Delphine dialed the number provided by the secretary, putting the phone on speakerphone at maximum volume. The meeting room fell silent as they waited for the call to connect.
Gu Wanrong, still admiring her flawless appearance in the mirror, was unaware of the ringing phone on her bed.
When the call went unanswered and disconnected, the meeting room was plunged into stunned silence.
“Try again,” Bernard Arnault said, his brow furrowed.
[Host, LVMH is calling.]
Gu Wanrong, still captivated by her reflection, was alerted by the system.
Following the system’s prompt, Gu Wanrong reluctantly tore her gaze away from the mirror and returned to her bedroom.
“Hello,” she answered the call from an overseas number.
Delphine breathed a sigh of relief; otherwise, the tense atmosphere would have persisted. But the voice was so young?
“Hello, I’m Delphine Arnault, daughter of Bernard Arnault, LVMH’s majority shareholder and CEO of Dior,” Delphine said, using English.
“Hello, I’m Gu Wanrong, a shareholder holding 9% of LVMH,” Gu Wanrong replied in French, not English.
After revealing her contact information to LVMH, Gu Wanrong had purchased introductory, beginner, and intermediate French language courses in the system mall.
Confirming that she was speaking with Gu Wanrong, a young woman, Delphine continued, “Ms. Gu, you are now LVMH’s second-largest shareholder. We need to collect your information for disclosure.”
“I don’t have time to go to Paris. Can you come here instead?”
“Certainly, Ms. Gu.”
The thought that Gu Wanrong wasn’t hostile and wouldn’t continue acquiring shares crossed the minds of those in the meeting room.
Delphine continued probing Gu Wanrong’s intentions, confirming after a few minutes that she intended only to invest and wouldn’t interfere with management. After a brief exchange, she ended the call.
“Once we gather Ms. Gu’s information, we’ll publicly disclose her shareholder status,” Arnault said, rising from his seat. “Meeting adjourned.”
A few days later, LVMH’s website quietly updated its shareholder information.
After hanging up, Gu Wanrong breathed a sigh of relief and smiled broadly.
As an LVMH shareholder, she had preferential access to its products; exceeding limits would simply be deducted from her dividends. She could now obtain any limited-edition items and simply charge them to her account.
With nothing to do but relax, time flew by. The day before the auction, Gu Wanrong flew from City J to Shanghai.
As a major shareholder, LVMH’s Tiffany Hotel provided a private car to take her there.
Zhou Lihua was Gu Wanrong’s dedicated hotel concierge for her stay.
Zhou Lihua waited at the hotel entrance, informed of Gu Wanrong’s arrival.
Soon, the car pulled up, and Zhou Lihua rushed to open the door.
It was a hot September day in Shanghai. Gu Wanrong wore a light-colored, figure-hugging dress and had her hair loose.
A slender foot in nude sandals was the first thing visible, followed by a long, white leg partially concealed by the silk skirt. Gu Wanrong gracefully exited the car, her dress shimmering, revealing her elegant figure.
Her stunning beauty stopped Zhou Lihua in her tracks, leaving her speechless. Only when Gu Wanrong frowned slightly and looked at her did Zhou Lihua snap out of it and quickly retrieve Gu Wanrong’s luggage.
A photography blogger, who often lurked near such hotels, spotted the car and immediately started filming.
He was surprised by Gu Wanrong’s beauty; even the luxury car paled in comparison.
Back home, he edited the footage into short videos, posting one on his account, “observe.”
Unaware of the filming, Gu Wanrong rested at the hotel before heading to the Hengxin International Finance Building to sign a contract and then to the New World Shopping Mall.
Zhou Lihua arranged for a car to pick her up.
Hengxin International Finance Building was located in the heart of Shanghai’s Xiaojiawan Financial Trade Zone, a 99-story landmark.
As Gu Wanrong signed a five-year property management contract and left for New World Shopping Mall, Zhou Lihua was once again stunned by Gu Wanrong’s wealth.
Gu Wanrong wasn’t just a major shareholder of the world’s largest luxury goods group but also owned a landmark financial building in Shanghai, a mere fraction of her assets.
At New World Shopping Mall, Gu Wanrong went straight to the luxury jewelry and accessories floors.
New World was one of only four malls in China with such an extensive luxury collection.
She found bags and watches previously unavailable, and the jewelry was even more exquisite than in City C and City J.
This was a shopper’s paradise.
Gu Wanrong swept through shop after shop, buying anything she didn’t already own.
“[Huaxia Bank] Bao Fu has transferred…”
…
Gu Wanrong had temporarily blocked the rebate messages; they were overwhelming.
Zhou Lihua, initially shocked, had become desensitized.
Anyone claiming to be a big spender should witness Gu Wanrong’s spending power—tens of millions in less than an hour, excluding LVMH brands.
Gu Wanrong, however, wasn’t one for publicity. She didn’t ask for help carrying her bags but simply left the hotel address for delivery, as usual. Otherwise, not only would they be surrounded by onlookers, but the event would likely be posted online.
Even with a mask, her beauty and figure drew attention. This was a change for Gu Wanrong, who was previously accustomed to anonymity.
Meanwhile, online, one of her videos, the one taken at the hotel, was rapidly gaining popularity.
