After finishing her words, Gu Yan saw her guests out, turned around, and walked into the group's main entrance, followed by all her attendants and security guards.
Wan Wen smiled contemptuously at Gu Lin and his group and said, "Gentlemen, take your time. I won't see you out."
With that, he closed the gates.
Gu Hao watched as Gu Yan's group walked into the lobby, headed straight for the elevators, and rode up to the top-floor executive offices.
Gu Hao smiled with gratification. He hadn't seen this elder sister of his in eighteen years, and now she was imposing and mighty, truly possessing the aura of a heroine among women.
Gu Hao then turned and looked outside through the floor-to-ceiling glass of the lobby.
Gu Lin, taking his family retainers and attendants, got into his car and left in a huff. Before departing, Gu Lin shot a vicious glare at Tiangu Group.
Gu Hao thought to himself: *Gu Lin, you bastard, daring to bully my sister—sooner or later, I'll make you die a horribly ugly death.*
To make it convenient for work and to avoid drawing too much attention, Gu Hao rented a small house in a residential area right next to Tiangu Group and moved in.
The house came with a small courtyard; it wasn't large, but it was very quiet and comfortable.
That evening, Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian came to the courtyard.
"Young master, staying in Tianlong Hall is too boring. Let's just follow you instead."
"What? You won't enjoy blessings, but you want to come suffer hardships with me?"
"What are hardships? As long as we can be by the young master's side, we can endure any hardship."
Gu Hao looked at Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian with a smile. Ever since the two of them acknowledged him as their master, the loyalty they displayed from the bottom of their hearts had been completely genuine. He felt fortunate to have them.
Gu Hao thought for a moment and said, "How about this? Let's establish a consortium, shall we?"
"A consortium? What kind of thing is that?"
"A consortium is a company primarily focused on project investment and equity investment."
"So it's just responsible for spending money? We can definitely handle that."
"Good. I will send word to Tian Kui right now and have him come over so we can discuss it."
"Splendid."
An hour later, Tian Kui, the chairman of Tianjie Bank, arrived.
"Master, you summoned me. What is the important matter?"
"Chairman Tian Kui, come, sit down and let's talk."
As the sky began to grow light, Tian Kui left Gu Hao's courtyard.
Gu Hao said to Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian, "I need to go to work. You two tidy up the courtyard properly and make yourselves some breakfast."
Gu Hao left. His small courtyard was only a twenty-minute walk from Tiangu Group.
After tidying up the courtyard, Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian went out.
Following Tian Kui's suggestion, Gu Hao named the newly established consortium the Haoyan Consortium.
Gu Hao had Tian Kui transfer some personnel from Tianjie Bank to help set up the consortium. Tian Kui appointed a general manager to oversee its operations, while Gu Hao served as acting chairman, and Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian served as deputy general managers.
Gu Hao's idea was that once the consortium's operations were fully normal, he would present it to his Elder Sister as a gift.
Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian arrived at the airport, where a private jet from Tianjie Bank slowly landed. The cabin door opened, and a young woman stepped out, followed by more than twenty young men and women.
Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian went up to greet her.
"You must be Miss Tian Li."
"It is I. You must be Lord Lin and Lord Tun."
The two of them smiled. "Don't call us 'Lord' anything; we are your subordinates now."
"But you belong to the master."
"Now, we belong to you. Whatever instructions you have, we will fulfill them one hundred percent."
"All right then. Let's first go to the Zhongzhou branch of Tianjie Bank. President Ji Ling is waiting for us."
"Good."
Everyone boarded a large bus, which drove out of the airport and headed toward the Zhongzhou branch of Tianjie Bank.
Ji Ling had received notice from Tian Kui that the master wanted to establish the Haoyan Consortium and tasked her with finding an office location.
Ji Ling quickly purchased a building in the center of Zhongzhou to serve as the office building for the Haoyan Consortium.
At the same time, through her connections, Ji Ling promptly secured the business license for the Haoyan Consortium. Everything was ready, awaiting only Miss Tian Li to take over.
Ji Ling sat in her office, glancing sideways through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the dense forest of high-rise buildings outside.
She thought to herself: *What is the master trying to do? Holding Tianjie Bank and Tianyin Group in his hands—both of which are the absolute top companies in the Hong Realm—why establish a Haoyan Consortium in this tiny Zhongzhou?*
*Ah, I can't figure it out, so I won't think about it anymore. In any case, I'll just carry out the master's wishes. At the same time, I must ensure strict confidentiality.*
Her secretary knocked on the door.
Ji Ling turned her swivel chair. "Come in."
The secretary led Tian Li, Lin Xiaotian, and Tun Xiaotian inside.
Ji Ling briskly stood up. "Miss Tian Li, you've arrived."
