《My Ceo Husband is Sworn Enemy》


 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1 – Chapter 1 He Cheated_1

    Chapter 1 ¨C Chapter 1 He Cheated_1


    My husband of twelve years had an affair.


    The night I discovered this, my two children and I were burned to death in our home.


    When I opened my eyes again, Gu Yuanzhou was standing beside me.


    A sadness hit me. I threw myself at him like a madwoman and grabbed his arm,


    ¡°Yuanzhou, I had a nightmare. I dreamt that our children Zhenyi and Xiaoyi died in a fire¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s fiery dark eyes stared at me, as if he were looking at a demon, and he shook me off violently.


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    Before I could react, his secretary rushed in and took me outside without uttering a word,


    ¡°Are you fucking insane? What¡¯s the matter with you, marching straight into the CEO¡¯s office? Don¡¯t you know that President Gu just lost his wife and kids? You¡¯re poking at his wound, are you asking for trouble?¡±


    I was dazed by the secretary¡¯s scolding.


    I suddenly looked up and saw my own reflection in the changing room mirror.


    There was a young girl in her twenties, wearing a small suit, a work badge on her chest, and an innocent face.


    This face wasn¡¯t mine, but a young employee named Song Xiaoyun¡¯s.


    And I¡­ I was reincarnated as her.


    I unlocked my phone and news headlines flooded in, all about the fire-gutted Golden Bay villa and the scene of my children being carried out of the fire.


    I dared not watch, nor could I listen.


    Because each word could turn into a sharp blade, piercing my heart into pieces.


    I don¡¯t understand why the heavens allowed me to be reborn.


    The feeling of unbearable pain made me wish I could join my children in the other world right then and there.


    It was not until I saw a different news headline from all the others.


    The president of Zhenyi Group, Gu Yuanzhou, has another family on the side, and in order to legitimize his mistress, he hired a killer to set his wife on fire¡­


    This news struck me like a thunderbolt.


    It woke me out of my suffering.


    On the day of the fire, our nanny, who usually takes care of us, suddenly went home on leave. Late at night, after Gu Yuanzhou gave me a glass of milk, he said he had a business matter to attend to and left.


    Just as the fire started, the automatic sprinkler system in the villa malfunctioned, allowing the fire to spread. It cornered my children and me, but Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone was always engaged.


    Was all this coincidence, or¡­


    With that thought, I suddenly recalled my best friend Wenya once hinted at me: Xiaoyun, have you ever doubted your husband?


    Back then, I did not have a single doubt about Gu Yuanzhou and naturally didn¡¯t pick up on the hint.


    But now, thinking about it, she might have known something.


    With this thought, I made up my mind to go see her.


    Once I got off work at noon, I took a taxi straight to A University to find Wenya.


    I rushed all the way and unexpectedly bumped into someone.


    It was a young female university student, my bag was knocked to the ground, and my wallet and work card scattered everywhere.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    The girl immediately squatted down to pick up my bag for me.


    She had gentle long hair, eyes like black paint, pure and clear, with a sweet smile, which was very similar to a girl I remembered.


    But at the moment,


    My attention was drawn by her dress with a blue base and white floral print.


    A few years ago, when I went to Yunnan Dali on vacation, I was attracted by the unique ethnic costumes and was suddenly inspired.


    I blended some ethnic styles into a few designs of long dresses.


    This one integrated the style of a Dai ethnic group¡¯s long skirt. It was a dress I designed for myself and sewed with my own hands.


    However, I got pregnant before I had a chance to wear it.


    After that, I never saw this dress again.


    Gu Yuanzhou said he had donated it to a charity event, at the time I didn¡¯t think much of it. But now seeing this young and beautiful girl, a thought naturally came to mind.


    ¡°Excuse me, could you do me a favor?¡±


    As I looked at her, she also looked up at me,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I, um¡­I suddenly have a stomachache.¡±


    I clutched at my stomach and squatted down in pain.


    The girl is indeed a kind-hearted person.


    Seeing my condition, she hurriedly helped me to her dormitory¡­


    After helping me sit down, she poured me a cup of warm water, and kindly brought me some pills for my stomachache.


    Her voice was gentle when she spoke, and her smile was healing. When she looked at you quietly, her watery eyes were really likable.


    A girl as delicate as a fawn like her could easily stir a man¡¯s urge to protect her.


    Gu Yuanzhou would indeed be easily drawn to such a girl.


    As these thoughts were crossing my mind, I was feeling more and more uncomfortable.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fashion design student?¡±


    I pointed to an unfinished dress hanging on a rack against the wall.


    The girl smiled and said,


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a junior this year. This is my graduation project. I¡¯ve been preparing for three months now, but I always feel something is missing.¡±


    ¡°The color combination is off. That green patch on the left shoulder should be changed to a light yellow hue, and a piece of gauzy flowers should be added on it¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, could you demonstrate it for me?¡±


    ¡°Sure, just give me a second!¡±


    I know a thing or two about fashion design because I¡¯ve been gifted since childhood. Back then, my uncle sent me to France to study fashion design.


    But I met Gu Yuanzhou before I graduated¡­


    I fell for him at first sight. For him, I gave up my studies, gave up my career, and willingly became his full-time housewife.


    He said he liked Little Mian¡¯ao, so I gave birth to a girl for him at twenty, nearly bleeding to death on the delivery table.


    He said he wanted a male heir, so I gave birth to a son for him at twenty-six.


    The second pregnancy was extremely difficult, I threw up everything I ate, even water made me vomit until I was spitting up blood, and I was practically bedridden, surviving on IV drips until I gave birth.


    Because of pregnancy-induced hypertension, I couldn¡¯t have anesthetics. So, when I was giving birth to my second child, I was cut open alive, one cut after the other.


    The pain of a knife cutting flesh is something I¡¯ll never forget.


    But all of that doesn¡¯t compare to the day of the fire when I helplessly watched my two babies perish.


    Thinking of this, I couldn¡¯t help but tear up¡­ breaking down in tears.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The girl quickly came over to comfort me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just broke up with my ex-boyfriend and couldn¡¯t control my emotions¡­ I made a fool of myself¡­ By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Ye Mengyan. And you?¡±


    Ye Mengyan, no wonder she looked familiar. It turned out she was a university student I had once sponsored.


    However, Ye Mengyan obviously didn¡¯t recognize me after my rebirth, so I just smiled and replied,


    ¡°My name is Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    When Ye Mengyan heard my name, she paused for a moment.


    ¡°What? Is there something wrong with this name?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that you reminded me of a beloved elder sister!¡±


    ¡°Elder sister?¡±


    ¡°Yes, her name is similar to yours. She¡¯s called Song Yun. She¡¯s a really good woman. Very beautiful, very kind. It was she who sponsored my studies at the university. Unfortunately, she suffered a tragic fate and died in a fire not long ago. Sigh!¡±


    As she spoke, Ye Mengyan wiped away the traces of tears from the corners of her eyes.


    From the slightly husky sound of her voice, I could tell that she seems to be somewhat grateful to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity she died so young¡­ her husband must be heartbroken, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they were deeply in love! Lately, I¡¯ve been going to comfort him often.¡±


    After all, she was a student, Ye Mengyan was kind-hearted, and very naive.


    After I helped her redesign the long skirt, she opened her heart to me even more, expressing that she wanted to become good friends with me, and even shared many of her personal stories.


    However, just when I was about to let go of my doubts.


    I noticed a supplementary bank card on Ye Mengyan¡¯s table¡ªit was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s card!


    When I used to sponsor Ye Mengyan, it was always me doing the transactions, transferring money from my account to Ye Mengyan, Gu Yuanzhou never interfered.


    Why then, would he privately give Ye Mengyan a supplementary card?


    I picked up the card and casually asked, ¡°Is this¡­ your bank card?¡±

 Chapter 2 - Chapter 2 – Chapter 2 Unexpected Discovery_1

    Chapter 2 ¨C Chapter 2 Unexpected Discovery_1


    Ye Mengyan looked slightly flustered. She quickly slipped the card into her drawer, avoiding my gaze, her reply somewhat indifferent.


    ¡°It was left here by a friend last time they visited.¡±


    ¡°Friend? You have such a wealthy friend?¡±


    Ye Mengyan obviously didn¡¯t want to discuss further.


    She didn¡¯t answer directly but tried to change the topic.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I have something to discuss with the counselor later. I need to leave first, we¡¯ll chat on WeChat later.¡±


    Although Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t discuss the credit card issue further,


    in her room, I had already discovered a few expensive items.


    An Apple laptop computer.


    An Apple phone.


    And an additional electronic drawing board, the kind specifically for designers.


    This professional gear, when added up, equated to tens of thousands which an impoverished female student couldn¡¯t afford.


    Regardless of how the credit card ended up in Ye Mengyan¡¯s hands, it suggests that Gu Yuanzhou must have been in contact with her privately.


    Before leaving, Ye Mengyan and I exchanged WeChat numbers.


    I relied on my memories to find Wenya¡¯s office.


    ¡°Hello, is Wenya here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Wenya is on a business trip. She¡¯ll be back next week. You can call her if you need her.¡±


    A friendly colleague gave me a phone number.


    Actually, I had her phone number. But now that I¡¯m in Xiaoyun¡¯s identity and am using Xiaoyun¡¯s phone, I felt that only a face-to-face conversation would make her believe in reincarnation.


    However, since she was away on a trip, I had no choice but to give her a call and try.


    ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s voice sounded husky, and it appeared as if she had cried for a long time.


    ¡°Wenya, it¡¯s me!¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Listen, I know you might think it¡¯s ridiculous, but I¡¯m Song Yun¡­¡±


    On the other end of the phone, the atmosphere suddenly froze for a few seconds, and then Wenya¡¯s cursing rang out, followed by the line going dead.


    ¡°Who the hell are you! You looking for death with this kind of joke! Nutcase!¡±


    Wenya has a hot temper. She was immersed in the pain of losing her best friend, and someone jumped out claiming to be me.


    I understood her anger, so I patiently dialed once more. This time when Wenya picked up, she cursed me out directly and then blocked my number.


    It seems I¡¯ll have to wait until she¡¯s back to talk to her face to face. According to the address in my memory, I returned to Song Xiaoyun¡¯s residence.


    It was a rental house in an urban village.


    Just as I took out my keys to unlock the door, the landlord blocked the entrance.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you haven¡¯t paid rent for three months. If you don¡¯t pay soon, I¡¯m going to cut off your water and electricity.¡±


    ¡°Just give me a bit more time, I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    ¡°You say that every time!¡±


    ¡°This time I mean it. If I don¡¯t pay you within half a month¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got three days. If you don¡¯t pay then, I¡¯m taking the house back!¡±


    The landlord gave his final ultimatum, then walked off grumbling.


    I hadn¡¯t expected Song Xiaoyun¡¯s life to be this difficult.


    Song Xiaoyun¡¯s current job was just a minor position in Yuanzhou¡¯s company. After deducting for insurance, she only received six to seven thousand a month in hand.


    However, looking at her bills, she was living very frugally. All the money each month was transferred to a mysterious account.


    She hardly had any savings, used an outdated smartphone, and the wardrobe was filled with cheap dresses¡­


    It seemed that I still need to find a way to transfer over my previous assets.


    But my bank cards are in my mansion at Golden Bay and are out of my reach. Moreover, there¡¯s no way I can prove I¡¯m Song Yun.


    After much thought, I finally came up with a solution.


    In the middle of the night, when it was quiet, I silently logged into my old account.


    My WeChat avatar was the wedding photo that Gu Yuanzhou and I took at the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Yunnan.


    He was wearing a white suit, looking handsome and graceful.


    And I was in a white wedding dress¡­


    At the foot of the snow mountain, he was on horseback, deeply kissing me on the grassland.


    I still remember that scene clearly till this day, but there are no more traces of happiness.


    Gu Yuanzhou, did you truly want to kill us?


    I traced my finger over the screen and silently turn my WeChat avatar into a black void.


    Without thinking, I swiped to my WeChat Moments¡­


    My finger trembled slightly as I opened Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s image, and click into his Moments.


    His previous nickname was ¡°Eternal Harbor¡±, but now it¡¯s changed to ¡°Lost Love¡­¡±


    The avatar was also changed to a black and white picture of me and our two children.


    Below were his recent posts.


    Three days ago¡­


    My life is permanently frozen on this day!


    Two days ago:


    I can¡¯t believe it, I won¡¯t believe it, Death has separated us forever.


    One day ago:


    Zhenyi, Xiaoyi, Dad is sorry!


    My wife, I miss you. I can¡¯t close my eyes all night.


    Why didn¡¯t you guys take me with you? Why did you leave me alone in hell to take on all these sufferings?


    The words weren¡¯t too many, but before I finished reading, I was already moved to tears.


    I reached up to wipe the tears from the corners of my eyes.


    Quietly, I transferred the little remaining money in my WeChat account to Song Xiaoyun¡¯s.


    And then, I logged out.


    I squatted in the corner, crying silently.


    During the day, I can act as if nothing happened, but at night, when no one¡¯s here, I just let my sadness out.


    Having cried enough, I fell asleep without realizing it¡­


    The next morning, as soon as I got to work, Luo Zizhou was pacing back and forth at the office entrance, his hands behind his back.


    Seeing me, he hurried over.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    ¡°Secretary Luo. You needed me for something?¡±


    ¡°Yes! President Gu wants to see you!¡±


    I was surprised. What does Gu Yuanzhou want from me?


    Did he discover that I was investigating Wu Jun?


    Or did he find out that I had logged into my old WeChat account the previous night?

 Chapter 3 - Chapter 3 – Chapter 3 She’s Hidden Too Deep_1

    Chapter 3 ¨C Chapter 3 She¡¯s Hidden Too Deep_1


    When I reached the door of the President¡¯s office, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s thunderous roar could be heard from inside.


    ¡°A bunch of incompetents, can¡¯t even handle such a trivial matter? The company¡¯s stock price has plunged¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see this kind of news again.¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t come up with a solution by tomorrow, get out of here.¡±


    News?


    I quickly pulled out my phone, and saw that a news story had made it onto hot search.


    ¡°Golden Bay arson case full of suspicions, Zhenyi Group¡¯s CEO Gu Yuanzhou suspected of murdering wife for insurance¡­¡±


    That news was like a bolt from the blue.


    It woke me from my pain.


    Below this headline, countless related news stories were being posted.


    Zhenyi Group¡¯s CEO Gu Yuanzhou has another family outside, and hired a hitman to set fire and kill his wife to legitimate his mistress¡­


    I suddenly remembered on the day of the fire, the nanny Gu Yuanzhou arranged for me had suddenly taken a day off.


    And the fire extinguisher at home was faulty; the fire kept getting bigger.


    I called Gu Yuanzhou, but his phone was busy all the time.


    Who was he talking to?


    Countless information flooded my brain at once, stirring every nerve of mine.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice rang out again.


    A few executives filed out, each looking worse for wear.


    I came to my senses, waited till the room was empty, then entered the President¡¯s office.


    Immediately, my eyes went to the electronic screen in the office. The company¡¯s stock price was flashing, having hit the lower limit.


    At this point, Zhenyi Company was firmly entrenched in a major public relations crisis.


    But Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t as dejected as I had imagined.


    The man still had a sharp gaze, as if shrewdly outmaneuvering his adversaries.


    Standing in front of him, facing his intense black eyes, I was feeling a little disoriented.


    ¡°President Gu, you wanted to see me?¡±


    My mood was complicated, and my voice somewhat hoarse.


    Wrapped under his pure black suit, he still looked formidable; he stared at me for a long while.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Song¡­ Xiaoyun!¡±


    ¡°Which department?¡±


    ¡°A clerk in the Secretariat Department!¡±


    ¡°Public Relations major?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Fortunately, before coming here, I had taken the time to read up on Song Xiaoyun¡¯s profile and was able to answer Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s questions fluently.


    His black eyes gradually lowered their guard, he picked up a folder from the desk, and opened it.


    I also saw it was Song Xiaoyun¡¯s profile; it appeared he had her file all along.


    ¡°What¡¯s your take on the current crisis?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice was low, containing the charm and authority of a mature man.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Gu¡¯s personal affair; it¡¯s not my place to comment.¡±


    ¡°With rumors running rampant and the company mired in a PR crisis, as a professional, how would you handle it?¡±


    He told me the main issue at hand.


    However, I am not Song Xiaoyun; my field of study was fashion design, I was clueless about handling a PR crisis, and in no position to offer professional advice.


    But I realized this was a good opportunity to win Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s trust.


    I made him a cup of calming tea and moved a bit closer to him.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s necessary to establish an emergency public relations team, urgently hire a few more professionals! Specifically to deal with these unexpected events.¡±


    After listening, Gu Yuanzhou nodded slightly,


    ¡°We share the same opinion, good. I hereby appoint you as the leader of the emergency PR team, you¡¯ll be in charge of handling this¡­¡±


    ¡°And for the recruitment¡­¡±


    ¡°Speak with HR about it, cooperate and recruit. I hope this issue is resolved as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Perhaps my calming tea worked, Gu Yuanzhou looked a little worn out and went to the rest room at the back.


    It was lunch break anyway, and nobody would be coming at this hour.


    I quickly opened the drawers, rummaging around for clues.


    Intuition told me his relationship with Ye Mengyan was not ordinary, but without any concrete evidence, all guesses could only be just guesses.


    After buying this new office building, we both made decisions on the decorating plans together.


    In this Presidential Office, in his words, half of it belongs to me.


    So, he intentionally left a small rest room with a bathtub and a dresser, for me to relax anytime during work.


    I was very familiar with this place.


    I knew exactly where Gu Yuanzhou kept all the important documents.


    The desktop was covered with office documents, important contracts, files from various departments.


    Going by the timestamps on the documents, a lot of work was done at midnight.


    I really admired him, able to handle such high-intensity work even after losing his wife and children, showing his toughness.


    There was a locked drawer in the middle.


    I opened the cupboard and swiftly took a tiny key out from the ashtray.


    Successfully opening the drawer¡­


    There were some kids¡¯ toys scattered around, out of place in the serious office environment.


    Zhenyi¡¯s puppy chew toy from when he was teething, a little penguin baby hat, Xiaoyi¡¯s headband and hair bow, a coloring pen, two small socks.


    In fact, when the children were small, I never brought them to the President¡¯s office.


    These items must have been left in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car by the kids in the past.


    I had no idea he had actually kept these items, locked away in his office like precious treasures.


    Reminded of the past by these items, I couldn¡¯t help but tear up.


    Holding Zhenyi¡¯s small hat, greedily inhaling the familiar smell of the kid, I cried till my heart shattered.


    After a long while, I forced myself to keep my emotions in check, to calm down, dried my tears, kept the items quietly.


    The bottom of the drawer.


    There was also a black leather notebook.


    I took it out and flipped through, and it contained some notes by Gu Yuanzhou.


    Wife¡¯s birthday, September 9, 1993.


    Wife¡¯s menstruation cycle¡­


    Little Mian¡¯ao¡¯s birthday,


    Baby Zhenyi¡¯s birthday.


    Wife¡¯s clothes size M, shoe size 36, wife¡¯s favorite snacks, sugar-glazed chestnuts, pepper melba toast, lime cheesecake.


    Last June she had a B-Scan ultrasound, found uterine fibroids, regular check-ups required this year.


    Flipping page after page, it documented my physical conditions and various details from over the years.


    Seeing this, I was greatly shocked.


    I never knew that Gu Yuanzhou cared about me so much.


    These actions confirm that he must love me. After all, why would a man note down all these details if he didn¡¯t love his wife?


    I once again fell into self-doubt, could it be he has no intimate relationship with Ye Mengyan?


    Indeed, after searching Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office, I found no trace or clue about a mistress.


    He was squeaky clean, without any suspicion.


    Just then, my phone buzzed.


    Picking it up, it was a text message from Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Are you free? Let¡¯s have a chat!¡±

 Chapter 4 - Chapter 4 – Chapter 4 True or False_1

    Chapter 4 ¨C Chapter 4 True or False_1


    After work in the evening.


    In a milk tea shop near the university, I met Ye Mengyan.


    She had changed into a white shirt, paired with a black pleated skirt, which made her look innocent and pure.


    Her eyes were beautiful, and when she laughed she revealed pearly white teeth, her smile radiant and pure.


    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°You needed to see me?¡±


    Ye Mengyan took out a bag of dried medicinal herbs from her bag and placed it in front of me.


    ¡°I noticed you¡¯re looking a bit pale, my mom brought some dried ginseng from our hometown. You should take it to boost your health.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, where is your hometown?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s in Qingcheng¡­ which is quite impoverished! However, the mountains there have plentiful wild herbs, which are much better than the cultivated ones.¡±


    We chatted for a while, and the conversation steered towards fashion design.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re an employee at Zhenyi Company, right?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Er, I saw your work badge last time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just a humble employee at Zhenyi Company.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really need anything particular, I just wanted to chat with you. I noticed you have talent in fashion design, why aren¡¯t you working in the field?¡±


    ¡°Well, fashion design is my hobby, I don¡¯t want to turn it into my job.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I really envy you! Actually, I also want to join Zhenyi Company.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s aspirations surprised me a little.


    ¡°What¡¯s so great about Zhenyi Company?¡±


    ¡°This company is currently the best-developing and most powerful company in A City. Moreover, their president is very ambitious. Such a talented man¡­¡±


    When Ye Mengyan mentioned Gu Yuanzhou, her eyes were filled with admiration and awe.


    Not only is Gu Yuanzhou intelligent and competent, but he also has an extraordinary appearance, making it easy for women to be smitten by him.


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask her,


    ¡°If Gu Yuanzhou asked you to be his mistress, would you be willing?¡±


    Ye Mengyan shyly laughed,


    ¡°You¡¯re joking! How could a regular girl like me be worthy of President Gu¡¯s attention? Besides, he loves his wife so much, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s room in his heart for another woman.¡±


    As we were leaving the milk tea shop, a lady on the street stopped us and begged for help.


    ¡°Young lady, my phone was stolen and now I don¡¯t have money to take transport home. Could you lend me 100 Yuan for transport?¡±


    Seeing her neat clothing and the way her eyes kept shifting, it seemed like she was scamming, so I didn¡¯t say anything.


    Unexpectedly, Ye Mengyan very readily took out 100 yuan from her wallet and gave it to her. She even handed her the bread she just bought, in case the woman didn¡¯t have anything to eat.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    The woman gratefully and quickly left.


    ¡°Er, you just gave her the money like that. Didn¡¯t you consider the possibility she might be a scammer?¡±


    ¡°A scammer? I thought she didn¡¯t look like one.¡±


    ¡°If she was really robbed, she should have gone to the police station. The officers would have helped her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just 100 yuan. What if she really needed it?¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s words made me feel her kindness once more.


    How could such a kind-hearted girl be a despised mistress?


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I really like you. I want to be your friend. Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you are so much like my sister¡­¡±


    ¡°Which sister?¡±


    ¡°Song Yun!¡±


    Her words took me by surprise.


    ¡°Her?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, she was such a good person. I really miss her so much! Alas, it¡¯s such a pity she had a short life. I have been wanting to go to the temple these days, to help her pray for a better rebirth.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s voice choked up, tears welling in her eyes. I could feel her emotions were genuine.


    I believe no mistress would have such feelings for the original wife.


    Could the mistress really not be her?


    Suddenly, there was a crush of people up ahead. Looking up, we saw a few luxury cars surrounding an ancient temple. The car doors opened.


    A man in a suit, dignified, stepping out of the car.


    He was wearing sunglasses, his face cold as frost. In his arms were memorial tablets of his wife and child, as he made his way towards the main building.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Gu!¡±


    Ye Mengyan softly murmured, longingly watching from afar, her eyes filled with fascination.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s silhouette seemed a bit lonesome.


    Behind him were countless reporters snapping photos.


    ¡°He¡¯s so pitiful! I heard that his beloved wife and two children died tragically in a fire overnight.¡±


    ¡°Alas, I can¡¯t even bear to think about it! How is he going to carry on with his life!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as if his world has collapsed.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s here for a memorial service, to help his wife and kids transcend, guiding them towards the afterlife.¡±


    ¡°Such a devoted man, he is indeed a rare breed!¡±


    The voices of the crowd were overlapping.


    Some people were wiping their tears, sympathizing with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Regarding the discussion of the crowd, I remained calm.


    If I weren¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s marketing staff, perhaps I would have been easily moved too.


    Beside me, Ye Mengyan was also constantly watching Gu Yuanzhou off in the distance.


    It seemed like every move he made touched her heart.


    ¡°Ah, I really don¡¯t know how he has managed to get through these days.¡±


    Ye Mengyan sighed softly.


    I glanced at her,


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about him, you could call and comfort him.¡±


    Ye Mengyan gave a soft laugh,


    ¡°I don¡¯t have his personal number.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that his wife sponsored your education? If you¡¯re this close, how could you not have his number?¡±


    ¡°Sponsoring me was Sister Song¡¯s personal act. It has nothing to do with Mr. Gu¡­I don¡¯t have any private interactions with him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you care so much about him, I thought you were close friends.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, I purely care for him because of Sister Song.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s voice was soft.


    The sound of the monks striking the wooden fish echoed, their chants reverberating through the temple.


    Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest and a wave of dizziness overcame me.


    It took a while before I regained clarity.


    Ye Mengyan had helped me to a shady spot.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you okay? Should I take you to the hospital? Your hand is so cold!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ve been frail since I was a child, I can¡¯t go to places where spirits are worshipped.¡±


    ¡°Let me take you home!¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll take a cab.¡±

 Chapter 5 - Chapter 5 – Chapter 5 He Stopped Me On The Spot_1

    Chapter 5 ¨C Chapter 5 He Stopped Me On The Spot_1


    I have no idea why, but I fell sick for three straight days, with a high fever that wouldn¡¯t subside even after taking antipyretics. I had to have IV drips at the hospital for several days before I started to feel better.


    During these days, the media online gradually changed their tone.


    ¡°Zhenyi Company¡¯s President seeks justice for his wife and child, and takes Golden Bay Property Company to court in a fit of rage.¡±


    ¡°Golden Bay Properties denies any issues with their fire safety system, claiming it was the customer¡¯s oversight while expressing sorrow for the deceased.¡±


    ¡°Zhenyi Company¡¯s President hires a Feng Shui master and spares no expense in selecting a burial site for his wife and child.¡±


    ¡°Zhenyi Company recently released two new designs for children¡¯s clothing and the President promises to donate half of the proceeds from these sales to charities.¡±


    My fingers swiped through these posts on my screen.


    But, there was no fluctuation in my emotions.


    In fact, all that was happening in front of me was a culmination of the business strategies developed by the public relations team.


    Still, they managed to successfully turn the tide of public opinion around.


    The stock of Zhenyi Company gradually began to rise as well.


    When I was starting to feel slightly better, the landlord came again.


    ¡°Hey, time to pay up, time to pay!¡±


    I slipped on my slippers, pulled out my phone,


    ¡°Let¡¯s connect on WeChat, I¡¯ll transfer it to you!¡±


    My quick repayment surprised my landlord, who then added,


    ¡°Young lady, you should take more care of yourself and not waste all your money on men. According to my many years of experience, he¡¯s not really someone you should commit your life to.¡±


    The landlord was referring to Song Xiaoyun, though I didn¡¯t know much about her private life.


    As of now, I had no interest or energy to deal with these matters.


    I didn¡¯t transfer much money into my WeChat account, so after paying the rent for the next few months, I barely had any left. I then had to find ways to transfer money from my original account.


    Even though I had taken leave from work, I didn¡¯t miss out on the emergency public relations matters.


    After posting its recruitment notice on the company website, candidates began to turn up for interviews immediately.


    Soon after, an emergency PR task force of five people was formed, led by Luo Zizhou and me.


    Although I was responsible for this PR team, Luo Zizhou dominated all decision-making processes.


    All decision-making power was in his hands.


    A high-rank outweighs a heavy load, and as the temporary team lead picked at the eleventh hour, I really had little authority.


    But I was not really worried about that right now.


    What I wanted was to find out certain things about Gu Yuanzhou.


    Suddenly, a complete emergency plan was delivered to Gu Yuanzhou.


    The first day back to work¡­


    Luo Zizhou called me into his office and gave me a stern lecture.


    ¡°This public relations crisis has been resolved for now. This task has been successfully completed due to the combined efforts of all team members. But it¡¯s mainly because I proposed the critical solution¡­¡±


    I raised my eyebrows. Was this man trying to take all the credit?


    ¡°Secretary Luo, I was the one who proposed that solution!¡±


    I remembered quite clearly that I was the one who wrote it down. After handing it over to Luo Zizhou, he insisted that we discuss it internally before presenting it to the President.


    During a team meeting later, he claimed the idea was his.


    Now that the strategy was successful, he actually had the audacity to claim all the credit.


    However, Luo Zizhou didn¡¯t seem to have any guilt,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you¡¯re still so young! Young people don¡¯t know how to be humble. Think about it, you have taken unjustified leave for more than three days. If it wasn¡¯t for me covering for you, you¡¯d have been kicked out by now. Remember, in this company, you need a network. Otherwise, someday you might be fired out of the blue.¡±


    His words were both threatening and intimidating.


    If it was a work newbie, they would have been frightened.


    But I was not one!


    ¡°Mr. Luo, it¡¯s not right for you to threaten new employees because you want to take all the credit!¡±


    ¡°You, you¡¯re irreconcilable. Do you believe that I can get the HR department to fire you right now!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡±


    ¡°Wait and see!¡±


    Luo Zizhou looked furious¡­


    As Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s secretary, over the years he had indeed formed many connections in the company.


    As expected, in less than half an hour, I received a call from the HR manager.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, wrap up your handover work and go to the finance department to settle your wages.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been fired!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t accept it!¡±


    After stating so, I immediately hung up the phone.


    Then, I took the elevator to the CEO¡¯s office.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed busy.


    In the workplace, I¡¯ve seen many men in white shirts and black suits, but he is without a doubt, the best looking and the most fitting.


    He has a perfect physique, deeply contoured features.


    His demeanor is calm and professional, his dark eyes naturally intimidating. Those who approach him can¡¯t help but bow down in submission.


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t like this six years ago.


    This imposing aura is a reflection of his survival from countless business wars.


    The saying ¡®An old ginger is spicier¡¯ truly describes this man.


    At this moment, he was sitting in his black leather boss chair, going over a contract.


    In a company with tens of thousands of employees, all decisions have to go through his signature¡ªit¡¯s not an easy job.


    When he finally had a moment to rest,


    I made a cup of coffee and placed it in front of him.


    He took a sip of the coffee¡­


    Perhaps because the flavor of this coffee was so familiar, he seemed a bit surprised. After a pause, he took another sip.


    Then, he turned his puzzled gaze towards me.


    ¡°Did you make this?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Why does this coffee taste different?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou indeed didn¡¯t know there was a secret to this coffee.


    Throughout the years we were married, I did many things for him, but he never asked me about them.


    Over time, he has become accustomed to my taste I suppose!


    After making coffee for him for so many years, I obviously knew what was different about it.


    ¡°I added a little mint to the coffee, it helps to refresh the mind!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s deep black eyes scanned me up and down again.


    While we were talking, Luo Zizhou suddenly stormed in, pointing at me saying,


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you just fired? How are you still here? Hurry up, pack up your things and leave!¡±


    Maybe because he was feeling guilty, Luo Zizhou probably thought I was badmouthing him in front of Gu Yuanzhou. So, he was eager for me to leave the CEO¡¯s office immediately.


    ¡°Mr. President, this cup of coffee has a small story behind it. But I guess I won¡¯t have the chance to tell you about it anymore. So, I¡¯ll leave then!¡±


    Without arguing, I just said pitifully, then with my head down, I started to walk away.


    But, Gu Yuanzhou stopped me right then and there,


    ¡°Who told you to leave!¡±

 Chapter 6 - Chapter 6 – Chapter 6: Scum Man Sets Character_1

    Chapter 6 ¨C Chapter 6: Scum Man Sets Character_1


    I knew he would stop me.


    After nearly ten years of marriage, I knew Gu Yuanzhou too well.


    This man has a hero complex.


    He likes to protect the weak.


    Particularly when it comes to delicate young girls, it stirs his protective instincts even more.


    Next, Gu Yuanzhou stopped Luo Zizhou and reprimanded him on the spot.


    ¡°Who gave you permission to fire her?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, she took unauthorized leave for three days and openly defied her superiors. To maintain company order, I had no choice but to fire her.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me,


    ¡°You speak!¡±


    ¡°I fell ill, I have medical records. Please take a look, President Gu. These are my hospital records¡­ ¡±


    Luckily, I had prepared my medical records, spreading them out on his desk.


    After looking them over, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face fell even more.


    He walked over to Luo Zizhou with his hands clasped behind his back,


    ¡°Does the company have a rule that employees can¡¯t get sick?¡±


    Luo Zizhou seemed somewhat scared.


    He probably never expected that me, a newly graduated recruit, would dare confront him in front of the president.


    ¡°President, her biggest mistake was defying her superior. She openly contradicted me many times in our team.¡±


    I calmly took out my phone and played a video.


    ¡°President, that¡¯s not the case. He¡¯s lying! The real situation is like this¡­¡±


    Turns out, I had a hunch Luo Zizhou was unsatisfied with me during our collaboration a few days ago, and we¡¯ve clashed several times in the course of our work.


    So, when he threatened me just now, I¡¯d secretly recorded our conversation.


    In the video, Luo Zizhou¡¯s attitude is utterly arrogant¡­


    ¡°Mr. Luo, it¡¯s not right to threaten new employees for personal gain!¡±


    ¡°You! You¡¯re unmovable, don¡¯t you believe that I can have you fired right now!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡±


    ¡°Just you wait and see!¡±


    Luo Zizhou was originally planning on making excuses.


    But after seeing the evidence I presented, he immediately backed down.


    Gu Yuanzhou pounded the table in anger,


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would do something like this!¡±


    Luo Zizhou nodded obediently:


    ¡°President, I was wrong! I only did it to gain your trust!¡±


    ¡°Enough, get out!¡±


    Luo Zizhou made a sour face, nearly ready to drop to his knees.


    ¡°President, please give me another chance for the sake of my years of service with you!¡±


    In fact, I remembered when I was still Mrs. Gu.


    Luo Zizhou was always two-faced with me.


    Often covering for Gu Yuanzhou.


    Whenever Gu Yuanzhou failed to come home at night, he would always find a way to lie for him.


    Looking back now, this man is the epitome of hypocrisy.


    Outwardly, he treated me with utmost respect, always addressing me as Mrs. Gu.


    But behind my back, who knows how much dirt he had done.


    I couldn¡¯t help but pour salt in the wound, smiling,


    ¡°I think we should give Mr. Luo another chance, after all, he is a veteran employee! I heard the security department is understaffed, if Mr. Luo still wants to serve the company, he can give it a try.¡±


    Though I merely mentioned it in passing, Gu Yuanzhou actually transferred Luo Zizhou to the security department.


    Good, his loyal dog nature is well suited for guarding his master¡¯s gate.


    After Luo Zizhou was transferred,


    The secretary position by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s side became vacant.


    At this point, I wrote another letter of self-recommendation, asking to be Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s secretary.


    This letter of recommendation I wrote was over ten thousand words.


    From the company¡¯s operations, down to the core competitiveness of the brand, to the direction of development in the clothing market brand¡­


    Along with the most researched information, which I collated and left on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office desk.


    I wonder, is this behavior too proactive from my part?


    Gu Yuanzhou has always had a suspicious mind.


    Will this make him doubt me?


    But I am very clear I have to do this.


    On second thought, after having our second child I returned to the family to be a full-time mom.


    These past few years, I have had no knowledge of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s social life outside.


    And with Luo Zizhou¡¯s deceit, he hid Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s private life perfectly.


    I have only to become his secretary.


    To have a chance to understand him completely.


    So I can find out if he has a mistress outside.


    Whether that fire has anything to do with him at all?


    All this, all these mysteries, could be resolved.


    However, after submitting the recommendation letter, Gu Yuanzhou did not immediately respond to me, but went on a business trip afterwards, not showing up for several days in a row.


    Surprisingly, Wenya actually called me.


    After getting off work one day, when I was about to go back to my rented room.


    Wenya¡¯s call came through to Song Xiaoyun¡¯s phone, it was the same phone number I called a few times and got scolded for.


    In order to avoid being scolded again, I decided to be more rational, not to mention anything about reincarnation, soul transmigration and such metaphysical events right away.


    But Wenya took the initiative to mention the matter of reincarnation¡­


    ¡°It was you who called me last time, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It was me!¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I am Song Xiaoyun, I am Song Yun¡¯s friend¡­ she mentioned you to me before¡­¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, not this, you didn¡¯t say this that day, you said something about¡­ reincarnation?¡±


    I calmed myself down before muttering,


    ¡°Yes¡­ I am Song Yun. My soul was reborn in this body.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance, send me your old WeChat¡¯s¡­my birthday¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    This was easy, I had already logged onto WeChat yesterday.


    So, I did the same, logged back into WeChat, found Wenya¡¯s profile, and sent her a string of numbers.


    We celebrated Wenya¡¯s birthday together every year, so of course, I knew it by heart.


    After sending the numbers.


    Wenya¡¯s call came again.


    ¡°Okay, I believe you, let¡¯s meet tonight. See you at our usual spot!¡±


    Having said that, she hung up the phone.


    I thought, perhaps because I changed my WeChat profile picture the day before yesterday, it triggered her curiosity and caused her to call and ask about it.


    Relieved, as long as I meet with Wenya, I¡¯ll be able to clarify Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s infidelity.


    She must have seen it with her own eyes, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have said those things to me without reason.


    Eight o¡¯clock in the evening.


    I arrived at the place where I promised to meet Wenya, our old spot, the karaoke bar.


    We used to gather here when we celebrated birthdays.


    We gathered a lot before I got married, after giving birth to my second child, I hardly had time to come out.


    I headed straight for room number eight.


    As I pushed open the door of the room, it was pitch black inside. Just as I was wondering why, a large sack dropped from the sky and thoroughly wrapped me up.


    Then, I was knocked to the ground and my hands were tied up.


    What the hell is going on?


    ¡°Let me go, you¡¯ve got the wrong person!¡±


    I shouted loudly.


    Then someone poured a glass of cold water on me, ¡°Quiet down, or we¡¯ll send you to meet your maker!¡±


    I stopped struggling and remained silent.


    A few minutes later, the lights in the room went on and the sack originally covering my head was removed.

 Chapter 7 - Chapter 7 – Chapter 7 Understanding Him_1

    Chapter 7 ¨C Chapter 7 Understanding Him_1


    The few people sitting on the sofa all turned to look at me, their faces showed confusion¡­


    There were both men and women.


    Most of them were familiar faces,


    What surprised me was that Ding Yinuo was actually here.


    What is he doing here?


    If there was one person in this world who would undoubtedly be over the moon about my death, it would certainly be Ding Yinuo.


    After all, everyone hopes for the quick demise of their arch nemesis.


    I even started to suspect that the fire was started by the Ding family.


    After all, in my memory, Ding Yinuo has more than once spouted crazy threats to kill me.


    At this moment, Ding Yinuo was sitting at the far end of the crowd, his fox-like eyes piercing and observant.


    While Wenya was whispering closely with Jian Jing.


    ¡°What do you think, how should we deal with this swindler? Directly send her to the police station? Or beat her up before handing her over?¡±


    ¡°Look at her, with her clear brows and bright eyes, I never thought she¡¯d be a swindler!¡±


    After a long while, Ding Yinuo, who was sitting in the distance, spoke casually,


    ¡°I think, just beating her into submission would be enough. Beat her till she dares not swindle anyone again.¡±


    ¡°No way, if we injure her, we¡¯ll have to compensate. Besides, I haven¡¯t suffered any losses so far, let me ask her.¡±


    After much deliberation, Wenya sat down in front of me.


    ¡°Tell the truth, how did you steal Song Yun¡¯s WeChat password? Speak honestly, or I¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    ¡°I can speak the truth, but one person must leave!¡±


    My finger pointed at Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo let out a low grunt, a cold laugh, and a disdainful look.


    Wenya narrowed her eyes and looked at me,


    ¡°Why do you want him to leave?¡±


    ¡°Because everything I¡¯m going to say next is Song Yun¡¯s secret. And Ding Yinuo is Song Yun¡¯s arch nemesis! So, he can¡¯t hear.¡±


    It¡¯s possible, what I¡¯m saying is something outsiders don¡¯t easily know¡­


    It seemed as if Wenya realized something and turned to ask Ding Yinuo to leave the room.


    As Ding Yinuo left, he deliberately walked past me.


    He scrutinized me from head to toe, gave a meaningful smile, then swaggered off.


    Wenya closed the room door.


    ¡°Okay, whatever you have to say, be clear. Everyone here is intelligent; you won¡¯t be able to scam any money.¡±


    I calmly sat on the sofa, took a sip of tea, cleared my throat, then spoke to Wenya.


    ¡°Wenya, born in the 90s, your birthday is the seventh day of September, a self-funded student at Central China Normal University¡­ We¡¯ve been classmates from kindergarten all the way through to high school graduation. In sophomore year, you had a crush on our new English teacher, when you found out he was getting married, you cried for three days¡­You¡¯re still single, with straight teeth and you like to shave your legs.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Wenya reddened, shouting ¡°Stop it!¡±


    Then I turned to Jian Jing,


    ¡°You¡­ you were never our classmate! A few years ago, Wenya and I got lost while driving and met you. You warmly guided us home, and we became friends. You hate eating cilantro, your first time with your boyfriend was in a car!¡±


    At these words, Jian Jing blushed,


    ¡°Okay, stop talking, I believe you!¡±


    Jian Jing naturally believed me, because she only told me about this.


    Next, I took out my work badge to prove that I am now Song Xiaoyun.


    Then I shared the details of my rebirth with Wenya.


    Wenya was amazed after hearing,


    ¡°Holy shit, so such things really happen! And here I was, grieving for so long! Turns out you didn¡¯t die!¡±


    ¡°Not exactly not dead¡­¡±


    When I thought about my two children, I couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.


    After learning about my rebirth, Wenya was somewhat excited.


    She ordered a few bottles of alcohol, intending to get drunk with me.


    But I stopped her,


    ¡°Wenya¡­ On the day of the fire, you asked me if I ever suspected Gu Yuanzhou of cheating! Did you find evidence of him cheating?¡±


    Wenya nodded,


    ¡°Yes! But seeing you and your family so harmonious, I didn¡¯t have the heart to disrupt it!¡±


    At this point, my heart sank,


    ¡°Who was the woman?¡±


    ¡°Who? How would I know who? I don¡¯t know her! I just saw him being very affectionate with a woman¡­ They rented a room and came out from the Romantic Hotel. I even took pictures at that time, wait a moment.¡±


    Wenya took out her phone and started going through her photos.


    After searching for a while, she gave up in frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve deleted them!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°After hearing about your death, I felt uncomfortable whenever I saw those pictures¡­ so I deleted them.¡±


    Jian Jing leaned in,


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t deleted them for long, you might be able to recover them.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have a friend, her husband fixes phones. He has a stall in the computer market, I¡¯ll take you there tomorrow, see if we can recover them.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Wenya agreed readily.


    In order to celebrate my rebirth, we ordered a few more bottles of beer and sang while drinking.


    We played until ten at night.


    Wenya was slightly drunk, I helped her to walk but she was still stumbling while cursing,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is such a scumbag! Damn it, why didn¡¯t he die, why did you have to die! God must be blind!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Our Ayun was really at a loss marrying him!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth, back then, Gu Yuanzhou was penniless, had nothing! Without the Song family taking a liking to him, would he have his wealth today?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, the internet¡¯s all abuzz, saying that Gu Yuanzhou killed his wife for insurance, is that true?¡±


    I was silent for a long time,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡¯m still investigating, I hope it isn¡¯t him, otherwise, I¡¯ll kill him with my own hands.¡±


    While hailing a taxi, a blue Porsche passed by us.


    A tall and attractive man, in a simple white shirt, his pale skin made him look both handsome and cold.


    When he looked at people, there was always a sense of arrogance and scrutiny.


    As I passed him, he unexpectedly let out a cold laugh.


    ¡°Swindler!¡±


    I felt extremely uncomfortable, when he walked away, I asked Wenya,


    ¡°How did you get mixed up with this bastard?¡±


    Others may not know, but Wenya is clear.


    Ding Yinuo is my arch enemy.


    I don¡¯t remember when exactly the grudge between me and Ding Yinuo started¡­


    Basically, we never saw eye to eye.


    Although this guy is a doctor.


    But Ding Yinuo¡¯s brother, Ding Xiao, was the boss of Tianjiao Company.


    When we first established Zhenyi Company, Tianjiao Company became our biggest competitor.


    They not only openly competed with us for customers, but also engaged in many underhanded tactics privately.


    Previously, Wenya would curse at Ding Yinuo whenever she saw him.


    But after my death, they actually got together. I couldn¡¯t understand this.


    Wenya sighed,


    ¡°Do you know who organized today¡¯s gathering?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, it was Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, shameless, he actually wants to steal my friends and social circle!¡±


    ¡°You misunderstood! He¡¯s not trying to steal anything, he just¡­wants to set up a foundation in memory of you!¡±

 Chapter 8 - Chapter 8 – Chapter 8 Returning to the Scene of Fire_1

    Chapter 8 ¨C Chapter 8 Returning to the Scene of Fire_1


    I fell silent after hearing that.


    Why on earth would he still want to commemorate me?


    Isn¡¯t the death of an enemy supposed to be enjoyable?


    Could it be that he intends to use my death to attack Zhenyi Company, to strike against Gu Yuanzhou?


    After all, this is the ideal opportunity for him to take over Zhenyi Company.


    However, I currently don¡¯t have the energy to think too much about it, as Gu Yuanzhou has just returned from a business trip.


    Inside the office.


    The man who¡¯s just returned from his trip is still covered in the dust of the road.


    Rubbing his reddened eyes, he lowered his head to look at my proposal.


    At this point, I handed him a bottle of eye drops¡­


    He suffers from dry eyes, and staying up late would cause his eyes to become bloodshot, causing him discomfort.


    The brand of eye drops I bought for him, Sea-Lu, does not contain any preservatives and is well-suited for him.


    ¡°Mr. President, perhaps you could use some eye drops and rest for a bit?¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything but finished reading my letter of recommendation.


    ¡°You write well, the logic is clear, and your views on the market are unique¡­ but why have I never noticed you before?¡±


    As expected, he¡¯s a calculating individual.


    In a single glance, Gu Yuanzhou understood my situation.


    But I had already prepared a countermeasure.


    ¡°I used to be too engrossed in dating, but now that I¡¯ve broken up with my boyfriend, I want to achieve something to prove him wrong about me!¡±


    ¡°That intern?¡±


    It took me a while to realize he was talking about Shen Yishu.


    Actually, I did help Shen Yishu out once and never thought Gu Yuanzhou would¡¯ve noticed.


    The thought of him possibly observing everything with those hawk-like eyes from atop this skyscraper sent chills down my spine.


    Upon thinking it over, however, I realized there had been no intimate interaction between Shen Yishu and me. So I replied,


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not him!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not close. It¡¯s just that when I saw him being pushed by the security, I was afraid he would badmouth our company. So I went forward to help him up and help him once. I persuaded him not to create negative news about our company.¡±


    As I smoothly responded, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes gradually softened.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you this opportunity! But remember, I don¡¯t like incompetency. Don¡¯t mess up at work.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou agreed indeed.


    I knew this man was a workaholic and had high demands on his subordinates.


    However, he cherished his staff, and if I performed well, he would place a high level of trust in me.


    Just as I was secretly jubilant about gaining Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s trust,


    I didn¡¯t expect that the first task he gave me would prove to be so challenging¡­


    He handed me a file.


    ¡°Starting from today, you¡¯re to keep an eye on this lawsuit. Coordinate everything clearly with Mr. Zhou.¡±


    As I flipped the file open for a quick peek,


    it was a scene of a room charred beyond recognition. It was like stabbing a visceral wound in my heart.


    I didn¡¯t dare to look again and quickly shut the file.


    ¡°Mr. President, this is a personal affair¡­ Is it really appropriate for you to have me handle it?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was silent as a rock.


    He silently walked over to the full-length glass window and lit a cigarette.


    After a long while, he returned to his chair and looked at me with a frosty gaze.


    ¡°Remember, I have to win!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed deeply reticent about this issue.


    I didn¡¯t know if it was because I was present, making him act mysterious to show the depth of his pain, or it was out of guilt, unable to face his wife and children.


    Either way, he didn¡¯t say much.


    After assigning me the task, he quickly left.


    Before leaving, however, he seemed to be fixated on that bottle of eye drops for quite some time¡­


    In the afternoon, I went to the law firm and found Zhou Chenming.


    He has a deep cooperative relationship with our company and is taking on this case.


    I relayed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s requirements to him, and he started preparing for a visit to the scene.


    ¡°Little girl, are you the new assistant to the president?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my name is Song Xiaoyun. I hope for Mr. Zhou¡¯s guidance in the future as we will have a lot to cooperate on.¡±


    Zhou Chenming looked at me sympathetically,


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have taken this hot potato!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Zhou, please be frank!¡±


    ¡°You would understand if you come to the scene with me! We wouldn¡¯t have taken this case if our boss could avoid it.¡±


    Zhou Chenming prepared his files, put on his suit, and handed me a mask after putting one on himself.


    ¡°No need, thank you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need it. Here, take it!¡±


    Why would I need a mask for my own home?


    Zhou Chenming chatted a lot during the drive, mostly about how ruthless Gu Yuanzhou is.


    Over the years, he has devoured numerous business companies and defeated countless competitors.


    I said offhandedly,


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t avoid, your boss just wants to make more money!¡±


    In fact, during the years I spent raising the baby at home, I didn¡¯t know much about what Gu Yuanzhou had been doing outside.


    However, when listening to Zhou Chenming, I felt quite shocked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about the money. Our boss owes Gu Yuanzhou a favor. Our boss was nearly killed by a usury company once and it was him who saved his life. Saving a life is a debt of gratitude greater than anything else. Even if he didn¡¯t charge a penny, he would still do his best.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I see.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re so young, working for Gu Yuanzhou! It must be very tough. Be careful in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you for the reminder!¡±


    Arriving at Golden Bay soon, we parked the car.


    By then, the front gate was already guarded and roped off, with a security guard keeping close watch.


    It wasn¡¯t until Zhou Chenming showed his credentials and reasoned with the guard for a while that we were let in.


    Initially, I was reluctant¡­


    I don¡¯t know why, but the familiar path I once walked home countless times was now challenging.


    My legs felt as if they were filled with lead, my breathing labored, and my mind was empty.


    If Zhou Chenming wasn¡¯t supporting me, I would have fallen down.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I, uh, I might be having a hypoglycemic episode!¡±


    ¡°Oh, maybe you don¡¯t need to go. I could go in and take photos for you.¡±


    ¡°No, I need to go!¡±


    I was determined.


    Indeed, I must go.


    I need to find out the truth about the fire and give my children an explanation. They can¡¯t just die without a reason.


    No matter who is responsible, I will investigate it thoroughly.


    Zhou Chenming bought me a coffee from the convenience store, which calmed me down after I drank it.


    In fact, the moment I opened the door, the smell of burnt char filled my senses. I was overwhelmed by grief and could barely breathe.


    Fortunately, Zhou Chenming was busy taking pictures and didn¡¯t notice.


    I bit my hand hard.


    Walking step by step through the home I used to know,


    The place where my children had died¡­


    The grief hit me like a tidal wave, enveloping me and cutting off my breath.


    I was suffocating!


    I felt dizzy!

 Chapter 9 - Chapter 9 – Chapter 9 The Secret She Accidentally Revealed_1

    Chapter 9 ¨C Chapter 9 The Secret She Accidentally Revealed_1


    Evidence showed that, no matter how much time had passed, the pain of losing a child never eased.


    ¡°Miss Song, are you okay?¡±


    When I came to, I realized Zhou Chenming had already helped me outside.


    Perhaps he noticed my pale face and near fainting, that was why he took me outside.


    ¡°Sorry, I am really not in good shape today!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable. Places where people have died always have a heavy aura. Many people can¡¯t cope with it.¡±


    I gave a bitter smile.


    It¡¯s not that I couldn¡¯t cope, but rather, this place is my hell.


    I asked Zhou Chenming for a cigarette.


    After smoking it, I mustered up some energy and went back in again.


    Minutes later, I ran out as if I was escaping.


    Only then did I understand Zhou Chenming¡¯s words, this case is a tough battle!


    Because, the scene didn¡¯t reveal any flaws.


    There were no signs of damage on the doors or windows.


    The fire started in the kitchen. All the kitchen appliances had safety valves, no explosions occurred, nothing was damaged¡­


    All evidence suggested, this was a man-made disaster.


    When we were leaving, a man was at the entrance, negotiating with the security guard, trying to get in, but the guard refused.


    I peeked from the car window, it was Ding Yinuo.


    What was he doing here?


    He stood beside the car, he stared at me with cold eyes, a smirk on his face.


    After leaving Zhou Chenming, I squatted at the side of the road, crying like a fool.


    That kind of heartache, people who haven¡¯t experienced it would never understand.


    After I finished crying, I stood up again, wiped my tears, and continued walking onward.


    My phone rang, it was a text message from Wenya.


    ¡°The photos in your phone¡¯s album have been recovered. Come and have a look, meet at the usual place.¡±


    Wenya originally planned to meet at nine o¡¯clock because she had a class on Wednesday night.


    I was already there waiting at half past eight, she came back after nine.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late!¡±


    Wenya was sweating profusely, in her usual rush, nothing had changed.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s late anyway!¡±


    I ordered a cold drink for Wenya.


    Only then did she take her phone out from her bag,


    ¡°Oh boy, this guy, Jiang Jing¡¯s friend¡¯s husband, sure knows how to boast. He claimed that he used to be a technical director at a well-known cell phone company!¡±


    I took Wenya¡¯s phone and flipped through the stolen shots in her album.


    There were quite a few photos, around ten.


    But none of them showed the woman¡¯s face.


    However, it was clear that he was indeed the one who drove this woman to a hotel.


    The woman wore a white trench coat and red high heels, she was a voluptuous mature woman.


    As Wenya flipped through the photos, she couldn¡¯t help cursing.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, that scumbag! If it weren¡¯t for the Song Family who took a liking to him, would he be where he is today? He¡¯s forgotten his roots! Just by looking, you can tell that woman is a cheap slut¡­¡±


    I stared at the photo in a daze.


    ¡°So, do you recognize her?¡±


    I shook my head,


    ¡°It¡¯s not Ye Mengyan!¡±


    ¡°Ye what Yan?¡±


    I roughly told her about my recent encounters with Ye Mengyan.


    After listening, Wenya¡¯s first reaction was,


    ¡°Hmm, does it mean the lovers can only be one? Look at that gambler king, he married nine wives. Let me tell you, men these days, none of them are good! It¡¯s quite normal for them to have several women¡­¡±


    Actually, no matter who it was, it proved Gu Yuanzhou betrayed me. I was determined to look into it.


    Just somehow, if it wasn¡¯t Ye Mengyan, I felt it would be a little bit easier to bear.


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. Leave that jerk behind and move on. Open your eyes wider in this lifetime and find a good man to marry.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I must have been blind in my last lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink together!¡±


    I indeed needed alcohol to numb myself.


    These days, I have been putting on a brave face, but the pain inside is unimaginable.


    With the company of my close friends, I drank until I was drunk as a lord.


    Grabbing the microphone, I screamed, venting out all my sadness.


    In my daze, I had a dream.


    In the dream, I was still a happy mother, holding my two treasures in my arms.


    Until a light stung my eyes.


    I raised my hand to shield my eyes, then slowly let go. Only then I found myself back in the rental room.


    There was a figure busy in the kitchen, humming a song.


    The room was a living room connected to a dining room, in fact, the dining room was just a small part of the living room next to the window.


    The dining table used to be cluttered with miscellaneous items, but today it was neatly cleared and a few dishes were set on it.


    Mapo Tofu, Steamed Pork Ribs¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    Ye Mengyan came out of the kitchen and put the last plate of stir-fried pork with green peppers on the table.


    ¡°Um, how did I get back?¡±


    ¡°Well, last night I was passing by Nanhang Road with a classmate, you got out of the taxi and were vomiting at the side of the road. The taxi driver left you there and ran, so I asked you where you live and you gave me this address, I brought you back. I was worried something might happen to you, so I stayed with you till today.¡±


    Reminded by Ye Mengyan, I remember that I drank too much last night, but Wenya was even more drunk than me. After I grabbed a taxi for her, I managed to get one for myself.


    ¡°Thanks!¡±


    ¡°Why so formal, we¡¯re friends¡­ anyway, you should go brush your teeth and have some food! You have to go to work later, right?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    When I came out after brushing my teeth, Ye Mengyan had already served my rice.


    Looking at the time, it was already eleven in the afternoon, I had been sleeping for a very long time.


    ¡°Did you buy these dishes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite convenient to buy groceries here, as there¡¯s a market just in the next lane.¡±


    ¡°Really, you shouldn¡¯t have!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just got paid yesterday. Just think of it as a meal together, something a bit special. Homemade, it¡¯s economical and much cheaper than eating out.¡±


    ¡°What did you get paid for?¡±


    ¡°Oh, work-study! I¡¯m a fashion design major, and one of the main courses is drawing. I teach drawing to a group of kindergarten kids, a hundred dollars per lesson.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, being self-reliant!¡±


    ¡°Yes! I also participated in this scholarship program¡­¡±


    Ye Mengyan opened her phone, on some app she could specifically donate to impoverished students.


    I saw that she was donating to a child every month.


    ¡°You really have a heart for charity, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I want to pass on Sis Song¡¯s goodwill!¡±


    Looking at Ye Mengyan¡¯s sincere smile, I was slightly lost in thought, then lowered my head, picked up a chopstick-full of food and put it in my mouth.


    The taste was so familiar.


    A taste I had for so many years, I could tell as soon as I tasted it.


    It tasted like the food that maid Wu Jun cooked, she had a distinctive way of cooking, that is, not adding ginger,


    I took another close look at these dishes, all of them had one thing in common, that is, they didn¡¯t have ginger.


    With a familiar taste and similar cooking methods, I couldn¡¯t help but have doubts.


    Curiously, I asked,


    ¡°Mengyan, why didn¡¯t you add ginger slices?¡±


    ¡°Oh, ginger is too spicy, it¡¯s not good to eat too much¡­ why, it¡¯s not good?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious, but I didn¡¯t expect you to have such good cooking skills! Where did you learn this from?¡±


    After this compliment from me, Ye Mengyan was in a good mood and smiled,


    ¡°I learned it from my mom! She used to own a restaurant and was a chef when she was young!¡±

 Chapter 10 - Chapter 10 – Chapter 10 He Has Another Phone Behind My Back_1

    Chapter 10 ¨C Chapter 10 He Has Another Phone Behind My Back_1


    After Ye Mengyan left, my gaze fell onto a pack of mountain ginseng on the table.


    It was something Ye Mengyan gave me last time, saying she brought it from her hometown.


    Qingcheng¡­


    It¡¯s familiar, seems like I¡¯ve heard it somewhere.


    Suddenly, I recalled.


    Wu Jun once told me that her hometown was Qingcheng, known for its production of mountain ginseng.


    Ye Mengyan is from Qingcheng.


    Wu Jun is also from Qingcheng, and their cooking skills are strikingly similar.


    Could these two know each other?


    But at this time, Ye Mengyan had already left, so I could only take the opportunity to talk to her next time.


    Today is Saturday, no need to work.


    After finishing my breakfast cum lunch, I tidied up a bit and was planning to meet with Shen Yishu to discuss, to see if he could help me out.


    To check on the guest records of the Romantic Hotel. After all, as a journalist, he should have a good network. I want to find out who is the mistress that President Gu is keeping


    However, an abrupt ringtone interrupted all my thoughts.


    Looking down, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s number is flashing.


    What does he want with me on a weekend?


    This is the first time I received a call from him, ¡°Hello, hus¡­¡±


    An unconscious response almost slipped out of my mouth.


    Fortunately, I was quick to react, I stopped before saying the last word.


    ¡°Hello ¡­ boss! Hi President Gu!¡±


    ¡°Come to the office.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Five words, spoken in a deep tone, brief and concise. He hung up before I could respond.


    Opening my wardrobe, I wanted to pick out an appropriate outfit.


    I spent a long time but found nothing suitable.


    Song Xiaoyun¡¯s clothing styles are too youthful, while I prefer a mature and professional look.


    After closing the wardrobe, I opened my mobile phone and placed an order for a few outfits in a designer online shop called ¡®Damei¡¯.


    The owner of this online shop was my former classmate in France, her clothing style is close to my heart,


    In the past, I hardly went out shopping for clothes, preferring to shop online with her.


    After adding my desired clothes to the shopping cart, I encountered a difficulty when checking out.


    For Song Xiaoyun, this clothing, which I considered quite cheap, is still overly expensive.


    Her bills are not enough to cover it.


    So I silently removed several items from the cart, leaving only one outfit to wear for social occasions.


    Now my position is the CEO¡¯s secretary, I can¡¯t wear clothes that are too shabby and cheap. This would make Gu Yuanzhou lose his value.


    At this thought, I suddenly remembered the past¡­


    I used to go to great lengths for Gu Yuanzhou like this.


    Every time he attended various social events, I was the one to match his outfits, always letting him shine in public.


    In fact, Gu Yuanzhou is also a very picky man, only the outfits matched by me are to his liking.


    A moment of slight absent-mindedness.


    My phone rang again, it turned out to be a text message from the customer service.


    ¡°Dear, the outfit you¡¯ve added to cart is in stock, it can be delivered to you tomorrow if it¡¯s a local delivery.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take it!¡±


    I hurriedly paid for it.


    In fact,


    Besides clothing, there are also bags, shoes that need to be replaced.


    But now I haven¡¯t got much money left.


    Let¡¯s wait until I get more money.


    An hour later, I arrived at the company.


    Inside the vast CEO¡¯s office, only a solitary dark figure remains.


    Beyond the hustle and bustle, his silhouette is somewhat lonely.


    At this time, my heart would start to turn soft towards this man whom I once loved deeply, especially in the absence of any evidence¡­


    Is he missing us?


    Does he love us in his heart?


    I couldn¡¯t work him out.


    He hid his emotions too well.


    When he turned and looked at me, I could see no sadness on his face.


    ¡°President Gu, you wanted to see me?¡±


    ¡°Did you go to Golden Bay yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I checked the site with Lawyer Zhou and also found a professional fire protection company for inspection. The results indicated there¡¯s no issue with the equipment and installation.¡±


    Dissatisfaction was brewing in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark eyes,


    ¡°So your answer to me is, this was an accident?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a fifty percent chance it was an accident and a fifty percent chance it was man-made.¡±


    After a long contemplation, I gave my conclusion.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou sneered,


    ¡°You think this is the result I want?¡±


    I knew, Gu Yuanzhou was about to berate someone.


    He¡¯s a man who¡¯s extremely demanding in his work.


    When he promoted me, naturally he didn¡¯t expect such a useless result.


    What he wanted is a social discourse that can be presented externally to propel the company¡¯s progress.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m just reporting the facts to you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need facts! What I need is the company¡¯s share price to soar. Listen, there will be a press conference next week. The company will be launching a new product, I want a different answer from you by then.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I steeled myself and agreed. I felt that all the answers lay with Wu Jun.


    After thinking for a while, I asked,


    ¡°President Gu, I have a private question to ask, may I?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead!¡±


    ¡°According to the clues provided by Lawyer Zhou, you have a maid at home. I think it would be useful to find and question her¡­¡±


    ¡°No need! She has nothing to do with this.¡±


    Before I could finish speaking, he interrupted me coldly.


    This abrupt reaction left me startled and astonished, increasingly feeling that he seemed to be hiding some unspeakable secret.


    Just then, a ringtone sounded from a mobile phone.


    This ringtone aroused my vigilance.


    Having lived with Gu Yuanzhou for nearly ten years, I was very familiar with his ringtone.


    He has two phones.


    One for work, one for personal use.


    But this ringtone didn¡¯t belong to either of his two phones.


    In my moment of surprise, he had already taken out an unfamiliar black phone from his briefcase.


    The phone was a rather old model, probably an Apple iPhone 7S from about four years ago¡­


    Obviously, Gu Yuanzhou had already possessed this unknown phone four years ago, and the fact that he was hiding it from me suggested he had some guilty secrets.


    For a moment, my mind went blank.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face softened as he answered the call¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

 Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Astonishing Things He Did 1

    Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Astonishing Things He Did 1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou walked towards the lounge with his phone, seeming uninterested in letting me hear his conversation.


    My phone rang too. Picking it up, I found it was a text message from a reporter.


    ¡°Sister Song, I¡¯ve found out who was in Room 66 at the Romantic Hotel.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the situation!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit complicated. Room 66 is rented out long-term by Gu Yuanzhou. He comes here at a fixed time every month.¡±


    ¡°Do you know the woman¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment, but I¡¯ve found out some other information. Let¡¯s meet to talk about it!¡±


    ¡°Alright!


    After I hung up, Gu Yuanzhou also came out.


    He handed me a list.


    ¡°You go purchase these.¡±


    I took the paper and looked at it. All of it was home appliances, water heaters, refrigerators, air conditioners, and the like.


    ¡°President Gu, are there any other requirements?¡±


    ¡°Buy according to your judgment.¡±


    ¡°Alright, got it.¡±


    I had just reached the door when he called me back.


    ¡°Forget about it, deal with these in the afternoon. Come with me somewhere in a bit.¡¯


    Looking at these appliances, the categories were complete. It seemed like a new house was about to be furnished¡­


    Normally Gu Yuanzhou would have a chauffeur, but today he drove himself.


    Perhaps out of habit, I instinctively opened the passenger seat. Just as I was about to sit down¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou stopped me,


    ¡°Sit in the back!¡±


    Three words, firm and cold!


    I then snapped back to reality.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m used to it! I apologize, 1 apologize!¡¯


    I quickly closed the car door and moved to the back seat.


    Gu Yuanzhou remained silent and started the car.


    This was the first time since being reborn that I was alone with Gu Yuanzhou in an enclosed space.


    The atmosphere was very oppressive.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say a word, his face was stern.


    In fact, in the eyes of other employees, Gu Yuanzhou was a cold and distant person.


    He was undoubtedly hard to approach.


    As for why he didn¡¯t let me sit in the front, 1 never figured out why.


    One hour later.


    In a remote suburb, the car slowly stopped at the foot of a hill.


    At the entrance of a complex, a man in a suit and tie stood. When he saw Gu Yuanzhou, he quickly bowed and smiled.


    ¡°President Gu, hello!¡±


    ¡°Is the house ready?¡±


    ¡°Definitely meets your requirements, a prime feng Shui location chosen by a


    Hong Kong master¡­¡±


    At this moment, I realized that this man was a real estate agent, here to show Gu Yuanzhou a house.


    Putting together the details of him asking me to buy appliances, I realized he was buying a new home.


    His wife and child had just died, and he was already eager to build a new home?


    To verify my thoughts, I opened the list he gave me again. I noticed it contained some women¡¯s appliances, like a Dyson hair dryer.


    Indeed, he was buying a house for a woman.


    The location for the house was indeed excellent.


    Surrounded by green hills and fresh air, with a vast sea of flowers in the distance.


    Apart from being too far from the city and not convenient for commuting, there were no other faults.


    Of course, a woman kept by Gu Yuanzhou, a man worth tens of billions, naturally wouldn¡¯t have to work.


    Her main concern would likely be exposure by the media, so a scenic and secluded location is better.


    As the agent was showing Gu Yuanzhou around, I also took the opportunity to survey the surrounding environment.


    A standalone villa, with no neighbors.


    Upon careful observation of the direction, I found that the house was actually in a shaded position, due to a hill blocking it, sunlight could not reach the doorway.


    Living here without sunlight would certainly be a little uncomfortable.


    So I found the real estate agent and expressed my doubts.


    The agent chuckled and patted me on the shoulder,


    ¡°Little girl, you don¡¯t understand! This is exactly what your boss wants.¡± At this time, Gu Yuanzhou was standing in front of the living room window, gazing at the backyard. I stood not far behind him with the agent.


    I presume he also heard our conversation, but he didn¡¯t voice any objections. It seems¡­ that is indeed what he requested.


    The house was newly built. The hard construction part was done; now, it only needs appliances and furniture to be habitable.


    During the house inspection, Gu Yuanzhou remained silent, not uttering a single word.


    Even the real estate agent was surprisingly tactful, remaining silent most of the time, except for the occasional comments about the fengshui.


    Visiting the house in such a suppressed atmosphere left a deep impression.


    ¡°What do you think, President Gu?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took a quiet drag from his cigarette, taking his time before he finally answered,


    ¡°She should like it!¡±


    ¡°If President Gu is satisfied, please sign this contract¡­¡±


    The realtor promptly handed over the contract without protest. Gu Yuanzhou took the pen and casually signed his name.


    ¡°For post-acquisition matters, coordinate with him. Alright, you may leave now.¡±


    Despite purchasing the new house, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t seem to be in high spirits.


    He brought me here to handle the subsequent issues related to the new property.


    I took the realtor¡¯s car to leave, while he stayed behind.


    Far into the drive, I took a look back.


    Gu Yuanzhou had his phone out, talking to someone over a call on that black phone, whose number I did not know.


    Must be his mistress!


    Was he calling to tell her to come and visit the house?


    As I got off, the agent clucked his tongue,


    ¡°l never thought President Gu would be such a devoted man.¡±


    I casually retorted,


    ¡°How do you determine he¡¯s devoted when you don¡¯t even know who he¡¯s buying it for?¡±


    ¡°l think I know. It¡¯s for his wife!¡±


    The realtor¡¯s words took me by surprise¡­


    1 didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuanzhou to so quickly announce to the world that she¡¯s his wife.


    I chuckled in derision before pushing the car door open and getting off.


    At half-past five in the afternoon, 1 met Shen Yishu at a small coffee shop.


    He is a journalist at Polar Media. He was the one who wrote the news about Gu Yuanzhou killing his wife for insurance money.


    He is a very brave and creative young man. I sent him to the hospital and paid for his medical bills after he was previously beaten by the security guards. Since then, we became friends. His special status as a journalist facilitated access to information out of the everyday person¡¯s reach.


    He was wearing a plaid shirt and faded jeans. Quite likely, he had taken a shower before meeting me. His hair was still wet, and a soapy fragrance emanated from him.


    That¡¯s the advantage of youth. Even with a simple get-up, he seemed fresh and energetic.


    Compared to him, I seemed much more world-weary.


    Even inside Song Xiaoyun¡¯s youthful body, my eyes hid a thirty-year-old woman¡¯s sorrow. ¡°Hello Sister Song!¡¯


    He waved at me.


    ¡°Hello, two coconut lattes please!¡±


    I was about to pay, but he quickly stepped up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get this!¡±


    I glanced at the price ¨C nine ninety-nine special offer¡­ Fine, let him pay, young men often have a strong ego. He brought the coffees over to me.


    ¡°Thank you!¡¯


    ¡°Sister Song, I should transfer that medical bill to you!!


    ¡°No need, it wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, 1 got paid!¡¯


    Though it was only a hundred bucks, Shen Yishu was adamant. So I did not refuse.


    ¡°So, they decided to keep you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no¡­ It¡¯s another boss who pays me! But, that¡¯s okay! As long as I have the money, I can go after my dreams.¡±


    Shen Yishu seemed excited. He had been covering a lot of headline news recently.


    Sitting next to me, he pointed out the news he had been chasing.


    Although I¡¯m not a journalist, I can see that this young man has talent and potential.


    He grasps the situation very well and isn¡¯t afraid to take on challenges.


    ¡°You are very talented!


    My praise made Shen Yishu blush.


    Likewise, we touched upon the topic of the Romantic Hotel¡­


    ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t stop investigating Gu Yuanzhou recently. I have found a lead that 1 mentioned over the phone. Gu Yuanzhou often checks into the


    Romantic Hotel..

 Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12: The Mistress is Someone Else_l

    Chapter 12: Chapter 12: The Mistress is Someone Else_l


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°That woman, she seems really close with Gu Yuanzhou! I¡¯ve been wondering, could she be the mistress that Gu Yuanzhou is keeping? If that¡¯s the case, then the chance of Gu Yuanzhou killing his wife for insurance is highly possible.¡±


    I gave a casual smile¡­


    Shen Yishu¡¯s thinking was quite similar to mine.


    ¡°So, did you find out who that woman is?¡±


    ¡°No! But, 1 found out the room number, and I got the message that she will come.¡±


    Shen Yishu revealed his plan.


    He suggested that we should book a room next to room number 66 and observe from there¡­


    Then, his phone rang again.


    ¡°Mengyan, I¡¯m busy, I¡¯ll be there later.¡±


    ¡°Are you with Gu Yuanzhou again?¡±


    ¡°Mengyan, this is my job!¡¯


    ¡°Shen Yishu! Stop pursuing Gu Yuanzhou, or I will get mad!¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s voice was very clear on the phone.


    Shen Yishu was gently pacifying her.


    It took a while for him to hang up the phone.


    I watched him with a smile, ¡®Your girlfriend is angry?¡± ¡°Ah, how should I put it, we¡¯ve already broken up.¡±


    ¡°Why did you break up?¡±


    Last time I curiously asked whether Ye Mengyan was Shen Yishu¡¯s girlfriend, he didn¡¯t admit it. Now it turns out they had broken up.


    ¡°l don¡¯t know. She initiated the breakup, saying she didn¡¯t want to drag me down ¡­ Let¡¯s not talk about it. I have to focus on getting my career started. Only after I have money can I offer her a stable life.¡±


    Seeing that it was about time, Shen Yishu and I packed up our stuff and moved into the room next to Room 66 in the Romantic Hotel, as planned.


    The night grew deeper.


    Shen Yishu was sitting on the sofa, typing up a news release on his computer. I found out that he also runs some online self-media platforms, but they don¡¯t have a lot of followers.


    The young man is too honest. Doing conventional media work these days doesn¡¯t attract many fans, he should take some shortcuts.


    However, there¡¯s no time to discuss this now.


    I stood at the window, looking out into the night.


    At one in the morning, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s black Rolls Royce finally showed up at the hotel entrance.


    I hurried back to the room, not expecting Shen Yishu to be even more excited than I was.


    ¡°She¡¯s here, that woman!¡±


    We turned off the lights in the room leaving the door slightly ajar, and used our phone cameras to see everything outside.


    The first one to come up was that woman.


    Similar to the photos previously taken by Wenya, she had a head full of wine-red wavy curls and a white trench coat that gave her a sophisticated look.


    She was wearing a large mask on her face, concealing her features carefully. You couldn¡¯t make out her face.


    Stepping in her high heels, she quickly swiped her card and entered Room 66.


    Three minutes later, Gu Yuanzhou came up.


    He was wearing a black trench coat, the collar high and large sunglasses concealing his face.


    But I could still recognize him at a glance.


    He was very cautious, making sure no one was around before he used his card to open the door.


    The two of them went into the room.


    There was no sound.


    I pressed my ear against the wall but couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    About ten minutes later, the door opened, and Gu Yuanzhou quickly left.


    Gu Yuanzhou is always cautious, never staying overnight in strange women¡¯s arms, leaving no room for any potential liability.


    Still, wasn¡¯t that time too short? Given his stamina, wouldn¡¯t he let off after an hour or so?


    1 had a feeling that something was not right!


    ¡°Ah, we didn¡¯t get a clear picture of the woman¡¯s face, what a pity.¡± Shen Yishu was still regretting.


    ¡°I¡¯ll think of something else.¡±


    Before I could figure it out, Shen Yishu directly went and knocked on the next door.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I broke out in a cold sweat for his audacity.


    However, the door next door opened quickly, and at this time, the woman didn¡¯t have a mask on. I got a clear look at her face.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I am ¡­¡±


    Just as Shen Yishu was about to start asking, I pulled him back, and said to the woman next door,


    ¡°Our remote control broke, we¡¯d like to borrow yours.¡±


    The woman gave us a look,


    ¡°Are you crazy! Go to the front desk.¡±


    After saying that, she immediately closed the door.


    Shen Yishu said,


    ¡°I still didn¡¯t get her face clearly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not her!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This woman is not Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s mistress!¡±


    A careful trap was thus failed.


    When we left the hotel, Shen Yishu kept asking me,


    ¡°Who is this woman?¡±


    ¡°As you saw, she¡¯s a woman over thirty, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s taste isn¡¯t that heavy.


    All men like eighteen-year-old girls.¡±


    ¡°Okay, it seems we were searching in the wrong direction.¡±


    After leaving the hotel, we had to make new plans.


    The next morning.


    I met with Wenya at the coffee shop.


    I looked through the photos that Wenya provided me with for a long time, no mistake, it was the woman from last night.


    ¡°How are you sure that this woman isn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lover?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s He Manyi!¡¯


    As soon as I finished, Wenya cursed softly. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t see it wrong?¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense then, why does he visit your uncle¡¯s mistress at a fixed time every month?¡±


    ¡°l don¡¯t know! I really don¡¯t know!¡±


    Indeed 1 don¡¯t, he¡¯s been using that hidden phone to get in touch with He Manyi, this is all behind my back.


    Gu Yuanzhou, what on earth have you been doing behind my back?


    ¡°This woman is a total disaster¡­Didn¡¯t your uncle give her a lot of money back then? Weren¡¯t they committed to making a clean break? So, why is she still lingering around your uncle?¡±


    Wenya asked curiously.


    In fact, I don¡¯t know when He Manyi started having a relationship with my uncle.


    By the time I learned about it, it was already causing quite a stir. At that time, my uncle and his wife almost divorced, the shares of Huaxin Group dropped significantly for half a month, and various problems arose¡­Later, I settled the matter.


    I had a mediator negotiate with He Manvi.


    He Manyi took 50 million and left, and wrote a letter of promise, promising not to bother my uncle again.


    Now everything has calmed down, these have become old news.


    Why would He Manyi suddenly appear?


    I couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    Wenya then said,


    ¡°Could it be that Gu Yuanzhou is doing this to probe the Song family¡¯s reaction? After all, after you had that incident, the Song family wouldn¡¯t let it go..¡±

 Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Catching Adultery in Hotel 1

    Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Catching Adultery in Hotel 1


    Translator: 549690339


    I rubbed my temples, lost in thought.


    Indeed, the Song family definitely won¡¯t let this slide.


    Because, I am uncle¡¯s only beloved niece.


    Uncle Song Shixiong had only one sister in his life, my mother, Song Lanzhu.


    He dearly loved his only little sister.


    Regrettably, my mother was frail and left this world not long after my birth.


    I then sought shelter with my uncle, and he transferred all the love for his late sister onto me.


    All that the rich heiresses in high society had, I had them too.


    Even what they didn¡¯t have, I also owned.


    Ever since I was young, I was the one who received all the love, and Gu Yuanzhou was my uncle¡¯s most trusted subordinate.


    Our wedded union had everyone¡¯s attention; no one expected this tragic occurrence.


    Wenya was puzzled and asked:


    ¡°But from what we can see now, the Song family hasn¡¯t react much?¡±


    ¡°l guess Gu Yuanzhou handled it well. Perhaps, he has already knelt down and apologized to my uncle behind closed doors.¡±


    However, I will not pay attention to the Song family¡¯s response for now.


    What is concerning me now is, why would Gu Yuanzhou have private interactions with He Manyi?


    If He Manyi is not the homewrecker, then who is the real one?


    I made a call to Shen Yishu, informing him not to expose He Manyi for now. The appearance of this woman is not a good thing for the Song family.


    Time passed swiftly¡­


    In the time that came next, I successfully transferred the house property with the agency. The ordered appliances were also installed one by one.


    Afterwards, I reminded Gu Yuanzhou that there was no furniture in the house.


    His reply was that he had already ordered bespoke furniture for the entire house, and they would be delivered and installed soon.


    Over the next few days, Ye Mengyan took me to participate in a TIF fashion


    design championship.


    Actually, I am currently not in the mood for such matters, but since Ye Mengyan had already registered for me, I casually played along.


    A week later¡­


    It was time to end the workday, as I pushed the office door open, a seemingly lonely figure came into sight.


    Deep as a lone wolf!


    The cigarette in his hand flickered intermittently.


    A man who used to rule the world also has moments of melancholy like this. I did not dare to disturb him and as I was about to leave, he called out to me.


    ¡°How¡¯s the lawsuit going?¡±


    ¡°The property management company claims it¡¯s not their fault! They are willing to make a ¡®humanitarian¡¯ compensation of thirty thousand yuan to us! But refuse to apologize publicly!¡¯


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to be not satisfied with this outcome and instructed me to find a way to follow up on it.


    Soon after, he added:


    ¡°Hire a housekeeper, for Beilu Hill villa, one who is agile and observant.¡± I understood immediately, ¡°When will the villa be occupied, approximately?¡±


    ¡°Moved in?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was taken aback for a moment, rubbing his brows before responding.


    ¡°Tomorrow, I guess!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll sort out the housekeeper today!¡±


    I found a housekeeper that very night.


    To ensure everything would run smoothly, I specifically instructed her to call me if Gu Yuanzhou ever brought a woman home.


    It was after ten at night when the housekeeper called me.


    ¡°Miss Song, Mr. Gu has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Did he bring a woman with him?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­l can¡¯t tell! Why don¡¯t you come and see for yourself?¡±


    After hanging up the call, I became anxious and caught a taxi in the middle of the night, heading straight for Beilu Hill.


    The housekeeper was waiting for me at the main entrance, her face filled with anxiety.


    ¡°Mr. Gu is in the room!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    With the thrilling thrill of exposing an affair, tension surged within me.


    After all this time, I finally have the chance to catch his mistress.


    However, as I stepped foot into the house, 1 was dumbfounded.


    In fact, when Gu Yuanzhou mentioned yesterday about having his woman move in here today, 1 had been speculating all the way here about who this woman could be.


    That¡¯s why I was both excited and nervous during my journey here.


    But the moment I entered, I felt as if I had stepped into an ice cellar.


    Maybe the valley was too dark.


    So, when you step into a room with lights, it feels exceptionally warm.


    It even evokes a feeling of returning home.


    Just this feeling.


    The few times I had come here before, because the house was not yet fully redecorated, I couldn¡¯t perceive any indications.


    I didn¡¯t even discover anything when I came last time to supervise the workers installing the appliances.


    Now, the cabinets in the house were all done, and the furniture was all in place, even including decorative items and curtains.


    That¡¯s when it struck me.


    This house was an exact duplicate of our Golden Bay villa.


    Every single aspect, from the layout of the house, the positioning, to the tablecloths, the style and color of the sofas, and even the candlestick patterns on the dining table, were exactly the same.


    At this moment, I felt like I had returned home.


    The home that was yet to be razed to the ground.


    The suffocating feeling overwhelmed me again, and I nearly lost control¡­


    But at the same time, I was wrapped in a sense of dread.


    Could it be that Gu Yuanzhou has been suspicious of me?


    He knew that I returned after death, and to verify my identity, he deliberately set up a trap for me, he might be secretly watching me now.


    If I lose my composure at this moment.


    Then he would see through me.


    With these thoughts, I quickly composed myself.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Mr. Gu brought a woman home?¡± I quietly asked the housekeeper.


    The villa was large, but there was no sign of life.


    Instead, an eerie feeling dominated, even the tabletop littered with flowers didn¡¯t mask the scent of incense.


    It felt as if this place was a Yin Mansion, and not a place for the living.


    On hearing my words, the housekeeper pointed towards the center of the living room, looking strange¡­


    I moved a bit closer to the altar in the center.


    Only then did I notice the incense and candles burning atop it, with a black and white portrait, as well as ancestral tablets.


    There were three of them!


    They represented me, and my two children.


    Tears welled up in my eyes¡­


    I quietly retreated and fled.


    No wonder the property agent said that this villa was bought for his wife, it turned out to be true,


    The next day, after calming my emotions, I told Wenya everything.


    After hearing everything, Wenya was just as shocked.


    ¡°No wonder he bought a house on the shady side; he was buying a Yin Mansion. Was it for you and the two kids to lead a better life in the netherworld?¡±


    I remained silent.


    Truthfully speaking, this indeed seemed like something a devoted man would do.


    And this is something that fits within my perception of what Gu Yuanzhou could do.


    Is he still in love with us?


    ¡°Ah, Ayun!¡¯


    ¡°Wenya, join me for a drink!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, do you think that God allowed you to be reborn in order for you to renew your relationship with Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s words were quickly interrupted by a man who had stormed in.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is that stupid?¡±


    The cold voice was filled with heavy sarcasm.


    The tall figure of the man blocked the light.


    It took me a while to make out his figure.


    It was him again, Xu Yinuo!


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

 Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Unexpected Results 1

    Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Unexpected Results 1


    Translator: 549690339


    I asked him.


    Xu Yinuo sat down on the sofa and looked at me with cold eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s putting on a show! Can¡¯t you see?¡±


    ¡°Really? Do you have any proof?¡±


    Xu Yinuo sneered and threw a stack of documents at me.


    These were newspapers from three years ago.


    They published information about real estate bidding, and one line, underscored in red by Xu Yinuo, caught my eye.


    It was about a piece of land at Beilu Hill which was won at an auction by Zhenyi Company.


    ¡°What is this supposed to prove?¡±


    ¡°Beilu Hill was a piece of land that Gu Yuanzhou had bought at a cost of 2 billion. However, he made a failed investment, and now he can¡¯t sell it due to the poor real estate market. With the bank pressuring him to pay up every day, he resorted to using the Yin Mansion as a gimmick to hasten the sale!


    You will see if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Xu Yinuo left after depositing these words.


    Even though I didn¡¯t want to believe him, what happened next transpired almost as Xu Yinuo had predicted.


    The next day, news of the boss of Zhenyi Company buying Yin Mansion at Beilu Hill to honor his deceased wife spread rapidly and soon topped the search trends.


    Beilu Hill was once again a hot topic¡­


    Haha!


    Gu Yuanzhou, you are indeed ruthless.


    Not only did you exploit your deceased wife for personal gain, but you also wouldn¡¯t hesitate to disregard your own child!


    You beast!


    I was furious!


    But no matter how much anger I held, 1 couldn¡¯t deliver harm to Gu Yuanzhou, not even to allow me the satisfaction of slapping him once.


    All I could do was swallow my fury.


    1 must find the mistress!


    Once I find the mistress, I can drag him into the mire and make sure he never recovers.


    1 calmed down.


    After carefully considering and comparing the clues, I again focused on Ye Mengyan.


    Ye Mengyan always says she has nothing to do with Gu Yuanzhou.


    But she did not explain why Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s credit card was with her!


    Something is fishy here!


    I changed my approach, I decided to create an opportunity¡­


    To put Ye Mengyan and Gu Yuanzhou together face to face.


    I believe, illicit affairs cannot be concealed.


    If two people have been intimately involved¡­


    Their eyes cannot lie, and their body language will inevitably betray them.


    On Monday afternoon, I received a text from the TIF Fashion Design Competition organizers inviting me to the award ceremony.


    1 didn¡¯t want to reveal my identity, so 1 used Ye Mengyan¡¯s student ID to participate in the competition.


    Once I arrived at the event, Ye Mengyan grabbed my hand with uncontained joy.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, first prize! You¡¯re just too brilliant!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, how did you do it! You¡¯re really so talented!¡±


    I just smiled and didn¡¯t say a word. Ten years ago, I was already a pioneer in the fashion world, so this small award didn¡¯t mean a thing.


    After some hesitation, Ye Mengyan ventured to ask me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you going to accept the award as me?¡±


    I saw the eagerness in Ye Mengyan!s large eyes, I knew what she wanted.


    For me, this award was of no consequence so I decided to fulfill her wish.


    ¡°You go and accept the award! You¡¯re the one whose identity was used after all!¡±


    ¡°But you won the trophy, I feel a bit guilty about taking it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! Getting this award will make it easier for you to land a good internship!¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡±


    Ye Mengyan hugged me and went on stage to accept the trophy with a joyful smile.


    As I sat in the audience and watched Ye Mengyan¡¯s youthful grin, I sensed that something was off.


    I turned my head and scanned the crowd¡­


    To my surprise, I saw Gu Yuanzhou!


    He was sitting in the VIP seats in the front row.


    I knew my opportunity had arrived!


    After the award ceremony, I found Ye Mengyan backstage.


    ¡°Since you are so interested in fashion, let me introduce you to a friend!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this friend?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a big shot in a fashion company. Meeting him might give you an opportunity to get into his company.¡±


    ¡°Really? Am I appropriately dressed? I¡¯m not great at small talk, is there anything I should watch out for?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was overjoyed and her excitement was palpable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be with you! Just go with the flow.¡±


    The fashion design award ceremony was held at the sports stadium.


    Actually, it was quite normal for Gu Yuanzhou to appear here,


    After all, Zhenyi Company is one of the top ten fashion companies in A City, it would be normal for him to come and see the fashion show.


    After the show, Gu Yuanzhou had an arrangement for drinks at Fangtai Hotel beside the sports stadium.


    Being his secretary had the advantage of knowing his whereabouts at all times.


    Since becoming the president of the company, Gu Yuanzhou liked to take a hands-on approach to important decisions.


    Every fashion week, he would personally attend to identify any emerging fashion trends or distinctive designs to take back to the company¡¯s design department.


    In terms of business, he is not only smart, but also willing to put in the effort.


    Usually, after a round of drinks, Gu Yuanzhou would be slightly tipsy, and his guard would be lower, making it easier to see his true reactions.


    During the course of the drinks, I did not disturb him.


    When I saw they had had enough to drink, I went to find Ye Mengyan¡­


    It seemed that Ye Mengyan had guessed the identity of the person I was about to introduce her to.


    She had clearly taken great care in her appearance.


    She knew how to dress up.


    She wore a white dress, wore her hair down, and her face was adorned with light Korean-style makeup, it appeared casual and light.


    But as a woman, I knew that her seemingly natural face was actually much harder to achieve than those with heavy makeup.


    Similarly, she knew and understood the taste of middle-aged men very well.


    She knew that men of this age are tired of heavily made-up women, preferring the refreshing simplicity of a younger girl.


    Her eyes filled with anticipation as she approached the private room.


    About ten minutes later, the guests had left, and then I guided Ye Mengyan into the private room.


    ¡°President Gu! ¡°

 Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Turns out He is a Romantic 1

    Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Turns out He is a Romantic 1


    Translator: 549690339


    At this moment, the banquet table was already empty.


    Only Gu Yuanzhou was left in the private room.


    Yet he seemed still in a drinking mood, lifting his glass, one drink after another.


    ¡°President Gu, I have a friend who is the top prize winner of this years TIF Fashion Design Competition. I would like to recommend her for an internship at our company. What do you think?¡±


    As Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s assistant, introducing one or two interns to him was nothing out of the ordinary.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou put down his glass and slowly turned his gaze towards Ye Mengyan.


    I remember seeing Ye Mengyan at the company last time.


    At that time, Gu Yuanzhou was scolding Luo Zizhou, telling him not to let Ye Mengyan come again.


    This time, the two of them were together face-to-face. I wanted to see how they could conceal their feelings.


    Gu Yuanzhou did not speak, but Ye Mengyan seemed quite nervous.


    She stood awkwardly in place, her hands fidgeting together. The look in her eyes as she looked at Gu Yuanzhou was full of hope.


    Obviously, she wanted to walk her own path.


    Just then, the sudden ringing of my cellphone interrupted my thoughts.


    ¡°Excuse me, President Gu, I need to take this call.¡¯ 1 hurriedly picked up my phone and walked out.


    The call was from Shen Yishu.


    When I returned to the private room after finishing the call.


    I found Gu Yuanzhou already drunk and passed out on the table. ¡°Uh¡­ Xiaoyun, President Gu is drunk. What should we do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, let¡¯s take him home!¡±


    Ye Mengyan hesitated for a moment, then she agreed and helped me support the drunken Gu Yuanzhou out of the room.


    I drove the car, with Ye Mengyan supporting Gu Yuanzhou in the back seat.


    Along the way, I frequently glanced at Ye Mengyan through the rear view


    mirror.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s cheeks were flushed and his eyes tightly closed. He appeared to have fallen asleep, leaning against the seatback.


    Ye Mengyan sat next to him, but maintained a sensible distance.


    Besides occasionally turning her head to look at Gu Yuanzhou, she made no other moves.


    From the hotel to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s residence, during the forty minutes, the two of them did not show any intimate gestures. Not at all like a couple.


    Under normal circumstances, if two people who had intimate relations sat together, they could not possibly be this calm.


    Could it be because I was there, they were on guard?


    Indeed, although I was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s secretary, I was after all an outsider. A cunning old fox like Gu Yuanzhou would never leave any handles for others to catch.


    The car stopped at a red light.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ye Mengyan asked.


    I turned my head to look at Gu Yuanzhou and then at Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Uh, 1 don¡¯t know where President Gu e s home is.¡¯


    The villa in Golden Bay had become ruins after the fire.


    Recently, as far as I know, Gu Yuanzhou was living in the company for a while. There was a lounge behind the CEO¡¯s office that was suitable for daily rest.


    There was also a time when he was living at a hotel.


    Theoretically, I should take him to the hotel at the moment, but I was extra cautious¡­


    If Gu Yuanzhou had a mistress outside, he must certainly have a secret place to meet her, right?


    Ye Mengyan turned to look at Gu Yuanzhou and softly called him twice,


    ¡°President Gu! ¡±


    But it was no use. Gu Yuanzhou was far too drunk.


    She called him but he didn¡¯t react.


    ¡°In that case¡­ drive forward towards East Changan Street¡­¡±


    Guided by Ye Mengyan¡¯s instructions, I parked the car in a secluded high-end residential complex.


    Maple Mansion No. 99!


    Staring at this house number, I fell into deep thought.


    All the properties here are high-end villas, beautifully landscaped, filled with blooming wisteria flowers that smell heavenly.


    Unlike the villas in Golden Bay, the winding paths here cater to tranquility and charm; it really is the perfect place to keep a mistress.


    I racked my brain, wondering when Gu Yuanzhou purchased such a house.


    In the end, I couldn¡¯t recall a thing.


    During my moment of stupor, Ye Mengyan had already helped Gu Yuanzhou out of the car.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, come, give me a hand!¡±


    It appears Ye Mengyan is quite familiar with this place¡­


    Moreover, while she helped Gu Yuanzhou enter the house, she confidently input the password for the electronic lock on the gate.


    After the door opened, Ye Mengyan guided Gu Yuanzhou into the bedroom.


    I walked into the restroom, silently splashed a handful of cold water on my face.


    A few minutes later, Ye Mengyan came out of the room. When she looked at me, her face showed a hint of guilt.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I know, you must have many doubts. Sit down, let¡¯s have a good talk! ¡±


    It seems Ye Mengyan was preparing to reveal the truth to me.


    I nodded and sat down, while Ye Mengyan effortlessly opened a cupboard and took out a pack of tea leaves. She brewed the tea and handed it over to me.


    ¡°You can have some tea first!¡±


    ¡°Looking at how familiar you are with this place, did you happen to live here before?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou had bought a house behind my back, had secretly interacted with Ye Mengyan behind my back¡­


    I dared not imagine how much Gu Yuanzhou had hidden from me during our marriage?


    In order to not make Ye Mengyan suspicious, I had to pretend to stay calm on the surface.


    ¡°Actually, I knew President Gu from before.¡± Ye Mengyan sighed.


    ¡°Oh? I see. So, 1 was worrying about nothing!¡¯


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not like that, Xiaoyun. I appreciate your good intentions. Actually, even though I know President Gu, he wouldn¡¯t allow me to work at Zhenyi


    Group.¡±


    As soon as Ye Mengyan finished speaking, she sighed deeply.


    She plucked a leaf from a potted plant and idly tore it apart.


    ¡°Then, you two¡­ ¡®


    ¡°Sigh, didn¡¯t I tell you before? President Gu and his wife Sister Song were the sponsors for my education! Actually, I had some private interactions with President Gu¡­


    Ye Mengyan struggled to say.


    I remained silent.


    Actually, this was within my expectation. After seeing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s supplementary bank card in Ye Mengyan¡¯s dorm room last time, I had already suspected this.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I¡¯m truly sorry. I previously didn¡¯t tell you the truth. This was because President Gu asked for absolute secrecy and not divulge anything to anyone.¡±


    1 wondered, ¡°Did he really say that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You see, his status is quite significant. If his competitors found out about certain things, they would use it as leverage to attack him. Moreover, with everything happening in his family currently, if the media came to know about his private interactions with me, it would definitely be portrayed scandalously. In fact, President Gu is also very troubled. He¡¯s faced with troubles everywhere, and his public opinion is not favorable.¡±


    Having said that, Ye Mengyan took out some documents from her bag.


    These were recent negative news about Gu Yuanzhou and Zhenyi Company. Ye Mengyan had collected them from the Internet, printed them, and compiled them into a document.


    It was obvious that she cared more about Gu Yuanzhou than I had expected.


    A coughing sound came from the room.


    Ye Mengyan immediately stood up, ¡°You wait here for a moment!¡±


    ¡°Alright!


    I nodded.


    Ye Mengyan poured a glass of warm water and brought it into the bedroom.


    She was very careful, always shutting the door behind her.


    I can¡¯t see anything from the outside.


    My mind was in turmoil!

 Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16: After He Gets Drunk_l

    Chapter 16: Chapter 16: After He Gets Drunk_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Sometimes, when you persistently seek confirmation of something, and in the end, you find that the result is just as you imagined, it¡¯s actually hard to accept.


    Soon after, melodious flute music echoed through the room.


    The waiting time was somewhat boring.


    1 took the opportunity to observe this not- so-luxurious villa once again.


    In fact, this duplex villa was quite small, just two floors with a small courtyard, the lush vegetation blocked the view, so 1 couldn¡¯t see the neighbors.


    Looking at the full tree of Wisteria flowers and the yellow bell flowers in the distance, a memory suddenly flashed in my mind.


    At that time, I was pregnant with my son, and Gu Yuanzhou said that the old house was no longer suitable for me to live in.


    It was at that time when I was choosing a house, 1 saw this small villa called Maple Mansion.


    Because the landscaping was done so beautifully, I once mentioned to Gu Yuanzhou that I wanted to come here and take a look.


    Gu Yuanzhou pinched my nose at the time and said to me,


    ¡°Wife, Maple Mansion is where other people keep their mistresses. The house is small, and the light isn¡¯t very good, the sun can¡¯t even get in. This wouldn¡¯t be good for our son¡¯s growth. We should choose a bigger one¡­¡±


    Thinking about it carefully, his ability to point out the shortcomings of these houses at that time showed that he might have already bought this house.


    On the shoe rack, a pair of men¡¯s slippers and a pair of women¡¯s slippers were placed.


    The towels, tooth mugs, and even shower gel in the bathroom were all for two people.


    I saw the shaving cream, it was the brand that Gu Yuanzhou often used.


    I walked into the dressing room next door, opened the closet, inside were men¡¯s suits, ties, shirts, leather shoes ¡­


    I looked through them one by one, they all belonged to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Even his favorite cologne, there was an identical one here.


    I was incredibly shocked.


    I could never have imagined that my dear husband actually had a hidden family outside.


    All the evidence showed that this was where Gu Yuanzhou and Ye Mengyan


    lived normally.


    The more I saw, the more I felt devastated.


    Finally, I left as if escaping, without waiting for Ye Mengyan to see me out.


    As soon as Wenya knew I was upset, she immediately took time off work and went to the KTV with Jian Jing to drink with me.


    We were all drunk and blasting songs into the microphone.


    ¡°Ayun, didn¡¯t you feel anything at the time?¡± Jian Jing asked.


    I thought carefully and still shook my head,


    ¡°At that time 1 was pregnant with my second child, and I was having bad morning sickness! Sometimes 1 would vomit just by drinking water. To keep the baby, I had to lie in bed with an IV drip for nutrition since the fourth month. Because I was not feeling well, I didn¡¯t have the mood to think about other things!¡¯


    Wenya slapped the table and cursed.


    ¡°l knew it! My coworker¡¯s husband did the same thing. When his wife was pregnant, they couldn¡¯t have sex. He couldn¡¯t stand it and messed around outside, damn it, there are no good men. They all think with their lower halves¡­


    Wenya¡¯s words also made me realize something.


    Indeed, in the nearly year from pregnancy to childbirth, I hadn¡¯t slept with Gu


    Yuanzhou.


    And Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s needs in that area were very strong.


    Yes, that must be it.


    He couldn¡¯t stand the loneliness, and finally set his sights on Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not care about this jerk. From now on, your sisters will be your support, we won¡¯t depend on men in this life, come on, drink up!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ayun, you can choose a better life in this life.¡±


    ¡°Come on, cheers!¡±


    That night, I got dead drunk!


    1 felt unbearable!


    When the drops of water hit my face, I thought it was raining.


    I jolted open my eyes.


    But I was surprised to find myself lying on a bench in the park.


    The night had fallen outside, and the lights had just come on.


    A man stood beside the bench, a white shirt, his gold-rimmed glasses reflected a cold light in the light, his gaze was even colder.


    He had a bottle of cold drink in his hand, the dripping condensation was constantly sprinkling onto my face.


    I wiped my face with my hand and immediately sat up.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Not dead? I thought you were dead!¡±


    The words of Ding Yinuo, they were always so unpleasant!


    With such a handsome appearance yet such an annoying personality, I couldn¡¯t be bothered with him, I struggled to stand up using the bench.


    However, the minute I took a step, I felt dizzy and would have fallen if not for the sudden support of Ding Yinuo.


    He picked me up and walked swiftly to his car, opening the door and throwing me in.


    My head hit the seat, causing me to cry out in pain,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what it means to treat women gently! ¡± Ding Yinuo started the car, turning the steering wheel, and mocked me,


    ¡°You¡¯re not my girlfriend, why should 1 be gentle with you!¡¯


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hand you over to Gu Yuanzhou, tell him you¡¯re using his late wife¡¯s name to deceive people! Guess what he¡¯s going to do with you?¡±

 Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17 He is still denying_1

    Chapter 17: Chapter 17 He is still denying_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Of course, I¡¯m well aware of the risks involved.


    If Gu Yuanzhou cheated and murdered me in my previous life.


    Then, upon knowing that I have reincarnated, he would surely plot to kill me again.


    Therefore, I cannot let Gu Yuanzhou know about any of this.


    If word gets out, it would pose a great risk to me.


    However, I know Ding Yinuo well enough to understand that he wouldn¡¯t do something like this.


    Although this man has always been my enemy, his character and values are decent. Aside from making frequent nuisances of himself, he has not done anything unconscionable.


    I said with a smile.


    ¡°l never thought I¡¯d see the day you¡¯d become Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lapdog!¡¯


    Ding Yinuo shot me a glance and snorted coldly.


    ¡°You sure are mouthy!¡± ¡°Take me home. I feel a bit dizzy!¡¯


    I did feel quite unwell.


    I had drunk too much and my stomach was already uncomfortable. After blacking out, I had no idea when I stumbled out of the booth and collapsed on the bench.


    Being jostled around by him made me feel like vomiting, which I managed to suppress.


    Ding Yinuo, who was busy driving, did not notice my discomfort and asked instead.


    ¡°What are you trying to achieve, impersonating Song Yun?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been stalking me?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, your acting is terrible! Those brainless women might not notice, but don¡¯t think you can fool me!¡±


    ¡°Insane! Can you please drive properly? I¡¯m feeling quite sick from all this swaying! t


    But Ding Yinuo seemed relentless, not only driving fast but also swerving back and forth. Half an hour later when he stopped the car and 1 got out, the sight of vomit all over the seat turned his face black.


    I looked at him with a smile,


    ¡°l guess we¡¯re even now!¡±


    ¡°You know what? Stop pretending to be Song Yun, you¡¯re not worthy!¡±


    Ding Yinuo sneered and cursed at me. 1 gave him a blurry drunken gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re not worthy either! ¡±


    In fact, I was quite curious. Ding Yinuo has been my competitor for so many years and I thought he would hold a deep grudge against me.


    Never did I expect him to stand up for me at a time like this. It was truly surprising.


    However, my mind was as muddled as mud due to the alcohol. Too lazy to handle him further, I returned to my rented room with my bag on my back.


    Shut the door, time to sleep!


    When I woke up the next day, I realized that I had missed several calls.


    Three of them were from Gu Yuanzhou.


    And seven were from Ye Mengyan!


    Both of them called me around the same time.


    What did they want to talk about?


    It was already 9 AM. I woke up too late and had no time to ponder what they wanted to discuss.


    I quickly took a shower, and after washing off the alcohol, I hurriedly rushed to the office.


    Despite running most of the way, I was still three minutes late.


    What was embarrassing was.


    I bumped into Gu Yuanzhou at the time clock machine.


    Dressed in a suave suit, he walked out of the elevator full of vigor, followed by a group of senior executives from the company.


    This man naturally exuded an intense presence. Wherever he went, employees would bow and greet him.


    It was like he was the emperor making a grand appearance.


    I was slightly taken aback.


    He suddenly left the crowd and walked towards me. He glanced at his wristwatch and seemed dissatisfied with my conduct, reprimanding me on the spot with a cold expression.


    ¡°Why are you only arriving now?¡±


    ¡°l, err, President Gu, I¡¯m sorry, I got caught in traffic and arrived late!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re aware of our company¡¯s strict regulations. You as my assistant should serve as a role model, yet deliberately break the rules.¡± Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s stern tone made me hang my head in shame.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it won¡¯t happen again!¡±


    ¡°Verbal promises are not enough. Write a self-reflection! Look at yourself critically. Also, write clearly about the mistakes you have made recently at work.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t know how I had offended Gu Yuanzhou.


    Early in the morning, he had already displayed his authority.


    Then in the afternoon meeting, he publicly criticized me for grave mistakes in my work.


    I was wondering if Gu Yuanzhou had seen me getting close with Ding Yinuo and was planning on firing me, hence all this preparation?


    But what 1 absolutely didn¡¯t expect was.


    At the end of the day, he called me in alone.


    By now, most employees had already left.


    Gu Yuanzhou sat in his black leather swivel chair, his handsome face expressionless.


    This man always had that kind of ability. When he wasn¡¯t smiling, his serious face could be intimidating.


    Particularly those probing eyes, they left you with nowhere to hide.


    He looked deeply at me.


    ¡°What did you see yesterday?¡±


    I thought quickly.


    No matter what Gu Yuanzhou had previously done, I can¡¯t confront him yet.


    I need to uncover the truth about the fire, so even if I¡¯m angry now, I have to hold it in.


    ¡°President Gu! Whatever you want me to see, I will see it and whatever you don¡¯t want me to see, 1 will turn a blind eye to it!¡±


    A standard answer from an experienced office worker.


    After I finished speaking, Gu Yuanzhou gave me a long, scrutinizing look with slightly narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Why did you bring Ye Mengyan to me last time?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou also was shrewd. He was trying to test me.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m friends with Miss Ye. 1 saw that she had talent in design, so I wanted to introduce her to our company.¡±


    There was no sign of reassurance in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze. He continued to ask.


    ¡°Did she speak to you about our relation?¡±


    ¡°Do President Gu and her have a relationship?¡±


    With this counter-question, Gu Yuanzhou avoided my gaze, not looking at me but diverting his eyes instead.


    ¡°That girl, I sponsored her throughout university. She does have some talent but is not suitable for our company.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s explanation was quite bland and formal. It seemed like he was just trying to placate me.


    He then stood up and walked towards me.


    ¡°l value your talent very much and see a bright future for you in this company.


    But sometimes, certain things better left unsaid shouldn¡¯t be spoken.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your guidance, President Gu!¡±


    I knew this was another manipulation of Gu Yuanzhou also.


    He caused trouble for me in the morning, but then dropped a sweet date now.


    Using a combination of kindness and sternness.


    His only goal was to keep me silent about his relationship with Ye Mengyan.


    As I walked out of his office, my phone rang again.


    This time, it was still a call from Ye Mengyan.


    I answered the phone.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you didn¡¯t answer my call last night, 1 was worried about you!¡¯ ¡°Ah, Mengyan, sorry, something came up and I had to leave early! What do you need?¡±


    ¡°l want to talk to you about Gu Yuanzhou and me!¡±

 Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18: The Cunning Man Starts to Trap Me 1

    Chapter 18: Chapter 18: The Cunning Man Starts to Trap Me 1


    Translator: 549690339


    After ending the call with Ye Mengyan, I was distracted for a second or two.


    What is Ye Mengyan going to explain to me?


    Are there any other secrets between them?


    However, the matter of Gu Yuanzhou cheating during pregnancy is merely my speculation with Wenya, without Ye Mengyan¡¯s confirmation.


    No doubt, Ye Mengyan may tell me about their affair and its connection to the fire incident.


    My phone rang; it was a voice message from Wenya.


    Noticing no one around, 1 played it.


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ve been annoyed the whole night. After all you¡¯ve given him, how dare he treats you like this? Let me beat him up to appease my anger!¡¯


    Wenya¡¯s voice was filled with fury.


    In fact, I felt similar to Wenya.


    If Gu Yuanzhou is really such a person, I won¡¯t show him mercy.


    But Wenya, despite being loyal, tends to act without thinking, she is no match for someone cunning like Gu Yuanzhou.


    If she ignites a conflict with Gu Yuanzhou, she will be the one to get hurt.


    ¡°Wenya, don¡¯t act recklessly! Even if he¡¯s guilty, I should be the one to deal with him!¡±


    ¡°l bet you can¡¯t! You silly girl! If you were wary of Gu Yuanzhou initially, we wouldn¡¯t be in this current mess! Anyway, let me handle it this time,¡± she insisted.


    I was midway through the message when Gu Yuanzhou emerged from the elevator.


    I quickly turned off my phone screen.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Gu Yuanzhou had heard Wenya¡¯s voice¡­ Gu Yuanzhou looked calm, apparently, 1 was just overthinking.


    ¡°Come over here! ¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I followed Gu Yuanzhou into a conference room.


    Upon entering, I was greeted by a pair of piercing eyes.


    Even in a room filled with people, I immediately knew who it was.


    It was a woman in a white suit.


    I pretty much knew all the managerial staff in this office.


    This woman¡¯s name is Annie.


    If I remember correctly, she had an ambiguous relationship with Luo Zizhou.


    Once, when I was about to leave work, I saw her getting into Luo Zizhou¡¯s car.


    Moreover, since Luo Zizhou was demoted to the Security Department, Annie seemed to constantly find faults with me.


    Even though they were insignificant troubles, they added up over time.


    With the way she was looking at me now, I knew this meeting wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    The whole meeting turned into a criticism session targeted at me.


    The heads of every department seemed dissatisfied with me¡­


    Some complained of my low efficiency, poor coordination, and various minor errors.


    Others reported that I made personal calls during work hours.


    Some even alleged that I abused company resources for personal gain during work hours.


    Various absurd reasons, all targeting one person, me.


    Indeed, in their eyes, Song Xiaoyun, with her not-so-high education and less experience, did not serve a long term in the company, and wasn¡¯t extraordinarily capable.


    Then why did she replace Luo Zizhou, a veteran staff member?


    Surely, there must have been people manipulating this stuff behind the scenes, otherwise, it would be impossible for so many people to attack simultaneously with such consistency.


    1 glanced at Annie.


    She was biting the tip of her pen and looking at me with a grim smile.


    It was clear that she was the puppeteer behind the scenes. Only after everyone else had spoken did Gu Yuanzhou turn to me,


    ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡±


    I refrained from speaking and merely documented all the complaints while others were making accusations.


    Now that it¡¯s my turn to speak, I begin to refute them one by one.


    ¡°Regarding the abuse of company resources, does this refer to me collecting honey from the Material Department and using the companys car the day before yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! ¡®


    ¡°Yes, I did it. One of our female staff members suffered a bout of low blood sugar and fainted during work hours. I collected honey to replenish her energy, then subsequently drove her to the hospital for a medical examination. She¡¯s a longstanding staff member of our company. If I had ignored her and something happened to her in the office, we would not only be liable for compensation but would also lose employee morale.¡±


    The supervisor wearing glasses fell silent.


    Next, I addressed the issue of making personal calls during work hours.


    ¡°l believe everyone here has made private calls at work. Shall we switch on the monitoring system to check?¡±


    I countered all of the accusations, after which, the room was filled with silence.


    Even Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with a different gaze.


    He gave me a deep, meaningful look. I had no clue what it meant.


    Annie was up next.


    ¡°President Gu, Miss Song is young and beautiful, representing the company she indeed improves our image. However, due to her youth, she lacks experience, which makes her unfit for her position. For instance, a client we have from Qiangbei Group was always taken care of by Luo Zizhou, an annual collaborator. But this year, without Luo Zizhou, the client has opted to work with Tianjiao Group. This is a serious loss for our company; I can¡¯t imagine the long-term consequences. I suggest you consider reinstating Luo Zizhou.


    He has realized his mistakes.¡¯


    As expected, Annie pointed her arrow straight at me.


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with deep eyes:


    ¡°You know the rules of our company, the fittest shall govern!¡± Apparently, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t side with me.


    This man has always been clear-cut; it seems he¡¯s still testing me.


    Annie also looked at me with a smile,


    ¡°Little girl, the professional world isn¡¯t as simple as you think. You need abilities. If you feel you can¡¯t handle this, stepping down from this position isn¡¯t embarrassing.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bother to glance at her and told Gu Yuanzhou directly, ¡°Give me three days! I¡¯ll bring this client back!¡±


    No sooner had Gu Yuanzhou spoken, Annie¡¯s laughter followed.


    ¡°Typical reckless youth. You¡¯re young and full of energy, and I¡¯m looking forward to it. But remember, in three days, if it¡¯s not done, the company won¡¯t tolerate you anymore.¡±


    I ignored her and walked out of the conference room.


    Unexpectedly, Annie followed me out. She stood in my path, saying, ¡°Why are you trying so hard? If you had willingly given up your position as the president¡¯s assistant, you could have stayed in the company. Now, you¡¯re digging a hole for yourself. Don¡¯t blame me when you get kicked out.¡±


    Annie stood with crossed arms, smiling, appearing victorious.


    I scoffed.


    Originally, this company was built up by Gu Yuanzhou and me. Dealing with clients is my forte.


    This trivial matter really doesn¡¯t bother me.


    ¡°Miss Annie, you better keep your nose clean. Otherwise, you never know who will be the one to get kicked out.¡±


    Annie¡¯s eyes clear flicker of panic.


    She opened her mouth as if she wanted to ask something, but I no longer had the desire to argue with her. I turned and walked away.


    Due to my workload, I didn¡¯t leave until just after six in the evening.


    When 1 left the office, I noticed that Ye Mengyan was waiting for me under a lamppost in the distance. I remembered that I had an appointment with her today.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I was quite busy today!¡±


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯m working nearby as a private tutor, so it¡¯s not so far.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ let¡¯s go then!¡±

 Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Tricking Her Words 1

    Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Tricking Her Words 1


    Translator: 549690339


    I started thinking again, what if Gu Yuanzhou really did cheat on me with Ye Mengyan while I was pregnant with my second child?


    Plus, he¡¯s had the villa at Maple Mansion for so many years, so by my calculations, they must have been together for almost four years now.


    So, was Ye Mengyan dating Shen Yishu while she was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s mistress?


    Could she even do that?


    Besides, Gu Yuanzhou is a man with an extremely strong desire for control. Would he allow Ye Mengyan to two-time him?


    My speculations ended in a dilemma yet again. I looked at Ye Mengyan once more,


    ¡°Mengyan, what did you want to talk to me about?¡± Ye Mengyan, however, just gave a mysterious smile,


    ¡°You¡¯ll get a surprise later!¡¯


    Her smile exuded sincerity, and once again, 1 fell into confusion.


    Ye Mengyan hailed a taxi.


    Ye Mengyan sat in the front passenger seat, by the window.


    The evening breeze blew in, tousling her gentle hair strands. The gentle smile on her fair face, under the street lights, her profile too was simple and pretty.


    This kind of girl, pure and clean, doesn¡¯t look like the type who could play two men at once.


    Just when I was stunned, her phone rang.


    It seemed to be Shen Yishu calling.


    The two of them were arguing in low voices¡­


    The main point still was Ye Mengyan trying to persuade Shen Yishu to stop pursuing Gu Yuanzhou.


    1 stared out the window, my mind filled with thoughts about the company.


    I picked up my phone again and opened the Tianjiao Company¡¯s website.


    As Annie had said, on Tianjiao Company¡¯s homepage, there were pictures of Ding Xiao, the CEO of Tianjiao Company, and the CEO of Qiangbei Group, announcing that the two companies were about to cooperate.


    These two powerful companies joining forces would make things even harder for Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    The news of these two companies collaborating was on all major media outlets. It was evident that they were laying the groundwork and creating hype.


    According to my speculation, if things had progressed to this point, it indicated that Tianjiao Company had already clinched a deal with the CEO of Qiangbei Group. Ninety percent of the procedures had been completed; it was almost done.


    The difficulty of getting the CEO of Qiangbei Group to back out was enormous.


    But I had no choice; I had to do this.


    Then, I browsed the website of Qiangbei Group and discovered that the legal representative had been changed to the CEOs wife.


    My eyes lit up, suddenly I had an idea.


    When the taxi was passing by the entrance of Celebrity Night Club, I asked the driver to stop,


    ¡°Driver, could you stop for a moment!¡±


    After the car stopped, I said to Ye Mengyan, ¡°Wait for me a minute!¡±


    Ye Mengyan made an OK sign with her hands!


    At this time, the nightclub had just opened. I went straight to the front desk and asked,


    ¡°Hi, could you please call Miss Zhong Ye for me!¡±


    Zhong Ye!


    She was the top hostess of this nightclub, known as the little night demon.


    Not only is she beautiful and has a hot body, but she¡¯s also really good at attracting men.


    However, she¡¯s choosy about men, wouldn¡¯t go out with anyone she doesn¡¯t like, no matter how much money they offer.


    I remember the first time I was negotiating a deal with the CEO of Qiangbei Group, he specifically asked for Zhong Ye¡¯s table.


    At the time, Zhong Ye only had one drink with him, and then she excused herself.


    But the CEO of Qiangbei Group had always wanted her, and over the years we cooperated, he still never forgot about Zhong Ye.


    I was thinking, if I could get Zhong Ye now, then she could help me land the CEO of Qiangbei Group.


    To my surprise, the receptionist at the front desk immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re too late! Miss Zhong doesn¡¯t work here anymore!¡±


    ¡°Where did she go?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, she offended someone¡­ now she¡¯s been arrested. You can find her at the police station!¡±


    Considering Zhong Ye l s personality, it was only a matter of time before she pissed someone off. I just hadn¡¯t expected her to wind up in trouble now.


    Right now, I need to find a way to get Zhong Ye out.


    I have a plan, but I need money!


    A lot of money!


    A few minutes later, I got back into the taxi and we continued to drive.


    I suddenly remembered that after my pregnancy, I couldn¡¯t wear many of my jewelry pieces. So, I had rented a safe at Zhongxing Bank and stored my jewelry there.


    I had given Wenya one of the spare keys for safekeeping. Now, I am grateful for that wise decision.


    I texted Wenya,


    ¡°Wenya, do you still have the safe-deposit box key I left with you?¡±


    ¡°l remember!¡±


    ¡°Bring it with you tomorrow. I need it!¡± Wenya replied with an OK sign.


    At this point, the taxi came to a slow stop.


    In the unclear night, I saw that we were at a hospital.


    After getting out of the car, Ye Mengyan and I walked toward the hospital together.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you afraid of hospitals?¡±


    ¡°Why should I be afraid of hospitals?¡±


    ¡°Some people say¡­ hospitals are where most people die. The yin energy is heavy! Some people are afraid of ghosts, so they dare not come!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not afraid¡­


    I¡¯m not afraid of death, let alone ghosts!


    If there really were ghosts in this world, at least I could see my child one last time.


    As we were passing the morgue, 1 stopped in my tracks¡­


    The cold chill hit me, and I slowly walked towards it, as if something inside


    was calling me..

 Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Give Him a Beatdown_l

    Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Give Him a Beatdown_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Shortly after, Ye Mengyan caught up to me. She reached out and grabbed my arm, asking me nervously.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, what are you doing?¡±


    Only then did I realize that my mind had wandered off.


    Waking up from my daze, I hurriedly calmed myself down and replied to Ye Mengyan:


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. My eyesight isn¡¯t great, I must have taken a wrong look.¡±


    ¡°The inpatient department is this way, keep going!!


    ¡°Alright!


    On the way, Ye Mengyan continued to talk with Shen Yishu on the phone.


    Ye Mengyan was one of those gentle little girls who, even when angry, still spoke softly.


    We arrived at an ward on the third floor of the inpatient department.


    1 saw an old woman lying in a hospital bed. She must be over fifty years old, but her hair was completely white, her complexion was waxen, yet her eyes were kindly and soft.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve come to see you. This is my good friend Xiaoyun!¡±


    Ye Mengyan introduced me.


    ¡°Hello, auntie!¡±


    1 greeted her.


    ¡°Xiaoyun¡­ dear, sit down! You¡¯re Mengmengs friend!¡±


    Mother Ye was in polite and always spoke gently, despite being ill.


    She even handed me an apple from her bedside table and asked Ye Mengyan to peel it for me.


    ¡°Auntie, how long have you been sick?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was very filial. After we entered, she didn¡¯t stop for a moment, helping to tidy up the room and wiping the table.


    She also sorted out Mother Ye¡¯s dirty laundry and changed the half-full urine bag.


    She didn¡¯t mind the mess or the effort.


    Mother Ye obviously felt keenly for Ye Mengyan, and she sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had kidney disease for four or five years now. I¡¯m so hard on Mengmeng! She¡¯s constantly working to pay for my treatment. She¡¯s a good girl, if it wasn¡¯t for fear of leaving her alone, I wouldn¡¯t even want to live.¡± Ye Mengyan stood to the side with tears in her eyes,


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say things like that. You¡¯re going to get better.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mengmeng! The kind person who has been paying for your education, make sure to repay them one day after you graduate! The most important thing in life is to remember the source of kindness that one has received! ¡±


    ¡°l know, Mom!¡±


    After chatting with Mother Ye for a bit, I took out all the cash from my bag and stuffed it into Mother Ye¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Auntie, I came in a hurry and didn¡¯t bring any gifts. This money is just a small token from me, you can use it to buy some supplements!¡±


    ¡°Hey, how can I accept this!¡±


    Leaving the ward, I felt a bit oppressed.


    Mother Ye, despite her poverty, exuded a certain dignity! Do you think she knows that her daughter is selling her¡¯ body for money?


    ¡°Xiaoyun, there¡¯s no other reason I brought you here today¡­ I just didn¡¯t want you to misinterpret my relationship with President Gu, so I brought you along.¡±


    I asked curiously, ¡°Misunderstand? What misunderstanding?¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes were clear, she gave Mother Ye a look, then turned to me and smiled, ¡°Yes, a misunderstanding!¡¯


    ¡°Four years ago, my mother got kidney disease¡­ Our hometown is in the countryside with no treatment facilities. I had to bring my mother to the city. As you know, I didn¡¯t have any money on me. The treatment costs up to tens of thousands¡­so I found President Gu. I kneeled in front of him and cried for a long time. He pitied me, so he sent my mother to the hospital!¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s words surprised me a bit, as I really didn¡¯t know she had such a history with Gu Yuanzhou!


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you go and find Song Yun?¡±


    ¡°Oh, at that time, Sister Song was pregnant and she was bedridden because of severe morning sickness. So, how could I bother her?¡±


    ¡°But if you are just ordinary friends, why would he buy a house for you?¡± Ye Mengyan laughed lightly.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, listen, I knew you would overthink it! How could President Gu possibly buy such an expensive house for someone like me?¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t you live there?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not sure who bought the house, I only know that President Gu occasionally stays there. My mother requires dialysis once a week. So that she doesn¡¯t have to stay at school, President Gu gave me the passcode for the house. Whenever my mom comes up from the countryside, she can stay there overnight.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s explanation made everything clear.


    ¡°So you and President Gu, you really have no relationship at all?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! How could he ever be interested in me!¡±


    I smiled and nodded slightly.


    Ye Mengyan has a boyfriend, and she has made clear her relationship with Gu Yuanzhou. It seemed I was overthinking things?


    Could it really be that there¡¯s no relationship between these two people?


    After bidding Ye Mengyan farewell, I left the ward.


    To my surprise, I ran into Shen Yishu.


    Shen Yishu was holding a fruit basket and flowers¡­


    ¡°Xiao Shen, are you here to visit a patient?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Mengmengs mom is hospitalized here, so I came to visit!¡±


    ¡°Good luck! ¡± ¡°Actually, I came to negotiate with Mengmeng¡­¡±


    ¡°Negotiate what?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll tell you next time!¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s phone rang just then. Without time to continue talking, he turned and rushed into the elevator.


    I gave him an OK sign with my hand, then watched him go into the elevator.


    The next morning, I went to the bank with Wenya.


    ¡°Damn, aren¡¯t you afraid the bank security will catch you for taking things under somebody else¡¯s name?¡±


    Wenya whispered in my ear.


    ¡°l have a big locker deposited here, it shouldn¡¯t cause any troubles, you wait for me outside!¡±


    I¡¯ve been to this bank many times and know the routine very well. It¡¯s early in the morning, and the security guard is still having breakfast.


    Identity checks are generally not required for big lockers, although there is a security check gate there, the guards won¡¯t come at this hour.


    As long as 1 don¡¯t show any suspicious behavior, no one will suspect me.


    In fact, this is all my money, so I have nothing to be guilty of.


    1 calmly opened the safe deposit box like an old hand.


    There were many pieces of jewelry inside¡­


    Just as I was about to pick a few, 1 suddenly heard footsteps behind me..

 Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Worth It_l

    Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Worth It_l


    Translator: 549690339


    I felt guilty at the moment, and didn¡¯t dare to take more.


    I grabbed a few pieces of jewelry and stuffed them into my pocket, then quickly locked the safe.


    After all, a bank only needs a casual inquiry to know that I¡¯m an imposter, and could throw me in jail for theft.


    I didn¡¯t want to take that risk.


    After locking the safe and turning around, I saw someone behind me also accessing a safe deposit box.


    I sighed with relief, but I didn¡¯t have the courage to open it again.


    Anyway, these pieces of jewelry are enough to exchange for cash.


    As soon as I walked out of the bank, Wenya chased after me, both of us sprinting like thieves.


    Only when we were far from the bank did we dare to talk.


    ¡°How did it go? Did you get the jewelry?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk. Let¡¯s go!¡¯


    I quickly hailed a taxi and we both got in.


    Wenya covered her mouth with her hand, doubling over with laughter,


    ¡°You¡¯re so funny, your own money is making you as nervous as a robbery.¡± ¡°If the bank finds out, the consequences are no different from robbery.¡±


    ¡°True¡­


    1 didn¡¯t linger with the jewelry. I took a taxi straight to a nearby pawnshop.


    When I opened the jewelry, I was stunned.


    I grabbed three things.


    The Longevity Wealth Gold Lock, was a gift from my uncle to my daughter Xiaoyi when she was a hundred days old. She wore it as a child and only took it off to store it when she grew up.


    The other was a gold bracelet for my son Zhenyi on his one-month birthday, I  bought it myself.


    The last one was my wedding ring.


    The one Gu Yuanzhou put on me on our wedding day.


    At this moment, the pawnshop clerk started asking,


    ¡°Miss, what do you want to pawn?¡±


    ¡°Just this!¡±


    1 would never pawn my children¡¯s keepsakes.


    The only thing I could possibly pawn was this diamond ring.


    Luckily, the diamond ring has a good color and weight, and it¡¯s a rare natural diamond from South Africa.


    ¡°How much money do you want?¡±


    ¡°Three hundred thousand!¡±


    ¡°Miss, diamonds aren¡¯t worth much now. You¡¯re asking for too much, how about¡­


    ¡°My husband bought it for three million, now I¡¯m giving it to you at a tenth of the price, I¡¯ll give you ten minutes, if you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t be bothered to haggle with him anymore.


    The clerk was still hesitant,


    ¡°Do you have an invoice?¡±


    I started to count, ¡°Ten, nine, eight¡­¡±


    I only counted to three and the clerk hastily went inside to call their boss out.


    After one look at the diamond through a magnifying glass, the boss decisively ordered the clerk,


    ¡°Give her the money!¡¯


    Three hundred thousand cash, filling up a large backpack!


    As we walked out of the pawn shop, Wenya couldn¡¯t resist asking,


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t they do a bank transfer?¡±


    ¡°Maybe their money comes from shady sources, a bank transfer would be easy to trace.¡± ¡°Oh, when are you planning to redeem it?¡±


    ¡°Redeem?¡±


    I laughed lightly, but my smile was a bit pale.


    ¡°Maybe if one day, Gu Yuanzhou buries himself for me, I might redeem it!¡±


    1 still remember, the promise Gu Yuanzhou made to me.


    If I die one day, he would follow me!


    I¡¯m watching him now, to see if he will really keep his promise. If he truly loves me, I will find a way to redeem it.


    Otherwise, if it was all a deceit, this diamond ring would be meaningless.


    Afterward, I met with Lawyer Su Peisheng, ¡°Lawyer Su, I need your help to get someone out ¨C her!¡±


    1 gave Zhong Ye¡¯s information to Su Peisheng.


    Though Su Peisheng is not the top lawyer in A City, he has good connections in all the right places.


    When we explained why we were here, he seemed to be a bit hesitant,


    ¡°Her¡­ I have some impression of her, she didn¡¯t do anything major, but she pissed someone off. They¡¯re out to get her, and I can¡¯t help with that.¡±


    1 grabbed the backpack, unzipped it, and spilled the entire bag of money across his office floor.


    He was stunned for five seconds, then his eyes lit up and he slammed his desk,


    ¡°For this sincerity of yours, I will take on this case.¡± Indeed, three hundred thousand!


    It¡¯s his annual salary, no one can resist this sincerity.


    Things went smoothly, and an hour later, I welcomed the newly freed Zhong


    Ye outside the police station.


    Su Peisheng pointed at me and said to Zhong Ye,


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s thanks to her that you¡¯re free again. Be sure to repay her; it¡¯s like she¡¯s your life- saving benefactor.¡±


    Despite the hardship she¡¯d endured, Zhong Ye was still glowing. She¡¯s a smart woman. When she saw me, she said,


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    I handed her a cigarette, took out a lighter to light it for her,


    ¡°Nothing special, I just want to be friends with you!¡¯


    Zhong Ye took a deep drag of the cigarette and tapped me on the shoulder,


    ¡°l like the way you talk. I¡¯ll be your friend. But I don¡¯t like owing people, you can tell me straight out!¡±


    ¡°l do have a small favor, something I need you to handle!¡±


    Zhong Ye is a very intelligent woman, and she accepted my request right on the spot.


    Next, I waited in the company for the results¡­


    These past two days, Annie had been keeping a close eye on me.


    It seemed like no matter where I went, I could always see her malicious eyes.


    I didn¡¯t bother with her.


    I focused on my tasks at hand.


    Whenever I had some free time, I kept thinking about how to find Wu Jun!


    On the third morning, as soon as I arrived at the company,


    Annie was waiting at the door.


    ¡°You said you could handle it, right? President Wang is about to sign a contract with Tianjiao! Hurry up and pack your things and leave.¡± I glanced at my phone, there was still an hour before the signing.


    ¡°No rush, I can make it!¡±


    ¡°Ha, you really are stubborn, fine, I want to see what you can do.¡±


    I ignored Annie.


    Instead, I followed her gaze towards a man in a black suit in the distance.


    The man in the suit was Gu Yuanzhou.


    He seemed to be observing me as well.


    My phone suddenly rang. I looked at it, it was Zhong Ye sending me something. It¡¯s worth the three hundred thousand I paid for, what a treasure..

 Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22 The Confrontation with Ding Yinuo 1

    Chapter 22: Chapter 22 The Confrontation with Ding Yinuo 1


    Translator: 549690339


    I calmly prepared the contract for signing, printed the picture that Zhong Ye had just sent me, grabbed the document bag, and set off.


    Tianjiao Company is not far from us, just a street away.


    Although both of us are fashion companies, Tianjiao Company is much more robust than us.


    The origins of this clothing company can probably be traced back to the era of the Republic of China. The grandfather of the Ding Family was a tailor making cheongsams in Old Shanghai, and the clothing factory has been inherited down from generation to generation.


    A vintage clothing sign still hangs at the entrance.


    Just as I entered the door, I bumped into Ding Yinuo.


    He was wearing a blue suit with a white shirt, exuding a strong sense of


    restraint, cold and arrogant.


    Perhaps someone had leaked the news, Ding Yinuo seemed to have known about my intentions long before,


    ¡°You¡¯re rather bold, daring to headhunt from our company?¡±


    1 chuckled softly,


    ¡°Mr. Xu¡­ how can this be considered headhunting? It¡¯s simply rectifying things, to return the clients who were surreptitiously poached.¡±


    ¡°You say poached?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it? While Gu Yuanzhou was immersed in the sorrow of losing his wife, you sneakily poached employees from behind¡­ When did the Ding Family become so desperate?¡±


    Ding Yinuo suddenly fell silent. He scrutinized me from head to toe, indeed, from my hairstyle to my clothes, down to my shoes, he observed carefully for a long time.


    Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and pulled me into the elevator lobby.


    ¡°Why do you mimic Song Yun?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! ¡±


    I teased him:


    ¡°If you want to know, cancel Manager Wangs contract, and I¡¯ll tell you the reason!¡±


    Ding Yinuo stepped back, sneered coldly and looked at me.


    ¡°Overwise! Do you think others won¡¯t see through your little tricks?¡±


    I shrugged,


    ¡°Actually, you should have agreed, because¡­ Manager Wang is destined to cancel his contract with you today! Don¡¯t believe it? Just wait and see.¡±


    I left the elevator lobby with a smile.


    Ten minutes later, I arrived at the scene of the contract signing in the meeting room.


    Because the on-site signing was about to take place, the journalists were present, and the cameras were ready.


    At the table, Mr. Wang was enthusiastically discussing the post-cooperation projects with Ding Xiao.


    I quickly walked up to Mr. Wang. ¡°Mr. Wang, you cannot sign this contract!¡±


    Mr. Wang arrogantly looked at me,


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am Song Xiaoyun from Zhenyi Company. We have been working together for many years, and our cooperation has always been pleasant! I believe you will also want to continue working with us.¡±


    Mr. Wangs face changed instantaneously,


    ¡°A beautiful lady, we can no longer work with you! As for the reason, I don¡¯t want to say! Please leave here immediately.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t angry either, I moved forward with a smile, and handed a document into Mr. Wangs hand,


    ¡°Take a look at the conditions we have offered before you decide to turn us down.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, no matter what conditions you offer, I won¡¯t¡­¡±


    Mr. Wang was still complaining about us, until he opened the document and saw the photo inside¡­


    His face turned pale with fear and, reflexively, he closed the document immediately. He stood and said to Ding Xiao,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t work with you.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wang, I¡¯m curious, may 1 ask what conditions they offered you? We can actually offer the same.¡±


    Ding Xiao tried his best to keep him, but Mr. Wang still left resolutely.


    I stood at the original spot, looking at Ding Yinuo with a smile.


    His face was extremely ugly..

 Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23 – A Small Win in a Round 1

    Chapter 23: Chapter 23 ¨C A Small Win in a Round 1


    Translator: 549690339


    Yes, I won!


    Only I knew how to ensure that CEO Wang would never slip from my grasp.


    Even the lofty conditions offered by the Ding Family proved ineffective.


    Afterward, everything went smoothly and CEO Wang signed the cooperation agreement with me once again.


    This client returned to our company flawlessly.


    I can¡¯t believe just how big a client I have brought back.


    It certainly caught a lot of people¡¯s attention.


    Especially Annie, the envy, jealousy, and hatred she couldn¡¯t hide at the bottom of her eyes when she looked at me.


    At the afternoon¡¯s regular meeting.


    Gu Yuanzhou singled me out for praise¡­


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun did an excellent job. She saved the company from significant losses. She is this month¡¯s outstanding employee and will receive a raise¡­¡±


    Applause erupted in the meeting room.


    When Annie walked up to me to offer her insincere congratulations, The smile on her face was even uglier than if she had been crying.


    After the meeting ended and the other managers gradually left,


    As I began to pack up and leave,


    Gu Yuanzhou called me back. He stood there with his hands behind his back, and his eyes seemed incredibly deep as they met mine.


    ¡°How did you manage it?¡±


    ¡°Well, I found CEO Wang and shared the future planning of our company with him. Using big data, I showed him that cooperation with us would be far more beneficial than cooperating with Tianjiao.¡± l, of course, didn¡¯t tell him the truth.


    Anyway, since Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s on bad terms with the Ding Family, he wouldn¡¯t go to Ding Yinuo to inquire about the truth.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark eyes stared at me for a long time.


    ¡°Try to make your future work smooth and avoid providing people with any leverage. ¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, President Gu! I¡¯ll be careful!¡±


    ¡°This afternoon I¡¯m going to Plum Garden to meet a guest. Arrange a driver for me¡­


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m not yet clear about the identity of the guest. Do you have any information?¡±


    Under normal circumstances, 1 can only do a better job when I get some kind of information about the guest.


    Gu Yuanzhou pulled out a drawer, took out a file, hesitated for a while, then put it back in the drawer.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡±


    His intention was for me to just arrange the trip and not receive the guest myself. That suits me. I¡¯d rather be spared the trouble.


    I arranged the driver as requested.


    After he left, I got off early¡­


    I was about to use the time to find out where Wu Jun was when I got a call from Wenya.


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve taken revenge for you! Ayun, hahaha!¡±


    Wenya sounded very happy. She seemed to be floating as she spoke.


    I didn¡¯t comprehend at first.


    ¡°Wenya, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°That man! Dan Gu Yuanzhou! You¡¯ll forgive him despite everything he did to


    ¡°What do you mean by taking revenge?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I spent my three months¡¯ salary to hire a thug! He gave Gu a good beating and left him crawling on the ground for his teeth.¡±


    Then it clicked. A few days ago, Wenya mentioned thinking about finding someone to beat Gu Yuanzhou up, but I didn¡¯t take her seriously. I just thought she was venting.


    But she actually went through with it!


    If she had attacked him, that¡¯d be like poking a beehive with a stick.


    Sooner or later, Gu Yuanzhou would retaliate against all of us.


    ¡°Wenya, listen to me, call it off immediately!¡±


    ¡°Why, he ruined you, can¡¯t you even bear to lay a finger on him?¡±


    ¡°Wenya, I haven¡¯t finished investigating this matter. We can¡¯t discern right from wrong just yet. Let it go for now, tell your guy to stop. I¡¯ll explain the rest later. There might not be any actual affair between Ye Mengyan and and Gu Yuanzhou.¡¯


    ¡°1 don¡¯t care whether there¡¯s an affair or not. You ended up like this, and he¡¯s partially responsible. He needs to pay the price.¡±


    ¡°No, Wenya, doing this won¡¯t hurt him. It¡¯ll only invite trouble for yourself and potentially expose me! ¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡­it might already be too late!¡±


    I put in so much effort to get close to Gu Yuanzhou. If I get exposed, it will all have been for nothing.


    If I lose the opportunity to get close to him, I¡¯m never going to figure out the scandals he¡¯s hiding and get to the truth about the fire.


    After hanging up, 1 hurried anxiously to the scene.


    I never imagined that the thug Wenya hired would be so effective and action-oriented.


    When 1 got to Plum Garden, I happened to witness the crime scene¡­.

 Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24 – Things have reached an irretrievable point_l

    Chapter 24: Chapter 24 ¨C Things have reached an irretrievable point_l


    Translator: 549690339


    In the open-air parking lot, as soon as Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car stopped, two masked men wielding machetes rushed over and began hacking at him.


    Caught off guard by the sudden attack, his driver remained paralyzed with fear inside the car.


    Although Gu Yuanzhou was tall, he was unarmed. How could he possibly stand a chance against a group of desperados, armed as they were?


    He attempted to run around the car, but was soon cornered.


    Witnessing the blood spatters, I quickly darted towards the hotel entrance, ripped the fire hydrant hose off the wall, and sprayed the attackers with high-pressure water.


    The two thugs were knocked down by the force of the gushing water.


    Seizing the opportunity, I yelled,


    ¡°I¡¯ve called the police! They¡¯re on their way!¡¯


    Upon hearing my words, the two attackers finally scrambled to their feet and fled.


    I dropped the hose and hurried over to Gu Yuanzhou.


    His current state was horrible to look at.


    His suit had been slashed to pieces, revealing his white shirt, now stained a deep crimson. Pools of blood and water merged on the ground.


    His skin was deathly pale from blood loss. As I approached him, he grasped my hand tightly.


    ¡°President Gu¡­ You¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll save you!¡¯


    ¡°Deep breaths yes, like that¡­¡±


    Given the amount of blood he had lost, I was sure he had severed a major artery. If his heart rate increased, he would quickly bleed out.


    With my aunt being a renowned surgeon in A City, I had picked up quite a bit of medical knowledge during my frequent visits to her lab as a child.


    I knelt down to calm him and soon found the bleeding point on his abdomen.


    I took off my shirt, tore it into strips to bandage his wound, and dialed 120 for an ambulance.


    Then, I sat beside Gu Yuanzhou, keeping him company.


    At first, he was lucid.


    But as time passed, he began to falter. He weakly called out a name that I barely could make out.


    Two words.


    Upon hearing the name, my heart sunk. It wasn¡¯t my name.


    So, in the end, I wasn¡¯t the one in his heart. Even on the brink of death, he thought of another woman.


    The ambulance arrived soon enough and I accompanied him to the hospital.


    Luckily, my timely first aid had stemmed the blood loss. After the emergency doctors treated him, his life was no longer in danger.


    Wenya arrived at the hospital by then.


    I was sitting absent-mindedly on a bench in the corridor.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Wenya pointed to the blood stains on me. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m fine¡­ This is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s blood!¡±


    ¡°Is he dead?¡±


    Seeing Wenya¡¯s expression, I shook my head,


    ¡°No, although he was injured in the abdomen and nicked an artery, it¡¯s already been stitched up.¡±


    Wenya let out a sigh of relief and muttered,


    ¡°Oh well, what a bunch of idiots! I only gave them a thousand yuan to teach him a lesson. I didn¡¯t expect them to use knives! That said, Gu Yuanzhou does deserve it. Why should you and your child suffer while he enjoys everything?¡±


    Seeing my face darken, Wenya asked,


    ¡°Wait, are you upset for him?¡± I shook my head weakly,


    ¡°He¡¯s not worth it!¡±


    Thinking I came to my senses, Wenya patted on my shoulder saying,


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Don¡¯t waste your time on him. As women, we need to take care of ourselves¡­


    I suddenly got up and told her, ¡°You should go home for now. Let¡¯s not meet for a while!¡±


    ¡°Really, you¡¯re too worried!¡±


    Wenya was nonchalant.


    She was still exhilarated by the fact that she had punished a scumbag.


    But I knew that Gu Yuanzhou would never let this slide. For safety¡¯s sake, it was better that Wenya avoided him.


    Wenya agreed to my suggestion and left.


    Soon after, Annie and some executives from the company arrived to pay a visit.


    I blocked the throng of visitors at the door.


    ¡°Sorry, President Gu is not seeing anyone at the moment!¡±


    My cold demeanor displeased Annie.


    Her raised voice, seemingly intended to let Gu Yuanzhou hear from his room, called out.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, who do you think you are? By what right do you refuse us to see President Gu? Don¡¯t forget, President Gu is not yours alone. He belongs to the entire company. We are all concerned about him.¡±


    I took off my coat, revealing the blood-stained clothes beneath.


    ¡°By this right! I saved his life! What have you done?¡±


    Annie fell silent.


    After all, there were not many women in the workplace like me who would literally bleed for their work.


    They, with their glamorous makeup, couldn¡¯t even tolerate the smell of blood. They held their noses and took a step back.


    Or perhaps it was my blood-smeared face that intimidated them.


    One of the managers stepped forward, handing me the bouquet he was holding,


    We just wanted to show our care. Could you please pass these flowers to President Gu?¡± ¡°Yes, fine. I will add your names to the list and give it to President Gu!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡¯


    The managers thanked me and wisely left.


    Only Annie took back her flowers, sneering before leaving.


    I returned to the ward.


    After cleaning up some of the bloodstains, I pulled a chair and sat next to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Staring at the man¡¯s pale face, with his deep-set features, he suddenly seemed like a stranger to me.


    Throughout the night, Gu Yuanzhou remained unconscious.


    I stayed by his side without moving an inch.


    At the break of dawn, as I dozed off beside his bed, I heard him murmuring that woman¡¯s name in his sleep..

 Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25 – The Name of the Moonlight 1

    Chapter 25: Chapter 25 ¨C The Name of the Moonlight 1


    Translator: 549690339


    I woke up abruptly from my dream, raising my head sharply.


    At this point, Gu Yuanzhou seemed to still be in his dreams, his cheeks flushed, with his eyes tightly shut, continuing to mumble a name.


    This time, I heard it very clearly!


    I reached out and touched his forehead.


    It¡¯s burning hot!


    I quickly called for the nurse!


    He has a high fever!


    What followed was changing his medication, administering an IV, hectic activity, I even put a cooling patch on his forehead.


    Afterwards, my gaze returned to the mobile phone on his table.


    He had taken three mobiles with him this time.


    In fact, two phones for work were in his briefcase, and this black phone was in his pocket, one I had never used before.


    1 really wanted to see what secrets he was hiding in this phone.


    Seeing his eyes tightly closed, I quietly got up and picked up the phone.


    As the phone turned on, a lock screen appeared.


    I entered the password.


    The passwords for his other two phones were the last two digits of our kids¡¯ birthdays.


    However, after entering this time, it told me it was incorrect.


    I entered his birthday again, and it was still wrong.


    Just as I was nffacking my brains to enter a third birthday number.


    A sudden large hand reached over and grabbed my arm, his deep, hoarse voice rang out.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I turned around nervously.


    Sometime unknown, Gu Yuanzhou had already woken up.


    A pair of dark eyes were examining me.


    I quickly calmed myself down.


    ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re awake? Do you feel unwell anywhere?¡±


    ¡°You were touching my phone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I was checking if it was out of power and wanted to charge it for you.¡±


    Thankfully, my quick wits came to the rescue, and Gu Yuanzhou did not doubt me further.


    But then, he took the phone and put it under his pillow, seeming unwilling to let anyone else touch it.


    His action made me more suspicious that he was definitely hiding a secret on this phone.


    What kind of secret could it be that has Gu Yuanzhou so concerned?


    During my moment of surprise, Gu Yuanzhou had already adjusted the bed and sat up.


    ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re not recovered yet, the doctor recommended to lay down!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t pay attention to me!


    After sitting up on his own, he instructed me to bring his laptop over.


    Apparently, there was a very important meeting today.


    Since he couldn¡¯t be present, he started a video conference on the computer.


    After the meeting, he made a few phone calls.


    I silently stood next to him, removing the cooling patch from his forehead¡­


    After being active for an hour, he leaned back on the pillow and closed his eyes for a while to rest, then he said.


    ¡°Call the driver over. I want to know¡­ who the people who attacked me were!¡± I was startled, quickly disguising my reaction.


    ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re not fully healed yet. Let me handle this minor issue. I was present at the scene.¡±


    Again this time, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t listen to my suggestion.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll handle this.¡¯


    Does his statement mean he wants to divert me?


    Or, perhaps, he doesn¡¯t trust me as much as I thought he did?


    Helpless, I had to obey and call for the driver and the hotel security personnel.


    When everyone arrived, I intended to be involved in the proceedings.


    However, Gu Yuanzhou looked at me meaningfully.


    ¡°You go rest!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re not well yet, I can¡¯t just leave!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze stared at me for a long time.


    ¡°You look grungy, it¡¯s not suitable for receiving guests. Bring two security guards over for me, you don¡¯t need to take care of anything else for now.¡±


    I lowered my head and, indeed, I looked messy, my shirt was dirty with bloodstains, my hair was disheveled.


    This look indeed harmed the company¡¯s image.


    Since he had given the order, 1 had no choice but to leave.


    Just after exiting the hospital door, suddenly a group of reporters surrounded me.


    ¡°Excuse me, aren¡¯t you the president¡¯s assistant of Zhenyi company? We heard your president was attacked, is that right?¡±


    ¡°Were you there at the time? Did you get a clear look at the attacker?¡±


    ¡°May I ask what President Gu t s itinerary was at the time?¡± ¡°How is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s condition now? Which ward is he in?¡±


    1 didn¡¯t want my disheveled appearance to appear in the media.


    But now with the cameras panning towards me, and no room to escape.


    All of a sudden, a man from behind squeezed through, he used his suit to cover me completely, and quickly pushed me into the elevator.


    It was not until the elevator started to descend that he removed the suit.


    I looked at him in shock.


    ¡°Mr. Ding?¡±


    I was dream-struck.


    When I was encountering an emergency situation, the one who rescued me turned out to be my arch-enemy.


    Ah, wait, that¡¯s not right!


    I¡¯m reborn now, it seems Ding Yinuo doesn¡¯t believe that I am Song Yun herself.


    Soon, the elevator stopped, he quickly held my hand and walked quickly, through the hospital back door and into his car.


    After finally escaping from the reporters, I let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    He asked.


    Having been awake all night, both physically and mentally exhausted, I didn¡¯t care whether he was a friend or foe, I slumped into the passenger seat.


    Then, I gave him my apartment address.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, I didn¡¯t dare to sleep, but followed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s orders and called the driver to arrange for security one by one.


    Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of my apartment complex.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t urge me to get off immediately but turned around to face me,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me? How much Gu Yuanzhou pays you, I will double it!¡±


    I looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°How did you know something happened to Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Ding Yinuo smirked, saying:


    ¡°Business is a battlefield, knowing the enemy as well as oneself is the key to victory! ¡®


    ¡°Sorry! I will not betray our boss!¡±


    1 opened the car door and got off.


    Of course, I won¡¯t join Ding Yinuo¡¯s company, I need to stay by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s side, there are many tasks to deal with! Ding Yinuo couldn¡¯t let it go, he got off the car following me,


    ¡°Tell me what conditions you want!¡±


    Ding Yinuo is tall, at least 1.88 meters, when I look at him I have to look up.


    Men in the business circle, they¡¯re always savvy.


    I also knew what he was thinking deep down.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo! Don¡¯t think that by saving me today, I will be grateful and then obediently go over to your side. Let me tell you, these minor favors you¡¯ve done for me, they have no value in my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Your mind is really sharp, no wonder Gu Yuanzhou values you so much!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ding! Don¡¯t waste your time on me, I won¡¯t help you against Gu


    Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°No rush! I¡¯ll wait, one day, you¡¯ll come to me!¡± Ding Yinuo seemed confident¡­


    I waved my hand and entered the building.


    After closing the door, I sent Wenya a text message,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou wants to personally investigate this matter, it¡¯s better for you to lay low somewhere out of town for a few days.¡±


    But afterwards, my phone almost exploded with a bunch of calls¡­.

 Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26 The Unexpected Guest in His Room 1

    Chapter 26: Chapter 26 The Unexpected Guest in His Room 1


    Translator: 549690339


    The calls were non-stop.


    I was really exhausted and had no interest in picking up the phone.


    1 turned it off, lay down and fell asleep immediately.


    I slept like a log.


    It wasn¡¯t until after six in the evening that I woke up.


    Hunger woke me up!


    I got up, took a shower and found that the refrigerator was empty.


    I put on my coat, ready to go out for some grub and in the meantime, turned on my mobile phone.


    I checked who had been calling me.


    Ye Mengyan, Shen Yishu, Annie and several colleagues from the office had all called.


    I responded to each one¡­


    I didn¡¯t feel like calling Ye Mengyan and so I just sent her a brief text message-


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    She responded quickly,


    ¡°Oh, 1 saw on the news that Elder Brother Gu got stabbed. I wanted to ask you about it.¡¯


    ¡°Indeed he did!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, I have already heard!¡± Subsequently, I tried calling Wenya.


    Her phone was off.


    I wondered if she really did leave town. Then came the call from Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Are you free? I¡¯d like to talk.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I was starving and didn¡¯t mind having company for dinner.


    We settled into a budget-friendly tiny eatery, ordering a few stir-fried dishes.


    Shen Yishu looked ragged!


    As if he had been terribly shocked.


    I ordered a cold beer and offered him a glass.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a drinker!¡±


    His cheeks reddened.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, this is a light brew. All of us get from no to yes¡­¡±


    Fresh out of college, he really isn¡¯t a drinker yet.


    But to survive in this world, young men have to learn some social niceties, like drinking.


    That¡¯s the first step to liquor table etiquette. If you want to strike some business, you got to learn how to drink.


    Of course, I did have my reasons for inviting Shen Yishu for a drink.


    Shen Yishu is still rather naive, unsuspecting of me and I started feeling a bit guilty. Was I corrupting a good young man?


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink up!¡±


    I encouraged him to drink.


    Shen Yishu, albeit hesitantly, downed three glasses. His cheeks flushing, he put down the glass and asked me,


    ¡°Tell me, how can one win back a girl¡¯s heart?¡±


    I hesitated momentarily, ¡°Did something happen between you and Ye


    Mengyan?¡±


    Shen Yishu let out a sigh, appearing agonized.


    ¡°l always thought we¡¯d just happily go on. She was a very simple girl when I first met her. At that time, stars shone in her eyes.¡±


    Shen Yishu seemed a bit tipsy.


    Truth be told, purely from an appearance perspective, he and Ye Mengyan did indeed make a good match.


    ¡°Throughout the three to four years at college together, our relationship was great. But as graduation neared, she suddenly changed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, in what way?¡±


    ¡°We had initially agreed to get engaged post-graduation. But last month, she suddenly turned on me! She became very cold toward me and every time I wanted to meet her, she always had some excuse to refuse. Even a small thing could lead to an argument. It¡¯s happened over and over. I have really tried hard to love her, but I don¡¯t know how to win her back.¡±


    Looking at the passionate and loyal man before me, my heart filled with sympathy¡­


    How could he ever compete with Gu Yuanzhou as a rival?


    If he has won over Gu Yuanzhou, then he probably won¡¯t stand a chance for a lifetime.


    ¡°Sometimes, what a woman desires is a sense of security.¡±


    ¡°l know that! I¡¯ve been working hard on it! I¡¯ll find a way to make money and provide her with a stable life.¡±


    I had been hinting, in a roundabout way for quite some time, but Shen Yishu was too immersed in his own world to catch on to my underlying tone.


    ¡°Have you ever considered, it might not be your fault!¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not my fault, then what could it be?¡±


    ¡°In those past four years¡­ were you sure your relationship was really that good? Do you know everything about her? Did she do anything unusual?¡±


    My question took Shen Yishu aback.


    After a long pause, he finally said,


    ¡°Mengmeng is actually quite a simple person. If I had to point out anything unusual, it would be that during the four years at university, she seemed to not get along well with her classmates. She was always alone. I know she feels inferior and is afraid of being looked down upon.¡±


    1 frowned slightly. A loner? That¡¯s not inferiority, but rather, an easy way to keep her own deeds under wraps.


    ¡°So she¡¯s that introverted, there¡¯s something off with her character, right?¡±


    ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have any flaws. In fact, she does have a friend, a very close elder sister¡­she visits her every Friday, so I can¡¯t find her every Friday night.¡± Upon hearing this, my hands trembled slightly as I held my glass.


    In the past four years, Gu Yuanzhou usually either doesn¡¯t come home on Fridays or comes home very late.


    Sometimes it¡¯s at midnight, sometimes it¡¯s at one in the morning. He said he had business to take care of, so he could spend the weekends with me and the kids.


    Men in business do have social obligations, I can understand that. I just didn¡¯t expect that he was going to see Ye Mengyan on those days!


    As the saying goes, in vino veritas.


    Shen Yishu didn¡¯t suspect me at all and I managed to get the information I wanted from him.


    Fact checked!


    Ye Mengyan is lying.


    Her relationship with Gu Yuanzhou is not as simple as she described it to be.


    After parting ways with Shen Yishu.


    1 decided to visit Gu Yuanzhou in the hospital.


    Even though he hadn¡¯t called me, rage filled my heart. I wanted to confront him to verify something.


    On my way, I checked my cell phone.


    It turns out that Gu Yuanzhou being attacked was trending on social media.


    Photos from the scene went viral, especially ones where Gu Yuanzhou was lying in a pool of blood, being lifted onto an ambulance¡­


    Originally, Gu Yuanzhou was a victim of the Golden Bay fire.


    After this accident, netizens sympathized and supported him even more.


    As a result, I saw a flood of supportive comments under that post.


    ¡°This man is really pitiful!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he lost his wife and children, we definitely need to support him!¡±


    ¡°Oh god, his injuries are so serious! Where is he hospitalized? Let¡¯s all visit him.¡±


    ¡°Heard he¡¯s suing the property management company for justice.¡±


    ¡°Heard he got a Yin Mansion for his late wife¡¯s child and he visits frequently. What a devoted man!¡±


    Perhaps Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s charm had already won over his fans. This injury brought in even more sympathizers.


    The post made the hot search list¡­


    The company¡¯s website crashed due to high traffic.


    From a business perspective, Gu Yuanzhou could be considered as having turned into a blessing in disguise.


    This advertising effect was even better than spending ten million on advertising at CCTV.


    I went to the hospital a little later, originally planning to talk to him about it.


    Unexpectedly, just as I got to the door of his ward, I heard Ye Mengyan¡¯s voice¡­.

 Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Her Haven 1

    Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Her Haven 1


    Translator: 549690339


    Her voice was very gentle.


    Listening to it was especially soothing¡­


    Although Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s injury was publicly announced online, if nobody privately informed Ye Mengyan¡­


    How could Ye Mengyan accurately locate Gu Yuanzhou among hundreds of hospitals in the city?


    I was considering what Shen Yishu had said.


    Ye Mengyan used to go out every Friday¡­


    And Gu Yuanzhou also happened to have social engagements every Friday.


    The relationship between these two is anything but simple.


    Pausing for a few seconds, I still decided to leave.


    The next morning at eight o¡¯clock, I received a call from Gu Yuanzhou, he asked me to prepare his suit and take it to the hospital.


    At the hospital entrance, I just happened to bump into Ye Mengyan. Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes were slightly red, it seems she had stayed with him all night.


    ¡°Xiaoyun!¡¯


    She greeted me.


    ¡°I saw in the news that Big Brother Gu was hospitalized, so I came to see him!¡± ¡°Hmm! Aren¡¯t you going to stay a little longer?¡±


    ¡°No, I have class at school. Besides, I¡¯d rather not be seen by the media during the day.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, goodbye then!¡±


    In fact, there were a lot of questions I wanted to ask Ye Mengyan.


    But in the end, I didn¡¯t ask them.


    What should I ask?


    Did she seduce Gu Yuanzhou these past four years?


    No, that¡¯s impossible.


    A poor, well-mannered female student would never seduce her benefactor¡¯s husband.


    So the only truth must be that Gu Yuanzhou, using his position, slowly captivated her after giving Ye Mengyan some favors.


    I understand Gu Yuanzhou.


    This man is very picky.


    Not every woman who throws herself at him would catch his eye.


    But once he sets his sights on something, he¡¯ll get it by any means. So, if the two of them are in a relationship, it¡¯s undoubtedly Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s fault.


    I did not blame Ye Mengyan.


    But after this incident, it¡¯s as if a needle were pricking my heart.


    I could not love Gu Yuanzhou as I once did anymore.


    When I pushed open the door to his room with his clothes, I found that Gu Yuanzhou was already out of bed.


    He was struggling to walk step by step from the bed to the window.


    His wound from the abdominal surgery was only a day old, and the pain caused by such movement is unimaginable for ordinary people.


    I quickly went up to dissuade him.


    ¡°President Gu, the doctor said, you should at least rest in bed for three days. You can¡¯t walk around like this! This can tear the wound¡­


    In fact, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face was already covered in beads of sweat, and he was as pale as a sheet.


    But there was still a fierce determination in his dark eyes.


    Ignored my persuasion, he would not concede.


    Clenching his teeth, he walked back and forth several times.


    Finally, he sat down on the bed, ¡°Did you bring my suit?¡±


    ¡°I brought it, it¡¯s here!¡±


    I moved the suitcase next to the bed.


    He reached out to unbutton his shirt, then suddenly stopped and looked at me, saying in a deep voice: ¡°Please step out!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay, I¡¯ll go out now!¡±


    The familiar patterns of intimacy of an eventual decade-long marriage often made me overlook many small details.


    I forgot that I was now a stranger, that I should turn away when he changed clothes.


    I quietly stepped out into the hallway and closed the door for him.


    Half an hour later, Gu Yuanzhou was already dressed in his suit and tie.


    To my surprise, he even took a bath. As of now, his hair was still wet.


    Despite looking much more spirited, his pale face was the only indicator of how serious his condition was.


    ¡°Summon the driver, we¡¯re going back to the company!¡¯ I was shocked.


    ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re not fit to leave the hospital yet!¡¯


    ¡°There¡¯s a new product launching today, and I will not be absent!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ the company, however important, isn¡¯t as important as your health!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s easy to give up, but hard to persevere. If I don¡¯t strive myself, how can I expect my company to prosper?¡±


    I was speechless.


    This was indeed his nature, fighting till the end!


    Perhaps, it was his charm that attracted me, as he was always persistent and tenacious!


    This man, aside from having an affair with Ye Mengyan, seemingly had no flaws.


    Due to his insistence on being discharged, his doctor was also rushed over. However, despite reasoning with him and appealing to his emotions, they couldn¡¯t persuade Gu Yuanzhou.


    To prevent any accidents, I asked the doctor for a pain-killer injection for Gu Yuanzhou, so that he didn¡¯t encounter any issues due to pain at the launch.


    Half an hour later, Gu Yuanzhou appeared at the product launch.


    His arrival created a buzz throughout the venue.


    Just a moment ago, the host stated that the president wouldn¡¯t be able to attend due to an assault on the company.


    The next moment, his impressive figure appeared.


    All the employees went up with a thunderous applause that lasted a while.


    From the looks of it, all employees genuinely respected him.


    Gu Yuanzhou waved in recognition, and as he took to the microphone, his charisma was in full display.


    He confidently outlined the company¡¯s future prospects, stirring up excitement among the audience, and showcased our new products.


    No doubt about it, the timing of this new product launch by Gu Yuanzhou was perfect.


    The new line of children¡¯s clothing received a massive response from the mother fans, leading to a spike in sales that crashed our website due to the traffic.


    Gu Yuanzhou pulled off the new product launch despite his injuries.


    Later, he made a guest appearance in the live- streaming room of our products, making quite a noise.


    While the company¡¯s revenue was at its peak, the assault case was cracked.


    When I returned to the office, I saw Gu Yuanzhou talking with a man in a suit.


    ¡°President Gu, these are the surveillance tapes from around our hotel. We have identified the faces of the two individuals. Have a look.¡± Upon hearing these words, I instantly had a bad feeling.


    I quickly excused myself out of the office.


    Hurriedly, I dashed into the corridor.


    I dialed Wenya¡¯s number on my cell phone.


    ¡°Listen, Wenya¡­ pack up and leave immediately.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving! Ayun, I don¡¯t regret what I¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°But, Gu Yuanzhou has recognized the faces of those two people, If things go as expected, he will find them by this afternoon. You know, with big data and police assistance, they could be found any moment. Why don¡¯t you leave the country for now?¡±


    My concern was to avoid my friend getting involved, and the best option seemed to be to urge her to leave as soon as possible.


    However, Wenya, acting as if nothing happened,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! Ayun, I¡¯m in class right now, I¡¯ll talk to you later!¡±


    Watching her being so laid back and carefree, I was anxious.


    Desperate, I booked her a flight to Thailand on my phone, managed to get an advance on my salary from finance, transferred it to her account, then texted her to leave.


    By noon, I approached Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office once again.


    I wanted to find out the progress of the investigation.


    As I entered, I was stunned to see Wenya there!


    I had no idea when she had entered. At that moment, she was standing in front of Gu Yuanzhou, locked in a tense stare-off.


    I quickly tried to escort Wenya away,


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I think you¡¯re in the wrong place. Please leave!¡±


    Wenya, however, pushed me away and confronted Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°You can stop your investigation.. The one who ordered the attack on you, was me!¡±

 Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Impulse is a Devil_l

    Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Impulse is a Devil_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Wenya¡¯s impulsiveness almost gave me a stroke on the spot.


    This fool, does she even know what she¡¯s saying?


    For someone as ruthless as Gu Yuanzhou, after finding out the truth, at the very least, he would throw her in jail.


    I quickly tried to mediate, pulling her outside,


    ¡°Miss, are you talking nonsense because you¡¯re feverish! Please leave!¡± But Wenya still had a face of audacity, stubbornly refusing to leave.


    She even looked at Gu Yuanzhou with contempt.


    She pushed me away,


    ¡°l want to see today, what can Mr. Gu, the CEO, do to me!¡±


    ¡°Err, President Gu! This lady might be mentally ill, she may have mistaken us for someone else.¡¯


    1 wanted to say more, but Gu Yuanzhou waved at me to stop. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, let her speak!¡±


    All I could do was step to the side and watch Wenya worryingly.


    Wenya was fiercer than I had imagined, she even slapped Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s desk¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at her coolly,


    ¡°Do you know that ordering those dumb asses to cut me up is a crime?¡± ¡°No shit! Don¡¯t I know that? But, you deserve it! Gu Yuanzhou! You killed Ayun¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face slowly darkened, a cold aura emanating from him.


    The atmosphere in the office became tense.


    He pointed at Wenya and scolded her loudly.


    ¡°You daredevil foolish woman, what do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I understand? I saw with my own eyes how you stepped on Ayun¡¯s shoulders to climb up! If it wasn¡¯t for Ayun, you¡¯d be nothing now!


    ¡°You think I wanted her to die? She was my wife! Her death was an accident!


    How could I have caused it?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was losing control of his emotions.


    1 had never seen him like this before, completely enraged, and a storm was brewing in his dark eyes.


    His hands clenched into fists.


    ¡°Stop talking!¡±


    I tried to stop Wenya from going on.


    But Wenya, in the heat of anger, would not stop.


    She wanted to vent all the pain buried deep in her heart.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you big scoundrel, you have the nerve to say she is your wife!! After her death, I didn¡¯t see you mourn for a single day. I didn¡¯t even see you shed half a tear. Not only did you not investigate the cause of the fire, you even took advantage of the fire, took advantage of the public¡¯s sympathy for Ayun, and made money from it. Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re worse than a pig and a dog. I had someone hack you! I don¡¯t regret it at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Why does Ayun have to die while you live a carefree life!! The one who should die is you, it¡¯s you! I regret now for not having them hack you into eight pieces! ! ¡±


    Overwhelmed with anger, Wenya started throwing the paperwork from the desk at Gu Yuanzhou.


    1 just stood still, but tears started streaming down my cheeks.


    What Wenya said, that was all my inner thoughts too.


    However, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say anything further, he just pressed the emergency button on the desk.


    Moments later, security guards rushed in, held Wenya down, and dragged her out.


    Calm down.


    Only then did I realize that things had taken a bad turn.


    Wenya, she had really stirred up a hornet¡¯s nest.


    I quietly cleaned up the scattered paperwork on the floor, while Gu Yuanzhou kept smoking.


    He was very quiet.


    Perhaps because his injuries had just healed, he wasn¡¯t too angry.


    ¡°President Gu, about this lady¡­¡±


    I initially planned to plead for Wenya.


    But Gu Yuanzhou weakly waved his hand at me,


    ¡°You can go home now! Whatever happened today, don¡¯t gossip about it.¡±


    Seeing how weak he looked, I did not dare to plead any further.


    I had no choice but to walk away in silence.


    It wasn¡¯t until after 1 left the office that I learned that the security had sent Wenya to the police station.


    I packed up my things and made another trip to the law firm.


    As soon as I entered, I saw Su Peisheng walking out, talking on his cell phone. ¡°Lawyer Su, could I have a word with you?¡±


    Su Peisheng looked at his wristwatch.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ve already gotten off work! I don¡¯t conduct business off hours!¡±


    It then occurred to me.


    ¡°Perfect, the actual reason I came is to invite you to dinner!¡±


    1 knew that being a lawyer was a draining job, and they typically dislike working overtime.


    They also have high incomes, so this gesture was of significance.


    But I currently needed him badly.


    ¡°Ha, invite me to dinner? Why is that?¡±


    ¡°You helped me a great deal by bailing Zhong Ye out last time. I¡¯ve been meaning to treat you to a meal as a thank you.¡± Su Peisheng looked at me while opening his car door.


    ¡°I heard you work for Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s star lawyer is Zhou Chenming. Why don¡¯t you go to him?¡±


    Indeed, Gu Yuanzhou enjoyed working with Zhou Chenming. Despite having a legal department within our company, he would still summons Zhou


    Chenming for major commercial cases.¡±


    Because Zhou Chenmings ties with Gu Yuanzhou were too strong,


    In order to ensure that everything I¡¯m doing goes unnoticed by Gu Yuanzhou, I couldn¡¯t use him.


    But, I wouldn¡¯t tell Su Peisheng this.


    ¡°The matters I need Lawyer Su for are personal, so I can¡¯t involve the company¡¯s lawyer, or else people might accuse me of misusing company resources.¡±


    Su Peisheng laughed.


    ¡°Sorry, I had already made plans with a friend today, so I probably won¡¯t be able to make it to your dinner. How about we reschedule?¡±


    Just as he was speaking, a young man in a white shirt and dark sunglasses walked towards us, exuding an air of arrogance.


    ¡°Young Master Su!¡±


    ¡°Oh, speak of the devil! Let me introduce you, this is my friend Ding Yinuo!¡±


    Yinuo took off his sunglasses and looked at me, smirking,


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this a small world!¡±


    ¡°Since you two know each other, why not have dinner together?¡±


    Su Peisheng took the initiative to invite.


    I didn¡¯t really want to dine with Yinuo.


    For one thing, we had been rivals for years, and his presence ruined my appetite.


    Also, I had a hunch he would mess things up.


    But, since Su Peisheng extended the invitation, it felt improper to decline.


    The dinner location was selected by Yinuo. On my arrival, I realized there were actually many guests.


    People like Su Peisheng and Yinuo, who were the leading figures of aristocratic families, were essentially born with golden spoons in their mouths, elite figures, typically seen as second-generation rich kids.


    On the other hand, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s circle comprised self-made entrepreneurs who originated from humble backgrounds.


    Though all these people belonged to high society, they were divided by a palpable contempt chain.


    The generational elites, mostly highly educated, looked down on Gu Yuanzhou, labeling him a nouveau riche; a greedy, uncultured man without a dignified upbringing, who would do anything for money, and was often surrounded by the stench of copper ¨C they detested his kind.


    Those in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s circle of entrepreneurs looked down on the rich kids, criticizing them as parasites, faux intellectuals without any real capabilities, living off their parents¡­


    So, both these contempt chains despised each other, not allowing for any integration.


    Therefore, you wouldn¡¯t find any of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s friends here¡­


    Of course, in my past life, 1 didn¡¯t like Yinuo¡¯s circle either, thinking of them as good-for-nothing rich kids.


    ¡°Oh ho, Young Master Ding! Have you finally taken an interest in women?¡±

 Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Uninvited Guest_l

    Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Uninvited Guest_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Although I¡¯ve seen all these gentleman before, this is my first time being part of their inner circle.


    The man who was teasing Ding Yinuo was none other than the Dean¡¯s son, Pei


    Zexi¡­


    Ding Yinuo nonchalantly threw a piece of chocolate at Pei Zexi¡¯s face,


    ¡°Scram! When have I ever been uninterested in women?¡±


    ¡°Psh, since Miss Song got married, which woman have you been good with? If you can name one, I¡¯ll drink all three bottles today.¡±


    Pei Zexi¡¯s words hit me with surprise.


    What does that have to do with me? Why am I suddenly being brought into this?


    Ding Yinuo sat on the sofa, he didn¡¯t answer Pei Zexi, but he stared at me for a few seconds.


    As far as my memory could reach, Ding Yinuo was universally acknowledged as the most popular guy at school since high school.


    He was tall and slender, with clear-cut handsome features, fair skin, and his monolids made even the dogs think he was deeply affectionate.


    Adding to that, his father was also a well-known persona in A City. Handsome and fashionable, born into money, he had more than his fair share of female admirers back then.


    However, Ding Yinuo seems to have always been a lone ranger, never choosing anyone.


    Even up to his graduation from university and into his professional life, he seemed to ooze a sense of mystery, never being linked to any scandals or rumors.


    This man who excelled in all aspects and was full of charm.


    Has been single all this time.


    1 was caught in a muddle,


    All of a sudden Su Peisheng chimed in,


    ¡°Who says he wasn¡¯t with anyone! What about Jiang Jiaying?¡±


    When Su Peisheng brought her up, I remembered Ding Yinuo¡¯s bizarre and mysterious romantic past.


    It must have been junior year of high school.


    Our class got a beautiful female transfer student.


    Rumor had it her family was quite wealthy and her parents held influential positions, she loved to bully people all the time.


    At that time, I cannot recall what I did to offend her. She would always gather a group of her girlfriends to target me wherever we were.


    During this time, my older cousin got sick abroad. My aunt went to take care of him and my uncle was busy with work.


    I didn¡¯t bother them with these petty matters, I dealt with them myself.


    In those six months, I had a lot of conflicts with Jiang Jiaying, even leading to a physical brawl at one point.


    I faced severe punishment.


    However, Jiang Jiaying got off scot-free due to the connections her father had, so she was free to roam our campus unscathed¡­


    At this difficult juncture, rumors about Ding Yinuo dating Jiang Jiaying spread across the campus.


    This is one of the reasons why I¡¯ve always had something against Ding Yinuo.


    As the boyfriend of my sworn enemy, he naturally became my enemy as well.


    Because of this, Wenya had been berating Ding Yinuo for many years.


    However, mysteriously, Ding Yinuo neither admitted to dating Jiang Jiaying nor denied their romantic relationship.


    Less than a month later, the school was awash with rumors that they had broken up.


    Although the truth of the matter was unknown, Jiang Jiaying quickly processed her drop-out procedure and vanished from my world.


    Of course, there were other rumors at school.


    Some said that Jiangs father hoped to send Jiang Jiaying abroad to study in the United States, where she could finish her education and then pick up where they left off.


    Some said Jiang Jiaying fell into depression, attempted suicide, and was finally sent to the UK by her father against her will.


    Opinions varied, either way, the truth was beyond my knowledge.


    What relieved me during that period was, without Jiang Jiaying stirring things up, I managed to get into university smoothly.


    At this moment, Pei Zexi interrupted again,


    ¡°Ahem, what about that Jiang girl? Do you really think our Mr. Ding would be interested in her?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he if he¡¯s not attracted?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know this! Mr. Ding did that for Miss Song! Don¡¯t you know that Mr. Ding has always secretly loved Miss Song? When that Jiang girl kept harping on about not leaving Miss Song, Mr. Ding couldn¡¯t just blatantly step in. So, he used the love card to drive the Jiang girl crazy¡­¡±


    Pei Zexi¡¯s revelation shocked me.


    Just as I was about to listen more carefully, Ding Yinuo stood up to set the record straight,


    ¡°Shut it! I¡¯m not secretly in love with anyone!¡±


    ¡°Hey, if you didn¡¯t like her, why have you remained celibate for her all these years (


    ¡°Beat it! If you talk nonsense again, believe it or not, I¡¯ll kick you out!¡± Ding Yinuo got angry, and Pei Zexi quickly changed the subject.


    He poured me a glass of red wine on the spot,


    ¡°Little sis! We were just talking nonsense! Mr. Ding is a good man, faithful and considerate. Plus, he has remained celibate all these years. If you can win him over, he will surely¡­*cough cough*.. ¡±


    I just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything.


    I wasn¡¯t interested in engaging with men who made obscene remarks, let alone getting into a discussion with him.


    At this moment, Su Peisheng lit a cigarette and brought the topic back to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Miss Song is quite pitiful, having met a social climber like


    Gu Yuanzhou; she has indeed been very unlucky.¡±


    I spoke up in defense.


    ¡°Perhaps things are not as you think, Miss Song and Mr. Gu are in mutual affection, loving and cherishing each other¡­¡±


    Just as I finished my sentence, Pei Zexi broke into exaggerated laughter.


    ¡°Young lady, it looks like you¡¯re too innocent! You¡¯ve been fooled, haven¡¯t


    ¡°Is that not the case? Don¡¯t belittle Gu Yuanzhou, he is actually quite capable!¡±


    Setting aside Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s cheating incident, his performance in business affairs is indeed commendable and there seems to be no issue with his character.


    Moreover, when I was attracted to Gu Yuanzhou and we got to know and love each other, it was my choice.


    It is confirmed that I am in love with Gu Yuanzhou.


    I would never deny that my initial choice was wrong.


    As soon as I finished my words, Pei Zexi laughed harder. He pointed at me and at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, this isn¡¯t good, how did you find another Gu Yuanzhou fangirl?¡±


    Su Peisheng coughed lightly,


    ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong! This lady is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s assistant.¡±


    Pei Zexi¡¯s laughter gradually quieted down, but he didn¡¯t adjust his attitude. Instead, he warned me,


    ¡°Young lady, since you are so innocent and might be fooled by your boss. Let me give you a heads up, you¡¯d better not fall in love with him. Otherwise, the consequence would be disastrous! Just take his wife as a warning.¡±


    I replied nonchalantly, ¡°That fire was an accident!¡±


    No matter what wrong doings Gu Yuanzhou might have committed, at least in front of others, I must play the role of a good assistant. Otherwise, my cover would be blown.


    Pei Zexi shook his head,


    ¡°Tsk tsk, seems like you¡¯re clueless.¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed to be uninterested in continuing the topic,


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stop here for today. No more talking about it, come on, let¡¯s drink.¡¯


    Pei Zexi interposed,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, I think this young lady is quite naive. I think she should know what kind of person her boss really is!¡¯


    ¡°Why dig up the past?¡±


    ¡°At least it could prevent her from being deceived! You don¡¯t want her to become the second Miss Song, do you?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo looked deeply at me again, and casually asked:


    ¡°Would you fall in love with your boss?¡±

 Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Which One Is His True Face 1

    Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Which One Is His True Face 1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s question was rather blunt.


    I hesitated for a few seconds,


    ¡°Hard to say! If he is a good man, I might fall in love with him!¡±


    At this moment, I wasn¡¯t answering from Song Xiaoyun¡¯s perspective, but from my own.


    Ding Yinuo let out a soft laugh.


    There was a hint of sarcasm in his smile.


    He glanced at Pei Zexi, his tone a bit strange.


    ¡°You go ahead! Could even give a brief explainer if you like!¡±


    Pei Zexi adjusted his suit, and proceeded to shed light on a truth that I had never realized before and was still unable to accept.


    I had always assumed that


    Gu Yuanzhou had an affair out of a desire for novelty.


    After all, after being married for so long, Gu Yuanzhou was highly likely looking for some excitement.


    But I never imagined that he had never loved me at all.


    ¡°It was ten years ago that Song Yun¡¯s uncle, Song Shixiong, held quite a high position in A City. And Gu Yuanzhou went to great lengths to win his approval.


    After a year of effort, Gu Yuanzhou indeed gained Song Shixiongs approval. But Song Shixiong was a sharp man. He used Gu Yuanzhou without integrating him into the Song family, and he was unwilling to distribute any of his businesses to him. This meant that as soon as Song Shixiong wasn¡¯t pleased, he could dismiss Gu Yuanzhou at any time¡­


    ¡°l heard that while Gu Yuanzhou was indeed very hard-working at the time, he made some serious mistake. Song Shixiong kicked him out mercilessly.


    Subsequently, Gu Yuanzhou set his sights on Song Shixiongs niece, Song Yun. Song Shixiong had no daughters, only a niece who he cherished after his sister passed away. That niece was Song Yun.¡±


    ¡°Later, Gu Yuanzhou took a shortcut, wooed Song Yun, and successfully secured Song Shixiongs investment and strong support. And so Zhenyi


    Company was established.¡±


    Pei Zexi¡¯s words startled me.


    I had never known that Gu Yuanzhou had kept so many things from me.


    If all of this was true, then it meant he had never loved me from the very beginning.


    I fell silent.


    Picking up my glass, I took a sip of wine.


    The bitter taste went straight to the back of my throat.


    How ridiculous! How utterly ridiculous!


    I had always thought I was the one Gu Yuanzhou betrayed, when it turns out, he had never loved me in the first place.


    Perhaps Ye Mengyan is his true love.


    For a moment my hands and feet felt cold¡­


    Perhaps noticing that I didn¡¯t look too well, Ding Yinuo chastised Pei Zexi,


    ¡°Enough! Can¡¯t you keep your mouth shut during a meal!¡±


    Pei Zexi was still laughing carelessly,


    ¡°What¡¯s the fear, we¡¯re not the ones involved! Just consider it gossip!¡¯


    Su Peisheng nudged him,


    ¡°Ahem, don¡¯t scare Miss Song. She¡¯s new to the workplace! If you spill all the secrets about her boss, how can she continue to work afterward?¡±


    Only then did Pei Zexi realize, and leaned over again to say,


    ¡°Sweetie, Gu Yuanzhou is not a good guy, why not come work for my company instead!¡±


    Ding Yinuo pushed Pei Zexi away,


    ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas about her, she¡¯s mine!¡±


    ¡°Ah, are you getting protective, Mr. Ding?¡±


    ¡°Have you lost your mind? Always bad-mouthing people¡¯s boss. Are you sick?¡± Su Peisheng tried to smooth things over,


    ¡°Right, right, the focus today is to eat and drink. Let¡¯s¡­ Ding, cheers, may you find the love of your life soon.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush, I¡¯m committed to staying single.¡±


    ¡°Cut it, aren¡¯t you worried your thing won¡¯t work anymore from lack of use over the years!¡±


    ¡°Pei Zexi, do you have a death wish!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I misspoke. I¡¯ll punish myself with three glasses!¡¯


    ¡°Three glasses is not enough, make it three bottles! If you don¡¯t finish them, you¡¯re leaving on your back! ¡±


    For the remainder of the time, the men ate, drank, and talked about some affairs in the upper social circles.


    But I had no appetite for food.


    If Gu Yuanzhou is really like what Pei Zexi said, then what did our feelings over the years mean?


    After the meal, I got back to the matter at hand.


    ¡°Mr. Su, regarding Wenya¡¯s case, how should I proceed?¡±


    Su Peisheng, his cheeks flushed from drinking,


    ¡°To be honest, coming to me won¡¯t help! It depends on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s mood, you might as well go to him. As long as he relents, this won¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    ¡°Is there truly no other way? I mean, from a legal aspect!¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s not that there is none¡­ Many things can actually be worked around.¡±


    Su Peisheng always liked to speak in riddles. He often wouldn¡¯t get to the point, beating around the bush. I was having a hard time following him.


    Ding Yinuo punched him,


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush!¡±


    ¡°l dare not speak too directly, otherwise, if something goes wrong, I could be charged with instigation!¡±


    Indeed, as a lawyer, he was always cautious.


    After Ding Yinuo had spoken for a long time, Su Peisheng still refused to get to the point.


    Eventually, Ding Yinuo had had enough and said directly to me,


    ¡°It¡¯s actually quite simple, it¡¯s up to you whether you¡¯re willing to do it or not.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead!¡±


    ¡°Grab hold of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dirty secrets, and use them as bargaining chips. That way you can force him to let Wenya go.¡±


    I nodded in agreement.


    Su Peisheng gave a thumbs up,


    ¡°Ding is so educated, he sure can talk! Getting full marks in reading comprehension! This hits the nail on the head.¡±


    Ding Yinuo pushed him,


    ¡°Enough from you! Now it¡¯s my words, not yours, so you won¡¯t get into trouble, right? You sure do know how to pass the buck.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, if you go in in the future, I can bail you out! If 1 go in, none of you can bail me out! This is team spirit, considering everyone¡¯s interests.¡± After the gathering, Ding Yinuo was still the one who drove me.


    The car stopped in front of the rental house.


    But Ding Yinuo did not hurry to get out of the car. He leaned against the window to smoke, his long eyes slightly scrutinizing me.


    Up close, this man has very delicate features, very fair skin, so fair there¡¯s not a single flaw.


    His personality is naturally cold, unlike Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s scheming nature. I remember in high school, Ding Yinuo was like an unreachable flower on a high mountain.


    So beautiful, so clean.


    After finishing a cigarette, he finally looked at me,


    ¡°If you agree to be with me, I can help you bail Wenya out!¡±


    ¡°In what context?¡±


    I know that Ding Yinuo¡¯s feelings for me are not like what those other young masters said, that he has any romantic intentions.


    He just wants to use me to deal with Gu Yuanzhou.


    I understand the interests involved here very well.


    I¡¯m not stupid.


    Ding Yinuo gave a light chuckle,


    ¡°l can¡¯t say now, when the time comes, I¡¯ll need your cooperation.¡±


    The only path left for me is narrow, my choices are limited. The only option I have for now is to get Wenya bailed out ASAP.


    ¡°Alright! I agree.¡±


    My answer seemed to satisfy Ding Yinuo.


    He stared into my eyes for a long time, then sighed,


    ¡°l must admit, you mimic Song Xiaoyun so convincingly! I was almost deceived by you..¡±

 Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Someone from the Song Family Has Arrived 1

    Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Someone from the Song Family Has Arrived 1


    Translator: 549690339


    The night had grown deep as I washed my face.


    Leaning against the sink, I scrutinized my face in the mirror, over and over again, Ding Yinuo¡¯s words echoing in my mind.


    He said I looked a lot like Song Yune


    Song Xiaoyun was pretty, but her face had no physical resemblance to mine.


    Therefore, I remained unable to understand what Ding Yinuo meant.


    That night, as I lay in bed, I thought about a lot of things.


    I thought about what Pei Zexi had said, that Gu Yuanzhou had never loved me, and only used me.


    Was that really the case?


    Truth be told, as the person involved, I never sensed him using me.


    While alive, from any perspective, Gu Yuanzhou had been a very competent husband.


    I hardly slept the whole night.


    Then in the morning, as I was half asleep, my phone rang.


    When I answered it, 1 felt as if I were still dreaming. But Wenya¡¯s voice woke me up completely.


    ¡°l am out, can we meet?¡± I woke up immediately.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come to your place!¡±


    I hung up the phone, got ready, and as I went out, I realized it was just


    seven-thirty in the morning.


    I hailed a cab to Wenya¡¯s home.


    Jian Jing was there too; a few good friends also came over.


    It seemed they all got the news and came to console her.


    Wenya had just returned and looked victorious like a triumphant general. Despite having panda eyes from staying up all night, she was still sharp.


    ¡°That old fox Gu Yuanzhou, what can he do to me? Slicing him once, detaining me overnight, I¡¯m willing! I deserve it!¡±


    ¡°Wenya, how was the food inside? Did you sleep on an iron bed? I heard the toothbrush was a finger tip! Did you have to sew?¡±


    Her girlfriends were chattering nonstop.


    But everyone kept the door closed tightly to prevent Wenya¡¯s parents from hearing.


    ¡°Get lost, I was just detained for one night, not jailed! Where did sewing come from?¡±


    After Wenya finished speaking, I was still very worried.


    ¡°Wenya, you are bailed out by Ding Yinuo, Gu Yuanzhou is sure to sue you next, we need to find a lawyer. Or else, you will be jailed after the court ruling. ¡±


    My words hung in the air as Wenya fell silent.


    ¡°So, we have no way out of this?¡± Jian Jing was also worried.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t, thinking¡­¡±


    Wenya started cursing at Gu Yuanzhou again, from the time we first started dating until now, calling him a scumbag, a dog of a man¡­


    After her rant, she asked me,


    ¡°Knowing Gu Yuanzhou as you do, what will he do to me?¡±


    Jian Jing suggested a strategic retreat,


    ¡°What if you apologize to him? After all, you used to be Song Yun¡¯s best friend, maybe he would forgive you this once for his wife¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, no way! The scumbag isn¡¯t worth it! I¡¯d rather die than apologize!¡¯


    Wenya was quite adamant.


    I gently patted her shoulder, chuckling,


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this, you better lay low for a few days.¡±


    In truth, I didn¡¯t know where Gu Yuanzhou would draw the line with this matter!


    If he truly loved me!


    Perhaps he might overlook it, considering that Wenya is my best friend.


    But, if he had never loved me as Pei Zexi said, then he wouldn¡¯t show any mercy to my best friend.


    Although I had a choice, I couldn¡¯t just hope for the best; I had to think of a real solution.


    Half an hour later, I returned to the office.


    As soon as I arrived at the entrance, I sensed something was off.


    A few of the staff members were standing at the entrance, respectfully lined up on two sides, leaving a path in the middle.


    Each of them was respectfully preparing to welcome someone.


    ¡°Assistant Song, you¡¯re here! President Gu was looking for you everywhere just now! ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was stuck in traffic and I¡¯m late¡­ So who is the important person we¡¯re expecting today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but the HR manager said we all have to line up to welcome the


    VIP.¡±


    I hurried back to my workstation.


    After heading to the president¡¯s office, I saw Gu Yuanzhou on the phone.


    He looked quite worried.


    When he saw me, he said,


    ¡°Reserve the finest restaurant and prepare to entertain the VIP guest. Make sure that the logistics are handled properly, we cannot afford any mistakes!¡±


    Before I could respond, he went to greet the guest personally.


    I followed him outside.


    A few minutes later, a fleet of black limousines gradually pulled up at the company¡¯s entrance.


    When I saw this, I had already guessed who it was.


    The car door opened quickly, and a powerful elderly man in a suit got out.


    I recognized him at a glance.


    As I had guessed, it was my Uncle Song Shixiong.


    He was not only a benefactor to Gu Yuanzhou, but also a relative by marriage.


    Gu Yuanzhou naturally greeted him personally.


    Knowing I was standing in front of my relative, I had to remain silent due to my altered identity, and I simply followed Gu Yuanzhou silently.


    In fact, Song Shixiong has hardly ever visited Zhenyi Company.


    If he is visiting in person this time, it must be for a reason¡­


    Once Gu Yuanzhou and Song Shixiong entered, the employees standing at the door dispersed.


    I then also entered Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office.


    I busied myself making tea and slicing up a fruit platter. Keeping the guests comfortable gave me the chance to overhear their conversation.


    ¡°l entrusted Ayun to you in good faith! To think she would meet such an end under your care!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou apologized in a humble manner,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Uncle, I¡¯m all to blame! I didn¡¯t foresee the accident, and didn¡¯t care for Ayun well enough. I accept full responsibility!!


    ¡°l delayed confronting you about this because I trusted you. I thought you would take care of everything in due course, and give me a proper explanation. But, your company¡¯s stocks are soaring upwards while I see no sign of you dealing with what happened to Ayun.¡±


    Song Shixiongs rage was fearsome as he lashed out at Gu Yuanzhou.


    With a calm expression, Gu Yuanzhou continued to apologize without offering any explanations.


    It seemed he was prepared to accept whatever fallout came his way.


    Once Song Shixiong vented his anger, he gradually calmed down and accepted the cup of tea I had brewed for him.


    He then let out a sigh.


    ¡°Poor child, Ayun has been deprived of parental love since childhood, and now this disaster has struck at such a young age. It¡¯s truly heartbreaking!¡¯


    ¡°Rest easy, Uncle, Gu Yuanzhou will take Ayun¡¯s place in fulfilling her filial duties to you, and ensure your needs are taken care of!¡±


    Admittedly, Gu Yuanzhou was a good talker, and he seemed to have hit the nail on the head with those words.


    ¡°When do you plant to hold the funeral? No matter how busy you are, you can¡¯t just leave Ayun in the hospital morgue forever!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou managed a bitter smile,


    ¡°To tell you the truth, Uncle, I¡¯ve made several plans for the funeral. Yet I can¡¯t bring myself to face this reality, as if As long as the funeral hasn¡¯t taken place, it feels like Ayun and our children¡­ they haven¡¯t really left me.¡±


    His words were so sincere, I was nearly moved by them.


    Song Shixiong sighed deeply before speaking earnestly,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to grieve, but the funeral still needs to be properly arranged. I hope you can lay Ayun to rest soon!¡±


    ¡°Understood, I will comply with your arrangements, Uncle!¡±


    Having completed his tea, Song Shixiong put his cup down and got to the point.


    ¡°About Ayun¡¯s inheritance, how do you plan to handle it?¡±


    Although Gu Yuanzhou and I started the business together, the initial capital was put up by me. A significant portion of that was from funds provided by Song Shixiong.


    As of now, our company is valued at more than twenty billion. Even if I were to split it equally with Gu Yuanzhou, I should have an inheritance of ten billion. Logically speaking, if Gu Yuanzhou had a conscience, he should transfer these shares to Song Shixiong for handling.


    Now, I was waiting for Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s answer¡­

 Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 The Choice He Gave Turns Out to be 1

    Chapter 32: Chapter 32 The Choice He Gave Turns Out to be 1


    Translator: 549690339


    After a moment of contemplation, Gu Yuanzhou looked in the direction of Song Shixiong, his voice slow and mournful.


    ¡°Ayun had no parents. It was my uncle who single-handedly raised her. He is like her father, hence, 1 wish to respect his decisions regarding the inheritance.¡¯


    Song Shixiong remained silent for a few seconds.


    ¡°Very well! Ayun was a kind soul. She had a special love for children in her lifetime. I plan to use this money to set up a fund to help disadvantaged children who are unable to afford their education.¡¯


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou calmly rejected the idea.


    ¡°Uncle, I believe Ayun cared the most about the Zhenyi Company during her lifetime. She hoped for the continued development and growth of Zhenyi


    Company. At this moment, 1 do not recommend pulling out half of the funds.¡±


    Song Shixiong was quite angry, his voice noticeably raised.


    ¡°So you mean to say you¡¯re disagreeing?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly, I merely wanted to correct you, Uncle, that was not Ayun¡¯s testament! ¡±


    Song Shixiong scoffed,


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware you¡¯re using Ayun to make a profit! I won¡¯t trace into it further, but you should know where to stop. She¡¯s gone, do not use her name to exploit others anymore!¡±


    ¡°Uncle, everything I did was for Zhenyi! Zhenyi Company was all of Ayun¡¯s hard work! If she were still alive, she would also never want to see the company she painstakingly established be broken down.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was a businessman, and at this moment, his businessman side was undeniably revealed.


    He was unwilling to take a step back.


    He had no intention of sharing his fortune with Song Shixiong.


    While his tone seemed modest on the surface, the moment profits were involved, he became sharp immediately.


    ¡°Ayun was brought up by me, wouldn¡¯t I know better what her hopes were?¡±


    ¡°Uncle, you don¡¯t need money, why break down Zhenyi Company? But I request you, please give Zhenyi a chance to survive! I really don¡¯t want to see it fall!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re defying me?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Uncle, you are my rock, I have no courage to defy you!¡¯


    This dispute did not end harmoniously.


    In fact, this was the first time I saw Gu Yuanzhou daring to argue with Song Shixiong.


    Previously, Gu Yuanzhou was always submissive in Song Shixiongs presence, never daring to resist.


    But now, he was presenting himself as someone who no longer regarded Song Shixiong¡¯s words.


    Either due to my passing, he no longer cared about showing decent respect for Song Shixiong.


    Or, he had grown more assertive!


    Regardless of which was the case, it was beyond my ability to stop it.


    Song Shixiong finally left in anger.


    Despite everything, Gu Yuanzhou respectfully walked Song Shixiong to the door.


    However, after Song Shixiong left,


    Yuanzhou spent a long time smoking alone in his office.


    With a furrowed brow, it seemed as if he was bothered by something.


    1 silently stood by his side, seemingly accompanying him, but truly observing.


    When he finished smoking, he looked at me!


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Your family matters, President Gu, I would rather not intervene!¡± ¡°Around me, you don¡¯t need to be so cautious! Feel free to voice your thoughts!¡¯


    ¡°l only have one suggestion, that is¡­to let Mrs. Gu and the two children be laid to rest as soon as possible!¡±


    That was my honest thought.


    In fact, I don¡¯t want Gu Yuanzhou to exploit his dead wife¡¯s name to make a profit.


    Whether it was intentional or not, he shouldn¡¯t.


    Gu Yuanzhou chuckled lightly. He stood up and walked to the window. After taking a smoke, he said:


    ¡°The compassion of a woman! It¡¯s indeed a hindrance to great achievements!¡±


    Then he sighed,


    ¡°At your age, it¡¯s natural for you to not understand.¡±


    His remarks on ¡®the compassion of a woman¡¯ left me feeling cold.


    Did he think that people who had passed on no longer deserved sympathy?


    Or, did he plan to continue exploiting this situation?


    ¡°President Gu, you look unwell. Would you like to rest earlier?¡±


    ¡°No need. I still have more work to handle!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou indeed was a workaholic.


    He spent the whole afternoon signing all the documents that had piled up over the past two days.


    Then he had to attend a meeting¡­


    Perhaps his injuries were too severe, he actually fainted in the meeting.


    I had to rush him to the hospital again.


    Upon examination, the doctor found out that Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s wound had reopened and required stitching once more.


    All the work he had done today was completed while bearing intense pain.


    You can¡¯t deny, he truly is a workaholic¡­


    At eight in the evening, I went to see Wenya again, and took Wenya to visit Su Peisheng.


    I told them all the strategies I could think of to confront Gu Yuanzhou.


    Su Peisheng gave me a thumbs up,


    ¡°This method will work! We¡¯re lucky to have you!¡¯


    Wenya, on the other hand, was very angry. Whilst drinking her coffee, she voiced her grievances about Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°l never thought that in my life, 1 would have to use such base methods for dealing with a man¡­¡±


    Su Peisheng patted her shoulder,


    ¡°Where there are people, there are disputes! This is how it is in the business world. It seems that Miss Wen is too naive¡­


    Wenya frowned at Su Peisheng,


    ¡°Quit the sarcasm! Actually, I despise lawyers the most! Always picking at words on paper, digging pits in contracts. Simply put, they¡¯re lawful swindlers.¡¯


    Su Peisheng adjusted his tie,


    ¡°Ahem, Miss Wen, let me remind you! Offending a lawyer is not a wise move.¡±


    Wenya wasn¡¯t one to back down either,


    ¡°l am your benefactor! Do you believe that I could fire you right now?¡± Su Peisheng just shrugged,


    ¡°Do you know? Not many people in A City dare to go against Gu Yuanzhou!


    The only person who dares to take him on directly is me!¡±


    ¡°Keep bragging, he¡¯s not the mafia, what¡¯s so great about him?¡±


    ¡°Hey, it seems like you really don¡¯t know what kind of person Gu Yuanzhou is, let me tell you¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, quit trying to deter us with tales of his might. Tell me, can you do it or not? If not, I¡¯ll find someone else!¡±


    ¡°Ah, such a stubborn woman. How do you even teach children at this level?


    Isn¡¯t this leading them astray?¡±


    The two of them ended up in a heated argument.


    Their faces were flushed with indignation. In the end, Wenya slammed the table,


    ¡°Ayun, I don¡¯t need him. I will negotiate with Gu Yuanzhou myself!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­


    Before I could respond, Su Peisheng stormed out,


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a foolish woman. If it were not for Miss Song, 1 wouldn¡¯t bother negotiating with you. Fine, I¡¯m not involved in this anymore; do as you wish.¡± He said before walking out. ¡°Hey, Wenya!¡¯


    Wenya, however, reassured me,


    ¡°What¡¯s he trying to imply? He was handsomely paid to bail me out, even taking 300,000 from you. Now, he gets paid and acts high and mighty. I don¡¯t want to deal with him anymore. Ayun, you don¡¯t have to worry. Now that I¡¯ve had my first experience, I know how to handle Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s words did not reassure me. Considering how calculating Gu Yuanzhou is, can Wenya truly handle him?


    After dinner, around nine, I went to the hospital again to see if Gu Yuanzhou had regained consciousness.


    As soon as I stepped into the ward, I noticed there was an additional woman in the room..

 Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Gu Yuanzhou’s Special Hobby_l

    Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s Special Hobby_l


    Translator: 549690339


    From a distance, I watched the petite and delicate woman, her smile warm and tender.


    She was sitting by the hospital bed, holding a book in her hand and gently reading aloud.


    Gu Yuanzhou lay in the bed.


    His eyes often closed to rest, occasionally opening to glance at her.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to come here?¡± he said, his voice deep, tinged with a hint of concern.


    Ye Mengyan whispered apologetically,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to disregard your words. I just felt anxious seeing you sick with no one here to look after you.¡±


    A sensitively phrased response that simply felt soothing.


    Perhaps it¡¯s this kind of tenderness that all men adore.


    I stopped in my tracks, backed off to the door, and leaned against the wall, watching.


    ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate! ¡±


    ¡°Brother Gu, Sister Song is no longer here! You should forget about the past pains and start a new life.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou remained silent.


    Ye Mengyan continued to speak¡­


    Her voice was soft and gentle.


    ¡°Brother Gu, is the wound deep? It must hurt a lot, right? Can I have a look?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a pot of fish congee for you. My mother said it will help in wound recovery! Let me feed you.¡±


    ¡°Brother Gu, does your head still ache? Can I massage it for you?¡±


    Ye Mengvan was an extremely sensible and well-tempered girl. She never did


    anything to anger Gu Yuanzhou.


    And I thought, were I a successful businessman, I would also want such a gentle and delightful confidante by my side.


    In this moment, suddenly, a cry was heard. It was Ye Mengyan.


    Her sobs were soft and delicate.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Yuanzhou asked with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Gu, I should not be acting like this when you are sick. I shouldn¡¯t have¡­ I wasn¡¯t able to hold back¡­


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Ye Mengyan spoke through her sobs,


    ¡°l can¡¯t say it. If 1 do, I would just trouble you more! Please pretend I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice was clearly getting anxious.


    After hesitating for a while, Ye Mengyan finally spoke.


    ¡°Someone¡­someone let out a rumor that I¡¯m the other woman. My classmates misunderstood me, they called me a lowlife! These past few days at school, they¡¯ve been pointing fingers at me. l¡­ I¡¯m really upset!¡¯


    ¡°Give me a list of their names, I will take care of it. Don¡¯t cry. Everything will be over by tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Gu, for causing you trouble!¡±


    ¡°If anyone bullies you in the future, you have to tell me.¡±


    Listening to their exchange, I stiffly leaned my back against the wall, not daring to move.


    Until a doctor called out to me.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, Assistant Song! The patient can¡¯t just walk out of the hospital anymore, his condition is quite serious. If the wound gets infected again, it could be life-threatening.¡±


    It was Gu Yuanzhou!s attending physician, he recognized me.


    I forced a smile and exchanged a few pleasantries. After he left, Ye Mengyan had already walked out of the hospital room.


    Our eyes met!


    Her face was slightly awkward as she softly asked,


    ¡°Did you come to see President Gu?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a document he needs to sign. If you guys are still talking, I can come back tomorrow! ¡±


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ve finished talking! Go ahead, I¡¯ll be leaving first!¡±


    Ye Mengyan gave me a meaningful glance before turning around to leave.


    I walked into the ward with the documents.


    ¡°President Gu, I will leave the document here on the table, look at it when you¡¯re feeling better tomorrow! ¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes remained closed as usual, seemingly pondering over something; he nodded in response.


    Seeing as he had no further instructions, I excused myself,


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m leaving now. Please rest early.¡±


    As I walked out of the hospital, a silhouette emerged from the shadows and approached me.


    Under the streetlight, I recognized it was indeed Ye Mengyan.


    As she must have been crying earlier, Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes were still wet. Her eyelashes, stained with tears, gave her a pitiful look.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, let¡¯s talk!¡±


    Her voice was also soft, as if she was afraid of scaring someone.


    I was also curious about what she had to say.


    Ye Mengyan appeared quite reserved.


    She lowered her head to look at her phone; it seemed someone was calling her but she didn¡¯t want to answer.


    But the person kept calling.


    She rejected the call five times¡­


    ¡°Is it Shen Yishu?¡± She nodded,


    ¡°Are you close to him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a journalist, a very creative young man! He once interviewed Gu


    Yuanzhou and is often seen outside our company!¡¯


    I didn¡¯t hide anything about how I knew Shen Yishu.


    Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t seem surprised.


    Since she was paying so much attention to Gu Yuanzhou, it wasn¡¯t strange that she knew about Shen Yishu being frequently seen at the Zhenyi Company. Maybe she didn¡¯t pay much attention to Shen Yishu, as all she did was respond with a noncommittal ¡®oh¡¯.


    We hadn¡¯t walked far when Ye Mengyan led me to a caf¨¦ near the university town.


    We ordered two cappuccinos and Ye Mengyan let out a sigh.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I want to discuss with you¡­ I¡¯m in a dilemma.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    I had initially thought she would want to talk about Gu Yuanzhou.


    Instead, she started talking about Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Shen Yishu and I grew up together. We are both from Qingcheng and our families were neighbors. After my father had died in an accident, our financial state crumbled and my mother, being sickly, was unable to support us. We often received financial aid from Yishu, but his family wasn¡¯t wealthy either, so what he could provide was very limited. But, he was always making efforts! ¡±


    I nodded in understanding¡­


    I could see that Shen Yishu was truly a good man.


    Something that made him the perfect choice for a life-long partner.


    Ye Mengyan continued, ¡°Later, I went to university and met Brother Gu. He was a good person, always generous! Each time I faced a hardship, he didn¡¯t hesitate to help.


    I was skeptical, picturing a high-handed CEO using money as bait to lure the naive young girl¡­ Yes, a common enough tactic.


    ¡°Especially when my mother was hospitalized, he helped me greatly. 1 was grateful to him and always wanted to repay his kindness.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    Ye Mengyan nodded,


    ¡°Yes, when he made a special request to me, I agreed. Then after feeling guilty, I broke up with Yishu. I knew Yishu was good to me, but I couldn¡¯t juggle two men at the same time.¡¯ I think I understood.


    ¡°Special request?¡±


    Ye Mengyan blushed, nodded and whispered, the softness of her voice making it sound particularly shy and difficult for her to articulate.


    ¡°Brother Gu has a special hobby that only I can fulfill! He said that he couldn¡¯t find this kind of comfort with any other person apart from me.¡±


    ¡°Special hobby?¡±


    I repeated once again.


    Thinking about it, after being married to Gu Yuanzhou for so many years, I cannot think of any hobby that I didn¡¯t already know about..

 Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 She’s Pretending_l

    Chapter 34: Chapter 34 She¡¯s Pretending_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Ye Mengyan seemed quite embarrassed, biting her lower lip. It took her a long while of entanglement in her gaze before she spoke softly.


    ¡°He said I smelled like a virgin! Very clean, very pure, like a snow lotus on


    Tianshan, he feels good when he¡¯s with me.¡±


    Her words thrust me into a bottomless abyss.


    This reminded me of my wedding night with Gu Yuanzhou.


    We both enjoyed ourselves that night.


    But I didn¡¯t bleed.


    That night, he didn¡¯t ask too many questions. Only after a long time, he asked me after being drunk if I had had a boyfriend before him.


    1 didn¡¯t hide anything, I told him the truth.


    Before him, I indeed had a short relationship.


    A few months afterward, he seems to have gone on a business trip as an excuse and didn¡¯t return until over a month later.


    I was so blinded by love then, I didn¡¯t think too much about it.


    Now that I think about it, what he wanted to ask was not whether I had any romantic history, but whether he was my first.


    He was suspecting that I wasn¡¯t a virgin!


    Maybe that month-long business trip was just my punishment.


    At this thought, I was furious.


    In fact, although I had been in a relationship before, it was not really dating as we hadn¡¯t even hugged or held hands.


    Not to mention having any intimate relationship.


    In reality, Gu Yuanzhou was indeed my first.


    Just that for some reason, I didn¡¯t bleed the first time.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, what are you thinking about?¡±


    Seeing that I was upset, Ye Mengyan asked me a few more questions.


    I picked up my coffee and tried to squeeze out a smile.


    ¡°So, you and Shen Yishu haven¡¯t had an intimate encounter since your childhood romance?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was a little surprised, then shook her head with a smile.


    ¡°No! My mother was very strict with me. When I was in school, I wasn¡¯t allowed to stay out at night. She repeatedly warned me that chastity is a girl¡¯s most precious treasure. If a girl does not respect and cherish herself, she will become worthless in front of a man after losing her purity.¡±


    From her demeanor, it could be seen that Yemother was a woman with traditional thinking as well.


    ¡°Do you think what your mom said is correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is right! You wouldn¡¯t believe it, some men online advocate something called the ¡®paternity priority theory!¡¯


    ¡°Paternity Priority Theory? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Um, this¡­ I¡¯m embarrassed to explain, you can check online, In short, the idea is that men will only fall in love with the woman with whom they have their first intimate encounter, because their offspring will be purer.¡± I was initially skeptical about what Ye Mengyan said.


    But when I looked it up online, I suddenly understood why Gu Yuanzhou would like Ye Mengyan.


    At this point, Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t continue speaking about this issue.


    Instead, she turned the conversation back to Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Yishu has been begging me to get back together with him, I don¡¯t know what to do?¡±


    ¡°Just choose whoever means more to you!¡±


    ¡°Yishu has been so good to me, I don¡¯t want to hurt him. He has given up so much for me over the years, I really don¡¯t want to hurt him.¡±


    When Ye Mengyan said this, it means she had already chosen Gu Yuanzhou in her heart.


    Indeed, even being with Gu Yuanzhou as an underground mistress who has no status is a life of luxury.


    Much better than being with a poor youngster who¡¯s broke and down-and-out.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, do you have any solution to minimize the harm? Even though I can¡¯t be with Yishu, he is still the most important person in my heart, like my best friend, my family member. After so many years, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°In my view, if you don¡¯t love him anymore, just reject him directly. It¡¯s better than beating around the bush!¡±


    It¡¯s better to have a short pain than a long one, a swift decision is better than a prolonged one.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, thank you! I understand!¡±


    Just as we were talking, Ye Mengyan¡¯s phone suddenly rang. After she finished the call, she turned to me and said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to Maple Mansion!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°My mom has invited you for dinner!¡±


    ¡°Why does Aunt suddenly want to invite me for dinner?¡±


    ¡°My mom¡¯s condition has improved! She was discharged from the hospital yesterday. She likes you very much and wanted to cook some dishes for you. She will be going back to the countryside in a few days, so we won¡¯t be able to see each other again until next month.¡±


    ¡°Ok! ¡±


    I don¡¯t dislike Yemother. Besides, I also want to take another look at Maple Mansion.


    Half an hour later, just as Ye Mengyan and I entered the door, I saw several guests sitting in the living room.


    Yemother was busy serving tea and water.


    Shen Yishu was among them.


    ¡°Mengmeng, you¡¯re back?¡±


    The moment he saw Ye Mengyan, there was a light in Shen Yishu¡¯s eyes.


    Undisguised thick love¡­


    Ye Mengyan greeted everyone in the room, ¡°Uncles, aunties, hello!¡± Soon, by listening to their discussions, I understood.


    The people present today were Shen Yishu¡¯s parents, along with a matchmaker they had invited.


    Only when I looked closely did I noticed that there were four betrothal gifts placed on the cabinet.


    Once Yemother had everyone seated, she explained why they were all there.


    ¡°Mengmeng, today Shen Uncle is here to discuss your marriage with Yishu. You two have been playing together since you were young. Yishu is an honest, kind, and ambitious boy! I also like him a lot. I know it might be a bit too early to arrange your marriage now, but my health isn¡¯t good and your father is no longer here. I worry that if something happens to me someday, and there¡¯s no one to take care of you, so, I hope to arrange your marriage as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Mom! You will be fine! This illness can be cured.¡¯


    Tears welled up in Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes.


    At this moment, Shen Yishu kneeled down in front of Yemother, gave several loud headbutts, and shouted ¡°Mom¡±.


    Though Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t look happy, she hadn¡¯t mustered the courage to refuse her mother¡¯s arrangement yet.


    I remained silent.


    My attention was suddenly drawn to the dishes on the table.


    The dishes today were all home-cooked meals, but the taste was so familiar.


    It was definitely the same taste as the dishes cooked by my housekeeper Wu Jun.


    1 tried each dish and savored it carefully, yes, it was indeed the same taste.


    The last time I tasted these flavors was when Ye Mengyan cooked a couple of dishes for me.


    She said her mother taught her¡­..


    But Yemother had just recovered from a serious illness and, though she looked healthy now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to prepare these dishes all by herself.


    I turned my gaze to Yemother.


    ¡°Auntie, this dish is so delicious!¡± ¡°Xiaosong, if you like it, eat more!¡±


    ¡°Auntie, did you stir-fry this dish?¡±


    ¡°l wish I could! But my health doesn¡¯t permit it! So, I called my cousin this morning to help me stir-fry it!¡¯


    ¡°Is your cousin a chef?¡±


    ¡°No! She works as a housekeeper! Just cleaning and cooking! She learned her cooking skills from me.¡±


    ¡°Where is she now?¡±


    I suddenly realized that this cousin of hers must be Wu Jun..

 Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35: He asked me to kill Gu Yuanzhou 1

    Chapter 35: Chapter 35: He asked me to kill Gu Yuanzhou 1


    Translator: 549690339


    Mother Ye carefully recalled,


    ¡°l believe she currently works in a cafeteria of some company¡­¡±


    At this point in her sentence, Ye Mengyan suddenly interjected in a soft voice,


    ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t aunt mention that we shouldn¡¯t reveal where she is working?¡±


    After speaking, Ye Mengyan smiled at me,


    ¡°No offense, it¡¯s just that my aunt works for a secretive institution and asked us not to let it out.¡¯


    That¡¯s when Mother Ye realized and hurriedly said,


    ¡°Yes, Xiaosong, please don¡¯t overthink it! My niece didn¡¯t tell us exactly where she works, only asked us to keep it a secret and not to ask. It¡¯s not meant to be against you!¡¯


    Though quite shocked, I managed to maintain a calm expression.


    It seems Wu Jun is craftier than I thought, adept at concealing her traces.


    However, I gathered two important pieces of information.


    The first is that Wu Jun is still in A City.


    The second is that Mother Ye at least has Wu Jun¡¯s contact details.


    Having said all this, asking Mother Ye further right now might arouse suspicion.


    Alarming her would do more harm than good.


    Hence, 1 promptly shifted the topic,


    ¡°Aunt Ye, I heard from Mengyan that you are returning to the countryside tomorrow, is it right?¡±


    Mother Ye replied with a smile,


    ¡°Yes! For my illness, I need to come to the hospital for dialysis every month!


    Once done, I have to head back to the countryside!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you find a job in the city? This way, you wouldn¡¯t need to travel back and forth strenuously, and could also live with Mengyan and look after each other.¡¯


    ¡°Sigh, I¡¯d like to find a job! But I¡¯m illiterate and older now! When I try applying for a housemaid role, people reject me.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I have a friend who spends most of his time abroad. He¡¯s looking for someone to take care of his villa in his absence. You won¡¯t have to do any heavy work, just need to open the windows every day, trim the plants, and look after pets. The salary will be five thousand a month!¡±


    Mother Ye was intrigued, asking,


    ¡°Really? And he wouldn¡¯t reject me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, you seem very nimble. If you¡¯re willing, I¡¯ll contact him right away, and you could start working the day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I agree!¡¯


    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll call him later and let you know tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you so much!¡±


    Upon leaving the Maple Mansion, Mother Ye saw me to the gate.


    Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t see me off. She was standing at the end of the corridor, talking to Shen Yishu.


    I faintly heard a few words:


    ¡°In the future, you and your parents should not come here. This isn¡¯t my house. It wouldn¡¯t look good if others saw¡­¡±


    Shen Yishu apologized cautiously,


    ¡°Sorry, it was¡­my mom who asked us to come here, for the sake of appearances!


    ¡°Shen Yishu, have you thought about where we¡¯ll live after we get married?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. My parents have borrowed money and made a down payment for our marital home¡­..Mengmeng, the house might not be huge, but we can work hard together.¡±


    ¡°You should have notified me before you came here. Since we¡¯ve broken up, why would you suddenly propose? You¡¯re morally kidnapping me! ¡±


    ¡°Mengmeng, after breaking up, I¡¯ve thought about it for a long time. I can¡¯t lose you! Mengmeng, after we get married, I¡¯ll follow your orders! If you tell me not to interview Gu Yuanzhou, I won¡¯t. Is that okay?¡±


    As I drifted further away, their voices faded.


    Half an hour later.


    The Zero Point Bar!


    I barged into Ding Yinuo¡¯s private room.


    Though Ding Yinuo was my arch-nemesis in his past life, I¡¯m well aware of his whereabouts and social circle.


    To find this prominent bachelor in A city wasn¡¯t difficult for me.


    The group was originally drinking. Upon seeing me, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Pei Zexi nudged Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Hey, your wife is here!¡±


    Ding Yinuo only wore a white shirt, without a tie. He uncorked one button, revealing his sexy Adam¡¯s apple.


    With a glass of red wine in one hand, and the other rested on the sofa, he looked at me with half-closed eyes.


    Under the dim lights, he exuded an air of lazy sexiness.


    Indeed fitting for the school heartthrob of yesteryears!


    Nonetheless, when this man looked at me, he didn¡¯t show any excitement.


    It was as if I was just a piece of wood to him.


    ¡°Cut the talk, someone like her isn¡¯t even worthy of being my girlfriend!¡±


    Ding Yinuo punched Pei Zexi in the chest.


    1 took it in my stride and sat down, retorting, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s wonderful. I wouldn¡¯t accept a man like you anyway!¡¯


    No sooner had my words fallen, did Ding Yinuo turn and give me a fierce stare. It seemed like he didn¡¯t expect me to look down on him too.


    Then, a burst of uproarious laughter from Pei Zexi fills the room. ¡°Ha ha, Ding, you finally got a taste of humiliation?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t bother to respond. Instead, he turned to me,


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t fancy me, why did you come looking for me?¡±


    I too, got straight to the point,


    ¡°The mother of a friend of mine is in need of a job! I know you have a vacant villa, you can hire her to keep an eye on it. I¡¯ll take care of the salary.¡±


    Ding Yinuo stared at me for about ten seconds,


    ¡°l do have a villa, but why should I help you?¡±


    Actually, I knew from the start that Ding Yinuo would reject me.


    He shared a commonality with Gu Yuanzhou both were particularly practical.


    ¡°In exchange, I can do you a favor!¡±


    Ding Yinuo gave a light laugh,


    ¡°You still owe me from last time. Youngster, just stepping out of school, talking big and acting bold! ¡±


    ¡°What I owed you last time, plus I owe you this time, can be traded for something bigger!


    Ding Yinuo pondered for a few minutes, then waved his hand,


    ¡°Old Pei, take the guys to the golf course and wait for me! I¡¯ll catch up with you in a bit.¡±


    Pei Zexi jokingly said,


    ¡°I suggest you book a hotel room, this room isn¡¯t spacious enough for you two!¡±


    Ding Yinuo swore, ¡°Get lost!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯re off! Miss Song, hope you two have fun!¡±


    Pei Zexi, grinning, picked up his suit jacket and left with the others.


    Ding Yinou lit a cigarette, then got up to close and lock the private room door.


    He slowly sat back down on the sofa, crossed one leg over the other, looked at me for a few seconds.


    Then he took out a small, white, gourd-shaped porcelain bottle from his bag.


    He placed it on the table and pushed it towards me.


    Not knowing what it was, I was about to open it when he stopped me,


    ¡°Don¡¯t open it, it¡¯s poison!¡±


    I immediately put it back on the table.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I need you to put this poison into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s drink! It is odorless andasteless!¡±


    Hearing this, a chill ran down my spine.


    Turns out, Ding Yinuo intends for me to poison Gu Yuanzhou!


    ¡°l don¡¯t indulge in illegal activities. Murder is punishable by death, and I¡¯m not foolish, give me another option!¡±


    ¡°Put it this way, I¡¯m a doctor¡­l know how to make a person die naturally. If anything happens to you, I¡¯m risking it too.. So, be assured, there won¡¯t be any problem! ¡°

 Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 He is Protecting Her 1

    Chapter 36: Chapter 36 He is Protecting Her 1


    Translator: 549690339


    I naturally refused him right away.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I¡¯m not a fool! I won¡¯t do this! I just asked you for a small favor, if you don¡¯t want to do it, so be it. I can go to a housing agency and rent a villa. There¡¯s no need to carry a murder case on my back.¡±


    Ding Yinuo just laughed.


    ¡°If your boss finds out you¡¯re with me every day, do you think he¡¯ll fire you?¡±


    ¡°l believe Mr. Ding wouldn¡¯t report me because if you do, you won¡¯t be able to get any information about Gu Yuanzhou from me.¡±


    I retorted smoothly, handling it just right.


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo was silent for a few minutes.


    He finished another cigarette.


    ¡°Here, take this medicine. There¡¯s no need to use it now. Use it when you need it, it¡¯s never too late.¡¯


    ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Ding?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t say a word, but he pulled out a key from his bag and threw it to me when he got up.


    ¡°No. 168 West Hill Villa, you should know the address¡­¡±


    I picked up the keychain.


    Then I bought a few surveillance cameras online and installed them discreetly.


    In the future, as long as Wu Jun and Ye¡¯s mother come into contact, I would


    nacura11Y mow.


    Once they were installed, I handed the keys to Ye Mengyan and asked her to arrange for her mother to work there.


    The following morning, as soon as I arrived at work¡­


    I saw Gu Yuanzhou talking to Zhou Chenming¡­


    Early in the morning, it seemed the two of them were discussing some underhanded matter.


    I could only stand far away.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t let me come in, so naturally I couldn¡¯t break in.


    However, when Zhou Chenming was about to leave, 1 seized the opportunity to rush into the elevator, pretending to deliver documents downstairs, and shared the elevator ride with him.


    1 casually handed him the coffee 1 had just bought.


    ¡°Attorney Zhou, you¡¯ve worked hard. You¡¯re here so early for work?¡±


    Zhou Chenming knew 1 was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s assistant, so he wasn¡¯t less on guard with me.


    Furthermore, after accepting my coffee, he owed me a minor favor and started chatting with me enthusiastically. ¡°That case! President Gu wants to drop it!¡¯


    ¡°What case?¡±


    ¡°The case where President Gu was attacked. Everyone knows since it¡¯s been in the news! ¡±


    I feigned surprise, widening my eyes,


    ¡°President Gu was seriously injured, why would he drop the charges?¡± Zhou Chenming shrugged,


    ¡°President Gu said, the woman used to be a very good friend of Mrs. Gu. He couldn¡¯t be too harsh.¡¯


    I nodded, showing understanding,


    ¡°It seems President Gu is somewhat sentimental.¡¯


    Zhou Chenming agreed,


    ¡°The main thing is his deep love for Mrs. Gu! You know what they say, love me, love my dog.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Oh, my stop is here. I¡¯ve got to go, goodbye, Attorney Zhou!¡±


    Just as the elevator doors opened, I hastily left. After getting the answers I wanted, I certainly had to withdraw first.


    The conversation just now was nothing more than to appease Zhou Chenming.


    In fact, Gu Yuanzhou would never let Wenya off the hook out of respect for his deceased wife.


    The likelihood is that Wenya, following my previous advice, made her move.


    To confirm this assumption, I went to see Wenya after work.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou dropped the charges, did you do as I suggested?¡±


    The strategy I had given Wenya was to threaten him with one of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s previous scandals.


    After many years of marriage, she indeed had some dirt on him.


    Even though none of these scandals were enough to send him to prison.


    They would smear the company¡¯s image, create negative public sentiment. 1 believed he would compromise with Wenya for the company¡¯s future. At this time, Wenya, after taking a sip of coffee, smiled mysteriously,


    ¡°Sorry, but I didn¡¯t use the material you provided.¡±


    1 was a bit surprised.


    ¡°Then what did you use to threaten him?¡±


    Wenya pulled out her phone and waved it in front of me,


    ¡°l used this! Hehe, I didn¡¯t expect that the things I secretly filmed would be so useful.¡¯


    Out of curiosity, I took Wenya¡¯s phone and glanced at it. It turns out it was the photo she secretly took before, the photo of Gu Yuanzhou meeting with my uncle¡¯s mistress.


    ¡°What did he say at the time?¡±


    ¡°He said as long as I deleted these photos, he would drop the charges!¡¯ ¡°Did he believe you really deleted them?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. This old fox wouldn¡¯t believe my verbal promise. He set a meeting for tomorrow where both parties will sign an agreement! ¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll accompany you tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, if you go won¡¯t you expose us? I can handle this myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be in danger¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? I¡¯ll call Jian Jing tomorrow. I don¡¯t believe Gu Yuanzhou would be so ruthless. Let¡¯s stop talking about this jerk, let¡¯s talk about something happy! ¡±


    With a flick of her wrist, Jian Jing finally started happily talking,


    ¡°Ladies, congratulations to me, I¡¯m getting hitched.¡±


    ¡°When¡¯s the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, on the ninth of next month!¡±


    ¡°Ok, we must congratulate you for that! But let me remind you, don¡¯t give all your heart to a man. Keep some to yourself. Just in case he changes his mind, you¡¯ll be miserable.¡±


    Wenya spoke with an expression full of experience.


    Actually, Jian Jing is not young either. She¡¯s almost twenty-eight this year. It¡¯s a perfect age for marriage, neither early nor late.


    ¡°Well, not all men are like Gu Yuanzhou! Actually, most men are probably good. Don¡¯t throw the baby out with the bathwater. I was just unlucky.¡±


    I raised my glass,


    ¡°Ladies, you should boldly fall in love and marry! After all, there are still good men.¡±


    ¡°Cheers! ¡±


    For us, there are many troubles in life. But at this moment, we can temporarily forget all troubles and get drunk for a while.


    Through the hazy fog, I saw Ding Yinuo again.


    It¡¯s really strange, I seem to bump into him everywhere.


    When I came back, I was so drunk I blacked out. I had no idea how I got home.


    Until the next day, when I woke up there was a man in my room.


    In a reflex, I grabbed my pillow and threw it at him, he caught the pillow and set it aside.


    ¡°Drunk?¡±


    He looked at me coldly, smirking.


    ¡°How, how did you get in my house?¡±


    ¡°If not for me getting you home, do you think you could have gotten here?¡±


    1 reached up to rub my throbbing temples, staggering towards the bathroom.


    He reached out and steadied me by my shoulder.


    ¡°How old are you?¡±


    ¡°Twenty-nine!¡±


    I told my real age instantly. It was only after a while that 1 realized my mistake and corrected myself, ¡°Twenty-four!¡±


    This is Song Xiaoyun!s age.


    He looked at me with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°For such a young age, you¡¯re quite a skilled liar!¡±


    ¡°You flatter me, Mr. Ding!¡¯


    ¡°Okay, drink less in the future! You¡¯re a woman, aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll be assaulted someday when you drink too much?¡± ¡°With Mr. Ding watching over me. I should be okay!¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking? You think I¡¯ve got all day to watch over you? I just ran into you last night when I was out drinking with a friend!¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks for your concern!¡± I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth, and Ding Yinuo followed me in,


    ¡°Did you steal something?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This¡­


    He then throws something at me, which surprised me..

 Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Is This an Act He’s Putting On? 1

    Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Is This an Act He¡¯s Putting On? 1


    Translator: 549690339


    That was the diamond ring I pawned a few days ago to save Wenya.


    As far as I¡¯m concerned!


    It no longer holds any meaning.


    After all, Gu Yuanzhou has already betrayed me, betrayed his own promise.


    I feel no attachment to this trinket.


    ¡°Yes, this is what I pawned! I exchanged it for money to redeem Wenya for Su Peisheng!


    ¡°So, you stole this from Song Yun?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound so ugly, what stealing, I am Song Yun!¡±


    Indeed, the first time I mentioned the matter of reincarnation, Ding Yinuo was there, I had no reason to hide it from him. However, Ding Yinuo did not believe it.


    He redeemed that ring.


    ¡°Guess, what would happen to you if Gu Yuanzhou sees this?¡±


    I gave Ding Yinuo a glance, ¡°Do you think I am Song Yun?¡±


    ¡°You are you, how could you be her?¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, I need to use the bathroom now, could you please step out?¡±


    Ding Yinuo gritted his teeth,


    ¡°Never get drunk again! Otherwise, I¡¯ll give this diamond ring to Gu


    Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, after all these years, can¡¯t you change? Always confronting me, is it fun?¡±


    I have indeed been a bit unrestrained lately.


    In my past life, I often went to karaoke and drank with Wenya, but I never got drunk.


    Because I had children back then, I wanted to be a good mother.


    And now, I¡¯ve lost all my beliefs in life.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the need to uncover the truth about the fire and seek justice for the children, I probably wouldn¡¯t even have the interest to live.


    I have long been indifferent to life and death.


    I didn¡¯t pay much attention to Ding Yinuo¡¯s excessive concern.


    In my view, he simply wanted to use me against Gu Yuanzhou.


    At this moment, after talking a bit more, when I looked up again, Ding Yinuo was staring at me with a complicated look.


    But, he said nothing, just stared at me for several more seconds and then turned and left.


    My phone rang, it was a text message alert.


    I picked up my phone from the bed and looked at it, it was a text from Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, do you have any free time? I want to discuss the details of the fashion week with you!¡¯


    I flatly refused her,


    ¡°Sorry, I am busy recently, no time.¡±


    It seemed that Ye Mengyan thought of something, she was typing for a long time, then deleted it.


    After a long while, she sent another text,


    ¡°Whenever you¡¯re free, let¡¯s meet, I have a lot to tell you!¡¯


    1 stared at the text message for a long time, without sending a word back.


    If I were a man, I might enjoy Ye Mengyan¡¯s simplicity.


    But I¡¯m not¡­


    Ever since she said those words, I have distanced myself from her at heart.


    From now on, I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t want to get close to her anymore.


    Just arrived at the office in the morning.


    1 saw Gu Yuanzhou sitting in front of the office in his suit and shoes, his hair neatly combed, meticulous.


    The faint morning light came in through the window, enveloping him.


    Even when he was busy working, his presence was still very strong.


    But for some reason.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed so alien and distant to me at this moment.


    As though everything between him and I has become a distant dream.


    1 think, from now on, I will no longer mistakenly address him as my husband.


    Only when I walked closer, did I see that he was not working.


    There was a picture file on his desk and it contained a photo of me from my previous life.


    His deep eyes were fixated on the woman in the picture.


    He even reached out to gently stroke the woman¡¯s cheek in the photograph.


    What is he thinking?


    Hesitant to let go of his child?


    Can¡¯t forget me?


    Perhaps sensing my approach, he nonchalantly closed the photograph and cleared his throat with a cough.


    Then he opened a contract to cover up his zoning out.


    1 made a cup of coffee for him.


    Then casually asked him a question.


    ¡°Mrs. Gu is a very accomplished woman! She was so young, it¡¯s such a shame!¡± Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me.


    Perhaps because of the close proximity, I noticed for the first time how pale his face looked.


    But his eyes were still deep, he said after a long silence,


    ¡°She was the most accomplished woman I have ever met!¡±


    Since he was finally willing to talk to me about the past, I asked another question.


    ¡°It seems that you two had a good relationship?¡±


    ¡°Ayun was a good wife, a good mother¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice was low and husky, seemingly filled with endless sorrow.


    ¡°Ah, life and death are unpredictable, President Gu, it¡¯s not worth mourning too much!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gave a bitter smile.


    He pinched the space between his eyebrows, ¡°Some people, for life¡­¡±


    Simple words, if you break them apart, I could understand them.


    But out together, I don¡¯t understand.


    Looking at him, it seemed as if he had a deep affection for his deceased wife.


    But then, thinking of Ye Mengyan¡¯s words about how they had been together secretly for years, my heart immediately went cold again.


    While I was in a daze, I heard a rush of high-heeled shoes approaching.


    Then, a competent woman in a suit walked up to Gu Yuanzhou.


    It was Annie.


    Annie gave me a disdainful glance and then turned to Gu Yuanzhou with a smile.


    ¡°President Gu, how are you¡­ how is your recovery coming along? Ah, when you were in the hospital, I came to visit a few times, but someone always blocked me, I couldn¡¯t see you. Actually, a lot of the employees in the company are very concerned about you.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t even lift his head, he replied,


    ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury, I¡¯m quite alright now.¡±


    Annie immediately laughed flirtatiously,


    ¡°President Gu indeed has divine protection, immunity to all diseases, you look very healthy now. The fact that you have recovered is a great fortune for all of us employees.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Annie promptly presented a document,


    ¡°This task used to be handled by Luo Zizhou, and now that Assistant Song has taken over, do you think it¡¯s appropriate for her to handle this?¡±


    Although I completed a task neatly last time and won Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s trust.


    And managed to shut Annie up for the moment, but she has not given up on pushing me out.


    It seems like she¡¯s trying to pull me down from this position.


    On the surface, she would greet me with a smile when she saw me, but in fact, she¡¯s been saying quite a bit of nasty stuff about me and has been going behind my back to cause trouble.


    From her expression, I can already sense that she has set a huge trap for me.


    Gu Yuanzhou took the document, glanced at it, then passed it to me, ¡°Give this project to you!¡¯


    I took a look at it, sure enough, it was a difficult task, and it¡¯s even related to


    Ding Yinuo.


    I looked up at Annie, she was also looking at me triumphantly,


    ¡°If you¡¯re not able to handle it, you can ask Assistant Luo in the security department for advice, he¡¯ll help you!¡¯


    Just as I was considering how to respond to Annie, unexpectedly Gu Yuanzhou spoke up..

 Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 What is He An’s Plan 1

    Chapter 38: Chapter 38 What is He An¡¯s Plan 1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°No need for Luo Zizhou. I¡¯ll guide her myself!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was speaking to Annie.


    Hearing this, Annie was astounded.


    She apparently hadn¡¯t anticipated that Gu Yuanzhou would be willing to mentor me personally.


    This was indeed quite rare.


    A combination of jealousy and resentment was visible on Annie¡¯s face, and she insisted,


    ¡°President Gu, you are a top executive in the company. You have many important things to attend to. How can you have the time to coach her? Let¡¯s leave professional matters to the professionals.¡±


    At her words, Gu Yuanyuan glanced upwards, his piercing gaze resting upon


    Annie,


    ¡°Do I need you to tell me how to do my job?¡±


    There was a low register to his voice, tinged    an undercurrent of displeasure and a touch of sarcasm.


    There was an absolute weight of authority to it.


    Annie perceived that Gu Yuanzhou was already irritated; if she continued, she risked losing her job. So, she quickly decided to change her attitude.


    ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡±


    Having apologized, she walked off crestfallen.


    I too hadn¡¯t expected that Gu Yuanzhou would personally guide me.


    However, this project indeed posed a significant challenge.


    After Annie had left, 1 once again looked over the file,


    ¡°Mr. President, I feel that this project is quite challenging. Can we approach it in a better way?¡±


    ¡°What ¡®better way¡¯ do you propose?¡±


    As I met Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze, I fell silent abruptly.


    I was reminded of the years spent working with Gu Yuanzhou again.


    Many classic business strategies were born out of my imaginations ¨C I suggested the ideas and Gu Yuanzhou took care of fine-tuning the details and carrying them out.


    We collaborated seamlessly, laying a solid foundation for the company¡¯s growth.


    Recently, I too have been observing the market dynamics and proposed some unique insights.


    ¡°The plan Annie delivered involves collaborating with the female celebrity


    Mina, using her as the feature model for our new products¡­ I understand that she has immense popularity and viewership. Her aloof image fits well with our product vibes. But she has already signed a contract with Tianjiao


    Company. If we want to snatch her, we need to offer at least double the price. It¡¯s not that I think she is bad, but she¡¯s just too tricky to deal with. I can opt for better business channels which can save us a large sum in advertising fees!¡±


    ¡°What channels?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about collaborating with top-notch influencers! Currently, I¡¯ve noticed some influencers with impressive sales numbers, we can consider¡­¡±


    Before I could finish, Gu Yuanzhou interrupted me.


    ¡°No way! My products target the high-end market; those brands that take the live streaming path are low-end! They target the down-market, and we can¡¯t lower our standards!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stubbornly cut me off.


    Before I could explain further, he stopped me,


    ¡°Just follow my instructions! Get in touch with Mina first!¡±


    ¡°Alright!


    The difficulty of this project lies in snatching business away from the Ding Family.


    The thought of having to negotiate with Ding Yinuo again gives me a headache.


    The female star, Mina.


    1 have looked her up online before. She¡¯s a well-established celebrity who started out as a model. Regardless of her acting skills,


    she has endorsed many luxury brands and even high-end handbags since her rise to fame.


    She is notoriously finicky and holds somewhat high standards, not easily impressed by generic brands.


    Dealing with her is no easy task, but she indeed has significant influence in


    the fashion circle.


    Four years ago, Gu Yuanzhou also wanted her as our ambassador, but our brand wasn¡¯t as well-known back then, and Mina wasn¡¯t interested.


    Each year since, Gu Yuanzhou had some individuals trying to sign a contract with her, but success eluded him.


    This made me somewhat familiar with her.


    Even though I wasn¡¯t keen to interact with her, now that Gu Yuanzhou assigned me this task, I would take it as a challenge.


    Four years ago, I was pregnant with my second child and didn¡¯t have the energy to handle these matters.


    But now I am able to attend to this matter attentively.


    The next afternoon.


    I made the necessary preparations and arrived at Mina¡¯s mansion without making an appointment.


    I wonder who let the cat out of the bag.


    As soon as I arrived, I saw someone familiar


    It was Ding Yinuo, wearing a silver suit and gold-rimmed glasses. He was leaning against a red sports car, arms folded.


    Seductive sexiness seeped through his handsome features.


    ¡°Oh, what a coincidence! Mr. Ding, you¡¯re here too?¡±


    In a situation where the other side wasn¡¯t showing their hand, I decided to play dumb first.


    But Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t seem to fall for my act, he walked straight up to me, stretched out his arms and cornered me against the wall. ¡°You¡¯re still too green to try and steal our spokesperson!¡±


    I looked at him and laughed,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, you¡¯re quite well-informed? I haven¡¯t made a move yet and you already know? Seems like you¡¯ve planted a spy in our company, haven¡¯t you?¡± Ding Yinuo quirked a smile,


    ¡°In this day and age, who doesn¡¯t plant a few informants in their competitor¡¯s company?¡±


    ¡°Annie clued you in, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    1 tried to coax information out of him in a nonchalant way.


    Unexpectedly, Ding Yinuo, the sneaky devil, promptly saw through my plot. ¡°Don¡¯t try using that tactic on me! I¡¯m not as stupid as you!¡¯


    ¡°Ahem, alright, then I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Yes, I¡¯m indeed here to snatch Mina¡­


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t get angry, on the contrary, after he let go of me, he let out a sarcastic laugh.


    ¡°You think you can?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Fine, if you really can win her over, I admit defeat!¡±


    ¡°If I win, you¡¯re treating me to a meal!¡± I also smiled confidently.


    Ding Yinuo pointed at Mina¡¯s house,


    ¡°Have you set an appointment with her?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, as far as 1 know, she wouldn¡¯t accept my appointment!¡±


    ¡°So, if you can¡¯t even book an appointment with her, what a_re you going to talk to her about?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s smile was tinged with contempt.


    ¡°Oh, right, you¡¯re quite correct. Well then, why don¡¯t you introduce me to her?


    If I succeed, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal!¡±


    Ding Yinuo snorted coldly,


    ¡°You know what? Beautiful women, can play the beauty card! But you¡­ it¡¯s not suitable! ¡±


    ¡°Alright, if you won¡¯t help then don¡¯t! You really don¡¯t have to deride people with such biting sarcasm! I¡¯ll have you know, there are plenty of people who are fond of me!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s fond of you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo abruptly asked back.


    I rolled my eyes at him, ¡°When did Mr. Ding start paying attention to my personal affairs?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s paying any attention to you? Fine, today, I¡¯m going to see what kind of magic powers you have to meet Mina!¡±


    I waved goodbye to Ding Yinuo and walked towards the villa¡¯s front door.


    Ding Yinuo actually didn¡¯t leave.


    He stood in the parking lot, watching me from a distance.


    I rang the doorbell¡­


    A moment later, a nanny¡¯s face appeared on the small visible electronic screen on the door,


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°l, uh, I¡¯m Song Xiaoyun from Zhenyi Company, I¡¯m here to discuss a potential cooperation with Miss Mina.¡±


    ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry, Miss Mina is not feeling well today, she won¡¯t see anyone!¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I really need to see her, it¡¯s important!¡±


    No sooner had I finished speaking, another female voice could be heard from the video screen.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. Ding mention it earlier? We¡¯re not seeing anyone today! It doesn¡¯t matter who she is, hang up¡­¡±


    I turned around and saw Ding Yinuo, phone in hand, waving at me. Apparently, he had sent word to Mina not to meet with me.


    By this point, the video call had been terminated. I rang the doorbell again.


    The nanny seemed quite impatient,


    ¡°You should leave, Miss Mina will definitely not see you! If you don¡¯t leave, we¡¯re calling the police.¡±


    I quickly said something crucial, when the nanny immediately swung the door open..

 Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Every Step a Trap_l

    Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Every Step a Trap_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Just before entering, I flashed Ding Yinuo an OK gesture, which surprised him.


    Perhaps he hadn¡¯t expected me to penetrate Mina¡¯s defenses so quickly.


    I was directly led by the nanny to the second-floor hall.


    Niina, dressed in a silk robe and clutching a noble Persian cat, looked at me with extreme impatience.


    ¡°You said earlier that Director Zhou agreed to give me the lead female role in ¡®Palace 2¡¯? ¡®


    ¡°Exactly! But the condition is, Miss Mina, you have to sign a three-year contract with our Zhenyi Company.¡±


    Only then did Mina invite me to sit down, her eyes on me, always filled with great confusion.


    ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with Director Zhou?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    ¡°Then why should I believe you?¡±


    ¡°You can now call Director Zhou to verify my identity.¡±


    Naturally, Mina wouldn¡¯t easily trust me. As expected, she immediately called Director Zhou for confirmation.


    In fact, I had done quite a bit of groundwork to achieve this goal.


    Though Mina has endorsed many international products in the past few years, she has not achieved anything significant on the screen. Her most successful film was still five years ago.


    This was mainly due to fierce competition in the film industry, and the fact that female stars have a very short shelf-life ¨C new talents are always cropping up.


    She fears that as time goes by, her popularity will fade and she¡¯ll be phased out. Therefore, she is very eager for an opportunity to be a part of a popular film to return to her peak.


    ¡®Palace¡¯, heavily promoted by famous directors, was a hit costume drama from last year, which is currently preparating for a sequel, ¡®Palace 2¡ä, and is in the process of selecting the female lead.


    Although Mina is very interested in being part of this drama, unfortunately, due to her age, she didn¡¯t even get the chance to audition.


    The olive branch I extended has become her lifeline.


    Indeed, after receiving affirmation from one of the staff of Director Zhou, she was overjoyed.


    She immediately ordered the maid to bring me the best tea.


    The original indifference had become extremely cordial, and she sat down next to me, asking softly,


    ¡°Miss Song, what¡¯s your relationship with Director Zhou?¡±


    As for my real relationship with Director Zhou, of course, I wouldn¡¯t tell her.


    My response was vague.


    ¡°Just the relationship between a man and a woman, some things can¡¯t be put out there!¡±


    Mina smiled mysteriously,


    ¡°l see! We¡¯re all adults here! When can I audition?¡±


    I took out the contract in my hand, ¡°Just sign here, and I will arrange for your audition right away!¡¯


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t pass the audition?¡±


    ¡°Miss Mina, being Zhenyi Companys spokesperson isn¡¯t for free! Whatever Heaven¡¯s Pride offers you, we will match! Regardless, you¡¯re making a profit.


    The only difference is that by working with us, you get a chance to audition. Oh, and this isn¡¯t just any audition. This could be your key to crowning glory. If you don¡¯t want it, so be it.¡±


    I would not linger or dawdle, I knew in these matters if I were to back down, she would take advantage.


    Besides, the authority that I could get from Zhou was only so much.


    Mina swiftly signed the document.


    I swiftly excused myself and left.


    As I approached the parking lot, Ding Yinuo caught up with me,


    ¡°How was it? It feels terrible to be rejected, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    I didn¡¯t even stop, just kept walking,


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s truly heart-wrenching!¡¯


    ¡°Hehe, 1 told you! You didn¡¯t heed my advice and insisted on going ahead¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo appeared quite smug.


    After taking a phone call, however, his face fell.


    While 1, in the meantime, had already hailed a taxi. After hanging up, Ding Yinuo intercepted me,


    ¡°How did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo! You can¡¯t beat me at business strategy games!¡±


    After saying tins, 1 got Into the taxi, closed the door, and waved goodbye to him.


    Ding Yinuo stood frozen in place, staring at me blankly, looking as though he had seen something terrifying.


    I didn¡¯t bother dealing with him anymore. After arranging the documents, I reported back to the company.


    The smoothness of the progress surprised even myself.


    At noon, Jian Jing was going to choose a wedding dress. I went with Wenya to accompany her.


    While Jian Jing was trying on wedding dresses, Wenya and I sat with milk tea in hand.


    1 casually asked Wenya about her negotiations with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Wenya took out a new phone¡­


    ¡°That crafty fox, Gu Yuanzhou! He didn¡¯t believe I deleted the video and even took my phone away.¡±


    ¡°You agreed to give it to him?¡±


    ¡°Humph! Of course, I wasn¡¯t willing. Even though that old phone was really due for a replacement. It¡¯s an indignity!¡¯


    ¡°Then why did you still agree?¡±


    ¡°I had no choice! He said if I didn¡¯t change phones, he wouldn¡¯t drop the charge. I couldn¡¯t beat him. Whatever, let¡¯s let it be. At least I took a clean swipe at him. That¡¯s something!¡¯


    Wenya heaved a long sigh, but she seemed pretty satisfied with her new phone.


    A few more things were then discussed, including how Gu Yuanzhou requested I sign Mina.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just meet Director Zhou once at the fashion week? I know the suit he was wearing was designed by you, but your bond seems deeper?¡± ¡°You understand me very well! In fact, I made a deal with him!¡±


    ¡°What deal? You didn¡¯t sell yourself or anything, right?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, what are you thinking?¡±


    I did indeed make a secret deal with Director Zhou, one that needed to be completed within three days¡­


    I wanted to chat more with Wenya, but Jian Jing, who was trying on her wedding dress, suddenly crumbled into tears after receiving a phone call.


    I quickly left my tea and ran over,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jing? Who¡¯s bullying you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, who dares to bully Jing? I¡¯ve got a fist as big as a sandpot!¡¯


    Wenya brandished her fist.


    Jian Jing managed a smile through her tears before bitterly saying,


    ¡°It was Yu JiaHangJiahangs mother¡­ We agreed on the betrothal gift and dowry. Now, she suddenly wants the deed of our house in her name! Otherwise, she won¡¯t give the promised dowry!¡¯


    ¡°What? That house was bought with your family¡¯s money, what right does she have to do that?¡±


    ¡°She says JiaHangJiahangs nephew needs to move into the city for school next year, and must have a house¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s obviously exploiting you at the last minute to force you to comply!¡¯ Wenya was furious.


    Jian Jing, her eyes red, told us she had been dating her boyfriend for many years but due to her age, she was worried about delaying childbirth.


    However, if she transferred the house to her mother-in-law¡¯s name, she was worried about losing the house in case of a divorce.


    1 calmly provided Jian Jing with a solution.


    Only then did Jian Jing calm down a bit.


    In the afternoon, I returned to the company.


    Originally, 1 wanted to tell Gu Yuanzhou about the successful signing of the contract.


    To my surprise, before I could even enter, I saw Ye Mengyan enter the office ahead of me..

 Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Has He Seen Through Me?_1

    Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Has He Seen Through Me?_1


    Translator: 549690339


    1 remember that Gu Yuanzhou explicitly banned Ye Mengyan from visiting the company before.


    Unexpectedly, she has rushed here this time. Has some urgent matter occurred?


    Normally, my duty is to stop irrelevant people from entering the CEO¡¯s office. But right now, I can¡¯t care about that.


    1 silently stood outside the door, only wanting to eavesdrop on what tricks Ye


    Mengyan wanted to play.


    ¡°Big brother Gu, I know you don¡¯t want to be bothered by these trivial matters¡­but I have to say it, because I may not have time to accompany you in the future!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°My family has arranged a marriage for me! My mother said, I¡¯m not young anymore, and her health is not good, she¡¯s worried that she could pass away at any time. She¡¯s worried that after she passes away, no one will take care of me. So, she¡¯s forcing me to marry.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s words seemed a bit like a coercion.


    No wonder Ye Mengyan did not refuse the Shen family¡¯s marriage proposal that day.


    So that¡¯s her purpose.


    She is trying to use this matter to force Gu Yuanzhou to recognize her officially, to give her the title of Mrs. Gu.


    It was at that moment that I finally realized, Ye Mengyan was far from being as simple as I had imagined.


    1 originally wanted to continue listening, to see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s reaction.


    But Annie came over from the opposite side.


    ¡°Hey, Miss Song, what are you doing here so sneakily?¡±


    Annie must have realised that I was eavesdropping, and purposely came over from a distance to expose me.


    She probably didn¡¯t realize how stupid her action was!


    Sure enough, soon enough, chastising voices came from the office.


    ¡°Who¡¯s outside?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, President Gut..


    Annie proudly walked in.


    However, when she saw another woman in the CEO¡¯s office, she couldn¡¯t maintain her smile.


    CEO + young woman = doing something unsightly. If she exposes it, the boss would definitely be furious.


    She quickly collected her thoughts,


    ¡°President Gu, I was just coming to report my work, and I saw Miss Song eavesdropping outside the door, so 1 stopped her.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze turned to me¡­


    1 immediately took out my earphones and gestured with my hands.


    ¡°Things aren¡¯t as Annie said they were. I saw that there was a guest in the CEO¡¯s office. Fearing disturbing your pleasure, I didn¡¯t enter. I wasn¡¯t eavesdropping at all, 1 was just listening to music. Look, the earphones are right here.¡±


    ¡°Also, I really wanted to report to the president that the project I was working on has been completed. Mina has already signed a contract with me.¡±


    I confidently said the truth.


    Annie¡¯s face visibly fell.


    She is shocked, disbelieving¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze was a bit cold as he turned to look at Annie again.


    ¡°Our company values team spirit, why are you always maligning your colleagues?¡±


    Annie panicked immediately.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Gu, I didn¡¯t mean to malign her. I just saw her and thought¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my mistake, I¡¯d like to apologize to her. It was my negligence, my misunderstanding, it won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Only then did Gu Yuanzhou look at me,


    ¡°Would you still be willing to work with her in the future?¡±


    The implication of his words was that he was giving me the right to decide.


    Letting me decide how to deal with Annie.


    I deliberately asked,


    ¡°President Gu, what do you mean by 1 am willing to work with her?¡±


    Although I had already caught on, I still hoped to hear it from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s own mouth.


    No other reason, just that it would make me feel good.


    ¡°Our company values team spirit the most. Employees that are always at odds with their colleagues, we would definitely fire. Negatively influencing the team, we can¡¯t keep. If you don¡¯t want to forgive her, she will have to go.¡± Gu Yuanzhou stated very clearly.


    I looked at Annie again, indeed, her face had turned pale, her expression somewhat fearful.


    The look she gave me was no longer one of jealousy, instead, it was filled with dread, and even a bit of flattery.


    I understood. At this moment, Zhenyi Company is considered a top firm among A City¡¯s big fashion companies. The company offers great benefits and provides many opportunities for further training.


    She couldn¡¯t find another company as good as this one.


    Moreover, she¡¯s been working here for a long time, and she doesn¡¯t want to leave.


    Now that I had the final say in what happens,


    I looked at her with a smile.


    ¡°If Miss Annie sincerely apologizes to me, I can forgive her once! But of course, only this once!¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, I apologize to you, I misunderstood, I¡¯m sorry!¡¯


    Although Annie was reluctant, in order to keep her job, she had to swallow her pride and come to me.


    ¡°Sorry, but such an apology is meaningless. Here¡¯s what, we have a company-wide meeting tomorrow, write a 2,000-word apology letter, and read it in front of everyone at the meeting. Then I will give you another chance.¡¯


    Having to read it in front of all the company¡¯s staff, Annie immediately refused on the spot after hearing it.


    Perhaps, such a scene would be very embarrassing for her.


    Up till now, she¡¯s still unwilling to admit that I am better than her. She pointed her finger at me angrily.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you¡¯ve gone too far! I¡¯ve been at this company for over four years, while you¡¯re just a newbie who joined at the beginning of this year. When 1 teach you a lesson, it¡¯s for your benefit, to broad your horizons, to help you progress. Yet, you¡¯re so scheming to make me publicly humiliated?¡±


    I spread my hands, ¡°Don¡¯t play the senior card, although you are indeed older, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything about you that I can learn from. Yes, I¡¯ve been at the company for less time than you, but the projects I¡¯ve finished are more than what you¡¯ve done in over four years. I think the one who needs to learn here is you.¡±


    ¡°You, you¡¯re talking nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Alright, 1 don¡¯t want to argue with you. If you don¡¯t want to apologize, then resign! I¡¯ve always disliked forcing anyone.¡±


    Hearing this, Annie calmed down. She had no other options left.


    She seemed to have ignored the fact that control of her career had been held in my hands. She had no initiative left.


    This woman is really stupid. She doesn¡¯t realize that the person she has been targeting is actually the boss¡¯s wife!


    Even if she gets fired by me, she deserves it.


    ¡°Fine! ¡±


    She finally compromised.


    I looked at her with a smile, ¡°Write a good self-examination! I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡±


    With clenched teeth, she finally left in anger.


    After she left, the office finally quieted down.


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me,


    ¡°How did you manage to secure Mina?¡±


    I turned to look at Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°President Gu, why don¡¯t you two continue talking and I¡¯ll come back later!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°No, she¡¯s about to leave!¡±


    Ye Mengyan took the hint, got up to leave,


    ¡°You two talk. I¡¯m leaving first!¡± Gu Yuanzhou sat on his leather boss chair, deeply looked at me,


    ¡°Come closer, let me look at you!¡¯

 Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 He is Protecting Her_l

    Chapter 41: Chapter 41 He is Protecting Her_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words stirred an inexplicable sense of panic within me. Could he have detected something amiss?


    Even though my mind was in utter turmoil, I managed to compose myself and walked up to him slowly.


    ¡°President Gu, is there something you need?¡±


    He eyed me for a moment and pondered for a few seconds,


    ¡°When did you first meet my wife?¡±


    His sudden question threw me off guard and I immediately realized that he seemed to harbor some doubts about me.


    I rummaged through my memories diligently.


    Recalling the details of my interactions with Song Xiaoyun¡­


    ¡°President Gu, may I ask, have I made any mistakes in my job?¡±


    In a defensive retreat, I asked the question in order to discern his intentions.


    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s just that your current way of handling things is strikingly similar to my wife!¡±


    I immediately feigned joy.


    ¡°Thank you for your compliment, President Gu! Actually, when I was working in the company earlier, I just happened to meet Mrs. Gu a few times. She offered me some career advice, which has been immensely beneficial for me.¡± Gu Yuanzhou squinted at me for a while before he eventually said, ¡°How did you negotiate with Mina?¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Gu once told me that everyone has a weakness. If you can fully understand a person¡¯s weakness, you can essentially defeat them. This is the so-called ¡®know yourself and know your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles with a hundred victories.¡¯ I knew that Mina wanted an audition opportunity, and I just happened to have a friend who knew Director Zhou, so I gave Mina this opportunity. After all, for her, the prospects of our company¡¯s development are no worse than Tianjiao. She made the right choice by choosing us.¡±


    I chose to omit some details and downplay the situation as best as I could.


    I knew that Gu Yuanzhou had no interest in the entertainment industry and he wouldn¡¯t verify my words.


    After hearing out my explanation, the befuddled look in his eyes gradually faded away.


    ¡°Alright, you can go back to work now! ¡±


    It seemed that Gu Yuanzhou suddenly remembered something, and he stopped conversating with me.


    I busied myself organizing the documents in the office.


    He leaned back on his chair with his eyes closed to relax.


    ¡°We are travelling to Haicheng for a business trip tomorrow, you¡¯re coming with me!¡±


    His few words were brief but indisputably assertive.


    But I had promised Director Zhou that I would help him with something within these three days. If I couldn¡¯t complete it, Mina might breach her contract.


    ¡°President Gu, I have some things to do these days, I¡¯m afraid 1 can¡¯t¡­¡±


    A sharp gaze interrupted me.


    He cut me off,


    ¡°When you signed the contract, you should have made yourself clear that it involves being on call 24 hours a day. You don¡¯t have personal time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright!¡¯


    Truthfully, I was aware of the terms of this contract, but I didn¡¯t want to go on this business trip with him.


    I felt that he was somewhat suspicious of me now¡­


    The closer two people are, the easier it is to see through each other¡¯s hearts.


    However, my plan had fallen apart, he didn¡¯t even give me the chance to refuse.


    ¡°Go home and get ready. We¡¯re leaving first thing tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright!¡¯


    As I walked out of the company, I saw Ye Mengyan again.


    She was standing on the other side of the road at a caf¨¦, seemingly waiting for me intentionally.


    As our eyes met, I immediately turned around and walked off. She hurried after me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun!¡¯


    She called out my name.


    I stopped in my tracks and looked at her.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you heard what I said with Brother Gu earlier, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°If it is about you marrying Shen Yishu, I¡¯ve heard a bit about it! But it¡¯s your own choice and has nothing to do with me.¡±


    Ye Mengyan watched me cautiously,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I know you¡¯re a good friend. You¡¯ve helped me on several occasions, and you even helped my mother find a job. I¡¯m really grateful to you. But regarding my marriage to Shen Yishu, please don¡¯t mention it in front of Brother Gu, I will handle it myself.¡±


    I understood what Ye Mengyan meant, she didn¡¯t want me to meddle in her affairs.


    Still, at this moment, when I saw Ye Mengyan again, only then did I realize that she was much more complicated than when I first met her.


    She had ambition hidden in her eyes¡­


    In the night breeze, her smile remained gentle.


    Just not as likable as before.


    ¡°l also don¡¯t like to interfere in other people¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°Okay, goodbye!¡¯


    1 turned and walked to the bus station. It was peak hour, the station was crowded with commuters. I had to wait a long time before the bus arrived. After I got on the bus, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ye Mengyan getting into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car.


    But, to my surprise,


    Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t sit in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s front passenger seat, she sat in the back.


    I couldn¡¯t understand why.


    I remember that last time I rode in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car, he also wouldn¡¯t let me sit in the front passenger seat. It seemed that he must be reserving the front seat for someone more important?


    By rights, Ye Mengyan who has been with him for so many years and is the woman he likes, couldn¡¯t she even be eligible to sit in the front seat?


    I just closed my eyes to rest my mind¡­.


    In fact, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t give me much time to react.


    The next day at Seven in the morning, we took a flight out of the city.


    He was not stingy and booked business class for me.


    However, I didn¡¯t sit next to him, there was a row of seats between us.


    He didn¡¯t talk much, and once on the plane, he ordered a glass of red wine, sipping it while dealing with company affairs on his laptop.


    I just asked the flight attendant for a blanket, covered my face and took a nap.


    Two hours later, we arrived in C City.


    When we reached C City, a dedicated driver came to pick us up at the airport.


    We then checked into a hotel¡­.


    The most top-notch hotel in C City. At that time, I was still pondering whether to book a suite for Gu Yuanzhou and whether 1 should book another one for myself?


    Who knew that as soon as he reached the front desk and took out his identity card, the female receptionist bowed to him in greeting with a smile.


    ¡°President Gu, welcome back!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou waved his hand, then the hotel manager came over, bowed to greet him, and personally carried his luggage into the elevator. I was still thinking about what the receptionist had just said.


    Welcome back?


    What did she mean?


    Such phrase would only be said when the property owner comes home by the staff members.


    Could it be that this five-star hotel is owned by Gu Yuanzhou?


    But, when I got married to Gu Yuanzhou, he was clearly a penniless man, just a worker barely surviving under my uncle¡¯s management.


    Although we later founded Zhenyi Company with my investment, even if we sell all of the company¡¯s current total assets, it can just barely buy this hotel.


    But evidently, Zhenyi Company hasn¡¯t been sold, so what¡¯s up with this hotel?


    I was baffled.


    Standing in the elevator, the hotel manager humbly reported the recent earnings to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou just stared at the elevator door without turning his eyes, his hands behind him, saying nothing.


    The elevator went up to the top floor of the hotel.


    It was a top-tier luxury apartment.


    Upon entering, you could see at least a 300-square-meter opulent mansion, exquisitely decorated.


    Gu Yuanzhou went to the restroom, while looking at the busy hotel manager, I tried to probe him quietly,


    ¡°l am President Gu¡¯s assistant! I have mentioned you to President Gu previously¡­¡±


    The manager immediately perked up,


    ¡°Please put in a good word for me to President Gu in the future.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, let¡¯s look out for each other.¡¯


    After making some small talk, seizing the opportunity when he let down his guard, I casually asked a question.


    ¡°When did President Gu buy this hotel¡­ you know, with so many assets, even I get confused..¡±

 Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: How Many More Things is He Hiding From Me_1

    Chapter 42: Chapter 42: How Many More Things is He Hiding From Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    The hotel manager seemed to think for a while,


    ¡°It must have been about four years ago! He invested a hundred million, and now he¡¯s one of the six shareholders of the hotel.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, right, right¡­ Quite impressive.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, the real estate market has doubled in just a few years, and the valuation of this hotel has increased tenfold!¡±


    Four years ago!!


    When I was pregnant with our second child, around that time, I had left the workforce.


    I had handed the company over to President Gu alone to manage.


    1 had no idea that he invested a hundred million in other ventures at that time.


    More importantly, he didn¡¯t tell me!


    So, in our ten years of marriage, how many more things has he been hiding from me?


    Seeing my shocked expression, the hotel manager added proudly,


    ¡°President Gu has a unique vision and makes decisive moves; he has a significant potential in investment. This hotel is just one of his many businesses, and reportedly, he has many other enterprises!¡±


    ¡°Really? What are those enterprises?¡±


    No sooner had I finished my question than Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s footsteps resounded.


    The manager tactfully changed the subject, asking,


    ¡°Mr. Gu, will you be dining in the restaurant later, or shall I have a meal sent up to you?¡±


    ¡°No need, we have other matters to attend to!¡± ¡°Alright, if you need anything, just give me a call!¡±


    Having said that, the manager respectfully left.


    By then, Gu Yuanzhou had changed into a sleek black suit.


    ¡°These few days are very important for me. Make sure to take accurate meeting notes, especially those relating to quotes and contracts. Report to me every evening. ¡±


    Having been married to Gu Yuanzhou for nearly ten years, as the woman who knows him best, 1 believe no other assistant could be more suitable for him.


    After a brief rest in the morning, we went out.


    He had a tight schedule that day.


    In the morning, he attended an e-commerce exhibition held by HK. He expressed interest in several projects, and discussions about collaboration were underway.


    After a quick break at noon, he attended several more meetings.


    I accompanied him every step of the way¡­


    Not until 8 P.M. did all his appointments for the day come to an end.


    Having been on my feet for the whole day, I was knocked out.


    Fortunately, each bedroom in his top-floor apartment was equipped with a bathtub, allowing me to talk to Wenya while taking a bath.


    When 1 told Wenya about Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s investments in hotels and such in C City, she immediately started cursing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before ¨C this man is two-faced! Not only does he keep a mistress, but he¡¯s also secretly moving capital around. This man has never intended to spend the rest of his life with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not certain that the money is from Zhenyi Company!¡±¡±Are you still defending him?¡±


    ¡°Not quite, I¡¯m just speaking up for him!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, in my opinion, you should take this opportunity to investigate him more; he might have even more skeletons in his closet!¡±


    ¡°Alright!


    While taking a bath, I had some time to think. After I get back to A City, I will go over the accounts.


    After the bath, I changed clothes and took the organized documents to his door.


    He was on the phone at the moment¡­


    The soundproofing of this house was excellent, not a single noise from outside seeped in, so I could clearly hear the voice coming from his phone.


    It was Ye Mengyan who called¡­


    It seemed like Ye Mengyan was testing his heart!


    Having been Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s secret lover for four years, did she want to go official now?


    After a while, 1 entered the room only when Gu Yuanzhou had hung up the phone.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed unaffected by Ye Mengyan. His expression was calm¡­


    ¡°President Gu, here¡¯s our itinerary for the whole day! All the potential investments are listed here for your review! ¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou casually glanced at the chart I handed him before throwing it back at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I need!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I don¡¯t understand.¡¯


    ¡°Rank all the prospective investments by return on investment! ¡±


    I was shocked by his strict demands for an assistant.


    However, fortunately, with my years of experience in the business world, this won¡¯t be a problem for me.


    Actually, I roughly analyzed some data when I gathered this information earlier, so I had a clear understanding of what¡¯s worth investing and what¡¯s merely hype.


    I sat down, picked up a pen, and ranked these projects by the rate of return, from one star to five stars, for him.


    With a second look, Gu Yuanzhou finally showed satisfaction in his eyes. ¡°Why choose the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry?¡±


    ¡°Recently, sales from streaming services have shown high potential. The factories I selected are quite innovative. It we acquire them and collaborate with top streamers, I believe we¡¯ll see returns soon.¡±


    ¡°What about the real estate industry? It has been a hot industry for the past few years, but you¡¯ve only given it one star?¡±


    ¡°The heyday for high-end real estate has passed¡­ It¡¯s past its peak¡­ Investing in real estate now, apart from draining the funds, would lead to difficulties like an inability to cash out easily.¡±


    He seemed quite satisfied with my analysis, ¡°You may go rest now!¡± ¡°What do you think of my analysis, President Gu?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer my question. Instead, he stared at me for quite a while.


    His gaze was similar to when he suddenly called me to his office a few days ago.


    It was probing, as if he wanted to see something from me.


    After some time, instead of answering my question, he simply instructed me,


    ¡°Go, get some rest!¡±


    I was really ready to sleep.


    For I had a more important task to undertake later in the night.


    At 12:30 midnight, I woke up to the alarm I had set and quickly got up, freshened up and got ready to go out.


    To avoid being recognized, I put on a mask and a cap and walked into a shady internet cafe.


    In fact, the easiest place to find such an internet cafe in a city is near a school, as you don¡¯t need to present any ID to use the internet there.


    Though the cafe was crowded at this time, everyone was immersed in their games and paid no attention to me.


    1 threw a hundred towards the bar, found a single-room computer, turned it on, used the portable disk 1 had brought along for a VPN, changed my ID, and broke into Mrs. Zhou¡¯s email.


    This email address was given to me by Director Zhou¡­


    Half an hour later, I indeed found some shocking photos in the email.


    I never realized that wealthy people could be so extravagant.


    This Mrs. Zhou was actually keeping a top male star as a kept man. The multitude of bed photos were simply unbearable to look at, I felt nauseated after just a few glances.


    I copied and pasted these photos, then forwarded them to Director Zhou.


    Half an hour later, I was done.


    Cleared the browsing history¡­


    Suddenly, the cafe went dark, and gamers started asking the server, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    The server was sweating profusely, trying to placate the gamers while troubleshooting.


    Three minutes later, all the computers in the internet cafe automatically restarted, and all the lights came back on. I pulled down my cap, smiled, and walked out of the internet cafe.


    What they didn¡¯t know was that during the short few minutes, I had reinstalled the operating system of the internet cafe¡¯s main computer.


    The surveillance camera and the computer software would no longer contain traces of me.


    After finishing all that, I returned to the hotel apartment. As soon as I walked in the door, I bumped into Gu Yuanzhou!

 Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: How Many Things Has He Done Behind My Back _1

    Chapter 43: Chapter 43: How Many Things Has He Done Behind My Back _1


    Translator: 549690339


    I don¡¯t know when Gu Yuanzhou realized I was gone.


    What does him standing by the door in the middle of the night mean?


    After a moment of confusion, I quickly held my composure, took off my face mask, and began to explain to him,


    ¡°I met a friend and had arranged to meet at a bar. I just went there.¡±


    A lie? I could think of one easily.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark eyes stared into mine for a long time,


    ¡°A man?¡±


    Initially, I thought of making up a story.


    But then it occurred to me that he is merely my boss, not my husband. I have no duty or obligation to explain everything to him so explicitly.


    So I responded nonchalantly,


    ¡°Uh! Can I withhold that information?!¡±


    ¡°Just a reminder, you¡¯re not allowed to date while on a business trip!¡¯


    ¡°President Gu¡­This isn¡¯t work hours, why not?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my employee, and I¡¯m responsible for your personal safety! It¡¯s too dangerous to be out so late!¡±


    He sternly interrupted me, completely uninterested in hearing any further explanation.


    When I returned to my room, his piercing gaze followed my silhouette.


    Even without looking back, I could feel his scrutinizing stare.


    The next morning.


    We once again attended a fashion show business event.


    Unexpectedly, an outrageous incident occurred in the meantime.


    At the time, our booth had an event where we showcased our product and sought potential customers.


    We arrived early and there weren¡¯t many guests yet, so I was browsing the news on my phone.


    There was a report about a mysterious power outage at an internet cafe last


    Since the incident was minor, it didn¡¯t attract much attention.


    However, another piece of news had made the headlines.


    The wife of the famous director Zhou had an affair with a little-known actor; their intimate photos were all over the internet, and the comments section was exploding.


    ¡°Who would have thought Mrs. Zhou would be so shameless?¡±


    ¡°Rumor has it that the two haven¡¯t had feelings for each other for a long time now, but Mrs. Zhou doesn¡¯t want to split the property, which is why they can¡¯t get a divorce.¡±


    ¡°Since Director Zhou has found this scandal, even if they don¡¯t want to, they¡¯ll have to divorce¡­


    This must be my doing.


    After reading the news, I attended to the first wave of customers of the day.


    I dealt with them graciously.


    Seeing my thriving business, the woman from the neighboring fashion company booth grew envious.


    She approached me,


    ¡°I see you have good sales skills. How about this? Come to our company, and I¡¯ll double your salary.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, your products are not up to standard, changing the salesperson won¡¯t make any difference! ¡±


    Maybe she thought I was an easy target, or just a worker.


    This woman wanted to put me in my place and started to argue with me.


    She was loudly yelling at me, pointing at my nose,


    ¡°You overstepped! You¡¯re encroaching on my space, move this table inside.¡±


    This table was clearly closer to our side of the middle line, she was just making a fuss to humiliate me.


    I argued my case with her.


    Had I been back home, I would have dealt with this shrew with a slap.


    However, the more I reasoned, the more she thought I was easy to bully and took a cup of milk tea, splashing it onto my face.


    Just then, a stern shout interrupted her.


    ¡°Stop!¡¯


    It was Gu Yuanzhou rushing over.


    He pushed the woman away and shielded me behind him.


    Seeing that assistance had arrived, the woman retired, but Gu Yuanzhou was not ready to let her off so easily.


    He dialed the police directly.


    A few minutes later, when the police arrived, they initially tried to mediate the situation.


    But Gu Yuanzhou was adamant, insisting on getting the woman sent to the detention house.


    Gu Yuanzhou is not an easy man to deal with, once he makes a decision, no one can persuade him otherwise.


    Finally, under Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s persistence, the woman knelt on the ground, apologizing to me. Crying and promising not to do it again, she even withdrew her company¡¯s booth from the exhibition.


    Only then did I let out a sigh of relief.


    I saw Gu Yuanzhou protecting me just now in a different light.


    ¡°Are you alright now?¡±


    ¡°Sorry for affecting our progress! ¡±


    We spent the whole day dealing with this trivial matter, not attracting much business, which was a waste of time.


    Gu Yuanzhou is always very frugal; this must upset him greatly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! ¡±


    On the way back, I expressed my gratitude to him.


    ¡°Thank you, President Gu, for stepping in.¡±


    ¡°As the companys leader, it¡¯s my duty to protect my employees!¡¯


    After saying this, he gave me a meaningful look and pulled out a packet of tissues, helping wipe the tea stain off my face.


    ¡°Especially when it¡¯s such an excellent employee!¡¯


    In the afternoon, I went to a hair salon to restyle my wet disheveled hair.


    After seeing a scratch on my arm, Gu Yuanzhou took me to the hospital for a check-up.


    Throughout the day, Gu Yuanzhou fulfilled his role as a boss in front of me admirably.


    Two days passed, and the business trip came to a successful close.


    Perhaps it was because we had spent a lot of time together; we were no longer as stiff around each other.


    Thus, on the way back, I couldn¡¯t help but ask another question.


    ¡°President Gu, why doesn¡¯t anyone else sit in your passenger seat?¡±


    He looked up from his phone at me,


    Possibly remembering the incident when he didn¡¯t let me sit there, he reached up to massage his brow and replied,


    ¡°The passenger seat is reserved for my wife!¡± This statement shocked me.


    Subsequently, I dared to ask another question,


    ¡°Since Mrs. Gu has passed away, are you planning on having someone else occupy the passenger seat?¡±


    As an employee, my question seemed somewhat bold.


    Moreover, it appeared to trouble Gu Yuanzhou.


    He rubbed his brows, pondered for a long time before providing an answer.


    On the plane, I shared this answer with Wenya, and she immediately replied,


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe him! He deceived you by having a college student mistress, secretly investing funds in C City, this shows that he hasn¡¯t been sincere to you. Ayun, you mustn¡¯t trust this man anymore.¡± Across the aisle, I looked at Gu Yuanzhou again.


    Thinking of the statement he made earlier,


    ¡°Mrs. Gu t s seat won¡¯t be replaced; this place will always belong to her only!¡¯


    Ha, his mouth is still as deceitful as ever!


    Telling nothing but sweet nothings.


    I won¡¯t be fooled again!


    Two hours later, the plane landed at the airport.


    Dragging my suitcase and following Gu Yuanzhou, I saw a silhouette running towards us as soon as we exited the terminal.


    ¡°Brother Gu, you¡¯re back!¡±


    Upon closer look, it was Ye Mengyan.


    With a bright smile on her face, she naturally took the suitcase from my hands,


    ¡°This belongs to Brother Gu, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯ve worked hard! This is for you, thank you for taking care of Brother Gu these few days!¡¯


    I have to say, she¡¯s really good with words.


    When did Gu Yuanzhou become her man?


    ¡°Brother Gu, everything is prepared at the Maple Mansion! You can rest well when you get back.¡±


    So Ye Mengyan came all this way to the airport just to take Gu Yuanzhou home.


    Would Gu Yuanzhou really go with her?

 Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Can’t Wait to Turn Positive_l

    Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Can¡¯t Wait to Turn Positive_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Lately, Ye Mengyan¡¯s behavior had become increasingly blatant. It seemed like she no longer cared about media opinions, brazenly taking Gu Yuanzhou away in public.


    Her smile was tender, giving off a comfortable vibe.


    What man could resist her?


    After being busy for a few days, Gu Yuanzhou must¡¯ve wanted a warm home. I remember that each time Gu Yuanzhou returned from a business trip, he used to spend a lot of time pampering me. He was the type of man who had strong needs for male-female intimacy.


    But now¡­


    He needed a woman to release his energy.


    He probably couldn¡¯t help himself.


    However, his reply surprised me slightly.


    He didn¡¯t even get in Ye Mengyan¡¯s car.


    ¡°l have a dinner later, so I won¡¯t be going to the Maple Mansion.¡±


    ¡°Eh, Big Brother Gu, I made chicken soup¡­ Why not go back and have some before you leave?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time!¡±


    He himself hailed a taxi, then looked at me, who was standing there in a daze.


    ¡°Get in! ¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡¯


    I came to my senses and immediately took the suitcase from Ye Mengyan¡¯s hand.


    Ye Mengyan looked rather hurt, her eyes filled with tears as they followed Gu


    Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Big Brother Gu, did I do something to upset you? You don¡¯t even want to speak a few more words to me now?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I have important matters to attend to¡­ This is a gift I brought back from C City for you! You should go home first!¡± He actually took out a black gift box and presented it to Ye Mengyan.


    Only then did Ye Mengyan break out into a smile. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother Gu, I won¡¯t bother you any longer! Goodbye!¡±


    Ye Mengyan obediently waved at Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    She knew when to retreat and was tender and considerate ¨C quite a seasoned lover indeed.


    However, I truly didn¡¯t expect that Gu Yuanzhou would bring a gift for Ye Mengyan.


    The car continued to move forward.


    While sitting in the back seat, 1 unlocked my phone and scrolled through my social media feed.


    Unexpectedly, Ye Mengyan had excitedly posted about her new gift on her social media.


    An open box with a ruby necklace shimmering luxury under the light, with a line of text to match.


    ¡°No concern for the length of our days and nights, all I want is for the sun and moon to stand side by side¡­¡±


    Elegant words, full of poetry. If this wasn¡¯t a story of a home-wrecker, it would be quite touching.


    1 silently turned off my phone, staring out at the scenery outside the window.


    Giving a present to Ye Mengyan meant that she still held a very important place in his heart.


    Over the past four years, how many gifts had he given to Ye Mengyan?


    I didn¡¯t want to think about these things anymore. They were too distressing.


    Unconsciously, I opened up the surveillance video on my phone.


    Since arranging for Ye¡¯s mother to work at number 168 West Mountain Villa belonging to Ding Yinuo, I would sporadically check the surveillance video.


    Checking to see if any suspicious person who might be the mystery cousin had contacted Ye!s mother.


    After a few checks, 1 didn¡¯t find anything suspicious.


    As for Ye¡¯s mother, she was diligent and efficient, the courtyard was always clean. She fertilized the plants and weeded the garden.


    Sometimes, she would also dry quilts and other things in the sun¡­


    As I was carefully watching, a large face suddenly rushed into the camera, shook the lens, and then the screen went black!


    Obviously, someone had removed or turned off the camera.


    I immediately sent a text to Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Why did you remove my camera?¡±


    The reply was quite assertive as they immediately went on the offensive.


    ¡°Did I allow you to install cameras in my house?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not even there!¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with it? It¡¯s still my house even if I¡¯m not there! Without my permission, you¡¯re invading my privacy. What are you trying to accomplish?¡±


    As these disagreements can¡¯t be resolved through messages, I decided to meet face to face with him to talk it out.


    The car suddenly stopped in front of a mall. ¡°Go and buy some clothes. We have to attend a dinner party later.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou handed me a bank card¡­


    I hesitated for a moment.


    ¡°President Gu, if you need a companion, I think Miss Ye would be more suitable! She¡¯s so gentle and beautiful!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up a pendant from inside the car, it was a Jade Guanyin.


    He showed it to me.


    ¡°She¡¯s just like this piece of jade!¡±


    ¡°Oh, 1 get it! You meant that Miss Ye is as precious and rare as jade, needing careful protection, right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked deeply into my eyes.


    ¡°You have a mission at the dinner party! Ye Mengyan is still a student, she isn¡¯t suitable for such places!¡±


    ¡°But eventually, Miss Ye will have to join the working world! Learning some things earlier will better equip her for society.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou rubbed his temples and then said calmly,


    ¡°She¡¯s so innocent, I don¡¯t want her to be tainted by society! She won¡¯t need to join the workforce in the future!¡±


    This statement shocked me even more,


    In the past, I thought he didn¡¯t let Ye Mengyan join Zhenyi Company to avoid rumors.


    Now it seems, he was protecting her, even intending to provide for her for a lifetime.


    Like nurturing a piece of fine jade, he wanted to guard her carefully.


    Indeed, she was his true love.


    Sometimes, the closer I got to the truth, the more uneasy I felt. When I got out of the car, I gave him back his bank card.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ll buy my own clothes!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say much, his eyes showing a bit of confusion as he glanced at me. He then gave me an address.


    ¡°Be there before nine tonight!¡±


    After I got out of the car, 1 didn¡¯t go to buy clothes. I hailed a taxi and headed for the West Mountain Villa, number 168.


    It wasn¡¯t too late, and I had to take care of the more important tasks first.


    Half an hour later, the car stopped at the front door of Villa 168 on West


    Mountain.


    I rang the doorbell.


    The door opened, and Ding Yinuo appeared, a smirk on his face as he looked at me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve visibly put on weight after a week of going on business trips with the big boss, haven¡¯t you? Don¡¯t tell me¡­have you fallen for your boss?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ding, let¡¯s talk inside!¡±


    Once inside, I didn¡¯t see Ye¡¯s mother.


    However, the three cameras that I¡¯d installed were neatly arranged on the desk, having been disconnected by Ding Yinuo. ¡°Where¡¯s Ye¡¯s mother¡­ the housekeeper?¡±


    ¡°l fired her!¡±


    Ding Yinuo said it flippantly.


    Fuming, I responded, ¡°How could you do that?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t owe each other anything, why can¡¯t I do that?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what¡¯s your problem?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again, did you give your boss the medicine?¡±


    At Ding Yinuo¡¯s question, I fell silent for a moment before erupting, which, in truth, was a question that had been bugging me for years.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, did he desecrate your ancestors¡¯ tombs or something? Why are you so intent on having him killed?¡±


    Truth be told, if a company wants to establish itself in A City and make some accomplishments, it would inevitably offend many people and draw jealousy from competitors.


    The business world is a battlefield without the smoke of gunpowder. Everyone can pull out all the stops, but very few people would actually try to assassinate their competitors.


    After all, this is a society that follows the rule of law, where murder is punishable by death. Any rational person wouldn¡¯t commit such an act.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes were filled with menace; his deep voice carried a hint of murderous intent.


    ¡°He killed the woman 1 loved most.. Do you think he deserves to die?¡±

 Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 His Most Loved Woman 1

    Chapter 45: Chapter 45 His Most Loved Woman 1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°The woman you love most? Is it Miss Jiang?¡±


    I was also shocked at these words.


    I subconsciously wondered, when did Gu Yuanzhou start getting involved with this Miss Jiang again?


    Ding Yinuo gave me a blank look at my surprise,


    ¡°What Miss Jiang, what nonsense are you talking about? Don¡¯t listen to those blabbermouths around Wenya, always talking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s another woman? Who is she? What¡¯s her name? When did she die?¡±


    Since he denied Jiang Jiaying, it indicates that there is another woman between him and Gu Yuanzhou.


    I was as uncomfortable as hell, I wanted to know who this woman was.


    I had always thought that between me and Gu Yuanzhou, there was only one Ye Mengyan, but now, a second woman emerged.


    Under my questioning, Ding Yinuo became unusually calm.


    He sat down on the couch, lit a cigarette, exhaled a cloud of white smoke leisurely, his eyes held a peculiar gleam,


    ¡°It¡¯s not good for a simple employee like you to know too much about your boss.¡¯


    ¡°l don¡¯t care about him, only about you. I am quite curious, what kind of woman can be deeply loved by such an excellent man like Niister Ding?¡±


    ¡°Stop flattering me, it won¡¯t work! ¡±


    1 moved a little closer to him,


    ¡°I¡¯m not, really¡­ you¡¯re the most famous surgeon in A City, and in your spare time, you help manage Tianjiao Company. Handsome and talented, my compliments to you are not exaggerated at all.¡±


    He glanced at me with narrowed eyes,


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    He stared at my eyes for a moment, and for a split second, he seemed a little dazed.


    It was as if he saw something in me.


    He unconsciously moved a little closer to me.


    After a long while, he seemed to realize something and retreated a little.


    We kept a distance between us.


    After a long time, he finally said calmly,


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who she is anymore! Anyway, from now on, no one in this world will remember her. But, Gu Yuanzhou really deserves to die! How could he hurt her like that.¡±


    When Ding Yinuo said that Gu Yuanzhou should die, his eyes burned with a blood-red light, as if he wanted to kill someone.


    Every word was bitten out, as if he truly hated Gu Yuanzhou to the core.


    This surprised me a little.


    Ding Yinuo has been competing with Zhenyi all these years, was it not because he disliked me from the past life.


    But because he holds a grudge against Gu Yuanzhou?


    But who is that woman?


    Seeing that Ding Yinuo was reluctant to mention it any further, I didn¡¯t want to force him anymore.


    Anyway, it¡¯s useless to force him to say what he doesn¡¯t want to say.


    I changed the subject.


    ¡°But if I poison him, and he dies, I¡¯m finished!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we say before, I am a doctor, this medicine was made by me, it can leave no trace¡­


    ¡°No, I¡¯m scared! Mr. Ding, this is murder! Do you think anyone would dare?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me again,


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that serious, he won¡¯t die! The dosage of that drug is not lethal, just enough to make him lose the ability to walk!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    As I challenged him, Ding Yinuo directly broke through my doubts.


    ¡°You¡¯re already recording this on your phone, so how can you be afraid that I¡¯m lying to you?¡±


    I gave an awkward smile, not expecting my little action to be seen through by him.


    I have to say, dealing with him is not easier than dealing with Gu Yuanzhou.


    This man is as shrewd as Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Alright, give me some more time! 1 will try to find a chance to poison him.¡± In fact, I was just stalling, I didn¡¯t really want to poison Gu Yuanzhou.


    Even though I now know that Gu Yuanzhou betrayed me, supported a university student outside, and secretly withdrew funds behind my back. But these aren¡¯t deadly sins, and they don¡¯t justify the risk of me killing him.


    At most, it just makes me feel cold inside.


    Ding Yinuo seemed to see through my thoughts,


    ¡°Alright, after you poison him, you can bring in the nanny!!


    After saying that, he turned around and left.


    ¡°Hey, how can you do this?¡±


    Ding Yinuo really was merciless, nothing I said could persuade him.


    Just then, Ye Mengyan¡¯s mother arrived.


    I could only explain that I couldn¡¯t do this job for now, I would help her find one later.


    Ye¡¯s mother expressed understanding,


    ¡°Miss Song, you have done a lot already, it doesn¡¯t matter, I just contacted my cousin, she needs an extra hand there, I can go there.¡±


    Cousin?


    Hearing this, I was immediately excited.


    Could that cousin be Wu Jun?


    However, in order not to alert them, I didn¡¯t say much.


    Instead, I immediately ordered a car on my phone, and when Ye¡¯s mother finished packing and came out, I walked over,


    ¡°Auntie, where does your cousin live? 1 have already ordered the car.¡±


    Ye¡¯s mother seemed very wary and quickly shook her head,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can take a taxi myself.¡±


    ¡°The car is already here, you can just tell the driver where to go after you get in the car!¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡¯


    After Ye¡¯s mother got in the car, she called her mysterious cousin.


    A moment later, the car left.


    I didn¡¯t follow that car, instead, I walked down the road.


    I happened to pass by a shopping mall, so I took the opportunity to buy a dress for the banquet that night. In fact, I have a good sense of style.


    Half an hour later, the phone app reminded me that the passenger had reached their destination, and the journey had ended.


    I paid the fare, gave the driver a five-star rating, and even sent him a red packet.


    The driver¡¯s phone number was displayed on the app, so I called him directly.


    ¡°Master, just now I asked you to take our nanny there, she forgot to take something, I want to bring it to her, do you remember which area she went


    Maybe it was because I gave him a five-star rating just now, the driver was very enthusiastic and immediately replied,


    ¡°l saw her go into Plum Garden Funeral Home!¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡¯


    After hanging up the phone, I was in high spirits.


    Plum Garden Funeral Home!


    Talking about some government department, it¡¯s all lies, turns out she works at a crematorium, no wonder no one was able to find her.


    However, I don¡¯t plan to go there at this time, I don¡¯t have enough time, 1 need to attend Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s banquet.


    I had a light meal in the afternoon, then found a hair salon, got a hairstyle and had my makeup done.


    At nine-thirty, I walked into the banquet hall right on time.


    The gala was just about to begin.


    As I walked in, seeing the guest list, I immediately understood why Gu Yuanzhou had emphasized me to buy a formal dress.


    Indeed, those present today were really the big shots from the business,


    political, and finance circles.


    Soon, I spotted Gu Yuanzhou in the crowd, and walked over to him with a smile.


    I don¡¯t know why, but as soon as I walked in, I could feel that everyone¡¯s eyes were a bit strange.


    The further inside I went, the more people there were looking at me, pointing at me, whispering.


    It wasn¡¯t until later that someone kindly reminded Gu Yuanzhou. Gu


    Yuanzhou turned his head and looked at me.


    At that moment, I saw shock in his eyes..

 Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Can He Stand the Test?_l

    Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Can He Stand the Test?_l


    Translator: 549690339


    However, Gu Yuanzhou was a man who had seen much of the world, the surprise in his eyes quickly flickered and passed.


    His face returning to calmness.


    His gaze as profound as ever.


    ¡°President Gu! Sorry, I¡¯m late!¡±


    He nodded slightly, his gaze still lingering on me.


    That look¡­l remember it.


    It was how he looked at me when I first met him at age eighteen.


    ¡°Not late! Just on time!¡±


    In the distance, a few women were pointing and gossiping about me. Though their voices were low, I could still hear a few words.


    ¡°Such a sexy figure!¡±


    ¡°Her arms, her waist are so thin, and her chest so large, it¡¯s disproportionate; has she had plastic surgery?¡±


    ¡°Such a perky bottom, is it padded?¡±


    I slightly curled up the corners of my lips.


    Feigning deafness to their gossip, I just raised my chin slightly.


    Song Xiaoyun was actually that kind of gem of a woman. She had a great figure, fair skin, and her eyes were extraordinarily beautiful, upturned in the corners. With just a bit of makeup, she looked seductive.


    It¡¯s just that Xiaoyun usually dressed too casually, always in hoodies and wide pants, completely hiding her figure.


    On top of that, she usually wore thick black-rimmed glasses and failed to display any of her feminine beauty.


    So as a first step, I took off those geeky glasses and replaced them with contact lenses.


    Then, I picked a black silk bare-back waist cinching evening gown.


    A figure-hugging outfit coupled with seductive makeup.


    1 knew this was a woman¡¯s winning tool in the workplace.


    The more these women were jealous, the more I realized that I was at least halfway to success.


    1 had caught not only the attention of other men, but it seemed that 1 had also won their notice.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to hide it well.


    Other than the initial shock when meeting me, at other times, even when he introduced me to others as he held my hand, he remained calm, his gaze decorous, not once allowing it to linger on my body like other men¡¯s gazes did.


    I asked Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, do you think my outfit tonight is appropriate?¡±


    Unperturbed, Gu Yuanzhou responded,


    ¡°Not quite right!¡¯


    ¡°But doesn¡¯t this make it easier to secure our business deal?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou did not respond.


    When the dance started, successful gentlemen from time to time invited me to dance.


    I mostly accepted these invitations as a courtesy.


    A dance didn¡¯t cost me anything.


    Besides, all of these business elites present here could be of great help to the big venture that I plan to initiate in the future.


    I remembered when I first graduated from college and even for a long time after marrying Gu Yuanzhou,


    I was always reluctant to engage with these wealthy men.


    But after a near death experience, I saw things in a different light.


    A woman¡¯s beauty, if used well, can serve as a stepping stone to advancement and a key to opening special doors.


    Of course, it needs to be used appropriately without compromising one¡¯s body and soul.


    As I was spinning on the dance floor,


    I caught sight of Gu Yuanzhou solo, sitting in a corner, drinking his red wine.


    In reality, Gu Yuanzhou stood out from the crowd of men tonight. From time to time, women would come over and ask him to dance, but he always declined.


    He seemed like a shadow, quietly savoring solitude.


    Only occasionally, would he glance my way.


    Our eyes met, and he was steely.


    When he looked at me, there was no hint of desire in his eyes, instead, he seemed a bit bewildered.


    After that dance, I approached him,


    ¡°President Gu, do me the honor of a dance!¡±


    If I was dancing with other men, it was for some business purpose.


    However, inviting him to dance held no significance.


    At this point, I did not even understand why I wanted to dance just one dance with him.


    Was it because of the resentment I felt inside?


    Or was I trying to test his resolve?


    Or maybe I wanted to compare, did I have a chance to replace Ye Mengyan in his heart?


    I didn¡¯t know, my mind was a little heated¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t reject me.


    He put down his teacup, stepping forward he gripped my waist.


    Actually, there were many people on the dance floor, men and women all dancing, no one would notice us.


    As the music started, lights flickered and I had a strange illusion, as if we had returned to the past.


    That was when 1 first met Gu Yuanzhou.


    It was also a dance party¡­


    Back then he was nowhere near as composed as he is now, his charm radiating a hint of coolness.


    Seeing him from a distance, one couldn¡¯t help but want to conquer him.


    After the first dance with him, I was enthralled.


    It¡¯s undeniable, even now, his allure still exists.


    As I was reminiscing about the past, I neglected to notice Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression.


    When I came back to my senses, I found that we were already embraced.


    The music at the time was quite ambiguous, and we were practically dancing cheek to cheek¡­


    But halfway through the dance, he suddenly pushed me away and turned to leave.


    I stood in place for ten seconds.


    However, I was quickly led away by another gentleman.


    After the dance party ended, I successfully received the assignment Gu Yuanzhou gave me.


    It was a huge order.


    After the negotiation, I still couldn¡¯t find Gu Yuanzhou at the banquet.


    Just as I was about to call him, my phone rang, it was a text message from Gu


    Yuanzhou.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you outside!¡±


    I didn¡¯t chase after him immediately after receiving the message.


    After all, he¡¯s just my boss now, not my husband, I don¡¯t have the responsibility or obligation to care about his feelings.


    I stayed on the dance floor, taking the opportunity to get to know more elites.


    Here, I vaguely heard some news about my Uncle Song Shixiong¡­


    Apparently, my aunt is not in good health and Song Shixiongs company is facing a crisis.


    Since I¡¯ve reincarnated as Song Xiaoyun, although I often miss the good things my uncle and aunt have done for me.


    But in the identity I have now, how can I see them?


    However, since my aunt is seriously ill, I must find the time to visit her.


    It was not until eleven o¡¯clock when the banquet ended that 1 left through the main entrance.


    As I exited through the revolving doors, a young nobleman was still pestering me, asking for my contact information.


    I remembered the man in front of me, a wealthy playboy, though he had money, he had no skills, and was of no use to me.


    I lightly refused him, ¡°Sorry, my phone¡¯s out of power, let¡¯s talk next time!¡± He was persistent, ¡°Where do you live, I¡¯ll take you home!¡±


    Just as I was about to extricate myself, a warm suit was draped over my shoulders.


    Then, a strong arm wrapped me in an embrace.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to take her, she¡¯s going home with me!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s statement held an undeniable authority.


    The playboy naturally recognized Gu Yuanzhou, his expression changed instantly and he hastily apologized before leaving. ¡°Thank you for helping me out of that situation! ¡±


    I got into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car.


    Gu Yuanzhou gave me a deep look, ¡°I¡¯ve said before, dressing like this attracts a lot of unnecessary trouble.¡±


    I smiled confidently, pulling out the order from my bag and handed it to Gu


    Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, don¡¯t you need someone who can make money? I¡¯ve made it happen!


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t start the car, instead he picked up the contract, glanced at it, then looked at me.


    ¡°Seducing with beauty is the lowest strategy! Virtuous people won¡¯t be moved


    ¡°That begs the question, President Gu, can you resist the temptation in the face of beauty like mine?¡±

 Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Drunk and Blacked Out_l

    Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Drunk and Blacked Out_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t directly answer my question. Instead, after starting the car, he calmly said, ¡°You¡¯ve drunk too much!¡±


    I did drink too much, indeed!


    The boss kept urging me to drink while he was signing the contract.


    Normally, 1 could handle my liquor, but I couldn¡¯t resist when he persistently cajoled me into drinking four more rounds.


    Red wine, not very strong, but it can get you intoxicated if you have too much.


    As the saying goes, in vino veritas.


    When you¡¯re drunk, sometimes what you say is out of control.


    Didn¡¯t he promise to protect the innocent Ye Mengyan earlier tonight?


    Now it¡¯s clear that some unscrupulous deeds needed me to do.


    Yet, after I had done it, he turned around and lectured me with virtuous demeanor like a hypocrite.


    Huh, what right does a man who keeps a college girl as a mistress have to talk about right and wrong in front of me?


    I was truly drunk now.


    I kept muttering a lot.


    Things I should¡¯ve said and shouldn¡¯t have said all came out in one go.


    Perhaps, after coming back to life, I had finally let out all my grievances in one go.


    At that moment, 1 was not conscious of anything.


    I don¡¯t even remember when Gu Yuanzhou took me home.


    By the time I regained my consciousness, it was the next morning.


    1 was woken up by the alarm clock at seven in the morning.


    I sat on the bed hugging my pillow, staring blankly at the empty room.


    Turning my head, I saw my high heels and dress carelessly thrown on the sofa, I couldn¡¯t remember when Gu Yuanzhou left or how I took off that dress.


    I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, the person in the mirror had messy hair.


    I turned on the shower and hung it on the wall. While taking a shower and brushing my teeth, I tried hard to recall what I had said last night.


    But it seemed as if 1 had lost my memory due to the amount I had drunk, and I couldn¡¯t remember anything at all.


    After tidying up, I hurried to the company.


    The morning was quite busy. I was caught up with a pile of documents and couldn¡¯t leave.


    It wasn¡¯t until around ten o¡¯clock that I encountered Gu Yuanzhou when I went to the finance room to get the file stamped.


    The man in the suit possessed a natural air of authority; he appeared calm, as if last night hadn¡¯t affected our relationship at all.


    But before he turned around, he said,


    ¡°Come to my office!¡±


    A few minutes later, 1 nervously entered his office,


    He was reviewing contracts behind his desk.


    Seeing me entering, he pushed a red envelope over the table.


    I was taken aback, a red envelope?


    Is he trying to pay me off and fire me?


    ¡°President Gu, did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°If not, why would you want to hire me?¡± ¡°Did I say I was firing you?¡± ¡°So¡­ this red envelope ¡­ it¡¯s not for me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glared at me,


    ¡°Of course not, the boss of the Maiqian company next door¡¯s father passed away. Go get some wreaths and have someone send them.¡±


    1 breathed a sigh of relief,


    ¡°President Gu, this kind of thing can be done with the company account. You don¡¯t have to pay for it!¡±


    ¡°We are friends outside of work!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange it right away.¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuanzhou to be so clear about the distinction between public and private matters.


    As I was leaving with the red envelope, Gu Yuanzhou called out to me, ¡°Wait!¡±


    I turned back.


    ¡°Do you need anything else, President Gu?¡±


    ¡°Make me a cup of coffee!¡±


    As I turned to make coffee, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Gu Yuanzhou put down his work and was watching me intently.


    His gaze was observant.


    1 served him the coffee, He didn¡¯t drink it immediately but kept watching me.


    I suddenly felt that something was off.


    ¡°President Gu, did I say something inappropriate last night that offended


    He was candid, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Which one? Sorry, I was so drunk last night that I can¡¯t remember.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me for quite some time,


    ¡°More than one!¡±


    ¡°What did I say?¡±


    ¡°You said I have a twisted moral compass, keep a college girl as a mistress, less than an animal, I betrayed my wife and children, and deserve to go to hell


    He went off listing a series of things.


    My face turned pale instantly, had I really said that much?


    ¡°I apologize, President Gu! I apologize to you!¡¯


    Gu Yuanzhou waved his hand, ¡°There¡¯s one thing I have to make clear to you; there¡¯s no such thing as a mistress relationship between Ye Mengyan and me,¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Miss Ye¡­ your¡­ woman?¡±


    ¡°To me, she is indeed very important! And this relationship will not dissipate because of any external force¡­¡± ¡°But she said she was getting married!¡±


    ¡°l won¡¯t let her marry a poor guy!¡¯


    Gu Yuanzhou took out a bunch of pictures from the drawer and threw it on the table,


    ¡°I¡¯ve done my investigation. It¡¯s that poor journalist, the boy who has been harassing me. How could Mengyan marry him?¡±


    It was then that I knew that Gu Yuanzhou had someone investigating Shen Yishu after Ye Mengyan had mentioned wanting to get married.


    Obviously, he cared a great deal about Ye Mengyan.


    The ¡®poor boy¡¯ he referred to was a clear display of his discontent towards


    Shen Yishu.


    ¡°President Gu, if she¡¯s not your woman, you have no right to prevent her from getting married, right?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand! The relationship between a man and a woman is not as simple as a physical one.¡±


    He refused to admit to having any sort of relationship with Ye Mengyan.


    In my perspective, he was just evading me, If he and Ye Mengyan are not related by blood and aren¡¯t long-lost siblings, how is it possible that they¡¯ve maintained their relationship for so many years without any physical intimacy?


    At this point, I did not believe a word he said¡ªnot a single word. He didn¡¯t continue the discussion on this topic but changed it instead,


    ¡°Which high school did you go to?¡±


    This question stumped me. I had no idea which high school Song Xiaoyun attended!


    I mentioned a random high school but Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t ask any further and just let me go to do my job.


    Afterward, I went to buy some wreaths. Even though Gu Yuanzhou suggested that I assign the task of delivery to someone else, I decided to do it myself.


    After all, the last place Ye¡¯s mother went to was a crematorium, and I could use this opportunity to find Wu Jun.


    On the way to the crematorium, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s question popped back into my head.


    Why did he suddenly ask about my high school?


    Did I say something last night that made him suspect my identity, he was testing me? The more 1 thought about it, the more it felt wrong.


    Soon, I reached the funeral home.


    After presenting the wreaths and attending the deceased¡¯s funeral, I mingled among the deceased¡¯s family members unnoticed.


    I took advantage of this opportunity to search around the funeral home.


    Here, I finally saw Wu Jun.


    Although I say Wu Jun, she no longer looked like the nanny she used to be.


    If it wasn¡¯t for her sitting beside Ye¡¯s mother, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized her at all..

 Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48 The Truth of the Night of the Fire 1

    Chapter 48: Chapter 48 The Truth of the Night of the Fire 1


    Translator: 549690339


    Yes, Wu Jun had completely changed.


    Previously when she was at my place, she had long hair tied neatly at the back of her head.


    Now, she had a crew cut, dyed white, and a large tattoo on her left cheek that resembled a birthmark.


    Plus, she was clad in men¡¯s blue work clothes.


    If you didn¡¯t look carefully, it would be hard to recognize her.


    At that moment, full of raging fury, I wanted to storm over her and demand why she did what she did to me and the child.


    But I held back.


    Because it would spook her, perhaps leading to her escaping.


    I quietly retreated to a corner, found a deserted spot, and called Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Come to Plum Garden Crematorium, there¡¯s a surprise waiting for you!¡¯ Now that I had backup, all there was left to do was wait.


    With my current status, I truly had no way of overtly capturing Wu Jun. If the news were to leak, Gu Yuanzhou would certainly question why I wanted to apprehend Wu Jun.


    This kind of situation was better handled by Ding Yinuo.


    True to his nature, Ding Yinuo was prompt. He arrived less than twenty minutes after receiving the call.


    ¡°What surprise?¡±


    With my arms folded, I pointed towards the backyard.


    At that moment, Wu Jun was cleaning the backyard trash with Mrs. Ye, chatting about something while lowering her head, completely oblivious to our presence.


    Initially, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t recognize her


    ¡°Are you joking? Are you asking me to take this old woman away?¡±


    ¡°The other one¡­


    With patience, I revealed the truth,


    ¡°Wu Jun, that nanny¡­ the suspect of the Golden Bay arson case.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression froze instantly, and the cigarette that was originally in his hand fell to the ground.


    Then with lightning speed, he rushed towards Wu Jun.


    Wu Jun was very alert. Seeing a figure running towards her, she immediately tried to flee.


    However, Yinuo was more agile. With a swift move, he took down Wu Jun. Then, he raised his fist and punched her hard.


    Ding Yinuo was truly furious. He seemed like he wanted to beat Wu Jun to death. I hurriedly ran up to stop him.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, if you continue and beat her to death, you¡¯ll end up in jail.¡± Reminded by me, Ding Yinuo finally stopped.


    By then, Wu Jun had been beaten black and blue, and her nose was bleeding.


    Ding Yinuo stood up, grabbed the collar of Wu Jun¡¯s shirt, and began dragging her away.


    She was still resisting.


    ¡°You have no right to arrest me, I am going to call the police!¡±


    I added,


    ¡°We have already called the police for you!¡¯


    Only then did Wu Jun calm down, squeezing into the car quietly, her eyes showed no fear.


    Ding Yinuo tied both of Wu Jun¡¯s hands and went speeding off¡­


    However, he didn¡¯t deliver Wu Jun to the police station. Instead, he took her


    directly to Villa No. 168 in the western hills.


    Then he locked the gate.


    Wu Jun¡¯s expression was calm from start to finish. She sat quietly on the sofa, silent.


    Ding Yinuo took off his suit jacket and threw it onto the sofa. He rolled up his shirt sleeves, unbuckled his belt from his waist, and held it in his hand.


    He yelled at Wu Jun, ¡°Speak up, why did you set that damn fire that killed Song Yun?¡±


    Wu Jun was calm. She turned her face to the side, not uttering a word.


    Ding Yinuo got so angry he flipped a table,


    ¡°She was so young and was so good to you. Why the hell did you brutally burn her alive!¡±


    It was quite clear.


    Ding Yinuo was furious.


    This response of his greatly shocked me.


    I had thought that Ding Yinuo would be gloating now.


    After all, the person he hated most in the past was me.


    If I were to die, he should be happy, or at least relieved.


    1 had imagined that he would capture Wu Jun and then get her to confess that Gu Yuanzhou was the real culprit.


    This would result in Gu Yuanzhou being sent to prison.


    But the man right in front of me wasn¡¯t like that. His anger, his roar, everything indicated that he was truly heartbroken.


    Especially when he had lost control and beat up Wu Jun. That was a clear venting of his emotions, as if Wu Jun had killed the woman he loved most.


    At that moment, my mind couldn¡¯t make sense of it.


    I couldn¡¯t figure out why Ding Yinuo was reacting the way he was.


    Just as I saw Ding Yinuo, full of fury and danger pressuring Wu Jun to speak. Yet Wu Jun continued to remain silent. He was about to beat her with the belt again when I stepped forward to stop him.


    ¡°You phone Su Peisheng, ask him to come over here. I want to have a chat with wu Jun!¡¯


    Ding Yinuo threw his belt down angrily,


    ¡°You refuse to speak, huh? Then I¡¯ll lock you up here, no food, no water. Let¡¯s see how long you can stubbornly keep your mouth shut.¡± Having said that, he stormed off.


    I untied Wu Jun and then poured her a cup of boiled water.


    ¡°We were both Song Yun¡¯s closest friends, and her death¡­especially the gruesome condition of the two kids, it truly pained us. Regardless if you¡¯re involved or not, please, for the sake of Song Yun who treated you as her family, reveal the truth, would you?¡±


    Wu Jun didn¡¯t drink the water, just looked at me still, then after a long time, lowered her head.


    ¡°Those two children, Xiaoyi and Zhenyi, they called you Grandma¡­ how could you do it?¡±


    My voice choked up.


    Maybe because I hit Wu Jun¡¯s sore spot, she became very uncomfortable, her hands clenched together, rubbing nervously.


    ¡°You must have had a tough time running and hiding, but why go through all the trouble? No matter what, you¡¯ll have to face the law. M/hy not tell the truth?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be a completely evil person. Song Yun often mentioned how capable and attentive you are¡­¡±


    As I was saying this, Wu Jun suddenly burst into tears.


    Actually, I was already crying my eyes out too.


    I wished I could¡¯ve cried out loud too.


    But I couldn¡¯t, I had to stay cool, I needed to figure out the truth.


    After a long time, when Wu Jun cried herself out, I handed her a tissue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, just speak out truth loudly! I know you¡¯re a good person. You were so fond of them, it couldn¡¯t have been you, now could it? Just tell the truth to everyone, we¡¯ll ensure your safety!¡±


    Wu Jun nodded, then finally managed to mutter, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! I didn¡¯t do it!¡±


    ¡°Okay, then who was it?¡±


    With a mournful look on her face, Wu Jun said,


    ¡°Song Yun and her family were all very good to me! I¡¯m human, born and bred by human. To be honest, their deaths hit me hard. The two children, always clinging to me, calling me grandma. I treated them as if they were my own grandchildren, how could I possibly do it?¡±


    ¡°So what happened on the day of the fire? And why have you been hiding ever since?¡±

 Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49 The Truth of the Night of the Fire _1

    Chapter 49: Chapter 49 The Truth of the Night of the Fire _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Wu Jun¡¯s face was pale, her lips trembling. After pondering for a long time, she began to talk about what happened that night.


    ¡°That day was Zhenyi¡¯s birthday. Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu were very happy, and when it was time to light the birthday cake candles, Mr. Gu asked me to turn off the fire alarm system.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! What happened next?¡±


    I listen intently, carefully recalling the details of the past events.


    ¡°After they finished celebrating, I shut the fire system again. Around eleven o¡¯clock at night, I got up to go to the restroom and saw Mr. Gu answering a call in the living room¡­¡± ¡°Who was he calling?¡± I asked anxiously.


    Wu Jun fell into silence,


    ¡°From the sounds of it, it was a woman!¡±


    ¡°Who was she? Who was she?¡±


    ¡°l don¡¯t know. I couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying.¡±


    ¡°Then what? What happened afterward?¡±


    Wu Jun fell silent again,


    ¡°After Mr. Gu ended the call and saw me standing behind him, he gave me a sum of money and told me to pack my things and leave.¡± I was shocked, ¡°Gu Yuanzhou asked you to leave?¡±


    ¡°Where did he ask you to go?¡±


    ¡°l don¡¯t know. He said he wouldn¡¯t need me anymore, asked me to relocate far away and never return! Not knowing what would happen later, but Mr. Gu was my master, if he asked me to leave, I couldn¡¯t hesitate. I took the money, packed up and left. It wasn¡¯t until the next day that 1 saw on the news that there had been a fire at the Golden Bay villa.¡±


    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t start the fire?¡± 1 asked urgently.


    Wu Jun immediately denied it.


    ¡°Not me! I would never do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Since it wasn¡¯t you, why didn¡¯t you come forward and tell the truth?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s no one who could prove my innocence. Mrs. Gu and the


    children are dead; everyone is suspecting me. I dare not show my face. Besides¡­ Mr. Gu also called me and asked not to show up.¡±


    ¡°It was Gu Yuanzhou who asked you to do that?¡± I kept questioning.


    Wu Jun¡¯s answer remained the same, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Ha! I gave a cold laugh and slumped into the sofa.


    If it¡¯s not Wu Jun.


    Then it must have been Gu Yuanzhou himself!


    He dismissed Wu Jun in the middle of the night, then once again shut down the safety valve of the fire system, and lit the birthday candle in the kitchen, using the candle to ignite the combustible items.


    These are the only scenarios that I could think of.


    This answer, both unexpected and reasonable.


    But it was the hardest for me to accept.


    The feeling of heartache drowned me like the sea. Suffocation, despair¡­


    For a while, my mind went blank.


    It was not until a piercing pain in my fingertip that I gradually came to senses.


    At that moment, Ding Yinuo was standing in front of me, holding my hand tightly and shouting at me.


    I looked down and saw that I had shattered the glass in my hand.


    The glass shards had pierced deep into my palm. Blood was pouring out, staining the cushion on the sofa red. Still, I didn¡¯t feel any pain.


    ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    Ding Yinuo chided me as he found the first aid kit.


    True to his reputation as the best surgeon in A City.


    He performed the operation so cleanly and efficiently.


    He picked the shards of glass out of my palm one by one, then cleaned the wound, applied medicine, and bandaged it up.


    All done in one go.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    He asked.


    Looking at my left hand, all wrapped up like a dumpling, I shook my head.


    With that, I stood up and started to walk outside.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Ding Yinuo asked me.


    I didn¡¯t answer him, but calmly walked to the front door, crouched down to change my shoes.


    At this point, they were no longer of any importance to me. The only thing on my mind was finding Gu Yuanzhou.


    Ask him why he did this to me?


    He could have broken up with me, divorced me, or even left me penniless. Why did he want to burn me alive? Why did he want to burn my children?


    1 can¡¯t understand¡­


    Su Peisheng was standing outside the door, oblivious to the situation,


    ¡°Look at you, bringing her here like this, don¡¯t you know this is a crime?¡± Ding Yinuo pushed him away impatiently.


    ¡°She is a suspect. We are helping the police catch the suspects, which is meritorious! What kidnap are you talking about, quit spouting nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, 1 get it. Just release her. I¡¯ll cover up for you later, a bunch of legal neophytes!¡¯


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll take her to the police station!¡±


    Since it wasn¡¯t Wu Jun who started the fire, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t harbor much hostility towards her anymore.


    So he called the police right away, and ten minutes later, they came to take her away.


    With the mediation of Su Peisheng, the police didn¡¯t give Ding Yinuo any trouble over Wu Jun¡¯s assault.


    After the police left, I also walked to the front door, and Ding Yinuo stopped me once more.


    ¡°Where on earth are you going?¡± 1 gave him a cold glance,


    ¡°What does it matter to you where I go?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not in your right mind!¡±


    Perhaps Ding Yinuo sensed something, that my silence and calmness at that moment were somewhat frightening.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, didn¡¯t you want me to kill Gu Yuanzhou? I¡¯m going now!¡±


    Ding Yinuo snorted coldly, grabbed my arm and once again dragged me back to the living room. ¡°No, you can¡¯t go now!¡± ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°As I said, you can¡¯t go now!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you hate Gu Yuanzhou so much! Isn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity for him to die? Why are you blocking me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo lit a cigarette, then got up, pulled me into the bathroom, turned on the light and pushed me in front of the mirror.


    ¡°Look at yourself now, distraught and distracted. You¡¯re not going to kill Gu


    Yuanzhou, but to offer yourself as a sacrifice. Do you think you can hurt Gu Yuanzhou, who is so cunning, in your current state?¡±


    I looked at myself in the mirror.


    Indeed, my eyes were filled with hatred.


    ¡°So what do you want me to do? Am I supposed to just sit back and watch him go unpunished?¡±


    Ding Yinuo pulled me back to the living room, roared in a suppressed voice,


    ¡°l want him dead more than you do!¡±


    ¡°Then why are you trying to stop me?¡±


    ¡°But, I don¡¯t want you to throw away your life! It¡¯s not worth it¡­let¡¯s wait. Now is not the time. Gu Yuanzhou has good sources. He should soon know that Wu Jun has been arrested. If I¡¯m right, the police will be on him by this afternoon.


    After all, Wu Jun confessed that he was the mastermind, so he can¡¯t escape.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words make me enlightened. No wonder he¡¯s not in a rush.


    It seems everything is going as he predicted.


    ¡°You should go and get some sleep! I¡¯ll call you when it¡¯s evening!¡¯


    Ding Yinuo pushed me into the room and even took away my mobile phone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about escaping. I will be guarding the door!¡± He then closed the door.


    At times like these, I would have thought it impossible to sleep.


    I was anxious, I wanted to find Gu Yuanzhou to confront him.


    I also wanted to know how things would unfold next.


    But just as I sat down on the bed, a wave of sleepiness overcame me, and I fell into a deep slumber.


    That bastard Ding Yinuo must have drugged me earlier!

 Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50: If You Really Are Her_l

    Chapter 50: Chapter 50: If You Really Are Her_l


    Translator: 549690339


    I don¡¯t know how long I slept for. When I woke up, it was already dark outside the window.


    There was a light on in the living room. I hurriedly walked out, moving so quickly that I knocked over a pot of green plants.


    This noise made the man that was in the living room turn his head immediately.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    Ding Yinuo approached me.


    He actually didn¡¯t seem to be doing any better than me at this moment.


    He usually dressed sharply, but now he looked unkempt. His tie was missing, his shirt loosen, and the shirt sleeves rolled up.


    His eyes were red and bloodshot, as though he had smoked a lot. The living room was filled with smoke.


    Feeling angry, I questioned him,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, did you drug the water 1 drank?¡±


    Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t deny it, saying,


    ¡°Yes, I put some sleeping pills in it. How else could you have fallen asleep?¡±


    ¡°How could you do such a thing?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°You should actually thank me. I was just trying to help you.¡±


    ¡°l don¡¯t need your help, Ding Yinuo. I¡¯m going to look for Gu Yuanzhou, don¡¯t try to stop me!¡±


    I stubbornly tried to head out, but Ding Yinuo grabbed me from behind.


    ¡°Calm down! It¡¯s not too late to think of a plan. Think about it, Wu Jun has been arrested, and she¡¯s now locked up by the police. This case will be solved soon; Gu Yuanzhou won¡¯t be able to escape.¡± I struggled violently, trying to break free.


    ¡°Let me go. Don¡¯t stop me. I am going to kill him.¡±


    ¡°Have you gone mad? If you kill him, you¡¯ll be committing a crime and end up in prison!¡±


    ¡°l don¡¯t care!¡±


    ¡°The court will sentence him to death!¡±


    I pushed Ding Yinuo away forcefully. I was panting, my voice was hoarse and somewhat hysterical.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou killed my two children. 1 will avenge them myself. I have to kill him personally. You wouldn¡¯t understand, but I have to kill him with my own hands.¡¯


    I needed to plunge a knife into his heart, to see how black and cruel it was.


    If I couldn¡¯t avenge my children, I wouldn¡¯t dare face them even in death.


    Suddenly, Ding Yinuo let go of me.


    ¡°You said that you were reincarnated as Song Yun, right?¡±


    I gritted my teeth and replied, ¡°Yes!¡±


    He snorted coldly, reinforced his loose sleeves, and spit. ¡°You¡¯re not Song Yun; she wouldn¡¯t be so foolish!¡±


    ¡°Really? What would she do?¡±


    ¡°She would calmly plot out a way to corner Gu Yuanzhou instead of rushing to him impulsively to meet her own death.¡± Ding Yinuo¡¯s words finally woke me up.


    ¡°Was she really that calm before?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was smoking, exhaling smoke, his eyes somewhat melancholic.


    ¡°At least before the marriage, she was rational! She was one of the smartest girls I¡¯ve ever met.¡±


    1 was taken aback. After 1 got married, my entire heart and soul were devoted to my career and family, and especially after the second child was born, all my attention was on the child.


    They say that motherhood takes away your intelligence for three years, given that I had two kids, I must have lost it for six years.


    Otherwise, how could I have been so blind as not to see how horrible a man Gu


    Yuanzhou was?


    ¡°So, she was really smart?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she was excellent. No matter if it was in high school or university, she was always the top student, and she was brilliant at everything she learned! She was beautiful and deft used her emotional intelligence. Had she not married the wrong man, she could have achieved greatly.¡±


    I gave him a cold look.


    ¡°For so many years, have you been opposing her at every turn? Since you¡¯ve seen so many of her strengths, how come you never came to like her?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked deeply at me, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    Yes, indeed, I wouldn¡¯t understand.


    And I don¡¯t actually want to.


    Perhaps, Ding Yinuo was just trying to calm me down with his words. ¡°Alright, Ding Yinuo, I have to leave now. I¡¯m quite calm now.¡± ¡°Wait for a while longer until they get here, then you can leave.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, who else are you summoning?¡± Just as I finished speaking,


    Two figures rushed in from the outside.


    It was Jian Jing and Wenya.


    Before I had a chance to say anything, Wenya and Jian Jing both rushed over to hug me tightly.


    ¡°Dear, we heard about what happened¡­ You have to be strong. Don¡¯t be afraid, we are here for you. We¡¯re your stoic support, in the future, whatever you want to do, we¡¯ll support you. But we have to advise you not to act recklessly.¡± Jian Jing held my hand and gently advised.


    I could easily tell that Ding Yinuo must have called them and told them everything.


    The reason they rushed over was to comfort me and to prevent me from acting rashly.


    I took a look at Ding Yinuo. I never thought he would be so responsible.


    It was rare for him to do so much for me.


    At this moment, he was also staring at me. His gaze was entirely different from the disgust and rejection he had shown when we first met.


    Jian Jing was rather rational, she sat in front of me analyzing the present situation.


    Wenya was quite emotional on the other hand, cursing Gu Yuanzhou and wishing him bad luck. But after a while, she sat alongside me and calmed me down.


    ¡°Ayun! In this life, one may inevitably come across several jerks. We can relate to your desire for revenge, but you must consider the current situation; Gu Yuanzhou is cunning, he won¡¯t let you succeed easily. You might end up getting killed by him again. Remember, you¡¯ve luckily lived again once, if you die at his hands again, there won¡¯t be another chance.¡± Wenya¡¯s words finally calmed me down.


    Yes, I couldn¡¯t just rush to find Gu Yuanzhou impulsively.


    A man who could kill his own wife and children¡­


    Would he show mercy to his underlings?


    If I rushed to him recklessly, I might end up with nothing left of me. Seeing that I didn¡¯t look well, Jian Jing hurriedly changed the subject,


    ¡°Alright, can you guys give me some attention now?¡±


    ¡°What, haven¡¯t you fixed the gifts for your mother-in-law yet? Didn¡¯t we tell you last time to stick to your guns? You should not give the deed of the house to your mother-in-law, and not a penny less for the dowry. If they don¡¯t agree, don¡¯t get married. Do you know that when it comes to marriage, it¡¯s better to lack than to take excessively? If you get anxious, your mother-in-law will have the upper hand.¡±


    Blushing, Jian Jing hesitated before speaking,


    ¡°l would have stuck to my guns, too, but I found out yesterday that I¡¯m pregnant. What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t make that decision for you. You better discuss it with your man. I can¡¯t believe he wouldn¡¯t compromise after discovering that you¡¯re carrying his child!¡±


    Just as I was pondering over this, suddenly my phone rang.


    The screen showed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone number.


    Jian Jing and Wenya looked at each other and fell silent.


    Just as I was about to answer the call, Ding Yinuo suddenly stood up and grabbed the phone from me..

 Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: If You Really Are Her 1

    Chapter 51: Chapter 51: If You Really Are Her 1


    Translator: 549690339


    I looked at Ding Yinuo in shock.


    He hung up the phone immediately, tossing it onto the sofa.


    ¡°Don¡¯t answer it!¡±


    Everyone fell silent.


    However, the phone started ringing again soon after.


    It kept ringing.


    Just like Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s stubborn and overbearing temper.


    Until it rang for the third time, I eventually picked it up.


    Ding Yinuo kept signaling me with his eyes. I hushed him with a finger to my lips and walked outside with the phone.


    As soon as I answered the call, I heard Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s deep voice.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m outside hanging out with some friends!¡±


    ¡°Get back to the company immediately!¡¯ ¡°President Gu, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Emergency meeting! ¡®


    ¡°Oh, alright!¡¯


    After hanging up, I gathered my bag and changed my shoes.


    ¡°l need to run!¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? Are you just asking for trouble at this hour?¡± Ding Yinuo still disagreed strongly.


    ¡°l have to go! Don¡¯t forget, I am Song Xiaoyun right now. As long as I don¡¯t expose myself voluntarily, he won¡¯t make a move on me. In contrast, if I stay here and avoid him, he will become suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, keep your phone on so we can contact you at any time. If you¡¯re in danger, run immediately.¡±


    ¡°l know, I¡¯m not a fool.¡¯


    Jiang Jing and Wenya hugged me in turn.


    It was only Ding Yinuo who stayed cold, standing far off silently watching us.


    However, when I left, he brought out the Lamborghini.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you there!¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to make it obvious to Gu Yuanzhou that I¡¯ve been hanging out with his enemy by using such a flashy car?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just get off a block early?¡±


    ¡°Fine! ¡±


    The mansions in Xishan are secluded, and it¡¯s almost impossible to hail a cab here, especially since the buses have stopped running at this hour.


    It seems getting in his car was the best option.


    After getting in the car, he didn¡¯t say much and just started driving.


    We sped along.


    Half an hour later, he parked in the underground parking lot of the building next to the Zhenyi Company.


    As I opened the car door to get out, he called me,


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting here, call me if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Understood! ¡±


    I slammed the car door shut and turned to leave.


    Upon entering the company, 1 didn¡¯t sense any impending crisis.


    However, when 1 entered Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office, I found that Annie had beaten me there and was talking to Gu Yuanzhou.


    As soon as I entered, she left with a laugh and a mysterious wave at me.


    I realized something was off.


    But I couldn¡¯t put my finger on exactly what was wrong.


    Gu Yuanzhou was smoking. Seeing me, he didn¡¯t ask any unnecessary questions but simply stood up.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the meeting!¡¯


    ¡°President Gu, it¡¯s eight in the evening!¡¯


    It was not just after work hours but also unprecedented to have a meeting at this hour.


    Gu Yuanzhou, while packing his briefcase, just glanced at me and said,


    ¡°Be ready to take notes!¡±


    ¡°Alright! ¡®


    I couldn¡¯t read any emotion from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze.


    On our way to the meeting room, I noticed Annie secretly making a phone call.


    A few minutes later, the meeting officially began.


    All senior company executives were present.


    The meeting wasn¡¯t long. Gu Yuanzhou had arranged the work for the week very properly.


    As soon as the meeting finished, Annie hurried in and whispered something to Gu Yuanzhou. I was standing nearby and heard everything quite clearly.


    She said, ¡°There are police officers waiting in your office.¡± Gu Yuanzhou nodded calmly and turned to leave.


    From beginning to end, he did not show any signs of panic.


    Calm, collected, as if whatever was about to happen had nothing to do with him.


    By the time I rushed to the CEO¡¯s office, two police officers were leaving with


    Gu Yuanzhou.


    All the other colleagues were shocked.


    When 1 saw Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s silhouette disappearing into the elevator, everyone started talking.


    ¡°President Gu has been taken by the police. What on earth has he done?¡±


    ¡°Did he commit tax evasion or something?¡±


    No sooner had the words left the speaker¡¯s mouth than the lady from the finance department came out to object,


    ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions! We have never evaded taxes.¡±


    At this point, Annie purposefully walked over to me and said,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, as the CEO¡¯s assistant, tell us what kind of trouble President Gu is facing.¡±


    Knowing that Annie was hiding her phone behind her back, probably recording the conversation secretly, I decided not to give her any excuse to use against me. Addressing everyone, I said,


    ¡°Everyone, stop speculating. Go home and rest. President Gu will be fine. He¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡±


    Soon, everyone dispersed.


    Annie glanced at me with a bizarre smile plastered on her face.


    I didn¡¯t bother dealing with her anymore. After packing my things, I just left work.


    I was about to go home when I remembered that Ding Yinuo said he would wait for me in the underground parking lot.


    So I headed to the basement parking lot of the neighboring building.


    Sure enough, he was still there!


    When 1 got into the car, he was still on the phone with Su Peisheng, seemingly inquiring about the situation.


    After hanging up, he looked at me.


    ¡°Did he suspect you?¡±


    1 shook my head, fastening my seatbelt,


    ¡°No! He was taken away by the police, Wu Jun must have confessed, right?¡±


    After all, with three lives at stake, if Wu Jun didn¡¯t want to die, he would have to tell the truth.


    Ding Yinuo hesitated for a moment before saying calmly,


    ¡°They didn¡¯t use handcuffs!¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Ding Yinuo put out his cigarette,


    ¡°l just asked Su Peisheng. He said if it was a criminal offense and they were detaining him, they would use handcuffs.¡±


    I recalled that when Wu Jun was taken away by the police, he was indeed handcuffed, but Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t earlier.


    ¡°So what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Su Peisheng said, it might only be helping with an investigation!¡±


    ¡°Helping with an investigation, what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means, he¡¯s not the murderer, in fact, he might not even be a suspect.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Is Wu Jun lying to us?¡±


    Ding Yinuo started the car,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! We can wait for the results.¡±


    I began to feel agitated again!


    I wished the law would deal with Gu Yuanzhou as soon as possible.


    ¡°How could that be? What exactly is he up to?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t imagine how Gu Yuanzhou managed to evade punishment¡­


    However, when I calmed down, I noticed the car was not heading towards my rented apartment.


    Instead, we were headed back to the 168th villa in Xishan.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, take me home first!¡±


    ¡°For next few days, you¡¯ll be staying in Xishan Villa. Don¡¯t go anywhere else!¡± He didn¡¯t even bother to discuss it with me. He was so bossy.


    ¡°No way, I need to go back. All my clothes are there. I won¡¯t go to your place¡­¡±


    I was still feeling agitated, as if I had pent-up emotions that needed to be released.


    Ding Yinuo said slowly and patiently, ¡°Until Gu Yuanzhou is sentenced to death, you are my responsibility!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, this is none of your business!¡±


    ¡°Just now, Su Peisheng told me an even more important piece of information.


    If you want to hear it, sit tight and stop fidgeting..¡±

 Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52 A Bit of the Past_l

    Chapter 52: Chapter 52 A Bit of the Past_l


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words successfully caught my attention, so I had to sit down quietly.


    In fact, my current panic really isn¡¯t helpful.


    1 need to keep myself composed.


    Ding Yinuo poured me a cup of tea and handed it to me.


    I took a small sip and looked at him,


    ¡°Biluochun?¡±


    Ding Yinuo shrugged.


    ¡°How do you know I like this tea?¡±


    Ding Yinuo held up a lighter in his hand, glanced at me, and said,


    ¡°l don¡¯t know if you like it or not! I just like it.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ What a coincidence! We seem to have the same taste.¡¯


    Ding Yinuo chuckled,


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s our karma! ! ¡±


    After having a cup of tea, I felt much calmer, ¡°You tell me, what did Su Peisheng say?¡±


    ¡°He said, after Wu Jun was detained, Gu Yuanzhou visited him immediately.


    And he even tried to bail him out, but failed.¡¯


    ¡°Well, three lives, it¡¯s impossible to get him out.¡±


    I believe that the police have been trying to find the real perpetrator during this period, in hopes of cracking the case.


    To comfort me, Wenya and Jian Jing came over after work,


    Wenya originally suggested going out for a meal, but I was not in the mood for food


    ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t we just have a hot pot, I¡¯ll prepare it¡­¡±


    Jian Jing suggested that a few of us buy some ingredients and enjoy a hot pot at home, and Ding Yinuo immediately agreed,


    ¡°I¡¯ll call Su Peisheng to deliver some food over! I think there¡¯s also mutton roll and beef roll in the fridge¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go buy some beer!¡±


    The more people there were, the better the atmosphere, and soon the hot pot was ready.


    When Su Peisheng walked in with the food, Wenya expressed dissatisfaction,


    ¡°Counselor Su, your legs are really too short, aren¡¯t they? Our hot pot is almost finished, and your food is only just arriving? I know you went to buy groceries, but I thought you might be growing them yourself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Miss Wen! Are you suffering from the princess syndrome? You don¡¯t know that 1 came to deliver you the food right after court. You¡¯re even complaining about me?¡±


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t done well, just admit it. You¡¯re busy with your work, you could¡¯ve called and said you weren¡¯t coming!¡¯


    These two really must be rivals from a past life, they attacked each other as soon as they met.


    1 quickly pulled Wenya away.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and that Su guy? Why do you argue every time you see each other?¡±


    Wenya blushed, ¡°Hmph, I just can¡¯t stand him!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a lawyer?¡±


    ¡°His only strong point is his mouth! I think it would be appropriate to call him Big-mouth Su!¡±


    At this time, Su Peisheng and Ding Yinuo went into the kitchen to wash the vegetables.


    The two didn¡¯t know what they were discussing.


    After they brought out the vegetables, the few of us chatted while eating, and the atmosphere was quite good.


    While 1 was deep in thought, Wenya nudged my shoulder, ¡°Eat! Quick, eat. It¡¯s getting cold! ¡±


    Only then did I noticed that Ding Yinuo had already put some cooked mutton into my bowl.


    When he was looking at me, his eyes seemed to be somewhat unfocused.


    I took a few bites¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s toast to our friendship!¡±


    Wenya raised her glass and we all drank together.


    After taking a big gulp, Wenya asked me,


    ¡°Ayun, what was the deal you made with Director Zhou last time?¡±


    I saw in the news on my phone these days that Director Zhou had already divorced his wife amicably.


    I didn¡¯t hide anything and told them about the time I hacked into Zhou¡¯s wife¡¯s email and stole pictures.


    Jian Jing looked surprised after listening.


    ¡°Ayun, how do you know hacking? I remember that you studied fashion design before, and also learned a bit of medical skills from your aunt. How can you hack into other people¡¯s computers now?¡±


    Wenya laughed, ¡°Did you unlock new skills after your reincarnation?¡±


    I cleared my throat, ¡°Secret!¡±


    In fact, hacking is not my specialty.


    When I was in high school, I made friends with a netizen named Shiqi. He was a top-notch hacker and casually taught me a few tricks.


    ¡°Secret my ass! Aren¡¯t we real sisters?¡±


    Wenya raised her eyebrows, and I caved in immediately. In fact, I never planned to hide anything from them. 1 was just trying to be mysterious.


    I followed that by telling them the story of me and Shiqi.


    Wenya gave a thumbs up,


    ¡°Wow, was he the guild master when we played Dungeon Fighter Online? I remember you mentioning him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him! But then he quit the game and we lost contact.¡±


    Jian Jing asked,


    ¡°Have you ever met him? What does he look like?¡±


    ¡°l don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never seen him, and I don¡¯t even have a picture!¡±


    ¡°Wow, 1 heard that hackers are typically very intelligent with high IQs! And, I also know that men with such high intelligence are usually doctors or lawyers!¡¯


    Su Peisheng, who was drinking at the time, suddenly sat upright, ¡°What game were you guys talking about? What guild¡­ ¡±


    Ding Yinuo suddenly coughed lightly, ¡°What game are you guys talking about while eating hotpot!? How old are we! Enough with the games, let¡¯s drink.¡±


    Su Peisheng patted Ding Yinuo¡¯s shoulder as if he¡¯d finally found a conversation topic, he enthusiastically said,


    ¡°Speaking of which, when we played Dungeon Fighter Online, didn¡¯t we also establish a guild? You were the leader, and 1 was the deputy. We were so wild back then! We even forced the top guild¡¯s idiotic leader to quit the game. Ah, those were the golden days¡­¡±


    Wenya suddenly said,¡±What guild? Which one was yours? Is it the same as Ah


    Yun e s guild?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called, ah, I remember, it¡¯s called¡­


    Su Peisheng didn¡¯t finish his sentence.


    Ding Yinuo immediately stuffed a piece of beef into his mouth with his chopsticks,


    ¡°Less talk! Can¡¯t eating even shut your mouth?¡±


    Su Peisheng struggled to chew and swallow, and was about to start talking again. Ding Yinuo changed the topic,


    ¡°Old Su, how¡¯s the blind date your parents introduced you to going? Any progress?¡±


    This seemed to touch Su Peishengs sore spot,


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it! She¡¯s an older leftover woman and overly picky. For a meal, she even requires a fancy restaurant. I¡¯m telling you, I really don¡¯t know what these women are thinking, they may end up with nobody wanting them.¡±


    As Su Peisheng was grumbling, Wenya slammed her chopsticks down,


    ¡°Who are you talking about? Who are you looking down on?¡± Su Pei Sheng was first startled, then he laughed,


    ¡°Oh, sorry, I almost forgot that you are also a leftover woman!¡±


    Jian Jing tried to mediate,


    ¡°Wenya, Counselor Su didn¡¯t mean that, he wasn¡¯t talking about you! He was talking about his blind date.¡±


    Wenya fumed,


    ¡°He¡¯s taking a backhand slap at me! Who would he even get for a blind date. This kind of man, anyone with eyes would not want.¡± While everyone was arguing, my phone rang again.


    The flashing number on the screen is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s..

 Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Revealing One’s IQ Easily with One’s Mouth 1

    Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Revealing One¡¯s IQ Easily with One¡¯s Mouth 1


    Translator: 549690339


    As the phone began to ring, everyone quieted down, glancing nervously at each other.


    Just as I was about to answer it, the call abruptly ended.


    ¡°Was that him calling?¡±


    Wenya asked.


    ¡°He ought to still be at the police station. If he was able to call, then that means they haven¡¯t detained him.¡±


    Su Peisheng briefed us on some details about detention procedures.


    After listening, Wenya became even more riled up than I was,


    ¡°So the rich can act with total impunity, is that it? M/ell, I¡¯ll pay whatever it takes to have him killed; where can one hire a hitman?¡±


    Just as Wenya finished speaking, she was met with a snort of derision from Su Peisheng.


    ¡°Ignorance! A complete lack of understanding of the law! How sad!¡±


    Wenya wasn¡¯t going to take this lying down, ¡°You legal toady! Who are you insulting?¡±


    ¡°Did I name anyone?¡±


    ¡°You continued after what I said, which means you¡¯re insulting me!!!¡±


    Su Peisheng snorted coldly,


    ¡°Please, if you¡¯re dumb, read more books! Otherwise, sit there and keep your mouth shut, lest you expose your lack of intelligence.¡±


    Su Peisheng certainly had a mouth on him. He hadn¡¯t used a single curse word but had thoroughly belittled her.


    Wenya¡¯s anger flared again and she shot to her feet, jabbing a finger at Su Peishengs nose in anger.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the smart one, huh? You call that being clever? Men like you, all smug and self-righteous, I wouldn¡¯t give you the time of day, even if I had no brains in my head.¡±


    ¡°Ha, did I ask for your approval? And for the record, I wouldn¡¯t give a second look to a spinster like you.¡±


    At these words from Su Peisheng, Ding Yinuo quickly stepped in and pulled him away.


    ¡°Enough, mind your words. Are you a man or not? If you¡¯re a man, stop arguing with a woman!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s intervention, although it left Su Peisheng somewhat disgruntled, at least had the effect of silencing him.


    Ding Yinuo then pulled him outside,


    ¡°Go and find out what¡¯s happening with Gu Yuanzhou! If there¡¯s any news, report back to me immediately.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯m going.¡±


    And with that, Su Peisheng put on his coat and left.


    Ding Yinuo turned back to me,


    ¡°Honestly, Su Peisheng didn¡¯t use to be like this. It¡¯s really strange. The moment he lays eyes on Wenya, they start arguing incessantly!¡±


    I looked at Su Peishengs departing figure, pondering. Indeed, when I had seen him at the law firm before, he had been both diplomatic and efficient.


    He never seemed like the type to get into incessant disputes with women.


    What was going on?


    I glanced at Wenya and she seemed furious, complaining nonstop to Jian Jing.


    ¡°Did you see that? What an uncultured brute. He called me a spinster. If it weren¡¯t for Ayun¡¯s sake, I¡¯d have slapped him twice,¡± Suddenly I understood and sat down next to Wenya,


    ¡°Are you possibly in love with the lavvyer, Su?¡±


    ¡°Me? In love with him? Yuck, I feel like throwing up just looking at him. If I fell for him, I¡¯d know there were ghosts!¡±


    I chuckled and didn¡¯t pursue the matter further.


    However, my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Gu Yuanzhou. If it weren¡¯t for their company, I¡¯d be anxious out of my mind.


    After we had finished our hot pot, Ding Yinuo made us some tea.


    While we were waiting for news from Su Peisheng, we were all bored, and the conversation shifted back to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯ve spent a long time with Gu Yuanzhou, did he ever find out about your reincarnation?¡±


    Wenya asked while peeling an orange.


    I shook my head.


    Wenya continued,


    ¡°Well, I suppose not. That scumbag is so engrossed with Ye Mengyan, how would he ever pay attention to any other woman?¡±


    1 suddenly recalled the discussion I had with Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Let me tell you a ghost story. Gu Yuanzhou once told me that his relationship with Ye Mengyan is very pure, it isn¡¯t a ¡®sugar daddy-sugar baby¡¯ relationship.¡±


    After hearing this, Wenya scoffed¡­


    ¡°Keeping her around without expecting anything in return? Please, only a child would believe such a fairy tale. I certainly don¡¯t.¡±


    After she finished, she looked at Jian Jing.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Jian Jing was typically more reserved, without much insight into human nature.


    She glanced at me.


    ¡°Ayun, this is something you¡¯ll have to feel out. Neither Wenya nor 1 have spent our days living with Gu Yuanzhou. Only you know him best, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°l shook my head, ¡°l don¡¯t believe it!¡±


    I really didn¡¯t. Perhaps such pure feelings did exist in this world, but certainly not with Gu Yuanzhou.


    He was a man with strong sexual needs.


    How could he possibly maintain a ¡®pure¡¯ relationship with Ye Mengyan?


    Just as we were discussing Ye Mengyan, my phone rang again.


    It was Ye Mengyan¡¯s phone number.


    I didn¡¯t answer the call.


    She kept calling, three times in total, and then sent me a text message. ¡°Xiaoyun, my mom said that my aunt was arrested by the police! Can we talk?¡± 1 reflected carefully.


    The reason I had called Ding Yinuo over was because Ye¡¯s mother was present.


    I didn¡¯t want to expose myself.


    If I were exposed, 1 might lose my footing one I¡¯m at Zhenyi Company.


    Given Ye Mengyan¡¯s current status, Gu Yuanzhou will certainly not side with me.


    As far as Gu Yuanzhou is concerned, I am just a mere employee.


    Ding Yinuo stepping in helped me avoid such a risk.


    When 1 was in the funeral procession, I made sure to wear a cap and a face mask, and I did not deliberately expose myself to Ye¡¯s mother¡¯s sight.


    I believe that for now, Ye Mengyan also doesn¡¯t know who 1 am.


    So, what does she mean by wanting to meet me now?


    What does she want to discuss with me?


    ¡°What are you so afraid of?¡±


    Ding Yinuo sat down opposite me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of anything!¡¯


    I didn¡¯t reply to Ye Mengyan¡¯s message, instead helping Ding Yinuo clean up the dining utensils.


    He grabbed my hand,


    ¡°Leave this, your hand is injured. Go sit down and take a rest.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Wu Jun will expose me?¡±


    ¡°If you feel uncomfortable, put the blame on me! Besides, if you really don¡¯t dare to take the risk, you can come work at my company! After all, a job is a job, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words were rather nonchalant.


    1 couldn¡¯t help but force a smile. My association with Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t as simple as just having a job.


    It was past eleven at night by the time Wenya and Jian Jing left.


    Only Ding Yinuo and I were left in this deserted mansion.


    I was nervously checking the news on my phone, waiting for news from Gu


    Yuanzhou and monitoring the situation.


    Suddenly, Ding Yinuo reached out and snatched my phone from me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I want to take you somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going so late at night?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t answer me, he just handed me a jacket, ¡°Put this on, it¡¯s cold outside! ¡±


    I put on the jacket and held out my hand, ¡°Give me back my phone!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold onto it for an hour, and then I¡¯ll give it back to you!¡¯


    He switched my phone off and stuffed it into his pocket before walking out.


    I was left with no choice but to follow him out..

 Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Settling Scores with Ding Yinuo_1

    Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Settling Scores with Ding Yinuo_1


    Translator: 549690339


    This villa was built on a hillside, and on the road upward, there was a cement road leading to the top of the hill.


    ¡°Do you want to drive?¡± He jingled the car keys at me.


    I shook my head,


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk!¡±


    In any case, I couldn¡¯t sleep. Going for a walk might help to ease a bit of anxiety.


    The winding mountain road seemed flat, but walking on it could be strenuous.


    Ding Yinuo followed beside me, occasionally reaching out to steady me.


    At least, the air was fresh, the moon helped guide the way, it wasn¡¯t too exhausting.


    Halfway up, he asked me to rest on the bench at the roadside.


    Looking carefully, you can see lights from villas scattered on the hill and amongst the trees.


    Despite being called a mountain, it¡¯s essentially just a tall hill, lined with tall French plane trees and green plants in the distance.


    The two of us had made it to the top of the hill in half an hour.


    The view from the top was astounding; you could overlook the entire city¡¯s lights.


    And you could see a sky full of stars.


    Ding Yinuo bought a bottle of water from a vending machine and unscrewed the cap before handing it to me.


    ¡°The view is nice, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay!¡¯ ¡°Just okay?¡±


    ¡°What else can it be?¡±


    ¡°Come over here, I¡¯ve got something to show you!¡¯


    He led me to a pavilion on the edge of the hill.


    There was an adjustable telescope in the middle of the pavilion¡­


    ¡°You can see our school from here!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Try it!¡¯


    Encouraged by Ding Yinuo, I picked up the telescope and looked towards the direction he pointed for a long time, but I didn¡¯t see anything.


    ¡°You tricked me, there¡¯s nothing there!¡±


    ¡°Wait!


    He took the telescope, adjusted the view again, and handed it back to me.


    This time, I looked over again and indeed, I saw the school where we studied in high school.


    Everything was clear. Even the national flag on the playground and basketball court were clearly visible.


    ¡°From here, you can also see your uncle¡¯s house, where you used to come out of that alley every day.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Let me adjust it for you! Here¡­¡±


    The telescope, which looked like a robot, had several lenses to adjust. I didn¡¯t understand quite well.


    So, he helped me to adjust the angles and lenses.


    At first, I didn¡¯t notice anything wrong.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, how did you know I lived at my uncle¡¯s house? I didn¡¯t talk to you back then, right?¡±


    ¡°How could I not know something the whole school knew! ¡±


    ¡°Cut it out, you must have inquired about me!¡±


    ¡°If you say so!¡¯


    ¡°Then why did you inquire about me?¡± ¡°Maybe 1 had too much free time on my hands!¡±


    We kept up a casual conversation.


    Gradually, I realized something was off.


    Because he needed to help me adjust the lens, he was standing behind me all the time, reaching out from behind me to hold my hand. This position, actually, is like hugging me from behind.


    His breath was sounding next to my ear¡­


    This feeling was a little strange.


    By the time I reacted, I let go of the telescope.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve seen enough!¡¯


    Ding Yinuo loosened his grip afterward.


    He was looking at me.


    Under the hazy moonlight, his eyes were bright, like the stars in the night sky.


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s getting late; let¡¯s head back down!¡±


    On our way down, we walked side by side, and he always walked on the side closer to the road.


    I knew, he was protecting me.


    This unintentional gesture suddenly changed my view of him.


    This man, he wasn¡¯t as bad as I had imagined!


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, why were you always picking on me during high school? What was the reason?¡±


    This question had stumped me for years.


    As I recall, our enmity started during high school.


    Ding Yinuo chuckled.


    ¡°You have no idea?¡±


    ¡°What idea? Can you be straightforward?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb. You know what you¡¯ve done!¡±


    1 stopped him on the mountain road.


    ¡°Could you give me a hint? Honestly, I did so many things during those three years of high school, I truly don¡¯t remember!¡± Ding Yinuo looked at me, still smiling.


    ¡°No hint!¡±


    ¡°Um, then, look, it¡¯s been over ten years. Regardless of any grudges, we¡¯re both probably tired of fighting after all these years. How about we let the past be the past and make up?¡±


    Ding Yinuo, his hands in his pockets, looked at me with his charming, almond-shaped eyes. ¡°No way!¡¯


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re that petty?¡±


    ¡°There are some principled issues that can¡¯t be compromised!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t speak out! Regardless of what I did, isn¡¯t it enough for me to apologize?¡±


    ¡°No, you hurt me deeply! I have been traumatized. A verbal apology isn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s that possible? How could such a kind-hearted person like me hurt


    I was racking my brain for quite a while; 1 couldn¡¯t remember doing anything to hurt Ding Yinuo.


    I even¡­ have never hurt any small animals.


    He looked at me sideways, clearly mocking, ¡°You¡¯re kind-hearted?¡±


    ¡°l swear, if I ever hurt Ding Yinuo, may I be struck by lightning¡­ I wouldn¡¯t


    have a¡­¡±


    As I was about to swear, Ding Yinuo put his finger on my lips and stopped me from finishing.


    ¡°Silly woman, don¡¯t make reckless promises. You did it, and I didn¡¯t kill you, did l? Besides, you¡¯re not Song Yun. Why are you taking her blame upon yourself?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you still don¡¯t believe in Song Yun¡¯s reincarnation, do you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about believing or not, you are simply not her!¡±


    ¡°What should I do for you to believe that I¡¯m her?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked into my eyes for a long time, his voice sexy and husky,


    ¡°You are you; why do you have to be her? You are Song Xiaoyun, a happy single woman¡­ whereas Song Yun, she¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s wife! You are not her, got it?¡±


    Tonight, the moonlight hazy, the shadow hazy.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes were tender and seemed about to drip water.


    The tone of his words was quite ambiguous, but what he said left me somewhat puzzled.


    By the time we descended, it was already late at night.


    As soon as I got home and was about to take a shower, the doorbell rang.


    At this time, Ding Yinuo was in the shower, and I went to answer the door.


    Unexpectedly, the person at the door was Ye Mengyan.


    Ye Mengyan seemed rushed, her forehead was sweaty as if she was very anxious to find me. As soon as she saw me, she immediately said,


    ¡°l couldn¡¯t get through to your phone, I couldn¡¯t reach you. I went to your rented place, but I didn¡¯t find you. My mom mentioned she had spent a few days here, so I thought I¡¯d try to find you here.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ you needed me for something?¡±


    Ye Mengyan paused for a moment, noticing Ding Yinuo, who had just finished showering and was wrapped in a towel, ¡°How are you two¡­¡±

 Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 He’s kind of absolute 1

    Chapter 55: Chapter 55 He¡¯s kind of absolute 1


    Translator: 549690339


    In the dead of night, a man and a woman together, especially when Ding Yinuo is still draped in a bath towel, the relationship between the two does indeed raise suspicions.


    For a moment, I didn¡¯t know how to explain my relationship with Ding Yinuo to Ye Mengyan.


    Should I tell her, that I am conspiring with Ding Yinuo to assassinate Gu Yuanzhou?


    Of course not.


    As I was hesitating, Ding Yinuo took the initiative. He walked straight up, draped his arm over my shoulder and said to Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°She is my girlfriend! Any issue with that?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Ye Mengyan wasn¡¯t overly surprised.


    After all, she is just a naive mistress.


    Gu Yuanzhou wouldn¡¯t let her step into the workplace, let alone let her know about the bloody battles between Zhenyi Company and Tianjiao Company.


    Plus, competition between companies is a covert matter.


    ¡°Can I talk to you?¡±


    She didn¡¯t seem to care much about Ding Yinuo. Before I could open my mouth, Ding Yinuo politely refused, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s too late now. We are going to sleep.¡±


    Despite the obvious dismissal, Ye Mengyan still refused to leave,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I don¡¯t have any friends in A City. My cousin aunt was taken away by the police, my mother is about to go crazy, I can¡¯t think of anyone who can help me!¡±


    ¡°What does your cousin aunt have to do with us? Xiaoyun doesn¡¯t have any connection with you, does she?¡±


    Ding Yinuo maintained an aloof attitude and even responded to Ye Mengyan in a somewhat rude manner.


    Ye Mengyan, being thin-skinned, immediately blushed to her ears and quickly apologized,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bothering you, I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    I called after her, ¡°Come in!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Xiaoyun!¡¯


    After some hesitation, Ye Mengyan finally accompanied me inside.


    Once inside, she kept looking around cautiously while Ding Yinuo stood there with his arms folded, eyeing Ye Mengyan with caution.


    He seemed to have a strong prejudice against Ye Mengyan, guarding himself


    against her like she was a thief.


    Ye Mengyan felt so uncomfortable under his gaze that she didn¡¯t know where to put her hands.


    I said to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Go change clothes, it¡¯s not okay to be standing like this?¡±


    Ding Yinuo has a good physique and it¡¯s obvious that he¡¯s been exercising regularly. He has a six-pack, muscular body, and straight legs.


    True, with such assets, he i s not afraid to expose himself in front of women.


    But, after all, I¡¯m not really his girlfriend, standing there in the nude is a little awkward.


    Ding Yinuo shrugged and finally turned around and walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.


    Ye Mengyan whispered to me, ¡°l never heard before that you have a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Um, we just started dating¡­¡±


    Ye Mengyan nodded. She didn¡¯t ask further, apparently, she didn¡¯t have the mood to gossip now.


    She then told me about her current predicament.


    ¡°Now that things have happened, I really don¡¯t have any other friends to talk to.¡±


    ¡°What about Shen Yishu?¡±


    I thought to myself, even though Shen Yishu is just a college fresh graduate, he has been working in the media industry for so long and should have some friends and connections who could help Ye Mengyan to some extent.


    Ye Mengyan shook her head,


    ¡°Sigh, ever since I told Brother Gu that I plan to marry Yishu, he had someone beat up Yishu¡­ When Shen¡¯s mother found out about it, she called off the engagement.¡±


    I¡¯m not particularly surprised. After all, Gu Yuanzhou is that kind of man.


    Anything he desires to have, he will not permit others to lay their hands on. It¡¯s in his nature.


    Of course, this also proves that Ye Mengyan is indeed very important to him.


    ¡°So, I can¡¯t go looking for him now, we haven¡¯t contacted each other for a long time. He is still in the hospital, and his mother has his cell phone.¡±


    I was silent, pouring a cup of tea for Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to find Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°l did look for him, but he didn¡¯t answer my calls. I went to Zhenyi Company, and the security guard told me that Brother Gu was taken away by the police. I didn¡¯t know what to do. so I came to ask von what is going on?¡±


    At this point, I don¡¯t want to hide anything from Ye Mengyan anymore.


    I recounted the incident of the fire at the Golden Bay villa to her.


    As well as Wu Jun¡¯s confession that Gu Yuanzhou started the fire¡­


    After hearing this, Ye Mengyan¡¯s face changed drastically, and she immediately denied,


    ¡°Impossible, Brother Gu would never do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it frighten you to feel that the man you¡¯re so much in love with is so wicked? Does it chill you to the bone?¡±


    I looked at Ye Mengyan.


    Ye Mengyan was wringing her hands, pacing back and forth in the living room. The expression on her little face was one of panic.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible, Brother Gu isn¡¯t like that. You don¡¯t know how much he loves¡­ never mind, Xiaoyun, you tell me, how can I help Brother Gu?¡±


    ¡°If Gu Yuanzhou really is the culprit who started the fire and killed his wife, would you still want to save such a man?¡±


    I looked at Ye Mengyan before me.


    She reminded me very much of myself back then.


    At that time, I also loved Gu Yuanzhou recklessly, eagerly giving up everything for him.


    Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment and firmly told me, ¡°I want to save him!¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s wonderful!¡±


    Her reply was within my expectations.


    Gu Yuanzhou indeed has such charm.


    He¡¯s that kind of man.


    He can easily stir a woman¡¯s heart, making you fall head over heels for him in no time.


    Haha¡­ He is a master at being a playboy.


    Ye Mengyan blushed afterward, apparently lacking much confidence.


    ¡°I know that I am not as outstanding as Mrs. Gu given my current circumstances. But, I will do everything I can to love him.¡±


    I remained silent. It seemed that Ye Mengyan was not pretending anymore.


    In the past, she was hesitant and concerned about Shen Yishu¡¯s feelings.


    Now, she¡¯s like a moth, rushing towards Gu Yuanzhou without hesitation.


    She probably noticed the indifferent expression in my eyes, and quickly explained,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not that kind of woman¡­ What I mean is, despite my personal relationship with Brother Gu over the past four years, we¡¯ve been discreet, our actions borne out of affection but with respect. He has always viewed me as his sister, and l, being in a relationship with Shen Yishu, have always regarded him as my brother.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Then, Mrs. Gu is no longer alive, I don¡¯t have any moral constraints. Brother Gu is free and single, and 1 have canceled my engagement with Shen Yishu. Isn¡¯t it normal for me to pursue him now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong about that, but the problem is! If Gu Yuanzhou is indeed the culprit, he will go to jail!¡¯


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I can wait for him! Ten years, twenty years, I can wait.¡± I was really taken aback by Ye Mengyan¡¯s unexpected confession.


    ¡°It¡¯s late, and there¡¯s no news. Tomorrow morning, you can look for Lawyer Zhou Chenming. Let him take you to the police station to see if you can meet with your aunt and Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    After talking with me for a while, Ye Mengyan seemed to have calmed down a lot. She drank a cup of tea and then revealed to me another piece of news that shocked me.


    As expected, Wu Jun was not introduced to the Golden Bay villa as a nanny by an agency, but was arranged by someone else..

 Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Gu Yuanzhou’s Sinister Intentions_1

    Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s Sinister Intentions_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    I could hardly believe my ears, so I asked again.


    Ye Mengyan sighed and nodded,


    ¡°Yes, it was all me. If I hadn¡¯t begged Big Brother Gu to introduce my aunt to work as a nanny, things wouldn¡¯t have escalated to this point.¡±


    ¡°You introduced Wu Jun?¡±


    ¡°Yes! My aunt is actually a good person, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have introduced her to Big Brother Gu!¡±


    Ye Mengyan explained everything in detail.


    At this point, my goodwill towards Ye Mengyan dropped to zero.


    Gu Yuanzhou, you are really something!


    Not only did you cheat on me four years ago, but you also planted the mistress¡¯s relative by my side.


    Don¡¯t you trust me?


    Or have you been waiting for a chance to get back at me?


    However, before I could react, Ding Yinuo burst angrily out of the room.


    He knocked over the tea table in front of Ye Mengyan with a kick.


    The tea cups and pot shattered on the floor.


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s teacup also fell over, spilling tea all over her. Startled, she stood up,


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Ding Yinuo pointed angrily at her and demanded,


    ¡°Are you insane? Why did you introduce Wu Jun to the Song Family?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was stunned for a moment, then rushed to explain,


    ¡°My aunt is not like that, she didn¡¯t set the fire, didn¡¯t you hear me? You¡¯ve misunderstood her, she¡¯s not that kind of person.¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, forget it! Calm down, Wu Jun has confessed, it wasn¡¯t her, it was Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    I hastily tried to restrain Ding Yinuo.


    But Ding Yinuo still seemed furious.


    He vented all his anger on Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°Get out, now!¡±


    Ye Mengyan turned pale, picked up her phone and hurried out.


    Ding Yinuo wanted to chase after her, but I held him back.


    ¡°Can you calm down a bit? It wasn¡¯t Wu Jun who did it, it was Gu Yuanzhou¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed unable to calm down.


    ¡°Did you hear what she said! Regardless of whether it was the nanny or not, she shouldn¡¯t have introduced the nanny to the Song Family in the first place. What does this mean? From four years ago, he¡¯s been having an affair and even planted the mistress¡¯s relative by his wife, what the hell is this?¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed ready to explode again. He was shouting, his voice hoarse, aggrieved.


    I remained silent, just quietly watching him.


    I watched this normally elegant and handsome man, who now, losing his temper, resembled a raging lion.


    After a while, he seemed to notice I was staring at him and slowly calmed down.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡±


    I took a deep breath,


    ¡°Ah, for a moment there, I felt you were a bit like Wenya.¡±


    Ding Yinuo crossed his arms and walked to the living room.


    ¡°So what if I¡¯m like Wenya?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think your reaction was a bit excessive? Considering our relationship, I don¡¯t think you would react this strongly, right?¡±


    Ding Yinuo turned his head, his deep black eyes stared at me for a long time,


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s because I have a strong sense of justice! I can¡¯t stand these scoundrels, especially the scumbag Gu Yuanzhou¡­¡±


    For a moment, I was at a loss for words. Alright then!


    I didn¡¯t argue with him anymore.


    When I returned to the living room, I silently brought a broom to help him clean up the shattered pieces.


    He stopped me, ¡°You go rest, we have a maid to do this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a small matter, why call the maid?¡±


    ¡°You need to rest in order to have energy to deal with that scumbag tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°How are we going to fight him, hasn¡¯t he already lost?¡±


    Ding Yinuo chuckled lightly, ¡°You underestimate Gu Yuanzhou, with his capabilities, it¡¯s impossible for this matter to end so simply.¡±


    ¡°He can still turn things around?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really feel like sleeping¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo considerately handed me a cup of tea,


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, play with your phone for a while.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think too much about it, took the tea, and drank it.


    Then sat on the sofa, scrolling through my phone, looking for the latest news.


    After a long time, I looked up at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, I heard that my aunt is sick and hospitalized. Could you find out more for me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was stunned for a moment,


    ¡°She¡¯s in our hospital, I think. If you want to see her, I can arrange it.¡±


    ¡°Of course I want to see her, but what status do I have to do that now?¡±


    What I meant was, now that I¡¯m no longer Song Yun, I don¡¯t have a legitimate reason to visit.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t hesitate,


    ¡°Of course you¡¯d go as my girlfriend! What else?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that inappropriate?¡±


    ¡°What, are you saying I¡¯m not good enough for you?¡±


    ¡°Not really, just feels strange¡­¡±


    Yes, it did feel quite strange. From being enemies for over a decade to suddenly becoming his girlfriend, even if it was just for show, it was a little hard to adjust to.


    ¡°What¡¯s so strange? I¡¯m not even discriminating against you. Seriously, we¡¯re just pretending, you¡¯re not really my girlfriend! You¡¯re so picky. I¡¯m the one at a loss here; you get all the benefits, yet you¡¯re still considering it. Never mind then, figure it out yourself. I¡¯m not a philanthropist, I don¡¯t like helping people when I¡¯ve nothing else to do.¡±


    Ding Yinuo started complaining about me again.


    ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯m sorry, okay? I misspoke.¡±


    ¡°Humph, that¡¯s more like it!¡±


    As I was talking, I suddenly felt a wave of sleepiness wash over me. Not good, it must have been Ding Yinuo drugging the tea again. I pointed at Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°You, you drugged me again¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo smiled, his lips curved up in a smirk, moving closer to me.


    I was getting sleepier and sleepier.


    The last thing I remember was him lifting me up and walking towards the bedroom.


    I passed out soon after.


    The next morning when I woke up, sunlight was streaming in through the window.


    I opened my eyes to see the man in the white shirt bathed in the sunlight, seemingly engrossed in a medical book.


    The sunlight illuminated his face, revealing his delicate and fair skin. The cold and pale complexion suited him well, he looked good from every angle.


    Even without a beauty filter, he was stunning¡­


    Upon further consideration, Ding Yinuo had many admirers back in high school.


    This man really was good-looking.


    As I was observing him, he caught my gaze and looked up at me.


    ¡°Spying on me?¡±


    I quickly sat up, stretched casually to hide my embarrassment,


    ¡°Who¡¯s spying on you? I wouldn¡¯t bother to look at you even if you paid me.¡±


    He closed his book with a snap, his sly gaze fixed on me,


    ¡°Did you have a crush on me in high school?¡±


    I lifted the blanket and got out of bed,


    ¡°Stop flattering yourself!¡±


    As I was about to leave the room, he blocked my way,


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t have a crush on me, why were you peeping at me in the shower?¡±


    I thought about it for a while but couldn¡¯t remember ever having such a hobby.


    I shook my head immediately, ¡°I¡¯ve never spied on anyone.¡±


    Ding Yinuo sneered, ¡°You still won¡¯t admit it?¡±


    ¡°Why should I admit something I haven¡¯t done?¡±


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t, then why did you tell others¡­ it¡¯s small?¡±

 Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57 This Misunderstanding Has Gotten Big_1

    Chapter 57: Chapter 57 This Misunderstanding Has Gotten Big_1


    Translator: 549690339


    At the moment, Ding Yinuo¡¯s face was slightly red, his dark mire seemed to contain a hint of shame and irritation, as if I had pryed into his private affairs.


    But I clearly hadn¡¯t.


    I was still in utter confusion, asking him persistently what had happened.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I swear to God, I never peeked while you were taking a shower.¡±


    ¡°And another thing, what do you mean a ¡®small bird¡¯? What are you talking about? Can you explain it clearly?¡±


    Ding Yinuo clenched his teeth, glaring at me, his chest almost pinning me against the wall.


    He grabbed my collar, staring at me ferociously as if he¡¯s about to devour me, but after a few minutes, he finally let go of me.


    Then he quickly regained his composure,


    ¡°Fine, go wash up and have breakfast! I¡¯ll drive you to work later.¡±


    ¡°What was that about a bird just now? Ding Yinuo, have you started raising birds? What kind of bird?¡±


    If I do not understand, I inquire.


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo once again showed his teeth towards me¡­


    But soon he tried to dismiss it all.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring it up again, forget what I said!¡±


    The attitude of Ding Yinuo seemed a little subtle, but I failed to grasp its profundity at the moment.


    Moreover, this topic was not of my interest, hence I dropped it without further contemplation.


    After getting ready, Ding Yinuo drove me to work.


    In the car, I took out my phone to scroll through the news, checking if there was anything special happening today.


    Yet everything was calm.


    There was no sensational news online about the arrest of the actual culprit behind the Golden Bay fire.


    It seemed that things were not progressing as I had imagined.


    After the car came to a halt, Ding Yinuo glanced at me,¡±Be careful these few days!¡±


    I was unaware of what he meant by these words at the time.


    It was only when I entered the company that I realized what was going on.


    Annie walked over to me with a breezy smile, waving her hand,¡±Hello, good morning, Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    From her triumphant expression, I could tell she must have gained some advantage.


    I glanced at her flatly, heading toward the office while Annie¡¯s somewhat exaggerated voice sounded behind me.


    ¡°About the matter with President Gu last night, let me tell you, it was me who settled everything. He returned home last night. With me around, everyone has nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Annie, you¡¯re so powerful, do you have connections up there?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my third uncle is the director, so I have to take care of these relations.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, it seems that you¡¯re much better than assistant Song. In the future, you might take her position, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, let me tell you. The reason President Gu promoted her is solely because she used to curry favor and had a good relationship with Mrs. Gu. You all saw it, every time Mrs. Gu comes to the company, she orders milk tea and takeout, nearly sticking her face to hers. President Gu is generous, he merely gave her face for Mrs. Gu¡¯s sake. As for competence, what could she possibly have?¡±


    All kinds of sarcastic mockery filled the air.


    In fact, I was not far away.


    The reason Annie dared to belittle me so audaciously was undoubtedly because Gu Yuanzhou granted her enough courage.


    Gu Yuanzhou got bailed out?


    In the slight moment of confusion, I had already entered the president¡¯s office.


    Lifting my head, I saw a man in a black suit sitting like a king in morning light, full of majesty.


    Ah, released so soon?


    At this moment, I finally understood the warning Ding Yinuo gave me when I got off the car.


    All the anger from last night had gradually subsided under Ding Yinuo¡¯s soothing.


    I knew that if I behaved like other women at this moment, creating a scene or hurling harsh words, it would be of no use to me, nor would it hurt Gu Yuanzhou at all.


    All I could do was to keep calm, figure out the situation first, and then plan for revenge step by step.


    Gu Yuanzhou was on the phone with Lawyer Zhou Chenming¡­


    ¡°You coordinate with the police and make sure there are no loopholes. Furthermore, don¡¯t let the media know about these issues. Otherwise, they will exploit the situation. The secrecy must be absolute.¡±


    I stood quietly in a corner, waiting for Gu Yuanzhou to finish his call.


    After a while, he hung up, then noticed the coffee I had poured for him.


    ¡°Oh, you¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou held a document, initially intending to hand it to me.


    But abruptly, he hesitated for a few seconds, then instructed me,


    ¡°Call Annie over here!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I clearly felt that ever since Gu Yuanzhou was bailed out this time, he seemed to trust Annie even more.


    After I called Annie to his office, he delegated some work to her.


    Among those tasks, some were originally my responsibilities.


    Did he suspect something?


    Or did Ye Mengyan say something to him?


    I couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    In the following few days, everyone in the company was laying low, not knowing who might have blown the whistle¡­


    There were a few instances in the break room where I overheard colleagues discussing about the Golden Bay arson case, suspecting Gu Yuanzhou as the prime suspect.


    This was also the reason why he was taken away by the police for questioning that night.


    Rumors are like creatures with wings, they spread rapidly. Soon, it seemed that many people were aware of this.


    And Gu Yuanzhou seemed to have distanced himself from me a bit.


    He assigned all the work to Annie.


    At first it was a small part, then it became a considerable part¡­


    In the end, when I arrived at the company, there was nothing for me to do the entire day. Watching Annie busying herself, I started to suspect if Gu Yuanzhou was targeting me.


    Therefore, after work one Friday, I sought out Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, did I do something wrong? Is it a problem with my work capability or something else?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, this kind of man, is very cunning and very deep. When he doesn¡¯t speak, you can¡¯t guess what he¡¯s thinking.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t answer me. After putting down his work, he walked over to me with his hands on his back.


    ¡°What¡¯s your opinion on the Golden Bay arson case?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s wait for the police announcement!¡±


    I had no clue what he intended to do. Was it a test?


    I dared not take a stand too hastily.


    ¡°Do you think I did it?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve only heard some rumors saying that you had hired a nanny, and then the nanny pointed the finger at you!¡±


    ¡°Do you believe it?¡±


    Facing his persistent inquiry, I answered truthfully, ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m not sure about that.¡±


    With a slam on the desk, Gu Yuanzhou angrily said to me, ¡°You¡¯ve been with me for so long, based on your understanding of me, what kind of person do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, President Gu, I am unable to answer that.¡±


    ¡°If I were the real culprit, why didn¡¯t the police lock me up?¡±


    He asked me again.


    I shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t know!!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know but you¡¯re spreading rumors about me all over the company?¡±


    The comments from Gu Yuanzhou truly surprised me. I had not spread any rumors about him in company at all.

 Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Scumbag Revokes Citizenship_1

    Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Scumbag Revokes Citizenship_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Although I¡¯ve always suspected that Gu Yuanzhou was the real culprit!


    Despite my desire to see Gu Yuanzhou brought to justice,


    Still, I would never be foolish enough to attempt any tricks right under his nose.


    I¡¯m not that dumb.


    ¡°President Gu, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but I¡¯ve never spread any lies about you?¡±


    ¡°How dare you deny it!!!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was extremely angry as he threw a pile of documents before me.


    I bent down to pick them up.


    It was a stack of flyers, with a line of text written on it.


    Gu Yuanzhou is a wife-burning beast!


    The words were neatly printed, just as I had suspected.


    ¡°President Gu, where did these flyers come from?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me? Don¡¯t you know what you did?¡±


    I racked my brain for a few seconds before still shaking my head in denial.


    Indeed, the words on the paper matched my suspicions, but to jot them down and distribute them around the company was foolhardy.


    Other than breeding resentment, it wouldn¡¯t solve a thing.


    ¡°President Gu, I didn¡¯t do this! You must have misunderstood!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou went silent for a few minutes, then said,


    ¡°Somebody inside the company reported that you did it!¡±


    ¡°Why would I do something like that?¡±


    I countered.


    Gu Yuanzhou fell silent as he squinted at me.


    ¡°When one person points the finger at you, there might not be any credibility to it. But when three or more people do, don¡¯t you think there¡¯s something wrong with you?¡±


    I was slightly taken aback but had more or less figured out the situation by now.


    If Gu Yuanzhou brought this up, there had to be a reason behind it.


    I ought to deal with this matter, or he would deal with me instead.


    ¡°President Gu, give me two days, I¡¯ll find out what happened.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but notice a peculiar look in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes, as if he was an observer from the sidelines and was testing me. It felt strange.


    After exiting his office, I finally understood where that odd feeling came from.


    He appeared composed, as if he had everything under control.


    Right now, my most important task was to identify the person who had framed me¡­


    I planned to dine with Wenya that evening.


    But first, I received a call from Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Everything¡¯s set up on this end. Come to City First Hospital!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    When I hung up, I felt as if someone had eavesdropped on my conversation.


    I casually glanced back and saw a figure quickly ducking into the hallway.


    By the time I ventured back, there was no one to be seen.


    From now on I have to be more careful.


    Although I didn¡¯t catch a glimpse of the figure, I had a good guess about who was stalking me.


    Rather than exiting from the building¡¯s main entrance, I rode the elevator down to the basement parking lot and circled around to the building next door from Exit C. Then I walked out from the exit.


    Back in the elevator, I had already ordered a ride on my phone. The car was there when I stepped out, so I got straight in.


    Half an hour later, I arrived at the City First Hospital inpatient department.


    This was the best hospital in A City.


    The inpatient department had dozens of floors. It would be nearly impossible for me to find my aunt on my own.


    Luckily, I had Ding Yinuo.


    Within minutes of receiving my call, he arrived.


    At the time, he was wearing a grey vest and a white shirt underneath, paired with long dress pants and a white coat on top.


    With his gold-rimmed glasses, he was elegantly handsome and quite aloof, like a high, unreachable peak.


    I stared at him for a long time, making him a little embarrassed. He adjusted his glasses, gave a light cough, and said,


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever seen a handsome guy before?¡±


    I followed him onto the elevator,


    ¡°Are you mocking me for not having seen any men before?¡±


    ¡°Then you tell me, who in A City is more handsome than me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo said these words with a lot of arrogance.


    He reminded me of a proud peacock.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is a lot more handsome than you!¡±


    I blurted out the first name that came to mind.


    Ding Yinuo raised an eyebrow,


    ¡°The disgraceful should be expelled from among men. He doesn¡¯t qualify.¡±


    I stared blankly at the elevator buttons.


    Seeing my downcast mood, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t refrain from asking more,


    ¡°Did Gu Yuanzhou make things difficult for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What did he do to you?¡±


    The elevator had reached the floor. The doors opened, and I stepped out without answering his question.


    Ding Yinuo grabbed my arm, pressing for answers:


    ¡°What did he do to you, tell me!¡±


    Seeing his anxious look, I couldn¡¯t help but ask,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I can handle this!¡±


    ¡°I want to know what he did to you!¡±


    I looked at him with a smile,


    ¡°Are you getting a kick out of hearing how I¡¯m dealing with him?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was taken aback,


    ¡°I do feel a sense of satisfaction seeing him end up in trouble. He deserves it for being such a jerk.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s my husband!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still protecting him? You really want to defend a jerk like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about defending him. It¡¯s just that I suddenly wondered, in the past when I was in trouble, were you gloating at my misery?¡±


    Indeed, such thoughts were unsettling, but faced with the reality, I couldn¡¯t help but speculate.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. It seemed he hadn¡¯t anticipated my doubts.


    ¡°Forget it. You don¡¯t have to answer. Let¡¯s go see my aunt!¡±


    ¡°No, you must tell me what Gu Yuanzhou did to you!¡±


    ¡°Never mind.¡±


    I felt that I could handle certain things by myself and didn¡¯t have to disclose every minute detail to Ding Yinuo.


    Who would have thought he would be so stubborn. He snapped,


    ¡°Fine, don¡¯t want to talk about it? Then I won¡¯t help you find your aunt.¡±


    Ding Yinuo had meant what he said and left as he spoke.


    Just as I was about to call him back, I was interrupted by a nurse who rushed over, anxiously calling his name.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, there¡¯s an emergency patient, a very critical case. The head doctor can¡¯t handle it. Could you please come over?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming over to take a look!¡±


    Ding Yinuo immediately followed the nurse, leaving me behind in the hospital hallway.


    I didn¡¯t know the room my aunt was in, and I didn¡¯t have the status of a family member to inquire about it either. After hesitating for a moment, I found out where Ding Yinuo¡¯s office was from a nurse. I entered his office, introducing myself as Ding Yinuo¡¯s friend.


    As expected, there was a computer in his office. I didn¡¯t hesitate to open a bottle of water and drink it. Then I easily cracked his computer password.


    Originally, I planned to hack into the hospital¡¯s database through his computer to find out my aunt¡¯s hospital room.


    But when I turned on the computer, I saw a lot of surprising things.

 Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59 He’s elusive_1

    Chapter 59: Chapter 59 He¡¯s elusive_1


    Translator: 549690339


    As soon as I turned on the machine, the first thing that caught my eye was a vibrant photo of a young girl.


    It was me from my high school days.


    Back then, I was wearing my school uniform, holding a red flower in my hand, and leading a dance to cheer on the school basketball team.


    The screen was filled with a strong sense of youth.


    Oh! This guy even used my photo as his screensaver?


    Out of curiosity, I randomly opened a file folder called ¡®Photo Album¡¯ and opened a group photo from high school. To my surprise, there were a ton of photos, all of me.


    What¡¯s more, each one seemed to be taken discretely, from various angles.


    Oh, this pervert!


    Just as I was about to look further, a hand reached over and slapped my laptop shut.


    Then, he took away the laptop.


    ¡°Lady, isn¡¯t it rude to casually look at someone else¡¯s computer?¡±


    Ding Yinuo frowned at me.


    ¡°Oh, so you think it¡¯s polite to sneak photos of others?¡±


    ¡°Did I take unpermitted photos of you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was surprisingly confident.


    ¡°Can you swear my photos aren¡¯t on your laptop?¡±


    Ding Yinuo sneered,


    ¡°You overestimate yourself. Are you sure you¡¯re the only one in the photos?¡±


    His question caught me off guard.


    I thought for a while, and suddenly realized that there were indeed others in the photos.


    Like in the screensaver photo, there were several others dance cheering with me, including his rumored girlfriend, Jiang Jiaying.


    Maybe because I was leading the dance, I was clear in the photo, while the other girls standing behind me were not so distinct.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s drop this. As the bigger person, I won¡¯t bicker with you. Actually, I just wanted to find out my Aunt Wu Lijuan¡¯s room number from the computer. Since you¡¯re here, just tell me, and I¡¯ll go find her.¡±


    Ding Yinuo closed the laptop, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s that easy to break into the hospital¡¯s database?¡±


    ¡°Give me your laptop, and let me try!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s computer likely had access to the hospital¡¯s network, and intruding its database through the network shouldn¡¯t be as difficult.


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me,


    ¡°With your half-assed skills, it¡¯s pointless¡­ fine, I¡¯ll take you there once I finish my work.¡±


    After the argument ended, he eventually took me to Aunt Wu Lijuan¡¯s ward.


    Aunt Wu Lijuan on the hospital bed was unrecognizable due to her illness, which stunned me.


    Actually, when I was younger, Uncle Song Shixiong spent most of his time busy at the company. The care for my daily life was all arranged by Aunt Wu Lijuan.


    In my memories, Wu Lijuan could be considered as my mother. She was indeed very good to me.


    But I never expected that less than a month after my death, she would be so sick.


    Seeing the person who used to be close to me in this state, my heart ached.


    I held my tears in front of her¡­


    Choking back tears, I called out,


    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m here to see you.¡±


    Wu Lijuan slowly opened her weary eyes to look at me, and after a while, she asked,


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Just as Ding Yinuo was about to speak, I interrupted him and promptly said,


    ¡°Auntie, I am Ayun¡¯s best friend. She entrusted me to visit you before she died.¡±


    Upon hearing the name ¡®Ayun¡¯, Wu Lijuan started sobbing uncontrollably, holding my hand,


    ¡°Ayun, my poor Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Auntie, Ayun called you aunt, so I will too. Ayun once told me that she didn¡¯t have a mom, so you were her mom. From now on, treat me as Ayun. If you need anything, just tell me!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wu Lijuan cried even harder. I wiped away her tears, but she kept crying continuously, as if the tears would never stop.


    It wasn¡¯t until a long while later that Wu Lijuan¡¯s emotions finally settled down. Her dry hand kept clutching at me tightly.


    ¡°Ayun, my Ayun, she died so tragically!¡±


    ¡°I know, and I will definitely find out the truth! Aunt, please rest assured!¡±


    Wu Lijuan¡¯s lips trembled,


    ¡°I let Ami down! I did not take good care of her daughter!¡±


    I remember Auntie once told me, my birth mother and her were classmates and later became best friends.


    My mom played a big role in my aunt¡¯s marriage to my uncle.


    Maybe because of their friendship, Aunt Wu Lijuan took special care of me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, you did your best. Auntie, Ayun said she appreciated you for raising her¡­¡±


    Wu Lijuan shook her head,


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, I failed her¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. She made the wrong choice. Gu Yuanzhou is at fault, he will pay for what he did.¡±


    But Wu Lijuan still shook her head, her voice trembling and full of endless sadness,


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault! This is my sin! I didn¡¯t stop your uncle. If I had stopped him earlier, Ayun wouldn¡¯t have had an accident. I should¡¯ve known if I had tried harder to stop it, this tragedy wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±


    Wu Lijuan¡¯s health was not good. After talking to me for a bit, she started to have trouble breathing.


    Thankfully, Ding Yinuo was nearby and put an oxygen mask on her. A few minutes later, she fell back into a deep sleep.


    I stood by her bedside, watching her for a long time.


    I wanted to do something for her, but realized there was nothing I could do.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Ding Yinuo, who had been silent all along, actually had tears in his eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, the patient needs to rest.¡±


    He turned around and walked out.


    I followed closely behind him.


    After a while, when no one else was around, I asked him about her condition. He replied gravely with three words,


    ¡°Kidney failure!¡±


    ¡°Did you know? My aunt is also a doctor, I really didn¡¯t expect that she¡¯d be afflicted with illness.¡±


    ¡°Doctors are also human! In our hospital, every year some doctors are taken away by cancer.¡±


    His voice was very low, suppressed, yet carried an undertone of acceptance towards life and death.


    I nodded my head.


    We walked side by side down the hall.


    In the chilly corridor, the only sound was our heavy footsteps.


    Both of our moods were very low.


    ¡°It must be suffocating to work here every day, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! Although every day there are patients who die, there are also many people who escape from death each day!¡±


    ¡°My aunt just said that she did not stop my uncle. If she had stopped him, the tragedy would not have happened. What did she mean by that?¡±


    Wu Lijuan¡¯s words replayed in my mind, I was wondering if there was a deeper meaning behind what she said.


    Even though she¡¯s currently sick, she¡¯s an educated and high-ranking woman and would not speak without cause.


    Ding Yinuo considered for a moment,


    ¡°She might be referring to the time when you were about to marry Gu Yuanzhou! She didn¡¯t stop you, if she had, you might not have been killed by Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    I was stunned. Is this what Auntie meant?

 Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 The Cheapest Woman is the One who Pays _1

    Chapter 60: Chapter 60 The Cheapest Woman is the One who Pays _1


    Translator: 549690339


    When I initially decided to marry Gu Yuanzhou, although Song Shixiong was very supportive and encouraging.


    However, Wu Lijuan was against it.


    When I first started dating Gu Yuanzhou, she told me to keep my eyes open, and not to be fooled by a scoundrel.


    But at that time, I was already blinded by love, believing that meeting Gu Yuanzhou meant finding my soulmate.


    I simply couldn¡¯t listen to anyone¡¯s advice.


    Yet, when the actual wedding day came,


    Wu Lijuan didn¡¯t oppose anymore, instead, she prepared a rich dowry for me.


    She organized the details of the ceremony.


    She said she had never had a daughter in her life, so she treated me as her own, and all the wedding rituals followed those of the Song family¡¯s daughter.


    Gu Yuanzhou was a poor boy then, and to make him presentable,


    We didn¡¯t ask for a penny from the Gu family as a betrothal gift.


    We even provided a wedding house, a car.


    Even the hotel where the wedding was held, and the cost of hiring the emcee, all were undertaken by the Song family.


    You could say, when Gu Yuanzhou married me, I already gave everything.


    Concerning the wedding, my mother-in-law worried about all the details. After my glamorous wedding, she fell ill for a week due to overwork.


    However, the only thing that upset her was.


    The Gu family not only didn¡¯t contribute any money, but they also didn¡¯t even invite any of their relatives to the wedding. Even Gu¡¯s parents didn¡¯t show up.


    Looking back on all these now, I suddenly felt very bitter.


    I was really stupid then, even when not a single person from the groom¡¯s family gave their blessings, I still rushed headlong into it.


    It devalued me.


    Indeed, men are realistic; they don¡¯t cherish things that come easily.


    For a moment, all these past memories filled my mind.


    It was only when Ding Yinuo called me several times that I turned to look at him and asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Is my analysis incorrect?¡±


    He asked me.


    ¡°I always feel that my mother-in-law didn¡¯t mean what you said! She told me before that if I hadn¡¯t married, she would advise me to break up with Gu Yuanzhou. But since we¡¯re married, we should live a good life and take good care of the children. So, I think that she did accept Gu Yuanzhou later on.¡±


    In fact, after our marriage, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s performance was very good.


    Every year during holidays, no matter how busy he was, he would make time to drive me and our two children to my mother-in-law¡¯s home.


    He never skimped on buying presents for my aunt and uncle. He would move boxes of Maotai, a type of high-end liquor, into the home.


    Truthfully, after I had our first child, my mother-in-law had a very good impression of Gu Yuanzhou.


    She often praised him to me.


    She wouldn¡¯t possibly demean Gu Yuanzhou now, would she?


    I couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    For now, I don¡¯t have any other ideas and am only taking Ding Yinuo¡¯s words as truth.


    ¡°Can this disease be cured?¡±


    ¡°Depends if there¡¯s a kidney source. If there is, she may still live for a few more years¡­¡±


    ¡°My mother-in-law is like my birth mother, so please do me a favor. Please give her a kidney source as soon as possible. I know it¡¯s selfish of me to ask. But I really want her to live.¡±


    Ding Yinuo stared at me for a long while, before replying,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Kidney sources are designated through a waitlist. Just because she is your relative, it doesn¡¯t mean that we can deprive someone else of their chance to live.¡±


    Which didn¡¯t surprise me at all.


    I nodded.


    After all, I¡¯m not his friend. There¡¯s no reason for him to agree.


    To be honest, saying such words is simply self-torture.


    When I got out of the hospital, I didn¡¯t say another word to him.


    It was nightfall by then.


    I walked into the internet cafe.


    Actually, I already guessed that Annie is the mastermind behind my ordeal.


    However, to find the other people involved, I¡¯ll need to put in more effort.


    I plan to hack into Annie¡¯s phone to find some clues¡­


    But hacking into a phone system is much more complex than invading an email system. I tried several times, but failed.


    Just when I was feeling downcast, my QQ avatar on the computer suddenly blinked. Shiqi, who hadn¡¯t been online in over a decade, had sent me a message.


    ¡°Having trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yes, master, can you teach me a few moves?¡±


    Like a drowning man who had caught sight of a lifesaver, I immediately grabbed onto the straw of hope.


    ¡°Start screen control I¡¯ll handle it!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I took the initiative to apply for him to control my computer, and he connected quickly.


    Strings of characters flashed across the screen, then the computer screen went black¡­


    Once the computer rebooted, the screen control had disconnected.


    But Anne¡¯s WeChat interface had automatically logged in on the computer. Flipping upwards showed her chat records from the past week.


    I was overjoyed and went through each line of conversation. As expected, I found many valuable records from here.


    I took screenshots of these chat records and then copied them to my mobile hard drive before shutting down the computer and leaving the internet cafe.


    Afterwards, I opened QQ on my phone and wanted to chat with Shiqi some more¡­


    ¡°Master, how have you been these years?¡±


    Once upon a time, when I was playing that dungeon game, there was a task in it where a master took an apprentice. If you found a higher-level master within the same faction to do the task, you could gain more experience and equipment.


    At that time, Shiqi was recruiting disciples in the world chat, and I sent him a private chat.


    From then on, I followed him as a disciple. He led me every day to level up and PK. I would call him master out of habit.


    At this time, he didn¡¯t reply to me.


    Looking at the darkened icon, I didn¡¯t bother him anymore.


    After all these years, he must have likely gotten married and started a family.


    It¡¯s better not to disturb him.


    The next morning.


    When I arrived at the office, I saw a few women huddled together. They were chatting and laughing, spitting saliva as they spoke animatedly.


    These two women, Xu Yun and Ye Mengna, were Annie¡¯s lackeys¡­


    As soon as they saw me enter, everyone fell silent.


    Actually I¡¯d been listening all along.


    They were just saying that I was trying to climb the corporate ladder, that my heart was higher than the sky, but my fate was frail as paper.


    That I had a face that could ruin a man for a thousand years, but didn¡¯t have the destiny to be a wealthy matron.


    How ridiculous, I was a daughter from a wealthy family. Who gives a damn about being a wealthy matron?


    In their eyes, the highly successful President Gu,


    Without my support, he would have never gotten to where he is today.


    Actually, I didn¡¯t care about these women. But now they¡¯re affecting my work ¨C I must remove them all.


    I walked up to Xu Yun.


    ¡°It was you who spread the rumors about the president, right?¡±


    Xu Yun got nervous when she heard my accusation, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Annie told me¡­ She has already sold you out.¡±


    To prove my point, I showed her the screenshot of Annie¡¯s WeChat conversation.


    Actually, this WeChat screenshot was a private chat between Annie and Luo Zizhou where she said: I¡¯ll tell you something funny, that idiot Xu Yun has really done¡­


    After Xu Yun saw it, her face turned pale immediately.


    Half an hour later, Annie and a few other female employees including Xu Yun were all called to the president¡¯s office.

 Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61 – Doubt_1

    Chapter 61: Chapter 61 ¨C Doubt_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Annie seemed to be oblivious to the impending exposure of her plots. She watched as these few women were called over, mistakenly thinking it was to collectively report me.


    With a smug look on her face, she approached Gu Yuanzhou flatteringly.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve accomplished all the tasks you assigned to me!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou slightly nodded.


    Then he asked Annie, ¡°About the spreading of rumors, do you have anything to say?¡±


    Annie turned her head to glance at me,


    ¡°Well, although Song Xiaoyun is my colleague, and personally, I do sympathize with her. But this should be business as usual at work. I believe it¡¯s very egregious of her to do this. She should be fired.¡±


    Annie¡¯s words betrayed her smugness.


    I chuckled softly,


    ¡°You want to get rid of me so Luo Zizhou can return, right? You¡¯re all about ¡®business as usual¡¯, but you¡¯re clearly just satisfying your personal desires.¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you are talking nonsense!!¡±


    Caught red-handed, Annie was a guilty party trying to clear her name. She was hopping mad.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking nonsense? You¡¯re plotting and scheming this whole thing, while I have no motive at all. President Gu really appreciates me and he wants to promote me, why would I do such a foolish thing?¡±


    I answered back, smiling.


    Caught off guard by my question, Annie was momentarily speechless. After regaining her composure, she angrily pointed a finger at me.


    ¡°I know, you want to avenge Mrs. Gu because you were close to her. Now that Mrs. Gu is unjustly dead, you seek retribution. You believe Mr. Gu caused her death, so, to get back at him for Mrs. Gu, you deliberately spread rumors in the company!!!¡±


    Watching Annie make such accusations made me smile.


    This fool, she really rubbed Gu Yuanzhou up the wrong way.


    Sure enough, before her words had even left her mouth, Gu Yuanzhou slammed a hand on the table and stood up, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Annie didn¡¯t dare to utter a word¡­


    I asked her with a smile,


    ¡°Annie, I had no idea that Mrs. Gu¡¯s death was in any way related to Mr. Gu. How did you find out?¡±


    Annie was so intent on defending herself, she blurted out,


    ¡°Nonsense, President Gu was taken away by the police because he was a suspect. I personally bailed him out!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so only you knew about this then? After all, you were the only one who went to do this. I don¡¯t recall you ever telling me!¡±


    Annie¡¯s words were riddled with inconsistencies. Seeing her get caught off-guard, she quickly changed tactics,


    ¡°Stop pretending, the reporters announced it online a few days ago. Calling out President Gu for murdering his wife for the insurance money. Unless you¡¯re blind and didn¡¯t see.¡±


    ¡°So you did see it!!! Sorry, but I didn¡¯t see it!¡±


    Annie became frantic, she pulled Xu Yun over,


    ¡°Go tell President Gu that Song Xiaoyun instructed you to do it.¡±


    Xu Yun angrily pushed her away, ignoring her words. Instead, she went to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, this whole plotting was intended by Annie. She couldn¡¯t stand Song Xiaoyun from the start. She printed those pages herself and told us to distribute them around the company, spreading rumors about Song Xiaoyun.¡±


    Annie never expected her own henchmen to turn against her.


    Obviously furious, she pointed at Xu Yun¡¯s nose,


    ¡°You ungrateful wretch, I¡¯ve been so good to you, yet you dare to betray me!¡±


    Xu Yun took a step back,


    ¡°You used us, do you think I¡¯m a fool? All these years, you¡¯ve taken advantage of your position to bleed the company dry. Under the guise of promotions, you forced colleagues to treat you to meals. You took advantage of your birthday, forcing everyone to buy you expensive gifts. We were willing to let all these slide because we are colleagues, but now you even tried to scheme against the president. Do you think the president¡¯s an idiot who can¡¯t see through your pathetic little scheme?¡±


    At Xu Yun¡¯s words, Annie was even angrier, stretching her hand out to cover Xu Yun¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Shut up, don¡¯t you dare spew nonsense, you wretched woman¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    With a furious roar, Gu Yuanzhou cut off Annie¡¯s words.


    ¡°President Gu, hear me out, they must have listened to Song Xiaoyun¡¯s instigation and plotted against me. President Gu, you have to believe me, in this company, only I truly care for you. Everyone else is here with ulterior motives, especially this Song Xiaoyun, she certainly doesn¡¯t mean well to you.¡±


    I folded my arms, smiling and watching Annie.


    Indeed, I do have designs on Gu Yuanzhou. Unfortunately, she¡¯s just too naive. She¡¯s no match for me in the workplace.


    Soon, Gu Yuanzhou called security, ¡°Take out Annie.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, are you suspending me? Mr. Gu, listen to my explanation.¡±


    ¡°This is not a suspension, it¡¯s termination¡­ From now on, don¡¯t show up in front of me.¡±


    Annie was forcibly escorted out by security.


    Even though her intentions were to stand up for Luo Zizhou, her mistake was that she should¡¯ve never provoked me.


    Gradually, the office returned to its former calmness.


    However, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face didn¡¯t look good. Knowing that he did not drive me away, he must have started to trust me.


    ¡°President Gu, what about Xu Yun?¡±


    ¡°Handle it yourself!¡±


    He gave me this opportunity to establish rapport with everyone.


    As long as I secure Xu Yun¡¯s job, from now on, she would definitely defer to me.


    I understood Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s intentions.


    I brewed him a cup of coffee and handed it over,


    ¡°From now on, does President Gu still trust me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou did not answer my question.


    Instead, he sat back in his swivel chair, loosening his suit tie slightly, and slowly picked up the coffee to savor it carefully.


    After a while, he picked up the bottle of eye drops on the desk¡­


    ¡°Did you buy this?¡±


    I glanced at it. It was the Hainuo brand eye drops I had bought him. It had been almost half a month.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Why did you choose this one?¡±


    ¡°This kind does not contain preservatives and does not irritate the vitreous humor.¡±


    He nodded, rose from his chair, and walked towards me,


    ¡°Why does this cup of coffee taste exactly the same as the one I used to drink?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was tall and imposing, his pitch-black suit, coupled with his stern black eyes, faded him to an imposing aura.


    When he walked towards me, I felt as if a wall was pressing on me. I couldn¡¯t help but step back, alertly watching him.


    ¡°President Gu, what do you mean by this?¡±


    ¡°Who are you really?¡±


    He reached out with both hands and cornered me against the wall. A pair of chilling dark eyes scrutinized me.


    My heart raced, has Gu Yuanzhou started to suspect my identity?


    Upon careful consideration, the situation seemed a bit subtle.


    Gu Yuanzhou knows his way around the workplace.


    Being as astute as he is, he must have known from the start that I didn¡¯t do it, right? Otherwise, why didn¡¯t he fire me outright?


    So, he was actually using this incident to observe me covertly, right?


    Thinking about this, I couldn¡¯t help but break out in a cold sweat.

 Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62 He Saw Through Me_1

    Chapter 62: Chapter 62 He Saw Through Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    To be honest, I don¡¯t know how much he already knows!


    But I also will not carelessly spill the beans.


    I just widened my eyes and stared at him, while desperately thinking of a plan in my mind.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m Song Xiaoyun! Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sneered.


    He turned around and opened the laptop on his desk, and then pulled out a surveillance clip. After watching it, I broke into a cold sweat.


    The scene was from a month ago;


    That is, right after I was reincarnated into Song Xiaoyun¡¯s body.


    In the video, I grabbed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s arm, choking back tears, sobbing uncontrollably.


    ¡°Yuanzhou, I had a nightmare where Zhenyi and Xiaoyi were burned to death in a fire¡­¡±


    Back then, I was so grief-stricken that my identity did not match Song Xiaoyun¡¯s at all.


    This video clip directly revealed my real situation at that time.


    Watching the video, I was silent for a moment.


    Did Gu Yuanzhou find out about my reincarnation? Otherwise, why would he suddenly bring out this video clip?


    Silence.


    A deathly silence.


    Gu Yuanzhou turned off the video and looked at me,


    ¡°Can you explain why you reacted like that at the time?¡±


    I sorted out my thoughts slightly,


    ¡°President Gu, I, um, I can¡¯t really remember clearly what happened at that time.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s¡­ I might have been possessed by a ghost at the time!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sneered,


    ¡°What age is it? You want me to believe this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, my birth chart falls on Yin Year, Yin Month, Yin Day, and Yin Time. According to fortune tellers, I am very prone to attracting ghosts. I was often possessed by ghosts when I was little. Especially by those who have just passed away¡­¡±


    I fabricated it on the spot.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze slightly congealed but it still carried an element of disbelief.


