At first, no one recognized Mr. Hou.
The tense atmosphere was suddenly interrupted by his arrival, and everyone who hadn’t left froze, gradually turning their gazes toward him.
Mr. Hou looked radiant, as if something great was on the horizon.
But while he was all smiles, Mr. Lin was far from it.
The polite but fake smile on his face quickly faded, replaced by a mix of confusion and displeasure as he eyed the middle-aged man who had just walked in.
What was this guy’s deal?
Was he actually trying to compete with their group?
Where did he get the nerve or the qualifications?
But soon, after a moment’s thought, Mr. Lin realized who this was.
—He looked a bit different from the news reports.
Compared to the tired, worn-out look from long hours at work during interviews, now his face was flushed, and he seemed years younger.
Who knew what good fortune had put him in such a smug mood?
But…ugh, if it was this guy, he might actually have the clout to challenge their group.
Mr. Lin’s face paled slightly as he looked at him.
Aurora Green Energy Group—being in the same industry, of course, their name was legendary.
But then Mr. Lin quickly regained his composure, glancing at Gu Zhaoping.
Gu Zhaoping’s attitude didn’t seem like she’d give Mr. Hou any special treatment either.
Maybe she was playing them off each other, hoping for a bidding war to profit from their rivalry.
So Mr. Lin calmed himself and said to Mr. Hou politely,
“So it’s Mr. Hou. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Mr. Hou, seeing his demeanor, shook his hand courteously.
But then he said,
“Are there any good battery energy companies in the country?”
Mr. Lin knew this comment wasn’t a big deal on its own, but hearing it from someone who fit the bill perfectly wasn’t ideal.
He forced an awkward laugh.
“Oh, come on, I just didn’t expect Mr. Hou to be interested in this field.”
“I’ve always been very interested,”
Mr. Hou replied, causing Mr. Lin to pause, his smile turning slightly odd, as if he were waiting for some drama to unfold.
Fine, another one after Gu Zhaoping’s ideas. Let’s see what she says to you.
I couldn’t get anything out of her—let’s see what you can manage.
And based on what Gu Zhaoping said, you’re even less sincere.
Showing up late to the celebration banquet, probably not even around these past few days, likely only here because someone tipped you off last minute.
With that attitude, if Gu Zhaoping agrees to work with you, it’d be a slap in everyone else’s face.
So he let go of Mr. Hou’s hand with a slight smirk, watching him walk past, his smile flattening.
Many others also watched Mr. Hou closely.
He strode through the crowd.
He shook hands with Gu Zhaoping.
With both hands.
Mr. Hou seemed eager and excited, shaking Gu Zhaoping’s hand up and down, as if thrilled to finally meet her.
“Miss Gu, sorry, I was held up by company matters. I heard about your speech these past few days and watched the broadcast—absolutely brilliant, just brilliant!”
Mr. Lin snorted, a sound that came straight from his nose, audible only to him and his nearby assistant.
He turned away, not bothering to watch further.
“Thank you for your attention, Mr. Hou. I’ve been waiting for you,”
Gu Zhaoping replied.
“I got delayed by some matters. By the way, this is your celebration banquet, right? I hope I’m not intruding. I originally wanted to discuss our collaboration in detail, but this isn’t the right setting. Let’s talk more when you’re free, Miss Gu.”
Mr. Lin, about to walk away, froze mid-step, his expression souring instantly.
What did that mean?
Gu Zhaoping had just said that anyone serious about collaborating would choose a formal setting to discuss, not rush to seal a deal at a private celebration like this.
He’d even exchanged a few words with her, so how come Mr. Hou just waltzed in and proposed a formal meeting for collaboration?
Mr. Lin could barely keep his composure.
If he hadn’t been sure Mr. Hou wasn’t even at the event earlier, he’d have suspected he was deliberately targeting him.
“I know you’re busy, so I didn’t want to disturb you these past few days. I’m just glad I didn’t disappoint you this time,”
Gu Zhaoping said, even more courteous than him.
After a bit more back-and-forth, someone suddenly picked up on something.
Wait a minute, why did their tone sound so familiar?
This didn’t feel like mere pleasantries.
She hadn’t been this way with Mr. Lin—just completely blunt with him.
“No way. Many entrepreneurs stick to old ways, clinging to outdated businesses. But you, Miss Gu, dare to break through, proactively innovate, and lead the revolution in new energy battery technology. That kind of innovation is rare in this industry,”
Mr. Hou said with a hearty laugh, adding,
“Oh, by the way, what were you all talking about just now? Did I hear someone say…there are no good battery energy companies in the country?”
Gu Zhaoping glanced at Mr. Lin, who was about to leave, and he stiffened.
It was coming back to bite him.
He wanted to avoid her gaze, feeling embarrassed but unable to say anything, just letting out a frustrated huff.
