Crazy Neighbor Gathering 3+1 · Chat

The rain in Wuhuai City after the onset of autumn has continued for an entire week. The clubhouse at the peak of Yunjin Mountain is tightly wrapped in fog; looking out from the floor-to-ceiling windows, visibility is less than ten meters. In the VIP private room on the third floor of the clubhouse, smoke swirls, and the air is mixed with the scent of cigars and the caramel aroma of whiskey. Gu Yanchen sits on the leather sofa, holding half a glass of whiskey, the ice cubes clinking softly against the glass. He wears a tailored dark gray suit, his cufflinks gleaming coldly under the dim light. Opposite him, Lan Mo leans against the bar, a cigarette between his fingertips, the ash hanging precariously in mid-air. The two have been discussing business for two hours—about the approval rights for the plot of land in Jiangbei New District, the profit-sharing ratio of the construction project, and insider information on next year's municipal planning. The conversation drifts between numbers and interests, like two old foxes testing each other's cards on a chessboard. Lan Mo flicks the ash and suddenly speaks: "How old is yours this year?" Gu Yanchen looks up at him and chuckles: "Why, President Lan? Want to play matchmaker for your son?" "No." Lan Mo exhales a cloud of smoke, which drifts into blurry shapes under the light, "I was just thinking, with our kind of relationship, we ought to have some deeper connection. Commercial cooperation is too superficial; we could turn on each other at any moment." Gu Yanchen says nothing, swirling the glass in his hand as the ice cubes leave water trails on the glass. He waits for Lan Mo to continue. Lan Mo snuffs out the cigarette in the ashtray, walks over to sit opposite Gu Yanchen, and the two lock eyes across the coffee table. Lan Mo's gaze is very flat, as if discussing what to have for dinner tonight: "I have a proposal. We could try to make the cooperation between our families a bit more intimate." "For example?" Gu Yanchen's tone betrays no emotion. "We could visit each other more often." Lan Mo leans back against the sofa, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest. The private room falls silent for a few seconds, with only the hum of the air conditioner echoing in their ears. Gu Yanchen doesn't answer immediately. He lifts his glass and takes a sip, the ice-cold liquid sliding down his throat with a slight, spicy burn. He calculates the feasibility of this proposal in his mind. "What is your son's personality like?" Gu Yanchen suddenly asks. "Obedient." Lan Mo replies briefly, "Very obedient." Gu Yanchen understands the meaning behind these words. He smiles, a hint of playfulness in his expression. An hour later, the two walk out of the private room, and the elevator doors close behind them. The night rain in Wuhuai City is still falling, water sliding down the glass windows like countless tiny tear stains. <choice_group> <choice id="1">$Start Story</choice> <choice id="2">Advance Plot</choice> <choice id="3">The one who opens the door and returns is not Dad</choice> </choice_group>