    ¡°So, can you show me by getting possessed again?¡±


    I was dumbfound, what kind of request was this?


    Sure enough, this man was not so easy to fool.


    He actually wanted to test it on the spot?


    ¡°This¡­ it requires certain conditions! I don¡¯t know exactly what they are. I can only say that it is accidental¡­ It depends on whether the ghost is willing to possess me, . If someone recently passed away and the Yin energy has not dissipated, it¡¯s easier for them to possess me. To summon them again, there needs to be a method to call upon the spirit, and I don¡¯t have that skill¡­¡±


    I racked my brain, imagining the horror movies I had seen before.


    Just made up the story right there and then.


    I knew what I was saying was full of holes, but Gu Yuanzhou listened earnestly.


    After hearing me out, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say much. He just told me, ¡°Alright, go back to work!¡±


    I sighed with relief.


    I thought to myself, at least I managed to fool him for now.


    In the afternoon, Ding Yinuo sent me a text message, ¡°Check out the news!¡±


    I opened the news on my mobile phone.


    Today¡¯s top news was again about the Golden Bay arson case, which had shot up to the top searches. Unlike before,


    The headline referred now, to the nanny setting the fire. Although the trial hasn¡¯t commenced yet, so Wu Jun is currently the main suspect.


    Due to public opinion, this case will go to trial soon.


    I replied to Ding Yinuo, ¡°Did you buy a trending topic?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Otherwise, how can I force Gu Yuanzhou to show his face? I¡¯d like to see the moment he gets sentenced to death in court.¡±


    I went through the news again, and indeed many people were commenting below, speculating Monteng¡¯s culprit was Gu Yuanzhou.


    Suffice to say, due to this hot search, Zhenyi Company was at the pinnacle of public discussion.


    But this time, Gu Yuanzhou seemed rather indifferent.


    He did not rush to do any crisis PR.


    After lunch, he was leisurely drinking tea in his office.


    When I entered the office, his shiny black eyes were sizing me up.


    ¡°President Gu, our company is trending again, should we try to shift media attention by buying news of a scandalous affair of some celebrity?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly put down his teacup,


    ¡°Go and urge the R&D department to release the new autumn line. Hold a press conference tomorrow, invite journalists, and ride on this wave of attention to boost our sales.¡±


    His answer startled me.


    This man¡¯s psychological resilience is remarkable; he was truly impervious to any threat.


    ¡°President Gu, aren¡¯t you afraid of negative rumors?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gave a bitter smile,


    ¡°I have neither a wife nor kids now, what do I have to fear?¡±


    I was taken aback, and after a while I said,


    ¡°But with the company being slandered like this, I worry¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, any publicity is good publicity¡­ it¡¯s better than being unnoticed and forgotten.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou said calmly.


    His comments shocked me once again.


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t tell if he was heartless, or too cunning?


    Just as I was about to leave the office, he suddenly stopped me.


    ¡°Prepare yourself. Join me for a trip to Beilu Hill tonight!¡±


    Upon hearing these words, my mind went blank.


    This place is where Mrs. Gu¡¯s memorial tablet is located.


    ¡°What do you want me to do there, Mr. Gu?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you can get possessed by ghosts? Well, I want to see if my wife can possess you again!¡±


    ¡°But, that requires calling upon the spirit!¡±


    I resisted, as this itself was an unreasonable request.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve invited a Taoist to perform the ritual! You don¡¯t have to prepare anything, just come with me.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    I wanted to refuse.


    But Gu Yuanzhou did not give me an opportunity to back out.


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t lied to me, then come verify it with me!¡±


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    ¡°I want to see you at Beilu Hill at ten o¡¯clock tonight!¡±


    His tone was very serious.


    The implication being that if I didn¡¯t show up, it would mean I had been lying to him.


    After work, I spilled all of my troubles to Wenya.


    Upon hearing everything, Wenya let loose a torrent of curses,


    ¡°That jerk Gu Yuanzhou! After all the terrible things he¡¯s done, isn¡¯t he afraid of summoning a ghost that¡¯ll take revenge on him?¡±


    I shrugged, ¡°They say that even ghosts are afraid of evil people.¡±


    Jian Jing, on the other hand, remained calm. After a sip of her milk tea, she said in a collected tone,


    ¡°Ayun, I think this could be a good opportunity. You can pretend to be possessed and use this status to question him about why he killed you and your child. I don¡¯t believe he would dare to lie to a ghost!¡±


    Wenya also clapped and agreed, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. People who believe in ghosts tend to fear them. If given a chance, he might speak the truth.¡±


    The advice of my best friends seemed very reasonable.


    I could take advantage of this opportunity to force Gu Yuanzhou to tell the truth.


    Then, I could prepare to record his confession on my phone. This evidence could be used in court to convict him.


    With these thoughts in my mind, I slowly regained my composure.


    Around ten in the evening, I took a taxi to Beilu Hill.


    As I got out of the car, standing in the pitch-black darkness, I could see a faint light glowing in front of the Yin Mansion from a distance.

 Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Relying Entirely on Acting Skills_1

    Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Relying Entirely on Acting Skills_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I hadn¡¯t thought much of this place during the day.


    But by night, I found it eerily unsettling and quite frightening.


    The surroundings were deathly silent.


    The weak, red candlelight flickered like will-o¡¯-the-wisp. Even before I approached, I heard the Taoist invoking spirits with his Soul Summoning Banner.


    ¡°Oh soul, come back, Song Yun, come back!¡±


    This sent chills down my spine.


    In front of the candlestick, a stern-faced Gu Yuanzhou, dapper in his suit, was surprisingly paying respects with incense.


    His behavior took me by surprise.


    In my mind, Gu Yuanzhou never believed in ghosts and gods.


    Once, I had heard from a friend that offering the first incense of the New Year can bring better fortune to one¡¯s company.


    Even after several times of me persuading him to offer incense with me, he ruthlessly rejected the idea and even mocked me for it.


    More than once, he asserted to me that strong people do not believe in ghosts and gods.


    Seeing him so devout now, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder, what exactly had changed his faith?


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m here!¡±


    I walked up to him.


    He ignored me, carrying out the entire incense burning ceremony under the Taoist¡¯s guidance.


    Seeing his cold, stern face left me with a lingering unease.


    There were many uncertainties to come.


    For example, if he found out that I could indeed be possessed by a ghost, would he kill me to cover his tracks?


    My phone rang, seeming to break the awkwardness of the ritual. I made an apologetic face and moved away to answer the call.


    ¡°Hey, Wenya, didn¡¯t we tell you to text if there was anything? Why did you call?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m currently on top of Beilu Hill. If anything happens to you, just give me a call. We can be there in ten minutes!¡±


    ¡°You all?¡±


    ¡°Yes, me, Jian Jing, Su Fagun and Ding Yinuo are all here¡­ We¡¯re all worried about you.¡±


    Even before Wenya finished speaking, Su Peisheng¡¯s extremely displeased voice came from the receiver,


    ¡°Can you show some respect? Who are you calling ¡®Fagun¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Did I mention any names? If you choose to take it personally, that¡¯s on you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Wenya, I¡¯ll remember this! One day when you fall into my hands, I¡¯ll make you pay.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Su Fagun, you want a fight, huh? Come on¡­¡±


    I felt a headache coming on. What were they doing here?


    I raised my head and glanced uphill, spotting several beams of flashlight cutting through the night, and the faint silhouette of a drone hovering in the night sky.


    ¡°Wenya, when you¡¯re done playing around, go back. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±


    As soon as I ended the call, Gu Yuanzhou called for me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside!¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    The interior of the house was just as I remembered.


    For a moment, it felt like coming home.


    Except for the red candlelight on the altar, constantly reminding me that all of this was nothing but a dream.


    Under the Taoist¡¯s guidance, I took a seat on the sofa.


    He then took my bag and phone away.


    ¡°Close your eyes and clear your mind!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I did as told.


    The Taoist swung the Soul Summoning Banner in his hand, while reciting something under his breath.


    I didn¡¯t understand what he was saying. I simply kept my eyes closed. Eventually, when he finished chanting and pointed the Soul Summoning Banner at me.


    I trembled on cue,


    Then, jumping up to pretend to be a vicious ghost, I grabbed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s neck.


    I¡¯m possessed by a ghost?!


    Even though I¡¯ve never seen it with my own eyes, I¡¯ve seen enough from TV and movies.


    As long as one has thick skin and strong psychological quality, one can pretend.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t dodge, but just let me grab him, motionless, as he kept staring at me.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you should die, why don¡¯t you die! You have such a cruel heart, you killed both my child and me, how can you live on by yourself so shamelessly?¡±


    In reality, I didn¡¯t need to act out these feelings, they were truly my own.


    Usually, I would suppress all my sadness deep inside and dare not show it.


    But at this moment, taking advantage of being ¡®possessed by the ghost¡¯, I vented all my dissatisfaction towards Gu Yuanzhou.


    The heartache was real.


    The sense of grievance was real too.


    I devoted everything, gave him the best years of my youth.


    Gave him the deepest trust and love of this life.


    But he, not only betrayed me, but also killed me.


    This anger, disappointment, and painful feeling made me suffer endlessly.


    I hit his chest with both hands, pouring all my anger onto him,


    ¡°You jerk! How could you do this to me! Gu Yuanzhou, you jerk!!! Why should you do this! You got a mistress, you don¡¯t want me, you don¡¯t love me anymore, you could divorce me! Even if you killed me it would be bearable, why would you kill the two future children!! They are innocent! They are so tiny, so pitiful. They say even tigers don¡¯t eat their offspring, how could you put your own flesh and blood through such harm?¡±


    My anger, my accusations, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t refute any of them, just stood there letting me hit him¡­¡­


    Until I was too tired to vent.


    He suddenly hugged me tightly into his arms.


    His voice was hoarse, and he kept repeating over and over in my ear,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby! I¡¯m sorry, I let you down!¡±


    Just like in the past, he would always comfort me, apologizing to me after we had a small quarrel.


    Over and over again, mechanically repeating.


    I saw his red eyes and hoarse voice.


    He didn¡¯t even doubt me.


    He even invested all his emotions into it.


    At that moment, I gradually calmed down.


    Seeing this opportunity, I decided to strike while the iron was hot.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, why did you set the fire to kill me and the two kids? I¡¯m now a ghost, you have to tell the truth, if you don¡¯t, I can¡¯t reincarnate!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou immediately retorted without hesitation:


    ¡°Not me, I love you so much, I love the kids so much, how could I possibly do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying, even now when I¡¯m dead, you still continue to lie! You still can¡¯t tell me the truth?¡±


    ¡°It is really not me! But, rest assured, I will make it right for you.¡±


    I never expected Gu Yuanzhou to deny so stubbornly, no matter how intensely I played my part.


    He never gave in! He refused to confess.


    ¡°And how will you make it right?¡±


    ¡°I am investigating, I will find out who did it pretty soon, and I will make him pay the price. Baby, just give me a little more time.¡±


    Seeing his sincere feelings and deeply invested expression, I began to ruminate again, could it really not him who did it?


    But, I still lashed out at Gu Yuanzhou and vehemently accused him.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I hate you, I hate you, I despise you! I regret marrying you, I would rather not have met you in the first place!! If there is a next life, I will never see you again. Don¡¯t set up a shrine for me, I don¡¯t want to see Mrs. Gu even after I am a ghost, I don¡¯t want to be Mrs. Gu¡­¡±


    I criticised Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s many wrongs. When my ire started to ebb, I feigned fainting and fell onto the sofa¡­


    After all, my acting skills are limited, and it¡¯s easy to be found out if I overdo it in front of someone as smart as Gu Yuanzhou.


    Since I couldn¡¯t get any useful information out of him, I had to bring it to a close.


    Then, I slowly opened my eyes to look at Gu Yuanzhou, and then at the Taoist, but feigned amnesia with a confused look on my face,


    ¡°Uh, what just happened?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me worriedly and then said to the Taoist,


    ¡°Alright, your task is done, you can leave now!¡±

 Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Summoning Spirits_1

    Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Summoning Spirits_1


    Translator: 549690339


    After the Taoist left, only Gu Yuanzhou and I were left in the living room.


    The smell of incense pervaded the air, and a death-like silence lingered on.


    Gu Yuanzhou did not speak to me anymore. He walked to the prayer altar, picked up the ancestral tablets, and gently swept his fingers over them.


    After a long time, he lit some incense for the two children again.


    I sat on the sofa, lost in thought.


    At this moment, my phone kept ringing. I didn¡¯t need to check to know that Wenya was texting me.


    ¡°Uh, President Gu, can I leave now?¡±


    He did not even acknowledge me, his voice slightly cold:


    ¡°Go!¡±


    I picked up my bag from the table, grabbed my phone, glanced at him, and hurried out of the room.


    Once I reached the road, I saw a car with its hazard lights on in the distance.


    I waved my hand.


    The car approached and stopped beside me.


    The person driving was Ding Yinuo. He opened the car door, looked at me with a worried expression, and asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    I took out a mirror and checked my reflection. Apart from some smudged makeup, there seemed to be nothing else wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, what could possibly happen to me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo nodded and started the car.


    In the back seat, Su Peisheng was still messing with a drone,


    ¡°Why did you take so long inside? Ding was worried to death. If I hadn¡¯t stopped him, he would have barged in.¡±


    Ding Yinuo handed me a pack of wet wipes,


    ¡°Any progress?¡±


    I wiped off my smudged makeup in the mirror and shook my head, ¡°It¡¯s not him!¡±


    Sure enough, this answer did not sit well with everyone.


    Wenya had the most extreme reaction and snapped,


    ¡°Damn it, if it¡¯s not him, then who is it? This man is terrifying; he¡¯s even deceiving ghosts!¡±


    Jiang Jing asked, ¡°Did you ask him about sponsoring Ye Mengyan? Did he admit it?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No! I didn¡¯t get a chance to ask!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you must not be deceived by him. Let me tell you, when a man is good to you, he definitely has an ulterior motive. There¡¯s no such thing as a good man in this world.¡±


    While Wenya was still railing, Su Peisheng, sitting beside her, couldn¡¯t stand it any longer,


    ¡°Can you speak properly? What do you mean there are no good men in the world? Isn¡¯t it just that you aren¡¯t good enough to meet one, so you¡¯re denying the existence of good men everywhere?¡±


    Wenya turned her head and shoved Su Peisheng,


    ¡°Are you an idiot? Can¡¯t you tell who I¡¯m talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the idiot? Huh, I don¡¯t even know who the real idiot is here. You can¡¯t even speak clearly, and you accuse me of not distinguishing between friend and foe.¡±


    ¡°It was you who responded defensively. If you think my words are malicious, then that just proves that you identify with them. Why would you identify with them if you¡¯re not a scumbag? You see, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t say a word. Why didn¡¯t he? Because he is not a scumbag!¡±


    Wenya logically put Su Peisheng in his place.


    Su Peisheng was left speechless by her,


    ¡°I refuse to engage in a conversation with someone who lacks intellect!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s called being guilty! It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t speak up, it¡¯s not like anyone wants to talk to you.¡±


    The atmosphere in the car was noticeably tense.


    So, Su Peisheng angrily suggested to Jiang Jing,


    ¡°Let¡¯s switch seats!¡±


    Actually, Su Peisheng and Wenya were initially in the back seat, with Wenya in the front passenger seat.


    Later, to make room for me, Wenya gave up her seat in the front and sat in the back. As a result, she and Jiang Jing each occupied one side,


    with Su Peisheng stuck like a sandwich in the middle.


    Now, he wanted to change seats with Jiang Jing, to which Wenya rolled her eyes and replied, ¡°Why do you want to switch seats?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to sit next to you, isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    ¡°Oh, why don¡¯t you just get out of the car then? After all, I have breathed in all the air in this car, so even if you¡¯re not sitting right next to me, you will still be inhaling the air I¡¯ve exhaled.¡±


    ¡°I get out? Are you sick or something? It¡¯s my car!¡±


    As the two of them quarreled, Ding Yinuo, growing irritated, snapped at them,


    ¡°Both of you, shut up! Can¡¯t you see someone is not in a good mood?¡±


    The moment he raised his voice in reprimand, the bickering in the car stopped abruptly.


    Half an hour later, Ding Yinuo dropped Wenya and Jiang Jing off at their respective homes.


    Then he drove the car back to Xishan Residence, No. 168.


    After parking the car, he turned to me,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Please take me home, I can¡¯t keep staying here.¡±


    I was worried that my close contact with Ding Yinuo might be discovered by Gu Yuanzhou.


    Besides, he already seemed to be suspicious of me.


    What¡¯s more, I can¡¯t find a reason to continue being so close to Ding Yinuo.


    He glanced at me,


    ¡°I want to discuss something about your aunt with you.¡±


    ¡°What happened to my aunt?¡±


    He ignored me and got out of the car first.


    I had no choice but to follow him into the house.


    Once inside, he removed his suit jacket to reveal the blue surgical scrubs he was wearing¡­


    ¡°I was in such a rush when I left the hospital. Wenya told me that you had gone to Beilu Hill with Gu Yuanzhou, so I didn¡¯t have time to change¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°What would you like to eat?¡±


    As he was unbuttoning his shirt, his clear eyes were focused on me.


    ¡°I, uh, I don¡¯t want anything.¡±


    He opened a food delivery app on his phone and tossed the phone to me,


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. I haven¡¯t had dinner because of your mess. You choose something, I¡¯ll go take a shower. I smell like blood.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    Seated so close, I could actually smell the cold metallic scent of blood on him.


    I took the phone and sat on the sofa. He then went into the bathroom.


    It took me a while to unlock the phone and place an order for food.


    Right as I was about to put the phone down, a pop-up notification from WeChat appeared, indicating an incoming video call.


    Seeing the caller ID picture was Jiang Jiaying¡¯s, I was stunned for a moment.


    After hesitating for a few seconds, I chose to decline the call.


    I wasn¡¯t sure about their relationship status now, whether they had broken up or were still entangled with each other.


    This late at night, if she saw me at Ding Yinuo¡¯s place, would it affect their relationship?


    Soon after I declined, Jiang Jiaying sent a message on WeChat,


    ¡°Yinuo, I¡¯m back. Please answer the video call, I have something to tell you!¡±


    From what I remembered, Jiang Jiaying seemed to have gone abroad many years ago.


    So, had she returned now?


    Just as I was wondering, Ding Yinuo poked his head out from the bathroom door. He was shaving, and his chin was covered in white foam, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, your ex¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Who?¡±


    ¡°How many exes do you have?¡±


    ¡°Quite a lot! More than one hand can count!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­Jiang Jiaying!¡±


    After hearing this, Ding Yinuo just responded with an ¡°Oh¡± and withdrew back into the bathroom, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with her!¡±


    After his shower, he came out wearing a grey bathrobe.


    The takeaway hadn¡¯t arrived yet.


    He sat down on the sofa,


    ¡°You¡¯ve been holding back, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou isn¡¯t that stupid! Does he really believe you¡¯re being possessed?¡±


    I fell silent. I had indeed hidden some information since there were many people around earlier, making it difficult to disclose them.


    Who¡¯d have thought that Ding Yinuo would see through me.

 Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65: What Is He Thinking About _1

    Chapter 65: Chapter 65: What Is He Thinking About _1


    Translator: 549690339


    That was after I was possessed.


    Gu Yuanzhou made some intimate moves towards me.


    These small details, I didn¡¯t mention!


    I can¡¯t explain!


    If I tell, they will only say that Gu Yuanzhou took advantage of the situation to take advantage of me.


    But I could feel that he was genuinely moved at the moment.


    Especially when he held me, he almost kissed me¡­ but fortunately, he pushed me away at the critical moment.


    I don¡¯t know if Gu Yuanzhou is that foolish, but after all, he¡¯s human and could be controlled by his emotions.


    Because, he didn¡¯t need to pretend¡­


    These small details, I couldn¡¯t tell Ding Yinuo.


    Just then, the doorbell rang, I got up to answer the door and brought in the takeaway.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you like, so I ordered something randomly.¡±


    I opened the takeaway box and put it on the table, handing a pair of chopsticks to Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°You mentioned earlier that you wanted to discuss my aunt¡¯s situation?¡±


    Ding Yinuo took a sip of soup before starting to eat. He must have been really hungry.


    He finished the large box of food all by himself.


    After cleaning his mouth with a tissue, he hesitated for a moment before saying,


    ¡°I suspect, someone has been poisoning your aunt.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Normally, kidney failure requires a long development period, such as nephropathy, kidney inflammation, and other kidney diseases, and then slowly turn into kidney failure. This whole process takes one or two years. But your aunt suddenly got this disease only after a few days¡­ she has not been in our hospital for long.¡±


    ¡°So who gave her the medicine?¡±


    ¡°Next time when I do her dialysis, I tactfully asked her about it. She is very resistant and unwilling to admit that she has been poisoned. I asked her if she had taken any medicine or if someone forced her to take medicine. She denied it all¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯ll ask her again when I have the time.¡±


    I also understand some basic medical knowledge, Ding Yinuo¡¯s speculation seems reasonable.


    After dinner, Ding Yinuo cleaned up the table and looked at me.


    ¡°The reason I want you to stay is to warn you. Don¡¯t be fooled by Gu Yuanzhou before the trial.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I think, your so-called possession could have been manipulated by Gu Yuanzhou. He may just want to use it to clear his name and make you trust him.¡±


    ¡°But, is my trust so important? He doesn¡¯t even know that I am the real Song Yun?¡±


    ¡°Having one more friend is always better than having one more enemy, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, what you said seems quite reasonable¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, go to sleep!¡±


    There are many guest rooms in the Xishan Residence.


    Ding Yinuo arranged one for me, which has become my bedroom.


    I didn¡¯t feel the need to be formal with him.


    Just as I was about to sleep after sitting in the room for a while, Ding Yinuo pushed the door and came in.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, are you planning to kill me while I¡¯m asleep?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of killing you?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been trying to kill me for the past ten-plus years? We are long-standing enemies, after all!¡±


    Ding Yinuo laughed at my words, taking his hand from his chin:


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it! I don¡¯t want you dead!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°How good it is for you to be alive! Only when you¡¯re alive can I enjoy the pleasure of defeating you.¡±


    ¡°Freak!!¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, just let me know!¡±


    Ding Yinuo waved his hand and closed the door.


    That night, he didn¡¯t drug me, but I couldn¡¯t sleep at all.


    I finally closed my eyes when dawn was breaking.


    In the night, I would always dream. Dreaming of my wedding with Gu Yuanzhou, dreaming of him holding my hand, telling me, ¡°Ayun, I will love you forever.¡±


    When I woke up, I stared blankly at the glaring sunlight.


    The hardest thing to forget in life is one¡¯s first love.


    Gu Yuanzhou was the first man I ever loved.


    That deep-seated feeling, perhaps won¡¯t be forgotten even after ten, or twenty years!


    The next morning, when I arrived at the office.


    Lawyer Zhou Chenming had already arrived and was discussing court matters with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou did not ask me to leave, so I listened on the side.


    Zhou Chenming said,


    ¡°The current testimony from Wu Jun is a bit tricky. He insisted that you asked her to leave¡­¡±


    ¡°You arrange for Ye Mengyan to meet her and talk to her properly.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Zhou Chenming greeted me, took the documents, and rushed away.


    Ye Mengyan?


    Does Gu Yuanzhou intend to use Ye Mengyan as a pawn to play the family card, again asking Wu Jun to change her testimony?


    While I was lost in thought, Gu Yuanzhou suddenly handed me an envelope.


    ¡°This is a company benefit for you!¡±


    I curiously opened the envelope.


    Inside were two keys.


    One was a car key to a BMW, and the other was a bronze one, looking like a front door key, even with an address number on it.


    Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Maple Mansion.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ where Ye Mengyan lives?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou said, ¡°This car is for your company use. That house, from now on, is also your residence!¡±


    I am currently renting in an old and run-down community. Indeed, I need a more comfortable and quiet place to live.


    However, the last place I want to live is his mistress¡¯s home.


    What is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s meaning by this?


    Does he still want to enjoy the affections of two women?


    I became a bit angry on the spot.


    ¡°President Gu, what do you mean by this?¡±


    ¡°As a senior manager in the company, you naturally should live in a better place. Is there a problem with that?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is, that¡¯s Miss Ye¡¯s house. How can I live with her?¡±


    ¡°She has moved out!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Next week, I¡¯m sending her to study in France! She has her own dreams and pursuits, she should go after better achievements! France suits her.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I was not sure what Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s intentions were at that moment.


    ¡°Ye Mengyan also was saying she wanted to find a job¡­¡±


    ¡°She does not need to work! She just needs to do what she likes,¡±


    These words from Gu Yuanzhou made my first thought that he was trying to get Ye Mengyan to collude with Wu Jun.


    And then make her leave A City?


    Such actions seemed slightly suspicious.


    Originally, I didn¡¯t want to accept his arrangements like this, but I had to figure out his entire plan, so I agreed.


    That same day, I moved into the Maple Mansion. To my surprise, Ye Mengyan hadn¡¯t left yet.


    She was still living there.


    Regarding Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s decision to arrange for me to live here, she seemed quite happy about it.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here to stay with me! I thought you weren¡¯t going to deal with me.¡±


    I gave an awkward smile.


    ¡°Are you really going to France?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°I thought Gu Yuanzhou was forcing you to go!¡±


    ¡°Of course not, I wanted to go. Shen Yishu has been bothering me all the time, leaving this country is the best way to get rid of him. Of course, I also think I need to improve myself.¡±


    ¡°But if you go to France, you¡¯ll have fewer chances to see Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Brother Gu promised me, he will visit me at least twice a month! Don¡¯t worry, Brother Gu is a responsible man, he won¡¯t just leave me alone. Look, he even bought me a lot of things.¡±


    Ye Mengyan opened the wardrobe, indeed there were a lot of things inside. A few of the items gave me quite a shock. Why would Gu Yuanzhou buy these for her?

 Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66 A Man’s Feelings_1

    Chapter 66: Chapter 66 A Man¡¯s Feelings_1


    Translator: 549690339


    In most people¡¯s understanding, when a man keeps a mistress, he covets their body.


    They are indeed allured by the youth, energy, and vitality in them.


    Afterward, they would give them money and if they are generous, they might buy them houses and cars.


    But in Ye Mengyan¡¯s case, Gu Yuanzhou arranged meticulously, even taking care of things like motion sickness pills, first aid kits, and sanitary napkins for her.


    This illustrates one thing.


    He has never seen her as a mistress.


    He loved her.


    Deeply loved her.


    Thinking of this, my heart still collapsed.


    Ye Mengyan, however, seemed oblivious to my grief, still fiddling with her things in her suitcase.


    ¡°Hey, some people say men become bad when they have money, but I see Gu Yuanzhou isn¡¯t one of those bad men. Look, he even prepares chocolates for me to eat in the car, as well as my stomach medicine and wet wipes¡­ Shen Yishu is kind to me too, but he isn¡¯t this thoughtful! Shen Yishu¡¯s love is narrow, he thought as long as he has me, that¡¯s it¡­¡±


    Ye Mengyan sighed.


    I forced a bitter smile.


    Whether a man loves you or is considerate of you also depends to some extent on his financial status.


    If he has no money, he naturally can¡¯t give you what you want.


    ¡°So, you say, wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to choose Gu Yuanzhou than Shen Yishu?¡±


    ¡°But, Gu Yuanzhou is more than a decade older than you. With such a large age gap, when you¡¯re still at your prime, he¡¯d already be old. You two might not be able to live together due to different habits.¡±


    ¡°No way! I won¡¯t mind Gu Yuanzhou being older. On the contrary, an older man can give me a sense of security. Being with him, I don¡¯t need to worry about anything, he arranges everything for me.¡±


    Whenever Gu Yuanzhou was mentioned, Ye Mengyan¡¯s face was still filled with a blissful smile, completely resembling a girl deeply in love.


    I saw my own past self in her.


    Observing my saddened look, Ye Mengyan quickly explained,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, Gu Yuanzhou is single now. I like him and want to be with him. Is that too much to ask?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait until the Golden Bay arson case ends before deciding?¡±


    I was reminding her that she might be in love with a culprit who killed his wife and child.


    Ye Mengyan shook her head,


    ¡°I understand what you mean, but I can assure you that Gu Yuanzhou would never do such a thing. Moreover, at such a time, he needs understanding and trust more than ever, and I will trust and support him unconditionally.¡±


    Her words left me stunned.


    I hadn¡¯t expected Ye Mengyan to be so steadfast.


    ¡°Have you visited your aunt in the past few days?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Did she mention anything else?¡±


    I wanted to find out from her what Gu Yuanzhou had instructed her on how to persuade Wu Jun.


    But Ye Mengyan seemed very guarded, and immediately steered the conversation away,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I¡¯ve tidied your room for you. You take the bedroom on the first floor. This room has a south-facing window, so the view is great.¡±


    ¡°Great, thank you!¡±


    Just like that, I moved into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s mistress¡¯ house.


    How ironic¡­ it never crossed my mind that one day I¡¯d end up living under the same roof as Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lover.


    And that we¡¯d coexist peacefully!


    The next day, the weekend, it rained the whole day.


    I stood by the window early in the morning, watching the wisteria flowers outside being battered by the storm, scattering petals all over the courtyard.


    Ye Mengyan knocked on the door and poked her head in,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, that white BMW outside is yours, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes¡­ it¡¯s the company¡¯s car assigned to me!¡±


    ¡°Could I borrow it? I need to buy groceries!¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I handed her the car keys and couldn¡¯t help but ask,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou buy you a car?¡±


    Ye Mengyan blushed, ¡°He doesn¡¯t allow me to drive!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He says it¡¯s dangerous for girls to drive! He arranged a driver, Old Ma, for me. If I ever need, I could call Old Ma. But I know my place, and I don¡¯t dare trouble others.¡±


    I was once again surprised and muttered to myself about the display of affection this early in the morning.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll be upset now that you¡¯re driving?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he doesn¡¯t know. The market isn¡¯t far, I¡¯ll be back soon, is there anything you want me to bring back?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Okay then! I¡¯m off!¡±


    Having taken the car keys, Ye Mengyan walked out.


    I held my forehead and sighed, rubbing my face. Did I actually move here to torment myself? Keep calm, stay cool, Gu Yuanzhou, isn¡¯t my man anymore.


    Oh, maybe, he hasn¡¯t been mine since four years ago.


    Or maybe, he never loved me at all.


    But that night, when we were trying to conjure spirits, he clutched me, apologizing to our baby. I could feel his love was still so deep, so intense.


    Gu Yuanzhou, what exactly are you thinking?


    Half an hour later, Ye Mengyan was back.


    She bought vegetables and meats, then started preparing lunch.


    Ye Mengyan, like Wu Jun, was efficient at housework, a clever woman indeed.


    I went to the kitchen to help her with the vegetables, hoping to learn more details about Wu Jun, but she was very shrewd.


    She was willing to discuss anything with me, but when it came to Wu Jun, she always sidestepped the topic.


    ¡°By the way, what will your mother do after you go to France?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Gu Yuanzhou has arranged everything. My mother needs to have dialysis once a month at the hospital. He¡¯s arranged for someone to pick her up¡­¡±


    ¡°He is so good to you!¡±


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s why I consider myself super lucky!¡±


    She was super lucky, what about me?


    Perhaps I was the super unlucky one then.


    About ten minutes later, the doorbell rang, I opened the door.


    The rain was still pouring outside. A man in a black trench coat stood in the rain, holding a black umbrella. But somehow, the rain managed to seep through the fabric, wetting his black hair.


    Raindrops ran down from his hair, also dampening his dark eyes.


    His gaze was as cold as the autumn rain,


    ¡°President Gu, you¡¯ve arrived!¡±


    I hurriedly opened the door.


    As he entered, he brought in a chill.


    He closed the umbrella and handed it to me. As I reached to take the umbrella, with either intention or otherwise, he brushed against my hand.


    I instantly pulled back, causing the umbrella to fall to the ground.


    As I bent down to pick up the umbrella, Ye Mengyan came out of the kitchen.


    She greeted him joyfully, handing him a dry towel.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re here to see me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou just nodded slightly; his gaze fixed on me.

 Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Exposed_1

    Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Exposed_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°It¡¯s raining heavily outside, and you still managed to find the time to come over despite your busy schedule!¡±


    Ye Mengyan took Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s coat and hung it on the coat rack.


    Then, she brought out a bowl of hot ginger soup from the kitchen and handed it to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, drink this ginger soup. I added brown sugar. It can keep out the cold and warm you up to avoid catching a cold.¡±


    Seeing Ye Mengyan and Gu Yuanzhou showing off their affection, I tactfully went to my own room.


    My phone was vibrating, it was a message from Wenya¡­


    ¡°These were taken by Ding Yinuo with a drone last night, take a look!¡±


    Drinking my tea, I opened the photos one by one.


    The photos were taken on a mountaintop at nightfall, the dim light made them blurry.


    As I scrolled through them, the last few were clear. They were of me from the night before.


    Ding Yinuo must have been trailing me with the drone all along¡­


    ¡°Hmm, I see!¡±


    Wenya then started to gossip,


    ¡°Ayun, I think! Ding Yinuo doesn¡¯t seem as bad as you said before, I feel like he is quite responsible and seems to care about you a lot.¡±


    I thought about it seriously. Indeed, recently Ding Yinuo has been quite helpful.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t that bad to begin with, he just enjoyed opposing me.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever considered why he is being so nice to you now?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I have. He simply wants to use me against Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    ¡°Che, you and your stubbornness. Haven¡¯t you thought that there could be another possibility?¡±


    ¡°No! Absolutely not¡­¡±


    I knew what Wenya wanted to suggest, but such a possibility didn¡¯t exist. I immediately shut her down.


    The poison that Ding Yinuo gave me is still in my bag.


    No matter how nice he is to me, he just wants to use me to harm Gu Yuanzhou.


    I told this to Wenya.


    However, Wenya disagreed,


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you act now?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Let¡¯s wait for the trial! It won¡¯t be too late to take action after the verdict.¡±


    Anyway, what I am doing now is making Gu Yuanzhou not suspect me.


    Then we started talking about his plan to send Ye Mengyan to France, Wenya seemed even more anxious than me.


    ¡°What? He¡¯s arranging for Ye Mengyan to go to France? Ayun, you should be alert, he¡¯s planning to flee!¡±


    ¡°Flee?¡±


    ¡°Yes, first he¡¯ll transfer Ye Mengyan to France, then through some channels, transfer his assets under Ye Mengyan¡¯s name. Once the trial is over, he will escape to France, thereby evading legal punishment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible, is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing is impossible. I¡¯m just giving you a heads up, be careful!¡±


    While I was chatting with Wenya, Gu Yuanzhou suddenly entered the room.


    I was taken aback and quickly hung up the call.


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou merely stood at the doorway, with no intention to enter.


    He looked around the room casually and asked, ¡°Are you accustomed to living here?¡±


    With an attitude like a superior inspecting a subordinate, I nodded naturally, ¡°It¡¯s great, it¡¯s much better than the place I rented.¡±


    ¡°Please come upstairs!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    After saying that, he turned around and went upstairs.


    I know the Maple Mansion is not solely inhabited by Ye Mengyan.


    Actually, Gu Yuanzhou also occasionally stays here. His room is on the upper floor.


    There is a master bedroom and a small study, with a large terrace outside, furnished with a few pots of Aspidistra and a circle of sofas.


    There are sunshades and glass walls on the terrace. Even in the rain, you cannot be obstructed by the view and on nights with stars, it is quite pleasant to have a drink and a heart-to-heart talk with someone.


    For the past four years, since I¡¯ve been pregnant with my second child, he has probably secretly spent countless times with Ye Mengyan here.


    The thought made me feel a bit nauseous.


    Upon not finding him in the bedroom, I was just about to check out the terrace.


    But his voice floated out from the study.


    ¡°Over here!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    I headed into his study.


    The study was small, with only a bookshelf against the wall, although the desk was quite large.


    The room was adorned with the ¡®Four Treasures of the Study¡¯, besides some simple office supplies.


    I bet he seldom works here¡­


    To put it bluntly, this place is nothing more than a sham. It¡¯s simply set up like a study.


    ¡°President Gu, what can I help you with?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to write calligraphy?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I have some minor skills in it!¡±


    ¡°Then write a few characters for me to see!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t fathom why Gu Yuanzhou suddenly developed this taste for elegance. Ye Mengyan was heading to France, shouldn¡¯t he be making better use of the time to have some intimate moments with her?


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    He readied the ink, brush, and paper and then handed them to me.


    ¡°What characters would President Gu like me to write?¡±


    ¡°Why not craft a poem!¡±


    As he watched the rain outside the window, he recited a poem by Li Qingzhao from his memory:


    ¡°The rain was heavy last night, and the wind was strong. I failed to sleep off the remaining effects of the wine. I asked the one who rolled up the curtain, ¡®Is the begonia still there? Do you know? Do you know?¡¯¡±


    I was slightly taken aback, and an echo of this poem seemed to resonate somewhere in my memory, though I couldn¡¯t recall where.


    I jotted down the poem as he instructed.


    ¡°President Gu, what do you think of it?¡±


    He came and stood behind me, looking at the characters I¡¯d written with an inscrutable expression on his face,


    ¡°Your calligraphy is quite impressive!¡±


    ¡°So-so, my family forced me to practice it when I was a child.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sign it with your name.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I wrote it down in one go.


    During elementary school, my calligraphy had won numerous awards. Writing a few characters was certainly no issue.


    As I finished writing and put down the brush, Ye Mengyan came upstairs and called us for dinner.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, Brother Gu, dinner is ready!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to linger around, so I rushed downstairs quickly.


    Ye Mengyan and Gu Yuanzhou came downstairs shortly after.


    The table was already laden with several small dishes and a pot of well-stewed soup. I must admit, Ye Mengyan¡¯s cooking skills were quite exceptional.


    The dishes made by her were colorful, aromatic, and tasted delicious.


    Ye Mengyan quickly filled a bowl of chicken soup for Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, your health has been off lately. Please have some more chicken soup.¡±


    As Gu Yuanzhou sat down and picked up his chopsticks, he shot a meaningful glance at me.


    ¡°Do you know how to cook?¡±


    I shook my head awkwardly,


    ¡°Sadly, I¡¯ve never learned to cook in my life! The best I can manage is instant noodles!¡±


    Indeed, as the heiress of the Song Family, I¡¯ve always had a pampered and privileged upbringing.


    We had several maids at my uncle¡¯s luxurious house, so I had never needed to cook.


    Even when I initially started dating Gu Yuanzhou, the only thing I could make was instant noodles.


    Ye Mengyan, with a chuckle, picked up a shrimp, peeled off its shell, and put it in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s bowl,


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t much of a cook either. But my mom always told me that a woman must master her cooking skills. Only then can she properly care for her man.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, cooking is indeed an essential skill to learn!¡±


    I picked up my rice bowl, but had no appetite left. I knew Ye Mengyan had hidden intentions with her words, yet I didn¡¯t want to refute them.


    As I sat in between them, I began feeling like an uninvited guest.


    Gu Yuanzhou was unusually silent; he didn¡¯t say a word.


    Only Ye Mengyan was talkative, dishing out food into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s bowl, while keeping me engaged in conversation.


    Having rushed through my meal, while I went to keep the dishes in the kitchen, Ye Mengyan followed me in. She grabbed my hand and conspiratorially said, ¡°Xiaoyun, why did you write Mrs. Gu¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by Mrs. Gu¡¯s name?¡±


    I was clueless and didn¡¯t remember having done anything wrong.


    Her face turned anxious,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Ever since Brother Gu lost his wife, he¡¯s been pretty upset. Your deliberate choice to sign Mrs. Gu¡¯s name under that poem would surely upset him!¡±


    I broke into a cold sweat as soon as I heard this!


    Only then, did I recall that when Gu Yuanzhou asked me to sign my name, I had instinctively written Song Yun!

 Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Remedial Measures_1

    Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Remedial Measures_1


    Translator: 549690339


    It¡¯s really difficult to completely change habits that have been cultivated over many years.


    Unless one deliberately pays attention, they tend to reveal inadvertently.


    Realizing the severity of the problem, I didn¡¯t have time to explain to Ye Mengyan. I turned around and ran out of the kitchen straight away.


    I then ran all the way to the second floor.


    After opening the study, I began to look for the calligraphy post I had seen earlier.


    However, I searched for a long time without success.


    The script that was clearly on the desktop just now, had strangely vanished.


    Had Gu Yuanzhou taken it away?


    Lost in my thoughts, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice rang out,


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    I quickly thought up an excuse,


    ¡°Uh, I can¡¯t find my phone!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the phone in your hand?¡±


    His reminder pulled me back into reality. I was holding my phone in my hand. Embarrassed, I nod, ¡°Ah, look at my memory, I really¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, forgetting is normal, let¡¯s go for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I took my phone and walked out. I walked a few steps, turned back, still not completely satisfied.


    ¡°President Gu, there was a problem with the poem I wrote!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark eyes looked at me, ¡°What problem?¡±


    ¡°It seems I made a mistake with a few characters. Why don¡¯t I write a new one for you?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou refused on the spot,


    ¡°No need, it was just a spontaneous creation, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    I had nothing more to say and couldn¡¯t demand further.


    Reluctantly, I went downstairs.


    In my mind, I hoped that he had not noticed my signature.


    Or else, I could swap it when he leaves.


    So, after dinner, I waited in my room for Gu Yuanzhou to leave, and then find an opportunity to change it.


    This wait ended up being several hours long.


    Outside, it was already deep into the night, and Gu Yuanzhou was still upstairs, showing no signs of leaving.


    Ye Mengyan was busy in the living room, calling her classmates and sharing her joy of soon studying abroad in France.


    After all, her peers of the same age were busy looking for jobs to feed themselves. However, she was able to continue her studies because she was cherished.


    How lucky was she?


    I was aimlessly surfing my phone.


    The news that was trending earlier was still there. There were all kinds of messages condemning Gu Yuanzhou beneath it.


    Just as I was thoroughly reading, Ye Mengyan suddenly stepped in.


    Her eyes were red as if she had just quarreled with someone.


    ¡°Did you quarrel with President Gu?¡±


    I had my door closed and didn¡¯t hear any commotion from outside.


    Ye Mengyan sighed, ¡°I told my classmates about going to France. I don¡¯t know who told Shen Yishu. He just called and quarreled with me.¡±


    I glanced at her, ¡°Since you¡¯ve chosen one person, it means you have to give up another.¡±


    ¡°I know! But what Shen Yishu said really upset me¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, what did Shen Yishu say?¡±


    ¡°He said, Gu Yuanzhou will never fall in love with me. He loves Mrs. Gu and in his lifetime, no one can replace her position in his heart.¡±


    I was taking a sip of my tea and almost spat it out upon hearing her words.


    ¡°You believe this?¡±


    I asked, trying to keep my composure.


    Ye Mengyan did not answer me directly. It seemed that she was thinking about something. What was she worried about?


    Isn¡¯t what Gu Yuanzhou gave her enough?


    She bit her lip and asked me,


    ¡°Do you think, if a man loves a woman, does he have to sleep with her?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯ve been with Gu Yuanzhou for four years, don¡¯t you know?¡±


    Ye Mengyan blushed and stammered for a while.


    ¡°We¡­ even though we¡¯re very close, each time¡­ but¡­ we haven¡¯t really been intimate. We haven¡¯t¡­you know?¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s words shocked me greatly.


    ¡°You mean, you¡¯re still a virgin?¡±


    Ye Mengyan nodded desperately.


    This was beyond my expectations.


    Heh, how interesting.


    Gu Yuanzhou is a man with a strong sexual desire, he hadn¡¯t slept with Ye Mengyan yet. This is kinda hard to explain.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask him about it?¡±


    ¡°How can I bring this up? But, I once told him that my mother is quite conservative. She believes everyone should abstain from sex before getting married.¡±


    ¡°Oh! He must respect you a lot!¡±


    I remember Gu Yuanzhou had compared Ye Mengyan to a gem. Maybe because he couldn¡¯t give her the status of a wife before, he did not want to take her virginity.


    After getting married, they would probably be intimate.


    Suddenly, I remembered our dating period with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Less than a month in, he had coaxed me into bed.


    Day after day, he would pin me to the bed, wishing he would never have to leave the bed.


    It appears that the scoundrel saw me as a tool for his carnal desires.


    Indeed, the difference between love and indifference is vast.


    ¡°Ah, Shen Yishu is frightening me now. Did you see it? He is spreading rumors about Gu online. I really don¡¯t know what to do!¡±


    Ye Mengyan was upset.


    She stayed in my room for a while and then went out.


    Just as Ye Mengyan said, she slept in the guest room next to me at night, while Gu Yuanzhou was in the upstairs bedroom.


    The two didn¡¯t stay together.


    Perhaps because I was here, Gu Yuan Zhou was hesitant and did not make a move on Ye Mengyan in front of me?


    I don¡¯t understand.


    After lying down for a while, Ding Yinuo sent me a text message.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s video call, I have something to ask you!¡±


    He sent me a video link, which I declined,


    ¡°I¡¯m already in bed asleep, why video call.¡±


    ¡°Wenya said you moved in with that beast?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s called venturing into the tiger¡¯s den to catch the tiger. Only by getting deep into the enemy¡¯s territory, can you figure out the enemy¡¯s real situation!¡±


    Ding Yinuo expressed displeasure and continued to grumble.


    ¡°Are you stupid or naive? Do you not know what kind of person he is? Listen to me, you should move out now!¡±


    I was too lazy to explain to him,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, don¡¯t forget your position. You¡¯re my competitor, not my boyfriend. You¡¯re meddling too much.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll sleep with you?¡±


    ¡°No, I understand Gu Yuanzhou very well. He is not a desperate man. Besides, his mistress is still here. If he wants to sleep with someone, it would be her, not me.¡±


    ¡°Alright, stop talking. I¡¯m sleepy, good night.¡±


    I was too lazy to bother with him, so I turned off my phone and turned over to sleep with my quilt.


    At night, I dreamt of the day I married Gu Yuanzhou again.


    I was standing in front of him in my wedding dress, and he was looking at me affectionately,


    ¡°Ayun, will you marry me?¡±


    Thinking of the terrible fire, my heart ached unbearably, tears streamed down my face, and I shook my head to reject him,


    ¡°No! Gu Yuanzhou, you will cause my death. I don¡¯t want to marry you, I will never marry you¡­¡±


    If life could start over, I would never marry him.


    Maybe the pain felt so real that I felt suffocated and suddenly woke up from the dream.


    When I opened my eyes, my heart was still pounding hard.


    The moonlight outside the window seeped in, casting a dim halo on the room. When I looked back abruptly, there was a dark shadow standing beside the bed.

 Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69 He crept up to the edge of the bed in the middle of the night_1

    Chapter 69: Chapter 69 He crept up to the edge of the bed in the middle of the night_1


    Translator: 549690339


    My bedroom suddenly had an extra figure in the dead of night, startling me into full alertness.


    I quickly descended from the bed hugging my quilt.


    Not paying attention, I completely rolled off the bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, don¡¯t be afraid!¡±


    A familiar voice echoed.


    A pair of large hands caught me.


    Upon their closeness, I recognized him.


    The shadow wasn¡¯t someone else.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou.


    He helped me sit down on the couch beside the bed and handed me a bottle of water.


    ¡°I was passing by just now, heard your scream, thought you might be in trouble, so I came in.¡±


    I took a sip of water, and my heartbeat gradually calmed down.


    ¡°Uh, I might have had a nightmare!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou curiously gazed at me, ¡°What did you dream of?¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­President Gu probably doesn¡¯t want to listen, it¡¯s a ridiculous and laughable dream.¡±


    I let out a bitter smile.


    As the saying goes, you dream what you think during the day.


    Though I could pretend to be calm when facing Gu Yuanzhou during the day, acting as if there was no turmoil inside me.


    But in my dreams, I knew very well, I hated Gu Yuanzhou, and if I could go back to the past, I wouldn¡¯t want to marry him again.


    ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t sleep, why don¡¯t you tell me.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was intrigued.


    I suddenly remembered what Ding Yinuo once said, living with the boss really had no benefits.


    ¡°Uh, I dreamt¡­ of a wedding, I married a worthless man. He approached me under the pretext of loving me, used me, and after gaining power, he ruthlessly discarded me. He even killed my child¡­¡±


    Speaking for myself, I told the truth, only stopping short of naming names.


    After hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou became silent, ¡°It¡¯s just a dream, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such man in reality!¡±


    ¡°Are there none?¡±


    ¡°Do you know the difference between a cad and a good man?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°A cad would not marry a woman! Under normal circumstances, a cad would coax a woman into bed but definitely won¡¯t take responsibility. A good man would marry a woman, do you know? Marriage is a responsibility, a commitment!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was convincing.


    His points were valid, and seemed irrefutable.


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Marriage can also allow a man to legitimately inherit all the woman¡¯s property.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou fell silent for a while, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s too late, you go back to sleep.¡±


    He turned and walked away.


    I felt like my words might have been too pointed; worried that they might arouse his suspicion, so I added another sentence.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m not targeting you, I¡¯m talking about myself.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou had reached the bedroom door, he stopped and looked at me.


    ¡°I know! Because I¡¯m not the kind of man you speak of.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    The rest of the night, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    I got up alone and started surfing my phone¡­


    Just as I turned it on, a bunch of messages flooded in.


    Several were from Ding Yinuo and before I had a chance to read them, Wenya¡¯s video call came through.


    I quickly picked up.


    ¡°You¡¯re video calling me in the middle of the night instead of sleeping¡­¡±


    Before I could finish my sentence, in the video, Wenya moved the camera to the other side.


    The background was actually a bar and Wenya seemed to be exhausted, her eyelids were fighting.


    ¡°Are you out drinking alone again?¡±


    ¡°Not at all! I was sleeping and got dragged out by this sick man. He said that he needed to see you. He was relentless and made me come to the bar in the dead of night. If it wasn¡¯t for him having cured my grandmother¡¯s illness last time, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted anything to do with him.¡±


    Wenya seemed to have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed, she looked grouchily.


    Then the camera shifted, and Ding Yinuo¡¯s face appeared in the frame.


    ¡°Uh, why were you looking for me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo stared at the screen for a while, and then said,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you turn on the light? It¡¯s completely dark, I can¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wearing a nightgown; what do you want to see?¡±


    ¡°Turn on a light, let me take a look¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo was adamant about me turning on the light, as if he was suffering from some major illness.


    In order to get rid of him, I had no choice but to switch on the light.


    In the camera frame, I saw my disheveled hair and sleepy eyes; Ding Yinuo saw them too,


    ¡°Did you cry?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    How could I admit my weakness in front of my opponent?


    ¡°Yes, you did. Your eyes are all red, did Gu Yuanzhou mistreat you?¡±


    ¡°No! I might have fallen down while sleeping! That¡¯s it, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    ¡°You fell down from the bed while sleeping?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that pretty normal?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not, only children do that, how old are you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to argue with him anymore,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I really want to go to sleep, goodnight.¡±


    I hung up the video call.


    I lingered alone in the darkness for a long time.


    There seemed to be some noise outside, so I got out of bed, tiptoed to the door, and peeked out.


    The living room was not lit, only moonlight came through the window.


    But it was enough for me to see clearly, Gu Yuanzhou was sitting on the sofa in his bathrobe.


    And Ye Mengyan, clad in a pink nightdress, sat on the other end of the sofa, whispering an apology.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I was wrong. Initially when I introduced aunt to you, I thought she would bring a better life for you, I never expected things would turn out this way.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was drinking tea, his tone steady, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault! It was an accident; you shouldn¡¯t blame yourself. No one expected this.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ve been feeling very guilty, I can¡¯t sleep in peace, if it weren¡¯t for me¡­¡±


    Ye Mengyan began to cry softly.


    Gu Yuanzhou stood up, held her in his arms, and gently comforted her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, don¡¯t be scared, remember, this has nothing to do with you¡­¡±


    Ye Mengyan lay on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s chest, sobbing gently, she finally calmed down after his consolation.


    This entire scene was probably the most intimate interaction I had ever witnessed between the two of them.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer, so I closed the door, leaned my back against the door, and wiped my moist eye sockets.


    At this moment, it felt like something had collapsed inside me.


    Actually, deep down, I knew such things could happen, but seeing it with my own eyes was still quite shocking.


    The next morning.


    I woke up early, freshened up, and walked out of the bathroom just as I bumped into Gu Yuanzhou.


    As per usual, I should at least say good morning to him.


    But at that moment, I didn¡¯t want to interact with him.


    I had a strong feeling of not wanting to deal with him, to the extent that I didn¡¯t want to pretend anymore.


    No wonder there¡¯s a saying, it¡¯s impossible to hide love for someone, it¡¯s the same for detesting someone.


    I walked past him indifferently, pretending not to notice¡­


    He didn¡¯t react much, just stayed behind me, seemingly for quite a while.


    A few minutes later, Zhou Chenming came over and took Ye Mengyan away.


    At this point, only one day remained for the court session.


    I had an incessant restless feeling in my heart, hoping to get this case over with soon, to send Gu Yuanzhou to jail and let him receive the punishment he deserved.

 Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Marriage Gifts Negotiation Failed_1

    Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Marriage Gifts Negotiation Failed_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Throughout the following day, I couldn¡¯t help but show my scorn for Gu Yuanzhou.


    I¡¯m worried that this would reveal my true feelings.


    So, I texted Gu Yuanzhou, taking the day off.


    That day, I made plans with Wenya and Jian Jing to relax at the Wendu Holiday Village.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as we arrived at the resort, Jian Jing received a call from home.


    ¡°I need to get back! My mom is looking for me!¡±


    ¡°Why is she looking for you? You are about to get married!¡±


    Jian Jing sighed before telling us about her recent problems.


    ¡°It¡¯s about my marriage to Yu Jiahang. Last time, my mother-in-law demanded that I transfer my house stitle to her before she would provide a dowry. As per your advice, I rejected the transfer, and about the dowry¡­ if she doesn¡¯t give it, then she doesn¡¯t give it! I thought about it, our house costs over a million. It¡¯s really not worth it to be obliged to give a dowry for the house. So, I agreed to have the wedding without a dowry. The Yu Family agreed to this, but my mom wasn¡¯t happy.¡±


    Wenya asked, ¡°What did your mom say?¡±


    ¡°During the meeting with both families, my mom almost got into a fight with my mother-in-law. My mom said it wasn¡¯t easy raising me and the Yu Family couldn¡¯t just take me without giving anything in return. The house transfer was denied, and not a penny less for the dowry, or else the wedding was off. My mother-in-law claimed that demanding so much money was selling a daughter, but my mom argued that not willing to give a dowry meant they were taking me lightly. They argued back and forth, and now, my mom is watching me every day, threatening that I should not see Yu Jiahang unless they relent.¡±


    Jian Jing let out a sigh.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Even Wenya was shocked, never expecting this twist.


    ¡°I think your mother is right! If a man loves you, and you are carrying his child, he should be willing to pay, even if it¡¯s not just three hundred thousand, but three million.¡±


    Jian Jing sighed again,


    ¡°Yes, my mom also said that while his family gives the dowry, my family will also provide dowry gifts! How can this be selling a daughter?¡±


    Wenya shook her head,


    ¡°That house was bought before your marriage, how can you transfer its ownership to her, they¡¯re obviously here for the money, you must not agree to that.¡±


    Touching her baby bump, Jian Jing sighed,


    ¡°But what about my pregnancy? My belly is growing bigger every day, and my wedding dress will soon be too tight.¡±


    Wenya angrily pounded the table,


    ¡°I bet that¡¯s exactly what they¡¯re counting on, seeing you pregnant and deliberately stalling. They¡¯re waiting for you to give in. I say you should consider raising your child alone! Having your child recognize me as its godmother, I refuse to believe that we few godmothers can¡¯t match up to one father.¡±


    Jian Jing gave a awkward smile, but didn¡¯t reply.


    I could tell, Jian Jing was still in love with Yu Jiahang.


    Women, oh women!


    Don¡¯t fall into love blindly, once you do, it¡¯s like poison seeping into your bones, and no one but yourself can save you.


    ¡°Jian Jing, I think you should let Yu Jiahang talk to his mother! Though the transfer might be for his nephew¡¯s education, you only have one house, once transferred, where would your child go to school? You should appeal to his emotion, reason with him and have a heart-to-heart. I believe if he¡¯s not foolish, he should know whether his nephew or his own child is more important.¡±


    I finished speaking, only to be interrupted by a male voice.


    ¡°Useless! This guy is a mama¡¯s boy, she¡¯s going to have a hard time once she marries him! In his heart, his mother is more important than his wife and his son! If he cared about you, your mother-in-law would not dare to make these unreasonable demands.¡±


    I looked up, to see Ding Yinuo walking in, trailed by his good friend Su Peisheng.


    Wenya was somewhat unhappy, ¡°Su Peisheng, watch your language!¡±


    Su Peisheng didn¡¯t back down, instead he slumped into the couch and continued.


    ¡°It may be crude, but there¡¯s truth in it. This family, if you abandon your sense of propriety to marry in, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re in for a world of pain.¡±


    Wenya gave a soft cough to remind him.


    ¡°Jian Jing is pregnant!¡±


    If she wasn¡¯t pregnant, the issue could be negotiated, and breaking off the marriage wouldn¡¯t mean much.


    But now, the power to make a decision was no longer in Jian Jing¡¯s hands.


    Hearing this, Su Peisheng remained calm.


    ¡°It¡¯s just an embryo, it doesn¡¯t even have a human form. Are you going to endure a lifetime of misery for this embryo? I recommend Ding¡¯s clinic. Their pain-free abortion can resolves all of your troubles in half an hour.¡±


    And then with a somewhat critical tone,


    ¡°You girls are just too careless in love and marriage. Why would you let yourself get pregnant? You should know that once you get pregnant, you lose your bargaining power. Still, you let yourself get pregnant, how silly.¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t say a word the whole time, remaining silent.


    He occasionally glanced at me.


    I said calmly, ¡°What¡¯s done is done, there¡¯s no point in dwelling on the past. The most important thing now is to find a solution.¡±


    Ding Yinuo sat upright, ¡°There¡¯s not without a solution!¡±


    Wenya immediately leaned in, ¡°Still, Ding has a solution. Some counsellors, all they know is laws and regulations, they have no solution, irritating like a crow.¡±


    Su Peisheng was so angry he was about to explode, but Ding Yinuo held him back, turned his head towards Jian Jing and said, ¡°See if you have the guts.¡±


    Jian Jing asked, ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°You sue Yu Jiahang for rape! The evidence is the baby in your stomach¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah? I, I, is this alright?¡±


    ¡°Remember, your goal is not to sue him but to deter them. Once they¡¯re scared, they¡¯ll negotiate with you and then you can make any demand.¡±


    Ding Yinuo finished his words calmly, Su Peisheng gave him thumbs up,


    ¡°Ding, you¡¯re brilliant. This idea, from a legal perspective, is really viable.¡±


    ¡°But he has never forced me.¡±


    Jian Jing was still hesitant, Su Peisheng promptly gave her a crash course in law,


    ¡°From a legal point of view, anything against a woman¡¯s will can be judged as rape. Whether it¡¯s before or after the fact, the effect is the same, as long as you sue, you can win.¡±


    Wenya was also clapping her hands in joy, ¡°Jian Jing, we have a handle now, this time we can turn the tables.¡±


    ¡°This is a bad idea, if they sue, their relationship will be over. Even if they get married, the trust will be lost. It¡¯s better to break up.¡±


    My words made everyone fall silent.


    After dinner, as we walked out of the restaurant, Ding Yinuo walked beside me for a while.


    He looked at me, ¡°Looks like you have a clear mind.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you¡¯re smart! But a bit too ruthless, two people in love, you¡¯re asking her to sue her fiance?.¡±


    Ding Yinuo gave me a calm look,


    ¡°If her fianc¨¦ loved her even a little bit, would he let her be kicked around like a clown by his mother?¡±


    I fell silent.


    For a moment, I didn¡¯t know how to retort.


    In fact, I also think the people of the Yu family are absolute garbage!


    Generally speaking, isn¡¯t the in-laws supposed to be happy about a new addition to the family once there is a pregnancy?


    Instead, they took advantage of her pregnancy to make all sorts of unreasonable demands, this isn¡¯t something a normal person would do.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a bet with you, if she¡¯s happy after getting married, I¡¯ll write ¡®Ding¡¯ backwards.¡±


    I looked at him, ¡°No bet!¡±


    Ding Yinuo walked a few steps then stopped and looked at me, ¡°Worried about tomorrow¡¯s court session.¡±


    I nodded,


    ¡°A bit.¡±


    ¡°What if he¡¯s not convicted, what are you planning to do?¡±


    I gave a bitter smile,


    ¡°The drug you gave me, It might come in handy!¡±

 Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Strike First for the Advantage _1

    Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Strike First for the Advantage _1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Do you still have the medicine?¡±


    Ding Yinuo asked in return.


    I took out the medicine bottle from my bag and showed it to him.


    He nodded, ¡°Ready to do it now?¡±


    ¡°Why not!? He betrayed me first. People have to face the consequences of their actions, don¡¯t they?¡±


    Ding Yinuo stared at me for a long time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you home.¡±


    ¡°No need! I have a car!¡±


    I waved the car keys in my hand and then stepped into the small BMW parked on the side of the road¡­


    ¡°Did he buy it for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Could you really do it even though he treats you so well?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean he treats me well? It¡¯s just a BMW, all of this originally belongs to me!¡±


    I waved goodbye to Ding Yinuo and drove home by myself.


    For some reason, I¡¯ve lost all my trust in him since the night I saw Gu Yuanzhou hugging Ye Mengyan.


    I only wish for him to admit his crime as soon as possible.


    In fact, I haven¡¯t even considered the possibility that he could escape the trial this time.


    I thought he would be sentenced for a few years at least¡­


    I even started to think about taking over Zhenyi Company after he went to jail.


    The next morning came quickly.


    I woke up just past six.


    At that point, it seemed like Ye Mengyan was still asleep, and Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s bedroom was closed. I thought he must be sleeping or he had already left.


    Remembering that the scroll was still with him, I decided to take this opportunity to replace it before he could react.


    I walked into the study and looked for the scroll everywhere.


    However, after ransacking the entire study, even overturning the waste basket, I found nothing.


    Could it be that Gu Yuanzhou hid the scroll?


    Why would he hide it?


    As I stood there puzzled, I heard footsteps behind me.


    When I turned around sharply, I saw that Ye Mengyan had come.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, what are you doing?¡±


    Ye Mengyan curiously asked.


    ¡°Oh, nothing, I just got bored this morning and wanted to find a few books to read.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, today is Brother Gu¡¯s trial day, aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡±


    In Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes, there was strong worry.


    I could tell, it seemed like she didn¡¯t sleep well last night and had dark circles under her eyes.


    ¡°Not worried!¡±


    I promptly answered.


    Why should I worry? He committed the crime; he should go to jail.


    ¡°When Brother Gu left this morning, he told me not to go because many media and journalists would be attending today. He was worried about my safety.¡±


    ¡°Oh? He¡¯s already left?¡±


    I felt relieved, no longer worried about being caught in the act.


    ¡°Yes, but I still want to go, I can¡¯t put my mind at ease! Can I go with you?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I agreed readily.


    At eight in the morning, Wenya called me and gave me some encouragement.


    I drove Ye Mengyan to the court.


    We arrived at the local courthouse at eight-thirty.


    The scene there took me by surprise.


    The sea of people was so massive that it completely blocked the entrance of the courthouse.


    In addition to professional journalists, many online content creators also came to see what was happening.


    The attention this case was receiving was far greater than I had imagined.


    Clearly, the public¡¯s interest in the Golden Bay arson case was very high.


    I had to park the car in the underground parking lot of the shopping mall across the street and then walk over.


    As I was passing by the crowd, I heard many hot discussions.


    ¡°Hey, it seems that it was their maid who got caught. If it wasn¡¯t the maid, then it must be the man of the house who did it!¡±


    ¡°This case has been going on for so long, I want to know the result!¡±


    ¡°It must be the man who did it. I heard that he was keeping a mistress outside who wanted to take the leading position, so she set the fire and killed the legitimate wife!¡±


    ¡°Could the maid have done it? I heard that the maid is a relative of the mistress! Perhaps the mistress is actually the murderer behind the scene.¡±


    Ye Mengyan wore shades, kept her head down, and walked through the crowd with me.


    I held her hand and could clearly feel that her hand was trembling¡­


    What was she afraid of?


    Just a few steps ahead, a man suddenly emerged from the crowd behind and grabbed Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Mengmeng, I have something to tell you!¡±


    I turned my head and saw that it was Shen Yishu.


    Ye Mengyan was obviously averse to Shen Yishu; her eyes were filled with rejection.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, I don¡¯t have time now!¡±


    She softly objected.


    But Shen Yishu reminded her seriously,


    ¡°There could be danger here as something major is about to happen. Trust me, my information is absolutely accurate!¡±


    There were too many people around, and Ye Mengyan was likely afraid of her identity as the mistress being exposed, so she gritted her teeth and left with Shen Yishu.


    The crowd was so dense that even the steps were jammed; I couldn¡¯t go in.


    Just then, a pair of hands reached out from behind, grabbing my arm, ¡°Over here!¡±


    I looked up and saw it was Ding Yinuo.


    He was wearing a white suit and tea-colored sunglasses today, looking both handsome and roguish.


    Sure enough, handsome individuals have privileges. Wherever he went, women spontaneously made way for him.


    So, I followed him through the crowd easily and finally reached the entrance of the courtroom.


    As we were about to enter, a security guard at the door stopped us.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t force his way in, he just held my hand and whispered, ¡°Wait a moment!¡±


    Several minutes later, the crowd began to boil over, and the voices of heated discussions once again soared.


    I looked down the steps and saw a black luxury car slowly pulling up.


    The man who got out was the dapper Gu Yuanzhou.


    He was tall and imposing, dressed in a pure black suit, his aura still formidable.


    Soon-to-be prisoner Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t show the slightest hint of fear. He was still calm and confident, as if he was here to attend some business gala.


    All his gestures were full of regal strength.


    Following him was Lawyer Zhou Chenming.


    Some journalists came over to interview him as soon as they saw him.


    ¡°President Gu, how do you feel right now?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, would you accept our interview?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, how confident are you in winning this case?¡±


    ¡°President Gu¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou tersely pushed away all the microphones, ¡°No interviews, no comments!¡±


    He calmly walked up the steps, then step by step, he reached the entrance of the courtroom.


    For some reason, just as he was about to enter the courtroom, he suddenly turned his head and looked at me.


    Then I realized that I¡¯m standing with Ding Yinuo now!


    Remember, Ding Yinuo has always been his sworn enemy!


    However, he didn¡¯t erupt at that moment. His chilling gaze quickly passed over me before he walked into the courtroom.


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡±


    Ding Yinuo grabbed my hand; he might have sensed my nervousness.

 Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72 His eyes make people feel panicked _1

    Chapter 72: Chapter 72 His eyes make people feel panicked _1


    Translator: 549690339


    I was initially calm, but Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s cold gaze made me panic.


    It felt as if he saw right through me.


    But then I thought to myself, he would soon be brought to justice and would have no chance to bother me again.


    My nerves settled a bit.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡±


    After waiting for several minutes, Su Peisheng¡¯s figure leisurely appeared.


    ¡°Why the hell are you just arriving now?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was angered, but Su Peisheng calmly checked his watch.


    ¡°Only the strong appear last! I didn¡¯t get here late. Why all the fuss?¡±


    ¡°Court is about to start!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s go in!¡±


    With Su Peisheng, the star attorney shielding us, we easily entered the courtroom.


    Once inside, the atmosphere was less tense than it was out front.


    Far away, I saw Gu Yuanzhou whispering something to Zhou Chenming. I couldn¡¯t make out their conversation.


    Incidentally, Gu Yuanzhou turned his head and glanced at me a few times.


    I didn¡¯t say anything; I just looked at him calmly.


    Initially, I was supposed to sit in the public gallery, as arranged by Ding Yinuo.


    But ten minutes later.


    Su Peisheng hurriedly came out and gave me some bad news.


    ¡°You probably won¡¯t be able to observe on-site. Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lawyers have requested a closed trial!¡±


    Ding Yinuo scoffed,


    ¡°Such a coward, he dares to do it but doesn¡¯t want anyone to see?¡±


    Su Peisheng patted his shoulder,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as soon as the verdict is out, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    ¡°Alright, just go!¡±


    Three minutes later, the trial began.


    Ding Yinuo and I were restrained within the room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit for a while!¡±


    Ding Yinuo pointed to a bench.


    ¡°Ok!¡±


    I sat down on the bench.


    After a short sit, I received a text message from Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I saw you go in, how¡¯s the situation? I¡¯m very worried about Gu. Can you help me ask him how he¡¯s doing? Has the trial started yet? How long will it last?¡±


    You could tell Ye Mengyan was more anxious than me.


    Ding Yinuo, annoyed, snatched my phone, preparing to block Ye Mengyan on WeChat.


    I stopped him, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    Ding Yinuo said, ¡°I¡¯m astounded! How can you be so calm in the face of this mistress?¡±


    Calm?


    The first time I met Ye Mengyan, I was anything but calm.


    But what use is anger?


    It doesn¡¯t solve any problems, it just reveals one¡¯s weaknesses.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you¡¯re not me! You don¡¯t understand me!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was taken aback, ¡°Then give me a chance to understand you!¡±


    I raised my chin slightly, ¡°Who are you talking to?¡±


    ¡°Who else but you?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is, we¡¯re sworn enemies! Do you think I would give you the opportunity to understand me, defeat me, and control me?¡±


    Maybe it was because of Ding Yinuo¡¯s conversation that my attention was diverted, and I wasn¡¯t as anxious anymore.


    Ding Yinuo said calmly, ¡°Song Yun is our enemy, not you!¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°I am Song Yun!¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not!¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at me seriously, a spark in his eyes.


    While he was gazing at me, I felt like I could see into his heart, a vast expanse beyond.


    It¡¯s strange, why do I now see Ding Yinuo differently than before?


    Not only is he not annoying, but¡­


    He seems¡­ somewhat likable!


    ¡°Mr. Ding, you¡¯ve been with me for so long! You know very well that I am Song Yun! Besides, you¡¯ve long accepted that I am Song Yun, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be sitting here with me!¡±


    I gave him a glance, thinking he was trying to outwit me.


    To my surprise, he repeated it very seriously, ¡°You¡¯re not her!¡±


    ¡°Enough of this!¡±


    I stood up and walked over to the window to look out.


    Waiting is indeed a grueling task.


    After what felt like ages,


    I heard the courtroom door open. I turned around and saw Gu Yuanzhou emerge from within.


    He quickly walked out, with Zhou Chenming following closely behind. They quickly left the building.


    A group of journalists followed behind them.


    I urgently asked Ding Yinuo, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou in handcuffs? Why wasn¡¯t he taken away by a police car?¡±


    This was unlike what I had imagined.


    I wanted to see Gu Yuanzhou sentenced, put in handcuffs, and taken away by the police in a prison van.


    Ding Yinuo turned to me and said,


    ¡°Calm down. I¡¯ll ask Su Peisheng. Don¡¯t worry!¡±


    After a few minutes, Su Peisheng leisurely emerged from the courtroom, carrying a bunch of files.


    At the same time, I saw that Wu Jun had been released in court¡­


    Ye Mengyan led Wu Jun by the hand and got into a different car.


    When the crowd dispersed, I stood on the steps of the courthouse, feeling a sense of emptiness.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home first!¡±


    Ding Yinuo pulled me into his car.


    Outside the court, a few reporters remained, angrily discussing something.


    In the car, Su Peisheng was constantly on the phone, seemingly discussing something with other lawyers.


    The issues were too complex for me to understand.


    After half an hour, the car arrived at the entrance of Xishan Residence.


    Wenya had been waiting for a long time. Upon hearing the car, she came running out and asked, ¡°So, how many years did that bastard get?¡±


    I shook my head.


    Ding Yinuo also shook his head.


    ¡°What happened? No sentence? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Everyone, calm down, I¡¯m about to tell you!¡±


    Su Peisheng left us hanging, taking a sip of water in the house only to then explain what happened in the court.


    The process of the debate was intense. I wasn¡¯t interested, I only wanted to know the result.


    ¡°Wu Jun changed her testimony!¡±


    ¡°Yes, she did!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what she told us before, she said Gu Yuanzhou asked her to leave in the middle of the night¡­¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not enough to prove that Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s guilty, is it?¡±


    ¡°So what did she say?¡±


    ¡°She said she saw another person entering the villa!¡±


    ¡°What does that mean? Another person? The security cameras showed only her and Gu Yuanzhou leaving the house. Where is this other person coming from?¡±


    ¡°The cameras are at the bottom of the villa and at the front gate, but she said there¡¯s a blind spot in the villa. If someone entered the house from the terrace, they wouldn¡¯t be captured. She said when she was leaving, it looked like a man was leaving from the terrace.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the result?¡±


    ¡°The conclusion is, the police will send people to Golden Bay villa in the afternoon to investigate, to see if they can find the clues Wu Jun was talking about.¡±


    Su Peisheng¡¯s words angered me,


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit! Those lies must have been what Gu Yuanzhou got Ye Mengyan to convince Wu Jun to say yesterday.¡±

 Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 He Dug Another Pit_1

    Chapter 73: Chapter 73 He Dug Another Pit_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she report seeing a suspicious man? Why didn¡¯t she tell the host when she saw a stranger in the house under such circumstances?¡±


    I questioned angrily.


    ¡°She said she thought it was a maintenance worker from the property management company. Because there was a leak on the terrace, she had reported it to them before. But now that she thinks about it, something is off! She admitted she spotted a stranger just now in court. The property management company also sent someone and confirmed that they had indeed scheduled a repair, but not at night, they planned to come the next day.¡±


    I was furious.


    Because even if Wu Jun was lying, it looked flawless.


    At this point, I vaguely remembered that there seemed to be a problem with the terrace leaking¡­


    ¡°Why has Wu Jun been released? What if she¡¯s the killer?¡±


    Wenya was furious.


    After all the trouble of capturing Wu Jun, she was inexplicably set free. Wenya did not understand.


    Su Peisheng shrugged.


    ¡°Apparently, Ye Mengyan bailed her out with one million.¡±


    I sneered after hearing him,


    ¡°How could Ye Mengyan possibly have one million! It must be the handiwork of Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Wenya asked, ¡°So there¡¯s absolutely no way now?¡±


    ¡°No, we just have to wait for the police¡¯s results.¡±


    Su Peisheng shrugged again.


    ¡°Geez, you¡¯re useless, a lawyer who can¡¯t even win a case!¡±


    Wenya began to taunt Su Peisheng again.


    Su Peisheng got a little angry,


    ¡°Can you stop trash talking? The case isn¡¯t even over yet! Please, can you talk based on facts.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the brainless one? It¡¯s clearly you who is brainless, alright? How can you be so harsh and talk so rudely!¡±


    Before anyone realized it, Wenya and Su Peisheng were quarrelling again.


    The calmest person was Ding Yinuo. He sat leaning against the car window, his eyes deep and thoughtful. After a long while, he spoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic! The truth will reveal itself, sooner or later.¡±


    After seeing Su Peisheng and the others off.


    Ding Yinuo drove me to the company.


    Actually, I had driven too. Gu Yuanzhou had given me a BMW. So, the two of us drove into the underground parking lot of the adjacent office building, one leading, the other following.


    He parked his car very synchronously next to mine, then got out and leaned towards my car window to look at me.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Ding Yinuo gave me a deep look,


    ¡°Stay calm! Don¡¯t get yourself into any more trouble.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±


    After getting out of the car, I locked it.


    Ding Yinuo walked with me for a couple of steps, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he didn¡¯t.


    Only when I was about to get on the elevator did he say,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou probably saw us together earlier. You should think of a way to handle it. If he starts targeting you, you can quit and come to our company.¡±


    ¡°I know, goodbye!¡±


    I waved my hand, and pressed the close button.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t leave immediately, he just stood there, watching as elevator door slowly closed.


    After I entered the company, I found everything was quiet.


    Maybe it was because Annie had been fired.


    A new wave of rumors spread through the company. I overheard a few female co-workers discussing while I was getting tea in the break room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, President Gu dotes on his new assistant so much that he even fired Annie for her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah! I saw it with my own eyes! Annie has been plaguing us for years, it was so satisfying seeing her fired.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she once took a liking to my four-leaf clover necklace and just took it without asking.¡±


    ¡°Last time it was her birthday, she wanted a camera that cost over forty thousand. She made us chip in for it as a gift. I spent two months¡¯ worth of savings.¡±


    ¡°What do you guys think the assistant¡¯s relationship is with President Gu?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, there¡¯s no need to guess, it¡¯s definitely *that* kind of relationship. Haven¡¯t you noticed? She¡¯s worked at our company for half a year without any notable progress, and yet, as soon as Mrs. Gu passes away, she¡¯s promoted.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I heard that President Gu bought her a house and a car recently. From now on, she¡¯s the queen of our company. We should really start sucking up to her.¡±


    The conversation got more and more absurd, so I had to reveal myself.


    I coughed lightly.


    The female employees in the break room all stood up, greeting me one after another.


    ¡°Hello, Assistant Song!¡±


    ¡°Assistant Song, there are coffee beans over here that are really fragrant when freshly ground. Would you like a cup?¡±


    ¡°Assistant Song, I just bought some roasted chestnuts from outside. Would you like some?¡±


    Seeing their flattering faces, I could well imagine how much exploitation they must have suffered from Annie.


    I shook my head with a smile,


    ¡°Thank you all, but I don¡¯t need anything. Please get back to work!¡±


    I wasn¡¯t Annie; I didn¡¯t like to exploit others for personal gain.


    Nor did I appreciate nepotism.


    What I needed was a good cooperative atmosphere and harmonious relationships with my colleagues at the company.


    That way, work would be more efficient.


    After brewing the coffee, I brought it to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office.


    At that moment, Gu Yuanzhou was talking to Lawyer Zhou Chenming, discussing something.


    It was probably about today¡¯s case.


    I didn¡¯t go in, but listened from afar.


    ¡°President Gu, as long as the real culprit is not found, you will always be a suspect!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem! If the doubts are on me, then the public will keep an eye on me. This way, the company will always be in the limelight. Sometimes, even negative attention is still attention.¡±


    ¡°Should we hire a private detective to investigate this maintenance worker?¡±


    ¡°Wu Jun already stated that she only saw a silhouette moving towards the terrace and avoiding the cameras. Although we did call for a maintenance worker, he never showed. So, that silhouette wasn¡¯t the maintenance worker, but the killer. But he could be anyone, so it¡¯s hard to investigate.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s analysis was logical and strategical.


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried that some ill-intentioned people will incite the negative attention to harm you physically! So, should we add more bodyguards?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took out a cigarette from his pack, fiddled with it in his hand for a while, and said,


    ¡°No need for bodyguards!¡±


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    Zhou Chenming was obviously very worried.


    ¡°I said, no need for bodyguards¡­alright then, you can go. Keep an eye on the police¡¯s movements recently, and notify me as soon as a suspect is found.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Zhou Chenming packed up his stuff and walked out.


    At the door, I smiled and nodded to him, he also nodded back in acknowledgment.


    I walked into the president¡¯s office, placing the coffee in front of Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou raised his head to look at me, his dark eyes staring at me for a long time.


    At this time, I had already prepared my response in case he asked me why I was with Ding Yinuo ¡ª but¡­


    However, he didn¡¯t bring up the issue. Instead, he calmly said to me:


    ¡°By the way, get ready. There will be a guest coming to see you.¡±


    A guest?


    What guest?


    Just as I paused in surprise, footsteps echoed from behind me.


    Turning around, I saw a middle-aged couple walking towards me. The woman slapped me,


    ¡°You rascal, how could you go this long without calling me?!¡±

 Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: How to Respond_1

    Chapter 74: Chapter 74: How to Respond_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Although this couple were neatly dressed, they were not fashionable and did not have any luxury goods. They obviously came from an ordinary family.


    I racked my brains for a long time, but couldn¡¯t remember who they were.


    I glanced at Gu Yuanzhou again.


    He seemed to be observing my reaction¡­


    Actually, I was very clear that there was a blind spot between Song Xiaoyun and me.


    That is, I didn¡¯t know all of Xiaoyun¡¯s relatives and friends.


    From Xiaoyun¡¯s old mobile phone, it seems that she didn¡¯t like socialising, and she barely had any regular contacts on WeChat and phone.


    Most of her mobile album was filled with scenery and small animals like cats and dogs.


    By rights, I should try to at least understand Xiaoyun¡¯s past to avoid the embarrassment of not recognizing people face to face.


    But because I had more urgent matters at hand, even though I had this intention, I didn¡¯t implement it.


    I just didn¡¯t expect that troubles would come so fast.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, child, why are you so dazed?¡±


    The woman slapped me again.


    I nodded at her uncomfortably, while also trying desperately to identify her.


    Gu Yuanzhou crossed his arms in front of his chest, staring into my eyes,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce us to each other?¡±


    As soon as he said this, I understood immediately.


    He was testing me.


    I took another look at the woman in front of me. Although she looked a bit old, her features had some similarity to Xiaoyun¡¯s.


    Also, the woman was carrying a cloth bag filled with some local products. Immediately returning to my senses, I hurriedly introduced them.


    ¡°President Gu, this is¡­ my parents!¡±


    ¡°It took you this long to react?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡­ just didn¡¯t expect them to come over all of a sudden!¡±


    At this point, Song¡¯s mother grabbed my arm,


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯ve lost a lot of weight recently! Have you become short-sighted again, not even recognizing your own mother?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve become much more short-sighted, I didn¡¯t see clearly¡­¡±


    I mumbled to myself.


    Song¡¯s mother grabs my hand and strides over to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Mr. Gu, my child is like this, always hesitant and awkward ever since she was young.¡±


    But Gu Yuanzhou was staring at me intently, saying meaningfully,


    ¡°Is that so? She doesn¡¯t seem like that.¡±


    Worried about the more you speak, the more you slip, I wanted to quickly take Song¡¯s parents away from here. So I told Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, sorry to bother you. I am going to take my parents to eat now!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou generously agreed.


    ¡°Alright! Your folks have come all the way here, they should have a good meal. You go and book a seat, I¡¯ll treat them!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou actually stood up, picked up his suit jacket, and it seemed like he was going to join us for dinner.


    I quickly stopped him, ¡°President Gu, you still have a meeting¡­ I can handle my parents by myself.¡±


    ¡°How can that be? You are now the most important employee in my hand. Your parents have made such a hard trip here, of course, I have to entertain them personally. After all, there are nothing important today.¡±


    I was actually a little suspicious of the whole thing.


    Why did Song¡¯s parents suddenly appear? Did Gu Yuanzhou bring them back, just to expose me?


    Moreover, to my knowledge, Gu Yuanzhou has never had any interest in having a meal with his employees¡¯ parents.


    He is a businessman who only cares about profits. Every minute of his time is spent on making money. How could he waste such precious time?


    When I was stunned, Gu Yuanzhou had already ordered the driver to get his car ready.


    Song¡¯s mother seemed to be a very talkative person, and very good at networking. She and Gu Yuanzhou chatted as if they were old friends.


    The personality of Song¡¯s father, however, was quite wooden and he didn¡¯t say anything from beginning to end.


    For me, this meal was a challenge. I really wanted to back out.


    But in front of me were Song Xiaoyun¡¯s parents, I couldn¡¯t refuse. I had no choice but to go forward.


    Ahead, Song¡¯s mother got into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car, and I took the opportunity to ask Song¡¯s father,


    ¡°Dad, why did you come to my company?¡±


    Song¡¯s father was honest.


    ¡°Your mum got a call from the company, saying that the big boss wanted us to come over. Didn¡¯t they say you¡¯re really accomplishing great things now, and asked us bask in your glory?¡±


    As expected, it was arranged by Gu Yuanzhou.


    Still, to be on the safe side, I warned him,


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t talk nonsense later. Don¡¯t mention any embarrassing things about me when I was young. He is the boss. If you talk too much, he might get a bad impression of me.¡±


    Song¡¯s father was straightforward and immediately nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xiaoyun. I won¡¯t say anything, not a word. I¡¯ll remind your mother also not to say too much.¡±


    ¡°Good, very good!¡±


    I pretended to book a few restaurants on my phone, then told Gu Yuanzhou, ¡°President Gu, today is really not a good day. I tried booking a few restaurants but couldn¡¯t get any tables. How about this, I¡¯ll bring my mother to my friend¡¯s house and cook them dinner.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou declined my ¡®kindness¡¯.


    ¡°How can that be, it¡¯s not easy for them to come all the way¡­ I¡¯ll book it!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou personally stepped in and managed to book a seafood buffet at a five-star hotel.


    As far as I know, this is the most luxurious buffet restaurant in A City, 888 yuan per person¡­


    Ha, this man, he really spares no expense in testing me.


    Alright, then let¡¯s see this through.


    I temporarily let go of all my distractions for now and focused on dealing with him.


    After entering the restaurant, I took the opportunity to help Song¡¯s mother get some food and walked with her, whispering and asking about a lot of things.


    Like what¡¯s been happening at home lately, the schools I attended, what my classmates and friends are up to¡­ Maybe I asked too much, Song¡¯s mother gave me a glare.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you Girl? You can¡¯t remember so many things after working for just half a year?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t remember, I¡¯m afraid that if the boss asks later, what I say won¡¯t match with what you said, he might get upset!¡±


    Song¡¯s mother seemed very satisfied with Gu Yuanzhou. She glanced at him from afar, and he was currently pouring red wine. She said to me with a grin.


    ¡°Girl, I think your boss is young and handsome, hasn¡¯t he married yet?¡±


    ¡°He has been married.¡±


    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t I seen his wife?¡±


    To prevent Song¡¯s mother from asking inappropriate questions later,


    I quickly answered, ¡°His wife has passed away.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°What is the meaning of your excitement?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t understand the inexplicable excitement in Song¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Ah, girl, as the saying goes, water flows downward, and people strive upward. I think your boss is of good character, and he treats you very well, you should grasp this opportunity.¡±


    At that moment, I understood what Song¡¯s mother meant.


    Haha, I¡¯m thinking, if I tell her that this man killed his own wife and child with his own hands,


    Will she still want to seize this opportunity?

 Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75: He Unleashed Another Big Move_1

    Chapter 75: Chapter 75: He Unleashed Another Big Move_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Nevertheless, I managed to restrain myself from expressing this thought, instead replacing it with a gentler statement.


    ¡°Never judge a book by its cover!¡±


    ¡°Oh, silly girl, your mum here¡­ I¡¯ve lived and experienced more than you ever have. I¡¯ve seen so much in the world, believe me, he is definitely a good man.¡±


    ¡°Heh, heh!¡±


    I responded with an indifferent smile, and then turned to make eye contact with Gu Yuanzhou again.


    He had taken off his suit jacket, revealing a black shirt underneath, paired with a white plaid vest and long trousers.


    Just from his looks alone, he did indeed appear handsome.


    Moreover, he was probably around thirty, a man¡¯s prime age.


    Successful in his career and sophisticated in demeanor, these characteristics undoubtedly added extra points to his overall charm.


    It was no surprise then that Mrs. Song, a middle-aged woman, was smitten with him at first glance.


    Suddenly, I recalled something Ding Yinuo once said¡ªhe had asked me if I had seen any men more handsome than him during my student days.


    Indeed I had, and that was Gu Yuanzhou.


    If we were to compare just looks, Gu Yuanzhou and Ding Yinuo each had their distinct appeal.


    But if we talk about charisma, Gu Yuanzhou was on another level compared to Ding Yinuo.


    His aura was so powerful, easily captivating a woman¡¯s heart.


    In the brief moment of my distraction, Gu Yuanzhou had elegantly invited Mr. Song to sit and had poured him some wine.


    The two men of different ages were drinking and chatting¡ªit seemed quite harmonious.


    ¡°Please look at your boss, he doesn¡¯t act high and mighty at all, he¡¯s so affable!¡±


    Mrs. Song started praising Gu Yuanzhou again.


    I just responded with a slight laugh,


    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t seen him at his worst.¡±


    ¡°Oh, has your boss had a down period before? What was that like?¡±


    Recognizing Mrs. Song¡¯s curiosity, I realized I shouldn¡¯t say too much.


    Also, I didn¡¯t want Gu Yuanzhou to spend too much time with Mr. Song, so I quickly brought over some dishes and sat next to Mr. Song,


    ¡°Dad, try not to drink too much later!¡±


    ¡°No worries, the champagne that Boss Gu has given me is low in alcohol, it¡¯s like a soft drink, no alcohol!¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good!¡±


    I sat down and stayed put.


    Mr. Song is an honest man. After a glass of wine, he asked Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Our girl isn¡¯t so good at work, please be forgiving, boss!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gave me a meaningful glance, ¡°She¡¯s doing not bad!¡±


    ¡°This child has been a little too gentle and fearful since she was small¡­¡±


    I was well-acquainted with Mr. Song¡¯s way of self-deprecating. Some parents from poor families like to humiliate their children in front of others to show their modesty.


    I didn¡¯t really care about it. On the contrary, it was Gu Yuanzhou who said,


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s that timid, right?¡±


    The last two words were directed at me!


    I awkwardly replied, ¡°Um, I am timid in certain aspects!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me intently once more.


    Gu Yuanzhou was very good at controlling the atmosphere.


    Throughout the dinner, he dominated the conversation, leaving me and Mr. and Mrs. Song only to answer, and I didn¡¯t dare to say too much.


    I merely spoke up to address minor confusions.


    Luckily, I had managed to glean some information from Mrs. Song earlier and I wasn¡¯t looking too suspicious at the moment.


    However, overall,


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed rather pleased with me. He exaggeratedly complimented my strengths at work, and highlighted my achievements.


    He thanked Mr. and Mrs. Song for raising me, an outstanding employee, in the end.


    Mr. and Mrs. Song seemed to enjoy his words of praise. They were being led by Gu Yuanzhou, without realizing it.


    He made them merry by his high praises.


    Suddenly, he changed the topic.


    ¡°How did you get hurt on your hand?¡±


    Following Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s question, I looked down to see a large scar on the back of my hand¡­


    Being an old scar, naturally, I didn¡¯t know how I got it.


    I didn¡¯t inherit Song Xiaoyun¡¯s memory after all.


    As I remained silent, Gu Yuanzhou repeated his question,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to say?¡±


    Meeting his keen, inquisitive gaze, a strong feeling arose within me¡ªthat he was intentionally testing me.


    Given the sudden invitation for my parents to join, he must have noticed something suspicious and started doubting me.


    I didn¡¯t want to be exposed, so I pretended to act casual,


    ¡°It¡¯s probably a burn from before!¡±


    He unceremoniously grabbed my hand, lightly touching the scar while looking at Mrs. Song,


    ¡°Auntie, what caused her wound? Was it from hot water or fire?¡±


    His face conveyed concern, but he was actually probing if I was lying.


    Mrs. Song was somewhat hesitant, ¡°No! This certainly isn¡¯t from a burn¡­¡±


    Mr. Song, however, being straightforward, spoke directly,


    ¡°What burn? Her younger brother poked her with scissors. It¡¯s been many years. Xiaohu was young and naive at that time!¡±


    Mrs. Song hurriedly added,


    ¡°Yes, yes, the two of them used to fight a lot!¡±


    Only then did Gu Yuanzhou turn his attention toward me and sternly said,


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell the truth?¡±


    Something displeasing lurked in his dark eyes.


    I was caught red-handed and didn¡¯t know what to do next.


    Mr. Song stepped in to diffuse the tension,


    ¡°Ah, this child is too protective of her brother, not willing to admit any of his wrongdoings! She never likes to tell others her brother hurt her.¡±


    I nodded at Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    Only then did Gu Yuanzhou let me off the hook.


    After dinner, Gu Yuanzhou personally drove to a nearby mall and bought some gifts.


    Only then did he take Mr. and Mrs. Song to the train station where he presented Mrs. Song with a large red packet.


    ¡°Ah, President Gu, I cannot accept this! It¡¯s enough for us that Xiaoyun is working well under you, how could we possibly accept your money!¡±


    ¡°This is a red packet I¡¯m giving on behalf of Xiaoyun for her brother! Please accept it first! You¡¯ve raised Xiaoyun into such an outstanding person, which has been of great help to me. Thank you.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was very good with words; Mr. and Mrs. Song, being ordinary people, naturally couldn¡¯t resist his social skills.


    Carrying the red packet and the gifts, they got onto the car with great joy.


    Before leaving, Mrs. Song praised Gu Yuanzhou profusely in private.


    She obviously hinted at me to seize this opportunity.


    I didn¡¯t oppose her publicly!


    But I naturally disagreed internally!


    After seeing off Mr. and Mrs. Song, I finally let out a sigh of relief, no longer worried about giving myself away.


    Having finished his last cup of tea, Gu Yuanzhou looked at me,


    ¡°Are you deeply attached to him?¡±


    I was stunned for a few seconds, who was he referring to?


    Was it Ding Yinuo?


    I decided to play along with his words,


    ¡°President Gu, there¡¯s¡­ no attachment between us!¡±


    ¡°Good, break up with him then!¡±


    ¡°Break up? President Gu, do you think you¡¯ve misunderstood something?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou got up and walked towards me,


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to hide it anymore, your mother has already revealed it!¡±


    I was even more confused, had Mrs. Song mentioned something I didn¡¯t know about in front of him?

 Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76: She Wants Me to Cooperate_1

    Chapter 76: Chapter 76: She Wants Me to Cooperate_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I increasingly found that being with Gu Yuanzhou gave me a sense of walking on thin ice.


    He seemed to know a lot about me.


    I shifted my gaze,


    ¡°What did my mom say to you this time? She is such a gossip, loves to spin stories! Moreover, she just told me that you have feelings for me! Please don¡¯t believe her.¡±


    I deliberately used some exaggerated language, trying to get more truth from him.


    However, before my voice even dropped, he said,


    ¡°Your mom wasn¡¯t wrong!¡±


    ¡°What wasn¡¯t she wrong about?¡±


    ¡°Xun Yixuan¡­ your fianc¨¦!¡±


    He threw out another new name.


    I was stunned for a moment,


    ¡°My mom told you these things too?¡±


    ¡°Why, is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no problem, it¡¯s just¡­ I didn¡¯t expect my mom to be such a gossip!¡±


    My anxious heart finally relaxed a little.


    Thankfully he didn¡¯t bring up Ding Yinuo.


    Gu Yuanzhou stood in front of me, his tone getting heavier,


    ¡°So, do you plan to break up with him?¡±


    In truth, I didn¡¯t know who Xun Yixuan was.


    I had no impression of him.


    However, to give myself some future excuses for not going to work, I decided not to ¡®break up¡¯ with Xun Yixuan.


    After all, in reality, I didn¡¯t need to entertain him, and so I asked,


    ¡°President Gu, are you also managing my personal affairs?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou suddenly changed the topic,


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t interfere with an employee¡¯s personal life. However, as the boss, I hope you can focus all your energy on work, rather than letting personal affairs affect it.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, President Gu, I can clearly distinguish between public and private matters! My personal feelings will not affect my work.¡±


    My answer didn¡¯t seem to satisfy Gu Yuanzhou.


    He walked away with his hands behind his back, leaving me with one more comment,


    ¡°Quite stubborn!¡±


    After that, he never once asked about Ding Yinuo.


    However, every now and then he would inquire about my parents¡­


    These actions of Gu Yuanzhou made me more and more incapable of figuring him out. Why did he bring my parents into the company and get so close to them?


    How much does he actually know?


    Is he investigating me? Or does he have some other plan?


    I couldn¡¯t figure him out.


    In order not to raise any more suspicions with Gu Yuanzhou, I avoided Ding Yinuo and tried my best not to have any contact with him.


    When I returned to Maple Mansion after work in the evening,


    Ye Mengyan mysteriously pulled me to the gateway.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I have made a decision and I hope you won¡¯t mind too much!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°My cousin-aunt has nowhere to go. Because she is a suspect, no hotel or guesthouse is willing to keep her. She also can¡¯t leave A City, so I temporarily brought her here to live with us. Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t cause any inconvenience to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but this house isn¡¯t mine. As long as President Gu agrees, I have no right to oppose.¡±


    Ye Mengyan finally sighed in relief, ¡°Big Brother Gu naturally won¡¯t object. Besides, he is quite sympathetic to my cousin¡¯s plight.¡±


    As she spoke, Ye Mengyan sighed again.


    ¡°I initially introduced her to get a job at Golden Bay out of goodwill, but who would¡¯ve thought my good intentions would bring about a catastrophe.¡±


    If it had been in the past, I might have sympathized with Ye Mengyan when she spoke like this.


    But now, I can¡¯t seem to sympathize with her at all.


    I even became suspicious of her intentions¡­


    Though I don¡¯t have any objections to Wu Jun staying here, it seemed like Wu Jun was quite wary of me.


    Last time at the Ding family home, Ding Yinuo and I had questioned Wu Jun together.


    She was still on guard against me, but maybe because she really had nowhere else to go, she didn¡¯t oppose me.


    She just tried to avoid me during meals.


    After dinner, as Ye Mengyan sat on the sofa, she asked me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, what can you give to a man as a present so that he will never forget you?¡±


    I was momentarily taken aback¡­


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s innocent eyes reminded me of myself in the past.


    When I was dating Gu Yuanzhou, I loved him so much and was constantly searching for ways to keep his heart.


    Some said that if you knit your beloved a scarf, you can tie his heart to you.


    So, I stole away time from my busy schedule to learn how to knit a scarf, and I gave him the first scarf I ever knitted.


    Later, it was said that giving a man ties and belts could tie his heart to you.


    So, for every birthday that he had each year, I gave him carefully selected ties and belts.


    Nearly ten years of dating and marriage, sending ten ties, but in the end, none of it could tie his heart to me.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Men are the most fickle, there is no way to make him love you forever!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re a bit pessimistic! Were you hurt by that Mr. Ding?¡±


    She was carefully probing me.


    I was stunned, ¡°Which Mr. Ding?¡±


    ¡°The one from last time¡­ ah-hem, you don¡¯t need to hide it, I saw everything! There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of, all women fall in love and get married. I think that Mr. Ding is quite good, and he¡¯s very handsome!¡±


    I just remembered that when Ye Mengyan went to the Ding family home last time, Ding Yinuo had announced our relationship.


    Of course, that was just a way for Ding Yinuo to provide cover for me, and it wasn¡¯t that we were in a relationship.


    I didn¡¯t feel like explaining it all to Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t really believe in love!¡±


    ¡°Then why are you with Mr. Ding?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because I was bored!¡±


    ¡°Some people say that a love lock can lock two people together, do you believe it?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re happy, then it¡¯s good!¡±


    I believed it ten years ago. If I believed it now, I would be a fool.


    Love lock¡­ Speaking of which, Gu Yuanzhou and I still have one! It is still locked on the Magpie Bridge of Fairy Mountain!


    I didn¡¯t want to comment on Ye Mengyan¡¯s childish remarks.


    But Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t want to drop the subject, she kept talking.


    ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m going to study in France next month, and I¡¯m really worried about Big Brother Gu. I don¡¯t know whether he will forget me after I leave!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re afraid, then get your marriage license with him right now. Legal documents are much more useful than verbal promises.¡±


    Ye Mengyan turned to look at me, ¡°Do you think he would agree to get the marriage certificate with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, you can try!¡±


    In truth, I was also very curious about the result.


    Ye Mengyan had been with him for four years, she should like him, right?


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll try!¡±


    At six in the evening, Ye Mengyan knocked on my room door. When I opened the door, there she stood, dressed in a white wedding gown.


    Seeing me, she proudly twirled in front of me, her wedding dress billowing, ¡°What do you think, isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to propose to Big Brother Gu in a bit. I need your cooperation!¡±


    ¡°Cooperate? How?¡±


    I never expected that one day the other woman would ask me to help her propose to my ex-husband!


    How ironic!

 Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Will She be Successful in Proposing?_1

    Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Will She be Successful in Proposing?_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ye Mengyan had a delicate makeup on her face, pure and beautiful, her eyes filled with happiness and anticipation.


    For any woman, marrying the man she loves is perhaps the best pursuit in life.


    She was submerged in her illusions and aspirations of happiness.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, don¡¯t be nervous. You stay in the room and don¡¯t come out. I want some alone time with him.¡±


    ¡°Alright, as you wish.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    I, anyway, do not have the intention to disturb them.


    What¡¯s more, tonight might be a once in a lifetime opportunity.


    However, I couldn¡¯t just stay in the room, so I gathered some food and beer, and slipped onto the rooftop under the cover of the dark night.


    At that time, I saw Wu Jun, who was lost in thought on the rooftop.


    She was alone, sitting in a corner.


    Looking up at the starry sky, her face notably upset.


    ¡°Ahem, can we chat?¡±


    Seeing it was me, Wu Jun seemed to dodge my gaze a bit. She remained silent and started to walk downstairs, but I called out her stop her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go down, Ye Mengyan says she wants some alone time with Gu Yuanzhou. Don¡¯t disturb them.¡±


    With no choice left, she sat down on the sofa.


    I had brought up some snacks, little sausages, spicy strips, a bag of peanuts, and potato chips, sunflower seeds and such.


    And there were also a few cans of beer, these things are perfect for chatting and stargazing at the same time.


    When I poured the sunflower seeds in front of Wu Jun, she was alert, glanced at me a few times, and didn¡¯t move.


    So, I moved the conversation to Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Mengyan¡¯s former boyfriend, Shen Yishu, is quite a good person.¡±


    Wu Jun sighed,


    ¡°Yes, actually Shen¡¯s parents are very nice, and I¡¯ve seen that kid grow up since he was little, he is a genuine person. He used to help out in our house a lot, helping my cousin cook and do some heavy housework. He is quite honest, but it¡¯s a shame that they were not meant to be.¡±


    ¡°So, do you think she is happier being with Gu Yuanzhou, or with Shen Yishu?¡±


    ¡°Of course she would be happier with Shen Yishu!¡±


    ¡°But Gu Yuanzhou is wealthier, he can provide Ye Mengyan with a better life!¡±


    ¡°But rich men are heartless! Not everyone can enjoy that sort of happiness.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Gu Yuanzhou is a heartless person?¡±


    As I asked, Wu Jun immediately shut up again.


    However, she started eating the sunflower seeds.


    After eating half a bag of sunflower seeds, it seemed like she was getting thirsty. I quickly opened the beer and handed it to her.


    She drank an entire can straight away.


    The beer I bought wasn¡¯t real beer, it was a type of glutinous rice wine.


    Smooth and sweet on entry, but twice the alcohol content of beer, making it very easy to get drunk.


    Indeed, after drinking two cans of beer, Wu Jun seemed a bit affected. She sighed,


    ¡°Alas, Ye Mengyan is such a disobedient child! What good can come out of her being with Mr. Gu? Men with money can have whatever woman they want. Mr. Gu is only attracted to her youth, just wait a few years, when she ages, Mr. Gu naturally won¡¯t care about her anymore.¡±


    I rebutted,


    ¡°Not necessarily! Maybe she is different. Gu Yuanzhou might truly love her.¡±


    Wu Jun sighed,


    ¡°You young people really have your heads in the clouds. At my age, I know how unreliable a man¡¯s love can be. Just look back at the time when Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu were so in love, didn¡¯t he end up not taking Mrs. Gu seriously?¡±


    Wu Jun¡¯s cheeks were already flushed, and her speech was slightly slurred. In my view, she seemed a little tipsy.


    People, in this state, are most likely to spill the truth.


    ¡°You mean, Mr. Gu set the fire?¡±


    I carefully probed, hoping to confirm whether what Wu Jun saw that day was true or false.


    Because if the cameras have blind spots and someone could leave from the rooftop,


    This also means that the murderer could be anyone, including Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Mr. Gu, Mr. Gu wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. It was them¡­¡±


    ¡°Who is ¡®them¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Just a few days before the incident, Mr. Gu saw them. That day Mrs. Gu wasn¡¯t at home, she took the two kids to her parents¡¯ house.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou on a business trip that day?¡±


    I exclaimed in shock.


    Indeed, those were the vacation days, I took the two kids to my uncle¡¯s house because Gu Yuanzhou was on a business trip.


    My aunt and I took the two kids to various places such as the zoo, forest parks and so on.


    At that time, Gu Yuanzhou was still sending me text messages every other day.


    ¡°They¡¯re all vampires! Mr. Gu was already supporting them, but they were still not satisfied and always wanted more.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°They would come every Chinese New Year, but Mrs. Gu didn¡¯t know! Every time they came, it was when Mrs. Gu was not home. They would always eat a lot and take a lot of items away with them. Last time, the ginseng Mrs. Gu bought from abroad, several boxes of it were taken by them.¡±


    I was quite shocked. Every Chinese New Year, I am usually at my uncle¡¯s house from the first day until the eighth day¡­


    And Gu Yuanzhou would always stay at home by himself until the second day to keep the vigil for New Year¡¯s Eve.


    So, would someone come to my house on the first day of Chinese New Year?


    Upon careful reflection, I indeed lost a few boxes of ginseng. At the time, I thought Wu Jun had taken them back, so I didn¡¯t ask.


    Anyway, I didn¡¯t care about these things, but it turned out that someone else had taken them.


    ¡°Why would they set the fire?¡±


    ¡°Just intuition¡­ it¡¯s them¡­ they always spoke ill of Mrs. Gu before, saying Mrs. Gu was in the way! Each time they came, they always had to avoid Mrs. Gu.¡±


    ¡°Who are ¡®they¡¯?¡±


    Just when I was about to ask Wu Jun again, suddenly, there was the sound of a car outside.


    I got up and walked over to the edge of the rooftop, and saw a black luxury car slowly drive into the garage. After the headlights were turned off, Gu Yuanzhou walked out of the car.


    When I went back to the sofa, Wu Jun was surprisingly already asleep.


    I called her name twice, but there was no response.


    I sent a text message to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Are you on good terms with Green City Properties?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Has anything happened?¡±


    ¡°I want to look into more surveillance footage¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible, after the police took over these cases, they also took all the surveillance footage from the last year from Green City Properties.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a backup?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me for help?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am asking for your help, can you help me?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    He flatly refused!


    Ah, this man, how come he¡¯s so unpredictable?


    I thought carefully, it seems like I haven¡¯t offended him in any way?


    Just when I was about to reply to him again, there were footsteps. Raising my head, I saw Gu Yuanzhou had walked out of the doorway.


    Following him, was Ye Mengyan dressed in a wedding gown.


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    I put down my phone and stood up.


    I glanced at Ye Mengyan, unsure if she had successfully proposed.

 Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Don’t Be Foolish_1

    Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Don¡¯t Be Foolish_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze was significantly imposing, catching sight immediately of Wu Jun sleeping soundly on the sofa.


    Keeping my calm and collected, I explained,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to disturb you and Miss Ye¡¯s alone time, so I came upstairs to stargaze. I happened to run into Aunt Wu and we had some snacks since we had nothing to do.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t seem suspicious and instructed Ye Mengyan directly,


    ¡°Take your Aunt to her room to sleep!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Ye Mengyan got up, woke Wu Jun, and then helped her downstairs to sleep.


    I quickly cleaned up the beer and snacks on the table and put them in a garbage bag.


    I was wondering, as smart as Gu Yuanzhou is, he would probably guess that I was testing Wu Jun, right?


    I was about to head downstairs after cleaning up when he suddenly grabbed my arm and pressed me into the dark corner.


    He suddenly asked out loud:


    ¡°Is there something you want to ask me?¡±


    His question was setting a trap.


    If I were to blurt out a question, wouldn¡¯t I be revealing my purpose? I¡¯m not that stupid.


    After thinking for a moment, I counter-asked,


    ¡°President Gu, do you feel there¡¯s something I need to ask you?¡±


    He then led the topic,


    ¡°Wu Jun used to be my family¡¯s nanny. You can learn a lot about me from her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need for that trouble, Miss Ye tells me a lot about you.¡±


    ¡°Really? What did Ye Mengyan say about me?¡±


    He stood tall in front of me, giving me a strong sense of oppression.


    His dark eyes were extremely deep.


    Like a hunter lurking in the darkness.


    I responded carefully:


    ¡°Miss Ye told me some¡­ love stories about the two of you¡­ Very romantic and touching.¡±


    ¡°Your tone is off! Are you questioning me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, indeed, I do feel a bit uneasy¡­ ¡±


    I knew well enough not to offend Gu Yuanzhou.


    Maybe it was the beer I just had, or that I couldn¡¯t stand the anger in my heart anymore.


    I confronted him directly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been with Miss Ye for four years, which means you¡¯ve been betraying Mrs. Gu for four years. On the surface, you may seem deeply in love with Mrs. Gu, but who would have thought that you betrayed her four years ago? Mr. Gu, you truly are a heartless womanizer!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes were more dangerous and the air around me started to feel chilly.


    He growled lowly,


    ¡°You know nothing, you understand nothing!¡±


    ¡°Really? So your relationship with Ye Mengyan isn¡¯t purely platonic, right? Sigh, looking at all you¡¯ve done for Mrs. Gu online, people would be moved to tears and heartbroken. I really thought Mr. Gu was a man of feeling. To think that you instead are heartless and fickle. If Mrs. Gu were watching from heaven, she would definitely cry her eyes out.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was like an angry beast, suddenly choking me by the throat.


    As his grip tightened, I felt myself being lifted off the ground and pressed against the wall.


    The force was enough to suffocate me.


    I wasn¡¯t scared!


    I didn¡¯t beg for mercy!


    I just opened my eyes wide and smiled at him.


    To a person who has died once, what more is there to fear!?


    For me, death would mean reuniting with my children. Living, on the other hand, meant a relentless struggle with Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, don¡¯t¡­.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s cry of alarm came from behind.


    It seemed like Gu Yuanzhou woke up from his dream and let go of me.


    Finally, I slipped out of his grasp and fell to the ground. I was gasping for breath, touching my painful throat that had been strangled by him.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, did Xiaoyun make you angry? Please don¡¯t be, she¡­she seems to be drunk and she lost her cool.¡±


    Ye Mengyan kept pleading for me.


    How ridiculous, I¡¯ve come to the point where I need my love rival to plead for me to survive under Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hands.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face was still a bit twisted. He stared at me for a few seconds, then turned around and left.


    At this point, Ye Mengyan helped me up from the ground,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you okay?¡±


    I shook my head, leaned against the wall, and slowly caught my breath,


    ¡°I am going to bed. Good night!¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    Ye Mengyan stood still for a few seconds, then walked into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s bedroom.


    Behind me, I heard Ye Mengyan¡¯s gentle voice.


    ¡°Big Brother Gu, your head hurts, doesn¡¯t it? Let me relax you a bit, okay?¡±


    I slowly walked back to my bedroom and closed the door.


    In the darkness, I kept thinking about Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression earlier, there was a moment when he seemed to have murderous intent towards me.


    So, when we go to the company tomorrow, will he still keep me around?


    I couldn¡¯t sleep.


    I heard noises coming from upstairs.


    Something fell to the ground, mixed with Ye Mengyan¡¯s scream.


    And the sound of a chair falling over.


    These two people, were they intimate or were they arguing?


    I walked into the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and noticed a distinctly bruised mark on my neck.


    I quickly grabbed some ice to apply to the mark¡­


    After a long while, I turned off the light, took my phone, and snapped a picture of the starry sky outside, then posted it on social media.


    The text accompanying the picture read:


    Hell is empty, the devils are here on earth!


    After posting, I went to bed and fell asleep.


    The next day, when I awoke, it was already light outside.


    I got up, opened the door, and saw Ye Mengyan cleaning up the room next door. Wu Jun was nowhere to be found.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your aunt?¡±


    ¡°Big Brother Gu took her away last night.¡±


    ¡°Where did he take her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He said it was a safe place!¡±


    Ha, good for them, Gu Yuanzhou, you moved fast!


    Fearful of being found out, he quickly disposed of her.


    I asked again:


    ¡°Did you and Gu Yuanzhou argue last night? There was a lot of noise, I could feel it even downstairs.¡±


    Ye Mengyan blushed, hesitated for a while, and finally shook her head,


    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t argue, he was just in a bad mood and knocked some things over.¡±


    ¡°Did your proposal last night successful?¡±


    Ye Mengyan shyly nodded, ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations, when will you guys get the certificate?¡±


    ¡°He said there¡¯s no rush! We will discuss the marriage after I graduate from my studies in France.¡±


    ¡°But getting a marriage license does not affect your studies, does it?¡±


    ¡°He said it¡¯s not the time to get married yet, the media is watching him.¡±


    I nodded thoughtfully. It seems he still cares about his image, afraid others would know about his swift romance.


    Or could he be fearful that his infidelity would be revealed?


    ¡°Do you believe him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do!¡±


    Looking into Ye Mengyan¡¯s clear eyes, I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    But by this time, I¡¯d already gotten the information I wanted from Wu Jun¡¯s mouth.


    Packed my bag, and headed out the door to see if I could meet the ¡®them¡¯ she mentioned.


    I got into my little BMW, and as soon as I reached a red light, I was stopped by a blue sports car.


    I leaned out of the window and yelled at him, ¡°Ding Yinuo, what the hell are you doing, this early in the morning?¡±


    In fact, I had noticed as soon as I drove out of Maple Mansion that Ding Yinuo¡¯s car seemed to have been parked across the street for a long time, and the moment I stepped out he started to follow me.


    But I was worried about being caught on camera, so I ignored him and drove straight to the intersection.


    Ding Yinuo waved his phone, ¡°Get out!!!¡±

 Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79: He Harbors a Killing Intent Towards Me_1

    Chapter 79: Chapter 79: He Harbors a Killing Intent Towards Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    There happened to be an open-air parking lot nearby, so I turned into it with my car.


    I originally thought he would also park there. To my surprise, he did not get out of his car but invited me into his.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    He started the car.


    ¡°What was the meaning of the jet-black starry sky?¡±


    ¡°Which starry sky?¡±


    ¡°Hell is desolate and the devil is amongst us.¡±


    He uttered another sentence.


    Only then did I realize it was a post I had made on my friend-circle last night.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing profound about it, I just shared whatever came to my feeling!¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my phone last night?¡±


    He had many questions. His tone was stuffed with urgency.


    Typical of a domineering boss who has a strong sense of control.


    I wanted to laugh. After all, he was not my boyfriend but he assumed the responsibility like he was.


    ¡°Eh, I must have missed it! I drank last night¡­¡±


    At that moment, I opened my phone and saw it. As expected, I had missed over a dozen calls, all from Ding Yinuo.


    In-between were one or two calls from Su Peisheng.


    ¡°Drinking? You dare to drink while living with that devil. Aren¡¯t you afraid of his threats?¡±


    Realizing we were going off course, I hurriedly corrected him,


    ¡°Yinuo, you¡¯re taking the wrong way; this isn¡¯t the way to my office.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was taking you to work!!¡±


    ¡°So, where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking!¡±


    Seeing his brusque tone, I chose not to ask any more questions.


    We drove to the main gate of Xishan Residence.


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°But I need to go to work!¡±


    I hesitated, unwilling to leave the car.


    Ding Yinuo glared at me, ¡°Would you die if you missed work just for a day?¡±


    ¡°No, but boss Ding, you¡¯ve got money. You wouldn¡¯t starve if you didn¡¯t work for days while I would!¡±


    Regardless of my explanation, Ding Yinuo dragged me out of the car.


    Once we were inside the house, I saw that Su Peisheng was also there, along with some faces unfamiliar to me.


    Looks like they are all Ding Yinuo¡¯s friends¡­


    ¡°Yo, good morning Miss Song!¡±


    As Su Peisheng greeted me, I figured it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to create a fuss with Ding Yinuo, so I politely greeted him and his friends.


    ¡°Hello lawyer Su! Oh, did you call me last night because there was an emergency?¡±


    The first thing I thought about was the issue related to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s case.


    Scratching his head, Su Peisheng hesitated for a while, ¡°I didn¡¯t call you?¡±


    ¡°How come! I have missed call records!¡±


    I handed my phone to Su Peisheng.


    After looking at it, Su Peisheng realized,


    ¡°I did not make these calls, Yinuo borrowed my phone. He called me up last night saying there¡¯s an emergency and asked me to come over. Turns out, he just wanted to use my phone to call you.¡±


    Listening to Su¡¯s explanation, I was surprised. I looked at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Why on earth did you use his phone to call me?¡±


    ¡°Really! If you had just answered my calls, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence.


    I could forecast the rest.


    Ding Yinuo must have thought I was deliberately ignoring his calls. That¡¯s why he used Su Peisheng¡¯s phone. This man is truly cunning.


    ¡°Hey, Yinuo, you only¡­¡±


    ¡°Ehem, Ding care for you! He¡¯s been up all night worrying about you. He missed his sleep and drove out early in the morning just to fetch you.¡±


    Su Peisheng was winking excessively at me.


    Behaving as if I knew nothing, I gently poked Ding Yinuo with my elbow, ¡°Really?¡±


    And Ding Yinuo openly admitted it.


    ¡°Of course, I care for you. You are my ultimate rival. If something happened to you, I wouldn¡¯t have anyone to tease.¡±


    ¡°Nah¡­meanie! By the way, I¡¯m hungry. Is there anything to eat?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s ready for you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo opened the oven and took out the freshly baked pizza and hot milk.


    ¡°You baked this yourself?¡±


    ¡°No, I bought it ready-made, and only reheated it for you. Don¡¯t feel too overwhelmed; I just want to see Gu Yuanzhou suffer badly. There¡¯s no other meaning.¡±


    Yinuo repeatedly clarified his position as I reached for the pizza on the tray.


    Unexpectedly, my finger brushed against the hot tray. It was scorching, causing me to scream.


    Yinuo dropped the spoon he was holding in his hand and instantly grabbed my fingers,


    ¡°Did it burn?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Holding my hand, he took me to the sink, turned on the tap and began to rinse my fingers.


    After a long time of rinsing, my fingers were still red, so he fetched some burn ointment and used a piece of gauze to wrap it up for me.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    I gazed at my fingers that were now enveloped like a dumpling, speechless, ¡°Dr. Ding, I¡¯m not that delicate, okay?¡±


    ¡°You are, you¡¯re just that delicate!¡±


    ¡°Rubbish! I¡¯m not some pampered daughter of a rich family!¡±


    Yinuo leisurely helped me sit on the sofa, then returned with a plate of pizza.


    ¡°You are the pampered daughter of the Song Family, raised in the lap of luxury since childhood. It was you who condescended to marry Gu Yuanzhou, and having been PUA by him for so many years, now feel you¡¯re not respected. Don¡¯t you? Let me tell you if you had married any man other than him, you wouldn¡¯t have been treated like this.¡±


    Yinuo¡¯s words left me stunned.


    Before marrying Gu Yuanzhou, I indeed was prosperous and outstanding.


    At that time, the Song household was being constantly visited by rich men who were proposing marriage. They almost stepped through the entrance door.


    But as proud as I was, I didn¡¯t fancy any of them but took a liking to Gu Yuanzhou, the penniless guy.


    Remembering it now, it feels like a mockery to me.


    I stopped talking, picked up a piece of pizza with a fork, and put it in my mouth.


    Yinuo passed me the milk.


    ¡°Eat slowly, it¡¯s hot.¡±


    I took a big mouthful of milk.


    ¡°I admit, in the matter of marriage, I failed. You can laugh at me, feel free. I deserve it!¡±


    Yinuo looked at me calmly.


    ¡°Why would I laugh at you? Am I that outrageous?¡±


    While I was having a squabble with Yinuo, Su Peisheng and a few others were busy studying something on a laptop.


    Before I could finish a piece of pizza, Su Peisheng called out, ¡°We¡¯re set, Yinuo! I have managed to access the surveillance footage!¡±


    I hurried over with my plate, very curious, ¡°What surveillance?¡±


    Yinuo¡¯s face remained calm, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to retrieve the surveillance footage of this year from Green City Properties?¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want to help me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to locate the CCTV surveillance footage from Green City Properties as the police have already taken it. So, I asked a friend to retrieve footage from the road camera opposite your building, hoping it might provide some clues.¡±

 Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80: He Directly Touched It_1

    Chapter 80: Chapter 80: He Directly Touched It_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Turns out, these friends were the database experts Ding Yinuo had brought in.


    The camera across from my house belongs to the traffic control department, they are currently analyzing the data retrieved from it.


    Uh, okay, that seems quite impressive.


    I had thought about doing this before, but lacked the time and the skills.


    Besides, the massive amount of data collected over a year would take time to sift through.


    Ding Yinuo noticed they were a bit slow in their analysis, so he told me:


    ¡°You go eat first. I¡¯ll let them find. Once they¡¯re done, you can come and check.¡±


    I pondered for a moment:


    ¡°How about this, you guys help me find it, and I¡¯ll go to work!¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into Ding Yinuo today; he absolutely doesn¡¯t want me to go to work.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what are you up to?¡±


    I was a bit peeved.


    He grabbed my arm, dragged me into the room and shut the door.


    He stood in front of me, fixating hard on me with his black eyes. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon my neck and he reached out to touch it.


    I instinctively took a step back.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Why do you have a wound?¡±


    ¡°I, uh¡­ I was scratched by a branch!¡±


    ¡°You know what I do for a living, right?¡±


    ¡°A doctor?¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell the truth?¡±


    ¡°I am telling the truth. I was scratched by a branch!¡±


    Truth be told, when I¡¯m around Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m a bit cautious, since Gu Yuanzhou is ruthless, he might actually kill me.


    But Ding Yinuo? I¡¯m not afraid of him.


    It¡¯s been more and more like we are just two good friends at this point.


    So I lost the awe and trepidation I used to feel for him.


    ¡°Stop bluffing. Do you think I¡¯d believe that you got this from a branch scratch? Fine, if you won¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll just call Gu Yuanzhou and ask!¡±


    This man, true to his word, immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s number.


    Seeing this, I hurriedly stopped him.


    If he makes that call, all my secrets will be exposed.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell, just don¡¯t call!¡±


    Only then did he end the call that was already connecting¡­


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell¡­ Last night, I wanted to get Wu Jun to tell the truth, so I got her drunk. Then I had a bit to drink myself, was slightly tipsy and talked back to him a couple of times.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked deeply worried.


    Without me realizing, my arm was already hurting from his tight grip.


    ¡°Then he did what you¡¯re doing now, squeezed me tight and nearly choked me to death! Afterwards, Ye Mengyan came out and stopped him.¡±


    He seemed to come to his senses and released his hold on me.


    ¡°Did I hurt you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it hurt like hell! You, seriously, don¡¯t even know how to treat a lady properly. It really hurts!¡±


    I exaggerated on purpose, then he grabbed my arm again, rolled up my sleeve, and patiently started massaging it.


    In the room, the two of us stayed silent, the only sound was our intermingling breaths.


    While massaging, I got a weird feeling about the atmosphere.


    So I pushed him away, ¡°It¡¯s not hurting anymore!¡±


    ¡°You should move out of Maple Mansion!¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Living with him is too dangerous. You are at risk of being exposed at any time. Given Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s personality, if he killed you once, he¡¯d definitely do it again.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, if I were to die at his hands again, I would only blame myself for being unlucky.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, is it because you¡¯re not smart enough? What¡¯s this about bad luck? If you hadn¡¯t insisted on marrying him back then, would we be in this mess?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words hit me like a bucket of cold water.


    They jolted me awake.


    Yes, if I hadn¡¯t married him back then.


    How good would that have been?


    At least my two kids wouldn¡¯t be entangled in this mess.


    I smirked bitterly,


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the foolish one, I¡¯m the deserter! Go ahead, laugh at me all you want!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo fell silent.


    ¡°No one¡¯s laughing at you! What¡¯s the point of other people¡¯s laughter, the key point is you¡¯re the one suffering! Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, are you sympathizing with me? This isn¡¯t typical behavior for an archenemy!¡±


    ¡°So, can¡¯t you learn from your past mistakes to avoid making the same ones in the future?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, let¡¯s discuss this matter later!¡±


    I do understand that Ding Yinuo meant well.


    But there is no turning back from this.


    I can¡¯t afford to lose the chance of getting in touch with Gu Yuanzhou, despite the high risks of living together.


    Because it¡¯s the easiest way to learn more about him.


    Moreover, because we¡¯re living so close, it¡¯s easier to strike.


    As soon as I find out he¡¯s the real culprit behind everything, I could end him in an instant.


    At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Ding Yinuo opened it to find Su Peisheng standing outside,


    ¡°Cough, did I interrupt your indulgence?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap, get to the point!¡±


    Ding Yinuo cut him off.


    Su Peisheng gave me a meaningful look and chuckled,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Ding junior moving a bit too fast?¡±


    ¡°Will you die if you talk less?¡±


    Ding Yinuo snapped.


    This man, he always makes obscene jokes whenever we¡¯re together. I could only play dumb.


    Is Ding Yinuo¡¯s speed too fast? How would I know? I haven¡¯t experienced it before!


    ¡°Cough, get back to business. We¡¯ve found the person you mentioned during the Spring Festival ¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡±


    I rushed to the computer right away.


    The images I saw were all selected by the software.


    However, the ones captured by the camera across the road, which were usually used for catching traffic violations, were unclear.


    But it did prove Wu Jun was right.


    During the Spring Festival, indeed, two men came to the villa at Golden Bay¡­


    They were waiting outside the gate initially, Gu Yuanzhou let them in once he came back.


    ¡°Can you recognize them?¡±


    Ding Yinuo enlarged the images for me to see.


    I looked closely again and again, but the picture was very blurry, making it almost impossible to make out their faces.


    Ding Yinuo pointed at one of the short men and said, ¡°Look, he has curly hair, think carefully, have you seen this guy in your life?¡±


    A memory then surfaced in my mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s him, I remember now!¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Ding Yinuo immediately followed up with a question.


    I kept silent.


    ¡°He¡¯s one of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s people, I know him! I never thought it would be them!¡±


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    Right now, Ding Yinuo is probably itching to catch these two men and interrogate them.


    ¡°In the past when Gu Yuanzhou worked for my uncle, he had two very capable subordinates. One was named Damaha, and the other was called Little Juanmao. It¡¯s those two.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes narrowed immediately, ¡°Let¡¯s go, get those bastards and make them confess!¡±


    Just then, my phone suddenly started to ring. I pulled it out from the bag. The flashing number displayed on the screen was from Gu Yuanzhou.


    To pick up or not to pick up?

 Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81 There is only one man in the world who can control me_1

    Chapter 81: Chapter 81 There is only one man in the world who can control me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    In fact, after seeing it was Damaha and Little Juanmao, the tension in my heart completely shattered.


    I didn¡¯t need to doubt that they were involved.


    These two, they used to do all kinds of things with Gu Yuanzhou in the past.


    Especially when they were helping uncle collect loan repayments, they had done many wrong things.


    That¡¯s why, after we established the company, in order to keep Gu Yuanzhou from being involved in those affairs, we once made him promise not to associate with these people anymore.


    He had agreed.


    In fact, in the past ten years of our marriage, I indeed didn¡¯t see Gu Yuanzhou associating with them.


    Unexpectedly, they still visit Yuanzhou every year during the holidays.


    This means Gu Yuanzhou has been deceiving me all along.


    Anger flared up from the bottom of my heart, I wanted to call and berate Gu Yuanzhou right now.


    Ding Yinuo seemed to see my anger, he quickly hung up the phone, promptly prepared to leave.


    ¡°Tell me where they live, and we¡¯ll go directly to get them!¡±


    I didn¡¯t speak.


    The phone rang again.


    However, I have calmed down at this point and answered the call.


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou asked me in a deep voice on the other end of the line,


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to the company today?¡±


    ¡°Uh, last night¡­ my neck was choked and it hurts. I¡¯m at the hospital treating the wound.¡±


    I responded fluidly, trusting that his intelligence could glean the hidden meaning in my words.


    Indeed, he didn¡¯t get mad, and his voice softened considerably,


    ¡°Is the injury severe?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just really painful!¡±


    ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to come to work today. Rest at home!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, President Gu!¡±


    I responded very perfunctorily.


    Gu Yuanzhou fell silent for a few seconds before speaking again,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any questions for me?¡±


    Every time he asks questions like these, it always confuses me.


    What is he waiting for me to ask?


    Ask him where he sent Wu Jun?


    Ask him why he fell in love with Ye Mengyan?


    Ask him why he sent Damaha and Little Juanmao to set the fire?


    Ha, he probably wouldn¡¯t answer any of them.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    He hung up the phone.


    I let out a sigh of relief.


    Looking up, Ding Yinuo was standing in front of me with a black face.


    ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡±


    Ding Yinuo turned and walked away, first dismissing his friends.


    After everyone left, he sat on the couch for a while and then lit a cigarette, smoking in silence.


    After a while, he looked up at me,


    ¡°Have you figured out what to do?¡±


    ¡°Shall we go find these two first?¡±


    ¡°Do you know where they live?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure at the moment, but I know where to find out!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo picked up his coat and was about to leave.


    I stopped him, ¡°I need to go find my Uncle Song Shixiong! Those two used to work for my uncle¡¯s company! They were in charge of debt collection.¡±


    ¡°Debt collection?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my uncle used to lend money at high interest! However, I am not clear about the specifics,he did these things behind my back. Aunt Lijuan also didn¡¯t have access to the core interests of the company. We only knew that my uncle¡¯s business was very large, when I first started dating Gu Yuanzhou, I learned about some of these things from him. These two frequently followed him around. However, after we set up our own company, these two people should still be working as security at my uncle¡¯s company.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡±


    ¡°No need. Really, I can go by myself. If you come with me, it may arouse suspicion.¡±


    ¡°Silly girl, you used to be Song Yun, but you¡¯re not now. Do you think Song Shixiong would still let you in?¡±


    ¡°I have other identities, don¡¯t worry about it!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s face became somewhat unnatural, he looked at me and suddenly grabbed my chin, saying angrily.


    ¡°You died once and didn¡¯t learn your lesson, do you want to do it again? Idiot!!¡±


    I didn¡¯t quite understand Ding Yinuo¡¯s inexplicable outburst.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, don¡¯t always act so concerned about me! If you keep this up, I¡¯ll fall in love with you!¡±


    He finally let go of me, exhaling,


    ¡°You certainly are stubborn!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let anything happen to me! I¡¯m very smart, you should have some faith in me!¡±


    ¡°Faith is useless. You¡¯re a woman, when faced with danger, you can¡¯t fight back!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, is this your first day knowing me? Don¡¯t you know what I¡¯m like?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t argue with me, and had to compromise.


    ¡°Forget it! I don¡¯t care, do whatever you want, anyway¡­it has nothing to do with me.¡±


    In fact, my character is indeed very stubborn, very tough.


    In this world, there is only one man who can control me, and that¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou.


    I patted Ding Yinuo on the shoulder,


    ¡°You wait at home for my news.¡±


    I must say, the car that Gu Yuanzhou gave me is quite useful.


    It makes getting around a lot easier. However, the car isn¡¯t here right now. I need to hail a taxi to get to the parking lot at the crossroad to pick up my car, then drive to Song Shixiong¡¯s company.


    Half an hour later, I parked outside the headquarters of the Huaxin Group.


    I have to say, my uncle was a ruthless person when he was young, he made a fortune by dealing in gold and prohibited drugs abroad.


    After returning to China, he married the daughter of A City¡¯s richest man, my Aunt Wu Lijuan, and the Huaxin Group was the full integration of the two families¡¯ power.


    Even twenty years ago, it was one of the top conglomerates in the country.


    It¡¯s something my Zhenyi Company can¡¯t hold a candle to.


    That immense wealth is probably why Gu Yuanzhou doesn¡¯t dare to turn against Song Shixiong.


    If we didn¡¯t have my uncle¡¯s support, Gu Yuanzhou might have been even more domineering.


    Entering the main gate, the receptionist at the front desk stopped me,


    ¡°Miss, may I ask if you have an appointment?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you need to make an appointment in advance to see our director.¡±


    ¡°I have an urgent matter with him!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the director is currently meeting with a very important client and may not have time to see you! How about you make an appointment first?¡±


    An alternative plan suddenly popped into my head,


    ¡°I¡¯m a nurse from the City¡¯s First Hospital. It¡¯s an emergency situation regarding Mrs. Wu Lijuan. I need to talk with the director immediately!¡±


    Upon hearing that it was about the director¡¯s wife, the receptionist naturally didn¡¯t dare to delay, and quickly called Song Shixiong.


    Then, the receptionist let me pass,


    ¡°The director¡¯s office is on the eighth floor. Turn left at the elevator, please go in!¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you!¡±


    I¡¯ve been to the Huaxin Group countless times since I was a child. I didn¡¯t need the receptionist to guide me, I knew my way around, and soon I reached the eighth floor.


    And headed directly to the director¡¯s office.


    To my surprise, I was too late after all.


    I had just reached the door of the director¡¯s office when I heard Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice.

 Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82 He takes the Lead_1

    Chapter 82: Chapter 82 He takes the Lead_1


    Translator: 549690339


    At first, I thought I misheard, so I pricked up my ears and listened carefully again.


    Indeed, it really was him!


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice was distinctive, deep and appealingly magnetic, very pleasant to the ear.


    Since I knew him, this kind of voice was unique to him alone, highly recognizable, and could be identified immediately upon hearing.


    Although the office door was ajar, there were other employees moving around nearby, so I didn¡¯t dare to eavesdrop blatantly and had to stand at a distance.


    The secretary made me a cup of coffee.


    ¡°Miss, you may wait in the visitor lounge over there. When the chairman is free, I¡¯ll call you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    I took the coffee and sat down on the sofa.


    In my boredom, I walked over to the window to take a look outside.


    This glance nearly scared the life out of me.


    In the open parking lot up front,


    There sat Ding Yinuo¡¯s Lamborghini, a car so ostentatious that it couldn¡¯t be missed.


    From a distance, it was instantly recognizable.


    Moreover, as I was watching the car, a man in a white shirt and sunglasses was getting out of it.


    I quickly took out my phone, captured the scene and sent the picture to Ding Yinuo, confronting him,


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    He promptly replied,


    ¡°Helping you clean up your mess!¡±


    ¡°Crazy! I don¡¯t need it, I can handle it myself!¡±


    ¡°So, can¡¯t I just come to enjoy the view?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, don¡¯t get involved!¡±


    If I act on my own, I can strike quickly and neatly.


    If Ding Yinuo gets involved, things could get complicated and messy.


    If he caused an accident, it would be hard for me to control the situation.


    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t cause any trouble for you then.¡±


    With his reassurance, I felt relieved.


    I finished my coffee.


    Gu Yuanzhou still hadn¡¯t appeared, so I took a stroll around the company.


    In the past, Damaha and Little Juanmao both worked in the liaison department, so I planned to check there to see if I¡¯d bump into them.


    However, what surprised me was that it seemed like my uncle¡¯s company had recently undergone a staffing change.


    The department heads were all new faces, all unfamiliar to me.


    Even the finance head had been replaced with someone else.


    I walked around the upper levels of the company and found something seemed off.


    But upon careful inspection, I couldn¡¯t identify what was wrong.


    Soon, the secretary found me.


    ¡°Miss, you wanted to see the chairman, right? He¡¯s free now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, excellent!¡±


    I turned around swiftly, just in time to see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s retreating figure enter the elevator.


    I couldn¡¯t understand what was Gu Yuanzhou doing here?


    However, whatever he was here for, it was best not to see him.


    Before long, I stepped into the chairman¡¯s office under the secretary¡¯s lead.


    Song Shixiong, sitting behind his desk, looked quite haggard recently, and his hair had turned gray at the temples.


    He must not have had an easy time lately, with his niece¡¯s death, his wife¡¯s illness, and having to manage such a large corporation.


    Song Shixiong has two sons, my older and younger cousins.


    One is a well-respected lawyer, the other is a commercial prodigy on Wall Street. Both of them have established successful careers overseas.


    However, both sons severed their relationship with their father, and none of them were willing to take over his company.


    In fact, I had some idea about the situation.


    When Gu Yuanzhou was working with Song Shixiong, Song favored Gu a lot, even wanting to adopt him as his godson and hand over his business empire to him.


    Perhaps it was this special favor that drove both of his sons away.


    That¡¯s just my guess, the truth remains unknown.


    When I entered, Song Shixiong was looking at a photo on the desk.


    I glanced at it, a family photo.


    ¡°Ahem, Mr. Song!¡±


    Only then did Song Shixiong look up at me.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Song Shixiong had never seen me before, he didn¡¯t recognize me¡­


    ¡°Mr. Song, I am uh ¡­¡±


    I had previously claimed to be a nurse from the city hospital as an excuse to get in.


    Now that it comes to the point, I obviously can¡¯t continue to call myself a nurse.


    ¡°Mr. Song, I am a friend of Song Yun! We are all very upset about Ayun¡¯s death! My close friends and I have discussed it, we think there is something suspicious about Ayun¡¯s death!¡±


    Song Shixiong¡¯s face changed.


    He stood up, walked to the office door, and closed it.


    Obviously, Song Shixiong was very alert too.


    ¡°My Ayun does have a few close friends, I remember¡­ one was a teacher! I¡¯ve never seen you before!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Wenya! And Jian Jing¡­We often hang out together, you can call Wenya to confirm, here¡¯s her number.¡±


    To prove my identity, I wrote Wenya¡¯s phone number on a business card and handed it to Song Shixiong.


    Song Shixiong took the business card I handed over, his brows furrowed,


    ¡°What do you think is suspicious about Ayun¡¯s death?¡±


    I originally planned to lay everything out for Song Shixiong.


    To convince him to support my plan, making it much easier for me to find Damaha and Little Juanmao.


    Moreover, if he could ally with us, it would be easier to deal with Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°We suspect¡­ that Gu Yuanzhou killed Ayun, so, a few of us came together with a plan to get justice for Ayun.¡±


    ¡°Really? Gu Yuanzhou is such a beast?¡±


    Anger was visible on Song Shixiong¡¯s face, his hands behind his back, pacing.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Song Shixiong slammed his fist fiercely onto his desk.


    ¡°I knew it! I knew there was a problem with this beast! Unfortunately, Ayun didn¡¯t listen to me then, she was intent on marrying him.¡±


    Song Shixiong seemed very upset, after he sat down, he covered his face with his hands, his body trembling slightly, remaining silent for a long time.


    Seeing his sadness, I tried my best to comfort him,


    ¡°Mr. Song, Ayun won¡¯t have died in vain, we will definitely find out the truth and send Gu Yuanzhou to jail.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Song Shixiong immediately looked up at me, ¡°Do you guys have any evidence?¡±


    ¡°For now, it¡¯s just the evidence given in the news¡­ right now, there¡¯s something that needs your cooperation, and that¡¯s these two people, Damaha and Little Juanmao. We suspect that on the day of the fire, one of them was the arsonist at Golden Bay!¡±


    My words caught Song Shixiong¡¯s attention.


    His face changed again instantly.


    He walked over to the window with his hands behind his back, deep in thought for a long time before turning around.


    ¡°Actually, Gu Yuanzhou was just here!¡±


    I rose to my feet in surprise, ¡°What was he here for?¡±


    ¡°Just like you, he was also inquiring about Damaha and Little Juanmao!¡±


    ¡°Where are they now?¡±


    ¡°Well, these two resigned three months ago! They¡¯re not in the company at the moment!¡±


    I never would have expected that Gu Yuanzhou had beat me to the punch.


    But I guess I didn¡¯t make the trip for nothing.


    ¡°Then I hate to trouble you, but I would like to know their contact information as well as their home address, I¡¯ll go ask around their home.¡±


    ¡°No problem!¡±


    Song Shixiong called over the human resources manager, asking them to write down both men¡¯s phone numbers and home addresses for me.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Song!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, if you have any further information, feel free to contact me anytime. Also, leave your contact information with me, so if I ever get any information about these two men, I can inform you.¡±


    I was really grateful for Song Shixiong¡¯s assistance, so I quickly jotted down my phone number for him.


    Suddenly, a secretary brought a man in,


    ¡°Chairman, this gentleman is looking for you!¡±


    I was nearly startled out of my wits when I saw who it was, it was him!!

 Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Breaking Up_1

    Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Breaking Up_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I never expected that Ding Yinuo would come up so directly.


    I was truly afraid that this man would wreck my plans.


    I was stumped for a moment, and quickly glanced in his direction.


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    Song Shixiong asked.


    Ding Yinuo seemed to want to say something to Song Shixiong.


    But once he saw me.


    Before he could speak, the female secretary said,


    ¡°This is Dr. Ding from the municipal hospital, who says he came for Madam Song?¡±


    It was then that Ding Yinuo seized this opportunity.


    ¡°Mr. Song, I want to talk to you about your wife¡¯s condition, do you have time now?¡±


    While speaking to Song Shixiong, Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes were fixed on me¡­.


    Song Shixiong asked,


    ¡°Does she have any problems?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that some recent medications need your signature! As you know, using some imported medications can be quite expensive! We just can¡¯t use them without a family member signing off.¡±


    ¡°What kind of medicine, let me have a look!¡±


    ¡°Here you go, I made a list for you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo really did come prepared, even bringing the hospital¡¯s medication list over.


    Song Shixiong read through it one by one,


    ¡°Is it expensive?¡±


    ¡°These two types cost more than seven thousand per dose, and it¡¯s out of pocket, but they are very effective!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t ordinary medications work?¡±


    ¡°Common domestic drugs can be used, but the effectiveness might not be the same!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just use the domestic ones then! I don¡¯t trust imported drugs, those Americans are not trustworthy, who knows what harmful substances they mix in the drugs, in short, I don¡¯t trust foreign-made drugs.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll continue with the domestic ones¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything else?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s all! Then I shall not disturb you further, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±


    Ding Yinuo decisively finished the matter quickly and then walked out.


    Just as I finished my business too, I followed him out, one after another into the elevator.


    Only the two of us were in the elevator, I glared at him,


    ¡°Did you specifically come here to see Song Shixiong just for this trifling issue?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because I don¡¯t trust you? I originally didn¡¯t plan to come up, but just now in the car park, I saw Gu Yuanzhou. Worried that you would get into trouble, I came up to check.¡±


    ¡°Cut, your excuse is too sloppy. Such a small issue could have been resolved with a phone call, yet you let the lead doctor run all the way here? Even though he is fooled for now, with a second thought he would feel something is off.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was straightforward,


    ¡°The only person who should feel something is not right is him, his wife has been hospitalized for so long, yet he hasn¡¯t visited her once, and he still owes a pile of medical fees.¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief,


    ¡°How could that be possible? My uncle loves my aunt very much, how could he not go see her?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t answer that question for you, if you don¡¯t believe it, you can ask your aunt herself the next time you visit the hospital.¡±


    After we left Huaxin Group, Ding Yinuo and I walked together to the parking lot.


    ¡°Where to now?¡±


    Ding Yinuo asked.


    ¡°We split up, you go find Damaha, I¡¯ll go find Little Juanmao¡­¡±


    I handed him the address.


    Ding Yinuo took the address, turned around and glanced back at his office building.


    He suddenly changed the subject.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡±


    ¡°Song Shixiong is a difficult man! His methods, we have all seen it in our previous generation. Whatever goal he aims to achieve, he usually doesn¡¯t stop until he reaches it.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, my uncle was very domineering when he was young.¡±


    ¡°But, after his niece died, he surprisingly hasn¡¯t caused any trouble for Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    Ding Yinuo appeared somewhat disappointed.


    From his expression, it seemed that he originally thought there would be major drama to watch.


    I rolled my eyes at him,


    ¡°You thought he didn¡¯t stir up any trouble? Last time, I personally witnessed Song Shixiong throwing a fit at Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s company.¡±


    Ding Yinuo shook his head, ¡°That doesn¡¯t count!¡±


    ¡°How does it not count?¡±


    Ding Yinuo scoffed at me right there and then,


    ¡°If he wants to deal with someone, he would make sure they are ruined, not just throwing a fit.¡±


    ¡°Song Shixiong is not that bad, okay?¡±


    ¡°Pfft, you¡¯re too naive!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my uncle, don¡¯t I know him better?¡±


    Ding Yinuo immediately countered,


    ¡°What about Gu Yuanzhou, your husband! And yet¡­he still left you to die without a place to be buried.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was actually telling the truth, but at this moment I, listening to his words, felt as if he was mocking me.


    Furthermore, he didn¡¯t seem to notice my discomfort and continued talking.


    ¡°You¡¯re just too naive, too trusting of people! You got a second chance at life, yet you haven¡¯t learned any lessons at all?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ding Yinuo, I don¡¯t need you telling me how to live. I¡¯m not stupid.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve said all that I need to say! Song Shixiong is definitely hiding something, you either accept it or don¡¯t!¡±


    His words were a bit harsh, and his attitude was domineering.


    I stopped talking and simply stared at him in silence.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, don¡¯t forget, you were one of the people who cornered me too! Between you, my uncle, and Gu Yuanzhou, how could I possibly choose to trust you?¡±


    Indeed, when I was still Song Yun, from a young age, this guy had set countless obstacles for me.


    Had it not been for him, Zhenyi Company¡¯s prospects would have been much better than it is now.


    One was my uncle who has taken care of me since I was little.


    The other was my deeply loved husband¡­.


    Who to trust and who not to trust is incredibly clear.


    Ding Yinuo seemed taken aback by my words, his eyes revealing a touch of surprise.


    ¡°Fine, I was meddling too much! My hand was way too long! It¡¯s your Song family¡¯s business, what does it have to do with me? If you want to jump into a pit of fire, it¡¯s your issue!¡±


    After saying that, Ding Yinuo got in his car, stepped on the gas and drove off.


    I stood there in stunned silence.


    Actually, I only got angry after a few minutes, after calming down, I turned around and took another look at the sign for Huaxin Group.


    This huge golden sign, I watched it grow up.


    I remember when I was little standing underneath this sign, watching the big sign shimmer in the sunlight, brilliant and dazzling.


    But for some reason now.


    The sign seemed to have rust stains around it, as if the exterior has never been recoated with golden paint, making it look somewhat dilapidated and bleak.


    What on earth happened to Huaxin Group that Song Shixiong couldn¡¯t even take care of his own sign?


    I again thought of Song Shixiong¡¯s insistence on splitting the inheritance when we went to Zhenyi Company, and Wu Lijuan¡¯s hospitalization, even too poor to afford imported medicine.


    Could it be that Huaxin Group is really in trouble now?


    A few minutes later, I drove my BMW away from Huaxin Group. Just as I entered the road, a Lamborghini pulled up.


    Ding Yinuo looked at me from his car window,


    ¡°Let¡¯s proceed together, you can¡¯t handle it on your own!¡±


    My temper was just as stubborn, once I¡¯ve made up my mind, I naturally would not compromise.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, is today the first day you met me?¡±


    ¡°Are you really not afraid of death?¡±


    ¡°None of your business!¡±


    ¡°Fine, just don¡¯t start crying in front of me later.¡±


    Ding Yinuo stepped on the gas and sped away.


    I slowed down my speed, readjusted my direction, and drove towards Little Juanmao¡¯s home.


    Half an hour later, when I parked my car in a parking lot opposite Little Juanmao¡¯s home, I saw a familiar face.

 Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Hurt by Love _1

    Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Hurt by Love _1


    Translator: 549690339


    It was a man wearing glasses, who was hidden between several cars, his camera aiming at something across the street.


    ¡°Shen Yishu?¡±


    I called out softly.


    He made a gesture for me to be quiet, then pointed across the street.


    I abandoned my plan to get out of the car and looked out through the window.


    And spotted a familiar figure.


    The man was tall and thin, dressed in a black trench coat. The high collar of his coat concealed his resolute face.


    He wore sunglasses and a black mask.


    Even from a distance, this man emanated a strong aura.


    Having been married to him for more than a decade, I recognized it immediately, no matter how well it was disguised.


    That man was Gu Yuanzhou.


    He was talking to a short man with a head full of curly hair.


    The curly-haired man seemed to hold him in great respect, nodding slightly as he listened to whatever he was saying.


    I guessed that Gu Yuanzhou had just learned the address of Little Curly Hair from Song Shixiong and rushed over immediately.


    The two men talked for about ten minutes.


    Then, Gu Yuanzhou drove off.


    After Gu Yuanzhou left, Shen Yishu got into the car.


    ¡°How long was Gu Yuanzhou here?¡±


    Shen Yishu was fiddling with his camera.


    ¡°Not long, he arrived just three minutes before you did.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yishu, how did you know that Little Curly Hair lived here?¡±


    ¡°Remember I told you that a company was willing to sponsor me to continue tracking Gu Yuanzhou? They send me any information they gather as soon as they get it, so I came.¡±


    What Shen Yishu said startled me.


    Were there others who knew about Damaha and Little Curly Hair ahead of me and Ding Yinuo?


    On second thought, it could be an informant from the police.


    ¡°Yishu, is it because of Ye Mengyan that you¡­ still can¡¯t let go of Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Shen Yishu¡¯s face showed a glimpse of desolation.


    His lips trembled slightly and his eyes dimmed.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I knew four years ago. Although she didn¡¯t disclose it, when she was with me, she always seemed distracted. Sometimes, I would give her flowers, a birthday cake on her birthday. She took pictures and posted them in her circle of friends, but the pictures always left me out, showing only the flowers and the birthday cake. And sometimes, she would post romantic poems, then block me¡­ Haha, I¡¯m not a fool, I could feel it.¡±


    Grief filled Shen Yishu¡¯s words.


    ¡°The saddest part is, I clearly felt that she didn¡¯t care much about me. But I wouldn¡¯t accept reality, I refused to believe. I kept fooling myself, telling myself I must not be good enough. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t pay much attention to me! Once I become good enough, she will care about me.¡±


    I remained silent.


    If Shen Yishu is a fool, then I am even more so.


    From childhood, my aunt always said I was the smartest person in the family.


    She praised me for being smart, emotionally intelligent, good at studying, and having a keen eye in business.


    But still, I lost to Gu Yuanzhou.


    What¡¯s more terrifying is, until now, I still can¡¯t figure out if I really lost to Gu Yuanzhou.


    I¡¯m such a clever person, but still can¡¯t match up to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Losing to Gu Yuanzhou is not a disgrace!¡±


    It¡¯s normal to lose when the competitor is too strong.


    I said to Shen Yishu.


    Shen Yishu gave a bitter smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out now! Tracking him is not about revenge. I just feel this is a hot spot, there must be a huge conspiracy behind it, that¡¯s my intuition as a journalist.¡±


    ¡°Good, since you¡¯re so determined, I wish you success!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, since you clearly know how dangerous Gu Yuanzhou is, why do you still choose to work for him?¡±


    Shen Yishu didn¡¯t know that I had been reborn.


    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t tell him.


    ¡°Sometimes, risks and opportunities coexist. But now, I have to go talk to Little Curly Hair!¡±


    ¡°OK!¡±


    When I got out of the car, Shen Yishu was still fiddling with his camera, and out of curiosity, I asked him again.


    ¡°Standing so far away, what¡¯s the point of recording the meeting between Gu Yuanzhou and Little Curly Hair?¡±


    Shen Yishu replied,


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s quite far, and I can¡¯t hear what they were saying. But I¡¯m studying lip-reading, hoping to figure out their conversation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, let me know if you manage to figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I closed the car door and walked across the road.


    Just then, my cellphone rang.


    I took it out of my bag and saw it was Ding Yinuo calling.


    I guessed he probably wanted to check on my progress.


    But I was already at Little Curly Hair¡¯s doorstep and decided I would reply to him after my conversation with Little Curly Hair.


    Or maybe I was still holding a grudge, so I rejected the call without answering.


    Perhaps because Gu Yuanzhou had just left, the front door was not locked, so I walked straight in.


    Little Curly Hair was packing up. He was surprised when he saw me.


    He then asked,


    ¡°Who are you? How did you barge into my house?¡±


    Little Curly Hair was avoiding my gaze and seemed very alert, his hand immediately reached for the door.


    ¡°I want to talk to you about something, don¡¯t panic¡­ Who I am is not important, I just want to discuss a deal with you.¡±


    I had some understanding of the backgrounds of Damaha and Little Curly Hair.


    In the past, demanding high-interest loans was a risky job. Getting the debt back from defaulters was not easy.


    So, employers would often hire some real tough guys. These people were mostly from the lower class and would do anything for money due to poverty.


    And Damaha and Little Curly Hair were exactly like that¡­


    So, talking about money with people like them is the most effective way!


    I finshed speaking quickly, then took out an envelope from my bag that was bulging with money.


    ¡°This is my sincerity. If we have a good talk, the rest¡­ there¡¯s still three hundred thousand!¡±


    Little Curly Hair opened the envelope and counted the money inside. He seemed satisfied, then looked out the door and closed it.


    ¡°Go on, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°I want the truth! The arson case at Golden Bay, who ordered you guys to do it!¡±


    Little Curly Hair seemed unprepared for my question, he was very nervous, got up and walked to the window to look outside again.


    Then he came back over to me,


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me! Wu Jun has confessed!¡±


    At those words, Little Curly Hair became even more unsettled.


    ¡°Wu Jun is lying!¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re not sincere at all! Forget it!¡±


    I turned to leave, but Little Curly Hair pulled me back. Apparently, he was interested in that large sum of money.


    ¡°It really wasn¡¯t me, but I know who did it!¡±


    Just as I was confronting Little Curly Hair, my cell phone rang again.


    I took it out and saw it was Ding Yinuo¡¯s number again. What was so urgent that he kept calling me?

 Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85 Seeking the Truth in Danger_1

    Chapter 85: Chapter 85 Seeking the Truth in Danger_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Little Juanmao stared nervously at my phone.


    ¡°Your companion?¡±


    I immediately hung up the call.


    ¡°Yes, my partner is right across in the car park. Don¡¯t worry, as long as you don¡¯t do anything reckless, he won¡¯t rush over.¡±


    After all, I¡¯m a woman, I had to leave myself an escape route in case Little Juanmao had some wicked thoughts and tried to hurt me.


    After hearing what I said, Little Juanmao ran towards the window, moved the curtain, and peeked outside.


    He seemed to have noticed Shen Yishu parking in the car park, and then he returned to the couch.


    Little Juanmao reminded me again,


    ¡°Turn off your cell phone! I don¡¯t want you recording.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll turn it off!¡±


    Little Juanmao is more cautious than I expected.


    He watched me turn off my cell phone.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t do it, what are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand how powerful our boss is! If he finds out, he¡¯ll kill us.¡±


    ¡°Is your boss Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    I was rather impatient, so I asked directly.


    At these words, Little Juanmao became cautious, and he asked on the spot,


    ¡°How do you know about Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    It¡¯s normal for him to question me since Song Xiaoyun is a stranger to him.


    I calmly said,


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. I¡¯m paying you for information!¡±


    I have to say, money sure comes in handy.


    Little Juanmao sat on the couch, covering his head with his hands, and soon he began to spill the beans.


    ¡°The arson case, it was done by my friend!¡±


    ¡°Damaha?¡±


    I asked directly.


    He didn¡¯t deny it but gave a nod,


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s him! He was supposed to be a good buddy of mine, I shouldn¡¯t betray him. But now his cover is blown, we can¡¯t stay in this country for long.¡±


    Hearing this, I breathed quickly, after a long time of investigating, I finally found the answer.


    ¡°Why did he do such things?¡±


    I grabbed Little Juanmao¡¯s arm.


    Little Juanmao shook his head,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Damaha and I were good buddies, we used to work together at Huaxin! But after we resigned, I started delivering food for a living. I was very busy, and he would only occasionally come to drink with me¡­¡±


    ¡°So how did you know he set the fire?¡±


    After I asked, Little Juanmao became silent again.


    I immediately called Wenya to borrow fifty thousand yuan, and transferred it on the spot to Little Juanmao.


    ¡°Keep talking!¡±


    Upon seeing the money, Little Juanmao perked up instantly. He even got a bottle of water for me.


    ¡°Miss, take a seat!¡±


    I heeded his advice and sat down, clutching the water bottle tightly. But I didn¡¯t open it to drink.


    After all, this guy is not decent, and I wouldn¡¯t drink water offered by a stranger.


    Little Juanmao seemed unstable.


    His cell phone suddenly rang, he picked up the call, and argued with the person on the other line for quite a while.


    After he finished arguing, he threw the phone aside.


    ¡°Damn it, I quit!¡±


    It seemed to Little Juanmao that the three hundred thousand yuan was waving at him.


    Indeed, this money would be enough to allow him to lounge around comfortably for several years.


    He took off his delivery jacket and threw it aside. Then he sat down, lit up a cigarette, and began to elaborate in a calmer voice.


    ¡°Last month, Damaha came to see me for a drink, and he got drunk and cried for a long time. He said¡­ he had done a terrible thing. He said he was short of money and so he decided to steal some valuable items from a rich family. He carefully planned everything, pretended to be a repairman, and broke into the house when the child was having a birthday party. After entering the house, during the theft, a child noticed him¡­ He was afraid that the child would call the police, so he immediately covered the child¡¯s mouth and nose. To his surprise, he used too much force and killed the child. In order to cover up his wrongdoings, he decided to release a great deal of gas from the stove, and then set it on fire¡­¡±


    Little Juanmao¡¯s narrative was disjointed.


    I was left astonished and shaken by his words.


    Because for me, each detail is an agonizing pain, like a dull knife stabbing in my heart.


    Every time I hear about the details of the arson case in Golden Bay,


    This pain reawakens in my heart.


    It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve been through hell once again.


    This painful feeling made it impossible for me to think clearly for a while.


    To avoid losing my composure in front of Little Juanmao, I decided to leave ahead of time.


    Just as I was about to leave, Little Juanmao asked,


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you everything, when will you give me the rest of the money?¡±


    I glanced at him impassively,


    ¡°Remember what you said! Tell all this to the judge in court, and you¡¯ll get the rest of your money.¡±


    Feeling as though he¡¯d been tricked, Little Juanmao immediately stepped in front of me.


    ¡°No way, I won¡¯t appear in court. If I testify, I¡¯ll be betraying my friend. Damaha would kill me if he knew.¡±


    I was furious,


    ¡°What sort of friend is he? A fugitive who has the blood of three people on his hands, do you still dare to consider him as your sworn brother? Aren¡¯t you afraid that one day his knife will be pointed at your head?¡±


    Little Juanmao was taken aback. During the moment when his mind wandered, I managed to break free.


    Realizing the risks of making a deal with such a person, I hastily ran towards the opposite side of the road.


    He seemed to chase after me, but at this time Shen Yishu, noticing my danger, immediately rushed over from his car.


    He sprinted over to me in a few strides,


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    I looked back at Little Juanmao.


    Little Juanmao stared at me with a dark look in his eyes for a long time, before he stepped back.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s get in the car.¡±


    Once in the car, I immediately started the engine and sped away from the scene with Shen Yishu.


    The car was over the speed limit all the way¡­


    It wasn¡¯t until we reached a deserted place in the suburbs that I hit the brakes hard, then jumped out of the car and ran.


    I stood on a nearby embankment, desperately taking deep breaths. I felt my heart pounding violently and I felt suffocated¡­ it was an unbearable feeling¡­


    ¡°Xiaoyun, what happened?¡±


    Shen Yishu was worried about me and followed me.


    ¡°Uh, can we not talk about it?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I sat on the ground without uttering a word.


    It was like this from daytime until nightfall, and Shen Yishu, true to his word, did nothing but quietly sit by my side.


    As though he was the perfect guardian.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, you don¡¯t have to stay with me.¡±


    He gave me a shy smile, ¡°I¡¯m worried that some bad people might harass you. It¡¯s alright, I have nothing to do this afternoon anyway.¡±


    I nodded and organized my thoughts carefully.


    I found some holes in Little Juanmao¡¯s story.


    Did Damaha go to the villa in Golden Bay to steal?


    But clearly nothing valuable was lost at the scene¡­


    Besides, Damaha used to be under Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s commands. Even if he¡¯s stupid, he wouldn¡¯t steal from his boss¡¯s house, right?


    Although I have my doubts, it seems that this is the closest possible explanation to the truth so far.


    Because the scene of the accident matches with Little Juanmao¡¯s account.


    I turned my head to look at Shen Yishu,


    ¡°Could you call the police for me? We¡¯ve found the real culprit!¡±


    ¡°Really? Who is it?¡±


    I told Shen Yishu everything that Little Juanmao had revealed to me.


    After listening, Shen Yishu agreed with my viewpoint, so he immediately dialed the police.


    However, after making this call, he immediately turned to look at me, ¡°There¡¯s trouble!¡±

 Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Would You Be Sad If I Died_1

    Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Would You Be Sad If I Died_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    I had a bad feeling about this.


    ¡°I just called Xiaofeng. When I was a reporter, I had done an interview with the local police. I got to know Xiaofeng. He told me that there had been an accident. The police were on their way to apprehend Damaha when a blue Lamborghini collided with the motorcycle he was riding.¡±


    As Shen Yishu was talking, he opened up the news on his phone.


    ¡°It¡¯s already hit the news, look.¡±


    I was instantly filled with a sense of dread.


    A blue Lamborghini? Isn¡¯t that Ding Yinuo¡¯s car?


    Suddenly, I remembered Ding Yinuo had been calling me repeatedly earlier.


    I hurriedly pulled out my phone and dialed Ding Yinuo¡¯s number.


    The call went straight to voicemail.


    Then, I glanced at the image on the phone screen Shen Yishu had handed to me. It was a disaster scene that almost knocked me unconscious.


    The accident scene was completely chaotic.


    The Lamborghini was crashed into a cement pillar on the roadside. The car caught fire, twisted, and burning. Other than the blue frame, everything else was charred black.


    A large number of firefighters and police were present, battling the blaze.


    You could tell how devastating the accident was.


    Before I could recover from the shock, Wenya called me.


    ¡°Ayun, have you seen the news?! It seems like Ding Yinuo is dead!¡±


    I know Wenya can be straightforward and dramatic.


    She¡¯s always been like that, and I¡¯ve gotten used to it.


    But when I heard these words this time, I felt extremely panicked.


    It¡¯s strange. It felt as if Ding Yinuo were not my sworn enemy, but an old friend.


    More importantly, he seems to have encountered danger while dealing with my issues and I was feeling rather disturbed by it.


    ¡°Is he really dead? Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®sure¡¯? I saw it on the news. I¡¯m not sure, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you!¡±


    ¡°You scared me¡­ Can you find out for me which hospital he¡¯s in?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that, but I can help you find out. Wait a minute, I have a few connections in the hospital system.¡±


    Wenya is so nonchalant. If I didn¡¯t ask her, she would just stay in observer mode.


    I ended the call with Wenya and looked at Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Uh, I am going to head to the hospital now!¡±


    ¡°Alright then, you can do your thing. I can get off at the next intersection. There¡¯s plenty for me to write about for tomorrow¡¯s news.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After passing the crossroads, I dropped Shen Yishu off and then headed directly to Wenya¡¯s college.


    About ten minutes later, I picked up Wenya from college.


    Wenya, waving her phone around, said


    ¡°My friend said that the accident victim from the news is in the City¡¯s First Hospital. His condition is unknown, and his life is hanging in the balance.¡±


    ¡°City¡¯s First Hospital?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that where Ding Yinuo works?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, it¡¯s the best hospital in the city.¡±


    ¡°Alright, hold on tight!¡±


    I then accelerated.


    On the way, Wenya asked me about related situations, and I didn¡¯t hide anything. I told her everything.


    After hearing everything, Wenya gave me a thumbs up.


    Feigning surprise, she looked at me and asked, ¡°What do you think Ding Yinuo was fighting so hard for?¡±


    I parked the car and nudged her to get out, ¡°Why else? He obviously wants Gu Yuanzhou to be out of luck!¡±


    Wenya chuckled a couple of times.


    ¡°He has no grudge against Gu Yuanzhou, why would he want him to be unlucky?¡±


    Caught up by Wenya¡¯s question, I was startled.


    That is indeed strange.


    I¡¯m supposed to be Ding Yinuo¡¯s sworn enemy.


    He had been opposing Zhenyi Company all because of me.


    Back then, Gu Yuanzhou was my husband. And it was understandable that Gu Yuanzhou was indirectly targeted by him to get his revenge on me.


    But now, Gu Yuanzhou and I are adversaries, standing on the opposite sides.


    If Ding Yinuo still seeks revenge, he should join forces with Gu Yuanzhou against me.


    But why¡­ Why does he seem to despise Gu Yuanzhou so much lately?


    Something¡¯s not right!


    However, I was too emotionally distress at that moment to give it much thought.


    When I entered the hospital, Wenya first found her friend¡­


    ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good, he hit his head! He¡¯s currently in intensive care, it¡¯s horrendous.¡±


    ¡°Where is the intensive care unit?¡±


    ¡°On the seventh floor in the outpatient building, you need to take the second elevator on your left.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you!¡±


    Before Wenya even finished her thanks, I had already run up the stairs.


    Before I even reached the ICU, the image of Ding Yinuo¡¯s battered frame filled my mind.


    As soon as I got out of the elevator, I hurried toward the ICU with a fast pace.


    Perhaps I wasn¡¯t aware that the man in front of me had become so important to me.


    From a distance, I saw several cops stationed in front of the ICU. They questioned everyone who approached.


    It seemed the police were here to investigate the accident.


    If the police are to question me, who should I say I am in relation to Ding Yinuo?


    While I was thinking, a hand suddenly grabbed me from behind.


    Annoyed, I pushed it away.


    The hand reached out again with more force, dragging me into the evacuation route.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? Who are you? I don¡¯t know you. Why are you pulling me?¡±


    Before I could finish talking, I turned around and saw a familiar face.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was still wearing his doctor¡¯s coat, with only a bandage around his left wrist and few bruises on his face.


    Other than that, I couldn¡¯t see any other injuries.


    ¡°Are you okay? Wenya thought you were dead!!¡±


    Ding Yinuo smiled, ¡°Follow me; this is not the place to talk!¡±


    Ding Yinuo scanned the surroundings, then led me down the emergency route to the floor below, then we took the elevator to another building where doctors had offices.


    After entering his office, he carefully closed the door.


    ¡°So, when Wenya said I was dead, what did you think?¡±


    ¡°What could I have thought, I just wanted to know what happened!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not worried about me at all?¡±


    He sat on the desk with his arms crossed, gazing at me deeply. His deep eyes were like blooming peach blossoms.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what happened? Why was there an accident? Who¡¯s the person in the ICU?¡±


    I asked anxiously.


    ¡°Hmm, you still haven¡¯t answered my question.¡±


    ¡°What question?¡±


    At that moment, my mind was not on the same wavelength as Ding Yinuo. All I cared about was Damaha¡¯s condition.


    But Ding Yinuo seemed to be making light of the situation. He just looked at me and smiled lightly.


    ¡°When Wenya said I was dead, what did you think? Were you upset?¡±


    I was indeed stumped by his question.


    If I were to be honest, I would have been upset to learn that he had an accident. But, I didn¡¯t want him to know.


    ¡°Upset? Why should I be upset? You¡¯ve set so many traps for me over the years. Why on earth should I be upset?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s face darkened instantly.


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t upset, why were you rushing so much just now?¡±


    ¡°I was just¡­¡±

 Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Unexpected Result_1

    Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Unexpected Result_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I changed the direction of the conversation,


    ¡°I was concerned about Damaha¡¯s death!¡±


    Ding Yinuo became even angrier, gritting his teeth,


    ¡°You¡¯re actually worried about someone so insignificant?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean insignificant! He¡¯s a crucial figure in this case, playing a decisive role.¡±


    ¡°You really¡­have no sense of humanity!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®humanity¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been running errands for you, taking on such huge risks on your behalf, yet you¡¯re not even slightly grateful!¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed a little disgruntled.


    I stared at him for a long time,


    ¡°Are you certain that you¡¯re solely doing this to help me and not for personal gains?¡±


    Ding Yinuo fell silent.


    It seemed he was taken aback by my remark, so I continued,


    ¡°All you want to do is to watch Gu Yuanzhou fall, right? Otherwise, why would you help me?¡±


    Hearing this, Ding Yinuo merely sneered.


    Sadness surprisingly tinged his laughter.


    Was I hallucinating?


    Ding Yinuo quickly moved closer to me,


    ¡°Indeed, I had personal motives, but, you¡¯re not entirely correct!¡±


    ¡°So I didn¡¯t get it right? Then what are your actual intentions?¡±


    In response to my question, he stood before me, eyes wide open, simply staring at me.


    He stared for a long time¡­


    At last, he seemed to concede.


    ¡°Never mind! Let¡¯s drop this, sour grapes!¡±


    ¡°Tell me about the situation at that time?¡±


    Ding Yinuo vaguely recalled,


    ¡°I went to the address you gave me. It was rather difficult to find actually, since it wasn¡¯t his own home but a rented place. The guy didn¡¯t seem like someone with a steady job, his place was a complete mess.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, people from the lower levels of society are like that. Little Juanmao is no different!¡±


    Ding Yinuo continued,


    ¡°The guy probably had a guilty conscience. As soon as I arrived at his place, before I could even explain myself, I just mentioned that I wanted to talk. He asked me to wait for a bit. I waited by the door for a few minutes, then I heard the sound of a motorcycle. I turned around to see him running out from another door into the yard, then he rode off on his motorcycle. I then got into my car to chase him and at a crossroad, he crashed into a cement pillar in his haste¡­¡±


    ¡°What about you? How did your car flip over?¡±


    ¡°I swerved left to avoid him but I couldn¡¯t brake in time. Fortunately, I¡¯m fine, but the car is completely wrecked.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was surprisingly calm, as if the previously harrowing scene was just an ordinary event.


    I remained silent for a long time,


    ¡°I¡¯ll compensate you for the car in the future!¡±


    Ding Yinuo gave me a contemptuous look but said nothing.


    ¡°What, didn¡¯t you just say you suffered losses for my sake? I¡¯m compensating you for your losses, as a reparation!¡±


    ¡°Stop making empty promises, I know you don¡¯t have the money!¡±


    ¡°Just because I don¡¯t have money now does not mean I won¡¯t have it in the future!¡±


    ¡°Given the price of this sports car, I really don¡¯t think you can afford it!¡±


    ¡°Heh, Ding Yinuo, we¡¯ve known each other for quite some time. You should be aware of my capabilities! Given my abilities, replicating my past success is just a matter of time.¡±


    Ding Yinuo shook his head,


    ¡°Building a successful company relies on timing, geographical convenience, and harmonious relations with people! You were successful back then because you had your uncle and Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s support. Now, you¡¯re starting from scratch, without a funding chain. Moreover, the current economy is drastically different from back then, competition is fierce. Trying to achieve success in the same way as before is almost impossible.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, you don¡¯t understand me well enough!¡±


    ¡°You could take another route, money isn¡¯t the only option!¡±


    Perhaps Ding Yinuo realized that I genuinely didn¡¯t have the money and didn¡¯t have the patience to wait, so he came up with another solution.


    I immediately grasped his insinuation,


    ¡°Alright, I know what to do!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes lit up, he drew closer,


    ¡°You¡¯re sure you know what to do?¡±


    Feeling the heat of Ding Yinuo¡¯s gaze, I nodded, ¡°It¡¯s about drugging him, right? If I can confirm that Gu Yuanzhou is involved, I¡¯ll make sure to poison him immediately, not giving him a chance to live!¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed somewhat disappointed, as if my answer was not what he wanted.


    Nevertheless, I can¡¯t figure out this man¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°What, you¡¯re not satisfied?¡±


    ¡°Never mind, do as you please! Just remember, be smarter, don¡¯t let him catch you off guard. By the way, has Little Juanmao confessed anything?¡±


    I briefly narrated my experience with Little Juanmao.


    I also mentioned that Little Juanmao confessed that it was Damaha who committed the crime.


    After listening, Ding Yinuo remained silent for a long time,


    ¡°No wonder Damaha was desperately running away, he really did commit the crime.¡±


    ¡°So the person in the ICU is Damaha?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Are his injuries serious?¡±


    ¡°Mainly, it¡¯s a head injury!¡±


    ¡°It seems all we can do now is wait for him to wake up.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I chatted with Ding Yinuo for a while longer, asking him about his condition.


    He said he was fine¡­


    He also mentioned that the police had contacted him already, it was simply a traffic accident and wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble.


    Ding Yinuo suddenly changed the topic,


    ¡°If Damaha does wake up and confirms that his actions were solely due to theft¡­meaning Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t involved in this situation at all, what will you do?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®what will I do¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Will you try to reconcile with him?¡±


    I understood Ding Yinuo¡¯s confusion.


    After all, my anger currently stemmed from the belief that Gu Yuanzhou had orchestrated my and my children¡¯s tragic circumstances.


    If one day, I discover he isn¡¯t the true culprit and had no direct involvement, will I still harbor hatred for him?


    After contemplating for a while, I finally shook my head, ¡°Regardless if it was him or not, I won¡¯t forgive him!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, even if it wasn¡¯t him, Damaha was invited into the house by him. He¡¯s done so many bad things behind my back that I won¡¯t be able to trust him again. Secondly, he¡¯s been with Ye Mengyan for four years now, he betrayed me a long time ago. How could I forgive him?¡±


    Ding Yinuo breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s a relief!¡±


    ¡°Why is it a relief?¡±


    ¡°I mean, you won¡¯t be deceived by him again and fall for his tricks a second time!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I may be unlucky, but I¡¯m not a fool.¡±


    Ding Yinuo chuckled,


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re not a fool!¡±


    ¡°Why are you smirking like that? Did I say something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all, you¡¯re right!¡±


    Before I knew it, I was arguing with Ding Yinuo.


    We teased and bickered, creating an unexpectedly harmonious atmosphere.


    Just then, my phone suddenly rang.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou calling¡­


    Quickly organizing my thoughts, I looked up to see Ding Yinuo also looking at me nervously.


    Was he worried about Gu Yuanzhou finding out as well?


    ¡°President Gu, is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°I saw you at the first city hospital just now, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    I really didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuanzhou to have seen me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure when he spotted me and how much he might have seen.

 Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Did He Die?_1

    Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Did He Die?_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I felt a pang of panic, but it quickly subsided into calmness.


    ¡°I was feeling some discomfort in my neck and came to the hospital for medicine¡­¡±


    The excuse was both fair and reasonable.


    It seemed like he was just asking out of courtesy and didn¡¯t press the issue. He then said,


    ¡°I¡¯m in the critical care unit, come over here!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    I hung up the phone and looked at Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo immediately protested,


    ¡°What does he want from you? Don¡¯t go there!¡±


    I looked at Ding Yinuo and started to laugh.


    ¡°Why are you laughing?¡±


    ¡°At you!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my asking you not to go?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed the problem? Gu Yuanzhou is my boss, and you¡¯re actually telling me not to meet him¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s what boss? Nothing but a jerk. You keeping too close to him is asking for trouble!¡±


    I didn¡¯t care much for Ding Yinuo¡¯s preachy attitude at this point.


    In fact, I had seen Damaha for myself.


    I also had lots of questions I wanted to ask him.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    Just as I was about to leave, Ding Yinuo grabbed my hand.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    From his expression, I could tell there was something unusual in his feelings for me.


    But he didn¡¯t say much, just looked deeply into my eyes before letting go of my hand.


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    When I hurriedly arrived at the Intensive Care Unit, I was surprised to bump into Shen Yishu.


    But Shen Yishu wasn¡¯t standing in the corridor. He was hiding by the emergency exit, peering towards something, as if trying to secretly capture something on video.


    Noticing me, he just nodded in acknowledgment.


    I spotted Gu Yuanzhou from far away and, without greeting Shen Yishu, I walked straight towards him.


    Gu Yuanzhou was on the phone. As I approached, I could only catch fragments of the conversation.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let him leave A City. Send more people to guard him so that if he dies, he dies here.¡±


    Who was he talking about?


    In my moment of confusion, Gu Yuanzhou had already ended the call.


    He turned to look at me, his gaze sweeping over my neck,


    ¡°Still hurting?¡±


    After a few seconds, I realised he was referring to my neck.


    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve already seen a doctor¡­¡±


    He nodded, his expression softening considerably.


    ¡°Wait here for a bit!¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou then entered the intensive care room, leaving me to wait outside.


    Several minutes later, he came back out.


    ¡°How is he doing?¡±


    I asked.


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me briefly but didn¡¯t respond to my question. Instead, he just said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, okay!¡±


    The driver took us back.


    Gu Yuanzhou sat in the back seat. He looked worn out, his fingers on his forehead as if he was deeply pondering something.


    That afternoon, once we returned to the office, he called Zhou Chenming in.


    For the rest of the afternoon, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t focus on company matters but discussed something with Zhou Chenming instead.


    Fearing that I might be suspicious of eavesdropping, I kept my distance.


    From afar, I sat in my small office cubicle, gently filing my nails with a nail clipper.


    I have never kept long nails before.


    Most of my time since marriage has been taken up by my child.


    Keeping long nails could hurt the baby and interfere with housework, so I¡¯ve never grown them out.


    In fact, after giving birth to my second child, I never really took the time to pamper myself.


    Women!


    Generally, after marriage, we dedicate ourselves to family and children.


    But in the end, what do we get?


    Abandonment, betrayal, and disconnect from the times?


    These are questions I often ponder when I calm down.


    Song Xiaoyun¡¯s hands are well maintained, white and delicate like the tips of spring onions. I polished my fingertips to perfect roundness, then applied red nail polish.


    I used to find red vulgar, but now I realize it¡¯s not. Red not only makes my hands look fairer, it also gives a hint of coquetry.


    After admiring my fingers, I get up and make two cups of tea for the office.


    The two men who were talking fell silent as soon as they saw me.


    Clearly, they didn¡¯t want me to know what they were discussing.


    I hurried out.


    Once I left the office and glanced back, the two men resumed their conversation.


    ¡°President Gu really values Lawyer Zhou, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    Someone around me exclaimed, I turned around and saw that the speaker was Xu Yun.


    Ever since Annie was fired, the working atmosphere in the company has improved a lot. Everyone is able to work earnestly.


    ¡°Yes! Lawyer Zhou has helped President Gu out numerous times.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Lawyer Zhou¡¯s sister was recently recruited into our company!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, you might not know because you¡¯ve been so busy! Our External Liaison Department recently hired a new manager named Zhou Jing. She replaced Annie. This Zhou Jing is Zhou Chenming¡¯s sister!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s she like?¡±


    I casually asked. Xu Yun said, ¡°She¡¯s okay, a hundred times better than Annie!¡±


    After chatting with Xu Yun for a bit, the discussion in the office ended.


    Zhou Chenming packed up his things and walked out.


    When he got to me, Zhou Chenming politely greeted me, ¡°Hello, Miss Song!¡±


    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Hello, Lawyer Zhou, by the way, has there been any progress with the Golden Bay case?¡±


    I deliberately probed Zhou Chenming because I wanted to know what he had been discussing with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Zhou Chenming laughed and said,


    ¡°Everything is progressing well, if all goes well, the case should be cracked within half a month.¡±


    His comment was as good as not saying anything, so I asked,


    ¡°I saw online that Wu Jun has implicated two other criminals. Has the police found any evidence?¡±


    Zhou Chenming shook his head, ¡°For now, I can¡¯t reveal too much. We should go by the news released by the police.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you for your hard work, Lawyer Zhou!¡±


    Seeing that I could not get any more information out of him, I politely exchanged a few words.


    He was about to leave, then suddenly turned back,


    ¡°By the way, my sister has joined Zhenyi. I hope you can look after her in the future.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll look out for each other!¡±


    ¡°Okay, goodbye!¡±


    Zhou Chenming didn¡¯t say much else and took the elevator.


    When I returned to the office to clean up the teacups, Gu Yuanzhou was standing in front of the window smoking, looking a bit gloomy.


    In the afternoon, instead of holding meetings, he knocked off early.


    When I got back to Maple Mansion, Ye Mengyan wasn¡¯t home yet.


    I called Wenya, intending to invite her out for dinner.


    To my surprise, as soon as I hung up, Gu Yuanzhou walked over.


    ¡°Uh, President Gu, I have something to do. I¡¯ll be leaving first!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere tonight!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve made plans to meet a friend for dinner!¡±


    ¡°Cancel it!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, this might not be appropriate, right?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to share a room with Gu Yuanzhou anymore¡­


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou suddenly pulled out a folded piece of paper from a book and unfolded it in front of me,


    ¡°Can you explain this?¡±


    Upon closer inspection, it was the several characters I wrote for Gu Yuanzhou the day before yesterday, signed with the words Song Yun.


    At that time, I realized my mistake and wanted to go back and find it, but it was gone.


    I didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuanzhou had kept it.


    At this moment, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hand was pointed at the two characters in the signature, repeatedly asking me,


    ¡°Why did you write this name?¡±

 Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Trapped in a Corner by Him Again _1

    Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Trapped in a Corner by Him Again _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou has deep, penetrating black eyes that seem to perceive everything. Whenever he directs his gaze at me, I can¡¯t shake the feeling that he¡¯s seeing through me.


    For a few fleeting seconds, I considered all the possible outcomes.


    In the end, I gave him an answer.


    ¡°Does this name¡­ make President Gu uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°The name you wrote is my deceased wife¡¯s! How do you expect me to feel?¡±


    The man radiates a powerful aura, his words filled with a sharp, cutting edge.


    Like a sword coming at me, carrying a sweeping martial airstream.


    I don¡¯t want to confront him head-on, so I ask cautiously,


    ¡°Does President Gu think my handwriting is good?¡±


    Hide-until-needed, this is my current strategy.


    After all, Damaha hasn¡¯t woken up, and I can¡¯t be sure if Gu Yuanzhou is indeed the culprit. I must remain patient and communicate with him skillfully.


    He glances briefly at the words I¡¯d written¡­


    ¡°Very well written!¡±


    ¡°Um, what¡¯s good about it?¡±


    ¡°The characters you¡¯ve written¡­ are exactly like my wife¡¯s handwriting, including these two names.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ can I take that as a compliment, President Gu?¡±


    President Gu takes out a stack of documents from a folder.


    He separates them into two piles.


    ¡°This one includes your previous job application and various reports. This stack contains the meeting minutes you¡¯ve recently written¡­¡±


    I feel a pang of anxiety in my heart. I hadn¡¯t anticipated that this man would start to become more suspicious of me, paying attention to even these minor details.


    Though shocked, I wouldn¡¯t expose myself until he struck first. So, I played dumb and continued asking.


    ¡°Did my business performance worsen or improve?¡±


    He stared at me for a few seconds,


    ¡°The handwriting is different. To be precise, since my wife¡¯s death, your handwriting has been exactly like hers.¡±


    I feel uneasy inside, ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡°So, can you explain to me why?¡±


    Ye Mengyan isn¡¯t here today.


    Only him and I are present, and you can distinctly feel a sense of pressure when we¡¯re alone together.


    Still, as a couple who had been together for over a decade, I could handle him calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always admired Mrs. Gu. I have been imitating her handwriting off the record, and it has become a habit.¡±


    I believe my answer was watertight.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t raise more questions after hearing my response.


    ¡°If Mr.Gu doesn¡¯t like it, I will stop.¡±


    In fact, this was my attempt to gauge his reaction.


    Changing someone¡¯s handwriting, which has evolved over decades, is difficult.


    Gu Yuanzhou looked deeply into my eyes, ¡°No, I like it!¡±


    I manage to squeeze out a smile,


    ¡°I was worried that I might offend you!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face remained calm, his eyes gazing deep into the dark distance,


    ¡°She was excellent, I love everything about her!¡±


    Upon hearing this, I sneered in my heart.


    If he thought so highly of his wife, why did he keep a mistress four years ago?


    Such hypocrisy.


    At this juncture, he was still pretending to be a devoted lover. Did he think I couldn¡¯t see through him?


    ¡°I think Mengyan won¡¯t be home tonight. Do you need me to reserve a table at a restaurant for you?¡±


    ¡°Okay, but¡­¡±


    His words were always succinct.


    As if he were utterly economical with his words.


    As I made a reservation for him at the restaurant, he went upstairs.


    Half an hour later, he leisurely descended the stairs.


    I quickly reported to him,


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve reserved a table at Binhai Restaurant!¡±


    Carrying his suit jacket in the crook of his arm and adjusting his shirt collar, he suddenly turned to me,


    ¡°The button on my suit has come loose, can you stitch it back for me?¡±


    I hesitated, ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m not great at sewing. Shall we send it to the dry cleaner instead?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s too late for that!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a try!¡±


    He handed over the suit to me.


    I didn¡¯t give it a second thought, and immediately fetched the sewing kit from the room.


    Having studied fashion design, I can create my own designs, drafting, cutting, and sewing. All the processes can be done by me, so stitching a button is no big deal.


    Different methods are used to sew buttons on different kinds of clothing, even suits and dress shirts are not the same¡­


    While I was attaching the button, Gu Yuanzhou stood by watching.


    I wasn¡¯t afraid he would notice anything.


    In a few minutes, I finished stitching the button. After cutting the thread, I handed the suit back to him.


    ¡°President Gu, check it out. How is it?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up the suit and inspected it carefully, ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s identical to the original.¡±


    ¡°Original?¡±


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s the same as when it came from the factory.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you flatter me, President Gu!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re also quite skilled. Did you learn this from my wife as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I learned a bit from her!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to believe me, he nodded, ¡°You¡¯re coming with me.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯d rather stay at home!¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve told you, you should remain by my side 24/7¡­¡±


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make sense for me to follow you if you¡¯re dining alone!¡±


    After adjusting his suit, Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me,


    ¡°I¡¯m meeting a friend too!¡±


    Another friend?


    As far as I know, while Gu Yuanzhou has a large social circle, very few are considered his friends.


    After ascending to the role of CEO at Zhenyi Company, he had many social engagements, almost daily parties and banquets.


    Talking, drinking, thriving¡­ but these people were only business partners, their relationships fueled by mutually beneficial transactions.


    I¡¯m well aware, and so is Gu Yuanzhou, these people can¡¯t be considered friends.


    And his only true friend is one person.


    What is his intention in meeting this friend now?


    Perhaps he has an ulterior motive, perhaps he¡¯ll reveal something when drunk, either way, it¡¯s something I want to know.


    I cheerily agreed, changed my coat, and got into his car with him.


    As always, just as I was about to sit in the back seat, he suddenly called out to stop me.


    ¡°Sit in the passenger seat!¡±


    I thought I was hearing things¡­


    So, in bewilderment, I resorted to rephrasing,


    ¡°President Gu, are you referring to the passenger seat?¡±


    Steadily clutching the steering wheel, he reiterated, ¡°Yes!¡±


    I still dared not sit there, so I decided to sit in the back seat again. Gu Yuanzhou seemed to lose patience.


    ¡°I asked you to sit in the passenger seat, didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Ah! Isn¡¯t that Mrs.Gu¡¯s seat? I think¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be right for me¡­¡±


    ¡°Just sit where I tell you to. Why are you making such a fuss?¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Although I didn¡¯t understand Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s intentions, I chose to comply.


    After all, for me, it doesn¡¯t matter where I sit. I am Mrs.Gu, and Mrs.Gu is me.


    After getting in the car, he didn¡¯t immediately start the engine. Instead, he suddenly turned towards me, leaning in my direction.

 Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 90 He Dug the Pit_1

    Chapter 90: Chapter 90 He Dug the Pit_1


    Translator: 549690339


    When his grand stature loomed over me, my heart harbored a bad feeling, almost fearing he might take advantage of me.


    For a split second, my mind raced with possibilities, and my hand unconsciously clung to my purse.


    I thought that if he dared lay a hand on me, I would slam him in the head with my bag.


    However, a few seconds later, he simply fastened my seatbelt for me and then started the car.


    I finally breathed a sigh of relief, realizing he had no such intentions.


    After all, having his own sweet young lover, why would he be interested in another woman?


    Gu Yuanzhou is a very calm man.


    His driving is steady, with impeccable manners on the road ¡ª never cuts lanes, overtakes, and always stays within the same lane until the very end.


    Thus, anytime he was at the wheel when traveling with me and the kid, never once did we have an accident.


    So, whenever he drove, I always felt safe enough to close my eyes and relax in his car.


    This time was no different.


    I fell asleep in the car.


    When I woke up, the car had already stopped.


    In the dimly lit space, Gu Yuanzhou was smoking, his eyebrows furrowed as if struggling with a heavy worry.


    Only then did I realize we had arrived at the parking lot of the Binhai Restaurant and quickly uttered an apology,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I overslept.¡±


    He didn¡¯t blame me but looked at me with a meaningful gaze,


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been sleeping well these days?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°There have been many things happening lately, exceeding my knowledge! Have you been sleeping well recently, President Gu?¡±


    I asked him back.


    Actually, although I was lucky to remain by his side, I never had a chance to see him in sleep.


    I wondered if he has nightmares?


    If he feels unease?


    Gu Yuanzhou did not hide, he directly gave me a three-word answer,


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep!¡±


    His voice was a bit hoarse, inadvertently revealing a hint of tiredness.


    Is he really not sleeping well?


    Is he afraid his secret affair will be uncovered?


    The lights outside the car window shined in, half of his face hidden in darkness, half of his face was highlighted by the light, making him look exceptionally gloomy.


    In the interplay of light and shadow, I suddenly felt this man was unfamiliar.


    I originally wanted to suggest, if you¡¯re not sleeping well, I can recommend a doctor.


    But his phone rang all of a sudden, he answered a call, and then said,


    ¡°Get out of the car, my friend is here!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    After Gu Yuanzhou left, my phone rang.


    I looked at it, it was a call from Wenya.


    ¡°Ayun, are you free? I want to talk to you!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, a little later! I have something to deal with now!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­..by the way, have you visited Ding Yinuo yet? Is he okay?¡±


    ¡°I did, he¡¯s fine! Just suffered some superficial injuries.¡±


    She suddenly asked, ¡°What do you think of Ding Yinuo as a person?¡±


    I walked into the restaurant while holding my phone,


    ¡°What, you¡¯re in love with him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious, can you not joke around?¡±


    I thought for a few seconds, actually, Yinuo and I have been acquainted since childhood.


    Although he always messed with me, his values and character were all upstanding.


    ¡°Wenya, if you¡¯re considering marriage, I think Yinuo is your best option. It would be more reliable marrying him than any other man.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, you think so highly of him?¡±


    ¡°Just stating the truth¡­why, are you interested in him?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s useless if I am, that bastard won¡¯t fall in love with me.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you asking me? Are you just messing with me?¡±


    ¡°No, no, a friend of mine likes him, I just wanted to inquire¡­¡±


    ¡°Your so-called meetup, is it because of this?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, contact me when you¡¯re free! It¡¯s something else, I was just asking casually about the Yinuo thing.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll be in touch later.¡±


    After hanging up the phone,


    I looked up to see Gu Yuanzhou standing in the private room, looking at me with a strange expression.


    ¡°What is it, President Gu?¡±


    ¡°Why did you order this?¡±


    I curiously walked into the private room and saw that there was not only a man in the room but also two young women.


    They were quite attractive, with fiery figures¡­


    Clearly, these two women were there to accompany the guests, and after a while, I remembered that when I booked the private room earlier,


    The front desk had asked if I needed any drinks service.


    At that time, I thought they were talking about beverages and didn¡¯t expect that two such services would also be included.


    Although I had ordered it by mistake, it seemed like this could also be an opportunity to test Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s love.


    ¡°Oh, President Gu, I heard that the drink companion service at this place is quite good, so I thought I should get you some dessert after drinking!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t seem appreciative of my good intentions.


    ¡°Send them away! Don¡¯t order this again!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t your friends need it?¡±


    ¡°No need!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t hesitate at all and directly refused.


    Well, perhaps, he genuinely loves Ye Mengyan, so these superficial women did not catch his eye at all.


    The two women were sent out¡­


    Only then did the food start to be served.


    Although the private room wasn¡¯t big, it was decorated very elegantly.


    Gu Yuanzhou removed his suit jacket and poured a drink for the man.


    I had met this man before; his name was Ayu, seemingly, an old friend of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s.


    They both came from lower-class backgrounds, but similarly worked their way up slowly.


    However, this Ayu seemed to have followed a nefarious path, previously opening casinos, KTVs, nightclubs¡­ He was wealthy, but exuded something ominous.


    Therefore, I used to vehemently oppose him hanging out with Ayu.


    Perhaps due to my opposition, Gu Yuanzhou rarely hung out with Ayu afterwards, probably not seeing him even once a year.


    Now, maybe because he was not hindered by his wife anymore, Gu Yuanzhou seemed somewhat unrestrained.


    Once seated, he started chatting and drinking with Ayu, reminiscing while drinking.


    I was originally sitting next to the table, merely playing the role of an assistant.


    Apart from keeping an eye on the food, I was engrossed in playing with my phone.


    However, I didn¡¯t know which nerve Ayu hit, he beckoned me over with his finger, ¡°Come, sit here!¡±


    I was confused, but still, I moved to sit opposite Ayu as he instructed.


    Ayu¡¯s scheming eyes scanned over me for a long time, and then he poured me a glass of red wine.


    ¡°Sister, how¡¯s it going, working for your President Gu?¡±


    I turned my head and glanced at Gu Yuanzhou.


    After a few drinks, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s cheeks were tinged with a faint red.


    Regarding Ayu¡¯s actions, he seemed quite indifferent, as if he did not intend to take a stand for me.


    ¡°Um, President Gu is very nice, I think there¡¯s a lot of potential working with him!¡±


    ¡°What do you think about him as a person?¡±


    Ayu¡¯s leading questions, I couldn¡¯t guess his intention.


    I smiled, played dumb, ¡°Do you even need to ask? President Gu¡¯s capabilities are among the top in the city. Additionally, he¡¯s responsible, family-oriented, affable, I think he¡¯s excellent.¡±


    Ayu nodded, giving a thumbs up, ¡°Then, if I were to make a request, and you need to sacrifice something for your President Gu, would you be willing?¡±

 Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 91 He Must Have Done It On Purpose _1

    Chapter 91: Chapter 91 He Must Have Done It On Purpose _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Somehow, I had the faintest of forebodings, feeling that Ayu had a tough challenge for me.


    Years of experience told me that whenever a man started to find you interesting at a drinks table, he was sure to set traps for you next.


    Under normal circumstances, I would definitely reject such a proposition.


    But today, Gu Yuanzhou was present.


    And, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t stop it, perhaps everything was orchestrated by him.


    So, I fell right into his trap¡­


    After all, to them, I was still just a newbie at the workplace and it would be strange if I appeared too worldly too soon.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m willing!¡±


    ¡°Well then, drink this cup of liquor for your President Gu first!¡±


    ¡°Um? Why should he drink this glass of wine?¡±


    ¡°Him! He broke his promise! In the past four years, he¡¯s stood me up ten times. Each time he stood me up equals a glass of liquor. So, he has to drink ten glasses tonight!¡±


    I turned my head to look at Gu Yuanzhou again.


    ¡°President Gu, is this true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t hide anything and admitted it outright.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll drink!¡±


    Like all newbies in the workplace, I obediently drained the entire glass of grape wine.


    Ayu clapped and then poured me another glass,


    ¡°Not bad, girl. You can hold your liquor. Come, drink another glass!¡±


    This time, I was not naive, I smiled and said,


    ¡°Sure! But it¡¯s not fun for me to keep drinking alone. How about I join you for a drink instead!¡±


    I lifted my glass first, clinking it with his.


    Ayu was very straightforward, he picked up his glass and drained it.


    ¡°Your turn!¡±


    I didn¡¯t refuse and directly drank the whole glass.


    After downing two glasses, I felt a little tipsy.


    Ayu filled my glass once more,


    ¡°Come on, keep drinking!¡±


    However, just as I picked up this glass of red wine, Gu Yuanzhou reached over and took it away.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, don¡¯t drink anymore! You¡¯ll get drunk if you continue!¡±


    Ayu pointed at Gu Yuanzhou and laughed,


    ¡°Are you being overly protective?¡±


    ¡°Let me drink for her!¡±


    In the end, Gu Yuanzhou drank that glass of red wine himself.


    I sat for a while, then I said to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m feeling a bit dizzy, so how about I lie down on the couch for a while? Call me when you¡¯re ready to go.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    In truth, even though I was slightly intoxicated now, my mind was still clear.


    I merely pretended to be drunk to divert their attention and lower their guard.


    After laying down on the couch, I covered my face with a blanket.


    Meanwhile, Agu and Gu Yuanzhou continued drinking¡­


    The two carried on their conversation on many matters.


    Perhaps because I was a bit far from them, waves of drowsiness hit me, making me want to sleep.


    But just then, I heard something shocking that instantly sobered me up.


    ¡°When you have time, can you help me deal with someone? Do it cleanly!¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re asking, how can I refuse?¡±


    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s him!¡±


    I glanced through the gap in my blanket and saw Gu Yuanzhou sending a document to Ayu¡¯s phone.


    Ayu took a glance,


    ¡°No big deal! I assure worry-free in three days.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal once it¡¯s done!¡±


    ¡°What meal? I fancy this girl. How about you leave her to me?¡±


    ¡°Get lost! Don¡¯t even think about it!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou flatly rejected him.


    Ayu chuckled,


    ¡°They say don¡¯t shit where you eat. Are you breaking this rule?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap, in any case, you can¡¯t touch her!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I definitely won¡¯t touch someone you care for. That¡¯s enough for me, I¡¯m full and I¡¯ve had my fill to drink. I¡¯ve got to go!¡±


    Listening to this, my heart gave a jump.


    Did Gu Yuanzhou want to get rid of Shen Yishu?


    He had told me before that he would not allow Ye Mengyan to be with Shen Yishu.


    Could it be that he was trying to separate them in this way?


    Before I could figure it out, Gu Yuanzhou walked over and patted me on the shoulder,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, wake up, we need to go home!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    I didn¡¯t pretend to be asleep anymore, and quickly sat up.


    At this time, Gu Yuanzhou seemed quite drunk, his cheeks flushed red, even his eyes were red.


    I quickly paid the bill and walked out with him.


    He seemed very steady, but when going downstairs, he wobbled and almost fell. I rushed forward to support him.


    ¡°President Gu, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just¡­ drank five or six cups, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    But, from the tone of his speech, it was clear that he was drunk.


    I opened the car door,


    ¡°President Gu, you sit in the back, I¡¯ll call a driver!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was still a very calm man, he wouldn¡¯t act rash at such times.


    It seemed that he was indeed drunk, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t let me call a driver.


    About ten minutes later, the driver came and then we drove home.


    Half an hour later, we returned to Maple Mansion, but Ye Mengyan was still not back.


    I turned on the light and helped Gu Yuanzhou to his bedroom.


    Just as we reached the bed, he lost his balance and fell, while I was holding him.


    Being petite, I was pressed under him.


    And, he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of moving, instead, he tightly hugged me.


    I tried to push him away.


    But he, with a swoop of drunken courage, clung to me, resting his head on my chest.


    Just like the sweet times after our wedding.


    He seemed to be immersed in the past, eyes closed, calling my name over and over,


    ¡°Ayun! Ayun!¡±


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t distinguish between reality and fantasy.


    After a long time, I calmed down, pushed him away forcefully,


    ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re drunk!¡±


    Perhaps I exerted too much force, and he was pushed to roll over.


    ¡°President Gu, Gu Yuanzhou¡­¡±


    I originally wanted to let him move a bit, and help him take off his shoes, but he didn¡¯t respond.


    After a while, he called out, ¡°Water!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    I quickly went upstairs to get some water.


    At this point, Gu Yuanzhou still looked flushed, his eyes deep locked, it seemed he was thoroughly drunk.


    I was startled, this seems to be a good opportunity.


    If I put the medicine Ding Yinuo gave me into this glass of water, and then have Gu Yuanzhou drink it, my lingering grudge and resentment would be avenged.


    However¡­


    What troubled me was, I still didn¡¯t have definite evidence to prove that Gu Yuanzhou was the culprit.


    Especially when Little Juanmao confessed that it was Damaha who killed for the sake of greed, it doesn¡¯t seem to be related to Gu Yuanzhou.


    What if I wrongfully kill him?


    As I went to reach for the bottle of medicine in my bag, I hesitated again.


    At this point, Gu Yuanzhou suddenly grabbed my clothes. I lost my balance and fell on the bed, and he took the opportunity to hug me from behind.


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t leave!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, have you ever cared about Ayun?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my wife, why wouldn¡¯t I care about her?¡±


    ¡°If you really cared about her, why did you want to kill her?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, how could I hurt her¡­I love her so much¡­¡±


    He seemed to be thoroughly drunk, and his words came out slurred and unclear.


    I tried to push him away, but couldn¡¯t break free¡­After who knows how long, suddenly footsteps approached.


    Then someone walked in.


    It was Ye Mengyan.


    She went into a shock seeing Gu Yuanzhou laying down on the bed, holding me.

 Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Her Little Conspiracy_1

    Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Her Little Conspiracy_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I saw disappointment and pain in Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes.


    She stood there motionless, staring at us for a few seconds.


    It was then that I realized that she must have misconstrued my relationship with Gu Yuanzhou. To the naked eye, I was lying in bed with Gu Yuanzhou, held tightly in his arms.


    To anyone, that would undoubtedly suggest an intimate relationship.


    However, I had no intention of explaining things to Ye Mengyan.


    There was no need to.


    Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t have the right either.


    I calmly got up, straightened my clothes, and said to Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°President Gu drank too much. You handle the rest!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Ye Mengyan really was the obedient type.


    Even though she looked heartbroken, she didn¡¯t make a scene.


    As I reached the door, I glanced back.


    Ye Mengyan was helping Gu Yuanzhou take off his shoes and jacket¡­


    I turned and went downstairs.


    Back in my room, I took a shower and was getting ready for bed when Wenya called me again.


    ¡°Where are you? Why haven¡¯t you come out yet? We¡¯re waiting for you!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t make it tonight, got wasted. I¡¯m about to sleep now, so tired! Let¡¯s catch up tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, you sleep. We¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡±


    I hung up the phone and was about to lie down.


    Just then, there was another knock at the door.


    I opened it, and there stood Ye Mengyan¡­


    ¡°Sorry to bother you this late! Can we talk?¡±


    ¡°Is there an emergency?¡±


    I asked casually.


    Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t quite know how to phrase it, she just kept looking at me, attempting to say something but hesitating.


    I could guess she was waiting for me to clarify my relationship with Gu Yuanzhou.


    But I didn¡¯t think it was necessary.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not so important. I just wanted to talk to you about my plans to study abroad¡­¡±


    ¡°How about we talk about it tomorrow? I¡¯m really tired!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. Sorry to disturb you!¡±


    Although Ye Mengyan seemed hesitant to leave, she didn¡¯t want to impose and left willingly.


    I closed the door and let out a yawn as I lay down on the bed.


    Maybe it was because of the alcohol, but I had a sound sleep that night.


    When I woke up the next day, the sunlight was already streaming through the curtain.


    I squinted at the beam of light and felt some regret for having missed a golden opportunity.


    What am I hesitating for?


    After a moment¡¯s stupor, there was another knock on the door.


    I quickly washed up and got dressed to open the door, and there stood Ye Mengyan again.


    ¡°Good morning!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, morning¡­ Did you need something?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ I cooked breakfast. President Gu asked me to invite you to join us!¡±


    ¡°Is he awake?¡±


    ¡°Yep, he¡¯s been up for a while. He even went for a run before coming back.¡±


    I was a bit surprised.


    I know Gu Yuanzhou has a habit of getting up early and running, but it¡¯s rare for him to do so after a night of heavy drinking.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    As I was about to head to the dining room, Ye Mengyan stopped me again.


    ¡°Could you do me a favor?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I just washed some clothes, and I want to take them outside to dry. Could you give me a hand?¡±


    Given it was a small matter, I decided not to refuse.


    The sun was pretty strong outside. Ye Mengyan was taking the clothes she just washed to dry in the yard. All I had to do was hang up the clothes and pass them to her.


    ¡°Do you know where I went last night?¡±


    Ye Mengyan asked.


    ¡°Oh, where did you go?¡±


    ¡°I went to say goodbye to some classmates. They found out I am going to France for my studies, so they held a farewell party for me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    ¡°I ran into Shen Yishu last night!¡±


    ¡°Really? Did you two make up?¡±


    Ye Mengyan shook her head, ¡°As you know, the person I like is Brother Gu!¡±


    I thought to myself, if one day, I can prove that it was Gu Yuanzhou who tried to harm me, I might kill him without a second thought¡­ then, Ye Mengyan might end up alone in the future.


    And so I casually said it,


    ¡°He¡¯s not right for you. You two won¡¯t last.¡±


    Ye Mengyan squinted at me.


    ¡°But Shen Yishu is even less suitable for me. I¡¯m going to study abroad for four years. By the time I come back, he¡¯d probably be married and have kids. Local boys here are all like that. They don¡¯t have much ambition, they just know to get married, have kids, and spend their entire life revolving around their wife and children. They have no ambition whatsoever.¡±


    I was shocked by Ye Mengyan¡¯s perspective.


    What¡¯s wrong with a man putting all his thought and energy into his wife and children? She actually calls that lack of ambition.


    ¡°Okay, whatever makes you happy.¡±


    I didn¡¯t feel like arguing any more, preferring to respect others¡¯ decisions.


    Then, Ye Mengyan picked up another suit.


    ¡°Look, this is President Gu¡¯s suit!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I recognized the black suit. It was the one that Gu Yuanzhou wore to the dinner party last night after having me sew on a button.


    Presumably, it had gotten dirty last night and Ye Mengyan had washed it this morning.


    ¡°He had a button missing here earlier. I offered to sew it back for him, but he refused¡­ Do you think he¡¯s starting to ignore me?¡±


    I initially wanted to tell her I had sewn that button on, but on second thought, I chose not to.


    I had a feeling Ye Mengyan was trying to hint at something.


    After we finished hanging the clothes, I returned to my room.


    Gu Yuanzhou was coming downstairs, his eyes focused on my face.


    After staring at me for quite a while, I greeted him calmly, ¡°Good morning, President Gu!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou approached me.


    ¡°I drank too much last night. Did I do something inappropriate to you?¡±


    I glanced back nonchalantly, noticing Ye Mengyan standing motionless at the kitchen doorway, staring at me anxiously, as if waiting for my answer too.


    So, I gave them an unexpected answer.


    I chuckled and said to Gu Yuanzhou, ¡°You did!¡±


    ¡°Really? What did I do?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou moved even closer, his voice dropping lower.


    ¡°You mistook me for Mrs. Gu and made some¡­excessive moves on me.¡±


    ¡°And how do you feel about it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t have any feelings at the moment. I¡¯ll let you know when I do, President Gu!¡±


    At this moment, Ye Mengyan brought breakfast to the table and chuckled, ¡°Breakfast is ready. Everyone, let¡¯s eat!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I pulled out a chair and sat across from Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed lost in thought and kept staring at me.


    I, too, wanted to see what he was going to do next.


    At this time, Ye Mengyan also took a sip of her milk and smiled at Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I¡¯ve decided. I don¡¯t want to go to France to study.¡±

 Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 93: The Hint He Gave_1

    Chapter 93: Chapter 93: The Hint He Gave_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at her,


    ¡°Studying abroad presents you with better prospects. Why did you decide not to go?¡±


    Ye Mengyan looked at me and smiled,


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it. Currently, Big Brother Gu is all alone. If I also leave you, there will be no one by your side. If something were to happen to you, I won¡¯t be able to take care of you in time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your care! Just take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Big Brother Gu, you are human too. You need someone to take care of you.¡±


    Ye Mengyan was obviously starting to grow clingy.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t I still have Xiaoyun?¡±


    He suddenly changed the subject back to me.


    Ye Mengyan was finally getting a bit anxious,


    ¡°Xiaoyun is not your family, she¡¯s just your employee!¡±


    Her words finally revealed her innermost feelings.


    She was probably becoming wary of me being around Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Enough, the matter of studying abroad is not up for debate. Everything is already arranged, it cannot be changed.¡±


    These were Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words as he stood up. He was very assertive, not leaving any room for Ye Mengyan to change her mind.


    Ye Mengyan bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked very aggrieved.


    Gu Yuanzhou paid no attention to her and turned to head upstairs.


    I nonchalantly finished my breakfast.


    While Ye Mengyan began to cry quietly on the couch.


    She cried very sadly.


    It felt as if someone very important to her had died.


    I looked at her, and was about to get up when my phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Little Shen, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve discovered a new clue! I think this case can make progress.¡±


    ¡°What clue¡­ that Little Juanmao from the other day might be lying!¡±


    ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°I saw someone tailing him. Those two individuals were wearing sunglasses and didn¡¯t look like good people at all. I suspect they want to silence him by killing him.¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s words didn¡¯t alarm me.


    In my mind, Little Juanmao was the type to frequent nightclubs, a small-time thug who engaged in shady dealings.


    Being followed or even getting into fights with his peers was nothing new to him.


    Suddenly, I remembered that a few days ago Gu Yuanzhou had contacted Ayu to take care of someone.


    That person likely was Shen Yishu.


    I came back to my senses,


    ¡°Little Shen, maybe¡­ you should drop this today, and take care of yourself.¡±


    Instead of taking this to heart, Shen Yishu brushed it off,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, who dares to harm me when I¡¯m young and vigorous?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t be too explicit, so I gave him a suggestion in a roundabout way,


    ¡°You¡¯ve been persistently pursuing some people and wanting to report on them. Aren¡¯t you afraid they might retaliate, harm you?¡±


    Shen Yishu responded with a dismissive laugh,


    ¡°Let them come forward if they have the guts. If they dare to kill me, they¡¯re truly courageous.¡±


    ¡°Sigh! Sometimes you need to take advice from friends seriously. Understand?¡±


    I chose not to say anything too candid.


    Being too straightforward might trigger Shen Yishu, who had a rebellious nature, to confront Gu Yuanzhou directly, which would mean big trouble for me.


    With patience, I was advising him indirectly, but unfortunately, Shen Yishu had the arrogance of an educated man and the bravado of a new-born calf facing a tiger.


    Moreover, he might want to prove something to Ye Mengyan. In the end, he didn¡¯t heed my advice.


    Feeling helpless, I ended the call and turned around to find Ye Mengyan in a daze.


    She wasn¡¯t crying anymore, but looked at me curiously, ¡°Was your call with Shen Yishu?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°You mentioned that he¡¯s in danger, right? Is someone trying to harm him?¡±


    Her words were tinted with a hint of worry.


    I gave her a bland look,


    ¡°If you still care about him, and have any feelings left for him, try to persuade him not to act foolishly. Otherwise, he will not even know how he died.¡±


    Ye Mengyan was frightened and widened her eyes.


    She was smart and would have grasped the meaning behind my words.


    Subsequently, she hurried out the door.


    When Gu Yuanzhou came downstairs, Ye Mengyan had already left.


    He handed me the documents, ¡°You¡¯re driving!¡±


    I was a bit taken aback.


    Gu Yuanzhou is a man of deep mistrust, he rarely lets others take control of driving, an act of entrusting one¡¯s life into another¡¯s hands.


    But now he suddenly let me drive, which caught me off guard.


    I thought back to the scene from last night when I was preparing to drug him, had he seen it?


    ¡°Why are you not moving?¡±


    He handed me the car keys.


    ¡°Uh, President Gu, do you need me to call the driver over?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say much, but got straight into the passenger¡¯s seat.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be driving for now!¡±


    He buckled his seat belt, his tone commanding.


    I moved to the driver¡¯s seat, adjusting the seat to my usual position, placing my bag aside, pulling out my phone to set up the navigation, and setting it in front¡­.


    Turning my head, I noticed Gu Yuanzhou was staring at me, his gaze deep.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Am I not doing it right?¡±


    Only then Gu Yuanzhou said,


    ¡°The car has a built-in navigation system!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I feel safer having both on. As you know, sometimes the navigation isn¡¯t accurate and might lead me into a ditch.¡±


    He looked at me as if in deep thought, nodding in agreement.


    Once the car started moving, he began flipping through the documents, occasionally taking a call.


    The trip from Maple Mansion to Zhenyi Company takes nearly half an hour. Traffic was light during the first half, so I drove quickly.


    As we entered the downtown area, I significantly slowed down the car.


    ¡°Stop at the shopping center up ahead!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Up ahead was the Mac Tyron Shopping Plaza, a place where I used to frequently take the children shopping.


    It had a large parking lot, and a free children¡¯s playground nearby which the two kids loved to play at.


    So, nearly every weekend, I would come here¡­.


    I was actually quite scared to look back on the past, because reliving those scenes made me feel terrible inside.


    Now, I can¡¯t stand to hear other kids call out for their mother.


    Each time I hear it, my heart aches like I¡¯ve been pricked by a needle.


    But given Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s request, I had no choice but to comply.


    When I turned into the parking lot, I reminded him,


    ¡°President Gu, you have a meeting at nine. How about this, you tell me what you want, and I can just go buy it for you.¡±


    ¡°Reschedule it!¡±


    He refused without any hesitation.


    This made me wonder, what did he want to buy that was even more important than a meeting?


    However, since he wasn¡¯t willing to share, I couldn¡¯t inquire further.


    After turning into the parking lot, I found only one parking spot left, and it was in the middle.


    My driving skills are pretty poor, especially when it comes to reversing.


    After going back and forth for over ten minutes without being able to park, I nearly scraped the car next to us.


    When I was sweating profusely, Gu Yuanzhou stopped me, ¡°Let me do it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my unskilled driving has let you down.¡±


    Without a word, he swapped places with me and within a second, perfectly parked the car¡­


    The move was smooth and without any unnecessary motions.


    If it were in the past, our daughter would certainly have applauded from the backseat, praising her dad for being awesome.


    For a moment, a shred of pain blossomed in my heart.


    When I snapped out of it, Gu Yuanzhou had already unbuckled his seatbelt and gotten out of the car.


    He knocked on the window,


    ¡°Why are you still not getting out?¡±


    Only then did I regain my senses and exited the car.


    The shopping center was huge, Gu Yuanzhou walked ahead, seeming to know exactly where he was going.


    By the time I caught up with him, he was already carrying a bag of items and heading out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, pay the bill!¡±


    I glanced at the items in his hand and found it hard to believe,


    ¡°President Gu, did you come all this way just to buy this?¡±

 Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Being Cured_1

    Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Being Cured_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I really could not believe my own eyes. He deliberately drove over just to buy a bag of candy.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    He went straight to the self-checkout station.


    After paying the bill, he headed for the exit.


    ¡°Hold this for me!¡±


    Busy on the phone, he stuffed the bag of candy back into my hands.


    I opened the bag to confirm, again and again.


    Yes, it was!


    This colorful pile, was indeed candy.


    There were chocolates, lollipops, fruit candy, and marshmallows.


    He bought several pounds, it was heavy to hold in my hand.


    I thought about it carefully, and couldn¡¯t recall him having a particular fondness for candy.


    After finishing his call, he looked at me from the entrance of the shopping mall.


    ¡°President Gu, eating so much candy will probably lead to diabetes!¡±


    I probed him a little.


    Gu Yuanzhou waved his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s not for me to eat!¡±


    ¡°Then, who will it be for?¡±


    Instead of answering me, he walked towards the children¡¯s playground.


    Once he reached the entrance, he turned to me, ¡°Distribute these candies to the children!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, what¡¯s the meaning of doing this?¡±


    ¡°Just do it!¡±


    He did not answer my reason.


    Walking into this castle-like children¡¯s playground, to be honest, I was feeling a bit heavy-hearted.


    These lively and adorable children reminded me of joyous times I had glimpsed in the past.


    However, knowing that Gu Yuanzhou was watching me from behind, I could not disobey his sage.


    In my daze, a lovely little girl walked up to me, fixated on the candy in my hand.


    ¡°Sister, can I have a lollipop?¡±


    Only then did I squat down, reaching out to pinch her little face. ¡°Little friend, what is your name?¡±


    ¡°I am called Xiaogu!¡±


    ¡°Good girl. Here, this is for you!¡±


    I handed a lollipop to the young girl, she accepted the candy, sincerely thanked me, and even praised my dress.


    ¡°Sister, your dress is so beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, can I touch it?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    The little girl came forward and touched my dress. The moment her little hand touched my body, tears suddenly filled my eyes.


    The little girl looked up at me, seeing me crying, she anxiously pulled my hand. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I slowly squatted down, ¡°Xiaogu, can I hug you?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    So, I hugged that small, soft body. At that moment, I felt a sense of healing.


    I had no idea that a child could break through my defenses like this.


    I was worried about frightening her, so I only hugged her for a little while before letting go.


    But she reached out and gently wiped the tears from my face.


    ¡°Sister, why are you crying so sadly?¡±


    ¡°Mm, I lost two people who I loved very much, they were just as adorable as you¡­¡± I choked.


    ¡°Then I will hug you again!¡±


    The little girl hugged me again, then reassured me in a babyish voice,


    ¡°Sister, I love my Grandma very much, but she has also passed away. But Mommy told me, after the people we love the most die, they become stars in the sky watching over us. If we miss them, we just have to look at the stars, and we can see them.¡±


    I had never imagined that I could be healed by a child.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Sister, when you are unhappy, just have a lollipop! Then you can be happy again!¡±


    ¡°Mm, alright!¡±


    ¡°Sister, I¡¯m going to play!¡±


    I watched as the little girl joined the other children, and shortly after, many more kids came over for candy. I distributed it to them one by one.


    In less than ten minutes, I had given out all the candy in the bag.


    Suddenly, I gazed into a corner of my mind, why did this little girl call herself Xiaogu?


    What did that name mean?


    When I wanted to find her again to ask for clarity, she had already disappeared.


    For a moment, I even thought, could it be that my daughter was reincarnated, and had come to comfort me?


    Once again, tears filled my eyes. I opened the bag, took out the last lollipop, unwrapped it, put it in my mouth, and the sweet taste swept over my taste buds.


    A gentle hand patted my back, pulling me out of my thoughts.


    I turned my head. It was Gu Yuanzhou.


    His eyes were intently watching me.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    Randomly wiping the tear stains from my cheeks, I came up with a clumsy reason.


    ¡°I remembered when I was a child, I wanted to go to the amusement park, but not only did my Dad disapprove, but he also chased me around half the village with a stick¡­¡±


    This was a story I heard from a friend, which I conveniently applied to myself.


    After listening, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of doubt.


    ¡°Was your childhood very unfortunate?¡±


    ¡°As you can see, my Mum and Dad are like that, they do favor boys over girls, and we were quite poor¡­ If there was anything good to eat, it was given to my younger brother first, and only after he had eaten, would it be my turn. The clothes I wore were also my younger brother¡¯s hand-me-downs¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you cook?¡±


    He asked again.


    ¡°Uh, to cook, I can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say much else. He seemed rather quiet after getting in the car.


    But I kept thinking, why did he randomly have me distribute candy to those children? What did he mean?


    I couldn¡¯t understand, but I had a bad premonition.


    That is, Gu Yuanzhou seemed to be deliberately trying to get closer to me.


    When we got to the company, he instructed me directly.


    ¡°You¡¯ll move into my office from now on!¡±


    Previously, I was still working in my original small office space, and only went to the CEO¡¯s office when delivering documents or summoned by Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, won¡¯t that be inappropriate?¡±


    He pointed to a faraway reception area where coffee and tea were usually served. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone come and fix it up later. You¡¯ll work there.¡±


    This sudden change left me a bit flustered.


    If I move here to work, I¡¯ll have to face him every day!


    By then, I¡¯m afraid it will be difficult to conceal my feelings¡­


    So right then and there, I refused. ¡°President Gu, won¡¯t it be better if I work in my current office!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me. ¡°Double your salary next month!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then!¡±


    He forcefully cut off my words, completely ignoring what I had to say.


    That evening, I met with Wenya and told her all about what Gu Yuanzhou had done throughout the day.


    After Wenya listened, she also had some doubts.


    ¡°Could it be that he suspects you? After all, by keeping you by his side, he¡¯ll be able to see right through you day and night!¡±


    Jian Jing sipped her tea and responded indifferently.


    ¡°Suspects what? That after Ayun died, she was reincarnated? Honestly, if I hadn¡¯t witnessed it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Right, unless somebody has genuinely seen someone reincarnated, who¡¯d think of such a possibility.


    Wenya suddenly had a thought, ¡°Perhaps, there¡¯s another possibility!¡±

 Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Is the Face He Loves This One?_1

    Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Is the Face He Loves This One?_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°What possibility?¡±


    I asked impatiently.


    Wenya said,


    ¡°Perhaps, he has fallen in love with you! I mean, he¡¯s in love with Song Xiaoyun¡¯s face, this body. After all, this scumbag even sleeps with female college students, it¡¯s only natural he would sleep with his secretary.¡±


    Jian Jing sipped her tea elegantly,


    ¡°We can¡¯t rule out this possibility. After all, Song Xiaoyun¡¯s face and figure, if dressed up, are more appealing than Ye Mengyan¡¯s.¡±


    Wenya agreed too,


    ¡°The only thing Ye Mengyan has going for her is her face, she has no breasts, no buttocks¡­¡±


    I sighed deeply,


    ¡°Perhaps Gu Yuanzhou likes this kind of woman with no breasts or buttocks.¡±


    Jian Jing asked, ¡°Have you seen anything?¡±


    ¡°Seen what?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ you¡¯re living with Gu Yuanzhou, right? Have you seen him sleeping with Ye Mengyan every day?¡±


    Jian Jing made a hand gesture as if they were playing a game of cards.


    I was perplexed for a few seconds, but finally shook my head resolutely.


    ¡°I have not seen it with my own eyes!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Look at Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s age, it¡¯s the time when he is full of sexual energy. If he really likes Ye Mengyan, he would definitely want to sleep with her every night. Let me tell you, my husband, Yu Jiahang, is about the same age as Gu Yuanzhou. Before I got pregnant, he came to me every night. Now that I¡¯m pregnant and we can¡¯t have sex, he even asks for my help¡­ well, to use my hands. So, if you want to find out whether a man likes a woman or not, you need to observe how often they sleep together as husband and wife.¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s questioning stunned me.


    I do know Gu Yuanzhou very well; he has an extraordinarily strong desire in that regard.


    However, since I moved to Maple Mansion over a week ago, I have hardly seen Ye Mengyan share a room with him.


    They haven¡¯t even hugged each other.


    Something¡¯s not right, something is really wrong!


    Then, Wenya added another thought.


    ¡°After all, with such a big thing happening, losing his wife and child overnight, it¡¯s quite possible he has psychological barriers he can¡¯t overcome for the time being. Moreover, they¡¯ve been together for four years, so it¡¯s quite possible that he¡¯s got tired of her. Perhaps, Gu Yuanzhou has even found some side pieces!¡±


    ¡°Forget about it, instead, let¡¯s have a drink!¡±


    I raised my glass, sometimes discussing these things doesn¡¯t yield any results.


    I¡¯m now getting closer to Gu Yuanzhou, and I believe that sooner or later, I will uncover the truth.


    Wenya set down her glass after draining it,


    ¡°Ayun, have you visited Ding Yinuo recently?¡±


    ¡°Why would I go see him!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he have a car accident a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t injured! Why should I go see him?¡±


    ¡°Hey, he may not be physically hurt, but he¡¯s emotionally hurt. I think you should make some time to go see him every day. After all, you have a car now; you can get there quickly with your BMW.¡±


    I gave Wenya a look,


    ¡°Are you in love with him? If you love him, just say it.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking? I¡¯m a non-marriage believer, I love him¡­ I only love myself!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t love him, why do you mention him all the time¡­ by the way, which friend of yours fell for him?¡±


    In response to my question, Wenya just gave a chuckle,


    ¡°Guess!¡±


    ¡°No need to guess; my mind is about to explode with worries!¡±


    I¡¯m not interested in Ding Yinuo, so naturally, I have no interest in who likes him. Right now, I have tons of troubles of my own¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou has suddenly turned his attention to me, catching me off guard. I need to come up with a way to deal with this.


    But, after chatting with my friends, I¡¯m feeling a lot better.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink, why should we bother about things that aren¡¯t useful!¡±


    Wenya raised her glass, and Jian Jing quickly intervened, ¡°Let me talk about my situation!¡±


    ¡°What, you and Yu Jiahang haven¡¯t settled things yet?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I went back to my parents¡¯ house a few days ago! Initially, my mom said that she disapproves of our marriage without a dowry, but she changed her mind when she found out I was pregnant. She scolded me for being disgraceful and devaluing myself. She said that a woman without self-respect is worthless once she becomes pregnant. Her words really got me.¡±


    At these words, tears welled up in Jian Jing¡¯s eyes.


    Wenya sighed, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, go tell Yu Jiahang that if his family doesn¡¯t give a dowry, you¡¯ll abort the child, let¡¯s see what he says.¡±


    ¡°He hugged me and cried all night! He smacked his own face, saying he¡¯s incompetent and can¡¯t afford the money. He also suggested that I wait for two more years, until he can save enough money to give me¡­ I thought about it, and decided to compromise. No dowry is fine. As long as the child is safe.¡±


    Wenya nodded, ¡°That could work. You¡¯re not getting any younger, and if you get an abortion, it might be even harder for you to get pregnant in the future. Well, for the child¡¯s sake, I suppose.¡±


    Jian Jing turned to me,


    ¡°Ayun, what do you think?¡±


    I considered carefully,


    ¡°You can have the baby, and you can raise it on your own, too. Don¡¯t get married out of convenience because of the baby. If you really want to marry this man, you should first consider his character and sincerity instead of rushing to get married because of the child.¡±


    Jian Jing nodded,¡± I understand what you mean, Jiahang is a good man, he has always been good to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all that matters!¡±


    ¡°Get ready, guys, the wedding is this weekend, and both of you are going to be my bridesmaids!¡±


    ¡°Congratulations to you!¡±


    We all raised our glasses to celebrate Jian Jing.


    As the night deepened, we left in high spirits.


    As I parked my car and was walking towards the entrance, I suddenly saw a dark figure standing by the door.


    I wondered if any villains had chased me here and instantly clutched my bag tightly, planning to throw it at them as I approached.


    However, before I got closer, the other party spoke first, ¡°Why are you coming back so late?¡±


    It was Gu Yuanzhou!


    The depth of his tone carried a hint of reproach.


    ¡°Oh, President Gu, haven¡¯t you gone to sleep yet?¡±


    ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    He kept interrogating me.


    I thought to myself, this is my freedom, I¡¯m his employee, not his lover, why should he care so much about what I do?


    But verbally, I answered honestly, ¡°I was out with friends!¡±


    ¡°Why do you smell of alcohol?¡±


    ¡°Uh! I was at the bar!¡±


    I just blurted that out.


    But Gu Yuanzhou was clearly dissatisfied,


    ¡°It¡¯s late at night, and you, a girl, ran to the bar. Do you realize how unsafe that is?¡±


    I wanted to laugh a little inside. You should worry about your Ye Mengyan, why are you worrying about others?


    Just as I was about to retort, a voice chimed in and seemed to defuse some of the tension.


    ¡°Big brother Gu, Xiaoyun must have gone with her boyfriend, you don¡¯t need to worry about her, she¡¯s got a chivalrous gentleman protecting her!¡±


    It was Ye Mengyan, she was leaning against the door frame, grinning at me.


    Her words seemed to be defending me, but they actually exposed my privacy.


    After hearing her words, Gu Yuanzhou looked deep into my eyes,


    ¡°You have a boyfriend?¡±

 Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Is the Face He Loves This One? (Part Two)_1

    Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Is the Face He Loves This One? (Part Two)_1


    Translator: 549690339


    To deal with Gu Yuanzhou, I replied casually,


    ¡°It¡¯s the fianc¨¦ my mother mentioned to you last time¡­¡±


    In reality, I was rummaging through my mind for that man¡¯s name, Gu Yuanzhou had only mentioned it once before, and I couldn¡¯t recall it now. It was really embarrassing.


    Fortunately, Gu Yuanzhou did not continue to ask further.


    ¡°Ah, come in quickly. It¡¯s cold outside!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I hurriedly grabbed my bag and rushed into the house. I didn¡¯t want to linger with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Working together during the day had already been quite frustrating.


    After I returned to my room and took a shower, Ye Mengyan came over again.


    She brought a fruit tray, with the apple cut into a pretty flower shape.


    ¡°Oh, I heard that fruit can cure a hangover, so I cut some for you.¡±


    She smiled gently, her demeanor seemingly kind.


    Having nothing else to do, I let her in.


    ¡°Did you drink a lot today?¡±


    She asked casually.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, not that much, just two glasses!¡±


    ¡°Is the fianc¨¦ you mentioned the gentleman I saw last time?¡±


    After a long pause, I realized Ye Mengyan was referring to Ding Yinuo.


    Naturally, the fianc¨¦ I¡¯m talking about now was Song Xiaoyun¡¯s previous fianc¨¦, not anyone from my current circle.


    But I didn¡¯t feel like explaining this to Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    A smile finally appeared on Ye Mengyan¡¯s face, ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s great?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ A beautiful and talented girl like you, your boyfriend must love you very much!¡±


    Seeing the joy she could barely hide, I have already guessed her little scheme.


    She fears I might take Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s love from her?


    ¡°Quite alright!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I consider you as a sister. You should share any secrets you have with me in the future. Maybe, I can give you some advice?¡±


    I smiled but didn¡¯t respond.


    Who wants to be her sister?


    And who needs her advice?


    I didn¡¯t feel like dealing with her, but she seemed unmotivated to leave and started to talk about other things.


    ¡°Did you know? I met with Shen Yishu today!¡±


    ¡°Did you two get back together?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, but even if we broke up, we remain friends!¡±


    ¡°Oh, what did he say?¡±


    ¡°He said, he doesn¡¯t want me to go abroad! He said it¡¯s chaotic in France, the environment is bad, and the public security is not good either. Paris today is no longer the romantic capital it once was.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Make your own decision. Go if you want to, and don¡¯t if you don¡¯t.¡±


    Ye Mengyan then looked at me earnestly,


    ¡°Would you suggest I go or not?¡±


    I could tell, she was probing me again.


    I told her straightly,


    ¡°Basically, my advice is not that important. Whether you go or not doesn¡¯t affect me. Honestly, if Gu Yuanzhou really likes me, there is nothing you can do. You should understand men; they like the new and hate the old. Moreover, even without me, there will be other women¡­¡±


    Being so straightforward, Ye Mengyan¡¯s face turned red. Apparently, she didn¡¯t expect me to say all this.


    She nervously twitched her hand, then suddenly turned around and rushed out with tears streaming down her face.


    I was well aware of Ye Mengyan¡¯s little scheme.


    She was just trying to remind me not to have any thoughts about Gu Yuanzhou.


    But, when she initially stole someone else¡¯s husband, did she ever think her day of loss would come?


    Right when I was about to get into bed after my shower, my cell phone suddenly rang.


    I took it out and saw it was a message from Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Come to my study for a while!¡±


    I paused for a few seconds, then replied to him, ¡°President Gu, it¡¯s so late, is there anything that can¡¯t be dealt with tomorrow?¡±


    He then sent me two words, ¡°Overtime!¡±


    Sure enough, living too close to the boss meant frequent overtime work.


    I quickly changed my clothes and walked out.


    Ye Mengyan was in the living room, seemingly video chatting with her classmate, complaining¡­


    Even though I didn¡¯t hear clearly, I faintly felt she seemed to be discussing Gu Yuanzhou.


    When she saw me come out, she immediately shut off the video chat, then nervously asked me,


    ¡°Why are you going upstairs this late?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou wants to see me!¡±


    ¡°What does he want with you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure!¡±


    She wanted to ask more, but I didn¡¯t feel like dealing with her, so I went straight up to the study.


    Thankfully, he mentioned the study, not the bedroom. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have come up.


    ¡°President Gu, what are your instructions?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with a complex gaze, then took out a file, ¡°There¡¯s an error in this contract, you need to proofread it again!¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright!¡±


    I sat at the computer, comparing the printed contract to the original document.


    Frankly, this document didn¡¯t need to be sent to the clients until Wednesday. There was absolutely no need to amend it now.


    But since he insisted on amending it, I could only comply.


    While I was modifying the document, Gu Yuanzhou stood behind me the entire time.


    I knew he was watching me.


    The feeling was obvious.


    He was assessing me.


    Gu Yuanzhou had a sharp gaze, which gave a strong oppressive feeling, especially when he looked at someone from behind.


    After fussing for half an hour, I finally checked through several thick documents and was about to print it when I realized there was no printer here.


    ¡°President Gu, let¡¯s print it at the office tomorrow!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sat down on the couch, then said to me, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, come sit here!¡±


    I sat down on the chair opposite him.


    He gazed at me for a while, ¡°What does he do?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your boyfriend!¡±


    ¡°Oh, him¡­ a wage worker!¡±


    I answered casually.


    ¡°Then the money he earns isn¡¯t enough for you to spend, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t need his money for now!¡±


    ¡°How many times does he visit you in a week?¡±


    I always felt Gu Yuanzhou was investigating me, so I tried to answer as vaguely as possible.


    Ansuring in a seemingly reasonable but completely overruled way to make sure he couldn¡¯t find any flaws.


    Just as I said this, there was a knock on the door. Actually, the door wasn¡¯t fully closed, just slightly ajar.


    Then, Ye Mengyan came in with two cups of hot tea.


    ¡°Brother Gu, Xiaoyun, seeing you both so hard at work late into the night, I made some tea for you to battle fatigue.¡±


    When she handed the tea cup to Gu Yuanzhou, the love in her eyes seemed almost overflowing.


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up the tea cup, then shot a few more questions at me.


    ¡°When do you plan to get married?¡±


    ¡°At the end of the year!¡±


    I casually picked a time.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t getting married so young not a good idea?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou asked again.


    Before I had a chance to answer, Ye Mengyan spoke up for me.


    ¡°Oh, her boyfriend must be very outstanding, so getting married earlier is fine! A marriage contract can give both parties peace of mind. The best promise a man can make to a woman is to walk her down the aisle!¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s intentions were glaringly obvious.


    I understand¡­


    However, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t respond to her, instead he looked at me,


    ¡°You should call off the engagement!¡±

 Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 97 He Stirred Up Trouble_1

    Chapter 97: Chapter 97 He Stirred Up Trouble_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou dropped this line and climbed the stairs without looking back.


    I stared at his retreating figure, remaining silent for several seconds.


    What¡¯s his intention?


    After a long while, I felt a particularly hostile gaze from the side. When I turned my head,


    It was Ye Mengyan looking at me,


    Jealousy was evident in her eyes.


    However, she quickly softened her gaze and muttered with a hint of bitterness.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, congratulations!¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    Ye Mengyan hesitated for a while before asking tentatively,


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that President Gu has¡­ feelings for you?¡±


    ¡°What feelings? I don¡¯t understand!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see he likes you?¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ Interesting!¡±


    I sneered, glancing at Ye Mengyan casually.


    Ye Mengyan watched me anxiously,


    ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°Who would you choose between Gu Yuanzhou and your current boyfriend?¡±


    How could I possibly choose Gu Yuanzhou?


    I already made that mistake in my past life, and I won¡¯t choose him again.


    However, looking at Ye Mengyan¡¯s anxious gaze, I didn¡¯t give her an answer.


    She knew four years ago that Gu Yuanzhou was a married man, and she still messed with him. She should know better what kind of consequences she would face.


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, if one day, Shen Yishu achieves great success and Gu Yuanzhou falls into disgrace, would you regret your choice today?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was taken aback by what I said.


    Obviously, her conviction was wavering. She probably thought that such a series of events would never occur, she was tormented, afraid, and couldn¡¯t believe such things could happen.


    In her eyes, Gu Yuanzhou would always be the better man and Shen Yishu would always be unreliable.


    After dropping that line, I turned around and went back to my room.


    The next few days seemed to fly by, and I moved to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office.


    On the day Zhenyi¡¯s new product was launched, Gu Yuanzhou was busy all day long.


    However, I could feel that he was watching me.


    Sometimes, in busy moments, I would look up to find him staring at me. I also noticed signs of tampering on my desk.


    Gu Yuanzhou, what are you looking for? Or have you discovered something?


    Before I knew it, it was Saturday, the day of Jiang Jing¡¯s wedding.


    Seeing Jiang Jing in a wedding dress, I understood why she had to compromise.


    Usually, she dressed so casually that it was hard to tell anything, but after putting on the wedding dress, it was clear that she was pregnant.


    Her slightly raised belly was noticeable and could not be ignored any longer.


    As soon as we entered the venue and saw the back of Jiang Jing¡¯s dress, Wenya began whispering complaints to me.


    ¡°The Yu Family¡¯s actions are simply too outrageous!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t been involved in the planning process and was unaware of the details.


    Wenya was a little angry,


    ¡°They originally said the wedding would be held at the Haitian Hotel, the five-star hotel across the street, and even booked a red carpet. Now they tricked Jiang Jing and switched to the Yayuan Hotel, which doesn¡¯t even have three stars. They said ten wedding cars would pick her up, but there was only one. This morning, at the time of the groom¡¯s fetching the bride, she didn¡¯t even receive a red packet¡­¡±


    Under Wenya¡¯s guidance,


    I looked around the wedding venue; indeed, it was somewhat shabby.


    The red roses used for the decoration were all fake, with just a few balloons placed at the entrance.


    The most infuriating thing was, there were only two tables for the bride¡¯s side, with fifteen people squeezed into each. When the meal started, it turned out to be boxed lunches¡­


    The wedding favors were just a few candies and some wrinkled oranges.


    Wenya didn¡¯t say anything in front of Ye Mengyan, for fear of upsetting her, but privately slams the Yu family for being tight-fisted.


    They didn¡¯t even bother to prepare a decent wedding banquet, let alone the betrothal gifts.


    Jian Jing¡¯s parents had to swallow their unhappiness so as not to upset their daughter, and the relatives, though unhappy, also kept their faces and didn¡¯t speak out.


    Until a child¡¯s voice broke the false fa?ade.


    ¡°Mommy, this rib smells rotten, was it picked out of the trash? Ew¡­¡±


    The little girl vomited on the spot.


    Jian Jing¡¯s mother could no longer restrain herself and asked Yu Jiahang¡¯s mother,


    ¡°Mother-in-law, what¡¯s the matter with this dish?¡±


    Mother Yu reacted calmly,


    ¡°Oh dear, this might be the hotel¡¯s oversight. I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯re a bit neglectful. But it¡¯s unavoidable, everyone can put up with it for now.¡±


    The hypocrisy of Mother Yu finally angered the relatives from the bride¡¯s side, and they started to whisper to each other.


    ¡°What hotel¡¯s responsibility? You ordered dishes worth six hundred yuan per table, did the hotel subsidize your meals?¡±


    ¡°This is clearly the groom¡¯s side disregarding the bride¡¯s side, right? They said they wouldn¡¯t give dowry, and we even built a house ourselves.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re deliberately bullying Jian Jing because she¡¯s pregnant, right? If it was my daughter, I would definitely have her go to the hospital first.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, look at the calculating faces on them. This kind of a groom¡¯s side doesn¡¯t deserve to have heirs.¡±


    The bride¡¯s relatives were very dissatisfied. Mother Yu heard all this, but she was not willing to admit her mistake. Instead, she felt like sending them away,


    ¡°Eat if you like, or leave, we can¡¯t meet your high requirements.¡±


    Her words were practically a dismissal.


    Jian Jing¡¯s mother was very angry and was about to leave with her relatives.


    But Jian Jing, with tears in her eyes, stopped her mother and whispered,


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t go. If you leave, how am I supposed to live in the Yu family?¡±


    ¡°But we can¡¯t allow people to step all over us, can we? Look at how the Yus have humiliated us today. We gave birth to a girl and raised her with great hardship, and she even bore them a child. Now look, they¡¯ve neglected us. If you want to be abused, stay¡­¡±


    For a moment, the banquet seemed to have reached a deadlock.


    I could see that Jian Jing was indeed humiliated by her in-laws.


    But as an outsider, it didn¡¯t feel right for me to intervene.


    ¡°Can there be happiness in this kind of marriage?¡±


    A familiar voice sounded by my side. I turned my head, and Ding Yinuo was there, seemingly watching everything that had happened.


    ¡°When did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Have you never noticed me?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ding, you really appear out of nowhere!¡±


    ¡°If no one steps in, I guess she wouldn¡¯t feel good after the marriage! As your good friend, don¡¯t you want to help her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that my intervention would make things more complicated¡­¡±


    I also voiced my concerns. But to my surprise, Ding Yinuo stood up upon hearing this.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen¡­please follow me to the hotel across the street, my treat!¡±


    The guests were all somewhat skeptical upon hearing this. Mother Yu, hearing this, got a bit angry and walked up to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Which side of the family are you from? Are you joking?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Well, the groom¡¯s family is really too poor, and we sympathize with that. But no matter how poor, we can¡¯t lose our face, right? Come, everyone, such a big celebration as a wedding should be done properly! Please take your personal belongings and follow me to the Haitian Hotel across the street.¡±


    Under Ding Yinuo¡¯s encouragement, the relatives really did move forward to the Haitian Hotel across the street.


    I felt like Ding Yinuo was up to something, and stopped him, whispering,


    ¡°A wedding banquet at Haitian could cost tens of thousands, are you planning to pay that from your own pocket?¡±


    Ding Yinuo smiled, ¡°Why the rush, just wait and see the drama!¡±

 Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 98 He Always Likes to Stir Up Something_1

    Chapter 98: Chapter 98 He Always Likes to Stir Up Something_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Seeing all the bride¡¯s family members heading to the hotel across the street, I felt things were going out of control!


    Wenya, however, didn¡¯t seem worried at all. Upon seeing the situation, she actually gave a thumbs up, brimming with excitement.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, it really has to be you! How did I not realize before that you¡¯re such an asset?¡±


    Ding Yinuo gave me a glance before slowly responding,


    ¡°Whether you noticed or not isn¡¯t important, the crux of the matter is, others didn¡¯t either.¡±


    I felt a bit uneasy,


    ¡°Wenya, stop fooling around. He¡¯s causing trouble, are you going to fan the flames as well? Haven¡¯t you considered the potential issues that could arise?¡±


    I could already envisage a scenario where, after dining at Haitian, the Jian Family resented paying the expenses and the Yu Family just the same. If both families ended up having a dispute here, that would make matters even worse.


    And Ding Yinuo just seemed like he was enjoying the spectacle.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better if they start fighting? Isn¡¯t the whole point of a wedding to make a big fuss?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, a wedding is a significant life event, how can you trivialize it?¡±


    Ding Yinuo stared at me seriously,


    ¡°Let me ask you, you¡¯ve treated marriage as a huge event in your life, and where has that led you?¡±


    His question felt like a stab in the heart.


    Indeed, I loved Gu Yuanzhou for so many years, I gave up my favorite career for him.


    I became a full-time mother, devotedly raising our two children at home, yet my fate was young death.


    From my perspective, this marriage was pure irony.


    Hearing these words from him, I felt somewhat upset.


    I didn¡¯t respond to him, after all, no one likes old wounds being reopened.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ayun, let¡¯s check out the other hotel!¡±


    Wenya felt energetically and dragged me along with her to the five-star hotel where Jian Jing¡¯s family was.


    I have to say, that hotel across the street was particularly luxurious. Compared to the setup and service details, as well as the richness of the food here, there were truly in different leagues.


    This was the wedding feast that Jian Jing wanted, after all, a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event for every woman.


    Who wouldn¡¯t want a lavish wedding that they could proudly present to their family?


    ¡°The bird¡¯s nest soup is lovely!¡±


    Ding Yinuo tried to strike up a conversation with me.


    I ignored him.


    His earlier words had hurt me, the reality is, the two of us often ignored each other in the past.


    But now, he seemed different from before, he attempted to talk to me a few times, appearing to be trying his best to alleviate the unpleasantness from earlier.


    I had no interest in speaking to him.


    ¡°The lobster here is quite good, would you like some?¡±


    ¡°Their wedding souvenirs are nice, come check out the chocolate!¡±


    Ding Yinuo unboxed the wedding souvenirs, Wenya stopped him, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t give them to me, such a pity to unbox them!¡±


    Wenya glanced towards Jian Jing, her smile seemed to have brightened significantly.


    However, the expression on the mother-in-law¡¯s face was far from happy. She wore an awkward smile at one moment, then her face darkened the next.


    She rapidly fluctuated between joy and rage.


    Wenya kicked Ding Yinuo under the table,


    ¡°These few tables must have cost a fortune, you¡¯re covering the bill, right?¡±


    Ding Yinuo shot her a dismissive look, ¡°Whoever gets married is the one settling the bill!¡±


    By the time the banquet was coming to an end, with all the relatives happily fed, Ding Yinuo quickly grabbed the mother-in-law calling the server over,


    ¡°Check, bill please. This lady is covering it!¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you for your patronage, the total comes to forty-eight thousand!¡±


    ¡°What? All these dishes cost this much?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is a wedding package, including the wedding favors, and a 3-day newlywed suite.¡±


    The mother-in-law¡¯s face went terribly pale, but at this point, in front of all these relatives, begrudging as she might have been, she had no choice but to bear with it and pay.


    However, right before leaving, when she looked at Ding Yinuo, her eyes were full of resentment, possessing a look almost as if they had been dipped in poison.


    She had no way to blame Ding Yinuo, so she criticized Jian Jing instead,


    ¡°So inconsiderate, who knows what kind of friends you¡¯ve made, always causing trouble for the family.¡±


    She scolded, but at least Jian¡¯s relatives left satisfied.


    Jian Jing didn¡¯t blow up, after saying goodbye to the relatives, us three women accompanied her to the bridal suite.


    The bridal suite here was nicely decorated, the round bed was covered in red roses, the main color was red, festive yet romantic.


    Wenya helped Jian Jing to remove the hairpin,


    ¡°The look on your mother-in-law¡¯s face, absolutely priceless! She¡¯s been taken for a ride today, I bet it will sting for a while.¡±


    Jian Jing laughed, ¡°Ah well, let it go, I just hope my mom won¡¯t be too stressed out! Actually, we originally planned to host the wedding at this hotel, but we didn¡¯t expect the plan would be changed.¡±


    I sat by her side asking her,


    ¡°Will your mother-in-law cause trouble for you tomorrow?¡±


    Wenya replied, ¡°The wedding¡¯s already happened, the money¡¯s already been spent, what else could she do? If she really upsets our Jian Jing, we¡¯ll just go back to her family¡¯s house and ignore them, let the Yu family be left empty-handed and see if she panics.¡±


    ¡°Ehem, can I interrupt?¡±


    Ding Yinuo, who had been smoking in the doorway, leaned in to take a look.


    Wenya nudged me with her hand, ¡°He¡¯s looking for you, go on then!¡±


    I got up and looked at Ding Yinuo, ¡°Wenya and I came here to be bridesmaids, why do you have the audacity to come here and join the feast?¡±


    ¡°I was invited too¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you give Jian Jing a red envelope for good luck?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did!¡±


    Naturally, my relationship with Wenya and Jian Jing was close, we were best friends. In the past, Ding Yinuo was not familiar with us.


    I¡¯m actually surprised that Jian Jing would invite Ding Yinuo to her wedding banquet.


    So, I asked Jian Jing, ¡°How much was in his red envelope?¡±


    Jian Jing wagged one of her fingers, the smile on her face was quite bright.


    ¡°Alright, go, he¡¯s been searching for you!¡±


    Wenya kept urging me to leave¡­


    I didn¡¯t actually have much to say to Ding Yinuo.


    However, the wedding was almost over, and it seemed like it was time for me to take off. After bidding Jian Jing farewell, I stepped out.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t say anything, he just followed me. Just as I was about to press the elevator button to go down to the first floor, he quickly pressed the top floor¡¯s button.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go up and take a look!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The rooftop terrace was already enveloped in the darkness of night.


    As soon as we stepped out, we could see a sky full of stars.


    The terrace had been transformed into an open-air mini bar, it was adorned with retro-style tables and chairs, romantic candlelight, it would be quite romantic to have a date here, drink and watch the stars.


    Ding Yinuo ordered two cocktails¡­


    ¡°I just had a drink!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s low alcohol. Plus, I¡¯m here, if you¡¯re drunk, I can carry you home!¡±


    The cocktail in the hand, under the night sky, it was glowing a blue halo, gently shaking, seeming as if the starry sky was flowing in it, truly magical.


    ¡°Blue Star Galaxy, haven¡¯t tried it before, right?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at my baffled expression and smiled.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ After getting married, I¡¯ve been focusing all my attention on the children, so I¡¯ve missed out on a lot¡­ Right, why did you ask me to come and talk?¡±

 Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Unexpected Hug_1

    Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Unexpected Hug_1


    Translator: 549690339


    In the dim light, Yinuo hung his head, gently swinging the wine glass in his hand.


    Perhaps due to long-term surgery, his fingers were exceptionally slender, strong, unlike ordinary people.


    I don¡¯t know when, but the Yinuo in my eyes has become different from before.


    ¡°Sorry!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    I took a small sip of wine and looked at him.


    ¡°Were my words just now hurtful?¡±


    The small wooden tea table had a glass cup on it, with a round candlelight in the cup. The table was so small that our foreheads could touch as long as we slightly leaned forward.


    I could see the stars in his eyes clearly.


    This was the first time I looked at him this closely.


    His eyes were beautiful, narrow, and bright.


    ¡°No!¡±


    I vehemently denied.


    How could I show my vulnerability before my arch-enemy?


    ¡°So why do you keep ignoring me?¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, it¡¯s not the first or second day that I¡¯ve been ignoreing you, it¡¯s been over ten years. Are you just realizing it now?¡±


    I kept drinking, deliberately confusing him so that he wouldn¡¯t see through me.


    He tapped his fingers on the table.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to hide in front of me. Really¡­ we¡¯ve both lived one life already. Can¡¯t we be more honest?¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, don¡¯t pretend to understand me. In fact, you don¡¯t know me at all.¡±


    Yinuo wasn¡¯t fazed by my words, on the contrary, he responded directly,


    ¡°If we talk about understanding, I understand you no less than Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then tell me, what shoe size do I wear?¡±


    ¡°Size 36!¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ when¡¯s my birthday?¡±


    ¡°The ninth of October!¡±


    ¡°Ask a tough one, what color dress did I wear on my graduation night?¡±


    I deliberately set a trap for him, because when we were in college, we were not in the same university at all.


    I studied design, whereas he was in medical school. The two schools were not in the same city. If he knew, it would be strange.


    He glanced at me, ¡°You didn¡¯t even graduate, you studied for two and a half years and then dropped out after meeting Gu Yuanzhou¡­¡±


    I laughed awkwardly.


    He couldn¡¯t be stumped by anything.


    ¡°How do you know so much? Did you plant a mole next to me, Koshou, who is your informant? Ah, is it Wenya? Oh, that¡¯s impossible, Wenya used to hate you so much.¡±


    ¡°This city isn¡¯t big, and if you want to know about someone on purpose, it¡¯s not hard! Don¡¯t forget, my house is not far from your uncle¡¯s house.¡±


    I was stunned.


    Indeed, the Ding Family¡¯s old house was quite close to my uncle¡¯s house.


    When I was going to school, I had to pass by their house almost every day.


    However, the Ding Family later moved to a new house, and I also moved to Golden Bay after marrying Gu Yuanzhou, and our lives no longer intersected.


    ¡°Really? Yinuo, it seems you¡¯ve put a lot of effort to beat me!¡±


    Yinuo leaned back a little, he laughed, lifting the corners of his lips.


    ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re so important, it¡¯s a daily necessity to find out about you¡­ So, if you want to defeat Gu Yuanzhou, you have to cooperate with me. Sometimes, the enemy of the enemy is a friend!¡±


    ¡°Cough, Yinuo, you¡¯re not Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s enemy! You¡¯re my enemy!¡±


    ¡°Sometimes our positions as foes can change. For example, in order to cooperate, we can temporarily put aside past grievances! United front first!¡±


    This time, Yinuo clearly extended an olive branch to me.


    I didn¡¯t refuse.


    I really do need friends!


    Otherwise, I am alone in this world, and moreover, after spending this period of time with Yinuo, my impression of him has changed a lot.


    ¡°Alright, cheers to our cooperation!¡±


    I raised my glass and clinked it with his.


    ¡°By the way, how is the situation over there with Damaha?¡±


    I asked the key question.


    ¡°Yesterday, the hospital did a comprehensive consultation and determined that there was a blood clot in his head, which needed to be surgically removed. I believe that he should wake up after the surgery.¡±


    ¡°Will you be involved in the surgery?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    As the best surgeon in the city¡¯s first hospital, the fact that he didn¡¯t participate in the surgery was somewhat surprising to me, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you involved?¡±


    ¡°Guess!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°The dean said, someone has instructed not to let me participate in Damaha¡¯s consultation. So, do you know what the reason is?¡±


    ¡°Could it be Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. You think! Now, there are quite a few people in the hospital arranged by Gu Yuanzhou to keep watch. No one is allowed to approach Damaha, don¡¯t you find this suspicious?¡±


    ¡°I know, this person is very important to Gu Yuanzhou. He can help Gu Yuanzhou clear his name.¡±


    ¡°So, are you still doubting if it¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°Look at the way you asked this question, why shouldn¡¯t I suspect him?¡±


    ¡°Is it because he cheated, and you harbor resentment against him, that¡¯s why you suspect him?¡±


    Yinuo¡¯s words made me stop.


    When I think about it, indeed it was because of his cheating that made me furious.


    This kind of anger made me lose my reason for a while, feeling that Gu Yuanzhou was unpleasant no matter how I looked at him, and in my heart, I only wanted to vent my anger.


    ¡°Yinuo, what do you mean? Are you suggesting that Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t set the fire?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, what I mean is¡­ regardless of whether he was involved in the arson, but there is one thing for sure, and that is that he definitely betrayed you. This is also a serious matter. Have you thought about how to deal with him?¡±


    After a long silence, I gave Yinuo an answer.


    ¡°If it was him who set the fire, I¡¯ll make him pay in kind. If not¡­ then he will still taste the price of betraying me. Back then¡­ everything I gave him, I want to take it all back.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Yinuo raised his glass, ¡°So, cooperate with me! I can make you a better version of yourself.¡±


    I raised my glass and chuckled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say, you didn¡¯t believe that I was Song Yun? Now finally, do you believe it?¡±


    After clinking glasses with me, Yinuo looked at me for a long time with his long eyes.


    ¡°This is not a matter of belief, you are not Song Yun, you are you, Song Yun is Song Yun, I never believe in ghost talk like rebirth.¡±


    Yinuo¡¯s words really opened my eyes, I was caught off guard for a moment.


    My brain capacity was completely insufficient.


    ¡°Oh, let me show you something, sit here!¡±


    He patted the chair beside him, and I moved closer to him.


    He took out his phone to show me, to see it more clearly, I got even closer to him.


    In a moment of unsteadiness, the stool lost its balance, and when I almost fell down, Yinuo reached out and held me.


    At this moment, I heard a familiar voice.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou who was walking towards me while making a call.


    In order not to be recognized by Gu Yuanzhou, I simply buried my face in Yinuo¡¯s chest, with both hands hugging his neck, and maintained this suggestive posture with him, almost cheek to cheek.


    Yinuo seemed also didn¡¯t expect me to make such a move, his body stiffened and didn¡¯t move¡­

 Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 100: Out of Control_1

    Chapter 100: Chapter 100: Out of Control_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Perhaps it was because the lighting on the terrace was quite dim, Gu Yuanzhou passed by without noticing us.


    He was still on a phone call.


    He had walked up to the railing, still engrossed in what seemed to be business matters.


    I slowly extricated myself from Ding Yinuo¡¯s embrace and stole a glance at Gu Yuanzhou.


    Then, in a whisper, I said to Ding Yinuo, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Ding Yinuo, however, suddenly became uncooperative. He stayed seated, ¡°What¡¯re you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want Gu Yuanzhou to see us!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not Mrs. Gu, what¡¯s there to be afraid of him? You¡¯re free now, you can date whoever you want¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words seemed somewhat reasonable, but I didn¡¯t dare to risk it.


    ¡°Forget it. If you¡¯re not leaving, then I will¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t want Gu Yuanzhou to misunderstand me being with his former enemy.


    Gu Yuanzhou was always suspicious. If he found out, I¡¯d be surely in deep trouble.


    However, because I got up in a bit of a hurry, I accidentally knocked over the glass candle stand on the table. It clattered on the ground.


    I knew Gu Yuanzhou would turn to look¡­


    In frustration, I shoved Ding Yinuo a little.


    Suddenly, this fellow went mad. He pushed me against the wall and leaned down to kiss me.


    I felt Gu Yuanzhou turning to look at us.


    At that moment, I couldn¡¯t recall what it felt like when Ding Yinuo kissed me.


    All I felt was a chill run down my spine.


    It was the gaze of Gu Yuanzhou.


    A few minutes later, the sound of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s footsteps echoed as he descended the staircase.


    Until he was out of sight.


    Only then did Ding Yinuo let me go.


    I immediately slapped Ding Yinuo, ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    Ding Yinuo rubbed his stinging face, not angry, but smirked,


    ¡°I was protecting you, okay!¡±


    ¡°Does Gu Yuanzhou seem blind to you? Anyway, if Gu Yuanzhou gives me any trouble tomorrow, I¡¯ll make you pay for it!¡±


    I quickly packed my bag and headed down the stairs.


    As Ding Yinuo made to follow me, a waiter stopped him, ¡°Sir, you broke two glass candleholders. We need to settle this.¡±


    ¡°Wait for me!¡±


    He called out to me, but I ignored him and quickly got into the elevator.


    By the time I got back to the Maple Mansion, it was already midnight.


    Assuming that Gu Yuanzhou might have already been asleep by then, to my surprise, he was still standing at the entrance.


    His tall figure stood in the shadow of the pillars, barely visible. If not for the faintly glowing cigarette in his hand, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed him.


    ¡°President Gu, is that you?¡±


    I awkwardly greeted him.


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    Pretending as if nothing happened, I turned around to open the door. But he called out to me.


    ¡°Why are you back so late?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! A friend got married, so I went to mess around at the wedding reception!¡±


    I quickly came up with an excuse.


    However, it seemed as if he didn¡¯t take in my excuse. Instead, he asked seriously,


    ¡°Who was that man?¡±


    His question made me realize that he indeed had seen Ding Yinuo kissing me.


    After a thoughtful pause, I recall that I was hugging Ding Yinuo, enveloped in darkness. There was a high chance he didn¡¯t recognize us.


    So, I blamed it on someone else,


    ¡°He¡¯s my fianc¨¦!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou lit a cigarette,


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve you. You should break up with him!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, why do you think he can¡¯t make me happy?¡±


    ¡°A useless man, he can¡¯t even provide basic material security, what happiness can he give you.¡±


    I laughed,


    ¡°President Gu, what I want is love, not material possessions. Isn¡¯t it enough for two people to be in love? Besides, we¡¯re still young, we can make our own way.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes choice outweighs effort! I¡¯m just warning you, I hope you don¡¯t regret it later.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was a man of few words. After speaking, he left.


    I was, to a certain extent, surprised. His words made me realize that he was a very pragmatic man.


    I remembered when Gu Yuanzhou and I got married, he once confidently said to me,


    ¡°Although we have nothing now, we can work hard together to create.¡±


    But now, he had changed his tune.


    Had the ten years in business changed him?


    Or was he always this pragmatic, just pretending and deceiving me?


    I hadn¡¯t even settled into my room.


    When Ye Mengyan knocked on the door and came in.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯ve been having a lot of social gatherings lately, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Sort of!¡±


    ¡°By the way, Xiaoyun, here are some fashion sketches. Can you help me choose the best one?¡±


    They were design sketches for wedding dresses, six in total¡­


    Although I didn¡¯t like Ye Mengyan, I was always enthusiastic about fashion design.


    Driven by professional instinct, I chose the last one.


    ¡°This one¡¯s better! It¡¯s simple and elegant. However, the color scheme needs an update. Don¡¯t add silver lace here, it will look cheesy. The pearl belt at the waist could be replaced with a ribbon, it¡¯s too cumbersome.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re so talented! Your advice is the masterstroke.¡±


    ¡°It also depends on the craftsmanship¡­¡±


    Even with the same design, if the designer¡¯s manual skills are too poor, the final product would be far from ideal.


    This particular wedding dress has many flower designs on the skirt, which demands high crafting skills.


    Ye Mengyan said,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, truth be told, this wedding dress is a present for my best friend. As you know, I¡¯m about to go to France to study, so I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll make it back for her wedding. So, I wanted to give her an appropriate wedding dress. I¡¯ve been staying up late these past few days to draw the design. But for the production ¡­ I think my skills might not be as good as yours. How about this, you help me make it, and I¡¯ll pay you for it.¡±


    After a slight consideration, I agreed.


    No matter what Ye Mengyan¡¯s motives were, I wanted to see if I still had those skills after so many years since graduation.


    Ye Mengyan was efficient, the next morning she had bought all the necessary materials.


    I removed an unused door and laid it flat on the table as a working board. Then, I spread the purchased fabric on top, measured the size, drew the pattern¡­


    Unexpectedly, while I was engrossed in making the wedding dress, I felt a piercing gaze on me.


    I looked up and locked gazes with Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    I stopped what I was doing.


    He took a few steps towards me, bending down to look at the dress, then questioned, ¡°Did you make this?¡±


    Right at that moment, Ye Mengyan, laughing, stepped out,


    ¡°Yeah, big brother Gu! Xiaoyun is truly talented. Her skills are no less than the designers at Zhenyi Company! And just being an assistant is underutilizing her! There¡¯s a Wedding Dress Design Competition in early summer, why not let Xiaoyun participate? Perhaps, she could bring new business opportunities to Zhenyi Company?¡±


    I glanced at Ye Mengyan. Her gaze was somewhat evasive, she seemed slightly guilty¡­

 Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 101: The Pit She Dug for Me_1

    Chapter 101: Chapter 101: The Pit She Dug for Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Having lived twice, I have abundant experience in understanding people.


    One can see into someone¡¯s heart through their eyes.


    Furthermore, having spent time with Ye Mengyan, I was somewhat familiar with her. There was a clear hint of ulterior motives in her eyes.


    Suddenly, I felt a sense of alertness. Was she planning to make me the designer, and then take my place?


    Subconsciously, I grew wary¡­


    ¡°Miss Ye overestimates me, I do not possess such talent.¡±


    But Gu Yuanzhou did not think the same way. He stared at the wedding dress for a long while,


    ¡°I believe she is right, you should enter the competition!¡±


    I wasn¡¯t interested in attracting attention,


    ¡°President Gu, there are many talented people in Zhenyi Company, it¡¯s not my turn!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t leave me any room for negotiation.


    After Gu Yuanzhou left, I turned to Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve found some trouble for me!¡±


    Ye Mengyan laughed,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re overthinking, it¡¯s not that complicated. You already have the design, just finish the dress and participate in the competition. This is the perfect opportunity! Your talent should not be buried, and I¡¯m doing this for your own good!¡±


    I patted her on the shoulder,


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, I think you¡¯re smart! But it¡¯s better not to be too clever.¡±


    The smile on Ye Mengyan¡¯s face froze for a moment.


    In fact, making the dress wasn¡¯t challenging for me. I just didn¡¯t like the feeling of being used.


    However, I was now curious about what tricks Ye Mengyan had up her sleeve.


    I spent three days, staying up late each night to finish the dress.


    After completing it, I hung the dress under the light, it emitted a soft and pure glow. The exquisite design at the hem was particularly pleasing to the eye¡­


    I felt achieved looking at the dress I made with my own hands.


    But for some reason, the more I looked at it, the more familiar it became.


    Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t remember where I had seen it before and didn¡¯t have time to ponder it further.


    Gu Yuanzhou had already registered me for the competition.


    Due to the tight schedule, I hadn¡¯t told Wenya and Ding Yinuo.


    Wenya had called me several times but after hearing how busy I was, she didn¡¯t disturb me anymore.


    On the other hand, Ding Yinuo kept sending me texts every day¡­


    I didn¡¯t pay much attention to him.


    Sometimes, I would think about that kiss on the terrace.


    For some reason, it made me feel frustrated and uneasy.


    When I sent the dress to the competition, I didn¡¯t have much confidence.


    After all, I had been out of the design industry for more than a decade, without practice in handcrafts, my skills were far from perfect.


    As time progressed, industries developed, I wondered if I was left behind by the times.


    But to my surprise,


    I won the award!


    The award letter was delivered to me by Gu Yuanzhou himself.


    That day, he stood in front of me, staring at me for a long while,


    ¡°Do you know? You look a lot like my wife now!¡±


    ¡°You mean appearance?¡±


    ¡°No, not just appearance, everything else too¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou circled me, his words seemed probing, yet threatening.


    I looked at the award for a long time.


    ¡°President Gu, I represented the company in the competition, if this is my glory, then it is also the company¡¯s.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve decided, starting today, you¡¯ll be transferred to the design department ¡­ as the director. Do you have any objections?¡±


    His decisions were notices rather than discussions.


    I understood this well enough and could only nod.


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried I can¡¯t take the responsibility, and I¡¯ll let you down, President Gu.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me intently, then gave a faint laugh,


    ¡°I value you! Mengyan was right, with your talent, letting you be a mere secretary is a waste. Giving you a new position, you can shine even brighter. Remember, I don¡¯t like the word disappointment, do your best.¡±


    Because of my award, Gu Yuanzhou was very pleased.


    He unusually invited all the staff to have a meal together.


    This was probably the first time I had dinner with all the employees upon returning to the company.


    During the banquet, many employees came up to Gu Yuanzhou to toast him,


    ¡°President Gu, with Song Xiaoyun as our company¡¯s top designer, our products will surely enter international markets.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, you are a talent spotter! Song Xiaoyun¡¯s success is all thanks to your discovery and promotion!¡±


    After a few drinks, Gu Yuanzhou squinted at me.


    His gaze was somewhat meaningful.


    After several rounds of drinks, I left the banquet early.


    Because my phone was about to explode from Wenya¡¯s calls.


    I took my phone and walked out of the hotel. Wenya was shouting at me from the other side of the phone,


    ¡°Why the hell have you not answered Ding Yinuo¡¯s calls for so many days?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an adult, I¡¯m not obliged to accompany him every day, right?¡±


    ¡°He said he has urgent matters!¡±


    I thought, Ding Yinuo must be trying to contact me about what happened on the terrace?


    So I procrastinated once again,


    ¡°I¡¯m very busy today, maybe tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Sigh, can you be any less cruel to Yinuo! Just like that, you decided not to answer his calls, fine, fine, just remember to meet him tomorrow.¡±


    When I returned to the Maple Mansion that night,


    Ye Mengyan was still smiling at me.


    ¡°Congratulations, Xiaoyun! Look at you, you¡¯re finally successful! Aren¡¯t you supposed to thank me?¡±


    I had a feeling that her smile was somewhat fake, but I couldn¡¯t tell what was wrong.


    The next morning,


    Gu Yuanzhou praised me in front of the whole company and moved me to the design department¡­


    Unexpectedly, that very afternoon, I was summoned to his office.


    He handed me a lawsuit from the court.


    Curiously, I asked, ¡°President Gu, what is this?¡±


    ¡°See for yourself, what have you done?¡±


    It was only then did I realize the deep hole Ye Mengyan had dug for me.


    The suit was from a well-established British wedding dress company named Marian. They claimed that I plagiarized their work, and had sued me and Zhenyi Company together.


    No wonder the dress looked familiar to me when I finished it ¡­


    This wedding dress was the one worn by a royal at their wedding a decade ago.


    In a moment, I was about to become the laughingstock of the entire company!


    Oh, not to mention facing a huge compensation!


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with his back turned, ¡°I gave you my utmost trust, yet you let me down! Song Xiaoyun, is your heart really with Zhenyi?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words had a double meaning.


    I knew, at this moment, I might have also lost Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s trust.

 Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 102: The Pit Dug by Ye Mengyan_1

    Chapter 102: Chapter 102: The Pit Dug by Ye Mengyan_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°President Gu, it was my mistake. I¡¯ll make amends!¡±


    ¡°How do you plan to do so?¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t fix it, I¡¯ll resign and sever ties with the company! I wouldn¡¯t want to burden you.¡±


    After packing up my things and asking him for some time off, I left.


    The afternoon sunshine was somewhat lazy.


    In the small cafe, Wenya sat across from me. After hearing everything, her temper flared up.


    ¡°This little innocent flower has finally shown her true colors. I¡¯ve said it before, I shouldn¡¯t have been kind to her! Ayun, you¡¯re just too kind hearted.¡±


    Through squinted eyes, I looked into the distance amidst the sunshine.


    Through the glass window, under the parasol in the distance, there was an idly seated figure.


    It was Ding Yinuo.


    His starched white shirt accentuated his upright figure, making him look very handsome from the side.


    He was engrossed in the book he was holding.


    Jian Jing said,


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to guard against Ayun! Who would have expected such a thing to happen? In my opinion, you should tell Gu Yuanzhou everything! So as to avoid any misunderstanding.¡±


    Wenya became agitated when she heard this,


    ¡°Why should she be clear with him? In the beginning, Gu Yuanzhou was the one who provoked this little third wheel! If not for him, would Ayun have so many troubles? From what I see, Ayun, you should just leave that scumbag.¡±


    I helplessly shook my head after taking a sip of coffee.


    ¡°I refuse to believe that I¡¯ll lose to this little third wheel. Even if I have to leave Zhenyi, I¡¯ll bring her down with me.¡±


    Since she showed her true motive, I wouldn¡¯t be polite.


    I¡¯ve never admitted defeat in my life.


    Jian Jing nudged me and pointed outside.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo has been waiting for you for a while, go and say something to him!¡±


    ¡°Not right now, I currently don¡¯t have anything to say to him!¡±


    Due to the events on the patio that night, his intentions became clear. But I didn¡¯t want to reconcile with him over it.


    After finishing my cup of coffee, I bid them goodbye without giving him any attention.


    However, he remained seated and didn¡¯t come to chase after me.


    After leaving the coffee shop, I took the afternoon off and didn¡¯t go to the company.


    I have to figure out a way to solve this problem.


    I checked my phone, hoping to gauge public reaction to this issue from the news.


    Logically speaking, plagiarism accusations regarding an award-winning work should have already made the headlines and appeared on trending topics.


    If Ye Mengyan wants to put me in a tight spot, then she must have done it already.


    As expected, I saw the news was trending third on the list¡­


    I took a screenshot.


    I have to think of a solution.


    There are two ways to solve the current problem.


    First, decrease the heat of the debate and reduce the impact of this incident to the minimum, to prevent Zhenyi Company from being implicated.


    The stock market is sensitive, and this kind of negative news can cause Zhenyi¡¯s stock to crash the next day.


    So, the best way is to remove it from the trending topics.


    Second, I need to find money for the hefty compensation. Gu Yuanzhou certainly wouldn¡¯t pay for it.


    Thus, I thought of Shiqi¡­


    I downloaded QQ and logged in to an account I hadn¡¯t used in years.


    With the mindset of giving it a shot, I sent him a message,


    ¡°Master, I¡¯m in trouble, can you help?¡±


    I was thinking, if he doesn¡¯t step in, I¡¯ll have to figure out another way.


    However, to my surprise, he quickly responded.


    ¡°No problem!¡±


    I was pleasantly surprised,


    ¡°Can you remove me from the internet trending topics?¡±


    Shiqi is a hacker.


    With just a little action, he could indeed make the news vanish without a trace.


    However, he suggested another solution.


    ¡°Erasing from trending topics is meaningless, it¡¯s like burying our heads in the sand. But I have a better way. You won¡¯t have to remove the topic from the trending topics, and you won¡¯t even have to pay the fine.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the solution?¡±


    ¡°Accept the roses a man will give you in three days.¡±


    ¡°A man? What man?¡±


    I questioned back, but he left me unanswered.


    His avatar gradually dimmed. I knew he had logged out.


    Three days from now?


    Does this mean, during these three days, I just have to let the matter ferment?


    But I don¡¯t have any good solution anyway and can only let it take its course.


    By six in the evening, I returned to Maple Mansion.


    It seems that Ye Mengyan hadn¡¯t planned to go abroad these past few days, and instead had been waiting for me at home.


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re back! Are you hungry? I¡¯ve prepared some dishes for you. If you¡¯re not in a good mood, I can have a drink with you!¡±


    It was then that I noticed that behind her seemingly weak smile was a hint of smugness.


    At that moment, I saw this woman for who she truly was.


    I didn¡¯t say anything. I just watched her laugh.


    ¡°Ayun, say something. Don¡¯t scare me like this!¡±


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, you did this on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ayun, I didn¡¯t mean to! I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±


    ¡°I only want to ask you one question, didn¡¯t you know there was a problem with the design draft?¡±


    ¡°You also said it. That wedding dress is from four years ago¡­ Four years ago, I was not even in university yet. I had never seen that dress.¡±


    ¡°Really? If you never saw that wedding dress, how did you design it?¡±


    ¡°I, I also do not remember. Perhaps I saw a movie and was inspired.¡±


    ¡°Alright, if you can tell me today the phone number of your classmate who¡¯s getting married, I will forgive you.¡±


    However, Ye Mengyan dodged the question,


    ¡°Ayun, if you want to blame someone, blame me, don¡¯t cause trouble for my classmates. I don¡¯t want her to be implicated.¡±


    ¡°Hah, you really think I¡¯m a fool! You don¡¯t have any female classmates getting married, it¡¯s all just an excuse. You just wanted to use this incident to frame me, forcing Gu Yuanzhou to vent his anger on me and lose faith in me.¡±


    Ye Mengyan continued to shake her head, fear was apparent in her eyes,


    ¡°Why would I do that? What benefits would that bring me? Ayun, you¡¯re my friend!¡±


    ¡°Yes, at first, you did treat me as a friend. Because I worked at Zhenyi, you were able to get more information about Gu Yuanzhou from me. But then, you noticed that Gu Yuanzhou had feelings for me, you were scared I would take away his affection for you. So, you began to sow discord between me and Gu Yuanzhou, hoping he would fire me. Then you would be able to enjoy his love without any worries.¡±


    My straightforwardness left her utterly exposed.


    At that moment, Ye Mengyan was visibly pale. She suddenly knelt before me and started to cry,


    ¡°Ayun, you can hit or scold me! But you can¡¯t insult me! I like Gu Yuanzhou, but I also cannot help it¡­¡±


    Before I could react, she was painfully knocking her head against the floor.


    Even after her forehead began to bleed, she wouldn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°Ayun, I beg you to forgive me, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Just when I was wondering whether she was going to knock herself unconscious, a figure hurriedly burst into the room, helping Ye Mengyan up.


    Only then I realized, she was just putting on a tragedy act.

 Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Acting so Realistic_1

    Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Acting so Realistic_1


    Translator: 549690339


    The person who rushed in was none other than Gu Yuanzhou.


    Because my argument with Ye Mengyan was so intense, I hadn¡¯t heard Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car arrive.


    At this moment, Ye Mengyan was bleeding from her forehead. When Gu Yuanzhou helped her up, she conveniently fainted into his arms.


    What a spectacular dramatic performance.


    Gu Yuanzhou, with no suspicion, immediately picked her up and rushed into the room.


    ¡°Get some gauze, quickly!¡±


    From Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s quivering and furious voice, I genuinely felt his concern for Ye Mengyan.


    I found the gauze and handed it to Gu Yuanzhou.


    He sat on the sofa, not willing to let go of Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Mengyan, Mengyan, wake up quickly!¡±


    After he called her name three times, Ye Mengyan finally opened her eyes weakly.


    ¡°Brother Gu, did you save me?¡±


    Her voice was as frail as if Lin Daiyu had possessed her.


    I merely stood quietly on the side watching Ye Mengyan¡¯s act.


    I must say, her delicate and weak act really got to men.


    Gu Yuanzhou, seeing her ¡®wake up¡¯, finally breathed a sigh of relief,


    ¡°What happened, you even fainted?¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyelashes were still wet with tears, she gently replied,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Gu. It¡¯s all my fault! I made you worry.¡±


    Only then did Gu Yuanzhou lay her on the bed and tenderly bandaged her forehead with the gauze.


    ¡°Never demean yourself like this again.¡±


    ¡°No, the wedding dress incident¡­it¡¯s because of me, I put Xiaoyun in trouble. I have been feeling guilty¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, stop talking, I know you have a kind heart. Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t blame you. Rest now!¡±


    ¡°Brother Gu, you¡¯re so good to me!¡±


    Honestly, any woman could see through Ye Mengyan¡¯s act, especially her coquettish tone, which would make anyone want to vomit.


    But oddly enough, Gu Yuanzhou failed to see any of it.


    He held Ye Mengyan as if he was holding a precious jade he was afraid to break.


    He was so careful and cautious¡­


    After settling Ye Mengyan, he called me outside.


    He lit a cigarette, looked deeply into my eyes.


    ¡°You can¡¯t bother Ye Mengyan again about this matter.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, what if I refuse?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gave me another deep look.


    ¡°I hold you in high regard, I can raise you to the sky, but¡­ I can also take away all my kindness. My bottom line is, you can¡¯t hurt Ye Mengyan, understand?¡±


    At that moment, I finally understood.


    Even though it was revealed before that Ye Mengyan and Gu Yuanzhou had been together four years ago.


    But they had not been intimate¡­


    At that time, I felt fortunate, thinking that maybe Gu Yuanzhou sees Ye Mengyan as a sister.


    Being intimate means no romantic relationship.


    But now, as Gu Yuanzhou tells me all this.


    I realize how ridiculous I¡¯ve been.


    Indeed, Ye Mengyan is his bottom line. I¡¯m nothing, my kids and I mean nothing to him.


    This explains why he wasn¡¯t that devastated after the fire tragedy.


    Because our death could create an excuse for him to be with Ye Mengyan rightly.


    At this moment, chaos ensued in my brain.


    I even felt like strangling Gu Yuanzhou to death.


    ¡°President Gu, have you ever thought this could be a trap laid by Ye Mengyan?¡±


    Before I could finish my words, Gu Yuanzhou interrupted me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said, you can¡¯t hurt Mengyan! You can¡¯t have thoughts like that, or say things like this in the future.¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    At the moment of turning around,


    I realized how pathetic I was!


    In love, in marriage, I lost to a penniless female college student.


    That day, I didn¡¯t go to Wenya to complain.


    Nor did I go to Ding Yinuo for a binge drink.


    I just sat on the rooftop alone the whole night.


    I need to deeply reflect and find a feasible plan to take back everything I¡¯ve lost.


    Alright, Gu Yuanzhou!


    The following morning, as the east just started to turn white, I received an urgent call.


    The call came from an unfamiliar public telephone number. It was Shen Yishu¡¯s voice, delivered intermittently.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, help me!¡±


    A noise rang in my head, immediately reminding me of a few days ago.


    Gu Yuanzhou said he wanted Ayu to get rid of someone¡­


    Could it be Shen Yishu?


    ¡°Where are you? I¡¯ll be right there!¡±


    ¡°At the foot of the Ancient Mountain, near the cable car¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right there!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I drove my BMW directly up the mountain. On the way, I made a call to Wenya.


    ¡°Wenya, do me a favor, call Ding Yinuo and tell him I¡¯ll send an injured person there later.¡±


    ¡°What the hell, can¡¯t you call him yourself? It¡¯s so early, he¡¯s not my boyfriend, if I call, he¡¯ll certainly scold me.¡±


    ¡°Fine, that¡¯s it!¡±


    I didn¡¯t have time to explain in detail.


    All I can think about right now is, if Gu Yuanzhou really wants Shen Yishu dead, he must have laid a trap in the city.


    Going to a regular hospital is out of the question.


    Half an hour later, I found an unconscious Shen Yishu in an abandoned field.


    He seemed to have rolled down from the hill, covered in blood. His backpack and phone were scattered all over the slope. His face was covered in blood.


    When I approached him, he was still delirious and even called out to me, ¡°Mengmeng!¡±


    What a pitiful, foolish boy.


    Even on the brink of death, he¡¯s still thinking of Ye Mengyan.


    Luckily, there was a mountain-dweller passing by, with his help, I was able to lift Shen Yishu into the car and drove to the Xishan Residence.


    Ding Yinuo had just woken up, still in his pajamas, looking at me with groggy eyes, ¡°So, you only remember me when you¡¯re in trouble?¡±


    ¡°Help or not, I¡¯ll leave if you won¡¯t help.¡±


    It was a matter of life and death, who had the time for idle chat.


    Ding Yinuo stopped me, ¡°Where¡¯s the wound?¡±


    ¡°Not me, in the car¡­¡±


    When I opened the car door, upon seeing Shen Yishu covered in blood, Ding Yinuo instantly refused,


    ¡°This unlucky bastard again, no, I can¡¯t help him, please take him away.¡±


    ¡°It was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s doing, are you sure you won¡¯t help?¡±


    Adhering to the principle that the enemy¡¯s enemy is a friend, Ding Yinuo agreed to help in the end.


    ¡°It¡¯s for your sake, only this once, no exceptions!¡±


    I helped Shen Yishu into the house, then Ding Yinuo undressed him to inspect the injuries¡­


    But the unconscious Shen Yishu kept calling out for Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Mengmeng, Mengmeng!¡±


    I thought if Shen Yishu were to die now, his last wish should be to see Ye Mengyan one last time.


    So, I made a call to Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Shen Yishu is seriously injured, he wants to see you one last time!¡±

 Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 104 He Reveals the Terrifying Truth_1

    Chapter 104: Chapter 104 He Reveals the Terrifying Truth_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Childhood sweethearts, meeting one last time before death, that wouldn¡¯t put her in a difficult position, would it?


    However, apparently, I underestimated Ye Mengyan¡¯s ruthless indifference.


    On the other end of the phone, there was a long silence.


    Under my urging, she finally struggled to speak.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, please tell him that I¡¯m very busy and can¡¯t get away!¡±


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, let me remind you that this could be the last time you ever see each other.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, as you know, Shen Yishu is my ex. If I see him, Brother Gu will be upset¡­¡±


    ¡°Woman, you can be so cold-hearted. Shen Yishu was really good to you before.¡±


    ¡°We have long broken up, I have no obligation or responsibility to see him.¡±


    With that said, she hung up first.


    Leaving me in shock.


    It took me a while to recover. Only then did I realize that Shen Yishu had already woken up and was staring at me.


    He had an indescribable pain in his eyes.


    Obviously, he heard my conversation with Ye Mengyan just now.


    ¡°Yishu, what you just heard¡­¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you don¡¯t need to comfort me, I already know!¡±


    After Ding Yinuo examined him, he found that apart from many scratches on his body and a concussion, Shen Yishu had no other fatal injuries.


    His injuries were not severe and did not require hospitalization.


    After Ding Yinuo finished his examination, he called Su Peisheng to bring over some medicine.


    Around eight o¡¯clock, Wenya also brought over breakfast.


    After hearing my description, Wenya shook her head, expressing pity for Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Poor kid! This blow must be a lifetime¡¯s worth for him.¡±


    Su Peisheng passed the medicine to Ding Yinuo and also sighed.


    ¡°Women can be truly terrifying when they become ruthless.¡±


    Wenya, sipping her milk tea, gave Su Peisheng a look.


    ¡°Men are more ruthless when they cheat, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Su Peisheng didn¡¯t back down.


    ¡°Ever heard of ¡®a woman¡¯s heart is the deadliest¡¯.¡±


    Wenya scoffed, ¡°No mercy, no real man!¡±


    After giving Shen Yishu his medicine, Ding Yinuo pulled me into another room.


    ¡°If Gu Yuanzhou wants Shen Yishu dead, and you step in to save him, you¡¯re going against Gu Yuanzhou. Are you prepared for what comes after?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that bound to happen sooner or later?¡±


    Why should I fear him?


    Ye Mengyan and I have openly declared our enmity. I¡¯m afraid worse things may happen in the future.


    ¡°You seem fearless.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, is it your first day knowing me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was very close to me, reaching out to hold my chin.


    ¡°You¡¯ve experienced death once already, shouldn¡¯t you have learned to be more cautious by now? Leave him, move out. If you don¡¯t want to stay in Xishan Residence, I can find you another place.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what are you implying, you want to keep me?¡±


    ¡°Take it however you want!¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ I¡¯m not afraid of death. Desperate times, desperate measures. To ruin the life of this pair is my mission.¡±


    I¡¯m really not afraid. I¡¯ve already died once.


    Death no longer scares me, at worst, I¡¯d have a second go at it.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, his voice trembled in urgency.


    ¡°Do you only think of yourself? Haven¡¯t you ever thought about how others would feel? Do you know that if you were gone again, someone would mourn, would be so hurt they might wish they were dead too?¡±


    In his anxiety, his voice was rather hoarse.


    I was calm, and quickly rebutted,


    ¡°Who are those ¡®others¡¯?¡±


    Ding Yinuo replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you care about anyone else in this world other than Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    I firmly stated.


    Having no one to worry about, I fear nothing and yield to no one.


    I won¡¯t let anyone become my weakness.


    Ding Yinuo visibly looked defeated, the light in his eyes gradually faded, he let go of me abruptly.


    ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t care then I don¡¯t either!¡±


    He left in a huff after that.


    I took a deep breath, gradually relaxing my nervous mind.


    Wenya walked into the room and looked at me.


    ¡°Did Ding Yinuo do anything to you?¡±


    I shrugged my shoulders.


    ¡°He¡¯s just overthinking things!¡±


    ¡°Can I interpret that as he cares about you? Xiaoyun, should you consider Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°Wenya, are you joking? Ding Yinuo and I, how could we possibly¡­ Don¡¯t you know what I¡¯m about to do?¡±


    The person I¡¯m going to deal with next is Gu Yuanzhou.


    In some sense, Gu Yuanzhou is more difficult to deal with than Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo, although often causing trouble, has moral bottom line, he doesn¡¯t do outrageously bad things.


    But Gu Yuanzhou can do all sorts of things.


    Therefore, I must be all in. Before that, I don¡¯t want to have any romantic entanglements with any man.


    ¡°You¡­ I meant that, having one more person to care for you, wouldn¡¯t it become easier to accomplish what you want to do?¡±


    ¡°No, men only slow down my sword-wielding speed.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the bull, you are not a swordsman!¡±


    We left the room chattering and arguing.


    That¡¯s when I realized that Ding Yinuo had not gone far. He had been standing behind the door the whole time, he must have heard my conversation with Wenya.


    After Wenya came out, she signaled something to him with her eyes.


    He glanced at me and then turned and left.


    Half an hour later, I entered Shen Yishu¡¯s room.


    He had already awakened, lying on his side on the bed, his shoulders shaking non-stop.


    ¡°Um, if you¡¯re upset, can we talk about it?¡±


    I knew that this young man must have been unable to bear the pain of being abandoned.


    He didn¡¯t want people to see his tears, so he¡­


    After a while, Shen Yishu turned around to face me.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m doing well!¡±


    From his eyes, I saw tears, and also the forced composure after the sadness.


    ¡°There¡¯s really no need to hide your emotions!¡±


    Shen Yishu sat on the edge of the bed, his hands stiffened as they clasped together. He paused for quite some time before saying, ¡°You must think I¡¯m a wimp, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°A man shouldn¡¯t be crying after a breakup.¡±


    I laughed and patted his shoulder, counseling him like an older sister would.


    ¡°Men are humans too, and human beings have feelings. Why should women be allowed to cry and men not? On the contrary, your sorrow proves that you are an affectionate man, which is good¡­. However, there¡¯s something I want to remind you about. You should give your feelings to a good woman. Those with twisted values and intentions, they are not worth your devotion. They don¡¯t deserve your tears.¡±


    My words left Shen Yishu momentarily stunned. His emotions gradually stabilized, and he began to tell me about what happened today.


    The truth of the matter was not what I had imagined. I had completely misunderstood.


    The person Gu Yuanzhou wanted to target was not Shen Yishu, but another person.

 Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Ruthless and Unjust_1

    Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Ruthless and Unjust_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Turns out, Shen Yishu has been secretly tracking Little Juanmao for a while, seeking the truth about what¡¯s happening.


    However, last night while stalking Little Juanmao, he discovered that someone was trying to kill Little Juanmao.


    He didn¡¯t want to see Little Juanmao get killed and in a moment of panic, he stepped in to help. However, he was unexpectedly kicked down a slope.


    Recalling what happened last night, Shen Yishu was still somewhat shaken.


    ¡°Are you sure they were trying to kill Little Juanmao and not you?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Those two guys had been following Little Juanmao for a long time¡­ When I was sitting in the caf¨¦ across the street, they were sitting right next to me. As soon as Little Juanmao came out of the car, they began whispering about not letting Little Juanmao escape¡­ I¡¯m sure of what I heard; they were after Little Juanmao. Also, if I hadn¡¯t stepped in to help Little Juanmao, they wouldn¡¯t have attacked me.¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s words made me finally understand.


    Was Gu Yuanzhou trying to kill Little Juanmao?


    ¡°Why Little Juanmao, why would he want to kill Little Juanmao?¡±


    I could not understand.


    Shen Yishu said,


    ¡°Could it be that Little Juanmao had lied to you before? Maybe the truth is not as he told you.¡±


    ¡°You mean to say, Damaha didn¡¯t really steal anything?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible!¡±


    ¡°It seems, I need to have another talk with Little Juanmao! Listen, after you were injured, what happened to Little Juanmao? How badly was he hurt?¡±


    ¡°He fell down the slope just like me! I¡¯ll go back to the slope tomorrow and look for him.¡±


    Just as Shen Yishu finished speaking, Ding Yinuo interjected,


    ¡°You have a concussion and need to rest in bed. You may also need to go to the hospital for a brain CT scan.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Ding!¡±


    Shen Yishu was surprisingly obedient to Ding Yinuo¡¯s words, showing tremendous respect.


    ¡°I will send someone to look for him later! From now on, there¡¯s no need for you to follow Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s case anymore. I will pay you in full later.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words left me slightly stunned.


    What did he mean by ¡®the money that needs to be paid¡¯?


    Looking at my shocked face, Shen Yishu explained,


    ¡°The person who hired me to monitor all of this was Mr. Ding.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    I suddenly realized, and glared at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Are you sick? You could have told me earlier! If you had told me Shen Yishu was the one you hired, I wouldn¡¯t have pleaded for your help to save him!¡±


    Ding Yinuo just smiled and didn¡¯t reply.


    That smug expression annoyed me so I kicked him.


    Shen Yishu was rather quiet.


    ¡°Let me try one more time, Mr. Ding. I believe I can solve this case.¡±


    I pulled up a chair and sat down, calmly speaking to him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done everything you could. Going forward, it¡¯s not appropriate for you to be involved in this matter anymore. Of course, I have other tasks for you.¡±


    ¡°I want Ye Mengyan to see clearly what kind of man she is fond of.¡±


    Shen Yishu was still persistent.


    ¡°You won¡¯t need to do that. I believe it won¡¯t be long before she sees it for herself.¡±


    Shen Yishu still seemed somewhat reluctant to give up.


    Ding Yinuo patted his shoulder,


    ¡°You should thank Sister Song. After all this, she might give you a promotion.¡±


    A glimmer of light finally appeared in Shen Yishu¡¯s eyes,


    ¡°Thank you, Sis¡­err¡­ Xiaoyun.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to address me as ¡®Sister¡¯.


    Because in his eyes, I¡¯m only a couple of years older than him, practically his peer, and he refused to call me ¡®sister¡¯.


    ¡°You can¡¯t call me ¡®sister¡¯?¡±


    Ding Yinuo emphasized again knowingly.


    In his view, ¡®sister¡¯ denotes a difference in seniority.


    But Shen Yishu flushed slightly, yet he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to call me ¡®sister¡¯.


    I pushed Ding Yinuo away,


    ¡°Stop messing around! He¡¯s heartbroken. Stop making things worse.¡±


    Ding Yinuo crossed his arms, looking somewhat loving.


    ¡°A man will always find a wife, heartbreak is nothing! If you lose a tree, there¡¯s still a whole forest.¡±


    ¡°Healing emotional wounds takes time¡­¡±


    Noon.


    Wenya and Su Peisheng helped prepare lunch.


    Using hot pot ingredients they bought from the supermarket, along with fish balls, lamb rolls, beef rolls, and vegetables.


    Everyone gathered for a hot pot meal.


    After lunch, Ding Yinuo drove Shen Yishu to the hospital for a brain scan.


    Wenya, meanwhile, was on the couch, video chatting with Jian Jing.


    In the video, I heard a woman nagging, so I asked Jian Jing what was happening.


    Jian Jing sighed,


    ¡°It¡¯s my mother-in-law. She¡¯s unhappy about the wedding costing tens of thousands, and she¡¯s been grumbling non-stop. She even cried last night, saying I¡¯ve been bullying her ever since I got married. She says her son neglects her now that he has a wife. It¡¯s so frustrating.¡±


    Wenya said, ¡°She¡¯s just causing a scene. Ignore her. Let her cry if she wants to. The wedding¡¯s over and it¡¯s too late for her to back out now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not going to bother about it. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go back to my parent¡¯s house and stay there a few more days before coming back.¡±


    After thinking for a while, I asked, ¡°Jian Jing, isn¡¯t this house yours?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is!¡±


    ¡°If you really can¡¯t stand it, kick her out! Some people only understand force. You shouldn¡¯t put up with it!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I know! You guys don¡¯t need to worry about me!¡±


    After hanging up the video call, Su Peisheng started lecturing Wenya again, ¡°Do you realize you¡¯re inciting crime? If anything happens to her, she could sue you.¡±


    Wenya was enraged, ¡°Su Fagun! Could you shut up for once? This is my bestie¡¯s issue, what¡¯s it got to do with you?¡±


    ¡°Woman, I¡¯m trying to give you advice! Good intentions can sometimes lead to bad results! You have to be smarter!¡±


    ¡°Fine, you¡¯re the only smart one in the world. Everyone else is a fool, are you satisfied?¡±


    While these two were quarrelling, Ding Yinuo returned with Shen Yishu.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­¡±


    I sighed in relief, ¡°Any news about Little Juanmao?¡±


    ¡°No response yet, probably later!¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Shen Yishu, come with me, I have something to discuss with you.¡±


    I pulled Shen Yishu into the study, and Ding Yinuo followed, ¡°Can I sit in on this? Please?¡±


    ¡°No, this is a secret between him and me. Nobody else can hear!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, don¡¯t go too far! This is my house, and you¡¯re saying I can¡¯t listen?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can¡¯t!¡±


    I grabbed Ding Yinuo by the collar and shoved him out the door.


    He still refused to leave, leaning on the door frame and looking at me, ¡°I thought we had a special bond!!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s what you thought. You¡¯re wrong! Ding Yinuo, we¡¯re still at odds, so you¡¯d better stay away!¡±


    He seemed to be offended by my words, let go of the door and walked away.


    I closed the door, took a deep breath, and calmed myself down.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, what did you want to discuss?¡±


    Unable to contain his curiosity, Shen Yishu finally asked.


    ¡°I want to work on a big project with you!¡±

 Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Is He Playing Me Again?_1

    Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Is He Playing Me Again?_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing¡­I want to start a company, I¡¯ll be the silent investor and you¡­ you will be the actual manager of the company. We will be partners, fifty-fifty. I¡¯ll handle the operations, and you¡¯ll handle execution and management.¡±


    ¡°Start a company together?¡±


    Shen Yishu was evidently interested.


    ¡°I want to, but I have no experience. I¡¯m afraid I might mess it up.¡±


    I pat him on the shoulder,


    ¡°With me here, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. Just pour yourself into it. Take the next few days to prepare. I¡¯ll take care of raising the funds. When you have free time, try to contact your classmates, see if you can recruit some good people.¡±


    I handed over a document from my bag to him.


    In the past, I single-handedly founded the Zhenyi Company and made it grow. Now, starting a new company doesn¡¯t pose any difficulties for me.


    However, time is of the essence. I need to set things up quickly before Gu Yuanzhou notices. Otherwise, everything will be over.


    After talking with Shen Yishu, I opened the door.


    Only then did I realize that Ding Yinuo had been waiting outside the whole time, puffing away at several cigarettes in his hand.


    I look at him and smile, ¡°Ahem, as a doctor, don¡¯t you know that smoking is harmful to your health?¡±


    He looked at me indifferently, ¡°Can I take this as you showing concern for me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I care about you a bit! What was it again, you¡¯re my only nemesis. If you were to die, I¡¯d find life pretty boring.¡±


    His face immediately darkened, and he even rolled his eyes at me.


    After watching Shen Yishu leave with a smiling face, he asked me quizzically, ¡°What were you guys talking about inside?¡±


    ¡°Some very important matters.¡±


    ¡°How important? So important that you can¡¯t even talk to me about them?¡±


    I thought about it and finally gave him a determined look, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Fine, you¡¯re quite something!¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t ask further, his expression quite unpleasant.


    As I was leaving Xishan Residence, Wenya started to berate me again,


    ¡°You, you¡¯re too unkind to Ding Yinuo! Can¡¯t you be a little bit gentler to him? Look at him, this house was provided by him, and he even helped you treat Shen Yishu.¡±


    I gripped the steering wheel, observing the vehicles on the road,


    ¡°The matter with Shen Yishu can¡¯t be blamed on me. It¡¯s him who hired Shen Yishu with his own money.¡±


    Wenya was stunned for a moment before finally regaining her senses,


    ¡°I knew it! It¡¯s not surprising. These two have a grudge! However, I think you should unite with him. After all, having his help in the future will make it easier for you to deal with Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    I remained unmoved, my gaze still looking straight ahead.


    I know, a fierce battle between me and Gu Yuanzhou might be inevitable in the future.


    No matter what, I don¡¯t want to drag my friends into it.


    I don¡¯t want the hatred between Ding Yinuo and me to continue any further.


    ¡°The things between Ding Yinuo and me are just things between him and me. I don¡¯t want¡­ him to continue fighting Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Ayun, you¡¯ve changed!¡±


    ¡°Have I?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, your personality has changed a lot.¡±


    I just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything.


    I believe that whoever dies once will change.


    After sending Wenya home, I made a trip to the bank.


    I urgently need funds right now¡­


    At the time of our marriage, my aunt also gave me two shops as a dowry gift.


    These were premarital assets. If I wanted to sell them, I didn¡¯t need to seek Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s consent.


    I needed to go to the bank and get the property certificates for these two shops.


    As I parked the car and was about to walk into the bank hall,


    I heard Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice and almost bumped into him head-on.


    Looking up, I found Gu Yuanzhou talking to the bank¡¯s manager.


    Quickly, I turned to hide behind a column, grabbed a finance magazine from the rack, and covered my face.


    ¡°Manager Liu, I¡¯d like to inquire¡­what¡¯s the financial condition of my father-in-law¡¯s company, Huaxin Group right now?¡±


    Huaxin Group is Uncle Song Shixiong¡¯s company.


    The wedding ceremony between me and Gu Yuanzhou was grand. Not only was it lively, but there were also celebrities invited.


    As well as the city¡¯s elite. There was also a live broadcast on television.


    So as the son-in-law of the president of Huaxin Group, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s high-profile status was well-known.


    Hence, Manager Liu did not conceal anything when asked at the moment.


    ¡°Not too good! They¡¯ve taken quite a few loans right now¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Manager Liu.¡±


    After exchanging a few words, Gu Yuanzhou turned and left.


    I watched his figure disappear from my sight.


    A moment later, Manager Liu instructed his tellers,


    ¡°In the future, be more courteous to President Gu, his reputation now is bigger than his father-in-law¡¯s.¡±


    I felt a slight shock at his words.


    Had Gu Yuanzhou flourished wildly and grown into a towering tree when I wasn¡¯t paying attention?


    Not daring to linger any longer, I took the opportunity when the bank manager was speaking to his subordinates to rush in, open the safe, and take out both property certificates of the shops. I also took out all the remaining jewelry and stuffed them into my pocket.


    Then, I hurried out¡­


    ¡°Hey, stop!¡±


    Suddenly someone shouted from behind. I didn¡¯t dare to stop, but instead, quickened my pace.


    Ran out frantically.


    If the security guard recognizes that I am not the person, I will surely go to jail. This is theft.


    I rushed to the parking lot, got in the car and drove off. As I left the parking lot, I saw through the rearview mirror that the security guard was still chasing me from behind.


    I was nervous. Once I got on the road, I finally relaxed a bit.


    Then, I went straight to Ghost City¡­


    In fact, trying to sell these two shops immediately is almost impossible. The quickest way to liquidate them is through collateral loans.


    After I got the money, I went to register the company. The things I planned next were quickly arranged.


    In less than three days, Shen Yishu had recruited employees.


    We rented office space and started work.


    Looking at the newly established company, I thought back to the time when I started a business with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Although it was tough back then, it was sweet in my heart, and I was full of dreams.


    Now looking back, my heart is filled with darkness.


    I know I can never love anyone in this lifetime.


    At eight o¡¯clock in the evening, I received a call from Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Come to the hospital!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to find Little Juanmao?¡±


    ¡°Have you found him?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get here!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I rushed to the hospital.


    Ding Yinuo was already waiting for me at the hospital entrance¡­


    From a distance, I could see his white coat, which shone brightly. His cool and handsome temperament was an eye-catcher.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the person?¡±


    I called out to him as soon as I parked the car.


    He gestured and then turned around.


    I jogged to catch up and finally caught up with him in the elevator.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the person?¡±

 Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 107 Heart Broken_1

    Chapter 107: Chapter 107 Heart Broken_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo pressed the elevator button and then glanced at me, ¡°Do you only know how to care about others?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, should I care about you?¡±


    ¡°Would it kill you to care about me?¡±


    ¡°You, a very lively person standing in front of me, looking rosy, clearly not suffering from any serious illness, do I need to worry about you?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what kind of hidden disease I might have?¡±


    ¡°Mental illness?¡±


    After a few harsh words with him, the elevator stopped.


    A doctor, who should be his colleague, saw us arguing and gave us a thumbs up. He uttered something as he left.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, you are spoiling us with displays of affection early in the morning.¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t explain, instead, he chuckled and nodded, ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    ¡°Brother¡¯s wife? Why don¡¯t you introduce her to us?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, let¡¯s wait until we¡¯re giving out wedding candies.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to the ultrasound department now¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo waved and smiled as he watched the doctor leave.


    When we reached the basement, Ding Yinuo quickly walked out and I caught up with him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t allow this, you have to explain next time, otherwise people will misunderstand you.¡±


    Ding Yinuo put his hands in his coat pockets, looked at me leisurely,


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, I don¡¯t mind. Let them talk.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you not afraid that Miss Jiang would care?¡±


    He looked at me, ¡°She won¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Is she that generous?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stubborn whether she¡¯s here or not. I bet, when she¡¯s here, you won¡¯t even dare to fart.¡±


    ¡°Alright, next time I¡¯ll call her here and kiss you in front of her. Do you dare?¡±


    Facing his challenging gaze, I quickly waved my hand, ¡°I dare not!¡±


    Why should I dare?


    Only a fool would do such a thing.


    As expected, he curved his lips into a smile.


    Soon, he stopped in front of a door,


    ¡°The person is in there, do you want to see? But, let me warn you, the sight may be a bit gruesome, you might not be able to handle it.¡±


    It was the morgue.


    The underground room emitted a cold chill.


    Suddenly, I remembered that my corpse might still be here¡­


    For no reason, my heart convulsed.


    I nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go in and take a look. What¡¯s there to fear for someone who has even confronted death.¡±


    Only then did Ding Yinuo open the door.


    Indeed, only the living can be feared. The dead just lie quietly here.


    As peaceful as a cloud, there is nothing to fear.


    Ding Yinuo then explained, ¡°The body was sent here last night, found in a nearby pond. The forensic doctor came in the morning, the cause of death was a head injury from a rock. Probably happened while rolling down the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    The temperature in here was nearly ten degrees lower than outside, almost zero. I immediately felt a bone-chilling cold as soon as I entered.


    The bodies were all covered with white clothing, and only their toe tags were exposed.


    Ding Yinuo led me to the first row directly, and then lifted the white cloth.


    The person who had just died didn¡¯t look so bad, like they were just sleeping. I confirmed, it was indeed Little Juanmao.


    ¡°Is it him?¡±


    I nodded.


    Only then did Ding Yinuo cover it back up with the cloth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Ding Yinuo turned around and started walking out, saying, ¡°It seems that someone eliminated him for a reason. However, the murderer did a great job, leaving no traces. The police haven¡¯t found any clues. According to me, this can only be an unsolved mystery. Also, his family members have not come to claim the body.¡±


    He kept talking to himself. When he reached the door, he realized that I had not followed him. So, he turned his head to look at me.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    Yes, I wasn¡¯t leaving.


    I turned around and looked towards the inner room, where there was a freezer.


    The bodies that needed to be preserved for a long time were placed in the refrigerator in there.


    I just kept staring at it¡­


    Ding Yinuo quickly came to my side, he grabbed my arm, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we have seen the person already. We should go out now. It¡¯s so cold, you¡¯ll catch a sickness if we stay longer.¡±


    His big hand cautiously grabbed my small hands. He might have felt the icy coldness of my fingertips.


    ¡°Ayun, let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    He whispered in my ear.


    I shook my head, being a bit stubborn, my voice was somewhat hoarse, ¡°I want to see the children!¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    Only then did he feel something¡¯s amiss. He began to pull me out.


    But I don¡¯t want to leave, I asked him,


    ¡°Are they stored here? Can I take a look? Just a glance, okay?¡±


    ¡°Listen, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    He forcibly picked me up, and carried me out from behind by my waist.


    But I still wanted to go back, ¡°Ding Yinuo, let me go, let me have a look¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo grabbed my shoulder, pinned me against the wall,


    ¡°Listen to me, they¡¯re gone! They¡¯ve left, Ayun, there¡¯s nothing there anymore! They¡¯re not there, they¡¯ve gone to heaven. You shouldn¡¯t look, you¡¯ll only see sadness and pain!!¡±


    Suddenly, I broke down in tears¡­


    Although I¡¯ve been seemingly calm recently, even making jokes when I¡¯m with friends.


    But only I know, there¡¯s a part of my heart that¡¯s still bleeding. It hurts unbearably as soon as I touch it.


    I have never forgotten my two precious treasures.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I love them, I miss them. I can¡¯t stand it, why do I have to be reborn, why?¡±


    Maybe, I can only let go and release my emotions when I¡¯m in front of Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo remained silent, holding me tightly.


    He gently patted my back, only after a long while, he whispered in my ear,


    ¡°Maybe, just like you, they have also been reborn somewhere.¡±


    His words, though comforting, also sparked a glimmer of hope in me.


    I slowly stopped crying.


    He reached out and cupped my face, then pulled out a tissue to carefully wipe my tears.


    Seeing that my emotions were a bit stable, he led me into the elevator.


    Then, he took me to his office.


    He made me a cup of tea.


    ¡°Later, I¡¯ve arranged for a psychiatrist for you. You can talk to her, it¡¯ll make you feel a lot better.¡±


    As I sipped the tea he brewed, I shook my head and refused, ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡±


    ¡°Fine my ass, look at yourself in the mirror, see what a mess you¡¯ve become¡­¡±


    He actually passed me a mirror. I glanced at myself, my eyes were red from crying and the makeup on my face was smeared, making me look really ugly.


    He threw me a pack of tissues, ¡°Later, I¡¯ll take you out for a meal. We¡¯ll invite Wenya, let¡¯s get wasted. How about it?¡±


    ¡°Good! I agree!¡±


    Drown one¡¯s sorrows in wine!


    As I wiped my nose with a tissue, my phone rang.


    The call was from Gu Yuanzhou. So, I answered it.


    ¡°President Gu, hello!¡±


    ¡°Can you come to the company for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Is there anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°A security guard from the bank just came over¡­¡±

 Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 108: The Look in Lasi’s Eyes_1

    Chapter 108: Chapter 108: The Look in Lasi¡¯s Eyes_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Bank security? The moment I heard this, I broke out in a cold sweat.


    The last time I was at the bank to withdraw the property title, the security guard was in hot pursuit behind me.


    I thought I had escaped him, but to my surprise, he pursued me all the way to our office.


    Did I expose myself?


    Even though I was panic-stricken inside, at least I managed to stay cool when talking to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, what do they want with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get here!¡±


    It seemed like Gu Yuanzhou was somewhat angered, he said a few words and hung up abruptly.


    I turned to look at Ding Yinuo.


    He was also staring at me, his gaze tinged with obvious concern.


    ¡°Can I still attend the party tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you guys just wait for my good news!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to worry Ding Yinuo, so I decided not to tell him about this.


    However, as I started to walk away, he suddenly grabbed my hand.


    I saw in his eyes three parts reluctance, seven parts worry¡­


    I untwined his fingers, one by one, he quickly clenched his hand again and enveloped me in an unexpected embrace.


    I leaned against his chest, pushing him away slightly.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, it¡¯s not very auspicious that you¡¯re constantly embracing me as if we¡¯re parting for life and death.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say much, just responded lightly,


    ¡°Take care of yourself and keep your phone on at all times.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, bye!¡±


    I stepped down the stairs, walking away without looking back.


    As I drove, I happened to glance in the rearview mirror and saw Ding Yinuo standing in place, watching me.


    There was something strange about his gaze.


    In fact, I don¡¯t know when it started, but the way Ding Yinuo looked at me was the same as how Gu Yuanzhou looked at me when he was deeply in love with me back in the old days.


    How did it turn out this way?


    When did my relationship with him start to change?


    Half an hour later, I parked the car in the company¡¯s underground parking lot.


    Before I entered the company, I made a point to ask the security guard,


    ¡°Have there been any unusual incidents today?¡±


    The security guard looked at me with confusion,


    ¡°Miss Song, do you mean something is supposed to happen?¡±


    ¡°Like, have any police dropped by?¡±


    ¡°No, there hasn¡¯t been.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±


    I patted the security guard on the shoulder and entered the elevator.


    Upon entering the company, I noticed that there were quite a few new faces around recently.


    Did Gu Yuanzhou start recruiting again?


    At this moment, it had been just under two months since the Golden Bay fire.


    Had Gu Yuanzhou started purging the internal staff of Zhenyi?


    To verify my suspicions, I went to the HR department under the pretense of researching and checked the personnel changes in the company.


    There, to my shock, I found that the company had replaced staff in key management positions and technical backbones with fresh blood.


    This included the finance supervisor, cashier, and team leaders of below-the-line departments.


    Many long-serving employees that I had personally hired when the company was established had been replaced.


    Seeing this, I broke out in a cold sweat.


    Gu Yuanzhou, what on earth are you planning?


    You know that Mrs. Gu is no longer in the world, so are these old subordinates of hers going to revolt?


    Or are you guilty and attempting to conceal something?


    ¡°Miss Song, do you take issue with this?¡±


    The HR director was looking at me, I took my finger off the employee form and curiously asked,


    ¡°Manager Liu, I noticed that our company has been laying off a lot of older employees recently. These old colleagues contributed a lot to the company¡­¡±


    The HR director looked at me, shook his head,


    ¡°You make a good point, but this was President Gu¡¯s decision.¡±


    I paused for a moment, nodded, and left the HR department.


    It was only then did I visit the President¡¯s office.


    Gu Yuanzhou was on the phone, seemingly speaking to someone named Ayu.


    He was speaking softly, and I couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    He was very alert, hanging up the phone as soon as he heard my footsteps.


    He turned and looked at me.


    ¡°Err, President Gu, you said that the bank security has come? What for?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took a seat, ¡°Are you stalking me?¡±


    I instantly recalled our encounter at Shuang¡¯an Bank during the day, but I couldn¡¯t confess to this.


    I thought for a moment and shook my head, ¡°Not at all, what do you mean, President Gu?¡±


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t stalking me, then what were you doing at Shuang¡¯an Bank?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I want to buy a house, so I was collecting information about mortgage interest rates at various banks. I¡¯ve been to every bank nearby, President Gu, how did you know?¡±


    I was merely making things up on the spot. In fact, if Gu Yuanzhou asked me about the interest rate of the mortgages now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to answer.


    Because I never asked, naturally I didn¡¯t know.


    His question confirmed my suspicion, but he did not inquire further, instead, he asked,


    ¡°Are you not comfortable living at Maple Mansion? Why do you need to buy a house?¡±


    ¡°Everyone needs to have their own house, it gives a sense of belonging!¡±


    I was just making small talk.


    But he believed me. He then asked, ¡°Are you thinking of getting married to him?¡±


    I played along, ¡°Yes! Marriage is every woman¡¯s belonging. I also want to have my own home.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took a glance at me, then took something out of the drawer and threw it at me.


    ¡°How did you manage to become so careless? This fell off and you didn¡¯t even realize. The security guard made a special trip to bring it to you.¡±


    I caught it and realized that it was my employee ID card¡­


    Upon recalling, it must have been during my escape when the ID I stashed in my pocket fell out.


    It was picked up by the Shuang¡¯an bank security who ran after me for half a day, just to return this to me.


    I let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°President Gu, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t quite understand. Could I ask you about it?¡±


    I knew the question I was about to ask was like poking at a hornet¡¯s nest, but I couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Hmm, go ahead!¡±


    He seemed calm.


    ¡°Well¡­ I heard from other colleagues that a lot of our old employees were laid off. From the company¡¯s standpoint, I think these old employees have made significant contributions¡­¡±


    I was cut short by an impatient Gu Yuanzhou before I could finish.

 Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Wedding Dress Incident_1

    Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Wedding Dress Incident_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you need to be clear about your position. Don¡¯t overstep your role within the company. All the power you have is given to you by me, and therefore, you can¡¯t question me, understand?¡±


    He said these words with a stern look on his face.


    It was as if these questions were his red lines.


    And I was stepping right on that line.


    I remained silent for a while, and then nodded quietly.


    He¡¯s the boss now, and I¡¯m just an employee, so naturally I can¡¯t question him anymore.


    ¡°Also, about the wedding dress issue¡­ have you thought about how to handle it?¡±


    The question came back to this.


    I had already checked on my phone, the issue was still escalating, and someone deliberately linked me with Zhenyi Company for speculation.


    In the past couple of days, the company¡¯s stock has plummeted.


    I also noticed the dark circles under Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes, and the visible tension in his face.


    In fact, I also knew that he had formed a crisis management team in the company, and they were actively dealing with this issue.


    All of this was a hole I had dug for him.


    ¡°President Gu, I will handle this issue myself.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to handle it?¡±


    Faced with his question, I didn¡¯t answer.


    Because I hadn¡¯t thought of a solution myself, I couldn¡¯t respond to his question.


    Just then, Ye Mengyan walked in.


    A radiant smile was on her face, her joy was hard to hide upon seeing me.


    Adorned in a white dress, she looked as pure as a lily. She glanced at me and then went over to Gu Yuanzhou in front.


    ¡°Brother Gu! You look so haggard lately, must be worried about the wedding dress issue, I really worried about you.¡±


    The gentle voice was filled with a woman¡¯s concern.


    At this moment, Ye Mengyan was like Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s delicate, loving wife.


    Soft, gentle, and full of affection.


    No wonder successful men always find a mistress.


    This kind of tenderness and softness is something their wives at home can¡¯t provide.


    Ye Mengyan reached out to touch Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face, and I hurriedly walked out.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou coughed lightly, calling out to me, ¡°Wait!¡±


    It was then that Ye Mengyan came back to her senses and turned to look at me.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I came here today to help Xiaoyun.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything.


    It seemed that Ye Mengyan¡¯s words weren¡¯t intended for me. She told Gu Yuanzhou, ¡°My classmate said that this issue is very significant. If it¡¯s not handled properly, Xiaoyun may not be able to appear in the fashion world anymore, after all, plagiarism is a serious charge. Additionally, Zhenyi Company, which has been implicated by Xiaoyun¡¯s actions, has also been badly affected.¡±


    I laughed lightly upon hearing this, then asked her, ¡°Since you¡¯re so clever, what do you think should be done?¡±


    Anyone could see.


    Ye Mengyan came over today just to kick me when I was down.


    No matter how innocent her eyes were, or how innocent her smile was.


    It couldn¡¯t hide her dark heart.


    She boldly explained,


    ¡°In terms of ideas, I don¡¯t have any good ones. But my classmates gave me an idea, they mean sacrificing the small self to achieve the greater self.¡±


    ¡°Can you be more straightforward?¡±


    ¡°You should resign! You need to announce in the media that you have severed your employment relationship with Zhenyi. Admit publicly that you used Zhenyi¡¯s name to participate in the competition. All responsibilities are yours, unrelated to Zhenyi Company. In this way, Zhenyi Company will not be affected.¡±


    After Ye Mengyan finished speaking, I laughed coldly.


    Sure enough, her ultimate goal is not only to ruin my reputation but also to make me resign, to distance me from Zhenyi Company and Gu Yuanzhou.


    This woman is really cunning, killing three birds with one stone.


    Looking at the barely concealed pride in her eyes, I smiled and said, ¡°Miss Ye is really smart! It seems that I have to be sacrificed for the sake of the company.¡±


    Ye Mengyan also sensed that I was mocking her.


    She quickly tried to explain,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, we are friends, I naturally don¡¯t want you to suffer. Don¡¯t be angry, this is not my idea, it¡¯s my classmates¡¯. I even argued with them over this issue. I said, Xiaoyun and I are like sisters. I have to consider her future. My classmates then said, Zhenyi Company is a large company, if its reputation gets damaged, the losses will be great¡­ impossible to recover¡­ but Xiaoyun, can take a step back, wait for the scandal to subside, then come back.¡±


    This woman can really talk, she cleared herself from any responsibility and put everything on an anonymous classmate.


    I ignored her, turned my head to ask Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°What does President Gu think?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou pondered for a few seconds after hearing my question, and finally told me.


    ¡°There¡¯s a press conference at ten o¡¯clock, the outside world is also waiting for our company to provide a response. Frankly, I see no other alternative at this point. Mengyan¡¯s method is good, you just need to publicly announce your separation from the company. We will not fire you behind the scenes.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    I laughed coldly.


    As expected, he sided with her.


    Breathing through the same nostril, wearing the same pair of pants, there¡¯s nothing to expect.


    ¡°What, do you have a better option?¡±


    ¡°President Gu has already said that the press conference is about to start, with such a short time available, who could come up with a better solution?¡±


    In fact, there were other options, but he simply didn¡¯t want to deny Ye Mengyan.


    At a critical moment, he still chose to sacrifice me in order to save his career.


    Typical Gu Yuanzhou!


    Businessmen always prioritize their interests.


    ¡°Alright, you better prepare for it.¡±


    I nodded and, with my head down, I walked out of the president¡¯s office.


    Behind me, Ye Mengyan was speaking softly,


    ¡°Brother Gu, see! Isn¡¯t it a bit useful to have me help you share your worries? If that¡¯s the case, then I won¡¯t go to France! I am willing to stay by your side and help you.¡±


    The press conference is in an hour¡¯s time, how do I turn the tide?


    Do I really have to do what Ye Mengyan suggests?


    Even though it would save Zhenyi Company, I would have to admit to plagiarism!


    I clearly was set up, do I really have to swallow this bitter pill?


    I racked my brain but found no solution.


    Just when there were only a little over ten minutes left until the press conference, the receptionist hurriedly brought a bunch of dazzling red roses to me.


    ¡°Miss Song, someone is sending you flowers!¡±


    I was in a mess right now, I had no mood to receive flowers.


    I was just thinking about rejecting them, but then I remembered Shiqi¡¯s message not to refuse roses from strangers.


    A light bulb went off in my mind, I immediately took the bouquet of roses. The nine bright red roses were beautifully packed and a letter was hidden in the middle.


    I opened the letter and a document fell out¡­ After reading the document, my mind suddenly cleared up.

 Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 110 He Bestowed Special Grace on Me_1

    Chapter 110: Chapter 110 He Bestowed Special Grace on Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    When I arrived at the conference room, a ring of media journalists had already gathered outside. From afar, I heard them voicing their opinions.


    ¡°Hey, I heard that Song Xiaoyun is President Gu¡¯s female assistant. She¡¯s quite scheming. After she joined the company, she edged out two others.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that she¡¯s just a glory-seeker doomed to fail. The company must be planning to fire her this time!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always had a problem with her. She¡¯s just arrogant because she¡¯s favored¡­¡±


    A few female colleagues were scattered among the journalists, quietly commenting on me.


    As I walked past them, I just glanced and recognized that these women were friends with Annie in the past.


    After Annie left, those women acted very respectfully towards me on the surface and even criticized Annie to my face.


    Surprisingly, once I was in a tight spot, they pounced on me like vicious dogs.


    What surprised me the most was that Ye Mengyan was also here.


    She walked over to meet me immediately upon seeing me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I know I¡¯ve wronged you a bit in this matter. I¡¯ve thought about it, and in order to repay you, once this matter is over, I will persuade Brother Gu to give you my opportunity to study in France. You¡¯re very talented. You will have a better future after studying in France for four years.¡±


    Ye Mengyan thought her plan was solid. She would push me off to France and then take the opportunity to be with Gu Yuanzhou?


    I looked at her with a smile, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m necessarily doomed to failure.¡±


    I walked toward the conference room, facing her slightly triumphant yet somewhat sympathetic gaze.


    At the entrance, I unexpectedly bumped into Gu Yuanzhou.


    Dressed in a pure black suit, his appearance was extraordinary and he stood out within the crowd. A group of executives were following him.


    In front of all these people, he simply looked at me with his hands behind his back.


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t let the company down.¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    As I was about to enter, I heard a cheer behind me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, go for it! I¡¯m rooting for you!¡±


    When I turned around, I was surprised to see that Shen Yishu was there.


    He even brought a bunch of flowers, waving them enthusiastically,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, Xiaoyun, you¡¯re sure to win!¡±


    Despite his somewhat silly appearance, his support as the only ally boosted my confidence tremendously.


    I gave him an OK gesture, then resolutely stepped in.


    The journalists in the conference room were already prepared, their cameras pointed at me like guns.


    I stood on the podium, picked up the microphone, keeping my expression steady.


    ¡°Thank you everyone¡­Today, I want to address the hot online debate accusing me of plagiarism. I wish to clarify that I did not plagiarize the wedding dress design I made for the competition, which is claimed to be similar to a luxury brand CGG¡¯s design. ¡±


    Perhaps everyone was expecting me to break into tears, apologise, and state that the matter was unrelated to the company.


    But in reality, I only made clarifications, which was seen as unrepentant and did not match everyone¡¯s original expectations.


    Everyone was stunned. Then, a journalist reacted, pointing at me and loudly saying,


    ¡°You¡¯ve plagiarized. Why still deny it? We aren¡¯t blind. Your design is extremely similar to the original, be it the design style or the details¡­¡±


    I smiled and nodded,


    ¡°Mr. Journalist, you¡¯re correct! My new design is extremely similar to the original because the two wedding dresses are actually sister-designs! Oh, by the way, I have an authorization letter from CGG. They authorized me to redesign a piece similar to the original to participate in the competition.¡±


    Indeed, there was an authorization letter with CGG¡¯s official seal in the bundle of roses delivered to me.


    As long as I had the original company¡¯s authorization, it wasn¡¯t plagiarism, but legitimate creative design.


    It wasn¡¯t a problem at all. It was legal and compliant.


    The room fell silent the moment I revealed the authorization letter.


    Through the crowd, I saw disappointment written all over Ye Mengyan¡¯s face.


    Several journalists were not convinced and phoned CGG headquarters on the spot to verify. The responses they received corroborated my assertion.


    Everyone stopped doubting me.


    However, another journalist stepped forward and posed a very tricky question to me.


    ¡°Miss Song, you¡¯ve received an authorization letter from a huge fashion company like CGG. What¡¯s your relationship with them?¡±


    I casually replied,


    ¡°Oh, I am actually their external freelance designer. I occasionally collaborate with them. Please look forward to our work together.¡±


    With this statement, the room exploded!


    If I was able to collaborate with such a luxury brand, it would affirm that my design quality has reached the peak within the country.


    Even if I were the chief designer of Zhenyi Company, it would be fitting.


    Hence, the journalists started digging deeper.


    ¡°Miss Song, which high-ranking design college did you graduate from? Did you study abroad in France or in the UK before?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, have you considered moving to a larger fashion company? Considering the current strength of Zhenyi Company, you are severely hampered.¡±


    ¡°Miss Song¡­¡±


    The journalists had seemingly uncovered some sensational news and huddled around wanting to get every detail.


    I just shrugged my shoulders and told them, ¡°No comment!¡±


    Then I hurriedly left the stage.


    The stuff about being an external freelance designer was simply off the cuff. I had no news for them.


    I left the conference room, leaving a group of boring journalists behind.


    A few minutes later, after taking a break and having a drink of water, I walked into the president¡¯s office.


    As soon as I entered, I saw a tall man standing with his hands behind his back.


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    I softly called, and then Gu Yuanzhou turned to look at me.


    He studied me for a while before asking,


    ¡°When did you start collaborating with CGG?¡±


    Apparently, he believed what I said earlier. It seemed that the authorization letter had done wonders.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve resolved the company¡¯s crisis!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou acknowledged with a nod, ¡°Your abilities are indeed outstanding. Very good! In that case, from next month onwards, the company will double your salary!¡±


    His words didn¡¯t elicit any response from me. My mind remained calm.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you satisfied? Is there something else you want to ask for?¡±


    It was clear that Gu Yuanzhou had realized my value.


    True, after today¡¯s news broadcast, everyone would know that the chief designer at Zhenyi Company was a designer who collaborated with CGG. This would greatly improve the company¡¯s overall quality.


    However, I wasn¡¯t moved by the material rewards Gu Yuanzhou offered. I directly handed him a document.


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly opened the document. Upon glancing at it, his face changed dramatically. ¡°You want to resign?¡±

 Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Controlling Him _1

    Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Controlling Him _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Indeed, the document I just handed to Gu Yuanzhou was a resignation letter.


    In response to his shock, I kept calm.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree on this? Why are you so surprised, President Gu?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stood up.


    ¡°What we agreed on was that you¡¯d cut off your official connections with the company, not that you¡¯d resign.¡±


    I gave him a laissez-faire smile.


    He still hasn¡¯t realized the crux of the problem.


    The whole thing is a trap set by Ye Mengyan.


    Although I managed to turn things around this time, the essence of the matter remains the same ¨C Ye Mengyan is out to get me.


    He¡¯s not a fool, he must know it.


    He just doesn¡¯t want to address the problem with Ye Mengyan.


    Nevertheless, this matter is like a thorn in my side, an insult I cannot swallow!


    ¡°President Gu, I have made up my mind! I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t stay at this company any longer!¡±


    Leaving the resignation letter behind, I left without looking back.


    Strangely enough,


    As I walked out of the entrance of the building, Ye Mengyan also left with me.


    She probably couldn¡¯t wait to hear what Gu Yuanzhou and I had been discussing.


    Just as she was about to ask me, Shen Yishu rushed over from a distance. He was still holding a large bouquet of flowers, an expansive smile on his face.


    ¡°Sorry, there were so many people earlier, and I couldn¡¯t get through.¡±


    Ye Mengyan turned her head to look at Shen Yishu, and her expression changed on the spot.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, we¡¯ve broken up, why are you still pestering me? Don¡¯t you realize that it¡¯s disgraceful and embarrassing? Don¡¯t buy me flowers anymore, I have already told you, I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Indeed, this place is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s territory. If Shen Yishu presents flowers to Ye Mengyan at this moment,


    It would be hard for Ye Mengyan to explain if Gu Yuanzhou saw it.


    So, right now, Ye Mengyan was both irritated and embarrassed, and she rebuked Shen Yishu.


    His expression was more calm this time. He said, serenely,


    ¡°Miss Ye, I¡¯m not pestering you. I came to give these flowers to Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    After saying that, he handed the large bouquet of roses to me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, congratulations on your narrow escape! On behalf of all the staff in the company, I want to express my congratulations to you.¡±


    I received the flowers graciously and gave Shen Yishu a friendly embrace.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Everyone is waiting for you!¡±


    Shen Yishu took my hand and started to lead me away.


    Ye Mengyan, standing on the side, was extremely embarrassed.


    She probably never expected that the man she¡¯d kept in the wings and treated like a lapdog would one day leave her.


    After getting in the car, I looked up casually and saw a dark figure standing in the window of the tall office building.


    That should be Gu Yuanzhou.


    After fastening the seatbelt, Shen Yishu asked me, ¡°Did you resign?¡±


    I chuckled, ¡°Of course!¡±


    He glanced out the window,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is watching you!¡±


    I fastened the seatbelt and closed my eyes.


    ¡°Just the effect I wanted.¡±


    By afternoon, news about a designer from CGG resigning at Zhenyi Company quickly hit the hot search list.


    Because of my plagiarism incident, public attention and curiosity were high, so, naturally, people were interested in the outcome.


    When things turned around, a lot of people started following me.


    Being thrust into the spotlight, I had to wear face masks when I went out to avoid being recognized and having my whereabouts leaked.


    At dinner that night with Wenya, we conducted ourselves as if we were underground activists meeting in secret.


    After hearing about my resignation, Wenya was full of regret.


    ¡°After all the effort you went through to get close to Gu Yuanzhou, you just up and quit. Doesn¡¯t that make all your previous efforts go to waste?¡±


    I poured myself a glass of red wine and slowly drank it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a waste. At least I¡¯m sure of one thing now ¨C that is, Ye Mengyan is very important to him, right?¡±


    ¡°What will you do next?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s question led me into deep thought again.


    I closed my eyes, and a flood of thoughts came to me all at once.


    Little Juanmao had been assassinated.


    Damaha was still in a coma, and there was still no truth about the arson case.


    I haven¡¯t found out Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s true identity yet, and Ye Mengyan has already launched an offensive against me.


    For a moment, my mind was in a whirl.


    A hand was placed on my shoulder, taking away the wine glass in my hand in the process.


    I opened my eyes.


    Sitting next to me was Ding Yinuo.


    He was rather quiet today, just silently finishing the glass of wine I had.


    ¡°Why are you stealing my wine?¡±


    I expressed my dissatisfaction with his actions.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t say anything.


    Wenya scrolled through the news on her phone and asked me,


    ¡°After all these years with you, I never knew you were an inbound designer for CGG¡­ How many other secrets are you keeping from me, Ayun?¡±


    I didn¡¯t respond to Wenya¡¯s question. Instead, I turned to Ding Yinuo, ¡°What do you think, am I qualified to be an inbound designer for CGG?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, as long as you¡¯re willing!¡±


    I looked at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you care at all that I suddenly received an authorization certificate from CGG?¡±


    Upon careful consideration, everyone present was surprised by my obtaining the CGG authorization certificate.


    Only Ding Yinuo remained unruffled.


    He glanced at me,


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t surprised even when I found out about your rebirth. Why would any other trivial matter surprise me?¡±


    ¡°Alright, your argument seems to make sense!¡±


    The reason I asked Ding Yinuo this question was


    because I always felt Shiqi is behind me. Otherwise, how could he always comfort me so timely?


    This man was my online friend, but he presented me flowers in the real world.


    There is a difference between the internet and reality.


    If you don¡¯t know a person¡¯s address online, you can¡¯t send flowers to their home.


    Therefore, I guessed that Shiqi might be a friend near me?


    Sometimes, when a person becomes suspicious, they can¡¯t let go of their doubts.


    Su Peisheng also mentioned before that Ding Yinuo had played that game¡­


    I had thought about meeting Shiqi in real life before.


    But after I met Gu Yuanzhou, got married, and had a child with him, I voluntarily gave up my social circle.


    I barely even socialize with my classmates in real life, let alone an online friend.


    But now, since Shiqi has reappeared and did me so many favors, I really want to see him.


    While I was lost in thought, my phone suddenly rang.


    I picked up and saw it was Gu Yuanzhou calling.


    ¡°Excuse me, I have to take a call!¡±


    I took the phone and went outside.


    ¡°President Gu, is there something you needed?¡±


    ¡°I heard from Mengyan that you packed your things and left?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I have resigned! Clearing my workspace is the normal process!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was silent for a few seconds, ¡°Let¡¯s meet tonight and talk about it!¡±

 Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 112 He Bestowed Special Grace on Me _1

    Chapter 112: Chapter 112 He Bestowed Special Grace on Me _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Sure enough, he was a domineering man, who was still so assertive even though he needed something from me now.


    He was the one who wanted to see me, but he spoke with a commanding tone.


    I, of course, was not willing to indulge him.


    ¡°Sorry, I may not have time tonight! I¡¯m with a friend¡­¡±


    ¡°Shen Yishu?¡±


    After he said this name, I was taken aback.


    Then it dawned on me. He must have seen Shen Yishu give me flowers during the day.


    I didn¡¯t want to deny it. Who I am with now is none of his business.


    ¡°President Gu, I have many male friends¡­¡±


    ¡°Then when do you have time?¡±


    ¡°Not sure!¡±


    ¡°Alright, come to the company tomorrow to settle your pay!¡±


    He still acted high and mighty.


    I didn¡¯t want to compromise either.


    ¡°President Gu, I don¡¯t really want that salary!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve found your next job so soon?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly, I just purely want to resign and take a good break. I¡¯m too tired!¡±


    Indeed, with Gu Yuanzhou, I was always on edge, fearing any mishaps.


    I need some time to rejuvenate myself and get things straight.


    ¡°You can rest, but first, you must ensure a smooth handover of your work!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it the day after tomorrow!¡±


    Then, I hung up the phone.


    When I returned to the private room, Ding Yinuo kept looking at me without a word.


    It was Wenya who spoke first.


    ¡°Are you really never going back to Zhenyi Company?¡±


    I poured myself a glass of red wine, took a small sip, and looked at Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo casually said,


    ¡°If you don¡¯t go, you don¡¯t go. It¡¯s not a good company anyway. Otherwise, come to our company. What Zhenyi Company can offer you, we can offer too!¡±


    I squinted at Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°What Gu Yuanzhou can give me, you can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°What can he give you?¡±


    ¡°He¡­uh! He can drink more than you! When I¡¯m in a bad mood, he can drink with me, can you?¡±


    My words had a hint of provocation in them.


    After listening, Ding Yinuo took it seriously and quickly drained his glass of wine.


    ¡°I can too, alright? It¡¯s just drinking. I¡¯m not worse than him!¡±


    ¡°Just one glass?¡±


    I showed him scorn.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou can drink at least three glasses¡­¡±


    Just as I was speaking, Ding Yinuo directly started chugging from the wine bottle.


    ¡°Hey, stop, stop¡­Ayun, hurry up, stop teasing him!¡±


    Wenya, who was scared that Ding Yinuo might pass out from drinking, started to kick me under the table while I pretend not to see it.


    When her hints were not working, she decided to voice it outright.


    I chuckled softly and said to Wenya,


    ¡°He¡¯s an adult, not a fool. Doesn¡¯t he know his own drinking limit?¡±


    ¡°If he was sober, he wouldn¡¯t be drinking that much!¡±


    Wenya grumbled a little, but at this point, Ding Yinuo had already finished half a bottle of red wine straight down.


    Afterwards, he wanted to open another bottle. I reached out and took the wine bottle away from him.


    ¡°You really are¡­headstrong!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me to drink?¡±


    Alcohol is indeed heady.


    Just after finishing one bottle, Ding Yinuo was already slightly tipsy. His speech was slurred, his face was flushed, and he was a little unsteady.


    I quickly helped him sit down. Unexpectedly, he took the opportunity to hold me.


    And he pressed me down onto his leg.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m drunk!¡±


    He buried his head in my chest.


    ¡°I drank too much, I¡¯m sorry¡­Ayun, I drank too much, I just want to hold you, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was really drunk.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t drink too much.¡±


    I pushed him away.


    He wouldn¡¯t let go of me, standing up to chase after me.


    I ran all the way into his bedroom, but he grabbed hold of me from behind.


    ¡°Ayun, how could you say such a thing?¡±


    ¡°What did I say?¡±


    ¡°You despise me¡­ for being small!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s small, what are you talking about?¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed truly drunk, his speech slurred and incoherent,


    ¡°I¡¯m not that small, really not, I can prove it to you¡­ I¡¯m not smaller than Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°What the heck are you saying, something about being smaller than Gu Yuanzhou¡­¡±


    ¡°Really, really, do you want to see¡­¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, stop spouting nonsense! You better lie down and sleep now!¡±


    In truth, it was I who intentionally got Ding Yinuo drunk.


    To be honest, I was a bit surprised that my reverse psychology worked so quickly on him.


    He was indeed drunk, and before he could finish speaking, he was easily flopped onto the bed by me.


    He turned over, grabbed the quilt, and fell asleep immediately.


    Wenya poked her head in through the doorway, ¡°What on earth are you two doing? I just heard him say that something of his is larger than Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s?¡±


    I thought for a moment, ¡°Could it be age?¡±


    ¡°Tsk, use your head, couldn¡¯t it possibly be something else?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t interested in Wenya¡¯s rhetorical question.


    I wasn¡¯t about to waste any more time thinking about what Ding Yinuo said when he was drunk.


    Instead, I quickly sat down and pulled out a mobile phone from Ding Yinuo¡¯s coat pocket.


    Becuase getting him drunk was to verify whether he was Shiqi or not.


    I used his finger to unlock the screen.


    But when I opened his phone, I was a bit disappointed. He didn¡¯t have the QQ app installed at all.


    He didn¡¯t even have that gaming app.


    I felt a little disappointed all of a sudden.


    It¡¯s not him!


    If Shiqi isn¡¯t Ding Yinuo, then who is he?


    Wenya also discerned my intentions and suggested on the spot, ¡°Could it be Su Fagun?¡±


    The law school guy?


    I hadn¡¯t considered this before, but after Wenya pointed it out, I shook my head,


    ¡°Unlikely! Su Peisheng and I don¡¯t have any personal connections. Why would he help me?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you said before that you have a disciple-master relationship? He wants to help you because you¡¯re his disciple!¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem possible!¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s very likely. Look at him, he¡¯s been really keen on helping you recently. Every time there¡¯s a gathering at Ding Yinuo¡¯s house, Su Peisheng always happily comes over. Just think about it, he¡¯s a lawyer and he¡¯s so busy. Why would he spare time to come over unless he wants to help you?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s explanation made sense, but I still felt something was off.


    ¡°Alright, I entrust this daunting task to you! You go and figure him out for me! If you can prove that he is Shiqi, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal!¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m not compatible with that Su Fagun, we tear each other apart whenever we¡¯re together!¡±


    ¡°Eh? Take your time and figure something out! Bite and claw if you have to, just bite him down.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    That night, I didn¡¯t return to Maple Mansion but stayed overnight at Wenya¡¯s house instead.


    The next morning, before I fully woke up, my phone started ringing.


    I answered the call in a daze with my eyes still closed.


    ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice came through the phone.


    ¡°Hmm? Ding Yinuo, I¡¯m not awake yet! What do you need from me?¡±


    ¡°I got drunk last night and you didn¡¯t even take care of me and just left?¡±


    Dissatisfaction seeped through Ding Yinuo¡¯s words.


    ¡°So? You¡¯re at your own home, do you need me to take care of you?¡±


    ¡°If you were drunk, I would definitely stay with you all night!¡±


    ¡°Are you that good to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, when have I ever treated you badly?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, Ding Yinuo, what did you mean last night when you kept saying something of yours is bigger than Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s?¡±


    As I casually asked, Ding Yinuo suddenly fell silent, like I had hit a nerve.

 Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 113: He Can’t Protect You_1

    Chapter 113: Chapter 113: He Can¡¯t Protect You_1


    Translator: 549690339


    It remained silent for a full minute before Ding Yinuo retorted,


    ¡°Did I say something like that?¡±


    ¡°If not, then what?¡±


    ¡°What else did I say?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, nothing else, just that¡­¡±


    ¡°Impossible, this isn¡¯t something I would say!¡±


    He started to regret it, but I didn¡¯t quarrel with him. After all, I didn¡¯t understand his meaning, so I let it go.


    I didn¡¯t continue to argue with him,


    ¡°Alright, alright, if you say you didn¡¯t say it, then it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh, did you go through my phone?¡±


    Ding Yinuo asked again.


    ¡°What, do you have some embarrassing personal photos that you¡¯re afraid people might see?¡±


    ¡°Not that! It¡¯s just¡­ forget it. Did you look or not?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t look!¡±


    Peeping at someone¡¯s things is not something I would admit to, especially if I want to maintain our friendship!


    Moreover, I didn¡¯t see any private photos on Ding Yinuo¡¯s phone.


    We chatted a bit, and then Ding Yinuo said, ¡°Get up early, I¡¯ll pick you guys up for breakfast!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy today!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you quit your job?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I quit, but I have other things to take care of. Let¡¯s have dinner tonight instead!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    After I hung up the phone, Wenya got out of bed.


    She was combing her hair and looking at me,


    ¡°Tsk tsk, starting to arrange things so early in the morning! Ding¡¯s intentions are pretty clear, huh?¡±


    I quickly got up to brush my teeth. There were important things I had to do today,


    ¡°He has nothing else to do!¡±


    In a hurry, I finished washing up, left with Wenya, and bought some soy milk and fried dough sticks. After we got in the car, Wenya patted my BMW,


    ¡°Are you going to return this BMW to Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    One must admit, to keep up with the fast pace of life in this city, you have to have your own car.


    This little BMW is perfect for my travels.


    I fastened my seat belt and started the car,


    ¡°Why should I give it back to him? This car was bought with Zhenyi Company¡¯s money¡­ Not to mention buying a BMW, even if he bought me an airplane, it¡¯s only right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s exactly the point¡­ Ayun, Zhenyi Company is your hard work, you have to find a way to get it back, you can¡¯t let it be snatched away by Gu Yuanzhou and that little bitch Ye Mengyan.¡±


    I slightly curled my lips,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s only a matter of time!¡±


    Since they betrayed me.


    I won¡¯t let them off that easily.


    I¡¯m about to do something big¡­


    That is to replicate my previous success and groom another man to walk the path of success.


    But this man is no longer him, it¡¯s Shen Yishu.


    I want Gu Yuanzhou to know that even without him, my life can still be successful.


    As for his Ye Mengyan, how long can she accompany him? How far can they go together?


    I dropped Wenya off at school.


    Then, I got in the car and drove to Shen Yishu¡¯s place to pick him up.


    Since the new company opened, Shen Yishu had also dressed up in a suit and leather shoes, looking more and more like a successful businessman.


    However, compared to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s cunningness, Shen Yishu was still too pure and kind.


    His boyish shyness still lingered.


    This kind nature would pose some obstacles in his business life and might even cause him some losses.


    But with me by his side, I believe he¡¯ll grow gradually.


    In the morning, I took Shen Yishu to visit a few ready-made garment factories and discussed cooperation with different managers.


    It was a busy day, we could hardly stop to rest.


    Shen Yishu had one characteristic, he was not afraid of hard work or exhaustion.


    He was very eager to learn and did his work enthusiastically.


    I was so busy this day that I forgot to check my phone.


    At night, we had dinner with clients, and drinking was inevitable.


    Shen Yishu was inexperienced in handling business, and was a bit naive when dealing with clients.


    So, in the end, I stepped in. I drank a few glasses with the clients and finally secured the business and signed the order.


    It was after ten in the evening.


    After seeing off the clients and paying the bill, I left the private room.


    Due to the alcohol, I stumbled and nearly fell, but Shen Yishu caught me.


    He also lost his balance, and so both of us ended up leaning against the wall for support.


    Shen Yishu was quite shy and inexperienced in matters between men and women.


    He blushed and immediately apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­¡±


    I touched Shen Yishu¡¯s face with a sense of teasing,


    ¡°You should remember, you¡¯re a man. Men need to be generous, thick-skinned, and proactive. Think about it, if you had been more thick-skinned back then, Ye Mengyan would already be yours, and it wouldn¡¯t have come to this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡±


    Just as I was scolding Shen Yishu against the wall, we unexpectedly ran into Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou was walking along with a group of suit-clad men¡­


    He must be dining with clients.


    When he saw me, his expression darkened, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He just glanced at me indifferently, his gaze then fell on Shen Yishu becoming increasingly sharp.


    He didn¡¯t say a word and walked into a private room with his clients.


    At this point, the alcohol in my system seemed to clear a bit from the encounter with Gu Yuanzhou.


    I straightened up and adjusted Shen Yishu¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°Alright, you should go home!¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t President Gu cause trouble for you?¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of him for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of him¡­ I¡¯m worried about you!¡±


    ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll be there even if the sky falls!¡±


    Shen Yishu nodded. There was always a trace of deep admiration in his eyes when he looked at me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re really amazing. How do you know so much?¡±


    I gave a slight smile but didn¡¯t tell him that I had experienced everything he was facing,


    ¡°It won¡¯t be long until you¡¯re as successful as me.¡±


    After leaving the hotel, Shen Yishu insisted on calling a cab for me, but I felt that I was still capable of driving.


    In the midst of our argument,


    Gu Yuanzhou quietly made his exit.


    I actually didn¡¯t know when he had come out. It was not until I sensed a critical gaze from behind that I felt something was wrong.


    I turned around, and he was already standing in the shadows, his eyes coldly watching me.


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    I greeted him calmly.


    His eyes were icy as they stared at me,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say to go to the company for handover today? Why didn¡¯t you go?¡±


    I felt he was emanating a dangerous aura. Immediately, I turned to Shen Yishu and said,


    ¡°You go first! I¡¯ll give you a call later!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I won¡¯t leave, I want to protect you!¡±


    Perhaps in Shen Yishu¡¯s eyes, I was just a girl around his age.


    So, he believed he could protect me.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Gu Yuanzhou sneered coldly, ¡°You¡¯re joking, right? You can¡¯t even protect yourself, how can you protect others?¡±

 Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 114 He Had Already Started Investigating Me_1

    Chapter 114: Chapter 114 He Had Already Started Investigating Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Shen Yishu, in his naivety, wasn¡¯t afraid of the powerful, and he might have always had a deep hatred for Gu Yuanzhou. His anger was really flaring up at this point.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! Don¡¯t be so arrogant. One day, you will pay for everything you¡¯ve done!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou just gave a light cough.


    Two bodyguards immediately came out from the shadows, grabbed Shen Yishu¡¯s arms, one on each side.


    Gu Yuanzhou stepped forward and grabbed Shen Yishu¡¯s throat.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to humiliate you in front of a woman, but you¡¯re too conceited. You don¡¯t know your own weight. Listen, stay away from Song Xiaoyun. She¡¯s mine. Do you understand?¡±


    He was squeezing hard.


    I could see that Shen Yishu was in great pain, with large beads of sweat falling from his forehead.


    He bore the pain and didn¡¯t make a sound.


    But his eyes, when they looked at Gu Yuanzhou, were full of hatred.


    I knew well that Shen Yishu couldn¡¯t beat Gu Yuanzhou now.


    Those two bodyguards were old subordinates of Gu Yuanzhou, both were experienced thugs, and Shen Yishu was just asking for trouble by showing off his strength now.


    I had no choice but to surrender.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m willing to go back to the company with you now. Please show some mercy and let Shen Yishu go.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked me up and down, then signaled for the bodyguards to let go of Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Tomorrow! It¡¯s too late today.¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou turned and left.


    I helped Shen Yishu up.


    An angry Shen Yishu was about to rush up and fight Gu Yuanzhou again, but I held him back.


    Just then the driver arrived. I took Shen Yishu home first.


    Shen Yishu was still very emotionally upset after a long while in the car. He kept clenching his fists tightly,


    ¡°One day, I will make Gu Yuanzhou pay for everything he¡¯s done.¡±


    I slowly calmed down.


    ¡°If it¡¯s for Ye Mengyan, it¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not worth it, but if it weren¡¯t for him, how would Ye Mengyan have ended up like this?¡±


    At that, I had no further comments.


    There is an old saying: a fly does not sting an egg without a crack. If they could be together, there must be something wrong with both of them.


    If Ye Mengyan is a vain woman to begin with, if Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t there, there would be other men.


    ¡°You work hard yourself! Strive to not be the one strangled by Gu Yuanzhou in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will work hard!¡±


    I stayed at Wenya¡¯s house that night.


    Wenya¡¯s parents were very warmhearted and enthusiastic about my staying over.


    They even cooked dumplings for me in the middle of the night, for fear that I¡¯d go hungry.


    After supper, Wenya¡¯s mom took my hand and whispered to me,


    ¡°Xiaosong, you¡¯re Wenya¡¯s close friend, can you tell me something, please don¡¯t hide it from me.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, you can ask me anything, I will tell you everything I know!¡±


    Actually, in my previous life, I seldom visited the Wen family since I was busy taking care of two kids after marriage.


    Looking back now, I missed so many beautiful moments in life for Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Did Wenya start dating?¡±


    I was drinking tea and almost choked on it.


    It¡¯s hard to imagine Wenya, who generally behaves like a tomboy, being coy about dating.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? Didn¡¯t she tell you about it?¡±


    I thought for a while, then shook my head,


    ¡°Auntie, as far as I know, Wenya doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend, at least not now.¡±


    ¡°Well, it looks like I am overthinking again!¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mom looked disappointed,


    ¡°Just look at her, she¡¯s almost thirty and still has no serious boyfriend. She looks down on every man introduced to her by our relatives for a blind date. How should we deal with this! If she goes past thirty, she¡¯ll become an older mother. It¡¯ll be even harder for her to find a boyfriend at that point, especially when kids her age are already attending kindergarten.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, this is something that can¡¯t be rushed! When it comes to marriage, it¡¯s better to have none than settle for the wrong one. Moreover, fate is a strange thing, maybe she¡¯ll meet her match next year.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand! Now, your uncle and I are too embarrassed to go out. Every time people ask if our daughter is married, we¡¯re left speechless. Having a daughter who can¡¯t get married, this is a great dishonor to us.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t think that way. Other people¡¯s opinions don¡¯t matter. As long as we live well, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mom suddenly changed the subject, ¡°Anyway, help me out with something.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, just say it! If I can help, I will.¡±


    ¡°Good, I like your straightforwardness!¡±


    After Wenya¡¯s mom finished stating her request, I immediately felt that I agreed too quickly. It was too late to take it back now.


    Wenya poked her head out to urge me to sleep while Wenya¡¯s mom patted my shoulder,


    ¡°Xiaosong, the major affairs of the Wen family depend on you now.¡±


    ¡°About that, I¡­¡±


    After being pulled into the bedroom by Wenya, she immediately began interrogating me,


    ¡°You and my mom are colluding with each other, aren¡¯t you planning something against me?¡±


    I had no intention of hiding it from her,


    ¡°Your mom says that your aunt arranged a blind date for you, and she wants me to accompany you there tomorrow to meet this man.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I knew it! It¡¯s such an ancient practice to arrange a blind date in this day and age. I¡¯m not going!¡±


    ¡°Baby, please just do me this favor. Go once, and then you can decide.¡±


    In consideration of the delicious dumplings that Wenya¡¯s mom made, I could only do my best to persuade Wenya. Although I don¡¯t believe marriage is a must for women, you should give some consideration to the feelings of the elders.


    Wenya had no choice but to reluctantly agree in the end,


    ¡°Fine, alright, you really¡­ I¡¯ll go. But don¡¯t side with my mom in the future, I can¡¯t believe you started matchmaking for me.¡±


    Despite her complaints, Wenya did accompany me to the blind date the next morning.


    However, upon seeing that the man was Su Peisheng, she turned around in anger to leave.


    ¡°Did I step in dog poop when I went out? If I knew it was him, I wouldn¡¯t have come!¡±


    But by then, he had already noticed us, waved us over and said, ¡°Miss Song¡­ this way!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re here for a blind date too! I didn¡¯t expect that, Mr. Su¡¯s market value is that low?¡±


    Wenya responded to him sharply.


    Still with a smile on his face, Su Peisheng replied,


    ¡°In order to save you leftover women, I simply have to make a sacrifice.¡±


    Seeing these two sitting together, I felt like I had completed my task and tried to make my escape.


    ¡°Sorry, you two carry on. I have to go to the office.¡±


    Half an hour later, I hurried to the office.


    In the president¡¯s office, Gu Yuanzhou had been waiting for me for a long time.


    He looked down at his watch,


    ¡°Just a reminder, you¡¯re ten minutes late.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve already resigned!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t approve!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou very assertively cut me off.


    ¡°President Gu¡­ I don¡¯t need your approval! Worst-case scenario, I just won¡¯t take the salary.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me for a long time,


    ¡°If I were you, I would sit down and think carefully about what you just said. Do you think all you are losing is just the salary?¡±


    The threat in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words was evident. If I were a newbie in the job market, I would naturally be scared by him.


    But I¡¯m not, and after working with him for so many years, why would I be afraid of him?


    I chuckled,


    ¡°Is that so, President Gu? Would you please tell me then, what else could I possibly lose?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me for a long time, and then he turned on his computer and played a video for me to watch!


    After watching it, I finally understood. It turned out that Gu Yuanzhou had started investigating me a long time ago.

 Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 115 He is Playing Psychological Tactics With Me_1

    Chapter 115: Chapter 115 He is Playing Psychological Tactics With Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Those who tread by the river bank often, will probably end up with wet shoes.¡±


    In spite of my utmost caution,


    Some imperfections were still captured by Gu Yuanzhou.


    The footage he showed me was taken from the CCTV of Shuang¡¯an Bank, which conspicuously showed me entering the safety deposit box area.


    Although my heart was in tumult, I knew I had to maintain a calm outward appearance, repeatedly reassuring myself that the things I took were originally mine.


    How could I be guilty for taking my own possessions?


    This thought quickly restored my calm.


    ¡°President Gu, are you investigating me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s inscrutable eyes, as cunning as a fox, stared at me,


    ¡°Is there a problem with me investigating my own employees?¡±


    ¡°So, it seems President Gu doesn¡¯t even trust his own employees?¡±


    ¡°I trusted you, but you seem to be betraying my trust!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, that is a public bank and there is nothing unusual about my visit. I did not even interfere with my work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance to explain everything you¡¯ve done clearly!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou said in a solemn voice.


    I knew he was just bluffing, so I quickly feigned ignorance,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, President Gu!¡±


    ¡°Still playing tough?¡±


    His face grew colder.


    I jutted my chin up. I will not be cowed!


    Why should I admit to anything just because you intimidated me? I¡¯m not that gullible.


    Unless you have strong evidence to confront me with, I will never admit to anything.


    Your psychological tactics are useless on me!


    Now, my morale is quite high.


    ¡°Looks like you won¡¯t back down till you¡¯ve hit the Yellow River!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was getting irritated. He threw away the pen in his hand and picked up another document.


    ¡°Some records retrieved from the bank showed that you entered Shuang¡¯an Bank twice, and with my wife¡¯s key, you took out two important assets from the safety deposit box¡­ You¡¯d better confess clearly, otherwise, if I report this, you¡¯ll be put in prison for theft.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words conveyed a chilling warning.


    I was slightly overwhelmed.


    Nonetheless, I quickly composed myself.


    I recalled that I had rented an annual safety deposit box from the bank. I had only paid the rental for the box and did not register the valuables inside.


    Although Gu Yuanzhou was aware of the existence of such a safety deposit box, he never asked what I had stored there.


    The bank didn¡¯t have specific information, and he didn¡¯t have any data in his hands either, so I surmised that,


    He most likely knew I opened the safety deposit box, but had no idea what I had taken.


    I took a deep breath.


    ¡°Yes, I did take some things, but they were small gifts from Mrs. Gu before she passed away.¡±


    ¡°What things?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, these matters are private between Mrs. Gu and me, and I don¡¯t believe they need to be disclosed!¡±


    ¡°So, this is the reason for your resignation? You plan to run away with these things?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, you know very well why I resigned!¡±


    With my tenacious and unyielding attitude.


    Gu Yuanzhou realised that I wouldn¡¯t be so easy to deal with.


    He changed his strategy,


    ¡°You should know that after the death of my wife, all her belongings belong to me. Unless you can present her will or other legally relevant documents, your actions will be regarded as theft!¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuanzhou to be so cunning, blocking all my possible exits.


    Of course, I could not produce any such will¡­


    After a moment of silence, I went back to my office.


    And then I brought out those items,


    They were only small pieces of jewelry taken from the safety deposit box at the bank, besides two property deeds which I had pawned on the black market.


    There were also a few pieces of jewelry and gold ornaments for the children, not many, just around four to five items.


    I returned these small gold objects to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Just these! If President Gu does not agree to give them to me, I¡¯ll return them to you!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou simply picked up his daughter¡¯s little bracelet and looked at it for a while, then looked up at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re short of money?¡±


    ¡°President Gu¡­ I¡¯m just looking to keep these as souvenirs, it¡¯s not about the money.¡±


    When Gu Yuanzhou looked at me again, his tone had softened significantly.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t resign, I can consider not calling the police! After all, it¡¯s an internal matter of the company, there¡¯s no need to spread it outside.¡±


    It seems that Gu Yuanzhou is using this matter to manipulate me.


    If I insist on resigning, with his ruthless style, he would definitely take me to the police station.


    Looking at the cold expression on the man¡¯s face, I could only compromise,


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    My capitulation satisfied Gu Yuanzhou.


    He picked up the jewelry on the table,


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep these for now, and I¡¯ll have finance provide you with monetary compensation.¡±


    His meaning was, he would pay me the financial equivalent of these pieces of jewelry, as if buying the jewelry off me with money.


    Though I was reluctant, I couldn¡¯t out-argue him.


    ¡°President Gu, never mind the money¡­ Can I keep the little bracelet? I really like Xiaoyi¡¯s child, I want something to remember her by!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou decisively rejected me,


    ¡°I don¡¯t want my daughter¡¯s belongings to fall into other people¡¯s hands, you understand, right!¡±


    I said nothing, just watching as he put the small bracelet into the drawer.


    However, the outcome of today was comparatively mild. He didn¡¯t call the police, nor took any actions to punish me.


    I guess he must have started suspecting me when the security guard delivered my employee card, and then took action against me after reviewing the bank CCTV footage.


    But after this, I can¡¯t be careless anymore, or else I will give him a handle to exploit.


    ¡°Alright, you can knock off now!¡±


    He was finally willing to let me go.


    ¡°President Gu, I have a question!¡±


    ¡°Speak!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard¡­ Little Juanmao is dead. Some people suspect that you¡¯re involved.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sat upright, his hands clasped together, watching me for a long time.


    ¡°Did Shen Yishu tell you this?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, it doesn¡¯t matter who said it! Anyway, I¡¯ve heard about it.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou got up and came over to me,


    ¡°This is why I don¡¯t want you to associate with that Shen. He¡¯s shortsighted and lacks vision, following him won¡¯t end well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my private business!¡±


    Perhaps my words enraged Gu Yuanzhou. He replied coldly,


    ¡°There are so many successful men out there and you don¡¯t want them, opting for a poor boy?¡±


    Although I don¡¯t like Shen Yishu, and we¡¯re not in a romantic relationship.


    But Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words made me very uncomfortable. Weren¡¯t you also a poor boy once?


    ¡°President Gu, rich men tend to be overly confident! They play around a lot, often changing their preferences. Such men are not suitable for marriage.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou retorted sarcastically, ¡°Do you think poor men won¡¯t fool around?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to argue with him anymore. ¡°President Gu, I will take my leave!¡±


    He lowered his head to flip through documents, then added,


    ¡°Move back in tonight!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t too good, right! I¡¯m not on good terms with Miss Ye, living together would be awkward!¡±


    I knew that after this matter, my relationship with Ye Mengyan had fallen apart. It would be tough living together in the future.


    But Gu Yuanzhou responded,


    ¡°I¡¯ve made other arrangements for her, you don¡¯t have to worry about this.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s arrangements puzzled me. Ye Mengyan was his lover, yet he was ignoring her.


    Why does he want me living by his side, what does this mean?

 Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 116 Stick with him to the end_1

    Chapter 116: Chapter 116 Stick with him to the end_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I always have this bad premonition.


    Gu Yuanzhou has other plans for me.


    Afterwards, when I told Wenya about it, she also pondered for a long time.


    ¡°What does he want from you? Could it be that he guessed you¡¯ve been reborn, and is keeping you by his side to observe, waiting for you to expose a flaw before he can do away with you?¡±


    I look up at the profound night sky, and I feel like I can see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s heart; it is as deep and unfathomable as the darkness of the night.


    ¡°It¡¯s shameful to admit, but I realize I understand him less and less.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed about. It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s his. He¡¯s a fighter among the scumbags, it¡¯s not a disgrace to fall into his hands.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, I need to move back tonight!¡±


    ¡°Dang it, you¡¯re going to share a room with him! Sleep with the enemy. Aren¡¯t you scared he¡¯ll do you in during the night?¡±


    I let out a soft chuckle,


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, living with him has its advantage. That is, if I want him dead, I can quietly poison him.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t forget, if he wants to expose your trail, he can instantly kill you.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±


    As we were talking, two people walked in the door.


    We ran into Wenya¡¯s mom again.


    With a look of anxiety on her face, she dragged Wenya into the house as soon as she came in.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®how did it go¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have a blind date today? The young man introduced by your aunt!¡±


    When I picked Wenya up earlier, I forgot to ask her about her blind date with Su Peisheng in the car.


    But judging from Wenya¡¯s indifferent expression, it definitely didn¡¯t go well.


    These two are natural enemies, always at odds the moment they meet, both wishing they could strangle each other.


    It would be strange if they could work out something.


    As expected, Wenya immediately shook her head, ¡°No chance!¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mom stomped her feet in anger,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? With your conditions, are you still being picky?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve told you before. Blind dates are unreliable!¡±


    Wenya sat down and shoved a banana into her mouth.


    Her mom instantly grabbed the banana out of her hand, and gave her a slap,


    ¡°You¡¯re still being picky? Let me tell you, if you don¡¯t agree to this marriage proposal, I might as well hang myself.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mom didn¡¯t hesitate to follow through on her words, she grabbed a scarf and started to tie it to the beam, tears and snot flying everywhere.


    Pushed to her limit, Wenya hurriedly pacifed her mom,


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not that I was being picky this time, it¡¯s that he didn¡¯t like me!¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mom instantly stopped crying,


    ¡°So, are you saying that if the guy doesn¡¯t reject you, you would agree?¡±


    Wenya thought for a few seconds, then nodded on the spot,


    ¡°Yes, if he doesn¡¯t mind me, I can settle for him. After all, I¡¯m not a picky person, right!¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mom slapped her thigh excitedly and immediately started calling into the house,


    ¡°Father Wenya, get ready for the wedding banquet. We can finally marry off our daughter.¡±


    Wenya immediately stood up,


    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about? What do you mean ¡®can marry off¡¯? You aren¡¯t going to ask the man¡¯s thoughts before you force him into this, are you?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mom giggled,


    ¡°Your aunt just called me. The man said he was very satisfied with you! He¡¯s interested and as long as the woman agrees, they can get married immediately.¡±


    ¡°No way, this can¡¯t be true!¡±


    ¡°Is your aunt¡¯s words false? Tomorrow we¡¯ll discuss the wedding with the man¡¯s parents!¡±


    ¡°No way, mom, don¡¯t rush! Let¡¯s set a higher betrothal gift, it must be at least a million. He must have a house and a car, you must mention this to the man, they might not be able to afford it.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mom slapped her again,


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? What betrothal gift? I¡¯ve already told your aunt, as long as the man is willing to marry you, we don¡¯t need a penny for the betrothal gift, and we will even give a dowry of $100,000 and a car ¡­ ¡±


    Seeing me covering my mouth with laughter, Wenya pulled me into the room and then closed the door anxiously,


    ¡°Still laughing, don¡¯t you have a little sympathy, hurry up and save me.¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ Su Peisheng is not a bad guy! He¡¯s tall and handsome, has a degree, a good family background, and even his morality is quite good. With his conditions, you¡¯re not wronged if you marry him.¡±


    ¡°Bah! Just with his glib tongue, if I marry him, I would end up in constant fights!¡±


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to get married, there is a way!¡±


    I thought of a good idea and whispered it into Wenya¡¯s ear.


    After hearing it, Wenya smiled, and nodded in agreement,


    ¡°I have to say, this is a typical you! Fine, I¡¯ll do it your way tomorrow.¡±


    I packed up my things, and Wenya sent me out. Before I left, she repeatedly reminded me,


    ¡°You really need to be careful with Gu Yuanzhou! I always have a feeling that he is not up to any good.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let me know how your date goes tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°OK!¡±


    Half an hour later, in the darkness of the night, I drove the small BMW back to the Maple Mansion.


    What a coincidence, I ran into Ye Mengyan at the entrance again.


    At the time, Ye Mengyan was preparing to leave with her suitcase.


    She didn¡¯t seem to expect me to return, and was startled for a few seconds when she saw me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you¡­ here to look for me, or for Brother Gu?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here for President Gu!¡±


    ¡°Oh, if you don¡¯t have a place to stay outside, I can introduce you to a place. I have a friend who rents a place, you can squeeze in with her!¡±


    ¡°No thanks, I don¡¯t like sharing with others.¡±


    ¡°By the way, have you thought about studying abroad? I can put in some good words for you with Brother Gu! Xiaoyun, it¡¯s hard to find a job these days, it¡¯s a rare opportunity.¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just go back to Zhenyi Company!¡±


    ¡°Are you here to discuss this with him tonight? It¡¯s really late, he has already gone to sleep, why don¡¯t you come back another day?¡±


    Every word of Ye Mengyan was full of cunning, she was constantly probing me.


    She seemed to be worried that I would have more opportunities to get close to Gu Yuanzhou after she left.


    At this moment, I despised Ye Mengyan to the extreme.


    Although I have no intention towards Gu Yuanzhou at the moment, just to annoy her, I nonchalantly dropped a comment.


    ¡°Matters between men and women are usually easier to settle at night, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ye Mengyan¡¯s face instantly turned sour. She clenched her fist and glared angrily at me.


    Seeing her anxious expression, I brought the corner of my lips up in a smile.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡­ Brother Gu is a decent person, if you think you can use your wily mind to bewitch him, you won¡¯t gain anything in the end.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not necessarily true, maybe Gu Yuanzhou is eagerly waiting for me because he¡¯s lonely right now!¡±


    Originally, I was just trying to provoke Ye Mengyan a little.


    But unexpectedly, as soon as I finished speaking, the front door opened.


    A swath of light spilled out, and the tall figure of a man stood in the center of the light, looking at me.


    I¡¯m a little regretful now. I spoke too soon, Gu Yuanzhou must have heard, and to maintain his image, he¡¯s sure to slap me in the face on the spot.

 Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Who Doesn’t Know That Little Trick_1

    Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Who Doesn¡¯t Know That Little Trick_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I was wondering how to gloss over this awkward topic.


    Clearly more anxious than me, Ye Mengyan tossed her suitcase aside and darted towards Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I will not leave! I want to live here!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was wearing a black shirt at the moment, emitting an icy cool charm.


    His allure was different from Ding Yinuo¡¯s.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s charm was sunny.


    His charm was dark.


    It was the kind that made people feel cold, a bone-chilling cold, especially when he gazed at you with a hint of harshness in his eyes.


    It could make people feel afraid and submissive from their heart.


    Unexpectedly, he coldly rejected Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Not possible, you have to move out.¡±


    ¡°Brother Gu, do you dislike the meals that Mengyan cooks for you? Or did Mengyan do something wrong?¡±


    She whined, and tears dived down her face as she talked.


    Indeed, tears are a woman¡¯s best weapon. Seeing her shed tears like this, Gu Yuanzhou must be feeling really bad, right?


    In fact, I don¡¯t understand why Gu Yuanzhou made her move out and asked me to move in!


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before, come back after three months?¡±


    ¡°Brother Gu, I worry about you, without me, no one will take care of your meals and daily life, no one will help you with your laundry, no one will care about you! What if you get sick?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged everything!¡±


    Hearing this, I was slightly startled.


    During the day at the company, Gu Yuanzhou had said he¡¯d have Ye Mengyan move out. I didn¡¯t expect he¡¯d really followed through.


    Seeing Ye Mengyan crying so pitifully, it didn¡¯t seem like Gu Yuanzhou had any intentions of being soft-hearted.


    Just then, a car slowly approached outside, and Gu Yuanzhou personally saw Ye Mengyan into it.


    In the end, Ye Mengyan held onto Gu Yuanzhou and wept for a long time, seemingly reluctant to leave.


    Under the moonlight, their intimate embrace deeply pained my eyes.


    I wondered, if I had found out about these two sooner while I was alive, would the outcome have been different?


    Unfortunately, I trusted Gu Yuanzhou too much.


    Everything can¡¯t go back to the way it was before.


    While Gu Yuanzhou had yet to enter the house, I brought my luggage inside first.


    I leaned against the door, my thoughts revisiting the scene I just witnessed.


    After some time,


    My phone rang.


    I lowered my head to take a look, it was a text from Gu Yuanzhou, just two words, ¡°Come up!¡±


    After a while, I realized¡­ he must be upstairs¡­


    It¡¯s such a short distance. If he needs something, he could just come down. It¡¯s only a few steps, but he insists on making me go up.


    What an attitude!


    I didn¡¯t indulge him, and directly replied,


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m already in bed. Can we talk about it tomorrow?¡±


    The reply from him came even more decisively, just two words, ¡°No!¡±


    In the dead of night, he had just sent Ye Mengyan away and now urgently needed to see me. What is he up to?


    First, I reflected on myself to see if I had done anything too noticeable recently. After confirming I had not,


    I adjusted my emotions and then went upstairs.


    Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t asleep. He sat leisurely in his study wearing a black shirt.


    It seemed Ye Mengyan leaving did not trouble him at all.


    ¡°President Gu, what did you need me for?¡±


    ¡°Sit down and let¡¯s finish this chess game!¡±


    He had a game of Go set up on the table.


    I took a glance. It didn¡¯t look hard!


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m not very skilled at chess! I¡¯m afraid you might find it funny!¡±


    ¡°If you can beat me in a game, I¡¯ll grant you one request!¡±


    When I was a child, my aunt registered me for a chess interest class. I¡¯ve always had a special affection for chess.


    But in the many years that Gu Yuanzhou and I have been in love and married, I have never seen him play chess. Occasionally, when I was playing chess with the kids, I would ask him to join.


    He always politely declined, stating he wasn¡¯t good at it.


    So at this moment, I didn¡¯t give it much thought and agreed.


    ¡°You better keep your word, President Gu!¡±


    ¡°When have I ever gone back on my word?¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    I have no patience. After sitting down, I get straight to the point. I figured I could beat Gu Yuanzhou in 15 moves.


    Surprisingly, this man who claimed himself to be no good at chess defeated me in less than ten steps.


    Staring at the state of my complete defeat, I was shocked.


    ¡°I never expected, President Gu, you to have such a high skill in chess!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly rearranged the chessboard,


    ¡°You¡¯re just too impatient! Nothing good comes from being too hasty! Chess is all about mindset. If your mindset isn¡¯t good, you start losing from the get-go.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, you really are a dark horse!¡±


    ¡°Want another round?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no way I could ever win against President Gu!¡±


    ¡°Not daring enough?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a shot!¡±


    I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t beat Gu Yuanzhou.


    This man usually can¡¯t play chess to save his life. How could I possibly not beat him?


    Perhaps it¡¯s really due to my impatience, or perhaps it¡¯s because I want to defeat him too much.


    Subsequently, provoked by his challenge, we played ten rounds, and I lost every time.


    And each loss was more disastrous than the last.


    Finally, he turned his probing gaze to me, ¡°Do you really want me dead that badly?¡±


    His words shocked me.


    It was then I snapped awake. He was ostensibly playing chess with me, but in reality, he was testing my attitude towards him.


    This man hides his thoughts so well. He¡¯s more dangerous than I previously imagined.


    I quickly got my emotions in check.


    ¡°President Gu is mistaken. How could I possibly want you to die? Chess is just a game and doesn¡¯t represent anything¡­ But, I have been wanting to beat you, President Gu ¨C I do have a little request in mind!¡±


    ¡°Oh, what request?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I can finally beat President Gu. If not, there¡¯s no point in mentioning it.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked deeply into my eyes, knocked over all the pieces and reset the board.


    However, this round I was much more focused. After analyzing the past few games, I had basically gotten the hang of how Gu Yuanzhou played chess.


    He liked to set a trap, use his pawn to bait me, then slowly ambush and overwhelm me.


    This time, I planned to attack his weak defense on the right side¡­


    Just as I was playing with gusto, his phone suddenly rang. He picked up the call and said, ¡°I am going to take a call!¡±


    Even though he had stepped outside, I still overheard a woman¡¯s voice from the phone.


    He quickly returned.


    ¡°Was that Miss Ye?¡±


    I tentatively asked a question.


    Gu Yuanzhou made no effort to cover, ¡°She just moved into a new place and isn¡¯t used to it. A minor situation occurred!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I responded flatly. ¡°Not used to it¡± was just an excuse to get Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s attention and have him dote on her, right?


    What I didn¡¯t expect was that Ye Mengyan¡¯s call had actually affected Gu Yuanzhou.


    This round, he actually lost!

 Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 118 Minor Issue _1

    Chapter 118: Chapter 118 Minor Issue _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Although Yuanzhou didn¡¯t know what the minor issue with Ye Mengyan was, he was clearly worried about her.


    So much so that he lost the game.


    He didn¡¯t deny his account because of distraction, instead, he generously admitted defeat.


    ¡°Alright, you win!¡±


    Yuanzhou stood up, took out a cigarette, and lit it with a lighter.


    Then he walked over to the window and began to smoke.


    ¡°Speak up, what are your demands?¡±


    He stared deeply into me.


    The reason I was willing to stay at Zhenyi Company was because I had my own goals.


    Even if he wasn¡¯t involved in the arson case at Golden Bay, his betrayal of me is irrefutable.


    Just because of that, I won¡¯t let him off so easily.


    Therefore, from now on, I¡¯m going to dismantle the Zhenyi Company that I built with my own hands.


    In fact, I¡¯ve had a contingency plan in mind.


    Since he gave me the opportunity tonight, I¡¯ve got to make good use of it.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve noticed that several management positions in our company have been changed recently! And the ones who were replaced are all loyal and long-standing employees!¡±


    I voiced my objection first.


    Yuanzhou¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed,


    ¡°As you said, those were old employees, they can¡¯t keep up with the times. The company needs fresh blood.¡±


    I argued my point,


    ¡°However, I agree that fresh ideas are important in creative positions. For technical positions such as finance, I think old employees can do better.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your request?¡±


    ¡°Call back some of the old employees?¡±


    Yuanzhou said, ¡°Regarding the strategy of company management, I can¡¯t possibly change it. Not unless you can prove that my plan has a problem.¡±


    What he meant was, my idea was wrong, and his approach was right. Unless I had solid proof, his strategy would not be questioned.


    I knew it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to change his mind.


    This man is rather obstinate in the first place.


    Thus, I¡¯ve anticipated his refusal. But I¡¯m not in a hurry, as long as there is his promise, I will act according to my plan from now on.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I won¡¯t bother President Gu anymore!¡±


    I retread first.


    But just as I was about to leave the building, he handed me a list.


    ¡°Tomorrow, buy these items and ask Old Zhang to deliver them to Ye Mengyan¡¯s residence!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    On my way downstairs.


    I glanced at the list, it was comprehensive indeed.


    The next morning, after I finished my work, I took a stroll to the finance department.


    The new finance director is a mature and charming woman named Yuan Li¡­


    I don¡¯t know what this woman¡¯s background is. When she joined the company, she was pretty assertive, often scolding this one, instructing that one.


    I¡¯ve been with Yuanzhou for so many years. I know his circle of friends, but I¡¯d never seen this woman before.


    The whole company was in a turmoil because of Director Yuan.


    I invited Xu Yun to lunch and took the opportunity to get some information.


    ¡°What¡¯s the story with the finance director Yuan?¡±


    Xu Yun said, ¡°Sister Song, you¡¯re close with President Gu, don¡¯t you know Yuan Li?¡±


    ¡°Even I have some blind spots in social interactions! Of course, if I ask in detail, President Gu would tell me. But it doesn¡¯t seem appropriate to bother him with such a minor issue!¡±


    Xu Yun nodded in agreement and lowered her voice,


    ¡°They say¡­ she is a relative of Miss Ye!¡±


    ¡°Which Miss Ye?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t even know this? Everyone in the company knows, that Miss Ye is ¡®the young Mrs. Gu!¡¯¡±


    ¡°The young Mrs. Gu?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you know¡­ they say President Gu cherishes her so much, it won¡¯t take long before her status becomes official.¡±


    I was shocked on the spot.


    I didn¡¯t expect that the people in the company would have more inside news than me.


    Ye Mengyan had already become ¡®the young Mrs. Gu.¡¯


    And she placed her relative in the company.


    The once principled and disciplined Yuanzhou seems to have no principles after meeting Ye Mengyan.


    Now, knowing that Yuan Li is a confidant of Ye Mengyan, I am even more determined to replace her.


    After lunch, I went shopping at the supermarket.


    While buying living supplies for Ye Mengyan, I also bought a small camera.


    When I finished, I asked the driver Old Zhang to deliver these items to Ye Mengyan.


    Afterward, I bought some small gifts to deliver to the finance department.


    ¡°Director Yuan, I bought you these presents!¡±


    I bought a few kilos of premium fruit like cherries and strawberries, two boxes of ginseng, and a small strawberry bear toy.


    Yuan Li, maintaining her professional face, was somewhat cold towards me, even showing some displeasure.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of sending these things during working hours? I don¡¯t want them!¡±


    I replied with a smile, ¡°This morning, President Gu had me buy some birthday supplies for Miss Ye. I bought these for Director Yuan along the way. These are President Gu¡¯s regards.¡±


    When Yuan Li heard these were arranged by Yuanzhou for Ye Mengyan, she instantly relieved.


    She didn¡¯t refuse again, but she didn¡¯t apologize to me either. Instead, she ordered me around like a servant.


    ¡°Just put them there! Oh right, you¡¯ve been tardy lately, haven¡¯t you? You won¡¯t get the full-attendance bonus next month!¡±


    I peeked a glance; it was Yuan Li calculating the salaries.


    Originally, attendance was managed by the HR department. Now Yuan Li¡¯s hand reached too far, even grasping salary calculations.


    However, I didn¡¯t want to argue with her now, so I left after putting the toy where she asked.


    In the eyes of the strawberry bear toy, I had placed a mini camera. I¡¯ll find a handle and then slowly settle scores with her.


    Just as I clocked off work in the afternoon, Wenya cornered me at the company¡¯s front gate.


    ¡°My little ancestor, why did you come here? Aren¡¯t you afraid Yuanzhou might see you?¡±


    I quickly dragged her into the car and swiftly closed the door.


    Fortunately, Yuanzhou was in a meeting at this time, so he shouldn¡¯t notice her.


    Wenya looked anxious,


    ¡°You must accompany me to this dinner later!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I teach you a method yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I did as you suggested and invited Su Peisheng for a private meeting. I thought through it, I would have a good chat with him. But this jerk gave some excuse about being busy and didn¡¯t show. I think he did it on purpose, he stood me up.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I can go with you, but whether I can help is another matter!¡±


    ¡°Hey, all my hopes are pinned on you! You must help me settle this matter, no, to break up this marriage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡±


    However, upon arriving at the scene, seeing Su¡¯s parents attended the meal formally.


    Su¡¯s father is a professor at a renowned domestic university, Su¡¯s mother is a well-known doctor at a hospital, they are genuinely from an aristocratic family.


    Indeed, they have an impressive background, and both Su¡¯s parents seemed amicable¡­


    It seems that both families were very eager for this marriage to materialize. Both parties were getting along very well, it seemed as if the marriage is about to be confirmed.


    Underneath the table, Wenya repeatedly kicked my foot, so hard that I dropped the teacup in my hand.


    Su¡¯s father thought I dropped the cup intentionally, he asked me very cautiously,


    ¡°Miss, do you have any objections to this marriage?¡±

 Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Does He Want to Sleep With Me_1

    Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Does He Want to Sleep With Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Such a cultural and historically esteemed family, I believe Wenya will be immensely happy if she marries into it.


    So, I decide to betray Wenya and play the part of the little spy, cheerfully agreeing to Su Peisheng¡¯s father¡¯s proposal.


    ¡°Uncle, I think this marriage is a great idea! I¡¯m in favor!¡±


    Only then did Su Peisheng¡¯s father show a satisfied smile.


    ¡°Well, since the young ones agree, let¡¯s arrange the wedding as soon as possible. Madam, would you mind picking an auspicious date for us?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mother eagerly responds,


    ¡°I believe any day is a good day, how about the ninth of next month!¡±


    From the way Wenya¡¯s mother is hurrying, it is like she can¡¯t wait to marry off her daughter tomorrow.


    However, in fear of ridicule, she chooses a slightly more distant date.


    Upon hearing this, Wenya hurries to stand up in protest,


    ¡°Mom, today is already the 30th! Are you really going to marry me off next week? That won¡¯t work, there¡¯s not enough time! It¡¯s too rushed!¡±


    Su Peisheng¡¯s father smiles and says,


    ¡°Leave the wedding banquet and ceremony to us to arrange. You just need to focus on being the bride at that time. We make sure everything is ready for you.¡±


    Wenya embarrassingly gives a smile,


    ¡°Uncle¡­well, Su Peisheng and I haven¡¯t taken wedding photos yet?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mother coughs lightly,


    ¡°That¡¯s easy, your dad and I have already inquired about it on the way here. We can go for the photoshoot this afternoon. Choose the best photos after the shoot, and they can be developed in a rush. We can get them the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Wenya frowns, thinking of another way to delay.


    ¡°¡­ Su Peisheng and I haven¡¯t had our medical examinations yet!¡±


    Su Peisheng immediately throws her a curveball,


    ¡°I just had a physical examination at the company last month. I don¡¯t have any health conditions! I have normal blood pressure and fats. I¡¯ll send you my medical report later.¡±


    Wenya gives him a glance,


    ¡°What I meant was, I haven¡¯t had my medical checkup. What if I have some incurable disease, won¡¯t you be at a loss if you marry me?¡±


    Su Peisheng adjusts his suit and coolly answers,


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me! Life would be so boring if everything goes smoothly. Some risks make it more interesting, right?¡±


    Wenya huffs,


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve had a medical examination, have you?¡±


    Su Peisheng puts down his wine glass, wiping his mouth elegantly with a napkin, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Then let me ask you, have you had a reproductive health check?¡±


    ¡°There is no need for that. I am capable of fathering a child!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, if you¡¯re getting married, of course, you need to check if you can have children! What if you can¡¯t perform, right?¡±


    Those words from Wenya suddenly made the whole table silent.


    Only I was laughing.


    Eventually, this matchmaking dinner ends in discord.


    Wenya successfully sabotages her own wedding with her singular effort.


    On the way back, she keeps blaming me,


    ¡°How could you betray me?¡±


    I can¡¯t stop laughing as I drive,


    ¡°Wenya, to be honest, I didn¡¯t realize it before, but now I see it. You and Su Peisheng are honestly a perfect match. You two must have been destined in a past life and are lovers in this one. Why don¡¯t you accept him?¡±


    Wenya is still upset, gritting her teeth.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see it? He¡¯s purposely humiliating me. He obviously doesn¡¯t like me, he enjoys misleading my parents, giving them false hope. Let me tell you, if I¡¯m not guessing wrong, once my family gets everything ready, he¡¯ll say he doesn¡¯t want to get married on the day of the wedding, making our family lose face.¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t be that bad, can he?¡±


    ¡°If not, then what? You saw for yourself, he¡¯s got good conditions! Why would he want me?¡±


    ¡°You should have more confidence in yourself, you¡¯re pretty amazing, okay?¡±


    ¡°Regardless, Su Peisheng is just not my type¡­¡±


    Wenya resolutely rejects this marriage proposal. That night when I take her home, her mother gives her an earful.


    I haven¡¯t had a chance to play mediator when I receive a text from Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Outside, hanging with a friend!¡±


    ¡°Come and pick me up! Tianhe Hotel!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I was originally going to suggest sending Zhang, the chauffeur, to pick him up.


    But I was curious about what Gu Yuanzhou was up to at this time.


    Why did he specifically ask me to pick him up?


    Following the address he had given, I arrived at the destination half an hour later.


    At that moment, Gu Yuanzhou had just finished a drinking meeting. He hung his suit on his arm and walked out reeking of alcohol.


    ¡°President Gu, have you drunk too much?¡±


    ¡°I am fine!¡±


    Once he got in the car, he settled in the front passenger seat.


    ¡°Are we going home now?¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go to Rainbow Town!¡±


    The place he mentioned stunned me.


    Rainbow Town¡­ that was a place Gu Yuanzhou and I often visited many years ago when we were dating.


    The place was exceptionally romantic, with mushroom-shaped small houses from fairy tales scattered all over the hills. There were also transparent glass sphere houses nestled halfway up the hillside.


    With rainbow windmills, it was the perfect place for couples to take a vacation.


    What is he doing going there in the middle of the night?


    ¡°President Gu, do you mean Rainbow Town?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I thought he was drunk. I asked him three times and each time he confirmed it.


    What does he mean by this?


    Is he going there to reminisce?


    Or does he have other ulterior motives?


    I mentally prepared myself and then started the car.


    The place was not far from the outskirts of A City. Taking the fourth ring expressway, it took about forty minutes to get there.


    I thought Gu Yuanzhou was drunk.


    But he wasn¡¯t.


    He sat in the front passenger seat, constantly looking out the window without any sign of drowsiness. His energy level was just fine.


    After reaching the destination, I parked the car in the parking lot.


    After Gu Yuanzhou got out of the car, he stood there looking at the sky for a long time before finally saying,


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I see Leo!¡±


    My birthday is under Leo¡­ so, since my teenage years, I¡¯ve paid a lot of attention to the night sky, knowing clearly when I could see my zodiac.


    ¡°President Gu, it¡¯s the wrong season! You have to come near the end of autumn to see it!¡±


    ¡°Oh, do you know so much about zodiac signs?¡±


    While speaking with me, he started walking up the hillside.


    I followed him, feeling the evening breeze gently sweeping across my face.


    ¡°All girls like to understand these things!¡±


    He found a long bench nearby and sat down, then asked me again,


    ¡°How does your boyfriend treat you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if he was asking about Shen Yishu or Xun Yixuan, whom I had never met.


    So I gave a noncommittal answer,


    ¡°Pretty good!¡±


    ¡°Who usually pays the bill when you two are together?¡±


    ¡°He does, but sometimes it¡¯s me!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s his zodiac sign?¡±


    ¡°Virgo, I guess!¡±


    I answered casually on the spur of the moment¡ªI had no idea what zodiac sign Xun Yixuan was.


    Gu Yuanzhou paused for a few seconds, then continued his inquiry,


    ¡°When did you meet him? What do you find attractive about him?¡±


    I found it quite strange why Gu Yuanzhou suddenly asked me so many questions this evening?


    But to satisfy his curiosity, I randomly made up stories¡­


    After I answered, he didn¡¯t say much.


    He took me directly to the lobby of Rainbow Town Hotel.


    ¡°It¡¯s too late tonight, so let¡¯s not go back. Let¡¯s stay here overnight! You pick a room!¡±


    The fame of Rainbow Town is due to its hotel rooms. The rooms are fairy-tale houses with unique designs scattered along the hillside.


    Because the shapes and colors are different, guests can choose the type they like.


    But what does Gu Yuanzhou mean by letting me book a room?


    Is he implying that he wants to sleep with me?

 Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 120 Ye Mengyan Starts to Drift_1

    Chapter 120: Chapter 120 Ye Mengyan Starts to Drift_1


    Translator: 549690339


    We¡¯re both adults, a man and a woman, and I¡¯m just his subordinate, so by all means, we shouldn¡¯t be sleeping in the same room.


    When we told the reception we wanted to book a room, they were quick to begin rattling off the advantages of the various rooms.


    ¡°The roof of the Starry Sky Room is transparent. You can lie in bed and stargaze all night after turning off the lights. The Mushroom Room is close to the hot springs, and there are rabbits in the vicinity. We also have special couple-themed suites.¡±


    The receptionist was very straightforward, and even suggested we might choose the hot spring room if we were after excitement.


    I was a bit embarrassed listening to all this.


    But Gu Yuanzhou seemed completely unaffected, not showing a hint of shyness.


    He certainly has a thick skin.


    Seeing him playing dumb, I had to remind him,


    ¡°President Gu, this place isn¡¯t suitable for me. My house is not far from here, and I plan to drive back later. You can choose any room you like.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me,


    ¡°We¡¯re staying overnight. We¡¯re not going home tonight.¡±


    Quite clearly, does he intend to share a room with me?


    ¡°President Gu¡­¡±


    Even before I could say something, he impatiently cut me off,


    ¡°Choose a room you like, let¡¯s not waste time!¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ the Starry Sky Room then!¡±


    I am not the fairy-tale type, so I definitely wouldn¡¯t choose the cutesy Mushroom Room.


    The Starry Sky Room has standard beds, two of them, so even if we¡¯re sleeping in the same room, we can avoid awkwardness by each having our own bed.


    Once he¡¯d chosen the room, Gu Yuanzhou paid by card, and we got the room key from the reception.


    ¡°Do you need us to show you to your room?¡±


    ¡°No need!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou declined the offer of the receptionist.


    ¡°President Gu, do you want to go to the room now?¡±


    He glanced at his phone,


    ¡°It¡¯s still early, just after nine! Let¡¯s find a place to eat!¡±


    I pointed to the village ahead and said,


    ¡°There¡¯s a farmhouse restaurant up ahead, they do a really good wood-fired chicken.¡±


    ¡°You lead the way!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed somewhat preoccupied. Usually, at the office, he would briskly walk in front of me.


    But tonight, he was walking slowly, looking around as though he was admiring something, or seeking something.


    Since he had been drinking earlier, I was wondering if he was still sober yet?


    Luckily, the farmhouse wasn¡¯t far, and we arrived after a ten-minute walk.


    ¡°President Gu, what would you like to eat? Besides wood-fired chicken, they have some local dishes here which are quite good.¡±


    ¡°Just order one of each!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I had just placed the order when Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone rang again.


    As I gathered the chopsticks, I noticed the name flashing on the screen was Ye Mengyan.


    Gu Yuanzhou got up and answered the call outside.


    I took out my phone and turned on the surveillance camera hidden inside the teddy bear in the finance office.


    The camera in the teddy bear connected to my phone. I opened it to see what Yuan Li had been up to.


    To my surprise, Yuan Li had taken the teddy bear home with her after work. Therefore, I could clearly see who she met on the way¡­


    Later, she left the teddy bear in the car, and a man joined her.


    I only was able to watch for about ten minutes, but I was already taken aback. Yuan Li was not as simple as she appeared, she was capable of doing such things.


    Just as I was about to take a closer look, Gu Yuanzhou came back in.


    I quickly turned off the camera.


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    By now, all the dishes had arrived and the wood-fired chicken was ready to eat.


    As soon as the lid was lifted, a burst of aroma hit our noses.


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up the spoon and scooped me a bowl of soup first, adding some coriander.


    I pushed the bowl back towards him,


    ¡°President Gu, you can have this one!¡±


    ¡°Why, is there something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t eat coriander, I dislike its flavor.¡±


    I never liked coriander since I was a kid.


    He looked at me in silence, then ladled another bowl of soup for me.


    ¡°Actually, coriander is pretty good, you should try it!¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t like the taste. Some people find coriander fragrant, but I think it smells like bugs.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou shook his head.


    He then tried a few dishes.


    He served me some soybean pickle with preserved egg, stir-fried minced pork with celery¡­


    But I rejected both these dishes. I neither accept preserved egg, nor do I like celery.


    I seriously thought about it, and I seem to dislike foods with strong flavors.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say anything and kept sipping on his drink.


    He was watching me, occasionally looking at something on his phone.


    ¡°President Gu, was that Miss Ye calling just now?¡±


    To ease the awkward atmosphere, I asked casually.


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    He didn¡¯t avoid the topic.


    The Golden Bay arson case had gradually subsided after all.


    When the crime was first committed, the media had been all over it, with countless netizens teary-eyed, calling Gu Yuanzhou a jerk.


    He indeed did have some concerns for a while.


    But people tend to be forgetful. After three months, most people probably forgot about the incident.


    And Gu Yuanzhou wouldn¡¯t have to worry about negative news anymore.


    If it weren¡¯t for my objection, Ye Mengyan was probably on her way to becoming Mrs. Gu.


    ¡°Did Miss Ye not find the things I bought for her today useful?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s quite far, and the transportation isn¡¯t convenient¡­ She wants a car!¡±


    I sneered silently to myself. Sure enough, Ye Mengyan isn¡¯t pretending to be innocent anymore, now she¡¯s bold enough to straight up ask for a car.


    ¡°Is President Gu going to buy one for her?¡±


    ¡°She said the company¡¯s funds are tight right now, and she doesn¡¯t want me to spend the money, what a considerate girl!¡±


    I replied indifferently, ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she just wants to borrow your BMW!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou said nonchalantly.


    I almost wanted to curse.


    So, after all the fuss, she calculates everything to my account and wants my car. If she wants my car, she should just say so instead of saying she wants to borrow it!


    Gu Yuanzhou is the boss, if he asks me for something, can I really refuse?


    It seemed to me that Ye Mengyan was indirectly threatening me, warning me not to have designs on Gu Yuanzhou.


    At this moment, I realized that this young girl was much more complicated than I had imagined.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t agree?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou asked me.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m used to driving this car to and from work. The Maple Mansion is too far from the office, and there¡¯s no public transportation. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t lend it to her.¡±


    Any employee with a bit of emotional intelligence would agree without hesitation if their boss¡¯s girlfriend wanted to borrow their car.


    But not me!


    I want to put Gu Yuanzhou in a difficult position and embarrass Ye Mengyan.


    I¡¯m curious to see what other tricks Ye Mengyan has up her sleeve!


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me, ¡°How about I let you drive my other Mercedes Benz?¡±

 Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 121 At Night, He Actually Did This _1

    Chapter 121: Chapter 121 At Night, He Actually Did This _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou really does have genuine feelings for Ye Mengyan.


    He¡¯s willing to give me his own vehicle just so Ye Mengyan can drive my little BMW.


    Quite touching, isn¡¯t it?


    Too bad I¡¯m a troublemaker and a defiant employee.


    I had to compete with him.


    ¡°Sorry, President Gu, why don¡¯t you give your Mercedes to Miss Ye, and I¡¯ll stick with my BMW!¡±


    He probably didn¡¯t anticipate my being so difficult, right?


    He squinted his dark eyes, examined me from top to bottom for a while.


    Suddenly, he smirked.


    ¡°Do you have any objections to Ye Mengyan? Are you insisting on not lending the BMW to her?¡±


    I sighed, wiped my mouth with a tissue.


    ¡°President Gu, you bought this car for me. You said you could take it back whenever you wanted. No need to use the word ¡®borrow¡¯. If you want me to return it to the company right now, I will do so immediately!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to force you! Since the company gave it to you, it¡¯s yours! You have the right to decide!¡±


    I chuckled inwardly, his words sounded so pleasant, if you think this car is mine, why are you forcing me to lend it?


    Relies solely on being the CEO and wants to intimidate me!


    Unfortunately, I see through your ruse.


    ¡°President Gu, since Miss Ye likes it, let¡¯s lend it to her! I¡¯m not used to driving your Mercedes¡­ so forget it.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t use the Mercedes, how will you get home?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my fianc¨¦ once mentioned that he wanted to buy me a car. I¡¯ve been considering whether to accept it. Now, since the BMW is being lent to Miss Ye, I think I¡¯ll accept my fianc¨¦¡¯s gift!¡±


    As soon as I finish speaking, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s brows furrowed.


    He glanced at me.


    ¡°What does your fianc¨¦ do for a living? Can he afford to buy you a car?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an executive at a listed company, richer than Shen Yishu!¡±


    ¡°Which company?¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with you, President Gu?¡±


    My words seemed to have silenced Gu Yuanzhou.


    After he stopped talking, I also finished the last chicken leg, I was too full to eat anymore, paid the bill and left the farmhouse with Gu Yuanzhou.


    When we walked to the back of the village, he suddenly pointed to the woods in the distance and said,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that an orchard over there? I think I see longan trees!¡±


    ¡°Not longan, it¡¯s lychee!¡±


    I corrected his mistake.


    We used to come and play here as a family¡­


    It was during the summertime when the lychees were ripe. Gu Yuanzhou drove the kids here for a vacation.


    But he was always busy with work at the time, he only stayed for the morning and then left.


    I, on the other hand, played with the kids until dark before heading back.


    We even set up a tent in that lychee patch back then.


    Our son, Xiaozhen, even picked up a few fallen fruits from the ground and asked Gu Yuanzhou what they were.


    Since the lychees were not ripe yet and were still green, Xiaozhen couldn¡¯t recognize them and specifically asked Gu Yuanzhou what fruit they were.


    Gu Yuanzhou said they were longan!


    I corrected him back then, saying they were lychees.


    I didn¡¯t think he wouldn¡¯t remember!


    I love my two children so much, every little detail about them, I commit to memory.


    I never dare to forget.


    But he, he forgot! Showing that he doesn¡¯t really love our children at all.


    Afterward, he didn¡¯t speak again. We silently walked through the woods, each lost in our thoughts.