Ni Tiansong had already caught on.
He could tell Mr. Hou and Gu Zhaoping had a close connection and knew it wasn’t the right moment for Gu Zhaoping to explain what had just happened.
So he spoke up tactfully,
“Earlier, Mr. Lin expressed interest in learning more about Miss Gu’s ideas for new energy battery collaborations. But Miss Gu hasn’t shown clear intent to collaborate yet. Mr. Lin suggested she might be holding out for a better deal, offering empty promises. If even a leading company in the battery field like theirs isn’t eager to work with her, then what’s the point of her so-called collaboration direction? Isn’t it just pie in the sky?”
Mr. Hou glanced at him, slightly surprised at how naturally this man spoke for Gu Zhaoping.
Though he didn’t know who he was, he figured anyone standing by Gu Zhaoping’s side wasn’t ordinary.
So he nodded kindly, but his expression turned serious as he looked at Mr. Lin.
“Mr. Lin, are you trying to goad her?”
His tone was still light, but saying this outright was already a slight.
“If you think Miss Gu not sharing specific details means she’s making empty promises, isn’t that a form of moral coercion? You can’t expect her to discuss specifics publicly before a formal agreement. Miss Gu keeping things confidential shows her business ethics, and I think that’s commendable.”
Here we go again, you two ganging up, huh?
Mr. Lin’s face darkened.
“I’m not that arrogant. I just think it’s the reality. Battery technology is at a bottleneck across the industry. Only our company has made breakthroughs in new tech and secured patents. So I believe Miss Gu would likely want to collaborate with us based on that.”
“But seeing Miss Gu’s lack of enthusiasm, even some negativity, I got curious. I’m just saying our group is more specialized in this area, not questioning Mr. Hou’s intentions…”
Mentioning the technical patent, a faint pride showed on his face.
It was indeed a recent breakthrough for their group, industry-leading.
It happened to align with Gu Zhaoping’s direction, which was why his major shareholders were so eager for him to connect with her and reach an agreement, even if just to gauge her intentions.
Mr. Lin had come to this banquet with a mission, not just to eat and drink—he had to bring something back.
But at the mention of the patent, Mr. Hou chuckled, then his smile faded, and he said flatly,
“You can leave now.”
Mr. Lin’s smile, barely held together, shattered completely, his expression breaking.
“What do you mean?”
Having been pampered for so many years, how could he tolerate such blunt dismissal?
“It means we don’t need that technology. You’re wasting your time. Please leave,”
Mr. Hou said unceremoniously, directly asking him to go.
Mr. Lin was furious, staring at Mr. Hou in disbelief, almost laughing from rage.
This guy had just shown up and was acting like he owned the place?
Even if he seemed to know Miss Gu, still…
Wait. Mr. Lin paused, glancing back in disbelief.
Seeing Gu Zhaoping show no inclination to contradict Mr. Hou, even seeming to go along with it, he suddenly understood.
A fire sparked in his chest.
So, they’d already colluded and reached an agreement?
Were all these entrepreneurs here just to toy with the rest of them?
“Miss Gu, if you’d already chosen a partner, why not say so earlier? Do you think everyone’s time is so disposable?”
“Mr. Lin, I believe this is a celebration banquet, not a business negotiation, correct?”
Theodore spoke slowly, calmly.
“We’re all here uninvited.”
Mr. Lin froze.
It was true.
They’d all come thick-skinned, hoping to fish for some intel or cozy up to the Gu family for a chance at collaboration.
Even if Gu Zhaoping had already decided on a partner, it wasn’t her fault.
But he hadn’t expected Theodore—from the Laroche family.
Why was he standing up for Gu Zhaoping?
Did their family have their own intentions?
Was that why he was siding with her?
But then, it was hard to believe.
Everyone had seen how close Gu Zhaoping and Valentin had been lately.
Rumor had it that Theodore and Valentin didn’t get along, so how could both brothers…
At that moment, Valentin didn’t miss a beat, adding,
“We’re all here to celebrate Miss Gu’s keynote speech. Aren’t you?”
Could he say he wasn’t?
What was wrong with these two brothers, ganging up on him like this?
Gu Zhaoping hadn’t even said a word, yet these men were tripping over themselves to speak for her.
Mr. Lin’s face turned spectacularly sour, finding them utterly unreasonable.
“…Yes, of course I am!”
“Then the celebration’s over. You can leave,”
Theodore said flatly.
Mr. Lin choked, glaring at them bitterly.
Staying any longer would be shameless.
“Fine, my mistake.”
With a dark expression, he turned and left.
Once outside the banquet hall, he angrily got into his car, quickly contacting the major shareholder.
“Here’s the situation: Gu Zhaoping is tough to deal with. She didn’t budge, and it seems she’s already found a partner for the battery energy project, with no intention of giving others a chance.”