Chapter 17: To Die Before the Campaign is Even Won

Lu Nanting was terrified she might run away again; any slight disturbance left him feeling uneasy.

Seeing his misunderstanding, Gu Lanxi addressed the matter of buying a house directly

"It's my cousin's wedding house. It hasn't been lived in for a single day since the renovation, so everything is ready. We can move in as soon as the paperwork is done. However, I don't have that much cash on hand right now, so I plan to sell some shares to raise the funds. I have an appointment tomorrow with President Li Jingxiu from Su Cha to discuss this very matter."

After speaking, seeing his expression soften, Gu Lanxi placed a piece of bok choy in his bowl while explaining

"It's still too small here. The entire layout was arranged according to my habits. Since we're going to live together, I can't let you suffer any discomfort. Once we move, we can both have large walk-in closets, and we can even set up a recording studio. That way, if inspiration strikes occasionally, it'll be more convenient for you to write songs at home."

Besides that, the basement there had a skylight, making it bright and airy rather than stuffy. It would be perfect for converting into a home cinema.

Just as she had told Gu Yongxin, privacy was another major consideration.

The young master of the Lu family had never known hardship since childhood.

She did indeed want him to back away if things got too difficult, but if the two of them were to break up again, it should be because of emotions, not because of finances.

She could not tolerate a situation where, after being with her, Lu Nanting would have to downgrade his consumption and quality of life.

That would greatly wound her pride and dampen her passion for making money.

Gu Lanxi was never the type to be kind to someone while being too proud to admit it.

Not only would she let the other person know, but she would also candidly reveal the efforts she had made for that purpose, ensuring she achieved a full 120% effect before stopping.

Because she possessed so little, she had to make the most of everything to secure greater benefits.

Over time, this had become a habit.

Basically, everyone who had ever collaborated with her had an excellent impression of her.

Lu Nanting smiled radiantly, thinking she was simply planning for their future. He even couldn't help but wonder if her desire for a larger house was perhaps a preparation for raising children later.

After all, this place lacked a large private garden, and a child wouldn't be able to grow up freely and happily here.

He had no idea that Gu Lanxi was treating him with the same attitude she used for a new business partner.

For a moment, he felt a warmth in his heart, finding it incredibly endearing.

Since Gu Lanxi would be moving in with him in a while anyway, there was indeed no need to make a fuss.

Lu Nanting tucked away his smile and looked at Gu Lanxi seriously, appearing somewhat shy upon closer inspection: "It's no big deal. I have money. How much do you need?"

Although he didn't suffer from chauvinism, he never lacked the sense of responsibility a man should have.

Gu Lanxi generally didn't eat carbohydrates in the evening. Since there were no steamed buns or pancakes at home and no time to cook rice, Auntie Wang scooped out a small portion of buckwheat noodles for Lu Nanting.

Seeing that his chopsticks were merely twirling the noodles without him taking a single bite, Gu Lanxi placed a piece of squid in his bowl

"Try this? Auntie Wang is very good at preparing seafood. The fresh seafood in this house is sourced from your second uncle's supply chain. In the future, if you want to eat something specific, just tell Auntie Wang a night in advance. I'll discuss a raise for her later. Of course, if you have a chef or a nanny you're used to, you can bring them along once we move. As for here, I'm afraid there isn't enough room for now."

Considering the monthly household budget of 500,000 yuan, Gu Lanxi's considerations were very thorough.

She always spoke at a measured pace and could arrange things so orderly that people could easily find themselves being led by her.

Fortunately, Lu Nanting had strong immunity. Seeing her change the subject, he felt a bit unhappy

"I have money. Why on earth are you selling shares?"

Back then, when Gu Lanxi insisted on breaking up, it was because the gap in their wealth and status was too large, causing her immense anxiety—to the point where she had to see a psychologist regularly. Lu Nanting loved her and cared for her, which was why he had agreed to the breakup.

It wasn't because his feelings had changed or anything of the sort.

Lu Nanting knew very well that she only felt secure when she had money in hand.

Therefore, he did not want to use Gu Lanxi's money to purchase their future marital home.

Although he was young, he had been working hard to earn money since he started working, and his family had also given him quite a bit. Even if he chose to live a life of leisure, he could live luxuriously.

Since his wife complained the house was too small, they naturally had to move to a larger one.

It was his fault for not preparing in advance.

However, he also had his own reasoning.