    A few minutes later, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone rang again.


    Even though I couldn¡¯t hear what Ye Mengyan was saying, I could hear Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s response.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare another car for you. Song Xiaoyun needs her car for work, can¡¯t lend it to you.¡±


    I took a deep breath, feeling a slight sense of relief in my heart.


    It seems that my earlier strategy worked. The fianc¨¦ buying me a car bit was all a sham, just a ruse¡­


    I just knew, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s competitive spirit is strong, he also cares about saving face.


    Narrowly won this round.


    I guess, on the other end of the phone, Ye Mengyan must be quite disappointed, right?


    After all, she didn¡¯t succeed in her goal to humiliate me!


    Indeed, Ye Mengyan was rather displeased as Gu Yuanzhou spent a while comforting her over the phone.


    Taking this opportunity before Gu Yuanzhou could hang up, I said loudly,


    ¡°President Gu, are we sleeping in the same room tonight?¡±


    I did it on purpose, spoke very loudly.


    It attracted the attention of a young couple about a hundred meters away, all turning to look at us.


    Upon hearing what I said, Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me and then hung up the phone.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I said¡­we only booked one room, will that be inconvenient? Do I need to book another one for you?¡±


    Without hesitation, Gu Yuanzhou refused.


    ¡°No need, we can stick with one room tonight.¡±


    ¡°No, wouldn¡¯t that be inconvenient?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that would be.¡±


    Since he insisted, I didn¡¯t say anything else.


    Perhaps a young woman like Song Xiaoyun, just stepping into the workforce, would certainly hesitate to share a room with her boss.


    But I¡¯m not Song Xiaoyun, I¡¯m not afraid of Gu Yuanzhou.


    A man I¡¯ve shared a bed with for over a decade, what¡¯s there to be scared of?


    I¡¯ll also see what exactly Gu Yuanzhou is planning?


    Gu Yuanzhou was talking to me when his phone rang again.


    Just by the ringtone, I knew it was Ye Mengyan calling.


    Ye Mengyan must have deduced from my previous conversation that Gu Yuanzhou would be with me tonight.


    She¡¯s definitely going to make a scene.


    I don¡¯t care.


    I went into the guest room first¡­ took off my high heels, and changed into slippers.


    The guest room was nice, the ceiling in the master bedroom was spherical and you couldn¡¯t see the outside sky when the lights were on.


    Standard room, with two single beds.


    Though there were wild grass-covered slopes outside, the room was tastefully decorated, very cozy.


    There were wardrobes and sofas, a luxurious wool carpet, perfect for couples on vacation.


    The room even came with an en suite bathroom¡­


    I turned off my phone, stuffed it in my bag, and set up the coffee machine. Then, clad in my bathrobe, I went to the bathroom.


    Half an hour later, when I had finished drying my hair and emerged from the bathroom in my robe,


    I discovered that Gu Yuanzhou had already arrived and was engaged in a rather bizarre activity.


    ¡°President Gu, what are you doing?¡±


    He had removed his suit, rolled up his sleeves.


    He was trying to move one bed towards the other.


    There was already a space of about half a meter between the two beds, now he had narrowed that gap even more.


    He straightened up and looked at me,


    ¡°You¡¯re just in time, help me remove that pillow, I¡¯m combining the two beds!¡±


    I was shocked. Even he must know about the concept of not behaving improperly between sexes, right?


    I deliberately chose two beds to maintain a distance with him, yet he wants to join them together?


    Could it be that he intends to do something to me tonight?

 Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 122 She Completely Stopped Pretending_1

    Chapter 122: Chapter 122 She Completely Stopped Pretending_1


    Translator: 549690339


    From my years of experience as Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s wife, when a man is interested in a woman, his gaze is always filled with desire.


    But his wasn¡¯t.


    He usually appears upright and calm in front of me, his eyes devoid of any waves of emotion.


    Moreover, judging from his current doting behavior towards Ye Mengyan, he probably wouldn¡¯t have feelings for another woman, right?


    While I was lost in thoughts, Gu Yuanzhou had already combined the two beds into one.


    He swiftly arranged the bedding.


    Looking at the two single beds now merged into one double bed made me smile awkwardly.


    ¡°President Gu, what¡¯s the point of this?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it more comfortable for you to lie down like this?¡±


    ¡°Uh? I really don¡¯t need that much space!¡±


    ¡°You can roll around and relax.¡±


    After manually adjusting the edges of the seam to ensure that no one would fall through the middle, he stood up feeling satisfied.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Roll around?


    Who rolls around while sleeping?


    Nevertheless, I did not question him.


    I sat down on a couch and started playing with my phone.


    I ate too much and wasn¡¯t feeling sleepy at all.


    But what was strange was that I didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable sharing a room with him.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because we were technically married. Even after being reborn, I still feel quite familiar with him.


    It¡¯s not like the awkward feeling of being with a strange man.


    On the contrary, it seemed that Gu Yuanzhou was not used to being alone, as he left after arranging the bed.


    I waited for nearly half an hour¡­


    Seeing that he hadn¡¯t returned, I went to bed first.


    Just when I had settled down in bed, he came back.


    ¡°Uh, President Gu, why don¡¯t you sleep first?¡±


    I was planning to get up and let him take the bed, but he stopped me, ¡°No need, you sleep!¡±


    So, I just laid down.


    Then Gu Yuanzhou got up and turned off the lights in the bedroom.


    I was lying quietly on the soft bed, surrounded by darkness.


    Gu Yuanzhou was sitting on the sofa, smoking¡­


    The air was filled with a faint smell of tobacco.


    He sat on the sofa against the wall, not uttering a word.


    What on earth was Gu Yuanzhou up to?


    After what seemed like an eternity, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s deep voice broke the silence in the dark, ¡°Look, the starry sky.¡±


    I was almost asleep, but his reminder instantly snapped me awake.


    I opened my eyes and indeed, I saw a brilliant starry river in the night sky above. It was so beautiful, like a dream.


    For a moment, I felt dazed as if I had returned to the past, with the children gathered around me¡­


    Suddenly, the ringtone of the mobile phone interrupted the brief tranquility.


    Gu Yuanzhou answered the phone. He stayed on the sofa and did not leave the room.


    ¡°You¡¯re not asleep yet?¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯re not feeling well?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come right over and take you to the hospital!¡±


    After a brief conversation on the phone, Gu Yuanzhou got up.


    He picked up his suit jacket and headed towards the door, reminding me before he left:


    ¡°You should enjoy the starry night. I heard there¡¯s a meteor shower tonight¡­¡±


    ¡°President Gu, are you coming back?¡±


    ¡°Depends!¡±


    Then, Gu Yuanzhou left.


    He was so easily called away by a phone call from Ye Mengyan.


    Lying in bed, I suddenly recalled the time when I took the children here. Gu Yuanzhou was also called away by a phone call.


    Could it be that Ye Mengyan made that call as well?


    Such a thought sent chills down my spine.


    Could the arson case really have nothing to do with Ye Mengyan at all?


    I hardly slept that night. I just kept my eyes wide open, staring at the night sky until dawn.


    By the next morning, Gu Yuanzhou had still not returned.


    I checked out of the room and returned to Maple Mansion.


    Unexpectedly, I ran into Ye Mengyan immediately upon arriving home.


    She looked at me with a smiling face,


    ¡°How was your night, Xiaoyun?¡±


    I took a bottle of beverage from the refrigerator, opened it, and took a mouthful. The icy sensation woke me up.


    ¡°It was great! Last night, President Gu and I had this charcoal-roasted chicken. It was authentic!¡±


    Ye Mengyan laughed again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I interrupted your romantic evening yesterday!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you two get a room? You didn¡¯t get to sleep together, you must be disappointed.¡±


    ¡°Why would we sleep together?¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending, Xiaoyun, I see what you¡¯re up to. We¡¯re all women here.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s voice was still soft, but her words were blunt, even containing a hint of smugness.


    ¡°So, you intentionally had Gu Yuanzhou leave last night?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I intentionally did it, I just wanted¡­you to realize your position in his heart. Isn¡¯t it good to know your weaknesses sooner? It can effectively avoid unnecessary daydreams. Sometimes, we have to understand ourselves, Xiaoyun. I admit you¡¯re talented. But the truth is, you¡¯re late.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m late? Where am I late?¡±


    ¡°For Gu Yuanzhou, he and I¡­we¡¯ve been together for many years. No one can replace my position in his heart, not even you.¡±


    I laughed and sat on the couch with cold sweat whisking down my forehead.


    This mistress had the audacity to tell me that I was too late!


    I chuckled silently while finishing my beverage.


    ¡°Miss Ye! You indeed knew Gu Yuanzhou earlier, but then he had a wife and family. What were you thinking?¡±


    Ye Mengyan blushed slightly, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault, blame¡­Mrs. Gu was getting old. She had become a nagging old woman. She did not deserve to be with Gu Yuanzhou. A successful man like Gu Yuanzhou should find a younger and more beautiful woman as a life partner.¡±


    I was utterly shocked by her words.


    It looked like Ye Mengyan wasn¡¯t pretending anymore.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Mrs. Gu, would you be where you are today? If she didn¡¯t pay for your education, do you think you could have the opportunity to go to college and come to the city like others?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was also getting frustrated, ¡°Do you think she was truly kind-hearted?¡±


    ¡°Oh? She wasn¡¯t kind to you? Or did you have something valuable to repay her?¡±


    ¡°She does not have good intentions at all. She sponsored me for my education just to prove herself a saint! She stood high above us, forcing us poor people to look up to her, to be grateful to her for a lifetime. I¡¯m only a bit less fortunate at birth, it¡¯s my parents¡¯ fault, not mine. Why should I be her foil?¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s remarks left me utterly shocked once again.


    I really regretted it. Why did I fund such an ungrateful person for her education?


    They say what goes around comes around. My good deed was repaid with misfortune. How absurd!


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, aren¡¯t you afraid of being struck by lightning for saying such things? Dare to say this in front of Gu Yuanzhou?¡±

 Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Someone is after you _1

    Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Someone is after you _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ye Mengyan laughed suddenly, and did not continue the conversation.


    It seems that she only dares to express her radical views in front of me, in front of Gu Yuanzhou, she is not so confident and unrestrained.


    She is smart and very cautious¡­


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I¡¯ve said what I wanted to say, I hope you¡¯ll understand! Oh, by the way, I hope you will resign from the company as soon as possible because Zhenyi Company is no longer suitable for your development.¡±


    After saying this, Ye Mengyan turned and left.


    ¡°Ye Mengyan!¡±


    I called her.


    She looked back at me, slightly raising her chin.


    ¡°I want to ask you, was the fire related to you in any way?¡±


    Ye Mengyan hooked the corner of her mouth slightly,


    ¡°Do you think I would tell you?¡±


    ¡°You have inside knowledge, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I asked again.


    She looked at me for a couple of seconds,


    ¡°I advise you not to look into it, Shen Yishu¡¯s fate will be yours!¡±


    After that confusing statement, she did not answer any more of my questions and left in a hurry.


    I watched her disappear, silently took out my phone from my bag, and played back the audio I had just recorded.


    Good, it¡¯s very clear.


    Fortunately, I was prepared for her, otherwise, how could this piece of evidence have been recorded so timely.


    I wonder how Gu Yuanzhou would feel when he hears this recording.


    But right now, I don¡¯t want to reveal Ye Mengyan¡¯s true face to him.


    I need a more appropriate timing.


    Sitting down for a while, my phone then rang.


    It was from Ding Yinuo.


    I walked into the bedroom, picked up the phone, ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not fine, come out, I want to see you!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ding, I am currently¡­ preparing to go to the company, very busy, if you want to meet, we can meet around six in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Let me say it again, I want to see you right now!¡±


    ¡°No, I am very busy. Got to go, bye!¡±


    I hung up the phone, steadied myself against the bathroom wall, trying hard to digest what had happened these past two days.


    From last night to this morning, I need to sort out my thoughts.


    The phone is ringing again!


    I thought it was Ding Yinuo again. I answered the phone with a slight tone of impatience.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I am really very busy. Honestly, aren¡¯t doctors supposed to be quite busy? Can you just roam around aimlessly?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡±


    Wenya¡¯s voice suddenly resounded.


    ¡°Ah, sorry, I didn¡¯t check the caller ID! What do you need from me this early in the morning?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t gone to the company yet, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I am just getting ready to go!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to breakfast, it¡¯s on your way to the company, wait for me at that Cantonese tea house, okay!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet, so I can spare ten minutes to have breakfast with Wenya.


    I got ready and left the house, then my phone rang again. This time it was from Gu Yuanzhou,¡±You haven¡¯t come back yet?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, are you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will send you a list, you go and purchase the items for me!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Anyway, I¡¯m driving and the shopping mall is on the way, it¡¯s not a big deal to buy some things.


    At a glance, it appears to be more stuff to buy for Ye Mengyan.


    After hanging up the phone, I quickly left the house. Because I need time to shop, there¡¯s no hurry to get to the company in the morning.


    I headed to the Tea Restaurant first.


    I originally thought Wenya wanted to talk to me about her date, only to see Ding Yinuo when I entered.


    He was sitting by the window, wearing a sky-blue shirt, with a darker striped tie of the same color, and gold-rimmed glasses.


    Looking scholarly and aloof.


    He sat quietly in the corner, with the sunlight shining down on his shoulders, he looked very gentle.


    This is a high-end Cantonese dim sum restaurant, the average cost per person is over a hundred yuan.


    In this city, there aren¡¯t too many people who would spend this much on breakfast.


    So, relatively speaking, it is quite quiet here.


    I was thinking of slipping away since Wenya was not there, but Ding Yinuo had already looked up at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve ordered more than a dozen dim sums, if you leave now, I can¡¯t finish them all, I¡¯ll have to pack and send it to your company.¡±


    I had no choice but to sit opposite him, took a bite of the golden bun, ¡°Where¡¯s Wenya?¡±


    ¡°She has gone to the bank across the street to handle something, she¡¯ll be back soon.


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    I started eating.


    After a while, I could notice that Ding Yinuo was just staring at me without eating.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating? If you don¡¯t, it will get cold, there¡¯s no way I can finish all this variety.¡±


    ¡°I heard, you spent the night with him?¡±


    ¡°Eh? With whom?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!!¡±


    Ding Yinuo frowned, speaking with excessive emphasis on these three words, giving me an impression of resentment.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t sleep with him.¡±


    ¡°Wenya already told me about it, don¡¯t lie to me!¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed somewhat dejected, I glanced at the book he was reading, originally I thought it would be a medical book, turns out it was a poetry collection.


    Interesting, I wouldn¡¯t imagine a medical professional to be so romantic.


    I reached out to see what was written in the poetry collection, but Ding Yinuo caught my hand.


    More accurately, he grabbed my hand.


    He looked at me with deep eyes,


    ¡°Other people, when they fall somewhere, they get up from there. But you, once you fall, you just lie in the pit and don¡¯t get up.¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t sleep with him.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you text Wenya saying that the two of you have moved your beds together?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we did move them, but it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean we have to sleep together, right? Besides, even if we are sleeping together, it doesn¡¯t mean anything will happen, right?¡±


    Ding Yinuo continued my words,


    ¡°Yes, even if something did happen, it doesn¡¯t mean that you two are in love, right?¡±


    ¡°Wait, did you call me out here early in the morning just to argue with you? That¡¯s unnecessary, right?¡±


    I didn¡¯t feel like eating anymore, so I drank a glass of soymilk and looked at him.


    I don¡¯t know why, but I saw a hurt look in this man¡¯s eyes.


    Ding Yinuo silently drank his soy milk.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point arguing with you? I just want to remind you, that man has hurt you once, don¡¯t be fooled again.¡±


    ¡°I know, Ding Yinuo, I can handle it!¡±


    ¡°If you can handle it, then why did you sleep with him?¡±


    ¡°Okay, then tell me what would be considered as handling it?¡±


    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t go out with him at night! He doesn¡¯t have good intentions towards you! I am a man, I know very well what it means when a man brings a woman to a hotel!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s his intention!¡±


    Just as I was speaking, Wenya had finished her business and walked in.


    She also heard our conversation, quickly sat down,


    ¡°Ayun! I know what Gu Yuanzhou wants!¡±

 Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Someone is after you _1

    Chapter 124: Chapter 124: Someone is after you _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Wenya had barely taken her seat when a man in a suit walked in through the door. It was Su Peisheng.


    ¡°Hi, everyone! The breakfast just got served. Seems like I came at the perfect time!¡±


    Su Peisheng naturally took a seat beside Wenya, as if they were already a couple.


    Upon seeing him, Wenya reacted as if she had seen the plague, and immediately moved to sit beside me.


    Su Peisheng, with a smile on his face, teased Wenya. He seemed quite pleased.


    ¡°People who are about to become husband and wife should not be so rigid with each other, should they?¡±


    But Wenya was not as pleased. She rolled her eyes at Su Peisheng,


    ¡°Shameless. Nobody invited you here and you have the nerve to freeload.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, who said no one invited me! Mr. Ding himself invited me, via text message!¡±


    Wenya immediately turned her head to Ding Yinuo and questioned,


    ¡°Why did you invite Su Peisheng?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t invite him, I just told him to come and pay the bill!¡±


    Ding Yinuo said this with a calm expression.


    Wenya shrugged, decided not to speak further,


    ¡°Fine. I will eat more then since Mr. Su is paying the bill.¡±


    ¡°Eat as much as you like. I can surely afford your meals!¡±


    ¡°Who wants you to feed them?¡±


    Whenever these two meet, they never cease to argue, exchanging blows in a verbal sparring match.


    When there were more people around, Ding Yinuo stopped talking and silently finished his soy milk.


    Watching Su Peisheng laugh and joke with Wenya, he didn¡¯t make a sound.


    After breakfast, I asked Wenya,


    ¡°You said earlier that you knew Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s goal, what is it?¡±


    ¡°Cannot you see it?¡±


    Su Peisheng went to pay the bill, and Wenya moved a little closer to me, whispering in my ear.


    ¡°Is there a chance¡­ that he is testing you?¡±


    ¡°Testing me? For what?¡±


    ¡°That is, does he suspect that you are Song Yun?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Why would he think that? If he really suspected me, he wouldn¡¯t have taken me to Maple Mansion!¡±


    Wenya also squinted her eyes in agreement,


    ¡°On second thought, you¡¯re right. If he suspected you were Song Yun, he should be hiding his misdeeds, not letting you discover them, right? Exactly, if he were a thief who had stolen something, he definitely wouldn¡¯t dare face the owner.¡±


    At this time, Ding Yinuo suddenly came over.


    He gave me a deep look, ¡°Have you noticed any problems?¡±


    ¡°Wenya was overthinking just now. I don¡¯t think Gu Yuanzhou would make such an assumption.¡±


    After I finished speaking, there was only a cold laugh from Ding Yinuo.


    I was irritated by his attitude and opened my hands to him,


    ¡°Okay. Since you disagree, why don¡¯t you tell me, what¡¯s your conjecture?¡±


    Smoking his cigarette, Ding Yinuo gave me a deep look, ¡°I agree with Wenya.¡±


    ¡°Heh, so you mean, even though he knows I am Song Yun, he would still dare to openly reveal his relationship with Ye Mengyan? Isn¡¯t he afraid I¡¯d find out? Do you know that, in front of me, he voluntarily exposed a lot of things! He fired company veterans, made many private investments behind my back, isn¡¯t he afraid that I would find out?¡±


    When I angrily listed these evidences, Ding Yinuo only calmly responded,


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re already dead. Who would be afraid of a dead person?¡±


    The words of Ding Yinuo sent chills down my spine.


    Yes! Song Yun is dead.


    She turned into a charred corpse in the fire at Golden Bay.


    Everyone in the city knows about it.


    What threat could a person who is widely acknowledged as dead pose?


    Moreover, I have no evidence that he was involved in the plot.


    The more I thought about it, the colder my heart felt.


    But everything that Ding Yinuo said next sent me into a state of extreme anxiety.


    ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t handle him?¡±


    ¡°If I must say¡­you might as well see what Gu Yuanzhou thinks! His boldness in testing you surely means he has a plan.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you think he will do next if he concludes that I am the reincarnation of Song Yun?¡±


    This question seemed to be an old topic.


    I was investigating Gu Yuanzhou while he was also probing me.


    Ding Yinuo and Wenya¡¯s warnings made me vigilant, and I realized there were many problems upon careful thought.


    For instance, he deliberately played chess with me.


    And there were many details during our trip to Rainbow Town.


    When we went to eat the firewood chicken, he deliberately allowed me to walk in front. He must be secretly observing me from behind.


    He deliberately asked me about my zodiac sign.


    Also during the meal, he tested whether I eat cilantro,


    And he deliberately passed by that orchard.


    Upon careful thought, many small inconsistencies came to light.


    These minor things were actually odd. This was certainly not how a leader would behave toward an ordinary staff member.


    It was obvious that he suspected me and then began observing my performance.


    No wonder Ding Yinuo had been insistent on calling to meet me. He must have seen the discrepancies long ago.


    At this point, Ding Yinuo pondered for a while,


    ¡°Given his character, if he knows that you are Song Yun, he will first find out how much you know. And if you would hinder him, if you will, he might kill you again.¡±


    I was silent.


    Wenya wasn¡¯t quite happy on hearing this,


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t be afraid. We¡¯re your friends. We¡¯ve got your back. If he dares to touch you, I¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I get it!¡±


    After breakfast, Wenya went back to work at the university, and Su Peisheng rushed to meet the next client. Before leaving, he enthusiastically invited Wenya to check his ¡®impotence¡¯ issue, indicating he was open for her inspection at any time and place.


    Wenya stared at him, claiming she would rather stay single for a lifetime than let him have the advantage.


    I also packed my things and walked out of the restaurant, with Ding Yinuo, carrying his suit, walking beside me.


    Before parting, I asked Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true, what should I do?¡±


    Ding Yinuo had his hands in his pockets, a cold look in his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already been fooled once, don¡¯t let it happen again.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point!¡±


    ¡°Strike first!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you that medicine? Now is the time to use it on him!¡±


    ¡°But this is just a guess between us. What if he isn¡¯t thinking that way? Wouldn¡¯t that be killing him by mistake?¡±


    ¡°I think! Just the fact that he hides another woman from you justifies you slipping that bottle of medicine into his drink?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­¡±


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t be soft-hearted anymore! If you continue to be softhearted, you¡¯ll be the one to suffer. Don¡¯t hold back!¡±


    He repeated the last three words several times, seemingly hypnotizing me.


    In the end, I nodded my agreement, ¡°Fine!¡±

 Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 125 My Mistress Confronts Me_1

    Chapter 125: Chapter 125 My Mistress Confronts Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    My answer this time seemed to satisfy Ding Yinuo very much. He stared at me and suddenly reached out to touch my cheek.


    At this seemingly intimate act, I subconsciously backed off, avoiding his hand.


    He detected my rejection and narrowed his eyes at me, asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°After this is done, are you planning to take over Zhenyi Company?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask that?¡±


    ¡°Never mind!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to say anything else, I was quite clear about what Ding Yinuo was thinking.


    ¡°I can take you there!¡±


    Ding Yinuo offered to drive me, but I refused.


    ¡°You better stay away from me. If Gu Yuanzhou or his friends see us, we¡¯ll be done for.¡±


    Watching me get into my car, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t follow, he just stood there watching me.


    Actually, I had others things to attend to.


    I went to purchase some supplies for Ye Mengyan.


    The things I bought were quite a lot, and most of them were very expensive.


    There were skincare products, yoga mats, various dance clothes and shoes¡­


    I bought more than a dozen items, costing nearly two hundred thousand.


    I stared at the bill in a daze.


    I¡¯m not a stingy person, but thinking about the hard years when I started the business with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Because of tight budget, we had to strictly budget even our meals.


    When I gave birth to my first child, to save money, I was discharged from the hospital just two days later¡­ at that time, we couldn¡¯t even afford a caregiver who charged a few thousand yuan a month.


    And now, does Gu Yuanzhou spend money on Ye Mengyan without even blinking an eye?


    Or maybe Gu Yuanzhou is not fully aware of these expenses. So, out of curiosity, I called Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Uh, President Gu, you ordered¡­ Miss Ye¡¯s dancing shoes are over three thousand, and the yoga clothes are over a thousand each, and that¡­¡±


    ¡°Buy, buy!¡±


    I was interrupted by Gu Yuanzhou before I could finish my sentence.


    He reiterated.


    ¡°Anything Mengyan wants, no matter how much it costs, get it for her!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, wouldn¡¯t it be too expensive if these went through the company¡¯s accounts?¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s worth it¡­ ah, you should send them over after buying!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou then hung up the phone and gave me an address.


    I drove straight there.


    I originally thought that Gu Yuanzhou had sent Ye Mengyan away.


    I thought he would have her move to school or go back home, only when I arrived at the door did I realize I was wrong.


    This place was actually a five-star international hotel called Golden Sail.


    This was a place originally used for entertaining foreign guests, then it became a place where the upper-class elites would stay.


    What merit does Ye Mengyan have to stay in a place where the room rate is four thousand a day?


    As I stood there bewildered, Ye Mengyan waved at me from the entrance.


    ¡°Oh, could you help me take it to my room, you don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    At this moment, looking at Ye Mengyan, I felt that she had completely changed.


    As if overnight, she went from a simple girl to a top-notch canary, her arrogance growing with the material spoilage Gu Yuanzhou bestowed upon her.


    I could have just dropped the bag and ignored her.


    But I was curious, what kind of room would Gu Yuanzhou rent for her?


    So, I ended up carrying this big bag of things and followed Ye Mengyan into the golden elevator.


    Everything here was tinged with a nouveau riche aura, even the elevator walls were painted a luxurious gold.


    Ye Mengyan, standing around empty-handed, began to boast about the extravagant life she led here.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been to a place like this, have you?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Let me show you around! This hotel is part of an international chain. The second floor houses a Chinese and Western style restaurant, the third floor an entertainment center, complete with all sorts of SPA rooms, a gym, and a dance training center. The trainers here are invited from abroad. From the fifth floor and above, there are guest rooms that house celebrities, the wealthy, and foreign elites.¡±


    I squinted at her, ¡°Don¡¯t you have classes to take?¡±


    ¡°School?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re a junior, right? You must still have classes at school even though it¡¯s almost the internship period.¡±


    ¡°School means nothing to me now, as I¡¯ve got a more meaningful life pursuit!¡±


    The elevator soon stopped and Ye Mengyan led me straight into a guest room.


    The room was quite spacious and opulently lavish.


    ¡°This is the presidential suite, complete with a master bedroom, two guest rooms, offices, kitchens and two baths. Oh, and a balcony! From there, you can see the ocean¡­ And these freshly cut flowers on the table, there are nineteen vases, and they are changed every day. There¡¯s also a mini-fridge with French wine. Oh, I forgot to tell you, the cost of the room per day is five thousand. Big Brother Gu has booked it for three months for me. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not envious?¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s words reeked of smugness.


    I had a feeling!


    Just like when King Shang Zhou met Su Daji.


    Under Ye Mengyan¡¯s extravagant spending, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Zhenyi Company would collapse.


    Seeing my upset expression, Ye Mengyan seemed even more animated, collapsing onto the sofa.


    ¡°Quite shocking, isn¡¯t it! Oh, by the way, Gu Yuanzhou also hired a physical trainer for me and the accompanying dance classes¡­ The fees are calculated per hour and they are quite expensive.¡±


    I fell silent, silently observing her.


    ¡°So, why did you give up your studies to learn this?¡±


    ¡°I am not planning to tell you right now, but you will know soon.¡±


    Ye Mengyan mysteriously hinted.


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, if you¡¯ve got nothing else, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡±


    ¡°From now on, you can no longer call me by this name. I allowed you to do so before as I considered you my friend, but now with the friendship obviously gone, can you call me¡­¡±


    I almost burst out laughing at this. How brazen!


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, you really don¡¯t know your place. Even if Gu Yuanzhou were to marry you, you¡¯d just be a minor concubine!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®if¡¯? He will definitely marry me!!¡±


    ¡°Keep dreaming, it¡¯s impossible!¡±


    I cut off her delusion.


    If I were really dead, Ye Mengyan might have had a shot.


    But now, having come back to life, why would I let her squander Zhenyi Company¡¯s property freely.


    Of course, I¡¯ll never let her marry Gu Yuanzhou and divide the fortune I¡¯ve accumulated over the years.


    ¡°Impossible? Xiaoyun, are you jealous of me?¡±


    ¡°Jealous of you? What a joke, let me tell you this: even if Gu Yuanzhou is willing to spend money on you, that would only be because he wants to enjoy your youthful body. Do you think he could really love you?¡±


    ¡°No, you are wrong. Song Xiaoyun, let me tell you this: Gu Yuanzhou has given me all this because he loves me. Don¡¯t think that you have any chance by seducing him, you won¡¯t achieve anything, everything you do will be in vain!¡±


    I shrugged, threw my backpack onto the ground, and turned to leave.


    But Ye Mengyan called after me.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    I looked back at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to listen to your bragging!¡±


    Ye Mengyan smirked at me, gestured at the bag on the floor, and ordered me.


    ¡°Take out the clothes from the backpack, I want to try them on!¡±

 Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Absolutely Not Indulging_1

    Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Absolutely Not Indulging_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s commanding, rampant demeanor really made my blood boil. I wasn¡¯t going to let her walk all over me and promptly delivered a cutting retort with a scornful laugh.


    ¡°Are you handicapped?¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you¡¯re Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s employee! You should follow my orders.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but not even Gu Yuanzhou can order me around if I¡¯m not in the mood, let alone you! You better appreciate your place to avoid regret later.¡±


    With that, I left with a door slam.


    Such a brazen woman, daring to boss me around.


    Leaving Jinfan Hotel.


    I hurried back.


    On the way, my intuition told me something was off.


    I glanced behind.


    That¡¯s when I noticed, Ding Yinuo¡¯s car was trailing nonchalantly in my rear oblique.


    At the turn, I pulled over my car.


    Then walked to his car window,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say, not to follow me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo took off his sunglasses to look at me, ¡°Your aunt Wu Lijuan is looking for you!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡±


    ¡°True!¡±


    Seeing I still had time before departing for work, I gave him a hand gesture,


    ¡°OK, I take your word for it this time. But if you¡¯re lying, you¡¯re dead.¡±


    He showed an OK gesture, then I followed his car to the hospital.


    I parked my car and saw him waiting as I exited the vehicle.


    I noticed, the man looks remarkably handsome in a white shirt.


    Both handsome and aloof.


    He stood on the steps for less than three minutes when a group of female nurses flocked around him.


    These young girls, either holding a milk tea or some snacks, expressed their kindness towards him.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, have you had breakfast? I brought taro milk tea for you, with less sugar!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Ding, are you free tonight? Let¡¯s go to a haunted house for an adventure!¡±


    ¡°Dr. Ding, what¡¯s your WeChat ID?¡±


    Watching this scene with laughter, I shook my head and headed to the other side of the corridor.


    Barely entering the elevator, he rushed in.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡±


    I pressed the elevator button and glanced at him.


    ¡°Sorry to interrupt your romantic escapades!¡±


    He raised his eyebrows slightly,


    ¡°I¡¯m quite popular in this hospital!¡±


    ¡°I see that! You must have been quite popular in school!¡±


    I believe that with Ding Yinuo¡¯s family background and good looks, he¡¯s definitely a fighter among the most eligible bachelors.


    He gave a light cough, leaned a bit closer, and asked in a suggestive tone,


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Think about what?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­If one of those girls took a liking to me, and if I were to date one of them, how would you feel?¡±


    ¡°Quite good, actually. It¡¯s a normal thing at your age, men get married and women get married.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re that eager for me to get married?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice revealed a touch of regret, and even seemed a bit exasperated.


    ¡°Yes, I hope that both you and Wenya can find your perfect match!¡±


    ¡°Tsk!!¡±


    Ding Yinuo abruptly cooled down.


    I glanced at him, finding his anger a bit bewildering.


    After reconsidering what I had just said, I didn¡¯t find anything wrong. Wasn¡¯t wishing him to get married sooner, for his own good?


    Could it be, this guy, after our feuding for over a decade, had gotten used to our confrontations and couldn¡¯t adjust to my being on his side now?


    ¡°Why did you go to the Jinfan Hotel?¡±


    He inquired, sounding a bit worried.


    I nonchalantly replied,


    ¡°Ye Mengyan has shifted there!¡±


    ¡°Oh, Gu Yuanzhou is so willing to splash out for his mistress!¡±


    ¡°Men, they¡¯re all the same, right? Just footing the bill for their lower half.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stereotype all men, I¡¯m not like that.¡±


    I gave him a glance. Looking at his serious demeanour, I found it hard to argue.


    From my experience over these years, he really didn¡¯t have any scandals. Totally clean.


    ¡°Have you told Aunt Wu Lijuan about my rebirth?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. How could I talk about such an unreliable thing to a patient?¡±


    Soon, we arrived at Aunt Wu Lijuan¡¯s hospital room.


    ¡°Auntie, good day!¡±


    Compared to the last time I saw her, Wu Lijuan¡¯s condition had visibly improved after her hospital stay. She looked much healthier.


    After my greeting, Wu Lijuan nodded, then said to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Dr. Ding, I¡¯d like to talk to her alone.¡±


    Ding Yinuo nodded at me,


    ¡°I have a surgery now. I should be done in about an hour!¡±


    ¡°OK, you go ahead!¡±


    After Ding Yinuo left, I got up and closed the room door.


    Wu Lijuan pointed to the fruit basket on the table and asked me,


    ¡°Can you peel me an apple, please?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I picked up the fruit knife, sat on a chair, and started to peel the apple slowly. After peeling, I cut the apple into a bunny-shaped presentation for her.


    She watched me finish the fruit, her eyes welled up suddenly,


    ¡°You truly resemble Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Do I look like her?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the way you both talk, the way you handle things and how you carry yourself. Sometimes, they are exactly the same. If I close my eyes, I can almost imagine Ayun is still alive.¡±


    As Wu Lijuan spoke, she couldn¡¯t contain her tears any longer,


    ¡°Ayun was such a pitiful child, she lost her mother at a young age.¡±


    I quietly sat by her, watching her. I actually enjoy being with Wu Lijuan, her warmth and motherly love make me feel safe.


    Ever since I was a kid, I¡¯ve always enjoyed being with Wu Lijuan, considering her as my own mother.


    ¡°When she was little, her health wasn¡¯t great. She would often get a fever in the middle of the night, which would turn into pneumonia¡­Until she was six, she was frequently in the hospital. I was always worried about her wellbeing, holding her in my arms in the middle of the night, worrying whether she could grow up healthily. It was a struggle to raise her, and when we had just started to enjoy the happiness of her adulthood, she was gone. I let her deceased mother down.¡±


    Wu Lijuan was full of guilt and regret.


    The deep bond she shared with my mother was unforgettable.


    Seeing her crying so bitterly, I took the initiative to hug her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done your best, and your love for Ayun is something she could feel, she loved you too¡­¡±


    After calming her down for a while, Wu Lijuan finally started calming down.


    She took a deep sigh.


    ¡°If Ayun were still alive, I would have someone to consult with. But she¡¯s gone now, all I can do is talk with you.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, you can consider me as Ayun! Feel free to discuss anything you want.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I believe someone is trying to harm the Song Family!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s trying to harm you?¡±


    Her next words shocked me to the core.

 Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 127 Tactics_1

    Chapter 127: Chapter 127 Tactics_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Wu Lijuan spoke very slowly, and I listened carefully.


    It turns out she suspects someone has been trying to harm my Uncle Song Shixiong recently.


    After staying in the hospital for a while, she found that her condition didn¡¯t improve, so she had another full-body examination.


    Shockingly, her body contained large quantities of heavy metals¡­


    She suspected that someone had poisoned her with slow-acting poison, which significantly damaged her organs.


    Luckily, the hospital executed the right treatment plan, and she gradually recovered. Now, what she wanted most was to find the one who poisoned her.


    This was the first issue.


    The second one is, now someone is after my uncle Song Shixiong, and she wants me to help in investigating.


    At this point, Wu Lijuan broke down in tears again.


    ¡°I¡¯m so useless now, completely paralyzed. My two sons are no good either. If Ayun were still alive, how could the Song Family have fallen so far!¡±


    I contemplated for a moment,


    ¡°Aunty, let me investigate it first! If you start the investigation, it might scare the culprit away. Being an outsider, no one would suspect me. When I have found some clues, we can talk about it. What do you think?¡±


    Despite Wu Lijuan being physically weak at the time, her mind was sharp, and she eagerly nodded at my words.


    ¡°Girl, you really are a clever one. It¡¯s fortunate that Ayun considered you a friend, it seems you¡¯re really someone reliable.¡±


    ¡°Aunty, I have two conditions. First, you need to authorize your domestic workers to provide me with some identity so I can easily enter the Song Family home. Second, let Uncle Song know to avoid any misunderstandings.¡±


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry. I will make all necessary arrangements and cooperate with you as per your plan.¡±


    ¡°Then you must take care of yourself.¡±


    As I was about to leave, she suddenly asked, ¡°Is Doctor Ding your boyfriend?¡±


    I laughed, ¡°No!¡±


    Wu Lijuan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good!¡±


    Just when I stepped out into the corridor, Ding Yinuo had also just finished his surgery.


    He was taking off his surgical gown and walked towards me.


    ¡°You¡¯re done talking?¡±


    I caught a whiff of a strong smell of blood on him,


    ¡°Did he survive?¡±


    ¡°I managed to snatch someone back from King Yama¡¯s hands, I won!¡±


    I gave him a big thumbs up, ¡°You¡¯re great!¡±


    ¡°Only now you realize how great I am?¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be so arrogant. Haven¡¯t you heard of humility?¡±


    ¡°Joking aside, what did Wu Lijuan want from you?¡±


    I pondered for a moment, considering whether I should tell Ding Yinuo.


    After all, this guy had been involved in dealing with the Song Family issues before.


    Ding Yinuo seemed to have noticed my hesitation. He reached out and patted my forehead,


    ¡°What are you thinking about? Don¡¯t you trust me anymore?¡±


    ¡°How do I know if you¡¯re going to use me in some plot?¡±


    Suddenly, he backed me against the wall, staring down at me.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    He called me tenderly for the first time, leaving me a bit taken aback.


    Especially at this moment, his eyes were as gentle as water, seemingly moved by his emotions.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what are you doing? Are you trying to be a rogue? Believe it or not, I¡¯ll take advantage of you.¡±


    I pretended to grope his chest, and other parts¡­


    Unexpectedly, the damn thing, he was actually responding.


    I was stunned and didn¡¯t know what to do next. He just smirked, grabbing the hand I had reached out.


    ¡°Ayun, look into my eyes, look at me!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Can you see anything?¡±


    ¡°Nothing!¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    He clenched his teeth in annoyance, but I¡¯m not in the mood to play this guessing game with him. I slipped out from under his arm.


    ¡°Doctor Ding, I have other matters, I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    ¡°What did Wu Lijuan say to you?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ she suspects that someone had been poisoning her, and also, someone is after Song Shixiong.¡±


    After hearing this, Ding Yinuo folded his arms,


    ¡°The same as I suspected.¡±


    ¡°What did you suspect? Who do you think it is?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t answer my question but instead pinched my chin,


    ¡°Ayun, you already know it in your heart, why are you asking me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Alright, let me ask you. Have you poisoned Gu Yuanzhou yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet!¡±


    ¡°Come and ask me after you have done it!¡±


    Looking at him playing coy like this, I knew he wouldn¡¯t let anything slip easily.


    I waved a shooing gesture at him and turned to leave.


    But he suddenly reached out and stopped me again.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep dragging me around, people might misunderstand.¡±


    I glanced around at the passing female doctors and nurses. Seeing our tug of war, they threw curious and gossipy glances at us.


    Indeed, this Ding Yinuo has been stepping over his boundaries more and more lately, getting too close to me.


    This trend was not looking good.


    I needed to consciously keep some distance from him.


    ¡°What are you afraid of? They¡¯re my colleagues, not your social circle! Even if there were to be trouble, it¡¯s on my side, you wouldn¡¯t have to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, just quickly say what you need to say because I need to visit my uncle¡¯s house in a while.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Wu Lijuan have any children?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have two cousins!¡±


    ¡°Well then, why doesn¡¯t she ask your cousins to handle these matters? The Song Family¡¯s affairs are complicated, a girl like you can¡¯t handle it all.¡±


    From the very beginning, Ding Yinuo was trying to discourage me.


    I sighed,


    ¡°To be honest, although Song Shixiong has two sons, both of them don¡¯t get along with him. My uncle had an extramarital affair with He Manyi. Both of my cousins sided with my aunt and demanded that my uncle leave that woman. However, my uncle was so infatuated that he wanted to divorce my aunt and marry that woman. My older cousin got so angry that he even got into a fight with my uncle. In the aftermath, my uncle wrote a letter severing their father-son relationship and had it notarized, meaning if my uncle were to die, neither of my cousins would have any inheritance rights.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s brows furrowed,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your uncle a bit too stubborn? Wasn¡¯t he afraid of being left alone when he got old?¡±


    I sighed,


    ¡°How should I say it, both my cousins hadn¡¯t gotten along well with my uncle since they were young. Song Shixiong is very stubborn and has a bad temper. So, my cousins were both severely beaten up by Song Shixiong when they were children. When they grew up, they chose to study abroad to escape their father. After Song Shixiong met Gu Yuanzhou, he always wanted to groom him as his successor¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because Gu Yuanzhou knows how to deal with people well and has high emotional intelligence, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°So how did their relationship start to drift apart later?¡±

 Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Have You Ever Loved?_1

    Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Have You Ever Loved?_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°That¡¯s because Gu Yuanzhou has never considered him family. From the very start, he was using him! Once he achieves his goal, he naturally wouldn¡¯t listen to him anymore.¡±


    Actually, I didn¡¯t understand before either. Not until I died once did I grasp the real reason.


    After listening, Ding Yinuo pondered for a long while,


    ¡°In my opinion, this is really not something you should be interfering with. Stop meddling in the Song Family¡¯s affairs. Why don¡¯t you give your cousin a call and ask him to handle it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not possible, my aunt brought me up, I can¡¯t just sit by and do nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°You, really!¡±


    Ding Yinuo wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn¡¯t voice his thoughts, shaking his head instead.


    ¡°Remember to pick up my calls in the future! Keep your phone with you, I might contact you at any time.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    I waved goodbye and turned to descend the stairs when I heard a woman behind me asking Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, is that beautiful young lady your girlfriend?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice was laced with a hint of teasing laughter,


    ¡°I¡¯m pursuing her, not certain if I can win her over!¡±


    Upon hearing his remark, I chuckled, lifting the corner of my lips as I hastened my pace. This guy was becoming more and more irreverent.


    An hour later, I arrived at the Song¡¯s premises.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because Wu Lijuan had phoned ahead, so Aunt Hua, the housekeeper, let me in without any objections.


    This is the place where I grew up, my home.


    Aunt Hua has been a long-serving domestic helper in the household, she¡¯s efficient in her duties and very loyal.


    ¡°Miss Song, please come in!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    After entering, I changed my shoes at the entrance.


    Everything here is still the way I remember, unchanged¡­


    The redwood furniture is predominantly colored, the sofa is placed near the window. My aunt likes the smell of mugwort and often keeps it burning.


    Even now, the air is filled with a faint hint of mugwort.


    Aunt Hua poured me a cup of tea,


    ¡°Miss Song, please have some tea¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you! May I go to Mrs. Song¡¯s bedroom?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Song has instructed me to cooperate with you as much as possible! Let me know if you need anything!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I entered Wu Lijuan¡¯s bedroom, placing the cup of tea on the table. I wouldn¡¯t consume any beverage here till I determine who the poisoner is.


    The bedroom was neatly arranged, showing minute attention to details.


    The books were stacked very tidily.


    Wu Lijuan is a doctor herself, so she would have knowledge about medicine. The person intending to deceive her would have had to be very cautious.


    Several of the medicines that Wu Lijuan regularly took were on the table, I took a bit of each, sealed them in plastic bags, and slid them into my pocket.


    I looked around the room and didn¡¯t find any suspicious items.


    The villa is an old-fashioned colonial-style house¡­


    Wu Lijuan and Song Shixiong lived on the first floor, their master bedroom and study are both on this floor.


    Next, I went to Song Shixiong¡¯s study.


    Actually, I¡¯ve seldom visited this room. Song Shixiong tends to be austere, and also has a bit of a temper. Wu Lijuan has always told me not to provoke Song Shixiong.


    Or perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯ve witnessed Song Shixiong beating up my two cousins too frequently, I have some trauma when it comes to him. This led to me being distant toward him, much less close compared to my relationship with my aunt.


    Now, I pushed open the door to the study¡­


    I glanced at Aunt Hua who was busy cleaning the study,


    ¡°When does Mr. Song usually come home?¡±


    ¡°Oh, ever since Mrs. Song has been hospitalized, Mr. Song has hardly returned home!¡±


    ¡°What about before then? Before you left for your marriage, how was their relationship as husband and wife?¡±


    Aunt Hua has worked for the Song Family for many years and is quite close with Wu Lijuan.


    ¡°They¡¯ve always had a bad marital relationship! Mrs. Song knows¡­ that Mr. Song has a woman outside.¡±


    I was taken aback for a moment,


    ¡°Did Mrs. Song bring up the topic of divorce?¡±


    ¡°No, she would never¡­ Mrs. Song is greatly concerned about her pride! Though the two young masters don¡¯t get along with Mr. Song, they¡¯re both successful, having been admitted to prestigious foreign institutions. To Mrs. Song, her marriage and family represent her pride, hence she would never divorce. Ah, Mr. Song has always been a womanizer since his young days. Mrs. Song has really had a hard life.¡±


    Aunt Hua¡¯s words caused a whirlwind of thoughts.


    I previously had no idea that Song Shixiong¡¯s personal life was in such a disarray.


    So, could he have poisoned Wu Lijuan because she refused to grant a divorce?


    I searched the study but found no suspicious clues.


    While Aunt Hua was cleaning the bookcase, she accidentally hit it, causing an entire row of books to topple off.


    While I was helping with the cleanup, a letter fell out from a business book.


    The envelope was made from kraft paper and the letter inside was on a grid paper.


    I curiously opened it to take a look.


    ¡°Song Yun, I have something for you. Saturday night at eight, let¡¯s meet at the entrance to Tianxing Movie Theater.¡±


    This letter stirred up many recollections¡­


    I had just started my first year in university that year when I received a love letter.


    Every week, I would receive a love letter written on this kind of grid paper, along with a bouquet of fresh flowers.


    The tidy and robust handwriting on these letters greatly attracted me. After six months of receiving these love letters,


    I became intrigued by my mysterious admirer and wanted to meet him to find out who he was.


    And this letter was the last one I ever received.


    I was very excited that day, and I arrived at the meeting place half an hour early.


    Unexpectedly, I ran into a group of thugs. They harassed me on the street and even tried to drag me into the woods.


    At that moment, Gu Yuanzhou appeared.


    He was one against six, and single-handedly, he managed to send the thugs scrambling.


    In the process, he suffered some scratches on his arm. I was grateful for his kindness and was drawn to his courage.


    Afterward, I insisted on sending him to the hospital. Eventually, we exchanged contact information.


    Shortly after meeting him, I found out that he works for my uncle.


    Not long after we became acquainted, I discovered the same book of poetry at his place.


    At that time, I asked him if those mysterious love letters were written by him.


    He didn¡¯t deny it!


    Our love story started from there.


    You could say that this love letter was the key to our love story.


    If it wasn¡¯t for this love letter, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen in love and married Gu Yuanzhou.


    But what shocked me was, this letter was clearly with me, so why would it be in one of Song Shixiong¡¯s books?


    Perplexed, I asked Aunt Hua, ¡°Aunt Hua, do you know who placed this book here?¡±


    Aunt Hua opened the book cover and looked for a long while.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize this book¡­ but I have some recollection about the letter in your hand.¡±


    ¡°What recollection?¡±


    ¡°Because this letter was given to Mr. Song by Driver Wang. The reason why I remember it distinctly is that Mr. Song argued with Mrs. Song after getting the letter. He accused Mrs. Song of failing in her duty to discipline you, which led to you, a young girl, having relationships with some riffraffs.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    Since it was an event that happened over a decade ago, Aunt Hua thought for awhile before saying,


    ¡°Afterwards, it seemed like Mr. Song said he would handle it himself. He said he would let Mrs. Song stop interfering with your matters. I think he called Mr. Gu to come over as well.¡±


    Driver Wang?


    It was the very same driver who drove me to and from school back in the days.


    He gave this letter to Song Shixiong, who then asked Gu Yuanzhou to handle the matter.


    Thinking of this, I suddenly had a bad premonition.

 Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Love Always Gets Hurt by Indifference_1

    Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Love Always Gets Hurt by Indifference_1


    Translator: 549690339


    This thought suffocates me.


    To validate my suspicions, I call Wenya again.


    ¡°Come over here!¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m at school right now, it¡¯s a long way to your company!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m at Song¡¯s House!¡±


    The school where Wenya works is not far from Song Shixiong¡¯s house.


    A few minutes later, Wenya rushed over.


    I¡¯ve known Wenya since we were children, and she often comes to the Song¡¯s to play with me.


    She was so familiar with the house that when she entered and greeted Aunt Hua, even Aunt Hua was taken aback.


    Seeing Wenya and me chatting, Aunt Hua didn¡¯t suspect anything.


    ¡°I have class this afternoon, hurry up and tell me what¡¯s going on!¡±


    I pulled Wenya into my bedroom.


    Then I opened the letter for her to look at.


    ¡°What do you think, who wrote this?¡±


    Wenya and I were high school classmates, but when it came to college, she studied at a normal public school, different from me.


    So, she didn¡¯t know the details of this mysterious love letter.


    Wenya read the letter and immediately had an answer.


    ¡°Damn, didn¡¯t you recognize this handwriting?¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Ding Yinuo¡¯s handwriting?¡±


    I immediately denied it,


    ¡°Impossible, Ding Yinuo definitely didn¡¯t write this!¡±


    When I visited Ding Yinuo¡¯s office, I saw his medical records and took a picture.


    At this moment, I showed Wenya the pictures I took of his handwriting,


    ¡°See, can¡¯t you tell Ding Yinuo¡¯s writing is like devil¡¯s scrawl!¡±


    Indeed, the doctor¡¯s script was so messy, filled with mysterious symbols that were incomprehensible.


    Upon seeing it, Wenya started to laugh.


    ¡°Medical records, huh? This is how he started writing after he graduated from college. In high school, his handwriting was beautiful, just like the one in your hand.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡±


    ¡°Alright then, should I have him write something himself next time?¡±


    To confirm its authenticity, I downloaded the poetry collection from the internet and sent it to Wenya.


    ¡°Have him handwrite all these poems. Only then will I believe it!¡±


    ¡°Okay, no problem!¡±


    Wenya readily agreed. However, she then asked me about my sudden interest in such things.


    I didn¡¯t hide anything and briefly explained what happened back then.


    Even though Wenya is usually clueless, after hearing my story, she immediately drew a conclusion.


    ¡°Could it be possible that your meeting and falling in love with Gu Yuanzhou were all arranged by your uncle?¡±


    ¡°You mean, even the time the bully picked on me was possibly arranged by Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°Of course! What era is this? Have you seen any news reports of a girl being harassed by hooligans near Tianxing Movie Theater? Moreover, it happened on the day he asked you to meet him. Ayun, be more mindful! You¡¯ve had a brush with death already, don¡¯t you know what kind of person Gu Yuanzhou is?¡±


    Her words set me greatly ill at ease.


    If everything was a scheme from the beginning, it would mean that Gu Yuanzhou never loved me.


    From the start, he was just playing me!


    This thought made me fall apart.


    As I was lost in my thoughts, I heard the sound of a car outside.


    I looked out the window, and it was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car.


    ¡°Why is he here?¡±


    Wenya asked curiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t worry about it. Go quickly!¡±


    I pushed Wenya out of my room for her to leave from the back door.


    But unexpectedly, she refused to leave and instead shoved me back into my room. ¡°Since he came, I have to confront him. You stay hidden.¡±


    Soon, the doorbell rang and Aunt Hua opened the door.


    It was too late for me to think any further.


    I quickly opened a door and hid inside.


    Looking out from the crack, I saw the front door open and Gu Yuanzhou entering.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Gu!¡±


    Aunt Hua made Gu Yuanzhou a cup of tea, and didn¡¯t say much.


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at the shoe rack and asked,


    ¡°Is uncle home?¡±


    ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t been home for several days.¡±


    ¡°Are there any other guests at home?¡±


    When Gu Yuanzhou asked back, Aunt Hua struggled to find words. Naturally, she didn¡¯t want to expose me.


    At this time, Wenya came down from upstairs.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! How dare you come to Song¡¯s House?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou probably did not expect Wenya to be here, he frowned.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Song Yun and I are sworn sisters, her aunt is my godmother, I came to visit my godmother, is there a problem with that? On the other hand, you, you caused Song Yun¡¯s death, how dare you still come here, aren¡¯t you afraid of being haunted by a ghost in the middle of the night?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou quickly calmed down, regained his composure, and sipped his tea, casting a glance at Wenya.


    ¡°Miss Wen, I hope you can talk properly. In the future, if you offend me, I can let it slide for Ayun¡¯s sake. But afterwards, if you continue to offend me, I will send you a lawyer¡¯s letter.¡±


    Wenya covered her mouth and laughed, sat opposite Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Wow, impressive, President Gu! Now that you have money and your own lawyer, you can show off whenever you want, huh!¡±


    Wenya continued to provoke Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou turned his face away, ignoring her.


    Obviously, Wenya¡¯s annoyance had begun to irritate him.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, do you love Song Yun?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, did you marry Song Yun for her money?¡±


    ¡°If you truly love her, shouldn¡¯t all the money you¡¯ve earned by now be donated to public welfare?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, you don¡¯t love her, so you¡¯ll not donate your money, because you love money more, right?¡±


    Under Wenya¡¯s relentless questioning, Gu Yuanzhou finally lost his patience. He stood up and said to Aunt Hua,


    ¡°Since uncle isn¡¯t here, I¡¯ll take leave.¡±


    As Gu Yuanzhou was about to leave the house, Wenya blocked his way.


    ¡°What do you want, woman?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face hardened, he finally displayed anger towards Wenya.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I also don¡¯t want to waste my time on you, I just have one final question.¡±


    ¡°Speak!¡±


    ¡°Ayun came to me in a dream last night! She said¡­ She knows! The love poems were not written by you, so¡­ the encounter with the small-time punk that day was a trap you set. You took this opportunity to approach Ayun, just to gain her favor, and let her think you are her true destiny, is that right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was silent¡­


    Wenya continued,


    ¡°Speak up! Gu Yuanzhou, Ayun can¡¯t rest in peace, she died without knowing the truth! Now, only if you reveal the truth, can her soul be at peace!¡±


    Under Wenya¡¯s cross-examination, Gu Yuanzhou finally uttered a word.

 Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 130: I Can’t Accept This Kind of Development_1

    Chapter 130: Chapter 130: I Can¡¯t Accept This Kind of Development_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes? Yes to what? Or do you mean¡­ that chance encounter was something you arranged?¡±


    ¡°Everything you said is right!¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve never loved Ayun, you¡¯ve been using her all along, is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, all of it, are you satisfied now?¡±


    Upon hearing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s confession in person, I suddenly broke down in tears.


    Oh God, I thought we had a loving relationship for ten years. It seems I¡¯ve been deceiving myself.


    Turns out, there was never any love between us.


    It has been a deceit all this time.


    He never loved me.


    Ha ha¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s figure slowly faded away.


    Only then did Wenya return to the upper floor.


    She consoled me,


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t be too sad. Scumbags will always be scumbags, you¡¯re not worth him.¡±


    It¡¯s impossible not to be heartbroken.


    I¡¯ve wasted more than ten years of emotions.


    Because I loved and got hurt, I¡¯m now devastated.


    ¡°Wenya, do you think I¡¯m foolish?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, life is so long, who hasn¡¯t come across a few scumbags, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Wenya changed the subject,


    ¡°Did you find out who drugged your aunt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure who it is right now, but could you help me deliver these drugs to Ding Yinuo, let him test them for me?¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t want to deliver it yourself?¡±


    ¡°I have to return to the company shortly, I can¡¯t be delayed too long.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    I gave the drug samples I had just collected to Wenya.


    And I spoke to Aunt Hua about the individuals that had been in and out of this house over the past six months.


    Aunt Hua, who has followed Wu Lijuan for so many years, is not only loyal and efficient, but also meticulous.


    She keeps a visitor logbook, recording all the customers who have visited the Song family in the past half year, and then hands it over to me.


    ¡°Aunt Hua, thank you for your trust in me.¡±


    Aunt Hua sighed, ¡°Ah, I always feel that our Miss Biao is still alive. Young lady, please make sure you find out who is harming our madam.¡±


    ¡°I will!¡±


    After giving Aunt Hua a hug, thanking her for her care of my aunt over the years, I then left.


    Half an hour later.


    I rushed to the company.


    In the president¡¯s office, I saw Gu Yuanzhou standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass, gazing out the window.


    He seemed particularly melancholic.


    I wondered, why did he go to the Song¡¯s house today?


    He should know that Wu Lijuan is not at home and Song Shixiong is also not home, so why did he go?


    Was it not for Wenya¡¯s insistence, he might have done something else?


    And what is he thinking about now?


    ¡°Ahem, President Gu!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou put his hands in his pockets, his deep eyes looking at me.


    ¡°The supplies Ms. Ye needs, I¡¯ve sent them!¡±


    ¡°Hm!¡±


    He answered casually, then sat down on the swivel chair, straightened his suit and looked at me.


    ¡°Have you ever experienced this kind of thing?¡±


    ¡°What kind of experience?¡±


    ¡°That is ¡­ you unexpectedly let down a person who is good to you, and then, you want to make it up to her!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words made me think.


    In debt?


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve never let anyone down, so I can¡¯t answer you.¡±


    ¡°I mean if, just in case!¡±


    ¡°Well, if you unintentionally let down someone, then¡­ first apologize to her, with sincere remorse. Then, make amends, try to earn her forgiveness with sincerity. I believe that if you didn¡¯t intentionally make the mistake, someone should forgive you.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gazed at me for a long time.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, more or less!¡±


    ¡°Can it be made up?¡±


    ¡°Probably!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou nodded thoughtfully.


    He seemed to have received the answer he wanted.


    After that, he glanced at his wristwatch, ¡°Pack up, I¡¯ll take you to meet a client.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The entire afternoon was filled with social engagements.


    Gu Yuanzhou took me to meet many clients, he seemed to trust me very much.


    As for Zhenyi Company¡¯s new business plans for future developments, he showed them all to me.


    In the evening, after the banquet ended, we returned to the Maple Mansion.


    He seemed to have more to say, and once he got home, he invited me to the study to play chess with him.


    I was curious.


    Gu Yuanzhou has been testing me all along, so does he know who I am?


    In order to confirm my thoughts, I decided to test him.


    ¡°By the way, do you have any unrealized dreams because of time or other reasons?¡±


    This game of chess, he was carefree.


    I also had my own thoughts, carefully dealing with him while figuring out a way.


    ¡°Ah, I do have¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I won¡¯t say it, Gu Yuanzhou will laugh at me!¡±


    ¡°You should pursue your dreams. What if it comes true!¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ Considering what you said, I really do have some unrealized dreams. For instance, I want to own a company, I want to make a lot of money, buy a car for my best friend ¡­ buy designer purses, buy a luxurious mansion, and then travel the world, tasting delicious food.¡±


    Actually, these are not my real dreams, I just said them to sidetrack Gu Yuanzhou.


    But in fact, I do have unfulfilled dreams, those dreams are small, merely being with my two dear ones, watching them grow up, establish their own families, and then keep them safe until they get old.


    I am a normal person, I don¡¯t have many dreams¡­


    Sadly, those have now become delusions.


    The sorrow I feel each time I reflect on this is as much as my fraudulent smile.


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me for a long time, then asked,


    ¡°There¡¯s no husband in your dreams!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t cherish marriage!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Some say marriage is the grave of romance, the moment you get married, love disappears. So, I think dating is better than getting married!¡±


    ¡°But, you can¡¯t be single forever!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, I might just date someone forever and never get married.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, a woman¡¯s place is in the family, helping her husband, raising their kids, living a plain love life, isn¡¯t that good?¡±


    When he spoke of helping her husband raise kids, the teacup in my hand fell abruptly, smashing on the chessboard with a clang.


    I rushed to block it but couldn¡¯t, and in the act of standing abruptly turned over the chessboard on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Gu, let me clean this up!¡±


    I bent down to clean up the chessboard but unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou suddenly grabbed my hand.


    I was unprepared and fell into his embrace.


    For a moment, the posture of the two of us became very ambiguous.


    ¡°President Gu¡­¡±


    As I attempted to break free, to my surprise, he reached out and tilted my chin up.


    He slightly lowered his head and kissed me.

 Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 131: A Big Shit-Filled Bucket_1

    Chapter 131: Chapter 131: A Big Shit-Filled Bucket_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Despite Ding Yinuo warning me countless times, saying that Gu Yuanzhou harbored ill-intentions towards me.


    I never listened.


    The reason I didn¡¯t listen was because I stubbornly believed that after finding his true love in Ye Mengyan, Gu Yuanzhou wouldn¡¯t fall for another woman.


    Moreover, during social gatherings, sometimes the parties¡¯ managers would bring along a few female companions.


    I have seen Gu Yuanzhou never approach these attractive women.


    Therefore, I wanted to believe he had no interest in me.


    But at this moment, his kiss.


    It fully demonstrated that I was wrong.


    Even though he and I had been husband and wife for many years, our intimate interactions had become a habit.


    But now, I couldn¡¯t accept his affection anymore.


    I was preparing to push him away.


    Unexpectedly, he moved faster than I did.


    His kiss was just like a dragonfly skimming the water¡¯s surface, a brief touch on my lips and then it stopped.


    He didn¡¯t proceed any further. In fact, I could even see that there were no emotions in his kiss. His eyes were very calm.


    Still, it was clear that this kiss was a trial to test my reaction.


    I looked at him in shock.


    ¡°President Gu, what do you mean? You know I¡¯m not that kind of person! How could I¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you want to be the boss of the company? Now, a shortcut is presented before you: becoming Mrs. Gu! Half of Zhenyi Company would then be yours.¡±


    He sat in his chair, looking at me calmly.


    I was taken aback even more.


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    He said calmly, ¡°Because¡­you resemble Song Yun a lot! Your handwriting, the way you conduct business, even your drink preferences and hobbies are identical. Thus, you are the best candidate as Mrs. Gu.¡±


    ¡°And what about Miss Ye?¡±


    I was surprised by his answer.


    I had been suspecting that he was testing me to see whether I was the reincarnation of Song Yun.


    Unexpectedly, he wanted me as a substitute for Song Yun just because I had some similarity with her.


    No wonder he had been stopping me from being with my so-called fianc¨¦. Seems like he had been hatching this plan all along.


    But, isn¡¯t wanting me to marry him so soon a bit outrageous?


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to mind her! She won¡¯t have the title of Mrs. Gu.¡±


    ¡°But, I still have a fianc¨¦!¡±


    ¡°Your earlier plans didn¡¯t involve your fianc¨¦. Apparently, you don¡¯t love him enough. Plus, everything you wanted earlier ¨C house, car, luxury goods, I can give it all to you.¡±


    ¡°But, we¡¯ve only just met, are you sure you love me, President Gu?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me deeply again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to love you! I just need you to be a substitute as my wife.¡±


    I was prepared to refuse him on the spot.


    But another idea came to my mind.


    Even if I don¡¯t want it, I can¡¯t let Ye Mengyan have it all.


    ¡°President Gu, I need some time to think!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a week to consider! If you disagree, I¡¯ll give this opportunity to someone else.¡±


    ¡°To whom?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not something you need to worry about!¡±


    ¡°Then President Gu¡­after so many years with Miss Ye, don¡¯t you love her?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me and replied indifferently,


    ¡°You¡¯re different from her! In the future, do not use the word ¡®love¡¯ to measure my relationship with her.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°Alright, you should go rest!¡±


    ¡°This floor¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, there will be a maid coming to clean tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll go rest now!¡±


    After leaving Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s room, I returned to my own bedroom.


    This night, I laid in bed, unable to sleep.


    After I turned off the light, I heard footsteps from the ceiling above me the entire time.


    Obviously, Gu Yuanzhou couldn¡¯t sleep either.


    What exactly was he thinking?


    Ignoring his delicate lover, he insisted on marrying a female employee who resembled his deceased wife. What was he trying to accomplish?


    I couldn¡¯t sleep the entire night and only managed to doze off when dawn was breaking.


    The next morning.


    I was awakened by the noise.


    After dressing and washing up, I came out of my room.


    I saw a woman bustling about in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. Ye Mengyan was back.


    Just then, Gu Yuanzhou also came down the stairs fully dressed.


    His gaze rested on me for a few seconds before shifting to Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Brother Gu, you¡¯re awake? The breakfast is ready. You seem to be tired recently. Is it because you¡¯re overworking?¡±


    Ye Mengyan had been diligent, brewing chicken soup for Gu Yuanzhou in the early morning.


    It seemed she¡¯d gone to great lengths to win this man¡¯s heart.


    Gu Yuanzhou said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to prepare breakfast for me in the future, I can eat outside.¡±


    ¡°Outside food is not clean or nutritious!¡±


    ¡°But you will be too tired!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, tomorrow is the weekend, I have plenty of time!¡±


    Ye Mengyan tried her best to please Gu Yuanzhou.


    I couldn¡¯t be in this situation any longer. Staying too long would make me uncomfortable. It wouldn¡¯t be good if I couldn¡¯t control myself and vomited.


    So, I tidied up a bit and was ready to leave for the company when Ye Mengyan stopped me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, don¡¯t leave, let¡¯s have breakfast together!¡±


    I glanced at the table, only a bowl of chicken soup was served, there was nothing for me. She was just saying it for the sake of being polite.


    However, since she had invited me, I didn¡¯t act modestly and ended up drinking the chicken soup she had prepared for Gu Yuanzhou.


    Ye Mengyan probably didn¡¯t expect me to be so thoughtless.


    Seeing me put down the empty bowl, her face turned black.


    ¡°Oh, Xiaoyun¡­there¡¯s something I want to ask! Do you have any objections about me attending the model training class?¡±


    ¡°How could I possibly object?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about what I think, but¡­¡±


    Ye Mengyan opened her bag and took out a pair of dance shoes and a set of yoga clothes. She unfolded these in front of Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you bought these for me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The color and style that I picked were easily identifiable.


    Ye Mengyan pulled out a small needle from the dance shoes and then two more needles from the yoga clothes.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I have to wear these clothes for training. The needles hidden inside could have hurt me¡­ what if the needles were contaminated with something like the HIV virus, my life would be over. Xiaoyun, I¡¯ve always considered you a friend, like a sister, why did you want to harm me?¡±


    As she spoke, Ye Mengyan began to cry as if she¡¯d been wronged by me.


    I immediately retorted, ¡°How is that possible? When I bought them, I specifically asked the seller to bring out new ones. I checked them, there weren¡¯t any hidden needles.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, ¡°Exactly, the seller didn¡¯t hide the needles, I didn¡¯t blame them! I don¡¯t have any grudges with the seller, they have no reason to hurt me.¡±


    Listening carefully, wasn¡¯t Ye Mengyan directly accusing me of trying to harm her?


    Hey, such a big pot of crap has been dumped on my head, hasn¡¯t it!

 Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Smearing_1

    Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Smearing_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Besides anger, I was mostly surprised.


    When did this young lady become so ruthless?


    Now she¡¯s even able to fabricate stories about me poisoning her.


    Impressive!


    It seems that I had underestimated her before.


    I didn¡¯t bother explaining anymore, because she had solid evidence. No matter how much I explained, it would be of no use, and she¡¯s still Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s beloved.


    Gu Yuanzhou was still at her mercy regarding right and wrong.


    ¡°Miss Ye, are you implying that I wanted to harm you?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was still sobbing.


    ¡°I also didn¡¯t wish for this to happen, Xiaoyun. I¡¯ve always treated you as a sister¡­¡±


    I took a deep breath.


    ¡°So let¡¯s do this, to prove my innocence, let¡¯s call the police! Let them investigate who exactly is trying to harm you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ye Mengyan¡¯s face instantly changed.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s best not to. After all, we are all family. On top of that, Brother Gu¡¯s business isn¡¯t doing too well right now. Any negative publicity would do more harm than good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how do you think this matter should be handled then?¡±


    As I asked, Ye Mengyan stopped crying.


    She sat up straight and looked at me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun! I don¡¯t want us to become enemies either. To avoid similar conflicts and surprises in the future, why don¡¯t you resign?¡±


    She said this directly in front of Gu Yuanzhou.


    I remained silent.


    Turning my head to look at Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°What does President Gu think?¡±


    Ye Mengyan also turned to look at Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Brother Gu! Regardless of whether Xiaoyun did it or not, I find this incident very suspicious and it makes me feel unsafe. If Xiaoyun resigns, this kind of thing will never happen again, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Ha, her intention is to have me resign to prove my innocence.


    Gu Yuanzhou did not answer her, but instead looked at me deeply.


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I have not done this, of course, I hope that President Gu will restore my innocence.¡±


    ¡°Do you have evidence to prove your innocence?¡±


    ¡°No evidence!¡±


    It¡¯s funny to think about it. Spreading rumors is easy, but refuting them is exhausting.


    Meeting Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, I straightened my back and stood my ground. There was even a barely noticeable smile at the corner of my mouth.


    Of course, the smile was a mockery of Gu Yuanzhou.


    Mocking his blindness. Could he not see that Ye Mengyan¡¯s acting was terrible?


    ¡°Without evidence, why should I clear you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, then President Gu can just fire me!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your attitude?¡±


    I knew I was angry. I was somewhat distressed, so my tone towards Gu Yuanzhou was a bit tough.


    It seemed to have offended him, and he was not pleased.


    ¡°This is my attitude! If President Gu doesn¡¯t like me, just fire me!¡±


    Seeing that I was arguing with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Ye Mengyan sitting on the side, surprisingly revealed a satisfied smile.


    I knew she was waiting for Gu Yuanzhou to fire me.


    ¡°Do you think I dare not fire you?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tone was also very harsh.


    This attitude did not surprise me, as he was indeed blindly spoiling Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Dare, President Gu is the decision-maker of the company. There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do! However, if you fire me, I¡¯m afraid you would suffer significant losses.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou assumed a very business-like demeanor and immediately asked me,


    ¡°Tell me, what losses will the company suffer?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I recently received reports that some employees in the company are taking personal favors at work, engaging in illegal activities, and trying to seize company resources. This matter may appear trivial, but if it¡¯s not addressed in time, the consequences could be terrible.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou is very concerned about the company. After hearing what I said, he became interested.


    ¡°Then tell me, which job position has the problem?¡±


    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t tell him,


    ¡°President Gu, if you¡¯re going to fire me. I am sorry, I better not say.¡±


    ¡°You!!!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t expect me to refuse him.


    On the spot, he dragged me into the room and closed the door.


    He lit a cigarette, then turned and looked at me,


    ¡°If you don¡¯t feel comfortable saying it in front of Ye Mengyan, you can say it now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said before, I can give you the position of Mrs. Gu, you don¡¯t need to undermine Ye Mengyan.¡±


    ¡°It seems that President Gu still doesn¡¯t trust me at all!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me, his voice deep.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known her for many years, and you, for less than half a year. Who do you think I would trust?¡±


    I chuckled lightly,


    ¡°President Gu¡¯s trust might have been misplaced!¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡±


    ¡°If I could prove that Miss Ye is manipulating President Gu, could President Gu give me more trust?¡±


    ¡°More trust, what do you mean by that? Are you referring to the title of Mrs. Gu?¡±


    Of course, I had more plans in mind.


    Just by the fact that Gu Yuanzhou called me into the room, I knew that he had already been mesmerized by Ye Mengyan and lost his original intentions.


    Without me, without our two children, he was no longer Gu Yuanzhou.


    So, I slowly tried to take control of the Zhenyi Company from his hands.


    ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t President Gu say before that I had high management talent and business acumen? I hope to become the deputy manager.¡±


    ¡°Not satisfied with being a secretary?¡±


    ¡°As I have said, with my talents, I can do so much more. Isn¡¯t it better to make full use of resources for the Zhenyi Company?¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was persuaded by me.


    Only then did I take out my phone and show him the video.


    ¡°This new accounting department head, Miss Yuan Li, is pulling strings for her own interest, she has an affair with the fabric merchant.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t believe it initially, but when he saw the video footage of Yuan Li accepting a cash bribe from the fabric merchant, his face instantly turned gloomy.


    When Gu Yuanzhou and I walked out of the room.


    Ye Mengyan was waiting outside the door.


    Seeing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s unhappy face, she thought her scheme succeeded.


    So she took the opportunity to advise him,


    ¡°Brother Gu, Xiaoyun seems quite pitiful. Are you really going to fire her? Even if you do fire her, could you consider giving her a two-month compensation on my behalf?¡±


    I could see her tactics, she was purposefully showing her kind side to Gu Yuanzhou.


    But Gu Yuanzhou just glanced at her lightly,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t plan to fire her.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heading to the company!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say much and took me out.


    Ye Mengyan stood at the door, looking at us with a puzzled expression.


    After a few minutes, when the car hadn¡¯t started yet, Ye Mengyan rushed over. She knocked on the car window and asked Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Brother Gu, I want to go with you.¡±


    ¡°Get in the car!¡±


    Ye Mengyan was about to get in, but she saw me sitting in the passenger seat next to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Instantly, a hint of jealousy appeared in her eyes. Holding onto the car door, she said to me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you sit in the back! I want to sit with Brother Gu, I have something to tell him!¡±

 Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 133: It’s easy to spread rumors, but hard to debunk them_1

    Chapter 133: Chapter 133: It¡¯s easy to spread rumors, but hard to debunk them_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I could see through her little schemes. She should know the importance of the passenger seat to Gu Yuanzhou.


    So she deliberately let me get off the car, trying to show her significance in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s heart.


    I glanced at Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    Previously, he said this seat was reserved for Mrs. Gu.


    Now, would he let Ye Mengyan sit here?


    ¡°Xiaoyun, get off the car!¡±


    Ye Mengyan stood outside the car window, her face anxious, urging me again and again.


    I didn¡¯t say anything, just looked at Gu Yuanzhou again.


    At this moment, Gu Yuanzhou said something to me,


    ¡°This seat belongs to Mrs. Gu, are you sure you want to sit here?¡±


    Meaning that if I insisted on sitting here, I had to accept what he had said earlier about considering me to be Mrs. Gu.


    I willingly pushed open the car door and got off.


    That¡¯s when Ye Mengyan showed me a smug smile.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, sometimes you need to know your place, what to do, what not to do, when to do the right thing.¡±


    Then, she pointed to the back seat,


    ¡°You sit in the back!¡±


    I let out a faint laugh, closed the car door, and walked towards my own car.


    If they like to sit together so much, let them stick together, why should I bring myself trouble.


    I drove my BMW toward the office.


    I arrived at the office first.


    In the office parking lot, I encountered that familiar Lamborghini again.


    Through the car window, I saw a familiar face, it was Ding Yinuo.


    He waved at me through the car window¡­


    I got out of the car and walked to his car, the window slowly rolled down.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Inside the car, he sat leisurely, not in a lab coat today, just a white shirt.


    Casual, clean, his features handsome and soft.


    His eyes were always so proud and cold.


    ¡°Wenya¡¯s looking for me!¡±


    ¡°What did she want from you?¡±


    ¡°She said, to give you a handwriting sample!¡±


    After thinking a while, I remembered,


    ¡°Right, there was such a thing, then tell me, were those love letters¡­ written by you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo chuckled, he looked good when he smiled, his teeth white and his eyes bright.


    The originally dark underground parking lot instantly brightened because of his smile.


    ¡°Do you hope they were written by me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if they were or not, I just want to know the truth!¡±


    ¡°What would you think if they were really written by me?¡±


    I was getting impatient being run around like this. Right now, I urgently needed to deal with these pressing matters with Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo! Just say it, were they written by you or not, I¡¯m in a hurry!¡±


    ¡°Are you that impatient?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I just want to confirm if they were written by Gu Yuanzhou! If it is somebody else, it doesn¡¯t really matter who it is.¡±


    The light in Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed as if my words had disappointed him.


    He directly gave me an answer, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Then who was it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t want to know?¡±


    ¡°Ah, forget it, I have to go!¡±


    ¡°If you decide to make a move on Gu Yuanzhou one day, come find me at the Xishan Residence, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    After Ding Yinuo said this, he started his car.


    After I had gone upstairs.


    I noticed that Gu Yuanzhou had already entered his office.


    Meanwhile, Ye Mengyan was probably unaware of what was about to happen.


    As soon as she arrived at the company, Yuan Li, always quick to act, hurried over to see her.


    The two stood at the entrance of the finance department, chatting happily.


    I sneakily glanced in their direction, Yuan Li pointing and gesturing at me. From her scornful gaze, it was obvious that she held a high opinion of herself and disregarded my existence.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she just a female secretary! She always throws her weight around in the company because President Gu favors her, it seems like she actually thinks she¡¯s someone important!¡±


    Her shrill and caustic vitriol was clear enough to sting my ears.


    Truthfully, I had figured out long ago that Yuan Li was not happy with me.


    The reason for that was probably due to Ye Mengyan stirring her up behind the scenes.


    Likely, it was Ye Mengyan who instigated her to confront me.


    I stopped, turned around, and walked over to Yuan Li, then looked at her with a smile.


    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d be a bit more modest. There¡¯s a saying that the arrogant will receive their comeuppance.¡±


    Yuan Li didn¡¯t seem to realize the danger she was in, and seeing Ye Mengyan nearby, mistakenly believed that she would back her up.


    Or perhaps she was exploiting the situation, trying to prove her loyalty to me while Ye Mengyan was present.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, who do you think you are? Just a little secretary! Know your place. You¡¯re nothing in this company.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see who counts as nothing!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to argue with her anymore, so I turned and left for Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office.


    At this moment.


    Gu Yuanzhou was already on the phone, and after hanging up, he gave me a deep look,


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    ¡°President Gu,¡±


    Then, Yuan Li was also invited into the president¡¯s office.


    The reason I used ¡®invited¡¯.


    Was because when I called her over to the president¡¯s office, she actually refused.


    So, I had no choice but to ask a colleague from the security department to escort her over.


    Yuan Li was cursing all the way into the room, probably blaming me¡­


    After coming in, she broke free from the security personnel, ran over to Gu Yuanzhou, and began to complain.


    ¡°President Gu, Song Xiaoyun is too much! To kidnap me during office hours. I was on a call with someone important, this is related to our company¡¯s interests. Her actions have severely disrupted my work¡­¡±


    I just sat on the sofa without saying a word, looking at her and smiling.


    Watching her intense dramatic performance.


    Gu Yuanzhou remained unfazed. He had already planned the outcome, but still sat there unperturbed while they talked.


    ¡°You think Song Xiaoyun is the problem?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is presumptuous, and incompetent at work, yet she loves to boss others around! Besides, I have also heard that she bullies other staff members. She forms cliques and creates a tense atmosphere in the company.¡±


    I really didn¡¯t expect Yuan Li to be so good at blackening people¡¯s reputation, she virtually made me seem worthless.


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at her again,


    ¡°Then tell me, how should we deal with her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, just fire her!¡±


    Yuan Li replied without hesitation.


    Gu Yuanzhou then chuckled coldly, ¡°Fire her? To let you have your way?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, what do you mean?¡±


    Yuan Li finally sensed that Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression was not right.


    Because she kept tarnishing my reputation, yet Gu Yuanzhou showed no anger on his face, nor any intention of questioning me.


    Only then did Gu Yuanzhou say,


    ¡°Honestly, admit the mistakes you¡¯ve recently made!¡±


    Yuan Li remained defiant,


    ¡°President Gu, I didn¡¯t make any mistakes!¡±


    At that moment, Ye Mengyan also walked in and immediately took Yuan Li¡¯s side.


    ¡°Brother Gu, Ms. Yuan is someone I recommended. She is my distant relative, trustworthy, and I don¡¯t know who¡¯s smearing her name. I can vouch for her, Yuan Li doesn¡¯t have any problems.¡±

 Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 134 I can give you all you want_1

    Chapter 134: Chapter 134 I can give you all you want_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Yuan Li seemed guilty while she spoke, but Ye Mengyan was determinedly supportive.


    However, Ye Mengyan could have never imagined in her wildest dreams.


    That Yuan Li had already betrayed her trust.


    Gu Yuanzhou did not say much more, directly gesturing to the security guard who nodded and walked out, soon returning with two uniformed officers.


    Upon seeing these officers, Yuan Li immediately panicked.


    ¡°President Gu, what is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°I gave you a chance earlier. If you chose not to admit your deeds, let the law deal with you. Bribery is a crime, and the punishment is up to the court to decide.¡±


    Hearing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words, Yuan Li knew he meant business; she no longer dared to argue and immediately crumpled.


    ¡°President Gu, I was wrong. Please grant me another chance; I will confess everything.¡±


    Yuan Li¡¯s attitude changed drastically, pleading with Gu Yuanzhou, but he dismissed her impatiently.


    One of the officers immediately handcuffed Yu Li and took her away.


    Ye Mengyan, having never witnessed such a situation before, was stunned.


    It took her a while to regain her composure.


    Only after everyone had left, she approached Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, could someone be trying to frame her? I can¡¯t believe she would do such a thing.¡±


    Seeing Ye Mengyan¡¯s persistence, Gu Yuanzhou showed her the video clip of Yuan Li in her dirty transaction with the supplier.


    After seeing the video, Ye Mengyan was shocked. She couldn¡¯t defend Yuan Li anymore and immediately tried to distance herself from the scandal.


    ¡°Ah, I never imagined she was capable of such a thing. I judged her incorrectly. I apologize President Gu, I thought she was a decent person.¡±


    As for Ye Mengyan¡¯s explanation, in my opinion, seemed rather insincere.


    A case of too little too late.


    However, Gu Yuanzhou decided to believe her.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s best to avoid relatives like her in the future.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, are you upset with me?¡±


    At this point, I couldn¡¯t help but chime in,


    ¡°The company has already suffered a large loss. If this continues, the company will face serious financial losses.¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, are you intentionally acting against me? I had good intentions, nobody could have anticipated this.¡±


    I chuckled lightly,


    ¡°What good would acting against you do?¡±


    ¡°All you want is for President Gu to punish me, right? Fine, come at me. I¡¯m willing to accept any punishment; I won¡¯t run away.¡±


    I ignored her, instead turned to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, this situation indeed her responsibility. I suggest we make her responsible for recovering the losses! Let her rectify her own mistakes.¡±


    Listeing to my suggestion, Gu Yuanzhou turned to Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°If you can recover the losses, then this matter will no longer be related to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Despite her initial hesitation, Ye Mengyan eventually put her pride aside, agreeing on the spot,


    ¡°Deal, I¡¯ll take responsibility for recovering the losses!¡±


    ¡°Well done, Miss Ye, I¡¯ve recorded your words. I hope you live up to them.¡±


    I took out my phone and waved the recorded conversation in front of her.


    During my interaction with Ye Mengyan, Gu Yuanzhou studied me attentively all the while.


    When Ye Mengyan left, Gu Yuanzhou got up and walked to my side.


    ¡°President Gu, did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eager to punish her?¡±


    ¡°Can President Gu bear to do so?¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t made any suggestion, how would you know that I couldn¡¯t bear to do so?¡±


    As Gu Yuanzhou said this, he began gradually closing the distance between us.


    Without thinking, I took a step back, at the same time continuing to explain,


    ¡°Punishing her is meaningless since she isn¡¯t an employee of the company. As a shareholder of Zhenyi Company, I am more interested in recovering the company¡¯s losses.¡±


    My last words came out without thinking and seemed to shock Gu Yuanzhou.


    He stepped forward, pushing me back against the wall.


    ¡°What did you just say? Repeat that!¡±


    I realized I had misspoken.


    Since Zhenyi Company was something we founded together, I naturally wanted to protect it as I would my own child.


    Having let my guard down, I had inadvertently let that slip. Now faced with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s questioning, I quickly reacted,


    ¡°President Gu, what I meant is, if I were to look at this situation as a shareholder, I would certainly want to recover all the losses¡­¡±


    ¡°You certainly think on your feet!¡±


    He looked at me intensely, then finally pulled back his hand.


    Then, he handed me a stack of documents.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve expressed a desire to be part of the management team, right? These are your appointment documents as the Deputy General Manager!¡±


    I took the documents and saw that it indeed was my appointment as the Deputy General Manager.


    Back in the day, when Zhenyi Company was on a steady upward trajectory, I had desired to occupy this position.


    But then I got pregnant!


    My love for Gu Yuanzhou led me to give up my ambition.


    I chose instead to focus on family, giving birth and raising our child¡­


    Receiving this appointment letter now, my emotions were mixed.


    This was a position I came to hold after figuratively dying once.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice echoed near my ear.


    Only then did I realize, we were extremely close, our breaths mingling.


    His warm breath seemed to encase my neck.


    Perhaps it was due to the many years spent with this man, I had become accustomed to his intimacy.


    Every time he came close, my natural instinct was to embrace him.


    Our intimate married life had dissolved all boundaries between us.


    Although there was resentment in my heart towards him, the sense of intimacy was something I seldom did take notice of.


    Ordinarily, I could only remind myself to maintain an appropriate distance with him, the kind any normal man and woman would keep.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care whether I like it or not¡­ I only want to contribute as best I can in improving Zhenyi.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou nodded, and pulled back his chair to sit.


    ¡°I can give you everything you want, but can you give me what I want?¡±


    ¡°What does President Gu want?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand?¡±


    His words left me speechless.


    Doesn¡¯t he want Ye Mengyan? He already has her, so what else could he possibly desire?


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡±


    ¡°Then think about it, and tell me once you¡¯ve figured it out.¡±


    His words settled in the silence, leaving their implicit meaning hanging in the air.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I didn¡¯t ponder much over Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words.


    With my appointment letter in hand, stamped and signed by him, I was excited to get to work.


    First, I reinstated the former senior accountant.


    Then, I started inspecting the new management team recently appointed in the company, watching out for any shady activities. If I found any, they would be sacked on the spot.


    I had to formulate some new strategies and plans as well.


    As my workday ended, Gu Yuanzhou gave me a call.


    ¡°Meet me at the Mengle Restaurant at nine tonight. There¡¯s a birthday celebration, and your presence is required!¡±


    I was busy at the moment and didn¡¯t pay much attention, but I agreed nonetheless.


    What I hadn¡¯t expected was that this birthday celebration would lead to my complete and utter downfall.

 Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 135 His Surprises_1

    Chapter 135: Chapter 135 His Surprises_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I had just taken over a new position and was incredibly busy.


    Everything seemed to be developing in the direction I wanted¡­.


    I needed to create more detailed and better plans.


    Not until around half past eight in the evening did I find time to pour myself a cup of coffee.


    Then I sat in my previous favorite office, staring at the city¡¯s lights, deep in thought.


    I pondered over the things Gu Yuanzhou had said to me.


    What did he mean exactly?


    I knew that every step I took was careful and perilous. Any carelessness could lead to catastrophe.


    My phone rang, it was Shen Yishu on the line.


    He was single-handedly holding up a newly established company.


    Whenever he encountered problems that he could not solve, he would call and ask me for help.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you said that the factory has been contacted, and the main broadcaster has also been identified, can we start live streaming of goods now?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve been pretty busy these past few days and haven¡¯t had time to get back to you. Email your report to my inbox, and I¡¯ll reply when I have time.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    The phone call with Shen Yishu lasted for more than ten minutes.


    After I hung up, I realized it was already nearing nine o¡¯clock. I quickly turned off my computer, grabbed my bag, and hurried out the door.


    On the road, Wenya also called me.


    While I was driving, I answered with my earphones. It was rush hour, and the traffic was slightly congested.


    With my car crawling along in the traffic jam, it was a great time to chat with her.


    ¡°Have you dealt with Yuan Li?¡±


    ¡°Informed the police, and left it to the traffic police. Anyway, we¡¯ve given all the evidence we have to the police, she¡¯ll likely get at least three years.¡±


    ¡°Did Ye Mengyan give you any trouble?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s probably too busy dealing with her issues right now!¡±


    In spite of being calculating, Ye Mengyan is ultimately a graduating student with no work experience.


    She hasn¡¯t experienced a harsh professional environment. Playing probabilities with me, she stands no chance.


    I¡¯m almost ten years older than her, and I didn¡¯t idle away those ten years.


    ¡°Fine, you¡¯re good. Has Ding Yinuo disclosed anything about the love letter yet?¡±


    ¡°He said he knows who wrote it, but he won¡¯t reveal who!¡±


    ¡°Heh, you really can¡¯t guess this one huh!¡±


    ¡°I have to stop here, I need to refuel!¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, happy birthday!


    Just before Wenya hung up, she sent me a message.


    She even sent me a red envelope containing money as a birthday gift.


    With the phrase ¡°Happy birthday¡± flashing on it.


    Only then did I remember that today was September 16th, my birthday.


    Wenya sends me a red envelope every year on this day.


    Oh boy, I¡¯ve been so busy lately, I would have completely forgotten if she hadn¡¯t reminded me.


    Half an hour later, my car pulled up to Mengle Restaurant¡¯s entrance.


    It was a themed restaurant.


    A place popular among young couples.


    The atmosphere was particularly good, with private rooms¡­


    By the time I found the private room, Gu Yuanzhou had been waiting for a while.


    A circle of small candles was lit on the table, creating a romantic atmosphere.


    Under the candlelight, the man¡¯s rugged features were strikingly handsome.


    The pure black suit made him look even more refined.


    His hair was styled immaculately with wax, and his suit was perfectly ironed.


    I could smell the cologne he wore, mixed with the scent of shower gel and aftershave.


    This suggested that he had bathed and changed his out at home before coming.


    As far as I knew him, Gu Yuanzhou would be so meticulous only when meeting someone very important.


    Was he¡­ really this concerned about a female employee now?


    In my moment of pause, he was already greeting me.


    ¡°You¡¯re half an hour late.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been dealing with company matters, working overtime, and then ended up in a car race on the way here.¡±


    His expression relaxed considerably,


    ¡°I¡¯ll let it go this time since you were promoted today.¡±


    I pulled out a chair and sat down.


    ¡°President Gu, did you call me here today just to celebrate my promotion?¡±


    I could hardly believe that he would care so much about a female subordinate, it¡¯s quite extraordinary.


    He just looked at me intently, then produced a red cloth box.


    ¡°See if you like it.¡±


    There¡¯s even a gift?


    I got a gift for my promotion, that¡¯s quite a nice perk.


    But, I helped him rid the company of Yuan Li, the parasite. It¡¯s only right that he treats me to a meal.


    I curiously opened the cloth box.


    On the red velvet, laid a jade bracelet.


    Under the light, the bracelet was luminescent, obviously of great value.


    I actually really liked jade bracelets.


    My aunt, Wu Lijuan gave me a pair when I first got married.


    But one of those two bracelets was shattered by my daughter and the other by my son.


    In retrospect, jade bracelets really aren¡¯t suitable for those who have children to take care of.


    Since then, numerous times while passing by jade shops, I¡¯ve wanted to buy one but have always held back¡­


    I remember once when we passed by a Jin Fengxiang Jade Shop, I couldn¡¯t resist and tried on a bracelet.


    Gu Yuanzhou thought I looked very good with it on and wanted to buy it right there and then, but I refused.


    My reason to him was that he should wait until the children were grown up and didn¡¯t need me to hold them anymore before buying it. Otherwise, it would be a waste.


    Upon closer inspection, and to my shock, this jade bracelet is exactly the one I had my eyes on back then.


    I flipped it over and saw the bottom label marked with ¡°Jin Fengxiang¡­¡±.


    I really loved this jade bracelet.


    Indeed, I was getting a little ahead of myself at that moment¡­


    ¡°Try it on!¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I eagerly put it on my wrist. It was not too big, not too small, just the right fit.


    While I was trying on the bracelet, Gu Yuanzhou had gotten up without me noticing.


    He walked over to me¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s quite beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Yes, President Gu, this bracelet must have been expensive, it must have been a big expense.¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking,


    He took a birthday candle-lit cake from a waiter, and slowly placed it in front of me.


    ¡°Happy Birthday!¡±


    Looking into the deep gaze in his eyes,


    For a moment, I felt transported back in time.


    Back to the warm times when we were deeply in love.


    Caught in such a poignant moment, I felt a surge of emotions, ¡°President Gu, thank you!¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me, as long as you¡¯re happy! Make a wish!¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    I closed my eyes and made a small wish by the candles.


    I hope my deep-seated vengeance is avenged!


    I wish for my two children to be reincarnated and come back to us!


    After a while, I opened my eyes and blew out the candles.


    Gu Yuanzhou took the cake cutter, cut the cake into four pieces, and put each piece in front of its designated spot.


    Watching his familiar motions,


    I was taken aback for a moment.


    When we used to go out for dinner as a family of four, that¡¯s how he would distribute the food.


    He, myself, two children, one piece each. That¡¯s how we used to divide our birthday cakes every year!


    Wait a minute, birthday!!!!


    That¡¯s right, today¡¯s my birthday, but not Song Xiaoyun¡¯s birthday.


    Yes, Gu Yuanzhou was celebrating my birthday, not Song Xiaoyun¡¯s birthday.


    With that realization, a cold sweat broke out on my back.

 Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 136 Hints from an Adult Male_1

    Chapter 136: Chapter 136 Hints from an Adult Male_1


    Translator: 549690339


    At this moment, I realized my mistake.


    I had fallen into my own familiar trap.


    Despite my best defenses, I was unable to ward off Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s temptations.


    Seeing that I had stopped eating the cake, Gu Yuanzhou shot me a calm glance,


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating? This is your favourite red velvet cake. I had it specially made for you, you should try some.¡±


    But at this point, how could I still have the appetite to eat this cake? My mind was racing.


    ¡°Mrs. Gu likes red velvet cake, right? Actually, I don¡¯t like cake!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou grabbed a piece of cake and took a bite, he then squinted his eyes and looked at me.


    ¡°You usually have some cake on your birthday, how would you know you don¡¯t like it without trying it?¡±


    I awkwardly put down the cake, trying to cover my slip-up,


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯m sorry. You made a mistake. Today¡¯s not my birthday.¡±


    ¡°You took the birthday gift. How could it not be your birthday?¡±


    He said, his eyes revealed a sharp and penetrating insight.


    ¡°President Gu, my birthday is¡­ on the third of next month!¡±


    I gave Song Xiaoyun¡¯s birthday.


    Gu Yuanzhou just squinted his eyes at me, but didn¡¯t expose me.


    I took a deep breath trying to keep my calm.


    I was frantically planning on how to deal with whatever big move Gu Yuanzhou could throw at me next.


    But he didn¡¯t say much,


    ¡°Just finish your cake, you can celebrate your birthday early, can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you, President Gu!¡±


    I sat down and finished the piece of cake that he sliced for me.


    Yet Gu Yuanzhou did not eat, he kept drinking.


    I had a feeling that Gu Yuanzhou knew something, but there was no tangible evidence.


    After I finished the cake, he stood at the entrance of the restaurant, looking at me.


    The night breeze was blowing, his eyes became even brighter, and his voice a bit hoarse.


    ¡°There¡¯s a romantic hotel nearby, it has a nice ambiance. Should we not go back home tonight?¡±


    He was really close to me, I could clearly smell the cologne from him, mixed with the scent of red wine.


    It was like a strong surge of male hormones.


    At the same time, I also felt that his gaze became exceptionally passionate.


    When a grown man talks like this after drinking, it¡¯s basically a hint that he wants to sleep with you tonight.


    If you nod, he¡¯ll act without inhibition next.


    I can only smile at him,


    ¡°Won¡¯t Miss Ye get mad at you, President Gu?¡±


    ¡°Our affairs have nothing to do with her!¡±


    He was getting closer and closer to me¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit cold out.¡±


    He took off his blazer, put it over me, and naturally wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He drew me into his embrace.


    In an unguarded moment, he leaned down and gently kissed the top of my head.


    The feeling was too subtle to describe.


    That small act, as always.


    As if nothing ever unpleasant happened between us.


    For a moment, I was in a daze.


    By the time I came back to my senses, I found myself in a hotel room.


    In the dim light, the man sat on the bed, unbuckling the buttons on my clothes.


    My mind was completely blank.


    I had absolutely no idea how I ended up in the hotel with him, how I got into his room, and how he managed to entice me so.


    Or perhaps, after experiencing so much pain, I desperately wanted to return to the warmth and happiness of the past.


    In the span of a moment, I forgot everything.


    It was not until he flew me onto the bed and slid his hands under my clothes that I regained consciousness.


    I pushed him away.


    Gu Yuanzhou hugged me tightly from behind, whisperly softly into my ear over and over again.


    ¡°Ayun, have you come back?¡±


    He seemed drunk.


    The wildly husky voice, laced with delusion.


    I couldn¡¯t escape when he held me like that.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, let go! I am not your Ayun!¡±


    I tried to push his hands away.


    But the man, inflamed with lust, was somewhat deranged.


    However, the fact that he had been with Ye Mengyan still punctured my heart.


    The thought that he had once kissed Ye Mengyan.


    He had used the same methods to please Ye Mengyan, and the thought of it made me nauseous.


    I nearly threw up from his kisses.


    ¡°Let go of me! Gu Yuanzhou, stop it¡­¡±


    He was kissing my earlobe, as he exclaimed in a hurried voice,


    ¡°I can give you whatever you want. Just please do not leave me again, okay?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, I cannot live without you!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, I was wrong, I did not appreciate you enough in the past. I am begging you to come back now. As long as you stay by my side, I will do anything you ask.¡±


    I had initially thought that Gu Yuanzhou had recognised me after I was reborn.


    But, hearing him utter these drunken ramblings now made me realise he still thought I was Song Xiaoyun.


    He was just trying to deceive himself.


    My clothes had been torn to pieces by him.


    After almost a decade of marriage to Gu Yuanzhou, I knew he was a man of surging desires.


    In the past, whenever he returned from work trips, he would be satiated only after an exhaustive romp.


    In that moment, I thought I was done for¡­


    The next morning,


    Inside the small caf¨¦, after finishing my work, I asked Wenya out for coffee, also taking the opportunity to relay what had happened the previous night.


    After hearing my story, Wenya furrowed her brows and asked, ¡°Do you still feel something for him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do!¡±


    ¡°Well, what can I say? If an adult man can please you in bed, then you might as well treat it like hiring a gigolo. My worry, however, is that you might fall for him again.¡±


    I coughed lightly, ¡°It didn¡¯t happen!¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t have his way?


    ¡°He had drunk too much! I lied about taking a bath. By the time I came out, he was sound asleep on the bed.¡±


    Indeed, he had drunk nearly half a bottle of wine while I was eating the cake. This amount of alcohol was a lot for him.


    Wenya sighed,


    ¡°Ayun, I think you¡¯re playing with fire! No matter if he has recognised you or if he simply sees you as his deceased wife, his objective is clear ¨C he¡¯s just trying to alleviate his guilt. Anyway, I would not recommend you keep staying by his side. Back out, Ayun!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave. I still haven¡¯t found the truth about the arson.¡±


    ¡°Do you still need to investigate? Didn¡¯t they say it was that ¡®Damaha¡¯ who did it?¡±


    ¡°It could be someone else!¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not him, who else could it be?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever considered that it might have been Gu Yuanzhou who orchestrated this?¡±


    Wenya watched as I became increasingly agitated and shook her head.


    ¡°Ayun, I know you¡¯ve developed a deep resentment towards Gu Yuanzhou because of his infidelity. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been trying to pin all the blame on him so that you won¡¯t feel any sympathy when you finally confront him. But you have to face one fact: the two children were not merely yours, but also his ¨C his own flesh and blood. He had no reason to do this.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t shake the feeling that he did it. I cannot bring myself to believe that our children were just randomly taken away from us. What¡¯s most painful for me is that when we needed him most, he was not there! Even if he was not responsible, he still bears the largest portion of the blame.¡±


    Wenya sighed and reached out to hug me tightly.


    ¡°Ayun! The person you can¡¯t forgive isn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou, but yourself. You have to try to accept the reality and live for yourself. I¡¯m not suggesting you forgive Gu Yuanzhou. Instead, you should ignore him, stay away from him. Even though he didn¡¯t cause the fire, he betrayed you, and that is reason enough for you to cut him off.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, trust me. Leave him! Only by leaving him will you find liberation¡­¡±

 Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 137 We were together last night_1

    Chapter 137: Chapter 137 We were together last night_1


    Translator: 549690339


    There was a moment when I genuinely wanted to run away from Gu Yuanzhou.


    Because what Wenya said was correct.


    As long as I live by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s side, I will never be able to forget the past, nor step away from those shadows.


    I would constantly be trapped in hell, in the company of pain.


    However, if I were to leave, it wouldn¡¯t be now.


    ¡°Wenya, unless I can retrieve all my property, you said it yourself, didn¡¯t you? He betrayed me at the very least! I won¡¯t let my property end up in Ye Mengyan¡¯s hands.¡±


    The moment I finished speaking, a loud sneeze rang out.


    I suspect that right now, in some place, Ye Mengyan must be cursing me.


    In the afternoon.


    When I went to the president¡¯s office.


    Ye Mengyan was also there. She no longer seemed to care about others¡¯ opinions and freely entered and left Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office.


    She was originally laughing and joking with Gu Yuanzhou, but the moment her gaze fell upon my wrist, her smile disappeared instantly.


    Slowly turning into confusion.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, where did you get this jade bracelet?¡±


    I lowered my head to look, only realising now that I had forgotten to remove the jade bracelet after last night¡¯s turmoil.


    I directed a slight smile towards Gu Yuanzhou, saying nothing.


    But Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t seem willing to let this go and asked again,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, can I take a look at the bracelet?¡±


    ¡°Sure, no problem!¡±


    I casually removed the bracelet from my wrist and handed it to Ye Mengyan.


    Without meaning to, I glanced at Gu Yuanzhou.


    His complexion didn¡¯t seem too good, but he stayed silent.


    Ye Mengyan examined the bracelet for some time, apparently recognizing its value,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, with the current price of jade so high, this bracelet can¡¯t be worth less than a hundred thousand, right?¡±


    Although I hadn¡¯t seen the invoice received from Gu Yuanzhou, I knew the bracelet was worth far more than that.


    ¡°Probably worth more!¡±


    ¡°That expensive? Xiaoyun, which friend of yours is so wealthy to gift such a valuable present?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was deliberately trying to get information out of me.


    I had no intention of hiding it anyway. I¡¯d rather she made a big fuss with Gu Yuanzhou. The bigger, the better.


    ¡°Oh, it was my birthday gift last night from President Gu.¡±


    ¡°Birthday gift?¡±


    Apparently sensing trouble, Ye Mengyan hastily pressed for more information.


    ¡°You were together last night?¡±


    ¡°Miss Ye, have some tea! There are certain things that are best left unsaid!¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer her question, just handed her a cup of tea.


    This kind of elusive method seemed to infuriate Ye Mengyan even more.


    Taking advantage of Gu Yuanzhou being busy with a client¡¯s phone call, she cornered me again.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, tell me the truth. Whatever happened between you two, I can accept it. I just want to know the truth, I don¡¯t want to be kept in the dark. That feeling is terrifying.¡±


    I just looked at her and smiled.


    Thinking to myself, right now, isn¡¯t she nothing to Gu Yuanzhou, not even his wife, and she can¡¯t handle being kept in the dark?


    When the two of you were together, how many years did you keep me in the dark?


    I still remained silent.


    Only then did Ye Mengyan plead anxiously again.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, whatever happened between you two last night, I can accept it.¡±


    I glanced at her,


    ¡°From what I see, Gu Yuanzhou treats you pretty well. Considering he¡¯s willing to spend so much on you, it means he values you. So why don¡¯t you have any trust in him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s spent a lot of money on you too, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Hehe¡­ You¡¯re right. Last night, we went to that couple¡¯s hotel!¡±


    As I said this, Ye Mengyan¡¯s face was already pale. She looked at me in shock, biting her lower lip tightly.


    ¡°Was it you? Did you deliberately take him to the hotel?¡±


    ¡°Enough, Miss Ye. I¡¯ve said what I have to say.¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, I treated you as a friend, but you took away the man I love. I¡¯m really disappointed in you¡­ ¡±


    ¡°No, from the beginning, you didn¡¯t treat me as a friend. You just wanted to use me. Ye Mengyan, I¡¯m not stupid!¡±


    At my words, Ye Mengyan suddenly covered her face with her hands, sobbing quietly, as if she had been abandoned by her man.


    At this time, Gu Yuanzhou had finished his call too.


    He turned around and noticed Ye Mengyan crying quietly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He put down his phone and walked up to her.


    Ye Mengyan turned her face away.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    He asked twice before Ye Mengyan replied,


    ¡°If Big Brother Gu doesn¡¯t like Mengyan, then Mengyan will leave.¡±


    Her grievance and fragile voice aroused a strong protective desire in the man.


    The more she appeared to be pitiful, the more the man would comfort her.


    Indeed, she was a woman who understood men very well, firmly grasping their weak spots.


    I cleared my throat,


    ¡°President Gu, the meeting is about to start!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was seemingly unable to leave the emotional Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°You go ahead and handle it, I¡¯ll be there later.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I turned and walked away.


    However, after waiting for about ten minutes, Gu Yuanzhou still hadn¡¯t arrived,


    So I took the initiative to preside over the entire meeting.


    It was a company that I had founded single-handedly, after all. Its operational concepts and policy guidelines were all deeply ingrained in me.


    It was just as well that he wasn¡¯t there. I could use the opportunity to make some personnel adjustments.


    Sometimes I wondered if it wouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing for Ye Mengyan to keep Gu Yuanzhou tied up this way.


    At least I could free up my hands to take over the Zhenyi Company.


    Just after the meeting, I bumped into Ye Mengyan while going down the elevator.


    I wonder what Gu Yuanzhou promised her.


    At this moment, her face was glowing. Seeing that only the two of us were inside the elevator, she looked at me confidently and arrogantly, and chuckled.


    ¡°Xiaoyun! I asked Big Brother Gu. He didn¡¯t touch you last night, did he?¡±


    I raised my eyebrows, ¡°Did I say he touched me?¡±


    Ye Mengyan cleared her throat, ¡°Sorry, I misunderstood you two. He doesn¡¯t have feelings for you. Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s because of you?¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s because of me, you¡¯ll find out soon. Because¡­ I¡¯m about to become the image spokesperson of Zhenyi Company!¡±


    I was stunned to hear this.


    Because over the past six months, the company has launched a high-end customized product, which can be said to represent the highest standard of Zhenyi fashion.


    In order to launch this product, we planned to invite a popular and well-known female star to advertise it.


    The company had already picked two female stars domestically and was in the process of discussing collaboration details.


    It was unexpected that Ye Mengyan would now say such a thing.


    This was not a trivial matter. Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t have the temperament, nor the fame of a female star. If she endorses our products, they¡¯d be done for.


    More importantly, Zhenyi Company is not just my hard work, but a company named after my son and daughter. How could I let a mistress be its spokesperson?


    This was impossible.


    Seeing my grim expression, Ye Mengyan became even more proud. She smirked,


    ¡°Recently, Big Brother Gu has spent a fortune to hire an etiquette teacher from France to train me, in preparation for later photoshoots. Hey, you tell me, if he didn¡¯t truly love me, how could he be willing to spend so much effort on nurturing me?¡±


    I took a deep breath, calmly telling her, ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±

 Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Truth or Dare _1

    Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Truth or Dare _1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Well, say whatever you want! By next Friday¡¯s press conference, you¡¯ll know.¡±


    The elevator doors opened, and Ye Mengyan exited.


    I was in a daze, watching the elevator doors close and slowly ascend.


    I didn¡¯t know how long it took before I regained my senses.


    ¡°Miss Song, you¡¯ve been up and down this elevator three times, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Xu Yun noticed my unusual behavior and reminded me.


    ¡°Oh, I was just deep in thought!¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, have you been working too hard lately? You need to take care of yourself, especially now that the company¡¯s performance is improving.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you for your concern!¡±


    After leaving the elevator, I realized that it was already dark outside.


    Looking at my watch, it was almost six o¡¯clock.


    Then I remembered that Wenya had invited me to dinner.


    I actually didn¡¯t feel like going out tonight.


    So, I sent her a text message.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not go tonight.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo is here, he said the results of the medicine you sent last time have come out.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    ¡°Lijiang Restaurant, box number 9, see you there!¡±


    The medicine was something I had found at Aunt Wu Lijuan¡¯s house last time, and I had asked Ding Yinuo to have it tested for me.


    It seems the results are out now.


    Without hesitation, I drove straight to the restaurant.


    Half an hour later, I arrived at the Lijiang Restaurant that Wenya had booked.


    It was my first time visiting this charming waterfront restaurant.


    It was a large ship docked by the river, beautifully lit and quite novel. After boarding the ship, I arrived at the door of the number 9 box.


    The door of the box was interesting, with a large carp carved out of wood.


    After knocking for a while with no answer, I reached out and pushed the door open.


    Surprisingly, the room was completely dark and empty.


    While I was standing there baffled, suddenly the lights came on.


    It was candlelight.


    A candle on a cake, gently pushed towards me.


    The person holding the cake was Wenya.


    ¡°Make a wish!¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­ my birthday was yesterday!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, it¡¯s the same thing. I went on a business trip to Haicheng yesterday and just came back today, let¡¯s consider it a belated celebration.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Making a wish was just a formality, after I blew out the candles, everyone started singing the birthday song.


    Afterwards, the lights in the room came on.


    I then realized that there were quite a few people in the room.


    In addition to Wenya, there were also Ding Yinuo and Su Peisheng. Well, birthdays should be lively.


    Everyone drinking and singing together added to the atmosphere.


    ¡°Come, birthday girl, sit here!¡±


    Wenya put a birthday hat on me and arranged for me to sit next to Ding Yinuo.


    I didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and sat down directly after putting down my bag.


    Whether I slipped or someone pushed me, I lost my balance and fell into Ding Yinuo¡¯s arms.


    I thought he would push me away, but to my surprise, he put his arm around my waist and held me in his arms.


    Unexpectedly, Wenya laughed and clapped her hands, shouting,


    ¡°Kiss her, kiss her, give the birthday girl a kiss.¡±


    Ding Yinuo smiled at me, curling his lips, pretending to kiss me.


    I put my hand on his lips, ¡°Don¡¯t mess around!¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked particularly handsome tonight.


    He was wearing a light purple shirt, and under the light, his features were exquisite, with passion in his eyes.


    Especially at this moment when he looked at me, he seemed to show a touch of tenderness.


    And he held me in his arms, reluctant to let me go for a long time.


    ¡°Wenya, don¡¯t stir things up!¡±


    ¡°Ha ha ha, it¡¯s a birthday party, it should be exciting, otherwise it¡¯s no different from ordinary days, and that would be too boring.¡±


    Wenya seemed a bit quirky tonight.


    I finally extricated myself from Ding Yinuo¡¯s arms,


    ¡°If you want excitement, dare you kiss Su Peisheng?¡±


    Wenya giggled, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of! At worst, I¡¯ll just have to brush my teeth a few more times when I get home!¡±


    I put down my bag and looked at Jian Jing.


    After getting married, Jian Jing seemed to have become silent for a long time. She sat quietly in the corner, smiling at me without saying a word.


    I have been busy recently and have not been in touch with Jian Jing.


    It must be because of my birthday that she came to the party despite her pregnancy.


    ¡°Jian Jing, why didn¡¯t you bring your husband to join us?¡±


    ¡°He, uh ¡­ never mind!¡±


    ¡°Give him a call, invite him to dinner! After all, the more people there are at a birthday party, the more lively it is.¡±


    Jian Jing waved her hand,


    ¡°No need! He¡¯s busy!¡±


    However, Wenya ruthlessly exposed her,


    ¡°Busy with what! Didn¡¯t he just lose his job?¡±


    ¡°Unemployed? How are you going to take care of your mortgage?¡±


    I asked casually, and Jian Jing sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m paying it!¡±


    ¡°Your husband is really unreliable. You¡¯re heavily pregnant and due in a few months, how could he dare to quit his job? Who gave him that courage?¡±


    Jian Jing seemed at a loss for words until Wenya squeezed my hand, signaling me to stop asking.


    Only then did I quickly change the subject,


    ¡°Forget it, everyone¡¯s here to have fun today. Let¡¯s not discuss these frustrating matters. Jian Jing, eat up, have a bit more tonight!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    After chatting for a while, Wenya picked up a pair of dice and shook them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s play ¡®Truth or Dare¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Okay! Just don¡¯t back out later!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go by the highest number! The smallest number loses! The winner makes a request!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    After setting the rules, we started rolling the dice, taking turns one by one.


    In the first round, Su Peisheng lost. His two dice only totaled two points, while the highest score, sixteen points, belonged to Wenya.


    Before Wenya could speak, Su Peisheng volunteered, ¡°Let¡¯s play ¡®Dare¡¯! I don¡¯t mind giving you a kiss.¡±


    Wenya rolled her eyes, ¡°Who wants your kisses! You¡­ want to play ¡®Dare¡¯, huh! Go dance on that pole.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it!¡±


    Su Peisheng got up, took off his jacket, and literally went to the pole and started dancing. His suggestive moves made everyone laugh.


    Everyone in the room laughed out loud. Wenya calmly recorded the whole process on her phone.


    In the second round, Ding Yinuo lost. His two dice only totaled three points! The winner was still Wenya.


    Wenya smiled slyly and winked at him,


    ¡°Let¡¯s play ¡®Dare¡¯! It¡¯ll be really exciting!¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at me with his bewitching eyes, thought for a while before saying,


    ¡°I¡¯d rather play ¡®Truth¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, we¡¯ll play ¡®Truth¡¯! I¡¯ll ask you a question, you better answer it honestly.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    While the two of them were asking questions, I lowered my head to eat the cake, secretly glanced at my phone, and saw that Gu Yuanzhou had sent me a text message.


    It took Wenya a long time to ask, ¡°Who is the woman you like the most?¡±

 Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 139 He Lost Control After Drinking_1

    Chapter 139: Chapter 139 He Lost Control After Drinking_1


    Translator: 549690339


    As Wenya asked the question, I lowered my head and read Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s text.


    ¡°Come back early tonight!¡±


    Six words that sent me into deep thought.


    What does he want with me now?


    ¡°Ayun?¡±


    When I looked up, I found that Wenya was calling me.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Did you hear Yinuo¡¯s answer?¡±


    ¡°I think I heard it¡­


    Truthfully, I didn¡¯t hear it. Or maybe I did, but chose not to listen, because in the moment of distraction earlier, my attention was diverted.


    I have no idea what Yinuo said, but felt too embarrassed to dampen everyone¡¯s spirits, so I forced an awkward laugh.


    Wenya gave me a conspiratorial wink,


    ¡°You can make your move now, you can make your move now!¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, let¡¯s continue! One more time!¡±


    Thus, the dice game continued. This round, Wenya lost, and the winner was Yinuo.


    Yinuo glanced around the room and chuckled,


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you just saying to Ayun that you wanted to play ¡®truth or dare¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes! But you can¡¯t trick me. If you trick me, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t trick you. How could I trick you?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it then!¡±


    ¡°¡­ Kiss Su Peisheng for ten minutes!¡±


    When Yinuo said this, he started laughing halfway through.


    Wenya immediately protested,


    ¡°Ten minutes? Do you know how long a person can survive without breathing?¡±


    Su Peisheng, however, calmly responded,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you die.¡±


    Yinuo put the dice back on the table,


    ¡°We¡¯re all here to have fun. If you cheat, it takes all the fun out of the game.¡±


    Wenya waved her hand, ¡°Alright, is it just a kiss? I¡¯m not losing anything.¡±


    In front of everyone, she removed her jacket and took off her earrings and watch, before setting her bag aside.


    ¡°Wenya, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re headed to slaughter a pig, why are you rolling up your sleeves?¡±


    I laughed and asked her.


    ¡°Because, a fight might break out!¡±


    Wenya rolled up her sleeves and went over to Su Peisheng. She quickly put on a mask and then kissed him through it.


    Su Peisheng reacted quickly. One hand grabbed Wenya, and the other went behind her ear and pulled down her mask before their lips touched directly.


    Wenya didn¡¯t agree with this and tried to escape.


    Thus, the two began to struggle.


    The smile on Yinuo¡¯s face gradually faded as he suddenly got up, took my hand, and left the room.


    ¡°I have something to tell you!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    The room was filled with heat. Yinuo, who was originally fair-skinned, now had a slight blush on his face. Even his earlobes were flushed, and those eyes were somewhat desirous.


    At the end of the corridor outside the room, there was a small terrace with a long bench.


    Sitting on the bench, you could see the colorful koi fish crowded on the surface of the river, opening and closing their big mouths as if waiting to be fed. They looked quite adorable.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found out, this pill¡­¡±


    Yinuo took out a plastic bag from his pocket, which contained a small pill. The blue pill, which I had taken from my aunt¡¯s house, was now halved.


    ¡°This pill was originally a foreign health supplement used to supplement vitamins and lecithin, deep-sea fish oil, and other nutrients. Many middle-aged and elderly people like to take it. However, its ingredients have been altered to include trace amounts of heavy metals. The dosage is well controlled, consuming one or two pills will not cause any harm. But if one were to consume the entire bottle, the patient would show symptoms of kidney failure, and then die¡­¡±


    ¡°So now, are we going to check who bought this medicine for my aunt?¡±


    ¡°Right, ask the housekeeper who bought the supplements for your aunt recently!¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you. The information you¡¯ve provided is very helpful!¡±


    With precise clues, finding the answer becomes much easier.


    After our conversation, I was ready to return to the room when he reached out and stopped me.


    With a slight force, I fell into his arms.


    He pushed me against the wall¡­


    ¡°Yinuo, have you drunk too much?¡±


    Looking at his flushed face, I reminded him.


    ¡°Who gave this to you?¡±


    His attention returned to the jade bracelet on my wrist.


    I regretted a little now. If I had known this jade bracelet would cause such animosity, I would not have worn it out.


    ¡°Yinuo, it¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Tell me!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Tell me!¡±


    A man after alcohol, becomes clingy and unreasonable¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s really no need to say¡­ Alright, it¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    In fact, this jade bracelet is not important to me at all. I simply forgot to take it off.


    I never expected that Yinuo would be upset about this bracelet.


    ¡°Why do you still accept his gifts, Ayun, you¡¯re still in love with him, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, tell me!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so good about that scumbag? He¡¯s hurt you once, not enough? Do you want him to hurt you again?¡±


    A feeling of nameless grief and indignation overcame Yinuo, the pitch of his voice rising significantly.


    At that moment, my phone rang.


    Seemingly like a lifesaver, it was the perfect chance to escape this awkward situation with Yinuo.


    ¡°I need to take this call!¡±


    As I answered the phone and walked back into the room.


    ¡°Hello!¡±


    I was too busy answering the call earlier that I didn¡¯t see who the caller was.


    It wasn¡¯t until the call was connected that I realised it was Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m having dinner with friends!¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reply to my message earlier?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was too busy earlier and didn¡¯t have time to look.¡±


    Before I could finish speaking, Yinuo strode over and snatched the phone from my hand.


    Then, he growled at Gu Yuanzhou over the phone.


    ¡°Gu! You¡¯ve hurt Ayun once already! Don¡¯t harm her again, or I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, if you¡¯re a man, confront me! If you¡¯re capable, fight with a man. What¡¯s the point of picking on a weak woman?¡±


    ¡°Gu! I despise you. Men who bully women are cowards!¡±


    I was stunned.


    I didn¡¯t expect Yinuo to say such things to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Instantly, I thought of how my carefully planned schemes were about to go down the drain.


    Maybe it was because he was shouting too loud, Wenya and Su Peisheng also rushed out.


    Everyone was scrambling to pull Yinuo back inside while I quickly snatched back my phone and hurriedly hung up.


    Back in the room, Yinuo drank like crazy, finishing three drinks in quick succession.


    Wenya asked me, ¡°What happened between you two?¡±¡±


    ¡°Uh, he drank too much!¡±


    I replied.


    Wenya read the situation and seemed to understand something. To ease the tension, she quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s continue to play ¡®truth or dare¡¯!¡±


    Who knew that Yinuo would slam his drink on the table, then picked up his jacket and stood up, ¡°I¡¯m done playing!¡±


    Watching Yinuo rush off, Wenya hurriedly asked me, ¡°What on earth did you do to him?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t worried about Yinuo at all now, instead, I was thinking about how to explain to Gu Yuanzhou when I got home.


    With the way Yinuo had just spoken so bluntly on the phone, how could Gu Yuanzhou not understand?

 Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law Conflict Starts to Brew_1

    Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law Conflict Starts to Brew_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Originally, I intended to pack up and leave immediately, but a minor incident occurred on Jian Jing¡¯s end.


    Wenya asked me to go with her to drop Jian Jing off.


    Although I was slightly confused, I agreed.


    After all, I was the one driving.


    Because I was so focused on Yinuo¡¯s matter, I hadn¡¯t paid attention to Jian Jing.


    It was only after Jian Jing got into the car,


    that Wenya quietly informed me,


    ¡°Jian Jing¡¯s husband called her multiple times just now, they had a serious argument!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I turned my head to look at Jian Jing, whose eyes were red-rimmed from crying.


    Wenya sighed,


    ¡°I tried asking, but she won¡¯t say. She¡¯s always been proud. Let¡¯s first get her home and see how things go.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I drove Jian Jing home.


    On the way, I stopped to buy her a cup of milk tea. Her mother-in-law was the one to open the door when we arrived, and she started scolding Jian Jing immediately.


    ¡°Where have you been wandering about? With so many guests at home, it¡¯s your duty to serve them. You¡¯re a married woman now, you need to act more responsibly. You have no manners as a wife.¡±


    ¡°Mom, it was my best friend¡¯s birthday today, I went to celebrate with her!¡±


    ¡°What best friend? You¡¯re a wife now, someone else¡¯s spouse, a daughter-in-law. Do you still think you¡¯re single? Hurry inside, there¡¯s a mountain of rubbish in the kitchen waiting for you to clean up.¡±


    I glanced into the living room and indeed, it was filled with relatives gathered around two mahjong tables.


    All these able-bodied people were waiting for a pregnant woman to serve them?


    I was about to argue with the mother-in-law, but Jian Jing stopped me. She gave a bitter smile and shook her head,


    ¡°Ayun, Wenya, thank you for bringing me home! I won¡¯t see you out.¡±


    ¡°Jian Jing, I¡­¡±


    Before I could finish speaking, Wenya quickly waved goodbye, and led me downstairs.


    I was somewhat infuriated. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see Jian Jing getting bullied? Will we just walk away from this and do nothing?¡±


    Wenya sighed again. ¡°You know I have a short temper. If I acted according to my impulse, I would¡¯ve beaten up that old woman already.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you stop me?¡±


    ¡°Let it go, Jian Jing has mentioned that she is expecting, and she still counts on her husband and mother-in-law to look after her confinement after childbirth! If we make a scene now, she¡¯ll be left without any support later on. Let¡¯s tolerate this for the time being!¡±


    The words of Wenya brought me back to my senses.


    From my own experience, only the individual involved can save a marriage.


    I then sent Wenya home and ended up staying at her place.


    The following morning,


    As Wenya and I were having breakfast after washing up, the doorbell rang. Wenya¡¯s mom went to open the door and came back looking surprised.


    ¡°You naughty girl, you got yourself a boyfriend and didn¡¯t even tell me.¡±


    ¡°Mom? Are you mistaking someone else for me?¡±


    ¡°Did you choose a lawyer because a better option came along! The man¡¯s already here, could I be making this up? Oh right, Wenya¡¯s here, come in boy, don¡¯t just stand at the door.¡±


    Under Wenya¡¯s mom¡¯s bustling hospitality, a man really did walk in from the front door.


    It was none other than Yinuo.


    Apparently, Wenya¡¯s mom had misunderstood the situation.


    Wenya shot Yinuo a look, without offering any explanation, and went straight to the point,


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Yinuo glanced at me,


    ¡°I was just passing by, thought I¡¯d join you for breakfast!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a share for you!¡±


    Wenya bluntly refused.


    At this moment, Wenya¡¯s mother enthusiastically brought out a plate of dumplings from the kitchen, whilst scolding Wenya.


    ¡°What do you mean there¡¯s no share for him? I¡¯ve made a freezer full of dumplings. Come on, sit down and eat, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    Yinuo, rather polite, took a seat next to me, smiling,


    ¡°Thank you, auntie. My name is Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo? What a nice name! Is that sports car outside yours?¡±


    ¡°Yes, auntie!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your job?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a doctor!¡±


    ¡°A doctor, eh? Saving lives, quite a noble profession! Seems really well, seems good! Doctors earn quite a bit, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°No, no, not really.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you buy a sports car?¡±


    ¡°The sports car was¡­a gift from my brother!¡±


    ¡°Your brother gave it to you¡­Wow, what does your brother do for a living? He¡¯s so wealthy?¡±


    ¡°He, uh¡­is the CEO of a publicly-listed company!¡±


    Yinuo was courteous and smooth with his answers. Plus, his handsome appearance quickly won over Wenya¡¯s mother.


    Wenya had finished eating and was picking her teeth, while she gave Yinuo a kick under the table,


    ¡°Can¡¯t even keep your mouth shut while eating! Say less!¡±


    Yinuo responded to Wenya with a smile, but his eyes slid toward me and he seemed to be in particularly high spirits after noticing that I had removed the jade bangle from my wrist.


    ¡°Auntie¡¯s dumplings taste amazing! Since auntie and I get along so well, isn¡¯t it alright if I talk a bit more?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s mom was even more pleased after hearing this,


    ¡°By the way, how old are you this year?¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m twenty-eight!¡±


    ¡°Good, very good! A man blooms at thirty, mature, stable and successful. Also the same age as my Wenya! No age gap, easier for communication, truly a match made in heaven.¡±


    At this point, Wenya¡¯s mom wished she could make Yinuo her son-in-law right then and there.


    Wenya sat there looking as indifferent as ever, her eyes blank, devoid of any expression.


    After finishing my dumplings, I quickly excused myself from Wenya¡¯s mother,


    ¡°Thank you for the dumplings, auntie. I need to head to work.¡±


    ¡°Alright, drop by whenever you¡¯re free!


    After leaving the Wen Family¡¯s home, I asked Wenya,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you explain this to your mom?¡±


    ¡°Explain what?¡±


    ¡°Explain that Yinuo isn¡¯t your boyfriend!¡±


    ¡°No way! If I explained it, she would start pushing me to get together with Su Fagun again. A minor misunderstanding can keep things quiet for a while.¡±


    As soon as we got to my car, Yinuo also hurriedly followed. He was obviously treated differently than us.


    In his hand was a big plastic bag filled with apples and snacks. Clearly, Wenya¡¯s mom adored him quite a bit.


    Even Wenya seemed jealous.


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair, I¡¯ve never been allowed to snack growing up. My mom would cry foul if I ate a slice a cake, calling me fat!¡±


    Yinuo apparently didn¡¯t plan on keeping the snacks either; he simply handed them to Wenya.


    ¡°Fine, motherly love is reverted back to you!¡±


    Wenya grabbed the bag and started to walk away.


    ¡°I have to go to work, you two can chat on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you!¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll take the subway, it¡¯s just a few stops away.¡±


    Wenya was already gone, after a quick sprint across the road.


    All that remained were Yinuo and I.


    We stood there, eyeing each other for a few minutes. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t speaking, I finally got into the car.


    ¡°I need to go to work!¡±


    To my surprise, Yinuo followed suit and entered the passenger seat.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    I looked at him, puzzled.


    He hesitated for a moment before speaking,


    ¡°About what happened last night, I thought it was necessary to clear things up with you!¡±


    ¡°Clear what up? What needs to be cleared up?¡±

 Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Gu Yuanzhou Really Should Die_1

    Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Gu Yuanzhou Really Should Die_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°I may have lost my composure, had too much to drink¡­¡± Ding Yinuo was looking at me with deep-set eyes.


    I stepped forward and patted Ding Yinuo¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Oh, right, I heard that Miss Jiang is back in the country!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo¡¯s brow furrowed.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is, being in a relationship can be a good way to pass the time, so you won¡¯t constantly be prying into other people¡¯s private affairs.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s face visibly changed on the spot.


    Shock, disappointment, then anger.


    However, I had already gotten into the car, started the engine, threw him an OK gesture, and said, ¡°See you around!¡±


    There was still time before work started.


    I decided to head to the Song family¡¯s house first.


    Last time Wu Lijuan gave me a key to the Song family¡¯s house. The house was empty now, so I opened the door and walked in.


    I walked into Wu Lijuan¡¯s bedroom, and found the same blue pill from the health product bottle, with a deep-sea fish icon drawn on the label.


    All the words on the bottle were in English, it seemed to be imported.


    I opened the drawer below only to find a full row of deep-sea fish oil health products, all in unopened boxes.


    As I was examining them, Aunt Hua came back from grocery shopping.


    When she saw me with the bottle of health product, she asked,


    ¡°Miss Song, what are you doing with madam¡¯s health product?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Hua, think about it carefully. Who gave us this deep-sea fish oil?¡±


    ¡°Oh, let me think¡­ I think it was Mr. Gu who gave it!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    When I heard this news, my mind nearly exploded.


    Aunt Hua thought for a while and said,


    ¡°It was during the new year. Mr. Gu gave it as a gift. It seems to be quite expensive, over a thousand per bottle. He sent us quite a few boxes and it was quite a generous gift.¡±


    I thought hard. Each new year, we would come to the Song family¡¯s to celebrate because it wouldn¡¯t be convenient to bring my two kids shopping for presents.


    So, every year, Gu Yuanzhou would buy the gifts and send them over. This had been the case for years without any mistakes.


    Therefore, it was very likely that these health products were indeed bought by Gu Yuanzhou.


    Thinking about this, a chill ran down my spine.


    The batch of health products was sent at the beginning of the year, which meant Gu Yuanzhou had already plotted to harm Wu Lijuan back then.


    He wanted to kill off the Song family members, so when he moves against me, he would not have to worry about anyone seeking redress for my death.


    Haha, Gu Yuanzhou, how could you be so ruthless?


    Aunt Hua brewed me a cup of tea and continued,


    ¡°Mr. Gu is such a good son-in-law. Not only did he buy expensive health products for madam, but he also bought some for sir¡­¡±


    I nearly choked on the tea in my mouth when I heard her.


    ¡°You said, Gu Yuanzhou also bought these things for Song Shixiong?¡±


    ¡°Oh, these health products too. He bought a lot. He gave a portion to madam and another portion to sir. However, sir has been taking medication for his cardiovascular disease in recent years so he couldn¡¯t take these health products. So, they were stored in the cupboard. There are still several boxes of them left in madam¡¯s cupboard actually!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until now that I breathed a sigh of relief.


    Seems Gu Yuanzhou had plans to poison two people.


    This further validated the expectation that he planned to kill off Song family members before making a move on me.


    I sat on the sofa in the Song family¡¯s living room for the entire morning, drinking cup after cup of tea.


    My mind was a mess.


    The cell phone on the table kept ringing non-stop,


    It was Gu Yuanzhou calling!


    I didn¡¯t want to answer.


    My mind was filled with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s plot to harm the Song family members.


    After a long while, I picked up the phone.


    As soon as I answered, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice lashed out at me.


    ¡°Did you go out drinking with some other man last night?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come home all night.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You¡¯re not coming to work, and you¡¯re not answering my calls?¡±


    He was clearly furious with me.


    I didn¡¯t argue with him, and simply said,


    ¡°I¡¯ll be at the office soon.¡±


    Seeing that I wasn¡¯t responding, Gu Yuanzhou seemed to calm down a bit.


    ¡°In half an hour, I want to see you at your desk!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I hung up the phone.


    As I was getting up to leave, Aunt Hua tried to keep me,


    ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you stay for lunch? I have already prepared the dishes.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I need to return to the office now. We can have lunch next time!¡±


    When I walked out the door, the sunlight was a bit too bright. My mind was ruled by rage, and my spirit was on high alert. I almost rear-ended the car in front of me several times.


    When I arrived at the company, the first thing I did was go wash my face.


    I kept trying to convince myself to remain calm, because losing my mind could provide Gu Yuanzhou with an opportunity to take advantage of.


    After touching up my makeup, I opened my handbag.


    I took out the medicine Ding Yinuo had given me.


    My mind was in chaos.


    I was making coffee and looking at the steam rising from the hot cup.


    I poured the medicine from the bottle into the coffee.


    I stirred it gently, watching the medicine dissolve into the water, and my heart sank.


    There was only one thing I was focused on at that moment, to make Gu Yuanzhou pay.


    ¡°Miss Song, President Gu is looking for you everywhere!¡±


    Xu Yun found me in the pantry and reminded me,


    ¡°Oh, what does he want?¡±


    ¡°I guess I have some idea. It seems to be about Miss Ye. You know about it, right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Miss Ye going to be our company¡¯s brand ambassador soon? It¡¯s said that they¡¯ve hired the best team for her advertisement.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Is that so!¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect things to unfold this quickly.


    When I first heard about this, I was already scheming, concocting a strategy to prevent it from happening.


    I was even considering trying to persuade Gu Yuanzhou.


    However, before I could take action, he had already taken a step ahead.


    ¡°Ah, Miss Ye obviously doesn¡¯t match the ambiance of our company¡¯s products. Everyone is discussing whether she got her position by leveraging some personal connections.¡±


    Ever since the Annie incident, I have been promoting Xu Yun, appointing her to important posts and giving her a raise. Hence, she has been extraordinarily loyal to me.


    She has also been non-reserved in front of me. She would inform me of any news in the company as soon as she came across it.


    I nodded. ¡°I will take care of it.¡±


    With the coffee in my hand, I walked into the president¡¯s office.


    At the moment, Ye Mengyan was excitedly preparing to leave, even making a triumphant gesture at me as she went, to flaunt her victory.


    Once she was out of sight, I said to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, I think Miss Ye¡¯s charisma doesn¡¯t quite match our products. I think you should reconsider it.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me, and said emphatically and domineeringly:


    ¡°Remember one thing, I¡¯m the CEO of this company. I will decide who should be our brand ambassador!¡±


    His words left me speechless. Fine, Gu Yuanzhou, you brought this upon yourself.


    I placed the coffee in front of him,


    ¡°President Gu, please have some coffee.¡±

 Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Hatred for Him_1

    Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Hatred for Him_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Perhaps it was because of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s betrayal over the past four years or his years of exploiting me. So, when I found out he was the one who drugged my uncle¡¯s family, my hatred for him peaked.


    I poured all my hatred into his cup of coffee.


    I want to see him dead.


    Dead, right here, right now.


    Gu Yuanzhou, however, doesn¡¯t rush to drink the coffee and instead watches me.


    ¡°Where were you last night?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was out to dinner with a friend!¡±


    ¡°Where did you eat?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ doesn¡¯t matter, I was with my friend, it doesn¡¯t matter if we were here or there!¡±


    Perhaps due to nervousness, I can¡¯t remember the name of the restaurant I dined at last night.


    ¡°Who was that man last night?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Who was it that claimed I killed someone¡­ which man was that?¡±


    I could tell, Gu Yuanzhou was furious.


    ¡°It was a friend of mine, he¡¯d had a bit too much to drink, he was just rambling. Don¡¯t take it to heart!¡±


    ¡°It was Ding Yinuo, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou reacts swiftly.


    I wasn¡¯t expecting the few words Ding Yinuo had uttered during his drunken rant to be heard so clearly by Gu Yuanzhou.


    And he even figured it out rather quick.


    I acknowledged outright as I realized there was no way to hide it anymore.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Upon hearing my answer, Gu Yuanzhou slammed his hand on the desk.


    His anger rattled the desk, causing the coffee to splash off the surface. Some of it spilled over, staining the papers on the desk.


    I quickly grabbed some tissues to clean up, but to my surprise, Gu Yuanzhou used a remote to shut the office¡¯s automatic door.


    He stood up, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me inside.


    He then locked me in a small space.


    Gu Yuanzhou loosened his tie and sat on the desk, facing me.


    ¡°The questions I¡¯m going to ask you, you¡¯d better answer truthfully, don¡¯t conceal anything. Because the choices you make will determine whether you can continue to work in the company.¡±


    The last sentence shocked me.


    Is he trying to fire me?


    ¡°I understand, President Gu, go ahead!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou searches for a picture on his phone and hands it over to me,


    ¡°This was him last night, right?¡±


    The image shows a young man giving a speech at the Tianjiao Company¡¯s annual meeting, it was Ding Yinuo.


    I glanced at it and nodded,


    ¡°It¡¯s him!¡±


    ¡°When did you meet him?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou lights up a cigarette, takes a puff, and is eyeing me with his chilly gaze.


    By looking at the numerous messages he sent me last night, I can guess he¡¯s suffering inside.


    ¡°Hmm, not long, just a few months I guess.¡±


    ¡°Before joining the company or after?¡±


    He questioned me like I was a suspect.


    I decided to stick to the details of Song Xiaoyun¡¯s life while answering ¡®honestly¡¯


    Don¡¯t give Gu Yuanzhou any chance to poke holes in my lies.


    ¡°After joining the company!¡±


    ¡°So you do know that Tianjiao Company is our competitor, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I am not aware! Nobody told me!¡±


    ¡°No told you?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou scoffs,


    ¡°How many times do you meet up in a week?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t meet often, very rarely¡­overall not more than thrice!¡±


    ¡°When you meet, does he ask you to do anything? Such as stealing company secrets? Or working against me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with complete distrust.


    Of course, I deny, ¡°No! Not at all! To be precise, I didn¡¯t meet Mr. Ding individually. I got to know Mr. Ding when I was with Wenya. The dinner last night was hosted by Miss Wen.¡±


    Upon hearing Wenya¡¯s name, Gu Yuanzhou immediately frowned,


    ¡°Are you close with Wenya?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­it was Mrs. Gu who introduced us when she was alive.¡±


    ¡°So do you really have nothing with him?¡±


    ¡°No, we do not have a private relationship!¡±


    I answered fluently.


    Gu Yuanzhou watched me for several seconds, his gaze as cunning as a fox, then suddenly spoke,


    ¡°Can I see your phone?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Luckily, I acted quick. I had blocked him when Ding Yinuo began his drunken rant last night.


    So this time, I readily handed my phone to Gu Yuanzhou.


    To my surprise,


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t look at my WeChat messages but immediately dialed Ding Yinuo¡¯s phone number from my phone.


    Before could react, Ding Yinuo answered.


    He basically picked up instantly.


    ¡°Ayun, what¡¯s up? Is Gu Yuanzhou giving you a hard time? Tell me where you are, I¡¯ll come get you! If he dares to mess with you, I won¡¯t let him off.¡±


    Heard Ding Yinuo¡¯s words; I could feel my face burning in embarrassment.


    Then, Gu Yuanzhou ended the call.


    He smirked at me,


    ¡°This is just a friend you¡¯ve met a few times?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I refuse to answer your questions.¡±


    ¡°Explain yourself! What¡¯s going on between you two? And, did he give you a task! This is your last chance!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Gu, although I¡¯m working in this company, my personal affairs shouldn¡¯t be your concern. It¡¯s my right to make friends, I don¡¯t believe I have to explain it to you.¡±


    I think it¡¯s better to stay silent at this point because the more you speak, the more mistakes you might make.


    The main thing is Gu Yuanzhou is a very astute man, he might use some tactics to expose me.


    Gu Yuanzhou is in a normal state right now.


    He stubbed out the cigarette, stood up, walked to the window, and looked down.


    ¡°I valued you, that¡¯s why I gave you everything! If I didn¡¯t, you¡¯d be nothing!¡±


    His voice was cold.


    With my back turned to him, I smirked.


    If I hadn¡¯t valued him years ago, he would be nothing now!


    After a long while, he opened the office door and walked out.


    When I walked out of the room,


    He had already straightened his tie, his handsome face exuded a chilling vibe. He was staring at me, his dark eyes were devoid of any emotion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time, tell me everything about you and Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    I declined him once again,


    Only then did he press the speakerphone button on the desk phone.


    The Human Resources Manager answered, ¡°President Gu, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, give her, her final paycheck!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, are you saying¡­Miss Song will be resigning?¡±


    The HR Manager questioned in bewilderment.


    Indeed, anyone would find it hard to believe that the newly promoted vice president of the company, who hadn¡¯t even served a full month, was getting fired.


    In fact, I couldn¡¯t believe that Gu Yuanzhou would be so decisive in my dismissal, showing no mercy.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Is there any compensation?¡±


    ¡°No, she resigned voluntarily!¡±


    Then, Gu Yuanzhou hung up the phone, looking at me with defiant eyes.


    Perhaps he¡¯s waiting for my surrender or compromise.


    But I don¡¯t want to, I just push the coffee cup back in front of him,


    ¡°President Gu, this is the last cup of coffee I¡¯ve made for you!¡±


    I¡¯m uncertain whether he¡¯ll drink it or not, but I can¡¯t waste the coffee since I¡¯ve added something to it already.

 Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 143 We will often do something embarrassing _1

    Chapter 143: Chapter 143 We will often do something embarrassing _1


    Translator: 549690339


    I didn¡¯t really hold much hope, especially because I had angered him.


    Given his temperament, he would have surely tipped that cup of coffee over.


    But, he didn¡¯t.


    He took the coffee with both hands, then looked deep into my eyes.


    Then he drained the coffee all at once.


    I let out a sigh of relief.


    I figured he must have been angry earlier, causing his liver to overheat, leaving him with a dry mouth and tongue, that¡¯s why he drained the cup.


    He asked, ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡±


    I glanced at the empty coffee cup, and replied indifferently,


    ¡°Take care, President Gu!¡±


    After saying that, I picked up my phone from the table and without looking back, I left Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office.


    When I reached the parking lot, I found that Ding Yinuo had already arrived.


    His car lights were still on. He was pacing back and forth anxiously like ants on a hot pan, and simultaneously making a phone call on his mobile.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, why are you here?¡±


    He looked up at me and once he recognized me, he immediately rushed over and held me tightly in his arms.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls, what happened? Why did you stay silent when I called?¡±


    ¡°It was Gu Yuanzhou who rang. He knows about us! Uh, let¡¯s go! I¡¯ve been fired!¡±


    I just briefly explained, and without a word, Ding Yinuo pulled me straight into the car.


    ¡°Get in!¡±


    Then the car sped off onto the road like a flying arrow.


    The entire way, neither Ding Yinuo nor I spoke a word.


    The car raced like an unbridled horse.


    We felt like survivors who had escaped from prison.


    Or maybe we were a couple trying to elope without letting our parents know.


    Only at the gate of Xishan Residence did he finally brake hard.


    Before I could say anything, he hurriedly pulled me by the hand into the house.


    ¡°Look, such a big house, and it is missing a mistress. You can move in anytime!¡±


    I just looked at him and smiled without saying a word.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He noticed my discomfort.


    ¡°I might not be able to become the lady of Xishan Residence anymore! I may be going to jail next!¡±


    At this moment, I was surprisingly calm.


    Images already forming in my mind, after I left, Gu Yuanzhou would suddenly be poisoned on the spot, coughing up blood and dying.


    And on that coffee cup, my fingerprints remained ¡­


    Moreover, Gu Yuanzhou had fired me today, the HR manager could testify to this.


    If they call the police, the police would suspect me first. They could infer that I must have poisoned Gu Yuanzhou out of resentment for being fired.


    With both motive and evidence, all that¡¯s left is to catch me.


    Even if by some odd chance I weren¡¯t sentenced to death, I would surely get life in prison.


    So, I guess I don¡¯t have the good fortune to become the lady of Xishan Residence.


    ¡°Going to jail for what? You still have me, what are you afraid of?¡±


    In response to Ding Yinuo¡¯s question, I was overwhelmed with thoughts. As I was conflicted about whether or not to tell him, suddenly we heard the doorbell ring.


    Ding Yinuo went to open the door.


    Upon seeing Su Peisheng, he said on the spot,


    ¡°You came at the wrong time. I¡¯m busy right now. Come back tomorrow.¡±


    Just as Ding Yinuo was about to close the door, Su Peisheng pulled someone from behind him,


    ¡°Young Master Ding, look at what treasure I brought you.¡±


    A beautiful woman in a red dress.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo! You live here now?¡±


    It took me a few seconds to recognize that this woman was Jiang Jiaying.


    She didn¡¯t wait for Ding Yinuo¡¯s invitation and walked straight into the house.


    ¡°Wow, this house is really big! I really like it! Alright, I¡¯m going to live here from now on.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was still holding a suitcase and just directly entered the house.


    Ding Yinuo and Su Peisheng were behind her, and he quietly grumbled,


    ¡°Are you seriously ill? Why did you bring her here?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she your ex-girlfriend? She said that she was too young back then and didn¡¯t treasure you properly. Now that she¡¯s grown up and matured, her heart has settled down and she wants to be with you.¡±


    ¡°Are you blind? You think she¡¯s suitable for me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo asked a string of questions, and Su Peisheng could not answer them for a while and could only slowly say,


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that your brother¡¯s current company still needs her father¡¯s support. Don¡¯t ruin your brother¡¯s good fortune. If you really don¡¯t like her then just be friends!¡±


    Ding Yinuo then turned to look at me.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡±


    He stared at me for a long time, which made me a little nervous.


    He gestured to Su Peisheng,


    ¡°You go inside first and entertain her for a bit!¡±


    Su Peisheng nodded understandably.


    Only after watching Su Peisheng enter the room, did Ding Yinuo turn to look at me again,


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Think about what?¡±


    ¡°Do you think we can keep Jiang Jiaying here?¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect Ding Yinuo to throw the problem at me.


    Considering the unpleasant experiences I had with Jiang Jiaying during my school days, I naturally did not like her.


    However, no matter how much I dislike Jiang Jiaying, I can¡¯t let personal feelings interfere in someone else¡¯s emotional entanglement.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, this is your business, it has nothing to do with me! If you like having her here then keep her, if not then don¡¯t!¡±


    Ding Yinuo squinted his eyes and asked me again,


    ¡°You don¡¯t care at all?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not my boyfriend, why should I care?¡±


    My words seemed to have annoyed Ding Yinuo. He pointed at the tip of my nose and shook it, then finally gave up in resignation.


    ¡°Fine, you¡­ nevermind, let¡¯s go in!¡±


    Although Ding Yinuo was a little disappointed, he still grabbed my hand and pulled me into the house.


    In the living room, Su Peisheng was sitting on the sofa. He had already opened a bottle of red wine and was entertaining Jiang Jiaying.


    Jiang Jiaying had a white stuffed cat in her arms, sharing some funny stories she encountered on her way back home.


    ¡°Oh, I really didn¡¯t expect it, the changes in our country these years are so fast!¡±


    She was originally talking to Su Peisheng, but when she saw Ding Yinuo coming in, she immediately switched her target to him,


    ¡°Yinuo! The decoration style of your villa is very much to my liking! I love it¡­ It seems that after so many years, our aesthetics are still consistent.¡±


    ¡°The interior was designed by a designer, I¡¯m just casual!¡±


    ¡°By the way, your brother is really nice! He picked me up from the airport when I just arrived, and even took me out for a meal!¡±


    ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t he arrange a hotel for you?¡±


    ¡°He said it¡¯s not safe for a single girl to stay in a hotel, your place is clean and comfy, very suitable for me!¡±


    Ding Yinuo took a drag from his cigarette and asked her, ¡°So how long are you planning to stay here?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying smiled and said, ¡°I came back to A City as part of a talent introduction plan, I might become a vice president in your hospital!¡±


    Ding Yinuo immediately straightened his back, looking at her in disbelief, ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°What, are you looking down on me? Ding Yinuo, I have a PhD in medicine now! My educational background is higher than yours! Technically, I¡¯m not inferior to you!¡±


    ¡°Oh, pleased to meet you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo then extended one hand, pulling me into his arms,


    ¡°As an old classmate, I¡¯m very willing to provide you with a place to stay. However, my girlfriend also lives here, she has quite a high demand, so, we often do some naughty things in the living room, if you don¡¯t mind, you can stay.¡±

 Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Poison Eruption_1

    Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Poison Eruption_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words shocked me. How could he say such shameless things?


    Just as I was about to retort, he reached out and covered my mouth.


    It was only then that Jiang Jiaying noticed me.


    From the moment she walked in, she had been talking to Su Peisheng and Ding Yinuo and seemed not to have noticed me at all.


    But after Ding Yinuo spoke, she focused her attention on me.


    ¡°Yinuo, is she your girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Hmm . . . Her, I¡¯ve never seen her before?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s normal if you don¡¯t recognize her. We¡¯ve only been dating for less than half a year.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh . . .¡±


    The smile on Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face visibly began to fade.


    Then, out of politeness, she asked about my profession. Of course, she asked Ding Yinuo, not me.


    ¡°What does your girlfriend do?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not working at the moment!¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t seem to want to say more.


    Only then did Jiang Jiaying smile and say,


    ¡°Yinuo, you really are a good man! There aren¡¯t many men these days who are willing to financially support their girlfriends.¡±


    Ding Yinuo still held me tightly by my shoulders, almost embracing my entire body in his arms.


    ¡°The reason other men don¡¯t support their girlfriends is that they can¡¯t afford it. I can! I can support her for a lifetime; Ding Yinuo¡¯s woman doesn¡¯t need to struggle for a living.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, I¡¯ve been force-fed so much PDA late into the night!¡±


    After chatting for a while, Su Peisheng got up to leave,


    ¡°I have some business to take care of. I have to go. Ding, since I¡¯ve brought her here to you, you¡¯d better put in a good word for me if your brother calls.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving now?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    Ding Yinuo desperately signaled Su Peisheng with his eyes to take Jiang Jiaying away. But Su Peisheng shrugged,


    ¡°If you have any questions, ask your brother. It¡¯s not my business.¡±


    With that, Su Peisheng really took off.


    Ding Yinuo could only ask Jiang Jiaying,


    ¡°It¡¯s late. Shall I take you to a hotel?¡±


    ¡°No, I see that you have many guest rooms here, and I¡¯ve already put my luggage in one. I¡¯ll stay here tonight and find a hotel tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Well . . . okay then.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t expected that Jiang Jiaying, after learning Ding Yinuo had a girlfriend, still insisted on staying. It seemed she had strong feelings for Ding Yinuo.


    I wasn¡¯t in a good mood and didn¡¯t feel like dealing with their situation.


    ¡°Yinuo, could you help me understand how to use the things in the room?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Next, Ding Yinuo went to settle Jiang Jiaying in.


    I found a quiet room, thinking about today¡¯s events.


    By now, it had been four or five hours since Gu Yuanzhou drank that cup of coffee.


    Had he died yet from the poison?


    Why hadn¡¯t the police come to arrest me yet?


    I had Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s Wechat account on my phone, and I kept refreshing it to see if any new developments had appeared.


    But there were none!


    I also checked Ye Mengyan¡¯s wechat, but there were no updates.


    I stared at the wall clock. Time seemed unusually slow at this moment.


    Seeing a pack of cigarettes on the table, I directly pulled out one and lit it with a lighter.


    I took a deep breath¡­


    Then came the severe coughing.


    I wished I could be like those men who found relief in smoking. But in fact, I didn¡¯t smoke.


    The bout of coughing almost made me cough up my lungs.


    Ding Yinuo rushed in, opened the window for ventilation, and at the same time took the cigarette from my hand.


    ¡°Trying to smoke when you don¡¯t even know how?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, do you seriously think you¡¯re my boyfriend? Mind your own business!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? You were fine just now. Why did you go crazy after seeing Jiang Jiaying?¡±


    He tried to hold my face, but I pushed him away.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I think I should go.¡±


    ¡°Are you still angry about Gu Yuanzhou? If he fires you, he fires you. Are you afraid of not having a job? You can live without him! Why are you still so blind, why are you still saddened by this man after all this time?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was somewhat agitated.


    I gently pushed him away.


    After a long silence, I said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve already killed him!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The poison, the one you gave me, I¡¯ve already given it to him! Ding Yinuo, I don¡¯t intend to implicate you any more. I¡¯ll leave right away.¡±


    The moment I turned to walk away, Ding Yinuo caught my arm from behind and gently pulled me into his arms.


    Then, unexpectedly, he started to laugh.


    ¡°Good!¡±


    ¡°Good what?¡±


    ¡°You finally dared to take action against him?¡±


    ¡°He, uh¡­ he deserves to die! He dared to harm my uncle and aunt!¡±


    ¡°So, I ask you, if he dies, will you regret it?¡±


    He asked, staring at my eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I will regret it in the future, but I don¡¯t regret it now.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it was him that poisoned your aunt?¡±


    ¡°Flower Auntie said! That batch of health products were sent by Gu Yuanzhou, if not him, then who?¡±


    ¡°What if it wasn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ding Yinuo, I hate Gu Yuanzhou right now! Only his death can appease my hatred.¡±


    ¡°So, you no longer love him, do you?¡±


    ¡°No love, of course not!¡±


    Hearing this, Ding Yinuo smiled.


    ¡°What are you smiling at? This time I didn¡¯t do it cleanly, leaving many traces! If he really dies, the police will investigate me. So, Ding Yinuo, I better leave here.¡±


    Ding Yinuo stopped me,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, trust me, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you. You¡¯re not going anywhere tonight, you¡¯re going to stay here.¡±


    After speaking, he took my hand and led me to the master bedroom.


    ¡°You¡¯re sleeping here tonight.¡±


    ¡°No, you ..¡±


    I was about to retort when he suddenly put a finger to my lips and pushed me onto the bed¡­


    Then, footsteps sounded, I lifted my head to see Jiang Jiaying. She had stormed into the bedroom.


    Seeing our suggestive position, she awkwardly excused herself and left,


    ¡°Sorry, I got lost, this house is too big. You two carry on!¡±


    She turned and walked out.


    Only then did Ding Yinuo get up and tell me,


    ¡°You know, Jiang Jiaying¡¯s father is a director in some department¡­ My brother¡¯s company is at his mercy. Please, for my brother¡¯s sake, could you help me entertain her?¡±


    ¡°I should help you? Does this really need my help? Don¡¯t you want to renew old feelings with Miss Jiang?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? She¡¯s not an old flame!¡±


    ¡°Then who is?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you idiot, haven¡¯t you figured it out yet?¡±


    He shook his head, the smile in his eyes mocking me for being a fool, but he never said the name out loud.


    Until my phone rang. I glanced at it, it was a call from Ye Mengyan. When I answered it, she was howling at me through the phone.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, how dare you poison Gu Yuanzhou? Have you lost your mind?¡±

 Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 145: What’s the Next Step?_1

    Chapter 145: Chapter 145: What¡¯s the Next Step?_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Deep into the night, Ye Mengyan was venting her emotions non-stop¡­


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou treats you so well, how can you do this to him? You¡¯re just like a venomous snake, a vile woman!¡±


    ¡°If he dies, you won¡¯t have it easy!¡±


    I knew it; the jig was finally up.


    After hanging up the call, for a while, my mind felt numb.


    Since even Ye Mengyan knew I poisoned him, it¡¯s likely that the police would come to arrest me tomorrow morning.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ding Yinuo noticed my mood changes.


    ¡°Erm, Gu Yuanzhou might be dying soon, and I might be going to jail¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo not only didn¡¯t show any worry but even laughed, ¡°You¡¯re upset over this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be imprisoned, didn¡¯t you get it?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t go to jail!¡±


    ¡°Heh, an experience I missed in my last life, getting a taste of it after reincarnation, now that¡¯s absurd.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, as I said, you won¡¯t be going to jail!¡±


    ¡°If Gu Yuanzhou is dead, how could I not go to jail, yes, if not now, then tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, calm down, do you think I¡¯d set you up?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Who told you he¡¯s going to die? Don¡¯t lose control!¡±


    ¡°But he drank the poisoned coffee, he¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t die!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Watching my panicked state, Ding Yinuo opened the drawer and fetched a medicine bottle filled with Vitamin C.


    In front of me, he crushed the pill at the bottom of the bottle and then wrapped the powder in a piece of white paper.


    ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°This is the drug I gave you!¡±


    ¡°You mean, you gave me vitamin powder?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Hearing this, I wanted to tear my hair out,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what are you up to? Don¡¯t you realize this can scare someone to death?¡±


    ¡°You idiot, did you really think I¡¯d let you poison Gu Yuanzhou? I simply wanted to see your determination. Good, you¡¯re now willing to make a move on Gu Yuanzhou. This means you¡¯re no longer holding onto any illusions about him!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Yes, even if Gu Yuanzhou really died, how would Ye Mengyan know I was the one who poisoned him?


    Perhaps, she was just bluffing me. Otherwise, if she really had evidence of me poisoning, why wouldn¡¯t she report me to the police?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, get some good rest and visit the company tomorrow!¡±


    After a few more words with Ding Yinuo, I finally calmed down.


    ¡°You sleep on the bed, I¡¯ll take the couch!¡±


    Ding Yinuo opened the wardrobe, took out a blanket and lay on the couch.


    That night, everything was peaceful.


    The next morning.


    When I woke up, Ding Yinuo was no longer on the couch.


    The blanket on the couch had been neatly put away.


    From outside the window, laughter drifted in. I walked over to the window and saw Jiang Jiaying, dressed in yoga pants, exercising in the morning sun.


    The tight yoga pants accentuated her figure.


    She must have just finished exercising, her face was still covered in sweat, and she was chatting with Ding Yinuo.


    From Jiang Jiaying¡¯s eyes, I saw how a woman admires a man.


    She went over to Ding Yinuo with a towel, intending to wipe his sweat for him, but Ding Yinuo indifferently pushed her away.


    It was clear that Ding Yinuo wasn¡¯t particularly interested in her; he was even somewhat cold.


    After getting ready, I was about to head out.


    Ding Yinuo was waiting for me outside with his car ready.


    ¡°No need for you to drop me off!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou has already fired you; you¡¯re still going to the company. Have you thought of an excuse?¡±


    ¡°To settle my salary!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a reasonable excuse! Let me drive you to the company!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was persistent, so I had no choice but to get in the car.


    After starting up the car, I looked back to see Jiang Jiaying standing by the door, smiling at me.


    ¡°That Miss Jiang seems pretty good, she seems to have matured a lot from her student days!¡±


    Ding Yinuo responded absentmindedly,


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Seriously? You¡¯ve forgotten? It hasn¡¯t been that many years.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯ve forgotten, it¡¯s that I never paid any attention.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re ruthless!¡±


    Half an hour later, Ding Yinuo¡¯s car stopped outside my company building.


    I thought, since Gu Yuanzhou has fired me, there¡¯s no need to keep up appearances, and I¡¯m not worried about Dewey being seen anymore.


    I walked into the building as soon as I stepped out of the car.


    The receptionist at the front desk anxiously rushed over to grab my hand as soon as she saw me.


    ¡°Miss Song, is President Gu okay?¡±


    Immediately, I had a bad feeling, ¡°What happened to President Gu?¡±


    Actually, ever since Ding Yinuo told me last night that what he gave to me was just vitamin powder, I knew President Gu was fine.


    But the receptionist¡¯s reaction was obviously different from what I had been thinking.


    ¡°Ah, Miss Song, you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve resigned, I came today to settle my wages. Maybe you can tell me what happened.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I also heard it from my colleagues. Yesterday, President Gu suddenly spat out fresh blood in the office. An ambulance came over. Some people said that President Gu was poisoned by something he drank!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    I was a bit flustered on the spot, and for a moment I couldn¡¯t figure out what had happened.


    Surprisingly, Ding Yinuo couldn¡¯t wait and hurried in, directly asking the receptionist, ¡°Which hospital did the ambulance take him to?¡±


    ¡°The Municipal Second Hospital, just up ahead!¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo quickly dragged me out again, got in the car, and took off down the road.


    ¡°I thought you said it was just vitamin powder? Why is he spitting blood?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I have a friend in the Municipal Second Hospital! Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll know the answer soon.¡±


    ¡°Ok!¡±


    At this point, the situation had completely exceeded my expectations.


    I had no idea what had happened.


    At the entrance of the Municipal Second Hospital, Ding Yinuo patted my shoulder,


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ask a friend for updates. See what his condition is! Sometimes it could be his existing illness, for example, severe gastritis could cause bleeding, don¡¯t overthink it, I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure!¡±


    Although I was anxious, I could only wait for the result now.


    But not long after Ding Yinuo left, my phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID, it was Gu Yuanzhou.


    It wasn¡¯t until the phone had rung six times that I finally picked up.


    ¡°Gu¡­ Yuanzhou!¡±


    After a long pause, I finally said his name.


    On the other end of the phone, he was silent for a few seconds, ¡°Have you settled your wages with the HR department yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet¡­ ¡±


    We had left in such a hurry that I had no time to do it.


    ¡°Hmm, come over to the hospital. The Municipal Second Hospital, ward 609!¡±


    ¡°Do you need me to bring anything?¡±


    ¡°No need, just you coming is enough.¡±


    I deliberately dragged the conversation with him, trying to glean some clues from his tone.


    But his voice was very calm, emotionally stable, only a bit hoarse, indicating weakness.


    I couldn¡¯t figure out his intentions at the moment but had to go anyway.

 Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 146 He is Testing Me _1

    Chapter 146: Chapter 146 He is Testing Me _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Anyway, I¡¯ve already arrived at the ward, there was nothing to hesitate about.


    So I went straight over.


    Pushing open the door to the ward, Gu Yuanzhou lay in bed, looking somewhat pale.


    The air was filled with the smell of disinfectant.


    At this moment, I was still wondering, was Gu Yuanzhou lying to me? What kind of mind game was he playing?


    He glanced at me and spoke softly:


    ¡°Close the door!¡±


    I nodded, turned and walked to the door, closing it behind me.


    I then slowly approached him,


    ¡°President Gu!¡±


    He waved his hand, pointing to the chair upfront,


    ¡°Move a chair over here and sit.¡±


    I didn¡¯t understand his intention, but still did as he asked.


    Moving a chair to sit beside his bed, the table was empty, devoid of flowers or fruit baskets. It seemed like he hadn¡¯t publicized his injury, hence, there weren¡¯t many visitors.


    ¡°You really shocked me!¡±


    He slowly turned towards me, even though he appeared slightly unwell, his eyes were as sharp as ever.


    ¡°President Gu¡­ what do you mean?¡±


    My heart was in turmoil, but I remained calm.


    I knew one thing very clearly: unless solid evidence was presented before me, even if the police came to arrest me with handcuffs, I couldn¡¯t confess.


    ¡°As long as you confess honestly, sincerely regret it, and promise not to make the same mistake, I¡¯ll forgive you once!¡±


    His tone was rather gentle, as if he would forgive me as long as I told the truth.


    But I rejected him.


    ¡°President Gu, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou patiently continued,


    ¡°You were misled by Ding Yinuo and committed actions against your will. I can understand that. As I¡¯ve said before, as long as you confess, I won¡¯t hold you responsible.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, could you please be clearer?¡±


    ¡°I was poisoned last night, I believe you should know that. Did you poison my food or drink?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was gradually losing patience and directly asked.


    I fell silent.


    Gu Yuanzhou began to lose his temper,


    ¡°My late wife had a personal feud with Ding Yinuo. This hatred has extended to both of our companies. Now that my wife is gone, he probably took this opportunity to try and kill me. What I¡¯m trying to say is, no matter how good Ding Yinuo treats you, or the promises he makes to you, he is using you. Using you to get revenge on me. If you follow his arrangements, your life will be ruined.¡±


    I remained calm.


    After this encounter with Gu Yuanzhou, I could roughly guess a few things.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t have any evidence. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve reported to the police already.


    He had a lot of meals throughout the day and had probably done all the investigations he could.


    And the only thing I had given him was a cup of coffee.


    Moreover, I boldly hypothesized that he possibly hadn¡¯t found any clues in the coffee I gave him.


    Then it became more and more certain.


    ¡°President Gu¡¯s words are chilling. Clearly, President Gu doesn¡¯t trust me. Since you don¡¯t trust me, why not hand me over to the police? I believe the police will provide President Gu with a satisfactory answer.¡±


    Upon hearing these words, Gu Yuanzhou stared at me for a long time before he slowly spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve asked HR to cancel your resignation. Until I¡¯ve recovered, you¡¯ll stay in the hospital to take care of me.¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    Like always, Gu Yuanzhou was devious. It seems until he finds the real culprit, he won¡¯t let me go.


    Of course, I also wanted to figure out who had really poisoned Gu Yuanzhou.


    Afterwards, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t ask me about it again, he just had me read out some unfinished company files from the past few days.


    One hour later, I made an excuse and left.


    When I walked out of the ward, I bumped into Ye Mengyan who was walking towards me.


    In Ye Mengyan¡¯s hand were fresh fruits and nutritional supplements.


    What surprised me was that she was calm when she saw me, unlike the anger she displayed during our phone call.


    She gave me a slight smile and walked into the ward.


    Instead of leaving, I silently leaned against the wall to eavesdrop.


    ¡°Big brother Gu, I made this congee for you. The doctor says you can only have soft food, you can¡¯t eat anything solid. I cooked it for four hours, even the meat is softened.


    ¡°Big brother Gu, did she confess?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou replied faintly, ¡°It¡¯s not her.¡±


    ¡°Big brother Gu, it must be her. I saw her with Ding Yinuo a long time ago, living in Xishan Residence and often going to Tianjiao Company. Anyhow, keep her away from you. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll handle this matter myself later. Don¡¯t interfere.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡±


    I wanted to hear more. However, at the end of the corridor, I saw the figure of Ding Yinuo stepping out of the elevator, waving at me.


    I had to leave the room quickly.


    Ding Yinuo immediately took my hand and led me into the elevator, his voice filled with anxious concern.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer your phone after I called so many times?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I put my phone on silent. I went to see Gu Yuanzhou, and it was inconvenient to take your calls.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait at the hospital entrance?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked quite anxious, as if I was some underage lost girl.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou called me.¡±


    ¡°What did he say to you?¡±


    ¡°What else could he say, just asking me why I poisoned him!¡±


    ¡°Did you admit it?¡±


    ¡°Of course not¡­ didn¡¯t you say that the thing was just a vitamin? Since it¡¯s a vitamin, I didn¡¯t poison him, why should I take the blame?¡±


    Ding Yinuo immediately gave me a thumbs up,


    ¡°You¡¯re smart, not being cheated.¡±


    ¡°So, did you find anything?¡±


    Just then, the elevator door opened. Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t respond.


    At this moment, we ran into one of his classmates, who was dressed in a white coat and according to his ID badge, he was a chief physician.


    ¡°Hey, you were chasing me around to check the medical records just for this pretty lady?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll treat you to dinner later!¡±


    ¡°This lady is pretty beautiful. Introduce us, what¡¯s her name?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business, she¡¯s my girlfriend. Don¡¯t think about it!¡±


    The classmate laughed, making me feel awkward.


    Ding Yinuo kept holding my hand as we left the hospital.


    ¡°Wow, you have many friends!¡±


    ¡°I studied medicine, so all, or at least ninety percent of my classmates, are doctors!¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. You still haven¡¯t answered my question.¡±


    After getting in the car, and making sure no one was around, Ding Yinuo said to me,


    ¡°It¡¯s strange, but Gu Yuanzhou really was poisoned.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve checked the hospital¡¯s backend medical record. He was indeed vomiting blood when he was brought in last night, he was poisoned and had his stomach pumped.¡±

 Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 147 His Intentions for Leaving Me Behind_1

    Chapter 147: Chapter 147 His Intentions for Leaving Me Behind_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°What kind of poison is it?¡±


    ¡°Heavy metals!¡±


    ¡°Heavy metals? Is it the same type that my aunt was poisoned with?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s similar to that.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible, Ding Yinuo, are you sure you didn¡¯t get it wrong? I mean, are you sure what you gave me was not vitamin powder?¡±


    ¡°Do you think poison is just readily available? Even the dosage must be carefully measured.. It¡¯s not something you can just casually use.¡±


    Suddenly, Ding Yinuo thought of something.


    ¡°Could it be that the person who poisoned your aunt and Gu Yuanzhou is the same one?¡±


    Reminded by Ding Yinuo, I suddenly realized.


    Perhaps I had misunderstood Gu Yuanzhou. Could it be that he was not the one who had poisoned my aunt?


    Because no one would want to poison themselves, right?


    With that thought in mind, I decided to investigate the source of these health supplements.


    ¡°Did he ask you for any other favors?¡±


    ¡°He wanted me to stay to take care of him!¡±


    ¡°Did you agree?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked somewhat anxious.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Ding Yinuo touched my forehead and exclaimed on the spot,


    ¡°Have you lost your mind? Still wanting to stay by his side?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I have my own plan and goal. If you cannot support me, at least you can¡¯t oppose me.¡±


    ¡°But have you ever thought that you could be in danger by his side.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my business¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I am meddling in other people¡¯s affairs. In the future, your issues no longer have anything to do with me.¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed very angry and straight away entered the elevator, leaving me behind.


    I could understand Ding Yinuo¡¯s anger.


    If Wenya had heard this, she would have reacted the same.


    But for me, the truth is all that matters. I certainly won¡¯t leave before the facts are clear.


    For the next few days, I went to the hospital every day to accompany Gu Yuanzhou.


    Following his instructions, I reviewed all the urgent documents that he needed to sign daily from the office.


    I don¡¯t know if it was because he is a workaholic, or because he has lost trust in me.


    Now, he oversees all the work himself, he even reviews every document that I handle.


    Sometimes, I can¡¯t help but grumble,


    ¡°President Gu, there¡¯s no need for this. If you don¡¯t trust me, you can fire me.¡±


    He lifted his head, his gaze fixated on me was becoming deep.


    ¡°If it were another employee, I would have fired them long ago!¡±


    I picked up an apple, slowly peeling it in my hand while calmly looking at him.


    ¡°So, why hasn¡¯t President Gu fired me?¡±


    ¡°You know the reason!¡±


    ¡°Is it because you can find Mrs. Gu¡¯s feeling from me?¡±


    He looked at me after hearing this and then let out a cold laugh, ¡°I used to, not anymore!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    He looked out the window, his eyes deepening. After a while, he said with a sense of longing.


    ¡°My Ayun was so kind. She loved me like her life, she could give me everything. How could she bear to harm me like this.¡±


    Upon hearing this, my hand trembled. I accidentally cut my finger, and blood started to flow out immediately.


    I hurriedly threw away the apple and got up.


    I lightly sucked my fingertip.


    After a while, I calmed down a bit.


    ¡°President Gu, you can actually think carefully about what you ate that day. What tea you drank, as well as the meals and health products. Everything, you should have it checked to see if we can find any clues. Without evidence, it is not advisable for President Gu to casually accuse me.¡±


    Just as my words fell, Ye Mengyan walked in.


    It¡¯s been a few days since we last met.


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s attire had levelled up again.


    Ever since Gu Yuanzhou decided to make her the company¡¯s brand spokesperson, her clothing has become more and more exquisite.


    Now, she wore a tens of thousands-priced dress, carried a VL bag, and even wore a four-leaf clover necklace around her neck.


    Standing on the street, she looked like a Lady.


    Oh, but upon closer inspection, she really didn¡¯t.


    Despite all the fancy clothes, she was still a mistress at heart. She lacked the confidence and demeanor.


    Even the best clothes on her were like a child wearing an adult¡¯s clothes, unable to carry it off.


    Ye Mengyan seemed to notice my gaze, she let out a light chuckle,


    ¡°This necklace is pretty, isn¡¯t it? Gu Ge bought it for me.¡±


    ¡°Really? Even when he¡¯s so ill, he still finds the time and energy to please you, how troublesome.¡±


    I dumped a bucket of cold water on Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t bought today, he ordered it a long time ago!¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s face was bursting with happiness, she was holding a packed lunch box. At that moment, she took everything out and placed it on the table.


    ¡°Brother Gu, try this porridge I made!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to trust Ye Mengyan very much.


    He put down his phone, took the bowl that Ye Mengyan handed over and started to drink the porridge.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I have been busy these past few days. I took all the suspicious food from your office for testing. I believe it won¡¯t be long before we find out who poisoned you¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your compliment, Brother Gu! My only wish now is to catch the culprit as soon as possible and eliminate any danger to Brother Gu!¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡±


    ¡°By the way, Brother Gu, these are the print ads I shot in the past few days, do you think they look good?¡±


    Ye Mengyan showed Gu Yuanzhou the photos in her hand.


    I originally wanted to leave but then thought about it and still humbly went back.


    Ye Mengyan looked at me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you see, if I represent the new products of Zhenyi in the future, the market sales will be very hot, right?¡±


    I slightly hooked the corner of my mouth, glanced at the photos she had taken.


    Smiling at Gu Yuanzhou, I said.


    ¡°To be honest, if President Gu wants to fire me, I can ignore this. But if President Gu wants me to stay, then I have a suggestion¨Cchange the spokesperson! Miss Ye¡¯s temperament doesn¡¯t match this fashion!¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s face fell immediately,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, the only reason you say these things is because of your envy and jealousy towards me, right? But that¡¯s alright, I don¡¯t mind. After all, you¡¯re not the boss here. President Gu is the one who makes the decisions in this company.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I hope you consider this carefully!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou did not side with Ye Mengyan this time, he looked at me deeply again,


    ¡°Are you negating my strategy before the new product has even been launched?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I have done business analysis. If I didn¡¯t have absolute certainty, I wouldn¡¯t risk offending you and say these words. President Gu, I hope you carefully consider it!¡±


    Having said this, I turned around and walked out.


    As I walked out of the hospital gate, a thought suddenly occurred to me.


    If these health supplements were bought by Gu Yuanzhou, there must be a purchase record¡­

 Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Nourished by Love_1

    Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Nourished by Love_1


    Translator: 549690339


    These health products are expensive, he must intend to charge them to the company¡¯s account.


    It¡¯s convenient that I got rid of the previous accountant, Yuan Li, and the current accountant is Aunt Shen.


    Aunt Shen was among the first batch of older employees when the company was established. Although she¡¯s now over fifty, she¡¯s sharp and meticulous. She has worked for Zhenyi Company for many years without making any mistakes.


    After being fired by Gu Yuanzhou, I brought her back to work.


    At this time, Aunt Shen was grateful to me and was naturally willing to help me review Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expenditures during the New Year.


    Nowadays, all accounts are kept on computers, so it¡¯s easy to access information.


    Soon, Aunt Shen found several transactions made by Gu Yuanzhou on the first day of the Lunar New Year.


    ¡°Miss Song, look at this!¡±


    ¡°Could you check where these transactions took place?¡±


    ¡°The main ones were in a pharmacy on Huaxi Road, for health products¡­¡±


    Huaxi Road pharmacy?


    I remember that Gu Yuanzhou buys supplements like bird¡¯s nest from that pharmacy every year.


    It would seem that I need to visit this pharmacy to uncover the truth¡­


    ¡°Aunt Shen, thank you very much! You¡¯ve really helped me out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing, just a drop in the ocean. I am too old to do something big.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Shen, please don¡¯t say that. This is why I called you back, because of the company¡¯s trust in you. You are now essentially the steward of the company, and you must manage it well to honor the late Mrs. Gu.¡±


    My words brought tears to Aunt Shen¡¯s eyes, and she started to choke up,


    ¡°Mrs. Gu was such a good person, but tragically taken too soon. The company constantly grew when she was here. Ever since Miss Ye arrived, all sorts of problems have surfaced¡­ I¡¯m afraid the company may not last¡­¡±


    There was something more in what Aunt Shen said, and I sensed the seriousness of the tone. I then brought a chair over and had a heart-to-heart talk with Aunt Shen.


    That¡¯s when I discovered that the woman, Ye Mengyan, is far more complicated than I had ever imagined.


    With her current behavior, the company is surely not too far from collapse.


    Learning about these dark secrets is quite shocking.


    Finally, Aunt Shen held my hand,


    ¡°I was just a salaried worker, content with my monthly paycheck. But when I think about the blood, sweat, and tears Mrs. Gu poured into this company, it pains me to see it all go to waste. Miss Song, you are reasonable, you must make President Gu see reason.¡±


    ¡°Aah, you can never awaken a person who is pretending to be asleep, but, I¡¯ll see to it that Zhenyi doesn¡¯t go under.¡±


    Why should I awaken Gu Yuanzhou?


    If he wants to indulge in Ye Mengyan, then let him descend into hell with her.


    But I will not allow the Zhenyi Company to be sacrificed alongside them.


    Just as I was getting ready to go to the hospital with some documentation, I got an emergency call from Wenya.


    ¡°Ayun, Jian Jing is in trouble, can you drive over?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    From the tone of Wenya¡¯s voice, I could tell she was very worried. Without saying another word, I directly drove my BMW to Jian¡¯s house.


    When I arrived, I found Jian Jing sitting next to a flower bed in the courtyard. Her face was pale, and her mother-in-law was continuously berating her.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you take care of yourself at your age? Zihang is so busy with work, and now he has to worry about you!¡±


    Wenya couldn¡¯t bear it and directly retorted,


    ¡°Aunty, please watch your tongue. You know that Jian Jing is pregnant and yet you want her to go shopping for groceries and cook for everyone early in the morning? Besides, what heartache is Zihang experiencing? If he really cared, he would have taken Jian Jing to the hospital!¡±


    The old lady got angry when she heard this, put her hands on her hips and started shouting at Wenya,


    ¡°It¡¯s clear you have no manners. I went through great pains to raise my son, it¡¯s only natural for a daughter-in-law to take care of her in-laws!¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap, you did raise your son!!! He is the one who should serve you, respect you, not your daughter-in-law. What does Jian Jing have to do with this? She was raised by her own mother and if she¡¯s going to be respectful to someone then it¡¯s her mother, none of your business.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the old lady¡¯s face turned red, and she got even more aggravated, pointing at Wenya¡¯s nose,


    ¡°After marrying into our Yu Family, Jian Jing became one of us. She eats our food, lives in our house. What¡¯s wrong with her doing chores? I¡¯m saying, Jian Jing typically disrespects her elders. It seems she¡¯s been influenced by you impolite girls.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, why is your language so unpleasant, you old lady? I¡¯m the one who has no manners, you¡¯ve got them?¡±


    The two were arguing louder and louder, and I had to step in and settle things down.


    ¡°Aunty, do you care about the child in Jian Jing¡¯s belly or not? After all, it¡¯s your grandchild. If you care, then talk to us nicely, we¡¯re here to help her.¡±


    The old lady was silenced by my words.


    Only then did Wenya and I manage to help Jian Jing into the car. The old lady should have come with us. After all, she is Jian Jing¡¯s mother-in-law.


    However, just as it was the old lady¡¯s turn to get into the car, she suddenly said,


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve something urgent at home, you go first, I¡¯ll come later.¡±


    Wenya rolled down the car window and shouted, ¡°If you¡¯re not going, then give us some money, maybe three to five hundred.¡±


    The old lady retorted, ¡°Why should I pay? I¡¯m not the one who is sick!¡±


    Then she ran off faster than a rabbit.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll cover it!¡±


    I shook my head, started the car, and drove off.


    At this point, Jian Jing looked pale and held her belly tightly without uttering a word.


    Since City Hospital No.1 was nearby, I went straight there.


    There was a long line at the emergency department, and Wenya asked me to find Ding Yinuo.


    Considering that Ding Yinuo and I had just had an argument, he might hold a grudge and refuse to help.


    But seeing Jian Jing in such pain, I was worried that a delay might cause complications, so I went straight to Ding Yinuo¡¯s office.


    No one was there when I peered in from the door.


    Just then, two passing nurses were chatting,


    ¡°Hey, did you see our new vice president of the hospital, young and attractive!¡±


    ¡°No, I was on duty and didn¡¯t go to the meeting. But I¡¯ve heard that she¡¯s Ding Yinuo¡¯s fianc¨¦e!¡±


    ¡°No wonder Dr. Ding has been single all this while. With such an attractive fianc¨¦e, he could hardly have an eye for anyone else!¡±


    ¡°I heard Dr. Ding was called into the vice president¡¯s office¡­ said it was for business that probably wasn¡¯t business!¡±


    The nurses covered their mouths and giggled, clearly enjoying the gossip.


    To my surprise, Jiang Jiaying had already taken up her position so quickly. I was about to turn around and leave,


    when I heard a familiar voice from behind me.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you come in and sit?¡±


    Turning to look, I saw the man in the white coat, elegant and handsome, none other than Ding Yinuo.


    For some reason, I could see a visible springtime warmth on his face.


    ¡°It seems love has been treating you well recently!¡±

 Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Did I Misunderstand Him?_1

    Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Did I Misunderstand Him?_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo opened the door of the office and looked at me,


    ¡°There was love, but not much. Instead of nourishing me, it trapped me in endless internal strife.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words always left people pondering¡­


    ¡°I did not see that coming!¡±


    ¡°Come in and sit!¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t sit, I need your help with something¡­¡±


    He leaned against the door with his arms crossed, his long eyes staring deep into me,


    ¡°Seriously, babe. I¡¯ve helped you so much, can¡¯t you be a little nicer to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you out to dinner when I have a moment!¡±


    ¡°Do you think I lack that meal?¡±


    ¡°No time, Jian Jing¡¯s water broke, she¡¯s now queuing up for emergency treatment, can you lend a helping hand ¡­¡±


    At the words of Ding Yinuo, his playful expression finally toned down, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that earlier? where is she?¡±


    ¡°In the first-floor waiting room, of course!¡±


    ¡°No need to wait, have her go directly to the emergency room on the third floor by elevator, I¡¯ll arrange for people.¡±


    ¡°Okay, perfect!¡±


    Having connections at the hospital is really convenient. Ding Yinuo is not an obstetrician himself, but with his facilitation, Jian Jing was quickly admitted to the emergency room.


    While waiting outside, Wenya and I chatted and ended up discussing the poisoning. She then asked me,


    ¡°What, you still have faith in Gu Yuanzhou? Stop messing around looking for evidence! As far as I can see, just go along with your plan and kill him. He isn¡¯t dead yet, right? Add some more medicine to his IV. This bastard doesn¡¯t deserve to live.¡±


    I laughed, ¡°Clearly, his injuries now are not caused by the drugs I administered! What I gave him were not poison.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, didn¡¯t you want to kill him back then? You might as well have considered the medicine from Ding Yinuo as genuine!¡±


    ¡°If I really killed him, I would confess. But being framed and becoming a scapegoat is different.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, are you going soft?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going soft!¡±


    When Wenya saw Ding Yinuo talking with his colleagues in the distance, she suddenly changed the subject,


    ¡°Why not, you two get together?¡±


    ¡°Stop joking!¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve known Ding Yinuo for so many years. Don¡¯t you understand him? I think marrying Ding Yinuo would have been a better choice than marrying Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Wenya sighed deeply.


    I was silent for a moment,


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get together with Su Peisheng?¡±


    My counter-question caught Wenya off guard, and she rolled her eyes several times,


    ¡°Can¡¯t you compare with a better example? What kind of person is Su Fagun? You¡¯re really ignorant. Never mind, let¡¯s not talk about it!¡±


    ¡°You wait here for Jian Jing. I¡¯m going out for a bit, I have something to do. I¡¯ll come back later to check on her.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you go do your thing, I can keep an eye on her here by myself.¡±


    ¡°Call me if there¡¯s anything.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    It¡¯s not far from Huaxi Road, and there are many pharmacies near the hospital.


    This one called the Ginseng Store is the largest one nearby. The reason Gu Yuanzhou often shopped here before is that it is a large store.


    They provide quality assurance for their products. I stood at the door of the shop for a long time contemplating.


    Indeed, it is a large shop. The interior is also lavishly decorated. It¡¯s several hundred square meters in total, the first floor has medicines, and the second floor has high-end tonics.


    ¡°Miss, what product can I help you with?¡±


    As soon as I entered, a passionate sales associate approached.


    Although they were dressed in white lab coats, I knew very well they were not doctors ¨C just sales personnel.


    I got straight to the point, ¡°I would like to see the store manager!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Miss, we can introduce you to products. The manager, he¡¯s not in the store at this time.¡±


    ¡°Then call him and tell him that my family has nearly died taking your medicine¡­. If he doesn¡¯t want to come out and deal with it, I¡¯ll report it to the Drug Inspection Bureau! Then we¡¯re not just chatting anymore.¡±


    The sales associate turned pale as soon as she heard that someone had nearly died from taking the medicine, she poured me a cup of tea and let me wait in the office.


    Less than three minutes later, the manager rushed over.


    He was extremely respectful because under legal provisions if drugs from their store cause death, not only would the store go bankrupt, but the boss also stands to be sentenced.


    So, his attitude was far more pleasing than I had imagined.


    ¡°Miss, you just mentioned something about a problem with a health product bought from our store?¡±


    I directly put the health product that I took from my aunt¡¯s house in front of him.


    ¡°Look, this was sold in your shop, correct?¡±


    The manager picked up the medicine bottle and carefully inspected it,


    ¡°This product does indeed look very similar to the one we sell. Can you show the receipt from that time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, the receipt is gone.¡±


    ¡°How can you prove that this bottle was sold in our shop then?¡±


    This manager is pretty sly.


    ¡°We used mobile transfer to pay. We have the payment records¡­.¡±


    As soon as I said this, the manager¡¯s attitude changed immediately.


    ¡°Miss, what assistance can we provide you with? However, I must stress that our products are safe. They are certified by international authorities, let me show you the certificates¡­¡±


    I pushed away the certificates he handed over,


    ¡°I just need you to help me check the surveillance footage when we purchased these products during the Chinese New Year. I know you have a camera installed at the door.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ it¡¯s been more than half a year already, and this might infringe on the privacy of other customers, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not right¡­¡±


    As he continued to deflect, I stood up,


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll just call the police then. After all, it¡¯s a matter of life and death. Regardless of whether it¡¯s your medicine or not, before the truth is found, all your chain stores will be forced to shut down, right?¡±


    ¡°Miss, please sit, I will find it right away. I assure you I¡¯ll satisfy you!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡±


    The manager was quite swift. In less than half an hour, he had handed me the footage from that day.


    I carefully reviewed the footage.


    The video showed that in the early morning around eight o¡¯clock, Gu Yuanzhou himself came here to buy health products. After buying them, he took a phone call and casually handed the products over to another person.


    Since this was captured by the camera at the entrance of the pharmacy, the line of sight was very clear, and Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s actions could be seen.


    He handed the products over to another person and then got in another blue private car. The other person put the products in the car.


    I suddenly had a thought and dialed the landline of the Song family¡¯s living room.


    ¡°Hello. Who is this?¡±


    The familiar voice of Aunt Hua came through the phone.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Song Xiaoyun, I visited before¡­¡±


    ¡°I remember you, Miss Song, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Hua, do you remember who actually delivered the health products during Chinese New Year? was it Gu Yuanzhou in person?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was him¡­ Ah, no, it wasn¡¯t! It was his driver who delivered it, saying that Mr. Gu was a little busy so he asked him to deliver it first.¡±


    Upon hearing this, I felt something was wrong and asked another question,


    ¡°When did the driver deliver it approximately?¡±


    ¡°Let me think! It seems like it was sent over in the evening! Because on that day, my daughter came to pick me up to go home for the New Year, and I happened to run into Old Ma!¡±


    The health products that were bought in the morning were delivered only in the evening. Isn¡¯t it obvious that there is something fishy about this?

 Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Can He Still Trust Me?_1

    Chapter 150: Chapter 150: Can He Still Trust Me?_1


    Translator: 549690339


    After hanging up the phone, I realized I might have misunderstood Gu Yuanzhou.


    Someone tampered with the health supplement?


    When I returned to the hospital, I felt a bit downhearted.


    At this point, Jian Jing had finished her check-up.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    I asked Wenya.


    By now, Wenya had already arranged for Jian Jing¡¯s hospital admission.


    Jian Jing was lying on the hospital bed, her complexion much more stable.


    Wenya looked worried,


    ¡°The doctor said she needs to stay in the hospital for a week to protect the fetus! She¡¯s been overworking and it might lead to premature birth, she¡¯s already showing signs of miscarriage.¡±


    ¡°Then she should stay in the hospital!¡±


    Wenya whispered, ¡°Her mother-in-law just called asking her to come back and cook dinner!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit too much!¡±


    ¡°Obviously, this family is still using the wedding issue to retaliate against Jian Jing. I just heard Jian Jing say it, her mother-in-law even has her eyes on the house, asking her to transfer the ownership of the house to her mother-in-law. Bringing this up now, while she is pregnant, is simply shameless.¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±


    After discussing with Wenya for a while, the only workable solution now is for Jian Jing to move out of her husband¡¯s home and return to her parents¡¯ house for a period of time, using this miscarriage as an excuse.


    This way, she could avoid conflicts and rest up.


    However, Jian Jing said she can¡¯t bear to leave her husband Yu Zihang. Although she is not getting along with her mother-in-law, her husband has been good to her.


    In fact, Wenya also expressed many complaints about Yu Zihang¡¯s reaction, as a husband he should stand by his wife at such a time.


    At least, he should come to the hospital to take care of Jian Jing, but Yu Zihang didn¡¯t do that. Clearly, he was siding with his mother.


    However, this was just a private discussion between Wenya and me, didn¡¯t dare to tell Jian Jing for fear of upsetting her.


    At the end, I paid for Jian Jing¡¯s hospitalization fees. Before leaving, I reminded Wenya,


    ¡°No matter what, you must get Yu Zihang to come to the hospital at least once, let him hear from the doctor, maybe that will help.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    That afternoon, I went back to the company again.


    I visited Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office.


    I initially wanted to check what other beverages he had consumed that day besides the cup of coffee.


    However, shortly after I walked in, Ye Mengyan followed right in.


    She looked at me with a smile, ¡°Are you here to destroy the evidence?¡±


    I just glanced at her indifferently, then turned around and left. Shortly afterward, driver Lao Ma came over to me.


    ¡°Miss Song, you were looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing big, just noticed you¡¯ve been working really hard lately. Here¡¯s a red envelope as a reward!¡±


    I took out a plump red envelope from my bag and stuffed it into Lao Ma¡¯s hand.


    Lao Ma was a bit overwhelmed, however, after seeing the thickness of the tissue, he reluctantly accepted.


    ¡°Thank you Miss Song!¡±


    I smirked slightly, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ye Mengyan standing at the office door, watching the scene warily.


    Then, I walked towards the elevator.


    Xu Yun was in there too, she whispered to me,


    ¡°Lao Ma has been obsessed with the lottery for years. As soon as he gets his paycheck, he rushes off to gamble. He hardly ever contributes to the family expenses, his wife often comes to the company to argue.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°Sister Song, need me to look into anything else?¡±


    ¡°How is Ye Mengyan¡¯s filming progress these days?¡±


    ¡°It is said that she had a big quarrel with the cameraman this morning! Saying the cameraman made her look ugly, when they were arguing, I overheard that President Gu seems to be not very satisfied.¡±


    I smirked slightly, it seems my words to Gu Yuanzhou was effective.


    ¡°Xu Yun, I can¡¯t thank you enough. Tomorrow at this time, book a high-end restaurant, I¡¯ll treat you all to a meal!¡±


    ¡°Sister Song, you said you¡¯re treating us? Who else other than me?¡±


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s Auntie Shen from Finance, also Lao Ma¡­You can also bring two more people.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡±


    Since I¡¯m the one treating, and there are also a few colleagues, Lao Ma should probably not refuse.


    If I keep inviting Lao Ma to meals and giving him red envelopes, I believe it won¡¯t be long before the person behind the scenes will not be able to sit still.


    After finishing my work in the afternoon, I went to the hospital to visit Gu Yuanzhou.


    At the door of his ward, the doctor was conversing with Gu Yuanzhou in low tones.


    ¡°Mr.Gu, the poisoning you suffered this time is pretty serious! Even after two days of treatment, there are still some heavy metals in your blood which are above the normal levels. So, you can¡¯t be discharged yet, it¡¯s best to stay in the hospital for another half-month. These heavy metals will affect your cardiovascular system.¡±


    ¡°I see, you can leave now.¡±


    As soon as Gu Yuanzhou saw me, he instructed the doctor to leave.


    After the doctor left, I closed the door of the ward.


    He had a severe cough, so I poured him a cup of warm water and handed it over.


    He held the cup in both hands but didn¡¯t drink, just looking at me.


    I smiled slightly and pulled up a chair to sit across from him.


    It seemed that he wasn¡¯t as hopeless as I had imagined, at least in the matter of Ye Mengyan¡¯s endorsement.


    Although he seemed a bit resistant on the surface, he still heeded my advice.


    ¡°What, President Gu doesn¡¯t even have the courage to drink water now?¡±


    Perhaps due to physical discomfort, Gu Yuanzhou was somewhat pale. His handsome face lacked color.


    Only those deep eyes of his still seemed sharp.


    Even sitting in the hospital bed, his back was still upright.


    When he looked at me, it was also with scrutiny.


    In the end, he placed the glass of warm water on the table. It seemed that he was still wary of me.


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t sever ties with Ding Yinuo, you¡¯ll remain my primary suspect.¡±


    He said in a low voice, deliberately enunciating each word.


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t trust me, why don¡¯t you fire me?¡±


    ¡°Good question! Why do you think that is?¡±


    ¡°How could I guess what¡¯s on President Gu¡¯s mind!¡±


    He raised the corner of his lips, a rare hint of amusement flashed in his eyes, but it faded as quickly as it appeared.


    ¡°I appreciate talent, and I admire yours a lot¡­ I have a question for you, answer me well!¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead, President Gu!¡±


    ¡°Who do you think currently has more strength, Zhenyi Company or Tianjiao Company?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, ¡°Tianjiao Company is an old company, operated by the Ding family for decades, they have occupied the traditional clothing market and are the leading company in the garment industry in A City. However, their fatal flaw is lack of innovation. Zhenyi Company, although established less than ten years ago, has seized the market of young people. Even though their market share isn¡¯t as large as Tianjiao¡¯s, their future development could surpass them.¡±


    ¡°If Tianjiao Company offers you a salary ten times higher than what you have now, and wants to poach you, would you go?¡±

 Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Doubts Create Demons _1

    Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Doubts Create Demons _1


    Translator: 549690339


    I slightly frowned as I looked at Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Does President Gu believe what I¡¯ve said?¡±


    ¡°Would I ask you if I didn¡¯t believe you?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you the truth then. I don¡¯t care if Tianjiao Company offers me ten times or even a hundred times my salary, I am not going there.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze held a hint of confusion.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why? Haha.¡±


    I laughed!


    How could I possibly give up Zhenyi Company, a company I built and nurtured with my own hands?


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t tell Gu Yuanzhou this because he wouldn¡¯t believe me.


    So, I gave him another reason that he could understand better.


    ¡°Because¡­ I once promised Mrs. Gu that I would help her turn Zhenyi Company into the largest fashion company in the world.¡±


    I spoke with an abundance of doctrine.


    Indeed, this is my dream, and this cry comes from my heart.


    Gu Yuanzhou believed it.


    He stared at me for a while,


    ¡°Take the files out of the drawer!¡±


    I followed his instructions, opening the drawer of the bedside table, which was filled with several files.


    Obviously, these were not files I had brought over for him.


    So, I asked out of curiosity,


    ¡°President Gu, did you give all my previous work to Ye Mengyan?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, with his fingers pressing against his brow, replied indifferently,


    ¡°If only she was half as smart as you.¡±


    I took all the folders out and placed them beside Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°If President Gu doesn¡¯t think highly of her, why bring her to Zhenyi Company to be the spokesperson?¡±


    ¡°The girl doesn¡¯t want to go abroad, and she isn¡¯t that bright. She needs to stand firm in this world, right?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough that you¡¯re protecting her?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou pulled out a pile of files from the folder and handed them to me,


    ¡°What if something happens to me? Who will protect her then? I need to plan her life well.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words shocked me.


    I originally thought that his relationship with Ye Mengyan was just a physical one, lustful.


    But what he said at this moment surpasses that lust.


    It even exceeds the relationship of a husband and wife. He¡¯s actually considering her whole life.


    How deep is this love?


    I was in a foul mood. I asked another question with a hint of sarcasm.


    ¡°In this world, as long as there¡¯s money, you can survive. If President Gu really has this concern, he can consider leaving her his inheritance.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me and said,


    ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion, I¡¯ll consider putting her name in my will.¡±


    ¡°I never knew Miss Ye was so important to President Gu!¡±


    ¡°Do you have a problem with me being good to her?¡±


    He also watched me with a warning look.


    I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m just curious. What¡¯s so special about Miss Ye that attracts you and makes you give up everything, doting on her so much?¡±


    This question. Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t answer me, but put the file he just pulled out in front of me.


    ¡°Have a look at this and give me a reply.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I took the documents from him, flipped through a few pages, and after briefly glancing at them, I noticed something was off about the content.


    I looked up at Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, this is¡­¡±


    ¡°Finish reading! Read it carefully, I need your opinion!¡±


    He cut me off.


    I continued to read the proposal,


    Just as I was doing so, he was checking his phone.


    Before I could even finish reading the document, Ye Mengyan arrived.


    This Ye Mengyan seemed to know my whereabouts. Every time I had just arrived in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hospital room, not even ten minutes had gone by,


    And she would show up on time.


    It seemed like she was worried that if I spent too much time with Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯d steal him away from her.


    She would always rush over to show her presence.


    She was holding a bunch of stuff, several shopping bags.


    And, as soon as she entered, she threw the fruit basket that was originally on the table into the corner. She chuckled while looking at me,


    ¡°Miss Song, you know President Gu¡¯s stomach was injured and yet you deliberately bought him fruits. These fruits are cool and hard, if he eats them, it will stimulate bleeding in his stomach. Are you trying to kill him?¡±


    Her words, seemingly said in jest, were actually implying that I wanted to harm Gu Yuanzhou.


    I simply glanced at her.


    ¡°The fruit basket wasn¡¯t bought by me!¡±


    Hearing this, Ye Mengyan finally gave a sweet smile. She didn¡¯t respond to my comment, instead turning to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Big brother Gu, I¡¯ve made congee for you¡­ for warming the stomach¡­ I specially found a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. It has some medicinal herbs for warming the stomach. Eating it will have a therapeutic effect.¡±


    She brought out the congee bowl.


    I have to say, Ye Mengyan¡¯s cooking skills are pretty good.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to enjoy her congee, too.


    I pondered for a moment, could it have been my inability to cook that lost me his favor?


    ¡°You¡¯re filming every day now, you don¡¯t have to trouble yourself to cook for me! It¡¯s too tiring.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not tiring at all! I want to, and I hope you can recover sooner.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s smile was sweet and full of happiness.


    While Gu Yuanzhou was enjoying his congee, Ye Mengyan suddenly directed her attack at me.


    ¡°Miss Song, I heard some gossip from my colleagues at the company¡­ Apparently you¡¯ve been forming factions behind the scenes. It seems like you have some kind of plot.¡±


    I kept my expression neutral, ¡°Who did I recruit and what kind of faction did I form? Call this person up and let¡¯s confront each other.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just asking you, did you give a red envelope to Old Ma?¡±


    Ye Mengyan continued to smile at me.


    I hesitated for a while but before I could answer, Ye Mengyan took out her phone,


    ¡°Here¡¯s a photo someone sent me, they caught you in the act.¡±


    I took a quick look, and indeed it was a picture of me giving Old Ma a red envelope. From the angle, it was definitely Ye Mengyan herself who took it. Yet she was talking about ¡®someone else,¡¯ ridiculous.


    ¡°Yes, I did, but this is not¡­¡±


    I openly admitted.


    Ye Mengyan laughed,


    ¡°Old Ma has been with President Gu for years, a trusted chauffeur. What were your intentions for bribing Old Ma? Are you planning to poison President Gu again?¡±


    When Ye Mengyan said this, Gu Yuanzhou also stopped eating and looked at me.


    ¡°Miss Ye, kindly choose your words carefully when you speak! What do you mean by ¡®again¡¯? I never poisoned President Gu, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I misspoke. But why would you bribe Old Ma?¡±


    I chuckled lightly,


    ¡°I heard Old Ma likes to gamble and hasn¡¯t brought his wages home for several months. His wife came to the company and made a scene. I gave him the red envelope to go home and pacify his wife, so she won¡¯t affect his work. This is something President Gu would normally handle, but since he¡¯s hospitalized, I¡¯m just helping him solve an employee¡¯s problem. Is there something wrong with that?¡±


    My response was reasonable and Ye Mengyan, failing to get the answer she wanted, looked quite disappointed.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to not want things to get too tense between us. He put down his bowl of congee and told Ye Mengyan to head home.


    After Ye Mengyan left, Gu Yuanzhou turned his attention back to the file in my hands.


    ¡°Have you finished reading it? What do you think?¡±


    I held the file, hesitating to speak, as the file was all about Tianjiao Company and Ding Yinuo¡­

 Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 152 Gu Yuanzhou’s Sinister Intentions_1

    Chapter 152: Chapter 152 Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s Sinister Intentions_1


    Translator: 549690339


    This was a perfect business plan, it clearly described the various weaknesses and shortcomings of Tianjiao Company and then proceeded to break them down one by one.


    If this business plan was executed in its entirety¡­


    Tianjiao Company would have a ninety percent chance of going bankrupt.


    As I read this, I finally understood why President Gu had previously spent so much time setting the scene when he spoke to me.


    He asked me if I was willing to stand on Zhenyi or Tianjiao¡¯s side.


    Turns out he had dug such a huge pit for me.


    I pondered for a long time.


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve looked at most of the clauses in here, and I feel that if we proceed this way, even if Tianjiao doesn¡¯t go bankrupt, it will still be severely weakened¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly! You¡¯re very smart.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why we need to do this? This business plan only discusses Tianjiao¡¯s failures. I don¡¯t see how Zhenyi Company benefits. This includes us risking a loss of thirty percent of our profits to engage in fierce competition with them. This equates to killing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of our own¡­ there seems to be no benefit at all.¡±


    ¡°As you just said, Tianjiao Company is currently our biggest competitor. As long as they fall, the entire market of A City will be ours. In the short term, we may face some losses, but in the long run, it¡¯ll be worth it.¡±


    ¡°At present in A City, they are our biggest competitor. But if we look at the whole country or even the world, they¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°Remember, you eat your food one bite at a time, you walk one step at a time! First, we need to deal with our current competitor and then we can deal with future opponents.¡±


    ¡°President Gu! I disagree!¡±


    Even so, I rejected it.


    I was quite astonished at why I refused so decisively.


    If it were in the past, I would have executed any action that would affect Ding Yinuo¡¯s behavior without hesitation.


    But at this moment, I stepped back, I became softhearted.


    I began to worry about Ding Yinuo, I felt compassion for him, hesitated, and dared not take action lightly.


    President Gu¡¯s face gradually turned gloomy.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you want to strengthen and grow Zhenyi Company? Why do you back down at the first sign of trouble?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, to defeat our competitors, we should rely on the quality of our products, and persuade people with reason, rather than resorting to underhanded tactics. Have you ever thought about it that these dirty tricks could also be used against us?¡±


    The argument ended on a sour note.


    President Gu angrily told me to leave!


    I obediently put down the documents and walked out.


    ¡°Goodbye, President Gu!¡±


    He probably hadn¡¯t seen an employee like me who was so stubborn and ungrateful before.


    He was so angry he overturned his desk.


    I even heard the sound of the bowl of porridge that Ye Mengyan brought to him shattered on the ground.


    When I found time in the evening to visit Jian Jing again.


    I ran into Ding Yinuo again.


    Unexpectedly, right at the door, Jiang Jiaying was handing him a bouquet of flowers with a smile on her face.


    Ding Yinuo did not refuse, he took the flowers, put them in his arms, then pulled me into his arms and said to Jiang Jiaying,


    ¡°Thanks. How did you know my girlfriend likes Champagne Roses?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s smile was incredibly awkward, she lightly coughed,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t buy it¡­ a patient gave it to me earlier. I thought you work harder than me, so I gave it to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you on behalf of my girlfriend!¡±


    Ding Yinuo tightly embraced my shoulders. When he whispered in my ear, I could feel his breath on my face.


    Seeing how intimate we were, anyone else would have left by now.


    But Jiang Jiaying was not giving up.


    She took out another ticket from her pocket and warmly invited,


    ¡°By the way, are you free on Saturday night? Let¡¯s go see a ballet performance together!¡±


    Ding Yinuo took the ticket and glanced at it, then said casually,


    ¡°I do have time, but do you only have one ticket?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, I have another one. How could I let you go alone.¡±


    Upon hearing that Ding Yinuo was free, Jiang Jiaying was overjoyed and took another ticket out of her bag.


    What she didn¡¯t expect was that Ding Yinuo would snatch the other ticket from her hand and shove it into mine.


    ¡°Hey, Ding Yinuo, what are you doing?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying said.


    ¡°Hey, thank you. My girlfriend loves ballet, and I was worried about not being able to buy tickets. Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    Jiang Jiaying looked incredibly awkward.


    But in front of so many people, she ultimately didn¡¯t want to make a fuss.


    Finally, she laughed it off,


    ¡°Fine, fine, consider it a gift. However, Dr. Ding, remember, you owe me a favor. Remember to return it in the future.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was straightforward in his response, ¡°Got it. When we get married, we¡¯ll invite you to the wedding. Just remember to bring a big red envelope.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying eventually left the room, defeated and helplessly.


    I looked at the ballet tickets in my hand. Each one was worth more than two thousand.


    Apart from the large bouquet of flowers he took from her, the two tickets alone were worth over four thousand.


    If it had been any other medical staff member, that would have been a month¡¯s salary.


    However, thinking back to how Jiang Jiaying used to bully people like a little hooligan in high school, it felt good to see her lose some blood.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want these tickets, you can go watch it yourself.¡±


    I handed the tickets back to Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo grabbed my hand and shoved the tickets back into my hand.


    ¡°The weekend is still a ways off, don¡¯t refuse me so quickly. Maybe by then, you will have changed your mind!¡±


    ¡°hey, Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°I have another surgery right now, I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    Saying this, he turned around and hurriedly left.


    I stood there for a long time, and only then did I notice that several nurses were standing afar, watching me with a mixed sense of envy and jealousy.


    Although they were talking in hushed voices, I still heard them clearly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they say Miss Jiang is Dr. Ding¡¯s fianc¨¦e? Why isn¡¯t he with her?¡±


    ¡°Although Miss Jiang is pretty, she is almost thirty years old, which is a bit too old. This woman is young, she looks to be just in her early twenties. Let me tell you, men always prefer younger women, they are so fresh!¡±


    I shook my head and left¡­


    What kind of indecent comments are these?


    However, after listening to the gossip of these nurses, I took a special look in the mirror when I was in the restroom.


    Indeed, being young is wonderful¡­


    Song Xiaoyun, who is eight years younger than me, has such smooth skin. Her recent improvement in taste made her seem more vibrant and fresh than Jiang Jiaying.


    For women, youth is truly unbeatable.


    In the afternoon, I spent time with Jian Jing.


    The attitude of the Yu Family was very subtle until the evening, when Yu Jiahang finally called. On one hand, he comforted Jian Jing, on the other, he said he needed to work overtime. Then he ordered a bouquet of flowers online and sent them over¡­


    Wenya expressed dissatisfaction, ¡°You¡¯re carrying the child of their Yu Family. No one came to see you, and all they did was send a bunch of flowers. What¡¯s the meaning of that?¡±


    As I prepared to call Yu Jiahang, my phone suddenly rang. I picked it up and saw that it was President Gu.

 Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Can You Stop It_1

    Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Can You Stop It_1


    Translator: 549690339


    This man was kicking me out in the morning, now he¡¯s calling me up again, what¡¯s his deal?


    I hesitated for a few seconds, in the end, deciding not to answer his call.


    Why am I always adjusting to accommodate him? He¡¯s too spoiled!


    Seeing me reject the call, Wenya gave me a thumbs up.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing! So, you¡¯re really standing up to him now?¡±


    Since Ding Yinuo is not here, I also mentioned the business plan to Wenya.


    After hearing this, Wenya scoffed.


    ¡°Damn that Gu Yuanzhou! Just looking at that man¡¯s face, his eyes, you can tell he¡¯s a ruthless person!¡±


    I remained silent.


    ¡°But the Ding Family, aren¡¯t they not that bad? I know they have a wide network, deep roots, they can¡¯t be easily brought down by him.¡±


    Wenya still had faith in Ding Yinuo.


    But I was really worried.


    If there was fair competition, Gu Yuanzhou could indeed be a match for the Ding Family.


    But the key point was that Gu Yuanzhou was acting with a do-or-die attitude, the consequences were unimaginable.


    ¡°Could you stop it?¡±


    Wenya asked me again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I can only try my best to resolve this matter. But whether Gu Yuanzhou will listen, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Has there been any progress on the poisoning case with your aunt?¡±


    ¡°Right now the main suspect is driver Old Ma, we¡¯ll soon know the result.¡±


    ¡°So, if one day, Gu Yuanzhou forces you to go against Ding Yinuo, would you actually do it?¡±


    ¡°Is this even a question?¡±


    Wenya patted my arm, ¡°Ayun, you need to think carefully about why you got a second life. Think it through!¡±


    It was the first time I had ever had a hard time understanding Wenya¡¯s roundabout way of speaking.


    But isn¡¯t my second life to uncover the truth of the fire and to punish Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s betrayal?


    In the afternoon, Wenya and I stayed in Jiang Jing¡¯s hospital room, the three of us played games together and Jian Jing¡¯s mood gradually brightened up.


    I again ordered a chicken soup meal online for Jian Jing, for her dinner.


    ¡°Jian Jing, do you know why your mother-in-law would do this?¡±


    Jian Jing thought for a long time,


    ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out, actually, her attitude towards me before the wedding wasn¡¯t this bad! Now that we¡¯re married and she¡¯s behaving this way, I know what her objective is. She¡¯s pressuring me, trying to force me to transfer the property to her, she¡¯s waiting for me to give in.¡±


    ¡°So what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, before the wedding, I thought I could handle it, but now, I feel like I can¡¯t hold on anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°Jian Jing, you absolutely must not give in. Some people just love to push their luck. If you back down this time, who knows what unreasonable demands they¡¯ll come up with next time. This kind of treatment is just cold violence. It¡¯s simply too much.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know!¡±


    At six in the evening, just as I was about to leave, Ding Yinuo came to see me.


    ¡°Off work?¡±


    I saw he had already taken off his white coat and changed into a blue suit, looking refreshed and handsome.


    Ding Yinuo looked at his wristwatch,


    ¡°Are you free later?¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly, ballet lessons are on the weekend!¡±


    ¡°Not that, a kid at home is having a birthday, would you go with me if you¡¯re free?¡±


    ¡°My little niece, who was in a car accident and became a vegetable and has been in a coma for a whole year. Just last month, she miraculously woke up. Today is her birthday, and the family is getting together.¡±


    Ding Yinuo casually showed me a photo of the little girl on his phone.


    I was somewhat shocked at first glance because this child looked very much like my deceased daughter, Xiaoyi.


    Originally, I had no interest in this birthday party, but to visit this poor little girl, I decided to go.


    Ding Yinuo and I together, we bought a birthday cake, flowers¡­


    This was also my first time visiting the Ding Family home.


    Though it was a child¡¯s birthday, all the relatives of the Ding Family were present.


    The scene was very lively with balloons and ribbons decorating the house.


    Before the black piano, a six or seven-year-old girl was sitting. She was wearing a blue Elsa princess dress, her hair in pigtails, and wearing a birthday crown on her head.


    From the side, she was very pretty and gentle.


    The melodious sound of the piano flowed from her nimble fingers, and she was playing a song I liked, ¡°For Alice¡±.


    The reason I like this song is that my darling daughter, Xiaoyi, played it best.


    During those happy times, I would hold my second child while the eldest played the piano in the living room.


    For a moment, I felt somewhat dazed.


    Until Ding Yinuo pulled me back to reality.


    ¡°Ayun, stay calm!¡±


    His low reminder brought me back to the present.


    Only then did I realize that I had unknowingly walked to the little girl and nearly reached out to hug her.


    ¡°Sorry, I was a bit rude!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, wipe your tears!¡±


    ¡°Do I have tears?¡±


    ¡°What do you think!¡±


    He handed me a tissue, I took my phone to look at myself, sure enough, my tears were still hanging on my eyelashes.


    Fortunately, everyone was busy chatting and no one noticed my abnormal behavior.


    Afterwards, Ding Yinuo took my hand and led me to the inner hall.


    Introduced his family to me¡­


    ¡°This is my dad, my mom¡­ and my older brother! You¡¯ve met my older brother before, right?!¡±


    ¡°Hello aunt and uncle, hello Manager Ding! Yes, I¡¯ve met Manager Ding before. Manager Ding is a very successful businessman.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s older brother, Ding Xiao, is much older than him, and is now a mature middle-aged man. I¡¯ve had dealings with him before.


    ¡°Oh right, her name is Song Xiaoyun, and she is my¡­ cough, you understand.¡±


    When he said this, he firmly held my hand, fingers intertwined, I couldn¡¯t get away.


    Ding Xiao coughed lightly,


    ¡°Second brother, why are you so inarticulate today, what do you mean?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at me and smiled, then directly put his arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his embrace.


    Finally, Ding¡¯s mother laughed and said to Ding Xiao,


    ¡°This is the first time your younger brother has brought a girl home. She must be the most important person in his life, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t bring her home to meet us. Xiaosong, right? Please sit down!¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother was dressed in a lake-green cheongsam, her hair done up and her smile was gentle. At a glance, she looked like a graceful and dignified housewife.


    She was very personable and had high emotional intelligence. Sitting here, I felt like a welcome guest.


    Ding¡¯s mother brewed flower tea, and we chatted casually.


    I hadn¡¯t expected that I would interact with the family of the man who had been my nemesis for most of my life and yet, it felt so comfortable and pleasant.


    Although Ding Yinuo said he asked me here to celebrate his niece¡¯s birthday,


    I had a feeling it wasn¡¯t that simple.


    Judging by the way the Ding family treated me, he seemed to have another intention.


    Just as I was chatting with Ding¡¯s mother, suddenly the little girl ran up to me and shouted, ¡°Mommy!¡±

 Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 154: One in Ten Thousand_1

    Chapter 154: Chapter 154: One in Ten Thousand_1


    Translator: 549690339


    The little girl was already incredibly charming, but the combination of her soft, cooing voice and those big innocent, dewy eyes made her even more lovable.


    I was just about to lose control and hug her on the spot.


    However, just then, a voice from behind me called out, ¡°Ay!¡±


    I turned around and saw a woman coming out of the room, dressed appropriately and radiating a graceful aura. Based on her age and appearance, she must be the girl¡¯s mother.


    It seems the little girl was not calling me earlier, but her mother.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot to introduce you, this is my sister-in-law, He Xiaohui¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo finally introduced her to me.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    After seeing the woman, the little girl ran over to her, sweetly calling out.


    The woman picked up the girl and kissed her cheek,


    ¡°Sweetie, you play so well.¡±


    ¡°Mom, when can I eat my birthday cake?¡±


    ¡°Just a little longer, sweetie. We¡¯ll have the cake after the candles are blown out!¡±


    My gaze was glued to the little girl¡¯s face, and I couldn¡¯t look away.


    Gazing at the happy moment of mother and daughter hugging each other, I couldn¡¯t help but feel envious.


    Ding Yinuo gently patted my shoulder.


    That¡¯s when I finally met his gaze, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Do you like her a lot?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s adorable!¡±


    Ding Yinuo slightly nodded his head,


    ¡°My sister-in-law has been through a lot. After the accident with the girl, she couldn¡¯t handle the strain and collapsed. She has been suffering from depression these past few years, unable to take care of herself, and often trying to commit suicide.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Any mother would be devasted if their child were in an accident. Your older brother must be under a lot of pressure supporting this family.¡±


    Ever since I walked in, I noticed that even though Ding Xiao was sitting on the couch, his gazes were all over his wife and daughter.


    Where his daughter was, his gaze was there.


    Where his wife was, his attention was there.


    When He Xiaohui picked up her daughter, he hurriedly displayed his worry for his daughter,


    ¡°Sweetie, you can¡¯t let mommy hold you for too long, her body¡¯s not well. Now let daddy hold you.¡±


    He¡¯s obviously a very responsible man.


    ¡°Indeed, Tianjiao Company hasn¡¯t been doing well these years and it¡¯s visibly take a toll on my brother. Fortunately, after seeing her daughter wake up, my sister-in-law¡¯s health has been gradually improving.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear!¡±


    The Ding Family has a nice family atmosphere. Ding¡¯s mother takes special care of her eldest daughter-in-law.


    In a bit, she brought the medicine over, reminding the daughter-in-law to take her medication and sit down for a rest. She¡¯s shown herself to be quite hospitable towards the guests.


    ¡°Xiaosong¡­ do you play Go?¡±


    Ding¡¯s father greeted me.


    ¡°Uncle, I only know a bit!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go for two rounds!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Ding¡¯s father is very talkative and adorable. Before each move, he would tell me what he would do three moves later, just to make sure I wouldn¡¯t feel pressured.


    Playing the game was very relaxing and enjoyable.


    Meanwhile, Ding Yinuo watched us play¡­


    From time to time Ding¡¯s mother would remind him,


    ¡°Don¡¯t just sit there and watch, bring some snacks for Xiaosong. Nowadays, girls like milk tea and snacks. Go and buy some!¡±


    Soon after, she reminded him, ¡°Ask Xiaosong if she¡¯s cold and give her a coat if necessary.¡±


    Then, Ding¡¯s mother brought in a plate of tangerines, nudged Ding Yinuo with her elbow and gave him an order.


    ¡°Peel some for Xiaosong!¡±


    ¡°Mom, why are you bossing me around today? Can you give me a break? You¡¯re so nice to Xiaosong. I¡¯m starting to wonder if I¡¯m your real son or if Xiaosong is your real daughter?¡±


    Ding Yinuo jokingly complained.


    Ding¡¯s mother gave him a smack on his head,


    ¡°You rascal, if you don¡¯t get smarter, you¡¯ll remain single forever.¡±


    ¡°Single forever? Your handsome and excellent son is worried about not finding a wife?¡±


    ¡°Wives are meant to be treasured. Understood? Stop being cheeky, or face the wall and reflect on your behavior.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, mom. You are right, always right!¡±


    Watching this loving mother and son bicker and tease each other, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    After playing two rounds of Go, Ding Yinuo brought the little girl over to me again.


    ¡°Ruirui, do you find this woman attractive?¡±


    The little girl¡¯s innocent big eyes stared at me, flickering brightly as she seriously nodded her head, ¡°Pretty!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to hug her?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Then Ding Yinuo lifted her up and handed her over to me.


    I hesitated for a while before extending my arms to tightly hold her.


    The small body in my arms surprisingly had a healing power. She made me feel warm.


    As I was hugging her, she put her small arms around my neck and even kissed me on the cheek.


    In the daze, I thought I heard her calling me ¡°mommy¡±.


    It took me a while before I finally put her down.


    ¡°Uncle, what should I call her?¡±


    Ding Ruirui asked curiously.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Pretty sister?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not, you should call her ¡®auntie¡¯!¡±


    Ding Yinuo deliberately said so. In our local customs, only when the niece calls her uncle¡¯s wife can she be considered an aunt.


    I laughed and kicked Ding Yinuo, ¡°Stop it! You¡¯re misleading the child.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Ruirui immediately called out, ¡°Auntie, can I play you another song?¡±


    ¡°Sure, thank you!¡±


    Ding Ruirui then went towards the piano and played ¡°For Alice¡± again.


    I was moved to tears once more¡­


    Even though it was our first meeting, the Ding family members treated me incredibly well, as if we had been family for a long time.


    There was no sense of tension, just complete relaxation.


    As I was leaving, even the unwell He Xiaohui came to the door to send me off, holding my hand and saying,


    ¡°Xiaosong, my brother-in-law is a good man. You won¡¯t regret choosing him.¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother even gave me a big red packet. Although I didn¡¯t want to take it initially, Ding Yinuo whispered into my ear,


    ¡°If you don¡¯t take it, my mom will think you look down on her and she¡¯ll be upset. Every time she¡¯s upset, she cries half a night.¡±


    I reluctantly accepted it, ¡°Thank you, auntie!¡±


    Ding¡¯s father waved at me, ¡°Xiaosong, do come over and visit often!¡±


    Ding Ruirui was reluctant to let me leave, holding on to my hand and insisting that I promise to come see her again next Sunday, to which I agreed.


    As the car pulled away, I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw the whole family still standing at the door, waving at me.


    I opened the red packet and counted the content. There was a total of 10,001 yuan. I asked Ding Yinuo, ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°One in ten thousand! My mom is fond of you!¡±


    ¡°Now I finally understand why your EQ is so high!¡±


    Ding Yinuo held the steering wheel firmly, showing me a perfect side profile, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because your mom has a high EQ, your dad has a high EQ¡­ it must be genetic! By the way, where did your niece learn the piano? She plays so well!¡±


    ¡°She never had lessons!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, before the accident, she had never learned to play the piano. After she woke up from her vegetative state, she suddenly awakened many talents, like playing the piano!¡±

 Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 155 Different Dreams in the Same Bed_1

    Chapter 155: Chapter 155 Different Dreams in the Same Bed_1


    Translator: 549690339


    What Ding Yinuo said left me completely stunned,


    ¡°You mean, your niece has never learned to play the piano before, and then, after being in a coma for a year, she woke up knowing how to?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? Ding Yinuo, don¡¯t lie to me, I¡¯m not a three-year-old.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, next time you come over, you can ask my brother and sister-in-law! My parents know about this too, there¡¯s no reason to lie.¡±


    ¡°Does she have any other talents?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not clear on specifics, I¡¯m busy with work every day and rarely come home. You should ask yourself next time.¡±


    Indeed, Ding Yinuo either spends his time at the hospital or at his residence, Xishan Residence.


    An adult, single man who owns his home rarely returns to his parents¡¯ house, which I can understand.


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    At this point, a strange thought suddenly appeared in my mind. Since I could be reborn, had my two children also been reborn somewhere else?


    Since the children were quite young, they likely wouldn¡¯t retain many memories. If I could find them earlier, could we recognize each other?


    This thought started to lift my mood.


    On my way, I saw a new Barbie doll, which used to be my daughter¡¯s favorite toy.


    I immediately asked Ding Yinuo to stop the car and bought a set.


    After getting back into the car, I handed the doll to him,


    ¡°Please give it to your niece for me!¡±


    Ding Yinuo refused, ¡°No, if you really like her, you should personally deliver it. It¡¯s more sincere if you give it to her yourself!¡±


    ¡°Hey, you ¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that. You can deliver it this weekend, I¡¯ll pick you up!¡±


    ¡°Okay! Oh, and here¡¯s your red envelope back. It¡¯s for my future daughter-in-law, I dare not accept it.¡±


    After getting out of the car,


    I took out the red envelope to give it back to him, but he stopped me,


    ¡°Don¡¯t, since you¡¯ve accepted it, how can you return it? If you really want to return it, do it yourself next time.¡±


    ¡°Ah ¡­¡±


    After saying this, he sped off.


    Later in the evening, I was planning to visit Jian Jing, but Gu Yuanzhou called again.


    This time, I answered.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I am with a friend.¡±


    ¡°Come here!¡±


    He simply said four words, then hung up.


    Half an hour later, I arrived at the hospital.


    The man who had angrily drove me away this morning, now asked me to come back.


    This man really does change his mood faster than the weather.


    ¡°President Gu, is there anything you need?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I call you over for no reason?¡±


    ¡°Well, President Gu was angry this morning and asked me to leave. I thought President Gu didn¡¯t want to see me, so I went far away.¡±


    I calmly looked at him and responded calmly.


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me for a long time, then put down a file in his hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that because I¡¯ve brought you back, you can do whatever you want!¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°You must pay allegiance to your position, understand?¡±


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou articulated a lot of words to me very seriously.


    He suddenly stood up and said,


    ¡°I have an important meeting, come with me!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, the doctor advised you to rest in bed for at least half a month.¡±


    ¡°I have an important meeting to attend!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, missing one day¡¯s profit won¡¯t cause any damage, right? If your body breaks down, it will be harder to recover.¡±


    But he got up anyway,


    ¡°Time waits for no one! Some opportunities are fleeting. If I don¡¯t act, the company will just decline day by day.¡±


    Just like before, Gu Yuanzhou is stubborn.


    Once he makes a decision, ten bulls can¡¯t pull him back.


    I remained silent, not saying another word.


    He took a shower, changed clothes and came out.


    ¡°Bring me the tie! It¡¯s in the suitcase ¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I knew that Ye Mengyan helped him organize his clothes and place them in the suitcase. I opened the suitcase and took out several ties.


    Ye Mengyan has really bad taste.


    She likes bright colors, with glitter, complicated patterns on the ties.


    These kind of ties are more suitable for young people, for informal occasions, and doesn¡¯t match with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s status or age.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you picked yet?¡±


    He started to rush me.


    ¡°President Gu, these ties don¡¯t match your suit ¡­¡±


    ¡°Then give Old Ma a call, let him bring over the ones you like ¡­¡±


    I nodded and glanced at the shoes by the door and then dialed Old Ma¡¯s number.


    ¡°Bring the dark blue tie over and also, change the shoes to the square-toed pure black ones. Right, the ones from the X-Tianbo brand.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Ten minutes later, Old Ma rushed over.


    ¡°Thank you, Old Ma!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, Miss Song. This is my job, it¡¯s not a bother!¡±


    I took the tie and shoes into the room.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze landed on the tie and shoes in my hand.


    ¡°What, President Gu, you don¡¯t like it?¡±


    He looked deeply into my eyes,


    ¡°The tie was given to me on my birthday two years ago by my wife. The shoes were bought for me from Italy by my wife on my birthday last year.¡±


    I put the shoes in front of him and said in a low voice,


    ¡°I thought Mr Gu had already forgotten he once had a wife!¡±


    Spending so much on that little vixen, and he still holds thoughts for his ex-wife?


    I scoffed.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten, how could I forget!¡±


    His voice was low, with a hint of sadness.


    After I gave him the tie and shoes, I was just about to leave when he called out to me.


    ¡°Come here!¡±


    I looked back at him.


    He walked up to me step by step,


    ¡°Help me tie the tie.¡±


    ¡°President Gu¡­you can¡¯t tie a tie?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sick! I¡¯m a patient now!¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ your hands are fine!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of being fired for disobeying your superior?¡±


    He looked at me with a frown, stating his dissatisfaction.


    ¡°If you want Zhenyi to develop better, and want a better personal future, you need to learn how to please your superior. Do you understand? With your bad temper, if it was someone else, I could¡¯ve fired them eight times a day!¡±


    I didn¡¯t argue any more and went directly to help him tie the tie. It¡¯s not a big deal anyway.


    As I was tying the tie for him, he looked down at me from a superior position.


    I didn¡¯t need to look up to feel the temperature of his gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡±


    As I was about to leave, he suddenly grabbed my wrist.


    ¡°President Gu, please let go!¡±


    He looked at me wit deep-set eyes, ¡°What exactly are you afraid of, woman? I¡¯m not going to eat you, why are you always running off?¡±

 Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 156: I Once Died in Your Hands_1

    Chapter 156: Chapter 156: I Once Died in Your Hands_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I looked up at Gu Yuanzhou!


    I thought to myself, I died by your hands in my past life, so shouldn¡¯t I be scared of you in this life?


    What kind of man are you? Don¡¯t you know?


    But, it¡¯s not the right time to say these words, so I forcefully broke free from his grip.


    ¡°President Gu, it¡¯s getting late. If we¡¯re going to go, we should hurry up otherwise we¡¯ll be late.¡±


    I didn¡¯t wait for him and got into the car first.


    After getting into the car, I waited for a long time before Gu Yuanzhou eventually walked down. He walked very slowly.


    I sat in the back seat of the car and Old Ma, glancing at the figure outside the car window, sighed,


    ¡°President Gu really got hurt badly this time, he can¡¯t even walk properly. He used to stride around with such vitality.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I looked out of the car window and indeed, Gu Yuanzhou was still looking pale.


    Normally when we had a driver, Gu Yuanzhou would sit in the front passenger seat.


    But for some reason right now, he opened the rear door and sat down next to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Alright, buckle up, President Gu!¡±


    The car started moving slowly, crossing the city¡¯s night scene, piercing the glamour and buzz of the city life.


    This time, I was so close to him.


    Sometimes, the car would shake, and the street lights from outside would occasionally cast shadows through the window.


    Fleeting shadows danced across Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s deep gaze.


    He still looked the same as ever, just like the countless times when we would leave work together, head home together to our lovely children waiting for us¡­


    Back in those days, I was like a small bird, nestling happily on his shoulder, our bliss inspiring envy amongst others.


    Back then, we had many dreams and hopes.


    We imagined making Zhenyi Company number one globally.


    We dreamed of our daughter getting married, our son starting a family, and a house bustling with grandchildren.


    But now, even though I am still sitting here with him, everything is gone.


    Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, all that¡¯s left is an endless night.


    Half an hour later, we arrived at our destination.


    To my surprise, Gu Yuanzhou, who looked weak in the car, seemed to become sharp once he was standing with the clients.


    It was like a fully drawn bow, ready for battle.


    At the high-end hotel business meeting, the men started their business talk.


    I didn¡¯t fully understand what Gu Yuanzhou brought me for, but since it was about Zhenyi Company, I focused on every detail.


    There were four men in total, and it seemed they were investing in a project. I knew these men, they were from Imperial City, especially Mr. Zhou¡­


    This was a significant project. The client was a royal member of Thailand. The investment amount was in hundreds of millions.


    I glanced at the contract and felt something wasn¡¯t right. Though I couldn¡¯t pinpoint any problem, my intuition told me not to sign this contract.


    So I had a sudden idea. I picked up a cup of coffee and handed it to Gu Yuanzhou.


    I ¡°accidentally¡± knocked over the coffee onto the table.


    Dark coffee quickly spread over the documents, ruining the signature Gu Yuanzhou just put on the contract.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m really sorry, my mistake has made this contract unusable.¡±


    I pretended to be very anxious and started wiping with a tissue, but the more I wiped, the blurrier it became.


    The other partners immediately seemed alarmed.


    ¡°What is going on? Can¡¯t you even handle a simple task?¡±


    I kept apologizing,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault! I¡¯m sorry, everyone. How about this, I can photocopy another contract for you.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gave me a helpless look.


    He didn¡¯t lose his temper, but I could see a reproachful look in his eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to photocopy anything, we have a backup here!¡±


    Mr. Zhou took out another contract from his briefcase.


    This surprised me¡­


    To prevent me from doing anything, Mr Zhou even took away the water bottle.


    Their actions only made me more conscious that these people were up to no good.


    Just as I was about to stop them, suddenly Mr. Zhou stood up and handed me a document.


    ¡°Can you help me photocopy this next door?¡±


    As I walked out the door with the document in my hand, the door behind me quietly closed.


    The only thing I could do was to call Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    After three rings, he finally picked up.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, don¡¯t sign that document!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been working on this project for half a year, it does have risks, but it¡¯s not as bad as you imagine.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, listen to me. That contract cannot be signed.¡±


    ¡°Was the spilled coffee intentional?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to sign it, you need to give me a reason.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but Mrs. Gu warned me to stop you from signing the contract.¡±


    At this moment, the only excuse I could come up with was this lame one. It may be shoddy, but perhaps it¡¯s the only effective way right now.


    Gu Yuanzhou was silent for a few minutes, ¡°You go back home first; I¡¯ll deal with this.¡±


    Then he just hung up.


    A few minutes later, when I returned with the copied document, that office was already empty.


    I couldn¡¯t reach Gu Yuanzhou by phone, so I went to the parking lot to find Old Ma.


    The car was still there, and Old Ma was still sitting in the car, but he was on the phone with someone¡­


    ¡°Yes, we are at Dihao Hotel, Mr. Gu brought Miss Song here for socializing!¡±


    I didn¡¯t call him, just quietly stood outside the car.


    Waiting for him to hang up.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ye Mengyan, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I asked casually.


    Old Ma didn¡¯t hide anything, ¡°Yes, Miss Ye cares a lot about President Gu¡¯s health. She often calls to remind us. Sometimes she asks me to drive slower, sometimes she reminds President Gu to take his medicine and not to stay up too late.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow lightly. Concerned she might be, but I suppose the most important thing is surveillance, right?


    I must say, Ye Mengyan is overly astute.


    She even bought off the driver by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s side.


    At this point, I suddenly understood the reality of everything¡­


    I opened the car door and sat in.


    I began to test out Old Ma.


    ¡°Old Ma, you¡¯ve been with President Gu for so many years. What do you think of Mrs. Gu?¡±


    ¡°Pretty good! Mrs. Gu is a good person! She treats the nanny very well, she¡¯s kind to me too, she even gives us red envelopes and gifts during the holidays.¡±


    ¡°Well, then¡­ what do you think about Ye Mengyan?¡±


    Old Ma was about to say something, but after a thought, he just grinned.


    ¡°Miss Song, I can¡¯t answer this question. We, as servants, have no right to comment on the employer¡¯s family affairs.¡±


    I let out a soft chuckle, seeing how Old Ma was protecting Ye Mengyan, I knew he wouldn¡¯t be easy to win over; so instead I said, ¡°Come to think of it, Old Ma, did you offend Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°Not at all!¡±


    ¡°Ah, a few days ago, Ye Mengyan complained about you in front of President Gu.¡±


    ¡°What? Where did she say I was not good?¡± Old Ma looked a bit flustered.


    ¡°Just¡­ she said you¡¯re getting old and you¡¯re not driving steady. She even suggested the HR department to hire a new driver!¡±


    Old Ma¡¯s face turned red after hearing this. His stomach dropped and he was shocked.


    ¡°How is this possible? I¡¯ve been loyal to Miss Ye, how could she fire me? No, I have to ask her about this.¡±


    Trust between people is not as strong as you might think.


    Even though Ye Mengyan regards Old Ma as her trusted aide, but when she wants to turn on him, it can happen in minutes.

 Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 157 Waiting for Outbreak_1

    Chapter 157: Chapter 157 Waiting for Outbreak_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I planted a landmine between Old Ma and Ye Mengyan.


    I was just waiting for the right time to let it slowly ferment, it would explode at some point.


    Next, I did not deliberately ask about too many things.


    Half an hour later, Gu Yuanzhou finally called me.


    ¡°Come over!¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find you at the business meeting room just now!¡±


    ¡°At the restaurant, we¡¯re having a drink!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, did you sign the contract?¡±


    I asked in a hurry.


    He didn¡¯t answer me, but just said indifferently,


    ¡°I drank a bit too much, come over for a moment.¡±


    Then he hung up the phone.


    When I hurried to the scene, Mr. Zhou was still encouraging everyone to drink,


    ¡°President Gu, come on, let¡¯s finish this glass to celebrate our successful signing!¡±


    I listened in a daze. Was the contract still signed?


    However, seeing Gu Yuanzhou unable to drink anymore, I quickly shielded him from accepting any more drinks,


    ¡°Mr. Zhou, President Gu has just been discharged from the hospital, and his body has not fully recovered. I¡¯ll drink this glass for him.¡±


    I gulped it down in one go.


    ¡°Young lady, you¡¯re impressive! Since you¡¯re so capable, why don¡¯t we have a few more drinks?¡±


    These men wanted to pour their drinks down my throat.


    I didn¡¯t play along, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s play dice, compare size, the loser drinks!¡±


    Maybe because I was a woman, these men were eager to try it out.


    ¡°Keep to your word! No regrets later on, it was your own choice.¡±


    I chuckled lightly and took out a set of dice from my bag.


    When Gu Yuanzhou and I used to deal with outside matters, we had many dining and drinking occasions every day.


    When we were just starting out, we were easily manipulated, so at the dinner table, we had to come up with some tricks, or we would have a hard time getting deals done.


    And this set of dice was my secret weapon for winning.


    Soon, under the men¡¯s instigation, I started the first round of the game.


    The strategy of playing dice is to play with your mentality. I deliberately lost the first round and took a small sip.


    Then, the men took turns losing¡­


    Half an hour later, they were all drunk and fell to the ground.


    I elegantly took a tissue to wipe the wine stains off the corners of my mouth, packing up the set of dice and putting it back in my bag.


    When I turned around, the deep eyes of Gu Yuanzhou were fixed on me.


    I knew about his alcohol tolerance.


    He wouldn¡¯t get drunk from one or two glasses.


    The reason why I helped him block the drinks was that he was recently poisoned and his stomach couldn¡¯t bear excessive alcohol stimulation.


    I knew he was sober at this time.


    But my unnecessarily long display seemed to shock him.


    ¡°President Gu, shall we go back to the hospital now, or to the Maple Mansion?¡±


    ¡°The hotel!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    After settling the bill, Gu Yuanzhou and I went to the hotel next door.


    I picked up my phone, intending to notify Old Ma, but after thinking about it, I decided not to.


    I was thinking that maybe there would be a good show tomorrow.


    After checking in, I personally escorted Gu Yuanzhou to the room.


    ¡°President Gu, tomorrow morning I¡¯ll have the driver take you to the company.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me for a long time, ¡°Show it to me!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The dice!¡±


    I hesitated for a moment, but still opened my bag and handed the dice to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou held the dice and looked at them for a while, ¡°Where did you buy them?¡±


    ¡°Online! Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­ my wife used the same thing before. You two are really so alike.¡±


    ¡°Eh, not that alike, it¡¯s just that Mrs. Gu once taught me about it.¡±


    I looked at him for a long time,


    ¡°Oh, what else did she teach you? Tell me about it!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, it¡¯s getting late, and your body is not well. You should rest early.¡±


    Sometimes, the more you say, the more you expose. I¡¯d rather say as little unnecessary nonsense as possible in front of him.


    ¡°Did she ever mention me in front of you?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou loosened his tie and sat on the sofa, his eyes revealing a bit of sadness.


    ¡°Yes¡­ briefly mentioned!¡±


    ¡°What did she say about me?¡±


    ¡°She said¡­President Gu, I don¡¯t remember quite well! It was a long time ago, why don¡¯t I tell you once I remember it.¡±


    ¡°I signed that contract!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you understand my hint?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been following this deal for a long time, it has a very high profit margin. So, I had to get it.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou squinted his eyes, a greedy light shone in them.


    This man was indeed obsessed with money.


    ¡°But, there are tricks in that contract¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I took a careful look at the part where you spilled the coffee. It was a trap, so I later reprinted one without any issues. Just because I¡¯m ill doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m stupid.¡±


    At this moment, Gu Yuanzhou seemed indeed calm and wise.


    I had to admit that this man truly had extraordinary talents in business.


    ¡°But these people have poor characters, no moral compass, and they even deceive their partners?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou just coldly laughed,


    ¡°There are no fathers and sons in the business world! To make deals, sometimes friends are deceived, let alone partners. Let me tell you, the people you deal with are cunning. They¡¯re all for profit, money-grubbing, and extremely vicious. Are there any good people? No, or maybe there are, but the good guys can¡¯t make money. So, you have to learn with whom you deal and do business. Hence, you must be more cunning and ruthless than the crooks if you want to make money.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words were very realistic and calm.


    In the past, he had never said such things to me. Was he the one who changed? Or had I never really seen him clearly?


    ¡°I understand, President Gu, you should rest early.¡±


    As I was about to leave, he said behind me, ¡°Actually, you did very well today. You have a brighter future by my side.¡±


    I looked at him, said nothing, turned around, and left.


    The next morning.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t go to the hospital, he returned directly to the company.


    I drove him back to the company.


    Perhaps Ye Mengyan couldn¡¯t contact Gu Yuanzhou and saw him appear with me. She couldn¡¯t hide her panic.


    ¡°Big Brother Gu, where were you last night? You weren¡¯t in the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I went to meet a client.¡±


    ¡°You were gone all night?¡±


    ¡°Negotiations, they take time.¡±


    Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t dare to blame Gu Yuanzhou, she just hinted with worry, ¡°Big Brother Gu, you¡¯re not well, how can you stay up all night? I¡¯m really worried about you. I didn¡¯t sleep all night¡­ I made you some porridge, let me bring it to you.¡±


    I looked up unintentionally and met Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes.


    When she looked at me, her eyes seemed to be carrying a dagger.


    When I went downstairs to discuss work issues in my department, Ye Mengyan chased after me, ¡°Where did you two sleep last night?¡±


    I gave her a faint look, then turned and walked forward, ¡°Just the couple¡¯s hotel next to Dihao.¡±


    Her face turned pale, she chased after me and asked, ¡°Why would you go to that kind of hotel, what¡¯s your motive?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t book the room, Gu Yuanzhou did¡­¡±


    ¡°Was he drunk at the time?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he indeed drank.¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, do you know what you¡¯re doing? Do you really think that you can get him with these little tricks?¡±

 Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 158: She Has Bigger Schemes_1

    Chapter 158: Chapter 158: She Has Bigger Schemes_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ye Mengyan had completely lost control at this point.


    She was devoid of her usual grace.


    She was grabbing tightly onto my sleeve, yelling hysterically like a shrew,


    ¡°Did you deliberately seduce Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    I pulled her hand off, smiling gently,


    ¡°Miss Ye, Gu Yuanzhou is single. Let¡¯s not use the word ¡®seduce¡¯, it sounds so unpleasant. Could you please pull yourself together? People are watching.¡±


    Upon my reminder, Ye Mengyan snapped back to reality and let go of my sleeve.


    Several coworkers had already formed small clusters, observing the spectacle from the distance.


    Ye Mengyan bit her lower lip and turned to leave.


    At noon, I still invited Xu Yun and Old Ma to have lunch outside, my treat.


    ¡°Sorry, Old Ma. President Gu got horribly drunk last night, and I forgot to let you know. I kept you waiting, so this meal is on me.¡±


    ¡°No worries, it¡¯s nothing!¡±


    Old Ma didn¡¯t take it personally. After being around Gu Yuanzhou for so many years, Old Ma got used to his habits.


    If he was not informed by eleven o¡¯clock, he would naturally go home to sleep instead of waiting all night¡­


    However, the situation was far from ideal for Ye Mengyan.


    After returning to the company from lunch,


    I saw Old Ma being beckoned to the break room by Ye Mengyan, to which I quietly followed.


    ¡°Old Ma, what do you mean by this? Last night, that little vixen Song stayed overnight with President Gu. Why didn¡¯t you report it to me?¡±


    ¡°Miss Ye, I didn¡¯t know anything about it!¡±


    ¡°How could you not? Isn¡¯t it you who drove President Gu to the hotel?¡±


    ¡°It was me who drove him, but I didn¡¯t know where they went afterward.¡±


    Old Ma started to explain, but Ye Mengyan was livid, her voice becoming increasingly shrill, and began to loudly berate and accuse him.


    ¡°Old Ma, you¡¯re doing this on purpose. You¡¯ve clearly accepted benefits from that vixen. How much money did she give you to betray me?¡±


    ¡°Miss Ye, I am not that kind of person!¡±


    ¡°You are exactly that kind of person. If you can take money from me, you can take money from Song Xiaoyun. I had you wrong, you¡¯re a disgrace, you deserve to be a driver for the rest of your life. You know what, cross me again and I¡¯ll have President Gu fire you!¡±


    My lips curled slightly, the day had finally come when Ye Mengyan would call me a vixen. Funny.


    At this Outburst, Old Ma was startled,


    ¡°Miss Ye, you can¡¯t fire me! You have to be reasonable, my whole family depends on this job! Folk has it that taking people¡¯s livelihood is akin to grave robbery. If you do that, I¡¯ll expose all the bad things you¡¯ve done!¡±


    ¡°You dare threaten me? How dare you, a subordinate, threaten me?¡±


    ¡°Miss Ye, don¡¯t forget. Earlier this year, the batch of poisonous health products was delivered by me following your orders. If I tell the police, you¡¯ll be the real criminal.¡±


    At these words, my heart clenched up suddenly.


    Even though I had suspicions previously, the shock was still considerable when I heard Old Ma confirming them.


    It actually was Ye Mengyan.


    She tried to poison the Song family all along?


    My uncle and aunt-in-law never offended her, so why did she do it?


    At this point, Ye Mengyan also spoke up,


    ¡°Old Ma, think clearly. Even though I made you do it, you¡¯re still involved. If this matter goes to the police, we are accomplices! Moreover, the wife of the Song family is hospitalized due to the poisoning. Should somebody die, you¡¯d be the murderer.¡±


    But my phone was charging and I hadn¡¯t brought it with me. Otherwise, I would have recorded all of the conversation and gone directly to the police.


    So as not to alert them, I decided to keep quiet and leave.


    For the whole afternoon, I was trapped inside this whole incident.


    I couldn¡¯t understand why Ye Mengyan wanted to harm my aunt and uncle.


    If she likes Gu Yuanzhou, she should¡¯ve targeted me instead.


    Why target my Uncle and Aunt?


    The next couple of days, Old Ma took leave¡­


    Ye Mengyan also seemed to keep a low profile during this time and did not pick a fight with me.


    Xu Yun told me, ¡°Yae Mengyan has been rushing to finish shooting these few days, saying she wants to complete it before the new product launch next month.¡±


    I fell silent, clenching my fists.


    It seems like I need to speed up. I cannot let Ye Mengyuan represent the brand that I founded.


    The next afternoon, I called up Old Ma and arranged to meet him.


    ¡°How come you have not been coming to the office these two days?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The HR department arranged annual leave for me. But I was thinking, is the company already placing other drivers to take over my position?¡±


    Old Ma appeared very anxious.


    ¡°Old Ma, you need to speak honestly. If you refuse to speak, you will always be controlled by Ye Mengyan. Only by bringing her into justice, and sending her to jail, will your threats disappear, and you will be able to work normally in the future.¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, you are too naive. You cannot move her. Miss Ye belongs to President Gu, they have been together for many years.¡±


    Old Ma seemed like he was about to speak but then stopped, he seemed to know more than I had imagined.


    ¡°Was it about poisoning the Song family couple?¡±


    I calmly asked.


    Old Ma looked at me in surprise,


    ¡°Miss Song, how did you know?¡±


    I calmly showed him a video I had copied from the pharmacy on my phone,


    ¡°The Song family has been secretly investigating this. As you can see, the day Gu Yuanzhou bought the health products from the pharmacy and passed them to you, you delivered them to the Song family only in the evening. If the Song family reports this to the police, you will be the prime suspect. Old Ma, judging by your years of service as President Gu¡¯s driver, I can promise you that if you can give me the name of the person behind this, I can negotiate with the old Song couple, let them not implicate you. However, if you still refuse to tell the truth, then I can¡¯t help you. Even if Ye Mengyan doesn¡¯t hold you accountable, the Song family won¡¯t let you off.¡±


    After watching these videos, Old Ma turned pale on the spot.


    With a forlorn face, he lamented, ¡°You really can¡¯t blame me for this. At that time, Miss Ye gave me a sum of money and said it was just for a simple swap¡­ I thought she just wanted to pocket something for herself, never knowing there was poison inside.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you come to know that she had poisoned the medicine?¡±


    ¡°She forced me, she told me herself. She said that there was poison mixed into the batch of health products at the beginning of the year as a threat for me to do other bad deeds¡­¡±


    ¡°What other bad deeds did she make you do?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you this!¡±


    Old Ma was still somewhat apprehensive, he was really scared.


    I just stood up, ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want to say it. Then I will just go to the police, let them investigate it.¡±


    Only then did Old Ma stand up, stammering to say, ¡°Drug President Gu!¡±

 Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Borrowing Your Hand_1

    Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Borrowing Your Hand_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Are you suggesting that Ye Mengyan drugged Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Old Ma felt a pang of guilt and reluctantly nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Song, I knew about it in advance, but I couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t dare to speak up.¡±


    ¡°How dare she? I want to know what Gu Yuanzhou thinks when he finds out.¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, I suggest it¡¯s best not to expose her to President Gu!¡±


    Old Ma persuaded me to stop.


    ¡°Are you still defending her? Listen, Gu Yuanzhou is very shrewd. If he finds out that Ye Mengyan drugged him, he will never forgive her.¡±


    Old Ma shook his head.


    ¡°You¡¯ll come out worse!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because she used you to administer the drug!¡±


    She used me?¡±


    I was confused initially, not understanding how Ye Mengyan had used me.


    It was then that Old Ma explained to me.


    ¡°After Miss Song fired Yuan Li, Miss Ye was very unhappy and kept talking about getting Miss Song in trouble. One day she came to me just as Miss Song¡¯s bag was left in the car. She rummaged through it and found the packet of powder¡­ I didn¡¯t know what it was, but she later replaced it with her own medicine.¡±


    When I heard this, a chill ran down my spine.


    This woman had been plotting against me all this time, and she knew I also had the intention to poison Gu Yuanzhou?


    She set a trap to kill with a borrowed knife.


    She plotted meticulously, ruthlessly, and venomously.


    Though she had changed the medicine, I had administered it myself.


    No wonder on the day of the incident, she called me first to question why I had poisoned Gu Yuanzhou.


    Presumably, on that day, she must have recorded the conversation on another phone. If I had admitted it out of guilt when she frightened me, she would have gone to Gu Yuanzhou with the evidence.


    Luckily, I was calm at the time, so she didn¡¯t get what she wanted.


    ¡°Miss Song, if you expose her to President Gu, she¡¯ll bite back. After all, you administered the drug and you can¡¯t prove that she switched it. More importantly, without any concrete evidence, President Gu will believe her over us based on my word alone.¡±


    Old Ma said with a bitter face.


    I had not expected that Old Ma, who had worked for so many years in the company, would have been bought by a youngster like Ye Mengyan.


    Reflecting on it now, Ye Mengyan was too cunning.


    She managed to put me in a predicament in the blink of an eye. It was now much harder to deal with her than I expected.


    ¡°Old Ma, don¡¯t mention this to President Gu for now. I¡¯ll handle it!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Old Ma agreed, though without much conviction. Perhaps he had been scared by Ye Mengyan.


    After discussing with Old Ma, I began to plan my next move.


    I wanted to expose Ye Mengyan¡¯s lies so that she would lose all ground in front of Gu Yuanzhou.


    In the evening, I went to see Jiang Jing. Wenya came, and when the three of us met, I shared the information I had learned from Old Ma.


    Wenya kept silent for a while after listening.


    ¡°This woman is so ruthless, even daring to drug Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    Jiang Jing pondered for a moment, and said,


    ¡°She probably measured the dosage of the drug, making it non-lethal but very dangerous. She planned to frame Ayun!¡±


    Wenya was munching on seeds with a gossiping face.


    ¡°I really want to see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s reaction when he finds out that Ye Mengyan drugged him. How would he feel? He had always treated this woman like a treasure, but she dared to drug him in the end. Is this like digging a hole for yourself? I reckon, Ayun, you shouldn¡¯t expose her either. This woman is so evil, he¡¯ll surely end up dead at her hands eventually.¡±


    I held the milk tea Wenya had bought and remained quiet.


    I didn¡¯t care how Gu Yuanzhou would die in the future.


    But at least while I¡¯m alive, I want to get justice for myself.


    I can¡¯t let Ye Mengyan, who has harmed me, continue to act with impunity.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about this. Jiang Jing, how about you? Did Yu Jiahang come to pick you up?¡±


    Jiang Jing sighed and remained silent.


    The one who was most upset was still Wenya.


    ¡°She¡¯s been in the hospital for three days, and not a single person from her in-laws¡¯ side has visited. Her mother came to see her yesterday, and when she heard that none of her in-laws had come, she went to the Yu family and had a row with her mother-in-law! This old lady just lay on the couch pretending she was hurt and faking a limp, and she¡¯s still causing a commotion.¡±


    ¡°Er. It seems she¡¯s still waiting for you to compromise, or rather waiting for you to transfer the house under her name. This old lady is really something.¡±


    Wenya spat, and then rolled up her sleeves and said to Jiang Jing,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I beat her up someday, make her truly crippled, and see if she dares to bully anyone again.¡±


    ¡°No, Wenya, don¡¯t be so impulsive! If she wasn¡¯t married, you could do this, but now she just got married and is pregnant, and her relationship with Yu Jiahang hasn¡¯t fallen apart yet. This marriage is still worth working on. How about this, I¡¯ll call Yu Jiahang to come over?¡±


    Jiang Jing is not like me. She has not experienced heartbreaking despair, and she is still full of hope for marriage and love.


    Even though she hated her mother-in-law deeply, she probably still hoped for the marriage to continue.


    Surely enough, after I spoke, she nodded.


    But then, she seemed worried, ¡°If I ask him to come, he doesn¡¯t. Can you make him come?¡±


    ¡°I can!¡±


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll give you his number!¡±


    Jiang Jing gave me the number.


    I went to Ding Yinuo¡¯s office to borrow his laptop.


    Actually, I don¡¯t know Yu Jiahang well, we¡¯ve only met few times and didn¡¯t talk much.


    From Jiang Jing, I learned that Yu Jiahang was a programmer at a big company, responsible for managing the computer network¡­


    ¡°Can I borrow your laptop?¡±


    Ding Yinuo had just finished a surgery.


    The office was opened for me, with a bouquet and an exquisite small cake box on the desk.


    A cream-filled strawberry cake, it looked good and probably tasted good too.


    ¡°Who gave you the cake?¡±


    ¡°Do you want some?¡±


    ¡°It looks pretty good!¡±


    Ding Yinuo opened the box and handed it to me, ¡°If you like it, eat it!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like cake?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like sweets!¡±


    Since he doesn¡¯t eat it and I was hungry, I helped myself¡­


    He opened the computer for me, ¡°What are you planning to do?¡±


    ¡°I want to teach Jiang Jing¡¯s husband a lesson!¡±


    Ding Yinuo squinted at me,


    ¡°Are you sure you can do it? He is computer science graduate, a professional, not a layman. Are you sure?¡±

 Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Bite Me_1

    Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Bite Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°No problem!¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Yinuo handed me his computer.


    As I began to fiddle with the computer, I glanced up at him. He was staring at me.


    ¡°Uh, can you step back a bit? I don¡¯t like being watched when I¡¯m up to no good.¡±


    ¡°Up to no good?¡±


    He curled his lips into a smile, folded his arms, and watched me, a deep, meaningful grin on his face.


    ¡°Yep, I¡¯m about to be up to no good.¡±


    I spoke straightforwardly.


    He shrugged his shoulders, pulled up a chair, and sat across from me.


    He was still wearing his white lab coat. I noticed how well it suited him.


    His naturally pale complexion only seemed to make him pure and aloof, like an unreachable flower on a tall mountain.


    So aloof and noble,


    He picked up a pen and began writing something on a document. Curious, I glanced over, but couldn¡¯t understand it.


    I turned my attention back to the computer.


    My original plan was to hack into Yu Jiahang¡¯s company¡¯s computer, then force him to come to the hospital¡­


    But in reality, it was quite difficult.


    What I used to be able to do was simply to hack into people¡¯s emails using a trojan horse sent via email.


    Now I wanted to hack a large corporation¡¯s router, which was much harder than I had imagined.


    While I was trying all sorts of operations, my computer suddenly went black.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I was stunned for a few seconds.


    During Yinuo¡¯s busy work, he glanced at me, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, carry on with your work!¡±


    I quickly pulled out my phone, downloaded QQ, logged in, and found my master Shiqi.


    Although I might not have the skills, my master was quite skilled.


    At this time, his avatar was dark, presumably because he was offline. Of course, he could also be lurking, so I sent him a message.


    ¡°Master, I need urgent help! Please show up!¡±


    But he didn¡¯t reply to me.


    Meanwhile, Yinuo, sitting across from me, his phone suddenly rang.


    He picked up his phone, glanced at it, and then looked at me.


    ¡°Did my computer break?¡±


    Seeing that Shiqi didn¡¯t reply, I could only ask Yinuo,


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know how it went black.¡±


    Yinuo put his phone into his pocket, then got up and came over to my side. He tried to force shutdown and then restart it¡­


    After messing with it for several minutes, he looked at me again,


    ¡°What were you doing just now?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ just trying to hack their server, what¡¯s the issue?¡±


    Yinuo looked at me for a few seconds, ¡°Now they are hacking you.¡±


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Sit there¡­eat this piece of cake, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    We switched places.


    He sat in my original spot to fix the computer.


    I sat where he had just been sitting, eating cake while looking at his medical report.


    The handwriting was neat and flowing, beautiful small print.


    As I continued to read, I realized something was off.


    Why does this handwriting look so familiar?


    Thinking more carefully, it seemed a bit like the handwriting from the love letter I had received.


    Suddenly, I remembered what Wenya had said¡ªthat Yinuo knew who wrote the love letter.


    Just as I was about to ask him more questions, a woman suddenly stormed in.


    ¡°Yinuo¡­¡±


    She only uttered these three words, her gaze then fell on the cake in my hand.


    ¡°Oh, you have a guest?¡±


    The person who came was Jiang Jiaying.


    Jiang Jiaying wore a light blue suit, her makeup was delicately applied.


    At first glance, she was definitely the driven, high-pressure career woman type.


    Upon closer inspection, though, hints of her old rebellious personality still lingered.


    Especially when she folded her arms, she projected an air of overbearing arrogance.


    When she looked at me, her gaze was not at all polite.


    ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    Yinuo¡¯s gaze remained on the computer, and he nonchalantly responded to Jiang Jiaying.


    Jiang Jiaying, however, seemed somewhat angered, ¡°Yinuo, that cake was made by me for you. How could you let someone else eat it?¡±


    This was somewhat awkward.


    I quickly put down the half-eaten cake, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know you made it. If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t have eaten it.¡±


    Yinuo said, ¡°I gave it to her! She¡¯s my girlfriend, not someone else. It¡¯s better she eats it than me.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was still angry, but she didn¡¯t explode.


    ¡°Yinuo, there¡¯s an emergency over there. Can you come and help?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying looked at me a few more times before leaving, as if she wanted to say something to me, but in the end, she didn¡¯t.


    After Jiang Jiaying left, Yinuo casually said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to mind her. If you like it, just finish the cake.¡±


    I honestly didn¡¯t care about this cake, who cares who baked it? It¡¯s edible, that¡¯s all that matters.


    What I was concerned about was that Yinuo said he was leaving in ten minutes and I was a bit anxious, ¡°Yinuo, you must fix it for me. Otherwise, things might get tricky for Jian Jing.¡±


    Yinuo glanced at me, ¡°Why do you like to meddle so much and take everything upon yourself?¡±


    ¡°To them, my issues are also none of their business. If I don¡¯t help them now, they won¡¯t help me later. Yinuo, do you not have any feelings? Friends should help each other.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, seems to make some sense!¡±


    Just as we were bantering, he had already shut down the computer.


    ¡°Okay, you can call Yu Jiahang and threaten him now. Their company should be offline.¡±


    I glanced at my phone. From the moment he touched the computer to now was no more than three minutes. He had actually hacked into another company¡¯s system.


    With a mixture of belief and disbelief, I dialed Yu Jiahang¡¯s number.


    ¡°Hello, this is Jian Jing¡¯s friend¡­¡±


    Before I could finish speaking, Yu Jiahang interrupted me irritably, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m busy right now, we¡¯ll talk about her later.¡±


    ¡°Yu Jiahang, did your company¡¯s internet get cut off?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been invaded by hackers. How did you know?¡±


    ¡°You need to get to the city hospital now, the hacker is waiting for you here. If you don¡¯t come, don¡¯t expect your internet to work tonight. Don¡¯t ask why, just come.¡±


    Having said that, I hung up the phone directly.


    It seemed that what Yinuo said was true, he didn¡¯t bluff at all.


    By this time, Yinuo was already packed up and ready to leave.


    ¡°Yinuo, why are you so good with computers? Aren¡¯t you a medical student?¡±


    Yinuo stopped, looked at me,


    ¡°Ayun, do you want to get to know me?¡±


    ¡°Know what about you?¡±


    ¡°You see, you are developing a deep interest in me. This means that in some corner of your heart, there have been some different feelings. I¡¯ve been waiting here for a long time. As long as you are willing to come over, you¡¯ll definitely learn more.¡±


    Yinuo¡¯s eyes sparkled with a strange emotion, as warm as the sun, which I had never seen before.


    As he was leaving, he casually picked up the cake on the table and took a bite, ¡°Hmm, not bad!¡±


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like cake?¡±


    ¡°The one you¡¯ve eaten¡­I like it!¡±

 Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 161: The Rumors are True_1

    Chapter 161: Chapter 161: The Rumors are True_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo has been increasingly reckless with his words lately.


    Half an hour later, Yu Jiahang called me urgently.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the hospital, where are you?¡±


    ¡°Right in front of you!¡±


    I waved my hand, and out of the crowd Yu Jiahang spotted me. As he walked towards me, he greeted me with a bow.


    ¡°Big boss, warrior, hero! Please, stop making things difficult for us and let us be. Our company is very busy now, we cannot afford any interruption to our data. We are just ordinary workers and if our work goes wrong, we are unable to pay the price. Please don¡¯t bully me.¡±


    Yu Jiahang put on a piteous face.


    I looked at him calmly.


    ¡°If I were Jian Jing, I would never choose a man like you who always stands only from his mother¡¯s point of view.¡±


    Yu Jiahang became somewhat defensive.


    ¡°My mom raised me, what¡¯s wrong with me standing by her side?¡±


    ¡°But right now, Jian Jing just got married into your family! She¡¯s pregnant and needs your care! Your mother, however, is constantly pressuring her. You mother might be old and unable to discern right from wrong, but you are her husband. She gave you her whole life because she loves you, but you stand with an insensitive and selfish old lady. Isn¡¯t this letting her down?¡±


    Yu Jiahang defended,


    ¡°You guys are overthinking. My mom doesn¡¯t have any ill intentions. She just wants to bring my sister¡¯s child here for school and she refuses. Her refusal to transfer the custodianship just shows her lack of trust in me and our family.¡±


    ¡°Look, who taught you those words? If your family really wants her house, why don¡¯t you just pay her for it?¡±


    ¡°If our family could afford it, why would we embarrass ourselves by asking for her help?¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re doing is not asking, it¡¯s scheming!¡±


    I was also quite angry at Yu Jiahang¡¯s words. No wonder Jian Jing is always being wronged.


    I knew that continuing the discussion would be pointless.


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t argue with you anymore. Take Jian Jing home and treat her well. I¡¯ll fix your company¡¯s network right away.¡±


    ¡°Hey sis, is it really right for you to do this to me?¡±


    ¡°Listen, if harm comes to Jian Jing again, I have more tricks up my sleeve.¡±


    Indeed, there¡¯s no use reasoning with these heartless men.


    Sometimes, you can only fight fire with fire, or else they will never realize their mistake.


    Under my threat, Yu Jiahang finally compromised. Not only did he visit Jian Jing in the hospital, but also apologized to her and made a promise in front of all her sisters.


    He now vowed that he would stand on her side whenever she quarreled with his mom.


    Jian Jing was now getting better, and at this moment, she happily went home with Yu Jiahang.


    Wenya and I finally let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re really resourceful. Without your intervention this time, it would have been hard for Jian Jing to get her footing in the Yu Family; especially if her husband and mother-in-law were teaming up against her. Nobody could put up with that.¡±


    I sighed, ¡°My help is only temporary. I sense that the mother-in-law from the Yu Family won¡¯t surrender that easily.¡±


    ¡°I feel Jian Jing should not have married into this family, her mother-in-law is quite an operator!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing she could do! She is pregnant. If she could only have seen things more clearly earlier.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, my mom used to say that before you marry, you need to understand the character of the parents-in-law. If they don¡¯t have a good character, you should never marry into such a family.¡±


    Wenya lamented.


    Unexpectedly, someone else chimed in.


    ¡°Strongly agree! One should marry into a family with a good mother-in-law and a warm family atmosphere ¡­¡±


    I turned back and saw Ding Yinuo, strolling over. The collar of his white coat was open, making him look somewhat unruly.


    In the light, a gentle and indescribable affection flowed from his delicate brows and eyes.


    Wenya continued the conversation, laughing.


    ¡°Exactly, the atmosphere in the Ding Family is excellent. I¡¯ve met your mother, and she is a great lady. She¡¯s kind, cordial, and reasonable. Your parents have an exceptionally harmonious relationship¡­¡±


    At that moment, as I watched Ding Yinuo coming towards me, that gentle look turned to me suddenly.


    I realized something.


    Who truly wrote that love letter.


    Was it really him?


    But, didn¡¯t he clearly dislike me during high school?


    In order to unearth the truth, I made a decision.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, you see, thankfully you stepped in today. With your help, Jian Jing was able to reconcile with her husband. So how about this: today, I¡¯ll treat you to dinner on behalf of Jian Jing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored!¡±


    The dinner location was chosen by Wenya, and I thought it would just be the three of us.


    However, Ding Yinuo called Su Peisheng over, and he brought a friend along.


    We bumped into Jiang Jiaying at the restaurant. Su Peisheng casually invited her and she joined.


    In the end, there were about ten of us¡­


    With more people, the atmosphere became lively.


    Everyone was eating and drinking, and the men were toasting each other.


    A few times Su Peisheng offered a toast to Wenya, but she always held her glass tightly, ¡°No, I can¡¯t drink!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying! The last time I saw you with Miss Song, you were enjoying your drink. I was amazed by your tolerance.¡±


    Wenya glanced at him, rolling up her sleeve.


    ¡°You have good eyesight. Yes, I used to be able to drink, but¡­ can¡¯t I quit?¡±


    ¡°Really? When did you quit? How come I didn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°It started ¡­ seeing you now! Is that alright?¡±


    Su Peisheng laughed lightly, raised his thumb.


    ¡°You¡¯re tough! I¡¯m too superficial!¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that some people are self-aware. Remember not to provoke me next time!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel ¡­ we are quite similar ¡­ they say people of the same kind flock together, how about ¡­ we get together?¡±


    ¡°Who is like you?¡±


    While these two were bickering, Jiang Jiaying, seemingly out of nowhere, began to toast Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, I toast to you. From now on we will work together and we need to look out for each other!¡±


    Ding Yinuo raised his glass, ¡°No problem! Here¡¯s to our camaraderie at work.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was very tactful, knowing how to handle situations delicately. With the phrase ¡®our camaraderie at work¡¯, he managed to rebuff Jiang Jiaying¡¯s advances.


    Jiang Jiaying suddenly raised a new topic,


    ¡°By the way Ding Yinuo, is it true that you used to have a crush on Song Yun?¡±


    The way Jiang Jiaying looked at me was odd, and I instantly understood her intentions. She wanted to insinuate that Ding Yinuo is a playboy.


    Ding Yinuo put his wine glass down, turned his head to look at me, and openly admitted,


    ¡°Yes, the rumor is true!¡±


    ¡°But later, you chose to pursue me¡­ I¡¯m very curious, if you had a crush on her, why did you choose to be with me!?¡±

 Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 162 – Men Who Get Drunk are Not to be Messed With_1

    Chapter 162: Chapter 162 ¨C Men Who Get Drunk are Not to be Messed With_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s laughter was filled with smug calculation.


    Wenya seemed to see it too and immediately shot back at Jiang Jiaying.


    ¡°Back in high school, we were all just youngsters, none of us knew what love was. It was the beginning of puppy love, at most we had some passing affection for one another. It was like children playing house, anyone who took it seriously was a fool.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying, being of a rather rebellious nature, and wanting to show off in front of Ding Yinuo, naturally refused to back down.


    ¡°Miss Wen, your words are clearly filled with envy. Can¡¯t blame you though. Back in high school, no boy was willing to pursue you. Although it was just the start of young love, one can¡¯t deny that a first love is the sweetest emotion, making it unforgettable for a lifetime.¡±


    Wenya lost her temper,


    ¡°Who said no one chased after me in high school?¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Name them. If you can¡¯t, it proves that you¡¯re just trying to save face.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s words really hit a sore point with Wenya.


    During high school, Wenya used to sport a pixie-cut and often favored androgynous clothes, never bothering to doll herself up.


    Among a group of girls, she was always the tomboy, which is why no boys chased after her. She didn¡¯t even receive any love letters.


    I was about to step in when I was surprised to see, Su Peisheng had come to her rescue,


    ¡°Who said she had no suitors? I was one.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying didn¡¯t expect Su Peisheng to speak up and immediately retorted,


    ¡°I was talking about high school, not now!¡±


    Su Peisheng took a glance at Wenya,


    ¡°I was talking about high school too.¡±


    ¡°Were you two classmates in high school?¡±


    ¡°Sort of, we weren¡¯t in the same class!¡±


    ¡°Fine, you win!¡±


    Even though Jiang Jiaying had no comeback, she would not admit defeat and suspected that Su Peisheng was lying and tried to catch him out.


    ¡°I¡¯m very curious, you¡¯re not bad looking, why would you like a woman like Wenya?¡±


    Beneath her words, lay a strong undercurrent of disparagement.


    Su Peisheng laughed, ¡°Your question is so strange! To me, she is much better than you! If someone can like a person like you, why can¡¯t anyone like her?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was obviously upset with Su Peisheng¡¯s comment and pointed at him and cursed,


    ¡°Can you watch your words? What do you mean by ¡®a person like me¡¯? What¡¯s wrong with me?!¡±


    Su Peisheng didn¡¯t intend to offend Jiang Jiaying initially, but when he noticed that Ding Yinuo wasn¡¯t interested in her, he felt no need to hold back.


    Perhaps, in his eyes, Wenya had become an important person. Therefore, he was willing to fight with Jiang Jiaying without hesitation.


    ¡°From what I know, during our high school times, you were a troublemaker, not good at studies and loved to bully classmates. You were not much different from a gangster. Why would any boy like a girl like you? On the other hand, our Wenya is gentle, kind, beautiful, and academically outstanding. She used to win at reading contests frequently. She¡¯s intelligent, curvaceous, and was considered goddess-like by us boys. Isn¡¯t she a hundred times better than you?¡±


    As soon as Su Peisheng finished his sentence, Jiang Jiaying dropped her chopsticks with a thud and said, ¡°I¡¯m not eating anymore!¡±


    Having said this, she grabbed her bag and stormed out.


    After pondering momentarily, Su Peisheng gave Ding Yinuo a nudge,


    ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve offended someone. Could you chase after her and make up for me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo brushed him off,


    ¡°If you want to chase after her, go. What does your mess have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°But she is your boss! Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll cause trouble for you afterwards?¡±


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s drink!¡±


    Ding Yinuo then lifted his glass and began to drink with the others. I didn¡¯t stop him and continued to sit quietly.


    However, it was clear that Su Peisheng¡¯s intervention had salvaged the situation for Wenya, she seemed rather pleased.


    Although she didn¡¯t mention it, she picked out a drumstick for Su Peisheng using her chopsticks.


    ¡°Su Peisheng, did you really go to the same school as me?¡±


    ¡°I was bluffing, you actually believed me?¡±


    Wenya gritted her teeth, ¡°You mentioned the reading contests, I did participate in them often and even won.¡±


    ¡°That must be a coincidence!¡±


    Su Peisheng winked and did not provide any further explanation.


    This seemed to relieve the tense atmosphere between them.


    That round of drinks was over.


    Su Peisheng voluntarily offered to send Wenya home, which she did not refuse.


    When everyone had finished eating and we paid the bill, it was already late into the night.


    Ding Yinuo was slightly drunk, swaying as he walked.


    ¡°Shall I drive you home?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re driving me? I drove here myself too.¡±


    Under the streetlights, I could distinctly see the blush on his cheeks and even his eyes seemed red.


    There was a strong smell of alcohol on him.


    ¡°Did Su Peisheng really like Wenya back then?¡±


    Curious, I asked him. After all, although I barely know Su Peisheng, he and Ding Yinuo have known each other since they were kids.


    He would know Su Peisheng better.


    ¡°Actually, the past doesn¡¯t matter, what¡¯s important is the present, right?¡±


    His speech was slightly slurred as he spoke.


    I helped him walk to his car.


    ¡°By the way, Ding Yinuo, why did you dislike me so much back then?¡±


    ¡°When did I ever dislike you?¡±


    Suddenly, he spun around, leaning so close to me that I was forced to lean against the car.


    Then he spread out his arms, bent down, and pinned me against the car. We were practically pressed against each other.


    ¡°Do you really want to know?¡±


    He tilted his head slightly, almost touching my cheek. I could feel his warm breath.


    ¡°Of course, I want to know. Tell me¡­¡±


    I had been targeted by him for so many years and had never understood why. I was naturally curious.


    ¡°Back in the eleventh grade¡­ did you barge into the boys¡¯ shower room?¡±


    Eleventh grade, boys¡¯ shower room?


    I racked my brain trying to recall, but I just couldn¡¯t remember such an incident.


    ¡°You¡¯re bullshitting, how could I enter the boys¡¯ shower room! Are you sure you didn¡¯t mistake me for someone else?¡±


    He seemed a bit angry, his entire body pressing against mine, he said in a deep voice.


    ¡°No mistake, it was you!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°That weekend, I played a basketball match for an hour. I was all sweaty and went to take a shower. You intentionally barged in! You saw me in all my glory and even made some derogatory comments. Because of those words, I¡­.. began to loathe you!¡±


    As he kept on repeating this, my memory started to clear up, but it wasn¡¯t quite the story he had told.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, stand steady, open the car door, let¡¯s sit inside and I¡¯ll explain to you slowly. Things are not how you imagine them to be.¡±


    ¡°So, the person who barged in that day, it was you, correct? I didn¡¯t get it wrong did I?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was me, but I promise you, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡±

 Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 163: I Want to Go Out with You_1

    Chapter 163: Chapter 163: I Want to Go Out with You_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Actually, my memory about that is not all that clear, because it was really dark at the time, so I couldn¡¯t see very clearly.


    Here¡¯s roughly how things went down.


    That year, the girls¡¯ shower room pipes broke and had to be repaired, so the school sent out a notice that the girls should use the boys¡¯ shower room from 5 to 9 pm.


    As for the boys, they were forbidden to go in during that time.


    One night, I remember that after the girls from my dorm had showered, one of them forgot her bottle of shower gel. She asked me to go retrieve it for her.


    My watch was broken at the time and it just so happened that I rushed to the shower room thinking it was nine o¡¯clock, but in reality, it was already five past nine.


    Because it was a Sunday, the school was pretty empty, and the shower room was pitch-black.


    When I hurried in, I thought there was no one in there. I was looking for the shower gel with my flashlight when I accidentally shone it a bit further inside.


    In the farthest stall, I found a man in the shower.


    The sight scared me so much that I left in a hurry, forgetting to even take the shower gel.


    Actually, in the split second my flashlight swept over him, my vision was poor and I was so panicked that I didn¡¯t really see anything clearly.


    Men who are drunk are really hard to placate.


    After trying to persuade him for a while, he stayed completely still, keeping me pinned against the car so I couldn¡¯t move.


    The position we were in could be described as pretty ambiguous.


    Since we were in an open-air car park, our closeness attracted the attention of passersby. I quietly reminded Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Could you let go of me? So many people are watching!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not releasing you before I get clear answers! Tell me the truth, then I¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. It was pitch-black and I really didn¡¯t see anything. I didn¡¯t know it was you. Even if it was you, I didn¡¯t see anything!¡±


    I threw up my hands, trying to make things clear.


    ¡°Bullshit, you¡¯re lying!¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie!? And even if I did see your body, you¡¯re a man. What harm have you suffered? I really don¡¯t understand. You¡¯re mad just because I took a glance, and you¡¯ve been dwelling on it for over a decade, are you holding a grudge or something?¡±


    I simply could not understand why a guy would be so conscious about his body being seen by others.


    Unexpectedly, at this point, Ding Yinuo became even more furious.


    He scolded,


    ¡°You¡¯re treating this so lightly, am I upset because of this? Are you doing it on purpose?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re contradicting yourself!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, are you that petty? It wouldn¡¯t hurt you if someone saw you naked. Why are you being so stubborn?¡±


    ¡°Song Yun!!! Stop talking nonsense! It all started when you looked at me and then went everywhere saying that mine was so small. Why else would I be angry?¡±


    Looking at Ding Yinuo¡¯s furious appearance, I was stunned for a few seconds before asking again, ¡°What do you mean by so small?¡±


    I vaguely remembered now that he has mentioned this issue before, but I did not pay much attention to it.


    His cheeks reddened further and he took a deep breath before finally saying,


    ¡°I heard it myself, you were telling your female classmates, saying that my bird is¡­ small!!¡±


    ¡°Your bird is small?¡±


    Since this was of great importance and had triggered our grudge for more than a decade,


    I racked my brains and tried hard to remember,


    ¡°Which female classmate did I say this to?¡±


    ¡°To Wenya¡­ and all the other girls from your dorm. You were talking loudly!!!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was angry but there was a hint of embarrassment in his voice.


    But then he didn¡¯t have the nerve to speak it out loud.


    After a long time, a memory finally starting forming in my head, ¡°I remember now, I indeed had a conversation with Wenya about a small bird. That was because¡­ my uncle brought a bird from abroad which looked like a hummingbird, but was different in appearance and color. So I asked around about this bird, wanting to know what kind it was.¡±


    I clearly remember that I was very keen to find out what bird it was, so I asked many people.


    I never thought that I would upset Ding Yinuo over such a trivial matter.


    ¡°It was just that?¡±


    Ding Yinuo asked doubtfully.


    Looking at him, I figured that he probably hadn¡¯t heard the whole story and was irrationally angry, believing that I had been belittling him and that¡¯s why he held a grudge against me.


    Oh my, what a terrible misunderstanding.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, are you really insecure because it¡¯s small? Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have held a grudge with me over this, right?¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed slightly annoyed and pushed forward even harder.


    ¡°Do you want to confirm it?¡±


    Even through the clothing, it was indeed something I could feel.


    Having experiences with men before, I naturally could make it out.


    There was no need for further confirmation.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you are drunk. Stop making a scene! Look, our past was a misunderstanding. Now that we¡¯ve cleared it up, we¡¯re not enemies anymore, okay?¡±


    Maybe it wasn¡¯t because he was drunk, but because he couldn¡¯t accept it. He still kept me pinned against the car, then held me tight.


    Right in my ear, he kept murmuring,


    ¡°Ayun! I¡¯m mad because I care about you! If it were any other girl, no matter what they say about me, I wouldn¡¯t care. But it had to be you. You don¡¯t know how angry I¡¯ve been! I¡¯ve been fighting with you for so many years, and that¡¯s how long my anger has been. Ayun, how can¡¯t you understand me? In your eyes, there¡¯s only that scum Gu Yuanzhou¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo said a lot.


    Things I didn¡¯t know or ever heard before.


    I didn¡¯t struggle but just listened as he spilled all his beans, unloading all his past pent-up thoughts.


    In the end, he shockingly fell asleep on top of me.


    I pushed him, but wasn¡¯t able to move him.


    Thankfully, a security guard from the nearby parking lot was passing by. I called him over and together we helped Ding Yinuo into the car.


    Thankfully, I wasn¡¯t drunk, so I drove Ding Yinuo home myself.


    I drove him straight to Xishan Residence.


    Unexpectedly, Ding¡¯s mother was there.


    After I brought Ding Yinuo back, his mother made some tea and we chatted for quite a while.


    I remembered that last time I¡¯d bought some gifts for Ding Ruirui. I took them out from the car and gave them to his mother, ¡°Auntie, please pass these to Ruirui!¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother held my hand, ¡°Xiaosong! Ruirui met you last time and said she really likes you. If you have time, you should come and visit more often.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it this Sunday, then. I¡¯ll make dumplings for you guys. Also, I¡¯m attending a wedding soon and I need some advice on my hairstyle and outfit. I don¡¯t have a daughter, and my two sons are such simpletons, they don¡¯t understand anything about clothes and accessories.¡±


    I initially wanted to refuse, but seeing as she had said so much, it wouldn¡¯t be right to decline. So I agreed.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave Yinuo in your care then, I have to head back. Also, thank you for the gifts for Ruirui.¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother didn¡¯t stay for long. She walked away, leaving a drunken and unconscious Ding Yinuo behind with me.


    At that moment, my phone rang inappropriately. I looked at it and it was a text from Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Are you free now? I want to get a room with you!¡±

 Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Still Managed to Make the Appointment_1

    Chapter 164: Chapter 164 Still Managed to Make the Appointment_1


    Translator: 549690339


    This message somewhat startled me, Gu Yuanzhou had never sent me such a message before.


    This seems a little too straightforward.


    So I asked another question.


    ¡°What kind of room are you proposing to book at this late hour?¡±


    ¡°Just like the fun room we had last time!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s too late, and I don¡¯t really want to go out!¡±


    Let¡¯s not mention the fact that I need to take care of Ding Yinuo now.


    Even if Ding Yinuo wasn¡¯t present, after serious consideration, I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s possible for Gu Yuanzhou and I to go back to how things used to be.


    Even though he didn¡¯t participate in the arson case, he still betrayed me.


    How could I let myself develop a relationship with a man who betrayed me?


    Hence, I rejected him without hesitation.


    ¡°Ayun, is that you?¡±


    At some point, Ding Yinuo sat up in a daze.


    I put away my phone, poured him a glass of water,


    ¡°Are you feeling uncomfortable? Do you want me to prepare a cup of juice for you?¡±


    ¡°Yes please, there are fruits in the fridge, I apologize for the trouble  ¡±


    His cheeks were still flushed, it was clear that he was feeling unwell.


    I had experienced a hangover before, that feeling of discomfort is not pleasant, and so I headed to the kitchen.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s kitchen was very clean, even the stove was spotless, and the kitchen utensils were all clean as well.


    Apparently, he hardly ever cooked for himself. I opened the double-door large fridge, and to my surprise, it was packed full with various fresh fruits.


    It seemed likely that this was the work of his mother.


    I chose a few fresh fruits, washed and cut them before putting them into the blender.


    Both of my children loved juice, and I used to make it for them a lot.


    While I might not be adept at cooking, I am quite skilled when it comes to making juice, capable of blending various kinds of fruit juice.


    After preparing the juice, I headed back to the living room.


    That¡¯s when I saw Ding Yinuo walk out of the bathroom after having a shower.


    His hair was still wet from the shower, the long fringe covering his features.


    His naturally delicate face was even more dewy at that moment.


    The bare upper half of his body showed his muscular physique, the clear eight-pack abs indicating that he must frequent the gym.


    He¡¯s indeed a self-disciplined man, possessing such an attractive body.


    Though he had wrapped a towel around his waist, the outline of his V-cut and the masculine narrow waist were still prominently visible.


    This was the first time that Ding Yinuo was so wild in front of me


    It was as if he was oozing hormones!


    I felt a little embarrassed staring at him, and, pretending to be shy, I averted my gaze.


    ¡°Ahem, the juice is ready. Can you check if it¡¯s ok?¡±


    Ding Yinuo, on the other hand, was quite nonchalant, after all, he was no longer the innocent adolescent that he once was.


    He had matured into an adult man.


    Presenting his bare upper body without any semblance of embarrassment, he seemed to enjoy the attention.


    ¡°Okay, since you¡¯re fine now, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±


    I picked up my purse and was about to leave.


    Ding Yinuo got up and blocked my way.


    ¡°I¡¯m drunk to this extent. Are you planning to leave me just like that?¡±


    ¡°What else then, am I supposed to stay here and take care of you till your last days?¡±


    I half-jokingly responded as I looked at him.


    But Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression at that moment was very serious. He held onto my arm and pulled me closer, his other hand gently brushing against my cheek.


    ¡°Ayun, do you think we could have been together if it wasn¡¯t for that misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°What misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°The   the bird incident!¡±


    It seemed difficult for him to verbalize, but he forced it out eventually.


    I seriously pondered over his words. My prejudice against him was not just because of his constant antagonism towards me, but also because he was dating Jiang Jiaying, the girl I disliked the most.


    However, even if I ignore all these, would I fall in love with him?


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, if not for these misunderstandings, we could have possibly become friends!¡±


    ¡°So, just friends, with no further possibilities?¡±


    His expressions became more intense, as if a long suppressed feeling was brewing within him, seeking a breakthrough.


    After mulling over it for a few seconds, I then smiled and turned him down, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because   Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    Yes, Gu Yuanzhou came later.


    Sometimes life is strange like that. At the wrong time, the wrong person comes into your life and turns everything upside down.


    Upon reflection, it¡¯s clear to me that, at my youthful age, I couldn¡¯t have possibly been attracted to Ding Yinuo.


    In a sense, Din Yinuo is a good man. He has proper values, a stable family, but such a good man is meant for mature women.


    At that age, I was a rebellious, adventurous adolescent.


    I preferred someone like Gu Yuanzhou, who seemed a little evil, bad yet somewhat fierce.


    Back then, I always thought that I could change him


    The light in Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes slowly began to fade. Disappointed, he let go of my hand and gently patted my shoulder,


    ¡°It seems like I still can¡¯t measure up to him.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what nonsense are you talking about! What does he amount to, he¡¯s just a scoundrel. You¡¯re a hundred times better than him.¡±


    I firmly believed that if Ding Yinuo was to get married, he would never treat his wife and child the way Gu Yuanzhou did.


    Just then, my phone rang again.


    I sat down and picked up my phone, and it was another text message from Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Do you have a big problem with Ye Mengyan?¡±


    Why is he bringing up Ye Mengyan in the middle of the night?


    After deep thought, I responded,


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big problem per se, but she has ulterior motives! Perhaps for you, she¡¯s perfect, but she¡¯s done a lot of shady things behind the scenes.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°I hope she won¡¯t be the spokesperson for Zhenyi. Please find someone else, I can recommend someone better. She can¡¯t handle the image and temperament of this brand.¡±


    That¡¯s what I had been thinking recently, so I directly expressed my thoughts.


    ¡°This is just your prejudice, I think she is quite capable!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯ll try to prove to you that your thoughts are wrong.¡±


    After I sent that message, he didn¡¯t reply anymore.


    After a while, I turned my head and saw Ding Yinuo sitting on the sofa, staring at me. He had finished his juice already.


    ¡°Why are you chatting with him at this late hour?¡±


    ¡°Work issues?¡±


    ¡°Work?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t let go of Zhenyi, don¡¯t try to persuade me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo sat quietly without saying anything else.


    After a long time, Gu Yuanzhou sent another message, ¡°Let¡¯s talk, about Ye Mengyan¡¯s situation, it¡¯s better to have a face-to-face discussion!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late, let¡¯s talk tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow will be too late, I am going to announce the issue at the company¡¯s meeting tomorrow.¡±


    I looked at the time on my phone, it was already half-past eleven. It¡¯s not exactly early, but it¡¯s not too late either.


    ¡°Alright, where should we meet?¡±

 Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter 165 He Played Tricks on Me_1

    Chapter 165: Chapter 165 He Played Tricks on Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Soon after, Gu Yuanzhou sent me an address.


    I glanced at it quickly, relieved to find it wasn¡¯t a hotel.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on my way right now!¡±


    I put my phone into my purse and told Ding Yinuo, ¡°I¡¯m heading out.¡±


    Ding Yinuo grasped my hand,


    ¡°It¡¯s so late! Don¡¯t go see him!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s business, Ding Yinuo, be reasonable!¡±


    ¡°What business can¡¯t wait till tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo!!¡±


    ¡°No matter what the reason, whatever the matter, you have to remember one thing, Gu Yuanzhou is a jerk!¡±


    Ding Yinuo gradually stood up along my arm, his gaze deepening.


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ve already lost you once, I don¡¯t want to lose you a second time.¡±


    His words were so heartbreaking


    Wait, aren¡¯t those the words Gu Yuanzhou should be saying?


    I smiled at his words, ruthlessly piercing through his pretenses.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you never had me, how could you lose me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo reached out and lightly tapped my nose,


    ¡°You¡¯re still as harsh with your words! Can¡¯t you say something nice to make me happy?¡±


    ¡°Master Ding, I really have something to do!¡±


    Turning a joke into reality, seeing that I do have urgent matters, Ding Yinuo finally let go of my hand.


    He reached for his shirt and started putting it on,


    ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll drive you there.¡±


    ¡°No, if Gu Yuanzhou sees you, he¡¯ll think I¡¯m trying to harm him at your command. If he doesn¡¯t listen to a word I say, all my plans will be ruined.¡±


    ¡°You care about him that much?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I¡¯ve told you, what I care about is Zhenyi Company. I don¡¯t want Ye Mengyan to ruin it. Every concession I¡¯ve made to Gu Yuanzhou is for Zhenyi Company. I know others might not understand, but you and Wenya, you should know what I want, right?¡±


    Ding Yinuo lowered his gaze, his face showing a hint of emotion.


    ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t say all this, I would understand, I¡¯m not an idiot   But I just worry, you¡¯ll repeat past mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I, being so intelligent, will make the same mistake again?¡±


    Ding Yinuo took my shoulders, looking into my eyes for a long time,


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯ve always been smart. Your weakness isn¡¯t a matter of intelligence, but soft-heartedness.¡±


    ¡°I was soft-hearted in the past, but not anymore.¡±


    Only then did Ding Yinuo let go.


    ¡°Go quickly and come back quickly, I¡¯ll wait for your return.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Ding Yinuo accompanied me all the way to the front door, seeing him standing at the door wearing only a bath towel, I coughed lightly.


    ¡°You really are becoming more shameless huh!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like looking? Here¡¯s an eyeful for you!¡±


    ¡°Did I say I like looking?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say   back in high school, you didn¡¯t get to see anything?¡±


    ¡°Enough, I¡¯m not wasting any more words on you.¡±


    I don¡¯t know when, but Ding Yinuo is talking more and more, his aloof image is threatened to collapse in my heart.


    I quietly drove into the night, from the rearview mirror, I could see Ding Yinuo standing at the door, gazing at me for a long time.


    Half an hour later.


    I found a parking lot and parked the car, the time was already half past midnight.


    The area was already quite deserted, at this time, there were no more cars on the road.


    The place where Gu Yuanzhou arranged to meet was a bar called Lovers¡¯ Bar, located at the third intersection ahead.


    He initially arranged for us to meet in a hotel, which I declined.


    So he changed it to a bar.


    This was part of a street filled with bars, and young men and women dressed in fashionable clothes were coming and going, laughing as they entered the bars.


    I stood at the entrance, staring at the brightly lit interior.


    Just as I was debating whether to go in, he sent another message.


    ¡°Are you here yet?¡±


    I glanced at the message and walked in.


    There was no security check at the entrance, so I just went straight in.


    The entrance led to a narrow aisle, the further I walked, the noisier it became.


    I hadn¡¯t come to places like this since I had a child.


    It felt strange


    The bar wasn¡¯t very large, there were a few people in the dance floor, moving their bodies to the energetic music.


    I sat down by the bar and ordered a drink.


    I scanned the crowd, trying to spot Gu Yuanzhou, but I couldn¡¯t find him.


    After waiting for three minutes, I sent him another message, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply.


    The phone rang again, I picked it up to find it was a call from Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°What is it, Master Ding?¡±


    ¡°Just checking to make sure you¡¯re safe!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m not a little kid, I can take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so noisy there, are you at a bar?¡±


    The caution in Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice was immediate.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing at a bar so late?¡±


    Despite Ding Yinuo¡¯s confusion, I didn¡¯t have time to communicate with him.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man quietly approach and pour a bag of powder into my drink.


    I cut off Ding Yinuo¡¯s call, preparing to hit the man


    But then I saw his two accomplices, all with dyed red hair, puffing away at their cigarettes and winking at me.


    I certainly couldn¡¯t handle these guys, so I immediately withdrew my hand and called Gu Yuanzhou.


    But Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t pick up.


    We had agreed on a time and a place, yet he was nowhere to be seen, and wasn¡¯t answering his phone.


    I became alert immediately.


    I grabbed my phone and started to walk away, using my phone¡¯s screen to check behind me.


    As expected, those three guys were following me.


    I started to feel uneasy.


    My phone rang again, and once more it was Ding Yinuo calling.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I think I¡¯m in trouble  ¡±


    I continued to walk out, my voice trembling slightly.


    I¡¯ve already died once, yet when faced with threats, my hands and feet still turn cold and my whole body trembles.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Lovers¡¯ Bar!¡±


    ¡°Get out of there, I¡¯m calling the police, I¡¯m on my way, don¡¯t hang up the phone  ¡±


    I quickened my pace towards a run when behind me, the three guys started chasing me.


    I was busy keeping an eye on the three guys, I didn¡¯t notice a speeding motorcycle rushing toward me as I ran out the door of the bar.


    I was unable to dodge in time and was sent flying by the impact, only to fall hard onto the ground.


    The back of my head struck the ground, the pain was so acute. Yet, I couldn¡¯t move.


    I had no idea where I¡¯d been injured, but my remaining consciousness was screaming, I can¡¯t die!


    I tried to call for help, but found that I couldn¡¯t make a sound.

 Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 166 He is the Light in My Life_1

    Chapter 166: Chapter 166 He is the Light in My Life_1


    Translator: 549690339


    At this timing, there weren¡¯t many people around.


    The rider wearing a helmet turned around and quickly fled the scene, and the gang of punks following me saw me lying on the ground and scattered just as quickly.


    ¡°Help  ¡±


    I tried with all my strength to shout.


    But no matter how hard I tried I couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    I couldn¡¯t move, and I could feel something wet seeping from underneath my hair, flowing down to my neck.


    I was gradually losing the feeling of pain.


    I was becoming numb.


    I felt colder and colder, as if falling into an ice cave.


    Am I going to die again?


    No, I can¡¯t die!


    I can¡¯t just die like this, I haven¡¯t uncovered the truth behind the children¡¯s deaths, I haven¡¯t yet confronted Gu Yuanzhou for his actions.


    I can¡¯t let Ye Mengyan take over the company I¡¯ve worked so hard to build.


    I can¡¯t let her reap the benefits of my hard work for the rest of her life.


    I can¡¯t die.


    But right now, I don¡¯t even have the strength to stand up.


    At this moment, I truly realized that I was about to die.


    The person I most wanted to see before I died turned out to be Ding Yinuo.


    I don¡¯t know why, but I just wanted someone who cared about me to hold my hand or hug me as I was dying.


    As these thoughts ran through my mind, Ding Yinuo actually appeared before me.


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun  ¡±


    He knelt on the ground, calling my name over and over again.


    I looked at him eagerly, but I couldn¡¯t speak. My mouth was open, my throat gurgling, and only blood was coming out.


    Suddenly, Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. He choked out,


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk, don¡¯t talk, I get it, Ayun, don¡¯t be scared, you won¡¯t die.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t nod, all I could do was let the tears flow


    Out of the blue, I remembered what Wenya had once said.


    If Ding Yinuo confessed to you first back then, would you have accepted him?


    At this moment, I remembered what Ding Yinuo said when he was drunk:


    ¡°Ayun! I¡¯m angry because I care about you! If it were any other girl, I wouldn¡¯t give a damn about what they say. But it¡¯s you. You don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been angry! I¡¯ve been fighting with you for years, that¡¯s how long I¡¯ve been angry. Ayun, why don¡¯t you understand me? All you see is that jerk Gu Yuanzhou  ¡±


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ve lost you once. I don¡¯t want to lose you a second time.¡±


    If I really died, my biggest regret in this life would be not avenging myself on that scumbag Gu Yuanzhou.


    The second biggest regret would be hurting Ding Yinuo


    ¡°Yinuo  ¡±


    I opened my mouth slightly, wanting to express my thoughts.


    But still, I couldn¡¯t make a sound, only a feeble gasp came out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak, I will save you, I can definitely keep you alive. Ayun, Ayun  ¡±


    For the first time, I saw panic in Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes.


    For some reason, I felt strangely calm at this moment.


    Although I couldn¡¯t feel the pain, my mind was still clear.


    I could see him trying hard to save me. He took off his shirt to bandage the wound on my head, and he kept talking to me.


    ¡°Ayun, your lower back might be hurt, I can¡¯t move you. The ambulance will be here soon, I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯ll be here within ten minutes. You have a head injury and you¡¯ve lost a bit of blood, but it¡¯s not fatal.¡±


    The usually jovial him was now stuttering.


    Stammering


    He was like a schoolboy meeting his parents-in-law for the first time, barely able to speak.


    Seeing him, a mature doctor, panicking like this, I couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Ding Yinuo, do you care about me this much?


    At this moment, time seemed to stretch endlessly, and everything around me gradually faded into the background.


    The features of Ding Yinuo, however, became clearer and clearer before me.


    Perhaps because he was there, I didn¡¯t feel threatened by death anymore.


    Soon, the ambulance arrived. Medical personnel came over with a stretcher, and Ding Yinuo lifted me onto it and pushed me into the ambulance.


    He was with me all the way to the hospital.


    I held on until we got to the entrance of the hospital.


    The lights at the main entrance of the hospital were like a lighthouse in the dark.


    It was as if only after passing through that light did I feel safe. My eyelids were heavy and everything was going dark.


    I couldn¡¯t hold on any longer.


    Just before losing consciousness, I heard Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice, ¡°Prepare for blood transfusion   What, not enough blood? Take mine! I¡¯ll do the operation, prepare operating room three.¡±


    I had no idea what happened afterward.


    Maybe it was because of the surgery, I was given anesthesia.


    When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed.


    As I lay there looking at the ceiling, for a moment, I couldn¡¯t tell if I was dreaming or had really survived.


    Drips were flowing in from a tube in my arm, entering my body bit by bit.


    I tried to move a little, but a sharp pain shot through from my arm. Suddenly, a voice rang out,


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t move!¡±


    It was then that I noticed that there was another person in the room. It was Wenya.


    The moment I opened my mouth, my voice was hoarse like it had been sandpapered, coarse and raspy.


    ¡°Am I alive?¡±


    Wenya quickly came over to adjust the IV tube on my arm, preventing the needle from falling out.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve been unconscious for three days!¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I sit up, what happened?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve injured your head, fractured your left arm, and your internal organs are damaged   Luckily, Ding Yinuo performed the surgery. I heard that the operation took twelve hours. At the time, you didn¡¯t have enough plasma, he donated blood for you. After the operation, he fainted on the spot.¡±


    As Wenya was rambling on about what happened after I blacked out,


    I carefully thought about it. In fact, I wasn¡¯t entirely unconscious.


    I seem to have had moments of clarity, but I didn¡¯t open my eyes then. However, I could distinctly hear Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice yelling my name.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you need to rest for a few days. Your internal organs are recovering well. But your broken left arm, and the wound on the back of your head, they¡¯ll probably need another half a month to heal.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Wenya, where is Ding Yinuo? Where is he? Did he regain consciousness?¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re worried about him? He¡¯s been quietly pining for you for years, and you¡¯ve always ignored him.¡±


    Wenya spoke like a wronged woman, defending Ding Yinuo.


    I wished I could kick her. Instead of answering my question, she was just going on and on.


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Want to see him?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I want to  ¡±


    ¡°How much do you want to see him?¡±


    I knew Wenya was teasing me, but I really wanted to know Ding Yinuo¡¯s condition now, so I went along with her. ¡°Very much, very much!!¡±

 Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter 167 – It’s All Your Fault_1

    Chapter 167: Chapter 167 ¨C It¡¯s All Your Fault_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Only then did Wenya cover her mouth and laugh.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, aren¡¯t you going to come out? She¡¯s almost dying of anxiety!¡±


    Upon seeing Wenya¡¯s smile, I knew I¡¯d been had.


    Sure enough, Ding Yinuo promptly strode in through the door.


    Clothed in his white lab coat, flapping in the wind, and bathed in the soft morning light, he came up to me.


    I had never realised Ding Yinuo could be so alluring.


    He looked like an angel!


    Like a ray of light in this world.


    ¡°How are you feeling, any pain? Do you need more painkillers?¡±


    Ding Yinuo took out a stethoscope, first examining my breathing and heartbeat, ensuring all my vital signs were steady.


    Only then did he heave a sigh of relief and held my hand.


    ¡°No pain, it doesn¡¯t hurt anywhere anymore, but   my throat is a little uncomfortable, I want to drink water!¡±


    ¡°Okay, sounds good.¡±


    As I couldn¡¯t sit up yet, Ding Yinuo adjusted the position of my hospital bed.


    He injected some glucose into me with a syringe. It wasn¡¯t much, just enough to soothe my throat.


    Once I was emotionally stable, Wenya finally said,


    ¡°Ayun, should we call the police?¡±


    ¡°Report what?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s clear that Gu Yuanzhou, the jerk set this trap. He deliberately asked you to meet him at such a place in the middle of the night, then found some thugs to harass you, and left when you were leaving the bar, even arranging for a motorcyclist to hit you.¡±


    Wenya was unexpectedly smart this time, and her analysis was spot on.


    Furthermore, she was quite furious,


    ¡°I knew it, Gu Yuanzhou is no good. He must have found out that you are the reincarnation of Song Yun. He wants to kill you. Ayun, you can¡¯t be soft-hearted anymore.¡±


    I fell silent.


    ¡°Ayun, tell us what you think.¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed relatively calm at this point.


    Closer, I could clearly see the dark circles under his eyes. I guess he must have been anxious while I was in the hospital these days.


    This man came to rescue me just in the nick of time.


    I¡¯m so grateful to him


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, it¡¯s okay. You can talk about it when you¡¯ve rested.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was very considerate.


    I remained silent for a while, ¡°It¡¯s not Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    Wenya was shocked, ¡°Are you still defending him?¡±


    I shook my head, in fact, I had my doubts before I entered the bar.


    Let alone the fact that Gu Yuanzhou would not arrange to meet me at a bar in the middle of the night, he wouldn¡¯t even answer his phone when it was time for our scheduled meet-up.


    I explained all these doubts in detail.


    Ding Yinuo remained silent.


    But Wenya disagreed immediately,


    ¡°Ayun, he just wants to kill you. Otherwise, why would he arrange to meet you in the middle of the night? You¡¯re always fooled by his gentle appearance. The man is a liar, you shouldn¡¯t trust him. I think, you might as well call the police. Let them investigate.¡±


    I shook my head,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even see the license plate or the face of the rider. And even if the rider is found, he could say it was an accident. This can hardly be used as evidence. I don¡¯t want to alert the conspirators by reporting to the police now, I prefer to investigate by myself.¡±


    I turned my gaze to Ding Yinuo, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Ding Yinuo stayed silent all the time, I knew he was thinking.


    At that moment, he looked at me with particularly gentle eyes,


    He stooped slightly, and magically pulled out a fancy wooden comb, gently combing my disheveled hair while asking me softly.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is undoubtedly a jerk, but he¡¯s not a fool. Using his own cellphone to arrange a meet-up and then hit you intentionally, isn¡¯t it too obvious? If you went to the police, wouldn¡¯t it be discovered immediately?¡±


    ¡°So, you think I¡¯m right?¡±


    ¡°Who do you suspect?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer right away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, I need time to confirm   However, Yinuo, could you please hand me my phone?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Ding Yinuo fetched my cellphone from a drawer and handed it to me, ¡°It¡¯s fully charged!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Upon turning on the phone, a load of messages popped up.


    Going through them one by one, they were all from Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering my calls?¡±


    ¡°Why did you turn off your phone?¡±


    ¡°Reply to my text.¡±


    ¡°Skipping work? You don¡¯t want to work, or you found another employer?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t come to the office tomorrow, I¡¯ll take it as your resignation!¡±


    ¡°Are you still angry with me and protesting? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Be warned, you better show up before me tomorrow  ¡±


    The short messages added up to dozens. I looked through each one, from these words, all I could see was his fury.


    I didn¡¯t go to the company for three days and didn¡¯t contact him, which made him very annoyed. This indirectly indicated that he was completely unaware of the accident.


    So, someone must have used his phone and caused some trouble.


    After a long period of thought, I finally called Gu Yuanzhou.


    He answered almost instantly on the other side.


    Through the phone, I could sense the sparks of rage in his breathing.


    ¡°Where have you been these few days?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Mr. Gu, I was in a car accident, I just woke up today and I¡¯m still lying in the hospital.¡±


    My hoarse voice also indirectly corroborated my words.


    After hearing this, his attitude took a complete 180-degree turn.


    ¡°Which hospital are you in? How are your injuries?¡±


    ¡°Not great! I¡¯m in the City First Hospital!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming to see you!¡±


    Before I could reply, he hung up the phone.


    I looked up at Wenya, and she was looking at me. She then grabbed a rope from behind the door,


    ¡°I think we should do this. When he arrives, we¡¯ll just tie him up, detain him, and interrogate him until he confesses.¡±


    Seeing Wenya¡¯s ferocious expression, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    Unfortunately, laughing would tug at my wounds, so I quickly stopped and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Wenya, don¡¯t do this, it¡¯s illegal to take the law into your own hands!¡±


    Ding Yinuo joked with a smile, ¡°She¡¯s not afraid! Now that she has the backing of Attorney Su, she can even walk sideways in the future.¡±


    Wenya rolled her eyes at Ding Yinuo, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about without any real proof?¡±


    Ding Yinuo raised his eyebrows, ¡°Attorney Su has already sent the invitation for his wedding, asking me to celebrate.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not true, he must be marrying another woman.¡±


    ¡°Another woman, how can that be? Who else can there be besides you?¡±


    The two teased each other for a while, and then footsteps were heard outside.


    A moment later, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s figure appeared at the entrance of the ward.


    Both Wenya and Ding Yinuo fell silent simultaneously.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark silhouette, upon entering the ward, made the pressure in the room drop sharply.


    He seemed to have ignored Ding Yinuo completely and walked straight towards me.


    ¡°How are you?¡±


    Before I could respond, Wenya couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Mr. Gu, how dare you ask her when this is all your doing?¡±

 Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Cross-Examination_1

    Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Cross-Examination_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou looked coldly at Wenya, his expression quite confused.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still pretending?¡±


    Wenya sneered.


    I cleared my throat gently, ¡°Wenya, let it go!¡±


    ¡°Why should I let it go! You almost lost your life!¡±


    Wenya was livid, and wanted nothing more than to vent all her anger onto Gu Yuanzhou.


    Surprisingly, Gu Yuanzhou remained calm when hearing her words.


    He didn¡¯t lose his temper, but instead said to Wenya very seriously,


    ¡°Miss Wen, if you have something to say, say it clearly! I don¡¯t know what kind of impression you have of me, but you should articulate your thoughts clearly. These unfounded accusations are a kind of slander against me!¡±


    ¡°Slander? Huh, you¡¯ve done something guilty and still afraid people would talk about it?¡±


    ¡°Miss Wen, I¡¯ve mentioned before, please present some evidence, otherwise I might have to sue you!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou issued a warning.


    ¡°Let it go, Wenya!¡±


    I cleared my throat gently again.


    Wenya held back her words and stayed silent.


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, within a few minutes, another person walked into the ward.


    It was Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou asked.


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes twinkled with a gentle smile, and she spoke in her usual warm tone.


    ¡°I heard that you said on the phone that Xiaoyun was in the hospital, so I hurried over.¡±


    Ye Mengyan was indeed prepared. In her hands she held flowers and a large fruit basket.


    She came to my side with a worried look on her face.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you okay? Are your injuries severe?¡±


    Although her words were filled with gentleness, her eyes didn¡¯t show any hint of concern.


    On the contrary, there was a trace of manipulation.


    ¡°Hey, you, stay back! Don¡¯t come too close!¡±


    Perhaps worried about Ye Mengyan harming me further, Wenya deliberately pushed her back a bit.


    Ye Mengyan wasn¡¯t angry, she just laughed and said,


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you. You haven¡¯t been to the office for a few days, your colleagues are concerned about you and often come to me asking about you.¡±


    Having said this, she turned to look at Gu Yuanzhou.


    Seeing that Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t seem angry,


    She continued,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, President Gu is also very worried about you. He thought you might have quietly resigned and went to another company. You should have called him considering how worried he was about you.¡±


    Wenya shot her a look,


    ¡°Ayun was unconscious for three days, how could she inform Gu Yuanzhou? Through dreams? Even if she did, could you guys receive it?¡±


    ¡°Three days? That serious, was it a car accident? Xiaoyun, did you get a clear look at the perpetrator¡¯s plate number?¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s concerned demeanor might have fooled anyone else into thinking she genuinely cared for me.


    I looked at her carefully.


    Suddenly a thought struck me, could those previous text messages have been sent by Ye Mengyan?


    She deliberately took Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone, sent me a text using it, tested my attitude towards her,


    Then set up a trap and asked me out.


    Her suspicion was indeed very high, because she was the person who could easily get Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone.


    So, I proceeded to guide the conversation based on what she said.


    ¡°I remember the bar. The Lovers¡¯ Bar; I know the bartender there, I can ask him about those three bullies. There are also cameras around the bar, so they should have caught the accident. Once I¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll investigate.¡±


    At this point, there was a subtle change in Ye Mengyan¡¯s expression.


    Her smile turned awkward when confronted with my sharp gaze. She continued,


    ¡°Did you get a clear view of the plate number?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I can¡¯t remember it now. However, I wrote it down on a nearby sign. I¡¯ll go find it when I¡¯m better.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see!¡±


    Afterwards, Ye Mengyan stopped questioning.


    But Gu Yuanzhou began to question me,


    ¡°Why did you go to Lovers¡¯ Bar that night?¡±


    I squinted at Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°That should be a question for you, shouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Because you are the one who asked me to go!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, three days ago that night, did you lend your phone to anyone?¡±


    I blurted out the question directly.


    But the answer Gu Yuanzhou gave me was,


    ¡°I did not lend my phone to anyone.¡±


    This answer angered me. If he hadn¡¯t lent out his phone, he couldn¡¯t have been unaware of why I went to Lovers¡¯ Bar.


    ¡°That night, I went to Lovers¡¯ Bar because I received a text message from you. What else do you think I was doing there in the middle of the night?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou denied it on the spot,


    ¡°This is impossible. That night, I was entertaining clients. I was too busy to text you. Besides, why would I ask you to go to a bar at such a late time?¡±


    ¡°Then, is there a possibility that your phone was taken by someone?¡±


    As I asked this, Gu Yuanzhou instinctively turned his head to look at Ye Mengyan.


    Ye Mengyan locked eyes with him for a dozen seconds or so.


    For a moment, I saw that there was an emotional exchange in their eyes.


    Just as Gu Yuanzhou was about to speak, Ye Mengyan preempted him.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you suggesting that President Gu wanted to harm you? That¡¯s impossible! He has no reason to, he has no ill will towards you! If he wanted to harm you, he could simply fire you from the company, he wouldn¡¯t go through these lengths. Be careful about what you say. If this gets out, people might think that Zhenyi Company¡¯s president tried to murder a female subordinate, which could cause a stock market crash.¡±


    Although her words seemed directed at me, in reality, she was reminding Gu Yuanzhou to keep his mouth shut.


    When Gu Yuanzhou looked at me, he said, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this matter when you return to the office. The most important thing at the moment is for you to get well. You don¡¯t need to worry about work.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    At this moment, I no longer had the mood to talk.


    Perhaps considering Yinuo was by my side, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say much more.


    After staying for about ten minutes, he left.


    When I saw Ye Mengyan leaving, I told Wenya,


    ¡°Keep an eye on Ye Mengyan for me, see where she goes.¡±


    Yinuo stopped her, ¡°Don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll find someone else. She recognizes you, it¡¯s easy for her to see through.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll work.¡±


    Yinuo left to arrange it.


    Wenya stayed with me, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you expose Gu Yuanzhou just now? It¡¯s clearly his phone, how could he not know?¡±


    ¡°I think, I got an idea of who it might be. There are two possibilities, either he was kept in the dark and Ye Mengyan stole his phone without his knowing, or he was covering for Ye Mengyan.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, no matter the case, you must expose that woman, or she might be more vicious next time.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s words made sense. In fact, the moment I was hit by the motorcycle, I realized that Ye Mengyan wanted to kill me.


    This time, even if it meant mutual destruction, I was determined to confront Gu Yuanzhou to the end.

 Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 169 Evidence_1

    Chapter 169: Chapter 169 Evidence_1


    Translator: 549690339


    In the evening, after Wenya left.


    Ding Yinuo was reluctant to leave.


    He would occasionally check my ECG, adjust the IV tube.


    When he saw the back of my hand a little swollen, he grabbed the hot water bag to apply on it.


    He always took over when the nurse came to change my IV solution, afraid that others might hurt me.


    The nurse joked with a smile,


    ¡°Doctor Ding, you¡¯re so worried about her, is she your girlfriend?¡±


    Ding Yinuo grinned, ¡°What girlfriend? She¡¯s my wife!¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why you¡¯re so attentive, staying here days and nights without eating or sleeping, you¡¯re such a devoted man.¡±


    The nurse teased, and Ding Yinuo just smiled without answering.


    Seeing that it was getting late, I urged him, ¡°You should go home and rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you tonight!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your company, there is an on-duty nurse here. Besides, don¡¯t I have a call bell here? I¡¯ll ring it if I feel uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡±


    Ding Yinuo stubbornly sat on the chair without leaving.


    I couldn¡¯t persuade him, so I let him be.


    He didn¡¯t talk much; after nightfall, he moved a lounging chair, covered himself with a small blanket, and lay next to me.


    In fact, I had been unconscious for many days and lying down all day. I wasn¡¯t sleepy when night came.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t sleep either. Instead, he shared stories about what happened during his student days.


    ¡°Do you know who was the most talked about among the boys in our class?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying?¡±


    ¡°Why her?¡±


    ¡°She was the class belle! She was the most beautiful girl in our whole class.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, it wasn¡¯t her!¡±


    ¡°If not her, then who could it possibly be?¡±


    ¡°If I give you any more hints, you¡¯d get it right away.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m a bit slow  ¡±


    ¡°Of course, it was you!¡±


    I turned my head, looking at Ding Yinuo, who was also lying on the chair, gazing at me with his long eyes, full of stars.


    He gently stroked my cheek with his hand,


    ¡°Ayun, in this life, can I take care of you?¡±


    Perhaps he was a bit tired, his voice sounded hoarse.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what are you thinking about? I don¡¯t need anyone to take care of me. I can take care of myself!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still being stubborn   Ayun, your life wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.¡±


    His eyes were still filled with the innocence of his youth.


    ¡°Yinuo, I¡¯m a bit tired. Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡±


    Seeing how exhausted he looked, I really couldn¡¯t disturb his sleep.


    Upon hearing this, he closed his eyes, reached out a hand to pinch my face gently, then dropped it.


    By the time I looked at him again, his breathing had become steady.


    He fell asleep almost instantly!


    He must be really tired!


    I reached out to cover him with the blanket.


    As I turned my head, I saw a figure standing outside the door.


    It was Jiang Jiaying, with her arms folded, looking at me and then at the sleeping Ding Yinuo.


    She then slowly walked over to me.


    She cast a meaningful glance at me.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t see what makes you, such kind of woman, so attractive to him!¡±


    I smiled slightly, looking at her.


    I was currently lying in bed, unable to move independently, and very weak.


    Whereas she was in good health and the head of this hospital. Therefore, she seemed to deliberately target me at this moment, which felt a bit like bullying the weak.


    She was still somewhat domineering, like the little bully she was back then.


    As for me, I was no longer the vulnerable little girl I used to be.


    I smiled at her,


    ¡°If you can¡¯t see my strengths, perhaps it¡¯s because you¡¯re blind!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying snorted,


    ¡°You have a sharp tongue, but unfortunately, it¡¯s useless. I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m blind or not, but others aren¡¯t. Look at you, no family background, no education, and no proper job. You¡¯re not pretty, and your figure is just so-so. An ordinary girl like you is a dime a dozen on the street!¡±


    I didn¡¯t get angry after hearing that. Instead, I laughed and said,


    ¡°Yes! I am very ordinary indeed. But have you ever thought about this ¨C he would rather have an ordinary woman than you. This means that you are even worse than an ordinary woman.¡±


    ¡°You!!!¡±


    After saying that, Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face turned pale.


    After all, Ding Yinuo was still sleeping there. She didn¡¯t dare to make a fuss and in the end, she looked at Ding Yinuo before turning around and leaving with resentment.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.


    The next morning.


    When I woke up, Ding Yinuo had already left.


    Only an empty chair was left beside me, with a neatly folded blanket on it.


    It was around eight o¡¯clock. Ding Yinuo must have gone to work. I suddenly longed to see him so much.


    I wanted to know what he did every day at work.


    I wanted to know how he interacted with patients every day.


    I wanted to know whether he was tired from the surgeries every day?


    I was actually not at all interested in medicine. However, when I saw a medical book on the bedside table, I picked it up and flipped through a few pages.


    While I was reading, Gu Yuanzhou arrived.


    I was somewhat surprised. It was so early in the morning and he was here already.


    He was also holding several health supplements in his hand¡­ I took a glance, there were premium bird¡¯s nests, cordyceps, etc. It seemed that he was really willing to spend generously to visit me.


    ¡°How do you feel today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to trouble President Gu to come and visit me personally!¡±


    ¡°This sounds a bit sarcastic. Do you have a lot of complaints in your heart?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sat down in front of me.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, you¡¯re the boss, I wouldn¡¯t dare to offend you.¡±


    In fact, I was seething with anger.


    I almost lost my life this time, although he wasn¡¯t the perpetrator, he has been covering for the criminal ever since.


    So, naturally, I was not in a good mood.


    I might not have had a pleasant chat with him.


    After a few words, I said to him,


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired, I don¡¯t have the energy to talk to President Gu. I want to take a nap.¡±


    After that, I closed my eyes and ignored him.


    He just stood silently by my side.


    We were in a stalemate for about ten minutes. Apparently, he realized that I was determined and didn¡¯t urge me anymore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your work, I¡¯ll assign it to others. You focus on recuperation, I¡¯ll come and see you again when I have time.¡±


    I didn¡¯t utter a word.


    I listened as his footsteps slowly faded away.


    After a while, I reached out and massaged my temples


    Right then, Wenya came to see me. When she learned that the supplements on the table were brought by Gu Yuanzhou, she immediately threw them into the trash can.


    ¡°You better not eat any of his stuff, who knows if he¡¯s poisoned it.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of poison, I still haven¡¯t been able to bring the murderer who hurt my aunt to justice!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the last time, to let Driver Ma identify the person?¡±


    I did have such a plan, but I didn¡¯t expect Ye Mengyan to act first and mess up my plan.


    ¡°Wait for a couple more days¡­ I¡¯ll get her once I¡¯m better.¡±

 Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter 170 You are not alone_1

    Chapter 170: Chapter 170 You are not alone_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Two days passed, my injuries gradually healed and I was able to get out of bed and walk around.


    Ding Yinuo had been with me these days. As long as he finished a surgery, he would come and see me.


    Sometimes he barely spoke two sentences before the other nurses called him away.


    Thus, he came back and forth like this ten plus times a day, sometimes eating his lunch next to me with his lunch box in hand.


    His main goal was to keep me company.


    By the time I could eat again, he would have his mother bring some porridge over.


    When Ding¡¯s mother came, she also brought Little Rui Rui along.


    The porridge was made form millet, containing some seafood and meat. It had been simmered till it was soft and tasty, carrying a hint of chicken¡¯s fragrance.


    The taste was incredibly sweet upon the tongue.


    ¡°Auntie, how did you cook this porridge? It¡¯s so delicious!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you want to learn?¡±


    ¡°Yes, once I learn, I can try it myself!¡±


    Mother Ding didn¡¯t hesitate,


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s a bit complicated. You have to wash the millet first, then freeze it in the fridge for an hour. After freezing, the millet cooks faster. Then, you¡¯ll need chicken broth. Add millet, some pork tenderloin, and stew it in a clay pot for an hour. When it¡¯s nearly done add shrimp and seasoning.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how it is. I¡¯ll learn once I recover.¡±


    No sooner had I finished speaking than Ding Yinuo walked in. He cleared his throat,


    ¡°You? You¡¯re not cut out for cooking!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you look down on me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, in terms of cooking, I do look down on you   So, a woman like you should quickly find a man who can cook to take care of you, otherwise you¡¯ll starve.¡±


    ¡°Not many men can cook these days!¡±


    ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t know me! Actually, my cooking skills are very good. What my mother can make, I can too   This porridge is a piece of cake for me.¡±


    Seeing his bright smile, I cut him down, ¡°Keep bragging! I¡¯ve never seen you touch the cooking utensils in your house.¡±


    Indeed, with the Ding¡¯s family¡¯s wealth, why would they let their esteemed young master cook.


    Moreover, he is a doctor. Those hands are invaluable!


    They could save many lives on the operating table, it was a waste to use them for cooking.


    He smiled teasingly at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Why don¡¯t you marry me and see?¡±


    I looked back to Mother Ding, ¡°Auntie, can he really cook?¡±


    Mother Ding laughed heartily, immediately exposing Ding Yinuo¡¯s lie,


    ¡°Haha, son, your mum does not like you lying. If you can¡¯t, you can¡¯t. Don¡¯t deceive Xiaosong.¡±


    Ding Yinuo chuckled,


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re always pressuring me to get married. Saying I¡¯m not working hard enough to chase girls. Now you see me working so hard, but you¡¯re not even helping me. You¡¯ll never have a daughter-in-law at this rate.¡±


    Mother Ding shook her head,


    ¡°Silly boy, girls are smart. You should win them over with sincerity, not by sweet-talking.¡±


    ¡°Got it, I will try hard to learn cooking.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it, just ask me with humility. I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    Indeed, Mother Ding was fair and didn¡¯t favor anyone, willing to teach her son seriously.


    She isn¡¯t like some mothers, who treat their sons as treasures, and don¡¯t want them doing any housework.


    One could see, the Ding family was very well raised.


    After I finished my porridge, Little Rui Rui came and held my hand, asking me, ¡°Auntie, does it hurt a lot when you got hurt?¡±


    Her soft voice, and her big innocent eyes, melted my heart.


    ¡°Hmm, it hurts a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Over here on my arm!¡±


    At this moment, she was wearing the Elsa dress I had bought her that day, holding a doll in her arms, tilting her head and looking at me curiously.


    ¡°Why did you fall on your arm?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was careless when I was walking and got hit by a car. You must watch out for cars on the road in the future, and it¡¯s best to walk with a grown-up. Otherwise it¡¯s very dangerous.¡±


    She seemed to understand my explanation,


    Then she put down the doll in her hand, climbed onto the hospital bed, knelt down next to me, gently touched my injured arm and blew on it.


    ¡°Rui Rui, what are you doing?¡± Ding Yinuo asked her curiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m helping Auntie cure her wound, my mom said that as long as I blow on it, it¡¯ll get better.¡±


    Her heartwarming gesture reminded me of my daughter Xiaoyi.


    In the past, when Xiaoyi¡¯s fingers got hurt, I would always blow on them, telling her it would heal soon.


    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    She asked me.


    ¡°I feel much better now, it doesn¡¯t hurt at all, thank you, Ruirui!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Little Rui Rui replied shyly.


    When she left, Little Rui Rui kept waving at me, reminding me to take care of myself, and she would come to see me again in a few days. She also gave her doll to me.


    Holding the little doll, watching her small figure, I was a bit teary-eyed.


    Ding Yinuo handed me a tissue,


    ¡°If you like her, you can often go to my house, she is a quite an obedient child.¡±


    In the afternoon, Ding Yinuo helped me go for a walk in the back garden.


    The hospital has a Flower Sea Park in the back. Every spring, the flowers bloom.


    When there was sunshine, it was especially comfy to take a leisurely walk. Actually, my leg injury was not serious, the main injuries were on my head and arm.


    So walking is not such a problem.


    But Ding Yinuo was worried I¡¯d fall and he followed carefully by my side.


    He plucked a white rose and handed it to me, ¡°Smell it!¡±


    I held the rose to my nose, took a gentle sniff, a pleasant fragrance filled my senses.


    ¡°Hmm, it smells good!¡±


    ¡°See, life is still very beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Sunlight, flowers, and a handsome man by your side, of course, life seemed beautiful.


    But, when I looked up at the sky, I couldn¡¯t feel the warmth of the sunlight.


    I could see it clearly, but I couldn¡¯t touch it.


    I know, there were shadows in my heart, and I couldn¡¯t walk out from it¡­


    At this point, almost two months had passed since the arson case, but I still couldn¡¯t let go.


    I couldn¡¯t let go of my hatred for the arsonist.


    I couldn¡¯t let go of my resentment for Gu Yuanzhou.


    I especially couldn¡¯t let go of my love for the two children¡­


    Even though Ding Yinuo was holding my hand, I still felt cold.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, give me some more time. I need to deal with my own issues.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I just want to tell you that no matter what happens, I¡¯ll be by your side! You¡¯re not alone!¡±


    He bowed his head, his hands holding mine. Then, our fingers intertwined and he gently pulled me into his arms.


    As I leaned against his shoulder, in the corner of my eye, I saw a man.


    He was in a full black suit, holding a bunch of red roses, slowly walking out from the back door of the hospital.


    It was none other than Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 171 Tear Her _1

    Chapter 171: Chapter 171 Tear Her _1


    Translator: 549690339


    When I looked at Gu Yuanzhou, he was also staring at me intently.


    We were separated by a distance of less than fifty meters.


    However, I couldn¡¯t be bothered with him.


    I still rested my head on Ding Yinuo¡¯s shoulder, basking in the rare sunshine.


    Typically, if I showed such intimacy with Ding Yinuo, Gu Yuanzhou would storm off in anger.


    However, I was wrong this time.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t leave; instead, he found a bench and sat down right there.


    He sat on the bench, smoking his cigarette.


    After a while, I finally got up from Ding Yinuo¡¯s embrace and walked deeper into the sea of flowers.


    Hand in hand, we looked just like an intimate couple.


    ¡°People often say doctors always smell of blood, why don¡¯t you?¡± I asked.


    Ding Yinuo was still in his white coat, clean and neat, even carrying a faint scent of traditional medicine.


    ¡°If you clean up regularly, you won¡¯t smell of blood. Not every day involves a major surgery where there¡¯s a lot of bleeding.¡±


    ¡°Do you ever get nervous during your surgeries?¡±


    My question caused Ding Yinuo to fall silent for a few seconds. Then he looked at me and chuckled, ¡°Are you really interested in getting to know me?¡±


    ¡°A little¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±


    ¡°Great to what?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced towards the distance, ¡°A door, it has opened for me.¡±


    ¡°What door?¡±


    He just smiled and didn¡¯t answer me.


    Ding Yinuo and I lingered in the garden for a while before finally finding a bench to sit.


    About half an hour later, we finally decided to head back.


    When we reached the hospital entrance, I saw a bouquet of red roses on the bench, but Gu Yuanzhou was nowhere to be seen.


    I smirked, saying nothing.


    This is the effect I wanted, to make him back down.


    Letting him know, there is nothing he could do to stop me from being with Ding Yinuo.


    Moreover, I am more determined to do what he despises.


    Just thinking about him being with Ye Mengyan behind my back for four years, my resentment lingers.


    Another day passed, and my physical condition had gotten a lot better.


    I didn¡¯t have to lie down anymore, and I could move freely, except for some restrictions in my arm movement, I had no other problems.


    Gu Yuanzhou came to visit me twice more.


    Each time he came, it just happened that Ding Yinuo was with me.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t get angry, he just cast a glance and left.


    It wasn¡¯t until Friday that he texted me, ¡°There¡¯s a news conference for a new product launch tomorrow. Please come back if you can.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I went through the discharge procedure that day.


    As I was packing my things and getting ready to leave, Ding Yinuo rushed over to stop me.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be discharged! You need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I am fine now!¡±


    ¡°Refusing to listen, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really fine!¡±


    I jumped on the spot, full of vitality, trying to prove that I was perfectly healthy.


    Ding Yinuo grabbed my left hand, ¡°If you can break away, then you¡¯re okay!¡±


    My left arm movement was limited, naturally I was unable to wriggle free. Each attempt left me in excruciating pain.


    Although I didn¡¯t cry out, Ding Yinuo¡¯s face had changed.


    ¡°Clearly, you are not okay!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I have to go to work! I don¡¯t need my left hand, I can walk fine.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not my attending doctor, your word doesn¡¯t count.¡±


    ¡°But, I¡¯m your boyfriend!¡±


    ¡°Ah? When did you become my boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Since the day of your car accident, when I signed the surgery consent form, I became your boyfriend.¡±


    He actually took out the informed consent form from that day and showed it to me, as if it could really prove that he was my boyfriend.


    At his words, I burst out laughing, ¡°You really make no sense.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I know you mean well. But, these two days are very important to me. I must go back.¡±


    Ding Yinuo had to compromise, ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t persuade you, your stubbornness hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡±


    He reached out and took the bag from my hand, then headed out.


    After stepping out of the elevator, he offered, ¡°Let me take you there.¡±


    ¡°No need, I can do it myself!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t refuse me!¡±


    He put my luggage in his car, I shook my head helplessly but got in anyway.


    Once the car started, I noticed that he was still wearing his white coat because he didn¡¯t have time to change.


    ¡°Did you feel angry having to compromise?¡±


    ¡°What do I have to be angry about?¡±


    His hands were steady on the wheel as he drove straight ahead.


    Looking at his side profile, his facial features were well defined, his gaze deep and introspective.


    He didn¡¯t answer me. When we got to the bottom of my office building, he parked the car and looked at me, ¡°So, you¡¯re starting to care about my feelings now?¡±


    ¡°I always have, okay?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see it in the past. Now that I do, it¡¯s great!¡±


    To my surprise, this simple sentence of mine made him happy.


    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±


    After getting out of the car, I leaned against the door and looked at him, ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait for me! I have other things to do later, we¡¯ll touch base later.¡±


    The truth is, I¡¯m not even sure if I can accomplish anything today.


    But, even if it¡¯s a desperate move, I still have to try.


    The entrance of the company had been replaced with a life-size model photo, it was huge, very eye-catching.


    The woman in the photo was none other than Ye Mengyan.


    I looked at the giant picture, that almost covered two-thirds of the wall, for a very long time.


    Indeed, the woman in the photo was glammed up and well-dressed, but she still looked rather unsophisticated.


    Being thin and small-boned, with a simple, gaunt face, she didn¡¯t exude any form of charisma.


    No matter how good the clothes are, they all ended up with a humble air when worn on her.


    She had high cheekbones and a harsh face, moreover, she looked bitter and didn¡¯t appear refined at all.


    I really wonder what Gu Yuanzhou saw in her.


    At this moment, I could hear the colleagues discussing Ye Mengyan as I walked by.


    She had already become a celebrity figure.


    ¡°Hey, did you hear? Miss Ye might actually become Mrs. Gu soon?¡±


    ¡°Really? It¡¯s been less than three months since Mrs. Gu passed away, is Mr. Gu really considering remarrying so soon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you guys see it? He¡¯s been pushing Miss Ye all this time. Honestly, Miss Ye is pretty, but at best she¡¯s a plain jade. She just doesn¡¯t have the aura of a model.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, a good model is not only judged by their facial features, but also their eyes, aura, height¡­ Miss Ye lacks all these.¡±


    ¡°Hush, lower your voice. If she really becomes Mrs. Gu in the future, we will have to fawn over her.¡±


    I walked past the crowds expressionless, heading straight for the chairman¡¯s office.


    Due to the press conference for the product launch happening tomorrow, preparations were in full swing.


    The company was bustling with activity.


    At this point, Ye Mengyan was in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office. She had specifically worn a cheongsam today.


    She was probably trying to dress up as a socialite, hoping to attract Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s attention.


    She twirled around in front of him and asked flirtatiously, ¡°Big brother Gu, do you think I look good in a cheongsam?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was not stingy with his praise, appreciative of her efforts, ¡°You look good!¡±


    ¡°Everyone says, no matter what style we wear, we can pull it off.¡±


    Ye Mengyan became increasingly complacent after Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s compliment.


    She asked again, ¡°They say¡­ I look better in this dress than Mrs. Gu, what do you think?¡±

 Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter 172: When All the Evidence is Ready_1

    Chapter 172: Chapter 172: When All the Evidence is Ready_1


    Translator: 549690339


    It suddenly dawned on me¨Cthe cheongsam she was wearing, it was indeed the one I lent her before.


    How shameless, she even had Gu Yuanzhou appraise it.


    Gu Yuanzhou scrutinized it again before giving his verdict.


    ¡°She looks better in it!¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s smile became just a bit more rigid as she awkwardly resounded, ¡°Yes, I think she does too! I¡¯m nowhere near as good as her!¡±


    Her words were dripping with sarcasm.


    Is Ye Mengyan out of her mind, comparing herself to someone who¡¯s passed away?


    I would never have believed that Ye Mengyan could stoop so low if I hadn¡¯t witnessed it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears.


    ¡°Is she still on your mind, brother Gu?¡±


    Ye Mengyan cautiously asked him again.


    Gu Yuanzhou fell silent.


    As he lifted his head, he found me at the entrance.


    Our gazes met and locked for a moment, after which, he said to Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°I have some things to attend to, you should go ahead.¡±


    Only then did Ye Mengyan notice me. She turned her head towards me.


    In her eyes, I saw a glimpse of jealousy.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you¡¯re back! Are you feeling better?¡±


    She was so two-faced. Upon seeing me, she immediately offered a radiant smile, rushed towards me, held me, and looked me up and down.


    ¡°I heard that it was Dr. Ding who performed your surgery, he really took good care of you.¡±


    She knew very well that Gu Yuanzhou disliked Ding Yinuo. At this moment, she deliberately brought him up, intending to sabotage my relationship with Gu Yuanzhou.


    I could clearly see through her malevolent intentions.


    Sure enough¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou was quiet, with his face gradually darkening.


    I thought about the several bouquets of roses he had sent over, like clusters of flames in the dark night.


    They resembled his current emotions quite accurately.


    I glanced at Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to Ding Yinuo that I¡¯m still alive. So, according to you, he shouldn¡¯t have taken good care of me, should he have let me die instead?¡±


    Ye Mengyan sensed my hostility, and awkwardly chuckled,


    ¡°You misunderstand, why would I wish for your death? We¡¯re friends after all! Of course, I hope that you¡¯re always healthy!¡±


    ¡°Really? Is that so? I¡¯ve always thought that you wanted me dead.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Like when you invited me to the bar, then set up a motorcyclist waiting outside. When I showed up, you had the motorcyclist hit me. Didn¡¯t you want me dead then?¡±


    I originally planned to bring this up with Gu Yuanzhou gradually.


    But Ye Mengyan¡¯s hypocritical smile made me feel nauseous.


    I decided to confront her directly.


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s face turned somewhat pale, her expression was off, but she still insisted on denying it.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, I understand that you¡¯ve been through a car accident and that you¡¯re upset. I also hope that you recover soon, but please, without any concrete evidence, could you stop slandering me?¡±


    She was visibly nervous, her hands tightly clasped together, her body slightly leaning forward, like a prawn, clearly in a position of defense with an intent to attack.


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, it¡¯s you! Apart from you, no one else wants me dead!¡±


    ¡°Why would I want you dead? There must be a reason!¡±


    Whether it was due to Ye Mengyan¡¯s guilt or lack of experience, she showed numerous flaws while arguing with me, her voice hoarse.


    ¡°A reason?¡±


    I curled up my lips slightly.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about it yourself? Reflect on the disgraceful deeds you¡¯ve committed!¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you¡¯re unjustly accusing me! You¡¯re defaming me!¡±


    Ye Mengyan was so furious that her face turned red.


    Perhaps she wanted to leave a good impression on Gu Yuanzhou, she trotted over to him sobbing again.


    ¡°Brother Gu, you must stand up for me! Song Xiaoyun, she¡­ she¡¯s defaming me like this, she can¡¯t digest the fact that I have become the company¡¯s spokesperson, she¡¯s jealous of me, she intentioanlly discredits me, trying to get me into trouble too.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou remained calm, he looked me deeply in the eyes, ¡°We can handle this between ourselves¡±


    I kept quiet, only offering a smile.


    But at this point, Ye Mengyan wasn¡¯t ready to back down. She probably thought that if I spoke to Gu Yuanzhou privately, I could smear her even more.


    Therefore, she affectionately insisted,


    ¡°Brother Gu, I want Song Xiaoyun to clear my name today. I¡¯m not leaving unless things are clarified. I don¡¯t want people to gossip about me.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me, ¡°If you say she wanted to kill you, then bring out the evidence!¡±


    And so, I placed Aunt Wu Lijuan¡¯s hospital checkup form and the health product¡¯s poison testing report in front of Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°A few days ago, Wu Lijuan got poisoned and was admitted to the hospital. After an investigation, it was found that the batch of health products you sent during the Spring Festival contained heavy metals.¡±


    I showed Gu Yuanzhou a sample of the health product,


    ¡°This was provided by a servant of the Song family, you should remember it, right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up the medicine bottle and examined it, he confirmed on the spot, ¡°It¡¯s definitely what I bought, I remember it. I send these every year. How could it be poisonous?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was quite curious about that too. So, I went to that drugstore and checked it. It was found that you handed over the health product to Mr. Ma, who then delivered it to the Song family.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I handed it to him, I was busy at that time¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words stopped there, he immediately glanced at Ye Mengyan.


    Although Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say it explicitly, I guessed that he was probably tricked by Ye Mengyan into some other matter at that time.


    ¡°So even if the medicine was poisoned, it was an issue pertaining to Mr. Ma. How is Mengyan implicated in it?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly asked.


    ¡°Let Mr. Ma tell you.¡±


    I made a phone call, and within 15 minutes, Mr. Ma rushed here.


    The moment he walked in, he apologized to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve let you down, it was my¡­¡±


    When Ye Mengyan saw Mr. Ma enter, her complexion worsened further.


    She walked around anxiously and nervously.


    ¡°Speak clearly about the situation at that time.¡±


    Old Mr. Ma, as I had instructed, then elaborated on the incident in detail.


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Ye replaced the medicine at that time, she asked me not to say a word¡­¡±


    Mr. Ma pointed at Ye Mengyan.


    Ye Mengyan immediately refuted, ¡°Mr. Ma, you¡¯re lying! You¡¯re holding a grudge because I quarrelled with your wife last time and now you want to retaliate, is that it?¡±


    Without waiting for Mr. Ma to respond, Ye Mengyan ran to Gu Yuanzhou crying, ¡°Brother Gu, you have to believe me. I¡¯m innocent.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou furrowed his brows, he asked Mr. Ma doubtfully,


    ¡°You knew it was poison, and you still delivered it to the Song family?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I¡¯ve admitted my mistake, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. At that time, Ms. Ye gave me a large sum of money. I had lost a lot of money gambling on horse races and was in desperate need of money then. So, I had no choice but to ask Ms. Ye for help. I still have the transaction record on my phone! If you don¡¯t believe me, I can show you.¡±

 Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Just Want Her to Go to Jail_1

    Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Just Want Her to Go to Jail_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Old Ma presented Ye Mengyan¡¯s money transfer records from years ago on site¡­


    Afterwards, Old Ma said,


    ¡°Besides, Miss Ye even drugged you!¡±


    However, before he could finish his last two words, Ye Mengyan let out a sharp scream.


    Before I could react, Gu Yuanzhou suddenly stood up and rushed over.


    I turned my head to see that Ye Mengyan had fallen on the ground. Her legs were convulsing nonstop, she was rolling her eyes and frothing at the mouth.


    Just in time, an employee entered the room, immediately saying, ¡°President Gu, she¡¯s having a seizure. Let me try!¡±


    This employee seemed to have the experience, she half-kneeled on the ground, found a towel, and stuffed it into Ye Mengyan¡¯s mouth.


    She also helped her unbutton her blouse.


    A few minutes later, Ye Mengyan stopped convulsing.


    Gu Yuanzhou then carried her to the sofa.


    The employee nearby reminded him,


    ¡°Miss Ye¡¯s condition was probably triggered by stress, I recommend not stressing her out anymore and take her to the hospital to have a look.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou nodded, ¡°You go call an ambulance.¡±


    Although the symptoms of Ye Mengyan¡¯s seizures had died down, she lay motionless on the sofa.


    I felt something was off and reminded Gu Yuanzhou on the spot, ¡°Epilepsy is a hereditary disease, it¡¯s not life-threatening.¡±


    It was only then that Gu Yuanzhou quickly glanced at me.


    ¡°I know what you want to say, but let¡¯s call it a day for now¡­¡±


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t ready to let it go, I¡¯d gone through so much trouble to find evidence, why would I want to give it up now.


    ¡°President Gu, Wu Lijuan was nearly killed by poisoning, are you really going to let the culprit go?¡±


    ¡°I said already, Mengyan is feeling unwell at the moment. Not now, we¡¯ll talk about it later.¡±


    ¡°Later? When is later?¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so unreasonable? Can¡¯t you see the situation at hand?¡±


    I could feel Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s anger rising.


    His voice became stern, his tone anxious, I am tempted to believe that if he didn¡¯t hold a bit of affection for me.


    He would lash out at any moment.


    However, seeing his reaction only confirmed in my eyes, he was deliberately protecting Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Alright, since President Gu doesn¡¯t want to deal with this, I guess I¡¯ll have to call the police. I trust the police has sharp eyes and they can figure everything out.¡±


    I picked up my mobile phone, just about to dial for police, when


    Gu Yuanzhou stopped me.


    ¡°What relation are you to Wu Lijuan, why are you so eager to help her against Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°She is my¡­¡±


    I almost blurted out that she is my aunt. But I realized, saying those words now seemed pointless.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who she is, what matters is, Ye Mengyan hired someone to kill me. She wants me dead, should I call the police or just wait to die?¡±


    I argued my case, snatching the phone from Gu Yuanzhou and dialed the police immediately.


    Gu Yuanzhou did not expect me to be so decisive.


    He was unable to stop me in time.


    Before the police arrived, the ambulance had come first.


    After Gu Yuanzhou had Ye Mengyan carried to the ambulance, he came looking for me.


    At that moment, two police officers had just arrived.


    Gu Yuanzhou immediately showed his identity,


    ¡°Officers, please have a cup of tea first. There¡¯s a bit of a situation here, let me handle it first.¡±


    ¡°Please hurry!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    After settling the police officers, Gu Yuanzhou took me to a lounge, shutting the door behind us.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Do you believe that Ye Mengyan hired someone to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, that¡¯s not important right now. Let¡¯s deal with the current situation first, whether it¡¯s Wu Lijuan or you. You came to me about this because you¡¯re expecting a certain outcome.¡±


    I was silent for three seconds,


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s poisoning or hiring thugs, it¡¯s all crimes. I want to put her in jail!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took a deep breath, he picked up the cigarette box on the desk, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it with a lighter.


    He took a deep puff.


    Although he said nothing at the moment, I could see that he must be in great torment.


    He cared about Ye Mengyan a lot, probably couldn¡¯t bear to see her go to jail.


    ¡°Is President Gu trying to shield her?¡±


    I mocked with a scornful laugh.


    Gu Yuanzhou was silent for a few minutes. When he finished his cigarette, he looked at me,


    ¡°The company¡¯s new product has just been launched. If Ye Mengyan is arrested, and the negative news comes out. It¡¯ll adversely affect the company¡¯s stock price¡­ I know she¡¯s made a mistake. Later I¡¯ll talk to her, if the evidence is confirmed, I¡¯ll definitely punish her. But not now, now is not the time, you should know, a lot of media outlets are watching me. As you just saw, there are reporters outside the company building.¡±


    I hesitated.


    Zhenyi Company is what I care about the most now.


    Although I wanted to punish Ye Mengyan, I didn¡¯t want to jeopardize the company I¡¯ve worked so hard to build up.


    I had to compromise for now.


    ¡°I can get the police to leave for now, but, I hope you withdraw Ye Mengyan¡¯s endorsement at the press conference tomorrow. Otherwise, she will be arrested sooner or later, which would still affect the company.¡±


    Only then did Gu Yuanzhou look at me, ¡°I can agree to that condition.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait too long!¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be long¡­¡±


    Seeing Gu Yuanzhou make such a concession, I believed him.


    I went outside to explain that the call to the police was a misunderstanding.


    After the police left, a sense of relief washed over Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes.


    I saw the gossip reporters who were still gathered around the main gate, all dispersed.


    The next morning.


    When I arrived at the company, I found that the huge billboard that used to stand at the company¡¯s entrance had been dismantled.


    All the other posters and publicity photos of Ye Mengyan in the company were also taken down.


    The company¡¯s employees were all discussing.


    ¡°What do you think happened to Miss Ye? Why did they take down her advertising?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I think she never really matched this new outfit to begin with, if she had been chosen, our new product would have flopped.¡±


    ¡°Maybe President Gu finally came to his senses!¡±


    ¡°Honestly, Miss Ye isn¡¯t professional at all. If it wasn¡¯t for President Gu protecting her, she would definitely not have qualified.¡±


    I casually tuned in, seems like the majority of the employees in the company shared the same good taste as me.


    Then, I went to the conference room and saw Gu Yuanzhou was holding a press conference.


    I just stood by the window, quietly listening.


    Until the end of the conference, I didn¡¯t hear Gu Yuanzhou announcing Ye Mengyan as the spokesperson. I finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    However, just as Gu Yuanzhou was about to leave, a reporter stopped him, ¡°Mr. Gu, may I interview you?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stopped and looked at him, ¡°Go ahead!¡±


    ¡°We heard rumors yesterday that your company¡¯s new product would be modeled and endorsed by Miss Ye Mengyan. In fact, when we came over yesterday, we saw a huge billboard at the company¡¯s entrance. May I ask, why did you decide to cancel Miss Ye¡¯s endorsement for the new product?¡±


    This reporter is gutsy, stirring up trouble right where it hurts! He even dared to poke at Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s sore point.

 Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Don’t Want to Let Him Get His Way_1

    Chapter 174: Chapter 174: Don¡¯t Want to Let Him Get His Way_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s sharp eyes scanned the reporter, seemingly trying to figure out why he was so bold.


    However, facing so many cameras, Gu Yuanzhou decided to evade them.


    ¡°This decision is internal to our company, no comment!¡±


    The reporter stubbornly continued his queries.


    ¡°Then may I ask, will there be a chance for Mr. Gu to have Miss Ye serve as the spokesperson for the new product in the future?¡±


    ¡°Not for the time being!¡±


    ¡°So, will Mr. Gu stop using other models for his new products?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily, we may work with other models. But who we will choose to be the celebrity currently remains confidential.¡±


    The reporter wanted to ask more, but Gu Yuanzhou had lost his patience to answer, so he turned off the microphone and left.


    I breathed a sigh of relief.


    The journalist had just voiced what I had on my mind.


    It seemed that Gu Yuanzhou had fulfilled his promise and ended Ye Mengyan¡¯s endorsement.


    Regardless, my small goal had been achieved, and I felt a slight relaxation in my heart.


    Later, I returned to my office and took out the files I had previously prepared to collaborate with another celebrity.


    I felt this female celebrity¡¯s temperament matched my expectations for Zhenyi to become a high-end brand.


    After organizing the files, I delivered them to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office.


    At that time, Gu Yuanzhou was on the phone. Seeing me walk in, he hung up.


    ¡°How about it, I¡¯ve agreed to all your requests!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, these are not my demands, they are the development strategies of the entire company. There are other ways for you to be nice to her, such as giving her millions of dollars. But don¡¯t ever tie her to the company, it really doesn¡¯t suit.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou fell silent.


    His silence was essentially an acceptance of my suggestion.


    Afterward, I handed him the proposal I had prepared.


    After a glance, he started to read it seriously. After reading it, he looked at me with squinting eyes.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do as you suggest!¡±


    Seeing Gu Yuanzhou agree so readily, I was secretly pleased inside.


    I took his signed proposal to be executed.


    As long as we follow my strategy, the company is sure to get better and better.


    Just as I was about to turn around and head out, he stopped me.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    ¡°Does President Gu have something else?¡±


    ¡°Regarding the proposal, I feel you have put a lot of thought into the future of the company.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have always said, I want the company to do better and better.¡±


    He rose from the sofa and slowly walked towards me, his tone gentle.


    ¡°How is your health now?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, President Gu, I¡¯m doing better.¡±


    He was about to take my arm in his hand, but I instinctively retreated, rejecting his closeness.


    He frowned slightly.


    ¡°What, you still have opinions of me?¡±


    I smiled faintly and replied,


    ¡°President Gu, remember this; I was nearly killed by Ye Mengyan. That¡¯s how people are, once they¡¯ve fallen into a pit, they won¡¯t fall into it again.¡±


    He fell silent, his hands in his pockets, and he stepped back.


    ¡°I always thought you have a chip on your shoulder with everyone. About what you said, I will investigate it. I believe Mengyan is not that evil.¡±


    ¡°The reason I didn¡¯t call the police yesterday was because I needed to consider the welfare of Zhenyi Company. Once I have signed a new model and the public has forgotten about Ye Mengyan, I will still call the police. I can¡¯t let the person who hurt me go unpunished.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face darkened once more.


    ¡°Did Ding Yinuo tell you to do this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to call the police. If the police do not find out the truth, people will slander Ding Yinuo.¡±


    ¡°I know Ye Mengyan¡¯s personality, she wouldn¡¯t do something like this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just your illusion! Fine, since you¡¯re so stubborn, let¡¯s wait for the police to reveal the truth!¡±


    I was determined to take Ye Mengyan down this time, there was no way I could let her off the hook again.


    But Gu Yuanzhou stopped me.


    ¡°Give me some time, I will figure it out. If she really did something wrong, I won¡¯t cover it up.¡±


    ¡°Alright, but only one week!¡±


    I thought to myself, as long as Gu Yuanzhou investigates who took my phone that day, he will be able to identify that it was Ye Mengyan.


    This wouldn¡¯t take much effort on his part.


    ¡°One week is too short, how about half a month?¡±


    I stared at him once more, scoffing:


    ¡°In President Gu¡¯s eyes, is my life not valuable? Do I have to give the murderer another chance to kill me?¡±


    When he heard this, he finally compromised.


    ¡°Okay then, ten days. I¡¯ll give you an answer in ten days.¡±


    Since Gu Yuanzhou said so, I didn¡¯t insist.


    In my mind, I had already calculated that ten days was just enough time to sign a new model, and by then, people in the company would have almost forgotten about Ye Mengyan.


    At that time, even if Ye Mengyan went to jail, it wouldn¡¯t affect the company in any way.


    In the next few days, I put my plan into action. I contacted the famous international model Bai Ling, negotiated a price for her to be our spokesperson, signed a contract, and scheduled her to come to the company for a photo shoot.


    As a matter of fact, everything was going according to plan.


    The clothes I designed looked sophisticated and high-end on Bai Ling. With Bai Ling¡¯s exceptional temperament, she looked extremely elegant the moment she put on the clothes.


    When Gu Yuanzhou saw the final images, he could tell that the professional model was on a totally different level compared to Ye Mengyan.


    He fell silent again.


    Although he didn¡¯t admit defeat, he did acknowledge my taste.


    ¡°It seems that in terms of clothing aesthetics, you women do have a natural advantage.¡±


    I scoffed.


    Not just me, any person with functional eyesight could see that.


    It was just that he liked Ye Mengyan so much that he was blinded by her halo, right?


    Three days later.


    I went to dinner with Wenya, and Ding Yinuo came along.


    During the meal, Ding Yinuo sat on my left, helping me pick up dishes and peel shrimp.


    ¡°Is your arm still bothering you?¡±


    His primary concern at this moment was my health, and this was the question he asked the most every day.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s healed!¡±


    ¡°Try lifting it a bit higher and let me see!¡±


    I tried, and although my arm was movable, its range of motion was somewhat limited and I couldn¡¯t lift it above my head.


    Ding Yinuo did some acupressure massage for me, ¡°Good, put it down, you still need some more rest.¡±


    While drinking her beverage, Wenya said, ¡°Ayun, with Ding Yinuo looking after you, it doesn¡¯t matter even if you break your arm.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean it doesn¡¯t matter if my arm is broken? That woman has to pay.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s face immediately turned cold at my words.


    Wenya took advantage of the situation and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to report her to the police? Why is there no news about it after so many days? I haven¡¯t heard anything on the news.¡±


    ¡°Last time Ye Mengyan had an epileptic attack ¡­ I couldn¡¯t send her in, Gu Yuanzhou said to wait a few days!¡±


    ¡°Ah, she has epilepsy?¡±


    Wenya was shocked. She didn¡¯t seem to believe it. She turned her head and asked Ding Yinuo, ¡°Can you check if Ye Mengyan really has epilepsy?¡±


    Originally, Wenya just casually asked, but the result Ding Yinuo found was something that shocked all of us.

 Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Does President Gu Willing to Suffer a Loss_1

    Chapter 175: Chapter 175 Does President Gu Willing to Suffer a Loss_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo has friends in the hospital system, so he managed to check it out.


    While he was on the phone with his buddy, I was sitting next to Wenya watching him.


    After hanging up the phone, he looked at me.


    ¡°I found out that Ye Mengyan doesn¡¯t have epilepsy at all. My classmate diagnosed her. When she got to the hospital, they suspected it was epilepsy, but all subsequent tests showed she had no problem.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wenya was upset and swore,


    ¡°That bitch is trouble, faking it! I knew it!¡±


    I remained silent hearing that.


    I probably figured out before whether Ye Mengyan was faking it or not.


    At that time, it was just a suspicion, but now it¡¯s confirmed.


    Ding Yinuo turned to me,


    ¡°Do you need my help?¡±


    ¡°Help with what? What can you help me with?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually not that hard to deal with a woman! She might not have epilepsy, she might be mentally ill!¡±


    When Ding Yinuo seriously said these words, I thought he was joking at first. I didn¡¯t expect that he would really do something shocking not long after.


    ¡°Ayun, what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Just give her ten days!¡±


    ¡°I think you might be fooled, ten days is too long. She might run away. Come up with some sort of excuse, like studying abroad. Then you can¡¯t catch her.¡±


    Wenya has always been reluctant to believe Gu Yuanzhou.


    She felt that Gu Yuanzhou was deliberately dragging his feet in order to give Ye Mengyan enough time to escape abroad.


    Actually, I have considered this point. It¡¯s possible, but the probability is not high.


    Later, I had a long talk with Wenya, and Ding Yinuo kept quiet, appearing to have no opinion on the matter.


    He just came out of the restaurant.


    He held me back. Under the night light, his eyes were warm, and under his thick lashes, there was a gentle look.


    A simple white shirt complemented his jade-like face.


    Perhaps due to a slight consumption of red wine, his lips were rosy. He slightly hooked his lips and held me in his arms.


    He whispered in my ear,


    ¡°When will you be able to let him go?¡±


    The faint smell of wine mixed with the scent of mature male hormones, lightly sprayed on the tips of my ears.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s implication was clear, as a man, he needed my response.


    The lips of the two were almost within inches, the breath was audible, and I could even feel his passionate heartbeat.


    I knew very well what he wanted.


    I didn¡¯t respond!


    Because I couldn¡¯t respond.


    I couldn¡¯t give him any promises or guarantees.


    I thought of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s draft business plan against the Ding Family.


    Before I have a clear chance of winning against Gu Yuanzhou, I don¡¯t want Ding Yinuo to be implicated and fall into the abyss with me.


    ¡°Alright, Ding Yinuo, I have to go.¡±


    He reluctantly let me go, ordering me with a hint of dominance.


    ¡°Your phone needs to be on 24 hours. Don¡¯t not answer my calls, don¡¯t not reply to my texts, can you promise me that?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I promise you!¡±


    Only then did Ding Yinuo let go. He reached out to tidy my somewhat disheveled hair.


    Actually, by this time, Ding Yinuo and Wenya had become my strong backing.


    In the following days.


    Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t disappear.


    After her so-called ¡®epilepsy¡¯ was controlled, she started showing up at the company.


    Sometimes, she would go to see Bai Ling¡¯s modeling photos, and sometimes she would go to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s company.


    However, most of the time, when she saw me, she would consciously avoid me, as if she didn¡¯t want to talk to me.


    I couldn¡¯t be bothered to pay any attention to her.


    I knew I had all the evidence. She couldn¡¯t escape this time.


    After work one day.


    Gu Yuanzhou called me into his office.


    ¡°Are you satisfied with your salary?¡±


    Only then did I remember that today was payday, I actually hadn¡¯t checked yet.


    Upon his reminder, I checked my bank account. The amount of salary was indeed beyond my imagination.


    ¡°President Gu, this isn¡¯t the salary we agreed on, is it?¡±


    ¡°Sit down!¡±


    I pulled over a chair and sat across from Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°As of now, are you satisfied with everything?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I don¡¯t understand what you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been moved out for a long time, when are you planning to move back?¡±


    His words contained some hints.


    Truth be told, indeed, since the last bar incident, I moved in with Wenya and have been living there since.


    Although Ding Yinuo always wanted me to stay at Xishan Residence.


    But since him and I are just a man and a woman, living together is not convenient. This is why I moved to Wenya¡¯s place.


    ¡°President Gu, I won¡¯t move back in the future!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate for a man and woman to live together! Besides, I have my own friends and personal life, and I prefer to live in my own world.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me for a long time, as if he was trying to see through me.


    He didn¡¯t say anything further, but lit a cigarette and took a deep breath.


    Then he walked over to the window and looked down from the glass wall.


    I could feel that he was wrapped in a melancholic mood.


    But I couldn¡¯t guess what he was thinking.


    He turned around after a while and sat back in front of the desk.


    ¡°I want you to concentrate all your attention on work. If you can keep your distance from Ding Yinuo, I¡¯ll consider giving you a portion of the company¡¯s shares.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s promise surprised me.


    If I can really get shares of Zhenyi Company, then there¡¯s hope for this company to return to my hands in the future.


    ¡°President Gu, how much of the shares do you plan to give me?¡±


    ¡°It depends on your performance, if your performance is good enough, I will gradually increase it!¡±


    I showed deep interest in this topic. I really want Zhenyi Company to return to my hands.


    ¡°President Gu, Ding Yinuo and I are just friends, we already have enough distance between us.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then move back in tonight!¡±


    ¡°Does President Gu think I¡¯m living with Ding Yinuo?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t respond directly, but simply said,


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the relationship between you two. I want to see your sincerity, come back to the Maple Mansion tonight.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, after settling Ye Mengyan¡¯s affairs, I¡¯ll consider moving back. Also   I¡¯d like to remind you, the ten days are almost up.¡±


    ¡°You woman are too exacting! Wouldn¡¯t take any kind of loss.¡±


    ¡°Is President Gu willing to take a loss?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you a definite answer.¡±


    The truth is, when Gu Yuanzhou was talking to me at this time, his attitude was gentle, and he treated me well.


    I thought he would really bring Ye Mengyan to justice.


    Until the afternoon of the eighth day, when I went to the company to work, there was a middle-aged woman sitting at the entrance crying her heart out.


    The security guards drove her away


    ¡°Hey, who is that woman? Why does she come here to cry every day.¡±


    ¡°Seems like it¡¯s old Ma¡¯s wife! Apparently, old Ma has gone missing, she can¡¯t find him anywhere. Insists that someone in our company drove Ma to his death.¡±


    Upon hearing such words, I immediately felt that something was off. These days, seeing Gu Yuanzhou coming in and out, it seems there¡¯s no Ma as his driver, could it be that something really happened to old Ma?

 Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter 176 Walk with Me _1

    Chapter 176: Chapter 176 Walk with Me _1


    Translator: 549690339


    A sense of unexplained intuition suddenly engulfed my mind.


    I hastily rushed out from the company¡¯s main entrance, running straight into the street.


    Stopping a middle-aged woman,


    ¡°Mrs. Ma, please wait!¡±


    She was haggard, her face streaked with tears, devoid of any energy, as if she had suffered a massive setback.


    ¡°Mrs. Ma, I just heard that Driver Ma is missing, is that true?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Ma nearly broke down on the spot, stuttering to tell me about the events of the past few days.


    ¡°Old Ma is nowhere to be found, he hasn¡¯t been home for many days. I can¡¯t find him anywhere, he doesn¡¯t answer calls, he doesn¡¯t reply to texts.¡±


    ¡°How many days exactly?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him for three or four days!¡±


    ¡°What about his friends? Have you asked them, did you guys have a fight?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t fight, he just disappeared without reason. Although, once or twice while he was smoking on the balcony, he said to me that someone in the company is out to get him. He was afraid he might lose his job. I even comforted him at the time, telling him there are many laid-off workers, that we could figure things out together and that he should not be disheartened. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been coming to the company, I want to know who¡¯s out to get him.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Ma, we haven¡¯t heard anything about firing him from the company side, it might be a misunderstanding. You should go home for now, see if his other friends can help look for him. I¡¯ll also try to see what we can do from our end, if all else fails, we can notify the police. I¡¯ll contact you as soon as I have news.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you! Miss Song, you¡¯re much kinder than the other colleagues, please help find him. Without him, our family will fall apart.¡±


    Looking at the grieving Mrs. Ma, my mood was not much better.


    After a few words of comfort, I was not sure if I could really help find Old Ma.


    In the afternoon,


    Unexpectedly, Ding Yinuo stormed into my company while I was at work.


    At that time, I was preparing for an afternoon meeting.


    When he hurried in, he was followed by the receptionist.


    ¡°Miss Song, this gentleman didn¡¯t make an appointment, but he insisted on getting in.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine, he¡¯s my friend!¡±


    I waved my hand and the receptionist withdrew.


    I immediately closed the office door and anxiously looked at him.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, why did you come to my company? I¡¯m at work now!¡±


    I was indeed a little flustered.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t answer me but held me tightly in his arms.


    His intense emotions, as if he was going to lose me the next second.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    This place was definitely not suitable for Ding Yinuo to be here.


    If Gu Yuanzhou were to catch sight of us, it would cause a huge problem.


    Despite my struggle, I couldn¡¯t escape his embrace and had to let him be.


    A few minutes later, he let go of me,


    ¡°Hurry up and pack up, come with me!¡±


    I gently pushed him away, sitting down on the swivel chair,


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°Resign! The world is big, you don¡¯t have to stay at Zhenyi Company!¡±


    ¡°Suddenly rushing over in broad daylight and asking me to resign, you have to give me a reason, right?¡±


    Ding Yinuo slowly reached into his pocket and took out his phone,


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent you several messages and called you several times, but you didn¡¯t answer! Do you still remember what you promised me?¡±


    Then it dawned on me, my fingers pressing against my temples.


    Thinking hard about what I did in the morning,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault, I ignored you! To be precise, I disregarded my phone. I spent the whole morning investigating Driver Ma, I reported him missing to the police, went to the place where Old Ma used to buy lottery tickets to gather information, my phone ran out of battery, and I didn¡¯t have time to recharge it. Yinuo, I know I promised you, but the situation is special right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to leave!¡±


    ¡°But, Old Ma is missing, I have to find him!¡±


    Ding Yinuo came up to me, his hands straightening my slightly crooked collar, his eyes looking at me with warmth.


    ¡°This is the reason, you won¡¯t be able to find Old Ma.¡±


    ¡°How do you know I can¡¯t find him?¡±


    From his deep emotion in his eyes, I sensed a hint of danger.


    Ding Yinuo looked at me for a long time before calmly stating four words, ¡°Old Ma is dead!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    I was utterly shocked.


    Then, Ding Yinuo took out his phone and showed me a news headline just published.


    It was an announcement from the police: a man¡¯s body was found near the Yun River at nine o¡¯clock the night before last. According to the coroner, the man had drowned, and his time of death was about four days ago


    Inside the man¡¯s wallet was a driver¡¯s license, it was Old Ma who we have been searching for.


    My mental defenses instantly crumbled.


    Going by this timeline, Old Ma had drowned on the third day of my negotiations with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Old Ma was a key witness.


    With his death, this crucial chain of evidence was broken.


    It was now almost impossible to convict Ye Mengyan.


    Coming to my senses, I was outraged.


    ¡°He did it!¡±


    I turned around and was about to storm out of the office, but Ding Yinuo held me back from behind, ¡°I knew you¡¯d react like this, Ayun, don¡¯t be impulsive, leave with me.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, let me go!¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    He was stubbornly resolute, not willing to let go no matter how much I struggled.


    I was extremely annoyed, so I opened my mouth and bit down on the back of his hand.


    I initially thought he would let go due to the pain, but, unexpectedly, even when my mouth was filled with a strong taste of blood, he still did not let go.


    I didn¡¯t dare to bite any further, I let go of my mouth, and there was already a circle of bloody bite mark on the back of his hand.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, why are you so annoying! My business is none of your business, why are you obstructing me.¡±


    ¡°If you can beat him, I can let you go. But clearly, you can¡¯t beat him.¡±


    Even though Ding Yinuo¡¯s words weren¡¯t pleasing, they were the truth.


    This company still belonged to Gu Yuanzhou, he was the boss here, he made the decisions, I couldn¡¯t win against him.


    I hit the table with a fist out of anger, ¡°So we¡¯re just going to let Old Ma¡¯s death go like this?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, leave with me now, I have a way!¡±


    ¡°Then tell me now! What¡¯s your plan?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re not in a rational state right now, you wouldn¡¯t listen to anything I say. I promise you, just leave the company with me and I¡¯ll tell you the plan, I have many friends, I have resources   ¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    At the moment, I didn¡¯t have a plan either, nor did I want to be controlled by my emotions.


    Maybe Ding Yinuo was right, I must leave this place first


    I gathered my things, followed Ding Yinuo out of the office, and ran into Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Chapter 177: A Hundred Women Don’t Measure Up to Her_1

    Chapter 177: Chapter 177: A Hundred Women Don¡¯t Measure Up to Her_1


    Translator: 549690339


    What an unfortunate coincidence, Ding Yinuo¡¯s first visit to the company was intercepted by Gu Yuanzhou.


    But at this moment, my anger was clouding my judgment, I was fearless in facing Gu Yuanzhou, I even felt like rushing forward to argue with him.


    However, before I could act, Ding Yinuo held me back.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze shifted slowly from my face to Ding Yinuo.


    At this moment, as the two men locked eyes, there was a palpable tension in the air, creating a combative atmosphere.


    Then, Gu Yuanzhou turned his gaze towards me,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, we have a esteemed guest in the company, why the secrecy? You should bring him to my office.¡±


    Before I could respond, Ding Yinuo spoke.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I came here to see Xiaoyun, I don¡¯t have time to meet you, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Ding Yinuo reached for my hand, ready to leave.


    But Gu Yuanzhou seemed unwilling to let me go.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun is an employee of our company, and it¡¯s still work hours. You can¡¯t take her away.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Watch me take her away today!¡±


    With that, Ding Yinuo forcefully dragged me away.


    Gu Yuanzhou signaled to a senior executive around him, and a security guard was called over.


    This is, after all, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s turf. It¡¯s not hard for him to get a few people on his side.


    If it came to a physical confrontation,


    Ding Yinuo would surely be at a disadvantage.


    I had no choice but to step in and mediate.


    ¡°Yinuo, wait for me in the parking lot, I¡¯ll talk to Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t seem to mind Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s presence, he just held my hand tighter,


    ¡°Just a scum of a man. What is there to talk about? Xiaoyun, stop hesitating. If he hurt you once, he will do it again.¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, trust me this time, I can handle it, wait for me outside!¡±


    No lofty principles will work here.


    I had to distract Ding Yinuo, to prevent the two men from starting a fight here and now.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t want to leave initially, but he caved into my persuasion. I could see that he was actually quite soft-hearted.


    Looking at this strong man, he sometimes seemed like a gentle kitten in front of me.


    Perhaps, faced with all my colleagues, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t want to embarrass me.


    He nodded and before he left, he reminded me,


    ¡°Remember to check your phone.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I watched him enter the elevator.


    It was only after the elevator doors closed that the tense atmosphere started to dissipate.


    Gu Yuanzhou turned around nonchalantly, ¡°Come to my office!¡±


    I strained to keep my emotions in check, to remain calm.


    But the moment I closed the door to the CEO¡¯s office, I could no longer hold back.


    I went straight up to Gu Yuanzhou, rested my hands on his desk, and pointed at him,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you did it on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t need a mirror to know that my face must have looked terrible, my attitude defiant.


    Upon seeing this, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face darkened, and he scolded me harshly.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun! Watch your words and actions! Is this how a subordinate should speak to their superior?¡±


    ¡°What kind of attitude do you want?! To cover up for Ye Mengyan, you deliberately delayed and waited for an opportunity to murder Driver Ma. Gu Yuanzhou, you are a frightening man. Of all the people I know, I never thought that you would be so malicious and heartless, I was blind. I don¡¯t know why I was ever attracted to you!¡±


    My anger got the best of me, all the accumulated resentment towards him was let out in one go.


    Everything that should have been said, and shouldn¡¯t have been said, came rushing out.


    After hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou was left in disbelief.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, I advise you to calm down! Do you realize you¡¯re slandering your boss?¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending! Slander you? You¡¯ve done so many disgusting things that aren¡¯t fit for daylight, I can¡¯t even count them all on one hand. Do I even need to slander?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was also getting angry. He walked up to me, pointing at me.


    ¡°Can¡¯t count on one hand? Then make yourself clear!! If you¡¯re spreading rumours, I¡¯ll sue you for defamation!¡±


    ¡°You cheated on your wife and betrayed her! For your mistress, you set fire and killed your own kids! To protect Ye Mengyan, you murdered Old Ma! Gu Yuanzhou, for all the evil you¡¯ve done, aren¡¯t you afraid of ghosts knocking at night?¡±


    I was beyond furious.


    Gu Yuanzhou, after hearing my words, showed a hint of surprise in his eyes, followed by grief, mixed with a touch of desperate anger.


    He stepped forward and grabbed my collar, his voice low and almost a growl.


    ¡°Who told you, it was me who started the fire?! Even tigers don¡¯t eat their cubs, why on earth would I hurt my own son?¡±


    ¡°Ha! If tigers don¡¯t eat their cubs, it means tigers have some humanity. You, however, are not fit to be human! Gu Yuanzhou, do you know, your wife died with her eyes opened, she hates you, absolutely despises you! She wants to kill you every day!¡±


    My words enraged Gu Yuanzhou.


    His eyes turned red, and he suddenly reached out, his hand closing around my throat.


    Fearless, I grabbed his hand.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, even if you kill me, it won¡¯t do any good. You¡¯ll pay for all the things you¡¯ve done, you¡¯ll never have peace.¡±


    I never thought that Gu Yuanzhou would be this vicious towards me.


    He was choking me, I couldn¡¯t breathe properly; I could feel my lungs running out of air.


    Just when I thought I was going to die at his hands, he suddenly let go.


    I fell to the floor, hands on the ground, gasping for breath.


    Gu Yuanzhou returned to his desk, and after lighting a cigarette,


    He approached me again, pulling me up from the floor.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±


    He helped me onto the couch and motioned me to sit.


    ¡°You said Old Ma is dead?¡±


    I glanced at him indifferently, ¡°Why are you asking when you already know.¡±


    ¡°You can call the police, I didn¡¯t kill Old Ma!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face was grave, not showing any signs of guilt.


    I scoffed, ¡°No need to call the police, they¡¯re already investigating.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou got up, poured a cup of coffee, and put it in my hands, ¡°You¡¯re right about one thing! I, Gu Yuanzhou, indeed fear nothing and am ready to face the consequences. Of all the things you accused me of, I didn¡¯t do a single one!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    I took a sip of coffee, looking at him with a smirk.


    He responded assertively,


    ¡°I have never cheated on my wife, I didn¡¯t cause the fire, and I certainly didn¡¯t kill Old Ma  because there¡¯s simply no reason for me to. With my resources, I can have any woman I want in A City, I don¡¯t need to resort to violence for a woman.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because, a hundred women can¡¯t compare to a single Ye Mengyan.¡±

 Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Who is Lying_1

    Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Who is Lying_1


    Translator: 549690339


    As for what I just said, not only did Gu Yuanzhou not get angry, but his mood seemed to soothe considerably.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to target Ye Mengyan, I¡¯ve told you, she is not my woman, and our relationship isn¡¯t romantic. She¡¯s not my mistress, and I wouldn¡¯t hurt my wife because of her.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou spoke earnestly, maintaining a serene demeanor.


    But at this point, I no longer trusted him.


    Ever since Old Ma died.


    I didn¡¯t believe a single word Gu Yuanzhou said.


    I laughed coldly at him and countered:


    ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t love Ye Mengyan. Then hand her over to the police! At least two things are certain, she has poisoned Wu Lijuan, and she also hired someone to harm me.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took another drag of his cigarette, casting a deep gaze at me.


    ¡°These two matters, I can solve them with you today.¡±


    ¡°How will you solve them?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up his suit jacket and placed it on his arm, turning to walk out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you to investigate! I will give you an answer.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m curious to see what kind of answer President Gu can give me.¡±


    My words were thick with irony. I was quite certain that Gu Yuanzhou wouldn¡¯t be able to dig up any clues.


    Everything was already set in stone.


    By continuing to investigate, he was only going to embarrass himself.


    After I went downstairs with Gu Yuanzhou, at the entrance of the company, I ran into Ding Yinuo again.


    From a distance, his tall figure was unmistakable.


    As soon as he saw me, he hurried over,


    ¡°Off work? You¡¯re with me now!¡±


    He grabbed my arm, eager to get me out of there.


    ¡°Yinuo, go back first, I have to go somewhere with Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me from afar, he didn¡¯t confront Ding Yinuo, but climbed into his car alone.


    Ding Yinuo said, ¡°He¡¯s just a scumbag, why bother with him?¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, I have to get to the bottom of this!¡±


    ¡°Alright, remember to contact me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    I got into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car.


    After Gu Yuanzhou started the car, through the window, I could see Ding Yinuo was still standing there, watching me.


    Holding the steering wheel with both hands, Gu Yuanzhou casually said,


    ¡°If I remember correctly, Ding Yinuo is just a doctor.¡±


    This was perhaps the first time Gu Yuanzhou had mentioned Ding Yinuo in front of me.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you once say that men who are doctors are very callous?¡±


    ¡°Did I say that?¡±


    Without answering my question, Gu Yuanzhou changed the subject and asked, ¡°Do you think highly of Tianjiao Company?¡±


    ¡°Not really! Tianjiao Company does have the strength, but its management style is somewhat traditional, conservative. For such a large-scale company, they have their own established client base, any attempt to adjust or change is impossible.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve thought about it deeply!¡±


    ¡°Of course! I have been competing with Tianjiao Company for over ten years, do you think I wouldn¡¯t know my enemy¡¯s information thoroughly?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gave me a meaningful look and said,


    ¡°Having fought with them for so many years, you should know well how much you loathe the Ding Family. Why are you so close to him now?¡±


    ¡°People¡¯s perceptions differ. Sometimes, what you see with your own eyes may not be the truth. There are many deceits in this world, aren¡¯t there?¡±


    I admittedly misunderstood Ding Yinuo all along.


    In other words, he misunderstood me, and this misunderstanding caused lasting hard feelings between us for years.


    But now, everything has been explained.


    There is no more misunderstanding between us, our relationship is no longer what it used to be.


    Gu Yuanzhou turned his head, his dark eyes staring at me for a long time.


    ¡°Did he do something, or say something, that changed your view?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything? I¡¯m not so easily misled.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, many men are not as they appear on the surface, they lie to deceive people.¡±


    There was a clear implication in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words.


    I¡¯m not a fool, I could understand it.


    But there was no need to argue with him at this point. I chuckled lightly.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I was deceived badly by a lying man.¡±


    I remembered that confession letter


    Would I be with Gu Yuanzhou if it wasn¡¯t for that confession letter?


    Probably not!


    So, the man who lied and deceived me was Gu Yuanzhou!


    The one at fault was him, yet he was planning against others behind their back.


    My doubts about him deepened, my hand gripping a cell phone tightly.


    I knew, my disappointment towards Gu Yuanzhou was growing bigger.


    Half an hour later.


    The car stopped in front of Lovers¡¯ Bar.


    It was only a little over five o¡¯clock and the bar had just opened. There weren¡¯t many people.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t get out of the car, but picked up his mobile phone and made a call.


    About ten minutes later, three black sedans parked one after another across the street.


    When the car doors opened, men in sunglasses came out, followed by several black-suited bodyguards emerging from the other cars.


    The man in sunglasses leading the group was Ayu, whom I recognized as being in charge of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dirty work.


    Ayu, accompanied by these dozen or so bodyguards, approached our car.


    It was only after he opened the car door, that Gu Yuanzhou emerged.


    ¡°President Gu, hey  .¡±


    After exchanging a few words with Gu Yuanzhou, he greeted me, ¡°Hey, Madam.¡±


    Oddly enough, all those years I¡¯d been with Gu Yuanzhou, I always accepted his bodyguards addressing me as ¡°Madam.¡±


    Yet, from some day forward, I could no longer stomach the term ¡°Madam.¡±


    The three words, like splinters burrowing, stung my heart.


    So, I quickly corrected him, ¡°Don¡¯t call me that haphazardly, I have nothing to do with President Gu.¡±


    Ayu laughed half-heartedly, seemingly dismissing my words, and turned away to converse with Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°I know the owner of this place. This matter today is all on me.¡±


    Seeing him confidently assure us, Gu Yuanzhou led me into the bar.


    The bar was rather quiet at the moment, with the bartender still mixing drinks and the sound tech fine-tuning the music


    Upon receiving Ayu¡¯s call, the short bar owner hurried over from outside, dressed in a floral shirt and clutching a briefcase under his arm.


    ¡°Oh my, Brother Ayu! What wind blew you all this way? Come, come in, please sit down!¡±


    Ayu rudely brushed him aside,


    ¡°We¡¯re not here to drink, listen, my big brother¡¯s wife had a bit of trouble here a few days ago. As long as you hand over those scumbags to me, you¡¯ll be trouble-free. Otherwise, you better close this bar and scram off from A City!¡±


    Compared to Ayu¡¯s brash and ruthless behavior


    At this moment, Gu Yuanzhou, dressed impeccably in a suit, appeared refined and reserved, like a gentleman.


    He sat calmly on the sofa, legs crossed, only the domineering air emanating from his sharp eyes instilled fear in all present.


    ¡°Alright, bro, I¡¯ll go and check on it right away, and I guarantee I¡¯ll give you a satisfactory answer.¡±


    It was clear from the bar owner¡¯s eyes that he was genuinely afraid of Ayu,


    Perhaps he had been bullied by Ayu in the past.


    Once he understood what the matter was about, he immediately called someone to check the surveillance footage from that day.


    I sat quietly watching Gu Yuanzhou, curious to see what he could dig up!

 Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter 179 What Does He Really Want to Do_1

    Chapter 179: Chapter 179 What Does He Really Want to Do_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s efficiency was far greater than I had imagined.


    Soon, they found the video, and according to the surveillance, they identified two thugs


    All within an hour.


    The two punks were taken before Gu Yuanzhou.


    As expected, Ayu was ruthless, without hesitation he had his men push them to the ground and beat them up.


    The two pleaded desperately.


    Soon they confessed.


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Brother Ayu, we mistook her because we did not know how distinguished this lady is. We just wanted to put something in her drink and take her home for fun. We realize we messed up and promise not to do it again!¡±


    Ayu stepped forward, slapped them once more, then turned to ask Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, do you think they¡¯ve had enough or should we cut some more?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou did not answer; instead, he turned his gaze towards me,


    ¡°If you have anything else to say, feel free to speak up!¡±


    I looked at the two thugs,


    ¡°So, you simply wanted to drug me? Nobody behind the scenes manipulated you?¡±


    Ayu then kicked one of them,


    ¡°Answer truthily, or we¡¯ll throw you into the station.¡±


    Intimidated by the threat, the thugs turned pale. They knelt before me, apologizing profusely.


    ¡°Please, spare us, miss. We didn¡¯t recognize you. We just wanted to take advantage of you, nothing more. There¡¯s no one behind the scenes  ¡±


    The bar owner then stepped forward to plead his case to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, though these two are not my employees, they often lurk around the bar street. They are known for preying on drunk girls, I¡¯m confident they were just trying to take advantage of Miss here, there are no secret schemers.¡±


    At these words, Gu Yuanzhou remained composed, leaning back slightly, rhythmically tapping on the table.


    After a while, he turned to me, ¡°Are you satisfied with the answer?¡±


    Of course, I was not, so I asked the punks again,


    ¡°You witnessed when I was knocked down by the motorcycle rider that night, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The thugs didn¡¯t dare to lie and admitted immediately,


    ¡°Yes, yes, we saw it! But we were scared and didn¡¯t want to take the blame, so we   we ran away.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ayu kicked them again. They yelped in pain but dared not resist,


    ¡°She gets hit by a car, and you don¡¯t even call an ambulance? You¡¯re worse than animals! You¡¯re wasting food by being alive!¡±


    One of the thugs, clearly afraid that Ayu would really use his knife, hurriedly confessed,


    ¡°I   I got a clear look at the license plate of the motorcycle.¡±


    Ayu grabbed him by the collar and threatened menacingly: ¡°Speak!¡±


    The thug quickly recited the motorcycle¡¯s license plate number.


    Gu Yuanzhou had his connections. A single call gave him the answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s him!¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    Out of curiosity, Ayu asked again. Seemingly irritated by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s silence, he added,


    ¡°How about we grab him too?¡±


    However, Gu Yuanzhou had already stood up,


    ¡°No need, let¡¯s leave it at that for today.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let us see President Gu off!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou buttoned his coat and went outside.


    I stood up and stopped him.


    ¡°President Gu, the key lies with the rider, why not bring him to see me?¡±


    ¡°It was just an accident. You saw, those punks just wanted to take advantage of you, there was no plot!¡±


    ¡°I want to see the rider. I want to question him personally.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so stubborn? I¡¯ve already told you that he is not likely to harm you intentionally.¡±


    ¡°Whether he meant it or not, I will figure it out after I see him.¡±


    ¡°I will arrange for you to meet him   but not now.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou turned around and walked away.


    I had no choice but to follow him out.


    Outside, Ayu shook hands with Gu Yuanzhou and scrutinized him with his eyes for a long time before saying, ¡°President Gu, I take my leave now. If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou merely gave a slight nod.


    I stood still, watching as a dozen bodyguards entered the black sedan and drove away one by one.


    The entire scene, the spectacle, attracted the attention of passers-by.


    I stood there, reminiscing about the time when Gu Yuanzhou worked for my uncle and was just a nobody. But now


    He had already made his mark.


    A small sapling had grown into a towering tree, spreading its roots far and wide.


    Now, with his power, no one could touch him, not even Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Get in the car!¡±


    On one hand, I told myself Gu Yuanzhou was stalling, he didn¡¯t even dare to confront the rider with me. What else is there to discuss?


    On the other hand, I couldn¡¯t suppress my curiosity. I wanted to know what he was going to do.


    By now, the city lights were already illuminating the streets.


    The entire city turned into an ocean of lights.


    Gu Yuanzhou sat in the driver¡¯s seat. His black shirt made his face look gloomy and his eyes dark.


    The lights outside the window occasionally flickered across his face, making his gaze seem shadowy and unclear.


    In the past, sitting next to him, I felt secure and happy.


    Now, I felt like the man beside me was a black hole, drawing me deeper and deeper into an abyss.


    Half an hour later.


    He parked the car.


    I glanced out of the window, surprised to find we were at the First Municipal Hospital.


    Had he come to find Ding Yinuo?


    Before I could gather my thoughts, he had already left the car.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Once we were out of the car, he made another call.


    After ending the call, he led me into the hospital.


    A few minutes later, he brought me to a familiar room ¨C Aunt Wu Lijuan¡¯s room.


    Lately, Wu Lijuan¡¯s condition had been improving under Ding Yinuo¡¯s treatment. Although she was still hospitalized, she had regained her color.


    Since I hadn¡¯t revealed my identity, nor exposed the real culprit behind the poisoning, Wu Lijuan didn¡¯t harbor any ill-will towards Gu Yuanzhou.


    I was wondering why Gu Yuanzhou wanted me to see Wu Lijuan,


    but Gu Yuanzhou had already greeted her,


    ¡°Aunt Lijuan, I¡¯ve been busy with business recently and haven¡¯t been able to visit, I apologize for my lateness.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    Wu Lijuan called out his name, her voice choking with emotion.


    ¡°Aunt Lijuan, please rest assured, even without Ayun, I would still take care of you. I will replace Ayun and support you in your old age.¡±


    With tear-filled eyes, Wu Lijuan choked on her words, ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear you say that.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was very empathetic. A few heartfelt words had eased Wu Lijuan¡¯s guard, and they started to chat.


    Perhaps sensing the time was right, Gu Yuanzhou did something else that took me by surprise.

 Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Chapter 180: The Reality He Hides _1

    Chapter 180: Chapter 180: The Reality He Hides _1


    Translator: 549690339


    He directly called the duty nurse and began to arrange for Wu Lijuan¡¯s discharge from the hospital.


    Wu Lijuan was somewhat puzzled.


    ¡°Yuanzhou, my illness hasn¡¯t fully recovered yet. The doctor said I need to be hospitalized for another half a month for later observation.¡±


    Yet, Gu Yuanzhou had his own ideas.


    ¡°Auntie, under complex medical conditions, a comprehensive diagnosis from multiple hospitals is necessary! We¡¯re not going home, but transferring you to another hospital for a second opinion.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was very good at communicating.


    It barely took him any effort to persuade Wu Lijuan.


    I pulled him to the side, trying my best to prevent him


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what are you doing? My aunt was getting better treatment here, and rashly transferring her can inhibit her recovery.¡±


    Indeed, Ding Yinuo had been her primary doctor up to this point.


    Wu Lijuan was recovering well, and now the risk of a hospital transfer was high.


    I always felt Gu Yuanzhou was trying to deceive me.


    Gu Yuanzhou squinted at me for a long time.


    ¡°During a trial, both parties¡¯ lawyers must be present, making their respective arguments, presenting both sides of the case so the judge can determine who is right. You claim Wu Lijuan was poisoned, but this is only one perspective. If you want me to believe you, we need a diagnosis from another hospital.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, even Old Ma admitted that Ye Mengyan committed the crime, are you still trying to whitewash her?¡±


    ¡°No, who committed the crime isn¡¯t important. What¡¯s important is Wu Lijuan¡¯s health.¡±


    His words left me unable to retort.


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    After arranging Wu Lijuan¡¯s discharge process, Gu Yuanzhou directly transported her to another private hospital.


    After completing the hospitalization procedures there, it was already past nine o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Gu Yuanzhou spent another half an hour talking to the primary physician at that hospital.


    During this process, I stood by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s side the whole time, wary of any tricks he could pull.


    Everything he did revolved around Wu Lijuan¡¯s condition, just as he said.


    When the discussion ended, the doctor said it would take two or three days for the results of the tests to come out.


    After leaving the hospital, my phone kept ringing.


    My phone was set to emit a regular ringtone for all calls except one.


    Only calls from Ding Yinuo triggered a piano chord titled ¡°Dream Wedding¡±.


    When I heard this song, I knew it was a call from Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering the phone?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou heard the ringtone, he turned to look at me quizzically.


    ¡°Oh, President Gu, today¡¯s schedule is over and I have something else to take care of, so I need to leave.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Let¡¯s grab a meal first!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou lit a cigarette, his gaze deeply fixed on me.


    ¡°President Gu  ¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t turn me down! You¡¯ll miss a lot if you do.¡±


    He did not give me a chance to refuse and directly opened the car door.


    It had started to drizzle at some point.


    My hair was slightly damp from the rain and I instinctively bent down to get into the car.


    Gu Yuanzhou started the car.


    Evening fell upon the city, amidst the light rain, umbrellas of various colors filled the streets in the distance, like blooms in the mist.


    Night came, and people returned home.


    Where was home for me?


    I was unaware when the car stopped outside a restaurant.


    As I was getting out of the car, Gu Yuanzhou took my hand.


    His slightly damp hand clasping mine, he held a black umbrella with his other hand, leading me from the parking lot onto the restaurant steps.


    Throughout this, I tried to pull my hand back a few times, but he held on tightly.


    Perhaps because of the rain earlier, I sneezed once I entered the restaurant.


    After we sat down, Gu Yuanzhou went to the kitchen and brought me a bowl of ginger soup.


    ¡°It¡¯s autumn now, the rain is a bit chilly, remember to dress warmly!¡±


    The warmth of his tone seemed to, for a moment, break all distances between us and take us back to the old days.


    I looked at him incredulously again, but I still pretended to be calm and distant.


    ¡°Thanks for your concern, President Gu, I will take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°Mengyan moved out of Maple Mansion. If you don¡¯t come back, it becomes unbelievably quiet at night. A few days ago, I heard the crying of night birds all night long.¡±


    This is a Japanese restaurant; probably because it was raining, there were a surprisingly few customers.


    The staff¡¯s steps were very light. If it weren¡¯t for the soft music, I would have felt as if I was on a date alone with Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, are you suffering from insomnia?¡±


    I picked up a piece of raw fish and put it in my mouth.


    His eyes narrowed as he looked at me, ¡°Why did you investigate Wu Lijuan¡¯s poisoning case?¡±


    ¡°Because, I want President Gu to know what kind of person Ye Mengyan is?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou shook his wine glass gently. He didn¡¯t accept my words,


    ¡°It was because of Ding Yinuo, wasn¡¯t it? By coincidence, Ding Yinuo just happened to be at that hospital.¡±


    ¡°Think what you like!¡±


    I was sipping the soup in the bowl.


    ¡°Are you close with Wu Lijuan? Did she tell you something?¡±


    In fact, I was trying hard to hide my identity.


    Wu Lijuan didn¡¯t recognize the real me, and Gu Yuanzhou probably wouldn¡¯t find out either.


    ¡°President Gu, the raw fish tonight is good, you should try it.¡±


    ¡°Regarding the Song family, do you have anything to say?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words always carry a prying tone. I chuckled,


    ¡°President Gu, Mr. Song and Mrs. Song are essentially your in-laws. In my opinion, shouldn¡¯t you be taking good care of them?¡±


    A ripple appeared in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes. He was silent for a moment,


    ¡°Eat quickly. I¡¯m going to take you somewhere later!¡±


    The phone rang again. I ate the last piece of sushi and picked it up to look.


    It was a text message from Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°It¡¯s raining so hard outside, where are you?¡±


    To keep Ding Yinuo from worrying, I texted him back, ¡°I¡¯m dining out, no need to worry about me.¡±


    Then he sent another text message, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at Xishan Residence tonight!¡±


    I thought for a while and sent him back a smiley face. In fact, I was not sure whether I would be able to make it tonight.


    After finishing the Japanese hot pot, I felt warmer. Gu Yuanzhou paid the bill. As we were leaving, he took off his jacket and draped it over me.


    I always had a faint feeling that Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s attitude towards me was a bit too intimate.


    It exceeded the distance between a boss and an employee


    The more he acted like this, the more I felt his guilt. He was deliberately being nice to me in order to try and wear down my prejudice against Ye Mengyan.


    But living again, I had already grown a heart cold as iron.


    Faced with his solicitousness, I chose to reject it. I took off his jacket and stuffed it into his hands, then walked into the rain alone.


    After getting into the car, Gu Yuanzhou hummed a little. Regarding my actions, he said indifferently, ¡°Childish!¡±


    I didn¡¯t explain, but took a tissue to wipe the water droplets off my cheek, ¡°President Gu, it¡¯s getting late. Maybe we should go tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°This is a place you have to visit!¡±


    Given his insistence, I could only accompany him until the end.


    At this point, it was already past ten o¡¯clock at night.


    He first drove me to the Ginseng Store on Huaxi Road


    This time of night, the store had already closed.


    But the light in the store was still shining. Gu Yuanzhou parked the car and smoked a cigarette. He stared at the Ginseng Store for a long time.


    ¡°You found the surveillance video here, didn¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Chapter 181 He Has Been Laying the Groundwork_1

    Chapter 181: Chapter 181 He Has Been Laying the Groundwork_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I answered truthfully, even though I wasn¡¯t sure what Gu Yuanzhou was planning.


    Upon hearing my reply, Gu Yuanyuan fell silent.


    He stared at the signboard in the night, continuously smoking his cigarette.


    ¡°Do you not believe the authenticity of the video? Should I call the shop manager over? I believe they would be more than happy to show you.¡±


    ¡°That year, I had just married my wife!¡±


    His gaze rested on a far-off place, seemingly reminiscing about the past.


    ¡°Back then, we were just starting out in our business, and we endured financial difficulties   To keep the company running smoothly, we lived frugally. To save money, we often ate boxed meals. When traveling for work, I always chose to take the green-skin train coaches. Despite the crowded conditions and poor air quality during the long, ten-hour journeys, I could bear it all. The only thing I couldn¡¯t bear was making my wife suffer.¡±


    His voice was filled with emotion, effortlessly drawing me into his past narrative.


    Indeed, those times were tough when we were starting from scratch, and we faced countless obstacles.


    The hardships of daily life were not the issue; what hurt more was the mental torment, as we faced constant pressure, skepticism, and ridicule from everyone else.


    I fell silent.


    Gu Yuanzhou kept looking out through the car window.


    ¡°I remember we were so poor back then that our first car was a second-hand pick-up truck. We chose it because it was hardy and could carry loads. During the day, I would busily tend to corporate matters while at night, I would deliver goods   It¡¯s not a big deal for a man to be busy and tired, but the problem was, I couldn¡¯t provide a comfortable life for my wife. She married me during her prime years, and yet, she suffered along with me. So, back then, I made a promise to myself that once I had money, I would take good care of her.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I responded indifferently.


    But in truth, I couldn¡¯t muster any empathy.


    Later, you did become wealthy, but you also started nurturing a mistress, and this affair can¡¯t be covered up by some tale of charity.


    No matter how you justify it or how sentimental you get, it¡¯s pointless.


    Once again, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s topic ventured back to the matter of the shop.


    ¡°During our first year of marriage, she said that we needed to buy something decent for her maternal home during the Lunar New Year. We could live frugally, but we had to save face in front of her family, we couldn¡¯t let them know we were struggling. So, I returned the suit tailored for me to wear on Lunar New Year, and instead, I bought the most expensive health care product for her aunt from this Ginseng Store!¡±


    I was taken aback


    Yes, I had custom-tailored a suit for him back then.


    At that time, our company was just starting to get on track, and as the boss, Gu Yuanzhou had to entertain clients frequently even though he wore a very cheap suit.


    It wasn¡¯t because he was vain; during negotiations, some snobbish clients would see his shabbiness as disrespectful or lose confidence in the deal.


    So, I used my private funds to tailor a suit worth over ten thousand yuan for him, only to find out he returned it without wearing it even once.


    Back then, I thought he didn¡¯t like it, but who would¡¯ve thought he used the money here.


    In my brief moment of distraction, he was closely staring at me.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Nothing really. I was just engrossed in President Gu¡¯s story!¡±


    Seeing my calm composure, he then started the car.


    Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of the Song family¡¯s residence.


    Looking at him in confusion as he opened the car door for me, I asked, ¡°Why are we here so late?¡±


    ¡°To give you your answer!¡±


    After hesitating for a moment, I got out of the car.


    After ringing the doorbell, the door was opened by a woman named Wu.


    I was standing at the door, and when Wu saw me, she greeted me warmly, ¡°Miss Song, you¡¯re here!¡±


    I had come here several times before, so she naturally recognized me.


    Gu Yuanzhou took a step forward and opened the door, ¡°You know each other?¡±


    Wu chuckled, ¡°Miss Song has been here a few times. We¡¯re all familiar faces here. Mr. Gu, please come in!¡±


    As Gu Yuanzhou stepped inside, he gave me a meaningful look, as if he had already figured out my whereabouts.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re not as simple as you seem.¡±


    As Wu poured tea for Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°The rain is really heavy tonight. It¡¯s a pity, neither the master nor the lady are home   What are your plans  ¡±


    Before I could speak, Gu Yuanzhou interrupted,


    ¡°Aunt Wu was admitted to the hospital because she was sick. I transferred her to another hospital. We will stay here tonight. You prepare some clothes for her, and I¡¯ll take them to her.¡±


    ¡°Alright, sure!¡± Wu agreed without hesitation.


    Compared to me, Gu Yuanzhou had more authority in this house.


    He had always been a follower of my uncle even before we were married, and now that we were married, he was technically the Song family¡¯s son-in-law.


    Staying here for a few days, or even taking over the house, would not raise any objections.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, are you hungry? There are some dumplings in the refrigerator, would you like me to boil some for you?¡±


    ¡°No need, Wu. We have already eaten.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took the tea from Wu, took a few sips, and then asked,


    ¡°Has uncle been here in the past few days?¡±


    Wu shook her head. She was just an ordinary housekeeper and had no knowledge of Song Shixiong¡¯s business and whereabouts.


    Out of concern, she began to inquire about Wu Lijuan¡¯s condition.