"Elder Sister Ji Ling, you've worked hard."
"Not at all. With you presiding over it, Miss, the Haoyan Consortium will surely become the most powerful company in Zhongzhou and even the entire Hong Realm."
Ji Ling then looked at Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian and hurriedly bowed. "Ji Ling pays her respects to the two lords."
"President Ji, please don't stand on ceremony. Our current status is deputy general managers of the Haoyan Consortium, and we are subordinates of Miss Tian Li."
"You still ultimately belong to the master; we must treat you with utmost courtesy when we see you."
Lin Xiaotian smiled. "Suit yourself."
Ji Ling handed all the documents and procedures of the Haoyan Consortium over to Tian Li.
"Miss, these are all the procedures and documents for the Haoyan Consortium. Please keep them safe. I will now take you to the Haoyan Consortium's office building."
The group arrived in front of the Haoyan Consortium building.
Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian looked up. What an imposing building! It definitely counted as top-tier in Zhongzhou.
"Miss Tian Li, I won't go inside. In the future, if you need anything from me, please just speak up, and the Zhongzhou branch of Tianjie Bank will spare no effort."
"All right, Elder Sister Ji Ling, thank you."
Tian Li, Lin Xiaotian, and Tun Xiaotian, along with a group of more than twenty people, walked into the building.
With this, the Haoyan Consortium officially opened for business. Per Gu Hao's wishes, the company did not hold an inauguration ceremony.
Tian Li was a management genius and quickly brought the Haoyan Consortium onto the right track.
The entry of the Haoyan Consortium did not attract the attention of the Zhongzhou Chamber of Commerce or the business tycoons.
Tian Li had a clear head, kept a low profile, and acted decisively. Within a few days, she established cooperative relationships with several companies in Zhongzhou that possessed potential and growth, invested in a few projects, and participated in the equity acquisition of several companies.
The Haoyan Consortium was left entirely in Tian Li's hands, and Gu Hao did not interfere at all. He only told Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian to ensure Tian Li's safety.
Gu Hao went to work and got off on time every day, living in a leisurely manner.
Wan Wen suddenly came to the front entrance and called out to all the security guards stationed there.
"Come over here, everyone. Today the chairman is returning, so shape up and give me your best."
Four or five security guards, along with Gu Hao, stood at attention and replied, "Yes!"
During this period, Gu Hao learned that Wan Wen had originally been a soldier who had gone to the battlefield to kill the enemy and had even won merits. He was upright and unyielding, yet very caring toward his subordinates, and the guards all held him in high esteem.
The guards lined up neatly on both sides of the main entrance.
Gu Hao felt extremely excited; he was about to see his Mother. How he had missed her!
Before long, two luxury sedans stopped in front of the entrance, and a well-preserved, graceful woman stepped out.
*Mother,* Gu Hao called out in his heart, tears swirling in his eyes.
Accompanied by Xiaomei, Gu Lingyu walked up the steps and arrived at the entrance.
Under Wan Wen's command, all the security guards saluted Gu Lingyu.
Gu Lingyu smiled and nodded at everyone. "You've worked hard."
Wan Wen shouted, "You've worked hard, Madam Chairman!"
Gu Lingyu's gaze swept across the security guards, lingering on Gu Hao's face for a second.
Then, she walked through the main gates, where Gu Yan and Xiaomei came forward to greet her.
"Mother (Master), you're back."
The group took the elevator up to the top-floor executive offices.
Gu Lingyu entered the chairman's office, followed by Gu Yan, Xiaomeng, and Xiaomei.
"Yan'er, did we recently recruit a batch of security guards?"
"Yes, Mother. We recently hired about twenty security guards."
"Oh, no wonder some of the guards look unfamiliar to me. I thought one of the guards at the entrance looked rather familiar. Have Feng Menglan come over and ask her what that guard's name is."
"All right."
Soon, Feng Menglan arrived at Gu Lingyu's office.
"Madam Chairman, you summoned me?"
"Yes, Menglan, what are the names of the new security guards on duty at the entrance today?"
"At the entrance? There are a total of two new guards on duty at the entrance today: one is named Lin Er, and the other is named Haotian."
"What is the name of the tall one, the fair-skinned one with big eyes?"
"Oh, Madam Chairman, his name is Haotian."
"Haotian?"
"Mother, what's wrong? Do you know this Haotian?"
"I don't know him. I just thought he looked a bit familiar, looking somewhat like... Oh, never mind. Menglan, Xiaomei, Xiaomeng, you may all step down first."
"Yes."
"Mother, what is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, Yan'er. You should step down too; Mother wants to be alone for a while."
Gu Yan exited Gu Lingyu's office, feeling quite puzzled. It seemed as though Mother had something on her mind today.