He understood that air-freighting expensive equipment involved complicated procedures.

Huang Xue breathed a small sigh of relief. "Chairman Gu, I’ve already had my assistant book the earliest direct flight from Peng City to Beichun for tomorrow. I should arrive around noon. We can meet in person then."

"Sounds good."

"See you tomorrow, then."

With the matter settled, Gu Heng hung up.

"Done."

"Here’s your phone back."

Gu Heng watched as Luo Xiwen’s red lips parted slightly in surprise, her beautiful eyes wide. A small smile played on his lips.

Just then, the food Gu Heng and Luo Xiwen had ordered was brought to their table.

"Chairman Gu, did Xinghuo really agree just like that?"

Luo Xiwen glanced at the dazzling spread of dishes before them and the attentive staff standing nearby. Looking a little constrained, she asked Gu Heng,

"They agreed."

Gu Heng picked up his knife and fork, a smile on his face. "No matter how high and mighty they present themselves, at the end of the day, they’re just a for-profit company."

"And since they’re a company, their core objective is to make money."

"Procedures, rules, principles... when there’s enough profit on the table, all of that can be thrown out the window."

At this, Gu Heng gestured around the restaurant. "Take the Original Grilled Steakhouse, for instance. According to Zhen Cui Group’s policies, we don’t, in principle, accept private bookings from guests."

"But what is a principle?"

"Money is the biggest principle of all!"

"If you offer enough money, forget just booking out the Original Grilled Steakhouse—if you wanted to tear the place down, I’d happily hand you the sledgehammer myself, smiling all the while."

Having once worked in nightclubs, Gu Heng scoffed at the very word "principle."

Someone might say, "Sir, I don’t drink."

But when a few hundred-dollar bills were slipped under the glass, suddenly she could.

Someone might say, "Sir, I never do that."

But when a thick wad of cash was slapped on the table, her hips would be swaying faster than a coin-op kiddie ride.

So...

’What are principles?’

To that question, Gu Heng could only offer a knowing smile.

Luo Xiwen pursed her lips. "But is it worth it? Spending an extra million just to save ten days."

"It’s worth it."

Gu Heng nodded, his expression perfectly composed.

’If he had the choice, Gu Heng would have gladly paid ten million for Brother Tongzi to give him another week, just so he’d have more than enough time to complete this challenge.’

The poor trade their time for money. The rich trade their money for time.

In the past, Gu Heng would have thought that was just rich people showing off. Now, he was starting to understand what it really meant.

"Alright."

’Luo Xiwen knew that with her current perspective, it was difficult to fully grasp Gu Heng’s actions. She decided not to dwell on it. She would just do as he said.’

"How’s the garden at Yu Cui Garden coming along?"

Gu Heng speared a piece of steak with his fork, asking Luo Xiwen as he chewed gently.

"All the greenery has been delivered to the site. Once it’s all been inspected, we can begin planting."

Luo Xiwen tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "After all the greenery is successfully planted, the flowers will be brought in. I estimate the garden will be completely finished in about ten more days. After that, we’ll have a cleaning company do a final post-construction clean, and then you’ll be able to move in."

"That’s pretty fast progress."

Gu Heng nodded slightly. The progress was indeed much faster than he had anticipated.

They continued to eat and chat, their conversation gradually shifting from work to their personal lives.

It wasn’t until the sky outside was completely dark that the two of them finally left the Original Grilled Steakhouse.

"I’ll take you home."

Gu Heng said suddenly, looking out at the dark night.

Hearing this, Luo Xiwen’s mind uncontrollably flashed back to that night of passion and confusion. She remembered Gu Heng’s searing heat.

"Mm-hmm..."

The same Luo Xiwen who had been so poised and professional while discussing business moments ago was now suddenly bashful, her blushing face making her look like a young girl.

Gu Heng noticed her reaction, and the corners of his lips quirked up involuntarily. Pretending not to see a thing, he led Luo Xiwen to his Maybach GLS 600.

As the brilliant, geometric headlights flared to life, Gu Heng and Luo Xiwen drove off under the watchful eyes of the Original Grilled Steakhouse’s general manager, quickly merging into the endless stream of traffic flowing through the night...

PS: To all my bros, this book is going premium at midnight on June 1st. I’ll be waiting for you!

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