    Suddenly, Gu Yuanzhou claimed, ¡°Call the young masters tomorrow morning and tell them that their mother is in critical condition.¡±


    With a tremor in her hands, Wu gasped, ¡°Really? Is it that serious?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stayed composed, ¡°If we don¡¯t emphasize the severity, they won¡¯t come back.¡±


    Clearly flustered, Wu replied, ¡°Oh, I understand. Mr. Gu, I¡¯ll call them tomorrow.¡±


    Not having finished my tea, I voiced a doubt that was plaguing me, ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, why are you meddling in the Song family¡¯s affairs?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re getting anxious?¡±


    Throughout the entire process, Gu Yuanzhou still looked relaxed and unphased.


    A short while later, Wu returned, ¡°Mr. Gu, Miss Song, your guest room is ready.¡±


    As Wu was unaware of my identity, she had, naturally, arranged a guest room for me.


    But to my surprise, Gu Yuanzhou told Wu, ¡°She will sleep in my wife¡¯s bedroom tonight.¡±


    That bedroom was actually my room when I lived with the Song family   Wu was taken aback because, as far as she knew, no guest would want to stay in the room previously occupied by the deceased.


    However, judging by his familial status, Gu Yuanzhou was somewhat of a housemaster in the Song household, so she had no place to object. Her smile became awkward and forced as she responded,


    ¡°Alright then. The late Miss Song¡¯s bedroom has always been kept clean. Please make yourselves at home.¡±


    A growing sense of bewilderment clouded my mind. What was Gu Yuanzhou really up to?


    After Wu left the room, Gu Yuanzhou began to walk around the living room with his hands clasped behind his back.


    After a moment of silence, he pointed to a painting on the wall and asked me,


    ¡°What do you think of this painting?¡±


    I squinted my eyes as I scrutinized the painting. At a glance, I recognized it as the painting Gu Yuanzhou and I bought during our honeymoon in France. At that point, Zhenyi had started to grow considerably, and our financial situation had improved significantly


    The painting was later hung in the western hallway of the living room and had remained there for years.


    At that moment, not knowing what he was trying to insinuate, I responded casually, ¡°It looks good, but it¡¯s outdated.¡±


    Faced with unfamiliar landscapes and long-lost memories, why bring up the past now?!


    He glanced at me, then added, ¡°Let¡¯s go see my wife¡¯s bedroom!¡±

 Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: Chapter 182: About the Past_1

    Chapter 182: Chapter 182: About the Past_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I consistently held a resisting attitude towards Gu Yuanzhou.


    Thus, I was always the first one to oppose any of his decisions.


    ¡°President Gu, it¡¯s getting late. I¡¯d rather find a guest room to rest.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still early, it¡¯s not time to sleep yet. I can give you the day off tomorrow.¡±


    He didn¡¯t give me any chance to back off, and still very domineeringly led me upstairs.


    I had actually been to this room before.


    Here were many memories, all pertaining to Gu Yuanzhou and me. I didn¡¯t want to recall or touch upon them.


    My steps paused at the door.


    ¡°President Gu, your wife has passed away. Now you¡¯re pulling me into her room with you, don¡¯t you feel a bit uneasy?¡±


    He glanced back at me, pulled me into the bedroom, shut the door behind us, and turned on the light.


    After entering the bedroom, he held my hand tightly, never to let go.


    ¡°Look at this bedroom!¡±


    He pulled me by the table and sat down.


    There was a music box on the table, he opened it, a bride in a wedding dress began to spin, slowly rotating with the music.


    The long-lost sound of the music also awakened many memories.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou pointed at the music box as he asked me from beside me.


    I shook my head and acted dumb.


    ¡°This is a doll that was put on the hood of the wedding car the day I married my wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°Do you know why this object wasn¡¯t moved to our new home instead?¡±


    ¡°Not sure!¡±


    ¡°Because the year we married, I was very poor and even the bridal chamber we lived in was rented. It was small, only about thirty plus square meters. But, even though it was small, half the space had to be cleared out for storage of clothes, our computers, and other office supplies. Therefore, many items were still kept at her parent¡¯s house, in this maiden room.¡±


    He described the past, in a deep voice.


    I, of course, know all of it, but I had to pretend that I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°She liked this music box very much. On our wedding day, she looked as beautiful and ethereal in her white dress as this bride doll. I always felt so lucky to marry her.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s fingers touched that music box.


    He seemed touched.


    Whereas, I despised him, I thought he was lying.


    He was working an emotion card.


    In other words, he was performing in front of me. His aim was simple, to cover up for Ye Mengyan.


    Maybe it¡¯s because my guard was up, no matter how much he appealed to sentiment, it was hard for me to empathize.


    After a while, he opened a drawer and flipped out a photo album.


    There were many photos in it.


    Some were my individual photos, and a few were taken together with Gu Yuanzhou.


    That time, when I first started dating, I was a bit naive. Leaning on Gu Yuanzhou, my face was full of sunshine and smiles.


    I was thinking, if I could be reborn at that age, I would never marry Gu Yuanzhou


    That night, Gu Yuanzhou told me a lot of things.


    About how the two of us had fallen in love, got married, and started a business.


    But I felt restless inside, too restless to listen.


    It was not until almost one in the morning that Gu Yuanzhou finally let me go.


    ¡°You will sleep here tonight!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, what do you mean? You want me to sleep in your deceased wife¡¯s maiden room?¡±


    He did not answer my question but just stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at me intently for a long time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be downstairs, call me if you need anything!¡±


    At this point, I was exhausted and did not want to argue with him anymore. I could only agree.


    After he left my bedroom, I went to the bathroom.


    Just at that moment, Wenya called me on video, and I answered directly.


    In the video, Wenya is lying in bed, still slightly sleepy. She stares at me for a while before saying,


    ¡°Damn, you actually answered. I thought you wouldn¡¯t pick up.¡±


    While brushing my teeth and washing my face, I ask her,


    ¡°Why are you looking for me at this hour?¡±


    ¡°I was already asleep, but Yinuo from your home kept calling to rush me! He¡¯s worried about what Gu Yuanzhou might do to you.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    ¡°Hey, your bathroom looks familiar. You couldn¡¯t possibly be at the Song¡¯s house, could you?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m at my uncle¡¯s house.¡±


    Next, I told Wenya about Gu Yuanzhou bringing me to the Song¡¯s house and his various attempts to test me.


    After listening, Wenya concluded, ¡°I guess he¡¯s starting to suspect you! Ayun, you mustn¡¯t give yourself away. If he finds out you¡¯re reborn  ¡±


    ¡°So what if he does?¡±


    ¡°He might kill you again! It¡¯s pretty risky.¡±


    ¡°Tell Ding Yinuo not to worry! I¡¯m fine!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, take my advice, don¡¯t trust Gu Yuanzhou! Don¡¯t believe a single word he says.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I washed my face and then got into bed.


    Everything here is very familiar to me.


    I have slept on this bed for years, even the blanket was chosen by me.


    The furniture and decorations in the room remain the same.


    Switching off the light, listening to the sound of rain outside, my mind was involuntarily filled with memories of Gu Yuanzhou.


    I searched hard, looking for any trace of betrayal in our past life as a married couple.


    I couldn¡¯t find any!


    From being in a relationship to our marriage, he was genuinely good to me and responsible towards our child.


    But why did he betray me?


    When did he change his mind?


    I thought and thought, unable to sleep, not until the break of dawn did I fall into a confused sleep.


    The next morning, I woke up groggily, staring at the ceiling, momentarily unsure of where I was.


    Until a man¡¯s voice by the bed called out.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    Just like the countless times he gently woke me up.


    I unconsciously responded.


    But when I looked closely, it was Gu Yuanzhou.


    I immediately reverted to a defensive stance, ¡°President Gu! How can you enter my room at will?¡±


    ¡°This is my wife¡¯s boudoir   don¡¯t I have the right to enter and exit freely?¡±


    I got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash up.


    When I came out, Gu Yuanzhou was inserting a bunch of flowers into a vase.


    This seemed very familiar.


    When I was too busy with our two children in the past, he would help out with some chores, taking care of the children, arranging flowers.


    Our family atmosphere was great back then, and friends had complimented Gu Yuanzhou as a good family man, even taking care of sanitary pads attentively.


    Standing still, arms crossed, I watched him finish arranging a bunch of flowers and place them in the sunlight.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    He turned to look at me.


    In a flat voice, I said, ¡°President Gu, I find roses very tacky, especially this fiery red color, it¡¯s unbearably vulgar.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou frowned, ¡°My wife said red roses symbolize a passionate love! Like a flame.¡±


    With a sardonic smile, I said, ¡°If she could be reborn, she would definitely tell you that what she hates the most in this life is fire!¡±


    Perhaps my words had struck a nerve with Gu Yuanzhou. He could no longer maintain his composure.


    ¡°Sometimes, I think you are very much like my wife. Your behaviors, thought patterns, and even your eating habits are so similar. But I know you¡¯re not her. Because   My wife has been wronged by the Ding family for so many years, there¡¯s no way she would associate with them.¡±

 Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Chapter 183 My Anger _1

    Chapter 183: Chapter 183 My Anger _1


    Translator: 549690339


    These past few days, Gu Yuanzhou has repeatedly taken me on trips down memory lane. I¡¯ve been wondering if he¡¯s testing me or trying to expose my relationship with Ding Yinuo.


    I have no choice but to play along.


    No matter what, he hasn¡¯t earned my sympathy.


    He took me away from the Song Family¡¯s home that morning and we headed straight to the hospital.


    That private hospital where Wu Lijuan was admitted.


    Soon, I met the Dr. Sun who was in charge of Wu Lijuan¡¯s treatment.


    Gu Yuanzhou introduced him to me.


    ¡°This is Director Sun, a specialist in kidney diseases! He just returned from the United States a couple of years ago.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thank you for your help, Dr. Sun.¡±


    Looking around in Dr. Sun¡¯s office, there were pictures of him with various medical authorities hanging on the walls.


    In one picture, he was even with Ding Yinuo.


    It was clear that he had indeed studied in the United States and had received many awards.


    Gu Yuanzhou sat next to me, glanced at me and then at Dr. Sun.


    ¡°The patient is my wife¡¯s aunt. To me, she¡¯s a very important family member. Please give us her diagnosis and the treatment plan for the future.¡±


    ¡°Sure, after conducting comprehensive tests, we concluded that Ms. Wu suffers from kidney disease. She¡¯s had this condition for years, and lack of timely treatment led to her current state   and we¡¯ve also discussed with the patient. She indicated that her mother had died of severe kidney failure. As you can see, this disease is hereditary.¡±


    Dr. Sun¡¯s conclusion about Wu Lijuan¡¯s illness was the same as Ding Yinuo¡¯s.


    Indeed, Wu Lijuan had severe kidney disease, and it could be treated symptomatically.


    However, Dr. Sun¡¯s estimation of the cause differed. He believed it was inherited, overturning Ding Yinuo¡¯s poisoning theory.


    I expressed my doubt on the spot,


    ¡°Dr. Sun, do you believe there could be a chance that the patient was poisoned?¡±


    Dr. Sun immediately shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! We didn¡¯t find any toxins in her bloodstream. Let me share a common knowledge, if a person is poisoned with heavy metals, though the body might display no reaction after treatment, residues would persist in the hair. We¡¯ve also tested her hair, and there¡¯s no residual toxin.¡±


    Dr. Sun¡¯s description was professional, but it completely overturned my previous understanding.


    I know Ding Yinuo would never lie to me.


    So, I took out a box of health supplement ¡ª deep-sea fish oil from my bag and placed it in front of him.


    ¡°But this supplement does contain heavy metals. It¡¯s poisonous  ¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, please calm down! Your medicine might be toxic, but our hospital doesn¡¯t conduct this kind of test. We¡¯re responsible for the patient¡¯s health. In other words, our duty is to treat her. We¡¯d rather not get involved with other disputes. Moreover, if you¡¯re dissatisfied with our treatment, you may opt for another hospital.¡±


    ¡°No, you must have made a mistake. Please check again  ¡±


    I had a strong feeling that something was amiss. I wanted to discuss it with Dr. Sun, but he had already stood up. ¡°Sorry, I have other patients to attend to. Excuse me.¡±


    He left.


    I looked at Gu Yuanzhou.


    He was standing in a dark corner wearing a pure black suit, staring at me.


    His gaze was full of irony.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this result clarify everything?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, what do you think this result clarifies?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been used by Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Really? Why would he use me?¡±


    ¡°To use you against me! Song Xiaoyun, you¡¯re still too na?ve. You don¡¯t understand the darkness of society. Sometimes, you¡¯re being used as a punching bag without even realizing it.¡±


    To me, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words were laughable.


    Although I had a deep grudge against Ding Yinuo in the past, I knew his character.


    He would never use me.


    ¡°President Gu, regardless of whether Wu Lijuan was poisoned or not, the fact remains that Ye Mengyan did poison someone. Her actions were confirmed by the driver, Ma. She switched the supplements. Did she commit this act, yes or no?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou retorted, ¡°If she hadn¡¯t caused any major impact or consequences, her actions are irrelevant. Just like when you¡¯re crossing the street, if a child throws a small rock at you and it only hurts your foot, would you cause a fuss over it?¡±


    ¡°But what she threw wasn¡¯t a rock, it was a knife!¡±


    ¡°So, you can¡¯t let this go?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, what about the Rider!¡±


    ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re so adamant about it, I¡¯ll arrange for you to meet him.¡±


    Next, Gu Yuanzhou made a call and asked Ayu to bring over the Rider who hit me.


    The Rider was a delivery man who arrived on his motorcycle. Judging by his license plate, it was indeed the same bike that was identified by the bar owner.


    He apologized to me on the spot, explaining that an accident occurred while he was making a delivery to a nearby customer.


    As if trying to convince me, Gu Yuanzhou even showed a photo of Ye Mengyan to the Rider and asked if he knew her.


    The Rider¡¯s denials felt rehearsed and predictable. I wasn¡¯t at all surprised. It seemed Gu Yuanzhou would do anything to protect Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou asked me.


    I let out a soft laugh, ¡°President Gu is indeed wise.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to speak with the Rider again to cross-verify his story?¡±


    ¡°No need!¡±


    When I wanted to meet this Rider earlier, Gu Yuanzhou asked me to wait.


    At that time, I knew something was off.


    So, I¡¯m almost certain that this Rider was arranged by Gu Yuanzhou, and I won¡¯t be able to get any useful information out of him.


    Indeed, Gu Yuanzhou would spare no expense for Ye Mengyan. He had spent so much time just to entertain me, even transferring Wu Lijuan to another hospital.


    He really went to great lengths.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask any more questions. Whatever President Gu says, I¡¯ll take it as it is!¡±


    On the way back, I stayed quiet the whole time.


    He drove while occasionally reaching out to hold my hand. But every time, I pulled away.


    At noon, he took me to a restaurant for lunch.


    During the meal, he invited a few friends who seemed to be discussing the previous order from the Thai royal family. They had made a lot of money from it.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to be in a good mood. After a few glasses of red wine, his face turned rosy,


    ¡°We owe the success of this order to your reminders. We made a lot of money from it, a billion  ¡±


    ¡°Congratulations, President Gu!¡±


    ¡°I feel like you¡¯re my lucky charm! Lately, things seem to be going well for me whenever you¡¯re around!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, what do you want? A house, a car, anything you want, I can give it to you.¡±


    Gazing into his reddened eyes, I replied with a light smile, ¡°I want Ye Mengyan imprisoned. Can President Gu do that?¡±

 Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Feeling Nauseous Like Having Eaten a Fly_1

    Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Feeling Nauseous Like Having Eaten a Fly_1


    Translator: 549690339


    The hand that was tightly holding mine slowly let go.


    Gu Yuanzhou slightly curled his lips,


    ¡°Woman, be content!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, President Gu!¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    I did not answer him.


    I simply picked up my wine glass, gently clinked his glass, and then drained it all down in one swig.


    Among the men bantering happily, Gu Yuanzhou seemed like a king. At this moment, my emotions had hit rock bottom.


    I finally understood that seeking fairness from him was impossible.


    He was always making excuses for Ye Mengyan.


    The so-called search for truth was nothing more than a well-crafted illusion meant to befuddle me so that Ye Mengyan could escape.


    ¡°Thank you, President Gu, for helping me see the truth about my own heart and your true character!¡±


    Upon finishing this sentence, I put down my glass and walked away.


    Gu Yuanzhou stood up and called out to me,


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to leave.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®leave¡¯?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou became a little irritated. After all, in front of so many friends, I didn¡¯t give him any face. This made it hard for him to keep his dignity.


    In the past, I cared about his mood, his face, his thoughts.


    Every time there was a banquet or business social event, I would help him plan, create strategies, do research, and understand the preferences of clientele.


    I prepared everything for him


    From now on, I would no longer care about these things.


    Facing his irritation, I remained calm and indifferent.


    ¡°I mean exactly what I said!¡±


    ¡°Are you leaving this dinner party, or leaving the company?¡±


    ¡°Both!¡±


    I straightened my back. When I answered him, it was decisive and resolute.


    ¡°I offer you such good conditions, and you still want to leave?¡±


    I glanced at him calmly, then turned and walked away resolutely.


    He continued, ¡°As for the proposal against the Ding Family, if you¡¯re unwilling to do it, I¡¯ve already found someone else who can. Trust me, within half a year, the Ding Family will be gone. Think it over.¡±


    I could feel Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s sharp gaze piercing my back like a knife.


    But I did not stop walking.


    As soon as I stepped out the door, my phone started to ring. Looking closely, it was a call from Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Are you not answering my calls again?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t see it! I was busy.¡±


    ¡°Come back, someone is waiting for you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice came out from the phone, deep and warm.


    It was as if a beam of warm sunlight was shining down from the clouds, dispelling much of the unhappiness in my heart.


    ¡°Return where?¡±


    ¡°Xishan Residence!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there!¡±


    ¡°Do you have any luggage? Do you need me to pick you up?¡±


    I was taken aback by his words for a few seconds and immediately started to tear up.


    How did this man know that I was going to leave Gu Yuanzhou and even bring my suitcase?


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    His voice was filled with a touch of anxious worry.


    ¡°Uh, no need, I can come by myself.¡±


    After hanging up, I hailed a taxi to Xishan Residence.


    Along the way, I watched the scenery retreat behind the car window.


    It felt like the past between Gu Yuanzhou and me. I knew, whether it was love or hate, all of this would become the past forever.


    Half an hour later, the car slowly arrived at the entrance of Xishan Residence.


    From afar, I saw a slender figure lingering by the door.


    He was simply dressed in a grey T-shirt with a light jacket over the top, and his thick black hair casually drooped on his forehead.


    A very simple home outfit.


    Compared to the lab coat he usually wore, this seemed much more approachable.


    It was Ding Yinuo. I knew he was waiting for me.


    He checked his phone intermittently, and sometimes looked into the distance.


    When the taxi stopped, he quickly approached. As soon as I got out of the car, he hugged me tightly.


    It was as if he had missed me terribly during the brief separation.


    Going a little too far, he pressed his face against my cheek.


    I felt the warmth of a grown man.


    After a while, he let go, ¡°Where is your luggage?¡±


    I smiled at him, ¡°What luggage?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving Zhenyi?¡±


    I stared into his eyes.


    Under the light, the man¡¯s black eyes were incredibly clear.


    I slightly curled my lips,


    ¡°Did I say I was leaving Zhenyi?¡±


    ¡°Knowing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s character, he will definitely find ways to absolve himself. So, you will certainly get angry and leave.¡±


    ¡°It seems, you know me very well?¡±


    He softly rubbed my forehead and dragged me into the house.


    There were many people inside.


    Everyone was bustling about preparing the hot pot and the atmosphere was warm and lively.


    ¡°Why are we eating hot pot?¡±


    I asked with a smile.


    Wenya quickly came up and grabbed my hand,


    ¡°Well, Manager Ding said he would offer you a celebration banquet to say farewell to the garbage. From now on, break off the relationship with him.¡±


    ¡°What ¡®celebration banquet¡¯, this is called a ¡®new beginning¡¯ banquet!¡±


    Su Peisheng corrected her as he gave Wenya a piece of meatball.


    Jian Jing held a chair for me to sit down and gave me a glass of juice.


    ¡°Ayun! Can you really give up on Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    I took a sip of juice and calmly said, ¡°What I can¡¯t let go of was never Gu Yuanzhou. Instead, it was the Zhenyi Company, and¡­ the warm moments that once belonged to the children and me.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ve not known you for long, but I know that you have a soft heart! Gu Yuanzhou is exploiting this to manipulate you.¡±


    Wenya sighed.


    At this point, Ding Yinuo raised his glass, ¡°From now on, let¡¯s no longer mention the past. Cheers!¡±


    ¡°Come on, cheers! Don¡¯t stop drinking until we¡¯re all drunk tonight!¡±


    Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them together.


    ¡°Jian Jing, there¡¯s no drinking for you! Have the juice instead!¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    After the toast, everyone started to eat and chat.


    Wenya was curious about the details of my recent encounter with Gu Yuanzhou. When the topic of the motorcycle rider came up, Wenya angrily cursed,


    ¡°Damn man, he must have bribed the rider with money, so all the evidence got washed away.¡±


    Jian Jing said, ¡°It¡¯s a shame. Old Ma died for no reason. Sigh.¡±


    I felt guilty for Old Ma¡¯s death. I failed to protect him, so no matter what, I had to send Ye Mengyan to jail. Otherwise, it would be too unfair to Old Ma.


    In the middle of the meal, a special guest arrived.


    The man in the suit turned out to be Ding Yinuo¡¯s older brother, Ding Xiao.


    ¡°Well, it seems I came at the right time. Just in time for hot pot.¡±


    ¡°Manager Ding, please have a seat!¡±


    Su Peisheng quickly stood up to offer his seat.


    Ding Xiao smoothly sat across from me and was particularly enthusiastic towards me, ¡°Xiaosong is also here!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Manager Ding!¡±


    ¡°No need to be formal, it¡¯s just us. Everyone, have what you want. We¡¯re all family here. Come on  ¡±


    Ding Xiao now is the head of the Ding Family and holds major authority in the company. Even within the Ding Family, he has a certain level of authority.


    But right now, he¡¯s being very friendly


    Seeing Ding Xiao, I couldn¡¯t help but think about the proposal Gu Yuanzhou gave me. Part of it was against Ding Xiao.


    That was Ding Xiao¡¯s Achilles heel. Once Gu Yuanzhou made his move, Ding Xiao would have almost no chance of turning the tables.

 Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Chapter 185 Let me experience how it feels when you lay a hand on me_1

    Chapter 185: Chapter 185 Let me experience how it feels when you lay a hand on me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    The middle-aged man before me appeared to be in his early thirties. His facial features were clear-cut, his bone structure distinct. His eyes were deep and bright, and his smile was warm and friendly.


    As the CEO of a clothing company, he exhibited exceptional style, donning a carefully tailored suit.


    He exuded excellence in every detail and was incredibly charismatic in every move he made.


    Just like Ding Yinuo, both brothers were remarkable.


    The difference was that Ding Xiao, being the elder brother, was more generous and steady.


    After a couple of drinks, Ding Xiao asked me again,


    ¡°Xiaosong, I heard from Anuo that you¡¯re interested in design. Our company happens to need a director for the design department. You could come and try it out if you¡¯re interested.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo spoke, ¡°Brother, Xiaosong is excellent. She has already become the deputy manager at Zhenyi Company. You need to give her a better offer.¡±


    Ding Xiao laughed heartily, ¡°Of course! If she¡¯s willing to come, I¡¯ll give her double the salary!¡±


    ¡°Just the salary? That seems insincere!¡±


    Ding Yinuo continued to bargain.


    Ding Xiao said, ¡°Of course, if she¡¯s willing to stay, I¡¯ll also give her shares in the company! If she still doesn¡¯t find these conditions appealing, I can only hand over my brother, Ding Yinuo, the Ding family heirloom.¡±


    Everyone erupted into laughter at this comment.


    Ding Yinuo winked at me,


    ¡°How about that? Even the Ding family heirloom is yours if you want it. Aren¡¯t you coming?¡±


    With everyone present, it was hard for me to refuse, so I delayed with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m more than honored to be invited by Manager Ding. However, I haven¡¯t handed in my resignation letter to Zhenyi yet. There¡¯s a bunch of work that needs to be handed over. But, I can assure you that if I were to look for work, Tianjiao Company would be the top of my list.¡±


    ¡°Alright, having your word satisfies me the most! Ladies and gentlemen, I have some matters to attend to and must leave early! I¡¯ll drink to that first.¡±


    Ding Xiao drank his wine and then stood up to say goodbye.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you out!¡±


    Ding Yinuo stood up to send off Ding Xiao.


    In a whisper, Wenya asked me, ¡°I guess Manager Ding came today to invite you to join Tianjiao on Ding Yinuo¡¯s account!¡±


    I nodded, ¡°I know!¡±


    Wenya asked puzzledly, ¡°You knew and still refused?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I can¡¯t join Tianjiao yet!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer Wenya.


    Because of what might happen next, I might not be able to predict.


    I¡¯m not entirely sure about Gu Yuanzhou.


    I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll continue to attack the Ding family after I quit.


    But at least, I can¡¯t let the Ding family become a burden.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Wenya, you should eat up. I have other plans!¡±


    Everyone ate and drank until about ten o¡¯clock at night before the gathering ended.


    Su Peisheng drove Wenya and Jian Jing home.


    But I stayed.


    While I was taking a bath, Ding Yinuo was cleaning up the dining room alone.


    When I came out in my pajamas, Ding Yinuo had already settled on the sofa.


    The dining room was spotless, not a speck of dust anywhere.


    I could tell that Ding Yinuo was a domestic type, always keeping his space clean and neat.


    ¡°Sit for a while?¡±


    Seeing me come out, he patted the spot beside him on the sofa.


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    I mop at my freshly washed hair with a large towel as I sit down next to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good to wash your hair at night. The dampness seeping into your scalp could lead to rheumatic headaches when you¡¯re older.¡±


    He got up after a while and brought back a hairdryer to blow my hair dry.


    My hair is thick and falls to my lower back, it took him half an hour to dry it completely.


    I touched my cheeks, which felt warm, and Ding Yinuo shut off the dryer and looked at me, ¡°Why did you refuse my older brother?¡±


    I knew he would ask this question.


    Instead of answering him directly,


    I gave him a hint.


    ¡°Your brother is very loyal!¡±


    ¡°Yes, business is all about brotherhood! If you don¡¯t show loyalty, you can¡¯t succeed in business. Is your skepticism towards this the reason you don¡¯t want to join Tianjiao?¡±


    I remained silent.


    Ding Yinuo moved a bit closer to me.


    ¡°Ayun, what are you worried about?¡±


    ¡°Um, nothing!¡±


    ¡°Did Gu Yuanzhou threaten you? Did he threaten you with your aunt and uncle¡¯s safety? Or something else? Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re safe staying here! If you don¡¯t want to go outside, you can stay at home all day and I can accompany you when I get off work!¡±


    Ding Yinuo had thought everything through; he even showed me that he had spent three hundred thousand on a complete home security system in the past few days.


    He took out a remote control and demonstrated every door and window to me,


    ¡°AI technology is very mature and intelligent now. If there are any intruders, it can recognize them. It also connects to the police station and can call the police directly.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°Great! Thank you for troubling yourself for my sake. But actually, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about.¡±


    ¡°What is it then?¡±


    ¡°Mmm, I can¡¯t work right now in my current state. I need to take some time to adjust myself. Give me some time. When I¡¯m ready, I¡¯ll cooperate with Tianjiao. Does that sound good?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you!¡±


    Outside the window, the night was thickening.


    Suddenly there was a loud bang, and a firework shot into the sky. Soon after, more fireworks made the night sky incredibly brilliant.


    ¡°Such beautiful fireworks!¡±


    I walked to the entrance and watched the grand fireworks in the distance.


    After a long time, when the fireworks ended, I saw someone in the yard turn around and make a gesture to Ding Yinuo.


    This made me laugh.


    ¡°Did you arrange that?¡±


    ¡°Did you like it?¡±


    Ding Yinuo tried to hug me from behind.


    I smiled and suddenly turned around, pushing him against the wall. He seemed surprised by my counterattack.


    Under the light, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, ¡°Ayun, what are you doing?¡±


    Actually, he¡¯s about one meter eighty-eight tall, and even with me pinning him down, I only reach his chest.


    In front of him, I¡¯m just a tiny potato!


    But right now, my aura was strong, and my hands naturally pinned his arms to his sides.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I¡¯m warning you, I do have boundaries. If you keep being so good to me, I might have to get tough with you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was taken aback at my words, but then he smirked, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get real!¡±


    His eyes brightened, his cheeks reddened further, even his long lashes turning red. His voice held a certain gravelly depth,


    ¡°Then you come and try it! Show me what it feels like to be manhandled by you!¡±


    Although I had control over Ding Yinuo¡¯s hands, he could easily push me away with a little struggle.


    But he didn¡¯t move. He just sat there, looking at me, his eyes filled with anticipation¡­


    I looked up at him, and with one hand, I gently unbuttoned his shirt, one button, then two, until his sexy Adam¡¯s apple was revealed.


    Then, I stroked his chest.


    He drew in a deep breath, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing, the heat in his eyes as if it could set the air on fire.

 Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Chapter 186: In this life, you are not Song Yun_1

    Chapter 186: Chapter 186: In this life, you are not Song Yun_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo was born with exquisite features. His mother was beautiful and virtuous, his father was scholarly and refined


    And it seemed that Ding Yinuo had inherited both these attributes.


    His features were delicate and his demeanor genteel.


    His skin, devoid of any blemishes, appeared even more perfect under the light. His thick, slightly curled eyelashes cast shadows over his clear and deep black eyes.


    His eyes were sparkling bright, and beneath his prominent nose were his slightly reddish lips.


    Breathing in, I could smell the faint scent of alcohol mixed with the fragrance of shower gel on him.


    We were standing so closely that I could feel his body heat seeping through our clothes.


    I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I had been this close to a man.


    It was a kind of innate heat that ignited within my body.


    Those were hormones at work!


    My hand was resting against his solid chest, and I could feel his strong heartbeat.


    I knew that if this continued, things might start to spiral out of control.


    Quickly, I withdrew my hand and playfully smacked him on the face.


    ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°What else do you want?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to take action?¡±


    ¡°I did! Didn¡¯t you feel me hitting you just now?¡±


    ¡°That was it? I thought you meant something else!¡±


    ¡°Huh? What else?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, you unbuttoned my shirt and then   that was it?¡±


    Unwittingly, our conversation had veered off course. I took a step back, laughing at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit drunk. I need to sleep now.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead!¡±


    Ding Yinuo grinned back at me.


    He crossed his arms and looked at me, a sense of contentment gleaming in his smile.


    As I was about to shut my bedroom door, he suddenly stopped it. ¡°Ayun!¡±


    Leaning against the door, I looked back at him. ¡°Hm?¡±


    He reached out to caress my hair.


    ¡°You need to remember this: in this lifetime, you are not Song Yun, you are Song Xiaoyun. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Is there a difference?¡±


    ¡°There is!¡±


    ¡°What difference?¡±


    He laid his eyes on me, thinking for a while. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll tell you next time!¡±


    But me, being the curious person that I am, grabbed the bottom of his shirt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave until you tell me.¡±


    He blinked, touching his nose, then responded,


    ¡°Song Yun is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s wife! Song Xiaoyun is not!¡±


    ¡°Ah, what¡¯s the difference? Whether it¡¯s Song Yun or Song Xiaoyun, it¡¯s still me!¡±


    Ding Yinuo laughed, but didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he flicked my forehead lightly,


    ¡°Go to sleep early! Goodnight!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, goodnight!¡±


    After I closed the door, I lingered behind it, puzzling over his words.


    Did Ding Yinuo just beat around the bush?


    Song Yun is me, Song Xiaoyun is also me!


    I didn¡¯t quite understand what he meant. Later, I asked Wenya about it.


    Wenya¡¯s response was,


    ¡°Ah, men are very straightforward. He meant what he said literally. Don¡¯t overthink it! But I must remind you, stay away from Gu Yuanzhou¡­¡±


    Still a little confused, I asked Wenya again. ¡°Do you think   Gu Yuanzhou took me to the Song Family, tested me several times. Could he know that I have reincarnated?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so! I think he was purposely trying to confuse you. In other words, he was seducing you. Making you believe he had fallen in love with you. Giving you the illusion that he could take you as his wife. In short, this man has no good intentions.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou   Is he really that bad?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you need to wake up!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    After ending the call, I dialed Jian Jing.


    However, what Jian Jing had to say was quite different from Wenya¡¯s response.


    ¡°Ayun, I understand what Ding Yinuo means.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Song Yun represents your past life where you were Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s wife. But in this lifetime, you are Song Xiaoyun; you have nothing to do with Gu Yuanzhou. You are a brand-new person. In this life, you are free to love Ding Yinuo wholeheartedly. You are Mrs. Ding!¡±


    The words from Jian Jing left me flabbergasted.


    Is this really what Ding Yinuo meant?


    As I lay in bed tossing and turning, wrapping myself in the blanket, I found it hard to fall asleep.


    Regardless of whether it¡¯s Song Yun or Song Xiaoyun, I haven¡¯t sorted things out, and I¡¯m not ready to accept any new love.


    If I didn¡¯t figure things out in my past life, how could I casually venture into a romantic relationship in this life?


    I won¡¯t ask Ding Yinuo!!


    The following morning.


    I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside my window.


    The environments in Xishan Residence are sere and elegant, keeping it away from the hustles and bustles of the city, it¡¯s truly a great place to live.


    But I had a lot of unfinished business to deal with now, thus I didn¡¯t have time to enjoy life.


    Picking up my cell phone, I saw several unread text messages and missed calls awaiting me.


    Presumably, Ding Yinuo had silenced my cell phone so as not to wake me from sleep, that¡¯s why I didn¡¯t hear any notifications.


    As I casually went through the messages, they were all from Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°You will pay for what you have done!¡±


    With my fingers pressed against my forehead, I wondered. What have I done? Why does he want me to pay for it?


    Puzzled, I pulled up a web page. To my surprise, there was a piece of news about me on today¡¯s hot-search list.


    Tianjiao Company hires the highly-paid Zhenyi Company¡¯s design director, Song Xiaoyun


    As I clicked the news to read, an anonymous writer claimed that I had jumped ship to Tianjiao Company.


    The rumors were elaborate, even suggesting I took key clients with me when changing jobs!


    My goodness, who would go to such lengths to spread false information about me?


    Setting my cell phone aside, I washed my face and got dressed.


    My original intention was to have a chat with Ding Yinuo about it.


    When I walked out of my room, Ding Yinuo was nowhere to be found in the living room. Instead, I could hear a rustling sound coming from the study.


    As I approached the study, I saw Ding Yinuo standing with his back towards me, engaged in a phone call. Upon hearing my name in the conversation, I stopped in my tracks and listened.


    ¡°Are you sure that on the day of the fire, the call Gu Yuanzhou received at night was made by Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°Definitely! You have no idea how influential Gu Yuanzhou is, he even encrypted his call records. If it weren¡¯t for one of my clients being a big shot in the telecommunications company, I would never have been able to find out. Plus, I also checked Ye Mengyan¡¯s phone. On that particular day, those two made at least three calls to each other.¡±


    Hearing this, my hands clenched into fists.


    I recalled that detail. One evening, after having a moment of tenderness with Gu Yuanzhou, he said something had come up and left.


    I had always suspected that he went to meet Ye Mengyan, and now it seemed my suspicions were confirmed.


    Since Ding Yinuo had his phone on speaker, I could clearly hear their conversation. The other person on the line, if I heard correctly, should be Su Peisheng.


    As a lawyer, Su Peisheng often represented high-profile clients. He had connections with many powerful people and found it easy to obtain information.


    ¡°What about this morning? How has Gu Yuanzhou reacted?¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s already found a lawyer and plans to send a legal letter to Song Xiaoyun! Because when she joined the company, she signed a non-compete agreement. If Gu Yuanzhou sues Son Xiaoyun, she risks having to pay compensation.¡±


    ¡°And Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I heard that he¡¯s planning to secretly send Ye Mengyan overseas!¡±


    ¡°Can you try to intercept?¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to intercept? If someone wants to go abroad, what can I do?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a way. I¡¯ll handle it!¡±

 Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Pressed Him Against the Wall_1

    Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Pressed Him Against the Wall_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Hearing this, I immediately interrupted him,


    ¡°Yinuo, let me handle it!¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me, then ended the call with Su Peisheng.


    He placed his phone aside, and walked towards me with a gentle smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, let me handle Ye Mengyan¡¯s situation!¡±


    ¡°You must be hungry, I¡¯ll heat up some milk for you! You look pale, are you not feeling well?¡±


    He never directly responded to my words, but just diverted the conversation.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, as far as it concerns Ye Mengyan, or anything related to Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯ll take care of it. Don¡¯t interfere. If you do, we can¡¯t even be friends anymore.¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at me for a while before he replied, ¡°It¡¯s too late!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s too late?¡±


    ¡°I have already tied us together!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words left me dazed for a long time.


    After a moment, I asked, ¡°You spread the news this morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that? Aren¡¯t you just looking for trouble?¡±


    I was boiling with anger, I held my forehead with one hand, I was frustrated with Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you have no idea who Gu Yuanzhou is. If he finds out that I¡¯m with you, he will definitely plot his revenge. Ding Yinuo, I can¡¯t believe this! Why didn¡¯t you discuss it with me beforehand? You¡¯ve really stirred up some serious trouble this time.¡±


    Seeing me so anxious, Ding Yinuo just laughed.


    He put his hands on my shoulders,


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re mine now. From now on, we¡¯re on the same side.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat him, really!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, definitely. Think about it, for all these years, even though Tianjiao Company has been hounding me, my business has only grown stronger. You haven¡¯t even defeated me.¡±


    I was dubious about Ding Yinuo¡¯s capability, he seemed so weak.


    Bursting into laughter, Ding Yinuo messed with my hair, seemingly amused by my disbelief. Then he promptly made another phone call.


    ¡°Big brother, where are you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m at the docks now, waiting for my ship. I¡¯ll be boarding the Queen¡¯s cruise for a business meeting. I might not be in A city for the next three days. If you have anything to say, say it.¡±


    As soon as I heard the words ¡®Queen¡¯s cruise¡¯ I was extremely shocked.


    I snatched the phone from Ding Yinuo and shouted,


    ¡°Manager Ding! Don¡¯t board the Queen¡¯s cruise today!¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about, there¡¯s bad reception! I¡¯m hanging up now, we¡¯ll talk later when I¡¯m on board.¡±


    Then, the call disconnected.


    I was overwhelmed with despair, holding the disconnected phone in my hand.


    Ding Yinuo stared at me for a while,


    ¡°What¡¯s with you, Ayun? Did you see my older brother?¡±


    ¡°Can you get us to the Queen¡¯s cruise right now?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at the time on his phone,


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, it¡¯s about to set sail   it¡¯s likely that  ¡±


    Without waiting for him to finish, I dragged him out immediately.


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Let me change clothes!¡±


    Only then did I notice that Ding Yinuo was only wearing a shirt and trousers, without even a coat.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time!¡±


    I¡¯ve already started the car.


    ¡°What¡¯s so urgent? Can you please explain to me?¡±


    ¡°Your brother is going to die!¡±


    I only said four words.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t ask any more questions. He quickly got into the driver¡¯s seat. As soon as I got settled in, he sped the car away.


    It was rush hour, the traffic was heavy.


    Fully focused on the road, Ding Yinuo drove at full speed, honking the horn incessantly. The car felt like it was drifting.


    Wind poured in from the car window, messing up my hair.


    The journey that originally would have taken more than forty minutes, Ding Yinuo managed to complete in twenty minutes. I don¡¯t know how many red lights we ran in the process.


    But we were still a moment too late.


    As soon as we reached the dock, the cruise was slowly drifting away at sea.


    Only then did Ding Yinuo turn to ask me,


    ¡°Is it this cruise that¡¯s going to sink? If that¡¯s the case, we can call the police now.¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°No! It¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou who¡¯s plotting against your brother!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Though that document outlined various plans against the Ding family, it didn¡¯t specify when they would be carried out.


    And Gu Yuanzhou only threatened me yesterday that he was planning to find someone to execute this scheme.


    Moreover, finding a suitable person to do so on such short notice isn¡¯t that easy.


    I asked him again, ¡°How often does your brother take this cruise?¡±


    ¡°Well, he does enjoy doing business on this cruise, there are fewer distractions   but the downside is that this cruise only sails once a month. So, this is his only trip this month.¡±


    After listening to Ding Yinuo¡¯s description, I came up with an answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but considering Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s character, I think he will choose to act today   because opportunities are rare! Check if there¡¯s any other way to contact your brother.¡±


    Ding Yinuo stood still, his finger pressed against his temple. He was looking into the distance, and soon he had an answer.


    ¡°I remember now, this cruise will dock at Blue Bay Port ten minutes from now.¡±


    ¡°But Blue Bay Port is not in A City!¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll think of something with my friends!¡±


    Ding Yinuo immediately called Su Peisheng. Ten minutes later, when we arrived at the airport,


    Su Peisheng arranged a helicopter for us.


    Ding Yinuo helped me put on a helmet and assisted me up the boarding ladder.


    This was my first time on a plane, and it was quite an adjustment


    Once seated, I gave Ding Yinuo a thumbs up, ¡°I never expected the Su family to be so resourceful! They can even provide a plane.¡±


    Ding Yinuo replied something, but I couldn¡¯t hear him clearly over the noise of the rotors.


    It wasn¡¯t until we reached Blue Bay that I asked him again, and he patiently told me,


    ¡°Mr. Su has many connections, he¡¯s even more influential than you can imagine!¡±


    I never realized the Su family had such a deep background.


    Luckily, we had this helicopter. We arrived early and managed to board the cruise smoothly just a few minutes later.


    Even after boarding, Ding Yinuo was unable to get through to Ding Xiao¡¯s phone. So, I directly asked the front desk.


    ¡°Could you please tell us Ding Xiao¡¯s room number.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, we can¡¯t disclose our guests¡¯ private information.¡±


    Ding Yinuo yelled in frustration, ¡°He¡¯s my brother! Even if I¡¯m his brother, you won¡¯t tell me?¡±


    The front desk was visibly frightened, but still refused to disclose the information. ¡°Sorry, sir! We truly apologize!¡±


    In fact, I knew something about this cruise. It had casinos and was frequented by the elite. The front desk wouldn¡¯t disclose guest information.


    An idea occurred to me, so I added,


    ¡°Actually, the reason we¡¯re trying to find him in such a hurry is because he forgot to take his medication before he left. He suffers from severe schizophrenia, and if he doesn¡¯t take his meds, he might harm others. He might even wield a knife. Can you bear the consequences if that happens?¡±


    Then, Ding Yinuo showed his ID, proving he was Ding Xiao¡¯s brother.


    Seeing the urgency, the front desk finally asked their manager. The manager then led us to Ding Xiao¡¯s room.


    As soon as we opened the door, the sight before us left us speechless.

 Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Some Indescribable Things Happened _1

    Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Some Indescribable Things Happened _1


    Translator: 549690339


    On the king-sized hotel bed, besides Ding Xiao, there was a half-naked woman lying down.


    The room was in complete disorder, with clothes scattered all over the floor.


    Clearly, something unspeakable had just occurred.


    The first thing Ding Yinuo did when he realized this was to send the manager away and then close the hotel room¡¯s door.


    At this point, Ding Xiao seemed to be in a deep sleep on the bed, and Yinuo had spent quite some time trying to wake him without avail.


    Meanwhile, the woman had grabbed her clothes and was preparing to flee.


    Yinuo took a step towards her, caught hold of her, and using a necktie he found on the floor, tied her hands and threw her onto the sofa.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere until my brother wakes up!¡±


    The woman sat on the sofa, crying softly.


    I attempted to wake Ding Xiao, but he remained unresponsive.


    Ding Yinuo came over for a look and then said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! He just took too many sleeping pills. He¡¯ll wake up soon.¡±


    Seeing that Ding Xiao was fine, Yinuo walked over to the woman and said,


    ¡°Guan Xiaohui, do you think you have done right by my sister-in-law?¡±


    Upon hearing these words, the woman cried even harder, begging Yinuo,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, young master Ding, please don¡¯t tell Ruhui!¡±


    Listening to their conversation, I was in a fog and asked a question,


    ¡°Yinuo, what does this woman have to do with your sister-in-law?¡±


    Ding Yinuo had his hands in his pockets, and his face was somber,


    ¡°She¡¯s my sister-in-law¡¯s cousin! A few years ago, her father fell seriously ill, and my sister-in-law helped her pay for his treatment. To provide her with a stable income, my sister-in-law pleaded with my brother to let her into Tianjiao Company, even making her his secretary! Look at what she¡¯s done.¡±


    There was disdain in Yinuo¡¯s eyes.


    Guan Xiaohui kept crying.


    A cousin bedding her cousin¡¯s husband ¨C what a melodramatic plot.


    But I also saw something suspicious here.


    ¡°Yinuo, don¡¯t get mad yet. Your brother was clearly drugged. Maybe he never slept with her.¡±


    ¡°If they didn¡¯t sleep together, then what for?¡±


    Caught off guard by Yinuo¡¯s question, I turned to question Guan Xiaohui,


    ¡°You better speak the truth. Who instructed you to do this?¡±


    Just as I finished speaking, before Guan Xiaohui had a chance to reply,


    Sudden urgent knocks could be heard from outside the door. As Yinuo went to lock the door, I picked up the clothes from the floor to give to Xiaohui, and in passing, untied the necktie around her wrists.


    It was the manager, coming back again, with several police officers in tow.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone, we received a tip-off that someone on this ship is smuggling drugs! We need everyone to cooperate with the police search!¡±


    The police were armed, and everyone obediently stepped aside.


    Looking at the scene, I felt something was awry.


    Another cop came in, leading a dog.


    The dog sniffed around the room, and finally, it started sniffing aggressively at a cabinet.


    The cop opened the cabinet and pulled out a black briefcase. To everyone¡¯s astonishment, when the cop opened the briefcase, it was filled with several packages of a white powdery substance.


    ¡°Whose bag is this?¡±


    Nobody answered, until Guan Xiaohui, trembling, pointed to Ding Xiao on the bed and said,


    ¡°It¡¯s   it¡¯s his!¡±


    Now that drugs had been discovered, none of us could leave.


    For the next half hour, we were all subjected to police interrogation.


    Video surveillance and the testimony of the manager provided evidence that Ding Yinuo and I had just recently entered, thus excluding us from suspicion.


    And then, the police led Ding Xiao away.


    Unable to even leave the port, the cruise ship was forced to halt immediately.


    When getting off the ship, Guan Xiaohui tried to take off.


    Ding Yinuo grabbed her.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere until my brother gets out!¡±


    On our way back, Guan Xiaohui kept crying.


    The car came to a stop at the entrance of A City.


    Ding Yinuo was playing with a lighter in his hands, looking somewhat anxious.


    He hesitated for a while, then opened the car door again and dragged Guan Xiaohui out.


    ¡°You better tell the absolute truth, what exactly happened?¡±


    Guan Xiaohui kept crying and wouldn¡¯t say a word.


    The normally gentle man looked ready to explode at any moment, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell the truth, I¡¯ll take you to my sister-in-law, let¡¯s see how she punishes you!¡±


    Guan Xiaohui knelt on the ground, ¡°Master Ding, I¡¯m sorry! Truly, I¡¯m sorry! Please forgive me, don¡¯t turn me over to my cousin! I¡¯m sorry for her!¡±


    Ding Yinuo wanted to give her a hard kick,


    ¡°Do you know what the consequences might be? If my brother can¡¯t clear his name, if he goes to jail, the shares of Tianjiao will plummet tomorrow. By then, the entire Ding Family will be finished! As for my sister-in-law   She has been depressed for years because of Ruirui¡¯s car accident. Ruirui just recovered, and now this happens to her husband, are you trying to kill her?¡±


    I stopped him.


    ¡°Let me talk to her!¡±


    Yinuo looked at me doubtfully, but didn¡¯t contradict. He took a deep breath, walked aside, and took out his phone to make a call.


    It seemed like he was trying to find a way to get Ding Xiao out.


    I helped the woman from the floor and bought a bottle of Coke for her.


    ¡°How much did he pay you?¡±


    Guan Xiaohui¡¯s face visibly changed at my words, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! I know he did it! He set you up to sabotage the Ding family¡­¡±


    I calmly stated the facts.


    Guan Xiaohui couldn¡¯t hide her panic in her eyes, but she still tried to remain calm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±


    ¡°I am Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    I showed my work ID to Guan Xiaohui,


    ¡°You¡¯ve been following Ding Xiao for years, I believe you¡¯ve heard of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s wife, Song Yun!¡±


    Guan Xiaohui nodded, ¡°Yes, I know!¡±


    ¡°Do you know how Mrs. Gu died?¡±


    Guan Xiaohui remained silent.


    I continued, ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is a ruthless man. After completing this task, he will definitely try to silence you. Just like when he hired a hitman to set a fire and killed his own wife and children, then quietly killed the hitman, leaving no loose ends.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Guan Xiaohui¡¯s face fell. She shook her head relentlessly, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t kill me!¡±


    ¡°He even dared to kill his own wife, what makes you so special?¡±


    My warning seemed to have no effect on Guan Xiaohui. Although she was startled, she still didn¡¯t reveal the truth.


    Standing at the side, Yinuo was also gradually losing patience.


    ¡°Hold on, I have a way!¡±


    ¡°What else can you do?¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, I¡¯ve been with Gu Yuanzhou for over ten years. I¡¯m quite familiar with his behaviour. Believe it or not, he will call me soon.¡±


    ¡°Why would he call you?¡±


    ¡°Because, he¡¯s the director! He meticulously directed a play specifically for me to watch!¡±


    Just as I finished speaking, my phone rang. I picked it up and glanced at it. The number was indeed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s.

 Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Clear Stupidity in the Eyes_1

    Chapter 189: Chapter 189 Clear Stupidity in the Eyes_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I stared at my phone screen, waiting for it to ring for ten seconds before answering the call.


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s happening now?¡±


    Confidence and pride permeated Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words, like a victorious player, waiting for my concession.


    I merely acknowledged with a nonchalant hum.


    Seemingly sensing my response, he continued to question.


    ¡°So, are you starting to regret it now?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, let¡¯s talk!¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    After I hung up the call, Ding Yinuo immediately expressed his opposition.


    ¡°You know it was him who did it, but you still want to meet him. Isn¡¯t that giving him a chance to take advantage of you?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I can handle it!¡±


    ¡°How can you handle it?¡±


    ¡°Still the same, you guys from Tianjiao have been surrounding and blocking me for so many years, yet haven¡¯t I still succeeded?¡±


    Ding Yinuo finally couldn¡¯t help but speak,


    ¡°That¡¯s because   I never really gave my all against you! You think if I really tried, you could beat me?¡±


    Watching Ding Yinuo¡¯s anxious face, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°You can still laugh, you really don¡¯t have a heart or lungs.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, why don¡¯t you trust me this time? I know how to deal with Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Ding Yinuo stared into my eyes for a few seconds, but in the end, he gave me his trust.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doubting your abilities, I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯ll be taken advantage of by Gu Yuanzhou again.¡±


    ¡°I was taken advantage of before because I was blindly in love. Now I¡¯ve come to my senses.¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Ding Yinuo gave a nod in agreement.


    In fact, communicating with Ding Yinuo is much simpler than with Gu Yuanzhou.


    I turned my head to look at Guan Xiaohui sitting on the sofa.


    She was also very anxious, terrified, biting her hand, her eyes wandering aimlessly.


    I poured her a glass of water.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you a few questions! Can you handle it?¡±


    Guan Xiaohui looked at Ding Yinuo, still somewhat flustered.


    ¡°If you answer my questions properly, I¡¯ll let you go immediately.¡±


    Guan Xiaohui looked at Ding Yinuo again, Ding Yinuo¡¯s face was stern, ¡°Do as Miss Song says, her words represent my intentions.¡±


    Only then did Guan Xiaohui nod in agreement.


    ¡°Do you want to stay at Tianjiao Company in the future?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I nodded,


    ¡°Since you have this intention, then we can discuss some terms!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I laid out a few requirements, Guan Xiaohui thought for a moment and agreed.


    After we finished talking, I got up and told her,


    ¡°You can go now!¡±


    Guan Xiaohui was still somewhat fearful of Ding Yinuo, she glanced at Ding Yinuo when she got up, then turned around and hurriedly left.


    As Ding Yinuo watched her leave, he slightly furrowed his brows,


    ¡°Letting her off so easily, she¡¯s getting off too cheap. Our Ding family has been so good to her, yet she¡¯s been ungrateful.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a pawn! Don¡¯t blame her, even without her, Gu Yuanzhou would find another woman.¡±


    I drank the water in the cup, ¡°I need to go out for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you agree to meet Gu Yuanzhou tonight, why are you leaving so early?¡±


    ¡°I have other things to do!¡±


    I put on my coat, Ding Yinuo immediately took out his car keys,


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you!¡±


    His eyes held a deep sense of reluctance and a touch of paternal indulgence.


    ¡°No need, Ding Yinuo. You need to go find Su Peisheng now, talk to him and see if you can bail your big brother out. Also, you need to go back to the Ding family and discuss with your parents. Make preparations and prepare for any unexpected occurrences in the future.¡±


    I fell silent for a minute, reaching out to straighten his collar,


    ¡°Better yet, try to find a way to get your parents, sister-in-law, and Ruirui to go abroad to lay low as soon as possible.¡±


    After listening to my words, Ding Yinuo actually laughed,


    ¡°Ayun, do you think I¡¯m that weak in your eyes? Do you think I can¡¯t even protect my own family?¡±


    ¡°I know your capabilities! But you have a bottom line, while the person you¡¯re competing against, doesn¡¯t! Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    ¡°I understand! Then you take care of yourself!¡±


    Ding Yinuo extended his long arm, pulling me into his embrace, holding me tightly.


    A warm hug gave me great strength.


    His chin rested on the top of my head, lightly stroking for a long time.


    ¡°Ayun, promise me, once this matter is over, let¡¯s go to France. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    At this moment, my mind was still somewhat chaotic, I didn¡¯t think too deeply about why Ding Yinuo wanted to take me to France!


    I assumed, he simply wanted to take me on a trip.


    So, I agreed readily.


    After leaving Xishan Residence, I began my preparations.


    A City, where I had lived from childhood to adulthood, I knew everything very well.


    Although I was living in a new body, all those channels and resources were still there, as long as I tried, I could still re-consolidate them.


    After being busy for a whole day, at nine o¡¯clock in the evening.


    I met with Gu Yuanzhou at the Fisherman¡¯s Restaurant.


    It was still the same boat.


    I was alone.


    Gu Yuanzhou was also alone.


    After serving the dishes, the boat slowly moved along the river.


    The river reflected the lights from the shore, which were slowly broken by the boat.


    Gu Yuanzhou poured me a glass of red wine,


    ¡°Have you figured it out?¡±


    ¡°Figured out what?¡±


    ¡°If the news of Ding Xiao¡¯s imprisonment and the secretary¡¯s affair comes out tomorrow, the stock price of Tianjiao will collapse   hmm, come to think of it, I guess it would be hard for the Ding family to recover from it.¡±


    The downfall of a family, said so casually from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lips


    His gaze was as if he was watching a fish struggling on a cutting board.


    He was cold to the extreme.


    I thought of Ding Ruirui again, that lovely little girl, I couldn¡¯t let Gu Yuanzhou ruin this family.


    ¡°Guan Xiaohui was instructed by you, right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou simply smiled but didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°I warned you, the Ding family can¡¯t take a hit!¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s not a big problem!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    I raised my glass, ¡°I have friends in the police department. They found the poison powder from the cabin. There were no fingerprints of Ding Xiao on it, and no purchase or sales records were found. He also didn¡¯t show any signs of consumption   So, at most, he¡¯ll be detained for a few days and then released! After all, the police are not fools, just a check and everything will be clear.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou finally narrowed his fox-like eyes and looked at me.


    From his reaction, I could guess that I was right!


    He then chuckled and took another sip of wine.


    ¡°And the affair! If it¡¯s released, it should be a big hit to the Ding family, right?¡±


    ¡°I suggest you better not do it!¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me? Song Xiaoyun, do you know what you¡¯re doing? Do you dare to threaten me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Gu Yuanzhou! I am threatening you!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou suddenly got interested, he sat down in front of me, undid his suit button and looked at me.


    ¡°Alright then, tell me, what qualifications do you have to threaten me?¡±


    I gave a faint smile, took out a stack of documents from my bag, and placed them in front of me.


    ¡°President Gu, I know all about Zhenyi Company¡¯s financial issues from its inception to the present   If you dare to expose Ding Xiao¡¯s matter, I will report you to the tax authorities! By then, Tianjiao will lose as much as Zhenyi Company will, you know, when a person is driven to desperation, they¡¯re capable of anything.¡±

 Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 190 Some Words to Say on the Wedding Day_1

    Chapter 190: Chapter 190 Some Words to Say on the Wedding Day_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I¡¯ve been with Gu Yuanzhou for more than a decade, so I understand him much more and much deeper than I understand Ding Yinuo.


    I know his strengths and weaknesses like the back of my hand.


    Therefore, if I were to turn against him, it would be as easy as flipping my hand.


    Gu Yuanzhou reached out to pick up the documents on the table, flipping through them one by one.


    His face changed on the spot.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, didn¡¯t you say that you care a lot about Zhenyi Company and that you wanted to grow with it? What good would it do for you to ruin Zhenyi Company this way?¡±


    Seeing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hurried tone and grim face, I guess I¡¯ve hit his sore spot.


    I picked up my teacup and casually took a sip.


    If Zhenyi goes bankrupt, I can buy it back for the least amount of money! Maybe it would be better if someone else took over.


    ¡°In your dreams!!!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was so angry that he wanted to flip the table.


    He probably never thought that I would bite back at him.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun! You¡¯re really ungrateful, fighting against me, huh! Let¡¯s see how it goes!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was really angry. He called the waiter to anchor the boat and stormed off.


    I still sat in the same spot, unmoving


    I picked up my phone and called a few friends like Wenya and Shen Yishu.


    Wenya was nearby and came right away, and, while she was at it, she brought Su Peisheng along.


    ¡°Wow, so much food and there is sour cabbage fish hot pot, all my favourites, Ayun, are you loaded?¡±


    Wenya immediately picked up her chopsticks and started eating. In reality, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t eat a bite of food.


    ¡°No, Gu Yuanzhou treated us to this meal!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Wenya almost choked on her soup.


    ¡°You, weren¡¯t you negotiating with Gu Yuanzhou? And you managed to get a meal out of him, impressive!¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, what did you two talk about?¡±


    I then recounted the details of our conversation.


    Wenya gave me a thumbs up.


    ¡°This time, you two have fallen out completely, I bet he won¡¯t show you any mercy from now on.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    ¡°You better be careful, he might come at you hard.¡±


    ¡°I know, come on, you guys eat up!¡±


    Shen Yishu came a bit later.


    From the moment he stepped on the boat, Wenya was stunned, it took her a while to recognize him,


    ¡°Man, I thought some big shot had come! Shen Yishu, you¡¯re looking good!¡±


    Indeed, now Shen Yishu with his formal suit and polished shoes, had a bit of a boss vibe.


    Clothes make the man, as they say.


    The innocent youth from before had become more mature.


    The fact that he wore glasses still made him look a bit like a scholar though.


    Shen Yishu simply greeted Wenya, then started reporting the company¡¯s progress to me.


    I expressed my approval after listening.


    ¡°Excellent, your hard work is paying off. We¡¯ve made some small progress, but there¡¯s still a long way to go to reach our big goal.¡±


    I pointed out a few small issues on the spot.


    Shen Yishu didn¡¯t eat anything. He had a glass of coconut juice and was about to leave.


    Just before leaving, he hesitated for quite a while.


    I could tell that he had something to say, so I asked him to sit back down, ¡°If you have something to say, don¡¯t keep it to yourself.¡±


    After thinking for a while, he said, ¡°Ye Mengyan approached me!¡±


    ¡°Oh? What did she want?¡±


    ¡°I posted a photo in my Moments, and then she called  ¡±


    Shen Yishu has always been grateful to me, considering me a benefactor in his life. So he never hides anything from me, telling me everything as it is.


    He showed me his phone.


    Turns out it was a group photo from a trade show he attended in Hong Kong.


    In the photo, he was also dressed in a suit, looking confident, much like a successful person.


    Ye Mengyan even left a comment under his photo.


    ¡°Yishu, I knew you¡¯d make it big one day! Keep going!¡±


    It seemed that Ye Mengyan still had some lingering feelings for Shen Yishu.


    ¡°So, did you answer her call?¡±


    ¡°I did!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to get back together with her?¡±


    ¡°Not really, she said she¡¯s about to leave the country. She wanted to see me before she leaves.¡±


    ¡°Did you agree?¡±


    Shen Yishu shook his head,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t agree, I was in Hong Kong for business that day, couldn¡¯t make it back.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t think I should interfere with your business. But I do hope you remember one thing, don¡¯t be fooled again.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ve already figured things out! It¡¯s useless to be a lapdog!¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, if she calls you again, find out the date of her departure  then tell me.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    After Shen Yishu had left.


    Wenya and Su Peisheng were almost done eating.


    Since Gu Yuanzhou had already paid the bill, I just brought them off the boat directly.


    After sending them off, I went to Shen¡¯s house, the accountant. I didn¡¯t knock on the door, but instead left a bunch of gifts at her doorstep.


    This time, it was thanks to her. Without her help, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to gather so much information.


    However, since she¡¯s still at the company, I can¡¯t be blatantly close to her. It won¡¯t look good if Gu Yuanzhou finds out.


    Lost in my thoughts,


    I wandered aimlessly down the street.


    Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with an inexplicable sense of loneliness.


    The affection I once felt for Gu Yuanzhou has long faded, and the man who used to feel like home has crumbled away.


    All that¡¯s left is an inexplicable emptiness.


    Half an hour later, I took a cab to the Wen¡¯s Family residence.


    I originally planned to spend the night there.


    Little did I expect to walk in on Wenya playfully pinning Su Peisheng on the bed


    Although they weren¡¯t doing anything too explicit, it was clear that they were in harmony now.


    I¡¯ve essentially become a third wheel.


    ¡°Ahem, sorry if my presence is too glaring!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t go!¡±


    Wenya, with her messy short hair, came out to stop me.


    Well-made-up Su Peisheng also greeted me and joked,


    ¡°I¡¯m not staying here tonight, you can stay as long as you want!¡±


    ¡°What are you running off to! We weren¡¯t doing anything!¡±


    Wenya pulled me back inside with a somewhat reproachful look on her face.


    ¡°Get back inside, have some tea!¡±


    It seems like it was just the two of them at the Wen¡¯s residence, Mr. and Mrs. Wen must have tactfully gone out.


    However, as soon as we¡¯d had a cup of tea, the doorbell rang.


    Wenya went to open the door and in walked Ding Yinuo.


    I turned to look at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you go home to deal with your brother¡¯s issues? What are you doing out here?¡±


    I had assumed that Ding Yinuo would be tied up dealing with Ding Xiao¡¯s issues at home for the next few days and wouldn¡¯t have time to find me, hence why I went to Wenya¡¯s.


    ¡°Came to take you home.¡±


    Four words that struck me right in the heart.


    In the darkness of the night, his eyes were exceptionally bright.


    ¡°Hey look, Ding is the one who knows how to romance, shoving dog food down our throats!¡± Su Peisheng was joking on the side.


    Wenya also patted Ding Yinuo¡¯s shoulder,


    ¡°Old Ding, I¡¯m leaving Xiaoyun to you. Take good care of her. If she suffers any grievances, I won¡¯t let you off.¡±


    Ding Yinuo took me into his arms, and with a smile, he said to Wenya;


    ¡°Keep this speech for our wedding day!¡±


    ¡°OK, sure  and of course, save the bridesmaid position for me!¡±


    Amid the laughter and jokes of Wenya and Su Peisheng, Ding Yinuo took my hand and we left the Wen¡¯s residence.


    However, we just stepped out the door and ran into a very special person.

 Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter 191 The Self-deprecating Man _1

    Chapter 191: Chapter 191 The Self-deprecating Man _1


    Translator: 549690339


    It was a woman, wearing a grey trench coat, holding a cup of milk tea in one hand, and looking for the door number with the other hand that held her phone.


    At first glance, I recognized her. That was my colleague, Xu Yun, from my company.


    I called out to her, ¡°Xu Yun!¡±


    Xu Yun looked up when she heard her name, and after recognizing me, she hurried over.


    ¡°Miss Song! I finally found you, the door number was really hard to find!¡±


    ¡°Did you need to find me for something?¡±


    Xu Yun had become my trusted aide.


    During the days when I was away from the company, she had been in regular contact with me.


    Moreover, in the entire company, only she knew Wenya¡¯s home address.


    At that moment, Xu Yun looked somewhat nervous,


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t reach you on your phone just now!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my phone died. What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s President Gu, he called me and said you have to come to the company tomorrow!¡±


    I probably understood why Gu Yuanzhou had left in the middle of dinner earlier, he must have been unsettled, which was why he called Xu Yun.


    ¡°Did he say what it was for?¡±


    Xu Yun hesitated for a while before beginning,


    ¡°President Gu was very angry, and his tone was somewhat harsh. He said you have to clear up any outstanding company assets, like car keys, and some other things  ¡±


    My smile slowly faded, Gu Yuanzhou was indeed as I had predicted, extremely ruthless.


    Xu Yun said, ¡°Miss Song, I feel like President Gu has always liked and valued you. For your sake, he even replaced Miss Ye and gave you the highest position in the company. I think there must have been a misunderstanding, why not find an opportunity to clarify things with him?¡±


    At that moment, before Wenya could enter her house, she immediately said to Xu Yun,


    ¡°Hey, did Gu Yuanzhou send you here to persuade me?¡±


    Xu Yun held up both of her hands, quickly explaining:


    ¡°No, no, not at all, I have a good relationship with Miss Song, and I really don¡¯t want to see her resign. Among us girls, the ones that are closer to each other, we actually all hope that Miss Song could come back. If Miss Song leaves, and if that Miss Ye comes back, who knows what sort of mess she¡¯ll make the company into.¡±


    Wenya snorted,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou likes to create trouble for himself, there¡¯s nothing I can do about that! Just let him dig his own grave!¡±


    I knew Xu Yun was just carrying out Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s orders, so I didn¡¯t make things difficult for her.


    ¡°Fine, go back and tell Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯ll visit the company tomorrow!¡±


    Half an hour later.


    Ding Yinuo and I returned to Xishan Residence.


    After taking off his suit, he sat on the sofa, holding a cup of tea without drinking for a long while.


    I could tell, his mood was quite low.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±


    ¡°All useful connections have been used, my brother has been bailed out   but the affair has been kept a secret from my sister-in-law! I mentioned this to my mom, and she said we absolutely cannot let my sister-in-law know about this, she definitely won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡±


    ¡°As for Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m actually not sure what to do. We had a fall-out during our discussion! So, I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s planning next.¡±


    Ding Yinuo, stroking my forehead,


    ¡°You should rest early, don¡¯t think about these things for now! We¡¯ll see how it goes tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Mhm, you should rest early as well!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Returning to the bedroom, I felt no sleepiness at all, uncertain of what tomorrow had in store for me!


    I was even considering, if Gu Yuanzhou really does leak this news tomorrow.


    Would I truly have to expose Zhenyi Company¡¯s dirty laundry!


    The thought of destroying a company that I had painstakingly managed over the years, I felt somewhat unable to go through with it.


    That night, I was unable to sleep much.


    Tossing and turning in bed with the blanket in my arms.


    In the middle of the night, I took a peek through the crack in the door, Ding Yinuo was probably awake too.


    He was holding his phone, speaking in a very soft voice in the living room.


    Early the next morning.


    When I woke up, the smell of breakfast was wafting from the kitchen.


    Still groggy from sleep, I walked out in my slippers, my hair all messy.


    I entered the kitchen and discovered, to my surprise, that Ding Yinuo was preparing porridge.


    He wore a grey sleeping robe, revealing most of his chest, his seductive adam¡¯s apple and vast expanse of muscles were in full view.


    With sunlight pouring in through the window, he glowed against its backdrop.


    This man was naturally beautiful.


    Even at nearly thirty, his skin was softer than mine, a woman¡¯s!


    Early in the morning, it was such a pleasure to watch such an attractive man make breakfast.


    While I was admiring him, he turned around and gave me a glance,


    ¡°Go freshen up, breakfast is ready.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, it¡¯s already nine o¡¯clock, aren¡¯t you going to work?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Really, what about all those patients waiting for you to save them?¡±


    He scooped the freshly prepared porridge into a white porcelain bowl, placing a beautifully curved spoon next to it.


    ¡°My power is limited, and I only want to save you!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, so greasy!¡±


    ¡°I added some dried radish, it shouldn¡¯t be greasy?¡±


    He came and tasted a bit of the porridge, his pink lips contrasting against his white teeth. Even when eating, he looked good.


    ¡°What I meant was   you always say such cheesy love lines, it¡¯s so greasy.¡±


    Ding Yinuo laughed.


    ¡°Did I say anything romantic?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Usually, those words are only said between lovers, are we lovers?¡±


    He stared at me.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes were beautiful, long and slightly slitting upwards, reminiscent of a phoenix¡¯s eyes, but when he gazes at you intently, there¡¯s always a kind of seductive intent in his eyes.


    Their peach blossom allure could easily induce a flutter in your heart.


    ¡°Of course not!¡±


    I denied his words.


    Ding Yinuo laughed, placing the bowl of porridge in front of me,


    ¡°Try it, there are two eggs inside!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I didn¡¯t brush my teeth and started eating right away.


    Ding Yinuo was moving about around me, one moment taking off his apron, and the next his robe.


    Yes, that¡¯s right!


    Right there in the dining room, in front of me, he was changing his clothes.


    In the morning sunlight, his well-built upper body radiated a strong masculine aura, making my heart flutter.


    Everyone responds to beauty and handsome men, it¡¯s only natural to feel one¡¯s heart beating faster in their presence.


    But thankfully, I am very good at hiding my emotions.


    With a stoic face, I continued to eat my porridge. However, after finishing the porridge, I didn¡¯t see the two eggs he mentioned.


    After breakfast, I went to wash my face, then checked the news on my phone.


    To my surprise.


    Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t leaked the news.


    Did my threat work, was he afraid?


    No wonder Ding Yinuo was in such a good mood this morning.


    When I was leaving, he had already put on his shirt and was looking at me with a tender gaze, ¡°Do you fancy coming with me to see my mom today?¡±


    ¡°No, I have to make a trip to the company!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll chew you out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of him!¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Despite insisting that Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t need to escort me, he insisted on driving me to the company¡¯s main entrance.


    After I got out of the car, I waved at Ding Yinuo, and after watching him depart, I only then entered the company through the main entrance.


    The moment I entered, I felt something was wrong. There were many people in blue uniforms present in the company.


    I quickly asked the receptionist, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

 Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Underestimated His Shamelessness_1

    Chapter 192: Chapter 192: Underestimated His Shamelessness_1


    Translator: 549690339


    The receptionist softly tells me, ¡°It¡¯s the tax authorities. They are here for an audit!¡±


    An audit?


    I knew something was wrong as soon as I heard it.


    Just yesterday, I threatened Gu Yuanzhou with Zhenyi Company¡¯s tax evasion over the past two years.


    But, I just threatened him, I didn¡¯t report it.


    Could someone else have reported it?


    At that moment, I hadn¡¯t even fathomed what Gu Yuanzhou was truly capable of.


    I hurriedly ran to the finance department.


    As expected, an auditor had already arrived to examine the accounts.


    Several employees were gathered around, quietly discussing the situation.


    ¡°Miss Song!¡±


    Someone was calling me in a low voice.


    I turned around to see Auntie Shen from the meeting room gesturing to me from the break room.


    I quickly went over.


    She looked a bit flustered, ¡°Miss Song, our company is going to be in major trouble! Years ago, the company faked some accounts and evaded tens of millions in taxes!¡±


    ¡°Who reported it?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea!¡±


    ¡°Relax. If the sky falls, Gu Yuanzhou will hold it up!¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, the gift last night was left at my doorstep by you, right?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer directly. Instead, I patted her on the shoulder and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t panic. If there are any issues later, you can just push them onto Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    After getting a rough understanding of the situation, I headed to the CEO¡¯s office.


    However, he was not seeing me right now.


    A new face had appeared in the CEO¡¯s office.


    A young man. He stopped me as I was about to go in.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but President Gu is not seeing anyone at the moment!¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­President Gu¡¯s new assistant!¡±


    I glanced at his name badge, which read ¡°President¡¯s Assistant Ye Fan¡±.


    Surname Ye? Are you related to Ye Mengyan?¡±


    Ye Fan looked aloof. He seemed uninterested in talking to me but finally raised his chin and said, ¡°I¡¯m her cousin!¡±


    I sneered.


    Birds of a feather flock together.


    ¡°Could you please tell President Gu that he invited me over today!¡±


    ¡°President Gu has already instructed me: you should wait here for a while, and he will see you when he¡¯s free.¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    So, I waited in the waiting area.


    I ended up waiting for four hours.


    I could tell he was doing this on purpose.


    There was nobody in his office!


    He was simply sitting in his chair, signing a few documents, drinking tea, making calls, and browsing on his phone.


    After a long time, the tax officials finished their audit and came to his office to negotiate.


    Half an hour later, all the tax officials left.


    Only then did he instruct his assistant to let me in.


    He sat in his black leather chair, his sharp eyes staring at me with an ironic look.


    Then he put a stack of tax bills in front of me¡­


    ¡°See this? I¡¯ve just paid a hundred million in taxes! Including the late fees and penalties, I spent a total of three hundred million! Zhenyi Company¡¯s annual revenue is gone. Look at you, you¡¯re so capable. In just one day, you¡¯ve cost me so much!¡±


    I took a deep breath,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I didn¡¯t report you!¡±


    ¡°Right, you didn¡¯t. I reported myself!¡±


    His words shocked me.


    This man was indeed ruthless enough to cut off his arm to save his life.


    But at the same time, I had a bad feeling.


    This man was certainly planning something big.


    He got up and walked in front of me.


    His tall figure, coupled with his all-black suit, created a strong oppressive feeling.


    ¡°Why would you do this?¡±


    ¡°Because, I don¡¯t like to leave any weaknesses for others to exploit! So, I¡¯ve detonated this bomb myself! Now, what else can you threaten me with?¡±


    His words left me stunned again.


    Seems like I¡¯d really underestimated Gu Yuanzhou before.


    Deep down, this man was ruthless, which was probably why my uncle valued him so much.


    It took a while for me to regain my composure, speaking indifferently,


    ¡°Evading taxes isn¡¯t a good thing to begin with. President Gu, now that you¡¯re repentant and have made amends, you¡¯ve become a good, law-abiding citizen. Well done!¡±


    I then took out the car key from my bag and put it on the desktop.


    ¡°This is¡­ the company car key you gave me!¡±


    ¡°Have you really decided to betray me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes were once again piercing.


    He was particularly intimidating when he was imposing.


    ¡°The word ¡®betrayal¡¯ doesn¡¯t apply to me!¡±


    ¡°You are joining Tianjiao, a company that¡¯s against me! I can sue you for commercial espionage! Do you believe me?¡±


    I originally wanted to deny it, as it was a unilateral announcement by Ding Yinuo.


    But I thought better of it.


    After all, it was impossible to continue working with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Breaking up was inevitable.


    Moreover, there was already a clear breakdown in our relations.


    I chuckled,


    ¡°He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world! President Gu, you¡¯ve failed to win hearts, so it¡¯s not worth me staying!¡±


    ¡°Very well, bear the consequences yourself, don¡¯t regret it later!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going now!¡±


    ¡°You can go, but there are a few things you must leave behind!¡±


    I turned to look at him.


    ¡°What else?¡±


    ¡°The keys to Maple Mansion!¡±


    Only after he asked did I remember. I opened my bag, took out the key ring, removed one of the keys, and put it on the desk.


    ¡°Is that everything?¡±


    ¡°President Gu, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything else. However, I¡¯d like to remind you that you owe me something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°My salary!¡±


    ¡°You quit on your own! The fact that I¡¯m not holding you accountable for commercial espionage is already very lenient of me!¡±


    ¡°Since you refuse to pay my salary, I won¡¯t handover my work!¡±


    ¡°You dare!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but yes, I do dare!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me coldly, his hands on his hips.


    His eyes were filled with fury.


    I didn¡¯t back down, meeting his gaze bravely. After a few seconds, I sneered and then turned to leave.


    Although I didn¡¯t look back, I could feel Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze on me, like a chilling blade stabbing into my back.


    I recalled the early days when Gu Yuanzhou and I were starting a business together, often brainstorming ways to deal with competitors.


    I never expected that now, I would become his competitor.


    As I walked out of Zhenyi Company, a blinding sunlight hit my face. When I squinted, it turned out to be a sports car that had stopped in front of me.


    The headlights hurt my eyes.


    Shortly after, the car door opened and Ye Mengyan emerged. She flashed me a triumphant smile.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, from this moment on, Gu Yuanzhou is mine and mine alone. You¡¯ve lost.¡±


    ¡°Ye Mengyan! I hope you remember, what you¡¯ve picked up today is just trash! The nicer he is to you today, the more ruthless he¡¯ll be to you in the future!¡±


    ¡°Really? Rest assured, I am not his ex-wife. I won¡¯t repeat her mistakes   Well, goodbye, and good luck.¡±


    As Ye Mengyan turned around, I noticed another man.

 Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter 193 The Best Way to Heal a Broken Heart_1

    Chapter 193: Chapter 193 The Best Way to Heal a Broken Heart_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Clad in a casual trench coat and sunglasses, he leant with his back against the wall, standing in the shadows for a long time.


    I recognized him at first glance, it was Ding Yinuo.


    Had he stayed here since he dropped me off?


    Or did he come back to pick me up after handling his affairs?


    I walked briskly towards him.


    He pulled me into the car.


    At that time, he seemed extraordinarily silent, not uttering a word.


    He didn¡¯t ask about my negotiations with Gu Yuanzhou, nor did he ask about my plan moving forward.


    Instead, he drove in silence.


    He drove all the way to the old house of the Ding family and then finally took the sunglasses off his face.


    Only then did I notice a layer of shadow cast across his face, a stark contrast to the joyous demeanor he wore in the morning.


    ¡°Yinuo, what happened?¡±


    He pressed his finger to his brow, his voice slightly hoarse,


    ¡°Disaster struck!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He handed me his cell phone.


    I took it and glanced at it. It was today¡¯s hot news. The time posted was just half an hour ago,


    that is, when I just left Zhenyi Company.


    The eye-catching news headline was particularly glaring.


    ¡®Tianjiao Company¡¯s CEO, Ding Xiao, caught in an extramarital affair on a cruise ship, even suspected of smuggling drugs?¡¯


    Not only did it provide bed photos of Guan Xiaohui and Ding Xiao, but there were also accompanying pictures of police with sniffer dogs searching the cabin.


    Undoubtedly, Gu Yuanzhou was well-prepared.


    His goal is to sink the Tianjiao Company.


    As the CEO of Tianjiao, Ding Xiao¡¯s reputation is at stake now, and tomorrow Tianjiao¡¯s stock price will definitely plummet.


    Moreover, should there be no effective solution proposed, thereafter, Tianjiao will keep losing value, possibly even leading to bankruptcy.


    The plan, actually, was conceived before the birth of my second child.


    Back then, it was proposed by a director of a shopping center department. At the time, I felt that the plan was overly sinister.


    The goal in business is to make a profit, and I always believe that the act of making money should be conducted with integrity, not by resorting to despicable means to harm others.


    If a businessman loses his dignity and moral baseline, he is no different from a beast.


    Therefore, I not only rejected this plan, but I also fired that director. I cannot stand people of low character.


    Yet now, Gu Yuanzhou resorted to such a shady trick, which really chills me to the bone.


    ¡°Yinuo, I will help you find a solution!¡±


    Ding Yinuo waved his hand,


    ¡°I will figure out a solution for Tianjiao¡¯s problem. The reason I brought you here is actually to ask for another favor.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Upon entering the Ding family¡¯s door, I realized that the situation was far more complicated than I had anticipated.


    In the living room, Ding Yinuo¡¯s sister-in-law, He Ruhui, was sitting on the couch, crying continuously.


    Father Ding had a sudden heart attack due to anxiety and was in the hospital with Ding Xiao beside him.


    At this moment, Ding¡¯s mother was sitting next to He Ruhui, trying to comfort her.


    But He Ruhui was not listening,


    ¡°Mom, I want a divorce! I am really in too much pain, I can¡¯t bear it! I didn¡¯t expect Axiao to be such a person.¡±


    Mother Ding looked at me as if I were her savior,


    ¡°Please persuade her. She was threatening to commit suicide just now, we managed to restrain her   Ah, I¡¯m Axiao¡¯s mother. Whatever I say now, Xiaohui won¡¯t listen.¡±


    Indeed, when a husband cheats, the wife, under normal circumstances, tends to develop resentment towards the mother-in-law as well, so the mother-in-law would be in no position to say anything.


    I saw that He Ruhui¡¯s wrist did indeed have several blood marks, now wrapped in gauze.


    I glanced at Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo also had a worried look on his face,


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at communicating with women! You know, I have social anxiety!¡±


    I had several questions in my mind, you¡¯re always smooth-talking in front of me, how come you become the silent type around your sister-in-law?


    ¡°By the way, where is Ruirui?¡±


    Mrs. Ding quickly replied, ¡°She is still at kindergarten now, she will be let out at four-thirty in the afternoon!¡±


    I thought for a moment, ¡°You should send someone to fetch her now!¡±


    Mrs. Ding hesitated, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that she would be scared if she saw this situation!¡±


    ¡°Yinuo is at home, he is a doctor. He can handle emergencies, you should just go and bring the child back home.¡±


    I could clearly feel that Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s move had a major impact on the Ding family.


    Even Mrs. Ding was somewhat out-of-sorts


    ¡°Uh, alright, I¡¯ll go now!¡±


    To ensure there was no mistake, Mrs. Ding took the driver herself and headed out the door.


    Ding Yinuo crossed his arms and deep in thought as he looked at me.


    I briefly explained the afternoon situation, where Gu Yuanzhou had rectified the tax payment issue to Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo nodded slightly, he didn¡¯t voice any objections, instead, he patted my shoulder,


    ¡°You have done your best! Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s still room for improvement in this situation.¡±


    A few minutes later, several of Ding Yinuo¡¯s childhood friends arrived, including Su Peisheng among them.


    When they all arrived, they went into the study to discuss their strategy.


    Meanwhile, I brought He Ruhui to the bedroom, then closed the room¡¯s door.


    Her eyes were filled with tears,


    ¡°I know you are here to advise me! Although I understand the logic, I can¡¯t get over my feelings. Xiaohui is my cousin, someone I watched grow up, but they  I can¡¯t bear to think about these things, I really can¡¯t stand it!¡±


    ¡°I knew Ding Xiao doesn¡¯t love me anymore. I¡¯m not good enough for him, his career is successful, he is so charming. Look at me now, I look frightful, I shouldn¡¯t be alive. It¡¯s better if I die! I will let them be together!¡±


    The moment He Ruhui started talking, she burst into tears and her thoughts took a particularly pessimistic turn.


    I didn¡¯t interrupt her, but waited till she had finished, then I said, ¡°I¡¯m not here to console you!¡±


    She looked surprised, ¡°Then why are you here?¡±


    I took a deep breath, my gaze shifted to the window,


    ¡°What I¡¯ve been through is even worse than you! Your husband was drugged and slept with another woman, but my husband fell in love with another woman, and to favor his mistress, he even killed my two children¡­¡±


    He Ruhui seemed to be attracted by my story. She felt what I had been through was worse than her own experience, as a mother herself, she could feel the cruelty of losing a child.


    She actively grabbed my hand, trying to give me strength.


    ¡°How did you get through it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get through it! I never did. Just after it happened, I couldn¡¯t accept the fact. Whenever I thought or saw other children, I could cry my heart out. I would often stare blankly at children on the street, always wondering if they were my children. I was down for a very long time.¡±


    He Ruhui temporarily forgot about her own sorrow, she began to comfort me instead.


    She gave me many words of encouragement.


    I saw her mood return to normal, so I asked her to take out Ruirui¡¯s photo album for me to see.


    Sure enough, when she saw the pictures of her child growing up, all the sadness in He Ruhui¡¯s eyes disappeared, replaced by happiness.


    Just as I imagined, a child can heal a mother¡¯s pain.


    Then I produced the recording of Guan Xiaohui confessing that she had drugged Ding Xiao


    She gradually calmed down and expressed her willingness to reconsider her future life for the sake of her child.


    I didn¡¯t know that while I was saying these words, Ding Yinuo had been standing outside the door listening.


    So, when I came out, he immediately embraced me.


    ¡°Ayun! They say the best and fastest way to heal a broken heart is to find someone else to love you! I¡¯m willing to be your antidote!¡±

 Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Willing to Devote Myself to You_1

    Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Willing to Devote Myself to You_1


    Translator: 549690339


    At this moment, my heart was deeply touched.


    In fact, there¡¯s no difference between me and He Ruhui. Like her, my heart was also shattered by a scoundrel. I also needed healing.


    She has a child.


    But I have nothing.


    So, when Ding Yinuo promised to heal me, I was not just moved, but also grateful.


    However, I carried an unperturbed expression on my face.


    I even playfully pinched his handsome face.


    ¡°You know what a medicinal primer is? It¡¯s usually discarded after it has been squeezed of all its effects. Are you afraid of being discarded?¡±


    Ding Yinuo cocked an eyebrow, his eyes full of mirth.


    ¡°Are you daring enough to use it?¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, I¡¯m not as weak as you think. I can heal myself. By the way, I¡¯ve taken care of your sister-in-law.¡±


    Ding Yinuo gave me a thumbs up.


    ¡°I knew I picked the right person, you always have a solution!¡±


    ¡°Of course, when have I ever let you down?¡±


    ¡°In that case, I have to reward you. Tell me, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°I have a lot of desires! But these might not be affordable for you!¡±


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you try mentioning them and see if I can afford them?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it after this matter is settled!¡±


    As we walked into the living room, Ding¡¯s mother was just leading Ding Ruirui back home.


    Ruirui held onto a stick of candy floss and rushed towards me as soon as she saw me, just like a little swallow in flight.


    ¡°Auntie, I missed you so much!¡±


    The little girl must have been well-trained by Ding Yinuo. She actually called me ¡°auntie¡±.


    I squatted down, opened my arms wide and hugged her.


    ¡°I missed you too!¡±


    ¡°I finaly won first prize in our nursery school¡¯s sunflower performance today!¡±


    ¡°Great job, Ruirui! You¡¯re a fantastic little friend   Here¡¯s the thing, could you do your aunty a favor?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°When you see your mother later, could you spend lots of time with her, tell her all about nursery school and remind her how much you love your father?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Just like my own Xiaoyi, this little girl was incredibly bright and quickly understood everything. She was also very well-behaved and warm-hearted.


    Soon, she was escorted by Ding¡¯s mother into sister He Ruhui¡¯s room.


    I stood in the living room for a long time watching the tiny figure, unwilling to shift my gaze away.


    Behind me, Ding Yinuo slung his arm around my shoulder and forcibly led me to his library.


    His buddies who had been around earlier had now left. The library still smelled of smoke. I opened the window to allow fresh air to circulate.


    I turned around to see Ding Yinuo scanning over a pile of documents. He looked relaxed, which told me he already had a solution.


    ¡°Where are your friends?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve left!¡±


    ¡°Did they suggest any solutions?¡±


    Ding Yinuo closed the file and put his hands in his pockets.


    ¡°Yes, they suggested kidnapping Gu Yuanzhou and beating him to death  ¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Kidnap Ye Mengyan! She is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s weakness!¡±


    ¡°This seems like a plausible plan!¡±


    We exchanged glances and shared a laugh.


    To my surprise, Ding Yinuo actually came right out and said it,


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll kidnap her.¡±


    I rushed to stop him,


    ¡°Hey, I was just jesting! I didn¡¯t know you would actually do it!¡±


    ¡°But I think it¡¯s a pretty good idea!¡±


    ¡°No, the Ding Family is already a mess as it is. We should not add to the chaos. Let me handle this.¡±


    Ding Yinuo seated himself at the office desk, lit a cigarette, tossed his head back and gazed at me.


    ¡°Have you picked up smoking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been smoking.¡±


    ¡°I barely see you smoke!¡±


    ¡°I learned how to smoke in high school, don¡¯t you know?¡±


    His slight smile surprisingly gave him a rogue yet handsome look.


    ¡°Did you learn it from Jiang Jiaying?¡±


    ¡°Not really   Her influence on me wasn¡¯t as significant!¡±


    ¡°Really? Who influenced you then?¡±


    ¡°Guess!¡±


    ¡°I have no clue!¡±


    ¡°Pretending? You¡¯re too smart not to have figured it out!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, is it possible that I am smart for a moment, but foolish for the rest of my life?¡±


    Ding Yinuo smirked at me. His smile was mischievous, and his gaze was deep as if he knew something I didn¡¯t.


    After coughing slightly, he said, ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re wise for a lifetime and only foolish for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for evaluating me so highly. That¡¯s exactly what I wish for. But remember, smoking is harmful.¡±


    Indeed, I could notice that Ding Yinuo seemed a bit agitated. Maybe smoking can somewhat alleviate the pressure he feels.


    After hearing this, Ding Yinuo promptly extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray.


    ¡°I rarely smoke   But you¡¯re right, smoking is harmful, I¡¯ll quit. You¡¯re so beautiful that I can¡¯t help but agree with everything you say.¡±


    ¡°Did your friends suggest anything?¡±


    ¡°They had some ideas, but none were viable.¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at his watch,


    ¡°I have to go to the hospital to see my father   Could you look after my sister-in-law for a while? My mom is getting on in age, I¡¯m afraid she can¡¯t cope with this alone.¡±


    ¡°Sure, you can go! I can handle things here.¡±


    Ding Yinuo gently slapped my shoulder,


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Why are you being all formal? I¡¯m to blame for all these troubles. That madman Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! We are in this together. It was always inevitable that I would confront Gu Yuanzhou. It¡¯s a man¡¯s challenge and has nothing to do with you. Stop taking everything upon yourself. Have some rest; I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    After instructing me, Ding Yinuo hastily left.


    In fact, He Ruhui seemed relatively calm all afternoon, with her daughter by her side.


    Perhaps not wanting to alarm Ruirui, she even managed to have dinner with us peacefully.


    I kept scrolling on my phone


    I noticed the heated discussions online were suppressed but later revived.


    The suppression was done by Ding Yinuo, but Gu Yuanzhou definitely brought it back.


    The crux of this struggle was to outspend the other party!


    This time, Gu Yuanzhou seemed determined to ruin the Ding Family, at whatever cost.


    At eight in the evening, Ding Yinuo phoned me,


    ¡°Can you swing by Xishan Residence and bring my black suit to the company?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°Be careful on the road!¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    From his tone, I could tell he was about to make a move.


    Coming to the company at such a late hour and needing to change his suit?


    After hanging up, I bid Ding¡¯s mother goodbye and went to Xishan Residence to fetch his suit.


    When I arrived at Tianjiao Company, it was already nine at night and the entrance was still brightly lit. The media and journalists were still on site.

 Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Chapter 195 His Counterattack_1

    Chapter 195: Chapter 195 His Counterattack_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Approaching closer, I could hear the reporters chattering amongst themselves, all seemed curious about how the Ding Family would deal with this huge public crisis.


    ¡°Now, Tianjiao Company is in hot water, and Manager Ding is like a man on a burning grill! I¡¯m from Southern Media, we received notification to come here, saying there will be a press conference at half-past ten tonight, do you guys have any insider news?¡±


    ¡°No, we received the same information about the press conference at ten-thirty.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Ding Yuanzhou¡¯s father is in the hospital now!¡±


    ¡°Alas, such a huge crisis, I don¡¯t know if Tianjiao can weather through.¡±


    Among the crowd, I noticed another person.


    He stood on the edge of the crowd, watching on one hand and seeming to report to someone on his cellphone on the other.


    It was Ye Fan, the new assistant hired by Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    Someone tapped my shoulder.


    Turning around, it was Wenya and Su Peisheng.


    ¡°How come you¡¯re here?¡±


    Wenya pointed at Su Peisheng who is on a phone call.


    ¡°This guy said Ding Xiao is going to take some big actions tonight and asked us all to come here and show support.¡±


    After hanging up the call, Su Peisheng said to Wenya,


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find a flower shop open so late at night. Only one agreed to deliver flowers after I contacted more than a dozen.¡±


    ¡°Delivering flowers? Is it necessary?¡±


    ¡°Yes, absolutely yes! This is Ding Xiao¡¯s shining moment, we must bring flowers!¡±


    Su Peisheng seemed to have some inside information, but he didn¡¯t say much.


    After all, there are too many people at the entrance, in addition to a group of reporters, there are also some business competitors.


    It seems, everyone is eagerly waiting to watch the drama unfold in the Ding Family.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s go inside first!¡±


    I took Wenya and entered the building first.


    Su Peisheng stated that he would wait until the delivery of flowers arrive.


    Four more security guards were dispatched at the entrance, carrying out strict checks on people passing by.


    Before I even took out my identification on my mobile phone, the security guard respectfully let me pass, saying,


    ¡°Miss Song, right? Manager Ding has been waiting for you in his office for a long time.¡±


    Uh? Manager Ding? Could it be Ding Xiao?


    While going up in the elevator, Wenya was texting Su Peisheng on her phone and asked,


    ¡°What do you think, between Ding Yinuo and Gu Yuanzhou, who is more powerful?¡±


    ¡°They are evenly matched! Both are brainy guys. But Gu Yuanzhou is more ruthless, with fewer scruples! In terms of character alone, Ding Yinuo would win. But if it¡¯s about who is more heartless and ruthless, it would definitely be Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Wenya sighed, ¡°Jian Jing had also sent a message, asking if she needs to help?¡±


    ¡°What help can she, a pregnant woman, offer! Tell her to rest as early as possible!¡±


    Something crossed my mind, and I asked again,


    ¡°By the way, how has Yu Jiahang been treating her recently?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! In fact, if it were not for that meddling mother-in-law, there wouldn¡¯t be any issues. They make quite a loving couple. Honestly, Yu Jiahang is a pretty decent husband. Just that he is a bit spineless, does not earn much, so he listens to his mother!¡±


    ¡°It seems like you have gained a deeper understanding of men. So, what about Su Peisheng? How do you feel about him?¡±


    ¡°Decent, I would say. Quite a conscientious man!¡±


    ¡°Wow, it seems your opinion has improved! Do you two have a romantic storyline going on?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­Let¡¯s just see how things develop!¡±


    It was clear that Wenya¡¯s evaluation of Su Peisheng had improved a lot and they were no longer at each other¡¯s throats like they used to be.


    When we reached the office, I found the one who was waiting for me was not Ding Xiao.


    It was Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo was in a meeting with some senior executives


    So, Wenya and I waited outside the office.


    Wenya whispered in my ear,


    ¡°See, Ding Yinuo is even more imposing than his brother!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, he is a doctor! If he was a businessman, he might have a more promising future.¡±


    ¡°I heard that the two brothers own 50% of Tianjiao Company. Actually, the company belongs to both of them!¡±


    ¡°Who did you hear that from?¡±


    ¡°Of course, from Su Peisheng!¡±


    I didn¡¯t get to chat comfortably with Wenya for long before Ding Yinuo¡¯s meeting concluded.


    The well-dressed senior executives left the office one after another.


    Afterward, Ding Yinuo gestured towards me,


    ¡°Ladies, please come in!¡±


    I pushed the suitcase with clothes I brought for him,


    ¡°I have selected an outfit for you, let me know if you like it!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your effort, just give me a moment!¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Ding Yinuo pushed the suitcase to the changing room inside.


    Wenya and I waited outside.


    Wenya, restless as always, strolled around the office and casually glanced over the documents on the desk.


    ¡°Uh, isn¡¯t this Ding Xiao¡¯s office?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Such a huge crisis has hit. Shouldn¡¯t his brother handle it?¡±


    ¡°I guess, currently, Ding Xiao is not in a state to handle it! Therefore, Ding Yinuo had to step in.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know if Ding Yinuo can handle it!¡±


    Wenya sighed.


    Then she asked me,


    ¡°You mentioned before threatening Gu Yuanzhou with tax evasion! It didn¡¯t work out, have you thought about your moves after this incident?¡±


    I hesitated for a while, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of a way  ¡±


    Sometime later, another woman hurriedly arrived.


    It was Jiang Jiaying.


    She came in with not a very good expression on her face, seemingly holding in deep resentment. Upon entering, she shouted,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, come out, I want to see you!¡±


    When Ding Yinuo came out of the changing room in a suit,


    She rushed over and whimpered,


    ¡°I heard from the Dean that you¡¯ve resigned?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was adjusting his tie as he looked at her calmly, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have to ask me about this?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, why would I have to discuss it with you? You don¡¯t manage human resources!¡±


    ¡°I, I, anyway, I won¡¯t allow you to resign!¡±


    There was a hint of coquetry in Jiang Jiaying¡¯s authoritative tone, like she was Ding Yinuo¡¯s younger girlfriend.


    Ding Yinuo looked at her indifferently,


    ¡°We will discuss this later.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what do you mean? I just came back to the country and you resigned! Are you doing this intentionally to strike back at me? If you hate me, just say it, you don¡¯t need to go this far, ok?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying stomped her high heels, looking annoyed.


    Wenya and I exchanged glances and couldn¡¯t help but keep quiet


    Ding Yinuo seemed to have no mood to indulge this spoilt behaviour.


    ¡°Miss Jiang, I¡¯m about to start a meeting right now! We¡¯ll discuss this after the meeting!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying saw that Ding Yinuo was unyielding and felt embarrassed to carry on, so reluctantly let him go.


    Ding Yinuo stopped by my side,


    ¡°We are about to start a press conference, do you want to join?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll come!¡±


    I thought to myself, this crisis was indeed caused by me, so I definitely can¡¯t back out. I should stand united with Ding Yinuo.


    At the same time, I was also very curious as to how Ding Yinuo would deal with this crisis.

 Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Who Will Win? _1

    Chapter 196: Chapter 196: Who Will Win? _1


    Translator: 549690339


    Holding a press conference at half-past ten in the evening, that¡¯s a first for Tianjiao Company. Rarely seen.


    By the time I got to the scene, reporters had already taken their seats in the conference room.


    The secretary arranged for me to sit in the front row.


    Oddly enough, that Ye Fan was sitting next to me.


    He would occasionally bow his head to send out text messages.


    He must be trying to contact Gu Yuanzhou.


    Looks like Gu Yuanzhou was very interested in this matter.


    Ding Yinuo, dressed in a suit, stood on the podium, wearing a suit I had selected for him.


    He always had the image of a refined and handsome man, always liked to wear light-colored clothes, even his suits were typically sky blue or light blue.


    While it looked good and unique, it lacked the domineering aura of a man in the corporate world.


    But the high-end black suit I picked for him today, paired with a white shirt and a dark blue tie, contrasted well against his deep demeanor.


    Ding Xiao walked briskly into the room just two minutes before the meeting was about to begin.


    Now, with his reputation tarnished by scandal and his marriage in crisis, Ding Xiao looked pale and haggard. The stubble on his face had robbed him of his past charm.


    Upon seeing Ding Xiao arrive, Ding Yinuo immediately handed the microphone over to him.


    Ding Xiao nodded, took the microphone, and announced the start of the press conference.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, due to some personal reasons, I have made mistakes in my personal affairs, which has made it impossible for me to devote my energy to managing the company. I am now transferring the position of President to Mr. Ding Yinuo. I hope you will all give him your full support in the future.¡±


    This left me dumbfounded.


    I had originally thought that it was Ding Yinuo¡¯s responsibility today to clarify the events of the past few days.


    Unexpectedly, Ding Xiao resigned as soon as he arrived.


    And he handed over the company to Ding Yinuo.


    It seemed that the reporters were as shocked as I was. They apparently didn¡¯t anticipate this situation.


    So, as soon as Ding Xiao finished speaking, they all swarmed around him.


    ¡°Manager Ding, you¡¯re in your prime. Are you acting impulsively by resigning from the CEO¡¯s position?¡±


    ¡°Manager Ding, could you elaborate on the powder poisoning incident on Queen¡¯s Cruise?¡±


    ¡°Manager Ding, regarding your affair with your female secretary, will you divorce your wife?¡±


    Ding Xiao, hiding his face with one hand and striding out, said, ¡°No comment, if you have any questions ask the new CEO!¡±


    Soon after, Ding Xiao¡¯s weary figure had disappeared from the conference room.


    At this point, the reporters turned their cameras on the newly appointed Ding Yinuo.


    Seeing the thick script in Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand, I knew he was well prepared.


    ¡°Manager Ding, could you explain the incident of the former CEO for us?¡±


    Ding Yinuo waved his hand in a pause gesture.


    ¡°As you can see, Ding Xiao has resigned! In order not to disturb his private life, I hope you all don¡¯t hound him. Additionally, today, I will only accept questions related to the future development of Tianjiao Company. I will not accept any interview related to Ding Xiao.¡±


    His tone was firm and his gaze was cold.


    With this statement, no more questions were asked.


    Since Ding Xiao was no longer the CEO of Tianjiao Company, he was now just a common man. The media had lost interest in his personal affairs.


    Wise reporters then turned their full attention to the new CEO, Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Manager Ding, we heard that you used to be a doctor, and now you¡¯ve switched to business. Do you feel competent?¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed very calm,


    ¡°I started studying medicine when I was 19   but I began working on Tianjiao¡¯s management when I was 10. I¡¯ve been involved in Tianjiao¡¯s management for a long time, and being a doctor is just part of my work. In fact, I spend much of my time handling part of Tianjiao¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°Manager Ding, do you have any new plans after taking office?¡±


    ¡°We are currently working on it, please pay attention to our website, we will notify everyone when there are new updates!¡±


    The reporters asked all kinds of tricky and weird questions, but Ding Yinuo handled them all with ease.


    However, the press conference was kept short and ended in a little over twenty minutes.


    Moreover, it appeared that the press conference was well received by the journalists who voiced no objections.


    Just after the press conference, Ding Yinuo called a high-level management meeting late into the night


    When the meeting ended, he came out of his office and Su Peisheng quickly walked over and shoved a large bouquet of flowers into my hands.


    ¡°Here you go, keep up the good work!¡±


    Turns out, after all this time, the flowers were for me.


    Su Peisheng had put a lot of thought into this.


    I held the bouquet in front of Ding Yinuo and looked up at him.


    ¡°Manager Ding, congratulations!¡±


    ¡°Accept your congratulations!¡±


    As he accepted the flowers, he took the opportunity to embrace me in his arms.


    At that moment, one reporter hadn¡¯t left, and he secretly captured this moment from the corridor


    In truth, I saw him running away in panic, but didn¡¯t stop him. I don¡¯t care about Gu Yuanzhou anymore, he can think whatever he wants.


    That night, Wenya, Su Peisheng and I all stayed by Ding Yinuo¡¯s side, not going home.


    Waiting for the arrival of tomorrow.


    I knew very well in my heart that the sudden switch of leadership at Tianjiao Company was the current decision made by the Ding Family.


    Whether or not it worked, depended on tomorrow¡¯s public opinion and how the situation would develop.


    At first, the four of us played poker together.


    When it was a little past three in the morning, Wenya couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and fell asleep on the couch.


    Su Peisheng grabbed a blanket and snuggled up next to her.


    Ding Yinuo stood by the window, gazing at the thousands of lights in the city. He stood there for a long time.


    I walked next to him, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at me and smiled, ¡°Who do you think will win, me or Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°That sounds familiar!¡±


    ¡°Who else has said that?¡±


    ¡°Wenya!¡±


    I glanced back at the couch, Wenya was fast asleep.


    ¡°So what was your answer?¡±


    Although the real answer was somewhat disappointing, I still chose to tell the truth.


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°So, you have no faith in me?¡±


    I gave a little chuckle but didn¡¯t speak.


    Ding Yinuo reached out to pinch my face, ¡°What if I add you, couldn¡¯t the two of us beat him then?¡±


    ¡°Well, that still wouldn¡¯t be enough, even if you added two of me!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired? I could get you a room if you want! Don¡¯t stay up with me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, I¡¯m not sleepy!¡±


    Even though I said I wasn¡¯t sleepy, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t want me to stay up. So, we left Wenya and Su Peisheng behind and got a room in the hotel next door.


    We were followed and secretly photographed along the way.

 Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter 197 This Loss Cannot Be Eaten In Vain _1

    Chapter 197: Chapter 197 This Loss Cannot Be Eaten In Vain _1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°Should I go and teach him a lesson?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at the journalist who was sneakily taking pictures of us.


    I shook my head to stop him, ¡°Let it be, ignore him!¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go then!¡±


    Grabbing the room key, he immediately pulled me into the elevator.


    I, who initially agreed to stay up all night with him


    Kicked off my shoes and climbed into the bed as soon as we entered the hotel room.


    I fell asleep instantly once I lay down.


    I was so tired, it felt like my eyelids were glued shut. I could faintly hear Ding Yinuo calling for me, but I didn¡¯t have the strength to open my eyes.


    When morning arrived


    A phone call woke me, I groped for my phone clumsily and answered sleepily.


    No sooner had I said hello, when Wenya started fuming at me.


    ¡°You two are shameless! I¡¯m here suffering with you while both of you run off to have fun!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    I finally began waking up, rolling around on the bed with the phone in my hand,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, don¡¯t be angry. How about this? You guys come over and take a nap, I¡¯ll book a room for you?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, but not right now. Damn it, this sofa is so uncomfortable to sleep on, my neck¡¯s all sore. You owe me a nice meal to soothe my hurt feelings.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will be right there!¡±


    I hung up the phone and finally noticed that Ding Yinuo was sitting on a chair, leaning his head back against the wall. Lost in thought, it seemed like he was deep in his thoughts about something.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep?¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the situation now?¡±


    I glanced at the time, and it was already nine in the morning.


    It seemed like I had slept for quite a few hours.


    Damn Ding Yinuo, he didn¡¯t even bother to wake me up.


    I quickly checked my phone.


    Last night¡¯s news about Ding Xiao had fallen off the trending list, replaced by news of Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Can the doctor-turned-president handle his new role under pressure?¡± followed by numerous articles, were all focused around Ding Yinuo.


    Among them, two articles in particular


    ¡°Newly appointed president of Tianjiao Company received flowers from a mysterious lady¡± and ¡°Caught booking a hotel room in the middle of the night¡±.


    It seems that Ding Yinuo¡¯s trick worked as expected, successfully diverting the netizens¡¯ attention towards the newly appointed president.


    This turned public¡¯s attention away from Ding Xiao, who had already resigned, thus avoiding any possibility of further escalating the situation.


    However, the stock market did not do well.


    Perhaps the stockholders lacked confidence in the newly-appointed president, causing Tianjiao¡¯s stock to drop throughout the day, everything was in the red.


    Fortunately, the stock began to rise in the afternoon  .


    With ups and downs over two days, Tianjiao Company still lost around a billion in market value.


    Regarding this outcome


    Ding Yinuo said that it was within his tolerance limit.


    On the third day, Tianjiao¡¯s stocks began to rise, and then gradually steadied.


    It seemed like this was good news for Ding Yinuo.


    In the evening, Ding Yinuo, in a great mood, invited everyone for dinner to celebrate.


    Su Peisheng raised his glass to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Manager Ding, I¡¯ve said it before, being a doctor was truly a waste of your talents! Now that you¡¯ve transitioned into management, that¡¯s the right path for you. Let¡¯s drink to your success and hope things go better and better.¡±


    Ding Yinuo laughed and said, ¡°Say something nice!¡±


    ¡°What, wishing you make more money isn¡¯t nice?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t lack money! Change it up!¡±


    Ding Yinuo raised his glass, his gaze falling on me.


    Su Peisheng realised his mistake and overhauled his toast, laughing as he did so,


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s toast to you and Miss Song having a child soon, and growing old together!¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    I nearly spat out the drink I had just taken a sip of.


    This guy just says whatever comes to his mind!


    Ding Yinuo only laughed, turning to look deeply at me,


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a good speech, I like it, cheers!¡±


    And with that, he downed his drink.


    After a few rounds of drinks, Ding Yinuo stepped out to take a call. In his absence, Wenya quietly moved closer to me.


    ¡°I heard from Su Peisheng that Ding Yinuo took quite a hit this time, he hasn¡¯t completely recovered yet!¡±


    ¡°His mindset is good, so let¡¯s develop slowly!¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re just going to just let this wave pass and take a loss? Will Gu Yuanzhou stop his onslaught?¡±


    Knowing Wenya¡¯s anxious tone, I could guess that Su Peisheng probably disclosed Tianjiao Company¡¯s current situation to her in private.


    However, since Ding Yinuo was present earlier, they had avoided speaking of it, likely to prevent making Ding Yinuo uncomfortable.


    From what I knew of Gu Yuanzhou, once he tasted victory, he would definitely strike again at the right time.


    Especially now, with Ding Yinuo stepping up as the president of Tianjiao, he is even more likely to continue his attacks.


    I took a sip of juice and said,


    ¡°Gui Yuanzhou will not stop  He has a complete plan in his hands to deal with the Ding family. The incident about Ding Xiao was just the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Damn! A complete plan!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wenya was also taken aback.


    ¡°What¡¯s his next move? What do we do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already thinking of a plan.¡±


    ¡°Can you beat Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Faced with Wenya¡¯s doubts, I fell silent.


    Actually, I hadn¡¯t been sitting around waiting for disaster to strike. I had thought of a plan. Originally, I intended to report tax evasion, but Gu Yuanzhou took action first, cutting off his own arm for self-preservation.


    ¡°Ayun, since you¡¯ve seen the plan already, can¡¯t you just prepare in advance?¡±


    ¡°But, I may not be able to block every move. Moreover, he might not follow everything according to the plan  So, the only thing I can do is to strike first.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, give it your best shot. You have to save Ding Yinuo.¡±


    Wenya looked outside.


    I followed her gaze and saw Ding Yinuo.


    In fact, although these friends were quite anxious, Ding Yinuo seemed very stable, like there was nothing wrong.


    After finishing his call, he came back in.


    ¡°Whose call?¡±


    I asked him.


    ¡°Oh, it was from my mom. She said my dad¡¯s health has improved a lot, and he¡¯ll be discharged from the hospital today.¡±


    ¡°Manager Ding, what illness does your dad have?¡±


    Wenya asked.


    Ding Yinuo answered, ¡°He has a heart problem. He once had a bypass surgery. He can¡¯t take any form of stimulation now. Ah, there¡¯s no helping it, old people have their health issues as they age.¡±


    Wenya nodded, ¡°I can understand that. Elderly people often have some health issues. My dad is the same, with hypertension, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia.¡±


    ¡°With those conditions, you need to pay attention to diet, it should be light. Make sure he exercises regularly.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Manager Ding, how are your brother and sister-in-law doing?¡±


    ¡°These few days, my sister-in-law took the kid and went back to her parents¡¯ place. She said she wanted some time to calm down  ¡±


    ¡°It seems your sister-in-law is having trouble letting go of this issue!¡±


    I remarked, ¡°The deeper the love, the deeper the hurt! It¡¯s tough to get over this hurdle. Some people can¡¯t get past it in their entire lives. If a couple wants to stay together, it¡¯s best not to cheat.¡±


    ¡°Right, with my parents¡¯ age, I guess I don¡¯t have to worry about this issue.¡± Ding Yinuo said thoughtfully.


    I suddenly thought of something and put down my juice, seriously saying to Ding Yinuo, ¡°Once you get back, try to convince your parents to get a divorce.¡±

 Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter 198 My Selfishness_1

    Chapter 198: Chapter 198 My Selfishness_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo was staring at me wide-eyed.


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking, really! Because next, Gu Yuanzhou is going to target your dad.¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t take my warning seriously.


    He seemed somewhat outraged,


    ¡°My dad has always been open and frank, and he¡¯s retired now, what could he do that¡¯s underhanded? Divorce is impossible; they¡¯re old.¡±


    I also fell silent, advocating a divorce for two elderly people really isn¡¯t ethical.


    After all, they¡¯ve loved each other for a lifetime; the idea of them divorcing in their old age seems unreasonable.


    Not to mention, both of their health aren¡¯t in the best state right now.


    So, I stopped advising Ding Yinuo.


    After having dinner with Wenya and the others, Su Peisheng took Wenya home.


    While Ding Yinuo dropped me off at Xishan Residence.


    ¡°You rest well; I¡¯ll head home!¡±


    I know that even though the crisis seems to have been resolved, the messy situations at the Ding Family are still yet to be sorted out.


    Apart from having to discuss things in the company with his older brother Ding Xiao, Ding Yinuo also has to manage these household matters.


    I didn¡¯t hold him back.


    ¡°Alright, go. If you need help with anything, just let me know!¡±


    ¡°Are you really willing to help me?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of saying things like that now, how could I not help you?¡±


    ¡°Alright then   I won¡¯t be polite, to be honest. I really could use a hand right now. I just took over the company from my brother and there are many departments I have yet to oversee. Would you come and help me?¡±


    After hesitating for a few seconds, I said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to your company tomorrow to help out, but let¡¯s get it clear first, I¡¯m not taking a position in your company, I¡¯m merely helping.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was overjoyed.


    After Ding Yinuo left, I was living alone at Xishan Residence.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep that night.


    The problem was with Gu Yuanzhou!


    The person I needed to deal with was him.


    Even though Gu Yuanzhou hasn¡¯t been in contact with me these past few days, I could still sense his threat.


    His malice was overflowing.


    He had been watching every move of mine in the dark.


    I got up again, stood by the window and stared at the darkness deep within this city.


    I was angry, confused, and I even thought of using every means possible to deal with Gu Yuanzhou, just like he was doing to me.


    But logic told me that I couldn¡¯t, I had my own bottom line. I couldn¡¯t act recklessly like him.


    My cellphone rang and I picked it up to check.


    A QQ icon was blinking; it was Shiqi, who hadn¡¯t been online for quite some time.


    He left me a message.


    ¡°Since you were able to single-handedly establish and strengthen Zhenyi Company back then, I believe you¡¯re also capable of supporting Tianjiao Company.¡±


    His words enlightened me, yes, I¡¯m in no way inferior to Gu Yuanzhou, and now I even have Ding Yinuo on my side. What do I have to be scared of?


    Shiqi¡¯s guidance was like a ray of light in the darkness, giving me newfound hope.


    I immediately felt invigorated.


    ¡°Thank you, master!¡±


    I replied with four words, and he didn¡¯t respond to me again.


    I asked him another question,


    ¡°Master, where are you currently? May I take you out for a meal?¡±


    After all these years, I¡¯ve always wanted to meet this mysterious internet friend.


    I used to be too busy to do it, and now, with ample time on my hands, and him having guided me for so long in life,


    it would be good to meet him offline.


    However, after I sent the message, he didn¡¯t reply to me.


    Upon closer inspection, his icon had turned dark.


    I felt a certain sense of regret in my heart, but I could only let it go.


    However, I slept soundly for the rest of the night.


    The next morning, when I woke up, I felt refreshed and ended up writing many plans.


    After all, I was the one who founded Zhenyi Company initially, then retired from the workplace after having a second child, but there were many responsibilities and hopes I hadn¡¯t fulfilled.


    Right now, I¡¯m going to take advantage of Tianjiao Company and show all my capabilities.


    In the morning, soon after I arrived at Tianjiao Company,


    Ding Yinuo, dressed in a suit and looking full of energy, had already been waiting for me for quite some time.


    Early in the morning, he was standing at the entrance of the company as if he were waiting for an important client.


    The golden sunlight draped over him, making him look full of vitality and hope.


    His face was filled with warmth.


    ¡°Did you come over this early?¡±


    ¡°Since I¡¯ve promised to help, I have to give it my all. On the other hand, you are now the top CEO of Tianjiao Company, is there a need for you to wait here for me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to waiting for you!¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the CEO now!¡±


    As we spoke, we walked up the stairs together.


    He habitually walked a little ahead of me, then opened the glass door for me smoothly.


    His actions attracted the attention of all in the company, and from their astonished gazes, I understood what they were thinking.


    They probably haven¡¯t seen any CEO personally open the door for an employee, right?


    Once we got into the elevator, I cleared my throat and said,


    ¡°You should pay attention to the image you¡¯re putting forth; I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever been a CEO, but I¡¯ll give you a heads up. Behaving like this could undermine your authority!¡±


    Ding Yinuo stood with his hands behind his back, his chin slightly raised, looking at me confidently,


    ¡°No matter how my position changes, in front of you, I will always be Ding Yinuo!¡±


    I looked at him, ¡°Tch tch, when did you become so smooth?¡±


    Ding Yinuo pressed the elevator button, ¡°Ever since I met you!¡±


    ¡°By the way, how are your brother and sister-in-law?¡±


    ¡°Not too good! Last night my sister-in-law took Ruirui and went back to her parents¡¯ house! My brother was planning on following them, but mom said, let¡¯s allow my sister-in-law to calm down for a few days.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to deal with Guan Xiaohui?¡±


    Ding Yinuo pressed his hand to his forehead, frowning for quite a while before speaking,


    ¡°My brother has already fired her, and he initially wanted to throw her in jail. But my sister-in-law disagreed, I really don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s thinking  ¡±


    While we were talking, the elevator arrived.


    Next, he took me straight to the conference room.


    He directly assigned me the highest position in front of the senior management¡¯s surprised faces.


    ¡°Everyone, she is our company¡¯s new chief designer! From now on, I hope you all can respect her just as you respect me.¡±


    There was a thunderous applause from beneath the stage.


    Then, Ding Yinuo introduced my background to everyone,


    ¡°Miss Song is a professional designer, and her designs have won multiple awards. In addition, she¡¯s also created one of the top ten clothing companies in the country. She is a well-known figure in the industry. Her arrival is an honor for our Tianjiao Company. Everyone, let¡¯s give her a warm welcome.¡±


    The enthusiastic applause lasted for quite a while.


    Someone even started a cheer from beneath the stage, ¡°Welcome, Miss Song!¡±


    The others followed suit.


    Seeing all these pairs of hopeful eyes, the passion in my heart was finally ignited.


    Actually, apart from wanting to help Ding Yinuo, I also had a little selfish motive

 Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 199: No One Wants to Back Down_1

    Chapter 199: Chapter 199: No One Wants to Back Down_1


    Translator: 549690339


    This little selfish desire is, I also want to use Tianjiao Company to suppress Gu Yuanzhou.


    On my own, I can¡¯t bring Gu Yuanzhou down barehanded. I need a weapon to exert force, and that weapon is Tianjiao Company.


    Ding Yinuo invites me onto the stage.


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s welcome our new director to give a speech.¡±


    It happens that I had prepared the files last night. I took them out and highlighted my plan.


    This should be considered my new position planning indeed.


    Ding Yinuo also approved of this plan


    He is very affirmative and cooperative with me.


    He agrees with all the personnel changes and decisions I need.


    Working with someone who supports you is joyful, both physically and mentally.


    As I fully devoted myself to my work, Gu Yuanzhou did not follow his original plan and continue to attack the Ding Family.


    Instead, he slowed down¡­


    We live in the same city and are in the same industry.


    So, I frequently run into him.


    Sometimes at client banquets, sometimes at exhibitions.


    Sometimes even in the parking lot.


    However, most of the time, he stays calm and rational.


    He just looks at me from a distance, seemingly very serene. Only in his dark eyes, a hint of cold brilliance reveals his well-hidden emotions.


    He still harbors deep resentment toward me¡­


    I don¡¯t understand, he ruthlessly attacked the Ding Family and he won, shouldn¡¯t he be happy about it?


    Why does he look at me with that gaze?


    But I chose to ignore him anyway.


    I passed him by without giving him a glance.


    I went up the steps in my high heels.


    This is a business meeting. I¡¯m here to find clients.


    When I was still Song Yun, I had a rich lady circle. I would often make time to attend their gatherings.


    So half of the people in this circle have also become Zhenyi Company¡¯s clients.


    What I need to do now is to bring these clients to Tianjiao Company. These resources are originally mine, there¡¯s no need to keep letting Gu Yuanzhou benefit from them.


    The challenge now is that I am no longer Song Yun.


    I have a new identity, and I must start over.


    But it¡¯s not difficult to blend into their group, as long as I win over their core figure, Mei Ni.


    Unexpectedly, soon after I stepped in, Gu Yuanzhou followed me in.


    He¡¯s like a dark shadow, sticking closely behind me.


    To avoid him, I went to the bathroom.


    Washed my face, and touched up my makeup.


    My phone rang; it was a video call from Wenya.


    Upon seeing me, Wenya¡¯s eyes widened,


    ¡°Oh my, your outfit is stunning!¡±


    At her remarks, I casually looked at myself in the mirror.


    Song Xiaoyun actually has a great figure, with a small frame, fair skin, a slender waist, and a small face complemented by long eyes.


    I am specifically wearing an ash-gray qipao today with white high-heeled shoes underneath.


    Despite the simplicity and elegance of the outfit.


    The unique design of the qipao outlined a sexy and appealing figure.


    There was no need for detailed descriptions on my face, just plum-colored lipstick, high class and sexy.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s beautiful? I made it myself!¡±


    I have a fervent love for qipao.


    This passion existed even before my marriage to Gu Yuanzhou, only to be suppressed after marriage due to being occupied with my career and family.


    In order to manage that small home, I made too many sacrifices.


    But now, I can finally release my true nature, to create, and to pursue my interest.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful, you have to make one for me when you get back!¡±


    ¡°No problem, by the way, did you manage to find the information I asked you to check?¡±


    I¡¯ve taken a few rounds in the hall just now, most of these rich ladies have arrived, but the main character Mei Ni hasn¡¯t shown up yet.


    It was then Wenya said, ¡°I did, apparently Mei Ni is having some disagreement with her husband. She didn¡¯t even attend her mother-in-law¡¯s birthday last week¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the reason?¡±


    ¡°What else could it be? I bet her husband cheated on her! Anyway, I think none of the rich folks are clean.¡±


    ¡°Okay, got it.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Ayun, does Gu Yuanzhou have any other weaknesses you can exploit?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What I meant is, look, Ding Xiao¡¯s brother cheated with his secretary, and this incident became a weapon used by Gu Yuanzhou to hurt Tianjiao Company. So, if Gu Yuanzhou himself also has such a hobby, can¡¯t we use it to fight fire with fire and counter him?¡±


    I paused for a moment, ¡°In the years that I was married to Gu Yuanzhou, he¡¯s been careful not to leave any room for attack. Otherwise, how could I have been unaware of his affair with Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant, maybe there¡¯s something else! Like his family! His brothers, his parents, isn¡¯t there anything we could attack?¡±


    After Wenya reminded me, I remembered, Gu Yuanzhou indeed has certain close relatives.


    ¡°Nevermind, Wenya, I¡¯m not that despicable  ¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, as long as you¡¯re happy with it, I¡¯m going to get busy with other stuff, we¡¯ll talk later if there¡¯s anything.¡±


    I casually chatted a few words with Wenya. After hanging up the phone, I walked out of the bathroom.


    As soon as I came out, I saw Gu Yuanzhou standing right at the bathroom door.


    Just like a hunter waiting for his prey.


    He stood quietly in the same spot, his dark eyes staring at me intently.


    I still pretended not to see him and planned to walk past him.


    Unexpectedly, he reached out and stopped me as we crossed paths.


    ¡°President Gu, this is a public place!¡±


    He looked at me with a cynical gaze,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t rape you, so what¡¯s wrong with a public place?¡±


    He was so vulgar and straightforward the moment he opened his mouth!


    Fortunately, I¡¯m not some inexperienced girl, my skin is thick and my psychological quality is strong, of course, I¡¯m not afraid of him.


    ¡°But President Gu¡¯s behavior, is no different than that of a petty hooligan!¡±


    He disregarded my insults and pulled me into the rest room, then pinned me down on the sofa.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what are you doing? Don¡¯t forget, in my eyes now, you are nothing!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sat straight and looked at me,


    ¡°You are here to poach Mei Ni, right?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no poaching; don¡¯t make it sound so ugly! Whichever company the client is willing to work with, they belong to them.¡±


    ¡°According to the order of first come first serve, she is our company¡¯s key client!¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, Mei Ni stopped cooperating with you six months ago! Therefore, she¡¯s not your client!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done your research!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, the market belongs to everyone, if you are incapable, you must be prepared to cede the market to others. Otherwise, you will be very uncomfortable.¡±


    Faced with my sarcasm, Gu Yuanzhou coldly sneered and took out a pack of cigarettes. He pulled out one and looked at me.


    He leaned slightly forward, his hawk-like eyes fixed on me.


    ¡°The Ding Family almost went bankrupt, you know that, right?¡±


    My face cooled, ¡°Is President Gu threatening me?¡±

 Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Chapter 200 You Think Too Highly Of Yourself_1

    Chapter 200: Chapter 200 You Think Too Highly Of Yourself_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou leaned back slightly, his back resting against the sofa. He took a drag from his cigarette, and when he looked at me again, his eyes were filled with faint mockery.


    ¡°You think too highly of yourself!¡±


    ¡°Do I? What do you mean by that, President Gu?¡±


    ¡°I typically only threaten my rivals. But you   don¡¯t even qualify to be my opponent! You¡¯re just an immature little woman.¡±


    There was arrogance and excessive self-confidence in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words.


    I narrowed my eyes slightly.


    Actually, I always knew that Gu Yuanzhou was a very arrogant man.


    As the president of Zhenyi Company and being steeped in the business world for so many years, there¡¯s no type of person he hasn¡¯t come across.


    And in his eyes, I was just a naive girl. It was normal for him to look down on me.


    ¡°Is it so? If President Gu thinks so lightly of me, then why did you drag me here for a discussion? Isn¡¯t that a sign of being guilty and cowardly?¡±


    Faced with my biting sarcasm, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t show any anger. He continued smoking.


    He finished the cigarette and then calmly said,


    ¡°I am just informing you that opposing me won¡¯t benefit you in any way!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I have already resigned from Zhenyi. I have no connection with Mr. Gu anymore. You walk your broad path, and I¡¯ll cross my single-log bridge!¡±


    I barely finished speaking when he grabbed my arm and pulled me close.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you are now being used as a pawn by the Ding Family and are striking against me! I¡¯ll warn you this once, if you blindly continue to help the Ding Family against me, I won¡¯t show you any mercy.¡±


    After saying this, he snorted coldly, put out his cigarette in the ashtray, stood up, and left the room.


    I massaged my aching wrist, still contemplating the words he had just said.


    A few minutes later, I heard someone calling for Mei Ni outside.


    I hurriedly stepped out.


    At the door, a woman with the airs of a grande dame dressed in fashionable clothes and holding a bag walked in hastily.


    From afar, one could see the fatigue on her face


    This woman was Mei Ni, the one I had come to visit.


    Mei Ni was a very beautiful woman, a rich man¡¯s daughter who had married a property tycoon.


    She was a former model and was deeply involved in the fashion circle. She dictated the trends in the fashion industry, and the clothes she wore represented the next season¡¯s popular style.


    So, having Tianjiao¡¯s clothes on her was equivalent to free advertising for us.


    To secure this order, I put a lot of effort into it.


    I have collaborated with her before and was very familiar with her preferences.


    This time, I came prepared.


    I brought a bunch of documents with me and looked at them while sitting on the sofa.


    There were a lot of people present.


    Mei Ni didn¡¯t walk over immediately, but instead started a conversation with another woman halfway.


    Behind me, two women were whispering to each other.


    ¡°Hey, Mei Ni looks a bit off-color! It seems the rumors about her marital problems are true indeed!¡±


    ¡°No wonder she hasn¡¯t stepped out for an entire week, seems like the rumors spreading online are true¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard her husband is supporting a female internet celebrity who is now pregnant. She came to her company, belly already showing.¡±


    ¡°Mei Ni is such a competitive woman, wouldn¡¯t she immediately want a divorce?¡±


    ¡°I heard they are already discussing the divorce agreement and now living separately  ¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t understand these men, Mei Ni is so beautiful and skilled, yet her husband isn¡¯t satisfied?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how men are, they lose interest overtime! She and her husband have been married for about four or five years now.¡±


    I could hear the women conversely gossiping.


    Just as Wenya had said, Mei Ni indeed was having marital issues.


    While I was deep in thought, Gu Yuanzhou entered the room from outside. He had a red rose in his hand and simply sat down beside me.


    As I was sizing him up, he conveniently took the documents in front of me.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, it¡¯s quite rude to go through someone else¡¯s documents without their permission.¡±


    It seemed like Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t listening to me at all. He skimmed through the documents, then handed them back to me.


    ¡°Useless!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to argue with him, so I just collected the documents back into my hands.


    After a few minutes, Mei Ni finally ended her conversation and sat down across from me.


    ¡°Miss Mei, my name is Song Xiaoyun. I am a designer from Tianjiao Company. Here are some fashion sketches I¡¯ve brought for you to take a look at  ¡±


    I had previously scheduled this with her assistant, so I assumed she would remember.


    She seemed very interested when she looked at my documents.


    ¡°Very good! I like them all   In that case, make the first, third, and fifth evening dresses for me!¡±


    ¡°Miss Mei, do you like my designs?¡±


    Mei Ni took another serious look through the sketches, then looked at me squarely, ¡°Did you design all of these?¡±


    ¡°Did Miss Mei find any issues with the designs?¡±


    ¡°Oh, there aren¡¯t any issues. It¡¯s just that your design style is very similar to a friend of mine¡¯s. It¡¯s very good   very good¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, if you like them, can you please sign here?¡±


    Everything was going as I had imagined. Mei Ni¡¯s taste hasn¡¯t changed, she likes this type of design.


    Just as Mei Ni was about to sign


    A voice interrupted her.


    ¡°Miss Mei, I think these dresses are not suitable for you!¡±


    The person who spoke was none other than Gu Yuanzhou.


    Mei Ni looked up at Gu Yuanzhou in confusion, ¡°Does Mr. Gu have any suggestions?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me, then looked back at Mei Ni,


    ¡°Miss Mei, if you¡¯re interested, may I invite you for a dance?¡±


    ¡°It would be my honor!¡±


    Mei Ni stood up leaving her pen behind, following Gu Yuanzhou onto the dance floor.


    A miraculous thing happened next.


    Mei Ni, who was gloomy before, started beaming with joy after a dance with Gu Yuanzhou. I don¡¯t know what Gu Yuanzhou said to her, but she was all smiles.


    A few minutes later, Mei Ni even took the red rose from Gu Yuanzhou, and both of them went into a room laughing and talking, then shut the door.


    The music was still playing, and the women behind me continued whispering to each other.


    ¡°Hey! Who was that man just now, he¡¯s so handsome and charming? I see, Mei Ni seems smitten, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°You have good eyes, that man is Gu Yuanzhou, the boss of Zhenyi Company!¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou! Didn¡¯t I hear he was married before?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he was married, but now his wife is gone! Currently, he¡¯s listed in the top three of A City¡¯s most eligible bachelors! If Mei Ni really ends up with him, it would be a perfect match.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t Mei Ni just go through a marital crisis?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the divorce basically a done deal?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, the two of them do seem well-matched¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t think too much of Mei Ni dancing with Gu Yuanzhou.


    But from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s calm eyes, I felt a sense of unease!

 Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter 201: He Used The Handsome Man Scheme_1

    Chapter 201: Chapter 201: He Used The Handsome Man Scheme_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Half an hour later, Mei Ni emerged from the room.


    Her face was flushed, her hair a bit disheveled


    She gathered her belongings and waved at her female friends,


    ¡°Sorry, ladies, I have to leave early!¡±


    I hurriedly followed her.


    ¡°Miss Mei, this contract, could you sign it please?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s having dinner with me, she won¡¯t sign it for you!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice chimed in.


    I turned my head, only to see Gu Yuanzhou walking leisurely out of the room.


    Unlike Mei Ni¡¯s disheveled appearance, Gu Yuanzhou was groomed to exquisite perfection, his suit and shirt meticulously put together, even his hairstyle wasn¡¯t messed up.


    However, the collar of his crisp white shirt bore a conspicuous lipstick mark, a visible testament to whatever had taken place in the room.


    Mei Ni seemed to take Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s word, and apologetically turned me down with a smile.


    ¡°Sorry, I need some more time to consider the contract. Let¡¯s discuss it next time!¡±


    With that, Mei Ni hastily descended the stairs.


    I never expected this.


    That Gu Yuanzhou would seductively lure Mei Ni.


    How did he manage to do this?


    Conquer her in less than an hour?


    This was indeed a jarring surprise to me, as, in my impression, Gu Yuanzhou was not this type of man.


    At least during the ten years we were married, he never indulged in any scandalous affairs with other women


    Oh, I suddenly remembered Ye Mengyan and instantly felt that perhaps, what I observed was not the real side of Gu Yuanzhou!


    After Mei Ni left, Gu Yuanzhou came and stood by my side, staring in the direction she disappeared, rubbing his chin seemingly unsatisfied.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, it¡¯s useless!¡±


    I looked at him with a sarcastic gaze,


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see the day where President Gu would resort to trading favors.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t get angry, he simply stared at me for a while before scoffing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong? If you¡¯re capable, Mr. Gu, present an excellent project and compete with me fairly! What kind of talent is trading favors?¡±


    ¡°Where are we now? Are you already losing your cool?¡±


    ¡°Your actions are destroying the industry¡¯s ecosystem, and everyone will engage in fierce competition in the future! The final result is that we all die together!¡±


    At my words, Gu Yuanzhou just gave another cold laugh,


    ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong, the Ding Family will die!¡±


    He finished his sentence, then sauntered down the steps.


    His words were both arrogant and sinister.


    They seemed like a warning!


    I clenched my fists in anger, the opportunity I had painstakingly prepared for, how could I just give up like that?


    So, I broke into a light jog, running after them.


    By then, Mei Ni was already preparing to get into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car.


    There was a coquettish femininity on Mei Ni¡¯s face, her eyes filled with submission and anticipation as she looked at Gu Yuanzhou.


    It made me feel uncomfortable!


    Maybe Ye Mengyan, a woman like her, from a humble background, sought a wealthy man to lean on, and that¡¯s why she hooked up with Gu Yuanzhou. Perhaps, what she was after was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s wealth.


    But Mei Ni is a rich heiress, she owns her own company and has married into wealth before.


    She¡¯s got looks, family background, and excellent judgment. What on earth did she see in Gu Yuanzhou?


    ¡°Miss Mei, could you give me ten minutes, I want to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I really don¡¯t have the time! I need to go out for dinner with Mr. Gu.¡±


    I took a deep breath, then took a gamble,


    ¡°Miss Mei, do you want to take revenge on the woman who wrecked your marriage?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mei Ni¡¯s face changed instantly.


    She gave me a cold glance, didn¡¯t respond to me, and instead directly opened the car door, and got into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car.


    Gu Yuanzhou also shot me a meaningful glance before starting the car.


    The car quickly disappeared into the distance.


    I stood alone in the darkness of the night for a long time.


    After work in the evening.


    Wenya treated!


    Well, this so-called treat was Wenya driving and bringing a bunch of seafood and meats to the beach for a barbecue.


    Several men were busy setting up the grill, catching the charcoal fire, and then putting the grill rack to start roasting.


    Wenya and I lay comfortably on the beach chairs.


    At this time, the sun had just set over the horizon, and the place where the sea and sky met was brilliantly radiant with the sunset.


    A breeze blew past, a group of white seagulls were flying at the boundary between the mountains and the sea.


    Wenya brought me a glass of juice.


    When she found out Mei Ni went to dinner with Gu Yuanzhou, she spat out her drink on the spot,


    ¡°Scumbags will always be scumbags! The tricks he used on you before, he¡¯s using on other women now.¡±


    I held the cup with both hands, sipping the crushed ice inside, watching Ding Yinuo on the phone from a distance.


    He wore a white sleeveless T-shirt, exposing his muscular arms, and light-colored trousers outlining his perfect long legs.


    The golden sunlight fell on him, even in casual clothes, he looked more perfect than a male model.


    ¡°What do you think, how far will they go?¡± I asked calmly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they can get anywhere!¡±


    ¡°Why are you so sure? You do not know how charming Gu Yuanzhou is to her.¡±


    But Wenya confidently said,


    ¡°Listen to me! No matter how charming Gu Yuanzhou is, he will definitely not win over Mei Ni!¡±


    I shook my head helplessly,


    ¡°Whether he wins over Mei Ni or not is not important. What¡¯s important is that I have lost this client.¡±


    I lost the first battle, which greatly undermined my confidence.


    After that, I started to doubt whether I could beat Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou has done so many bad things, and I can do nothing about it, which makes me extremely frustrated.


    Taking advantage of the remaining sunset, I plunged into the sea


    As if venting, towards the direction of the setting sun, I swam frantically.


    As if I were fighting against destiny.


    I swam very fast, until I was exhausted, I stopped.


    I let my body float on the sea


    The sea gently slapped my cheeks. Suddenly, I felt something was wrong. When I looked carefully, I found that Ding Yinuo had also come swimming. He hadn¡¯t even had time to take off his T-shirt.


    He swam next to me, wiped the seawater off his face with his hand, his hair hanging from his forehead, looking at me with damp eyes.


    ¡°Ayun, you scared me!¡±


    He floated on the water, one hand supporting my waist, as if afraid that I would sink to the bottom of the sea.


    I smiled at him,


    ¡°I was just swimming, how did I scare you?¡±


    ¡°You swam so fast, I thought you were done with life!¡±


    ¡°How could I, this water is not deep!¡±


    ¡°Next time when you go swimming, let me know. Even though the sea seems calm on the surface, there are undercurrents underneath. If you get a cramp, you could be carried away by the ocean current.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you really sound like my aunt now, nagging me on and on  ¡±


    I looked at him with a very annoyed expression.


    He wasn¡¯t angry and just stayed by my side.


    It wasn¡¯t until I was tired of playing that he quickly dragged me back.


    After returning to the beach, Wenya yelled at me, ¡°Ayun, your phone is ringing, it¡¯s been ringing for a while!¡±


    I picked up my phone from the beach chair and saw it was Mei Ni calling me.


    She called three times!


    Seems like something urgent must have come up with her.


    The only possibility that crossed my mind was ¨C wasn¡¯t she having dinner with Gu Yuanzhou tonight?


    Did something happen between the two of them?

 Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 202: He Flirted With Me_1

    Chapter 202: Chapter 202: He Flirted With Me_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Just as I was about to call her back, Ding Yinuo extended his hand to snatch my phone away.


    ¡°Go take a bath and change your clothes. Don¡¯t catch a cold!¡±


    Only then did I realize that I was still in my wet swimsuit.


    My hair was dripping wet, which indeed wasn¡¯t befitting for a phone call.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go take a bath!¡±


    The area Wenya had chosen was a wild beach.


    The bathing area was a makeshift shower room constructed by using a cloth sheet to enclose four trees, with water coming from a pipeline borrowed from a nearby farmhouse.


    The ground was covered entirely in sand.


    Just as I was about to take a shower, Ding Yinuo followed me over.


    ¡°Are you also going to bathe?¡±


    I asked him.


    He had already started to remove his soaked T-shirt, revealing his firm and sexy abs.


    A wet man was even sexier and enticing.


    ¡°You go ahead, I¡¯ll keep watch. There might be some bad guys around!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will watch out when you bathe later!¡±


    He laughed and tossed a towel at me.


    By now, the sky had turned completely dark.


    Wenya and the others had lit a bonfire, and bright flaming light indicated that a few tents had already been set up. Surprisingly, Su Peisheng had brought along a violin to play.


    Far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, we were enjoying the beauty of nature between heaven and earth.


    I began by washing my hair, then proceeded to clean my body. After I removed my swimsuit, I felt sand was everywhere.


    The cold water refreshing me as it poured over my skin.


    While showering, I thought about what Mei Ni would tell me.


    Just as I was lost in my thoughts, I suddenly felt something fall from a tree.


    Ruthlessly cold and slippery, it slammed into my body.


    I screamed and flailed my arms in an attempt to brush it off, throwing away the towel in my hand due to the shock.


    Thanks to my agility, I managed to fling the thing onto the ground, where it darted into the bushes in the blink of an eye. The insufficient light made it hard for me to see, I could only catch a glimpse of the squiggly trace before it disappeared.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ding Yinuo rushed towards me.


    After composing myself, I quickly covered myself with the towel and pointed at the bushes, anxiously saying, ¡°Snake, there¡¯s a snake!¡±


    Ding Yinuo shone his flashlight towards the bushes, but found no trace of the snake.


    After a thorough search around the bushes, he still found nothing, then finally approached me.


    Meanwhile, I was wrapped in a towel, shivering with fear.


    I dared not move an inch.


    ¡°Did it bite you?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I think not, I¡¯m not sure   It fell from the tree, first onto my head, ack!¡±


    I¡¯ve always been terrified of such cold-blooded reptiles.


    The fear had rendered me irrational in that moment, and after a good while of Ding Yinuo¡¯s soothing, I managed to calm down.


    Over by the bonfire in the distance, they were laughing and dancing along with the music, completely oblivious to the commotion here.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve been bitten somewhere!¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s face instantly turned serious.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll have Wenya take a look!¡±


    ¡°You silly girl, Wenya is not a doctor! What¡¯s the point of her checking it? Let me see, I am a doctor!¡±


    Under the dim light, the bright gaze of Ding Yinuo shone like the stars in the night sky.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s on my back, not sure  ¡±


    ¡°Let me have a look!¡±


    I was taken aback momentarily, but still loosened my grip on the towel.


    As he gently brushed my long hair aside, I let him pull the towel down from my back.


    ¡°Oh, you do have a bite mark, it¡¯s on the left side of your back   Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not a deep wound. I will suck out the venom!¡±


    ¡°Okay, good!¡±


    Impossible for me not to be nervous.


    But with Ding Yinuo by my side, I felt much more assured.


    He embraced me from behind and bent down to suck the venom out from the wound on my back


    It was curious.


    I didn¡¯t feel any pain; I didn¡¯t even know how he sucked out the blood.


    But being in his arms in such an intimate position made me feel somewhat dazed.


    I started to wonder.


    If Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t appeared back then


    Would I have ended up with Ding Yinuo?


    What kind of life would we lead?


    After he sucked out the venom, he brought over a hose pipe to rinse my wound with water.


    At this point, my fair body had almost been entirely exposed to him.


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re good now!¡±


    After he was done tending to me, he let go.


    When I looked up, his pitch-black eyes were still fixated on my body, which prompted me to give him a shove hastily,


    ¡°Have you seen enough?¡±


    He chuckled softly, consciously turning his back towards me before commenting,


    ¡°E-cups, huh? You¡¯ve developed impressively!¡±


    I asked him as I started to dress,


    ¡°Being a doctor, you¡¯ve seen plenty of female bodies, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo frankly said, ¡°I worked in the breast disease department for a while. If you¡¯re pointing to that, then indeed, I¡¯ve seen a lot.¡±


    ¡°However, I¡¯ve never seen one as sexy as you  ¡±


    I was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean by sexy?¡±


    He turned to look at me, ¡°Do you need an explanation?¡±


    Feeling my face heat up, I caught some more meaning from his slightly lit eyes, ¡°No need, I¡¯m okay!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn to bathe now!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, need me to keep watch for you?¡±


    ¡°No need   unless you want to peep at my body!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s lips curled into a hint of a smile, a look that was all too captivating.


    ¡°Who would want to look at you? I¡¯m not a doctor! Okay, I¡¯m leaving first!¡±


    Without delay, I ran across the sand and away from him.


    When I squeezed and sat next to Wenya, she leaned in and cast a mysterious glance, ¡°Were you and Manager Ding making love over there?¡±


    ¡°Get lost, what nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Heh, I¡¯ve been timing it. You two disappeared for forty-five minutes! If you didn¡¯t do anything, I¡¯d write my name backwards!¡±


    Wenya spoke with absolute certainty.


    ¡°In that case, congratulations, from now on, write your name backwards  ¡±


    ¡°So, you took a shower for forty-five minutes?¡±


    ¡°No, I was bitten by a snake!!¡±


    ¡°A snake? Rubbish, where would you find a snake here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, it¡¯s on my back  ¡±


    In order to convince Wenya, I purposely showed her the spot where the snake had bitten me.


    Wenya laughed as she pushed my hair aside and looked down the collar of my shirt. After scrutinizing it for some time, she finally said, ¡°Nonsense, there¡¯s nothing there!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it! I was undeniably bitten by a snake! Take a photo with your phone and show me!¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding? Why would I lie to you?¡±


    Wenya took a photo of my back with her phone as requested and passed it to me to see.


    I was dumbstruck after looking at the photo.


    At this point, Ding Yinuo, who had also finished bathing, came over. He was wearing just a pair of casual beach pants and a black T-shirt, looking delighted.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, take a look at the wound that the snake bit, how is it now?¡±

 Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 203 Yearning for her body_1

    Chapter 203: Chapter 203 Yearning for her body_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Ding Yinuo snapped back to reality, winked at me, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve already taken care of it for you, no need for you to worry.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then take a photo and let me see!¡±


    ¡°See what?¡±


    ¡°The wound!!!¡±


    Ding Yinuo gave a light cough and sat down next to me, ¡°The weather is really nice today! Are you hungry? I can grill some skewers of lamb for you!¡±


    Having said that, he stood up to leave.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, don¡¯t go!¡±


    At my call, Ding Yinuo ran even faster.


    I certainly wouldn¡¯t let him go and chased after him.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you lying cheat, I wasn¡¯t bitten by a snake at all! You knew that, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Indeed, from the photo taken on Wenya¡¯s phone, all I could see were the signs left by a man¡¯s kisses, nothing like a wound.


    No wonder I didn¡¯t feel any pain when he claimed to be cleaning my ¡°wound¡±.


    This guy was deliberately messing with me.


    We left traces of our chase on the beach.


    However, I couldn¡¯t catch up with him.


    He always maintained a distance from me, he would run if I chased after him, when I stopped, he¡¯d stop too and laugh at me.


    I just sat down on the ground, ¡°Ah, something has pricked my foot.¡±


    On hearing this, he rushed back immediately.


    He squatted beside me and reached to check my foot,


    ¡°Did a shell prick you? Told you, you should wear shoes.¡±


    I actually hadn¡¯t pricked my foot, I was just trying to trick him into coming back, and seeing that my plan worked, I pushed the unsuspecting him over into the sand.


    Then, I pinned him down.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, this serves you right for lying to me!¡±


    I ranted at him.


    He didn¡¯t dodge, just laughed at me.


    ¡°Why did you deceive me! You scared me half to death!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just deceive me too? We¡¯re even!¡±


    At that moment, we were carefree and full of youthful mischief, just like our high school days.


    As we were fooling around, Ding Yinuo suddenly turned around and pinned me beneath him.


    At this moment, the moonlight shone through the clouds, casting a hazy halo onto the ground.


    Ding Yinuo looked deeply into my eyes, and he suddenly leaned down a bit


    I closed my eyes.


    I could feel his heavy breathing getting closer and closer.


    His warm breath enveloped me.


    I nervously gripped the sand beside me.


    The temperature in the air was rising, and the carnal desires between the two were freely evaporating and flowing.


    Just as his hot lips touched my soft ones, my fingertips touched his forehead, then I gently pushed him away.


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t you want to give it to me?¡±


    His voice was so tender it was almost dripping with sweetness.


    Although he knew that I wouldn¡¯t agree, he was reluctant to get up.


    He didn¡¯t dare to force anything!


    So, he just sat anxiously staring at me, like a hungry puppy waiting to be fed.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, are you lusting after my body?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Stop lying. All men are the same, their brains are guided by lust, thinking with their lower bodies! All what you guys think about is that, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°No no, Ayun! I   alright, if you are uncomfortable, I won¡¯t force you!¡±


    And true to his word, he didn¡¯t force me.


    Even though he was clearly aroused, he obediently let me go.


    I sat upright in the sand for a while, and as I turned my head, I caught him staring at me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Wenya and the others are waiting for me!¡±


    I got up, fixed my clothes, and headed towards Wenya.


    Ding Yinuo followed beside me, neither of us spoke.


    For the rest of the time, we sat around the bonfire, and Ding Yinuo, seemingly influenced by me, was silent the entire time, drinking beer without uttering a word.


    A bit later, I crawled into a tent with Wenya.


    I looked out at the distant stars through the tent¡¯s clear window, and Wenya asked me,


    ¡°I noticed you two rolling around on the beach, why did you refuse him?¡±


    ¡°Wenya, I don¡¯t know if I love him or not! If I casually start a physical relationship without confirming love, we¡¯ll undoubtedly get hurt when we break up. If we don¡¯t have a physical relationship, we can always be friends. But if we do, we can¡¯t even be friends after break-up.¡±


    Desire is something every adult has.


    Even without feelings, we can seek physical gratification with others.


    As for me and Ding Yinuo, I don¡¯t wish for us to be simple ¡®friends with benefits¡¯, it would be terrifying.


    ¡°So, aren¡¯t you going to try to love him?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, not now! I have to resolve my matters first!¡±


    ¡°Alright! Poor Manager Ding, he¡¯s going to have to hold back for a long time!¡±


    ¡°Wenya, what about you and Su Peisheng? Are you guys planning to ¡®sacrifice your bodies¡¯ to each other?¡±


    ¡°Us  hahaha, you¡¯re really slow on the uptake, we¡¯ve already done it!¡±


    ¡°What? When did this happen? You two moved so quickly behind my back?¡±


    ¡°Not telling you! Hahaha!¡±


    I fell asleep amidst Wenya¡¯s laughter.


    The next morning, I was awakened by my phone ringing. I opened my eyes and found that I was still lying in the tent and Wenya had already left.


    I picked up my phone and answered it.


    ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Are you Song Xiaoyun?¡±


    I immediately sat up at the sound of Mei Ni¡¯s voice, ¡°Hello, Miss Mei!¡±


    ¡°Are you free? I want to talk to you!¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure!¡±


    I agreed to meet her at a location, quickly packed up my things and crawled out of the tent.


    As I happened to turn my head, I saw Wenya crawling out of Su Peisheng¡¯s tent.


    ¡°Su Peisheng said there is a fishing activity later.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be participating, I need to go back!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve come so far, why are you so eager to leave?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, where did you go in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°Ah   Su Peisheng said he¡¯s afraid to sleep alone in the tent, so he asked me to go over to keep him company!¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll believe that?¡±


    I gave Wenya a look, and she calmly replied,


    ¡°Believe it or not, I believe him.¡±


    ¡°Alright, have fun, I¡¯ll be leaving first!¡±


    As I was packing up to leave, Ding Yinuo followed, ¡°Let me give you a ride!¡±


    ¡°Not necessary, they¡¯re all still here to have fun, you stay with them!¡±


    ¡°Without you, there¡¯s no fun left!¡±


    Ding Yinuo already had the car keys in his hand.


    Since Gu Yuanzhou had taken my car away, getting a ride from Ding Yinuo would save me a lot of trouble.


    I didn¡¯t sleep well last night. As soon as Ding Yinuo started the car, I quickly fell asleep.


    When I woke up, I found the car was already parked at the Xishan Residence.


    ¡°How did you know that I wanted to come back?¡±


    ¡°You have to meet a client in a bit, and you¡¯d obviously need to freshen up!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you really understand me!¡±


    I don¡¯t know when it started, but there seemed to be a small understanding between Ding Yinuo and me.


    I didn¡¯t have to say a word, he would know what I was thinking.


    I changed into a formal suit, put on some sleek makeup, and left.


    The place that Mei Ni decided to meet up was a quiet old coffee shop.


    This early in the morning, the store was empty. Mei Ni was wearing a cap and had tucked it low on her face.


    I knew she didn¡¯t want to disclose her identity, so I didn¡¯t call out her name, instead, I just said hello and sat down.


    She leaned in close and asked me softly, ¡°When you talked about avenging that mistress, did you say you know her?¡±

 Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 204: The Psychological Barrier_1

    Chapter 204: Chapter 204: The Psychological Barrier_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Perhaps because I had experienced the betrayal of a loved one, I could relate to her pain as a fellow woman.


    Just like how I knew Gu Yuanzhou betrayed me, there was always a thorn in my heart that couldn¡¯t be removed no matter what.


    No matter how long it¡¯s been, that thorn is always there.


    I didn¡¯t answer her directly but changed the subject.


    ¡°Did you sign a contract with Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Mei Ni glanced at me, took a cigarette out of her bag, and I offered her a lighter.


    After lighting the cigarette, she asked me cautiously,


    ¡°What is your relationship with Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    I didn¡¯t intend to hide anything, ¡°Oh, I used to work at Zhenyi Company, so you could say I was one of his employees.¡±


    ¡°Just an employee?¡±


    She asked with doubt.


    ¡°Miss Mei  does your question mean you think there is something suspicious about me?¡±


    To gain her trust, I showed her my old work ID from Zhenyi Company.


    Mei Ni responded casually,


    ¡°I don¡¯t really doubt you, but if you¡¯re just an employee, why would he care so much about you?¡±


    ¡°He cares about me?¡±


    Instead of answering my question directly, Mei Ni changed the subject.


    ¡°I really want to know what measures you have to deal with that bitch!¡±


    That ¡®bitch¡¯.


    Her words cut deeply, revealing that Mei Ni despised that mistress to the bone.


    ¡°It seems, Miss Mei; she hurt you a lot, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to tell you, she caused my miscarriage  and the result was severe. My amniotic fluid was blocked during the miscarriage, and I had to remove my uterus. You tell me whether I hate her or not. Even if I killed her myself, I wouldn¡¯t feel relieved. But, I don¡¯t want her to die; I only want my ex-husband to dump her.¡±


    ¡°Miss Mei, it takes two to tango. Sometimes it¡¯s not just the mistress who is at fault, the man holds half the responsibility as well.¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing! Put it this way, as long as you find a way for my ex-husband to break up with her, I will sign the order on the spot.¡±


    ¡°What about President Gu? Didn¡¯t Miss Mei promise to give him the contract?¡±


    At the mention of Gu Yuanzhou, Mei Ni suddenly started laughing lightly, in a very flippant manner.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou   He just wants to play with me! He could never fall in love with me! It¡¯s all an act. If I were to sign the contract, he would kick me out with one boot.¡±


    I was quite surprised. I didn¡¯t expect Mei Ni to see through him.


    ¡°Alright, deal!¡±


    I reached an agreement with Mei Ni.


    Truth be told, this task was like handling a hot potato, and I had no idea if I could pull it off.


    But, to push things forward, she gave me the mistress¡¯s complete information.


    When I saw the details of this mistress, I froze. It was her!


    Seeing who this person was put me in a tough spot.


    After a long time, I made a call to Wenya.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before, that the woman Mei Ni¡¯s husband fell for was an internet celebrity? She isn¡¯t a celebrity!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she? I don¡¯t really know! I asked Fang Ping! As you know, Fang Ping is a gossip columnist, she knows all the insider information! It seems she either got it wrong, or I misheard. What¡¯s up?¡±


    At this moment, Wenya was probably still with Su Peisheng. From the other end of the phone, I could hear Su Peisheng calling her baby and offering her watermelon.


    ¡°Are you with Su Peisheng?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll talk about it tomorrow!¡±


    After hanging up, I was caught between a rock and a hard place.


    Now, it seems that I rashly agreed to Mei Ni and the situation has become complicated.


    I may not be able to complete this task.


    The next morning.


    When I arrived at the company, I heard Ding Yinuo was furious


    When I entered, I saw several top executives leaving willingly.


    I glanced inside, and sure enough, Ding Yinuo was really angry, he had even rolled up his sleeves.


    However, his expression changed instantly when he saw me.


    It was like seeing the sunshine after the storm.


    Not only did he lose his grumpy look, but he also managed to restore a bit of his smile.


    ¡°Did you get angry earlier?¡±


    I walked in.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a small issue  ¡±


    ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Have you eaten breakfast? I can order you takeout.¡±


    ¡°What made our Manager Ding upset earlier?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about those upsetting things. Instead, shall we go out for some Cantonese dim sum?¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed really interested. Instead of doing his work on such a morning, he wanted to go out and dine with me.


    I sat down.


    ¡°Yinuo, when your older brother handed the company over to you, he wanted you to improve it. It¡¯s not something you could play around whenever you like! Tell me, let¡¯s share this burden together.¡±


    Actually, it¡¯s rare to see Ding Yinuo¡¯s temper, that was the first time.


    I guessed he must have encountered some major problem.


    Ding Yinuo finally sat down and pushed the documents from the table in front of me.


    ¡°See for yourself.¡±


    When I opened it, I found a bunch of resignation letters.


    I roughly counted, there were more than ten in total, presumably from the executives who had just left.


    Their reasons for resigning differed greatly.


    Some said their wives were pregnant and about to give birth, some said they had to care for their seriously ill parents at the hospital.


    Others said they wanted to study for promotions


    In summary, they all resigned together, so these were clearly excuses.


    The only possibility remaining.


    I closed the file and looked at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Did Gu Yuanzhou do this behind the scenes?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was silent for a while,


    ¡°I really can¡¯t think of anyone else who would have a reason to do this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to him.¡±


    ¡°What is there to talk about? We can all guess the conditions he¡¯s offering. I believe you won¡¯t accept them, and I certainly won¡¯t.¡±


    At the mention of Gu Yuanzhou, Ding Yinuo lost his temper a little.


    I just sat on the sofa, quietly watching him.


    It¡¯s rare to see Ding Yinuo angry.


    He quickly collected himself and sat back down next to me,


    ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to frighten you. I didn¡¯t mean to lose my temper, I just worry you would be deceived by him once again.¡±


    ¡°Mm, Yinuo, I understand   So, what are your plans for the company?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯m already planning new employee recruitments¡­¡±


    Although Ding Yinuo promised he could handle all these issues, I still felt a crisis looming.


    It¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou!


    My attempt to sign a deal with Mei Ni must have angered him.


    He has begun a more terrifying retaliation.


    Now, there¡¯s no way out for me. No matter how difficult it is, I have to face it head-on.


    After contemplating for a long time, I called Wenya, ¡°Can you help me invite someone to dinner tonight?¡±


    ¡°Who are you inviting?¡±


    ¡°Su Ziyan¡­the sister of Su Peisheng!¡±


    ¡°Su Peisheng doesn¡¯t have a sister, did you get it wrong?¡±


    ¡°Oh, a cousin, a cousin!¡±


    ¡°Alright, but why are you suddenly inviting her to dinner?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know once you invite her.¡±


    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll make sure to carry out boss Song¡¯s orders.¡±

 Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter 205 Dinner Party_1

    Chapter 205: Chapter 205 Dinner Party_1


    Translator: 549690339


    In order not to seem too deliberate, I intentionally invited others to the dinner party as well.


    Aside from Ding Yinuo and Su Peisheng, there were also a few of their friends who joined us.


    Even though I was footing the bill, the venue was picked by Wenya.


    So they got there first.


    As soon as I walked in the door, I could see from afar the young girl sitting next to Su Peisheng.


    She was wearing a white dress, with her long hair draped over her shoulders. She had delicate features and, like Ye Mengyan, was the type of demure, delicate girl that inspired sympathy.


    It¡¯s these kinds of girls that are particularly good at winning over middle-aged men.


    Their docility easily triggers a man¡¯s strong instinct to protect.


    The moment I saw Su Ziyan, I instantly understood the reason for Mei Ni¡¯s pain.


    However, unlike Ye Mengyan, this girl was incredibly arrogant, she liked to put on airs.


    After Wenya introduced her to me, I initially intended to greet her, but she simply responded with an indifferent ¡®oh¡¯ before continuing to eat and drink.


    Afterward, she lowered her head to text someone, often giggling, showing no desire to engage in conversation with me.


    Soon, she got up to go to the restroom.


    Wenya asked me in a low voice, ¡°Why did you invite her to dinner?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking so many questions?¡±


    ¡°Damn, do you have any idea of the hoops I had to jump through, using a mixture of deception and persuasion, to get Su Peisheng to invite her out? You wouldn¡¯t know this, but this cousin of his has become quite important. She seems to have found herself a powerful backing, and it¡¯s likely we won¡¯t be able to invite her in the future.¡±


    I responded with a light chuckle, ¡°Weren¡¯t you saying just a few days ago that Mei Ni¡¯s hubby was philandering and that he had a mistress?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Could it be her?¡±


    I took a sip of tea, and nodded, ¡°Exactly!¡±


    Wenya gasped in disbelief, ¡°If I recall correctly, Mei Ni¡¯s husband is over thirty, and this, this Su Ziyan, is just over twenty and still in university!¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, how do you know Su Ziyan is Su Peisheng¡¯s cousin?¡±


    ¡°Oh, when I visited the courts for Su Peisheng¡¯s lawsuit, I happened to see her there. I thought she was quite pretty at the time, so I asked reception who she was!¡±


    Wenya nodded, ¡°She¡¯s indeed pretty! But, who would have thought, she¡¯s become someone¡¯s mistress! Although, this was kept so tightly under wraps that even the Su family didn¡¯t know.¡±


    I replied calmly, ¡°The Su family surely knows, it¡¯s just that Su Peisheng was embarrassed to tell you. After all, it¡¯s not something to be proud of.¡±


    ¡°Damn, if he dares to do so, I will dump him tomorrow!¡±


    As I continued to sip my tea, my mind was wondering how to deal with her.


    If she were a daughter from a poor background, I could easily buy her off with money.


    But the Su family is quite well off!


    The parents on both sides should have decent status and wealth!


    All of a sudden, a thought occurred to me. I turned towards Su Peisheng,


    ¡°Miss Su is your second uncle¡¯s daughter, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! My second uncle has two daughters, Ziyan is the eldest!¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly, your second uncle is quite influential, right?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a professor at the University of Science and Technology  ¡±


    As I was listening to this, I looked up to see Su Ziyan walking out of the ladies¡¯ room.


    She was still on the phone, a happy smile across her face, ¡°Honey, just wait a little while longer, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±


    After hanging up, she turned to Su Peisheng and said, ¡°Brother, I have something to do, I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡±


    Seeing her about to leave, I quickly stopped her, ¡°Miss Su, please hold on!¡±


    Su Ziyan looked at me dismissively, her arms crossed, she impatiently said, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Miss Su, I noticed you look a bit ill, you must be under the weather. I have a doctor here, he can take your pulse on the spot!¡±


    I quickly pulled Ding Yinuo into the conversation.


    Ding Yinuo looked forced into action. Although he was reluctant, he acquiesced on my behalf, putting on a mystical guru charade.


    ¡°There¡¯s a touch of black in your complexion, having your pulse checked won¡¯t hurt!¡±


    Su Ziyan recognised Ding Yinuo and knew that he was a well-respected doctor. After hearing his words, she hesitated momentarily and then dutifully sat down, extending her arm for Ding Yinuo to take her pulse.


    A few minutes later, Ding Yinuo gave her the verdict, ¡°You must have been staying up late recently, causing both your vital energy and blood to be deficient. You should eat more dates and Angelica sinensis in the coming days.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright, thank you, Dr Ding!¡±


    Not wanting to stay any longer, Su Ziyan left promptly after she finished speaking.


    Once Su Ziyan was long gone, I turned to ask Ding Yinuo, ¡°Is she pregnant?¡±


    Ding Yinuo shook his head!


    A sense of joy welled up inside me. As I¡¯d suspected,


    It turned out this girl wasn¡¯t pregnant at all. She must have faked the pregnancy to ruin Mei Ni¡¯s marriage, how abominable.


    Wenya turned to Su Peisheng, ¡°Your sister is quite ill-mannered, she was very rude to Ayun!¡±


    Su Peisheng shrugged, ¡°She was spoiled during her childhood, she doesn¡¯t even take me into consideration!¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, if a girl isn¡¯t brought up properly, when she grows up, she¡¯ll be a problem in other people¡¯s families.¡±


    Wenya shook her head disapprovingly, then asked me again, ¡°Think you can handle her?¡±


    ¡°I should be able to! But, I do need a small favor from Su Peisheng.¡±


    ¡°Alright, whatever you need, just say it. It¡¯s only right that he helps! Right now, us helping you is the same as helping his good buddy, Manager Ding!¡±


    With the support of these good buddies, the situation didn¡¯t seem as complicated anymore.


    With my current ability, I should be able to handle it.


    It wasn¡¯t until three days later that I met with Gu Yuanzhou again.


    It was the time of the Hong Kong Fashion Exhibition.


    We ran into each other at the entrance just before the conference started.


    He was wearing a black shirt, giving me a cold look.


    ¡°I heard that it was you who brought back Mrs. Shen?¡±


    I knew what he was referring to, Mrs. Shen, the Chief Financial Officer. It was indeed me who brought her back.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°You brought back five old employees in total!¡±


    ¡°Correct! What does President Gu want to say?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to let you know, they have all been fired by me today!¡±


    I was taken aback. These were old employees of Zhenyi Company. The reason I¡¯d brought them back was that they were loyal to the company.


    Well, it¡¯s ironic that as soon as I leave, Gu Yuanzhou fires all of them.


    How ironic.


    At this moment, I realized how wise it was for me to leave Zhenyi Company.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s arrogance meant that our thoughts would never be on the same wavelength.


    ¡°Is it Ms. Ye who suggested you do this?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is, I wanted to remind you that you¡¯ve already lost! Believe me, Tianjiao will be bankrupt soon, Ding Yinuo¡¯s nothing more than a desperate man struggling on his deathbed.¡±


    There¡¯s a hint of smug satisfaction of the victor on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face.


    I was silent for a few seconds, then slowly walked up to him, ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you tried to steal Mei Ni from me, did you get her order?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was still very confident, ¡°It¡¯s not stealing, she was originally a customer of Zhenyi¡¯s! And she will continue to be one in the future!¡±


    I chuckled and pulled out a contract from my bag, pointing to Mei Ni¡¯s signature on it and said to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Apologies, but from now on, she isn¡¯t!¡±

 Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Lose or Win_1

    Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Lose or Win_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression changed once he heard what I said. He snatches the contract straight out of my hand and, that is when he saw that it really was a contract between Mei Ni and Tianjiao Company.


    His gaze was terrifying.


    Afterward, he pulled out his cell phone and made a call.


    Mei Ni¡¯s voice came from the phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Gu! I¡¯ve always liked the design style of Zhenyi Company. But after Mrs. Gu passed away, the style used by other designers from your company, I honestly couldn¡¯t accept it. Yes, I did sign with Tianjiao Company mainly because I like Song Xiaoyun¡¯s design style, she and the late Mrs. Gu have similar styles  ¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou angrily hangs up the phone.


    I looked at him calmly.


    In the depth of my heart, I was pleased.


    This was our first bout of contest, and I won.


    I liked watching Gu Yuanzhou suffer a setback.


    I wanted him to lose everything he has now, little by little.


    I wanted him to know that I could place him on the pedestal and similarly drag him down to hell.


    ¡°President Gu! I¡¯m just a newcomer! I might not be as good as you when it comes to underhanded workplace tactics, but when it comes to fashion design, I have definite superiority. Attracting customers with my strength and abilities are much brighter and straightforward than you stealing them through tricks!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou quickly regained his composure,


    ¡°It¡¯s only Mei Ni! A City¡¯s market is huge, I don¡¯t believe that you can take everyone away.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the phrase again, by strength, by abilities!¡±


    I turned around, left on high heels.


    At the start of the fashion show, I sat in the first row.


    Initially, Gu Yuanzhou was in the second row, but for some reason, he swapped seats with a man next to me, and sat beside me.


    Having him sit next to me gave me a sense of pressure.


    There was always a feeling of uneasiness in my heart.


    That was, I was sure this man was up to no good.


    I was unsure about his next moves.


    Halfway through the fashion show, I went to the bathroom.


    I splashed cold water on my face to calm myself down. I looked in the mirror, patched up my makeup, and touched up my lipstick.


    This time, I came to the exhibition to make myself appear more mature.


    I wore a sky-blue suit, applied dark eyeshadow, looking all noble and coldly glamorous.


    This should be the look of a businesswoman.


    Actually, it would be better with short hair, but I couldn¡¯t bear to cut my long hair. The last time I went to the hair salon, I hesitated for a long time and couldn¡¯t bear to have it cut, so I tied it into a simple ponytail.


    Seeing that there was still time, I sat down on a bench and called Wenya.


    ¡°I ran into Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Ah? He must be furious and bears you ill intentions! You successfully signed Mei Ni this time, he must be enraged!¡±


    ¡°How are things doing on Su Ziyan¡¯s side now?¡±


    ¡°The day Su Ziyan was hospitalized, Su Peisheng took action and had a good chat with his second uncle. Especially emphasizing what you said about the original partner seeking someone to mess with her. The uncle was concerned about saving face and was worried that his daughter would die tragically. So, he just sent her abroad. His second uncle said she would not be allowed to return within ten years.¡±


    I also exhaled a sigh of relief, the reality was just as I had planned.


    I had someone intercept Su Ziyan halfway and taught her a lesson, and then threatened to disfigure her in Mei Ni¡¯s name


    This woman wasn¡¯t as tough as I had imagined, she, who lived a pampered life, was scared pretty soon.


    Some people, when always sitting high, feel that nobody dares to touch her, and she would start to feel complacent.


    Only after being hit would she know fear.


    Things were handled quite smoothly in the end.


    But right now, Gu Yuanzhou is what I should be worried about.


    I chatted with Wenya for a while. When I hung up the phone and came out,


    I found Gu Yuanzhou was smoking at the door.


    Seeing the cigarette butts on the ground, he had been standing here for a long time.


    I didn¡¯t greet him, just turned around and left.


    He didn¡¯t seem to want to talk to me either, and just continued standing in the original spot.


    After that, I continued to watch the fashion week¡¯s show, then attended that night¡¯s business dinner.


    I had two purposes for this trip. The first was to see what elements would be prevalent in the fashion industry, observing the clothes at fashion week, and how they were accepted by the audience.


    The second was to get to know some industry leaders, since there are sellers here, there are of course buyers.


    Right now, Ding Yinou and I are dividing our duties.


    He¡¯s in charge of internal affairs, and I¡¯m in charge of external affairs.


    I am now in charge of pulling orders


    I was trying my best to meet some top executives.


    Especially at the banquet, I met a lot of people.


    In fact, some of them were my old acquaintances, but now that I no longer used Song Yun¡¯s identity, reestablishing those relationships was a bit difficult.


    Each step was hard, but I had faith.


    Just when I was about to discuss the next steps for cooperation with two executives I had just met,


    Gu Yuanzhou inserted himself into the conversation.


    ¡°Gentlemen, this lady here used to be my assistant   she left because of a minor conflict with me for another company. She will return once her mood improves.¡±


    The executives, who had been interested in my business, immediately canceled their plans to cooperate with me after hearing those words.


    They all left me smiling.


    I ended up with nothing after being busy for half a night.


    When the banquet ended, I walked up to Gu Yuanzhou, angry.


    ¡°Could you be any more shameless?¡±


    He was holding a crystal red wine glass, gently swaying it and watching as the red liquid inside flowed slowly.


    He frowned at me,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it yourself, it¡¯s each to their abilities. You are now working based on your abilities, and I am also utilizing mine!¡±


    ¡°But, you messed up my business!¡±


    ¡°The market is singular, you stole a customer, I lost a customer. You stealing customers is you stealing my customers, do you think I will allow this to happen?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, have you ever considered that even if I don¡¯t make a move, these customers wouldn¡¯t be yours! You are too arrogant and absolutely detestable.¡±


    I left angrily.


    At this moment, I realized a problem, wherever Gu Yuanzhou is, I should try my best to keep a distance from him.


    But, I didn¡¯t remain idle. When I returned to Tianjiao Company,


    I discussed with Ding Yinou about recruiting those old employees from Zhenyi Company whom Gu Yuanzhou had fired.


    Not only did Ding Yinou not object, he even agreed vehemently,


    ¡°Good idea, it¡¯s just the right time. With a wave of upper-level departures, the company has vacancies which this is a timely solution for.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that these people will be used by me and hollow out Tianjiao?¡±


    Indeed, hiring a large number of old employees from a competitor requires immense courage and boldness.


    I believe that if I were to bring Tianjiao¡¯s old employees to Zhenyi, Gu Yuanzhou would definitely refuse a hundred times¡ªthis was the difference between the two of us.


    Ding Yinou moved closer and then tightened his grip on my hand, ¡°In fact, I wish that one day you might just empty me out as well.¡±

 Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter 207 His anger _1

    Chapter 207: Chapter 207 His anger _1


    Translator: 549690339


    I smiled and looked at him,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you¡¯re becoming more and more slick!¡±


    ¡°As long as you like it!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I still prefer who you were before!¡±


    ¡°Are you a masochist?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly, I just miss the past!¡±


    Ding Yinuo just smiled and looked at me,


    ¡°Ayun, we can¡¯t go back! I prefer the way we are now!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because, the you now, is real, is what I want! You are within my grasp, instead of just at the tip of my heart! You get it?¡±


    ¡°Was I not real before?¡±


    Ding Yinuo placed his hands on my shoulders, giving a mysterious smile at the end.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to a meeting, we¡¯ll go out for tea at noon!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ding Yinuo, can¡¯t you focus completely on work, how could you always think about having tea?¡±


    ¡°Money can never be made enough, resting is the most important thing.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words left me speechless.


    This is Ding Yinuo¡¯s biggest characteristic, as a doctor, his main concern is health, not money.


    He is completely different from Gu Yuanzhou.


    He doesn¡¯t quite act like a boss, just like everyone else, he prefers to work from nine to five on time.


    Actually, when he first took over, he was quite professional, attending meetings and managing stuff.


    But ever since Tianjiao Company got on the right track, he got a bit slack. Besides work, he likes to take me out for tea, to chat.


    But it all started to change from here.


    Last time I made a few high-end gowns for Mei Ni


    After that, she happened to recover from her divorce and reunited with her husband.


    She showed up at the company¡¯s annual gala a few times, wearing my designs.


    This was undoubtedly advertising for me.


    Then, with Ding Yinuo¡¯s additional online advertising promotion, orders started pouring in like snowflakes.


    It was from this time, Tianjiao¡¯s stocks started to soar, and slowly more people started to invest in us.


    Everything was moving in a positive direction.


    But Gu Yuanzhou seemed restless.


    That afternoon, I received a call from Aunt Wu Lijuan.


    ¡°Miss Song, I¡¯ve recently recovered from my illness and left the hospital, I want to invite you to dinner, could you come by?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I haven¡¯t seen Wu Lijuan in a long time.


    I was busy with work at Tianjiao and couldn¡¯t find the time.


    Now I have some free time; it¡¯s about time I pay her a visit.


    After work, I bought some health supplements and arrived at the Song Family¡¯s door.


    As soon as I walked in, I saw a familiar figure. It was Gu Yuanzhou.


    He was sitting on the sofa, talking to Wu Lijuan.


    ¡°Ah, Xiaosong, you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Auntie, hello!¡±


    Seeing that I¡¯ve brought a bunch of gifts, Wu Lijuan said,


    ¡°It¡¯s just a casual meal, why bring so many gifts?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a small token of my appreciation!¡±


    I put the gifts down with a smile.


    ¡°Come, sit down for a bit. I¡¯ll go check on the kitchen, dinner will be ready soon, you two can chat!¡±


    Wu Lijuan left the living room with the gifts.


    Soon, only Gu Yuanzhou and I were left in the living room.


    The moment I saw Gu Yuanzhou, I wanted to leave.


    As I lowered my head to check my phone, Gu Yuanzhou also got up to answer a call.


    I didn¡¯t know who he was calling, he was on the phone for over ten minutes.


    It seemed like he was looking for someone


    ¡°Yes, you have to help me find them! The older one is six or seven, the younger one about three. The older one is a girl, the younger one a boy  Money is not an issue, but you have to help me find them.¡±


    His description made my heart stir.


    These are the ages of my two children, but they¡¯re gone. What is he looking for?


    Unfortunately, I only heard a few sentences before he hung up. He didn¡¯t put it on speakerphone, so I don¡¯t know what the other person said.


    Soon, Wu Lijuan returned,


    ¡°Xiao Gu, take Miss Song to dinner!¡±


    ¡°Sure, Auntie!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stood up with his phone, gave me a glance,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go eat!¡±


    I looked up from my phone at him, then followed him to the dining room.


    The housekeeper had prepare the meals, and Wu Lijuan was already at the table.


    ¡°Your uncle rarely comes home these days, and there is no one else at home! It feels lifeless, I know you¡¯re busy and can hardly spare any time. But, even if you come to visit, I¡¯m already very happy.¡±


    Wu Lijuan let out a sigh.


    Gu Yuanzhou said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I have Zexi and Siwen come back last week?¡±


    Wu Lijuan shook her head and sighed,


    ¡°They¡¯ve both been abroad for well over ten years. It¡¯s unlikely they¡¯ll come back. However, I received a call a few days ago from Zexi. He wanted me to go to the United States for treatment. But I¡¯m already old, I don¡¯t want to go anywhere.¡±


    As Wu Lijuan said this, she served a piece of meat to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou was silent for a while, ¡°They¡¯re still young, a good man should have ambition. Travelling abroad is also a way to gain experience.¡±


    Wu Lijuan shook her head, ¡°In the past, your uncle¡¯s businesses were doing well, and the company was thriving. These past few years, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not going so well  ¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face was expressionless, ¡°Auntie, there¡¯s no need to worry. Should anything unexpected happen, I¡¯m still here.¡±


    Wu Lijuan sighed, ¡°In the past if you said these words, I would¡¯ve felt comforted. But Ayun is gone, you¡¯re still young, and will someday need to remarry. Your new wife, how could she allow you to support us?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou put down his chopsticks, first looked at me, then slowly turned to Wu Lijuan.


    ¡°Auntie, I made a promise to Ayun! Since she¡¯s no longer here, I will take care of you on her behalf, I will support you in retirement! I keep my word!¡±


    Hearing his solemn lie, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle.


    Gu Yuanzhou turned to me, staring at me with cold eyes, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°A weasel pays a New Year visit to the chicken, no good intentions!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have something good to say, don¡¯t speak, no one will think you¡¯re mute!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed angry, his tone was extremely blunt.


    However, I can understand Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s anger. After all, he¡¯s been competing with me for a long time and has been losing. It¡¯s normal to feel a bit uneasy.


    Wu Lijuan sighed, ¡°Yuanzhou, it¡¯s said that the dead should be buried in peace, when will Ayun and the kids get their proper burial?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was silent.


    He poured himself a glass of wine, took a gentle sip, and after a long while, he finally spoke.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t accept the reality. As long as no funeral has been held, I still feel they are with me!¡±


    At this, Wu Lijuan¡¯s eyes started to water and she reached for a tissue to wipe her tears.


    ¡°Yuanzhou, you are a good man. It¡¯s such a pity Ayun wasn¡¯t lucky enough to have you! You need to let go of the past and look forward to the future! You¡¯re still young, you can find someone else, get married, have children, and start anew. Otherwise, if you spend your entire life stuck in the past, how are you going to live?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou replied, ¡°I thought about it, I tried, but I couldn¡¯t do it! Every time I close my eyes, what I see is the horrible scene of them being taken by the fire  ¡°

 Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter 208 He is Establishing a Persona_1

    Chapter 208: Chapter 208 He is Establishing a Persona_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words filled me with anger and shock.


    How could he say such a thing?


    If he truly cared so much about his wife and child, why did he keep a college girl as his mistress?


    This act, putting on a show of suffering in front of Wu Lijuan, was just to gain sympathy and attention. Was he trying to earn forgiveness from Wu Lijuan, or had he run out of money and was now trying to borrow some from the Song family?


    No matter the reason, I didn¡¯t want to let him succeed.


    ¡°Mr. Gu really has some nerve to say that! Luckily, I¡¯ve worked at Zhenyi Company long enough to know something about your manipulations, or else I might have been deceived by you too.¡±


    Just as I finished, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face indeed changed color.


    Wu Lijuan asked me,


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®his manipulations¡¯?¡±


    I laughed and replied,


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s actually not such a big deal. He just has the common issue of successful men¡ªhe¡¯s keeping a college girl as his mistress. Maybe in his mind, he thinks it¡¯s not important?¡±


    No sooner had I finished than Gu Yuanzhou hurriedly exclaimed,


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t listen to her baseless gossip! Ayun is the only one in my heart, and besides her, I¡¯ve never had any affairs with any other women!¡±


    ¡°Really, Mr. Gu? Ye Mengyan, the girl you are hiding at the Maple Mansion, she herself has admitted it! It¡¯s common knowledge in the company. Your denial means nothing.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to hide because there is nothing!¡±


    I shrugged my shoulders, and decided not to argue with him any further.


    Whether there is or not, he knows best!


    I didn¡¯t want to make things too awkward in front of Wu Lijuan.


    However, seeing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s behavior right now, I disliked him even more.


    Why is he such a person?


    To what extent can he be so hypocritical?


    As Wu Lijuan went into the kitchen to serve the food, Gu Yuanzhou moved closer to me.


    He picked up a piece of soft ribs and put it in my bowl,


    ¡°Remember this, speak less and eat more.¡±


    I looked at him disdainfully,


    ¡°I thought Mr. Gu has no shame! Turns out, you are just afraid of being exposed.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sneered,


    ¡°You can slander me with having ten mistresses and I wouldn¡¯t care! A clear conscience laughs at false accusations. But you need to consider Wu Lijuan¡¯s feelings. I am her niece¡¯s husband. Nobody would want to see their relative being replaced by someone else after death. Do you understand?¡±


    I glanced at him dismissively,


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand! What people want to see is the truth, not fake lies. Do you think she is a fool? Can¡¯t she see the news and hear the rumors from others? Sooner or later, you will marry Ye Mengyan. Do you think you can hide this from her forever?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with a significant glance,


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense! How could I possibly marry Ye Mengyan?!¡±


    I shrugged,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, remember what you said! I¡¯ll be at your wedding, ready to slap your face!¡±


    ¡°There will be no such wedding! I¡¯ve said it before. I won¡¯t marry again!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stated plainly.


    Suddenly, Wu Lijuan brought a pot of stew out from the kitchen.


    ¡°By the way, Yuanzhou, how is Zhenyi Company doing recently?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly replied,


    ¡°Very good, everything is developing in a positive direction.¡±


    Wu Lijuan nodded,


    ¡°Ayun¡¯s greatest wish was to see Zhenyi Company grow and become strong. Although she¡¯s gone, you must not let her down.¡±


    ¡°I know, Auntie! Her last wish is also the goal of my life. Me being alive   is also for her.¡±


    I was truly shocked that Gu Yuanzhou could say this.


    Wow¡­ Who believes that?


    Fortunately, the food was delicious. After all, I had been accustomed to the taste for more than ten years.


    Otherwise, I really couldn¡¯t stand it for another minute.


    I continued to eat and drink without paying any attention to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Every mouthful of soup I drank, tasted of home and warmth.


    Sometimes sitting here, it feels as if I¡¯ve returned to the past.


    Wu Lijuan chatted with Gu Yuanzhou about everyday matters, and he seemed very patient. No matter what Wu Lijuan asked him, he answered carefully and seriously.


    It was clear to see that he still cared a lot about Wu Lijuan.


    After dinner, Wu Lijuan packed some health supplements for him to take home.


    ¡°You must take good care of yourself, especially now that Ayun is gone. There¡¯s no one around you who cares whether you are cold or warm. You must look after yourself well.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Auntie, I¡¯m still young! I can take care of myself. As for you, take care of your health, and call me anytime if you need anything.¡±


    When Gu Yuanzhou was about to leave, he gave me a meaningful look.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, you should also leave soon, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, are you worried that I will expose your wrongdoings?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you want!¡±


    And with that, he really left.


    I didn¡¯t leave immediately afterwards.


    Instead, I went to the kitchen to clean up with Wu Lijuan.


    In fact, I didn¡¯t spend much time with Wu Lijuan. During my school years, I spent most of my time at university, only coming home for a few days during summer and winter vacations.


    After getting married to Gu Yuanzhou, all my time and energy were focused on my family.


    My visits home became less frequent.


    Every time I returned home, I had the kids with me. The kids were naughty and always needed looking after. As a result, I seldom had time to talk to Wu Lijuan.


    Only now, as things had calmed down, did I notice how much older Wu Lijuan had gotten. Her hair had turned white.


    ¡°Miss Song¡­¡±


    ¡°Auntie, if you don¡¯t mind, you can call me Xiaoyun!¡±


    Wu Lijuan nodded and looked at me, ¡°You really look so similar to our Ayun!¡±


    After the cleaning up, we settled down in the living room.


    She initially wanted to brew tea for me, but I took over the teapot, ¡°Let me do it!¡±


    Wu Lijuan seemed a bit sympathetic to Gu Yuanzhou, ¡°In fact, I didn¡¯t like Gu Yuanzhou at all in the beginning! His family background was not good, I always thought that Ayun should marry someone well-matched in social and economic status! I didn¡¯t want her to walk in her mother¡¯s footsteps!¡±


    Feeling a bit dumbfounded, I realized I¡¯d never heard Wu Lijuan mention my mother before.


    Uncle Song had always remained silent about the matter.


    When I was young and asked about my biological parents, my uncle would tell me that they both died in a car accident.


    Who would have thought that now I was getting a different story?


    ¡°What about Ayun¡¯s mother?¡±


    Wu Lijuan sighed, ¡°Her life was filled with difficulties! Back then, she fell in love with a poor boy which my father-in-law strictly disapproved of. But she insisted on eloping with him.¡±


    ¡°And then what happened?¡±


    ¡°She eloped with the guy to Hong Kong. But within six months, she returned, suffering from severe depression. She wouldn¡¯t eat or sleep! Later, we found out she was pregnant. My husband went to confront the man, and that¡¯s when we learned that he was actually a married man, alas!¡±


    ¡°Did Ayun know about this?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t! Who would dare to tell her! Your uncle hid the truth from her, never mentioning her biological father. It¡¯s a family¡¯s shameful secret! Bringing it up would only make her feel inferior and upset!¡±


    ¡°And¡­what happened next?¡±

 Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter 209 Hidden Identity_1

    Chapter 209: Chapter 209 Hidden Identity_1


    Translator: 549690339


    Wu Lijuan sighed,


    ¡°After giving birth to her child, her depression got worse. She committed suicide even before her postpartum period had ended.¡±


    I felt a slight tremor in my heart.


    I used to not understand why a woman would fall into depression and commit suicide.


    But after experiencing the betrayal of Gu Yuanzhou, I understood that a woman¡¯s emotions run deep, and emotional injuries can leave her feeling that death is preferable to life.


    I think that my biological mother didn¡¯t die from depression, but from the despair of being abandoned and betrayed.¡±


    ¡°Did¡­ he know she was pregnant? Hasn¡¯t he thought about taking the child back all these years?¡±


    Wu Lijuan shook her head, ¡°When she came back, she was already three to four months pregnant. It¡¯s certain that he knew! Maybe he didn¡¯t care, he didn¡¯t come to see the child or even ask for him.¡±


    ¡°Who exactly is this heartless man?¡±


    ¡°Ayun is gone now! Speaking of her heartless father now is pointless.¡±


    I thought about it, and decided to drop my line of questioning.


    What good would knowing an inhuman and heartless man do me?


    Wu Lijuan added,


    ¡°My Ayun, she was as unfortunate as her mother!¡±


    ¡°Aunt, are you saying that Ayun, like her mother, chose a lousy man? You also think Gu Yuanzhou is a lousy man?¡±


    ¡°No, what I mean is, Ayun was unlucky! But she didn¡¯t choose a lousy man, Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t a louse, he was just too poor! If Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t been so poor, he wouldn¡¯t have put all his energy into work and wouldn¡¯t have been oblivious to Ayun being burned.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, isn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou a lousy man?¡±


    ¡°He was just too poor! Ayun suffered a lot during the first few years of her marriage to him!¡±


    ¡°But there are so many rumors online saying that Gu Yuanzhou cheated, don¡¯t you believe them?¡±


    I¡¯ve always wanted to change Wu Lijuan¡¯s perception, to let her know that Gu Yuanzhou is indeed a lousy man.


    In this way, Wu Lijuan won¡¯t be deceived by Gu Yuanzhou in the future.


    Upon hearing this, Wu Lijuan shook her head,


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t approve of their marriage, I still believe Gu Yuanzhou truly loved Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Have you ever considered that there¡¯s something wrong with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s character? That he¡¯s just building up his character?¡±


    I always felt that Gu Yuanzhou had ulterior motives towards the Song Family.


    Even though I haven¡¯t found any evidence yet.


    Wu Lijuan sighed, ¡°Yuanzhou did love Ayun! I know this! We had their fortunes told at the temple! They were a pair of mandarin ducks! It was true love  ¡±


    But I didn¡¯t think so, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that mandarin ducks die together! Once one dies, the other will follow. Look, Gu Yuanzhou is still alive and well, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Wu Lijuan¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red, ¡°Child, you don¡¯t know, Yuanzhou has died once already!¡±


    ¡°He died?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t speak of this outside! Not long after Ayun passed away, Yuanzhou also tried to follow, but he was saved.¡±


    Upon hearing this, I was still unbelieving, ¡°Did you see it with your own eyes?¡±


    ¡°No, I was in the hospital because I wasn¡¯t in good health at the time, it was him who told me!¡±


    Hearing that these words came from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s mouth,


    I found it immensely amusing.


    Gu Yuanzhou!


    Gu Yuanzhou!


    Not only do you build up character, but you also concoct stories, put on performances!


    You¡¯ve completely captured the hearts of the Song family, and if I hadn¡¯t already died once, I wouldn¡¯t have realized you were such a master at this.


    I was about to continue slandering Gu Yuanzhou, essentially intending to reveal his true colors to Wu Lijuan, so she wouldn¡¯t be taken in by this deceiver.


    Unexpectedly, Wu Lijuan stubbornly stood on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s side.


    ¡°Girl! I know you may have been misled by the rumors and misunderstand Yuanzhou! It¡¯s understandable for you to have such misconceptions because you don¡¯t know him. But I¡¯m very clear about the kind of person he is, I trust him. So, please, stop spreading these rumors in the future. Rumor stops at a wise man, do you agree?¡±


    Since Wu Lijuan has said so much, naturally, I couldn¡¯t go on.


    I changed the topic and brought up other things.


    Wu Lijuan continued talking incessantly.


    I didn¡¯t interrupt.


    From her words, it can be inferred that she wasn¡¯t very satisfied with this marriage.


    It¡¯s just that now that Ayun is gone, her thoughts on Gu Yuanzhou are merely wishful thinking.


    After chatting with Wu Lijuan for more than an hour, noticing that she was starting to get sleepy, I decided to take my leave.


    After stepping out from the gate,


    A striking jet-black Rolls-Royce was parked beside the road where I hadn¡¯t expected it to be.


    Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t left?


    To confirm my thought, I took a closer look.


    Indeed it was him.


    Wow, what a surprise!


    Turns out he lied about being busy and had to leave.


    Gu Yuanzhou was standing by the car smoking, and when he saw me come out, he walked up to me.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. Gu say he was leaving? Why are you hiding here?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took a puff from his cigarette, stared into my eyes for a while,


    ¡°What is your motive in getting close to Wu Lijuan? What are you planning to do to her?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her? She¡¯s the one who invited me for dinner!¡±


    ¡°Stay away from her in the future, including all members of the Song family. I don¡¯t want to see you anymore!¡±


    He threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped on it, then turned to leave.


    I chuckled softly behind his back, ¡°Are you afraid, Mr. Gu?¡±


    He suddenly turned around and came back to me, ¡°What should I be afraid of?¡±


    ¡°You know it in your heart, the schemes you¡¯re plotting against the Song family! In the beginning, you pursued Song Yun for Song Shixiong¡¯s wealth. For a poor boy like you to turn things around, the fastest route was to marry a rich man¡¯s daughter! So, saying you loved Song Yun is less accurate than saying you loved her money!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know why, but I just said all these things out of my mouth.


    After Gu Yuanzhou finished listening, he wasn¡¯t angry, he didn¡¯t even show much emotion.


    He casually glanced at me, ¡°I understand, this is what Ding Yinuo sent you here to do, to get information out of me, right?¡±


    ¡°Are you willing to tell the truth? Dare you admit that you never loved your wife, that you¡¯ve been using her from the beginning?¡±


    He still remained calm, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I have a clear conscience, say whatever you like! However, it¡¯s you, there¡¯s something you need to tell Ding Yinuo, he has crossed my line, he better stop now, or the people from the Ding Family will suffer a miserable death.¡±


    After saying these words, Gu Yuanzhou left.


    I stood there for a long time.


    After a while, I came back to my senses and called Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Yinuo, tell me the truth, have you offended Gu Yuanzhou recently?¡±


    Ding Yinuo sounded nervous on the phone, ¡°What has he done to you again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I want to know, what have you done to him recently?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I have done something, I¡¯ll tell you when you get back.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s seemingly casual attitude seemed completely out of sync with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s cold seriousness. I even felt that Gu Yuanzhou was making a fuss over nothing, deliberately exaggerating.


    However, the reality was far beyond my imagination.

 Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter 210 Suffocating_1

    Chapter 210: Chapter 210 Suffocating_1


    Translator: 549690339


    By the time I returned to Xishan Residence, it was already past eight at night.


    Everyone had gathered here for Su Peisheng¡¯s birthday.


    Ding Yinuo was the kind of person who was very loyal to his friends, and he was surrounded by a bunch of them.


    As soon as I came in, I pulled Ding Yinuo into my bedroom and shut the door.


    He was dressed in a white suit, with no shirt underneath, revealing his firm chest, looking quite nonchalant yet slightly wild.


    He was holding a glass of red wine, smiling at me.


    ¡°Shoving me into the room so quickly, the guys may get the wrong idea, thinking you   want to do something to me?¡±


    He had drank a few too many, his cheeks were slightly flushed, and his eyes were brimming with playfulness.


    His gaze was seductive.


    A restless person like him could easily get lost.


    But I was very calm at this moment.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, tell me, what have you done to Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    He acted completely innocent.


    I had to lay it all out, ¡°I went to the Song Family today, I saw Gu Yuanzhou  ¡±


    ¡°What did he do to you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo nervously touched my face.


    I shrugged, ¡°I am absolutely fine right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point, the point is   he asked me to remind you not to provoke him anymore¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo dismissed it and even cursed. ¡°Coward, why doesn¡¯t he come at me directly!¡±


    ¡°So, you really did something?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing   By the way, are you hungry? Let¡¯s eat something!¡±


    Although Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t say a word, I felt that he was hiding something from me and refused to admit it.


    I was getting a little angry,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I¡¯m angry!¡±


    ¡°There might be a little something, but it really has nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s not talk about it, let¡¯s go eat.¡±


    No matter how I asked, this guy just wouldn¡¯t let a word slip.


    I was really angry.


    After leaving the bedroom, I angrily downed a glass of beer.


    Despite Ding Yinuo¡¯s continued coaxing, I still ignored him.


    Out of irritation, I even lashed out at him,


    ¡°If you are so wary of me, we should break up!¡±


    However, even though I said such harsh words, Ding Yinuo still did not compromise.


    Thankfully, the others played the peacemaker


    ¡°There¡¯s no overnight feud between husband and wife. Break up today, and we¡¯ll get back together tomorrow! Come on, sister-in-law, have a drink!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was drinking his wine while looking at me cautiously.


    I was still angry!


    He scooped out a piece of beef from the hotpot and put it in my bowl.


    I didn¡¯t eat it!


    He then placed a fishball into my bowl.


    I continued not eating.


    In the end, after finishing my beer, I got up and left.


    Ding Yinuo rushed out after me, grabbing my hand, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling suffocated here, I want to go out for a walk!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I feel suffocated too, I¡¯ll go with you!¡±


    I was originally planning to leave him behind, but unexpectedly, he also wanted to go with me.


    I shook off his hand.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, do you really not know, or are you pretending not to know? You clearly know what I want to know, but you¡¯re deliberately playing hide and seek with me?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, you really don¡¯t need to know!¡±


    He was truly tight-lipped, not leaking a single word!


    Looking at the man standing in the night, calm-faced, determined eyes.


    I was so angry that I said something that was really harsh,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo! If you really insist on guarding against me! Perhaps, we should have never been together from the beginning! We are just suitable as competitors, not friends.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what got into me.


    Or maybe it was my emotions running high. I felt that Ding Yinuo was deliberately hiding something from me for fear that I would find out something.


    When I walked out of the door, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t even chase after me.


    However, after I had walked along the road for a few minutes, Su Peisheng and Wenya chased after me in their car.


    ¡°Ayun, stop fooling around, get in the car!¡±


    Su Peisheng slowed down the car, while Wenya was waving at me from inside the car.


    I ignored them and continued to walk ahead.


    Su Peisheng had to stop the car. Wenya got out of the car and ran a few steps to catch up with me.


    ¡°Ayun, the thing you want to know, I¡¯ll tell you!¡±


    Only then did I stop and look at Wenya.


    Wenya held my hand.


    This place was rather remote, with very few cars on the road in the night.


    We were still quite far from the city center.


    Wenya said to me, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get in the car first, we can talk on the way back!¡±


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to go back! I¡¯m very disappointed in Ding Yinuo. I thought he was different from Gu Yuanzhou, but it turns out, he is also hiding things from me. Tell me, who can I trust in this world?¡±


    Unexpectedly, Wenya even laughed at my words.


    ¡°Ayun! The fact that you¡¯re so angry shows that you care a lot about Ding Yinuo! Think about the past, he couldn¡¯t hurt you at all! Now, a tiny matter has got you annoyed!¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    I stubbornly refused to admit it!


    Then, Wenya said, ¡°Come back with me. He¡¯s really worried about you!¡±


    ¡°First, tell me what¡¯s going on!¡±


    Sometimes I can be quite stubborn, for a moment there, I even thought that Wenya was manipulated by Ding Yinuo to deceive me into going back.


    Wenya shook her head, ¡°You   are really ridiculous. How could I possibly lie to you?¡±


    Still, she took out her phone from her bag, scrolled around for a while before showing me a picture.


    In the picture, Ye Mengyan had been bound and was being pressed against the ground


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo kidnapped Ye Mengyan! He didn¡¯t want us to tell you because he didn¡¯t want you to get involved. If the police investigate in the future and you knew about it, wouldn¡¯t you also get tangled in it? So, he made everyone agree not to tell you!¡±


    ¡°Ah? When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Actually, he has been planning this for some time. After you were attacked in the bar last time, Ding Yinuo got a few guys together to kidnap Ye Mengyan and force her to confess! But that woman, Ye Mengyan, has been plotting secretly ever since, trying to leave the country. Ding Yinuo sabotaged her several times, and she couldn¡¯t leave. It was only a few days ago that they finally had the chance to catch her.¡±


    ¡°So, what was the outcome? Did Ye Mengyan confess?¡±


    If Ye Mengyan could confess, it would simplify things a lot.


    Wenya shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t really know either. It was Su Peisheng who told me at risk of his life. He said that Ding Yinuo ordered that anyone who leaked even half a word would be cut off.¡±


    Although I wanted to ask more, another car drove up from behind, slowing down as it got closer.


    The car door opened, and out stepped Ding Yinuo.


    He looked at Wenya and then turned his gaze to me.


    In his eyes, there was a hint of worry


    Su Peisheng slapped him on the shoulder, then glanced at me.

 Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter 211: Mutual Probing Without Bottom Line_1

    Chapter 211: Chapter 211: Mutual Probing Without Bottom Line_1


    Translator: 549690339


    After the car stopped, lights did not go off.


    Ding Yinuo emerged from the shadow of the car lights and walked towards me.


    He stood before me, pressed his hand against his forehead, and slid both hands into his pants pockets.


    At that moment, he looked just like a child who¡¯d done something wrong, his eyes reflecting a certain unease and uncertainty towards the future.


    ¡°Uh, Ayun, I   ¡±


    Before he could speak, I apologized first.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ding Yinuo, I was wrong!¡±


    Seemingly not expecting this reaction, he stared wide-eyed, looking at me incredulously.


    I continued,


    ¡°Yes, it was my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have doubted you, I shouldn¡¯t have said those things out of anger!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression began to change slowly.


    His surprised expression gradually turned into a grin, as the corners of his mouth pulled into a soft smile and his eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Good, I accept your apology!¡±


    His sentence was brimming with confidence.


    He regained his buoyant demeanor.


    Wenya pushed Ding Yinuo a bit,


    ¡°Manager Ding, don¡¯t forgive her so easily! Make her pay a little price, like, make her kiss you! She can¡¯t just apologize like that.¡±


    Wenya, instigating at the side, moved to hide behind Su Peisheng with a laugh, afraid of my kick.


    Ding Yinuo touched his nose and looked at me,


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t you think what Wenya said makes sense, you could¡­¡±


    ¡°In your dreams!¡±


    ¡°Well! You¡¯re right! Wenya is indeed stirring the pot!¡±


    Su Peisheng with Wenya in his arms got in the car, and turned back to Ding Yinuo with contempt:


    ¡°The temperature is dropping, it¡¯s getting cold, hurry back. Ah, I really can¡¯t stand you guys, always flirting!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home!¡±


    Ding Yinuo came to my side, put his arm around my shoulder, his gaze still gentle, I nodded and moved to the passenger seat.


    After getting in the car, I couldn¡¯t help but ask him,


    ¡°Did Ye Mengyan confess?¡±


    Ding Yinuo started the car, and turned it around,


    ¡°At that time, one of my brothers scared her with sulfuric acid, and she couldn¡¯t bear it and confessed. She admitted that she had someone try to kill you the last time. I have reported it to the police. If I¡¯m not wrong, she should be in custody by now.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll accuse you of kidnapping?¡±


    ¡°She has no evidence! My brothers were wearing masks, she couldn¡¯t recognize them! Besides, she confessed to hiring a hitman to kill you, which proves that she is the killer. She¡¯s a criminal, and our kidnapping the criminal is called self-defense! Don¡¯t worry, with Su Peisheng, the great lawyer, we won¡¯t make any mistakes, we¡¯ll be very careful with every step.¡±


    After Ding Yinuo finished saying this, I was silent.


    I finally understood Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s anger today.


    On the one hand, he was testing me to see if I was the one who kidnapped Ye Mengyan.


    It seemed that he really had ulterior motives in going to the Song family.


    When we got home,


    People were still eating and drinking.


    Su Peisheng raised his wine glass to me,


    ¡°Miss Song, look at our Manager Ding, he¡¯s been waiting for you for so many years. When do you think you two will finally be together?¡±


    At this time, a few other friends also chimed in, ¡°Get together, get together!¡±


    Wenya signaled me with her eyes,


    ¡°Ayun! Let go of the past! Cherish the man in front of you!¡±


    Caught in a difficult position, and amidst everyone¡¯s enthusiasm, I didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    I could only raise my glass,


    ¡°Everyone, let me toast you first, down the hatch!¡±


    I was indeed changing the subject.


    But Su Peisheng, who was tactless, didn¡¯t seem to get it and keep on pushing.


    ¡°No, Miss Song. Just drinking is evasion. Our Manager Ding has liked you for so long, you must give him an answer today. If you like him, say you like him. If you don¡¯t, just say you don¡¯t. He can¡¯t just keep on hoping, right?¡±


    I gave Su Peisheng a scornful look, what was this jerk talking about?


    I never dragged Ding Yinuo around.


    I promptly rebutted,


    ¡°I never made him wait, nor have I ever tried to evade. It¡¯s just not the right time.¡±


    ¡°Then be straightforward! You won¡¯t lose if you agree now!¡±


    This guy persisted, until Ding Yinuo himself intervened.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink this glass. Su, it¡¯s not quite the same as doing business. These things need a good atmosphere. You¡¯re being too vulgar and you just don¡¯t understand.¡±


    After Ding Yinuo drank the wine, Su Peisheng apparently got the message and didn¡¯t press any further.


    We continued to eat, and after half an hour,


    The dinner party ended, and only Ding Yinuo and I were left at home.


    Ding Yinuo had drunk quite a bit, his face slightly red. I helped him clean up, preparing to go to the bedroom.


    He took my hand, just looking at me for a long time.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, it¡¯s late, let¡¯s sleep.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we should¡±


    Although he agreed verbally, he still held on to my hand.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo!!¡±


    ¡°For what happened today, don¡¯t you want to say something?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I want to say, I¡¯m very sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have doubted you. I was just angry at that time, I didn¡¯t like the feeling of being in the dark.¡±


    ¡°Not that   it¡¯s about what Su Peisheng said. Ayun, have you ever thought of marrying me?¡±


    He looked deeply into my eyes.


    I remained silent, smiling at him.


    He took my hand, placed it on his warm cheek.


    ¡°If your previous life was a mistake! Then, I am your correction sign, Ayun, I can let you start over!¡±


    I withdrew my hand, the smile slowly fading from my face,


    ¡°I know, Ding Yinuo, I haven¡¯t forced you. Su Peisheng said the same thing. It would be wrong for me to keep dragging you along. Therefore, I can tell you explicitly now! There is no chance between us. You can go to Jiang Jiaying, you can find another woman to marry, you are getting old, you don¡¯t have to wait for me, there¡¯s no hope for us!¡±


    I was clear that I could not give Ding Yinuo a future, nor could I enjoy his kindness recklessly.


    So, I must be clear, reject him, make him give up, and stop him from wasting too much energy on me.


    Ding Yinuo seemed quite dejected, his eyes reflecting hurt.


    ¡°Ayun, then you tell me yourself, you don¡¯t like me!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    I looked up at him.


    A tall and handsome man with no flaw in sight, what woman wouldn¡¯t love? Who wouldn¡¯t be moved?


    Beauty and food both charm the eyes!


    I admit that being a woman, sometimes when I see him, my mind also gets swayed.


    But I can¡¯t!


    As long as I haven¡¯t given up on my idea of revenge on Gu Yuanzhou, I can¡¯t enter into a marriage with any man.


    While I have indeed been reborn, I haven¡¯t lost my memory.


    I can¡¯t forget the past, and so I am doomed not to have a future.


    Taking a deep breath, I said those four words to him.

 Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Refusal_1

    Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Refusal_1


    Translator: 549690339


    ¡°I admire you and find you suitable as a friend. I admit, I have a faint liking for you. But that slight affection isn¡¯t enough for me to fall in love with you.¡±


    ¡°Is there a difference between liking and loving?¡±


    He asked eagerly.


    His unwillingness was evident, he clearly knew the answer but couldn¡¯t accept it, desperate for a chance to turn the tables. Just like an immature and irrational boy.


    It always seems to me that Ding Yinuo, a man who¡¯s accustomed to a privileged upbringing.


    From a young age, he had no worries about food and clothing. Whatever he wanted, he could easily have.


    So, he¡¯s incredibly confident!


    And my rejection caused his self-confidence to collapse.


    So, he didn¡¯t want to accept this outcome.


    I smiled.


    Because I knew clearly if I hadn¡¯t extricated myself from this mire, dragging him into it would lead us both deeper into the abyss of anguish.


    ¡°Ayun, tell me, what¡¯s wrong with me, I can change! Ayun, I know sometimes I¡¯m not so mature, and I¡¯m a bit too eager in handling emotional matters. When I¡¯m with you, I might not have taken your feelings into account. But, as long as you speak up, I can change.¡±


    As I looked at the hurt in his eyes, and thought about how good he has always been to me,


    And thought about the recent misfortune that befell the Ding family.


    I felt it may be somewhat too cruel to reject him now.


    So, I changed my tune.


    ¡°It¡¯s not because of you, it¡¯s my own issues. Give me some time, until one day, when I¡¯m no longer caught up with Gu Yuanzhou. When I¡¯ve achieved my vengeance and rid my hatred. If at that time, you still like me, you still want to marry me, we can discuss whether or not to be together again, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    A soft light finally returned to Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes.


    With an imperceptible smile tugging at his lips, he gently touched my wrist


    ¡°Did I grip too tightly?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Should I massage it for you?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, are you drunk?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I had a bit too much. I feel a bit dizzy  ¡±


    Under the influence of alcohol, he abruptly bent over and picked me up, then ran around in crazy circles in the living room.


    It was obvious he was excited, as if he had discovered some kind of treasure.


    After a couple of rounds, he then carried me to the bed.


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ll wait for you!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if my response could be considered as commitment.


    ¡°Ayun, I want to sleep by your side tonight!¡±


    He put forward another excessive demand.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Just for an hour!¡±


    ¡°Not good!¡±


    ¡°Ten minutes?¡±


    I eventually gave in to his relentless insistence, allowing him to sleep there.


    He then contentedly laid down.


    We¡¯d initially agreed to just ten minutes, but he fell into deep slumber.


    Until the next morning, when I woke up, he was still fast asleep.


    The phone kept ringing, alarming me awake from my dream. I leapt off the sofa, darted over to the side table, and picked up the phone.


    It was Ding Yinuo¡¯s phone. The caller ID indicated Mother.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, your phone, please answer!¡±


    Ding Yinuo groggily got up and took the phone.


    After a few seconds, he hung up the call and started looking for his clothes on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower and head home.¡±


    ¡°Okay, go ahead!¡±


    At this point, I was still unaware of what had happened.


    After Ding Yinuo went to take a shower, his phone started ringing again. This time the caller ID showed it was Ding Xiao¡¯s number.


    I became a bit suspicious, what on earth was happening? Early in the morning, his family members were taking turns to call Ding Yinuo?


    Ding Yinuo quickly finished his shower. Buttoning his shirt and glancing at the couch, he asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you sleep in the bed last night?¡±


    ¡°No, the bed is too small, actually, the couch is quite comfortable   Oh, your brother called.¡±


    I handed the phone to him.


    As he put on his shoes, he dialed back.


    He had it on speaker, and I could hear.


    Ding Xiao said, dad has had an accident, come back home!


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m coming back right away!¡±


    Ding Yinuo quickly prepared to go out, his face unprecedently solemn. I rushed after him and called out.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    He hesitated for a few minutes before he said, ¡°You head back to the office first, just follow the company¡¯s schedule, we¡¯ll cancel the afternoon meeting, contact me if you have any issues.¡±


    ¡°What happened at your house?¡±


    ¡°Nothing! I¡¯ll just go handle it!¡±


    He still refused to tell me, and hurriedly left the house.


    By the time I grabbed my bag and went to follow him, his car had already left.


    I had a bad feeling.


    However, I returned to the company first.


    Since he was tending to his family issues, I needed to oversee the company.


    However, just as I arrived at the office, the receptionist hastily approached me, ¡°Miss Song, a Mr. Gu is looking for you, he¡¯s been waiting for over an hour.¡±


    I checked my phone, I had overslept, it was past nine now.


    That meant he had been here since eight.


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He waited in the reception room for half an hour, then went to your office! The guest seems to have a nasty temper  ¡±


    I could see the alarm in the receptionist¡¯s eyes, she clearly knew who our guest was.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll handle it!¡±


    I lightly patted the receptionist¡¯s shoulder, then went straight upstairs.


    My office has no doors, it¡¯s surrounded by transparent glass walls, half of which is a design workspace.


    Most of the time, I¡¯m designing and making fashion, as there are still many outstanding orders.


    To maintain a no-barrier working environment with my staff, I didn¡¯t install a door   From a far, it looks more like an exhibition hall for our company.


    A row of models stands inside, each one wearing one of my sample designs.


    At the moment, a dark figure was in there admiring my designs.


    I walked quickly into the room.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, you¡¯re not welcome here!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, his hand in his pocket, glanced at me.


    ¡°Your office is so small, much worse than Zhenyi¡¯s!¡±


    ¡°True!¡±


    ¡°How much does he pay you a month?¡±


    ¡°Not a single penny!¡±


    ¡°Freeloading off you?¡±


    He expressed disdain.


    ¡°Of course not, I have shares! I want to rise and fall with Sky Pride together!¡±


    ¡°Naive! Do you really believe Sky Pride still has a future? Yes, money is vulgar, but without money, all you can do is starve.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou started preaching again, unfortunately, I had lost my interest in listening.


    I pointed rudely towards the elevator,


    ¡°Mr. Gu, let me say it one more time, you¡¯re not welcome here. The door is that way, would you please leave.¡±


    He totally ignored my words, instead sitting down on the couch, ¡°I¡¯m not here to see you!¡±


    ¡°Then who are you here for?¡±


    ¡°You call Ding Yinuo! Tell him, the only person who can save the Ding family, is me!¡±


    Obviously, I didn¡¯t believe a word of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s nonsense, I continued to stubbornly point towards the door, ¡°One needs face, trees need bark, Gu Yuanzhou, I find you so repulsive, isn¡¯t it pointless for you to stay here?¡±


    Given what I just said, any self-aware man would have got up and left by now.


    Indeed, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face turned grim upon my words, he stood up, ¡°I admire your courage, but let me tell you, you¡¯ll regret the words you said today.¡±


    Having said that, he decisively turned around and left.


    Just before he left, his calm and indifferent eyes sent a chill down my spine.

 Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 213 – Layout_1

    Chapter 213: Chapter 213 ¨C Layout_1


    Translator: 549690339


    I don¡¯t exactly know why, but every time I see Gu Yuanzhou, my heart can never be calm.


    After he left, I supported myself on the desk with both hands, my thoughts scattered and muddled.


    I brewed a cup of coffee.


    Forcing myself to calm down.


    After walking in circles in the office, I remembered what Gu Yuanzhou had said and immediately called Ding Yinuo.


    He didn¡¯t even let me speak and said very sternly,


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you later. I¡¯m very busy now.¡±


    With just these few words, he hung up.


    Typically, even if he was busy, he would at least ask me about the company when I call him.


    Clearly, his hands must be full right now.


    So, I called Wenya and asked her to find out what was happening with Su Peisheng.


    Wenya did not disappoint me.


    She gave me an answer within ten minutes.


    ¡°You asked at the right time, Su Peisheng is currently at the Ding Family handling the matter.¡±


    ¡°What is really going on?¡±


    ¡°Previously, Ding¡¯s father used to be the Vice-Chancellor of South University. Now, he¡¯s been reported for embezzling public funds. The amount is quite large. According to Su Peisheng, it could be enough for a sentence of over ten years. As you know, Ding¡¯s father is already in his sixties, and his health isn¡¯t good. He also has a heart condition. If he ends up in jail, it could be the death of him.¡±


    I could hear the worry in Wenya¡¯s voice. After hearing these words, I felt disheartened,


    ¡°I don¡¯t view Ding¡¯s father as that type of person. Did he really do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°According to Su Peisheng¡¯s understanding of the incident, there was a project at the time that was about to be cut off but was continuously stalled by the higher-up. Thus, a third party wanted to expedite the process and thought of bribing the official. They gave some money to the official. They didn¡¯t have any connection with this official and asked Ding¡¯s father to deliver it. Indeed, he involved himself in this matter, but he thought it was just a box of fruit or cigarettes. He didn¡¯t know it was a large sum of money. Anyway, he participated unknowingly, and the money ended up in the official¡¯s hands  ¡±


    ¡°That can surely be worked out. Expose the official and it will be fine.¡±


    ¡°The problem now is that the official left for overseas last year and has been out of sight. And the third party wants to find a scapegoat, so they accused Ding¡¯s father.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there any way to solve this problem?¡±


    ¡°According to Su Peisheng, the difficulty in this case is that Ding¡¯s father did indeed participate. It¡¯s incontrovertible! Moreover, the third party was very cunning. At the time, they not only recorded it, but they also filmed it. It¡¯s a case with solid evidence.¡±


    ¡°But, Ding¡¯s father has retired and is no longer in his position.¡±


    Wenya sighed,


    ¡°We have lifelong accountability! It¡¯s not like you are off the hook as soon as you retire. Ayun, don¡¯t be too worried, the Ding family is handling it.¡±


    What Wenya said just served to comfort me.


    I have seen cases like this before.


    The implicated party not only has to cough up the embezzled money but also serves time in jail.


    The crucial point now is that the money was taken by the officials. So, Ding¡¯s father has to pay the price


    This is a lose-lose situation.


    Wenya kept sighing,


    ¡°Ding Family has really been hit with bad luck recently! What¡¯s going on, why do they keep having problems, this matter has been over so many years, it¡¯s ancient history!¡±


    Lightbulb moment. I suddenly remembered what Gu Yuanzhou said before he left and the calm look in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s doing!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou must be taking revenge on the Ding Family!¡±


    ¡°Damn! This asshole is really trying to destroy the Ding Family?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find him!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, maybe you should discuss this with Ding Yinuo before finding Gu Yuanzhou, it might not be a good idea to go to him like this!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Ding Yinuo, I¡¯ll handle it! He¡¯s tied up right now, I can¡¯t let him worry about this any more.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, okay, you just be careful.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I¡¯ve lost my mood to work.


    Noon, I called Xu Yun, invited her to have lunch together.


    Right now, she was the only employee that I know who hadn¡¯t been fired by Zhenyi Company.


    ¡°Hey, Sister Song, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t continue to work too!¡±


    After having lunch, Xu Yun sighed.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°President Gu has changed!¡±


    ¡°Explain in detail!¡±


    ¡°His temper has been awful recently, and he fires people left and right. In the past month, the company has fired more than ten employees. Anyone who talked back to him or performed poorly got fired.¡±


    ¡°What do your colleagues think is the reason?¡±


    ¡°I heard some gossip; it seems to be because of Ye Mengyan. Supposedly, she was arrested! But this is just a rumor among the employees, it may not be accurate.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I see!¡±


    So, the crux of the matter was still Ye Mengyan. To save that woman, Gu Yuanzhou is going crazy.


    What can I do to save the Ding Family?


    In the afternoon, I went with Wenya, and bought some gifts to visit Ding¡¯s father at the hospital.


    At the entrance of the ward, we saw a police officer, Su Peisheng was negotiating with the officer.


    We hope the police can be lenient and let Ding¡¯s father focus on his recovery in the hospital, without any interruptions.


    The officer refused, ¡°Mr. Ding is currently under our supervision, in strict terms, everyone, including those who come to visit him, will be monitored by us. Everyone will be subject to scrutiny. Therefore, the police advise you not to stay for too long.¡±


    To my surprise, Su Peisheng pleaded for quite a while, but Wenya and I were denied visiting rights because we were not direct relatives of the patient.


    At that moment, Ding Yinuo was communicating with the attending doctor.


    The doctors were his colleagues, and the two of them discussed the surgical treatment plan for over an hour.


    Half an hour later, Ding Xiao also arrived.


    ¡°As for public opinion, I¡¯m trying to control it! I don¡¯t know how long I can manage it, however. If the mainstream media insists on reporting this, it would be detrimental for Tianjiao Company¡¯s stock price.¡±


    Compared to his brother, Ding Yinuo was much calmer and composed under the circumstances.


    I knew I couldn¡¯t do anything to help at that moment, so I just stood at a distance.


    Wenya¡¯s gaze was fixed on Su Peisheng.


    When Su Peisheng finished communicating, she walked up to him.


    ¡°How about this, we kidnap Gu Yuanzhou! Make him withdraw the lawsuit!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late for that now, it has already become a public prosecution case! It¡¯s impossible to withdraw it now! The Ding Family is doomed.¡±


    ¡°Damn, why isn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou dead yet!¡±


    Wenya cursed


    Over there, having finally handled all the matters, Ding Yinuo became aware of my presence. He turned around and walked towards me.


    His face was pale, and his eyes filled with weariness.


    However, the moment he saw me, he gave a light smile, and his eyes turned gentle.


    ¡°Ayun, how come you are here?¡±

 Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Chapter 214: The Unreliable Condition He Proposed_1

    Chapter 214: Chapter 214: The Unreliable Condition He Proposed_1


    Translator: 549690339


    That faint smile appeared like a ray of light in the darkness.


    It gave people hope and confidence.


    I nodded,


    ¡°I came to visit Uncle Ding. If there¡¯s anything you need my help with, just let me know.¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t say anything and just asked Su Peisheng for a cigarette.


    He stood in the corridor, smoking.


    I could tell that he was trying hard to hide his emotions.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°The police are blocking the area, so I can¡¯t visit Uncle Ding anymore! I¡¯ll come visit next time!¡±


    ¡°I can walk you out!¡±


    When we came out of the hospital, Ding Yinuo was standing by my side.


    He was silent, his head lowered as if thinking about something, I could feel he seemed lost in his own thoughts.


    In the elevator, Wenya asked,


    ¡°Manager Ding, is Uncle Ding¡¯s illness serious?¡±


    Ding Yinuo slowly turned to look at her, and after a while, he seemed not knowing what to say.


    But Su Peisheng quickly interrupted, ¡°Silly girl, why are you talking so much today? Manager Ding, ignore her.¡±


    Ding Yinuo chuckled a little, then stopped talking.


    When we stepped out of the elevator, I realized the gravity of the situation.


    I stopped Ding Yinuo, ¡°You don¡¯t have to escort me anymore, go take care of Uncle Ding! We can leave on our own.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then!¡±


    He didn¡¯t insist further. I felt as if he went with us out of habit.


    But his absent-minded demeanor made me wonder if he only felt safe when he was with me?


    After seeing Ding Yinuo up the stairs, the three of us left the hospital.


    Once we were a safe distance away, Wenya said to Su Peisheng,


    ¡°Why are you so weird today? I just wanted to show some concern for Uncle Ding! We are all friends, what¡¯s the matter with that?¡±


    ¡°Look at you, heartless. Asking about this now is like rubbing salt into the wound.¡±


    ¡°Is Uncle Ding really that serious?¡±


    I asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s in serious condition! This involves the Ding family¡¯s reputation! You know, Uncle Ding has always been very proud. The older generation cares a lot about their dignity. This incident being exposed, even without imprisonment, he would not be able to face people.¡±


    Su Peisheng sighed repeatedly.


    ¡°The old man must be under great pressure! I heard, he refused to cooperate with the treatment and refused to take his medicine, like he wants to die!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wenya also grasped the seriousness of the situation.


    ¡°So what do we do?¡±


    Su Peisheng shook his head,


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to do what we can! But this time, I¡¯m afraid we are helpless. We can only hope that Manager Ding can pull through! But right now, the most important thing is to control public opinion, otherwise things will get out of control.¡±


    I was silent.


    Thinking about it, this attack against Uncle Ding.


    Was also part of the plan Gu Yuanzhou had written in that book.


    However, the plan just mentioned exposing Uncle Ding¡¯s skeletons in the closet, it didn¡¯t specify any particular wrongdoing.


    Back then, I suggested Ding Yinuo send his parents abroad to avoid the public eye, unfortunately, he didn¡¯t take my advice.


    And now, the situation had spiraled out of control.


    Though regretting it now isn¡¯t very helpful.


    Standing at the crossroads, I thought about how more details of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s plan targeting the Ding family had not yet been put into action.


    If he really went all out, the consequences would be unimaginable.


    This thought gave me a chill.


    ¡°Ayun, why aren¡¯t you moving?¡±


    Wenya waved her hand in front of me.


    I collected myself,


    ¡°Uh, you go ahead with Su Peisheng, I have something to do!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, are you planning something?¡±


    ¡°I have a friend I need to see!¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you later!¡±


    Wenya got into Su Peisheng¡¯s car, and they drove away quickly.


    I stood at the entrance of the hospital, looking up in the direction Ding Yinuo had gone.


    After a while, I pulled out my phone and called Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°I want to talk to you!¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve finally come to your senses, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You name the place!¡±


    ¡°Maple Mansion then!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, or I could go to Zhenyi Company. We don¡¯t need to meet somewhere so private!¡±


    ¡°Do you think you have a say in this?¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I agreed directly, afraid that he would change his mind.


    But I couldn¡¯t understand why he always wanted me to come to the place where he was keeping Ye Mengyan!


    I got ready, and arrived for our 6 o¡¯clock appointment.


    I had already returned the key to Maple Mansion to Gu Yuanzhou, so when I arrived, I had to stand at the door and knock.


    It took a while before I heard Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice from inside.


    ¡°The door¡¯s not locked, come in!¡±


    After I entered,


    I saw Gu Yuanzhou sitting in the living room, sipping tea.


    He looked relaxed.


    Upon hearing the sound, he raised his head, his jet-black eyes looking at me.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Have a seat!¡±


    He tapped on the table, then poured me a cup of tea.


    ¡°Have some, I made this tea! Tell me how it tastes!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I didn¡¯t come here to drink tea. What outcome are you aiming for with the situation of the Ding family?¡±


    ¡°I told you, have your tea! If you don¡¯t want to drink, then you can leave!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou held his teacup, looking at me coldly.


    I had no choice but to suppress the anger roaring inside me, and drank the tea in front of me.


    ¡°How does it taste?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s bitter, under-brewed, and the tea leaves aren¡¯t good!¡±


    I was blunt.


    He laughed lightly, ¡°You¡¯re quite accurate!¡±


    ¡°Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in knowing why, and I don¡¯t care about tea brewing. I¡¯m here to talk about the situation of the Ding family.¡±


    I lost my patience, I didn¡¯t want to have an extra word with him.


    I just wanted to resolve these issues as quickly as possible and leave.


    Gu Yuanzhou looked calm,


    ¡°In the past, Ye Mengyan used to brew tea for me and cook dinner. Now, without anyone to handle these things for me, they become like this.¡±


    I calmly told him,


    ¡°Have you ever thought that because of affection, it blinds you with tinted glasses?¡±


    ¡°He was coerced by Ding Yinuo when he was threatened, and lied in order to protect himself.¡±


    ¡°But police are not fools! We are living in a lawful society now, if Ding Yinuo is indeed framing her, I trust the judges and police would not be deceived, right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face darkened at my words.


    ¡°Is this what you came to tell me today?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what do you want?¡±


    He looked at me, a smirk in his eyes, ¡°I want to watch as the Ding family collapses!¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? Just for Ye Mengyan, you want to hurt so many innocent people?¡±


    ¡°The people from Ding family are not innocent! They have all done terrible things in the past, I just happened to report them. If they are innocent, why would they be afraid of being reported? It¡¯s not like I was forcing them to take bribes, right?¡±


    ¡°They have been framed!¡±


    ¡°Oh, as you said earlier, the law is just! So, we should trust the judges and police, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    He threw back at me the words I had just said!


    I felt that he intentionally humiliated me by asking me to come today. I was furious, but could do nothing.


    ¡°So what do you want in order to leave the Ding family alone?¡±

 Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter 215 Unexpected_1

    Chapter 215: Chapter 215 Unexpected_1


    Translator: 549690339


    When Gu Yuanzhou heard this, he finally showed a meaningful smile.


    He carried on with his own tea.


    ¡°I warned you not to go to Tianjiao, not to fantasize that Ding Yinuo could help you! Isn¡¯t this your own doing now?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! If it were a fair competition, you wouldn¡¯t stand a chance!¡±


    ¡°Can you still talk to me so defiantly now?¡±


    ¡°What do you want then?¡±


    I tried my best to control my emotions.


    I wanted to negotiate with Gu Yuanzhou, trying to seize his weak points.


    But after thinking about it, he didn¡¯t leave me much room to manoeuvre, this man was too cunning¡ªeverything done without a single leak, without any loopholes.


    ¡°So tell me, what value do you have?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, if you¡¯re willing to step down, I can return to the Zhenyi Company. I can even move back to the Maple Mansion, as long as you let the Ding family off the hook.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou paused the actions of his tea-making to take a long look at me,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that for Ding Yinuo, you can go so far.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for Ding Yinuo, but because  I am a human!¡±


    ¡°In fact, I actually don¡¯t want you to come back to Zhenyi now. After all, you left and your heart isn¡¯t mine anymore! Forcing you back has no meaning, and at worst, you might actually join up with Ding Yinuo to fight against me ¨C wouldn¡¯t my loss be even more severe!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze had a bit of the cunning of an old fox.


    His analysis was spot on, indeed considering many repercussions.


    I glared at him,


    ¡°So, what¡¯s President Gu¡¯s intention?¡±


    ¡°What if we do this, you announce to the public your engagement to me!¡±


    When Gu Yuanzhou calmly said these words, I was taken aback.


    It took a moment to react,


    ¡°I always thought that President Gu¡¯s love was Ye Mengyan. Even though she has risked imprisonment, I didn¡¯t expect that you could just give up on her in the blink of an eye!¡±


    ¡°I never said I would give up on her!¡±


    ¡°So your proposal, isn¡¯t it because you¡¯ve fallen in love with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡±


    ¡°What is it then?¡±


    ¡°I am merely trying to make Ding Yinuo suffer!¡±


    ¡°You! Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re being a bit of a psycho! I absolutely will not agree! You¡¯re completely mad!¡±


    I originally thought I could persuade Gu Yuanzhou, but it seems I was being naive.


    But, for his disrespectful request, I could by no means agree.


    Doing so would mean betraying Ding Yinuo!


    And also betraying my friends!


    Furthermore, I¡¯ve already been lied to by him in my past life. Marrying him again now, wouldn¡¯t that make me out of my mind.


    I angrily stomped out.


    Just as I left the Maple Mansion, my phone started ringing again.


    This time it was a call from Wenya.


    ¡°Ayun, where are you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen to Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the news today?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see, I¡¯m currently negotiating with Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Did you both come to a conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly  ¡±


    ¡°Where are you? Come over to my house, let¡¯s talk in person!¡±


    Wenya didn¡¯t ask me to return to the Xishan Residence, but to Wen¡¯s House. I felt things might be a bit troublesome.


    Without thinking too much, I immediately hailed a taxi to go to Wen¡¯s House.


    As soon as I entered, I saw Wenya standing at the door, arms crossed, waiting for me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it to you on the road because I was afraid you couldn¡¯t handle it  Uncle Ding  he¡¯s gone!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know why, but my mind just crashed for a moment, unable to process.


    I saw Wenya¡¯s lips moving, but I couldn¡¯t understand what she meant.


    Wenya quickly took me into the room.


    ¡°Su Peisheng is currently at the hospital with Ding Yinuo! His advice is for us not to stimulate Ding Yinuo. We should think of a way to comfort him. Ayun, Ayun, are you even listening to me?¡±


    Wenya held my face with both hands, giving it a few shakes.


    By the time I came to, I felt suffocated.


    ¡°How did such a thing happen? He was fine when I saw him this morning!¡±


    ¡°The signs weren¡¯t there, from what Su Peisheng told me. The cause of death is still being investigated  but one could basically infer, it¡¯s suicide! Just think about it, his case has no hope of being overturned! Even Su Peisheng said there¡¯s no way. Uncle Ding, once so upright, his reputation smeared in his later years, in order to clear his name, he might have chosen to die instead!¡±


    Wenya sighed endlessly.


    As she spoke, her eyes reddened,


    ¡°Uncle Ding was the same age as my dad. Such a wonderful old man! Why did he choose such a drastic path?¡±


    The hatred in my mind grew even stronger.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    At this point, Wenya was speechless.


    ¡°I knew Gu Yuanzhou was scum, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be so shameless! Seriously, if now you want to stab Gu Yuanzhou to death, I wouldn¡¯t stop you.¡±


    I slowly sat down,


    ¡°Am I really going to kill him?¡±


    Wenya hurriedly stopped me,


    ¡°No! Ayun, I was just venting! You must stay calm, don¡¯t go off doing anything silly on your own. As a woman, the moment you act, you¡¯re done for. Just think, Ding Yinuo has already lost his father and he must be feeling really sad. He needs your care now. If something happened to you at this time, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to take it.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Wenya. That¡¯s why I came to find you first. Let me think about how to handle this.¡±


    My conversation with Wenya was not over yet.


    My phone started ringing again. After hesitating for a moment, I picked it up.


    It was Wu Lijuan.


    ¡°Xiaosong, do you have time tonight to come home for dinner?¡±


    I was about to refuse, who has the mood to go to Wu¡¯s house for dinner right now!


    Surprisingly, Wenya picked up the call and agreed on my behalf,


    ¡°Auntie, I haven¡¯t tasted your cooking in a long time. In a while, we¡¯ll come over together, okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure, we welcome you, and if you are free, come over early!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm, okay!¡±


    Wenya hung up the call.


    I looked at her in confusion,


    ¡°I want to see Ding Yinuo! As for dinner, I think we should skip it!¡±


    ¡°I understand you want to see him, but he is now with his mother. She must be the one who¡¯s hurting the most. We shouldn¡¯t disturb them at this time, it¡¯s better to go during the funeral. Besides, we should go to your uncle¡¯s house tonight and talk with your uncle and aunt. Let them deal with Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Can they control him? How can Gu Yuanzhou possibly listen to them?¡±


    I felt Wenya was a bit naive. Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s respect for Mr. and Mrs. Song was merely a facade ¨C I knew very well that he didn¡¯t care about them at all.


    How would he listen to their advice?


    But since Wenya agreed, I followed her to my uncle¡¯s house first.


    However, with the incident of Mr. Ding on my mind, I was still feeling chaotic.


    I didn¡¯t know how Ding Yinuo was doing now.

 Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Chapter 216 He Has No Leverage_1

    Chapter 216: Chapter 216 He Has No Leverage_1


    On the ride, Wenya would occasionally make a call to Su Peisheng.


    I was gazing out the window at the rapidly retreating cityscape, lost in thought.


    It reminded me of the past with Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    Why had he become so terrifying?


    After ending a call, Wenya turned and looked at me,


    ¡°Su Peisheng has been to the Ding Family¡¯s place. The police were still there! That means, even though someone has died, they are still going to investigate the case.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    My anger, at the moment, seemed completely useless.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is really scary! Previously, I didn¡¯t realize how ruthless he could be!¡±


    Wenya sighed.


    ¡°Yes, I never knew before that he could be this aggressive! It feels like a completely different person! I genuinely can¡¯t accept who he is now.¡±


    ¡°Do you think, there¡¯s a chance that he¡¯s been reborn as someone else?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s question left me stunned.


    It was indeed possible, especially considering what Wu Lijuan had earlier mentioned about Gu Yuanzhou almost dying once.


    But after much contemplation, I finally shook my head in denial,


    ¡°Never! He is who he is, not someone else!¡±


    Half an hour later, we arrived at the Song Family¡¯s house.


    To my surprise,


    Song Shixiong was actually at home tonight!


    Wu Lijuan, with a rare smile on her face, was bustling about, especially happy to see Wenya.


    She rushed forward to grasp Wenya¡¯s hand, tears falling even before she spoke.


    Seeing Wenya reminded Wu Lijuan of me; we¡¯ve been best friends ever since we were little and we used to visit the Song household frequently.


    To keep Wu Lijuan from getting too emotional, Wenya quickly changed the topic, ¡°Auntie, did you raise this cat?¡±


    The cat in question was a beautiful ragdoll cat, which was rolling around in its newly bought cat bed.


    Wu Lijuan answered, ¡°Yes, Yuanzhou gave it to me yesterday to keep me company! That child is so thoughtful!¡±


    Wenya glanced at me.


    I stayed silent, my gaze shifted to another corner of the living room.


    There sat Song Shixiong.


    Logically speaking, my relationship with Song Shixiong should be closer.


    However, in reality, he was always busy with work and was particularly strict with me, hence our interactions were minimal.


    We¡¯ve hardly spoken during the year.


    Reflecting on it, I realized he was quite a mystery to me.


    All I knew was that back in the day, he controlled Huaxin Group, A City¡¯s largest trading company, owning numerous merchant ships.


    During my childhood, I often saw several dignitaries entering and exiting Song¡¯s House.


    However, as I grew up, especially after marrying Gu Yuanzhou, the Song family seemingly took a turn for the worse.


    Particularly after Zhenyi Company began to grow, the officials no longer frequented the Song Family.


    My interpretation was,


    Perhaps because of Song Shixiong¡¯s age, coupled with neither of his sons willing to take over the family business, that led to the decline.


    However, a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse.


    The scale of the Huaxin Group is still significantly larger than that of Zhenyi Company.


    At that moment, from the time I entered the house, Song Shixiong had been on the phone.


    He appeared to be in a terrible mood, sounding irate on the phone call.


    Wu Lijuan led us to the side hall for tea. Wenya curiously asked,


    ¡°How has uncle been lately, are his businesses not doing well?¡±


    Wu Lijuan, hugging the ragdoll cat, responded,


    ¡°Probably overburdened by work! Don¡¯t let him influence you girls! Come, let¡¯s eat dinner shortly!¡±


    While they were at it, Wenya asked Wu Lijuan a handful of other questions.


    ¡°Auntie, you seem fond of Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed, he¡¯s a true-hearted boy! Very loyal in feelings¡­¡±


    ¡°I also knew a little about Ayun¡¯s relationship with Gu Yuanzhou back in the day. But to be honest, I don¡¯t think Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s feelings for Ayun were that good, at least from our group of girlfriends¡¯ perspective, Ayun got the short end of the stick in their marriage!¡±


    ¡°Oh? What do you think isn¡¯t good about Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°Many people think Gu Yuanzhou was with Ayun just for her money¡­ Look, when they got married, the Gu Family didn¡¯t give a dime as a dowry.¡±


    Wu Lijuan gave it some thought,


    ¡°Indeed, they didn¡¯t, but the Gu Family wasn¡¯t financially well-off! After all, Ayun doesn¡¯t care about these things, I¡¯ve discussed it with her. Ayun said, as long as she¡¯s with him, she¡¯s happy! Money and everything else aren¡¯t important! In fact, it turned out Gu Yuanzhou does have capability, and they both gritted their teeth and started striving.¡±


    Wenya spoke,


    ¡°We can leave the money aspect aside, but what is upsetting is that when they got married, not a single person from the Gu family attended! They could be excuse for not giving cash, but they didn¡¯t even bother to attend the wedding to give the newlyweds their blessings, which clearly shows that they simply do not respect Ayun.¡±


    Hearing this, Wu Lijuan also sighed.


    ¡°Yes, we all know, Ayun was indeed wronged in this marriage. But it was her choice, all we can do is respect her. Her mother isn¡¯t around anymore, her uncle and I, we all fear her being wronged, so we just want to do what she likes.¡±


    Actually, I roughly knew about the things Wu Lijuan was talking about.


    But at this time, I wanted to know more!


    I¡¯m waiting, to see if I could get more clues from Wu Lijuan.


    After all, Gu Yuanzhou has been with Song Shixiong for so long, they should know Gu Yuanzhou better than I do.


    Wenya immediately asked, ¡°Anything special?¡±


    ¡°Ah, um¡­ His family conditions are not very good. Both his parents have passed, and the only relative he has is an aunt, whose health is also not good.¡±


    As Wu Lijuan¡¯s words came to here, the figure of Song Shixiong walked in, rudely saying, ¡°In the future, stop receiving things from Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Wu Lijuan looked somewhat panic, ¡°It¡¯s merely a cat and some cat food.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said, stop associating with him in the future!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Song Shixiong, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    ¡°Ayun died in a strange and unclear manner, and he hasn¡¯t given us an explanation. In any case, stay away from him!¡±


    Having said this, Song Shixiong hurriedly left.


    Clearly, he¡¯s not siding with Gu Yuanzhou.


    After dinner, Wenya and I left the Song Family.


    Wenya sighed,


    ¡°Indeed, orphans are the scariest, fatherless, motherless, unattached and unconfined, you can¡¯t even find their weaknesses if you want to!¡±


    I remained silent.


    Wenya again said, ¡°Could he be deceiving you guys? Maybe his parents are terrorists or some shady big shots?¡±


    I glanced at Wenya, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking, he¡¯s not an orphan, doesn¡¯t he still have an aunt?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, his aunt, why don¡¯t you go and find her, let her control this madman Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, we¡¯ll see later!¡±


    Actually, I¡¯m more inclined to find Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s weak spot, but I have come up empty so far.


    I may eventually have to go and find his aunt.


    Before we got married, Gu Yuanzhou confessed to me that his parents had died when he was young, and he was raised single-handedly by his aunt.


    And because of her poor health, we never met her.


    I was thinking, whether or not to go and see this mysterious aunt, and ask her to persuade Gu Yuanzhou.


    Just then, car lights are turned on, I followed the lights and saw that Song Shixiong hadn¡¯t left, his car was parked on the opposite side of the road.


    The flashing headlights were signalling me to head over.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and have a chat with him!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait here for you!¡±


    I crossed the road and got into Song Shixiong¡¯s car.


    Song Shixiong glanced at me and directly said, ¡°I know you! You¡¯re the new chief designer at Tianjiao Company!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr Song!¡±


    ¡°You came here with Wenya, aren¡¯t you trying to find a way to deal with Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    I was slightly surprised, I didn¡¯t expect Song Shixiong to know so much about me.


    But at this moment, I¡¯m not sure whose side Song Shixiong is really on?

 Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter 217: In His Gentle Land_1

    Chapter 217: Chapter 217: In His Gentle Land_1


    If I don¡¯t figure out the other party¡¯s details, I¡¯m likely to fall into a crisis.


    Through the car window, I see Wenya still standing there waiting for me from afar, giving me a boost in confidence.


    I then bluntly say,


    ¡°Yes! Gu Yuanzhou is inhumane! He¡¯s forcing the Ding family into a corner. That¡¯s not how you do business.¡±


    Song Shixiong looks at me, then hands me a piece of paper.


    ¡°Read it when you get home! Don¡¯t let anyone know I told you!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I get out of the car with the piece of paper in my hand.


    After I get out of the car, Song Shixiong steps on the accelerator and drives away.


    Wenya then runs over from the opposite side of the road.


    ¡°How did it go? How was your conversation?¡±


    I slowly unfold the piece of paper, and Wenya leans over to take a look.


    After reading it, she¡¯s more excited than I am,


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯ve been with Gu Yuanzhou for so many years and you don¡¯t even know this? I told you that everyone has weaknesses! How could he possibly not have one? Yuanzhou is done for.¡±


    Wenya seems pretty happy.


    But my thoughts are further ahead.


    Because among the information Song Shixiong gave me, I randomly picked one that could indeed make Gu Yuanzhou take a hit, but it would also inflict a huge blow to Zhenyi Company.


    ¡°Ayun, why do you think your uncle is willing to help us?¡±


    I can¡¯t answer Wenya¡¯s question.


    Because right now I don¡¯t have the time to consider these things. The only thing I can think of is to make Gu Yuanzhou back down.


    At night, I return to Xishan Residence.


    As I predicted, Ding Yinuo did not come back.


    Only I remain in the large house.


    I take off my shoes, lean against the wall alone¡­


    Thinking about how to sort out these issues.


    After taking a shower, I sit on the sofa alone and start drafting a plan.


    Even though my mind is a mess, I force myself to calm down and face these issues.


    I must at least ensure that Tianjiao Company doesn¡¯t fall, or we will lose everything.


    I work until past ten o¡¯clock.


    I feel a faint pain in my abdomen and am unable to work on the documents anymore, so I crawl into bed to lie down.


    I turn off the light, thinking that lying down for a while would make me feel better, but the pain persists.


    Later on, I even start to sweat profusely.


    But in the middle of the night, I don¡¯t want to go to the hospital, and just lie there.


    I don¡¯t know how much time has passed.


    In a daze, I hear someone calling my name.


    ¡°Ayun! Ayun!¡±


    The voice sounds very distant, as if it¡¯s coming from a dream, and I don¡¯t hear it clearly.


    A moment later, the door to the room opens, and light comes flooding in.


    Then the light in the bedroom also turns on.


    I see Ding Yinuo come in from outside,


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ve been calling you for so long, why didn¡¯t you respond?¡±


    He rushes to my side, touches my forehead with his hand, and his face becomes anxious,


    ¡°You have a fever! Where do you feel unwell?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, am I dreaming?¡±


    He takes a coat from the wardrobe and drapes it over me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Uh, Ding Yinuo, I¡¯m not going to the hospital, I¡¯m not sick!¡±


    I¡¯m extremely lazy, I just want to lie in bed and not move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you realize you¡¯re uncomfortable? Can you stand up?¡±


    He helps me out of bed.


    But as soon as I get up, the intense discomfort comes flooding back, and it feels as if all my organs are aching.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, aren¡¯t you a doctor? Just take a look at me, and then I can just take some medicine. I¡¯m so tired, I want to sleep!¡±


    ¡°We need to go to the hospital for a check-up first, we can¡¯t just take medicine¡±


    Seeing that I seem to be unable to walk, Ding Yinuo picks me up, cradles me in his arms, and walks out of the hall.


    I am aching a lot and clutch at my abdomen, looking like a wounded little kitten.


    The night sky is bitingly cold.


    The deep indigo expanse is limitless, with no moon, only a scattering of stars.


    He carries me into the car, then lays me down on the rear seat. He bends down to ask me, his voice soft and gentle, as if he is coaxing a child.


    ¡°Ayun, tell me where it hurts. I¡¯ll massage it for you!¡±


    ¡°Here!¡±


    I point to my lower left abdomen with difficulty.


    His warm fingers, acting like a magically soothing wand, melt away the pain wherever they touch.


    After a few minutes, the pain gradually subsides.


    Being so close to him, I notice beads of sweat forming on his forehead from his anxiety.


    ¡°How about now?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m much better. Ding Yinuo, I¡¯m really fine. Don¡¯t think of me as so weak. I actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Good girl, don¡¯t talk! Save your strength, just lie there for now, I¡¯m taking you to the hospital.¡±


    He then takes out a tympanic thermometer, wipes it under my arm, and also brings out a cushion to put under my waist.


    ¡°Let¡¯s measure your temperature! I¡¯m going to drive, hang in there for a bit, we¡¯ll be at the hospital soon.¡±


    Only then do I realize the sense of security that comes from being with a doctor.


    My stomach doesn¡¯t hurt as much.


    I quietly lie on the back seat, and as the car sways, so do my thoughts.


    Half an hour later, the car stops;


    Ding Yinuo carries me out and then rushes into the emergency room.


    Blood tests, check-ups; Ding Yinuo is with me the whole time.


    After ten or so minutes, the results return.


    Ding Yinuo looks at the report and turns to me, ¡°Appendicitis!¡±


    ¡°Do I need to have surgery?¡±


    I am a bit scared of surgery.


    ¡°We will try to avoid surgery, let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll help you get set up on an IV!¡±


    I trust what Ding Yinuo says since he is comforting me, I start to calm down a bit.


    All the while I¡¯m on the IV, he sets it up himself while the nurse by his side looks at him with envy.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, you¡¯re so skilled! Your injection technique is even higher than our head nurse!¡±


    Everyone at the City First Hospital still recognizes Ding Yinuo.


    Indeed, it doesn¡¯t hurt at all when he administers the injection.


    After setting up the IV for me, he goes and gets some warm water, and puts a cooling patch on my forehead.


    Actually, after being hooked up to the IV, I feel the pain slowly fade away, and the discomfort caused by the fever also gradually subsides.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, why did you come back so late?¡±


    ¡°I was worried about you. I originally planned to come back and check on you then leave! Who would have thought you were sick! You¡¯re so silly, you didn¡¯t even think of going to a doctor when you had a fever!¡±


    ¡°Uh, I thought it wasn¡¯t a big deal, it¡¯s not a serious illness!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tough it out, small illnesses can become big ones!¡±


    He sits next to me, holding my hand, gently talking to me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch the IV drip for you, sleep for a bit! Sleep can help your body recover faster!¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, how¡¯s your mother doing?¡±


    I originally meant to mention the passing of Ding Yuan¡¯s father and console him a bit.


    Unexpectedly, he is very calm, and it¡¯s me who feels a bit awkward.

 Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Plotting Step by Step_1

    Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Plotting Step by Step_1


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t worry. My brother is with her! You should get some rest now!¡±


    From time to time, he adjusted the cooling patch on my forehead. As soon as the old one warmed up, he would replace it with a new one.


    I didn¡¯t want to burden him, so I closed my eyes and obediently went to sleep.


    In actuality, I couldn¡¯t sleep, as I could still feel the warmth of his palm on my forehead from time to time.


    Later.


    He stood far away, making a phone call by the window. His voice was quiet, but hoarse.


    Perhaps due to the medication, I finally drifted into a drowsy sleep.


    When I woke up again, slightly dazed, in the middle of the night.


    I saw Ding Yinuo standing alone in a shadowy corner, smoking with his back against the wall.


    He looked weary, his eyes hollow.


    I wanted to go and comfort him.


    But I thought better of it.


    The strong-willed him would probably be least willing to let me see his wounds right now.


    The next morning, when I woke up, Ding Yinuo had already left.


    The needle in the back of my hand had been removed.


    A nurse came over to take my temperature.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a problem. The fever¡¯s gone!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    I got up from the sickbed, feeling a bit sore and swollen. On the table, there was a small note left by Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°I saw you sleeping so peacefully that I didn¡¯t want to wake you. I¡¯m going home to check on things. When you wake up, you can go to the pharmacy and get your medication to go home. Remember to drink lots of hot water, and don¡¯t go to work for a few days. Take some rest.¡±


    The familiar handwriting, warmed by care.


    I carefully stored the note in my bag, collected my medicines according to his instructions, and left.


    I felt more clear-headed today.


    I picked up my mobile phone and did a quick search online. There were no updates on Ding¡¯s father¡¯s situation. It seemed that either Ding Yinuo had taken control of the public opinion, or Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t taken action yet.


    As I was thinking about this, my phone suddenly rang.


    The screen flashed with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s number.


    I hesitated for a while before answering.


    ¡°I heard you went to the Song family last night. What on earth are you trying to do?¡±


    I was silent for three seconds before I angrily retorted,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re a beast!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou chuckled coldly,


    ¡°You¡¯re still stubborn, huh? It seems Ding Yinuo¡¯s plight hasn¡¯t been enough! Maybe, I should be more ruthless and cruel to deserve the two words you just said.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! I warn you, I have found your weakness. If you don¡¯t want to lose Zhenyi Company! You¡¯d better behave! Stop hurting the innocent!¡±


    ¡°Really? What weakness have you found?¡±


    There was caution in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tone. He was testing me to see if I had a genuine card up my sleeve.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou¡­ If you don¡¯t want others to know, you shouldn¡¯t have done it in the first place!¡±


    ¡°You deliberately got close to Wu Lijuan to get to me?¡±


    He asked, his tone questioning.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to deny it.


    Gu Yuanzhou chuckled lightly, his voice veering towards disdain,


    ¡°Empty threats! I Gu Yuanzhou do things without leaving any weaknesses!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! I warn you once more, I am targeting Zhenyi Company! If you value Zhenyi, you¡¯d better stop!¡±


    At this point, I couldn¡¯t say much more.


    If I were more explicit, he would patch up this loophole as he did with the tax issue last time, and I would have no means of threatening him.


    I didn¡¯t want to do this, but he left me no choice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give in to threats. If you have something on me, bring it on!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was extremely arrogant. As soon as he finished speaking, he hung up the phone.


    This jerk, was he really going to force me to ruin Zhenyi Company?


    I was so angry that I leaned against the wall, shaking all over.


    No, I can¡¯t get angry!


    I had to stay calm.


    I had to think of a countermeasure!


    Ding Yinuo was busy handling matters at home and couldn¡¯t be bothered with the company. I had to stabilize the employees in the company. Otherwise, Ding Yinuo wouldn¡¯t be able to juggle it all.


    Everything was going well in the morning, seamlessly.


    But in the afternoon, when I returned to the company after lunch,


    As soon as I walked through the door, I saw groups of employees huddled together, whispering to each other.


    ¡°Hey, I heard that Manager Ding¡¯s father committed a crime. He embezzled billions¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they say he¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°He committed suicide out of guilt! Too bad he couldn¡¯t keep a good end. But even if he did commit suicide, it¡¯s useless. The debts still have to be paid.¡±


    ¡°Wow, if they have to come up with that much money, our company is ruined!¡±


    Hearing these comments, I knew something was wrong.


    As expected, when I returned to my office, I checked my phone and saw the news about Ding¡¯s father¡¯s corruption. It had been made hot news.


    No need to guess. This was another one of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s schemes.


    That bastard, he wasn¡¯t even sparing the dead!


    However, the company was in a state of every man for himself. If I didn¡¯t steady them, the situation could spiral out of control.


    So, I made a call to Shen Yishu¡­


    At five in the afternoon, I gathered all the staff in the large conference room and held a regular meeting.


    In addition to analyzing the current situation for everyone, I also gave them a glimpse of the future. However, despite my fiery speech, the response from the staff was lukewarm.


    It wasn¡¯t until Shen Yishu, looking sharp in a suit, walked into the conference room with several big clients that the staff finally perked up.


    In the past few months, under my guidance and arrangements, Shen Yishu successfully managed a company.


    However, his business was primarily online retail, which involved smaller orders.


    Therefore, when he had some large customers or large orders that required production, he had to collaborate with me.


    At this moment, the clients he brought with him signed several large contracts, worth billions, on the spot after my persuasion.


    Only then did the employees regain their confidence.


    After the meeting ended and before Shen Yishu left with his clients, he squeezed my hand tightly.


    ¡°Sister Song! I¡¯m so grateful for your guidance. I¡¯ve finally found meaning in my life!¡±


    ¡°Keep going, the best is yet to come!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll work hard!¡±


    Before leaving the company, Shen Yishu hesitated for a while before telling me something.


    ¡°Sister Song, um¡­ Ye Mengyan has been released on bail!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It happened last night. Ye Mengyan called me and said she was released on bail. She also said that Gu Yuanzhou got her a powerful lawyer to argue for her innocence.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you, Shen Yishu!¡±


    I was originally somewhat hesitant and undecided, but Shen Yishu¡¯s words at that moment finally made me resolve to act.


    I made a trip to call Wenya,


    ¡°What¡¯s the name of your reporter friend, Baoling, right? Hasn¡¯t she always wanted to interview me? Ask her to come over, I¡¯m free today.¡±

 Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter 219: This is a Double-Edged Sword _1

    Chapter 219: Chapter 219: This is a Double-Edged Sword _1


    Wenya came over with Baoling!


    During the interview, Wenya was there the whole time by my side.


    When Baoling asked me questions, I didn¡¯t hesitate at all, even if it¡¯s like adding insult to injury, I was determined.


    Just like when I had devotedly and tirelessly built up Zhenyi Company, now, I¡¯m going to slowly destroy it.


    After the interview, my face was calm.


    But Baoling seemed very excited.


    ¡°After all these years, someone finally dares to tackle Gu Yuanzhou! Honestly, I¡¯ve heard from many people in the industry that Gu Yuanzhou, the man in charge of Zhenyi Company, is a formidable character, no one can upset him. Plus, this guy is nitpicking in his work, and you can hardly find any flaw in his business. Now he has a soft spot, let¡¯s see how he bounces back.¡±


    Wenya got up and asked,


    ¡°Baoling, when will this news be broadcast?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll review it when we get back. I think we should be able to make it onto the prime-time slot at 7 pm tonight! Hehe, I have to go!¡±


    Baoling was all smiles as she got ready to leave.


    For her, landing such hot news means she could become famous from it. This is a rare opportunity indeed.


    I also reminded her,


    ¡°Baoling, be careful. If something goes wrong, I¡¯m worried that Gu Yuanzhou will send someone after you.¡±


    Baoling took out a wolf-repellent spray from her bag and also showed me the necklace around her neck,


    ¡°See this, it¡¯s a micro camera. If he dare messes with me, it will be broadcast live. I tell you, us entertainment journalists, we¡¯re not much different from spies, if not mastering all skills, we can manage at least one. Rest assured, the thrill is exactly what our job is about. I have to go, bye!¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment!¡±


    Although Baoling was very confident, to be on the safe side, I still had my driver take her home.


    To prevent any mishaps on the road.


    By the time I finished everything, it was already past five o¡¯clock.


    Wenya was on the phone with Su Peisheng, discussing Ye Mengyan¡¯s case.


    I walked over to the window and looked down.


    My phone rang again, it was Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Have you taken your medication?¡±


    ¡°Um, yes, I did!¡±


    In fact, the pills were still in my bag, I hadn¡¯t even had time to open it yet.


    And these are post-meal pills, I haven¡¯t even had time to eat yet.


    But I didn¡¯t want him to worry.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying to me again¡­ You haven¡¯t had dinner yet, I¡¯ve already ordered takeaway to be sent over. It will be there in ten minutes, remember to eat your meals and take your medication after.¡±


    I held the phone and laughed,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, how did you know I hadn¡¯t taken my medication?¡±


    ¡°Um, I did a little calculation!¡±


    ¡°If you can calculate so well, then can you calculate when I¡¯ll become rich?¡±


    I was deliberately joking with him, trying to divert his attention, or perhaps this conversational style could help him to temporarily relax.


    He laughed lightly on the other side of the phone.


    ¡°Does this even need calculating? The day you hooked up with me was the day you got rich!¡±


    ¡°You, cheeky!¡±


    ¡°Does your stomach still hurt, do you have a fever again?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take my temperature, but I don¡¯t feel like I have a fever, I feel quite spirited.¡±


    ¡°I heard you had a meeting this afternoon, and you invited some bosses over and signed a lot of orders for us?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re incredibly well-informed!¡±


    ¡°Of course, don¡¯t forget whose turf this is! Don¡¯t I have any informers, I wouldn¡¯t know it if my company is taken over, wouldn¡¯t I be a fool then?¡±


    ¡°Really, you have someone watching me?¡±


    ¡°No, not that, but my office has surveillance, so I can see you¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I wondered, how did he know every single move of mine.


    Looking around with my phone, I noticed indeed there was a surveillance camera facing my office.


    I waved towards the camera.


    Ding Yinuo laughed, ¡°So, make sure to eat well later and take your medication, otherwise I might just have to send someone to keep an eye on you.¡±


    ¡°Mm, got it!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, sure enough, Ding Yinuo¡¯s assistant came in with a takeout order.


    He smiled at me and said,


    ¡°Miss Song, Manager Ding instructed me to make sure you eat well, or else my pay will be docked!¡±


    I was like, ¡°¡­¡±


    I really hadn¡¯t expected, Ding Yinuo had actually sent someone over to monitor my meal.


    The takeout was more than ample.


    Two large plastic bags contained eight takeout boxes, filled with different dishes and soup.


    I spread it all out on the table. Thankfully, Wenya was here, and even both of us together couldn¡¯t finish it all, so in the end, we called the assistant over to eat with us.


    Wenya looked at the spread and gave me a thumbs-up,


    ¡°Manager Ding really cares about you! You must not disappoint him.¡±


    I took a sip of chicken soup, falling into a thoughtful silence.


    ¡°What did you say to Su Peisheng?¡±


    ¡°Ah, all unpleasant stuff. Better not to bring it up.¡±


    ¡°I heard it, about Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°Oh, her¡­ Gu Yuanzhou bailed her out for three million. I heard the trial for this case won¡¯t start until next year! Gu Yuanzhou pulled some strings, I guess.¡±


    ¡°So, he¡¯s willing to do anything to protect Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, true love!¡±


    I was eating dinner, popping meds in my mouth,


    ¡°He won¡¯t get away with this for long!¡±


    The assistant was quite efficient. After we finished eating, he cleaned up the trash and took it out.


    Wenya suggested, ¡°How about we make a trip to the Zhenyi Company?¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°I just want to see Gu Yuanzhou take a hit!¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to go to Zhenyi Company. I didn¡¯t even want to see Gu Yuanzhou.


    But Wenya insisted persistently.


    Saying something about witnessing this miraculous moment, I finally gave in, realizing it was already past work hours, and decided to go.


    The night was falling slowly.


    We didn¡¯t go directly to the company, instead, along with Wenya, I chose a caf¨¦ opposite to the company.


    Back in the days, Wenya and I often came here to have coffee. The hand-made coffee was very flavorful. The owner was a handsome young man with curly hair.


    He was a strange one, sold only a hundred cups of coffee each day. After that, he¡¯d close up shop without making another cent.


    When the coffee was served, Wenya asked him laughing,


    ¡°Boss, your business is going well, why don¡¯t you sell more and make more money?¡±


    The boss just chuckled,


    ¡°Money is endless, but I need to go home and take care of my wife!¡±


    ¡°Oh, married! Congratulations!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my wife is super cute, look¡­¡±


    He seemed to enjoy sharing about his wife, even showing us her picture.


    It was their wedding photo. The girl in it was indeed smiling brightly, sweet and lovely. However, the bride was in a wheelchair¡­


    Wenya and I, once again, congratulated him.


    ¡°Ah, I do believe in love again!¡± Wenya got touched.


    I was holding my coffee cup, looking out through the window at the entrance of Zhenyi Company. Gu Yuanzhou, dressed in a suit, was walking out.


    He probably was done for the day and was going home.


    The caf¨¦ owner seemed to have noticed Gu Yuanzhou too, he sighed, ¡°They say, he is the most devoted man in A City. After his wife passed away, he has never been with anyone else.¡±


    I was left speechless. It appeared Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s public image was quite successful, as everyone had been deceived by him.


    Suddenly, after taking a call, Gu Yuanzhou made a U-turn and retreated back inside.


    Wenya tugged at my arm, ¡°Look, look quick!¡±

 Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Chapter 220 If You Ever Loved Me_1

    Chapter 220: Chapter 220 If You Ever Loved Me_1


    The news was streaming live on Wenya¡¯s phone.


    The reporter asked me,


    ¡°Miss Song, can you tell us why you resigned from Zhenyi Company? Is there any scandal behind this?¡±


    I calmly responded,


    ¡°Yes! The problem lies in Zhenyi Company¡¯s raw material procurement. The fabrics they buy come from the A Cotton Factory. As is widely known, the A Cotton Factory was previously suspected of illegal use of excessive amounts of fluorescent agents¡­¡±


    The reporter was stunned, ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve heard that excessive fluorescent agents can cause cancer, especially is detrimental to children¡¯s skin! Let¡¯s connect with a dermatologist on site to answer this.¡±


    After connecting with the off-site doctor, the answer given was also very professional,


    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s absolutely true! Excessive use of this industrial product can greatly harm children, leading to serious cases of leukemia and limited intellectual development!¡±


    The reporter was appalled, ¡°How terrifying, Miss Song, thank you for your courageous exposure! Your actions have saved millions of children. You are a real hero.¡±


    As soon as this video was broadcasted, within just an hour, thousands of comments were pouring in below.


    ¡°How terrifying, we¡¯ve been wearing children¡¯s clothes from Zhenyi Company, turns out they are produced from chemical substances that exceed standards. We will never buy from them again.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the main male character from a recent arson case? How could he do such a ruthless thing!¡±


    ¡°Such a company should be banned!¡±


    For a moment, millions of arrows were shot towards Zhenyi Company.


    Soon, Zhenyi Company would be shot full of holes.


    Watching my hard work slowly being destroyed, my heart was actually more filled with grief.


    When I saw these readers¡¯ comments, I didn¡¯t feel happy at all.


    But, I had to do this.


    Wenya seemed a bit excited, she immediately called Su Peisheng to share this news.


    In fact, once this news was broadcasted live, it was quickly known throughout the city.


    I sat by the window, looking at the brightly lit Zhenyi Company opposite.


    I could also see that Gu Yuanzhou seemed to be on the phone ¡­


    ¡°Ayun, what do you think Gu Yuanzhou will do next?¡±


    Just as Wenya finished speaking, my phone in front of me started ringing.


    I stared at the flashing phone number on the screen, not reaching out to answer it.


    Wenya laughed, ¡°Look, he¡¯s getting anxious. He should have known what he was doing before. He was bragging and being completely obdurate towards the Ding family, and now he¡¯s scared, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Not until the phone rang for the tenth time did I press the speakerphone button.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, how can I help you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, who gave you these materials?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±


    ¡°The A Cotton Factory, when we were working together before, indeed, there was a batch of products that failed to meet the standards. But later, their factory was rectified, and they have now achieved the standard, there is no problem with the fluorescence agent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what does that have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°You are slandering me on the internet, does it have something to do with you?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, all I did¡­ was to treat you the same way as you treated the Ding family. So, can¡¯t you handle it now?¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you, without evidence, it¡¯s slander! Any loss I¡¯ve suffered, I will find a lawyer to claim against you!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tone was still very domineering, he didn¡¯t have any intention to compromise.


    So, I reminded him again.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, this is just the beginning! I know a lot of your dirty secrets, including some of the shady things you did when you were associated with Song Shixiong. Oh, by the way, you have an aunt, right! If I have a chat with her, do you want to guess the outcome?¡±


    In my moment of anger, I exposed some other secrets I knew about.


    Listining to my words, Gu Yuanzhou suddenly hit the brakes.


    He fell silent.


    Just like suddenly extinguishing a fire.


    He then abruptly hung up the phone.


    Wenya was sitting by the side, she heard everything as well, and she asked me with some concern,


    ¡°I feel like there¡¯s a sense of hostility! Ayun, will he harbor wicked intentions and strike against you?¡±


    I laughed and looked at her, ¡°Kill me? Should he kill me again? I¡¯m not afraid!¡±


    I¡¯m really not afraid of death.


    A person who had died once! If I die again, so what.


    ¡°Uh, no, no! I think that would be too rash! Gu Yuanzhou is ruthless and unscrupulous, if he really harbors murderous intentions, then you are in danger. How about this, you stay at my place today! With me by your side, you¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, you absolutely have to keep this secrete from Ding Yinuo. I don¡¯t want to get him involved anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like he doesn¡¯t also have a phone. He would see it himself!¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°Normally, he would be checking his phone every day. But now there is a problem in his family, with his father¡¯s death, he must not have the heart to check his phone.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tell him actively. But be aware, he might find out on his own.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    I sat at the entrance of the coffee shop, continuing to watch Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s frantic handling of these matters.


    Everything went just as I expected.


    The next morning.


    Zhenyi Company¡¯s stock price plummeted, falling drastically.


    Gu Yuanzhou had tried many PR plans, including finding experts to test all their clothing fabrics on-site.


    Latter, he also posted documents on the internet to clarify and explain¡­.


    But, rumors are like wings, they had already spread to every corner of this city.


    This was not something that he could recover from just by talking.


    However, at least now Gu Yuanzhou was busy dealing with this crisis, he didn¡¯t have time to trouble the Ding family anymore.


    While Wenya was always worried about my safety.


    She was afraid Gu Yuanzhou would find someone to harm me.


    But I insisted on staying at the Xishan Residence.


    At this time, Ding Yinuo was always staying at the old Ding Family house, he had no time to come over.


    So, it was basically just me. If Gu Yuanzhou really wanted to harm me.


    Then the one in trouble would only be me.


    If I was with Wenya or Ding Yinuo, then two of us might be in trouble.


    I cannot shift the risk onto them. If I did something, I should bear it alone.


    At this moment, due to the plummeting reputation of Zhenyi Company¡¯s clothes, many old customers terminated their partnership with them and turned to cooperate with me, joining the Tianjiao Company one after another.


    It seems that I made the right move in this chess game!


    I believe that Gu Yuanzhou also realized that his defenses were not foolproof, and I could break through them.


    A week later, the funeral of Ding¡¯s father!


    Ding Yinuo was dressed in a pure black suit with a small white flower on his chest, looking glum.


    I knew this was his darkest moment in life, so I accompanied him throughout.


    As the coffin was being covered, Ding¡¯s mother, leaning on the coffin, cried hysterically. Watching this scene, I was also crying a river.


    Only those who have experienced death truly understand what it means to leave and never return!


    Once gone, never to meet again.


    When everyone was immersed in sorrow, an inappropriate cold laughter rang out.


    I looked towards the sound, it turned out Gu Yuanzhou had arrived!

 Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Chapter 221 He Wants to Stir Things Up_1

    Chapter 221: Chapter 221 He Wants to Stir Things Up_1


    The Ding family and Gu Yuanzhou were not familiar at all!


    By rights, Gu Yuanzhou should not have appeared here.


    Besides, Gu Yuanzhou was indirectly responsible for the death of Mr. Ding, his presence here was notably ironic.


    To put it bluntly, he was just here to irritate the victim¡¯s family members.


    The moment Ding Yinuo saw Gu Yuanzhou, his face turned ashen,he immediately rushed over.


    ¡°Who allowed you to come?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou smiled, with a bunch of white chrysanthemums in his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to mourn! Tell me, the Ding family won¡¯t allow people to mourn?¡±


    Ding Yinuo pointed at Gu¡¯s nose, his voice cold,


    ¡°Go away! Get out of here now! Don¡¯t force me to get physical with you!¡±


    At that moment, I remained calm.


    I knew Gu Yuanzhou wouldn¡¯t show up here without reason, there must be a purpose.


    As expected, I glanced at the entrance and saw Ye Mengyan, with a digital SLR camera hung around her neck, taking pictures.


    I am certain, this must be Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s scheme.


    He simply wants to provoke Yinuo to attack him, then let Ye Mengyan capture it, waving criminal charges against Ding Yinuo.


    This man, so unscrupulous, is really frightening.


    I quickly stepped forward to stop Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Calm down!¡±


    Fortunately, Ding Yinuo listened to me!


    As soon as I spoke, he immediately let go, taking a step back.


    ¡°Yinuo, just let him be!¡±


    Ding Yinuo spat out resentment, his eyes reddened as he stared coldly at Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze slowly landed on me.


    This is my first face-to-face encounter with Gu Yuanzhou since information about Zhenyi¡¯s company¡¯s scandal got out.


    As he walked past me, he deliberately stopped.


    In his dark eyes, indeed there was a murderous intent.


    At that moment, I became certain, this man wanted me dead.


    I just casually shifted my gaze away.


    Wenya stood behind me, she spoke softly,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is here to make trouble. I am so annoyed, should I take him out first?¡±


    Before I could respond, Su Peisheng next to us covered her mouth with his hand,


    ¡°Stay put! Who do you think you are to meddle? A little thing like you, don¡¯t get involved in men¡¯s business.¡±


    I turned my head to look at Wenya, shaking my head, ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene!¡±


    Today¡¯s solemn occasion, making a scene with Gu Yuanzhou would be inappropriate.


    Essentially, it would embarrass the Ding family.


    Many people attended the funeral, including relatives of the Ding family, old colleagues and friends of Mr.Ding, and some figures from high society.


    No matter how angry we are, we can only hold our tongues, at least until the funeral is over.


    I stood still.


    Watching Gu Yuanzhou offer the flowers in his hand, then walk out.


    From beginning to end, he didn¡¯t do anything disgraceful.


    I held Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand all along ¨C when he wanted to rush out several times, I held him back.


    In fact, if Gu Yuanzhou started a fight here, it wouldn¡¯t end in his favor.


    After all, the Ding family members were present. His appearance here was all about flaunting his existence and annoying the Dings.


    In the end, his figure disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight.


    Ding Xiao came over, patted Ding Yinuo on the shoulder, and then said to me gratefully.


    ¡°Xiaosong, thank goodness for you, otherwise¡­ With Yinuo¡¯s bad temper, no one could control him.¡±


    After the funeral.


    Ding Xiao drove Mrs. Ding, who was physically weakened, down the mountain.


    While Wenya and I were about to say goodbye.


    Contrarily, Ding Yinuo showed no signs of wanting to leave, ¡°You guys go ahead, I want to stay here for a while!¡±


    ¡°Manager Ding! Don¡¯t keep things to yourself, how about we have a drink after going down the mountain?¡±


    Ding Yinuo shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood!¡±


    He stretched out his hand to touch my face, ¡°Go home, it¡¯s getting chilly!¡±


    He didn¡¯t add another word, after saying this, he turned around and walked into the funeral home.


    At this moment, the driver of the Ding family stepped forward and said,


    ¡°When the old man had the second young master, he was almost fifty. It was a late-in-life child and he was extremely fond of him. The father and son were deeply attached. From a young age, the old man never left the second young master. He would even bring him along for business trips. When he passed away, the second young master must have been very heartbroken. Although parting from life and death is a part of human life, the second young master is young, and it is difficult for him to accept it in a short period.¡±


    I understand the sentiment he described.


    I also didn¡¯t want to disturb him, so I followed Wenya and left the mountain.


    Su Peisheng was driving, and everyone was silent on the way.


    The sky also seemed a bit gloomy.


    Su Peisheng drove the car to a restaurant by the side of the road. It was getting cold, and we hadn¡¯t eaten yet.


    So, Su Peisheng decided to have dinner here.


    The restaurant was popular and almost filled up at this hour. Moreover, the hot topic amongst the crowd was Zhenyi Company.


    ¡°Hey, recently Zhenyi¡¯s stocks have been plummeting, fortunately I cut my losses early, or else I wouldn¡¯t even have my trousers left!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t President Gu always engage in PR? Just wait a bit, won¡¯t the stocks rise again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite risky, I think it¡¯s better to buy stocks from Tianjiao Company. Although it¡¯s growing slowly, it has been on a steady rise¡­¡±


    From the casual conversations of the diners, I could sense the decline of Zhenyi Company.


    Wenya gave me a thumbs up,


    ¡°It seems, Gu Yuanzhou has failed this time!¡±


    I held a teacup and sipped my tea.


    After ordering food, Su Peisheng looked at Wenya,


    ¡°You said, Gu Yuanzhou used to be quite capable, right? He made Zhenyi this big, there must be a strategy!¡±


    Wenya scornfully snorted,


    ¡°In previous years, it was because Ayun helped him strategize. Although these few years Ayun has been at home taking care of the kids and not involved in managing, the quality control of Zhenyi was all done by her. For any new products, the design and quality were inspected by Ayun. Now, there¡¯s no one to oversee things for him. Let¡¯s see what he does.¡±


    Su Peisheng turned to look at me,


    ¡°Is it really like that?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°Well, what Wenya said is true, but don¡¯t underestimate Gu Yuanzhou, he¡¯s not as simple as you think.¡±


    Wenya was indifferent, ¡°I don¡¯t think that Gu Yuanzhou is that capable, let alone his ability to build Zhenyi without your help.¡±


    ¡°He is capable of¡­ My uncle once told me something, he said, if you give Gu Yuanzhou enough power, he could turn A City upside down.¡±


    ¡°Ha, is he that capable? Then we will wait and see how he turns things around.¡±


    Before dinner was over, it started to drizzle.


    I thought Ding Yinuo was alone on the hill, so I took an umbrella and headed to the graveyard alone.


    At first, Wenya wanted to accompany me, but I declined.


    Ding Yinuo doesn¡¯t like to be disturbed, the fewer people the better.


    Walking through the muddy mountain road, just as I was turning towards the graveyard, another figure suddenly appeared, blocking my way.

 Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Chapter 222 Don’t Get Yourself Involved_1

    Chapter 222: Chapter 222 Don¡¯t Get Yourself Involved_1


    Under the cover of darkness, the black sedan blended in with the night, and I failed to get a clear look at it.


    By the time I managed to regain my concentration, Gu Yuanzhou already had me in the car and the door was closed.


    The rain continued to fall.


    Gu Yuanzhou quickly turned the car around.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, are you crazy?¡±


    His strength was too overwhelming; I had no way of resisting.


    By then, he had locked the doors and windows of the car.


    I had no means of escape.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, stop the car, let me out!!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what the hell do you want?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly continued to drive,


    ¡°You¡¯d better lower your voice, don¡¯t call Ding Yinuo over!¡±


    At his words, I fell silent.


    I stopped shouting.


    Indeed, if Ding Yinuo found out that I was taken away by Gu Yuanzhou, there was no guessing what crazy actions he might take.


    Today was his father¡¯s funeral, I couldn¡¯t add to the chaos anymore.


    Gu Yuanzhou quickly left the mountain area and headed towards the city.


    I reached out to touch the rainwater on my face, turning to look at him,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what do you want to do?¡±


    He ignored me.


    He just held onto the steering wheel, driving through the city streets.


    Half an hour later, the car arrived at the entrance of the Zhenyi Company.


    However, he had no intention of stopping. Instead, he circled around the Zhenyi Company.


    ¡°You should know that Zhenyi Company is the fruit of the hard labor of my wife and I!¡±


    I scoffed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow anyone to destroy it!¡±


    ¡°The only person that could destroy Zhenyi Company is you, Gu Yuanzhou! Your character, your behavior, everything you do, will ensure your failure.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t argue with me, only continuing to drive around the city.


    A dozen or so minutes later, he parked the car outside the Xishan Residence.


    I was shocked because this was Ding Yinuo¡¯s place, as far as I knew, Gu Yuanzhou had never been here before.


    ¡°How do you know I live here?¡±


    He turned to look at me, a trace of irony in his eyes.


    ¡°I harbor resentment towards the Ding Family, but I don¡¯t have any issues with you. I hope that you can come to your senses and know what you¡¯re doing! Wise people know how to adapt, don¡¯t push yourself into danger!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, unlock the door, I want to get off, or else I¡¯m calling the police!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t detain me further and eventually unlocked the safety lock.


    I hurriedly got out of the car.


    Through the car window, Gu Yuanzhou made a throat-slitting gesture at me.


    This scared the living daylights out of me.


    After a while, I heard the sound of a ringing phone in my purse.


    I unlocked the door of the Xishan Residence with my key and then answered the call.


    ¡°Ayun, why weren¡¯t you answering your phone? Did you run into Ding Yinuo on the mountain?¡±


    It was Wenya calling.


    ¡°Uh, no! I, I, uh, ran into Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, what did he do to you?¡±


    Wenya was even more nervous than I was.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do anything, just threatened me not to meddle in the Ding Family¡¯s affairs anymore.¡±


    His deliberate drive to the Xishan Residence was meant to send a message ¨C that he knew my address and could take action against me at any time.


    ¡°You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Wenya! But I haven¡¯t seen Ding Yinuo.¡±


    ¡°Alright, rest well at home. I¡¯ll stay here with Su Peisheng for a while, if Ding Yinuo doesn¡¯t return home late, we¡¯ll go see him. Ah, Ayun, be careful these days! I didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuanzhou to be so aggressive.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Ah, alright!¡±


    Only after I repeatedly reminded Wenya, did I hang up the phone.


    Throughout the latter part of the night, as the rain continued to pour, I kept mulling over what Gu Yuanzhou had said to me.


    Though I had made up my mind to compete with him in the business world.


    But I never expected that our relationship would reach a point of life or death.


    I dared not imagine what it would be like if I died at his hands this time.


    I made myself a cup of coffee and stared out the window at the night.


    I needed to calm down, I needed to think.


    I lay in bed that night, unable to sleep.


    I thought about a lot of things.


    Memories of warm and loving moments spent with Gu Yuanzhou now seemed like a distant dream or an illusion in a past life.


    A dream that was unreachable.


    And now, he had become so cold, so cruel.


    I couldn¡¯t accept it!


    As Wenya said: the love between Yuanzhou and me was the biggest folly of my life.


    But in my heart, I couldn¡¯t admit that I was blind.


    How could it be, how could it be possible?


    Later in the night, I was jolted awake by a noise.


    I instinctively got up as I saw the door moving, reached out, and grabbed a large empty porcelain vase on the table, then rushed behind the door, even without having time to put on shoes.


    The one who entered was Ding Yinuo.


    He looked shocked at my defensive posture.


    ¡°It¡¯s you?¡±


    I sighed a breath of relief and put the empty vase in my hand down.


    He stowed his umbrella in the corner and, taking off his slightly damp suit jacket, walked towards me.


    ¡°Ayun, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    I quickly explained, ¡°I thought a thief broke in!¡±


    Actually, I was scared.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words had made me lose my sense of safety, I was worried that someone would come to harm me.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be any thieves, the security system in the community is excellent! There¡¯s a security guard on duty 24 hours at the gate, why were you sleeping on the sofa?¡±


    In fact, I was originally sleeping on the bed.


    But as I couldn¡¯t sleep, I dragged a blanket to the sofa in the living room.


    Maybe the fire left me with post-traumatic stress disorder. After I got scared, I didn¡¯t dare to stay in the bedroom.


    However, I didn¡¯t want Yinuo to worry, so I made up an excuse.


    ¡°Thieves, I¡¯m scared of thieves!¡±


    ¡°Thieves? Ayun, do you have anything valuable that you¡¯re afraid will be stolen?¡±


    Yinuo just came in from the outside, his hair was still damp, and his cheeks and eyebrows were a little wet.


    He sat down on the couch, grabbing my hands, trying to comfort me.


    ¡°Ayun, look at me!¡±


    He gently touched my cheek with his hand, he was a doctor.


    I knew that my panic would not be concealed from him, I just tried hard to steady my breathing.


    ¡°Er, I¡¯m fine now, Yinuo, you¡­ why did you come back?¡±


    ¡°I came to check up on you, I was not at ease with you alone at home!¡±


    Yinuo picked me up and took me into the bedroom.


    My head was against his chest, hearing the clear sound of his heartbeat, this feeling made me feel safe.


    Yinuo turned on the bedside lamp.


    The pale orange glow in the bedroom made it seem a lot warmer.


    His palm gently touched my forehead, and after making sure I did not have a fever, he said to me, ¡°You go to sleep first! I¡¯ll take a shower!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    I nodded, lay down on the bed, and began to scroll through the news on my mobile out of boredom.


    Meanwhile, Yinuo went into the bathroom, and a half-hour later, he came out wearing a bathrobe.


    With a lingering scent of cool shower gel, he came over to me, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you slept yet?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep, I¡¯m always worried¡­ afraid Yuanzhou might cause trouble?¡±


    ¡°Are you scared by what he said at the funeral?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so!¡±


    Yinuo patted my shoulder, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll sleep on the couch, that way, if anyone breaks in, I can wake up immediately.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not okay!¡±


    Actually, I didn¡¯t want to bother Yinuo, but he insisted on staying by my side, sleeping on the couch.


    I eventually turned out the lights¡­


    However, between my drowsiness, a fire suddenly engulfed everything.

 Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Revival of Memories in Dream_1

    Chapter 223: Chapter 223: Revival of Memories in Dream_1


    Amid the surging flames, I saw the silhouette of Gu Yuanzhou.


    As I came out of my bedroom, he was standing in the bathroom with his back to me, on the phone,


    ¡°Mengyan? Sure, I¡¯ll be right down!¡±


    As I watched Gu Yuanzhou leave, I stood up to follow him.


    Unexpectedly, in the next instant, the flames reached me, inflicting unbearable pain.


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun!¡±


    In a daze, someone was shaking me.


    I opened my eyes, and the sea of fire was gone¡­


    The feeling of being engulfed in flames had also disappeared.


    I was lying in my bedroom.


    By then, daylight was already breaking through the windows, casting a glow on the handsome face in front of me.


    Those clear eyes were filled with concern.


    Ding Yinuo was kneeling by my bed with one leg, the other hand rubbing my forehead, still wearing his robe from last night.


    Apparently, he was awakened by my cry.


    ¡°Ayun, did you have a nightmare?¡±


    He brought a dry towel to wipe my sweat and poured me a cup of warm water.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After I finished the water, I felt much more awake.


    ¡°What did you dream about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re hiding from me again! Don¡¯t you know, the more you refuse to tell me, the more worried I get!¡±


    Looking at his anxious eyes, I could only tell him the truth.


    After listening, he fell into deep thought, reaching out to touch my face,


    ¡°It seems you lack a sense of security! But that¡¯s understandable. Who could easily get over such a terrifying experience?¡±


    ¡°But, even though it was a dream, it felt so real. The¡­ The feeling of being burnt, the pain¡­it was so real. It¡¯s strange, usually when I dream of getting hurt, I feel no pain. Why did this one feel so real?¡±


    I¡¯m not a doctor, I don¡¯t know much about medicine, all I could do was seek help from Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo is a very patient man.


    He¡¯s also very eager to listen to me.


    After hearing me out, he analyzed,


    ¡°It was probably not just a dream. In other words, you might have actually ignited a recollection from the past in your dream. Because you¡¯ve experienced a fire, your brain remembers the pain you felt. So it¡¯s more like you were reliving a memory rather than it being a dream.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see now!¡±


    ¡°Get up, it¡¯s time for breakfast!¡±


    He tousled my hair and then left the room.


    After brushing my teeth, I peeked outside and saw Ding Yinuo busily working in the kitchen.


    In his dark robe, his slender back was actually quite easy on the eyes.


    But his waist was tied with an apron, revealing his domesticated side.


    Wenya sent me a video¡­


    ¡°Did Yinuo come back?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he returned in the middle of last night.¡±


    ¡°Ha, Su Peisheng really has a knack for prediction!¡±


    ¡°What did he predict?¡±


    ¡°He said! Manager Ding has changed a lot because of you! Usually, whenever he¡¯s out socializing, he¡¯s the wildest and most reckless. He¡¯d often party all night! But since you entered his life, no matter how late he is, he always comes home! Because now, his heart is with you! Ayun, you must cherish Manager Ding, you must love him well!¡±


    ¡°Got it, you¡¯re such a gossip!¡±


    ¡°I need to stop talking now, I need to get up, or I¡¯ll miss my class.¡±


    Wenya hung up, and I finished washing up. After tying up my hair, I walked into the living room.


    By then, Ding Yinuo already had breakfast ready. He looked at me after taking off his apron.


    ¡°Breakfast time!¡±


    The breakfast was actually quite simple: two fried eggs, a few slices of ham, a pot of yellow rice porridge, and milk.


    But I loved it.


    With breakfast ready, the place started to feel like home.


    The eggs were fried into the shape of hearts, albeit crudely done. Like a defective product, they were all twisted and turned.


    ¡°Uhm, Ding Yinuo, your fried egg¡­ it looks a bit underwhelming?¡±


    Ding Yinuo coughed lightly, ¡°There are uglier ones!¡±


    He brought a plate from the kitchen which had over a dozen overcooked, blackened eggs.


    It seemed the egg in my bowl was the best-looking one he had made all morning.


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not laughing at you, really, you¡¯ve made lots of effort! But, don¡¯t you think frying eggs is a bit of a waste of your surgical hands? If you use them in surgery, you can save many lives.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t have that much energy anymore! All I want to do now is save one person! That¡¯s you!¡±


    Such words from Ding Yinuo left me quite astonished.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a patient, I don¡¯t need saving!¡±


    He touched my forehead, ¡°Finish your food, then we¡¯ll go to the company!¡±


    ¡°Alright, sure!¡±


    While eating, I was also thinking about what was happening at the company.


    Recently, everything was going well.


    Although Gu Yuanzhou occasionally created some troubles, overall, Tianjiao Company was heading in a good direction.


    After breakfast, Ding Yinuo brought my medicine and watched me take it.


    The two of us left together for the company.


    However, Ding Yinuo only dropped me off at the company¡¯s entrance. He didn¡¯t get out of the car,


    ¡°My brother called me, saying our mother is in the hospital. I have to go there. Meanwhile, you will be in charge of things at the office. Remember, you can always contact me if you need. If anybody at the company opposes you or gives you a tough time, just give me their names, and I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re out of here.¡±


    I gave him a thumbs-up,


    ¡°Manager Ding, you¡¯re so manly!¡±


    He made an OK sign at me.


    ¡°Remember, I am your trump card!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Got it!¡±


    Indeed, Ding Yinuo was my trump card.


    Without him, I wouldn¡¯t dare to imagine how I could defeat Gu Yuanzhou on my own!


    Back at the company.


    An assistant approached me, ¡°Sister Song, trouble!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Zhenyi Company delivered a lawyer¡¯s letter to us, have a look!¡±


    The assistant handed me a stack of legal notices, all sent by Zhenyi Company. They were suing us.


    The reason being that our recent new products infringed on their rights and¡­


    I recently designed a few children¡¯s wear on a whim, and to my surprise, they were extremely successful after their release.


    Deeply favored by the mothers, it turned out to be a very successful product line.


    As I designed them myself, there¡¯s no way I infringed their copyright.


    After finishing reading the lawyer¡¯s letters, I tossed them into the trash can,


    ¡°Ignore them!¡±


    ¡°But, Sister Song, we are now facing a credibility crisis!¡±


    ¡°How are we in a crisis? I designed the products, so there is no way they infringed on Zhenyi company¡¯s copyrights. They are, at best, stirring things up at our expense.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s scheming plan was quite obvious, I could see it clearly.


    He thought I would compromise.


    But I was determined to show him he couldn¡¯t take advantage of me.


    However, what I didn¡¯t expect was that this issue was escalating on the internet.


    I didn¡¯t know who was pulling the strings behind the scenes, but they started to smear Tianjiao Company, and the situation got bigger and bigger, to the point where it was no longer controllable.

 Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Overturned_1

    Chapter 224: Chapter 224: Overturned_1


    Influenced by these negative news, the stock price of Tianjiao Company started to fall again.


    However, at this time, I was calm and had already thought of a solution.


    In the afternoon, I made another trip to A University.


    That day happened to be the graduation season for the fashion design department.


    Entering the campus, I saw young students full of vitality everywhere.


    After today, they will all embark on their paths to society.


    At the graduation speech, I saw the figure of Ye Mengyan.


    She stood on the podium, spirited and confident, with the support from Gu Yuanzhou she seemed like a successful person, full of grace and charm.


    However, the person I came looking for today wasn¡¯t her, but another girl.


    I looked through the crowd for a long time but didn¡¯t see her. As I was about to get up and leave, I felt a bit disappointed.


    Suddenly, a girl in simple clothes, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans, hurriedly rushed in from outside. She was sweaty and looked quite rushed.


    Seeing her appear, my heart was secretly pleased, so I sat back down again.


    Half an hour later, the graduation ceremony successfully concluded.


    After that, lots of classmates surrounded Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Mengyan, I heard that you¡¯re working for a big company now, can you give your sisters a chance to intern there?¡±


    Graduated students are eager to find good job opportunities.


    And Ye Mengyan¡¯s success has become a focal point of everyone¡¯s admiration.


    ¡°Sure! Leave it to me! I¡¯ll talk to HR, it¡¯s no big deal!¡±


    Decked out in luxury fashion items, Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t mind boasting about herself while adding to her fa?ade of success in front of her classmates.


    ¡°I¡¯m now a top designer at Zhenyi Company. I tell you, the products I will design in the future will be mainstream in the entire fashion industry.¡±


    I crossed my arms, standing far off, quietly observing this scene¡­


    Ten minutes later, the plainly dressed white-clothed girl came down from the stage accidentally knocking into Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mengyan, I walked too hastily and didn¡¯t see clearly!¡±


    ¡°Jia Yuyan, did you do this on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Mengyan! I¡¯m in a hurry! I didn¡¯t want to bump into you on purpose!¡±


    ¡°What are you in a hurry for?¡±


    ¡°Oh, to get to work!¡±


    Jia Yuyan had a sweaty face. You can tell from her dusty hands that she must be engaged in some physical labor.


    Not all parents can afford to send their children to college.


    A large portion of students work to pay for their own education. Clearly, Jia Yuyan was one of them.


    Through her own hard work, she was able to fulfill her dream of going to college, there was nothing wrong with this. It even made her a hundred times stronger than a parasite like Ye Mengyan.


    But Ye Mengyan looked down on this classmate of hers from the bottom of her heart.


    ¡°Tsk tsk, Jia Yuyan, don¡¯t flatter yourself! What kind of job do you have? I heard you only work as a nursing assistant in a hospital, cleaning up excrement, urine, and doing the cleaning. Tsk tsk, look at your hands, so rough and unattractive. To be frank, people like you shouldn¡¯t study fashion design. Imagine if your clients find out that their beautiful skirts were designed by your rough hands, they¡¯d be disgusted!¡±


    Ye Mengyan, with her nose held high, burst into laughter. Her classmates followed suit, teasing and laughing at Jia Yuyan too.


    Furthermore, they intentionally formed a circle, not letting Jia Yuyan pass.


    This was outright bullying.


    Jia Yuyan¡¯s face turned red with anxiety, she couldn¡¯t help but retort back at Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, we are all classmates, why are you bullying people? If it wasn¡¯t for a kindhearted sister sponsoring you, do you think you would be where you are today?¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s face changed color at these words,


    ¡°Jia Yuyan! Even though we are classmates, you are too rubbish. Initially, we both applied for the scholarship program together. But the sponsors chose me and not you. Do you know why? It¡¯s because you are too rubbish and ugly. Yes, I got a good person¡¯s sponsorship, but that¡¯s all because of my ability. You don¡¯t have the same skill, do you?¡±


    ¡°Whether or not I have the ability, let¡¯s talk about it in ten years. What does it matter if now we just graduated?¡±


    Although Jia Yuyan was ridiculed and looked down upon, she did not compromise in the least. On the contrary, she seemed very confident.


    She bravely argued with Ye Mengyan.


    Ye Mengyan was unbearably arrogant. She pointed at Jia Yuyan¡¯s nose and huffed,


    ¡°Ten years? A joke! I¡¯ll put my words here today, there won¡¯t be any company in the fashion industry that will hire you!¡±


    At this point, I emerged from where I was standing.


    I walked up to Jia Yuyan in front of everyone, and gave my business card to this tenacious girl.


    ¡°Hi, I am the design director of Tianjiao Company, and I¡¯m currently in need of an assistant. Would you like to help me?¡±


    Currently, there are three major fashion companies in A City.


    One is Zhenyi, and the other one is Tianjiao.


    Although Tianjiao¡¯s shares are falling slightly at the moment, it has a good reputation in the industry, with good benefits and a humanized boss, the company also has potential.


    This is what many fashion graduates aspire to be a part of, especially when directly picked by the director to be a design assistant, this is the kind of opportunity everyone envies.


    Jia Yuyan was shocked when she heard this. She almost couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She looked at the business card from left to right, staring at it for a long while.


    She immediately agreed, ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Great, if you¡¯re free, report to the company tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, Miss Song, thank you so much!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, this is what you deserve. I appreciate hard workers like you!¡±


    Classmates looked on with envious eyes. Among them, one pair of eyes was burning with jealousy.


    It was Ye Mengyan.


    It seemed to Ye Mengyan that I had ruined her good time and she was quick to chastise me.


    ¡°I heard that Tianjiao is at risk of infringement and that the company¡¯s prospects aren¡¯t good. Are you trying to trick my classmates?¡±


    Actually, I didn¡¯t want to argue with Ye Mengyan.


    But since she¡¯s looking for trouble, I wouldn¡¯t be polite. I watched her with a chuckle,


    ¡°Miss Ye, I heard you¡¯re out on bail! Bail is not complete freedom, one day, the judge will send you to jail! In fact, you¡¯re just a mistress who relies on your ass to get promoted. You slept with the husband of the person who sponsored you. What kind of person are you? Jia Yuyan worked with her own hands to pay for her tuition, she¡¯s hundred times better than you!¡±


    When I said this, all the classmates were taken aback. Then they turned their criticism toward Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Oh my god, I didn¡¯t expect Ye Mengyan to be a mistress!¡±


    ¡°Unimaginable! She has no morals. She slept with someone else¡¯s husband when they sponsored her for her education, she¡¯s shameless!¡±


    ¡°What, she¡¯s out on bail, what case has she been involved in? Scary, I better stay away from her!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, such a shameless person. I can¡¯t claim her as my classmate!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s unabashed harsh words left Ye Mengyan unable to stay any longer. Shame and anger, she stormed off.


    It was this moment that Jia Yuyan curiously asked me, ¡°Miss Song, why did you choose me?¡±


    ¡°Because you deserve it. When you and Ye Mengyan went to participate in that scholarship event. I should have chosen you, not Ye Mengyan!¡±


    As I spoke, I wasn¡¯t aware that Gu Yuanzhou was standing right behind me.

 Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Chapter 225 Confront Him_1

    Chapter 225: Chapter 225 Confront Him_1


    I clearly remember the situation at the time, when I had the photos and information of Jia Yuyan and Ye Mengyan laid out in front of me.


    Actually, both of them seemed to come from very similar backgrounds.


    They were both from impoverished families and had very poor living conditions; the notes on them stated that they were excellent in their studies but very poor.


    I was very conflicted at that time, not knowing who to choose!


    Because giving an opportunity to one meant depriving the other of one.


    I hesitated at the time, so I gave the decision-making power to Gu Yuanzhou who was with me.


    Gu Yuanzhou took a glance and pointed to Ye Mengyan, I still remember what he said then.


    ¡°This girl, she looks skinny and small, very pitiful!¡±


    Indeed, Ye Mengyan at the time looked very pitiful in her photo.


    Or perhaps, it was this pitiful appearance that provoked Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s protective instincts.


    I didn¡¯t feel anything unusual at the time, only now when I think back, possibly Gu Yuanzhou had taken a fancy to Ye Mengyan back then, and I just didn¡¯t know.


    I silently laughed at myself for being such an idiot!


    At this time, Jia Yuyan still didn¡¯t understand what I was saying,


    ¡°Miss Song, what do you mean by you made the wrong choice?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing! Just add me on WeChat, you can contact me anytime if you need to.¡±


    Jia Yuyan was still a bit worried, Ye Mengyan had made her feel quite inferior and she dared not to expose her hands in front of me.


    ¡°Miss Song, are you sure you really want me? My hands are not very nice-looking¡­¡±


    Seeing this, I took out her hands and looked at them, and said at the sight of her slightly rough hands,


    ¡°These hands are proof of your diligence, I think they are fine! Don¡¯t overthink things, come to work at the office tomorrow!¡±


    As soon as I finished my sentence.


    The figure of Gu Yuanzhou appeared before my eyes.


    A top-tier black suit, a diamond-studded RM luxury watch on his wrist, his shoes so shiny they were reflective.


    This extravagant and luxurious outfit was somewhat out of place in the simple campus setting.


    Coupled with his inherently domineering and cold aura, and his outstanding appearance, his appearance instantly drew the attention of many young girls nearby.


    From afar, there were groups of girls already pointing and whispering about him.


    These young girls simply could not resist such a handsome and wealthy man.


    I looked at Jia Yuyan with a glance, she seemed calm, poised, and did not even give Gu Yuanzhou a second look. Truly a very mature woman. Why didn¡¯t I choose her in the first place?


    If I had chose her, there would never have been an issue with Ye Mengyan.


    Would Gu Yuanzhou have possibly not betrayed me then?


    ¡°Why did you choose her?¡±


    The domineering look on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face.


    I suspect he might have seen the argument between Jia Yuyan and Ye Mengyan earlier.


    He couldn¡¯t bear to see Ye Mengyan wronged, and probably came over to make trouble for us.


    I didn¡¯t respond to him. Instead, I mockingly retorted,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you really have no shame! In order to smear us, you even falsely accused us of infringing on your product!¡±


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t feel ashamed at all, but rather smirked.


    ¡°Making a buzz, and getting your company on the hot search. Didn¡¯t I save you some advertising costs? You really are an ungrateful woman! Mentioning Zhenyi¡¯s old stories to smear us, isn¡¯t that also shameless?¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    I was silenced by his retort.


    ¡°Forget it, I can¡¯t be bothered arguing with you, let¡¯s go!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to talk to him anymore, I took Jia Yuyan¡¯s hand and was just about to leave.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou took a step forward and blocked me.


    ¡°Why did you choose her?¡±


    ¡°Because, selecting Ye Mengyan was a mistake!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me for a few seconds,


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Ye Mengyan is simply a waste of the tuition fees investors paid for her for four years! Compared to Jia Yuyan, she is insignificant! It¡¯s laughable, Gu Yuanzhou, what do you see in her? Is it her face?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze eventually fell on Jia Yuyan¡¯s face, he only took one look and shook his head, ¡°She¡¯s not suited to be in this profession!¡±


    ¡°So, is President Gu implying that he is looking to intimidate on behalf of Ye Mengyan, cutting off Jia Yuyan¡¯s path?¡±


    ¡°Just about!¡±


    ¡°Alright then, we¡¯ll see, let¡¯s see who trains the better person in the future! Oh right, you finally put Ye Mengyan in Zhenyi in the end, let me tell you, it¡¯s definitely a decision you will regret for the rest of your life, because, she will ruin Zhenyi.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    The look in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes was completely unconcerned.


    It seemed to him that the Zhenyi company was nothing more than a toy.


    It was only when seeing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s indifferent gaze that I made up my mind to walk down this path of dissolving Zhenyi.


    ¡°Little Jiang, let¡¯s go!¡±


    I took Jia Yuyan¡¯s arm and left.


    Behind me, came the coquettish voice of Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°Brother Gu, Song Xiaoyun bullied me again just now!¡±


    I didn¡¯t even bother to turn around.


    I knew, Ye Mengyan was just bitter.


    I would prove to Gu Yuanzhou that the woman he had chosen, was nothing more than a fool.


    The fact proves that my choice was not wrong.


    The next morning, after Jia Yuyan came to the company to report, I immediately took her into my workspace.


    What shocked me was that she had an astonishing similarity to myself in traditional costumes, her specialty was actually designing and making Hanfu.


    Right in front of me, she directly made a Hanfu, complete with pleated skirt, out of a piece of cloth.


    She was extremely proficient at making all kinds of button designs and waistbands.


    I couldn¡¯t help but ask her, ¡°Have you worked in this industry before?¡±


    Jia Yuyan blushed slightly, ¡°My family didn¡¯t have much money, so to earn tuition fees, I sometimes worked as a summer job in drama groups. I didn¡¯t know how to act, so I helped them make costumes!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s good, our company is planning to launch a high-end line of Hanfu. Do you have the confidence to design it?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m confident!¡±


    In order to allow Jia Yuyan to create better works, I gave her a separate workshop space and named this system of Hanfu she designed under her name, calling it Yu Yan Hanfu.


    In the afternoon, I went to the hospital once again.


    I went to see Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother.


    When I saw Madam Ding, I was completely shocked.


    The originally gentle and reserved middle-aged lady now had white hair and appeared frail. She laid on the bed listlessly, as if her soul had already left along with Mr. Ding¡¯s departure.


    What was left in the world was nothing more than an empty shell.


    At the door of the ward, Ding Yinuo quietly warned me,


    ¡°My mom¡¯s health is very poor right now, try not to upset her when you talk later. She might not hold on and may die at any time¡±


    ¡°I understand! I¡¯ll be careful!¡±


    ¡°Okay, go in!¡±


    When we entered the room, Ding Yinuo was still holding my hand. Only when we reached Madam Ding¡¯s bedside did he bend down and whisper,


    ¡°Mom, Ayun came to see you!¡±


    I then also called out, ¡°Auntie, I came to see you!¡±


    Upon hearing our voices, Madam Ding slowly raised her head. When she saw me, her originally blank expression suddenly brightened.


    She grabbed my hand, ¡°Xiaosong! Your timing is perfect! I was just about to go find you!¡±


    I moved a bit closer to the bed, ¡°Auntie, what did you need me for?¡±

 Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Unexpected Answer_1

    Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Unexpected Answer_1


    Mother Ding was leaning crookedly on the head of the hospital bed, her reluctant gaze lingered on Ding Yinuo¡¯s face for a long time before she finally let out a long sigh.


    ¡°When his father passed away, I felt as if half the world had collapsed on me!¡±


    ¡°Aunty, you still have Ding Xiao and Ding Yinuo! They can hold up this world. Men are all pillars of the world.¡±


    Mother Ding shook her head, and then looked at Ding Yinuo again.


    She let out another sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid my health isn¡¯t holding up either! The thing I can¡¯t let go of now is my second son! I won¡¯t rest in peace until he is married.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, Yinuo is a doctor, he can cure you, no matter how serious the illness is!¡±


    I mainly tried to comfort her.


    Mother Ding just shook her head,


    ¡°Xiaosong, I know you¡¯re a good girl. What do you think of our Yinuo?¡±


    I looked at Ding Yinuo and gave a polite affirmation,


    ¡°I think Ding Yinuo is a great man, he won¡¯t have to worry about finding a wife in the future.¡±


    A confident and bold smile visibly appeared on Ding Yinuo¡¯s face, and he even made a heart gesture towards me.


    Mother Ding nodded,


    ¡°That¡¯s good! Since you are fond of each other and see good in each other. Will you promise me one thing, marry our Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Wait, Aunty, about that¡­¡±


    Before I could finish my sentence, Mother Ding suddenly started to cough violently.


    Ding Yinuo urged me anxiously at the side,


    ¡°Quickly agree!!!¡±


    I suddenly remembered that when we entered the door earlier, Ding Yinuo had repeatedly told me that Mother Ding couldn¡¯t withstand any shock, so I had to be careful with my words.


    I was afraid that Mother Ding would not be able to bear the shock and something might happen, so I hurriedly agreed,


    ¡°Okay, Aunty! I agree!¡±


    After I agreed,


    Mother Ding immediately stopped coughing, and looked at me with smiling eyes, then took my hand, sizing me up and down.


    ¡°Good, good, you have a full and round forehead, which signifies good fortune! Xiaosong, I¡¯m going to go to the temple tomorrow to pray, and you all should pick an auspicious date and arrange for the wedding.¡±


    Ding Yinuo stood beside us, visibly overjoyed, his smile widened even more.


    ¡°Wait, Aunty, there¡¯s no need to rush. We¡¯re both busy with our careers right now, and there¡¯s no harm in making a decision later.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s urgent, absolutely urgent! As long as my son isn¡¯t married, I can¡¯t have peace of mind!¡±


    Seeing our disagreement, Ding Yinuo hurriedly said to Mother Ding,


    ¡°Mom, Ayun and I haven¡¯t started dating yet. Suddenly jumping into marriage, not only would it be hard for her to accept, but her parents and family might not be able to react to it in time either, it¡¯s too sudden. How about this, can we first get engaged?¡±


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s okay too!¡± Mother Ding agreed.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s suggestion could be seen as a delaying tactic.


    But it¡¯s a good compromise for both of us.


    I also breathed a sigh of relief.


    Because getting engaged is much simpler than getting married.


    When I looked up again, there were stars shining in Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes, they were very bright and dazzling.


    Strangely, after I agreed to get engaged to Ding Yinuo, Mother Ding¡¯s face also seemed to look much better.


    The originally exhausted her even called Ding Xiao over again.


    ¡°Axiao! People always say that the eldest brother is like a father, and now that your father is no longer with us. You must take good care of Anuo. The engagement is also a big occasion for our Ding family. You must handle it well. Do it lavishly, so everyone outside can see that our Ding family is still thriving.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mother, I¡¯ll handle it accordingly, I won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    After leaving the sick room, Ding Yinuo held my hand and wouldn¡¯t let go.


    When we got in the elevator, he was still looking at me and grinning foolishly.


    ¡°What are you grinning about?¡±


    ¡°You are mine now!¡±


    ¡°Cough, let¡¯s be clear first, I only agreed to appease your mother¡¯s health condition! This is just a temporary solution, don¡¯t take it literally.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! You are Ding Yinuo¡¯s fianc¨¦e from now on!¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even reached the stage of engagement yet, and you¡¯re already labelling so fast?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, do you know why you were reborn?¡±


    Ding Yinuo held my face and asked seriously.


    ¡°To let me see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s true colors?¡±


    ¡°Because God thinks you owe me and wanted you to come back and make it up to me. Ayun, we were supposed to be a couple, we should have been together in our previous lifetimes. But because Gu Yuanzhou was born, he disrupted our meeting, which led to our separation¡­¡±


    ¡°Pfft, why do you think Gu Yuanzhou disrupted our relationship?¡±


    Ding Yinuo stared into my eyes, surveying my brows and eyes for a long time before he whispered, ¡°Because, that love letter was written by me! Ayun! If it wasn¡¯t for Gu Yuanzhou, we would be together, do you understand?¡±


    I looked at him in shock.


    Actually, I had a vague suspicion that he wrote the love letter.


    But hearing it straight from his mouth was still very surprising.


    ¡°Why did you write a love letter to me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo just smiled.


    He looked at me with a grin on his face.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you always been waiting for my love letter?¡±


    ¡°But, didn¡¯t you and Jiang Jiaying get together?¡±


    ¡°That was just to annoy you! Ayun, everything I did was because of you! Back then, I was just a youth, ignorant and shy, sometimes acting capricious, with a strong sense of self-esteem.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so why are you daring to say it now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, people have to learn to grow. Now, I¡¯ve grown up! Well, I can¡¯t say grown up, I should say matured.¡±


    As Ding Yinuo and I were chatting and laughing, the elevator door suddenly opened.


    To our surprise, the person who walked in was Gu Yuanzhou.


    At that time, the elevator was on the third floor, and the floor we were going to was the first floor.


    This man entered the elevator, his sharp eyes swept over Ding Yinuo¡¯s face, and finally landed on mine.


    He didn¡¯t seem to be interested in us.


    After just a casual glance,


    He turned his back to us, silent.


    Although none of the three of us spoke, the atmosphere in the air was exceedingly awkward.


    I could also feel the hostility radiating from Ding Yinuo, his suppressed urge to confront Gu Yuanzhou head-on.


    The only thing I could do was to hold his hand tightly to prevent him from acting impulsively.


    I was just wondering why Gu Yuanzhou would be in the hospital?


    Just as the elevator reached the first floor, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone rang and he answered.


    ¡°Hmm, I didn¡¯t see those two kids on the third floor just now! What, on the thirteenth floor? Alright, I¡¯ll be right there!¡±


    A few seconds later, the elevator reached the first floor.


    Ding Yinuo led me by the hand to leave the elevator, while Gu Yuanzhou remained inside. Once the doors closed, he continued to ascend.


    I was still immersed in what Gu Yuanzhou had just said. What did he mean by ¡°two children¡±?

 Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Chapter 227 He is Searching the Past_1

    Chapter 227: Chapter 227 He is Searching the Past_1


    The displeasure caused by Gu Yuanzhou had seemed to quickly dissipate.


    At the hospital¡¯s entrance, Ding Yinuo¡¯s smile had already returned to these face.


    ¡°Go home and rest, and think about a good date for the engagement! And the venue, how to dress at the time, you can consider these things, then we can discuss together!¡±


    I suddenly remembered Jiang Yuyan and came up with a great idea.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have our own clothes made! Be with your mom for the next few days! I will talk to you once I have a plan.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Ding Yinuo gently brushed my face with his hand, then gave me another hug.


    For some reason, I always felt a pair of eyes were watching me from the darkness.


    I looked up, only to see a shadow standing at a certain floor of the hospital building, he was looking at me.


    After bidding goodbye to Ding Yinuo, I saw him turn around and walk towards the inpatient ward.


    I returned back to the same place.


    Took the lift to the thirteenth floor.


    I wanted to find out the meaning of the two children Gu Yuanzhou mentioned? It seems like he is always looking for some children?


    Walking out of the elevator, I saw Gu Yuanzhou talking to a female doctor,


    ¡°Mr. Gu, we¡¯ve yet to find the girl, only the boy is in there, you can go in and confirm!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou nodded and went into the ward.


    In order not to arouse any suspicion, I hid behind the pillar.


    About ten minutes later, Gu Yuanzhou came out of the hospital. He gave the female doctor some instructions and hurriedly left.


    After he left, I went into the ward.


    I realized that this was the neonatal department, there were many babies recently born.


    In the ward where Gu Yuanzhou had just been, there was a young mother, in the cradle beside her, lay a two to three-month-old baby boy.


    On the table, there were some high-end nutritional products.


    ¡°Hello, I am from the neighboring ward, I came over to see the child!¡±


    I greeted her amiably.


    The mother was very friendly too. She had a loving gaze at her child and seemed quite happy to introduce her baby to me.


    ¡°Little treasure, there is a big sister here to see you!¡±


    I reached out and gently traced the little boy¡¯s cheek. He looked at me with wide eyes, mouth opened and made gurgling noises.


    ¡°Such a lovely child, when was he born?¡±


    ¡°June 19th!¡±


    As the mother read out the date, I was caught by surprise.


    This date was the day after the Golden Bay fire¡­


    Why was Gu Yuanzhou looking for a child born on this date, what exactly was he trying to do?


    The young mother did not suspect my intention, rather she kept on rambling,


    ¡°This child is so well-behaved, he never cries! So adorable¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, very adorable, this child will bring good fortune in the future.¡±


    I had a casual chat with the young mother and then left the ward.


    Although I discovered a secret of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s.


    But my heart is not at ease.


    It has led me into deep thoughts.


    Why is Gu Yuanzhou looking for this child? What exactly is he up to?


    If I had been by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s side in the past, I would have investigated this matter.


    But now that we have become like this, trying to find out about him will be very difficult.


    I returned to Xishan Residence that evening.


    Wenya was already waiting for me at the door, holding a bouquet of flowers.


    ¡°Girl, such a big happy event, and you hid it from me! You don¡¯t consider me as your close girlfriend at all?¡±


    After a whole day of working hard, my head was so dizzy that I couldn¡¯t figure out what she meant for half a day,


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hey, still playing dumb!!¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know!¡±


    I used my keys to open the door and come in.


    Wenya followed me in,


    ¡°Yo, you really won¡¯t admit it! Tight-lipped, huh?¡±


    After thinking for a while, I said,


    ¡°You¡¯re not talking about my engagement with Ding Yinuo, are you?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, of course it¡¯s that, what else could be worth congratulating?¡±


    I took off my shoes and sat on the sofa, rubbing my temples with my fingers.


    Wenya quickly sat down and took out a pile of wedding photography advertisements from her bag,


    ¡°Look, I went out for lunch with Su Peisheng today, I ran through all the nearby wedding dress shops for you, choosing the ten best stores for you. You can choose a style that you like later. Also, this time we¡¯re getting married, we have to go through all the formalities. I also consulted for you, there is a wedding company nearby that does traditional ceremonies¡­ with a large eight-person sedan! It¡¯s impressive and beautiful!¡±


    Wenya was so excited; she even planned to drag her mom to the wedding as a matchmaker.


    ¡°Let me tell you, if my mom does that, and she sticks a mole on her mouth, she will look exactly the same.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, you¡¯re overthinking it, we¡¯re just having a regular engagement, not a wedding¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, looking at Manager Ding¡¯s excitement, I thought you two were getting married!¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re overthinking. We¡¯re just getting engaged to fulfill his mom¡¯s wish¡­ I didn¡¯t actually agree to it initially, but I later thought I could use this opportunity to do something big.¡±


    ¡°Use the momentum to do big things? What do you want to do?¡±


    I shared my thoughts with Wenya.


    After listening, Wenya was also inspired.


    Then, I told Wenya about encountering Gu Yuanzhou and the little boy in the hospital today.


    After hearing it, Wenya was also very shocked,


    ¡°No way! Could he be trying to steal someone¡¯s child?¡±


    ¡°Steal someone¡¯s child?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Maybe he has a change of heart now, he misses his own child and so he wants to steal someone else¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s remark gave me something to contemplate on.


    Does he care about his own child?


    Seeing that I didn¡¯t look too well, Wenya quickly diverted my attention,


    ¡°Right, where are you guys choosing to hold the engagement venue?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it at Oriental TV Station Square! Since we¡¯re just putting on a show, let everybody see it!¡±


    ¡°Wow, so flamboyant, I like it¡­ But, aren¡¯t you afraid that Gu Yuanzhou will come to cause trouble?¡±


    ¡°Why would he come to cause trouble?¡±


    Wenya sighed,


    ¡°Ayun, didn¡¯t you say before? Gu Yuanzhou had been ambiguous with you for a while. He even asked you to marry him and become Mrs. Gu, I was thinking, did he recognize you? If he really knows that you¡¯re the reincarnated Ayun, won¡¯t he be jealous and come to stir things up?¡±


    I shook my head. I assured Wenya in a very confident tone,


    ¡°Indeed, he did test me! But, I feel¡­ he didn¡¯t recognize me! I¡¯ve been married to him for so many years, I know him very well! However, I guess, he¡¯ll definitely go to the venue to stir things up! Because, now Tianjiao is his biggest competitor, and, right now, the business of Zhenyi Company has been in decline!¡±


    ¡°How do you know his performance is declining?¡±


    ¡°Their business manager, chatted with me privately the day before yesterday, expressing a desire to transfer to Tianjiao!¡±


    As we were having an animated conversation, a hurried knocking sound came.


    ¡°Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives. Could it be Gu Yuanzhou?¡± Wenya asked in panic.

 Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Chapter 228 Treasure Man_1

    Chapter 228: Chapter 228 Treasure Man_1


    I looked at Wenya¡¯s somewhat timid demeanor and couldn¡¯t help but laugh,


    ¡°Wenya, you weren¡¯t like this before! You always had a fearless attitude. Why have you become timid as a mouse now?¡±


    Wenya grinned cheekily.


    ¡°Sure, I used to be fearless, but now I think about it¡­ If I were to die before properly enjoying married life, that would be quite regrettable. Therefore, for the sake of love, I need to take more care ¡ª can¡¯t be as careless as I was before.¡±


    ¡°You should have thought about this before. But, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here!¡±


    I stood up to answer the door.


    Wenya, still appearing very nervous, picked up a badminton racket from behind the door and went into attack mode.


    I shook my head, and outside the door stood none other than Ding Yinuo.


    With his suit jacket draped over his shoulders, he had a warm smile on his face as he looked at me.


    He looked extremely handsome in his white shirt.


    When he saw Wenya holding the racket in attack mode, he seemed a bit confused.


    ¡°Miss Wen, what are you doing with that?¡±


    Wenya quickly got up and put away her racket,


    ¡°I thought you were a thief. What¡¯s up with you, forgetting to bring your keys home?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at me and laughed,


    ¡°I did bring my keys, but¡­ I just wanted to see how it feels to have someone open the door for me!¡±


    I understood what Ding Yinuo meant ¡ª he was longing for a warm home.


    Once he entered, he hung up his suit and turned to look at me,


    ¡°Have you chosen the venue?¡±


    ¡°Yes, both Wenya and I agree¡­ that the plaza of the Oriental TV Station is a great choice!¡±


    ¡°Nice, I think it¡¯s a good choice too!¡±


    ¡°At the ceremony, I think we should create a traditional atmosphere, so all the guests in attendance need to wear Hanfu (traditional Chinese robes). What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Okay, whatever you want!¡±


    ¡°And the host should also wear Hanfu. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°No problem, anything you say is fine!¡±


    Ding Yinuo agreed to all my suggestions.


    Not only did he agree, but you could see appreciation and encouragement in his eyes, as if he was genuinely pleased.


    This was pure, unadulterated joy.


    He looked a bit silly.


    Wenya came over and stopped Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Manager Ding, if you¡¯re going to marry Ayun, let¡¯s get things straight. A decent dowry should be in order. According to the market price in A City, the dowry for a first marriage is three hundred thousand, and at least one hundred thousand for second marriages, right?¡±


    Wenya knew that when I married Gu Yuanzhou in my previous life, I didn¡¯t receive a dowry.


    This time, she didn¡¯t want me to be mistreated again.


    But to our surprise, as soon as Wenya finished speaking, Ding Yinuo immediately said,


    ¡°How about nine hundred ninety-nine thousand?¡±


    ¡°Wow, Manager Ding, you are really generous! That¡¯s three times the price of a first marriage, implying that we¡¯ll be together forever¡­ What about the other aspects¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at Wenya, ¡°Ayun is marrying for the first time! Not the second! This is her first marriage!¡±


    His voice was so gentle that he could have melted hearts.


    Wenya quickly slapped herself, ¡°Look at my foul mouth! Right, right, now you are Song Xiaoyun, and this is your first marriage.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t hit yourself so hard!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t, I controlled the strength. Okay, you two chat, I¡¯m leaving now! I¡¯m going to flaunt at your engagement ceremony.¡±


    After Wenya left.


    I sat down and picked up my phone to check the progress of the design images that Jia Yuyan had sent me.


    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t listen to Wenya regarding the dowry stuff, I don¡¯t mean that.¡±


    After all, the engagement ceremony is only to appease Aunt Din.


    As for marriage, that¡¯s just out of the question.


    Right now, my main mission is still to battle Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    Ding Yinuo seemed very excited, he had already started planning the wedding room decor.


    ¡°Do you like Xishan Residence? What do you think about decorating here as our newlywed¡¯s home? Of course, the downside is its distance from the company. In the future if we have a child, going out with the kid might be a bit troublesome.¡±


    I looked at him helplessly.


    He had already started considering the needs of the children.


    Perhaps sensing my unhappy expression, he quickly toned down his enthusiasm.


    ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t like it here, we can find another place¡­ My mom said that we could live in the old house if you want. Her idea is that, in the future if we are busy, she can help look after the children. This way Ruirui won¡¯t be alone.¡±


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m not a huge fan of living with my mother-in-law, it tends to cause conflicts!¡±


    I thought of Jian Jing¡¯s mother-in-law¡­


    Although Aunt Ding is a very lovely and gentle mother-in-law, I still hold a principle in regards to this.


    Familiarity breeds contempt.


    It¡¯s better to maintain a certain distance between people, except for the case of marital relations.


    ¡°Alright, whatever you want, we will buy a new marital home.¡±


    ¡°No need, Xishan Residence is pretty good!¡±


    While chatting with Ding Yinuo, I was simultaneously searching online on the correlation between fire incidents and newborn infants. I hope to find out the true intentions of Gu Yuanzhou.


    But after searching for a while, I got nothing.


    Instead, when I found Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s website, I discovered that he had recently invited a famous Feng Shui master from Hong Kong to improve the Feng Shui of Zhenyi Company.


    It¡¯s ridiculous. Blaming the Feng Shui, when it was his plan that was flawed.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s recent performance makes me more and more disappointed.


    Is this all he is capable of now?


    That shouldn¡¯t be the case!


    From what I know about him, he would never settle for the status quo.


    He must be scheming something.


    But from what I can find online, there seems to be no trace of any plot.


    In such a short period, Ding Yinuo has already gone online to look at furniture again¡­


    ¡°What do you think we should change the master bedroom¡¯s bed to? Do you like a round bed?¡±


    ¡°Um, Yinuo, I¡¯m going to take a bath now!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ve already prepared the water in the bathtub for you! You can soak for a while!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Once I entered the bathroom, I saw in the pristine white tub, filled with water, and some flower petals floating on the surface. I dipped my hand in and felt that the water temperature was just right.


    Ding Yinuo even placed the shower gel and towel within easy reach on a stool for me.


    He also set out my slippers for me.


    I must admit, he¡¯s a real jewel. He takes care of each minor detail in our daily life perfectly.


    The white towel is neatly sitting on the stool.


    On the counter, his shaving cream, razor, and toothpaste are all arranged very neatly.


    Living with him, you won¡¯t feel any stress. On the contrary, it feels very comfortable and warm.


    I took off my clothes, stepped into the warm water, closed my eyes and enjoyed the rare peace and tranquility.


    Suddenly, my phone rang. I grabbed it and took a look.


    Someone had sent me a message on WeChat.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun! Are you courting death? We¡¯ll see if you dare to get engaged to someone else!¡±


    After staring at the WeChat profile picture for a while and not recognizing the person, I directly blacklisted him.


    But, undeterred, he immediately called me again after a while.

 Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter 229 Why is it Song Xiaoyun_1

    Chapter 229: Chapter 229 Why is it Song Xiaoyun_1


    ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±


    I answered, thinking it was a business client.


    Unexpectedly, the person on the other side was extremely rude, swearing at me over the phone.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you dare to block me, do you want to live? Do you believe that I can kill you right now?¡±


    Once I heard the irate yelling, I knew immediately that the caller was not a person of quality.


    No matter who he was, I didn¡¯t want to keep talking to him and hung up the phone directly.


    Then, I immediately blocked his number.


    Ding Yinuo heard the commotion and lightly knocked on the door,


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, someone dialed the wrong number!¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to make you a cup of fruit tea?¡±


    ¡°No need!¡±


    I am not comfortable being naked in front of Ding Yinuo.


    So, I declined his kind offer.


    Unexpectedly, he turned on the music box¡­


    The soft piano sound coming from outside was very enjoyable.


    Half an hour later, after I finished my bath, I wrapped myself in a towel and walked out.


    In the mirror, I saw my naked white skin, slender waist, and plump buttocks¡­.


    My cheeks were slightly flushed from the steam.


    How beautiful!


    Being young is fantastic. My skin is so moist and glowing.


    Then, I suddenly thought of a question.


    Now that I have been reborn in Song Xiaoyun¡¯s body, where is the real Song Xiaoyun?


    Did her soul go into someone else¡¯s body?


    Why Song Xiaoyun and not someone else?


    What mysterious connection is there between Song Xiaoyun and me?


    When I came out of the bathroom, Ding Yinuo was tidying up my desk in the bedroom¡­


    As I¡¯m usually busy and don¡¯t have the habit of cleaning my desk, Ding Yinuo, who has OCD, likes to help me clean up.


    He tidies up the mess I make every day.


    Closes the books and stacks them neatly on the desk.


    Shakes out my coat and hangs it in the closet on a hanger.


    Places the shoes on the shoe rack neatly¡­


    He seems to enjoy doing these little things and even hums a song while doing it.


    ¡°What song are you singing?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked back at me,


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to know!¡±


    When his eyes landed on my white bare shoulder, they lit up instantly, and his cheeks blushed.


    His cute expression, easily identified by the experienced me, spurred my curiosity. I asked,


    ¡°Have you¡­. never done it with Jiang Jiaying?¡±


    Ding Yinuo coughed lightly, deliberately pretending to be innocent and curious,


    ¡°Done what?¡±


    I held the edge of my towel to prevent it from accidentally slipping off,


    while also stealthily checking that the essential parts of my body were well wrapped, even though my exposed shoulders and legs were a bit much.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you¡¯re a doctor, you know what I mean!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I am a doctor, and I know too much, but what I know is more about medical knowledge. Obviously, what you just mentioned is not medical knowledge!¡±


    He stood there, his eyes shining brightly, and the atmosphere was a bit subtle. He pinched his nose.


    Unconsciously, he was moving closer to me.


    ¡°Uh, stop it! Do you think you¡¯re still a high school student? You are a grown man, you must know!¡±


    Without holding back, I directly called him out.


    Unlike Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s flirtatious nature.


    Once Ding Yinuo took off his suit, he was just like an innocent boy.


    When he¡¯s shy, his cheeks will blush red. His skin is so delicate that even his ears turn red.


    But for some reason, he is also like a curious baby, seemingly wanting to learn something from me.


    ¡°Ayun, please tell me clearly! What exactly did Jiang Jiaying and I do?¡±


    ¡°Well, well¡­ You slept together!!¡±


    I directly said it without beating around the bush.


    He coughed lightly and answered straightforwardly,


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Really not?¡±


    ¡°I can guarantee you that I¡¯m still virgin! I¡¯ve never been seduced by any woman!¡±


    ¡°Pfft! You really are ¡­ rather unique! Very rare! Alright, alright!¡±


    He immediately asked me again, ¡°Why are you laughing? What¡¯s so funny? Do I look good in your eyes?¡±


    His question made me laughter intensify.


    However, it was still a bit awkward,


    ¡°Ahem, just felt! You are a bit different. Many people might have not done anything in high school, but during their university years, they usually learn about these things. But you, you¡¯ve been working for so many years, and you haven¡¯t had a relationship¡­I meant, a mature man should have some experience, you are a man after all.¡±


    Ding Yinuo pondered after listening to me,


    ¡°Yes, I think what you said makes sense. In the biological world, males indeed need to have strong experience interacting with females, which increases the success rate of reproduction! I agree with you!¡±


    Finally, I was able to explain clearly and gained his approval.


    Now I want to avoid this awkward topic.


    ¡°Um, I want to change clothes, can you leave for a bit?¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed to be still troubled by the last topic, ¡°Can you teach me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Teach you what?¡±


    ¡°About the process of how males procreate with females!¡±


    As he spoke those cheeky words with a serious face, it left me speechless. I immediately dragged him to the door.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you are a man, and you need to figure this stuff out on your own. Don¡¯t think I will teach you, no way!¡±


    I closed the door with a thud.


    Later, when I told this little episode to Wenya, she looked at me in disbelief.


    ¡°How can this kind of clean man exist? Let me tell you, Su Peisheng has actually had three ex-girlfriends. It pissed me off¡­ wait, is it possible that Ding Yinuo can¡¯t do it? Let me tell you, you must test him before your marriage to see if he can do it or not, this is important for your sexual happiness after marriage.¡±


    After listening to Wenya¡¯s words, I just smiled.


    In fact, I could almost guess why.


    Ding Yinuo probably wasn¡¯t lying. He indeed has no experience; the reason being simple: he¡¯s a germaphobe and has OCD.


    Considering this, indeed, it¡¯s not easy to find a woman he would be comfortable with¡­


    ¡°No, he¡¯s so clean, I can¡¯t bear to ruin him!¡±


    Time quickly advanced to three days later.


    I¡¯ve been very busy these days with Ding Yinuo, preparing for our engagement ceremony, taking care of every detail.


    Perhaps due to being busy, Ding Yinuo temporarily forgot his recent pain.


    Everything seemed to be progressing in a good direction¡­


    At this time, Gu Yuanzhou surprisingly called me.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re getting engaged to Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°Huh, President Gu, your news is very accurate!¡±


    ¡°The Ding family is advertising this news like crazy, almost everyone knows now! A female employee of Zhenyi Company, who has suddenly jumped on the high branch to become a phoenix, is about to become a young mistress of a wealthy family¡­¡±


    There is an ironic undertone in his words.


    I calmly replied:


    ¡°So, President Gu, are you calling to send your blessings?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I am here to break you two up, you better cancel your engagement with him!¡±


    ¡°Why should I listen to you?¡±

 Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Chapter 230 Live Broadcast Slap in the Face_1

    Chapter 230: Chapter 230 Live Broadcast Slap in the Face_1


    The last sentence was directed at Gu Yuanzhou, not sugar-coating the sarcastic undertone in my words.


    In the past, I restrained my thoughts out of respect for him as my boss.


    But now, I no longer need to consider his feelings in my actions.


    I have already made a name for myself at the Tianjiao Company, why would I be afraid of him?


    ¡°Fine, don¡¯t listen then! Just remember, if you insist in being obstinate, you¡¯ll become the laughingstock of the whole city!¡±


    ¡°Even if I become a laughingstock, that¡¯s my business, it has nothing to do with President Gu¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t finish my sentence before he sneered and hung up on me.


    In fact, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words did leave me feeling a bit uneasy.


    I sat down, beginning to ponder whether there was a flaw with the engagement ceremony.


    I looked at my phone and found the news of the second young master¡¯s engagement.


    It seems the Ding family had indeed promoted this news, causing it to become a hot topic.


    Internet traffic dictates everything these days, and netizens like to know the latest gossip, so I guess I¡¯m not surprised by this kind of news frenzy.


    If internet traffic is used correctly, it can bring huge benefits.


    If it isn¡¯t handled well though, it can lead to instant downfall. That¡¯s why I need to tread lightly, and be very careful.


    After a long investigation, I couldn¡¯t find any particular cause for concern.


    So I decided to treat what Gu Yuanzhou said as hot air.


    Anyway, everything is all set, the arrow is drawn, ready to shoot.


    Soon, a week had passed.


    It was a Saturday.


    This was the auspicious day selected by Ding¡¯s Mother. Even though last time it ended in a fiasco thanks to Ding¡¯s father, Ding Yinuo and his brother managed to sort everything out.


    Everything was kept from blowing up, so there were many people coming to the event today.


    Relatives and friends of the Ding family all came.


    Plus, as I had requested, most of the guests had been handed a set of traditional dress to put on.


    The venue was decorated in a classic and traditional style.


    Even the MC was dressed in a Confucian-style gown.


    Jia Yuyan did my makeup today, and my clothes were a set of red traditional dresses. The bright red color conveyed a strong festive atmosphere.


    The classic and elegant hairstyle was also done by Jia Yuyan. She was quite talented, not only in making traditional clothes but also traditional hairpins.


    In fact, I wasn¡¯t wrong to trust her.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s traditional clothes also looked very presentable.


    Normally, he already exudes a scholarly aura. After putting on the traditional clothes, he looked even more like an elegant and graceful gentleman from a noble family in ancient times.


    One glance is enough to create the impression of him being part of a royal family¡­


    Because everyone at the venue was in traditional dress, this unique attire attracted lots of spectators.


    Originally, my engagement to Ding Yinuo had been a hot topic online for quite some time, so many people came out of curiosity. Various internet influencers came to live stream, and in the end, even a TV station came to cover the event live.


    The event was far more explosive than I had anticipated, and the atmosphere was extremely heated.


    In the end, Ding Yinuo had to call in many security guards from inside his property to maintain order at the venue.


    Wenya was the first to run up to me with her phone,


    ¡°Ayun, you two are trending number one again!¡±


    Everything was going according to plan.


    Our original plan was to use this engagement party to launch our new product line¡ªthe Jia Yuyan series of traditional clothes¡­


    We set up a table with exquisitely packaged souvenirs at the entrance of the event.


    Inside the bags were catalogs displaying all the designs of the traditional dresses. You could get a 40% off with this souvenir.


    In fact, even before we officially started the engagement ceremony, the enthusiastic spectators had already begun purchasing products.


    Excellent!


    Everything was going as planned!


    Ding¡¯s mother held my hand, looked me up and down with teary eyes, and exclaimed, ¡°Ayun! I can¡¯t wait for the day when you officially marry into our family!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I just hugged her for comfort.


    Soon, the engagement ceremony began under the host¡¯s guidance.


    At this time, two unwelcome guests suddenly appeared at the scene.


    Especially Gu Yuanzhou, his sharp aura immediately created tension.


    ¡°Is he seeking death?¡±


    The ordinarily composed Ding Yinuo couldn¡¯t help but mutter under his breath.


    Su Peisheng quickly stood up, put out his hand to stop Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Manager Ding, today is your happy day, don¡¯t be impulsive. I¡¯ll deal with this.¡±


    Although Su Peisheng is a lawyer, in a situation like this, he couldn¡¯t engage in a discourse.


    Instead, he approached Gu Yuanzhou with a smile fixed on his face, a cigarette in his hand,


    ¡°Brother, have a smoke, please give us some face! As the saying goes, you don¡¯t strike a man who¡¯s smiling. After all, today is Ding¡¯s happy event, so¡­please show some mercy.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seems to ignore what Su Peisheng was saying and focused his gaze on me instead.


    He then pushed Su Peisheng away and took a few steps to reach me.


    Ding Yinuo immediately stood in front of me to protect me, his eyes cold as he stared at Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, if you are here to present a gift and offer your blessings, please be seated among the guests. Later, during the banquet, I can toast to you. Of course, if you¡¯re hear to make trouble, let me remind you that we have more than thirty security guards present today. All it would take is one order from me¡­and you won¡¯t be able to leave with your dignity intact.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words clearly set out the stakes.


    If Gu Yuanzhou had any sense, he should leave quietly.


    However, Gu Yuanzhou seemed to pay no heed to this. He didn¡¯t even grace Ding Yinuo with a glance.


    Instead, he lifted his chin, scoffed at me and challenged me,


    ¡°Engagement? Why are all of guests here from the Ding¡¯s family¡­ Where¡¯s your family? Even if you don¡¯t have any relatives or friends, you must have parents, right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s question left me in cold sweat.


    Indeed, I had overlooked this fact.


    I am using Ms. Song¡¯s identity, but actually, I have pretty much lost contact with her family and friends.


    Naturally, I didn¡¯t invite them to my engagement. Thankfully, the Ding¡¯s family didn¡¯t mind this, Ding¡¯s mother didn¡¯t even mention it once.


    However, to an outsider, this must seem quite strange!


    I quickly replied,


    ¡°My parents are still in the country, they are too busy to attend. They said they would come during the wedding.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sneered,


    ¡°What a smooth talker, you can really talk your way out of anything! Sadly, no one will believe your nonsense. The fact is, you didn¡¯t even notify your parents, did you?¡±


    The number of people attending alone is in the thousands, not to mention the hundreds of thousands watching the live stream.


    If I were to be slandered and humiliated in front of the netizens today, not only would I lose, but it would also be a loss for Tianjiao Company.


    I can¡¯t allow such a mistake to happen.


    So, I quickly changed the topic,


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I know how much you like me! But there¡¯s nothing I can do, the one I love is Ding Yinuo! I know you can¡¯t accept this fact, and you want to put me down and hurt me for the sake of your ego. But really, there¡¯s no need for this. Isn¡¯t true love about wishing happiness for the person you love?¡±


    After I said this, Wenya immediately led the crowd in shouting,


    ¡°Get lost, jerk!¡±

 Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Chapter 231: He Fans the Flames Again_1

    Chapter 231: Chapter 231: He Fans the Flames Again_1


    ¡°Ah, so he¡¯s the type to destroy what he can¡¯t have! This guy is seriously despicable!¡±


    ¡°Yes, what an unqualified ex-lover, he should just leave, disrupting other people¡¯s engagement, so shameless!¡±


    Under Wenya¡¯s instigation, the crowd started to condemn Gu Yuanzhou.


    I intentionally provoked him so Gu Yuanzhou would give up and back off.


    After all, he intentionally tried to tarnish me on my big day, so I had to defame him without any courtesy.


    Seeing this, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t get angry.


    Instead, he smirked enigmatically, and looked at me deeply.


    There was clear sarcasm in his gaze.


    ¡°Miss Song, why must you do this! Using such a clumsy excuse to defame me¡­ Oh, the ex you need to deal with today is not me, but him!¡±


    Having said that, Gu Yuanzhou pulled a man forward from behind him.


    This man was tall and thin, wearing glasses, and looked like an intellectual loser.


    I stared at him for a while, but couldn¡¯t remember who he was.


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    I asked directly. Upon hearing my question, the man rushed in front of me, grabbed my hand, and looked at me with resentment.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, how could you do this to me! I love you so much, we were so good together, we didn¡¯t even break up. You¡­ you just turned around and got engaged to Mr. Ding. Xiaoyun, why did you suddenly change your heart! Don¡¯t you want me anymore? You dumped me because this young master of the Ding family is rich!¡±


    The man held my hand, crying and complaining pitifully.


    It was as if I¡¯d shamelessly abandoned him, like an infamous traitor.


    ¡°Who the hell are you! Are you mistaken!¡±


    There are so many people here today, I obviously couldn¡¯t admit anything.


    Otherwise, my image would completely collapse.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, how could you deny knowing me! I am Yixuan! We¡¯ve grown up together, childhood sweethearts! We have already been engaged and held an engagement party, you are my fianc¨¦e! According to traditions from where we are from, you are my wife!¡±


    Yixuan?


    I searched in my mind¡­


    But I could not remember this name.


    I glanced at Gu Yuanzhou, he was standing aside leisurely, watching with a look that said ¡®the more chaotic, the better,¡¯. Behind him, there were even a few small media outlets.


    At this moment, Wenya seemed to have found something online, she whispered in my ear,


    ¡°Ayun, he really is Song Xiaoyun¡¯s fianc¨¦, Xun Yixuan!¡±


    I was shocked when I heard this.


    Only then did I realize that the man who questioned me on WeChat that day was him?


    This was a big mistake.


    I had completely forgotten that Song Xiaoyun had a boyfriend.


    However, I didn¡¯t know whether Song Xiaoyun and Xun Yixuan were actually engaged. Regardless, I couldn¡¯t admit it and had to play it by ear.


    ¡°Oh, sir!¡±


    I looked at him earnestly, then glanced at Gu Yuanzhou again.


    I speculated that in the three months since I was reborn, Xun Yixuan had never taken the initiative to contact me.


    If he was a true lover, how could he not have made contact in three months?


    This situation means they must have either broken up,


    Or Xun Yixuan didn¡¯t truly love Song Xiaoyun.


    The reason he showed up here now, it was likely that Gu Yuanzhou had instigated it, and he must have been offered a decent reward.


    In fact, today¡¯s engagement banquet is more like a new product launch that we painstakingly planned as a marketing strategy for our new product.


    Tens of thousands of people inside and outside the venue are watching me.


    I cannot make any mistakes.


    Otherwise, the losses would be great, and it would damage my reputation.


    As the hostess and main character today, of course, I cannot mess things up.


    Due to this sudden change, the audience became restless. They were craning their necks, waiting for an outcome.


    The relatives of the Ding Family in the audience also started whispering to each other.


    Ding Yinuo came to my side and said softly,


    ¡°Do you need me to handle this?¡±


    As the main man today, Ding Yinuo was eager to defend me. I could understand his feelings, but I knew that if he handled this, it would be worse.


    So I said to him,


    ¡°You go and manage the guests at the scene and maintain order.¡±


    He looked at me affectionately and said,


    ¡°Ayun, no matter what happens, I will always stand by your side unconditionally!¡±


    His implication was that even if I was a terrible woman, he wanted me!


    His unconditional support was the greatest reassurance for me.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou couldn¡¯t help but sneer.


    ¡°You truly are charming, do you enjoy watching these men fight over you?¡±


    Although I was furious, I maintain my smile, I have to stay calm, the more he tries to provoke me, the more I cannot lose control.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, you¡¯re really good at fanning the flames. What, is the performance of your company not going well recently? Your products are inferior to ours, the management is chaotic, and the sales are declining. You¡¯re in a hurry and start to bite like a mad dog. To make us lose face, to smear us, you¡¯ve even hired a temporary actor to come today. I have to say, President Gu, this move of yours is simply disgusting.¡±


    ¡°We have so many friends present here, their eyes are sharp, they won¡¯t be fooled by you! If you have any abilities, just bring it on and see if your plot will succeed.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sneered,


    ¡°To deal with you? You¡¯re overthinking! Our Zhenyi Company doesn¡¯t lack anything compared to yours, if you¡¯re saying that our products aren¡¯t good, then yours are even worse. I just came here today to watch the excitement.¡±


    He signaled Xun Yixuan with his eyes.


    Xun Yixuan then began to act again.


    ¡°Xiaoyun! This is the grievance between you and me, it has nothing to do with Mr. Gu, don¡¯t falsely accuse the innocent.¡±


    I glanced at Xun Yixuan,


    ¡°How much did Mr. Gu offer you?¡±


    Xun Yixuan continued to play the victim¡­


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I love you so much! We once made a solemn vow to love each other deeply and never part. I had already planned to spend my life with you, and my parents are waiting for their grandchild. Do you know if they found out that you suddenly got engaged to someone else, they might not be able to handle it.¡±


    ¡°A hundred thousand? If he gave you a hundred thousand, I¡¯m willing to pay double!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, it¡¯s not about money! I can¡¯t lose you, our love is noble, how can it be tarnished by such vulgar things as money?¡±


    ¡°Five hundred thousand?¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, my love for you is as clear as the sun and the moon! Seriously! Look, this is our old picture together, we were once so affectionate!¡±


    As for the picture of the two of us that Xun Yixuan showed, I couldn¡¯t care less to look at it, and directly bid the highest price,


    ¡°One million!¡±


    Perhaps because my bid was much higher than his expectations, he carefully glanced back at Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 232 He Was Shocked_1

    Chapter 232: Chapter 232 He Was Shocked_1


    It¡¯s precisely because of his subtle action that I¡¯m pretty sure Gu Yuanzhou is the puppet master behind all this.


    However, he quickly turns to me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun! Xiaoyun, it¡¯s not about money¡­ it¡¯s about all these years we¡¯ve been together, how I paid for your college tuition, how I supported you. I¡¯ve also put in a lot of cost, even took out a loan to buy a wedding house for our marriage. All these add up to quite a sum of money. If you¡¯re really willing to give me a million! I think I might consider exiting this relationship.¡±


    Apparently, Xun Yixuan is moved.


    He wants to take that million!


    It seems the amount Gu Yuanzhou offered him wasn¡¯t high, which made him waver.


    In that case, my plan might have a chance to succeed.


    ¡°Alright, please clear out of here!¡±


    Just as this issue was about to be resolved.


    Gu Yuanzhou suddenly stepped forward, blocking Xun Yixuan,


    ¡°One million! She won¡¯t give it to you, this woman is a master of deception! Even if she gives you the money now, she¡¯ll turn around and report you for fraud. You¡¯ll lose everything and face the risk of imprisonment. You¡¯ll have enough to dine in jail for ten years because of that million.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xun Yixuan instantly backs out.


    He turns his head and resumes his performance.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, forget about the money, our feelings can¡¯t be bought by money. I love you! You can¡¯t just desert me!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Xun, didn¡¯t you just lose your resolve at the sight of a million? How come you¡¯re wavering again?¡±


    I look at him sarcastically.


    Xun Yixuan came prepared, he kneels right before me, clasping my legs.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, when we first got together, I supported your studies, spending all my money on you. Now I¡¯m terminally ill, and you¡¯re kicking me away like I¡¯m nothing. That¡¯s too cruel. If you don¡¯t care about me, I have nowhere else to go.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun! Xiaoyun, whenever you needed money, I gave it to you! In order to pay your tuition, I deprived myself of food and clothes every month, spending all my earnings on you. Now how can you use money to mock me, aren¡¯t you too cruel!¡±


    I could never have imagined that a man could be so shameless.


    Because of his stirring and emotional provocation, some people who don¡¯t know the truth, or are undecided, begin to whisper.


    ¡°Hey, how could the heroine do this?! Her ex-boyfriend was so good to her and she just dumped him, that¡¯s too over the line!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! This is what we call exploiting people to the fullest, tossing them aside when they¡¯re of no more use. That¡¯s really unsporting!¡±


    ¡°This guy is really pitiful, how did he end up with such a woman?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange that the heroine¡¯s family didn¡¯t come to the engagement ceremony, they must be too embarrassed, right?¡±


    The voices of the crowd are getting louder.


    Gu Yuanzhou, with his arms crossed and a smirk on the corner of his lips, looks quite delighted, apparently enjoying the turn of events.


    Upon hearing such words, Wenya becomes angry and starts arguing with a bystander.


    The situation has deteriorated to an embarrassing level.


    And faced with such a turn of events, I¡¯m at a loss.


    I don¡¯t know Xun Yixuan at all, nor the past between these two.


    If I speak out indiscriminately and say something wrong, it might just give the crowd more ammunition to attack me.


    The situation is rapidly sliding towards an unpredictable outcome.


    I wonder, is everything I¡¯ve carefully planned going to be ruined by Gu Yuanzhou today?


    Just when I¡¯m at my wits¡¯ end, Ding Yinuo steps out briskly.


    ¡°Yinuo!¡±


    I look at him anxiously, thinking, for the sake of not implicating him or the Ding family, I might as well call off the engagement.


    But Ding Yinuo gives me a determined look,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it!¡±


    I nod.


    Ding Yinuo reaches out and pulls up Xun Yixuan who¡¯s on his knees.


    ¡°Brother! As the saying goes, a man¡¯s knees have gold beneath them. We men should stand up straight. Kneeling should be reserved for heaven, earth, and our parents, not for begging. You¡¯re just making a fool out of yourself.¡±


    Xun Yixuan is dead set, refusing to stand up.


    ¡°You home-wrecker, what right do you have to comment on me and Xiaoyun?¡±


    Ding Yinuo doesn¡¯t get upset, he just laughs. He moves forward, grabs Xun Yixuan¡¯s arm, and somehow,


    It seems like he has hit Xun Yixuan where it hurts,


    only to hear Xun Yixuan let out a painful cry, then he abruptly stands up.


    He points at Ding Yinuo, ¡°You dare to hurt me? You want to fight with me in front of all these people?¡±


    Xun Yixuan is like a provocative ruffian, he simply wants to make a big deal out of this, emboldened by the fact that he has nothing to lose.


    Ding Yinuo, on the other hand, remains calm,


    ¡°Fight? Seems like you¡¯ve been using such a barbaric way to solve problems. Really crude, reckless and stupid. If Xiaoyun doesn¡¯t like you anymore, I suggest you read more books!¡±


    Xun Yixuan is furious, his voice hoarse and his face flushed as he curses.


    ¡°You¡¯ve read a lot of books, haven¡¯t you?! You¡¯ve read so much that you¡¯ve learned to poach other people¡¯s partners, haven¡¯t you?! Your Ding family is rich, but your thoughts are so dirty and vulgar. Taking someone else¡¯s wife is like digging up their ancestors¡¯ graves!¡±


    Ding Yinuo remains steady, the expression on his face calm and composed, perfectly matching his scholarly garb.


    Tackling Xun Yixuan¡¯s clamor with ease, he raises his chin, straightening his back.


    ¡°You said you paid for Xiaoyun¡¯s tuition! Tell me, how much money did you spend, where did it all go? I¡¯ll pay you back double.¡±


    Xun Yixuan is a bit taken aback, it seems he did not expect Ding Yinuo to ask him this.


    He ruminates for a moment, then starts,


    ¡°Tuition! Four years of college, I paid her tuition every year.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do you have any receipts from the checks? Did you make a bank transfer or was it WeChat transfer? These should all have records, right? Don¡¯t lie, one of my friends works at a bank and can check the transaction history!¡±


    Xun Yixuan¡¯s eyes flickered after listening,


    ¡°The money was given in person, where would there be any transfer records?¡±


    Ding Yinuo sneers,


    ¡°As far as I know, when Song Xiaoyun was in college, you were also in college. And your family¡¯s financial situation is worse than Song¡¯s, and after Song Xiaoyun started working, you were still pursuing your master¡¯s degree! So, you didn¡¯t actually give Song Xiaoyun any tuition at all, on the contrary, she gave you her salary after she started working, in addition to that, she has been tutoring to earn money during her four years in University, and I¡¯m afraid all that money went to you!¡±


    Xun Yixuan¡¯s face turns slightly red,


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡±


    Ding Yinuo says,


    ¡°I have your roommate¡¯s phone number, I heard, you used to brag about how willing your girlfriend was to spend money on you in front of them, want me to connect the call?¡±


    Xun Yixuan goes pale, he quickly changes the topic,


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about what happened in college, but she shouldn¡¯t have betrayed me and deserted me when I¡¯m diagnosed with a terminal illness!¡±


    Ding Yinuo laughs lightly,


    ¡°Seems like fate is really incredible! I¡¯m a doctor at the First City Hospital. Come on, tell me, what terminal illness have you got? I¡¯ll cure it for free!¡±


    Xun Yixuan gets extremely nervous,


    ¡°You¡¯re lying, you say you¡¯re a doctor, do you have any evidence!¡±


    Ding Yinuo calmly points into the audience.


    ¡°See over there? All of them are my colleagues from the hospital! Come on, stand up and show him, we¡¯ve got experts from all departments! Any disease you¡¯ve got, we¡¯ll sort it out for you.¡±

 Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter 233: Allergic to Jerks_1

    Chapter 233: Chapter 233: Allergic to Jerks_1


    It must be said, Ding Yinuo has some talents.


    He first exposed Xun Yixuan¡¯s weaknesses, and then progressively shattered them.


    A number of the guests attending today indeed included colleagues from Ding Yinuo¡¯s hospital. Even though they had dressed in Hanfu costumes for the event, they brandished banners proclaiming them as representatives from City First Hospital¡­


    Upon seeing this, Xun Yixuan was immediately stunned.


    He probably had never encountered such a spectacle before, and was left dumbstruck, unable to react for a moment.


    He stood there, staring blankly at those people.


    It took him a while to regain his composure, and he forced himself to continue arguing back,


    ¡°Whatever illness I have, it¡¯s my private matter! Why should I tell you about it? What are you, thinking you¡¯re amazing just because you¡¯re a doctor?¡±


    Ding Yinuo sneered at his words.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t dare to admit what terminal illness you have! That¡¯s because you never had one in the first place! Let me tell you, the one who actually has a terminal illness is Song Xiaoyun. Indeed, you two were together for many years, but Song Xiaoyun was diagnosed with a terminal illness half a year ago. Your initial reaction was to decisively break up with her. You never proposed to her, you¡¯re not her fianc¨¦, just a mere boyfriend.¡±


    After Ding Yinuo said this, beads of cold sweat began forming on Xun Yixuan¡¯s forehead.


    It was clear that Ding Yinuo had touched his raw nerve.


    However, he still wanted to put on a tough front,


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. We never broke up!¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been in contact with Song Xiaoyun for half a year. Isn¡¯t that a break-up?¡±


    ¡°I did call her, but she wouldn¡¯t answer. Can you blame me for that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Well, she has a reason for not answering, considering you got involved with her best friend and even showed off your affection for her on your social media. You tell me¡­ would she answer your calls?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!!!¡±


    Xun Yixuan bristled with anger.


    Ding Yinuo immediately took out his phone and displayed a group photo.


    In the photo, Xun Yixuan was indeed seen cuddling with a girl, clearly cozy with her.


    Not only did Ding Yinuo refuse to let the matter go, but he also held up the photo for all the media journalists present to get a shot of it.


    ¡°Come on, everyone, look at this! This screenshot was taken from the ¡®Moments¡¯ section of this scumbag¡¯s WeChat, and it¡¯s dated half a year ago¡­ You all can go online to do some digging on this girl. See how long they¡¯ve been together!¡±


    ¡°While dating Song Xiaoyun, he cheated on her. After Song Xiaoyun fell ill, he decisively dumped her. Now that Song Xiaoyun is engaged, out of fear that she might live a good life, he deliberately came to smear and slander her. Look at his character, what kind of scumbag is this?¡±


    After the audience saw the photo of the two, they all changed sides and started to support me, lashing out at Xun Yixuan.


    ¡°Wow, I have seen shameless people, but I have never seen someone this shameless!¡±


    ¡°Not only did he cheat on her with her best friend, but he also can¡¯t stand his ex living a good life. This lowlife is the fighter jet among all the lowlifes!¡±


    ¡°Die, you scumbag, get lost!¡±


    Some in the crowd who couldn¡¯t stand it any longer started throwing things at Xun Yixuan.


    Apples, snacks¡­


    Now that the evidence was right there, Xun Yixuan¡¯s justifications were meaningless.


    As soon as he opened his mouth, he attracted a barrage of curses.


    ¡°Die, you scumbag, you fraud, get lost! If you don¡¯t love someone, you shouldn¡¯t interfere with their happiness!¡±


    ¡°Get out of here, get lost! Quick, call the police, let the officers take him away. I am allergic to scumbags, my eyes hurt at the sight of them!¡±


    The emotions of the people at the scene were all fired up.


    The roaring crown almost swallowed Xun Yixuan.


    He covered his face with his hands and fled from the venue like a drowned rat.


    At that point, a crisis was deftly averted by Ding Yinuo.


    This made me see him in a new light.


    However, I was curious, how does Ding Yinuo know so much about Xun Yixuan? He even had screenshots from Xun Yixuan¡¯s social media?¡±


    However, the engagement ceremony should keep going. We had already delayed too much and it wasn¡¯t appropriate to keep the guests waiting any longer.


    ¡°Manager Ding, hurry up, we shouldn¡¯t miss the auspicious hour!¡±


    Su Peisheng, a part of our part-time brothers team on this day, urged Ding Yinuo.


    Wenya also let out a sigh of relief and came close to me, saying,


    ¡°Manager Ding did great today!¡±


    I also gave him an appreciative look.


    Ding Yinuo just humbly replied,


    ¡°This is what I should do, protect my woman!¡±


    After that, the engagement ceremony continued as planned.


    Perhaps due to the unpleasant incident that happened earlier, the audience¡¯s expectations for us were higher, and the blessings we received were more numerous.


    I inadvertently glanced at the crowd.


    The silhouette of Gu Yuanzhou had long since disappeared.


    The ceremony finally came to a successful end.


    As expected, our Hanfu product made it to the trending list during the engagement ceremony.


    It even exceeded my expectations¡­


    Regardless, we have achieved a great deal tonight.


    Originally, Su Peisheng wanted to pull Ding Yinuo out to celebrate tonight.


    But Ding Yinuo declined,


    ¡°No, tonight is about my sweet time with Ayun. No one should interrupt us, we are having a candlelight dinner.¡±


    Su Peisheng laughed and said,


    ¡°That¡¯s unacceptable, I need to video call you later!¡±


    ¡°Beat it! Do you have an itch! I will turn off my phone now, so none of you can contact me!¡±


    Honestly, I was truly worn out.


    After hours of chaos, my Hanfu outfit was already soaked with sweat, and the hair accessories were so heavy that they were weighing down my neck.


    Right now, I just wanted to rest and had no interest in going out.


    Ding Yinuo turned out to be my savior this time¡­


    After leaving the TV station, we returned directly to the Xishan residence.


    The first thing upon entering the house was to remove the make-up!


    The hair jewelry was too complicated, fortunately, Ding Yinu had the patience to sit next to me, helping me to remove the hairpins one by one.


    ¡°Um, Ding Yinuo, how did you know about Xun Yixuan and me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo answered leisurely,


    ¡°Since you first said¡­ you were the reborn Ayun, I started investigating discreetly.¡±


    ¡°Why did you never mention Xun Yixuan to me?¡±


    ¡°A pathetic guy as he is, why should I mention him! I didn¡¯t think he would come back for you! Because for him, you have no value.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Originally, he would not have come. Gu Yuanzhou must have played a role in this! He must have paid a large sum of money to bring him here!¡±


    ¡°Hm! Your thoughts are the same as mine!¡±


    I looked in the mirror and saw that all my hair accessories had been well removed, before I asked Ding Yinuo another question.


    ¡°Just now you said, Song Xiaoyun contracted a terminal illness, which caused the two to break up! I want to know, what kind of terminal illness did she have?¡±

 Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 234 His Hidden Secrets_1

    Chapter 234: Chapter 234 His Hidden Secrets_1


    In fact, since inheriting this body, I have never been to a hospital for a check-up.


    Other than noticing that Song Xiaoyun was somewhat frail, there were no other issues.


    Moreover, I don¡¯t even know why I was reborn into Song Xiaoyun¡¯s body.


    So, with the commotion caused by Xun Yixuan today, I became somewhat curious about Song Xiaoyun¡¯s past.


    If it¡¯s true, as Ding Yinuo said, that Song Xiaoyun was afflicted with a terminal illness, does it indirectly prove that I don¡¯t have long to live myself?


    In the mirror.


    Ding Yinuo sits behind me, combing my long hair gently with a brush.


    After a moment of silence, he finally speaks,


    ¡°There¡¯s no terminal illness! You misheard! It was actually Xun Yixuan¡¯s philandering that led to their break-up.¡±


    ¡°Did I really mishear?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo places his hands on my shoulders, gently turning me to face him.


    I look into his warm eyes, and immediately all the unpleasant emotions melt away.


    ¡°Mmm, I trust you, Ding Yinuo. If I don¡¯t trust you, who can I trust?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good! The only thing you need to remember is that you are Ayun, not Song Xiaoyun. As for the matters of Song Xiaoyun, there¡¯s no need you to delve into.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright!¡±


    ¡°You must be tired. Rest early!¡±


    Ding Yinuo notices my fatigue and we skip the candle-lit dinner.


    He only lets me rest after I remove my makeup.


    I¡¯m really tired and fall asleep as soon as I hit the bed¡­


    The next morning, when I wake up, Ding Yinuo is already gone.


    I watch the sunlight pouring in through the window and the bedroom is bathed in warmth.


    On the table is a note left by Ding Yinuo,


    It reads:


    ¡°There is an urgent matter at the company that I need to handle, so I¡¯m leaving first. Take today off and relax.¡±


    A bank card was left with the note, with the PIN written on the back.


    This Ding Yinuo, he really has no guard against me, just giving me access to his money so casually?


    I stretch my hands outside the blanket, thinking about the events of yesterday, and for some reason, I can¡¯t let go of these tangled emotions.


    After getting up, I take a cab to Song Xiaoyun¡¯s old residence¡­


    It¡¯s the place she first rented.


    After I moved out, Song Xiaoyun¡¯s things were still there. I originally planned to move them when the lease was up.


    Surprisingly, just as I reached the entrance of the neighbourhood, I ran into Gu Yuanzhou.


    He was walking out from the inside.


    The world is really small, I bump into him wherever I go.


    Although yesterday¡¯s incident is fresh in my mind, I naturally can¡¯t let him off the hook.


    ¡°President Gu! Showing up in front of me with such a grand display yesterday, I thought you had some kind of trick up your sleeve. But in the end, you ran away with your tail tucked between your legs?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s icy black eyes examine me up and down for a while.


    ¡°Your mouth¨C the words you say are becoming more and more unpleasant!¡±


    ¡°Well, I usually speak according to my audience. In dealing with people like you, I can only choose unpleasant words.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with people like me? Are you blaming me for what happened yesterday? It¡¯s your own fault for not resolving things with your ex, and now you¡¯re pinning the blame on me? However, I can see that you don¡¯t really have your heart set on marriage with the second young master of Ding Family.¡±


    A sly glint suddenly flashes in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes.


    I look at him and ask, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that opportunistic?¡±


    ¡°Using the engagement ceremony to launch your new product, it¡¯s clear the wheels in your head have been turning. You may be able to fool the public, but you can¡¯t fool me.¡±


    ¡°Really? Mr.Gu, you do love to think too highly of yourself.¡±


    ¡°You were with me for so long, I know exactly what kind of person you are and exactly what you want to do.¡±


    ¡°Really? If President Gu is so talented, have you been able to think of a way to save Zhenyi Company?¡±


    ¡°There is nothing for you to be proud of. Everything you can think of, I have already considered¡­A little achievement by Tianjiao Company is nothing impressive!¡±


    After giving it some thought, I say, ¡°However, I have a suggestion. I wonder if President Gu would like to hear it?¡±


    ¡°What is your suggestion?¡±


    ¡°If President Gu considers my engagement as marketing, then President Gu could also get engaged to a woman with influence, which would also improve your reputation!¡±


    Hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou snorts coldly.


    ¡°This marketing strategy, I¡¯ve thought of it already. I don¡¯t need your suggestion!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou doesn¡¯t seem to want to stay longer. He drops this line and swiftly leaves.


    After Gu Yuanzhou leaves, it suddenly hits me; did he come here to search for any hidden secrets I might have had?


    By the time I rush to the rental, it¡¯s too late.


    The door is wide open, cleaning staff are inside, busy cleaning the place and throwing out the remaining items.


    The landlord is nearby giving instructions.


    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Why are you throwing out my things?¡±


    The landlord looks at me, stunned.


    ¡°Your boyfriend just came and said you¡¯re not renewing the lease, so he asked me to empty the house!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I then understood: by ¡°my boyfriend,¡± the landlord meant Gu Yuanzhou.


    What is he doing, destroying traces of Song Xiaoyun¡¯s life?


    Without further thought, I rush into the room wanting to find some clues. Unfortunately, it¡¯s too late.


    Nothing valuable has been left in the room.


    Out of irritation, I start arguing with the landlord,


    ¡°That man is not my boyfriend at all! How could you just trust him like that? Where did you throw my stuff?¡±


    ¡°There was a garbage truck that came by just now. We packed up everything and threw it all in! And¡­ if he¡¯s not your boyfriend, how did he have a picture of both of you together? Young lady, don¡¯t make false statements. Even though you two had arguments after breaking up, I understand. But if you two joined forces to fool me, that¡¯s not right.¡±


    The landlord looks helpless.


    I think about it, it¡¯s not the landlord¡¯s fault; the one to blame is Gu Yuanzhou, he¡¯s crossed the line.


    What the heck is he trying to do?


    Forget it.


    After all, I just wanted to know what terminal illness Song Xiaoyun had!


    In my free time, I could just go to the hospital for a check-up.


    This wasn¡¯t anything important. I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it anyway. As of now, there¡¯s nothing wrong with my body, so I believe what Ding Yinuo has said is true.


    I have to admit, the engagement ceremony was a marketing success.


    Photos of me have been posted on the homepages of major media websites. The Hanfu I wore was especially stunning and full of charm.


    Standing together with Ding Yinuo, we appeared like a prince and princess from ancient times¡­


    I often stare dumbfounded at the picture.


    Jia Yuyan would joke on the side,


    ¡°Sister Song, you and Manager Ding really look like husband and wife!¡±


    I took a good look at Song Xiaoyun¡¯s face again, she did indeed look like Ding Yinuo¡¯s wife¡­


    Could it be that my rebirth is because Song Xiaoyun and Ding Yinuo have other unresolved ties and destiny?


    A receptionist hurried in, glanced at me, and then looked at Jia Yuyan.


    ¡°Miss Jiang, a guest named Ye Mengyan would like to see you!¡±

 Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter 235 Privacy_1

    Chapter 235: Chapter 235 Privacy_1


    The collection of Hanfu designed by Jia Yuyan this time sold exceptionally well.


    Being a person who values talent, I not only rewarded Jia Yuyan materially, but also promoted her to become the team leader of the design crew.


    My recognition not only boosted her self-esteem but also earned her more respect within the company.


    What is Ye Mengyan coming to see her for now?


    Jia Yuyan did not go to see Ye Mengyan straight away, but turned around to ask for my opinion.


    ¡°Sister Song, I¡¯ve refused Ye Mengyan three times! She calls me, sends me messages, even gets classmates to look for me¡­ Should I meet her?¡±


    Jia Yuyan is smart; she knows to respect my decisions in critical moments.


    I like such women, who are aware of boundaries, express their gratitude, and don¡¯t act as restless and worldly as Ye Mengyan.


    Gu Yuanzhou must be blind to have chosen Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Being colleagues and school fellows, you¡¯ll see each other often. Go and see what she wants.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    No sooner had Jia Yuyan stepped out of the office, than I leisurely followed her.


    Not that I don¡¯t trust Jia Yuyan, but I am worried that Ye Mengyan will play some tricks.


    Indeed, as soon as I stood outside the door, I heard Ye Mengyan say to Jia Yuyan,


    ¡°President Gu said that as long as you are willing to join Zhenyi Company, we can offer you double your current salary! The best benefits the company can provide are all for you! Yuyan, we are classmates, would I deceive you?¡±


    Jia Yuyan¡¯s attitude was firm,


    ¡°Miss Song trusted me and gave me this job. Without her, I¡¯d still be delivering parcels! One should repay kindness. I can¡¯t betray her.¡±


    I slightly raised the corner of my mouth; I had read her right indeed.


    Jia Yuyan knows right from wrong.


    Ye Mengyan, unwilling to give up, continued,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun is a scammer, she tried to seduce President Gu at Zhenyi Company but failed. And now, as you see, she is seducing Manager Ding. He lacks Gu¡¯s wisdom, and has been fooled. Song Xiaoyun won¡¯t last long, Manager Ding will soon realize she¡¯s a scammer, and by that time, you will also be implicated.¡±


    Jia Yuyan laughed and refused her,


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, stop spreading rumours. I trust my instincts, Song Xiaoyun is not that type of person.¡±


    Seeing Jia Yuyan remain unmoved, Ye Mengyan changed her approach.


    ¡°Ok! Yuyan, since you don¡¯t want to leave Tianjiao Company, at least leave a way out for yourself! I have a plan, allowing you to stay at Tianjiao Company. Why not do me a favor?¡±


    Right at this moment, my assistant came looking for me at the office.


    Consequently, I had to step away from Jia Yuyan¡¯s discussion to attend to the matter at hand.


    By the time I finished up and turned my attention back to their meeting, Ye Mengyan had already left.


    As it was almost time to leave work, Jia Yuyan came to find me and took the initiative to tell me about her conversation with Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Miss Song, Ye Mengyan said that Zhenyi Company has now promoted her to the position of chief designer.¡±


    As I took a sip from my cup of tea, I fell into deep thought and chuckled coldly. Gu Yuanzhou is truly inviting his own demise.


    Fine!


    If Zhenyi Company is slow in collapsing, then let it continue destroying itself!


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Ye Mengyan said that she plans to come out with a new product similar to our Hanfu¡­ But, I refused her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t refuse her!¡±


    Jia Yuyan sat up straight and looked at me,


    ¡°Miss Song, what do you mean?¡±


    I smiled, ¡°Since Ye Mengyan wants to become famous, why not just go along with her?¡±


    Grasping my intention, Jia Yuyan nodded with determination.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go along with her!¡±


    The following days were hectic for me.


    Because the new product was selling so well, many media outlets wanted to interview me, but I didn¡¯t want to reveal too much about myself in public.


    Consequently, I pushed Jia Yuyan into the limelight as the representative of our company.


    She was younger and needed more opportunities to grow.


    Jia Yuyan did not let me down, and in the upcoming national fashion competition, she won the first prize, gaining both fame and fortune.


    The next afternoon, Gu Yuanzhou deliberately called me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet. I think we need to have a good chat!¡±


    ¡°What, are you planning on selling Zhenyi Company? Name your price, and I¡¯ll see if I can raise the money! After all, as long as Zhenyi Company still holds a bit of brand value, selling it now could make you some money!¡±


    Infuriated by my sarcasm, Gu Yuanzhou retorted through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, Zhenyi Company is my wife¡¯s livelihood. I will never sell it.¡±


    ¡°Well, since you have no plans of selling Zhenyi Company, we have no reason to meet.¡±


    ¡°Come on! I found some of your secrets at your rental place! If you don¡¯t want them to be made public, come and see me! Meet me at the Waterfront Restaurant, at nine o¡¯clock tonight. I won¡¯t wait if you¡¯re late. It¡¯s up to you whether you come!¡±


    ¡°What kind of secrets?¡±


    ¡°If you want to know, come and see for yourself!¡±


    Seemingly running out of patience, he ended the call abruptly.


    As soon as I hung up, I ran into Ding Yinuo.


    He seemed to be in high spirits these days, ¡°Ayun, have you finished your work?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve pretty much finished the tasks at hand¡­ but I have something tonight, so I won¡¯t be coming.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with tonight?¡±


    ¡°Manager Ding¡­ you¡¯re starting to interfere more and more! This seems to infringe upon my personal freedom!¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have any freedom now! Ayun, all your time now belongs to me!¡±


    ¡°Manager Ding, we agreed that the engagement was just to appease your mother. And it seems¡­ your mother¡¯s condition has been improving quite a bit. Maybe we should lay this topic out.¡±


    Ding Yinuo, who initially had both hands in his pockets, widened his eyes with tension.


    ¡°I was just joking! Of course, you¡¯re free, it¡¯s just that¡­ people keep asking me where my wife is, so wanting to know your whereabouts is just natural!¡±


    ¡°Who asked you that? We haven¡¯t gotten married, and you¡¯re already calling me your wife?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Su Peisheng and the others. You know them; they call their girlfriends wives when they are just dating!¡±


    ¡°Ignore them! However, it¡¯s true that I have things to do tonight!¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not a big deal. My mother just wanted me to bring you home for dinner! You¡¯re engaged now, surely you can¡¯t still be eating dinner outside?¡±


    ¡°Apologize to Auntie for me, we can do it next time!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Actually, I know that Ding Yinuo won¡¯t make it difficult for me. He was just joking.


    Perhaps it was because of the engagement that there was a subtle bond between him and me.


    At exactly nine in the evening, I arrived at the Waterfront Restaurant.


    Gu Yuanzhou had been waiting there for quite some time, his figure wrapped in darkness.


    Even from several hundred meters away, I could feel his cold aura.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! What kind of secret of mine do you have?¡±

 Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 236 Test_1

    Chapter 236: Chapter 236 Test_1


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s all-black, piano-finished phone lay flat on the table, its screen alive with a flashing call.


    I glanced at it unintentionally and saw the name Xun Yixuan marked on it.


    So, he truly was incorrigible! He was still in contact with Xun Yixuan. Was he trying to find something to use against me?


    Seeing me staring at his phone screen, he hung up the call immediately, then very cautiously put his phone back in his pocket.


    Pointing across the table, he said,


    ¡°Sit!¡±


    I pulled out a chair and sat across from him.


    Gu Yuanzhou snapped his fingers,


    ¡°Waiter, we¡¯re ready to order!¡±


    The waiter came over and handed him the exquisite menu, which he then passed to me,


    ¡°You can order anything you want!¡±


    I was completely uninterested in the menu and didn¡¯t take it from him.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m not in the mood for dinner. Let¡¯s get straight to business!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly pulled out a document from his bag and handed it to me.


    ¡°According to the latest data, Tianjiao Company has snatched almost sixteen percent of our old customers! Your actions are highly inappropriate!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, as the boss of Zhenyi Company, you should use your intelligence to keep customers, instead of using these underhanded tactics against me. After all, the market is limited. Whoever has the better, higher quality product¡ªcustomers will choose them!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou held his glass of red wine, seemingly unphased, his deep eyes locked onto me.


    After a long while, he curled his lips into a smile.


    ¡°Do you think if I used those underhanded methods, you¡¯d still be alive to argue with me?¡±


    I felt a chill radiating from the depths of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes.


    In truth, Gu Yuanzhou has always had an intense presence around him.


    In the past, when he was still doing business with my Uncle Song Shixiong, I could sense the malicious aura around him.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because as we fell in love and got married, I let my guard down as we grew more familiar and intimate, and so I couldn¡¯t detect that malicious aura anymore.


    But now, after seeing his true colors, I can feel it again¡ªstronger than ever.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, just tell me straight up what you want!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou did not respond to my words, but instead, asked me another question.


    ¡°When did you and Xun Yixuan break up? What month, which day, and for what reason?¡±


    His question made me wary. Why would he suddenly ask something like this?


    I gave him another careful look.


    ¡°President Gu, your memory is really bad. Isn¡¯t it you who brought Xun Yixuan to my engagement ceremony to make a fuss? So how couldn¡¯t you know when Xun Yixuan and I had broken up?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up a finely-crafted lighter from the table and started flipping it back and forth in his hand.


    The restaurant was still located by the water.


    Sitting here, you could see through the glass window where the water met the sky, a blanket of stars.


    At this time, the restaurant was almost empty.


    Just Gu Yuanzhou and me.


    And one waiter!


    The dim, elegant lights did not expose the darkness in our eyes).


    His strategies were far more complex than I could have imagined.


    He didn¡¯t answer me, he didn¡¯t even play along with my topic.


    ¡°Do you know what Xun Yixuan¡¯s parents¡¯ names are?¡±


    ¡°How ridiculous, why would I bother to learn my ex¡¯s parents¡¯ names?¡±


    ¡°What was the name of your high school class teacher?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, do you think I would tell you? You are asking so many personal questions. If I told everything, wouldn¡¯t you use them against me?¡±


    ¡°Which primary school did you and Xun Yixuan attend as children?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him about it?¡±


    ¡°You might not know what other people¡¯s parents are named, but you must know how many brothers your father has or how many sisters your mother has!¡±


    I was slightly taken aback, Gu Yuanzhou had asked me five questions.


    Each question was about my identity as Song Xiaoyun.


    In fact, I really didn¡¯t know these details.


    I only inherited Song Xiaoyun¡¯s body, not her memories. I don¡¯t know about her past.


    But the crux of the matter is, why is Gu Yuanzhou digging into this?


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, if you¡¯re not hiding anything, then I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou pulled out a blue notebook from his bag and placed it on the table.


    ¡°I found this in Song Xiaoyun¡¯s rental house! It¡¯s her diary¡­ do you know what she wrote inside?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what she wrote, this is mine, you have no right to take it!¡±


    I reached out to snatch it.


    Unexpectedly, he was quicker and grabbed my wrist.


    His strong hand clamped on mine like a vise, pinning me down firmly.


    I couldn¡¯t move.


    Both of us were in a deadlock.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re shameless! You stole my things!!¡±


    I was furious, yet he chuckled.


    ¡°Your things? They are not yours, they belong to Song Xiaoyun, and you¡­ are not Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what are you blabbering about?¡±


    ¡°Fine, if you really are Song Xiaoyun, then tell me, what¡¯s written in this diary?¡±


    ¡°Let go of me, and I¡¯ll tell you!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou released his grip.


    I didn¡¯t waste time arguing with him, I grabbed the notebook from the table and bolted out of the restaurant.


    I ran as fast as I could, using all the strength I had. Even when I was doing track and field in school, I had never exerted myself like this.


    However, to my surprise, he didn¡¯t chase me.


    I didn¡¯t dare to stop, I hailed a taxi by the road. Only after getting in the car did I notice my phone was ringing.


    It was an unread text message from Gu Yuanzhou, saying only two words, ¡°Open it!¡±


    I hurriedly opened the blue notebook, only to find all its pages blank, except for a few words written on the front page.


    They were written by Gu Yuanzhou.


    If you want the real diary, come back to find me!


    Furious, I immediately instructed the driver, ¡°Sir, please turn around.¡±


    About fifteen minutes later, I returned to the floating restaurant.


    Gu Yuanzhou was still sitting in the same place, squinting at me.


    He hadn¡¯t moved an inch.


    Seeing me return, a smirk curled his lips.


    ¡°I told you, if you want to play for real, you can¡¯t beat me!¡±


    ¡°Where is the real diary?¡±


    He looked at me,


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what terminal disease Song Xiaoyun had?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, are you trying to trick me into saying something? Let me tell you, I¡¯m already on my guard against you, you can¡¯t get anything out of me.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou nonchalantly finished his cigarette.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange for someone not to know what kind of disease they have!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You are not Song Xiaoyun! You know nothing about her!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the diary?¡±


    He looked at me intently again,


    ¡°Do you remember when Song Xiaoyun first started working at Zhenyi Company? Wasn¡¯t she always bullied by other staff?¡±


    I thought hard, my memory of the past was fuzzy. I just remembered that Song Xiaoyun back then didn¡¯t dress well, wore glasses, and was somewhat inattentive. I thought she was just a newcomer to the workplace who wasn¡¯t adapting well to the new environment, and didn¡¯t think much about it.


    Now that I think about it, it indeed feels odd!


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what the hell are you trying to say?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gazed at me again, and with underlying significance, said, ¡°Song Xiaoyun is already dead!¡±

 Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter 237 He is a Madman_1

    Chapter 237: Chapter 237 He is a Madman_1


    I stared at Gu Yuanzhou for a long time.


    I didn¡¯t know whether by saying Song Xiaoyun was dead, he was referring to the fact that I had possessed her soul, or that Song Xiaoyun was already dead before I had possessed her?


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what do you mean?¡±


    I was silent for a long time.


    I became more cautious when speaking to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Apparently, his test a moment ago had seemingly succeeded.


    He put out the cigarette butt in the ashtray, squinting his black eyes at me for a long time.


    ¡°Actually, during the time you were at Zhenyi Company, I felt after some time with you that some of your actions, your style of doing things, were very similar to those of my deceased wife. At that time, at first, I suspected you were possessed by a ghost. But after consulting with a Taoist priest, he said you were a human, not a ghost, because a ghost cannot appear in broad daylight and dare to freely enter temples.¡±


    I recalled that there was a period when Gu Yuanzhou tested me in various ways.


    All the previous suspicions, now hearing them from his mouth, did not surprise me at all.


    Gu Yuanzhou unbuttoned a button of his suit, slightly leaning forward, his dark eyes getting even closer to me.


    His closeness made me feel more suppressed.


    I subtly leaned back.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I don¡¯t want to hear your story. Give me the diary, and I will leave immediately.¡±


    I wanted to interrupt his topic.


    I wanted to withdraw from here.


    But he didn¡¯t want to follow my line of thought, but continued.


    ¡°Moreover, Ayun hated the Ding family the most in her life. If she were alive, she would defeat the Tianjiao Group at all costs. Not like now, getting so close to Ding Yinuo, allying with the people of the Ding family.¡±


    My mouth was a bit dry. In front of me was a glass of champagne.


    There were still ice cubes in it.


    I grabbed it directly, drinking more than half of the glass.


    The cold feeling made me sober up a lot.


    At this time, Ding Yinuo sent me another text message,


    ¡°I am having dinner with my mom! My mom says our engagement is a double celebration. It would be great if we could get married.¡±


    I gently swiped the screen with my finger, then closed the phone.


    Then I looked up at Gu Yuanzhou again,


    ¡°Now that you think so, why did you ask me to come out?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up the wine bottle and refilled my glass.


    ¡°I had already dismissed my doubts, but later¡­ I found Xun Yixuan! After communicating with him, I realized you are not Song Xiaoyun! Your show at the wedding, it seemed like you won. But it also revealed, you were not Song Xiaoyun, I do not believe there is someone in this world who wouldn¡¯t recognize their ex¡­ So, I went to the house where Song Xiaoyun was renting, chatted with the landlord for a while. The landlord and I shared the same thought, he stated, you seem like a completely different person.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice was deep, and his story was clear and logical.


    I no longer contradicted him, but asked following his thought,


    ¡°So what do you mean! Who do you think I am?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stopped talking.


    He kept staring at me!


    Those eyes seemed to want to scrutinize everything about me.


    Actually, his words sent chills down my spine.


    During this period, I had thought he was trying to surround and block my company. Unexpectedly, he had been investigating me thoroughly.


    At this time, he leaned forward again and asked in a deep voice,


    ¡°So, are you my Ayun?¡±


    I was stunned!


    There was a moment when a lot of things came to my mind¡­


    What would be the consequences if I admitted that I was reborn?


    I was very clear about the type of man Gu Yuanzhou was.


    If he knew it was me!


    For his own face, even if he had to risk being completely worsted, would he insist on getting me back?


    My marriage to him had ended when I died.


    All I had left for him was endless hatred.


    I would not repeat the same mistake again.


    I chuckled softly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it yourself, if I was your wife, how could I be with Ding Yinuo?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t get angry, but still remained calm.


    ¡°I will find the answer!¡±


    My phone rang again, I looked down and saw it was another text from Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Ayun, when will you be home?¡±


    It seemed like he wasn¡¯t comfortable with his meal, his mind was still on me.


    And I was dealing with Gu Yuanzhou at the moment, so I couldn¡¯t reply to him for now.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I came here today to get the notebook back. If you want to give it to me, give it. If not, I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s fingers lightly tapped the table, the smile on his lips was a bit wicked.


    From his expression, I knew something was wrong.


    Soon, discomfort came over me, my sight gradually blurred, and I lost consciousness.


    It was then that I realized it was Gu Yuanzhou who had tampered with the alcohol.


    I was really careless.


    Despite living again, I was still caught off guard by his scheme.


    I don¡¯t know how long it took me to wake up gradually.


    Raising my head and looking out, I saw it was daylight.


    This was a strange room, I didn¡¯t know where Gu Yuanzhou had brought me!


    I got up from the bed, saw my bag was on the table. I reached out, picked it up, and checked inside.


    All my stuff was still there, but my phone was missing.


    But at the same time, I saw a diary on the table.


    It was the same design as the one I had seen with Gu Yuanzhou before, with a blue cover, but much older than the one I saw before.


    I suddenly realized, this diary must be Song Xiaoyun¡¯s.


    With curiosity, I opened up the diary, and the contents inside shocked me.


    The diary must have dozens of pages, and each page was densely filled with text.


    It recorded her life, her daily classes, the details of doing part-time jobs after school¡­


    ¡°Today I cleaned three houses, I was so tired. But the money is good, another week of saving and I can buy Yixuan the VL belt he likes. His birthday is coming up, he must love this gift. Even though we are poor now and have nothing, I believe as long as we work hard, we can have happiness.¡±


    The text was long and detailed, it seemed that Song Xiaoyun not only worked as a tutor, but also as a cleaner. Besides going to school, she worked for four or five hours every day.


    I didn¡¯t have time to read in detail, so I skimmed over. Initially, it recorded the sweet moments between her and Xun Yixuan.


    As a bystander, I could see, in their relationship, Song Xiaoyun gave too much¡­ while Xun Yixuan was always manipulating her.


    Each time they dated, Song Xiaoyun was scolded by Xun Yixuan!


    She gradually lost her sense of happiness, the words in her diary were sloppier towards the end!


    ¡°Xun Yixuan, I saw you with her, I know you don¡¯t love me anymore. But I dare not break up with you, ¡¯cause you¡¯re my only motivation to keep going. I don¡¯t want to see the doctor, I am really not sick. I don¡¯t want to take any medicine, after taking it, I only want to sleep, just like a walking dead. But if I don¡¯t take it, I feel depressed, I don¡¯t see the point of living, I¡¯d rather die.¡±

 Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 238: She is Heavily Manipulated by Her Ex-boyfriend_1

    Chapter 238: Chapter 238: She is Heavily Manipulated by Her Ex-boyfriend_1


    Even though the diary didn¡¯t mention the particular disease Song Xiaoyun had.


    Yet, from her despairing handwriting, it¡¯s obvious this poor girl is driven mad by Xun Yixuan.


    Despite Song Xiaoyun treating him well, he was always nitpicking and demeaning her¡­ And Song Xiaoyun always bore with him and sought his approval, her love was so humble it was pathetic!


    I couldn¡¯t bear to continue reading.


    It was heartbreaking and brought tears to my eyes.


    What nerve did this damned Xun Yixuan have to create a scene at my engagement ceremony?


    The more I read, the angrier I became.


    I felt suffocated and put the diary down, dazed with my hands on the desk.


    Suddenly, a cold laugh came from behind.


    ¡°So, do you believe now that Song Xiaoyun is dead?¡±


    I swiftly turned my head.


    Gu Yuanzhou was standing at the entrance of the room, looking at me.


    I quickly stepped towards him, angrily grabbing his sleeve,


    ¡°You actually drugged me! Gu Yuanzhou, how could you do such a despicable thing?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t touch you!¡±


    He just gave me a four-word reply.


    ¡°Nutcase, I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    ¡°I will publish this diary on the internet, what do you think the consequences could be?¡±


    I turned to look at him,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun was severely depressed, this pitiful woman, would you really expose her story to the public?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s pair of black eyes looked at me calmly,


    ¡°She attempted suicide multiple times! Yes, consider if everyone knew that Tianjiao Company¡¯s chief designer was such a terrifying woman, you guess, how would the clients choose? And the Ding Family¡­ will they be laughed at for being engaged to a heavy depression patient?¡±


    With his words, my back began to feel cold.


    Many people in society do not understand severely depressed patients; in fact, many people see them as mentally ill.


    I believe, if this news were to get out,


    It would be a heavy blow to both Tianjiao Company and Ding Family.


    No wonder Ding Yinuo has kept it a secret, even claiming I didn¡¯t have any disease.


    Now, I understand.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re so despicable and shameless!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou pointed to the door,


    ¡°You¡¯re free to leave whenever you want!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s my phone?¡±


    It seemed that Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t want to stop me, he handed me my phone.


    Then he sat down on the chair, casually watching me.


    As I stepped out of the room, I realized¡­this place was actually the Yin Mansion he bought before.


    My death and life-plaques were even revered in the living room!


    I glanced at them casually, then made my way out. At the same moment, my phone rang.


    I looked down to see more than a dozen missed calls from Ding Yinuo.


    Thinking of how upset he must have been not to find me last night,


    I quickly picked up the call.


    Before I could say a word, a frantic voice emitted from the speaker,


    ¡°Ayun, where are you?¡±


    ¡°I, um, I¡¯m okay!¡±


    I looked around, the location was at the foothills, the morning sun glittered across the forest, the view was beautiful.


    After stepping out of the house, the pressure lifted immediately, feeling as if I had a new lease on life.


    I couldn¡¯t wait to leave this place.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer your phone last night, and I¡¯ve been worrying. I have been waiting for you all night at Xishan Residence. Where are you now? Let me pick you up!¡±


    Ding Yinuo indeed sounded very worried, and his thoughts were incoherent.


    ¡°I¡¯m outside, I¡¯m okay, my phone ran out of battery last night¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry, I should be returning to the company soon.¡±


    On assurance of my safety, he finally calmed down,


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll head to the company. See you soon!¡±


    Just as he was about to end the call, I stopped him. ¡°Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    ¡°You knew Song Xiaoyun had severe depression, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    There was silence on the other end,


    ¡°Who told you that? Was Xun Yixuan looking for you again? Are you still at your old apartment? I¡¯ll come find you?¡±


    ¡°No, Ding Yinuo, calm down and listen to me. I just want to know the truth!¡±


    Ding Yinuo responded,


    ¡°The person with depression is her, not you! Ayun, you are Song Yun, you¡¯re not Song Xiaoyun! Obviously, you are not the same person as her. So don¡¯t let others label you! You are cheerful, confident, and radiant, this isn¡¯t cancer, it¡¯s not going to affect your body, as long as you keep a happy mood, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Did Song Xiaoyun attempt suicide several times?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there were¡­ there are records in the hospital, she had been sent here a few times due to overdosing on sleeping pills, and had her stomach pumped. The doctor who was treating her for depression was also from our hospital, that doctor is my classmate, and we would occasionally bring her up.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, have you ever seen Song Xiaoyun before?¡±


    There was a pause before Ding Yinuo replied, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°How long have you known her?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember! Anyway¡­She attempted suicide a few times and I just happened to be on duty, I saved her!¡±


    ¡°Did she remember you then?¡±


    ¡°Not sure, but she always seemed to be in a daze. After I saved her, she gripped my hand and repeatedly pleaded me not save her again.¡±


    There was an element of sadness in Ding Yinuo¡¯s words.


    He didn¡¯t seem to want to talk about this.


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re not her! You really don¡¯t need to worry about this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried, I was just thinking if the world knew that Song Xiaoyun was a severe depression patient and had attempted suicide many times. Would that have an impact on Tianjiao Company?¡±


    ¡°There will definitely be some negative impacts, but, we can face it together!¡±


    ¡°I understand, it¡¯s okay, Ding Yinuo, see you later!¡±


    I hung up the phone, looking up at the sky, the sun was a bit dazzling.


    ¡°There are no taxicabs around here, either I can give you a ride to the city or you can walk three kilometers up ahead where there is a bus station!¡±


    I turned my head to see Gu Yuanzhou standing at the door looking at me.


    Without a word, I walked back.


    Upon reaching the living room¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou poured me a cup of tea.


    I glanced at the candlelight and incense on the altar, it was clear that Gu Yuanzhou often came here to pay respects.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of your wife and child haunting you when you stay here at night?¡±


    I said mockingly, looking at him.


    Gu Yuanzhou was sitting on the couch, crossing his legs casually, his expression was relaxed,


    ¡°Clear conscience full of mind, live without fear of ghosts knocking on the door. I haven¡¯t done any harm to them, haven¡¯t owed anyone anything.¡±


    ¡°Huh! What about Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°From the frequency of you asking this question, you must be Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Haha, I would be jealous of her¡­whatever, what do you want, so this diary won¡¯t be published?¡±


    I initially thought Gu Yuanzhou would demand a massive amount of money, thinking he would exploit this situation for his own gain.


    Or maybe asking to give him back his key clients.


    Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t. Instead, he made an even more outrageous request.

 Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Guilt_1

    Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Guilt_1


    He tilted towards me just slightly.


    ¡°All I want is simple, I want you to tell me about everything that has happened to you, any details, since the fire!¡±


    I was silent.


    He meant to confirm from me that I was his wife.


    From his eager eyes, I got the hint.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, are you looking for me to admit that I am Song Yun, to alleviate your guilt?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was silent.


    In his eyes, I saw his guilt.


    Yes!


    That is the look of guilt.


    He sat on the sofa, smoked a pull, looked at me for a while, and asked,


    ¡°So, are you going to accept this condition? There¡¯s no loss for you!¡±


    I laughed!


    A cold laugh!


    No matter what Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s motives were, I could never admit to this anymore.


    Ding Yinuo was right, I am not Song Yun anymore, I am Song Xiaoyun!


    In any case, Gu Yuanzhou is now in the past.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, your conditions are very strange! Why do you need me to admit that I am not that person, what¡¯s the point? To have me admit that I am your departed wife, then break up with Ding Yinuo and remarry you? Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡±


    ¡°You are my Ayun, my wife, you know that well.¡±


    ¡°No, I am not!¡±


    ¡°Really? If you¡¯re not, then how do you explain not knowing about Song Xiaoyun¡¯s past?¡±


    ¡°I believe you¡¯ve read the diary, too! I have severe depression¡­ While taking antidepressants, I am always in a daze, often have bouts of amnesia, and can¡¯t even remember what I¡¯ve done! What¡¯s so strange about that? Don¡¯t you have friends who are doctors? You could ask them, how many patients with depression are really clear-headed?¡±


    At my question, Gu Yuanzhou was stumped.


    ¡°Then how do you explain your engagement to Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s very simple! After I developed depression, I have always been treated at Municipal Hospital. The several times when I attempted suicide, it was Ding Yinuo who saved me. He is my savior, I am just returning the favor with this engagement, is there anything wrong with that?¡±


    I pieced all the details together, they made a watertight story.


    Gu Yuanzhou, hearing this, laughed coldly.


    ¡°Fine, since you refuse to admit it, our deal is off!¡±


    ¡°So, are you going to give me back the diary?¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re not my Ayun, there¡¯s no reason for us to have any kind of emotional bond. And since you¡¯re engaged to Ding Yinuo, you are also my sworn enemy¡¯s fiancee. There is neither sentimentality nor common ground between us. So, why should I grant you any favors?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!!!¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, when you¡¯re ready to admit that you are Ayun, come talk to me¡­ I¡¯ll give you a three-hour deadline!¡±


    With that, Gu Yuanzhou left without looking back.


    Before he left, he took the diary.


    In the morning, I returned to Tianjiao Company.


    Ding Yinuo was leading a group of clients on a tour around the company¡­


    This well-dressed man, maneuvering amongst a group of investors, seemed high-spirited and vigorous.


    Sometimes I think, the decision for Ding Xiao¡¯s resignation was really well-timed. It was his decision that led Tianjiao Company to new heights.


    In fact, amongst the two brothers, Ding Yinuo really proved his potential, like a dark horse.


    From a distance, I took a glance at him, decided not to disturb him since he was busy with the clients, and went straight back to my office.


    Right then, Jiang Yuyan also came to find me!


    I reported on the progress of things with Ye Mengyan and I nodded.


    Things were going smoothly.


    But, my mind was still preoccupied with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s threat, three hours!


    I glanced at the time, it had been an hour and twenty-five minutes since he made that statement.


    Not long after Jiang Yuyan had left, surprisingly, Ding¡¯s mother came over.


    ¡°Auntie, why are you here?¡±


    Ever since I got engaged to Ding Yinuo, Ding¡¯s mother¡¯s condition seemed to have gotten better.


    She had dyed her all-white hair chestnut at the last wedding, and she wore a cheongsam. She looked like a warm and caring mother again.


    She came in carrying a thermos. As soon as she walked in, she opened the thermos, and inside was an exquisitely designed porcelain stewing jar.


    Upon opening the jar, the fragrance of chicken soup filled the air.


    ¡°Anuo said that you¡¯ve been very busy lately. Young people should stay busy, but you have to take care of your health too! This is the chicken soup I made for you, to boost your energy! Rest assured, it¡¯s from an organic, free-range chicken I bought from the countryside! It won¡¯t make you fat.¡±


    I was incredibly touched by Ding¡¯s mother¡¯s care, the feeling of being valued and cherished.


    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re not in the best health, you really shouldn¡¯t be going through all this trouble! I can buy whatever I want to eat while I¡¯m at the company, really, you don¡¯t have to burden yourself.¡±


    ¡°Silly girl, why are you being so formal? You¡¯re already engaged to Anuo, you¡¯re going to be part of the Ding family, my child. It¡¯s perfectly normal for a mother to cook for her child, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°But, your health isn¡¯t very good!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine! I¡¯m not that decrepit yet! Anuo¡¯s father is no longer around, and it¡¯s uncomfortable for me to just idle around at home. I¡¯m better off doing something and keeping myself busy. That way, I feel better!¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother sighed.


    I didn¡¯t know what else to say, so I sat down and earnestly drank the chicken soup.


    The oily layer on the surface of the chicken soup had already been skimmed off, and it had been supplemented with American ginseng. It was indeed a nutritious delicacy.


    The warm soup warmed my body and soul.


    As I was drinking the soup, Ding¡¯s mother sat next to me and chatted about things at home.


    ¡°Anuo said that you¡¯re the lucky charm of our Ding family. Ever since you joined Tianjiao Company, the stock has been rising, and the business is booming! He also said that meeting you in this life is like finding his soulmate! It¡¯s great, you guys are so in love, it makes me happy¡­ Unlike your brother and sister-in-law!¡±


    I was slightly stunned, ¡°Has older brother and sister-in-law not reconciled yet?¡±


    ¡°Ah, your sister-in-law has depression, that¡¯s a difficult disease to cure, it¡¯s psychological, she wants to commit suicide at the slightest provocation¡­ Ah, although she¡¯s a good child, this disease, Axiao¡¯s life is pretty much over. What I¡¯m most worried about is Ruirui. The doctor says she can¡¯t spend too much time with her mother. This disease, it can be infectious, especially harmful to a child¡¯s mental health.¡±


    ¡°Has sister-in-law gone to see a doctor?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she go? Staying at home could make her condition worse!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it with Axiao, and Axiao has also discussed it with his in-laws¡­ You know, this disease isn¡¯t a good one, gathering a bad reputation when word gets around. If outsiders were to know about it, it would probably damage the company¡¯s reputation. Her in-laws also have a reputation to uphold, they don¡¯t want to be criticized, and if news of this were to get out, Ruirui would be laughed at by her classmates, for having a mentally ill mother! I don¡¯t have a choice! No one wants to deal with this!¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but I already heard the meaning in her words¡­

 Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Resign First, Then Cancel the Engagement_1

    Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Resign First, Then Cancel the Engagement_1


    The soup in my hand gradually became a bit heavy.


    Everyone seemed to think that He Ruhui having depression was a smear against them all, including her own parents¡­


    Everyone seemed to stand on the side of righteousness, but who considered the patient¡¯s perspective?


    ¡°Auntie, she needs to be treated! She can¡¯t be left in this state. The longer it drags on, the worse it¡¯ll be!¡±


    Mother Ding sighed,


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel it¡¯s right for me to intervene in this. Do you have any good suggestions?¡±


    ¡°I think, if you¡¯re concerned that seeking treatment will harm the reputation of the Ding family or the He family, there are ways to avoid this. You could buy a house in a remote place, let her live there, then seek a doctor to treat her at home, under a false name. Then no one would know¡­ She could be cared for by a nanny, or preferably by Ding Xiao.¡±


    Mother Ding nodded at my words,


    ¡°Hmm, your suggestion is not bad; I¡¯ll talk to Axiao about it later!¡±


    After Mother Ding left,


    I was stunned for a long time.