"A house is something you live in for many years; it has to be something you like. I didn't prepare anything because I wanted you to choose. Now that you've picked one, I can just pay for it directly."

Seeing that he wouldn't stop talking about this until he got an answer, and hearing such heart-melting words, Gu Lanxi couldn't help but rest her chin on her hand and smile at him

"A lakeside detached villa in Oriental One, at a discounted price through relatives: 180 million yuan. Alright, eat! I'll handle this, so don't overthink it."

Having been a boss for several years, Gu Lanxi had become increasingly assertive at times.

"Huh?"

Lu Nanting was slightly stunned.

He hadn't expected her to buy in such a prime location, especially an established neighborhood filled with influential figures.

As expected of his wife—her taste was truly excellent.

Seeing him looking at her with such deep affection, Gu Lanxi felt a strange sense of panic.

"Oh, it's not for you! I want to be close to the water to meet more big bosses and pave the way for the future, okay? It's all for the sake of my career! Don't read too much into it."

Ultimately, Lu Nanting held a different place in her heart than her other business partners.

She would never say such hypocritical things to anyone else.

Yet not only did she say it, she also desperately tried to justify it

"There are cheaper courtyard houses or detached villas in the suburbs, and the prices aren't high, but life isn't as convenient as in the city.

"Besides, I frequently have business meetings. Living in a remote corner would involve too much time cost; it's not cost-effective.

"Even though I've always been frugal in my personal life, I am never stingy when it comes to necessary expenses. I'm sure you understand that very well."

Her words were quite logical.

Setting aside everything else, the choice of residence indeed played a significant role in one's career.

Living in the same area indicated that their respective strengths were not too far apart, placing them in similar social strata, which naturally fostered a layer of trust when doing business.

In the investment world, more connections always meant more opportunities. Years ago, if it hadn't been for Mrs. Lu's guidance, she wouldn't have even had the qualification to squeeze into many projects.

After all, many times, what bosses needed for financing was not just money, but also connections and resources.

In the beginning, besides her exceptional vision and her shares in a coffee chain, she had nothing in her hands.

But Mrs. Lu, Zhang Ruolan, had those things.

And since Gu Lanxi happened to lack investment intuition—losing money on nine out of ten investments while stubbornly refusing to change—Mrs. Lu was delighted to have found such a treasure, especially since it was the person her youngest son liked.

Although the two children did not end up together later, her cooperation with Gu Lanxi had never ceased over the years.

Gu Lanxi was grateful for her mentorship; even though she now possessed many resources, she still brought Mrs. Lu along on any project she deemed promising.

If not for this relationship, it would have been a mere dream for Lu Nanting to try and coax her to the Civil Affairs Bureau with a mere note after all these years.

Seeing her explain herself so flustered, Lu Nanting really wanted to ask her: *Is it really that hard to admit you want to be good to me, and admit that you have me in your heart?*

But he didn't say that. Instead, he said with a straight face: "Tell me, if I write a book titled *Proven Effective: 800 Tips for Marrying into Wealth*, do you think it would sell out?"

Gu Lanxi almost couldn't follow his train of thought.

But her professional instinct remained.

In the internet age, dreaming of making a fortune solely from book royalties was a fantasy.

Rather than going the physical route, it would be better to sell courses via live streaming!

Others in the industry had already done this; a set of music theory lessons could cost 1,699 yuan, and the "reapers" harvesting the "leeks" were even faster than a heartless capitalist like her.

Since he was born into wealth and was married to her, if he could actually swallow his pride to earn such money, the hype would be massive and it would definitely dominate the trending searches.

Even if not many courses were sold, the traffic alone would allow him to earn a fortune through endorsements.

It might even make him globally famous.

It's just that, by then, the whole family would likely go into seclusion for a while, and they might even need to carry fans when going out just to hide their faces.

Hearing his "brilliant idea," Gu Lanxi instinctively criticized it and thought of a better plan, only to realize a moment later that this shameless man was joking with her again.

Seeing her glaring at him petulantly, Lu Nanting laughed even harder.

One hundred and eighty million—he really couldn't produce that much in a short amount of time.

He couldn't exactly tell her, "Wait for me a few months while I find a way to scrape it together," could he?

He had finally tried to act like a domineering CEO, only to fail before he even began.

It was quite awkward.

The young master really knew how to diffuse awkwardness. Haha.