    Without realizing it, half an hour had passed.


    Looking at the ticking numbers on my phone¡¯s screen, the tension within me grew even more intense.


    I was growing impatient.


    I went directly to the reception room.


    Through the glass door, I saw Ding Yinuo in conversation with a client.


    I sent him a text message. Upon seeing it, he rushed out.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ayun?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡­ Ding Yinuo, I want to resign now!¡±


    ¡°What did my mother say to you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo must have known that Mother Ding had just visited, so he asked anxiously.


    ¡°Auntie was very nice. She brought me some soup¡­¡±


    ¡°Then why do you want to resign? Ayun, the company is growing rapidly, and everything is moving in a promising direction! Did you see those clients? They¡¯re all willing to invest in us, each at a hundred-million-dollar level. Ayun, you¡¯ve contributed a lot to Tianjiao in this period of time. Your sudden resignation, I¡¯m having trouble accepting it.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what I¡¯m currently considering is what¡¯s best for Tianjiao! I must resign!¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me why?¡±


    ¡°No reason! Ding Yinuo, I¡¯m resigning right now! You¡¯d better hold a press conference immediately! It¡¯s a good thing for you and for Tianjiao!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯m not a three-year-old. I know what¡¯s good for me and what¡¯s good for Tianjiao. If you insist on resigning, then I reply as the CEO of the company! I won¡¯t approve your resignation!¡±


    He firmly refused me.


    ¡°Yinuo! I¡­ the reason I have to resign is that I have depression. I¡¯m having an episode right now. I need treatment. I need to resign!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo suddenly broke into laughter.


    ¡°Your call to me this morning was about this issue¡­ Ayun, as I told you before, as a doctor, I can assure you that you don¡¯t have depression. You are not Song Xiaoyun, understand?¡±


    ¡°I am! Ding Yinuo, I am Song Xiaoyun! Except for you, no one can prove that I¡¯m not Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    As I said this, Ding Yinuo also became serious.


    He led me by the hand to the window, his face grave.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    After weighing it up again and again, I told him about Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s threats.


    After hearing this, Ding Yinuo fell silent.


    But after a few seconds he calmed down.


    ¡°Let him do it! Even if he doesn¡¯t make this move, he will make others! We¡¯ll fight the enemy as he attacks and dam the flood when water rises. Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m with you!¡±


    ¡°Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Nothing to worry about. If you¡¯re too stressed, you should rest.¡±


    To be honest, being anxious now is useless. All we need to do is think of a response strategy first.


    But right now, I can¡¯t think of a good strategy.


    Ding Yinuo had clients to attend to, and I couldn¡¯t be a distraction. I went back to my office.


    About ten minutes later, Wenya ran over.


    She seemed even more anxious than I was when she walked in¡­


    ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I came with Su Peisheng. He said Ding Yinuo called him to deal with some emergency. They plan to sue Gu Yuanzhou as soon as he releases any adverse information¡­ I came to keep you company.¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°Suing is meaningless now. Once the damaging information is released, the damage is done. Suing Gu Yuanzhou for compensation won¡¯t make a difference.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s really no way to deal with him?¡±


    Wenya, being impatient as she is, was scratching her head anxiously. She wished she could catch Gu Yuanzhou and give him a beating.


    ¡°Not necessarily! My resignation is the best choice, just like Ding Xiao¡¯s last time, to remove myself from the equation. That way, he can only target me personally, and Tianjiao Company will not be affected. You know, the current stock market is very sensitive and can¡¯t stand the slightest disturbance! Any negative news could result in loss starting at hundreds of millions.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we quit first? After this matter is over, we can come back discreetly. After all, people live and learn!¡±


    ¡°What you said, I¡¯ve thought about it. Actually, what I¡¯m more worried about is the impact on the Ding Family, unless I divorce Ding Yinuo!¡±


    Only when Wenya heard this did she realize the severity of the problem,


    ¡°That damn Gu Yuanzhou, killing two birds with one stone. Isn¡¯t there a way to deal with him?¡±


    I prepared a cup of coffee for Wenya and shook my head,


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Gu Yuanzhou. Ignoring the fact that he¡¯s currently the owner of Zhenyi Company, just considering the past¡­ The fact that he gained my uncle¡¯s trust indicates he¡¯s not simple.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Last time, didn¡¯t your uncle give you a lot of dirt on Gu Yuanzhou? Think about it, yeah!¡±


    After Wenya reminded me, I did remember.


    I looked at my phone; only thirty minutes left to the three-hour mark!


    ¡°Wenya, accompany me on a trip!¡±


    ¡°Qingmu Mountain!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so far away, why are you going there?¡±


    That place, although Song Shixiong wrote it out for me, Gu Yuanzhou did tell me about it when we were together.


    Out of respect for Gu Yuanzhou, I have never visited there.


    However, given the current circumstances, a visit was unavoidable.


    I drove Ding Yinuo¡¯s car, with Wenya as my passenger, and went out of the city.


    In the car, Wenya asked again, ¡°Do you think kidnapping Ye Mengyan will work?¡±


    ¡°Do you think Gu Yuanzhou is foolhardy? I guess, at a time like this, he has already taken precautions to protect Ye Mengyan. How could he let me catch him off guard?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wenya cursed Gu Yuanzhou a few more times,


    ¡°This bastard! If he keeps behaving like this, I hope he ends up ruining himself someday!¡±


    When we arrived at the foot of Qingmu Mountain, I checked the time; it was exactly three hours. I dialed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s number immediately.


    It seemed Gu Yuanzhou was expecting my call, and there was a note of triumph in his voice.


    ¡°What, are you finally willing to admit that you¡¯re Ayun?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I advise you to give up publishing that content from Japan¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? And why should I listen to you?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ I¡¯m at Qingmu Mountain now!!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s reaction became agitated instantly, and he said, ¡°You best not go there!¡±

 Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 241: Finding His Weakness_1

    Chapter 241: Chapter 241: Finding His Weakness_1


    The more nervous he appeared, the clearer it became in my heart that I was on the right track.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you can¡¯t possibly think that I¡¯m the only one with dirty secrets, do you?¡±


    Hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou immediately questioned me, nervousness clearly seeping through his words.


    ¡°Only my wife knows this secret! How long do you think you can hide it?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! There are so many people who know about this! Everyone in the Song family, don¡¯t they know your secret?¡±


    ¡°Did Song Shixiong tell you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore! You better cancel the reveal of that diary, or everyone will suffer! There¡¯s a saying that even a rabbit, when cornered, will bite. Don¡¯t push me!¡±


    My tone was equally firm, attempting to intimidate Gu Yuanzhou.


    However, after hearing my words, Gu Yuanzhou responded with a cold chuckle.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been threatened by anyone. You¡¯d better leave Qingmu Mountain immediately, or you will regret what you¡¯ve done today for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so scared!¡±


    After saying this, I let the call drop. Although my tone was tough, I still felt a chill run down my spine.


    Wenya was still searching for a vehicle around the mountain road, unable to find anything¡­


    She came over to ask me,


    ¡°Did you come to an agreement with Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°No! He just threatened me not to go up the mountain!¡±


    ¡°Ah, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Ignore him! Let¡¯s go up the mountain first!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no car!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s take the trail!¡±


    The mountain track was more challenging than I imagined. After nearly forty minutes of winding uphill with Wenya, we finally made it to an ancient temple.


    This temple nestled among the green hills, surrounded by lush trees, carried an air of elegance and tranquility, reminiscent of a place where hermits would cultivate in isolation.


    From afar, the sound of a wooden fish being struck and the faint chanting of scriptures echoed.


    ¡°Umm, what place is this? Are we supposed to go here?¡±


    Wenya asked, wiping her sweat. I nodded,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s aunt lives here! She¡¯s a nun. I heard from Song Shixiong that Gu Yuanzhou was raised by his aunt since childhood.¡±


    Wenya nodded,


    ¡°Alright. It seems this reckless brat needs someone to discipline him.¡±


    I shared her sentiment, hoping that Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s aunt could rein him in.


    According to the information Song Shixiong provided, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s aunt was named Gu Xinlan. I had never met her and didn¡¯t know what she looked like.


    So, we went to find the head of the temple. After asking around, we found Gu Xinlan in the back meditation hall.


    To my surprise, Gu Xinlan wasn¡¯t tonsured. Her lifestyle didn¡¯t differ from that of an ordinary person.


    Though frugal, she followed the Buddhist practices just like any other nun, maintaining a diet of vegetarian meals and reciting scriptures religiously.


    ¡°Auntie Gu, hello!¡±


    Gu Xinlan paused from turning her prayer beads and stared at me for a long time.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Apparently, she didn¡¯t recognize me.


    ¡°I¡¯m Song Xiaoyun¡­ I want to talk to you about Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    When Gu Xinlan heard my name, there was a flash of panic in her eyes. She shot up to her feet, took a few steps back, and wedged herself against the door frame.


    ¡°What¡¯s your relation to Song Shixiong?¡±


    I paused for a moment, noticing that she seemed to be afraid of Song Shixiong.


    In order to calm her down, I responded hastily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any relation with him. We just share the same surname.¡±


    Gu Xinlan took another look at me, seemingly reassured,


    ¡°Young ladies, I¡¯ve been a nun for quite a while now. Although I do have a nephew, we haven¡¯t been in contact for many years!¡±


    However, when I walked in, I noticed several pots of newly bought osmanthus flowers in the courtyard¡­


    The room, though humble, was fitted with air conditioning, and on the desk lay boxes of high-end ginseng supplements.


    Such expensive items could not have been bought by a nun,


    Obviously, Gu Yuanzhou must visit frequently.


    I understood the situation immediately.


    However, I didn¡¯t press her further and just engaged her in small talk.


    We talked about everything, from the lotus pond in front of the temple, to the wild peacocks in the forest, and on to the topic of spiritual cultivation and reincarnation.


    Gu Xinlan was very forthcoming in our conversation.


    But the moment I mentioned Gu Yuanzhou, she clammed up as if facing a mortal enemy.


    I wasn¡¯t too concerned, but Wenya, with her impatient nature, couldn¡¯t stand it.


    ¡°I must say, master, we came up the mountain today to seek your help, specifically because of your unruly, inhumane nephew. He¡¯s rampaging through the village at the mountain¡¯s foot. He killed his own wife and child, and now he¡¯s not sparing anyone else, biting around like a mad dog. You, as Buddhists, talk about hell, he has done such wicked things, reciting scriptures won¡¯t help!¡±


    Upon hearing her words, Gu Xinlan just continued turning her prayer beads¡­


    She began muttering incantations and closed her eyes, still appearing reluctant to meddle in worldly affairs.


    Meanwhile, my phone kept ringing. The screen was lighting up constantly with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s number.


    It seemed he was very wary of me finding Gu Xinlan on the mountain.


    It was as if he was afraid that I might uncover a secret about Gu Xinlan that should have remained hidden.


    He called more than a dozen times. I showed no intention of answering.


    Then he started texting me.


    ¡°Listen, you¡¯d better cancel your trip right now, or I will not let you go!¡±


    I saw the text but didn¡¯t reply.


    However, Wenya, after seeing his message, grew even more furious.


    Finally, she started ranting at Gu Xinlan.


    ¡°Forget it, forget it, I don¡¯t think pleading with her will do any good. Why don¡¯t I just get a knife and head over to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s house and stab him? That would be the end of it. Everyone has only one life. At most, we can trade ours for his. If there¡¯s no knife, I can bring a stick of dynamite to his company. The more we can blow up, the better!¡±


    Wenya was just venting her anger. However, on hearing her words, Gu Xinlan opened her eyes wide with alarm,


    ¡°Unacceptable! Unacceptable! How can there be such murderous intent in a realm of purity as told by Buddha? Amitabha! My sins, my sins!¡±


    Wenya retorted, ¡°Even Buddha won¡¯t save us. You see your wicked nephew causing harm and don¡¯t stop him. So much for your ¡®Land of Purity.¡¯¡±


    Gu Xinlan put down her prayer beads, folded her hands together, and finally sighed,


    ¡°This silly boy, how could he keep me in the dark about all the wrong things he¡¯s done?¡±


    After a long while, she turned to Wenya.


    ¡°Is what you said earlier true? Are his wife and child really gone?¡±


    ¡°Auntie¡­ ah, master, I cannot lie to you! If you don¡¯t believe me, you can look up the Golden Bay arson case online!¡±


    Gu Xinlan¡¯s eyes held a melancholy sadness. She shook her head,


    ¡°I have no access to the internet here. Nuns are oblivious to worldly matters! The dead¡­ was it the girl surnamed Song?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ It was Song Shixiong¡¯s niece who died!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Xinlan¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Her voice turned husky.


    ¡°My sins, my sins. These are all my sins! He had promised me that he would let go of the past. Why can¡¯t he let go? This silly boy, he wouldn¡¯t say a word when he came here!¡±


    It appeared that Gu Xinlan knew very little.


    Why did she keep mentioning her sins?


    Could the Golden Bay arson case have something to do with her?

 Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Making a Move _1

    Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Making a Move _1


    Staring at Gu Xinlan¡¯s compassionate look, Wenya quickly seized the opportunity to say,


    ¡°You¡¯ve followed the teachings of Buddha for many years now. If you truly believe in Buddha, then try to persuade Gu Yuanzhou to lay down his weapons and become a Buddha himself!¡±


    Gu Xinlan nodded,


    ¡°You two should descend from the mountain first. I¡¯ll give Yuanzhou a call! Don¡¯t worry, Buddha is merciful and will protect you.¡±


    Wenya wanted to say something else but I stopped her with my hand and shook my head.


    We thanked Gu Xinlan, then I took Wenya¡¯s hand and we exited.


    Wenya still seemed a little unreconciled,


    ¡°After listening to that old lady chanting for such a long time, we still don¡¯t have a concrete answer!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she say she would call Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°What if she¡¯s lying?¡±


    The signal isn¡¯t great up on the mountain, so we couldn¡¯t really tell what was happening.


    Only after we descended did we take out our phones and checked the internet, but there was no evidence of my dark secrets being exposed.


    At last, I breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Looks like Gu Xinlan did call Gu Yuanzhou, our plan worked!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, who would have thought that this old lady, who followed Buddha¡¯s path, would turn out to be so useful! Gu Yuanzhou is actually scared of her!¡±


    At Wenya¡¯s question, I fell into deep thought.


    I could see that Gu Yuanzhou was indeed somewhat wary of Gu Xinlan, which meant he really valued this aunt of his.


    All along the way, I kept thinking about what Gu Xinlan had said.


    She said everything was her fault!!


    What did she mean by that?


    Wenya, by my side, was texting with Su Peisheng, her face full of sweet smiles as she kept her gaze downward.


    Indeed, love is like an intoxicating potion.


    ¡°Ayun, did you notice that Gu Yuanzhou looks somewhat similar to that woman?¡±


    With Wenya¡¯s reminder, I remembered that, indeed, despite Gu Xinlan¡¯s simple clothing and being past fifty, her naturally beautiful face could still reveal her youthful attractiveness.


    It was a kind of matured beauty.


    ¡°She indeed is a real beauty!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange?¡±


    ¡°Strange? How so?¡±


    ¡°That such a beautiful woman would give up living a normal life to meditate in the mountains! It¡¯s not normal!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it does seem a bit unusual. Normally, someone as beautiful as her would marry into a good family! Maybe it¡¯s because she had to take care of Gu Yuanzhou from a young age that she gave up her marriage and remained single her whole life?¡±


    My speculation was quickly denied by Wenya,


    ¡°Taking care of a nephew is not the same as raising a son. Besides, if she were married, having a brother-in-law would be even better for taking care of him, right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it should be the case. If we have a chance in the future, we should ask her!¡±


    ¡°Aye, it¡¯s shocking how you know so little about the only relative of Gu Yuanzhou, who you¡¯ve married.¡±


    ¡°He forbids me from talking about it! Every time I mention his relatives, he gets extremely upset. Plus hearing from my aunt that he¡¯s an orphan, I never asked more.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not your fault!¡±


    Just as Wenya and I were discussing this,


    My phone rang again. This time it was from Gu Yuanzhou.


    I thought a while, then decided to answer.


    As soon as the call connected, he confronted me,


    ¡°What did you say to my aunt?¡±


    ¡°When you threatened me with my private affairs, didn¡¯t you imagine there would be consequences?¡±


    ¡°Quit the nonsense. My aunt is a solitary meditator, away from society. She¡¯s already taken her vows. What happens between us has nothing to do with her. Why couldn¡¯t you spare even her?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you wouldn¡¯t let me go! Would there be all these issues if you didn¡¯t press me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou fell silent for a few seconds,


    ¡°No! The one who couldn¡¯t let go was you! What horrendous things you¡¯ve done targeting Zhenyi Company recently, did you really think I wouldn¡¯t notice? Do you want to ruin Zhenyi Company?¡±


    His tone was very heavy.


    I fell silent at his words too, feeling as if my cards had been exposed.


    Indeed, that was what I was thinking.


    And I was doing exactly that.


    I just didn¡¯t think he would see through.


    He saw through the surface level, through this phone, he realized my intentions.


    Undoubtedly, Gu Yuanzhou is a frightening individual.


    Silence!


    Deathly silence prevailed, even though the phone was clearly connected, neither of us spoke a word.


    I don¡¯t know how much time elapsed before Gu Yuanzhou snorted coldly,


    ¡°What did my aunt say to you?¡±


    ¡°Eh, with a question like that, it would be better to ask her directly! No matter what she said, I have no obligation and wouldn¡¯t reveal it to you. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Gu?¡±


    Then, oddly enough, Gu Yuanzhou hung up.


    Staring at my phone, I was in a daze for a long while.


    Although this time, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t reveal anything about Song Xiaoyun¡¯s diary, I could feel that he was preparing more malicious traps for me.


    On the way back, Su Peisheng called Wenya.


    When he learned that our affairs were resolved, he invited us for a meal.


    It¡¯s been a while since Wenya met up with Jian Jing, so she also called Jian Jing¡­


    Half an hour later, when we met at Hailan restaurant, we saw Jian Jing had brought Yu Jiahang with her.


    Su Peisheng came out to greet us,


    ¡°Though I invited you, the company will cover the bills, so eat as you please. Don¡¯t hesitate!¡±


    ¡°Jian Jing, your belly has grown so much!¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s belly was gradually showing. Though her dress was loose, the pregnancy was a lot more noticeable.


    Seeming very interested in Jian Jing¡¯s belly, Wenya went over immediately and sat with her.


    ¡°How do you feel now? Can you feel the baby moving?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can feel the baby moving every day. The doctor instructed us to count the baby¡¯s movements daily and to be careful if the number isn¡¯t right.¡±


    Wenya and Jian Jing started speaking in low voices, while Yu Jiahang sat at a distance engrossed with his phone, which prompted me to ask Jian Jing a question.


    ¡°Are you and Yu Jiahang doing alright?¡±


    There was a momentary freeze in Jian Jing¡¯s smiling face, but she quickly resumed her composure.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s alright.¡±


    Wenya added,


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®it¡¯s alright¡¯? If he¡¯s treating you poorly, just let us know. We sisters will help teach him a lesson!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. He recently got promoted and bought me a lot of things.¡±


    There was discernible excitement in Jian Jing¡¯s words. Could it be that Yu Jiahang has truly changed for better?


    Halfway through the meal, Yu Jiahang suddenly moved over to Jian Jing¡¯s side, which was also right next to me. He asked me,


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t Ding Yinuo here today?¡±


    Wenya quickly responded,


    ¡°He is busy with work at the company. A man with a career can¡¯t always hang around aimlessly like someone idle.¡±


    Yu Jiahang let out a couple of chuckles, lifted his glass, and said,


    ¡°That makes sense, he is indeed a successful man. Well then, since it¡¯s rare for us all to gather, I¡¯ll toast to both of you. Thank you all for taking care of Jian Jing.¡±


    Wenya added, ¡°Sure, and congratulations on your promotion!¡±


    The three of us clinked glasses and drained them.


    Actually, I was in a good mood today too, so I had another drink with Wenya. But after downing two glasses, I started to feel a bit tipsy.


    In the restroom where I was fixing my makeup, a man suddenly embraced me from behind and started fondling me¡­

 Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Stealing a Taste_1

    Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Stealing a Taste_1


    The man was reeking of alcohol and roughly grabbed me over the sink, nearly ripping off my skirt.


    I was shocked, and the alcohol-induced fog in my mind instantly cleared.


    As I struggled desperately, the man hurled obscene abuses at me.


    ¡°With everyone away, let¡¯s find some fun here, shall we?¡±


    The man was a full head taller than me.


    Escaping from his grasp was really hard, but I recognized his voice. It was JiaHangJiahang.


    I was shocked and furious.


    ¡°JiaHangJiahang, have you lost your mind? Do you realize that Jian Jing is right here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, Song Xiaoyun, I¡¯ve liked you for a long time!¡±


    This man was like a lustful beast, insane to do such a thing with me.


    I knew I couldn¡¯t shake him off, so I grabbed a glass bottle from the counter and smashed it hard on JiaHangJiahang¡¯s head.


    A loud thud.


    JiaHangJiahang screamed and let go of me.


    I quickly adjusted my clothes, and frantically fled from the bathroom.


    At this point, I didn¡¯t dare to go back to the box room alone.


    In a moment of confusion, I didn¡¯t know what to tell Jian Jing.


    If I tell the truth right away!


    Jian Jing was pregnant. The shock could cause a miscarriage.


    Also, this incident would seriously test our friendship. Our years of friendship might suffer a dent if she harbored any suspicions.


    After much thought, I decided to act as if nothing had happened and didn¡¯t mention it to Jian Jing.


    In the corridor, I calmed my emotions, and after about fifteen minutes, I returned to the restaurant.


    Unexpectedly, it was a bizarre coincidence.


    Perhaps feeling guilty, JiaHangJiahang disappeared somewhere and didn¡¯t dare to come over until now.


    He and I entered the restaurant one after another.


    Luckily, Wenya seemed to not have noticed any abnormality and was happily chatting with Jian Jing, scrolling through something on their phones.


    ¡°Ayun, come over quickly. Jian Jing has picked a name, and so have I. Which one you think is better?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you guys pick!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to be near JiaHangJiahang, so I subtly seated myself next to Su Peisheng.


    At this time, JiaHangJiahang slowly emerged from the corridor. Jian Jing noticed him just then,


    ¡°JiaHangJiahang, what happened to you? Why is there such a big bump on your head?¡±


    JiaHangJiahang stole a careful glance at me,


    ¡°I accidentally bumped into the wall while walking, never mind. This has been an unlucky day. I¡¯m going home.¡±


    Wenya halted him as he was about to leave,


    ¡°How can you walk alone? What about Jian Jing if you leave?¡±


    ¡°I think I had a bit too much to drink. You guys send Jian Jing home later. I¡¯m leaving first!¡±


    I too, didn¡¯t want to see JiaHangJiahang, so I didn¡¯t attempt to stop him.


    I quietly watched him leave¡­


    Luckily, Jian Jing seemed to have no clue about what had happened. After finishing dinner.


    Su Peisheng and Wenya drove Jian Jing back home.


    As for me, I hailed a taxi to take me home when my phone rang again.


    Seeing it was a call from Wu Lijuan, I instantly picked it up.


    ¡°Xiaosong, there¡¯s a situation here. Can you come over?¡±


    She sounded uneasy in her voice.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way!¡±


    I asked the taxi driver to turn the car around. Half an hour later, I reached the entrance of the Song Family house.


    At this time, the Song Family¡¯s house was brightly lit.


    My car had just stopped when Wu Lijuan anxiously stepped out of the house.


    ¡°Xiaosong, you¡¯ve come!¡±


    Before she could even speak, her tears began to fall.


    Holding my hand, she choked out, ¡°My two good-for-nothing sons are abroad, they can¡¯t be relied on when something happens at home. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve raised them for nothing.¡±


    I led her into the room, ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s happened? Tell me slowly!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you so late, but I can¡¯t think of anyone else who could help. I did call Gu Yuanzhou, but he is out of town for business and can¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Wu Lijuan seemed very flustered. It took a while before she could clearly explain what happened.


    It turns out that some time ago, Song Shixiong invested in a gold mine in D Country. A few days ago, he said he wanted to go there for an inspection.


    But since yesterday, he has been missing.


    His cell phone can¡¯t be reached, and calls go unanswered.


    The worst part is, the news just reported bad weather conditions there. Heavy rain has caused the mine to collapse.


    Seeing Wu Lijuan in such a state of panic, I tried to console her first.


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry first! Who was with Uncle Song when he left? Do you have their contact information?¡±


    Wu Lijuan shook her head.


    ¡°He went alone for this investment. Even his deputy manager didn¡¯t go with him.¡±


    ¡°Do you have the local rescue contact for the mine?¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t have it!¡±


    With Wu Lijuan having no valuable leads, all I could do was try to calm her down first.


    Actually, finding any news is extremely difficult, mainly because we¡¯re dealing with a foreign country. Communication barriers aside, we don¡¯t even know who to find.


    No wonder Wu Lijuan was anxious¡­


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry first, let me ask some friends for help. Maybe, the news is not accurate, and the situation might not be as serious as reported?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, Xiaosong, I¡¯ll listen to you!¡±


    From the look on Wu Lijuan¡¯s face, she clearly relied heavily on me.


    It¡¯s understandable. Recently, I¡¯ve been helping her out a lot, and she¡¯s come to trust me a great deal.


    However, after more than an hour of effort, asking all my friends, the only thing that was certain was that a major mine disaster had indeed occurred in D Country.


    But due to the remote location of the mine, no rescue teams have reached there yet.¡¯


    With this news, I didn¡¯t dare to let Wu Lijuan know, afraid that it would hit her hard.


    As I was anxiously busying myself, I heard the doorbell ring.


    I hurriedly went to open the door.


    Standing outside was none other than Gu Yuanzhou.


    He stood outside, refusing to come in. His car lights were still on and he didn¡¯t turn off the engine. It seems he didn¡¯t plan on staying long.


    He just stood there, hands in his pockets, looking at me.


    ¡°Do you want to come in?¡±


    ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, Song Shixiong is in a bit of a pickle. Do you want me to save him?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice was loud. From his tone, I got the feeling that he didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of lending a hand this time.


    If anything, there was a hint of gloating.


    To prevent Wu Lijuan from overhearing and becoming upset, I stepped outside and closed the door behind me.


    So there we were, Gu Yuanzhou and I, under the eaves.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, is Song Shixiong safe? If he is, can you please go in and tell Wu Lijuan? She¡¯s worried sick.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was playing with his lighter, his gaze fixed on me with a teasing look.


    ¡°Are you so concerned about Song Family¡¯s people?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware of Song Shixiong¡¯s whereabouts. After all, I was the one who took him to D Country for business back in the day. And, let me tell you, he may have left alive but might come back dead!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re not planning to save him? He is your uncle-in-law. Didn¡¯t you claim to love your wife very much? Now her uncle is in danger, and you plan to just stand by and do nothing?¡±


    After listening to my words, Gu Yuanzhou responded with little reaction, just a faint smile on his lips.


    ¡°Ayun, you want me to save your uncle, don¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter 244: He is Pretending Again_1

    Chapter 244: Chapter 244: He is Pretending Again_1


    A shiver ran down my spine, and my face immediately turned grave.


    I fell silent.


    Instead, Gu Yuanzhou advanced towards me, closing the distance. He took a step forward, extending his hand to squeeze my small chin.


    ¡°As long as you admit that you are Ayun, I will save him!¡±


    I knew, Gu Yuanzhou was scheming against me, again.


    To be precise, he was trying to trick me.


    He used Song Shixiong¡¯s crisis to test if I was really Ayun.


    I saw through his plot and naturally refused to fall for it. I calmed myself down and promptly pushed away his hand.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯ll say it again, Mr. Song is your wife¡¯s uncle. If you don¡¯t save him and something were to happen to him, what face would you have to face your wife?¡±


    I simply tossed out these words and turned back to go inside.


    Subsequently, I called out for Wu Lijuan,


    ¡°Aunt, your savior is here!¡±


    Wu Lijuan was at this moment kneeling before the ancestral tablets. When she heard that Gu Yuanzhou was there, she quickly stood up and walked towards us.


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s outside on the phone.¡±


    Just as I had imagined, Gu Yuanzhou had no intention of coming inside.


    As I led Wu Lijuan to the door, Gu Yuanzhou actually turned toward his car, as if he intended to leave.


    I quickly shouted to stop him.


    ¡°President Gu, you forgot something.¡±


    At this sound, Gu Yuanzhou stopped and turned to look. Wu Lijuan, on the other hand, quickly walked towards him and grabbed his hand.


    ¡°Yuanzhou, you came at the right time! Let me tell you, your uncle is in big trouble. Come in, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Now that they¡¯d met, Gu Yuanzhou couldn¡¯t refuse. He could only follow Wu Lijuan inside.


    However, after entering the house, his gaze upon me became even more intimidating.


    I could tell, he was sizing me up, observing me.


    ¡°Yuanzhou, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re here. What should we do about your uncle¡¯s situation? I¡¯m old, I¡¯m useless now, ah, if not for having you by my side, I really wouldn¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    Wu Lijuan still looked worried.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s reaction this time was far from any of his previous ones.


    I had seen that he was usually very affectionate towards Wu Lijuan, and would try his best to help her whenever possible.


    But this time, he was just listening quietly. He didn¡¯t have any expression on his face and he didn¡¯t offer any words of assurance.


    ¡°Yuanzhou, do you think your uncle can survive this crisis?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a few calls to find out!¡±


    ¡°Okay, good, you must find out where he is.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t leave. He immediately took out his mobile and made calls to a few of his friends.


    I could tell that his attitude was actually very perfunctory.


    After asking around, he finally delivered some news to Wu Lijuan.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t be of much help this time. My friend on the border side said that this is not just a matter of the mine accident. It also involves some gang disputes in the D Country! I can¡¯t intervene, as you know, I¡¯ve stayed away from things like this for many years.¡±


    Shockingly, Gu Yuanzhou outrightly rejected Wu Lijuan¡¯s plea for help; this situation had stunned me.


    Wu Lijuan was completely at a loss about what to do next.


    ¡°Ah, even you are unable to come up with a solution, what are we supposed to do now?¡±


    ¡°Dealing with foreign incidents like this, even calling the police would be of no use! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Even though Gu Yuanzhou was uttering words of apology, there was absolutely no trace of regret in his eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s it then, Xiaosong, do you have any ideas?¡±


    I quickly rose to comfort her,


    ¡°Aunt, I have already contacted my friend at the border, and he¡¯s checking right now. As soon as I receive any news, I¡¯ll inform you immediately. For now, why don¡¯t you go rest? If anything were to happen to you due to staying up all night, there won¡¯t be anyone left in your family, which would complicate things even more. You must take care of your health now¡­¡±


    After hearing my assurances, Wu Lijuan managed to calm herself down a bit and went back to her room to rest.


    At this point, it was already half past ten at night.


    My phone rang. It was a call from Ding Yinuo.


    I went to the door to answer the call.


    ¡°Ayun, have you gone home yet?¡±


    It seemed like Ding Yinuo had formed a habit of confirming whether I was home every evening.


    Or maybe he had gotten used to my presence and company after that engagement ceremony which I didn¡¯t think was very important.


    ¡°Hmm, not yet, I¡¯m caught up with something outside!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so late, why don¡¯t you hurry back home?¡±


    ¡°In a bit, I¡¯ll head back once I finish dealing with this.¡±


    ¡°Have you run into some trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m at¡­¡±


    I turned back to look at Gu Yuanzhou. He was leisurely sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette, maintaining some distance from me.


    I softly relayed Song Shixiong¡¯s situation to Ding Yinuo.


    After he listened, Ding Yinuo said,


    ¡°Should I come over to the Song family¡¯s residence?¡±


    ¡°No need, it won¡¯t make much of a difference. The key issue now is Mr. Song¡¯s problem overseas. If you want to help, see if you can ask your foreign friends to check for you. If there¡¯s any news, please inform me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    To avoid any unnecessary trouble, I didn¡¯t tell Ding Yinuo that Gu Yuanzhou was at the Song Family¡¯s residence.


    Ding Yinuo wouldn¡¯t come rushing over to the Song Family¡¯s house out of concern for me.


    After hanging up, I turned to look at Gu Yuanzhou.


    Just as Gu Yuanzhou stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, straightened his suit, and started to leave.


    I rushed over to stop him,


    ¡°Are you really not going to help Wu Lijuan?¡±


    ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tone was indifferent.


    ¡°He is your uncle-in-law. Are you really so heartless?¡±


    ¡°As you said, he¡¯s just my uncle-in-law, not my actual uncle. If some people don¡¯t even care for their own uncle, why should I care for them? Tell me, isn¡¯t it so?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you mean to say that once your wife is dead, you don¡¯t care about your uncle-in-law anymore, right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou lit a smoke, studied me intensely, and said,


    ¡°Yes! When a person dies, he¡¯s as insignificant as an extinguished lamp. When a person leaves, he¡¯s as cold as tea that¡¯s gone cold. You get it!¡±


    ¡°You!!!¡±


    Indeed, I had no right to ask him to do anything for me.


    But back then, if it hadn¡¯t been for Song Shixiong¡¯s support and guidance for Gu Yuanzhou, would he have been as successful as he is today?


    ¡°You ungrateful wolf!¡±


    I erupted in fury.


    But Gu Yuanzhou simply gave me an indifferent glance without showing any reaction.


    He walked to the door, opened it, and walked out.


    Before departing, he turned back to look at me again.


    ¡°Whether you are Song Yun or not, I should remind you of this. I don¡¯t owe the Song family anything, I don¡¯t owe Song Shixiong any favors. Even if he dies out there, it¡¯s his own doing. It has nothing to do with me!¡±


    As he declared these words, his eyes were full of ruthlessness.


    I was so angry I felt like exploding.


    If he had dared to utter even half of such words back when I first met him, I would have immediately cut all ties with him, there wouldn¡¯t have been a chance of marriage with him.


    In conclusion, he was just heartless to the core.


    I once thought that he might have some feelings for the Song family, but it turns out he had none!


    But watching him leave like that, I couldn¡¯t be at peace with it.


    So, I thought of a different plan.

 Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter 245 He is Forcing Me to Take Action_1

    Chapter 245: Chapter 245 He is Forcing Me to Take Action_1


    I knew Gu Yuanzhou must have a way.


    He spent the most time with Song Shixiong back in the day, as Song Shixiong¡¯s confidant¡­


    He is most familiar with Song Shixiong¡¯s circle.


    As long as he is willing to make a move, Song Shixiong can definitely be saved.


    Sure enough, as soon as I had this idea, my phone started ringing.


    Gu Yuanzhou did not shy away, he answered it right next to me.


    ¡°Really? Is there news? Kidnapped, were they unable to negotiate a price? Okay, I got it, we won¡¯t interfere for now, let¡¯s wait and see!¡±


    Even though I couldn¡¯t hear the other end of the conversation, I was able to deduce from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words.


    He must have gathered some information.


    At this point, he had already hung up, took a look at me, and walked away.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, that was really low!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me, ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re far worse than Ding Yinuo, you know that?¡±


    I was actually using reverse psychology.


    I knew that Yuanzhou had a strong sense of pride and cared about his reputation more than Yinuo. He couldn¡¯t stand being compared to Yinuo.


    At my words, his face went slightly cold, his eyes filled with derision and mockery.


    ¡°Really? Then tell me, where do I fall short compared to Ding Yinuo?¡±


    I could tell from his tone that I had managed to get him halfway there, so I went along with it and kept going.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s about your abilities! Honestly, if it¡¯s Ding Yinuo¡¯s wife¡¯s uncle who¡¯s in trouble, he would¡¯ve taken action immediately. There wouldn¡¯t have been the need for me to nag endlessly.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will tell you the truth. In this matter, Ding Yinuo wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it. He definitely can¡¯t. If you don¡¯t believe me, just wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Ha, okay, then you can leave! Tomorrow morning, we¡¯ll hear from Ding Yinuo¡¯s side.¡±


    I calmly looked at him.


    Seeing my question, Gu Yuanzhou suddenly stopped and looked me up and down.


    He then walked back and sat down on the living room sofa.


    ¡°Alright, I want to see what this Mr. Ding is capable of!¡±


    Seeing that he stayed behind, I heaved a sigh of relief.


    I returned to the living room and sat across from him.


    After Gu Yuanzhou sat down, he took out his phone but didn¡¯t say a word to me¡­


    I was still waiting for Ding Yinuo¡¯s news.


    Half an hour passed like this, Gu Yuanzhou not uttering a single word to me.


    There were a few times when our silent interactions made things incredibly awkward, so much so that I considered just walking away.


    But thinking about how Song Shixiong¡¯s life was still hanging in the balance, I couldn¡¯t just turn and leave, not when he was my own uncle.


    I didn¡¯t receive any news from Ding Yinuo. Unable to sit still any longer, I walked into Song Shixiong¡¯s study, trying to find insights from his life patterns.


    I wanted to look for any traces or hints.


    Truthfully, I had seldom set foot in Song Shixiong¡¯s study since I was a child.


    This ¡°study¡± was actually where Song Shixiong conducted business. Any business that was inconvenient to discuss elsewhere, he would bring it home.


    In order not to disturb him, I rarely entered.


    Now, upon my entering, I spent some time searching the desk, going through folders and drawers.


    ¡°Searching these doesn¡¯t mean anything!¡±


    Just as I was about to pull my hair out in frustration, Gu Yuanzhou entered the room at some point.


    He was leaning against the doorframe, smoking leisurely. Though his posture was relaxed, his sharp gaze never left my actions.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being heartless and unprincipled?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou just gave a cold laugh at this, neither arguing nor explaining. Eventually, he walked into the study, sat on the chair, watched me, and spoke at a leisure pace.


    ¡°Why do you worry so much about Song Shixiong if you¡¯re not Ayun?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m a human being, not a beast¡­ even if it¡¯s a stranger passing by, if they face a threat to their life, I would lend a hand!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course, do you think I¡¯m like you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no philanthropist, doing good deeds invites trouble.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was still acting all high and mighty, and I couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with him anymore.


    Then, I searched through Song Shixiong¡¯s desk but couldn¡¯t find any clues related to his project in D Country.


    However, after shifting a vase on the table, the two bookcases that were originally side by side slowly moved apart.


    Upon closer inspection, I realized that there was a hidden door between the bookcases.


    I had never known that there was a hidden room in Song Shixiong¡¯s study, even after living here all these years.


    It seemed that he must have hidden important documents here.


    I was about to enter the secret room.


    Seeing this, Gu Yuanzhou also seemed in a hurry. He got up and headed for the secret room.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, isn¡¯t it rude to barge in without the house owner¡¯s permission?¡±


    My words had no effect on Gu Yuanzhou. He quickly walked into the study. I didn¡¯t know what he touched.


    But the door closed again automatically. By the time I reacted, I was already locked out.


    I quickly walked to the vase to try and move it so as to open the door again.


    But I didn¡¯t know what Gu Yuanzhou had done inside. Even when I moved the vase, the door remained closed.


    It was only after about ten minutes of fiddling that the door finally opened.


    I rushed inside immediately.


    In this room, I saw several boxes placed on the floor. Now, the boxes were open, and I could see that they were filled with antiques, paintings, and gold bars.


    Gu Yuanzhou was squatting in front of the boxes, meticulously inspecting the items, cherishing every single one of them.


    If you ask me, I was used to seeing uncle owning all kinds of treasures ever since I was a child, so I didn¡¯t think much of these assets.


    I saw an envelope on the table which read, ¡°Gu Family¡¯s Information¡±.


    What does that mean?


    I picked it up, intending to open it and see what was inside.


    But the moment I had it in my hand and was about to open it, Gu Yuanzhou snatched the envelope from me and stuffed it into his suit.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take things that don¡¯t belong to you and snoop around. Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou must have found some clues that he didn¡¯t want me to see.


    This behavior made me suspect even more strongly that he was deliberately hiding something and there¡¯s no way I would back down. So, I grabbed his arm.


    ¡°Give it to me!¡±


    ¡°On what grounds?¡±


    ¡°You are not part of the Song family, why are you stealing my uncle¡¯s things?¡±


    In my haste, the words slipped out. After all, Gu Yuanzhou was the outsider and I am a part of the Song family.


    However, no sooner had I uttered these words than Gu Yuanzhou immediately caught hold of them. He captured my hand and asked, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything!¡±


    ¡°Song Shixiong is your uncle?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, you got it wrong!¡±


    ¡°As long as you admit you¡¯re Ayun, I¡¯ll let you have a look at all the things you wanted to see just now!¡±

 Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 246 Strongly Explosive WeChat Requirement_1

    Chapter 246: Chapter 246 Strongly Explosive WeChat Requirement_1


    I know he¡¯s deliberately waiting for my response.


    Meeting his sharp gaze, I realized that whatever was in that bag may not be important at all.


    It was something Gu Yuanzhou had made up deliberately to deceive me.


    I sobered up quickly and calmed down.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s nothing to see, I won¡¯t look anymore!¡±


    But at this point, Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t willing to give up,


    ¡°Really don¡¯t want to see it? There are a lot of secrets about me in here!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took out another stack of documents from his pocket and waved them in front of me.


    Indeed, I was always curious about the Gu family.


    From the time we started dating, I was interested in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s past and his family, although the answer I got was that he was an orphan with only one aunt who is a nun.


    But I was truly curious about his original family¡­


    Although I lost my mother at a young age, growing up in the Song family, a wealthy family, introduced me to many upper-class people.


    Rich people basically make up the Song family circle.


    So I could generally tell a man¡¯s background at a glance.


    Poor men from humble backgrounds, even if they wear bespoke suits and lavish accessories,


    Their inherent inferiority, lack of self-confidence, and evasive eyes will always betray their true identities.


    But real aristocrats, they exude pride, even if they dress simply, their dignity can never be concealed.


    When I first laid my eyes on Gu Yuanzhou.


    I saw that exceptional nobility in him.


    Every movement he made carried a certain arrogance, a kind of solitary pride that looks down upon the world.


    So, when Song Shixiong told me he was an orphan, I thought he must have been born into a very luxurious and wealthy family.


    Perhaps some tragedy struck his family when he was young, leaving him an orphan and forcing him to wander.


    This noble quality is certainly not what a common orphan would have.


    But Gu Yuanzhou kept silent about all these matters.


    So I was always haunted by a mysterious question.


    What kind of people were his parents and how did they die? What happened to his family?.


    But then, I soon realized that he was trying to entrap me again.


    What I¡¯m really curious about now is why Song Shixiong kept the Gu family¡¯s information in a secret room.


    But facing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s deep black eyes, I dismissed the thought.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m not interested in your secrets if they are not related to Mr. Song¡¯s disappearance!¡±


    ¡°Really not?¡±


    He placed the stack of papers where I could reach them.


    But in the end, I held back.


    I¡¯m not Song Yun.


    I¡¯m not interested in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s matters.


    Without taking a second glance, I turned around and¡­


    ¡°You can¡¯t look into this secret room anymore!¡±


    He stepped forward and stopped me.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a Song family member, these are all Song Shixiong¡¯s secret files. It¡¯s not appropriate for an outsider like you!¡±


    ¡°But Wu Lijuan commissioned me to investigate; I have the right to come in and check!¡±


    ¡°I said no, then you can¡¯t have it!¡±


    Ignoring my protest, Gu Yuanzhou pushed me out of the secret room.


    And then he closed the secret room¡¯s door.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡±


    ¡°Song Shixiong is not as simple as you think, he¡¯s done many things that can¡¯t see the light of day in his life. His wife may not even know the things in this secret room are. If you¡¯re not a Song family member, not Song Yun. These things are not something you should see.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked serious, not as if he was joking¡­


    After he finished speaking, he turned around and left the study.


    I stood in place with more questions clouding my mind.


    Knowing Wu Lijuan well, she was indeed a virtuous wife, but she didn¡¯t know anything about Song Shixiong¡¯s business.


    In my memory, she barely visited the Huaxin Company year-round.


    Every once in a while, she would complain to me about her situation, how she didn¡¯t know anything about Song Shixiong¡¯s outside affairs.


    I didn¡¯t leave the study right then.


    As I sat down to think, my phone rang again.


    When I unlocked it, it was a message from Yu Jiahang¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep because of you!¡±


    As I stared at the message for a while, I couldn¡¯t even remember when I had added Yu Jiahang on WeChat.


    As I was about to block him, he sent me another message.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been sleeping in separate beds for months, it¡¯s really lonely to be alone at night!¡±


    ¡°Are you alone now? If yes, let¡¯s video call, undress first, I want to see your milky-white breasts¡­¡±


    The next few messages from Yu Jiahang were increasingly explicit and disgusting¡­


    However, just when I was about to scold Yu Jiahang, he suddenly retracted all the messages.


    ¡°Yu Jiahang, what are you doing?¡±


    I sent a WeChat message. Now I remember that I added him last time because Jiang Jing was with me late and I asked him to pick her up.


    I didn¡¯t expect this disgusting guy to harass me in the middle of the night, even suggesting an indecent video call.


    And next, he went back and forth with his messages, finally he half-heartedly sent me a message.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I sent the wrong message!¡±


    ¡°Yu Jiahang, tell me clearly, who were you planning on sending it to?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to send it to anyone!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, are you sure you weren¡¯t chatting up other girls online? How could you do this to Jiang Jing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault! Jiang Jing doesn¡¯t even let me touch her, I¡¯m a man, don¡¯t I have needs?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant, you know? She¡¯s trying to bring an heir into your family and you¡¯re betraying her! You¡¯re too much! Do you even act like a man?¡±


    Perhaps because I¡¯ve experienced Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s betrayal, I have zero tolerance for cheating men now, if I had a vase in my hand, I would smash it over Yu Jiahang¡¯s head.


    However, after a long silence, Yu Jiahang sent me a message,


    ¡°Do whatever you like! Expose this and let her ask for divorce herself, it saves me the trouble.¡±


    ¡°Divorce? Do you even have a sense of responsibility? If you don¡¯t like her, why did you marry her?¡±


    Furious beyond words, they¡¯ve been married for less than half a year¡­


    ¡°I married her out of responsibility. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t measure up to me with her current condition! You, Wenya, and Jiang Yan standing together, you¡¯re like day and night compared to Jiang Jing. She¡¯s old, ugly, and sloppy. I find her disgusting just being around her¡­¡±

 Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter 247 Cheating_1

    Chapter 247: Chapter 247 Cheating_1


    Jian Jing had indeed been neglecting her appearance over the past few years.


    In order to save up for their house and wedding, she had been extremely frugal, not buying any new clothes for several years and wearing the hand-me-downs from Wenya. To save money on haircuts, she would cut her own hair at home. Although she didn¡¯t dress up or wear makeup, she wasn¡¯t extraordinarily old or ugly.


    However, now that she was pregnant, her belly had grown large and she had gained more than ten pounds. Wearing Yu Jiahang¡¯s overcoat made her look somewhat sluggish and defeated.


    Yet, this was a woman¡¯s special period, and any man who loved his wife should be understanding.


    To think he would despise her so!


    ¡°Yu Jiahang, do you believe me if I say I¡¯ll hack into your company¡¯s network again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been promoted now, so I don¡¯t have to deal with such trivial matters anymore. Hack all you want. Also, there¡¯s no need for you to do this, there¡¯s no hard feelings between us. If you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll cheat on you with other women, why don¡¯t you come and accompany me instead? I¡¯ve always admired you. You¡¯re a lot better than Jian Jing, both beautiful and curvaceous. If you¡¯re willing, I could¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    I cursed at Yu Jiahang, then blocked him.


    This bastard!


    I couldn¡¯t help but curse out loud.


    After that, I sent Jian Jing a text message.


    ¡°Are you asleep?¡±


    Jian Jing quickly replied, ¡°Not yet!¡±


    Although I¡¯d initially wanted to speak to her about Yu Jiahang, I found myself unable to do so once the time came.


    Handling this situation poorly could create distance between us.


    Before I could figure out what to say, she sent me another text.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Ayun?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. I was just wondering how the baby is doing now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s doing great! He¡¯s been moving every day, and I can feel him. It¡¯s a strange feeling, but all I wish now is for him to be born healthily and to meet him soon.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ is Yu Jiahang treating you well?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been really good to me! His mother is so harsh. If it weren¡¯t for him protecting me, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stay in this family. Recently, he bought many clothes for our baby, as well as a crib. He¡¯s even registered for prenatal classes for our baby. He¡¯s moved out of our bedroom and is sleeping in the guest room because he doesn¡¯t want his snoring to disturb me.¡±


    ¡°Have you noticed any changes in Yu Jiahang recently?¡±


    I tried to beat around the bush, to guide her slowly towards any potential realizations.


    After pondering for a while, Jian Jing replied, ¡°If I have to say anything¡¯s changed, it¡¯s that he¡¯s been promoted at work. He¡¯s been busier, often having to work late or coming back home later. However, I can understand all this. I have to support him, right? He has a tough time too, as he¡¯s shouldering all the expenses at home. Without him, it would be difficult for me and the baby to get by.¡±


    Seeing Jian Jing¡¯s messages, I swallowed the words I initially wanted to say.


    If they were to divorce, what would Jian Jing do on her own?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Jian Jing. Get some rest early and take care of yourself!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re texting me this late. Is there something you want to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing important. I just can¡¯t sleep and wanted to chat with you. Go to sleep now. Goodnight!¡±


    After hanging up, I was once again lost in my thoughts.


    After a while, my phone rang again, it was a call from Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Are you still at the Song Family¡¯s house?¡±


    I took my phone and walked to the window, looking out at the city full of lights.


    ¡°Yeah! My aunt is not in a good state, I¡¯m here to accompany her!¡±


    ¡°Should I come over?¡±


    ¡°No need to! BTW, have you found any leads about my uncle yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet! Nothing for the moment. We will keep waiting!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    ¡°Rest early, and contact me anytime if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good night!¡±


    After hanging up, I turned off the lights in the study and walked out.


    The light was still on in the room that used to belong to my best friend. Drawn by the light, I walked in.


    Pushing open the door, I saw a figure.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou. His back was turned towards the door as he was flipping through a photo album.


    From the side, his expression looked serious. I approached quietly.


    It was only when I got closer that I could see he was gazing at a picture, his finger gently tracing the face of the person in the photo.


    He seemed to be full of emotion. I took a closer look and realized the photo was of me from my high school days.


    In the photo, I was a jovial teenager with a ponytail.


    ¡°Ahem!¡±


    I placed my hands behind my back and cleared my throat.


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Putting on a show of deep affection now that she¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°This picture, it looks like Xiaoyi¡­ I was thinking, if it weren¡¯t for that fire, Xiaoyi would have looked like this when she reached sixteen.¡±


    His tone was low, filled with grief.


    My two children were the deepest sorrow in my heart. A sorrow that can¡¯t be suppressed or hidden¡­


    It was as if a wound was being torn open in front of me. Looking at Gu Yuanzhou, my heart was filled with pain and anger.


    I even blamed all the wrongdoing on Gu Yuanzhou. I even thought that if he hadn¡¯t had an extramarital affair with Ye Mengyan, the fire might not have happened.


    My two children wouldn¡¯t have ended up so tragically.


    But reason told me I couldn¡¯t vent my anger in front of Gu Yuanzhou.


    I could only suppress my anger deep within my heart. The tips of my fingers hidden under my sleeves were trembling constantly, and my breath was irregular.


    Luckily, Gu Yuanzhou seemed to be immersed in his grief. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to me and kept murmuring to himself while staring at the photo,


    ¡°Does reincarnation actually exist? If rebirth is possible, where would my Xiaoyi end up?¡±


    I mocked him coldly,


    ¡°You didn¡¯t cherish her when she was alive. What¡¯s the point of saying these things now that she¡¯s gone?¡±


    It was then that Gu Yuanzhou looked up at me,


    ¡°You¡¯d do well to stop being scornful. The suffering I¡¯ve been through is not something you can imagine. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Ha, you can¡¯t even be bothered to save your own brother-in-law. And you think I might sympathize with you?¡±


    At this, Gu Yuanzhou fell silent. He closed the photo album and walked out of the room.


    Leaving the room, I went downstairs.


    Mrs. Wu had arranged a guest room for me, seeing how late it was, I decided not to go back and stayed at the Song Family¡¯s house for the night.


    The next morning.


    When I woke up, Wu Lijuan decided to take me to Huaxin Company to see if we could find any clues there.


    But before we left, a courier came with express delivery.


    ¡°Mrs. Song, right? You¡¯ve got an express delivery here. Please sign for it!¡±


    It was a Shunfeng courier. After Wu Lijuan signed for it, she opened the express envelope and took out the letter. She fainted as soon as she finished reading it.

 Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter 248 He is playing the game of cat and mouse with me_1

    Chapter 248: Chapter 248 He is playing the game of cat and mouse with me_1


    I helped Wu Lijuan lie down on the couch and applied pressure to her philtrum area. Soon, she regained consciousness.


    Once she came to, she started to cry uncontrollably.


    I asked her what had happened, but she couldn¡¯t say a single word, only tears streaming down her face.


    I picked up the piece of paper and took a quick look at it.


    It turned out to be a ransom note stating that Song Shixiong had been kidnapped. She was instructed to swiftly transfer one hundred million to a designated account; otherwise, the kidnappers would harm him¡­


    From a mining disaster to a kidnapping, the turn of events was too much to fathom.


    I re-read the ransom note several times, beginning to doubt its authenticity.


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t panic. Could someone be taking advantage of the situation, or deliberately trying to create chaos? Don¡¯t worry¡­¡±


    I could only soothe Wu Lijuan at this moment. In such a situation, we needed someone calm and composed.


    However, Wu Lijuan could not help but panic. She wanted to report to the police, tried calling her son overseas, and even thought of ways to raise the money.


    Amidst Wu Lijuan¡¯s panic, a man was leisurely sitting on the sofa, looking at something on his laptop.


    As if none of this concerned him at all, he was nonchalant.


    He would occasionally glance at me, his deep stare containing an unfathomable meaning.


    As if there was a vast black hole behind him, waiting for me.


    It was then that I realized, Gu Yuanzhou might indeed not intervene.


    Keeping him here yesterday might have been a poor decision on my part.


    I calmed down and decided to handle this matter myself.


    ¡°Auntie, shall we call the police?¡±


    I was thinking. If we had the help of the police, we could at least trace the origin of the package. With the police¡¯s assistance, the situation would progress faster.


    To my surprise, the quiet Gu Yuanzhou stood up.


    He glanced at me, gave a scornful laugh, and then turned and walked away.


    After reporting to the police, the officers arrived and inquired about every detail of the incident. They also searched the house.


    In the end, they took the ransom note away and gave the following advice,


    ¡°You must pay close attention to any clues from the kidnapper, and remember to inform us as soon as they contact you. We will also liaise with authorities overseas to see if we can find any leads.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. Thank you both, officers!¡±


    Wu Lijuan shook their hands, expressing gratitude.


    The situation did not unfold as we had expected¡­


    Days passed, but the police had not made any significant progress.


    Nor had the kidnappers gotten in touch with us again.


    I wondered who had leaked the news.


    The story of the chairman of Huaxin Group¡¯s disappearance made the news, and subsequently, Huaxin Group¡¯s stock plunged drastically.


    Thereafter, many negative reports began to circulate online.


    Wu Lijuan, anxious about Song Shixiong¡¯s safety, could hardly eat or sleep.


    She was distraught all day¡­


    At this point, I had run out of options.


    The information provided by Ding Yinuo was very limited.


    I knew Gu Yuanzhou was waiting for me to take action.


    He wanted me to admit that I was Song Yun.


    I couldn¡¯t stand by as Huaxin Group collapsed¡­


    I decided to seek out Gu Yuanzhou again.


    Seeing this, Wenya tried to stop me,


    ¡°Have you considered that this could all be part of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s scheme? Is it possible that Song Shixiong is beyond saving? In a place like Northern Myanmar, he might have been killed already. What if Gu Yuanzhou couldn¡¯t save him even if he tried? If he doesn¡¯t help you after you¡¯ve compromised, what then?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s question hit me right in the heart.


    That was my fear too.


    Perhaps, Gu Yuanzhou had already set a trap, waiting for me.


    Wenya, unusually reasoning, helped me analyze the situation,


    ¡°Ayun, all you need to do is take care of your business. Your uncle¡¯s situation should be handled by your cousins. Not to mention you¡¯ve long stopped being Song Yun. Even if you were, you couldn¡¯t do anything to help.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, let go and leave the past behind! Your uncle is no ordinary man. I heard that he did a lot of shady business when he was younger. His affairs are beyond the capability of a woman like you to manage.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s words stirred me deeply.


    But I couldn¡¯t give up¡­


    My uncle¡¯s family are the only relatives I have left. If they hadn¡¯t taken me in when I was a child, I wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to grow up, let alone lead a normal life.


    And now that they¡¯re in trouble, I certainly couldn¡¯t abandon them.


    As the Song Family fell apart day by day, Wu Lijuan could no longer sit still.


    She came to find me at Tianjiao Company¡­


    ¡°Xiaosong, I know this puts you in a difficult position. But, could you accompany me to meet Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Wu Lijuan was very humble in her request. Upon my inquiry, she finally told me that ever since Song Shixiong¡¯s incident, Gu Yuanzhou had abruptly stopped taking her calls.


    ¡°Auntie¡­¡±


    I sighed,


    ¡°I can go with you, but he might not help.


    Wu Lijuan also sighed,


    ¡°As the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind. Without my Ayun around, it¡¯s only natural for Gu Yuanzhou to be less attentive towards us. I can accept this, it¡¯s human nature. Having been through so much in life, I¡¯ve seen all sorts of people, hence I don¡¯t blame Gu Yuanzhou. I know he may not help us, but there may still be hope if we try.¡±


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you asked your sons to come back from overseas? Despite their grudges with their father, I don¡¯t believe they¡¯d sit back and do nothing in such a situation.¡±


    ¡°Those two kids have been abroad for many years; they¡¯re not familiar with the situation here in our country. On the other hand, Gu Yuanzhou has been with your Uncle Song for many years. He knows him inside and out. He¡¯s the best candidate to save your Uncle Song. If he can¡¯t save him, probably no one else can.¡±


    Perhaps due to the endless days of torment, Wu Lijuan now had low expectations of the police.


    In fact, I knew very well that what Wu Lijuan stated was the grim reality. Different professions run in different worlds. If you don¡¯t spend years alongside Song Shixiong, how will you know where things went wrong?


    I also knew that Wu Lijuan wouldn¡¯t humbly seek my help if she wasn¡¯t at her wit¡¯s end.


    To save Song Shixiong, I decided to accompany Wu Lijuan on the visit.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s work on this together!¡±


    As we left the office, we ran into Ding Yinuo, who¡¯d rushed over in haste.


    He, dressed smartly in a suit and tie and having just come from a meeting, had paused the meeting at the news of Wu Lijuan¡¯s arrival and rushed over.


    After greeting Wu Lijuan, he pulled me aside and whispered, ¡°Are you going to find Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°Other than him, no one else can save Song Shixiong! You know that to me, Song Shixiong is not just my uncle, but also my foster parents.¡±


    ¡°I know, Ayun. Whatever decision you make, I¡¯ll support you. I¡¯m not trying to stop you, I just want to remind you that according to reliable information, Song Shixiong¡¯s situation is not as simple as just missing.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Facing my confusion, Ding Yinuo looked towards Wu Lijuan, hesitating to speak!

 Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Chapter 249: So He’s The One Pulling the Strings_1

    Chapter 249: Chapter 249: So He¡¯s The One Pulling the Strings_1


    I could tell that he was obviously aware of much more about the matter, that¡¯s why I reassured him,


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I can handle it.¡±


    Seeing his expression, I guessed that Song Shixiong had perhaps met with an accident, maybe he was no longer alive.


    He remained silent for a moment and then pulled me into the lounge, informing me solemnly.


    ¡°Someone is trying to bring down the Huaxin Group!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Throughout these past six months, the Huaxin Group has been constantly sabotaged. I think Song Shixiong, as the CEO, is under immense pressure. Reportedly, several of his projects have been maliciously overpriced, resulting in them overpaying and ending up losing money instead of making a profit! The lands where the Huaxin Group has recently invested, are all running at a loss¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo provided a few examples, which startled me.


    I thought carefully.


    Half a year ago, the fire at Golden Bay had not yet happened, I do remember that Song Shixiong had invested in several lands at that time.


    Gu Yuanzhou and several wealthy businessmen in A City had apparently participated in discussion at that time.


    ¡°Yinuo, what are you implying?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not implying anything, I¡¯m just sharing what¡¯s going on, and you need to think calmly. Don¡¯t be fooled by Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    When Ding Yinuo looked at me, his eyes were filled with deep concerns.


    Such a gaze always made me want to smile.


    ¡°Yinuo, I¡¯m not a kid, could you please stop treating and looking at me like that!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e, we¡¯re engaged. I have a lifelong responsibility towards you¡­ I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you!¡±


    Every time he said this, he would gently touch my forehead, like someone stroking a kitten.


    His eyes were full of affection¡­ This gaze also made me feel soft inside.


    ¡°I can handle it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s much more complicated than you think. I know you may not believe everything I¡¯ve said right now. But¡­I thought I should warn you to be cautious around Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Ding Yinuo hesitated to speak, he was not straightforward.


    ¡°I know, I will handle it!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I trust you¡­¡±


    After talking with Ding Yinuo, due to her impatience, Wu Lijuan looked everywhere for me.


    When she saw me coming out with Ding Yinuo, she gave him a deep glare.


    I hadn¡¯t told her about my past conflicts with the Ding Family in my previous life.


    However, she was aware of the visible competition between us and stayed quiet when she saw that Ding Yinuo and I were close.


    After we left Tianjiao Company and were on our way to Zhenyi Company, she asked me.


    ¡°How are those from the Ding Family?¡±


    I looked at her and smiled,


    ¡°They¡¯re fine, the people from the Ding Family have good characters!¡±


    Wu Lijuan sighed deeply,


    ¡°I¡¯d heard that people from the Ding Family can¡¯t be trusted, watch out!¡±


    ¡°Sure, okay!¡±


    I didn¡¯t protest, I knew that understanding a person requires time.


    It can¡¯t be proven with just a few sentences.


    In fact, Wu Lijuan was probably speaking out of concern, she looked worried, still engrossed in thoughts about the disappearance of Song Shixiong.


    Half an hour later, we arrived at the entrance of Zhenyi Company.


    As far as I knew, Zhenyi Company wasn¡¯t doing so well recently. The stock price had dropped and they were losing vital clients.


    I expected Zhenyi Company to be in a crisis and be in decline.


    But the reality was completely different from what I saw.


    Several luxury cars were parked in front of Zhenyi Company, there were even a row of flower baskets, celebrating their successful fundraising.


    What was Gu Yuanzhou fundraising for now?


    With curiosity, I entered the company¡¯s main building.


    ¡°Hello, I want to speak to Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    I brought Wu Lijuan to the reception desk.


    The receptionist was someone I didn¡¯t recognize, a new employee.


    ¡°Please wait a moment, President Gu is currently in a meeting. Once the meeting is over, I will pass on your message.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Thanks!¡±


    I took Wu Lijuan to the waiting room¡­


    Wu Lijuan was distracted, barely sitting still, she held a cup of tea served by the receptionist, pacing back and forth.


    Sighed from time to time, ¡°It¡¯d good if Ayun were still alive. If Ayun were alive, Gu Yuanzhou would definitely help us, Sigh!¡±


    I held the teacup in my hand, lost in thought¡­


    Would it truly be better if the fire had not happened?


    If Gu Yuanzhou was with me from the beginning with a certain goal in mind.


    Then, even if the fire did not happen, I might still end up facing a divorce.


    Gu Yuanzhou probably wouldn¡¯t have helped Song Shixiong.


    I didn¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t dare to imagine these scenarios.


    ¡°Auntie, you stay here, I¡¯ll go check on the situation!¡±


    After waiting for over an hour, I couldn¡¯t help but stand up intending to check the situation.


    ¡°Xiaosong¡­ sigh¡­ Okay, thank you! I really don¡¯t know what else to do.¡±


    By now, I have only left Zhenyi Company a mere month or so.


    Most of the staff members were familiar faces, the overall environment and structure of the office hadn¡¯t changed much.


    Because I was familiar with everything here, I was able to easily approach the conference room.


    Through the window, I saw a man in a black suit leading a high-level business meeting.


    It¡¯s a bit extravagant to call it a meeting, there were only six or seven people. But they were all elites of upper-class society, they were all Song Family¡¯s enemies.


    Essentially, they were Song Shixiong¡¯s competitors, those who entirely kept their distance from him.


    But now, Gu Yuanzhou brought them all together, eagerly discussing something.


    The window was slightly opened, standing behind I could somewhat overhear the conversation inside, they were discussing the acquisition of a company.


    I approached closer and attentively listened, what I heard left me shocked.


    ¡°Now is the time when the Huaxin Group is at its lowest, we can take the plunge, as the stock price is about to crash!¡±


    ¡°That old jerk Song Shixiong, he monopolized A City all these years and fattened himself, it¡¯s about time for his bad luck. Whatever he¡¯s earned earlier, I¡¯ll make him spit it all out!¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I can hardly wait to see the Song Family collapse and the Huaxin go bankrupt. Hahaha!¡±


    A cruel laugh made me shudder.


    But what Gu Yuanzhou said next, made my blood run cold.


    After several people expressed their opinions, Gu Yuanzhou calmly replied,


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to step in, I think, there¡¯s still room for Huaxin¡¯s stocks to fall further. Everyone should be patient and wait a few more days!¡±


    ¡°Okay, President Gu¡¯s words make sense, let¡¯s wait a few more days and then divide up the spoils, hahaha!¡±


    Hearing these words, my back felt icy.


    I immediately realized that I shouldn¡¯t have come here, and just as I was about to turn around and leave,


    Suddenly the door of the meeting room opened, and Gu Yuanzhou came out. As he raised his head, he saw me.

 Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Give You Half a Day to Consider _1

    Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Give You Half a Day to Consider _1


    His deep black eyes, they are hell itself!


    It¡¯s him!


    Actually, by the time I reached this point, I had already guessed what was happening.


    I regretted coming here. I shouldn¡¯t have sought him out.


    Just as our eyes met and I was preparing to leave, I didn¡¯t expect Wu Lijuan to lose her composure and show up as well.


    Seeing Gu Yuanzhou, she hurriedly rushed towards him.


    I wanted to stop her, but was too late. Wu Lijuan kneeled in front of Gu Yuanzhou in haste.


    ¡°Yuanzhou, I beg you, you must save your uncle! If you don¡¯t lift a finger to help, he¡¯s done for!¡±


    I glanced back at Gu Yuanhzou. The bosses were coming out of the conference room.


    Upon seeing Wu Lijuan kneeling, contempt, scorn, and even malicious joy spread across their faces.


    Their gaze resembled wolves eyeing a lone lamb¡­


    However, in her desperation to save her husband, Wu Lijuan had long since set aside her dignity and status.


    She pleaded with Gu Yuanzhou repeatedly.


    ¡°Yuanzhou! For the sake of Ayun, for the sake of the two children she bore you, please show mercy to your uncle.¡±


    Wu Lijuan¡¯s tears streamed down her cheeks. Her eyes were filled with humiliation.


    However, these words only prompted ruthless mockery and caustic remarks.


    ¡°What on earth is this old woman talking about? Both of those children are dead! Why is she bringing that up now?¡±


    Kicking someone while they¡¯re down is indeed the coldest pain that humanity can inflict.


    Wu Lijuan held back her tears, but gave no signs of standing up anytime soon.


    Unable to bear the sight, I reached out and helped her up.


    ¡°Auntie, stop pleading with him!¡±


    I really wanted to tell her the truth.


    The person who wanted to put Song Shixiong on the deathbed might be Gu Yuanzhou himself.


    However, these words seemed to choke within my throat.


    I knew that Wu Lijuan would not be able to accept this truth. In her heart, she believed that Gu Yuanzhou might still care for the ties they used to have, and lend a helping hand to her and the Song family.


    If she knew the truth, she would probably lose the last sliver of hope that she clings onto.


    ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s go!¡±


    I wanted to take Wu Lijuan away from there.


    But she clung desperately to the last straw, unwilling to let go.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave, Yuanzhou, you have to promise me! Can you help think of a way? I really have no idea what to do anymore!¡±


    Pitifully pleading, while Gu Yuanzhou only responded with an emotionless face.


    After a long while, he turned his gaze to me, then said to Wu Lijuan,


    ¡°I will talk to her alone.¡±


    Wu Lijuan jumped up, interpreting his remarks as an acceptance,


    ¡°Yuanzhou, we are so grateful for you! Ayun didn¡¯t judge you wrong, you really are a good person.¡±


    I definitely couldn¡¯t bear to see the look of disappointment in Wu Lijuan¡¯s eyes.


    Nor did I want to burst Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s bubble there.


    So, I turned around and followed Gu Yuanzhou into the office.


    He casually closed the office door. Without rushing to talk to me, he walked leisurely to the leather sofa, and gracefully took a seat.


    Clad in an all-black suit, Gu Yuanzhou emanated an aura of dominance.


    His black hair, slicked back, and the deep contours of his face, carried a rebellious air that was not of the past.


    He leaned back slightly, crossing his legs, sitting before me like an emperor.


    When he looked at me, it was with contempt.


    This sense of superiority, this overbearing spirit, even carrying a bit of a sinister undertone, were all things I had never seen from him before.


    ¡°So, are you willing to compromise with me now?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou played with the high-end lighter in his hand, his dark eyes slightly squinted as he looked at me.


    I snorted coldly,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! Let me ask you, when did you start scheming against the Huaxin Company?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou smirked, his laugh was both malicious and unrestrained.


    His arrogance¡­


    Reminded me of my Uncle Song Shixiong when he was young. Back then, he was A City¡¯s richest man, the first wealthy merchant who began with overseas trade.


    Of course, many people behind his back called him the Hegemon of A City. Whenever he attended any function, he was always imposing just like this, with the same kind of pride and dominance.


    I felt slightly dazed.


    By now, Gu Yuanzhou had already got up. He approached me and said,


    ¡°You are not in a position to negotiate with me. If you want to save your uncle, you must admit you are Song Yun.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you didn¡¯t answer my question. In the beginning, it was Song Shixiong who helped you rise from obscurity. He gave you a path to heaven, he even married his beloved niece to you. But look at you! What have you done? You not only fail to appreciate kindness but also kick him when he¡¯s down, you even bite the hand that feeds you. You are the snake in the tale of the farmer.¡±


    Finally, I couldn¡¯t control my anger any longer, and pointed at him accusingly.


    After listening, his face turned cold but his eyes maintained a calm demeanour. He merely lit a cigarette and took a deep puff.


    He then looked at me, a hint of danger in his eyes.


    Perhaps my words had hit a nerve.


    He reached out, grabbed my face, and looked deep into my eyes.


    ¡°Are you Song Yun or Song Xiaoyun? I don¡¯t care who you are, I can tell you with certainty. Your actions and thoughts are all childish, what you¡¯re doing is futile. No matter how you join forces with Ding Yinuo, you cannot harm me in the slightest! Believe it or not, not only can I topple Tianjiao, but I can also bring down the Huaxin Group.¡±


    His words were laced with threats.


    The man before me now was a stranger in my eyes.


    In shock, I stared at him, feeling his grip tighten on my chin to the point where I thought it was going to explode.


    I pushed him away with all my might.


    ¡°If I admit that I¡¯m Song Yun, will you stop going after Huaxin?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took the last puff of his cigarette and extinguished it in the ashtray. He looked at me with a slight smirk on his lips.


    ¡°What I want to accomplish, I will achieve at all costs. Whether you admit it or not, it will not change the bigger picture. However, since you are my wife, I can spare Song Shixiong¡¯s life out of consideration for you.¡±


    His words left me in utter shock¡­


    ¡°So, is Song Shixiong in your hands?¡±


    He looked at me with his hands in his pockets, not giving any response.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you are absolutely heartless! Why are you doing this to the Song family? What did they ever do wrong?¡±


    As for my outrage, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t respond.


    He didn¡¯t even bothered to explain anymore.


    Only after finishing his cigarette and glancing at the time on his phone did he serenely say to me,


    ¡°My patience with you is limited. Don¡¯t assume that I will unconditionally indulge you. I¡¯m giving you half a day to think. If you don¡¯t want to compromise with me, then be ready to collect Song Shixiong¡¯s body.¡±


    Having said that, he walked out leaving me behind¡­

 Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Women Shouldn’t Marry Down_1

    Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Women Shouldn¡¯t Marry Down_1


    As I exited Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office, Wu Lijuan quickly approached me, grabbed my arm, and anxiously asked,


    ¡°Xiaosong, what did Gu Yuanzhou say?¡±


    By now, Gu Yuanzhou was a distance away from me, chatting and laughing heartily as he walked towards the VIP room with several wealthy businessmen.


    From a distance, I could hear some workers chuckling and discussing something together.


    ¡°Hey, I heard a rumor that someone invested billions into our company. We¡¯re going to expand and start operating internationally!¡±


    ¡°President Gu is really something. He¡¯s a game changer. We all thought Zhenyi Company was done for when it was hit with a crisis. Who would¡¯ve thought he could get the company back on its feet so quickly!¡±


    ¡°Of course President Gu is impressive. He started from scratch and built the company into a giant. It just goes to show how capable he is.¡±


    The employees were full of admiration for him.


    I was filled with mixed emotions as I observed this.


    Gu Yuanzhou, that scoundrel, had regained his footing on the ruins of the Song Family.


    He lived in luxury while leaving the Song Family to bear all the pain.


    ¡°Xiaosong, what did Gu Yuanzhou say? Can your Uncle Song be saved? He is old and has a chronic illness. If the kidnappers keep him locked up, he¡¯s going to be in serious danger,¡± Wu Lijuan worried.


    I was at a loss and didn¡¯t know how to respond.


    I had no idea where Song Shixiong was!


    I wasn¡¯t even sure whether Gu Yuanzhou had put Song Shixiong under house arrest, or had him kidnapped.


    I had no evidence, and I couldn¡¯t make assumptions based on my speculations.


    But one thing is for sure ¨C Gu Yuanzhou is planning to devour Huaxin Group.


    I checked my phone and saw that Huaxin Group¡¯s stocks had plunged once again¡­


    I showed Wu Lijuan my phone, ¡°Auntie, can you think of a way to save Huaxin?¡±


    However, either Wu Lijuan was ignoring the stock market crash, or she was simply too old to care about money anymore. All she cared about was her husband.


    ¡°Xiaosong, what did Gu Yuanzhou say?¡±


    At this point, we had entered the elevator. After a moment of thought, I said, ¡°You should try to get your two sons to come back! This is the Song Family¡¯s hour of crisis.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve called them, but neither of them wants to return. I can¡¯t blame them though. Their father was always busy with business when they were young, and didn¡¯t fulfill his responsibilities as a father. Both boys are disheartened and refuse to return.¡±


    Wu Lijuan¡¯s tears began to fall with her words.


    After a few sentences, our conversation turned back to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°What did he say? Is he willing to save Song Shixiong?¡±


    ¡°He said he would give us half a day to consider¡­ but I think you should really call your son and tell him the Song Family will be ruined if he doesn¡¯t come back.¡±


    I told Wu Lijuan about the gravity of the situation, as it wasn¡¯t merely a simple kidnapping case.


    In the near future, Huaxin Group might collapse.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call them again. I guess it was my fault for not telling them their father was kidnapped. I only told them something had happened. Sigh.¡±


    After I dropped off Wu Lijuan at her home, I didn¡¯t go back to Tianjiao Company.


    Instead, I went to Xishan Residence by myself.


    I sat alone in the darkness to ponder over how to break this deadlock.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s scumminess is beyond dispute.


    But dealing with his next move and defusing it easily ¨C that¡¯s what¡¯s giving me a headache.


    When darkness fell, the doorbell rang. I opened the door to see Wenya standing outside.


    ¡°I knew I¡¯d find you here!¡±


    She carried bags of milk tea and fried rice as she entered.


    I took the milk tea and sucked on the straw, then fetched Wenya a pair of slippers.


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®as expected¡¯?¡±


    ¡°What could it possibly mean? It¡¯s because Manager Ding asked me to come over! He said he couldn¡¯t get away, so asked me to keep you company.¡±


    I believed Wenya.


    Ding Yinuo is a highly emotionally intelligent man. He knew to keep his distance from this matter and not to interfere, so as not cause me any difficulty.


    Wenya brought the fried rice in front of me, ¡°It¡¯s the pineapple fried rice from Old Street! It¡¯s really good and I know it¡¯s your favorite.¡±


    ¡°Thanks!¡±


    I had completely forgotten about eating, given the circumstances.


    Now that Wenya brought me food, I realized how hungry I was.


    After I had eaten half of the rice, Wenya asked me,


    ¡°How did it go with Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    I sighed before detailing everything that had transpired¡­


    After hearing my recount, Wenya let loose a flurry of expletives against Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°I knew it! That bastard didn¡¯t have good intentions when he married you. What is this, kicking away the ladder after he¡¯s climbed to the top? Oh no, that¡¯s being too nice to him. He¡¯s simply a white-eyed wolf¡­¡±


    After scolding him, Wenya offered me some advice,


    ¡°What if you pretended to admit that you¡¯re Song Yun, then after he releases Song Shixiong, you tell him you deceived him. Would that work?¡±


    ¡°Would that work?¡±


    ¡°When dealing with such a scoundrel, why care about morality? From the beginning, he only had malicious intentions and was deceiving you. So what if you deceive him now?¡±


    ¡°Um, let me think that over, Wenya.¡±


    My hands engulfed my cup of milk tea as I fell into silence.


    Wenya¡¯s plan made some sense.


    But would Gu Yuanzhou truly respect me? Dealing with someone like him is risky¡­


    If I¡¯m not careful, I could fall into a terrible trap.


    I turned back to Wenya and said,


    ¡°If from the beginning, Gu Yuanzhou never loved me and was just using me, then knowing that I¡¯m Song Yun now, would he respect me? Won¡¯t he just do as he pleases anyway?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s face changed slightly,


    ¡°True! I still stand by what I said. Maybe you shouldn¡¯t get involved in Song Shixiong¡¯s business. You¡¯re a woman and barely have your own house in order. What can you possibly do? Additionally, even though your uncle knew what type of person Gu Yuanzhou is, he still pushed you to marry him. It¡¯s hard not to think about what his motives were!¡±


    Although Wenya¡¯s speculation made sense, I couldn¡¯t think that way. I did, after all, have no hesitation in falling in love with Gu Yuanzhou back then.


    In reality, Aunt Wu Lijuan was against the idea at first. She warned me not to marry him, not to marry beneath me, claiming that a man who didn¡¯t pay his dues in a marriage doesn¡¯t appreciate¡­


    Unfortunately, I was blinded by love then and couldn¡¯t reason with, I was determined to marry him.


    In fact, the more people tried to stop me, the more I wanted to prove to them that I was marrying for love, and that I chose the right man!


    I looked out at the darkness beyond the window, my voice steady and resolute,


    ¡°Wenya, it was my choice to marry him. Everything that happened, happened because of me. Therefore, I must step in.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you going to do? Are you going to admit that you are Ayun?¡±

 Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Preparing Handcuffs and Whip for Gu Yuanzhou_1

    Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Preparing Handcuffs and Whip for Gu Yuanzhou_1


    ¡°I have a plan! You don¡¯t have to worry!¡±


    I didn¡¯t tell Wenya my specific plan, I didn¡¯t want her to worry, let alone make Ding Yinuo worry.


    This is my own business, I can take care of it myself, without involving anyone else.


    ¡°You have to tell me what your plan is! Ayun, you¡¯re not alone now, Manager Ding is worried about you!¡±


    I blinked, I knew, as soon as Wenya turned her head, she would surely tell Su Peisheng about it, then Su Peisheng would inform Ding Yinuo.


    I gently cleared my throat.


    ¡°Wenya, have you seen Jian Jing recently?¡±


    I deliberately changed the subject.


    Wenya suddenly slapped her forehead,


    ¡°Right, if you hadn¡¯t asked I would have forgotten. Yesterday, I saw Yu Jiahang with a woman out at the movies, they came out of the movie together, huddled close together, they were very intimate. If there hadn¡¯t been so many people around, I would have taken a picture and showed it to Jian Jing. That shitty Yu Jiahang, is he trying to cheat on her?¡±


    Wenya grumbled and swore, she obviously had no main idea on how to teach Yu Jiahang a lesson, and didn¡¯t know how to tell Jian Jing about it.


    ¡°Ayun, shall I get someone to give Yu Jiahang a good beating? Jian Jing is pregnant now and needs someone to look after her at this time, but he¡¯s still out there messing around?¡±


    A thought came to my mind and I hurriedly stopped her,


    ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t let Jian Jing know. She¡¯s about to give birth now, if she was stimulated by this and had a premature birth, it would be life-threatening. Also, Jian Jing has lost her job and has no income. If Yu Jiahang wants a divorce, she can¡¯t even afford the mortgage now¡­..¡±


    Wenya sighed, anxiously saying,


    ¡°That¡¯s true! So, there¡¯s no solution at all? Can we only watch this scumbag enjoy himself?¡±


    ¡°There is a way. First, remind Jian Jing to save some money! Once I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll help her find a way to teach Yu Jiahang a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Alright, for now this is the only way.¡±


    I chatted with Wenya for a while. It wasn¡¯t until dusk that Wenya finally left.


    During the half day she spent with me, I had already come up with my strategy.


    After taking a shower.


    I sat alone at the vanity, slowly applying lipstick.


    After a while, I opened the wardrobe and picked out a red dress.


    I then used a curling iron to curl my long, straight hair.


    Half an hour later, the woman in the mirror was wearing a bright red dress, with a deep V-neck revealing her curvaceous figure, with curled hair cascading over her shoulders, looking both sexy and fiery hot.


    The wasp waistline traced out a delicate figure¡­.


    The bold red, contrasting with the snowy white skin, highlighted the delicate and tender texture of a woman¡¯s skin. The silkiness added a touch of elegance and mystery.


    I must say, I have an innate advantage in controlling the choice and color of fashion.


    I can easily dress Song Xiaoyun to be fashionable and extremely feminine.


    Having been with Gu Yuanzhou for so many years, I know his taste well. I know that the success of my operation tonight largely relies on my makeup.


    A man will only show his vulnerability when he can¡¯t control his desire.


    And tonight, my makeup will definitely make Gu Yuanzhou lose control.


    After completing my makeup, I put on high heels.


    Then I made a trip to the drugstore¡­.


    It would have been more convenient to buy these drugs online, but that would leave a trail.


    If something big happened in the future, it would give people a handle, so when doing bad things, it¡¯s better not to leave a trail online.


    It¡¯s more suitable to buy in-store.


    I chose a small, hidden drugstore with no cameras, where the only clerk, a woman, sat at the counter engrossed in her phone.


    I searched the shelves but couldn¡¯t find the medicine I needed. The shop assistant approached me and asked,


    ¡°Hello, what are you looking for?¡±


    I thought for a few seconds,


    ¡°I, well¡­I suffer from insomnia a lot! I need a kind of medicine that can make me sleep till dawn! As you know, people who often get bad sleep can be very fatigued and not perform well at work. It¡¯s torturous¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, we have two types of sleeping pills here!¡±


    ¡°Then, give me a bottle!¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is a prescription drug, if you want to take a bottle, we need to register your ID and a doctor¡¯s diagnosis.¡±


    ¡°Then just give me a few pills! I didn¡¯t bring my ID!¡±


    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t register my ID, this would give me too much to handle.


    After persuading the shop name, I bought these two pills at a high price.


    As I walked out of the drugstore, a gust of wind blew up my skirt.


    A group of young men passing by whistled at me, I simply glanced at them dismissively, and sent a text message to Gu Yuanzhou on my phone.


    ¡°Meet me at Star Gazing Pier at 10 tonight!¡±


    After sending the text message, I looked at the sex shop next door. I saw stockings, whips, and handcuffs inside.


    I hesitated for a moment, then walked in. The male shop assistant looked at me with a smile,


    ¡°Lady, you¡¯re really brave!¡±


    ¡°Why, you don¡¯t sell to women here?¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s just that in the past, men have bought these items. Women usually feel embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take those handcuffs!¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me the size of your partner?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I mean, the thickness of his wrists. We have different styles!¡±


    ¡°Just go with the medium size! Also, that whip, the kind that hurts the most when it hits!¡±


    After packing, I paid the money, and the shop assistant looked at me enviously,


    ¡°Your partner is a really lucky man!¡±


    I sneered, really?


    Tonight, I¡¯m going to make Gu Yuanzhou feel the real meaning of happiness!


    If he can kidnap Song Shixiong, then I can also kidnap him!


    Half an hour later, I drove to the seaside. While in the car, I had already rented a small private yacht from a yacht company.


    After parking my car, I found the white yacht named Star Gazing on the dock.


    After boarding the yacht, I first went into the kitchen and took out a bottle of champagne from the refrigerator.


    I poured two glasses, crushed the sleeping pills, and poured all of them into one of the wine glasses. I watched the white powder slowly dissolve in the glass.


    Then I took the wine glasses to the deck¡­


    Two wine glasses, a fruit plate, and a candle were placed on the small white round table.


    Suddenly, the romantic atmosphere came alive.


    I crossed my legs and sat on the sofa, looking at the deep sea in the distance.


    In my mind, I was weaving a foolproof plan.


    First, take the yacht to the high seas, then force the champagne down Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s throat, when he falls asleep, I¡¯ll use the handcuffs and whip.


    The hook is already set, now just waiting for the fish to take the bait.


    Just then, my phone suddenly rang¡­

 Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Respond to Violence with Violence, Mistaken Identity _1

    Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Respond to Violence with Violence, Mistaken Identity _1


    At first, I thought it was Gu Yuanzhou who called, but upon closer examination, it was Wu Lijuan.


    I looked down the pier, there were no headlights in sight.


    I figured Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t arrived yet. I had time to take the call.


    So I answered.


    ¡°Auntie, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°No major issues, I just wanted to tell you. My youngest son is back in the country! Song Zexi¡­ that child, he actually left in the morning and only just told me.¡±


    ¡°Is he in A City?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s arrived, but he said he¡¯s heading straight to Huaxin to deal with some things. Xiaosong, I¡¯m telling you this to reassure you. Things will get better, my son will sort everything out.¡±


    Wu Lijuan seemed very excited, her words were a jumble.


    Yet, I had no expectations for this younger cousin of mine.


    He¡¯s a lawyer, a bookish scholar. He lacks any sort of wolfish instinct. Can he really save the Huaxin Group?


    However, these were just my worries. I didn¡¯t voice them, but just went along with Wu Lijuan¡¯s conversation.


    ¡°Hmm, you should get some rest. There will certainly be a solution tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Xiaosong, you¡¯ve been working hard lately!¡±


    It was only after finishing my conversation with Wu Lijuan that something struck me as off. Upon closer look, I realized that the yacht¡¯s ropes had been untied.


    The yacht was lightly floating towards the depths of the sea, drifting further and further away from shore.


    I turned around and saw that an extra person had appeared on the deck.


    She was wearing a white dress, with her long hair bundled behind her, and an expensive necklace hanging around her neck.


    She was grinning at me.


    It was Ye Mengyan!


    Recently, I have been so busy with matters regarding the Song family that I completely overlooked Ye Mengyan.


    I did not expect her to board the yacht while I was off-guard¡­ Her arrival undoubtedly disrupted my plans.


    She circled the table, observing the champagne on the table under the candlelight, she gazed at me with her chin tilted.


    ¡°Tsk, dressed so seductively, who are you trying to tempt?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t be bothered to quarrel with her,


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, if you have any sense, you better get lost. You¡¯re not welcome here!¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t care about Gu Yuanzhou? You are already engaged to Ding Yinuo, yet you¡¯re still trying to seduce Gu Yuanzhou. How shameless are you?¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes were filled with rage.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t secretly checked Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone, I wouldn¡¯t have known. You actually stooped so low as to seduce him!!¡±


    ¡°And a candlelit dinner, heh, planning on getting drunk and letting something happen here?¡±


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, you better leave right now! What happens between Gu Yuanzhou and me is none of your business!¡±


    ¡°Funny, you think you can still expect Gu Yuanzhou to show up? The text you sent him¡­ I¡¯ve already deleted it¡­¡±


    What Ye Mengyan revealed left me aghast.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t act as if he¡¯s going to come. He won¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, what are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°I heard that you and Gu Yuanzhou have a deal. If you don¡¯t give him a complete answer tonight, he¡¯ll consider you in breach of the contract, right?¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I figure that everything he¡¯s been doing, including acquiring Huaxin Group, he¡¯s doing it for the benefit of Zhenyi Company. So, I can¡¯t let him wait for your answer any longer.¡±


    Only at that moment did I realize how ruthless the woman in front of me was.


    She not only disrupted my entire plan but wanted to push me deeper into the abyss. Her actions could destroy the Song family.


    She was absolutely wicked.


    At this point, the yacht, having released the safety rope, had drifted onto the sea, far from the pier.


    Ye Mengyan sat on the couch, smiling at me.


    ¡°Can you drive a yacht? If not, we will have to wait for the coast guard to rescue us tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°How boring. Do you really think I can¡¯t get in touch with Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    I pick up my phone and dial Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s number on the spot.


    However, Gu Yuanzhou doesn¡¯t pick up¡­


    Even after multiple calls, he still doesn¡¯t answer.


    Ye Mengyan is laughing at me,


    ¡°It¡¯s no use, his phone is broken! If I¡¯m not mistaken, his phone is out for repair now, you won¡¯t be able to reach him.¡±


    ¡°Are you sick? Do you think if you can¡¯t reach his phone, I can¡¯t contact him? I can just have someone go to Zhenyi Company to find him.¡±


    ¡°No use! He¡¯s not at Zhenyi Company. Look at the time, he should be socializing at a banquet now. Oh, I¡¯m not going to tell you which one.¡±


    Ye Mengyan laughed with a bit of reckless abandon.


    I didn¡¯t want to humor her, and strode directly into the cockpit, intending to steer the yacht back to the shore under the cover of darkness.


    However, after fiddling for quite a while, I still couldn¡¯t get the yacht started.


    Ye Mengyan stood up and strolled into the cockpit,


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you shouldn¡¯t know how to drive a yacht!¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course, I had it checked. This yacht¡­ perhaps only a man like Gu Yuanzhou can drive it.¡±


    ¡°Really? I can¡¯t drive it, so I¡¯ll just find someone else who can!¡±


    Just as I was about to make a call, Ye Mengyan suddenly grabbed my phone and tossed it into the sea without warning.


    Watching my phone plunge into the sea, I felt a surge of anger.


    At this moment, Ye Mengyan was still laughing at me.


    ¡°I told you, you won¡¯t be able to contact Gu Yuanzhou before dawn.¡±


    Looking at Ye Mengyan¡¯s smug face, I was itching to use my new whip on her.


    But in the end, I held back¡­


    I silently returned to the deck and sat down at the round table, pouring myself a glass of champagne.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, are you angry? Do you want to borrow my phone? Hmm, what a pity, my phone is out of battery, you can¡¯t use it now.¡±


    She toyed with her phone in her hand.


    Unruffled, I poured another glass of champagne for her.


    ¡°It seems, I have to spend the night with you?¡±


    She looked at me and laughed,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, don¡¯t you feel like it¡¯s a waste to get all dolled up with a beautiful dress and makeup for nothing?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s drink! We¡¯re just whiling away the time, might as well treat it as a vacation!¡±


    I appeared calm, emptied my glass, poured another one, and continued drinking.


    After downing two glasses, I started to talk about Shen Yishu!


    ¡°By the way, Shen Yishu is a boss now, a CEO of a company, do you regret it?¡±


    Ye Mengyan initially refused to believe me,


    ¡°Regret? Impossible! Why would I regret it? Besides, I know Shen Yishu¡¯s abilities, he will never surpass Gu Yuanzhou in this life.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is indeed capable, but he may not marry you¡­¡±


    My words seemed to hit Ye Mengyan¡¯s weak spot, and she immediately retorted in anger,


    ¡°Nonsense, as long as you disappear, Gu Yuanzhou will definitely marry me.¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re overthinking, Gu Yuanzhou, such a selfish man, why would he limit himself with marriage? Once he gets bored with you, wouldn¡¯t he just find another woman? If you don¡¯t believe me, look carefully, does he have any intention of marrying you now?¡±


    My words may have truly irked Ye Mengyan. She picked up the glass in front of her, downing the champagne in one gulp.


    A faint smile curled up at my lips. Not long after, under the effect of the drug, Ye Mengyan fell asleep on the couch with her phone falling onto the floor.

 Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: Chapter 254: She Became a Pawn_1

    Chapter 254: Chapter 254: She Became a Pawn_1


    I bent over and picked up Ye Mengyan¡¯s phone.


    Then I picked up a rope, tied Ye Mengyan¡¯s hands up, and dragged her into the lower cabin.


    I unlocked the phone using her fingerprint.


    Actually, I didn¡¯t originally intend to kidnap Ye Mengyan.


    She wasn¡¯t part of my plan at all.


    However, since she came to me, I had to change my tactics.


    After unlocking it.


    I began to flip through Ye Mengyan¡¯s phone.


    What shocked me was that Ye Mengyan had kept a lot of text exchanges with Gu Yuanzhou.


    I read them one by one.


    Most were messages from Ye Mengyan, whereas Gu Yuanzhou replied sparingly.


    Mostly, Ye Mengyan asked Gu Yuanzhou to meet her, and Gu Yuanzhou mostly responded that he was not free¡­


    From the texts, their relationship seemed very simple, without much intimacy, not even a couple.


    No wonder Ye Mengyan was so angry earlier.


    However, I was still greatly shocked by a call record I found next.


    It was the night of the fire¡­


    She had called Gu Yuanzhou three times.


    Each call lasted only a few seconds, which seemed to prove directly that Gu Yuanzhou left in a hurry that night to meet Ye Mengyan.


    The hard evidence here made me shiver.


    This indicates two possibilities, Gu Yuanzhou likely participated in the arson, and if not, it would be strange for him to leave right before the fire started.


    Maybe this was all plotted by him and Ye Mengyan.


    The more I thought about it, the worse I felt, and the darker my heart became.


    Anger, heartache¡­


    This kind of heartache will never heal after a lifetime.


    It¡¯s as painful as a knife being turned in my heart¡­


    I must make Gu Yuanzhou pay!


    After a while, the ringing of the phone brought me back to reality.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou calling back.


    I did not answer!


    After the call went unanswered for a while, Gu Yuanzhou sent a text message.


    ¡°My phone had a small glitch earlier, just got it fixed. You rang earlier, what¡¯s up?¡±


    As Ye Mengyan was able to impersonate Gu Yuanzhou to trick me, so I could impersonate Ye Mengyan to trick Gu Yuanzhou too.


    This was merely returning the favor¡ªa tit for tat!


    I sat down on the sofa with the phone in hand.


    Looking at the starry sky, I began to type a line of text on the screen.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I¡¯m feeling unwell, could you come and get me?¡±


    As I thought about it, I deleted it.


    Why trick Gu Yuanzhou to the beach? To kill them?


    While my heart was ablaze with anger, killing Gu Yuanzhou would not quench it.


    This was not what I wanted!


    After much deliberation, I still made a call to Shen Yishu using the phone.


    Shen Yishu indeed took my suggestion seriously. He was unwilling to answer Ye Mengyan¡¯s call, so I had to call him three times, and he still would not answer.


    In the end, I had to send him a picture before he finally called back.


    I told him I was in the waters of the Star Gazing Pier, and to think of a way¡­


    In fact, Shen Yishu was not incapable.


    Half an hour later, Shen Yishu arrived. He brought a friend who was an amateur diving enthusiast.


    The friend drove a speedboat, quickly found us on the water, and then towed the yacht back to the shore.


    At one o¡¯clock in the morning, after Shen Yishu sent his friend away.


    I took him back to the lower cabin, where Ye Mengyan, still drugged, lay sprawled on the floor.


    When Shen Yishu saw Ye Mengyan, his face was full of surprise,


    ¡°How did she end up here?¡±


    I briefly described the events of the night, then showed him the call records between Ye Mengyan and Gu Yuanzhou on the day of the fire.


    Shen Yishu shook his head disbelievingly, his eyes filled with shock and heartache,


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t think she was that kind of person. She disappoints me so much.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s painful, but it¡¯s better to see a person¡¯s true nature sooner rather than deceive yourself!¡±


    I spoke with deep feeling, reality is ugly, but it¡¯s the truth. Waking up sooner can prevent bigger mistakes.


    Shen Yishu sighed,


    ¡°Miss Song, whatever Ye Mengyan has done, she brought it upon herself, it has nothing to do with anyone else. Today, I just came to help you tow the boat, I didn¡¯t see anything else.¡±


    With that, Shen Yishu seemed to have let go of his feelings for Ye Mengyan.


    I didn¡¯t say much either, the fewer people involved, the better.


    To prevent him from becoming a target for Gu Yuanzhou in the future.


    However, now that the boat was ashore, I had to deal with the matter again.


    I figured out a way to settle Ye Mengyan myself.


    Then I rushed back to Xishan Residence late into the night.


    I had a restless sleep that night. In my dreams, I was choked by Gu Yuanzhou, I was unable to break free, I could only struggle futilely.


    In the pitch-dark night, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark eyes were filled with fierce light.


    I clutched my blanket tightly, trembling all over.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    A gentle voice echoed by my ear.


    I opened my eyes then.


    It was broad daylight outside, sunlight streamed in through the window and in the warm glow, Ding Yinuo was looking at me tenderly.


    He was wiping the sweat off my forehead with a tissue, ¡°Ayun, you had another nightmare!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was in a white shirt, the button at the collar was unbuttoned, and wet hair straggly covered his eyebrows, his cheeks still moist.


    Based on his appearance, he probably rushed in as soon as he had finished his shower after hearing my voice.


    ¡°Oh, how did you know I had a nightmare?¡±


    ¡°You were shouting!¡±


    ¡°What was I shouting about?¡±


    ¡°You said you wanted to kill someone, you looked really fierce!¡±


    He sat down on the edge of the bed, his big hand lightly stroking my cheek, his voice as soft as cotton wool.


    ¡°Did I? Who I wanted to kill?¡±


    ¡°Forget it, maybe I heard wrong.¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, tell me, who was I to kill?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! Ahem¡­you said you wanted to kill Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    He repeated in the same tone I had used in my dream, and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh weakly. I pushed his hand away, got out from the bed, and held my head with both hands.


    ¡°Yinuo, I have to go out for a bit!¡±


    ¡°I called you many times yesterday, but you didn¡¯t answer!¡±


    I walked into the bathroom, and Ding Yinuo followed me in. He embraced me from behind.


    ¡°Ayun, I couldn¡¯t reach you yesterday, I was really worried, I was afraid something happened to you¡­¡±


    I was still wearing the red dress from last night, and Ding Yinuo held me from behind.


    His shirt buttons weren¡¯t done up, his solid chest firmly against my back. I felt the passion and vigorous energy of a grown man.


    That heat, that fullness¡­


    I took a deep breath, slightly bent over, and washed my face with cold water.


    I had been fighting Gu Yuanzhou all night in my dream, and I was exhausted.


    ¡°Yinuo, last night, I dropped my phone in the water, it¡¯s not working anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°Where did you go last night?¡±


    His fingers gently traced my dress strap, followed by my white shoulders.


    Our closeness was so intimate¡­

 Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Chapter 255 He Takes an Inch and Wants a Mile _1

    Chapter 255: Chapter 255 He Takes an Inch and Wants a Mile _1


    In the mirror, I saw a shaded depth in Ding Yinuo¡¯s star-like dark eyes.


    His affectionate actions toward me were genuine.


    I didn¡¯t want him to worry about me, so I didn¡¯t mention Ye Mengyan¡¯s abduction, and instead said,


    ¡°I¡¯m going to deal with the Song Family¡¯s matters.¡±


    ¡°This skirt is lovely! Ayun, you have a great figure!¡±


    Indeed, no man can resist this kind of outfit.


    I gently pushed him away with a smile,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take a shower last night, and now I¡¯m all grubby. I¡¯m going to bathe.¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    He held my hand and gently called my name.


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    He called my name with affection.


    After a while, I looked down and saw him slipping a ring onto my ring finger.


    I didn¡¯t wear a ring during our engagement ceremony last time.


    And now, I didn¡¯t understand why he was doing this.


    ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, come home and have dinner with me later. It¡¯s just that. My mom misses you! Wearing a ring will put them at ease. Actually, it¡¯s¡­my mom bought it. She said that sooner or later you will become the Ding¡¯s daughter-in-law, it would be more formal to have a proper ring. It looks more dignified.¡±


    ¡°Oh, OK! Thank her for me!¡±


    I hurried into the bathroom.


    After taking a shower and dressing, I came out to see Ding Yinuo standing outside on the phone.


    ¡°My mom said, we should go over there at eleven o¡¯clock noon. Get ready.¡±


    ¡°Ok then, I have some things to attend to right now, but I¡¯ll be there at eleven.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo stood by the door, helping me adjust the collar of my shirt.


    I walked out and saw him standing at the door waving at me, I felt an inexplicable warmth.


    For some reason, I always feel guilty toward Ding Yinuo.


    As if I owed him something.


    I didn¡¯t know who would survive in the upcoming fight between me and Gu Yuanzhou.


    Therefore, I dared not make too many promises to Ding Yinuo.


    Without looking back, I resolutely walked out.


    Cloudy day!


    The whole of A City was topped by dark clouds.


    I first went to a mall and bought a new phone, and then to an office to get a new mobile phone card.


    Arriving at the entrance of Huaxin Group, I went to a coffee shop and bought a cup of coffee,


    watching the news on the TV screen.


    In the news, Gu Yuanzhou, smartly dressed, had become the largest shareholder of Huaxin Group.


    Seeing this, I was dumbfounded.


    Had Gu Yuanzhou already entered the game clandestinely?


    When did he do this?


    This news shocked me, I picked up my phone and immediately dialed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s number.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, how did you become the largest shareholder of Huaxin Group, what kind of disgraceful means did you use to coerce Wu Lijuan?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was calm,¡± I¡¯m in a meeting now! We¡¯ll talk about it later.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re breaking your promise!¡±


    ¡°I gave you time! I told you to think it over for half a day! It¡¯s your fault you didn¡¯t respond to me in the agreed time, you can¡¯t blame me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with you, you¡¯d better leave Huaxin Group right away! Otherwise, you will bear the consequences.¡±


    My threat didn¡¯t seem to deter Gu Yuanzhou, instead, he laughed.


    ¡°What will happen otherwise? Will you throw money at me? Or will you get the Ding family to deal with me?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll kill Ye Mengyan!¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Ye Mengyan is in my hands!! If you want to save her, leave Huaxin Group immediately!¡±


    ¡°What did you do to her?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tone suddenly became serious.


    ¡°What I did to her depends on what you are going to do to Huaxin Group. Gu Yuanzhou, always leave some room for maneuver! Don¡¯t think that if you can hold others by their necks, they can¡¯t hold your throat.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou laughed coldly,


    ¡°I¡¯m set on Huaxin Group, but as for Ye Mengyan, you¡¯d better let her go. I warn you, don¡¯t challenge my bottom line! I¡¯m busy right now, I don¡¯t have time to talk to you, I want to see you let her go after the meeting.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou ignored my threat and hung up the phone.


    His tone was very firm and even sounded authoritative.


    After hanging up, I was silent for a few seconds.


    The television continued to play the news, Gu Yuanzhou had taken over the position of chairman of Huaxin Group as the largest shareholder.


    This news shocked me.


    From behind, people were discussing¡­


    ¡°Hey, the new chairman of Huaxin Group looks familiar. Isn¡¯t this the former chairman¡¯s nephew? Has he taken over the old chairman¡¯s position? Isn¡¯t this an inheritance?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an inheritance, the chairman has two sons, he doesn¡¯t have a turn to inherit. I did hear that the former chairman had an accident. Wasn¡¯t it in the news, a mine disaster, he might be gone, so Gu Yuanzhou took advantage of the situation.¡±


    ¡°Could it be a case of taking advantage of someone¡¯s distress? After all, a son-in-law is an outsider, isn¡¯t it time to assist their sons in taking over? I think he has ulterior motives.¡±


    ¡°According to the news, it¡¯s not an inheritance, it¡¯s a takeover by owning the most shares. This shows that he took it by force.¡±


    Just as the phone was ringing, I picked it up.


    It was a call from Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Ayun! Remember to come for lunch, don¡¯t forget, I¡¯ve reserved the seats¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, OK!¡±


    My gaze was still fixed on the screen and couldn¡¯t be drawn away.


    But I still agreed to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go when I finish up here.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I looked towards the entrance to the Huaxin Group.


    A car suddenly stopped, a figure jumped out and rushed towards the entrance.


    However, the security guard at the entrance came out to stop him.


    A violent clash ensued, the man was forcefully stopped by the security guard without being able to get in, he called the police, and many people gathered to watch the scene.


    I quickly recognized that the man was Song Shixiong¡¯s second son, Song Zexi¡­


    He¡¯s a lawyer, less of a scholar, he was no match for Gu Yuanzhou!


    I quickly left the coffee shop.


    Perhaps blinded by anger, Song Zexi actually tried to forcibly enter the Huaxin Group.


    ¡°Let go, let me in, this is my father¡¯s company, who are you to deter me?¡±


    ¡°Sir, our company¡¯s chairman has changed, and the new chairman stated that no one from the Song Family is allowed to enter today.¡±


    The security staff were forcibly blocking him, but Song Zexi was determined to enter. In the stalemate, I stepped forward.


    ¡°Mr. Song! May I talk to you?¡±


    Song Zexi was furious at the moment and wasn¡¯t receptive to what I was saying, and he bluntly asked, ¡°I don¡¯t know you, please don¡¯t interfere!¡±


    I thought for a moment, and then whispered, ¡°I know about Song Yun.¡±


    On hearing this, Song Zexi instantly turned to look at me, apparently interested in the name¡­

 Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Joining Hands_1

    Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Joining Hands_1


    Both of my cousins were actually close to me.


    However, due to our similar age, I was more intimate with this younger cousin of mine.


    When we were kids, he always protected me and backed me up, providing a strong support¡­


    However, when it came to my marriage with Gu Yuanzhou, they objected strongly and we even fell out due to this.


    So, when I got married, they left the country and we lost contact for many years, not even one phone call from them to me.


    I even thought at one time, they would never come back.


    Seeing Song Zexi now still made me happy.


    But Song Zexi, he didn¡¯t know that the person in front of him now, was his beloved younger cousin.


    Only after hearing the name Song Yun, did he turn around to look at me.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Song just returned to the country, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I just landed an hour ago!¡±


    ¡°I am a good friend of Song Yun! Presumably¡­ you don¡¯t know what happened to Song Yun, if you want to know, would you follow me?¡±


    Upon seeing this, Song Zexi left the crowd and followed me.


    In order to get away from here, I hailed a cab,


    ¡°Mr. Song, please get in the car!¡±


    Song Zexi appeared somewhat hesitant, as he wanted to go back to Huaxin Group,


    ¡°Young lady! If you have something to say, say it here! I have urgent matters to attend to!¡±


    But I knew that Gu Yuanzhou was nearby, and his influence must be around.


    Moreover, I saw Ayu¡¯s Range Rover parked in the middle of the parking lot just now.


    Chances are, Song Zexi has now become Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s next target, and if something happens to him, Wu Lijuan will be even less able to hang on.


    ¡°Mr. Song, I am a good friend of Song Yun¡¯s, and she left many things to me. I would like to show them to you.¡±


    Only then did Song Zexi get in the car with me.


    ¡°Driver, take us to Tianjiao Company, please!¡±


    Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of the gate of Tianjiao Company.


    After getting out of the car, Song Zexi took off his spectacles and looked up at the signboard of Tianjiao Company, lost in deep thought.


    ¡°Is it really here?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Song, now the whole city is filled with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s spies. If you want to know how Song Yun died, and what¡¯s the inside story of Huaxin Group now, then follow me.¡±


    My words moved Song Zexi, and he followed me trustingly to the eighth floor of the company.


    After entering my office, I brewed a cup of tea for him.


    Song Zexi looked around my office curiously, then glanced at his watch,


    ¡°You said you were friends with my cousin, how do you prove that?¡±


    I didn¡¯t say a word but sat down and opened the drawer.


    I took out a notebook from it, tore off a piece of paper.


    Then in front of Song Zexi, I folded the paper into a paper frog¡­and told him after I finished folding.


    ¡°Song Yun told me that you taught her how to fold this paper frog. It was when she was about three years old, you taught her¡­The year she was four, she almost drowned in a swimming pool, and you jumped in to save her. When she was five years old, she was bitten by neighbor¡¯s pet dog, and you, in a fit of anger, took the dog to the river and let it run off, and the dog was never found afterwards. When she was ten, a bully picked on her, and you alone fought against a group of bullies and rescued her¡­When she was missing her parents and cry, you would stay by her side, telling her that you would protect her for a lifetime like her parents would.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t finish telling all the stories in one breath.


    Song Zexi was taken aback after listening¡­


    ¡°However, the most interesting thing is that you had a girlfriend before. But because your girlfriend didn¡¯t like your cousin, you broke up with her, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Song Zexi was stunned for a moment, then smiled helplessly,


    ¡°Yes! Ayun said that girl was not suitable for me. I took her advice, girlfriends can be found again, but one can only have one cousin.¡±


    I nodded in response.


    However, the expression on Song Zexi¡¯s face turned sad again.


    ¡°In fact, my mother kept Ayun¡¯s death a secret from me! Being abroad, I had no opportunity to see the domestic media. I had no idea until my mother told me a few days ago. She said it was an accidental fire¡­¡±


    Song Zexi choked up, his eyes twinkling with tears,


    ¡°That poor girl, she lost her parents when she was just a child. Yet, she suffered such an accident in the prime of her life, it¡¯s truly heart-wrenching. My biggest regret is that when she married Gu Yuanzhou, I didn¡¯t have the heart to drag her abroad. If I had done so, she might still be alive.¡±


    Seeing the grieving man in front of me, I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him the truth at that moment.


    If I tell him that all of this was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s scheme, he might be even more heartbroken.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault! It was her life, she chose it, she is responsible for it.¡±


    I said lightly.


    Song Zexi was holding his tea cup, seemingly engulfed by sadness.


    Next, he asked some questions about my past four years, including whether the years after the marriage were tough.


    I answered honestly.


    In fact, my life was always fulfilling before the fire.


    Although busy, with two kids, the sense of happiness was strong.


    It was only after the fire that I realized I was living in an illusion of happiness.


    Half an hour later, he brought the topic back to reality,


    ¡°You called me away from Huaxin Group today, do you have something to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Because Song Yun had entrusted me before she died to take good care of Aunt Wu. So¡­ I have been helping her investigate your father¡¯s disappearance. What I want to say is, the details are probably related to Gu Yuanzhou. You just returned to the country and your foundation is not yet solid, if you confront Gu Yuanzhou directly now, you may not win. My suggestion is that you go home first and get a handle on the situation before you act.¡±


    I knew from Song Zexi¡¯s emotional state earlier that if I didn¡¯t pull him away on the spot, he might clash with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Seeing him gradually calming down, I felt a little relieved.


    After finishing his tea, he got up,


    ¡°Thank you for taking care of my mother during this time, I am going home now to deal with related matters.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome! I have a lot of information about Gu Yuanzhou here. If you feel it is useful, you can contact me at any time, I hope we can join forces.¡±


    I walked Song Zexi out.


    He nodded, and didn¡¯t comment further on what was happening to the Song family at this moment.


    He kept mentioning me¡­


    ¡°Sigh, my cousin, I don¡¯t even know where she is buried now, I want to go and see her!¡±


    ¡°Wait a while, let¡¯s go together after dealing with the issues at Huaxin Group!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I forgot to ask, how should I address you?¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    When I pronounced my name, he was stunned for a while, and before leaving, he asked for my phone number.


    As he was getting into the car, he said to me,


    ¡°I am going to collect evidence against Gu Yuanzhou in the next few days, I will kick him off the Chairman¡¯s position.¡±


    ¡°What kind of evidence could you possibly have?¡±


    By then, Song Zexi had complete trust in me, he said,


    ¡°In the past, Gu Yuanzhou had helped my father do a lot of shady things. As long as I get hold of these dirty secrets, any one of them can be enough to keep Gu Yuanzhou in jail for a lifetime.¡±


    His answer gave me a new idea. Maybe teaming up with him to deal with Gu Yuanzhou was a new way out.

 Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Considerate_1

    Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Considerate_1


    Initially, I thought that if I teamed up with Song Zexi, bringing Gu Yuanzhou down would be a breeze.


    However, things did not progress as smoothly as I imagined.


    In the afternoon, after Song Zexi and I parted ways, he headed back to the Song Family home.


    Meanwhile, I headed to the hotel restaurant.


    It wasn¡¯t until after Ding Yinuo had called me three times that I hurriedly arrived at the location.


    Upon entering the private room, I realized that I was in an awkward situation.


    I thought it would only be Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother, but to my surprise, many relatives from the Ding Family were present.


    ¡°Ahem, such a big gathering, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was supporting my shoulder,


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I could do about it; everyone just loves you and wanted to see you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was beaming as he was willing to introduce me to his relatives.


    I could tell that they genuinely liked me.


    Behind those warm smiles was their sincere enthusiasm.


    My seat was next to Ding Yinuo.


    After I sat down, Ding Yinuo helped me hang my coat on the back of the chair and pointed to the spread of dishes on the table, asking me, ¡°What do you want to eat, if you can¡¯t reach it, just let me know.¡±


    Mother Ding introduced me to the relatives with a bright smile as well.


    ¡°Xiaosong is a very outstanding girl. She¡¯s also our Ding Family¡¯s lucky charm. Thanks to her, our Tianjiao Company is doing well now, otherwise, Anuo would be worried¡­¡±


    Perhaps, In Mother Ding¡¯s eyes, I am an outstanding woman.


    She praised me without hesitation.


    During all this, Ding Yinuo just stared at me tenderly, adding dishes to my plate from time to time, and whispering to me, ¡°Eat up!¡±


    The relatives lavished praises on me as well.


    ¡°This girl has a good face, she looks like she has good fortune!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, she¡¯s brought good luck even before marrying into the family. If she really marries in, who knows how much better it will be!¡±


    ¡°Look, they look so much like a couple.¡±


    Hearing these praises, Ding Yinuo happily squeezed my hand tighter.


    He seemed to wish he could enshrine me in his heart.


    ¡°Ayun, see! Everyone is blessing us! Don¡¯t you think I have scored a treasure?¡±


    He whispered softly in my ear.


    I did not answer him and just smiled.


    Mother Ding put a chop of ribs into my bowl, ¡°Xiaosong, you¡¯re always busy with work, you must take good care of your health, here, eat more!¡±


    The family gathered around me, spoiling and caring for me. This felt very heartwarming.


    Actually, I¡¯m not a fan of relative visits and ceremonies, but being with them, I didn¡¯t feel resistant, I felt, if anything, like I was home.


    When dinner was nearly finished.


    My phone suddenly rang, I looked down and saw someone added me on WeChat.


    It was Song Zexi. He added me as a friend on WeChat using my phone number. Soon thereafter, he sent me some messages.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is worse than a beast!¡±


    I was startled for a moment, observing his furious demeanor, he should have heard about the Golden Bay arson case from Wu Lijuan after he returned home.


    I tried to probe him.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Nothing! I¡¯ve gathered some evidence about Gu Yuanzhou. Do you have time now? I¡¯d like to show you, so we can discuss our next move.¡±


    The Ding Family was here, and I had just settled in. It would be rude to leave suddenly.


    So, I gave him a time, ¡°I¡¯m a bit busy now, having dinner with family, how about this: I¡¯ll contact you later?¡±


    I thought, once this meal was over, I would meet with Song Zexi.


    I was indeed curious to know what kind of dirt Song Zexi had on Gu Yuanzhou.


    If it¡¯s truly valuable, it would save me a lot of effort in the future.


    After I sent the message, he quickly replied to me,


    ¡°Okay, you go ahead first, we¡¯ll catch up later.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    It seemed like Ding Yinuo noticed something off about my face.


    He¡¯s always very sensitive, able to quickly catch my distractive thoughts.


    I gave him a slight smile,


    ¡°Nothing, nothing; come on, let¡¯s eat!¡±


    ¡°Xiaosong! You should come back here more often with Yinuo! Our home has fewer people now, and it feels so lonely without you two.¡±


    Mrs. Ding held my hand tight with worry and sadness.


    Indeed, after Mr. Ding passed away, Ding Xiao¡¯s marital issues led him to avoid coming home.


    If Ding Yinuo also stopped visiting, that home would indeed be rather lonely.


    I immediately agreed to her proposition with gusto, ¡°Sure!¡±


    A smile instantly crossed Mrs. Ding¡¯s face,


    ¡°You really are such a thoughtful child. Remember, just tell me what you want to eat and call me ahead of time, I¡¯ll cook it for you.¡±


    Ding Yinuo also added,


    ¡°At this moment, in my mother¡¯s eyes, you¡¯re more favored than I am. Even if you wanted a star from the sky, she would try to bring it down for you.¡±


    I laughed with a shocked face,


    ¡°A star from the sky¡­ I want you to get it for me, can you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, absolutely yes! As long as you want it, I will get it for you.¡±


    ¡°Great! Then the next time I go to your house, I want a star from the sky. You better not trick me!¡±


    Ding Yinuo then pushed his luck further,


    ¡°Well, if I really manage to do that, would you grant me a wish?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead! No problem!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s wait until that time comes. Come on, drink this bowl of chicken soup!¡±


    At the dinner table, we all laughed and chatted amicably, sharing many hopes and dreams for the future.


    Our relatives even began urging Yinuo and I to get married and have a child sooner. I just smiled at the suggestion, neither arguing against it nor refusing.


    After dinner, Ding Yinuo drove some relatives home.


    Meanwhile, I stayed behind to chat with Mrs. Ding.


    In Ding Yinuo¡¯s absence, Mrs. Ding babbled on to me about many things¡­


    ¡°Xiaosong! Yinuo really loves you! He¡¯s just like his father, a rather stubborn man. He doesn¡¯t easily fall for someone, but when he does, it lasts a lifetime. The other day, I drew a divination lot in the temple for you both. I drew a very inauspicious lot¡­ Sigh, I¡¯m getting old and incompetent, I can¡¯t even draw a good lot. But remember to take care of your health. Just consider this whole lottery drawing as a superstition, you youngsters don¡¯t believe in it.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, what kind of misfortune is it? In which aspect?¡±


    I wanted to ask for more details, but Mrs. Ding refused to divulge more and instead waved her hand dismissively,


    ¡°It¡¯s just my bad luck! Don¡¯t believe in it, just live your lives well.¡±


    Regardless of how I pressed, Mrs. Ding firmly kept mum about it.


    ¡°Xiaosong, if you believe in this, come to our home this weekend, and I¡¯ll tell you then.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I chatted with Mrs. Ding for less than half an hour.


    And then, my phone rang again.


    This time, it was from Wu Lijuan.


    ¡°Auntie Wu, hello!¡±


    ¡°Xiaosong, have you seen Zexi?¡±


    Wu Lijuan¡¯s voice was filled with anxiety, even a trace of weeping,


    ¡°Hmm, I saw him this morning! What happened?¡±


    ¡°At around two in the afternoon, he said he was going to see you¡­ But now, I can¡¯t get a hold of him on his cell phone! I wanted to ask, is he with you right now?¡±


    At that moment, I was still in the VIP room of the restaurant and upon hearing Wu Lijuan¡¯s words, I instinctively looked around but did not see Song Zexi.


    But soon I realized, I hadn¡¯t told Song Zexi that I was in the restaurant, moreover, we didn¡¯t have a set time to meet,


    ¡°I don¡¯t see him right now.¡±


    ¡°Then where did he go? As soon as he came back, he rummaged through his father¡¯s study, saying he found information on Gu Yuanzhou!¡±

 Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter 258 His True Colours_1

    Chapter 258: Chapter 258 His True Colours_1


    When I heard Wu Lijuan crying, I knew this was not a simple matter. I wondered, had Song Zexi been held captive by Gu Yuanzhou?


    However, I soon dismissed that thought.


    Because I received a text message from Song Zexi,


    ¡°My phone just ran out of battery! I finally found a spot to recharge.¡±


    Immediately, I texted back Wu Lijuan,


    ¡°He¡¯s fine, he just contacted me!¡±


    Only then did Wu Lijuan breathe a sigh of relief,


    ¡°Xiaosong, please keep an eye on Zexi for me. His father is already in trouble, I don¡¯t want anything to happen to him. I can¡¯t survive if anything happens to him. ¡±


    ¡°Do you know Gu Yuanzhou has taken over Huaxin Group?¡±


    Wu Lijuan sighed deeply, ¡°I know!¡±


    These three words were imbued with helplessness and regret.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I knew about it since it appeared in the news. When Zexi came back, we had a big fight. He blamed me for letting Ayun marry such a scumbag. Alas, how should I put it, we didn¡¯t know he was like that at the time. However, it¡¯s too late to say this now, Ayun can¡¯t come back to life. What I care about now is keeping my family safe, money and wealth are material things, if he wants them, let him take it!¡±


    Perhaps getting older, Wu Lijuan no longer valued money and wealth.


    In fact, I understand her feelings. Money can be earned again, but losing your loved ones, that¡¯s unbearable pain.


    ¡°Auntie, I will take care of him!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I excused myself from Mrs. Ding.


    Originally, Song Zexi and I had agreed to meet at Tianjiao Company at half past five.


    However, on the way, I received a call from Jiang Jing,


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯m feeling a bit of pain in my stomach. Yu Jiahang is working overtime, he can¡¯t spare the time. Can you accompany me to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll come pick you up right away!¡±


    I thought taking Jiang Jing to the hospital would just take a few hours, and it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal.


    However, an unexpected thing happened.


    Jiang Jing had a threatened miscarriage and needed a family member to sign off on the paperwork, forcing Yu Jiahang to come over.


    With no other option, I rushed over to Yu Jiahang¡¯s company.


    Surprisingly, Yu Jiahang wasn¡¯t working overtime. In fact, all the employees in the company had already left.


    The only people left were him and another female employee, flirting in the office with half their clothes off.


    I grabbed a bucket of water and splashed it on the woman.


    The woman screamed and ran away¡­


    Yu Jiahang was furious and pointed at me,


    ¡°You fucked up my good time?¡±


    I didn¡¯t let him finish, and gave him two hard slaps.


    I used all my force, and after hitting him, my hand started to hurt.


    Yu Jiahang was stunned by the slaps. It took him a while to recover and he tried to grab me, roaring furiously at me.


    ¡°You dare to hit me, you¡­ are finished!¡±


    However, before he could finish his sentence, he swallowed it back down.


    Because I didn¡¯t come alone. Before I came in, I had hired a security guard from a nearby mall to come along as backup.


    Seeing the strong and tall security guard, Yu Jiahang immediately backed down.


    Yu Jiahang looks mild-mannered, wears glasses, and is thin and bony. If it really came to blow, he would be pinned to the ground by the security guard.


    Considering we were two against one¡­ and the fact that he was in the wrong for flirting in the office, he had no choice but to swallow his anger.


    He grumbled at me.


    ¡°You¡­You brought people into my company. Are you crazy?¡±


    I gave him a glance,


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Jiang Jing, I¡¯d call the cops on you right now. Listen, Jiang Jing is at the hospital. Get your pants on and come with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right!¡±


    By the time I dragged Yu Jiahang to the hospital, it was already past seven at night.


    When I hurried back to Tianjiao Company, I had already passed the time I arranged to meet with Song Zexi.


    The receptionist brought a black document bag into my office.


    ¡°Miss Song, a Mr. Song left this for you. He insisted that you must be the one to open it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, alright!¡±


    It must have been left by Song Zexi.


    We were initially supposed to meet Gu Yuanzhou together. Has he given up?


    What could that be?


    I tried to call Song Zexi, but he wouldn¡¯t pick up my calls.


    After trying several times and still getting no response, I gave up.


    Then, I opened the bag.


    A black document bag¨C upon opening the zipper, a slip of paper falls out.


    I picked it up and took a look. It was a note written in ink.


    ¡°Miss Song, these are proof of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s guilt. I¡¯ll keep them with you for now. I¡¯m going to talk to Gu Yuanzhou now, if anything happens to me tonight, please bring these to the police!¡±


    The brief message revealed his determination.


    It seemed like he was determined to take down Gu Yuanzhou.


    But when I think of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s character, I have a bad feeling about it.


    I immediately called Gu Yuanzhou. But just like Song Zexi, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t answer my call.


    As I paced anxiously back and forth, I eventually focused my attention on the document bag in front of me.


    Proof of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s guilt?


    Just how many horrid things did he do to fill up such a large stack of papers?


    I opened the document bag and took out all the files.


    Looking through each one¡­


    All of these, truly were a revelation.


    Long ago, I knew that Gu Yuanzhou had committed some unsavoury acts with Song Shixiong.


    Having just looked through them one by one, I realized the extent of it was far worse than I imagined.


    I really can¡¯t accept it¡­


    The more I read, the more shocked I was.


    He was nothing like I imagined.


    As I was deeply reading the files, suddenly someone barged in.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    It was Wenya who entered.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I had a fight with Su Peisheng!¡±


    Wenya entered and put her bag on the table, her face full of irritation. She poured herself a cup of coffee as soon as she got in the door.


    ¡°What did you fight about?¡±


    ¡°Yu Jiahang! I caught him flirting again. I was so upset that I got into a fight. Su Peisheng actually accused me of meddling in other¡¯s affairs, saying that I¡¯m heartless. Jiang Jing is like a sister to me, what¡¯s wrong with me helping her? Tell me, are all men this uncaring? Is he being too realistic? Is it just that lawyers are heartless?¡±


    Wenya rambled on, and after saying all that, she was still angry. I smiled at her.


    ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m laughing because you¡¯ve fallen for Su Peisheng, and you¡¯re quite in love.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn! But if you¡¯re confused, I can explain. I think he is worried about your safety, afraid that Yu Jiahang might take the opportunity to harm you¡­¡±


    ¡°You sound just like him! Are you two on the same side?¡±


    While grumbling, Wenya sat on my desk, she then spotted the files on the table. After quickly reading a few, her face changed.


    ¡°Ayun, did Gu Yuanzhou really do these things?¡±

 Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter 259 The First Place_1

    Chapter 259: Chapter 259 The First Place_1


    I remained silent!


    Wenya was taken aback, then she carefully inspected it once again,


    ¡°Holy shit! Ayun, how could he do so many extremely cruel things? He is a desperate outlaw. No wonder your uncle used to take advantage of him. It¡¯s true, only people like him would dare to do such things.¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything, just stacked all the documents together, then put them back in the briefcase.


    Indeed, these files made me have to reassess Gu Yuanzhou.


    Desperate outlaw, these four words seemed too mild a description for him.


    After reading them, I felt a chill down my back.


    Wenya simply sighed,


    ¡°If he is really that kind of person, the arson case was bound to happen. Ayun, you¡¯ve been sleeping with the wolf for so many years!!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, all of these are Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s evidence!¡±


    Wenya flipped through it again,


    ¡°According to these dates, the events happened many years ago, the relevant parties might not even be around.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, with these materials, I can set him up!¡±


    ¡°True, this is¡­ I feel it¡¯s too risky. Ayun, I feel like you can¡¯t beat Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    Wenya clearly had concerns in her eyes. After some thought, she kept shaking her head.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t, Ayun. I think we should stop here with this matter, you shouldn¡¯t get involved anymore.¡±


    ¡°Wenya! Not to mention my two children who had been ruined by him, based on the fact that he¡¯s still chasing after Song Family¡¯s money, I can¡¯t just sit idly by. Am I supposed to watch the Song Family collapse in front of me, and see all the members of the Song family killed by him?¡±


    ¡°I heard from Su Peisheng that Gu Yuanzhou only wants the Song Family¡¯s assets. He won¡¯t resort to murder, do not overthink it.¡±


    When I saw these documents, my mind was already in utter chaos.


    I knew Gu Yuanzhou wouldn¡¯t be as simple as it seemed.


    Wenya¡¯s persuasion was ineffective.


    I even had a vague feeling that Gu Yuanzhou might target Song Zexi.


    ¡°Wenya, I have to stop him, whatever it takes!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, now that you have to consider not only the Song Family, but also Ding Yinuo. You are Ding Yinuo¡¯s fiance¨¦ now, you have to consider the Ding Family¡¯s position.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Su Peisheng is going overseas for further studies this week. If anything arises, you mustn¡¯t act alone, wait for him to come back.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Wenya stayed with me for two hours.


    And then she went home.


    It was already past nine o¡¯clock in the evening, and Song Zexi¡¯s phone remained unreachable.


    Later, Wu Lijuan called me several times, saying she was unable to contact Song Zexi.


    After calming her down, I called Gu Yuanzhou.


    This time, he answered.


    In the phone call, his voice was very low,


    ¡°What, do you miss me?¡±


    A few simple words, full of sarcasm.


    I could hardly be bothered to respond to him.


    I directly asked,


    ¡°Is Song Zexi in your hands?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    He didn¡¯t deny it, he admitted it straightaway.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what do you mean? Are you kidnapping Song Zexi? You are completely insane!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but vent my emotions on him.


    ¡°I had no choice, he claimed to have a bunch of dirt on me. If I don¡¯t transfer the shares of Huaxin in my hand to him, he will exploit it to annoy me. Since he is a major threat, I couldn¡¯t let him go. After all, it¡¯s not easy to threaten me, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tone was always casual, as if he didn¡¯t take this matter seriously at all.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, it is your fault. Why did you have to snatch Huaxin Group away?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t snatch¡­ I just hold more shares and took control only.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, you¡¯ve taken control, and you¡¯re still not admitting you¡¯ve snatched it up¡­ In any case, I won¡¯t argue with you, let Song Zexi go.¡±


    ¡°You think I will just let him go just because you said so?¡±


    His words, as always, were domineering.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what do you really want?¡±


    Through the phone, he chuckled,


    ¡°Your tone, it has betrayed you, don¡¯t you know?¡±


    I was silent for three seconds before replying with difficulty,


    ¡°Err, alright! Gu Yuanzhou, I admit, I am Song Yun!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took a deep breath, his tone became even more magnetic, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°You always wanted me to admit it before, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m admitting it now!¡±


    ¡°Good, you need to prove it to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, I can prove it!¡±


    ¡°How will you prove it?¡±


    ¡°In an hour, we¡¯ll meet at Star Gazing Pier! Release Song Zexi first¡­¡±


    ¡°OK!¡±


    He quickly agreed.


    After hanging up the phone, I sat back down. I had to arrange everything properly.


    In the past three months, I¡¯ve clashed with Gu Yuanzhou countless times. Although I had narrowly defeated him a few times, he could easily catch me off guard with a counterattack.


    The plans I wracked my brain to set up could easily be broken down by him.


    So, if I¡¯m a bit careless, not only would I ruin everything but also place my friends in danger.


    I opened the briefcase again, then sorted the documents inside by date, divided them into six parts and put them in file bags.


    Then I filled out the addresses, put them all on the front desk, wrote a note telling the front desk to mail out these documents for me tomorrow.


    After that, I returned to Xishan Residence, put on the red dress I wore before, took the remaining sleeping pills, and the red wine¡­


    The last time¡¯s tools hadn¡¯t all been used up, and now they can come in handy.


    At the same time, to prevent Ding Yinuo from having an accident with Gu Yuanzhou, I specifically left a letter on the table for him.


    After all these preparations, I took a taxi to the pier.


    At ten o¡¯clock in the evening, I arrived at Star Gazing Pier.


    The reason why I chose this place was to repeat my previous actions. I wanted to take advantage of the romantic night, get Gu Yuanzhou drunk, drug him and then kidnap him.


    I have no way to confront him directly now, so I can only resort to underhanded tactics.


    However, after preparing everything and waiting here for half an hour, he was still a no-show.


    Later, I called Wu Lijuan again to confirm that Song Zexi had not returned home yet¡­


    My heart was becoming anxious.


    Just when I thought he wouldn¡¯t show up, my phone rang.


    I looked down, it was Gu Yuanzhou calling.


    I immediately picked up.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what do you mean? I¡¯ve been waiting here for so long, why haven¡¯t you shown up?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I suddenly changed my mind. Let¡¯s change the location!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already at Star Gazing Pier, where do you expect me to go this late?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, if you are really Song Yun! Then¡­go to the location where we made love for the first time!¡±


    There was a provocative tone in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words, causing me to clench my fists and remain silent.


    He then chuckled, ¡°What, you don¡¯t remember?¡±

 Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: Chapter 260 His Test for Me_1

    Chapter 260: Chapter 260 His Test for Me_1


    Now, he has taken over Huaxin Group, leaving the Song Family in chaos¡­


    If I admit that I am Song Yun, it would be equivalent to slapping my own face!


    At this moment, his laughter makes me feel deeply insulted and provoked.


    My silence only makes him more unscrupulous.


    He continues to challenge me¡­


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t know, it proves that you are not Song Yun! It must be Ding Yinuo and Wenya who have leaked some information about Song Yun to you, and are using you to deceive me, right?¡±


    ¡°Do you really need me to tell you?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Is there anything that can¡¯t be said?¡±


    ¡°Erm, that place, I know¡­ If you want to meet there now, I¡¯ll go right away!¡±


    ¡°Do not make me wait too long!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou hung up first.


    It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know that place, I just don¡¯t want to mention it in front of Gu Yuanzhou.


    When I first started dating Gu Yuanzhou, I was worried about the opposition from my uncle and aunt, so I specifically chose that place to meet.


    At that time, I felt it was particularly romantic, but looking back now, I only feel incredibly foolish.


    However, in order to confront Gu Yuanzhou, I still decide to take this trip.


    Even if I can¡¯t bear to look back at the past, I have to confront it.


    Half an hour later, I got off the taxi.


    This place is the Lake Heart Garden, which is usually unvisited¡­


    I used to often date Gu Yuanzhou here, being young and naive, I mistook his seduction for love and gave myself to him.


    Women are peculiar creatures, after having an intimate relationship with a man, they develop a special sense of belonging, becoming increasingly dependent on him.


    Regardless of any interference, they would want to spend their lives with him.


    At this moment, it was already one o¡¯clock in the morning.


    I sat on the park bench, recalling those unbearable pasts.


    Replaying my life over and over again.


    After waiting for a long time, Gu Yuanzhou was nowhere to be seen. I grew impatient, thinking he was toying with me, so I called his phone again.


    Unexpectedly, the moment the call connected, I heard the ringing from his phone next to me.


    I looked over quietly.


    I saw a dark silhouette standing under a big tree in the darkness.


    If it weren¡¯t for the spark from his cigarette, like a small star in the dark, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed there was someone.


    Indeed, he quickly silenced his phone and slowly walked towards me.


    When he stepped out of the grove, the moonlight outlined his facial features.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say a word when you arrived, trying to act mysterious!¡±


    I retaliated with a stern face, unconsciously taking a step back.


    He tossed his cigarette butt into the trash can, placed his hands in his pockets, and took a step forward again.


    I felt a dangerous aura from him and continued to step back.


    He grabbed hold of me.


    ¡°Where are you going? I¡¯m not going to eat you!


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯m here! I admit it to you, I am Song Yun!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He continued to close in on me.


    We were so close now that there was barely any space left between us¡­


    He reached out and gripped my chin, his pair of cold black eyes staring straight at me.


    ¡°Or is it not? Our first time together, was it not here? Don¡¯t you remember? You can look around and think hard, or have you¡­ forgotten already?¡±


    He chuckled softly, grabbed my collar, and slowly undid my buttons.


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right¡­ But these details could have been told to you by someone else.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? No woman would reveal such private affairs!¡±


    ¡°A woman¡¯s mouth may not be as tight-lipped when it comes to her best friends. Take Wenya, for example, she knows nearly all of my past affairs.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you want me to do to prove it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    He wrapped his hands around my waist, suddenly pulling me into his chest.


    ¡°We can recall the scene again!¡±


    His voice began to change¡­ His gaze became sinister, and his hand slipped lower, touching my buttocks.


    Now that the feelings of the past are gone, I harbor no good feelings toward him. At this moment, I can¡¯t help but wish to slap his face.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, please show some respect!¡±


    I grabbed his arm, stopping him from making the next move.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re so repulsed by me now?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou¡­ Now that I¡¯ve admitted to being Ayun, can you let Song Zexi go?¡±


    ¡°I told you already, you haven¡¯t passed my test! If you were my Ayun, you wouldn¡¯t be resistant to any intimate behavior with me!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case¡­ You can test me in other ways!¡±


    ¡°Why are you so resistant to me?¡±


    He seemed a bit angry, the more I retreated, the angrier he got.


    He swiftly held me tightly, pressing me against a big tree, while attempting to undo my clothes.


    He repeatedly questioned me,


    ¡°Why are you so resistant to me? If you are really my Ayun, why would you be engaged to Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou¡­After everything that has happened, how can I look at you the same way? Our relationship has long changed. You¡¯re together with Ye Mengyan now, you betrayed me. We lost our home, lost our child, and now, you¡¯re working against my uncle¡¯s family. Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m not the person I once was, and you¡¯re not who you used to be. Tell me, under the current circumstances, is there any chance we could be together?¡±


    I pushed him away abruptly and shouted at him.


    He didn¡¯t say anything, just lit another cigarette, took a deep draw, and looked at me complexly.


    ¡°Come with me!¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    He ignored me and walked out of the park along the small path.


    I straightened my clothes and followed closely behind him.


    When I came out, he was already parked at the entrance, ¡°Get in the car!¡±


    I stood in front of the car window looking at him, ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°If you want Song Zexi to live, obey me and don¡¯t ask so many questions!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took a puff of his cigarette, his face visibly unhappy.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I have Ye Mengyan, aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡±


    I was just threatening him, trying to force him to compromise.


    Unexpectedly, he just glanced at me after hearing this.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare touch her!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If you dare to hurt Ye Mengyan in any way, I will make sure all the Song Family members will disappear!¡±


    His words were calm, but his eyes were dark.


    I didn¡¯t say anything, just held tightly onto the sleeping pills in my hand, opened the car door, and got in¡­


    The car started slowly, traversing the city in the night.


    At this point, it was already two o¡¯clock in the morning.


    My phone rang. I lowered my head and saw that it was Ding Yinuo calling.

 Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Chapter 261 You Such a Frightening Woman_1

    Chapter 261: Chapter 261 You Such a Frightening Woman_1


    I sat in the passenger¡¯s seat, glanced at Gu Yuanzhou who was driving, and then answered the call.


    On the phone, Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice sounded very calm.


    ¡°Did he not come back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy! I left you a message, read it yourself!¡±


    Perhaps he guessed that I was on the phone with Ding Yinuo.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed somewhat unsatisfied, he suddenly stepped on the accelerator, I wasn¡¯t sitting steady, and my phone almost fell out of my hand.


    I didn¡¯t say much, I just said a few words and then hung up the phone.


    I turned my head and looked at Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just drive safely?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with a complicated expression,


    ¡°If you are Ayun, you shouldn¡¯t have gotten engaged to Ding Yinuo! You are very clear about what kind of relationship we have with the Ding Family!¡±


    I sneered, ¡°Is it my fault?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, do you have the nerve to say this? What were your motives when you approached me in the first place?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You never loved me, you¡¯ve always been using me! From the start¡­if it wasn¡¯t for you, I would have married Ding Yinuo a long time ago!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t control my inner anger, and exposed his past.


    The car, which had been running, suddenly came to a halt.


    During the sudden turn, the car almost hit a big tree by the roadside, he didn¡¯t even care, instead, he turned around and looked at me.


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I am Ayun, I know what I¡¯ve been through myself!¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap, did someone from the Song Family tell you?¡±


    His eyes were sharp, his hand stretched out to grab my arm.


    I pushed him away in pain.


    ¡°What? Are you afraid of people talking about what you¡¯ve done?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to have quickly regained his composure, he sat up straight and started the car again.


    He seemed to speak disdainfully,


    ¡°Whom would I be afraid of?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you acting this way?¡±


    ¡°I just want to know who¡¯s stirring up trouble behind my back, opposing me at every turn!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face was cold.


    I didn¡¯t continue talking¡­my heart was pondering how to get him to let go of Song Zexi.


    The car continued moving forward.


    After passing through the city, it finally stopped in front of the Maple Mansion.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t rush to get out of the car, instead, he sat in the car and smoked a cigarette.


    He closed his eyes, his fingers pressing against his brow, after a long while he took a glance at me, ¡°Get out of the car!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, when will you let Song Zexi go¡­¡±


    ¡°So, you came to see me tonight just for him?¡±


    He squinted his eyes at me, those pitch-black eyes seemed as if they could see right through my heart.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Heh heh!¡±


    He chuckled lightly, ¡°You can¡¯t save him!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    My question was left unanswered, and he just got out of the car.


    I followed him into the house.


    I had thought it would be only the two of us here, I didn¡¯t expect others to be here too¡­


    Several men were sitting in the living room discussing matters.


    It seemed that Gu Yuanzhou had begun to use the Maple Mansion as his regular residence and workspace.


    While Ye Mengyan was not here, he had hired a housekeeper and kept the place neat and clean.


    The three men stood up to greet Gu Yuanzhou, ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re here!¡±


    I took a look, all of these people were with Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    The man smoking and wearing a leather jacket was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s close friend Ayu, he had a rogue look about him, his eyes lifted as he looked at me, carrying a hint of schadenfreude.


    The other few men were the bosses who had collaborated with Gu Yuanzhou on business.


    It seemed that they were originally discussing something, now that I walked in, they all looked at me very cautiously.


    Simultaneously asked Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, that woman is from the Ding Family¡­it¡¯s not good to bring her here, is it?¡±


    The one speaking was a man surnamed Qi, he was an old rival of the Ding Family, he was extremely wary of me.


    Even when he saw me come in, he stretched out his hand to cover the documents on the table.


    Gu Yuanzhou took off his suit jacket and turned to look at me, ¡°It¡¯s fine! She won¡¯t affect the big picture.¡±


    It seemed that he didn¡¯t take me seriously.


    After a while, the men went to the study on the second floor.


    Just as Gu Yuanzhou was about to go upstairs, I grabbed him.


    ¡°When are you releasing Song Zexi?¡±


    ¡°Are you in a hurry?¡±


    ¡°You know why I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡°Wait another half an hour!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I let go of his hand.


    Watching him go upstairs.


    I always felt that this man was testing my limits, he clearly knew I came for Song Zexi.


    But he deliberately delayed releasing him, was he challenging my patience?


    Or did he have other plans?


    I didn¡¯t know, so I just had to wait patiently.


    Time went by minute by minute, half an hour passed, and he hadn¡¯t come down yet.


    I decided to go upstairs to take a look¡­


    After all, I¡¯ve been to this place many times before, and I know it well.


    It was the middle of the night, I muted my mobile phone, and quietly came to the outside of the study.


    The door of the study was slightly ajar, I couldn¡¯t see inside, but I could hear several men talking, in the quiet of the night, and because this was a secluded area, the voices clearly reached my ears.


    ¡°President Gu, we made a great improvement this time. Huaxin Group is now in your hands as you wished, this is certainly something to celebrate. From now on, we, your brothers, are at your disposal. Wherever you point, we¡¯ll hit it!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was silent, only chuckling lightly.


    There was so much self-satisfaction in that laughter.


    Another person continued¡­


    ¡°President Gu, it hasn¡¯t been easy for you to get to where you are today. We don¡¯t know how much you suffered under that old bastard Song. You endured humiliation under his hand for so many years, at this moment, he deserved what he got.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! The entire Song Family deserves to die. President Gu¡­in my opinion, to avoid further trouble, why don¡¯t we get rid of the two young rabbits of the Song Family too.¡±


    After a long while, Gu Yuanzhou lazily replied, ¡°Just getting rid of that old fox should do, the young ones aren¡¯t a threat!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, if we remove the grass without getting rid of the roots, there will be endless trouble. Think about what that old bastard Song did back then, the Song Family should be eradicated.¡±


    ¡°President Gu, about the woman downstairs, I think we can¡¯t keep her. She is not only from the Ding Family, but also has a close relationship with the Song Family, you must not be deceived by her. There are plenty of beautiful women. If you like, I can introduce you to others!¡±


    Before he finished his sentence, he was interrupted by Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°All of you, don¡¯t target her. I¡¯m warning you, she is very important to me!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, what¡¯s the reason for this?¡±


    ¡°She is very important to me!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou said in a deep voice, I thought that he would give me some leeway considering I used to be his wife.


    Unexpectedly, what he said next completely overturned what I knew and even made me feel hopeless.

 Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Get Him Drunk_1

    Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Get Him Drunk_1


    ¡°I need her alive to deal with the Ding Family!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s statement, a simple phrase, exploded in my mind.


    If I hadn¡¯t heard it myself, I would never have believed it.


    He actually planned to use me against the Ding Family?


    For a moment, my mind was in chaos¡­


    I quietly retreated from the stairs.


    And went back to my room.


    About ten minutes later, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from above.


    From my window, I saw Gu Yuanzhou escorting several people out the door.


    I had met these people from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s circle before, they often came to dine at our house, and I chatted with them.


    Back then, I thought they were decent, fairly noble friends.


    Now it seems, they are all trash.


    A few minutes later, they all drove off.


    Finally, only Gu Yuanzhou was left in the courtyard.


    After smoking a cigarette, he turned around and entered the house.


    The living room was lit only by an ambient lamp. He stood in front of me, dressed in a buttoned black shirt coupled with black trousers, appearing stiff and grim.


    He scrutinized me for a while¡­


    ¡°Go ahead, tell me; what do you need me to do for you to believe I¡¯m Song Yun?¡±


    I needed to pretend as much as possible that I hadn¡¯t heard the conversation earlier.


    I knew he had set a trap, but I still had to jump in.


    Gu Yuanzhou was smoking, squinting at me¡­


    ¡°How do you plan to prove you¡¯re my Ayun?¡±


    ¡°There are many ways¡­ You can ask me anything, such as anything about my life from childhood till now¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gave a faint smirk.


    ¡°These details are known to your closest friends who grew up with you or maybe your relatives. It¡¯s not credible, nor can it prove anything¡±


    ¡°Then ask about our private life, anything you think is strictly between us that outsiders wouldn¡¯t know, you can ask.¡±


    ¡°And can you answer all of them?¡±


    I don¡¯t know why, but at the moment I heard that Gu Yuanzhou was merely using me against the Ding Family,


    I started to feel something about his attitude wasn¡¯t quite right.


    Perhaps he didn¡¯t really care whether I was Song Yun or not¡­


    The only thing I could do was try to keep myself composed, not to fall apart.


    ¡°As long as you ask and I know, of course, I can try my best to answer you.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you say you¡¯re Song Yun, then how did you end up in Song Xiaoyun¡¯s body, and where did the original Song Xiaoyun go?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was watching me intently, eyes squinted.


    I sat down on the sofa, recalling earnestly what had happened that day.


    Actually, I had always avoided touching what happened at the scene of the fire,


    It was the deepest wound in my heart.


    However, since Gu Yuanzhou asked, I had to answer.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun originally had depression, mental problems. She constantly sought to commit suicide. On the day of the fire, Song Xiaoyun attempted suicide but was saved by Ding Yinuo. I suppose her spirit must have left this world then. I can¡¯t explain what exactly happened, but after the fire incident, I knew that I was Song Yun.¡±


    ¡°You say you¡¯re Ayun, indicating that people can reincarnate after death, right?¡±


    He continued questioning along this line.


    ¡°Yes, I guess so!¡±


    ¡°Then what about the kids? What about Zhenyi and Xiaoyi? If you can still exist, then what about them?¡±


    When Gu Yuanzhou asked this, his tone was rather agitated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I can¡¯t answer you!¡±


    ¡°You just stated that people can be reborn after death, then can you tell me where the souls of the two children are right now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Gu Yuanzhou!!¡±


    ¡°If you really are Song Yun, you will love your own children. If you are alive, you should be searching for your children throughout the world instead of marrying Ding Yinuo. My Ayun hated Ding Yinuo so much, how could she possibly be with him?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t probe into the details between us but flatly denied me.


    I fell silent.


    I wasn¡¯t angry.


    I clearly knew, his heart was triggered upon the mention of the two children.


    I handed a glass of red wine to him.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what about you? I haven¡¯t seen you grieve for the two children either! When you question me, have you ever thought about what you are doing?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou just gave me a cold look.


    His eyes were faintly red, he picked up the glass of red wine on the table and drank it all.


    ¡°You have no right to question me!¡±


    I gave a cold chuckle,


    ¡°But I do! It¡¯s precisely because I am Song Yun that I can judge you! Gu Yuanzhou, you deceived me, had me bear children for you, but now after my death, you are going after my relatives. If even I don¡¯t have the right, then who does?¡±


    After finishing his drink, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s cheeks started to warm up. He looked at me, his eyes seemingly dimmer.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, on the day we got married, you promised¡­that if one day I died, you would follow too. So, did you do it?¡±


    ¡°If not, that means you lied to me. From beginning till end, you¡¯ve been nothing but lies, never truly having cared about our feelings, then what right do you have to demand anything from me?¡±


    Despite my accusation, despite my rage, I just couldn¡¯t hold back¡­


    To my surprise, as I was berating him so fervently, he made no response.


    He just sat on the sofa, propped his forehead with one hand, bowing his head slightly, as if he was truly accepting my criticisms.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! I truly regret sacrificing you back then! You have no right to compare yourself with Ding Yinuo, you¡¯re far worse than him!¡±


    I was agitated and said a lot of harsh things, thinking that Gu Yuanzhou would fly into a rage¡­


    I didn¡¯t expect that he still didn¡¯t react at all.


    I called out to him twice, but he didn¡¯t respond. I reached out, put my hand on his shoulder, and gave him a gentle shove.


    He then slumped onto the sofa.


    That¡¯s when I realized that Gu Yuanzhou must have been affected by the drug.


    Right, I had drugged his glass of red wine, and now he had passed out.


    My plan succeeded.


    I had intended to drag him upstairs at first, but I found I didn¡¯t have the strength to.


    All I could do was fetch a piece of rope and tie his hands together.


    Once everything was done, I sat down, took a few seconds to calm down.


    Then, I pulled a mobile phone out of his pocket.


    The screen lock password had not changed, and I unlocked it quickly. I also found the contact information of Song Zexi in his phone.


    Just as I was about to leave, the doorbell suddenly rang.

 Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Chapter 263 Mesmerize Him_1

    Chapter 263: Chapter 263 Mesmerize Him_1


    When I heard the doorbell ring, there was a momentary panic in my heart.


    I was also worried that Gu Yuanzhou would wake up from his dream.


    I walked over to the window, gently lifted a corner of the curtain, and saw a strange middle-aged woman dressed as a maid standing outside.


    I deliberately opened my collar, unzipped my waist, messed up my hair, and then lazily opened the door just a finger¡¯s width.


    Blocking the crack so that she couldn¡¯t come in, my voice also sounded decidedly impatient.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    The middle-aged woman replied respectfully,


    ¡°I am the maid here¡­ I came to clean!¡±


    Seeing the fear in her eyes, I knew she was easy to deceive.


    I¡¯ve seen that look many times before.


    As long as I keep up my fa?ade, I can control the situation.


    I pretended to look inside for a moment, then turned back to the maid,


    ¡°Ah, Gu Yuanzhou isn¡¯t dressed right now, it¡¯s not convenient¡­ why don¡¯t you come back tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay, okay!¡±


    As expected, she was easily persuaded to leave with just a few words.


    After she left, I quickly shut the door tight.


    After adjusting my clothes, I returned to the couch, where Gu Yuanzhou was still deep in sleep.


    I picked up his phone again and went through the information on it.


    Then I took a picture of Song Zexi¡¯s location and left the Maple Mansion in a hurry


    Half an hour later, I arrived at an abandoned factory.


    In the smallest room inside, I found Song Zexi, who had been tied up¡­


    Song Zexi was tied up hands behind his back on the dirty floor, blindfolded, and gagged with tape.


    When he heard my footsteps, he glanced nervously at me. I hurriedly comforted him,


    ¡°Mr. Song, I¡¯m here to save you. Don¡¯t make a sound. The security guard has gone to the toilet.¡±


    When Song Zexi saw me, he looked astounded.


    However, he cooperated well and didn¡¯t make a noise. I took out a pair of scissors and cut the rope on his hand, then quickly exited through the back door with him.


    It wasn¡¯t until we had left the factory and hopped into a taxi that I was able to breathe a sigh of relief.


    We didn¡¯t stop at all along the way.


    I knew that the effects of the drug wouldn¡¯t last long, and the rope around his wrist wouldn¡¯t keep Gu Yuanzhou restrained for too long.


    If Song Zexi went back to the Song family now, he would likely be attacked by Gu Yuanzhou again.


    After he got out of the car and saw the vast sea, Song Zexi hurriedly shook his head,


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave A city, I need to go home!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Song, I want to know, how did Gu Yuanzhou manage to kidnap you?¡±


    This question brought a look of anger to Song Zexi¡¯s face that he could not conceal.


    ¡°That man is simply a scum, last time he promised to meet in a restaurant to discuss business. But he set up an ambush, and after speaking less than three sentences, he kidnapped me. He is a hooligan who does not play by the rules. Be careful when dealing with him.¡±


    I nudged the conversation further,


    ¡°So, you should have realized by now. Gu Yuanzhou is not the same as before, he is ruthless now, and you would only be safe if you leave A city.¡±


    Waving his hands around, Song Zexi vented his frustrations.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go, I won¡¯t run! Gu Yuanzhou is just a petty man, everyone in A City needs to know that he obtained Huaxin Group through despicable means. I won¡¯t let him have his way. I intend to get back what he took from Huaxin Group.¡±


    It was typical of youthful passion, Song Zexi couldn¡¯t swallow his pride.


    I was much more calm than he was.


    I also knew very well that being angry was pointless now.


    You have to be one step ahead of Gu Yuanzhou to have a chance at winning.


    ¡°Mr. Song, forgive me for being blunt, but times have changed¡­ The Song family can¡¯t compare to the Gu family anymore. Now that you have lost Huaxin Group, what you need to protect is the Song family itself. Aunt Wu¡¯s health isn¡¯t good, she can¡¯t stand the shock. Why don¡¯t you take her abroad for a while, and come back when things have calmed down?¡±


    ¡°Impossible! How can the Song family be inferior to the Gu family? Gu Yuanzhou is nothing but a stray dog, what can he achieve?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Song!¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my blind father supporting him, could he succeed? He¡¯s just a villain being overbearing!¡±


    Perhaps Song Zexi never dreamed that the Song family would fall to such an extent.


    He couldn¡¯t accept that someone he once looked down upon had climbed up on his shoulders.


    He still thought he could turn the tables.


    ¡°I still have a chance of winning, didn¡¯t I give you the scandalous information? I will hold a press conference tomorrow to expose Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s countless evil deeds. I¡¯ll make sure his reputation is shattered, I don¡¯t believe he can continue to be arrogant?¡±


    I tried my best, but I still couldn¡¯t persuade him.


    So I tried another method.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it this way! Aunt Wu¡¯s health is not good, she¡¯s been telling me recently that she wants to go to Wu Mountain Temple to pray for blessings for the Song family and for your father¡¯s safe return. Why don¡¯t you go with her today? I¡¯m afraid that Gu Yuanzhou will intercept the scandalous information you gave me, so I¡¯ve already sent it out in batches. You can¡¯t get it now. And when you come back from Wu Mountain Temple, I¡¯ll arrange these plans for you.¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Maybe, out of gratitude for me saving him, he accepted my arrangement.


    Maybe the drug worked well, and at this time Gu Yuanzhou had not woken up yet, Song Zexi made a call to Wu Lijuan.


    Wu Lijuan quickly rushed over.


    Seeing both of them board the express train to Wu Mountain Temple, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Wu Mountain Temple is somewhat far from here, and they wouldn¡¯t be back until three days later.


    I went back to Xishan Residence to change clothes, and then made a call to Shen Yishu.


    Half an hour later, Shen Yishu arrived. It was exactly nine o¡¯clock in the morning¡­


    Previously, I had asked Shen Yishu to investigate Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s cohort of friends.


    The results should be in by now.


    Shen Yishu parked his car directly at the entrance. I crossed my arms and waited for him at the door.


    Seeing him getting out of the car, I pointed at the second-hand car and said,


    ¡°Boss Shen, time to get a new car!¡±


    Pushing up his glasses, Shen Yishu replied with a sincere smile,


    ¡°What kind of car does Miss Song like?¡±


    ¡°Why ask me what kind of car I like? It¡¯s not my car, I¡¯m talking about you! With your current status, you could definitely afford an Audi!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, if I need to buy a new car to pick you up, I¡¯m willing to switch!¡±


    ¡°Shen Yishu, you¡¯re impressive! Your words are becoming smoother and more flattering!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, how could I live up to your trust in me if I don¡¯t make progress!¡±


    Actually, given Shen Yishu¡¯s current capacity, he could well afford a luxury car, but that¡¯s a story for another day. The matter I asked him to discuss today is very important.


    After stepping inside, he handed me a stack of documents,


    ¡°According to your requirements, the investigation is complete!¡±


    This information was crucial for me, it was the key to toppling Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter 264 She’s Pregnant_1

    Chapter 264: Chapter 264 She¡¯s Pregnant_1


    ¡°Qi Ming, Ayu, Huo Jiawang, He Xiangdong¡­ these four are now the new shareholders of Huaxin Group! Together, they plotted to pull Song Shixiong off his pedestal! You¡¯re missing one person here, Zhou Chenming is also in the mix!¡±


    Shen Yishu pointed each of them out to me.


    I glanced at these names, a few of which I had run into yesterday at Maple Mansion.


    Among them were some big shots, ranked at the top of the rich list, and they also had a very close relationship with Gu Yuanzhou. They were part of his circle.


    I looked through the information, page by page.


    Shen Yishu looked puzzled,


    ¡°What are you going to use this information for?¡±


    I calmly informed Shen Yishu,


    ¡°Last night, I went to see Gu Yuanzhou. He was plotting with these people to divide and devour the Song family¡­ I don¡¯t want the Ding Family to get involved in this muddy water. I can only rely on myself¡­¡±


    Shen Yishu shook his head,


    ¡°You can¡¯t do it alone, unless you kill him. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it, he doesn¡¯t deserve you to do that.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t use such a stupid method. If I want to ruin Gu Yuanzhou, I must first destroy his circle. I¡¯ve thought it through. It would have been easy to bring down Zhenyi Company. But even if Zhenyi ran into problems, this group of people would still lend a hand, and Gu Yuanzhou would quickly be back on his feet.¡±


    Shen Yishu agreed with my analysis, but he was still very worried.


    ¡°Miss Song, honestly, it¡¯s hard enough dealing with Gu Yuanzhou, let alone those other people! Trust me, these people are crazy, wealthy, and morally corrupt! They could do anything. You can¡¯t beat them.¡±


    Perhaps having spent time with Shen Yishu, I could see he really cared about me.


    You could tell from his eyes that his worry for me was genuine. He even volunteered to help me trouble Gu Yuanzhou.


    I still declined.


    The hatred between Gu Yuanzhou and I is insurmountable!


    This grudge, this hatred, only I can deal with it. There¡¯s no need to drag other people into this.


    ¡°I have a plan! Hmm, that¡¯s all, you should head back to the company first. I¡¯ll handle this!¡±


    After sending off Shen Yishu.


    I sat at the table, studying where to start.


    The first target is Qi Ming, the rich man who looked at me with the most malicious eyes last night.


    I put the documents away in my bag.


    My phone rang.


    I glanced at the caller ID. It was Gu Yuanzhou.


    The phone was ringing, and my heartbeat was accelerating.


    This meant that Gu Yuanzhou had sobered up. The phone kept ringing, as if it was the sound of his rage burning.


    I didn¡¯t pick up, and I didn¡¯t hang up. I just watched the phone continue to ring.


    Until Ding Yinuo walked in from outside.


    He asked me, ¡°Who¡¯s calling you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, just a friend¡­¡±


    Only then did I hang up the phone and put it on silent.


    I cleaned up my stuff and was getting ready to leave when he stopped me, tightly clutching my hand.


    ¡°Ayun, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s almost ten o¡¯clock. I need to drop by the company! Also, I want to visit my uncle.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, take the day off today!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the weekend. Why would I take a day off?¡±


    I looked at him, puzzled.


    Ding Yinuo seemed speechless, there was a faint glimmer of starlight in his dark eyes.


    He was wearing a white shirt with a light blue vest today, looking elegant.


    This man radiated a healing power, and when I was with him, my temperament would become gentler.


    Even the sound of my voice became softer.


    ¡°Hmm, true, it¡¯s not the weekend, but today is not a good day for work. You don¡¯t look well; you need to rest. I¡¯m not going to work today either, so I will accompany you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo did not insist on asking where I went last night, instead he took the apron and went to the kitchen.


    A moment later, he served me a glass of juice,


    ¡°Stay home and relax, I¡¯m going to make you some breakfast. You, look at your face, you have such severe dark circles, you need to stop working so hard.¡±


    He forcefully pulled me by the arm and made me sit down on a chair.


    As I took the juice he offered,


    My phone rang again.


    This time, it wasn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou who was calling me.


    It was Wenya¡­


    ¡°Ayun, be prepared for what I¡¯m about to say.¡±


    I was drinking the juice, thinking about everything that happened last night. Though it was quite hair-raising, fortunately, I managed to handle everything.


    Everything went smoothly.


    Especially now that Song Zexi and Wu Lijuan had left A City, I felt more at ease.


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯m in a good mood!¡±


    ¡°That son of a¡­ Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    Wenya starts with an outburst of swearing, and then proceeds, ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask my cousin to keep an eye on Ye Mengyan these days to prevent her from running away?¡±


    I nodded.


    On the yacht, I had effectively put the unconscious Ye Mengyan under house arrest at a villa on the outskirts. As it happened, Wenya¡¯s cousin lived nearby. I had her help send food over to Ye Mengyan, and at the same time she was to prevent her from escaping.


    There were two reasons why I detained Ye Mengyan.


    The first was to prevent her from intentionally causing trouble and launching a surprise attack on me.


    The other reason was to use her as a bargaining chip to threaten Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°And then what? Did she escape?¡±


    ¡°Just last night, she kept vomiting and insisted on going to the hospital. My cousin was afraid she would run away and didn¡¯t take her to the hospital. Instead, she got an old Chinese medicine practitioner to come over and take a look at her. Guess what, she¡¯s pregnant!¡±


    ¡°Pregnant?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s news was indeed explosive; I was shocked upon hearing it.


    In fact, up until now, Gu Yuanzhou has never admitted to having an intimate relationship with Ye Mengyan.


    There is still a glimmer of hope in my heart, perhaps they really didn¡¯t have any relations.


    Until this moment, all the hope in my heart collapsed, my last bit of hope for Gu Yuanzhou shattered.


    It took me a while to come back, as Wenya continued to curse Gu Yuanzhou on the phone.


    ¡°Do you know? Ye Mengyan is now over three months pregnant. If you count the days, she got pregnant about a week before your accident. Don¡¯t you find it strange? It¡¯s definitely not a coincidence! It must be that scumbag Gu who made this happen in order to legitimate the child he had with Ye Mengyan, it¡¯s such an inhumane thing!¡±


    I can¡¯t bear to hear this.


    Whenever I heard news related to children, my heart would shatter once more.


    The other hand that was tucked under the sleeve of my clothes clenched into a fist and was trembling uncontrollably. At this moment, if I had a knife in my hand, I would really kill him.


    ¡°Ayun, why don¡¯t we go all out and set a fire, leading that despicable person and her child to die in an accident, and see how Gu scumbag reacts?¡±


    Upon hearing this, I quickly became more sober and promptly stopped Wenya.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t act recklessly! He may be a scumbag, but we are not! But Wenya, are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! That old Chinese medicine practitioner has been practicing for a lifetime, there¡¯s no room for error!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I understand!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, what are you going to do?¡±

 Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Pressing Step by Step_1

    Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Pressing Step by Step_1


    When Wenya asked these questions, my mind was actually still a blank.


    It took me a long while to finally say,


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s child?¡±


    ¡°This kind¡­.of course it is, who else could it be? With Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s domineering character, do you think he would allow another man to touch Ye Mengyan? Or are you suspecting it¡¯s Shen Yishu¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Shen Yishu definitely wouldn¡¯t! The two of them never had anything between them. Forget it, Wenya, have your cousin continue to keep an eye on her, I¡¯ll think about how to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, ok! Ayun, I just want to remind you. Gu Yuanzhou will definitely care about the child in Ye Mengyan¡¯s belly, you can use this to threaten him.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I calmly thought about it after hanging up the phone.


    I always felt that something was wrong, but when I thought carefully, I couldn¡¯t figure out what the problem was.


    At this time, Ding Yinuo came out from the kitchen. I felt like he had been paying attention to me the whole time.


    Seeing my face didn¡¯t look too good, he walked over to me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing! Uh, I need to go out for a bit!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, look at yourself, you look so flustered, it really makes me worry. Tell me, even if the sky falls down, I will be there to help you hold it up!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words, they really relieved me a lot.


    I gently leaned on his shoulder,


    ¡°I¡¯ll borrow your shoulder for a bit!¡±


    His embrace felt warm.


    But this comfort couldn¡¯t reach the depths of my heart.


    The wound in my heart, the pain, would never be healed.


    After calming down a bit, Ding Yinuo made many arrangements for me.


    ¡°After dinner, I¡¯ll take you to get a haircut, then go for a SPA, have a massage, relax a bit. My mum said, ever since you moved to Tianjiao, you¡¯ve been losing weight day by day. You need to rest, work and relax together, otherwise outsiders might think we, the Ding family, are mistreating you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡°Mom also said, maybe you could take some time off this week, we, as a family, with Ruirui, could go on a trip.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, ok!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to reject Ding Yinuo¡¯s enthusiasm.


    Him and Gu Yuanzhou!


    One is an angel, the other a devil.


    With all the dark thoughts in my heart, I even wanted to use the most foul and despicable methods to deal with Gu Yuanzhou. To avenge the death of my child, I even wanted to die with him.


    Such dark thoughts might pull me down day by day.


    Only when I¡¯m with Ding Yinuo, can I always remember, there is still goodness in the world.


    The dishes for lunch, they surprised me a bit¡­


    There were six or seven dishes big and small, you should know, when I first got together with Ding Yinuo, he barely knew how to cook.


    Now he can cook so many dishes, it seems he¡¯s put a lot of effort into it.


    Then, he brought out a bottle of wine.


    The glass bottle held amber-colored liquid, with an elegant shape of a plum, very beautiful.


    ¡°Drinking wine at lunch?¡±


    I smiled at him.


    ¡°Hmm, gives a bit of a mood¡­however, I still have a friend coming over!¡±


    Just as he finished speaking, the doorbell sounded.


    Opening the door, there was a young man with glasses and a round face, wearing a gray trench coat, and with a gentle smile.


    ¡°He¡¯s my colleague, Jia Musen, you can just call him Little Jiang.¡±


    Ding Yinuo briefly introduced him.


    I also politely greeted this man.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s original profession was a doctor, so having a previous colleague come over to visit was quite routine.


    I brought a pair of chopsticks from the kitchen. Jia Musen is a very gentle man, good at communicating.


    We started having lunch and chatted while eating.


    Ding Yinuo poured the wine into a glass and passed it to me,


    ¡°This is plum wine! Have a taste!¡±


    I took a small sip, the wine was full-bodied with a hint of plum aroma.


    It tasted even better than grape wine.


    ¡°Hmm, not bad!¡±


    Ding Yinuo raised his glass to clink with mine, smiling¡­


    After I had a small drink, Jia Musen suddenly opened a book he had brought with him, asking me to identify some patterns in it.


    I glanced at it briefly. The patterns were all geometric, with some color blocks, but they weren¡¯t difficult to recognize.


    ¡°Doctor Jia, what¡¯s the meaning of these?¡±


    Jia Musen smiled and said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve recently been studying the effects of geometric patterns and colors on human emotions. You can consider it a friendly test for me.¡±


    Since he put it that way, I didn¡¯t refuse and went along with his request, reading it all.


    However, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ding Yinuo and Jia Musen exchanging glances as if confirming something.


    ¡°What are you two up to?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing, continue eating. I just remembered something I left cooking on the stove at home. I need to leave now!¡±


    Jia Musen didn¡¯t offer any more explanation. He quickly packed up his book and left in a hurry.


    I turned to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that doctor is a bit strange?¡±


    Ding Yinuo continued to drink, his face was composed,


    ¡°Before I resigned, everyone at the hospital thought I was the strangest. Do you think I¡¯m strange?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re strange!¡±


    ¡°Really? So, do you like strange men?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, are you referring to Doctor Jia?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m referring to Doctor Ding!¡±


    He pointed at his own nose. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at his antics.


    I touched his forehead,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I¡¯m full, I want to rest for a bit!¡±


    ¡°Alright, go to sleep! I¡¯ll clean up!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    After going to the bedroom, I vaguely heard him making a call to Doctor Jia, talking about something related to psychological intervention therapy.


    They were all medical jargon that I didn¡¯t understand, so I laid down and fell asleep.


    I had stayed up all night last night, and now I had a bit of alcohol.


    I feel asleep as soon as I laid down.


    In my drowsy state, I vaguely saw Ding Yinuo cover me with a blanket. He sat down beside the bed. I was so sleepy, my eyelids felt heavy and I couldn¡¯t keep them open.


    The only thing I remember is the warm look in Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes in my dream.


    I was awakened by the ring of my phone after who knows how long.


    I reached over to the phone beside my pillow. It was Gu Yuanzhou who had called¡­


    Heh, he seemed anxious. Was he concerned about his child with Ye Mengyan?


    Just the thought of it made me angry. I tossed the phone aside, ignoring his call.


    When I walked out of my room, the living room had already been tidied up, and it appeared that Ding Yinuo had left for some commitment.


    I suddenly remembered the secret room in the Song family¡¯s house, what kind of files from the Gu family were stored there?


    On impulse, I decided to go check it out. I hailed a taxi and headed straight there.


    Half an hour later, when the car stopped at the front gate of the Song residence, I saw a group of people moving things out of the house.


    I rushed forward to stop them,


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Who gave you permission to do this?¡±


    They looked like movers. A few guys were carrying out a sofa, an expensive piano¡­


    ¡°Oh, it seems you¡¯re out of the loop! This villa has a new owner! All these old furnishings are being discarded and replaced with new ones. Don¡¯t get in our way!¡±


    New owner?


    Everyone from the Song family is at the Qingshan Temple, how could they have transferred ownership?


    I was bewildered, till I saw Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Chapter 266 His Undermining_1

    Chapter 266: Chapter 266 His Undermining_1


    Gu Yuanzhou, attired in a black suit, stood imposingly at the entrance of the Song family¡¯s residence, as if he was the true master of the house.


    A worker from next to me came over to kindly remind me,


    ¡°Miss, that gentleman is the new owner of the house! If you have any objections to us moving the old furniture, you can discuss it with him.¡±


    The worker was pointing directly at Gu Yuanzhou!


    I was utterly shocked.


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve got it all wrong! He¡¯s merely the son-in-law of this house! To be precise, he should be the ex-son-in-law¡­ He has no right to be the owner of the house, let alone inheriting everything here!¡±


    These people were confusing right and wrong.


    Was the Song family really left unguarded?


    One should not take advantage of people to such an extent!


    I quickly walked into the hall¡­


    There were even more workers inside the house, some had even lifted the carpet, others had started removing the decorative paintings hung on the walls.


    Gu Yuanzhou was just standing there casually with his arms crossed.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, are you out of your mind? Sneaking into someone¡¯s house like this, isn¡¯t this act of dismantling the house akin to theft! Gu Yuanzhou, have you stooped this low?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou raised his eyebrows at me, then reached out and picked up an antique vase from the table, followed by a scornful sneer.


    ¡°Stealing? Do you think all these belongings of the Song family were legally acquired? Weren¡¯t they all stolen by Song Shixiong? Do you think Song Shixiong is some upright person?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, do you think by insulting my uncle, you can lessen your own sins? I warn you, get out of here immediately, or else I¡¯ll call the police!¡±


    Looking at me, Gu Yuanzhou just sneered.


    ¡°Go ahead and call the police! I¡¯d also like to tell the police that a woman drugged me yesterday and kidnapped me!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gritted his teeth, clearly also quite furious.


    ¡°Speaking of kidnapping, you were the one who kidnapped Song Zexi. I was merely trying to rescue him, reciprocating the way you treated me. If you want to call the police, I will also tell the police the truth.¡±


    I am not afraid of him!


    When I went to rescue Song Zexi yesterday, I even took photos just in case Gu Yuanzhou tries to turn the tables on me.


    When dealing with Gu Yuanzhou, one must always be prepared for his attempts to strangle you.


    Hearing my retort, Gu Yuanzhou sneered,


    ¡°Sometimes, I must say, you¡¯re very much like Song Yun! Holding grudges and retaliating. However, unlike you, she would never go against me!¡±


    ¡°Yes, she didn¡¯t go against you in the past because she was too naive. She must¡¯ve been blind and her brain waterlogged to fall in love with you. But a person will not remain naive forever. One day, she will come to her senses, realizing that she was wrong.¡±


    Faced with my sarcasm, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face turned even more unsightly.


    ¡°Was it you who took Song Zexi away?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s of no use!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t do you any good to oppose me! You can¡¯t save the Song family! All your current actions are like an egg striking a rock. Not only will you fail to protect the people of the Song family, in the end, you might not even be able to protect yourself.¡±


    He was laughing, the laughter full of scorn, disdain¡­


    ¡°Fine, Gu Yuanzhou! Just wait and see. I promise you everything you¡¯ve ever taken from me, one day it will all be vomited out!¡±


    Each face-off with Gu Yuanzhou infuriates me to the point of vomiting blood.


    I need to maintain a strong sense of self.


    I can¡¯t go on arguing with him. I walked into the washroom and splashed some cold water on my face to calm myself down.


    When I came out, the house had already become void.


    My familiar and safe haven, where I had lived for more than a decade, had turned into an empty shell.


    Everything was destroyed by Gu Yuanzhou.


    In that stunned moment, I noticed that there were people arguing outside. I walked to the doorway to see what was happening.


    It turned out to be a security guard scuffling with a middle-aged woman.


    The woman was clutching something in her arms and refusing to let go, while the security guard was pushing and shoving,


    ¡°Hand it over! Give me what you have or I¡¯ll call the police and have you arrested!¡±


    ¡°This thing is mine! I¡¯ve worked in this house for over a decade, this purple sand pot was given to me by the mistress¡­¡±


    The security guard, young and strong, pushed causing the middle-aged woman to lose her balance and almost fall.


    Upon closer inspection, the middle-aged woman was none other than the Song Family¡¯s old maid, Mother Wu.


    I swiftly walked over and caught hold of Mother Wu.


    ¡°Mother Wu! What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Mother Wu, upon seeing me, nodded awkwardly and burst into tears, her face wet with them,


    ¡°Miss Song, it¡¯s you! Ah, look, I¡¯ve been in this house for so many years. Tell me, everything was fine, how did it suddenly become like this? Mister Song is gone, and the second young master only returned a few days ago. How can Mr. Gu do this?¡±


    Mother Wu was very confused, unable to understand how the splendid Song Family could collapse overnight.


    ¡°Enough with your nonsense, hand over that pot!¡±


    The security guard, blocking Mother Wu, insisted that she hand over the sand pot.


    Not far away, Gu Yuanzhou was sitting on the sofa, looking completely at ease as he watched the situation, his dark eyes devoid of any intense emotion.


    He seemed indifferent to the distressed Mother Wu, and even when the security guard was bullying her, he showed no intention of intervening.


    What a bastard!


    This scene infuriated me to no end. Ignoring the consequences, I immediately called the police.


    A few minutes later, the police arrived.


    ¡°This man, Gu Yuanzhou, has broken into a private residence and stolen things with his accomplices.¡±


    I pointed directly at Gu Yuanzhou.


    The police officer nodded, took out his notebook, and noted my name.


    ¡°Miss, who are the original owners of this house?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Song Shixiong¡­ Mother Wu, you tell them!¡±


    Mother Wu also stepped forward, stating that the house belonged to Song Shixiong, and Gu Yuanzhou only held the status of a son-in-law.


    After the police understood the situation, they reassured Mother Wu and then turned towards Gu Yuanzhou, intending to bring us justice.


    Unexpectedly, even with the arrival of the police, Gu Yuanzhou still sat leisurely on the sofa, showing no signs of nervousness.


    Resting his hands on the sofa, his attitude was extremely arrogant.


    It was as if he didn¡¯t have the slightest regard for anyone.


    The police, seeing his arrogant demeanor, were extremely displeased and began to deal with him directly.


    ¡°Sir, please show your identification!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou produced his ID and handed it over to the officer.


    After registration, the officer then inquired,


    ¡°Mr. Gu, someone has reported that you have illegally entered a private residence, which is illegal¡­¡±


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou opened his briefcase and took out a property deed.


    ¡°May I trouble you two officers to check who the homeowner is!¡±


    The police, puzzled, took the deed and confirmed the name of the homeowner. Then they returned the deed to Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Gu, for the inconvenience!¡±


    Then the police turned to me and said, ¡°Miss, please do not make false reports. The house clearly belongs to this gentleman!¡±


    ¡°What? How is this possible?¡±


    I quickly snatched the property deed and scanned it.


    Sure enough, in the homeowner¡¯s name column, it was no longer Song Shixiong¡¯s name, but Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s!


    Mother Wu couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°How is this possible? How could the house have changed hands? There must be some mistake. Miss Song, why don¡¯t you call the madam and ask her?¡±


    Soon after she turned to Gu Yuanzhou to beg.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, Mister Song and his wife have always treated you well! Why are you seizing their house? Remember where your fortunes come from, and never repay kindness with ingratitude! Is this how you honor the deceased Miss Song?¡±

 Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Chapter 267: The Conditions He Put Forward_1

    Chapter 267: Chapter 267: The Conditions He Put Forward_1


    Facing Mrs. Wu¡¯s pleas for mercy, Gu Yuanzhou remained icy cold. He watched the scene impassively, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, one hand neatly arranging the clean edges of his shirt, and carrying himself as arrogantly as an emperor.


    I couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and accused him on the spot.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, with your wealth and power, do you care about this purple clay pot? Every time you come here, Mrs. Wu serves you with tea and water. Has she ever done anything wrong? Are you trying to show everyone that you¡¯re a heartless and ungrateful person, who not only steals the property of others but also harms their families? Are you even human?¡±


    Angered, my voice became hoarse.


    However, before I could finish,


    Several young masters, led by Qi Ming, came out of the study one after another.


    Qi Ming held an expensive tobacco pipe in his hand.


    ¡°Brother Zhou, I didn¡¯t expect to find such a treasure in that old man¡¯s house. This is a hand-carved ivory piece, an antique from a previous era. While it¡¯s quite valuable, you don¡¯t smoke, right? So, I¡¯ll take it home for my old man to enjoy!¡±


    Looking closer, I noticed that Ayu held a collection of my uncle¡¯s Tang swords, while the rest of the items carried by the young masters turned out to be my uncle¡¯s antiquities.


    Some of these were heirlooms of the Song family.


    This irritated me so much that I wanted to stop them on the spot.


    ¡°All of you thieves¡­ Gu Yuanzhou, even if my uncle is blind and gave you the property, these antiques belong to the Song family. Without the permission of the Song family, you stealthily took them away. This is illegal, this is robbery!¡±


    I was so angry that my body was shaking.


    Even breathing felt like my heart was in pain.


    I used to think that Gu Yuanzhou had merely betrayed me, but now I see that he was absolutely despicable.


    Upon seeing this, Qi Ming approached me,


    ¡°Hey, you stupid woman, what are you doing accusing our Brother Zhou? Are you blind? You¡¯re just spew nonsense! Everything in this mansion is not some inheritance of the Song family. Song Shixiong, that old dog, is nothing but a murderer and arsonist. Everything here is stolen by him¡­¡±


    ¡°Lies! To defend Gu Yuanzhou, you distort the truth!! It¡¯s clearly Gu Yuanzhou who has taken other people¡¯s things, it¡¯s him!¡±


    ¡°Ha, you are such a fool. Do you think that old fool Song is so good? Would he really give property to Gu Yuanzhou? That old man suffered a business failure in Northern Myanmar, and it was our Brother Zhou who guaranteed him a loan of several hundred million. Now that old dog Song has run away, leaving the debt on Brother Zhou, is he wrong to take Song family¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, my uncle was kidnapped, he didn¡¯t run away!¡±


    Exactly, how could he run away?


    His wife and son are still in China, and Wu Lijuan¡¯s health is not good, she has heart problems.


    There¡¯s no way he would abandon them and flee!


    ¡°Heh, stupid B! How could Song have been kidnapped, he¡¯s sold the Huaxin Group and fled to the United States. You lot, so pitifully stupid, got sold and still here helping him count money?¡±


    Qi Ming yelled loudly, one hand on his hip, pointed accusingly at me.


    I didn¡¯t believe a single word of what he bellowed out.


    Wouldn¡¯t I know what kind of person my uncle is?


    Although my uncle did have gold mining business in Northern Myanmar, he would never necessitate a guarantee from Gu Yuanzhou.


    And he would never mortgage the house to Gu Yuanzhou and flee on his own.


    He was clearly kidnapped!


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stood up and softly stopped Qi Ming.


    Qi Ming twisted his neck to look at me and continued to rant, his face red with rage.


    ¡°What kind of person are you? Back then, you betrayed Brother Zhou and sided with the Ding family. If it were up to me, I would have killed you a long time ago. It¡¯s just that Brother Zhou is kindhearted and spared your life, and you take it for granted. That¡¯s enough, security, get this woman out of here.¡±


    ¡°You are nothing more than Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dog, what right do you have to scold me here?¡±


    Under my breath, I cursed Qi Ming.


    Unexpectedly, this angered him.


    Just then, he saw Mrs. Wu holding the purple clay pot; with no hesitation, he grabbed the pot from her hands and smashed it to the ground.


    The pot shattered into pieces¡­


    ¡°Oh, my pot. It was the mistress¡¯s favorite, she always enjoyed drinking porridge from this pot, and now it¡¯s completely ruined.¡±


    Mrs. Wu sat on the floor, holding the fragments and crying out loud.


    Qi Ming annoyingly told the security,


    ¡°Get this old lady out of here too, the mansion is now named Gu, not Song. Don¡¯t let any riff-raff in here! Hear me?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the security guard quickly came over and forcibly dragged Mrs. Wu away, who was sitting on the floor.


    This scene made me furious, I pointed my trembling finger at Qi Ming,


    ¡°Qi Ming, listen well, you will regret everything you¡¯ve done here today.¡±


    Qi Ming, wearing a flowery shirt and sunglasses, deliberately swaggered over to me and grabbed my collar.


    ¡°What are you? Dare to threaten me? You believe that I won¡¯t make you regret this right now¡­¡±


    While one of his hands was gripping my collar, the other was on its way to hit my face.


    Just as his slap was about to land,


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice chimed in time,


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t cause any more trouble. Let her go!¡±


    Only then did Qi Ming let go,


    ¡°Pah, I won¡¯t argue with you out of consideration that you still have some use to Brother Zhou. Listen clear, if you provoke me next time, I won¡¯t let you off. I don¡¯t hold back against women, so I can still hit.¡±


    After saying that, he walked up to Gu Yuanzhou, completely ignoring my presence, or perhaps they just didn¡¯t consider me worthy of being Song Yun!


    So, they discussed the plan to divide the Song family¡¯s assets right in front of me, without any guard up against me.


    ¡°Brother Zhou, I heard that the old lady and younger son of the Song family have gone to Qingshan Temple, why not bring the older son back too and settle everything at once?¡±


    Upon hearing those words, I almost passed out. I didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuanzhou to act so quickly, he had already targeted Song Zexi and Wu Lijuan.


    Gu Yuanzhou slowly closed the book in his hands, and his dark eyes glanced at me.


    That casual look was filled with deep implications.


    Then, he slowly stood up, patted Qi Ming on the shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s also due to the help of you brothers that we could seize this mansion, you¡¯ve worked hard. The pieces here will stay for now, I will calculate the bonus according to their prices later. For the following plan, I want to think about it for a few more days. You guys can go and have fun, I¡¯ll contact you later.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Brother Zhou keeps his word, we¡¯re leaving!¡±


    With a wave, Qi Ming took his gang and left.


    Soon, only Gu Yuanzhou and I were left in the hall.


    Gu Yuanzhou slowly walked over to me, his hand gently brushed away the loose strands of hair on my forehead.


    ¡°Do you really want to save the Song Family?¡±

 Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Public Cancellation of Engagement_1

    Chapter 268: Chapter 268: Public Cancellation of Engagement_1


    For a fleeting moment, I glimpse a hint of warmth in those dangerous, dark eyes¡­


    Reminiscing how once upon a time Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with deep affection when we were in love.


    But I quickly realize, the man in front of me, is not the him from the past anymore.


    I instinctively pull away from his touch.


    He chuckles lightly, his large hand slipping casually back into the pocket of his suit pants.


    He stands with his back straight as an arrow.


    ¡°You know? A woman shouldn¡¯t fight for a man! Do you think it¡¯s worth making such a grand sacrifice for Ding Yinuo?¡±


    I glare at him,


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying I¡¯m here because I was instigated by the Ding family, you still don¡¯t believe me? I¡¯m Song Yun!¡±


    Upon hearing my words, Gu Yuanzhou chuckles lightly, disdainfully. He takes a seat on the couch, leaning back with both hands on the armrest.


    His demeanor is arrogant, his aura domineering.


    ¡°Hmm! It¡¯s not about whether I believe you or not, it¡¯s about whether you really are who you say you are!¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do so you¡¯d believe me?¡±


    ¡°Very simple! Just publicly announce that you are ending your engagement with Ding Yinuo. That¡¯s when I will believe you!¡±


    Running in circles.


    We¡¯ve come back around to the start again.


    It seems Gu Yuanzhou has an unresolved grudge with Ding Yinuo.


    He is bent on picking a fight on this point.


    ¡°How ridiculous! If you won¡¯t acknowledge me as Song Yun, why do you care who I¡¯m engaged to?¡±


    I counter him.


    He crosses his legs leisurely, appearing as if he already has everything under control.


    ¡°You should feel fortunate! Without this opportunity, you might not even have a chance to stand in front of me. Make a choice quickly before I wrap this up.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t rush me.


    After expressing these words, he stands up and heads up the stairs.


    In the living room, workers come and go, replacing the old carpet with a new one.


    They¡¯ve removed all the wall paintings and replaced them with new furniture¡­ They seem like destroyers, tearing down my warm home little by little from my memories.


    Just as I¡¯m taken aback, my phone suddenly rings.


    I glance at the screen, it¡¯s Song Zexi calling.


    I take the phone and walk away from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s line of sight, settling in a corner and lowering my voice to speak.


    ¡°Mr. Song, don¡¯t come back!¡±


    Before he gets a word in, I¡¯ve already rushed to speak.


    Song Zexi stays silent for a few seconds, then his voice drops,


    ¡°We¡¯re currently at the temple, my mother just went to sleep in the Zen room. I¡¯m sneaking out to call you, listen, I saw on the news, has there been an incident at our Song family¡¯s villa?¡±


    I know it¡¯s now impossible for me to keep what¡¯s happening a secret from him.


    ¡°Mr. Song, what I¡¯m about to say may be hard for you to accept, but it is what it is¡­ the Song villa has been seized by Gu Yuanzhou, it seems his name is on the property title. Do you know any insider information, like, if your father might have mortgaged the property to Gu Yuanzhou or something?¡±


    As soon as my words fall, Song Zexi raises his voice in disbelief.


    ¡°Impossible. My mother told me the villa was supposed to be left to my elder brother¡­ My father had left a will, the Huaxin Group assets would go to me, while other real estate and fixed assets were to be left to my elder brother. If Gu Yuanzhou now has the villa, he must have resorted to foul play. Wait, Miss Song, how do you know about all this?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m at the Song manor right now, I just spoke to Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense, he¡¯s tricking you!¡±


    ¡°I know! I didn¡¯t listen¡­ but coming up, he might have some ill-intentioned plans for you guys. Listen to me, take your mother and quickly go abroad!¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, I know what you¡¯re worried about, but I won¡¯t submit to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s threats! Good always triumphs over evil. I don¡¯t believe he can do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Song¡­¡±


    ¡°I have a plan ready, once I put it into action, I will turn the tables. I have evidence against Gu Yuanzhou, I am a lawyer, I believe in the law. I understand your concerns, but as a man, running away is not an option. My responsibility is to protect my mother and the Song family.¡±


    Song Zexi is filled with righteousness, his words are persuasive and forthright, and for a moment I find myself unable to argue.


    ¡°If I, as a Song, can¡¯t protect the Song family¡¯s assets and instead run around like a homeless dog, how can I face myself? Even though there are difficulties ahead, I believe in my strength. I know I can turn it around.¡±


    Song Zexi is right. When faced with a bully¡¯s seizure, what we should do is not compromise, but fight back.


    When did I become so afraid of Gu Yuanzhou?


    He¡¯s the one doing wrong and all I can think of is running away. That¡¯s not right!


    Song Zexi¡¯s attitude is right!


    We can¡¯t run¡­


    Then suddenly, the conversation is interrupted by a pause from Song Zexi. He then begins to shout,


    ¡°Who are you? Who gave you the right to intrude upon this holy Buddhist place? Have you lost all respect for the law? I¡¯m calling the police! Let go of me, go away¡­¡±


    Song Zexi¡¯s sudden shift in tone indicates that our conversation has been interrupted. An accident seems to have occurred on his end.


    It seems like he¡¯s been taken hostage, and his phone has fallen to the ground.


    The last thing I hear is a man¡¯s voice threatening him,


    ¡°Either you call your elder brother to come back, or we¡¯ll call him saying that your mother is about to die if he doesn¡¯t come back!¡±


    ¡°Let Gu Yuanzhou come and talk to me! I want to question if his conscience has been eaten by a dog!¡±


    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re dreaming about President Gu! You won¡¯t see him even if you¡¯re about to die! You¡¯re looking for trouble spreading negative info about President Gu!¡±


    ¡°Damn, the call hasn¡¯t ended¡­¡±


    Then the call cuts off.


    At this moment, I realize that Song Zexi is in danger. He¡¯s been targeted by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s men.


    While I¡¯m still shocked, I notice a pair of cold eyes watching me.


    Slowly turning around, I see Gu Yuanzhou standing on the stairs, looking down at me. His gaze is grim, but he has a high and triumphant grin on his lips.


    Phone in hand, just hung up¡­


    He slowly descends the stairs.


    I angrily question him, ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡°What on earth do you want?¡±


    ¡°Unless I get rid of him, he¡¯ll keep causing trouble! He is a bother and I have to deal with everyone in the Song family! With them gone, there will be a lot less trouble, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I want to ask you, when you harm the Song family, don¡¯t you feel a bit guilty?¡±

 Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter 269 He is so Warm_1

    Chapter 269: Chapter 269 He is so Warm_1


    After all, these people had once been good to him. He might show some reluctance to make a move against them, right?


    Unexpectedly, he just calmly stared at me, saying with composure,


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°You!!!¡±


    With his chin slightly raised, he watched me, his dark eyes locked onto mine.


    Calm and collected¡­


    Fearless.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Okay, what?¡±


    I was too choked up to respond.


    However, he was smiling.


    Like a seasoned hunter, jokingly watching his prey.


    ¡°So, you want to wipe out the entire Song Family, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Why, are you going to save them?¡±


    ¡°What will it take for you to stop?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou approached me, lifted my chin with his hand,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear! I want my Ayun! If you return to me, becoming my wife again, I will stop!¡±


    When he said these words, there was a total sense of playfulness on his smiling face.


    Standing in front of me, acting superior, intimidating.


    I watched him, my heart aching.


    ¡°If I were really Song Yun, what do you think she would feel to see you behaving like this today?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gently took my hand and lightly kissed it.


    ¡°If she loves me, she would stand by me! Staunchly support and endorse me!¡±


    I jerked my hand away from him.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, dream on! I will never betray Ding Yinuo. The Song Family isn¡¯t weak, they aren¡¯t puppets for you to manipulate. Watch what happens. I won¡¯t let you have your way.¡±


    In the end, I still chose Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo and entire Ding Family have been so good to me, how could I willingly hurt them?


    But, I won¡¯t just sit and wait for death either.


    As I left the Song family¡¯s mansion, there was a white car already waiting at the entrance.


    Seeing me coming out, the driver also got out of the car.


    He held me tightly in his arms as soon as we met.


    The man¡¯s solid arms, and his warm chest, gave me a strong sense of safety.


    ¡°Ayun, did he hurt you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced in the direction of the mansion.


    I looked back and saw Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark figure slowly approach the gate.


    He was looking at us with a malicious gaze.


    ¡°Ayun, let¡¯s get in the car!¡±


    Seeing my eyes locked with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s, Ding Yinuo looked worried and kept urging me to get in the car.


    After I got in the car with Ding Yinuo, the car quickly left the scene.


    ¡°Did he hurt you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine¡­ But, you kept stopping me from coming here because you already knew about the crisis in the Song family, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I remembered how Ding Yinuo had been persuading me not to go out, and even suggested I take a break.


    Ding Yinuo pulled over.


    He turned towards me, holding my hand,


    ¡°I heard some news! I knew that you would be hurt if you knew, so¡­ I didn¡¯t want you to face all this.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Yinuo. I know you meant well¡­ I¡¯m okay now, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Ding Yinuo nodded, then the car took me to the front of the Ding family¡¯s old house.


    ¡°Why are we not going back to Xishan Residence?¡±


    As we got out of the car, I asked curiously.


    Ding Yinuo smiled, gently touching my cheek with his hand,


    ¡°My mother said that! After the engagement, you are a part of the Ding Family. We should stay together as a family. From now on, we¡¯ll come home every day for dinner. My mom will cook personally!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to trouble her!¡±


    From the car to the house, Ding Yinuo held my hand the entire time.


    Those gentle eyes, they have always been glued to my face, never straying away.


    That careful protection has been etched into my bones.


    Through him, I have regained the feeling of being loved and cared for.


    After entering the house, I realized I had come a bit early.


    Mother Ding was bustling around in the kitchen¡­


    The aroma of food wafted from the dining room.


    I put down my bag, walked in, and planned to help out,


    ¡°Auntie, let me help you wash the vegetables!¡±


    Mother Ding, who was busy working, hurriedly stopped me and guided me towards the kitchen door,


    ¡°No need, no need¡­ I¡¯m almost done here, just need to prepare the chicken soup. You go rest a bit, don¡¯t tire yourself out!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you just have to eat later. Come, sit in the living room for a bit, watch some TV!¡±


    Ding Yinuo affectionately draped an arm around my shoulder, and guided me from the kitchen to the living room.


    Ding Rui just happened to be here tonight as well.


    The little girl had her hair in two little pigtails, looking very cute¡­


    ¡°Uncle, I want to eat candy! Can you buy me some candy?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at her and smiled,


    ¡°Your mom said, children can¡¯t eat too much candy, it¡¯s bad for your teeth.¡±


    The little girl touched her head, swaying her small body back and forth,


    ¡°Hmm, but I want to eat it!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Call her something, if you call her correctly, I¡¯ll buy it for you!¡±


    Ding Yinuo pointed at me.


    The little girl looked at me with wide eyes, thought for a long time, then said, ¡°Auntie!¡±


    ¡°Not auntie, you got it wrong!¡±


    ¡°Then what should I call? Grandma told me to call her auntie?¡±


    ¡°You should call her little auntie, if you say it correctly, I¡¯ll buy you candy!¡±


    Hearing this, the little girl had an idea, she hugged my leg, and called out a few times,


    ¡°Little aunty, little aunty!¡±


    I was left speechless by Ding Yinuo¡¯s childish behavior.


    The little girl truly listened well, she kept calling me until Ding Yinuo handed her the candy. She then happily ran off.


    The smile on her face was radiant.


    ¡°Children are so easily satisfied, a lollipop can bring them such happiness.¡±


    ¡°You! Feeding her so much sugar is not good, you¡¯re her uncle now, have some principles! You¡¯re going to spoil her!¡±


    Ding Yinuo smiled at me, ¡°You just asked me how to compensate my mom, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡°If you feel a bit guilty, why not give some compensation to her son?¡±


    ¡°How would I compensate?¡±


    ¡°A little sweetness would do!¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes were passionate, his voice slightly deep, with a hint of shyness in his eyes, all of it hinted at something.


    I¡¯ve been around the block, I understand everything¡­


    Male and female love, is part of human nature, it¡¯s just that I cannot give him that now.


    All of my heart is entangled in the struggle with Gu Yuanzhou, and I have no energy to think about such romantic matters.


    Just as I was thinking about how to deal with him, someone walked in from outside,


    ¡°Hey, Manager Ding! Am I too early?¡±


    The person who came in was none other than Ding Yinuo¡¯s colleague Jia Musen, who seemed to have come over for dinner last night.


    ¡°Not early, not early, it¡¯s almost dinner time! Have a seat!¡±


    Ding Yinuo explained to me that today was a bit of a family feast, so he invited some more people over. He also said Mother Ding likes a lively atmosphere because it helps dissipate sadness¡­


    Actually, beside Ding Xiao, his wife, and their child, Ding Yinuo had also invited three other childhood friends and colleagues.


    The house instantly became bustling.


    During the meal, Mother Ding kept serving me food and soup.


    Eating warm dishes and sipping warm soup, my lonely soul also found warmth in this home.


    After dinner, Jia Musen pulled Ding Yinuo to the door, and the two had a long conversation behind my back.


    Jia Musen stuffed two bottles of medicine into Ding Yinuo¡¯s hands, then took leave.

 Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Starting from People Around Him_1

    Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Starting from People Around Him_1


    When Jia Musen left, he waved to me, signaling this departure seemed to have something to do with me.


    After Jia Musen left,


    Ding Yinuo did not conceal anything and brought two bottles of medicine to me.


    ¡°This is from Dr. Jia!¡±


    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m not sick, why do I need medicine?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a supplement, a type of lutein to nourish your eyes and brain¡­¡±


    I took the bottles. There were two big ones, one red and one blue.


    The lettering on the packaging was all foreign to me.


    But there was a brain icon, so I assumed it meant it was for the brain without giving it much thought.


    The packaging looks expensive, should I reimburse your colleague, to decline his offer?¡±


    ¡°No, no need! His dinner fee basically evened out!¡±


    ¡°Seriously, why are you calculating it like this?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t calculate it¡­ it¡¯s just a gift he brought when he came for dinner!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s explanation seemed reasonable, so I didn¡¯t give it much thought.


    After dinner, I sat on the sofa and chatted with Mrs. Ding for a while.


    With Ding Yinuo by my side, he was not idle, peeling an apple slowly at my side.


    After peeling it, he cut it into a very cute rabbit shape and placed it in front of me on a fruit plate.


    ¡°Have some fruit!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you are quite skilled, even able to plate fruit!¡±


    ¡°Yes, once we get married, you will find out that I¡¯m skilled at other things too.¡±


    ¡°Cough¡­¡±


    I almost choked on a bite of the apple.


    He really dares to say such shameless things, even in front of his mother.


    Unlike her son, Mrs. Ding was not shy and encouraged us with a laugh,


    ¡°It would be great if you two could get married sooner.¡±


    Ding Yinuo held my hand tightly, ten fingers intertwined, and laughed at his mother,


    ¡°As long as we love each other, there is no rush to get married.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you silly child! Don¡¯t you understand what I¡¯m trying to tell you! Okay, I won¡¯t rush you two anymore, let nature take its course.¡±


    In fact, I knew Ding Yinuo was trying to defuse the situation for me.


    Because the one who does not want to get married is me, not him.


    We stayed at Ding¡¯s house for another hour before we returned to Xishan Residence.


    On the way, Ding Yinuo said,


    ¡°I have booked the tickets, let¡¯s leave this weekend!¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go abroad for a while, to take some time off and clear our minds.¡±


    ¡°Not good, Yinuo, I have something to do tomorrow, the day after¡­ Maybe, let¡¯s postpone it a bit longer, how about next weekend?¡±


    Ding Yinuo stroked my cheek and unconditionally agreed to my request, ¡°Okay!¡±


    He always lets me have my way.


    He went to park the car while I went into the bedroom.


    When I came out of the shower, he was standing in the bedroom waiting for me.


    With his head lower, he was smoking with his perfect side profile concealed in shadows, it felt gloomy.


    He was smoking, looking rather dispirited.


    He seemed to be worrying about something. I cleared my throat.


    He looked up at me, a smile quickly spread across his face, following the gleam in his eyes.


    The gloom was completely dispelled, replaced by warmth that filled the room.


    ¡°Yinuo, what¡¯s wrong? Anything happened at the company while I was away?¡±


    Ding Yinuo took out a stack of documents,


    ¡°Nothing big, it¡¯s just the upcoming Valentine¡¯s Day fashion show. I haven¡¯t picked a proper piece, take a look!¡±


    ¡°Is Jia Yuyan¡¯s design not good?¡±


    ¡°Her style leans towards traditional Chinese, as you know, Valentine¡¯s Day is a western holiday, western clothing will be more popular. Here are some new pieces, take a look.¡±


    Ding Yinuo handed me the file.


    I took a look, basically rejected all of them.


    These pieces were designed by old employees of Ding Yinuo¡¯s company, they were nothing special, not in line with the tastes of today¡¯s young people.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself! I can design some new pieces tonight¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you need to rest!¡±


    Ding Yinuo warned sternly.


    I smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I actually have some older pieces that I can modify a bit to enter into the fashion show.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Designing clothing was my specialty, and my passion.


    Back when I was expecting my eldest daughter with Gu Yuanzhou, my creative juices were flowing and I designed a lot of pieces.


    I didn¡¯t want to sell those beautiful dresses, preferring to keep them for Xiaoyi¡¯s exclusive wardrobe when she grows up.


    Unfortunately, my Xiaoyi will never grow up.


    Keeping these pieces is turning into a regret.


    I opened my email on the computer, printed out the archived designs, then modified and colored them one by one.


    While I was focused on my work, Ding Yinuo was always by my side, he didn¡¯t talk.


    The light from the desk lamp was warm.


    His face was gentle and his gaze serene.


    Amazingly, it seemed he could read my mind.


    He would know what tool I needed just by the look in my eye, a pencil, an eraser, paint¡­


    He always guessed my needs accurately.


    I felt most relaxed when collaborating with him.


    We stayed up till 3 a.m. before I finished modifying all the drawings.


    I also came up with a name for the new collection, The Love of the Heart¡­


    Then, I wrote a promotional plan.


    At 3:30 a.m., I fell asleep on the bed.


    When I woke up, it was already afternoon the next day.


    Ding Yinuo was gone. He took the designs I completed yesterday for production and preparation for the contest.


    There was a note left on the table.


    ¡°Breakfast is in the rice cooker, remember to take your medicine after your meal. You will continue your break today, I am off to the company!¡±


    Those brief words warmed my heart.


    I entered the kitchen and saw rock candy and snow frog in the rice cooker¡­ it looked delicious.


    With one scoop, it tasted pretty good.


    Half an hour later, I received a call¡­ it was urgent, I hurriedly put the half-eaten snow frog back into the cooker, rinsed my face, changed clothes, and left the house.


    In the coffee shop, I met that woman!


    As the legitimate wife of a wealthy family, her austere clothes and haggard face took me by surprise.


    ¡°Hello¡­ I¡¯m Song Xiaoyun. Are you Qi Ming¡¯s wife?¡±


    The woman rose awkwardly to greet me, ¡°Yes! I am Liu Yu¡­ You asked me to come here as my husband has caused some trouble outside, what has he done?¡±

 Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Accompanying in Death of Marriage_1

    Chapter 271: Chapter 271: Accompanying in Death of Marriage_1


    ¡°No rush, let¡¯s first have a cup of coffee!¡±


    I ordered two cups of coffee and handed one over to her.


    She seemed quite flustered, continuously looking outside while sipping her coffee as if she was afraid that someone would come to harm her.


    The wind blew strands of her hair aside, and through the opened collar of her shirt, I caught sight of several evident scars on her collarbone.


    Noticing me staring at her, she quickly covered her collar with her hand.


    ¡°Miss Liu, I was actually planning to do some shopping. Would you like to accompany me and we can discuss your husband along the way?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure!¡±


    Afterward, I took Liu Yu to the mall across the street.


    While I was shopping for clothes, I also picked a few for her to try on.


    Naturally, women can¡¯t resist beautiful clothes. After a slight hesitation, she happily agreed.


    And the clothes I recommended seemed to perfectly match her temperament¡­


    A chic style paired with a miniskirt!


    When she stepped out to look at herself in the mirror, I noticed the bruises on her exposed legs.


    I understood instantly, but chose not to mention it.


    This set of clothing was priced in the five digits. Without any hesitation, I bought it for her, and then we moved on to jewelry shopping¡­


    As usual, I paid for everything.


    As it turns out, Liu Yu was exactly as I was told. Although she is, nominally, the young mistress of the Qi Family, Qi Ming never really treated her as one.


    She didn¡¯t have any proper jewelry, and even lacked presentable clothing.


    After shopping, I took her out for a meal.


    After a hearty meal and drink, we finally started to talk.


    Liu Yu, blushing, tried to give me money.


    ¡°Look, you bought me so many clothes today¡­ Once I get home, I¡¯ll repay you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really not that much money. As long as you¡¯re happy, that¡¯s what matters. From now on, we¡¯re friends and can help each other out. Don¡¯t worry too much!¡±


    ¡°By the way, you wanted to talk about Qi Ming. I want to know, what kind of trouble has he gotten himself into?¡±


    ¡°Liu Yu, are you unhappy in your marriage with Qi Ming?¡±


    At this point, Liu Yu had let her guard down around me. At my question, her tears fell freely.


    I handed her a packet of tissues.


    ¡°It¡¯s laughable to think that as the young mistress of the Qi Family, my days are living hell¡­¡±


    ¡°Does he abuse you?¡±


    Earlier on, I had asked Shen Yishu to hire a private investigator to investigate Qi Ming. The evidence the PI gave me pointed to this.


    Qi Ming, this despicable man, not only kept mistresses outside but also frequently abused his legal wife.


    Liu Yu came from a family without many relatives, and she had moved afar for her marriage. For this reason, she endured her husband¡¯s abuses silently, never resisting him.


    I was skeptical at first, but seeing the injuries all over Liu Yu, they were far worse than I had initially imagined.


    She nodded, tearfully describing her difficult life.


    ¡°I gave birth to two children for him, yet he treats me worse than an animal. Whenever he comes back drunk, he beats me. Even when he¡¯s in a bad mood, he beats me. You see, these burns on my body, they¡¯re all from his cigarette.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call the police?¡±


    ¡°He threatened me, saying that if I dared to call the police, he would kill our two daughters! My poor girls are still so young, I must protect them at all costs.¡±


    Liu Yu¡¯s face streamed with tears, and each mention of her young daughters sent shivers down her spine¡­


    ¡°Why did you choose to marry him in the first place?¡±


    ¡°I was a fool in love, I let love blind me. I broke off relations with my parents, married him and moved far away. I never expected him to be such a man. I deserved it¡­¡±


    In a fit of anger, Liu Yu slapped herself hard several times.


    I stopped her,


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your problem, it¡¯s his problem! Don¡¯t hurt yourself, if you get hurt, who¡¯s going to protect your daughter?¡±


    When Liu Yu heard this, she stopped crying and looked at me worriedly,


    ¡°Then tell me, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Do you still have feelings for Qi Ming?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no affection left long ago, he¡¯s having an affair with another woman. She¡¯s now the deputy manager of his company, and they¡¯ve publicly appeared together. According to my mother-in-law, if that woman has a son, they¡¯ll bring him home, and I¡¯d even have to take care of her while she¡¯s in confinement¡­¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re still tolerating this attitude?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ After having two children, I don¡¯t have a job. Qi Ming doesn¡¯t give me any living expenses. If I divorce him, I won¡¯t be able to support my two children, I won¡¯t even have a place to stay! I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m homeless, but the children are still young, they can¡¯t endure such hardship.¡±


    ¡°All these years, do you really not have a single cent? Or anything like jewelry that can be sold for money?¡±


    ¡°I did have some jewelry when I got married, but my mother-in-law said she would keep them for me, and took them away. She initially said she¡¯d return them after I gave birth, but when she saw all my children were girls, she said that she¡¯d only give them back when I had a son! I haven¡¯t seen them till now.¡±


    The words of Liu Yu made me feel a bit depressed and suffocated; I did not expect her living conditions to be so dire.


    ¡°What if one day, he decides to kick you out of the house for his mistress, what will you do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, if that day really comes, I might kill him just to protect my children!¡±


    ¡°So, here¡¯s the thing, tomorrow night¡­ I heard that Qi Ming and some people are celebrating at a villa in the hilltop. Here¡¯s the address, the rest is for you to take control of.¡±


    In fact, I¡¯ve already made the plan a long time ago.


    The only reason I asked Liu Yu out now, was just to test her determination.


    Sometimes, if a woman wants to change her life, she needs to have a do-or-die determination.


    She needs to save herself, and I¡­ I just so happen to want to get Qi Ming out of the picture!


    A partnership between two women, it¡¯s a win-win situation!


    After discussing the plan with her, she immediately agreed, but to prevent arousing suspicion, we didn¡¯t add each other on WeChat, and kept our identities as strangers.


    After we left the restaurant, we quickly departed in different directions and blended into the crowd.


    After leaving the restaurant, I went straight to the police station, and reported a kidnapping case involving Song Zexi.


    What I had in mind was¡­


    Once the kidnapping is reported, it will become public knowledge,


    Even if Gu Yuanzhou is bold, he wouldn¡¯t dare to harm Song Zexi without getting caught, no matter how ruthless he is, he wouldn¡¯t dare to ignore the law.


    Having done all of this, I was waiting quietly for everything to unfold.


    Six o¡¯clock in the evening!


    Ding Yinuo came home early.


    He showed me the finished sample dress. Thanks to Jia Yuyan¡¯s oversight, the dress was made with meticulous detail, it was a perfect copy of my design.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful!¡±


    I can¡¯t put it down.


    Ding Yinuo also highly praised it,


    ¡°My Ayun, so extraordinarily talented. This work is definitely the finest, I am confident we can win.¡±


    ¡°You overestimate me!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, if we can win, our brand will again top the industry, becoming the hot topic.¡±


    Ding Yinuo gazed at me tenderly, he gently brushed my hair strands, and whispered,


    ¡°You know? I have noticed you very early, your clothes, your demeanor, were all different from people of your age, you were so beautiful, a unique kind of beauty¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, when did you start noticing me?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember which year, but I distinctly remember you in a rainbow-colored dress, from afar, it looked like you were wearing a rainbow.¡±


    ¡°That was junior high¡­ You¡¯ve liked me for so long, are you a bit of a pervert?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, I was young then too! That¡¯s not being a pervert, that¡¯s called the awakening of love!¡±


    Just as Ding Yinuo was about to embrace me, a sudden ringtone interrupted us.

 Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Chapter 272 Repeated Disappointments_1

    Chapter 272: Chapter 272 Repeated Disappointments_1


    It was my phone ringing. Glancing at it I saw an unfamiliar number, but it only rang once and then stopped.


    I figured they must have dialed the wrong number because I didn¡¯t answer it.


    Turning around, Ding Yinuo presented me again with two bottles of medicine.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to take this medicine!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just vitamins? Can¡¯t I just take them occasionally?¡±


    ¡°I think your digestive system is not in great condition and requires long-term treatment. These two bottles of medicine have no side effects, so feel free to take them. It would be best if you finished them all to facilitate a full recovery.¡±


    With one hand holding the properly poured hot water, he held the poured out pills in the other and offered them to my mouth.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take them!¡±


    Since he¡¯d already brought them to my lips, naturally I accepted.


    ¡°Uh, what do you mean by a full recovery? It sounds like Yinuo, you¡¯re exaggerating as if I had some serious illness. It¡¯s just a minor stomach ailment!¡±


    I always felt that Yinuo was making a mountain out of a molehill. It¡¯s just a minor illness; there is no need for such concern.


    Yet Ding Yinuo spoke very seriously.


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ve lost you once, and I don¡¯t want to lose you again!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s gaze was incredibly sincere, deeply touching me.


    I always regretted it in my heart.


    Why was I so blind as to seek Gu Yuanzhou in the first place? If I had sought Ding Yinuo at that time, would my life have been different?


    After taking the medicine, I quickly fell asleep.


    When I woke up again, it was already morning of the next day.


    I glanced at the time on my phone, it was already 10 am.


    I overslept again!


    I took a seat on the bed and noticed a sticky note on the table left by Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Breakfast is kept warm in the electric pot, remember to take your medicine after the meal. I am taking my work to Hong Kong today. I may not be able to return in the evening. Take care of yourself and stay in contact if anything happens.¡±


    There was a smiling face drawn on the back of the sticky note.


    I saved the sticky note by folding it carefully and tucked it between the pages of a book, then placed it in the drawer.


    I went into the kitchen, opened the lid of the electric cooker and steam rushed out¡­


    Today, he didn¡¯t cook turtle jelly but cereal, the small yellow rice boiled and added with jade bamboo strips and red dates, and other traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients, it smells good.


    After eating half a bowl, it tasted pretty good and not greasy at all.


    Before I could finish the cereal, the doorbell rang.


    I opened the door with the cereal bowl in my hand, and it was Wenya standing outside.


    ¡°Are you eating breakfast? I have some extra cereal here, would you like some?¡±


    ¡°Breakfast? It¡¯s already noon¡­ Besides, this is a medicinal porridge your man made for you to nourish your kidney. Oh, wow, it really is a medicinal porridge. Seems like you are hoping it could help with¡­ something!¡±


    ¡°Cough! Stop the nonsense! Nothing happened between us, it¡¯s not as dirty as you¡¯re thinking!¡±


    Wenya raised her hands in surrender, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stop with the dirty jokes!¡±


    Wenya took a look around the house, finally finding a bunch of snacks.


    ¡°Wow, Manager Ding treats you so well, he even bought so many nuts for you?¡±


    Wenya found many boxes of nuts in the candy jar next to the TV cabinet, and she opened the fridge to find fresh fruits wrapped in cling film.


    ¡°Well, he did buy a lot, but it¡¯s not necessarily for me to eat! Maybe it¡¯s for him?¡±


    I really like snacks. In the past, every time I went out, I would put some nuts and other small snacks in my bag.


    Now, I¡¯m too busy to even find the time to buy them.


    ¡°Are you kidding, Ayun? You¡¯re really unaware. The first time we came to Xishan Residence, there was nothing here! Not to mention snacks and nuts, there wasn¡¯t even fruit. The kitchen was as empty as it could be, there was nothing! Now it¡¯s all filled up, it doesn¡¯t need to be said, this is all bought by Ding Yinuo for you, be grateful!¡±


    After selecting from the fridge, Wenya took an apple out, washed it and started eating before sitting down on the sofa.


    ¡°There are even cherries, how luxurious! Speaking of which¡­ about that woman, Ye Mengyan, when are you planning to tell Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait a little longer!¡±


    ¡°I find her quite annoying now. Using the pregnancy as an excuse, she tells me she wants to eat this and that¡­ It¡¯s quite tiresome daily. Don¡¯t you think Gu Yuanzhou is worried about her? Why hasn¡¯t he asked you for her?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s doubt was also my doubt.


    Actually, Gu Yuanzhou knows that Ye Mengyan is in my hands, but he has never questioned me about Mengyan¡¯s whereabouts.


    Instead, these days, he has been discussing with several of his buddies about the takeover and removal of the Song family.


    Apparently, in his view, dealing with the Song family was the most urgent matter.


    ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t have time to worry about Mengyan now, he¡¯s busy dealing with the Song family.¡±


    Then, I told Wenya exactly what happened at the Song family yesterday.


    After listening, Wenya felt very angry too,


    ¡°He is planning not to leave a way out for himself!¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t figure out why Gu Yuanzhou has to target the Song family. Forcing the Song family into desperation¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Do you think there might be some grudge between Song Shixiong and the Gu family, like avenging a father¡¯s death, that forces Gu Yuanzhou to retaliate?¡±


    While chewing on a macadamia nut, Wenya hypothesized ceaselessly.


    I looked at her and shook my head,


    ¡°No way! My uncle wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. If it was really a matter of avenging a father¡¯s death, who would keep the child of an enemy by his side.¡±


    ¡°Then what could be the reason?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t finish my sentence because my phone rang again.


    Incredibly, it was a call from Gu Yuanzhou.


    I hesitated for ten seconds before answering the call.


    ¡°Want to know the news about the mother and son of the Song family?¡±


    The moment he started speaking, he delivered very explosive news.


    In fact, from yesterday until now, I hadn¡¯t been able to contact Song Zexi at all.


    Although I had called the police, they hadn¡¯t given me any valuable leads.


    How could I miss this opportunity?


    ¡°What did you do to them?¡±


    ¡°If you want to know, come here, I¡¯ll send a car to pick you up!¡±


    ¡°Who are you sending over? Where are you taking me?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer my question and abruptly hung up.


    Wenya, who was sitting next to me, heard our conversation and immediately suggested,


    ¡°Manager Ding isn¡¯t home, you shouldn¡¯t go. It might be a trap. What if he confines you? What would you do then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know! I won¡¯t go!¡±


    I agreed like this.


    Wenya seemed relieved.


    Now it was already late autumn and the weather was a bit cold. It started to drizzle in the afternoon.


    Wenya sat down and started talking about Su Peisheng,


    ¡°That guy went on a business trip overseas and hasn¡¯t returned yet! And my mother is pushing me to get married again, it¡¯s so annoying. Telling me every day that it¡¯s not good to give birth as you get older, as if getting married is just for having children. I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end!¡±


    ¡°I feel that Su Peisheng is quite good. If you like him¡­ it¡¯s better to get married sooner!¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not mentally prepared yet!¡±


    We chatted for over an hour, then Wenya had to leave because she had something to do at school.


    I was planning to go to the company but the moment I stepped out, a black Rolls-Royce pulled up at my front door.


    When the car window slowly rolled down, I saw a familiar face.


    ¡°Why is it you?¡±

 Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Chapter 273: Unavoidable Disaster_1

    Chapter 273: Chapter 273: Unavoidable Disaster_1


    When I saw who it was, I was a bit taken aback.


    It was Ayu.


    He pulled up in his car and looked at me critically, ¡°Get in, and cut the chatter!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go with you!¡±


    ¡°Heh ¡­ I don¡¯t want to drive you around either. If it weren¡¯t for Brother Zhou¡¯s order, I wouldn¡¯t let a woman like you anywhere near my car.¡±


    All the hangers-on around Gu Yuanzhou seem to despise me to the extreme.


    However, at that moment, I couldn¡¯t help but glance at the back seat of the car.


    I noticed that sitting in the back was Qi Ming and his mistress, a woman with a typical internet celebrity face adorned with fur and high-end luxury goods ¨C even the bag in her hands was LV¡¯s.


    The two of them were snuggling up together, very intimate, and it made me think of Liu Yu.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation I still pulled open the car door and sat down in the front passenger seat.


    As soon as I got in, the mistress gave me a curious look and asked Qi Ming,


    ¡°Brother Ming! Is this woman the one Brother Zhou has taken fancy to? She is so ugly and has such an ordinary figure!¡±


    Qi Ming didn¡¯t really remember who I was, he grabbed the woman and drew her into his arms,


    ¡°She¡¯s not worth it. Brother Zhou has high standards, how could he be interested in her?¡±


    The woman raised her chin and looked at me with such disdain that it was as if her eyes were about to roll up into her head.


    ¡°Heh heh, women these days, they have no idea how high the sky is or how thick the earth is. They think they¡¯re so great, always trying to get noticed in front of men. If I were Brother Zhou, I wouldn¡¯t even spare her two looks, she really has nothing going for her.¡±


    I sat up straight, I didn¡¯t want to argue initially, but the woman kept on talking and she started to insult and defame me more and more.


    I looked at her and laughed,


    ¡°You look great! You¡¯ve had quite a bit of work done to your body, haven¡¯t you? Stuffing your chest with plastic, doesn¡¯t it hurt to sleep at night? Better to keep your mouth shut if you don¡¯t know what to say, so as not to reveal your intelligence every time you open it.¡±


    ¡°Hey, are you insulting me?! Who are you insulting?¡±


    ¡°Whoever responded, that¡¯s who!¡±


    I chuckled coldly. Although the mistress was malicious, it seemed that her brain wasn¡¯t very sharp, and she wasn¡¯t very articulate either¡­


    Fortunately, the car quickly passed through the city and arrived in the suburbs.


    During the ride, Ayu stopped the car twice to buy some items.


    It was already dark by the time the car stopped at the top of a mountain.


    In the dim night, you could make out a beautifully designed villa, cleverly embedded into the mountainside.


    Half of the courtyard, even the terrace extended out so that if you stood on it, it felt like you were standing on a cliff overlooking the distant scenery.


    This mountainous area is famous for its beautiful scenery.


    Yet, the wealthy tycoons bought the entire mountaintop and set up fences and guard posts halfway up the mountain to keep people out, keeping all the beautiful scenery for their own enjoyment.


    I had heard of this place before, but I have never been here.


    In fact, apart from home and amusement parks, Gu Yuanzhou rarely took me to other places.


    There seems to be an unspoken rule among the men in these wealthy circles, which is to have a hidden paradise outside of their marriage.


    I knew that people in high society had such things, but I never knew that Gu Yuanzhou had one too.


    Not until I entered the villa did I realize¡­ this villa also belonged to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Well, very good!


    There are quite a few things this bastard has been keeping from me.


    ¡°Ayu, when is Brother Zhou coming?¡±


    Qi Ming asked.


    At this time, quite a few people had arrived at the villa, but Gu Yuanzhou was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Brother Zhou is busy right now¡­ he probably won¡¯t be here for about half an hour, just enjoy yourselves for now!¡±


    ¡°OK!¡±


    A few people started to drink there.


    I couldn¡¯t fit in with them, so I went alone to the balcony to look at the stars.


    At the same time, I tried dialing Song Zexi¡¯s number.


    I had been calling for a long time, but didn¡¯t manage to get through.


    I waited outside for a while, but Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t returned yet.


    As I started to feel thirsty, I decided to head inside.


    While looking for a water dispenser, I inadvertently passed by a room where I heard a conversation happening inside.


    The door of the guest room was half open, and the voices of the villainous man and woman came out from inside.


    ¡°When are you going to divorce that bitch?¡±


    ¡°Not right now. She has two kids. If we divorce now, I¡¯m going to have to pay a lot in alimony! According to the habits of the wealthy, these sums can¡¯t be too small, or else people would talk¡­ You¡¯ve seen how much the wives of the wealthy got for each child in a divorce, at least a billion. If you give too little, outsiders will say you are heartless, or too poor to afford it. To minimize the loss, I think it¡¯s best not to divorce for now. Besides, her presence, it doesn¡¯t affect our feelings, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean it doesn¡¯t affect? I¡¯m carrying your child now! You don¡¯t want our son to be called illegitimate, do you?¡±


    ¡°I will treat you well! Look, I¡¯ve transferred all my property to you. In the future, the entire Qi family¡¯s property will belong to your son.¡±


    ¡°Qi Ming, you¡¯re just too soft-hearted! Men who want to achieve great success must have a ruthless heart! Otherwise, in my opinion, let¡¯s just kill those two little girls.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? They¡¯re my children!¡±


    ¡°Darling, I can have children for you! Look, I¡¯m already pregnant and soon I¡¯ll give birth to your son.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that. Although I don¡¯t like those two little girls, they are still my flesh and blood!¡±


    The woman suddenly started crying.


    ¡°Fine, you can¡¯t bear it. I¡¯ll just abort this child then. He is illegitimate after all, and will be despised when he is born. I¡¯ll go get it done.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t do that! Darling, we can¡¯t let anything happen to our son!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t divorce, or get rid of that girl, we break up¡­ I¡¯ll let my mother arrange a blind date for me tomorrow, and I¡¯ll marry someone else.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll listen to you¡­ So how do you suggest we get rid of them?¡±


    Only then did the woman start to describe in detail, ¡°How about tonight, we trick them up here! We can accompany them to stargaze, and when they¡¯re not looking, push them off the cliff, and then claim it was an accident¡­¡±


    I felt a chill run down my back when I heard this.


    These two less-than-beasts, they were actually conspiring to murder their own flesh and blood!


    This is so horrifying, it chills one to the bone.


    Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t bring my phone to record all of this. On second thought, even if I had, it probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to cause them any real harm.


    Just as I was considering my options, I suddenly heard the sound of a car outside.


    I quickly moved away from the bedroom door and went out to the balcony.


    Only then did I see a black car pulling up outside.


    In the bright car lights, a tall figure emerged.


    It was none other than Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Brother Zhou is here!¡±


    The one who rushed out was Qi Ming along with that disgusting mistress¡­


    Hearing her call him Brother Zhou was sickeningly sweet, she even had the nerve to go up and try to shake hands with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou simply ignored her, taking a step back and placed his hand in his pocket.


    It was a clear act of disregard.


    The smile on the mistress¡¯ face became awkward.


    Qi Ming though seemed unconcerned, he hurriedly said, ¡°Brother Zhou, can I borrow your car to pick up a few people?¡±


    ¡°Who are you picking up?¡±


    ¡°A friend, don¡¯t worry, the person is trustworthy!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to see through his mind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t lend my car or wife, go find someone else!¡±


    I knew Qi Ming wanted to borrow the car to pick up Liu Yu and her two daughters.


    Originally feeling anxious, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s refusal made me breathe a sigh of relief.


    At least Liu Yu and her daughters could avoid this calamity for now.


    But what I never expected was that the mistress came up with a distasteful plan.

 Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter 274 Ye Mengyan is Pregnant _1

    Chapter 274: Chapter 274 Ye Mengyan is Pregnant _1


    I was thinking that if Qi Ming doesn¡¯t make a move tonight, I could somehow notify Liu Yu in advance, to brace her for what¡¯s coming.


    However, the woman I hadn¡¯t expected spoke to Qi Ming, saying,


    ¡°You call her to come over, you can use an app to order a car, I¡¯ll help you order!¡±


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem right¡­¡±


    Qi Ming, apparently still hesitant, didn¡¯t seem all too eager to hurt her.


    But this woman wasn¡¯t going to let it go. She kept urging him to make a move.


    ¡°Brother Ming! I¡¯ve followed you for so many years already; you can¡¯t let me down now. Brother Ming, didn¡¯t you say that you only love me and no one else?¡±


    ¡°Brother Ming, it¡¯s up to you now¡­ that woman will only drag you down, she is nothing!¡±


    The woman coquettishly leaned on him and threatened him until the man finally faltered.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll listen to you!¡±


    Seeing Qi Ming give in, the woman was so perked that she immediately ordered a car online.


    Qi Ming also made a call to Liu Yu¡­


    ¡°Bring the kids to a friend¡¯s house tonight for a gathering. Dress them up a bit, make them look presentable¡­¡±


    Perhaps to make it more convincing, his voice softened when he spoke to his wife.


    I just stood there, watching him with my own eyes reach out to his wife and child with his life-ruining plot.


    In just a couple of seconds, the woman happily grabbed Qi Ming¡¯s arm and led him inside.


    I felt a chill on my fingertips.


    In the midst of my daze, an arm draped itself over my shoulders.


    He gently turned me around to face his deep, dark eyes.


    ¡°What are you daydreaming about?¡±


    A shocking plot is about to take place, and yet I cannot tell Gu Yuanzhou about it.


    I cannot utter a single word!


    I looked at him, our eyes meeting.


    This familiar face in front of me gradually became blurry.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, why did you bring me here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, let¡¯s go inside!¡±


    Without saying anything else, he directly pulled me inside.


    People started entering the room, one after another¡­ all of them were those I saw at the Song family¡¯s house a few days ago.


    The look in their eyes when they saw me was one of clear hostility.


    Some even looked down on me¡­


    ¡°Brother Zhou, it¡¯s not a good idea to bring this woman here now. She¡¯s pure trouble!¡±


    Ayu, wearing a black leather jacket, looked defiant with a cigarette hanging from his lips. There was always a smirk on his face when he looked at me, as if he didn¡¯t think much of me.


    Although Ayu was the one who picked me up, he didn¡¯t say a word during the whole trip.


    He seemed prickly, constantly trying to stir up trouble with me.


    I initially thought something was wrong with me then I thought otherwise!


    I guess, the reason they are all gathered together tonight, is that there is an important matter to discuss.


    So they don¡¯t want an outsider, especially someone associated with the Ding Family to be present, as it might pose a threat.


    ¡°Alright, just do your job!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou naturally did not consider his advice and led me into the room.


    He slipped off his suit and hung it on the coat rack. After turning around, he rolled up his sleeves and looked at me.


    ¡°Sit down!¡±


    I wasted no time getting to the point.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what did you do to Song Zexi?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took a bottle of red wine from the mahogany wine cabinet, poured it into a glass, and then turned and handed it to me.


    ¡°Such a temper isn¡¯t good¡­ come, have a few sips!¡±


    I took the wine glass, gave him a dubious look, then brought the glass to my nose and gave it a sniff.


    ¡°I¡¯m not drinking! Who knows if you¡¯ve drugged it?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, on the other hand, drank half a glass of wine on his own before looking at me,


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m like you, using drugs? Only you women resort to such despicable means. Even ten of you put together couldn¡¯t hurt me a bit!¡±


    His tone was as arrogant as ever.


    I chuckled lightly,


    ¡°Forget the wine, let¡¯s talk about Song Zexi. When are you planning to hide him, and what conditions are you laying out?¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, why not just release Mengyan!¡±


    After all this beating around the bush, he finally got to the point.


    ¡°Alright, then you release both Song Zexi and Wu Lijuan, and return the Song family¡¯s house to its owner. I will then return Ye Mengyan to you!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou chuckled coldly,


    ¡°You¡¯re really good at calculations! You want to exchange two lives and a house for one Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°No, Gu Yuanzhou, not one life! Two lives¡­ two for two!¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? How can Ye Mengyan count as two?¡±


    I shot him a glance,


    ¡°Stop playing dumb with me! Ye Mengyan is pregnant, isn¡¯t that two lives? Or are you implying that the baby isn¡¯t a human being?¡±


    After this series of rebuttals, Gu Yuanzhou was genuinely shocked by my words.


    He looked at me for a long time,


    ¡°What are you saying? She¡¯s pregnant?¡±


    ¡°What, you are pretending not to know to spite me? Did you deliberately set the fire and kill your wife just to make room for the baby in Ye Mengyan¡¯s belly?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou loosened his tie and looked at me with a gloomy expression.


    ¡°In the future, I don¡¯t want to hear you mentioning ¡®set fire to kill wife¡¯ again!¡±


    ¡°Did you do it but now you can¡¯t own up to it? Are you afraid that the restless spirits will come for you in your dreams?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I said, don¡¯t mention these four words!!!¡±


    He was clearly infuriated. He was practically roaring these words out of his throat.


    I wasn¡¯t scared of him, though.


    ¡°If you¡¯re a man, you should take responsibility for your actions! You can¡¯t take responsibility for what you¡¯ve done, to be blunt, I don¡¯t think much of you!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou suddenly started pacing back and forth in the room, appearing to be under great stress. There was a palpable aura of violent ferocity emanating from him.


    After pacing around for a bit, he lunged forward and grabbed me by my collar.


    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t mention this four-word phrase, or I¡¯ll kill Song Zexi! You can try me if you don¡¯t believe it!¡±


    Seeing the man on the verge of exploding, I decided to back down.


    At this moment, there was a knock on the door. He shot me a glance, let go of me, and walked over to answer the door. Waiting for him outside was Ayu and the rest of the gang.


    Before leaving, he warned me,


    ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll come back later to discuss with you!¡±


    After saying that, he hurriedly walked out the door.


    I let out a sigh of relief and quietly sat down to wait.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s attitude made me think that he was a little ridiculous. It was clear that he had killed his wife and child, yet he didn¡¯t allow anyone to mention it. This was purely self-deception.


    What a hypocrite!


    After Gu Yuanzhou left, I closed the room door and sat quietly, thinking.


    Thinking about the next steps.


    After sitting for a few minutes, I saw a light on the hillside. Moving closer to the window, I noticed a yellow taxi coming up the winding mountain road.


    I suddenly realized that the taxi might be carrying Liu Yu and her two daughters.


    I hastily opened the door¡­


    My plan was to bypass their surveillance and secretly intercept Liu Yu on the mountain road. Then I would warn her about the impending danger.


    Unexpectedly, while navigating the twist and turns, I found myself near the door of the study room in the side hall. As it just so happened, I overheard Gu Yuanzhou discussing the purpose of this gathering with a few people.

 Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Unexpected_1

    Chapter 275: Chapter 275: Unexpected_1


    These people were discussing how to carve up all the shares of the Huaxin Group.


    Although Gu Yuanzhou currently held more than 50% of the shares in the Huaxin Group, he was not satisfied. He wanted to gain all the shares and rename the Huaxin Group.


    The current strategy was to invest all their money to drive the share price of Huaxin Group to its lowest point, then swoop in and buy all the shares at their lowest price.


    Upon hearing this, I was shaking with anger.


    This ruthless man showed no mercy at all. He was thorough in cutting the roots, leaving no room for survival.


    Among them, Qi Ming was the biggest player¡­


    Besides Gu Yuanzhou, the Qi family was the most financially powerful.


    Gu Yuanzhou held 50%, and it was estimated that Qi Ming would acquire more than 30%.


    Hearing all these conspiracies, I felt a heavy pressure on my heart.


    After some time, I came back to my senses and quickly left.


    Maybe it was because I had eavesdropped for a bit too long, causing me to leave a little late.


    The taxi had already stopped.


    Liu Yu and her two daughters had already gotten off the car, I was preparing to go over and talk to her.


    But Qi Ming had already heard the noise and hastily came out, so I had to hide behind a tree.


    Tonight, the dress Liu Yu was wearing was the one I had bought for her.


    Looking decent in that outfit, she probably didn¡¯t know that her husband wanted her dead that night, there was still a gentle smile on her face.


    Two little girls, one aged seven or eight, the other aged three or four, were both well-dressed and lovely.


    Both daughters were soft and adorable, looking much like Liu Yu.


    ¡°Qi Ming, the two kids might be a bit noisy, will they bother you?¡±


    Liu Yu still asked with a full smile on her face, her eyes full of subtle insinuations and habitual flattery.


    She didn¡¯t even dare to speak loudly, holding her daughters¡¯ hands tightly.


    When the two girls saw their father, their eyes reflected fear and anxiety rather than joy.


    Still tightly holding their mother¡¯s hand, it was clear that they didn¡¯t trust their father, they seemed timid and intimidated by him.


    From this, it could be seen that Qi Ming probably didn¡¯t treat the two children well at home.


    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be like this.


    Seeing this scene, my heart ached and I thought about my two poor babies.


    How could this despicable man bring himself to hurt such cute children? He deserved to be cut into a thousand pieces.


    But right now, it wasn¡¯t convenient for me to come out and talk to Liu Yu, it might even bring danger to her.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in. Don¡¯t embarrass me later, take care of the children!¡±


    Liu Yu, holding a child¡¯s hand, went inside. Just when their little daughter stumbled and fell, she was seen by Qi Ming.


    He didn¡¯t lift a finger to help her, he even cursed under his breath,


    ¡°Such a dimwit, can¡¯t even walk properly at this age!¡±


    The child scratched her knee, and when Liu Yu picked her up, she didn¡¯t dare to cry out¡­ It was heartbreaking.


    Thankfully, Liu Yu endured, refrained from speaking out and quietly took her daughter into the living room.


    After entering, although the room was full of people, hardly anyone looked at her.


    She greeted everyone in the room politely and got only minor reactions in return. Everyone just exchanged glances and didn¡¯t say anything.


    She seemed to be used to this kind of indifference¡­


    Indeed, a woman¡¯s status in the family is given by her husband.


    If the husband respects her enough, then the other members of the family will definitely respect her too.


    Otherwise, if the husband doesn¡¯t give her enough backing, no one will respect her, let alone in the husband¡¯s circle of friends.


    Although the atmosphere was somewhat awkward, Liu Yu seemed used to it and, ignoring their indifference, she took her two daughters to admire the beautiful local scenery.


    The mistress hid in her room and did not show herself.


    Only after Liu Yu had left did she go to Qi Ming¡¯s side and say,


    ¡°Hurry up and get it over with!¡±


    Her words were a reminder for Qi Ming to act swiftly.


    Qi Ming sat in the living room smoking a cigarette, his gaze shifting between the three women outside. Perhaps in his mind, he was thinking about how to get rid of Liu Yu and her two daughters together¡­


    I stood leaning against the wall, watching the little girl carrying the candy go to Liu Yu, reaching out her little hand for a hug.


    As soon as Liu Yu picked her up, she stuffed the candy and the note into Liu Yu¡¯s hand and whispered a few words into Liu Yu¡¯s ear.


    Then, Liu Yu looked in my direction and unfolded the note in her hand.


    After reading the contents of the note, her face turned nervous.


    Then, she crumpled up the note and threw it off the cliff.


    After a long time, she turned her head and looked at me. At this moment, her eyes became very determined.


    After an unknown amount of time, it started to rain.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    A hand landed on my shoulder.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know to come in when it¡¯s raining, you¡¯re already drenched.¡±


    He pulled me away from the corner of the wall.


    He dragged me into the room and handed me a towel,


    ¡°Go take a shower, your hair is all wet, you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡±


    It was rare for him to act so gently towards me.


    But this wasn¡¯t what I wanted.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m not cold! About the issue we discussed just now, I need to talk to you again!¡±


    He stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at me with an authoritative gaze.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯ve told you, I¡¯m not cold¡­ I don¡¯t want to take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Go take a shower! Or we won¡¯t discuss anything!¡±


    He didn¡¯t compromise at all.


    Seeing him about to leave, I had no choice but to grab the towel and walk into the bathroom.


    To prevent Gu Yuanzhou from peeping, I took my handbag and phone into the bathroom with me.


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at my actions and sneered disdainfully, as if mocking me¡­


    I didn¡¯t care about his reaction.


    There was a bathrobe in the shower, so I put it on when I was done.


    When I came out, I heard a scream.


    I rushed out,


    Only to see a pitch-black night in the pouring rain, not a trace of Liu Yu or her daughters to be found on the balcony.


    ¡°Did Mrs. Qi and her children go home?¡±


    In the living room, several men were sipping tea and discussing the stock market. Upon hearing my question, they exchanged knowing looks.


    Only Ayu replied mockingly, ¡°Why do you care so much about other people¡¯s marital affairs?¡±


    I glanced outside, the rain was pouring harder. I picked up an umbrella and was about to go out.


    Ayu stretched out his hand to stop me, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°The rain outside is so heavy, it¡¯s dangerous for a woman to be out alone with her children. I¡¯m going to check on her!¡±

 Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Crossed Him_1

    Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Crossed Him_1


    The horrifying scream led me to believe that Liu Yu and her daughter might be in danger.


    I should rush over to provide some assistance.


    Unexpectedly, Ayu turned around and shut the door,


    ¡°There, it¡¯s a mountainous area, and it¡¯s raining so hard you can barely see anything. If you go out there, you might end up falling to your death, let alone being any help to others.¡±


    ¡°You aware of the danger? Since you¡¯re aware, then why not go and check, just in case ¡­¡±


    At this moment, another man wearing a plaid shirt said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic! Qi Ming has already gone looking. It¡¯s his wife and child, he¡¯ll be responsible.¡±


    It was then that I looked around and noticed that indeed Qi Ming was not in the room.


    Only Little three is left sitting in the corner, filing his nails with a nail file, and checking his phone occasionally.


    On the surface, he seemed calm, but he was actually concealing his inner anxiety.


    Qi Ming has left!


    That increases the danger for Liu Yu. Even if she knows that Qi Ming is planning to harm her, she can¡¯t possibly fight him off by herself.


    She needs me!


    Thinking of the two poor little girls, I can¡¯t help but feel very anxious.


    However, Ayu stood guard at the door with his arms crossed, and the other guys were all drinking and having fun, completely oblivious, showing a cold-hearted and indifferent attitude.


    I have to go check!


    ¡°Open the door!¡±


    I had a confrontation with Ayu.


    But Ayu was determined, he crossed his arms and leant against the door, looking at me with a teasing look.


    ¡°Beauty, you¡¯re better off not challenging my patience! I¡¯m not Brother Zhou, I won¡¯t treat you kindly, I have no patience with women.¡±


    ¡°Who wants to challenge you! You just need to open the door, I need to get out!¡±


    ¡°What are you going out for? I¡¯ve already said it, what happens within Qi family has nothing to do with you. The couple want to find some romance, you¡¯ll just be a third wheel, don¡¯t you feel embarrassed?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to find them, I need to go home. It¡¯s already so late, I need to go.¡±


    I tried everything, but Ayu was very stubborn


    No matter what I said, he stubbornly refused to open the door.


    Just as we were in a deadlock, Gu Yuanzhou suddenly came out.


    ¡°How did you get out?¡±


    He was asking me.


    But Ayu answered first,


    ¡°Brother Zhou, look at this woman¡­running around in her pajamas, it¡¯s embarrassing for us. Why don¡¯t you take her back to her room? Otherwise, if something happens, she could falsely accuse us of molesting her, what then?¡±


    ¡°Enough of your nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Brother Zhou, she just came over to pull at me¡­¡±


    Ayu¡¯s outburst made everyone burst into laughter, a bunch of people laughing in a very twisted manner.


    Gu Yuanzhou also moved next to me, he grabbed my arm.


    ¡°Enough, let¡¯s go back to the room.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I want to go back!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to talk about Song Zexi anymore?¡±


    ¡°I want to, but there are more urgent matters at hand!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou kept trying to stop me, forcibly dragging me back to the room.


    I still pushed him away,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, how can you be so cold-blooded?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°That guy Qi is going to kill his wife and children. You guys are just watching and not doing anything about it. Those are small kids, how can you just watch them get killed?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but what does Qi family¡¯s business have to do with you?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was very calm, he even poured a cup of hot tea for me.


    ¡°Sit down, let¡¯s get down to business!¡±


    But my heart is filled with distress for the mother-daughter trio, it¡¯s hard for me to calm down.


    ¡°You said, Ye Mengyan is pregnant? Are you trying to trick me?¡±


    Did he just change the topic back to Ye Mengyan again?


    I looked at him sarcastically,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou¡­ stop pretending! In front of me, you have no secrets, I can see clearly. In fact, you are just like Qi Ming¡­¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Is it? Wouldn¡¯t you already know that Ye Mengyan is pregnant?¡±


    I looked at him sarcastically.


    I found that his acting skills were getting better and better.


    He really put on a clueless expression.


    Even a hint of anger.


    ¡°Bullshit, of course I don¡¯t know, hand her over, I want to talk to her!¡±


    ¡°What are you going to talk about? Isn¡¯t the baby yours?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I agree to all the conditions you mentioned, Ye Mengyan for Song Zexi and his mother. But I can¡¯t give you the Song family mansion! Song Shixiong mortgaged it to me, and since I didn¡¯t receive payment, I¡¯m certainly not returning the house.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, Ye Mengyan is pregnant. Isn¡¯t the child in her belly worth that house? If you care about her, you should return the house to the Song family.¡±


    I argued adamantly, but in truth, I wanted more.


    I thought Ye Mengyan would be a valuable bargaining chip, and I wanted to get more from Gu Yuanzhou.


    Unfortunately, I guessed wrong.


    Gu Yuanzhou held his ground stubbornly.


    In the end, he even threatened me,


    ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, so be it.¡±


    I realized he was confidently taking a nonchalant approach because he knew I didn¡¯t have the heart to harm Ye Mengyan.


    To be honest, I am not as ruthless as him. I may despise Ye Mengyan, but I cannot harm a person who is about to become a mother. I can¡¯t do it.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s a deal!¡±


    I finally compromised.


    ¡°You can release Ye Mengyan now.¡±


    ¡°No way, you should release Song Zexi first¡­¡±


    ¡°You woman, you¡¯re too cunning, always wanting the upper hand? Would compromising kill you?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want Ye Mengyan to suffer, then you should compromise!¡±


    I definitely won¡¯t back down as Gu Yuanzhou is quite cunning.


    What if I release Ye Mengyan, and he doesn¡¯t release Song Zexi?


    However, Gu Yuanzhou doesn¡¯t seem willing to follow my lead, he always wants to be in control.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to play the sentimental card. Agree if you can, if not, just let it go¡­¡±


    Just when I thought I could negotiate with him a little more.


    Suddenly, my phone started ringing.


    I looked down and saw it was a call from Song Zexi.


    I answered the call and stepped aside.


    ¡°Mr. Song, where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way back to A City¡­¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s your mother?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, she just got a scare these past few days but she has recovered now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I got it!¡±


    Seeing Gu Yuanzhou beside me, I couldn¡¯t say much more.


    If I asked too many questions, I would reveal myself.


    After hanging up the phone, I noticed Gu Yuanzhou was watching me.


    ¡°How¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take you to Ye Mengyan!¡±


    Given that Song Zexi and Wu Lijuan had returned safely, all I could do now was release Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°No rush. It¡¯s raining hard tonight. Let¡¯s do it tomorrow!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to stay here, but with Liu Yu¡¯s situation unresolved, I agreed to wait until tomorrow to decide.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    The bedroom is indeed very cozy.


    Wooden flooring, fully furnished, and there¡¯s a sofa by the window.


    A round bed¡­


    It¡¯s quite warm and romantic, perfect for a getaway.


    These people know how to enjoy life, building a villa on top of this mountain. Not only does it serve as a secret base, it¡¯s also a place for clandestine dates.


    I wonder, has he invited Ye Mengyan, or any other woman, here countless times?


    Nevermind, I can¡¯t think about this!


    Pressing my fingers against my temples.


    I walked to the window again, opened it, and peered out, wanting to see if I could spot Liu Yu and her daughter on the slope.

 Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter 277 The Use of Wolf-Repellent Spray _1

    Chapter 277: Chapter 277 The Use of Wolf-Repellent Spray _1


    Alas, it was still raining outside and the lighting was dim.


    I couldn¡¯t make out anything.


    And I didn¡¯t know how things were going.


    Gu Yuanzhou extended his arm and shut the window.


    ¡°Sleep!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, aren¡¯t you going to check on Qi Ming? His two children¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou placed his finger on my lips,


    ¡°Sleep! Don¡¯t interfere with others¡¯ business!¡±


    I took a deep breath, stopped speaking, and retreated to the bed.


    Just then, someone on the outside began to knock hurriedly at the door.


    Gu Yuanzhou got up to answer it.


    It was Ayu standing at the door, his face was filled with anxiety,


    ¡°Brother Zhou, something terrible has happened, someone rolled off the cliff!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such bad luck, there happened to be police patrolling today. They say they found an injured person at the foot of the cliff¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, I need to see for myself!¡±


    Hearing this conversation, my heart sank.


    Could it be Liu Yu who fell?


    What about the two children?


    Gu Yuanzhou left with Ayu to go downhill, and I, with a black umbrella in my hand, followed them anxiously.


    Gu Yuanzhou asked Ayu,


    ¡°Did you call Qi Ming?¡±


    Right then, the mistress stepped forward and hastily explained,


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get through, maybe the signal is poor in the mountains. He can¡¯t receive the call.¡±


    The mistress seemed very concerned about the development of the situation, so much so that she didn¡¯t care about her pregnant belly and accompanied us downhill.


    She walked in great anxiety, it seemed as though she wanted to be the first one to reach the scene.


    The place where the fall happened wasn¡¯t at the foot of the mountain, but halfway up¡­


    By the time we arrived.


    The first thing I saw were two young girls, lying in Liu Yu¡¯s arms like frightened rabbits.


    Liu Yu was squatting on the ground, holding the two children tightly in her arms, repeatedly comforting them,


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, nothing happened, baby, we are safe now!¡±


    She would repeat that over and over.


    Despite Liu Yu looking disheveled at that moment, I, nevertheless, breathed a sigh of relief.


    If Liu Yu and her daughter are unharmed, then who fell off?


    A few police officers were huddled together in the distance, surrounding a person, while Gu Yuanzhou and Ayu stood by the side.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t move, as Ayu worked his way around and knelt down to attempt a rescue.


    The lighting at the time wasn¡¯t great, we had to rely on the light from the car to see a few meters ahead.


    Adding to that, the crowd was blocking the view, I had to get closer to see clearly.


    A figure was hanging from the cliff, lying motionless, not knowing if he was alive or dead. Judging from his clothes, it seemed to be Qi Ming¡­


    Judging from the twisted posture of his limbs, it looked like he fell hard.


    ¡°He seems to have fainted, I guess both his legs are useless now?¡±


    ¡°There seems to be breathing¡­but don¡¯t move him around, wait for the ambulance!¡±


    The crowd was chattering among themselves.


    Seeing this, I was filled with confusion.


    A moment later, one of the police officers walked over to Liu Yu and handed her a towel,


    ¡°We heard you were together, can you tell me about your relationship with the victim? I need to take a statement.¡±


    Liu Yu said tearfully,


    ¡°He¡¯s my husband! He was originally here on vacation with me and our two children. When the kids accidentally dropped their toy and it got stuck on the cliff, he tried to retrieve it. Unfortunately, he lost his footing and fell down the cliff¡­¡±


    Just as Liu Yu started to speak, a tragic sob broke through the crowd.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I cast a glance over, recognizing the mistresses¡¯ voice.


    Upon seeing Qi Ming¡¯s condition, she presumably thought he was dead, and was now in shock.


    She had fainted on the spot, and after being revived, she started sobbing on her knees.


    ¡°Ah¡­Aming, your death is so tragic! What am I to do without you? You can¡¯t die, Aming!¡±


    I glanced at Liu Yu.


    She was calm, and when she looked at Qi Ming, her gaze was as cold as ice.


    I walked behind her, holding an umbrella above her to shield her from the rain.


    Then I took out a tissue and helped her wipe off the raindrops on her face.


    Her right hand, which had been cut, was shaking uncontrollably as she took the tissue.


    Up close, I could even feel her shoulders trembling.


    She then murmured in my ear in a barely audible voice,


    ¡°This beast¡­struck me in front of the children on the edge of the cliff just now. Luckily, you warned me yesterday and I had the wolf-repellent spray with me. I sprayed it in his eyes¡­he went wild, threatened to kill us. I don¡¯t know where I got the strength, but I pushed him hard, and he fell off the cliff.¡±


    She spoke in a whisper as if it required all her strength.


    This may have been her first act of defiance since their marriage.


    But it was also her most successful one.


    To comfort her, I whispered into her ear,


    ¡°You are a remarkable mother, you saved both your daughters. If it weren¡¯t for you, they might have¡­¡±


    Tears shimmered in Liu Yu¡¯s eyes, and she nodded slightly.


    About half an hour later, the ambulance finally arrived at the scene.


    Qi Ming was lifted onto a stretcher and loaded into the ambulance.


    As the police were about to leave, the mistress suddenly grabbed Liu Yu¡¯s arm, saying to the police,


    ¡°Officer, this woman killed Qi Ming, she is responsible for his death¡­ I can prove to you that their marriage was unhappy. This woman has always wanted to kill her husband and monopolize his assets.¡±


    Her plan had not worked out, she was resentful, and seeing that Liu Yu was kind and honest, wanted to take advantage of her.


    To my surprise, Liu Yu didn¡¯t back down, instead she told the police,


    ¡°This woman is my husband¡¯s mistress. She was the one who invited my husband here tonight. She is the majorly responsible for my husband¡¯s accident, I will be seeking compensation from her.¡±


    However, the police weren¡¯t fooled. How could they trust a morally corrupt mistress, and they directly replied,


    ¡°You will need to come with us to the police station to assist with the investigation!¡±


    After the mistress was taken away by the police.


    Ayu brought some people over and blocked Liu Yu,


    ¡°What exactly happened? Qi Ming just seemed fine, how did he fall off the cliff?¡±


    Liu Yu stood tall, calmly responding to Ayu,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether Qi Ming is dead or alive now, and you¡¯re asking too many questions. I told the police everything, if you want to know, go ask them.¡±


    ¡°How dare you talk like that? You think I can¡¯t touch you just because you¡¯re Mrs. Qi, believe it or not, I¡­¡±


    Ayu seemed to want to act forcefully, but I stepped in to stop him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to bully a widow and orphans! If you have the guts, go find a man to fight with you¡±.


    Ayu was not convinced,


    ¡°Enough, you stay out of it, you¡¯re not that innocent either. In any case, Qi Ming¡¯s condition is unclear now, this woman can¡¯t be allowed to leave.¡±


    I can roughly guess why, because Qi Ming was going to purchase a stake in the Huaxin Group with the funds he had. Now it seemed that Qi Ming can¡¯t keep that promise.


    They didn¡¯t want the money to be endowed into the group, so they want to keep Liu Yu, the legal successor, here so that she might sign in the future.


    ¡°Are you insane? Her husband¡¯s in the hospital now, she needs to go there, why do you want to keep her?¡±


    Ayu replied, ¡°My friends are already there. She¡¯s not needed.¡±


    Ayu was unreasonable. I tried to reason with him, but he would not back down.


    So I turned to Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    ¡°You all have lost all sense of humanity. Look at these two kids, they¡¯re soaked to the bone! They just lost their father, but you won¡¯t even let them go home. Are you even human?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at the two little girls before finally saying something to Ayu.

 Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 278 He Seems to Have Seen Through My Thoughts_1

    Chapter 278: Chapter 278 He Seems to Have Seen Through My Thoughts_1


    ¡°Let them go home! This woman won¡¯t hinder our progress!¡±


    Perhaps in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes, a weak woman like Liu Yu can¡¯t cause any trouble, so he holds no reservations towards her.


    With Gu Yuanzhou relenting, although reluctantly, Ayu had no choice but to let them go.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call a car to take them down the mountain!¡±


    I originally planned to order a taxi through a ride-hailing app, and personally send Liu Yu and her daughter down the mountain.


    Once we get down, I would teach her how to avoid Ayu and his men to prevent them from kidnapping her again.


    I had it all planned out.


    But Gu Yuanzhou stopped me,


    ¡°No need to call a car, I¡¯ll have someone drive them home¡­ It¡¯s so late; there are no cars coming up the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Then let me go down with them! Mrs. Qi can¡¯t handle two kids on her own, I¡¯m free anyway.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stared deeply at me, as if he could see through my thoughts,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll drive you all!¡±


    We bargained, but I had to give in.


    Half an hour later.


    I left the mountain in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car, sitting in the passenger seat.


    Liu Yu sat in the back row with her two children.


    Even though we were all in one car, with Gu Yuanzhou by my side, I couldn¡¯t talk to Liu Yu and had to pretend that I didn¡¯t know her.


    The journey was silent.


    An hour later, the car stopped at the entrance to the Qi family home.


    Being clever, Liu Yu made a request as she got out of the car,


    ¡°Could you help me carry my eldest daughter inside, she is asleep.¡±


    I wanted an excuse to go out anyway, so I agreed instantly. After getting out of the car, we each carried a child into the house.


    At this point, it was already one o¡¯clock in the morning.


    The Qi family should all be asleep, the rooms were dark.


    Liu Yu softly opened the door, placed the two children onto the sofa, both kids were well-behaved and did not make a fuss.


    ¡°Rest assured, I won¡¯t reveal your secret¡­ stay away from this place for a few days, don¡¯t come back within a week! Trust me! If something happens, call me.¡±


    I left her my phone number in case she needed anything.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Scared that Gu Yuanzhou would grow suspicious, I didn¡¯t linger and quickly said goodbye to Liu Yu before hastily exiting.


    The car was still parked at the entrance, Gu Yuanzhou was leaning against it, smoking a cigarette.


    When he saw me come out, he immediately looked at his watch,


    ¡°Why did it take you so long?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, you had children, right? You should know it takes time to take care of them!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou opened the car door and sat in,


    ¡°Get in the car!¡±


    After I had settled in the passenger seat, Gu Yuanzhou started the car. He glanced at me,


    ¡°You better not mingle with this woman!¡±


    ¡°What is Mr. Gu worried about?¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ye Mengyan!!!¡±


    At this moment, I realized Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s motive for escorting us down the mountain. It turns out, he was still fixated on Ye Mengyan.


    He hadn¡¯t even shown patience to wait a night and insisted on getting her tonight.


    After all, Ye Mengyan was his true love.


    ¡°Just keep going forward!¡±


    I was feeling restless, so I carelessly pointed in a direction for him to drive.


    At first, Gu Yuanzhou was patient, but after driving for more than an hour without reaching the destination,


    He started to lose patience,


    ¡°Are you kidding me? Did you get the direction wrong?¡±


    ¡°Turn left, we¡¯re almost there!¡±


    In this way, I had Gu Yuanzhou driving left and right for two to three hours, and we still didn¡¯t reach our destination.


    Gu Yuanzhou lost his patience,


    ¡°Are you doing this on purpose? It only takes three hours to circle around A City!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have the patience to go pick her up?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap, tell me the destination, don¡¯t waste my time, my time is valuable!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m hungry!¡±


    ¡°You¡­.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face turned black, he was irritable.


    Yet he still drove the car and found a late-night restaurant.


    In fact, I wasn¡¯t hungry at all. I was just being willful and wanted to test Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s patience.


    I thought back to the days when I was taking care of two children at home, waiting for him to return every day.


    But he was carefree and enjoying life with Ye Mengyan¡­


    This thought made me very upset. Now, I simply wanted him to feel the hardship that I had endured back then.


    We ordered dishes.


    I deliberately picked complicated dishes, like banana fritters¡­


    He sat casually on the chair, with a cigarette in hand, his deep wide eyes occasionally gazing at me.


    Once the dishes were served, I deliberately took my time.


    Drinking soup, I took a spoonful, slowly blew on it to cool it down, then slowly sipped it into my mouth.


    Eating fish, I carefully removed all the bones, then put the clean pieces into my mouth.


    Eating peas, I peeled off the skin, and slowly ate them!


    Anyway, I was stalling for time.


    At first, Gu Yuanzhou was somewhat impatient, he would stand up and look out the window.


    After a while, he came back and sat down in front of me.


    He stared intently into my eyes,


    ¡°Did you conspire with Ding Yinuo to help the Song Family?¡±


    I calmly looked at him,


    ¡°Mr. Gu, we are not friends. I won¡¯t be sharing any information with you.¡±


    ¡°Heh! Useless struggle! But that¡¯s okay. I will take care of the Ding family and eliminate future trouble!¡±


    In the end, I had no appetite and put the spoon down.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m full, let¡¯s go!¡±


    I packed up and headed out.


    Gu Yuanzhou followed behind me to pay the bill¡­


    ¡­then caught up with me.


    By this time, the rain had stopped¡­


    As we got into the car, Gu Yuanzhou answered a call.


    He had it on speaker so I was able to hear it too.


    It sounded like it was Ayu on the other end.


    ¡°Brother Zhou, Qi Ming has been taken to the emergency room. The doctor said his brain bleeding is severe, even if he survives, he may not be conscious! What should we do?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me, apparently on guard against me. He thought for a few seconds before saying,


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when I get back, I¡¯m busy right now!¡±


    I slightly raised the corners of my lips.


    Looking at the dark night outside the car window, I thought: ¡®Well, what goes around, comes around.¡¯


    Qi Ming committed many sins and got what he deserved.


    After hanging up the phone, Gu Yuanzhou saw the smile on my lips and immediately asked me, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a beautiful day today, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t understand what I meant¡­


    He pulled his gaze from me and looked forward, soon, the car came to a stop.


    ¡°Is this the place?¡±


    I ignored him, got out of the car, and walked straight to the house with the lights on.


    Next, I called Wenya¡¯s aunt, and the gate opened.


    After we entered.


    When Ye Mengyan saw Gu Yuanzhou, she rushed over to him and buried herself in his arms, crying miserably.


    ¡°Brother Gu! She abused me, this woman, she¡¯s too terrible¡­ she deliberately didn¡¯t give me water to drink, and she made me eat rotten food! The food had no oil or moisture, and there were cockroaches on the bed! Woo, Brother Gu, you must stand up for me! If you came any later, I would be dead! This woman is too heartless.¡±

 Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Chapter 279 She is sowing discord _1

    Chapter 279: Chapter 279 She is sowing discord _1


    Ye Mengyan was crying so pitifully, it was heart-wrenching.


    I sat beside her, laughing inside.


    Indeed, I told the lady not to feed Ye Mengyan too much¡­


    The food was a little bit bland, but it wasn¡¯t so bad as to have cockroaches in it¡­ well, she can say what she wants.


    Anyway, since I dared to kidnap her, I was never afraid of being retaliated against by Gu Yuanzhou.


    I thought to myself, Gu Yuanzhou would definitely get angry at me after Ye Mengyan¡¯s emotional display, right?


    However, what I didn¡¯t expect was¡­


    After listening to her, Gu Yuanzhou directly asked her,


    ¡°Are you pregnant?¡±


    At those words, Ye Mengyan froze on the spot.


    A few seconds later, she immediately shook her head, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Not pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I know best whether I¡¯m pregnant or not. Big brother Gu, it must be this woman who told you, right? She¡¯s trying to sow discord, she wants to harm me.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s reaction took me by surprise.


    If she was carrying Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s child, why wouldn¡¯t she admit it?


    What was she playing at?


    ¡°Oh, it seems that Miss Ye has done some unspeakable things behind Mr. Gu¡¯s back. In that case, congratulations to Mr. Gu for becoming a father.¡±


    I said sarcastically, looking at Gu Yuanzhou.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou did not react at all, he glanced at me then looked at Ye Mengyan again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home!¡±


    ¡°Big brother Gu¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk when we get back!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    Ye Mengyan originally wanted to explain, but seeing me standing by, she probably feared I might reveal more information.


    At that moment, she didn¡¯t bother arguing with me, hastily pulling Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hand and hurrying out.


    For some reason, before leaving, Gu Yuanzhou gave me a meaningful look.


    That look was somewhat unfathomable.


    I couldn¡¯t quite understand what he meant by that look until the following day when I called Song Zexi to make sense of it.


    ¡°Mr. Song, was anyone hurt when Gu Yuanzhou kidnapped you?¡±


    ¡°Kidnap? There was no kidnap!¡±


    ¡°Ah? No, you guys went to Qingshan Temple that day, I heard you arguing with a bunch of people, weren¡¯t you kidnapped?¡±


    ¡°That group indeed was sent by Gu Yuanzhou. Luckily, the master of the temple stopped them, or we would have been hurt.¡±


    ¡°Then why couldn¡¯t I reach you on your mobile for a while?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry, they smashed my phone, and there¡¯s no place to fix it here in the mountains, and the signal is not good, you must have been worried.¡±


    It was then that I realized Gu Yuanzhou had not kidnapped Song Zexi. This guy had just bluffed his way through, empty-handed.


    Meaning, he had no bargaining chip and just simply tricked Ye Mengyan away from me.


    Cheater!


    That damned big cheater!


    So despicable!


    I was so angry it felt like my head was going to explode, I wanted to confront him right away.


    Because of this, I was in a bad mood for several days.


    When I asked Wenya to have dinner with me on the weekend, the weather was clear, and Jiang Jing also came along.


    Jiang Jing¡¯s belly was getting bigger, round like a giant ball.


    She wore an oversized men¡¯s suit, to cover her ever-growing belly.


    Yu Jiahang drove her over here. When he got out of the car, he happened to run into me and Wenya¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but he avoided making eye contact with me as soon as he saw me. He dropped off Jian Jing and left right away.


    Wenya and I privately discussed and decided to provide some aid for Jian Jing to better her prenatal life quality.


    Jian Jing has strong pride. If we were to give it directly, she would refuse for sure. So, we had to come up with a roundabout strategy.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice today. How about this ¡ª we¡¯ll go shopping and after that, we¡¯ll play a dice game. The person who loses the game pays the bill. Sounds good?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good idea!¡±


    As soon as I opened my mouth, Wenya agreed immediately.


    After having some snacks, we went to the shopping mall.


    Each of the three of us pushed a shopping cart.


    I didn¡¯t need to buy much, just a few packs of snacks and chocolates.


    Wenya was even more ridiculous. She only bought a tube of toothpaste. Then, we covertly went to the maternity section and started selecting maternity wear. I chose 3-4 maternity dresses, nursing bras and pajamas, shoes and socks. Having been pregnant before, I was quite professional in selecting these things.


    We also bought infant formula, diapers, and various kinds of sanitary napkins for the postpartum period.


    Wenya, who has never had a kid before and knows nothing about it, just followed me like a helper. When my shopping cart was filled to the brim, I started using hers.


    Half an hour later, I figured it was enough. We had bought pretty much everything Jian Jing would need for her baby up to the age of five months.


    We couldn¡¯t buy more though, or Jian Jing might suspect something.


    When paying the bill, Jian Jing curiously looked at the contents of my shopping cart and asked, ¡°Why are you buying so many maternity and baby items?¡±


    ¡°Oh, these are for Wenya. She¡¯s kind of marrying Su Peisheng soon. She may need these in the future.¡±


    Wenya had to grit her teeth and play along, nodding in agreement,


    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s bound to happen sooner or later. My mom¡¯s been pestering me about it every day. Buying this stuff now would make her feel more at ease.¡±


    Being rather na?ve, Jian Jing didn¡¯t overthink it and agreed, ¡°Alright then!¡±.


    In the following dice game, as expected, I was the one to lose.


    The dice I had bought online came with remote control capabilities, so I could control its rolls.


    Basically, you could roll any number you wanted.


    After paying, I had all the items wrapped up and booked a taxi to send Jian Jing home.


    Jian Jing initially hesitated and stopped short.


    ¡°How could I keep accepting things from you both?¡±


    I patted her shoulder and said,


    ¡°Once the child is born, let me be its Godmother! As the Godmother, it is proper for me to buy stuff for the baby. You don¡¯t mind that, do you?¡±


    ¡°Well, then. It¡¯s a burden for you guys anyway.¡±


    ¡°No need to be so formal, we¡¯re all sisters. Don¡¯t mention it again.¡±


    After sending Jian Jing away, Wenya sighed,


    ¡°What exactly does marriage bring to a woman? Before getting married, Jian Jing was confident and gentle. Now, she has become so humble. She has given so much for this marriage.¡±


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    I still couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell Jian Jing about Yu Jiahang¡¯s misbehavior. I¡¯ll have to wait till she gives birth to tell her.


    On our way back, Wenya asked me,


    ¡°What was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s reaction after knowing Ye Mengyan is pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention that scumbag. He disgusts me! He used Song Zexi¡¯s issue to deceive me!¡±


    I gave Wenya a rough idea of what had happened. She asked me again,


    ¡°So where are the Song family living now that Gu Yuanzhou has taken over their house?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I haven¡¯t heard from Song Zexi these days¡­ Sigh, he¡¯s always worried about dragging me down.¡±


    ¡°Any news from your uncle, Song Shixiong?¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°Nothing! His fate is unknown. However, if he is alive, seeing his house taken and company divided, he would undoubtedly step out. In my opinion, he is most likely dead.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the Huaxin Group¡­ Is Qi Ming dead or not? If he¡¯s dead, the Huaxin Group will still be in the hands of the Song family.¡±

 Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Chapter 280: A Fruitless Effort _1

    Chapter 280: Chapter 280: A Fruitless Effort _1


    Qi Ming?


    Speaking of Qi Ming, it just occurred to me, Gu Yuanzhou is currently scheming to take over the entire Huaxin Group.


    Without Qi Ming, his plan would be in vain.


    In fact, I haven¡¯t seen any news about the complete acquisition of Huaxin Group in the last couple of days¡­


    I was in deep thought when suddenly, Wenya pointed at something up ahead.


    I slowed down the car a bit.


    There, right in front of us, was the entrance to the city hospital.


    A pretty lady with a short hair cut, dressed in a suit, was slowly pushing a wheelchair out from the hospital.


    It was no other, but Liu Yu.


    And the man sitting in the wheelchair, with his head down, a blank gaze and dripping saliva non-stop¡­


    Liu Yu didn¡¯t crouch down, she was patiently wiping away the saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth.


    At that moment, a couple of journalists got out of a car and surrounded Liu Yu.


    ¡°Mrs. Qi, we are reporters from The Sun, we would like to interview you¡­ what happened to your husband?¡±


    Liu Yu replied with a smile,


    ¡°He fell off a cliff while trying to save our daughter during a mountain hike!¡±


    ¡°How is Mr. Qi¡¯s condition now?¡±


    Liu Yu looked at Qi Ming, there was no emotion in her eyes, but she remained calm and composed.


    ¡°He¡­ according to the doctor¡¯s diagnosis, he has permanent damage to the right side of his brain, he has lost his language skills and most of his motor function!¡±


    ¡°Forgive our bluntness, do you plan to divorce him?¡±


    Considering Qi Ming¡¯s current condition, most women would choose to divorce.


    But Liu Yu shook her head,


    ¡°I won¡¯t divorce him! We have two children together, we¡¯ve been married for so many years, he is like family to me, and no matter what condition he¡¯s in, I will never abandon him.¡±


    The journalists switched their angle,


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard rumors that Mr. Qi has a mistress who is pregnant with his child, what are your thoughts on this?¡±


    Liu Yu smiled and denied straight away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about, my husband is an honest man who¡¯s loyal to our marriage. These rumors are all aimed at attacking our Qi Family, I will hire a lawyer to hold them accountable.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Qi, since Mr. Qi is incapacitated, will the Qi company be changing its management?¡±


    ¡°Sir, watch your words. Although my husband can¡¯t move, his mind is clear. He may have a speech impediment, but I understand him. As long as he is alive, there will be no change in the company¡¯s management¡­¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Qi, may I ask¡­ ¡±


    The reporter had more questions, but Liu Yu interrupted her.


    Liu Yu bent down to speak something into Qi Ming¡¯s ear, and when she stood up, she said to the reporters,


    ¡°My husband says he feels offended by your questions, we refuse to continue this interview, we need to go now, excuse us!¡±


    Then, Liu Yu called the security guards to help Qi Ming into the car.


    Wenya watched the whole scene with eyes wide open,


    ¡°Look at Liu Yu, all dressed-up and professional, quite the career woman. Qi Ming was so terrible to her before, and yet she stays committed to him even now, that is real love.¡±


    I shook my head,


    ¡°I am certain, there is no love left for Qi Ming in her heart.¡±


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t have feelings for him, why doesn¡¯t she divorce him?¡±


    ¡°As long as she doesn¡¯t divorce him, she remains Mrs. Qi, she¡¯s Qi Ming¡¯s primary heir and she could even use Qi Ming¡¯s mouth to become the actual decision-maker of the Qi family. If they divorce, she stands to lose everything, which would not benefit their two daughters at all.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    I revealed a slight smile, it looks like Liu Yu is a smart woman, she fought for what she deserves at least.


    ¡°She can now control Qi Family! If I¡¯m not mistaken, Qi Ming probably can¡¯t say anything now!¡±


    ¡°Then why would she deny that the scumbag of a husband had an affair? The whole town should know about the disgusting things he¡¯s done!¡±


    ¡°Actually, I heard that she¡¯s already fired that mistress from the company. It¡¯s not to protect her scumbag husband, but to stop the Qi family¡¯s stocks from plummeting, hence, protecting the Qi family¡¯s reputation as well as her own interests. Moreover, not acknowledging the mistress would mean that once the mistress¡¯s child is born, there won¡¯t be any chance of benefiting from her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right! That¡¯s clever, I really underestimated her, she¡¯s quite shrewd!¡±


    ¡°People grow, she¡¯s been through so much suffering and has managed to make it this far, we should wish her happiness.¡±


    Liu Yu¡¯s success also means that those two little girls will grow up happy and loved.


    I¡¯m genuinely happy for her.


    At that moment, Wenya sighed,


    ¡°If only Jian Jing could be like her.¡±


    ¡°Indeed!¡±


    The next morning.


    While I was busy at work, Ding Yinuo came into the office looking delighted.


    ¡°Honey, I¡¯ve got great news!¡±


    I was holding my coffee, leaning on the desk, watching him.


    The sunlight poured in through the windows, casting a gentle glow on his tall figure.


    His white shirt, teamed with a striped tie, reflected an alluring charm and a successful man¡¯s smile.


    When he walked into the room, radiating strength to heal my heart.


    As I looked at him, he returned my gaze with a look full of admiration.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    As he moved closer to me, I breathed in the faint scent of his cedar perfume.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    He embraced me, bending his head to look at me.


    ¡°You truly are a treasure!¡±


    ¡°Really? Why do you say so?¡±


    His fingers slowly brushed away the hair on my forehead, his gaze lingering on my lips.


    ¡°Ever since you came into my life, I¡¯ve felt immense happiness. It¡¯s been one blessing after another. Ayun, it¡¯s fate that brought us together.¡±


    ¡°Really? It was fate that decided it?¡±


    He took my hand, gently pressing his lips to it, ¡°Do you know why you were reborn in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ to see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s true colors?¡±


    ¡°No, it was to be with me!¡±


    ¡°Pfft, you can really make up excuses!¡±


    ¡°I tell you the truth, Ayun! In our past life, we missed each other. Now that we¡¯ve been given a second chance, we need to stay together for good, there shall be no breakups.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Somehow, in my heart, Ding Yinuo has become my pillar of strength.


    If this is truly the will of the heavens!


    Then I¡¯ll just follow the will of the heavens and continue living a happy life with him, right?


    Will Gu Yuanzhou let me go?


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, Ayun?¡±


    Seeing me furrow my brows, Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand gently rubbed my forehead, as if trying to ease my worries.


    ¡°Well, nothing¡­ How¡¯s the fashion show going?¡±


    ¡°The entries have been sent off, and the official process begins next week¡­ Oh, and there is some good news to share.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Today, the head of the Qi family came over!¡±

 Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Don’t Want to be Hurt_1

    Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Don¡¯t Want to be Hurt_1


    ¡°The Qi Family?¡±


    Upon hearing these two words, Qi Ming immediately came to mind.


    I then remembered that Qi Ming is now a paraplegic. What can he do?


    During my momentary stupefaction, Ding Yinuo excitedly said,


    ¡°Originally, we were interested in a project in Hong Kong, but due to the lack of funds, we could not start it. I had approached several companies for discussion of cooperation, but they all declined. But this time, the Qi family unexpectedly came forward to offer ten billion in funding for a partnership, which would enable us to secure that project in Hong Kong.¡±


    Aside from Wenya, I had not mentioned my grudges with Liu Yu to any third party.


    I tried my best to not involve Ding Yinuo in my fight with Gu Yuanzhou to prevent him from getting hurt unintentionally.


    ¡°Who do you mean by head of the Qi Family?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Qi Ming! Hey, he used to hang out with Gu Yuanzhou. His arrival made me very cautious. If he hadn¡¯t actually signed the contract, I would have doubted his intentions.¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed very excited. This was crucial for Tianjiao Company¡¯s advancement into the international market.


    I asked again with a wealth of doubts,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Qi Ming paralyzed? Can he sign?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it was his wife who signed! That woman, she¡¯s so impressive!¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, I pretty much understood what had happened.


    It seems that Liu Yu must be grateful to me and so she returned the favor.


    Although I knew in my heart, I still pretended to be clueless.


    ¡°Really? How impressive is she?¡±


    ¡°I heard Su Peisheng say that Liu Yu hired a lawyer and recouped all the money her husband had spent on his mistress over the years, amounts to tens of millions!¡±


    ¡°How did she find out?¡±


    ¡°There are transfer records on Qi Ming¡¯s phone! Every transaction is there! Plus, she now runs the company and checks the company¡¯s financial records, one by one.¡±


    I held my coffee and slightly curved up the corners of my lips.


    Thinking about the mistress¡¯s arrogance that day, getting such treatment today, she deserved it.


    For such scum, don¡¯t show any mercy.


    Now that Liu Yu has jumped to our ship, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s plan must have been thwarted.


    He must be anxiously fretting now!


    Sure enough, Ding Yinuo had just left the office.


    Gu Yuanzhou then called me.


    I stared at the phone screen, after it rang for more than ten seconds, I finally picked it up.


    ¡°Did you meddle in the Qi family¡¯s business?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou asked accusingly as soon as he spoke.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, you have the nerve to ask. Last time, you clearly did not kidnap Song Zexi, but came to trick me!¡±


    ¡°I never said I kidnapped Song Zexi, you imagined that!¡±


    ¡°But you deceived Ye Mengyan from me, isn¡¯t that too over the line?¡±


    ¡°You never should have kidnapped Ye Mengyan! Kidnapping is a serious crime. If I were to call the police, do you believe you¡¯d be in jail right now?¡±


    ¡°Heh, should I thank you for your mercy, then?¡±


    ¡°Forget about repaying me. I only ask, are you involved with the Qi family¡¯s matters?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Gu? I don¡¯t understand at all!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend with me! Qi Ming originally planned to work with us, but now he suddenly changed course, which is not in line with his character¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard that after Qi Ming fell off the cliff and became disabled, his wife is now in charge of the Qi family¡¯s business. So, it¡¯s normal for her to change the investment direction. After all, different people have different ways of thinking.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then why did Mrs. Qi channel the funds to you? Don¡¯t you find this too coincidental?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I am not familiar with Mrs. Qi, do not talk nonsense! The last time we met was purely by chance.¡±


    My explanation appears reasonable and logical. I had carefully considered my cooperation with Liu Yu, leaving no loopholes, and was certain that no one would know.


    But Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t seem to believe it, he sneered,


    ¡°Although I haven¡¯t found any evidence yet, I feel that there must be some connection between you and Mrs. Qi. Anyway, don¡¯t let me find out, or I won¡¯t let you off.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, let me warn you as well, we all do business based on our abilities, don¡¯t accuse me out of thin air!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying, you¡¯re determined to fight me, are you?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I don¡¯t want to fight anyone, I just want to peacefully seek my own business path, I don¡¯t want to make enemies with anyone¡­ Of course, if someone insists on messing with me, I am certainly not afraid.¡±


    At this time, I couldn¡¯t see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression, but I could feel that on the other end of the phone, Gu Yuanzhou must be wearing a grim expression.


    He hung up the phone in anger.


    No matter how he threatened me, I felt a slight joy in my heart.


    After all, I had successfully foiled his attempt to take over Huaxin Group.


    Of course, this is just the first step. I still need to eliminate the other three people beside him, which will take time and meticulous planning.


    Just as I had finished my work, Song Zexi appeared at my office door.


    It had been a few days since we last met, and Song Zexi looked much more haggard than before.


    His face no longer bore the vitality it had when he first returned to the country, but his eyes were filled with fury.


    The moment he walked in, he started to lambast Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    ¡°This Gu is too shameless! He took over our ancestral home, the Song Family¡¯s, through unscrupulous means, in less than a week. I am a lawyer, yet I can¡¯t do anything about him.¡±


    ¡°There are so many valuable antiques at home, many of which were inherited from my mother¡¯s family. He didn¡¯t leave a single one for us, and he even assaulted my mother¡¯s domestic helper! He disregards everyone.¡±


    ¡°Huaxin Group¡­ He now wants to take over Huaxin in its entirety, truly a prime example of insatiable greed.¡±


    I poured a cup of tea for Song Zexi,


    ¡°Mr. Song, please sit down and let¡¯s talk slowly!¡±


    I could see Song Zexi¡¯s agitation. He was like a rabbit pressed into a corner by a wolf, he had lost control.


    He was hasty to bite back at the wolf, but he was devoid of direction and strength.


    In this state, he could easily get hurt.


    Especially against a man like Gu Yuanzhou, who is like a wolf.


    Song Zexi took the tea cup, but didn¡¯t drink a sip. He was impatient to tell me about his next plan.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you a few days ago, I want to hold a press conference to expose Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dirty laundry?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all set! I can do it tomorrow. Once all of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s scandals are exposed, he¡¯ll be toast!¡±


    Song Zexi seemed very excited, as if he was assured of victory.


    He explained his plan for tomorrow to me.


    After listening to him, it made sense to me.


    This wave of scandal being released would significantly impair Gu Yuanzhou even if it didn¡¯t bring him down.

 Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter 282 His Various Misdeeds_1

    Chapter 282: Chapter 282 His Various Misdeeds_1


    ¡°Alright! I support you! Just tell me the time and place, I will bring those documents to you tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you!¡±


    There was a spark of excitement in Song Zexi¡¯s eyes.


    It was as if he saw hope.


    ¡°I must reclaim the Song Family¡¯s ancestral house.¡±


    ¡°Where are you staying these days?¡±


    ¡°My mother and I are temporarily staying in a hotel. Darn, she¡¯s not in good health, and she cries every night¡­ Just thinking about our home of several decades being taken over by others pains her greatly¡­ We do have relatives who are willing to take us in, but we don¡¯t want to bother them! As for that beast Gu Yuanzhou, I won¡¯t let him get away with it.¡±


    Song Zexi was indignant, clenching his fists as he spoke.


    Indeed, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s atrocities had brought too much devastation to the Song Family.


    Just as the conversation reached this point, Ding Yinuo walked in from outside.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Song!¡±


    With a smile on her face, Ding Yinuo greeted Song Zexi.


    Song Zexi seemed to still have a grudge against the Ding Family, he didn¡¯t shake hands with Ding Yinuo, just nodded slightly, and then turned to leave.


    Helplessly retracting her hand, Ding Yinuo shook her head as she looked at Song Zexi¡¯s retreating figure,


    ¡°It appears, he still holds a grudge against me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all my fault! Our past was messy¡­ But don¡¯t worry, only my younger cousin knows. My older cousin doesn¡¯t know, and besides, it was all a misunderstanding, everyone will understand that as time goes on!¡±


    ¡°Yes, understanding takes time, and misunderstandings need to be cleared up. After all, if we get married in the future, we¡¯ll need them to attend. Your relatives are also my relatives, Ding Yinuo. Of course, I want to get along with them, so I won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡±


    ¡°You sure think far ahead!¡±


    ¡°Not really, Ayun, I think about it every day!¡±


    Ding Yinuo stepped forward and took my hand.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°About us being married, to be specific, I¡¯m picturing you in a wedding gown marrying me.¡±


    ¡°Give me some more time!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I know, I¡¯m not pushing you, I just want to tell you. There will always be someone by your side, no matter what happens.¡±


    At that moment, when Ding Yinuo was saying those words, all I felt was, ah, why has this guy become so slick, spouting sweet nothings whenever he opens his mouth?


    But I soon discovered that he wasn¡¯t just talk, he was doing his best with real actions.


    In order to preserve our relationship, he gave it his all.


    In the afternoon, after I finished my day¡¯s work, I collected all the dirt on Gu Yuanzhou that I had originally sent out.


    There were originally five pieces, but one got stuck in transit due to an undelivered courier, and I definitely couldn¡¯t get it today.


    But when I checked, I found out that just releasing these four pieces of dirt on Gu Yuanzhou would still deal a huge blow to his reputation.


    When I got these documents, I couldn¡¯t help but look over them carefully¡­


    Illegally charging usurious interest!


    Forced land acquisition and demolition in East River Village, which resulted in the death of a villager.


    Illegally bribed officials which resulted in the collapse of a faulty building project;


    Provided a false testimony to cover up for a high-ranking official¡¯s son¡¯s sexual assault, which led the victim to commit suicide due to depression¡­


    Each and every case, any single one being exposed, is enough to ruin his life.


    Moreover, it¡¯s all black and white, with evidence, he can¡¯t wash his hands of it.


    Looking at these materials, I had a new idea in my head.


    I picked up my phone and gave Wenya a call¡­


    ¡°Wenya, I¡¯ve had a new thought. Last time, you said Gu Yuanzhou took revenge on the Song Family because of me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that was my guess, because I can¡¯t fathom any reason for his madness. After all, he¡¯s supposedly a normal person, not a madman¡­¡±


    ¡°I figured it out. It¡¯s because he had done a lot of shady things in the past, and only my uncle knew about them. So in order to clean up his act, he did not hesitate to ruin anyone who knew his dirty secrets.¡±


    ¡°Oh shoot, that¡¯s actually more probable! So, by that logic, you need to protect the people of the Song Family. They¡¯re all in danger, including you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I know!¡±


    ¡°Have you told Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t tell him. Wenya, you have to keep this a secret for me too. I can¡¯t get the Ding Family involved in my affairs anymore.¡±


    ¡°You silly girl, the more people who know, the safer you are.¡±


    ¡°No, absolutely not! Wenya, think about how Father Ding passed away. Given the current circumstances, the Ding Family is already implicated because of me, and I don¡¯t want to harm them further. So, please, don¡¯t tell Ding Yinuo. I don¡¯t want to get him involved anymore.¡±


    Finally, Wenya was convinced by me, and she promised,


    ¡°All right! I won¡¯t tell him, but you have to promise me, you must protect yourself!¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I sat down and started to quietly contemplate about the whole event.


    If things go well.


    Gu Yuanzhou will very likely be arrested,


    I want to watch Gu Yuanzhou being punished in prison day by day¡­


    Thinking about this, it feels a bit exciting.


    After all the evil he has done, he deserves his punishment.


    With this in mind, I¡¯m suddenly looking forward to Song Zexi¡¯s press conference tomorrow.


    To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, I decided to personally deliver these documents to the conference venue.


    After work at night.


    I put the documents into a brown paper envelope and carefully placed it in my bag.


    Just as I was about to leave, a pair of hands suddenly covered my eyes from behind.


    ¡°Guess who I am?¡±


    The moment my vision went black, I couldn¡¯t help but think of Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    We used to play this little game a lot.


    But soon, my thoughts were brought back to reality.


    It¡¯s not Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s hands are those of a surgeon, though he no longer practices.


    Despite this, years of performing surgeries have left them a bit coarse. His fingers are long and strong, and a bit cool.


    Perhaps fearing he might hurt me, he pressed his chest against my back, not applying much pressure with his hands.


    One could tell whether a person loves you or not from these small details.


    He let out a light laugh and let go of my eyes.


    ¡°How did you guess it was me?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, who else in the company would dare to cover my eyes aside from you?¡±


    ¡°Smart! I¡¯ll kill anyone who dares to touch you!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you¡¯ve changed!¡±


    ¡°Where have I changed? Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve become slick, nothing like the aloof person you were before!¡±


    He stretched out his hand and tousled my hair,


    ¡°I was aloof before because there was distance between us. Now, you¡¯re right by my side, the iceberg has become a volcano!¡±


    ¡°Alright! A volcano then¡­ It¡¯s after work, I¡¯m going home now, are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°I was just about to take you somewhere!¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get there!¡±


    I actually didn¡¯t want to go out tonight to prevent any accidents, but seeing how enthusiastic Ding Yinuo was, I didn¡¯t have the heart to dampen his spirits, so I agreed.

 Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Chapter 283 Sweet Times_1

    Chapter 283: Chapter 283 Sweet Times_1


    After returning to Xishan Residence, I changed my clothes¡­


    Previously, I would go out to eat with a group of people including Wenya, but tonight, it was just Ding Yinuo and me.


    So, I dressed up intentionally.


    I¡¯ve been too busy recently to take care of myself.


    After the bath, I pinned up my hair into a small chignon with loose curls, then picked out a long dress from the wardrobe. My preference has always remained the same; I prefer the elegant simplicity of this quiet dress, matching with a grey overcoat.


    I chose a casual plum-colored bag, and paired it with black sheepskin boots.


    In front of the mirror, I only applied a bit of foundation and some plum-colored lipstick.


    Fresh, elegant, staring at the face in the mirror, I was reminded of my past self.


    Back when I was still in university, I was always this simple.


    Indeed, by the time I walked out of the bedroom¡­


    Ding Yinuo, who was previously on the phone, stopped his call when he looked up and saw me.


    He stared at me for a full three minutes.


    Only then did he hurriedly hang up, and walked up to me.


    His eyes were full of surprise.


    Although excited, he held my shoulders, looking at me with joy, yet unable to utter a single word.


    I looked up at him with a smile,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°The way you are dressed today, you look a lot like you did during school. You look great!¡±


    It took him a while to muster these words.


    I smiled at him,


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going out for dinner anymore?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we are. I made the reservations.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you still standing here?¡±


    ¡°I was just taken aback a bit. Let¡¯s get going!¡±


    Ding Yinuo picked up his coat and car keys and we finally left the house. All this while, his gaze remained on me, as if afraid that I would disappear if he looked away for a moment.


    I poked him on the forehead, reminding him to focus on driving.


    Once we hit the road, he became much more focused.


    Our conversation gradually veered off to our high school days.


    ¡°Ah, that public bath¡­ how problematic it was with the frequent furnace breakdown¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I remember the library being quite nice. Each time I went there late, I was lucky enough to get a seat by the window.¡±


    Sometimes, reminiscing about the past felt pretty warm.


    Student days are the best times of our lives.


    Ding Yinuo laughingly said,


    ¡°Have you ever thought perhaps someone may have secretly saved that seat for you, timing their departure just as you arrived?¡±


    I agreed that it was a possibility. After all, with college entrance exams looming, everyone needed a place to study, which made library seats significant.


    No way would all other seats be occupied while an ideally located window seat would remain vacant.


    What seemed like regular occurrences back then now seem like silent contributions from someone behind the scenes.


    I turned to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Was it you who saved the seat for me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me,


    ¡°Who else could it be?¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­ I didn¡¯t see that coming! You were there, and I didn¡¯t notice you in the crowd.¡±


    ¡°How could you have seen me if I had chosen to hide?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you¡¯re such a fool! You should have said something!¡±


    ¡°If I weren¡¯t a little foolish, how could I have met you at the best time?¡±


    I was slightly perplexed,


    ¡°But, this isn¡¯t the brightest stage in my life. My past life was my prime, unfortunately¡­¡±


    I sighed.


    Now isn¡¯t what I want it to be.


    Life should be about meeting the right person at the best age and then staying together for a lifetime.


    But I made a mistake, I met Gu Yuanzhou.


    He ruined my life.


    Thinking about this, my spirits sunk.


    Ding Yinuo reached over, gently smoothing my shoulders.


    ¡°Ayun, if we¡¯re together, that¡¯s the brightest stage in our life. It¡¯s never too late¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Ding Yinuo is emotionally intelligent, he always knows the right words to say.


    Half an hour later¡­


    The car stopped in front of an upscale Western restaurant.


    The night was as tranquil as ever, silently descending.


    The restaurant had a highly romantic atmosphere with candlelight and roses on small tables, and a pianist playing live.


    ¡°What do you feel like eating?¡±


    Ding Yinuo passed the menu to me.


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s have the T-bone steak! Medium well¡­ and I don¡¯t want the bread grilled!¡±


    I placed my order.


    Ding Yinuo told the waiter,


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the same, make it two!¡±


    The ambiance of the restaurant was quite nice, attracting new customers every now and then.


    Just as my steak had arrived and I was about to take the first bite, I heard a familiar voice.


    A woman¡¯s voice, a sweet, pampered tone, overly tender.


    Looking up at the sound, I saw a man and a woman walk in. Strangely, they seated themselves diagonally opposite to us.


    It was none other than Gu Yuanzhou and Ye Mengyan.


    Ye Mengyan was wearing a powder pink, one-shoulder long dress and had her hair curled into large waves, with a blue seawater pearl on her neck.


    Gu Yuanzhou was in a high-end black suit, the two appearing rather couple-like.


    From my understanding, if Gu Yuanzhou knew that Ye Mengyan was pregnant, he would definitely plan a wedding.


    Passing her the title of Mrs. Gu.


    Giving her a name!


    Now that the Song family was ruined, Gu Yuanzhou had nothing to fear.


    Perhaps because of the angle, Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t noticed my presence yet.


    He ordered some food.


    Once the steak was served, Ye Mengyan affectionately cut it into small pieces for Gu Yuanzhou, pushing it in front of him, even pouring the red wine considerately.


    Gu Yuanzhou was busy on a call.


    Ye Mengyan continued to shower him with attention, from spreading out his napkins to arranging his silverware.


    She seemed more than happy to provide him with all sorts of assistance.


    Whenever she looked at Gu Yuanzhou, her eyes were full of tenderness.


    ¡°Gu, I entered the work contest for the fashion week in Hong Kong next Saturday. I am determined to be the champion.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡°Gu, that woman from the Song family had imprisoned me for so long¡­ Shall we go report it to the police?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Gu, why are you still afraid of her? The Song family is already ruined, and she¡¯s got no backing. Can¡¯t we take this opportunity to have her arrested?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was evidently a little excited.


    She¡¯s not up to much, just provoking Gu Yuanzhou to do me harm.


    It seems that imprisoning her wasn¡¯t a mistake after all.


    At this point, Ding Yinuo too, saw Ye Mengyan on the opposite side. He was about to stand up when I promptly gestured for him to stay put. Deciphering my gesture, he sat back down.


    I picked up my phone and sent a message to him,


    ¡°Let¡¯s not disturb them. I don¡¯t want to invite trouble.¡±

 Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter 284 Almost Believed_1

    Chapter 284: Chapter 284 Almost Believed_1


    Indeed, my plan with Song Zexi can be realized tomorrow.


    Before that, it¡¯s best not to have any accidents.


    Don¡¯t provoke him.


    Just quietly finish this meal.


    After Ding Yinuo glanced at it, he immediately texted me back, an OK gesture.


    On the other hand, Ye Mengyan was still exacerbating the situation, kicking me while I was down.


    ¡°Mr. Gu! You are now in conflict with the people of the Song Family. Miss Song is so close to them, she must be on their side. If you don¡¯t put a stop to her, she might harm you in the future.¡±


    Ye Mengyan talked for a long time, but Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t seem interested, he just responded indifferently.


    ¡°You focus on your own tasks and don¡¯t pay attention to her. I¡¯ll take care of her.¡±


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s face turned slightly red, showing some irritation,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Gu, I don¡¯t want to upset you, I¡¯m just concerned about you, and I can¡¯t bear the consequences of her hurting you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she can¡¯t hurt me!¡±


    ¡°But I heard people say¡­ you see her as the departed Mrs. Gu. This woman, Song Xiaoyun, is cunning and unscrupulous. She is doing everything in her power to support the Ding family. You mustn¡¯t trust her. If you put your faith in her, you¡¯ll be finished. She¡¯s not Mrs. Gu, she¡¯s only faking it. She¡¯s close to Miss Wen and has learned a lot about Mrs. Gu¡¯s old habits from them, then deliberately imitated them to deceive you.¡±


    Ye Mengyan continued to fan the flames, her words putting me on alert again.


    I really wanted to slap her a few times.


    But in the end, I calmed down and restrained myself.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s reaction was still indifferent,


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay attention to her!¡±


    From the tone of Gu Yuanzhou, it seems that he has already figured out how to deal with me.


    While I was deeply absorbed, suddenly my cell phone on the table rang.


    I was startled.


    The caller ID was Gu Yuanzhou!


    This is truly unbelievable.


    He didn¡¯t call earlier, didn¡¯t call later, but called when I was eating.


    I instantly hung up the phone and even muted it.


    However, it seems it was already too late.


    When I looked up after putting my cell phone away, Gu Yuanzhou was already standing in front of my dining table.


    He was holding his cell phone, looking at me with a mocking gaze.


    ¡°Miss Song, is it interesting to eavesdrop on other people¡¯s conversations?¡±


    ¡°What eavesdropping? It¡¯s not like you own this restaurant. If you can come here, why can¡¯t I? You say I¡¯m eavesdropping, well I can say you¡¯re eavesdropping too!¡±


    I refuted him without showing any weakness.


    But since Gu Yuanzhou has already discovered us, there¡¯s no need to stay.


    I gathered my bag, patted Ding Yinuo¡¯s arm,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to leave as soon as you see me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou reached out to stop me.


    ¡°Not at all! We have just finished eating!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou pointed at the steak that had only been cut into a small piece and said sarcastically,


    ¡°This is what you call finished?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m full, isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°Not enough, sit down, let¡¯s talk!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, isn¡¯t it a bit too much? Your girlfriend is still here, and yet you are dragging me to eat with you!¡±


    ¡°I told you, sit down!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou is unreasonable.


    In fact, I didn¡¯t expect him to lose his temper in public.


    His gaze was firmly fixed on me, from head to toe.


    Looking at me repeatedly.


    In those eyes, I saw a different expression than in the past.


    At this moment, Ding Yinuo stood up, standing between me and Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, please don¡¯t touch my fiancee!¡±


    At this moment, Ye Mengyan also walked over.


    She grabbed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hand and said to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, could you please be polite! Mr. Gu has a beautiful woman like me, he doesn¡¯t have the time to glance at your fiancee. Please control your fiancee, and stop her from flirting with everybody.¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at Ye Mengyan with indifference and disgust,


    ¡°Don¡¯t babble nonsense! My Xiaoyun is a knock-out, she doesn¡¯t need to seduce anyone. Besides, if you really were attractive, your man wouldn¡¯t be frisky and bothering someone else¡¯s fiancee.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s face was calm, his eyes were composed, but his words were sharp.


    It had been on my mind to counter Ye Mengyan like this.


    Now that he has already said it, I won¡¯t waste my breath.


    Hearing this, Ye Mengyan¡¯s face turned beet red.


    But she refused to lose face and pointed at me,


    ¡°Look at her! This outfit she¡¯s wearing, this pretense, she¡¯s clearly imitating the late Mrs. Gu. She¡¯s not keeping her place, she¡¯s engaged, and yet flirts with other people¡¯s husbands. Everyone, come and judge, isn¡¯t this woman the problem!¡±


    With her shout, the onlookers stretched their necks to watch the drama.


    At this moment, I realised that my dress today did recall the past, it was a style I used to wear in college.


    But I genuinely like this style.


    Changing bodies can¡¯t change my preferences.


    I had no intention of imitating anyone¡­


    I glanced at Gu Yuanzhou, he was still staring at me, his expression cloudy and uncertain.


    Surrounded by the din, he had no reaction.


    Like everything around him had nothing to do with him.


    He just kept staring at me!!


    ¡°Can you apply some common sense? If any woman wearing clothes like Mrs. Gu could attract this Mr. Gu, it means you hold no position in his heart! He can even be attracted to a dress, so what are you to him?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words were another heavy blow to Ye Mengyan.


    I glanced at Ding Yinuo, then at Ye Mengyan, ¡°Brains, she probably doesn¡¯t have one!¡±


    Confronted with my biting sarcasm, Ye Mengyan couldn¡¯t keep cool anymore, shaking Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s arm again.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, did you see that? They¡¯re ganging up to bully me!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t seem to have the patience to deal with Ye Mengyan anymore, he directly came over and grabbed my hand, ¡°Let¡¯s talk, come with me!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, don¡¯t touch her!¡±


    Ding Yinuo also stepped forward with authority.


    Seeing the tension rise between these two men, I quickly asked Ding Yinuo to stop, ¡°It¡¯s OK, I¡¯ll say a few words with him.¡±


    After listening to me, Ding Yinuo let go.


    Gu Yuanzhou pulled me to the door.


    He looked me up and down for a long time before saying, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wearing this outfit while with Ding Yinuo, is this show (intended) for me?¡±


    ¡°This is ridiculous! You¡¯re overthinking it, I never thought you¡¯d come here!¡±


    ¡°This outfit¡­is what we used to wear when we were dating! And now you¡¯re with another man!¡±


    His words made me laugh softly.


    This laugh contained so much sadness, so much helplessness, and so much heartache.


    He even remembered what I used to wear when we were dating, so many years ago!


    If it wasn¡¯t for Ye Mengyan, this little three, standing here, I might almost believe he really loved me.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Mr. Gu deny that I am Song Yun?¡±

 Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Chapter 285 I am the Spare Tire_1

    Chapter 285: Chapter 285 I am the Spare Tire_1


    In all honesty, I don¡¯t want to quarrel with Gu Yuanzhou right now.


    I have more important things to do tomorrow, it would be best to minimize contact with him.


    But I don¡¯t know why, seeing him just gets my blood boiling.


    Every time I can¡¯t help but start arguing loudly with him. I know it¡¯s foolish, but sometimes I can¡¯t control myself.


    He looks at me, his gaze complex.


    ¡°Whether you are her or not¡­ everything between her and me, belongs only to us, so, you can¡¯t be with Ding Yinuo anymore.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You must break up with him!¡±


    He says this with an air of dominance.


    It¡¯s as if we¡¯ve been transported back to when we were dating.


    I used to quite like his possessive behavior, as if the whole world revolved around him.


    Seeing him now, it¡¯s as though I¡¯m reliving the past.


    Unfortunately, I¡¯m no longer the naive girl I once was.


    Confronted with his same old antics, I quietly, without any hesitation, pull my hand away from his.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Gu. I am not your girlfriend, not your wife, not anyone to you. What you just said, to me, it is nothing but nonsense; we are all adults here. I don¡¯t want to slap your face, but I ask you to respect me, as much as you respect yourself. If not, it¡¯s going to get uncomfortable for both of us.¡±


    Back when I was always compliant to him, it was because I loved him.


    But now, I have drawn my love back.


    He has lost his right to control me.


    ¡°Ayun, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Ding Yinuo walks over to me, takes my hand, and calls out gently.


    In the face of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s piercing gaze, I calmly turn away,


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go home!¡±


    We ignore Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s threat.


    Hand-in-hand, we casually walk away from him.


    Behind us, the voice of Ye Mengyan echoes,


    ¡°Brother Gu, I told you, this woman is just¡­ skank. Don¡¯t take her seriously, some women, the more you care about them, the more they act up, the less they care about you. Brother Gu, listen to me, stay away from her!¡±


    Once in the car, I find myself staring blankly out at the starry sky.


    Ding Yinuo starts the car and looks at me,


    ¡°What, are you upset?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    The whole ride home, I hardly say a word.


    And Ding Yinuo, he doesn¡¯t try to make conversation either.


    Once we get home, Ding Yinuo, taking me by the shoulders, pulls me into his embrace.


    He doesn¡¯t press me for answers, but watches me. His voice is soft, but full of concern.


    ¡°If you are willing, we could start a life somewhere else. A life without him, it could be simpler, wouldn¡¯t it be nice?¡±


    I look at him and smile, but my smile is full of helplessness and sadness.


    I do want to avoid Gu Yuanzhou.


    Seeing him reminds me of all the hurtful things in the past.


    And seeing Ye Mengyan makes me absolutely furious.


    If possible, I¡¯d rather not exist in the same world as him.


    The more I used to love him, the more I can¡¯t stand him now.


    If there really is a place where he doesn¡¯t exist, I would be much happier.


    But it¡¯s not possible, not yet, I haven¡¯t achieved my goals yet¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s not good, Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun!¡±


    He takes my face in his hands, looking at me with a worried expression.


    ¡°Ayun, can¡¯t you just let him go? Ayun, can¡¯t you just erase that part of your memory that belonged to him? He¡¯s making you so miserable, can¡¯t you just avoid him? Look at you, living your life in fear and exhaustion, looking haggard. You¡¯re clearly a talented and capable woman, you can have a more fantastic life, a better life. Ayun, you¡¯ve closed that chapter of your life that included him, you¡¯ve started a new chapter. Ayun, forget him. From now on, only I¡¯ll exist in your world. Can we be together?¡±


    This is the first time I¡¯m hearing Ding Yinuo say so many words at once.


    He¡¯s very emotional.


    His raspy voice slightly trembling.


    He is anxious, even his eyes are a little moist.


    But my feelings remain calm,


    ¡°Yinuo, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. Really, I can handle everything.¡±


    Ding Yinuo suddenly frowns, he releases my face, and sits on the sofa.


    With a touch of uncertainty, he asks me,


    ¡°Ayun, have I always been insignificant to you?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I¡¯ve never forced you. If you feel that I¡¯m affecting your life, I truly am sorry¡­ Maybe, we should call off the engagement. You should find a steady woman to marry?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo looks at me, his eyes filled with shock,


    ¡°You could actually say that? Am I unable to sense my feelings for you?¡±


    ¡°But you know what kind of person I am! What I want to do!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you know he¡¯s hurting you, why can¡¯t you stay away from him?¡±


    At this point, Ding Yinuo gets a little angry, his tone slightly harsher.


    After some deliberation, I answer.


    ¡°No! Yinuo! No, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t do it! I hate him, my two children died so tragically, why should he get to live freely? It¡¯s not possible, Yinuo¡­ To be honest, I feel like I being reborn is a chance for revenge given by the heavens. I have to get revenge, if I don¡¯t, I won¡¯t be able to live in peace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yinuo! Then let¡¯s call off the engagement!¡±


    Ding Yinuo suddenly becomes somewhat wilful. His eyes are red, he chokes as he looks at me.


    ¡°So, you would rather break off our engagement than stop going after that jerk, am I right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yinuo! It¡¯s all my fault, I proposed the breakup, I won¡¯t cause you any more trouble.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, in your eyes, am I this kind of person who is at your beck and call?¡±


    ¡°I know it might sound cruel! When I was reborn¡­ You were unexpected! I never thought I would reconcile with you. The engagement was also unexpected. These events, I never saw them coming¡­¡±


    Though the truth might be cruel, that¡¯s just how it is. The relationship between Ding Yinuo and me, it was never part of my plan.


    After hearing this, Ding Yinuo seems hurt.


    His eyes reveal his disappointment.


    ¡°Fine, if that¡¯s what you say! Then, let¡¯s call off the engagement, I don¡¯t want to force you!¡±


    After saying this, he, looking somewhat despondent, walks into his bedroom.


    I take a shower and suddenly feel some regret.


    The words I said earlier were too blunt, too hurtful.


    Ding Yinuo has been taking care of me these past several months, everyone in the Ding Family has been nothing but sincere to me.


    How could I hurt him like this?


    At this moment, his bedroom door is slightly ajar, a warm light spills out from inside.


    I know he¡¯s waiting for me to come and make things right.


    Thinking about the events that will unfold tomorrow, after thinking for a moment, I decide to abandon this idea and return to my own room.

 Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter 286 Seriously You Will Lose_1

    Chapter 286: Chapter 286 Seriously You Will Lose_1


    That night, I had trouble sleeping.


    In my dream, as if chased by someone with a knife, I dodged in every direction. In the end, I was still non-escapeable when someone pulled me out from behind a rock and slashed towards my face with a knife.


    The sensation of pain was so vivid that I screamed myself awake.


    Awake, I looked at the pitch-black night outside the window, my body trembling slightly.


    Footsteps stopped outside the door.


    ¡°Ayun, did you have a nightmare?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice came in through the door crack; it seemed he hadn¡¯t fallen asleep yet.


    I cleared my throat and called out,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine!¡±


    ¡°Remember to take your medication, it has a calming effect.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Okay!¡±


    Only then did I remember that I had forgotten to take my medication today. I quickly got out of bed, opened the pill bottle, took a few pills and swallowed them with a sip of water.


    I got up, changed into another set of pyjamas, and lay down on the bed.


    The latter part of the night was much quieter.


    No more nightmares.


    I slept soundly until it was bright outside.


    When I opened my eyes, I saw Ding Yinuo¡¯s figure moving around in the living room.


    He stopped several times at the door of my bedroom, as if he wanted to talk to me.


    But I didn¡¯t call out to him.


    Thinking about the minor spat we had last night, I decided not to call him temporary.


    He walked back and forth a few times until his footsteps gradually faded away.


    Then I changed my clothes and came out.


    Although it was already bright outside, the weather was a bit gloomy. Dark clouds filled the sky, and even though it wasn¡¯t raining, a cold wind blew through. A few unsecured windows were making a clattering noise.


    I approached the window and saw that the streets outside were quite deserted, with pedestrians huddled in their coats.


    Thinking about what was about to happen, I still felt a bit nervous.


    Ding Yinuo had already gone to the office.


    Sitting on the sofa, I picked up my phone intending to call him, but after some thought, I decided not to.


    I¡¯ll talk to him properly after this matter is over.


    After organizing the data, I was ready to leave.


    Song Zexi had previously given me an address. He had arranged his press conference at the Baisheng Building.


    It was quite close to the Huaxin Group. The press conference would probably begin at ten o¡¯clock sharp.


    I got there around half-past nine, and what surprised me was how much influence Song Zexi still had. Although the time hadn¡¯t come, many people had already gathered outside the hotel. Among these people were some old employees of Huaxin Group and a few news media reporters.


    I don¡¯t know if it was an illusion, but I spotted a blue car in the parking lot that looked a lot like Ding Yinuo¡¯s.


    Could he be here too?


    But when I thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem right.


    After all, I didn¡¯t tell him about this. He doesn¡¯t know, so it shouldn¡¯t be him, right?


    At around twenty past nine, I came to the tenth floor with other reporters.


    There was a large conference room on this floor where the press conference would be held.


    But because it was not time yet, security personnel were barring the entrance to the conference room.


    While I was waiting, I heard the reporters eagerly discussing it.


    ¡°Everyone, I heard that Song Zexi, the second son of Huaxin Group, is going to openly challenge President Gu?¡±


    ¡°The Song Family has now fallen, even their houses have been confiscated, like dogs losing a house. What qualifications do they have to challenge Gu Yuanzhou? It¡¯s just a futile struggle. In my opinion, he should just resign himself to his fate.¡±


    ¡°I heard he has some dirt on Gu Yuanzhou. Don¡¯t forget, Gu Yuanzhou was once the son-in-law of the Song Family, and he worked with Song Shixiong. So, whatever he did in the past, others may not know, but the Song Family definitely knows clearly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Haha, it seems like it¡¯s going to be explosive. We¡¯ll just sit back and enjoy the show.¡±


    Standing among these reporters, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little worried.


    I felt like they knew too much.


    The press conference hadn¡¯t started yet, so how did they know Song Zexi was going to expose Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s secrets?


    If even the reporters knew, then did Gu Yuanzhou know?


    I clenched the black briefcase in my hand a little tighter. There were at least hundreds of people clustered at the entrance to the conference room.


    Amidst the sea of people, I spotted Ayu.


    He was wearing a long windbreaker and black sunglasses, seemingly looking for a target in the crowd.


    Even though we were hundreds of meters apart, he suddenly turned and walked towards me.


    With his tall stature and agile movements, he was quickly by my side.


    ¡°What¡¯s in your hands?¡±


    He was staring at my briefcase.


    ¡°Why should I tell you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here to find Song Zexi, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I somehow felt that Ayu¡¯s gaze carried a dangerous ferocity. He didn¡¯t appear to have good intentions when he was looking at me.


    I instinctively stepped back,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you, and what I¡¯m doing is none of your business. Please stop blocking my way!¡±


    Not only did Ayu not retreat from my reprimanding, but he continued to bear down upon me.


    ¡°Give me the bag in your hands!¡±


    I immediately hid the briefcase behind me, looking at him angrily,


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    He reached out to me,


    ¡°Give me your bag!¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°The thing inside the bag is not friendly towards President Gu. I must take it.¡±


    Ayu¡¯s words exposed my plan.


    I was shocked. Had my secret already been leaked?


    How did he know that there was something fishy in my briefcase?


    I definitely couldn¡¯t let him take it. This stuff was crucial and was almost the key to whether today¡¯s press conference would be successful or not.


    But as a tall man, I was sure I couldn¡¯t beat Ayu.


    I needed to find a way to get out¡­


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, but Ayu, your behaviour is very out of line. You should keep your distance, or else I¡¯ll scream!¡±


    I held the briefcase tightly, not letting him take it.


    Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t fall for it. He continued to press me and even waved his hand at me, attempting to snatch it forcefully.


    Soon, he cornered me and reached for the briefcase in my hand. In the struggle,


    Someone had just placed a cup of coffee beside me. I picked it up and splashed it on his face, drenching him.


    While he wiped his face with both hands, I got an opening and slipped out from under his arm, then ran towards the elevator.


    Luckily, the elevator doors were open. I rushed in and immediately pressed the down button.


    I pressed it a few times but it didn¡¯t move. A man beside me reminded me,


    ¡°Miss, the elevator is going up! You¡¯ll have to wait a while!¡±


    It was then that I noticed the problem. This meant that when the elevator went down later, I was likely to run into Ayu again.


    So, I got off the elevator on the thirteenth floor, then took out the file materials from inside and stuffed them behind an advertisement board of a company before reentering the elevator with the now-empty briefcase.


    Once I was able to calm down, I called Song Zexi.


    I originally wanted him to pick up the materials on the thirteenth floor, but for some reason, his phone was turned off.


    While I was lost in thought, the elevator door opened, and Ayu appeared at the door.

 Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter 287: People Who Oppose President Gu Must Die_1

    Chapter 287: Chapter 287: People Who Oppose President Gu Must Die_1


    I desperately pressed the close button, but it was already too late.


    Ayu rushed right in, not caring about other people in the elevator, grabbed my arm, and firmly pinned me against the wall.


    The elevator kept moving downward.


    I had no chance to get off, he was controlling me just like that.


    ¡°Let me go!¡±


    I was struggling fiercely, trying to extricate myself from his grip.


    But my strength was no match for a man.


    A few times when the elevator doors opened, I tried to make a run for it,


    but he forcefully restrained me, rendering me immobile.


    When the elevator stopped on the third floor, an elderly woman with a little dog walked in.


    The dog started barking aggressively at the sight of Ayu; annoyed, Ayu kicked the dog, who then lunged at him.


    Seeing Ayu held up by the dog, I seized the opportunity and quickly made my escape.


    I didn¡¯t have time to wait for another elevator, I quickly took the stairs down.


    Before I even made it halfway, Ayu had caught up; the man was agile, despite being one floor above me.


    Suddenly, he gripped the railing, and with a few leaps, was right in front of me.


    He grabbed my dress collar, pinned me against the corridor window sill,


    ¡°Hand over those documents.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±


    ¡°Fine, I don¡¯t want to waste time talking with you. Song Zexi confessed that you¡¯ll be giving President Gu¡¯s damaging information to him soon. So, you better hand over those documents, or I promise you will not walk out of here alive.¡±


    Ayu, with his strong grasp, hoisted me up and pressed me against the window sill, causing half of my body to hang midway in the air.


    Although it¡¯s only three stories, falling from here would cause serious harm, or even death.


    ¡°Ayu, you¡¯ve got guts, are you not afraid of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s retribution?¡±


    Ayu let out a cold laugh,


    ¡°Who do you think approved my actions today?¡±


    ¡°Did Gu Yuanzhou order you to silence me?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song! That¡¯s plain obvious! Who do you think you are? Let me tell you, anyone who goes against President Gu only has a deadly ending. Enough chatter, give me the documents!¡±


    Ayu started to look fierce, I didn¡¯t want to let him win, so I decided to toss the black folder from the top of the staircase.


    Throwing it into the crowd below.


    I don¡¯t know who it hit, but a scream rang out,


    ¡°Look, someone is fighting!¡±


    A lot of people started looking towards the commotion above.


    Ayu, not wanting to linger, ran after the briefcase downstairs; his goal was the documents inside.


    I was very clear that all the data had been transferred out. I needed to escape his sight before he discovered the briefcase was empty.


    So, as soon as he left, I hurriedly made my way downstairs.


    I was a little slower, by the time I got downstairs, Ayu had already retrieved the briefcase and opened it.


    After realizing the briefcase was empty, he knew he had been fooled. Infuriated, he turned and sprinted towards me.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    I panicked and ran ahead, and even ran into a parking lot in my confused state.


    Just when Ayu was about to catch up,


    suddenly, a car door opened, and someone called out, ¡°Get in!¡±


    Without hesitation, I climbed into the car and forcefully slammed the door shut.


    The car started quickly and charged out from another exit.


    By the time I snapped out of my panic, I realized the person driving the car was Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t explain, he just cautioned me, ¡°Fasten your seatbelt, we¡¯re about to lose them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡±


    I had a lot to say, but there wasn¡¯t time to utter anything.


    He suddenly accelerated.


    ¡°Yinuo, you have to circle back, I have something important to give to Song Zexi!¡±


    Ding Yinuo did not listen to my words and continued to drive at full speed, going fast on the road.


    ¡°Anuo, Ding Yinuo¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk!¡±


    He interrupted me with a gruff voice.


    I followed his gaze in the rearview mirror, only to realize a black sedan had been tailing us this whole time.


    We drove straight and so did they.


    We turned left and so did they.


    We drove into an alley, they were still hot on our tail.


    After about ten minutes, I sensed something was wrong.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s following us!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lose them!¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay¡­¡±


    At that moment, my mind was a mess. I was uncertain about when Ding Yinuo had started waiting for me here.


    How much did he know about all of this?


    I had no idea what to say, moreover, the night before, I had confessed to him about canceling our engagement.


    From the look in his gloomy eyes, I could tell he was not happy.


    Forget it, it¡¯s not the time to talk about it. When all of this is over, I¡¯ll slowly explain.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s driving skills were quite impressive; within the flow of traffic, he executed countless sudden lane changes.


    We continued this way for over two hours.


    Despite our best efforts, we couldn¡¯t shake off Ayu.


    It felt as if he had put a tracking device on our car, no matter how we tried to escape, we couldn¡¯t shake him off.


    Jut as we were approaching a red light at an intersection, Ding Yinuo was forced to slow down and stop.


    In that moment, the black sedan suddenly charged forward, ramming our car from behind, sending us careening into the path of an oncoming truck.


    We crashed into the truck¡­


    Our car was at a complete standstill, but the truck was moving at high speed.


    In that chaotic moment, our car flipped over in the air and crashed down hard.


    Everything went black, and I quickly lost consciousness.


    When I came around, I found myself in a hospital.


    I saw many people in white coats around me, and I frantically searched the crowd for Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo!¡±


    I shouted his name.


    But he did not answer me.


    There was no answer among the crowd.


    I was wheeled out of the surgery room, followed by a rush of doctors and nurses.


    ¡°Major accident on Southwest road, two dead and two injured¡­ This patient¡¯s left arm seems to be broken, the skull might be fractured, her face is covered in blood.¡±


    It¡¯s odd, I didn¡¯t feel any pain. I didn¡¯t know that my left arm was broken. I tried to grab a nurse¡¯s hand, but my arm wouldn¡¯t budge. I had to use my right hand to grab her sleeve,


    ¡°Doctor, please tell me, where is Ding Yinuo? My companion, we were in the same car, where is he?¡±

 Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter 288 Guilt and Heartache_1

    Chapter 288: Chapter 288 Guilt and Heartache_1


    I saw the white sleeve of the nurse¡¯s uniform, stained with a large patch of bright red blood after I grabbed it. She looked at me in terror.


    ¡°Quick, lay down! Your head is coming off!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, who can tell me where Ding Yinuo is?¡±


    Is it that serious? Was she exaggerating when she said my head was about to fall off? How could I still be talking if it was?


    Actually, I was not worried about my own injuries at all. All my concerns were for Ding Yinuo.


    He was injured trying to save me, what should I do if he dies?


    I daren¡¯t even imagine¡­


    I couldn¡¯t feel any pain on my body, I even felt a surge of strength, I wanted to get up and find Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Let me go, I don¡¯t want the surgery, I have to find Ding Yinuo!¡±


    My intense emotions kept the doctors from approaching me.


    One of the doctors who seemed to have more experience approached me and said,


    ¡°You¡¯re referring to the comrade who was brought here with you from the accident, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, his name is Ding Yinuo, he¡¯s a guy, how bad are his injuries?¡±


    ¡°Well, his situation is better than yours! But, you need to finish your surgery before you can see him!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we doctors won¡¯t lie to you.¡±


    Since the doctor spoke with such certainty, I believed him.


    I stopped resisting and quietly lay on the operation table, then the anesthesiologist administered anesthesia to me.


    Soon, my thoughts began to drift again.


    Slowly, I lost consciousness.


    I don¡¯t know how much time passed when I slowly woke up again.


    One of my arms was in a cast and the other was hung up on the bed frame, receiving an IV.


    The lights in the ward were on and a small nurse was scurrying around me.


    Only then did I feel the all-over pain in my body.


    Unable to move!


    Even an oxygen tube was inserted into my nose.


    ¡°Miss Nurse!¡±


    The voice I let out was horribly hoarse.


    The nurse looked at me when she heard my voice,


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, what do you need?¡±


    ¡°No, I was wondering¡­ I want to know the condition of my friend!¡±


    ¡°Who is your friend?¡±


    Apparently, this nurse wasn¡¯t in the same shift as the doctor before.


    She doesn¡¯t know what I am talking about.


    So I patiently explained it again,


    ¡°We were in a car accident, my comrade was in the car, his name is Ding Yinuo, could you please check how he is doing now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please wait a moment, I will have a look!¡±


    The nurse left the room.


    Half an hour later, she finally came back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Are you talking about the accident with the big truck?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Well, there is indeed another victim, I don¡¯t know his name. But his injuries are quite serious, and he was sent to the First City Hospital for emergency treatment, we can¡¯t get any information about him here.¡±


    ¡°Could you, could you please contact my family¡­¡±


    Even though I¡¯m badly injured and bedridden now, luckily I¡¯m still clear-headed.


    I gave the nurse Wenya¡¯s phone number.


    The nurse kindly made a call to Wenya for me, half an hour later, Wenya hurried over.


    Seeing me wrapped like a zongzi (dumpling), Wenya was shocked.


    It took her a long time to recognize me,


    ¡°My goodness, Ayun, what happened to you?¡±


    I calmly told her the truth.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou tried to kill me!¡±


    ¡°How, how is that possible, in broad daylight, how could he be so crazy?¡±


    Wenya also seemed unable to believe it.


    So, I reluctantly explained to Wenya everything that happened in the morning.


    Wenya nodded after hearing it, then silently turned on her phone.


    She browsed on the news website, then looked at me with great regret.


    ¡°Something definitely happened to Song Zexi, there¡¯s no news about Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s scandalous incidents.¡±


    ¡°Try calling Song Zexi¡¯s phone again!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Wenya picked up the phone and dialed Song Zexi¡¯s number over and over.


    Unfortunately, Song Zexi¡¯s phone was always turned off.


    This could mean only one thing: the press conference had failed.


    At this moment, through Wenya¡¯s words, I realized that it was already the next morning.


    Which means, a lot must have happened yesterday morning¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t reach him!¡±


    Wenya shook her head, ¡°Ayun, look at yourself now. You should just rest and recover! Leave the rest for later!¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t calm down without any news from him!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, look at yourself now!¡±


    Wenya shook her head, she picked up the phone, took a picture of me and handed it to me.


    Only then I realized, my injuries were much more serious than I had imagined.


    A large patch of hair on my head must have been shaved off, and I¡¯m wrapped up like a mummy.


    There is a cast on my left arm and I have various tubes inserted.


    Now, I understand why the nurse exclaimed that my head is going to fall off when she saw me¡­


    Looking at my bandaged head, I felt a little uneasy. Have I been disfigured?


    I was silent for a long time.


    Wenya quietly took back her phone,


    ¡°Ayun, I know you are very anxious. But now is not the time, you are seriously injured. Maybe¡­Song Zexi is okay? Maybe he is just hiding, even though he is weak, he is still a man, certainly safer than you.¡±


    ¡°Okay then¡­Can you help get in touch with Ding Yinuo for me! We were in the same car, I don¡¯t know how is he now!¡±


    When I mentioned Ding Yinuo, I choked several times¡­


    It hurt so bad, it felt like I was back in the day of the fire, witnessing the death of the two children right in front of me.


    If Ding Yinuo is dead, it means I killed him. I could never forgive myself.


    This time Wenya didn¡¯t refuse, ¡°Okay, I will look for him for you. It should be easy.¡±


    ¡°Alright, go find him!¡±


    Although Wenya agreed verbally, she remained stationary.


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush! I want to accompany you for a bit more! Where is your phone?¡±


    ¡°Probably in the car, after such a serious car accident, I expect the phone must have been shattered beyond recognition.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll buy you a new phone! Otherwise, you will be bored here all by yourself!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Do you need anything else?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Do you need me to bring you some change of clothes from your home? Towels and such?¡±


    Wenya asked in detail, even took out her phone to keep note of it.


    But I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, ¡°Wenya, please, I only need Ding Yinuo¡¯s news right now, nothing else!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, are you sure it is Gu Yuanzhou who wants to kill you?¡±


    This question, Wenya has been asking three times.


    I had to be patient and kept repeating,


    ¡°Absolutely, it was Gu Yuanzhou who sent Ayu to do it. He probably feared those scandals would be made public, so he ordered Ayu to kill us. It¡¯s certainly him, beyond a doubt.¡±


    Wenya sighed, ¡°I just can¡¯t understand it!¡±


    ¡°There is nothing to puzzle over, he is inherently ruthless. I was too naive back then, I made the mistake of trusting him, and I thought there was love in this world. Ha, that was just self-deception. Wenya, I see him clearly now, I no longer have feelings for him!¡±


    ¡°Then if he really wants to kill you, he could find out which hospital you are in. I guess, he would send somebody again, unless you are willing to hand over the information.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of dying, let him come if he wants to!¡±


    I croaked, already prepared for this.


    Even if I die, I want to drag him down to hell with me.


    Gu Yuanzhou, I hate you!

 Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Chapter 289 – Longing To Hear His Voice_1

    Chapter 289: Chapter 289 ¨C Longing To Hear His Voice_1


    Wenya left, and it felt like half a day had passed.


    Maybe the doctor added anesthesia to my medication, afraid that I might be in pain, and I was drifting in and out of consciousness.


    At this point, I could no longer tell how much time had passed.


    Every time I woke up, I would look towards the door of the ward.


    Checking to see if Ding Yinuo would come to visit me.


    Checking to see if Wenya had returned!


    But after a long wait, Wenya still hadn¡¯t returned.


    The ward I was staying in was a regular two-person room, with a TV hanging on the wall in the middle.


    I didn¡¯t have the mood to watch the soap operas airing on TV, but I paid a little attention to the news in between.


    ¡°On Fuma South Road, a blue sports car lost control and collided with a semi-trailer truck¡­ This accident caused several cars to rear-end each other, and one died at the scene¡­ Other injured individuals have been taken to the hospital for emergency care.¡±


    It seemed like the news was talking about the accident we had been in.


    I don¡¯t remember the details of the incident!


    At that time, I was completely enveloped by fear and lost consciousness soon after.


    The only thing I remember now is that after the car fell, Ding Yinuo twisted his body to protect me, who was sitting in the passenger seat.


    That scene is clear in my mind.


    After countless times of recollection, the picture became even clearer.


    I waited for a very long time¡­


    In fact, it¡¯s just my sense of time that¡¯s mistaken, only a few hours had passed.


    Due to my anxiety, time seemed to stretch on.


    Finally, Wenya returned.


    She bought me a new phone,


    ¡°You would definitely think the red is too tacky, so I got you a piano black one¡­ I¡¯ve applied for a new SIM card. If you don¡¯t like this one, bring your ID to exchange it next time. Your old card can only be reissued by you personally. Oh right .. . this matter, I think you should report it to the police.¡±


    ¡°Report what to the police?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou sent someone to kill you!¡±


    ¡°No use. I¡¯ve thought about it! He doesn¡¯t have a weapon, and there¡¯s no evidence¡­ The only evidence we have currently is that he¡¯s been following me. But, he will deny it¡­ saying that it was a coincidence, and that the collision was just an accidental rear-end.¡±


    ¡°But someone died! If someone¡¯s died, he¡¯s guilty!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know about that, Wenya, don¡¯t act rashly, let me handle it!¡±


    I¡¯m not a coward, and I¡¯m not afraid to confront Gu Yuanzhou head on.


    But, I¡¯m now only half-alive, I¡¯m not mobile, and I can¡¯t let Wenya get hurt anymore.


    Wenya is impulsive, less steady than Song Zexi.


    If she runs into Gu Yuanzhou, she might lash out in the heat of the moment and confront him with a knife¡­


    Just thinking about it, the hairs on my scalp stand up with fear.


    ¡°Wenya, no! Listen to me, I¡¯ve already lost Ding Yinuo, and I can¡¯t let you get involved anymore. Plus, you¡¯re not alone, you¡¯ve got your ailing mother and Su Peisheng, I can¡¯t let you take a risk.¡±


    Wenya was desperate,


    ¡°What should we do, then? Should we just let him walk all over us?¡±


    ¡°No, I have a plan, Wenya¡­ The more Gu Yuanzhou doesn¡¯t want me to do something, the more it means that this matter is very important, and the more I have to go do it. The data is actually still in my hands. Once I retrieve it in a few days, I can still publish it.¡±


    After my persuasion, Wenya finally calmed down.


    She let out a sigh.


    ¡°Ayun, I didn¡¯t expect you to suffer so much!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! I¡¯m to blame. If I had listened to Ding Yinuo earlier, if I left A City with him, maybe all these things wouldn¡¯t have happened. This time, I¡¯m lucky to be alive.¡±


    I sighed.


    Wenya shook her head,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to deal with you anymore! If you could really let go, you would have done so a long time ago. The reason you¡¯re still not leaving is that you can¡¯t let go.¡±


    ¡°By the way, do you know anything about Ding Yinuo?¡±


    Wenya hesitated for a moment before saying,


    ¡°I did get some news. He¡¯s currently undergoing surgery at city hospital number one.¡±


    City hospital number one is his original workplace, where his colleagues are, they should treat him well.


    Hearing this, I felt a little relieved.


    ¡°Is his injury severe?¡±


    ¡°A bit severe! He also has a fracture, so¡­ he couldn¡¯t get out of bed to visit you¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you talk to him when you visited him?¡±


    I wanted to know more details.


    Wenya hesitated for a moment before saying,


    ¡°Yes, of course¡­ but there was nothing much for him to say! You know, Su Peisheng isn¡¯t back yet, and I¡¯m not his girlfriend, so it didn¡¯t feel right to make small talk with him. Otherwise, people might misunderstand and think I¡¯m his girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Did he ask about me?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ Of course he did!¡±


    ¡°What did he ask?¡±


    I continued to ask eagerly.


    Wenya started scratching her head, she thought for a long time,


    ¡°He just asked about you, like¡­ did you get injured? Which hospital are you in? If you asked about him and so on.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what else do you think he should ask?¡±


    ¡°Did he mention that I wanted to cancel our engagement?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ He didn¡¯t mention it! Why do you want to cancel it, Ayun? Can¡¯t you feel how much Ding Yinuo likes you? Aunt Ding is counting on you to add a member to the Ding family! Ayun, I don¡¯t know what to say to you. You¡¯re not still hung up on that scum Gu Yuanzhou, are you!¡±


    Wenya was filled with indignation and started chiding me¡­


    I didn¡¯t try to defend myself and willingly took her scolding.


    It¡¯s my fault, all my fault.


    After Wenya finished berating me, I finally said,


    ¡°I want to call Ding Yinuo and ask how he¡¯s doing.¡±


    Actually, at this point I really wanted to hear Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice.


    Wenya thought for a while, and finally shook her head, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, his situation is the same as yours. His phone was dropped at the scene of the accident and broke. He hasn¡¯t bought a new one yet!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t his mother by his side?¡±


    I thought that even if his phone was broken, I could still call her phone.


    Wenya quickly shook her head again,


    ¡°Of course not. Aunt Ding still doesn¡¯t know about Ding Yinuo¡¯s car accident yet, she¡¯s elderly and won¡¯t be able to handle the shock. So, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t tell his family about his accident.¡±


    ¡°What about his brother?¡±


    ¡°His brother is overseas these few days and hasn¡¯t returned yet! Alright, Ayun, don¡¯t think too much about it. Get some rest, and everything will be better when you wake up.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I was running low on energy, and after chatting with Wenya for a while, my eyelids felt heavy and I fell into a deep sleep.


    I don¡¯t know how long it was before I woke up again, and found that Wenya had disappeared from the side of my bed.


    In the empty sickbed, there was only a dark figure standing by my side.


    It was none other than Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Chapter 290 His Anger_1

    Chapter 290: Chapter 290 His Anger_1


    At this time, it was still dark outside. Only one lamp was turned on in the hospital bed, casting dim shadows about the room.


    The scene gave off an illusion, almost as if one was still in a dream.


    I told myself that I must be having a nightmare.


    I quickly closed my eyes.


    After a while, when I opened my eyes again, Gu Yuanzhou was still by my side!


    Staring at me with a pair of deep, dark eyes.


    I bit my tongue¡­


    A sharp wave of pain surged within me!


    This proved that I was not dreaming, this man was really beside me!


    Perhaps my actions had irritated him; he reached out and gripped my chin.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that look? You don¡¯t want to see me?¡±


    I glared at him angrily,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you did this to me, and yet you have the nerve to say such things!¡±


    Before, Wenya had warned me that Gu Yuanzhou might come to silence me, I hadn¡¯t expected him to arrive so soon.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you reflect upon yourself? It¡¯s your attempt to harm me that led to this predicament!¡±


    ¡°I harm you? Gu Yuanzhou, how have I harmed you?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to expose my secrets with that Song¡¯s kid in a press conference?¡±


    He smirked, his gaze mocking me.


    At this moment, his eyes also appeared very dark.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Expose your secrets? Well, you would need to have secrets for that. If you were clean and righteous, why would you ever fear being blackened by others?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou let go of my chin and looked at me indifferently,


    ¡°Did Song Zexi tell you that I was the one behind all those things?¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, why would you be afraid? If you¡¯re innocent, why should you be afraid of being accused?¡±


    I looked at him with a disdainful gaze.


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me calmly,


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand anything!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand? I don¡¯t understand you at all! Gu Yuanzhou, I have never understood you! Hmph¡­¡±


    I gave a bitter smile, too tired to contend any further.


    I decided to lay out all my cards.


    The past, the present, the once¡­


    Because I knew, some things if not said now, might never have a chance to be spoken out loud.


    I narrowly escaped this time.


    Next time, I might end up dead at Ayu¡¯s hands.


    I coughed lightly.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! Do you know? If I could go back, I would never choose to meet you! I regret it so much, why did I ever meet you?¡±


    The color on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face faded slightly.


    His lips were pursed tightly, his eyes flashing a dark light.


    ¡°Really? Where did I give you a misconception? Are you denying all our past feelings?¡±


    ¡°Ha, our feelings? Did we ever have any feelings? You never loved me, Gu Yuanzhou. From the beginning, you used me as a tool. You used me to gain my uncle¡¯s trust. You got money from him, and then used me as a stepping stone to rise.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me, his eyes filled with gloom,


    ¡°In your eyes, am I really that despicable?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you? Gu Yuanzhou, ask your heart! Without me! Without the financial support from my uncle, would you have reached where you are today? Would you have Zhenyi Company?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, of course I would! Do you think the Song family properties amount to something?¡±


    Even now, Gu Yuanzhou was incredibly arrogant, looking down on people.


    I also had no reservations in exposing him.


    ¡°The Song family isn¡¯t worth much, neither are you. Without the Song family, you wouldn¡¯t have Zhenyi, you¡¯d have nothing, you¡¯d be nothing.¡±


    Maybe my words infuriated Gu Yuanzhou.


    He gripped my chin again.


    ¡°Before you speak next time, think carefully. Think about what you¡¯re saying before you say it, don¡¯t you think every time you provoke me, I¡¯ll forgive you!¡±


    ¡°You forgive me? Ridiculous! When did I ever need your forgiveness!¡±


    ¡°Do you believe that I can kill you now?¡±


    The angry man¡¯s grip was very heavy.


    He gripped my chin tightly, almost crushing my jawbone.


    The pain was unbearable¡­


    I didn¡¯t struggle, I just quietly turned on the video recording function on my phone, recording the whole scene.


    If I really died, he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape the blame.


    However, he quickly noticed my little move, grabbed my phone away, and turned it off.


    ¡°You¡¯re still playing these tricks with me?¡±


    He looked at me contemptuously.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!! You¡¯ve gone too far, give me back my phone!¡±


    He ignored me and said to the nurse outside the door,


    ¡°By the way, I want to facilitate her discharge procedures!¡±


    The nurse quickly explained,


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible. Her condition is very critical. Without the handwritten consent of relatives, no one can take her out of the hospital.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m her husband, is that alright?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that works¡­ But, our hospital still advises against transferring the patient due to the risk. Accidents can easily happen during the transfer!¡±


    Since a family member came to transfer the patient, the hospital had no right to stop him.


    But Gu Yuanzhou was just my husband from a previous life, in this life, he had nothing to do with me.


    I immediately said to the nurse,


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. I don¡¯t know him, we have no relationship.¡±


    I knew very well that if Gu Yuanzhou transferred me out of the hospital,


    Then I may face death right away.


    Hearing my words, the nurse was stunned.


    She looked at Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Sir, the lady here says she doesn¡¯t know you, in this situation¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took out a bank card,


    ¡°All her medical expenses will be paid by me!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡±


    The nurse quickly brought the card machine and swiped his card.


    Then, he took out a marriage certificate and showed it to the nurse,


    ¡°She is indeed my wife. It¡¯s just that she injured her brain in the car accident and has some amnesia. It¡¯s normal for her not to recognize her own husband. She¡¯ll recover after some time.¡±


    The nurse picked up the marriage certificate and looked at me, then at Gu Yuanzhou.


    At this time, my face and head were all bandaged, I really didn¡¯t know what the nurse was looking at.


    Maybe it was the bank card that did the trick, in the nurse¡¯s eyes, if a man was willing to spend so much money on a woman, then she must definitely be his wife.


    So she allowed it,


    ¡°Alright, sir, just sign here.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t be discharged¡­¡±


    I lodged a strong protest, but it seemed that no one cared about my opinion.


    After Gu Yuanzhou signed, he called over a doctor, who injected some medicine into me. Soon I felt drowsy and fell asleep.


    When I woke up again, it was the next morning.


    When I opened my eyes, I saw birds chirping in the yard.


    That wasn¡¯t a sound heard in hospitals, or in cities.


    When I looked around, that¡¯s when I realized¡­ I recognized this place¡­

 Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Chapter 291 Trying to anger him_1

    Chapter 291: Chapter 291 Trying to anger him_1


    This is a master bedroom, clearly not a hospital anymore.


    I¡¯ve been here before, it¡¯s the Yin Mansion which Gu Yuanzhou previously bought for me¡­


    Ha, bringing me here now, do they intend to bury me alive?


    Or does he have other plans, keeping me confined here?


    To force me to turn over all the hidden files?


    My mobile phone has been confiscated now.


    I¡¯m unable to contact the outside world, the most I can do is to press on and protect myself.


    To recover as soon as possible.


    With such thoughts in mind, I lay calmly on the hospital bed.


    There¡¯s still an IV drip attached to my arm¡­


    There¡¯s chatter in the living room.


    It must be Gu Yuanzhou speaking softly to the doctor.


    ¡°Are you sure you can cure her?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Mr.Gu, I wouldn¡¯t do anything if I wasn¡¯t sure. Her condition is not very serious, the fracture is a little complicated and would require more time to heal.¡±


    ¡°Approximately, how long before she can get up?¡±


    ¡°She should be able to in about a week!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    The sound of their conversation outside gradually decreases.


    In fact, there are more people here than I expected.


    Aside from the doctor, Gu Yuanzhou also hired a nurse and a cook.


    However, it seems that Gu Yuanzhou has strictly instructed all of them, they don¡¯t chat with me much.


    Gu Yuanzhou visits me frequently.


    He always stands beside the bed, observing me in silence.


    He stares at me for half an hour. From his gaze, I see his confusion¡­


    ¡°Are you really Ayun?¡±


    He would always ask questions like this.


    I sneer, ¡°Believe it or not!¡±


    ¡°You should remember the kids¡¯ birthdays, right?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, I remember!¡±


    ¡°When is Xiaoyi¡¯s birthday?¡±


    ¡°The twentieth day of winter!¡±


    ¡°What about Xiaozhen?¡±


    ¡°The twenty-ninth day of March¡­¡±


    Every detail is crystal clear to me!


    He then continues to ask more details about the two children, like where they were born, until when were they breastfed, and when did they stop.


    As well as details about their birthdays, I remember all of them in detail, I wouldn¡¯t dare forget.


    Actually, I shouldn¡¯t answer his questions, why should I follow his train of thought.


    But, there¡¯s this resentment in me, I always wanted to hurt him, make him regret, and lock horns with him.


    Thus, without realizing, we chatted for a long time.


    However, even after answering many of his questions.


    He only cynically smiled in the end,


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve gone through a lot of thought in order to impersonate her, you really have put a lot of effort into it.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve never believed me from the start?¡±


    ¡°Why should I believe you, why should I believe a woman who harmed me?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you confining me in this damn place?¡±


    ¡°No confinement, I¡¯m only letting you recover here peacefully, you don¡¯t have to overthink!¡±


    Sometimes, I would try to provoke him.


    ¡°Do you know? Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re far inferior to Ding Yinuo.¡±


    True to my expectation, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression shifts,


    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s upright and honest, courageous and decisive! He¡¯s capable and strategic, wise, in every aspect he¡¯s superior to you. Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re nothing! If you have the guts, release me!¡±


    I initially thought, if I provoke him, he would let me go.


    Yet, he only darkly stared at me and said coldly,


    ¡°It¡¯s too late for you to say these things now. However good he may be, he¡¯s still dead now!¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou took his teacup and leisurely took a sip.


    ¡°Car accident, he is dead, sorry to say, your wishes will not be fulfilled. However good he may be, you can¡¯t wait for him anymore now.¡±


    The irony in his words exposed a heartbreaking fact.


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡±


    I removed the IV drip, intending to get off the bed¡­


    Just one step forward, and my legs gave in, collapsing onto the floor.


    Gu Yuanzhou came over, picked me up from the ground, and placed me back onto the bed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t waste words with you, if you tell me where you¡¯re hiding those files. I get them and I¡¯ll let you go, you can go wherever you like.¡±


    I turned my head, refusing to look at him.


    All those files were obtained by Song Zexi risking his life, they are also my only hope in sending Gu Yuanzhou to prison.


    I certainly wouldn¡¯t hand them over.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t have them!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, very good, if you won¡¯t talk then just continue to stay here!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t force me.


    He stood by my bed for a while, then walked away.


    Then he would come in and check on me every few hours.


    The first two days, I was very unaccustomed.


    It felt too quiet here.


    Apart from the chirping of birds, no other sounds could be heard. It felt like I was completely cut off from the world.


    Time was extremely unbearable at that time, my desire to see Ding Yinuo grew stronger.


    Especially after Gu Yuanzhou mentioned that Ding Yinuo had died in a car accident.


    I¡¯ve been left desperately wanting to see him.


    On the one hand, I was heartbroken about Ding Yinuo¡¯s death.


    On the other hand, I was constantly reminding myself, Gu Yuanzhou is lying, he¡¯s merely playing mind games.


    I mustn¡¯t believe him.


    Gu Yuanzhou is a liar, he can¡¯t be trusted.


    He¡¯s trying to wear me down!


    Sometimes, I thought I heard someone calling me in my dreams.


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun!¡±


    The voice seemed far yet near, from behind a wall. It sounded like Ding Yinuo, also like Wenya.


    But, by the time I regained consciousness and listened carefully, the voice was gone.


    Three days later.


    I gradually grew accustomed to this lonely time.


    However, in three days, my condition improved a lot. Oxygen supply was no longer necessary.


    The plaster on my left arm was also removed.


    It was just the bandage on my head, the doctor would come in every day to check it, apply medication, and wrap it up again.


    When the doctor was treating my injuries, Gu Yuanzhou stood by quietly watching.


    I always had this feeling that he was relishing my suffering.


    I gritted my teeth and not let any sign of agony show.


    ¡°Congratulations Miss Song, you¡¯ve improved a lot now, you can walk around. Mild exercises could aid your recovery.¡±


    The doctor encouraged me.


    I glanced at Gu Yuanzhou, ¡°I want to go grocery shopping, need to buy some stuff!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou predictably refused me, ¡°Tell me what you need and I¡¯ll buy them for you!¡±


    ¡°The doctor said, he wants me to exercise!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of space for activities in the backyard, you can exercise however you want!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve confined me for three days now, are you planning to confine me forever?¡±


    ¡°If you cooperate well, I will let you go right away. Of course, if you continue to resist, then you might have to stay here for life.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re being too much!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s more. Are you sure you want to find out?¡±

 Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter 292: When He’s Not Paying Attention_1

    Chapter 292: Chapter 292: When He¡¯s Not Paying Attention_1


    I fell silent, not saying a word!


    Gu Yuanzhou walked out with the doctor.


    I don¡¯t know what they discussed, but half an hour later, he came back in.


    He handed me a coat, ¡°Want to go out for a walk?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll run away?¡±


    ¡°With me around, it¡¯ll be hard for you to fly away even if you sprouted wings!¡±


    He was pretty confident¡­


    I struggled to lower my legs from the hospital bed, then slowly steadied myself.


    After not moving for a long time, I started to feel a bit unsteady and slightly dizzy.


    This reminded me of the days after I gave birth to my second child. Because of the Cesarean section, I couldn¡¯t get out of bed for a long time, just like now.


    Back then, it was also Gu Yuanzhou who stayed by my side to take care of me.


    When I was getting out of bed and moving about, it was also him who supported me.


    Regrettably, I didn¡¯t know he was so cruel back then, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been so grateful to him.


    Now, he is still supporting me, walking me to the courtyard.


    I pushed his hand away.


    Stubbornly moving forward on my own.


    It was noon.


    It was late autumn, and the sunshine was warmly illuminating the little garden.


    The garden was small, but it was connected to the mountain behind, with steep cliffs and dense forests.


    Aware of my intentions, Gu Yuanzhou said in a deep voice,


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to climb up there, your left arm isn¡¯t healed yet. Just a warning, with your current physical condition, you could not bear another fall. If you lost your life, don¡¯t blame me.¡±


    I averted my gaze and glanced at him.


    This glance was full of disdain.


    I walked a few more steps ahead¡­


    He was following behind me, smoking, occasionally looking up at the sky.


    The weather today was very good, the sky was very clear.


    Crystal clear!


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t President Gu need to be busy with business today?¡±


    I strolled around the yard, looked at the high walls all around, really couldn¡¯t find a route to escape, so I asked him instead.


    Gu Yuanzhou frowned slightly at me,


    ¡°At my level, there¡¯s no need to stay in the company every day!¡±


    ¡°Huh, President Gu is quite arrogant, if you have the guts, let me go. We¡¯ll have fair competition in the market!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me,


    ¡°Fair competition is mainly for the weak!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we have a competition before? Zhenyi Company under President Gu¡¯s remarkable leadership was worse than mine in every aspect! Of course, you wouldn¡¯t dare compete with me openly because you can¡¯t win.¡±


    ¡°Look at our positions now, who do you think lost, you or me?¡±


    He was smirking through his eyes!


    I was so angry with him that I had nothing to say.


    ¡°You¡¯re playing dirty tricks!¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you also playing dirty? You just got caught!¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t argue with him, so I stopped quarrelling.


    After a while, I said again,


    ¡°I need to go out!¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°Shopping, I need to buy living supplies!¡±


    ¡°Like I said before, whatever living supplies you need, just tell me, I¡¯ll buy them for you!¡±


    ¡°Women¡¯s personal items, there¡¯s a difference between men and women, do we have to be so explicit in everything?¡±


    In fact, I just wanted to find an opportunity to escape.


    No matter what, I have to find a way to contact Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Sanitary napkins, my period is coming, okay?¡±


    ¡°Just this?¡±


    ¡°Or what? Is President Gu willing to stoop to buy menstrual supplies for a woman?¡±


    I guessed Gu Yuanzhou couldn¡¯t swallow this pride, after all, I was not his woman at present.


    We had no intimate relationship at all.


    To my surprise, he agreed readily,


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°You!!¡±


    He looked at me calmly.


    It seemed to him that this was just a small matter.


    Unexpectedly, half an hour later, he really did buy the sanitary napkins.


    A large bag full of daily and overnight pads, as well as panty liners and adult diapers.


    Wrapped in a black plastic bag, he put it next to my bed.


    ¡°Is this your preferred brand?¡±


    He looked at me, his face as calm as water.


    I put the plastic bag aside, looked at him, and was left speechless.


    He looked at the calendar on the table, then at me,


    ¡°You must be sick of staying here after all these days, right?¡±


    ¡°You agree to let me go?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you here either. After all, you being here means I have to hire someone to treat you, manage your diet, and put up with your nonsense. Just tell me where the documents are. As long as you give me all the materials, I¡¯ll let you go. We can then live peacefully.¡±


    By now, I no longer ridiculed him.


    I can¡¯t be bothered to argue.


    I gave him a cold look, refusing to discuss it with him further.


    One must admit, Gu Yuanzhou was a very patient man, he wouldn¡¯t lose his temper, but would slowly wear you down, like dull knife slicing meat, you don¡¯t feel the pain, and then slowly give in.


    That¡¯s because I knew what kind of person he was, so I was on guard, and wouldn¡¯t easily fall for his tricks.


    We were at an impasse for another two days.


    By this time, I was able to walk on my own.


    I didn¡¯t need his assistance, I could stroll around in the backyard and even swing.


    Only my head was still bandaged, I couldn¡¯t wash my face, and when I was sleeping, I could still feel the pain from the scar on my head.


    It is now a week after the car accident.


    I wanted to watch TV, to see the news about the accident.


    But there wasn¡¯t even a TV in this house.


    On the eighth day, Gu Yuanzhou dismissed the nurse, leaving only one cook.


    That day, I took advantage of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s absence.


    I began to tempt the cook. She happened to bring me food, and I tried to probe,


    ¡°You cook here, how much does Gu Yuanzhou pay you a month?¡±


    The cook looked at me, her eyes shifting, initially she dared not speak, she kept her distance after bringing me the food.


    ¡°So, however much Gu Yuanzhou pays you, I¡¯ll pay you ten times that¡­¡±


    The cook finally hesitated and then replied, ¡°Miss Song, Mr. Gu warned me that if I dare help you escape, he won¡¯t let me go.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t run away, just lend me your phone for a moment, okay? I, uh, I don¡¯t have money on me right now, but I guarantee you, when I leave here, I¡¯ll give you a lot of money!¡±


    ¡°This¡­ is not good!¡±


    ¡°Ten thousand!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Miss Song!¡±


    ¡°Fifty thousand?¡±


    ¡°This¡­ how about, you ask Mr. Gu to give you a phone call, I really can¡¯t, do you still want to eat this food? If not, I will take it away.¡±


    I felt the cook was clearly flustered, showing she was moved.


    As long as she had the thought of money, I could win her over.


    Actually, I didn¡¯t think too much. All I needed was to borrow her phone and call Ding Yinuo or notify my friend Wenya that I am here.


    ¡°One hundred thousand! One hundred thousand yuan, I¡¯ll write you an IOU right now, and then you can exchange it at Tianjiao Company when the time comes.¡±


    To prove that I was not lying, I immediately took a pen and paper, wrote a one hundred thousand IOU, signed it, and handed it to the cook.


    Money talks.


    The cook took the IOU, finally she was moved. She took out her phone and handed it to me,


    ¡°You only have three minutes, be quick. Mr.Gu has gone out.¡±


    I took the phone and dialed Ding Yinuo¡¯s number right away.

 Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter 293 I Still Barely Beat Him_1

    Chapter 293: Chapter 293 I Still Barely Beat Him_1


    About fifteen minutes ago, I saw Gu Yuanzhou drive off from the window.


    But this man was so vile, he locked the main door when he left, so I couldn¡¯t go outside.


    As soon as I got my phone, of course, I immediately reached out to Ding Yinuo.


    It took a long while before the call was answered.


    ¡°Yinuo, Ding Yinuo!¡±


    I called out loudly.


    But the voice that came through the phone wasn¡¯t Ding Yinuo¡¯s, it was Aunt Ding¡¯s.


    ¡°Xiaosong, is that you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, Aunt¡­ Where¡¯s Anuo, where¡¯s Ding Yinuo? How is he?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t appropriately express my worries in front of Aunt Ding.


    I just wanted to hear his voice right now.


    However, suddenly a hand reached over, snatching the phone from my grasp before Aunt Ding could reply.


    When I regained my bearings, the phone was already in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s possession.


    ¡°Give me the phone! Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    This man was just so elusive. He left, yet he inexplicably reappeared here out of nowhere.


    It was impossible to guard against him.


    The expression on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face was cold as he threw the phone on the floor, smashing it into smithereens.


    Then he coldly said to the nanny,


    ¡°Alright, you can leave now!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m sorry! I really am, it wasn¡¯t intentional, it was Miss Song¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, leave now, I will settle your pay. But in the future, I do not want to see you.¡±


    In the end, no matter how much the nanny pleaded, Gu Yuanzhou did not compromise.


    She could only gather her things and leave.


    When I looked at Gu Yuanzhou, my face was equally as unsightly.


    He turned to look at me.


    ¡°You want to see him that badly?¡±


    ¡°You have no right to confine me!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t confine you. You confined yourself. Give me the documents and you can leave! No one will stop you. But if you want to play tricks in front of me, I¡¯m sorry, you won¡¯t get anything.¡±


    I have to say, Gu Yuanzhou really knows how to wear people down.


    This man was too domineering, I knew that if this continued, he certainly wouldn¡¯t compromise.


    I couldn¡¯t keep this up with him, I needed to see Ding Yinuo.


    I didn¡¯t even know if he¡¯s dead or alive right now.


    So I made a bold decision.


    ¡°Alright, Gu Yuanzhou, I agree! I¡¯ll give you all the documents, but you have to let me go!¡±


    ¡°You should¡¯ve done this a long time ago. Tell me, where are the documents?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll take you to them!¡±


    ¡°You think you can trick me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to have seen through my ruse. He stared at me, his face cold.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°There¡¯s no trick. It¡¯s just that the place where I hid the documents is a bit peculiar. Even if I told you, you may not be able to find it. Besides, if you go alone, you could lie to me and say you didn¡¯t get them. Wouldn¡¯t I be at a disadvantage then?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who sent someone to hit me with a car. How could you expect me to trust you?¡±


    I looked at him with contempt.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t want to waste any more time.


    He led me out the door. Watching the long-locked front door open, I felt a rush of emotions.


    Once outside, it seemed as if the air was filled with the scent of freedom.


    I can¡¯t believe I had been confined by Gu Yuanzhou for so many days.


    Wenya must have been so anxious this past week.


    After getting in the car, Gu Yuanzhou buckled my seat belt and gave me a deep look.


    ¡°You better not try to pull a fast one! You won¡¯t stand a chance against me.¡±


    ¡°I know! You¡¯re cold and ruthless, you¡¯re decisive, alright?¡±


    I actually didn¡¯t have much energy.


    Recovering from a long illness, I am still weak, and my steps feel a bit unsteady¡­


    As the car slowly headed towards the city, I occasionally looked towards the side of the road, wondering if there happened to be a patrol officer around.


    If I asked for his help, would I be able to escape from Gu Yuanzhou?


    He seemed to see through my thought process, stating outright,


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with your futile plans! They¡¯re useless! I have our marriage certificate! No one can take you away without my order.¡±


    ¡°Your marriage certificate is fake, as if anyone would believe it!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou just smiled, corners of his lips curling up, a smile of someone who is confident of victory.


    Without me giving any directions, he directly drove to where Song Zexi had planned the press conference last time, the Baisheng Building.


    ¡°Here?¡±


    He looked at me and asked.


    ¡°How did you know it¡¯s here?¡±


    ¡°Last time, the briefcase you took had files inside. But later, when you handed Ayu the empty case, that implies you hid the documents somewhere here! I didn¡¯t bother to check the surveillance step by step. It¡¯s easier for you to show me.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s deduction once again startled me. I never knew this man could be so smart.


    He is aware of everything, making calculated guesses.


    He had complete control even over small details.


    Deceiving him was certainly not easy.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Once I got off the car, he instantly stood next to me and very casually hooked my arm through his.


    This intimate posture would make people feel as if we naturally had a close relationship.


    Plus, I had a wound on my head.


    So, while walking along the road, people were glancing our way and whispering amongst themselves.


    ¡°Look, that husband is so good. His wife is injured, yet he stays by her side, his arm firmly around her. That¡¯s true love!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t bother to correct them.


    And I just scoffed.


    True Love?


    If they knew that I ended up like this because he hit me, would they still think the same?


    Once in the elevator, I didn¡¯t push any buttons¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me.


    ¡°Which floor?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I need to use the restroom!¡±


    ¡°Which floor?¡±


    ¡°Can I use the restroom?¡±


    ¡°Get the documents first, then I¡¯ll let you use the restroom.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s urgent! Don¡¯t you know humans have bodily needs? I need to pee!!!¡±


    ¡°Then pee in the elevator. It¡¯s not like anyone else is here!¡±


    ¡°You, you¡¯re crossing the line!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not willing to pee in the elevator, that means it¡¯s not that urgent!¡±


    This man simply pressed the button to close the elevator doors.


    The elevator doors slowly closed.


    The elevator started going upward¡­


    I didn¡¯t make any move, but Gu Yuanzhou was patient. He remained by my side as we rode the elevator up and down.


    I originally thought if I kept my mouth shut, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything.


    Unexpectedly, when the elevator went down to the thirteenth floor and the doors opened, he suddenly grabbed my arm and walked out.


    ¡°Is it here?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s here¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou let go of my hand and began searching. I pulled him back, ¡°It¡¯s not here!¡±


    We had actually been in the elevator for nearly ten minutes. I didn¡¯t really know how he guessed it was this floor.


    I just instinctively tried to stop him.

 Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Chapter 294 He Deceived Me Again_1

    Chapter 294: Chapter 294 He Deceived Me Again_1


    Instead, he immediately grabbed my arm,


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one last chance, if you refuse to tell the truth, if I find out myself. I will still lock you up.¡±


    After wrestling internally for a few minutes, I finally capitulated.


    I silently walked to the billboard, pulled out a stack of files from beneath it and handed them to him.


    He quickly sorted through them, then asked me,


    ¡°Is this all there is?¡±


    ¡°Or what? Mr. Gu, have you done anything else that is unspeakable?¡±


    He glanced at me coldly.


    Then, in front of me, he took out a lighter, lit these files, and reduced them to ashes.


    The thickness of the files caused them to burn for a long time¡­


    ¡°I can go now, right?¡±


    I turned around and tried to leave.


    But he didn¡¯t keep his promise and grabbed my arm again.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, are you lying to me? You don¡¯t keep your words!?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    He got too lazy to explain it to me.


    He instantly grabbed my hand and dragged me back into the elevator.


    ¡°So, from the very beginning, you never intended to let me go?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou smirked,


    ¡°You said it yourself, you are my Ayun! Since you are my Ayun, you should stay by my side! How can my wife, Gu Yuanzhou, favor others, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shameless!¡±


    At this moment, no matter what excuses Gu Yuanzhou made, I wouldn¡¯t believe a word from him.


    The elevator quickly reached the ground floor.


    I was forcefully dragged forward by him¡­


    Just then a familiar group of people walked past.


    It was Wenya, Su Peisheng, and a few other friends.


    Spotting me, Wenya ran over,


    ¡°Ayun! Oh god, my Ayun, where have you been all these days?¡±


    Wenya clung to me tightly.


    Whispering in her ear, I said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve been captive by Gu Yuanzhou, help me!¡±


    Only then did Wenya look down and see Gu Yuanzhou gripping my arm.


    Even when Wenya and I embraced, he didn¡¯t release me.


    At this moment, Wenya looked at Gu Yuanzhou, then back at me,


    ¡°Ayun, I have a file you left with me, about Mr. Gu. Should I return it to you now?¡±


    I never gave Wenya any files, but I knew she had a reason for saying this on the spot.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to give them to me, I don¡¯t need them. You keep them.¡±


    But at that moment Gu Yuanzhou chimed in,


    ¡°Where¡¯s the file?¡±


    ¡°In my car!¡±


    ¡°Give it to me!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Gu, I can¡¯t give it to you!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? You want to negotiate a condition, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not about any conditions, I don¡¯t know you well. Why would I give it to you?¡±


    For a moment, the two were at odds.


    I quickly intervened, ¡°Wenya, give it to him!¡±


    Wenya scolded me again after hearing this,


    ¡°You really are too softhearted, always going along with him.¡±


    Then she said to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Well, fine. Since my friend asked, I will give it to you. It¡¯s in my car, come with me to get it if you want.¡±


    Wenya turned and walked away. Gu Yuanzhou was eager to get the file and didn¡¯t notice he had let go of my hand as he followed Wenya to the parking lot.


    Just then, Su Peisheng rushed over grabbing my arm and quickly pulled me into the car.


    Just as the car bolted out of the hotel¡¯s parking lot, Gu Yuanzhou realized he had been tricked. He let go of Wenya and ran a few steps after the car.


    After all, two legs can¡¯t outrun four wheels.


    He could only stand by the road, watching our car get farther and farther away.


    I turned to look at Su Peisheng, ¡°What about Wenya?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, his target isn¡¯t Wenya, she¡¯ll be here soon!¡±


    Sure enough, half an hour later, Wenya called. She was laughing loudly on the phone.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, that scumbag, was finally played by me once. I¡¯m so thrilled. Let¡¯s go to the hotel to celebrate later and welcome Ayun back.¡±


    But at this moment, I had no mood for eating or drinking. My heart was set on Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°No, Wenya, I don¡¯t want to go to the hotel, I want to see Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Eh, do you really want to see him?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Wenya hesitated for a long time before saying, ¡°Alright then!¡±


    ¡°No, wait, let me go back to the Xishan Residence first! If I go to see him looking like this, I might scare him.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Half an hour later, we were back at the Xishan Residence.


    Even though it¡¯s Ding Yinuo¡¯s home, I moved in here since our engagement, and all my personal belongings and clothes are here.


    During my sick days, I was always in hospital gowns and smelled of medicine. I couldn¡¯t let Ding Yinuo see me like this.


    It¡¯d be troublesome if I scared him.


    As soon as we got back, I took a shower.


    Most of my injuries had healed, except for a gash on my scalp that was still bandaged.


    Although it looked a bit ugly, a bit of hairstyling could conceal it.


    After changing into casual clothes and putting on light makeup to make my complexion less pale,


    Wenya made me a cup of tea. We sat on the sofa, while she filled me in on the past few days¡­


    Turns out, I wasn¡¯t hallucinating a few days ago.


    She really did come to look for me.


    But at that time, I was locked inside, and after I didn¡¯t respond to her calling out my name a few times, she left.


    Then, for all these days, she¡¯s been looking for me.


    She suspected that I had hidden the files here and predicted that Gu Yuanzhou would come looking for them.


    So, whenever she had free time, she and Su Peisheng would come to this place.


    Surprisingly, she ran into us.


    I took a sip of the tea and nodded,


    ¡°Wenya, I¡¯m lucky to have you, otherwise, I would still be imprisoned by that scumbag Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    ¡°Next time you see him, run far away¡­ Wait, how does he have a marriage certificate?¡±


    ¡°Was it the one from my previous marriage to him? Then he forged it? I don¡¯t know, let¡¯s not talk about that scumbag.¡±


    After resting for a while, Wenya originally planned to take me out for a meal, but because I was so worried about Ding Yinuo, I wasn¡¯t interested in other plans.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go see Ding Yinuo first!¡±


    Wenya and Su Peisheng looked at each other.


    Su Peisheng said, ¡°I think we should tell her the truth, so she¡¯s prepared.¡±


    Wenya blinked and looked at me, her tone somewhat serious.


    ¡°Ayun, there¡¯s something you need to be prepared for.¡±


    I realized the seriousness of the situation,


    ¡°Wenya, tell me quickly, did Ding Yinuo¡­ not make it?¡±


    I dared only to speak the last few words after a long pause.

 Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Chapter 295 Collapse_1

    Chapter 295: Chapter 295 Collapse_1


    Actually, I¡¯ve always had a lingering sense of unease.


    After all, when the car accident happened, Ding Yinuo protected me by using his own body as a shield.


    That indicates that he must have been injured more seriously than me.


    Furthermore, for him not to have seen me for so long, he would certainly have been trying every possible way to find me, not like now, completely unresponsive.


    Only one possibility can explain this situation ¨C he might have passed away.


    After I finished speaking, I nervously looked at Xiang Wenya.


    Wenya seemed a bit startled for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°No! It¡¯s not what you think.¡±


    ¡°Stop comforting me, why hasn¡¯t he answered my calls then?¡±


    ¡°Well, he can¡¯t answer your calls right now, his condition is still terrible¡­¡±


    ¡°Then tell me quickly, what is his status?¡±


    ¡°I also don¡¯t know how to put it, how about this, I¡¯ll take you to see him!¡±


    Wenya seemed unable to deliver the heartbreaking news after all, and finally decided to drive me out.


    Half an hour later, our car arrived at the First City Hospital.


    The moment we entered the building, my heart broke.


    I felt suffocated and oppressed.


    With the uncertainty of Ding Yinuo¡¯s life or death, my heart lept up into my throat.


    I instinctively tightened my hold on Wenya¡¯s arm.


    Wenya was quite calm, she patted my shoulder,


    ¡°Ayun! Perhaps you are Ding Yinuo¡¯s lucky star, you can save him!¡±


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t grasp the real meaning behind Wenya¡¯s words.


    After taking the elevator, when I saw the ICU, my heart sunk further.


    A coincedence led us to encounter Ding Xiao at the doorway of the ward.


    Ding Xiao looked at me in surprise, seemed like he wanted to speak, but his eyes were reddened, he remained silent for a long time, and ultimately didn¡¯t say anything.


    He simply extended a hand to lightly pat my shoulder,


    ¡°Xiaosong, hold on!¡±


    He is Ding Yinuo¡¯s closest kin, he needed comfort, why was he the one comforting me instead?


    Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have a chance to say anything before Wenya pulled me into the ward.


    It was a single room. The ward was extremely quiet, it smelled heavily of disinfectant, and felt a bit cold when we entered.


    As soon as I entered the room, I saw the person lying in the white hospital bed, the one I missed day and night.


    He lay in the white hospital bed, his skin matching the pallor of the sheets.


    If it weren¡¯t for the various tubes connected to his body, he looked lifeless, as if he was dead.


    ¡°Anuo!¡±


    I quickly walked over, grabbed his arm, and gently shook it.


    Simultaneously, I softly called out his name.


    But I called out over and over, and he didn¡¯t react at all.


    ¡°Anuo, Anuo, wake up, open your eyes and look at me! I¡¯m Ayun, I¡¯m here to see you!¡±


    I raised my voice, but to no avail, he seemed as though he couldn¡¯t hear me, and continued to sleep deeply.


    If it weren¡¯t for the machine next to him showing that his heart was still beating, I would have thought that he had already died.


    Despite me calling out for a long time, he gave no response.


    Ding Xiao walked in, he said sorrowfully,


    ¡°Our little brother! He sustained a severe head injury, the doctor said¡­ he might not regain consciousness for the rest of his life.¡±


    Upon hearing this, I felt as though I had been struck by lightning.


    According to what Ding Xiao implied, Ding Yinuo had become a vegetative, likely to lie in this hospital bed for the rest of his life.


    ¡°How could this happen?¡±


    I could not accept this reality, I burst into tears.


    I kept repeating this sentence over and over again, I was questioning myself repeatedly.


    But actually, I was very clear.


    This was all because I got him involved.


    I was the one who caused him to be this way.


    I regretted it so much, why did I need to drag Ding Yinuo into this?


    I always tried to keep Ding Yinuo away from this trouble, but in the end, it seems like I was too late.


    ¡°Yinuo, Yinuo¡­¡±


    I called out again, but he still gave no response.


    Wenya held my arm, gave me a hug, she patted my shoulder, and softly comforted me.


    ¡°Ayun, calm down a bit! Although vegetative patients can¡¯t speak, their senses might still be intact, he might be able to hear your voice. You have to cool down a bit, otherwise, he will feel upset.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, it¡¯s all my fault, I hurt him!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s fault, he was the one who sent people to hurt you two.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s words ignited more hatred in my heart for Gu Yuanzhou.


    I had never hated someone to this extent before.


    I really hate my kindness and soft-heartedness.


    I actually had the chance, with one stab I could have finished off Gu Yuanzhou, then things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.


    I hate that I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it¡­


    After being persuaded by Wenya, I gradually calmed down.


    I slowly squatted down beside the hospital bed, held Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand,


    ¡°Anuo, I¡¯m sorry! It¡¯s my fault! I¡¯m the one who hurt you. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t disappoint you, I will live properly.¡±


    ¡°Anuo, you must get better, I will find a way to cure you and bring you back to consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Anuo, if you truly love me, then wake up right now. As long as you wake up, I will be your Ayun, I will be your wife, we can stay together for the rest of our lives, okay?¡±


    Wenya stood by my side, occasionally wiping away tears with the back of her hand.


    Ding Xiao turned around sorrowfully.


    The entire ward was filled with sadness¡­


    Wenya pulled me away from the bedside.


    Standing in the hallway, she softly comforted me,


    ¡°Ayun, I and Su Peisheng have already inquired. There is a very professional hospital in the United States, where the authoritative doctors can treat vegetative patients and get them to regain consciousness, and the success rate is high. You mustn¡¯t give up hope. Don¡¯t worry about the unfamiliar environment either, Su Peisheng has some classmates over there¡­¡±


    I calmly looked at her,


    ¡°Did Ding¡¯s father die because of me?¡±


    Wenya was at a loss for words for a while, then said,


    ¡°No, it has nothing to do with you!¡±


    ¡°Wenya, stop comforting me! I know what I¡¯ve done!¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another thing I want to know¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening with the Song Family now? Where are they? Why can¡¯t I reach Song Zexi on his phone?¡±


    I had tried to contact Song Zexi after being at the hospital.


    From the day that everything happened, I lost contact with Song Zexi. Plus, Ayu provided a clue that Song Zexi had betrayed me.


    I kept thinking, how could Song Zexi possibly betray me?


    He held so much hatred for Gu Yuanzhou, how could he have given such crucial information to him.


    There¡¯s only one possibility ¨C he must have encountered some trouble!


    Wenya looked at me, hesitated for a moment¡­


    ¡°Well, Ayun, we can only¡­take care of one thing at a time, we can¡¯t lump everything together. Let¡¯s deal with the matter of Ding Yinuo first, then talk about the Song Family.¡±


    I noticed that Wenya seemed to be hiding something, so I said,


    ¡°Alright then, if you don¡¯t want to tell me, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m going to look for Wu Lijuan now to get a clear understanding.¡±


    Wenya stopped me, ¡°Don¡¯t be hotheaded, I¡¯ll tell you, I¡¯ll tell you!¡±

 Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Chapter 296 Difficult to Accept_1

    Chapter 296: Chapter 296 Difficult to Accept_1


    ¡°He¡¯s actually also in this hospital, not far away. You should go see for yourself, but you should brace yourself.¡±


    Wenya sighed deeply.


    You could tell that she initially planned to conceal it, so as not to upset me.


    But I wanted to know the truth, rather than living a fantasy.


    I¡¯ve already lost everything. What else do I have to fear?


    He¡¯s in this same hospital.


    Should be easy to find him.


    Shortly after, Wenya led me to another ward.


    This was the intensive care unit.


    Through the glass door, I could see Song Zexi lying on the hospital bed, his body also riddled with various tubes.


    From the looks of him, he wasn¡¯t much different from Yinuo.


    ¡°What on earth is going on?¡±


    Wenya sighed,


    ¡°Su Peisheng had his friend investigate it. On the day of your accident with Yinuo, Song Zexi also had a car accident. However, the area he had the accident in is a CCTV blind spot. We can¡¯t find any conclusive evidence. As long as Song Zexi remains unconscious, we have no way of learning what happened.¡±


    I gripped the door handle tightly and bitterly laughed,


    ¡°Is there even a need to ask? It was certainly Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s doing!¡±


    ¡°Do you have evidence?¡±


    ¡°No, but Song Zexi is the only one who knew the information I had¡­ and Gu Yuanzhou also knew about this matter. This indicates he must have met with Song Zexi. He possibly even kidnapped Song Zexi using illicit methods. Threatening, forcing or even torturing him into giving him the information he wanted. Then, he¡¯d off Song Zexi to ensure his silence. Oh, murder carries significant risks. Turning someone into a vegetable is much safer.¡±


    My words stunned Wenya for a moment.


    She stared at me in shock, finally saying,


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, it seems plausible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just plausible, I¡¯m certain. I know Gu Yuanzhou too well, that¡¯s just the kind of person he is!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, what are you planning to do next?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Wenya. Can you give me some time to think about what to do next?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ we already arranged with Su Peisheng to look for a hospital in the United States. When the time comes, will you accompany us to the United States for Yinuo¡¯s treatment?¡±


    ¡°Yes, good, you go ahead and prepare!¡±


    My emotions are currently a whirlwind, to a degree of sadness and anger that words can¡¯t describe. I simply can¡¯t stop to think about anything.`


    Fortunately, Wenya is a remarkable help.


    She has lent me a considerable hand.


    The entire day, I remained in the hospital, at Yinou¡¯s side the entire time.


    I bought flowers, opened the window, letting the fresh air carry the fragrance of flowers to his nostrils.


    I picked up a book, sat next to his hospital bed, and read to him word by word.


    I held his hand, repeatedly calling his name.


    I was hoping for a miracle¡­


    In the afternoon, Aunt Ding appeared unexpectedly.


    At that time, Ding Xiao was also here¡­


    ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡±


    Ding Xiao was clearly panicked.


    With her hands on her chest, Aunt Ding cried in distress,


    ¡°You child! Your brother is in this state, why didn¡¯t you notify me?¡±


    Aunt Ding cried herself into a faint¡­


    Ding Xiao held back tears, allowing Aunt Ding to hit him without dodging, he took it all.


    For that moment, the entire ward was filled with grief.


    I quickly went up to help Aunt Ding up and explained to her,


    ¡°Your big brother didn¡¯t tell you in order to prevent you from getting upset! He bore all of it alone.¡±


    With tears in her eyes, Aunt Ding looked at Yinuo, who had become a vegetative person, and let out a wail, her sorrow was heartbreaking.


    ¡°Why is my life so hard! I just lost my husband, and now my son is gone! God, why didn¡¯t you take me too?¡±


    I too have had the pain of losing a child.


    The grief Aunt Ding was going through deeply resonated with me.


    The best I could do was to comfort her as much as possible, in the hopes of easing her overwhelming pain.


    ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t be upset. Yinuo is just in a temporary coma, he will wake up!¡±


    Wiping the tears off her face, Aunt Ding looked at me,


    ¡°Really! When have I ever lied to you! This has scientific evidence and experts to back it up, I even asked a friend in the United States about it. Once we make the final plans, we will take Yinuo to the US for treatment.¡±


    ¡°My child! Hearing your words gives me hope.¡±


    Aunt Ding stopped crying, she began questioning me,


    ¡°So when will he wake up?¡±


    ¡°At most in three months!¡±


    I gave her a random timeline.


    I thought to myself, I must first comfort her and then think about the treatment later on.


    Aunt Ding¡¯s emotions gradually stabilized, and she no longer wished herself dead.


    I chatted with Aunt Ding for quite some time, talking about some company matters, we chatted for over an hour.


    It wasn¡¯t until then that Ding Xiao finally took Aunt Ding back home.


    Before she left, Aunt Ding held my hand, her eyes filled with tears,


    ¡°Xiaosong! Yinuo is now in your hands!¡±


    ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t be polite! Taking care of him is my duty.¡±


    ¡°Alas, just a while ago he told me¡­ that he isn¡¯t fortunate enough to marry you! I even encouraged him, saying you¡¯re a woman who should be cherished¡­ I thought you were going to leave him! It turns out, your feelings for Yinuo are genuine.¡±


    Hearing what Aunt Ding said made me feel even more guilty.


    If it weren¡¯t for me, Yinuo wouldn¡¯t be in such a state.


    I dare not say more than necessary, I can only promise to do my best to wake him up.


    After sending Aunt Ding off, I stayed with Yinuo for quite a while.


    When night fell, I took a towel and helped him wash his face and his hands¡­


    I know that although he is in a vegetative state, he is not a vegetable, he is still very much a human being.


    Perhaps his soul is just trapped inside his body, his consciousness could still be active, he can feel but is unable to respond.


    If that is the case, I must let him feel the warmth of being alive.


    Past eight in the evening, my phone suddenly rang.


    Although this mobile phone was new and bought by Wenya, it had already been fitted with my old SIM card.


    At this moment, the person calling was a familiar number.


    It was none other than Wu Lijuan.


    I had been wanting to see her for a while now, and unexpected she took the initiative to contact me.


    Without any hesitation, I picked up the call.


    ¡°Is this Xiaosong?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aunt are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡­couldn¡¯t get through to you, I just did.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I had an accident and only recently recovered my mobile phone.¡±


    ¡°Are you free now? I want to see you!¡±


    ¡°Alright! Just give me the address, I¡¯m coming right now!¡±


    ¡°At¡­Lakeside Caf¨¦! I¡¯ll wait for you here!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on my way!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I said to Yinuo,


    ¡°Yinuo, I have to go see Aunt Wu for a bit, you stay here by yourself for a while, I¡¯ll be back later to keep you company!¡±


    Half an hour later, I took a cab to the caf¨¦ Wu Lijuan had specified.


    Just as I was about to enter, I spotted a familiar face.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou!


    The man dressed in a black suit with a very strong presence could be felt even from quite a distance.


    He was sitting opposite to Wu Lijuan, sipping his coffee, checking his phone, seemingly waiting for my arrival.

 Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter 297 Prepare for This Battle_1

    Chapter 297: Chapter 297 Prepare for This Battle_1


    I originally came to see Wu Lijuan.


    I didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuanzhou to set a trap for me here.


    Needless to say, as soon as I go in, he will definitely find a way to detain me.


    I don¡¯t want to gamble, and I can¡¯t afford to anymore.


    Actually, I already know what Song Zexi is going through, and I haven¡¯t figured out how to explain it to Wu Lijuan yet.


    After a lot of thought, I hurriedly turned around and left.


    Half an hour later, I picked up my phone and dialed back on Wu Lijuan¡¯s number.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, something urgent came up, so I have to cancel our meet-up today. Or¡­we can meet another day.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­ Actually, I don¡¯t have anything else, I just wanted to ask about Zexi. I haven¡¯t seen him in a long time, can¡¯t reach him on his phone, and can¡¯t find him anywhere, have you seen him?¡±


    I remained silent.


    Another heartbroken and desperate mother, I really don¡¯t know what to say to her.


    After thinking for a while, I said,


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you can ask Gu Yuanzhou! A few days ago, I saw Gu Yuanzhou with Zexi! He should know.¡±


    ¡°Alright, good¡­ Thank you!¡±


    After hanging up, I held my phone, lost in thought.


    This problem was created by Gu Yuanzhou.


    Since he got her son into this mess, he should take responsibility for it.


    I spent the night in the hospital.


    I moved a recliner next to the bed and stayed with Ding Yinuo¡­


    By the next morning,


    As the sun was rising, I opened the window, let the sunshine in, casting it on Ding Yinuo¡¯s face.


    ¡°Yinuo, the weather is great today, so sunny! Can you feel it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t stay with you today, I got a call from your brother, I have to go to the office.¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, don¡¯t worry, Tianjiao [Chinese name] has me, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, if you can hear me, blink, or move your finger, so I can know you¡¯re there, okay?¡±


    I stared at Ding Yinuo¡¯s face for a long time, but there was no change.


    Just like yesterday!


    I shook his hand, said goodbye!


    ¡°Yinuo, see you in the evening! I¡¯m off to work now!¡±


    In fact, it was Ding Xiao who called me around eight in the morning.


    Since Ding Yinuo¡¯s accident, Ding Xiao has been taking care of things at the company.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because he¡¯s been through so many family changes, this man, who¡¯s only now middle-aged, has some white hair at his temples.


    From afar, he looked so firm and resolute.


    Indeed, with Ding Yinuo down, Ding Xiao is the only pillar in the family. He can¡¯t fall.


    When he saw me approaching, only then a hint of a smile appeared on his face.


    ¡°Xiaosong, you¡¯ve lost a lot of weight recently!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to lose weight!¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the injury on your head?¡±


    ¡°The bandages have been removed¡­ the wound is almost healed, but there¡¯s a piece of my hair missing. I¡¯ll have to figure out how to get a hair transplant later.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a brave girl!¡±


    Ding Xiao¡¯s voice was like a bass drum, full of richness, calm, and depth.


    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t notice!¡±


    ¡°If it were any other girl, they would be crying their eyes out after losing this much hair! And you are so calm¡­¡±


    I chuckled, as a woman who has been through death once, losing a patch of hair, even a finger, isn¡¯t scary.


    ¡°Big Brother Ding, you urgently called me back. Is there anything important?¡±


    ¡°I have some good news for you!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The designs you competed with last time won a place in the finals in Hong Kong! The organizers have invited the designers to attend the award ceremony.¡±


    ¡°So, did we win?¡±


    This came as a surprise.


    ¡°The organizers didn¡¯t say, but based on my experience, you probably have a chance to win, but we won¡¯t know what the prize is until we¡¯re there. I know you¡¯ve been feeling really down lately because of what happened to Yinuo. You don¡¯t have to go if you don¡¯t want to, but¡­ Yinuo told me once that he really hoped you would win!¡±


    I understood what Ding Xiao meant.


    Indeed, I¡¯m not in the mood to entertain these things right now.


    But since this is what Ding Yinuo really wants, I have to do it.


    ¡°Big Brother Ding, I will go. It¡¯s just a day¡¯s trip back and forth! I hope Yinuo can hear this.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡±


    Ding Xiao patted my shoulder,


    ¡°Yinuo didn¡¯t get it wrong, you are a sensible and courageous woman.¡±


    I gave a bitter smile, relative to the praise from others, I just wanted some encouragement from Ding Yinuo.


    If only he could wake up!


    In the afternoon, Wenya accompanied me to the beauty salon to get a hair transplant.


    Because the scalp was damaged, a large piece of hair was missing, it was very noticeable, especially when attending such an important ceremony.


    Naturally, I¡¯d have to make myself look better, after all, I¡¯m going there on behalf of Tianjiao.


    What I need is not the stage and the spotlight, but for Tianjiao to soar high with my help.


    ¡°Sorry, miss, if you¡¯re going to get a hair transplant, your hair needs to grow out. That takes several months.¡±


    After talking to the beautician, I gave up the idea of a hair transplant.


    I decided to wear a wig to the award ceremony¡­


    After trying a few styles, I finally chose a short bob that reached my collarbone, with bangs.


    In order to suit this hairstyle, I simply got a buzz cut¡­


    It perfectly suited Song Xiaoyun¡¯s small, quaint face. It was lively, adorable, and classy.


    ¡°This hairstyle is light and it matches your face shape, you wouldn¡¯t feel pressured. But the downside is that it¡¯s easy to fall off, so you need to be careful. As long as you don¡¯t dance or do vigorous exercise, the wig won¡¯t fall off.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Looking at the perfect hairstyle in the mirror, I was very satisfied.


    Originally Ding Xiao wanted to send me off, but I knew Ding Yinuo needed him to stay. Besides, Tianjiao needed someone too.


    I can¡¯t let Gu Yuanzhou seize the opportunity to raid the Ding family when they¡¯re weak.


    I managed to persuade Ding Xiao to stay, and eventually headed to Hong Kong alone.


    Wenya took me to the airport. Before we parted, she hugged me and couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. A flood of words condensed into one sentence.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo is waiting for you, we¡¯re waiting for you to come back!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Wenya, I¡¯ll be back soon, then we can go have a drink together!¡±


    Wenya might have perceived some kind of danger.


    She hugged me several times, constantly reminding me to take care of myself.


    I had long gone through security, yet she stood still, waving frantically at me.


    Just before I was about to board the plane, my phone rang. I picked it up and saw that it was a message from Wenya.


    ¡°I heard from Su Peisheng that Zhenyi Company is also participating in the competition. They are even sponsors of the event. You might come across Ye Mengyan at the ceremony¡­ You must stay calm and return as soon as the award ceremony is over.¡±


    I replied to Wenya, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I was thinking of meeting her!¡±

 Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Chapter 298: Fight with One’s Back to the River_1

    Chapter 298: Chapter 298: Fight with One¡¯s Back to the River_1


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t ever try to force your way in! It¡¯s Hong Kong. Don¡¯t take it lightly!¡±


    I respond with a message.


    ¡°Do me a favor, when I¡¯m gone, make some time to keep Ding Yinuo company, have a chat with him!¡±


    After I replied to the message, I turned off my phone.


    The plane began to take off at that moment.


    I put on my eye mask and closed my eyes to rejuvenate.


    I was thinking I could take a short nap during the over two-hour journey.


    But as soon as I dozed off a bit, the low murmuring of two women could be heard from afar.


    ¡°Do you think Song Xiaoyun will show up?¡±


    Their specified name woke me up instantly.


    I thought it was a hallucination. But when I stealthily looked back, indeed, it was Ye Mengyan sitting with another woman, separated from me by a row.


    Ye Mengyan got out on bail before, the case hasn¡¯t been heard yet, and she shouldn¡¯t be allowed to leave A City. Yet here she is, running around freely.


    This means that Gu Yuanzhou must have pulled a lot of strings for her.


    What merit or ability does this woman have?


    Amid my astonishment, the woman continued her arrogant talk.


    ¡°Given her competitive nature, she must be coming!¡±


    ¡°Well, I heard that she was in a car accident recently that ruined her face. Does she still have the face to show up?¡±


    ¡°The event organizers have her name on their list, and she is among the invitees. This is a good chance for her to show off, she will surely come. Her face didn¡¯t get ruined, but it seems like she lost some scalp¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, she¡¯s brave indeed. She barely has half a life left, and yet she dares to stand up against you all?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just thinking the car accident was too mild. A woman like her can only settle down once she¡¯s dead!¡±


    ¡°So, what are you going to do? From the list of contestants I¡¯ve seen, she is the only one who can compete with you, the only one who matches your strength. Maybe, she might even walk away with the big prize.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if she dares to come, I¡¯ll ruin her face for good.¡±


    Ye Mengyan is indeed bold; on the plane, in full view of everyone, she spouted these outrageous words.


    I faintly curl my lips, pay no mind, and continue.


    The plane kept flying and half an hour later, most passengers were in deep sleep.


    Ye Mengyan, perhaps too tired, began to doze off as well.


    Taking advantage of going to the restroom, I walked towards her, then stealthily took away the dozing man¡¯s phone from the seat behind her, and slipped it inconspicuously into her travel bag.


    An hour and a half later.


    The plane arrived at the airport.


    As the passengers were getting ready to disembark, a man cried out in panic.


    ¡°Stewardess, my phone is missing!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sir? Did you forget to bring your phone on board?¡±


    ¡°I brought it, I¡¯m sure I did. I even made a call to my wife on the plane. There¡¯s a thief on the plane. No one is allowed to leave!¡±


    The man¡¯s hubbub irritated Ye Mengyan, and she snapped at him,


    ¡°Seriously, what lack of manners. Who doesn¡¯t have a phone these days? Does someone who can afford to fly want your shabby phone?¡±


    Seeing this, I gave the man an idea.


    ¡°Sir, if you want to know where your phone is, just make a call and you will know.¡±


    The man came to his senses and immediately borrowed a phone from the stewardess¡­


    Meanwhile, Ye Mengyan noticed me,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun? Hm, your hair, it¡¯s fake, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She reached out to pull my wig and I stepped back, keeping some distance from her.


    As she was about to come towards me again, a phone ring sounded from her bag.


    The man grabbed her immediately, yelling at her,


    ¡°Thief, thief! So it¡¯s you, thief. Give me back my phone¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy? Who¡¯s a thief!¡±


    Ye Mengyan tried to break free, but the man had already snatched her travel bag and dumped all the contents in front of everyone.


    Among a pile of personal belongings, was that phone¡­


    With the man holding onto Ye Mengyan, she would be hard-pressed to escape for a while.


    She brought it upon herself.


    Who asked her to be so cocky!


    After exiting the airport, I hopped in a cab and headed straight for the hotel.


    At the entrance of the hotel, I ran into Gu Yuanzhou.


    He was wearing a black high-end suit, standing amidst a group of businessmen, standing out like a crane in a flock of chickens.


    Especially his gloomy temperament, making people not dare to approach.


    Under the large crystal chandelier, he was holding a tall glass of red wine in hand, deliberating something with several business moguls.


    Laughing and joking, toasting and asking questions.


    I merely sneaked a glance at him, then turned and walked into the elevator.


    This business hotel is the most luxurious hotel in Hong Kong. The hotel room and flight tickets were all booked by Ding Xiao for me.


    It would be difficult to book a room again right now if I cancelled and rebooked.


    Therefore, I had to take the risk of staying in the same hotel as Gu Yuanzhou.


    I¡¯m only staying for one night anyway. After the award ceremony tomorrow, I will take a night flight back to A City.


    And it seemed like he didn¡¯t notice me.


    To avoid running into Gu Yuanzhou, I even cancelled my decision to go to the buffet restaurant for dinner.


    I ordered takeout to my room instead.


    After I called Wenya, I sat down, opened the laptop and checked the original draft of the design work, then wrote down some reflections on my design.


    These drafts are for the award presentation later¡­


    Just as I finished writing, the doorbell rang. I thought it was the food I ordered.


    I quickly got up to open the door.


    As soon as I opened the door, I saw the dark figure blocking the entrance, a pair of cold eyes looking at me.


    It wasn¡¯t the delivery personnel at all.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou.


    I reacted immediately and tried to close the door, but he was faster, sliding his leather-shoed foot into the crack in the door.


    The door was jammed and couldn¡¯t be closed.


    I tried to forcibly close it, but the man pushed hard.


    That force knocked me backwards with the door.


    Then he barged in, quickly closing the door, and with his big hand, he seized my wrists and pushed me against the wall.


    My back pressed against the cold wall, I glared at him in anger.


    But I did not give up. My hands wriggled nonstop, trying to break free from his grasp.


    At this moment, I detested him to the core.


    Ding Yinuo was victimized by him.


    We were at odds, incompatible like fire and water.


    Now, my eyes could only reveal hatred. I wished I could just jab a knife into his face a thousand times.


    He held me tightly, the corner of his mouth revealing a hint of ridicule, seemingly mocking my incapacity.


    If my hands were restrained, then I would kick his legs with my feet¡­


    He leaned in even closer, trapping my legs with his, preventing me from attacking.


    The two of us didn¡¯t say a word, but were silently confronting each other. I exhausted all my strength, panting heavy, his provocative eyes grew stronger as he held me without any effort.


    My hands and feet were now under his control, immovable, so I decided to use my head to strike him.


    Just when I was about to do so, my wig slipped off my head and fell to the ground.

 Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Chapter 299: On the Verge of Eruption_1

    Chapter 299: Chapter 299: On the Verge of Eruption_1


    Seeing my shiny, bald head reflecting off the sleek hotel walls was comparable to a bright light bulb.


    For a young lady in her prime, this was undoubtedly a distasteful sight.


    But the one who was more shocked was Gu Yuanzhou.


    It seemed he hadn¡¯t expected me to shave my head.


    During his moment of surprise, I broke out of his grasp, pointed at the door and growled at him, ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    He barely started to speak when he met with my more violent reaction.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ruined now! Are you happy? You manipulated Ayu to injure me, to disfigure my face, and then have me crawl like a dog, right? Gu Yuanzhou, are you even human? You¡¯ve used every method to insult a woman, to drive her to death, insanity, breakdown¡­ Are you satisfied now? Delighted to see me in this disgraceful state?¡±


    ¡°Well then, have the guts to kill me! Kill me!¡±


    I sounded somewhat insane.


    Yelling at him with a hoarse voice, uttering incoherent curses.


    He just stared at me, shocked, unable to say anything for a long time.


    Until the sudden ringing of a phone.


    He glanced at his mobile, and then walked out while taking the call.


    I guess, Ye Mengyan must have called him.


    Telling him to handle the situation.


    I quickly closed the door, hiding behind it, my heart pounding like a drum!


    I was really nervous, not knowing why Gu Yuanzhou came to find me, and really afraid of what terrible things he might do if I provoked him.


    The doorbell rang again.


    My heart skipped a beat, thinking that Gu Yuanzhou was back.


    After a while, there was a knock on the door from outside,


    ¡°Miss, your meal has arrived!¡±


    I scrambled to the peephole to check, and seeing that it was indeed a hotel staff member, I finally relaxed and opened the door.


    After bringing in the meal, I impulsively shut the door as quickly as possible.


    At this point, looking at the steaming food, I had no appetite at all.


    After a few absent-minded bites, I went straight to bed to sleep.


    In truth, I couldn¡¯t sleep at all.


    Tossing and turning in bed.


    Constantly on alert, fearing that Gu Yuanzhou would barge in.


    In reality, my worry was unnecessary because Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t come at all that night.


    I only managed to fall asleep at six o¡¯clock the next morning.


    And didn¡¯t wake up until after nine.


    After a restless night, my face was lined with dark circles under my eyes.


    After taking a shower, I put on some simple makeup.


    And as soon as I stepped out, I ran into Gu Yuanzhou again.


    He was waiting at my door, standing down the hall, smoking.


    His gaze was extraordinarily complicated when he looked at me¡­


    I glanced at him and immediately walked in the opposite direction.


    I really didn¡¯t feel like dealing with him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen your contest submissions!¡±


    He said in a deep voice.


    I halted, slowly turning my head toward him,


    ¡°Oh, was Mr. Gu dazzled by my works and now feels overwhelming shame, thinking about giving up the competition, is that right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray¡­


    He walked over to me with his hands in his pockets.


    ¡°Those designs¡­ my wife designed them in the past¡­¡±


    ¡°So, you intend to accuse me of plagiarism again, right?¡±


    I continued to attack him sarcastically.


    His reaction was surprisingly calm, his dark eyes gazing at me gloomily.


    ¡°To be precise, we co-designed them. One of them, a white wedding dress, she said she wanted our daughter to wear it someday¡­¡±


    With Gu Yuanzhou reminding me like this, I seemed to remember I did show it to him at one point.


    And even asked for some of his suggestions.


    I scornfully retorted,


    ¡°I was foolish to ask too many questions then, all you did was suggest some alterations to the boutonni¨¨re, that doesn¡¯t count as co-designing.¡±


    ¡°You know about these small details?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I also know that you drank too much that day and pushed me down on the sofa¡­¡±


    A flash of light crossed his dark eyes as he suddenly leaned closer to me, ¡°And then what?¡±


    ¡°Then you ripped off my clothes¡­¡±


    ¡°What kind of clothes were they?¡±


    ¡°A red, retro-styled nightgown!¡±


    Talking about these intimate details in front of him, I didn¡¯t feel ashamed. After all, he had been my bed partner for many years.


    ¡°Did we use protection?¡±


    ¡°The first two times, yes, the last time we didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like wearing raincoats, you preferred the intimacy!¡±


    He suddenly stepped forward, grabbing my hand, tenderly stroking it, his eyes full of excitement and anticipation as he pressed on with his questions.


    ¡°One final question, what brand of condoms did we use?¡±


    ¡°You liked using an American brand¡­ War God!¡±


    Only then was he shocked.


    Because that brand wasn¡¯t available for sale domestically, very few people knew about it.


    It was something he would specially buy from abroad.


    Such intimate games between a married couple wouldn¡¯t be known by others.


    He looked at me, his eyes filled with disbelief.


    ¡°Wait for me after the award ceremony, I have something to tell you!¡±


    ¡°I have to go!¡±


    I didn¡¯t give him an answer!


    Just as I took a step, he called me back again.


    ¡°Why did you target Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    ¡°On the plane¡­ Ye Mengyan said that you put that man¡¯s phone in her bag, did you purposely set her up?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze was sharp, often able to see the essence of things easily.


    ¡°If I say I didn¡¯t do it, would you believe me?¡±


    ¡°All I want to say is, there¡¯s really no need for you to keep targeting her! Why are you doing this!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, have you ever thought, maybe it¡¯s her who¡¯s targeting me?¡±


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t, she promised me that she won¡¯t bother you anymore from now on. Otherwise, we¡¯ll cut ties!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s sudden declaration left me shocked.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, why don¡¯t I believe those words you¡¯re saying? Think about these few months, how many things have you done to help Ye Mengyan?¡±


    ¡°Any sacrifice has a limit. I¡¯m not going to cover for her forever!¡±


    ¡°Who would believe such words you¡¯ve said! She is your true love, how could you not help her?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me strangely for a long time,


    ¡°I¡¯ve realized that you just won¡¯t hear what I¡¯m saying, I¡¯ve told you a hundred times! I have nothing to do with her, she is not my true love, and I am not her anyone!¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap, she¡¯s even carrying your child and you dare to say you have nothing to do with her?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s really no need for you to use this to drive a wedge between us, she is really not pregnant!!!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou insisted upon this.


    I was taken aback.


    From his words, I suddenly felt a pang of excitement.


    Could it be the child Ye Mengyan is carrying isn¡¯t his?


    If that¡¯s the case, there will be quite a spectacle later.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, see you later.¡±


    The award ceremony was drawing near, I didn¡¯t want to waste any more time with Gu Yuanzhou, and hastily left.


    The truth is, ever since Ding Inuo¡¯s accident, I¡¯ve been feeling nothing but resentment towards Gu Yuanzhou, I don¡¯t believe any of his words, not even the punctuation marks.

 Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Chapter 300 It’s very simple to deal with a person_1

    Chapter 300: Chapter 300 It¡¯s very simple to deal with a person_1


    I arrived at the venue of the party swiftly.


    As per regulations, we, the designers who are eligible for the award, should enter the venue in advance.


    I was a little nervous and went to the restroom to adjust my wig lest there was any mishap later.


    After all, my wig had fallen to the ground during the tussle with Gu Yuanzhou, and it needed re-styling and a touchup of my makeup.


    Unexpectedly, on my way to the entrance, I bumped into Ye Mengyan again.


    At that moment, Ye Mengyan was holding a female staff member¡¯s hand, imploring in a low voice,


    ¡°We have seen them; the series from Tianjiao Company are not acceptable; they are plagiarized and violate the contest rules. If you select them as the winner, it will be a joke.¡±


    ¡°Miss Ye, this is a decision made by the entire judging panel. Although I¡¯m in charge, I can¡¯t change the result.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that! I know the unspoken rules. All these competitions are a farce. It¡¯s all about giving someone else an advantage, and whoever pays the most wins. How about this, name your price! As long as you can make me the first, I¡¯m okay.¡±


    This is a great opportunity!


    I took out my phone and recorded this scene, then swiftly uploaded the short video online, alongside a caption:


    ¡°The Chief Designer of Zhenyi Company attempting to buy victory with money at a Hong Kong fashion competition.¡±


    The news had just been posted.


    Ye Mengyan looked up at me.


    She rushed over to me, visibly tense, and questioned me,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, what were you recording just now?¡±


    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was furious, she stomped her foot, her face distorting with anger.


    ¡°Did you just secretly record me? Don¡¯t deny it, I saw it!¡±


    I looked at her and smiled, then said,


    ¡°Oh, yes! Such juicy scandal, of course, I had to capture it. What¡¯s the matter, you did all this, and afraid of others finding out?¡±


    Humiliated and angry, Ye Mengyan started pointing her finger at me, very aggressively.


    ¡°I command you to delete all the footage you just recorded!¡±


    ¡°You command me? Excuse me, but I haven¡¯t figured out who you think you are yet!¡±


    When Ye Mengyan realized threats were useless, she changed tactics,


    ¡°Give me your phone! Give me your phone, quickly, do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°No, sorry!¡±


    ¡°You shameless wretch, what did you record just now?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was livid, rapidly losing her patience.


    She lost her cool and started spewing vulgarities, even attempting to snatch my phone.


    There was no way I would let her succeed. I kept retreating while keeping her at bay.


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no use even if you delete it now because the footage I took has already been uploaded online. Why don¡¯t you take a look at it yourself.¡±


    Hearing this, Ye Mengyan was no longer in a mood to argue with me. She hastily took out her phone and began looking for the news online.


    Taking advantage of this, I left the scene.


    I had achieved my aim, so why bother arguing with her anymore? Let her sort it out.


    A few minutes later, I entered the award ceremony.


    At this moment, the award ceremony officially began.


    I was sitting in the third row from the front. On turning my head, I realized that Gu Yuanzhou was seated four places to my left.


    Just as I glanced at him, he returned my gaze.


    I quickly withdrew my gaze and sat up straight.


    The host on the stage began presenting the entries for this competition. I paid close attention to this part.


    In them, indeed, was the design Ye Mengyan had submitted for Zhenyi Company¡­


    Having taken a quick glance, I couldn¡¯t help but smirk.


    No wonder Ye Mengyan secretly tried to bribe the staff. Her design lacked inspiration and creativity. It was ordinary, somewhat conservative and outdated.


    She wouldn¡¯t even be in the running for any worthy rank in this nomination lineup.


    Perhaps Gu Yuanzhou must have stuffed a substantial amount of money into the organizer¡¯s pocket to barely get her nominated.


    At this, I saw through Ye Mengyan completely.


    A designer without a hint of creativity, she wasn¡¯t the right fit for this business. I just cannot understand Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s thinking.


    Yet he chose her.


    As I pondered this, the host announced the award-winning design.


    ¡°Our third place award goes to, a creation dubbed ¡®Paris Spring¡¯, submitted by Zhenyi Company. Alright, let¡¯s welcome our designer Miss Ye Mengyan to the stage! Also, Miss Jiang and Miss Zhu from Tianmeng Company¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, I couldn¡¯t help but curl my lips in satisfaction.


    Oh, third place!


    So it really was about money!


    But, I guess, this isn¡¯t the award Ye Mengyan had in mind, is it?


    Nevertheless, giving her this place is already a favor to Gu Yuanzhou.


    And just in time, Ye Mengyan rushed back from wherever she was. Even though third place had three winners, she didn¡¯t stand out at all.


    Despite her golden gown from a top-tier designer, it didn¡¯t suit her at all.


    This woman was naturally not aristocratic or confident. Standing on stage, hands clenched together, her eyes darting around nervously- she looked incredibly out of place¡­


    It was like a little girl wearing clothes stolen from an adult; lacking confidence, afraid of being busted.


    For her, this award ceremony felt like a punishment.


    I got myself a coffee, took a delicate sip, and continued to watch the drama unfold.


    Next up was the announcement for the second prize.


    It was a French-style dress from a luxury brand. Although the style was a bit conservative and old-fashioned, it excelled in craftsmanship¡­


    Competing here was, in itself, a way to broaden one¡¯s horizons and gather experiences.


    A lot could be learned here.


    I often wondered, if Yinuo hadn¡¯t had the accident, he would surely have been here with me.


    We would probably be hand in hand¡­


    Caught off guard, Gu Yuanzhou had somehow seated himself next to me.


    Leaning towards me, he murmured in my ear,


    ¡°Do you have any comments to make?¡±


    I shot him a disdainful glance and replied,


    ¡°Thanks to Ye Mengyan, the standards of Zhenyi Company have plummeted. Prior to Ye Mengyan, Zhenyi Company had a fairly decent reputation. Now, there¡¯s no difference between Zhenyi¡¯s fashion and the boutique clothes from the market. It seems like you¡¯re planning to cater to the lower-end consumers now?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me,


    ¡°Are you belittling me?¡±


    ¡°Belittle? You¡¯re over-thinking. You¡¯re on the verge of being phased out by the market. Women¡¯s aesthetic sense is very refined and foresighted. An unappealing female designer could lead a lot of female consumers to reject your brand¡­ Don¡¯t believe me? Just wait and see after the fashion competition, your company¡¯s sales performance will plummet.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou probably wasn¡¯t listening to my rant.


    Or maybe, he thought Ye Mengyan was the best.


    He didn¡¯t refute me.


    Instead he asked,


    ¡± Do you think your work can win?¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not confident?¡±


    ¡°Is it a matter of confidence? It¡¯s clearly a matter of integrity! Mr. Gu, could you please open your eyes to see what kind of trash the woman you like really is!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t suppress my frustration at him any longer.


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly responded,


    ¡°Your heart is too dark, the world isn¡¯t as chaotic as you see it to be!¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Mr. Gu, you speak so nonchalantly. Try having your head knocked off by a car, then come and talk to me about these big principles.¡±


    My jabs were unusually sharp and my voice once again rose,


    People around us heard and started to turn towards us.


    Meanwhile, the host finally announced the name of the grand prize winner.

 Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Chapter 301: Fight Her with Her Own Methods_1

    Chapter 301: Chapter 301: Fight Her with Her Own Methods_1


    ¡°Next, we are announcing the champion of this competition¡­ She is Miss Song Xiaoyun from Tianjiao Company. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Miss Xiaoyun onto the stage to collect her award with passionate applause!¡±


    The enormous electronic screen displays a series of exquisite and unique fashion designs ¨C my own creations.


    The entire venue erupts with applause.


    I almost thought I was hallucinating, but when I glanced at the screen again and confirmed that those were indeed my designs, I stepped onto the stage.


    As I walked past Ye Mengyan, her gaze was filled with resentment, envy, and hatred.


    I took a brief look at her, straightened my back, and confidently walked towards the podium.


    Before marrying Gu Yuanzhou, I had won numerous awards.


    But none of those wins was as significant as this one.


    While delivering my thank-you speech, tears welled up in my eyes.


    How I wish Ding Yinuo could be beside me now.


    ¡°Miss Song, what the fans are most interested in is what you experienced and felt during the creation of this piece¡­ We all want to know, what story lies behind this piece?¡±


    The host¡¯s question caught me off guard.


    As a designer and marketer, I understand that a good piece of work needs to be paired with a perfect story.


    It¡¯s a marketing strategy.


    Customers love products with their own stories.


    I had written a fictional backstory to share on stage that day.


    But after much consideration, I decided to abandon the fictional account and instead tell the true story of my life.


    ¡°The first half of my life was an unfortunate story. Like all unhappy marriages, I met a scumbag. He kept a young university student as his mistress outside. Ironically, this student was the impoverished girl I had been sponsoring. He betrayed me and took everything from me. Still, I am grateful to God for giving me a cute daughter. All of these dresses are carefully designed for my precious daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°At that time, she was just in her diaper, so tiny and pink, endearingly sweet. When I held her in my arms, I could already envision her entire life. I hoped that when she grew up, she would become an elegant young lady that could wear my designs and confidently exhibit her beauty on stage.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that a ruthless fire took her life. She was just six¡­ My sweet little angel, only six when she died in that fire. I wasn¡¯t able to save her. As a mother, I blame myself deeply. Even today, I¡¯m plagued with guilt and sorrow.¡±


    At this point, I broke down. Tears streaming down my face, my voice hoarse with emotion.


    I held the microphone and found it hard to continue speaking.


    The audience, moved by my story, silently stood up.


    The host passes me a tissue.


    ¡°Miss Song, please accept my condolences.¡±


    I nodded and wiped away my tears,


    ¡°Sorry for being uncontrolled just now. I lost my daughter forever, and she will never get to wear these clothes. That¡¯s why I decided to share these designs, hoping they could find new owners. I also hope to spread this beauty and love to others. Thank you.¡±


    My story must have touched them.


    After I finished speaking, the applause once again thundered throughout the venue.


    The golden champion¡¯s trophy finally found its way into my hands.


    As I held the weighty trophy, waves of emotion washed over me.


    As I left the stage, the thunderous applause continued to follow me.


    Perhaps because I cried too hard just now, I noticed my makeup was a bit streaky. I decided to go to the restroom to touch up my look.


    After all, tears will wash away the foundation on one¡¯s face.


    Who knew that the moment I walked into the restroom, I saw someone waiting for me.


    It was none other than Ye Mengyan.


    Picking up the consolation prize didn¡¯t satisfy her.


    On the contrary, she was incredibly jealous of me who won the first prize.


    She crossed her arms in front of me,


    ¡°You think you¡¯re so amazing, right?¡±


    I placed the trophy on the sink counter, calmly looking at her,


    ¡°Yes, I guess it is quite exceptional for you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®poor university girl¡¯ in your speech? Are you talking about me?¡±


    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t realize it, but it seems you know yourself well. Others return kindness with gratitude, but you reward it with betrayal. This kind of behaviour is even worse than that of animals.¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, are you insulting me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m insulting you! What else could it be?¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you bitch, you recorded my conversation with the sponsors and posted it online. Are you trying to ruin me?¡±


    I knew it, Ye Mengyan was here because of that incident. She must have been furious. In fact, she would be better off not winning any award at all.


    Once netizens soon discover her conspiracy with the sponsors¡­


    When this scandal comes to light, Zhenyi Company will surely be implicated as well.


    I wanted to see how much Gu Yuanzhou would be willing to jeopardize to protect her.


    Therefore, I riled up Ye Mengyan even more, pushing the situation towards an uncontrollable direction.


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, I saw your piece just now. It was completely uninspiring. You¡¯re not cut out to be a designer. Gu Yuanzhou must be blind to have put you in charge of the design department. He¡¯ll soon realize that you¡¯re incompetent. You¡¯re leading Zhenyi Company into a deeper abyss. Believe it or not, once he realizes that you¡¯re a worthless, he¡¯ll dump you! After all, people are practical.¡±


    Ye Mengyan couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore, and she started to freak out.


    She harshly threw my championship trophy on the floor and stomped on it.


    Then, she ripped off my wig, took out her phone and started filming my disheveled state.


    ¡°You bitch, you really think you¡¯re all that? You think the entire world loves you? Don¡¯t fool yourself. Let everyone see your true colors, your disgusting face¡­¡±


    I fell helplessly onto the floor, clutching my head and crying in agony.


    A picture of helplessness and despair!


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, even you have such a day! Do you know how disgusting you look when you¡¯re pitiful?¡±


    ¡°Miss Ye, please let me go. Please, I beg you!¡±


    I pretended to be weak and scared, begging her, like a helpless girl being bullied.


    Playing the victim, who doesn¡¯t know how to do that.


    She used to play this game, and now it¡¯s just my turn.


    Just as Ye Mengyan was filming me with her phone, the restroom door was kicked open.


    The person standing there was none other than Gu Yuanzhou.


    Yes, that¡¯s right. My vulnerability was all an act.


    As soon as I entered the restroom, I noticed that Gu Yuanzhou had been following me.


    That¡¯s why I put on this show with Ye Mengyan.


    I wanted Gu Yuanzhou to see clearly, the innocent, kind-hearted girl he thought he knew is, in fact, a devil at heart.


    Some pictures, only when he sees them with his own eyes, will he come to believe and truly feel the shock from deep within.

 Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Dealing with Shamelessness by Being More Shameless_1

    Chapter 302: Chapter 302: Dealing with Shamelessness by Being More Shameless_1


    As expected, after seeing me being humiliated by Ye Mengyan, he immediately reprimanded her.


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, are you angry?¡±


    Ye Mengyan looked hurt, as if she couldn¡¯t believe that Gu Yuanzhou was scolding her for me.


    ¡°What are you doing? Give her the wig back immediately!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, this woman is terrible, she just insulted me, she even posted my video online¡­¡±


    Ye Mengyan wanted to explain, but Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t give her a chance.


    ¡°Shut up, give the wig back!¡±


    Ye Mengyan had to obey, reluctantly handing me the wig.


    Gu Yuanzhou helped me put it back on.


    Then he reached down to help me up.


    ¡°Come on, stand up!¡±


    I held Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hand and slowly stood up.


    At this point, Ye Mengyan became annoyed again, pointing at me, she said,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, she¡¯s faking it, I didn¡¯t push her, I never laid a hand on her¡­¡±


    I ignored her and just leaned weakly against Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s shoulder,


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel well, can you take me to the hospital?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up my dropped trophy, then supported me as we walked out.


    Ye Mengyan wouldn¡¯t give up.


    At this point, she was just like an enraged monkey, desperately trying to find my weak point. She still wanted to prove to Gu Yuanzhou that I was faking it.


    I just took advantage of her mindset and kept her on the hook.


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m not sick, then go to the hospital with me!¡±


    ¡°Fine, I will!¡±


    Ye Mengyan followed behind me and we both left together.


    Half an hour later, we arrived at the hospital together.


    During the journey, Gu Yuanzhou stayed silent, his expression calm as if he was contemplating something.


    But Ye Mengyan kept her eyes fixed on me, still calculating how she could fight back.


    I gave her a meaningful glance.


    The tricks I used that day, were about the same as what she had used in the past.


    Let¡¯s say it was payback.


    After the doctor arrived, he started asking about my condition.


    ¡°What doesn¡¯t feel right?¡±


    ¡°I was pushed by that woman, I feel awful. I want to do a full check-up to see if she caused any damage!¡±


    I was sticking to my story that Ye Mengyan was to blame.


    Ye Mengyan lost her temper and immediately retorted,


    ¡°You¡¯re clearly trying to extort me. You¡¯re perfectly capable of jumping and running. You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re injured.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, you pushed me and it¡¯s your responsibility to bear it. If the check-up reveals something, you have to compensate me for all the loss, including my lost wages!¡±


    I¡¯m going all-in, determined to not lose face.


    When dealing with shameless people, you have to be more shameless than them.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, are you sick?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was getting really close to me.


    She raised her hands as if to hit me, I tried to push her away and unexpectedly, she fell to the floor.


    Then sitting on the floor, refusing to get up, she started yelling at me,


    ¡°Now I¡¯ve been pushed by you too, you have to compensate me!¡±


    Watching this woman act shamelessly, I felt both angry and amused.


    However, her reaction was within my expectations.


    She is just that petty.


    Her penny-pinching mindset only ensured that she would fall right into the trap I had set.


    So, I said to her,


    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll both get a full check-up. Whoever is found at fault, will pay. Of course, if nothing is wrong, each bares their own check-up cost. I won¡¯t bother you, and likewise, you won¡¯t bother me.¡±


    ¡°Deal!¡±


    Ye Mengyan figured I couldn¡¯t possibly have anything wrong with me since I seemed no different from a normal person.


    But I didn¡¯t go the way she expected.


    Instead, I filled out a medical examination form for the doctor, requesting not only a routine check-up but a pregnancy test as well.


    Of course, I carefully covered the pregnancy test line with my finger and told the doctor,


    ¡°Doctor, we both need to undergo the same examination described in this request.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Next, Ye Mengyan and I went for the check-up together.


    In fact, the pregnancy test was just an extra test during the blood draw.


    It was usually not noticeable to the person being examined.


    An hour later, our examination was complete, and all we had to do was wait for the results.


    While resting, I brewed myself a cup of tea.


    I sipped it slowly.


    After cleaning the trophy I had dropped, Gu Yuanzhou put it in front of me.


    I looked at him and silently put the trophy away.


    We didn¡¯t say a word to each other.


    Meanwhile, Ye Mengyan kept her distance, standing in the corridor with her phone, talking and messing with something.


    When Gu Yuanzhou walked past, she hastily hid her phone behind her back.


    I couldn¡¯t hear their conversation, but I could sense that Ye Mengyan was up to something unsavoury.


    As expected, half an hour later.


    Wenya sent me a text message.


    ¡°Someone posted an unflattering photo of you online¡­ can you check what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take a look now!¡±


    After opening my phone, I saw the news of the day.


    After my win today, the live broadcast had already spread my name far and wide. I had become well-known to everyone.


    So when a news story popped up titled, ¡°Gold Cup Winner, Song Xiaoyun Actually Wears a Wig, Shockingly Ugly Without it¡±, it quickly made the trending list.


    Indeed, when someone becomes famous, every little detail about them becomes public interest.


    I took a look.


    The person who took the photo chose a very awkward angle, so despite my baldness, in reality, I still looked quite refined, much like a beautiful, bald nun.


    But the photographer captured me in the ugliest angle, presenting me at my worst.


    The wicked intention was clear¡­


    I knew this was Ye Mengyan¡¯s plot, this was what she was up to.


    In order to get back at me for exposing her video, she intended to ruin my image.


    However, what she didn¡¯t expect was the public¡¯s reaction, which wasn¡¯t what she anticipated.


    I have to say, the sense of morality among netizens was actually quite upright.


    I looked at the comments below.


    ¡°Miss Song had her hair shaved off due to a car accident a few days ago, she almost died. Despite being seriously injured and unwell, she persisted in participating in the fashion competition. With her selfless dedication, we should respect and support her!¡±

 Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Chapter 303 She Lost Everything_1

    Chapter 303: Chapter 303 She Lost Everything_1


    ¡°This photo was deliberately taken from an unflattering angle. I met Designer Song in person, she¡¯s very beautiful, okay? Please, even if you don¡¯t love her, don¡¯t harm her. She has already lost her beloved daughter, yet you guys are spreading these offensive photos to hurt her. This is worse than animals.¡±


    ¡°Who posted this thread? That¡¯s downright wicked. I will pay fifty yuan for the personal information of the author of this post, let everyone see what kind of asshole this is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll offer a hundred! To throw a rotten egg at the poster¡­¡±


    I scrolled through all the comments and there were many.


    However, they all sided with me.


    It seems everyone has a sense of justice.


    They weren¡¯t swayed by the spin.


    Even so, I wasn¡¯t willing to let go of this opportunity.


    So, I took my phone and walked up to Ye Mengyan.


    I pulled up the news on my phone right in front of Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Ye Mengyan, you¡¯re truly disgusting. What¡¯s the point of bad-mouthing me like this? How can your heart be so dark?¡±


    After hearing this, Ye Mengyan tried to defend herself, ¡°You¡¯re accusing me again without any proof. What evidence do you have to prove I did it!!¡±


    ¡°At the scene just now, there were only the three of us present. If it wasn¡¯t you, could it be Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°I¡­!¡±


    Before Ye Mengyan could say a word, Gu Yuanzhou unexpectedly took her phone directly.


    He glanced at it and his face changed.


    ¡°Why would you do this?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s blaming tone was the last straw that broke the camel¡¯s back.


    Ye Mengyan started losing control and cried again at the spot,


    ¡°Brother Gu, it wasn¡¯t my fault. It was her, she first posted the video of me chatting privately with the staff online. She was the one who initiated the attack. I am innocent! I just wanted to fight back. Why should I pretend not to know when she attacks me and let her bully me?¡±


    I chuckled lightly,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, don¡¯t believe her, she¡¯s lying!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡±


    ¡°Just now you even claimed the post wasn¡¯t yours! Ye Mengyan, you are a master of lies. Every single word you say to Gu Yuanzhou is a lie.¡±


    I ruthlessly exposed her.


    Ye Mengyan was floundering with her explanations, full of loopholes.


    At this point, her tears and explanations seemed to be of no use. From Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes, I could see his disgust towards her.


    His eyebrow slightly creased, his cold face was silent.


    It perfectly described his state of mind at the moment.


    She still wanted to explain, but he impatiently cut her off,


    ¡°Enough, be quiet, stop talking.¡±


    Ye Mengyan did not hold back,


    ¡°Brother Gu, you must believe me. It¡¯s all because of this woman Song Xiaoyun, she wants to harm me!¡±


    She put on a pitiable face again.


    As if she was the most unfortunate person in the world.


    However, at this moment, the doctor came to deliver the medical reports.


    ¡°The two ladies, both of your medical reports are here. Please take a look¡­¡±


    I reached out and went through my report, everything was normal, exactly as I had expected.


    However, I was not interested in this, what interested me was Ye Mengyan¡¯s report.


    After glancing over it, I handed it over to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Ye Mengyan quickly reached out to snatch the report, ¡°This is my medical report, give it to me!¡±


    ¡°Oh, such an urgent snatch. Is there something you don¡¯t want people to know? Besides, didn¡¯t you claim that you never lied to Gu Yuanzhou? So, your anxious state now, does it imply that there are many things you have been hiding from him?¡±


    I mocked her.


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s cheeks turned crimson. She looked nervously towards Gu Yuanzhou.


    Now that the documents had been taken, she couldn¡¯t grab them back.


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at the report and then asked her,


    ¡°I ask you one thing. You told me last time that you weren¡¯t pregnant, now tell me the truth, are you pregnant or not?¡±


    Ye Mengyan immediately shook her head in denial,


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Neither? Really not?¡±


    ¡°Yes, no!¡±


    Ye Mengyan insisted and answered very firmly, without any hesitation.


    Gu Yuanzhou snorted coldly and threw the medical report on her face,


    ¡°Then look at it yourself. What does it state?¡±


    Ye Mengyan could¡¯ve never imagined that she merely underwent a normal medical examination.


    The hospital actually indicated her pregnancy on it.


    She was shocked.


    She quickly realized and grabbed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hand,


    ¡°Brother Gu, you have to believe me, it surely is a mistake by the hospital. I figured, it¡¯s Song Xiaoyun, she must have bribed the hospital doctors to fake it.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou pushed her away with one hand, looking at her with some disdain,


    ¡°Do you think this is A City? This is Hong Kong! Song Xiaoyun is the same as you, she¡¯s coming to this hospital for the first time. Would such a big hospital be willing to make mistakes?¡±


    ¡°I truly don¡¯t mean to deceive you, I¡¯m really innocent¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Why don¡¯t we go to a few more hospitals and check it again?¡±


    When a man truly decides on something, a woman¡¯s tears are irrelevant.


    With a little effort, Gu Yuanzhou pushed Ye Mengyan far away. She fell to the ground and cried bitterly.


    Her pain was as if her heart was broken, as if she had lost her parents.


    But Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t care at all, he turned around to leave.


    To my surprise, Ye Mengyan suddenly drew a small knife and made a deep cut on her wrist.


    Blood immediately gushed out.


    It dripped down her wrist relentlessly.


    ¡°Brother Gu, if you¡¯re angry and don¡¯t want me anymore, my rotten life is useless. I might as well be dead.¡±


    Ye Mengyan was desperate, she didn¡¯t stop after one cut, she continued to slice at her wrist, blurring it with blood.


    I thought, Gu Yuanzhou would really walk away.


    Unexpectedly, he turned back.


    He turned and called a doctor to treat Ye Mengyan¡¯s wounds.


    Then, he took her out of the hospital¡­


    In the afternoon, the three of us took Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s chartered plane back to A City.


    On the plane, Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t dare to make any noise, she behaved as meek as a little bunny.


    After we arrived in A City, the three of us got off the plane together.


    When we left the airport, Ye Mengyan thought that Gu Yuanzhou had calmed down and started to act again.


    ¡°Brother Gu, I have arranged the cars!¡±


    She specially called two cars¡­


    When we walked out of the airport, there were both cars waiting at the door.


    Ye Mengyan pointed to the car at the back and said to me, ¡°You take that one!¡±


    Then, linking her arm with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s she walked towards the front car, ¡°Brother Gu, let¡¯s take this one. When we get back home, I¡¯ll cook you something delicious!¡±

 Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: Chapter 304: That is My Hell_1

    Chapter 304: Chapter 304: That is My Hell_1


    Ye Mengyan was still doing her utmost to make herself favorable to Gu Yuanzhou.


    She thought the two of them could return to the way things were before.


    However, Gu Yuanzhou merely took a disinterested look at her,


    ¡°Take your own ride. I¡¯ve called a car!¡±


    To Ye Mengyan¡¯s surprise, Gu Yuanzhou took my hand and got into a Rolls-Royce that had just pulled up.


    At this point, even I didn¡¯t want to have any involvement with him.


    But seeing Ye Mengyan¡¯s look of reproach, grievance, bitterness, and jealousy, I can¡¯t help but feel vindicated.


    So, I didn¡¯t protest, just followed Gu Yuanzhou into the car.


    Gu Yuanzhou led me to the back seat¡­


    After the car door closed.


    I did not expect Ye Mengyan to stage another scene.


    She came up to the car window, leaned against it, tearfully pleading with Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Brother Gu, can I ride with you? I promise I won¡¯t disturb you.¡±


    Her pitiful, pleading expression would melt any man¡¯s heart.


    Yet it seemed that Gu Yuanzhou was now resolute in his decision, he couldn¡¯t bear to even look at her again.


    ¡°I never want to see you again!¡±


    ¡°Brother Gu, are you abandoning me?¡±


    ¡°Was I not clear enough?¡±


    ¡°Brother Gu, are you looking down upon me? I admit I was wrong, okay?¡±


    Ye Mengyan thought Gu Yuanzhou would rescue her from Hong Kong just like before, that he still loved her as he once did.


    However, from the moment she left the airport, his attitude towards her had changed.


    This caught her off guard.


    She found it hard to accept. She pressed herself against the window, sobbing uncontrollably. She thought that as long as she played the victim and acted weak as she used to, Gu Yuanzhou would forgive her.


    However, this time she underestimated a man¡¯s capacity to be ruthless.


    How could a man who could be so brutal to his own wife and child be blinded by her tears!


    He ignored her cries, his face darkening as he slowly rolled up the window.


    Ye Mengyan was on the verge of collapse, banging on the windows with both hands.


    ¡°Brother Gu, Brother Gu, please don¡¯t abandon me!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou paid her no attention and told the driver, ¡°Go!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, Miss Ye is still on the car, it might hurt her once we move¡­¡±


    The driver was somewhat worried, as Ye Mengyan was still leaning on the car, refusing to let go.


    Gu Yuanzhou closed his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Following Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s order, the driver stepped on the gas and sped away.


    Turning my head, I saw through the window that Ye Mengyan had fallen and hit her head, blood spreading across her forehead.


    She lay there on the ground, beating the floor with her fist, her expression a mixture of hatred and pain¡­


    I slightly curved my lips into a smirk.


    You¡¯ve made your bed, now lie in it.


    She truly brought this situation upon herself.


    Turning back to look at Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°President Gu, it looks like Miss Ye is injured, aren¡¯t you going to help?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou merely coldly denied me,


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention her in front of me.¡±


    Alright!


    I only mentioned her to rub in his pain.


    Upon returning from the airport.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t take me directly to Maple Mansion.


    As soon as I entered, I saw two unfamiliar faces¡­


    They must be employees from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s company, called over to pack up Ye Mengyan¡¯s things.


    ¡°President Gu, we¡¯ve packed up all the clothing and personal items from Miss Ye¡¯s bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Take them to the company! Then call her and tell her to collect them¡­ also, pay up all her wages and terminate her employment today!¡±


    ¡°President Gu, what if she refuses to come and collect her stuff?¡±


    ¡°Give her two days to collect her things, if not, throw it all in the trash.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    I sat on the sofa, silently witnessing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s fallout with Ye Mengyan.


    It was only when I rechecked my phone that I understood why Gu Yuanzhou so resolutely fired Ye Mengyan.


    After the video of Ye Mengyan bribing the event organizers leaked, shrewd netizens discovered that the design products she presented for Zhenyi Company were extremely poor.


    People felt that she didn¡¯t deserve even a third place prize, and the backlash extended to Zhenyi Company as well.


    To make matters worse, after Ye Mengyan¡¯s post slandering me went viral online.


    Enraged netizens began a boycott against all the products of Zhenyi Company.


    At this point, hackers had infiltrated Zhenyi Company¡¯s website, and even photos of Gu Yuanzhou, the president of Zhenyi Company, had been photoshopped into popular meme expressions.


    Of course, as an onlooker, I enjoyed this entire spectacle.


    After all, I had warned Gu Yuanzhou before that with Ye Mengyan, this troublemaker around, she would eventually bring Zhenyi Company down.


    This mess was merely the result of his past actions.


    My mood was exceptionally good.


    I boiled some water and brewed myself a pot of tea.


    Oh, I picked the best Longjing tea leaves, why not since Gu Yuanzhou was the one who paid for it? In such a joyful time, it felt good to celebrate.


    I brewed the tea and savored it slowly.


    I hadn¡¯t felt this content in a long time.


    In contrast to my leisure, Gu Yuanzhou was bustling nonstop.


    He was always on the phone¡­


    This was probably the biggest PR crisis he had encountered since he took office.


    He paced back and forth in the living room, making calls to the company¡¯s top executives¡­


    ¡°Find a way to get rid of the trending topic, no matter how much it costs!¡±


    ¡°Hire some paid trolls, haters, to whitewash our image. Can¡¯t you do that?¡±


    ¡°Are you all useless? I¡¯ve been feeding you for so many years, and now that the company is in a major crisis, can¡¯t you think of a single solution?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was raging mad.


    He was so angry that he wanted to throw his phone.


    After finishing my pot of tea, I stood up.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m going home!¡±


    Only then did Gu Yuanzhou pull himself out of his rage to look at me.


    He turned off his phone and threw it onto the sofa, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going home!!¡±


    As I tried to leave, he stood up to block my path.


    He stopped me, ¡°Home? Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu¡­ You hurt my fianc¨¦, and I need to go home to take care of him!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense! You are Song Yun, Mrs. Gu. Your home is here with me!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s sudden change in attitude took me by surprise.


    I gave him a ruthless smirk,


    ¡°My home is with you? Are you referring to the Golden Bay villa that was burned down?¡±


    That place was not my home, but my hell¡­


    Although his affair with his mistress is now in the open, every action has a reaction, and this disaster was caused by both of them.


    And they both have to face the consequences.

 Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter 305 Take Responsibility for the Consequences _1

    Chapter 305: Chapter 305 Take Responsibility for the Consequences _1


    My mocking gaze made Gu Yuanzhou a bit embarrassed.


    Yet, he still refused to let go of my hand,


    ¡°I admit it! I did wrong by you in this matter! I apologize to you. The reasons, I¡¯ll explain them to you gradually. But since you are Song Yun, you¡¯re Mrs. Gu. You cannot marry another man while I¡¯m still alive.¡±


    Such words coming out of his mouth were incredibly ludicrous.


    Could just one apology make up for all the horrendous things he had done?


    Not to mention, the way he had wreaked havoc on the Song family, could those who had died, come back to life just because of his words?


    No, they couldn¡¯t. Therefore, I could never forgive him.


    I looked at him calmly.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, look closely! Am I still Song Yun?¡±


    ¡°You said you were! Are you planning to deceive me again?¡±


    ¡°Your Mrs. Gu¡­burned to death in the Golden Bay fire. She turned into a pile of charcoal, lying in the morgue waiting for you to bury her!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stared at me, his gaze growing darker and darker.


    His face was turning more and more livid too.


    He reached out and clutched my collar tightly, as if wanting to say something.


    But he seemed unable to utter a single word.


    In the end, he let go of me.


    He sat alone on the sofa and began to smoke¡­ his expression a little crazed.


    Suddenly there were knocks on the door from outside.


    Gu Yuanzhou stood up to answer the door, initially thinking it was someone else, but the moment he opened the door, Ye Mengyan fell to her knees.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Big Brother Gu, you can¡¯t abandon me!¡±


    ¡°Leave!¡±


    His only response was a cold three-word reply.


    ¡°Big Brother Gu, I really didn¡¯t mean to deceive you. I got pregnant because I was tricked! I was raped. I¡¯m the victim, I was too scared to tell you. I was afraid that if I told you, you would be jealous, so I¡¯ve been enduring¡­¡±


    Ye Mengyan cried her heart out, both hands on the stairs, banging her head so hard on the ground that her face was covered in blood.


    When she lifted her head, blood flowed down her cheeks mixed with tears¡­


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my concern. You should report it to the police!¡±


    ¡°Big Brother Gu, are you really going to abandon me?¡±


    ¡°Was I not clear enough?¡±


    ¡°But, if you really didn¡¯t care at all, why did you bring me back from Hong Kong?¡±


    ¡°Because you were still an employee of Zhenyi then. I didn¡¯t want Zhenyi¡¯s reputation to be tainted in Hong Kong because of you!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, it definitely can¡¯t be like that. In the past, even when I made mistakes, you would always forgive me, why is it different this time? Did Song Yun deceive you again?¡± Ye Mengyan cried miserably, unable to voice her words clearly.


    ¡°Stop crying here, it¡¯s pathetic! Today¡¯s consequences are the result of my repeated tolerance of you. If you were content earlier, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Now, I can¡¯t stand you to the point of disgust! You better disappear from my sight right now, or else I¡¯m calling the police.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words were heartless.


    He left no room for possibility¡­


    Throwing Ye Mengyan out and firing her from the company¡­ these should be the actions that cut off all her escape routes.


    Who could she blame? Ye Mengyan had crossed the line, committing so many horrendous acts. Gu Yuanzhou had cleaned up after her too many times in the past.


    Her current circumstance was not surprising at all.


    Then, Gu Yuanzhou turned around and closed the door on Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°President Gu, I need to leave!¡±


    After witnessing the act between him and Ye Mengyan, I needed to depart.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    I reached for the championship trophy on the table.


    ¡°This competition¡¯s registration was managed by my fianc¨¦. Although I designed the blueprint, he handled the production of the costumes. In a way, half the credit for this win goes to him! Now that I have won a prize, I naturally should share the joy with him.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Does he deserve it?¡±


    ¡°He deserves it more than you do!!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I must leave. Otherwise, you¡¯d have to send more assassins to kill me next time¡­otherwise¡­I will never stay by your side. You can confine my body, but you can¡¯t hold onto my heart. You¡¯re a grown man now. Don¡¯t do such childish things.¡±


    I ignored his attempts to stop me and adamantly walked out.


    At the doorstep, there was still a patch of bright red bloodstains, and Ye Mengyan was nowhere in sight.


    Although Ye Mengyan had done wrong, she wasn¡¯t stupid.


    She knew clearly that once harming oneself couldn¡¯t win back a man¡¯s heart, any more self-injury would be superfluous.


    She did the right thing and decided to leave promptly.


    I hailed a taxi and went straight to the city hospital.


    What surprised me was that Wenya and Su Peisheng had been waiting for me at the hospital entrance.


    ¡°Miss Song, welcome back! Congratulations on winning the competition!¡±


    Su Peisheng reached out to congratulate me.


    ¡°Thanks! My success is also due to your help and support, thank you!¡±


    After shaking hands with him,


    Wenya hurriedly embraced me, twirling around excitedly, shouting my name,


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun, I knew you¡¯d win. You were awesome!¡±


    I hugged her back tightly too.


    ¡°Alright then, should I reserve a restaurant? You two can have a drink? It can also serve as a celebration for our champion, to help her wash away the dust of the travel!¡± Su Peisheng suggested, smiling.


    ¡°I want to see Ding Yinuo first!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, we should go. Let¡¯s go visit him!¡±


    Wenya grabbed my hand and continued pulling me, leaving Su Peisheng on the side.


    As we were walking towards the elevator, she asked me,


    ¡°Did Gu Yuanzhou give you a hard time?¡±


    ¡°You saw all the news online?¡±


    ¡°Yep, I saw everything, including how you were photographed bald¡­everyone knows! I even mobilized all my colleagues, even our old principal gave up his fake accounts, just to criticise Ye Mengyan!¡±


    With a smile, Su Peisheng added a few words,


    ¡°She even came to my company to rally my colleagues! She even took my parents¡¯ phone numbers.¡±


    Hugging me, Wenya proudly said,


    ¡°Ayun¡¯s my best friend! If I don¡¯t help her when she¡¯s in trouble, who will? Su Peisheng, what¡¯s your problem? Are you upset?¡±


    Su Peisheng quickly raised both hands,


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t okay, I¡¯m not upset, not at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh!¡±


    Exiting the elevator, we headed towards the ward,


    ¡°How¡¯s he been these past couple of days? Is there anything special?¡±


    Wenya sighed and shook her head,


    ¡°You¡¯ll know once you go in and see him!¡±


    She patted my shoulder one more time, letting out another sigh.


    I nodded, took the trophy in my hand, and walked into the ward.

 Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter 306 The Whole World is Persuading Me to Give Up (Part 1)_1

    Chapter 306: Chapter 306 The Whole World is Persuading Me to Give Up (Part 1)_1


    On the snow-white hospital bed, Ding Yinuo was lying quietly, his eyes tightly shut. If it wasn¡¯t for the various tubes that were attached to his body, he would look like he was just asleep.


    I quietly walk over to him, taking his hand into mine and clasping the golden trophy.


    I softly call out to him by his ear.


    ¡°Yinuo, I¡¯m back! Look, I won the award. You were right, we really did win! Touch this, half of this trophy is yours!¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, Ding Yinuo, can you open your eyes and look at me, please?¡±


    I called out to him for quite a long time, but Ding Yinuo remained quietly immobilized, not responding at all.


    Perhaps he sensed my emotional fervour.


    Wenya quickly came forward to calm me down.


    ¡°Ayun! Don¡¯t be too anxious, he may be gradually recovering, it takes time. You should be more patient with him too, okay?¡±


    I nodded,.


    ¡°I know! I just¡­I just sincerely hope that he can get better sooner.¡±


    The truth is, I felt more guilt than anything else.


    I was the one who had implicated the people of the Ding family.


    If it wasn¡¯t for me, Ding Yinuo¡¯s dad wouldn¡¯t have passed away, and Ding Yinuo wouldn¡¯t be in this state.


    Perhaps, only if he wakes up will my sense of guilt diminish slightly.


    ¡°Ayun, your feelings for Ding Yinuo are genuine, he can feel them!¡±


    Wenya gently pats my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also discussed with the doctors in the United States, and they agree with you. They said that patients in Ding Yinuo¡¯s condition, some of them are actually conscious. It¡¯s just that their control nerves have issues and their signals can¡¯t be transmitted. So, he can hear you, he can sense you, and he is also happy for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Wenya!¡±


    Lately, I¡¯ve been extremely busy managing Ding Yinuo¡¯s treatment plans to go to the United States.


    Now, all these responsibilities have been handed over to Wenya. Thankfully, Su Peisheng and the others have been very supportive, they truly care for Ding Yinuo.


    They¡¯ve been meticulously helping out.


    This has also eased a lot of my burden.


    Since I¡¯ve returned from winning the award, I¡¯m going to take better care of Ding Yinuo.


    I brought over a basin of warm water, wrangling a damp towel, and helped him clean his hands, cheeks and neck.


    Later, I called Su Peisheng over to help me turn Ding Yinuo¡¯s body over, and then helped him clean his back to keep his body fresh.


    I know he is a very clean person, he has a cleanliness obsession.


    Even if he is ill, he would wish to be clean.


    I helped him clean up very carefully.


    At this time, Ding Xiao and his mother came over.


    Seeing me care for Ding Yinuo, Aunt Din was very moved, she took my hand.


    ¡°Xiaosong, you really don¡¯t have to work this hard, we could hire a nurse.¡±


    Aunt Din spoke truthfully.


    In such a condition, the patient needs long-term care.


    Usually family members who are physically weak, or need to work, don¡¯t have the time or energy to take care of them, so they would hire a nurse.


    This is a common practice.


    And this also requires a solid financial foundation.


    ¡°No need, Auntie. I will take care of him. As for nurses, I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t care for him with enough attention. Also, Yinuo is proud and probably would not want others to see his body.¡±


    No one knows a child better than a mother. So, Aunt Din agreed with my answer.


    She held my hand, her eyes welling up with tears,


    ¡°Xiaosong, Yinuo is so fortunate to have you in his life. I thank you on his behalf!¡±


    After giving Ding Yinuo a good cleaning, Ding Xiao pulled me aside for a private conversation.


    ¡°Xiaosong, your award-winning work, for our Tianjiao company, is an unprecedented achievement! Recently, orders at Tianjiao company are booming, and we have more and more clients. It is indeed something to celebrate. I plan to hold an award ceremony next week to commend your success to the company. This is also an honour for the Ding family.¡±


    Since Ding Yinuo fell seriously ill, all the company¡¯s management work had been handed back to Ding Xiao.


    Now, several months had passed since Ding Xiao¡¯s personal ordeal, there were no more negative news online.


    After all, it¡¯s the family business. Ding Xiao took over the company again without complaints, managing it as well as before.


    ¡°Elder Brother Ding, I appreciate the commendation, but I would prefer to spend my time on Ding Yinuo right now. I want to be with him more frequently.¡±


    Ding Xiao nodded and then glanced outside.


    From afar, Su Peisheng and Wenya were standing together, talking on the phone, discussing something.


    Ding Xiao looked slightly grim, ¡°Su Peisheng told me, you plan to send Yinuo to the United States for treatment?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Is there a greater chance of him recovering over there?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t ask.¡±


    Ding Xiao sighed and said,


    ¡°The hospital in the United States that Su Peisheng mentioned, I asked a friend to investigate. The cure rate over there is actually not high, less than one percent.¡±


    ¡°I know, the odds are very slim, but it¡¯s better than having no hope at all!¡±


    I am rather stubborn.


    I always feel this is my sin, and I want to atone for it.


    I want to return a vibrant Ding Yinuo back to his family.


    I¡¯m also unwilling to let such a sincere and kindhearted man be trapped in an unresponsive body for the rest of his life.


    I don¡¯t want to think, and I don¡¯t want to face it.


    Ding Xiao, on the other hand, is much more composed.


    He sighed, ¡°Xiaosong, my mom and I are aware of the deep affection you have for Yinuo, and we admire you. However, have you ever thought that what you are doing might be meaningless?¡±


    ¡°Elder Brother Ding, Yinuo is your sole younger brother, are you planning to give up on him?¡±


    ¡°I am not giving up, I am an adult and I am more rational¡­¡±


    Ding Xiao spoke calmly. I knew the one who wasn¡¯t rational was me.


    I was acting foolishly¡­


    I was desperately hoping for a miracle to happen.


    ¡°Xiaosong, have you ever thought, if Yinuo goes to America and we aren¡¯t by his side, unable to take care of him, his condition might worsen?¡±


    Indeed, distance is a problem.


    Not like now in A City, the Ding family, whenever they want to visit, they can come over at any time.


    ¡°Can you go to the United States with him?¡±


    Ding Xiao asked again.


    I fell silent.


    I have many unfinished tasks at hand.


    I haven¡¯t resolved the matters of the Song family, Gu Yuanzhou is still out there, I don¡¯t have time to accompany Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Xiao said, ¡°My mom and I discussed it, she is old and can¡¯t endure the long period of separation from her son. Now, even though Yinuo can¡¯t wake up, my mom can see him every day. If we go, she fears that if she were to have an accident and had to leave this world, she won¡¯t even see him for the last time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we won¡¯t go to America for now!¡±


    Eventually, I had to compromise.


    Ding Xiao patted my shoulder, nodding his approval, ¡°Miss Song, you are a smart woman, I appreciate your cooperation.¡±


    After Ding Xiao left, I told Wenya about our conversation.


    After listening, Wenya did not seem surprised and only queried, ¡°Do you know why Ding Xiao did this?¡±

 Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Chapter 307 The Whole World Is Urging Me to Give Up (II)_1

    Chapter 307: Chapter 307 The Whole World Is Urging Me to Give Up (II)_1


    ¡°Perhaps they¡¯ve already accepted the reality!¡±


    I still feel disheartened inside, though.


    I had initially had high hopes for the treatment in the United States.


    Now that they won¡¯t allow it, I feel so empty inside.


    However, I¡¯m just Ding Yinuo¡¯s fianc¨¦e in name, this engagement ceremony is not recognized by law.


    If Ding Yinuo¡¯s family doesn¡¯t agree, I can¡¯t make the decision myself.


    However, Wenya¡¯s opinion is different from mine.


    She glanced at the retreating figures of Ding Xiao and Aunt Din,


    ¡°See that, Aunt Din¡¯s white hair has grown a tad more recently.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is actually the one who suffers the most!¡± I said with emotion.


    Wenya agreed,


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t need to keep dwelling on it. They made this decision because of you!¡±


    ¡°Because of me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they saw you as a young woman, knowing that Ding Yinuo might never wake up, so they didn¡¯t want to hold you back. Not going to the United States also means not letting you hold on to a hopeless hope, and waste your life.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s words shocked me a bit.


    But it makes sense.


    The Dings are all very rational, and Aunt Din is a broad-minded mother.


    Making this kind of decision must be very painful and helpless for them.


    But I can¡¯t oppose it.


    It¡¯s such a contradictory situation.


    I laughed bitterly,


    ¡°Ruin my life? Haha, my life is already ruined by Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m just a wandering spirit. Without Ding Yinuo, I have nothing to cling onto in this world.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t think like that! You still have us, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I looked at Wenya, smiled, and nodded. Even though I was annoyed inside, I couldn¡¯t make her worry for me.


    So I just agreed as if it was no big deal.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Although the plans for treatment in the United States are temporarily shelved, my plan hasn¡¯t stopped.


    During this period, I work at Tianjiao during the day, striving hard. I can¡¯t let Ding Yinuo¡¯s hard work be in vain.


    And at night, I go to the hospital to take care of Ding Yinuo.


    I tried to read him poetry!


    To read him medical books!


    To play him piano music¡­


    As long as his heart is beating, I won¡¯t give up on him.


    Aunt Din often takes time to come to the hospital.


    It¡¯s not that she comes to visit her son, but more like she comes to keep me company.


    Every time she comes, she always brings some stewed chicken soup, fine desserts made by herself, and sometimes she buys me some small jewelry or other things.


    Over time, I¡¯ve felt her familial care for me.


    She sometimes inadvertently shows her wishes for me to meet some excellent men.


    I knew she meant well, but I still resolutely refused.


    ¡°Auntie, since I¡¯ve already gotten engaged with Yinuo, I have the duty and responsibility to take care of him.¡±


    Aunt Din sighed deeply,


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of delaying you! Yinuo once told me that his fondness for you is based on your happiness. As long as he saw you happy, he could be at ease. I think, if he could feel anything now, he would want you to have a happy ending.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, please don¡¯t bring this up again! Whether or not Ding Yinuo wakes up, I will not love anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you child¡­¡±


    That day when I just left the hospital, I ran into Ye Mengyan again.


    No longer as haughty as before, she was wearing an outdated dress, her hair had not been taken care of for a long time, and was simply tied up at the back of her head.


    She was quietly pleading with the doctor,


    ¡°Can the hospitalization fee for my mom be delayed, I will find a way¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Ye, alas, our hospital is not a charity, you should hurry. If the money is not paid by next week, please go through the discharge procedures.¡±


    ¡°I understand, thank you doctor!¡±


    This is probably the first time I¡¯ve seen Ye Mengyan acting so humble.


    But she got what she deserved¡­ I couldn¡¯t be bothered to care about her.


    Nine o¡¯clock at night, Jiangnan Restaurant.


    Shen Yishu invited me for dinner.


    I brought along friends like Jia Yuyan with me.


    Since the launch of our vintage fashion line last time, this style has become our trademark.


    And Jia Yuyan has successfully been promoted to a design assistant, standing next to me now, she¡¯s like a professional career woman.


    And Shen Yishu has also been doing very well, making the company I invested in for him thrive¡­


    After we all settled down, we started to order, Shen Yishu picked up the menu and called out, ¡°Waiter!¡±


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    A woman in a blue server uniform ran up.


    ¡°Sir, are you ready to order?¡±


    The voice sounded familiar, I looked up and recognized her, the waitress turned out to be Ye Mengyan.


    Shen Yishu had already recognized Ye Mengyan.


    But Ye Mengyan didn¡¯t recognize the well-dressed young man of extraordinary temperament in front of her.


    ¡°Mengyan, what happened?¡±


    When he asked this, Ye Mengyan finally looked up in surprise.


    As she recognized the man in front of her was her previously despised ex-boyfriend, she was instantly filled with shame.


    Yes, back then, in her eyes, Shen Yishu was a poor man without any background, just a bootlicker and a backup.


    But now, he¡¯s the boss of a company.


    Seeing the well-dressed man in front of her, Ye Mengyan¡¯s heart started to flutter¡­


    She glanced around the restaurant.


    She also saw me, only she met my gaze for a few seconds, then shifted away.


    She must be aware that without Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s backing, I¡¯m someone she can¡¯t afford to mess with anymore.


    That gaze was clearly filled with a little timidity and contrition.


    Just like the first time I saw her among a group of poor students all those years ago.


    However, she shifted her gaze soon, realizing that the man in front of her might be her another chance.


    ¡°Yishu! Amazing to see you again¡­What a small world! To think we would meet in this city.¡±


    Shen Yishu greeted her warmly, ¡°Yeah! You¡¯re working here now?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I used to be blind and offended people¡­Now, it¡¯s not easy to find a suitable job, you know, my mom is not well and needs surgery, which requires a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°How much do you need?¡±


    Ye Mengyan was just asking tentatively.


    She didn¡¯t expect Shen Yishu to take the initiative to ask.


    Then Ye Mengyan said, ¡°About hundreds of thousands!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s indeed a huge sum, especially for you.¡±


    Ye Mengyan hesitated, conversed with Shen Yishu for a while, and asked about his parents.


    Then she said,


    ¡°Yishu, I see you are doing very well now. I remember you once said that once you make it big, you would help me out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did say that!¡±


    ¡°So, would you be willing to lend me money?¡±

 Chapter 308 - Chapter 308: Chapter 308 If love is a gift_1

    Chapter 308: Chapter 308 If love is a gift_1


    While Ye Mengyan was dilly-dallying with Shen Yishu, Wenya whispered in my ear,


    ¡°Even heroes have a soft spot for beauties!¡±


    I shook my head, ¡°Not necessarily! After suffering so much because of her, Shen Yishu should know her true colors, shouldn¡¯t he?¡±


    The private room we were in was quite big and rectangular.


    Wenya, Jia Yuyan and I sat on the side with the KTV setup, while Shen Yishu was on the dining area side.


    We were quite some distance apart, so Ye Mengyan couldn¡¯t hear our quiet discussions.


    Wenya shook her head, ¡°I tell you, men all behave this way, they never learn from their failures!¡±


    Meanwhile, Jia Yuyan had a drink and chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t think Mr. Shen is that kind of person!¡±


    ¡°What kind of person?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I think he can now distinguish right from wrong. Even though he is still young, he¡¯s smart. Surely he wouldn¡¯t repeat the mistakes he made in the past.¡±


    ¡°Good, then let the time decide!¡±


    We quietly discussed this.


    Meanwhile, Ye Mengyan was fully engrossed in her conversation with Shen Yishu.


    Her eyes had never looked at Shen Yishu with so much love before.


    If Shen Yishu were willing to lend her money, it would mean that he still loves her, and that they could renew their bond.


    Shen Yishu took out his phone and asked her, ¡°What¡¯s your account number?¡±


    Seeing that there was hope, Ye Mengyan quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s still the old account!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s been so long, I just can¡¯t remember. Could you give it to me again¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have my records on WeChat?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve blacklisted you on WeChat and deleted all the records.¡±


    Shen Yishu said this very calmly.


    Initially, Ye Mengyan had her heart set on Gu Yuanzhou.


    She completely disregarded her decade-long relationship with Shen Yishu, which left Shen Yishu heartbroken.


    Since they had broken up, he had deleted all their communication records.


    Ye Mengyan used to think that by dumping Shen Yishu, she got rid of a big burden, but hearing these words now,


    She regretted it deeply and felt extremely embarrassed.


    She put on an awkward smile,


    ¡°Yishu! I was wrong in the past, how about we reconnect? I¡¯ll add you on WeChat!¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s too much trouble. Just write it down, and I¡¯ll transfer the money to your account later.¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t add her on WeChat, which was a bit disappointing to her, Shen Yishu was still willing to lend her money, giving Ye Mengyan confidence again.


    At this point, when Wenya saw Shen Yishu lending money to Ye Mengyan, she nudged me with her elbow,


    ¡°See! I was right, wasn¡¯t I? Men are so cheap! What¡¯s that old saying? ¡®Once the wound has healed, one forgets the pain!¡¯¡±


    I chuckled,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s just watch and see!¡±


    Seeing that Shen Yishu was willing to lend her money, Ye Mengyan¡¯s smile was brighter.


    Then, the food started to come out.


    Subsequently, Wenya called Su Peisheng over, and a few friends enjoyed food and drinks.


    During the meal, most of the talk revolved around Gu Yuanzhou.


    Su Peisheng raised his glass and said,


    ¡°Zhenyi Company is done! Their client loss is severe!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is just like that! Without our Ayun, he¡¯s nothing!¡±


    As always, Wenya looked down on Gu Yuanzhou.


    But a calm young man sitting nearby said, ¡°I heard it was a transfer of assets.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    I asked curious.


    ¡°Oh, a friend mentioned that Gu Yuanzhou is no longer making Zhenyi Company his priority. Clearly, after Zhenyi Company was trashed following last time¡¯s Hong Kong fashion show, it¡¯s not going to be easy to bounce back. So, he has shifted focus to Huaxin Group, the Song Family¡¯s company. Just last month, Huaxin Group invested ten billion in a new electronic chip industry! Apparently, it will be very profitable.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Song Family hold the majority of shares in Huaxin Group now?¡± Wenya asked.


    ¡°They used to. Gu Yuanzhou used some underhanded techniques to buy into a lot of shares. Originally, he planned to cooperate with the Qi family to secure 60% of Huaxin¡¯s equity, but the Qi family had an accident. Mrs. Qi disagreed with continued investment in Huaxin. Later, however he managed to do it, Gu Yuanzhou got all the shares in the hands of Song¡¯s second son and Mrs. Song. The recent news is just rumored, don¡¯t know how true it is. It¡¯s rumored that the eldest son of the Song family used all his equity to trade for Mrs. Song from Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    ¡°At first, Gu Yuanzhou did not agree, but later he somehow did. Anyway, now Mrs. Song has been taken by the eldest son of the Song family to the United States, and Gu Yuanzhou owns 80% of the shares. You could say, he won.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, This man Gu, is simply a beast! He tricked Song family¡¯s money using this kind of method, is he even a human? Bleh! With this character and reputation, who will be willing to do business with him in the future?¡±


    Wenya cursed a few more times.


    Meanwhile, I remained silent, making no comments.


    These actions seemed just like something Gu Yuanzhou could pull off.


    But, I didn¡¯t expect him to be so ruthless.


    Just brazenly seizing the Song family¡¯s industry.


    Quietly, Wenya asked me,


    ¡°Tell me, how can Gu Yuanzhou face you, after pulling off these despicable deeds? Assuming that he knows that you are Song Yun, how can he dare to face you?¡±


    ¡°Well, have you ever thought that maybe he¡¯s doing all this to show me?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is, he doesn¡¯t care about me at all. If he really cared about me, how could he do such a thing to the Song family?¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    There was unease in Wenya¡¯s voice, I shook my head,


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to comfort me, really all know about it. I¡¯ve come to terms with it myself. Since he has done this to me, done this to his own flesh and blood¡­..they say a tiger won¡¯t eat its own cub, but his actions show that he is even more ruthless than a tiger. Therefore, whatever he does, it won¡¯t surprise me anymore.¡±


    Wenya sighed, reaching out to pat my shoulder.


    Yes, no need for consolation anymore, I don¡¯t want to fool myself any longer.


    Sometimes, you have to face reality and see the true face of your enemy in order to confront them.


    After the meal, we all left together.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as we reached the restaurant entrance, Ye Mengyan rushed out, ¡°Shen Yishu! You stop right there!¡±


    She shouted his full name in panic and urgency.


    Shen Yishu stopped and looked at her, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You said you would transfer money to me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, haven¡¯t you received it yet?¡±


    ¡°You only transferred me three thousand one hundred and sixty-six yuan, what does that mean? My mom¡¯s hospitalization costs tens of thousands, did you enter the wrong amount?¡±


    Ye Mengyan bit her lip, looking noticeably insulted. She thought, considering Shen Yishu¡¯s current success and their past affection, a few hundred thousand wouldn¡¯t be a problem for him.


    She even hoped to rekindle her relationship with Shen Yishu and relive their past happenings¡­

 Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: Chapter 309 You Are Not Even As Good As Everyone Else_1

    Chapter 309: Chapter 309 You Are Not Even As Good As Everyone Else_1


    After all, she was like the swan meat that Shen Yishu, the toad, couldn¡¯t attain. There was even a sense of superiority in her heart.


    Shen Yishu turned his head to look at her,


    ¡°Ye Mengyan! Technically speaking, your mother¡¯s hospitalization has nothing to do with me. After all, you¡¯re currently someone else¡¯s girlfriend, so it¡¯s not rational for me to pay for someone else¡¯s mother-in-law, right?¡±


    This analysis was reasonable and logical.


    Very calm.


    Ye Mengyan had thought that Shen Yishu was jealous,


    ¡°Yishu, Gu Yuanzhou and I have broken up! I am no longer anyone¡¯s girlfriend, I am single now.¡±


    After speaking, she was still hopeful, looking at Shen Yishu with a shy face.


    It seemed like she was expecting Shen Yishu to say something to retain her.


    After all, Shen Yishu had pursued her for many years.


    If she gave him a chance now, she was doing him a favor.


    However, Shen Yishu didn¡¯t react much and just said indifferently,


    ¡°That¡¯s your own business. It has nothing to do with me!¡±


    After Shen Yishu had finished speaking, he turned around to leave.


    There was no way Ye Mengyan would give up this opportunity, she approached and grabbed Shen Yishu, crying and sobbing.


    ¡°Yishu, Yishu¡­ I know I was wrong. I was the one that wronged you. It¡¯s all my fault for being too young. I had no choice, my mother¡¯s hospitalization needed money. I had to stoop low to make money¡­¡±


    Shen Yishu pushed her away, ¡°Ye Mengyan, I don¡¯t blame you for finding a new love. What I truly find unacceptable is you ingratiate yourself with those who have helped you. Your benefactor, Mrs. Gu, helped you attend university, yet you seduced her husband. This isn¡¯t just morally corrupt, it¡¯s a complete loss of conscience!¡±


    ¡°My wife may be poor, she may be plain, but she definitely cannot lack integrity and conscience.¡±


    Shen Yishu spoke with righteous indignation.


    One can tell, this young man has matured and now sees through the nature of people.


    Wenya and I stood at a distance and watched them. Wenya wanted to say a few words, but I stopped her,


    ¡°Leave it alone. Let him handle his own emotional affairs. We should stay out of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that dumb kid will be fooled by her again.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will happen!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll wait and see. Let¡¯s check whether this kid¡¯s heart is really that hardened. Ye Mengyan¡¯s tactics really are something.¡±


    Wenya has witnessed how Ye Mengyan seduced Gu Yuanzhou before. This woman¡¯s means are indeed extraordinary.


    We were still quietly discussing on our side.


    On the other side, Shen Yishu kept on talking to Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Yishu, you once said that you would take care of me for a lifetime. Now that you¡¯ve enjoyed success, do you look down on me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t look down on anyone! My promise to take care of you for life was under the premise that you were my love! Obviously, you¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°Your words are too selfish. Can your love be so narrow-minded? I don¡¯t care who I¡¯ve been with before, but I¡¯m still me, I¡¯m still Ye Mengyan. You can¡¯t stop loving me just because I¡¯ve been with someone else. Yishu, we¡¯ve been together for over ten years and feelings are bound to develop. I refuse to believe you can truly let go of me.¡±


    ¡°Yishu! Your parents both like me too. I called them the other day and they said they were happy to have me over. This proves they still like me.¡±


    ¡°Yishu, give me another chance, I now realize my mistake. I won¡¯t repeat it again, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yishu, look, after I broke up with Gu Yuanzhou, many men were still chasing after me, but I did not agree to any. Because you have always been in my heart. You know very well, my relationship with Gu Yuanzhou was for money, it was not love but a last resort. The feelings I have for you, thats the real deal! Yishu!¡±


    Ye Mengyan was putting up relentless church and ceaseless entreaties, so Shen Yishu was unable to free himself.


    Although Shen Yishu had no feelings for Ye Mengyan and didn¡¯t want to continue.


    But the young man could not bring himself to be cruel, he didn¡¯t have any way to get rid of Ye Mengyan.


    At this moment, suddenly Jia Yuyan stepped forward.


    She came over and held onto Shen Yishu¡¯s arm, nestling in his arms. Then she said to Ye Mengyan,


    ¡°Ahem, Miss Ye, I really can¡¯t just stand by and watch! I have to step forward and clarify.¡±


    Looking at Jia Yuyan and Shen Yishu hand-in-hand, Ye Mengyan was somewhat incredulous,


    ¡°What are you two doing?¡±


    Jia Yuyan cleared her throat, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been with Shen Yishu for a while! I didn¡¯t want to make you feel embarrassed, so I didn¡¯t tell you. After all, we¡¯re classmates, and he¡¯s your ex. Oh, actually there¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about, since you two have broken up.¡±


    Seeing this, Ye Mengyan was shocked, shaking her head immediately,


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible, it can¡¯t be true, Yishu wouldn¡¯t like you! How could he possibly like you?¡±


    Jia Yuyan was the one Ye Mengyan looked down upon the most among her classmates.


    She was the one she hated the most¡­ it was unthinkable, they¡¯re actually together now.


    Jia Yuyan smiled, ¡°What¡¯s so impossible about this! I¡¯m so excellent, we¡¯re attracted to each other, we have mutual affection.¡±


    ¡°No, he likes me. We¡¯ve been childhood sweethearts, playmates. How could he like you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Miss Ye, I admit, he used to like you. But you¡¯ve been with Mr.Gu now, you betrayed him, you changed your affections. Do you expect him to wait for you at the starting line forever? What are you thinking, do you think you¡¯re a goddess!¡±


    Jia Yuyan¡¯s words made Ye Mengyan¡¯s face ashen. She hastily turned to Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Yishu, tell me this isn¡¯t true. She¡¯s lying, right? A girl like her, she¡¯s so ordinary, you couldn¡¯t possibly like her, right?¡±


    Shen Yishu glanced at Jia Yuyan. He originally intended to deny it, but Ye Mengyan¡¯s words were indeed offensive and made one feel very uncomfortable upon hearing it.


    So he said, ¡°She¡¯s right. No one is going to wait for you forever! Mengyan, you¡¯ve never cared about me. Love is mutual, not a one-way street. No one gives without expecting something in return. What I want is for the one I love to love me just as deeply.¡±


    Ye Mengyan was stunned for a moment, then quickly said, ¡°I can now, Yishu. I can love you now.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s too late now!¡±


    ¡°Yishu, do you love Jia Yuyan? What¡¯s so good about her?¡±


    Shen Yishu turned his head, looked carefully at Jia Yuyan for a moment, then reached out to embrace Jia Yuyan into his arms.


    ¡°When you love someone, everything about them is perfect! She is perfect in every single way!¡±


    Seeing Shen Yishu publicly announce that he was with Jia Yuyan, Ye Mengyan gradually became disheartened, her expression turned sinister.


    ¡°Yishu! Is our decade of affection really worth nothing compared to her in your eyes?¡±


    Shen Yishu didn¡¯t hesitate,


    ¡°A person who betrays love is worthless. You are not only inferior to her, but also to everyone else!¡±


    Ye Mengyan was so angry that she went pale, but she still held onto the last thread of stubbornness, hoping to find evidence that Shen Yishu still liked her.


    ¡°So, if we don¡¯t have any feelings for each other anymore, why did you just transfer some money to me?¡±

 Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Chapter 310 Something Is Not Right _1

    Chapter 310: Chapter 310 Something Is Not Right _1


    At this moment, Ye Mengyan was like a drowning person clutching at the last straw, desperately trying to rise again.


    But Shen Yishu would no longer give her any chance.


    ¡°That sum of money, 3166, what does it mean, don¡¯t you understand? Think about it carefully!¡±


    Ye Mengyan came to her senses and finally let go.


    Watching Shen Yishu and Jia Yuyan¡¯s fingers interlocked, gradually walking away, she ultimately didn¡¯t have the courage to chase after them.


    Wenya looked at me curiously, ¡°What does 3166 mean?¡±


    I thought about it briefly,


    ¡°Probably a phonetic transcription of the Japanese word for goodbye!¡±


    ¡°Oh! But I can see that Shen Yishu, this guy, still has some reluctance, not ruthless enough!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a man of sentiment. However, with Jia Yuyan taking this hit for him, from now on, Ye Mengyan won¡¯t have the face to pester him anymore.¡±


    ¡°When did Jia Yuyan start dating Shen Yishu?¡±


    I asked with curiosity.


    Because I¡¯ve been immersed in my own world all this time, busy with various things, I didn¡¯t pay attention to the developments of the people around me.


    I had no idea that Jia Yuyan and Shen Yishu were in a relationship.


    Wenya chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re not the only one in the dark, I don¡¯t know either. Come on, let¡¯s go ask!¡±


    By then, a group of people had already moved away from the restaurant.


    Glancing back unintentionally, I noticed that the restaurant manager had called Ye Mengyan in.


    Asking her to serve another fruit platter.


    Seeing Ye Mengyan dressed as a waitress, I asked Wenya,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she go to a clothing company to design?¡±


    Wenya looked disdainful,


    ¡°You don¡¯t know, after the scene where Ye Mengyan revealed your wig in Hong Kong was posted online, she was doxxed. Her graduation school and name were hung out, everyone despised her behavior, and then the whole industry boycotted her, no colleagues wanted to work with her. As a result, almost every fashion company blacklisted her, and she could forget about working in this field for the rest of her life!¡±


    Indeed, it was her own fault.


    Her design skills were inadequate, and she had an appalling character, only Gu Yuanzhou went blind to want her.


    ¡°Hey, Shen Yishu, since when did you two get together, why didn¡¯t you say a thing?¡±


    Wenya stopped Shen Yishu and asked.


    Shen Yishu¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, he glanced at Jia Yuyan, hesitated to speak as if wanting to explain something, but could not find the words.


    It was Jia Yuyan who laughed and took the initiative to confess,


    ¡°Alright, I admit my fault, it¡¯s my mistake, everything just now was an act. Actually¡­ I wanted to help boss Shen, we¡¯re innocent, we¡¯re not together!¡±


    After saying that, she bowed to Shen Yishu,


    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Shen, I offended you just now, don¡¯t be angry, okay? At that moment, I just thought of helping you out, what that woman said was just too infuriating. It¡¯s as if she was the only woman in the world left. Too arrogant, she had already cheated, yet she still wanted to go back to her old ways, what was she thinking? Should all the good things in the world be hers alone?¡±


    Shen Yishu extended his hand to steady her,


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s fine, what offense? You just now helped me out of a tight spot! I should be thanking you!¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to thank me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°Okay then, treating me to a meal will do! Any place is fine!¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take you to have hotpot this weekend!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal then!¡±


    Watching these two people chatting and laughing, I also prepared to take my leave.


    After saying goodbye to Wenya, I returned alone to Xishan Residence.


    I took a bath, changed into clean clothes, and then washed all the dirty clothes I had brought back from the hospital.


    Next, I turned on the computer, planning to work for a while.


    But I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Ding Yinuo, so I shut down the computer, tidied up a bit, and was ready to head to the hospital.


    Yet, as soon as I stepped out the door, I saw a black Rolls-Royce parked under the big tree by the entrance.


    Through the night, I could see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark black eyes staring at me through the car window.


    I didn¡¯t pay attention to him and was about to hail a taxi on the road.


    Finally, he got out of the car and walked towards me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s walk!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! I¡¯m very busy, I still need to make a trip to the hospital!¡±


    Actually, I didn¡¯t want to go with him, I didn¡¯t even want to speak half a word more to him.


    Just like this, deep in the night.


    We stood facing each other on the street, with vehicles passing by constantly, everything seemed so distant.


    As if I never knew him at all.


    He looked at what I was holding,


    ¡°What are you carrying?¡±


    ¡°A lunchbox! I made some congee and brought it for Ding Yinuo to try!¡±


    ¡°A vegetative person can eat?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, he doesn¡¯t have swallowing functions, but the tongue can still taste!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good to him!¡±


    ¡°Of course, he is my fianc¨¦; taking care of him is my responsibility and obligation!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with a somber gaze and let out a cold laugh,


    ¡°Fianc¨¦? Can he fulfill his responsibilities and obligations?¡±


    There seemed to be some disrespect towards Ding Yinuo in his words.


    This annoyed me somewhat,


    ¡°It¡¯s me who has to fulfill them, not him! He suffered because of me, I¡¯m willing to take care of him for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being foolish!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my business, it has nothing to do with you!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, you¡¯ll regret it sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I¡¯m busy and can¡¯t accompany you in chat, I have to go now!¡±


    A taxi stopped in front of me, and just as I was about to get in, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice came from behind me.


    ¡°Consider coming back to me, what¡¯s the point of being with a vegetative person, he can¡¯t be with you till you¡¯re old!¡±


    I turned back to glance at Gu Yuanzhou, didn¡¯t pay attention to him, opened the car door and sat in directly.


    ¡°Driver, please go ahead!¡±


    The car drove away into the distance.


    And I didn¡¯t look back.


    He would never realize one thing, that is, he and I could never be again.


    I placed the trophy by the bedside, sat next to the hospital bed, held Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand, and whispered softly.


    ¡°Anuo, the stars are so beautiful tonight! How much I wish you could open your eyes and see the starry sky.¡±


    ¡°Anuo, if you can hear my voice, then wiggle your fingers, or blink, just let me know that you are listening to me.¡±


    I waited for a long time, but he still didn¡¯t show any response.


    At that moment, I felt profoundly dejected!


    I was so confused, God, if you could give me a chance, why couldn¡¯t you give Ding Yinuo a chance too?


    Night deepened, and I laid out the recliner, then lay down, holding Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand, spending the night together.


    But for some reason, my sleep quality has been extremely poor recently.


    I often suffer from insomnia, and even when I close my eyes, I just can¡¯t fall asleep¡­


    So, I often lie on the recliner, and the day¡¯s events would replay in my mind like a movie.


    I always feel there is something not quite right between Gu Yuanzhou and me.

 Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Chapter 311 The Medicine Given to Me by Ding Yinuo_1

    Chapter 311: Chapter 311 The Medicine Given to Me by Ding Yinuo_1


    Yes, something was very off!


    That was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s motive.


    Why on earth!!


    Why the Song Family of all people?


    After all, there aren¡¯t many who repay kindness with enmity in this world, unless one has an antisocial personality.


    But based on what I¡¯ve understood from being married to him for so many years, he doesn¡¯t seem like the mentally unstable kind of psychiatric patient with erratic emotions.


    Thinking this, my mind again turned to the doctor colleague Ding Yinuo had introduced to me, the one from the psychology department, Jia Musen.


    The very next morning!


    After washing Ding Yinuo¡¯s face, I let him taste a bit of the cream and honey lemon water on the tip of his tongue.


    ¡°Yinuo, can you taste it? Is it sweet? If you want to eat it again next time, just blink your eyes to let me know.¡±


    I waited for a long time, but Ding Yinuo showed no reaction. I didn¡¯t pressure him either.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t rush, I know you are trying! I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    After taking good care of Ding Yinuo, it was just in time for the hospital¡¯s morning shift.


    I found Jia Musen in the psychology department¡­


    Unlike the other departments.


    There were very few patients in psychology. Jia Musen, wearing glasses and a white coat, was leisurely drinking tea and reading a book early in the morning.


    ¡°Dr. Jia, good morning!¡±


    Upon seeing me come over, Jia Musen put down the book in his hands.


    ¡°Miss Song, good morning! Do you need something from me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing particularly important, I just want to talk. Will I be interrupting your work?¡±


    ¡°No, no, not at all. My department has fewer patients. I have one scheduled for this morning, but they won¡¯t be here for another half an hour. Please, take a seat!¡±


    Jia Musen was very welcoming towards me, he rose to brew a cup of tea for me, and even praised me, saying,


    ¡°Miss Song, you are truly understanding and generous to Ding Yinuo. All the colleagues in our hospital admire you very much.¡±


    I gave a faint smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing more than my duty, it doesn¡¯t amount to any great understanding or generosity!¡±


    ¡°The behavior of Miss Song is something that many women in real life lack. Indeed, you are an example worth learning from.¡±


    After exchanging pleasantries with Jia Musen for a few moments, I got to the point and recounted Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s behavior, then asked.


    ¡°Dr. Jia, do you think my friend might have a mental illness?¡±


    Jia Musen shook his head,


    ¡°Just from your descriptions, he doesn¡¯t seem to have any problems. But to know for sure, he would need to come here in person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see!¡±


    After chatting with Jia Musen for a bit, he then asked me,


    ¡°You look tired, and you have severe dark circles under your eyes. Have you been sleeping poorly recently?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve had complete insomnia lately, can¡¯t sleep at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you stop taking the medicine?¡±


    ¡°Stop what medicine?¡±


    ¡°The one¡­ I delivered to Ding Yinuo¡¯s hands, the medicine he gave you to take!¡±


    My heart stirred. I only remembered Ding Yinuo giving me some health supplements, but I vaguely recalled him saying they were from Dr. Jia.


    Could they not be supplements?


    I also recalled that when they met, they always whispered to each other, discussing things quietly. Could it be that Ding Yinuo was keeping something from me?


    So, I pretended to be in the know,


    ¡°Oh, the medicine you mentioned, I took it for a while, but then I stopped because I was afraid of side effects.¡±


    Jia Musen shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s the best medicine for treating depression, there usually aren¡¯t any major side effects. However, if you feel there are side effects, then shall I prescribe something else for you?¡±


    ¡°Doctor Jia, could you have made a mistake in your diagnosis? I don¡¯t feel like I have depression.¡±


    ¡°Depression has many symptoms, and sometimes patients can¡¯t feel them. Like your symptoms, they could be insomnia, anxiety, emotional instability to extremes, unpredictability, memory loss, and so on. Medication will suppress these¡­¡±


    I was utterly shocked.


    I suddenly remembered that Ding Yinuo often coaxed me to take medicine.


    So, he had known about my illness all along but chose not to tell me.


    What else had this man secretly done for me?


    Jia Musen seemed not to have sensed the change in my emotions and continued,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo is very concerned about you, he put a lot of effort into finding these specific medications for you. These aren¡¯t drugs that our hospital can provide; they were bought from overseas.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s a very good doctor!¡±


    ¡°Haha, he¡¯s only this good to you!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Doctor Jia, I won¡¯t disturb your work anymore, I¡¯ll be off now!¡±


    ¡°No problem, feel free to disturb me anytime. By the way, the medication you were on before can actually still be taken.¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    After saying goodbye to Jia Musen, I returned to the hospital room¡­


    At that moment, Ding Xiao also came.


    ¡°Seeing you so busy every day, I¡¯m afraid your body can¡¯t take it. How about I hire a caretaker to relieve you a bit? You just need to stay here during the day. Let the caretaker come at night.¡±


    Ding Xiao also came to see Ding Yinuo every now and then.


    But because he was quite busy with work and had to take care of his family, he often had to leave shortly after arriving.


    ¡°No need, Big Brother Ding, I¡¯m still young and can handle it. Yinuo doesn¡¯t like others taking care of him!¡±


    Ding Xiao sighed deeply and said no more. Then, he took out a cellphone from his bag,


    ¡°This is Yinuo¡¯s phone, delivered by the police. They found it at the scene of the car accident. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t broken, just some scrapes on the case. I had the screen replaced, and it still works. Now I¡¯m entrusting it to you to look after on his behalf.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I took Ding Yinuo¡¯s cellphone, clutching it to my heart.


    Thinking about how this phone he used day and night was now idle, I felt a pang of sadness.


    I found a charger and recharged the phone for him.


    ¡°I should get going now. Thank you for taking such good care of Yinuo.¡±


    Ding Xiao didn¡¯t stay long before he left.


    By midday, Shen Yishu also came.


    He brought a pile of gifts and even bought a bouquet¡­


    ¡°He can¡¯t eat much, so next time you come, there¡¯s no need to bring gifts!¡±


    Shen Yishu smiled at me, ¡°They¡¯re for you! Sigh¡­ Doctor Ding is really fortunate to have someone so dedicated to care for him.¡±


    I put the fresh flowers into the vase on the table. In fact, I welcomed friends coming to visit Ding Yinuo.


    Having friends in the hospital room often made it lively, avoiding a gloomy atmosphere.


    This vibrant ambiance could help to drive away the darkness and fear from Ding Yinuo, if he were conscious.


    ¡°Sigh, I just hope he wakes up soon!¡±


    Shen Yishu nodded, ¡°As long as you keep it up, there will definitely be hope. By the way, I heard from friends that traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture might be effective, why don¡¯t you find a good traditional Chinese medicine doctor and try acupuncture?¡±


    ¡°Great idea! I¡¯ll look into it!¡±


    After exchanging a few words with Shen Yishu, I casually asked him, ¡°Ye Mengyan¡¯s mother is also in this hospital, what will you do if you run into her?¡±


    Shen Yishu said calmly, ¡°I used to like her because I thought she was still innocent. Now it seems she is not worthy of the affection I had for her back then. However, it¡¯s over now, it¡¯s all in the past, and now we are just strangers.¡±


    I laughed, ¡°I think Jia Yuyan is a good person, why don¡¯t you two get together?¡±

 Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Chapter 312 Let her hate _1

    Chapter 312: Chapter 312 Let her hate _1


    I originally thought that both Shen Yishu and Jiang Yuyan were very promising young people. Both were willing to work hard and make progress; such a combination should have been perfect.


    These two young people, I have watched them grow up with my own eyes. I truly like them.


    Unexpectedly, Shen Yishu rejected the idea before I had even finished speaking.


    ¡°Xiaojia is indeed a very good person, but I¡¯m not worthy of her!¡±


    ¡°Yo, kiddo, is this because you¡¯re being too picky? Or is it that you¡¯ve gotten a bit carried away with being the boss now?¡±


    Looking closely at Shen Yishu, he is very different from the past.


    He used to have a young face full of naivety, like a youthful rebel.


    But now, in a suit and formal shoes, although his face is young, his temperament has become much more mature after settling down.


    Even his words and smile have a sense of competence.


    ¡°Xiaoyun ¡­ you¡¯re overthinking it! My original intention has never changed! Xiaojia is indeed very outstanding, it¡¯s me who¡¯s not good enough for her.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun? Didn¡¯t you use to call me Sister Song? Why have you changed your nickname now?¡±


    ¡°You, you¡¯re only a year older than me ¡­¡±


    ¡°Even being a day older means I¡¯m older, you still have to call me Sister Song!¡±


    Shen Yishu just smiled and didn¡¯t bother to argue with me.


    However, looking at his sly expression, he probably didn¡¯t want to listen to me anymore.


    In the afternoon, Shen Yishu stayed here, aside from discussing the new business trends of the company with me.


    While I was taking care of Ding Yinuo, he also actively helped me out.


    During the process, he showed no signs of impatience or distaste, appearing very patient.


    And he was especially considerate too.


    Although he is about the same age as Song Xiaoyun, after all, I am not Song Xiaoyun; my actual mental age is over thirty years old.


    So, to me, Shen Yishu is a standard younger brother.


    Having such a handsome and capable younger brother; I also feel happy about it.


    ¡°I know you care a lot about Doctor Ding, but what are your plans if he doesn¡¯t wake up like this?¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯ll take care of him for a lifetime!¡±


    ¡°But what about when you get old? You¡¯re a woman; eventually, you¡¯ll need someone to take care of you, right?¡±


    ¡°Yishu, I don¡¯t want to think too much. Who knows if I can live to be old. As long as I¡¯m alive, I will never give up on him.¡±


    Shen Yishu nodded in agreement,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you have a kind and loyal heart; you¡¯re a good woman. I support you! From now on, I stand firmly by your side and will help take care of Doctor Ding with you.¡±


    I turned my head to look at him and smiled,


    ¡°What are you going to take care of! No need for that; I can handle it myself. You just need to be honest and find yourself a wife to marry.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m still young; I don¡¯t want to be tied down by marriage so early ¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to get married to have a girlfriend!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s unnecessary! I want to save my time for myself, to do the things I like and spend it with the people I like!¡±


    ¡°Do you have someone you like?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, not sure, maybe ¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine, live and learn. Be more cautious in love from now on, and don¡¯t be fooled again. Actually, having compatible values is very important when two people are together.¡±


    Shen Yishu looked at me and smiled, listening very seriously,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll remember that. If in the future I meet someone who I can love or marry, I¡¯ll bring them to you. Can I let you screen them for me?¡±


    ¡°Do you trust me that much?¡±


    I suddenly recalled how my own love life and marriage were a complete mess. What right did I have to teach others?


    ¡°Yes, I trust you! Xiaoyun, you¡¯re the person I trust the most! If I look for a girlfriend in the future, I¡¯ll find someone like you.¡±


    ¡°You, all talk! You say such nice things! But someone like me might not be right for you!¡±


    During our conversation, I inadvertently glanced at the bed and, in a trance, I thought I saw Ding Yinuo blink.


    I put down what I was holding and walked over to Ding Yinuo¡¯s side, took his hand,


    ¡°Anuo, did you just blink?¡±


    ¡°Anuo, blink again for me to see!¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, if you blink again, I¡¯ll treat you to hotpot tonight, how about that?¡±


    My excitement did not bring any joy. Everything seemed to be an illusion; he was still unresponsive.


    I still felt very disappointed.


    I kept Shen Yishu¡¯s advice in my heart.


    Beyond taking care of Ding Yinuo each day, I made a point to go through his study.


    In the villa at Xishan Residence, there is a large room on the ground floor with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and the entire room is his study.


    Wooden bookshelves occupy all four walls, and most of the books here are medical texts.


    I randomly pulled out a book and found that it was filled with Ding Yinuo¡¯s handwriting. He used a black fountain pen for comments and notes, writing in small, neat, and meticulous script.


    It was apparent that this man was very meticulous in his work.


    I remember back when I was studying, he was that kind of top student who excelled academically.


    Being able to study medicine is also something only exceptionally talented guys could achieve.


    Looking at this room full of books that he had read, I felt the urge to act.


    I started looking for books on traditional Chinese medicine and, coincidentally, I actually found books on the treatment of vegetative patients with acupuncture and moxibustion.


    I picked out a book on traditional Chinese medicine, anatomy, and various meridian treatment methods.


    I knew starting from scratch would be difficult, but as long as I worked hard, Ding Yinuo would have one more sliver of hope.


    The next time I encountered Ye Mengyan


    was after the weekly meeting on Friday.


    Jiang Yuyan found someone, ¡°Sister Song, guess who came for the interview?¡±


    Through the glass window, I saw a familiar silhouette, it was Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°She¡¯s got some nerve to come for an interview at Tianjiao Company?¡±


    Jiang Yuyan said with a smile,


    ¡°I heard from a classmate that Gu Yuanzhou blacklisted her. All the companies in the city are forbidden to hire her, and she can¡¯t find any work related to being a secretary. As for restaurants and the service industry, there are tons of netizens asking around for her online. As soon as they find out which restaurant she works at, they go there and give her a hard time. Every new job she gets, she gets harassed, and eventually, she has no choice but to resign. Now her reputation is so bad, almost no one dares to hire her.¡±


    ¡°What position did she come to interview for?¡±


    ¡°Oh, warehouse assistant! But we¡¯re not planning to keep her, she¡¯s got a bad character!¡±


    ¡°Ask her if she¡¯s willing to clean the toilets, then keep her!¡±


    ¡°Sister Song, how can you still have compassion for her? This woman, you were good to her before, and she ruined you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not planning to save her, I¡¯m just curious about who the father of her child is!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go arrange that!¡±


    I never fully understood the matter of Ye Mengyan¡¯s pregnancy.


    She seemed to love Gu Yuanzhou so much; how could she possibly be carrying someone else¡¯s child? And whose child is it?

 Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Chapter 313 I’m No Longer Mrs. Gu_1

    Chapter 313: Chapter 313 I¡¯m No Longer Mrs. Gu_1


    After that, every day when I came to the office, I could always see Ye Mengyan in her gray-green janitor uniform, haunting the restroom.


    The once proud face was void of any luster¡­


    However, when she looked at me, I noticed a certain uneasiness in her gaze, and within those downcast eyes were traces of jealousy.


    I knew, she hated me!


    No matter, this was exactly the effect I wanted.


    What goes around comes around, karma never fails, today¡¯s me, is the retribution for her countless misdeeds.


    She had to tolerate her hatred!


    If she couldn¡¯t come to terms with it, she might as well spend her life here scrubbing toilets.


    After all, no one would pity her again.


    ¡°Miss Song, she seems really displeased with you!¡±


    Jiang Yuyan whispered to me as I was taking the elevator.


    ¡°Let her be displeased. Whether she¡¯s happy or not doesn¡¯t matter, what¡¯s important is that I¡¯m satisfied.¡±


    Indeed, compared to all that I had experienced, all the pain I had suffered, her suffering was nothing.


    In the afternoon, I visited a traditional Chinese medicine clinic to get cupping therapy¡­


    Unexpectedly, I ran into Liu Yu, who also came for a back treatment. It had been nearly two months since Qi Ming became paralyzed.


    Liu Yu looked completely different than before, her cheeks were ruddy and bright, her eyes sparkled with vigor, she was much more efficient and a lot more beautiful and confident.


    Deep down, she has always regarded me as her savior.


    So, in private, we became very good friends.


    After the therapy, we had tea together and shared updates on the current financial status of A City.


    She put down her cup and told me,


    ¡°Zhenyi Company is finished.¡±


    ¡°Are they going bankrupt?¡±


    ¡°I heard their old clients have almost all left, and now major distributors are unwilling to carry goods from Zhenyi Company anymore. Moreover, contracts signed in the past are being terminated, and they¡¯re currently involved in lawsuits. However¡­ Gu Yuanzhou won¡¯t go bankrupt. His funds are all in Huaxin Group now. As everyone knows, he¡¯s the hidden shareholder of Huaxin Group.¡±


    Every time I thought of Gu Yuanzhou living in luxury on the suffering of my uncle¡¯s family, my heart bled.


    This scum!


    ¡°Is there really no way to bring Gu Yuanzhou down?¡±


    Liu Yu sighed,


    ¡°As a friend, I advise you to protect yourself. The fact that he¡¯s not attacking Tianjiao right now means he¡¯s already showing mercy. Mainly because this man is too ruthless. He¡¯s capable of doing anything.¡±


    ¡°Liu Yu, even you say so?¡±


    Liu Yu fiddled with her curls,


    ¡°Indeed, I won the bet. But what if I had lost? You¡¯re still young. I had no choice because of my child. You don¡¯t! You can totally take Ding Yinuo and start over abroad. Life is too short to waste on a scumbag.¡±


    In fact, Liu Yu didn¡¯t know the details about my situation, and I hadn¡¯t made them clear to her.


    My experiences were not something ordinary people could understand.


    The depth of my hatred for Gu Yuanzhou.


    That¡¯s not something that can just be walked away from.


    My child died at his hands.


    My entire uncle¡¯s family was destroyed by him.


    This hatred, this grudge, will not die in this lifetime¡­


    However, when I think of Ding Yinuo, I still feel a bit fragile inside, I truly had the thought of taking Ding Yinuo abroad.


    But Ding¡¯s mother loves her son deeply and won¡¯t allow it, so I had no choice but to settle for the next best thing and wait until Ding Yinuo woke up to discuss it further.


    ¡°Miss Liu, thank you for your suggestion, I¡¯ll consider it,¡± I said.


    ¡°However, standing on the grounds of friendship, I actually don¡¯t want you to leave. I really enjoy being friends with you, and I hope to hang out with you more often,¡± she replied.


    ¡°By the way, did the in-laws from the Qi Family make things difficult for you?¡±


    ¡°That old lady used to be very dominant, but a few days ago she broke her leg and now can only lie in bed and moan. The whole family is depending on me, so I suppose they can¡¯t make much trouble anymore. But it doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ve already made Qi Ming draft a will¡ªif he dies, all his property will go to my daughter! I don¡¯t think they can come up with any more tricks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! As long as your two daughters can grow up healthy,¡± I said.


    After finishing the physiotherapy and resting well, I walked out laughing and chatting with Liu Yu.


    In the end, as Liu Yu was about to leave, she made a plan with me,


    ¡°My second treasure has a birthday next week, you must come! She wants to recognize you as her godmother!¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m honored, and I will definitely be there.¡±


    I waved goodbye, watching as Liu Yu drove away.


    Suddenly, I felt a chilly gaze sweeping over me from behind, and before I could turn around, that cold voice rang out.


    ¡°I was wondering why Qi Ming became paralyzed so inexplicably, turns out someone was pulling strings in secret!¡±


    I whirled around to see Gu Yuanzhou standing behind me, his hands in his pockets, his eyes darkly watching me.


    I played dumb, ¡°Mr. Gu, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand!¡±


    He slowly walked down the steps, approaching me.


    His overwhelming presence made it hard to breathe¡ªI had no choice but to look up at him.


    ¡°Is that so? You don¡¯t understand? Then explain your presence at the mountain-top villa¡­ Qi Ming was supposed to invest with me, but in the blink of an eye, he turned to Tianjiao Company. I don¡¯t need to investigate to understand the reason. Miss Song, you¡¯ve become quite the schemer.¡±


    He circled around me, his words filled with mockery.


    ¡°Maybe the Qi Family¡¯s company invested with me because I¡¯m a good person and Tianjiao Company is thriving. After all, investments are supposed to go to good, promising companies. Everyone is in it to make money! And now Zhenyi Company, I hear, has been shaken up quite badly, it¡¯s natural that people don¡¯t want to lose money and not invest with you.¡±


    I looked at him sarcastically.


    He just stared at me, and after a long while, he let out a cold laugh.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to dare to oppose me!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you were the one who provoked me first!¡±


    ¡°But, have you thought about the outcome of your actions? You won¡¯t end up well by challenging me like this,¡± he said, his words thick with menace.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you! Don¡¯t threaten me!¡±


    He seemed very angry but then suddenly calmed down, ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t want to argue with you. Go back to Zhenyi.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not going back!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you Ayun? If you truly are Ayun, you should know what Zhenyi means to you. Zhenyi needs you now, come back,¡± Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tone suddenly softened, seemingly with a hint of pleading.


    He looked at me, silent¡­


    I hesitated for a few seconds.


    He seized the opportunity to grab my hand, ¡°Ayun, come back with me! Come see everything we created together! If you¡¯re Ayun, you¡¯re Mrs. Gu! You need to go back!¡±


    I took a step back, freeing myself from his grasp, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not Ayun anymore! And¡­ I¡¯m not Mrs. Gu! You¡¯ve got the wrong person!¡±

 Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Chapter 314 Actually Knows Everything_1

    Chapter 314: Chapter 314 Actually Knows Everything_1


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like Ye Mengyan, and I¡¯ve already driven her away,¡±


    ¡°Ye Mengyan is your issue; it has nothing to do with me!¡±


    ¡°You said that you are Ayun; you can¡¯t keep changing your face like this!¡±


    He stepped closer to me as I retreated step by step, evading his arms and luckily there was a taxi stopped at the curb, so I got in directly.


    ¡°Driver, go!¡±


    I left the scene in the taxi as if I was escaping.


    I didn¡¯t want to get close to him.


    I was terrified he would discover all my plans.


    I was also worried that I couldn¡¯t overcome him.


    Yet, the more I tried to avoid him,


    the more I seemed to run into him.


    The city was too small; you couldn¡¯t escape seeing someone.


    Afterward, Tianjiao Company¡¯s business volume was in an explosive growth period, and since Ding Yinuo was bedridden due to long-term illness, I simply gave the position of design department director to Jian Yuyan, while I temporarily took over all of Ding Yinuo¡¯s work.


    And Ding Xiao was there to assist me.


    Actually, with Ding Xiao¡¯s help, I was still able to handle it all with ease.


    Shen Yishu¡¯s company was gradually getting on track, and he would often come to see me; to broaden his horizons, I would take him to various social events.


    However, it was impossible to avoid running into Gu Yuanzhou.


    At several business meetings, I deliberately avoided him to escape his entanglement.


    But, I would still end up meeting him.


    Finally, one time, he trapped me at the end of the hallway.


    He stretched out his hands, his tall figure enveloping me entirely as I stood within the confines of his arms.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Come back with me!¡±


    Perhaps because of the alcohol, his cheeks were flushed, and there was redness in his eyes.


    He stubbornly cocooned me in his embrace, refusing to let go.


    ¡°Let me go, you maniac!¡±


    ¡°Come back with me!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, we can¡¯t go back, not ever again!¡±


    ¡°You are Mrs. Gu, you are my wife, you have to come back with me!!¡±


    It was evident that he must have drunk at the recent banquets; his overbearing strength fiercely confined me.


    He even tried to bend down to kiss me.


    However, I couldn¡¯t accept being intimate with him like that again, and I pushed him away forcefully.


    I slapped him across the face.


    Just as the elevator door opened, I hurried out.


    Shen Yishu was outside, talking business with some clients. Seeing my disheveled state, he quickly approached,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, what happened?¡±


    I was still somewhat shell-shocked; after all, I am a woman with limited strength, and once Gu Yuanzhou got hold of me, I couldn¡¯t break free.


    So, still feeling like I was fleeing, I was completely panicked.


    It was not until Shen Yishu took my hand that I felt much more stable.


    ¡°Er, I ran into Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°What did he do to you? Let¡¯s call the police, don¡¯t be afraid of him!¡±


    Shen Yishu was much calmer than me.


    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    As Shen Yishu and I walked out of the hotel, just as we reached the entrance, my phone rang again.


    I took it out and saw that it was Gu Yuanzhou calling. I didn¡¯t answer and put the phone back into my bag.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you still have a business appointment at eight tonight. Avoiding him like this isn¡¯t a solution.¡±


    ¡°I know! I just¡­ need to cool down first. I¡¯ll be back later! Actually, nothing happened just now; I just ran into him and got a bit scared. He didn¡¯t do anything to me!¡±


    To avoid worrying Shen Yishu, I didn¡¯t go into detail about what had just happened.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you really don¡¯t have to be afraid of Gu Yuanzhou. If he does anything dangerous to you next time, just shout for help or call me.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I was very grateful for Shen Yishu¡¯s protective actions.


    But I did not want Shen Yishu to get into a conflict with Gu Yuanzhou. After all, with Shen Yishu¡¯s capabilities, Gu Yuanzhou could destroy him in minutes.


    Moreover, I had to keep my distance from Shen Yishu to prevent Gu Yuanzhou from transferring his hatred onto him and hurting an innocent person.


    I went back to Xishan Residence and rested for a while¡­


    At that moment, Jian Jing and Wenya came to see me.


    Jian Jing¡¯s belly had grown even more, like she was carrying a big round ball, and she had put on a lot of weight; her face had filled out as well.


    She was wearing the maternity dress I had bought for her ¡ª a loose style and made of pure cotton. She seemed very comfortable and it fitted her well.


    However, due to the pregnancy, her complexion was worse, her skin somewhat dusky, and she had developed large patches of melasma. She no longer had her usual lively look.


    Women, when they give birth to children for men, really exhaust their vitality and youth¡­


    She also carried a big bag of snacks and was huffing and puffing. I was worried she might fall, so I hurriedly stepped forward to support her.


    ¡°Look at you, with such a big belly, and you still come to see me?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Wenya said you¡¯ve been having a lot of trouble lately, especially regarding Yinuo. Every time I think about it, I get so upset. The first time you fell in love with Gu Yuanzhou, you put everything on the line, and this is the outcome. The second time you fell in love with Ding Yinuo, and then he turns out to be in a vegetative state. When I think of the pain you¡¯ve suffered, I¡¯ve woken up crying in the middle of the night. You never complain to me, but I know you¡¯re suffering, so I wanted to come and keep you company, to see how you are.¡±


    Jian Yan held my hand, unable to stop her tears from flowing.


    I embraced her tightly, patting her shoulder, ¡°Thank you, Jian Jing! It¡¯s so nice of you to come see me.¡±


    What was particularly heartbreaking was that Jian Jing felt so much pity for me, yet her own situation was even more difficult¡­


    I had stewed some snow pears, which I then took out to share with them.


    Wenya couldn¡¯t stop praising it after drinking the sugared snow pears,


    ¡°Ayun, I never imagined your cooking skills had improved so much!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who stewed it; it was Ding Yinuo¡­ He had stewed it before and then packed it into small portions and froze them in the freezer. When I want to drink it, I just take out a portion and heat it in the electric pot.¡±


    Wenya was deeply moved,


    ¡°President Ding was truly a good man, what a pity the heavens were blind, not letting good people get their reward.¡±


    I was calm,


    ¡°It¡¯s not the fault of the heavens; it was Gu Yuanzhou who hurt people!¡±


    Just as Jian Jing went to the restroom, Wenya whispered to me,


    ¡°That Yu Jiahang is really a scumbag!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I heard from a friend that after he got promoted, he kept a mistress outside and even bought her a car¡­ I see Jian Jing is about to give birth next month; I didn¡¯t dare to upset her.¡±


    Shocked by such news, I couldn¡¯t believe that Yu Jiahang would stoop so low. His wife was at home struggling with pregnancy, and he was out there supporting another woman?


    We were talking when unexpectedly, Jian Jing came out. I quickly gave Wenya a look, signaling her to change the subject.


    Wenya chuckled, ¡°Ah, it was the auntie who dances in the square with my mom, her son has been messing around outside, a real scumbag.¡±


    Unexpectantly, Jian Jing joined the conversation saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide it anymore, I actually know!¡±

 Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Chapter 315: He Burst in Drunk in the Middle of the Night_1

    Chapter 315: Chapter 315: He Burst in Drunk in the Middle of the Night_1


    I exchanged a look with Wenya, who still wanted to explain,


    ¡°Jian Jing, I really wasn¡¯t talking about you! There are so many jerk men in this world!¡±


    Jian Jing wiped her hands clean with a tissue, her eyes steady, her expression composed.


    ¡°The doctor said last time that I have pregnancy-induced hypertension! I also have edema, and the doctor said that at my age, if this childbirth doesn¡¯t go well, I might not be able to have children again in the future. So, no matter what, I must have this baby. A child I¡¯m risking my life for, I will definitely protect.¡±


    Wenya gave a thumbs-up,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on your side. Sister, keep it up! I¡¯m waiting to be the godmother, and besides, you¡¯re less than two months away from your due date. Just hang in there a bit longer, and it¡¯ll be here before you know it.¡±


    ¡°When did you know he was unfaithful to you?¡±


    I asked Jian Jing.


    Jian Jing lowered her head, silent for a long time,


    ¡°Actually, there are signs when a man cheats. Before, when he came home, his underwear would be dirty. Now, when he returns, it¡¯s always clean; clearly, he¡¯s washing them outside. Also, he always keeps his phone on hand, taking it with him to the bathroom, to the shower, never out of reach. Plus, he changed his phone¡¯s unlock code and wouldn¡¯t let me know it. Whenever he takes a call, he¡¯d go out to the balcony, and sometimes he¡¯d just smile foolishly at a text message. I could see¡­¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s words left me silent.


    After hearing this, Wenya also asked me,


    ¡°Ayun, when Gu Yuanzhou cheated, was it like this too?¡±


    I was taken aback by the question.


    Upon careful recollection, I realized Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t exhibit any of these details.


    ¡°No, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone wasn¡¯t locked, and he never avoided taking calls in front of me, nor did he take his phone into the shower¡­ However, he had another phone behind my back. Gu Yuanzhou is a person of meticulous thoughts, not someone just anyone can compare to. You shouldn¡¯t compare him to the average person.¡±


    Wenya nodded in agreement,


    ¡°Yeah, that old fox Gu Yuanzhou, he¡¯s always been watertight in his actions. Yu Jiahang is just a fool; he can¡¯t compare!¡±


    I asked Jian Jing, ¡°So what are you going to do next?¡±


    Jian Jing said, ¡°After the child is born, I¡¯ll divorce him!¡±


    ¡°Alright, once your child is born, come work at my company! That way you¡¯ll have an income, and there¡¯ll be nothing to worry about!¡±


    ¡°I always feel divorcing him lets him off too easy, this scumbag¡­ he has to pay a price¡­¡±


    Wenya, who was always indignant on other¡¯s behalf, muttered to herself for a long time.


    And I looked at Jian Jing and kept silent.


    In my view, Jian Jing seemed to still have feelings for Yu Jiahang.


    And this kind of indecisive emotion is the hardest to let go of, it¡¯s bound to drag her down in the future.


    My thoughts drifted back to Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    I had fallen so deeply into the romantic trap he set that I could not extricate myself, leading to my current plight.


    Reflecting on my own situation, I could somewhat foresee Jian Jing¡¯s future.


    And after all, matters of the heart cannot be persuaded by others, it must be realized by oneself.


    An hour later, Jian Jing and Wenya left together.


    In the living room, only I remained.


    I leaned over the desk paging through books, marking key points with a highlighter, I even bought acupuncture needles, trying them out on myself¡­


    I had to gather personal experience before administering them to Ding Yinuo with confidence.


    In the midst of night, there came another knock on the door.


    I thought it might be Su Peisheng.


    Excited, I opened the door only to find Gu Yuanzhou standing outside.


    He seemed to have been drinking; the instant I opened the door, a strong scent of alcohol wafted into my face with the wind.


    In the brief moment I was stunned, he had already pushed the door open and barged in.


    I couldn¡¯t even bother to close the door, following right behind him,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!! You¡¯re not welcome here!¡±


    He acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard me at all, storming into the living room.


    He looked around, as if searching for something¡­


    Soon after, he sat down on the sofa.


    ¡°Living here alone?¡±


    I stood in front of him, ¡°You are not welcome here, please leave!¡±


    He suddenly got up, grabbed my arm, and pulled me towards him. I let out a slight gasp of shock and then took a step back.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Come here, let me hold you!¡±


    That¡¯s when I realized, he was truly drunk.


    Not only did he reek of alcohol, but his eyes were also red.


    He was drunk!


    Ten years of marriage had made me thoroughly understand him.


    This man was bold even in his sober state, daring to do things that others wouldn¡¯t even think of.


    And now, having drunk, under the influence of alcohol, he would do even scarier things.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m asking you to leave immediately, or else I will call for help.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead and call! Then let everyone know that I was alone with you tonight, and guess what the public opinion will be like?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou made no attempt to hide the sinister look in his eyes.


    Yes, he was doing this on purpose¡­


    A man being with me, it was always going to be my loss.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what exactly do you want?¡±


    ¡°Ayun! You are my Ayun; Ayun is my wife. Come home with me! I can¡¯t live without you!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was somewhat incoherent¡­


    I kept retreating, but still, he cornered me against the wall.


    Indeed, I really couldn¡¯t call out for someone at this time. If a neighbor were to come in and see me with him,


    Gossip would fly all over, and in this era of internet, it is also an era without privacy, without any boundaries.


    For traffic and eye-catching headlines, any sensational story would do.


    If it got out that there were romantic rumors about me and Gu Yuanzhou, it would be a huge blow to the Ding family, and it would deeply hurt Ding Yinuo. I couldn¡¯t do that.


    I could only stand there helplessly as he closed in on me.


    He leaned over, took my chin in his hand, his eyes nearly fully drunk.


    ¡°Ayun, you are mine!¡±


    He lowered his head, kissing my forehead, cradling me in his arms with a low and rumbling voice, as if reminiscing something.


    He kept kissing me. I pushed him away, but he came back, hugged me, pressed me against the wall, and started to fondle me.


    I was getting overwhelmed by his persistence¡­


    ¡°Fine, since you admit I am Ayun, then you surely remember what you said to me on our wedding day, right?¡±


    ¡°I remember every single word!¡±


    His agreement was straightforward and decisive.


    ¡°Then, did you not say that if I were to die one day, you would definitely go with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°So, Gu Yuanzhou, in that fire, both the children and I died; why didn¡¯t you follow us?¡±


    At my words, he didn¡¯t immediately answer, but stopped what he was doing with his hands, cupped my face, and pulled me into his arms again.


    His voice was hoarse, ¡°I wanted to go with you all!¡±


    ¡°Good, now I give you a chance, if you dare to follow us, I will come back to you!¡±

 Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Chapter 316: Secretly Accomplished a Big Task_1

    Chapter 316: Chapter 316: Secretly Accomplished a Big Task_1


    ¡°`


    Originally, it was just a tentative remark, but I never expected Gu Yuanzhou to actually agree.


    I seized the moment and immediately dragged him out the door.


    I hailed a taxi on the roadside, and the car drove straight ahead.


    By this time, it was already deep into the night.


    The weather wasn¡¯t good, the sky filled with dark clouds that obscured the heavens, the cold air adding a sense of oppression.


    Standing on the Bay Bridge, I could see the river¡¯s surface nearly thirty meters below my feet, the river¡¯s water churning violently, the strong wind making my clothes flutter and shiver.


    If he were to jump from here, he¡¯d surely be smashed to pieces, wouldn¡¯t he?


    I held on to Gu Yuanzhou, pointing to the river beneath the bridge.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, if you truly love me, love our two children, then jump from here. Then, our family can reunite on the road to the underworld!¡±


    The wind on the bridge was strong, as if it were scattering my words.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s cheeks were still flushed, still corroded by alcohol.


    He leaned on the railing, gazing at the water¡¯s surface below. He maintained this stance, as if he was really considering doing it.


    After a long time, he turned his head back to look at me.


    ¡°I won¡¯t jump!¡±


    That he could give such an answer didn¡¯t surprise me; I let out a sneer.


    ¡°Mr. Gu is truly heartless and faithless, as expected. Everything you said at the wedding was a lie. The one you love most is still yourself, not anyone else! So, stop telling me that you love your Ayun in front of me.¡±


    I mocked him with a mix of cold sarcasm and scorching irony.


    Thinking of Ding Yinuo lying in the hospital bed, I truly wished that Gu Yuanzhou would jump from this river.


    It was at this moment that I realized, I really hoped this man could die.


    Perhaps only with his death could the hate in my heart be extinguished, and those he persecuted could survive.


    I even grabbed his arm, wanting to jump down with him.


    However, Gu Yuanzhou did not jump.


    Suddenly, he turned around, seized my arm, and step by step, walked down from the bridge using the stairs.


    His strength was enormous, holding onto me so tightly, I didn¡¯t have a chance to break free.


    He led me all the way to the road underneath the bridge.


    ¡°I¡¯m not jumping, not because I¡¯m a coward, but because you¡¯re still alive! You are my Ayun. If I died, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous, stop making excuses, you just don¡¯t dare! You¡¯ve never truly loved anyone, Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯ve only ever loved yourself in this lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Enough, come back with me! As long as you return to my side, I can prove it to you!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s impossible for me to go back! From now on, my world will only have Ding Yinuo in it.¡±


    I turned and walked away.


    Yes, I no longer believed in Gu Yuanzhou.


    No matter how much he cares about me now, no matter how much he loves me, it must be part of another scheme.


    Is it to extort more money from my older cousin?


    I¡¯m not sure, but what¡¯s certain is that I no longer trust him.


    ¡°Listen, Ayun, you¡¯d better come back to me. I give you three days. If you don¡¯t come looking for me within three days, then I won¡¯t let the Ding family off.¡±


    When such icy and terrifying words came out of his mouth, I was utterly shocked.


    Just how remorseless and shameless can a person be to utter such words?


    ¡°Sorry, Gu Yuanzhou! I don¡¯t accept your threats! The person I love is Ding Yinuo! I want to be with him for a lifetime!¡±


    Indeed, such words weren¡¯t just empty talk from me.


    ¡°`


    After saying that, I immediately hailed a taxi and went straight to the Ding Family¡¯s home.


    It was already one o¡¯clock in the morning, and Mrs. Ding was somewhat shocked to see me under the cover of night. She hurriedly pulled me inside and began to inquire with urgency.


    ¡°Miss Song, it¡¯s very unsafe for you to wander around alone so late at night. Next time, please call your elder brother to pick you up!¡±


    Feeling my ice-cold palms, she quickly made me a cup of hot tea.


    At that moment, I saw that she was still in her pajamas. Under the light, her silver hair made her look even more haggard.


    She held my hand, inquiring about my meals and living habits, and she was worried about my health.


    ¡°Miss Song, you need to take care of yourself too. Don¡¯t neglect your own health while taking care of Yinuo.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m fine, really. I came over tonight because I want to borrow Ding Yinuo¡¯s household registration book and identity card!¡±


    Mrs. Ding was momentarily stunned, as if she didn¡¯t quite understand what I meant, and asked again.


    After getting a definite answer from her, she then asked,


    ¡°What do you need these documents for in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°I need them for some personal matters. I promise I will return them to you by nine o¡¯clock tomorrow morning! Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything bad.¡±


    As for the specific reasons, I wasn¡¯t ready to reveal them just yet.


    It wasn¡¯t the right time.


    Mrs. Ding didn¡¯t ask any further, as she already trusted me a lot. She turned and went to the bedroom, soon returning with Ding Yinuo¡¯s identity card and the household registration book.


    ¡°Sigh, Yinuo once said that he would make you a member of our household registration book. I didn¡¯t expect that now¡­¡±


    Mrs. Ding wiped the corners of her eyes and then handed the two documents over to me.


    ¡°Auntie, then I¡¯ll be leaving now!¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything more. I took the items and was about to say goodbye.


    Mrs. Ding accompanied me all the way to the road,


    ¡°Otherwise, why don¡¯t you stay here for the night and leave tomorrow? I¡¯m worried about you being all by yourself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m going to the hospital! I¡¯m taking a taxi!¡±


    Mrs. Ding was reluctant to let go of my hand until the taxi came around the corner. Only then did she let go, standing in place watching me get into the car before she finally left.


    The next morning at eight-thirty, I called Su Peisheng¡­


    After listening to my request, Su Peisheng hurried to the hospital.


    By that time, I had already dressed Ding Yinuo in a black suit.


    In fact, it was difficult to dress him myself, even though he had lost quite a bit of weight lying in the hospital bed for so many days.


    After all, he was one meter eighty-eight tall and his weight was substantial; I simply couldn¡¯t manage him on my own.


    So I called a nurse over to help, and we finally got him dressed.


    ¡°Miss Song, I¡¯m afraid this won¡¯t work!¡±


    ¡°A person in a vegetative state is still a person! They have human rights too¡­ Anyway, you came today to be our witness! In a moment, you¡¯ll come with me to the civil affairs bureau!¡±


    Su Peisheng sighed, ¡°It¡¯s only because Yinuo is my brother that I would agree to this at all. Otherwise, I would never consent. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Though the process was difficult, the outcome was ultimately satisfactory.


    It took some effort, but fortunately, Su Peisheng understood the law, he had some connections, and I was firmly determined, so getting things done wasn¡¯t too hard.


    After everything was taken care of, I booked a hotel and then called each of our friends and important members of the Ding Family one by one.


    ¡°What? Drinking? What are we drinking for, Ayun, I¡¯m supposed to go to the movies tonight!¡±


    Wenya posed a slight problem, refusing my invitation.


    ¡°Refund the movie ticket! I¡¯m telling you, today is very important to me! If you don¡¯t come, then we¡¯re no longer friends¡ªtake your pick!¡±

 Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Chapter 317 Two Red Books_1

    Chapter 317: Chapter 317 Two Red Books_1


    ¡°Hey, what on earth are you up to, all secretive and not even giving me a heads-up? You invite me for drinks, but what¡¯s the occasion? Can¡¯t we change the time? I¡¯ve been waiting for this movie for a long time,¡± Wenya was still grumbling.


    ¡°Are you coming or not?¡±


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re demanding even when you¡¯re asking for a favor! Fine, fine, I¡¯m not convinced by anyone except you! I¡¯ll go!¡±


    In the end, Wenya still gave in.


    After hanging up the phone, I looked at Ding Yinuo and took out a boutonniere to pin it on his chest.


    I held Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand and whispered to him softly.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I¡¯ve done everything I promised you. You have to promise me too, to wake up soon.¡±


    Nine o¡¯clock in the evening!


    At the Shuangxi Hotel, more than a dozen guests had already gathered together.


    Since there were no strangers around, just very familiar friends, everyone started whispering and seemed to be guessing the purpose of my gathering them together.


    Until I wheeled Ding Yinuo, sitting in his wheelchair, into everyone¡¯s view.


    Everyone was shocked.


    Wenya stood up and looked at me,


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re wearing a red dress! Are you going to a wedding? Wait a minute, what¡¯s Ding Yinuo wearing, and why does he have a groom¡¯s badge¡­¡±


    Her words stopped abruptly as she looked at the bouquet in my hand, then suddenly realized,


    ¡°You two are planning to get married?¡±


    I nodded and said to everyone present.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend mine and Yinuo¡¯s wedding. Because it¡¯s difficult for him to get around, we¡¯ve kept it simple.¡±


    The most shocked was Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother; it took her a while to snap back to reality.


    She looked at me incredulously and after a long while, she firmly shook her head,


    ¡°Xiaosong, you are a good girl, and it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t think highly of you. But with Yinuo in his current state, he¡¯s truly not worthy of you. If you marry him and he never wakes up, wouldn¡¯t that ruin your life?¡±


    Ding Xiao was also very emotional,


    ¡°Ever since you started dating Yinuo, I¡¯ve been looking forward to your wedding. But I never imagined your wedding would take this form. We¡¯ve all seen the sacrifices you¡¯ve made for Yinuo; to be honest, everyone in the Ding Family is moved and grateful to you. You can take care of him and be by his side, but¡­ getting married is really not necessary. You¡¯re still young, you need to find a normal man to take care of you in the future.¡±


    Ding Xiao spoke earnestly, trying to persuade me, but I just smiled softly.


    I pulled out two red booklets from my pocket and laid them on the table.


    ¡°I appreciate everyone¡¯s kindness. Your persuasion can stop now because Yinuo and I are already legally married. Today¡¯s banquet is just to let everyone know. I hope to have your blessings!¡±


    We were already married; the deed was done.


    The first to come around was Jian Jing, who, despite being heavily pregnant, raised her glass,


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re a brave and kind woman, as your close friend, I¡¯ll support you unconditionally and have your back. I hope you and Mr. Ding grow old together.¡±


    Wenya also raised her glass,


    ¡°Cheers! All my words are in this drink!¡±


    Su Peisheng was the cultured one,


    ¡°I heard that people in comas can still be artificially inseminated; actually, you two still have a chance to have children.¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Wenya gave him a kick,


    ¡°Do you ever say the right thing? You really have a knack for bringing up the worst topics!¡±


    ¡°Did I say anything wrong? Shouldn¡¯t you have a child after getting married? At least a child gives you something to hold on to, right?¡±


    Ding Xiao said, laughing,


    ¡°Although your suggestion is good, Xiaosong is already having a hard time taking care of Ding Yinuo by herself. She can¡¯t take care of another child.¡±


    Mother Ding sighed,


    ¡°Xiaosong, you are a great hero to our Ding Family. What you do now is already more than enough for the Ding Family. Whether to have children or not is your personal choice. If you want to have children, we will help share the responsibility of taking care of them. If not, we support you too.¡±


    At that moment, the first to object was surprisingly Shen Yishu.


    I hadn¡¯t paid attention to him for a while, and there he was, sitting alone in a corner, having had a few drinks, his face flushed red.


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree with Xiaoyun having kids! She¡¯s too tired¡ªreally! As a woman, she needs to be taken care of and cherished. She can¡¯t dedicate her entire life like this!¡±


    Suddenly, the atmosphere was a bit awkward.


    It was Jia Yuyan who spoke up. She said with a smile,


    ¡°This is Sister Song¡¯s personal decision. Let¡¯s respect her. Now, I¡¯ll toast to President Ding and Sister Song, hoping that Tianjiao Company will prosper even more and that President Ding will wake up soon.¡±


    In fact, everyone present was very clear about what kind of mission I carried in this marriage.


    But, I am willing!


    My choice might be different from everyone else¡¯s.


    In the journey of life¡¯s challenges, I can say, I chose the most difficult hell mode.


    But, I am not afraid!


    I believe that Ding Yinuo and I will walk this path together.


    Next, the banquet continued.


    Unlike other wedding feasts, for some reason, there was not much joy on everyone¡¯s faces.


    Instead, there was a hint of repression.


    Especially Mother Ding. When I offered her the tea for mothers-in-law, she kept crying and saying how much the Ding Family owed me.


    After I presented the tea, she gave me a big red envelope.


    She held me and cried for a long time,


    ¡°Xiaosong, from now on, we are a family. The Ding Family is not only your in-laws but also your own family. Feel at ease when you come back home, and if you ever feel wronged or bullied outside, just come back and tell us. You have me, your big brother, and sister-in-law to back you up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thank you all!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but choke up.


    This was the warmth of family that I felt for the first time since my uncle and aunt.


    After the banquet ended, Su Peisheng took Mother Ding home.


    And Ding Xiao took people to send Ding Yinuo to the hospital.


    I stayed behind alone, drinking a little more with Jian Yan and Wenya.


    What was most worrying was that Shen Yishu actually got drunk.


    He lay on the table, unable to get up for a long time, and Wenya patted his shoulder,


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be a boss-level character, how can you act like you¡¯ve never seen the world, getting yourself drunk like this at a feast?¡±


    Shen Yishu raised his head, and I noticed his eyes were red¡­


    Wenya exclaimed first,


    ¡°Oh my, Shen Yishu is crying! Goodness, how is this presentable? On this happy day for others, what are you crying for?¡±


    But it was Jia Yuyan who had the way with words, finding a nicer way to put it.


    ¡°Shen Yishu is Sister Song¡¯s family! It¡¯s as if his sister is getting married, and as a brother, he¡¯s definitely reluctant to let her go. There¡¯s also a custom over here, saying that the more the family cries when the sister is married off, the more it shows how reluctant they are to let her go, right, Boss Shen?¡±

 Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: Chapter 318 Rare Clarity in the Human World_1

    Chapter 318: Chapter 318 Rare Clarity in the Human World_1


    Everyone was mocking Shen Yishu, and he was too embarrassed to cry anymore.


    He wiped his tears with a tissue, looked at me again, and said,


    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk, just feeling uncomfortable inside, so I had a couple more drinks¡­ My heart feels so constricted! I know others are blessing you, but I can¡¯t. Because I see your helplessness, your resignation!¡±


    There are so few clear-headed people in this world.


    I never expected that one of the clearest among them would be Shen Yishu.


    I interrupted him with a smile,


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it! Don¡¯t assume you understand me so well; in fact, you don¡¯t know me as well as you think you do. Young man, focus on your own business, and leave mine to me.¡±


    My words seemed to have hit him hard.


    He looked deeply into my eyes, then fell silent.


    On the way back, Wenya asked me,


    ¡°If you¡¯re just trying to spite Gu Yuanzhou, I can understand that. But if it¡¯s out of spite or sympathy for Ding Yinuo, I think you¡¯re taking a risk. Truth be told, I admire Ding Yinuo, but what I care about more is the lifelong happiness of my sister.¡±


    So I told Wenya about Ding Yinuo¡¯s past.


    Wenya said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with those stories¡ªI know all about high school; such things can¡¯t move me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something you don¡¯t know about¡­ and that¡¯s Shiqi!¡±


    ¡°What, Shiqi!?¡±


    Next, I recounted everything that had happened between Shiqi and me over the years, and finally added,


    ¡°What really made me decide to get the marriage certificate with Ding Yinuo was what I found in his hand. He is Shiqi! All these years, he¡¯s been by my side as a master, helping and guiding me! Over all these years, he¡¯s the only one who has done this. Compared to him, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s past love is worthless.¡±


    After hearing this, Wenya also remained silent for a long time,


    ¡°Ah, what you have is true love. Look at me and Su Peisheng. It¡¯s just pretentiousness from two old singles!¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily, I think Lawyer Su is a decent man! If you think there¡¯s a spark, go for it!¡±


    I was being honest. Although sometimes Su Peisheng could be abrasive, his values were upright, and he had genuine intentions toward Wenya.


    Perhaps being together was the best choice for them.


    Maybe for fear that I would be lonely and sad, Wenya stayed with me a long time.


    Late into the night, she was originally going to take me back to Xishan Residence, but I went to the hospital instead.


    After our wedding, I couldn¡¯t let him spend it alone.


    I always had this feeling that Ding Yinuo could sense me.


    My wedding night with Ding Yinuo was spent in the hospital.


    I sat by his side, looked out at the star-filled night sky, and told him, word for word.


    ¡°Anuo, we¡¯re married now. From today on, I¡¯m your wife! From now on, I¡¯ll take care of you¡­¡±


    ¡°Anuo, wake up soon. Look at how many stars are shining for us tonight.¡±


    ¡°I wish so much you could open your eyes and talk to me!¡±


    ¡°Anuo, do you really have the heart to leave me alone like this? If you can¡¯t bear it, then wake up. I need your company!¡±


    There was so much I wanted to say.


    But at that moment, I couldn¡¯t say anything. I know life is long, and I know I need to take care of him for a long time, but I¡¯m willing!


    In the morning, while I was performing acupuncture on Ding Yinuo.


    Shen Yishu came again.


    He packed breakfast for me¡­


    ¡°Eat something first! Look at you, dripping with sweat and probably skipping breakfast, right?¡±


    Shen Yishu handed me a towel, then flipped through a book on traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture on the table.


    He remarked,


    ¡°I used to hear that love could change everything and thought it was a lie, but now it seems it¡¯s true. Love can turn a female designer into a doctor.¡±


    I took the towel to wipe my sweat; I really didn¡¯t have time to eat breakfast in the morning.


    Mainly because there wasn¡¯t enough time, taking care of someone is tough, especially when that someone is a patient, requiring even more energy.


    I was indeed very hungry¡­


    Sitting down, I opened the breakfast Shen Yishu had packed¡ªsteaming hot mini beef pancakes and snow ear mushroom soup.


    Shen Yishu also started discussing his business proposal.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been cooperating with female live streamers to promote products, and the sales aren¡¯t bad, but it¡¯s only feasible in the mid to low-end market, not the high-end.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, the mid to low-end market has larger volume. If it can be done well, it would also be a viable path.¡±


    After breakfast, Shen Yishu helped me to turn Ding Yinuo¡¯s body.


    In the end, I walked out of the hospital with him.


    I¡¯ve had many friends and helped many people.


    But Shen Yishu is one of the very few who has stayed by my side, earnestly lending me a hand all this while.


    Afterward, he returned to his company, and today I had to talk business with a client.


    For some reason, my left eyelid kept twitching today, giving me a bad premonition.


    At first, I wasn¡¯t clear on what the problem was.


    It wasn¡¯t until I sat down to talk business over drinks with the client that, seeing Gu Yuanzhou sitting among them, I realized where the trouble lay.


    Anywhere Gu Yuanzhou appeared, I never had peace.


    I ignored him, pretended not to see him, and continued negotiating with the client.


    In fact, I had been tracking this client for a month already.


    Some big clients need a long time to be tracked before a contract can be signed.


    And today was crucial because this client would be going abroad for several months, making it difficult for me to see him then.


    ¡°President Zheng, you¡¯ve seen our product and its quality is right here¡­ Since we are so sincere, why not consider signing the contract now?¡±


    After the third round of drinks, seeing that the client had also drunk quite a bit, I thought it was the right moment to seize the opportunity when he was in high spirits and get his signature so I could leave.


    Unexpectedly, before the client could respond, Gu Yuanzhou stood up.


    ¡°Sincerity? Miss Song, I don¡¯t think you show any sincerity at all. President Zheng has drunk several glasses while you haven¡¯t drunk a single one, where¡¯s the sincerity in that?¡±


    I rolled my eyes at Gu Yuanzhou, not speaking doesn¡¯t make you mute¡­


    But it wasn¡¯t convenient for me to say that outright, so I smiled indifferently,


    ¡°President Zheng and I are friends, it¡¯s not as superficial as Mr. Gu implies. Not all relationships need to be proven by drinking.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t pay attention to me anymore, however, and instead said directly to President Zheng,


    ¡°How about this, work with Zhenyi Company. For the same product, same quality, we¡¯ll give you a price 50% below Tianjiao¡¯s quote.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s attitude shocked me; cooperating with such a major client, our profit margin wasn¡¯t even 20%, yet he was offering a price even lower than our cost price.


    This could only mean one thing¡ª he was intentionally operating at a loss to struggle for attention, in other words, he was deliberately causing trouble. I had to find a way to deal with him.

 Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: Chapter 319 He Presses Step by Step_1

    Chapter 319: Chapter 319 He Presses Step by Step_1


    The shameless man was brazen to the extreme, his goal was to sabotage my business.


    After all, we lived in the same city, where bowing your head meant seeing each other regardless.


    And in the same industry, so I couldn¡¯t lose my temper or fly into a rage.


    Because doing so was meaningless¡­


    Taking a deep breath, I glanced at Gu Yuanzhou, whose eyes revealed an extremely smug expression.


    ¡°Mr. Zheng, don¡¯t believe his words. Although Zhenyi¡¯s quality can be guaranteed, their designers have poor taste and aesthetics, and the products they design are definitely not mainstream. Look, many customers have recently canceled their orders with Zhenyi. I believe, Mr. Zheng, you¡¯re a smart man and know that collaborating with us has more prospects.¡±


    I went with the flow and said my piece, then raised my eyebrows looking at Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    As expected, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face turned somewhat ugly.


    I¡¯m not slandering Zhenyi.


    It¡¯s a fact that Zhenyi has indeed been going downhill day by day.


    I am the soul of Zhenyi Company.


    Without me, Zhenyi Company has lost its color and vitality.


    Mr. Zheng also agreed, saying to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Mr. Gu, I believe Zhenyi¡¯s brand still has its value, after all, it¡¯s an old and trusted name. But regretfully, it can¡¯t keep up with the times now. Recently, even my wife said Tianjiao¡¯s clothes look better.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gave a dry chuckle.


    That smile was extremely unnatural¡­


    He took a sip of his drink and then calmly turned to Mr. Zheng,


    ¡°I heard Mr. Zheng won a billion at the Macau casino last year, and even kept a female celebrity, what¡¯s her name, Yu something? I think, your wife must be very curious!¡±


    Upon these words from Gu Yuanzhou, Mr. Zheng¡¯s complexion instantly changed.


    After being stunned for a few minutes on the spot, he awkwardly said to me,


    ¡°Miss Song, I¡¯m sorry. I still think Zhenyi Company is better, I might not be able to collaborate with you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Zheng, please reconsider!¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m leaving the country tomorrow, I have to pack up tonight, I¡¯ll take my leave now, goodbye.¡±


    Mr. Zheng hastily gathered his suit and left without looking back.


    I stared at the empty table and the unsigned contract, smiled bitterly, and then picked up my bag, ready to leave, but Gu Yuanzhou reached out and grabbed me.


    ¡°Leaving so soon? There are still guests at the table, and you¡¯re just going to walk away like that?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what else is there for us to discuss?¡±


    ¡°What, so it¡¯s okay for you to bad-mouth Zhenyi, but others can¡¯t speak ill of you?¡±


    ¡°What I said was the truth!¡±


    ¡°And what I said was also the truth!¡±


    ¡°You conduct business without morals! You¡¯re shameless, vile, and despicable!¡±


    I picked up the red wine from the table and splashed it over his face.


    The wine doused one of his eyes, and he grabbed my arm with one hand, while the other wiped the red wine off his face.


    His eyes were filled with a sharp light.


    He slowly stood up, enclosing me in his arms,


    ¡°You¡¯d better understand what you¡¯re doing, woman. Either come back to me obediently, or believe me, you won¡¯t be able to make a single deal after this.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, let me remind you, don¡¯t get too full of yourself. With your abilities, you can¡¯t handle me.¡±


    Right now, he could only claim some physical advantage.


    Just bullying me a bit with his physical strength.


    ¡°Are you underestimating me?¡±


    He looked at me mockingly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about underestimating, that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got. You can only bully me a bit with physical strength. If you dare, don¡¯t resort to schemes and compete fairly in the business world.¡±


    ¡°You think I would need to resort to schemes, you could make it to where you are today?¡±


    ¡°Ha, let Gu Yuanzhou use whatever tricks he has up his sleeve!¡±


    I sneered coldly. He acted like a thug today, ruining my business deal. Wasn¡¯t that already resorting to tactics?


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll let you see what happens when I start playing hardball. You just wait!¡±


    After uttering that threat, Gu Yuanzhou turned and left.


    I collapsed onto a chair, breathing softly.


    After a long while, I called Mr. Zheng again, only to discover that he¡¯d already blocked my number.


    Could Gu Yuanzhou really be that fearsome?


    Was even someone like Mr. Zheng afraid of him?


    Today, without closing any deals, I returned to Xishan Residence feeling somewhat depressed.


    I opened a bottle of beer for myself, took a couple of sips, and then the doorbell rang. I thought it would be Gu Yuanzhou.


    But to my surprise, it was Shen Yishu who walked in.


    Seeing me drinking, Shen Yishu looked worried.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you feeling down?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here so late at night?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought you a present!¡±


    ¡°Oh, please come in!¡±


    I opened the door wider, and Shen Yishu walked in with a smile.


    ¡°What sort of present?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t feeling great today, and frankly, I wasn¡¯t interested in anything.


    Yet Shen Yishu seemed quite eager, ¡°You¡¯re definitely going to like it!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    His excited demeanor sparked a bit of curiosity in me.


    ¡°You should open it yourself!¡±


    To be honest, I didn¡¯t have much expectation for Shen Yishu. Although he was a boss, who is usually dressed in a suit and looks quite stable.


    Deep down he was still a young boy, recently graduated, just in his early twenties. He had a youthful vibe that merged with a grown man¡¯s maturity.


    But when it comes to me, he still seemed somewhat naive. Thus, I didn¡¯t think he would bring a gift that could truly surprise me.


    He took out an exquisite-looking box and placed it on the table.


    I untied the bow on the outer wrapping and peeled back the wrapping paper. Through the paper, I could see it was a wig.


    Yes, ever since I shaved my head, my hair had grown a little.


    But I still had to wear a wig until my hair was ear-length before I could take it off.


    At that moment, the wig Shen Yishu gave me genuinely amazed me.


    It was a bob-cut style, shiny and flexible. I ran my hand through it, and it felt almost indistinguishable from real hair.


    ¡°Is this real hair?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not real, but it¡¯s bionic. Apparently, it uses the latest and most eco-friendly technology. Try it on!¡±


    In the past few months, I¡¯ve tried on various wigs. Some looked too fake, felt bad to the touch, weren¡¯t breathable or tended to slip off.


    Even the better-looking styles were sometimes too heavy. Wearing one all day made my neck feel like it was about to break.


    But the one Shen Yishu gave me not only had great hair quality and fit snugly, but it was also super lightweight¡­


    After I put it on, it felt like my own hair. I looked in the mirror, and it was beautiful and complemented my skin perfectly.


    ¡°How about it, do you like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty good. Where did you buy this?¡±


    ¡°Hey, as long as you like it, where I got it isn¡¯t important¡­¡±


    While I was looking in the mirror, I suddenly saw Shen Yishu make a strange gesture from the reflection. I immediately turned around, only to catch him stuffing something frantically into his pocket.

 Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Chapter 320 Retreat Step by Step_1

    Chapter 320: Chapter 320 Retreat Step by Step_1


    Although I tried to keep my expression as natural as possible, all of it couldn¡¯t escape my eyes.


    In front of me, he was still too green.


    I saw right through¡­


    ¡°Cough, what were you just taking pictures of?¡±


    He didn¡¯t hide it any longer and took out his phone from his pocket to show me.


    I took the phone but didn¡¯t look at it, just weighed it in my palm before giving it back to him.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you look?¡±


    He asked me curiously.


    ¡°You guys always like to keep inappropriate photos on your phones; I¡¯d rather not look!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any! Really, take a look, it¡¯s all clean.¡±


    He insisted on proving his innocence by still pushing the phone at me.


    I declined.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m not looking!¡±


    I could see a hint of disappointment in the depths of his eyes.


    I took another careful look at him.


    His attire was more formal than before, the white shirt looked upscale with subtle cuff designs, and his suit was spotless.


    When he looked at me, his eyes held a bit of expectation.


    I could only pretend not to notice.


    Smiling, I patted his shoulder,


    ¡°Yishu! I really like this gift! Thank you!¡±


    Shen Yishu chuckled,


    ¡°Glad you like it, why be polite?¡±


    I poured him a cup of tea,


    ¡°I¡¯m going to check some medical books now, if you don¡¯t have anything else, you can go ahead and leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve finished all my business for today; I¡¯d like to stay here a little longer!¡±


    ¡°Well, suit yourself¡­¡±


    I really wasn¡¯t in the mood to entertain Shen Yishu.


    With Ding Yinuo on my mind, I also had to be constantly on guard against Gu Yuanzhou making a move¡­


    As I studied the book on traditional medicine and acupuncture, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words were still on my mind.


    I was genuinely puzzled, unable to figure it out¡­


    Shen Yishu called out to me twice before I snapped back to reality, looking at him with a baffled expression.


    H looked at me with concern,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Only then did I feel the pain in my hand, and looking down, I found I¡¯d been so lost in thought that I didn¡¯t even notice the needle I¡¯d stuck in my hand.


    I hastily put the needle away.


    After glancing at him, I laughed awkwardly to cover up,


    ¡°What were you just saying to me? I was spacing out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I said¡­ what do you like about Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    ¡°No, why are you asking that?¡±


    ¡°I just want to know, what kind of man can attract you, can make you throw caution to the wind like a moth to a flame¡­ I¡¯ve never seen a woman like you before. In my memory, most girls are like Ye Mengyan, they seek men under the guise of love, but they¡¯re really just looking for a cash machine. To them, love is money! It¡¯s money they love, they¡¯ll follow whoever has it.¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s words carried a touch of cynical world-weariness.


    It made me realize.


    He had been greatly hurt in his last relationship with Ye Mengyan.


    I patted his shoulder,


    ¡°Not all women are like Ye Mengyan. Just like, you and Gu Yuanzhou are both men, but your personalities are worlds apart; people are completely different from each other.¡±


    ¡°I know, you¡¯re different from Ye Mengyan; I understand the reasoning you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just me, Jia Yuyan is lovely! There are many good girls out there.¡±


    ¡°But you still haven¡¯t told me, what do you like about Ding Yinuo!¡±


    Shen Yishu pressed the question again.


    ¡°`


    I fell silent for a while.


    In fact, I find it hard to answer this question.


    In my life, I¡¯ve given all my love to Gu Yuanzhou¡­ I¡¯ve been hurt, pained, exhausted.


    And Ding Yinuo has always given me a sense of security, like a calm harbor, always waiting for me.


    I can¡¯t go into details; I just know he¡¯s very important in my life, and I can¡¯t be without him.


    After a while, I looked at Shen Yishu,


    ¡°My relationship with Ding Yinuo really can¡¯t serve as a reference for you. You can¡¯t derive any life philosophy from us. I think life comes from experience, you¡¯ll understand once you¡¯ve been in love a few more times.¡±


    Shen Yishu smiled and didn¡¯t ask any further.


    Late at night, I needed to go to the hospital.


    Shen Yishu drove me there and only left after I had entered the ward.


    Sometimes, I feel like I understand Shen Yishu very well, but in reality, it seems I don¡¯t really know him at all.


    The night deepened, and I stayed up with Ding Yinuo, yet another sleepless night¡­


    The next morning.


    I washed Ding Yinuo¡¯s face and was about to help him drink some honey water.


    My phone rang.


    It was Wenya who called, saying in a mysterious tone,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou has gone mad!¡±


    ¡°Has he ever been normal?¡±


    In my eyes, Gu Yuanzhou has always been crazy; he¡¯s never done a sane thing.


    So, at that moment, I wasn¡¯t too surprised by Wenya¡¯s words.


    ¡°No, if you¡¯re free, hurry over and see for yourself just how crazy this man has become!¡±


    Wenya kept urging me, and I felt curious.


    In fact, I really wanted to know what crazy thing Gu Yuanzhou had done.


    After taking care of Ding Yinuo, I set out.


    Half an hour later, the taxi stopped at the place Wenya had specified.


    She had already been waiting for me on the steps, early in the morning, wearing a brightly green trench coat, wrapped in a white scarf, very eye-catching among the crowd.


    I glanced at the tall and retro-styled building in front of me, with ¡®Trust Auction House¡¯ written on it.


    I looked at her in surprise, ¡°Su Peisheng greened you out, so you¡¯re going to auction him off?¡±


    ¡°What kind of thought process is that¡­ It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Wenya pulled me up the steps, mumbling all the way,


    ¡°I was clueless too, until Su Peisheng told me. He just got the news from inside. We couldn¡¯t believe it, that Gu Yuanzhou would actually do such a thing.¡±


    Hearing her say this, my doubt grew bigger.


    I followed her into the elevator.


    Then, she led me into an auction room.


    I had been here before; it¡¯s A City¡¯s most upscale and grand auction venue.


    They auction off all sorts of jewelry, jade, as well as real estate, land, deeds, antiques, paintings, and the like.


    Suddenly, I saw on the big screen, scrolling text of the next public auction, ¡®Zhenyi Company¡¯s entire share equity.¡¯


    Seeing such a message indeed shocked me.


    Gu Yuanzhou was actually willing to auction off Zhenyi Company?


    ¡°How is it, Ayun, haven¡¯t you always wanted to take back Zhenyi Company? This is a good opportunity! Now, you can start anew when Zhenyi returns to your hands.¡±


    But seeing this message only made me feel somewhat torn.


    Distressed!


    Zhenyi Company is all the hard work of Gu Yuanzhou and me.


    Like a child I¡¯ve raised by hand, he¡¯s actually going to sell it.


    Heartache!


    Actually, Wenya isn¡¯t wrong.


    If Zhenyi could return to my hands, it would be better.


    However, right now, the screen only shows scrolling text without any other auction information, like the price, for example.


    At this time, Gu Yuanzhou also appeared unexpectedly in front of me.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite well-informed, aren¡¯t you? Rushing over here first thing?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, don¡¯t you have any feelings for Zhenyi Company?¡±

 Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Chapter 321 He is Furious_1

    Chapter 321: Chapter 321 He is Furious_1


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with contempt,


    ¡°Emotions? Someone who doesn¡¯t have emotions themselves, let alone that they don¡¯t even qualify as a person!¡±


    ¡°Just as expected, heartless and unprincipled!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk such pretty words. You have emotions and principles, didn¡¯t you fall in love with someone else all the same?¡±


    ¡°If you are referring to me and Ding Yinuo, then it was you who betrayed me first!¡±


    ¡°Really? Where is your proof?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Ye Mengyan living proof?¡±


    ¡°Which eye of yours saw me with her now?¡±


    ¡°How laughable. Just because we have broken up, it means we are not together anymore? Do you think everyone is a fool? Can people just pretend not to see what you have done after you¡¯ve done it?¡±


    In the face of my angry accusations, his expression remained calm,


    ¡°You are biased against me!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am biased against you! Because you are a scumbag, and I have always despised scumbags! If you want me to be unbiased, then perhaps you shouldn¡¯t have done so many bad things.¡±


    I admit, I can¡¯t stay calm whenever I see Gu Yuanzhou.


    Because there is hatred and disgust in my heart.


    Some emotions can¡¯t be hidden.


    Sometimes you can¡¯t hide your love for someone.


    Actually, the same goes for hate.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t argue with me, instead, he went straight into the auction room.


    Wenya came up to me and said,


    ¡°I feel like Gu Yuanzhou is up to something, you better be careful and not fall for it.¡±


    ¡°What scheme does he have?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t quite say¡­ I¡¯ve heard Su Peisheng analyze it, he said that Gu Yuanzhou now controls all the shareholders of Huaxin Group, he¡¯s already the richest man in A City, he¡¯s quite wealthy. To him now, Zhenyi Company is just a piece of cake, not even worth mentioning. He completely doesn¡¯t need to sell it.¡±


    Wenya analyzed.


    After hearing that, I let out a light laugh,


    ¡°Whatever schemes or tricks, he¡¯s just exploiting me. He knows I am Song Yun; he just wants to mess with me. Zhenyi Company is his effort as well as mine. Actually, you can¡¯t see clearly when you¡¯re too close, but from a distance, you can see everything so clearly. Think about it! During the fire, he first caused the death of my child, then harmed the Song Family and Ding dad¡­ All these people, they all have one thing in common, that is their connection to me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just deliberately tormenting me! He wants to see me in pain! Heh, I actually want to see what kind of tricks he can come up with.¡±


    In fact, no matter what trickery Gu Yuanzhou was up to, I was indeed agitated by him.


    Because having Ding Yinuo lying in a hospital bed already caused me immense pain.


    In this world, no one wants their husband to be in a vegetative state.


    Only, I cannot comprehend why he would treat me this way?


    Soon, the auction started, and Wenya and I walked into the venue.


    Wenya mentioned that Su Peisheng was supposed to come, but for some reason, likely because he carried something prohibited, he was stopped at the door.


    Unable to enter, it was just the two of us fighting side by side now.


    Firstly, the auctioneer came on stage, and the screen scrolled through Zhenyi Company¡¯s current business situation.


    It was evident that Zhenyi Company was in a terrible state.


    Half of the company¡¯s employees had been laid off, and the performance was less than a tenth of what it used to be.


    Apart from the old staff from the past, most of the newcomers had left.


    Seeing such a dire state, my heart was in extreme pain.


    I looked up inadvertently and saw Gu Yuanzhou sitting diagonally across from me.


    He crossed his legs elegantly, casually watching me with a relaxed expression, seemingly intentionally capturing the look of loss on my face.


    I suppressed the pain in my eyes, took a deep breath, and grabbed Wenya¡¯s arm, speaking in a low voice, ¡°I can¡¯t stand it! What should I do if I want to tear him apart?¡±


    Wenya whispered in my ear, all the while holding me down tightly,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive!¡±


    Watching the company I had once managed with my own hands go bankrupt felt no different from watching my own child die.


    At this moment, I hated Gu Yuanzhou to the extreme.


    The auctioneer began to call out prices on stage¡­


    ¡°The starting bid is 10 billion!¡±


    Actually, quite a few people attended the auction, after all, Zhenyi Company was a big company.


    It once had its moments of glory in A City and was prominent on the rankings.


    Many people were eager to make a move¡­


    But as soon as they heard the starting bid, there was an uproar among the crowd.


    ¡°No way, isn¡¯t this starting bid too high? Even at its most flourishing times, it wouldn¡¯t sell for this price, and now that it has declined, it would be good to get even 1 billion.¡±


    ¡°I think the shareholders aren¡¯t really looking to sell, are they joking?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, whoever takes over at this price will lose out. Looking around, there aren¡¯t many tycoons in the country who could take over with such a large amount of cash, what is this play?¡±


    The crowd was buzzing with comments, yet Gu Yuanzhou remained calm, holding a glass of red wine in one hand and smoothing his tie with the other, as he looked my way once again.


    10 billion!!


    I sold Tianjiao, and even after adding loans, I could barely reach that amount.


    But do I really want to sell Tianjiao in exchange for Zhenyi?


    In my opinion, this was a deliberate challenge set by Gu Yuanzhou.


    He wanted me to sell Tianjiao for Zhenyi.


    His calculation was too loud and clear.


    Even passersby could see it.


    The auction continued, but since no one in the audience made a bid, it led to a break in the middle of the event.


    I did not speak and silently followed Wenya out of the auction hall.


    Wenya was well aware of my feelings for Zhenyi, she could probably see that this was a trap.


    Thus, she pulled me aside and said in a low voice,


    ¡°Try to stay calm and restrained, don¡¯t make a bid under any circumstances.¡±


    I was actually very calm.


    After so many incidents, I can still clearly distinguish between reality and fantasy.


    ¡°Tianjiao Company is not mine! Although the majority of the shares are in Ding Yinuo¡¯s hands, I wouldn¡¯t casually tamper with his property rights. Moreover, Tianjiao is also the Ding Family¡¯s hard work, I don¡¯t have the right to mortgage or liquidate it. I love Zhenyi deeply, but not to the point of losing my sanity.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear!¡±


    I did not continue attending the second half of the auction.


    I couldn¡¯t bear to see the current dismal state of Zhenyi Company, nor did I have the money to buy it; the best option was to watch from afar.


    If the auction of Zhenyi Company was just a test by Gu Yuanzhou,


    then the events that followed caught me even more off guard¡­


    After work that day, Jia Yuyan came running to me in the hospital in a frantic state.


    ¡°Sister Song, something big has happened! I¡¯ve made a huge blunder for the company!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, sit down and tell me slowly!¡±


    ¡°Just last week at that Guofeng exhibition, I received a client who expressed great interest in our products. He signed a large order for 1 million sets on the spot, and I, overwhelmed by joy, signed the contract without a second thought and even received the deposit from the client! Today I got a call from the client asking me to deliver, and only after reviewing the order did I realize a very significant oversight.¡±

 Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: Chapter 322 Mutual Calculations_1

    Chapter 322: Chapter 322 Mutual Calculations_1


    Despite being young and unaccustomed to major events, Jiang Yuyan¡¯s face was a visible canvas of panic, like a little rabbit trapped in a corner with no escape.


    I, on the other hand, was much more composed.


    ¡°Where did the problem occur?¡±


    Jiang Yuyan took out the order and pointed to the date on it for me to see,


    ¡°The delivery date! I didn¡¯t look closely before, thinking we had a year¡¯s deadline. To my surprise, the delivery due is this week, just one week. We simply can¡¯t manufacture that many sets of clothes so quickly. We wouldn¡¯t even be able to prepare all the raw materials, and I tried asking for help from others in the industry, but even if all the factories in A City combined forces, they wouldn¡¯t be able to finish production in a week. Besides, I just found out about this today, and the order is due tomorrow!¡±


    Jiang Yuyan was so anxious she was sweating profusely, and she blamed herself, constantly saying,


    ¡°Sister Song, I¡¯m such a scatterbrain, I¡¯ve caused you trouble, I¡¯m so stupid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, let¡¯s just consider it a breach of contract then!¡±


    Actually, by this point, I had roughly figured out that someone had deliberately set a trap for Jiang Yuyan to fall into.


    This person had no genuine interest in doing business; their game was to exploit newcomers like Jiang Yuyan who lacked experience.


    ¡°About the breach¡­ I¡¯ve looked into it, the penalty is a hundred times the amount of the deposit!¡±


    Normally, the penalty for breach would be three to five times the deposit, ten times is rare, let alone a hundred times.


    ¡°How much was the deposit?¡±


    After hesitating for a while, Jiang Yuyan finally said,


    ¡°One million!¡±


    One million times a hundred¡­ I roughly did the math in my head, the penalty was astronomical. If we were to compensate with this amount, even selling Tianjiao wouldn¡¯t cover it.


    Jiang Yuyan¡¯s face was pale,


    ¡°Sister Song, what should we do? I¡¯m afraid to even tell President Ding! If he found out, he would be so angry he might have a stroke.¡±


    I was actually also panicking inside, but to calm Jiang Yuyan down, I still reassured her,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry just yet. We still have one day left today, right? Let me think of a solution. Also, arrange to meet with them tomorrow. I¡¯ll go talk to them!¡±


    ¡°Sister Song, you always know what to do. Otherwise, I really would have gone crazy. I¡¯ve never handled such a big issue in my life.¡±


    Finally, Jiang Yuyan managed to compose herself.


    But now, it was my turn to be anxious.


    That night, I practically called every contact I knew in A City to discuss strategies and see how many finished products we could rush out.


    This way, I could have more leverage in the negotiations tomorrow.


    The next morning, Jiang Yuyan sent me a message,


    ¡°The meeting is set, at Mei Garden International Hotel at six o¡¯clock tonight.¡±


    ¡°Did they make any demands?¡±


    ¡°They want to talk in person!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I took out some materials and wrote down every possible solution I could think of.


    To see if we could negotiate a lower price or offer the other party benefits in some other way.


    I even worked out the cost price, then thought, if they still were not willing to budge, I could sell at a loss, or even offer company equity as compensation.


    How could I possibly sell Tianjiao?


    To avoid unnecessary panic, I decided not to tell Ding Xiao yet and handle the situation myself first.


    Having been in business for so many years, I did have some experience in negotiations.


    I actually had a sixty to seventy percent confidence in my ability to talk them down¡­


    However, this confidence evaporated the moment I stepped into the hotel¡¯s conference room.


    Because the person was none other than Ayu!


    Had it not been for the fact that he was the only one in the conference room, I would never have associated the person I was about to confront with him.


    Indeed, it had been a while since I had seen Ayu around Gu Yuanzhou.


    This man¡¯s eyes were malevolent!


    His gaze was smirking, yet not quite a smile,


    It was chilling to the bone.


    ¡°Is it you?¡±


    Ayu sat up straight, smiling at me,


    ¡°How about that, didn¡¯t expect it, eh?¡±


    ¡°Did Gu Yuanzhou send you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! Yuanzhou is so busy, he needn¡¯t worry about such trifling matters.¡±


    ¡°Then what the hell do you want?¡±


    I casually tossed the carefully prepared documents into the trash can.


    Because if he was behind it all,


    there was basically nothing to negotiate. He simply wanted me dead.


    A death without any leeway.


    Ayu puffed on his cigarette, his gloomy gaze fixed on me.


    ¡°What do you think I want to do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, you intentionally sent someone to go after Jiang Yuyan, right?¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ you¡¯ve got it wrong. Why would I target a little girl? I have no vendetta against her, it¡¯s you I¡¯m after!¡±


    Ayu wasn¡¯t interested in concealing the truth, continuing to blow smoke, his eyes cold throughout.


    When I saw Ayu, I was already seething inside.


    The condition that Ding Yinuo is in now is all thanks to him.


    The man before me, more despicable than Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°I have no quarrel with you, why do you want to harm me?¡±


    I countered.


    ¡°Hehe, no quarrel? That¡¯s really funny!¡±


    ¡°Ayu, I¡¯m the one who wants to ask you, why are you after Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°Do you even need to ask? It¡¯s all because of you. I never intended to go after him. You are my target¡­ because you don¡¯t deserve to live in this world.¡±


    ¡°Me? Heh, you really are Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dog, aren¡¯t you? How much kibble has he given you for you to be so blindly loyal, biting wherever he points?¡±


    Just thinking of Ding Yinuo¡¯s plight, my rage surged uncontrollably.


    I truly wished I could strangle the scourge before me right then and there.


    Ayu stood up and walked over to me,


    ¡°Done cursing? It¡¯s actually pointless, you know. Your insults are useless. After all, you might end up dying even more miserably than a dog!¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    I asked him again, trying to understand his motive.


    Ayu shrugged nonchalantly and sat on the table, swinging his crossed leg.


    ¡°Yuanzhou¡¯s idea is for you to leave Tianjiao, to leave that waste Ding Yinuo. However, I find Yuanzhou¡¯s thoughts a bit hard to follow. I think, let¡¯s keep it simple, just drive Tianjiao to bankruptcy and closure, then you¡¯ll have nowhere to turn, right?¡±


    ¡°Ayu, you¡¯re a heartless madman!¡±


    ¡°The angrier you get, the happier I am¡­¡±


    Ayu was laughing, a twisted smile on his face. In my hand, I gripped a teacup, so furious I wanted to smash it against his face.


    To shatter that face to pieces¡­ But in the end, reason prevailed.


    I gradually calmed down, took a sip of tea, and attempted to ask him again, ¡°You called me here today for a discussion, you obviously have something in mind. Let¡¯s hear it, what¡¯s your plan? You can¡¯t possibly refuse to budge at all, can you? Everyone knows by now, it was a slipup, and that girl who signed the contract, she¡¯s already scared to tears.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s she crying? In the end, she represents the company, and the company can come out to solve the problem¡­ I won¡¯t beat around the bush, I want Tianjiao bankrupt. Either you come up with the money by tomorrow, or you declare bankruptcy¡­ Isn¡¯t it simple?¡±


    ¡°Do you really have to be this way?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, what do you think? Did you imagine I was going through all this trouble just to compromise with you?¡±


    I pondered for a few seconds before finally giving him an answer.

 Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Chapter 323: Kill His Dog First_1

    Chapter 323: Chapter 323: Kill His Dog First_1


    In the evening, back at Xishan Residence, I sat alone in the living room, staring blankly at the night sky outside the window.


    Up to this point.


    Gu Yuanzhou had pushed me into a dead end.


    After nine in the evening, the doorbell rang.


    I went to open the door, and standing outside were Shen Yishu and Jia Yuyan.


    Jia Yuyan¡¯s eyes were red, as if she had been crying.


    Shen Yishu helped Jia Yuyan into the house while explaining to me,


    ¡°This silly girl was crying by the river for half an hour in the middle of the night and wouldn¡¯t allow me to tell you!¡±


    Only then did I know.


    Jia Yuyan felt so guilty that she had harbored thoughts of suicide.


    It was Shen Yishu who drove there to pick her up, he must have also spent a long time persuading her.


    ¡°Sister Song, I am truly sorry. You valued me so much, you gave me a clear path, yet now I am about to cause your downfall.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think like that, the workplace is like this, a slight misstep and you¡¯ll fall for someone else¡¯s trap. Just be more careful in the future, who doesn¡¯t make mistakes when they¡¯re young?¡±


    ¡°Sister Song, have you thought of any remedial measures now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve thought of some¡­ I¡¯ve already spoken to that person, and he has given me some time to think it over.¡±


    Seeing that I said the issue was resolved,


    Jia Yuyan finally broke down into laughter,


    ¡°Is the client willing to accommodate an extension on the delivery time? Then I should hurry and prepare the materials, right?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it, the client intends to cancel the order, there¡¯s no need for you to arrange production.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really a pity, such a big order¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a pity, there will be opportunities in the future to sign orders like this.¡±


    Jia Yuyan was young after all, she quickly believed my words, and her mood gradually improved.


    She didn¡¯t seem to take this matter to heart anymore, after sitting here for a while, I then had Shen Yishu take her home.


    However, half an hour later, after Shen Yishu had sent Jia Yuyan home, he came back.


    ¡°Why are you back again?¡±


    I was a little surprised when I opened the door and saw Shen Yishu again.


    Shen Yishu had become a lot more solemn than before, he walked in and asked me,


    ¡°Who was the person who signed the contract?¡±


    ¡°Yishu, it¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t resolved it, have you?¡±


    I actually laughed,


    ¡°I just managed to soothe Jia Yuyan, and here you are stirring things up again?¡±


    ¡°I feel like this matter isn¡¯t so simple. I don¡¯t know much about the details, but Jia Yuyan told me the gist of it and I knew right away that it was a conspiracy! Someone deliberately set up the trap for her to walk into. Since it was intentional, it certainly won¡¯t be easy to retract, the other party has targeted with intention.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s progress, it looks like you haven¡¯t been a boss for nothing.¡±


    ¡°I want to help you, tell me who the other party is!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your turn!¡±


    ¡°Before, you had Ding Yinuo to help you, but now you¡¯re all alone. Don¡¯t try to hold out by yourself, you¡¯re just a girl. In my eyes, you¡¯re the same as Jia Yuyan, you need a man¡¯s help and support.¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s words shook me deeply with their earnestness.


    I thought to myself how quickly he had grown.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already guessed it, why ask me?¡±


    ¡°Is it Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°I knew it!¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s anger flared up after receiving confirmation from me,


    But he quickly calmed down,


    ¡°It seems, if Gu Yuanzhou isn¡¯t taken down, he will keep targeting you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not him, it¡¯s his subordinate Ayu!¡±


    ¡°Ayu?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°I actually know his weakness!¡±


    ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to investigate those rich kids around Gu Yuanzhou last time? One of them is Ayu¡­¡±


    A thought struck me, and I suddenly had an idea.


    Yes, Ayu, that damned Ayu, it was he who caused Ding Yinuo¡¯s death.


    ¡°What¡¯s Ayu¡¯s weakness?¡±


    Shen Yishu pulled up his information and showed it to me.


    After reading it, I had a rough idea in mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange to meet Ayu tomorrow!¡±


    I already had a rough plan in my mind, and I would write it down in detail tonight¡ªthat should be just about enough.


    However, Shen Yishu sat on the sofa, refusing to leave, ¡°You¡¯re meeting him?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re one point six meters tall, weigh 100 pounds¡­¡±


    He was analyzing in detail, and I nodded,


    ¡°Well, maybe around 102 pounds, I haven¡¯t weighed myself lately.¡±


    ¡°Ayu is one point eight-five meters tall, weighs around 160 pounds. Plus, he served in the military before and has a very robust physique! Do you think if you two have a conflict, you could defeat him?¡±


    ¡°Shen Yishu, let me ask you, how tall are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m, uh¡­ alright, I admit it, I¡¯m only one point eight meters tall, shorter than him, but I¡¯m a man, I have more vitality than you.¡±


    To prove his strength, Shen Yishu even rolled up his sleeves and showed me his muscles.


    Are all young men so competitive these days? Seeming so scholarly with an intellectual demeanor, yet he actually had a well-muscled body.


    I reached out and pinched his arm muscles,


    ¡°These are honed in the gym, right? All show and no go, real useful muscles aren¡¯t that bulky.¡±


    Shen Yishu pulled down his sleeve,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, let me accompany you tomorrow. I know you think I¡¯m in the way, but I truly can¡¯t leave you alone.¡±


    I firmly refused him. I had already involved Ding Yinuo, how could I drag him down too!


    ¡°Shen Yishu, you¡¯re an only child, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to worry your parents. I appreciate your kindness, but don¡¯t follow me tomorrow. Now, I¡¯m going to sleep, you should go back!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to talk anymore and directly drove him out.


    I closed the door.


    I hardly slept that night, repeatedly reviewing Ayu¡¯s information to formulate a detailed and foolproof plan.


    I had to make sure there was no room for error.


    Only at dawn did I drift off to sleep in a daze.


    The next morning, I was awakened by the ringtone of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s phone.


    I was still lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling in a haze.


    He called out my name on the phone, ¡°Ayun!¡±


    His tone was as gentle as before, which briefly cast a confusing spell on me, as if I were living in a dream from the past.


    It took a while before I came to my senses,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what do you want?¡±


    ¡°Have you encountered any difficulties recently, any thoughts about wanting to return to my side? We can talk about it!¡±


    His smug tone annoyed me,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re shameless.¡±


    ¡°Being so angry is bad for your health!¡±


    He spoke leisurely, voice revealing a carefree demeanor¡­


    Arrogant, presumptuous, with a hint of mockery.


    Like a hunter toying with his prey.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what exactly do you want?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? Leave Ding Yinuo, come back to me!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, do you love me so much that you can¡¯t help yourself, that no one else but me will do?¡±

 Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Chapter 324 Are You Lacking Love?_1

    Chapter 324: Chapter 324 Are You Lacking Love?_1


    I was deliberately mocking him,


    ¡°Mr. Gu, are you so love-starved now that you¡¯re going insane?¡±


    But he was very calm, indifferently saying,


    ¡°That¡¯s hardly the case. You¡¯re overestimating your charm. I just don¡¯t like my wife being taken by someone else. As long as you come back to me, everything is up for discussion.¡±


    I just listened to him but it was absolutely impossible for me to take him seriously.


    Because, only the devil knows what vicious plans he has up his sleeve next.


    If he could scheme against my uncle¡¯s entire family, then following the logic of eradicating weeds by pulling out the roots, he definitely won¡¯t let me off.


    If I still believed him at this time, it would mean I had a screw loose in my head.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, sadly, it¡¯s time for you to wake up from your dream. I will never come back to you, because, Ding Yinuo and I are already legally married. He and I are legitimate husband and wife.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, upon hearing such words, was instantly enraged.


    ¡°What?¡±


    With just two words, I could feel his thunderous fury.


    Even through the phone, I could hear him violently pounding on the desk.


    ¡°Yes! You heard me right, I¡¯m already married to him. Oh, and we¡¯ve had a wedding banquet attended by guests.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane; you married a vegetable?¡±


    ¡°I did so willingly!¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to provoke me on purpose?¡±


    Indeed, I hadn¡¯t publicized this news because I felt there was no need.


    My marriage to Ding Yinuo in itself wasn¡¯t something to boast about.


    ¡°I married him out of true love. I¡¯m willing to take care of him for the rest of my life, not because I¡¯m acting on impulse, not targeting anyone, nor seeking revenge against anyone. Don¡¯t flatter yourself too much. Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯ve stopped loving you a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Fine, you¡¯ll wait and see. You will regret this.¡±


    He hung up the phone in a fit of rage.


    I stared at my phone in a daze!


    His anger was somewhat baffling.


    After everything he did to the Song family, how could he still expect me to be madly in love with him?


    Have all the men in the world died out that I must have only him?


    After hanging up the phone, I was completely sober.


    I stretched and then called Wenya. Accomplishing this task indeed couldn¡¯t be done by just me alone.


    I needed help.


    But Wenya was much more reliable than Shen Yishu.


    After arranging everything, I called Ayu,


    ¡°I¡¯ve considered your suggestion; let¡¯s meet one more time to discuss in detail!¡±


    Ayu obviously was getting impatient,


    ¡°Did you call ¡®Brother Zhou¡¯ for help?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s no use! Do you think ¡®Brother Zhou¡¯ would genuinely like you, want you?¡±


    ¡°What did Gu Yuanzhou say to you?¡±


    ¡°In any case, don¡¯t expect him to be merciful. He won¡¯t show you any favor.¡±


    ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not talk about this now. We¡¯ll discuss the details when we meet.¡±


    I arranged the time and place with him, then hung up.


    A few minutes later, the doorbell rang.


    I thought Wenya had come over. When I opened the door, to my surprise, it was Shen Yishu.


    He was holding a takeout food container in both hands.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to the office today?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was just passing by and thought I¡¯d pick up breakfast for you on the way!¡±


    I took the breakfast, looking intently at Shen Yishu,


    ¡°There¡¯s something I need your help with!¡±


    ¡°What? Speak up!¡±


    When I mentioned that I needed help, Shen Yishu¡¯s face immediately lit up with joy, and he could barely contain his eagerness.


    It was clear that this silly kid had been waiting for me to rely on him again.


    Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t do that.


    I simply took out a document and handed it to him,


    ¡°Go to my company and find Jia Yuyan later, there are a few designs in here that need improvement, and I¡¯ve annotated them. Take them to her, and after she has made the revisions, bring them back to me.¡±


    This thick document, which I had revised for a month, would probably keep Jia Yuyan busy until tonight.


    At least this way, I could keep Shen Yishu tied up for the whole day.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s doable!¡±


    As expected, Shen Yishu didn¡¯t refuse and drove off with the document.


    I picked up the breakfast he had brought back for me.


    Soup dumplings, hot soy milk¡­


    They were all my favorites.


    Shen Yishu still knew my tastes very well.


    After finishing breakfast, I went to find another friend¡­


    Until Wenya called me,


    ¡°It¡¯s all settled. That old lady is quite simple and honest. I really can¡¯t figure it out. Such a kind old lady, how could she have a grandson so vicious.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she just spoiled him too much!¡±


    ¡°The old lady is quite reasonable. I explained everything to her, and she¡¯s willing to cooperate with us. She also said she didn¡¯t know Ayu had done so many bad things, especially after finding out Ayu turned Ding Yinuo into a vegetable. The old lady was panicking, kept saying she wanted to apologize to Ding Yinuo¡¯s family. Then I told her you¡¯re Ding Yinuo¡¯s wife, so in the end, she can apologize to you. This old lady is really nice; I didn¡¯t even know how to coax her out.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s no other way. If it weren¡¯t for Ayu who has no other weaknesses, I wouldn¡¯t want to bother this old lady either.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Ayu is also a strange man, so old yet not settled down or in love, doesn¡¯t even have a woman¡­ Ah well, it¡¯s all settled now. The old lady is staying at the Summit Hotel now. I¡¯m here with her. Where will you meet with Ayu later?¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t go to the Summit right away. I¡¯m afraid that if he sees the old lady, he might take her away forcibly, and then we would lose our negotiating chip. Let¡¯s arrange to meet at the Sunset Cafe at the foot of the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Okay, hope everything goes smoothly!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it will!¡±


    I specifically chose 6:00 PM!


    At this time, night just falls, and the Sunset Cafe is not crowded.


    When I pushed the door and entered, Ayu hadn¡¯t arrived yet.


    I ordered myself a cup of coffee and slowly sipped it¡­


    Around 6:30 PM, Ayu finally hurried in.


    ¡°You¡¯re late!¡±


    Ayu sat down on the chair,


    ¡°Cut the crap, just say what you have to say! But I can tell you clearly, I won¡¯t back down.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think, or what Gu Yuanzhou thinks?¡±


    ¡°Whose idea it is doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t say anything but pointed at the fruit stall in front,


    ¡°I ordered a birthday cake and seem to have forgotten to bring a knife. Could you please borrow one from the owner for me?¡±


    Indeed, there was a small birthday cake on my table, small enough for two people to share, in addition to two cups of coffee.


    Ayu looked at me with annoyance, ¡°Don¡¯t you have hands? Go borrow it yourself.¡±


    I laughed softly, ¡°You¡¯ve made such a big gain this time, what¡¯s the harm in borrowing a knife for me?¡±


    Although Ayu was very reluctant, borrowing a knife was still a trivial matter, and the fruit stall owner was nearby, not far away.


    He probably just wanted to get it over with quickly, then he brought the fruit knife in, tossed it in front of me,


    ¡°Cut it yourself, quick!¡±


    Ignoring him, I glanced at the knife, then pushed one of the two cups of coffee I had ordered earlier across to him.


    ¡°Thanks for the effort, Ayu really is quite the gentleman! Today, this coffee¡¯s on me!¡±


    Ayu scoffed contemptuously and then took the coffee and drank.


    This coffee had been cooling for quite some time, not too cold nor too hot, and Ayu, being thirsty, downed it in one gulp¡­

 Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Counteracting the Plan_1

    Chapter 325: Chapter 325: Counteracting the Plan_1


    After he finished drinking, he slammed the coffee cup down heavily.


    ¡°Alright, if you have something to say, say it fast. I have other things to do!¡±


    Ayu urged impatiently.


    I simply smiled at him,


    ¡°Ayu, I won¡¯t compensate you for that sum of money, and I won¡¯t sell Tianjiao Company either.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Did you ask me to come here just to waste my time?¡±


    ¡°No, I thought you might change your mind!¡±


    ¡°What a joke, based on what?¡±


    Ayu slammed his hand on the table, the impact almost causing the cake to fall to the floor.


    ¡°Based on her!¡±


    Then, I handed a photo to Ayu, and his face changed color instantly.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing? What are you doing with my grandma¡¯s photo?¡±


    ¡°Ayu! You willingly play Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lackey, risking your life for him. Have you never considered that all the bad things you do will eventually come back to haunt you?¡±


    Ayu grabbed my collar,


    ¡°What have you done to my grandma?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, you were orphaned at the age of ten! It was your grandma who raised you and doted on you. The old lady cared for and loved you, hoping you would follow the right path. Instead, you¡¯ve done nothing but evil. Do you know? Your grandma said she wanted to apologize to the Ding Family for her undutiful descendant, to atone for your sins.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you bitch, what have you done to my grandma?¡±


    My original plan was to bring Ayu in front of the old lady.


    To let her compassion influence him and lead him onto the right path.


    But now I think about it, for someone as wicked as him, this approach probably wouldn¡¯t work.


    So, I switched to a different strategy.


    ¡°Ayu, when you were hurting Ding Yinuo, did you ever think that your own relatives might be harmed as well?¡±


    ¡°Did you kidnap my grandma?¡±


    ¡°If you can do it, why can¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You bitch, what exactly do you want to do with my grandma?¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s very simple. As long as you sign this contract waiver and cancel the agreement, then I will release your grandma. After all, you obtained this contract through trickery and deceit, not through legitimate means. Even if you get this huge sum of money, it is ill-gotten wealth, and ill-gotten wealth only brings disaster, do you understand?¡±


    At this moment, my words took on a different meaning to Ayu.


    He angrily demanded,


    ¡°Tell me, where is my grandma? If you dare hurt a single hair on her, I¡¯ll kill your whole family.¡±


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t try to scare me. You can¡¯t! Never mind killing my kin, you can¡¯t even kill me right now.¡±


    Suddenly, Ayu thought of something,


    ¡°Did you drug my coffee?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I drugged it. You foolish man, surely you didn¡¯t really think I would just meekly surrender to you! You dared to harm Ding Yinuo, so naturally, I won¡¯t let you off! Once the drugs take effect, I¡¯ll throw you into the river. By then, when your grandma finds out, she will certainly be heartbroken¡­ She raised you for nothing, never imagining you¡¯d turn out to be garbage, and in the end, you can¡¯t even provide for her in her old age, hahaha!¡±


    At that moment, I saw anger flaring in Ayu¡¯s eyes, his face turning beet red.


    Finally, provoked by my words, he grabbed the knife from the table and plunged it fiercely into my abdomen.


    Intense pain surged through me, and I covered my stomach with my hands.


    Bowing my head, I saw blood flowing down along the knife handle.


    Meanwhile, seeing the situation, the bartender immediately called the police¡­


    In fact, before Ayu came in, I had already secretly written a note to the bartender.


    ¡°This man may harm me, please keep an eye on him for me.¡±


    Next, everything happened just as I had anticipated; in fact, the bartender had already discreetly informed the authorities.


    Less than ten minutes after Ayu stabbed me, the police arrived on the scene and apprehended Ayu on the spot¡­


    At first, Ayu tried to argue that it was us who had kidnapped his grandmother and used that as a threat, claiming he acted in self-defense.


    However, after the police conducted their own investigation, the old lady herself stated that Wenya had been kind to her, had not kidnapped her, had let her stay in a comfortable hotel, had bought her lots of good food, and had not restricted her freedom. She was free to leave whenever she wanted, and moreover, a whole room full of hotel staff could testify that Wenya had not been violent.


    Later on, Ayu argued that I had drugged his coffee.


    But when the police took away the rest of the coffee he had drunk and tested it, they found nothing suspicious in it other than coffee.


    Wenya told me all these details.


    Because at that time, I had fainted due to excessive blood loss.


    An ambulance took me to the hospital.


    I did not regain consciousness until the next day.


    When I opened my eyes, Wenya, Shen Yishu, and others were all by my side.


    Seeing me open my eyes, Wenya cried and held me tight.


    ¡°Ayun, you really scared me, my god, I thought you were a goner!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to die, how could I die!¡±


    ¡°Why are you so foolish? Didn¡¯t we agree to let grandma persuade Ayu? Why did you go by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Cough¡­ I thought this way might be better!¡±


    My eyes swept around the hospital room, and eventually, I saw Su Peisheng there too. I was still a bit worried and asked him.


    ¡°Lawyer Su, can you enlighten me, will this move be enough to hold him?¡±


    Su Peisheng gestured with his hands,


    ¡°Attempted murder, at least ten years to start with! Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let him get away with this easily¡­¡±


    Wenya nodded,


    ¡°Yesterday I already asked a friend to put this case on the trending searches. Now, thousands of netizens are following it. We¡¯ve also posted Ding Yinuo¡¯s matter. Right now, everyone is hoping he gets a heavy sentence. With netizens watching, Gu Yuanzhou won¡¯t be able to bail him out.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    My body is still very weak, and I can¡¯t talk much.


    But, seeing so many friends by my side, I feel very content.


    In the afternoon, Jian Jing also came to see me.


    The most touching thing for me was that Ding Xiao and his mother also came.


    Even though I¡¯m just a lonely soul in this world, the concerned looks from eyes all around the room warmed my heart.


    ¡°So, Lawyer Su, another question, what happens with our contract?¡±


    ¡°His actions were malicious fraud, the law does not support it, rest assured! You won¡¯t suffer any losses.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, did you actually drug the coffee? There were clearly no drugs in the coffee; why does Ayu keep insisting¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t drug it, I just provoked him¡­¡±


    Wenya was still a bit worried and asked Lawyer Su anxiously,


    ¡°I heard that Gu Yuanzhou has hired a very powerful lawyer. Do we stand a chance in this lawsuit?¡±

 Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Chapter 326 Provoking Him Intentionally_1

    Chapter 326: Chapter 326 Provoking Him Intentionally_1


    I was deliberately provoking him.


    Seeing him angry made me quite happy inside.


    His face darkened with rage as he glared at me with narrowed black eyes, as if he was trying to see through me.


    I watched him with a smile.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you think you¡¯re so capable, huh? Show me what you can do now!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved as he reached out and grabbed my throat.


    ¡°Do you believe I could kill you right now?¡±


    I pointed towards the table,


    ¡°Sure, you could kill me now. But then you wouldn¡¯t live long either! The cameras are recording everything.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou followed my gaze and indeed, above the table, he noticed a moving camera aimed at him.


    Only then did he let go of my neck.


    ¡°Listen, just because you handled Ayu doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ve won. You barely scraped by, and I have plenty of ways to deal with you.¡±


    After saying that, he turned and left in a hurry.


    I sat down on the chair, feeling lost.


    He still wants to deal with me!


    After coming back from the hospital, I returned to the Xishan Residence.


    Ms. Ding had bought some pomelo leaves and other items to welcome me home and cleanse me of evil influences.


    The next day, she even took me up to the temple to pray, hoping that evil spirits would no longer cling to me.


    However, I always felt as if someone was following me.


    Sometimes, when I was sitting in the car and looked back unintentionally, I would see a car lingering persistently behind us.


    I had this sneaking suspicion that something was off, but when I tried to look carefully, I couldn¡¯t make out who it was.


    Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t contacted me these past few days.


    But I knew that if someone was stalking me, it was probably his people.


    What he planned to do next, however, I had no idea.


    After the prayer, Ms. Ding took me back to the Ding Family home.


    It was a rare family reunion and Ms. Ding was very pleased, asking the housekeeper to prepare several extra dishes.


    ¡°I cleaned up Anuo¡¯s old bedroom a bit, and from now on, you can stay at home. Having one more person in the house makes it more lively. Look, Ruirui is especially happy today.¡±


    Ding Ruirui, the little girl, really enjoyed having guests at home.


    Every time I came back, she would snuggle up to me, telling me all about her kindergarten days and reading her books to me.


    In her innocent eyes, I saw purity.


    I too loved to play with her, and holding her tiny body, I even remembered the warm moments I once shared with my daughter.


    I held her tightly.


    ¡°Little auntie, why are you crying? Did Ruirui upset you?¡±


    The little angel stretched out her hand in a mature manner, her expression heartbreakingly sensible.


    I kissed her little forehead and shook my head with a smile, ¡°No, little auntie is just hoping you¡¯ll always be healthy and happy.¡±


    ¡°Does little auntie like me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, who wouldn¡¯t like such a cute little angel like you?¡±


    ¡°I like little auntie too. Can I play with little auntie every day from now on?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can¡­¡±


    Ding Ruirui then took out a painting from her backpack and gave it to me,


    ¡°Little auntie, this is for you, do you like it?¡±


    I took the sketchbook she handed me; it depicted a long-haired girl. Although the strokes were childlike, the drawing was quite vivid.


    For some reason, looking at this drawing reminded me of my daughter, Xiaoyi.


    Xiaoyi also loved to draw and had given me similar drawings in the past.


    ¡°I love it, really love it! But my hair is very short now; is that really me in the painting?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you! It was me who cast a spell on you, and then your hair started to grow very long, huh!¡±


    ¡°Wow, you knew I wanted long hair, so you drew it long for me, right?¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm, exactly!¡±


    ¡°You really are Little Mian¡¯ao, the intimate little cotton-padded coat for your auntie!¡±


    ¡°Auntie, can I sleep with you tonight?¡±


    Mom Ding worried she might disturb me, so she persuaded,


    ¡°Ruirui, you¡¯ll disturb Auntie at night by sleeping with her, why not sleep with Grandma?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t disturb Auntie, she¡¯s all alone when she sleeps. I¡¯m worried she might get scared and not come back to our house anymore.¡±


    Seeing the little girl so considerate, I was quite happy, and I agreed to her request,


    ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll sleep together tonight. Mom, don¡¯t worry, I really like kids and am not afraid of the noise.¡±


    I had experience with children¡ªI had had two little ones before; I knew how to take care of them.


    In fact, Ding Ruirui was so well-behaved and sensible that she didn¡¯t fuss at all.


    After bathing, she climbed into bed on her own and even thoughtfully helped me spread the blanket.


    After I lay down, I told her a bedtime story and she fell asleep.


    As I touched her soft little cheeks with my hand, my heart felt a healing sensation.


    At night, she would spontaneously snuggle close to me, pressing her little head against my body.


    I wrapped my arms around her.


    The next morning, as I took her to school, she was hopping and skipping; the butterfly bow on her head fluttered with her movements. She waved at me, smiling brightly and innocently.


    ¡°Auntie, remember to pick me up after school!¡±


    ¡°Sure thing, sweetheart!¡±


    I felt that this child had already started to see me as her family.


    Later on, Mom Ding told me,


    ¡°Her mother has always been in poor health, mentally distracted, and unable to take proper care of her, so she has always had a great longing for motherly love. She probably feels warmth from you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can feel love from her too!¡±


    I thought, maybe Ding Ruirui and I can heal each other.


    She lacked motherly love, and I lacked a child¡­


    Just as I had decided to take good care of this child, something unexpected happened.


    After I recovered, I made a trip to the company.


    Because during my hospitalization, a lot of work had piled up that required a great deal of time to sort out.


    I buried myself in work all day long, without even time to drink water.


    It wasn¡¯t until the end of the workday that Jia Yuyan brought me a cup of milk tea,


    ¡°Xiaosong, you haven¡¯t eaten the lunchbox I brought you at noon; why haven¡¯t you eaten yet?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been a bit busy today¡­ I¡¯ll eat it later.¡±


    Jia Yuyan sat beside me, keeping me company, ¡°It¡¯s really strange, President Ding left halfway through the meeting today! It seemed like he had some emergency!¡±


    I didn¡¯t initially take it to heart and continued organizing files, ¡°What could be so urgent?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Could it be that something happened to Little President Ding in the hospital?¡±


    The Little President Ding Jia Yuyan referred to was Ding Yinuo.


    Hearing this, I also lost interest in the paperwork and immediately picked up my phone to call Mom Ding.


    Before I could say a word, Mom Ding burst into tears, ¡°Xiaosong, did you ask a friend to pick up Ruirui?¡±


    I thought for a while, ¡°No! What¡¯s wrong with Ruirui?¡±


    ¡°The school called saying Ruirui has disappeared. They haven¡¯t been able to find her since after the third period in the afternoon.¡±


    It then dawned on me that Ding Xiao¡¯s hasty departure must have been to look for Ruirui; thinking back to the adorable sight of the little girl skipping joyfully to school in the morning.


    My heart clenched with concern, but I had to suppress my anxiety and comfort Mom Ding,


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go look for her. Kids have short legs; she can¡¯t have gone far.¡±

 Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Chapter 327 Recovery_1

    Chapter 327: Chapter 327 Recovery_1


    I lost interest in continuing with my work and hastily packed up my things before leaving the company.


    After calling Ding Xiao, I hurried to the school.


    The young female teacher was being scolded by the principal, tears streaming down her face.


    ¡°It was my negligence. I had no idea the child could crawl through the railing. I thought she had gone to the restroom, and I was too busy to report the situation immediately. I¡¯m sorry, it was all my fault; I was wrong¡­¡±


    Ding Xiao stood by, his eyes betraying his panic.


    I pulled him aside to ask for details,


    ¡°When did Ruirui go missing?¡±


    ¡°The teacher said she hasn¡¯t seen her since after the third class. She didn¡¯t know where she went and was too busy to think much of it, and she didn¡¯t call me until the fourth class.¡±


    ¡°Have you checked all the nearby surveillance footage?¡±


    ¡°The footage near the school¡¯s side gate showed Ruirui crawling out by herself. I watched that video repeatedly, and it seemed like there was someone across the street waving to her, so she went over.¡±


    Being a man, Ding Xiao was anxious, yet his complexion seemed stable and his thoughts clear.


    He pointed towards the road opposite, and after observing carefully, I realized that the area across the street was actually a blind spot that was out of the camera¡¯s view.


    Based on my observations and comparisons on the scene, I deduced that Ruirui had been kidnapped.


    A bad premonition suddenly arose in me¡­


    ¡°Big Brother Ding, don¡¯t panic; I might have a lead on this end,¡± I said.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure at the moment, but I¡¯ll go check it out right away.¡±


    Ding Xiao looked worriedly at me,


    ¡°No matter who it is, no matter what conditions they offer, I¡¯m willing to agree! I just want my daughter alive. This child has suffered a lot since she was little. As a father, I¡¯ve failed to fulfill my responsibilities, failed to protect her.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m on it,¡± I replied.


    I turned around and walked a few steps down the street, a little farther from the school, then I dialed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s mobile phone.


    ¡°It was you who did this, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    As soon as the call connected, I cut straight to the chase.


    Gu Yuanzhou was laughing,


    ¡°Why, are you anxious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking if it was you. Gu Yuanzhou, you beast, Ruirui is only five years old, the same age as your daughter. Have you gone mad? If you dare to hurt her, you are lower than pigs and dogs.¡±


    Enraged, I began to curse him outright.


    I admit, I had lost my reason, and right now I truly wanted to strangle him.


    Gu Yuanzhou, after being cursed out, was also overcome with emotion and began shouting back at me,


    ¡°My darling is much more precious than her. She¡¯s nothing but a bastard with the Ding surname. How dare you equate her with my darling!¡±


    ¡°Return Ruirui immediately, or I¡¯m going to the police!¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, do you really think you can cover the sky with one hand, acting recklessly here? I tell you, no matter what your purpose is, you won¡¯t achieve it. You¡¯d better return Ruirui right now!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou snorted coldly,


    ¡°Or what? What can you do to me?¡±


    ¡°Think about Ayu. You¡¯ll end up with the same fate as him! Too many wrongful deeds will lead to self-destruction! You won¡¯t meet a good end.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then, we¡¯ll see!¡±


    With that, he hung up the phone.


    When I called back, he had turned his phone off.


    The bastard, how could he be so inhumane.


    Anger dominated my emotions, and for a moment, my mind went blank.


    Arguing with Gu Yuanzhou was obviously not the right move; such impulsivity wouldn¡¯t result in anything.


    I should go to the police. Ding Xiao had already done so, but with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s careful ways, he would surely cover his tracks well, and who knows if he would resort to killing to evade punishment.


    The safety of the child made me look before and after, unable to make a decision.


    Just then, Wenya called me.


    ¡°Ayun, hurry to the hospital! There¡¯s a situation!¡±


    This morning, when I went to the school to investigate Ding Rui¡¯s issue, I had asked Wenya to come over and help me watch over Ding Yinuo.


    Now that she suddenly called me, I realized something must have happened to Ding Yinuo, so I stretched out my hand to hail a taxi and rushed to the hospital.


    I ran wildly all the way.


    When I arrived at the door of the ward, Wenya was on the phone with Su Peisheng,


    ¡°You hurry over, there¡¯s great news!¡±


    Seeing me come over, she hung up the phone and came to greet me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, how¡¯s Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°President Ding can move!¡±


    Wenya was extremely excited, dancing around like a child, and used gestures to describe what had just happened.


    ¡°When the nurse came to change his IV, I saw his finger move, really, it¡¯s definitely not my eyes playing tricks.¡±


    I looked at the man on the bed, his eyes still tightly shut, complexion pale as paper.


    He lay quietly, just like he was sleeping.


    This state had been going on for a whole month now, and every day I was hoping for his awakening.


    But he never gave me any response.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really really, don¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    ¡°Then show me!¡±


    I smiled at Wenya.


    In fact, I was more eager than anyone for Ding Yinuo to wake up.


    Every day after giving him an injection, I would quietly observe his reactions, sometimes thinking too deeply, becoming a bit obsessed.


    I would even have hallucinations, as if I saw Ding Yinuo blink sometimes, or move a bit, but after careful examination afterward.


    I found these were just illusions of my own.


    After several times like this, my hope in my heart was also diminishing day by day.


    I had become much calmer.


    At this moment, when Wenya said these things to me, my heart was calm like still water.


    ¡°Wait, let me try¡­¡±


    Wenya pulled out Ding Yinuo¡¯s left hand, laid it flat at the edge of the bed, and then said to him,


    ¡°President Ding, President Ding, Ayun is back. She wants to know if you miss her. If you do, move your finger, let her see.¡±


    After saying that, Wenya stared closely at Ding Yinuo¡¯s fingers.


    Next, a miracle occurred.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s index finger gently wobbled, although the movement was extremely small, we still caught it.


    Wenya jumped up excitedly,


    ¡°Ayun, did you see that? You saw it, right?¡±


    I stared at the scene in shock, momentarily doubting whether it was an involuntary twitch of his peripheral nerves.


    ¡°Let me try again!¡±


    I walked up to Ding Yinuo, crouched down slightly, and grabbed his left hand, ¡°Yinuo! I¡¯m Ayun! If you can hear my voice, move your finger three times!¡±


    After saying that, I held my breath, nervously watching his finger.


    A few seconds later, his index finger began to move: once, twice, thrice¡­


    Only after watching him clearly move three times did I become truly astounded.


    If it were an unconscious twitch, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be exactly three times; he must have understood my words and even followed my instructions.


    ¡°Look, there it moved, Ayun, I didn¡¯t lie to you, did I?¡±


    Wenya was also overjoyed.


    I was so excited that I couldn¡¯t speak for a while, and it took me a long time to recover before I said, ¡°Let¡¯s go find a doctor to examine him and see what¡¯s going on.¡±

 Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: Chapter 328 He Gave Me Hope_1

    Chapter 328: Chapter 328 He Gave Me Hope_1


    Just then, Su Peisheng arrived too, and after discussing the situation with the three of us, we went to call the doctor over.


    After explaining the situation to the doctor, he arranged for Ding Yinuo to undergo a full-body examination.


    ¡°Should we tell the Ding Family about this good news?¡±


    Wenya wished she could broadcast this news to the whole world.


    I refused,


    ¡°Now is not the time. Ruirui is still missing. The Ding Family is not in the state of mind to worry about other things, and if Ding Yinuo¡¯s condition is merely a flash in the pan, I¡¯m afraid the old lady won¡¯t be able to handle it. Let¡¯s wait until the situation is stable and improving before we talk.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you!¡±


    Afterward, Su Peisheng stayed by Ding Yinuo¡¯s side to encourage him,


    ¡°President Ding, wake up quickly, we haven¡¯t played basketball together in so long!¡±


    At that moment, Ding Yinuo¡¯s finger actually made an OK gesture.


    These subtle changes filled us with excitement.


    After the full-body examination, we were eager to find the doctor to inquire about the condition.


    This doctor, who was also a colleague of Ding Yinuo, patiently gave us a professional explanation.


    ¡°As it stands, his physical condition is good. Thanks to your meticulous care, his body hasn¡¯t shown any abnormalities, and all his organic functions haven¡¯t deteriorated. Regarding his ability to understand your instructions and communicate with you, this is a good sign. This indicates that some functions of his brain are recovering. I suggest you continue to communicate and interact with him, as it will aid in his recovery.¡±


    Wenya couldn¡¯t help asking,


    ¡°Doctor, how did Ding Yinuo suddenly wake up? Is this breakthrough due to something specific?¡±


    This doctor had been observing my treatment plan and often communicated with me. He had also given me a positive response to my acupuncture treatment for Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Based on the current situation, I feel that Miss Song¡¯s acupuncture treatment is related. You can continue to focus on this point and intensify it!¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, doctor!¡±


    Although the recovery Ding Yinuo is showing now is just a small step forward,


    For us, it is the result of long-term persistence, and it is very meaningful.


    With this start, I can now implement targeted intensive training.


    Continuing like this, Ding Yinuo¡¯s recovery is just a matter of time.


    This is indeed very uplifting news¡­


    All my plans being put into action, I now have even more confidence.


    That afternoon, I spent a long time talking with Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Anuo, I know you can hear me now. I¡¯m happy, everything I¡¯ve done has been worth it.¡±


    ¡°Anuo, my hair has grown back, touch it, it¡¯s short, and though it might look ugly, if you don¡¯t wake up quickly, you won¡¯t be able to see how bad I look.¡±


    ¡°Anuo, if you¡¯re bored, I can read you the latest news, or novels and short dramas. Whatever you like.¡±


    ¡°Anuo, you need to wake up quickly, so we can travel and watch movies together.¡±


    These days, apart from being with Ding Yinuo, I also took the time to visit the Ding Family to keep up with Ding Ruirui¡¯s situation.


    Unfortunately, despite Ding Xiao¡¯s considerable efforts and resources, there were still no clues about Ding Ruirui.


    We even revealed to the police that Gu Yuanzhou was a major suspect in the crime.


    But after the investigation, the police gave us a helpless explanation,


    ¡°Sorry, we can¡¯t find any connection between Mr. Gu and this case. We can¡¯t just arrest someone based on speculation. Unless you can provide some valuable clues.¡±


    Indeed, the police focus on evidence in their investigations.


    Without evidence, there¡¯s nothing they can do.


    In the end, I had no choice but to confront Gu Yuanzhou myself.


    Yet, this man seemed very arrogant; he ignored my calls several times.


    I could just imagine him sitting proudly in his office, coldly staring at his phone as my calls came in, choosing not to answer.


    He must enjoy the pleasure of having people at his mercy.


    Finally, after the tenth call, he picked up the phone, but his tone remained arrogant.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you actually won¡¯t answer my calls?¡±


    ¡°Is this the attitude you take when asking someone for help?¡±


    ¡°Clearly, you¡¯re just guilty and don¡¯t dare to answer!¡±


    ¡°If you keep talking like that, I¡¯m going to hang up. I don¡¯t have time to listen to your nonsense.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou always remained calm and composed. Even through the screen, I could feel his merciless gaze, cold and indifferent.


    Why did I ever fall in love with such a cold and heartless man? Was I out of my mind back then?


    But now, I was still being controlled by him.


    My anger and pride were completely meaningless.


    I had no choice but to suppress my rage and ask, ¡°Fine, what do you want to set Ruirui free?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, you need to come back to me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already married to Ding Yinuo, I am Mrs. Ding now. How can I come back to you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Mrs. Gu, you¡¯ve never been Mrs. Ding! Besides, he¡¯s nothing but a waste now!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I won¡¯t allow you to talk about him like that!¡±


    I found that I was all gunpowder inside, ready to explode with just a spark from Gu Yuanzhou.


    I couldn¡¯t control my urge to argue with him.


    Every time this anger rose, I tried my best to suppress it.


    ¡°I see that you¡¯re not ready to compromise at all. Whenever you¡¯ve thought it through, let¡¯s talk face to face.¡±


    Having said that, he hung up the phone once again.


    As I listened to the dial tone on the phone, a dull pain throbbed at my temples.


    Face to face, he actually wanted to meet face to face. I worried I might not be able to resist stabbing him when I saw him.


    My fury, my stubbornness, I could only hold it in until the afternoon.


    At that time, Ding Xiao rushed into the hospital carrying a woman covered in blood.


    At the moment, I was getting ready to visit Ding Yinuo at the hospital.


    Seeing Ding Xiao, I hurried over to lend a hand.


    It wasn¡¯t until Ding Xiao laid the woman on the emergency bed that I recognized her; it was Ding Xiao¡¯s wife, Ruhui.


    This poor woman seemed to have fallen from somewhere, covered in blood, still vomiting blood from her mouth.


    As she was pushed into the emergency room, Ding Xiao kneeled beside her unwilling to let go, begging the doctors to save his wife¡¯s life.


    After asking around, I learned that Ruhui had suffered a relapse of her depression due to being unable to bear her daughter¡¯s kidnapping and had jumped from the building.


    Fortunately, a canopy on the third floor had broken her fall, saving her from instant death¡­


    Seeing Ding Xiao, such a strong man, kneeling in front of the emergency room in pain and despair.


    I felt terrible inside.


    I knew that at that moment, my self-esteem, my pride, my temper were worthless in the face of Ding Xiao¡¯s agony.


    I went straight to the entrance of Zhenyi Company.


    I found the receptionist, ¡°Tell Gu Yuanzhou that I¡¯ve come to see him.¡±


    The receptionist explained to me,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Song, President Gu is no longer working here. He hasn¡¯t been here in a long time.¡±


    Indeed, the staff at Zhenyi Company had nearly halved. The place looked deserted and lifeless; he was unlikely to be here anymore.


    ¡°Then where is he?¡±


    ¡°At Huaxin Group, that¡¯s where his main office is now!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay, thank you!¡±


    Huaxin Group was snatched by him, and I haven¡¯t even been there yet. I can already imagine how he¡¯s going to humiliate me later.


    But I have to go, I have no other option.

 Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: Chapter 329 This feeling is hard to bear_1

    Chapter 329: Chapter 329 This feeling is hard to bear_1


    I had always been in opposition to Gu Yuanzhou, always trying to find ways to measure up to him.


    But it wasn¡¯t until now that I realized, no matter how smart or wise you are, you can¡¯t defeat a villain who has no bottom line.


    The only way to deal with a bad person is to become just as bad as they are!


    Standing at the base of Huaxin Group¡¯s building, I felt a myriad of emotions.


    This towering and imposing building was once a landmark of A City and a symbol of the Song Family¡¯s glory.


    Located in CBD Business Central, it stood like a giant.


    Many times, people passing by would sigh in admiration.


    ¡°This is the Song Family¡¯s office building, they really are rich!¡±


    I remember many years ago, recent college graduates considered it an honor to work at Huaxin Group.


    But now!


    The company had long since changed hands, and the glory of the Song Family was a thing of the past.


    After standing there for a long time, I finally took steps and entered the building.


    The receptionist didn¡¯t give me any trouble; when she heard I was here for Gu Yuanzhou, she directly told me he was waiting for me in his office.


    I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the 18th floor.


    This floor used to be where my uncle¡¯s office was.


    I had been here countless times before.


    Only, back then, I was filled with joy and hope.


    And now, all I had was sadness.


    In the corridor, I also saw a few familiar faces, all elite managers brought over from Zhenyi Company by Gu Yuanzhou.


    It seemed he truly intended to give up on Zhenyi Company.


    His feelings for Zhenyi Company weren¡¯t nearly as deep as I had imagined.


    The deeper I walked into the building, the more upset I felt.


    It felt as though my home had been occupied by burglars.


    And now, I had to bow my head to a burglar, and it left a bad taste in my mouth.


    Finally, after pushing open the office door, I saw that dark figure.


    Sitting on the black leather swivel chair, his imposing presence made him seem like the emperor of this place.


    I approached him with an expressionless face.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m here!¡±


    He interlocked his hands and looked at me, his dark pupils deep,


    ¡°You seem a bit reluctant, as if I forced you!¡±


    ¡°Would you believe me if I said Mr. Gu didn¡¯t force me?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I didn¡¯t force you! I¡¯ve never liked to force anyone¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. You tell me, what do I have to do to set Ruirui free? I know you don¡¯t like me, you despise me. You can take revenge on me, you can hurt me. But there¡¯s really no need for you to target the people of the Ding Family. Ding Ruirui, such a small child, she doesn¡¯t deserve what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    I tried hard to state the facts.


    Gu Yuanzhou gradually became somewhat irritable, ¡°Don¡¯t mention any member of the Ding Family in front of me, not on my turf.¡±


    I fell silent.


    That¡¯s right, it¡¯s especially ridiculous to talk reason with him now.


    If he could listen to reason, then he wouldn¡¯t be him.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    He slowly walked up to me, his hands cradling my face.


    I looked up at him, my eyes devoid of any emotion.


    ¡°Are you really my Ayun?¡±


    He murmured softly,


    As if he were talking in his sleep.


    I didn¡¯t answer him.


    But then, he lowered his head and kissed my lips.


    We, who had once been so intimately close, had shared many beautiful romantic memories.


    Our moments in bed were also very satisfying.


    But after everything that had happened, I couldn¡¯t accept any intimate actions with him anymore.


    He kissed my lips for a long time, and when he tried to pry my lips apart for a deeper exploration, I couldn¡¯t control my hands and pushed him away.


    He opened his eyes, looking at me very displeased.


    ¡°What, you¡¯re not happy anymore?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I told you before, I am already married to Ding Yinuo.¡±


    ¡°But what can he give you? Can he kiss you like this, or hold you in his arms?¡±


    I remained silent.


    Using silence to fight against him.


    ¡°He can¡¯t even satisfy you with the most basic games between husband and wife, can he?¡±


    I continued to remain silent, watching him coldly.


    I had just taken a step back to maintain some distance from him.


    But at this moment, he pressed closer to me again.


    His eyes held a teasing smile as his fingers touched my soft lips, gently stroking them.


    That kind of gentle caress was exactly the same as before.


    My breathing hitched, and I pushed him away somewhat reluctantly.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you asked me to come, and I came! I have fulfilled your demands; when will you let him go? The child¡¯s mother has fainted from crying in the hospital.¡±


    He chuckled lightly and sat down in the big boss¡¯s chair, ¡°Take off your clothes!¡±


    I looked at him in shock,


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Take off your clothes. I don¡¯t want to say it a second time!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou??¡±


    I gritted my teeth. I could hardly believe my ears.


    ¡°I won¡¯t force you. If you don¡¯t want to take them off, then leave! Don¡¯t stand here and waste my time.¡±


    I felt humiliated.


    He actually¡­


    But, it seemed I had no choice.


    An intense struggle raged within me, and I felt suffocated.


    For a moment, I truly wanted to storm out or slap him across the face, calling him shameless.


    But I knew I couldn¡¯t.


    Venting my anger would be of no help to the situation.


    After a while, my reason took the upper hand.


    I slowly walked up to him and then began to unbutton my shirt one by one.


    He was sitting in front of me, leisurely smoking a cigarette.


    He seemed to enjoy this feeling.


    Until I had unbuttoned all the buttons of my shirt.


    He still didn¡¯t get up; his gaze slowly swept over my body from the front, ¡°There¡¯s still one more!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, this is an office! It¡¯s a public place; I can¡¯t do it!¡±


    I was holding on to my last shred of dignity.


    He picked up the remote control, and after two beeps, the glass door slowly closed.


    Then, the curtains automatically drew themselves close.


    ¡°No one comes into my office without my orders,¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Take it off!!!¡±


    His tone was forceful.


    I suddenly realized that what he wanted was not this body.


    It was the humiliation of the Ding family!


    He was doing it on purpose!


    This man, he was rotten to the core.


    I clenched my palms tight, glaring at him angrily.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t take it off, then leave; my time is valuable!¡±


    I bit my lower lip, my breath slightly trembling, and under his aggressive gaze, I slowly began to remove the last of my restraints.


    I stood in front of him, my hands covering my face.


    I felt an unprecedented humiliation.


    He chuckled lightly, pushed back his chair, and walked up to me, grabbing my hands and pulling them away from my face.


    ¡°Look at me!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you maniac, you might as well kill me!¡±

 Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Chapter 330 Unbearable Day_1

    Chapter 330: Chapter 330 Unbearable Day_1


    After returning from Huaxin Group, I had been somewhat out of it.


    I walked on the streets alone for a long time.


    Like a wandering soul without thoughts, I drifted aimlessly through the streets, my mind in turmoil and my thoughts utterly blank.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s deep and terrifying voice kept echoing in my ears.


    The feeling was very uncomfortable.


    I don¡¯t know how much time had passed when someone grabbed my hand.


    Only then did I realize that it had gotten dark.


    The bustling city had gradually quieted down.


    The streets were nearly deserted, and a light rain had started falling at some point, soaking me through.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    The person holding me was Shen Yishu.


    He had just finished socializing and was on his way home when he saw me, so he brought me back to Westmont Road.


    After entering the door, he looked at my distracted expression and got a dry towel from the bathroom for me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re so pale. Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°Uh!¡±


    I wrapped myself up tightly in a blanket, squeezing out a pale smile.


    Shen Yishu went into the kitchen and cooked a bowl of brown sugar ginger tea for me, holding it in both hands as he presented it to me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, here, drink some hot ginger tea. Warm yourself up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank? Do we still talk about thanking each other between us?¡±


    ¡°Yishu, I¡¯m currently going through a very tough time. I really, it¡¯s really hard¡­¡±


    Holding the steaming bowl of ginger tea, the tears I dared not shed in front of Gu Yuanzhou fell freely now, dripping into the ginger tea.


    Shen Yishu looked at me, somewhat at a loss for what to do, alternating between handing me tissues and fiddling with an apple¡­


    Seeing his anxious demeanor made me laugh despite myself.


    I stood up and patted his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be of help to you. However, if you¡¯re willing, you can tell me what¡¯s going on; maybe I can help.¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s eyes were sincere, and so was his demeanor.


    But I knew that he couldn¡¯t help me.


    Only I could help myself with my own issues.


    After a moment of sadness, I quickly pulled myself together again.


    My thoughts also stabilized quickly,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay now, Yishu, I¡¯m already better.¡±


    Shen Yishu shook his head upon hearing this,


    ¡°You always treat me like an ignorant child. Actually¡­ I¡¯m not that immature. If you give me a chance, I can prove to you that I¡¯m capable of much more than you think.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already helped me, Yishu. This bowl of ginger tea was a big help, it¡¯s made me feel much better.¡±


    Shen Yishu nodded,


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to stay tonight to keep you company.¡±


    ¡°Really, I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    I insisted repeatedly, but Shen Yishu still refused to leave.


    However, my outward smile was indeed masking an inner collapse.


    Since he insisted on staying, I had no heart to send him away anymore.


    That night, he stayed on the couch in the living room, while I laid in the bedroom.


    I didn¡¯t fall asleep the whole night¡­


    It wasn¡¯t until the early hours of the morning that I dozed off for a while.


    Then, I woke up from a nightmare again.


    After getting out of bed, I opened the door to find Shen Yishu still here, on the phone. He put the phone away when he saw me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who were you calling?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I heard you having a nightmare just now. I know there are some things you might not feel comfortable discussing with me, so I called Miss Wenya over.¡±


    I laughed, ¡°Yishu! You really are a clever one!¡±


    ¡°Although you¡¯re complimenting me, I¡¯d still rather hear you say: ¡®You are a very mature man¡¯ or something like that!¡±


    ¡°Alright, we can talk about that when you¡¯ve grown up!¡±


    Half an hour later, after Wenya had arrived, Shen Yishu finally left.


    Actually, having these friends, I still feel very secure.


    They make me feel not so alone.


    Wenya sat on the sofa, holding my hand and repeatedly asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened? Last night when Yishu saw you, your clothes were disheveled, your hair a mess, and you had injuries on your neck¡­ He was very worried about you but didn¡¯t dare ask too much, afraid of scaring you.¡±


    I didn¡¯t speak, just silently hugged Wenya tight.


    ¡°You saw Gu Yuanzhou yesterday!¡±


    My voice was a bit hoarse.


    ¡°What did he do to you?¡±


    ¡°Wenya, stop asking, I don¡¯t want to bring up what happened yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I know, did that damn beast do that to you?¡±


    ¡°Wenya!!¡± My voice choked.


    Wenya held me, gently patting my shoulder,


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stop asking, I¡¯ll stop asking. Damn it, I really feel like taking a knife and stabbing him.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to remember the unbearable scene from that day.


    Having been married to Gu Yuanzhou for so many years, I never knew he had such a dark side.


    How could he treat me like this?


    How could he?


    ¡°So, what are you going to do next?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Why did you even go to him?¡±


    ¡°Ruirui!¡±


    ¡°What, holy shit, did that beast kidnap Ding Ruirui?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any evidence, I don¡¯t know, but I feel like he¡¯s involved. Think about it, who besides Gu Yuanzhou bears a grudge against the Ding Family? Who would kidnap a five- or six-year-old girl? Besides, who else would be so heartless and crazy, if not him, then who?¡±


    I kept pondering and speculating in my heart, and the conclusion I arrived at was always him.


    ¡°So, so did he agree to release Ruirui?¡±


    I pressed my fingers against my temples, because the incident was so sudden, I was dominated by anger then, I didn¡¯t negotiate with him at all, I couldn¡¯t bear it.


    His limitless harm destabilized me completely.


    ¡°I slapped him twice, then I ran out.¡±


    ¡°Sigh!¡±


    Wenya let out a long sigh, and then was silent for a long time.


    ¡°If I were in your shoes, I would have slapped him too¡­ but two slaps are not enough, it should have been at least ten, hey! So, what¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, let me take a moment to breathe¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry to trouble you. Are you going to the hospital later?¡±


    ¡°I have to!¡±


    I must pull myself together, Ding Yinuo is still waiting for me.


    I don¡¯t have much time to heal my own heart.


    ¡°You say, why the hell does Gu Yuanzhou want to treat you like this?¡±


    Wenya was completely baffled.


    ¡°It must be retaliation for Ayu¡¯s matter. Ayu was his right-hand man, and with Qi Ming crippled as well, he¡¯s now like a lion out of control, raging with fury and needing to vent, so he can only come for me!¡±


    ¡°Ayun¡­ don¡¯t be too sad, he¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    I sat in the chair, quietly combing my hair, now feeling utterly despondent.

 Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Chapter 331 Shameless Person_1

    Chapter 331: Chapter 331 Shameless Person_1


    Looking at this unfamiliar face in the mirror, my love for Gu Yuanzhou had long since dried up, leaving only hatred behind.


    Oh, it wasn¡¯t just hatred, but also a deep sense of weariness.


    If possible, I¡¯d rather not see him again in my next life.


    If it weren¡¯t for Ding Ruirui, why would I bother involving myself again?


    After a long while, I turned to look at Wenya,


    ¡°What do you think about me killing him?¡±


    Despite Wenya always ranting about wanting to kill Gu Yuanzhou, she looked at me now, my expression calm as I posed the question.


    Her face was one of shock, then she frantically waved her hands,


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Ayun, have you gone mad?¡±


    She reached out to touch my forehead, ¡°Do you have a fever?¡±


    At that moment, my heart was as calm as an ancient well.


    I shook my head, ¡°No, I am very calm.¡±


    Only then did Wenya let out a sigh of relief,


    ¡°Ayun, if you hadn¡¯t married Ding Yinuo, you could stab or kill as you wished. But now, you¡¯re Mrs. Ding, and your life is tied up with the Ding Family. You can¡¯t be impulsive; you have responsibilities to consider now. Ayun, if you really can¡¯t get past this, just call the police. Tell them, let them lock up that beast.¡±


    I slowly sat down again,


    ¡°Wenya, you¡¯re right, I was impulsive. I have the Ding Family behind me, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything foolish. I only said such things because I was angry and felt helpless.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, think of something happy, like when Ding Yinuo wakes up, you¡¯ll be reunited. Hey, you¡¯re married now, but President Ding himself still doesn¡¯t know. He likes you so much, he¡¯ll be overjoyed when he finds out he¡¯s married to you.¡±


    Wenya said excitedly.


    Only thinking of Ding Yinuo offered me some comfort.


    Yes, Ding Yinuo had told me countless times before how happy he would be if he could marry me.


    So now, when he wakes up and learns that we are married, he will undoubtedly be very happy.


    In fact, I also long to see his happy face.


    After mentioning Ding Yinuo, I felt more at ease.


    I caressed the sandalwood comb in my hand, which was a gift from Ding Yinuo.


    He said this wooden comb could adjust the meridians and massage the acupoints on the head, which were greatly beneficial to the body.


    ¡°Wenya, it¡¯s alright now; let¡¯s go to the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you there!¡±


    Wenya, concerned for my safety, personally escorted me to the hospital.


    The moment I stepped into the hospital, I hesitated¡­


    I looked at Ding Yinuo, feeling overwhelming guilt toward him, and a bit of worry, unsure how to explain these matters to him once he woke up.


    ¡°Did Gu Yuanzhou reveal anything about Ruirui¡¯s whereabouts?¡±


    Wenya asked quietly.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Ah, that beast!¡±


    Wenya sighed.


    While all these troubling events unfolded, Ding Yinuo¡¯s condition improved rapidly.


    He used to only be able to move his fingers, but now, when I held his hand, he could write words in the palm of my hand with his fingers.


    In the morning, as usual, I washed his face for him, pressed some acupoints, and fed him some fruit juice.


    Then, I stayed by his side, reading to him the popular CEO novels of the day, telling him love stories from the books.


    After finishing, I would ask him, ¡°Ding Yinuo, who am I?¡±


    He wrote in the palm of my hand, stroke by stroke, ¡°Wife!¡±


    Wenya laughed and asked from the side, ¡°What¡¯s your wife¡¯s name?¡±


    He again wrote in the palm of my hand, ¡°Ayun!¡±


    Wenya burst into laughter,


    ¡°President Ding, now you know it¡¯s your wife who¡¯s been by your side. Aren¡¯t you going to hurry up and wake up?¡±


    It took Ding Yinuo a long time to pause before he wrote a few words, ¡°Wife, I love you!¡±


    It seemed that ever since Ding Yinuo could communicate with me through writing, he became even more afraid of being alone.


    Therefore, I had to spend even more time keeping him company.


    Of course, besides me, friends like Su Peisheng would also frequently take time to visit and keep him company.


    Gradually, he could recognize everyone by voice.


    The only thing he couldn¡¯t do was to fully regain consciousness.


    It was as if his body was a prison, trapping him inside, his soul imprisoned in a pitch-dark cage, unable to escape.


    This feeling must have been very painful.


    Besides offering comfort and companionship, I also had the doctor come to examine him every day, in hopes of finding a faster and better solution.


    The doctors also said that his physical condition was good, and the reason he couldn¡¯t wake up might be a neurological issue or a brain injury.


    So, I could only quietly keep him company, giving him a little more patience and hope.


    In the following two days, there was still no clue about Ding Ruirui.


    And I had no choice but to muster the courage and dial Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s number again.


    This time, he answered quite quickly¡­


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, didn¡¯t we agree that you would release Ruirui?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°That day¡­ in the office, you did what you wanted to do, why didn¡¯t you keep your promise and release the person? People should keep their word¡­¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡±


    ¡°Do you have amnesia? Don¡¯t be too excessive, Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let me think, do you mean that time on the couch?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!!!¡±


    ¡°Although we did it, your attitude was really bad. You didn¡¯t cooperate during the process, and it was a very unpleasant experience. You should be very clear that in our previous sexual encounters, every time was like a fish in water. You were happy, and I was happy, so you should be very clear that you didn¡¯t satisfy me, nor was I happy.¡±


    ¡°You!!¡±


    ¡°Oh, and you even slapped me. How are we going to settle that?¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect Gu Yuanzhou to be so petty-minded; he really was one to haggle over every ounce.


    Completely insane.


    I was blind to have ever fallen for him.


    So angry my body trembled.


    ¡°What do you want, then?¡±


    ¡°Come over and be with me, let¡¯s do it again! Oh, and remember, it has to be genuine, no more tricks, wait until I¡¯m satisfied, and then I will consider the conditions you proposed.¡±


    His words made me furious.


    Yet, I had no choice but to endure it.


    To save Ruirui, I had to once again sell my body and soul.


    I knew this was very unfair to Ding Yinuo, but I had no other choice.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go to a hotel!¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to go to Huaxin Group.


    Because it used to be Song Family¡¯s property, him forcing me to do those things in such a place was unbearable.


    I am not someone without shame or integrity; I have my limits.


    However, he wouldn¡¯t budge, ¡°Come to my office, come if you want, forget it if you don¡¯t.¡±


    After saying that, he hung up the phone directly.

 Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Chapter 332 Strangled by Him_1

    Chapter 332: Chapter 332 Strangled by Him_1


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dominance was simply suffocating.


    He wouldn¡¯t take a single step back, and I felt like he was holding me in the palm of his hand, firmly grasping my throat and vital parts.


    I was like a fish on his chopping board, all my struggles were of a dying, futile nature.


    I held the phone, my fists clenched tightly.


    The suffocation in my heart lingered for a long time¡­


    On the street corner, where the lights were dim, an old man was pushing a cart, selling pineapples. Next to the neatly stacked pineapples was a gleaming fruit knife.


    I touched my abdomen, where a scar left by Ayu remained.


    I pulled out a red banknote from my bag and handed it to the old man,


    ¡°I want that¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss, are you buying pineapples? This money can buy a lot of pineapples. Our pineapples are big and sweet, very juicy. Which one would you like?¡±


    ¡°Old man, I just want that knife!¡±


    The old man was visibly shocked.


    But he still hesitantly handed me the knife, and very thoughtfully wrapped it up in a plastic bag,


    ¡°Miss, be careful, I¡¯ve sharpened this knife for a long time, it¡¯s very sharp. It¡¯s quick at peeling and slicing fruits, just be careful not to cut your hand.¡±


    ¡°Can it kill a person?¡±


    I asked with a smile.


    The old man looked horrified and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m not selling this knife.¡±


    ¡°Just kidding, don¡¯t take it to heart!¡±


    I waved my hand, stuffed the knife into my bag, and then flagged down a taxi by the roadside.


    In the car, I looked at the busy traffic and the crowds on the streets¡­


    And then I thought of my life.


    I had died once before!


    That was when I met Ding Yinuo!


    So, if I were to die again, what would Ding Yinuo do?


    A cold liquid slid from the corner of my eye; I quietly wiped it away.


    My breathing was momentarily obstructed; I took out a tissue, dabbed away the moist trace from the corner of my eye, then pulled out a mirror and reapplied my makeup.


    Applying foundation to not look too haggard.


    Carefully applying blush to make my complexion seem brighter.


    After touching up my makeup, the car just happened to arrive at the foot of Huaxin Group¡¯s building.


    Looking through the car window, it was as if I could see the time, ten years ago, when I had just started dating Gu Yuanzhou.


    I often came here to find him.


    Whenever we met, he would excitedly pick me up and spin around in place. Back then, the whole world I saw was pink.


    When I looked at him, everything seemed perfect.


    He was full of highlights, the entire world seemed to be his image.


    He filled my every thought.


    Now looking back, I was just like a moth to a flame.


    So foolish, so stupid¡­


    At this time, it was already 6:30 in the evening.


    According to this schedule, Huaxin Group would have finished work already.


    The company normally closed at five o¡¯clock.


    Logically, by this time the company should have been empty except for the security staff.


    But when I walked in, I saw a shocking scene.


    It seemed a regular meeting had just ended, and all the senior executives of the company, surrounded Gu Yuanzhou as they filed out of the meeting room.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s proud and dark silhouette was full of presence.


    As if he were the king of this place.


    If such a scene had been at Zhenyi Company, it wouldn¡¯t have meant anything.


    But this was Huaxin Group, my uncle¡¯s company, the one he had snatched away¡­


    Moreover, he was flaunting this set-up in front of me on purpose, which was nothing but an attempt to humiliate me, to make me feel embarrassed.


    I just stood quietly in the lobby, watching these executives nod and bow to him, saying to him, ¡°Goodbye, President Gu!¡±


    He stood there, chin raised high, thoroughly enjoying that respectful demeanor from others.


    Until the last person left.


    Only then did he turn to look at me. ¡°Well?¡±


    I looked back at him meaningfully, my face composed, calm and self-assured.


    ¡°None of these people know I am Song Yun! So, if you want to use them to humiliate me, it¡¯s pointless. I can¡¯t feel their mockery.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me and chuckled lightly, ¡°Me, humiliate you?¡±


    ¡°Is that not what you are doing?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted you to see clearly that I understand how to manage this company better than your uncle does!¡±


    ¡°That sounds nice, but I don¡¯t believe it!¡±


    My simple four words angered him easily once again.


    He reached out and grabbed me by the collar.


    I thought he would rage, but unexpectedly, he slowly let go and bent his head to straighten my collar for me.


    Then he asked, ¡°Where would you like to go for dinner?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it all depend on Mr. Gu¡¯s word? Do my words count for anything?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just talk to me nicely?¡±


    ¡°If Mr. Gu can give me enough respect¡­ things wouldn¡¯t have to be this way between us.¡±


    ¡°So, in your heart, your uncle will always be more important than me?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯ve wrestled this company away by any means necessary, no matter how you explain it, it¡¯s meaningless, you can¡¯t cover up the truth.¡±


    ¡°Do you think your uncle didn¡¯t snatch this company? The things he did back then, the means he used were a hundred times more vicious than anything I¡¯ve done. You understand nothing and yet you spout nonsense here,¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou said angrily.


    I just looked at him indifferently.


    My face was expressionless.


    After he finished speaking, he gripped my arm tighter, shaking my body. ¡°What sort of expression is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, Gu Yuanzhou! I don¡¯t believe a single word you say!¡±


    ¡°Song Yun, I warn you. If you came here tonight just to provoke me, to argue with me, I can tell you, you¡¯ll gain nothing.¡±


    As his anger rose, the atmosphere between us tensed again.


    In the lobby, it was just the two of us, poised for confrontation. I was so angry that I couldn¡¯t help but touch the knife in my bag.


    There was even a moment when I looked around the room to check for cameras, pondering whether I could stab him in the heart¡­


    For an instant, my mind went blank.


    Not until I saw a camera above the reception desk did I abandon the thought, silently withdrawing my hand.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! I¡¯m getting a bit hungry, let¡¯s go eat!¡±


    He looked at me deeply, took my hand, and started walking outside.


    Because of my guilt, I held my backpack tightly, fearing he would discover the knife hidden inside.


    Yet, the more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen.


    While stepping down the stairs, in my panic, I missed a step and tumbled down.


    My bag fell out of my hand¡­


    I didn¡¯t wait for Gu Yuanzhou to turn back and help me up; I quickly scrambled up from the ground and rushed to pick up my bag.


    But Gu Yuanzhou was a step faster, snatching the bag from in front of me.


    ¡°Give me my bag back!¡±


    I didn¡¯t even bother to brush off the dust from myself, demanding my bag directly from him.


    Gu Yuanzhou gave me a puzzled look; he seemed to have realized there was something wrong with the bag.

 Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: Chapter 333 Don’t Want to Indulge Him_1

    Chapter 333: Chapter 333 Don¡¯t Want to Indulge Him_1


    When I tried to snatch the bag, he instead lifted it high up.


    As I tiptoed to reach it, something wrapped in a plastic bag fell straight out of the open bag.


    It hit the concrete floor, emitting a crisp metallic sound¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou directly handed the bag to me, then bent over to pick it up.


    After tearing off the plastic bag¡¯s wrapping, there was a gleaming fruit knife inside.


    The air instantly solidified.


    He glanced at the knife, then turned his head to look at me,


    ¡°You came to see me with a knife?¡±


    ¡°I, uh¡­ do you need me to explain? Do you want to hear my explanation?¡±


    I bit my lower lip, striving to make myself appear calmer.


    I had initially thought Gu Yuanzhou would blow up in anger.


    Unexpectedly, he gave me a deep look,


    ¡°Speak! I¡¯ll give you a chance to explain!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ This is a fruit knife. Ding Yinuo has been in the hospital, and he has recovered a lot recently. He wanted to eat an apple. I was planning to buy this knife to peel apples for him at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°You are talking about a comatose person eating apples?¡±


    ¡°I told you, he¡¯s awake! He¡¯s regained consciousness now, he can write words in the palm of my hand¡­¡±


    ¡°What words?¡±


    ¡°Write¡­ ¡®Wife, I love you!¡¯¡±


    I told him truthfully.


    This news, it was like a small joy in my heart.


    It was a defiant victory over the pressure imposed by Gu Yuanzhou.


    What I wanted to express was, I had won.


    Sure enough, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s attention was diverted by me, and he seemed to have neglected the matter with the fruit knife. He grabbed my arm, emphasizing repeatedly,


    ¡°You are my wife, not his. Have you got that straight?¡±


    I remained silent.


    I watched him laugh.


    I didn¡¯t say a word; I just laughed.


    Gu Yuanzhou was very angry, he threw the fruit knife into the trash can, and then grabbed my arm and got into the car.


    The car eventually stopped at a restaurant we used to frequent.


    After the car was turned off, he didn¡¯t get out immediately but sat in the car smoking, his eyes filled with thick, unresolved gloom.


    About three minutes later, people began to arrive one after another.


    These were the people from his circle. Listening to their conversation, I learned that today there was a celebration banquet for some occasion.


    When I got out of the car, many people had already come up to greet Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°President Gu, congratulations! You¡¯ve successfully gained control of Huaxin Group!¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was spirited and triumphant¡­


    I silently followed behind him.


    Entering the banquet hall, we were met with even more people.


    They were all powerful figures of A City, the upper echelons of society, among whom, surprisingly, were quite a few who had once been friends with my uncle.


    Indeed, it¡¯s a case of fair-weather friends; all these people had now turned to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Their allegiance also meant that from now on, Gu Yuanzhou would be the wealthiest man in this city.


    Everyone looked up to him.


    In such circumstances, even if my older cousin Song Siwen came back from abroad, the city no longer had a place for him.


    He had become a lone man with no one to turn to, isolated and helpless, unable to revive the Song Family¡¯s past glory.


    ¡°President Gu, come, let¡¯s toast to you!¡±


    Amid the clinking of glasses, I saw everyone treating Gu Yuanzhou with respect.


    It figures, in this world, it¡¯s the victors who tell the stories and the losers who listen.


    I sat quietly in the distance, watching this man like a successful king receiving everyone¡¯s respect.


    Ever since Gu Yuanzhou moved against the Song Family, I had been thinking, this man is too terrifying, I really can¡¯t accept it, how could he do this.


    But then, he kept lowering my bottom line again and again.


    It shattered my worldview.


    He had done so many terrible things without any limits.


    Time and time again assaulting me.


    I¡¯m numb now, nothing he does can shock me anymore.


    Now, when I see anything he does, all I can do is sit quietly, void of any emotion.


    The only thought that comes and goes in my mind is how to kill him.


    Sometimes I even ask myself.


    Was he always like this, or did he change over time?


    I can¡¯t figure it out, I have no answer.


    I once asked Wenya a similar question.


    The answer Wenya gave me was,


    ¡°Why do you even ask? A scumbag is a scumbag, whether he was always like this or became like this later. It just proves he¡¯s a scumbag, and there¡¯s no reasoning with that.¡±


    I forced a bitter smile, ¡°There¡¯s a difference. If he became like this later, at least it means I wasn¡¯t blind before!¡±


    Wenya sighed,


    ¡°Blind or not, what does it matter? If you were blind, would you regret it, blame yourself? No way, let yourself off the hook, don¡¯t twist yourself up. He¡¯s a scumbag, just throw him in the trash.¡±


    In that brief moment I was dazed, Gu Yuanzhou had already taken a seat beside me, one hand draped over my shoulder, the other holding a glass of red wine to my lips.


    ¡°Have a little!¡± he said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink alcohol!¡±


    ¡°You used to drink a little!¡±


    He looked at me with a half-smile, which I ignored.


    He whispered in my ear,


    ¡°Have a little, perform well later!¡±


    As he said this, a wicked smile played on his lips.


    A large hand quietly crept to the small of my back.


    In front of so many people, I didn¡¯t make a scene but still stubbornly refused him.


    I can indeed drink, and I could finish that glass, but I just didn¡¯t want to bend to his will.


    His fingers gently caressed my waist, with a rhythm that was identical to when he used to seek comfort with me.


    This man, in bed, was like a warhorse.


    He had numerous tricks and positions.


    Even the suggestive gestures were the same.


    But just thinking that he had done these things with Ye Mengyan filled me with disgust.


    I straightened my spine,


    My defiance seemed to put him in an awkward position; from the looks in people¡¯s eyes, I saw much contempt.


    It seemed everyone thought me a woman out of touch with reality, not giving Gu Yuanzhou face.


    After all, someone of his high status now, I ought to be trying to please him.


    But I refused¡­


    When the atmosphere turned awkward,


    The smile on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face froze.


    That Mr. He advised me,


    ¡°Ahem, beauty, don¡¯t make Gu¡¯s president lose face, okay? Drink it, drink up!¡±


    ¡°Right, if Gu¡¯s president tells you to drink, just drink! Why dawdle? Gu¡¯s president inviting you to have a drink is giving you face, don¡¯t reject it.¡±


    The few already seated couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and began to encourage me to drink.


    Because, besides Gu Yuanzhou, no one present knew I was his wife¡­


    Haha, how ridiculous this world is.


    So many are willing to be dogs¡­


    But I didn¡¯t want to indulge them, I directly knocked over the glass,


    ¡°Whoever wants to drink, let them drink! If you are willing to be Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dogs, that¡¯s your business. Don¡¯t drag me into it!¡±


    As soon as I said this, the whole room fell silent.


    Gu Yuanzhou probably didn¡¯t expect me to be so brazen, his face darkening instantly.

 Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: Chapter 334 That was our past_1

    Chapter 334: Chapter 334 That was our past_1


    He scowled and immediately rose to his feet, with a lift of his hand, he flipped over the entire table.


    The dishes on the table crashed with a clatter, all toppling to the ground.


    Everyone was so frightened that they looked at each other, not daring to make a sound.


    They shrunk away in the distance, like frightened sparrows.


    I couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing, laughable¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou was making such a commotion, clearly just trying to intimidate me, to deliver a show of force so I would obediently comply.


    However, I wasn¡¯t afraid at all.


    I countered with a smile, lifting my head to look at him, my lips curling into a smirk.


    After all, you wouldn¡¯t dare beat me up in front of all these people, would you?


    ¡°Beauty, apologize to Mr. Gu quickly; don¡¯t anger him anymore,¡±


    The crowd pulled at my sleeve, urging me.


    In their eyes, I must be an idiotic woman who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for her.


    But why should I play along with them?


    I ignored them and continued to smile at Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Mr. Gu must be having nightmares every night, unable to sleep well; that¡¯s why he¡¯s so irritable. Look at this, flipping tables at the drop of a hat, this is a sign of excessive liver fire¡­ it could harm your health. Ah, there¡¯s no helping it, too many misdeeds lead to divine retribution, right?¡±


    ¡°Stolen, seized, claimed as your own, and here you are, hosting a grand banquet, smug as can be¡­ That¡¯s why you have those nightmares every night. I guess Mr. Gu¡¯s good days won¡¯t last much longer. As the saying goes, ¡®Heaven observes what we do,¡¯ and sooner or later, there¡¯s a price to pay, haha, it¡¯s just too funny.¡±


    I spoke harsher and harsher words.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression turned darker and darker as well.


    Indeed, my words were a blow to his pride, as he had intended today to be a show of his splendor.


    And I had ruined it for him.


    Regardless, seeing him angry made me quite happy.


    ¡°I see, you really don¡¯t know whether you¡¯re coming or going, daring to mess with our Brother Yuanzhou. Security, throw this woman out!¡±


    He Xiangdong, in an attempt to maintain Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dignity, called the security to throw me out.


    All the people present were waiting to see me made a fool of.


    Gu Yuanzhou also looked at me with a sullen face, saying nothing.


    In the air, a suffocating atmosphere spread.


    Just as I was about to be lifted by security and thrown outside,


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s deep voice thundered,


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!!¡±


    At this furious shout, the security retracted their hands, no longer touching me.


    ¡°Brother Yuanzhou, how should we deal with this woman?¡±


    He Xiangdong asked obsequiously.


    ¡°Enough, all of you get out!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou apparently no longer wanted to continue the meal.


    He issued an eviction order.


    He Xiangdong waved his hand, and quickly everyone left with him.


    Soon, only Gu Yuanzhou and I were left at the scene.


    The embarrassing scene was filled with the mixed aroma of food and alcohol in the air.


    Gu Yuanzhou just watched me, his Adam¡¯s apple rolling, his gaze dark, as if pondering what to do with me next.


    After a while, he grabbed my arm and walked toward me.


    I didn¡¯t resist him and walked out with him.


    At the hotel¡¯s entrance, he looked at the densely packed night lights.


    He smoked a cigarette there.


    After a long time, he looked at me with a gloomy expression,


    ¡°Do you know? For that behavior just now, if it had been anyone else, I would¡¯ve finished you a long time ago!¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to be grateful for Mr. Gu¡¯s mercy and not killing me? Should I kneel and kowtow to you?¡±


    ¡°You could!¡±


    When he said that, I almost burst out laughing.


    He¡¯s truly shameless!


    The thickness of his skin knows no bounds.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat, then name a place! Where do you want to go next?¡±


    ¡°Would Mr. Gu be willing to go to the place I want to?¡±


    ¡°You tell me?¡±


    ¡°I want to go to a place where I can find Ding Ruirui. Can President Gu agree?¡±


    He glanced at me indifferently, then directly refused, ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then it doesn¡¯t matter. Anywhere is fine.¡±


    ¡°How about going to see a movie?¡±


    ¡°A movie? Are you sure you¡¯re not just wasting time?¡±


    Actually, I didn¡¯t feel like watching any movie with him at all¡­


    He ignored me and simply pulled me into the car.


    The night was deep, and he drove recklessly on the road, at a time when everyone else seemed to be on their way home.


    And us¡­ we had driven our children home through the darkness countless times, back to our once warm home.


    Now, we can never return.


    Just like this night, it will never come to an end for him, for me.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to be driving in a huff, speeding, almost rear-ending the car ahead several times.


    He then spun the steering wheel and swiftly made a turn.


    Such urgent switching of directions, darting in and out of traffic, was fraught with danger.


    I felt as if my life was floating on the tip of a needle.


    It was thrilling, and also very dangerous.


    But I wasn¡¯t scared, letting him do as he pleased.


    However, after that stretch of speeding, the car stopped in front of the cinema.


    He bought me a bouquet of flowers, then took my hand and walked into the cinema.


    There were many people there to watch a movie, mostly couples.


    We blended in among them, not seeming out of place.


    A long time ago, he also used to bring me and our two children here to watch movies¡­


    I don¡¯t know if it was intentional, but he chose the middle seats in the seventh row, just like before.


    Our family of four used to sit here in this order when we came here.


    The difference now is that it¡¯s just the two of us, sitting here all alone.


    It¡¯s the same popcorn, but when I eat it, I can¡¯t taste the sweetness anymore.


    It tastes like chewing wax¡­


    The movie was one we had seen before, called Zootopia.


    When we brought our two little treasures to watch it before, we thought it was very entertaining, and laughter filled the cinema throughout the movie.


    But now, watching the same story again, my heart is filled with endless pain.


    Hearing the laughter from others in the cinema, I felt a stabbing pain in my heart.


    So I quickly stood up and walked out of the cinema.


    Breathing deeply the fresh air outside.


    Gu Yuanzhou followed me out from inside.


    He didn¡¯t speak, just reached out and caught my arm, walking me outside the cinema.


    Once we were outside, I shook off his hand.


    He tried to grab me again, I pushed him away, and so it went back and forth many times.


    Finally, he stepped forward and pinned me against a utility pole.


    ¡°What are you going crazy for?¡±


    He scolded me sharply.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking you that question? What are you going crazy for? Why did you bring me here?¡±


    ¡°I want you to see clearly who you really are!¡±


    ¡°Crazy, don¡¯t I know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Do you understand that you¡¯ll marry that vegetative person?¡±


    ¡°He will wake up someday. It¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t understand! Gu Yuanzhou!!¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t understand, then let me ask you, why were you crying in the cinema just now, shedding tears? Why did you have an emotional breakdown?¡±

 Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Chapter 335: He’s Playing Tricks Again_1

    Chapter 335: Chapter 335: He¡¯s Playing Tricks Again_1


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and it¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t know, but rather you don¡¯t want to face it. It will hurt because you have love in your heart. You still remember our once warm home. Deep down, you do love me and the children. You are Mrs. Gu, and you belong with us as a whole. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°No, Gu Yuanzhou, you are wrong! I was never a part of you! Not now, not ever! You don¡¯t deserve it!¡±


    Whether I am or am not.


    I don¡¯t want to admit it anymore.


    I was blind before but I¡¯m not blind now. I¡¯m awake, and I don¡¯t want to admit it anymore.


    Gu Yuanzhou stopped speaking and angrily pulled me into the car.


    After I got into the car, he started it.


    Then, he took me to have dinner.


    However, I didn¡¯t have an appetite. I barely touched my chopsticks at the dinner table.


    Gu Yuanzhou sat beside me smoking, either that or staring at me with his pitch-black eyes.


    After enduring half an hour, he finally paid the bill and led me out.


    Standing at the entrance of the restaurant, the hem of his suit flapped in the breeze.


    ¡°Fine, if you feel so uncomfortable with me here, then go!¡±


    ¡°Release Ding Ruirui!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou hooked up the corner of his lips coldly,


    ¡°Is that how you ask for a favor?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to ask you in the first place!¡±


    ¡°Then go ahead!¡±


    He turned and walked away with a cold expression.


    I had no choice but to chase after him again.


    I have never felt so humiliated in my life.


    I caught up to him in a few steps, grabbing his sleeve,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! Don¡¯t go¡­¡±


    ¡°What for? You¡¯re reluctant to be with me, always sulking. Are you trying to show your displeasure?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Gu Yuanzhou, I was wrong just now, I apologize. Whatever you want to do now, I¡¯ll go along with it.¡±


    Despite a hundred reluctances in my heart, I had to bow my head.


    In terms of being a hooligan, I am indeed no match for him.


    ¡°So unwilling?¡±


    He grabbed my arm and pulled me into his embrace.


    ¡°No reluctance, I came with all sincerity!¡±


    ¡°Really? Then prove it to me?¡±


    ¡°How should I prove it?¡±


    ¡°Kiss me!¡±


    He looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.


    I knew he was doing it on purpose, he wanted to embarrass me.


    But I had no choice but to do it, tiptoeing to plant a kiss on his cheek.


    ¡°Here!¡±


    He pointed to his own lips, his gaze laden with meaning as he looked at me with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, we¡¯re outside, there are so many people¡­ Can we go somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to strip. What are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to see your sincerity? Do it now! Show me your sincerity! You can¡¯t expect to get anything from me without giving anything in return, can you? The world doesn¡¯t work like that.¡±


    He looked at me amusedly.


    I gritted my teeth but still tiptoed as he instructed, trying to kiss his lips.


    To my surprise, he suddenly exerted force, his hands locking around my waist, pressing me against the car.


    One hand slipped inside my clothing and then he abruptly kissed me back.


    This position caught me off guard.


    Actually, even in our marriage, we had had passionate moments like this.


    It felt fresh and romantic at the time, but at this moment, all I felt was humiliation.


    Fortunately, he only continued for a few minutes, and after sensing my lack of response, he let me go.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!!!¡±


    ¡°Your body, no reaction at all, boring!¡±


    He looked at me with a hint of disdain.


    I immediately straightened my clothes,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you can¡¯t play around like this. Just now it was you who initiated this, and now you resent me for not responding. Have you ever intended to compromise? You¡¯re playing with me, you¡¯re toying with me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou hooked the corner of his lips,


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who came to me, not the other way around!¡±


    ¡°You!!¡±


    ¡°And about Ding Ruirui¡¯s matter, you never planned to compromise, did you?¡±


    ¡°What Ding Ruirui? I¡¯ve never made any promises to you!¡±


    He said these words with a smile.


    I was so angry that I trembled all over and deeply felt that I had been toyed with.


    I turned around and hurriedly left.


    I stretched out my hand to hail a taxi on the roadside.


    ¡°Beauty, where to?¡±


    asked the driver.


    I was stunned for a long time before I realized I was so mad I had forgotten to tell the driver where to go, ¡°To Xishan Residence! Thanks!¡±


    I don¡¯t know why, but something felt strange.


    Through the car window, I saw Gu Yuanzhou standing beside the car, smoking a cigarette, his cold gaze fixed on me.


    I don¡¯t know why, but that expression of his scared me.


    I always felt that something was off, but I couldn¡¯t tell what.


    As the car sped past, I saw a person coming out from behind an advertising board in front, holding something like a camera, looking like a professional journalist.


    The face looked familiar, but I couldn¡¯t recall who it was.


    Just as the car reached Xishan Residence, my phone rang.


    It was Ding Xiao calling.


    I was actually still struggling with how to explain to Ding Xiao that I hadn¡¯t found Ding Ruirui¡­


    But unexpectedly, he spoke first,


    ¡°Xiaosong, Ruirui has returned!¡±


    His voice carried a hint of excitement.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in the hospital right now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there!¡±


    After finding out that Ding Ruirui had been found, I hung up the phone and immediately rushed to the hospital.


    That child, I missed her so much.


    Half an hour later, I saw Ding Ruirui in the hospital, the little girl seemed a bit frightened, hiding in Ding Xiao¡¯s arms and refusing to come out.


    ¡°Ruirui!¡±


    I called her name twice, and then she turned around and stretched her little hands out to me.


    I quickly held her in my arms, her soft, little body gave me a healing strength.


    ¡°Little auntie!¡±


    Her voice was small and fine, but she snuggled tightly in my arms and wouldn¡¯t talk much.


    Seeing her like this, she must have been frightened.


    It must have been that beast Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s doing.


    At that time, along with Ding Ruirui, there were also several policemen who had come, and Ding Xiao was talking with them.


    Because I was too far away, I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying.


    Right then, the doctor who had just finished examining Ding Ruirui thought I was the child¡¯s mother and thus advised me.


    ¡°As of now, the child only has some abrasions, no internal issues. She¡¯s probably shocked and needs to be taken care of at home.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you, doctor!¡±


    I was very grateful to the doctor and shook hands to express my thanks.


    After collecting the medicine from the pharmacy, the little girl in my arms had already fallen asleep.


    Just then Ding Xiao finished talking with the policemen and came out to ask me about the situation, and I repeated to him what the doctor had just said.


    Ding Xiao nodded¡­


    I handed Ding Ruirui over to him, ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to the police!¡±


    Ding Xiao took the child and looked at me, ¡°Talk about what?¡±


    ¡°Now that the child has been found, we can report Gu Yuanzhou. It was he who kidnapped her. The police must arrest him now.¡±


    I thought about all the humiliation I had borne, waiting for this day.


    The moment Ding Ruirui was rescued, I was ready to send him to jail.

 Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Chapter 336 The Clown Across the Street_1

    Chapter 336: Chapter 336 The Clown Across the Street_1


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s various difficulties and insults these past few days made me feel like death would be preferable; I couldn¡¯t let him get away with it.


    But Ding Xiao stopped me,


    ¡°Xiaosong, it wasn¡¯t him!¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid of him?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not afraid of him!¡±


    ¡°Then why won¡¯t you let me report him? People like him deserve to be in prison.¡±


    ¡°No! Xiaosong¡­ Ruirui wasn¡¯t kidnapped!¡±


    Ding Xiao¡¯s expression was calm.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Ruirui wasn¡¯t kidnapped, she was just wandering the streets on her own. Then, by chance, she was taken in by a passing couple for a few days, it¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡±


    I didn¡¯t believe Ding Xiao¡¯s explanation at all; I looked at him in shock,


    ¡°Do you believe it¡¯s just a misunderstanding?¡±


    ¡°The child said so herself, and it was that couple who brought Ruirui to the police station.¡±


    Ding Xiao¡¯s face remained calm.


    But facing such an explanation, I simply couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Who knows if that couple wasn¡¯t arranged by Gu Yuanzhou.


    It¡¯s impossible.


    Gu Yuanzhou must have kidnapped Ding Ruirui, threatening me, humiliating me.


    Now he¡¯s speaking so lightly about it.


    How could I let him off the hook?


    If I let him go, wouldn¡¯t all my suffering have been in vain?


    My hands were trembling, this had become a fixation for me; I couldn¡¯t possibly let him off.


    It was him, it must have been him¡­


    Even though Ding Xiao kept trying to persuade me, I simply couldn¡¯t listen anymore.


    I stubbornly found the police,


    ¡°Officer, our Ruirui¡¯s missing case, it¡¯s a kidnapping, and Gu Yuanzhou is behind it.¡±


    The police shook his head,


    ¡°I¡¯ve obtained surveillance clues proving it¡¯s unrelated to Gu Yuanzhou. The child was taken by a couple!¡±


    ¡°Have you investigated that couple? They must be hired by Gu Yuanzhou, you should check thoroughly.¡±


    The police looked at me with sympathetic eyes,


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please calm down. We have vast experience in case handling. We will not let any criminals go, nor will we wrongly detain an innocent person, you have to trust us. What¡¯s most important right now is that you take good care of the child, help her adjust to her surroundings.¡±


    ¡°No, Gu Yuanzhou is a bad person, if you don¡¯t arrest him, he will offend again¡­¡±


    I was very anxious.


    Ding Xiao stopped me,


    ¡°Xiaosong, let it go! Listen to me!¡±


    He pulled me aside and spoke softly, persuading,


    ¡°Xiaosong, perhaps this time, you¡¯ve misunderstood Gu Yuanzhou. However, regardless, he is indeed a bad person. There¡¯s no denying that, but with no evidence on the police¡¯s side, clinging to him is pointless, we should just stay away from him from now on.¡±


    I glanced at Ding Ruirui, who was sleeping soundly in his arms, and then nodded slightly,


    ¡°Let me take you guys home.¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s so late, you should go home by yourself. I¡¯ll take the child home; anyway, the doctor just checked her, she¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll spend time with her these next few days.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t be able to sleep alone at home anyway, accompanying her will give me some peace of mind.¡±


    I still wouldn¡¯t give up; I didn¡¯t believe what the police had said, so I decided to stay with Ding Ruirui for a few days to see if I could get anything out of the child.


    Also, I feel like I¡¯ve developed some post-traumatic stress now, I¡¯m really afraid that Gu Yuanzhou will take away the child again next time.


    Maybe it¡¯s because of my own negligence at that time, not protecting my child well.


    Now, looking at Ruirui, I am determined to protect her.


    After returning to the Ding Family.


    Ding Xiao then carried Ding Ruirui to the bedroom to sleep¡­


    Mom Ding held my hand, talking nonstop about Ding Yinuo¡¯s recent illness,


    ¡°Xiaosong, it¡¯s all thanks to you! Yinuo has been getting better day by day. The doctor says his condition is improving more each day, and if nothing unexpected happens, he should be able to get up by the end of this year, right?¡±


    It seems that ever since Ding Yinuo started to recover, Mom Ding¡¯s smile has become more frequent on her face.


    These days, she¡¯s visited him at the hospital every single day.


    And she also took the time to make chicken soup to nourish my body.


    She has long considered me as part of her own family.


    She discusses everything with me.


    ¡°Yes! I have a lot of confidence too!¡±


    ¡°When he wakes up, you two should have a child early. Sigh, it¡¯s all thanks to you. Without your patience and confidence to help him, he might not have woken up by now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, once he wakes up, I¡¯ll keep him company!¡±


    ¡°Yes, once he¡¯s better, our family should go out and really enjoy a trip. Visit some places we¡¯ve never been before. This child has never enjoyed life. Back when he was studying, he buried himself in books, reading day and night. After becoming a doctor, he was a workaholic. Always circling the operating table, giving all his energy to the patients, he never went on a trip, never really lived life.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Once he wakes up, our family will go on a trip.¡±


    At that moment, Ding Xiao came out of the bedroom,


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the hospital to watch over Ruhui. Please help look after Ruirui!¡±


    I stood up,


    ¡°Rest assured! I¡¯ll stay here for the next few days¡­ Right, and you also need to be careful lately, see if anyone is following you.¡±


    Ding Xiao is smart, he immediately grasped the meaning behind my words.


    ¡°Okay, I understand, thanks for the heads up!¡±


    After Ding Xiao left, I voluntarily took on the responsibility of caring for Ding Ruirui.


    After all, Mom Ding is getting on in years, the elderly lack energy, and little kids are energetic. Actually, letting an old person take care of a child is not a wise choice.


    That night, I stayed by Ding Ruirui¡¯s side to sleep.


    The next morning.


    After Ding Ruirui woke up, she was in very good spirits. After washing her face and brushing her hair, I fed her breakfast and then watched cartoons with her.


    This little girl recovered quite quickly, it seemed she easily accepted the changes.


    Before long, we got along very well. While I was feeding her apples, I casually asked,


    ¡°Ruirui, do you love Auntie?¡±


    The little girl nodded like a pecking chick,


    ¡°Of course, Auntie buys Ruirui tasty food, beautiful dresses, and tells me bedtime stories. Auntie loves Ruirui the most. And Ruirui loves Auntie the most too!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Next, Auntie is going to ask you a few questions. Can you tell me the truth?¡±


    ¡°Of course, yes!¡±


    ¡°That day, the day you disappeared, can you tell me why you ran out of the school?¡±


    The little girl thought for a while,


    ¡°Across the street, there was an uncle with balloons and candies, waving at me!¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Then I walked over, but before I got close, a man and a woman came out of a car and picked me up and put me in the car!¡±


    ¡°Did this man and woman hit you? Cover your eyes or anything like that? Did they say anything about kidnapping?¡±

 Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Chapter 337 Overwhelming Scandals_1

    Chapter 337: Chapter 337 Overwhelming Scandals_1


    I tried to lead her with words a child could understand.


    Actually, kids these days are very smart; she could understand what I said,


    ¡°No, little auntie, uncle and auntie have been very nice to me. They bought me candy and then took me home, told me not to cry, and helped me contact my family.¡±


    ¡°But you stayed at their house for a few days, weren¡¯t you scared?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t scared; they also have a little girl my age, and we played together. Uncle said he would help me find my dad and mom¡­¡±


    I pondered for a long time, since there were no suspicious clues to be found from the couple.


    So I decided to start with the person who offered balloons and candy, and I picked out Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s photo from my phone and showed it to Ding Ruirui.


    ¡°Look, is it him?¡±


    Ding Ruirui looked for a long time before shaking her head,


    ¡°The uncle with the balloons was a clown!¡±


    ¡°A clown?¡±


    So I flipped through my phone and showed her a picture of a clown.


    She pointed to the image of the clown with her finger,


    ¡°It¡¯s him, he looked just like this!¡±


    I looked at the clown holding balloons and fell into deep thought¡­


    It was clearly someone wearing a mask.


    A masked clown luring Ding Ruirui with balloons and candy was most likely part of a conspiracy.


    But who exactly was behind the mask?


    After much thought, I still had no leads.


    However, I ended up suspecting Gu Yuanzhou, who else could it be?


    Moreover, it was just after I had gone to see a movie with him and came back that Ding Ruirui was found. There couldn¡¯t be such a coincidence in this world.


    ¡°Ruirui, if you see a clown uncle like this again, don¡¯t go near him, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, little auntie, Ruirui understands. Dad also said not to follow strangers, uncles, and aunties. If someone tries to pick me up, I should scream and shout!¡±


    ¡°Good, very good!¡±


    I played with Ding Ruirui all morning when my phone suddenly rang.


    I glanced at the number; it was an unfamiliar mobile number.


    After a few seconds of contemplation, I answered it.


    ¡°Hello! Who is this?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, right? My name is Song Siwen, I got your number from my mother¡­ Do you have some time? I¡¯d like to meet with you!¡±


    As soon as I heard the voice, I became nervous.


    Because the person on the other side was my uncle Song Shixiong¡¯s eldest son, my older cousin.


    He was one of the people on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s blacklist.


    ¡°Are you back in the country now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I just arrived in A City today, and I¡¯d like to talk to you in person!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Receiving a call from Song Siwen made me both nervous and excited.


    Because he might be my only ally; with his return, maybe we could join hands to fight against Gu Yuanzhou.


    Considering that Gu Yuanzhou might make a move on him, I had to meet him as soon as possible.


    I arranged to meet him at a rather secluded hotel, purposely setting the time for midnight.


    In the afternoon, Ding Xiao came back from the hospital, and I handed the child over to him.


    And discussed Ruhui¡¯s condition with him.


    ¡°Ruirui¡¯s mom is fine! I¡¯ll take Ruirui to see her in a bit, she¡¯ll feel better once she sees the child. Miss Song, you really worked hard, it must have been tough looking after her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, she¡¯s a good girl. When you go to the hospital later! Make sure to hold her hand tight, don¡¯t let her get lost.¡±


    ¡°I will, don¡¯t worry¡­¡±


    Ding Xiao chatted with me briefly, then he walked to the door and sighed before saying,


    ¡°You also be careful out there. That man with the surname Gu seems relentless. Lately, he has been maliciously driving down the company¡¯s stock price.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault; I¡¯m just reminding you to be careful. This man is acting like a rabid dog.¡±


    Regarding the Ding family, all I could say was sorry.


    Ding Xiao didn¡¯t explicitly blame me, but I already felt deeply uneasy.


    Although he didn¡¯t openly accuse Gu Yuanzhou of kidnapping Ding Ruirui, I could see the worry he was trying to hide.


    As a father, being concerned about his daughter¡¯s safety is understandable.


    ¡°I know, take care as well!¡±


    After sending Ding Xiao and his daughter away, the guilt in my heart lingered like an ineradicable fog.


    I had never imagined that Gu Yuanzhou would one day become the final straw to break the Ding family¡¯s back.


    So, I must do something to preserve the Ding family, to preserve the last bit of our dignity.


    After having dinner with Mom Ding at night, I went to the hospital and spent a long time with Ding Yinuo.


    Lately, Ding Yinuo¡¯s recovery had been steadily improving.


    Before, he could move one finger, but now, he could move both hands.


    I could even intertwine my fingers with his.


    Every time I held his hand, he would constantly write in the palm of my hand!


    Ayun, I love you!


    Wife, I love my wife Ayun!


    Wife, you suffer every day taking care of me!


    Wife, we will watch meteor showers together, we will spend our lifetimes together.


    A few simple words had become the sweetest flavor in the depths of my heart.


    ¡°Yinuo, you have to wake up soon, I really want to take you out to bask in the sun, feel the breeze, and look at the stars!¡±


    ¡°I want us to go watch a movie together! Yinuo!¡±


    I held his hand, softly calling his name.


    He quickly wrote in the palm of my hand again,


    ¡°I want to bask in the sun right now!¡±


    Indeed, he had made this request to me more than once before.


    In these past days, not only did I push him around the garden in his wheelchair, I even took him for a stroll near the flower shop¡­


    However, even though he had lost quite a bit of weight lying in the hospital bed for so long, he was still a man with a solid bone structure.


    Moving him from the bed to the chair required a great deal of physical strength.


    Sometimes, when acquaintances were around, they would help out.


    At this time of the day, with no caregivers around, I could only change his clothes myself and attempt to transfer him from the bed to the wheelchair by carrying him on my back.


    But then an accident happened. Just as I had lifted him, my vision blurred and my legs gave way, and I fell with him on my back.


    He was on top of me, and for a while, I couldn¡¯t push him off; I was sweating profusely and couldn¡¯t move. Sometimes, as a woman, I really felt powerless in terms of physical strength.


    In the midst of my struggle,


    Su Peisheng and Wenya just happened to come to see me.


    Seeing the situation, Su Peisheng quickly walked over, hurriedly lifted Ding Yinuo off me, and placed him on the wheelchair.


    Wenya then helped me up quickly, supporting me to sit down,


    ¡°Ayun, oh my God, why is your face so pale and covered in sweat?¡±


    My heart was pounding as if it would leap out of my chest, my vision blurring,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe it¡¯s low blood sugar!¡±


    Wenya quickly grabbed a bag of glucose, tore it open, and handed it to me.


    ¡°Drink it quickly!¡±


    After I drank the glucose, I felt much better.


    Wenya scolded me out of concern,


    ¡°Really, you, if there are no caregivers, why do you take him out?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Yinuo wanted to see the sun!¡±


    I said it lightly, afraid that Yinuo might hear.


    Wenya shook her head,


    ¡°Ayun, seeing you like this really breaks my heart. You¡¯ve lost more than ten pounds caring for Ding Yinuo, and you¡¯re full of needle marks. I don¡¯t mind that you¡¯re good to Ding Yinuo, but you have to love yourself too! Don¡¯t play with your life like this!¡±


    ¡°By the way, did you come to see me for something?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s face was very grave,


    ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s some bad news, you need to prepare yourself!¡±

 Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Chapter 338 He is a man with a penchant for cleanliness_1

    Chapter 338: Chapter 338 He is a man with a penchant for cleanliness_1


    I gave a faint smile, ¡°Bad news? I¡¯ve never had good news! Go ahead and tell me!¡±


    Yes!


    I¡¯ve already died once, what bad news could possibly be so unbearable for me now?


    Truly forged in fire!


    My heart, having been subjected to repeated blows, must have become numb by now!


    However, when Wenya delivered the news to me, I still couldn¡¯t handle it.


    My whole body went cold!


    What Wenya showed me was a news article.


    The headline was bold, and it was paired with a provocative photo.


    The Second Young Mistress of the Ding Family could not bear her loneliness, passionately kissing the boss of Zhenyi Company, Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    The picture was exactly from last night, where Gu Yuanzhou was kissing me intensely as he pushed me into the car.


    The angle of the shooter was very tricky, you could see the two people in a passionate embrace, and I appeared to be enjoying it.


    Only then did I remember, when I was leaving that day, Gu Yuanzhou seemed to have spoken to a man with a camera.


    At that moment, all the blood in my body ran cold.


    I just knew he had set a trap for me.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have let me leave so easily last night.


    Exactly!!


    ¡°Wenya, is there any way to get this news taken down?¡±


    After a brief moment of blankness in my mind, I was overwhelmed by a wave of anger.


    Wenya exchanged a look with Su Peisheng.


    Su Peisheng walked over, then shook his head,


    ¡°When we discovered this matter this morning, it had already gone viral. We immediately called Baidu and asked how much it would cost to take down the trending topic. We were willing to pay whatever the amount as long as they would agree. But they refused, saying that someone had paid to put the news on the trending list. They had already signed an airtight contract, which couldn¡¯t be retracted.¡±


    Wenya was also furious upon hearing this,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, this beast! Now that the Ding Family has seen this news, they must be absolutely livid!¡±


    I sat down in a chair, hands covering my face, feeling completely powerless.


    This piece of news was like Gu Yuanzhou rolling up his sleeves and slapping the Ding Family hard across the face.


    I could even picture it in my mind, Mother Ding being pointed at and whispered about whenever she went out.


    How could they withstand this?


    Su Peisheng came over to comfort me,


    ¡°An upright person does not fear a crooked shadow. Everyone knows what kind of person you are. We¡¯re not blind. Why worry about the rumors they spread?¡±


    Wenya also said next to me,


    ¡°Anyway, President Ding doesn¡¯t know about it yet! He¡¯s the biggest victim and luckily can¡¯t see it, so it won¡¯t hurt him. Give it some time, and it will get better.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s attempt to comfort me didn¡¯t make me feel much better for long.


    Because I found the situation becoming increasingly horrifying.


    Perhaps because the hospital is mostly filled with patients, there weren¡¯t many people interested in such sensational scandals about the wealthy.


    But, when I left the hospital, pushing Yinuo¡¯s wheelchair for a walk in the park,


    Many passersby recognized me and started pointing fingers and whispering.


    ¡°Look over there! Isn¡¯t that the wife of the second young master of the Ding Family? With her husband turned into a vegetable, she¡¯s having an affair with the boss of Zhenyi Company, ah, this woman is truly insatiable!¡±


    ¡°Seriously, her husband is in this condition, and she still has the mind to carry on an affair. How desperate must she be?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s truly sad for her husband. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯ll think when he wakes up. Wearing such a huge green hat, he might just die of anger when he comes to!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! And if she gets pregnant later and the child turns out to be someone else¡¯s, that would be even more ridiculous.¡±


    The murmuring of the people flowed into my ears like a tide.


    I didn¡¯t dare to argue with these people; I could only push the wheelchair forward quickly.


    To get far away from them¡­


    But sometimes, some things can¡¯t be avoided just because you want to.


    The scandalous rumors spread everywhere¡ªfirst, it was the news of my affair with Gu Yuanzhou, and then, the news that we were spotted in a hotel room together.


    These rumors endlessly smeared me, blackened the reputation of the Ding Family, and gradually, they began to affect the entire company.


    And facing this situation, I felt powerless.


    I could sense that Gu Yuanzhou had set a huge trap for me.


    Knowing he was waiting for me to jump in, I didn¡¯t even have the strength to step back.


    Every day, I would repeatedly ask myself, what should I do?


    These past few days, Mother Ding also came to the hospital to visit Ding Yinuo.


    Although she didn¡¯t mention the scandal, I could clearly see the awkwardness on her face.


    Her smile seemed not as easygoing as before when she looked at me.


    And after I finished wiping Ding Yinuo¡¯s body, she would be especially polite to me, thanking me repeatedly.


    Finally, one day I couldn¡¯t help it anymore and I asked her,


    ¡°Mom, do you have any thoughts about those rumors outside? You can tell me directly if you have any opinion!¡±


    Mother Ding heaved a long sigh, and tears started to flow as soon as she spoke.


    I passed her a tissue, and she took it to wipe her tears,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I know you are a good woman, you¡¯ve been so devoted to Yinuo, and our entire family is grateful. But¡­ you¡¯re still young, and if you have any ideas, I think maybe, you should get a divorce first. Rest assured, not a single person in the Ding Family will say a word against you. As long as you are happy, we can all understand.¡±


    After hearing her words, I felt a chill in my heart, although there was no malice in Mother Ding¡¯s words.


    But clearly, the rumors had affected her.


    No matter how strong she was inside, she couldn¡¯t withstand the constant encouragement from relatives at home.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m really sorry to have caused such trouble for you. I haven¡¯t done anything to wrong Ding Yinuo. My conscience is clear. As for the matter of divorce, I will only agree if Ding Yinuo speaks of it himself after he wakes up.¡±


    Mother Ding sighed deeply again, ¡°I don¡¯t blame you at all; I just¡­ hope you can be well too. Ah, child, you are still young. Whatever decision you make now, we can all understand.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine! I¡¯m really doing okay¡­¡±


    Not long after Mother Ding left, Jiang Jiaying, whom I hadn¡¯t seen for a long time, started coming to visit Ding Yinuo every now and then.


    At that time, she would also mock me occasionally, ¡°Ding Yinuo really went blind, how could he fancy a woman like you! If he wakes up and knows what you¡¯re really like, he¡¯ll definitely regret it to death.¡±


    I looked at her coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t know shit!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face reddened with anger at my retort,


    ¡°If you really don¡¯t love Ding Yinuo, then don¡¯t cling to him. Don¡¯t you know there¡¯s someone else in this world who loves him more than you do!¡±


    I scoffed,


    ¡°When he was in a coma, I didn¡¯t see you coming to visit. Now that you¡¯ve heard he¡¯s about to wake up, here you are. What are you really planning, everybody can see it, okay? But no matter what you¡¯re planning, it¡¯s useless. Even if Ding Yinuo wakes up, he won¡¯t fancy you.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying snorted coldly,


    ¡°You really have an absurd confidence. Ding Yinuo is a man who values cleanliness; he¡¯ll never want you again if he knows about this.¡±


    I just smiled and didn¡¯t say a word!

 Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: Chapter 339 My Heart for Him is as Evident as the Sun and the Moon_1

    Chapter 339: Chapter 339 My Heart for Him is as Evident as the Sun and the Moon_1


    I don¡¯t need to prove anything to anyone, my love for Ding Yinuo is as visible as the sun and the moon.


    My sneer was only to mock her ignorance.


    Do I not know what kind of person Ding Yinuo is?


    I also firmly believe that after Ding Yinuo wakes up, she will definitely not bring up a divorce because of all this mess.


    I don¡¯t care what others say, I still do things my own way.


    I still take care of Ding Yinuo with all my heart and soul.


    In my heart, I look forward to the day he wakes up.


    After all, there is a belief in my heart.


    As long as Ding Yinuo can wake up, everything I¡¯ve done is worth it.


    It¡¯s precisely because of this belief that I can take the hurt inflicted by Gu Yuanzhou.


    No matter how much pain there is, I think to myself, as long as Ding Yinuo wakes up, that¡¯s all that matters.


    Only if he can come to, will everything I¡¯ve done be worthwhile.


    My meeting with Song Siwen had been delayed several times due to unforeseen circumstances, finally taking place on that weekend night.


    In an inn at Jiangbin.


    I met him.


    Song Siwen is the eldest son of Song Shixiong, he was about ten years older than me previously, now probably in his forties.


    He used to be handsome and refined.


    But the moment we met again, it made my heart ache.


    The once elegant and handsome gentleman now had a head full of white hair.


    ¡°My mother mentioned that you are a friend of my cousin Ayun?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t reveal my true identity; I could only hold back tears as I shook hands with him,


    ¡°Yes¡­ If you don¡¯t mind, can I call you cousin just like Ayun does?¡±


    He obviously hesitated for a moment, then nodded,


    ¡°Of course, no problem. Mother mentioned that she received a lot of help from you during her time in the country; I¡¯m here to thank you.¡±


    ¡°It was nothing, just a small favor, it was the least I could do. How is she doing now?¡±


    After sitting down, Song Siwen casually mentioned his aunt¡¯s recent condition,


    ¡°Her health isn¡¯t good; she has been hospitalized ever since going to the United States. Her condition has been worsening lately, and recently she keeps mentioning my brother and father¡¯s names, so I thought, during this trip back home, I would meet Zexi and also see if I could find my father!¡±


    Song Siwen spoke with a hoarse voice and his eyes were rimmed with blood, his face was surrounded by dark circles.


    When he spoke of the past, his voice was filled with self-reproach.


    ¡°It was all because I was so childish, I always felt that my father was wrong, always insisting on arguing with him, getting angry over petty things. Now that I look back, it was all so foolish, why didn¡¯t I just listen to him. As the eldest son of the Song Family, I was of no help. The decline of the Song Family is all my fault.¡±


    ¡°If only I could turn back time, I would definitely heed my father¡¯s teachings and not make such crazy decisions; perhaps the Song Family wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.¡±


    Regret filled Song Siwen¡¯s words.


    ¡°Have you managed to find out about your father¡¯s whereabouts?¡±


    ¡°No, I have secretly been looking for him. But I have a feeling that all of this has something to do with Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    In fact, I¡¯m very aware that everything about the Song Family was caused by Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°So what do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve searched everywhere that I should have. Not a single clue! Alas!¡±


    Song Siwen sat down in the chair, completely exhausted, as if he had taken a heavy blow.


    ¡°I went to Huaxin Group last night and saw the company my father built change hands. It didn¡¯t feel good at all. And our Song Family house, the place where our family has lived for generations, now belongs to strangers. This feeling is really unpleasant,¡± he said.


    I could deeply relate to Song Siwen¡¯s words.


    Both places were where I grew up as a child, holding many of my memories.


    His pain was also my pain.


    To this day, I dare not visit these two places, afraid of stirring up those unpleasant memories.


    I held the teacup in my hands, now cold, ¡°So what do you plan to do?¡±


    Song Siwen stood up and walked to the window, gazing out at the pitch-black night before finally saying,


    ¡°The only thing I can do now is to find Gu Yuanzhou! I must force him to disclose my father¡¯s whereabouts.¡±


    The teacup in my hands nearly slipped out in shock, and I quickly got up,


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that! You should go back to the United States and take care of your mother!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, if I return empty-handed, I won¡¯t be able to explain myself to my mother. Besides, I feel like my mother might not have much time left. I can¡¯t let her leave this world with regrets, right?¡±


    ¡°No, that man Gu Yuanzhou¡­ you simply can¡¯t beat him. He¡¯s been wanting to completely eradicate the Song Family! Going to him now would be like throwing yourself into the tiger¡¯s den! Take my advice and go back to the United States!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that, now that I¡¯m back, I can¡¯t just return empty-handed!¡±


    Song Siwen was stubborn, a trait he shared with his younger brother, Song Zexi.


    He was the type to never turn back until he hit a dead end.


    I was very worried!


    Such impulsiveness could lead him down a path of no return.


    To prevent an accident, I changed my approach,


    ¡°How about this, let me join you, okay?!¡±


    Song Siwen looked at me in surprise,


    ¡°You want to help me?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Whatever information or leads you need, you can tell me. When it¡¯s not convenient for you to show your face, I¡¯ll do it for you.¡±


    After all, I¡¯ve been living in this city all along, and I¡¯ve dealt with Gu Yuanzhou before.


    Seeing that I wanted to join, Song Siwen then revealed an even more startling piece of news.


    Turns out, since Song Siwen returned to the country these past few days, he hadn¡¯t been idle, attempting to secretly connect with his father¡¯s old friends.


    They were planning to join forces to depose Gu Yuanzhou.


    But looking at the details, there were many flaws¡­ I pointed them out one by one.


    ¡°Cousin, your plan needs to be thoroughly reviewed. I feel the probability of success isn¡¯t high, Gu Yuanzhou isn¡¯t ordinary; he doesn¡¯t play by conventional rules.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, our plan is to act at the Lakeside Hotel. We chose the Lakeside Hotel because it¡¯s far from the city center. It¡¯s outside his sphere of influence; he can¡¯t monitor us there. I plan to kidnap him once he arrives and then force him to reveal my father¡¯s whereabouts.¡±


    Excitement shone in Song Siwen¡¯s eyes as he spoke, as though he could already see the successes that lay ahead.


    I too wished it could be so but soon pointed out flaws.


    ¡°The cooperation, business talks, project discussions written here¡­ he won¡¯t come for these! He¡¯s not foolish; on the contrary, he¡¯s very cunning. I suggest changing the reason.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve discussed it already; there is no other way. With the reputation of all of us, we cannot invite him out into the open.¡±


    I pondered for a moment, ¡°Let me do it!¡±


    ¡°What does Miss Song propose?¡±


    ¡°I still have a bit of a personal connection with him. I can invite him here, and he won¡¯t suspect a thing.¡±

 Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Chapter 340 Guilt_1

    Chapter 340: Chapter 340 Guilt_1


    Song Siwen was ecstatic upon hearing this, his face a picture of grateful surprise,


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Song. I knew it, my mother was right. You really are a thoughtful and helpful girl, truly kind-hearted. If this matter succeeds, it will mean so much to our Song Family. From then on, you will be our benefactor. Please, allow me to bow to you!¡±


    Song Siwen was so moved that he bowed to me time and again on the spot!


    I hurried to support him.


    If he knew that I was Song Yun.


    That it was I who had let Gu Yuanzhou, this ravenous wolf, into the Song Family, which had led to the family¡¯s ruin.


    He probably would have hated me to his core!


    ¡°Mr. Song, please don¡¯t do this! I¡¯m merely lending a helping hand. But I can¡¯t be certain that I can indeed get him to agree.¡±


    ¡°No worries, we await your good news!¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I shall take my leave.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stay long in this place.


    After hastily concluding the conversation, I left.


    By the time I got back to A City, it was already midnight, and that night, as I lay in bed, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep.


    Thinking over and over¡­


    The next morning, I made a trip to Huaxin Group¡­


    Since I arrived quite early, Gu Yuanzhou had not yet arrived.


    Perhaps Gu Yuanzhou had already informed the front desk, for as soon as I entered, the receptionist greeted me with a smile and took my arm.


    ¡°Miss Song, President Gu said that if you were to come by, you could wait for him in his office.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Had he already calculated that I would come to seek him out?


    What exactly was this man thinking?


    With various doubts in my mind, I went straight into the elevator and headed directly to the president¡¯s office.


    I was actually a bit anxious and had arrived somewhat too early.


    At this time, most of the company¡¯s staff had not yet arrived for work.


    The office was very quiet.


    The secretary brought over a cup of tea and very politely reminded me,


    ¡°President Gu usually comes to the company at nine o¡¯clock. Please enjoy your tea and wait for a while.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡±


    After the secretary left, my eyes scanned over his desk.


    The documents on the desk were stacked neatly.


    I casually picked one up and saw that it was the company¡¯s monthly report from last month, clearly detailing the business performance and income.


    It appeared the business was doing very well.


    Practically all were turning a profit¡­ After looking through a few documents, I turned my gaze toward the inner resting room.


    Typically, a president¡¯s office includes a private resting room, used for relaxation or naps during the day.


    I don¡¯t know why, but I just walked straight into it.


    I pushed open that door.


    I actually didn¡¯t have a purpose, merely wanting to look around.


    To my shock, that glance revealed something that took me aback.


    On the table in the resting room, there was a clown mask.


    Suddenly my blood rushed to my head.


    I remembered Ruirui once mentioned, it was a person wearing a clown mask who beckoned her to crawl through the school fence, leading to her being taken away.


    Before, I had suspected Gu Yuanzhou, but didn¡¯t have concrete evidence.


    Not until I saw this mask, did I realize, I wasn¡¯t just suspecting him but that he truly was the culprit.


    This mask proved that he was the one who tried to kidnap Ding Ruirui.


    In that moment, my mind went blank, and I really wanted to strangle him.


    All this pain, he had imposed upon me, this terrible demon.


    There was a period of time when I stood frozen, my mind completely blank.


    After a while, I came to my senses and quickly left that place.


    I had just stepped out the door.


    My phone started ringing.


    I glanced at it, and it was a call from Ding Xiao.


    Why was he looking for me at this time?


    ¡°Big brother! Do you need me for something?¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, come here right now, Yinuo has been in a car accident!¡±


    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡±


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t comprehend, how could Ding Yinuo, who was a bedridden patient, have been in a car accident?


    He couldn¡¯t even leave the hospital!


    Did a car rush in the hospital then?


    But that¡¯s impossible, he was living on the upper floor, more than ten stories up.


    ¡°This is what happened, this morning a few of Yinuo¡¯s friends came over, saying they wanted to take him out for some sun. Out of nowhere, a car came charging in and everyone ran away, forgetting to move Yinuo¡¯s wheelchair.¡±


    Hearing this, my legs went weak and I had to grasp the railing to prevent myself from collapsing.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the hospital right away!¡±


    As I spoke these words, I felt utterly drained.


    I dared not picture the scene.


    I had put so much effort into finding hope for Ding Yinuo¡¯s recovery.


    And now, was this accident going to take him away from me?


    I flagged down a taxi by the side of the road.


    I returned to the hospital in a daze, not even knowing how I got out of the car.


    The hospital was packed with people, and I struggled to push through the crowd to see my Anuo.


    But I felt suffocated in the throng and passed out.


    When I came to, only Wenya was by my side, and I had an IV in my arm. I struggled to sit up, ¡°Wenya, I need to see Ding Yinuo.¡±


    Wenya had been scrolling on her phone and quickly stopped me when she saw me trying to get up,


    ¡°Stop, you should lie down, the doctor said you¡¯re extremely weak.¡±


    ¡°I want to see Ding Yinuo, don¡¯t stop me!¡±


    My voice was hoarse as I anxiously repeated my plea over and over.


    It was then Wenya told me,


    ¡°He¡¯s not in the country anymore!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Is he¡­ gone?¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t panic, what I mean is¡­ he¡¯s fine, his condition isn¡¯t serious, but he needs surgery that can¡¯t be performed here. He needs to go abroad for treatment. Rest assured, a doctor from this hospital has accompanied him. He¡¯s going to be okay.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s explanation reassured me somewhat.


    I slowly lay back down on the bed, took a deep breath,


    and Wenya continued to scold me,


    ¡°Look at you, you¡¯re such a mess, and you¡¯re still concerned about him. If Ding Yinuo gets sick again, he has his family, friends, and his former colleagues at the hospital to care for him. What about you? What do you have? Ayun, if you keep this up, you¡¯re going to lose your own life too.¡±


    Wenya sighed and shook her head.


    I could only offer a bitter smile,


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, he wouldn¡¯t be like this today, would he?¡±


    ¡°So, you think you¡¯re atoning for your sins?¡±


    ¡°Wenya, Ding Yinuo and I are already married. Taking good care of him is my responsibility! Indeed, I feel guilty for his current predicament. There¡¯s an element of atonement. But isn¡¯t this what I should be doing?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take all the blame upon yourself! His car accident wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    ¡°How is it not my fault?¡±


    ¡°This time it was an accident!¡±


    ¡°How could it possibly be an accident? This is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s doing. Gu Yuanzhou just wants to make my life miserable, he wants to see me in agony.¡±

 Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Chapter 341 Set a Trap_1

    Chapter 341: Chapter 341 Set a Trap_1


    ¡°Ayun, I know Gu Yuanzhou is pretty hateful. But¡­ in this matter, we have no evidence. You can¡¯t just suspect him!¡±


    Wenya looked at me worriedly, still trying to soothe me.


    ¡°Ayun, Dr. Jia just came by, asking if you recently haven¡¯t been taking your medication!¡±


    ¡°Wenya, do you think my depression is acting up?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that Dr. Jia said, it¡¯s somewhat¡­ it¡¯s actually quite normal. Many people experience some changes in their mentality after life-altering traumas and major blows. Even if it¡¯s depression, it¡¯s nothing to be scared of. You still have me, and Jian Jing, we¡¯ll both be here for you.¡±


    Wenya truly is a good best friend. During this period, no matter what blows I faced, she always stayed by my side.


    Through thick and thin.


    I covered my head with my hands, indeed recently feeling a ringing in my ears.


    But I believe that it¡¯s Song Xiaoyun who has depression, not me.


    I¡¯m just occupying this body, I can still control my emotions and body very well.


    ¡°Wenya, guess what I saw in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office?¡±


    I showed Wenya the picture of the clown mask I captured in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s office.


    ¡°Ruirui said, it was someone wearing a clown mask who lured her to leave the school. It¡¯s him, I¡¯m not wronging him at all.¡±


    Wenya glanced at the photo, and without much comment, simply said,


    ¡°Look at how drained you are! Still thinking about these things! Stop thinking, just lie down and rest.¡±


    Wenya helped me to lie down.


    After sleeping for a while, as soon as I closed my eyes, I would dream.


    Always dreaming of the scene where Ding Yinuo was hit by Gu Yuanzhou, over and over, the dreams were very realistic.


    Unable to sleep for long, I woke from the dreams drenched in sweat.


    When I opened my eyes, Jia Musen was sitting by my bed reading a book.


    I sat up from under the covers,


    ¡°Uh, can I be discharged now?¡±


    ¡°My advice is that it¡¯s best for you to remain hospitalized for treatment for a while. That would be most beneficial for your recovery,¡± he said while holding my medical record, analyzing it line by line for me.


    But I couldn¡¯t hear him clearly, not a single word could get through.


    I disagreed with his view.


    ¡°Do you psychologists think everyone is a little sick?¡±


    I said indifferently.


    Jia Musen adjusted his glasses and then looked at me deeply,


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you, don¡¯t you ever have difficulties? Haven¡¯t you encountered patients you can¡¯t solve? Job crises? Family conflicts? Haven¡¯t you been cheated on by a girlfriend? Haven¡¯t you ever felt so hopeless and irritated that you wanted to die? I just don¡¯t believe that you¡¯re without any troubles. Living in this world, controlled by emotions and desires. Isn¡¯t it natural to have some disappointments, to be dragged down by these feelings, to feel depressed?¡±


    Stumped by my questioning, Jia Musen was speechless for a while.


    ¡°You do have a point. But¡­ we have diagnostic criteria for depression here, it¡¯s not diagnosed arbitrarily.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Jia, your diagnostic criteria are useless to me, I don¡¯t care, I want to be discharged!¡±


    I dressed myself and headed straight for the door.


    Jia Musen reached out to stop me, ¡°If you¡¯re going to be discharged, you still need to take your medication!¡±


    He handed me several bottles of medicine.


    I looked at them, the same ones previously prescribed to Ding Yinuo.


    Indeed, after taking them, I could sleep a little more soundly.


    But still, you can¡¯t always rely on medication to live.


    These medicines all have side effects. In the end, I handed them back to Jia Musen,


    ¡°I¡¯m not sick, I won¡¯t take the medication!¡±


    ¡°Hey, you!¡±


    In Jia Musen¡¯s shocked gaze, I resolutely walked out.


    After leaving the ward, I went straight to the hospital¡¯s dean to inquire about Ding Yinuo¡¯s situation.


    The reality was pretty much as Wenya had described it.


    Knowing that Ding Yinuo and I were husband and wife, the dean patted my shoulder and comforted me,


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, the United States side has already coordinated with us. There¡¯s over an eighty percent chance of a cure, you just stay at home and wait peacefully. Also, our hospital has sent Dr. Jiang to accompany him.¡±


    I was stunned for a few minutes when I heard that name, ¡°Jiang Jiaying?¡±


    ¡°Yes! She was Ding Yinuo¡¯s old classmate and is a key member of our hospital staff. With her by his side, you can be utterly reassured.¡±


    The dean¡¯s words did indeed give me a good deal of comfort.


    Having an acquaintance like Jiang Jiaying by his side meant that Ding Yinuo wasn¡¯t entirely alone.


    Even though Jiang Jiaying was not of great character, she was truly devoted to Ding Yinuo and would certainly not harm him.


    Now, I could focus all my thoughts on Gu Yuanzhou.


    However, to say that Ding Yinuo¡¯s departure,


    grew my trust immensely, I no longer had any hesitations, and could instead free up my hands to confront Gu Yuanzhou with all my might.


    It also happened to be the time I had agreed upon with Song Siwen to roll out the plan.


    I had already discussed it with Song Siwen before.


    They would go to the Lakeside Hotel to set up an ambush and then wait for me to lure Gu Yuanzhou there.


    Truthfully, I wasn¡¯t entirely sure about this, but I had to do it¡­


    I don¡¯t want to go to Huaxin Group anymore.


    All I could do was call Gu Yuanzhou.


    I had intended to talk things over calmly with him, but as soon as he answered the call,


    my calm was thrown out the window and angry words burst forth involuntarily.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you maniac, why did you have to hit Ding Yinuo like that? He¡¯s already become a vegetable, and you still won¡¯t let him go?¡±


    Really, when you hate someone, that feeling can¡¯t be suppressed.


    All it takes is a trigger for it to explode out.


    The Gu Yuanzhou on the other end of the line was not at all pleased to hear this,


    ¡°If you called just to yell at me, then don¡¯t bother.¡±


    With that, he hung up.


    As I listened to the dial tone, I instinctively wanted to curse him out.


    This man is detestable!


    But I quickly realized this was the wrong approach.


    If I let my temper take over, the plan would be completely delayed.


    So, I called his number again.


    This time, he did not answer!


    I called over a dozen times, but he still didn¡¯t answer.


    With no other option, I had to personally make a trip to Huaxin Group.


    The thought made me uncomfortable, but I still had to go.


    Half an hour later, I got out of the car in front of Huaxin Group¡¯s entrance, and as I was about to enter, I bumped into a familiar woman.


    Wearing a white trench coat and flowing wavy long hair, her silhouette alone exuded allure.


    If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, this woman should be He Manyi, my uncle¡¯s former mistress.


    This woman seemed to have had behind-the-scenes dealings with Gu Yuanzhou in the past.


    At the time, I thought that Gu Yuanzhou was just helping my uncle deal with these messy affairs, but I hadn¡¯t realized that even after my uncle was gone, he was still involved with this woman.


    Now, seeing her climb up the steps, I quietly followed her.

 Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Chapter 342: It Turns Out He Was the One Behind That Game_1

    Chapter 342: Chapter 342: It Turns Out He Was the One Behind That Game_1


    He Manyi was on the phone, completely oblivious to my presence behind her.


    Fortunately, it was already after work hours, and there weren¡¯t many people in the office, so I easily avoided being detected.


    He Manyi stood on the steps making a call for a while before she entered the elevator.


    I didn¡¯t take the same elevator as her but noticed that it stopped on the third floor¡­


    I directly took the fire escape, climbing the stairs, and around the corner, I spotted He Manyi standing together with Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to come here anymore?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice was low, containing traces of a roar.


    He Manyi crossed her arms and huffed,


    ¡°President Gu, why so fierce! When you sent me to entangle Song Shixiong, I did as you instructed and completed the task perfectly. If it weren¡¯t for me aiding you, where would you be in smoothly acquiring Huaxin Group now?¡±


    ¡°The payment you deserved was given to you long ago!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, President Gu, I¡¯m in a bit of a difficult situation now! Even if you just lend it to me, I¡¯m not asking for much, only a hundred thousand will do.¡±


    ¡°Not a penny more!¡±


    I was utterly shocked by their conversation.


    So He Manyi had been deliberately placed by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s side by my uncle, which means.


    My uncle¡¯s so-called affair was also orchestrated by Gu Yuanzhou.


    Seeing this, I was once again stunned.


    Gu Yuanzhou, how many more terrible and dirty secrets are you keeping from me?


    The more I found out, the more I realized how little I knew about Gu Yuanzhou.


    At this moment, I descended two more steps.


    I just saw Gu Yuanzhou call in security and have He Manyi thrown out.


    He Manyi seemed to be unwilling to leave; cursing as she went,


    ¡°President Gu, what you¡¯re doing is crossing the river and demolishing the bridge. I¡¯m telling you, if you don¡¯t wire me the money, tomorrow I will reveal all your schemes against the Song Family, from the very beginning till now.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou chuckled with his hands in his pockets,


    ¡°You think I¡¯d be afraid of you? If you dare to cause trouble, believe me or not, I can make you live less than three days.¡±


    Such a threat was indeed very effective.


    After hearing this, He Manyi immediately fell silent and didn¡¯t dare to make a scene.


    While being dragged out, she was completely quiet.


    Just as I was in shock.


    Suddenly, a low shout resounded,


    ¡°Stop hiding, come out!¡±


    I slowly walked out of the stairwell, with Gu Yuanzhou watching me from the steps.


    It seems he had discovered me quite some time ago.


    I slowly made my way out.


    ¡°What, skulking around and still don¡¯t dare to come see me?¡±


    ¡°It seems, Miss Anuo was also deliberately placed by you beside Song Shixiong?¡±


    ¡°You ask knowingly?¡±


    He just admitted it so casually, which was a bit beyond my expectations.


    ¡°No more cover-ups?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not necessary! At this point, A City is already under my control, nothing can stop me now!¡±


    I was furious, but I still had to maintain composure on the surface, as I came here today with a purpose.


    I took a deep breath, ¡°What are you after, wanting to destroy the Song Family?¡±


    ¡°After what? Do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want to know!¡±


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to talk about it, I¡¯m very busy¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at his watch.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Seeing him about to turn away, I stopped him.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    I hesitated for a moment,


    ¡°About what just happened, I want to know. The matters between you and the Song Family, I want to hear you tell me yourself! I know there must be a reason you¡¯re doing this to the Song Family.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, after hearing me speak like this, his expression did seem to soften a bit.


    He walked up to me in just a few steps and reached out to caress my cheek,


    ¡°Do you really want to hear it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t want to be kept in the dark.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s talk about it properly after work.¡±


    At that time, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice was especially gentle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s meet somewhere!¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°I have thought of a very quiet place, far from the hustle and bustle of the city! The hotel is integrated with nature, and the scenery is very beautiful. It¡¯s a great place for leisurely vacations. Shall I go ahead and wait for you there?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou pondered for a few minutes,


    ¡°Where is it?¡±


    ¡°Lakeside Hotel!¡±


    My heart pounded wildly as I said those four words.


    I tried hard to maintain a natural smile to prevent Gu Yuanzhou from spotting any flaws.


    Gu Yuanzhou frowned deeply,


    ¡°That place is too far from here. Isn¡¯t it inconvenient at this late hour?¡±


    ¡°It is because it¡¯s a bit farther away and less crowded that I want some peace, so it will be just the two of us¡­¡±


    I softly bit on the last sentence.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to grasp the meaning behind my words.


    After a moment of thought, he agreed, ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll go together. You don¡¯t have to go ahead, wait for me to get off work.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay then!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou really was busy. He had just agreed to my suggestion,


    when his phone rang, and he walked straight into the elevator while answering the call.


    I leaned against the wall, exhaling a long breath.


    After a while, when my breathing had evened out, I picked up my phone and made a call to Song Siwen.


    ¡°It¡¯s set! Be ready tonight!¡±


    ¡°Alright, we are all prepared!¡±


    After hanging up, my heart rate remained at an accelerated level.


    I didn¡¯t know if we would truly succeed tomorrow.


    But having already succeeded halfway was still an occasion for gratitude.


    After leaving Huaxin Group, I went back to the Ding Family home.


    I always felt that this trip carried great risks, and I had to visit the people at the Ding Family¡¯s home.


    Whether it was Ding¡¯s mother or Ding Xiao, they had treated me very well, just like family.


    I was uncertain if the plan to trap Gu Yuanzhou would succeed, and if it failed, I feared I might not have a chance to survive.


    Because Gu Yuanzhou might very well want to kill me.


    I bought for Ding Ruirui the strawberry bear she had always wanted, Li¡¯sa¡¯s Queen Elsa long dress, and a matching backpack.


    And for Ding¡¯s mother, I bought some calming supplements as well as donkey-hide gelatin and polygonum.


    She had poor sleep and a head full of white hair, and this polygonum could help her with those.


    Ding¡¯s mother was very happy to see me, hastily pouring tea for me¡­


    Ding Ruirui was even more enthusiastic, climbing onto my lap, hugging my neck and acting coy, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t leave tonight. Can you sleep over with me, please?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tonight, maybe another day!¡±


    ¡°What about tomorrow?¡±


    Looking into the child¡¯s clear eyes, I didn¡¯t know how to respond for a moment.


    If I agreed and then couldn¡¯t come back tomorrow, wouldn¡¯t that be breaking my promise and disappointing the child?


    Yet, if I refused her, she might start to think I didn¡¯t love her anymore.


    After much consideration, I diverted the topic, telling her a story and then watching an animated movie together.


    In the afternoon, Ding¡¯s mother started making dumplings, and I stayed by her side to help her wrap them. During that time, she expressed her feelings,


    ¡°I wonder when Anou will get better. Once he¡¯s recovered, you two should hurry up and have a child¡±


    I smiled and before I could answer, my phone rang. I glanced at it and saw it was Gu Yuanzhou calling.

 Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Chapter 343 I’ve Decided to Make a Move_1

    Chapter 343: Chapter 343 I¡¯ve Decided to Make a Move_1


    I walked outside to answer the call¡­


    ¡°In half an hour, shall I come to pick you up?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°Dress up nicely!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    We agreed on a place to meet.


    After hanging up the phone, I hugged Ding Ruirui once again.


    Then I bid farewell to Ding¡¯s mother,


    ¡°I have to go now, take care of yourself. When Yinuo comes back, you will be his strongest support.¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother did not see the sadness in my eyes, but anxiously grabbed my arm,


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten the dumplings yet, stay a little longer before you go.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, there¡¯s an emergency at the company, I must leave now!¡±


    Seeing my insistence on leaving, disappointment filled Ding¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes,


    ¡°Alright, since you¡¯re so busy, I won¡¯t keep you. I¡¯ll freeze the dumplings in the fridge for you. Bring them to Xishan Residence tomorrow, and you can just boil them when you want to eat.¡±


    ¡°Great, thank you!¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother¡¯s thoughtfulness made me feel warm.


    Before leaving, I gave her a deep hug.


    ¡°If Yinuo wakes up and doesn¡¯t see me, please tell him that I will always love him.¡±


    ¡°Sure, good child!¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother patted my shoulder and consoled me for a while when she saw tears in my eyes.


    In fact, she did not know the dangers of my journey, nor the reason for my sadness.


    Afterward, I took a taxi back to Xishan Residence, changed into another dress, and redid my makeup lightly.


    During that time, I saw that there were two missed calls on my phone.


    One was from Wenya.


    The other was from Shen Yishu.


    I didn¡¯t answer either of them, I hadn¡¯t even told these two about the plan at the Lakeside Hotel.


    I didn¡¯t want to worry them, nor did I want to drag them into this.


    The both of them combined were no match for Gu Yuanzhou.


    Getting involved would only ruin their lives.


    Eventually, another message popped up on my phone¡­


    It was from Wenya,


    ¡°Ayun, let¡¯s go out for late-night snacks, see you at the usual place!¡±


    I didn¡¯t reply to her.


    At that moment, the doorbell rang.


    I set my phone to vibrate and put it in my pocket before going to open the door.


    At this time, night had fallen, and the entire city had become an ocean of lights.


    Against the backdrop of the bustling city, the dark silhouette of Gu Yuanzhou seemed like the last illusion of my life.


    He and I, merely ten meters apart.


    Yet it felt like a lifetime away.


    Ten years ago, he had appeared in my world in the same way, standing before me like my god, my light.


    For love, I rushed to him like a moth to flame.


    And now, looking at the partner of ten years by my side, past memories played out before my eyes like a movie, scene by scene.


    The final image halted at the day of the fire, when my two children turned into phantoms.


    At this moment, my tears fell like rain.


    I knew that it was time for an end.


    I wiped away my tears, walked out of the doorway, and turned to lock the front door.


    The wind was strong, lifting up the hem of my dress and causing it to flutter in the wind.


    So cold!


    Is it deep autumn already?


    A City may be a southern city, but on a deep autumn night, temperatures drop to around ten degrees, and with the gusts of north wind, the cold bites to the bone.


    In the moment when my dress hem danced in the wind, I felt as if I might be carried away with the breeze.


    When I wrapped my arms around myself, I found that I had really lost a lot of weight, almost to the point of deformity, hands touching nothing but protruding bones.


    In a moment of surprise, a warm coat was draped over me,


    Enveloping my slightly cold body.


    ¡°`


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, get in the car!¡±


    I didn¡¯t know when, but Gu Yuanzhou had silently come to my side.


    The night was deep, and as I hung my head, he didn¡¯t see the trace of sadness on my face.


    ¡°Mmm!¡±


    I followed him.


    The black Rolls-Royce was parked by the roadside, low and mysterious, emanating a luxurious glow.


    Just as I was about to get in, I suddenly noticed a large patch of paint had flaked off the car, and there were obvious deformations on the front hood underneath.


    Clearly, the car had been in a serious accident¡­


    After I got in, I turned to look at him,


    ¡°This car has been bought for several years now, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    He put on his seatbelt and glanced at me,


    ¡°Six years! You bought it for me on the third anniversary of Zhenyi Company¡¯s founding!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been in an accident, why not replace it?¡±


    He started the car unhurriedly, ¡°You know me, I¡¯m very persistent. Once I like something, it¡¯s for life.¡±


    ¡°Heh!¡±


    To his greasy sweet talk, I could only sneer coldly a few times.


    If it had been before, I might have been moved.


    But not now.


    My heart had turned to iron.


    ¡°I saw several new cars in the company¡¯s garage!¡±


    ¡°Those are for accompanying clients, the only one I regularly drive is this one!¡±


    Both his hands were on the steering wheel as he kept the speed steady.


    The car was also playing a Korean song that I liked.


    I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the car seat¡¯s pillow.


    The wind from outside blew in through the window, chilling my cheeks.


    For some reason, even though it was filled with coldness, my heart was dominated by a strange excitement, my heartbeat quickened, and my cheeks even showed a bit of sweat.


    My mind was a mess, constantly thinking over the feasibility of the plan.


    Seeking out every loophole in the plan, to ensure its perfect execution.


    While I was recklessly pondering here, Gu Yuanzhou began to speak.


    ¡°Are you really my Ayun?¡±


    I turned to look at him.


    ¡°So, if you don¡¯t believe me, why still come out with me?¡±


    He looked at me and laughed.


    With the corners of his lips hooked, his smile was wicked with a hint of faint sorrow.


    That tidbit of sorrow made me extremely uncomfortable. Why was there such an expression in his eyes?


    What was he feeling sad about?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡±


    He countered.


    Anxiety filled my heart, I had the feeling he might know something!


    Had he discovered the plan?


    My anxiety escalated, and unexpectedly, his hand reached out.


    Across the seat, he reached out and grabbed my hand.


    He held my small palm in his large one.


    The wind outside was still cold, but the palm of his hand was very warm.


    I tried to withdraw my hand,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, focus on driving¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmm!¡±


    He didn¡¯t say much, let go of me, and continued to drive.


    The hotel indeed was located in a secluded area.


    It took an hour and a half to arrive. As we got closer to our destination, I grew more and more excited.


    Gu Yuanzhou parked the car in the garage. As I got out of the car, he unexpectedly came over to open the door for me. The moment I stepped out, he embraced me tightly.


    I thought he was going to do something, but unexpectedly, he just held me tightly and made no further move.


    Just then, at this inopportune moment, my phone started to ring.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Chapter 344: King Bed Room or Standard Room_1

    Chapter 344: Chapter 344: King Bed Room or Standard Room_1


    I knew that the only ones who could be calling at this time were Song Siwen and his people.


    My heart clenched along with the ringing of my phone.


    I was worried that Gu Yuanzhou would see through my flaws.


    I forced myself not to answer.


    Fortunately, I had switched it to vibrate mode earlier.


    The vibrating sound wasn¡¯t very noticeable, practically undetectable unless one listened closely.


    Luckily, Gu Yuanzhou just gave a perfunctory hug before releasing me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure!¡±


    This place is really remote.


    When Yuanzhou and I arrived at the front desk, I noticed the vast lobby was devoid of other guests besides us.


    I discreetly looked around and didn¡¯t spot Song Siwen or anyone suspicious.


    As we were checking in, Gu Yuanzhou kept holding my hand.


    ¡°How many rooms for the gentleman?¡±


    ¡°One!¡±


    ¡°Would you prefer a double room or a twin room¡­¡±


    The front desk clerk asked proficiently, and Gu Yuanzhou glanced at me, ¡°Do you have any special requests?¡±


    In the past, I would definitely have asked for a standard room; even if I stayed with him, I didn¡¯t want to share a pillow.


    There was no need to sleep together without feelings.


    However, to avoid arousing Yuanzhou¡¯s suspicion, I could only say,


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, either is fine!¡±


    Then Yuanzhou told the front desk, ¡°A double room!¡±


    ¡°Alright, sir, here is your room key, please keep it safe!¡±


    After getting the room, Gu Yuanzhou took my hand and headed for the elevator.


    The hotel wasn¡¯t tall, just seven or eight stories, nestled among a swath of green trees, the lights shining among the woods like the stars in the sky.


    A perfect blend of the wild and nature.


    Indeed a good place for a date.


    After reaching the bedroom, Gu Yuanzhou took off his coat and fetched a bottle of red wine from the wine cabinet.


    He poured half a glass for me.


    ¡°You know? The question you asked earlier, whether you are Ayun or not, it doesn¡¯t really matter. It¡¯s okay even if you¡¯re not!¡±


    I took the glass of red wine, playing with it in my hand without any intention of drinking it just yet. I glanced at him and asked,


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because with you, I have a feeling.¡±


    ¡°What feeling?¡±


    He gently stroked my hair,


    ¡°When I¡¯m with you, I feel like I¡¯m still with her. It¡¯s a nice feeling.¡±


    I remained silent.


    After a long while, I took a sip of the red wine.


    The fruity aroma of grapes mingled with the mellow taste of alcohol, slowly melting in my mouth.


    ¡°Uh, tell me about He Manyi!¡±


    At that moment, I was still on high alert, tense as a tightly strung wire.


    Fearing any mistake in the middle of it, he engaged in small talk while thinking about other things, his mind actually somewhat absent.


    Gu Yuanzhou took a sip of wine, his voice deep and steady, his gaze profound.


    ¡°What if I told you, even without He Manyi, Song Shixiong would have found another Manyi to use, would you believe me?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? I clearly heard that He Manyi was arranged by you.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou opened the window, looking out into the night outside,


    ¡°Years ago, Song Shixiong¡¯s power was tremendous. Moreover, he is capricious and ruthless with his subordinates. He often fires people over minor mistakes. By placing He Manyi by his side, I was merely seeking to grasp his weakness. It was to guard against any future actions he might take against me, so I could counter them.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words seemed to make some sense.


    But upon closer thought, they were still seriously flawed.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, what you are saying is just laughable. Song Shixiong¡¯s dearest loved one is his niece, and he has married his niece off to you. That is like handing over his vulnerability into your hands, what are you talking about, bringing up something else?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou turned around and slowly walked up to me, placing his hands on my shoulders.


    ¡°You are wrong! His most beloved is not his niece!¡±


    ¡°Then who is it?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, he loves every member of the Song family¡­ but it¡¯s definitely not you!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! His most beloved person is his sister, Song Xianjing! And I am her daughter! My uncle has cherished me since I was young, treating me like the apple of his eye.¡±


    ¡°No, you are mistaken!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me with a profound gaze.


    He stopped short of saying more.


    ¡°Where am I mistaken? Gu Yuanzhou! From childhood, my uncle provided me with the best food, clothing, and supplies, and the schools he sent me to were elite schools. I¡¯m not a fool; can¡¯t I tell that he treated me well? It¡¯s said that blood is thicker than water, do you think that with just a few words from you, you can alienate me from his affection?¡±


    ¡°Those are what you deserve!¡±


    ¡°Do you think that because he is my uncle, that is what I deserve?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s because that money is yours!¡±


    ¡°So, you mean to say that my uncle¡¯s money is mine?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ that money, it¡¯s wrung from your father¡¯s hands. Do you know how your mother died? She was driven to death by Song Shixiong! To extract value from her, he drove her to her death. So, the kindness he showed you afterward was probably due to his guilt!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou described calmly.


    I had never heard any news about my father since I was young.


    Some said that my father was a poor boy who, after falling in love with my mother, abandoned her, leading to her depression and death.


    Others claimed that my mother fell in love with a married man who abandoned her after she became pregnant with me.


    In any case, I had heard various rumors about myself from others and couldn¡¯t discern the truth.


    As a child, not understanding any of it, I¡¯d go to my uncle to inquire.


    But every time I brought it up in front of my uncle, he would get angry with a dark face and warn me not to mention it again.


    After asking my aunt, she told me that my mother had made many mistakes in the past and that she would tell me when I grew up.


    However, when I grew up, I no longer had the courage to ask.


    Because of the scandal surrounding my father¡¯s identity, I was really afraid that I was the ¡°bastard¡± people talked about.


    Now, Gu Yuanzhou mentioning my father, I was actually a bit curious.


    I wanted to ask him clearly, but then I thought, this man is full of lies, and if I believed him again, I would be a fool.


    Moreover, tonight, we had a big plan to carry out, and I couldn¡¯t back out at the last minute.


    Just then, my phone in my pocket vibrated again.


    I glanced at him,


    ¡°I need to go to the restroom; we can talk more later!¡±


    I took my phone into the restroom and closed the door behind me, then opened the message ¨C Song Siwen had sent the same text several times.


    ¡°I saw you guys arrive, in a bit invite Gu Yuanzhou to the pavilion in the backyard to watch the stars. We can easily take action there!¡±

 Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Chapter 345 Ayun, you are so cruel_1

    Chapter 345: Chapter 345 Ayun, you are so cruel_1


    ¡°Okay, on my way!¡±


    I immediately replied to his text message.


    Then, I turned off my phone, my heartbeat inexplicably quickening.


    At that moment, I felt a rush of blood to my head, leaving a blank space.


    As for what Gu Yuanzhou had said earlier about my parents, I had long since forgotten it.


    When I walked out of the restroom,


    Gu Yuanzhou was on a call, though I didn¡¯t know who it was from.


    He stood by the window, facing the distant night sky.


    His voice was low; I only caught a few words,


    ¡°Have you located his whereabouts? Understood, I¡¯ll be cautious¡­ This is still my turf, don¡¯t worry, he can¡¯t stir up much trouble! If I were afraid of him, I wouldn¡¯t carry the Gu surname.¡±


    Even though I didn¡¯t know who he was talking to, the subject of the conversation seemed somewhat related to me.


    Could it be that our actions this evening had been discovered?


    However, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tone was quite arrogant.


    Did he know there was danger yet dared to barge in here regardless?


    But in this brief moment of distraction, before I could react, he had already hung up the phone and turned to look at me.


    I stood still without moving.


    He walked towards me step by step,


    ¡°Why do you look so pale?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I, I¡¯ve been a bit malnourished recently. The doctor says I¡¯m not eating enough.¡±


    He grabbed my hand, and feeling its coolness, he unbuttoned his shirt and placed my hand on his chest.


    Using the warmth of his skin to warm my hands.


    This subtle gesture, something he often did when we were passionately in love before.


    Especially in winter, when I would get cold hands and feet, it was his way of warming them for me.


    For an instant, I felt slightly dazed.


    The cellphone in my pocket vibrated again.


    I immediately snapped back to reality.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I haven¡¯t eaten anything tonight; take me to grab something to eat, and I¡¯d like to look at the stars while we¡¯re at it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go!¡±


    He didn¡¯t hesitate much, nor did he show any suspicion. He picked up his suit jacket from the back of the chair, draped it over me, and took my hand as we walked out.


    At the entrance of the restaurant, I stopped,


    ¡°I heard the gazebo in the backyard is a good spot for stargazing. Why don¡¯t we dine in the backyard instead? We came here to enjoy the rural scenery, right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t hesitate either, nodding in agreement with my suggestion,


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go with your preference then!¡±


    After ordering our meal, Gu Yuanzhou led me towards the backyard.


    The hotel covered a vast area; besides the main building, there was a large area of separate courtyards behind it.


    The so-called gazebo required about a ten-minute walk to reach a dining area, with a few tables set up inside the gazebo.


    The tables were lit with candlelight, reflecting off the stars in the sky, and the setting was quite elegant.


    Indeed, the place was secluded; other than the two of us, there were no other guests.


    After the server delivered our meal, they left promptly.


    Red wine, steak¡­


    Once we sat down, I subtly picked up my cellphone and glanced at it; it was a text message from Song Siwen.


    ¡°Get out now!¡±


    This was the code he sent me.


    He wanted to extricate me, so later it could all be explained away as an accident.


    After receiving the text, I immediately stood up.


    ¡°Uh, I drank too much water earlier; I need to use the restroom.¡±


    I had only taken a few steps when Gu Yuanzhou suddenly reached out and grabbed my hand,


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    He whispered my name softly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Do you hate me in your heart?¡±


    My heart tightened and my breath stalled.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what are you talking about? Let go of me, I need to go to the restroom!¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything else; he just chuckled lightly, his laughter tinged with a hint of melancholy.


    Then, he released his grip,


    ¡°There are more wild animals over there, be careful and shout for me if you¡¯re in danger.¡±


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    I responded casually and then ran toward the restroom.


    All the way there, I was so panicked I didn¡¯t even care when branches caught my clothes; I just kept running wildly.


    I even fell at one point, skinning the palms of my hands.


    But I still stood up strongly and staggered toward the restroom.


    In my panic, I went the wrong way.


    Actually, I had forgotten which way I had gone; I just looked around and, not seeing the restroom, sat down on the spot.


    After a while, I heard some noise in the distance and hurriedly stood up to go back.


    That road seemed so long as I stumbled along for ages.


    I¡¯m not sure if it was because my body was too weak or because it was too dark to see, but I fell several times.


    I got up and continued walking.


    Finally, I arrived back at the pavilion.


    What I saw next was a chilling sight.


    It was Song Siwen calling for two companions; they were holding knives and assaulting Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    Because I was too far away, I couldn¡¯t see clearly, my heart was racing, and my eyes were blurring.


    By the time I staggered closer,


    I only saw Gu Yuanzhou holding a knife, having already stabbed Song Siwen to death in a pool of blood.


    And at that moment, the sound of police sirens pierced the night from afar.


    Seeing Song Siwen fall into the pool of blood after being stabbed, with blood splattering everywhere¡­


    The bloody scene left me stunned.


    After a long while, I staggered forward, ¡°Gu Yuanzhou¡­ stop!¡±


    When Gu Yuanzhou turned to look at me, his face was covered in blood, even his eyes were blood red.


    His blood-soaked hand grasped my collar, and his angry voice roared in my ears, deafening.


    ¡°You actually set me up, called these people to kill me!! Ayun, Ayun, are you my Ayun? No, you¡¯re not! Did the Ding Family make you do this? Do you believe I would kill every single one of the Ding Family?¡±


    He clutched my throat tightly.


    At that moment, I was extremely afraid.


    It wasn¡¯t that I feared he would kill me.


    In fact, I hadn¡¯t planned on living to return today, so it wouldn¡¯t matter if he killed me.


    But I was afraid he would take revenge on the Ding Family.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, Gu Yuanzhou, don¡¯t do this! It¡¯s all my fault, I¡¯m the one who laid the trap, I wanted you dead. Kill me then!¡±


    I picked the knife up from the ground and pushed it into Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hand.


    I looked up at him.


    ¡°Kill me, go ahead and kill me!¡±


    One hand was choking my throat, while the other still held the knife to my head.


    The cold blade was against my ear, and I could feel its iciness¡­


    However, he ultimately did not strike; he threw the knife to the ground,


    ¡°Ayun, you actually want me dead! How vicious you are!¡±


    This sentence was filled with desolation!


    Losing his grip on me, I collapsed to the ground.


    Before I could catch my breath, a flood of police burst in and captured Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Chapter 346: The scumbag finally went to jail_1

    Chapter 346: Chapter 346: The scumbag finally went to jail_1


    When Gu Yuanzhou was pushed into the police car, he gave me a dangerous glance.


    His lips slightly curled, those eyes smiling yet not smiling, and the pain and disappointment that faintly seeped through the corners of his mouth made my heart tremble.


    The police car howled away.


    And in my heart, I had come to understand, the great task was accomplished.


    The tightly wound string in my heart could finally relax.


    Afterward, I actually blacked out and collapsed to the ground.


    When I woke up again, I found myself in the hospital.


    Wenya sat beside me, cracking sunflower seeds, her expression on her face was radiant.


    Upon seeing me wake up, she didn¡¯t even wait for me to speak, and she cheerfully exclaimed,


    ¡°Sister, Gu Yuanzhou has been captured; that scum has been caught. It¡¯s about time! The news has broken out; damn it, I¡¯ve said it, this man, he was bound to face retribution someday.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, look!¡±


    Wenya joyously pulled up the news on her phone to show me.


    Indeed, the news was broadcasting the tragedy at Lakeside Hotel¡­ The accompanying photos were of that bloody scene I had last seen, the violence on-site was far more terrifying than what I had witnessed at the time.


    I almost didn¡¯t dare to look a second time, hurriedly closing her phone, and tentatively asked.


    ¡°How is Song Siwen doing?¡±


    Wenya patted my shoulder with a shaken expression and let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Ah, what a waste! Couldn¡¯t beat a single one despite being three¡­ I heard two got seriously injured, and the stab wound that Song Siwen got was fatal, he didn¡¯t make it through after being rushed to the hospital.¡±


    I took a deep breath and clenched the bedsheets with my hand.


    I hadn¡¯t anticipated this outcome, either.


    At the time, Song Siwen had agreed to kidnap Gu Yuanzhou and then force information out of him.


    How could knives have been involved?


    Wenya seemed oblivious to the pain on my face, as she continued,


    ¡°I think Gu Yuanzhou is really done for this time. Before, whenever he got into trouble, a bunch of brothers would come help him. But now, look, not a single person. The news has been up for so long, and not one person has come forward to clear his name.¡±


    At that moment, Su Peisheng walked in,


    ¡°What¡¯s there to clear? Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s two most loyal followers, one is Qi Ming, and the other is Ayu. They were like his left and right arms, and now both his arms have been chopped off. Who would help him now?¡±


    Su Peisheng¡¯s words were quite realistic.


    Wenya, after hearing this, immediately applauded,


    ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s all his own doing. He deserves it, what do they say, hoist by his own petard.¡±


    I was still immersed in this drastic change, unable to extricate myself.


    I hadn¡¯t expected Song Siwen to be dead; I truly couldn¡¯t accept this.


    Wenya, on the other hand, was quite happy, feeling that despite some sacrifices, the outcome was good, and that was all that mattered.


    ¡°Ayun, I think we should really celebrate. Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s chances of turning things around are gone now, right?¡±


    I shook my head, still feeling somewhat afraid to believe the outcome. I looked up at Su Peisheng,


    ¡°How long could he be sentenced for?¡±


    ¡°This case¡­¡±


    Su Peisheng hesitated to speak; he gave me a look, and Wenya, catching on, got up and closed the door of the hospital room.


    ¡°Cough, actually, the key to this case is on you!¡±


    ¡°On me?¡±


    I looked at him in surprise.


    Su Peisheng moved closer to me, pulled over a chair, and sat next to my hospital bed, lowering his voice.


    ¡°Look, this case has stirred up a lot of public opinion on the internet. If someone anonymously pushes it further, inflaming the situation, then to quell the public discourse, the higher-ups will definitely want to sentence him as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°But Gu Yuanzhou¡­ although he injured three people, it was self-defense, right? He shouldn¡¯t be convicted of any serious crime, should he?¡±


    Although I¡¯m not a lawyer, I still have some understanding of the legal provisions.


    This is basic common sense.


    Su Peisheng nodded,


    ¡°You see, with some dead and others injured, the only eyewitness to this case is you. As long as you insist it was Gu Yuanzhou who carried the knife and hurt people, he¡¯ll lose that self-defense argument. Then, the sentence could be more severe!¡±


    I asked again,


    ¡°How many years could he get?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s considered intentional murder, it could be over thirty years!¡±


    Su Peisheng said.


    Wenya immediately chimed in,


    ¡°Thirty years would be great! Ayun, a dog of a man like that should spend his entire life in prison without getting out. Think about it, if he gets out, he¡¯s definitely going to seek revenge against you. He¡¯d want to kill not just you, but also every single member of the Ding Family. Think it over.¡±


    Su Peisheng sat up straight,


    ¡°I just went to inquire about it. Gu Yuanzhou is currently under temporary detention and has already called his Lawyer Zhou Chenming over. I believe they¡¯re also collecting evidence on their side, and this lawsuit is going to be a big deal. So, you also need to prepare yourself mentally.¡±


    Wenya was persuading me on the side,


    ¡°Ayun, what are you still considering! This beast killed you and your two children, as well as everyone in the Song Family. He¡¯s also the cause of Ding Yinuo¡¯s current state; he deserves his punishment. I shouldn¡¯t say this, but a man like him would even deserve the death penalty.¡±


    I held my head in my hands and took a deep breath,


    ¡°I know, Wenya, let me think it over properly!¡±


    ¡°Why are you still being soft-hearted? This might be your only chance in life. Do you think if he manages to turn things around, he¡¯ll let you get away with this? Ayun, you must be decisive; don¡¯t let past emotions deceive you. Don¡¯t live in your own illusion¡ªhe never loved you, he¡¯s always been playing with your feelings. Ayun, wake up.¡±


    Wenya repeated herself in front of me.


    Su Peisheng also expressed his approval.


    I felt a bit of a headache.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll think it over carefully. Wenya, give me some time to recover. Let me think!¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    At that moment, Wenya stopped talking.


    In the afternoon, Jian Jing came to visit me at the hospital.


    Flaunting a big belly, Yu Jiahang was by her side.


    They looked quite warm together, but as soon as they entered the ward, Yu Jiahang¡¯s expression turned somewhat awkward.


    He seemed reluctant to face me, spoke only a few words, then sat aside and started playing with his mobile phone.


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t even want to see him. If it weren¡¯t for Jian Jing, even an extra glance at him would make me feel sick.


    However, since Jian Jing was here, I still maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, not showing any unfriendliness.


    With so many friends here with me,


    I felt a bit better.


    But when I calmed down, I still wanted to know how Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s case would be judged!


    Wenya¡¯s words kept echoing in my mind.


    I often had nightmares, about that bloody night.


    And I dreamt about Gu Yuanzhou being released from the detention center, running into the hospital, and killing everyone.


    Those reddish-brown eyes glared at me.


    I awoke from my dream drenched in cold sweat, subconsciously searching for Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s figure in the room.


    Just then, Jia Musen walked in from outside, saw my state, and quickly approached me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°When you came in just now, did you see anyone run out of my room?¡±

 Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Chapter 347 Illusion _1

    Chapter 347: Chapter 347 Illusion _1


    ¡°Uh, no, when I saw you sleeping just now, I actually stood at the hospital room door for three minutes. I asked the nurse about your condition and didn¡¯t see anyone leave from here.¡±


    I knew Jia Musen wouldn¡¯t lie to me.


    I let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t taken your medication, have you?¡±


    Jia Musen began to check the medications I had on the bedside table.


    ¡°Uh, no, I didn¡¯t take it!¡±


    After hearing my response, Jia Musen still shook his head,


    ¡°If you keep this up, you¡¯re going to experience hallucinations. You could have very serious hallucinations, and right now you need to control it with medication.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t, I won¡¯t take the medicine!¡±


    I was still very firm in my thoughts; my own brain, I was confident I could control it myself.


    Jia Musen sighed, but there was nothing he could do, after all, he couldn¡¯t force me to take the medication.


    That afternoon, Ding Xiao brought Ruirui to visit me, and Ding¡¯s mother came along too.


    The whole family brought fruit with them.


    Ruirui climbed onto the hospital bed, nestling my head with hers and cooing with her sweet voice,


    ¡°Auntie, when can you be discharged? I want to go to the amusement park with you.¡±


    ¡°Very soon, I¡¯ll be out in a few days¡­¡±


    I held Ding Ruirui for a while, then looked up at Ding Xiao,


    ¡°How¡¯s Yinuo doing, have you contacted the hospital in the United States?¡±


    With a smile on his face, Ding Xiao said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve contacted them; the recovery is going well. They¡¯ve also consulted authoritative experts, and there¡¯s no serious problem with the body now. I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s been a blinking response and it won¡¯t be long before he regains consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s wonderful!¡±


    ¡°Yes, now the problem is that you need to take care of yourself. You definitely don¡¯t want to collapse by the time he gets better.¡±


    ¡°I will, don¡¯t worry, big brother, I can take care of myself.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t finished speaking with Ding Xiao.


    Two police officers walked in from outside, accompanied by Su Peisheng.


    Actually, Su Peisheng had informed me about this yesterday, that he would lead the police to talk to me.


    In principle, I was supposed to go to the police station.


    But since I was unwell, it had to be done here in the hospital.


    Seeing the situation, Ding Xiao stood up to take his leave,


    ¡°Miss Song, rest well, we will take our leave now, and come visit you another day.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I waved to Ding Ruirui, and the little darling waved back at me.


    After they all left, the police officers finally began to take my statement.


    ¡°Could you tell us in detail what happened on the day of the crime?¡±


    I glanced at Su Peisheng.


    Actually, how to speak, Su Peisheng had already coached me thoroughly.


    It¡¯s just¡­ facing the police officers, I still didn¡¯t feel quite natural.


    ¡°The words you¡¯re about to say will be recorded; do you see any problem with that?¡±


    Both policemen were stern and emotionless.


    I nodded.


    Su Peisheng seemed worried; he gave me a deep look,


    ¡°Think carefully before you speak about what you want to say. There¡¯s no rush, think it over properly. Make sure it¡¯s clear. We don¡¯t want to waste the police officers¡¯ time. Moreover, after you speak, these are testimonies! In the future, if you have to go to court, you will need to repeat these testimonies.¡±


    Su Peisheng was hinting at me.


    Think carefully about what to testify; don¡¯t speak rashly.


    He was actually giving me a choice right now, to tell the situation at the time as an eyewitness.


    I nodded.


    Then, the police turned on the recording pen and began the on-site recording.


    I pondered for a few minutes and then roughly recounted what happened that day¡­


    ¡°At that time, I went to the Lakeside Hotel with Gu Yuanzhou, planning to enjoy a pleasant holiday¡­ When I returned from the restroom, I saw Gu Yuanzhou holding a dagger, stabbing it into Song Siwen¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°Who did you see make the first move?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t see Song Siwen fight back, I only saw Gu Yuanzhou holding the knife¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you see Song Siwen fight back?¡±


    ¡°No! I had gone to the restroom, and when I came back, I saw Gu Yuanzhou had stabbed Song Siwen to death.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear Song Siwen cry out for help at the time?¡±


    The police didn¡¯t ask many questions.


    Because at the time, when Gu Yuanzhou was holding me hostage, the police cars had already arrived.


    In fact, the police saw as much as I did.


    I believe.


    They should be able to make a judgment on their own.


    Luckily, they didn¡¯t ask too much either.


    With Su Peisheng¡¯s guidance, I quickly completed the police recording¡­


    After sending off the two officers, Su Peisheng came back, clasping my hand tightly.


    ¡°Rest assured, we¡¯ve got this one in the bag! We definitely won¡¯t let Gu Yuanzhou get out.¡±


    ¡°Okay, good!¡±


    Having Su Peisheng¡¯s assurance, I felt more at ease.


    Afterward, I stayed in the hospital for two days, and once I felt much better, I returned to Xishan Residence.


    I had originally planned to visit Ding Yinuo in the United States.


    But the police said that I couldn¡¯t leave A City for the time being, as the case might go to court at any time, and I might need to attend as a witness.


    After discussing it, Ding Xiao went to the United States, while I stayed to manage everything at Tianjiao Company.


    As this bloody case hit the trending searches, Zhenyi Company¡¯s business was getting worse by the day.


    Under my management, Tianjiao Company, on the other hand, grew more and more prosperous.


    Wenya now, whenever she has nothing to do, comes over here to drink tea.


    Each time she comes, she always brings bags full of snacks.


    Various cookies and biscuits¡­


    Things like sunflower seeds and sour plums.


    Chatting about gossip while sipping on tea.


    ¡°Ayun, I heard from Su Peisheng that Zhenyi Company might go bankrupt and liquidate. Due to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s case, there is a need for civil compensation, and since Huaxin Group has several shareholders, it¡¯s not easy to auction. But Zhenyi Company has only Gu Yuanzhou as the sole backer, so it will be auctioned off, and the money obtained will be used for the compensation. If you¡¯re interested, you could buy back Zhenyi Company.¡±


    Without any hesitation, I accepted Wenya¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°Yes! I am indeed considering this matter.¡±


    Zhenyi Company is after all my efforts, like my child, and I must keep it in my grasp.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, I also heard from Su Peisheng,¡± Wenya continued, ¡°he went to the detention center to work on a case a few days ago. He happened to see Gu Yuanzhou, you know what he looks like now?¡±


    Sipping milk tea, I stared at the computer screen for a while, ¡°What does he look like?¡±


    ¡°Bald head, scruffy beard! Emaciated¡­. Ah, he looks so miserable!¡±


    ¡°Really? Did Ye Mengyan not go see him?¡±


    ¡°Hey, that woman¡­ you really hit the nail on the head, she did go to the detention center to visit Gu Yuanzhou. However, it¡¯s said Gu Yuanzhou refused to see her.¡±


    I snorted coldly; Gu Yuanzhou is a man who cares a lot about his face. He probably didn¡¯t want the woman he once liked to see him in such a down-and-out state.


    The conversation had just reached this point when suddenly footsteps came from outside. I looked up to see that the visitor was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lawyer, Zhou Chenming.


    He knocked and walked in, ¡°Miss Song, may we talk?¡±


    ¡°Talk about what?¡±


    ¡°I have been sent here on Mr. Gu¡¯s behalf. He said he would like to see you!¡±

 Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Chapter 348 He said he wants to meet you_1

    Chapter 348: Chapter 348 He said he wants to meet you_1


    I cradled the milk tea cup, picking at the sticker on it and sneered,


    ¡°Please go back and tell him that now when I hear his name, it evokes a physical revulsion in me. I don¡¯t want to see him, and it¡¯s impossible for me to ever see him again.¡±


    Wenya slapped the table next to me and said,


    ¡°This scumbag, he¡¯s caused the death of both the Ding Family and the Song Family. And he still delusionally hopes to see Song Yun, go see a ghost! Tell him, even in his next life, Song Yun won¡¯t see him.¡±


    ¡°How does he have the face to make such a request? Does he think we¡¯re all fools, to come and go at his beck and call?¡±


    ¡°Tell him, without him, our Ayun is indescribably happier!¡±


    Zhou Chenming didn¡¯t argue against Wenya¡¯s comments, merely standing quietly on the side, listening to our outbursts.


    Only after Wenya had finished did Zhou Chenming, still wearing a smiling face, say.


    ¡°Miss Song, I know that you had issues with Mr. Gu in the past. But let¡¯s speak with our conscience, whether Mr. Gu intentionally killed someone or it was in self-defense, you are very aware. Your testimony is really important to Mr. Gu. We sincerely hope you will consider seeing Mr. Gu once.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu said, as long as you are willing to see him, no matter what demands you make, he will agree to them.¡±


    Zhou Chenming¡¯s attitude was indeed very humble, utterly subservient.


    No sooner had he finished speaking than Wenya cursed,


    ¡°Conscience! Why should we have any conscience towards him? He had no conscience towards our Ayun, so we don¡¯t need to have any so-called conscience towards him. Go back and tell him, if he can bring the two kids back to life, then we¡¯ll see him.¡±


    After hearing this, Zhou Chenming just shook his head,


    ¡°Miss Wen, you¡¯re speaking out of anger. Please, really¡­ this is very important to Mr. Gu.¡±


    Then he looked at me, ¡°Miss Song, are Miss Wen¡¯s words really your thoughts too?¡±


    I glanced at Wenya, and she gestured desperately, signaling me not to compromise.


    In fact, I had not compromised.


    Yes, my two children burned to death because of his affair.


    Why should I save him?


    My uncle¡¯s two sons both died at his hands.


    My entire Song Family was ruined.


    That he has ended up like this today is his own doing.


    ¡°Lawyer Zhou, please relay to him that I won¡¯t meet with him, you can drop the idea!¡±


    Seeing that he could not persuade us, Zhou Chenming could only shake his head and sigh.


    After Zhou Chenming left, Wenya still angrily threw a few peanuts at his retreating figure.


    ¡°Seriously sick, why should we save him? Let out this scourge to continue ravaging the Ding Family? It would be best if he died in prison!¡±


    I hadn¡¯t even finished my tea with Wenya when Su Peisheng arrived.


    He looked very worried,


    ¡°I just heard that Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lawyer was here. Did you guys compromise at all?¡±


    ¡°No way! Who would want to see him? Such a jerk, it¡¯s best that he rot in jail.¡±


    Wenya was even angrier than I was.


    Su Peisheng nodded his head and pulled up a chair to sit down.


    He immediately began to analyze the situation for us,


    ¡°Today I went to check, and Gu Yuanzhou is trying to turn things around. In his statements, he keeps emphasizing that it was Song Siwen who set the trap, brought people to commit violence, and intentionally wanted to harm him and that he killed Song Siwen in self-defense.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, his defense lawyer is trying to find new leads to overturn the police¡¯s murder charges against him.¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, you are the key here. Don¡¯t compromise at all; if you give in, everything will be over.¡±


    Wenya also encouraged me,


    ¡°Ayun, remember all the pain he¡¯s caused you, don¡¯t go soft.¡±


    ¡°I know, I will!¡±


    This time, naturally, I would not be soft-hearted again.


    Whatever end he met, it was all of his own doing.


    I even thought that if the police hadn¡¯t arrived that day, he might have killed me too.


    After experiencing certain things, a person becomes more mature, their heart also hardens a lot.


    However, the matter was far from over.


    In the following days, Zhou Chenming actually came to find me every day.


    Sometimes even at the entrance of the conference room.


    Waiting at the company¡¯s main gate after work, and the most outrageous was, he even waited at the doorstep of Xishan Residence.


    ¡°Miss Song, as long as you agree to alter the testimony, we can compromise on this! Mr. Gu has said, whatever you want, he can give it to you. Do you want Zhenyi Company? He can give it to you.¡±


    I looked at him with a cold smile,


    ¡°Zhenyi Company is going to undergo bankruptcy liquidation, right? When the time comes, I can buy it too.¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, Mr. Gu has said that Zhenyi Company will never go through bankruptcy liquidation. Of course, if you want it, he will give Zhenyi Company to you, because only you are the most suitable manager for it.¡±


    After Zhou Chenming finished speaking, I chuckled,


    ¡°These talking points, Gu Yuanzhou taught you, didn¡¯t he!¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, at this point, Mr. Gu¡¯s fate is in your hands. If you do not change your testimony, his life is over.¡±


    I looked at Zhou Chenming and finally said,


    ¡°Please tell Gu Yuanzhou! What I want is¡­ his death!¡±


    I said these words with all the strength in my body.


    Zhou Chenming was utterly shocked by my words.


    ¡°Miss Song, don¡¯t you have any feelings for Mr. Gu at all? Oh, right, I have a letter here, it¡¯s written by Mr. Gu to you, could you please take a look?¡±


    Zhou Chenming took an envelope out of his briefcase and handed it to me.


    I glanced at the cover and, without the mood to open it, I tore it up right in front of Zhou Chenming and threw it into the trash can.


    ¡°Tell Gu Yuanzhou, if possible, I choose to have never met him in this life.¡±


    Having said that, I entered through the big door, and turning back to Zhou Chenming, I said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t come again in the future! It¡¯s a waste of time! He killed a member of the Song family, my cousin! I am a victim¡¯s relative. How could I sympathize with a murderer, how ridiculous!¡±


    After that, I slammed the door shut heavily.


    I leaned against the door, taking deep breaths.


    My mind was a mess.


    Like a blob of paste, but I didn¡¯t want to think about Gu Yuanzhou anymore.


    Yes, he was like a huge bother, he had been troubling me before, and now he¡¯s been thrown into jail.


    He was not my bother anymore¡­


    Why would I save him?


    But for some reason, I still felt agitated.


    I would still inadvertently think of him, think of that bloody scene, and seemed somewhat curious about what Gu Yuanzhou looked like in the detention center now.


    But in the end, when I shared these worries with Wenya, Wenya spread her hands,


    ¡°You¡¯d better get used to living without him as soon as possible. From now on, set up your way of life! Go through the motions, and take steps forward. Forget about him!¡±


    ¡°Uh, how do I do that?¡±

 Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: Chapter 349 He Wants to Overturn the Case_1

    Chapter 349: Chapter 349 He Wants to Overturn the Case_1


    I really have no way of pretending Gu Yuanzhou never existed.


    I was married to him for ten years, we had two children together, started a business together, up until today.


    Our understanding of each other is etched into our bones.


    How can I just forget¡­


    Wenya patted my shoulder and gave me a suggestion,


    ¡°Starting from today, let¡¯s just do things that make us happy.¡±


    ¡°What kind of happy things?¡±


    ¡°Trust me, let me arrange it!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    From that day on, every day after work, either Wenya was taking me shopping.


    Or she was taking me to exercise, wearing me out until I was half dead, then going for a massage that would let me sleep straight through till dawn.


    The next morning, at the entrance of Tianjiao Company.


    The moment I walked in, I saw a familiar figure.


    It was Ye Mengyan.


    After not seeing her for a long time, she visibly looked a lot more haggard.


    Indeed, a woman is like a delicate flower, without a man¡¯s support, she withers right away.


    She was wearing an outdated and cheap yellow dress, her hair simply tied in a ponytail, and her foundation was poorly done; from a distance, it was obvious that her makeup was severely worn off.


    This woman, never had a noble air to begin with, now looked even cheaper. Particularly her neck where the foundation wasn¡¯t applied, showing her naturally dark skin tone, it was extremely jarring.


    When she looked up at me, there was no longer the coyness of the past in her eyes.


    Inferiority.


    A humble and slightly ingratiating smile as she approached me.


    ¡°Miss Song¡­ sister!¡±


    The receptionist said to me,


    ¡°Miss Song, this woman has been waiting for you for over an hour, I told her that without an appointment we can¡¯t arrange a meeting, but she wouldn¡¯t listen.¡±


    I looked at Ye Mengyan coldly,


    ¡°I¡¯m not Gu Yuanzhou, I won¡¯t lend you money, nor will I allow you to join our company.¡±


    Back then she was so dramatic.


    She gambled her future away.


    Naturally, I won¡¯t give her a chance.


    Upon hearing this, Ye Mengyan quickly shook her head, struggling before finally pleading in a low voice:


    ¡°No, Miss Song! I¡¯m not here to borrow money from you¡­ I just want to beg you to save Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    I let out a cold laugh,


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to be so infatuated!¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, I was wrong before, I wronged you¡­ Actually, Big Brother Gu never touched me, I lied back then just to anger you on purpose! The child I was carrying wasn¡¯t his either. Could you please save him?¡±


    I refused flatly with a cold laugh,


    ¡°Maybe others might have a chance if they asked, but with you asking, the effect is the opposite. Since you want to save him so badly, you should find a way yourself! Don¡¯t come to me.¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, I¡¯m kneeling to you, Gu Yuanzhou really is a good person! You can¡¯t just watch him die like this.¡±


    To my disbelief, she actually knelt down in the lobby, in front of everyone, right there in front of me.


    I couldn¡¯t be bothered to help her up.


    I despise people who try to morally blackmail others the most.


    Always kneeling at the drop of a hat!


    I certainly don¡¯t want to spoil my own longevity, so I quickly called the security guards over,


    ¡°Please escort this lady out, and don¡¯t let her in again.¡±


    Though Ye Mengyan continued to plead the whole way, she was nevertheless picked up by the security and thrown outside.


    But it seemed she couldn¡¯t give up, and through the glass, she desperately cried and shouted, her heart-wrenching appearance as if she had lost her own father.


    Ridiculous.


    Here a mistress stands before the lawful wife, pretending to have a love as deep as the sea.


    What right does she have?


    I couldn¡¯t be bothered with her, so I went straight into the elevator.


    Back then, it was my overflowing sympathy that put her on the list of college students I sponsored.


    Later, when I reflected on my life, I wondered if we wouldn¡¯t have suffered this unwarranted disaster if it hadn¡¯t been for my excessive sympathy.


    People should be a little selfish when they¡¯re alive, think more about themselves, and not let others call the shots. This way, there would be less trouble and annoyance.


    By the time it was closing hours.


    Wenya came over again; she often makes trips here.


    She¡¯s familiar with the other colleagues in the company, like a real slick old-timer.


    So, that little piece of gossip about Ye Mengyan also reached her ears.


    She came over to ask me,


    ¡°Did Ye Mengyan come to ask you to plead for Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°Tsk, tsk, I¡¯ve never seen such a lovesick mistress, she really moved my ¡®fuckin¡¯ sentiment¡¯, tell me, how can she be so shameless?¡±


    ¡°Heh, can someone be a mistress if they had any shame?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Tell me, did she come to you on her own, or did Gu Yuanzhou send her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I thought they broke up, didn¡¯t they? How come she knows so much about Gu Yuanzhou getting arrested? Seems like she¡¯s still very concerned about him.¡±


    ¡°True love, I suppose!¡±


    I sneered.


    Those two had been messing around for so many years and still claimed they hadn¡¯t touched each other.


    Thinking about how Gu Yuanzhou used to defend Ye Mengyan, I remember it vividly, and I don¡¯t believe there was nothing between them.


    Ye Mengyan¡¯s pleading was never going to move me.


    She was the biggest tumble I took because of Gu Yuanzhou, the place where I crashed and burned in my last life, how could I possibly spare her another glance.


    However, after that incident.


    Ye Mengyan never came again.


    She must have realized that her pleas wouldn¡¯t get any response from me.


    Time trickled away¡­


    The trial date was getting closer.


    I started to become anxious.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep at night.


    I often woke up in the middle of the night and walked around in my room.


    Fortunately, Ding Xiao finally came back from the United States.


    I drove Ding Ruirui to the airport to pick him up.


    From a distance, I saw Ding Xiao walking out of the airport, accompanied by a woman.


    The two of them were laughing and chatting, seemingly in good spirits.


    I even suspected that Ding Xiao had found a new girlfriend, but once I got closer, I saw it was Jiang Jiaying.


    However, Jiang Jiaying was tactful enough to walk toward another passageway with her luggage when she saw me from afar, avoiding the embarrassment of facing me directly.


    ¡°Brother Ding, you¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, I really appreciate it, you even drove here yourself to pick me up!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Ruirui was just too eager to see you!¡±


    Ding Ruirui quickly ran up and hugged Ding Xiao¡¯s leg, her sweet voice saying,


    ¡°Daddy, daddy, I want a hug!¡±


    Ding Xiao smiled, picked up Ding Ruirui, and held her in his arms, while I helped him with his suitcase, following him.


    ¡°How is Yinuo doing?¡±


    ¡°Not bad! He¡¯s opened his eyes, and the treatment is going very well.¡±


    ¡°Then can he recognize you? Can he speak?¡±


    Ding Xiao, holding Ruirui, got into the car and started explaining to me,


    ¡°Not yet! He can hear my voice when I¡¯m in front of him, but he doesn¡¯t recognize me, and when I call his name, he doesn¡¯t respond. The doctor said he has brain damage, and recovery will take some time. Don¡¯t worry, Miss Jiang is taking good care of him, and she has also hired the top global neurosurgeons to treat him.¡±

 Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Planning to Take a Look at Him?_1

    Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Planning to Take a Look at Him?_1


    The news Ding Xiao brought back could be said to be the best news I had heard in recent times.


    Although this news didn¡¯t have much substantial progress, I was very satisfied.


    ¡°Once this case is concluded, I will go to the United States to see him!¡±


    ¡°Sure! However, the doctor said there should be hope for a cure within three months, so they told us not to worry. Sigh, Miss Jiang really did her best this time, she helped us a lot.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Ding Xiao seems to have a pretty good impression of Jiang Jiaying.


    I kept silent about this.


    After all, if she could really help Ding Yinuo, I, of course, would be grateful to her.


    But why did I see a hint of mocking smile in her eyes when I saw her earlier? What did that mean?


    I was somewhat perplexed.


    ¡°Do you have any concerns about this case recently?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then do you plan to take a look at him?¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t!¡±


    Why should I look at him?


    To look at the person who killed my whole family?


    Although Song Siwen is just my cousin, he is equivalent to family to me.


    Ding Xiao nodded, patted my shoulder, ¡°If you need to arrange a funeral, I¡¯ve got friends who can help you with that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, no rush for now!¡±


    Right now, Song Siwen¡¯s body is still at the funeral home.


    I need to wait for the case to be sentenced, then go to the United States to bring my aunt back, and find time to bury Song Siwen;


    This is a tragedy, really, and I don¡¯t want to deal with these things.


    Two more days passed.


    Finally, the day of the court trial arrived.


    I got up very early, sitting alone in front of the vanity, combing my hair, and thinking for a very long time.


    At eight o¡¯clock sharp, Wenya brought breakfast over.


    ¡°Fried rice noodles and milk tea, eat a little!¡±


    When Wenya came in, she was radiant and singing that today was a good day.


    I shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t have an appetite!¡±


    Wenya set down the packed breakfast and sat opposite me, cupping my face in her hands, ¡°Why such dark circles? And, your lips are all chapped.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep well last night!¡±


    ¡°What else are you worrying about? That Gu Yuanzhou is going to get out and harm you guys?¡±


    ¡°A bit! I can¡¯t exactly say what I¡¯m worried about! I just feel very anxious!¡±


    Wenya spread her arms and hugged me,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! After today, the rest of your life will be filled with bright, sunny days. Listen to me, be good, eat your breakfast, and later put on some beautiful makeup. I heard from Su Peisheng that during the hearing, you will have to attend as a witness. You might have to confront Gu Yuanzhou face to face! So, you need to dress up beautifully, you need to show him, that without him, your life is even more splendid. From now on, while he becomes a prisoner, you will ascend to the pinnacle of your life.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    After being persuaded by Wenya for a while, I still picked up some chopsticks and forced a few bites of the fried rice noodles.


    Really, I had no appetite, I just forced it down.


    I then drank a cup of milk tea as well.


    Half an hour later.


    Su Peisheng came over, looking every inch the professional in his suit and leather shoes.


    He was carrying a briefcase and after entering, he took out some documents and organized them.


    ¡°You¡¯re about to go to court, so you need to keep a steady mindset. The defense attorney will definitely try to trouble you and lure you into discussing things irrelevant to the case. You must stay calm and not let them lead you astray,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, I know!¡±


    ¡°Take a look at this material. I¡¯ve deduced some questions the opposing lawyer might ask. Review the answers now to avoid giving the wrong ones in court,¡± he advised.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Su Peisheng was quite thoughtful, he had organized all the potential scenarios and printed them out for me.


    I sat down to read through them slowly.


    Meanwhile, Su Peisheng was sitting on the sofa, chatting with Wenya.


    ¡°I heard Gu Yuanzhou has been pulling strings and greasing palms lately. Given his clout in A City, he must have many friends he can call on. I¡¯m afraid we might lose this case, and if he¡¯s only sentenced to a few years, he could earn early release by performing meritorious services. Wouldn¡¯t that just bring trouble to Ayun again?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought of all that you mentioned. To prevent Gu Yuanzhou from having the chance to get out, we¡¯re aiming for life imprisonment. These past few days, we haven¡¯t been idle either; we¡¯ve collected a lot of evidence. That includes the car accident involving Ding Yinuo; we¡¯ll trace it back to Gu Yuanzhou, painting him as an accomplice, or even the instigator. Additionally, we will aim the spearhead at him in the Golden Bay arson case,¡± she replied.


    ¡°But wasn¡¯t it said that there¡¯s no evidence for the Golden Bay arson case?¡±


    ¡°True, there¡¯s no evidence, but if you list all these points, he at least becomes a suspect. If there¡¯s suspicion, the judge will also deem him a morally corrupt person. If he¡¯s already seen as a heinous criminal, then no one will believe his self-defense claim. It¡¯s about creating a presumption, making everybody think he¡¯s a bad person, which labels him as one,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Su Fagun, I never imagined you could be so formidable! You can really play the game like this?¡±


    ¡°Heh, ¡®Su Fagun,¡¯ are you looking for a thrill?¡±


    Su Peisheng flicked Wenya¡¯s forehead with his finger.


    Wenya dodged with a laugh, ¡°Mr. Su, you better work hard. If you can manage to keep that scumbag Gu locked up for life, I¡¯ll give you a bonus!¡±


    ¡°Forget the bonus! How about sending some benefits my way?¡±


    ¡°Buzz off, what benefits!¡±


    There, Wenya was flirting and teasing Su Peisheng.


    The doorbell rang, and when I went to open the door, Jiang Jiaying was standing outside.


    She looked at me, surprise evident on her face,


    ¡°You live here?¡±


    ¡°Where else? Ding Yinuo and I are married, we¡¯ve got our certificate. If I don¡¯t live here, where should I?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s expression turned slightly awkward as she pulled her suitcase,


    ¡°I¡¯ve only been back from the United States for a few days, and I have to go there again tomorrow. The doctors in the United States say they need some personal items from the patient¡¯s past to stimulate him and evoke his memories. If you don¡¯t mind, can I come in and take some things?¡±


    ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°Clothes and such,¡± she said.


    ¡°Please come in,¡± I offered.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    I let Jiang Jiaying in and then went to collect some of Ding Yinuo¡¯s clothes from the bedroom.


    Wenya ran in and closed the door, asking me, ¡°Why did you let her in?¡±


    ¡°To take some things for Ding Yinuo,¡± I replied.


    I packed up a couple of Ding Yinuo¡¯s pajama sets, suits, and casual wear, then put everything in a suitcase.


    When I brought it out to the living room, I found that Jiang Jiaying had already gone to Ding Yinuo¡¯s study. She was rummaging through it, stuffing any book she found into her suitcase.


    Wenya whispered in my ear, ¡°This woman is so rude! Walking in and out like she owns the place.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t angry, and replied indifferently,


    ¡°She used to date Ding Yinuo; she might have lived here before.¡±


    ¡°You think she¡¯d be aware to avoid suspicion now that she knows you¡¯re married to Ding Yinuo, wouldn¡¯t you? Or is she up to something else?¡±

 Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Chapter 351: His Performance at the Trial Was Unexpected_1

    Chapter 351: Chapter 351: His Performance at the Trial Was Unexpected_1


    I shook my head, ¡°No matter what¡¯s on her mind, as long as it could cure Ding Yinuo, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    By the time I finished talking with Wenya, she had already walked out dragging her suitcase, smiling at me,


    ¡°You don¡¯t mind if I take a few of Ding Yinuo¡¯s medical books, do you?¡±


    ¡°Here are his clothes, let me know if you need anything else!¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s all, I must go now!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying didn¡¯t linger, took two suitcases, and left.


    Wenya watched her leave, shaking her head,


    ¡°I always feel there¡¯s a strong scent of ¡®green tea¡¯ about her!¡±


    ¡°Let her be! All I hope for is Ding Yinuo¡¯s recovery.¡±


    Actually, I had no more demands; as long as Ding Yinuo could wake up, I was willing to trade even my life, so I had no right to expect too much from others.


    Soon after, Shen Yishu came over as well.


    ¡°I heard you have a court hearing today; I¡¯m here to cheer you on!¡±


    Seeing the encouragement on this man¡¯s face made me smile,


    ¡°No way! You all came¡­ it makes me a bit nervous, though it¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just a court appearance, and it¡¯s not me being judged.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, don¡¯t be nervous, I just want to tell you that whatever the situation, you still have me!¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s words were indeed warming.


    Well, the more people, the greater the strength. The more friends I have supporting me, the more confident I feel.


    After resting another ten minutes, Su Peisheng finally gave the order to set off.


    Unexpectedly, the case had attracted immense attention.


    Our car hadn¡¯t even reached the courthouse when we saw, from a distance, a throng of journalists surrounding the entrance, not a gap in sight.


    ¡°Wow, so many people! We can¡¯t even drive through.¡±


    Wenya protested loudly.


    Among them, there were people on the road holding banners, demanding severe punishment for the perpetrator.


    ¡°Of course there are many people; otherwise, why would those higher up pay so much attention? It¡¯s been trending daily and has already sparked public outcry.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t get through with the car; park it at the shopping center¡¯s parking lot up front, and we¡¯ll walk the rest of the way.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    We took a detour and parked our car in the underground parking lot of the shopping center opposite the courthouse.


    Afterward, I followed behind Su Peisheng from the parking lot towards the courthouse.


    To avoid drawing attention, I had deliberately put on sunglasses and a mask.


    But unexpectedly, as soon as we reached the main entrance of the courthouse, I was still recognized by a group of journalists.


    They immediately surrounded me, wanting to interview me.


    ¡°Miss Song, I heard you were the only eyewitness that day, did you really see Gu Yuanzhou commit the crime?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, I heard that you had a rumor with Gu Yuanzhou on the internet before, are you in a romantic relationship? Will this relationship affect your testimony?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, were you out on a date with Gu Xuanzhou that night? What were you doing when the crime occurred?¡±


    Various pointed questions were raised by the journalists.


    I remained silent, not uttering a word.


    Su Peisheng stepped in front of me, dealing with the reporters,


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, nothing to disclose, please remain calm and watch the news coverage after the hearing is over.¡±


    I thought to myself, luckily I had Su Peisheng and Wenya with me today. Alone, I wouldn¡¯t have had any way to squeeze through the crowd.


    These people were too terrifying.


    We finally squeezed in from the outside.


    Police officers were on duty at the courthouse entrance, keeping the unrelated people outside.


    Once inside, you could feel the solemn atmosphere.


    Su Peisheng took me to a waiting room inside,


    ¡°Sit here for a while, drink some water, the hearing starts in ten minutes.¡±


    I took a small sip of water and asked,


    ¡°Has Gu Yuanzhou been brought over?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here, but I advise you not to see him right now. If it¡¯s not necessary, you shouldn¡¯t even contact his lawyer!¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll listen to you!¡±


    After drinking the water, I felt a bit nervous, so I went to the restroom.


    When I came out of the restroom, I unexpectedly ran into Zhou Chenming.


    I knew he was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s defense attorney.


    I had even thought he would come to find me.


    But to my surprise, he just stood far away and glanced at me, then turned around and left without saying a word.


    Wenya was the one who got nervous, she rushed over almost at a jog, grabbed me, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk to him, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°He ignored me, he¡¯s gone!¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed, maybe he didn¡¯t see you?¡±


    ¡°Who knows, forget it! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I returned to the waiting room and after a few minutes, Su Peisheng came over.


    ¡°You can go now! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°All right!¡±


    I followed Su Peisheng, feeling mostly composed and calm inside.


    Ever since the day of the fire, I had been looking forward to seeing Gu Yuanzhou on the defendant¡¯s bench.


    To have that scumbag face the judge¡¯s trial.


    To make him pay the price.


    Wenya was still comforting me, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, it¡¯s okay, if you don¡¯t want to talk, try not to say a word. Later in the courtroom, avoid any eye contact with Gu Yuanzhou, don¡¯t look at him, understand?¡±


    ¡°I know, Wenya, I¡¯m okay!¡±


    As I approached the door to the courtroom, I paused for a few seconds.


    It seemed like I was giving myself one final pep talk before stepping inside.


    I was walking beside Su Peisheng. I didn¡¯t need to look up; as soon as I entered, I could feel a pair of sharp eyes fixating on me from a corner.


    I knew it was Gu Yuanzhou!


    I didn¡¯t look at him!


    Since it was not my turn yet to give testimony, I sat quietly on a side seat in the courtroom.


    Su Peisheng was worried I might get nervous, and occasionally he leaned in to whisper a few words to me.


    It wasn¡¯t until the judge walked in that the session truly began.


    First, the police described the events at the crime scene that day. These had been pre-drafted in documents, so they simply followed the script.


    I had already seen Su Peisheng¡¯s documents and listened quietly.


    Throughout this time, I still remembered Wenya¡¯s words and didn¡¯t look at Gu Yuanzhou once.


    Even as I kept my head down, I could still feel his intense gaze locked on me without wavering.


    Soon, it was the judge¡¯s turn to inquire,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, regarding the incident on the night of October fifth at the Lakeside Hotel, where you deliberately stabbed Song Siwen to death with a fruit knife and wounded Xu, Zhang, and others, do you have anything to say?¡±


    According to the script Su Peisheng had provided me earlier, Gu Yuanzhou should have been denying the facts here, claiming self-defense.


    But to my surprise, instead of defending himself, he simply admitted,


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s response shocked everyone in the courtroom.


    He actually confessed to the murder!


    I also subconsciously raised my head to look at him.


    At that moment, I felt like I couldn¡¯t recognize him anymore.

 Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Chapter 352 Ironclad Evidence _1

    Chapter 352: Chapter 352 Ironclad Evidence _1


    He was dressed in prison garb, his hair shorn off, and his chin was covered with a lot of stubble.


    He looked extremely haggard, down and out¡­


    But in those eyes, there was still pride, unyielding.


    When I looked at him, he was looking at me too.


    Within that cold gaze, there was a hint of a smile, mocking, and somewhat playful.


    For some reason, even though the court was silent, I thought I heard Gu Yuanzhou speaking to me.


    ¡°Ayun, you want me dead, don¡¯t you! I¡¯ll grant your wish!¡±


    But when I looked carefully, I realized his lips were tightly sealed and no sound came out. Was I hallucinating?


    I covered my face with my hands and quickly shifted my gaze.


    The next part of the trial caught everyone by surprise.


    Gu Yuanzhou not only confessed to all the charges, including murder, he didn¡¯t even let his defense attorney take the stage.


    My prepared testimony,


    and all the documents Su Peisheng had ready to overturn his case, were now invalid.


    Actually, I didn¡¯t expect this to happen.


    Since he confessed, it became much simpler for everyone.


    However, due to the complexity of the case, the court didn¡¯t announce the verdict immediately. The judge said the sentence would be delivered in three days.


    Su Peisheng walked me out.


    In fact, the one who attracted the most attention was Zhou Chenming. When he appeared, a crowd of reporters surrounded him.


    ¡°Lawyer Zhou, why didn¡¯t you defend Mr. Gu¡¯s innocence?¡±


    Zhou Chenming spread his hands in resignation,


    ¡°It was the client¡¯s wish! I was simply respecting his decision.¡±


    I watched from afar and was rendered speechless for a moment.


    Wenya said, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the use? It was an ironclad case; he had no chance to overturn it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Wenya!¡±


    There were many reporters on-site, and Su Peisheng was worried that any inappropriate comments from Wenya might be overheard by the opposition and used against us.


    So, he hurriedly grabbed Wenya¡¯s hand and led her outside.


    I glanced at Zhou Chenming, then turned to follow Su Peisheng and leave the area.


    After getting home.


    Wenya kept screaming all the way,


    ¡°Damn it, we won, we won! We¡¯ve won! This douchebag will never get out again.¡±


    After that, she seemed to be a bit worried, ¡°Su Peisheng, do you think, in this case, Gu Yuanzhou might get off?¡±


    ¡°Get off my ass! Didn¡¯t you see the news report? The main issue is that he confessed to murder. At the very least, he¡¯s facing life imprisonment, and¡­ he also seriously injured two other people. The nature of the crime is extremely severe.¡±


    It was only then that Wenya felt relieved. She patted my shoulder, ¡°Ayun, I think we should take some time to celebrate! There¡¯s no time like the present, let¡¯s do it tonight. I¡¯ll treat everyone, we should celebrate that scumbag rotting in jail.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure!¡±


    With that, a weight in my heart finally settled.


    I knew that with Su Peisheng¡¯s professionalism, his prediction was almost certain.


    From now on, no one in this city would hunt me down again.


    In the evening.


    Wenya hosted a dinner for us at the Juxing Garden Hotel.


    She invited all the friends she should invite, including me and Jian Jing, Su Peisheng, Shen Yishu, as well as Jia Yuyan and Jia Musen, and some old classmates too.


    Everyone was drinking and celebrating, having a great time.


    In the midst of the festivities, Wenya even showed off her singing talent and sang heartily in front of me.


    ¡°Ayun, why don¡¯t you sing a few lines?¡±


    But I wasn¡¯t feeling excited, ¡°I¡¯d better not, I¡¯ve been staying up late these days, and it¡¯s really rough on my throat. You guys go ahead; let me rest for a while.¡±


    ¡°Mm, okay, okay, take a seat!¡±


    Wenya sang a duet with Su Peisheng while I sat on the sofa browsing my phone.


    The incident had been very hot recently, with all sorts of short videos and news about it.


    These content creators were all analyzing how many years Gu Yuanzhou would be sentenced.


    I don¡¯t know why, but when I saw these videos, I felt a bit anxious.


    After watching for a while, I simply turned it off.


    Seeing me somewhat bored, Shen Yishu brought over a deck of playing cards and pulled over Jia Yuyan, and a few of us started playing the card game ¡®Fight the Landlord¡¯.


    Wenya¡¯s idea was that the more people, the merrier¡­


    We were eating and drinking, and it was indeed very relaxing.


    I wasn¡¯t skilled in card games and kept losing at first.


    Later, Shen Yishu kept letting me win, and I also won several times, my smile gradually becoming more radiant.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, if you ever run into any difficulties, you have to tell me! I may not be able to help much, but I can be your listener.¡±


    Jia Yuyan gave him a push, ¡°What are you thinking, Little President Shen. President Ding will be back soon, so quit stirring things up here.¡±


    Disappointment was evident on Shen Yishu¡¯s face, ¡°Really? Is President Ding really going to be all right?¡±


    I looked at him and smiled, ¡°Mm, he¡¯s recovering really well, and he¡¯ll be back within three months.¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s smile was tinged with loss, ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. Once he¡¯s back, you won¡¯t have to suffer so much.¡±


    Wenya had originally planned to have everyone play all night, but unexpectedly, around ten o¡¯clock, Jian Jing suddenly felt pain in her stomach, and her water broke.


    We had to wrap things up in a hurry and took Jian Jing to the nearby hospital to give birth.


    Previously, Yu Jiahang had refused to pay for the postnatal care center, claiming that thirty thousand a month for the care center was too expensive and wanted to take Jian Jing and her daughter back home to stay.


    But I knew that Jian Jing¡¯s relationship with Yu Jiahang¡¯s mother was bad, and if Jian Jing went home, she would definitely suffer. So, I paid for it, and after she gave birth, she went straight to the postnatal care center. Wenya and I took turns visiting after work.


    The newly born baby was fair and clean and extremely cute; I often held her, not willing to let go.


    Deep down, I really missed my two little ones.


    Whenever I thought of my children, Gu Yuanzhou would come to mind.


    This man who took my breath away.


    That afternoon, I had just left the postnatal care center when I happened to run into Su Peisheng.


    Su Peisheng came with Wenya; it looked like they were specifically looking for me, and I knew the day had finally come.


    The thing about the court¡¯s judgment¡ª


    It¡¯s definitely internal documents first, then the announcement the next day.


    Su Peisheng was a lawyer, so he must have known the result first.


    ¡°Just tell me!¡±


    Though I was looking forward to it, I was quite calm at the moment.


    Wenya and Su Peisheng exchanged glances.


    ¡°Uh, Ayun, you need to be prepared for this.¡±


    It was the first time I ever heard Wenya speak so cautiously.


    I laughed, ¡°What, Gu Yuanzhou is going to escape from prison or something? Don¡¯t worry, I just held Jian Jing¡¯s daughter. I¡¯m very strong right now after being healed. Go ahead, tell me. I can accept any outcome.¡±


    In fact, these past few days, I might have seen too much speculation in the news, and everyone was stuck on whether it would be thirty years or life in prison.


    Either of those two outcomes, I had come to accept, and I had prepared myself.


    ¡°Uh, sure, Gu Yuanzhou is a scumbag, and that sort of man less than a pig or dog deserves the death penalty.¡±


    At those words, I was dumbstruck and grabbed Wenya¡¯s hand, ¡°What did you say? Death penalty?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right¡­ the death penalty!¡± Su Peisheng immediately added.

 Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: Chapter 353 This is Not the Result I Wanted_1

    Chapter 353: Chapter 353 This is Not the Result I Wanted_1


    Death penalty?


    This outcome indeed caught me by surprise.


    I had never thought that Gu Yuanzhou would be sentenced to death, my expectation was to have him stay in prison for a lifetime.


    The result left me somewhat at a loss.


    Afterwards, what Wenya said to Su Peisheng, I completely tuned out.


    My entire being felt somewhat adrift.


    It wasn¡¯t until after six in the evening when Jiang Yuyan walked into the office and looked at me.


    Only then did I realize that I had been in the office by myself, lost in a daze the entire afternoon.


    ¡°Miss Song, aren¡¯t you leaving work yet?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, how about I accompany you home?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back, I want to stay here for a while. It¡¯s fine, you can go.¡±


    ¡°Uh, are you hungry? Shall I get you something to eat?¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m not hungry!¡±


    Jiang Yuyan stayed by my side for quite a while, making sure I was okay before she left.


    But, the girl was very thoughtful; she seemed to see my distraction and phoned Shen Yishu on her way out.


    I originally didn¡¯t know that Shen Yishu would come, but he was waiting outside¡­


    I was completely immersed in my own shock, unable to snap back to reality for a long time.


    I don¡¯t know why I couldn¡¯t accept this result.


    I even questioned myself, was I too soft-hearted? Or did I have excessive mercy?


    Or¡­ in my heart, did I always reserve a little space for him, still harboring some vain hope for him?


    I don¡¯t know. I couldn¡¯t articulate the feeling, it was indescribable.


    Anyway, that day, I was somewhat distracted, sitting alone in the office until late at night.


    It wasn¡¯t until two in the morning that I suddenly realized I needed to go home.


    Stepping outside, there was Shen Yishu¡¯s silhouette, wandering in the night.


    I was shocked to see him, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Shen Yishu looked at me,


    ¡°Someone said that the entrance to Tianjiao Company is the best spot in the city to watch the stars, so I came to see if it was true.¡±


    ¡°Cut the nonsense, Jiang Yuyan asked you to come, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I think I heard her call you.¡±


    ¡°My car is over there, let me take you home!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Truth be told, I had a car parked nearby too, but I was very aware that with my mind so hazed, I was in no shape to drive.


    Having Shen Yishu by my side was good!


    Once at Xishan Residence, he also ordered takeout for me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat, Yishu!¡±


    ¡°Just have a little!¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Okay, no worries, I¡¯ll keep you company! Or, you can go to sleep if you want, and I¡¯ll just stay in the living room.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, okay, thank you, Yishu!¡±


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t have the energy to send Shen Yishu away, so I quietly returned to my bedroom and lay down on the bed.


    That night, as soon as I closed my eyes, various nightmares tangled together.


    I dreamed about the times Gu Yuanzhou chased after me.


    And then I saw the scene of that fire again.


    Over and over, it felt like I was awake, but at the same time, not quite.


    Engulfed by nightmares all night, when I opened my eyes the next day, I saw Wenya sitting by my hospital bed.


    ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    Trying to get up, I realized that I was lying in bed, completely weak and lacking the energy to even sit up.


    Wenya hurriedly reached out to touch my forehead,


    ¡°Oh my, you have a fever, why is your forehead so hot?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I probably caught a cold from staying up late these days!¡±


    ¡°No, you have to go to the hospital, if you keep burning up like this, you¡¯ll turn into an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, I really am fine!¡±


    ¡°Enough, you need to listen to me now!¡±


    At this moment, Shen Yishu, who was standing guard outside the door, heard that I had a fever and also rushed in hurriedly.


    He immediately draped his coat over me and lifted me up,


    ¡°Come on, to the hospital!¡±


    Oddly enough, I somehow fell ill with a mysterious sickness, suffering from persistent high fever that left me dizzy and befuddled.


    Every day I was in a haze, and whenever I closed my eyes, I could always see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s bloodshot eyes, as he looked at me with a sneer, ¡°Ayun, do you really want me to die?¡±


    When I woke up, I would see Wenya and Shen Yishu staying by the bedside, holding my hand, constantly encouraging me to keep up the fight.


    Keep up the fight?


    For what?


    It was just a common cold.


    This illness came on suddenly and aggressively, like a collapsing mountain.


    It was Wenya and Shen Yishu who took turns caring for me by the bed, calling my name over and over again.


    They snatched me back from the grip of death.


    It took a full half month before I gradually began to get better.


    Only when I had recovered, did I learn that I had acute leukemia. Fortunately, although the disease was extremely dangerous, I still managed to escape death and returned to life.


    When I left the hospital, I met Zhou Chenming again.


    ¡°Miss Song! I¡¯m very happy to see you!¡±


    Zhou Chenming no longer seemed to have his previous confidence and composure.


    I had heard from Wenya that Zhou Chenming lost Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lawsuit, and his competence had come into question within the industry; it seemed like he might not even keep his job.


    I was reminded of a saying, ¡°When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.¡±


    ¡°What brings Lawyer Zhou to see me now?¡±


    I was in the ward, organizing my clothes and preparing to be discharged from the hospital.


    Zhou Chenming sighed, ¡°Mr. Gu¡­ he will be executed next Monday. He wishes to see you before he dies!¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡±


    I said indifferently.


    Zhou Chenming continued to sigh, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what Miss Song wants to see?¡±


    I looked up and saw the helpless bitter smile at the corner of Zhou Chenming¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Zhou Chenming, saying these things now is meaningless. His death is what he deserves for his crimes!¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, we are not saints. I don¡¯t stand on the moral high ground to criticize anyone. But¡­ as an old friend, I still suggest that you see him for one last time.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I am very busy! Even if I had the time, I would not give it to someone meaningless.¡±


    I grabbed my suitcase, ready to leave.


    Zhou Chenming said from behind me, ¡°It¡¯s kind of strange, Mr. Gu claims you¡¯re his ex-wife. He says you¡¯re Ayun, his wife¡­ After so many years of marriage, don¡¯t you want to see him?¡±


    I scoffed, ¡°He¡¯s talking nonsense! I am Song Xiaoyun, the wife of Ding Yinuo. I have nothing to do with him, Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    ¡°Ah, people facing death often speak well. If you go, maybe you would hear something different!¡±


    Zhou Chenming seemed very keen for me to take one last look at Gu Yuanzhou, persistently following me around, even as I completed my discharge formalities, he kept on talking.


    I completely ignored him.


    Until we reached the hospital gates, I turned to look at him,


    ¡°Lawyer Zhou, do you know what it means to avoid suspicion? I am Ding Yinuo¡¯s wife. Earlier on, Gu Yuanzhou wanted to harm me by deliberately creating a scandal between him and me. Now if I went to see him, wouldn¡¯t that just verify the scandal, causing unbearable harm to the Ding Family¡¯s reputation?¡±


    ¡°Again, to this day, everything he suffers from is his own doing! No one else is to blame in the slightest!¡±


    ¡°But Miss Song, Mr. Gu, he loved you so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t say that, he never loved me, he just despised the Song Family. He has always been scheming against the Song Family¡¯s people, and that includes my visit to the prison today¡ªit¡¯s another one of his plots. He wants to make me the sinner of the Song Family, to make me the woman who would stand condemned and reviled. I can see right through his conspiracies.¡±


    Perhaps the many days I spent in the hospital not only healed my body, but my mind as well, making it clearer than ever.


    Zhou Chenming, realizing this, just shook his head, continuing to say,


    ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood, Mr. Gu has always loved you deeply.¡±

 Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: Chapter 354 Did He Really Die_1

    Chapter 354: Chapter 354 Did He Really Die_1


    Misunderstanding?


    That¡¯s laughable. If he could bring the two children back to life, then I would forgive him for this ¡®misunderstanding.¡¯


    Some hatreds can only be repaid with blood.


    ¡°Alright, Lawyer Zhou, no need to explain anymore. I¡¯m not a fool, this matter ends here! Please, don¡¯t trouble my life any further.¡±


    I turned around, stepped down the stairs, and got into the taxi.


    After recovering from my illness, I began to go to work at the company.


    Afterward, Zhou Chenming called me twice more, pleading for me to see Gu Yuanzhou for one last time.


    I refused.


    To keep myself from being distracted by this, I made a special trip to Hong Kong to attend the New Year fashion week design conference.


    Time quietly slipped by.


    That night, after the fashion show had ended, I was touching up my makeup in the restroom when I overheard two colleagues discussing nearby.


    ¡°Did you know? Gu Yuanzhou from Zhenyi Company was executed this morning!¡±


    ¡°No way, I saw him just last month at the fashion week. He was tall and handsome, quite charming. How could he just die?¡±


    ¡°Well, I heard he stabbed someone¡­ It¡¯s really such a shame, wonder who will inherit his wealth now that he¡¯s gone?¡±


    Hearing this news, my heart clenched violently.


    And I thought of that day in court, of how Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s crimson eyes had glared at me, giving me a malevolent smile, ¡°Ayun, do you really want me to die?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bear to hear this and hurried out of the restroom.


    I could never believe that Gu Yuanzhou truly died!


    Once I returned to A City.


    The city looked the same as before.


    The same streets, the same trees, the same buildings¡­


    I stood on the street corner, letting the cool breeze lift the hem of my skirt.


    I always felt like there was someone behind me. Whipping around suddenly, I found only passersby in haste ¨C none had come for me.


    That¡¯s right!


    He died!


    The man I hated so much in my heart had finally died. From now on, I would be safe.


    Perhaps to take care of my emotions,


    friends like Wenya, when they were with me, all tacitly chose not to mention the name Gu Yuanzhou.


    Oddly enough, there was no more news about Gu Yuanzhou online either.


    All those videos that had spread his scandals or discussed how many years he might be sentenced to after he was detained were gone.


    It was as if a strong wind had blown through, sweeping away any message of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s existence in this world.


    That afternoon.


    Ding Xiao brought Ding Ruirui to the company for a visit.


    ¡°Auntie, I missed you! Why haven¡¯t you come to see me for so long?¡±


    The little girl looked so adorable with her backpack on, hugging my legs as soon as she entered the door.


    Ding Xiao laughed and said, ¡°She made a fuss for several days, insisting on seeing you. Today, she didn¡¯t even want to go to school, just had to come with me to the company.¡±


    I picked up the little girl in my arms.


    ¡°Auntie was sick and hospitalized for a while. I couldn¡¯t come to see you. But now that I¡¯m better, how about I take you to the zoo to see the monkeys this weekend?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please!¡±


    The little girl wouldn¡¯t budge from my lap.


    I asked Ding Xiao about Yinuo¡¯s condition while the little girl casually picked up my phone to play with it.


    ¡°How is Yinuo¡¯s illness? Now that Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s case has closed, I want to visit him in the United States.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that anymore, the doctors there said he¡¯s recovering really well and he should be able to return at the beginning of next month.¡±


    I was very pleased to hear this, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes! But now, he speaks with some unclear pronunciation, he needs time to train!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful¡­¡±


    While I was talking with Ding Xiao, Ding Ruirui, who was playing with my phone, suddenly looked at a photo and pointed to it, asking, ¡°Aunty, what is this?¡±


    The little girl was like a curious baby, always coming over to ask about everything.


    I glanced at it casually, preparing to answer.


    Suddenly, I realized that the photo she was pointing at was the one I had taken last time in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s rest room¡ªthe photo of the clown mask.


    I was stunned for a few seconds.


    Back then, I remembered Ding Ruirui saying that the reason she left school was that she saw someone wearing a clown mask waving at her.


    When I saw this mask in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s rest room, I even thought Gu Yuanzhou was the culprit behind the scenes.


    ¡°Uh, Ruirui, haven¡¯t you seen this mask before?¡±


    Ding Ruirui shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it!¡±


    ¡°Then think carefully, the last time you were at school, you said there was a clown uncle across the street waving at you¡­ The mask on the clown uncle¡¯s face was a clown mask, and this is a clown mask, right?¡±


    Ding Ruirui thought for a long time, but still shook her head,


    ¡°I remember the clown uncle, but aunty, this mask is not a clown!¡±


    I suddenly snapped back to my senses, realizing that I had prematurely defined the concept of a clown.


    The clown in children¡¯s worlds might not be the clown I was aware of, so to clarify the truth, I opened my computer.


    I searched online for various masks to show to Ding Ruirui,


    ¡°Sweetie, can you tell aunty what the clown mask you saw that day looked like?¡±


    Ding Ruirui tilted her little head and looked at the computer for a while, then finally pointed to one of the masks on the screen,


    ¡°It¡¯s this one, aunty!¡±


    I followed her little pointing finger and saw that it was a Beijing opera mask, specifically the black-faced Zhang Fei.


    To be on the safe side, I asked her once more,


    ¡°Sweetie, are you sure it¡¯s this one?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s this one, it¡¯s the clown!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    As Ding Ruirui repeatedly identified it, I realized that perhaps I had somewhat misunderstood Gu Yuanzhou.


    At the very least, he wasn¡¯t involved in the kidnapping of Ding Ruirui.


    ¡°Miss Song, are you still worrying about this?¡±


    Ding Xiao asked me.


    I smiled and closed the computer, ¡°No, just playing with Ruirui for a bit!¡±


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡±


    That afternoon, Ding Ruirui played in my office for two hours, and I didn¡¯t do anything else but keep her company.


    Watching cartoons, playing with building blocks and puzzles.


    The world of a child is always very simple, and a little toy can make her very happy.


    When it was time to get off work, Ding Xiao took her away.


    And right after Ding Xiao had left, Zhou Chenming came in.


    ¡°Miss Song, it¡¯s good you haven¡¯t left work yet. I think my timing is just right, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I gave him a look, ¡°Why are you looking for me now?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou is dead!


    All my debts to him, whether love or hate, have dissipated into smoke.


    Zhou Chenming pulled out a stack of documents from his bag, ¡°There are some documents that need your signature. Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s nothing here that would put you at a disadvantage!¡±


    ¡°My signature?¡±


    With confusion, I opened the file, an inheritance document, share transfer documents¡­


    Although there were a dozen documents, skim-reading through them, it was essentially all of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s entire fortune, which now required me to inherit!


    This situation truly caught me by surprise.


    ¡°Zhou Chenming, have you made a mistake?¡±

 Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Chapter 355 Can’t Let Emotions Run Wild_1

    Chapter 355: Chapter 355 Can¡¯t Let Emotions Run Wild_1


    In my memory, Gu Yuanzhou utterly despised the Song Family, wishing that all of them would die.


    How could he possibly leave all of his inheritance to me?


    Faced with my doubts, Zhou Chenming gave a very certain answer.


    ¡°There¡¯s no mistake, how could there be a mistake in this matter? I am a professional lawyer, you should trust my professional integrity!¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly, Gu Yuanzhou also has an aunt, and she is the lawful heir.¡±


    ¡°Logically, yes, but his aunt became a nun. I¡¯ve talked to her as well; she doesn¡¯t accept any property and just wants us to hand over Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s ashes to her.¡±


    I was still hesitating¡­


    I felt like this inheritance was a kind of endowment.


    It was deliberately left to me by Gu Yuanzhou, with the purpose of making me remember him for a lifetime.


    I actually didn¡¯t want it.


    But Zhou Chenming persuaded me, saying,


    ¡°The compensation for the victims has already been settled. If you don¡¯t want these assets, they will be confiscated by the state.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, just let them confiscate it then.¡±


    ¡°But you need to think this through. Included here is Maple Mansion, Zhenyi Company, shares in Huaxin Group, and that old house of the Song Family. Do you really not want them? If you don¡¯t, they will be taken over by others.¡±


    This reminder from Zhou Chenming instantly sobered me up.


    Yeah, why wouldn¡¯t I want them?


    Zhenyi Company and the Maple Mansion, along with most of the assets, were post-marital property shared between me and Gu Yuanzhou.


    He¡¯s gone now, and these originally should be inherited by me.


    What¡¯s more, Huaxin Group and the Song Mansion are both properties of the Song Family; only if they come into my hands can I return them to my aunt.


    With this in mind, I signed my name on the documents without any hesitation.


    After the signature, Zhou Chenming finally let out a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.


    ¡°The task is finally completed! It¡¯s a great success! In a few days, some legal documents will be sent to you by mail.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    Zhou Chenming packed up the documents and when he reached the door, he suddenly turned around to look at me.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s ashes will be sent to his aunt at the temple; do you want to attend the funeral?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    I refused him coldly.


    Zhou Chenming shook his head and sighed before finally leaving.


    A couple of days passed, and the documents from Zhou Chenming slowly arrived¡­


    Including some property deeds, share certificates, various asset proofs, and so on.


    I currently don¡¯t have the energy to take over Zhenyi Company and have locked all of these documents away in a drawer.


    Over the weekend, it was Jian Jing¡¯s daughter¡¯s one-month celebration.


    Wenya and I attended together.


    Perhaps because she had given birth to a daughter, Jian Jing¡¯s in-laws did not seem very pleased.


    While accepting blessings from the guests, the old lady kept emphasizing,


    ¡°Alas, it¡¯s a girl, a loss-making commodity!¡±


    Jian Jing bowed her head to sip her soup, not uttering a word.


    Wenya couldn¡¯t help but become annoyed,


    ¡°Dammit, she¡¯s a woman herself; why does she look down on girls? Isn¡¯t she a loss-making commodity herself? Really, why must women make life difficult for one another.¡±


    I stopped her and glanced at Jian Jing.


    Sitting beside us, Jian Jing didn¡¯t speak, but her eyes were full of despair.


    Wenya then let out a helpless sigh.


    Indeed, during this period, Jian Jing had suffered a lot, spending a whole month in the postnatal care center.


    No one from my husband¡¯s family came to visit, and even after I returned home, my mother-in-law mocked and ridiculed me,


    ¡°It¡¯s just being pretentious. Back in our day, we could work in the fields right after giving birth. Nowadays, young people need someone to take care of them even when they are doing their postpartum confinement¡­¡±


    Wenya couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and confronted her on the spot,


    ¡°Pah! You married a good-for-nothing man, and look how smug you are. If he had any compassion, would he let you suffer?¡±


    The mother-in-law, even more upset after hearing this, pointed at Wenya and said,


    ¡°How come young people these days lack manners so much?¡±


    Wenya also shot her a disdainful glance,


    ¡°Your quality as an old lady is declining as well.¡±


    The old lady got even more upset upon hearing this. Because she knew a bit about Wenya, who often hung out with Jian Jing, she went straight for Wenya¡¯s sore spot.


    ¡°Look at you, at your age still not married¡ªit¡¯s because of your bad temperament. Lack of manners and not knowing how to respect the old and love the young, that¡¯s why you¡¯ve become an old maid.¡±


    Wenya laughed out of anger,


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m an old maid?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re at the age to get married; if you¡¯re not married, you are a leftover woman!!¡±


    ¡°Well, by your logic, you¡¯re also at the age to pass away. Why don¡¯t you just die then?¡±


    Wenya was quick-witted and left the old lady speechless and stunned.


    The old lady had likely never encountered such a formidable opponent; her face went red with anger, and she was left gaping without knowing how to respond.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Wenya raised her chin defiantly,


    ¡°Old lady, you¡¯d better watch your mouth and accumulate some virtue. So many relatives came today, and all you talk about is having boys. Do you want all the relatives to know that you¡¯re dissatisfied with your daughter-in-law, that you plan to mistreat her?¡±


    Although the old lady harbored such thoughts, they were the kind that had to remain hidden and unsaid.


    If all the relatives came to know of this, wouldn¡¯t they point at her backbone and curse her?


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. My daughter-in-law gave birth to a child of the Yu family, how could I mistreat her? You, young girl, what nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    ¡°Really? Can you old lady truly stand by your words? Why do I feel like you¡¯re lying?¡±


    ¡°I, I am not lying!¡±


    ¡°Good, then do you dare to swear in front of everyone that if you ever mistreat Jian Jing and her daughter, you¡¯ll be struck by lightning and meet a terrible end?¡±


    Wenya seized the opportunity to push further.


    The old lady¡¯s face turned pale with fright,


    ¡°No way, I can promise not to mistreat them, but I certainly can¡¯t curse myself to die. What nonsensical things are you saying? I, as an elderly person, fear the word ¡®death¡¯ the most; don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re afraid of dying! If you¡¯re scared of death, better not do bad deeds, because heaven is watching from above, and the gods will punish you for doing too many bad things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore, you disrespectful girl!¡±


    The old lady, feeling guilty, didn¡¯t dare to sit with Wenya anymore and quickly moved her bowl and chopsticks to another table.


    I patted Wenya on the shoulder and gave her a thumbs up.


    Wenya chuckled twice,


    ¡°Jian Jing, if this family isn¡¯t willing to treat you well, just tell us.¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s eyes searched the crowd for a long time, then she shook her head helplessly, ¡°Okay, I will!¡±


    Only then did Wenya notice that Yu Jiahang was missing from the crowd, so she asked Jian Jing, ¡°Where¡¯s your husband?¡±


    ¡°He said he had to work overtime! He doesn¡¯t have time to come back today, but it doesn¡¯t matter, he doesn¡¯t like my daughter anyway.¡±


    Jian Jing sighed deeply.


    Wenya cursed several times, calling him a jerk¡­


    But at this point, it seemed that cursing him had no effect anymore.


    As soon as the full-month celebration ended and Wenya and I walked out of the banquet hall, Wenya¡¯s cell phone rang.


    After she answered the call, she turned to look at me, ¡°Ayun, Su Peisheng just called. He said that Damaha has woken up.¡±

 Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Can We Turn the Page?_1

    Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Can We Turn the Page?_1


    When Wenya mentioned the name Damaha, I couldn¡¯t even remember who that person was for a moment.


    It took me about ten minutes of thinking to realize, he was the prime suspect in the Golden Bay arson case.


    Initially, there were two suspects in the Golden Bay arson case, one was Damaha, and the other was Juanmao.


    Juanmao died in an accident, whereas Damaha fell into a coma.


    However, though the case was never tried, I had already concluded that the real mastermind behind it all was Gu Yuanzhou.


    After all, both men were underlings of Gu Yuanzhou.


    At that time, I wasn¡¯t too concerned about Damaha¡¯s awakening.


    ¡°Whatever!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you care about the Golden Bay arson case anymore?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point? Gu Yuanzhou is already dead!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what happened?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, I don¡¯t want to know¡­¡±


    Wenya nodded in agreement, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s time to turn the page! You need to start a new life as well.¡±


    Yes, I had to start over¡­


    Now that the knot in my heart was untied, life had to go on.


    There were still many things waiting for me to handle.


    Gu Yuanzhou had left the Huaxin Group and the Song Family estate to me, so I took some time to complete the property transfer.


    Then I went abroad to bring Aunt Wu Lijuan back, and soon after, I brought Wu¡¯s mother back as well.


    Wu Lijuan¡¯s health was getting worse¡­


    Especially after hearing of Song Siwen¡¯s death, she cried her heart out.


    But upon hearing that the Huaxin Group and the Song Family estate had been recovered, her mood steadied quite a bit.


    Especially after knowing that Gu Yuanzhou had been convicted, she gradually felt better.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, although you and my niece, Song Yun, are good friends, what you¡¯ve done for the Song Family has really moved me.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t be sad. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital to stay for a few days, and then I¡¯ll transfer all the shares of Huaxin Group into your hands.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough!¡±


    After Wu Lijuan returned to the country, I sent her to the hospital.


    I made time every day to visit her in the hospital and keep her company.


    Her hospital room was right next to Song Zexi¡¯s, and whenever she had the chance, she would often go to keep Song Zexi company.


    Perhaps heaven was watching.


    My cousin Song Zexi, who had been in a coma, suddenly started to show signs of improvement and woke up after a few days.


    This brought me a great deal of relief.


    It was as if everything I had done had finally come to fruition.


    A week later.


    Song Zexi and Wu Lijuan were both discharged from the hospital.


    At that time, the Song Family also began preparations for Song Siwen¡¯s funeral¡­


    Everything was supposed to end just like that.


    But what I didn¡¯t expect was that at Song Siwen¡¯s funeral, I saw someone I couldn¡¯t have anticipated.


    On the day of the funeral, Wenya was also present.


    As a child, we were close, so she often came to the Song Family home and had some affection for the Song Family people.


    There were also some relatives and friends in attendance¡­


    Song Siwen¡¯s death at such a young age was regarded as dying prematurely, and at the funeral, everyone was moved, and following Wu Lijuan¡¯s words, they wiped their tears one after another.


    I too had swollen, tearful eyes.


    Wenya, while wiping her tears with a tissue, suddenly said to me,


    ¡°Holy shit, isn¡¯t that your uncle?¡±


    It was widely known that my Uncle Song Shixiong had gone missing after a kidnapping accident long ago.


    At the time, everyone concluded that Gu Yuanzhou had kidnapped and killed him.


    Especially when Gu Yuanzhou took over the Huaxin Group, everyone had already presumed the murderer was him.


    How could someone who was already dead appear?


    This is a public funeral home, connected to the crematorium, and many people come here to handle funeral affairs.


    Following Wenya¡¯s gesturing, I looked over and saw a man in a black suit wearing sunglasses in the crowd outside the door.


    He was looking in this direction from among the people.


    At first glance, he really did look like Song Shixiong.


    But as I looked closely, he suddenly disappeared back into the crowd.


    I could no longer see him clearly.


    ¡°Uh, you must be seeing things, right?¡±


    I turned to look at Wenya.


    Wenya looked back for a long time but ultimately couldn¡¯t give me a definite answer.


    ¡°Yeah, I must have seen wrong, my eyes blurred perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, if my uncle were really alive, how could he not attend his own son¡¯s funeral? That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, forget it!¡±


    I didn¡¯t take this small incident to heart.


    Song Zexi treated me very well.


    Perhaps out of gratitude for taking the Huaxin Group back from Gu Yuanzhou, he treated me like an honored guest.


    Ever since I recovered, he would often invite me to dinner, and sometimes the whole family would get together for tea.


    However, I have never told them about my identity as Song Yun.


    I¡¯ve always been interacting with them as Song Xiaoyun.


    Actually, I really enjoyed this warm family atmosphere, and I always thought they were my relatives.


    Until one day, I saw Song Shixiong again.


    It was a weekend evening.


    Song Zexi had originally arranged to watch a movie with me.


    But I went with Wenya to Jian Jing¡¯s to see her daughter and ended up delayed for over an hour due to her family conflicts.


    My phone was out of battery, too, and I couldn¡¯t get in touch with Song Zexi, so I decided to go to the Song Family personally to explain things.


    By then, it was already past ten at night, and Mother Wu had finished work for the day.


    I had the keys to the Song Family¡¯s house and entered directly.


    Song Zexi¡¯s bedroom was on the second floor, but as I was about to go up, I heard arguing coming from the study.


    It was a study on the third floor, once belonging to my Uncle Song Shixiong.


    Because it was quite distant, I couldn¡¯t hear very clearly, but I could faintly make out Wu Lijuan¡¯s screaming.


    Concerned for Wu Lijuan¡¯s safety, I tiptoed cautiously toward the study.


    Perhaps because there was no one else at home, the study door wasn¡¯t locked but merely left ajar.


    Peering through the crack of the open door, I saw two people arguing.


    A man and a woman.


    The woman was in tears, clearly Wu Lijuan.


    And the man, venting his anger, was none other than the long-missing Song Shixiong.


    It seemed that I hadn¡¯t been seeing things at the funeral; Song Shixiong was indeed still alive.


    Why was he living in secrecy, not letting anyone know?


    As I puzzled over this, I overheard their conversation.


    Their words were even more chilling to me¡­


    Wu Lijuan wept,


    ¡°How can your heart be so cruel! Not only did you kill Xianjing, but you also killed her daughter; she was your own sister!¡±


    Song Shixiong¡¯s voice roared impatiently,


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you annoying? What about it if she was my own sister? If it wasn¡¯t for extorting that man for money back then, our Song Family would have collapsed. To live in this world, one must be ruthless. Otherwise, where did all the wealth and glory of your life come from? You only know how to spend money, but have you ever thought about where this money comes from?¡±

 Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: Chapter 357 We Can’t Go Back_1

    Chapter 357: Chapter 357 We Can¡¯t Go Back_1


    Song Shixiong¡¯s words sent a chill down my spine.


    I remembered what Gu Yuanzhou had once told me: my mother¡¯s death was related to Song Shixiong, and he had extorted a lot of money from my father.


    From a young age, I had always believed that the Song Family was wealthy and that Song Shixiong was capable. My mother and I had been blessed by the grace and favor of Song Shixiong.


    So, when Gu Yuanzhou told me these things, I instinctively felt he was lying, deceiving me.


    I never expected that this matter would actually be true.


    In order to clarify the truth, I stood here without moving, perking up my ears, listening intently.


    Wu Lijuan was still crying,


    ¡°Has our Song Family ever lacked money?¡±


    ¡°How can you say we haven¡¯t lacked money? That year I invested in that gold mine overseas, I ran into an uprising in Africa and nearly lost my life¡­ All you do is cry every day, you have no idea how hard I work to make money!¡±


    ¡°Song Shixiong, you heartless man, for that man¡¯s money, do you know how painfully Xianjing died? She didn¡¯t even know how much that man loved her to the end, she always thought she was abandoned by him, you¡¯re truly too cruel.¡±


    ¡°I did nothing wrong! That man was irresponsible to begin with. He already had a fianc¨¦e, yet he still messed around with my sister. That money¡­ was compensation for ruining my sister¡¯s reputation.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. If what you¡¯re saying is true, why haven¡¯t you let Ayun recognize her father all her life? Are you afraid that she¡¯ll hate you once she knows the truth?!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense have I spoken? That man, he has long since married and had children, he has his own family. Wouldn¡¯t Ayun be an inconvenience if she went to him? Isn¡¯t she living a comfortable life in the Song Family? We¡¯ve all been so good to her, there¡¯s absolutely no need for her to acknowledge a thief as her father.¡±


    ¡°Song Shixiong, you always think you¡¯re right! Tell me, when so much has happened to the Song Family, where did you hide?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ wasn¡¯t I kidnapped by Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying, Gu Yuanzhou has already been sentenced to death. We¡¯ve been husband and wife for a lifetime, can¡¯t you speak a word of truth?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. I had a premonition that Gu Yuanzhou was going to strike at me. So, I went abroad to hide for a few days. You saw it yourself later on, Gu Yuanzhou went after the Song Family. Luckily, I ran fast, otherwise, I¡¯d be dead now.¡±


    ¡°Why would Gu Yuanzhou want to go after you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask, it¡¯s annoying. Am I not alive and back? Aren¡¯t you happy about that? Why do you keep dwelling on the past?!¡±


    ¡°Is it because of what you did to the Gu Family back then?! Is it?¡±


    ¡°Wu Lijuan, have you gone mad? Can you stop asking? What¡¯s the use of constantly asking these questions, acting like a resentful wife all the time, how can we live this life?¡±


    ¡°Song Shixiong, I¡¯ve been true-hearted with you all my life, yet you have always been secretive with me. We can¡¯t go on like this, let¡¯s just divorce.¡±


    Hearing this, Wu Lijuan¡¯s footsteps gradually headed outside. I quickly stepped aside and hid in a bedroom.


    Soon, the sound of Wu Lijuan¡¯s footsteps descended the stairs.


    Hiding in a dim corner, my heart was ice-cold.


    What exactly did I hear?


    Based on everything Song Shixiong just said, there were at least three things I hadn¡¯t figured out or had misunderstood about Gu Yuanzhou.


    First, my mother¡¯s death indeed had something to do with Song Shixiong.


    Second, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s vengeance against the Song Family was due to wrongs that Song Shixiong had once done to the Gu Family.


    Third, he wasn¡¯t kidnapped by Gu Yuanzhou; instead, he deliberately fled abroad to hide.


    Gu Yuanzhou had also given me answers to these three things before, but I chose not to believe them.


    I didn¡¯t believe Gu Yuanzhou!


    The truth now was a harsh slap to my face.


    It was at this moment that I began to seriously scrutinize Gu Yuanzhou and everything he had done. Had I really misunderstood him?


    This thought was driving me a bit crazy.


    This was a terrifying turning point.


    Because once I started questioning, I feared that all my understanding of him would turn out to be wrong.


    I don¡¯t want to keep thinking this way.


    Stop it!


    After leaving the Song Family, I¡¯ve tried hard to keep myself from thinking in that direction.


    Because¡­ this is a path of no return.


    We can¡¯t turn back anymore.


    My phone rang, it was a call from Song Zexi.


    At this time, the night was deep, and I was the only person on the street, wandering around like a lost soul.


    Occasionally, when a Rolls-Royce passed by on the street, I would stop and gaze, not knowing what I was expecting.


    I didn¡¯t know what I was thinking either.


    It took me a long time to answer the phone¡¯s ringing.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Song Yun!¡±


    I blurted out subconsciously.


    The person on the other end didn¡¯t realize anything was wrong and continued, ¡°Is something wrong today? I didn¡¯t see you at the cinema!¡±


    ¡°Uh, Mr. Song!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you speaking to me so formally?¡±


    ¡°How do you think of me as a person?¡±


    I stood at the crossroads, looking at the traffic lights in the distance.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t control the thread of my thoughts, moving towards the direction I wanted to know.


    There¡¯s no way, I can¡¯t master my own heart.


    ¡°Well, you are very good! When our Song Family was in trouble, it was you who helped us. You took care of my mom and me. You dealt with Gu Yuanzhou, and even, you helped us reclaim Huaxin Group and the old residence. Honestly, I¡¯ve been really grateful to you in my heart.¡±


    ¡°Then, I want you to help me clarify something, can you do that for me?¡±


    ¡°Please speak!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about Song Yun who once entrusted me to help her find her biological father. Anyway, since she¡¯s no longer with us, I thought of fulfilling a last wish for her, to give her soul in heaven some solace!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ it is indeed a bit difficult, but I will do my best, just give me some time!¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡±


    I know, some things might not work out if I¡¯d handle them.


    But if Song Zexi were to take action, the chances of success would be much higher, after all, he is Song Shixiong¡¯s biological son, and now the only son.


    After hanging up the phone, I hailed a taxi and rushed back to Xishan Residence overnight.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as the car stopped, I saw that there were lights on in the house.


    When I left in the morning, all the lights were turned off.


    And now, all the lights were on¡ªcould someone have come in?


    I picked up my keys and hurriedly opened the door.


    In my heart, I had always been hoping that Ding Yinuo would return home, and the lighting of these lamps made me feel like he was already back.


    After entering the house, I indeed saw some everyday items and fruits on the table.


    Upon looking more carefully, it seemed like there was a man moving around in the kitchen.


    I ran over excitedly.


    ¡°Anuo!!¡±

 Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: Chapter 358 The Truth Behind the Arson Case_1

    Chapter 358: Chapter 358 The Truth Behind the Arson Case_1


    The man turned to me upon hearing my voice, smiling at me, ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±


    I almost threw myself at him for a hug, but seeing the situation, I retracted my arms. That was awkward.


    It wasn¡¯t Ding Yinuo.


    It was Ding Xiao.


    He was holding some supplements, placing them in the fridge.


    ¡°Uh, big brother, why are you buying so much bird¡¯s nest?¡±


    Yet, Ding Xiao¡¯s smile was exceptionally radiant.


    ¡°Anuo is coming back!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Miss Jiang called back, said they are booking the flight tickets. If nothing goes wrong, they should be home by this Wednesday.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Mom also knows, and she bought a lot of supplements, told me to deliver them here. She also asked me to find time to clean up the house, using pomelo leaves to ward off bad luck.¡±


    No wonder I saw so many pomelo leaves on the shoe rack earlier.


    I nodded happily,


    ¡°Good, good! We need to ward off the bad luck.¡±


    Ding Yinuo is better!


    He is coming back!


    A ray of light finally shone into my previously cold heart.


    The news of Ding Yinuo¡¯s return was indeed joyous.


    We all gathered, discussing how to welcome Ding Yinuo back.


    I also took time to clean the house thoroughly.


    Su Peisheng and other childhood friends of Ding Yinuo, upon hearing of his imminent return, came over every day.


    Excitedly discussing the celebration feast for Yinuo¡¯s return.


    And at this time, Su Peisheng gave me a shocking piece of news,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, tomorrow is the day of the Golden Bay arson trial. Do you want to come and watch?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t spoken yet when Wenya answered for me,


    ¡°Go, of course go. She must go.¡±


    I nodded,


    ¡°Yes, I will go!¡±


    This case was of my highest interest; I was definitely going to go.


    No matter what the outcome¡­


    Su Peisheng patted my shoulder, giving me a meaningful look,


    ¡°Well¡­ you should be mentally prepared. The case might turn out beyond your expectations.¡±


    At that time, I still didn¡¯t realize the brutality of this case; I thought Su Peisheng was just comforting me as a lawyer usually would in day-to-day life.


    I smiled and nodded,


    ¡°I¡¯ve been through every terrible thing there is! What¡¯s there to be afraid of.¡±


    I was actually thinking.


    I knew all the ins and outs of this case.


    Now, going to see the trial was just to witness the final full stop being put on this matter.


    The next morning, I also went to the company to get all my work in order.


    Then Wenya came to pick me up in her car.


    ¡°You¡¯re going too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m free today, figured I¡¯d accompany you for a look!¡±


    Wenya had recently gotten a new car, a gift from Su Peisheng, a red BMW.


    Wenya really liked this car and was happy to drive it all over the place.


    At the red light, Wenya suddenly asked me,


    ¡°What do you think, President Ding¡¯s situation, no matter how I think about it, it does not sit right with me!¡±


    ¡°What doesn¡¯t sit right with you?¡±


    ¡°Him! I¡¯m asking you, has President Ding ever called you?¡± Wenya suddenly inquired.


    I thought about it and shook my head.


    Because I always assumed he was in a vegetative state, I didn¡¯t notice anything amiss when he didn¡¯t call me.


    ¡°What about text messages? WeChat messages, has he sent you any?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s damn strange, if he really recovered, woke up, and is able to speak and move, why hasn¡¯t he called you?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s questioning.


    Made me start to seriously consider this question.


    Upon thinking about it, it did indeed seem problematic.


    Yeah, why hasn¡¯t he contacted me?


    Before he left for the United States, although he couldn¡¯t speak, he could write words in the palm of my hand to communicate with me.


    Why is it that now he has recovered, he¡¯s ignoring me instead?


    After thinking for a long time, I finally said to Wenya,


    ¡°What do you think is the possibility?¡±


    Wenya said,


    ¡°I feel, for sure, it¡¯s that bitch Jiang Jiaying making trouble. She¡¯s the one not letting him contact you!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s a possibility, but it doesn¡¯t matter. After all, he¡¯s coming back the day after tomorrow, and by then, Jiang Jiaying won¡¯t be able to do anything bad anyway.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, let¡¯s not bother with it!¡±


    In fact, I was completely helpless; it was Jiang Jiaying who took him to get medical treatment, and there was nothing I could do.


    However, Wenya couldn¡¯t let go of this issue and kept muttering about it all the way.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remind you, once Ding Yinuo gets back, you need to assert your authority as his lawful wife and make that Jiang bitch keep her distance.¡±


    ¡°Uh, isn¡¯t that a bit extreme?¡±


    ¡°A bit extreme? Don¡¯t forget, back in high school, Jiang Jiaying had already snatched away Ding Yinuo. This woman is definitely not as docile as she appears.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, alright, we¡¯ll see when Ding Yinuo gets back.¡±


    After being reminded by Wenya, I also tried to open my phone and scrolled through Ding Yinuo¡¯s WeChat Moments.


    It was still blank.


    Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of the courthouse.


    Compared to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s trial last time, this trial of Damaha attracted absolutely no attention.


    The entrance of the courthouse was deserted, not a soul in sight.


    Wenya was a little surprised,


    ¡°It seems like no one is paying attention to the Golden Bay case anymore.¡±


    ¡°People are forgetful, not to mention¡­ when Gu Yuanzhou was sentenced to death, everyone had already had their celebration. They probably think it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense!¡±


    Walking into the courthouse, we saw Su Peisheng hastily rushing out.


    Wenya asked, ¡°Why are there so few people?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s normal, the court usually looks like this. Besides lawyers and police, there aren¡¯t too many people. Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s was an extraordinary case; it¡¯s not something that happens all the time. Come on, let¡¯s go inside!¡±


    Because there were so few people, the public gallery had only Wenya and me in it.


    For some reason, when the judge came in, I felt as if I was back to the day of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s trial.


    I stared blankly at the defendant¡¯s seat, my expression absent¡­


    I don¡¯t know what I was thinking, lost in a trance until Wenya nudged me with her hand.


    I finally came back to reality.


    I looked at her blankly,


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Look at Damaha, what is he saying?¡±


    With Wenya¡¯s reminder, I realized that the trial had entered a crucial part.


    At this moment, the judge was questioning Damaha, ¡°Please describe the process of the crime in detail.¡±


    The man sitting in the defendant¡¯s seat, Damaha, had his head shaved, perhaps just out of a coma as he appeared quite pale.


    However, regarding the question posed by the judge, he was able to describe in detail,


    ¡°I had scouted the place beforehand. After seeing the male homeowner leave, I guessed there would be no one else in the Gu Family home. I sneaked in and manually shut off the fire alarm system, then went to the kitchen and opened the gas stove¡­ Waiting for the fire to start, I left through the rooftop.¡±


    Hearing Damaha describe this, I felt as if my heart was being pricked by needles.


    I really wanted to rush out and strangle this man.


    I was trembling with anger; Wenya firmly held onto me, ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t make a scene; this is a courtroom.¡±


    She said it several times, and Su Peisheng also quietly turned his head to look at me.


    He wasn¡¯t the lawyer for today, merely there to accompany us through the proceedings.


    ¡°Ahem, Miss Song, he¡¯s supposed to confess the mastermind today¡­¡±


    His words instantly calmed me down.


    The mastermind!!


    Yes, I had always been suspecting Gu Yuanzhou as the mastermind.


    The purpose of today¡¯s visit was to hear him reveal this final answer, so I could finally let go.


    So, I shifted my focus back to Damaha.


    The judge asked again,


    ¡°Did you commit arson intentionally because you had a grudge against the homeowner, or was it for the sake of monetary gain? You¡¯d better confess truthfully, as leniency is shown to those who do.¡±


    Damaha shook his head,


    ¡°I have no grudge against the homeowners, I was acting under someone¡¯s orders!¡±


    ¡°Whose orders were you acting under?¡±

 Chapter 359 - Chapter 359: Chapter 359: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes is Actually Him_1

    Chapter 359: Chapter 359: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes is Actually Him_1


    ¡°It was Song Shixiong who instigated it! I owed more than a million in gambling debts and loan sharks were after my life everywhere. I had no choice. Song Shixiong promised me that after the deed was done, he would transfer a million to my account.¡±


    ¡°Did you get the million he promised you afterwards?¡±


    ¡°No! After it was done, he only gave me money twice, fifty thousand one time, and a hundred thousand another. Then he threatened me, told me not to look for him again or he¡¯d call the cops on me. Later on, he disappeared, and I couldn¡¯t even find him anymore.¡±


    As the trial progressed to this point, I couldn¡¯t sit still any longer.


    I suddenly stood up.


    Wenya pulled me back down to sit.


    At that moment, a thought unexpectedly surfaced in my mind, and it was that Gu Yuanzhou must have instructed Damaha to say this.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s greatest skill was slinging mud at others.


    But then, upon second thought, something didn¡¯t feel right.


    Wasn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou already dead?


    Not only was he dead, but all his wealth had dissipated too. There was no way he could instruct anyone to do anything anymore.


    The judge continued the interrogation at this point,


    ¡°According to the information we have, the deceased Song Yun was Song Shixiong¡¯s biological niece. How could he possibly hire someone to kill his own kin?¡±


    After contemplating for a moment, Damaha said,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the circumstances at that time, but I heard later on that he owed a lot of money, and that there was an investment project that could have turned his fortunes around. He originally planned that after his niece¡¯s death, he could inherit a portion of her wealth.¡±


    Hearing this infuriated me.


    I refused to believe it.


    And I couldn¡¯t accept it.


    How could my own uncle possibly want me dead?


    The trial was adjourned at this point because a new suspect had emerged.


    The police needed to apprehend the criminal.


    As I walked out of the courthouse, I didn¡¯t say a word.


    Wenya followed closely behind me,


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun! Are you okay?¡±


    From afar, Su Peisheng stood at the door, communicating with a few police officers, seemingly concerned about the progress of the case.


    I quickly descended the steps, with Wenya keeping pace beside me.


    ¡°Ayun, if you¡¯re feeling troubled, can you talk to me about it?¡±


    I stopped and looked at Wenya,


    ¡°Do you think¡­ I¡¯m an idiot?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, I won¡¯t allow you to talk about yourself like that!¡±


    ¡°Ha, but I am¡­ How could I have never known that my own uncle wanted me dead?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, maybe Damaha is lying. Su Peisheng said, we should wait until the police arrest Song Shixiong to decide! Nothing is certain right now.¡±


    I shook my head, kept shaking my head.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to console me! The day I went to the Song Family, I overheard it. Song Shixiong himself admitted, he indirectly caused my mother¡¯s death for money. My mother was his biological sister, and if he could lay a hand on his own sister, let alone me, his niece related by blood but one step removed!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t panic yet, maybe there¡¯s still a chance for things to change?¡±


    ¡°Chance? What chance? In hindsight, it¡¯s clear. When I was young, Song Shixiong spent a fortune to cultivate me. He once intended for me to marry into a wealthy family, to ally through marriage and bring him benefits. Moreover, after my death, he repeatedly demanded compensation from Gu Yuanzhou. He never cared about my well-being, all he wanted was money.¡±


    I shook my head and laughed bitterly,


    ¡°In fact, I should have realized it from the beginning, but unfortunately, I was too foolish. All this time, I hated Gu Yuanzhou with such hatred that it blinded me; I didn¡¯t realize that my true enemy was Song Shixiong¡­¡±


    No one can understand my rage.


    No one can comprehend my heartache.


    If Song Shixiong was the one plotting my murder?


    Then¡­ that would mean that Gu Yuanzhou was wronged.


    The thought was even more distressing.


    I grabbed Wenya¡¯s shoulders,


    ¡°Wenya, Gu Yuanzhou died in vain, it was me who killed him! I was the one who killed him.¡±


    At that moment, I was enveloped in a profound sense of regret.


    My world was enveloped in darkness.


    If that were truly the case, when I went over things, what exactly had I done?


    I was about to be driven insane by my own thoughts.


    Wenya held onto my arm tightly,


    ¡°Ayun, calm down. Even if Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t kill you, but¡­¡±


    Wenya searched her heart, trying to find the faults Gu Yuanzhou had committed.


    But after thinking for a long time, she finally spoke,


    ¡°But, he still had an affair! A man who cheats is trash, and trash deserves to die.¡±


    I fell silent for a moment,


    ¡°Ye Mengyan said that Gu Yuanzhou had never laid a hand on her.¡±


    Wenya chuckled lightly,


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie! If he hadn¡¯t touched her, would he have been so nice to Ye Mengyan? Taking care of her mother, buying her this and that. Don¡¯t forget, he spent so much money on her, and he almost made Ye Mengyan the spokesperson for Zhenyi Company. He did so many things for Ye Mengyan. Do you think he¡¯s a fool?¡±


    I stopped in my tracks, looking at the distant scenery as I fell into deep thought.


    Yes!


    I had almost forgotten about Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s feelings for Ye Mengyan.


    He had, at least, kept her a secret from me for several years, satisfying her material needs.


    I¡¯m certain that Gu Yuanzhou was a very practical and wise man. How could he have been so generous to a woman without reason?


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t think too much about it. What¡¯s done is done, let¡¯s not dwell on the past anymore,¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    Even though I had agreed with Wenya, the thoughts in my heart never ceased.


    I often woke up in the middle of the night, dreaming that Gu Yuanzhou was standing beside my bed.


    He looked at me, his deep eyes filled with pain.


    He kept asking me in a low voice,


    Ayun, do you really want me to die?


    I would wake up from the dream, my back drenched in cold sweat.


    When I awoke, only the pale moonlight spilled through the window.


    The bedroom was empty, no one else was there.


    All of this indicated that the experience was just a dream.


    I covered my face with my hands and got up to walk over to the window.


    Looking out at the pitch-black night, I knew clearly that Gu Yuanzhou would never come again.


    Never!


    A sense of despair spread wantonly at the bottom of my heart,


    submerging my entire being.


    It was truly suffocating.


    The night stretched on endlessly, so long that I thought dawn would never come.


    The next morning.


    I was out of sorts. While making coffee, I accidentally scalded my hand.


    My phone started to ring. I glanced at it and saw it was a call from Song Zexi.


    On the phone, Song Zexi¡¯s voice was forlorn, desperate, and pain-stricken,


    ¡°Last night, the police took my dad away!¡±


    ¡°Huh? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect it, he actually hired someone to kill Ayun! How could I have such a beast for a father?¡±


    ¡°Did he confess?¡±


    ¡°Yes! This morning the police came again, they searched the whole house, and they found the evidence!¡±


    My heart sank, and my grip on the phone began to falter.

 Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Chapter 360 It’s Really Suffocating_1

    Chapter 360: Chapter 360 It¡¯s Really Suffocating_1


    I never thought it would all come so quickly, leaving me no chance to regret.


    On the phone, Song Zexi was shocked and angry.


    ¡°All my life, I knew he was no good. He committed so many unconscionable acts in the past, we never imagined there would come a day when he turned his malevolent claws on his own family.¡±


    ¡°I have failed Ayun! I truly feel I have let her down! Alas!¡±


    Facing Song Zexi¡¯s remorse, I didn¡¯t know how to comfort him.


    After a long silence, I finally asked,


    ¡°Did you find out anything about my father like you said you would?¡±


    ¡°I did! I have a file here, I¡¯ve organized it, and then I¡¯ll send it your way, make sure you check it carefully!¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I zoned out all by myself for a long while.


    I¡¯ve been somewhat out of it these days.


    I often see Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    I feel as if he hasn¡¯t died, always lingering around me, like an inescapable shadow.


    Wenya noticed something was off with me and forcefully took me to see Jia Musen.


    ¡°Dr. Jia, please take a good look at her. Could she be suffering from depression? She¡¯s constantly spacey, distracted, not eating or drinking, and keeps having hallucinations. Look how thin she¡¯s become.¡±


    After checking my eyes, Jia Musen asked,


    ¡°Did you take the medicine I prescribed last time?¡±


    I naturally wouldn¡¯t admit that I¡¯m suffering from depression,


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not sick, my friend is just too worried about me. I just came to clarify, so she wouldn¡¯t worry!¡±


    ¡°I have an assessment here, would you like to try it out?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t test me with this, I have intelligence! I know what answers to fill out for depression.¡±


    Jia Musen looked at me and laughed,


    ¡°This requires your cooperation, you know. If you don¡¯t cooperate, the test is meaningless, ha ha!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not ill!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re not ill. But do you think your hallucinations won¡¯t affect your life?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    Jia Musen tried to guide me, wanting to unravel my inner conflicts. But I was resolute and resistant; no matter what he asked, I wouldn¡¯t follow his lead in my answers.


    In the end, he could only sigh deeply.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    Wenya asked.


    Jia Musen shook his head helplessly,


    ¡°I¡¯ll prescribe some medication for you. Remember to take it when you get home. It won¡¯t work if you don¡¯t take it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure!¡±


    After leaving the clinic, I went to get the medicine.


    Wenya made an excuse to go back to Jia Musen¡¯s clinic and stayed for at least half an hour before coming out.


    I was holding the medicine at the hospital entrance, looking at her,


    ¡°There¡¯s really no need for you to think I¡¯m sick.¡±


    Wenya sighed and patted my shoulder,


    ¡°Ayun, just remember one thing: you haven¡¯t done anything wrong. Gu Yuanzhou is a scumbag; he cheated first, his death was well-deserved.¡±


    ¡°Heh!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say such words anymore.


    The recent series of twists had shaken my confidence; I didn¡¯t dare to say it anymore.


    Fortunately, Ding Yinuo had returned.


    His return felt particularly sudden to me.


    That morning, I was still in a meeting at the company when Ding Xiao suddenly called me.


    ¡°Xiaosong, Anuo is back. After your meeting, come to the house¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Receiving this call, I felt something was off.


    Logically, I should¡¯ve been the first person to know about his return.


    He should¡¯ve at least told me first, so I could have picked him up at the airport.


    But he didn¡¯t inform me about the exact flight details.


    But I went straight back to the Ding Family¡¯s place.


    ¡°Why not go back to Xishan Residence? That¡¯s where we¡¯ve lived since we got married, right?¡±


    Despite having that thought, I was generally happy.


    After all, I had held on for so long, and he had finally gotten better.


    I quickly wrapped up the meeting,


    tidied up a bit, grabbed my bag, and left the company directly.


    On the way, I was still struggling with whether or not to tell Wenya.


    But after much consideration, I still didn¡¯t tell her.


    After all, it was Ding Yinuo¡¯s first day back. He definitely wouldn¡¯t want to see too many outsiders¡­


    I made a special trip to a flower shop and bought a bouquet of fresh flowers.


    Thinking about how long we¡¯d been apart, I was sure we¡¯d have endless things to talk about when we met.


    I fantasized about how he would ask me about the details of those sweet, warm moments we shared while he was in a vegetative state during his hospitalization, when I took care of him.


    I had already thought about how I would answer.


    Finally, I pressed the doorbell of the Ding Family¡¯s house, feeling an excitement like never before.


    The one who came to open the door was Ding Yinuo himself.


    He was dressed in a light grey vest with a white shirt underneath, still as gentle and refined as jade, exuding elegance.


    It seemed the illness of the past few months hadn¡¯t affected him much.


    But strangely, the man in front of me felt like Ding Yinuo, yet at the same time, he didn¡¯t seem to be.


    I was shocked by the origin of this bizarre feeling.


    Only after a long moment did I realize that there was no trace of emotion in his eyes.


    Yes, when he looked at me, there was no joy in his eyes.


    There was even a touch of reluctance¡­


    ¡°Yinuo, you¡¯re finally back!¡±


    I wanted to give him a hug, but he stepped back quietly, avoiding me.


    The smile on my face became slightly awkward.


    To make sure I wasn¡¯t hallucinating, I tried once more, offering him the flowers in my hand.


    ¡°Yinuo, welcome home after your recovery. These flowers are for you.¡±


    As I handed him the flowers, I also took the opportunity to take his hand.


    However, what took me by surprise was that he instinctively shook off my hand.


    Causing the bouquet to fall to the ground¡­


    The atmosphere became awkward for a moment.


    What on earth is going on?


    What¡¯s wrong with him?


    At this time, Jiang Jiaying quickly walked over from the living room. She bent over to pick up the bouquet from the ground and explained to me,


    ¡°The doctor said he¡¯s allergic to pollen!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying, holding the bouquet of fresh flowers, found an excuse and then discreetly threw them into the rubbish bin.


    That was a gesture of my affection, and now she had just trampled over it.


    It was bewildering and very unpleasant.


    I pointed at her and said,


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying, what do you mean by this? Those were the flowers I bought. You should have asked for my opinion before throwing them away, right?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face showed a trace of embarrassment.


    ¡°Sorry, my bad, I was wrong. I won¡¯t throw them away next time, I apologize¡­¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s humble attitude caught me a bit off guard.


    But what I didn¡¯t expect was that Ding Yinuo would actually take Jiang Jiaying¡¯s side. He looked at me and said indifferently,


    ¡°It¡¯s just a bouquet of flowers. There¡¯s no need to make a fuss over it!¡±


    I looked up at Ding Yinuo. His gaze was still without any fluctuations, chillingly cold.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t really that harsh, but his attitude had obviously favored Jiang Jiaying.


    From the moment I entered, he had been cold towards me, and now, he was blatantly protecting Jiang Jiaying, making me feel extremely uncomfortable.


    Since when had I become so insignificant in his heart?


    But it was clearly Ding Yinuo. Why did I feel he had become so unfamiliar?

 Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Chapter 361 Is that you, Ding Yinuo?_1

    Chapter 361: Chapter 361 Is that you, Ding Yinuo?_1


    An awkward atmosphere was spreading for a moment.


    Seeing this, Mrs. Ding promptly scolded Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°You child, how can you speak to your wife like that? She brought flowers to celebrate your return.¡±


    Having said that, she quickly took my hand, pulling me into the living room,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯ve come just in time. You¡¯ve been so worried about Yinuo; now that he¡¯s back, you can finally relax. You are the biggest hero in our Ding Family. Come, sit here.¡±


    As soon as I sat down on the sofa, Ding Ruirui ran over, climbed onto me, and started being coquettish, rubbing her little face against me.


    ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re back, I missed you so much!¡±


    ¡°Mm, I missed you too!¡±


    Ding Ruirui was a very clingy little girl, and after I held her, she snuggled into my arms continuously.


    During this time, Jiang Jiaying also tried to come over and hold her,


    ¡°Little friend, pretty sister has some delicious candy here, do you want some?¡±


    However, no matter how Jiang Jiaying coaxed, the little girl kept her head buried in my chest, refusing to pay her any attention.


    Jiang Jiaying smiled awkwardly,


    ¡°This child is really shy!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not shy; she¡¯s just not used to being with strangers.¡±


    I said flatly.


    In fact, Ding Ruirui was a very sensitive little girl; she didn¡¯t trust people who seemed insecure.


    ¡°Really? I am not a stranger. Come on, sister will take you to buy toys.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was an extremely assertive person.


    She intended to prove my words wrong by deliberately trying to take Ding Ruirui from me.


    ¡°Miss Jiang, you can¡¯t do this!¡±


    I objected.


    But Jiang Jiaying replied rudely,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, don¡¯t drive a wedge between me and Ruirui here. If she¡¯s really scared of strangers, then I need to hold her more, kiss her more. Once we become friends, she won¡¯t be shy anymore. If you keep preventing me from getting close to her, do you not want me to build a good relationship with her, is that it?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s values were indeed twisted, and I couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her.


    But she took advantage of the moment I was distracted by our conversation and snatched Ding Ruirui away from my arms.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Ding Ruirui cried out loud.


    Yet Jiang Jiaying still refused to let her go,


    ¡°Be good, darling, sister will take you to buy some chocolate. What do you want to eat? Don¡¯t cry, shall we go see the monkeys?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying thought that by simply appeasing Ding Ruirui, the child would be as easily swayed as other children.


    But she was wrong.


    Ding Ruirui had been trafficked and kidnapped before; the child had post-traumatic stress disorder.


    At this moment, being forcibly taken away by a stranger, she started to lose control, becoming frantic and aggressive.


    She screamed, her hands clawing at Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face, and even bit her viciously on the shoulder.


    Jiang Jiaying probably did not expect such strong aggression from a little girl.


    She reacted by almost throwing Ding Ruirui onto the sofa.


    Then she looked at me in panic.


    Ruhui, who had been in the room, rushed out upon seeing this, and immediately scolded Jiang Jiaying, complaining,


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch my child. Kids don¡¯t understand things, but you¡¯re an adult, don¡¯t you understand?¡±


    After speaking, she took Ding Ruirui back to the room.


    Jiang Jiaying stood frozen for a long while, not knowing how to respond.


    At this moment, Mrs. Ding came in, saw the tense atmosphere, and quickly said,


    ¡°Uh, the meal is ready; Miss Jiang, could you please come help me in the kitchen for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Auntie, Ruirui¡¯s reaction was really intense just now, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°No worries, it¡¯s just a slight scratch. I think she should be taken to the hospital for a checkup. Luckily, I know some authoritative pediatricians who can treat children like Ruirui.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying wasn¡¯t overly suspicious and followed Ding¡¯s mother straight into the kitchen.


    But I could tell that Ding¡¯s mother was creating an opportunity for me and Ding Yinuo to be alone together.


    Just now, while I was playing with Ding Ruirui, Ding Yinuo had already gone to the study, so he was unaware of everything Jiang Jiaying had just done.


    I got up and went straight to the study.


    Upon opening the door, I saw him sorting files on his desk.


    His face was calm.


    Yes, he was calm, detached, as if those months he had spent in a vegetative state after the accident had never happened.


    He finished sorting the files and then started to flip through medical books.


    I cleared my throat lightly.


    Only then did he look up at me.


    His gaze was no different from when he saw me at the front door just earlier.


    It was overly calm.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo!¡±


    I actually wanted to call him Yinuo or Anuo. It would have sounded more intimate.


    But seeing his cold eyes, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to use such a familiar name.


    ¡°Is there something you need from me?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I wanted to ask how you fared in the United States? Like, during the treatment, did you suffer any pain?¡±


    After all, we had been apart for nearly two months; he should have something to say to me.


    However, he simply said calmly:


    ¡°There was definitely pain, but it¡¯s in the past now, and I don¡¯t want to reminisce.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ okay, do you feel any discomfort now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve recovered!¡±


    ¡°Oh, then during the time you weren¡¯t in the country, your brother managed Tianjiao Company. He¡¯s been really tired and strained¡­¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you there as well?¡±


    His sudden question was bland, but inexplicably carried a hint of sarcasm.


    ¡°Uh, indeed, I did help out a bit, but what I mean is, when do you plan to return to the company to work?¡±


    Ding Yinuo closed the medical book, and looked at me indifferently,


    ¡°I don¡¯t plan to go back to Tianjiao anymore!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I plan to continue being a doctor! Practicing medicine is my dream, not business!¡±


    ¡°But you had said before that you wanted to expand and strengthen Tianjiao¡­¡±


    ¡°The past is the past, now is now¡­ I¡¯ve forgotten about the past, let¡¯s not bring it up again.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Actually, whether he chooses to work or to be a doctor, either is his will, I don¡¯t interfere, and that wasn¡¯t really the issue.


    But from his cold and distant attitude, I always had the feeling that he was intentionally creating a sense of distance between us.


    I talked with him for a while, all initiated by me.


    He answered half-heartedly, sometimes not at all.


    At this moment, Jiang Jiaying also hurriedly ran in.


    Seeing that I was talking with Ding Yinuo, she went straight up and took Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand, ¡°Anuo, time to eat! Auntie¡¯s braised chicken cubes are so delicious, I¡¯ve never tasted anything like it.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t refuse her and stood up to leave with her.


    He nearly brushed past me without a glance, not sparing me a second look.

 Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Chapter 362 The Letter Left by Gu Yuanzhou_1

    Chapter 362: Chapter 362 The Letter Left by Gu Yuanzhou_1


    At this moment, I vaguely felt something stirring within me.


    But I couldn¡¯t be entirely sure.


    Fortunately, Ding¡¯s mother was at my side, skillfully making conversation. At the dinner table, she kept serving me dishes.


    Then she casually said to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Anuo, when you were in a vegetative state at the city hospital, it was Xiaoyun who took care of you. She worked herself to the bone for you, neglecting food and drink, and lost over ten kilos!¡±


    Ding Yinuo hadn¡¯t spoken yet.


    Jiang Jiaying laughed and said,


    ¡°Ah¡­ Ding Yinuo became a vegetable all because of the messy love triangle with Song Xiaoyun and Gu Yuanzhou. In a fit of rage, Yuanzhou had someone run Ding Yinuo over like that. If you think about it, what Song Xiaoyun is doing is essentially self-redemption. Speaking of hardship, our hospital has nurses who can provide round-the-clock care. There¡¯s no helping it if she didn¡¯t want to use the nurses.¡±


    Though the words were harsh, they were the truth.


    It was Ayu who caused the accident¡­


    Ayu was one of Yuanzhou¡¯s people, and whether or not Yuanzhou ordered it, others generally believed it was Yuanzhou¡¯s doing.


    I had no defense.


    I glanced at Ding Yinuo, who was calmly eating his meal with no sign of objection to what was said.


    It seemed like he, too, accepted Jiang Jiaying¡¯s version of events.


    Ding¡¯s mother sighed and continued,


    ¡°Xiaoyun went so far as to test the effectiveness of acupuncture on herself first, puncturing her skin with needles until she was covered in holes.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo glanced at me.


    Jiang Jiaying just laughed,


    ¡°Auntie, you really shouldn¡¯t bring that up anymore. Miss Song doesn¡¯t have a medical license; her treating Ding Yinuo privately is illegal, and if that¡¯s investigated, she could face jail time for it. To be honest, though she may have hurt herself with needles, it¡¯s not something deserving of sympathy. What era are we living in that we still play up such martyrdom? Besides, our hospital is full of reputable traditional Chinese medicine doctors, any one of whom would be a hundred times better than Miss Song. Yet, she insisted on doing it herself, showing she was not only irresponsible to herself but also to Ding Yinuo.¡±


    All my efforts and kindness towards Ding Yinuo, as spoken by Jiang Jiaying,


    became worthless.


    Yet, there seemed to be nothing wrong with her words.


    Ding¡¯s mother looked slightly embarrassed.


    Afterward, she spoke some words in my favor.


    Although Jiang Jiaying did not argue back, Ding Yinuo showed no reaction.


    He neither responded nor interrupted.


    It was as if he was listening to someone else¡¯s story.


    The lunch ended in supreme awkwardness.


    I attempted to communicate with Ding Yinuo several times, but he was obviously indifferent.


    After lunch, Ding¡¯s mother packed some things to give to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Here are some snacks for you to take to Xishan Residence. Spend some quality time with Xiaoyun. She has sacrificed a lot for you. Now that you¡¯re awake, treat her well.¡±


    However, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t reach out to take the items, instead he indifferently said,


    ¡°I¡¯m not moving to Xishan Residence. I¡¯ll stay here.¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother was slightly taken aback,


    ¡°How can that be possible? Your home with Xiaoyun is over there, not here. Go back there!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said I will stay here. I¡¯m not going anywhere else!¡±


    As a confrontation loomed between mother and son, I quickly intervened, trying to mediate,


    ¡°Mom, let it be. If he doesn¡¯t want to go, then don¡¯t force him. He¡¯s just recovered; he needs time to readjust. Give him some space; I¡¯m quite busy these days myself, with things to sort out.¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother let out a sigh, then turned to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Fine, if you won¡¯t move there, at least drive your wife home. Go on, take her back.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s response was even colder,


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time. Let her take a taxi back.¡±


    His words clearly and sharply rejected me.


    Despite the anxious look on Mother Ding¡¯s face, she was helpless, after all, she could not persuade her own son.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom, I¡¯ll go back on my own, actually, I still need to visit the company!¡±


    Before leaving, I originally wanted to greet Ding Yinuo.


    But he had already turned around and was whispering something to Jiang Jiaying, their distance noticeably close.


    I thus dismissed the thought and silently turned away on my own.


    Shortly after leaving the Ding Family, Wenya called me.


    ¡°Ayun, how did it go?¡±


    Her voice carried a hint of laughter.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®how did it go¡¯?¡±


    ¡°People say absence makes the heart grow fonder, you must have had quite the, cough cough, children-inappropriate time with President Ding today?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Wenya, I might not be able to continue with Ding Yinuo.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Why not?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s talk about it later, I¡¯ve got something else to do!¡±


    After hanging up.


    I sat alone in the park for a long time.


    I bought a packet of peanuts and sat on a bench with many little squirrels running around nearby.


    I scattered the peanuts on the ground and watched the little creatures scramble for them.


    I thought about the words Ding Yinuo had said, he said he was no longer interested in Tianjiao Company and wanted to go back to being a doctor.


    I had joined Tianjiao Company only because of Ding Yinuo¡¯s invitation.


    Now that he wasn¡¯t coming anymore, there was no point in me staying at Tianjiao Company.


    For a moment, I found myself feeling somewhat lost.


    In a brief moment of absent-mindedness.


    I felt someone calling me from behind.


    ¡°Miss Song!¡±


    At first, I thought it was an illusion.


    But when I turned around, I saw it was actually Zhou Chenming.


    Zhou Chenming had just gotten out of a car,


    ¡°I saw you from across the street just now and thought I was seeing things; I was even a little afraid to recognize you.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Lawyer Zhou, is there something you need from me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a little matter¡­ In general, two things. First, about Zhenyi Company, I hope you can go there and handle it sooner. If it¡¯s left unattended for too long, the company could face bankruptcy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    ¡°The other thing is¡­ Gu Yuanzhou had been looking forward to your visit when he was in prison.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t go!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, he wrote some letters in prison, hoping you would read them. This is¡­ Gu¡¯s deepest feelings, cherish them well.¡±


    After handing me an envelope, Zhou Chenming waved and then left.


    Watching Zhou Chenming¡¯s retreating figure, for the first time, I felt this person was not as annoying as I had imagined.


    I lowered my head, feeling the weighty heft of the envelope in my hand.


    I wondered, Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t been in prison very long, how could he have written so many words?


    Could Zhou Chenming have made a mistake?


    I held the thick envelope, dazed, for quite a while.


    Opening the envelope, there was a thick stack inside. Just as I was about to take it out and have a look, someone suddenly called out to me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun!¡±


    I looked up to see a car stopped in front of me, its window slowly rolling down, a familiar face appearing in my line of sight.

 Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Chapter 363 Crying Like a Fool_1

    Chapter 363: Chapter 363 Crying Like a Fool_1


    ¡°Shen Yishu?¡±


    What¡¯s going on today, bumping into acquaintances everywhere in the park.


    ¡°Get in the car!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯d like to walk around outside a bit more!¡±


    I don¡¯t feel like going home right now, nor do I want to go anywhere else.


    ¡°Get in, I need your help with something!¡±


    ¡°Help?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ get in!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    I opened the passenger door and got in.


    While I was buckling up, Shen Yishu turned his head to look at me,


    ¡°I heard that Ding Yinuo got back from treatment?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    I responded indifferently.


    He nodded,


    ¡°So, the favor I¡¯m going to ask, should I inform Ding Yinuo about it first?¡±


    ¡°What help do you need?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ sigh, those relatives back home, including my parents, they keep trying to set me up on blind dates. They say that back in our hometown, at my age, people are already married with kids. So they have been pressuring me, I¡¯ve refused many times, but they don¡¯t give up, they keep bringing those girls to me over and over again.¡±


    Seeing the troubled expression on Shen Yishu¡¯s face, I couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter,


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just listen to your parents and find a partner?¡±


    Shen Yishu shook his head,


    ¡°No one else knows, but you¡¯re aware. My career is on the rise right now. I don¡¯t have the time or energy to date, let alone manage a family. Moreover, marrying someone I don¡¯t love would definitely not make me happy.¡±


    I casually asked a few more questions,


    ¡°How¡¯s your work going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on the rise. After this period of development, the market is getting bigger. I¡¯m planning to expand to the national market. The company is growing, we¡¯ve been recruiting these past few days.¡±


    Shen Yishu spoke with ease, and I listened attentively, later giving him some constructive suggestions.


    ¡°So, how exactly do you want me to help you?¡±


    ¡°Just pretend to be my girlfriend later on, and help me fend off my parents and those relatives.¡±


    ¡°Me? Are we a good match?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s not a good match?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m much older, maybe you should ask Jia Yuyan for help?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not great, I¡¯m not very familiar with Miss Jia, and it¡¯s also too late to bother her now. Since you happen to be free, it¡¯s just a small favor, not like we¡¯re having a real relationship.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then fine¡­ please take me back to Xishan Residence first; I¡¯ll change my clothes!¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    I noticed that Shen Yishu was getting more adept at driving, his car quietly weaving through the city lights.


    I glanced out at the crowd through the car window. Could one of those fleeting figures be Gu Yuanzhou?


    Oh, there couldn¡¯t be!


    He¡¯s dead!


    I gripped the folder in my hand tighter but lacked the courage to open it.


    Half an hour later, the car stopped at the entrance of Xishan Residence.


    After getting out, I went inside to change clothes.


    The living room was tidy and clean, with fresh flowers arranged on the table, awaiting Ding Yinuo.


    I changed into a dress, applied some light makeup, trying to make myself look more vibrant.


    Shen Yishu was on the phone in the living room.


    When I came out, he ended the call and looked at me deeply.


    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s the matter? Is there a problem? Is my makeup too thick?¡±


    Shen Yishu, just getting off the phone, scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you really are beautiful!¡±


    ¡°Stop it right there, don¡¯t let your mind wander to some not-so-pure thoughts. Come on, get ready to go.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course, shall we go? Do you need me to carry your bag?¡±


    ¡°No need!¡±


    After leaving the house, Shen Yishu asked me,


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Ding Yinuo is back, right?¡±


    I settled into the car and responded indifferently, ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Shen Yishu started the car, his hands on the steering wheel, and asked me,


    ¡°Then why isn¡¯t he staying at Xishan Residence?¡±


    Anyone with eyes could tell that only I lived in Xishan Residence, without Ding Yinuo in sight.


    ¡°Uh, he¡¯s staying with his parents first!¡±


    I tried to downplay it as much as possible.


    Shen Yishu seemed to sense something, but he didn¡¯t pry further and instead started telling me jokes.


    Shen Yishu had truly matured a lot from the somewhat naive and silly young guy into a mature man.


    He even knew how to cheer me up now¡ªtruly rare.


    Throughout the ride, we laughed and chatted, and he managed to distract me, significantly lifting my spirits.


    Lately, Shen Yishu had indeed made some money and bought a spacious flat in a nearby upscale neighborhood.


    The house came with interior decoration, a cozy three-bedroom¡­


    As soon as I entered, I was met with stares from everyone.


    There were many guests, including Shen Yishu¡¯s parents and some relatives from his hometown.


    Shen Yishu introduced me to his parents with ease, ¡°Mom, Dad, this is Xiaoyun, my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what a beautiful girl! So elegant and delicate¡­ much prettier than that Mengyan from before.¡±


    The relatives encircled me, showering me with compliments, making me feel quite embarrassed.


    ¡°Young lady, come, come, sit here. Where do you work? What¡¯s your job? What do your parents do? Are they retired? Do you have any siblings?¡±


    These were standard questions from the matchmaking market, which I answered according to the standard responses.


    After all, my visit today was just to fulfill a role¡­


    Shen Yishu was busy serving tea and water, his face always sporting a radiant smile.


    Shen¡¯s mother held my hand and looked me over,


    ¡°Ah, a bit skinny!¡±


    Shen Yishu laughed and said,


    ¡°She¡¯s on a diet! Mom, nowadays girls all value being slim as beautiful, the thinner, the better.¡±


    Shen¡¯s mother pursed her lips,


    ¡°Too skinny isn¡¯t good, it makes childbearing difficult!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem at all, isn¡¯t it easy to gain weight? She can just eat more in the future.¡±


    Shen Yishu smoothly deflected for me.


    ¡°By the way, when do you two plan to get married, and how much dowry do you need?¡±


    Shen¡¯s mother was very direct, seemingly eager to have a grandchild.


    ¡°Uh, about that question, I think it¡¯s better for you to ask Yishu. I can¡¯t answer it.¡±


    This old lady was quite something, with endless questions, and I was struggling to cope, so I directly passed them on to Shen Yishu to avoid any mistakes.


    Shen Yishu pulled his mother to the side,


    ¡°Mom, go make some ginger tea in the kitchen¡­ Xiaoyun and I have just started dating; asking too much will scare her away.¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright then!¡±


    Finally, Shen¡¯s mother left, and I breathed a sigh of relief.


    After the initial excitement, everyone began to settle down.


    Shen Yishu brought lots of snacks and cut fruit from his room¡­


    During a trip to the restroom, when I returned, I overheard a relative mention Ye Mengyan, ¡°Speaking of that Ye girl, wasn¡¯t she Yishu¡¯s childhood sweetheart? Why did they break up?¡±


    These few people hadn¡¯t seen me, so their conversation was quite heated¡­


    ¡°They broke up a long time ago! Apparently, she ran off with a wealthy man named Gu.¡±


    ¡°Really? That girl seemed so innocent. I¡¯ve seen her a few times. I know her parents from our village.¡±


    ¡°That girl is really foolish, not marrying into the Shen family but instead running off with a wealthy man. As if someone with money would take her seriously.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not the least bit foolish. I heard it from her mother; there was a time when this man was being pursued, got seriously injured, and it was her mother who saved his life. That man owes the Ye family a life, so naturally, he would treat their daughter well.¡±

 Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Chapter 364: It turns out that he was once engaged to Ye Mengyan_1

    Chapter 364: Chapter 364: It turns out that he was once engaged to Ye Mengyan_1


    This revelation left me utterly shocked.


    I had never known.


    Gu Yuanzhou and Ye Mengyan had such a history together?


    When was he being chased to be killed?


    No wonder he chose Ye Mengyan first among that group of poor college students¡ªwas it to repay a debt of gratitude?


    Why didn¡¯t he tell me?


    I wanted to find out more, but these people seemed to realize the topic was getting too sensitive.


    So they changed the subject.


    After the meal was served, I joined the Shen family¡¯s relatives for dinner.


    An hour later, when I left, Mother Shen gave me a red envelope.


    Once outside, I opened the red envelope and counted it¡ªten thousand and one yuan.


    I asked Shen Yishu with a smile,


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°It means ¡®one in ten thousand.¡¯ It means my mom is very satisfied with you! She hopes you can become the daughter-in-law of the Shen family!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, well then¡­ I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s going to be disappointed, I¡¯m already someone¡¯s wife! Okay, here, take this back, my mission is accomplished.¡±


    I handed the red envelope back to Shen Yishu.


    I was just playing a guest role, not the lead; it wouldn¡¯t be right for me to take this money.


    Shen Yishu took out his car keys,


    ¡°Let me drive you back!¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯m not going back, I¡¯ve got some errands to run! I¡¯ll go back later.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going? It¡¯s getting late¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, I already called a car online.¡±


    The ridesharing car arrived quickly.


    As I was about to get into the car, Shen Yishu caught up with me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you still don¡¯t trust me. What do I need to do for you to consider me your best friend?¡±


    I waved at him,


    ¡°You overthink it, I actually trust you quite a lot, we¡¯ll always be friends.¡±


    With that, the car drove away.


    Shen Yishu stood there, watching me go.


    The driver chuckled,


    ¡°Miss, that young man clearly doesn¡¯t just want to be your friend; he wants to be someone more important in your life.¡±


    I chuckled lightly in response,


    ¡°There¡¯s no fate there; some people are meant to just be friends for life. Master, please take me to City First Hospital.¡±


    Half an hour later.


    The car stopped at the entrance of City First Hospital.


    It was about ten o¡¯clock at night by this point.


    Ye Mengyan had taken me here before, when Mother Ye was hospitalized.


    I bought some fruit baskets and then walked into the ward.


    At this time, Ye Mengyan was not here, only her mother lay alone on the hospital bed.


    Her face was sallow, her eyes shut tight. After I called to her twice, she finally opened her eyes, and it took a long while before she recognized me.


    ¡°You¡¯re here for Mengyan, aren¡¯t you? She¡¯s working the night shift outside, and will only come over tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I want to ask you about your involvement with Mr. Gu.¡±


    Upon hearing this, tears started flowing down Ye¡¯s mother¡¯s cheeks. Clearly, she already knew about Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s execution.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone. What¡¯s the point of bringing this up now?¡±


    I fell silent.


    ¡°I understand that Gu Yuanzhou sponsored Ye Mengyan¡¯s education?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed! He was a truly good man. He showed utmost kindness to Mengyan. It¡¯s Mengmeng who wasn¡¯t satisfied and wanted more.¡±


    ¡°I heard¡­ that you once saved Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s life!¡±


    I asked as calmly as I could.


    ¡°Who told you that? That happened so many years ago¡ªI reckon nearly twenty years! Mengmeng was only two or three years old at the time.¡±


    ¡°I overheard some people in the village discussing it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Sigh, our village is so small, a little news spreads to everyone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing. You don¡¯t have to mind it.¡±


    Encouraged by my consolation,


    Ye¡¯s mother pondered for a long time before she slowly began to speak.


    ¡°Indeed, there was such an event, but it happened a long time ago. Let¡¯s see, it¡¯s been about twenty years. It was a winter morning, heavy snow had fallen, and when I got up to clean the courtyard, I saw a boy lying in the snow, bloodied and frozen stiff. It was just getting light, and there were no adults around. I called out a few times, but no one answered, so I carried him into the house.¡±


    ¡°Then I called Mengmeng¡¯s father to get up; we made a fire, boiled some water, gave him a bit to drink, and used a warm towel to wipe down his body. We later called a doctor from our community to stitch up his wounds. The boy was lucky to be alive. We were very poor at that time and didn¡¯t have much to give him, just some millet porridge every day, and we saved the eggs from our silly chicken, which we couldn¡¯t bear to sell, for him to eat. After nursing him for a month like that, he surprisingly recovered.¡±


    I nodded, ¡°And after that?¡±


    ¡°The boy was very quiet and wouldn¡¯t speak. No matter what we asked, he said nothing¡­ However, the news quickly spread throughout the village. Some knowledgeable elders in the village commented that there was an air of nobility about the boy¡¯s features and that he must have come from a wealthy family. They suggested we establish a kinship with him. Back then, we didn¡¯t have a male child in the family, so we thought when he grew up, he could marry into the Ye Family. So, without consulting anyone, we arranged a child betrothal between him and Mengyan. But he only stayed with us for half a year before he disappeared. We had no idea where he came from or where he went.¡±


    I nodded again, utterly astonished to discover that Gu Yuanzhou was child-betrothed to Ye Mengyan.


    ¡°Later on, after you found Gu Yuanzhou, did you ever bring up the betrothal and ask him to fulfill it?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, how could we dare¡­ We had no idea who he was before. It was when Mengmeng started university that she said a benefactor sponsored her, a man named Gu Yuanzhou. But later Mengmeng mentioned that he was already married and had a family. I thought that since the child betrothal was arranged by us adults and the child did not understand such things back then, it didn¡¯t really count. And since he was married, we couldn¡¯t very well disturb his family. So I told Mengyan to forget the idea and not to destroy someone else¡¯s family¡­¡±


    Ye Mother¡¯s words were a revelation to me.


    So that was the truth.


    Why had he never told me about it?


    Ye¡¯s mother was right, the child betrothal wasn¡¯t something Gu Yuanzhou had decided himself, nor did it carry any legal weight.


    Even if he had told me, I wouldn¡¯t have held him accountable, would I?


    Why didn¡¯t he say anything?


    What was his reason?


    After talking to Ye¡¯s mother, when I stepped out of the corridor, I happened to see Ye Mengyan pleading with the doctor,


    ¡°Dr. Zhou, please give me a few more days¡¯ grace. I really will find a way to make up my mother¡¯s medical expenses.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve been delaying for a month; if you don¡¯t pay up, we¡¯ll process her discharge tomorrow. Our hospital isn¡¯t a charity!¡±


    Although I had intended to leave, I instead went around to the outpatient hall to pay and settled all the medical bills for Ye¡¯s mother.


    Since she had saved Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s life all those years ago, I might as well treat this as a way to repay her favor on Gu¡¯s behalf.


    After walking out of the hospital¡¯s main gate, I shockingly realized that the envelope containing Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s letters, given to me by Zhou Chenming, was inadvertently left in Shen Yishu¡¯s car.

 Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Chapter 365 What Should I Do with the Rest of My Life _1

    Chapter 365: Chapter 365 What Should I Do with the Rest of My Life _1


    ¡°`


    It seems I was really too absent-minded.


    On the way back, as I sat in the taxi, I looked out at the night through the window and fell into deep thought.


    Mrs. Ye said, saving Gu Yuanzhou was something that happened twenty years ago.


    By that logic, Gu Yuanzhou was only in his teens at the time¡­


    Why would a child in his teens be slashed all over and run desperately through the snowy night?


    What kind of grudge, what kind of hatred could this be?


    I felt very conflicted inside.


    One voice told me not to meddle in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s affairs.


    Yet another voice urged me to clear up all these matters.


    After all, he was the man I had been married to for over ten years; I couldn¡¯t remain ignorant of his background even after his death.


    I returned to Xishan Residence.


    At the gate, from a distance, I could see two figures moving about.


    Only when I got closer did I see clearly that they were Wenya and Su Peisheng, standing very close together¡ªin fact, from afar, they looked like one person.


    The two were chatting about something, both with smiles brimming on their faces.


    Their smiles had a sweetness to them.


    ¡°Ahem, aren¡¯t you two a bit inconsiderate, spreading dog food like this in the dead of night? Shouldn¡¯t you think about those with broken hearts?¡±


    As soon as I said this, Wenya turned around and walked briskly towards me.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Eh, just wandering around outside! Did you two need me for something?¡±


    ¡°No, no, we just missed you and wanted to keep you company, is that not okay?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside!¡±


    I used my keys to open the door.


    After entering, Wenya looked around.


    Though she didn¡¯t say it, I could tell she was searching for the figure of Ding Yinuo.


    Not finding Ding Yinuo, she didn¡¯t ask me about it.


    Instead, she sat down and started ordering takeout on her phone.


    Su Peisheng sat on the sofa and said to me, ¡°You know about Song Shixiong being detained, right?¡±


    ¡°Not really, I haven¡¯t been following the Song family¡¯s affairs recently.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, the case is still under trial¡­ It actually has attracted a lot of attention. What¡¯s your take on it?¡±


    ¡°If he really did it, I hope he faces the law!¡±


    I was actually quite speechless.


    The person I had respected for over twenty years turned out to be such a monster.


    Thinking about how Wu Lijuan and both his sons had broken off ties with him, it was clear just how terrible his character was.


    Shortly after, the doorbell rang, and Wenya got up to open the door, cheerfully calling out,


    ¡°The good stuff is here, barbecue!¡±


    Wenya had ordered a load of barbecue food¡­


    And beer.


    She opened a can of beer and handed it to me,


    ¡°If you¡¯re feeling down, drink a little more! Cheer up, it¡¯s really not the end of the world.¡±


    I chuckled lightly and asked her,


    ¡°What are you talking about? Why should I be feeling down?¡±


    Before Wenya could speak, Su Peisheng beat her to it,


    ¡°We just saw Ding Yinuo together with Jiang Jiaying¡­ Wenya was worried you¡¯d be upset. Actually¡­¡±


    He hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Wenya immediately covered his mouth,


    ¡°Can¡¯t you speak properly? If you can¡¯t talk properly, then don¡¯t talk at all!¡±


    Looking at them like that, they must know some of the details already.


    Wenya just came in, looking around, probably to see if Ding Yinuo¡¯s clothes had been moved here.


    ¡°Enough, both of you! No need to hide anything now, it¡¯s not a surprise that he went to the movies with Jiang Jiaying.¡±


    ¡°Uh, you know about that?¡±


    Wenya asked again.


    I took a sip of beer from the can,


    ¡°I¡¯m not blind, you can¡¯t hide matters of the heart, there are always traces to be found.¡±


    Wenya sighed, then kicked Su Peisheng in the leg,


    ¡°You scumbag, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    Su Peisheng was eating kebabs, confused by the kick,


    ¡°Yaya, I¡¯m not a scumbag! What do you want me to say, huh?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! Just look at how much Ayun put into Ding Yinuo, and in the end, once things got better with him, he goes and gets back together with his ex-girlfriend. If that¡¯s not a scumbag, what is?¡±


    Su Peisheng wiped his mouth with a napkin,


    ¡°You can¡¯t just say that! There must be some misunderstanding. Based on my understanding of President Ding, he¡¯s not the type to abandon someone after getting what he wants. I might believe it if it were someone else, but Ding Yinuo, really, he¡¯s been my buddy since we were kids, we¡¯ve grown up together, he wouldn¡¯t change his heart.¡±


    ¡°What a load of crap¡­ Last time Jiang Jiaying came to pick up his clothes and luggage, plus all those days in the United States without even a single phone call, that says a lot.¡±


    ¡°Eh, I still stand by my position, there¡¯s got to be some misunderstanding. I still believe in Ding Yinuo¡¯s character.¡±


    ¡°Su Peisheng, what¡¯s this called, seeing things through a filter? That¡¯s right, just because Ding Yinuo is your buddy, you see him in a better light. Now I¡¯m asking you, if you have to take sides, will you choose me, or will you choose Ding Yinuo?¡±


    Wenya was getting angry, insisting that Su Peisheng take a side.


    Su Peisheng spread his hands in a helpless defense.


    ¡°My dear, it¡¯s not about taking sides. One is a good brother, the other is a girlfriend. You both have different places in my life, how can I take sides?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not acceptable, today you have to take a stand, it¡¯s either me or him¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really putting me in a tough spot, honey. Can¡¯t we be rational, stop fighting?¡±


    Su Peisheng was at a loss for words.


    Wenya¡¯s temper flared up, she stood up, snatched the kebabs from Su Peisheng¡¯s hands, and pushed him towards the door.


    ¡°Alright, enough, you¡¯re still eating mine¡­ and you even take the scumbag¡¯s side, let¡¯s just end our friendship.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Yaya, listen to me explain!¡±


    Su Peisheng was forcibly pushed to the door by Wenya.


    I watched him with a smile, ¡°The so-called top debater of A City, Su the lawyer, how come you can¡¯t even defend yourself?¡±


    Su Peisheng spread his hands, ¡°The key issue is that this judge is unreasonable! She¡¯s making a scene, and if I say something wrong, she seeks revenge!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°Come on, Wenya¡­ just let him go! This is Ding Yinuo¡¯s personal issue, what¡¯s it got to do with Su Peisheng? The sins of the friend should not affect the other, let alone he¡¯s just a friend. Forget it.¡±


    I played the peacemaker, and only then did Wenya agree to let Su Peisheng off, ¡°Hmph, for Ayun¡¯s sake, I won¡¯t hold it against you today. But from now on, you¡¯re not allowed to mention that scumbag in front of us.¡±


    ¡°Hey, stop calling him a scumbag¡­ he¡¯s not a scumbag¡­¡±


    ¡°You still want to argue, huh?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m wrong, please spare me, Your Honor. I just won¡¯t mention him next time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it, sit down!¡±


    I must say, having these two friends around really helped me relax a lot.


    Wenya then asked me, ¡°So, what are you planning to do next?¡±


    After thinking it over, I decided to tell her,


    ¡°I actually went to see Ye Mengyan¡¯s mother just now and learned some things.¡±


    Next, I told Wenya everything I had learned from Mengyan¡¯s mother.


    After listening, Wenya fell silent, ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying that you misunderstood Gu Yuanzhou? He never loved Ye Mengyan and was nice to her purely to repay a debt of gratitude?¡±


    I was silent for a while, ¡°What I want to know more is, what exactly happened twenty years ago!¡±

 Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Chapter 366 He Enters Her Dreams Every Night_1

    Chapter 366: Chapter 366 He Enters Her Dreams Every Night_1


    Wenya let out a deep sigh,


    ¡°Ayun, actually, so many years have passed. The truth of the matter doesn¡¯t matter anymore. After all, Gu Yuanzhou¡­ is already dead. Let all grievances return to dust. The more you know, the more regret you¡¯ll have in your heart, and the more pain you¡¯ll feel.¡±


    ¡°It hurts, yes, but I don¡¯t want to deceive myself for a lifetime in a daze.¡±


    ¡°But, with Gu Yuanzhou gone, and he has no parents or siblings, where will you go to find the truth?¡±


    No sooner had Wenya asked this question,


    than Su Peisheng gave me the answer, ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have an aunt in the Nun¡¯s Nunnery at Qingmu Mountain?¡±


    Wenya immediately kicked him again, ¡°It¡¯s always you who has the smarts, always you who can¡¯t keep his mouth shut, you¡¯d feel uncomfortable if you didn¡¯t speak up, right?¡±


    I patted Wenya¡¯s arm, ¡°It¡¯s okay, he¡¯s right. Actually, even if he hadn¡¯t said it, I would have thought of it myself. I plan to go there tomorrow to check it out.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, there¡¯s really no need. Let bygones be bygones!¡±


    I didn¡¯t argue with Wenya.


    I¡¯m the kind of person who likes things clear-cut, everything laid out clearly.


    There can be no confusion.


    This late-night meal lasted a long time, until one o¡¯clock in the morning.


    Wenya claimed to have drunk too much and insisted on staying at my place for the night.


    I could tell she wasn¡¯t really drunk, she just wanted an excuse to stay with me.


    I didn¡¯t keep her, instead, I persuaded her and Su Peisheng to go home.


    We¡¯re all adults now.


    No matter how tough the barrier, I can get over it myself.


    That night, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    Tossing and turning in bed, rolling around with my pillow, despite desperately wanting to sleep, my mind was unusually alert.


    Only at dawn did I manage to drift off in a daze.


    However, I hadn¡¯t slept long when I was awakened by the sound of the doorbell.


    When I got out of bed to open the door, there stood Shen Yishu, his left hand holding a packaged breakfast, his right hand clutching a document bag.


    Upon closer inspection, it was indeed the letter from Gu Yuanzhou that I¡¯d left in the car.


    ¡°Such heavy dark circles, you didn¡¯t sleep well last night again?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I had insomnia!¡±


    ¡°I think, maybe you should consider taking some of the medicine Dr. Jiang prescribed you,¡± Shen Yishu suggested as he placed the packaged breakfast on the table.


    After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I felt utterly drained when I finally sat down on the chair.


    For some reason, I had dreamt about Gu Yuanzhou all night long.


    Sometimes in my dream, I saw him in the courtroom, staring at me with bloodshot eyes, bitterly asking, Ayun, do you want me to die?


    ¡°Ayun?¡±


    I looked up sharply, and Shen Yishu was watching me.


    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s up, what did you just call me?¡±


    ¡°Called you Xiaoyun, what¡¯s wrong? Xiaoyun, you look really pale, are you sick?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, maybe I¡¯ve just caught a cold recently and I¡¯m a bit weak.¡±


    ¡°Oh, eat this breakfast then! I¡¯ll go with you to see the doctor later.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to see a doctor, it¡¯s just a minor illness¡­¡±


    In fact, I wasn¡¯t hungry at all, not the slightest appetite.


    But since Shen Yishu had gone to the trouble of buying it, I couldn¡¯t dismiss his kindness.


    And besides, eating breakfast is something everyone should do.


    I nibbled on a little bit.


    Shen Yishu just sat silently next to me, watching me.


    After a long while, he said,


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t Ding Yinuo come back yet?¡±


    ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Then you two¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it, Shen Yishu, I need to go out.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    I grabbed a windbreaker and, clutching my bag, looked at Shen Yishu, ¡°You go to work, I¡¯ll handle my matters myself.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, let me be your driver today, just tell me where you want to go. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t interfere with your affairs. I just see that you¡¯re in this state and am afraid you¡¯ll faint outside. It¡¯s better if I¡¯m nearby to look after you.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t refuse Shen Yishu when he put it like that.


    So, I nodded in agreement.


    When the two of us stepped out, the sky was overcast.


    Shen Yishu drove, and after I got into the car, he handed me a box of chocolates.


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°Qingmu Mountain!¡±


    Shen Yishu really did honor his promise, not asking any superfluous questions.


    That place was indeed far and secluded.


    It took over an hour to reach our destination.


    Shen Yishu parked the car at the parking lot at the foot of the mountain, and I pushed open the car door to step out.


    Somehow, it had started to drizzle. The rain was light, but it felt ice-cold on my face.


    I took a long, deep look towards the eaves of the temple in the woods and then began to walk up the mountain path, with Shen Yishu following behind, holding an umbrella aloft.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, wait up. Don¡¯t go so fast; the mountain roads are slippery.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure!¡±


    It took nearly half an hour for the two of us to walk up the mountain.


    The mountain path was difficult to navigate on a good day, let alone slippery from the rain.


    Throughout the journey, I was fortunate to have Shen Yishu supporting me; otherwise, I would have truly ended up covered in mud.


    We finally reached the nunnery, only to find the doors tightly shut.


    After knocking for a long while, an old nun came to open the door. After we explained our purpose,


    The old nun shook her head and said,


    ¡°She is not seeing visitors anymore!¡±


    ¡°Master, please convey a message to Gu Xinlan for me. I really have urgent business with her.¡±


    The old nun sighed and said,


    ¡°Originally, Miaohui practiced her devotion while keeping her hair, and she had only one worldly concern, which was her nephew. Last month, her niece passed away, and after she brought back the urn, she requested to be ordained! Now her worldly ties have ended, her heart has died, and she will not see anyone from the secular world again. Please, both of you, go back!¡±


    Such words were bitterly heartbreaking to hear.


    Gu Yuanzhou was probably Gu Xinlan¡¯s only concern in life.


    Her last kin.


    His death was a fatal blow to Gu Xinlan.


    It was only natural that she refused to see us.


    The old nun was about to close the door after speaking.


    Shen Yishu quickly said,


    ¡°Master, our visit today was to fulfill a vow. Once we have offered incense to the Bodhisattva and completed our vow, we will leave. You see, on this rainy day, it wasn¡¯t easy for us to climb the mountain, and several times we nearly fell off the cliffs. I was thinking that this might be a test from the Bodhisattva. You see, we persisted all the way up here; we can¡¯t just leave without seeing the Bodhisattva, right?¡±


    Moved by our muddied appearance, the old nun showed compassion and let us in.


    Shen Yishu first made a donation for merit and then accompanied me to pay respects in the main hall¡­


    After the old nun left, he turned to me and said, ¡°You go to the back chamber to find Gu Xinlan. I¡¯ll watch over things here for you.¡±


    Then it hit me; his talk of fulfilling a vow was a ruse; the real aim was to find a way to let me in.


    I had visited once before and knew where Gu Xinlan lived, so I headed straight for the back chamber.


    Finally, in this simple room, I saw Gu Xinlan.


    She was very different from before.


    Dressed in a monk¡¯s robe, her head shaved clean, she looked no different from the other nuns.


    Now, she was kneeling on a meditation cushion, her small figure almost curled into a ball, a sight that struck a chord of pity.


    Her fingers were moving through Buddha beads as she murmured sutras that I couldn¡¯t understand.


    I didn¡¯t disturb her and just silently knelt beside her on another cushion.


    I don¡¯t know how long I knelt there for, only to be startled by the tolling of a heavy bell in the distance.


    Only then did she stop her chanting, glanced at me, and sighed deeply, ¡°Karmic ties, alas!¡±

 Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: Chapter 367: A Detailed Conversation with Gu Xinlan_1

    Chapter 367: Chapter 367: A Detailed Conversation with Gu Xinlan_1


    ¡°Get up, don¡¯t kneel anymore. You people from the secular world are delicate; how can you endure kneeling for such a long time!¡±


    Although the meditation cushion was soft, indeed it was not suitable for someone like me who had never kneeled for so long before; after a while, my entire lower limbs had already become numb.


    She reached out to pull me up, and only then did I manage to struggle to my feet.


    ¡°Sit down!¡±


    Gu Xinlan¡¯s reaction was quite calm.


    However, upon closer inspection, one could see that the tips of her newly grown hair at the temples were somewhat white, and her face was also creased with wrinkles.


    It seemed that the blow she had received was far greater than I had imagined.


    She poured me a cup of clear tea.


    ¡°In the sacred grounds of the Buddhist Sect, there¡¯s not much with which to entertain guests, only simple tea ¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    I picked up the rough porcelain cup and took a sip.


    Bitter and astringent.


    I let that bitter taste linger on the tip of my tongue, slowly seeping down my throat.


    Yet, even the most bitter tea was not as bitter as my heart at that moment.


    ¡°Go ahead, what do you want to ask me?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I want to know about Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s background ¡­¡±


    Gu Xinlan sighed,


    ¡°The man is gone, what good does knowing do?¡±


    ¡°A goose leaves its call behind; I want to know the clear causes and effects.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Gu Xinlan walked to the window and glanced out at the lush green mountains.


    Another long sigh.


    ¡°He was the only male in the Gu Family ¡­ Many years ago, our Gu Family was flourishing. At least when I was young, our family was quite reputable in the entire city. The schools I attended were the best, and my elder brother always chose the finest things for our food, clothing, housing, and transportation. The only shortcoming was that our Gu Family had a sparse lineage; starting with my grandfather¡¯s generation, there was only one male heir.¡±


    It was then that I noticed a small memorial photograph placed on the table.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s.


    No bigger than the size of a palm, it lay in an inconspicuous corner.


    Had Gu Xinlan not reached out and caressed that photograph, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed it at all.


    On that photograph, his voice and smile were still present.


    As if just yesterday he was standing lively before me, calling me Ayun.


    I really didn¡¯t quite want to believe that Gu Yuanzhou was truly dead.


    ¡°It¡¯s not because the men in the Gu Family had any hidden illnesses; in fact, they were all very healthy. The difficulty lay in the fact that they were rather infatuated, monogamous, too fond of their wives, unwilling to have their wives bear more children. Thus, each generation had fewer people than the last. Ah!¡±


    I remained silent.


    If she had said such things before, I might not have believed her.


    But ever since Gu Yuanzhou died, I began to believe¡­


    ¡°Our Gu Family was doing well originally, twenty years ago, my older brother made friends with a business partner, and they went into business together. They invested in a mine in Myanmar, and at that time my brother said, the vein was very good, and we were going to make a fortune. Unfortunately, the good times didn¡¯t last long. That winter, I was studying out of town, I remember I was in high school. I was in class when several policemen entered the classroom and took me out.¡±


    Gu Xinlan¡¯s eyes still held a deep sorrow,


    ¡°I was still very confused at the time, and they didn¡¯t tell me what had happened. They just put me in the police car, and then took me all the way to the hospital in my hometown.¡±


    As she spoke, Gu Xinlan¡¯s voice choked up, and her body trembled slightly.


    ¡°At that time, my brother was already gone, only my sister-in-law was barely hanging on. She grabbed my hand, insisting that I must bring up Gu Yuanzhou properly, and that the child must not seek revenge¡­¡±


    ¡°Not seek revenge?¡±


    I was taken aback. Generally, in powerful and prosperous families, wouldn¡¯t they think about seeking revenge when one of their own was harmed?


    What was the lady of the Gu Family thinking?


    Gu Xinlan nodded,


    ¡°In the face of life and death, hatred is a trivial matter. My sister-in-law didn¡¯t want Yuanzhou to spend his life in pain. So she kept telling me, not to tell him about the hatred. I promised my sister-in-law, to never let the child seek revenge in this lifetime.¡±


    ¡°What happened later?¡±


    ¡°Later, after much inquiry, I finally found Yuanzhou in a small mountain village and brought him back. But since then, I never mentioned revenge to him again. Sometimes he would ask, but each time he asked, I always managed to dissuade him. After a few times, he stopped asking. I thought he had forgotten all about it.¡±


    ¡°Mmm!¡±


    ¡°He was obedient, followed my instructions, and studied step by step, high school, university graduation¡­ I thought, he could really grow up like an ordinary person, safely getting through life as my sister-in-law had hoped. However, to my utter surprise, one day he came to me drunk, saying that he had found his enemy.¡±


    ¡°Why did he have to be drunk to tell you this?¡±


    ¡°Because he was in agony! He said he had swallowed his pride and infiltrated that person¡¯s side, eventually earning that person¡¯s trust. That person not only trusted him but also planned to marry his own niece to him. His agony lay in the fact that he originally intended to use that man¡¯s niece, but then, he found himself falling in love with that girl, deeply in love. This caused him a great sense of guilt.¡±


    Listening to the story thus far, I had a rough idea of the cause and effect.


    My breathing also became a bit ragged.


    It actually matched quite closely with what I had conjectured before.


    When Gu Yuanzhou first started pursuing me, was it only with the intention of using me for revenge against the Song Family?


    And then he fell in love with me?


    I don¡¯t know, I can¡¯t figure it out.


    However, one thing I am clear about is that the things Gu Yuanzhou later did to the Song Family finally had a reasonable explanation.


    ¡°What happened later?¡±


    Gu Xinlan shook her head,


    ¡°If he had a guilty conscience, he certainly couldn¡¯t live well. He came to me, knelt in front of me, and hugged my knees. He said he didn¡¯t know what to do. If he loved that woman, it would be unfair to all the members of the Gu Family, to his deceased parents. But if he was to kill that woman¡¯s entire family, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it, he couldn¡¯t bear to be that cruel. He asked me to consult Buddha, to ask Buddha for guidance.¡±


    ¡°Er, what happened after that?¡±


    ¡°Having lived a monastic life for so many years, I actually had long since let go of my hatred. What¡¯s the end of harboring grudges against each other, I advised him to let go of the hatred and to live his life well. At that time, he agreed, he promised me he would marry and have children, to complete his own life.¡±


    ¡°Later on, he married her. He said, that woman was sent by Buddha to reform him, she was very good¡­ so good that it made him discard all the murderous thoughts in his heart, only wishing to hold each other¡¯s hands to a ripe old age. I thought he had truly let go of all his grievances, I thought he could live out his life fully. I never, ever expected that one day he would suddenly come to me and say¡­¡±

 Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: Chapter 368: Bringing His Ashes Home_1

    Chapter 368: Chapter 368: Bringing His Ashes Home_1


    Gu Xinlan¡¯s words stopped there, as she choked and couldn¡¯t go on.


    Tears, turbid with emotion, flowed from the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°That child, I¡¯ve never seen him in such agony. He said¡­ a great fire took everything from him, his wife, his children. He said he must have been punished for not avenging the Gu Family. He said life had no meaning left for him and that all he had was his quest for revenge.¡±


    ¡°Alas, when he spoke those words, I felt it. He didn¡¯t want to live¡­ No matter how long I persuaded him, it was meaningless; he wouldn¡¯t listen to a single word. He¡¯s just like his father, very stubborn. Fixated on his own ideas, and also because he loved that girl too much.¡±


    ¡°Alas, this is his tribulation! I knew he wouldn¡¯t get through this. Well, it¡¯s better this way; living was suffering for him. May Buddha bless him, may he rest in the Pure Land of Bliss.¡±


    Gu Xinlan choked up throughout these last words.


    As if each word was extremely difficult to say.


    I felt something cold sliding down my cheek, and when I reached up to wipe it, I realized it was a tear.


    After that, a long silence followed.


    Having said all that, Gu Xinlan seemed to have exhausted all her strength.


    She stopped talking and closed her eyes, beating the wooden fish with one hand and fingering the Buddha Beads with the other.


    The rain continued, the dampness spreading through the valley.


    I felt as if I was living in a dream.


    I don¡¯t know how long I stood there, but then I heard a knock on the door. Turning around, I saw the figure of Shen Yishu at the doorway.


    He didn¡¯t come in but gestured to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, we should go back!¡±


    Only then did I notice that dusk had fallen.


    I indeed wanted to stay a bit longer, but it didn¡¯t seem right to continue disturbing her tranquility.


    So, I got up¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I won¡¯t disturb your spiritual practice any more, please take care.¡±


    I said this, but she kept her head down, beating the wooden fish, showing no reaction.


    Just as I was about to push the door open and leave, she suddenly called out to me.


    ¡°Benefactor¡­ please wait!¡±


    I halted my steps and looked at her.


    I saw her rise and from a cabinet, she took out an item wrapped in white cloth.


    She walked up to me, trembling.


    ¡°Before Yuanzhou was executed, he left me a letter. He said if your time comes, to entrust his ashes to you for handling¡­¡±


    I stared at her in shock, not expecting that after so much time, his ashes still had not been buried. I was so stunned that I couldn¡¯t bring myself to reach out and take them,


    ¡°You should bury him, it¡¯s not appropriate for me to handle it.¡±


    ¡°This was his last wish. He said¡­ he wanted to be buried together with his deceased wife, not wanting to lie alone in the wilderness after death. He said that while he was alive, he especially longed for the warmth of a family. Now that he¡¯s gone, he hopes to be with his family.¡±


    Gu Xinlan¡¯s words almost made me lose my composure.


    Is that truly what he wanted?


    I remembered how, no matter how tired or busy he was with work, he¡¯d always make time to drive the kids and me camping, pick fruits, or go on beach vacations, building sandcastles with the children.


    He seemed to really enjoy those moments with the kids.


    I was suddenly reminded of the children¡¯s toys he kept in his office drawer, and I felt suffocated.


    My heart contracted sharply, as if I was about to faint.


    It was Shen Yishu who reached out to support me, allowing me to sit down on a chair for a while.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Shen Yishu brought me a cup of warm water.


    With one hand over my heart, I struggled not to lose control.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    Several minutes later, I left the mourning hall.


    Cradling the urn in my hands¡­


    Thinking of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s six-foot-tall frame, his body weighing over a hundred pounds, now reduced to such lightness in my hands.


    I truly couldn¡¯t believe it.


    I can¡¯t accept this!


    But this is him!


    The rain kept falling, and I stumbled downhill with the urn in my hands.


    People say it¡¯s easy to go up a hill, but hard to come down.


    For me, going up was hard, but coming down was even harder.


    My legs were weak and numb, and I nearly fell after only a few steps.


    Fortunately, Shen Yishu was there to support me the whole time, otherwise I would have rolled down the slope long ago.


    Even so, by the time we reached the foot of the hill, I was covered in mud and utterly disheveled.


    After getting into the car, Shen Yishu asked me,


    ¡°To the cemetery?¡±


    His question actually stumped me.


    I definitely couldn¡¯t take this urn back to Xishan Residence, as that was the Ding Family¡¯s place.


    As for the public cemetery¡­


    This is indeed the choice of most people.


    If it had been before, I would most likely have sent him to that place.


    But now, after learning the whole truth, how could I bear to do that?


    How could I abandon him all alone in such a desolate place?


    After a long while, I finally said heavily,


    ¡°To Beilu Hill, please!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Shen Yishu turned the steering wheel.


    The rain was still falling, and the windshield wipers kept sweeping back and forth.


    The whole world seemed to be immersed in sadness.


    Watching the landscape flash by outside the window, I saw my own reflection in the reflection on the glass.


    Underneath the disheveled hair was a lifeless face, even the eyes had lost their luster, all muddied and stuck together.


    Did that look like a living person?


    It was clearly a walking corpse.


    ¡°Ah, Xiaoyun¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say, I¡¯m not good at this kind of thing, I¡¯m not much for comforting people¡­ but, the dead have passed away, and the living must carry on, right?¡±


    The truth about what happened between Gu Yuanzhou and me was only known to those close to me.


    Like Wenya, Jian Jing, and Ding Yinuo¡­


    Because Shen Yishu was much younger, I had never considered him to be one of my ¡®close friends¡¯.


    So, to this day, I had never told him that I was actually Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s deceased wife¡­


    But as sharp as he was.


    Even though he never asked about it directly, I could vaguely sense that he might know something.


    I pointed ahead, ¡°We¡¯re here!¡±


    He slowed down and stopped the car at the gate.


    He got out first, opened an umbrella, then opened the passenger door and helped me out.


    I had been to this place countless times.


    But never had I felt as heavy-hearted as I did now.


    I had thought that this Yin Mansion was bought by Gu Yuanzhou for me and our child.


    But now it seemed, it was for our whole family¡­


    Yes, if what Gu Xinlan said was true, he had been prepared to die from the very beginning.


    That¡¯s why he had the Yin Mansion decorated to resemble our old home in Golden Bay.


    This thought made my heart even heavier.


    After opening the door, I placed his urn on the altar.


    Shen Yishu sat beside it for a long time, and he seemed to pick up on my sorrow, ¡°If you¡¯re feeling upset, just cry it out. My shoulder is here for you to lean on.¡±

 Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: Chapter 369: Returning to the Ding Family_1

    Chapter 369: Chapter 369: Returning to the Ding Family_1


    I chose to reject Shen Yishu¡¯s kindness.


    Despite the feeling of collapse within, I had no tears, not a single drop.


    Is it because my heart has already grown numb?


    Or had I anticipated this outcome long ago?


    I don¡¯t know!


    I silently lowered my head and lit a stick of incense for him.


    The moment I closed my eyes.


    It seemed as though I could clearly see his face again, he was smiling at me¡­


    I suddenly opened my eyes.


    Although there¡¯s not a single photo of him in this room, I always feel like I can see him.


    Shen Yishu stood beside me, watching me with a worried expression,


    ¡°Xiaoyun¡­ when that master was telling you the story just now, I heard it too, and it seemed to me there were some illogical parts.¡±


    I answered distractedly, eyes downcast, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Look, from start to finish, she never mentioned that the Gu Family¡¯s enemy was Song Shixiong!¡±


    ¡°So what if she didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding! Why don¡¯t you visit the Song Family again and investigate this matter thoroughly?¡±


    At times like this, Shen Yishu was calmer than I was.


    But my whole being was soaked in sorrow, like a leaf drenched for a day and a night in a heavy rain, dripping with the water of sadness from head to toe.


    I simply didn¡¯t have the strength to think about these things anymore.


    Later, Shen Yishu said a lot.


    But I couldn¡¯t take any of it in.


    I only saw his lips moving, his eyes showing traces of worry, but I couldn¡¯t hear his voice.


    All I heard was a constant ringing in my ears.


    It was as if my whole being was floating in mid-air.


    He felt like a Wi-Fi signal, intermittent and unreliable¡­


    It took a long while before I came back to my senses when he reached out to snatch the cinerary casket from my hands.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind?¡±


    Looking at Shen Yishu before me, he seemed like he hadn¡¯t washed his face for days, with stubble all over, and his coat was still marked with mud.


    How did he suddenly become so unkempt, when he was still so neat and clean when we went up the mountain together in the morning?


    ¡°Give me the cinerary casket!¡±


    Shen Yishu insisted.


    I was somewhat angry. I knew he had always been dissatisfied with Gu Yuanzhou, so even after Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s death, he refused to believe in him.


    I lost control and yelled at him.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, this is none of your business, just go!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, do you realize how much this hurts me? You¡¯ve been holding that cinerary casket for three days, not eating, not sleeping. Look at what you¡¯ve become. Go look in the mirror, see yourself. Yes, Gu Yuanzhou is dead! But what does his death have to do with you? The dead can¡¯t be brought back to life, and besides that, is there nobody else in the world besides Gu Yuanzhou for you to care about? Don¡¯t you see anyone else¡¯s love for you? Is there no one else in this world that you can care about?¡±


    I was stunned by Shen Yishu¡¯s words.


    Was he sick?


    What three days!


    We¡¯ve been down from Qingmu Mountain for less than a day, haven¡¯t we?


    But by now, I didn¡¯t want to explain anything to him anymore; I just found him annoying.


    So, I blurted out something very irrational and hurtful.


    ¡°Yes, Shen Yishu! Gu Yuanzhou is dead, and there¡¯s no one left in the world I care about.¡±


    The words came out almost without thought.


    Shen Yishu looked at me, his eyes filled with the expression of someone who¡¯s been hurt.


    ¡°You can leave, I just want to be alone with Gu Yuanzhou. You can leave, you can leave!¡±


    When Shen Yishu turned to leave, his expression was deeply hurt.


    But¡­ I didn¡¯t care.


    I don¡¯t know how long had passed when my phone began to ring.


    Glancing at it, it was Wenya calling¡­


    After I answered, her voice sounded extremely anxious through the phone,


    ¡°Ayun, where are you? Why haven¡¯t you been back to Xishan Residence in three days? Su Peisheng and I have been going there every day.¡±


    ¡°Uh, Wenya¡­ Three days, are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun, say something! Just grunt to let me know you¡¯re there, what the hell do you mean by keeping your phone on and not making a sound? Do you have any idea how worried I am? If you don¡¯t show up soon, I¡¯m going to call the police.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, I¡¯m just fine!¡±


    It took repeating myself three times before Wenya could hear my voice.


    Was it because the signal was bad?


    ¡°Ayun, why does your voice sound like that? It¡¯s so hoarse?¡±


    ¡°Wenya, I¡¯m a bit tired, can we talk later?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun, Ayun, don¡¯t hang up on me. You haven¡¯t told me where you are yet? Tell me clearly, I¡¯ll come to be with you right now.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, I really am alright.¡±


    I hung up the phone.


    My head was aching. Had it really been three days?


    I seriously glanced at the time, and indeed, the date on my phone showed it had been three days.


    When exactly did I lose my sense of the passage of time?


    Right then, my phone rang again, this time it was Ding Mom calling.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°Ayun! I¡¯ve been to Xishan Residence twice and didn¡¯t see you. I was thinking, could you come over for dinner tonight? Ruirui keeps asking to see her little auntie!¡±


    ¡°Mm, sure, I¡¯m free tonight, I¡¯ll come over¡­¡±


    Mentioning Ding Ruirui brought a glimmer of light to my heart.


    That¡¯s when it hit me that I was still alive, maybe Shen Yishu was right.


    I can¡¯t continue to waste away like this, I have many things that need to be dealt with.


    I am still married to Ding Yinuo!


    I mustered up the energy to get up and placed the cinerary casket on the cabinet.


    I went into the bathroom, originally planning to wash my face.


    But in the mirror, I saw a woman whose face was haggard, so thin she was nearly unrecognizable, her skin dull, and with two large dark circles under her eyes like a panda.


    Her hair was messy and stuck together, and her protruding collarbones were particularly alarming.


    No wonder Shen Yishu scolded me; I truly couldn¡¯t recognize myself anymore.


    I held my cheeks with both hands and was dazed for a long time.


    Then I took off my clothes and took a proper bath, letting the hot water soak in.


    Then washed my face, brushed my teeth¡­


    Oddly enough, Gu Yuanzhou had renovated this villa according to the specifications of the Yin Mansion.


    But now living here, I feel an indescribable comfort.


    The everyday items here are just like the ones I used back in Golden Bay; even my skincare products, shower gel, and even my makeup, sleepwear, and slippers were exactly the same as before.


    This place¡­ It could allow me to live comfortably for the rest of my life.


    Living here doesn¡¯t have the eerie feel of living in the Yin Mansion; on the contrary, it¡¯s as comfortable as living in my own home.


    Thinking of this, I suddenly got goosebumps again.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡­ since you prepared everything so thoroughly for me, is it because you already foresaw this day?

 Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Chapter 370 The Mother-in-law’s Enthusiasm _1

    Chapter 370: Chapter 370 The Mother-in-law¡¯s Enthusiasm _1


    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to think further; it would break my heart.


    I had already lost the will to live.


    Now that I¡¯ve finally struggled out of the pain, I can¡¯t let myself sink back down again.


    After I finished getting ready.


    I looked at myself in the mirror once more.


    Despite the makeup, the extreme thinness that made me nearly unrecognizable was still evident.


    The foundation couldn¡¯t hide the ugliness.


    I initially put on makeup, but later realized that it didn¡¯t look good either, so I simply wiped it off with a towel.


    I dressed casually, wearing a shirt and a blue-gray trench coat, grabbed my bag, and headed out.


    It was only after walking for a while that I realized I had left my phone behind.


    So I turned back.


    Got my phone.


    Then I went out to hail a cab and headed directly for Tianjiao Company.


    It was five o¡¯clock in the afternoon by the time I got there.


    As soon as I arrived at the office, Jia Yuyan found me,


    ¡°Song Yun, why haven¡¯t you come to the office for so many days? There¡¯s a pile of contracts waiting for your review and signature. You better take a look quickly so that production can be arranged later.¡±


    I didn¡¯t reach out to take the documents Jia Yuyan handed to me.


    I just shook my head, with my current state of mind, I simply wasn¡¯t able to handle all these messy things.


    ¡°Song Yun, you look so pale. Are you sick?¡±


    Jia Yuyan looked worried.


    At that moment, Ding Xiao also walked in.


    He must have found out from the front desk that I was back and rushed to my office immediately.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come back at the perfect time. There¡¯s a new product launch this week, and I want you to host it.¡±


    ¡°Uh, sorry, I probably won¡¯t be able to hold that meeting.¡±


    I gathered a few personal belonging.


    My documents, materials, and some commonly used trinkets, I packed them in my bag and put everything into a cardboard box.


    Ding Xiao watched me in shock, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I handed a document to Ding Xiao.


    Ding Xiao flipped through the document quickly, ¡°A resignation letter? No, Song Yun, why are you resigning so suddenly? You¡¯ve been doing well here.¡±


    Jia Yuyan also found the news hard to accept, ¡°No, Sister Yun, we¡¯ve worked together for so long, you can¡¯t resign. I tell you, if you quit, I¡¯ll pack my things and follow you out too.¡±


    Jia Yuyan was blunt, a trait somewhat similar to Wenya.


    She was brought up by me and was very close to me, we had a very good relationship.


    Like a loyal follower, Yan Ran became anxious and directly appealed to Ding Xiao, ¡°President Ding, if you can¡¯t keep Song Yun here, I¡¯ll resign too.¡±


    Ding Xiao had an immense headache,


    ¡°Okay, okay¡­ don¡¯t worry. Your Sister Yun can¡¯t resign; I can¡¯t approve it.¡±


    I looked at Ding Xiao and smiled,


    ¡°When I first joined, I intended to help Yinuo. Now that he doesn¡¯t want to work in this field anymore and has become a doctor, there¡¯s no point in me being here on my own.¡±


    Ding Xiao sighed,


    ¡°When you first joined, it was Yinuo who was President, and he approved your employment, he signed your contract. Anyway, I advise you not to resign. Of course, if I can¡¯t persuade you and you insist on leaving, my suggestion is for you to get Yinuo to sign.¡±


    Ding Xiao simply placed the resignation letter on my desk.


    ¡°But I¡¯m feeling unwell now; I simply can¡¯t fulfil my duties!¡±


    Ding Xiao patted my shoulder, his gaze like that of a generous brother,


    ¡°Song Yun, you¡¯re not just my employee. You¡¯re my sister-in-law! We¡¯re all family here. There¡¯s no need to talk about fulfilling or not fulfilling duties. If you¡¯re not feeling well, go rest, and come back to work when you feel you can.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it bad to hold onto the position like this?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing bad about it. It¡¯s not called holding onto the position, you¡¯re our family.¡±


    Ding Xiao was a man with a strong presence, he comforted me for a long time, and ultimately did not accept my resignation.


    Watching Ding Xiao¡¯s retreating figure, I let out a long sigh.


    Jiang Yuyan still thought I was truly sick, encouraging me non-stop by my side, ¡°Sister Song, I feel like you should go to the hospital for a check-up. Your complexion is really pale.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ By the way, you should get in touch with Shen Yishu more often.¡±


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Aiya, does Shen Yishu have some serious illness? He suddenly blocked me on WeChat and blacklisted all of my contact methods. I can¡¯t reach him at all now.¡±


    ¡°Then go to the company and see him!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll go have a look after I get off work. Aiya, I thought he was always very stable emotionally, but it¡¯s bizarre how he suddenly lost his temper.¡±


    I smiled without a word because I suspected that this time he might truly be angry.


    A man who is at an emotional low, feeling extremely bad, would definitely develop a fondness for a woman willing to accompany him.


    I hoped this tactic would spark some romance between these two young people¡­


    After Jiang Yuyan left, I stayed in the office until after six o¡¯clock before I set out for the Ding Family.


    On the way, I saw beautiful balloons and cute little dresses, and I couldn¡¯t help myself, buying a bunch before heading to the Ding Family¡¯s place.


    I arrived a bit early.


    Mother Ding¡¯s dinner was not yet ready, and she looked a bit worried upon seeing me, touching my forehead with her hand, ¡°Xiaoyun, are you sick?¡±


    ¡°A little bit, I guess!¡±


    ¡°Let me take you to the hospital, and have Yinuo take a look at you!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s back at the hospital working?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he has been back for two days now. The hospital leadership really values him; they gave him the position of deputy director as soon as he started.¡±


    Mother Ding poured me a cup of tea, ¡°You sit down and wait for a bit; it¡¯ll be ready soon.¡±


    I held the teacup and zoned out, ¡°Okay!¡±


    Deputy director?


    Wouldn¡¯t that mean joining forces with Jiang Jiaying?


    That¡¯s good, both of them are doctors; they¡¯ll have more to talk about.


    It would make communication easier.


    As I was lost in thought, the sound of a man and woman laughing reached me from outside.


    The man was saying something in a low voice, and the woman was laughing happily. Even though I couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying, the happiness was infectious through their laughter.


    A moment later, a couple walked in from the doorway.


    The woman was in high heels, hooking her arm through the man¡¯s.


    It was from this point on that their laughter abruptly ceased.


    Because they both saw me.


    Especially Jiang Jiaying, who in the moment she saw me, quickly withdrew her arm from Ding Yinuo¡¯s just like someone with a guilty conscience.


    Her eyes turned to me, clearly uneasy.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here!¡±


    Her greeting carried an obvious tinge of embarrassment.


    On the contrary, Ding Yinuo seemed very composed; he glanced at me indifferently and said nothing.

 Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Chapter 371 Divorce and Resignation_1

    Chapter 371: Chapter 371 Divorce and Resignation_1


    How interesting!


    I never thought there would come a day when I would become the third wheel to Ding Yinuo and Jiang Jiaying.


    Sitting here, I feel as if I¡¯m in the way.


    The atmosphere at one point was unbearably awkward.


    ¡°Uh¡­ you got off work so early today?¡±


    Ding Yinuo and I were sitting opposite each other on the sofa, neither of us speaking.


    Unexpectedly, it was Jiang Jiaying who broke the silence.


    I glanced at her and responded, ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the company running these days?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying sat down, picked an orange from the fruit bowl, and began to peel it slowly.


    Once she had finished, she plucked a slice and stuffed it into Ding Yinuo¡¯s mouth.


    This gesture appeared ordinary, with no flaws to be seen.


    But what puzzled me was that Ding Yinuo actually opened his mouth and ate it.


    Their actions were in perfect harmony.


    As if they had been intimate for a long time.


    This scene deeply stung my eyes.


    I could only pretend not to see it.


    Just then, Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother came in. She witnessed this scene and quickly snatched the orange from Jiang Jiaying¡¯s hand.


    While stuffing it into her own mouth, she laughed and said,


    ¡°This orange was bought by me, the stall owner said it was very sweet, I¡¯m going to try one myself.¡±


    Then she took another one and handed it to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°You¡¯re not handless, peel one for yourself.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it!¡±


    Yet Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother was very stubborn, insisting that Ding Yinuo should peel it,


    ¡°Peel one for me!¡±


    Unable to overrule his mother, Ding Yinuo had to do it himself. After peeling it, he handed it to her, ¡°There you go.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t give it to me, give it to your wife!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother motioned towards me.


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me, his eyes filled with reluctance.


    Nevertheless, he still handed me the peeled orange.


    The so-called handing it to me was just placing it on the table in front of me.


    ¡°Uh, Auntie, is dinner ready? I can help you out,¡± Jiang Jiaying actually began to ingratiate herself with Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother, putting down her pride to ask for an apron.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother naturally refused her,


    ¡°No need, no need, it¡¯s all small stuff, I can handle it.¡±


    ¡°What dishes does Yinuo like to eat? Teach me, so I can cook for him. Usually, when he comes home, he¡¯s happy with your cooking. But at the hospital, it¡¯s all cafeteria food, and he doesn¡¯t eat well, leading to an upset stomach and a decreased immune system. Therefore, I want to learn from you, so he can also eat well at the hospital.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother flatly denied her,


    ¡°How well he eats should be taken care of by his wife, it¡¯s not quite right for outsiders to intervene. Miss Jiang, you¡¯re not married either, if rumors spread, it wouldn¡¯t be good for you.¡±


    Although Jiang Jiaying couldn¡¯t save face, she did not get angry, just smiled,


    ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not afraid of gossip. I¡¯m quite resilient, and don¡¯t care what others say.¡±


    But Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother laughed and said,


    ¡°You might not mind, but Ayun would feel troubled by it! After all, she¡¯s the Ding Family¡¯s second daughter-in-law, right? So, people should not be so selfish, always thinking of others, not just doing things for your own happiness that might hurt others.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother¡¯s words were very powerful.


    After hearing them, Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face immediately showed she was upset.


    Her expression was extremely unnatural.


    However, she quickly regained her composure.


    Just in time, Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother finished cooking, and she instructed everyone to start eating together.


    To avoid the awkwardness of choosing seats later, I went to the children¡¯s room first to find Ding Ruirui.


    I played with Ruirui for a while, figuring that by then everyone else should have taken their seats, so I carried Ruirui out with me.


    Just as I reached the dining room, I saw Jiang Jiaying about to sit down.


    Because Ding Yinuo had already taken a seat, but there was only one spot next to him.


    Jiang Jiaying deliberated for a moment.


    She was probably wondering if sitting in the hostess¡¯s seat now would get her scolded by Momma Ding?


    Because every move she made now was a test against the Ding family, and a response to Ding Yinuo.


    As long as she passed the test,


    she¡¯d move forward another step.


    I didn¡¯t react at all.


    It was Jiang Jiaying who, after much consideration, asked, ¡°Yinuo, where should I sit?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at her and said, ¡°Anywhere is fine!¡±


    ¡°Then can I sit next to you?¡±


    That sentence was another test.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t even look up as he consented, ¡°Sure, anywhere works!¡±


    ¡°Hee hee, here I come then!¡±


    Just as Jiang Jiaying was about to take her seat,


    at that moment, Ding Ruirui squeaked, ¡°Auntie, please sit next to Uncle! That¡¯s your place over there.¡±


    Children do have good memories.


    In the past, the seat beside Ding Yinuo was mine.


    Every time Yinuo and I came home to eat, we sat together.


    So, it was natural for Ding Ruirui to make such a comment.


    But by that time, Jiang Jiaying had already sat down. She deliberately refused to stand up and said to Ding Ruirui, ¡°Little one, can¡¯t your sister, who is so pretty, sit next to your uncle?¡±


    ¡°Umm, you¡¯re not as pretty as my Auntie!¡±


    Ding Ruirui said this very seriously, with her little head tilted to the side.


    This made Jiang Jiaying lose face.


    Just then, Momma Ding came out with a dish. She glanced at Ding Yinuo and then turned her gaze to Jiang Jiaying,


    ¡°Miss Jiang, could you come over here and give me a hand?¡±


    Momma Ding found an excuse to send Jiang Jiaying to the kitchen and then signaled with her eyes for me to sit next to Ding Yinuo quickly.


    Ding Ruirui was reminding me too,


    ¡°Auntie, I want to sit close to Uncle!¡±


    There was no helping it, I could only sit next to Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Ruirui was in my arms.


    She hugged me for a while and then hugged Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Uncle, look at my drawing, isn¡¯t it pretty?¡±


    Ding Ruirui had been drawing in the room earlier, but I hadn¡¯t clearly seen what she drew.


    Latter, when I carried her out, she brought out the drawing and now handed it to Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo unfolded the drawing, which depicted three people.


    The image showed a pair of parents running through the fields with a little girl, vibrant in color and filled with childlike charm.


    Ding Yinuo first complimented,


    ¡°Ruirui¡¯s drawing is really great!¡±


    ¡°Uncle, do you know who I drew?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know, tell me!¡±


    ¡°This little girl with two braids is me¡­¡±


    ¡°I see that, and the ones on the left and right holding your hands, are they your daddy and mommy?¡±


    ¡°Nope! This man is you, Uncle, and this woman is my Auntie!¡±


    Ding Ruirui¡¯s childlike voice made everyone seated look up at her.


    Adults can feign ignorance while fully aware, but a child¡¯s thoughts are crystal clear.


    Jiang Jiaying, who had just walked in with a bowl of soup, said in a teasing tone,


    ¡°That woman looks a lot like me, maybe it¡¯s me! Hahaha!¡±


    But Ding Ruirui wasn¡¯t pleased,


    ¡°It¡¯s not you! That woman is my Auntie, she¡¯s my uncle¡¯s wife, not you!¡±

 Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Chapter 372: Fulfilling Their Wishes_1

    Chapter 372: Chapter 372: Fulfilling Their Wishes_1


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face was riddled with awkwardness, as she ultimately had no face to keep pressing the question.


    ¡°Come, come, let¡¯s eat!¡±


    Ding Ruirui¡¯s mother served her a bowl of rice, all the while praising her,


    ¡°Such a well-behaved child, our Ruirui! Our Ding Family has no one smarter than her, in a moment grandma will reward you with a big chicken leg.¡±


    Ding Ruirui shook her head happily,


    ¡°Thank you, Grandma!¡±


    I bowed my head and drank my soup.


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face was exceedingly embarrassed.


    Too ashamed to even speak.


    Suddenly, Ding¡¯s mom loaded my plate with food,


    ¡°Look at you, you¡¯ve gotten so thin lately, you must not have been eating well outside. How about this, I¡¯ve already tidied up a room for you, since Yinuo is staying with us, you should come back too. A husband and wife should not be separated for so long. Isn¡¯t there an old saying that couples who sleep in separate beds won¡¯t grow old together?¡±


    Before I could say anything after Ding¡¯s mom finished speaking, Ding Yinuo spoke up first, ¡°Mom!¡±


    Without letting him finish, she hastily continued,


    ¡°What ¡®Mom¡¯! I know what trickery you¡¯re up to. But I¡¯ll have you know, in our Ding Family tradition, we have widowing but not divorce. If there are other thoughts in your mind, then first you¡¯ll have to cut ties with me as your mother.¡±


    The old lady was indeed ruthless.


    After that speech, Ding Yinuo stood stunned, unable to respond for a long time.


    ¡°What, you want to have me, after losing my husband in my old age, experience the pain of losing a son as well? Do you think my life is too perfect?¡±


    As Ding¡¯s mom said these words, she had already started to choke up.


    Wiping her tears, she went on,


    ¡°Back in the day, when our Ding Family was down and out, it was Xiaoyun who stood by us the entire time, the company¡¯s performance was all her doing. We cannot have a roving eye¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo remained silent.


    Eventually, Jiang Jiaying couldn¡¯t take it anymore, and lost her appetite as well.


    ¡°Auntie, I have some things to take care of, I¡¯ll be going now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you out!¡±


    Ding¡¯s mom escorted Jiang Jiaying to the door, then intentionally left Ding Yinuo and me alone for some privacy.


    However, Ding Yinuo seemed to have no intention whatsoever of communicating with me.


    He sat beside the dinner table, eating while looking down at his phone.


    I talked with Ding Ruirui.


    When Ding¡¯s mom returned, she found only Ding Ruirui and me in the dining room and quickly asked,


    ¡°Where did Yinuo go?¡±


    ¡°He just answered a call, it looked like he went to the study!¡±


    Ding¡¯s mom sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with the child, how do I feel like he came back from the United States with his brain treated into a mess.¡±


    I was rather calm, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be the case! If there really was a problem, how could the hospital dare to employ him?¡¯


    In fact, I sometimes doubted whether something had happened between Jiang Jiaying and Ding Yinuo in the United States.


    Leading to a warming of their feelings for each other.


    If that was the case, I was willing to let go and bless them both.


    After all, my marriage to Ding Yinuo was nothing more than a sham, with no real marital bond between us.


    Ding¡¯s mom alternated between sighing and crying,


    ¡°That Ms. Jiang, I don¡¯t like her one bit. If she dares to enter the Ding Family¡¯s door, I¡¯ll break her legs.¡±


    Then, as if realizing she misspoke, she added,


    ¡°Never mind, she¡¯s someone else¡¯s daughter. If my son has done something wrong, it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t discipline my son well, I might as well break my own legs.¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t think that way, they haven¡¯t even said anything yet, maybe they¡¯re just colleagues.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to upset Ding¡¯s mom, so I made up a reason on the fly to gradually calm her down.


    The rest of the time, I played with Ding Ruirui.


    Later, I helped her take a bath, and then coaxed her to sleep.


    After she fell asleep, I leaned against the side of her small bed and closed my eyes in fatigue.


    At that moment, someone was tapping on my shoulder. I opened my eyes to find Ding¡¯s mother sitting beside me.


    ¡°Mom, why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡±


    ¡°I simmered a bowl of chicken soup, could you take it to Yinuo for me?¡±


    ¡°Mom, couldn¡¯t you take it to him yourself?¡±


    ¡°Silly child, this is to improve the relationship between you and your husband. You can¡¯t go on like this.¡±


    I naturally understood Ding¡¯s mother¡¯s good intentions.


    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s leave this to fate. He¡¯s your son, can¡¯t you let him live happily?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, child. I have an intuition, I always feel¡­ the child standing in front of me doesn¡¯t quite seem like my son. He wasn¡¯t like this before; this time he came back, he doesn¡¯t interact with me as if the mother-son affection has vanished.¡±


    Ding¡¯s mother whispered her complaint.


    ¡°Perhaps during the hospital stay, he encountered some emotional issues. Jiang Jiaying was by his side giving support, and since he trusts her the most, he might have developed feelings for her and then ignored everyone else.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, I¡¯m actually not important. What matters is both of you, Xiaoyun. Yinuo is making a blunder. Don¡¯t take it to heart, please. Promise me you¡¯ll talk to him nicely, okay? I¡¯m begging you, for the sake of preserving the face of our Ding family.¡±


    Since Ding¡¯s mother begged me this much, I couldn¡¯t refuse.


    I had no choice but to reluctantly agree.


    Afterward, I carried the bowl of chicken soup to Ding Yinuo¡¯s room.


    ¡°Uh, here¡¯s the chicken soup, drink it!¡±


    Ding Yinuo was reading a book. He looked up at the chicken soup and said indifferently,


    ¡°Just put it there!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    This room used to be Ding Yinuo¡¯s bedroom when he was single.


    It wasn¡¯t big, and half of it was filled with books. The bed was originally small, but Ding¡¯s mother had insistently switched to a double bed set and bedding to accommodate the two of us comfortably.


    She even added two pillows.


    I actually didn¡¯t want to sleep here, but I stayed because I wanted to talk to him.


    To ask him some questions¡­


    I sat in the chair for a long time, planning to wait until he finished the book in his hands before speaking.


    Unexpectedly, he just kept flipping through it.


    After an hour, he still didn¡¯t seem inclined to pay any attention to me.


    So I took the initiative and approached him.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, is there anything you want to say to me?¡±


    He was silent for a while, ¡°This room is too small, not suitable for two people to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Uh, is that all?¡±


    When I asked him again, he remained silent.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, if you like Jiang Jiaying, you can tell me. I can let you two be together¡­¡±


    I was only halfway through my sentence when he immediately responded, ¡°Fine!¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll get a divorce tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    He agreed so readily that I was almost unable to react.


    But it was just as well. Since he agreed, this meant he felt the same way.


    I nodded, ¡°Alright, to avoid worrying your mother, I want to sleep here tonight. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll deal with the divorce discreetly, without letting others know. After all, it¡¯s clear between us that our marriage is over.¡±


    He gave the same answer, ¡°Fine!¡±

 Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Chapter 373 Getting Ready to Go Through the Procedures_1

    Chapter 373: Chapter 373 Getting Ready to Go Through the Procedures_1


    I¡¯ve always been someone who doesn¡¯t like to insist on things.


    From the beginning, I never intended to force him.


    That night, I stayed in the room, sleeping on the bed, while Ding Yinuo took a blanket and lay on the floor.


    We barely made it through the night.


    When daylight came, I said to him,


    ¡°You can move to Xishan Residence, I¡¯ve already moved out from there. And, I will never go there again.¡±


    I was already prepared.


    I took out a set of keys from my bag, the ones for Xishan Residence that Ding Yinuo had personally handed to me, and now I was returning them to him in the same way.


    I placed the keys on the table.


    He turned around and looked at me deeply.


    It seemed like he had something to say to me, but in the end, he just moved his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you at the civil affairs bureau at nine o¡¯clock!¡±


    After saying that, I turned and walked out.


    In the dining room, Ding Mom was still busy; she thought that Ding Yinuo and I had really reconciled.


    She even prepared chicken soup for us in the morning.


    ¡°How did you sleep last night?¡±


    Her gaze was constantly shifting between me and Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo kept silent, so I could only answer with a smile, ¡°Very well!¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, as long as it¡¯s good.¡±


    Ding Mom seemed very satisfied.


    She served Ding Yinuo another bowl of chicken soup, and I noticed that it even had bull pizzle in it¡­


    Silence.


    I calmly finished the chicken soup and then stood up, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m leaving now!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, be careful on the road, come home for dinner after work.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Before I left, she pulled my hand and advised me for a long time; finally, she mumbled, ¡°Life is very long, Yinuo is a man, and men don¡¯t really understand matters of the heart. You need to be more tolerant and give him a chance to grow.¡±


    I tried to muster a smile, but ultimately failed.


    ¡°I understand!¡±


    I walked out together with Ding Yinuo.


    I got into his car.


    However, after driving for about five hundred meters, I said to him, ¡°Stop ahead, I need to go back and get my ID card.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The car stopped.


    Just as I was about to get out, he suddenly said something.


    ¡°I want to confirm something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The car accident that left me in a vegetative state, was it your boyfriend who did it?¡±


    This was the first question he¡¯d asked since regaining consciousness.


    In fact, since the car accident, he never had the opportunity to ask me.


    Of course, I had no intention of hiding it from him.


    As long as he asked, I would certainly answer him.


    But what surprised me at this moment was the way he defined the relationship between Gu Yuanzhou and me.


    Gu Yuanzhou was not my boyfriend, but my ex-husband¡­


    After thinking for a moment, I still decided to clarify things to him,


    ¡°Do you think Gu Yuanzhou is my boyfriend?¡±


    But by this time, he had already lost his patience,


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know too much, you just need to answer yes or no.¡±


    I looked at him and nodded silently, ¡°Yes!¡±


    He indifferently withdrew his gaze.


    After closing the car door, he pressed on the gas and quickly vanished from my sight.


    I stood at the street corner for a long time before finally hailing a taxi.


    I might not even have realized that the address I blurted out after getting in the car was Xishan Residence.


    It wasn¡¯t until the car stopped at the entrance of Xishan Residence that I came to my senses.


    The keys were given to Ding Yinuo.


    This place that once brought me warmth was no longer my sanctuary.


    I kept revisiting the words Ding Yinuo had said.


    Was it because, after he came to his senses, he found out that it was Gu Yuanzhou who had him turned into a vegetable, so he lost hope in me?


    Fine then!


    I stood in front of the entrance to Xishan Residence for a few minutes before I was about to turn around and leave.


    Suddenly, I saw Wenya¡¯s figure rushing out of the car.


    The car hadn¡¯t even come to a complete stop; she almost leaped out.


    As soon as she saw me, she grabbed my arm,


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re running off to?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not running anywhere!¡±


    Wenya, panting as if she feared I would fly away, clutched the sleeve of my clothes tightly and pulled me toward the entrance of Xishan Residence, ¡°Open up, we need to talk inside.¡±


    ¡°Err, can¡¯t go in!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean can¡¯t go in? Use your key to open the door!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Wenya, I¡¯ve already returned the keys to Ding Yinuo. This is the Ding Family¡¯s place, not mine.¡±


    Wenya looked at me in shock, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡±


    I nodded earnestly,


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve agreed on it. A peaceful breakup, a fair divorce.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because of that little bitch Jiang Jiaying? Look, the road you and Ding Yinuo have traveled together hasn¡¯t been easy. You can¡¯t just give up because of that little homewrecker Jiang Jiaying stepping in. Ayun, listen to me, I know you can¡¯t forget about Gu Yuanzhou. But it¡¯s over between you two, you¡¯re dead to each other, Gu Yuanzhou is dead to you. You¡¯re not yourself anymore, do you understand?¡±


    I smiled bitterly,


    ¡°If I¡¯m not myself, then who am I?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, I won¡¯t allow you to divorce Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Wenya, it¡¯s really not because of Jiang Jiaying. It¡¯s because of¡­ Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo minds a lot that it was Gu Yuanzhou who caused him to become a vegetable.¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ he can¡¯t be that narrow-minded, can he? That has nothing to do with you, it¡¯s not like you orchestrated it. He has to be reasonable.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, when it comes to matters of the heart, once they shatter, that¡¯s it! They can¡¯t be picked up again, they scatter all over the place! No matter how hard we try to piece them back together, it won¡¯t be the same as it was before.¡±


    ¡°But still, you can¡¯t just divorce because you say so.¡±


    ¡°I have no right to cling to him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not called clinging, it¡¯s called love¡­ People who love each other should give a better chance to one another, to avoid regrets.¡±


    Wenya kept trying to persuade me.


    I looked at her with a small smile,


    ¡°Wenya, if you¡¯re here to make peace. I can tell you, the problem isn¡¯t with me, you¡¯ve got the wrong person. It¡¯s Ding Yinuo who wants the divorce, not me. If you insist on persuading, go talk to him.¡±


    No sooner had I finished speaking when Su Peisheng also came over after parking his car.


    Wenya turned and vented at Su Peisheng,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your brother would never cheat? What do you have to say now? You¡¯re responsible for this.¡±


    Su Peisheng looked utterly innocent,


    ¡°I¡¯ve been shot while lying down, I don¡¯t even know what happened.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that, how could you not know? You¡¯re his good buddy, you should take full responsibility for this!¡±


    Wenya¡¯s persistent nagging left Su Peisheng speechless and helpless.


    Then he had no choice but to look to me for help,


    ¡°Miss Song, what do you think¡­ How should we handle this?¡±


    Wenya grabbed his hand again,


    ¡°Why are you asking her? You need to resolve this yourself, right now, go confront that scumbag Ding Yinuo and clear things up, or our deal is off.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Su Peisheng was instantly rendered speechless.

 Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Chapter 374 Dusty Fate is Over_1

    Chapter 374: Chapter 374 Dusty Fate is Over_1


    Wenya clung to Su Peisheng and wouldn¡¯t let go, and I knew that her intentions were good; she was actually doing it for my sake.


    I grabbed her,


    ¡°Forget it, Wenya! When Yinuo and I got our marriage certificate, he wasn¡¯t aware of it. It can be considered that it was without his consent, so this marriage is inherently void. Besides, the reason I got married to him in the first place was to stay with him until he recovered from his illness; I really had no other expectations. Now that he¡¯s cured, I can let go.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t explain it like that, who are you to me? The care you put into Yinuo is no less than what you gave to Gu Yuanzhou! Do you know what angers me the most? After he recovers, he actually comes back and wants to kick you out, what kind of bullshit is that?¡±


    Wenya grew angrier as she spoke, and eventually burst into tears.


    ¡°He¡¯s bullying people! Ayun, he¡¯s bullying people¡­ I just don¡¯t understand why you always get bullied by men! You clearly give your all, yet all you get in return is betrayal!¡±


    I took a deep breath and smiled bitterly.


    Patted Wenya on the shoulder, ¡°Wenya, I¡¯m fine! Really!¡±


    Wenya then asked Su Peisheng,


    ¡°Can they just go directly to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a divorce certificate?¡±


    Su Peisheng shook his head, ¡°No!¡±


    I was also taken aback, ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re dealing with joint property acquired during the marriage, you still have a lot of shares in Tianjiao Group after you got your marriage certificate with Yinuo. Moreover, you¡¯ve accepted Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s inheritance. If these are brought up in the divorce proposal, they will need to be divided. So, you guys need to sign a divorce agreement, listing all the property and agreeing on the details of the division before you can finally get divorced.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s that complicated. Can¡¯t I just walk away with nothing?¡±


    Su Peisheng pondered for a while,


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Gu Yuanzhou also transferred Zhenyi Company to you. If you walk away with nothing, you would be giving up all that. Think it over carefully, are you really willing to give all these assets to Yinuo, and then, if Yinuo gets together with Jiang Jiaying in the future, these assets will ultimately end up in her hands. It¡¯s unpleasant to say, but that¡¯s the harsh reality.¡±


    I looked at him in shock, having never thought that things could get this complicated.


    ¡°Is that how it is?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen too many couples fighting over divorce. Some have kids and the division is all over the place. Some end up hurting each other over unsettled property after the divorce, turning into enemies. So, to be prudent, it¡¯s best to handle the division properly.¡±


    True to his profession as a lawyer, he could lay out the pros and cons clearly and concisely.


    My initial intention of walking away with nothing meant not wanting the Ding Family¡¯s assets.


    Therefore, I also didn¡¯t want to give the Zhenyi Company to the Ding Family. After thinking it over, I took Su Peisheng¡¯s advice,


    ¡°Alright then, you agree to draft the divorce agreement first.¡±


    Wenya stepped in and said,


    ¡°Su Peisheng, can¡¯t you mediate this first?¡±


    ¡°That would need¡­ The Civil Affairs Bureau or the court to investigate, in case it¡¯s a litigation divorce¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a litigation divorce?¡±


    ¡°Baby, you don¡¯t need to know all this.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I, are you discriminating against me?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever get to that point!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I haven¡¯t agreed to marry you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a matter of time¡­¡±


    Wenya suddenly snorted coldly,


    ¡°Marrying a lawyer, if we ever get a divorce in the future, wouldn¡¯t I be at a huge disadvantage? After all, you are the professional.¡±


    Su Peisheng broke into a cold sweat,


    ¡°What are you thinking? Why always expect the worst? Can¡¯t you think instead, if you marry me, no one would dare to bully you. In the future, whether it¡¯s work or life troubles, you¡¯ll have a brave husband to turn things around for you.¡±


    ¡°Turn things around, then first help my best friend turn things around! If you have the skills to flip this situation, then I¡¯ll agree to marry you.¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡±


    Su Peisheng looked troubled, then turned back to me, ¡°You said we¡¯re meeting Yinuo at the Civil Affairs Bureau, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll contact you. I¡¯ll get back to you when I have news; wait at home for now.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Since that was the case, I could only head home first.


    At this moment, Su Peisheng went to find Ding Yinuo, and Wenya stayed with me.


    ¡°I think you should stay at Xishan Residence!¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t belong to me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Then where are you living now?¡±


    I remained silent.


    Wenya kept asking, and finally, I had to tell the truth, ¡°Beilu Hill!¡±


    ¡°Holy shit, you¡¯re living in that place? That¡¯s the Yin Mansion, staying there for too long isn¡¯t good. Why don¡¯t you move to my place? I have a room to myself, and adding you won¡¯t make much difference. My parents like you a lot, and they¡¯ve been asking about you recently.¡±


    I rejected Wenya¡¯s enthusiasm.


    ¡°No, Wenya, I¡¯ve gotten used to it. It¡¯s good over there¡­¡±


    Wenya reached out and touched my forehead.


    She worried I was sick and wanted to take me to the hospital for a check-up.


    I declined her kindness, ¡°Uh, I have to go now, Wenya. I still need to visit Zhenyi Company later.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come with you!¡±


    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s Thursday, you have classes! Don¡¯t be silly, don¡¯t waste so much time on me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re best friends, how can that be a waste of time?¡±


    ¡°The thing is I¡¯m fine right now. If there was something wrong, you could afford to delay, but there¡¯s really no need now.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯m heading to school. Call me if you need anything later.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, will do!¡±


    After watching Wenya leave, I then hailed a cab to Beilu Hill myself.


    That so-called Yin Mansion was actually the best place for me to return to.


    People in the world fear Yin Mansions because they are afraid of ghosts in their hearts.


    But to me, those ghosts were my dear loved ones, and I wished they could come out and meet with me.


    Perhaps one day Wenya would understand that a place called home is precisely where your loved one is.


    As soon as I entered, I kicked off my shoes and sat on the sofa in a daze.


    I didn¡¯t know when it happened, but I dozed off in a dazed state.


    It was in this half-awake, half-asleep moment.


    I saw Gu Yuanzhou!


    At that time, I was packing up to leave, and when I turned around, I saw him smiling at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to leave soon, what are you doing at home?¡±


    He stepped forward and embraced me from behind, his voice low and lingering, ¡°Waiting for you to come back!¡±


    The familiar and warm scene startled me awake from the dream.


    The longing for him in my heart built up into a mountain, and I frantically pulled out my phone to dial his number.


    That familiar number, I had dialed countless times, I could dial it even with my eyes closed.


    Over and over again¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou, answer the phone!


    Gu Yuanzhou, you jerk, pick up the phone already!


    If you just pick up the phone, I¡¯ll forgive all your mistakes.


    Please! Answer the call!

 Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: Chapter 375 Seeking Buddha_1

    Chapter 375: Chapter 375 Seeking Buddha_1


    Some memories, if not revisited for a long time, would be buried at the bottom of the heart, and I would mistakenly think that I had forgotten them.


    Until this dream, which unlocked all my memories of him.


    Those loving scenes, like the scenes on a movie screen, flashed through my mind, one after another.


    Indeed, I¡¯m not a fool!


    I¡¯m not only not foolish, but I¡¯m also very smart.


    When Gu Yuanzhou pursued me, I could tell he was fully committed.


    That love, that affection, was utterly genuine.


    It was a mutual devotion between us.


    It was a complete fusion of souls.


    During those ten years of love and marriage, throughout this journey, he doted on me and cherished me¡­


    When I gave birth to our first daughter, he put aside all his work to stay by my side.


    During the cesarean birth of our second child, he stood by me personally, holding my hand and encouraging me over and over again¡­


    Yes, at every critical moment of crisis in my life, he was sure to protect me.


    He showed meticulous care for me.


    He even remembered my menstrual cycles clearly.


    Why should I question him, why should I doubt him?


    Is it because I love too deeply, that I can¡¯t stand even a grain of sand in my eye?


    At this moment, after all the scenes of affection replayed in my mind, I suddenly grew doubtful.


    Is Gu Yuanzhou a figment of my imagination or just a dream?


    I can¡¯t find Gu Yuanzhou!


    I can¡¯t contact him anymore.


    So, did such a person ever exist in this world?


    I frantically dialed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s number, wanting to hear his voice; I have never wanted to hear his voice as much as I do now.


    However, the only response I got from the phone was one sentence,


    ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service!¡±


    Yes, that number that once belonged to Gu Yuanzhou has been disconnected¡­


    His voice will never be heard from that end again.


    I looked up and saw the cinerary casket on the table.


    At this moment, I truly understood.


    He¡¯s dead!


    He has left me forever!


    He¡¯s gone, never to return again.


    Then, sorrow and despair overwhelmed me like the icy waters of the deep sea engulfing me, making me unable to breathe, I wanted so much to die.


    I hugged myself, squatting in a corner, crying until my heart broke.


    I remained alone on the cold floor for a long time.


    The front door was slightly ajar, and a silhouette walked in against the moonlight; coming to my senses, I immediately scrambled up, ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A long sigh.


    Only when he came closer did I recognize him.


    It wasn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou, but Shen Yishu.


    He helped me to sit on the sofa.


    He touched my forehead with his hand, then went to the bathroom to get a hot towel, ¡°Wipe your face!¡±


    Before I could speak, he said,


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to persuade you. I just happened to be passing by and thought I¡¯d check on you. You don¡¯t have to rush me away; I¡¯ll leave on my own in a while.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I indeed hadn¡¯t rushed him.


    I now lack the strength to push anyone away.


    After that, Shen Yishu stopped trying to convince me of anything when he came over; he just silently stayed by my side.


    Sometimes he would order me some takeout, bringing me something to eat.


    And so, I spent several days in a daze.


    Su Peisheng came to find me with Wenya, saying that the divorce agreement had been drawn up and asked me to find some time to sign the agreement with Ding Yinuo.


    I didn¡¯t refuse.


    After all, it was a matter of sooner or later; it just made me feel a bit guilty towards Ding Mom.


    She had high hopes for me, but I was destined to let her down.


    Then there was Ding Ruirui; it seemed I would no longer have an excuse to visit her in the future.


    Sometimes, the end of a relationship also means giving up the people and things in that circle.


    The place Su Peisheng chose for signing the agreement was his law firm,


    because it was his turf.


    He had prepared a lot of fruit and nodded heads; the atmosphere was very good.


    The only thing I wasn¡¯t quite comfortable with was Jiang Jiaying actually coming with Ding Yinuo.


    It was quite inappropriate for her to come at this time.


    Wenya saw her and her face fell,


    ¡°What are you doing here? Annoying, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying smiled and said,


    ¡°Dr. Ding is my colleague, my best friend. He didn¡¯t hire a lawyer for his divorce, so, of course, I came to look out for him, lest he be cheated by someone.¡±


    Wenya gave her a cold look,


    ¡°You¡¯re watching out? Who do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so rude when you speak?¡±


    ¡°I speak to people depending on who they are. I speak human language when I see people, but when I see a ghost like you, I speak ghost language. If you want to hear human language, you should first learn to be a person!¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a teacher, shouldn¡¯t you speak with some quality?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am a teacher, so¡­ when I see an immature student, I want to teach her how to be a person.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Seeing the two were about to start arguing again, Su Peisheng hurriedly came over to mediate.


    He pulled Wenya aside, ¡°Honey, stop arguing.¡±


    ¡°What, are you protecting that mistress too? Look at her smug face, stretching her mouth all the way back to her ears¡ªI find her really annoying.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re right¡­ But, babe, this is my workplace. If you two start fighting, where would I put my face in the future?¡±


    ¡°What, am I, your girlfriend, causing you to lose face? Is work more important to you, or is your girlfriend more important?¡±


    After much coaxing, Wenya finally calmed down, but when Ding Yinuo and I were in the office signing the agreement, she still stood up and guarded the door, not letting Jiang Jiaying enter. Although Jiang Jiaying was angry, she could only stare helplessly and eventually had to walk away with resentment.


    Actually, we didn¡¯t need that many people; just Ding Yinuo and me, with Su Peisheng as both the lawyer and the mediator.


    He was a friend to both of us and couldn¡¯t favor either side.


    ¡°Look at this property agreement¡­ any objections?¡±


    After consulting with me and Ding Yinuo, Su Peisheng listed the property division sheet.


    Ding Yinuo glanced at it, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. I¡¯ll leave empty-handed¡­¡±


    He was giving up all the property acquired after the marriage.


    It seemed he was somewhat concerned about compensating me.


    ¡°And Miss Song, do you have any opinions?¡± Su Peisheng asked me.


    I glanced at it, ¡°I just want the entirety of Zhenyi Company. As for the shares that belong to the Ding Family, I don¡¯t want any!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ this is difficult for me, you both have joint property acquired after marriage, so are you saying you don¡¯t want it?¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s just divide it equally!¡±


    I said indifferently.


    Ding Yinuo, however, stood up, ¡°Apart from the Ding Family¡¯s assets, I don¡¯t want anything else¡­¡±


    After much dispute, I finally signed the divorce agreement with Ding Yinuo.


    The method of dividing the property was quite peculiar, basically leaving the property with whoever¡¯s name it was under.


    It looked like a division but also seemed like there was none.


    But one thing was clear, I had finally gotten a peaceful divorce from him.


    It felt as if a mistake had finally been corrected.


    When I walked out of the office, Jiang Jiaying boldly extended her hand to me, ¡°Miss Song, I hope we can still be friends in the future¡­¡±


    I refused the hand she offered, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t wish to!¡±

 Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: Chapter 376 Tears Fall on His Letter_1

    Chapter 376: Chapter 376 Tears Fall on His Letter_1


    Yeah, since we¡¯re divorced, who would want to cling on, right?


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s behavior was nothing more than an attempt to show off her magnanimity, but I wouldn¡¯t accept it, nor would I give her that chance.


    We were never compatible at school, so it was impossible for us to become friends.


    Now it¡¯s even less likely for us to have any connection.


    Wenya grabbed my hand,


    ¡°Ayun, come here!¡±


    Wenya was probably trying to distract me as she pulled me into an office.


    ¡°Ayun, how about I find a few people to beat her up for you?¡±


    Her suggestion made me laugh.


    And my mood improved slightly.


    In the office, there were a few of Su Peisheng¡¯s colleagues, all drinking tea, eating snacks, and sharing laughs.


    Frankly, I had no interest in talking to them. Although I was sitting there, my gaze had already drifted outside, following Ding Yinuo¡¯s figure.


    He left with Jiang Jiaying, not even glancing back at me once as he went.


    I took a deep breath and gulped down the coffee in my cup.


    A bitter taste lingered on the tip of my tongue.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Wenya didn¡¯t say anything but simply hugged me.


    After a long while, she spoke to me,


    ¡°The property rights are clear now, Zhenyi Company belongs to you alone. When do you plan to check it out?¡±


    ¡°Er, I¡¯m not in the mood to deal with that right now¡­ I want to find time to settle Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s affairs first.¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    I felt like I was subtracting,


    sorting out one thing after another in my life and then searching for my final destination.


    After dealing with the divorce from Ding Yinuo, I felt a huge burden lifted from me, as the heavy stone that had been weighing on my chest finally landed.


    I was about to leave when the time seemed right.


    But Wenya managed to convince me to stay,


    ¡°Ayun, it¡¯s Su Peisheng¡¯s birthday tonight. Everyone¡¯s heading out for fun, you should come too.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your company enough for him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s boring with just the two of us. It¡¯s more fun with more people! Come on!¡±


    ¡°Wenya, I really don¡¯t want to go!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Ayun, you need to snap out of this depressive mood.¡±


    Despite my attempts to decline, Wenya still dragged me off to a hotel¡­


    I knew very well that tonight wasn¡¯t Su Peisheng¡¯s birthday. Wenya had just been worried about me being lonely and bored, prone to overthinking.


    They first went to the hotel for dinner, then to sing¡­


    Wenya was amazing, a real karaoke fanatic, singing numerous songs by herself before later dueting with Su Peisheng.


    I wasn¡¯t much of a singer and wasn¡¯t in the mood to sing either.


    But after Wenya invited me several times, I ended up singing a duet with her, and coincidentally, the song was ¡°From the Beginning Until Now¡±¡­


    ¡°If this is to be the final outcome, then why can¡¯t I forget you?¡±


    As the melody played, I was reminded of the bits and pieces of my past with Gu Yuanzhou.


    I couldn¡¯t hold back, and tears streamed down my face at the first line.


    I truly couldn¡¯t continue singing.


    I handed the microphone to Wenya, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t do this. Please sing the rest for me!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Ayun!¡±


    I hastily fled to the restroom alone.


    I couldn¡¯t break down and cry like an idiot in front of so many people.


    In the restroom, I locked the door from the inside, allowing myself to be immersed in my sorrow.


    I didn¡¯t understand why I was so upset.


    I don¡¯t remember how long I cried.


    I only remember Wenya finding a waiter, opening the restroom door, and then she, looking at me, also cried for a long time.


    ¡°Ayun, you can¡¯t go on like this! You can¡¯t go on like this!¡±


    She kept repeating this over and over.


    That evening, she insisted that I could not return to my place.


    She dragged me to her home.


    But I couldn¡¯t sleep, a headache assailed me the moment I lay down, and so I just sat up through the night.


    As dawn barely broke the next morning, I didn¡¯t disturb her, just got up and left quietly on my own.


    The city, just awakening, began its day bustling with life.


    I wandered the streets alone, and the streets before my eyes suddenly became very unfamiliar.


    It was during my daze that I suddenly saw a familiar figure.


    To be precise, it was a silhouette.


    Dressed in a black suit, that robust figure greatly resembled Gu Yuanzhou.


    However, separated by a distance of a hundred meters or so, I came to my senses and immediately dashed towards him.


    Unfortunately, it was right at a red light intersection.


    The traffic halted my advance.


    By the time the red light ended and I crossed the street, the silhouette had already disappeared into the crowd.


    Was it really him?


    Or someone who just looked like him?


    I couldn¡¯t be sure.


    But for that instant, my emotions were tumultuous.


    I even began to wonder, could he also be reborn somewhere, just like me?


    Perhaps such thoughts were a mere delusion?


    Maybe it was this thought that spurred me on.


    I hurriedly hailed a cab and returned to Beilu Hill.


    I had never looked at the letters Gu Yuanzhou left for me.


    Maybe, it was time I took some time to thoroughly read them.


    I now suddenly really wanted to know, what exactly did Gu Yuanzhou write to me.


    An hour later, I had finally returned to the villa on Beilu Hill.


    The envelope was lying on the desk.


    Before, I didn¡¯t even have the courage to tear it open.


    Now, at last, I gathered enough courage to pick up the large envelope in my hands.


    After tearing open the seal,


    the sheets of paper inside floated out like snowflakes, scattering all over the floor.


    The papers were casual, each one different, some were formal letter paper, some were torn from notebooks, even snippets of magazines.


    But the handwriting was all Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s.


    His characters held a lot of strength.


    Just like his personality, wild and unfettered.


    I crouched on the ground and picked up the sheets one by one.


    They were all dated, and I arranged them in order.


    Then I started with the first one¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been thinking, some words I want to tell you in person! But I would have never imagined, in this lifetime, I would never have the chance to see you again. It¡¯s quite laughable that the last goodbye would be in that courtroom. But that¡¯s fine, I¡¯m a dying man now, looking utterly shabby, an image shattered to pieces, it¡¯s for the best you don¡¯t see me.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, on the day we married, I promised you, if one day you were to pass away, I¡¯d surely follow suit! The reason I said so was because I love you, my love for you is deep in my bones. Every day, every minute, every second after the fire has been an immense torment for me, more painful than death itself, the loss of three of the four people in our home. Every time I close my eyes I see your smiles and voices, and when I open them, I see the cold bodies. That heart-wrenching pain, it pierces my brain every moment, as if it could tear me apart¡­ I¡¯m constantly ready to join you all.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t! I still carry some unfinished missions of the Gu family on my shoulders. As the sole heir of the Gu family, if I don¡¯t fulfill my mission, I would let down my ancestors.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the things I¡¯ve done that wounded you so deeply, but I can clarify this, it has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s just a personal feud between me and Song Shixiong. What he did is intolerable by heaven, and he deserves the punishment¡­ I¡¯m sorry for causing you to lose your loved ones, that¡¯s the only thing I feel guilty about in my life, death cancels all debts. If you really want me dead, then I will die. I hope after my death, you can let go of any hatred for me¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad after I die. Find a good person to spend the rest of your life with. That kid with the surname Ding, it¡¯s his damn luck to have caught a big break. I hope he takes good care of you for the rest of your life, otherwise, even as a ghost, I won¡¯t let him off the hook.¡±


    ¡°Finally, after I die, I¡¯d like my ashes to be buried with the kids. I owe them in life, and in death, I want to be with them, reincarnated. If I have the chance to be their father again, I will raise them properly. If there¡¯s an afterlife, I¡¯d like to be your husband once more, and I promise never to make you angry again.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun, my Ayun, I can¡¯t bear to leave you, this life has been far too short.¡±

 Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Chapter 377 He Disappeared_1

    Chapter 377: Chapter 377 He Disappeared_1


    The letter was long, and although the paper was imperfect, he wrote each word with great care.


    Halfway through, my tears started flowing freely.


    They dripped onto the paper, pitter-patter.


    Wetting the letter, the ink blurred, smudging into a mess.


    This was the only trace Gu Yuanzhou left me in this world, I couldn¡¯t let them disappear.


    I desperately dabbed at it with a tissue, trying to dry the watermark.


    Unexpectedly, this only made things worse, not only smearing the writing further but even tearing the paper.


    The torn part became a big black hole, just like my heart at this moment.


    My last attempt at saving it was in vain, my heart was filled with utter despair.


    Until a pair of hands reached over and took the letter away.


    ¡°I¡¯m really useless, I even managed to ruin his parting letter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, these can be restored with photo editing software, leave it to me, I¡¯ll have it fixed for you by tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you, I¡¯ll do it myself, give it back to me!¡±


    I even tried to reach out and get it back from Shen Yishu, but he refused, stuffing all the papers into a document bag.


    Then he put it into his backpack.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, what are you doing!!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you divorced Ding Yinuo, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my business, it¡¯s none of your concern!¡±


    ¡°No, this concerns me. From now on, I¡¯ve decided to take charge of you!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Who wants you to take charge, give me the letter¡­¡±


    ¡°I will give it to you, but¡­ you have to go somewhere with me first!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go anywhere right now!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m taking the letter with me.¡±


    Although Shen Yishu is younger than me, after all, he is a man, tall and imposing.


    For me to try and snatch something from him, I really couldn¡¯t win.


    I stood up, intending to chase after him, but he had already turned and walked away.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, stop right there!¡±


    By the time I chased out, Shen Yishu had already got into the car, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat looking at me.


    ¡°Get in!¡±


    I hesitated for a few seconds, but still got into the car.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, you¡¯ve changed!¡±


    Shen Yishu turned to help me fasten my seatbelt.


    ¡°Where have I changed?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have dared to provoke me like this before!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ people have to grow up! I didn¡¯t dare before¡­ I still don¡¯t dare now!¡±


    Shen Yishu placed the bag where I couldn¡¯t reach, leaving me no choice but to give up.


    The car continued along the highway.


    All the way, he kept talking nonsense, mentioning the various changes in the clothing market.


    These were topics I used to be very interested in, but now I had no desire to listen.


    After a while, I lowered my head, unlocked my phone, and quickly flipped through my photo album, hoping to find a picture of Gu Yuanzhou.


    But I was disappointed.


    After searching thoroughly, I found that my phone did not have a single picture of Gu Yuanzhou.


    Indeed, this phone was not the same one I originally had.


    In the Golden Bay fire, my old phone had been burnt to ashes, and all the photos on it were gone.


    This phone, given to me by Ding Yinuo afterwards, did not contain any photos of Gu Yuanzhou.


    So, I searched online for the name Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    Then, something miraculous happened.


    I couldn¡¯t find any information related to Gu Yuanzhou online.


    No photos of him, no information whatsoever.


    I even clicked into the corporate registration of Zhenyi Company, but his name was nowhere to be seen.


    When the company was first registered, Gu Yuanzhou was the legal representative, and he was also the CEO that followed.


    But now everything is in my name.


    What¡¯s going on?


    It was as if his entire existence had been erased.


    I asked Shen Yishu in shock,


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I find any information about Gu Yuanzhou online?¡±


    Shen Yishu looked at me helplessly,


    ¡°A death row inmate is supposed to be stripped of all rights, right? I don¡¯t know either!¡±


    Indeed, Shen Yishu wasn¡¯t aware of these matters; he didn¡¯t study law.


    So, I made a call to Zhou Chenming.


    I repeated the question I had just asked Shen Yishu to him.


    ¡°Lawyer Zhou, why is there no information about Gu Yuanzhou online?¡±


    Zhou Chenming was silent for a while,


    ¡°May I ask who is speaking?¡±


    ¡°Song¡­ Xiaoyun!¡±


    ¡°Sorry! I¡¯m very busy right now, Miss Song. If you have any issues, you can call the front desk of my law firm for information.¡±


    ¡°No, Lawyer Zhou, don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know me. It¡¯s just a simple question; why are you pushing me off to the receptionist?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, I really don¡¯t know you that well. And as for your question, I can¡¯t answer it right now.¡±


    ¡°You know who Gu Yuanzhou is, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±


    ¡°What? Are you pretending you don¡¯t know Gu Yuanzhou now?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, could you please not hassle me? We honestly don¡¯t know each other, and I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t ask me these unreasonable questions again.¡±


    I wanted to ask more, but Zhou Chenming actually hung up the phone.


    When I called again, he no longer answered.


    I angrily asked Shen Yishu,


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with Lawyer Zhou? He used to be Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s lapdog, and now that he¡¯s dead, he¡¯s pretending he doesn¡¯t even know him?¡±


    Shen Yishu looked at me with sympathetic eyes,


    ¡°People are social beings. When you¡¯re in a high position, many people will come to flatter and uphold you, only wanting to bask in your glory. So, who would want to associate with a death row inmate?¡±


    Once Shen Yishu said this, I could only remain silent.


    Has it really come to this?


    Has Gu Yuanzhou become a rat everyone scorns, to the extent that even mentioning his name is shunned?


    The car quietly continued for ten more minutes and eventually turned into an underground parking lot at an intersection.


    When I stepped out of the car.


    I hadn¡¯t realized where we were yet; I was merely following Shen Yishu who had just gotten out, ¡°Give me the letter!¡±


    Shen Yishu hid his bag behind him and asked me,


    ¡°Look around, where do you think this is?¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    I looked around, feeling a sense of familiarity¡­


    After a long while, I remembered, this was Zhenyi Company.


    In the moment I was slightly taken aback, Shen Yishu had already walked into the underground elevator, and I hurried after him.


    Now I can¡¯t even remember how long it has been since I last came here.


    After getting into the elevator, I pressed for the eighth floor.


    For many years, every time I came to the company with Gu Yuanzhou, he would park in the underground lot, and then we took this elevator together.


    The same routine, for over a decade.


    I almost didn¡¯t need to look at the buttons when lifting my hand¡­


    But now, I was the only one left.


    The elevator quickly reached the company.


    As soon as I walked in, I was startled by the scene in front of me.


    Shocked, more like.


    If it weren¡¯t for Shen Yishu bringing me here, I would never have known that Zhenyi Company had changed this much.

 Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Searching for the People of Gu Family_1

    Chapter 378: Chapter 378: Searching for the People of Gu Family_1


    During its heyday, Zhenyi Company¡¯s entrance was bustling with cars and horses, guests thronged the doors¡­


    But now, the premises are in disrepair, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if a seal were plastered on the front door soon.


    The trash bins outside seemed to have been neglected for a long time, emanating a foul odor, causing passersby to cover their mouths and noses.


    Inside the tightly closed glass doors, the reception is desolate, devoid of any people.


    Not even the lights inside the company were on.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    I asked Shen Yishu.


    Shen Yishu spread his hands,


    ¡°Ever since Gu Yuanzhou managed Zhenyi Company, it has been struggling. After he was sentenced, a lot of customers worried that Zhenyi would go bankrupt and default, so they rescinded their orders and contracts en masse, as you know, everyone kicks a man when he is down. By that point, Zhenyi was headless, the employees scattered upon seeing this, and it wasn¡¯t long before the company went under. The critical issue at the moment is that it¡¯s still heavily in debt. If you don¡¯t handle it soon, the court may compulsorily auction off the company to pay various debts.¡±


    It was indeed a case of a tree falling and the monkeys scattering.


    Seeing the decay of Zhenyi now, I couldn¡¯t help but feel disheartened¡ªit was, after all, the hard work of Gu Yuanzhou and me for over a decade.


    From another perspective, it was like the eldest son that Gu Yuanzhou and I had.


    I fell silent.


    After a moment, I took off my jacket, hung it on the door handle, and started cleaning up the trash at the entrance.


    Shen Yishu initially tried to stop me, but for some reason, he eventually decided to join me.


    Together we tidied up the trash and put it into bins, then pushed the bins to a nearby waste station to dispose of it.


    After I had cleaned the entrance, I opened the company¡¯s main door and started cleaning inside¡­


    But with such a large company, my two hands were simply not enough.


    After more than an hour, Shen Yishu pulled me to sit down on a couch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush to clean now, think of a plan first. I can make a call and get the cleaning staff back here; that¡¯s not an issue. The question is, have you decided how to deal with the situation yet?¡±


    Seeing I remained silent, Shen Yishu pulled me and took me to the CEO¡¯s office.


    This is where Gu Yuanzhou used to work.


    At this moment, the doors and windows were tightly shut, and the air had become stale and dark.


    Shen Yishu opened the windows to let light and fresh air circulate in.


    Like the rest of the place, it was quite messy. Drawers were wide open, and papers had been strewn all over the floor and desk like it had been ransacked.


    Shen Yishu explained, ¡°It¡¯s said that every few days, a group of debt-collecting clients come and take away anything of value.¡±


    I looked around, and indeed, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s laptop was gone.


    It must have been taken by those people.


    At that moment, looking at the mess in the office, my heart felt exactly like it did when I first returned to the Jinshawan Fire Scene.


    Indescribably painful.


    I thought that Gu Yuanzhou, seeing this state of affairs, would feel the same pain as I did.


    It was then and there that I determined to pick myself up and at least manage Zhenyi Company properly.


    ¡°Uh, can you help me check how much debt Zhenyi Company still owes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to call your finance manager back!¡±


    ¡°Okay, go call them back then!¡±


    ¡°I hear you owe them three months¡¯ salary!¡±


    I was stunned for a long while, ¡°That long?¡±


    Shen Yishu replied indifferently,


    ¡°Yes, from the incident of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s arrest to his execution¡­ until now, it has already been a hundred days!¡±


    ¡°Really? I had no concept of time at all!¡±


    ¡°Do you think you should give her a call?¡±


    ¡°Oh, wait, let me sort things out a bit more!¡±


    I tidied up the office again, leaving it neat and orderly.


    Then I called Aunt Shen from finance.


    After Aunt Shen came over, I asked her to first tally the occurrences of delayed employee wages.


    Once she had completed the reports, I withdrew some funds from my own account,


    ¡°Use these funds to pay everyone the back wages they¡¯re owed, and then pay an additional month¡¯s bonus. Then tell everyone to come back to work. Of course, it¡¯s not mandatory, but those willing to return get another month¡¯s allowance,¡± I said.


    ¡°Understood, Miss Song!¡±


    ¡°Additionally, when you have a moment, organize a detailed report of the company¡¯s total assets for me, as well as an itemized list of the company¡¯s debts.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    After Aunt Shen left, I began cleaning again.


    I always felt the floor was filthy and knelt down to scrub it for a long time¡­


    Perhaps because today had been so busy, by the time it was noon, I felt unbearably hungry.


    The stir-fried noodles that Shen Yishu brought back were all eaten by me.


    After eating my fill, I lay on the couch alone and somehow fell into a deep sleep.


    That was the best sleep I had in three months.


    I didn¡¯t dream.


    When I woke up,


    It was already past four in the afternoon.


    During dusk, the setting sun shone through the window, bathing the office in golden light.


    At that moment, my mind was extraordinarily clear, as if I had never understood anything so well before.


    I slowly began to understand Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    Aunt Shen walked in with a stack of documents.


    ¡°Miss Song, I¡¯ve notified everyone as you requested. Except for six or seven who found new jobs and can¡¯t come back. The others will be at the company to work tomorrow¡­¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    I wanted to make myself a cup of coffee, searched the desk for a while with my hand, and realized there was only an empty coffee can left, not even a single tea leaf¡ªso poor.


    ¡°These are the company¡¯s assets and debts¡­¡±


    I picked them up and carefully reviewed them.


    You don¡¯t know until you look, and it¡¯s shocking when you do.


    The company¡¯s assets were almost zero¡­ while the debt amounted to hundreds of millions.


    Such a headache!


    Just as I was at a loss, Aunt Shen reminded me,


    ¡°Miss Song, the late Mr. Gu had some private investments that weren¡¯t processed through the company¡¯s accounts. You could look into that, and it might be used to offset the external debts.¡±


    I vaguely remembered that Gu Yuanzhou did indeed have investments abroad.


    The one that stuck with me the most is that he once participated in a real estate collaboration with the Thai royal family.


    But these were his private assets, how could I check them?


    He never gave me a detailed list.


    Moreover, we didn¡¯t have much of a marital relationship before he passed, so even if I knew about these assets considered part of an inheritance, I couldn¡¯t access the money.


    After much thought, I still declined Aunt Shen¡¯s kind suggestion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out!¡±


    My first major task upon returning to Zhenyi Company was to repay this hundred million in debt¡­


    I sold Maple Mansion and all other properties under my name, using it all to offset half of the debt.


    For the remaining debt, I could only borrow from banks, pay off all the liabilities, and then start afresh.


    I wanted to bring Zhenyi Company back to its former glory¡­


    That afternoon, as Aunt Shen was reporting the accounts to me, she also mentioned something miraculous.


    ¡°Miss Song, I found Mr. Gu¡¯s private international account on an old computer a couple of days ago and discovered that someone had transferred the assets¡­¡±

 Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: Chapter 379: This Situation Exceeded My Expectations_1

    Chapter 379: Chapter 379: This Situation Exceeded My Expectations_1


    ¡°`


    During this period, while I was busy settling the company¡¯s accounts, Aunt Shen also helped me look for Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s overseas accounts.


    There were some investments he made abroad, and also a shell company he had registered. To facilitate the flow of funds, these capitals went through his personal accounts, and sometimes, Aunt Shen would help manage them, such as handling the taxes.


    But Gu Yuanzhou usually took care of these details himself, and Aunt Shen didn¡¯t specifically know which computer in finance he kept them on.


    Therefore, Aunt Shen had been taking time out of her days to help me search, and now, at last, there was progress.


    ¡°What do you mean by someone transferred them?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about dozens of billions of assets in Mr. Gu¡¯s personal account! Theoretically, it should be unmonitored because the funds in that account are in Swiss Bank. Mr. Gu had an agreement with the bank. Other than him, no one else could transfer it. But now I see half of the funds in the online account have been transferred away.¡±


    Aunt Shen was somewhat astonished at this point,


    ¡°I¡¯ve worked in finance most of my life, and this is the first time I¡¯ve encountered such a situation. It¡¯s truly unusual. The money in this account wasn¡¯t supposed to go like this.¡±


    But I was a bit calmer than Aunt Shen.


    ¡°Aunt Shen, is it possible that Gu Yuanzhou partnered with someone before he died, or that he has close relatives abroad, with whom the bank signed some kind of cooperative agreement, allowing another person to operate the account?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the situation you mentioned could exist. But Mr. Gu never disclosed such a thing to me.¡±


    ¡°Some shady business, or partners whom he preferred to keep in the dark, it¡¯s possible he wouldn¡¯t have told you about them.¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, you make some sense. However, in principle, this money should be yours. If you have time, you should go to Swiss Bank and clarify this matter. After all, it¡¯s such a large sum, and it would be a pity not to retrieve it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, okay!¡±


    Although Aunt Shen¡¯s suggestion was good.


    I am so busy right now that it¡¯s simply impossible for me to go to Switzerland for this matter.


    I¡¯m even thinking that if Gu Yuanzhou had other relatives alive, it might be a good thing.


    After all, I have already borrowed from the bank to repay the external debt, and I¡¯m not so concerned about this sum anymore.


    Right now, all my focus is on reestablishing Zhenyi Company.


    I want Zhenyi Company to return to its former state.


    For me, this actually isn¡¯t too difficult.


    I¡¯m familiar with the business, I have the connections, and design is my forte¡­


    In less than a week, I got Zhenyi Company back up and running.


    It also happened by coincidence that the day of the reopening was exactly ten years from the day Gu Yuanzhou and I founded Zhenyi Company.


    I ordered two flower baskets and asked Wenya and other friends to come over and liven things up then.


    But the next morning when I arrived at the company¡¯s entrance, I was completely stunned.


    Just after one night, the entrance of the company¡¯s building had been completely redecorated. Dozens of beautiful flower baskets were lined up in two rows.


    A festive red arch was erected at the entrance with the words ¡°Warmly Celebrate the Reopening of Zhenyi Company¡± written on it, the gold lettering shimmering in the sunlight.


    Additionally, a band had come to play, and two long tables were set up beside with candy and drinks, drawing the attention of passersby and causing them to gather around.


    The celebration was grand, and a huge electronic screen hung on the wall, displaying the company¡¯s development history over the past decade.


    All the outstanding award-winning works had been made into PPT animations, flashing on the screen, attracting many onlookers.


    Soon after, a large truck stopped across from the company, and a long dragon dance team got off, the sound of gongs and drums beating vigorously, making the scene very lively.


    Such a grand spectacle also drew reporters from nearby news media, who came to cover the event, each beginning to interview.


    Later on, even an official ribbon-cutting team arrived, complete with a host, and began the ribbon-cutting ceremony.


    For a moment, I felt bewildered, as if I had returned to the days when Zhenyi Company first opened.


    Back then, Gu Yuanzhou stood by my side, wrapped his arms around my waist, and said to me with deep affection,


    ¡°`


    ¡°Honey, from now on, we¡¯ll fight and strive together¡­¡±


    ¡°Ayun, cut it!¡±


    Wenya held a tube of confetti in her hand, smiling at me.


    In the distance, Shen Yishu was also recording this precious moment with his video camera.


    With a loud bang, as the confetti soared into the sky, I also picked up the golden scissors and made that significant cut. When I looked dazedly into the crowd, I thought I saw Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s figure.


    He was watching me from afar.


    Just as I looked carefully his way, he vanished into the crowd.


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun!¡±


    Wenya excitedly called out to me.


    ¡°Look at the camera, don¡¯t daydream!¡±


    ¡°Oh, right¡­ Okay¡­¡±


    Only then did I refocus my attention, returning to the present where the scene was lively and the crowd was thick, but amid this sea of people, I couldn¡¯t feel any warmth.


    Only endless loneliness.


    After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Ding Xiao also sent over a basket of flowers.


    Mom Ding brought Ding Ruirui along to join in the fun as well.


    Mom Ding took my hand to congratulate me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, work hard! Who knows, you might make a big comeback in the future.¡±


    ¡°Little Auntie, you look so beautiful today. Little Auntie, why haven¡¯t you been home lately, ah? Little Auntie, I really miss you.¡±


    The sweet, tender little voice made my heart soft.


    Actually, I never formally discussed my divorce from Ding Yinuo with Mom Ding.


    For one thing, I didn¡¯t know how to lay it all out for her, and on the other hand, I took it for granted that this sort of thing should be conveyed by Ding Yinuo, since it¡¯s a matter for the Ding family, and now I¡¯m an outsider.


    But at this moment, in front of the child, I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    After all, she called me Little Auntie¡­


    No matter whether my relationship with Ding Yinuo existed or not, I still liked this little cutie.


    I picked her up, took a photo with her, then gave her some candy, cajoling her,


    ¡°Ruirui, Little Auntie has been quite busy recently and hasn¡¯t had time to come over.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you invite Little Uncle today?¡±


    ¡°Well, Little Uncle he¡­ Oops, I forgot! Actually, it¡¯s not such a big deal! It¡¯s just a little celebration today.¡±


    This little one was quite clever, with lots to say, and she could think for herself; it would take a lot of effort to trick her.


    ¡°A little celebration? Grandma said you¡¯re starting a big company! It¡¯s a very important event, so, grandma had me wear my prettiest dress and told me to be good, right?¡±


    ¡°Pfft, Ruirui is really a smart and adorable little one!¡±


    ¡°Little Auntie, can I borrow your phone for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure!¡±


    I didn¡¯t pay much attention to what the little girl might do and handed over my phone without much thought, not expecting that she would immediately dial Ding Yinuo¡¯s number.


    ¡°Little Uncle, Little Uncle, can you come to Little Auntie¡¯s place right now?¡±

 Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: Chapter 380 You Will Regret This in the Future_1

    Chapter 380: Chapter 380 You Will Regret This in the Future_1


    This little girl has a peculiarity: she must use speakerphone when she makes calls, talking directly into the phone like this.


    Thus, when she was on the phone with Ding Yinuo, it was too late for me to stop her.


    ¡°Ruirui, where are you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo also adored this child, his voice softening a lot as soon as he heard her.


    ¡°I¡¯m at my little aunt¡¯s place, do you know Zhenyi Company? It¡¯s their opening day! Grandma and I are both here, are you coming? We¡¯re waiting for you, little aunt is waiting for you too!¡±


    The little girl¡¯s enthusiasm was truly embarrassing.


    But I was too embarrassed to hang up, so I just stood there, bracing myself as I listened.


    Ding Yinuo was silent for a while,


    ¡°Ruirui, go find Grandma in a bit, your little uncle is a bit busy and can¡¯t make it over.¡±


    ¡°Little Uncle, my tummy hurts¡­ Grandma wants you to come over, I¡¯m at Zhenyi Company.¡±


    After finishing her words, she hung up the call directly.


    I was stunned, unable to react at all.


    ¡°Ruirui, does your stomach really hurt?¡±


    The little girl, holding her doll, giggled at me,


    ¡°Little Aunt, you¡¯re so silly!¡±


    Ding Yinuo really cared about the little girl; upon hearing she had a stomach ache, he rushed over in his car after just ten minutes.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, where does it hurt, tell your little uncle?¡±


    Ding Yinuo walked towards me and took Ding Ruirui¡¯s hand.


    Yet Ding Ruirui giggled,


    ¡°Little Uncle, my tummy doesn¡¯t hurt, I tricked you!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why did you trick me?¡±


    ¡°Because you haven¡¯t spoken to little aunt for a long time. I was afraid if you keep not speaking to her, little aunt would get angry and sad¡­¡±


    The words the little girl said shocked me.


    What on earth was this little one thinking in her heart?


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t look at me, nor did he greet me, instead, he reached out to hold Ding Ruirui.


    ¡°Be good, let¡¯s go home!¡±


    However, Ding Ruirui refused to leave my shoulder, twisting her little head and saying,


    ¡°Little uncle should take little aunt home with us. I like little aunt and want to sleep with her.¡±


    Mom Ding joined in on the fun as well,


    ¡°Yes, Yinuo, look at this, you haven¡¯t taken Xiaoyun home in so long. How many days has it been?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t respond to Mom Ding, but continued to reach for Ding Ruirui, ¡°Come on, let uncle hold you!¡±


    Ding Ruirui, somewhat petulantly, clung to my neck,


    ¡°No, no, Ruirui wants little aunt!¡±


    Seeing Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression growing stern, she simply started crying,


    ¡°No, no, Ruirui wants little aunt to go home!¡±


    Her crying made Mom Ding sigh,


    ¡°Yinuo, you really don¡¯t understand. Couples have conflicts, but you can¡¯t behave like this; you must patch things up by the end of the day.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was silent for a few minutes, then suddenly said,


    ¡°Mom, Miss Song and I are already divorced.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mom Ding was stunned on the spot, taking a long time to respond.


    The little girl was the first to react,


    ¡°What is divorce?¡±


    Ding Yinuo still forcibly took Ding Ruirui away from my arms, and, he gave the simplest explanation,


    ¡°Divorce means, she¡¯s no longer your little aunt. You can¡¯t call her little aunt anymore.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Ruirui burst into tears on the spot.


    She was unable to comprehend that divorce could also dissolve close relationships in her small world.


    Seeing Ding Ruirui cry so hard, I felt upset too, reached out to hug her, wanting to comfort her, all while blaming Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Why must you say these things to a child? She can¡¯t understand, and forcing this kind of knowledge on her is too damaging.¡±


    But Ding Yinuo held Ding Ruirui even farther away, avoiding my arms as he indifferently said to me,


    ¡°This is the Ding Family¡¯s business, it has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Wenya couldn¡¯t stand by and watch, she came over directly to stand up for me,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, it¡¯s the grand opening of Zhenyi Company today, and if you don¡¯t come over to offer congratulations, that¡¯s one thing. But who are you scolding with that stern face? This little girl is indeed a child of the Ding Family, but Ayun is just showing concern for your people. You don¡¯t appreciate it and even curse at her. Are you sick?¡±


    Wenya rolled up her sleeves while Su Peisheng advised in a low voice beside her,


    ¡°Yaya, can we not take it so easy, this is their family issue.¡±


    In front of Wenya, Su Peisheng spoke with extreme caution, looking every bit the image of a henpecked husband.


    Wenya grew even angrier upon hearing this,


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ve had it with Ding Yinuo¡¯s unpleasantness for a long time. What kind of person is he? If it weren¡¯t for Ayun¡¯s hard work saving him back then, would he even have today? What a person!¡±


    Wenya really did defend me staunchly, and now, after falling out with Ding Yinuo, she cursed him out.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s face visibly darkened.


    ¡°What does the grand opening of Zhenyi Company have to do with me? The child is my family¡¯s child; we take responsibility, we don¡¯t need you two putting on a show here. And¡­ the child used to not lie, but now, she actually pretends to have a stomachache to trick me into coming over¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words were very harsh, as if directly accusing me, I couldn¡¯t help but argue with him,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what do you mean by that? Are you suggesting that I¡¯m teaching the child to lie?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression was cold,


    ¡°Whether you taught her or not, you know in your heart! What do you think it means to have me come here? You want me to regret?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ forget it, just go. Let¡¯s pretend I never said anything today!¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t want to say more, turned, and was about to leave, but Wenya couldn¡¯t swallow her pride and instead reached out to stop him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, make it clear!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said all there is to be said. There is nothing else to say.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, have you been bewitched by that vixen Jiang Jiaying? Look at the nonsense you¡¯re spouting now!¡±


    Wenya started quarreling with Ding Yinuo again, and Su Peisheng, unable to restrain her, was practically begging for mercy on the sidelines.


    Impatient, Ding Yinuo said,


    ¡°What has Jiang Jiaying ever done to you, that you keep slandering her here? Can you have some decency, not constantly accuse an innocent girl?¡±


    Wenya was shocked to hear this,


    ¡°Fuck, innocent? Ding Yinuo, are you fucking blind? Don¡¯t you know what kind of person Jiang Jiaying is?¡±


    Ding Yinuo lost his temper,


    ¡°She is a woman who deserves respect, who cared for me tirelessly while I was sick. So if you still want to talk to me, please respect others. Otherwise, no one will respect you.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you ungrateful jerk, are you defending Jiang Jiaying now? God damn it, when you were in a vegetative state, she barely visited you twice, and now you¡¯re so grateful to her; you¡¯re driving me insane, scumbag¡­¡±


    Wenya, cursing and swearing, attracted a crowd of onlookers. Su Peisheng, failing to stop her, simply picked her up around the waist and carried her off, running away.


    Thankfully, at that moment Shen Yishu came to defuse the situation, acting as a peacemaker, he directly approached Ding Yinuo and said,


    ¡°A misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding. Let¡¯s drop it, Dr. Ding¡­ As a matter of fact, I don¡¯t particularly want to criticize your personal matters, what you do or think has nothing to do with us. But let me give you a piece of advice, if you don¡¯t leave any way out for yourself, you will regret it one day.¡±

 Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Chapter 381 Hes Back

    Chapter 381: Chapter 381 He¡¯s Back


    Shen Yishu had said so much by now, Ding Yinuo should have understood a bit.


    However, to my surprise, he actually said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve never regretted anything I¡¯ve done.¡±


    Great!


    This also served as severing all the last threads of hope in my heart.


    Ding Yinuo got into the car with Ding Ruirui.


    Watching little Ding Ruirui wave at me desperately from the car window as her small figure gradually disappeared into the crowd¡­


    My eyes became a bit sore.


    All of a sudden, I felt very sentimental.


    ¡°Let it be, Xiaoyun. Don¡¯t be upset. There are many people in life who come with a certain fate. When that fate ends, people part ways. Maybe your fate with him has come to an end.¡±


    I fell silent for a while, then nodded in acknowledgment.


    But now is really not the time for me to show weakness.


    Today the company is reopening, with much to be reinstated, and there are many tasks waiting for me.


    I refocused my scattered attention and continued to interact with some of the crowd present.


    The opening today can be considered a great success.


    After the ribbon-cutting ceremony ended in the daytime, I took the opportunity to treat all the company¡¯s employees to a buffet.


    After the event, Wenya and a few other friends insisted on continuing to eat and drink.


    When alone, I feel especially lonely, and only when with friends does that sense of solitude lessen a great deal.


    I drank a couple more glasses tonight and felt slightly tipsy when I stood up, but I still raised my glass to Wenya,


    ¡°Wenya, we¡¯ve been besties for decades. To be honest, if one of us were a different gender, chances are we would¡¯ve been husband and wife. Of course, even now, our friendship is no less than that of spouses. It may sound a bit cheesy to express gratitude, so just this, I appreciate how much you did for me at the opening ceremony today. Here, let¡¯s finish this glass, everything else goes without saying.¡±


    Wenya was stunned for a moment, holding her glass without drinking,


    ¡°Wait, all Su Peisheng and I did was send a few flower baskets, that¡¯s hardly much of a contribution, is it?¡±


    ¡°No, the electronic screen, the lion dance, and that inflatable arch, as well as all sorts of delicious food, weren¡¯t they arranged by you through the etiquette company?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Of course, not! I just had Su Peisheng get the flower baskets. Wait, Su Peisheng, did you arrange these activities?¡±


    Su Peisheng denied on the spot,


    ¡°No! I just ordered the flower baskets. Didn¡¯t you say to keep it low-profile? Just a simple decoration was enough, right?¡±


    Su Peisheng is a person of candor; I believe whatever he says.


    ¡°So if it wasn¡¯t you guys, who arranged the event?¡±


    ¡°Could it possibly be you, Shen Yishu?¡±


    Wenya turned the questioning to Shen Yishu.


    Shen Yishu shook his head,


    ¡°Not me! Otherwise, when you called me this morning, I wouldn¡¯t even have had time to prepare a flower basket. Although I had that in mind, I found out too late.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, could it be Jian Yan? That¡¯s impossible, Jian Jing is currently at home looking after the kids. She¡¯s so busy she doesn¡¯t even remember her own name. We didn¡¯t inform her about today¡¯s reopening.¡±


    Wenya said.


    If it wasn¡¯t Shen Yishu, and it wasn¡¯t Jian Yan, then who could it be?


    ¡°Could it possibly be¡­¡±


    I thought of someone but immediately dismissed the possibility.


    It¡¯s highly unlikely.


    That night, with Wenya¡¯s company, I drank to my heart¡¯s content.


    This was probably the happiest time I had experienced in a while.


    Sometimes it¡¯s good to get drunk, at least my mind is numb, and I don¡¯t have to think about things that get me worked up.


    I lay on the couch, my expression somewhat dazed¡­


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯ve drunk too much. I¡¯ll take you home!¡±


    It was Shen Yishu¡¯s voice trying to help me up, but I pushed him away,


    ¡°No, I want Wenya to take me home!¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, I owe you one, so I¡¯ll take you home now. Su Peisheng, come over and help me get her into the car.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, slow down! Why are you rushing like that, watch the car, be careful¡­ Damn, sorry, master, my best friend¡¯s had too much to drink, it¡¯s okay now, thank you!¡±


    I seemed to see many stars, twinkling in front of me.


    I staggered forward, grabbing Wenya¡¯s arm, ¡°Do you know? I saw Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense! You¡¯re drunk¡­ Last time I was drunk, I even saw my great-grandfather!¡±


    Wenya opened the car door and helped me sit in, then she said to Su Peisheng, ¡°Drive slowly, will you?¡±


    Su Peisheng asked, ¡°Where are we taking her at this hour?¡±


    ¡°Where else can we take her, let¡¯s go to my place, it¡¯s too late anyway, we¡¯re not going to that cemetery area!¡±


    Wenya talked to me, neck extended, calling Beilu Hill the cemetery area!


    ¡°All right, then we¡¯ll go to your place!¡±


    Su Peisheng started the car.


    I immediately protested,


    ¡°Wenya, I don¡¯t want to go to your house¡­ I have to go to Beilu Hill, that¡¯s my home.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, stop it, that place isn¡¯t fit for living people. If you dislike my house, I can book a hotel room for you.¡±


    ¡°No, no, I want to go home! Stop the car, Su Peisheng, I want to get out!¡±


    Seeing me getting a bit emotional, Wenya reluctantly agreed,


    ¡°Fine, fine, my little ancestor, just sit down first, the car is still moving, you don¡¯t want to knock or fall.¡±


    As soon as I stood up, my head hit the car ceiling.


    Wenya helped me sit back down and told Su Peisheng to turn the car around.


    ¡°Ayun, lie down and sleep for a bit, it¡¯ll only take half an hour to get home.¡±


    I leaned against the car seat, ¡°Wenya, I really saw Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    I kept muttering¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re drunk, darling!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, just now during the ribbon-cutting, I hadn¡¯t drunk anything, I was clear-headed, it was really him!¡±


    I repeated over and over, asking Wenya,


    ¡°Do you think, is it possible that he¡¯s not dead?¡±


    Su Peisheng said, ¡°Executions have a process, there are several checkpoints, with people reviewing and safeguarding, it¡¯s impossible for there to be any mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Really? Su Peisheng, I really dislike you!¡±


    I whispered quietly.


    Wenya sighed.


    During the half-hour car ride, it seemed that I was jostled all the way. By the time I got home, I had thrown up again.


    Wenya helped me into the house, ¡°Otherwise, let me and Su Peisheng stay to take care of you.¡±


    I refused her kindness, ¡°No need, you guys go back! This place is so ghostly, only a ghost like me could stay here. You go back. I want to be alone for a while.¡±


    No matter how Wenya explained, I stubbornly pushed them out the door, then closed it.


    I knew this place wasn¡¯t suitable for the living, especially not in the dead of night. Wenya would be scared here, it¡¯s better for the two of them to go back.


    They knocked on the door for a while, but when I didn¡¯t respond, they left.


    After they left, I lay in bed alone.


    Actually, I was quite tired, I closed my eyes and slept for a bit, but suddenly felt very thirsty.


    I climbed up by myself again.


    Still in a drunken state, the whole house seemed to be swaying as I walked¡­


    I felt that there was someone else in the room!

 Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Is it Really Him?

    Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Is it Really Him?


    Actually, my vision wasn¡¯t very clear at the time because of the alcohol, I felt like I was stepping on cotton, or as if walking among the clouds.


    I vaguely saw a figure on the couch, wearing a black suit¡­


    I reached out and rubbed my eyes.


    He was still there!


    He turned his head to look at me.


    And he even called out to me, ¡°Ayun!¡±


    Uh!


    I really must be seeing a ghost!


    I couldn¡¯t believe I was seeing Gu Yuanzhou!


    I reached out and rubbed my eyes again, and when I looked intently, the figure on the couch was gone.


    However, a moment later, a glass of water was handed in front of me.


    ¡°Thirsty, huh? Drink these!¡±


    His familiar voice rang out, I forgot to take the glass and just looked at him.


    He was very close to me at that moment.


    Within my reach.


    I slowly reached out to him, touched his cheek, yes, I felt his face, not just air.


    He was tangible, not a ghost!


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, is it really you?¡±


    I asked him directly.


    ¡°Do you hope it¡¯s me?¡±


    He gave a bitter smile.


    I nodded vigorously,


    ¡°Of course, I hope it¡¯s you¡­ I¡¯ve been living here without moving out because I heard the master say, in places with heavy Yin energy, as long as the ashes and ancestral tablet are constantly worshipped, you can see the deceased.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sighed, his laugh somewhat awkward,


    ¡°How can you wish to see me when you hate me so much, wishing I were dead?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gu Yuanzhou, I misunderstood you. I¡¯m really sorry, I never thought that your death would make me so sad.¡±


    At that thought, sorrow welled up inside me, and tears involuntarily fell.


    He reached out to wipe the tears from the corner of my eyes, trying to comfort me, ¡°I know! I forgive you!¡±


    All the sadness and despair in the depths of my heart over this period of time.


    Seeing him at that instant was like the wind blowing across a cloudy sky, the atmosphere instantly cleared up.


    I couldn¡¯t help but throw myself into his arms and hug him tightly.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry!¡±


    ¡°Silly, stop crying, your eyes will swell and you won¡¯t look good.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, am I dreaming?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, yes, is it a good dream?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯ve been dreaming all this time, I wanted to see you in my dreams, but I couldn¡¯t! I saw your figure in my dreams, I chased desperately, I wanted to catch up to you. But I couldn¡¯t catch up, and now, finally, I can.¡±


    I mumbled to myself in a low voice.


    If this is a dream.


    Then this is the best dream I¡¯ve had in the past six months.


    I didn¡¯t even want to wake up.


    The next morning.


    The ring of my cellphone woke me up from the dream.


    When I opened my eyes, I saw that it was already light outside.


    I was lying on the living room couch, my phone had fallen to the ground, I picked it up and saw it was Wenya calling.


    ¡°Are you awake yet, beauty?¡±


    ¡°Uh, woke up!¡±


    I picked up my cell phone and slowly got to my feet, my temples still throbbing from the hangover.


    I walked to the window and pulled back the curtains.


    I could see the mountaintops in the distance bathed in sunlight, with lush forests and lots of birds chirping away.


    A new day had begun.


    ¡°Ayun, did you sleep well last night?¡±


    ¡°Not too bad!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been worried about you, worried it¡¯s not safe for you to be alone over there. Last night I was discussing with Su Peisheng whether you should rent an apartment in the city. It¡¯s not good for you to live in such a remote place. Just think, you¡¯re a woman, and if some villain were to target you on a dark and windy night, there would be no help from heaven or earth, it¡¯s especially dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, your idea is very good! But I think I¡¯ll stay here for now, alright, enough said, I need to get ready and head to the company soon.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I sat on the sofa for a long time.


    Only then did I vaguely remember that last night, I seemed to have dreamt of Gu Yuanzhou.


    He was sitting right here, and he had held me for a very long time.


    It felt so incredibly real.


    I got up and walked over to the memorial altar, lighting a new stick of incense for him.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, will you come to my dreams tonight again, okay?¡±


    I closed my eyes, mumbling earnestly.


    Although it felt like I was deceiving myself, this might be the only way I could see him again.


    Now that the company was officially open, I had no more excuses to slack off.


    I washed up and went straight to the office.


    As soon as I entered the company, I saw Jia Yuyan waiting for me in the reception room early in the morning,


    ¡°Sister Song!¡±


    ¡°Yuyan, aren¡¯t you working today? What are you doing here?¡±


    Jia Yuyan was holding a bunch of documents, ¡°Sister Song, I want to talk to you about something!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s go to my office!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Jia Yuyan followed me, looking around curiously, ¡°Sister Song, this place looks a lot like Tianjiao Company!¡±


    ¡°What looks similar?¡±


    ¡°The layout of the office, and the aura of the employees, that professional atmosphere, totally the same.¡±


    I opened the door to my office and drew back the curtains, letting the sunlight pour in.


    This president¡¯s office was previously used by Gu Yuanzhou for work, and now that I¡¯ve moved here, I¡¯m the one mainly using it.


    Strangely enough, every time I sat in this office chair, my mood seemed to settle down a lot.


    ¡°Coffee¡¯s over there, and so is the tea, take whatever you like!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Jia Yuyan made herself a cup of coffee without ceremony, and then poured one for me. When she lifted her coffee cup, she glanced around the room.


    ¡°Actually, I really like the philosophy of Zhenyi Company!¡±


    ¡°Pfft, Yuyan, did you come here to talk about something today?¡±


    Jia Yuyan dumped the documents she was holding onto the desk, ¡°Sister Song, this is my job application! Take a look, could you take me in?¡±


    I was slightly surprised upon hearing this, and after opening the folder, it indeed contained her job application letter.


    Her request was simple; she was seeking a position similar to the one she had at Tianjiao Company, and she hadn¡¯t even filled in her expected salary, leaving it blank.


    ¡°What, are you here to bail me out?¡±


    ¡°No! I just wanted to change my working environment¡­ The thing is, I¡¯ve been following you and got used to it. Now that you¡¯re gone, I feel lost, so please take me in!¡±


    I squinted at her, ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. After I left, you became the leader of those projects. If I¡¯m not mistaken, Ding Xiao must have promoted and given you a raise by now. Your future is bright; why mix in here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Sister Song really has sharp eyes. I did indeed get a promotion and a raise, but I still want to follow you!¡±


    I shook my head and tossed the job application back to her, ¡°Be honest, did he send you?¡±

 Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Chapter 383 Hitting a Wall Everywhere

    Chapter 383: Chapter 383 Hitting a Wall Everywhere


    ¡°He? What do you mean ¡®he¡¯? Sister Song!¡±


    I shook my head and let out a sigh,


    ¡°Did Yishu ask you to come help me?¡±


    Actually, if you think about it a little deeper, it becomes quite clear.


    Yishu has always been trying to help me in secret, and now that Zhenyi Company has reopened, there¡¯s a lot to rebuild.


    With so many things inside and out, having an experienced hand to help would solve a lot of problems for me.


    And Jia Yuyan, who has followed me for a long time and is a veteran in the industry, would be the best help I could ask for.


    So, I guessed it was Yishu who asked Jia Yuyan to come.


    After all, it seems like the kid really listens to Yishu.


    Jia Yuyan laughed when she heard this,


    ¡°Sister Song, you¡¯re so sharp! You guessed right, Yishu did mention this to me, but I didn¡¯t come because of his request¡ªI came because I wanted to. Sister Song, I truly want to help you.¡±


    I pushed the folder in front of her,


    ¡°There¡¯s no need! Really, there¡¯s no need! I can handle it on my own!¡±


    ¡°Sister Song, do you really want to refuse me?¡±


    ¡°Yuyan, I feel that, with your current capabilities, Tianjiao is just right for you. Do you understand? Now that I¡¯m not there, the business that used to be mine needs your oversight. If you also leave, Tianjiao Company will descend into chaos¡­¡±


    Jia Yuyan let out a long sigh upon hearing this,


    ¡°Sister Song, this is why I admire you. You¡¯re not even at Tianjiao Company anymore, yet you still consider their needs, but they don¡¯t give a damn about you.¡±


    I simply smiled,


    ¡°No, you¡¯re mistaken, actually, the Ding Family has been very good to me¡­¡±


    Jia Yuyan became somewhat agitated after hearing this,


    ¡°Sister Song, not to mention anything else, just look at how much you¡¯ve put into Tianjiao Company. You brought all your strength, all your long-standing clients to Tianjiao. Since you¡¯ve joined Tianjiao Company, its market value has increased several fold. Hand on heart, if not for you, Tianjiao would never have reached where it is today. Not only did they not appreciate it, but they even forced you out of Tianjiao¡ªI just can¡¯t swallow that insult.¡±


    I chuckled lightly, tidying up the documents on the desk.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong, I wasn¡¯t driven out by them, I resigned!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, you were kicked out¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Yuyan, you¡¯re mistaken.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mistaken, it¡¯s because Mr. Ding decided to be a doctor, that¡¯s why you left, right?¡±


    ¡°Um, it¡¯s more or less for that reason, yes.¡±


    ¡°See! As soon as you left Tianjiao Company, he immediately came back¡­ Isn¡¯t that just a scheme to force you out?¡±


    I was drinking coffee and choked on it when I heard this, coughing violently.


    It took a while before I calmed down.


    ¡°Yuyan, did you just say Ding Yinuo has returned to Tianjiao Company?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s back at work!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    This news really broke my heart.


    Yinuo, do you really have to do this?


    There was no need for such maneuvers, you could have just told me if you wanted me gone.


    Jia Yuyan continued to speak,


    ¡°Sister Song, you transferred your Zhenyi Company¡¯s clients to save Tianjiao. Now, how are you going to revive Zhenyi Company? Without clients, without the market, what can you do?¡±


    Jia Yuyan¡¯s words were very professional; she saw through my future prospects.


    ¡°Yuyan, thanks for your concern, I¡¯ve been trying to figure things out lately, and I think I¡¯ll find a different path to take.¡±


    ¡°Sister Song, do you really not want to keep me?¡±


    ¡°Yuyan¡­ I and the Ding Family, we were originally one family. There may be some conflicts, but I don¡¯t want those conflicts to turn into chasms. You go back to Tianjiao, and in the future, if you really can¡¯t stay there anymore, then you come to me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Under my persuasion, Jia Yuyan finally agreed to leave willingly.


    I could have poached Jia Yuyan as well, but that would lead to the kind of vicious competition with Ding Yinuo that I wanted to avoid.


    This was the last thing I wanted to see.


    I had to carve out a new track for myself, one that didn¡¯t run parallel to Ding Yinuo¡¯s. I didn¡¯t want to become his enemy again.


    Yet, to this day, the divisions of labor in various industries have become so refined that it¡¯s hard to find a new track to take.


    The following week.


    I began to do market research, hoping to find a sliver of business opportunity.


    The company still had some leftover orders and some small orders that Shen Yishu had transferred over to me.


    If these were completed, we would face a lengthy period of downtime.


    This was not what I wanted to see.


    So, to avoid these situations, I had to discover new business opportunities before then.


    That afternoon, a large business trade show was happening in our city, and I decided to take my team there.


    I brought out our past products and chose a very good sales booth¡­


    Unexpectedly.


    Ding Yinuo also came.


    He was representing Tianjiao Company, and he brought his sales team too.


    The difference was that he brought a large number of people, all of whom were the company¡¯s sales elites.


    I feared exactly what ended up happening ¨C I ran into him on the same track after all.


    And, to make matters worse, their booth was right next to ours.


    Actually, I didn¡¯t have many people on my hands. There was a shortage of staff in the company, and it just so happened that Jiang Jing¡¯s child was already three months old; she had left her child with her mother and came over to help out at my company. Fortunately, Jiang Jing was a mature and steady person with work experience, and under my guidance, she quickly got the hang of it.


    So today, it was just the two of us.


    However, because Tianjiao Company was in front of us, nearly all the customers were intercepted by them before reaching us.


    We hardly had any customers come our way¡­


    The day was half gone, and we hadn¡¯t seen a single client, leaving us to idly drink tea.


    Holding her teacup, Jiang Jing said to me, ¡°Ayun, if we don¡¯t get a single customer today, we¡¯ll lose the booth fee for an entire day. That¡¯s tens of thousands!¡±


    I was looking at the news online, very calm, ¡°No worries!¡±


    Jiang Jing then walked to the door and looked outside.


    That¡¯s when she saw the tall and handsome figure of Ding Yinuo. His dashing and stable presence was quite eye-catching in the crowd.


    To our surprise, Jiang Jiaying also came today; she was wearing a pink dress, which made her look soft and lovely.


    While Ding Yinuo was talking business with clients, Jiang Jiaying was serving tea and water, occasionally wiping the sweat off Ding Yinuo with a tissue.


    She seemed to be extraordinarily attentive.


    Watching Jiang Jiaying¡¯s gently shining smile, Jiang Jing said to me,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s weird?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s weird?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a problem?¡±


    ¡°The two of them¡­¡±


    I took a look, then averted my gaze,


    ¡°Men and women falling in love is a normal thing. Besides, they are a couple.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯ve heard from Wenya. Back in high school, Ding Yinuo was with Jiang Jiaying just to upset you. It doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re really a couple, but more like they¡¯re trying to provoke someone on purpose. Think about it, since they never really got together during high school, it¡¯s unlikely they¡¯d suddenly develop feelings after you two got married.¡±


    I looked at Jiang Jing, ¡°So what do you think the problem is?¡±

 Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: Chapter 384 Is it him?

    Chapter 384: Chapter 384 Is it him?


    ¡°The problem is¡­ I suspect that during the time abroad, Jiang Jiaying employed some tricks on Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°What tricks?¡±


    Jian Jing leaned in closer to me,


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible that Jiang Jiaying drugged Ding Yinuo to make him forget his original feelings for you?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh after hearing Jian Jing¡¯s conjecture.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. Don¡¯t forget, Ding Yinuo is a doctor. He¡¯s a professional in that area, at least much more so than us. How could he possibly be drugged without knowing?¡±


    ¡°Er, you do have a point, but this matter just doesn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny. Forget it, let¡¯s not think about it any further.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Mr. Ding has such a poor attitude towards us now, and he doesn¡¯t cherish the old affections, so it¡¯s meaningless to fuss over that.¡±


    Jian Jing sighed.


    She, having been married before, seemed to have seen through the true nature of relationships long ago.


    ¡°You¡¯d think, since you¡¯ve already divorced, they¡¯d be getting married soon, right?¡±


    Jian Jing asked another question.


    I glanced over at the opposite side.


    The customer from earlier had already left, and Jiang Jiaying considerately brought a fruit platter to Ding Yinuo¡¯s side.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been busy for so long, have some fruit to moisten your throat.¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed to really enjoy the sensation she brought him.


    He whispered something to her.


    Jiang Jiaying actually blushed, smiling shyly with a complex look in her eyes as she glanced over at us.


    Just then, a customer came to ask for a price, and Jian Jing and I got up, busy with entertaining the guest.


    There weren¡¯t many customers today, so we couldn¡¯t let even one slip by.


    While talking to that customer about a potential deal, I suddenly heard an unexpected noise. Jian Jing looked up and said to me,


    ¡°This is bad, our sign fell over, it hit the one next door.¡±


    I went outside to see, and it turned out that our advertising sign, somehow knocked over by someone, had fallen on the neighboring booth, knocking down their sign and scattering pamphlets, sample garments, and some gifts all over the ground.


    I was just about to go over to clean up when Ding Yinuo¡¯s poised figure walked out.


    When he looked at me, his eyes were filled with dissatisfaction¡­


    I was just about to explain to him when Jiang Jiaying followed him out.


    ¡°Oh, Miss Song, what was the need for this, huh? If you don¡¯t have customers, it¡¯s because your company is not up to par¡­¡±


    Jiang Jiaying stood with her arms folded, sounding rather sarcastic and petty.


    I looked at her coldly, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Well, your company isn¡¯t strong, so you shouldn¡¯t be next to us. Zhenyi Company is the strongest in A City. You intentionally placed yourself next to us, simply hoping to lure away some of our old customers. But as you can see, all your efforts were in vain, and you gained nothing. It¡¯s understandable that you feel disgruntled, but you really didn¡¯t need to come over here and target our sign.¡±


    Seeing Jiang Jiaying¡¯s sarcastic demeanor, it reminded me of how she used to mock and ridicule me with that tone back when we were in school.


    Concerned that I¡¯d be singled out, Jian Jing quickly came over to help,


    ¡°Miss Jiang, speak nicely, please. The advertising sign was blown over by the wind, and if yours was to be knocked down, it would be by its own doing¡ªwhat does it have to do with me at all?¡±


    Jian Jing took hold of my arm and started walking back,


    ¡°Forget about them! The venue has security patrols, we¡¯ll just wait for the expo staff to handle it.¡±


    ¡°Clean this up before you leave!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s icy voice rang out.


    I looked at him in astonishment; clearly, I hadn¡¯t done it on purpose, and indeed, I hadn¡¯t said I wouldn¡¯t clean it up.


    But his gaze really made me uncomfortable.


    ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll pick it up!¡±


    I pulled away from Jian Jing¡¯s grip, squatted down, straightened the booth, and started picking up the little things that had fallen to the ground.


    One by one, I placed them neatly.


    After I finished, I stood up and glanced at Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, so why are you looking at me with those eyes?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s face was cold,


    ¡°Your attitude is wrong!¡±


    The chilly tone was somewhat irritating.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my attitude? I came to help you organize immediately after you said no, what more do you want?¡±


    Jian Jing reminded me from the side,


    ¡°He¡¯s probably saying that your attitude towards Jiang Jiaying is wrong!¡±


    It was then I belatedly realized he was protecting Jiang Jiaying, and the feeling made me very uncomfortable.


    He was now standing by Jiang Jiaying¡¯s side, caring for her so attentively.


    The two of them looked just like a couple.


    Jiang Jiaying had a slight blush on her face, a look of shyness,


    ¡°Yinuo, thank you for standing up for me. With you, I feel very secure.¡±


    I picked up everything from the floor, placed them on the table, and then pulled Jian Jing to leave.


    Behind us, Jiang Jiaying¡¯s light laughter followed,


    ¡°Yinuo, my parents are urging me. They say I¡¯m not getting any younger and it¡¯s the best time to marry. If we delay further, there might be difficulties with having children. What do you think about visiting my house tonight, meeting my parents, and discussing our wedding date? I also had a check-up a few days ago, my health is great, and I¡¯m in a good condition to get pregnant!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying seemed to realize I hadn¡¯t gone far, so she stopped halfway through her sentence.


    When I looked back, she was already walking into the inner office with her arm linked through Ding Yinuo¡¯s.


    Jian Jing shook her head and sighed,


    ¡°If Ding Yinuo truly marries this woman, the Ding family is probably doomed.¡±


    ¡°Let him have his way then.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, can you really let go of him?¡±


    Jian Jing asked again.


    I bowed my head, organizing the documents, which were all the orders I received today.


    To my surprise, there was an order among them, and I wasn¡¯t sure if the customer made a mistake, but they were requesting children¡¯s clothing.


    ¡°Jian Yan, check if this is the order you took, are the customers mistaken?¡±


    As everyone knows, Zhenyi Company currently specializes in ready-to-wear fashion and does not produce children¡¯s clothing.


    Moreover, this customer¡¯s order was quite large.


    Jian Jing picked up the order and looked closely,


    ¡°I remember now, it was me who took it. The customer mentioned they urgently needed clothes, something about donating to some place. They wanted good quality without specifying styles. I took the order in a hurry and assumed it was adults¡¯ clothing without paying much attention, never thinking they wanted children¡¯s clothing. What do we do now, given the large amount of the order?¡±


    ¡°Then contact them and see if you can persuade them to cancel the order¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Jian Jing hurriedly made a phone call.


    I continued to sort through the documents, and after a moment, Jian Jing hung up the phone.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    Jian Jing stared at me for a few seconds,


    ¡°It¡¯s so strange, the customer¡¯s voice sounded a bit like Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    It had been a long time since anyone mentioned that name. I froze for a few seconds, still not taking her words too seriously.


    ¡°What did he say?¡±

 Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Is Someone Impersonating?

    Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Is Someone Impersonating?


    ¡°He said he won¡¯t cancel the order, produce or pay compensation! The responsibility is on us!¡±


    ¡°Then forget it, let¡¯s just leave it at that!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯m so sorry! It seems like this ¡®pregnancy brain¡¯ really lasts three years for me! I didn¡¯t even clarify such a simple little detail and caused the company to suffer losses.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! We just need to adjust the production line. Actually, Gu Yuanzhou once produced children¡¯s clothing for a while, it¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t break into that market.¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Because the exhibition wasn¡¯t very effective, we wrapped up and left in a hurry after just one day.


    For some reason, I always felt like Ding Yinuo seemed to be observing me.


    Just standing over by his exhibition booth, staring at me.


    That gaze was deep, incisive.


    Looking at the person who used to be closest to me, and now slowly becoming a stranger, I actually wanted to confront him and ask for clarity, but in the end, I chose silence.


    Forget it!


    Although Wenya has been urging me to rent another apartment in the city, I refused.


    I still like the feeling of living on Beilu Hill.


    I feel like this is where I belong.


    On weekends when I don¡¯t have to work, I like to stay here as well.


    I moved the lounge chair to the backyard, to the spot near the mountain where a small patch of sunlight could reach.


    I would lie there, sunbathing, and sometimes I would fall asleep unintentionally and dream of some of the good old times.


    It was another afternoon¡­


    When I woke up, I suddenly found an extra blanket on me.


    At first, I didn¡¯t think it was strange, but on second thought, something wasn¡¯t right.


    Because it was summer, all my blankets were put away in the closet, and I never took them out.


    I certainly couldn¡¯t have brought them to the courtyard.


    How could this be possible?


    My first reaction was to tell me that someone had been in my house.


    I grabbed the blanket and hurried into the living room.


    But there was no one there, in the living room, in the bedroom, in the bathroom, all empty.


    Even the breeze was blowing in through the windows, the curtains swaying, and flower petals from the vase scattering all over the floor, it didn¡¯t seem like anyone had been there.


    I walked quickly to the door and tried the lock with my hand, it was locked, and it wasn¡¯t opened.


    I sat down on the sofa and then called Wenya.


    ¡°Uh, I always feel like¡­ there¡¯s someone in my house?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve warned you before, that area is too remote; if some pervert sneaked into your house, it wouldn¡¯t be anything unusual.¡±


    ¡°No, Wenya, what I mean is¡­ I feel like he¡¯s back!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s back?¡±


    I was silent for a while, ¡°It¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou! He¡¯s back!¡±


    ¡°Hiss!!!¡±


    After hearing this, Wenya gasped in shock.


    If I had mentioned this name in the past, she would definitely have scolded me harshly.


    But this time, she didn¡¯t scold me. She just steadied my nerves and then said,


    ¡°Dinner¡¯s on me tonight!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the dinner for this time?¡±


    ¡°Just come, there¡¯s a surprise!¡±


    Wenya¡¯s cryptic words left me a bit puzzled¡­


    She said she was inviting me to dinner, but these two came over in just an hour, and it was only three or four in the afternoon.


    ¡°`


    After Wenya entered the room, she pointed to the urn on the altar and spoke with a hint of panic.


    ¡°Ayun, can you find a cemetery and bury him first? Otherwise, look, we¡¯re too scared to come over at night. You know, I was quite afraid of him when he was alive. Now that he¡¯s turned into a ghost, damn it, I get the sense that he¡¯s out to get me as soon as I come over, and my neck feels icy cold!¡±


    I actually had a plan in my mind to find a suitable time to bury Gu Yuanzhou.


    But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to make that decision.


    Just like what happened during the day, I always had the eerie feeling that it was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s doing.


    Therefore, there was a bit of irrational hope in me that made me feel, if I didn¡¯t bury his ashes, it would feel like he was always by my side.


    ¡°Wenya, let me think about it some more. I¡¯ll go to the nunnery in a few days to talk to his aunt.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine!¡±


    Wenya was really afraid of Gu Yuanzhou.


    She didn¡¯t stand in the living room for a few seconds before she hastily escaped.


    No matter how much I urged, she refused to come back in.


    I cleaned up a bit and got on Su Peisheng¡¯s car.


    On the car, the two people were talking, but Su Peisheng stopped talking immediately when he saw me open the car door and get in.


    ¡°Uh, I heard it all, it¡¯s okay, just keep talking, it¡¯s about Song Shixiong¡¯s case, right?¡±


    Su Peisheng nodded,


    ¡°Yeah! Recently, we¡¯ve received a lot of complaints. The old cases Song Shixiong was involved in¡­ have all been dug up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what cases?¡±


    ¡°Forced eviction in East River Village leading to the death of a villager. Illegal bribery causing a building to be substandard and collapse. Assisting a young master in sexual assault, making false testimonies to absolve him of the crime, resulting in the victim¡¯s suicide¡­ These cases, originally pointed at Gu Yuanzhou, are now found to be orchestrated by Song Shixiong.¡±


    After listening to Su Peisheng, I just responded with an ¡°Oh.¡±


    When I collected these materials, it was only to prove that Gu Yuanzhou was a bad person. Unexpectedly, even these were done by Song Shixiong.


    Wenya asked curiously, ¡°Now that Gu Yuanzhou is gone, who¡¯s helping him seek justice?¡±


    ¡°It could be someone anonymously submitting materials, but, the case is being handled by Zhou Chenming¡­ He¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s top lackey.¡±


    Wenya said, ¡°Gu Yuanzhou is no longer here, even if the case is overturned, that lawyer Zhou wouldn¡¯t get paid, right? He¡¯s working for nothing.¡±


    I stared out the car window at the fleeting scenery, lost in deep thought.


    If it was Zhou Chenming handling these cases, why wouldn¡¯t he want to mention Gu Yuanzhou in front of me?


    ¡°So what¡¯s the deal with Song Shixiong¡¯s case? When will it be over?¡±


    ¡°Not sure, because there are so many cases involved. Now so many victims¡¯ complaints have been unearthed. I reckon it¡¯s not something that can be sorted out quickly; it¡¯ll take some time!¡±


    The car continued to move forward and soon stopped at the entrance to the hospital.


    After getting out of the car, I looked at Wenya, ¡°Why have we come to the hospital?¡±


    Wenya, without hesitation, grabbed my hand and hurried me inside, taking me straight to Jia Musen¡¯s clinic, ¡°Doctor Jia, please take a look at her. This woman keeps having hallucinations, seeing people who have died.¡±


    Jia Musen seemed pleased to see me, ¡°Take a seat, sit down! Hallucinations, you say? No worries, I¡¯ll give you an examination!¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t have a sickness, oh my God, you guys¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to be nervous. It¡¯s very common for many people to have hallucinations of seeing the deceased after losing a loved one. It¡¯s normal, and it can usually be treated with some medication. Really, you shouldn¡¯t avoid seeking help for an illness.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t have an illness!¡±


    ¡°Wait, Ayun, all you need to do is let Doctor Jia examine you. If there¡¯s nothing wrong, I¡¯ll take you away immediately, without any delay.¡±


    To put Wenya at ease, I went along with Jia Musen¡¯s examination.


    After the examination, Jia Musen gave me the diagnosis, ¡°Strange, your current condition isn¡¯t depression¡­ Never mind, it¡¯s all right! No medication needed. If you see hallucinations again, come find me.¡±


    After walking out of the hospital, Wenya was a bit more relieved, ¡°It¡¯s not like I wanted to make you see a doctor on purpose, but you always seeing Gu Yuanzhou isn¡¯t good either. Since it¡¯s not an illness, then maybe there are ghosts. I think you¡¯d better hold a ritual to help him move on, so he won¡¯t keep haunting you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m speechless, what are you even thinking!¡±


    Su Peisheng was more clear-headed, ¡°Ghosts aren¡¯t scary, what¡¯s scary is living people pretending to be ghosts.¡±


    I looked at him quizzically, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°I mean, maybe you should install a surveillance camera. Just as a precaution, in case someone is impersonating Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. If someone truly were impersonating him, what would be the point of doing that?¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Never Expected It to Come to This

    Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Never Expected It to Come to This


    Su Peisheng pondered for a long time,


    ¡°Based on the cases we¡¯ve seen at our law office, we¡¯ve encountered all kinds of people. Often, you only find out the motive after the incident occurs. Anyway, my advice is that if a single woman lives alone, it¡¯s safer to install a surveillance camera. If you need one, I have friends who specialize in selling these.¡±


    Su Peisheng was merely suggesting, but Wenya was quick to agree.


    ¡°Of course, I need one. It would be best to have one with an automatic alarm function that can scare off intruders with an automatic alert.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call my friend in a bit to ask.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®in a bit¡¯? Do it now!¡±


    Urged by Wenya, Su Peisheng immediately called his friend.


    After getting in touch, it turned out his friend did have stock on hand and soon drove over in a van.


    They started the installation right at the scene.


    Not only did they install a camera at the front door, but they also set up several cameras in the living room and the backyard.


    After the installation was complete, Wenya then took me out for dinner.


    Though it was nominally dinner, once we arrived, I realized it wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed.


    This was actually a gathering within Su Peisheng¡¯s high-society circle, with many industry magnates in attendance.


    Wenya, holding my hand, pointed to a man in a suit in the distance,


    ¡°You know Boss Zhou, right? He¡¯s a Chinese entrepreneur with many chain supermarkets overseas. If you can get your clothes into his stores, it would undoubtedly open up a new market.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, since when did you have such connections?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I nagged Su Peisheng for it. Anyway, friends should help each other out.¡±


    I understood Wenya¡¯s mood very well; she was indeed always considering things for me.


    There were many people present.


    ¡°Nagged for it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he had a bunch of nonsense issues before. Let me tell you, being a lawyer actually has its own circle. He made friends by winning lawsuits for people. So, the longer you are a lawyer, the more powerful people you have in your circle!¡±


    Wenya¡¯s conversation no longer hid her affection for Su Peisheng.


    It seemed that their relationship had progressed even further.


    I casually asked,


    ¡°When are you two getting married?¡±


    Su Peisheng glanced at Wenya and shrugged helplessly,


    ¡°Everything¡¯s ready, just missing the east wind. But the east wind isn¡¯t willing now.¡±


    Wenya glared at him,


    ¡°What¡¯s this about east wind and west wind? I don¡¯t understand your nonsense. I don¡¯t think you have any intention of getting married at all.¡±


    ¡°How could I not? I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so anxious I¡¯m about to burst into flames, like tinder waiting for a blaze, almost sprouting flowers from the wait. But she won¡¯t give in, she won¡¯t agree, what can I do?¡±


    The two of them were gesturing and arguing.


    I laughed and said,


    ¡°Su Peisheng, when it comes to marriage, the man needs to take more initiative. I¡¯ve got a tip for you, prepare a formal proposal tomorrow, and go directly to the Wen Family to ask for her hand.¡±


    ¡°Alright, that settles it. I¡¯ll prepare a pig and a case of Maotai liquor tomorrow and go straight to your place. What do you say? Will you open the door for me?¡±


    ¡°No way, Su Peisheng¡­ ¡±


    Su Peisheng, on the other hand, was very enthusiastic, introducing me to his circle of friends one by one.


    It seemed that for his sake, they were also willing to give me a chance.


    ¡°High-end custom fashion, right? Get one for my wife! Oh, do you have anything for middle-aged and elderly people? Two sets each for my mother and aunt, and if you do suits, I¡¯ll order three.¡±


    ¡°Sure, thank you!¡±


    Although each order was small, they all represented opportunities. If handled well, they could lead to becoming regular major clients.


    Moreover, with word of mouth, there was no worry about the business not doing well.


    ¡°Miss Song, can you make qipaos?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Our shop specializes in handcrafted embroidery and traditional Chinese buttons, offering finely crafted work. Here are some samples from previous years for your review.¡±


    I handed over the promotional brochure I was holding.


    In fact, Zhenyi Company did have cultural depth, having been in A City for so many years.


    Additionally, in the recent period, I had also integrated some of the market¡¯s hot-selling styles. My goal was to have everything others had,


    and also have what others did not.


    Only then could we maintain an unbeatable position.


    I had never felt there was any problem with my vision and creativity.


    Indeed, after showcasing my portfolio around the room, I received many orders.


    I was delighted and took out the orders I had prepared in advance, ready to sign contracts with everyone when


    suddenly, a deep voice intruded.


    ¡°How come you didn¡¯t invite me to your little gathering?¡±


    I turned around and my smile gradually froze on my face.


    The figure in the white shirt and black trousers, with his stern demeanor, was none other than Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo unfastened his tie around his neck, sat down on the sofa, picked up a glass of red wine without invitation, and drank it directly.


    Only then did I stand up.


    This was originally supposed to be Ding Yinuo¡¯s wine party.


    Yes, Ding Yinuo and Su Peisheng were part of the same social circle.


    Practically all of Su Peisheng¡¯s friends were also friends with Ding Yinuo.


    I looked at Ding Yinuo, and from his casual dark eyes, I sensed a foreboding feeling.


    While everyone greeted him, he held his wine glass and scanned the room, his dark eyes chilling,


    ¡°What, have I become so unpopular lately that you need to find outsiders for your tailor-made clothes?¡±


    The implication was that they shouldn¡¯t have come to me for tailoring¡­


    Being friends, of course, no one wanted to offend Ding Yinuo.


    At this moment, everyone fell silent.


    It was Su Peisheng who broke the awkward silence, saying with a forced smile to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, what are you talking about? We grew up together; who doesn¡¯t know who? Isn¡¯t it all the same whom we order from? Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Ding Yinuo lifted his face and let out a cold laugh,


    ¡°What are you saying, do you think ordering clothes from an outsider is the same as ordering from me?¡±


    Su Peisheng chuckled, ¡°Listen to you talking, how is Miss Song an outsider? Isn¡¯t she your girlfriend? Everyone ordered from her out of consideration for that relationship. Right, folks?¡±


    Su Peisheng was slick, and with his call, the others chimed in,


    ¡°Exactly, Mr. Ding, you and your wife¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo interrupted everyone sharply,


    ¡°Shut up, what wife. We¡¯re already divorced. I have nothing to do with her now, oh, no, that¡¯s not true, there is a relationship, we are now competitors. If you support her, it¡¯s the same as opposing me.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s remarks were clear and explicit, laying out the stakes.


    It meant it was either him or me, not both.


    So, following his statement, these people one by one expressed their intentions to withdraw their orders from me.

 Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: Chapter 387: Tonight He Holds Me in His Arms

    Chapter 387: Chapter 387: Tonight He Holds Me in His Arms


    I really didn¡¯t expect that he and I would end up here.


    Seeing the hard-earned orders turn to nothing in a blink, I felt an indescribable anger inside.


    I couldn¡¯t hold back and directly pointed at Ding Yinuo¡¯s nose and cursed.


    ¡°Ding, do you realize how many clients I brought over to you for Tianjiao? And now you won¡¯t leave even these trivial orders for me.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t about to show weakness either,


    ¡°How many clients you pulled in was your own choice, did I force you?¡±


    ¡°Fine, Ding Yinuo, for you to say something like this, I¡¯m really impressed! Great, I don¡¯t want the order anymore, I¡¯m leaving, alright?¡±


    I was so angry I didn¡¯t even want the remaining orders, I just turned around and walked out.


    I felt that if I stayed even a second longer, I would explode with fury.


    I rushed to the hotel entrance, fuming with rage.


    Wenya came after me and caught me,


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun, let it go!¡±


    I let out a deep sigh,


    ¡°I always thought that no matter what Ding Yinuo did or said, it couldn¡¯t hurt me. But the truth is, my heart is indeed made of glass. I can¡¯t do it. I¡¯m still very upset, very angry.¡±


    Wenya patted my shoulder and softly tried to console me,


    ¡°I understand how you feel. In that case, how about I go in and give him a beating?¡±


    By then, Su Peisheng had also come out,


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Ding has been like a loose cannon lately, firing randomly at everyone! Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    ¡°Lawyer Su, don¡¯t comfort me! He¡¯s only like this with me, can he be like that with others?¡±


    ¡°No, let me tell you¡­ he¡¯s like this with everyone. Just now, all of my friends, they all feel he¡¯s become a bit strange lately, very different from before. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gone wrong with him.¡±


    I gave a rough analysis of Su Peisheng¡¯s confusion.


    ¡°I think, people need to grow, and I feel maybe he has. A man, after meeting a woman, especially one who has an influence on him, is bound to change.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ah, forget it, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore!¡±


    I wanted to be convincing, but I no longer had the energy. The unresolved entanglement with Ding Yinuo was exhausting me both mentally and physically.


    ¡°Ayun, let us take you back!¡±


    Wenya signaled Su Peisheng to stop talking.


    Su Peisheng sighed helplessly, and then the two of them took me back to Beilu Hill.


    Although I appeared calm and composed in front of Wenya,


    My heart was actually filled with dejection.


    In fact, deep down, it was difficult for me to accept Ding Yinuo¡¯s transformation, which was also a form of betrayal¡­


    I didn¡¯t want to worry Wenya, and I didn¡¯t want her and Su Peisheng to argue over me, so I kept these unpleasant feelings suppressed and never let them out.


    Having not secured a single order, I was annoyed and took a bottle of red wine out of the fridge, pouring myself two glasses.


    I had only intended to have a light drink, but I lost control and drank too much.


    Wine, especially when you¡¯re not in the best of spirits, tends to intoxicate more easily.


    After those two glasses,


    I just lay down on the sofa, raising my glass towards the ceiling, muttering to myself,


    ¡°God, why did you let me come back? Why did you make me return? Do you want to torture me, watch me lose my lover, my child, then lose a friend too? Hahaha, you¡¯re so cruel! Now I have nothing, all alone, I feel terrible! If you really have the power, then take me away too, I really can¡¯t stand living in this world alone, I¡¯m so sad, I don¡¯t want this, I really don¡¯t, I don¡¯t want to live anymore, I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    In a daze, I saw Gu Yuanzhou again.


    The light in the hall was dim, and Gu Yuanzhou sat in front of me, looking as if he were a part of a dream, yet he seemed particularly real.


    I reached out and waved my hand in front of his eyes.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, is that you?¡±


    A cool large hand grasped mine, and then he took the wine glass from me.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou¡­ are you a ghost? Is there some injustice that has not been redressed? Do you have any unfulfilled wishes? Tell me, and I¡¯ll help you complete them, okay?¡±


    At this moment, under the influence of alcohol, I was very confused, as if in a trance.


    He didn¡¯t speak, only shook his head.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, can I touch your face, is that okay?¡±


    He nodded.


    I slowly placed my hand on his cheek, gently caressing it. It was the familiar outline, the man I loved.


    As I touched his face, my tears also fell.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gu Yuanzhou, I really didn¡¯t want you to die. I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong, please forgive me, okay?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t control my emotions, and tears streamed down my face.


    He took a tissue and gently wiped my tears.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be down forever. I will take good care of Zhenyi Company.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, is it very uncomfortable down there? Do you need me to burn some paper houses, paper money for you?¡±


    Upon saying this, he suddenly burst into laughter.


    ¡°Alright, you can burn some paper money for me¡­ if that would make you feel better.¡±


    ¡°Wenya said that I should bury you as soon as possible. She said the deceased need to rest, but I can¡¯t bear to bury you, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t bury me. Let me stay by your side¡­¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m having such a hard time right now. Zhenyi Company is struggling every step of the way. I want to explore new worlds, but I keep hitting walls. I¡¯m really stupid. I originally thought¡­ that without you, I could still take Zhenyi Company to new heights by myself. But now I realize, without you, I simply can¡¯t do it on my own. I really can¡¯t manage.¡±


    Perhaps it was because I had truly been suppressing those feelings for so long, at that moment, I let out all my grievances.


    He didn¡¯t speak, just gently drew me into his embrace, resting his chin on top of my head, gently stroking my hair.


    I lay in his arms, crying until my voice was hoarse.


    As if wanting to vent all the grievances and discontent.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I won¡¯t let you die, I forbid you to die. Will you come back, okay? Come back and we can start over together, okay?¡±


    He was silent.


    He reached for the hairband behind my hair, removed it, and his fingers threaded through my hair, gently combing it.


    At that moment, I was like a spoiled child, lying in his arms, holding him tightly, coveting the tenderness in his embrace, not wanting him to leave.


    I didn¡¯t care whether he was a human or a ghost, or even if this was just a dream of mine; I just didn¡¯t want him to leave.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, after death, is there really a hell? Can you take me with you, please?¡±


    ¡°No, you should live your life well! You must carry on with Zhenyi Company¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t carry on, I really can¡¯t do it!¡±


    ¡°You can do it, you definitely can.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, without you, I can¡¯t do anything!¡±


    ¡°In the future, don¡¯t drink too much alcohol. It¡¯s not good for your health!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, Gu Yuanzhou, Gu Yuanzhou¡­¡±


    I petulantly nestled in his arms, calling his name over and over again.

 Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: Chapter 388 The footage captured by the camera is beyond imagination

    Chapter 388: Chapter 388 The footage captured by the camera is beyond imagination


    His hand gently stroked my face, tenderly and meticulously wiping away my tears.


    Maybe it was because I was too drunk, or maybe it was because his embrace gave me the deepest sense of security, I unknowingly fell asleep.


    The next morning,


    when I opened my eyes, the sky outside the window was already bright.


    I vaguely remembered last night it was Gu Yuanzhou who carried me into the bedroom.


    How long had it been since I felt that way?


    It was as beautiful as a dreamlike illusion.


    But, if it was a dream, it felt too real!


    I carefully recalled, I had touched his cheek, it seemed to be a problem.


    I had leaned my head on his chest, I must have felt his heartbeat.


    As I wahed my face, I kept going over the scenes from last night in my mind.


    There were really details.


    I picked up my phone and dialed Wenya¡¯s number,


    ¡°You know, I saw Gu Yuanzhou again last night!¡±


    Wenya was still sleepy and yawning,


    ¡°Baby, did you wake me up this early just to tell me ghost stories?¡±


    ¡°Look at this, what are you saying? If we weren¡¯t close, would I talk to you about this?¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, sorry, I was impulsive. I won¡¯t shoot you down. Didn¡¯t we install a camera for you? Just take a look yourself, human or ghost, wouldn¡¯t you know after watching?¡±


    Reminded by Wenya, I immediately had an idea.


    That¡¯s right, I had installed a camera, and I almost forgot about it myself.


    At this moment, I quickly took action, turned on the computer, opened the video software¡­


    I pulled up last night¡¯s video surveillance footage and adjusted the time marker to last night.


    Soon I found a problem.


    Because all the cameras, whether outside or inside, pointed to one conclusion.


    That is, after I entered the room last night,


    the screens all experienced problems.


    The outdoor cameras recorded the scene where Wenya and Su Peisheng brought me back.


    And the indoor cameras only captured me lying on the couch after drinking, and then the screens went snowy.


    Then there was a direct blackout, which lasted until six o¡¯clock this morning before returning to normal.


    Could it really be a ghost?


    This situation, I really couldn¡¯t understand, and after thinking for a long time, the last thing I could think of was whether the camera was broken, so I called the person who installed the camera.


    ¡°Miss Song, please send the video file to our company later. After we look at the video, we will come over and help you with the checkup,¡± he said.


    ¡°I might be a bit busy tomorrow, how about the weekend?¡± I replied.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Having set the time, I actually still had some miscellaneous thoughts in my mind.


    In the afternoon at work in Tianjiao Company, I was flipping through my phone and asked Jiang Jing,


    ¡°What did you tell me last time, that ghosts can interfere with magnetic fields, right?¡±


    Jiang Jing, who had been processing orders, looked up at me,


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say last time, after watching a ghost movie¡­ it was about a security guard watching monitor screens, and when a ghost appeared, all the screens turned to static, right?¡±


    ¡°Let me think, there was indeed something like that, I watched a movie called what¡¯s-it-called¡­ Why are you asking this anyways?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine! I was just asking casually!¡±


    I took out my phone and searched the internet for information about ghostly powers.


    Jiang Jing looked deeply puzzled and even leaned over to take a glance, reaching out to touch my head,


    ¡°Ayun, you must be crazy. How could you believe this?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it all over the internet?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all just movies made by people, it¡¯s fake, without any scientific basis! How could you believe that? Ayun, I think you can¡¯t stay there anymore, you will go insane if you keep this up.¡±


    I was silent for a long time, ¡°I really felt it, he was right there. Last night, he even embraced me, it wasn¡¯t a dream, I assure you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a camera?¡±


    ¡°The camera didn¡¯t catch anything! It was just a screen full of static.¡±


    Jiang Jing didn¡¯t say anything else, just shook her head,


    ¡°By the way, we¡¯ve completed a part of that children¡¯s fashion order, we can deliver now.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ve had a new idea. Since we now have the capability to produce children¡¯s fashion, why don¡¯t we expand in this direction? After all, Tianjiao Company doesn¡¯t produce these, we won¡¯t have to compete with them for the market. Honestly, every time I see you and Mr. Ding fighting tooth and nail, I feel bad.¡±


    Jiang Jing¡¯s words reminded me.


    Indeed, the large client from the last children¡¯s order, accidentally stumbled upon, seemed to have brought us a new business opportunity.


    This was a new train of thought.


    In order to get this plan off the ground and implement it as soon as possible,


    I started to conduct market research, then arranged for children¡¯s clothing design, and began to look for potential clients¡­ Although it was the same clothing production, the direction was different, the target audience was different, and to be more precise in positioning, I had to start all over again.


    Shen Yishu came to see me again.


    He hadn¡¯t been coming as often as before. He would just occasionally stop by, stand at the door, chat with Jiang Jing for a bit, and not dare to get too close to me.


    At the moment, he was chatting with Jiang Jing at the doorway, glancing over in my direction, still not daring to come over.


    Seeing his cautious demeanor, I couldn¡¯t help thinking of Ding Yinuo, and I signaled an ¡®OK¡¯ gesture towards him.


    Shen Yishu seemed unsure at first, until Jiang Jing poked his shoulder with her finger, and then he realized, walking into my office with a smile on his face, looking very pleased with himself.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re finally willing to see me?¡±


    I have to say, Shen Yishu¡¯s taste has really improved a lot recently.


    He was wearing a custom-made suit with dark and light colors, paired with a striped tie, and he looked quite stylish.


    His hair was also neatly combed, no wonder the young girls in the office blushed when they saw him recently.


    At that moment, when he saw me, his eyes also betrayed a flicker of excitement he could hardly contain.


    ¡°Uh, did you come to see me for something?¡±


    Shen Yishu rubbed his hands,


    ¡°I came to see you, indeed, because there¡¯s something I want to talk about. But I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll upset you.¡±


    I sat down, sighed, and shook my head,


    ¡°Go on! Don¡¯t be like that, I didn¡¯t mean to snap at you last time. If it¡¯s about work, I¡¯m still happy to communicate with you.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t mind if I come by anytime?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s about work-related discussions, of course, I¡¯m willing¡­ And also, don¡¯t just goad Jia Yuyan into joining me anymore. That girl is very innocent, she can¡¯t withstand your encouragement!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t goad her, she was trained by you, and I sincerely think she¡¯s better off with you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business. What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ There¡¯s an overseas Chinese businessman, the owner of Rongchang Capital. He said he¡¯s coming to find domestic partners. I think your Zhenyi brand is suitable, and I would like to take you with me tomorrow.¡±


    Thinking it might be a good opportunity to get out of trouble, and since it was a collaboration with overseas capital with great prospects and no need to compete with domestic counterparts, I agreed.


    Unexpectedly, when I went to the business meeting the next day, I ran into major trouble.

 Chapter 389 - Chapter 389: Chapter 389 Shes Showing Off

    Chapter 389: Chapter 389 She¡¯s Showing Off


    Because this business meeting was critically important to me, I not only prepared all the documentation I needed, but also took Jian Jing with me.


    After working with me for a while, Jian Jing had become proficient and capable in the corporate world; she really was a sharp one.


    Otherwise, if she hadn¡¯t been blinded into getting together with Yu Jiahang, her prospects could have been even better.


    On the journey to the meeting in the business car, Jian Jing finished organizing the documents and then discussed her thoughts with me.


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ve been thinking, and I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll agree with my idea?¡±


    Leaning back in my seat, I rubbed my temples and asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s your idea?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of moving in with you!¡±


    I immediately opened my eyes wide and stared at her,


    ¡°Are you speaking incorrectly? Beilu Hill is not a place fit for living. I get it, you want to come over to keep me company, right? Did Wenya ask you to do this? You guys really don¡¯t need to go through this trouble, there¡¯s no need, seriously!¡±


    ¡°No, Ayun, hear me out! Recently, I¡¯ve left my child with my mother, and if I go back now, my mother-in-law won¡¯t be pleased to see me, which can easily lead to arguments. I was thinking of staying at your place for a while to have some peace and to create some distance to avoid fighting with her.¡±


    ¡°Uh, what about your child?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t affect him. My mom is taking care of him.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m worried you won¡¯t be used to living over there.¡±


    ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll just take your car from work in the evening, and return in your car in the morning. There¡¯s nothing inconvenient about it. Besides, living at your place could help me save some money.¡±


    When Jian Jing said all this to me, I didn¡¯t really think too deeply about it.


    Since she had this request, I didn¡¯t refuse.


    After all, that house is big, and Jian Jing isn¡¯t someone who looks for trouble. I had no objections to living with her, so I agreed,


    ¡°Alright! Just don¡¯t get too scared.¡±


    ¡°Pfft, I¡¯m not Wenya. I don¡¯t believe in ghosts and spirits. They can¡¯t frighten me!¡±


    ¡°Okay, no problem! In fact, I have everything you need over there, you don¡¯t need to bring anything.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    ¡°Oh, and just a reminder, little kids can¡¯t go there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no worries, my kid is with my mom¡­¡±


    ¡°So your child is with your mom. Does Yu Jiahang contribute any living expenses?¡±


    It was a long trip, so I just casually asked a few questions.


    Jian Jing sighed,


    ¡°Contribute living expenses? He used to give some, but now that he¡¯s heard I¡¯m working, he stopped. Occasionally, he¡¯d buy some milk powder for the child, and even then, he nitpicks about how much milk powder the kid consumes, saying it¡¯d be better off with breast milk. Damn it¡­ I¡¯m working and supposed to provide breast milk too? His brain is full of shit.¡±


    ¡°What does your mother-in-law say?¡±


    ¡°What can she say? She doesn¡¯t like my daughter one bit, always running around praying and seeking charms for having a boy. She keeps telling me to quickly have another child, going mad over wanting a grandson. She doesn¡¯t even consider her own circumstances before telling me to have another baby.¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s complaints came out emotionally charged; I understood that sort of explosive temperament.


    Many mothers, after having a child, because of inaction from other family members, end up suffering from kinds of depression¡­


    Suddenly, Jian Jing turned her head to look at me,


    ¡°When you had your daughter and then later had another child, was it very tough?¡±


    Her question brought back a lot of memories buried deep in my heart, ones I dared not touch.


    ¡°Having another child was tough for me. I developed high blood pressure during pregnancy and couldn¡¯t have anesthesia, so the doctor just went straight in with the scalpel.¡±


    ¡°That must have been painful, right?¡±


    ¡°It was painful¡­ but strangely, when I remember it now, the pain doesn¡¯t seem as intense. Instead, when I see the kids, all the hardship seems to be healed. What mattered the most, though, was that Gu Yuanzhou was there with me the whole time, accompanying me throughout. After giving birth, he didn¡¯t even need a nurse, staying by my side night and day, even holding me as we slept.¡±


    Now that I recall, Gu Yuanzhou truly was a very competent husband and father.


    When I had my second child, he made sure our eldest daughter¡¯s daily life was well-arranged and sent me and our son to the postpartum care center.


    A professional confinement nanny took care of my son, while he attentively looked after everything, never needing me to worry about the daily details, I didn¡¯t even know how much money he had spent.


    ¡°Hey, although Gu Yuanzhou was said to be no good later on, when I think about it now, he actually did quite a lot for you and for the children. Even though he was a scumbag, he really touched you,¡±


    Jian Jing sighed.


    ¡°Not like Yu Jiahang, he was so irresponsible, how the hell did I go blind and fall for him?¡±


    ¡°They say women lower their intelligence while in love, being in an unclear state of mind, making some irrational choices, and looking back now, it¡¯s really true,¡±


    ¡°Yeah, in this lifetime I¡¯m never falling in love again, never going to believe in men again,¡±


    Jian Jing sighed.


    The car soon arrived at this five-star hotel.


    In the underground parking lot, I heard a burst of laughter, and looking in the direction of the sound,


    I saw a man and a woman stepping out of a car.


    The two of them were laughing and talking, looking very happy.


    The woman was tall, wearing a dress, with her arm naturally entwined with the man¡¯s.


    ¡°So cheap, how come I run into them everywhere.¡±


    Jian Jing had already muttered under her breath.


    Because these two were none other than Jiang Jiaying and Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not deal with them.¡±


    I pulled on Jian Jing¡¯s hand and took the side passage to the elevator.


    Jian Jing also said, ¡°The world is really small, you run into these two wherever you go.¡±


    ¡°This city isn¡¯t that big to begin with, plus, this business hotel often hosts business meetings, so it¡¯s normal for them to show up here,¡± I reasoned.


    Right after we entered the elevator and the doors were closing, preparing to go up, suddenly someone on the outside hit the open button.


    The elevator doors opened again, and in walked the figures of Ding Yinuo and Jiang Jiaying.


    Jiang Jiaying wore a professional, figure-hugging mini-skirt, outlining her sexy figure.


    When she looked at me, there was a trace of surprise in her eyes,


    ¡°What a coincidence! We always seem to meet.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying appeared to cherish every encounter with me, constantly showing off her sense of superiority.


    ¡°This city isn¡¯t owned by your family, bumping into each other is normal,¡±


    Jian Jing blocked for me.


    Ding Yinuo said nothing, his tall figure leaning against the elevator wall.


    Maintaining a clever and proper distance from me.


    Jiang Jiaying didn¡¯t seem to be offended, still smiling at me, then she moved a bit closer and reached toward my hairline,


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a leaf in your hair, let me get it for you.¡±


    Whether there was actually a leaf in my hair I didn¡¯t know, but I caught a glimpse of the huge diamond ring on her hand, the size of a pigeon egg, very shiny.


    Seeing me staring at her hand, she quickly withdrew it, ¡°Sorry for making you laugh. You¡¯ve never seen such a big diamond before, have you? If you like, I can let you have a closer look!¡±


    Jian Jing knew she was showing off and gave her a dismissive look,


    ¡°It¡¯s just a diamond ring, acting as if nobody else can afford it,¡±


    Jiang Jiaying laughed,


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not expensive, just over a million¡­ But its value isn¡¯t in the money, it¡¯s about who gave it. This was given to me by Yinuo.¡±

 Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Chapter 390 Reunion

    Chapter 390: Chapter 390 Reunion


    When Jiang Jiaying spoke these words, her eyes were shining brilliantly.


    I stole a glance at Ding Yinuo, and his expression was calm. Although he didn¡¯t acknowledge it, he also didn¡¯t deny it.


    Fortunately, the elevator finally came to a stop.


    I quickly pulled Jian Jing and hurried out first.


    Jian Jing still couldn¡¯t swallow her anger, and she continued to complain,


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely infuriating, her tail is up in the sky. Seeing her like this makes me want to slap her a few times.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t mind her, a cheap person will always find someone to deal with her.¡±


    In fact, when we were in school, I had already seen just how dramatic a person Jiang Jiaying could be.


    Behaving like a spoiled heiress, bullying other students simply because her relative was the principal.


    She might have grown up now, but that inherent bad nature of hers will never change.


    She¡¯s on a roll right now and probably won¡¯t stop anytime soon.


    Halfway through, Jian Jing suddenly stopped and asked me,


    ¡°In the past, Jiang Jiaying suppressed you because she never truly got Ding Yinuo. She did it to gain a sense of accomplishment. Now that she has Ding Yinuo, she¡¯s still showing off to you. Why is that? It doesn¡¯t make sense. Could it be that she still hasn¡¯t won Ding Yinuo¡¯s heart?¡±


    ¡°Jian Jing, you¡¯re overthinking it. Maybe she just wants to show off?¡±


    ¡°No, definitely not, I always feel she¡¯s deliberately flaunting¡­ those who flaunt are the ones who truly haven¡¯t got it.¡±


    Jian Jing kept emphasizing that Jiang Jiaying hadn¡¯t truly gotten Ding Yinuo, but was just putting on a show.


    I didn¡¯t agree with her opinion internally, but I didn¡¯t contradict her.


    The business hotel was huge, and there were extraordinarily many businessmen here for deals, most of them international friends of every skin color.


    When we reached the sixth-floor business banquet hall, coincidentally, we ran into Jiang Jiaying again.


    ¡°Hey, Song Xiaoyun, are you following us?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying asked with a smile as she looked at me.


    ¡°Is that necessary?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I heard your Zhenyi Company has fallen on hard times. Out of old friendship, we would actually be willing to give you a hand.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was all jokes and laughter, but Jian Jing couldn¡¯t help but call her out,


    ¡°Miss Jiang, you¡¯re not Mrs. Ding yet, are you? Talking about giving us a hand, you should help yourself first. Who knows, you might get pushed off the Mrs. Ding¡¯s chair before you even warm it. With a character as ostentatious as yours, the Ding Family doesn¡¯t really suit you.¡±


    While Jian Jing usually appears quite gentle, ever since she had her child, her personality has gradually become more fiery.


    Indeed, motherhood makes you strong, women become fierce after giving birth.


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face turned slightly red when Jian Jing called her out like that, and she casually flaunted her diamond ring.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a matter of time?¡±


    Jian Jing, annoyed, walked straight up to Ding Yinuo.


    At the moment, Ding Yinuo was also negotiating a deal with another businessman. Jian Jing directly approached and asked,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, are you really going to marry this woman, Jiang Jiaying?¡±


    Ding Yinuo remained silent. He glanced at Jiang Jiaying but did not respond. I quickly stepped forward and pulled Jian Jing away,


    ¡°Let it go, stop making a scene, let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    We then moved quickly towards another hall.


    Jian Jing was still not over it,


    ¡°I¡¯m not making a scene; I¡¯m angry. To deal with someone like Jiang Jiaying, you need to confront her, slap her a few times, then she won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡±


    I poured a glass of red wine and handed it to Jian Jing, ¡°Have a drink to cool off.¡±


    Just then, Shen Yishu also hurried over.


    ¡°I was looking everywhere for you and couldn¡¯t find you, so you were here. Let¡¯s go, Director Lin has already arrived¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, Director Lin? Shen Yishu, that name sounds so familiar!¡±


    Shen Yishu led us to a VIP room inside while giving Jian Yan some background information,


    ¡°Yes, a capital tycoon! Both Red Maple Capital and Rongchang Capital, which are now under his control, are his investment funds. Our country¡¯s intelligent industries, as well as internet companies, all have his involvement; his investment channels are numerous, with thousands of companies under him¡­¡±


    After Shen Yishu finished sharing Director Lin¡¯s background, Jian Jing¡¯s eyes went wide and she gave a thumbs up,


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s indeed impressive. It¡¯s just unknown whether this Director Lin has a son or not. If he did have a son, and Ayun managed to secure him, she would have no shortage of money to spend in her next life.¡±


    Jian Jing was originally making a joke to cause a stir, but Shen Yishu took it seriously and laughed,


    ¡°I knew what you were thinking, but don¡¯t even think about it¡­ It¡¯s said that this Mr. Lin has no sons, only a daughter, hehe!¡±


    ¡°Just a precious daughter, huh? Then you, Shen Yishu, are in luck, work hard and maybe you could become a wealthy son-in-law!¡±


    Shen Yishu glanced over at me with a sly smile,


    ¡°My heart already belongs to someone! What wealthy heiress? I don¡¯t even give them a second glance.¡±


    What they called a VIP room was actually a small indoor cocktail lounge.


    Elegant music played while successful elites mingled, drinking and discussing business, creating a good atmosphere.


    ¡°See that? That¡¯s Director Lin!¡±


    Shen Yishu whispered to me.


    I looked in the direction he pointed.


    In the center of the plush sofa, a grounded middle-aged man sat, his temples touched with gray, but his complexion ruddy and his posture upright.


    He looked about sixty but carried the vigor of a man in his thirties, very sharp.


    He held the central spot, dominating the scene, with others surrounding him like stars around the moon.


    The respectful gaze in everyone¡¯s eyes indicated his high status; he was a figure of considerable power.


    For some reason.


    Even though it was my first time seeing Director Lin, I felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if we had met before. I frantically searched my memory to see if we had any previous interactions, but after thinking for a long time, I couldn¡¯t recall.


    ¡°Hey, Ayun, did you notice, he looks a lot like you!¡±


    Jian Jing suddenly remarked in a low voice beside me.


    ¡°Looks like me?¡±


    I pointed to my face.


    Jian Jing shook her head, ¡°Not this face, your original appearance¡­¡±


    Now that Jian Jing mentioned it, I did recall.


    Indeed, he resembled how I looked in my previous life, a good fifty percent similarity.


    No wonder he felt so familiar.


    While we were still momentarily stunned, Shen Yishu took my hand,


    ¡°Hurry up, let¡¯s go. Introduce yourself first, strike up a connection with him, then introduce your products and company. This opportunity cannot be missed, he¡¯s flying to Hong Kong in ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    This was indeed a good opportunity, and I didn¡¯t want to lose it. I walked up to him, ready to greet him when a tender voice sounded from behind.


    ¡°Hello, Uncle Lin!¡±


    Looking back, it was Jiang Jiaying.


    She was already smiling, quickly walking up to Director Lin, reaching out to shake his hand.

 Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: Chapter 391 Consensus Reached

    Chapter 391: Chapter 391 Consensus Reached


    ¡°Hello, may I ask who you are?¡±


    Director Lin was actually a very easygoing person, and didn¡¯t put on airs, warmly shaking hands with anyone who came to visit.


    Jiang Jiaying said,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, my father Jiang Zhengchang, used to work with you, do you remember him?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re Zhengchang¡¯s daughter. You¡¯ve grown so tall, take a seat!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, this is my boyfriend Ding Yiwei¡­¡±


    Jiang Jiaying directly pulled Ding Yinuo from in front of me, seating him in front of Director Lin.


    Jian Jing was anxiously upset,


    ¡°How can they just cut in line? They have no manners at all.¡±


    Indeed, many people came today, all with the same goal: to meet this big shot.


    But there are unwritten rules in this world, first come, first served.


    Jiang Jiaying clearly arrived after us. By all logic, it should be our turn to talk with Director Lin after we had finished.


    Her act of cutting in line was thus despicable to many.


    But, after all, no one wanted to offend others, so they were angry but dared not speak out.


    In fact, Jiang Jiaying had very strong nerves. Despite the whispering comments, she still didn¡¯t care and sat down holding Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand.


    She then took out Tianjiao Company¡¯s materials.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, this is my boyfriend¡¯s company¡¯s product; their fashion is very competitive. They currently rank first in domestic sales channels, take a look¡­¡±


    Jiang Jiaying handed over the materials impatiently.


    But Jian Jing¡¯s voice seemed too loud, and Director Lin heard it.


    He didn¡¯t take the materials from Jiang Jiaying, but instead looked up at Jian Jing,


    ¡°This young lady, you were here first, weren¡¯t you? Come over here!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sure!¡±


    Jian Jing was thrilled, quickly pulling my hand to sit in front of Director Lin.


    ¡°Elder Mr. Lin, hello, hello. My name is Jian Jing; this is our company¡¯s boss, Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    When I sat in front of Director Lin, he stared at me for a while, appearing somewhat puzzled.


    However, he quickly returned to his usual calm demeanor.


    He is a very affable person.


    Not like other capitalist tycoons who have an air of aloofness and stereotypes.


    He looked at the materials I handed him¡­


    Before he could speak up, Jiang Jiaying deliberately passed over a phone.


    ¡°Uncle Lin¡­ my dad just called me, saying he hasn¡¯t had a small gathering with you for a long time. If you have time later, perhaps you could spare a moment for an old friends get-together, to catch up on old times.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t actually have much time on this trip. But since he¡¯s so warmly inviting, I¡¯ll go over now.¡±


    Director Lin still held the product materials he hadn¡¯t finished looking at and stood up, conveniently handing the materials back to me.


    Jiang Jiaying quickly picked up her blazer, following after him, forcibly blocking any chance I had to speak with him again.


    One has to admit, Jiang Jiaying, this woman, was indeed disgusting, aggressive, and very cunning.


    I didn¡¯t want to fight with her anymore.


    After all, she had a personal connection with Director Lin, and I didn¡¯t stand much of a chance by being pushy.


    So I just gave up, mainly because deep down, I also didn¡¯t want to compete with Ding Yinuo.


    But Jian Jing wasn¡¯t ready to admit defeat.


    She ran up and directly blocked Director Lin¡¯s path,


    ¡°Mr. Lin, you haven¡¯t finished looking at the product materials!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was getting angry.


    ¡°Miss, that¡¯s very impolite! Blocking someone¡¯s way like this is very rude, don¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°I just want to talk with Mr. Lin for five more minutes, is that okay? Mr. Lin, if you finish looking at these products, you will definitely be interested.¡±


    Jian Jing stubbornly tried to shove the product materials into Director Lin¡¯s hands.


    Yet Jiang Jiaying angrily shoved away Jian Jing¡¯s hand.


    The force she used was a bit strong, causing the product materials to flutter down to the floor, and among this stack of documents, a photograph drifted out.


    Carried by the wind, the photograph ended up right at Director Lin¡¯s feet.


    He then bent down and picked up the photo.


    But Jiang Jiaying was losing her temper,


    ¡°You¡¯re really too much, security! Security! Someone come, take this woman away, she¡¯s gone too far.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s voice really did attract several security guards.


    Just as Jian Jing and I were about to be thrown out, Director Lin suddenly called out to us, ¡°Wait!¡±


    Jian Jing stopped in her tracks, joyfully holding onto me, and she gave me a look that suggested, could this be our chance?


    Director Lin rapidly approached us,


    ¡°Whose photo is this?¡±


    Jian Jing glanced at it and then shook her head,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Ayun, did you put it in there?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t actually seen the photo until Director Lin handed it over, that¡¯s when I clearly saw it.


    It was an old photo depicting a young woman with a delicate face, wearing a cheongsam, her plump braids hanging down to her waist, standing under a wisteria tree.


    The woman outshone the flowers.


    This woman was my mother, Song Xianjing.


    My mother was very good at making cheongsams when she was young, and the dress she wore was made by herself.


    Recently, for the sake of creating new work, I had specifically dug out her old photos, hoping to find inspiration from her past cheongsams.


    Perhaps I was too rushed when I arrived and didn¡¯t have time to remove the photo, so it was caught up with the others.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is my mother¡­¡±


    ¡°Your mother? May I ask her name?¡±


    ¡°Song Xianjing!¡±


    I said calmly, for my mother had passed away many years ago, and I wasn¡¯t afraid to say her name.


    Unexpectedly, after I said this name,


    Director Lin¡¯s expression visibly changed.


    ¡°Mr. Lin, wouldn¡¯t you like to take another look at our company¡¯s products?¡±


    Jian Jing seized the moment to strike while the iron was hot again. She was really seizing every second to chase the opportunity, I must say, Jian Jing was truly a force to be reckoned with.


    Her dedication was admirable, and I truly owed her the Best Employee Award.


    But now was not the time.


    ¡°Miss, can you please have some shame?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was already furious, and if not for Ding Yinuo being nearby, she would have leaped up to strike someone.


    That little spitfire could barely keep her composure.


    However, Jian Jing didn¡¯t spare her a glance, not giving her the time of day, after all, we were no longer the high schoolers afraid of trouble, we were all adults now.


    ¡°Director Lin¡­¡±


    It seemed Director Lin finally relented after seeing Jian Jing¡¯s determined gaze,


    ¡°Leave your contact information, I will contact you later.¡±


    ¡°Of course, thank you very much!¡±


    Jian Jing, overflowing with excitement, hurriedly handed over her prepared business card with both hands.


    Director Lin took the card, shook Jian Jing¡¯s hand, and then gave me another look before turning to leave.


    But Jian Jing excitedly grabbed my hand,


    ¡°Look, he took our business cards, he will be in touch.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying sneered,


    ¡°Really¡­ clueless, it was nothing more than a polite response.¡±

 Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Chapter 392 Did He Really Respond?

    Chapter 392: Chapter 392 Did He Really Respond?


    Indeed, Director Lin¡¯s action of receiving the business card and even mentioning to contact later seemed like a normal, courteous response.


    I actually didn¡¯t hold much hope.


    But Jian Jing was very enthusiastic.


    ¡°I feel Director Lin will definitely contact you. He seemed very interested in our products,¡± she said.


    Compared to Jian Jing¡¯s enthusiasm, Shen Yishu appeared much calmer. He seemed to realize we weren¡¯t likely to succeed.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, tell us what you think. Do you think Director Lin will contact us?¡±


    Shen Yishu sighed,


    ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal! At this time, take a look and see what you¡¯d like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Shen Yishu, what do you mean by that? Are you looking down on us? You¡¯re talking about Jiang Jiaying, that she took a back door, right? But in sales, it¡¯s the product quality that matters. Their products are not as good as ours. Director Lin has been in business for so many years; can¡¯t he see there¡¯s a problem?¡±


    ¡°Her main advantage is the connections. But I guess Tianjiao¡¯s products can¡¯t be that bad, can they?¡±


    The two were discussing as they walked out of the business hotel.


    They happened to bump into each other again.


    Since parking lots are underground, encounters are inevitable.


    Only Ding Yinuo was standing there, clad in a light grey trench coat. He looked at me, his eyes faintly conveying a sense of distance.


    Against the backdrop of the night, his entire persona seemed especially shadowy, alien.


    He looked at me as if he had something to say¡­


    I looked at him, he looked at me, just a few steps apart.


    At that moment, Shen Yishu had gone to fetch his car, and Jian Jing was on the phone, not noticing Ding Yinuo and me eyeing each other from the shadows.


    Suddenly, he began walking towards me, and it looked like he was about to approach me.


    From behind him came a charming voice,


    ¡°Yinuo, I¡¯m over here!¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, let¡¯s get in the car. Everything¡¯s arranged. My dad is meeting with them for a little drink later, and you can hand over the materials then. This deal could be sealed.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying stepped forward and affectionately linked her arm with his.


    ¡°Oh, I mistook someone for you earlier. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Ding Yinuo turned away with Jiang Jiaying. I finally came to my senses, realizing he hadn¡¯t been about to speak to me but had mistaken me for Jiang Jiaying.


    It seems I really was overthinking it.


    Soon, Ding Yinuo and Jiang Jiaying¡¯s figures disappeared from my view.


    Shen Yishu had also parked his car next to me and poked his head out of the window to greet me, ¡°Get in!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I opened the car door and got in.


    Jian Jing was already inside. ¡°Were you just talking to Ding Yinuo?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. He just mistook me for someone else!¡±


    ¡°Gosh, I always thought I couldn¡¯t mistake people, but it turns out I¡¯ve been overturned by him, that scumbag.¡±


    Jian Jing really couldn¡¯t hold back and lashed out at Ding Yinuo inside the car.


    Then she suddenly changed the subject,


    ¡°Shen Yishu, you¡¯ve been calling him Director Lin all this time. What¡¯s his real name anyway?¡±


    ¡°Seems like it¡¯s Lin Nansheng. It¡¯s quite a literary name.¡±


    ¡°Lin Nansheng?¡±


    I repeated it again.


    Shen Yishu nodded,


    ¡°What, do you know him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize the person, but I¡¯ve seen the name before!¡±


    ¡°Oh, where have you seen it?¡±


    Yishu was driving the car and casually striking up a conversation with me.


    ¡°Let me think! Oh, I remember now, there used to be a piece of silk embroidery in my room with the three characters Lin Nansheng on it. I asked my aunt, and she said it was a relic from my mother, but she didn¡¯t recognize the name and didn¡¯t know who it was.¡±


    Actually, my mother¡¯s relics were all handled by my uncle.


    Most of the stuff has disappeared.


    Only a few items were kept and treasured by my aunt.


    Therefore, I don¡¯t know much about my mother¡¯s past.


    I¡¯m also not very clear about the people she knew.


    ¡°Your mom was so talented, she even knew embroidery?¡± Jian Jing was intrigued.


    ¡°Actually, the Song Family used to be quite something. Ancestors in the Song Family held high-ranking positions, and it wasn¡¯t until my great-grandfather¡¯s generation that the family started to decline. However, even though we declined, the family traditions persisted. My mom was quite the lady, skilled in reading, writing, painting, pretty much everything. It¡¯s just that the era back then was more conservative¡­¡±


    ¡°Ayun, can I ask something? Didn¡¯t your mom reveal anything about your dad?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°What about your aunt? She didn¡¯t say a single word?¡±


    ¡°She just said that my father was married, and that their relationship was adulterous, morally unacceptable. At that time, my uncle was vehemently against it and forcefully took my mom back because premarital pregnancy was very shameful back then. Plus, the man already had a family. My uncle probably didn¡¯t want my mom ruining the Song Family¡¯s reputation.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, no matter what, that¡¯s all in the past now, and you¡¯re an adult. Your uncle should tell you about your birth father, whether or not to search for him is up to you.¡±


    ¡°As for Song Shixiong, if he were a normal person, he would have definitely told me. But he had his own motives. I heard that back then, to appease the man¡¯s family, he extorted a large sum of money from them. To prevent the scandal from coming to light, he probably doesn¡¯t dare to say anything. Forget it, I¡¯m not counting on it, after all, I¡¯m grown up now, not a child, and I don¡¯t have any longing for a father.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! When you needed fatherly love the most, he wasn¡¯t there for you. You certainly don¡¯t need it now.¡±


    Half an hour later, Yishu¡¯s car stopped in front of a restaurant, but before getting out, Jian Jing¡¯s mobile phone started ringing.


    After answering the call, Jian Jing was so excited she could jump for joy.


    ¡°Ayun, there¡¯s hope!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Do you know who just called me?¡±


    ¡°Your husband?¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course not, it was Director Lin¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°He said, tonight at ten, to bring the company¡¯s product information and contract to Meiyuan International Hotel, room 88, and wait for him there.¡±


    As soon as Yishu heard this, he immediately objected,


    ¡°You can¡¯t go! I mean, business negotiations should definitely be done in public places. It¡¯s very unsafe to go to a hotel in the middle of the night. My advice is to say you¡¯re busy tonight, and it¡¯s better to go tomorrow.¡±


    Jian Jing agreed after listening,


    ¡°Yes, why did he only invite you? It¡¯s so strange! I also think tomorrow would be better. But I¡¯ve already agreed, what should I do?¡±


    After a moment of thought, I said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it tonight! To avoid any further complications, the sooner we sign the contract, the better.¡±


    My main issue is that I can¡¯t stand Jiang Jiaying¡¯s flamboyant personality, as if the whole world should accommodate her.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll accompany you!¡±


    Yishu volunteered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too!¡± Jian Jing was not to be outdone.


    In the end, I rejected both of them,


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll go by myself. Yishu, you can just drop me off at Meiyuan International Hotel later, I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

 Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: Chapter 393 He Obviously Wants to Flirt with You

    Chapter 393: Chapter 393 He Obviously Wants to Flirt with You


    ¡°Okay, no problem!¡±


    Shen Yishu agreed readily and accelerated to drop me off at the entrance of the hotel.


    However, after I got out of the car, he didn¡¯t leave.


    ¡°You two can go now!¡±


    Shen Yishu and Jian Jing, however, both got out of the car.


    Jian Jing exclaimed,


    ¡°Wow, a five-star hotel, it¡¯s really luxurious. Have you stayed here before, President Shen?¡±


    ¡°No, how about we go in and take a look around?¡±


    ¡°I heard this place has a good seafood buffet, let¡¯s go try it out, but, you¡¯ll have to foot the bill, President Shen.¡±


    ¡°No problem, let¡¯s go!¡±


    To my surprise, right in front of me, the two of them just walked away.


    I chased after them and called out,


    ¡°Hey, you two, it¡¯s late at night, hurry up and leave. Shen Yishu, you should take Jian Jing home.¡±


    ¡°No way, no way, we¡¯re going to have the seafood buffet!¡±


    Jian Jing insisted repeatedly.


    In truth, I knew very well that they weren¡¯t really interested in the seafood buffet; it was just an excuse to stay with me, afraid that something might happen to me.


    After being together for so many years, I was well aware of what was on their minds.


    After shaking my head helplessly, I had no choice but to head to Room 88 alone.


    Actually, the previous international business hotel was also an option for accommodation.


    And many business people chose to stay there.


    This Meiyuan International Hotel, though, was quite off the beaten track in terms of location.


    Being far from the city center, it didn¡¯t seem like a great choice.


    Amidst my doubts, I had already reached the door of Room 88, feeling quite nervous on the inside.


    Just as I was about to press the doorbell, my phone suddenly rang.


    After a glance, seeing it was Shen Yishu¡¯s number, I answered the call.


    ¡°Have you gone in yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet! Do you need me for something?¡±


    ¡°No, no, I just¡­ miss you a bit¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop it, okay? I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t get too nervous.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not that. The other guy is an older man, and if he has any ideas about you, you could be at a big disadvantage.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve brought Wolf-Repellent Spray. If he dares to lay a hand on me, I won¡¯t be soft-hearted.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Jian Jing and I are your strong support; we¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    I hung up the phone, ready to press the doorbell, but found that the other party had already opened the door.


    Lin Nansheng was dressed in a light gray suit, his smile calm and modest. He elegantly extended his hand,


    ¡°Miss Song, please come in!¡±


    I wondered if he had overheard my conversation with Shen Yishu, since I had mentioned things like Wolf-Repellent Spray. If he was a gentleman, such things could be seen as an insult.


    Seeing my hesitation, he chuckled warmly,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there are others here!¡±


    His words implied that I had no reason to worry about him having ulterior motives since there were other people present.


    After entering, I found it was a presidential suite. I saw a small living area with a man dressed as a butler preparing tea.


    ¡°Please take a seat!¡±


    With a third person present, I felt much more at ease.


    I nodded with a smile and sat down.


    After the butler had finished making the tea, he went into the next room, a study, leaving just Lin Nansheng and me sitting face to face.


    ¡°Miss Song, I apologize for having you come over so late.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. As long as Mr. Lin likes, I can come over anytime. Take a look, these are our product details!¡±


    I rearranged the product information in front of him.


    He didn¡¯t reach for it, but instead handed me a teacup and exchanged a few pleasantries with me,


    ¡°For someone so young to start their own fashion company, you really are the best example among the young people.¡±


    ¡°You flatter me, Mr. Lin! I simply enjoy fashion design and slowly worked my way up from there.¡±


    ¡°When did you learn fashion design? Who influenced and inspired you?¡±


    ¡°Actually, it mostly comes from my mother¡­ My mother is a typical woman from the south of the Yangtze River, gentle and smart, with great skill in embroidery, making cheongsams, and the like.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Lin Nansheng seemed thoughtful as he responded.


    He seemed lost in some memory¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I talk too much about my personal matters? Should we get back to business topics?¡±


    I knew that for a capital tycoon like Lin Nansheng, their time was precious, not a minute to be wasted, and here I was, babbling about my family affairs.


    He smiled warmly, his deep voice resonating like a bass cannon.


    ¡°No worries. In business, we also care a lot about our partners¡¯ family backgrounds and culture. Clients with cultural heritage tend to be more trustworthy, making for more lasting collaborations. I¡¯m actually quite willing to hear more about your family. By the way, your surname is Song, so is your mother¡¯s, which means you took your mother¡¯s surname?¡±


    ¡°Yes! My uncle raised me since I was a child.¡±


    ¡°Did your father allow this? Because in our traditional culture, children usually take their father¡¯s surname.¡±


    I sighed,


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met my father! He¡¯s never shown up since I was born.¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s expression became somewhat grave,


    ¡°That¡¯s truly unfortunate!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is!¡±


    ¡°Do you resent him in your heart?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, your father has never fulfilled his parental duties. Do you hold any resentment towards him?¡±


    I thought carefully,


    ¡°To say I feel no resentment at all would be impossible. As a child, seeing others with fathers and having none myself, I felt quite dejected. I didn¡¯t understand why my father did not want me, which was truly upsetting. I always wanted to prove that I was no worse than other kids, waiting for my father to come and fetch me one day. But, even as I reached adulthood, he never appeared¡­ However, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore, I¡¯ve gotten used to life without him.¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s expression grew even more solemn, and he brewed me another cup of tea, ¡°You are indeed a good child! Very strong and brave!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Lin!¡±


    ¡°By the way, what are the current challenges your company is facing?¡±


    I don¡¯t know why, but I always felt that Lin Nansheng acted without any pretense in my presence.


    He was like a generous elder, offering me a lot of insights on company management that really broadened my thinking.


    Before we knew it, we had talked for over two hours.


    After I bid him farewell.


    As I stepped out of the room, Shen Yishu and Jian Jing burst out from behind the door.


    ¡°Are you okay? Did he lay a hand on you?¡± Jian Jing asked.


    I tapped her on the head, ¡°What are you thinking? He is a gentleman, besides, he is not young anymore.¡±


    ¡°Psh, men like that are the most thirsty, lonely and cold, might be looking to make you a mistress¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, enough, let¡¯s get going, we should head back!¡±


    Shen Yishu drove us back, and on the way, Jian Jing bombarded me with questions,


    ¡°Did you sign the order?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t sign the order yet, but he said that there are some issues with the current direction of our company¡¯s operations, and he will make time to discuss them with me again. Oh, we¡¯ve also agreed to have dinner the day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°No way, he doesn¡¯t sign the order but asks you out to dinner? He¡¯s clearly trying to pick you up!¡± Jian Jing said excitedly.

 Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Chapter 394 Is it an illusion?

    Chapter 394: Chapter 394 Is it an illusion?


    ¡°How do I put this, I don¡¯t agree with your point of view, but I don¡¯t know how to refute it. Anyway, I feel like the guy is very honest¡­¡±


    Actually, I can¡¯t quite put my finger on why, but I get along with him really well and we hit it off.


    There¡¯s no sense of restraint when I talk to him.


    And because of that, I agreed to his dinner invitation.


    Evening.


    Jiang Jing and I were living together at the villa on Beilu Hill.


    I had gotten used to living there and didn¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary.


    But Jiang Jing, who during the day swore up and down that she wasn¡¯t afraid, that she was a materialist and didn¡¯t believe in ghosts and spirits,


    started acting off as soon as the sun set and darkness fell.


    She first expressed her puzzlement about the urn on the living room altar,


    ¡°Ayun, you really don¡¯t have to keep this thing. It gives me the creeps.¡±


    I comforted her,


    ¡°Actually, people are scarier than ghosts. Ghosts don¡¯t have a physical form; they can¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Jiang Jing then went to the kitchen and soon came back out.


    ¡°Forget it, forget it!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up, what did you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I thought about cooking something to eat, but there always seems to be something moving outside the window¡­ It¡¯s quite frightening!¡±


    ¡°Really? Let me take a look!¡±


    The kitchen window actually faced the backyard garden, which was planted with greenery. I walked over to the window and took a look.


    It turned out that the clothes from the day had been forgotten and were blown onto a sapling by the wind; and now with a slight breeze, they were gently swaying on the branches.


    I brought the clothes back inside,


    ¡°It¡¯s just a white jacket, what¡¯s there to be scared of?¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay then!¡±


    Jiang Jing helplessly spread her hands,


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just too sensitive! Look at me, making a fool of myself, how embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, just stay in the bedroom. Just tell me what you¡¯d like to eat, I can make it for you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I won¡¯t eat, no need to trouble you!¡±


    ¡°No trouble at all. I actually still have some instant noodles here, do you want some?¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay then!¡±


    When Jiang Jing agreed, she seemed distracted and stopped glancing outside the window.


    So, I took a pack of instant noodles and prepared them.


    Actually, I don¡¯t usually eat at home. Sometimes, I¡¯d rather go hungry than bother cooking something.


    This place is rather far from the city center and supermarkets, so I didn¡¯t stock up on any other food except instant noodles.


    Once the water came to a boil, I unpacked the instant noodles and put them in, only then remembering there might be a bottle of sauce or something in the fridge.


    When I opened the fridge door, I was shocked.


    What was an empty fridge, was now packed with various food items, and, moreover, these items were sorted and packed in sealed containers, each labeled with a date.


    There was beef, eggs, greens, and some fresh fruits.


    Huh?


    Where did all this food come from?


    I looked at the dates; most were recent, mostly from yesterday, and the produce all came from nearby eco-friendly, pollution-free green farms.


    Very healthy ingredients.


    I thought hard about it, could it have been Wenya and Su Peisheng who put them here?


    Never mind that for now, I took out the eggs and beef, chopped them up and threw them into the pot to cook with the instant noodles.


    Jiang Jing was supposed to be in the bedroom, but after less than three minutes, she ran to the kitchen and then just sat there scrolling on her phone, not daring to leave my side.


    I shrugged helplessly,


    ¡°I know, you wanted to keep me company. But it would have been better if you hadn¡¯t come; your presence actually made me more scared.¡±


    ¡°Okay okay, sorry sorry, I¡¯m just a coward, alright, it¡¯s all good now. Having someone with you is always better than being alone. I¡¯m not afraid of ghosts; it¡¯s people I fear, you know. In such a deserted place, you¡¯d be in trouble if some bad guy showed up. Two people can look out for each other.¡±


    I shook my head and dished out the cooked noodles into a bowl and placed it in front of her,


    ¡°There, eat up!¡±


    ¡°Why is there only one bowl?¡±


    ¡°Just eat!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, you eat slowly, I¡¯m going to take a shower!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay then!¡±


    Jian Jing picked up the chopsticks and began eating the noodles, while I headed to the shower.


    I had only been showering for a bit when there was a rapid knocking at the door.


    I quickly wrapped a towel around myself, opened the door, and there stood Jian Jing, looking panicked and with eyes full of plea for help.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, is there someone outside?¡±


    ¡°No, I just suddenly felt like taking a shower too!¡±


    ¡°You!!¡±


    Seeing Jian Jing like this, I was both annoyed and amused.


    ¡°Stay out there, I¡¯m not finished yet!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, just don¡¯t lock the door, okay¡­ ¡±


    In order to comfort the timid Jian Jing, I could only shower with the door ajar.


    After I had finished, Jian Jing finally jumped in to take her shower, but this woman ran out halfway through, claiming there was something in the bathroom touching her.


    Seeing her scared little ghost demeanor, I just shook my head.


    The next morning, as soon as it got light, I urged her to move out quickly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not suited for this place, don¡¯t force yourself.¡±


    Jian Jing sat on the bed, yawning, with very obvious dark circles under her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bother; actually, I quite like it here¡­¡±


    Indeed, although Jian Jing seemed very timid at first, afraid of this and that,


    by the second day, she went to the temple on the hill and got a blessed amulet to wear around her neck. After that, she became much braver and stopped being so paranoid about ghosts.


    Strangely enough, ever since Jian Jing moved in, I haven¡¯t dreamt about Gu Yuanzhou again, not even when I was drunk did I see Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s ghost.


    I began to seriously consider that maybe the presence of Gu Yuanzhou I saw before was just an illusion of mine.


    Time quickly came for my next meeting with Lin Nansheng.


    This time, the place he asked to meet was a golf course.


    He was wearing a red sports outfit, looking refreshed and vigorous. Although he was over fifty, with a handsome and sharp look, he still retained the composure and charm of a middle-aged man in the workplace.


    I have to admit, Lin Nansheng must have been a very charming man in his youth.


    ¡°Director Lin, hello!¡±


    I greeted him with a smile.


    He shook my hand and patted my shoulder,


    ¡°No need to be so formal, just call me Uncle Lin.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, hello¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you play golf? How about a friendly game?¡±


    ¡°I know a little, not much¡­ please be gentle, Uncle Lin.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re good with words, a smart and sensible girl! Let¡¯s play!¡±


    At that moment, at eight in the morning, the green grass was still glittering with dewdrops on its tips.


    His agile figure was as full of life as the morning sun.


    I felt a distinctly unfriendly gaze behind me, like a thorn in my back. I turned slowly, only to see an unexpected figure.

 Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: Chapter 395 He Obviously Wants to Flirt with You

    Chapter 395: Chapter 395 He Obviously Wants to Flirt with You


    My senses are quite sharp; actually, there¡¯s no need to look back to see.


    It was indeed Ding Yinuo.


    He stood on the stands in a black overcoat, with Jiang Jiaying by his side. The two of them huddled close together, looking my way.


    ¡°Xiaosong, it¡¯s your turn!¡±


    Lin Nansheng called me.


    Only then did I gather my wandering thoughts.


    ¡°Ah, my skills really aren¡¯t up to par!¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ve found you to be quite talented. As a beginner, you¡¯ve grasped the essence quite well. With a bit of practice, you¡¯ll improve by leaps and bounds. Your talent is really good. You understand immediately with just a little guidance from me.¡±


    If I were a dark horse, then Lin Nansheng was the expert who could spot the potential in horses.


    Being with him not only brought me joy in body and soul but also allowed me to discover my own potential.


    After a round of golf, I felt a long-lost sensation of complete satisfaction, and after sweating profusely, my mind had also become much clearer.


    After Gu Yuanzhou was executed, I couldn¡¯t accept the reality and was in a state of daze and loss for a long time.


    Today, however, I started to slowly shift out of that state.


    After playing golf, I went to the lounge with him where we had tea during our break and had a heart-to-heart.


    Just as we sat for a while, Jiang Jiaying came over.


    She wore a stylish pink outfit today, with a sun hat on her head, her hair in a ponytail, and her makeup was exquisite.


    It was clear she had dressed up carefully; beneath that were white sneakers, and in her hand, she carried a very expensive bag.


    When she saw my eyes fixed on her bag, Jiang Jiaying laughed and said,


    ¡°Do you like this bag too?¡±


    I casually responded, ¡°Not bad!¡±


    It was just a polite reply.


    Unexpectedly, Jiang Jiaying took it and ran with it.


    She sat down next to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift from Yinuo, a new model from Brand L, a limited edition. It¡¯s not expensive, just over a hundred thousand¡­ Yinuo is so considerate, knowing what I like and not sparing any expense in front of me.¡±


    I took a deep breath and looked up at Ding Yinuo.


    He sat calmly, his gaze showing no ripples at all.


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s hand slowly reached for Ding Yinuo¡¯s, interlocking their fingers.


    Then she looked at me with a smile,


    ¡°I know when you were with Ding Yinuo before, he wasn¡¯t able to give you anything of value. I¡¯m sorry that you were shortchanged by him. Now, if you want something, I can give it to you.¡±


    I scoffed,


    ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but I¡¯m not interested in things others have used.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s smile turned slightly awkward.


    While I was talking with Jiang Jiaying, Lin Nansheng was taking a phone call. He seemed busy.


    When he finished the call and came over, Jiang Jiaying no longer paid attention to me and instead went up to him with a cheerful smile, holding a box of pastries.


    ¡°Uncle Lin! These are red bean cakes made with glutinous rice by my mom herself. You can¡¯t find this variety on the market, and it tastes very good. Please try some.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, thank you very much!¡±


    Lin Nansheng sat down and opened the food box.


    Jiang Jiaying deliberately sat in front of me, blocking the view between Lin Nansheng and me,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I saw how agile you were playing golf just now. You really are aging like fine wine.¡±


    ¡°Old already, can¡¯t compare with the youngsters.¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s voice was hearty.


    Jiang Jiaying added,


    ¡°Not old at all, if a young man in his early twenties were to spar with you, he might not even be able to win.¡±


    His mouth was full of compliments.


    Lin Nansheng smiled without a change in his demeanor,


    ¡°You flatter me too much!¡±


    ¡°How about this, should we play a few more games later? I practiced a bit when I was studying abroad!¡±


    Lin Nansheng waved his hands,


    ¡°I¡¯m getting old, I¡¯m getting old, I don¡¯t have the energy anymore. Just now, I played for over an hour with Xiaosong and I¡¯m feeling a bit tired.¡±


    In the midst of conversation, he declined her offer without any change in expression.


    Jiang Jiaying was a social butterfly, she didn¡¯t feel embarrassed but kept smiling.


    ¡°How long does Uncle Lin plan to stay in A City this time?¡±


    ¡°I originally had a three-day schedule, but¡­ I¡¯ve changed my plans now. There are some projects I¡¯m interested in investing in. Look, the development of A City is quite impressive, with six or seven subway lines built, the economy is better than before, and the investment environment is much improved too.¡±


    ¡°Which projects have caught Uncle Lin¡¯s eye? Share with us so we can learn!¡±


    ¡°Haha, nothing is confirmed yet, I¡¯m still investigating!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin is really impressive! Uncle Lin has always been my role model. Hereafter, whichever company Uncle Lin invests in, that¡¯s the stock I¡¯ll buy.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a doctor? That¡¯s a pretty good profession, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am a doctor, but my boyfriend, he¡¯s in business. By the way, are you still interested in Tianjiao Company¡¯s fashion?¡±


    Getting back to business, Lin Nansheng didn¡¯t directly answer,


    ¡°At the moment, I don¡¯t plan to invest; it requires cautious consideration.¡±


    ¡°So, are you saying you intend to invest in Zhenyi Company?¡±


    All of Jiang Jiaying¡¯s words were probes.


    But of course, that was the answer I wanted to know as well. Recently, Lin Nansheng had been asking me out to dine and to play golf together quite frequently.


    This gave many people the illusion that he was interested in Zhenyi Company and could invest at any moment.


    Only I knew very clearly that privately, he hadn¡¯t shown any intention of investing in Zhenyi Company.


    At this moment, Lin Nansheng chuckled heartily,


    ¡°I don¡¯t have plans for that at the moment either.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying breathed a sigh of relief, seemingly finding a sense of fairness within herself.


    After all, as long as Lin Nansheng didn¡¯t choose me, it meant she still had more opportunities.


    In the midst of light conversation, Lin Nansheng¡¯s phone rang once more.


    He didn¡¯t seem to intend to avoid the call and picked up directly,


    ¡°Uncle Wen, any updates?¡±


    ¡°Sir, we found something at Jiahui Hospital. Twenty-eight years ago, the young lady did give birth to a baby girl there, so, there is a high likelihood that the child is related to you by blood.¡±


    ¡°Alright, continue investigating for me.¡±


    I heard up to that point, vaguely realizing something, but I wasn¡¯t too sure at the bottom of my heart.


    And Jiang Jiaying also keenly caught on to that piece of information.


    She seized the opportunity immediately,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, you mentioned¡­ Are you looking for a lost baby girl?¡±


    Lin Nansheng clasped his hands tightly, his complexion turned somewhat grim,


    ¡°Yes! I once had a lover. Back then, I was so busy with business that I didn¡¯t have time for her. By the time I was free to look for her, she had cut off contact with me in a grudge. At that time, I didn¡¯t know her real identity, not even where her family lived. Later, when I heard she was married, I stopped looking. Only a few days ago did I learn she had a daughter¡­¡±


    As Lin Nansheng spoke, he turned his gaze towards me.


    It was only then that I remembered, was he talking about the day Jian Jing brought him the files and a photo fell out?


    At this thought, a notion struck me, could this man be my long-lost father?

 Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: Chapter 396 Gu Yuanzhous Voice

    Chapter 396: Chapter 396 Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s Voice


    Of course, this was just a guess.


    After all, there aren¡¯t such coincidences in this world.


    Moreover, recognizing kin is inherently a very complicated process.


    What¡¯s more, I¡¯m no longer Song Yun now.


    I am now Song Xiaoyun, living in this world under someone else¡¯s identity, even if the elderly man before me truly is my biological father, I have no way to acknowledge him.


    After hearing this, Jiang Jiaying¡¯s expression changed slightly,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, do you now want to find your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Of course, I want to bring her back. She¡¯s been lost out there for so many years; I¡¯ve let down her and her mother. I definitely want to bring them back home now.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, you really are a responsible and good father! But, how do you plan to search for your kin?¡±


    ¡°As of now, I¡¯ve had the butler handle it. We¡¯re going to use a reward to gather clues, as long as someone can provide genuine and valid identification, I will surely offer a generous reward.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, how about this! Could you leave a DNA sample? I work at a hospital. I have the opportunity to contact a wide circle of friends, many indeed, and I can also help match you with past patients who have stayed at our hospital. See if there¡¯s a chance to make a match.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can do that? Thank you very much! How do I provide a DNA sample?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very simple; just clip a little bit of your fingernail.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying called the waiter over, asked for a pair of scissors, and in front of everyone, helped Lin Nansheng clip a piece of his fingernail.


    Then she carefully wrapped it up and put it in her bag.


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s action did not seem to win Lin Nansheng¡¯s favor either.


    After a few perfunctory conversations with her, Lin Nansheng stood up,


    ¡°Let¡¯s end our discussion here for today, Jiaying. Notify me if there¡¯s any news on your side, and if I can find my daughter, I will definitely reward you guys.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, where are you heading now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Xiaoyun and I have an appointment to go horse riding now!¡±


    ¡°Oh, then I won¡¯t disturb you two.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s expression visibly darkened, a mix of awkwardness and disappointment that could not be concealed no matter how she tried.


    She had just invited Lin Nansheng to play ball with her, and he had declined, citing tiredness as the reason.


    And now Lin Nansheng was taking me horse riding.


    This clearly showed that Lin Nansheng wasn¡¯t actually too tired, but was deliberately making excuses to reject her, not wanting to give her face.


    The haughty young lady endured such treatment with an exceptionally ugly expression, but Lin Nansheng was someone she wanted to fawn over eagerly, and she dared not offend him casually.


    So she still accompanied him with a smiling face and nodded.


    Seemingly reluctant to let it go, she took a few more steps,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, if by chance you find the young lady, are you going to immediately bring her back to the Lin Family?¡±


    Lin Nansheng hesitated slightly, but quickly gave a definitive reply,


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s for certain; if she¡¯s my daughter, she definitely has to be brought back to recognize her ancestors.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very good, a reunion with one¡¯s own daughter would certainly be the best¡­¡±


    As Jiang Jiaying spoke those words, she deliberately glanced at me, seemingly trying to make me feel upset.


    But these words had no meaning to me, I simply didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Yes, Jiaying, thank you for the trouble.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Uncle Lin, which equestrian grounds are you going to? Do you need me to give you a ride? We¡¯re pretty free anyway, we¡¯ve got plenty of time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m headed to Beilin Grounds.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite far! Actually, the best horseback riding in A City is over at Nan Square, where they have the finest horses.¡±


    Lin Nansheng suddenly let out a hearty laugh,


    ¡°The equestrian center at Beilin Grounds is my investment, and I¡¯m also planning to build an industrial park and a logistics park there. I think Xiaoyun has a great business mind, and I want her to help me scope out the prospects to see if we can work together.¡±


    In fact, Lin Nansheng had invited me to go horse riding, and although he hadn¡¯t formally notified me, he did remind me to bring my riding gear.


    So, I had guessed that today would involve physical activities, which is why I specifically wore sports attire.


    Whether it¡¯s playing ball or horse riding, this outfit works for both, but I had no idea about which equestrian center to go to, or about the investments.


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s eyes widened with shock, and then thick envy set in.


    She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Uncle Lin, Miss Song is in the fashion industry. She¡¯s great at designing clothes, but if you¡¯re talking about investments, she might not be the best. I could recommend¡­¡±


    She was cut off mid-sentence when Lin Nansheng waved his hand,


    ¡°Xiaoyun has a remarkable talent, and she is savvy in business. I think young people like her should have more opportunities. Although I¡¯m talking about working with her, I¡¯m more interested in nurturing and supporting her.¡±


    Lin Nansheng made his regard for me clear, plainly and unequivocally.


    Jiang Jiaying, left with nothing to say, nodded with an embarrassed smile,


    ¡°Okay, okay, I wish Uncle Lin a pleasurable trip, and we can talk more another time.¡±


    I then left the golf course.


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s ride was a black Panamera, a luxurious and elegant sedan, its streamlined body shimmering with opulence under the sunlight.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Seeing that I had been staring at the car for a long time, Lin Nansheng asked me with a smile.


    I nodded with a grin,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, your ride is top-notch! When my company starts making a profit, I¡¯ll buy one too.¡±


    I was actually complimenting him indirectly and also expressing the joy I felt for the attention he was giving me.


    ¡°Ambitious! As for your company, let me give you a piece of advice¡­¡±


    After the car started, Lin Nansheng began giving me tips.


    Sure enough, the vision of a business mogul is different from that of the average person.


    He spoke with ease, as if revealing the secrets of the heavens.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, your advice is incredibly enlightening to me, it¡¯s like a ten-year¡¯s worth of knowledge in a single conversation!¡±


    ¡°You being able to grasp my point shows that you have a keen intuition, you get it with just a hint.¡±


    The afternoon spanned four hours, one of which we spent riding horses together.


    Lin Nansheng was in excellent physical condition, not falling behind younger folks at all. Riding alongside him across the grasslands, the wind lifted my hair.


    I felt as though I¡¯d taken flight, like catching the wind beneath my wings.


    Joy, long absent, filled my heart.


    For the other three hours, he took me to tour his emerging technology park.


    On the way back, sitting in his car, he took a phone call. Perhaps it was because he trusted me especially, or perhaps the incoming call wasn¡¯t any business secret, but he answered it on speakerphone.


    ¡°Director Lin, the contract for Area A is ready¡­¡±


    A deep, magnetic voice came through the phone, and upon hearing it, a shiver ran through me. It sounded just like Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: Chapter 397 Instant Hope Shattered

    Chapter 397: Chapter 397 Instant Hope Shattered


    Although the dead cannot be brought back to life, and his ashes are right here with me.


    Yet, suddenly hearing this familiar voice, my heart couldn¡¯t help but leap with joy.


    It was the man I¡¯d been thinking about for so long.


    I was dying to snatch the phone from Lin Nansheng¡¯s hand and ask for clarity.


    But reason still prevailed, and I wouldn¡¯t allow myself to commit such a discourteous act.


    All I could do was to wait patiently, reigning in my eagerness.


    Fortunately, Lin Nansheng only gave brief instructions and quickly hung up the call.


    I forced down the excitement bubbling inside me and pretended to be nonchalant as I asked him,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, who was that on the phone just now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, a family member!¡±


    Lin Nansheng said casually.


    Family member?


    The hope in my heart shattered in an instant.


    If it was his family member, then it definitely wasn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou.


    A sense of loss overtook me once more.


    ¡°Which city is Uncle Lin¡¯s family in now?¡±


    ¡°Currently, all my family members are in Singapore!¡±


    ¡°Do they have plans to come to A City?¡±


    ¡°Not for the time being! My daughter is still in university; she can¡¯t come over!¡±


    Hearing Lin Nansheng say this, I was slightly surprised,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Uncle Lin say your daughter was the one who had gone missing? The one born to your lover whom you mentioned¡­¡±


    Actually, ever since Lin Nansheng said he once had a lover, and especially after he saw a photo of my mother and started taking extra care of me, I had a faint feeling.


    Could his lover be my mother?


    But remembering what Song Shixiong had told me, that my mother was in love with a married man, it made me all the more eager to know more about Lin Nansheng.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Nansheng¡¯s gaze filled with sadness.


    ¡°When we were in love, indeed my family had arranged a marriage for me. I had planned to call off that marriage and marry her, but her brother found out and demanded a large sum of money from me, accusing me of toying with her feelings. After selling land and property to raise the funds, he finally told me that his sister had already married someone else and had a child.¡±


    ¡°I felt like my heart had died then, and after returning home, I accepted the marriage my parents had arranged for me. It was many years later that I had my current younger daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened, that¡¯s truly a regrettable affair.¡±


    In fact, by this point, I had already mostly guessed the conclusion.


    However, considering he now had a family of his own, I decided not to tell him about my mother.


    Lin Nansheng was supposed to drive me home, but I was afraid he might get the wrong idea if he saw I lived on Beilu Hill.


    So I just had him drop me off at Zhenyi Company.


    Because I didn¡¯t return, Jian Jing was afraid to go there alone, and at this hour, she was still waiting for me at the company.


    Seeing me get out of Lin Nansheng¡¯s car, she looked thrilled,


    ¡°Wow, Director Lin personally drove you home. He¡¯s really taking good care of you, huh.¡±


    ¡°Uh, don¡¯t overthink it, he sees me as a younger relative!¡±


    Jian Jing, ever the gossip, chased after me, eagerly inquiring about my day. I didn¡¯t hide anything, telling her about playing golf in the morning and visiting the business district in the evening.


    Jian Jing listened with rapt attention, eyes wide with interest.


    ¡°What? He wants to collaborate with you? How much do you have to invest?¡±


    ¡°Zero investment, I just have to contribute my presence.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit, this is like making money while lying down! I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s only one reason a man would treat a woman so well, and that¡¯s because he likes you!¡±


    I helplessly spread my hands,


    ¡°Really, it¡¯s not like that¡ªyou¡¯re overthinking it! I¡¯m not some naive girl who¡¯s never seen the world before; can¡¯t I tell?¡±


    Indeed, Lin Nansheng was a very gentlemanly man, and it was very comfortable being around him, but he always maintained a reasonable and polite distance from me.


    To me, he was more like an elder who provided thoughtful guidance; he pointed things out to me little by little in the realm of business.


    The advice he gave me about Zhenyi Company was excellent¡ªall of it struck a chord with me.


    In the following days, I reformed the company according to his guidance.


    During the weekend, Wenya and Su Peisheng came to see me.


    After entering the company, Wenya looked at the changes and expressed her praise,


    ¡°Ayun, I told you, you have the ability to improve Zhenyi Company. Look, look, it¡¯s already reaching its peak now.¡±


    ¡°Well, not quite, but it¡¯s definitely moving in the right direction.¡±


    Wenya walked around the office and, seizing a moment when no one was around, she suddenly asked me,


    ¡°Have you encountered any ghosts recently¡­ like Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s?¡±


    I seriously thought about it. Lately, I had thrown myself entirely into work, and with Jian Jing always by my side, it seemed Gu Yuanzhou hadn¡¯t appeared again.


    I hadn¡¯t even had a single dream about it.


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, otherwise it¡¯d be too damn scary. I told ya, you can¡¯t live alone. Living alone makes it easy to have illusions. Lucky for you, I begged Jian Jing to stay with you¡­ Oops, seems like I let slip something I shouldn¡¯t have, hahaha, I¡¯ll cast a forgetting spell on you!¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap, I know Jian Jing was sent by you. She was quite scared in the beginning, but now she¡¯s gotten used to it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. I think it¡¯s best if you move on from that dark period, but, however, please take it easy. I know you¡¯re a bit lonely, but still, hold back a little. If you really need a man, Su Peisheng and I talked it over, we can introduce you to a boyfriend.¡±


    Only then did Su Peisheng, who had been following behind me, step forward.


    ¡°I have a buddy, he¡¯s a pretty good guy. Three years older than you, tall one eighty-eight¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop right there, I¡¯m not interested in blind dates at all. Wenya, don¡¯t stir up trouble for me when there¡¯s none. I¡¯m perfectly fine on my own.¡±


    Wenya gave me a meaningful look,


    ¡°Without a man, what will you do about loneliness?¡±


    ¡°How am I lonely, I¡¯m so busy every day¡­¡±


    ¡°Ai, I didn¡¯t want to say it, but I¡¯ve been hinting for so long and you just don¡¯t get it, so now I¡¯ll just say it outright.¡±


    Wenya took out her phone and showed me a news article.


    I was startled when I saw it¡ªI had no idea. The photos of me playing golf, horseback riding, and dining with Lin Nansheng had been sneakily taken and manipulated before being posted online.


    They even came with a sensational headline, ¡°Ding Yinuo¡¯s ex-wife passionately in love with a mysterious magnate, an age-gap romance envied by many¡­¡±


    I took another look at the photos, I had to admit, the photographer chose very peculiar angles, all of them suggesting intimacy.


    ¡°Erk!¡±


    I shook my head after seeing them,


    ¡°This is absolutely slander! None of this is true! Lin Nansheng is not that kind of person.¡±


    Wenya looked at me doubtfully,


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some things too, this big shot is super rich. Marrying him wouldn¡¯t be wrong, but¡­ he¡¯s too old, he could practically be your father, and I doubt you¡¯d be satisfied in bed. In another ten years, he¡¯ll be in his sixties, and you¡¯ll be in your prime, and he won¡¯t be able to satisfy you.¡±


    Wenya¡¯s words became more and more outrageous, and I put my hand over her mouth,


    ¡°Enough, shut up, if you keep this up, we¡¯re done as friends.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, are you feeling shy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about being shy or not, the thing is, Lin Nansheng and I are innocent. Sigh, those people who are smearing me definitely have ulterior motives¡­¡±


    With this information from Wenya, I immediately became alert.


    Because all this was too unusual.

 Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Chapter 398: Jiang Jiayings Purpose

    Chapter 398: Chapter 398: Jiang Jiaying¡¯s Purpose


    Lin Nansheng now not only had prestige but also a family, and such a scandal, once it got out, would be an affront to his reputation.


    If he cared about his reputation, he would surely sever ties with me and keep his distance.


    Clearly, the person who spread the scandal aimed to drive a wedge between us.


    ¡°It¡¯s Jiang Jiaying!¡±


    I directly provided the answer.


    ¡°Ah? What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°She released the news.¡±


    ¡°How do you know it was her? Do you have any evidence? I¡¯m not afraid of her; I just hope you can be cautious. This woman is caught between you and Ding Yinuo. Is she trying to provoke you into doing something foolish?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s words did remind me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any evidence, but when you look at the whole thing, the person who benefits from behind the scenes is Jiang Jiaying¡­ You can tell who did it by tracing back through many seemingly unclear events.¡±


    ¡°So what will you do about it?¡±


    ¡°Let me think, I need to come up with a good plan.¡±


    In fact, what worried me more was, what would Lin Nansheng¡¯s family think if they got wind of such news?


    It must have a significant impact on him!


    The next morning.


    After I had finished washing up, Jian Yan brought out a bowl of noodles and, seeing me well-dressed, directly asked, ¡°Are you looking so nice because you¡¯re going to meet Uncle Lin for a meal?¡±


    It was only when she asked that I remembered that I indeed had a dinner engagement with Lin Nanzhu tonight.


    But with last night¡¯s scandal already spreading on the internet, he must have seen it too.


    If it really had a great impact on him, then I should not continue to make dinner plans with him.


    After much thought, I still made a phone call to him.


    In the past, it took him no more than three seconds to pick up my calls.


    But today, the phone rang for a long while, and he didn¡¯t answer.


    Not answering could mean two things: either he was busy, or he wanted to distance himself from me and didn¡¯t plan to answer my calls anymore.


    No matter which it was, I knew all too well I shouldn¡¯t contact him anymore.


    Sometimes, the most polite way for adults to sever ties is to simply stop reaching out.


    This way, neither party has to endure awkwardness.


    ¡°Uh, maybe he¡¯s busy! Someone as busy as him must have a ton of things to deal with. It¡¯s normal for him not to have time to answer your call. Just wait a bit longer, and he¡¯ll surely call back when he¡¯s free.¡±


    Jian Jing gave me some comforting words to ease the tension.


    I smiled helplessly,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t get angry whether he answers my call or not, but I¡¯m just worried that I¡¯ve involved him in this mess.¡±


    That truly was my thought; cooperation or not didn¡¯t really matter to me.


    As a friend, I didn¡¯t want to bring any negative influence upon him.


    After breakfast, I had planned to pay a visit to Jiang Jiaying.


    Unexpectedly, I received a call from Song Zexi.


    ¡°You asked me to help you look into some information about the Gu Family last time. I¡¯ve found something. Do you want to come over?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll come right over!¡±


    Even though Gu Yuanzhou was no longer alive, I was determined to unravel the mystery of his background and the grudges between him and the Song Family.


    I was getting ready to head out, packing my bag, and for some reason unknown to me, I got the urge to offer incense to Gu Yuanzhou before leaving.


    Sometimes, I might think that only by communicating with him in this way, can I feel that he hasn¡¯t really left my world.


    Therefore, I still hadn¡¯t buried his ashes.


    After I offered incense to him and was about to leave, something caught on my bag as I turned. I didn¡¯t think much of it and pulled on it instinctively.


    Then a ¡®clack¡¯ sound came from behind me.


    A sense of foreboding came over me, and when I turned to look, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s urn had fallen to the floor.


    It shattered with a ¡®clack¡¯.


    Jian Jing also rushed out at the sound.


    ¡°Uh, this¡­¡±


    Seeing the thing that had fallen to the ground, Jian Jing was also shocked.


    I too was shocked as I crouched down and reached out to grab the powdery substance on the ground.


    It wasn¡¯t ash at all, it was sand.


    It was the kind of river sand you find on a riverbank, gray fine sand that felt granular in my hand.


    ¡°Uh, Ayun, this isn¡¯t ash, is it? When my grandmother passed away, I went to the crematorium and saw her ashes after she was cremated. Ash doesn¡¯t look like this, and it has bits of bones big and small in it. There¡¯s nothing in this.¡±


    Jian Jing spotted the problem at a glance.


    I squatted there for a long time, also pondering for a long time.


    ¡°This is definitely not ash! It¡¯s river sand!¡±


    ¡°Then how did this happen? Where did Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s ashes go?¡±


    Facing Jian Jing¡¯s confusion, all I could do was shake my head,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Gu Xinlan should know the truth. I¡¯ll make a trip up to Qingmu Mountain to ask her when I have time.¡±


    Jian Jing finally breathed a sigh of relief,


    ¡°Geez, it¡¯s hilarious that I got scared by a can of sand like this. It¡¯s just too embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Actually, at this moment, I couldn¡¯t face this pile of sand either.


    I quickly grabbed a broom, swept the pile of sand and the fragments of the urn together, then dumped them into the trash can.


    But actually, I had some doubts in my heart.


    Why did Gu Xinlan give me a can of sand claiming it to be Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s ashes?


    At the time, she looked devastated, and it didn¡¯t seem like she knew the ashes were fake, because she indeed was carrying out Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s last wish.


    So, she must have received the urn of ashes but never opened it to verify its authenticity.


    From the beginning, then, the urn of ashes she received was problematic?


    However, those were thoughts for later; now I didn¡¯t have time to consider these matters.


    After cleaning up the mess, I took a car to the Song Family¡¯s house.


    Upon arriving at the Song Family¡¯s front door, I saw Jiang Jiaying¡¯s figure coming out of the gates.


    Talking with her was Wu Lijuan,


    ¡°You should come by all means, but you really didn¡¯t need to bring such a heavy gift. Any friend of Ayun¡¯s is warmly welcomed by me.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t be so formal with me. After all, I was Ayun¡¯s classmate. We were close back then. Now that she¡¯s gone, I wanted to come and visit you, to carry on her filial duties in some way. These little gifts aren¡¯t worth much money; it¡¯s the thought that counts.¡±


    I quickly stepped forward, inserting myself between the two of them,


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying smiled at me, but the words that came out while she was smiling were very sharp,


    ¡°I¡¯m Ayun¡¯s classmate, I came to see what was up. What¡¯s your relationship with Ayun? And what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying, I¡¯m not going to beat around the bush with you. I¡¯m asking you, did you start that scandal about Uncle Lin?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand what you mean?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying looked at me with a smirking smile.


    That was the very picture of feigning ignorance.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t think that little vile act of yours is unnoticed. Anyone with a brain can figure it out. Since I¡¯ve figured it out, Uncle Lin can too. If you think you can use these little tricks to drive a wedge between us, you¡¯ll end up reaping what you sow.¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, you better talk with evidence, otherwise, I might sue you for defamation.¡±


    After saying that, Jiang Jiaying left with a laugh.


    It took a while before I turned to walk toward Wu Lijuan,


    ¡°Aunty, what was that woman doing here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she used to be Ayun¡¯s classmate. She said she misses Ayun a lot and came to see me. She¡¯s just being kind; there aren¡¯t many good young people like that anymore.¡±


    ¡°She just came to catch up with you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she also took an old comb that belonged to Ayun.¡±

 Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Chapter 399: Its Him

    Chapter 399: Chapter 399: It¡¯s Him


    ¡°What old comb?¡±


    I immediately realized there was an issue and hurriedly asked another question.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that she went to the room Ayun used to live in before. She was lamenting how now that Ayun is gone, she didn¡¯t leave anything behind to remember her by. Right on the dressing table, there was an old comb, so she took it as a keepsake. I thought, since Ayun can¡¯t use it anymore, and I¡¯m old with few hairs left myself, such a fine comb would be a pity to just leave here. Might as well give it to her.¡±


    An old comb, no matter how exquisite, is still just an old comb.


    Jiang Jiaying was an heiress to a wealthy family; why would she take an interest in an old comb, and one that belonged to a deceased person at that? Wasn¡¯t she disgusted by it?


    This abnormal behavior seemed to be hiding some kind of conspiracy.


    Although I couldn¡¯t guess what Jiang Jiaying was thinking at the moment, I believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before I knew the outcome.


    Right then, Song Zexi came down from upstairs, wearing a grey casual outfit and greeting me.


    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Good to see you, Mr. Song!¡±


    ¡°Stop with the formal ¡®Mr. Song¡¯, it feels so distant. If you don¡¯t mind, just call me ¡®Cousin¡¯ like Ayun did.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Cousin, hello!¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s have some tea first!¡±


    Song Zexi seemed to be accustomed to this leisurely life, his demeanor calmed.


    He led me to the tea room and started making tea for me.


    ¡°About your father¡¯s case, have you hired a lawyer?¡±


    As far as I knew, Song Shixiong was still held in custody, and the trial had not yet begun¡­


    Song Zexi gently lifted the purple clay teapot, and the clear tea flowed like a thread into the teacup made of the same material.


    The tea¡¯s clean and elegant fragrance wafted through the air as well.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect that you, Cousin, would have such authentic tea-making skills. I¡¯ve always thought that you wouldn¡¯t understand tea culture after being abroad for so long.¡±


    I held the teacup with both hands and gently sipped. The tea¡¯s aroma blossomed on the tip of my tongue.


    Song Zexi chuckled heartily, rolling up the sleeves of his white silk shirt to reveal a wrist adorned with a string of walnut wood beads.


    ¡°Even though I lived abroad, my heart was always here. A lawyer¡­ we didn¡¯t get one.¡±


    A hint of bitterness crossed Song Zexi¡¯s face,


    ¡°To be honest! Given all the treacherous things he¡¯s done, I think it¡¯s no loss for him to rot in prison for a lifetime.¡±


    I was silent.


    Yes, especially what Song Shixiong had done to the Gu Family, it was truly chilling.


    After finishing two cups of tea, Song Zexi went to his study for a moment and then brought out a stack of documents.


    ¡°Take a look, is this what you wanted?¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    That stack of documents, I had actually seen them before in that secret room, but at that time, Gu Yuanzhou took them and refused to let me know.


    Now I held the thick stack in my hands.


    ¡°May I take these with me?¡±


    ¡°Take them, they¡¯re of no use anymore.¡±


    In the presence of Song Zexi, I didn¡¯t open them.


    He already loathed Song Shixiong and wasn¡¯t on the same side as him, so I didn¡¯t want to reveal these things in front of him.


    After leaving the Song Family¡¯s house, I returned to Zhenyi Company.


    I made myself a cup of coffee, sat in the office chair, and slowly opened the folder in my hands.


    It contained several contracts, all signed between Song Shixiong and a person named Gu Chen.


    Both of their signatures were on them.


    It was clear that the two of them had a very close relationship. The fine print even specified that if something happened to one party, the other would have full control over the company.


    Obviously, Gu Chen had great trust in Song Shixiong.


    The business deals in the contracts were worth hundreds of millions¡­


    This excessive trust cost the Gu Family a painful lesson.


    Looking at these contracts, my heart felt incredibly heavy.


    However, what I wanted to see was not the content of the contracts, but rather the information about the Gu family members within them.


    I tried to find more relatives of Gu Yuanzhou from the information.


    But I failed, as there was no clue regarding other relatives of the Gu Family in those documents.


    After finishing this pot of tea, I left the Song Family.


    Lin Nansheng seemed to be really affected by that rumor; he hadn¡¯t contacted me for days, which disappointed me a lot.


    The hope that had risen so difficultly was shattered once again¡­


    Jiang Jing was furious about this,


    ¡°This Jiang Jiaying is just too damn despicable, I really want to slap her a few times.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, fighting is the most meaningless thing.¡±


    ¡°But knowing that she did it and not being able to grasp any evidence on her, letting her manipulate us¡ªthis feeling is just so suffocating.¡±


    Jiang Jing walked back and forth with her arms folded; after a while, she turned her head and looked at me again,


    ¡°In my opinion! Why not just recognize Uncle Lin as your biological father since you suspect him to be, and acknowledge it right now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer Song Yun, the ages don¡¯t match up, and if a DNA test was done, it wouldn¡¯t match up either. This identity has no credibility. Moreover, if he really is my father, I really don¡¯t want him to find out that his daughter has actually died. After all, no one in this world would believe in something like reincarnation.¡±


    After listening, Jiang Jing sighed,


    ¡°If this won¡¯t do and that won¡¯t do, are you just going to watch that wretched woman swagger around here? Actually, having the identity of the daughter is better, acknowledging it would end the rumors!¡±


    In the midst of all the cursing, the receptionist brought in a bouquet of flowers from the outside.


    ¡°Sister Song, someone has sent flowers.¡±


    ¡°Are they from Shen Yishu?¡±


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t Mr. Shen, it was delivered by a courier!¡±


    I picked up the bouquet, with white baby¡¯s breath paired with the fresh fragrance of lilies, wrapped beautifully in vintage newspaper.


    The point is, there was no sender¡¯s name on the flowers.


    This really was a good deed done anonymously¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s not from Shen Yishu?¡± Jiang Jing asked.


    I shook my head, ¡°No, if it were Shen Yishu, he¡¯d come over in person at the very least. Moreover, I reprimanded him before; he wouldn¡¯t dare to repeat it.¡±


    ¡°Then who is it? This bouquet is quite beautifully arranged.¡±


    Actually, I recognized this bouquet, it contained all my favorite types of flowers.


    ¡°It¡¯s from Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    I blurted out without thinking¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare me!¡±


    ¡°Just wait and see!¡±


    I began to unwrap the bouquet, knowing that when Gu Yuanzhou sent me something, he would always hide a small gift inside.


    He did this to leave an easter egg, to let me always feel the presence of a surprise.


    After unwrapping the bouquet, indeed, a mysterious little box fell out.


    Opening the small box, inside were the chocolates I loved.


    ¡°It¡¯s him, it¡¯s definitely him!¡±


    This brand of chocolate was purchased from Singapore and was a very niche brand that Gu Yuanzhou had bought on a trip there by chance.


    I tried one and instantly loved it; I later found out that the chocolate was traditionally handcrafted, with special spices added that other brands couldn¡¯t replicate.


    Because of its unique taste, which I really liked, Gu Yuanzhou would make a detour to Singapore to buy me a box each time he went abroad on business trips.


    I opened the box and took out a piece, eagerly peeling off the wrapper and stuffing the chocolate into my mouth. The silky sensation slowly melted on my tongue, spreading throughout.


    The familiar taste brought me to tears!


    It was him!

 Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Chapter 400 Dont Force Me to Take Action

    Chapter 400: Chapter 400 Don¡¯t Force Me to Take Action


    Jian Jing saw me eat a piece of chocolate and became inexplicably elated, waving her hand in front of me, ¡°Have you been bewitched?¡±


    ¡°No, certainly not!¡±


    ¡°Then why do you look like that just from eating chocolate?¡±


    Jian Jing folded her arms and looked me up and down.


    ¡°It was given to me by Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°Besides him, no one knows I like this kind of chocolate.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s gone now, how could he send you chocolate! I bet it was his friend who delivered it for him, you know what, why don¡¯t you call that lawyer, what¡¯s his name¡­ Zhou Chenming.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ let¡¯s not ask, just leave it be.¡±


    I actually knew in my heart that Jian Jing¡¯s words were probably true.


    I was also very clear that the dead cannot come back to life, and my heart was always searching for those slim chances.


    This kind of wishful thinking would only drag me deeper and deeper until I could never climb out.


    After thinking it over, I decided not to concern myself with it.


    Whether it was a coincidence, or something he had arranged with a friend before he passed away, I wasn¡¯t going to pursue it any further.


    I needed to steady my own mindset.


    While I was arguing with Jian Jing about this, my cellphone began to ring.


    It was a call from Jiang Jiaying.


    Her cell number flickered on the screen for a while, but in the end, I chose to hang up.


    ¡°Uh, why not answer it?¡±


    Jian Jing asked me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with this woman, don¡¯t feel like answering her calls.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s an emergency?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, no matter how urgent, I don¡¯t want to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°Fine, anyway, this woman probably isn¡¯t up to any good. Best to ignore her.¡±


    After hanging up on Jian Jing.


    My phone rang again, and this time it was Lin Nansheng.


    Seeing the familiar cell number, I hesitated for a few seconds before answering.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, hello! Is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I¡¯ve been a bit sick these past few days and haven¡¯t had the time to contact you. I¡¯m feeling a bit better today.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, what¡¯s been making you uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just old age, the usual ailments! But you don¡¯t need to worry, I am much better now. Oh yes, I have an event tomorrow morning that I need you to attend, can you make it?¡±


    ¡°I can, I can!¡±


    Lin Nansheng reaching out to me again excited me tremendously.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, are the scandals online causing any trouble in your life? Do you need me to come forward to clarify?¡±


    ¡°No need, you don¡¯t have to pay attention to this matter. As the saying goes, the innocent will prove their innocence. You don¡¯t have to bother with it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, now I understand, thank you, Uncle Lin!¡±


    After hanging up with Lin Nansheng, Jian Jing also cheered jubilantly,


    ¡°Holy moly! I feel like we¡¯re back in the game! The god of wealth is back, I¡¯m going to burn incense on the mountain.¡±


    At that moment, a familiar figure walked in through the door.


    I glanced over and recognized him, it was Ding Yinuo.


    Actually, ever since Ding Yinuo and I had settled the divorce agreement, I had rarely taken the initiative to contact him.


    Now, if ever there¡¯s a business event that involves his Tianjiao Company, I try to participate as little as possible.


    ¡°`


    If I can avoid going there, I¡¯d do my best to stay away to spare the awkwardness.


    What I didn¡¯t expect was that he would take the initiative to come to our company.


    Dressed in a light grey suit, his delicately handsome features, and that noble aura drew side glances from the female colleagues the moment he appeared.


    ¡°Uh, Mr. Ding is here.¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s gaze was complex. She tended to see things simply and patted my shoulder,


    ¡°Be rational about this, remember, a good horse doesn¡¯t eat the grass behind it. Don¡¯t let him deceive you again. Men, being good-looking isn¡¯t enough. They need to be faithful. Once unfaithful, it¡¯s over forever.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±


    As I was talking to Jian Jing, Ding Yinuo had already started walking slowly toward me.


    His long legs carried him leisurely until he stood in front of my office.


    ¡°Mr. Ding, what brings you here?¡±


    Our eyes met, and I still felt his gaze glacier-cold, filled with indifference and hostility toward me.


    Ding Yinuo, with his hands in his pockets, looked around before speaking in a low voice,


    ¡°I want to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Please come in!¡±


    I invited him into my office and brewed a cup of coffee for him, ¡°Do you want sugar?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t take the coffee, his tone distant, ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so diligent for me.¡±


    I used to have some feelings for Ding Yinuo.


    Now, his cold words doused the passion I once had for him bit by bit.


    Indeed, love can disappear.


    I smiled bitterly, putting down the coffee cup, no longer caring whether he wanted sugar or milk.


    ¡°So, Mr. Ding, what brings you to me?¡±


    It was then Ding Yinuo straightened up,


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying is helping me!¡±


    ¡°Huh? I can see that! I¡¯m not blind!¡±


    ¡°So, please don¡¯t target her. The issues between you and me are our own and have nothing to do with Jiang Jiaying. There¡¯s no need for you to have an issue with her because of me, opposing her at every turn. It¡¯s really tough for her¡­¡±


    I was drinking coffee when I heard this, and I nearly spat it out.


    Ding Yinuo was fiddling with a fine Cartier lighter in his hand, his words cutting deeply.


    ¡°She has it tough, do you think I have it easy? Besides, where have I opposed her at every turn? You¡¯re the one with the bias.¡±


    ¡°That business with Director Lin¡­ to tell the truth, Jiang Jiaying didn¡¯t want it. The Jiang Family doesn¡¯t need to do business. Her diligence, all of it, is for me. And you, just to embarrass her, have been resisting and suppressing her in front of Director Lin, making her life miserable, which is truly unnecessary.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words struck harder with each sentence. I wanted to stop him, but subconsciously, I wanted to hear more.


    I wanted to know how much hurt I could withstand.


    Ding Yinuo did not notice my expression and continued to share his troubles.


    ¡°My divorce from you had nothing to do with Jiang Jiaying. I purely could not accept that while I was in a vegetative state, you were showing off love with another man, spawning rumors. That was truly unacceptable to me.¡±


    ¡°That incident, actually, there are clues, I think it¡¯s necessary to tell you¡­¡±


    ¡°No need, don¡¯t make excuses. It¡¯s all in the past now; we¡¯ve divorced, and we can¡¯t go back. If you¡¯re trying to get my attention by competing with Jiang Jiaying here, it¡¯s really unnecessary. I won¡¯t be looking, and I can never fall for you again. I hope you take care of yourself.¡±


    These words from Ding Yinuo were cold and heartless.


    How come I feel like I¡¯m back in the days when we used to clash with each other?


    I¡¯m overwhelmed with an indescribable feeling.


    Moreover, he then said,


    ¡°You¡¯d better not force me to take action against you!¡±


    That last line truly caused me ten thousand points of damage.


    He actually threatened to take action against me!

 Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Chapter 401: Meeting Once Again

    Chapter 401: Chapter 401: Meeting Once Again


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words pierced my heart like a cold, sharp knife, and I was reminded of the times I bled and struggled for the company, Tianjiao.


    It seemed like a mockery, an ironic attack on me.


    I even began to doubt my life.


    ¡°Mr. Ding, I really want to know, how could you lay a hand on me? Stab me with a knife?¡±


    I watched him with a derisive smile.


    Ding Yinuo stood up and straightened his clothes,


    ¡°If you go too far, it¡¯s not completely impossible.¡±


    That sentence brought me back to my senses.


    Heartache!


    At that time, I was also hot-headed, perhaps just to provoke him deliberately, and thus I said,


    ¡°Mr. Ding¡¯s words can¡¯t threaten me. There¡¯s a saying, ¡®it takes two to tango.¡¯ The issue can¡¯t be just with me alone, it¡¯s possible that Jiang Jiaying is also at fault. If you insist on laying the blame on me, then I¡¯m sorry, I might have to disappoint you.¡±


    ¡°Fine, you¡¯re asking for it!¡±


    Ding Yinuo left angrily.


    After he left, Jian Jing hurried in,


    ¡°Ayun, Ding Yinuo has really changed so much, he¡¯s almost unrecognizable. Damn, the things he said just now are so infuriating, I really wanted to go up there and slap him.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, let him be!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so annoying, you know, all men are no good! When Yu Jiahang was wooing me, he was extremely attentive, but now look at him, he¡¯s so stingy even about the money for his daughter¡¯s formula. Sometimes I think about just divorcing him. But then I think, if I do, my daughter will lose her father¡¯s love, it¡¯s so¡­¡±


    ¡°Does Yu Jiahang help out with anything now?¡±


    ¡°Help out my ass, he just goes to see the daughter after work, holds and coos her a bit. The moment she cries, he passes her back to me. It¡¯s like the child is a toy that he plays with for a while. When she cries, he discards her. That man has no patience at all, even with his own flesh and blood, what else can you expect from him?¡±


    ¡°Is he still involved with that woman outside¡­¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t inquired, and I don¡¯t want to care anymore. Now all I want is to raise my child well; let him do whatever he likes.¡±


    Reality is always filled with helplessness.


    Jian Jing¡¯s woes truly had no remedy.


    Life is like that; sometimes even when you know you¡¯ve gone astray, looking back there is no way to return.


    Time quickly arrived at the next morning.


    I arrived at the agreed location as previously discussed with Lin Nansheng.


    It was the grand opening of the logistics company.


    From a distance, I could see Jiang Jiaying, dressed in an off-the-shoulder white evening dress, her long hair cascading down her shoulders, the epitome of elegance from head to toe, her high heels accentuating her graceful demeanor. Like a socialite, she stood next to Ding Yinuo amongst the crowd, looking like a perfectly matched, eye-catching couple.


    There were a lot of people, but all eyes were intensely focused on them.


    Although the celebration hadn¡¯t started, journalists were already interviewing her.


    ¡°Miss Jiang, it is said that Mr. Lin will announce the ownership of the logistics park today. Can you give us a spoiler in advance about what it concerns?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying smiled,


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s not convenient for me to disclose anything at the moment, please wait patiently. However, this matter is most likely related to me.¡±


    ¡°There was a rumor about Mr. Lin on the internet before. Will the woman from the rumor appear today? Is it related to you?¡±


    ¡°The woman from the rumor¡­ is over there, you can go interview her.¡±


    Never would I have expected that as soon as I appeared, Jiang Jiaying would smilingly direct the journalists to me.


    I was completely unprepared.


    I was surrounded by a throng of people.


    All manner of flashing lights and cameras were practically shoved in my face, and at that moment, looking at Jiang Jiaying, I really wanted to curse her out.


    This damn woman was truly causing me all kinds of trouble.


    ¡°Miss Song, may I ask what kind of relationship you have with Mr. Lin? With such a big age gap, don¡¯t you face communication barriers?¡±


    ¡°When do you plan to make this relationship public?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the registered legal person for this logistics park is you. Has President Lin transferred all his assets to you?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, do you believe in love?¡±


    They were pressing in, bombarding me with a variety of outlandish questions.


    Some of them were openly attacking me personally.


    I hadn¡¯t had the chance to respond when suddenly a woman from the crowd cursed at me, ¡°President Lin has a family, a wife, and children. How can you shamelessly seduce someone like that? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being struck by lightning?¡±


    ¡°Shameless woman, no dignity, luring someone else¡¯s husband, you vixen¡­¡±


    Before I knew it, someone in the crowd started throwing eggs and vegetable leaves at me.


    Following someone¡¯s lead, the crowd began pointing fingers and swearing at me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her off, she¡¯s a vixen, hit her!¡±


    It was truly a case of kicking someone when they¡¯re down.


    Facing this barrage of accusations, I was truly at a loss for words, never in my wildest dreams had I thought my attendance at a celebration would turn into a public denunciation.


    And, after I was hit in the face with rotten eggs, amidst the chaos, people started throwing stones and snatching my bag.


    After a loud smack, I felt a sticky liquid running down my face. I reached up to wipe it and was about to see who had done it.


    In the midst of the chaos, someone pushed me, and I fell to the ground.


    Someone took the opportunity to kick me a few times.


    I wanted to escape, but debris had gotten into my eyes and I couldn¡¯t open them.


    It was then amidst the turmoil, a pair of large hands grabbed mine, pulling me up from the ground and swiftly leading me away from the scene.


    While one hand was still trying to rub the debris from my eyes, the other was being led by him, staggering away from the scene.


    We walked unsteadily, and several times when I was about to fall, his other arm caught me.


    My eyes were pasted shut with filth, and I couldn¡¯t open them, I just ran along, led by one large hand.


    Stumbling along, we finally reached a corner.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s over! Stay here, don¡¯t move, someone will come to get you soon.¡±


    His voice was low and incredibly magnetic, sounding so familiar.


    Even in my blinded state, I could recognize it.


    He was about to walk away when I reached out and clutched at the hem of his clothes,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    Groping around, I grabbed his arm and then flung myself into his embrace,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, is that you? I know it¡¯s you, don¡¯t go, you can¡¯t go!¡±


    His body stiffened, and he stayed silent.


    At that moment, I let out all the grievances I held inside.


    For so many days, the fright, the sense of loss, the pain, and that deep-seated guilt and self-reproach had been building up.


    And at that moment, they all turned into tears and flowed out.

 Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: Chapter 402 Adopted Daughter

    Chapter 402: Chapter 402 Adopted Daughter


    ¡°`


    The familiar feeling made my heart as if it had been split open, letting the sorrow surge out uncontrollably.


    I threw myself into his arms and cried to my heart¡¯s content.


    He stroked my hair without saying a word.


    That gentle motion, it was just like how he would soothe me after we got married.


    This brief tenderness made me slightly lost.


    However, after just a moment of intimacy, he quickly pushed me away and left in haste.


    I desperately wiped at the filth in my eyes with my hands, but it was all in vain; no matter how much I wiped, my eyes couldn¡¯t regain their brightness.


    The world remained a blur before me¡­


    The more I rubbed my fingers, the more uncomfortable it became.


    Eventually, it turned into a stinging pain.


    Fortunately, at that moment, someone called out my name.


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun!¡±


    It was Wenya¡¯s voice.


    I responded loudly, ¡°I¡¯m here, right here!¡±


    ¡°My goodness, you really are here¡­¡±


    The sound of high heels tapping against the floor neared quickly.


    Wenya was soon standing beside me.


    ¡°Ayun, what happened to your eyes?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see! Somebody threw an egg at me, and some dirty stuff got into my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you to the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, no need, just take me to the restroom nearby to check first.¡±


    Today¡¯s event was extremely important to me; I definitely couldn¡¯t leave first.


    Jiang Jiaying set this trap just to make me back down, but I refused to comply with her wishes.


    ¡°Ah, you and your stubbornness, not even nine bulls could pull you back; I give up on you, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Wenya led me into a nearby restroom.


    She then handed me a bottle of hand sanitizer,


    ¡°Clean your hands first, and by the way, do you need me to help you wash your eyes?¡±


    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll wash them myself¡­¡±


    I applied the hand sanitizer to my fingers and washed them carefully, knowing that if they weren¡¯t clean enough, bacteria could be rubbed into my eyes.


    First, clean the fingers, then the eyes.


    Wenya mumbled beside me,


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you, such a big deal and you don¡¯t even inform me. It¡¯s fine not to include Jian Jing, but thank goodness I heard something from Su Peisheng. It just so happened that I came over here today for an activity nearby at the school and I saw you being chased over to this place. What a sin!¡±


    I bent down and took the tissue Wenya handed me, wetted it, and started cleaning my eyes bit by bit.


    Then Wenya called Su Peisheng,


    ¡°Found her, she¡¯s here, in the first restroom by the underground parking. Ah, alright, you don¡¯t have to come in, just stand at the door, okay? Keep a lookout for us; if you see any suspicious people, give us a call.¡±


    After Wenya hung up the phone, I had already lifted my head to examine myself in the mirror.


    The filth on my face had been cleaned off.


    But my eyes still felt uncomfortable, as if sand had gotten inside, bloodshot with red vessels.


    ¡°How is it, Ayun, can you see clearly?¡±


    Perhaps because of my excessive rubbing earlier, everything I looked at now seemed to be behind a layer of white mist.


    Even Wenya standing in front of me appeared less clear than before.


    However, to prevent causing Wenya worry, I downplayed it and said,


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I can see clearly.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Wait, I see your eyes are still red, and there are blood vessels, do you want to go to the hospital to check it out?¡±


    ¡°No need, I won¡¯t go. There¡¯s the opening ceremony soon, and Lin Nansheng invited me over today!¡±


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re still going! Do you know that because of this, you almost had your face ruined? I think you better not go.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, everyone is here, what¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡±


    The more Jiang Jiaying told me not to do something, the more I wanted to do it.


    I didn¡¯t believe she could stop me.


    After a brief pause, I turned to Wenya and said,


    ¡°I saw Gu Yuanzhou again just now.¡±


    ¡°Uh, what?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, it was during the time I was surrounded by people, he rescued me from the crowd.¡±


    Wenya clearly didn¡¯t believe me,


    ¡°Ayun, you just had a problem with your eyes, and you couldn¡¯t see him. How can you be sure it was him? What if it was someone else? Besides, if he really was alive, he wouldn¡¯t need to hide from you, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know, maybe it was a hallucination. But if you have time, help me look around¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine!!!¡±


    Wenya agreed in a perfunctory manner.


    But actually, I wasn¡¯t holding out much hope, just couldn¡¯t let go.


    However, by then my clothes were so dirty that it was impossible to attend the ceremony like this.


    If I wanted to go back home and change, it would take more than an hour to travel back and forth.


    It seemed like today¡¯s plan was about to be ruined?


    In the midst of my depression, Wenya waved in front of me, and I suddenly had an idea.


    ¡°Wenya, let¡¯s exchange clothes, you don¡¯t mind wearing my dirty clothes back, do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ well, of course, I mind. You¡¯re covered in stinking eggs. But for the sake of my good sister, I¡¯m willing to make a sacrifice. Alright, let¡¯s swap.¡±


    In a nearby restroom, I exchanged clothes with Wenya.


    Half an hour later.


    I arrived back at the scene.


    By then, the opening ceremony had already started, and all the staff were in place.


    The sharply dressed Lin Nansheng appeared on the central stage at the venue.


    He seemed somewhat anxious, constantly checking the time on his watch,


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Xiaosong arrived yet?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying had a confident smile on her face,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, this Song Xiaoyun has always been unreliable. Someone without any sense of commitment, I think we shouldn¡¯t wait for her. Chances are, she might not even come today.¡±


    Seeing Jiang Jiaying badmouthing me, I walked out directly.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I¡¯m sorry for being late.¡±


    Only then did a look of joy appear on Lin Nansheng¡¯s face, ¡°Why have you just arrived now?¡±


    I glanced at Jiang Jiaying and then stated the facts calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Uncle Lin, there was a delay just now. On my way here, someone threw rotten eggs at me¡­¡±


    Lin Nansheng was clearly unaware of what had happened before, and after hearing my words, he was very angry and immediately arranged for security to investigate.


    He ordered the expulsion of any media reporters and onlookers who had participated in attacking me.


    After order was restored at the scene, Lin Nansheng then arranged for the reporters to come over and everything started again.


    At this moment, when Jiang Jiaying looked at me, her face clearly turned pale and angry.


    Lin Nansheng, holding a microphone, said to the audience below,


    ¡°Thank you all for coming. On the first day of the opening of our logistics park, I have even better news to announce. The beautiful lady standing beside me, Song Xiaoyun, is not only the legal representative and shareholder of our company, but as of today, I am adopting her as my goddaughter!¡±

 Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Into the Night, He Held Me Tight

    Chapter 403: Chapter 403: Into the Night, He Held Me Tight


    When Lin Nansheng said this, cheers erupted from the stage.


    I was actually shocked too.


    I could never have imagined that Lin Nansheng would make such a decision.


    He even accepted me as his goddaughter?


    This relationship is considered extremely close.


    Moreover, with this relationship as a stepping stone, my career will go much smoother.


    The opening ceremony went very smoothly.


    After the event, Lin Nansheng also hosted a banquet at the Southeast Hotel to celebrate taking me as his goddaughter.


    At the banquet, I sat beside Lin Nansheng, receiving toasts from the business elites of A City.


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s words were the same,


    ¡°Folks, Xiaoyun is my daughter. I ask that you all give her your support and care in the future.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, with Director Lin¡¯s daughter, we dare not neglect. Cheers, to Director Lin¡¯s joyful gain of a daughter, and congratulations to Miss Song for receiving a father¡¯s love. Cheers.¡±


    Throughout the banquet, numerous business magnates toasted to me.


    Some even began inquiring about the situation of Zhenyi Company.


    I must say, sitting next to Lin Nansheng, I basked in much of his glory.


    For a moment, I thought, if I had a father, he would surely be just like him.


    But among all the people present, there was indeed someone who was not too happy.


    That would be Jiang Jiaying.


    She ate her meal unhappily, clinging to someone, seemingly not wanting to speak anymore.


    Occasionally, she stood up, took her phone, and walked to the window. After answering the call, she returned, and soon after, sat next to me with a glass of red wine in her hand.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, I want to toast to you. I¡¯m happy for you.¡±


    I lifted my glass and squinted at her with a smirk,


    ¡°Happy about what for me?¡±


    Now that Lin Nansheng had announced me as his adopted daughter, this relationship had taken another step further. It also shattered those online rumors and gossip without any effort from my side.


    If this plan was hers, then it meant her scheme had completely failed.


    At this moment, her heart was probably filled with nothing but disappointment and pain.


    So, where was the happiness in that?


    Jiang Jiaying met my penetrating gaze, her face turning slightly unnatural.


    But she quickly adjusted her demeanor, smiling as she turned to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°I¡¯m mainly happy for Uncle Lin. Although he hasn¡¯t found his biological daughter, having an adopted daughter to dote on is still a joyous matter. Here¡¯s to you, Uncle Lin, and Xiaoyun, my congratulations.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was a veteran in social situations, adept at dealing with all kinds of unexpected events.


    She tried her best to conceal her discomfort, forcing a smile as she coped with the situation.


    However, despite her relaxed facade, I could still see the traces of her displeasure in her tense fingers and slightly furrowed brow.


    This banquet could be said to be extremely successful.


    With Lin Nansheng¡¯s support, various influential figures present focused their attention on me, willing to forge business collaborations.


    At least in terms of popularity, he had helped me harvest a wave forcefully.


    This evening, I was in a particularly good mood, indulging in a few extra drinks due to my excitement.


    Towards the end of the dinner, I was a bit tipsy.


    Lin Nansheng originally wanted to drive me home personally,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, where do you live? I¡¯ll take you back.¡±


    I smiled and declined his kind offer,


    ¡°No need, Uncle Lin! My bestie is here! I¡¯m staying at her place temporarily.¡±


    I still didn¡¯t want Lin Nansheng to know that I lived in the Yin Mansion.


    Ordinary people can¡¯t accept matters related to Yin Mansions; mentioning it might just scare them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have your own house?¡±


    Lin Nansheng seemed a bit puzzled.


    Actually, considering Song Xiaoyun¡¯s position as a recent university graduate from a poor family, she truly couldn¡¯t afford to buy a house.


    So I went along with this line of thought and said,


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the financial capability to buy a house for the time being, but living at my best friend¡¯s place is quite nice, too.¡±


    ¡°Alright then! Give me a call when you get there.¡±


    After saying goodbye to Lin Nansheng, Wenya helped me into the car.


    Su Peisheng was driving, Wenya sat with me in the back seat, and the car drove steadily. On the way, Wenya kept asking me, ¡°Director Lin has already taken you as his goddaughter, why do you still call him Uncle Lin?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I can¡¯t change it so quickly!¡±


    ¡°You should have seen Jiang Jiaying¡¯s expression today; it was so satisfying.¡±


    ¡°What happened to her? I didn¡¯t notice.¡±


    Indeed, aside from the awkward moment earlier when she had to toast us, most of my attention during the rest of the time was engaged in socializing with Lin Nansheng.


    I barely saw Jiang Jiaying after that.


    Little did I expect that Wenya had captured all these moments.


    ¡°Hehe, she was crying. Just now, when I went to the restroom, she was hiding in the toilet, crying. Her tears were flowing like raindrops, but what¡¯s despicable is that she was crying and complaining to Ding Yinuo about you bullying her. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Ding Yinuo is no better than her now, I would¡¯ve definitely gone over to expose her.¡±


    ¡°Let it go, just let her be! With her character, if Uncle Lin hadn¡¯t considered their old friendship, he probably wouldn¡¯t bother with her at all. Her character is lacking, and others are not blind.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of not being blind, isn¡¯t Ding Yinuo blind?¡±


    I fell silent.


    I leaned my head on my hands, not speaking anymore.


    After a while, I leaned my head back against the car seat.


    Wenya, concerned, gently stroked my forehead,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡±


    ¡°I drank too much, I feel like throwing up!¡±


    ¡°Let me crack a window for you!¡±


    Wenya opened the car window to let the cool air in.


    But I still felt dizzy, and Wenya handed me an opened bottle of mineral water, ¡°Do you want to go to my place later?¡±


    ¡°No, please take me to Beilu Hill!¡±


    ¡°Jiang Jing said the urn was fake last time, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­ that¡¯s really crazy! You¡¯ve had so much to drink today, wouldn¡¯t you rather go to my place? At least I can take care of you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, being drunk is perfect for sleeping.¡±


    Despite my stubbornness, Wenya gave in and took me to the Beilu Hill villa.


    It wasn¡¯t until they saw me lying in bed asleep that they left with peace of mind.


    In truth, I only slept for a short while before waking up.


    In my daze, I felt someone kissing my cheeks.


    Actually, I was in that slightly inebriated state, feeling as if I were floating on clouds, half awake and half dreaming.


    But I was actually still aware; I could feel a man beside me.


    He kissed the tip of my ear and his hand roamed around my waist. His palm seemed to hold a ball of fire that could ignite me at any moment.


    This scene was dreamlike.


    The familiar feeling of tenderness was almost identical to the dreams I used to have.


    I missed him so much that I couldn¡¯t stand it, and night after night, I dreamed of him.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    My breathing was heavy, and I called out his name softly.


    His sturdy body pressed against mine, and he responded hazily by my ear, ¡°Ayun, my Ayun¡­¡±

 Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: Chapter 404: Demand

    Chapter 404: Chapter 404: Demand


    Somehow, a heavy rain had started outside.


    The distant rumble of thunder veiled the air¡¯s rapid breaths.


    Occasionally, lightning tore through the night, and in the brief flash of blue light, I could only make out his blurred silhouette.


    I didn¡¯t know.


    Whether this was simply a hallucination from my drunkenness.


    Or a dream I was having in deep sleep.


    I didn¡¯t care!!


    All I knew was that the person in my arms was the man I¡¯d been longing for day and night.


    Each moment I tangled with him was the deepest desire in my heart.


    I let go of all my defenses and sank into the extreme pleasure he brought me.


    After the thunder, a torrential rain followed.


    The window was left open, and the damp rain floated in, making me feel completely wet¡­


    The man was like a warhorse in the throes of the bed.


    The thunder was like war drums!


    He led me in charge after charge.


    Assault and capture!


    I arched my back, my slender fingers scratching long bloody trails across his sturdy back, like a kitten.


    I don¡¯t know how much time passed, but eventually, the thunder outside began to subside.


    He pressed me into the corner, unwilling to let me go.


    And I, too, lay exhausted in his arms, like a little wild cat, curling up my claws, letting down all my defenses, docilely and comfortably nestling in his embrace to enjoy that moment of tranquility.


    His rough palm gently stroked my slightly damp hair, kissing my skin.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    Every time he called my name, a sweetness swelled in my heart.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, is that you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    His low voice had a lazy, enveloping warmth, but it was very real.


    He took my fingers and tenderly kissed each one against his lips.


    Delicately kissing every fingertip.


    ¡°Then, when I wake up tomorrow, will you still be here?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to be?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course, I want you to stay.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer me!


    After a while, he caressed my cheek and whispered again,


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re drunk! You¡¯re really drunk right now, go to sleep quickly.¡±


    I grew somewhat annoyed and hooked my hands around his neck, whining for him not to leave and threatening him petulantly like a little girl.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, don¡¯t go! If you dare leave, I¡¯ll throw away your spirit tablet and never offer you paper or incense again.¡±


    ¡°Do you still think I¡¯m a ghost?¡±


    ¡°You are!!¡±


    That night, it seemed we talked a lot.


    Because after the alcohol, I was already a bit excited.


    And the fulfillment the man gave me kept me in an ecstatic state.


    I rambled on and on to him, and he kept coaxing me.


    Just like after we got married, whenever we had a small spat, he always had the patience to soothe me.


    But exactly what we talked about, I couldn¡¯t remember afterward.


    Later I drifted off into a dazed sleep.


    As I turned over, I caught a glimpse of the light on in the bathroom, a shadow moving inside, and for a fleeting moment, it took me back to the warm days after our marriage.


    These were mere moments from a life past, those inadvertent everyday scenes that now, upon reflection, were just wishful thinking, only appearing in dreams.


    I was too tired, just a glance and I fell back into dreams.


    I only woke up from the dream when it was light outside.


    I stared blankly at the ceiling.


    It was already daylight outside, and somehow the window had been closed.


    I vaguely remember that last night the window was not closed, the wind was blowing the curtains, and a lot of rain was drifting in.


    But at this moment, the window was tightly shut, and there were no traces of rain on the floor.


    Did I have a hallucination last night?


    I reached up to touch my forehead and felt disoriented the moment I got out of bed.


    My body felt as if it had been run over by a car.


    My back was sore!


    I threw back the covers and saw some traces left on the bedsheet¡­


    What was going on?


    Could it be that a man really did that sort of thing with me last night?


    After getting out of bed, I staggered into the shower room.


    It seemed there were no traces left of any strangers either.


    However, at this moment, I was struck by an extreme discomfort in my eyes that made me lose interest in thinking about anything else.


    I went up to the mirror, held on to the edges of the wash basin, and carefully checked my eyes, only to find they were bloodshot and somewhat swollen.


    It seemed that the injury from yesterday hadn¡¯t fully healed.


    My eyes were scratchy and swollen.


    I applied a hot compress first, but since I was in a hurry to get to work, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.


    I put on a pair of sunglasses and left the house.


    After the banquet last night,


    the company¡¯s orders had clearly increased, and now I had a heap of work to deal with.


    There were many social engagements.


    I was busy with work as soon as I entered the office in the morning.


    Around noon, Jian Jing came in and made me a cup of coffee¡­


    ¡°My child got sick yesterday, so I didn¡¯t go to Beilu Hill. Wenya said you drank too much, are you alright?¡±


    I was verifying data on an order and didn¡¯t even lift my head, ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m in trouble?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that me worrying about you?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s your daughter?¡±


    ¡°She caught a cold and is coughing a bit. I took her to the hospital for an IV yesterday. The doctor says it¡¯s pneumonia and she needs to be hospitalized for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you doing here at work? Hurry up and go to the hospital to take care of the child. Don¡¯t stick around here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, my mom¡¯s there watching her. I just need to go later and take her place. Besides, I¡¯ve already called Yu Jiahang. Anyway, he and his mother, one of them should go there, can¡¯t leave everything to my mom.¡±


    Jian Jing was actually a very dedicated person, she cherished the job I had offered her.


    Always diligent and professional.


    Around noon, the receptionist brought in another bouquet of flowers.


    It was the same as before, including the chocolates that I liked.


    No name attached!


    I unwrapped the bouquet and put the flowers into a vase¡­


    Jian Jing exclaimed, ¡°Really, sending flowers without leaving a name, that person is so silly. If you don¡¯t know who sent them, isn¡¯t that sentiment wasted? If it were me, when sending flowers, I¡¯d put a couplet with my name written all over it.¡±


    ¡°You, haha!¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, I forgot something important. This morning there was also an email that required a signature. I signed for it. Take a look at this.¡±


    Jian Jing took a white sealed pouch out of the drawer.


    The outside packaging was very upscale, marked with ¡®Confidential Document.¡¯


    I opened the outer packaging pouch, and inside was a green brocade box. Inside the box, tied onto a red velvet lining, was a delicate brass key.


    Further underneath in the box was a red property deed.


    When I opened it, inside was a set of property on Wutong Avenue¡­


    Upon seeing it, Jian Jing cheered, ¡°Wow, who is being so generous, gifting you a property.¡±


    I was actually stunned too, who was gifting me a house?


    Could it be Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: Chapter 405 Accident

    Chapter 405: Chapter 405 Accident


    I flipped through the red property certificate again, and my name was indeed written on it, indicating that someone had bought me a house.


    ¡°Wutong Road, it¡¯s that new development near our company, with large decorated flats. It¡¯s quite close to work, let¡¯s go have a look in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Jian Jing was even more excited than me.


    Because in her eyes, with the new house, I would no longer need to live in the haunted house on Beilu Hill.


    At noon, taking the opportunity while we were eating, she couldn¡¯t wait to drag me to see the house.


    The new elevator apartment building had excellent security measures.


    Golden gates greeted visitors, with grand stone columns at the porch¡ª atop which sat majestic stone-carved lion-eagle statues, emanating an air of high-end luxury.


    Pedestrian and vehicle traffic was separated, the landscaping was exquisitely done, with little bridges over running water and even a musical fountain.


    My apartment was on the 28th floor, at the western end, a large flat with beautiful interior decorations.


    The furniture was all in place, ready to move in immediately.


    Like a joyful little bird, Jian Jing spun around the room, cheering,


    ¡°Four bedrooms, just the style I like.¡±


    Different from her, I didn¡¯t have much interest in the landscape or decoration of the house.


    I once longed to live in a large house, but ever since the fire at Golden Bay, I had lost my desire for houses.


    However, what I wanted to know more now was who exactly had given me such an apartment!


    Unfortunately, after searching around the room, I didn¡¯t find any clues.


    ¡°Jian Jing, you can move in here with your mom!¡±


    I had three keys, and I gave her one.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t feel right, this is your new house, how can I shamelessly trample all over it?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? With our relationship, I could even give this house to you¡­¡±


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t do, I can¡¯t accept it!¡±


    ¡°Then consider it a welfare house provided by the company, you can move in whenever you want.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ okay, I¡¯ll move in later then.¡±


    Jian Jing accepted my key.


    The place was indeed very close to the company, just two traffic light intersections away.


    Because the location was so convenient, I decided to take the advice. After work, I packed some clothes and moved into the new apartment.


    But, my plan was to stay here during the workweek from Monday to Friday, and return to Beilu Hill on the weekends, as that was really my home.


    The first night I moved into the new apartment, Lin Nansheng called me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, how is the new apartment treating you?¡±


    ¡°Not bad, it¡¯s very comfortable, and mainly, it¡¯s closer to work! My previous place was too far from work, wasting time on the road.¡±


    Over the phone came Lin Nansheng¡¯s hearty laughter,


    ¡°Glad you like it! Just let me know if you need anything regarding the decorations! If you¡¯re not satisfied with the current ones, I can arrange for the workers to redo them.¡±


    ¡°No need, Uncle Lin, really, thank you so much. The price of this apartment must be quite steep now, let me see how I can repay you!¡±


    I was well aware that this place was in the central commercial CBD, very expensive, and a well-decorated new apartment here would likely be worth over four to five million!


    Considering the relationship I had just established with him, I truly couldn¡¯t accept such a valuable gift.


    ¡°Girl, what silly talk! Now that you¡¯ve become my goddaughter, this is just the first small gift from me as a father! The goal is to encourage you to keep making progress. You see, if you live well and rest well, then you¡¯ll have the energy to do well at work.¡±


    ¡°But this gift is too valuable, I don¡¯t deserve such generosity.¡±


    ¡°Many things can¡¯t be measured by money, as they say, a precious sword for a hero! You¡¯re fully deserving of this apartment. In any case, if you don¡¯t want to let me down, just work hard and sharpen yourself into a sharp sword.¡±


    Every time I heard Lin Nansheng¡¯s encouraging words, I would feel invigorated, as if I had once again seen the hope in life.


    It was precisely because of this hope he gave that I had to strive to move forward.


    After hanging up the phone, my eyes began to feel very uncomfortable.


    I went to the bathroom, took off my sunglasses, and took a closer look.


    The redness in my eyes had worsened, and the swelling had become more severe.


    The previous feeling of swelling and pain had turned into a stinging sensation, so I opened my phone and ordered some medicine from a local delivery service, buying a type of eye drops to reduce inflammation.


    After using the eye drops several times, my condition still hadn¡¯t improved, and it seemed to be getting worse.


    The initial stinging had turned into a combination of itching and pain, and my vision became extremely blurry.


    When Jian Jing came over to my office that day to discuss work matters, she reached out and took off the sunglasses from my face, then let out a gasp.


    ¡°My goodness, Ayun, what¡¯s happened to your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Just a bit of inflammation!¡±


    ¡°No, no, this isn¡¯t just inflammation. I mean, why do you wear sunglasses every day? It turns out your eyes are injured; you can¡¯t go on like this, you need to see a doctor.¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s reaction seemed a bit excessive to me; I always felt she was making a big deal out of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯ve just been staying up late recently; it¡¯ll get better soon. I¡¯ve had eye problems before.¡±


    ¡°No way, you¡¯re coming to the hospital with me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been so preoccupied with the kids lately that I haven¡¯t noticed your condition. Now that I¡¯ve seen it, you have to come to the hospital with me. I¡¯ve had eye diseases before, but not like this.¡±


    Jian Jing was decisive. She forcefully took the contract documents from my hands and set them aside.


    Then she directly pulled me by the hand and led me out.


    Honestly, even when we were at the hospital entrance, I still thought she was overreacting.


    By the time we got to the examination room, I was sitting in front of the doctor and could barely make out his face anymore.


    When the doctor used a flashlight to examine me closely, the moment his hand touched my eyelid, I cried out in pain.


    ¡°How long have you had this condition with your eyes?¡±


    ¡°About four or five days, I guess. I don¡¯t remember clearly.¡±


    ¡°Did your eyeball sustain an injury?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just a few days ago, someone threw something at me; it might have hit my eye, I don¡¯t clearly remember.¡±


    ¡°Uh oh, this could be a bit troublesome¡­ Go get an X-ray, so we can see what¡¯s going on inside.¡±


    The doctor didn¡¯t give a specific answer, but his demeanor was clearly more cautious.


    Jian Jing, accompanying me, was more anxious.


    ¡°Doctor, is it conjunctivitis or trachoma?¡±


    The doctor slowly looked at Jian Jing,


    ¡°Your friend¡¯s situation is quite serious. It appears that an injury has caused retinal damage, and it¡¯s complicated by the lack of timely treatment and subsequently a viral infection. We need to conduct further tests to determine the subsequent treatment.¡±


    Actually, by that time, I hadn¡¯t yet realized the seriousness of the situation. I spent a long time comforting Jian Jing, telling her not to worry.


    It took a whole morning to go through various examinations, including blood tests¡­


    Jian Jing also found it strange,


    ¡°Why do they need to draw blood for an eye disease?¡±


    It almost took an entire day for the results from all the tests to come in.


    It wasn¡¯t until four o¡¯clock in the afternoon that the doctor called me back into the examination room, his heavy tone as if he were about to pronounce a death sentence.


    He hadn¡¯t even begun to speak, and he already took a deep sigh.

 Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Chapter 406 Gradually Irritable

    Chapter 406: Chapter 406 Gradually Irritable


    Jian Yan was even more nervous than me,


    ¡°No, Doctor, isn¡¯t this just an eye disease, does it have to be so complicated?¡±


    The doctor shook his head in denial,


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, her condition is very complex, and if it goes poorly, she might go blind.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, is it that severe?¡± Jian Jing gasped in shock.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can handle it, just tell me, Doctor!¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the situation, your cornea has sustained significant damage, and it¡¯s infected¡­ The current recommendation is to replace the cornea.¡±


    ¡°What? How is that possible, isn¡¯t it fine¡­¡±


    Jian Jing was even more agitated than me.


    I, on the other hand, was relatively calm,


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t replace it?¡±


    ¡°We have some conservative treatment methods here, such as debridement and anti-inflammation. But the damage to the cornea is irreversible. While treatment can delay your blindness, it ultimately can¡¯t change the outcome. My advice is for you to start looking for corneal donors now because it¡¯s very hard to find such organ donations, so you should prepare in advance.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there any other way?¡±


    ¡°There is not, at the moment!¡±


    The doctor spread his hands helplessly.


    Jian Jing just couldn¡¯t accept this outcome, no matter what.


    After arguing fiercely with the doctor to no avail, she dragged me out of the consultation room,


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t lose hope. Let¡¯s consult another hospital; we can¡¯t just take one opinion. When it comes to medical matters, it¡¯s always best to get multiple opinions.¡±


    As for me, I remained quite calm, with hardly a ripple in my heart. Having experienced life¡¯s greatest joys and sorrows, I now saw through everything.


    ¡°Jian Jing, it¡¯s okay, no need to go to another hospital. Let¡¯s just get the inflammation in my eye under control first.¡±


    ¡°But, Ayun!¡±


    Jian Jing suddenly thought of something,


    ¡°What if we ask Ding Yinuo to take a look at you?¡±


    I immediately interrupted her,


    ¡°No, let¡¯s not disturb Ding Yinuo; he¡¯s no longer a doctor, he has gone to Tianjiao Company. Besides, our relationship has long been severed, why linger on and make things complicated?¡±


    ¡°But, Ding Yinuo is a skilled doctor, maybe if he treated you, the results might be better? Ayun, this is about your health, not about saving face. If you¡¯re worried about that, we can pay him, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re asking for a freebie?¡±


    Jian Jing was persistent in her persuasion.


    In the midst of our argument, suddenly a voice rang out from afar.


    ¡°Look, Mr. Ding is back! Just in time, I was about to look for you. Our department has a quite complicated heart disease patient, would you take a look and see how we should proceed with the surgery? The patient¡¯s condition is complicated; besides heart disease, he also¡­¡±


    A voice filled with flattery and an eagerness to please, I followed the sound with my eyes.


    I saw a handsome figure surrounded by a crowd of white coats, like the moon being circled by stars.


    It was then I remembered that Jian Jing and I had come to the First City Hospital today, where Ding Yinuo used to work.


    His exquisite medical skills were clearly acknowledged here.


    Even though he had left the medical field for business, the hospital would still invite him back to solve challenging medical problems when necessary.


    It was such an uncanny coincidence.


    ¡°Jian Jing, let¡¯s go,¡± I said.


    I didn¡¯t want to have any more to do with Ding Yinuo, and as I turned to leave,


    Jian Jing instead took hold of my hand,


    ¡°Go where? You haven¡¯t had the debridement surgery yet.¡±


    Having spoken, she didn¡¯t wait for my reaction and went straight towards Ding Yinuo.


    In front of everyone, Jian Jing was not afraid to be confrontational, and she directly charged up to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Dr. Ding!¡±


    Ding Yinuo turned around at the sound, silent and expressionless, not wishing to engage, even appearing as if he didn¡¯t recognize her, his gaze as calm as stagnant water.


    Jian Jing still approached with a forced smile,


    ¡°Dr. Ding, uhm¡­ Ayun¡¯s eye was damaged by someone and needs treatment, otherwise¡­¡±


    Jian Jing hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Ding Yinuo interrupted her.


    ¡°This is a hospital, if she needs treatment, there are top ophthalmologists here.¡±


    ¡°No, what do you mean, Ding Yinuo? If someone else could cure her, would I come to you?¡±


    ¡°Was I not clear enough just now?¡±


    His indifferent voice carried a mocking tone.


    I was afraid Jian Jing would make a scene with him, so I went over and took hold of Jian Jing¡¯s hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Still, Jian Jing refused to give up, stubborn as a mule.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, Ayun is your ex-wife, after all. You loved each other once. Can you really just stand by and let her go blind? If she does, will your conscience be clear?¡±


    At this point, Ding Yinuo seemed to be losing his patience as well, his expression growing dark,


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you one more time, I am no longer a doctor. I don¡¯t have the spare time to treat anyone. If you are sick, get treated; if not, don¡¯t waste the medical resources here. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    Having said that, Ding Yinuo left in a huff.


    Jian Jing was so angry she was practically hopping,


    ¡°What kind of person is this! Mr. Ding, let me tell you, if it wasn¡¯t for Ayun saving you back then, where would you be now!¡±


    ¡°Forget it, Jian Jing! Stop cursing, it¡¯s pointless!¡±


    ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s all because Jiang Jiaying acted against you that your eye was injured. It¡¯s only right that he should cure you, and yet he¡¯s hesitating. The more I think about it, the more I can¡¯t swallow this indignity. I¡¯ll find a lawyer and sue Jiang Jiaying to make her pay.¡±


    In the midst of Jian Jing¡¯s complaints, I obediently went to find a doctor to clean my wound and apply medication¡­


    The eye is the most delicate organ. Without anesthesia, the cleaning was very painful. I clutched Jian Jing¡¯s hand tightly, trying not to cry out.


    After the cleaning, the doctor repeatedly instructed,


    ¡°Don¡¯t wash your face when you get home, eat light food for the next few days. Come back to see me after three days. Don¡¯t use any medication at home on your own and keep your spirits up.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you!¡±


    I left the hospital with gauze taped over my eye, supported by Jian Jing.


    My vision blurred, I could no longer see the road clearly.


    ¡°Ayun, are you going home now?¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go to the company! I have a lot of work to do!¡±


    ¡°No way, you can hardly see. You won¡¯t be able to do anything at the company. Why not go home and rest?¡±


    ¡°No, I must go to the company!¡±


    The less I could see, the less I could bear being alone.


    There was actually a rest area in the company, and even if I stayed there, I could live normally.


    Even without sight, I had my hearing and voice. I could still communicate with colleagues and handle some affairs.


    After returning to the company, the first person who rushed to see me was Shen Yishu.


    Because of my limited vision, I could only use verbal communication for work matters with my colleagues.


    While I was busy, I heard Shen Yishu¡¯s voice outside growing increasingly agitated¡­

 Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Chapter 407: He is Everywhere

    Chapter 407: Chapter 407: He is Everywhere


    In my memory, Shen Yishu had long stopped being that bristly young man, so why is he still so explosive over there?


    ¡°Er, come back later!¡±


    I had the employees in the office leave first.


    Listening carefully, I could hear Shen Yishu arguing with Jian Jing, his emotions intensely agitated.


    ¡°Shen Yishu!¡±


    I called out softly.


    The arguing outside then stopped.


    Footsteps approached from a distance, and I stood up, leaning on the desk.


    Shen Yishu¡¯s hand reached out to me; he grasped my arm, wanting to help me sit down.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, sit down!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t treat me like a blind person. My eyes are just medicated; I¡¯ll be able to remove the bandages in a couple of days¡­¡±


    I was halfway through speaking when Shen Yishu¡¯s hand reached my face, gently exploring, his movements featherlight.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    A simple question, yet filled with profound concern.


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, Xiaoyun, you often tell me to take good care of myself, but you, you can¡¯t even take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yishu, it was an accident!¡±


    ¡°Why was there an accident, haven¡¯t you thought about that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this, Shen Yishu¡­ If you came to talk about work, we could sit down and have a cup of coffee, talk slowly. If not, then¡­ you should go back first.¡±


    I could tell that Shen Yishu was very agitated.


    I had to try my best to downplay my own confusion.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go back! You need someone to take care of you!¡±


    ¡°Jian Jing is here¡­ and besides, don¡¯t be like this, the more you do this, the more I feel like I¡¯m useless. If there comes a time when I need someone to take care of me, then my life has no meaning anymore.¡±


    After I spoke these words, Shen Yishu started to calm down.


    ¡°Ayun, I understand! I won¡¯t make things difficult for you anymore! It¡¯s my fault, I just feel sorry for you!¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    After this conversation, Shen Yishu became much calmer.


    He took an apple, peeled it, and handed it to me.


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, anything at all, just tell me.¡±


    I took a bite of the apple, the crisp sweetness instantly filling my mouth,


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Shen Yishu sat beside me,


    ¡°Tell me if there¡¯s any other fruit you want to eat, and I¡¯ll buy it for you!¡±


    ¡°What fruits are in season this time of year?¡±


    ¡°Summer¡­ the supermarket has everything: pineapples, mangoes, longans, watermelons, honeydews¡­¡±


    I laughed and shook my head,


    ¡°I don¡¯t like those! Apples are fine!¡±


    Shen Yishu was quite patient.


    He stayed with me in the afternoon until I finished work, taking care of any issues I encountered, such as disputes in contracts, helping me review them, and then discussing them with me to reach a decision.


    After work, since my newly purchased house was close to the company, Jian Jing then took me to the new house.


    Although the house¡¯s decorations were tidy, there were still some small items missing, such as tablecloths, dishwashing liquid, and mops.


    Unable to see, Jian Jing had to go buy these miscellaneous items alone.


    Being blind, I couldn¡¯t use my phone or watch TV.


    I was bored to death.


    Suddenly I heard the doorbell ring.


    I thought it was Jian Jing coming back, so I groped my way to the door,


    ¡°How come you¡¯re back so soon, did you forget your phone?¡±


    After I finished speaking, there was no response from outside.


    ¡°Jian Jing, Jian Jing?¡±


    I called out a few times, but no one answered.


    How strange!


    Could it be some kids nearby playing a prank?


    Seeing that no one responded, I closed the door again.


    Afterward, I went to take a shower. I had walked around here before and more or less knew where the shower room was.


    I took a bath towel to the bathroom, and to prevent getting the bandage over my eyes wet, I specifically wore a waterproof shower cap.


    While showering, my mind was in turmoil.


    God wouldn¡¯t be that perverse, giving me the most difficult challenge, right?


    Just when I¡¯d almost found my biological father, He let me go blind?


    No, that couldn¡¯t be possible.


    After showering, I groped my way out of the bathroom, leaning against the wall.


    The floor was wet and slippery, and I had to move very slowly, but I still couldn¡¯t move as comfortably as when my eyes were fine.


    Without eyes to check my surroundings, it was easy to make mistakes.


    I hadn¡¯t walked far when I tripped over a chair and fell, struggling to get up for a while.


    I must have hit my knee, it hurt so much that I grimaced in pain.


    After a long while, as I slowly got up from the ground, I suddenly found a rope by my hand.


    The rope seemed to run along the wall, and following it out, I discovered that not only could this rope lead to the bedroom, but it could also extend to the balcony, living room, and kitchen.


    There was a knot in the rope at regular intervals to help calculate distances.


    With this rope to guide me, I wouldn¡¯t be so disoriented anymore.


    It was a lot more convenient.


    Yikes, who tied this rope? I don¡¯t remember seeing it the last time I was here. Could Jian Jing have done it?


    I returned to the bedroom and fumbled to pick up my pajamas from the bed to change into.


    As I sat down, I could still feel the pain in my knee.


    I reached to touch it and felt like it was bleeding.


    I remembered that there should be band-aids at home, but I couldn¡¯t remember exactly where the first-aid kit was kept.


    I felt around on the desk and found a square box that seemed to match the shape of the first-aid kit.


    After opening the box, I found Yunnan Baiyao powder and band-aids.


    With these two items, I could manage the situation myself.


    After drying the wound, I applied the medicinal powder and then stuck a band-aid over it.


    After I had dressed the wound, my phone started ringing.


    The ringtone sounded right beside me, and I picked up the phone and swiped down to answer the call.


    ¡°Ayun, Jian Jing told me you had eye trouble. How are you now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, the doctor has already cleaned the wound simply, and now I¡¯m just wrapped in a bandage. I¡¯ll go to the hospital to have it removed in two or three days.¡±


    ¡°Jian Jing mentioned something about a corneal problem!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there was a bit of an issue!¡±


    My reaction was calm. I hadn¡¯t informed anyone about my eye injury; I didn¡¯t want to worry my friends. I just wanted to deal with it slowly by myself.


    ¡°What do you mean a bit of an issue? Jian Jing said that if you don¡¯t get a retinal transplant, you might go blind!¡±


    ¡°She exaggerated a bit. The doctor said that if I can find a good ophthalmologist willing to operate on me, there¡¯s still a high chance of recovery.¡±


    ¡°A good doctor, you mean Ding Yinuo, right? Is he not willing to step in?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s voice was loud, almost roaring through the phone.


    ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t have any relationship with him!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean no relationship? You are still his ex-wife!¡±


    ¡°What ex-wife¡­ That was just for convenience to help him with his treatment. We never consummated the marriage! It doesn¡¯t count¡­¡±


    Just as I was saying this, I suddenly heard a strange sound beside me, startling me into standing up immediately.

 Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Chapter 408 The Man at Night

    Chapter 408: Chapter 408 The Man at Night


    Perhaps because I lost my vision, my hearing became particularly sharp.


    The strange noise I caught was like someone breathing rapidly, and moreover, that sound was right near me.


    My heart startled, I could no longer keep up the conversation with Wenya, so I put down the phone and reached out towards the place where the noise was coming from.


    However, after feeling around, I didn¡¯t touch anyone.


    Could it be that I was hallucinating?


    My phone was on speaker, and Wenya¡¯s voice was still roaring.


    ¡°So what if there¡¯s no real marriage between us? Your eyes were harmed by Jiang Jiaying. It was that bitch who organized those people to attack you and injured your eyes, leading to this sickness. She should bear the greatest responsibility.¡±


    I felt somewhat helpless,


    ¡°Wenya, we don¡¯t have any evidence!¡±


    ¡°What evidence do we need, it was her doing. Damn, I¡¯m so pissed. I really want to kill her. If it weren¡¯t for Su Peisheng always advising me, I would have already had someone beat her up. Ah, speaking of Su Fagun, he¡¯s such a coward. Always looking before he leaps, hesitant in everything, tell me what¡¯s the use of getting a lawyer. I thought we could have someone backing us up and then strut around. In the end, I still have to be as meek as a mouse¡­¡±


    ¡°This is even more pathetic than before. In the past, we would dare to act recklessly and do whatever we wanted. Now, being bullied, we can only cower and be soft-shelled turtles¡­¡±


    Wenya was still hotheaded, cursing people without mincing her words, even though Su Peisheng didn¡¯t make a sound, I could still feel he was right there.


    ¡°Wenya, I can¡¯t talk right now, I¡¯ve got something else to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Okay, when I¡¯m free tomorrow, I¡¯ll come to see you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come, I¡¯m all disheveled right now, I don¡¯t want to see anyone, just call me if there¡¯s anything.¡±


    After hanging up the phone.


    I sat on the edge of the bed in a daze, feeling my knee getting better, I then took my dirty clothes and managed to find my way to the washing machine on the balcony.


    These were the trivial matters of life that I must handle myself.


    Although Jian Jing was very good to me, I couldn¡¯t burden her.


    After putting the clothes in the washing machine, I tried to make myself a cup of coffee as well.


    In the darkness, I had to be careful with everything I did.


    But no matter how careful I was, I still burnt my fingers.


    After a few tries, I¡¯ve mastered some tricks and slowly learned to adapt to this pitch-black world.


    After finishing the coffee, just in time, the clothes were also washed.


    Following the rope, I reached the balcony and found the clothes rack, then I took the clothes out and clipped them onto the rack.


    But now there was a problem, I couldn¡¯t accurately hang the clothes rack with the clothes on it onto the drying pole.


    This task was too challenging; after a few attempts, I still failed.


    Just then, my phone rang again.


    Since the phone was in the bedroom, I had to return to the bedroom to answer it.


    I fumbled on the bed for my phone.


    This time, it was Jian Jing calling.


    ¡°Ayun, can you manage on your own?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°My mom just called, saying my son has a fever and is in the hospital now. I¡¯m going to check on him, and I probably won¡¯t have time to come back. Can you manage? If you can¡¯t, should I call Shen Yishu to come and stay with you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, no need, I¡¯m fine on my own! I¡¯ve taken a shower, washed the clothes!¡±


    ¡°Alright then, call me if you need anything!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, the doorbell rang again. I groped my way to the door, and this time, I was more cautious. I didn¡¯t rashly open the door but asked through it.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Delivery!¡±


    I opened the door when I heard that voice.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m temporarily blind and can¡¯t see, can you please help me bring the items inside?¡±


    ¡°Sure, ma¡¯am, this is your order. I¡¯ll put it on the table for you now!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    After the delivery guy left, I closed the door.


    I was actually hungry by then.


    I sauntered over to the table, where the delivery guy, whom I now considered an angel, had already unwrapped the package and laid out the food on the table.


    I leaned in to smell it¡ªturns out it was a durian layer cake¡ªthe aroma was so enticing.


    It was already sliced, so I picked up a piece and popped it into my mouth, sweet and creamy with that distinct durian scent.


    It was exactly the flavor I loved.


    The whole day¡¯s joy came from that durian layer cake.


    After finishing the cake, I turned on the television¡ªnot that I wanted to watch anything in particular, I just wanted some noise in the room.


    I nestled on the sofa for a while and soon drifted off to sleep.


    In a half-awake, half-asleep state, I felt something placed over me. I reached out to touch it and found, surprisingly, a blanket.


    I was jolted awake in an instant.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    I called out warily.


    But the only answer was silence¡ªno one was there.


    All of a sudden, it occurred to me that the blanket might have originally been on the armrest of the sofa and might have fallen off while I was sleeping.


    Er! Scaring myself for nothing, I clutched the blanket tightly and went back to my room, making sure to close the door firmly and lock it.


    I slept soundly until morning.


    The next morning, Jian Jing came back.


    She brought a bunch of tools¡­


    After knocking on my bedroom door, she asked, ¡°How did you sleep last night?¡±


    ¡°Not bad, how¡¯s your daughter?¡±


    ¡°The fever broke, I was so mad. I asked Yu Jiahang to pay some of the medical bills, and he hemmed and hawed for ages, saying something about my mom not taking good care of the good child. It was just over a thousand yuan, and he insisted I share the expense¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take care of me; you should go back to looking after your child. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m off to the company in a bit. By the way, you¡¯re staying home to rest today, right?¡±


    Jian Jing busied herself in the living room, tidying things up, when she suddenly said,


    ¡°Ayun, how are you so capable, hanging all the clothes on the drying rack by yourself?¡±


    I looked puzzled, vaguely recalling that I had only left the clothes hanger by the washing machine the night before,


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! Are you sure you saw right?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, there¡¯s nothing wrong with my eyes. How could I have seen that wrong? And did you order takeout yourself last night? How did you use the phone?¡±


    Although Jian Jing continued talking, I was stunned, taking a long time to come back to my senses.


    ¡°Jian Jing, did you tie this rope?¡±


    I walked out, holding onto the rope.


    After staring at me for an age, Jian Jing finally said,


    ¡°No, not me! I thought it was you who had done it!¡±


    ¡°Er, Jian Jing, could you go check my bedroom, the closet, the storage room? Look everywhere in the house¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Just go look and you¡¯ll know why!¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    Jian Jing then hurried off to check, while I stood paralyzed next to the wall.


    A few minutes later, Jian Jing came back to me, ¡°There¡¯s nothing, absolutely nothing! Ayun, what were you asking me to look for?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see any strangers?¡±


    ¡°No! There¡¯s not even a dog!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible!?¡±

 Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Chapter 409: Forcing Him to Show Himself

    Chapter 409: Chapter 409: Forcing Him to Show Himself


    ¡°Really, there¡¯s no one here! Ayun, what happened, did you see someone?¡±


    I said calmly, ¡°That durian cake wasn¡¯t ordered by me!¡±


    Jian Jing was also stunned,


    ¡°Could it be Shen Yishu or someone else who ordered it?¡±


    I sat down and shook my head, ¡°No!¡±


    Because the only person who knew I liked durian layer cake was Gu Yuanzhou.


    When I was doing my month of confinement, he often bought me durian and even made durian stewed chicken, claiming it was to nourish my body, and he didn¡¯t mind how much it cost.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, no matter who ordered it, after all, it¡¯s just a delivery¡­¡±


    ¡°That clothes rack and rope, they weren¡¯t set up by me, someone else must have done it, Jian Jing, someone else must have entered this room.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Jian Jing pondered for a while,


    ¡°If someone really did come in, they must have done something good. Look, we haven¡¯t lost anything, and moreover, the person didn¡¯t intend to harm you. Everything they did was to help you. I guess maybe Shen Yishu was afraid you¡¯d blame him and sneaked in to do all this.¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s explanation made sense.


    I didn¡¯t argue, perhaps that was it!


    After all, the person didn¡¯t mean to hurt me.


    ¡°Ayun, I think you should not go to the company today?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a regular meeting today, I need to attend it!¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    After eating something simple in the morning, I packed my things and went to the company with Jian Jing.


    I went to the company for the regular meeting in the morning.


    In the afternoon, Wenya couldn¡¯t resist and came to the company with Su Peisheng to see me.


    Seeing my injured appearance, Wenya was overwhelmed with sorrow and actually sobbed for a long time.


    I was very embarrassed, and ended up comforting her instead.


    ¡°Wenya, don¡¯t be like this, your crying makes others think I¡¯ve died or something.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m so enraged I could kill Jiang Jiaying, don¡¯t try to stop me, I¡­¡±


    Wenya was furious, and Su Peisheng could only pacify and restrain her,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, if you go after her now, wouldn¡¯t that just complicate things for Ayun? Maybe she has already set a trap and is waiting for you to fall into it.¡±


    ¡°So neither this nor that works, are we really supposed to swallow this loss just like that?¡±


    Wenya became more and more angry, and then started to berate Su Peisheng for being a coward.


    Su Peisheng smiled awkwardly, and cajoled her carefully.


    ¡°Ahem, Wenya, I don¡¯t want to provoke anyone looking like this.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t be afraid, you still have me!¡±


    ¡°Uh, Wenya, I¡¯m really fine¡­¡±


    I hadn¡¯t finished my sentence when Jian Jing came over, and she directly pulled Wenya aside,


    ¡°Wenya, if you really can do something practical, you should make good use of Su Peisheng.¡±


    ¡°Use him for what? To sue Jiang Jiaying? This guy can only show off in court. When it comes to fighting, he¡¯s less hard-core than I am, and I can argue better than he can. How can you expect anything from him? Don¡¯t assume that lawyers in TVB dramas are so awesome, it¡¯s not like that in real life, okay!¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course, I¡¯m not telling you to sue Jiang Jiaying. There¡¯s a saying, what was it, ¡®A gentleman¡¯s revenge is not late even after ten years,¡¯ let¡¯s note this debt down in our ledger and settle with her later. The most important thing right now is to get Ayun¡¯s eyes treated.¡±


    ¡°Can Su Peisheng treat eyes? Aren¡¯t you overestimating him? Or does he have some hidden skills that you know about, and I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°No, the doctor said before, if Ayun¡¯s eye can¡¯t be saved, she would need a cornea transplant. But if a skilled ophthalmologist performs surgery to remove some tissue, she won¡¯t need a new cornea, and she can recover.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then we should hurry up and get the surgery done, right? Do we need money? I can contribute if we¡¯re short, I¡¯ll do anything to make sure Ayun¡¯s eyes are treated. She has gone through so much pain, now that her life is finally a bit more stable, we can¡¯t let her suffer anymore.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know, what I mean is, since Lawyer Su is so close to Ding Yinuo, he could act as the mediator and put in a word with Yinuo.¡±


    Wenya was a little excited,


    ¡°Can Yinuo do it?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, he¡¯s the best surgeon in A City, second to none. No one else will do.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I see, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier! Then leave it to me, I¡¯ll get it done for you.¡±


    When I overheard Wenya talking to Jiang Jing about this, I stopped them.


    ¡°Wenya, forget about finding Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, why are you such a scaredy-cat? What are you afraid of? He should be doing this. Back then, when he was in a vegetative state, wasn¡¯t it you who saved him with acupuncture? Now it¡¯s his turn to save you. Why should he back down?¡±


    So, after Wenya spoke such big words, she didn¡¯t let me discourage her and left straight away with Su Peisheng.


    I always had an uneasy feeling in my heart.


    ¡°Jiang Jing, I feel like this is going to go south.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you need to believe in Wenya¡¯s abilities!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    In fact, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust Wenya, it¡¯s just that she often lets her emotions dictate her actions, which can easily mess things up.


    Especially now that she¡¯s going with preconceived notions about Jiang Jiaying, I¡¯m concerned that the first thing she¡¯ll do upon seeing Ding Yinuo is give him a tongue-lashing, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she ended up swinging her arms and coming to blows.


    After giving it a lot of thought, I still made a call to Jia Yuyan.


    ¡°Yuyan, could you please keep an eye on Ms. Wen for me? If she says anything inappropriate, please help mediate.¡±


    ¡°Is Ms. Wen coming to Tianjiao Company?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a very high probability!¡±


    ¡°Alright, no problem, I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I felt slightly relieved.


    In truth, I never really expected Wenya to be able to handle this matter successfully.


    Because I knew Ding Yinuo too well.


    He is actually a very stubborn man. If it¡¯s something he doesn¡¯t want to do, it¡¯s hard for others to persuade him.


    If Jia Yuyan is watching over the situation, maybe it will turn out a little better.


    Lunch was brought in by Jiang Jing.


    In fact, I¡¯m not really able to do much work right now, I even started thinking, what will happen to this company if I really do go blind in the future?


    Losing my sight is terrifying.


    After washing my hands, Jiang Jing handed the lunchbox to me.


    ¡°Tsk tsk, how considerate, the juicy shrimp has been shelled. All the bones have been picked from the braised fish. I¡¯ve never seen such a considerate man before.¡±


    I sat down, and as I picked up the spoon, I caught the delicious aroma wafting from the lunchbox.


    ¡°A man?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, it was delivered by Shen Yishu!¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he come up himself?¡±


    ¡°He said he had business, clients are waiting for him!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Jiang Jing bumped my elbow with her hand, ¡°I told you, it was him who sent the durian cake! Maybe he¡¯s the one who sneaked into the house too. He¡¯s afraid you¡¯ll scold him if you found out, so he keeps quiet.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Although Jiang Jing¡¯s explanation made sense, I still had my doubts.


    Even if it really was Shen Yishu, it just didn¡¯t feel right to me. Maybe, I should find another way to force the person to show themselves.

 Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Chapter 410: Can Only Play Dumb with Him

    Chapter 410: Chapter 410: Can Only Play Dumb with Him


    After dinner, I received a call from Jia Yuyan.


    ¡°Song Sister, I met Ms. Wen this morning!¡±


    ¡°Tell me the details, what happened?¡±


    I sat in my chair, reaching out to touch the bandage over my eyes.


    Tracing around my eye sockets, I gently touched them to feel any changes in my eyes.


    Actually, I wasn¡¯t completely blind, I could still see some light and shadows through the edges.


    I put the phone on speaker and placed it on the table, Jia Yuyan¡¯s voice was actually quite gentle as she calmly described the situation.


    ¡°Ah, I postponed all my meetings this morning just to wait by Mr. Ding¡¯s office. When I saw Ms. Wen arriving, I didn¡¯t dare to leave. Ms. Wen has such a quick temper, she burst through the door and gave Mr. Ding an earful!¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ding didn¡¯t pay attention to her, but later, Mr. Su rushed over to stop her and took her away. However, she still wasn¡¯t satisfied and came back with a knife to scare Mr. Ding, which alarmed the security guards. Mr. Ding even called the police, and if it wasn¡¯t for Mr. Su¡¯s sake, Ms. Wen might have been taken away by the police. I tried to persuade her too, oh, but it was completely futile.¡±


    Jia Yuyan¡¯s account didn¡¯t surprise me too much.


    Wenya was always like this.


    She¡¯s too impulsive!


    Well, it¡¯s a good thing Su Peisheng is with her, so she won¡¯t cause even bigger trouble.


    After hanging up, Jian Jing, who had just walked in, also looked perplexed.


    ¡°By the way, about your eye issue, shouldn¡¯t you tell Lin Nansheng?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him, don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    Lin Nansheng has his own family. I don¡¯t want him to be preoccupied with me.


    Besides, the company is now on the right track, and any disturbance could have negative repercussions. I don¡¯t want any more trouble.


    ¡°Ayun, I have an idea, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re willing to hear it?¡±


    At this point, I was already beginning to tidy up my files, planning to leave.


    ¡°Go ahead!¡±


    ¡°Actually, you used to get along well with the Ding Family, like Mother Ding and Brother Ding¡­ What I mean is, I could take you to the Ding Family later, we could say some nice things and ask the Ding Family to persuade Ding Yinuo. Maybe there¡¯s a chance.¡±


    I hesitated for a few seconds, but in the end, I shook my head,


    ¡°No need!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, if you feel embarrassed to go there, let me do it.¡±


    I bent down to put the files in my backpack,


    ¡°It¡¯s not about pride, eyes are definitely more important than pride. The reason I don¡¯t want you to go is that I understand Ding Yinuo very well. Once he¡¯s made up his mind, no one can persuade him. Our going would be in vain, and it would also put Mother Ding in a difficult position.¡±


    Jian Jing sighed again.


    Sighing, I slung my backpack over my shoulders,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m leaving work now!¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment, I¡¯ll drive you home.¡±


    ¡°No need! I¡¯ll go home by myself!¡±


    ¡°Ah? You¡¯re blind, how are you going to get home?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a few blocks away, and I¡¯ve prepared a cane for the blind! I also have my phone, don¡¯t worry! Actually, my eyes aren¡¯t that bad, I can see some outlines if I peel the corner of the bandage.¡±


    I put on my sunglasses and took my cane to set off.


    Jian Jing followed me for a few dozen meters to ensure I could walk properly before she let me leave alone.


    In fact, it was just past four in the afternoon, early for the end of the workday.


    But my intention was not to go home. Instead, I was looking for the person hiding behind me.


    After leaving the company, I turned left and walked along the road.


    There was a park with green plants nearby, and there weren¡¯t many people around at this time. I could use my cane to distinguish the tactile pavement for the blind and slowly make my way forward.


    There were many voices around me, but I wasn¡¯t sure whether the hidden person was following behind me.


    ¡°Beautiful lady, would you like some pineapple?¡±


    The uncle at the roadside stall called out enthusiastically.


    Actually, I can¡¯t really eat pineapple, but to draw that person out, I had to take the risk.


    ¡°Sure, give me a piece! Uncle, can I pay with cash? I¡¯m blind.¡±


    ¡°Of course, no problem!¡±


    The uncle was indeed very eager and personally handed the pineapple to me after cutting it.


    After paying, I walked while putting pieces of pineapple into my mouth.


    I hadn¡¯t eaten pineapple in many years, and the sour and sweet taste was quite refreshing.


    Actually, I really like pineapple, but my allergy had prevented me from eating it for so many years.


    At that moment, as I was eating my pineapple, I started to feel my face heat up and a slight itchiness all over my body.


    I didn¡¯t walk any further and sat down on a chair, feeling uncomfortable.


    After so many years, this uncomfortable feeling was still as persistent as ever.


    The allergic reaction could strike at any moment, and my throat quickly swelled and reddened, the feeling of suffocation making me convulse and collapse on the chair, unable to get up.


    Suddenly, many people gathered around me, and some began to show concern,


    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    But by then, I was already unable to speak.


    ¡°Hey, she¡¯s blind, isn¡¯t she? That¡¯s so sad, alone outside with no friends.¡±


    ¡°Someone call for help! Does anyone have a mobile? Dial 120 or something!¡±


    The crowd was noisy, yet not a single person reached out to help, as nobody wanted to get involved at that time.


    But then, suddenly, a pair of strong arms held me.


    He helped me sit up and then put a pill into my mouth, followed by feeding me some mineral water.


    It was a kind of allergy-relief pill, one that could rescue me from my predicament.


    And the only person who knew about this condition was Gu Yuanzhou.


    It was indeed him.


    After my symptoms had eased, he was about to silently slip away, but I caught hold of his sleeve.


    ¡°Kindhearted person, my home is far from here! Could you please take me home?¡±


    I knew if I confronted him, he would definitely disappear again, hiding within the crowd, making it impossible for me to find him.


    So, I had to play dumb with him.


    He didn¡¯t refuse and readily agreed.


    ¡°Ok!¡±


    The crowd quickly dispersed.


    My symptoms gradually stabilized, and I fumbled to find my cane next to the bench, shouldered my backpack, and stood up.


    The other hand, however, was holding tightly onto his sleeve.


    He stood beside me, silent, not speaking a word if it wasn¡¯t necessary.


    ¡°Just two traffic lights ahead, then turn left¡­¡±


    ¡°Ok!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t really far, just a few minutes¡¯ walk to the community.


    He walked me all the way to the front gate of my house before stopping.


    ¡°Here we are, I have to go now!¡±


    As he turned to leave, I held onto him again, ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go yet, I need to ask you for another favor.¡±

 Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Chapter 411: Identifying Whether He Is Gu Yuanzhou

    Chapter 411: Chapter 411: Identifying Whether He Is Gu Yuanzhou


    At this very moment, I am keenly aware of my particularly lucid state.


    I haven¡¯t been drinking, nor am I dreaming.


    I can rationally discern whether the person beside me is human or a ghost.


    I have tried to hold his hand, and it was warm.


    Ghosts have no warmth, but he does!


    Therefore, I can roughly conjecture.


    This man must have done more than three things.


    When I was attacked by someone set up by Jiang Jiaying at the logistics park opening last time, someone came out of the shadows to save me, and it is likely this man.


    The second time was when he delivered a durian cake to me, helped me hang up my clothes, and so on.


    And now, he has brought me medicine.


    To accomplish these three things is certainly no coincidence; he must understand me very, very well, and there¡¯s only one name in my heart for this person.


    But I can¡¯t say it now for fear of startling him.


    ¡°Do you need anything else?¡±


    he asked me.


    ¡°As you can see, I am blind; my vision is limited, and I can¡¯t see. I know you must be a very kind volunteer, so how about this, could you help me with a small favor before you leave?¡±


    ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°A lot of things, but first, help me into the house!¡±


    Under my insistence, he did not leave.


    ¡°I would like to drink some tea, could you help me make some? There¡¯s a kettle in the kitchen for boiling water, and the tea should be next to the fridge. Thank you very much!¡±


    I sat down on the sofa and began to fiddle with my phone.


    The man did not refuse; his footsteps gradually moved toward the kitchen.


    While I cannot see clearly, I can still make out that vague figure through the periphery of my vision and the gauze.


    Actually, I¡¯m also not too sure if he is Gu Yuanzhou.


    Because his voice now is quite different from the past.


    After about fifteen minutes, he brought out the tea he¡¯d prepared from the kitchen and placed it in front of me.


    ¡°Your tea is ready!¡±


    Three words, his voice hoarse.


    In fact, overall, he does seem somewhat similar to Gu Yuanzhou, but his voice is hoarser.


    ¡°What kind of tea is this?¡±


    I asked, smelling the fragrance of the tea.


    ¡°Green mandarin, aged tangerine peel, chrysanthemum, and cassia seeds¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, why this tea? I don¡¯t recall ever buying it!¡±


    I felt the name of the tea was very unfamiliar, and he immediately explained:


    ¡°It¡¯s good for the eyes! It should benefit your vision.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I held the cup with both hands and carefully took a sip, its sweetness infused with moisture.


    After it went down my throat, I felt a lot more comfortable.


    ¡°Is it good?¡±


    ¡°Very good! I used to really dislike tangerine peel, but now I find I¡¯ve come to accept it.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t drink too much though; if you like it, one cup a day is enough.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Mhm, I¡¯ve made your tea, can I go now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry, I¡¯m feeling a bit hungry now. Could you cook something for me to eat?¡±


    ¡°I could order some takeout for you!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want takeout! I¡¯m sick of it already. I just want some home-cooked food; can you help me with that?¡±


    I began to reminisce about those ten years of marriage.


    In fact, Gu Yuanzhou did pamper me quite a bit.


    When I was pregnant with our first child, my morning sickness was severe, and I would throw up anything I ate.


    I also couldn¡¯t stand the smell of fishiness; just placing any fish in front of me would immediately make me vomit.


    I grew thinner with each passing day during the first three months.


    Gu Yuanzhou tried to hire several cooks, but none of their dishes suited my taste.


    In the end, Gu Yuanzhou decided to roll up his sleeves and cook himself.


    Because fish contains a rich amount of protein and various scarce nutritional elements, it is essential to include in one¡¯s diet.


    Gu Yuanzhou, in order to make sure I had a nutritious diet, specifically minced the fish and then made various fish balls, fish paste, fish cakes¡­


    He also accompanied them with various sour and spicy seasonings, so when eating, one couldn¡¯t feel the fishy taste at all.


    In this regard, he really put in the effort and successfully helped me get through the morning sickness phase of pregnancy, and my weight also began to rise normally.


    So, it was during that period that Gu Yuanzhou honed his excellent cooking skills.


    Later, he gradually went from cooking fish to other dishes, and he was able to make all sorts of different and distinctive dishes.


    Each one had its own characteristic¡­


    I was thinking, if a person changes in every other way, the skill with which he cooks should remain unaltered.


    With this thought, I wanted him to make me a few dishes.


    That way, I could discern whether he was really Gu Yuanzhou or not.


    ¡°What would you like to eat?¡±


    He didn¡¯t refuse me.


    ¡°Fish! I haven¡¯t eaten fish in a long time!¡±


    ¡°Do you only want to eat fish?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I want to eat fish. Of course, if you have the time and patience to make other dishes, I would love to eat those too!¡±


    ¡°Then you might need to wait for a while, I need to go buy ingredients.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother too much, my phone has an app for buying groceries, you can place an order and it will be delivered in about twenty minutes.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    He placed an order on the phone, and then the groceries were quickly delivered.


    While he was handling the food in the kitchen, I slowly made my way over.


    ¡°Do you need help?¡±


    ¡°No need, you sit over there, the kitchen is full of fumes.¡±


    Such words were all too familiar.


    Back then, when I was pregnant, and he was cooking for me in the kitchen, I wanted to help¡­


    He had said the same thing to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll just help you peel some garlic cloves!¡±


    ¡°No need, there¡¯s nothing here that requires your help. Just sit in the living room.¡±


    He came out, helped me to the sofa, and then handed me a pair of headphones,


    ¡°You can listen to some music!¡±


    ¡°Download a few songs for me!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    He then picked up the phone, downloaded a music app, and also downloaded a few songs.


    As he cooked in the kitchen, I started listening to music.


    The songs were indeed ones I used to like.


    Some were even the songs I liked five or six years ago!


    Who could it be, if not Gu Yuanzhou?


    Listening to these familiar tunes, I felt as though I had returned to that warm period of the past.


    It was very healing.


    I was so immersed in this beautiful time that I found it hard to pull myself away.


    Only when the scent of the dishes filled the air did I come back to my senses.


    ¡°Come, it¡¯s time to eat!¡±


    He helped me to sit at the dining table.


    ¡°The bowl is here, the fork is here! The fish pieces are on the plate to your left!¡±


    He had thoughtfully arranged all the utensils for me.


    Inhaling the aroma of the fish, I forked a piece and put it into my mouth.


    In this piece of fish, I tasted the flavor of butter, as well as cinnamon and cumin powder, and the taste of herbs.


    It was fragrant and delicious!


    The fish was perfectly fried and had not a single bone.


    But it was not the taste I remembered.


    ¡°What kind of fish is this?¡±


    ¡°Pan-seared cod fillets! Do you like it?¡±

 Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Chapter 412 Something has leaked out

    Chapter 412: Chapter 412 Something has leaked out


    ¡°Codfish chunks?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ I¡¯ve just never had it before! How did you make this for the first time?¡±


    ¡°First, I marinated it with sea salt, then fried it in a flat pan with butter until both sides were golden. After that, I sprinkled some special fish seasoning on it and it was ready.¡±


    I was very disappointed with this fish.


    Because Gu Yuanzhou had never cooked fish like this before.


    Because directly frying fish chunks usually leaves a fishy smell.


    If I didn¡¯t eat it, he wouldn¡¯t cook it this way.


    But now, the fish chunks cooked in this way, to my surprise, had no fishy smell at all.


    The texture was an experience I had never had before.


    ¡°Are there other dishes?¡±


    ¡°There are, I¡¯ll help you to some!¡±


    He made three dishes in total. Besides the fragrant pan-fried codfish, he also added two more dishes to my bowl.


    I tried them.


    One was stir-fried vegetable hearts, and the other was stir-fried shredded potatoes.


    Both had a sweet and sour flavor, not the kind I liked.


    This was far from the cooking skill Gu Yuanzhou had shown before.


    At this moment, I silently dismissed the idea that he was Gu Yuanzhou in my mind again.


    ¡°Sit down and eat with me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry!¡±


    I could feel that he was standing right in front of me.


    I wanted to tear off the bandages on my eyes and see the man before me clearly.


    But in the end, I did not do so.


    When my hand reached for the bandages, I felt pain and discomfort and let it fall back down.


    Forget it, there was no need to rush. Better to explore slowly.


    ¡°By the way, could we exchange WeChat contacts, so it¡¯s easier to keep in touch! Can I call you when I need something?¡±


    I tentatively said.


    To my surprise, he actually refused me,


    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be good. I just happened to pass by and help you. It doesn¡¯t mean I can keep helping you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, you are a good person!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not such a good person, you are blind! All you feel are illusions!¡±


    ¡°Alright then, may I at least ask your name? After all, you¡¯ve helped me so much, I should at least thank you, right?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need! I¡¯ve downloaded BE MY EYES on your phone for you. It¡¯s specifically designed to help blind people solve various problems in life. If you need it, you can use it.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯d like some milk tea, could you please go buy some for me?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I have things to do, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    He seemed unwilling to help me further and left as soon as he said so.


    I turned my head towards the direction where the sound of his footsteps faded, looking a long, long time.


    The air seemed to still carry the scent of the perfume that emanated from him.


    But now I could no longer be sure if it really was him.


    When Jian Jing came back and saw the food on the dining table, she was somewhat surprised,


    ¡°Wow, you can still cook, Ayun, you really are amazing!¡±


    ¡°The rice is in the rice cooker, check if the dishes are still warm!¡±


    The dinner was probably ready around five o¡¯clock, and now that Jian Jing had come home it was about six, so the dishes should still be warm after an hour.


    Jian Jing was hungry too, she served herself a bowl of rice and sat down to eat.


    After tasting the dishes, she couldn¡¯t stop praising them,


    ¡°This is delicious! How did you manage to do it?¡±


    ¡°As long as you like it, that¡¯s good!¡±


    ¡°Mmm, my dear, you¡¯re really great! You can actually stir-fry!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who cooked it!¡±


    I had not wanted to tell Jian Jing, but she kept asking, and in the end, I couldn¡¯t help but tell her the truth.


    I gave her a rough account of what had happened.


    After hearing it, Jian Jing was also shocked,


    ¡°You really blew my mind, to think you would trigger your own allergy and nearly lose your life for it. That was a dangerous move! Did you consider what if it hadn¡¯t been him? Or if he hadn¡¯t shown up at that particular moment, you would¡¯ve been gone.¡±


    ¡°I had it under control¡­¡±


    ¡°So you mean to say, these dishes aren¡¯t up to his standard?¡±


    ¡°Completely different! His cooking never tasted like this before.¡±


    Jian Jing put down her chopsticks and bowl, sat beside me, and laid a hand on my shoulder,


    ¡°Ayun, can you stop this, please? Gu Yuanzhou is dead. Let him go and free yourself too.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe he¡¯s still alive?¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s tone was already filled with sighs.


    That tone was as if I were a hopeless cause.


    ¡°Oh, right, I took a photo of him with my phone! Look!¡±


    Only then did I remember that I had secretly snapped a picture of him with my phone when he was in the kitchen earlier.


    Though my angle might not have been great, I should have caught his figure in it. I couldn¡¯t see, but Jian Jing could.


    At this moment, persuaded by me, Jian Jing took my phone and opened the gallery.


    ¡°Is it him?¡±


    Jian Jing remained silent after looking for a long while.


    ¡°Jian Jing, talk to me, is it him?¡±


    ¡°Er, Ayun, the last photo in your phone¡­is still the one I took for you at the hospital yesterday. There¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    ¡°How could this be?¡±


    I muttered for a while.


    It took a while for me to remember that he had offered to download an app for me earlier, and I had given him my phone.


    He must have taken the opportunity to delete all the photos I had taken.


    ¡°He deleted my photos, Jian Jing!¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me, do you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, Ayun¡­¡±


    I immediately called Wenya.


    Half an hour later, Wenya rushed over in the middle of the night.


    ¡°What did you say, phone recovery?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t your friend¡¯s husband know how to fix phones, to recover photos from the gallery!¡±


    ¡°He does have that skill, but it¡¯s the middle of the night, and I feel bad asking him. How about this, tomorrow, okay?¡±


    ¡°No problem, take the phone, and let me know when there¡¯s any news tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Wenya loved me like that, always ready to fulfill my requests, no matter how excessive they were.


    I was confident, having taken so many photos, there must be a few that captured his figure.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but I started feeling unwell that night.


    My eyes were in pain!


    By the late hours, I started to develop a fever.


    I didn¡¯t know what went wrong.


    I thought I could bear it, so I didn¡¯t seek out Jian Yan.


    But as the pain grew unbearable, I couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and got up, groping around to wake up Jian Jing.


    ¡°Jian Jing, my eyes hurt so much, can you see if there¡¯s something wrong?¡±


    Jian Jing, still half-asleep, let out two sharp screams after seeing my condition,


    ¡°My god, oh, my god, what is this stuff coming out¡­ Ayun, get down and don¡¯t move, I¡¯m calling 120, just sit still and don¡¯t move!¡±

 Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: Chapter 413: I Really Cant Take It Anymore

    Chapter 413: Chapter 413: I Really Can¡¯t Take It Anymore


    Half an hour later, I was rushed to the hospital by an ambulance.


    The emergency doctor examined me that night¡­


    During which, I felt extreme pain in my eye, like being pricked by needles.


    It was an unbearable pain, I could feel my eyeball swelling up as if it was about to burst.


    ¡°It¡¯s so swollen!¡±


    ¡°Was it from a failed surgery before?¡±


    Jiang Jing beside me was even more anxious than I was, bombarding with questions.


    The doctor had to keep answering her,


    ¡°Well, at the moment, we can¡¯t pinpoint exactly what the problem is. But the wound is now infected, which can be caused by several factors. Surgery is one factor, but there¡¯s also whether you¡¯ve been taking medication, if the wound has been exposed to water, and other contamination issues. However, for now, I suggest you go see an ophthalmologist.¡±


    ¡°Where are we supposed to find an ophthalmologist at this hour?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll prescribe some anti-inflammatory drugs for now, let¡¯s see if that helps¡­¡±


    Indeed, performing surgery in the middle of the night was a great challenge for the emergency doctor.


    He prescribed some medication for me.


    But after taking the drugs, the pain didn¡¯t subside. I could bear it no longer and grabbed the doctor¡¯s hand, pleading,


    ¡°Otherwise, just take out my eyeball! I can¡¯t stand it! It hurts too much, I don¡¯t want this eye anymore!¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s against the rules. You haven¡¯t met the criteria for surgery. How can we just operate on a whim? If I took out your eye, I could be penalized.¡±


    Jiang Jing also came over to persuade me,


    ¡°Ayun, calm down!¡±


    Jiang Jing handled the hospitalization and arranged for me to stay over. They planned for the ophthalmologist to come for a comprehensive consultation the next day and discuss surgery then.


    However, lying in the hospital bed, I was tortured by the pain, more agonizing than giving birth to my second child had been.


    ¡°Jiang Jing, can¡¯t you ask the doctor to give me some anaesthetic? I¡¯m in so much pain I could die.¡±


    ¡°No, I already asked the doctor. If you are given anaesthesia today, what if you need surgery tomorrow? Hang in there a little longer. Sigh!¡±


    I was writhing in pain all over the bed, sweat soaked my hair, then dripped down the strands to sink into the pillow.


    I really felt like I was at death¡¯s door.


    My hands clutched the bedsheet tightly, tearing at it, trying to alleviate the pain.


    But alas, the pain clung to me like a gnawing bone, refusing to be shaken off.


    Just when I felt like I couldn¡¯t endure the pain any longer,


    suddenly a large hand grasped mine, and a gentle voice called into my ear, ¡°Ayun!¡±


    That tender voice instantly woke me up.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    He kept calling my name over and over again.


    He sat by the bed, then held me in his embrace, his large hand stroking my back as he bent down to kiss my forehead with extreme gentleness.


    ¡°Ayun, my Ayun! I¡¯m here with you, don¡¯t be afraid, okay?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, is that you?¡±


    I held my breath, staving off the pain for a moment, and cautiously asked.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me!¡±


    Finally, from his lips came the most definite answer.


    But still thinking I was hallucinating, my hair wet with sweat and even my ears and the area around them drenched, the sounds I heard seemed oddly distorted.


    I asked again,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, is that you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Ayun!¡±


    He answered three times in a row.


    Only then did I lean into his embrace, with tears I couldn¡¯t hold back streaming down my face.


    ¡°Why did you only come now, Gu Yuanzhou, please take me away, I don¡¯t want to live anymore, can you take me away?¡±


    I cried until I lost all reason.


    He gently stroked my back,


    ¡°Good girl, don¡¯t cry! You can¡¯t cry, tears will make the wound become infected. I¡¯ll be right here with you.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, are you human or a ghost?¡±


    ¡°What do you hope I am?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I really don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Whatever I think I am, that¡¯s what I am!¡±


    He murmured softly.


    After that, he fed me a pill, and I didn¡¯t know what it was, but as long as he fed it to me, I swallowed without any doubt.


    Strangely enough, after taking the pill, the pain gradually eased, and drowsiness crept over me, and I slowly fell asleep in his arms.


    That night seemed to become much more comfortable for me.


    I slept through till dawn.


    The next morning.


    When I woke up, I heard Jian Jing on the phone.


    She was probably calling Wenya, worried about my condition. I reached out towards the sound and grabbed her sleeve, ¡°Jian Jing!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re awake?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay. You don¡¯t need to trouble Wenya, I can manage.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be here soon; she was waiting for your phone to be fixed. Didn¡¯t you ask her to find a friend to recover the photos last night?¡±


    ¡°It was Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I slowly sat up, supporting myself on the hospital bed.


    ¡°Jian Jing, didn¡¯t you see anyone walk out of here just now?¡±


    ¡°No, there was nobody here! Ayun, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    I slowly opened my palm.


    Jian Jing took the item from my hand and glanced at it,


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s just an ordinary suit button.¡±


    I smiled faintly.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Just a button, why show it to me? Does it have some special meaning?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an ordinary button; it¡¯s one I pried off Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s suit.¡±


    Yes, last night when I was lying in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s arms, to prevent myself from having another illusion, I quietly plucked a button from the hem of his suit.


    At this moment, this button also proved that I wasn¡¯t lying, that it wasn¡¯t an illusion, that Gu Yuanzhou was not a ghost, but human.


    ¡°Uh!¡±


    Jian Jing was also stunned for a moment.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t see, how did you know it was him? What if someone was impersonating?¡±


    ¡°No, it was him!¡±


    Could I not recognize the man I had been with for ten years?


    I had barely exchanged a few words with Jian Jing when the doctor came over.


    He did a preliminary examination and then instructed me to eat quickly as I would soon need to be ready for surgery.


    Jian Jing brought me some preserved egg and lean pork congee from outside, and after a hastily eaten breakfast,


    The doctor wheeled me into the operating room.


    Although I couldn¡¯t see, I could still feel that the latest person to enter the operating room was filled with a piercing chill.


    ¡°Everyone, leave!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The deep voice let me instantly recognize that today¡¯s chief surgeon was indeed Ding Yinuo.


    In fact, when I heard his voice, I was a bit pleasantly surprised, thinking, perhaps Ding Yinuo was still cherishing old feelings, considering our past bonds.


    He might be willing to lend me a helping hand.


    But what he did next greatly disappointed me.

 Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: Chapter 414: Youre Making It Hurt for Me

    Chapter 414: Chapter 414: You¡¯re Making It Hurt for Me


    After that door closed, the operating room became eerily quiet.


    The air was thick with the scent of disinfectant.


    I lay on the cold operating table, a chill creeping up my spine; I softly called out.


    ¡°Yinuo? Is that you?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t see his figure, yet I could feel that chill approaching.


    It wasn¡¯t a kindly approach but rather a dangerously threatening presence, and I instinctively recoiled.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what are you going to do?¡±


    Next, his figure slowly bent over me, his hand gripping my chin.


    ¡°I never thought you could be so repulsive?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a woman with schemes as deeply ingrained as yours!¡±


    ¡°I will do as you wish, but from now on, I will not let you off the hook.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was filled with malice.


    I could understand the disgust, rejection, and even a hint of anxiety in his words.


    But I didn¡¯t understand why he treated me this way!


    All the joy I had was now at rock bottom, plunging my mood into the utmost gloom.


    I could distinctly feel that he was extremely reluctant to perform this surgery on me.


    As if he was forced to do so.


    I wanted to ask something more, but he had no interest in speaking to me any longer; he shouted out to someone outside,


    ¡°Anesthesiologist, medicate her first!¡±


    After the anesthesia was administered, I immediately fell asleep.


    It¡¯s unclear how much time had passed when I gradually regained consciousness.


    But the surgery was still going on¡­


    For some reason, perhaps the dose of the anesthetic wasn¡¯t enough, I began to feel pain.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, it hurts so much!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but cry out.


    The nerves in the eye area are abundant, making the perception of pain very sharp.


    Therefore, such pain was unbearable, and I could only remind him.


    My hope was that he might give me more anesthesia.


    Unexpectedly, his response was a cold refusal, ¡°Endure it!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bear it!


    It was too painful!


    I started squirming.


    Ding Yinuo then commanded the doctors beside him,


    ¡°Hold her hands down, do not let her move about.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, give me more anesthesia. It hurts like hell the way you¡¯re doing it.¡±


    ¡°I told you, endure it. If you don¡¯t want to go blind, hold still, what¡¯s with the fuss?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, are you sick in the head, are you doing this on purpose?¡±


    I just couldn¡¯t hold back any longer; the pain made me lose all rationality, and I started cursing at him.


    The operating room was filled with my curses.


    The latter half of the surgery was almost unbearable.


    The more I cursed, the more painfully he seemed to work¡­


    The more it hurt, the longer the surgery seemed to last.


    The latter half felt like an eternity.


    When the surgery finally ended, I genuinely harbored murderous thoughts against Ding Yinuo.


    I had cursed at him for half an hour; it was as if the operating room still echoed with my cursing and shouting.


    After the surgery, he gave me an injection, and I fell back into a groggy sleep.


    When I woke up again,


    It was already well into the night.


    My eyes were still somewhat painful, not the piercing kind but the pain of healing wounds post-surgery.


    As long as I didn¡¯t move, it wasn¡¯t so painful.


    I was terribly thirsty and vaguely sensed someone beside me; I called out,


    ¡°Jian Jing, could you pass me a glass of water?¡±


    I knew that at times like this, Jian Yan was the only one who would take care of me.


    Soon, a glass of water was handed to me, and I drank it down in one gulp.


    ¡°Jian Jing, what on earth did you do to get Ding Yinuo to agree to operate on me? However, that bastard was devilish, deliberately making things hard for me on the operating table. I almost died of pain.¡±


    ¡°Does it still hurt now?¡±


    The low and magnetic male voice wasn¡¯t Jian Jing¡¯s.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me!!¡±


    ¡°Why is it you?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be me?¡±


    ¡°Where is Jian Jing?¡±


    ¡°Not sure, she might have something to do!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! Gu Yuanzhou! Gu Yuanzhou!!!¡±


    I murmured his name in my mouth, and he patiently responded, ¡°Hmm!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Do your eyes still hurt?¡±


    ¡°A little bit, but with you by my side, it doesn¡¯t hurt so much anymore!¡±


    ¡°Am I better than the effect of anesthesia?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re better than a feast of delicacies!¡±


    ¡°I have a pill here, take it, and you¡¯ll feel much better!¡±


    He brought the pill to my lips, I bit it with my teeth but did not swallow it, then I spat it into the palm of my hand.


    ¡°Why not take it? Are you afraid I might harm you?¡±


    ¡°Will I fall asleep if I take this medicine?¡±


    ¡°Anesthetic drugs always have some sleep-inducing ingredients! Take it and have a sleep, and when you wake up tomorrow morning, you¡¯ll be better.¡±


    ¡°But if I sleep, you¡¯re going to leave, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I held his hand tightly, gripping it firmly.


    When people are sick, their hearts are particularly vulnerable, and they have a strong dependency on the person beside them, I didn¡¯t want Gu Yuanzhou to leave me.


    Even if he was just an illusory bubble, I couldn¡¯t bear to let go.


    He whispered to comfort me, just like in that period of passionate love after we got married,


    ¡°Not at all! I promise you, even if you fall asleep, I won¡¯t leave you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I swear to you! If I break even half a promise, let lightning strike me!¡±


    ¡°No, I believe you!¡±


    I pressed my hand against his lips, stopping him from saying another word.


    But he opened his mouth and gently kissed the tip of my finger, a man¡¯s breath bursting forth from the fingertip.


    That familiar warmth made my heart tighten.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    I asked him again.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Is it really you?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just swear?¡±


    ¡°I just want to hear you say it again!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, wife!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take the medicine!¡±


    Having received the affirmation again, I was satisfied.


    I stuffed the pill into my mouth and drank some water to wash it down, after which the pain gradually disappeared.


    I lay in the hospital bed, he leaned over slightly, holding my hand tightly with one large hand, while the other gently stroked my hair.


    His warm breath puffed on my forehead.


    He gently kissed me.


    Although I couldn¡¯t see with my eyes, I felt utterly content in my heart.


    ¡°Ayun, go to sleep, I¡¯ve got everything under control!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯re still alive, aren¡¯t you? You haven¡¯t died, have you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t your eyes hurt anymore?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, where are you living now? You don¡¯t have a contact number, and I don¡¯t want to be unable to find you like before, I want to be able to get in touch with you anytime.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you once your eyes are better.¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you have a hidden reason, don¡¯t you? That urn doesn¡¯t contain your ashes, does it?¡±


    ¡°Be good, go to sleep, and you¡¯ll be fine after you do.¡±


    I asked many questions, but Gu Yuanzhou never answered them directly.


    My eyes no longer hurt, but sleepiness gradually overtook me, and I drifted off into a groggy sleep.

 Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: Chapter 415 The Photos in the Phone Were Restored

    Chapter 415: Chapter 415 The Photos in the Phone Were Restored


    The next morning, I was awoken by a series of footsteps.


    Even though my eyes were wrapped with gauze, I had no perception of day or night.


    Had it not been for my ability to hear, I would be unable to distinguish between day and night.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, this is the patient from yesterday.¡±


    The voice carried respect and reverence.


    It showcased the visitor¡¯s dignity.


    It was the aura of Dr. Ding Yinuo.


    Even from a distance, I could feel his presence,


    And his extremely reluctant and perfunctory attitude.


    I knew that he was probably here for rounds today to check on my recovery, seeing as I was his patient.


    Actually, I was no longer in pain, but when he checked my wound, he deliberately tore at the hurt part, causing a fiery pain to surge through me.


    I turned my head to one side.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, the surgery is done. If you don¡¯t want to check on my injuries, you don¡¯t have to come.¡±


    My tone was somewhat harsh.


    It seemed I had touched Dr. Ding Yinuo¡¯s sore spot.


    He tossed the forceps he was holding into the tray and snorted disdainfully,


    ¡°Do you think I want to see you? If you weren¡¯t so despicable, I wouldn¡¯t bother coming here.¡±


    Having said that, he turned around,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, to the next ward.¡±


    ¡°Dr. Ding, does this patient need to change their dressing? The recovery of the wound¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget about her!¡±


    After saying that, the sound of footsteps gradually faded away.


    A moment later, the doctor came back and began scolding me,


    ¡°Hey, not to lecture you, but as a patient, don¡¯t you have any self-awareness? If you want the doctor to treat you, you have to keep a low profile! Otherwise, what was the point of your surgery?¡±


    I was somewhat angry,


    ¡°Which doctor is so arrogant? His attitude is wrong! Yes, I¡¯m a patient, but I¡¯m not a beggar. I¡¯m not groveling for his help, I can¡¯t do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Hey, what are you talking about? Do you know who Dr. Ding is? For him to perform this surgery on you is like smoke rising from your family¡¯s ancestral grave. You know, he¡¯s the only person in the city who could perform this operation.¡±


    ¡°His attitude is a problem; his job is to treat and save people, not to dispense charity to a beggar!¡±


    I always harbored hostility towards Ding Yinuo because my eyes were damaged by Jiang Jiaying, and his treating me was akin to atoning for her.


    Instead of compensating me on Jiang Jiaying¡¯s behalf and being aware of it, he was posturing with me, which was intolerable.


    ¡°It¡¯s not quite like that; actually, Dr. Ding used to be a very nice person. They say he¡¯s been this irritable only since his girlfriend got kidnapped.¡±


    Such an explanation shocked me,


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying was kidnapped?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I just heard rumors; I don¡¯t know the details¡­ Come on, don¡¯t move, let me change your dressing.¡±


    After the resident doctor applied the medicine, he left in a hurry, not elaborating further on Ding Yinuo¡¯s situation.


    But hearing such news shocked me, and I couldn¡¯t recover from it for a long time.


    Around noon.


    Wenya came.


    At that time, Jian Jing had just brought me a bowl of preserved egg and lean meat porridge, of which I had eaten half.


    Wenya held my hand and asked,


    ¡°I heard Dr. Ding Yinuo performed your surgery?¡±


    I calmly replied, ¡°He nearly killed me! I don¡¯t know if it was on purpose or not, but they only gave me half the dose of anesthesia. The anesthesia wore off before the surgery was even over. The second half was excruciatingly painful.¡±


    ¡°Fuck! He actually took personal revenge under the guise of official business, so shameful¡­ But, I heard that Jiang Jiaying was kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°Who else but Su Peisheng? Don¡¯t forget, they run in the same circles. According to Su Peisheng, Jiang Jiaying suddenly disappeared the night before last, and it wasn¡¯t until yesterday morning that the kidnappers sent a ransom note, with Jiang Jiaying¡¯s hair inside.¡±


    ¡°What are the kidnapper¡¯s demands?¡±


    ¡°Definitely not extortion! Because there¡¯s been no news about the Ding Family scrambling to gather money. The Ding Family didn¡¯t report it to the police, nor did they make it public. After discussing it with Su Peisheng, we reached a conclusion.¡±


    ¡°What conclusion?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re thinking, the condition the kidnapper offered might be to perform surgery on you.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Is there evidence?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is, look, didn¡¯t they perform surgery on you? Think about it, before, he absolutely refused to operate on you. Now he finally agreed¡­¡±


    Wenya analyzed logically.


    Jian Jing couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I thought he had a change of heart!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, what change of heart could he have? Let me tell you, men in business to the core are heartless, they are all about profit.


    I also suddenly understood why Ding Yinuo was so reluctant to give me more anesthesia.


    Turns out, he was forced, he did it unwillingly.


    No wonder his attitude was so bad when he did his rounds, his temper so volatile.


    ¡°Heh, I actually want to know who kidnapped Jiang Jiaying!¡±


    Jian Jing said, ¡°I guess it was Shen Yishu!¡±


    Wenya immediately denied it, ¡°Impossible, Shen Yishu is a scholar. Even though he is now a boss, deep down he is still a coward, he doesn¡¯t have the guts to go against the Ding Family. Besides, he doesn¡¯t have any background, doesn¡¯t even have friends in the underworld, do you think it¡¯s easy to kidnap such a big living person without the Jiang Family or the Ding Family getting wind of it?¡±


    Jian Jing was stunned for a while, ¡°Then I have no idea!¡±


    Wenya looked at me, ¡°Ayun, can you think of who it might be?¡±


    I nodded, ¡°I can pretty much guess who it is, have the pictures on your phone recovered?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re fixed!¡±


    ¡°Help me look at the photo, did it capture anyone?¡±


    At this moment, I was a little excited. I couldn¡¯t wait to confirm my own guess.


    Wenya handed her phone to Jian Jing,


    ¡°Actually, when I came here, I had already looked at it on the way. But I can¡¯t be too sure, you take a look, too.¡±


    Jian Jing took the phone and after looking for a while said,


    ¡°Hey, you took so many pictures, they¡¯re all of the back, or else it¡¯s a side profile.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t make out the face?¡±


    ¡°Not a single front face, but I can still recognize it!¡±


    ¡°Is it Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    The last two words were said by Wenya and Jian Jing in unison.


    The two spoke with one voice, simultaneously denying it.


    I felt very disappointed,


    ¡°How is it possible? If not Gu Yuanzhou, then who?¡±


    Jian Jing said, ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t be anxious! This person does look a bit like Gu Yuanzhou, but¡­ it¡¯s not him. Anyway, just wait until your eyes are better and you can see for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Can you take another close look? His clothes, his manner, are you sure it¡¯s not Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Wenya hesitated for a while, ¡°How do I put this? Ayun, after being married to Gu Yuanzhou for so many years, can¡¯t you feel it¡¯s not him?¡±


    I took the phone from Wenya¡¯s hands, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s leave it at that!¡±


    Jian Jing on the side encouraged me, ¡°I asked the doctor, you can remove the dressing in a week. Then you can see for yourself.¡±

 Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: Chapter 416 What does it matter to me if youre blind or not?

    Chapter 416: Chapter 416 What does it matter to me if you¡¯re blind or not?


    ¡°Sure, okay!¡±


    Although Wenya and Jian Jing were trying to persuade me.


    In fact, I wasn¡¯t that anxious at all.


    After all, I have a secret right now, which is that Gu Yuanzhou seems to be coming to see me quite often.


    I want to expose him, and it was only a matter of time.


    Actually, I have no idea who kidnapped Jiang Jiaying.


    It was the afternoon of the second day after my surgery.


    Shen Yishu came to the hospital to visit me.


    We were having a nice conversation when this burly man suddenly started crying.


    Heaven knows why he was so fragile, crying for over an hour next to my hospital room when he came to visit me.


    In the end, it was me who had to comfort him for a long while,


    ¡°I¡¯m really okay, Shen Yishu. They say that as long as Ding Yinuo performed the surgery, my eyes will definitely get better, and I¡¯ll be able to see once the bandages come off.¡±


    ¡°But with Ding Yinuo¡¯s current temper, he¡¯s absolutely heartless. What if he deliberately sabotages you out of spite and you never recover?¡±


    ¡°Shen Yishu, do you know who kidnapped Jiang Jiaying?¡±


    ¡°Not clear! But, I have friends who have ways, I can ask around for you.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s okay, no need. I was just thinking, maybe if Jiang Jiaying is released, Ding Yinuo will feel a bit better, and he might go easier on me, right?¡±


    Shen Yishu, however, did not agree with me,


    ¡°Honestly, if I were the one who kidnapped her, I probably wouldn¡¯t release her so soon. Right now, she¡¯s Ding Yinuo¡¯s weakness. Having a hold over someone¡¯s weakness means Ding Yinuo will take more responsibility for you. If she¡¯s released, Ding Yinuo might become even more reckless, and who knows what terrible things he could do.¡±


    After thinking it over, I finally let out a sigh,


    ¡°Okay, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, what would you like to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you.¡±


    ¡°No need, Jian Jing brings me food every day, whatever I want to eat, she makes it.¡±


    ¡°Then is there anything you want to drink? Milk tea, coffee, or something like that?¡±


    ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s best to drink plain water, it¡¯ll be okay in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it must be boring for you lying in bed all day. Should I download an audiobook app for you?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Shen Yishu is actually a very caring man.


    He thinks of the small details.


    We chatted for a bit, and then he peeled an apple for me.


    ¡°I went to Zhenyi Company this morning, and it feels like your company¡¯s performance has been pretty good recently. It¡¯s just soaring.¡±


    I took the apple he had peeled, bit into it: so sweet, juicy and crisp.


    ¡°That might be the only thing worth celebrating for me right now.¡±


    ¡°Director Lin has had a big influence on you, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°You could say that, and I have you to thank for it. If it weren¡¯t for your introduction, how could I have met him?¡±


    Shen Yishu laughed and said,


    ¡°Why so polite? We have such a deep friendship, this little thing is nothing. By the way, I met Director Lin again at a business dinner the day before yesterday; he mentioned expanding his investment¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm, with the capital he has, expanding the investment isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t come to see you when you had eye surgery?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him! It¡¯s just a minor thing, no need to bother the United Nations, right?¡±


    I¡¯m actually a very low-profile person. If it weren¡¯t for Jian Jing and Wenya having such big mouths, many people wouldn¡¯t know.


    My condition isn¡¯t good when I¡¯m sick, and I don¡¯t really like people coming to see me.


    ¡°By the way, I heard something else, Director Lin seems to have found his daughter who has been missing for many years.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Who is it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, just heard there¡¯s a DNA match.¡±


    Shen Yishu mentioned it casually, but it left me feeling a tiny bit of loss inside.


    If the DNA really matches, it means Lin Nansheng isn¡¯t my father.


    This makes the sliver of hope I had left in my heart vanish as well.


    When Jian Jing brought lunch over at noon, Shen Yishu had just left.


    It was still lean meat porridge, very light, and suitable for me to eat now.


    After lunch, Ding Yinuo came.


    I can¡¯t actually see him, but I can tell it¡¯s him from the sound of his footsteps.


    This man¡¯s footsteps are steady, quickly paced but with a hint of hesitation.


    With a bang, the door to the hospital room closed.


    Eventually, he stopped by my bed. I could feel his gaze on me, probably with a cold, dangerous light in his eyes.


    The increasingly rapid breathing suggested he was suppressing some kind of rage.


    He was restraining himself.


    A pair of hands rested on the bed frame, making the bed wobble slightly. I instinctively reached out to grab the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo!¡±


    My voice trembled slightly.


    ¡°Scared?¡±


    His voice was laced with a tinge of mockery.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo¡­ what do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the question I should be asking you? You kidnapped Jiang Jiaying. What do you intend to do?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I didn¡¯t kidnap Jiang Jiaying, it wasn¡¯t me!¡±


    I replied calmly; in fact, I really didn¡¯t know who had kidnapped Jiang Jiaying.


    Moreover, if I had known in advance, I would have definitely stopped them from doing such a thing.


    I never expected Ding Yinuo to sacrifice anything for me.


    At my words, Ding Yinuo let out a cold laugh,


    ¡°Do you know what disgusts me the most about you?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea!¡±


    ¡°You love to play the innocent! After we got married, you betrayed me but played innocent. You caused me to become a vegetable and still went around pretending to be innocent, even playing the good guy¡­ Now you¡¯ve kidnapped Jiang Jiaying and again, you put on an innocent face. Don¡¯t you think that sometimes, some tricks should only be used once? Using them over and over again becomes really annoying, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    I clenched my fists. I never knew I had sunk so low in Ding Yinuo¡¯s mind.


    It took me a long while to ask with a hoarse voice,


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Jiang Jiaying¡¯s kidnapping, you wouldn¡¯t have agreed to perform the surgery, right?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, what does whether you¡¯re blind or not have to do with me?¡±


    His words were extremely heartless indeed.


    If I could see, I wouldn¡¯t believe these words came from his mouth.


    I fell silent.


    A deathly silence.


    It was as if the air was thick with his overwhelming disdain for me.


    I knew that any explanation I offered now would be meaningless to him.


    After a long time, I finally spoke,


    ¡°Fine, I kidnapped her! Since you think so, then let it be that way.¡±


    Ding Yinuo snorted coldly,


    ¡°I knew you would confess. Tell me, when will you let her go?¡±


    I took a deep breath,


    ¡°Since I supposedly kidnapped her, then surely, she will only be released once the gauze is removed from my eyes and my vision is restored. Otherwise, what if you harm me in some way?¡±


    Ding Yinuo, furious, reached out and grabbed my throat,


    ¡°Why are you so vile?¡±

 Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Chapter 417 His Excessive Care

    Chapter 417: Chapter 417 His Excessive Care


    Yinuo¡¯s hands were those of a surgeon, larger than those of an average person, with long fingers that possessed strength. When he strangled my throat, I didn¡¯t even have the strength to break free.


    I felt difficulty breathing¡­


    My hands were right beside the hospital bed, but I didn¡¯t move, I didn¡¯t even try to resist.


    I just let him strangle me as the air in my lungs slowly depleted.


    The feeling of suffocation was instantaneous.


    He suddenly let go.


    I coughed once and then began to breathe desperately.


    The feeling of air rushing back into my lungs was so wonderful.


    I breathed deeply.


    Yinuo asked me somewhat disheveled,


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use your hands to fight back?¡±


    I reached out and rubbed my sore neck where he had strangled me.


    ¡°If Doctor Ding wanted to take my life, there would be a hundred ways to do it without being discovered. Just by adding something to my IV, or by making a tiny mistake during surgery, I could die without a sound, and no one would be able to find out. Moreover, when you entered my room just now, many people saw you. I am your patient and the surgery is over. If you really strangled me to death, there would be marks on my neck¡­¡±


    ¡°All of this evidence would be very unfavorable to you. As soon as I died, you would not be able to escape a charge of murder. You are so smart, how could you allow yourself to make such a mistake, so, all things considered, you didn¡¯t really want to kill me just now.¡±


    I said calmly.


    Yinuo snorted coldly,


    ¡°I¡¯m not killing you because Jiaying is still in critical condition, I warn you. If she suffers even the slightest harm, I won¡¯t let you off.¡±


    After dropping such a harsh threat, he walked straight out.


    At that moment, my heart sunk to its lowest point.


    This kind of emotional severance is really hard to accept.


    Especially when it comes to someone close to you, like a family member or a friend.


    To fall apart in such a way, the best of relationships turn to dust in an instant¡­


    After Yinuo left, I lay alone in the hospital bed, my heart felt ashen for a moment.


    I kept thinking, why didn¡¯t I gain anything in the end after giving so much?


    Is reciprocating sincerity with sincerity not a real thing?


    I don¡¯t know how long it was before someone came into the room again.


    In fact, I was oblivious.


    It wasn¡¯t until his hand rested on my forehead that I came to my senses.


    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    The low and magnetic voice sounded again.


    My first instinct was to grab his hand tightly.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me!¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want to be discharged! I don¡¯t want to stay in this hospital any longer!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t, you haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. Wait a few more days, let¡¯s see how your injury heals, okay?¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the surgery is already done, going to another hospital is the same, right? It¡¯s just about postoperative healing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same, this hospital needs to monitor your wound healing. If there¡¯s a problem, a second surgery might be needed. Don¡¯t rush it, the eye is a delicate organ, and can¡¯t be rushed.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to understand much more than I did.


    ¡°But, I¡¯m really uncomfortable now, I don¡¯t want to stay in this hospital¡­¡±


    In front of Gu Yuanzhou, I couldn¡¯t keep it together.


    Like a little girl, I was being capricious, whining, and losing my temper.


    ¡°Why do you feel uncomfortable, is there something wrong?¡±


    I recall feeling this uncomfortable as well when I was hospitalized for surgery during my postpartum confinement period.


    Being sick, you¡¯re already in a very depressed and suppressed state of mind.


    And then there¡¯s the physical pain, the discomfort.


    It makes it very easy to break down.


    Especially after giving birth to my eldest daughter, sometimes, when I held the baby and saw her crying, I would cry too.


    At those times, Gu Yuanzhou would come over, tirelessly comforting me.


    He would often soothe our daughter to sleep and then come to comfort me.


    He¡¯d massage me and tell me funny stories to cheer me up.


    Thinking about it, he really did pamper me a lot after we got married.


    It was precisely because of such extreme pampering that, when I knew he had betrayed me, my hatred towards him also reached its peak.


    At this moment, we¡¯ve let go of all the bitterness in our hearts.


    He held me from behind, just as he used to hold the little girl, very indulgently drawing me into his embrace.


    His chin pressed tightly against the nape of my neck.


    Then he gently massaged my neck, shoulders¡­


    Especially the back of my hand where I had been getting injections. Because of the long-term IV, the veins around it were very sore.


    He first used a hot water bottle to apply heat for a while, then slowly massaged me, relieving most of the pain.


    I lay quietly on the hospital bed, savoring this rare moment of warmth.


    I didn¡¯t want to ask him anything more.


    In the evening, he again used a warm towel to gently wipe my face, neck, and arms, trying to make me more comfortable.


    When he massaged my shoulders, it felt particularly good.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, I¡¯m thinking, when my eyes are better, will you just disappear?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer me directly; instead, he fell silent.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou! Can you stay with me?¡±


    He touched my face,


    ¡°Do you still want to be Mrs. Gu?¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t want to, are you going to marry someone else?¡±


    ¡°Look at you, talking nonsense again!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m unsure about everything now. I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s real, I can¡¯t figure out if I¡¯m dead or alive. Gu Yuanzhou¡­ tell me, am I dead or alive right now?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou did not speak; he just lowered his head and kissed my lips.


    I can¡¯t remember how long it¡¯s been since we kissed.


    It¡¯s been so long I¡¯ve almost forgotten the taste of his lips.


    He kissed my lips, gently and carefully caressing them.


    I clumsily responded to him.


    Actually, if I don¡¯t think about all the mess in my head, I really enjoy these intimate moments with him.


    Gu Yuanzhou has a real knack for matters of love; he knows how to deliver those little pleasures very well.


    Even with just a kiss,


    he can fan the flames in my heart¡­


    In his refreshing minty breath and his hurried breathing, I gradually lost my reason.


    However, he did not linger too long; after the passionate kiss, he helped me lie down on the hospital bed, and his big hand slipped inside my clothing.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    My face flushed, I whispered his name softly.


    ¡°Hush, I want to make you feel better!¡±


    He nibbled on my earlobe, and I was stirred into confusion by him.


    Indeed, when doing something beautiful, all the pain is forgotten, and the physical ailments seem to fade significantly.


    In my daze, I found myself unable to resist.


    It¡¯s him!


    And yet it seems not to be him!


    In this moment, I held onto his arm tightly, hoping to never wake up.

 Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Chapter 418: Probing

    Chapter 418: Chapter 418: Probing


    I stayed in the hospital for six days!


    In these six days, Gu Yuanzhou came almost every day.


    It just so happened that he arrived at such coincidental times, each instance perfectly avoiding Wenya and Jian Jing.


    I actually never figured out how he managed to do that.


    Every time Jian Jing and Wenya came, they would talk about various things, but the one topic they never discussed was Gu Yuanzhou.


    This seemed to confirm that they hadn¡¯t seen Gu Yuanzhou.


    But in my heart, I was still full of anticipation.


    After my eyes recovered, I would be able to see Gu Yuanzhou.


    Or maybe, he would be waiting here for me.


    The day they removed the gauze, Ding Yinuo personally handled it¡­


    I hadn¡¯t actually anticipated that he, after being so dismissive of me these few days, would still come to remove my gauze.


    He stood in front of me, peeling off the layers of gauze one by one.


    I felt the light in front of me become brighter and brighter.


    Until he tore off the last layer, I couldn¡¯t take it and covered my eyes with my hands.


    ¡°Ayun, can you see me?¡±


    Wenya leaned close to me, waving her hands frantically.


    I slowly took my hands away from my eyes, first seeing a blurry shadow; I blinked, my eyes moistened a bit, and slowly my vision became clear and bright.


    The first thing I saw was Wenya¡¯s big face, blinking her eyes, a smile revealing a few freckles.


    ¡°Uh, don¡¯t lean so close, I can see!¡±


    ¡°Can you see? How many fingers are these?¡±


    She waved her big hand frantically in front of me.


    ¡°Five!¡±


    ¡°Wow, you really can see!¡±


    Wenya was so excited, she almost wanted to pick me up and jump.


    I have to say, the surgery was very successful.


    My vision was very clear, seeing things without any obstacles¡­


    ¡°Let me see your eyes! Does it still hurt?¡±


    Jian Jing held my face with both hands, inspecting it from the left and right, looking for any unhealed wounds.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt! Not at all, Jian Jing, can you give me a mirror to see for myself?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no mirror, use your phone¡¯s front camera.¡±


    Jian Jing turned on her phone¡¯s camera and handed it to me.


    Looking at myself in the mirror, I saw that I had lost quite a bit of weight, but luckily, my hair was neatly combed, skin was clean, and my complexion was rosy.


    All this was thanks to Gu Yuanzhou; he came every night to take care of me, helping me to wash my hair and clean my face and body.


    Just like when he took care of me during my postpartum confinement, attending to me meticulously.


    He also prepared all sorts of nourishing stews for me, so my complete recovery was inseparable from his attentive care.


    I have to say, Ding Yinuo¡¯s surgery was done very meticulously, no surgical scar was visible at all.


    With this thought, I saw, through the phone¡¯s camera, another figure slightly forlorn in the corner.


    He was sitting there, a cigarette in his hand, watching me with a detached gaze.


    Silent and a bit sinister.


    It was Ding Yinuo.


    What was that look in his eyes? Sinister, hostile, dangerous?


    Why would he react like that, could it be that Jiang Jiaying still hadn¡¯t been released?


    ¡°Xiaoyun, can you see me?¡±


    An excited, trembling voice rose; I turned to look and saw a figure standing at the doorway of the ward.


    His hair carelessly combed backwards into a pompadour, wearing a sharp black suit, he held a beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hands.


    The smile on his face was excited and radiant.


    ¡°Xiaoyun!¡±


    His voice trembled slightly with excitement as he called out to me again.


    ¡°Hmm, Yishu, you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Can you walk over to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    I smiled and easily walked over to him in a few steps.


    He suddenly opened his arms and pulled me into an embrace, holding me tightly. He didn¡¯t speak, but I could feel his body trembling slightly.


    Tears also started to flow.


    ¡°Hey, Yishu, why are you crying? Such a big man, and shedding tears?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I got a bit carried away. I¡¯m just so excited, I thought you were never going to get better. Xiaoyun, I am truly happy for you, this is so great.¡±


    Yishu was genuinely elated, he hugged me and spun me around on the spot.


    Then he finally stuffed the fresh flowers into my arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re discharged from the hospital, right? So, where do you want to go, what do you want to eat, or do you want to see a movie? There¡¯s this new touching animated movie that has just come out, shall we watch it together?¡±


    Yishu excitedly babbled, spouting a bunch of plans in the heat of the moment.


    It was Ding Yinuo who interrupted him,


    ¡°You¡¯ve just recovered, you shouldn¡¯t just run around everywhere. You need to rest properly!¡±


    A few short words.


    They sounded like concern, but they were tinged with indifference.


    Wenya seemed to catch on to something. She was rather composed, and she changed her previous attitude.


    Wenya walked up to Ding Yinuo very politely,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, it seems I misunderstood you before, thank you for your sincere efforts for Ayun. I apologize for the uncivil words I have said to you in the past.¡±


    Ding Yinuo just gave Wenya a cold glance,


    ¡°I don¡¯t accept it!¡±


    ¡°Uh, if you don¡¯t accept, then don¡¯t. Anyway, I was sincere. So, about the eye care for Ayun going forward, are there any special measures we need to take? Will there be any sequelae?¡±


    Ding Yinuo took a deep drag on his cigarette, then stood up, opened the window, and looked out, his back to Wenya, without saying a word.


    Wenya didn¡¯t know where she had offended him, but she continued to press on,


    ¡°Dr. Ding, we have just recovered, are there any precautions we should be aware of? Like things to eat, or things to be cautious about like bathing, touching water, etc.?¡±


    Ding Yinuo just snorted coldly,


    ¡°You have too many questions!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Wenya was furious but didn¡¯t dare to speak out since Ding Yinuo had cured me and was, after all, someone to be grateful for.


    Wenya was still able to discern right from wrong, she chuckled sheepishly,


    ¡°Fine, fine, I won¡¯t ask anymore. I¡¯ll ask someone else.¡±


    That was her flirting gone wrong.


    Jian Jing, mustering courage from somewhere, confronted Ding Yinuo directly,


    ¡°Hey, Ding Yinuo, I know it¡¯s not right for me to say these things. But you owe Ayun a lot, and although you cured her eyes, it only makes us even. You have no grounds to be proud, and as a doctor, isn¡¯t it part of your professional ethics to treat patients kindly and be responsible?¡±


    At those words, Ding Yinuo abruptly turned around, his eyes, bloodshot, fixed on me,


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve my kindness!¡±


    ¡°Uh, what do you mean she doesn¡¯t deserve it? Ding Yinuo, can you please not speak so outrageously?¡±


    ¡°Am I being outrageous? The outrageous one is her. She kidnapped my fianc¨¦e. She asked me to cure her eyes, and now that I¡¯ve done so, she still hasn¡¯t released my fianc¨¦e. What is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Jian Jing was also shocked.


    Suddenly, the ward fell into an awkward silence.


    I walked up to Ding Yinuo, initially wanting to say that I definitely didn¡¯t kidnap Jiang Jiaying.


    But just then, a doctor came rushing in, ¡°Dr. Ding, Miss Jiaying has come back!¡±


    Ding Yinuo, thrilled, stubbed out his cigarette and a glimmer of delight shone in his eyes. He dashed out almost without hesitation, practically flying through the door.


    He grabbed the doctor¡¯s arm, ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°In the emergency room, she¡¯s sustained some injuries, and she said she wants to see you!¡±


    ¡°Right, I¡¯m on my way!¡±

 Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Chapter 419: Slander by Spitting Blood

    Chapter 419: Chapter 419: Slander by Spitting Blood


    Ding Yinuo rushed out without any hesitation.


    Leaving me and Jian Yan and the others looking at each other in bewilderment.


    ¡°Psh, this shameless woman, she runs faster than anyone when she sees Jiang Jiaying injured. What¡¯s so good about this woman?¡±


    Wenya looked down on her with utter contempt.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go have a look!¡±


    I turned to leave, but Shen Yishu stopped me.


    ¡°Look at what?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Jiaying kidnapped? I¡¯ll go check the situation!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look, it¡¯s not like we kidnapped her! What¡¯s there to see? By going, you¡¯ll only make her feel more important.¡±


    Shen Yishu¡¯s words did have some merit.


    But Wenya didn¡¯t see it that way,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and see. I want to ask that bitch who exactly kidnapped her and clear things up. Don¡¯t let us take the blame for nothing.¡±


    Wenya, impulsive as ever, rolled up her sleeves and charged out.


    Jian Jing and I had no choice but to follow her to stop her from actually fighting with Jiang Jiaying.


    A few minutes later.


    We arrived at the emergency room.


    Actually, at this moment, Jiang Jiaying was standing outside in the corridor of the emergency room.


    Her white coat was covered in stains, her hair disheveled, and one could see scars on her neck and arms.


    The hem of her skirt was torn, the stains mixed with dry blood.


    Her ankles were also swollen, with traces of being bound; it looked as if she had just been released from a kidnapping.


    She leaned into Ding Yinuo¡¯s embrace, sobbing with a tender voice that recounted the injustice she had suffered.


    Ding Yinuo wrapped one arm around her and gently stroked her back with the other, slowly comforting her.


    ¡°Yinuo, I¡¯m ruined, what should I do? I¡¯m so scared. He hit me, abused me, he locked me in a tiny, pitch-dark room filled with rats. It was filthy and smelly, and at night there was no light. The rats crawled all over me. He didn¡¯t give me food or water, and he kept hitting me. I was so scared, I felt like I was living in hell, I thought I¡¯d never come back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, I really don¡¯t understand, what did I do wrong for him to treat me like this? My whole life, I¡¯ve been pampered from childhood, I¡¯ve never suffered like this. All the grievances I¡¯ve faced in my life, they¡¯re all here now. Yinuo, I¡¯m still scared, what did I do wrong for him to treat me like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, once I catch him, I¡¯ll make sure he pays the price.¡±


    The fury brewing in Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes.


    Although his words were still caring for Jiaying, the look he gave me was filled with murderous intent.


    Finally, Wenya couldn¡¯t hold back any longer,


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying, you say you were kidnapped¡ªdid you call the police? What did the person look like?¡±


    At the sound, Jiaying struggled out of Ding Yinuo¡¯s embrace and, turning toward Wenya, screamed,


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    She immediately looked terrified,


    ¡°How did you get in here? Do you want to kidnap me again?¡±


    Jiaying pretended to shiver in fear.


    Wenya rolled her eyes at her,


    ¡°Don¡¯t spit blood. You¡¯re taller and heavier than I am. If I fight you right now, I can¡¯t even beat you; how can I kidnap you? Can you talk with some logic, please? Don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡±


    Jiaying burrowed back into Ding Yinuo¡¯s arms,


    ¡°There were three of them, two men, and I was so scared¡­¡±


    ¡°What men, are you talking about Su Peisheng? Hey, can you speak clearly? You¡¯ll ruin me with your wild accusations.¡±


    While Wenya was arguing with her, Jiaying started to cry piteously again,


    ¡°Yinuo, hurry up and send her away, I¡¯m so scared! I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll kidnap me again!¡±


    Wenya, ¡°¡­¡±


    Without another word, Ding Yinuo called for the security guard and said to him,


    ¡°Kick these three women out, and make sure they never set foot in this hospital again!!¡±


    ¡°Come on, he¡¯s kicking me out?¡±


    Jian Jing was infuriated.


    Wenya said from the side,


    ¡°What the hell, he mentioned three, including Ayun! I¡¯m so pissed! What kind of person is this!¡±


    Wenya cursed under her breath, but in the end, the three of us were kicked out by the security guards.


    Su Peisheng was driving his car and was parked right at the hospital entrance.


    Seeing Wenya being escorted out by a security guard with a stick, Su Peisheng burst out laughing.


    ¡°Cough, you¡¯re laughing!? What the hell are you laughing at!¡±


    ¡°I told you not to go against Ding Yinuo, but you just had to do it!¡±


    ¡°Ha, you dare laugh at me, you¡¯re dead meat. And to think, that woman actually accused me of abducting her, how absurd!¡±


    ¡°Did she call the police?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it!¡±


    ¡°No police report, could the abduction be fake? There must be something fishy going on here.¡±


    Su Peisheng analyzed with us, saying Jiang Jiaying is a very shrewd woman and she wouldn¡¯t do anything at a loss.


    If she had really been abducted, she would have reported it to the police immediately.


    Otherwise, there must be some other trick to this abduction.


    But as for what exactly the trick was, no one could figure it out.


    ¡°Forget it, we don¡¯t need to ask for his help anymore, Ayun is already better, let¡¯s go!¡± Jian Jing said.


    ¡°But, he just said he would seek revenge later, how come I¡¯ve never known Ding Yinuo to be this scary?¡±


    Wenya couldn¡¯t stop muttering.


    Jian Jing, however, had a different opinion,


    ¡°This is his true nature! In the past, he worked with Ayun for many years. Have you forgotten? It¡¯s just that Ayun is kind-hearted and never held grudges for past grievances.¡±


    ¡°Ah, forget it! Anyway, he did cure my eyes. I¡¯ve never had marital relations with him, and as for feelings, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s necessarily more between him and Jiang Jiaying than between us. Let it be.¡±


    I have to say, Ding Yinuo¡¯s medical skills are truly exceptional, I regained my sight without even having to get a corneal transplant.


    I originally planned to go to the company, but Wenya drove me straight home instead.


    ¡°You should take a break from work recently, rest up for a couple of days. You can¡¯t make all the money in the world, but your life is the most important, understand?¡±


    Jian Jing also removed the string of rope¡­


    Wenya brought back some pomelo leaves to ward off evil for me.


    ¡°After the bitterness comes the sweetness, the good days ahead will be sweeter and sweeter.¡±


    After dinner, Wenya and Su Peisheng watched TV on the couch, while I took out my phone, scrolling through, wanting to see if Gu Yuanzhou had sent me any messages.


    But there were none.


    Actually, he was still in my hospital room last night, helping me comb my hair, saying it was too long and needed some care from a salon.


    I told him about the stitch removal tomorrow, asking him to make sure to come¡­


    But he didn¡¯t come.


    In fact, after the stitches were out, he was the first person I wanted to see.


    But I was disappointed.


    Then I thought, maybe it wasn¡¯t appropriate for him to appear in the hospital.


    Once I was home, he would surely show up.


    Wenya stayed and played at my place until late in the evening before leaving¡­


    I waited all night, but Gu Yuanzhou still did not appear.


    Three days!


    Seven days!


    Ten days!


    All hope was gradually eroded away in the waiting.


    He never showed up again.


    This made me always feel like those days were just a dream.


    However, just when I thought everything would calm down, the news of Jiang Jiaying¡¯s abduction hit the trending searches.

 Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Chapter 420: DNA Identification

    Chapter 420: Chapter 420: DNA Identification


    Today¡¯s headlines are all about the kidnapping of the Jiang Family¡¯s wealthy heiress¡­


    The news portrayed Jiang Jiaying as a victim in an incredibly tragic light.


    After being kidnapped, all sorts of abuse followed¡ªtying up, whipping, not providing food or water, and even having her attacked by wolves every day.


    The public¡¯s sympathy sent her to the top of the trending searches again and again.


    Wenya was furious after reading it,


    ¡°Attacked by wolves? Does she think this is World War II, punishing traitors? Or did she go to Northern Myanmar and get eaten?¡±


    Jian Jing said,


    ¡°When I saw her after she returned, she seemed fine except for a few minor scratches. If a wolf had really bitten her, I suppose it would have to be a newborn without teeth.¡±


    Wenya angrily said,


    ¡°The point is, by stirring public outrage, she¡¯s actually intensifying the conflict between Ding Yinuo and Ayun. As long as this news stays in the trending searches, it will be a thorn in Ding Yinuo¡¯s side.¡±


    Jian Jing sighed,


    ¡°Ah, I really can¡¯t stand this woman.¡±


    Originally, the three of us were out eating, but after seeing this news, none of us felt like eating anymore.


    Later, while scrolling through short videos, I discovered that someone deliberately connected the incident of Jiang Jiaying¡¯s kidnapping with my eye surgery.


    They led people to speculate that I was the real mastermind behind it.


    ¡°Damn, they can play it like this? She¡¯s suggesting that you are the female boss of Zhenyi Company, isn¡¯t this blackening your name?¡±


    We couldn¡¯t finish our meal, and the passersby on the street seemed to recognize me, pointing and whispering.


    Wenya wanted to reason with them, but I held her back.


    ¡°This bunch of idiots, they don¡¯t have brains, led by Jiang Jiaying¡¯s rhythm.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t blame them! Netizens don¡¯t know the truth¡­¡±


    Jian Jing seriously said,


    ¡°I think we need to find a way to clear things up. Otherwise, it will affect the sales performance of Zhenyi Company. We are just starting out, and with her slandering us, the company¡¯s performance is going to slide again. Oh, my God!¡±


    ¡°How can we clarify? We don¡¯t have any evidence! I still don¡¯t know who kidnapped Jiang Jiaying. Although it seems related to me, I really don¡¯t know who it is.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, no matter who did it, we owe them thanks. If it weren¡¯t for this person, Ding Yinuo would have never agreed to your surgery.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, is there really no way to find out who did it?¡±


    I shook my head.


    In fact, I¡¯ve had a suspect in mind for a while now, but I couldn¡¯t be sure.


    Because up to this point, I didn¡¯t know if he was really alive, or if it had all been a dream.


    After regaining my sight, I started to fully immerse myself in my work.


    Late into the night, feeling tired, I made myself a cup of coffee.


    An unread email notification popped up on my computer.


    I opened my personal inbox and found an email from a stranger.


    Opening the email, there was a video from surveillance footage.


    I clicked the play button.


    After watching the entire video content, I was utterly shocked.


    Because this footage was taken during the days when Jiang Jiaying was kidnapped, a rooftop surveillance camera had recorded the entire process with crystal-clear clarity.


    The reality was entirely contrary to everything she had said; not a single thing was true.


    This woman was a downright fraudster.


    With this video in hand, I knew how to clear my name.


    The next morning.


    I received an invitation from Lin Nansheng to attend a business gala he had organized.


    I went alone.


    Actually, I¡¯ve missed him a lot over the past few days.


    I quite enjoy exchanging business experiences with this respected elder.


    As I arrived at the entrance, I felt that something was amiss.


    There seemed to be a lot of media reporters in the crowd, and as soon as I appeared, they all took out their cameras and started snapping pictures of me wildly.


    Each and every one of them did the same.


    It was as if I was the focus of the day.


    I waved my hand, awkwardly gesturing for everyone to stop taking pictures.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the female boss of Zhenyi Company? Look at her eyes, they seem to be fine now.¡±


    ¡°I heard she deliberately kidnapped that doctor¡¯s fiancee and then forced the doctor to perform surgery on her. Such a woman, really despicable.¡±


    ¡°She looks quite pretty, not at all like a bad person, how could she kidnap someone?¡±


    ¡°The prettier the woman, the more poisonous she is. Does she need to do something like kidnapping herself? She must have hired goons.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s terrifying.¡±


    The voices of discussion grew louder and sharper, full of aggression.


    And completely disregarding my feelings.


    It was only after Lin Nansheng showed up that everyone quieted down.


    ¡°Uncle Lin!¡±


    I approached with a smile to greet him.


    But Lin Nansheng came up and held my hand tightly,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I heard you had some trouble with your eyes a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°You child, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    Lin Nansheng warmly led me to our seats.


    ¡°It was just a small problem with my eyes. You are so busy, how could I dare to bother you?¡±


    ¡°What talk of bothering! I want to know how you¡¯re doing, and if you get sick in the future, don¡¯t just tough it out alone, you have to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Uncle Lin!¡±


    Just as I was about to sit down,


    Jiang Jiaying beat me to it, sitting between Lin Nansheng and me.


    This behavior was too deliberate.


    She obviously wanted to disrupt the connection between me and Lin Nansheng.


    I smiled at her, ¡°Miss Jiang, this seat is mine, would you mind moving over, please?¡±


    Actually, I had another purpose for coming today; I wanted to discuss business with Lin Nansheng and also take the opportunity to explain the negative gossip about me online recently.


    To clarify things, so he wouldn¡¯t get a bad impression of me, especially since I am now his goddaughter.


    However, Jiang Jiaying seemed as if she hadn¡¯t heard, still sitting comfortably, one hand propped under her chin, smiling at me,


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m set on this seat today.¡±


    I always felt that Jiang Jiaying came prepared, she was planning to make a scene today.


    If that¡¯s the case, if I don¡¯t spar with her a little, she¡¯ll probably feel itchy for trouble.


    I laughed,


    ¡°Miss Jiang, you seem very unfriendly today! May I ask how I¡¯ve offended you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any idea?¡±


    ¡°Please mind your language, can you not use offensive words?¡±


    ¡°Wow, offended by curse words! You¡¯re not afraid of dirty deeds you¡¯ve committed yourself, yet you¡¯re afraid of hearing foul language?¡±


    I looked at her calmly, glancing out of the corner of my eye behind me, where reporters had quietly raised their cameras and were closing in, seemingly ready to capture the scene.

 Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Chapter 421: Slapping the Face Hard

    Chapter 421: Chapter 421: Slapping the Face Hard


    ¡°`


    Setting another trap for me to fall into?


    I pulled out a chair, sat down gracefully, poured myself a glass of orange juice, and took a gentle sip.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯ve acted honorably, sat upright¡ªI¡¯ve done nothing dirty, I¡¯ve been true to my own conscience.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying sneered.


    ¡°I recall you being blind, not brain-damaged, so you shouldn¡¯t have amnesia, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I was blind for a while, but as to how I became blind¡ªI believe you know better than anyone, don¡¯t you?¡±


    As I asked this, Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face immediately took on an unnatural tint, her fingers tapping lightly on the table to alleviate her internal tension.


    One hand fidgeted with the button on her collar as she squinted at me,


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? What does your eye injury have to do with me?¡±


    Her voice was a bit hoarse, deliberately lowered, then she nervously stole a glance at the media reporters nearby, as if afraid of being caught on camera.


    She unconsciously leaned a few inches closer to me.


    This lack of confidence and somewhat panicky response seemed to confirm she was indeed the instigator behind the scenes.


    ¡°Last time, when Uncle Lin and I were launching the new logistics park, you brought a bunch of lunatics to throw trash at me, causing serious injury to my eye¡­ and you actually say it wasn¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t that ridiculous?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying took a deep breath, tapping the table again,


    ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gathering it!¡±


    I said only four words, leaving the rest for her to ponder deeply.


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t looking good, but her lips moved without producing another word.


    She stared at me intently for a few seconds, then poured herself a glass of red wine and gulped it down.


    ¡°Without evidence, it¡¯s just slander¡­ However, fine, since you¡¯ve said as much, you suspect me of harming your eyes, so you hired someone to kidnap me to vent your spite, right?¡±


    ¡°Kidnap?¡±


    I played along with her proactively.


    This seemed to hit right on Jiang Jiaying¡¯s excitement button.


    Her voice raised,


    ¡°Yes, kidnap! You kidnapped me to force my fianc¨¦ to perform surgery on you, isn¡¯t that despicable?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Or not? You woman, you think you can deceive everyone and hide it? I¡¯m telling you, the eyes of the netizens are sharp, all your misdeeds can be traced.¡±


    ¡°Have you been kidnapped?¡±


    I drank my orange juice calmly, smiling at her.


    Jiang Jiaying seemed not to have expected my question, pausing for a moment before loudly saying,


    ¡°What do you mean by that? I returned covered in scars, the whole city knows I was kidnapped. Haven¡¯t you been online to see? All those news reports, can they be false?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying spoke very loudly, thinking that the louder her voice, the more it would overpower me.


    But I knew she was just bluffing.


    And at that moment, a figure in a suit with a leather collar strode over and sat down close to Jiang Jiaying.


    He leaned back in his chair, smoking a cigarette, his playful gaze on me.


    Though he remained silent, the aura he exuded was a bullying pressure directed at me.


    Luckily, my mental fortitude is quite strong, too.


    ¡°`


    ¡°The news online, wasn¡¯t it all provided by you? I¡¯m quite curious, if you were really kidnapped, why didn¡¯t you go to the police?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was stunned for a long time.


    After a long while, she looked toward Ding Yinuo as if seeking support.


    After a long while, seeing that Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t speak, she finally said to me,


    ¡°I¡¯ve been released, what¡¯s the point of reporting to the police? Besides, it¡¯s my business, none of your concern. Why should I tell you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t report to the police. Is there a possibility that you weren¡¯t kidnapped at all, that you are fabricating rumors, that all you wanted was to smear my name by any means necessary?¡±


    No sooner had I spoken these words than they caused a sensation around us, with all the reporters crowding around.


    ¡°Miss Song, was this kidnapping case fabricated?¡±


    ¡°Ah, there is virtue in being honest! Miss Jiang, you¡¯d better tell the truth. Otherwise, your reputation for lying will spread, which could affect the Ding Family¡¯s credibility. After all, the Ding Family is in business, winning with integrity. With this move of yours, you¡¯ve destroyed someone else¡¯s foundation!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was hit on a sore spot, and she sat up agitatedly, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I didn¡¯t spread rumors, I was kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, don¡¯t think you can turn the tables. The disgraceful things you¡¯ve done are well known by now! You are the kind of woman who spreads rumors and lies, full of nonsense.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was already somewhat irrational.


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s have a look at the truth then! Actually, I didn¡¯t want to expose your past, but you¡¯ve really gone too far.¡±


    In the banquet hall, there was a giant electronic screen, which had been playing advertisements.


    At this moment, the screen suddenly changed.


    It showed a relatively comfortable living room, with a sofa and a carpet.


    The woman on camera had her hands tied, sitting helplessly on the sofa, occasionally walking around, sometimes looking outside.


    It appeared that her freedom was restricted.


    However, since she was supposedly restricted, she could still sleep on the sofa, watch TV, and there were various snacks and books on the table.


    After being confined all day, it becomes dark and a man enters, undoing the ropes on her wrists.


    Although there was no sound in the surveillance footage.


    But it was visible that the man had opened the door wide, signaling that she could leave.


    Yet she didn¡¯t want to go and just lay down on the sofa, refusing to get up.


    After remaining rigid for over an hour, the man tossed a phone to her and then left.


    Although the woman was initially restrained, the door was open later, and she could have left freely, but she didn¡¯t.


    Instead, she lay on the sofa, eating sunflower seeds, watching TV¡­


    Afterward, the man came several times to bring her food.


    She just spent her days lounging on the sofa, living a life where she was waited on hand and foot.


    Several days later, she suddenly got up, pushed over the vase on the table, then smeared herself with dirt, and even cut her clothes and the skin on her neck with pieces of the broken vase to create marks of injury.


    After doing all of this, she then left without any panic.


    Because the woman¡¯s face was clearly captured in the surveillance, it was indeed Jiang Jiaying herself.


    She probably never dreamed that the kidnapper would record all of this and send it to me.


    ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t a kidnapping, it¡¯s more like a vacation, right? So fake, made us run here for nothing, we really thought we had encountered bad guys from Northern Myanmar, but it turns out this was all self-directed?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, this was a waste of public resources! What a disaster!¡±


    The heated discussions among the people ruthlessly pierced through Jiang Jiaying¡¯s lies, sparing no feelings.


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s smile froze on her face¡­


    However, next, she didn¡¯t collapse and leave. Instead, in front of everyone, she announced a piece of news that shocked me.

 Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: Chapter 422: One Billion Compensation

    Chapter 422: Chapter 422: One Billion Compensation


    Everything today was within my plan.


    But Jiang Jiaying¡¯s comments were beyond my expectations.


    Just then, at the moment the media pushed her into the storm, she stood up gracefully.


    With a smile on her face, she took the microphone from the reporter and said composedly,


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the reason I called you here today is to tell you a truth! And that truth is¡­ Uncle Lin¡¯s long-lost daughter has been found.¡±


    As expected, with that announcement, the focus of everyone¡¯s attention instantly shifted.


    ¡°What? Who is Uncle Lin¡¯s biological daughter?¡±


    Indeed, as a capital mogul like Lin Nansheng, he was a natural trendsetter and crowd-puller wherever he went.


    Moreover, he had recently posted a message online looking for his biological daughter.


    Many bloggers on the internet were guessing who this mysterious and lucky girl could be.


    After all, becoming the daughter of a billionaire was as improbable as winning the lottery jackpot.


    ¡°Yes, who is it? Who exactly is Uncle Lin¡¯s daughter?¡±


    It seemed everyone had completely forgotten about Jiang Jiaying¡¯s issue as the heated discussion surged on.


    At that moment, Jiang Jiaying chose not to answer; she smiled and pointed at Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°I feel that such important news should be announced by Mr. Lin himself.¡±


    The reporters turned their cameras toward Lin Nansheng once again.


    ¡°Director Lin, first of all, congratulations. Would you please reveal who this lucky treasure of a girl is?¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s gaze slowly fell on me. He didn¡¯t speak right away; he paused, then said slowly,


    ¡°Actually, she¡¯s here today, at our table.¡±


    His gaze was filled with such tenderness, it was like a beam of light enveloping me, warm and peaceful.


    Just like the fatherly love I had longed for so much.


    I was longing for family¡­


    Like a child who had been walking in the dark for a long time, seeing a warm little house in the distance with the lights on.


    Could it be me?


    For a moment, my brain was deceived by illusions.


    I almost forgot that such a thing was completely illogical¡­ because I was no longer myself.


    However, the next instant, that illusion was shattered.


    Jiang Jiaying cut in directly,


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t keep you in suspense any longer. It¡¯s me!¡±


    ¡°What? Miss Jiang?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s statement not only woke up a group of reporters but also shocked me.


    Although my current identity made it impossible for Lin Nansheng and I to recognize each other as father and daughter, I was clear in my heart that this daughter could not possibly be Jiang Jiaying.


    My mother only had me; how could it possibly be Jiang Jiaying?


    At the same time, the reporters also expressed their doubts.


    ¡°Is it really Miss Jiang?¡±


    This persistent reporter asked Lin Nansheng directly.


    Lin Nansheng stroked his chin and nodded with a smile in agreement.


    Seeing Lin Nansheng¡¯s reaction, I was even more stunned. If Jiang Jiaying was falsely claiming to be someone else out of ignorance, it would be her folly.


    But Lin Nansheng was a composed person, so how could he engage in such a nonsensical farce with her?


    Consequently, I asked Jiang Jiaying with a smile.


    ¡°Miss Jiang, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you have your own biological parents! How come you suddenly claim a father, would your parents agree to it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss Jiang, what exactly is going on?¡±


    The reporters, carrying their cameras, all aimed at Jiang Jiaying.


    Jiang Jiaying seemed to have anticipated this move, her expression calm,


    ¡°Regarding your question, I asked my parents too! They admitted it themselves, I was adopted. So, they are just my adoptive parents in name, not my birth parents.¡±


    I was shocked¡­


    Ha, what a blatant lie.


    After a moment of thought, I then asked,


    ¡°That¡¯s just your parents¡¯ one-sided statement. After all, if you could gain an inheritance worth over a hundred billion just by recognizing a birth father, your birth parents might be willing to put on a show with you too.¡±


    I always ruthlessly exposed Jiang Jiaying¡¯s true colors, which infuriated her.


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Are you deliberately slandering me? Song Xiaoyun, do you have a vendetta against me or what? You¡¯ve been throwing mud at me all day long, you can¡¯t stand to see me not getting upset, can you?¡±


    ¡°Ahem, this isn¡¯t just my question, it¡¯s also something other netizens are eagerly anticipating. If you have evidence, just show it openly.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I actually do have evidence! Here, take a look!¡±


    It was only then that Jiang Jiaying rummaged through her bag and pulled out a paper document, which she unfolded and displayed for the netizens in front of her.


    ¡°Look, this is a DNA test report, look closely at the names on it¡­¡±


    I also took a serious look and sure enough, it was a DNA test report for Lin Nansheng and Jiang Jiaying, showing that they have a biological father-daughter relationship.


    How could this be?


    I picked up the report and examined it again meticulously.


    It was evidence provided by a top-tier hospital, in normal circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t be forged.


    Moreover, with Lin Nansheng¡¯s shrewdness, how could he have been deceived?


    A thought suddenly struck my mind, remembering that a while ago when I went to the Song Family, Wu Lijuan mentioned Jiang Jiaying had visited once and taken away a wooden comb.


    Thinking back, what Jiang Jiaying wanted wasn¡¯t the comb, but the strands of hair that remained on it, which could be used for the DNA test.


    How could this damn woman be so malicious?


    But at the moment, I had no evidence to expose her.


    At that point, a group of journalists with cameras started snapping away at Jiang Jiaying.


    Standing in front of the cameras, Jiang Jiaying looked smug. She glanced at me,


    ¡°What more do you have to say now, you woman? You¡¯ve been smearing and insulting me, isn¡¯t it time you apologized to me?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying, if you really insist on an apology from me, then I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to be disappointed, because you¡¯re not worth it.¡±


    ¡°Fine, then tell me, how am I supposed to be disappointed?¡±


    I just couldn¡¯t continue with the party anymore.


    The rest of the evening was Jiang Jiaying¡¯s solo show.


    Staying here would only mean being insulted by her.


    So I stood up and said to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I have something else to do today, so I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡±


    Seeing that I wasn¡¯t in a good state, Lin Nansheng said,


    ¡°Xiaoyun! Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine!¡±


    I looked at Lin Nansheng, hesitating to speak, but in the end, I turned and walked out.


    However, Lin Nansheng seemed to notice my upset mood and left Jiang Jiaying to chase after me.


    At the hotel entrance, he caught up with me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun! I can tell that you¡¯re upset today. Did what Jiaying said make you uncomfortable?¡±


    Indeed, he still cared about me. After thinking for a moment, I asked,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, what are your plans for dealing with Jiang Jiaying?¡±


    Lin Nansheng sighed,


    ¡°I feel very sorry for letting her fend for herself out there for so many years. I will try my best to compensate her.¡±


    ¡°How do you plan to compensate her? Are you going to give her money?¡±


    ¡°I know giving money might sound a bit tacky, but it indeed can fulfill her needs. I¡¯ve promised her already, on her birthday, I will give her ten billion as a birthday present.¡±


    Looking at Lin Nansheng¡¯s face full of guilt, I could guess that in the future he would definitely be greatly deceived by Jiang Jiaying.

 Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: Chapter 423 He Cornered Me in the Garage

    Chapter 423: Chapter 423 He Cornered Me in the Garage


    A mere birthday, and they¡¯re giving away a billion, even the largest family fortune can¡¯t withstand such reckless squandering.


    I glanced at Jiang Jiaying in the distance.


    At this moment, she was surrounded at the center like a star held up by the moon, becoming ever more arrogant and willful as she spoke at length to the reporters about her feelings.


    ¡°You know? I¡¯ve always had this feeling since I was young, I just felt I had the potential to be a wealthy heiress, and looking at it now, it turns out to be true¡­¡±


    I sighed and then turned to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Do you really trust her that much? Have you ever considered that one day she might deceive you?¡±


    This world is full of human malice.


    After a moment of thought, Lin Nansheng asked me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you worried that I won¡¯t care about you in the future? You can rest assured, although you are only my goddaughter, I still appreciate you a lot. If you face any difficulties in the future, I will help you. Don¡¯t feel any psychological burden, I won¡¯t treat you differently.¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s words moved me deeply, and after much deliberation, I decided to express the doubt in my heart.


    ¡°The woman you loved, was her name Song Xianjing?¡±


    Lin Nansheng did not deny it,


    ¡°Yes! Ah, after so many years, I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s been doing.¡±


    ¡°If you have the time, I can take you to see her!¡±


    ¡°Really? I¡¯m available anytime.¡±


    Lin Nansheng seemed very interested, with an extremely excited expression on his face.


    It felt as though he had waited a long time for this day.


    I hadn¡¯t thought of how to respond yet.


    His cell phone rang again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take this call!¡±


    I nodded.


    Lin Nansheng didn¡¯t seem to avoid me and directly answered the call in front of me.


    During the wait, I also heard the male voice coming from the phone.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou!


    Though I couldn¡¯t see him, the voice coming from there was exactly the same.


    I was utterly shocked!


    Could there really be someone in the world with such a similar voice?


    I patiently waited for Lin Nansheng to finish the call, and then curiously asked him again,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, that man¡¯s voice sounds so familiar, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lin Nansheng was slightly startled and then said after thinking,


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve met before! He came to A City not long ago to help me with some matters.¡±


    His explanation immediately piqued my interest,


    ¡°What¡¯s this relative of yours called?¡±


    ¡°Oh, his name is Louis!¡±


    ¡°Louis?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Is there an issue?¡±


    ¡°Um, why an English name, I heard him speaking Chinese¡­¡±


    ¡°He often handles some international business, dealing with foreign friends, having an English name makes things easier.¡±


    Though the name didn¡¯t match Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s.


    But that glimmer of hope still didn¡¯t extinguish in my heart.


    I still wouldn¡¯t give up until I reached the Yellow River, especially since I heard in his phone conversation about having that man come for a business meeting on Wednesday¡­


    So I proposed,


    ¡°How about next Wednesday? Next Wednesday, I¡¯ll take you to see where Song Xianjing lives.¡±


    ¡°Today is Friday¡­ just five more days! Okay then!¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s face brightened like a young man in love, a little excited, and when he heard there were still five days to wait, even a bit disappointed.


    At this moment, Jiang Jiaying seemed impatient with how long I had been talking with Lin Nansheng, and she hurried over to interrupt our conversation.


    ¡°Dad, what are you talking to her about?¡±


    She clung to Lin Nansheng¡¯s arm, acting coquettishly.


    By then, she had clearly become like the daughter of a wealthy family.


    ¡°Jiaying, although Xiaoyun is younger than you, she¡¯s also my goddaughter. I hope you two can support each other as sisters from now on,¡± he said.


    Lin Nansheng took my hand and, with his other hand took Jiang Jiaying¡¯s, placing our hands together.


    From Lin Nansheng¡¯s eyes, I could tell that he genuinely cared about me.


    Even as a goddaughter, he still valued me greatly.


    He hadn¡¯t distanced himself from me despite having found his so-called biological daughter.


    This was a very rare kind of affection.


    Jiang Jiaying, however, seemed extremely reluctant. She pulled her hand back, gave me a sidelong glance, and then said,


    ¡°Dad, I understand.¡±


    But Lin Nansheng insisted solemnly.


    ¡°Jiaying, you¡¯re a few years older than Xiaoyun, and you¡¯re the older sister. Promise me now, in front of me, that you won¡¯t bully your younger sister in the future, okay?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying stamped her feet in anger and complained,


    ¡°Dad, as you saw earlier, she kept exposing my flaws in front of others and even played so much defamatory information about me on that giant electronic screen. I was almost destroyed by her. Such a sister is a viper at heart; it¡¯s not my fault, it¡¯s hers. It¡¯s clear she is the one bullying me, so how can it be said that I am bullying her?¡±


    Lin Nansheng spoke with earnest gravity,


    ¡°I know there has been conflict between you, which is why I hope you can reconcile. Past disputes and misunderstandings were due to not knowing that the other person is one of your closest kin. Now that you know, it¡¯s time to throw away those prejudices and start anew!¡±


    Although Jiang Jiaying was very unwilling, she still promptly agreed in order to please Lin Nansheng.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely listen to what dad says¡­ Little sister, good little sister, I¡¯ll take good care of you from now on, and I hope you¡¯ll also be obedient, otherwise, I, as your older sister, will have to teach you a lesson.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s words were clearly against her will, and the smile on her face was equally insincere.


    Silently, I withdrew my hand and said goodbye to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°See you next week.¡±


    As I turned to leave, I heard Jiang Jiaying asking Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Dad, where are you taking her next week?¡±


    ¡°To meet a friend!¡±


    ¡°Can I come along?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re playing favorites. You like my little sister more! Taking her out and not bringing me! Do you have some new business venture you¡¯re giving to her?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. You can rest easy. I¡¯m just going with her to see an old friend,¡± he answered.


    By the time I heard this, I had already walked away, sneering to myself at Jiang Jiaying¡¯s intense possessiveness.


    In the underground parking lot, I was just about to hail a car when a figure approached me slowly from the garage. Only when he got close did I realize that it was Ding Yinuo.


    Seeing him then, his expression was extremely dark.


    Even from a distance, I could sense an air of danger.


    Actually, at the dinner table, Ding Yinuo had seemed silent, but I caught a glance of him, and he must have been very angry.


    I even guessed that it was fortunate Lin Nansheng had announced today that Jiang Jiaying was his own biological daughter, or this man might have flipped the table right there and then.


    Now, his chilling presence instilled a faint fear in my heart¡­


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, what do you want to do?¡±


    The vast parking garage seemed especially dim, leaving just the two of us.


    His approach frightened me, and I started to back away until I reached a dark corner, my back against the wall, shivering.

 Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Chapter 424: Cant Hold Anymore

    Chapter 424: Chapter 424: Can¡¯t Hold Anymore


    The cold walls continuously released a chill, penetrating my shirt and causing me to shake uncontrollably.


    I never knew that I could be afraid of Ding Yinuo.


    Because the darkness in his eyes, like a cheetah in a dark forest, exuded an air of fear.


    He cornered me with no way out before he leaned down, reached out, and encircled me within his arms, leaving me with no escape.


    ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t want to see this sort of thing a second time.¡±


    His brief words carried a thick warning.


    I felt angry just listening, it was obviously Jiang Jiaying who brought disaster upon herself, yet he had the audacity to blame me?


    Driven by a rush of anger, I rebuked him on the spot.


    ¡°I¡¯ll target her if I want, what can you do to me?¡±


    Ding Yinuo did not get physical with me, but instead leaned in close to my ear and whispered,


    ¡°Then be careful about your eyes¡­¡±


    When I looked into his eyes again, they were filled with a chilly and eerie coldness.


    His gaze struck fear into my heart.


    Eyes!


    What had he done to my eyes?


    His words made cold sweat break out on my back.


    Watching his figure gradually disappear into the darkness, it took me a long while to come back to my senses.


    I took a deep breath and, still feeling somewhat afraid, I made a phone call to Wenya.


    Not bothering to wait for the car in the garage anymore, I walked straight out of the garage and into the sunlight outside, immediately feeling much more relaxed.


    ¡°What? He cornered you in the garage, are you hurt? Did he lay a hand on you?¡±


    Wenya was far more anxious than I had imagined.


    ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t reached that level of losing his composure¡­ But he mentioned my eyes and said if I keep targeting Jiang Jiaying, I should be careful about my eyes.¡±


    Wenya couldn¡¯t contain her anger upon hearing this and cursed out loud.


    ¡°So what do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Do your eyes hurt?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, they don¡¯t hurt one bit! I just can¡¯t figure out why he would threaten me with this, because there¡¯s currently nothing wrong with my eyes.¡±


    I closed my eyes and even reached out to touch them, feeling both my left and right eyes, and didn¡¯t detect any abnormalities.


    Wenya thought of something,


    ¡°Ayun, could he have left a piece of gauze inside your eyeball? I saw a news story about a woman who had a piece of gauze left inside her stomach after giving birth, the mere thought of it is freaking scary! If Ding Yinuo really did something like that, it would be utterly inhumane.¡±


    Her words made me a bit scared.


    ¡°Gauze is impossible, my eyes are too small to fit that.¡±


    ¡°Could there be a chance that he did something like deliberately messing up a nerve connection or something¡­ How about this, let me take you to the hospital for a check-up to see what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Ah, forget it, there¡¯s no need to panic over nothing! Perhaps he was just trying to intimidate me; after all, his reputation as a doctor is at stake here, and the First City Hospital isn¡¯t some small clinic; they wouldn¡¯t allow a doctor to make such a big medical mistake.¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Wenya sighed deeply,


    ¡°Just take care of yourself, and if you feel uncomfortable, you¡¯d better report it to the police right away! Medical malpractice is a crime, and I refuse to believe the police can¡¯t handle him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I got it!¡±


    After speaking with Wenya, I felt a lot better.


    I did not go to the hospital for an examination.


    However, I don¡¯t know if it was a psychological effect, but by the next day, I started to feel a bit of itchiness around my eyes.


    When I looked in the mirror, I saw that my eyes were somewhat red and swollen.


    I thought it might be because of eating spicy food.


    I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it and self-administered some eye drops.


    But aside from the redness and swelling, there were no other symptoms¡­


    For the next few days, I kept using the eye drops. Although the condition would alleviate after using the drops, it would recur the next day.


    A few days later, when I looked in the mirror again, I found my eyes were full of red bloodshot veins.


    Although it looked quite scary, I didn¡¯t feel too uncomfortable.


    But if I went out, it would probably frighten anyone who saw me.


    So I found a pair of sunglasses to wear.


    It just so happened to be the day I had arranged to meet with Lin Nansheng.


    Initially, he had planned to come to my place and drive me over, but I thought of that man named Mr. Louis who would be helping at his company.


    So I drove myself to his company instead.


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s building seemed to have been recently purchased as an investment and, under the sunlight, the entire building shone with a golden brilliance.


    It was incredibly luxurious and classy.


    As I entered, I happened to see Jiang Jiaying again.


    Jiang Jiaying seemed to be carrying some takeout in her hands, lots of large and small bags¡­


    I originally wanted to avoid her, so I deliberately waited for her to get on the elevator and then waited for the next one.


    I didn¡¯t expect to run into her again right after getting out of the elevator.


    I glanced at her and tried to leave without a fuss, but she called out to me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t avoid me! Are you afraid of me or what?¡±


    ¡°Why should I be afraid of you?¡±


    ¡°Look, daddy bought me a new car, the latest sports car model, worth over two million! You¡¯ve never driven such a nice car, have you?¡±


    ¡°Daddy? How ridiculous. Is he really your father?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying seemed a bit guilty and hurriedly walked away with her bags.


    A moment later, she entered the CEO¡¯s office and placed all the items on Lin Nansheng¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Dad, you said last time that you like fish maw chicken soup, so I especially bought it from Golden Bay for you to try. They say fish maw is excellent for nourishing the body! I also bought you some deep-sea fish oil, all these varieties I got from Japan. Dad, you¡¯re so focused on work, worrying yourself sick, and tired out. You really need to rest well. If you don¡¯t trust others, you can trust me; let me handle some of the company¡¯s business.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was all smiles, offering bird¡¯s nests and massaging Lin Nansheng¡¯s shoulders.


    Lin Nansheng seemed to enjoy her attentive service.


    He squinted his eyes, reveling in this rare joy of family.


    In fact, Jiang Jiaying¡¯s ambitions were clear to anyone who paid attention.


    But Lin Nansheng, having lost his daughter for many years, knew all this yet chose to ignore it. How much did he cherish this daughter he had only just found?


    ¡°Jiaying, you¡¯re a doctor, aren¡¯t you? What do you know about running a business? I think that kind of thing is better left to your sister.¡±


    Comparatively, Lin Nansheng trusted me more.


    He wanted to teach me the ins and outs of the company¡¯s business personally¡­


    But Jiang Jiaying wouldn¡¯t agree. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re playing favorites, all the way to the Pacific Ocean! Since my sister has an opportunity, can¡¯t I have one too?¡±


    While Jiang Jiaying argued with him, I heard someone outside calling out,


    ¡°Mr. Louis, there¡¯re guests in Director Lin¡¯s office, please wait a moment.¡±


    Louis?


    Is it the person I was looking for?


    I immediately turned my head to look outside.

 Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: Chapter 425 Old Love

    Chapter 425: Chapter 425 Old Love


    Through the transparent glass wall, I saw an additional figure in the hall outside,


    an imposing figure in a black trench coat, with the collar of the black shirt underneath raised high, concealing the face.


    Plus, wearing a mask and sunglasses, I couldn¡¯t make out his features at the moment.


    I could only sense that this man had a very strong presence.


    He had a particularly intense aura that was impossible to ignore.


    Was it Gu Yuanzhou?


    Unfortunately, I was too far away from him, and besides, he was still standing sideways to me, still communicating with other employees of the company.


    ¡°Xiaoyun!¡±


    Lin Nansheng called my name several times, and only then did I turn my head to look at him.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying crossed her arms and gave me a disdainful glance,


    ¡°Really, no manners at all, looking around while talking to your elders, it¡¯s very rude.¡±


    Lin Nansheng smiled and stood up,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready, we can leave now.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Please give me a few minutes¡­¡±


    For some reason, I suddenly felt unwell.


    I had bought a cup of milk tea on the way here.


    After a few sips of milk tea, my stomach started to churn, feeling very uncomfortable, so I went to the restroom, where I threw up violently into the toilet.


    After sitting for a while and rinsing my mouth, I wiped the corners with a tissue and looked at myself in the mirror.


    I noticed I had become quite haggard recently, with obvious dark circles under my eyes.


    After a while, when I came out,


    Lin Nansheng was waiting for me, looking at me with concern,


    ¡°Did you just throw up?¡±


    It seemed that although I hadn¡¯t said anything, he had already detected the subtle changes in me.


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to alarm you.¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Do you need to go to the hospital for a check-up?¡±


    Lin Nansheng was anxious, taking out his phone to call for emergency services.


    Unexpectedly, Jiang Jiaying was even more anxious than I was,


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry about her. In my opinion, she¡¯s just eaten something bad. Look, she¡¯s drinking milk tea. How filthy is milk tea nowadays with all its flavorings and additives, and when the shop¡¯s hygiene is not up to standard, it can be full of bacteria¡­ You¡¯re an adult, yet you¡¯re so unreliable and not steady, it¡¯s simply ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Also, look at you, wearing sunglasses to work in broad daylight. Is this you showing off? Do you know what people outside think when they see you?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying kept criticizing me.


    Lin Nansheng couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and directly said,


    ¡°Hey, Jiaying, these are all minor details. It¡¯s not something to worry about. Many young people drink milk tea nowadays!¡±


    ¡°Dad, indulgence is like killing a child. By doing this, you¡¯re harming her. As her sister, it¡¯s my duty to point out her faults immediately, to help her correct them in the future.¡±


    I glared at her and chuckled softly,


    ¡°You¡¯re lecturing others? Start by sorting out your own life first!¡±


    Jiaying, furious, pointed at me,


    ¡°Dad, look at her, she¡¯s talking back! She¡¯s disrespectful and lacks any sense of hierarchy.¡±


    ¡°Enough, don¡¯t argue any more¡­ Jiaying, why don¡¯t you go back first? I need to take care of something with Xiaoyun in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Dad, I¡¯ll go then.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying actually still wanted to argue with me, but Lin Nansheng had given the order to leave, and being an adult, she wanted to save some face, not daring to make a scene with Lin Nansheng.


    After all, if she angered Lin Nansheng too much, she wouldn¡¯t gain anything from it.


    He could only collect his things and leave in a dejected manner.


    After Jiang Jiaying left, I sat on the sofa to catch my breath for a while, and Lin Nansheng asked his secretary to make me a cup of hot cocoa.


    After drinking a few sips, I felt a bit better.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Do you really not need to go to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    Lin Nansheng did not rush me.


    Feeling somewhat better, I stood up and looked out beyond the glass walls.


    But the figure that was there before had disappeared.


    I went to the living room, where a receptionist was tidying up the greenery on the table. I grabbed her and asked,


    ¡°There was a gentleman earlier, wearing a black coat and sunglasses¡­ about this tall, do you know where he went?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Mr. Louis?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes, that¡¯s the name.¡±


    ¡°Uh, he just delivered some things and then left.¡±


    ¡°What? Why did he leave?¡±


    I was very disappointed and kept muttering to myself about it.


    The receptionist said with a smile,


    ¡°That gentleman is Director Lin¡¯s family member. He comes by often, sometimes several times a day. If you¡¯re looking for him, you might want to ask Director Lin.¡±


    ¡°Oh, do you have his mobile number or contact information?¡±


    Seeing my anxious expression, the receptionist wanted to laugh,


    ¡°Do you like that gentleman? I don¡¯t have his phone number here; he¡¯s not our client, and I¡¯ve never inquired about his contact information.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡±


    I now regret a little that I cared too much about saving face. If I had been shameless and approached him directly, everything would have been okay.


    Half an hour later, Lin Nansheng was driving me through the bustling streets.


    After a long while, the car gradually came to a stop in front of the old Song Family mansion.


    Actually, this little Western-style house is no longer what it used to be.


    When I was a child, all these houses had red brick walls and were covered with various vines that climbed over the walls.


    The present villa is built on the foundation of the original old house, and though the style has changed a lot, the aura of the ancient residence is still there.


    Sure enough, after the car stopped, Lin Nansheng stood silently downstairs for a long time.


    ¡°Does Xianjing live here?¡±


    Seeing the excitement that Lin Nansheng could not hide in his eyes, I couldn¡¯t bear to let him have too much hope.


    ¡°This is the Song Family!¡±


    ¡°The Song Family? Didn¡¯t she live with her husband¡¯s family?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s something I need to tell you; please brace yourself.¡±


    A cruel reality, but still reality that must be told.


    ¡°Please speak¡­ In fact, I can understand her. If she¡¯s married and has children, no matter what the situation, I can accept it. Sigh, I am the one who wronged her. I, too, have married and had children!¡±


    Lin Nansheng adjusted the reading glasses on his face¡­


    It was only today that I noticed Lin Nansheng had come wearing glasses,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, why are you wearing glasses today?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m getting old, my eyesight is not as good, but it¡¯s manageable for regular office work. However, when meeting guests, I wear them so things are clearer¡­¡±


    Lin Nansheng sighed deeply,


    ¡°I also want to have a good look at Xianjing, it¡¯s been so many years since we last met! You don¡¯t know, but I often see her in my dreams. Yet, even though she¡¯s within a certain distance, I still can¡¯t see her face clearly. I call out to her, ¡®Xianjing, are you doing well?¡¯ She turns and runs away, and no matter how I chase, I can¡¯t catch up.¡±


    I took a deep breath, struggling to maintain my composure, ¡°She¡¯s no longer in this world!¡±

 Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Chapter 426: Obsessive Love

    Chapter 426: Chapter 426: Obsessive Love


    ¡°What?¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s body trembled upon hearing the news, nearly losing his balance completely. Fortunately, I stood by his side and quickly steadied him with my hand.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, you must take care of yourself! This isn¡¯t a recent event; it happened many years ago.¡±


    Clinging to my arm tightly, Lin Nansheng¡¯s voice shook as he said:


    ¡°You¡¯re saying Xianjing has passed away?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she left us long ago!¡±


    In an instant, Lin Nansheng seemed to have taken a heavy blow, his vigor drained away, making him appear several years older in the blink of an eye.


    He staggered backward, clutching his chest with a hand, his face contorted in extreme pain.


    Just then, Wu Lijuan came to open the door, and upon seeing his condition, helped me support Lin Nansheng into the house.


    ¡°I have some acute rescue heart pills here¡­¡±


    Having been sick before, Wu Lijuan had stocked up on various heart medications at home. Noticing that Lin Nansheng had a heart problem, she quickly administered the pills.


    She then gave him a cup of boiled water to drink.


    After taking the medication, Lin Nansheng¡¯s previously pale complexion gradually regained its color.


    The pained expression on his face also disappeared.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, is it serious? Should I take you to the hospital to have a look?¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just an old ailment,¡± he waved his hand dismissively. Seeing that his condition had returned to normal, I introduced him,


    ¡°This is Mrs. Song, she is¡­¡±


    Before I could finish speaking, Wu Lijuan took over the conversation, as I had briefed her on the general situation over the phone prior to our meeting.


    At that moment, she took the initiative to introduce herself,


    ¡°You must be Mr. Lin, right? I am Xianjing¡¯s sister-in-law, and also her close friend¡­¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Song!¡±


    ¡°You can call me Lijuan. Actually, I was a classmate and close friend of Xianjing, oh!¡±


    After Song Shixiong was convicted, Wu Lijuan had long since divorced him.


    Therefore, she preferred not to be referred to as Mrs. Song in public.


    Lin Nansheng was deeply distressed,


    ¡°How did Xianjing die?¡±


    ¡°After giving birth, she suffered from postpartum depression. At its worst, she had suicidal tendencies. Later, I brought her to see a doctor, and after medication, she got much better. But at some point, she stopped her medication on her own. On the surface, she seemed no different from usual. Then one day, out of the blue, she hung herself with a rope¡­¡±


    As Wu Lijuan recounted the past, tears streamed down her cheeks.


    I couldn¡¯t help but cry along.


    Lin Nansheng was filled with guilt,


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! It¡¯s all my fault! I failed to take good care of her! I let her down! If only I had visited the Song Family more often back then, if only I had understood the situation better, she wouldn¡¯t have gone through this suffering. How foolish I was!¡±


    People often do foolish things in their youth.


    ¡°Mr. Lin, it has already come to this, there¡¯s no need for self-reproach. This was Xianjing¡¯s fate, oh!¡±


    Wu Lijuan sighed deeply.


    Removing his glasses, Lin Nansheng¡¯s old tears blurred his vision.


    No amount of tissues could keep up with them.


    After consoling him for a long time, Lin Nansheng¡¯s emotions gradually stabilized. However, despite accepting the harsh reality, disappointment was undeniable in the depths of his eyes.


    His former lover, never to be seen again.


    The thought was indeed distressing.


    After a while, Lin Nansheng composed himself and looked at Wu Lijuan,


    ¡°Did she leave any last words or instructions before she departed?¡±


    Wu Lijuan sighed,


    ¡°She left a letter! Wait here, I¡¯ll go see if I can find it!¡±


    When Wu Lijuan stood up, Lin Nansheng followed suit,


    ¡°May I look around the vicinity? I¡¯d like to see the room where Xianjing used to live.¡±


    ¡°Uh, Mr. Lin¡­ Our rooms were demolished and rebuilt. Upstairs, there indeed was a room reserved for Xianjing¡­ but it was merely used to store her belongings. By the time this new house was constructed, she had already passed away.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    ¡°However, when we rebuilt, we didn¡¯t dismantle much of the garden in the back; it has been preserved just as it was before. You can go to the Rose Garden to take a look; the flowers there were planted by Xianjing herself.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you!¡±


    As Lin Nansheng headed to the backyard, I quietly followed behind him.


    The slanting summer sun shone from the other side of the wall.


    Its light pierced through the dense foliage, casting a lonely shadow over him. His figure stretched long on the ground, and his steps appeared heavy and sluggish.


    In fact, I had visited this backyard countless times as a child, chasing butterflies and catching cicadas.


    But my aunt probably worried that it would remind me of my mother, so she never mentioned that the Rose Garden was planted by her.


    However, in my memory, my aunt often came here to prune the roses herself.


    Every time she returned from trimming, her eyes were always red.


    She would say it was mosquito bites, but now I know it was her way of paying tribute to my mother.


    Lin Nansheng walked very slowly; he reached out to touch the stone benches and chairs and then caressed the tall tree trunks with his hands.


    On the winding stone path, it seemed as though traces of memory remained within the passage of time.


    There was also a swing in the Rose Garden. Now, at this season, flower petals filled the courtyard, and a gust of wind made them dance through the air.


    Eventually, they settled on the swing. Lin Nansheng walked shakily over to it, sat down slowly, and then looked up at the sky.


    He sighed deeply.


    ¡°Xianjing, how could you be so foolish, not to wait for my return?¡±


    I didn¡¯t disturb him and quietly returned to the living room alone.


    At that moment, Wu Lijuan brought out some sweet soup and set it before me,


    ¡°Sigh, if only Xianjing were still alive, the man she waited for has finally come to find her.¡±


    ¡°Indeed!¡±


    ¡°Especially when she was still alive and pregnant, she always talked about this man¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such a pity; if she has a spirit in heaven¡­¡±


    The sweet soup Wu Lijuan made was delicious.


    But for some reason, after I finished it, my stomach churned, and I felt better only after going to the restroom and throwing up.


    However, out of politeness, I didn¡¯t tell the truth¡­


    Wu Lijuan was talking about Song Zexi again.


    ¡°Recently, he took over the company, and now it¡¯s slowly getting back on track. Although there are some difficulties, he¡¯ll soon be able to overcome them¡­ Ah, people, in this lifetime, you never know whether what you¡¯re pursuing is wrong or if you¡¯ve met an unreliable father.¡±


    After half an hour, Lin Nansheng slowly walked back in, looking much older at that moment.


    Wu Lijuan hurriedly handed him the letter she was holding.


    The envelope was yellowed with age, looking as though it had a history of over twenty years, carrying a woman¡¯s longing from two decades ago.


    ¡°When Xianjing passed away, I wasn¡¯t by her side, and I didn¡¯t get to hear if she had any last words¡­ This letter was written by her when she was still lucid.¡±


    Although the cover was entirely yellowed, it was clean with no creases, indicating that Wu Lijuan had kept it well over the years.


    Lin Nansheng took it with both hands and bowed deeply, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Wu Lijuan sighed deeply,


    ¡°What¡¯s there to thank me for! This was Xianjing¡¯s wish. To deliver it into the hands of the person it concerns is to fulfill my duty.¡±


    Lin Nansheng sat on the sofa and read the letter through.


    Watching the old man wiping his tears, I didn¡¯t have the heart to disturb him.


    I just poured him a cup of tea and accompanied him in silence.


    After finishing the letter, he carefully folded it and put it into his briefcase, then said to Wu Lijuan,


    ¡°In the letter, Xianjing mentioned that she bore me a daughter and named her Yun! I would like to know, where is that child now?¡±

 Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Chapter 427 Cant Dock Anymore

    Chapter 427: Chapter 427 Can¡¯t Dock Anymore


    At this question, Wu Lijuan was stunned and took a long time to sigh deeply,


    ¡°That child, truly had a tough fate!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Wu Lijuan hemmed and hawed for a while, then suddenly stood up and knelt in front of Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Mr. Lin, I have wronged you! Song Xianjing entrusted her child to me, asking me to hand her over to you if I ever had the chance. But I failed¡­ I couldn¡¯t take care of her properly, and she perished in a fire. I am so sorry!¡±


    Lin Nansheng was utterly shocked upon hearing this.


    Although he had officially recognized Jiang Jiaying on the surface, he had some doubts deep down.


    Now he had directly asked Wu Lijuan, it was clear he wanted to confirm it once more.


    The answer he got was unexpected.


    He stood up, helped Wu Lijuan to sit down on the couch,


    ¡°Aunt of the child, please get up, don¡¯t kneel. You¡¯re not young anymore; why kneel? You might hurt your waist.¡±


    As soon as Wu Lijuan mentioned the name Song Yun, she couldn¡¯t hold back and burst into loud sobbing.


    She wept heartbrokenly.


    ¡°I raised that child with my own hands. She was very beautiful, looking a lot like Xianjing when she was younger. Pretty and smart too; she grasped things with just a hint. I didn¡¯t have a daughter, so I doted on her as if she were my own. I never would have imagined such a tragedy happening.¡±


    ¡°What sort of accident was it?¡±


    Lin Nansheng inquired.


    Wu Lijuan then recounted the details of the Golden Bay fire incident thoroughly.


    Lin Nansheng was once again shaken to the core; afterward, he sat down despondently, let out a mournful sigh, and then there was a long silence.


    For a moment, even the flow of the room seemed to freeze, and all I could perceive was the ticking of the clock.


    Wu Lijuan went to the study and took out a photograph, along with several photo albums.


    That photo was of me with the two kids¡­


    ¡°This is what Ayun left behind, sigh. I never thought she would meet with such an accident. Had I known, I would have saved more of her pictures. After digging through the house, the only photograph I could find from after her marriage is this one. However, there are still some pictures in these albums from when she was in kindergarten and from her elementary and middle school days. Take a look!¡±


    Lin Nansheng took the albums and slowly flipped through them¡­


    In reality, those pictures were all too familiar to me; I had looked through them countless times before.


    But I never expected that they would now be in the hands of Lin Nansheng, who carefully perused them, his fingers tenderly brushing across the photos.


    After a long time, he was once again overshadowed by old tears and deep sighs.


    ¡°She really does look like her mother!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ayun was very beautiful; many people pursued her. She was also very intelligent, she never caused me any worry with her studies.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such a pity¡­ I wonder if she ever harbored any resentment towards me, her father.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°Sigh, I¡¯ve troubled you for too long here. I should take my leave now. Could I possibly take one of the albums to keep as a memento?¡±


    ¡°You can take them all if you¡¯d like. As for the albums we have here, to prevent losing them, I had them all backed up on my computer a few days ago. If I ever need them, I can just have my son print them out.¡±


    Lin Nansheng stood up and shook hands with Wu Lijuan.


    ¡°Thank you very much for raising Ayun, it wasn¡¯t easy at all. Please accept my bow!¡±


    Lin Nansheng gave Wu Lijuan a deep bow.


    With tears brimming in her eyes and a choked voice Wu Lijuan said,


    ¡°Ah, I regret not being able to hand her over to you intact. I truly feel guilty.¡±


    Lin Nansheng patted Wu Lijuan¡¯s arm,


    ¡°Perhaps this is all fate, and you shouldn¡¯t blame yourself too much.¡±


    After saying goodbye to Wu Lijuan, I walked out with Lin Nansheng.


    On the way back, Lin Nansheng was silent the entire time.


    Seeing him so sad, I tried to comfort him,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, don¡¯t be too sad, sometimes¡­ what I mean is, Ayun might appear in your life in another way.¡±


    Lin Nansheng pressed his fingers to his brow and thought for a moment, then suddenly looked up at me,


    ¡°I want to visit her grave! To pay respects to her, she¡¯s grown up now, it¡¯s about time she saw what her dad looks like.¡±


    ¡°Uh, there doesn¡¯t seem to be a grave yet, she hasn¡¯t been buried¡­¡±


    I went over the general situation, and Lin Nansheng was slightly shocked upon hearing this, but he quickly made a decision, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a funeral for her when I find the time.¡±


    I didn¡¯t stop him, as this was probably the only thing he could do for his daughter as an old father.


    In the afternoon, as we arrived at the company¡¯s entrance, we saw Jiang Jiaying had already been ostentatiously waiting there.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Clearly, she didn¡¯t know where I went with Lin Nansheng, and she was very suspicious that we had done something important together.


    So to test the nature of our relationship, she deliberately clung to Lin Nansheng very affectionately,


    ¡°Dad, where have you been? I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s face was already not looking too good, and he quietly pulled away his arm,


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a good mood right now! You go home first.¡±


    Today was indeed not so wonderful for Lin Nansheng; in one day, he had lost both his first love and his biological daughter.


    These were two very important people in his life, so it¡¯s normal for his mood to be at a low.


    Anyone would have a short fuse in such a situation.


    But Jiang Jiaying seemed to be oblivious to this, continuing to act spoiled,


    ¡°Dad, where did you take my sister? Did she say something bad about me in front of you, making you have some bad ideas about me?¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s face was now incredibly stern, but he still didn¡¯t lose his temper, showing great restraint and forbearance.


    He slowly walked to his office.


    As he sat down in his swivel chair, Jiang Jiaying was still acting spoiled,


    ¡°Dad, I want that yacht. I¡¯ve already picked out the model; take a look. This one is a worldwide limited edition¡ªit would be so prestigious to take it out, whether for parties with friends or for business meetings.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was trying to use this method to prove that Lin Nansheng¡¯s love for her was deeper.


    She had a yacht brochure in her hand, which she tried to hand over to Lin Nansheng¡­


    Even the most patient person has their limits.


    Lin Nansheng angrily threw the materials onto the floor, then burst out,


    ¡°Where did you get that DNA test from?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was shocked by Lin Nansheng¡¯s sudden outburst, and after a long while, she realized something was wrong and turned to look at me, ¡°Song Xiaoyun, did you say something to my dad again?¡±


    I spread my hands, ¡°You know what you¡¯ve done today!¡±


    ¡°What bad things have I done? If it wasn¡¯t for you deliberately smearing me, deliberately driving a wedge between my dad and me, why would he suddenly act like this?¡±


    Lin Nansheng finally couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and stood up,


    ¡°Enough! Don¡¯t blame others; you are not my daughter at all. I haven¡¯t exposed you publicly out of respect for an old friend. If you keep troubling Xiaoyun, don¡¯t blame me for not being polite.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­ listen to my explanation, it was¡­¡±


    Jiang Jiaying finally realized the severity of the problem, and she still wanted to defend herself.


    Lin Nansheng no longer gave her the opportunity.


    He slammed the desk forcefully, his eyes rimmed with red as he shouted,


    ¡°Enough, can you stop treating everyone like a fool? I¡¯ve already been to the Song Family today. Song Xianjing only had one daughter, that¡¯s Song Yun, and she has passed away!¡±

 Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Chapter 428 Malicious Intentions

    Chapter 428: Chapter 428 Malicious Intentions


    When Lin Nansheng said these words, Jiang Jiaying¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t hold up anymore.


    She gradually realized that this scam had gone wrong.


    In fact, she hadn¡¯t expected Lin Nansheng to find out the truth so soon.


    She glared at me fiercely.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, it was you who did this, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the architect of your own misfortune, and you still have the nerve to blame others?¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, how could Uncle Lin have found the Song Family so quickly?¡±


    ¡°Ha, what a joke, you¡¯re a swindler, you¡¯ve deceived others, and you don¡¯t allow yourself to be exposed?¡±


    ¡°Just wait, this isn¡¯t over!¡±


    With a ferocious look, Jiang Jiaying threatened me and then turned to leave.


    I watched her retreating figure and fell into silence.


    After a long while, I turned to look at Lin Nansheng, who was immersed in sorrow.


    ¡°Uncle Lin! Please accept my condolences!¡±


    Lin Nansheng shook his head and walked to the window, gazing outside.


    He stood there alone by the window for a long time, and when nightfall came, he was still there, like a petrified statue.


    I didn¡¯t disturb him.


    I was well aware that such matters needed time to be digested slowly.


    It wasn¡¯t until nightfall that he finally picked up his phone, speaking very solemnly to the person on the other end.


    ¡°Nana, Daddy has something to tell you! You have an older sister, this happened before I married your mother¡­¡±


    ¡°What older sister? How come you¡¯ve never mentioned her before?¡±


    ¡°Because Daddy only found out about this just now.¡±


    ¡°Have you told Mom about this?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell her for now, it has nothing to do with her. The reason I¡¯m calling you is because your sister has passed away in an accident. Daddy has never seen her in his lifetime, nor has he fulfilled his responsibilities and duties towards her. All I want now is to give her a dignified funeral after her death. And I hope that you, as her sister, will attend her funeral.¡±


    ¡°Dad, my final exams are coming up soon! How about I go and sweep her tomb during Qingming Festival next year? I know you feel guilty, but she¡¯s already gone, you have to accept the reality.¡±


    ¡°Nana, this matter is very important to Daddy, and it¡¯s important to you too. She¡¯s your biological sister and a member of the family, you must come.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Dad, I¡¯ll come!¡±


    ¡°Bring Louis along with you when you come.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    After the call ended, I realized how important I was in Lin Nansheng¡¯s heart.


    It¡¯s just a pity that I can¡¯t reveal my true identity right now, and can only silently accompany him by his side.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, it¡¯s dinner time now, let me accompany you to eat!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Looking at Lin Nansheng, who seemed a bit distracted, and whose footsteps were somewhat unsteady as he walked out,


    I was fortunate to be by his side and reached out to steady him.


    While in the elevator, he called Louis again.


    ¡°By the way, I want to hold a funeral for my eldest daughter; help me pick a suitable date. Also, find me a proper funeral home and select a cemetery plot. I want the most expensive one, and for the feng shui part, it would be best to have a master take a look.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Although there weren¡¯t many words on the phone, Louis¡¯s voice was still very familiar¡ªit was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s voice.


    I continued to stand by, listening.


    After Lin Nansheng hung up the phone, I asked,


    ¡°Are you bringing your biological daughter here for the funeral?¡±


    Lin Nansheng took off his glasses and wiped them before murmuring,


    ¡°`


    ¡°Yes, this is the only chance for a family reunion. I have to let Ayun know she still has a sister, and from now on, we¡¯ll come to visit her every Qingming Festival.¡±


    ¡°You really are a good father! If she knows about this beneath the ground, she will surely be grateful.¡±


    ¡°Grateful, let¡¯s not talk about that, I just hope she knows that there¡¯s still a dad here who loves and misses her¡­ Ah, but actually, these words are still empty, she can¡¯t feel them anymore.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, everything you¡¯ve done for her, she can sense it. She¡¯s happy and satisfied¡­¡±


    Tears flickered in Lin Nansheng¡¯s eyes,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you are such a good child. The things you say always warm my heart.¡±


    For dinner, we chose a Chinese restaurant.


    Actually, it was my favorite restaurant in the past, so I wanted to take Lin Nansheng there to try it out.


    I ordered roasted fish¡­


    ¡°Song Yun used to come here to eat a lot!¡±


    What I said referred to myself.


    Lin Nansheng was slightly surprised,


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    I calmly replied,


    ¡°I was good friends with her before, really good ones, the kind who could share our hearts with each other.¡±


    Lin Nansheng put down his chopsticks and looked at me with excitement in his eyes, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, you¡¯ve seen it yourself. Jiaying and I are not the same kind of people. I don¡¯t like to lie.¡±


    ¡°I can see that. You are a child of good character, a good child. Jiaying, that child, has truly disappointed me, harboring ill intentions.¡±


    Lin Nansheng had barely finished speaking.


    When a figure approached from a distance¡­


    It was Jiang Jiaying.


    At this moment, the pride that used to be on Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face was gone.


    She walked up to Lin Nansheng with her purse,


    ¡°Is there really no way to salvage this situation?¡±


    Lin Nansheng was extremely disappointed in Jiang Jiaying,


    ¡°I have already found my biological daughter now, and in a few days, I will hold a funeral for her!¡±


    ¡°Are you going to make this public online?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I will also have her entered into the family ancestral hall as a member of the family!¡±


    ¡°What about me? What do you intend to do with me? You have already announced that I am your biological daughter in public. Reporters and media have taken photos, and I have been on the news. Now in my circle, my friends all regard me as the daughter of a billionaire. And then you suddenly announce that I am not, where does that leave my face?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was a bit emotional.


    I chuckled softly,


    ¡°You are the Ugly Duckling that can¡¯t show face. Who can you blame for that? Besides, you were the one who schemed and misled Uncle Lin from the start. You set this up from the beginning, so you should bear the consequences.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying became silent, her eyes looked spitefully for a moment, then turned back to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I was wrong before, I was young and didn¡¯t understand, I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you intentionally. Please give me another chance. Anyway, your biological daughter is already dead. Whether you announce it publicly or not, she can¡¯t come back to life. But this is a very important opportunity for me. You can¡¯t ruin me!¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s face remained cold without a word.


    At that moment, I suddenly felt a very irritating discomfort in my eyes.


    I picked up my purse and stood up, ¡°Uncle Lin, I¡¯m going to the restroom, I¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡±


    My eyes were really uncomfortable¡­


    I went to the restroom to rinse them with water, thinking there might have been something in them.


    But even after washing, it didn¡¯t feel much better.


    After dropping a couple of eye drops, the stinging eased a bit.


    More than ten minutes later, when I had gathered my things and returned to the restaurant, I found that Lin Nansheng, who had been dining at the table, was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Chapter 429: Eye Problems

    Chapter 429: Chapter 429: Eye Problems


    The waitress came over to clean up, and I hurriedly stepped forward to stop her,


    ¡°Hey, someone is still here!¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry, miss, the gentleman here has already paid the bill. I thought you all had finished eating!¡±


    ¡°Sir, where did the gentleman who was sitting here just now go?¡±


    ¡°It seems he left with the lady he was sitting with.¡±


    The waitress¡¯s answer shocked me.


    Isn¡¯t Jiang Jiaying the only lady?


    How did he leave with Jiang Jiaying?


    And he didn¡¯t even say goodbye.


    The situation was indeed a bit strange¡­


    I tried calling Lin Nansheng¡¯s cell phone, but nobody answered.


    In the afternoon, Jian Jing called me to say something happened to the child and asked me to lend a hand at the hospital.


    I didn¡¯t give Lin Nansheng¡¯s situation another thought and headed straight there.


    In the lobby, Jian Jing was holding the child and crying.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yu Jiahang, that darn jerk. My mom has been sick these past few days, so she couldn¡¯t take care of the child for me. So, I sent the child to my mother-in-law¡¯s place for Yu Jiahang to look after for a bit. Who knew, when I went to check on the child at noon, my mother-in-law was playing mahjong, and the child was asleep on the floor with wet pants that nobody bothered to change. The worst part is, the child caught a cold and developed a high fever, and no one cared. I got angry and argued with my mother-in-law, and Yu Jiahang came over and quarreled with me.¡±


    ¡°He said since I wanted to take care of the child, I shouldn¡¯t work. If I want to work, then I can¡¯t make too many demands¡­ What demands have I made? The child is already half a year old, and the Yu family has not bought a thing for the child, nor taken care of him for even one day¡­ The child isn¡¯t just mine; he¡¯s part of him too. Why doesn¡¯t he want to put in any effort at all? He doesn¡¯t provide for milk formula or want to take care of the child; I really must have been blind to end up with this kind of man.¡±


    Jian Jing was trembling with anger, and I quickly tried to soothe her.


    ¡°Let it go, don¡¯t be angry now; the child is burning up. You should hurry and go to the emergency room.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already registered, but there are so many emergency cases today. There are still over a hundred numbers ahead of us¡­¡±


    Jian Jing was a mess. Her hair was disheveled, the dark circles under her eyes were very apparent, and her face was the picture of anxiety.


    The child in her arms had a little face that was flushed with fever, and despite the fever-reducing patch on his forehead, he clearly wasn¡¯t well and kept crying out.


    Jian Jing kept calling Yu Jiahang.


    After four or five calls, Yu Jiahang finally showed up leisurely.


    He seemed impatient,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m at work? I was in a meeting just now; you¡¯ve bombarded me with hundreds of calls.¡±


    ¡°The child is sick. Shouldn¡¯t you come and take care of him?¡±


    ¡°You really are a piece of work. With so many demands for how my mom should care for you. You say you can¡¯t manage it yourself. What exactly do you expect from people?¡±


    ¡°Is this my fault? Have you seen your mother¡¯s attitude? The child¡¯s pants were soaked and she didn¡¯t even think to change them, she let the child get a fever. If she agreed to take care of the child, can¡¯t she show a little care? Forget that this is her own granddaughter, even if it were the neighbor¡¯s child left in her care, would she neglect them like that?¡±


    ¡°The way you talk, it¡¯s like my mom intentionally made the child sick! You acknowledge she¡¯s her own granddaughter, who would intentionally make their own granddaughter sick? And you, what¡¯s with your attitude? My mom is your elder after all. She worked hard all her life to bring me up; now is the time for her to enjoy her twilight years. You should be filial to her, not criticizing her here.¡±


    ¡°Did I ask her to take care of the child? It was you, okay! We both have a responsibility to take care of the child. I am looking after the child 28 days a month; what about you, taking care of the child for two days? Your mom is fulfilling your responsibilities!¡±


    As soon as these two saw each other, they started fighting.


    In fact, there were quite a few young couples in the hospital arguing over their children.


    All I could do was remind Jian Jing,


    ¡°Stop fighting, Jian Jing, the child looks very sick! We need to find a way to get a doctor to see him first.¡±


    ¡°But there are no acquaintances in the hospital; we have to wait in line.¡±


    It was already a very hot day, and there were a lot of people in the waiting room.


    In such a situation, even adults are uncomfortable, let alone such a small child.


    The child kept crying, and Jian Jing was so anxious she was almost crying too.


    ¡°Stupid woman, you only know how to cry when things happen¡­absolutely useless!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so capable, find someone to treat the child.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m capable, just wait! I have a buddy who¡¯s particularly close to the hospital director.¡±


    Yu Jiahang, in order to demonstrate his masculinity to us, actually took out his phone and made a call.


    He had initially been full of assurances, claiming to know some hospital director¡­


    As Jian Jing and I watched from the side, he, with one hand on his hip, picked up his phone and made calls, first to this leader, then to that official. After a long time, it seemed as though he had made no progress¡­


    Jian Jing was utterly disappointed by his display.


    ¡°Ayun, do you have any solutions?¡±


    If it were before, I might have sought out Ding Yinuo, but now, I simply couldn¡¯t ask Ding Yinuo for help.


    I might even end up being counterattacked by him.


    Suddenly, a familiar face passed by in front of me. I waved my hand, and he came over.


    Clad in a white coat, he was conspicuous among the crowd. In fact, I also didn¡¯t know if he could help, but at least there was a glimmer of hope.


    ¡°Hey, Doctor Jiang!¡±


    Jia Musen greeted me,


    ¡°Miss Song! Are you here for a consultation today?¡±


    ¡°Not really, this is my friend¡¯s child. He is quite seriously ill. Could you maybe pull some strings?¡±


    Jia Musen and I were quite familiar with each other. Actually, I hadn¡¯t asked him for favors before, and I didn¡¯t have much hope this time either, but he was the only one I could think of who might be able to help.


    Unexpectedly, my actions at this moment provoked Yu Jiahang, who said with a sneer,


    ¡°He¡¯s just an ordinary doctor, he can¡¯t be of any help. This requires someone of at least the director¡¯s level or above.¡±


    Jian Jing said,


    ¡°If someone wants to help us, can¡¯t you stop making those cold remarks?¡±


    ¡°This needs me to handle it, I¡¯ll go find the deputy director¡­¡±


    Yu Jiahang was still trying to act tough, but unfortunately, the rejection came quickly through his phone,


    ¡°Sorry, the deputy director doesn¡¯t have time to take your call.¡±


    At that moment, Jia Musen smiled at me and said,


    ¡°I have an old classmate who¡¯s the head of pediatrics. Although he¡¯s off today, he just asked me out for tea. How about I ask him to come in and take a look at your child?¡±


    ¡°Great, that¡¯s wonderful!¡±


    ¡°Doctor Jiang, I really can¡¯t thank you enough!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Afterwards, Jia Musen¡¯s old classmate examined Jian Jing¡¯s child. Upon confirming it was pneumonia, he immediately arranged for hospitalization.


    Yu Jiahang¡¯s face was somewhat embarrassed, but he was too ashamed to boast any further.


    However, being someone with too much pride, later when Jian Jing asked him to apologize to Jia Musen, he refused.


    After settling Jian Jing in, my eyes still felt very uncomfortable, tears kept streaming down during this time.


    Jia Musen noticed something was wrong with me. Knowing that I had had eye surgery, he asked,


    ¡°Is there a problem with your eye?¡±

 Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Chapter 430 Its This Feeling, Right?

    Chapter 430: Chapter 430 It¡¯s This Feeling, Right?


    ¡°There¡¯s no problem!¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s no problem, why are you wearing sunglasses?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a bit itchy, and there are some red blood vessels that don¡¯t look very good.¡±


    ¡°Take off your glasses and let me have a look.¡±


    ¡°Uh, do you know about this?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, psychologists also graduate from medical universities, you know. We all studied the basics of medicine. Although ophthalmology isn¡¯t my specialty, I can still take a basic look and see if there¡¯s anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I took off my glasses, letting him help me take a look.


    Jiang Musen examined carefully with his phone and eventually shook his head,


    ¡°This situation¡­ is a bit strange.¡±


    ¡°How strange?¡±


    He checked me again.


    Afterward, he said,


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen this condition before. There¡¯s no inflammation, and I can¡¯t see any ulcerative lesions, but the blood vessels seem to be blocked¡­ This doesn¡¯t look like a disease; it rather seems like an organic issue.¡±


    ¡°What issue?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, it seems like there¡¯s a problem with the blood vessels. Why don¡¯t you get it checked out?¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you so much. But I don¡¯t have time today, I¡¯ll get it checked out next time!¡±


    ¡°Do you need me to book an appointment with a good doctor for you?¡±


    ¡°No need, thanks!¡±


    I declined Jiang Musen¡¯s kind offer; the truth was, I still hadn¡¯t taken the abnormality in my eye seriously.


    At that time, I still trusted Ding Yinuo¡¯s character. I didn¡¯t believe he was such a dark-hearted person.


    Another two days passed.


    I went to look for Lin Nansheng.


    Because for several days, I called him, and he didn¡¯t answer.


    He seemed very busy.


    But I thought, even if he was that busy, he couldn¡¯t possibly have no time to answer my calls.


    So, I went to his company.


    It was quite coincidental.


    Just as I arrived at his company, I ran into Jiang Jiaying again.


    Jiang Jiaying was carrying a handbag, a big smile plastered on her face as she walked out of Lin Nansheng¡¯s office.


    When she saw me, she purposely stopped for a few minutes,


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you, oh, that¡¯s right, sister¡­ little sister, you¡¯ve been looking quite haggard lately, and oh, you¡¯re wearing glasses too. What¡¯s the matter, are your eyes not comfortable? Oh, I remember now, have you done so many bad deeds that you¡¯re facing retribution now?¡±


    She laughed hysterically, arms folded.


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying, you really have some nerve. Lin Nansheng has already said you¡¯re not his biological daughter, how can you still have the cheek to call me sister?¡±


    ¡°Really? Did he say that to you?¡±


    ¡°What, got amnesia? Forgotten the encounter in the restaurant already?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand a word! Oh, I get it, are you trying to say that dad doesn¡¯t love me anymore? Let me tell you, that¡¯s simply not true¡ªhe loves me too much. Look, he just bought me a new villa. And he even plans to introduce me to his wife.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying actually brandished a set of villa keys, swinging them proudly in front of me.


    I was shocked beyond belief.


    Seeing Lin Nansheng inside, I couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Jiang Jiaying and rushed into the room.


    Lin Nansheng was sorting out documents, appearing quite downcast. I greeted him as I entered, and he merely responded with an ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, have you been very busy lately?¡±


    ¡°Yes! A bit busy¡­¡±


    Lin Nansheng seemed to have no desire to chat with me, as he was constantly organizing documents.


    He shuffled through a document several times over.


    I noticed something amiss and grabbed his hand,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, do you have any complaints about me?¡±


    ¡°Ah, no¡­ Well, since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll just tell you, I¡¯m planning to postpone that funeral.¡±


    When Lin Nansheng said these words, he sighed three times in a row.


    ¡°Why postpone? What happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been quite busy recently, and might not have the time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s alright if you can¡¯t find the time right now, but¡­ this thing with Jiang Jiaying, it seems a bit strange to me. Haven¡¯t you already determined that you¡¯re not her biological father? Why did I see her here just now, still claiming to be your daughter? Shouldn¡¯t you clarify this online to avoid being deceived further in the future?¡±


    Lin Nansheng reacted immediately upon hearing this.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡±


    His reaction was vehement and intense, completely beyond my expectations.


    I looked at him in shock,


    ¡°Uncle Lin? You knew before that Jiaying is not your biological daughter. Although the DNA report is real, the samples they tested were stolen from someone else, not from her. Otherwise, you could take a strand of her hair right now and do another DNA test to know the truth.¡±


    ¡°No need, forget about it!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin¡­ Jiaying really isn¡¯t your biological daughter.¡±


    ¡°I know, Xiaoyun, I know everything. But oftentimes, things shouldn¡¯t be seen in just one light. Whether Jiaying is my biological daughter or not, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. What¡¯s important is that I¡¯ve publicly acknowledged her as my daughter, and I have to continue in that direction. I can¡¯t let her down.¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s words seemed to directly address what Jiaying had said earlier.


    But I could not for the life of me understand why he would do such a thing!


    Knowing Jiaying¡¯s character was so flawed, still he indulged her deliberately¡­


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I¡¯ve always respected you. You¡¯ve been a person of integrity and wisdom in my eyes, but I must say, your extreme indulgence towards Jiaying is puzzling. I feel uncomfortable, and I can hardly believe that such a decision could be made by a mature person. I hope you will reconsider.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯ve disappointed you! But I¡¯ve made up my mind!¡±


    Lin Nansheng sighed but showed no signs of compromise.


    The matter of the funeral made me particularly disheartened.


    I had thought that Lin Nansheng would truly integrate me into his family, but it turned out he had second thoughts.


    Alas, perhaps that paternal love was not as deep as I had imagined.


    In the days that followed, I didn¡¯t visit Lin Nansheng again. One night, he called me.


    I was asleep at the time and had my phone on silent mode, so I missed his call.


    It was only the next morning when I woke up that I discovered the missed call.


    When I tried calling him back, his phone was already turned off.


    I had a vague feeling something was amiss¡­


    Just then, Jian Jing called me, and I set the matter aside.


    After getting ready, I went to the hospital.


    Upon entering the hospital, I heard people everywhere talking about Jiang Jiaying¡­


    ¡°Hey, that Doctor Jiang, I heard she¡¯s a wealthy heiress. She treated all her colleagues to lunch this morning and resigned with flare, said she¡¯s going back to inherit her family¡¯s mines.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in a relationship with Doctor Ding, and now that he¡¯s become a company CEO, and Miss Jiang is a wealthy heiress, these two are truly a match made in heaven.¡±


    ¡°When are they getting married?¡±


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s tomorrow¡ªlook, the wedding invitations have already been sent out!¡±

 Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: Chapter 431: At the Wedding Scene

    Chapter 431: Chapter 431: At the Wedding Scene


    I actually didn¡¯t want to hear this kind of news.


    After Ding Yinuo divorced me, he was bound to marry someone else sooner or later.


    Even if it wasn¡¯t Jiang Jiaying, it could have been another woman.


    I ignored it and turned to walk towards the pediatric ward.


    As soon as I entered, I saw Yu Jiahang sitting to one side, browsing his phone, while Jian Jing was busily tending to her daughter, pouring water and wiping sweat.


    It was clear that the couple, especially Yu Jiahang, was not putting his heart into it.


    ¡°Yu Jiahang, go out and buy something to eat and bring it back. I haven¡¯t eaten anything all morning!¡±


    Yu Jiahang then put away his phone and walked out.


    Jian Jing¡¯s eyes welled up with tears the moment she saw me.


    ¡°I was taking care of the child alone last night while he slept soundly next to me. It¡¯s so infuriating, he doesn¡¯t show any consideration for me.¡±


    ¡°With things like this, why not just get a divorce?¡±


    I really couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.


    Jian Jing¡¯s eyes were red as she looked down and caressed her daughter¡¯s forehead, her heart softened, and she eventually shook her head,


    ¡°No, if we get divorced, the family would fall apart, and the child would end up without a father or a mother. When she grows up, she¡¯ll be made fun of by her classmates and friends.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t let go of her child and was willing to suffer for her sake.


    A moment later, Yu Jiahang came back with breakfast.


    Jian Jing got angry again at the sight,


    ¡°You only bought one serving. Who is that supposed to feed?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for myself. If I¡¯ve eaten, you can go out and buy your own!¡±


    ¡°Yu Jiahang, how can you be so selfish? If I could run out again, I wouldn¡¯t need you to buy it.¡±


    ¡°Picking at me, are you? We might as well stop living together. Look at yourself now, out of shape, full of freckles, with such a foul temper, who would want you? Find someone else to care for you because I¡¯m done serving you.¡±


    Yu Jiahang, furious, threw the takeout breakfast at Jian Jing¡¯s feet and ran off.


    Seeing the spilled soup all over the ground, Jian Jing couldn¡¯t hold back her tears any longer.


    I sighed and gave her a silent hug.


    After cleaning up the mess, I said,


    ¡°What would you like to eat? I¡¯ll go get you a takeaway.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so angry I¡¯m full now!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, getting angry can lead to breast nodules, and if you ruin your health, who will take care of your daughter! Don¡¯t be angry, such a man is not worth it.¡±


    I persuaded her for a while, and Jian Jing¡¯s emotions stabilized somewhat. Just then, her daughter started crying, so she picked up the bottle to make formula and rushed to her daughter¡¯s side.


    I went outside to get her takeout breakfast¡­


    Just as I reached the lobby, I ran head-on into Jiang Jiaying.


    To be precise, it was Ding Yinuo and Jiang Jiaying.


    They had worked in this hospital, and everyone here was their colleague.


    So, their presence here was quite normal.


    I didn¡¯t want to greet them. After all, with the kind of relationship we had, there was no need for us to meet.


    Unexpectedly, Jiang Jiaying deliberately called out to me, ¡°Song Xiaoyun!¡±


    She then quickly walked over to me and took my arm,


    ¡°It is you! Hey, how come you don¡¯t greet your sister when you see her now? Do you resent your sister that much when you look at me?¡±


    I calmly pulled my arm back,


    ¡°If you have something to say, say it. I¡¯m quite busy.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying covered her mouth and let out a light laugh,


    ¡°Oh, right, Ding Yinuo and I are getting married. Here¡¯s our wedding invitation, at the Romantic Swan Lake Hotel! The largest wedding venue in A City.¡±


    That red wedding invitation with gold embossing was presented to me.


    I didn¡¯t take it, nor did I speak.


    I just glanced impassively at Ding Yinuo.


    Today, Ding Yinuo was dressed in a gray tailored suit, likely here to distribute wedding sweets.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have time!¡±


    I refused.


    Jiang Jiaying, however, wasn¡¯t ready to give up,


    ¡°You must attend because you¡¯re not just a guest, you¡¯re also my bridesmaid!¡±


    I let out a cold laugh,


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve! What are you dreaming about? How could I possibly be your bridesmaid?¡±


    ¡°What, can¡¯t let go of Ding Yinuo? You two are strangers now, why cling to the past?¡±


    ¡°Did I ever say I can¡¯t let go of him?¡±


    ¡°Your fear of going indicates that you can¡¯t let go. If you dared to face it, you would go confidently.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying kept provoking me with her words.


    I was torn.


    It seemed as if not going would mean I really couldn¡¯t let go of Ding Yinuo.


    Jiang Jiaying said with a smile,


    ¡°Dad will also attend tomorrow. I believe he would want you to come, too! Otherwise, the family wouldn¡¯t be complete, right?¡±


    Watching Jiang Jiaying spout these hypocritical words, I wanted to punch her.


    At that moment, Jian Jing came out holding a child; it seemed she couldn¡¯t stand by any longer.


    ¡°Go, why not? What ¡®can¡¯t let go¡¯? Xiaoyun has plenty of admirers. Bring a male companion who¡¯s a hundred times more handsome than Mr. Ding.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying covered her mouth with a light laugh and handed the wedding invitation to Jian Jing,


    ¡°Alright then, we¡¯ll wait for her grand arrival. Don¡¯t just talk big and end up without a man to bring.¡±


    After speaking, the two of them walked off, heads held high.


    Jiang Jiaying clung tightly to Ding Yinuo¡¯s arm, the pair looking every inch the intimate couple.


    Jian Jing gently soothed the baby in her arms, spitting disdainfully at Jiang Jiaying¡¯s retreating figure.


    ¡°Look at her, so smug! We can¡¯t lose to her. Ding Yinuo isn¡¯t the only man in the world. You must go, and not only that, but you should get dolled up even more beautifully than her, make that dumbass Ding Yinuo regret it!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary!¡±


    ¡°It is necessary! Leave it to me. I have a friend who¡¯s an expert in wedding planning and makeup. She¡¯ll do a gorgeous makeover for you tomorrow. Go and show them.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    I originally didn¡¯t want to go, but then I remembered I hadn¡¯t been in contact with Lin Nansheng for several days.


    Wondering what might have happened to him, I decided to make the trip.


    Actually, it was also a challenge for myself.


    To directly face the reality of Ding Yinuo¡¯s marriage.


    Moreover, other members of the Ding family had been good to me, and if I didn¡¯t go, it might arouse their suspicion.


    The wedding was scheduled for eight o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Jian Jing¡¯s friend started my makeup at seven¡­


    ¡°You have a good figure, a natural frame, any bridesmaid dress would suit you. You also have a pretty face, even a bit of light makeup would look beautiful on you.¡±


    Her friend was indeed highly skilled. She immediately picked out the most flattering pink chiffon dress for me, paired with white high heels.


    My long hair was styled into a bun at the back of my head, complemented by seawater pearl earrings that accentuated my graceful and delicate neck.


    After she finished the makeup and styling, I couldn¡¯t believe my reflection in the mirror; it was truly stunning.


    ¡°Uh, my eyes have been bothering me lately. Do you see these bloodshot eyes? There¡¯s no way to fix them, is there?¡±


    ¡°Would you mind wearing colored contacts?¡±


    ¡°I can try!¡±


    She tried a pair of lake blue contacts on me, and after putting them on, she was even more surprised, ¡°So beautiful, don¡¯t take them off!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    I checked myself in the mirror from all angles and was quite satisfied.


    However, I didn¡¯t want to attract too much attention. Truthfully, I wasn¡¯t going just to show up Jiang Jiaying¡­


    So, I deliberately arrived about ten minutes late.


    By the time I appeared at the wedding venue, Jiang Jiaying had already walked to the center of the red carpet, and the two were about to exchange rings.

 Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Chapter 432: A Big Fight

    Chapter 432: Chapter 432: A Big Fight


    My appearance shocked everyone present.


    Actually, I didn¡¯t know what was happening either.


    Everyone was staring at me.


    That included the guests in the audience and Ding Yinuo on the stage.


    All eyes on me!


    From the depths of their eyes, I saw an extraordinary shock¡­


    In fact, Jian Jing had specifically arranged for Shen Yishu to accompany me, but I felt that if I had truly let go of someone, there was no need to make such a deliberate attempt to upset him.


    Let go is to let go, coming here openly and honestly!


    If he truly loved Jiang Jiaying, I would send my blessings.


    The Ding family members were the first to react, and Mother Ding quickly approached me, gripping my hands excitedly,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re here!¡±


    From the look in her eyes, I saw her concern.


    Perhaps in everyone¡¯s eyes, me, the woman with the ex-wife status, suddenly crashing the wedding ceremony, was bound to cause an embarrassing scene.


    Already, the guests in the audience had started discussing loudly.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Yinuo¡¯s ex-wife? The one who was making a fuss about not divorcing before. She must be looking for a fight coming here today, right?¡±


    ¡°After all, they were husband and wife; it¡¯s normal if she can¡¯t let go because of the feelings they had.¡±


    ¡°But the ex-wife is more beautiful! Previously, I thought the bride was the most beautiful one until the ex-wife showed up. Really, what was Yinuo thinking? He let go of such a beautiful ex-wife and chose an uglier one.¡±


    ¡°This bride really got outshined!¡±


    Facing the excited murmurs of the crowd, I simply pursed my lips, and said to Mother Ding,


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry, I came to offer my well-wishes.¡±


    Mother Ding nodded,


    ¡°Ah, what¡¯s done is done! You¡¯ve been wronged, you¡¯re a good child.¡±


    What I least expected was that at this moment, a series of rushed footsteps came from outside.


    Turning around, Shen Yishu had actually arrived!


    The guy was decked out in a suit and running out of breath, clearly having sprinted all the way here.


    ¡°Why did you go ahead without waiting for me?¡±


    ¡°Pff, it was just a small matter, you really came?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®small matter¡¯? Jian Jing told me I had to come, this concerns your face, it¡¯s a big deal.¡±


    ¡°Fine, since you¡¯re here, you¡¯re here!¡±


    I laughed and shook my head, not bothering to argue with him any longer.


    This guy put in the effort to help me save face.


    He had especially got his hair done, styling it into a pompadour.


    The suit was meticulously ironed, and his shoes shone brightly.


    He even wore cologne, looking spry indeed; actually, Shen Yishu was originally good-looking, with pretty refined features.


    ¡°Cough, did you put makeup on today?¡±


    I glanced at Shen Yishu.


    Shen Yishu adjusted his suit and coughed lightly.


    ¡°No makeup, but I did get a skin treatment, heh heh¡­ How about it, did my dapper look astonish you today?¡±


    While we were talking, Jiang Jiaying actually came down from the stage.


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s looks had really deteriorated significantly, and even though she was wearing an expensive wedding dress, she was still in her thirties.


    Her skin had become rough; her facial features distorted, and even the management of her figure was lacking, with her off-the-shoulder wedding dress making her arms look very strong.


    Her chest was quite large, but severely sagging, showing a thick waist¡­


    I don¡¯t know whether she had a feud with the stylist; her makeup today exposed all her flaws.


    Especially the purple eyeshadow, which was quite ugly.


    And at this moment, when she saw me, her face couldn¡¯t hang on, and she immediately rushed to me, exclaiming,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, how can you be so inconsiderate? Do you know it¡¯s my wedding day? How could you wear red? Are you trying to steal my spotlight, making it impossible for me to save face?¡±


    I chuckled softly,


    ¡°What I¡¯m wearing is pink, okay? I didn¡¯t intend to upstage you, and as you saw, I brought a male companion today. But since you feel like I¡¯m stealing your thunder, then why did you invite me in the first place? Are you just looking for trouble?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking back to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m reasoning with you!¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you have no shame!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying lost control and actually started quarreling with me.


    Just then, Ding Yinuo hurried over from the stage, trying to calm Jiang Jiaying down,


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Filled with jealousy she couldn¡¯t vent, Jiang Jiaying pointed at me and said,


    ¡°She just insulted me! She said marrying you won¡¯t end well for me!¡±


    It was just a one-sided story from an angry Jiang Jiaying, but Ding Yinuo believed it.


    He grabbed my arm and threatened me coldly,


    ¡°Stop testing my limits. I warn you, if you keep this up, your eyeballs will explode.¡±


    Although everyone has been suspecting there¡¯s something wrong with my eyes, I never imagined Ding Yinuo would really stoop to mixing personal with professional, and harm my eyes.


    But when he spoke the truth out loud, I was instantly shocked.


    Apart from shock, there was deep anger.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, how could you treat me this way! If my eyeballs explode and I die, what then?¡±


    ¡°A woman like you deserves to die!¡±


    His cold words, coming out of his mouth, were like the sharpest ice swords, stabbing straight into my heart, causing me immense pain.


    I wobbled, nearly fainting.


    Shen Yishu, standing nearby, had heard everything. He¡¯d seen how Jiang Jiaying slandered me for no reason, and how Ding Yinuo reprimanded me without discriminating between right and wrong.


    To let me die with an eyeball explosion was the last straw for him.


    He swung his fist and hit Ding Yinuo¡¯s head hard.


    Ding Yinuo, still protecting Jiang Jiaying, was caught off guard by Shen Yishu¡¯s sudden attack.


    Shen Yishu, being a hot-blooded young man full of anger, punched with full force, knocking Ding Yinuo to the ground.


    Ding Yinuo fell, hitting the back of his head on the hard marble floor. After a loud thud, he started convulsing on the ground.


    Jiang Jiaying screamed in horror,


    ¡°Murder, it¡¯s murder, help, help!¡±


    I also immediately stepped in to restrain the impulsive Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Calm down!¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, Yinuo!¡±


    Mother Ding rushed over and held Ding Yinuo, starting to cry out.


    I immediately called for emergency services, dialing 120.


    The scene was chaotic, but I was calm.


    After throwing the punch, Shen Yishu was somewhat regretful, but still composed,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, it¡¯s not your fault. I threw the punch, I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll handle it!¡±


    I quickly soothed Shen Yishu.


    Soon, the ambulance took Ding Yinuo to the hospital, with Jiang Jiaying crying and following behind.


    Perhaps the Ding family gave me some face, and they didn¡¯t call the police for the time being.


    Therefore, after all the guests had left, Shen Yishu was not taken away by the police either.


    However, if Ding Yinuo ends up having further issues, there will definitely be repercussions.


    But today, I also discovered something that made me even more suspicious¡ªthat Lin Nansheng didn¡¯t attend Jiang Jiaying¡¯s wedding.


    In a moment of bewilderment, my phone suddenly vibrated, and a text message was sent to my phone.


    I opened it to see that it was from Lin Nansheng.


    ¡°I hope to see you one last time¡­¡±

 Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: Chapter 433 Seeking Shortcomings

    Chapter 433: Chapter 433 Seeking Shortcomings


    The text message alarmed me, ¡°The last time we¡¯ll see each other?¡± Could it be that he was contemplating suicide?


    I really couldn¡¯t imagine this happening to a successful elder.


    But considering Lin Nansheng¡¯s recent low profile,


    and his unusual reluctance to contact me, there was indeed a real possibility that something had gone wrong.


    So, I immediately texted him back,


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    He sent me an address, and I hurried into the car with Shen Yishu.


    Shen Yishu started the car,


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Beiwang Bridge¡­¡±


    I gave the location, and Shen Yishu pressed the gas pedal to the floor.


    I kept calling his phone, hoping he would answer, but it was turned off the entire time.


    This made me increasingly anxious, and I kept urging Shen Yishu,


    ¡°Drive faster!¡±


    ¡°Alright, should we call the police first?¡±


    Shen Yishu suggested.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go there and see the situation first.¡±


    If it were an ordinary old man, I would have definitely called the police first.


    But considering that Lin Nansheng is a business tycoon, he should be measured and confident in his actions, and there was a high probability that he wouldn¡¯t do something foolish.


    Therefore, I didn¡¯t call the police.


    Half an hour later, I finally arrived at the bridge on the edge of the city.


    It wasn¡¯t until I got to the scene that I broke out in a cold sweat. If I had known, maybe calling the police would have been better¡­


    The weather was overcast, and the wind was somewhat strong.


    This bridge was not located in the city center, but in a more remote suburb. At this time, there were no pedestrians on the bridge, and even the passing vehicles were few and far between.


    So, Lin Nansheng¡¯s figure sitting on the bridge railing was very conspicuous.


    When Shen Yishu closed the car door, he muttered low,


    ¡°Fuck, this is too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, hanging in mid-air, with dozens of meters of river water below, if he falls, he¡¯s definitely dead.¡±


    My heart was in a panic, and Shen Yishu kept comforting me by my side,


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, I¡¯ll figure something out. You distract him from the left, and I¡¯ll approach from the right.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    After we agreed on the plan, we split up and flanked him from the left and right.


    After I climbed up onto the bridge, I shouted at Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, Uncle Lin!¡±


    Lin Nansheng slowly turned his head to look at me, and a gust of wind revealed his full head of white hair.


    It shocked me profoundly. What on earth had happened to make an old man¡¯s hair turn white overnight?


    Moreover, he looked haggard and seemed to have suffered a great deal.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, please come down! It¡¯s very dangerous up there, hurry!¡±


    When Lin Nansheng saw me, not only did he show no intention of wanting to come down, but he also leaned out a bit further.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer, Xiaoyun, don¡¯t come over here. Just stand there and let me finish talking.¡±


    I was afraid he would jump down in his agitated state, so I stood still.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, can you calm down, please? Come down from there, it¡¯s too dangerous, really, please come down, alright?¡±


    Lin Nansheng gave the sky a desolate smile,


    ¡°To think that Lin Nansheng¡¯s life was once glorious, and now, in my old age, my reputation is unsalvageable. Alas!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, what exactly happened? Can you tell me, please? Life is long, nobody can guarantee they won¡¯t make mistakes. Even if you have made a mistake, as long as you bravely face it and are willing to correct it, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°You go! Xiaoyun, I called you here today to see you one last time. I have already written my will, leaving a part of the company¡¯s shares to you, hoping that you will take over my company in the future. Alas! I hope this arrangement is the most reasonable one.¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s mood was very low, and despite my long persuasion, he didn¡¯t listen to a single word.


    It seemed he harbored a death wish, as if his whole being had plunged into a death knot that could no longer be untangled.


    So, I changed the subject.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, your arrangement is not reasonable, I¡¯m afraid I will have to disappoint you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, disappointed?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that you want me to manage your company, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t, because I¡¯m about to go blind! Soon I might not even live for many days.¡±


    After hearing what I said, Lin Nansheng was indeed caught by surprise, turning his head to look at me,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your eyes?¡±


    I sighed,


    ¡°My eye surgery was conducted by Jiang Jiaying¡¯s boyfriend, who wanted revenge on me. He sabotaged something in my eyes, and now, those hidden dangers are emerging day by day. He said¡­ my eyeballs would burst in a few days, and then I would die.¡±


    ¡°How can such a thing happen? How can he bully you like that?¡±


    At this moment, all of Lin Nansheng¡¯s attention had shifted to me, and right then, Shen Yishu came around from the other side, and while Lin Nansheng was distracted,


    he stretched out his hand from behind to embrace him. Then he took the opportunity to drag him down from the railing of the bridge.


    This scene really made my heart clench in fear; I was truly scared that something might go wrong.


    Luckily, everything was under control.


    Shen Yishu really did possess tremendous strength, effortlessly dragging Lin Nansheng to the ground and then holding onto his arms without letting go.


    I let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly walked quickly to Lin Nansheng, tightly grabbing his arm.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, you really scared me just now. Can you not do this in the future? You are one of the elders I respect the most. If something happened to you, I would never feel at peace in this lifetime.¡±


    To prevent him from taking any more risks, Shen Yishu and I forcibly took Lin Nansheng under the bridge and sat down on a bench in the park below.


    Then, I bought a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to him.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, have some water.¡±


    Perhaps worried about me, Lin Nansheng was no longer fixated on his own issues but eagerly asked me,


    ¡°What did you say, your eyes really have problems?¡±


    I lowered my head and took off the colored contacts from my eyes,


    ¡°Yes, look!¡±


    Lin Nansheng observed my eyes seriously, and finally sighed deeply,


    ¡°It does look quite severe, but you don¡¯t need to worry, I will take you abroad to see the best ophthalmologist. Even if the worst happens and you go blind, it will definitely not endanger your life.¡±


    I calmly put on sunglasses, smiled faintly,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, my issue is not urgent, we can take it slow. I¡¯m also willing to go abroad with you for treatment. What¡¯s most important right now is that you need to deal with your issues. Uncle Lin, if you trust me, can you tell me what exactly has happened to you? If you still consider me your goddaughter, you have to tell me the truth.¡±


    Lin Nansheng heaved a long sigh, his face full of guilt, and then told me the whole story.


    After hearing it, I was shocked. I had not expected Jiang Jiaying to do such a thing.

 Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: Chapter 434: Lure and Deception

    Chapter 434: Chapter 434: Lure and Deception


    It turned out that on the day when I went out to eat with Lin Nansheng, Jiang Jiaying came over to ask for forgiveness, and Lin Nansheng refused.


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s trembling voice described the scene¡­


    ¡°Right after you left, Jiang Jiaying also left, but just a few minutes later, she called me to meet her in a hotel room, saying that after we had a clear talk, she would no longer bother me. I didn¡¯t think much of it and went over.¡±


    ¡°She poured me a glass of red wine when I got there; she said that she had come to terms with the situation, and wouldn¡¯t insist anymore. She sincerely apologized to me, saying we should part on good terms. I believed her sincerity and drank the wine.¡±


    ¡°No one would have expected that she had tampered with the wine. After I drank it, I passed out and did not wake up for a long time. When I did come to, there was a naked woman lying next to me¡­ I realized immediately that something was not right and hurriedly left the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Unexpectedly, afterward, Jiang Jiaying called me; she said the woman was a prostitute she had hired for me, and that she had taken photos of me with the woman. She threatened me, saying if I dared to reveal that we were not father and daughter, she would expose these photos and destroy my reputation.¡±


    By the time Lin Nansheng recounted this, he was in obvious pain.


    ¡°I never imagined that at my age, I would fail to preserve my integrity. I truly don¡¯t have the face to confront my wife and daughter, or to face my old friends. I could only think of death.¡±


    After listening to his story, I too was shocked.


    It seems I still overestimated Jiang Jiaying; she was actually capable of this.


    She really has no limits to what she¡¯d do.


    ¡°Ah, look at this mess I¡¯m in, there¡¯s no point in talking about it now, and here I am troubling you with my worries.¡±


    Lin Nansheng heaved a sigh.


    I patted his shoulder to comfort him,


    ¡°This is actually not your fault, it is Jiang Jiaying¡¯s, for she deliberately set you up. Let me handle this matter for you.¡±


    ¡°How will you take care of it?¡±


    ¡°Actually, this matter is not so serious. It¡¯s quite normal for a man to make a mistake. If you truly care about the feelings of your wife and daughter, you could tell your wife first and seek her forgiveness. Then if Jiang Jiaying threatens you again, record it, collect evidence, and we can give it to the police, charging her with extortion.¡±


    ¡°Would that work?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it will. The incident in itself is not that big of a deal. It¡¯s just that Jiang Jiaying is despicable.¡±


    With my comforting, Lin Nansheng gradually regained his composure.


    We sat with him on an outdoor bench for half an hour¡­


    I had intended to take him home, but suddenly my eyes started to hurt.


    The feeling was terrifying, as if the pressure in my eyeballs was so high they were about to burst.


    Fortunately, Shen Yishu was with me, and noticing something was wrong, he quickly drove me to the hospital.


    Lin Nansheng followed us, consoling me the whole way there.


    Half an hour later, we arrived at the hospital.


    The doctor began to examine my eyes¡­


    Examining back and forth, they tested me for a good part of the half day, but couldn¡¯t seem to diagnose any problem.


    In my excruciating pain, I almost wished the doctor could just scoop my eyeballs out right then and there.


    But in the end, after some discussion, the doctor injected me with a painkiller.


    After the injection of the painkiller, my pain finally began to subside a lot.


    Sometimes, when the pain flares up, it feels like I want to die on the spot.


    But once the pain disappears, I suddenly feel revived.


    Shen Yishu stood anxiously by my side,


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    At the moment, I was actually concerned about my eyesight; I was afraid of going blind.


    But after trying them out, I found that my vision was not impaired, which was a relief.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m very good!¡±


    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    ¡°Not as much anymore!¡±


    At this moment, Lin Nansheng was also very worried about me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, how about I take you overseas to get a check-up? Using painkillers without any therapeutic effect could lead to a worsening of your eye condition.¡±


    ¡°No rush, Uncle Lin. Let me wait another couple of days!¡±


    Just as I was discussing with Shen Yishu whether we should send Lin Nansheng home first, Jiang Jiaying unexpectedly showed up.


    Indeed, Jiang Jiaying had once worked at this hospital, so she should have received the news as soon as I was admitted.


    She came charging over furiously.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you¡¯ve really gone too far this time. You made such a scene at my wedding that I couldn¡¯t even get married. You just wait, I won¡¯t let you or your damn lover off the hook.¡±


    The ¡°lover¡± she was referring to was Shen Yishu.


    Seeing this, Shen Yishu became somewhat annoyed,


    ¡°Can you speak properly? What do you mean by ¡®lover¡¯? What kind of quality is that? If you don¡¯t know how to talk, just shut up; all that comes out of your mouth stinks.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying then directed all her anger at Shen Yishu,


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, my husband is now in a coma. If anything happens to him, I¡¯ll make you pay with your life!¡±


    ¡°What a joke! Pay with my life? Are you going to kill me?¡±


    ¡°What, you think I don¡¯t dare?¡±


    ¡°Then go ahead!¡±


    Shen Yishu was already extremely dissatisfied with Jiang Jiaying because of the onset of my eye condition, and on top of that, Jiang Jiaying had driven Lin Nansheng to the brink of suicide.


    His anger had been burning within him.


    Now, provoked by Jiang Jiaying, he lost his temper and started arguing with her.


    As the quarrel between the two of them escalated.


    Lin Nansheng could no longer stand by and watch, so he said to Jiang Jiaying,


    ¡°You girl, how can you keep doing this to people? Don¡¯t you have any conscience at all?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying turned her wrath toward Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, what¡¯s the matter with you? How can you side with outsiders to accuse me? Have you misplaced your loyalty?¡±


    Lin Nansheng shook his head in anger,


    ¡°I should have known better than to trust you. You are a woman with a heart of a snake, morally corrupt.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re my father, how can you say such things? If the daughter is morally corrupt, isn¡¯t it because she was influenced by her father? The one at fault is the father, not the daughter, right?¡±


    ¡°You are not my daughter at all?¡±


    Lin Nansheng said angrily, with trembling fingers pointing at her.


    ¡°Hey, watch your words. What do you mean I¡¯m not your daughter? Do you know what consequences your words can have?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying stood with her arms crossed and her head held high, her attitude extremely arrogant.


    I knew it was because she had so-called dirt on Lin Nansheng that she was so brazen.


    As expected, her threat made Lin Nansheng¡¯s face turn red with age, yet he was left speechless.


    Being gripped by the throat, he naturally couldn¡¯t toughen up.


    Even though Lin Nansheng had not formally acknowledged me, I knew in my heart that he was my biological father.


    Therefore, I couldn¡¯t let Jiang Jiaying bully him like this.


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying, let me have a word with you!¡±

 Chapter 435 - Chapter 435: Chapter 435: To Save or Not to Save

    Chapter 435: Chapter 435: To Save or Not to Save


    ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about? Just say whatever you have to say right here!¡±


    ¡°Cough, last night a woman called me. She claimed to be a nightclub hostess, holding some dirt, and then if I¡¯m willing to pay a million, she would sell it to me¡­¡±


    After hearing this, Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face immediately changed.


    ¡°What nightclub hostess?¡±


    ¡°You want to discuss this here?¡±


    I glanced at the crowd around us.


    The hospital is a public place to begin with, and our quarrel gathered many patients around to watch the excitement.


    Jiang Jiaying intentionally used the crowd to threaten and coerce Lin Nansheng¡­


    But now, as I was about to expose her secrets, she naturally couldn¡¯t cover it up. She was unable to save face and finally compromised.


    She followed me out, clenching her teeth in anger.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, be careful!¡±


    Shen Yishu was still worried and followed behind.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry about me. Help me send Mr. Lin home, I¡¯ll contact you by phone in a bit.¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Shen Yishu gave me a deep look, then turned and left.


    Jiang Jiaying walked ahead, borrowing an office from a former colleague.


    As soon as we entered, she immediately closed the door.


    ¡°That Shen Yishu hit Ding Yinuo, and now Ding Yinuo is unconscious. I swear I will hold him accountable, I will make sure he rots in jail.¡±


    I laughed lightly,


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying, do you think we¡¯re all ignorant of the law? Even if Ding Yinuo doesn¡¯t make it, Shen Yishu at most would only be guilty of involuntary manslaughter, just prison time, he won¡¯t die. Moreover, it takes two to tango, you guys hurt me first. Judges aren¡¯t fools, the court isn¡¯t run by your family.¡±


    ¡°We hurt you first? Do you have evidence?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t my eyes injured by someone you arranged? Also, Ding Yinuo tampered with my eyes, everybody heard what he said at the wedding, it¡¯s impossible for him to erase that. If he hadn¡¯t done such a thing, why would Shen Yishu lay a hand on him? Clearly, you were the ones who did evil first¡­¡±


    I spoke logically, and Jiang Jiaying, for the moment, couldn¡¯t find the right words to argue back.


    Her face turned red with anger and then she suddenly said,


    ¡°You deserved it! Your eyes rupturing was what you deserved, haha, you always thought Ding Yinuo loved you. How does it feel now to be hurt by the man you love so deeply? Does it hurt badly?¡±


    Seeing her schadenfreude grin, I grew angrier, and my voice got louder.


    ¡°Angry? Haha, I warned you before, you couldn¡¯t compete with me. Now that you¡¯ve ended up like this, you deserve it.¡±


    ¡°What are you so proud of, Jiang Jiaying! If it weren¡¯t for your trickery, how would Ding Yinuo be seduced by you? One day he¡¯ll come to his senses, and when he realizes you¡¯ve been deceiving him, all your deceitful tricks will come back to bite you, and you¡¯ll end up a hundred times worse off than me.¡±


    Hearing this, Jiang Jiaying actually seemed a bit panicked.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, I didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Moreover, you deliberately plotted against Lin Nansheng by getting a nightclub hostess to set him up. That¡¯s despicable! Uncle Lin has been so good to you, he was friends with your dad, he treated you like his own daughter, and you¡¯re so cruel, not only ungrateful but also drugging him, finding a woman to sleep with him¡­ you¡¯re worse than an animal, are you even human?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying was infuriated and confused, immediately trying to defend herself,


    ¡°He deserved it! Saying he thinks of me as his own daughter is just nonsense. He¡¯s been plotting to expose me, thinking I¡¯m the one who harmed me. Since he¡¯s been unkind to me, I had to be unjust to him.¡±


    What Jiang Jiaying didn¡¯t know was that at that moment, my hand in my pocket was holding my phone, recording everything.


    ¡°Even if you dislike him, you didn¡¯t have to get a nightclub hostess to ruin his life!¡±


    ¡°Humph, it¡¯s his own fault! He deserved it¡­¡±


    Under my leading, Jiang Jiaying admitted to her wrongdoings.


    After I finished recording, my goal was achieved,


    ¡°Alright, you just don¡¯t get it. Since that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no point in talking anymore.¡±


    I turned to leave, and Jiang Jiaying reached out and grabbed my arm.


    ¡°What did you just say? Extortion by a hostess¡­ Who exactly is this woman? What does she want a million for?¡±


    I shook off Jiang Jiaying¡¯s grasp. Actually, this part of the story was all nonsense I had made up based on Lin Nansheng¡¯s description.


    It was only to trick Jiang Jiaying into telling the truth, not that there was really any hostess.


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying! I¡¯ve recorded our conversation just now. You¡¯d better stop extorting Lin Nansheng, or you¡¯ll be the next one behind bars.¡±


    I shook my phone¡­


    Jiang Jiaying apparently hadn¡¯t expected me to use this tactic against her. She was shocked and at a loss for what to do.


    Seizing the opportunity, I quickly walked away.


    As soon as I got to the corridor, I ran into Mother Ding.


    She looked anxious¡­


    I hadn¡¯t intended to visit Ding Yinuo, but considering how good Mother Ding had been to me before, it didn¡¯t seem right to just walk away without a word.


    So, I went up to her and greeted her.


    ¡°Auntie!¡±


    Overwhelmed by a rush of emotions, I didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, Yinuo is still in a coma. Can you please go see him?¡±


    Mother Ding looked at me with tearful eyes, begging me.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I agreed.


    Mother Ding took my hand, just like she used to, and we walked towards the ward.


    Actually, the emergency treatments were already over.


    Ding Yinuo was lying quietly on the hospital bed, with an oxygen tube in his nostrils, while the doctor was checking on him¡­


    ¡°Doctor, tell me, why can¡¯t my son wake up?¡±


    Mother Ding asked the doctor.


    The doctors here were actually all former colleagues of Ding Yinuo, and they treated Mother Ding with great respect,


    ¡°Auntie, the situation is as we explained before. Yinuo actually doesn¡¯t have any major issues. His heart, his lungs, and the internal organs are all functioning properly.¡±


    ¡°Then why can¡¯t he wake up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that there might be some blood clots in his head, pressing on some nerves. This is preventing him from waking up. Once the clots dissolve, he should be able to come around.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Auntie, we wouldn¡¯t lie to you. Everyone here has been colleagues with Ding Yinuo for a long time. We¡¯re just stating the facts.¡±


    ¡°Could he end up in a vegetative state again?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ is not easy to say!¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, then please continue your efforts. Oh, my poor son!¡±


    Mother Ding then turned back to look at me, with tears in her eyes, and said,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, if Yinuo ends up in a vegetative state again, can you save him once more?¡±


    I fell silent; I hadn¡¯t expected things to come to this.


    Mother Ding continued, ¡°I know Yinuo did you wrong before. He divorced you to be with Jiang Jiaying, it was all his fault. I understand if you say you won¡¯t save him now¡­¡±

 Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: Chapter 436 He Came on the Day of the Funeral

    Chapter 436: Chapter 436 He Came on the Day of the Funeral


    Seeing that I didn¡¯t speak, Mother Ding simply knelt before me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun! It¡¯s my Ding Family that has wronged you, can you save him just this once for my sake?¡±


    I quickly reached out to help her up,


    ¡°Auntie, please don¡¯t! I can¡¯t accept this!¡±


    ¡°This child, when he was insisting on divorcing you, I did everything I could to stop him, but he was determined and stubbornly opposed you to the end! I really had no way to influence him.¡±


    ¡°Auntie! If he truly becomes a vegetative state, if my method really works, I will save him again for your sake.¡±


    Only then did Mother Ding cry with joy, reaching out to hug me tightly,


    ¡°I knew it, you have such a compassionate heart!¡±


    No sooner had I finished speaking than Jiang Jiaying hurried over.


    She came forward and pulled Mother Ding aside,


    ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no need for her in Yinuo¡¯s matter. This woman is very malicious, letting her get close to Yinuo will only make him die a worse death.¡±


    Having said that, she also warned me,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think about taking advantage of Ding Yinuo, I don¡¯t need you! Your little tricks are absolutely useless in treating Ding Yinuo.¡±


    I let out a cold laugh, turned around, and walked away.


    This stupid woman.


    It was Ding Yinuo¡¯s bad luck to end up with her.


    At that moment, Shen Yishu also rushed over from outside, coming upon this scene.


    He actually wanted to argue with Jiang Jiaying too, but I stopped him.


    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s go!¡±


    When Shen Yishu and I left, his face was somewhat cold, although he didn¡¯t say anything on the way.


    But after walking out of the hospital, he looked at me with worried eyes,


    ¡°Are you really going to save Ding Yinuo?¡±


    I opened the car door and got inside,


    ¡°Yes! If he can be saved!¡±


    Shen Yishu got in from the other side,


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, I really don¡¯t.¡±


    I calmly fastened my seat belt, looking out the car window at the familiar streets,


    ¡°If he can be saved, why not save him?¡±


    Shen Yishu was actually holding back a lot of anger, although he hadn¡¯t shown it before, but now he couldn¡¯t help himself any longer.


    ¡°That scumbag wanted a divorce from you, when you needed him the most, not only did he not take care of you, but he also joined that vile woman to hurt you. In my opinion, he brought this on himself with his current predicament, he doesn¡¯t deserve your sympathy. Your own life was nearly ruined by him, why would you still bother with him?¡±


    ¡°Are you angry?¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I¡¯m upset for you, I feel too suffocated, this doesn¡¯t seem like your character.¡±


    Seeing Shen Yishu continuously fuming, I had no choice but to tell the truth.


    ¡°Shen Yishu, I have no choice. If Ding Yinuo really dies, you will be implicated, and your responsibility will be great. Only if he wakes up, can you be exonerated.¡±


    Although I was righteous in my confrontation with Jiang Jiaying, upon careful reflection, if Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t wake up, Shen Yishu would bear a huge responsibility.


    So, at this moment, saving Ding Yinuo was actually also saving Shen Yishu.


    After I said this, Shen Yishu sighed deeply and fiercely slapped himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m really such a fool, why did I have to cause you so much trouble?¡±


    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s nothing! I¡¯ve figured it out now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot, really a pig teammate! Ayun, that day I really wanted to help you out, to boost the scene for you, so you could flex a bit and let everyone know you¡¯re not lacking a high-quality boyfriend¡­¡±


    ¡°Pfft, Shen Yishu, aren¡¯t you afraid people will say you¡¯re just a backup?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. It¡¯s an honor to be your backup!¡±


    Shen Yishu was talking to me when suddenly his phone rang. He didn¡¯t hide anything from me and just turned on the speakerphone right in front of me.


    ¡°Cousin! Why haven¡¯t you come to pick me up? I¡¯ve been waiting at the train station for half an hour!¡±


    A coquettish voice came from the phone.


    ¡°Lingling, didn¡¯t I tell you to take a taxi over? I¡¯ve already sent you the address!¡±


    ¡°Cousin, it¡¯s my first time in this city, I¡¯m afraid of getting lost.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a cell phone? There¡¯s navigation on the phone. If you can¡¯t take a taxi, just walk from the North Station and go through two station exits to take the subway. About six stops on the subway and you can get off.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the North Station? I don¡¯t know! Cousin, you know I¡¯m directionally challenged, I can¡¯t even tell the cardinal directions apart back home, let alone in a first-tier city like yours, I¡¯m already so confused. I was following the navigation, but I still went the wrong way. Is there something wrong with the navigation? Cousin, could you please come pick me up?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already an adult, how come you can¡¯t find your way? I¡¯ll teach you, listen carefully. If you can¡¯t even navigate, then don¡¯t even think about working here.¡±


    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t be harsh on me! Alright, alright, I¡¯ll find my own way.¡±


    Shen Yishu instructed her for quite a while until she finally hung up.


    I turned back and smiled at him, ¡°Your cousin?¡±


    Shen Yishu sighed,


    ¡°My dad has such a big mouth. I¡¯ve only started a small company and he has already told the relatives that I¡¯ve become a big boss. Now a bunch of relatives want to work at my company! This cousin of mine just graduated and wants to come be a receptionist at my company. Seeing how clumsy she is, I doubt she will be able to do anything right.¡±


    ¡°You should go pick her up!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home!¡±


    ¡°No need! My eyes don¡¯t hurt anymore, and I¡¯m not a child.¡±


    ¡°Are you really okay?¡±


    Shen Yishu didn¡¯t really want to leave either, but after his little cousin called several times, he eventually had to go.


    I watched his retreating figure and sighed deeply.


    These past few days, my eyes have been intermittently good and bad, with inflammation being the norm. This hadn¡¯t had too much impact on my life.


    What affected me more was the frequent pain, which was a neuralgic pain, unbearable.


    At first, the hospital had prescribed painkillers, but later the doctor worried that I might become addicted to pain medication if I used it long term, so they stopped prescribing it to me. I had no choice but to self-medicate privately.


    Lin Nansheng had made plans to take me abroad for treatment.


    But I suggested that he hold the funeral before we left.


    The reason I made this decision was that I feared my eyes might never get better, or there could be an accident and I might die during surgery abroad.


    The funeral was mainly for my two children; once they were laid to rest, I could leave without any worries.


    Three days later.


    On a rainy day, the funeral proceeded under the guidance of Lin Nansheng.


    I chose the cemetery; it was a place facing the sea, where you could see flowers blooming in spring.


    I caressed the pictures of my children on the tombstone, the rain wetting my hair and dampening my eyes.


    In my heart, I silently hoped,


    ¡°Babies, if you reincarnate, can you find mommy again? I¡¯ll wait for you to come back!¡±


    Because Lin Nansheng was organizing the funeral, there were many people attending. I was immersed in my grief and didn¡¯t pay much attention to the crowd in the distance.


    It wasn¡¯t until that man in a suit and leather shoes placed a bunch of white flowers in front of the grave that I realized, to my astonishment, it was Gu Yuanzhou.

 Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: Chapter 437 Im No Longer Song Yun

    Chapter 437: Chapter 437 I¡¯m No Longer Song Yun


    Lin Nansheng was well-known in the business world, and he had a wide network of acquaintances, so many people came to show their support.


    During an interview with a reporter, he openly acknowledged that Song Yun was his long-lost biological daughter.


    The reporter then asked him,


    ¡°What about the Miss Jiang you mentioned earlier? Is she your biological daughter? Is she the Lin Family¡¯s precious daughter?¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s gaze turned to me.


    I looked at him with encouraging eyes.


    Only then did he steadfastly and calmly answer,


    ¡°She is not. Jiang Jiaying was a misunderstanding¡­¡±


    His ability to speak the truth so calmly showed he had overcome his inner demons.


    Presumably, Jiang Jiaying was also watching this scene in front of the TV, wondering what she was feeling.


    Today, the male guests who attended were basically all in black suits; if I weren¡¯t paying close attention,


    I wouldn¡¯t have noticed Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s appearance.


    Actually, by this time, the funeral had already ended.


    The guests usually leave after the eulogy.


    Only a few close relatives wait until the ashes are buried before leaving.


    And by then, the tombstone was prepared.


    And I was also sitting in Lin Nansheng¡¯s car, ready to leave.


    Looking through the car window, I initially thought the figure in the black suit was just another guest, until I saw the toy in his hand.


    He looked calm and was very focused as he presented flowers to two children.


    Unlike the other guests, he also brought toys for both his daughter and son.


    For his daughter, it was a strawberry bear, even the bouquet was wrapped like lollipops.


    For his son, he had Transformers among others¡­


    Seeing these toys, tears suddenly streamed down.


    Only a father would know the favorites of these children.


    From these toys, I could actually confirm it was Gu Yuanzhou.


    However, reason told me it wasn¡¯t the right moment to acknowledge each other, so I remained calm.


    Moreover, if I acted impulsively, I might startle the snake, and if he decided to deny recognition, I would have no recourse.


    I suppressed that impulse with great difficulty.


    I didn¡¯t even tell Lin Nansheng but instead said to him,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I seem to have left something at the funeral home. You go ahead, I¡¯ll take a taxi back after I get my thing.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Lin Nansheng didn¡¯t suspect anything and drove off.


    Meanwhile, I quietly watched from the other side of the cemetery¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou stayed alone in the cemetery for a long time.


    He stretched out his hand to touch the tombstone, muttering something softly to himself.


    From his expression, I could see his attachment and reluctance; his affection for the two children seemed very deep.


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave for a long time.


    It wasn¡¯t until dusk fell and his whole body was soaked by the rain that he slowly moved towards the last black sedan in the parking lot.


    I knew there was a shortcut leading to the mountain road below, which would allow for a quick arrival.


    The muddy mountain path was difficult to traverse, but I didn¡¯t give up, stumbling forward all the way.


    In just over ten minutes, I arrived at the foot of the mountain by the road.


    This road ended at the cemetery, so there wasn¡¯t much traffic normally, especially now in the rain at dusk.


    There were very few vehicles on the road.


    So, when the headlights lit up in the distance, I knew it was his car coming.


    I walked directly to the middle of the road, extending my arms to intercept.


    On this two-lane mountain road, with me standing in the middle, he had virtually nowhere to dodge.


    Then came the sharp sound of brakes.


    The car came to a stop right at the tips of my toes.


    Almost at the moment it stopped, the person inside pushed the car door open and rushed out.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, standing in the middle of the road at night, are you trying to get yourself killed?¡±


    I looked up at the man, his anger reaching the sky.


    After a long while, I said with reddened eyes,


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you¡¯ve deceived me so badly!¡±


    He had his hands in his pockets, droplets falling from his wet hair down his face, tracing his jawline before dropping off.


    The rain mist filled the air, wetting his eyelashes, and he just stared at me blankly.


    I wasn¡¯t in much better shape than he was.


    I was wearing a black trench coat that was also completely soaked. I had come down the mountain road in a hurry and had even taken a fall.


    I was now covered in mud, looking a complete mess.


    Thinking about all the days I worried and feared for him, enduring so much injustice, I couldn¡¯t control myself and tears streamed down.


    I reached out and grabbed his sleeve as if worried he would run away in the next second.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, your heart is so cruel! You¡¯re not dead, are you? Why did you deceive me? Why did you make me bear it all alone? Why are you so heartless?¡±


    Rain gathered on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face then slowly slid off; he kept staring at me, silent for a long time before he finally spoke,


    ¡°You standing in the middle of the street like that is very dangerous. What if I hadn¡¯t stopped the car in time and you had died?¡±


    ¡°Dangerous, you say? You actually know it¡¯s dangerous? If you knew, why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡±


    His Adam¡¯s apple moved as his eyes flickered with light. He watched me and at last said,


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, I am not the person you are looking for.¡±


    I was shocked.


    Rage brewed inside me.


    In broad daylight, my eyes aren¡¯t blind; he is clearly Gu Yuanzhou.


    He actually denied it!


    This time, he didn¡¯t even try to avoid it; he denied it outright in front of me.


    I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes, and I dared not trust my ears.


    I stepped forward and placed my hands on his cheeks.


    They were warm!


    I then reached for his heart, feeling his heartbeat, beating very strongly.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive, you¡¯re warm, I am not blind right now! Tell me, personally tell me, are you Gu Yuanzhou or not?¡±


    His dark eyes fixed on me, and after a long while, his lips moved with difficulty and spat out two words.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not Gu Yuanzhou, then who are you?¡±


    ¡°Who I am doesn¡¯t matter anymore. What¡¯s important is, could you please step aside, my car needs to pass through here.¡±


    His attitude was also to the extreme of coldness.


    Actually, when I saw Gu Yuanzhou at the cemetery just now, I was still thinking.


    If I could meet him and have a good talk before I went abroad for the surgery, catch up properly, say a proper goodbye.


    If I really died, there¡¯d be no regrets.


    But I didn¡¯t expect him to have this attitude.


    His attitude made my heart suddenly feel dead; I lost all desire to communicate with him.


    I silently moved to the side of the road, ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re not Gu Yuanzhou, then go!¡±


    Just as he turned to leave, I said two more sentences,


    ¡°This is your last chance, if you don¡¯t admit you¡¯re Gu Yuanzhou. From now on, I will no longer be Song Yun either.¡±

 Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: Chapter 438: Choose a Side to Stand On

    Chapter 438: Chapter 438: Choose a Side to Stand On


    My trembling voice carried a tinge of desolation.


    The words that seemed threatening were, in fact, filled with despair.


    I had never wanted to force Gu Yuanzhou to admit his identity in this way; it was simply too low.


    That was the most powerful statement I could come up with.


    However, Gu Yuanzhou remained indifferent; he resolutely got into the car.


    The car door slammed shut, and the vehicle sped away in an instant.


    The dirty water kicked up by the car wheels splashed my face and body¡­


    The cold rainwater immediately sobered me up quite a bit!


    What exactly was I doing?


    I don¡¯t know how long I stood there in the darkness until a car¡¯s headlights turned on, and a blue sedan stopped in front of me.


    The car door opened, someone holding an umbrella came out, and quickly walked over to me,


    ¡°Ayun, my goodness, you¡¯ve been standing in the rain for such a long time. Aren¡¯t you afraid of dying?¡±


    The headlights shone through the rain and fog, and in the dim night, I saw the woman wearing a floral shirt; it was Wenya.


    I couldn¡¯t hold back, and I burst into tears the moment I hugged her.


    Wenya didn¡¯t say much, just held me tightly, constantly comforting me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay now, Ayun. We¡¯ve made it through tough times before, and we can get through this one too. Just clench your teeth.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, I just ran into him¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, get in the car first. My God, you¡¯re soaked through. Don¡¯t get sick, get in the car first, let¡¯s go home, and you can tell me slowly.¡±


    Wenya pulled me toward the car.


    After standing in the mountain rain for too long, I was completely frozen. After getting in the car, Su Peisheng turned on the heater, and only then did I gradually start to warm up.


    The car raced through the night.


    No one spoke.


    After getting home, I took a hot shower first, and when I came out after changing my clothes,


    Wenya was opening the door to let the delivery in.


    There was a full table of barbecue, and Su Peisheng also brought in a bunch of beer.


    ¡°Come on, eat and drink. After we drink, let¡¯s set aside whatever makes us happy. The great sky, the vast earth, but our own stomachs are the biggest.¡±


    I didn¡¯t eat the barbecue, just picked up a beer, opened it, and poured it down my throat.


    ¡°I saw Gu Yuanzhou!¡±


    ¡°Oh, then what happened?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it ridiculous? He actually denied in person that it was him¡­ He¡¯s not Gu Yuanzhou at all, what a joke.¡±


    ¡°Is there a possibility that he might really not be Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Wenya gnawed heartily on a grilled chicken leg while listening to me.


    ¡°How could that be? More than a decade of marriage, and I wouldn¡¯t recognize him?¡±


    ¡°Then he has no reason to deny it. Think about it, didn¡¯t he take care of you while you were blind a while ago? He¡¯s already shown up, what¡¯s there to deny? If he weren¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou, he probably wouldn¡¯t care about your life or death, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ he really has no feelings left. If he cared about me, if he still loved me, he wouldn¡¯t have treated me like this today.¡±


    Suddenly Su Peisheng said,


    ¡°I have an idea, do you guys want to hear it?¡±


    Wenya immediately said cautiously,


    ¡°First tell us, what side are you on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m neutral, and I never choose sides!¡±


    ¡°No neutrality allowed, you have to be on my sister¡¯s side, otherwise shut it¡­¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking there might be a possibility!¡±


    ¡°What possibility?¡±


    I don¡¯t know why, but the beer in my hand tasted bitter, and after one sip, I couldn¡¯t drink any more.


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t accuse him of spouting nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Let him speak, Wenya. He¡¯s a man too. I want to know. What legitimate reason could Gu Yuanzhou have for not acknowledging his own identity?¡±


    Su Peisheng set down the tissue in his hand and pondered for a moment,


    ¡°First of all, I solemnly declare that I have no association with Gu Yuanzhou. I¡¯m not taking his side. The reason I¡¯m dissecting this viewpoint is purely because I thought of a possibility. I¡¯ll put it forward first, and after I finish, you can decide if I¡¯m right.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead!¡±


    ¡°Look, Gu Yuanzhou was implicated in a criminal case. He could say that he¡¯d already been executed. If, at this time, he reappeared as Gu Yuanzhou, he would be arrested by the police.¡±


    With Su Peisheng¡¯s explanation, Wenya was stunned on the spot,


    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s actually possible. Ayun, when you think about it, it makes sense. He can¡¯t expose himself, or else he¡¯ll have to face execution by firing squad again.¡±


    I fell silent.


    It really could be possible.


    If that were the case, then it seemed somewhat acceptable.


    Wenya then asked,


    ¡°But if that¡¯s the reason, he could have just told Ayun. Ayun¡¯s not unreasonable. He could have just explained properly.¡±


    Su Peisheng spread his hands,


    ¡°I¡¯m not him, how would I know what he¡¯s thinking? This is just my speculation. Who knows what his actual reasons are. Hard to say.¡±


    ¡°Pah, how could you not know, you¡¯re also a lousy man. You must know something else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wronging me; I was only making an instant analysis.¡±


    As the two of them were arguing, Su Peisheng¡¯s phone suddenly rang, and he picked it up to answer,


    ¡°Hello Auntie¡­ Yes, okay, okay¡­ I understand, don¡¯t worry. I will do my best, but I can¡¯t guarantee success! Mhm mhm mhm, okay, okay, I will make sure to relay your message with care.¡±


    Su Peisheng talked for a long time, and I remained silent, lost in thought about Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s situation, paying no attention to his conversation.


    After he hung up the phone, Wenya asked,


    ¡°Who was that calling? You hmm¡¯d and huh¡¯d for ages!¡±


    Su Peisheng scratched his head, and after thinking for a long time, he finally said to me,


    ¡°That was Ding Yinuo¡¯s mother just now¡­ She said Ding Yinuo has been in a coma for many days, and she felt embarrassed to bother you, so she asked me to come over and plead on her behalf, to see if you could spare some time to treat him!¡±


    Before I could say anything, Wenya rejected on my behalf,


    ¡°Pah, doesn¡¯t she consider what her son did to Ayun? How dare she come and ask? Just one sentence, no!¡±


    Su Peisheng said,


    ¡°I think Ding¡¯s mother is a pretty good person. Although Ding Yinuo might have gone too far later on, that doesn¡¯t mean his mom is a bad person.¡±


    Wenya said,


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t go! After all the harm he did to us, we¡¯re not seeking revenge, and that¡¯s already something. And now to help them? Ridiculous, treating people like fools.¡±


    Su Peisheng continued to persuade,


    ¡°Actually, I have an opinion. I think it¡¯s very necessary to save him¡­¡±


    After hearing this, Wenya shot to her feet,


    ¡°We¡¯re done, it¡¯s over! You just like to contradict me, don¡¯t you!¡±


    ¡°No, honey¡­ I was actually thinking of Ayun¡¯s best interests!¡±


    Su Peisheng quickly stood up to console her, but Wenya slammed the table,


    ¡°Fine, you give me a good reason, or it¡¯s over between us.¡±

 Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: Chapter 439: The Result of Chaos and Abandonment

    Chapter 439: Chapter 439: The Result of Chaos and Abandonment


    ¡°Has Ayun¡¯s eye always had problems?¡± Su Peisheng said.


    Wenya nodded, her arms folded,


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re not blind after all! Knowing that, you still let Ayun go save Ding Yinuo? After the rescue, you want him to continue harming our Ayun, right? People can¡¯t be so cheap, can they?¡±


    ¡°No, have you considered that since Ayun¡¯s eye was healed by Ding Yinuo initially, the only person who can reverse this outcome now is Ding Yinuo himself. If he wakes up, he could heal Ayun¡¯s eye!¡±


    What Su Peisheng said indeed opened up the situation.


    I listened and fell silent.


    Wenya didn¡¯t say anything for a long time, then she added,


    ¡°There is some truth to that, but our Ayun was already planning to seek treatment in the United States.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, although the medical standard abroad is high, after all, Ayun¡¯s eye surgery was done by Ding Yinuo. He knows where the key issues are. If you go abroad, the doctors there might not know. There¡¯s an old saying, ¡®Only the bell ringer can untie the bell.¡¯ Seeking Ding Yinuo is the fastest shortcut!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ that does seem logical, alright, I¡¯m a bit torn now. Ayun, what do you think?¡±


    Wenya looked at me again.


    I took a sip of beer and then spat it out, then stood up to grab my coat,


    ¡°Drive me to the hospital!¡±


    Indeed, I also thought Su Peisheng made sense, since the antidote was in Ding Yinuo¡¯s hands, why should I go far and wide to look for another?


    ¡°Now?¡±


    Wenya asked,


    ¡°It¡¯s past nine now, and you¡¯ve been out in the rain today, are you sure you¡¯re up to it?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! I can¡¯t delay with my eye issues!¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Su Peisheng took me to the hospital that very night.


    I was still worried that our actions could be hindered again by Jiang Jiaying.


    After all, Lin Nansheng had announced earlier in the day that Jiang Jiaying was not the true heiress, and that woman must be fuming with rage by now, ready to seek revenge at any moment.


    She might have been waiting for us in the hospital right then.


    However, when we arrived at the ward, we found that only Mother Ding kept vigil by Ding Yinuo¡¯s side, all by herself.


    Seeing me come in, Mother Ding stood up excitedly and came forward to give me a tight hug.


    ¡°I knew it, only you truly care about our Yinuo. I didn¡¯t misjudge you.¡±


    Wenya curiously asked,


    ¡°Auntie, hasn¡¯t Jiang Jiaying been taking care of Ding Yinuo? Didn¡¯t she claim to love him the most?¡±


    Mother Ding heaved an awkward sigh,


    ¡°She used to come all the time, but when the doctors said that Ding Yinuo would be in a vegetative state from now on, she stopped coming so often.¡±


    Wenya laughed lightly,


    ¡°Auntie, you see what kind of person Jiang Jiaying is. Strutting around with her deceit, now she has abandoned Ding Yinuo after causing him trouble¡­¡±


    Mother Ding shook her head,


    ¡°I¡¯ve known she was that kind of woman for a long time, but Yinuo was stubborn as if he had made up his mind to be with her. I hope he can learn from this experience.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I can¡¯t guarantee I can heal him completely, but¡­ I can only say, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°Child, having this intention is already enough for me to be grateful.¡±


    To enable Ding Yinuo to wake up as soon as possible, I went to get the acupuncture tools I had used before, overnight.


    Then I performed acupuncture on Ding Yinuo¡­


    I kept busy until late into the night.


    When I left, Mother Ding kept thanking me repeatedly.


    She was almost on the verge of kneeling down in gratitude.


    On the way back, Wenya mused in the car,


    ¡°I really hope Mr. Ding sobers up this time and stops making mistakes.¡±


    Su Peisheng, driving the car, remained silent.


    Wenya kicked him,


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    ¡°Er, it¡¯s hard to say about these things. Who knows what Ding Yinuo will be like when he wakes up. But based on my experience, he should be different from before.¡±


    ¡°What experience do you have?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I was just guessing randomly!¡±


    ¡°Ugh, how annoying, going crazy again!¡±


    After returning home, it was already the middle of the night.


    I went straight to bed.


    The next morning, I was awakened by the ringing of my cellphone.


    The call was from Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, did you make it home safely yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I¡¯m all good¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, come over later, I want to introduce you to Anqi, is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I got out of bed and carefully looked in the mirror to see that my eyes were still red as a little rabbit¡¯s.


    I quickly washed my face and put on sunglasses to cover them.


    Half an hour later, I arrived at Lin Nansheng¡¯s residence.


    It was a high-end villa area called Windsor Mansion.


    I had actually been here a few times before and was very familiar with the place.


    After ringing the doorbell, a housekeeper came to open the door and greeted me very respectfully, ¡°Good day, Miss Song.¡±


    ¡°Is Uncle Lin in?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been waiting for you!¡±


    ¡°Great, thank you!¡±


    The marble-floored hall was so glossy you could see your reflection in it, and around the walls were sofas the color of sapphire blue under a crystal chandelier.


    Lin Nansheng was sitting on the sofa, chatting and laughing with a young woman.


    She was dressed demurely, with fair skin and graceful demeanor, clearly well-educated.


    ¡°Uncle Lin!¡±


    I smiled and nodded my head, greeting him.


    Lin Nansheng quickly got up to greet me.


    ¡°Anqi, come here, this is Song Xiaoyun, by age, you should call her sister¡­¡±


    The girl in front of me looked to be in her early twenties, and in fact, she appeared to be about the same age as Song Xiaoyun.


    But if you counted my real age from my previous life, she was actually several years younger than me.


    It seemed that she was Lin Nansheng¡¯s youngest daughter with his current wife.


    In theory, I should dislike someone like her.


    But the girl in front of me, I really couldn¡¯t bring myself to dislike.


    She looked very approachable, and after Lin Nansheng finished a simple introduction, she took the initiative to walk over to me, took my hand, and called out,


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    ¡°Sister, please have a seat!¡±


    She led me by the hand to sit beside her and smiled at me,


    ¡°I heard about you from my father a while ago. He said you¡¯re a very outstanding woman. At your young age, you¡¯ve already owned your own company, beating ninety-nine percent of your peers.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin is flattering me!¡±


    ¡°Ahem, Dad said you¡¯ve become his goddaughter. Why still call him Uncle Lin? I hope you can, like me, call him Dad.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll steal away his paternal love?¡±


    I asked Lin Anqi with a smile. In fact, she had been at the funeral earlier.


    However, because I was too sad, I didn¡¯t greet her, and she simply left after making a brief appearance.


    Now that Lin Nansheng had called me over, it seemed he wanted to formally introduce us as sisters.


    Lin Anqi laughed heartily,


    ¡°If this had been when I was younger, I definitely would have been jealous of you. But now that I¡¯ve grown up, and Dad has gotten older, it is time for us to care for him. Having an additional sister means having one more person to love Dad, and I¡¯m truly happy about it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you can think that way!¡±


    Lin Anqi was forthright and spoke politely. Indeed, the emotional intelligence of a true heiress from a wealthy family was different, a world apart from Jiang Jiaying.


    She held my hand and talked for a long time, and then suddenly said,


    ¡°Oh, right, there¡¯s another family member in our house that I want to introduce to you¡­ Louis!¡±

 Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: Chapter 440: Missed

    Chapter 440: Chapter 440: Missed


    ¡°`


    Louis? That name sounds very familiar to me.


    Previously, Lin Nansheng had mentioned him a few times, and when he was on the phone with this person, I heard a voice that sounded like Gu Yuanzhou.


    He explained to me that Louis was a family member.


    However, I never had the opportunity to meet this so-called Louis.


    Now that I¡¯ve come to the Lin family¡¯s house, I finally have the chance to see his true face.


    Lin Anqi called out a few times from upstairs,


    ¡°Louis¡­¡±


    No one responded, but the housekeeper ran out first,


    ¡°Miss, Louis left half an hour ago. He said he had some urgent matters to attend to.¡±


    Lin Anqi nodded,


    ¡°Alright, got it.¡±


    She turned back to me and said,


    ¡°He¡¯s not at home, so I¡¯ll introduce you to him next time!¡±


    Lin Anqi was very enthusiastic, showing me around the entire villa.


    She also told me some of the history of the Lin family¡­


    Lin Nansheng invited me to stay for lunch.


    During this time, he discussed with me the details of the arrangements for going abroad to see a doctor for my eyes.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I¡¯ve contacted a doctor in the United States. Take a look and see when you can get all the affairs at the company in order, and then we can leave. You don¡¯t need to worry about not having someone to look after you abroad. I will accompany you throughout the trip, and additionally, if you¡¯re willing, Anqi also said she could accompany you. Don¡¯t worry, Anqi is also family to you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll first deal with the company¡¯s business. It should take about a week.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll make an appointment with the doctor for you, and I will take care of all the matters during this period.¡±


    After lunch, Lin Nansheng drove me back to Zhenyi Company.


    And at that moment, Mother Ding was waiting for me at my company¡­


    ¡°Auntie, what brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I¡¯ve come to thank you!¡±


    ¡°Thank me for what?¡±


    ¡°Yinuo woke up!¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly, how about you come over and see?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I didn¡¯t even have time to catch my breath before following Mother Ding to the hospital.


    At this time, several doctors had already appeared in Ding Yinuo¡¯s ward, as they discussed and researched the follow-up solutions.


    Trying to figure out which method had worked on Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°I heard electrical stimulation of the nerves is very effective, microcurrent stimulation of the brain waves.¡±


    ¡°It could also be that imported biological medicine that worked.¡±


    ¡°It seems we need to thoroughly study what can cause a vegetative person to respond¡­¡±


    These doctors were all researching the reason behind Ding Yinuo¡¯s response.


    Mother Ding didn¡¯t bother arguing with them and drove them all out,


    ¡°Okay, my son needs rest now. Please leave for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Auntie, talk to him more. Language can stimulate the neural centers and help him wake up faster. Let us know if there are any changes.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    After the doctors left, Mother Ding quickly closed the door of the ward.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, look!¡±


    Mother Ding brought me over to the bedside and then revealed the whole story,


    ¡°`


    ¡°After you completed the acupuncture treatment for him yesterday, I called his name, and he responded,¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, can you hear mom talking? If you can hear, move your finger.¡±


    Sure enough, Ding Yinuo¡¯s right hand finger twitched slightly on the hospital bed where he lay in a coma; the movement just wasn¡¯t very distinct.


    His symptoms were exactly the same as before.


    At that time, after he fell into a vegetative state, I helped him with acupuncture, stimulating the acupoints on his head, and he was able to respond like this.


    ¡°Look, he responded, which means your treatment is working. Try it on him again today.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Since there was a response, it was necessary to attempt it again immediately.


    With Mother Ding¡¯s assistance, I began the second session of acupuncture¡­


    Mother Ding kept talking into Ding Yinuo¡¯s ear,


    ¡°Son, it¡¯s Xiaoyun who¡¯s treating you, remember, it¡¯s her, not Jiang Jiaying. That bad woman Jiang Jiaying, she doesn¡¯t even come to see you once, you really misjudged her.¡±


    However, before I had even worked for three minutes, my eyes began to hurt again.


    Recently, I¡¯ve been experiencing frequent bouts of eye pain.


    The episodes were unpredictable.


    Sometimes it would be in the morning, sometimes in the evening.


    Whenever it happened, I would start taking medicine.


    At first, I took one pill at a time, but as the pain worsened, I began taking two, three, and now I am taking five pills at once.


    I originally wanted to endure it, finish the acupuncture, and then take the medicine.


    But the pain struck like a tsunami, I couldn¡¯t even hold the needle in my hand, and collapsed directly to the ground. I covered my eyes with both hands and rolled on the floor in agony.


    My condition frightened Mother Ding terribly.


    She hurriedly called for the doctor again.


    I was rushed into the emergency room, only to be pushed out after a short while.


    Because the doctors didn¡¯t know how to deal with my eyes, they could only give me a painkiller injection and sent me out again.


    Mother Ding stayed by my side and quickly asked the doctor,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes?¡±


    The ophthalmologist didn¡¯t hide anything, just shook his head and sighed,


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t you know yet? Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes were harmed by Dr. Ding! During his last surgery, he didn¡¯t operate properly, whether it was a nerve or blood vessel that was connected incorrectly, leading to problems with blood circulation in her eyes. Her eyes are going to necrotize!¡±


    ¡°Can it still be cured?¡±


    ¡°Difficult, very difficult! Given our current domestic medical standards, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s incurable!¡±


    The doctor shook his head and sighed; in reality, they too were at a loss, with no better solution than giving me a painkiller injection.


    Upon hearing this, Mother Ding was immediately shocked. She held my hand, looking at me with a face about to collapse.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I need to hear it from you personally, is this true?¡±


    I fell silent for a moment, then nodded.


    Seeing this, Mother Ding sighed deeply and burst into tears on the spot.


    ¡°This scoundrel! How could he do such a thing? How could I have raised such a son, a heartless creature!¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m alright now! My eyes don¡¯t hurt anymore, let¡¯s go, continue with the acupuncture.¡±


    Mother Ding was overwhelmed with guilt,


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve your treatment anymore, that scoundrel. What right does he have to have you treat him?¡±


    ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s not act rashly. Perhaps, after I cure him, he might be able to treat my eyes again?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mother Ding finally compromised, but she stayed silent and sighed all the way.


    For the next two hours, I focused intently on completing all the acupuncture points for Ding Yinuo¡­


    Mother Ding bowed deeply to me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, Yinuo¡¯s life is in your hands. If he doesn¡¯t treat your eyes properly when he wakes up, I¡¯ll die right in front of him. I can promise you that¡­¡±

 Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: Chapter 441 Awkward Identity

    Chapter 441: Chapter 441 Awkward Identity


    ¡°`plaintext


    I quickly reached out to steady Mother Ding.


    Even if Mother Ding hadn¡¯t said those words, I would have believed that she could absolutely do it.


    She was actually a very kind person, and upon learning about this incident, she probably felt a heavy sense of guilt.


    ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t say that. I believe you!¡±


    After I had finished the acupuncture treatment, Mother Ding called out to Ding Yinuo again.


    Not only could Ding Yinuo move his fingers, but he also wrote two words in Mother Ding¡¯s palm,


    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡±


    I let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that with persistence, Ding Yinuo¡¯s awakening was not an issue.


    When I left the hospital, Mother Ding accompanied me all the way to the exit.


    At the door, Mother Ding held my hand,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I can understand if you decide to stop the treatment at any time. I don¡¯t hate you¡­¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I¡­¡±


    Just then, Shen Yishu happened to drive over to pick me up.


    Mother Ding saw Shen Yishu and sighed.


    ¡°No matter whether Yinuo wakes up or not, we won¡¯t hold your friend accountable. It was an unintentional act; it was¡­ Yinuo who went too far.¡±


    As a mother, she had spoken her piece.


    This was probably the greatest compromise she could make.


    After I got into Shen Yishu¡¯s car.


    Shen Yishu still shook his head and sighed,


    ¡°I know advising you is useless! But I still can¡¯t help but tell you, saving such an ungrateful person is pointless.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to discuss this topic any further, so I asked,


    ¡°How is your cousin doing?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s okay, I guess! Anyway, she¡¯s inexperienced in everything, so we can only slowly guide her.¡±


    As he spoke, his cell phone rang again, and it was his cousin Xia Lingling calling.


    She was supposed to deliver documents to a client.


    Due to various reasons, the delivery wasn¡¯t completed, but she got into an argument with the security guard at the entrance and almost came to blows.


    Shen Yishu had no choice but to drive and pick up his cousin.


    After making an apology to the person involved, he personally delivered the documents to the client and took the opportunity to bring his cousin back with him.


    Just as she got in the car, my cell phone rang again; it was Lin Nansheng calling.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, we¡¯re eating out. Why don¡¯t you come along? If you go abroad for an eye treatment later, the chances for the whole family to dine together will become much scarcer.¡±


    ¡°Sure, where are you all?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re at Jingdu Hotel just ahead. If you have friends, you can bring them along too.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, since Shen Yishu was right there, I invited him,


    ¡°Come join us for a meal!¡±


    ¡°No thanks, I would have gone if it wasn¡¯t for my cousin. But taking her along isn¡¯t convenient, I¡¯ll invite you and your uncle for a meal when I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t insist!¡±


    I glanced at the girl named Xia Lingling.


    She was indeed pretty with delicate brows and bright eyes, but there was an overly clever look in her eyes that seemed to harbor some mischief.


    I had seen this kind of look before, in Ye Mengyan¡¯s eyes.


    However, I didn¡¯t want to say too much, just patted Shen Yishu on the shoulder,


    ¡°Take good care of yourself, and learn to see people for who they are with your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, got it!¡±


    Jingdu Hotel was just across the street, so I packed up my bag and walked over.


    It was a family dinner.


    Because Lin Nansheng had only invited three old friends, plus me and Lin Anqi.


    ¡°`


    A large private room decorated in traditional Chinese style seemed a bit too quiet with just a few people in it.


    However, the elegant environment was a saving grace. As we seated ourselves, a server began to steep large bowls of tea, providing exceptionally attentive service.


    After Lin Anqi greeted me, she was on the phone the whole time, seemingly arranging to meet with someone¡­


    Lin Nansheng asked from beside me,


    ¡°How have your eyes been these past few days? Have they gotten any worse?¡±


    In fact, at this moment, my eyes were still bloodshot, so even while sitting in the private room, I continued to wear tea-colored sunglasses.


    One reason was to hide the unsightliness; the other was to avoid too much exposure to bright light.


    To avoid worrying Lin Nansheng, I pretended to be nonchalant,


    ¡°No worsening, much better now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯ve already made an appointment for you at the hospital. Take a look; here are the hospital and doctor¡¯s information!¡±


    Lin Nansheng handed me a pamphlet.


    It was all in English, so I casually flipped through it.


    Just then, the door to the private room opened.


    Lin Anqi exclaimed,


    ¡°You¡¯ve just arrived? Was there a traffic jam on the way?¡±


    I looked up towards the voice.


    A tall figure entered through the doorway, holding a takeaway cake in his hand.


    Lin Anqi had already gone up to greet him,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say if you couldn¡¯t make it in time, you need not buy the cake? It¡¯s not that important anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s your birthday, a once-a-year occasion; the sense of ceremony cannot be missed.¡±


    The man¡¯s deep voice, so familiar and intimate, allowed me to recognize him instantly.


    I stared at him blankly.


    For a moment, it was as if space and time had become confused. Was I experiencing an illusion, or had I stepped into an alternate world and encountered another him?


    While I was slightly dazed, Lin Anqi, arm in arm with the man, approached me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, let me introduce him to you. This is Louis!¡±


    I stood up.


    Now standing before him.


    We were less than a step away from each other; I could clearly see his features, even the moles on his face.


    Indeed, after so many years of love, I could recognize him even if he turned to ash. What¡¯s more, he was standing right in front of me, alive and real.


    I looked at him, a myriad of emotions building up inside me.


    At this moment, Lin Anqi seemed not to notice the change in my facial expression and cheerfully introduced him,


    ¡°She¡­ Xiaoyun, is my sister! She¡¯s the goddaughter my father took in; actually, I feel a deep connection with her, as if we were meant to be sisters. From now on, I will treat her as my own sister, Louis. I really like her.¡±


    Lin Anqi didn¡¯t realize that the man beside her gaze was fixed on me the whole time, without moving away for a long while.


    I was silent.


    He didn¡¯t say a word either¡­


    The two of us just looked at each other, and the atmosphere became increasingly awkward.


    It was Lin Nansheng who noticed something was amiss and quickly stepped forward, saying,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, this Louis is a man of a few words¡­ He usually doesn¡¯t talk much.¡±


    I forced a slight smile and asked Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°You mentioned last time that Louis is a member of your family. May I ask, what is his relationship to you?¡±


    Although his name had been introduced, no specific relationship was mentioned, and I couldn¡¯t figure it out; I wondered if he might be a godson perhaps?


    Lin Nansheng laughed heartily and turned to Lin Anqi, saying,


    ¡°Anqi, why are you so shy? In front of your sister, we¡¯re all family, no need to be so formal.¡±


    Then Lin Anqi, with her cheeks flushed and an admiring gaze towards Louis, hesitated for quite some time before saying,


    ¡°He¡­he¡¯s my fianc¨¦!¡±

 Chapter 442 - Chapter 442: Chapter 442: Do you have any more questions?

    Chapter 442: Chapter 442: Do you have any more questions?


    Actually, from Lin Anqi¡¯s shy expression, I should have been able to guess the relationship between these two.


    But the speculation in my heart was far less shocking than hearing it from her lips.


    I was silent for a long time.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sister? You look very surprised, do you think he is not good?¡±


    Lin Anqi finally sensed my discomfort.


    I snapped back to reality, quickly shook my head, and turned to Gu Yuanzhou with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re called Louis?¡±


    His dark eyes stared at me for a long time before he slowly nodded.


    ¡°You are¡­ Anqi¡¯s fianc¨¦?¡±


    ¡°Anqi has already told you that.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear it very clearly, I want to hear it from you!¡±


    Yes, I wanted him to say it himself.


    Only if he said it, would I give up.


    Actually, I also knew I was being somewhat irrational at the moment, and a bit undignified too.


    But there was a fury burning inside me, and even though I tried hard to suppress it on the surface, my heart had already burst.


    Gu Yuanzhou gave me another look,


    ¡°My answer is the same as hers. Your question is meaningless.¡±


    ¡°Heh heh, meaningless? It actually means a lot¡­¡±


    ¡°So, why do you ask?¡±


    I stopped my awkward smile,


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, I thought you were an old friend of mine when I heard your voice and saw your face. Because you really look alike.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and what do you think now?¡±


    ¡°I was wrong, you are not him!¡±


    At this moment, Lin Anqi also said with a smile,


    ¡°It¡¯s normal to mistake people. When he first came to A City, many people mistook him. You¡¯re not the first one, come on, come sit, sister, sit down and eat.¡±


    Lin Anqi took Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hand and sat on the other side, while I sat down beside Lin Nansheng.


    Despite the tumult in my heart, I still managed to restrain these negative thoughts with great reason.


    I can do without Gu Yuanzhou, but I can¡¯t do without my biological father.


    He is the only relative I have in this world.


    Sitting down, I poured myself a glass of red wine and after finishing it, slowly calmed down.


    At the dinner table, Lin Nansheng seemed to be very impressed with Gu Yuanzhou,


    Constantly praising him to several old friends.


    ¡°This future son-in-law is very capable. In that month on Wall Street, he made me more than a hundred billion¡­ He¡¯s young, but he¡¯s experienced and has a very keen eye, not at all inferior to me. Being with him, I feel like, I¡¯m old, it¡¯s time to retire.¡±


    The white-haired elder chuckled,


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve found a successor, indeed, you can retire.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already planned it, wait for my eldest daughter to have her eyes treated, my youngest daughter to be married, and then I¡¯ll join you old friends to travel and enjoy our later years.¡±


    ¡°When will we celebrate their wedding?¡±


    ¡°Ha ha, that question¡­ she just graduated, let¡¯s wait until she has a bit of success in her career before we hold a banquet. Anyway, the young people are not in a hurry, and I¡¯m not in a hurry either, come on, let¡¯s drink.¡±


    At the table, Lin Nansheng and a few old friends were talking about Gu Yuanzhou,


    He seemed to be very pleased with him.


    In fact, Lin Nansheng¡¯s judgment was indeed good, Gu Yuanzhou truly had an exceptional talent in business.


    In response to Lin Nansheng¡¯s assessment, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t offer any explanation.


    He just sat at the table, playing with the red wine in his hand, and occasionally lifting his dark eyes to look at Lin Nansheng.


    But from time to time, he would glance at me.


    I tried hard to control my chaotic heart¡­


    Thinking back and forth, all kinds of thoughts.


    I had been discussing with Wenya why he wouldn¡¯t acknowledge his identity, thinking it was because of a case he was involved in.


    Now it seems we were all wrong, instead, he had already adopted a new identity and become someone else¡¯s outstanding future son-in-law.


    The taste was truly unbearable.


    Deceived?


    Made a fool of?


    A breath was trapped in my lungs, impossible to swallow down either way.


    It took me a long struggle to slowly come to terms with it.


    With a bitter smile, I continued to drink.


    Lin Anqi seemed completely unaware of this as she sat quietly beside Gu Yuanzhou.


    Her face was filled with a happy smile, yet her behavior was proper, unlike other women who would lean on a man¡¯s shoulder or have any intimate interaction with Gu Yuanzhou.


    She maintained propriety and elegance, only occasionally turning to Gu Yuanzhou for advice when Lin Nansheng asked her certain questions.


    Gu Yuanzhou would explain to her politely and earnestly.


    For the first half hour, I behaved properly, hardly letting any flaws show.


    But no matter how proper it was, it was all an act.


    Inside, I was actually quite uncomfortable.


    I felt that if I sat any longer, I might lose control.


    So I stood up and said to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I have some things to do, so I need to leave early.¡±


    Lin Nansheng asked,


    ¡°Have you eaten enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m full!¡±


    At this time, Lin Anqi also stood up and came over to me,


    ¡°Sister, it¡¯s late; let me take you home!¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s fine. Today is your birthday, so let me wish you a happy birthday. I¡¯ll just take a taxi home by myself later.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou sat by the dining table without moving, seemingly calm as he gave me a glance.


    ¡°Louis, could you take my sister home? I¡¯d like to chat with the uncles for a bit longer!¡±


    Lin Anqi¡¯s voice was gentle, her words polite and fitting.


    Gu Yuanzhou then stood up,


    ¡°Leave it to me! You go ahead and enjoy the meal with the uncles.¡±


    Lin Anqi took the suit jacket from the back of the chair and handed it to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Louis, I¡¯m entrusting my sister to you; take good care of her for me.¡±


    I hurriedly declined,


    ¡°Anqi, I can get back by myself, don¡¯t bother you guys.¡±


    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t be like that. Dad won¡¯t be at ease if you go back alone, and neither will I. Louis drives very safely; I would be at ease if he took you back.¡±


    I knew that if I refused again, it would come off somewhat affected.


    After saying goodbye to her, I left.


    To avoid walking with him, I quickened my pace.


    He followed behind at a leisurely pace.


    Once inside the elevator, the narrow space left only the two of us.


    He lit a cigarette.


    The numbers on the elevator panel were slowly changing, and after a while, he suddenly turned his head towards me,


    ¡°If you have anything you want to ask me now, you can ask.¡±


    ¡°Questions?¡±


    I indeed had a multitude of questions, very, very many.


    Broadly, how had he escaped the death penalty, then fled abroad?


    And how had he got to know Lin Anqi, and then entered into a romantic relationship with her?


    More recently, during the time I was blind, had he been the one taking care of me?


    A myriad of questions, too numerous to count.


    Moreover, I had indeed wanted to ask him these questions, countless times I had wanted to find him and get straight answers.

 Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: Chapter 443 This Must Be the Feeling

    Chapter 443: Chapter 443 This Must Be the Feeling


    But now, looking at him, my interest waned¡­


    I chuckled lightly as I looked at him,


    ¡°Ask what? Whether or not you are Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    He looked at me,


    ¡°You can ask!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask, it¡¯s not necessary!¡±


    ¡°If you think it¡¯s necessary, then it is necessary!¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s not necessary! Gu Yuanzhou is already dead, and since you are going to marry Lin Anqi, you should just live your life well.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    His voice lowered, and his tone slowly became tender.


    He suddenly stepped closer to me and reached out his hand.


    I took a wary step back, just as the elevator door opened, and I escaped out of it instantly.


    He caught up with me quickly and shook his head.


    When getting into the car, I was momentarily distracted and accidentally sat in the passenger seat.


    He didn¡¯t start the car but still reached out his right hand to me.


    I leaned back in my seat, looking at him warily,


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a piece of dirt in your hair¡­¡±


    Only then did I stay still, and he reached into my hair to pick out a yellowish dried leaf and casually threw it out the window.


    I laughed softly and shook my head,


    ¡°There¡¯s really no need for this.¡±


    ¡°No need for what?¡±


    His dark eyes gazed at me warmly,


    ¡°We are not strangers. Why are you so resistant to me?¡±


    I sneered coldly, my gaze fixed firmly on the dark night outside the car windshield.


    ¡°Not strangers? We only met for the first time today, how are we not strangers? In my opinion, you are a stranger. You are Lin Anqi¡¯s fianc¨¦; this is the first time I¡¯m meeting you.¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    He turned his head to glance at me, then the corners of his mouth lifted.


    I smiled nonchalantly,


    ¡°Why should I be jealous? I have a husband of my own!¡±


    ¡°I heard Ding Yinuo is still unconscious?¡±


    ¡°You do have an efficient way to get news, but whether he wakes up or not is none of your business. Anyway, I love him, and even if he doesn¡¯t wake up, I will find a way to make him come around.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression gradually darkened, and his eyes grew colder.


    After that, he stopped talking and focused purely on driving.


    The car stopped in front of my building, and as I was about to get out, he called out to me.


    ¡°The things you just said, were you trying to anger me?¡±


    I looked back at him,


    ¡°Louis, right? We met only today. Why would I need to anger you? I was merely stating the truth. Since you are Anqi¡¯s fianc¨¦, I hope you won¡¯t mess up your life anymore.¡±


    After I finished speaking, I forcefully closed the car door.


    After going upstairs, I saw that Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s car was still parked there.


    After brushing my teeth, washing up, changing into pajamas, and turning off the lights, I stood by the window and peered downward.


    The car was still there.


    I originally planned to go to sleep, but once I lay down, I felt empty in my stomach and suddenly remembered I hadn¡¯t eaten anything.


    Earlier at the dinner table, I was so busy being angry with Gu Yuanzhou that I had two glasses of champagne, but I didn¡¯t eat a single bite of food.


    My stomach has been very poor lately, it seems that whenever I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯m plagued by an insatiable fire in my belly, and I must eat something before I can sleep.


    So, I got up, opened the fridge, found a pack of instant noodles, and went to the kitchen to add an egg before cooking them.


    After the noodles were done, I began to eat.


    After eating, my stomach felt terrible again, and I ran to the bathroom to vomit profusely.


    Recently, it seems my stomach has always been bad.


    Could it be because of taking too much medicine?


    After vomiting, I lay in bed completely drained of energy.


    I didn¡¯t even have the strength to see if Gu Yuanzhou had left; I just lay there and fell straight to sleep.


    The next morning.


    I felt totally weak all over.


    I didn¡¯t want to go to work and just lay lazily in bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze.


    It wasn¡¯t until Jian Jing came to call me that I realized I had been lying at home all morning.


    ¡°Ayun, are you sick? Why do you look so pale?¡±


    Jian Jing opened the window to air out the room and brought the takeout breakfast to me.


    ¡°Have you not eaten anything again?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m fine, not sick at all¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already past ten, are you still going to the company?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the hospital in a bit¡­ By the way, how is your daughter doing?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s almost fully recovered and can be discharged today. But what really made me sick was during the hospital settlement, Yu Jiahang refused to pay, pinching every penny. He even wanted me to go plead with Dr. Lin for a fifty percent discount. Can you believe that? Fortunately, you prepaid me two months¡¯ salary in advance, otherwise damn, it would have been so embarrassing at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Let it go, as long as the child is well, don¡¯t worry about that. Keep the bills safe; you¡¯ll be able to get reimbursed for some of it.¡±


    I got out of bed languidly, and Jian Jing handed me the takeout breakfast she had brought.


    ¡°Remember to eat, you have a weak stomach.¡±


    The food Jian Jing brought back was delicious, xiao long bao, tofu pudding, and a rou jia mo.


    I can¡¯t explain why, but now I have this intense craving for food.


    I never used to care much for these snacks, but now they look like the most delicious thing on earth, and I can¡¯t get enough.


    After breakfast, I went to the hospital with Jian Jing.


    She went to settle her daughter¡¯s discharge, and I went to treat Ding Yinuo.


    We arrived at the hospital together.


    For some reason, I felt nauseous again and rushed to the restroom to vomit violently.


    Jian Jing followed me to the door, stared at me for a long while, then said,


    ¡°Ayun, this stomach of yours¡­ don¡¯t you think you should have it checked out at the hospital? It seems to be getting worse.¡±


    I picked up a water bottle, took a sip to rinse my mouth, and straightened my hair in the mirror.


    ¡°Ayun, your symptoms¡­ they remind me so much of when I was pregnant. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Ding Yinuo divorced you, I¡¯d think you were carrying his child!¡±


    Jian Jing was still talking to me when Mother Ding came in.


    She looked at me, then at Jian Jing¡­


    ¡°Hello, Auntie!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, hello, hello, you guys are here early.¡±


    We exchanged greetings, Jian Jing went to process the discharge, and I went to Ding Yinuo¡¯s ward with Mother Ding.


    After we entered the ward, Mother Ding quickly pulled up a chair for me to sit down,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I overheard the conversation with your friend in the restroom just now. I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop; it was accidental.¡±


    I was organizing the acupuncture equipment, getting ready to treat Ding Yinuo.


    But Mother Ding pulled me aside to sit down, her face filled with hesitation.


    ¡°No rush, take a moment to rest.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, please just speak your mind.¡±

 Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: Chapter 444: That Apology

    Chapter 444: Chapter 444: That Apology


    Mother Ding thought for a long time before she said,


    ¡°Just now your friend said you were pregnant? I was thinking, it hasn¡¯t even been three months since you and Yinuo divorced. If this child is his, our Ding Family will acknowledge it. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything¡­ If there is a child, even if Yinuo doesn¡¯t acknowledge it, I will. I will help you raise the child.¡±


    I instantly widened my eyes.


    What is she talking about?


    After a moment, I realized she had misunderstood.


    I hurried to explain,


    ¡°Auntie, I am not pregnant, I have a stomach ailment. I¡¯ve been taking too many painkillers because of my eye pain. This medicine is very harsh on the stomach.¡±


    After hearing this, Mother Ding looked suddenly enlightened, but there was still a trace of slight disappointment in her eyes.


    It took her a while before she murmured,


    ¡°Oh, I see! That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good¡­ I was just afraid, if not, then let it be.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s just a stomach problem, I will go to the hospital to have it checked in a few days.¡±


    I am very clear in my heart, I have never had marital relations with Ding Yinuo, how could I possibly have a child.


    However, although I said that, Mother Ding seemed to still have her suspicions.


    After I finished giving the injection to Ding Yinuo, she would always carefully urge me to rest well.


    This attentiveness made me feel that she probably still held some hope in her heart.


    Today, after I finished giving Yinuo the injection.


    I tidied up, ready to leave, when suddenly I heard Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice from behind.


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    That familiar and warm call, how long had it been since I last heard it.


    I slowly turned my head, and the man on the sickbed had already opened his eyes.


    At this moment, Mother Ding was also extremely excited, she stepped forward and grabbed Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand, crying excitedly,


    ¡°Yinuo, Yinuo, have you woken up? You really scared me! My son, you¡¯ve finally come around.¡±


    Perhaps at this moment, I should stay and say something to him.


    But unexpectedly, Jiang Jiaying decided to come at this time.


    She rushed to Ding Yinuo¡¯s side and hugged him, breaking down in tears,


    ¡°Anuo, Anuo, my dear, you¡¯ve finally awakened.¡±


    ¡°In the days you were unconscious, I¡¯ve been terrified, I thought you¡¯d never wake up again. Thank the heavens, you¡¯ve finally woken up.¡±


    ¡°I missed you so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom, quickly bring that pillow over to support him¡­¡±


    Jiang Jiaying took a pillow and placed it under Ding Yinuo¡¯s waist, helping him to sit up.


    Although Ding Yinuo¡¯s condition was obviously not as good as before, at least he was now awake.


    Mother Ding brought over a bowl of porridge and fed him half a bowl.


    Afterward, Jiang Jiaying called other doctors to come to give Ding Yinuo a full-body examination.


    In fact, the doctors had been examining Ding Yinuo these past few days, but Mother Ding had concealed the fact that I was administering the injections.


    As usual, today¡¯s examination revealed no issues, just an indication that the treatment was having an effect.


    After the doctor left, Jiang Jiaying became very considerate again.


    ¡°Yinuo, it¡¯s lucky I didn¡¯t give up on you, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have woken up.¡±


    ¡°Right, do you remember what happened at the wedding? It was Shen Yishu who attacked you and caused you to fall and get hurt. I¡¯ve thought it over; we can¡¯t let him go. I must sue him. Make him pay dearly for this.¡±


    I was originally going to leave, but the reason I stayed was to see how Jiang Jiaying and Ding Yinuo were going to handle the matter with Shen Yishu.


    These past few days, I got some news from Su Peisheng that Jiang Jiaying had already filed a lawsuit against Shen Yishu at the court.


    She was holding Shen Yishu accountable for Ding Yinuo¡¯s serious injury from the fall.


    So today, I must handle this matter properly.


    I can¡¯t let Shen Yishu get implicated.


    At this time, Ding Yinuo¡¯s eyes were looking at me,


    ¡°`


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to get involved in this matter; I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Jiang Jiaying seemed not to have fully understood what she was saying, so she asked again,


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    She felt that Ding Yinuo¡¯s attitude had clearly become somewhat unfriendly, as if he had changed from before.


    ¡°Yinuo, don¡¯t you like me helping you with this?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was silent for a while, his face pale, lying on the hospital bed, seemingly trying hard to organize his thoughts. Finally, he pointed to the door,


    ¡°You go out first.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s face showed a trace of embarrassment, but she didn¡¯t dare to disobey; she just found an excuse for herself,


    ¡°Do you want to rest? Then I¡¯ll leave first. I¡¯ll come back later to keep you company.¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t speak, just looking at me.


    Jiang Jiaying turned to look at me,


    ¡°All right, Yinuo needs to rest. All non-essential personnel, please leave.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t even spoken when Ding Yinuo spoke again,


    ¡°She stays behind, I have something to discuss with her in private.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying, upon hearing this, finally understood that Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t want to rest, but wanted to send her away.


    She couldn¡¯t keep her composure right there.


    ¡°Yinuo, I¡­¡±


    It was Mother Ding who caught on to the nuance, quickly grabbing Jiang Jiaying¡¯s arm and pulling her out,


    ¡°Let Yinuo handle his own matters. Xiaoyun is also involved; let the two of them talk.¡±


    Mother Ding forcibly pulled Jiang Jiaying outside and then casually closed the door to the ward.


    Now only Ding Yinuo and I were left in the ward.


    I still kept a distance from him.


    I stood still, not moving, not wanting to get too close to him.


    He appeared very weak, covered his mouth with his hand and coughed lightly twice. When he looked at me again, his gaze was no longer as aggressive as before.


    ¡°Can you come over a bit?¡±


    He looked at me gently.


    ¡°Mr. Ding, just speak up. I can hear you from here anyway. It¡¯s better to keep the distance, so I don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±


    ¡°Are you that afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ding, just say what you have to say!¡±


    ¡°During the time I was unconscious, I heard the conversation between you and my mom. I know it was you who cured me with acupuncture¡­¡±


    ¡°And then? Are you still going to pursue Shen Yishu¡¯s responsibility?¡±


    ¡°You hope that I won¡¯t pursue it, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Otherwise, I would have no reason to stay here and waste words with you.¡±


    ¡°Sigh!¡±


    Ding Yinuo sighed.


    ¡°I know the things I did before hurt you, and I want to explain. What I was doing at the time was¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need! Ding Yinuo!¡±


    I cut him off,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I treated you firstly out of respect for Aunt Ding, and secondly for the sake of Shen Yishu. I didn¡¯t involve any personal feelings for you. You don¡¯t have to feel grateful to me, and moreover¡­ I don¡¯t want to bring up the past anymore, it¡¯s meaningless, you don¡¯t need to explain, I¡¯m not interested in listening.¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    ¡°If you have nothing else to say, then I¡¯ll be leaving.¡±


    I turned to leave, but he called out to me, ¡°Ayun, I won¡¯t pursue Shen Yishu¡¯s responsibility. It was my own fault!¡±


    I paused briefly, then continued to walk out. Behind me, he continued, ¡°Ayun, I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: Chapter 445: Neither Coming Early Nor Late

    Chapter 445: Chapter 445: Neither Coming Early Nor Late


    ¡°`


    ¡°Sorry?¡±


    Ha, to say sorry now, it¡¯s just too late!


    My eyes are almost blind.


    I didn¡¯t want to reveal my emotions in front of Ding Yinuo, so I quickened my pace and walked out.


    Not until I was somewhere with no one around did I stop, leaning against the cold wall and taking off my sunglasses. I reached up to rub my slightly moist eyes.


    Soon, I put my glasses back on and headed back into the crowd.


    After leaving the hospital, I didn¡¯t go straight back to Zhenyi Company but roamed the streets alone for a long time.


    Watching the bustling crowds, and the busy traffic.


    I wonder, how much longer can I see all this?


    While wandering, I made a call to Shen Yishu.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo has woken up. You don¡¯t have to worry about that matter anymore, he said he won¡¯t pursue it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, did you go and beg him again with your tail between your legs? I¡¯ve told you, you really don¡¯t need to be controlled by that scumbag.¡±


    ¡°No! He came to his senses on his own and said he wouldn¡¯t pursue responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyun, where are you now?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I want to come and keep you company!¡±


    ¡°No need! I¡¯m doing quite well now!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I sat alone on a bench by the roadside, staring blankly at the sun in the sky.


    My phone rang again, this time it was Lin Nansheng calling.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you ready? I¡¯ve booked the flight tickets to the United States for tomorrow. Make sure you¡¯ve prepared everything you need. Don¡¯t leave anything behind.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I sat in the park for half a day, then returned to Zhenyi Company.


    I called Jian Jing into my office,


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving to get my eyes treated tomorrow, and I¡¯ll leave the company in your hands.¡±


    Jian Jing looked at me with a stack of documents in hand,


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. My daughter has been discharged, and my mom is taking care of her, so I don¡¯t have anything to worry about. There won¡¯t be any problems with the company.¡±


    ¡°Um, okay! I feel much more at ease with you around.¡±


    Actually, Jian Jing was very capable.


    She could handle all the work.


    After I signed the last few documents, she asked another question,


    ¡°How long will you be gone?¡±


    ¡°The preliminary estimate is about ten days to half a month.¡±


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. Take care of your health and after you get better, you¡¯ll be a hero again.¡±


    Jian Jing glanced outside,


    ¡°Hey, that person has been here for half a day. Aren¡¯t you going to say a word to him?¡±


    Looking through the glass, I saw a familiar figure.


    Gu Yuanzhou!


    He was sitting in the living room, sipping tea with a calm expression.


    ¡°When did he get here?¡±


    ¡°Er, he¡¯s been here since the company opened this morning. The receptionist doesn¡¯t recognize him. When they asked who he was, he said he used to work here and wanted to come by for a visit.¡±


    I was slightly taken aback; indeed, there was a time when Zhenyi Company was shut down, and all the staff had left.


    Later I hired new people, many of whom were new to the bottom-level positions.


    So, it was understandable that these people didn¡¯t recognize Gu Yuanzhou.


    Watching his familiar figure, I pondered¡­


    ¡°Did he do anything out of line?¡±


    Jian Jing shook her head,


    ¡°Nothing! He just walked through each office, took a look around, casually asked for a brochure of our products, and checked out the recent new products. Then he sat there writing something with the documents for half a day, and I have no idea what.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I silently stood in the office, watching him.


    This scene had been witnessed countless times before.


    The familiar figure, the familiar feeling, but he was no longer the same person.


    We had truly become strangers now.


    Strangers in a way that was more terrifying than death.


    Jian Jing was still whispering in my ear,


    ¡°You say he is now Lin Anqi¡¯s fianc¨¦, how can he be so shameless, wanting to play with the feelings of you two sisters?¡±


    I took a sip of my coffee tea,


    ¡°No, maybe he is just playing with my feelings, perhaps, he is serious about Lin Anqi.¡±


    ¡°Does your sister know about your past with him?¡±


    I shook my head,


    ¡°She grew up abroad since she was a child, this is her first time in A City, what does she know?¡±


    Jian Jing asked me again,


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you something, tell the truth!¡±


    ¡°When have I ever lied to you?¡±


    ¡°Okay then, tell me, do you still love him in your heart?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Rubbish, of course Gu Yuanzhou, who else could it be, Ding Yinuo? That scumbag Ding Yinuo, I am so annoyed with him, he doesn¡¯t deserve your love at all.¡±


    I thought about it for a long time, and finally fell silent.


    I didn¡¯t know, I really couldn¡¯t say.


    That period, when I found out he had betrayed me for Ye Mengyan, I truly hated him.


    After his ¡®death¡¯, when I realized I had misunderstood him, indeed, I became aware that I deeply loved him¡­


    Yes, I hated him, and that fear was probably because of love.


    ¡°Maybe, I still love him!¡±


    After a long time, that was the answer I gave.


    Jian Jing sighed, ¡°Loving someone isn¡¯t wrong, look, the two of them aren¡¯t married yet, why don¡¯t you try, see if you can win him back?¡±


    I looked at Jian Jing in shock,


    ¡°You want me to compete with my sister for a man?¡±


    ¡°No, isn¡¯t love about who comes first? Gu Yuanzhou was originally your man, what¡¯s there to snatch, this is fair competition!¡±


    ¡°No, forget it, he¡¯s not worth it! I have already let go.¡±


    By now, I had finally understood that love is not something one can force, it¡¯s about fate.


    What¡¯s meant to be yours, will be yours, and cannot be snatched away.


    I had thought Gu Yuanzhou would come to find me, but to my surprise,


    he just reviewed documents in the lounge, drank two cups of tea, and then quietly left.


    Jian Jing was also somewhat puzzled,


    ¡°I thought he came looking for an opportunity to reconcile with you! He didn¡¯t even say hello, that¡¯s too impolite!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    It doesn¡¯t matter, whether he comes or not, I¡¯m going to the United States tomorrow anyway.


    At night, Wenya was treating, and a few close friends gathered together for a meal.


    Talking about topics concerning our parting¡­


    ¡°Ayun, once you get there, send me your location, which hospital you are at, which doctor you see, you have to tell me everything.¡±


    Wenya said.


    Jian Jing nodded,


    ¡°Yeah! You have to let us know your situation at all times! Also, take care of yourself in a foreign land, don¡¯t wander around aimlessly. If your English isn¡¯t good, look for someone of Asian descent, actually, there are many Chinese people over there.¡±


    Wenya was about to continue speaking, when she suddenly stopped and gestured with her chin towards the outside, ¡°Why is he here?¡±


    I followed her gaze and only then did I spot an additional figure at the door.


    It was Ding Yinuo, still dressed in his hospital patient clothes, thin and frail, his complexion pale¡­ he looked like he might collapse at any moment, yet he had actually made his way here.

 Chapter 446 - Chapter 446: Chapter 446 Not Accepting Apologies

    Chapter 446: Chapter 446 Not Accepting Apologies


    The arrival of Ding Yinuo made everyone present unhappy.


    Collective silence ensued.


    After a long while, it was Wenya who spoke up.


    ¡°Fuck! Who invited him here? For a patient to come over in the dead of night, it¡¯s so inauspicious.¡±


    Wenya harbored resentment against Ding Yinuo and couldn¡¯t say anything nice.


    Jian Jing said,


    ¡°Certainly nobody invited him!¡±


    Shen Yishu raised his hands,


    ¡°Definitely not me, I am really annoyed with the Dings right now.¡±


    Wenya suddenly turned her gaze to Su Peisheng,


    ¡°Was it you!?¡±


    Su Peisheng¡¯s chopsticks fell onto the table¡­


    Wenya stood up abruptly,


    ¡°I knew it, you spy, you traitor!¡±


    Su Peisheng quickly raised his hands,


    ¡°Don¡¯t hit the face, I confess, I confess, I had good intentions, I just wanted to seek a way to cure Ayun¡¯s eyes from him. He just asked where we were, then he came over. I really didn¡¯t betray you, you have to believe me!¡±


    Amidst their playful argument, Ding Yinuo took steps towards me, pulled out a chair, and sat down.


    The waiter quickly added a set of utensils for him, placing them in front of Ding Yinuo.


    Wenya reached over and took away the tableware in front of him,


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve this meal, Mr. Ding, please leave! We are here to send off Ayun today, and your presence is really putting a damper on it. I won¡¯t force you out, just be sensible and leave on your own.¡±


    Ding Yinuo said indifferently,


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t deserve this meal. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t have a single bite, I came today to find her.¡±


    Ding Yinuo coughed lightly twice, and finally turned his gaze to me.


    ¡°Ayun! I was wrong about the past, and I apologize to you!¡±


    I laughed softly twice, without saying a word.


    Wenya, with her hands on her hips, blocked his way,


    ¡°Apology not accepted, you¡¯ve caused so much harm to Ayun, and then you just casually apologize like it¡¯s nothing, what¡¯s the use of that?¡±


    ¡°Before, um, I had my reasons¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, shut up, I won¡¯t accept your excuses!¡±


    Ding Yinuo fell silent again, and after a while, he looked at me again,


    ¡°I want to talk to Ayun, please step aside!¡±


    Wenya glanced at him,


    ¡°Ayun doesn¡¯t want to talk to you, just go!¡±


    ¡°I want to talk about her eyes.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about! She doesn¡¯t need you anymore, she¡¯s going to the United States for treatment. She now has a very rich father who is willing to spend a billion to treat her eyes, we don¡¯t need your pretense anymore, just leave!¡±


    Wenya impatiently urged him to leave.


    Instead of showing any urgency, Ding Yinuo replied calmly,


    ¡°It¡¯s useless! Even the surgery in the United States won¡¯t cure it, going there is in vain, and it could even endanger her life.¡±


    This remark by Ding Yinuo instantly blew up the previously calm dinner.


    The first to stand up was Shen Yishu, who went up and grabbed Ding Yinuo by the collar,


    ¡°Dude, that¡¯s really low of you. How could you bully someone like this? What did Ayun ever do in her last life to deserve running into a piece of trash like you in this life?¡±


    I stopped Shen Yishu,


    ¡°Yishu, stop it, let him go.¡±


    Ding Yinuo did not fight back, nor did he offer any rebuttal, just staring at me blankly.


    Wenya was also cursing and swearing.


    Only Su Peisheng remained relatively calm.


    ¡°Alright, everyone, don¡¯t get agitated, let¡¯s hear what Yinuo has to say. After all, he performed the surgery, and only he knows how to resolve it.¡±


    Jian Jing finished calling for peace,


    ¡°Yes, yes, let¡¯s all calm down and wait to see what Doctor Ding has to say before anyone starts throwing punches.¡±


    Shen Yishu finally released Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Listen, if you dare to play any tricks, I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯m willing to put my life on the line for Ayun¡¯s sake.¡±


    Wenya chimed in,


    ¡°If it¡¯s a fight, count me in!¡±


    Everyone gradually calmed down.


    But I stood up, glancing at my phone,


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, and I need to catch a flight early tomorrow morning. I¡¯m going now.¡±


    Behind me, Ding Yinuo called out,


    ¡°Ayun, you can¡¯t go to the United States!¡±


    I gave him a look,


    ¡°That¡¯s my business, and it has nothing to do with Mr. Ding anymore.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, won¡¯t you even listen to a word of advice from me?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ding, I don¡¯t want any entanglement with you in this lifetime!¡±


    ¡°Are you angry with me?¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­ why would I be angry at someone who¡¯s of no consequence to me? Alright, my time is precious. I don¡¯t want to waste it on someone who¡¯s of no consequence. I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to hear any more of Ding Yinuo¡¯s persuasion.


    Yes, I didn¡¯t want to say another word to him.


    Even the deepest feelings can be gradually worn down to nothing.


    Ding Yinuo watched me, his eyes filled with pain. He stood up as if to say something, but a bout of violent coughing made him bend over and slowly fall to a sitting position.


    I resolutely left.


    The next morning, at 8:30, I took a car to the airport.


    It wasn¡¯t until I had changed my boarding pass that Lin Nansheng finally hurried over from outside,


    ¡°Xiaoyun!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin! Why are you here? We agreed that you didn¡¯t need to accompany me; I can go on my own. After all, I¡¯m an adult and it¡¯s just a doctor¡¯s visit. If I really need you guys, I¡¯ll call.¡±


    Lin Nansheng said breathlessly,


    ¡°Xiaoyun! I¡¯m not here to go with you; I¡¯m here because¡­ a friend of mine wants to meet you. He¡¯s a very famous ophthalmologist. He said he can cure your eyes. Since there¡¯s a flight tomorrow as well, why not see the doctor first?¡±


    ¡°A very famous ophthalmologist! You¡¯ll know when you see him.¡±


    He grabbed my suitcase and hurried me out of the departure hall.


    The car was already waiting outside.


    After putting my suitcase in the trunk, he pulled me into the car.


    On the way, I kept wondering who this ophthalmologist could be.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, are you sure he¡¯s really an authority in ophthalmology?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I asked a friend to introduce us. He¡¯s the most authoritative doctor in the country. People who had surgery done by him had to wait for years for their turn. So, just getting to see him means you definitely have hope. I thought that if you could be treated in the country, there¡¯d be no need to go abroad.¡±


    Lin Nansheng said this with a hint of pride, as if securing this doctor was a great coup.


    It was clear that he was deeply concerned about my eyes.


    ¡°Oh, alright then!¡±


    The car drove through the city center and finally stopped in front of a small western-style house.


    ¡°That¡¯s my old friend Wang¡¯s house¡­ Come on, the doctor is in there right now.¡±


    I was a bit puzzled; I had never been to this place,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, shouldn¡¯t we be going to a hospital for a consultation?¡±


    ¡°Right, we should go to a hospital. But registering at a hospital is quite troublesome, while coming to my old friend¡¯s place, the doctor can see you right away. It¡¯s a private consultation, more convenient.¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s words made sense to me, and without giving it much thought, I followed him inside.


    ¡°Hey, Old Wang, this is my daughter!¡±


    As Lin Nansheng introduced me, I immediately saw the man sitting on the sofa¡ªit was him.

 Chapter 447 - Chapter 447: Chapter 447 Suspected Pregnancy

    Chapter 447: Chapter 447 Suspected Pregnancy


    Yes, the man in the suit was none other than Ding Yinuo!


    I really did not see that coming.


    The man I didn¡¯t even want to deal with last night had somehow appeared before me again, as if by some devilish twist of fate.


    It was mortifying to the extreme.


    I now deeply regret not asking more questions in the car just now.


    If only I had inquired about the doctor¡¯s surname earlier.


    Then this mistake would not have occurred.


    Lin Nansheng was still introducing me,


    ¡°Call him Uncle Wang!¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello Uncle Wang!¡±


    I quickly greeted the elderly man in front of me.


    The elder introduced me to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°This is the most authoritative ophthalmologist in A City, Mr. Ding Yinuo. Mr. Yinuo enjoys a prestigious reputation in the medical field domestically, his professional capabilities are extremely strong. I used to want to consult him for treatment, but I would have had to wait six months just to get in line, and even then it wasn¡¯t guaranteed.¡±


    Another round of over-the-top flattery.


    However, Yinuo really was outstanding; hardly anyone could surpass him in medicine, that was his strength.


    That was undeniable.


    But when it came to character, after all that I had experienced, I couldn¡¯t help but question him.


    I didn¡¯t want to embarrass Lin Nansheng, so with some reluctance, I simply greeted Yinuo,


    ¡°Hello, Doctor Ding!¡±


    Ding Yinuo still rose politely, extending his hand to shake mine.


    Pretending not to see, I did not extend my hand and just took a seat next to Lin Nansheng.


    Fortunately, both elders seemed not to notice anything amiss, with Lin Nansheng continuing to describe my condition to Yinuo.


    ¡°Ah, my daughter is perfect in every way, outstanding in many aspects, but her eyes have always troubled me greatly. I had originally planned to take her to the United States for treatment, but in a foreign country, the language barrier is an issue, and if something went wrong, there wouldn¡¯t be anyone she knows nearby. Moreover, handling medical malpractice there would be even more difficult; so, Dr. Ding, if it¡¯s possible to treat her locally, let¡¯s do it here.¡±


    Uncle Wang also chimed in,


    ¡°Yes, Dr. Ding! My brother Lin cherishes this daughter immensely, we¡¯re counting on your expertise.¡±


    Watching how respectfully the two elders treated Ding Yinuo, I felt an unpleasant taste in my heart.


    I still didn¡¯t want to expose him.


    Yinuo sat upright, appearing to listen to my condition attentively and responding politely.


    Sitting beside them, I found the situation so dull that I simply started playing with my phone.


    Half an hour later, Lin Nansheng finally got to the point.


    ¡°Dr. Ding, what do you think, can my daughter¡¯s eyes be treated? Money is not an issue, as long as you can cure her, nothing else matters. If it costs a billion, I¡¯m willing to pay.¡±


    I was shocked when Lin Nansheng mentioned such an amount.


    I quickly tried to dissuade him.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, you have earned all this wealth through a lifetime of hard work, how can it all be spent on my eyes? I would rather go blind than spend that money.¡±


    Lin Nansheng patted my shoulder,


    ¡°You silly child, money is something you can¡¯t take with you in life or death. You are still young, and if your eyes can be healed, that would be the best outcome. This money would be well spent.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, you don¡¯t have to worry about the money. I generally charge after the surgery is complete and besides, it won¡¯t cost that much. Rest assured,¡±


    said Yinuo at last.


    Lin Nansheng nodded.


    ¡°Well, then, Dr. Ding, when could we arrange the surgery for my daughter¡¯s eyes?¡±


    ¡°I can examine her right now, and if it¡¯s feasible, we can schedule the surgery within the next few days.¡±


    Ding Yinuo stood up and said to me,


    ¡°Miss Song, there is a room over here. Please come in, and I¡¯ll give you an individual examination.¡±


    Yinuo seemed to be well prepared; he had brought a medical kit with him and was already putting on a pair of disposable rubber gloves as he spoke.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    I actually did not want Ding Yinuo to operate on me.


    But seeing the hope in Lin Nansheng¡¯s eyes, I still found it hard to refuse so outright.


    Lin Nansheng seemed to sense my reluctance and came over to comfort me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, don¡¯t be scared! Uncle Wang and I are both here, and Doctor Ding is not a stranger, just let him check you out, it won¡¯t be very painful.¡±


    Old Wang was also beside her, persuading,


    ¡°My dear niece, you should trust Doctor Ding¡¯s medical skills and integrity, he¡¯s really good. Besides, it¡¯s just a check-up, not surgery, so don¡¯t be afraid, we¡¯re with you.¡±


    Ding Yinuo kept silent, and seeing that I refused to budge, he calmly said one sentence,


    ¡°There¡¯s a camera in the room, I won¡¯t close the door.¡±


    Having no other choice, I still went with him to the inner room.


    It was a guest room, facing west, with the windows open, sunlight streaming in from outside, making the room bright and airy.


    There were even fresh flowers on the table, clean and tidy.


    Ding Yinuo silently fixed up the bed, then looked up at me,


    ¡°I¡¯ve done many outrageous things before, I know you¡­ you¡¯re scared of me, which is understandable. But I will try my best to make amends.¡±


    I walked over to the hospital bed and lay down,


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about the past anymore.¡±


    ¡°Take off your glasses!¡±


    Ding Yinuo said softly.


    I reached up and took off the sunglasses on my face, maybe because I was used to wearing them, I had grown accustomed to the darkness.


    Now that they were off, my eyes struggled to adjust, and kept tearing up.


    Ding Yinuo went over to the window again, drew the curtains, then turned on the indoor light, and finally came over to me.


    ¡°Close your eyes, I won¡¯t hurt you!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it hurts, it¡¯s been hurting for a long time already, I¡¯m not afraid of more pain.¡±


    Ding Yinuo did not speak. He took a penlight and carefully tested my eyes¡¯ light sensitivity, then examined my eyelids.


    Although his movements were gentle, I still felt discomfort, and tears continued to flow from my eyes.


    He used tweezers to dab away the tears from my eyes with a piece of cotton swab.


    He was very thorough in his examination; besides both eyes, he also checked my nasal cavity and some blood vessels in my head.


    He even took out his phone to take pictures from different angles, and in the end, he took my blood¡­


    As a doctor, Ding Yinuo was indeed very skilled and professional.


    He didn¡¯t make me uncomfortable at all.


    Watching him busily work, I said to him,


    ¡°Sorry to trouble you, but please tell Uncle Lin later that you can¡¯t treat my eyes. I don¡¯t want to be treated by you; I want to go abroad.¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at me,


    ¡°It¡¯s no use going abroad, it won¡¯t be cured.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my business, it has nothing to do with you. Anyway, I just don¡¯t want you to treat me.¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t say anything, just silently started packing up his things.


    At that moment, I suddenly felt a bit nauseous¡­


    Did I drink a cup of milk at the airport just now?


    So, I rushed into the bathroom and threw up violently.


    When I came back out, Ding Yinuo was staring at me, his gaze filled with confusion.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He asked me.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what¡¯s wrong¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You just threw up!¡±


    ¡°Is that any of your concern?¡±


    ¡°I am your doctor. If there¡¯s going to be surgery, I need to know your full medical condition, what medication you can take, and what you can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a bit of stomach trouble, nothing worth making such a fuss over!¡±


    Ding Yinuo did not seem to believe me. He came over to me,


    ¡°Give me your hand!¡±


    Without another word, he grabbed my arm forcefully and took my pulse, then switched to the other hand to check.


    After a long while, he looked at me and said a few words.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant!¡±

 Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: Chapter 448 When to Give Up the Childs Father

    Chapter 448: Chapter 448 When to Give Up the Child¡¯s Father


    ¡°What are you talking about? What nonsense are you spouting, Ding Yinuo? You¡¯re a Western medicine doctor, you¡¯re a surgeon, do you think you can feel the pulse?¡±


    ¡°You really are pregnant!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! Wouldn¡¯t I know if I were pregnant myself?¡±


    I picked up my bag and headed out, feeling that every single word Ding Yinuo was saying was absurd and ridiculous.


    How could he say something like that?


    I was even thinking that he was saying this to stop me from going abroad for surgery.


    Because once surgery is involved, it would touch upon the matter of the fetus.


    I rushed out of the bedroom first.


    Lin Nansheng grabbed my hand,


    ¡°How is it, does it hurt?¡±


    I glanced at Ding Yinuo.


    Meaning for him to take the initiative and clarify things with Lin Nansheng.


    Ding Yinuo looked at me and then said to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Miss Song¡¯s eye condition isn¡¯t that dire, the current domestic medical skills are sufficient to resolve it. If I perform the surgery, the success rate is one hundred percent. Therefore, I suggest she receives treatment here in the country.¡±


    I glared at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Why would you say that, didn¡¯t you just explain yourself?¡±


    ¡°Miss Song, you¡¯re pregnant. If you go abroad under these circumstances, let¡¯s not even talk about the strain of travel, the impact on you would be significant. Furthermore, for the surgery¡­ the choice of medication also has to take the fetus into account. It¡¯s very likely that American doctors wouldn¡¯t dare to operate on you casually.¡±


    Lin Nansheng was shocked as well,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you pregnant? Really?¡±


    ¡°This doctor is talking nonsense, I¡¯m not!¡±


    I denied it immediately; even if I were pregnant, I couldn¡¯t admit it.


    Lin Nansheng grew anxious and turned to ask Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Dr. Ding, could you have made a mistake?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already drawn her blood sample. The hospital can come up with the results this afternoon. If you wish, you can come to the hospital for a retest later. I¡¯ve been practicing medicine for many years, I can still tell whether or not a patient is pregnant!¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Lin Nansheng was also in a difficult position.


    He looked at me, then at Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°I should leave now! According to what Miss Song described, she has used too many painkillers, and these drugs could affect the fetus. I, however, can prescribe accurately and save the fetus. I hope you will consider this carefully.¡±


    Having said that, Ding Yinuo took his medical case and took his leave.


    This day was incredibly hard for me.


    Especially the pregnancy, it took me by surprise.


    I still couldn¡¯t believe Ding Yinuo¡¯s words, so I went to the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test on my own.


    After the test, the bright red double lines shattered my confidence completely.


    I was actually pregnant!


    Why would this child choose such a time to come?


    It¡¯s just so ill-timed.


    Lin Nansheng seemed very anxious as well. He wasn¡¯t in a position to say much, only coming over to comfort me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, why not have the surgery done by Dr. Ding! He can cure your eyes and save your child, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, allow me to think it over.¡±


    ¡°Although I know I shouldn¡¯t ask, I¡¯m still worried about you, who¡¯s the father of the child?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I¡­ can¡¯t say who he is just yet!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean anything by it, I¡¯m just¡­ afraid you¡¯re being taken advantage of. But since you don¡¯t want to say who it is, it¡¯s alright. Back when your mother was pregnant with you, I also failed to take good care of her. So, no matter whose child you have in your belly, your grandfather will cherish her.¡±


    When Lin Nansheng said these words, he looked very nervous, and he was very careful with his wording.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, I¡¯ll think about it, I¡¯m just too confused right now, I have no idea what to do.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, then you rest well¡­¡±


    Although Lin Nansheng was very worried, after all, he was just a father, he didn¡¯t know how to comfort me.


    After I got home, I was drained of all energy and lay on the bed, staring blankly as I reached out to touch my belly.


    When Wenya found out that I had canceled my flight, she immediately rushed over.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you¡¯re not going anymore?¡±


    I was listless, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant!¡±


    ¡°Uh, whose is it?¡±


    Wenya¡¯s reaction was even more intense than mine.


    I sighed, ¡°Whose else could it be?¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo or Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s, I haven¡¯t slept with Ding Yinuo.¡±


    Wenya let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank heavens, that¡¯s good¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s good about it, I¡¯m about to go crazy now!¡±


    Wenya poured me a glass of hot water, ¡°Listen, Ayun, this is a good thing. Have you ever thought that maybe the baby has come to find you.¡±


    I sat up and took a sip of the warm water.


    In fact, I had thought the same thing in my heart, the children I wanted had finally come to find me.


    But they chose this particular time.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, Gu Yuanzhou is about to marry Lin Anqi¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, their marriage hasn¡¯t been set in stone yet, right? As long as they haven¡¯t married, you still have the chance to snatch him away. Go for it, I¡¯m rooting for you.¡±


    Wenya was in the middle of cheering me up when the doorbell rang.


    I was about to get up to open the door, but Wenya stood up before me, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, just lie down and don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll get the door.¡±


    Me, ¡°¡­¡±


    Wenya ran faster than me, rushing out to open the door.


    I was stunned for a moment but got up anyway.


    No matter who it was, after all, it was a visitor, and as the host, I couldn¡¯t just lie in bed to receive them.


    By the time I walked out of the bedroom, Wenya had already greeted the visitor and brought them inside.


    It was Lin Anqi.


    Lin Anqi was holding several large and small bags of gifts.


    Upon entering, she greeted me with a warm smile, ¡°Sister!¡±


    After she put the gifts on the table, she hugged me.


    The hug was very enthusiastic and genuine, I could feel her goodwill.


    Wenya stood far away with her arms folded, lips pursed, shaking her head.


    ¡°Anqi, what brings you here?¡±


    Lin Anqi took my hand and sat down on the sofa, ¡°Sister, please sit down, don¡¯t stand, standing isn¡¯t good for the baby.¡±


    ¡°Uh, you already know?¡±


    Lin Anqi nodded seriously, her bright eyes fixed on me as she clasped my hands tightly.


    ¡°Sister, I heard from Dad, he said you¡¯re pregnant, right?¡±


    I nodded!


    ¡°I came over today to tell you that being pregnant isn¡¯t scary, really, being a mother is a very happy thing. Since the baby has chosen you, it means they love you very much. I was pretty scared at first too, but as I gradually accepted it, it indeed became a very joyful thing.¡±


    Lin Anqi¡¯s face was flushed with happiness,


    ¡°A child is the crystallization of love, having a crystallization of love with the man you deeply love, that is a very lucky and happy thing.¡±


    Wenya couldn¡¯t help but interject,


    ¡°Miss Anqi is right, being a mother is very important, and the child needs a father¡­¡±


    Wenya¡¯s words had a double meaning, Lin Anqi couldn¡¯t understand, but I could, and I quickly stopped her with my eyes.


    Signaling her not to go on.


    But Wenya completely ignored my advice; she was always headstrong and outspoken, acting before thinking everything through.


    Lin Anqi, still not catching on to Wenya¡¯s implication, eagerly agreed,


    ¡°Yes, a child needs a father¡¯s love! It¡¯s better for the child¡¯s growth when both mother and father are together!¡±


    Wenya slapped her thigh and gave a thumbs up,


    ¡°Miss Lin is really insightful and very reasonable. You also think Gu Yuanzhou would make the best dad, right?¡±


    ¡°He definitely would be a good dad, I have no doubt about that.¡±


    Lin Anqi said with a smile, seemingly having high hopes for Gu Yuanzhou.


    Wenya said, ¡°There you go, you¡¯ve said so much, so when are you planning to give up the baby¡¯s daddy?¡±

 Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: Chapter 449 Shes Pregnant Too

    Chapter 449: Chapter 449 She¡¯s Pregnant Too


    Lin Anqi asked with confusion,


    ¡°Make way for what?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that Gu Yuanzhou would make a great dad?¡±


    Only then did Lin Anqi nod with a smile,


    ¡°Yes! He is indeed a very good father. Ever since I got pregnant, he has taken care of me with great attention to detail. He even chose and decorated a house in anticipation of the children¡¯s birth before they were even born.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wenya was shaken,


    ¡°Wait, what did you say? You¡¯re pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been pregnant for three months now!¡±


    ¡°Ah!!!¡±


    Wenya was petrified on the spot.


    Actually, at this moment, I was even more shocked than Wenya.


    But in front of Lin Anqi, I didn¡¯t want to blow the lid off this matter.


    ¡°Damn it, this scumbag, I¡¯m really¡­¡±


    Wenya was very agitated and began to curse.


    I quickly got up and covered her mouth with my hand,


    ¡°Shut up, can you not talk nonsense, I¡¯m begging you!¡±


    Though Wenya was still very emotional, she ultimately did not reveal the truth out of respect for me.


    ¡°Alright, I need to have a private talk with Anqi. Could you go make some tea for me?¡±


    I knew Wenya¡¯s impulsive nature might lead her to say something extreme to Lin Anqi.


    What¡¯s most important is that Lin Anqi is pregnant and shouldn¡¯t be upset.


    And, this mess is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s fault.


    Lin Anqi is just a victim.


    After Wenya went to the kitchen, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Sister, what was your friend about to say? She seemed very agitated. Are you guys worried about the baby?¡±


    ¡°Uh, ah?¡±


    Lin Anqi took an orange from the fruit basket, peeled off a segment, and handed it to me.


    ¡°Sister, I heard from dad that you don¡¯t currently know who the baby¡¯s dad is! Are you worried that the baby won¡¯t have a father in the future?¡±


    ¡°Er, this situation is a bit complicated; I don¡¯t know how to explain it to you.¡±


    Lin Anqi patted my shoulder,


    ¡°Sister, the reason I came today is for this very matter. If you¡¯re worried about your child not having a complete family, you can let me adopt your child. Then, with my child being born around the same time, they would practically be siblings. Don¡¯t worry, I will treat them equally and ensure your child also feels the warmth of a fair family.¡±


    Lin Anqi¡¯s generosity moved me deeply.


    After a while, I shook my head with a bitter smile,


    ¡°Your fianc¨¦ might not agree.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, as long as you¡¯re willing, and I talk to him about it, he will surely agree. He¡¯s a very kind person.¡±


    A very kind person?


    That phrase was really grating to my ears.


    Naturally, I wasn¡¯t going to let her consult with Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    ¡°Anqi, thank you! I have felt your care for me. Actually, I do know who the baby¡¯s father is; it¡¯s just that I¡¯m having a minor conflict with him right now, and I don¡¯t want to reconcile with him just yet. Maybe I will tell him when the baby is born, so you don¡¯t need to worry about this anymore.¡±


    Lin Anqi nodded with a smile,


    ¡°That¡¯s good! Since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t worry anymore.¡±


    Lin Anqi was very meticulous. She opened the gift bag she had brought with her,


    ¡°Here¡¯s some folic acid, which is for early pregnancy. There¡¯s also some milk powder for pregnant women, these are all from Louis who bought them abroad for me. I can¡¯t finish them all by myself, so you drink some too. It can replenish your body¡­ Look, aren¡¯t we incredibly fated? Both of us are pregnant together, and our due dates will probably be around the same time. When the babies are born, they can grow up together, and we sisters can help each other out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, right¡­¡±


    Lin Anqi sat with me for just over ten minutes before she received a phone call and left.


    But my thoughts were trapped in shock, unable to extract themselves for a long time.


    Wenya came out with a teapot, still cursing under her breath,


    ¡°Gu the jerk is really something, getting two women pregnant at the same time. Just for that alone, I should beat him up, or else I¡¯d let down the elders back home.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, don¡¯t be rash!¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to make him take responsibility and you are stopping me?¡±


    ¡°No, listen to me, I don¡¯t want him to know this child is his.¡±


    ¡°Why? The child is clearly his, he should take responsibility. If it were me, I¡¯d have already turned his world upside down. Why should he get away with his actions without even knowing, and still keep it a secret?¡±


    ¡°Wenya, don¡¯t you understand?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to understand?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to have anything to do with him, get it? I don¡¯t want to be entwined with him. If he knew the child was his, wouldn¡¯t he come bothering me again, using all sorts of excuses?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to let him off the hook like that?¡±


    ¡°Whether he gets off easy or not isn¡¯t important. What¡¯s important is my feelings! I don¡¯t want to think about him anymore, I can only think about myself.¡±


    After such a long explanation to Wenya, she finally sighed deeply,


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just let him off this time.¡±


    ¡°What about your eye, are you going to have Ding Yinuo treat it?¡±


    ¡°Good question, I don¡¯t know!¡±


    I was indeed caught in a very serious dilemma; I didn¡¯t know whether to seek treatment from Ding Yinuo.


    I paced back and forth in the room.


    Wenya also sighed,


    ¡°Where is your hesitation coming from?¡±


    ¡°Since he could tamper with my eye last time, who knows what he might be thinking this time?¡±


    Wenya was stumped by the question but after a while shared something with me, ¡°I heard from Su Peisheng that during the time Ding Yinuo was receiving treatment in the United States, he lost part of his memory. Jiang Jiaying was by his side, fanning the flames, and he later came to believe it was Jiang Jiaying who saved him, not you. After the head injury he sustained this time, his previous memories came back.¡±


    ¡°Su Peisheng told you this?¡±


    ¡°It was Ding Yinuo who told Su Peisheng. You see, during that time, Ding Yinuo did not interact with his circle of brothers. But now, he¡¯s started interacting with them again. What does that tell you? It shows that he¡¯s recovered his memory.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just his side of the story, though!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, sigh!¡±


    A sigh! In the end, Wenya still couldn¡¯t persuade me.


    I decided I still didn¡¯t want to seek treatment from Ding Yinuo.


    But the next morning, Lin Nansheng came over again.


    He seemed to sense that I didn¡¯t want to see Ding Yinuo about my eye¡­


    ¡°Xiaoyun, I¡¯ll take you to see a doctor for your eye.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, let¡¯s change the doctor, shall we?¡±


    ¡°You silly girl, you seem so sharp about the big things, why get confused over such a small matter! Look, I¡¯ve already paid for your treatment fee. If you don¡¯t go, it will be wasted.¡±

 Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: Chapter 450: Repeatedly Causing Trouble

    Chapter 450: Chapter 450: Repeatedly Causing Trouble


    I never expected Lin Nansheng would resort to such a risky move.


    Since I¡¯ve paid the fee, it would indeed be rude not to go.


    What¡¯s more critical is that my eyes started hurting again, leaving me with hardly any hesitation.


    I had no choice but to follow Lin Nansheng to the hospital¡­


    The Municipal First Hospital.


    During the car ride, I asked Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, didn¡¯t he say he was doing a private surgery before? Why does he need to come to the hospital now?¡±


    ¡°I asked about that for you. Dr. Ding said that the hospital has more comprehensive equipment and it¡¯s more convenient to perform surgeries here. Any problems can be detected immediately.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    To me, this hospital still held some shadows.


    After all, it was where I had my eye surgery last time.


    After getting out of the car, I stood at the hospital entrance for a while.


    Lin Nansheng went to park the car in the garage.


    I went ahead to handle the hospital admission and surgery, and I also managed to retrieve the blood test results that Ding Yinuo took yesterday.


    A glance at the lab results confirmed it¡ªI was indeed pregnant.


    After reviewing the test report, I went straight to his office.


    Behind me, two nurses were whispering to each other.


    ¡°I heard Dr. Ding is back. Didn¡¯t he say he was going to take over his brother¡¯s company? I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s not taking over the business anymore; he¡¯s going back to being a doctor, focusing on treating patients from now on.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I thought it was a shame when he went into business. His medical skills are so outstanding, he could save a lot of lives. Becoming a businessman is just a waste.¡±


    ¡°How did he change his mind?¡±


    ¡°They say that he¡¯s been unconscious for a while, experiencing the pain of being a patient and feeling the horror of the illness. So, for the rest of his life, he¡¯s decided to fight against diseases.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good for the patients; they are fortunate.¡±


    The nurses¡¯ figures gradually receded, and before I knew it, I had arrived at Ding Yinuo¡¯s office. Just as I was about to go in, I suddenly heard arguing voices from inside.


    ¡°Yinuo, you¡¯ve been ignoring me for three days; what did I do wrong? Please tell me.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s voice was slightly low, carrying a pleading tone.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice seemed rather cold.


    ¡°Think about it yourself!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, but I just can¡¯t figure it out. After all, the person who hurt you was Song Xiaoyun. It was Song Xiaoyun who brought that bastard into our wedding, injured you, and ruined our entire wedding. But why are you blaming everything on me? You don¡¯t answer my calls, respond to my texts, or talk to me. Where did I go wrong?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything wrong!¡±


    ¡°If I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, then why cancel our engagement?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about canceling the engagement; the wedding never finished, so it doesn¡¯t count. Moreover, we haven¡¯t registered our marriage, so we are not legally husband and wife.¡±


    ¡°Fine, all our relatives and friends, classmates know I¡¯m married, and they all know you¡¯re my husband. You say it¡¯s off just like that¡ªwhere should I put my face then?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying, we are not suitable!¡±


    ¡°Yinuo, I love you! If you think I¡¯ve done something wrong, just say it, and I¡¯ll change, won¡¯t that do?¡±


    As Jiang Jiaying spoke, she was on the verge of crying.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice was very cold,


    ¡°When we were in the United States, you deliberately tricked me. You know very well that if it wasn¡¯t for your scheming, Ayun and I would not have divorced. The state we¡¯ve reached today is all your fault. If I were to hold you accountable, you wouldn¡¯t be alive standing here. Leave now, I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡±


    Their argument reached a crescendo when I heard Lin Nansheng¡¯s voice from behind.


    ¡°Xiaoyun!¡±


    I turned my head and saw that Lin Nansheng had actually brought a lackey with him.


    It was none other than Gu Yuanzhou.


    He leisurely followed behind Lin Nansheng.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, why is he here?¡±


    I was somewhat hostile towards Gu Yuanzhou now, and felt very uncomfortable upon seeing him.


    ¡°Your eye surgery is a big deal, and I was afraid that I might overlook something on my own, so I brought him along. The more people we have, the less likely there will be any issues¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I think Mr. Louis should go back first, the surgery might not even be scheduled for today.¡±


    I was already politely hinting that Gu Yuanzhou could leave.


    But the man didn¡¯t take the hint, and he actually responded,


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯m just idling away anyway!¡±


    During this brief exchange, Jiang Jiaying must have heard the commotion outside; she poked her head out and came walking over.


    When she saw it was me, her expression immediately changed.


    Initially wearing a look of dejection, she quickly squeezed out a smile upon seeing me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re here to see the doctor?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t be bothered to entertain her and remained silent.


    ¡°Hey, I was just playing with Ding Yinuo! If you¡¯re here to see the doctor, you should go in earlier, because later on we¡¯re going to see a movie. It¡¯s the latest romance film, really good. It¡¯s very romantic¡­¡±


    In an attempt to flaunt her close relationship with Ding Yinuo to me, Jiang Jiaying even pulled out a necklace from around her neck.


    ¡°Look, this is what Yinuo just bought for me¡­ Ah, men are really something; he doesn¡¯t even blink before spending money on me. I told him not to buy it; this necklace is worth tens of thousands, you see, it¡¯s a four-leaf clover limited edition.¡±


    If it were before, I might have felt a bit uncomfortable.


    But I had already overheard her argument with Ding Yinuo, and I was immune to her by now.


    No matter what she said, it couldn¡¯t hurt me anymore; instead, I felt like she was acting like a jumping clown, making a scene here.


    ¡°Enough with the nonsense, we are here to find Ding Yinuo.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was getting impatient and directly rebuked her.


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s gaze lingered on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face, and she was instantly shocked, pointing at him.


    ¡°You, you, you aren¡¯t, you¡¯re not supposed to be dead?¡±


    Out of the entire country, there probably weren¡¯t many who would take note of a Gu Yuanzhou.


    But Jiang Jiaying was my adversary, and she clearly sensed something was off.


    As soon as she uttered those words, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression darkened,


    ¡°What nonsense are you spewing? Are you blind? Look carefully before you talk.¡±


    ¡°You are Gu Yuanzhou, I could recognize you even if you turned to ashes!!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯ve got the wrong person. I¡¯m not who you say; I¡¯m Louis¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou retorted coldly.


    Jiang Jiaying paused for a few seconds, and to verify her own statement, she grabbed Lin Nansheng¡¯s hand,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, look, is he Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Lin Nansheng naturally shook his head,


    ¡°No, he¡¯s Louis!¡±


    After hearing Lin Nansheng, Jiang Jiaying was still unconvinced. Unable to find anyone else she recognized, she directly asked me,


    ¡°Fine, you tell me, is he or is he not Gu Yuanzhou? I refuse to believe that I¡¯m the only one in this world seeing a ghost.¡±

 Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: Chapter 451 Just Pretend Hes Dead

    Chapter 451: Chapter 451 Just Pretend He¡¯s Dead


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    I scoffed coldly and glanced at the man before me.


    ¡°Just as you said, Gu Yuanzhou has long been dead. There¡¯s no Gu Yuanzhou in this world anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°But he¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve mistaken him for someone else; he is Louis. They just look alike!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying looked at me in shock.


    She pointed her finger at me, then at Gu Yuanzhou.


    At that moment, Ding Yinuo also pushed the door open and walked out.


    When Ding Yinuo saw Gu Yuanzhou, she was stunned for a few seconds too.


    Her hand supporting the door also paused.


    Jiang Jiaying quickly caught this subtle change; she immediately grabbed Ding Yinuo again,


    ¡°Anuo, look at him, is he not Gu Yuanzhou? Gu Yuanzhou, Ayun¡¯s ex-husband, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t rush to respond to Jiang Jiaying¡¯s words but instead turned her gaze back to me.


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°Louis! He is my sister¡¯s fianc¨¦¡­¡±


    I stated these words indifferently.


    Ding Yinuo nodded, looked at Jiang Jiaying,


    ¡°It¡¯s Louis!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Eh? Ding Yinuo, how can you trust Song Xiaoyun so much? She¡¯s deceiving you!¡±


    ¡°Alright, stop it, this is a hospital. If you don¡¯t want to make a laughingstock of me, just quit it, will you?¡±


    With Ding Yinuo¡¯s reprimand, Jiang Jiaying could no longer maintain her composure.


    This hospital was her former workplace; continuing to cause a scene here would make everyone look bad and be quite embarrassing.


    She nodded her head,


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stop! I¡¯m leaving now.¡±


    However, before she left, she purposefully walked up to Gu Yuanzhou, took out her phone, snapped a few photos, and then turned to leave in chagrin.


    Ding Yinuo did not speak to Gu Yuanzhou but walked straight towards Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin! I apologize for the embarrassment, that¡¯s just how Jiang Jiaying is.¡±


    Lin Nansheng sighed,


    ¡°Actually, I feel quite relieved that your marriage to her fell through. She¡¯s not the right match for you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk in my office!¡±


    After Ding Yinuo opened the office, Lin Nansheng and I walked in, with Gu Yuanzhou following behind, silent throughout the entire time.


    He seemed distracted but also appeared to be quite interested in the surroundings, looking around curiously.


    After Lin Nansheng took his seat, Ding Yinuo brought out the examination papers.


    ¡°See, these are her test results from yesterday, this C-reactive protein is elevated¡­¡±


    ¡°Doctor Ding, if you talk about all this data, I don¡¯t understand any of it. Just tell me directly, when will you operate?¡±


    ¡°The inflammation in her body is very severe; I don¡¯t recommend immediate surgery. We should admit her to the hospital for a few days of treatment first, wait until the inflammation subsides before we operate.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, just do what you think is best!¡±


    Lin Nansheng was an outsider; he didn¡¯t understand these medical reports and data.


    However, at the end, he still asked,


    ¡°By the way, about her pregnancy, will this treatment affect the fetus? I mean, use the best drugs, and try not to harm the fetus inside her.¡±


    At that moment, Gu Yuanzhou, who had been browsing medical books by the bookshelf, suddenly strode over, asking with a bit of shock,


    ¡°What did you say, she¡¯s pregnant?¡±


    He asked urgently, with a heavy tone.


    This reaction shocked everyone present.


    Ding Yinuo glanced at him, then turned those deep eyes back to me.


    ¡°Mr. Ding, are you saying Xiaoyun is pregnant?¡±


    Seeing Ding Yinuo remaining silent, Gu Yuanzhou pressed on anxiously.


    Ding Yinuo still did not respond and kept looking at me,


    ¡°You just said, he¡¯s your brother-in-law?¡±


    I hadn¡¯t spoken yet.


    Lin Nansheng was quick to answer for me,


    ¡°Yes, my little daughter Anqi! He is Anqi¡¯s fianc¨¦!¡±


    It was only then that Ding Yinuo turned his gaze back to me,


    ¡°Miss Song, this is your privacy, if you want me to keep it confidential, I can keep quiet.¡±


    I had already thought of a countermeasure,


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to keep secret¡­ go ahead! Everyone is going to find out sooner or later, anyway.¡±


    It was then that Ding Yinuo displayed the lab report.


    ¡°Indeed, pregnant!¡±


    I hadn¡¯t opened my mouth yet when Gu Yuanzhou asked anxiously, ¡°How many weeks?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me,


    ¡°A little over three months! See if it matches up with your last menstrual period?¡±


    I was slightly shocked but didn¡¯t question it; instead, I went along with Ding Yinuo¡¯s words,


    ¡°Yes! It should be around three to four months.¡±


    Backdating the time, three to four months was exactly when I was within the wedding period with Ding Yinuo, and Gu Yuanzhou was still in prison then.


    Thus it could be concluded that the child was not his.


    As expected, after we said this, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s complexion became very ugly.


    Coldness seeped through the darkness¡­


    He didn¡¯t say another word but turned and walked out of the doctor¡¯s office.


    After communicating with Lin Nansheng, Ding Yinuo took me to the inpatient department.


    Passing by the corridor, Gu Yuanzhou stood at the railing, smoking, his gaze profoundly dark.


    Neither Ding Yinuo nor I spoke. We just calmly walked past the end of the corridor.


    Upon reaching the inpatient department, Ding Yinuo arranged the best VIP single room for me.


    After measuring my eye pressure, he began to organize his instruments,


    ¡°Don¡¯t want him to know whose child it is?¡±


    Only then did I realize that Ding Yinuo understood everything¡­


    ¡°Did you deliberately cover for me just now?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing, even the child¡¯s due date can be changed.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, are you doing this to get my forgiveness?¡±


    Ding Yinuo lifted his eyes to look at me, and after a long time, his voice was low,


    ¡°You won¡¯t forgive me, will you?¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ you really do know yourself well.¡±


    ¡°Lie down!¡±


    He came to my side with a syringe in hand as I lay down on the hospital bed.


    He reached out to remove the sunglasses from my face, then helped me cleanse my eyes¡ªhis movements were very gentle.


    After washing my eyes, he applied two pieces of gauze over them.


    Then he began to massage with his fingers¡­


    Strangely enough, after he treated me like this for a while, the discomfort in my eyes seemed to ease for a bit.


    Later, Lin Nansheng brought me some food.


    Everything was as he said; he took great care of me, fearing that I wouldn¡¯t eat well in the hospital, he had specially packed food from a restaurant outside.


    He also asked Ding Yinuo if I could eat spicy and garlicky food¡­


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s demeanor was quite calm,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as it¡¯s not too stimulating.¡±


    ¡°Uh, the baby¡­¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I can guarantee with my life that mother and child will be safe!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s tone remained calm, and only then did Lin Nansheng relax.


    While Lin Nansheng was here talking, the figure of Gu Yuanzhou stood outside the door, looking in from afar, not approaching.


    From his eyes, I saw that he seemed to have something to say.

 Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: Chapter 452: About Childrens Topics

    Chapter 452: Chapter 452: About Children¡¯s Topics


    I saw him, but I didn¡¯t want to deal with him, pretending I hadn¡¯t seen him.


    Lin Nansheng stayed by my side, talking for a long time.


    He even took out a notebook and detailed all of Ding Yinuo¡¯s instructions.


    Then he comforted me again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about work, I¡¯ll send someone to handle it for you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Uncle Lin!¡±


    In the end, Ding Yinuo escorted Lin Nansheng out.


    After the two of them left¡­


    At some point, Gu Yuanzhou silently walked in.


    At that moment, I was eating the preserved egg and lean pork congee Lin Nansheng had packed for me.


    A hand reached over and took away the bowl of congee in front of me, and then placed a new packed bowl of congee.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I glanced at the obstructive hand.


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly opened the congee bowl he¡¯d brought back.


    It was a pink, pig-shaped, insulated bowl filled with soft and mushy seafood fish porridge.


    Some chopped green onions were sprinkled on top, smelling quite fragrant¡­


    The scent was very familiar to me.


    It seemed to be the very porridge I often drank when I was recovering postpartum.


    This wasn¡¯t available anywhere for sale; it was personally cooked by Gu Yuanzhou.


    During a time when I was blinded, he¡¯d cooked it for many days, and I had almost no resistance to it; I really liked eating it.


    He handed me the spoon,


    ¡°Eat up!¡±


    I took the spoon and placed it back in the bowl,


    ¡°You should cook this porridge for Anqi, from now on, don¡¯t bring it to me anymore.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t speak, just looked at me,


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, does she care about this bit of porridge?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t eat it!¡±


    I refused to eat anything he made again.


    He didn¡¯t speak; he walked over to the window, opened it, smoked a cigarette by the window, then came back to my side.


    ¡°Eat up! Your body won¡¯t recover if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Ding Yinuo will take care of me!¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t take care of your diet and daily life, he can only treat your illness, he is just a doctor, he is not your husband.¡±


    I had to admit, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words hit right at my heart.


    Yes, Ding Yinuo and I were divorced.


    This was something I really couldn¡¯t argue against him.


    I fell silent.


    Gu Yuanzhou handed the spoon back to me,


    ¡°Eat up!¡±


    ¡°I said I won¡¯t eat, Gu Yuanzhou, are you sick?¡±


    Angry, I grabbed the bowl of porridge and poured all of its contents into the trash can.


    Then I lay in the hospital bed, no longer paying attention to him.


    Gu Yuanzhou wasn¡¯t angered; he just watched me like that.


    About ten minutes later, I felt extremely uncomfortable in my stomach, a surge of nausea.


    I rushed to the bathroom and vomited out everything I had just eaten.


    I couldn¡¯t say why, but my aversion to food was just so intense.


    After vomiting, I stood leaning against the wall for a long time.


    When I came out again, Gu Yuanzhou was standing by the bedside looking at me.


    I ignored him, and lay back down beside the hospital bed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stay here! Leave!¡±


    He ignored me and again brought over a fresh bowl of porridge.


    ¡°You have to eat, otherwise your body won¡¯t hold up¡­¡±


    He looked at me calmly.


    Indeed, I was hungry after vomiting.


    At that time, I didn¡¯t say anything else; I got up and slowly finished the bowl of porridge he had brought over.


    The familiar taste didn¡¯t repel my body one bit.


    As he watched me finish the porridge, he said calmly,


    ¡°You see, it wasn¡¯t so difficult, was it? I know you¡¯re very angry, but anger aside, you still need to eat. You can be angry with me, but you can¡¯t hurt yourself, understand?¡±


    I still didn¡¯t respond to him, and instead pulled the blanket around myself, then turned my back on him.


    He quietly walked up to me and placed his hand on my back, saying softly,


    ¡°Take good care of yourself; nothing is more important than your health.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to care about me with feigned concern, I¡¯m not buying it. Others might not know who you are, but do you think I don¡¯t?¡±


    In response to my sarcasm, Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say much and turned to walk out of the room.


    What frustrated me immensely was that after eating the porridge Gu Yuanzhou had made for me, I didn¡¯t feel nauseated or vomit at all, which was just unbearable.


    In the following days.


    Ding Yinuo was there every day to help clean and massage my eyes.


    Although this greatly reduced the swelling around my eyes, three days had passed, and he still hadn¡¯t mentioned when the surgery would be.


    There were daily infusions, but I could tell they were only basic treatments, reducing inflammation and supplementing daily nutrients.


    I lay in the hospital bed every day, watching him walk back and forth in the ward in his white clothes, feeling as if I was in a dream.


    I still didn¡¯t want to talk to him.


    When he massaged my eyes, I could hear his breathing.


    When our gazes met, it seemed he also had something he wanted to say to me.


    But ultimately, I chose to close my eyes, refusing any form of communication with him¡­


    Another two days passed.


    Gu Yuanzhou brought me porridge again in the morning.


    What I found strange was that in the past, whenever Gu Yuanzhou was with Ding Yinuo, the two men were bound to clash.


    But now, they seemed able to coexist peacefully.


    Gu Yuanzhou was there when Ding Yinuo was checking my eyes, administering some eye drops to me as needed.


    Gu Yuanzhou just watched and remained silent.


    Both men were remarkably quiet.


    Apart from the smell of disinfectant, there was no hint of tension in the air.


    While I was having the porridge, Lin Anqi also came by.


    I initially thought that upon seeing Gu Yuanzhou here, Lin Anqi would appear surprised and embarrassed¡­


    After all, for her, I was another woman, and her fianc¨¦ taking care of another woman would naturally make one feel a bit uncomfortable.


    But she didn¡¯t; instead, she seemed very glad.


    ¡°Louis, did you bring your sister some porridge?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou nodded, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, you¡¯re so considerate. I was worried that with my severe pregnancy reaction lately, I wouldn¡¯t be able to take care of my sister, afraid of neglecting her. But you¡¯ve done what I should be doing for me. You really are the best.¡±


    Lin Anqi was very grateful to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t speak, just quietly gave me a glance.


    And I didn¡¯t say anything¡­


    Lin Anqi sat down with me and asked,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, how have you been feeling these days?¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    ¡°Louis told me your morning sickness is quite bad?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡±


    I glanced at Gu Yuanzhou, truly not expecting him to discuss my condition with Lin Anqi.


    I couldn¡¯t fathom what he was thinking; wasn¡¯t this awkward for him?


    ¡°It¡¯s really tough, being pregnant is¡­ I heard it can get even tougher in the later stages. So you can take proper care, Louis and I have agreed to have you move in with my father¡­ You¡¯ll feel more at ease during the postpartum confinement and everything.¡±


    After Lin Anqi finished speaking, I refused outright.


    The very sight of Gu Yuanzhou was vexing enough for me, how could I possibly live with him?


    Hastily, I refused.


    ¡°No need, I¡¯d be better off living with my best friend!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly countered,


    ¡°Your best friend has her own child to look after, she simply won¡¯t have the time to help you with the baby.¡±


    He was speaking the truth; Jian Jing did have her own child, and normally after work, she went to her mother¡¯s to see the child.


    But that was just my excuse to avoid living with Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°Don¡¯t reject their kindness; everyone just wants to help,¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really inconvenient for a woman to look after a child alone¡­¡±

 Chapter 453 - Chapter 453: Chapter 453: Whose Child Is It After All?

    Chapter 453: Chapter 453: Whose Child Is It After All?


    Lin Anqi kept persuading me.


    I knew Lin Anqi was absolutely well-intentioned, but I didn¡¯t want to, and couldn¡¯t accept it.


    Just after the standoff, suddenly Mother Ding¡¯s figure appeared at the doorway of the hospital room.


    ¡°Ah, Xiaoyun, you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Auntie, how come you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been asking around, and it took me half a day to find out you were hospitalized here. Ah, Yinuo is such a child, so tight-lipped, she didn¡¯t let slip a word to me.¡±


    She began to open the thermos she brought with her, which contained stewed chicken soup.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, this is what I stewed for you, to nourish your body.¡±


    ¡°Auntie! Uh¡­ there¡¯s no need to trouble yourself in the future, I can just eat anything, really.¡±


    ¡°How could that be possible, you are carrying the Ding Family¡¯s flesh and blood. I can¡¯t neglect you. Don¡¯t think of it as trouble, it¡¯s really not, I¡¯m free anyway, and making something for you to eat, I consider it combining work with leisure.¡±


    Mother Ding was very patient; she not only prepared chicken soup but also brought a lot of fresh fruit.


    All were washed clean, and even cut and placed into disposable lunch boxes.


    She took them out one by one, laying them out on the table.


    ¡°This box is strawberries, this one cherries, there are also blueberries, eat these for now¡­ I¡¯ll bring you a different variety tomorrow. Try to finish them if you can, and if not, it¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll bring fresh ones tomorrow. If they spoil, don¡¯t eat them, okay?¡±


    Mother Ding even carefully labeled each box of fruit with the time it was cut, afraid I¡¯d eat something that had gone bad.


    This level of care and consideration might only come from one¡¯s own mother.


    I was very moved looking at it.


    In fact, I also felt guilty, because the child was neither Ding Yinuo¡¯s nor the Ding Family¡¯s seed.


    I really didn¡¯t deserve this affection.


    ¡°Auntie, there¡¯s really no need for this.¡±


    ¡°Silly child, why don¡¯t you understand! I¡¯m showing love for my grandson.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡±


    I was about to explain things clearly to her.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou inopportunely interrupted,


    ¡°A grandmother loving her grandson is only natural, how can you say he isn¡¯t someone else¡¯s grandson?¡±


    I looked up and met Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s mocking gaze, the words that were on the tip of my tongue, I swallowed back down again.


    Turning around, I found that Lin Anqi, as well as Ding Yinuo, were standing nearby, everyone was looking at me, seemingly waiting for me to deliver the final authoritative answer.


    I looked at Gu Yuanzhou again.


    The man¡¯s eyes were full of triumphant light.


    A wave of annoyance rose in me,


    ¡°Sir, this is my family matter, does it concern you?¡±


    ¡°How can you say it doesn¡¯t concern me, we are family.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed calm, yet his words were laden with deeper meaning.


    I hadn¡¯t spoken yet when Lin Anqi chimed in, holding my hand and saying,


    ¡°Yes, sister, we are family. Your matters are our matters, and we will help with any difficulties you face, we are family.¡±


    These words seemed as though Lin Anqi was smoothing things over for Gu Yuanzhou.


    She seemed very sensible.


    For a moment, I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    After Lin Anqi finished speaking, she got up to address Mother Ding,


    ¡°Auntie! How should I address you? I am Song Xiaoyun¡¯s sister, my name is Lin Anqi!¡±


    Mother Ding finally greeted Lin Anqi.


    ¡°Xiaoyun¡¯s little sister, you can call me Aunt Ding.¡±


    ¡°Aunt Ding, hello. Thank you for making chicken soup for my sister and for all these fruits. You¡¯ve really gone to great lengths.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Xiaoyun is a good kid; I like her a lot. Moreover¡­ she¡¯s carrying the Ding Family¡¯s child. It¡¯s only right for me to take care of her.¡±


    Lin Anqi was slightly surprised at this.


    ¡°It¡¯s your grandchild? Who is the father of the child?¡±


    It was then that Mother Ding pointed at Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°It¡¯s him! My son¡­ Didn¡¯t Xiaoyun tell you? They were married, but there was a little mishap a while back, and they got divorced over a disagreement. It was during that time she got pregnant. It¡¯s all because the Ding Family didn¡¯t handle things well that Xiaoyun suffered. I apologize to you. Today, in front of you all, I assure you that Xiaoyun won¡¯t suffer any more grievances from now on.¡±


    ¡°I see!¡±


    Lin Anqi¡¯s gaze then returned to Ding Yinuo.


    She walked up to Ding Yinuo with a smile,


    ¡°You¡¯re Doctor Ding, right?¡±


    Ding Yinuo nodded slightly.


    ¡°Ah, my sister never told me who the father was. I guess she must have been hurt too deeply by you, which is why she resisted. What I want to say is, since the two of you were destined to marry and even have a child now, I hope, for the sake of the baby, you can reconcile.¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked up, nodded,


    ¡°You¡¯re right! I hope to reconcile with her!¡±


    Lin Anqi continued,


    ¡°Do you still love my sister now?¡±


    This time Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t hesitate and directly said, ¡°Love!¡±


    Lin Anqi was delighted to hear this,


    ¡°Then, are you willing to remarry my sister?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me,


    ¡°If she¡¯s not opposed to it, I would be very willing to.¡±


    Lin Anqi felt as though she had accomplished something significant, quickly walking over to my side and grabbing my hand.


    ¡°Sister, did you hear that? Dr. Ding still loves you, and he¡¯s willing to remarry you. For the baby¡¯s sake, I think you should just get back together with him. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a good idea? And Aunt Ding is so attentive to you, it really is what everyone expects.¡±


    I hadn¡¯t spoken yet.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou was the first to speak.


    ¡°Anqi, many things aren¡¯t as simple as you think. Since the two of them have reached the point of divorce, chances are the love might already be broken. Moreover, the reason for divorce matters.¡±


    Lin Anqi was stunned for a few seconds,


    ¡°The reason for what?¡±


    ¡°In cases of divorce, if it¡¯s just a result of arguing or a misunderstanding, then the feelings probably haven¡¯t changed, and there might be a chance to repair. But if it involves one party cheating, having an extramarital affair, or falling in love with someone else, that is irreparable and beyond redemption. As far as I know, Mr. Ding not only cheated but nearly married his mistress a few days ago!¡±


    After saying this, Gu Yuanzhou walked up to Ding Yinuo, saying meaningfully,


    ¡°I¡¯m correct, aren¡¯t I, Mr. Ding?¡±


    Indeed, Ding Yinuo¡¯s high-profile wedding with Jiang Jiaying was nearly known city-wide, a public matter that was impossible for him to conceal.


    Ding Yinuo fell silent for a moment,


    ¡°You¡¯re right! But things are not as simple as they seem on the surface. I have my difficulties.¡±


    Ding Yinuo hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Gu Yuanzhou impatiently cut him off,


    ¡°An explanation is just a cover-up; there¡¯s no need for one. After all, we are all adults here, and we must take responsibility for our actions. If explanations were useful, what would be the need for laws, right?¡±

 Chapter 454 - Chapter 454: Chapter 454 She Is the Woman I Love the Most in My Life

    Chapter 454: Chapter 454 She Is the Woman I Love the Most in My Life


    Ding Yinuo fell silent once more.


    In Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s speech, there were barbed words, leaving Ding Yinuo almost no strength to retaliate.


    Moreover, Ding Yinuo himself was already feeling guilty, and he didn¡¯t defend himself much.


    Silence.


    He glanced at me and then stopped talking.


    Mother Ding, anxious at the sidelines, seemed to want to help mediate between Ding Yinuo and me.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, it¡¯s not like that. Let me tell you, Yinuo didn¡¯t betray you, it¡¯s just that Jiang Jiaying stirred up trouble. If not for her¡­¡±


    At this point, Gu Yuanzhou interrupted Mother Ding¡¯s words once again.


    ¡°Auntie, your son is not a fool. It takes two to tango, and flies don¡¯t sting an uncracked egg. A real man should take responsibility for his actions. Why blame others?¡±


    Upon Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s proclamation.


    Ding Yinuo was silent for a while,


    ¡°Ayun, I know I was wrong. If you are willing to give me a chance, I will treat you well.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou snorted coldly, apparently very disdainful.


    It seemed as though he was certain that I would not forgive Ding Yinuo.


    However, at that moment, I had already made a bold decision in my heart,


    ¡°Fine, I will give you this one chance.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was shocked at the scene.


    He turned his head and looked at me deeply.


    ¡°Do you know what you are saying?¡±


    ¡°Heh, whatever I say is none of your business, right?¡±


    I sneered coldly, and then added,


    ¡°Mr. Louis, whether I forgive him or not is my own business, and it¡¯s not related to anyone else.¡±


    After my declaration, Gu Yuanzhou fell silent.


    The atmosphere between us was somewhat awkward.


    Lin Anqi hurriedly stood up to smooth things over,


    ¡°Sister, Louis is just trying to be kind, he wants to help you. However, I feel Mr. Ding is also sincere. Considering the child, perhaps giving him a chance would be better, don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Mother Ding also echoed repeatedly,


    ¡°Yes, yes, consider it giving the child a chance. A child needs a complete family to grow up healthily. Look, Ruirui is the best example.¡±


    As these words came out, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face turned even grimmer, but beyond that, he did not speak another word.


    He just looked deeply at me, then turned and walked away.


    Seeing him leave, Lin Anqi comforted me for a long time,


    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t take what Louis did to heart. That¡¯s just the way he is, sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. He¡¯s really worried about you, but he can¡¯t say nice things. His intentions are good; he really cares about you.¡±


    ¡°I know, thank you!¡±


    I was clearly aware of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s intentions, and of whether he was sharp-tongued but soft-hearted.


    But Lin Anqi was very kind, and I couldn¡¯t let her down.


    After Lin Anqi had reassured me, she walked over to Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, my sister is a very good woman. Moreover, a woman is extremely fragile during pregnancy. If you truly still love her, please cherish her, okay?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me, then turned to Lin Anqi and nodded earnestly,


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Lin Anqi finally breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and took my hand, placing it in Ding Yinuo¡¯s.


    ¡°Since you say this, I entrust my sister to you.¡±


    ¡°Miss Lin, rest assured! Ayun is the only woman I have ever loved in my life, and I will cherish her.¡±


    ¡°Good, with your promise, I¡¯m satisfied.¡±


    Lin Anqi didn¡¯t linger either; after she finished speaking, she also took her leave.


    Mother Ding stayed with me for a long time.


    She spoke a lot, telling me some things about Ding Ruirui and also about the affairs of Ding Xiao and his wife.


    Then she went on about how Ding Yinuo was irresponsible, hiding many things from her and not willing to talk about them, and even said that she needed to set clear boundaries with Jiang Jiaying.


    It wasn¡¯t until Ding Yinuo urged her, telling her that I needed to rest, that she finally left.


    After everyone in the ward had left, I finally lay down on the bed and dozed off.


    When I woke up again,


    Ding Yinuo was sitting by my bedside, watching me.


    He was dressed in a white overcoat, his skin pale, features handsome, except for a pair of eyes that were black and deep.


    Seeing that I had woken up, he handed me a cup of water.


    ¡°Drink more water,¡± he said.


    I took the cup with both hands and finished the water.


    I glanced at my hand, still hooked to the IV¡­


    ¡°When can I have the surgery?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t speak but asked me,


    ¡°Was I a bit abrupt just now, making things difficult for you?¡±


    I was silent for a while,


    ¡°The child isn¡¯t yours, are you sure you want to get back together?¡±


    Perhaps others didn¡¯t know, but the two of us involved understood best.


    Ding Yinuo looked at me,


    ¡°As long as we get married, the child is mine! Nobody will question that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about what others think, I just want to know what you think!¡±


    ¡°My thoughts¡­ Ayun, your child is my child, I love you, so I will also love him.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice was low, every word full of emotion, deeply resonating with my heart.


    ¡°You need to think it over carefully! Ding Yinuo, I don¡¯t want you to have any resentment, any guilt, that might lead to a lifetime of regret¡­ and about the child, once he is born, I don¡¯t want him to be hurt emotionally later because you¡¯re not willing to continue being his father. You don¡¯t have to answer me right now, just think it over. And your matters with the Jiang Family, I hope you can handle them well.¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±


    After receiving IVs for a few more days, Ding Yinuo noticed that my condition had improved, and he was not so strict with my activities anymore.


    He allowed me to leave the hospital for half a day, to relax outside or go shopping with friends, as long as I didn¡¯t engage in any strenuous exercise.


    Wenya was busy studying for her professional title examination recently and had no time to keep me company.


    Only Jian Jing frequently joined me to wander around; it was strange, ever since Ding Yinuo treated my eyes, that severe pain never troubled me again.


    And because Jian Jing had a child, she often took the opportunity to take her child out and joined me in buying some baby supplies.


    It was during one of these trips to a baby store that I heard a man¡¯s voice from a distance¡­


    ¡°Yes, a baby cradle, I want that model imported from Italy, the one made of pure solid wood, eco-friendly and pollutant-free¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir, the model you are asking for is only a display piece in our store, and it¡¯s very expensive; we generally don¡¯t recommend it.¡±


    ¡°Money is not an issue, I want the best.¡±


    ¡°Very well, sir¡­¡±


    Jian Jing glanced at me and said in a low voice,


    ¡°Tsk tsk, such doting on another woman¡¯s child?¡±


    I responded with a light smile, ¡°My sister!¡±


    Yes, my own sister; I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to get upset.


    ¡°Ayun, do you really have no grudges at all?¡±


    ¡°What grudges?¡±


    ¡°Your child is also Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s child, and in the future, you¡¯ll all be one family, living under the same roof. If the two children receive different treatment, will your heart be able to bear it?¡±

 Chapter 455 - Chapter 455: Chapter 455 Online Loans

    Chapter 455: Chapter 455 Online Loans


    ¡°`


    I can¡¯t imagine that scene.


    One child is Lin Anqi¡¯s, the other is mine.


    If Gu Yuanzhou treats the two children unfairly, my heart will definitely feel the disparity.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Jian Jing, I just think that we should try not to live together in the future!¡±


    ¡°Right! Try not to live together, and what if you¡­ give birth to the child, and then find out they look a lot like Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s words made me freeze again.


    Yes, after all, it is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s child, so it¡¯s very possible for the baby to resemble him.


    My elder daughter looked exactly like a carbon copy of Gu Yuanzhou when she was born.


    Back then, colleagues in the company joked that the child would never get lost; just by standing anywhere in A City, everyone would know she¡¯s the heiress of Gu Yuanzhou.


    Jian Jing saw the worry in my eyes and quickly consoled me,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, the child might end up looking like the mother too. Besides, with a different gender, they might grow up to resemble her grandmother or grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    I pushed the shopping cart around the supermarket, picked up some baby products.


    Just as I was about to check out, I unexpectedly ended up in line with Gu Yuanzhou.


    At the register, he called out to the cashier,


    ¡°Let me pay for her cart!¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s not necessary!¡±


    I rejected his offer and took out my bank card to pay.


    After swiping my card, I pushed the shopping cart and moved on.


    Almost briskly, I maintained a distance from Gu Yuanzhou.


    Jian Jing, panting, caught up to me,


    ¡°I mean, you¡¯re pregnant. How can you run faster than me? Can you slow down a bit? Running around like this could affect the fetus.¡±


    I slowed down and, seeing that Gu Yuanzhou had not followed but had headed towards the parking lot after paying, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to walk the same path as him!¡±


    ¡°Honestly, you really don¡¯t need to do this. The more you avoid him, the more he thinks he¡¯s something special!¡±


    ¡°Mm!¡±


    I still took Jian Jing¡¯s advice to heart.


    Yes, there¡¯s no need to hide from him. Why should I avoid him?


    I had barely stepped out when my phone rang; it was Lin Nansheng.


    ¡°Xiaoyun, are you still in the hospital today?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not at the hospital anymore. I¡¯m out browsing with a friend today!¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ve prepared a family dinner for this afternoon. Can you come home for a meal?¡±


    ¡°No problem!¡±


    Although Lin Nansheng does not know that I am his biological daughter, I know that he is my biological father.


    Out of this difficult-to-sever kinship, I wouldn¡¯t reject any of his invitations.


    I had just hung up the phone,


    when Jian Jing began to yell¡­


    I turned my head to look at her, and her eyes were filled with tears.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Jian Jing didn¡¯t say anything, just sat on the chair in a daze for a long time.


    After she had calmed down a bit, I asked her again,


    ¡°Jian Jing, if you¡¯re dealing with something, tell me.¡±


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s about Yu Jiahang¡­¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°He told me his cousin needed money for home renovations and needed to borrow thirty thousand from me. You know, I¡¯ve only been working a few months and everything I¡¯ve earned has gone on the kids, I don¡¯t have money to lend him. He actually used my ID to take out a loan online, and just now the bank called me, saying I¡¯ve been overdue for three months and told me to pay it back quickly or the interest would double.¡±


    When Jian Jing spoke those words, she was still shaking with anger.


    ¡°How much do you owe in total now?¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°With interest included, it amounts to over fifty thousand! I was so mad just now when I called him and asked him to get the money back from his cousin, he actually had the nerve to curse me out.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s just a small amount of money, don¡¯t get angry, I¡¯ll transfer it to you!¡±


    I picked up my phone and transferred sixty thousand to Jian Jing.


    ¡°Pay off the online loans first!¡±


    Jian Jing looked at me with guilt,


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯m really sorry for dragging you into this.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, silly? What¡¯s this about dragging me down? We¡¯re all good friends here. Plus, this amount of money isn¡¯t much for me.¡±


    With Lin Nansheng¡¯s support, Zhenyi Company was already operating normally by now, having cleared all its debts and starting to make a profit.


    So, my life was much better now.


    And as one of my best friends, if I could help Jian Jing, of course, I would give her a hand.


    After Jian Jing had paid off her debts, she finally breathed a sigh of relief,


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯ll pay you back with my salary.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about money, we can discuss how to deduct it later on, okay?¡±


    At that moment, the doorbell rang, and I went to open the door.


    Outside stood a man in a suit, with a buzz cut, a square face, and a brawny physique.


    Despite the elegant suit, an air of menace emanated from him.


    He looked very fierce.


    ¡°Miss Song, right?¡±


    ¡°Hello, may I ask who you are?¡±


    ¡°Greetings, my name is Awu! I¡¯m Mr. Lin¡¯s personal bodyguard, and I¡¯ve come specially to take the two of you to Yijia Island!¡±


    ¡°Yijia? That¡¯s not where Uncle Lin lives, is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, Mr. Lin said to facilitate your recuperation, he specially purchased a new island¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you then!¡±


    After packing a bit, I set off with Awu.


    The vehicle was spacious, and the interior felt very roomy.


    Awu, despite his fierce appearance, was very steady in handling matters, and even his driving was smooth, without a tremble.


    Half an hour later, we drove over the Bay Bridge, and the car slowly made its way on a lush, verdant island.


    The vehicle continued along a straight, tree-lined avenue for about ten minutes, and at the end of the coconut groves, a white mansion appeared.


    A black iron fence encased the estate-style villa, with a large fountain in front and what seemed like a swimming pool behind.


    The entire island was lush with greenery, and the flowers and gardening were all meticulously maintained.


    This was clearly the work of a generous hand.


    Not only was the place lavishly decorated, but several servants were also employed.


    Indeed, an island this big required quite a few people to manage it.


    After entering the hall, one could see that the interior decoration was also exceptionally luxurious.


    The massive crystal chandelier, the marble floor shiny enough to see your reflection, a spiral staircase stretching up to the second floor.


    Exquisite carpets were laid out in every corner.


    As soon as I entered, the servants welcomed me warmly,


    ¡°Young Mistress, please have some tea.¡±


    ¡°Young Mistress? Do you know who I am?¡±


    The servant smiled and said,


    ¡°Mr. Lin has instructed us; he has two daughters. The Young Mistress is you. Miss Lin Anqi is the second young mistress; she moved in last night, and we all recognize her, so you must be the Young Mistress.¡±


    The tea they brewed was very rich in aroma; one sip and the fragrance lingered on the tip of the tongue.


    ¡°Has Mr. Lin returned yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, he will probably be back later. Young Mistress, feel free to look around¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    With Lin Nansheng and Lin Anqi not here, I was somewhat bored. Just after I finished my tea, someone brought in an expensive piano into the living room.


    ¡°Everyone be careful, don¡¯t let the piano get knocked or bumped, this is Mr. Louis¡¯ birthday gift for Miss Lin, worth ten million I hear!¡±

 Chapter 456 - Chapter 456: Chapter 456: His Ruthlessness

    Chapter 456: Chapter 456: His Ruthlessness


    Hearing this, I couldn¡¯t help but take a closer look at the piano, a pure white one. Judging from the paint finish and brand, it must be imported and high-end.


    ¡°Is this for Lin Anqi?¡±


    The workers placed the piano in the living room by the window.


    Indeed, the addition of a piano instantly filled the vast living room with an artistic ambiance, significantly upgrading its grandeur.


    The maid answered me with a smile,


    ¡°Yes! The second miss is an art student and is said to play the piano very well. Mr. Louis loves her deeply, so he gifted her this expensive piano.¡±


    With a teacup in hand, I remarked with emotion,


    ¡°He really treats her well.¡±


    This sigh came from the heart.


    When I first married Gu Yuanzhou, he treated me very well too.


    But his kindness, compared to Lin Anqi¡¯s treatment, suddenly seemed much cheaper.


    Envy was evident in the maid¡¯s eyes,


    ¡°It¡¯s more than just good! I¡¯ve also heard that Mr. Louis spent a huge sum buying this island and villa. It¡¯s especially for Miss Lin to rest during her pregnancy. He said the city air is not good, too much dust and too much noise. This private island is just perfect for the second miss to live on. Don¡¯t underestimate this island; there¡¯s a farm on the west side, and he¡¯s hired people to raise poultry and grow green, eco-friendly vegetables, all prepared for the second miss.¡±


    ¡°Since the second miss has been rather delicate from a young age, apart from organic vegetables, she won¡¯t eat anything else. So, owning this island has solved that problem.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that must be true love!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Louis truly dotes on the second miss. I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s also specially booked the most expensive maternity center in A City, arranging for two top-rated maternity nurses, all to ensure the second miss doesn¡¯t suffer the slightest inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    I continued to drink my tea, putting on an air of composure.


    I used to think he was in love with Ye Mengyan.


    Now, compared to Lin Anqi, I realize how insignificant his affection for Ye Mengyan was.


    The servants continued to be busy; they tidied up the living room, arranged flowers, and moved green plants.


    Each focused on their duties and discussed the romance between Gu Yuanzhou and Lin Anqi.


    Indeed, in their eyes, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s various kindnesses toward Lin Anqi were probably the epitome of love.


    I sat on the couch, quietly drinking my tea and browsing on my phone.


    ¡°Why do you think Louis is so in love with Miss Lin?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Not only is Miss Lin beautiful, but she¡¯s also exceptionally kind. And with Director Lin¡¯s net worth of hundreds of billions and no sons, which man wouldn¡¯t be tempted by that fortune?¡±


    ¡°But, I think it¡¯s not right to talk about Mr. Louis like that. He¡¯s quite capable on his own and doesn¡¯t want to depend on Director Lin¡¯s wealth.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen Mr. Louis owning any substantial properties, have we?¡±


    ¡°A few nights ago, several large ships came, and those men carried weapons in the middle of the night¡­ Only Mr. Louis dealt with them alone. Also, I¡¯ve heard that Mr. Louis manages many of Director Lin¡¯s businesses! Although Director Lin doesn¡¯t have a son, Louis is more like a son to him!¡±


    I absorbed every word of their lively discussion without missing a single one.


    Perhaps what my ears heard was the real truth!


    After multiple cups of tea and still no sign of Lin Nansheng¡¯s return, I felt bored and wandered into the back garden.


    Along the north fence, a large patch of wisteria flowers was in full bloom this season.


    Underneath the flowers was a white swing.


    This swing reminded me of the time I lived in Golden Bay, where the backyard also had a similar swing.


    Those wonderful times slowly filled me with nostalgia.


    Without much thought, I sat down on the swing, holding onto the ropes and gently swaying, looking up at the blue sky above.


    For a moment, it was as if I had returned to the past.


    Just as I was immersed in those fond memories, the voice of a servant snapped me out of my daydream.


    ¡°You can¡¯t sit on this swing!¡±


    I looked up and saw a thin woman; from the uniform she wore, I could tell she was also one of the servants here.


    But unlike the other maids, she was older with slanted eyes, a somewhat fierce face, and when she looked at people, she had an air of superiority.


    ¡°Oh? Why can¡¯t I sit?¡±


    ¡°This swing was specially installed by Mr. Louis for Miss Lin, no one else is allowed to sit on it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay then!¡±


    Indeed, it was a bit of a letdown; had I known it was made by Gu Yuanzhou for Lin Anqi, I wouldn¡¯t have sat on it.


    It seemed I also lost interest in the garden, so I went straight into the inner hall.


    With nothing better to do, I walked further inside¡­


    At the end of the first floor, there were two newly renovated nursery rooms.


    The nurseries were decorated with a childlike charm: blue skies, mushrooms, colorful clouds, and the little wardrobes and cradles were all installed.


    It gave off a healing sensation, and as I wandered through, I reached out to touch the small hot air balloons and dolls hanging on the walls.


    That¡¯s when I realized there were two such children¡¯s rooms, one predominantly blue and the other pink.


    Both rooms were about the same size, and the furniture was from the same brand.


    Even the windows were identical.


    In my confusion, I happened to see a maid cleaning the area, so I curiously asked,


    ¡°Why are there two identical nurseries?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s probably because twins are expected!¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Twins, is it?


    A boy and a girl ¨C was Gu Yuanzhou thinking of having both a son and a daughter in one go?


    This man really knew how to plan.


    As I was lost in thought, footsteps approached from behind.


    That steady stride seemed to step directly on my heart, and without turning around, I knew who it was.


    Only a man like him could have such a powerful presence.


    His gaze felt sharp against my back, like a blade.


    I didn¡¯t turn around, pretending to casually walk a few steps forward¡­


    Just as I reached the corner, the sensation from behind vanished.


    He hadn¡¯t followed, had he?


    After a brief pause, I glanced back.


    Indeed, he hadn¡¯t followed.


    I breathed a sigh of relief, then looked back again, only to see Gu Yuanzhou and Lin Nansheng walking towards the study¡ªa firm and upright figure of his back left for me.


    After he left, my apprehensions eased, and I stepped out.


    To my surprise, just a few steps out, Lin Nansheng, who had turned back, spotted me. ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re here?¡±


    I smiled and nodded at him, ¡°Yes, Uncle Lin, am I early?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all. How can you be early to your maternal home? You can come anytime. By the way¡­ your timing is perfect, Afang, take the young miss to visit the bedroom on the right. If she has any requirements, feel free to mention them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    I looked at this Afang, the same one with the fierce cat¡¯s-eye look¡­


    Her attitude towards Lin Nansheng was extremely respectful, but when she looked at me, there seemed to be an inexplicably hostile vibe.


    ¡°Young miss, this way, please!¡±


    ¡°Uh, Uncle Lin, why should I visit the room on the right?¡±


    It was then that Lin Nansheng explained to me, ¡°This villa is mirror-imaged, left and right. The one on the left side is for Anqi and her husband to live in. The one on the right side is yours; you can move back in anytime. I see you¡¯re also pregnant, why not move back in?¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s arrangement was flawless, it made me feel unexpectedly favored¡­


    ¡°Uncle Lin, do you have the authority over this house?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. How could I not have a say over a house I bought?¡±

 Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: Chapter 457: The Bloody Side

    Chapter 457: Chapter 457: The Bloody Side


    ¡°I heard that this house was bought by Louis!¡±


    Looking at Gu Yuanzhou, with his hands tucked into the pockets of his suit trousers, he watched me with his deep, dark pupils, yet said nothing.


    Lin Nansheng smiled and said,


    ¡°We¡¯re all family, why make distinctions? It doesn¡¯t matter who bought it, what¡¯s important is living together.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid some might not be so willing! After all, some people want a world of their own.¡±


    I hinted subtly at Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou cleared his throat,


    ¡°I chose the house, but Director Lin paid for it! So, in fact, it was Director Lin who bought it. Both of Director Lin¡¯s daughters can live here; there is no problem with that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Xiaoyun. I paid for it, and I¡¯ve made a will that states that in the future, you and Anqi will each inherit half of this island and the villa.¡±


    ¡°Er, I think living in the city center might be better!¡±


    Lin Nansheng patted my shoulder, speaking earnestly,


    ¡°Do you know why this island is called Yijia?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°I changed the name on purpose. My intention is to have our whole family live here, loving each other! Supporting and taking care of each other. You are pregnant now; you¡¯ll need care in the future. And your sister needs someone to look after her too. Living together would make it more lively. Moreover, once your children are born, growing up together in the same family, they¡¯ll be much closer, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Lin Nansheng¡¯s ideas are the same as many other elders.


    It¡¯s natural for the aging to want the whole family to live together.


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t find the appropriate words to refuse.


    As I struggled internally, suddenly Awu rushed in, flustered.


    ¡°Director Lin, something terrible has happened¡­ that Cui fellow has come again.¡±


    ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°His car has arrived at the doorstep!¡±


    Lin Nansheng hit the table and shouted angrily,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that he wasn¡¯t to come to the house?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried, but I couldn¡¯t stop him! He brought people and forced his way over¡­¡±


    Before Awu finished speaking, screams from the maids could be heard outside.


    On closer examination,


    A crowd of people burst in.


    Surrounded by a dozen bodyguards, a bald man in a floral shirt, smoking a cigar, entered.


    These people holding machetes, like some triad gang, frightened the maids who had never seen such a spectacle; they huddled in the corner, afraid to make a sound.


    ¡°Yo, Uncle Lin! Surprising to see that at your age you¡¯re still keeping a beauty hidden.¡±


    Upon entering, Cui Sheng stared at me, puffing on his cigar, the thick gold chain around his neck nearly blinding.


    Lin Nansheng spoke angrily,


    ¡°That¡¯s my daughter; don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±


    Cui Sheng sat down on a chair with a heh-heh laugh,


    ¡°About the gold mine, we had an agreement to split it half and half, when do you plan to honor that?¡±


    Lin Nansheng spoke angrily,


    ¡°I invested, and you were responsible for security. It was agreed that you¡¯d only get a quarter; the contract was signed very clearly, and your quarter was paid long ago. I owe you nothing. There was no talk of splitting it in half.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Uncle Lin, that¡¯s not right of you. If it weren¡¯t for my men risking their lives to protect the mine, you wouldn¡¯t have earned a single hair from it. Since you¡¯ve made so much money, why not let a little slip through your fingers for us? Otherwise, your beautiful daughter here might have some tough days ahead.¡±


    This man¡¯s rogue aura was palpable; he approached me and blew a puff of smoke right in my face.


    His lewd attitude was clearly harassing me.


    If it had been before, I definitely would have fought back,


    But with a child on the way, I really didn¡¯t dare stand up to this scum.


    Seeing me shrink back, he became even more brazen, even reaching out to touch my face.


    I¡¯ve figured it out.


    This thug must have seen Uncle Lin¡¯s wealth and wanted to extort a sum.


    He didn¡¯t expect his kick to hit a steel pillar.


    Just as he reached out, a large hand stretched over, pressed against his chest, and roughly pushed him back.


    ¡°What are you doing? Where is your hand reaching?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou made his move, his cold eyes glaring at Cui Sheng.


    Cui Sheng, with a face full of rough flesh, revealed a fierce expression, viciously snapped his cigar, threw it to the ground, and stomped on it fiercely.


    ¡°Who are you, kid? What did you just say to grandpa?¡±


    Although Cui Sheng was sturdy, he was almost a head shorter than Gu Yuanzhou.


    So, even standing in front of Gu Yuanzhou, as fierce as he was, he was oppressed by Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s imposing presence and couldn¡¯t assert himself.


    But stubbornly, he still wanted to assert his presence in front of Gu Yuanzhou.


    He rolled up his sleeves, then clenched both fists together, rushed in front of Gu Yuanzhou, and showed off his thick, muscular arms.


    Gu Yuanzhou watched with a sneer,


    ¡°Enough, I¡¯m giving you three seconds to take your dogs and roll out of here immediately, or else you¡¯ll all be carried out horizontally!¡±


    ¡°Yo, kid, you sure can talk big, huh? I¡¯m not leaving. Not only am I not leaving, but since you¡¯ve pissed me off, I¡¯m going to sleep with every woman in your house, believe it or¡­¡±


    Cui Sheng was extremely arrogant.


    His words were filthy.


    Gu Yuanzhou, having heard this, didn¡¯t waste any more words with him.


    He directly snatched a machete from one of his men¡¯s hands and grabbed Cui Sheng¡¯s left hand, swiftly slashing down.


    Blood splattered.


    Screams echoed.


    Accompanied by the pig-like howls, Cui Sheng, holding his hand, jumped up.


    ¡°Ah, ah ah ah!¡±


    The screams were piercing.


    At this moment, Gu Yuanzhou, holding a machete, his face splattered with blood, his black eyes even more fierce after being stained with blood.


    The demon-like him seemed like a Shura who had crawled out of hell, slaughtering people on sight, be they a god or a Buddha.


    This sight reminded me of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s younger days, when he was working for Song Shixiong, as if he was always like this.


    This seemingly gentle and handsome man hid an extremely dark and terrifying soul.


    Murder was something Gu Yuanzhou always did without even blinking an eye.


    ¡°Brothers, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and chop him!¡±


    Cui Sheng wasn¡¯t about to let this slide and, after shouting fiercely, commanded his hitmen to charge at Gu Yuanzhou with their machetes.


    However, not only did no one present make a move.


    Instead, they threw their machetes onto the ground, then simultaneously raised their hands.


    Cui Sheng cursed each one of them, but after a long while, he felt something was wrong; he fiercely turned around to find a line of a dozen black-suited bodyguards emerging from the spiral staircase.


    The key point was, these men were holding guns, their faces covered with black masks, emanating a murderous aura.


    He knew very well that bullets don¡¯t have eyes and are much faster than machetes¡­


    He was so frightened that he shook all over, urine flowing out of his trousers.


    Gu Yuanzhou watched him with cold eyes,


    ¡°I¡¯m keeping this severed hand. If you dare come again, what I¡¯ll keep will be your head¡­¡±


    Cui Sheng was so scared that he turned pale, unable to utter a word, and was helped out by his men.


    I originally thought that Gu Yuanzhou acted to save me.


    I couldn¡¯t help but take another look at him, but the next moment, the person who appeared shattered all my illusions.

 Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: Chapter 458: If You Dont Agree, Come At Me

    Chapter 458: Chapter 458: If You Don¡¯t Agree, Come At Me


    ¡°Louis, are you all right?¡±


    A cry of alarm came from behind the sofa.


    When I focused my gaze, I realized that Lin Anqi had returned at some point. Perhaps out of fear, she had been hiding on top of the sofa, crouching on the ground without getting up.


    Now that the bad guys had left, Lin Anqi finally got up from the floor. She walked over with a towel in her hand and began to dab at the bloodstains on Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face.


    Seeing Lin Anqi trembling with fright, Gu Yuanzhou tightly grasped her hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay! Don¡¯t be afraid!¡±


    ¡°Louis, it¡¯s a good thing you took action just now. Otherwise, I might have been kidnapped. I was so scared.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s over now, there won¡¯t be a next time.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was extremely considerate and gently soothed Lin Anqi, showing great patience with her.


    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at myself sarcastically.


    I had actually thought just now that he was doing this for me.


    It seems I really was overthinking it.


    The servants came over to clean the bloodstains on the floor.


    Gu Yuanzhou took Lin Anqi by the shoulders and headed to the bedroom inside¡­


    Lin Nansheng sat down beside me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you must have been scared to death, right?¡±


    ¡°Not really! It wasn¡¯t that terrible; I was just worried about you, Uncle Lin. Dealing with those kinds of people is quite frightening.¡±


    Lin Nansheng sighed,


    ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. Doing business means dealing with all kinds of people. You have to interact with individuals from both the underworld and legitimate circles. I¡¯ve encountered quite a few of these desperados before. But back when I was young, I was bold and fearless. Now that I¡¯m older, I can¡¯t control the situation anymore. Fortunately, Louis was here to help me; that guy is very determined and shrewd¡ªhe¡¯s ruthless!¡±


    I silently sipped my tea.


    Thinking that perhaps those servants were right.


    Gu Yuanzhou indeed seemed to be the perfect candidate to take over Lin Nansheng¡¯s position.


    He and Lin Anqi made such a well-matched pair.


    ¡°Ah, that scoundrel Cui Sheng has already come many times before. He even kidnapped Anqi once, so every time Anqi sees him, she is terrified. Now that we have Louis, he won¡¯t dare to come and bother us again.¡±


    The words of Lin Nansheng once again confirmed that my previous thoughts were just wishful thinking.


    Gu Yuanzhou was out to save Lin Anqi, not me.


    What was I thinking?


    After a long while, I finally asked,


    ¡°Since Anqi is already pregnant, when are they going to have their wedding?¡±


    Lin Nansheng frowned,


    ¡°In a few months, I guess. Anqi¡¯s pregnancy is not stable right now; she can¡¯t be too stressed. Actually, she herself is not in a hurry, getting registered is enough. The wedding ceremony can be held anytime later on.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, these days young people often have children first and then register their marriage¡­¡±


    Half an hour later, Gu Yuanzhou came downstairs. He approached Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Anqi has fallen asleep; she¡¯s had a shock and won¡¯t be joining everyone for dinner tonight.¡±


    Lin Nansheng nodded,


    ¡°That¡¯s fine! This child¡­ I¡¯m thinking about bringing her mother back.¡±


    ¡°She says there¡¯s no need; she can take care of herself.¡±


    ¡°All right, by the way¡­ Louis, there are some other businesses I have, especially those in Southeast Asia, I plan to leave them in your hands from now on.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin, isn¡¯t it too soon to hand them over to me now?¡±


    ¡°Ah, after what happened just now, I¡¯ve realized I¡¯m truly old and no longer useful. My legs turned to jelly just from that incident. This world belongs to you young people now.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou no longer resisted.


    ¡°Since you have entrusted me with such an important task, I will brave wind and flame to fulfill it! I shall not shirk from my duties!¡±


    I let out a soft laugh upon hearing this.


    Coveting someone else¡¯s property, and not even bothering to hide it.


    So blatant.


    Gu Yuanzhou was very sensitive; after my mockery, he immediately turned his head towards me,


    ¡°Miss Song, do you have any objections?¡±


    I watched him with cold eyes,


    ¡°I¡¯m wondering if you really have such great ability.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked unconcerned, and cast a proud glance at me.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, why don¡¯t you try?¡±


    ¡°If I weren¡¯t pregnant right now, I would have taken you up on that offer.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then you can ask your Doctor Ding to come over! Let¡¯s see who is more capable, him or me!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes were full of mockery.


    ¡°What does this have to do with Ding Yinuo?¡±


    Lin Nansheng seemed not to notice the conflict between myself and Gu Yuanzhou, and suddenly said,


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve invited your Doctor Ding over.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Uncle Lin, why did you invite him?¡±


    Lin Nansheng patted my shoulder, comforting me,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Anqi has already told me. She said you¡¯d already married that Doctor Ding¡­ so, we can understand your situation.¡±


    ¡°Er¡­¡±


    Since the conversation had reached this point, I didn¡¯t have anything else to say.


    I glanced at Gu Yuanzhou again.


    Seeing the extremely displeased expression on his face, I no longer felt the need to explain.


    Half an hour later.


    The entire villa had been cleaned up, not a trace of blood in sight.


    Gu Yuanzhou called the bodyguards outside, giving them instructions in a low voice to ensure the security around the island.


    The servants polished the floor until it shone like a mirror.


    I sat on the sofa sipping coffee, thinking over the recent events as if they were a dream.


    A nightmare.


    Ding Yinuo really showed up!


    It truly was beyond my expectations.


    In the middle of the night, he had actually driven over.


    Dressed in a dark blue suit, with a crisply pressed white shirt, shiny leather shoes, and his hair neatly combed.


    He still appeared refined and elegant, looking fresh and handsome.


    He was also carrying a number of expensive gifts in both hands.


    Looking closer, I saw a bottle of foreign liquor worth tens of thousands, as well as one of the finest Feitian Moutai from the domestic market, not to mention health supplements like bird¡¯s nest.


    It seems he truly spared no expense.


    ¡°Uncle Lin, good evening.¡±


    Indeed, Ding Yinuo was someone who could hold his own in society, in both social grace and mannerisms, he was second to none.


    Born with the natural poise and arrogance of a wealthy family scion.


    Had it not been for Gu Yuanzhou, he could have easily been considered the top man in A City.


    So, it was no wonder Lin Nansheng had taken an immediate liking to this young talent.


    At this moment, Lin Nansheng, upon seeing Ding Yinuo carrying so many gifts, was overjoyed and he took the gifts from Ding¡¯s hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re here at last, but why bring so many gifts?¡±


    ¡°Just a small token of appreciation, please don¡¯t mind it!¡±


    ¡°Come on, have a seat, quick!¡±


    Lin Nansheng treated Ding Yinuo as an honored guest, leading him to a seat of high status.


    Ding Yinuo was composed as he sat down and began to converse with Lin Nansheng.


    Having managed affairs at Tianxiao Company before, Ding Yinuo could discuss not only medical academia with Lin Nansheng but also business matters.


    Gu Yuanzhou stood at a distance by the floor-to-ceiling window, smoking a cigarette while peering over with half-squinted eyes.


    His gaze towards Ding Yinuo was always tinged with disdain¡­

 Chapter 459 - Chapter 459: Chapter 459: Do Not Cause Me Any Trouble

    Chapter 459: Chapter 459: Do Not Cause Me Any Trouble


    Although Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t say a word to him, the two men appeared calm and collected on the surface.


    But in reality, they were at odds with each other.


    Each held the other in low regard.


    However, Ding Yinuo seemed more restrained, as he was fully engaged in conversation with Lin Nansheng.


    After they finished talking, it seemed he was still not satisfied.


    Lin Nansheng then invited Ding Yinuo to the study.


    There was a large study on the first floor with clear glass walls outside of which lush bamboo grew, giving off a strong scholarly atmosphere.


    ¡°Can you write with a brush?¡±


    ¡°A little!¡±


    ¡°Then show me a few characters!¡±


    Ding Yinuo came from a literary family and was immersed in traditional culture from a young age. He was essentially humble and understated, and liked to keep his talents hidden.


    In fact, he was the complete opposite of Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s aggressiveness couldn¡¯t be hidden.


    While Ding Yinuo was much gentler.


    ¡°Then I shall make a fool of myself!¡±


    Ding Yinuo took the brush Lin Nansheng handed him, saturated it with ink, and with vigorous strokes, wrote on the blank paper.


    Hold your hand, and we will grow old together!


    Eight characters, bold and powerful, danced like dragons and phoenixes on the paper.


    After seeing them, Lin Nansheng exclaimed,


    ¡°Goodness, what excellent writing! This is fantastic. I really didn¡¯t see this talent coming from you.¡±


    Ding Yinuo humbly smiled,


    ¡°You flatter me, Uncle Lin. These are but trifling skills. My father has been instructing me in calligraphy since I was five. It¡¯s really nothing noteworthy.¡±


    A sneer came from the doorway,


    ¡°Just fancy moves, useless.¡±


    Lin Nansheng laughed heartily,


    ¡°You can¡¯t say they¡¯re useless! Talent, manners!¡±


    ¡°A man needs a strong fist to protect his family.¡±


    A few sentences of sarcasm.


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t get angry but simply glanced indifferently at Gu Yuanzhou.


    Then he looked at me,


    ¡°These eight characters are for you!¡±


    Lin Nansheng said with a laugh,


    ¡°Great, great, we should hang these up!¡±


    Just then, my phone suddenly rang.


    I walked outside with the phone to answer.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡±


    Jiang Jiaying¡¯s voice was exceptionally clear against the night.


    ¡°Miss Jiang, what can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, give Ding Yinuo back to me!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! On what grounds?¡±


    In truth, I never really intended to marry Ding Yinuo, nor did I want to claim his love.


    If it wasn¡¯t to hide the child in my belly, I would probably be keeping my distance from Ding Yinuo as well.


    But I abhorred Jiang Jiaying to the extreme, and felt a deep aversion towards her, so I couldn¡¯t help but retort scornfully.


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, you don¡¯t truly love Ding Yinuo. You don¡¯t love him as much as I do. Give him back to me! He is very important to me; I can¡¯t lose him. Song Xiaoyun, give him back to me and I¡­ you bitch, you¡¯ll not die a good death.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying seemed to be drunk, cursing and babbling on the other side of the phone.


    I really couldn¡¯t stand to listen any longer and hung up the phone directly.


    I didn¡¯t expect her to be so frantic, calling non-stop¡­


    It infuriated me so much that I just turned off my phone.


    This is ridiculous!


    Is this her ¡°in love¡± brain talking?


    Does it have to be Ding Yinuo or no one at all?


    By the time I finished the call and came back, Lin Nansheng was in the study playing Go with Ding Yinuo.


    I knew that Gu Yuanzhou was greatly favored by Lin Nansheng, but I hadn¡¯t expected Ding Yinuo to also gain Lin Nansheng¡¯s favor.


    The two of them were playing chess, exchanging moves back and forth, and Lin Nansheng had a radiant smile on his face.


    I felt like it had been a long time since I saw him smile so happily.


    And at that moment.


    Gu Yuanzhou was standing at the spiral staircase, instructing the maid Afang,


    ¡°Go call Anqi down for dinner, she has low blood sugar and can¡¯t go too long without eating.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, I¡¯ll go call her right away. The mister is extremely attentive to Anqi. Having such a husband is indeed very fortunate.¡±


    Afang went upstairs with a smile.


    Gu Yuanzhou remained where he was smoking, and when he turned around, he saw me.


    Our eyes met, and we both were silent.


    I turned away.


    Behind me, Gu Yuanzhou quickly took a few steps to catch up with me, reaching out to grab my shoulder,


    ¡°Why run?¡±


    I shook off his hand,


    ¡°Mr. Louis, please do not cause me any trouble, alright?¡±


    I was always resisting him, pushing him away.


    Maybe my actions provoked him because he suddenly pinned me against the wall.


    His tall figure overshadowed me, trapping me, leaving me unable to move or escape his clutches.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, have you fucking lost your mind?¡±


    The man loomed over me, his black eyes filled with madness,


    ¡°Still calling me Gu Yuanzhou, I thought for a second you really believed I was dead!¡±


    I snorted coldly,


    ¡°Whether you¡¯re Gu Yuanzhou or not, don¡¯t you have a clue in your heart? If I say it¡¯s so, is it so? If you say it¡¯s not, is it not?¡±


    ¡°You clearly know who I am, alright?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, how could you know who I¡¯m thinking about? You¡¯re not the worm in my stomach! Besides, who are you in the end? Are you Gu Yuanzhou? If so, do you dare tell your future father-in-law? Do you dare tell your fianc¨¦e? Oh, you don¡¯t dare, do you!¡±


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t dare?¡±


    Excitement flickered in his black eyes, and for a moment, I actually thought he might dare!


    But the truth was, exposing our past like this would also hurt Lin Anqi.


    After thinking it over, I decided not to provoke him any further.


    ¡°Whether you dare or not is your business, it means nothing to me. Now, I am carrying Ding Yinuo¡¯s child. He and I are family, not you. So, I hope we can stop this lingering entanglement.¡±


    It seemed that bringing up Lin Anqi reminded him of some concerns, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed.


    In the end, he let go of my clothes and silently stepped into the darkness.


    I put my hand to my sore neck, preparing to turn around and leave, when suddenly a mocking laugh came from behind.


    ¡°Such a whore, in heat and seducing all over the place, absolutely shameless!¡±


    The words were loaded with sarcasm.


    I turned around and saw the maid Afang standing by the window, cursing under her breath.


    In this villa, there must be at least a dozen maids, but the only one who harbored hostility toward me was this Afang.


    Moreover, the words she had just said were so explicit, they were extremely uncomfortable to hear.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    I went up and confronted Afang directly.


    Afang laughed,


    ¡°Miss Song, you see¡­ In my house, I have one male and one female cat, originally a fine pair. But then an alley cat came from outside, often coming over and seducing our male cat, can you say it¡¯s not just vile?¡±


    Although she was ostensibly talking about cats on the surface, she was indirectly cursing me behind a veil.


    I wanted to retort, but I just couldn¡¯t find the words.


    Just as I was getting frustrated and angry, Ding Yinuo came out. He put his hands gently on my shoulders and asked softly,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

 Chapter 460 - Chapter 460: Chapter 460: His Rejection is Getting More and More Severe

    Chapter 460: Chapter 460: His Rejection is Getting More and More Severe


    ¡°`


    I can¡¯t remember clearly how long it had been since Ding Yinuo had been this intimate with me.


    Ever since he had been with Jiang Jiaying, my rejection of him had grown more and more intense.


    There was no possibility of the two of us even standing together anymore.


    Moreover, at that time, he seemed to be very reluctant to be together as well.


    But at this moment, he stood by my side, wrapping his arm around my shoulder, appearing like a very considerate and loving husband.


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s nothing¡­¡±


    I had originally planned on keeping the peace.


    I hadn¡¯t expected this Afang to go even further, her scolding of the cat getting even louder.


    ¡°What, you have a man? If you have a man, just stay properly with your own man, don¡¯t shamelessly seduce someone else¡¯s husband¡­ Disgusting and shameless, lowly.¡±


    This was another barrage of insults, and even though not a single word mentioned me, it was all about me.


    I had no idea how to argue with such a vile woman.


    At this moment, Ding Yinuo seemed to catch the hidden meaning in her words, and he asked her a question.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Afang turned her head and glanced at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°I¡¯m scolding a cat! That wild cat is too flirty, sneaking around behind its husband¡¯s back, the husband has been cuckolded big time.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression turned cold.


    However, since she wasn¡¯t a servant of his own household, it seemed Ding Yinuo couldn¡¯t discipliner her on the spot.


    Plus, it was his first visit here, and he didn¡¯t want to make the host lose face.


    Just then, Lin Nansheng came out and he asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ding Yinuo slowly turned around, smiling and said,


    ¡°This servant seems quite unique.¡±


    Lin Nansheng glanced at Afang,


    ¡°Her? She¡¯s the oldest servant in our household, now the housekeeper. She¡¯s¡­ been with my wife for many years when she was young, and now that Anqi is pregnant, my wife sent her here specifically to care for Anqi.¡±


    At this point, I suddenly understood seven or eight parts of the situation. It turned out she had been sent by Lin Nansheng¡¯s current wife and was even a housekeeper, no wonder she was so brazen.


    Ding Yinuo nodded with a smile,


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ Oh, I seem to be a bit hungry, could you please prepare a fruit platter for me? I would like slices of watermelon and strawberries, my wife doesn¡¯t like to spit out seeds, so please pick them all out cleanly. Also, my wife likes pomegranate juice, could you go squeeze a glass for her right now? Oh, and she does not like the bitter taste of seeds in her juice, so maybe don¡¯t use a juicer¡­ Thank you for your trouble.¡±


    What seemed like a simple task was actually very complex, especially picking out the seeds which would be both time-consuming and tedious.


    The housekeeper¡¯s face darkened upon hearing this, and she wanted to refuse on the spot.


    ¡°Mr. Ding, I don¡¯t have time right now¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo said with a smile to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, Xiaoyun is here and even having difficulty getting a glass of juice. I think, I might as well take her back to the Ding Family.¡±


    Lin Nansheng then instructed,


    ¡°Don¡¯t treat Xiaoyun like a guest, she will be the mistress of this house in the future, just like Anqi. Do as she asks now, and do it quickly.¡±


    Afang¡¯s expression was very ugly; her face twisted uncomfortably, she was very conflicted as she looked at me, not wanting to move from where she stood.


    To her, preparing such delicate food for a common person like me must have felt like an insult.


    ¡°Sir, Miss Anqi will need¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up, when you¡¯re told to do something, just go do it. If you can¡¯t handle it, pack your things and leave tomorrow.¡±


    Lin Nansheng was not so polite to a servant, issuing a strict order.


    Though Afang was reluctant, she dared not resist and obediently went to do as she was told.


    I must admit, Ding Yinuo¡¯s move was exactly to my liking.


    Turning back, I couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Ding Yinuo.


    For the next hour.


    ¡°`


    Afang stayed in the kitchen without coming out, busily taking care of tasks like seeding and juicing.


    An hour and a half later, she finally came out carrying the pomegranate juice, just when Ding Yinuo was sitting with me on the sofa.


    The two of us didn¡¯t engage in conversation but just sat in silence.


    With a face full of embarrassment, Afang brought the pomegranate juice over to me, her eyes still revealing a bit of reluctance.


    Even as she set the cup down, she intentionally gave it a push.


    The red pomegranate juice splashed onto the table and dripped onto my feet.


    I stepped back, and Ding Yinuo hurriedly took a tissue to wipe it off for me.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    Afang said with an indifferent tone.


    But her face was full of schadenfreude, clearly mocking me¡ªwhere was there even a hint of apology?


    Ding Yinuo noticed this, and his face immediately darkened. He picked up the cup of pomegranate juice and dumped it straight into the bin, then dumped the fruit plate as well.


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Ding, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t like this. Make another one, and remember to be quick. Otherwise, if it goes off, no one will eat it.¡±


    ¡°You!!!¡±


    Afang¡¯s cheeks flushed with anger, but she dared not utter any complaints and could only turn around to make another one.


    In fact, not much juice had splashed on my feet, and the tissue wiped it off easily.


    But her attitude was truly repugnant.


    So she made it again.


    This time after she had remade it and brought it over, she no longer dared to be as arrogant and unrestrained as before.


    Her demeanor was extremely respectful.


    However, Ding Yinuo still did not drink it and once again poured the pomegranate juice into the bin.


    Afang¡¯s face became terribly ugly,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, what do you mean by this? Is there a problem with the juice this time?¡±


    Ding Yinuo smiled indifferently.


    ¡°Whether there¡¯s a problem with the juice is not important. Your job is just to make the juice. Whether we drink it or not depends on our mood, and it¡¯s none of your concern.¡±


    With that, Afang had nothing to retort.


    Though no harsh words were spoken, it was still enough to severely strike at Afang.


    She probably wouldn¡¯t dare deliberately cause trouble for me anymore.


    Later on, Lin Anqi slowly came downstairs.


    Right in time for the dinner to begin.


    Although there weren¡¯t many people, the dishes prepared were quite lavish.


    It was evident that Uncle Lin placed great importance on his son-in-law Ding Yinuo, as he kept serving dishes to him and also toasted him.


    ¡°Young man, I find you quite promising, with good qualifications. I¡¯m entrusting the second half of my daughter¡¯s life to you; you must treat her well.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Ding Yinuo agreed briskly.


    To my surprise, as soon as he finished speaking, a cold snort followed.


    Then, a mocking voice rang out,


    ¡°The mouth of a man is a deceitful ghost; now it may sound pleasant, but when it comes time to change hearts, it happens alarmingly fast!¡±


    I glanced over and saw it was Gu Yuanzhou.


    He seemed to need to confront Ding Yinuo at every turn, as if not doing so would leave him extremely uncomfortable.


    Just then, Lin Anqi walked in from the hall, smiling at Gu Yuanzhou, ¡°What are you discussing? It seems quite lively.¡±


    I said nonchalantly, ¡°This gentleman said, ¡®The mouth of a man is a deceitful ghost.¡¯¡­ I¡¯m wondering if he often breaks his promises, which is why he came up with this bit of wisdom?¡±

 Chapter 461 - Chapter 461: Chapter 461: The Persona Collapsed

    Chapter 461: Chapter 461: The Persona Collapsed


    Lin Anqi took her seat and looked at Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Louis, would you ever lie to me?¡±


    Her smile was very gentle, and her eyes were so clear that they were irresistible.


    Gu Yuanzhou did not meet her gaze.


    He simply drained the wine in his glass and said indifferently,


    ¡°I never lie to anyone.¡±


    Lin Anqi smiled,


    ¡°I knew it! Louis is the best man. I believe Mr. Ding is a good man too, and he will treat my sister well!¡±


    Lin Anqi had high emotional intelligence; she was very articulate. With just one sentence, she easily defused the awkward atmosphere in the room.


    Meanwhile, Ding Yinuo also candidly said to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, rest assured, I love Ayun. I¡¯ve loved her for over a decade. Her life is my life. I was too foolish in the past, constantly missing chances to be with Ayun. Then a bunch of misunderstandings happened. This time, I won¡¯t act foolishly again.¡±


    Lin Nansheng patted him on the shoulder,


    ¡°With those words, I feel much more relieved! Handing Xiaoyun over to you, I can rest easy. Come, let¡¯s eat and drink.¡±


    Lin Anqi picked a rib for Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s plate.


    In a gentle voice, she said,


    ¡°So many terrible things happened today; it¡¯s lucky I had you by my side. I can¡¯t imagine what it would have been like without you, how my dad and I would have ended up. Having you in this house makes me and the baby in my belly feel much safer. You¡¯re the most important person in this home, so I toast to you.¡±


    She toasted Gu Yuanzhou with juice in place of alcohol.


    Afterward, she picked up her glass and toasted Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Since Mr. Ding was married to my sister before, I¡¯ll call you ¡®brother-in-law¡¯ here, if you don¡¯t mind?¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me,


    ¡°I¡¯m honored. As long as Ayun doesn¡¯t object, I¡¯m more than willing to take on the responsibility that comes with the title.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my sister doesn¡¯t object. I believe she must still love you. After all, you both now have the fruit of love. Just be good to each other, I also bless you. Come, sis, let¡¯s drink this one together.¡±


    I raised my glass, and the three glasses clinked together.


    When Ding Yinuo looked up at me, there was a new warmth in the depth of his eyes.


    ¡°Louis, come, let¡¯s toast to them, wishing them a lifetime of happiness together¡­¡±


    Lin Anqi felt her own strength was too little, so she roped in Gu Yuanzhou, wanting to toast us together.


    Actually, she was not wrong in doing so, as they were a couple, and it was proper to toast together.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou did not lift his glass but simply said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve had too much to drink today, I won¡¯t drink anymore!¡±


    Clearly, he wasn¡¯t giving Lin Anqi face, and in fact, he was rejecting us too.


    Lin Anqi¡¯s face showed no sign of disappointment. Instead, she smoothed things over for Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°You really did do a lot today. If you need to rest, have Afang fill up the bathtub, and you can take a good soak later to relieve some of the fatigue.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stood up, patted Lin Anqi on the shoulder without a word, and walked away.


    I didn¡¯t pay attention to them and slowly ate by myself.


    After all, it was just a family banquet.


    The purpose was simply to be happy together.


    After Gu Yuanzhou left, Lin Anqi looked at his receding figure for a moment, then silently withdrew her gaze.


    Lin Nansheng held his glass, his face beaming with smiles.


    Now, his tone towards Ding Yinuo was much more familiar. He slapped Ding Yinuo on the shoulder and said,


    ¡°Yinuo, there are two villas here. The right one belongs to Anqi. The left one here is Xiaoyun¡¯s; you can move in later, and you two can live here as husband and wife¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo glanced at me, before promptly agreeing for me,


    ¡°Of course, thank you Uncle Lin!¡±


    ¡°I do have one question now. Since there was a bit of unpleasantness between you two that led to your divorce, now that you¡¯ve reconciled, have you any plans to remarry Xiaoyun?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at me again,


    ¡°I¡¯d be over the moon to remarry her tonight, but I need to ask for Ayun¡¯s opinion and see when she¡¯s available to handle the procedure.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s words were already quite tactful.


    He clearly respected my wishes.


    Lin Nansheng then asked me,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, not to rush you, but now that you¡¯re pregnant, you should settle the remarriage sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Uncle Lin, let¡¯s wait a bit. Once the surgery on my eyes is done, we¡¯ll discuss remarriage.¡±


    ¡°Right, right, eyes are important too. Let¡¯s get them sorted out. Then you and Anqi can have a joint wedding ceremony. My two daughters will marry on the same day, it¡¯s going to be a grand affair. I want everyone to see the splendor of the Lin Family. Both my sons-in-law are paragons, excellent, excellent.¡±


    Lin Anqi was also very happy,


    ¡°Great, I¡¯m really looking forward to the day my sister moves back in. When the whole family¡¯s together, it¡¯s so lively and wonderful. Sister, have you decided on which day you¡¯re moving in?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I¡¯ll need some time! I haven¡¯t figured it out yet¡­¡±


    Lin Anqi directly handed me a set of keys,


    ¡°Sister, these are all the keys to your room. Take charge of them.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ maybe you could hold onto them for me.¡±


    Although I came for a family dinner today, I hadn¡¯t planned on living here.


    The place is indeed beautiful and suitable for pregnancy care,


    but I don¡¯t want to run into Gu Yuanzhou every day; that would be too awkward.


    Wherever he is, I try to stay away and maintain a good distance from him.


    ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll take my sister upstairs to have a look around. Get familiar with the place first, and then decide whether you want to stay here.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Since I¡¯ve already eaten, walking around here is fine.


    To digest the food¡­


    Lin Anqi was indeed very enthusiastic; she led the way and opened every room door for me,


    ¡°The bedroom at the end of the hallway is the largest, with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall at the back that offers a wide view of the entire flower sea. You and Mr. Ding can live here¡­¡±


    ¡°This carpet, I picked for you, specially imported from Australia. You won¡¯t feel cold stepping on it barefoot in the winter.¡±


    ¡°And these curtains, blue with double-layer lace ¨C I¡¯m not sure if the color scheme meets your aesthetic.¡±


    ¡°On this side, the dressing table, I selected for you as well, in French style. This mirror has its own lighting straps, so you won¡¯t worry about not seeing the details on your face when you do your makeup.¡±


    ¡°This bedding set, silk chosen by me, can also be used by the child after they¡¯re born.¡±


    Lin Anqi patiently showed me all the little details in the bedroom.


    Although she claims to be the younger sister, she¡¯s more thorough than I am, the elder sister.


    ¡°Thank you, Anqi! You¡¯ve put in so much effort, I don¡¯t know how to thank you enough.¡±


    ¡°It really was nothing too troublesome, just picking out some home decorations on my side, and I casually picked some for you too. Let me know if there¡¯s anything missing; I can arrange for someone to complete it.¡±


    ¡°No, everything¡¯s fine¡­ Just that I might not move in, at least not so soon.¡±


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want to live with me, Sister? Or is it that¡­ you dislike Louis?¡±


    I looked at Lin Anqi impassively and then asked,


    ¡°Why would you say I dislike Louis?¡±

 Chapter 462 - Chapter 462: Chapter 462: Love Hidden Too Deeply

    Chapter 462: Chapter 462: Love Hidden Too Deeply


    Actually, I¡¯ve always kept my feelings for Gu Yuanzhou very deep, whether it be love or hate, I never let them show.


    At least, I didn¡¯t want to reveal them in front of Lin Anqi and Lin Nansheng.


    I didn¡¯t want them to worry about these things¡­


    I tried so hard to disguise myself, but I never expected Lin Anqi to see through me.


    ¡°Uh, I noticed that at the dinner table just now, you two seemed a bit out of sync.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I indeed have some dislike for him.¡±


    Since she had noticed it, I didn¡¯t hide it anymore.


    I originally thought Lin Anqi would take this opportunity to ask me about my past entanglements with him, but instead, Lin Anqi very empathetically took my hand.


    Gently comforting me.


    ¡°Louis has suffered some hardships that very few people have experienced, so when it comes to interacting with others, he sometimes can be a bit excessive. I hope, for my sake, that you can forgive him, okay?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Anqi, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean I hope you can be more tolerant of Louis, not to get angry because of him, or think about not moving in. He¡¯s the type with a sharp tongue but a soft heart; the harsh words he says aren¡¯t necessarily things he would really do.¡±


    ¡°Anqi, you¡¯re really kind!¡±


    ¡°Sister, we are family, and it¡¯s natural to treat family well. Dad said he hopes you don¡¯t feel any pressure in this home. Actually, mom wanted to come and live here for a while. But considering you might not be ready to accept her at the moment, dad asked her not to come over just yet, until you¡¯ve gotten used to our way of life.¡±


    Lin Anqi¡¯s eyes radiated kindness, her arrangements and planning all deeply considered me.


    She didn¡¯t make me feel the least bit uncomfortable.


    Her attitude suddenly made me feel that if I held any more defenses against her, it would be my wrongdoing.


    Such a gentle and considerate woman like her might really be well-suited for Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°No, Anqi, don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t have any complaints against him. My decision not to move in is purely because of my own reasons.¡±


    Lin Anqi¡¯s face lit up with joy,


    ¡°If sister says so, then a weight has been lifted off my heart. I will not worry anymore. Look, it¡¯s already deep into the night, why don¡¯t you stay over?¡±


    Lin Anqi handed me the bunch of keys she was holding.


    At this moment, I saw outside the window that it was pitch-black already.


    At this time, Ding Yinuo had also drunk a bit too much, and it wouldn¡¯t be convenient for him to drive; since Lin Nansheng and Lin Anqi were both eagerly asking me to stay, it was probably best that I stayed.


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    ¡°Then if you need anything, just come to me. If I¡¯m asleep, you can find the housekeeper, Afang.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I took the bunch of keys.


    After Lin Anqi had arranged everything, she turned and walked out.


    After closing the door, I glanced at my cellphone; it was already eleven o¡¯clock at night.


    I took a shower, changed into pajamas, and when I came out, I found that there was another person in the bedroom.


    It was Ding Yinuo.


    ¡°Why are you¡­¡±


    Before I could speak, Ding Yinuo immediately explained,


    ¡°Just now your sister brought me here, she said tonight we¡¯re both going to sleep here.¡±


    ¡°Uh, you¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll sleep on the couch¡­ Of course, if you don¡¯t want me sleeping here, I can go to the guest room next door.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s cheeks were slightly flushed after drinking too much.


    But his eyes were still clear; I knew him, this man wouldn¡¯t do anything untoward even when drunk.


    On the contrary, making him go sleep on the couch in the living room would invite mockery from Gu Yuanzhou, concern from Lin Nansheng, and alertness from Lin Anqi.


    After thinking it over, I let him stay in the bedroom.


    I brought him a blanket,


    ¡°Alright, you sleep on the couch.¡±


    After he took the blanket, he sat down on the couch.


    I sat in front of the dressing table, looking into the mirror as I applied skincare products to my face.


    This was my nightly mandatory course, having become a habit.


    I spread the lotion over my face, followed by cream, slowly rubbing it in¡­


    Glancing back unintentionally, I saw Ding Yinuo sitting on the sofa through the mirror, his dark eyes fixed intently on me.


    There was too much concern in his gaze¡­


    I just took a glance and immediately withdrew my own gaze.


    After a moment, Ding Yinuo stood up and took a hairdryer from the bathroom,


    ¡°Let me help you dry your hair; it¡¯s so damp¡­ you¡¯ll get a headache if you sleep like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself!¡±


    I still wasn¡¯t too fond of his deliberate closeness.


    I reached out to take the hairdryer from his hand, but he did not hand it over to me; instead, he gently grasped my hair and began to help me dry it.


    I didn¡¯t want to keep resisting him, so I let him be.


    His movements were careful and meticulous, as if he was afraid of hurting me.


    He dried each strand of hair slowly.


    My hair was only half-dried when a knock came from the door.


    ¡°The door isn¡¯t locked, please come in!¡±


    I called out to the door.


    It wasn¡¯t bedtime yet, and the door wasn¡¯t locked.


    I had thought it was Lin Anqi coming over, but to my surprise, it was Gu Yuanzhou who entered.


    He pushed open the bedroom door and stood in the doorway, witnessing the scene of Ding Yinuo drying my hair.


    For a moment, I saw shock on his face, and a hint of heartrending loss in his eyes.


    However, he quickly composed himself.


    He strode toward me.


    I stood up,


    ¡°Mr. Louis, did you enter the wrong room?¡±


    He walked around the room and then looked at me,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want to stay here? Why did you agree after all?¡±


    ¡°Oh, does it concern Mr. Louis?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou glanced at his watch and said nonchalantly,


    ¡°I can take you home now!¡±


    I laughed lightly and turned to take Ding Yinuo¡¯s hand,


    ¡°Even if I wanted to go back, my husband would drive me home. But, we¡¯ve already decided to stay the night here, so thank you for your kindness, but I won¡¯t be going back.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze was fixed on my hand tightly clasped with Ding Yinuo¡¯s.


    He nodded and stepped back,


    ¡°Alright, so you won¡¯t go back! Then¡­ before you go to sleep now, do you want to stop by your sister¡¯s place?¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow. I don¡¯t feel well now and don¡¯t want to run around.¡±


    ¡°Fine, then have a good night¡¯s sleep.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to be looking for some pretext, but after making a round, he realized he had none.


    He still stood in my bedroom, unwilling to leave¡­


    ¡°Mr. Louis, can you leave now? It¡¯s getting late, and we want to go to sleep.¡±


    Since a hint wouldn¡¯t work, I made it explicit to him.


    Actually, coming to my bedroom in the middle of the night was already quite illogical.


    I really couldn¡¯t understand what he was doing here?

 Chapter 463 - Chapter 463: Chapter 463 He Went Mad in the Middle of the Night

    Chapter 463: Chapter 463 He Went Mad in the Middle of the Night


    Fortunately, Ding Yinuo also didn¡¯t seem to want to stir up trouble; he just stood quietly to the side without saying a word.


    Because there was an obvious scent of gunpowder in Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s gaze.


    As long as Ding Yinuo clashed with him, the two of them would start arguing.


    I suddenly realized, Gu Yuanzhou was here just to pick a fight¡­


    ¡°Please leave!¡±


    I still kept a very friendly tone as I gave him another reminder.


    Unexpectedly, he still refused to leave, glancing at the blanket on the sofa.


    ¡°Oh, between you two, one of you is sleeping on the couch?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    I immediately cut him off.


    ¡°Is that so? Looks like a sham marriage, huh? Sleeping in separate beds?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed to have found something exciting as he approached me while continuing to question me.


    I ignored him and continued to sit in front of the vanity table,


    ¡°It¡¯s very rude to barge into another couple¡¯s bedroom in the middle of the night, and it¡¯s even more boring to pry into private matters like this.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stopped questioning me and instead asked Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Mr. Ding, can you explain this to me? Is it a marital breakdown?¡±


    I was nearly jumping with irritation from Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s pressing questions, but Ding Yinuo remained calm, answering with composure.


    ¡°My wife is pregnant, and I¡¯m afraid I might kick her belly in my sleep, so I willingly chose to sleep on the couch for her sake. This has nothing to do with the state of our marital relationship, after all, if one wants to do that sort of thing, it can happen anywhere, it doesn¡¯t have to be on a bed.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t expect Ding Yinuo to say such a thing, his face turned green on the spot and his eyes darkened.


    ¡°Fine, you win!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stopped talking and directly turned to open the door and leave.


    I let out a sigh of relief and hurried to close the door.


    With these two men together, they were bound to engage in a battle of words; the situation was too intense, it was a bit frightening.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to be afraid of him! I feel that he still has regard for Uncle Lin, and he has deep feelings for Lin Anqi, so he won¡¯t do anything to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you can also tell that he has deep feelings for Lin Anqi?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hope so?¡±


    Ding Yinuo finished asking as he looked at me.


    I looked down and didn¡¯t say anything, picking up the blanket and getting into bed,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I¡¯m tired, let¡¯s go to sleep early!¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    After seeing me settle in bed, Ding Yinuo turned off the lights in the bedroom, and then, the sound of him tossing and turning on the sofa reached my ears.


    Half an hour later, I was drifting into sleep.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door again.


    This time, it was Ding Yinuo who went to answer it.


    He opened the bedroom door, whispered a few words to the person outside, and then began to dress.


    I asked him,


    ¡°What are you getting dressed for so late?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Uncle Lin invited me to go fishing.¡±


    ¡°Take care, then!¡±


    ¡°Mhm, you sleep well!¡±


    Perhaps because I was too sleepy, I didn¡¯t notice anything unusual about this situation.


    After he left, I lay down again to continue sleeping.


    Until the next morning, when I opened my eyes and found the sofa still empty, which meant that Ding Yinuo hadn¡¯t come back the whole day.


    Fishing?


    Going fishing in the middle of the night?


    I put on my clothes and came downstairs after freshening up.


    Lin Anqi had already gotten up. She was wearing a white lace dress, standing in the sunlight, directing the servants to clean up the living room.


    ¡°Under the curtains, behind the trash can, and near this greenery, all are sanitation blind spots that you need to clean thoroughly. Mr. Louis is fastidious about cleanliness; we can¡¯t have a speck of trash in the house. Also, make sure there is not a single thorn on the rose bouquet.¡±


    ¡°Afang, is this Mr. Louis¡¯s dirty laundry?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it outside to iron, I will wash and iron it myself.¡±


    ¡°But you are pregnant now, it might not be too good for you to do these things yourself¡­ I really can¡¯t bear to watch you work so hard.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not hard; it¡¯s what a wife should do.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I will bring them to the laundry room for you¡­¡±


    ¡°And about today¡¯s breakfast, he doesn¡¯t like coriander, none of you should add it. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, got it. Mr. Louis has a delicate stomach, no spicy food, no garlic¡­ He doesn¡¯t like bitter gourd, century eggs, or celery; it¡¯s all noted down in my little book.


    ¡°Add some chicken soup for him today, put some ginseng in it, his complexion hasn¡¯t been great lately.¡±


    ¡°Miss, the master really has good fortune for having married you, you are so good to him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy for two people to come together. Compared to his goodness to me, what I do is insignificant.¡±


    Standing at the spiral staircase, I watched Lin Anqi from a distance. From her gentle smiling face, I could tell that her love for Gu Yuanzhou was no less than mine.


    When I first married Gu Yuanzhou, I never took care of him with such meticulousness.


    Perhaps Lin Anqi was better suited to be his wife.


    In my moment of distraction, Lin Anqi had already seen me and came over with a smile.


    ¡°Sister, how did you sleep last night?¡±


    ¡°Quite well!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared breakfast. After we eat, shall I take you out for a skincare treatment?¡±


    ¡°No, I want to stop by the office.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until breakfast that I remembered Ding Yinuo had not returned, so I asked Lin Anqi,


    ¡°Did Ding Yinuo go out to sea?¡±


    Lin Anqi smiled,


    ¡°Yes! Louis went too, and dad¡­ My dad loves deep-sea fishing the most. Sometimes they take the yacht to the farthest deep sea. They might catch some fine grouper there, which tastes superb.¡±


    ¡°When will they be back?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, but they will definitely return before noon; you don¡¯t have to worry. The yacht has food and rooms to sleep in¡­¡±


    I sighed, ¡°Was it Uncle Lin who wanted to go last night?¡±


    ¡°Ha, not really! It was Louis who initiated it last night, it was his suggestion, my dad just didn¡¯t object.¡±


    Hearing this, I felt something was amiss.


    It was Gu Yuanzhou who had initiated it; it seemed that last night, he hadn¡¯t found what he wanted in my bedroom and had deliberately found an excuse to take Ding Yinuo away?


    I had planned to go to the office in the morning, but Ding Yinuo still hadn¡¯t returned, and I was somewhat worried.


    I didn¡¯t know what Gu Yuanzhou might do to Ding Yinuo.


    However, I waited until noon, and Ding Yinuo still hadn¡¯t returned¡­


    It was at this time that Jian Jing called me.


    ¡°Ayun, come to the office. We¡¯ve run into trouble.¡±


    ¡°What kind of trouble?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying is here; you¡¯ll know when you come over.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure!¡±


    After hanging up the phone, I recalled the incident where Jiang Jiaying had called me drunk and cursed.


    After that last time, I had blocked Jiang Jiaying¡¯s number.


    I thought she would quiet down, but unexpectedly, she had managed to find my company.


    After saying goodbye to Lin Anqi, I hurriedly drove back to the company on my own.

 Chapter 464 - Chapter 464: Chapter 464: Revealing Key Evidence Against Gu Yuanzhou

    Chapter 464: Chapter 464: Revealing Key Evidence Against Gu Yuanzhou


    I originally thought Jiang Jiaying would go crazy in the company, making a big scene.


    Unexpectedly, she was sitting quite leisurely in the reception room, drinking coffee, with one leg crossed over the other, waiting for me with composure.


    When I came in, she was still holding the cup and smiling at me.


    ¡°Yo, you got here pretty fast! Seems like you¡¯re not as calm as I thought, huh?¡±


    ¡°What do you want with me?¡±


    ¡°Look at that attitude, why is it so poor?¡±


    ¡°Heh, do I need to show any kind of attitude towards someone like you?¡±


    ¡°Sit down, let¡¯s talk slowly. Don¡¯t act all high and mighty.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about between us, so leave, or I¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    I pointed to the door unceremoniously, towards her,


    ¡°Get out right now!¡±


    Yes, with someone like Jiang Jiaying, my patience had already been exhausted; I didn¡¯t want to waste another word on her.


    Jiang Jiaying chuckled,


    ¡°Let me tell you, I¡¯ve got some dirt on you now. You¡¯d better watch yourself because you have no chance of winning.¡±


    ¡°Really? What kind of dirt have you got on me this time?¡±


    ¡°Louis, that¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou, right!¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous! I don¡¯t want to explain this to you again; they are two completely different people.¡±


    Jiang Jiaying laughed lightly as she took out two documents from her bag¡­


    ¡°I am a medical student, so it¡¯s simpler for me to judge a person from a medical perspective, and I¡¯ve used some connections. Now I¡¯ve collected two things: one is Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s past fingerprints, iris¡­ the other is the current Louis¡¯s fingerprints, iris data. I had a friend at the hospital help me compare and analyze these two data sets. Guess what the result was?¡±


    Upon hearing this, I already felt something was off.


    So I quickly closed the door of the reception room.


    Although my heart was in turmoil, I still pretended to be calm on the surface.


    After taking a glance at the materials, indeed, the data on them had already made the problem clear.


    I also knew very well that Louis was Gu Yuanzhou¡­ but I couldn¡¯t tell anyone.


    After looking at the materials, I threw them back to Jiang Jiaying,


    ¡°Where did you get this fake material from, it¡¯s not reliable!¡±


    ¡°The data on Gu Yuanzhou comes from a friend at the police station, absolutely true. And as for Louis¡¯s data, I have my own sources which I can¡¯t reveal to you. Now I have this evidence. I can go to the police and report it, letting the police arrest Gu Yuanzhou. Then, they can tell you whether he is really him.¡±


    When Jiang Jiaying said these words, her face was full of a brilliant smile, as though she held a winning ticket.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°What I want is simple, leave Ding Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, I haven¡¯t gotten back together with Ding Yinuo. Now¡­ he willingly wants to be with me, and it¡¯s pointless even if I say we should break up.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear so much nonsense. I¡¯m giving you three days. If you haven¡¯t broken up with Ding Yinuo within three days, I¡¯ll go to the police station and report Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I care so much about Gu Yuanzhou?¡±


    ¡°Song Xiaoyun, I know you very well, I know who you are. I know that you value Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s life more than your own. So no matter what you say now, I won¡¯t care. In the end, when I go to the police to report Gu Yuanzhou, not only will I not lose out, but I¡¯ll also get a big bonus!¡±


    After finishing her words, Jiang Jiaying gathered up the documents from the table, prepared to leave, but then she turned back around, placing the documents on the table again.


    ¡°These are the photocopies. Take a good look, the originals are with me!¡±


    After dropping that sarcastic remark, she finally left with a swagger.


    I held the document and sat down in the chair.


    It was only then that Jian Jing rushed over in a hurry.


    ¡°Did Jiang Jiaying leave? What did she do to you?¡±


    I handed the document to Jiang Jing, ¡°Take a look for yourself!¡±


    Jiang Jing opened the document and immediately cursed out loud,


    ¡°Damn! How could this happen!¡±


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t you find it strange? Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s fingerprint data is now in someone else¡¯s hands; isn¡¯t that ridiculous? I feel like Jiang Jiaying might be lying. She¡¯s deliberately deceiving you, this woman is full of tricks.¡±


    I pressed my brow in worry,


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford to gamble, what if the data she obtained is real? The main thing is, this ¡®Louis¡¯ is actually Gu Yuanzhou.¡±


    Jiang Jing sighed,


    ¡°In my opinion, now that Gu Yuanzhou has married another woman, he¡¯s really not worth your love anymore. What do you care what happens to him? If he gets arrested and sent to prison, it¡¯s no longer your concern. And with Ding Yinuo, now that you¡¯re pregnant, you should reconcile with him and not miss out again.¡±


    ¡°If it were someone completely unrelated to me, I could turn a blind eye. But now he¡¯s my brother-in-law¡­ I¡¯ll be damned¡­¡±


    I was truly in a dilemma.


    This situation had fallen onto my head, putting me in a tough spot.


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll throw the problem to Gu Yuanzhou and let him make his own choice!¡±


    ¡°That might be the best, we can only do this now.¡±


    I put the document into my purse.


    After a day¡¯s work at the company, when work ended, I made another trip to the island.


    The timing was perfect.


    These three must have just returned from their fishing trip.


    Lin Anqi saw me and cheerfully called out, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re back just in time. We¡¯ve got some fresh grouper, I¡¯ll have Afang make a soup out of it, it¡¯s really sweet and tasty.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±


    I looked up at Ding Yinuo¡­


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s face was somewhat pale, his hair still wet, and he seemed to be in a not-so-good state of spirit.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo waved his hand,


    ¡°There was a minor accident, but I¡¯m fine, really good¡­¡±


    I looked back at Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou seemed quite spirited, as if today¡¯s fishing trip was a matter of great pride for him.


    At the same time, I noticed scars on Ding Yinuo¡¯s elbow, and upon rolling up his trouser leg, I saw numerous scratches on his leg.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, a trivial matter.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was adamant about not admitting any problems.


    Gu Yuanzhou said with a smile, ¡°What could have happened? He merely can¡¯t swim well¡­ He doesn¡¯t even have the ability to protect himself, let alone his woman in the future, right?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s smile clearly had a hint of schadenfreude.


    Suddenly, I remembered that he had deliberately sent Ding Yinuo out last night, probably to make him embarrass himself.


    Even though I no longer liked Ding Yinuo, I still disliked Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s bullying of him.


    ¡°Louis, stop bullying people like this!¡±


    ¡°Oh, did I bully him? Besides, in this world, only the weak get bullied. Are you suggesting that he¡¯s weak?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been sick for a long time and has just recovered, his strength hasn¡¯t fully come back, isn¡¯t what you¡¯re doing too much?¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯m bullying him, what about it?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me arrogantly, the corner of his mouth revealing a mocking expression. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore and pulled out the document Jiang Jiaying had given me from my bag and threw it in his face.


    ¡°What about this? See for yourself!!!¡±

 Chapter 465 - Chapter 465: Chapter 465: Gu Yuanzhous Decisive and Efficient Approach

    Chapter 465: Chapter 465: Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s Decisive and Efficient Approach


    At that moment, Lin Anqi had just taken a grouper to the kitchen.


    Lin Nansheng had also gone to change his clothes¡­


    In the living room, it was just me, Gu Yuanzhou, and Ding Yinuo left.


    After the documents hit Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face, they fluttered to the floor.


    Gu Yuanzhou bent down, picked up the documents, and after looking through them, his face darkened immediately.


    ¡°Did you collect these?¡±


    ¡°What, scared now? Weren¡¯t you pretty arrogant just a moment ago?¡±


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go to the room and talk!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say anything more and directly pulled me by the hand toward a guest room.


    After entering, he casually closed the door and locked it.


    At this point, he was emanating a dark aura, glaring at me fiercely.


    He raised the documents in his hand again,


    ¡°Do you realize the foolish thing you¡¯re doing?¡±


    I got angry at his groundless accusations.


    ¡°Can you speak properly? If I were the one who collected them, I would have already thrown them to Anqi and Uncle Lin, why would I give them to you? Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t it be better to throw them directly to the police?¡±


    Only then did Gu Yuanzhou realize the gravity of the situation. He walked over to a window, sat down on the sofa, took out a lighter and lit a cigarette, took a deep drag and looked at me.


    ¡°Alright, I apologize to you; I was abrupt just now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t accept your apology!¡±


    I angrily interrupted him. After all the hurtful things he had done to me, could an apology simply make everything okay?


    He fiddled with the lighter in his hand,


    ¡°Fine, since you¡¯ve brought these documents to me, then tell me, who gave them to you, and what are their intentions?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying!¡±


    I blurted out a name.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark pupils lifted slightly upon hearing this.


    ¡°Her?¡±


    ¡°Yes! She gave me three days. If I don¡¯t do as she says, she¡¯ll hand over the documents to the police!¡±


    I said calmly.


    In truth, I had no way to deal with it at this moment.


    Even though Jiang Jiaying¡¯s threat was directed at me, the key person involved was Gu Yuanzhou.


    Gu Yuanzhou then fell silent for a while, sitting on the sofa, squinting his dark eyes as he finished the cigarette.


    Eventually, he slowly stood up, holding the documents in hand, and then lit them with the lighter.


    Gradually, he turned both documents into ash.


    I watched his actions and said,


    ¡°Burning them is useless; this is just a photocopy. She has the originals.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou stopped speaking until the documents in his hand had all turned to ash. Then he stood up and said to me,


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this situation. All you can do is keep it a secret.¡±


    ¡°A secret? And here I thought Mr. Gu wasn¡¯t afraid of death. Turns out, you are scared, huh?¡±


    I taunted him coldly.


    But he wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, he just looked at me intently, walked over, and began straightening my collar with both hands.


    ¡°Ayun, do you still hope for my death now?¡±


    I glared at him, silent¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a bit of love for me in your heart? Ayun?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been together for over a decade, how can your heart be so cruel?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, what are you really thinking? Do you want to give these documents to the police?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, do you actually wish for me to be alive, or dead?¡±


    His voice was gentle and deep, very magnetic.


    For a moment, I felt as if I had returned to the past.


    However, I quickly came back to my senses.


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying¡­ There¡¯s no Gu Yuanzhou in this world anymore, there¡¯s only Louis, right?¡±


    Just then, a knock on the door interrupted us.


    I turned around to answer it.


    Standing outside was Ding Yinuo.


    I guessed that Yinuo must have been worried that I would be bullied by Gu Yuanzhou, which is why he hurried over.


    The moment he saw me, he immediately reached out, grabbed my hand, and pulled me into his embrace.


    This inadvertent gesture elicited a cold laugh from Gu Yuanzhou.


    At this time, Lin Anqi also came over, unaware of these developments, still wearing a smile on her face.


    ¡°Everyone get ready, dinner is served. Ah, the fish today is really good. I just had a small bowl of the soup, so fresh!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to eat!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t say much and just took Lin Anqi¡¯s hand and walked away.


    Ding Yinuo stood still, not moving, holding onto my hand tightly. After Gu Yuanzhou had walked a good distance away, Yinuo whispered his question.


    ¡°Did he bully you just now?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Then what were you arguing about?¡±


    Obviously, he had seen me throw the documents at Gu Yuanzhou.


    But he was uninformed about the specifics of the matter.


    After thinking it over, I decided to give him a selected version of the truth.


    ¡°Someone got hold of Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s DNA and other information. With a comparison, they could get answers, and he¡¯s in danger now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, he can handle it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    In fact, it is impossible to say that I¡¯m not worried at all.


    Jiang Jiaying is quite troublesome.


    She¡¯s full of cunning schemes, and there¡¯s nothing she wouldn¡¯t do.


    The dinner was lavish, all fish.


    All sorts of seafood.


    During the meal, Lin Nansheng would talk about the fishing trip, but he never mentioned Ding Yinuo¡¯s accident.


    And Yinuo remained composed, showing no sign of feeling wronged or upset about being framed by Gu Yuanzhou.


    He was just as cheerful and jocular as ever.


    Gu Yuanzhou, on the other hand, was more silent, not eating much or speaking up.


    It seemed that the documents had greatly affected him.


    Dinner was not yet over when he got up and went to the living room to make a phone call.


    I glanced at him from time to time. After a moment, a bodyguard came in.


    He was giving the bodyguard some instructions, too far away for me to hear what he was saying.


    But after receiving his orders, the bodyguard quickly left.


    I sat at the dining table without moving, while Lin Anqi and Lin Nansheng chatted away. It seemed like they were not concerned with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s behavior, or perhaps, Anqi had already grown accustomed to it.


    A short while later, Gu Yuanzhou returned to the table and continued eating.


    Lin Nansheng turned the conversation back to me,


    ¡°Yinuo, when is Xiaoyun going to have her eye surgery?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression was calm, ¡°No rush, let¡¯s wait a bit more!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou looked up at me and said, ¡°Ding Yinuo, don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t do it? The surgery has been delayed so long, and you¡¯re still unwilling to proceed. Or is it that you simply aren¡¯t confident of doing a good job?¡±


    Although Gu Yuanzhou was known for never saying anything nice, his reminder made me aware of an issue.


    It had been almost ten days since Ding Yinuo took over my eye treatment, and by all logic, the surgery should have been possible by now. But Yinuo kept postponing it. Could it be that there really was no chance of healing anymore?

 Chapter 466 - Chapter 466: Chapter 466 Total Collapse

    Chapter 466: Chapter 466 Total Collapse


    I actually knew a bit about doctors; not all diseases in this world can be cured¡­


    I glanced at Ding Yinuo.


    From what I knew of him, if it were indeed a critical condition, he would definitely have operated immediately.


    But now, he seemed a bit too composed.


    It seemed there really might be a problem now. Was there truly no hope for me?


    Lin Nansheng was also becoming anxious.


    ¡°Yinuo, is there really no hope for Ayun¡¯s eyes?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at me before saying,


    ¡°No, everyone, don¡¯t think wild thoughts. The reason we haven¡¯t operated yet is that we are waiting for the right moment. If the time isn¡¯t right, it¡¯s not suitable.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou snorted,


    ¡°What moment? What¡¯s not suitable? Is it your health issue, or is it hers? If it¡¯s hers, then tell me, you can make it clear. Bring out the hospital reports; does she have a heart problem or is her blood pressure not suitable for surgery? Whether it¡¯s suitable or not isn¡¯t something you can just decide. There¡¯s medical evidence and standards for that, right?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Louis isn¡¯t part of this industry, so it¡¯s better not to make careless comments to avoid unnecessary panic. It¡¯s not good for the patient¡¯s mood.¡±


    Ding Yinuo always maintained the coolness required.


    Gu Yuanzhou was always trying in every way to undermine him.


    ¡°Without evidence, it¡¯s all nonsense! Otherwise, I think it¡¯s very necessary to have a check-up abroad and then compare the data. We need to see where the problem lies. As the saying goes, to treat an illness when it¡¯s present; there¡¯s no need for unnecessary delay.¡±


    At this point, Lin Anqi spoke up,


    ¡°Dr. Ding, I¡¯m on Louis¡¯s side, too. My sister¡¯s eyes aren¡¯t in good condition either; just look at her eyes, always bloodshot. She¡¯s uncomfortable and scared, avoiding many foods and places out of fear. If you¡¯re confident you can cure her, then start the treatment now.¡±


    Lin Nansheng said,


    ¡°Yes, we hope to have the surgery as soon as possible. Yinuo, if you have any difficulties, you need to tell us. Since we¡¯re all family, there¡¯s no need to hide anything. Being open and honest is most important.¡±


    Ding Yinuo remained very calm.


    ¡°I¡¯m helping her reduce the inflammation in her eyes. You¡¯re right, there are medical criteria for surgery, and currently, her condition hasn¡¯t met the surgical threshold, so we still need to wait a bit.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was so angry,


    ¡°Are you deliberately opposing us?¡±


    Ding Yinuo stayed calm,


    ¡°I have no such intention.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was so mad he was about to throw his chopsticks¡­


    I stood up to stop him,


    ¡°Enough, everyone, I know you all care a lot for me. But I stand with Ding Yinuo now. Since he¡¯s started the treatment, I¡¯ll give all my trust to him. Let¡¯s not get caught up in this anymore; we¡¯ll just follow his plan from now on.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression softened, and he looked at me kindly,


    ¡°Thank you for your trust in me.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou then stood up abruptly,


    ¡°Today¡¯s fish¡­ is damn hard to swallow, I¡¯m not eating.¡±


    After saying that, he got up and left.


    Lin Anqi was stunned for a moment, then she immediately started explaining to me and Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, okay? Louis is just like that; hard on the outside but soft on the inside. Everyone will get used to it. He really doesn¡¯t have any bad intentions; he¡¯s just really worried about his sister.¡±


    Ding Yinuo was quite considerate.


    ¡°Miss Lin, we won¡¯t be upset, we¡¯re all family here.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate Mr. Ding¡¯s magnanimity.¡±


    ¡°Actually, his queries and misunderstandings are quite normal. When we work in the hospital, we often encounter patients¡¯ questions. The doctor-patient relationship is always tense, and we frequently come across these situations, so, by staying calm, we can gradually manage this relationship well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear; come on, let¡¯s enjoy the fish, it seems pretty good today.¡±


    ¡°It is delicious, only that someone¡¯s mood isn¡¯t great, which is why they might think the fish doesn¡¯t taste good.¡±


    My words subtly pointed towards Gu Yuanzhou.


    I was beginning to realize how Gu Yuanzhou was becoming more and more childish.


    Lin Anqi didn¡¯t speak but after a moment, she got up and followed in the direction where Gu Yuanzhou had gone.


    It seemed that she still cared a lot about Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s feelings.


    From a distance, I saw that she was talking with Gu Yuanzhou, her face all smiles.


    That must be what it looks like when a woman is deeply in love with a man.


    I also pondered over how Gu Yuanzhou would handle Jiang Jiaying?


    After all, Jiang Jiaying wasn¡¯t such an easy woman to deal with.


    Halfway through the meal, I made my way to the restroom.


    I didn¡¯t expect to overhear some servants gossiping as I passed by the servant¡¯s quarters.


    ¡°Hey, let me tell you, that man with the surname Ding is really awful!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so bad about him? He¡¯s quite handsome, though!¡±


    ¡°Heh, the other night when we went out to sea, wasn¡¯t our little Zhang with them? He said Mr. Ding had a fight with Mr. Louis, and they both ended up falling into the sea. Mr. Louis climbed up straight away, but that Ding struggled in the water for a long time, nearly drowned, he wants to marry into our rich family with that physique?¡±


    ¡°Ah, really? Didn¡¯t Mr. Lin go with them too? Didn¡¯t he see it? Why didn¡¯t he do anything?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Lin is getting on in years; he obviously wouldn¡¯t be up all night. He probably fished for a bit and then went to sleep¡ªit was a competition between two young men after that.¡±


    My heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.


    Was Ding Yinuo really that unfortunate?


    I glanced over at the servant¡¯s quarters; the one speaking the loudest, intentionally stirring up trouble, was indeed Afang.


    She must be really dissatisfied with Ding Yinuo¡¯s previous conduct, very likely spreading rumors to tarnish his reputation.


    However, I also believed there was no smoke without fire, and to get to the bottom of it, I crossed the back garden and made my way to the seashore.


    The azure sea bore a medium-sized white yacht.


    There was a man cleaning the yacht¡¯s deck, and I approached him, facing the sunlight.


    ¡°Miss Shen, hello!¡±


    I recognized this man; he must be one of the Lin Family¡¯s security staff.


    These subordinates were well managed by Uncle Lin and were very respectful towards me.


    ¡°Mhm, hello¡­ Oh yes, I want to know what happened to Ding Yinuo the night before last? You can trust me, whatever you tell me, I won¡¯t hold you responsible, nor will I let a word slip.¡±


    After speaking, I took out a few red banknotes from my bag and handed them over to him.


    At first, he refused to take the money, but once I told him that I would soon be moving to the island to live, he seemed to realize that I might be one of the owners here, and then he accepted the money and told me about the events of that night.

 Chapter 467 - Chapter 467: Chapter 467 This Man Is Crazy

    Chapter 467: Chapter 467 This Man Is Crazy


    The security guard¡¯s description was yet another version compared to what Afang had said.


    However, the general situation wasn¡¯t too different.


    What made me feel somewhat heavy-hearted was that Ding Yinuo had suffered such grievance, and yet he remained silent about it in front of me.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    After thanking the security guard, I could no longer stay calm.


    When I returned to the villa, Lin Anqi and Lin Nansheng were just about to leave.


    Lin Anqi was dressed neatly, even wearing a sun hat,


    ¡°Sister, a close friend of mine has a birthday today, I¡¯m going over to send my wishes. You and Doctor Ding can stay here, I¡¯ll come back in the evening to join you.¡±


    I asked another question,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Louis going with you?¡±


    Lin Anqi glanced up at the second-floor window,


    ¡°No, he has more important things to busy himself with.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s he busy with?¡±


    ¡°Oh, dad¡¯s health isn¡¯t good, and already half of the estate is being managed by him. So, I generally don¡¯t disturb him about these little things. Besides, he really doesn¡¯t like to mingle in crowds, so I won¡¯t force him.¡±


    Indeed, Gu Yuanzhou had a rather cold disposition and didn¡¯t enjoy social gatherings much.


    He preferred to be alone.


    He would only attend business socials if absolutely necessary.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, then. Just take care of yourself!¡±


    Lin Anqi waved to me and then got into the car.


    I watched the car speed away before heading to the second-floor room¡­


    As I pushed the door open, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tall figure stood with his back to me; he was on a phone call. His sharp voice said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t hold back, be more ruthless, I want to hear her tell the truth. See if she has any other accomplices, and how she got hold of my information. Besides her, who else has this information. I don¡¯t want to see any mistakes.¡±


    The words vaguely sounded familiar, but I couldn¡¯t quite recall whom he was targeting.


    This study was in fact not smaller than the one on the first floor.


    The study downstairs belonged to Lin Nansheng, whereas this one was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s, with a checkered floor, and an overall dark style.


    On his desk stood a statue of a monarch.


    A black leather boss¡¯s chair¡­


    It seemed that the decor here was quite similar to his former CEO office at Zhenyi Company, even the paintings on the wall were the same.


    I was wondering, had he been frequently visiting Zhenyi Company just to replicate the decor there?


    While I was slightly stunned, Gu Yuanzhou had already turned around alertly.


    He strode towards me, suspicion in his eyes,


    ¡°Were you eavesdropping on my call?¡±


    ¡°Is it some shady scheme that you¡¯re afraid I¡¯d overhear?¡±


    ¡°Would I be afraid of you?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou chuckled coldly, quickly closing the distance between us.


    He reached out to pinch my chin, his dark eyes sharp,


    ¡°You¡¯ve come to my room alone; are you here to seduce me?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou¡­ you truly are shameless. You¡¯re about to marry my sister, and yet you dare to say such things to me. Have you no decency?¡±


    ¡°Your eyes have been following me these past few days, and they¡¯re filled with so much desire. Do you dare claim you haven¡¯t thought of me at night?¡±


    His words became more and more explicit.


    I felt my face flush red upon hearing them.


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting!¡±


    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t come here to seduce me?¡±


    Although this man hadn¡¯t been drinking, I felt he was intoxicated, his speech becoming increasingly unrestrained and scatterbrained.


    Perhaps it was because Lin Anqi had left, was no longer at home, that he felt no constraints and completely let himself go.


    He reached out, lifted my chin, and kissed me.


    This kiss was utterly unexpected.


    He pinned me against the wall, one large hand clasping the back of my head, deepening the kiss with intensity.


    I pushed against his chest with both hands, desperately trying to shove him away.


    However, he seemed to have lost control.


    After kissing my soft lips, he wanted even more.


    He lifted my hands high, then pressed them to my sides, his kissing growing fiercer.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, you bastard!¡±


    I cursed him, though my words were muffled.


    But he was unmoved.


    He continued as he pleased, even slipping a large hand under my clothing.


    I just couldn¡¯t tolerate it anymore and bit his invading tongue.


    Only when my mouth was filled with the taste of blood did he finally let go.


    ¡°How vicious of you, you actually bit me?¡±


    I took a step back, frantically straightening my clothes he had disheveled,


    ¡°Have you gone mad? Do you realize what you¡¯re doing? Aren¡¯t you afraid I will tell Lin Anqi?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, while tenderly touching his own tongue tip, looked at me with a playful gaze,


    ¡°If you dare, go ahead and tell her!¡±


    ¡°You!!¡±


    ¡°What act are you putting on, running into my room on purpose, if not to seek pleasure?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, can¡¯t you have a shred of decency?¡±


    My scolding didn¡¯t stop him; on the contrary, it provoked him to advance step by step towards me.


    As he moved closer, I retreated step by step until, unable to bear it any longer, I shouted angrily,


    ¡°Why did you do that to Ding Yinuo?!¡±


    ¡°What did I do to him?¡±


    ¡°You, you intentionally pushed Ding Yinuo into the sea from the deck, what was that about?¡±


    ¡°Just testing how well he can swim!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s mouth curved with a mischievous smile, resembling a rascally hooligan, saying things that seemed utterly absurd to me.


    ¡°When he climbed up from the deck, and you pushed him into the sea again, repeatedly doing so several times, you were clearly trying to kill him, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s eyes looked at me with a cold gleam, and after a long while, he said,


    ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°You just can¡¯t stand to see me happy, you want to ruin my happiness, Gu Yuanzhou, you maniac.¡±


    ¡°Your happiness¡­ your eyes are almost blinded by him, and that¡¯s what you call your happiness? I¡¯ll tell you, everything he endured that night was his own fault; he would deserve it even if he died. He treated you that way, and you don¡¯t think of revenge yet still throw yourself at him! Song Yun, did you come back to life just to become a fool?¡±


    Upon hearing this, I could no longer restrain myself and slapped him across the face.


    Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t expect that I would actually hit him.


    He touched his cheek, stood in place, and squinted his dark pupils at me.


    ¡°Listen carefully, Gu Yuanzhou. What happens between Ding Yinuo and me is none of your business. Even if I die at his hands, that would be my own affair, not yours. I don¡¯t need revenge, nor do I need your sympathy. Just live your own life, don¡¯t resent me, don¡¯t bother him.¡±


    Having said that, I hurriedly stormed out and slammed the door behind me.


    Just as I stepped out, I saw a figure standing at the staircase.


    Upon a closer look, it was none other than Ding Yinuo.


    I had no idea how long he had been standing there, how much he had heard¡­


    His gaze slowly trailed down my face, and when he saw my slightly open collar, his expression shifted subtly.

 Chapter 468 - Chapter 468: Chapter 468: Not Just a Kiss

    Chapter 468: Chapter 468: Not Just a Kiss


    When I was with Gu Yuanzhou just now, not only did he kiss me, but he also tore my clothes¡­


    At this moment, I found that two buttons simply wouldn¡¯t fasten. When I took a closer look, I saw the buttons had been ripped off.


    My disheveled attire, combined with the kiss marks on my neck.


    All of these were undeniable; I had just done some unspeakable things with Gu Yuanzhou.


    I couldn¡¯t imagine how much Ding Yinuo had heard.


    I was about to explain to him.


    He said indifferently,


    ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the city. Do you want to stay here, or go back with me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Lin Anqi is not home, and I don¡¯t have the courage to stay here with Gu Yuanzhou.


    Not to mention the crazy things he might do.


    Just the gossiping nature of the servants here alone, who knows how much scandal they would generate.


    As I went downstairs with Ding Yinuo, that Afang peered over curiously, staring at me.


    Seeing this, Ding Yinuo took my hand in his.


    I understood his gesture.


    It was to prove to the servants that the ambiguous marks on me were made by him.


    This small act warmed my heart a bit.


    After getting into the car, he drove away from that place.


    I still couldn¡¯t help but ask him,


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about what happened at sea?¡±


    Ding Yinuo was very nonchalant,


    ¡°Nothing happened, what¡¯s there to tell you?¡±


    ¡°Stop hiding it, Gu Yuanzhou admitted it.¡±


    Ding Yinuo fell silent¡­


    I looked at him and sighed,


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to endure this humiliation. You should have fought back when Gu Yuanzhou bullied you.¡±


    Ding Yinuo remained silent.


    He didn¡¯t say a word until we were almost back in the city, when he finally said calmly,


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel wronged; I deserved it all.¡±


    This time it was my turn to fall silent.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say!


    I couldn¡¯t envision him being kicked into the sea by Gu Yuanzhou time and again, only to climb back up the yacht¡¯s ladder each time.


    The thought took my breath away.


    Looking at the scenery flashing by the car window, I fell into deep thought.


    Suddenly, the car came to a stop.


    When I looked over, I saw that there was a traffic jam ahead; all four lanes were filled with vehicles, and the drivers were all curiously looking towards the distance.


    I get a bit carsick, so I stepped out of the car to walk around and get some fresh air.


    Walking forward, I began to hear people talking.


    ¡°So young to have died, what a pity, I heard she was a doctor too!¡±


    ¡°Not yet married! Her parents have fainted from crying over there!¡±


    ¡°Did someone jump from the bridge to commit suicide?¡±


    Following the line of cars to the end, I finally saw several police cars and an ambulance gathered at the entrance to the bridge.


    Listening to the drivers¡¯ discussions along the way, I roughly understood what had happened.


    Apparently, a woman had just jumped from the bridge and committed suicide.


    Her body had been recovered, and despite resuscitation attempts, she was pronounced dead.


    Deep down I already had a hunch about who this woman was, but to confirm my suspicions, I went near the ambulance.


    At that moment, a stretcher lay on the ground, and an elderly woman was hugging the body, crying her eyes out.


    Actually, the moment I saw this woman, I was almost certain of my guess.


    It was her!


    I had foreseen that she would meet a terrible end.


    But it turned out to be worse than I could have imagined.


    After lingering for a few seconds, I quickly folded back to the car.


    At that point, Ding Yinuo was still looking at his phone, seemingly unconcerned about what was happening outside.


    When I pulled the car door open and sat down, that¡¯s when he asked me,


    ¡°What happened just now?¡±


    I was silent for a long time before I said,


    ¡°A woman jumped off a bridge to kill herself.¡±


    Ding Yinuo rubbed his eyebrows, his expression calm, and simply acknowledged with a faint ¡°Oh.¡±


    At this point, the congested line of cars started to slowly move forward again.


    Ding Yinuo started the car and continued to follow the traffic.


    After a while, I asked him again,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know who that woman was?¡±


    ¡°Who was it?¡±


    I felt that Ding Yinuo probably just asked casually.


    ¡°Uh, it was Jiang Jiaying!¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t as intense as I had imagined.


    He just glanced over at me, as if he found it hard to believe,


    ¡°She committed suicide?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Ding Yinuo shook his head,


    ¡°She was an extremely selfish woman. She lived for no one but herself. How could a woman like that possibly commit suicide.¡±


    I said indifferently,


    ¡°She loved you very much! She called me several times, asking me to give you back to her. Is it possible that she was so overwhelmed by love that she couldn¡¯t think straight and jumped off the bridge to kill herself?¡±


    Ding Yinuo fell silent.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t care about me as much as you think!¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°I can feel it¡­¡±


    It seemed that many people didn¡¯t believe in the death of Jiang Jiaying.


    However, the surveillance video obtained by the police showed that Jiang Jiaying indeed climbed up onto the bridge herself and then jumped off.


    Actually, I¡¯ve had my suspicions that Gu Yuanzhou was behind this.


    Because the timing was too coincidental.


    All this happened after I handed that document to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Could it really be a coincidence?


    Unfortunately, I had no evidence!


    I couldn¡¯t force Gu Yuanzhou to admit it, and what¡¯s worse, the Jiang Family blamed Ding Yinuo for Jiaying¡¯s death.


    Jiang¡¯s mother posted daily essays online, accusing Ding Yinuo. She claimed that it was his abandonment of Jiaying that led to her daughter¡¯s depression and suicide.


    Jiang¡¯s mother started live streaming online, cursing Ding Yinuo every day¡­


    Perhaps out of sympathy for the weak, most netizens sided with the Jiang Family.


    The whole affair was making a lot of noise and was almost universally known in the city.


    On the weekend, Wenya invited everyone out for a meal.


    During dinner, the table next to ours was discussing this matter¡­


    ¡°Ah, that Dr. Ding is really something else. They were childhood sweethearts, and she waited for him until she was thirty, only for him to abandon her just like that.¡±


    ¡°I heard the wedding had already taken place; they were just short of getting the marriage license.¡±


    ¡°After sleeping together for so many years, to casually kick her aside like that, the woman really took a big loss.¡±


    ¡°I heard she had several abortions for him!¡±


    ¡°No way, that¡¯s too terrible. In any case, one thing is clear, scumbags stink, and sisters, we must never let a scumbag control us ever again.¡±


    Jian Jing shook her head and sighed,


    ¡°How did these rumors get so far-fetched, and Ding Yinuo isn¡¯t coming out to clarify things.¡±


    I said nonchalantly,


    ¡°That¡¯s just the kind of indifferent nature Ding Yinuo has. He won¡¯t speak up about things he deems unimportant.¡±


    Wenya spread her hands towards me, ¡°Do you need me to clarify things for you?¡±


    I shook my head, holding the glass and pondering,


    ¡°Forget it, this isn¡¯t our business. If the parties involved aren¡¯t worried, why should we be?¡±


    Wenya leaned in a bit closer to me,


    ¡°Are you and Ding Yinuo really planning to get remarried?¡±

 Chapter 469 - Chapter 469: Chapter 469: Could He Have Someone Else on the Side?

    Chapter 469: Chapter 469: Could He Have Someone Else on the Side?


    ¡°Do you have a problem with me getting back together with him?¡±


    ¡°Not really¡­ I¡¯m just worried about you.¡±


    Wenya said with an underlying meaning, hesitating for a long time,


    ¡°It¡¯s just that now¡­ Ding Yinuo has been pushed into the limelight, and if you get close to him again, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll also get involved in all this messy business.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself, I¡¯ll see how my eyes are after I get a little better.¡±


    ¡°When are you going to have surgery on your eyes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Ding Yinuo has never mentioned it!¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, if you can have surgery, you should do it sooner rather than later. I¡¯ve heard from friends that now many netizens are getting incited. They often cause trouble in the hospital, and Ding Yinuo might even be physically attacked. I think you should get it done as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I want to do it as soon as possible, but¡­ Ding Yinuo has always been tight-lipped.¡±


    Wenya became somewhat curious,


    ¡°What exactly is going on? If you can have the surgery, why not just do it? What¡¯s the meaning of all this delay? Is there some unexpected situation?¡±


    In fact, I also began to feel a vague sense of worry.


    About my illness, Ding Yinuo hasn¡¯t said a word.


    Besides the daily injections and medications, he hasn¡¯t given me a pathological analysis and discussion.


    This clearly seems somewhat incorrect.


    He has never given me a clear explanation for delaying the surgery.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Cough, Wenya, don¡¯t ask about that anymore. Asking too much will make Ayun anxious. You just need to believe that Ding Yinuo is a qualified authority as a doctor. Since he says it needs to be postponed, there must be a reason for it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll trust him this one time!¡±


    With Jian Jing¡¯s reminder, Wenya eventually compromised.


    At that moment, Jian Jing¡¯s phone rang again, and she got up to answer the call.


    Wenya took the opportunity to ask Su Peisheng, pointing to a group of women across the room, she asked,


    ¡°For those who spread rumors and gossip, can we sue them for damages?¡±


    Su Peisheng replied very professionally,


    ¡°In theory, you can!¡±


    ¡°Why ¡®in theory¡¯? Why not in practice?¡±


    ¡°Because to sue someone, you need to prepare materials, collect evidence, and then take them to court, after that wait for the trial. It¡¯s a hassle, takes a lot of time, and a lot of effort. It¡¯s very bothersome, and the amount of damages is usually very small. Mainly because you¡¯re not a celebrity. Celebrities, if their reputation is damaged, can claim more, but for ordinary people, it almost makes no difference. With little compensation and a long duration, no one wants to go through with it.¡±


    Wenya suddenly realized,


    ¡°No wonder, that¡¯s how it is! It seems lawyers are professional, able to quickly discern what¡¯s important.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, are you praising me?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, if we were to divorce someday, would you leave me with nothing?¡±


    Wenya suddenly changed the topic, and Su Peisheng was caught off guard. If he said he wouldn¡¯t leave her with nothing, it might seem unprofessional.¡±


    But if he said he would leave her with nothing, she probably wouldn¡¯t dare to marry him, and she might even beat him up.


    For a moment, Su Peisheng found himself at a loss for words.


    But Wenya was pressing him on the side,


    ¡°Come on, say it! Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡±


    ¡°This is a rather difficult question¡­¡±


    ¡°What, are you saying that as a lawyer, you can¡¯t even win your own case?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that; there¡¯s room for tenderness apart from the law, right? Law is law, but at the same time, we must also consider human emotions. A lot of things, you can¡¯t just take them at face value; you have to consider them from all angles¡­¡±


    Here, Su Peisheng was explaining to Wenya.


    Jian Jing was crying as she came over.


    She had just hung up the phone, her eyes red as if she¡¯d argued with Yu Jiahang again.


    ¡°Another argument with that scumbag? It¡¯s not worth it, stop arguing. Come on, have a beer to cool down!¡±


    Once Jian Jing sat down, her tears just kept falling uncontrollably, no matter how she wiped them away.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Seeing her so devastated, I asked again,


    ¡°Is it about the child; did something happen to them?¡±


    Jian Jing took a tissue to wipe her tears, shaking her head continuously,


    ¡°I must¡¯ve committed some serious sins in my past life to encounter such a scammer. My life is really over now.¡±


    Wenya heard her and said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself; you have your sisters here. Let¡¯s talk about the issue. If worst comes to worst and you get a divorce, we still have our ace lawyer!¡±


    ¡°Ah, these past few days I¡¯ve been busy with work and left the child with my mom. Yu Jiahang, behind my back, mortgage our house and took out a loan of one million from somewhere else!¡±


    ¡°What? What did he do with the million?¡±


    ¡°I have no clue; he won¡¯t say. I only received a call from the bank about repayment, and I asked him, but he refuses to discuss it. He keeps giving different stories, once saying he lent it to a relative, last time he said it was to a cousin, and this time he said it was for an uncle to buy a house. But when I ask for the uncle¡¯s number, he refuses to give it to me. I always feel he¡¯s hiding something from me, but he just won¡¯t say what it is, and it¡¯s driving me insane.¡±


    Wenya pondered for a moment and then asked,


    ¡°Could he possibly have someone else on the side?¡±


    Jian Jing, upon hearing this, was also stunned,


    ¡°Can I report him to the police?¡±


    ¡°Reporting to the police would be good, get the mistress arrested. Damn it, who is this shameless? It¡¯s a million, not just ten thousand.¡±


    Wenya started to give reckless advice again,


    ¡°Or you could pay for a detective to follow him and see who he is fooling around with outside!¡±


    Su Peisheng said,


    ¡°I feel there¡¯s a much simpler way to deal with this situation.¡±


    ¡°What way?¡±


    Jian Jing asked anxiously.


    ¡°Well¡­ you can just check his bank account! If you trace the flow of funds, you¡¯d know where the problem lies. There¡¯s no need to hire a private detective.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have the authority to check his accounts!¡±


    ¡°You do!¡±


    ¡°Where do I?¡±


    ¡°You can apply to the court for a divorce, and the court will freeze his assets. Then you can basically track any major fund movements. If that doesn¡¯t work, I have a friend who might be able to help.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Jian Jing finally seemed to have regained some confidence.


    After the dinner party, our group was walking out.


    And, coincidentally, we ran into Jiang Jiaying¡¯s mother.


    This old lady seemed to have held a grudge over Jiang Jiaying¡¯s death, so she vented all her anger on me.


    ¡°Stop right there, you cheap woman!¡±


    The old lady immediately called over a group of relatives, cornering both me and Jian Jing at the entrance.


    Just then, Wenya and Su Peisheng had gone to pay the bill and missed this scene.


    ¡°Everyone come see, this woman is that unscrupulous doctor¡¯s ex-wife. It¡¯s because of her that my daughter was driven to suicide. She is lowly, she is shameless, she is a beast in human clothing, she is despicable and disgraceful.¡±

 Chapter 470 - Chapter 470: Chapter 470: He Carried Her into the Bathroom

    Chapter 470: Chapter 470: He Carried Her into the Bathroom


    Jiang¡¯s mother did everything she could to slander us here¡­


    The people whose emotions had been stirred up were pointing at us and loudly berating us.


    ¡°Hey, this shameless woman, you drove someone¡¯s beautiful daughter to death; you¡¯ll get your retribution. Just go die!¡±


    ¡°Hey, how can you still have the face to live? Why don¡¯t you just die?¡±


    ¡°You have to compensate her mother, you have to apologize¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, apologize! You have to kneel down and apologize to her mother. After all, you drove her daughter to death.¡±


    Out of nowhere, a heavyset woman yanked me away from Jian Jing¡¯s side.


    She forcefully pushed me in front of Jiang¡¯s mother and then pressed down on my head, trying to make me kneel and apologize to her.


    Seeing this, Jian Jing wanted to come and help me, but she was blocked by other women.


    The doorway was densely surrounded by a large crowd, layer upon layer, both inside and out.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let her off!¡±


    ¡°Apologize, apologize, she must apologize!¡±


    There was always someone in the crowd fanning the flames, and a bunch of ignorant people joined in the commotion; after all, the spectators love a big scene.


    Jian Jing was too far from me, she could only watch helplessly as I was bullied, completely at a loss for what to do.


    The heavyset woman was very strong and pinned down my body.


    I tried to take out my cell phone, but the moment my hand reached into my bag, someone snatched it away.


    ¡°Let me go. What you¡¯re doing is a crime. I¡¯ll call the police,¡± I shouted loudly, hoping they would come to their senses.


    But the group seemed to have lost their minds, wanting to punish me in front of everyone.


    My hands and wrists were seized; I couldn¡¯t move at all. Someone took a cup of milk tea and poured it over my head.


    Then, laughter erupted from the crowd.


    I could feel the cold milk tea dripping down from my head, soaking into my hair, spilling onto my face and into my tears, then trickling down my cheeks into my neck.


    After someone initiated this, the rest of the crowd got even more boisterous.


    Some people started hurting me.


    Kicking my legs, twisting my arms¡­


    Humanity¡¯s evil was magnified at this moment.


    People abused me under the guise of ¡®venting their anger.¡¯


    But I was pregnant now; I couldn¡¯t forcefully resist them. All I could do was try my best to hug my belly and bend down to avoid their kicks.


    Many onlookers were present, but astonishingly not one person called the police.


    Most of them were holding their phones at the perimeter, taking pictures, seemingly eager to post this thrilling event to their social circles.


    When some people¡¯s conscience is obscured and their minds are controlled by others, all that remains is evil.


    There were too many people; I couldn¡¯t see clearly.


    All I heard were curses.


    I couldn¡¯t remember how many times I had been kicked, and there was a sharp pain coming from my arms.


    But in front of me was only Jiang¡¯s mother¡¯s sinister smile.


    As if all of this was orchestrated by her¡­


    Just then, a thunderous shout descended from above.


    ¡°Let her go, whoever dares to touch her again is asking for death!¡±


    The figure of a man descended like a deity before me.


    I heard the screams of other women; the grip on my wrists was then released.


    I was lifted up and carried away from the crowd.


    Then, I was carried into a car.


    At that moment, I, who had been terribly frightened, couldn¡¯t control my body from trembling continuously.


    He didn¡¯t speak; he just bent down and held me tightly.


    ¡°Sir, where to?¡± Bodyguard Awu asked.


    ¡°Back to Yijia!¡±


    A deep voice resonated.


    The car navigated through the city, speeding towards the island.


    On the way, he just kept holding me without letting go or speaking a word.


    Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of the mansion, and Gu Yuanzhou carried me all the way into the bedroom.


    He headed straight for the shower¡­


    As he was about to undress me, I grabbed his hand with a blushing face,


    ¡°No, let me do it!¡±


    All he said in a deep voice was, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±


    It was only in the bathroom¡¯s full-length mirror that I saw the mess I was in.


    Milk tea was all over my hair, along with some tapioca pearls and taro paste clumped together, sticking to my hair with various dirt.


    If it was just up to me, I really wouldn¡¯t be able to clean it all off.


    So I stopped struggling.


    He helped me take off my coat, leaving only a black lace vest underneath.


    His hand rested on the strap of the lace, gently caressing it as if pondering something.


    After a few seconds, he withdrew his hand.


    Then, he picked up the showerhead and began to rinse my hair¡­


    ¡°Maybe lie in the bathtub!¡±


    I had injuries, and he didn¡¯t dare to fill the tub, so he lifted me into the bathtub to lie down and placed my head outside it.


    He brought over a chair and placed it outside the tub.


    Then, he positioned my head on the chair, and squatting beside me, he carefully washed the stains from my hair, fingers working gently through my strands.


    I didn¡¯t speak, remaining silent throughout.


    The scene from just earlier had indeed scared me.


    Having experienced a lifetime of life and death, I considered myself quite strong-hearted and thought I could hold on.


    But I didn¡¯t expect to feel so vulnerable at that moment.


    For an instant back there, I was literally scared stiff.


    Thinking about it now still gives me shivers¡­ Upon reflection, it¡¯s not that I¡¯ve become timid, it¡¯s because of the pregnancy; the small life inside me has increased my will to survive.


    I¡¯m afraid of accidents because I want to live on, to healthy deliver the child.


    ¡°You just let yourself be bullied like that without running away?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou asked in a deep voice next to my ear.


    ¡°It was an accident!¡±


    After thinking for a long time, I gave him that answer.


    Gu Yuanzhou let out a cold laugh. He continued rinsing my hair with the running water; after my hair was clean, he took a hairdryer.


    He dried my hair with great care, then wrapped it up with a hair cap.


    ¡°Do you need help cleaning the rest of your body?¡±


    ¡°No, I can do it myself!¡±


    I firmly refused, meeting his deep gaze.


    He chuckled lightly, ¡°What¡¯s the point of covering up, I¡¯ve seen it all before anyway.¡±


    ¡°What was our relationship before and what is it now? It¡¯s best to avoid suspicion. I don¡¯t want Anqi to find out.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou got up. My mess had dirtied him as well, with stains of spilled tea all over his suit.


    This was so out of line with his usual cleanliness and tidiness; at the moment, he didn¡¯t seem to notice the filth on himself but instead sneered at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid Ding Yinuo will find out, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You!!!¡±


    ¡°Where is your phone?¡±


    He asked.


    Thinking hard, I couldn¡¯t remember who had snatched my phone, so I could only shake my head,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, my bag was stolen too.¡±


    ¡°Who is that old lady?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Jiaying¡¯s mother!¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression turned ugly.


    At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded outside, accompanied by a shout, ¡°Hey, Mr. Ding¡­¡±

 Chapter 471 - Chapter 471: Chapter 471 Still Not Used to Doing This in Front of Him

    Chapter 471: Chapter 471 Still Not Used to Doing This in Front of Him


    The noise from outside suddenly came to an abrupt halt.


    When I looked up, a figure had already pushed the door open and walked in.


    At that moment, I was still soaking in the bathtub, and although not completely undressed, only a piece of underwear was left on my upper body.


    Thus, upon seeing me, Ding Yinuo instinctively turned around and withdrew.


    Although we were married.


    We hardly had any marital intimacy, not even the closest physical contact.


    Two people lacking physical closeness naturally felt embarrassed to be exposed to each other.


    This scene seemed to have been captured by Gu Yuanzhou, whose gaze grew meaningfully deep.


    He glanced at me and then turned his attention to Ding Yinuo outside the door.


    However, within a few seconds, Ding Yinuo hurried back in.


    Gu Yuanzhou asked him with a sneer,


    ¡°What, too embarrassed to look at your own wife?¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t answer him but walked straight toward me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you take care of it!¡±


    He handed me a bath towel, indicating that I should wrap myself in the towel to come out.


    But Gu Yuanzhou stopped him with his hand.


    ¡°Mr. Ding, you¡¯re not needed here! Please leave! I can take care of her.¡±


    Clearly, Gu Yuanzhou had the inclination to monopolize me.


    He wanted to claim me as his own.


    Clearly, his approach was unreasonable.


    Ding Yinuo outright refused,


    ¡°Mr. Louis, I remind you that she is your sister-in-law! It¡¯s inconvenient for you to be here!¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s inconvenient for me is my business and has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°She is my wife!¡±


    Ding Yinuo changed his tone of assertion.


    Gu Yuanzhou scoffed,


    ¡°Divorced already, can she still be considered your wife?¡±


    ¡°Reconciliation is very probable, sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ is that so? Since she¡¯s your wife, did you know the reason she got hurt?¡±


    Faced with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s questioning, Ding Yinuo remained silent.


    Gu Yuanzhou scoffed,


    ¡°If you claim she¡¯s your wife, where were you when she got hurt? Did you fulfill your duty to protect her? What do you consider her to be?¡±


    After a moment of silence, Ding Yinuo said,


    ¡°If it was you who saved her, I¡¯m profoundly grateful¡­ but a person¡¯s patience has its limits. I hope you don¡¯t keep prodding.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m prodding you? That¡¯s ridiculous! You¡¯re not even worthy to be my rival! Ding Yinuo, do you know that the injuries she received were brought upon her by you! It was those from the Jiang family who came to harm her, do you understand?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s demeanor was extremely arrogant, and his attitude was aggressively confrontational.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression remained unfazed.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t protect her, there¡¯s no need to pretend! If you can¡¯t bring her happiness, then don¡¯t marry her, got it?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words relentlessly pressured Ding Yinuo.


    Finally, Ding Yinuo could no longer bear it and stated plainly,


    ¡°I also remind you, don¡¯t forget who Ayun died by in the end.¡±


    This statement struck Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s raw nerve; his face turned ashen, he stood rooted to the spot, with a fiery cold fury blazing in his eyes.


    The atmosphere he emitted nearly set the house ablaze.


    ¡°The case was already judged, do you think I did it?¡±


    ¡°No matter who did it, at least you didn¡¯t fulfill your duty to protect her. Moreover, now that you¡¯ve married her younger sister, you should know what you ought to do. Don¡¯t overstep your bounds, otherwise, it will upset her.¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s demeanor was consistently calm, but his words were incredibly impactful.


    Leaving Gu Yuanzhou speechless.


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s face grew increasingly unsightly, and finally, he stormed out in a rage.


    In the bathroom, it wasn¡¯t long before only Ding Yinuo and I were left.


    After a long while, Ding Yinuo finally turned to look at me,


    ¡°Do you have any wounds on your body?¡±


    ¡°I want to take a shower first, can you wait outside?¡±


    ¡°Can you manage on your own?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll just stand at the door. Don¡¯t lock it; I won¡¯t come in. If anything happens, just call out.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    I didn¡¯t move in the bathtub, and Ding Yinuo took the initiative to walk to the door, casually closing the bathroom door.


    It wasn¡¯t locked, just slightly ajar.


    I knew he was standing outside the door, and actually wasn¡¯t worried that he would barge in. He was a gentleman of integrity, absolutely trustworthy.


    I took the shower head and started to clean the grime off my body.


    The hot water sprayed on me, giving a stinging sensation.


    It was uncomfortable, this feeling made me realize that I had many injuries¡­


    I hastily finished washing, then dried off with a towel and put on my pajamas before coming out.


    Ding Yinuo had already made a call to have some medications sent over.


    When I entered the bedroom, he was mixing these medications.


    ¡°Lie down on the sofa, and I¡¯ll check you out!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I was wearing a champagne-colored robe with a plunging neckline, which made it easier to look at the wounds.


    I sat on the sofa and lifted the hem of my robe, exposing my legs.


    Ding Yinuo squatted down on the floor, and when he saw the myriad of wounds on my legs, he was stunned on the spot.


    ¡°How did you get injured so badly?¡±


    My calves were full of purple bruises, crisscrossed and some areas had turned black.


    Just looking at it was painful, but at the time I didn¡¯t feel too much pain.


    Ding Yinuo furrowed his brow, he reached out to try and massage my leg, but as soon as his fingers touched my skin, I hissed in pain.


    ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, a little!¡±


    He then became much gentler,


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to bear with it for a while, these areas need to be heat-compressed!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t talk much. His movements were slow and delicate, as if he was afraid of hurting me.


    But the reality was, no matter how gentle his movements were, I felt the pain.


    Luckily, he was efficient and soon had treated the wounds on my legs.


    There were some scratches on my arms, but those were minor injuries, and almost taken care of with some disinfectant.


    ¡°Take off your robe, let me look at your upper body!¡±


    Ding Yinuo said calmly.


    ¡°Uh, there¡¯s no injury on top, I¡¯m wearing clothes.¡±


    ¡°Let me check it out, Ayun, I¡¯m a doctor¡­¡±


    ¡°Really, there¡¯s no need to look.¡±


    I insisted again and again; I really wasn¡¯t comfortable being naked in front of Ding Yinuo.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s expression remained calm,


    ¡°Ayun! When I was sick before, didn¡¯t you take care of me with the same attention? Didn¡¯t you see my body?¡±


    He asked so frankly that I was momentarily speechless¡­


    ¡°In the eyes of a doctor, it¡¯s all just organs, nothing inappropriate¡­¡±


    After he said that, if I refused again, it would seem too pretentious.


    I could only untie the belt of the robe I was wearing and slowly took it off.


    Everything was as he said, he seemed very matter-of-fact.


    His gaze did not wander to any improper places but instead focused on the injuries on my body.


    There were hardly any wounds on my front, as I had protected my stomach.


    But the injuries on my back were much more severe than I had imagined.

 Chapter 472 - Chapter 472: Chapter 472 Not Only That

    Chapter 472: Chapter 472 Not Only That


    Ding Yinuo asked while cleaning the wound,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel any pain at the time?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I was too nervous at that moment, I was afraid they would hurt my stomach¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo fell silent for a long time,


    ¡°It was Jian Jing who called me and let me know what had happened.¡±


    As the alcohol touched the wound, the stinging sensation made my body tremble slightly.


    His hand paused for a moment, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask me,


    ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    ¡°Here, lie down on this!¡±


    He fetched me a soft cushion and placed it on the sofa, then made me hug the cushion and lie face down on the sofa.


    When Ding Yinuo was cleaning my wound, his hand trembled slightly.


    He seemed reluctant to apply the medication, afraid that it would cause me pain.


    I asked him with a smile,


    ¡°Dr. Ding, do you hesitate like this when performing surgeries too?¡±


    ¡°Not with other patients, but you¡­ Ayun, you¡¯re my wife; I feel a bit heartache.¡±


    A particularly calm sentence, slowly coming out of his mouth, yet it somehow touched me deeply.


    For a long while afterward, I remained silent.


    I could feel that his movements were noticeably gentler.


    A continuous stinging sensation came from my back.


    In fact, I didn¡¯t know the extent of the injuries on my back.


    Not until I saw my top lying on the floor, covered with many slashes.


    Indeed, those were the marks of a knife cut; only then I realized those ruthless people had slashed me with a knife.


    After cleaning my wounds, Ding Yinuo didn¡¯t leave but stayed seated by my side.


    ¡°Lie on your side, it will help the wound heal better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±


    Actually, lying down felt more uncomfortable.


    Lying down, however slight, would put pressure on the wound, and it might be better to walk around a bit.


    Meanwhile, there was some noise coming from downstairs.


    When I dressed in my robe and came out to greet them, I saw Wenya, Su Peisheng, and Jian Jing, among others, hurrying over.


    They immediately grabbed my hand upon seeing me.


    ¡°Ayun, how are you? Are you alright?¡±


    Jian Jing was the most anxious, she had witnessed me being bullied by that group of people.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just some minor injuries.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want them to worry, so I mentioned it lightly.


    But Ding Yinuo immediately added,


    ¡°The injuries are very serious!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Ayun, I¡¯m so sorry, I¡¯m so useless. I couldn¡¯t protect you, I really¡­ feel like a complete waste!¡±


    Jian Jing was overwhelmed with guilt, apologizing to me constantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, I saw at that time, you were taken hostage. You had no choice, are you hurt?¡±


    In the chaos, I noticed that Jian Jing also seemed to have been attacked, but since she wasn¡¯t the main target, the attacks she suffered were not as strong; those people were simply maniacs.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I was just kicked a few times on the foot. It¡¯s better now. Is the baby in your stomach alright?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, no worries! Everything is okay.¡±


    Wenya came over too, and seeing the scars on my arm, she cursed out of concern.


    ¡°Those Jiang bastards are no good at all! If she dares to do this to you, I¡¯ll burn down the Jiang Family to the freaking ground.¡±


    ¡°Calm down a bit¡­¡±


    I was soothing Wenya.


    Wenya is just impulsive like that, if I hadn¡¯t stopped her, she probably would have done something stupid again.


    ¡°You really should hurry up and marry Su Peisheng, having a lawyer husband to back you up¡­¡±


    I just shook my head.


    Wenya didn¡¯t take it to heart,


    ¡°Do you think he can control me?¡±


    ¡°Whether he can control you isn¡¯t important, what¡¯s important is having someone to clean up the mess for you, otherwise you would spend your life in prison.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that exaggerated, I grew up without him, and I haven¡¯t been to jail¡­ but the Jiang Family really pisses me off, we can¡¯t just let them off.¡±


    ¡°I also think they¡¯ve gone too far, by the way, did you and Su Peisheng see it happen too?¡±


    Jian Jing asked Wenya.


    Wenya shook her head,


    ¡°We were paying the bill at that time, Su Peisheng being stingy, said downloading some app would get us a 70% discount. So, we downloaded the app, waited for over ten minutes to finish paying, and only then, when we went out, did we hear the chatter in the crowd and saw that old Lady Jiang still bemoaning Ayun¡¯s faults. I wanted to go over and give her a beating, but Su Peisheng stopped me. It pissed me off so much I almost broke up with him. Something happens and he doesn¡¯t stand by me, just keeps telling me to calm down, calm down. What¡¯s the use of being calm?¡±


    ¡°Ah, if you had seen it, you could have been witnesses!¡± Jian Jing let out a sigh.


    While it was somewhat related to old Lady Jiang, she did not lay a hand on anyone.


    The real physical violence was done by the onlooking crowd.


    After the incident, these people scattered, and it was very difficult to investigate and hold anyone accountable since you can¡¯t even identify who they were.


    Just as we were discussing this, there came a disturbance from downstairs.


    I exchanged a glance with Wenya, who rushed to say,


    ¡°Oh no, it couldn¡¯t be Su Peisheng and Gu Yuanzhou fighting, could it?¡±


    ¡°What Gu Yuanzhou, isn¡¯t it Louis?¡±


    Jian Yan asked curiously.


    Wenya snorted coldly,


    ¡°Bullshit, even if he turned into ashes, I could recognize him. What damn Louis, if that¡¯s not Gu Yuanzhou I will write the Wen character upside down.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go down and check it out!¡±


    I led Wenya and Jian Jing downstairs.


    As we walked down the spiral staircase, we saw Gu Yuanzhou raging.


    He smashed a liquor cabinet with a punch, and bottles of red wine tumbled out, exploding into splashes on the ground.


    Su Peisheng was beside him, quietly trying to talk him down.


    It seemed like whatever was said, it wasn¡¯t to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s liking, and Gu Yuanzhou smashed all the bottles.


    ¡°Wenya, tell Su Peisheng to stop talking; Gu Yuanzhou is quite domineering, and he won¡¯t listen to reason.¡±


    Ding Yinuo hurried downstairs.


    She grabbed Su Peisheng,


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I just had a few arguments with him, he said¡­ the injury to Ayun, it¡¯s all because of your Ding Family, and demands the Ding Family pay the price.¡±


    Su Peisheng shook his head while sighing,


    ¡°How can there be someone so unreasonable.¡±


    Ding Yinou fell silent.


    As for me, I just stood there, watching Gu Yuanzhou go mad, like a rage-filled lion.


    So, a group of us watched as Gu Yuanzhou lost his temper.


    The servants were so frightened they shrank into a corner, looking on from a distance, not daring to approach.


    It was Jian Jing who stepped forward,


    ¡°Um, Mr. Gu, did our arrival disturb you? If you have any issues, we¡¯ll leave right now. But considering Ayun¡¯s injury, couldn¡¯t you calm down a bit?¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s words completely enraged Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    He suddenly turned his head to look at Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°What are you planning to do about this?¡±

 Chapter 473 - Chapter 473: Chapter 473: Do You Still Love Ayun?

    Chapter 473: Chapter 473: Do You Still Love Ayun?


    ¡°`


    Ding Yinuo was suddenly asked this and didn¡¯t speak at once.


    It was Su Peisheng who spoke first, though,


    ¡°I¡¯ve already explained to you just now, we will send a lawyer¡¯s letter to the Jiang Family, and then we¡¯ll demand compensation from them.¡±


    Su Peisheng was a lawyer, and it was likely that this solution was proposed by him. It was the most balanced, best solution available.


    These two had a good relationship, so what he said was basically what Ding Yinuo meant.


    Gu Yuanzhou stood with his hands in his suit pockets, looking formidable.


    He didn¡¯t pay any attention to Su Peisheng but instead questioned Ding Yinuo directly.


    ¡°Is that what he said, yes?¡±


    After a moment of silence, Ding Yinuo nodded in agreement.


    Gu Yuanzhou snorted coldly,


    ¡°Is that all you can do?¡±


    His tone was filled with contempt and disdain, as if he was very dissatisfied with this way of handling the situation.


    ¡°This is my own issue, it has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Ding Yinuo replied indifferently.


    Gu Yuanzhou angrily slapped the table and roared on the spot,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, you don¡¯t deserve Ayun, you¡¯re just a damn good-for-nothing. Such a big incident has happened, and you just send a lawyer¡¯s letter!¡±


    ¡°Oh? And what would you do if you were in my place?¡±


    Ding Yinuo looked at Gu Yuanzhou with a sneer.


    Gu Yuanzhou ignored Ding Yinuo and went straight to Jian Jing,


    ¡°You all were there, right?¡±


    Jian Jing looked embarrassed,


    ¡°Yes! But at that time, I was held hostage and pulled away. I couldn¡¯t get close to Ayun at all.¡±


    ¡°Besides the Jiang Family¡¯s old lady, do you remember anyone else at the scene?¡±


    Jian Jing shook her head,


    ¡°I can¡¯t remember, there were so many people at the time, Ayun¡¯s bag was snatched away, and it still hasn¡¯t been retrieved. We¡¯ve already reported it to the police, and they said they would help us investigate.¡±


    ¡°You, you¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou was still very angry. His finger pointed at Jian Jing, then shifted to Xiang Wenya, and then to Su Peisheng¡­


    The rage burning within him cast a dense shadow over the entire villa.


    ¡°A bunch of idiots, can¡¯t even protect your companion, how dare you take her out?¡±


    Wenya was known for her fiery temper, but at this time, she remained silent despite being scolded.


    Although Jian Jing looked embarrassed, she didn¡¯t offer an excuse,


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s our fault. We didn¡¯t help Ayun and instead caused her to get hurt. It¡¯s our fault, we won¡¯t shirk responsibility. You can berate us however you want.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave this matter here. It wasn¡¯t deliberate, and they were injured as well because of me.¡±


    In fact, in my heart, I didn¡¯t blame Wenya and Jian Jing at all.


    But Gu Yuanzhou was relentless,


    ¡°What do you mean by leaving this matter here? The issue has not even begun yet¡ªwhere are we even at in this matter?¡±


    ¡°Um, the police will take care of it!¡±


    ¡°You wish! There¡¯s a saying ¡®the law does not concern itself with trifles¡¯, with so many people at the scene, in the end, probably not a single one will be held accountable.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore, my injuries aren¡¯t that serious. Anyway, the only person liable to be pursued is the one surnamed Jiang.¡±


    ¡°Whether or not to pursue this matter is up to me, not you.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou said with an overwhelming aura, silencing me without room for argument.


    He didn¡¯t allow me to rebut.


    Afterward, he directly called Awu over.


    ¡°Immediately release a news statement¡ªoffer a million to find witnesses to today¡¯s fiasco. I want photos from the scene. Anyone who laid a hand there can¡¯t be let off.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Awu turned and left to handle the task immediately.


    Jian Jing and Wenya looked at each other, evidently not expecting Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s reaction to be this severe.


    After issuing this command, Gu Yuanzhou stood up and made a phone call.


    ¡°`


    He walked over to the window with his phone in hand.


    After speaking for about fifteen minutes, he hung up.


    ¡°Er, I feel like Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t do anything wrong in this matter.¡±


    Wenya, who had always looked down on Gu Yuanzhou, surprisingly was the first to rebel.


    She walked up to me, showing support for Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s actions.


    Jiang Jing whispered,


    ¡°This, how should I put it¡­ how is Ding Yinuo supposed to endure this?¡±


    The conversation between these two progressed to this point.


    Gu Yuanzhou then sat down beside the sofa again, holding a lighter in his hand and lighting a cigarette for himself.


    Faint wisps of smoke billowed out from his mouth like cloud-puffing dragons.


    An hour later, Awu came back.


    ¡°Found it, a security manager at the mall opposite captured the entire incident on his phone, all the involved parties are in this video.¡±


    Awu handed the phone to Gu Yuanzhou.


    After watching the video for a while, Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s expression suddenly changed.


    The cigarette in his hand was quickly pinched out between his fingertips.


    ¡°Those bitches in the front row, the five who laid hands on her, I want all their information!¡±


    The video clearly captured all those who had participated, including their facial expressions.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Awu took the order and left.


    Wenya glanced sideways at the video,


    ¡°Er, so it was these people who laid hands. Then what do you plan to do with them?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, smoking his cigarette, cast a violent glance at her and said,


    ¡°Whichever hand touched Ayun, that¡¯s the hand I¡¯ll chop off, how does that sound?¡±


    Shock filled Wenya¡¯s eyes upon hearing this, but she didn¡¯t object. Instead, she said,


    ¡°These people hurt Ayun; they deserve it. In my view, they should also get a beating.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at Wenya meaningfully.


    He curled his lips into a satisfied smirk and then turned to glance at me¡­ before looking back at Wenya,


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll capture them, and when it comes to revenge and chopping off hands, you¡¯ll carry it out. How about that?¡±


    Wenya, caught up in her anger, actually agreed on the spot,


    ¡°Fine! Those villains hurt Ayun; they must be punished.¡±


    At this moment, Su Peisheng stepped forward, approaching Wenya¡¯s side and whispered,


    ¡°This is not right! Criminals have rights to personal protection too. If you harm them like this, you¡¯ll go to prison. Don¡¯t be foolish. Following the law is the most rational choice; don¡¯t let him lead you into a trap.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou picked up the teacup from the tabletop and scoffed,


    ¡°Coward!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to show off strength when you can subdue your opponent. Sometimes even excessive self-defense is a crime.¡±


    Su Peisheng spoke confidently.


    His words did make sense, but who was Gu Yuanzhou?


    If he lost his temper, the things he could do were terrifying, unpredictable.


    To tell the truth, I had no idea what he might be capable of.


    Hearing this, Gu Yuanzhou immediately stood up,


    ¡°I will bear all the consequences myself. Whether it is committing a crime, going to jail, or even getting the death penalty, I will take it all. How about that, any more objections?¡±


    His words left Su Peisheng speechless on the spot.


    Touching his nose, Su Peisheng said,


    ¡°You¡¯re being extreme, why go to such lengths?¡±


    At that moment, Wenya suddenly stood up and directly asked Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to show that you love Ayun more than Ding Yinuo does?¡±


    Her question completely caught everyone off guard, silencing the whole room.


    Although Lin Anqi was not at home at the time, several servants were in the living room. It¡¯s worth mentioning that Afang was also there, eavesdropping with pricked ears.

 Chapter 474 - Chapter 474: Chapter 475: His Ruthlessness

    Chapter 474: Chapter 475: His Ruthlessness


    Lin Anqi seemed not to trust the treatment of my injury and called another doctor to help me.


    In fact, Ding Yinuo was already sufficient.


    But Lin Anqi¡¯s enthusiasm was hard to reject, so I had to comply with her wishes.


    When the doctor gave me another checkup, embarrassingly, he turned out to be Ding Yinuo¡¯s colleague.


    While prescribing medication or treating me, he always sought Ding Yinuo¡¯s opinion.


    In the end, he even told Lin Anqi,


    ¡°Actually, Dr. Ding¡¯s treatment was very appropriate, and there¡¯s no need for any additional measures.¡±


    ¡°Then will my sister have any sequelae in the future?¡±


    ¡°As long as she takes good care of herself, her skin won¡¯t scar, and she shouldn¡¯t have any sequelae.¡±


    ¡°Good, thank you, Doctor!¡±


    Lin Anqi¡¯s left foot seemed to be severely sprained.


    She needed a crutch to move around, but this did not affect her concern for me.


    She always wanted to take good care of me, seemingly afraid that I wouldn¡¯t eat well, and specifically called Afang over,


    ¡°Did you hear what the doctor just said? We need to enhance the nutrition in my sister¡¯s diet, with more calcium. From now on, when you stew bird¡¯s nest, make a portion for my sister too.¡±


    Afang seemed somewhat unconvinced,


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re pregnant, and you¡¯re injured too. Why do you always think about others and not yourself?¡±


    Lin Anqi said,


    ¡°Sister is also pregnant, and there¡¯s a baby in her belly that needs careful nurturing as well.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Miss, that bird¡¯s nest is very expensive, tens of thousands for a pound¡­¡±


    Afang resisted openly and covertly, never wanting to give me any advantage.


    Lin Anqi could no longer tolerate it and finally intensified her tone.


    ¡°From now on, don¡¯t say such things. Father has said that sister is also a young lady of the Lin Family, and we two should be treated the same, without favoring one over the other. If you can¡¯t treat us fairly, then I may not be able to let you continue in this job.¡±


    This stern tone made Afang¡¯s expression finally become much more restrained.


    She bowed her head slightly and replied in a low voice,


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Lin Anqi then took my hand and repeatedly said,


    ¡°Sister, please don¡¯t take offense at what she just said. As long as I¡¯m here, I will definitely not let you suffer any loss.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, alright!¡±


    With Lin Anqi¡¯s deep affections for me, I could no longer bring myself to hate Gu Yuanzhou.


    After saying these words, Lin Anqi then said to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°The doctor mentioned I need to have a prenatal checkup tomorrow. Will you be free to accompany me?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s tone softened considerably,


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    After a while, Lin Anqi looked at me again,


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re almost as far along in your pregnancy as I am, you should have a checkup too. How about we go together tomorrow?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s dark eyes looked at me without saying a word.


    I couldn¡¯t decipher his emotions.


    Did he want me to go?


    Or did he want me to refuse?


    After a moment¡¯s thought, I declined.


    After all, I¡¯m not stupid!


    I certainly wouldn¡¯t go with the three of them, allowing him to feel good about himself.


    ¡°Anqi, I¡¯d rather not go for now. Ding Yinuo usually takes care of me, so there won¡¯t be any problems. Even for a prenatal checkup, Ding Yinuo should accompany me, you two go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Alright then!¡±


    Lin Anqi nodded and said to Gu Yuanzhou,


    ¡°Louis, I¡¯m not feeling well. Could you help me to the bedroom?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou assisted Lin Anqi as they walked toward the bedroom.


    By this time, Wenya leisurely strolled back from outside.


    Seeing this, she felt somewhat emotional,


    ¡°I have to say, your stepsister¡¯s skills are really high, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    I poured a cup of tea for her,


    ¡°What nonsense are you thinking about now?¡±


    Wenya looked around, and upon discovering that there were no servants nearby, she leaned close to my ear and said,


    ¡°Did you notice? She¡¯s really good at handling people! She manages everything so perfectly, down to the smallest detail, and is so warm to you; she¡¯s even better than a real sister!¡±


    I took a sip of my tea and said calmly,


    ¡°She¡¯s kind!¡±


    ¡°Kind? I don¡¯t see it. She¡¯s not that good to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not her sister! If you were her sister, she would be good to you too!¡±


    ¡°Look at you, she stole your man, and still, you¡¯re defending her. It shows you¡¯ve really been brainwashed by her.¡±


    ¡°Wenya, you can¡¯t say that. She didn¡¯t know that Louis was Gu Yuanzhou¡­ and besides, I¡¯m no longer Song Yun. I¡¯m the ex-wife of Ding Yinuo, and with my embarrassing status, I¡¯ve long lost the right to be with Gu Yuanzhou. Moreover, I can tell that Anqi truly loves Gu Yuanzhou, and he cherishes her too. They are a perfect match, and I wish them happiness.¡±


    My tone remained steady.


    But Wenya was not convinced; she shook her head in disbelief,


    ¡°Ayun, don¡¯t talk like that; I know you. The way you look at Gu Yuanzhou¡­ it¡¯s really telling.¡±


    ¡°Not really!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t deny it. After more than a decade of marriage, all the little moments, I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ve truly given up on him. Ayun, stop deceiving yourself; I¡¯m not someone else. There¡¯s no need to put on a facade in front of me!¡±


    ¡°Wenya, I¡¯m really not!¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap¡­ We grew up together like siblings. Don¡¯t you think I know what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    I found myself getting somewhat angry at Wenya,


    ¡°So, what do you want me to do, go fight with her? Start a catfight over a man? In fact, it¡¯s not her problem at all; it¡¯s Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s problem. If Gu Yuanzhou had me in his heart, if he loved me, how could he even think of bothering Lin Anqi? Causing a scene with Lin Anqi now would only inflate Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s ego, and make him think he¡¯s something special.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wenya sighed deeply,


    ¡°Alright, I was being superficial. You¡¯re absolutely right!¡±


    Wenya shook her head with a look of wanting to say more, but ultimately, she swallowed the words she had about Lin Anqi.


    ¡°Take care and heal up. I¡¯ll come to see you when I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll see you out!¡±


    ¡°No need for that; you can hardly walk. Go rest!¡±


    Wenya took her leave with Su Peisheng.


    Actually, after that, it seemed as if the matter had died down. Gu Yuanzhou did not bring it up again, and I thought he might have said those things in a moment of anger at Ding Yinuo, not seriously considering putting them into action.


    Until a few days later, a sensational piece of news broke out in A City.


    A coach bus had crashed into the Long River. The driver and five passengers were onboard; the driver was rescued but all five passengers died.


    The security cameras had captured the faces of the five passengers. Looking at them, they seemed to be the same people who had attacked me the other days¡­


    In that moment, my heart fluttered.


    I truly had no idea when he had taken action, or how he had done it?


    But one look and I knew it was Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s doing; this man was ruthless.


    That afternoon, I went to find Gu Yuanzhou.


    Right then, he sat on the sofa, smoking a cigarette while looking out the window and holding a glass of red wine.


    The speakers were playing saxophone music, and his slightly squinted dark eyes carried a touch of profoundness.


    ¡°Mr. Louis is in the mood for wine?¡±


    I asked him as I entered.


    Gu Yuanzhou stood up, his hand undoing the cuff button of his black shirt, a hint of a smile on his lips as he looked at me, ¡°Today¡¯s a good day, worth celebrating with a couple of drinks, don¡¯t you think?¡±

 Chapter 475 - Chapter 475: Chapter 474: Who Loves Ayun More

    Chapter 475: Chapter 474: Who Loves Ayun More


    Regardless, it¡¯s highly inappropriate to ask such questions in this kind of setting.


    But Wenya is just that kind of person, lacking in cunning; she speaks without considering the situation and is somewhat heedless of the consequences.


    I looked around and noticed that the servants were all ears.


    These words would surely reach Lin Anqi¡¯s ears once we turn our backs.


    As expected, Gu Yuanzhou was questioned about it.


    His dark eyes stared at me for a long time and then glanced at Wenya.


    ¡°In your eyes, has Mr. Ding ever loved Ayun?¡±


    Ding Yinuo, who had been silent all this while, seemed unable to stand it any longer and finally spoke up for himself.


    ¡°Ayun is my wife; of course, I love her. And this love has been constant from childhood to adulthood. Love has many forms of expression, not necessarily always intense. There¡¯s also the gentle and enduring kind¡­¡±


    Before Ding Yinuo could finish, Gu Yuanzhou interrupted him with a sneer,


    ¡°Incompetence is incompetence, a coward is a coward! Those words are nothing but a cover for yourself. If every man in the world thought like you, why would we need wars?¡±


    ¡°So, what you¡¯re implying is, you love Ayun more than I do?¡±


    Ding Yinuo, perhaps driven to confusion by anger, retorted with a question of his own.


    Had this statement been made under normal circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t have been particularly harmful, but in the Lin Family, in the midst of a large living room full of people, it would certainly have a significant impact once it got out.


    I, too, watched Gu Yuanzhou to see what he would indeed say.


    Sure enough, he took a cigarette out of the pack, ignited it with a clink of the lighter, and sat down facing Ding Yinuo,


    ¡°Yes, I love her. What about it?¡±


    The statement shocked everyone present.


    He had just acknowledged it in front of everyone?


    Just as I thought he was indeed audacious, he suddenly changed his tone,


    ¡°Ayun is Lin Anqi¡¯s sister and part of the Lin Family. What is wrong with me protecting her? Every member of the family is important to me and worth loving.¡±


    Ding Yinuo responded unflinchingly to his comment.


    ¡°So, the love you profess for her is only because of Lin Anqi, right? It¡¯s merely an associative emotion¡ªthat¡¯s not true love.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou smoked and looked at him with a cold smile,


    ¡°You don¡¯t know a damn thing! If you could handle the issues, why would she need me to step in?¡±


    In the midst of their argument, a servant hurried over.


    ¡°Mr. Louis, Miss Lin sprained her ankle shopping at Zhongbei Shopping Mall. Do you want to¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go pick her up!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou grabbed his coat and hurried out.


    I watched as Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s figure swiftly disappeared from sight.


    It was then that Wenya burst out,


    ¡°Jerks always value other women more. All that talk about love is just deception.¡±


    Jian Jing sighed deeply, ¡°Ah!¡±


    Ding Yinuo came over to me,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the room and rest. With your injuries, you shouldn¡¯t be moving around too much.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sure!¡±


    Ding Yinuo helped me back to the room.


    Jian Jing and Wenya also accompanied me back to the bedroom. With my injuries, I couldn¡¯t lie down, so I could only sit on the sofa, leaning back.


    The servants brewed some tea and brought in a fruit platter¡­


    Wenya reached for an orange, started peeling it in her hand, and said,


    ¡°Who knows how Gu Yuanzhou will deal with those people. Will he really maim them?¡±


    Lawyer Su added from the side,


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t give him any bad advice. If he really does what you suggest, you¡¯ll all be jointly responsible. You¡¯ll all end up in prison together.¡±


    Wenya rolled her eyes.


    ¡°So what if we go to prison? You¡¯re such a coward, can you even call yourself a man?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m genuinely concerned about your well-being. How did my good intentions get twisted into something so unappreciated?¡±


    ¡°By the way, Lawyer Su, have you found out about Yu Jiahang¡¯s situation?¡±


    Jian Jing asked Su Peisheng.


    ¡°Just give me a minute, I had asked a friend to look into it. I¡¯ll give him a call and check.¡±


    Su Peisheng took out his cell phone and stepped outside.


    Wenya suggested,


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯m going to stroll around this little island and get familiar with the environment.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead!¡±


    After Wenya left, Su Peisheng¡¯s phone call was completed, and Jian Jing stood beside him anxiously waiting.


    ¡°How did it go?¡±


    With a look of concern, Su Peisheng paced the bedroom for several steps before he sighed,


    ¡°You need to prepare yourself!¡±


    ¡°Just tell me, I¡¯m ready!¡±


    ¡°It seems that all the money Yu Jiahang borrowed went into P2P websites!¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means he¡¯s been gambling online. All the money he¡¯s borrowed¡­ he¡¯s gambled it away¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Jian Jing exclaimed in shock and collapsed onto the sofa.


    ¡°As far as I know, those who get involved with online gambling never end up well. You¡¯d better talk to him about this sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you¡¯re looking at a huge pit that will only grow bigger. And it might just drag you and your child down too.¡±


    Su Peisheng shook his head and sighed.


    Jian Jing¡¯s face had turned ashen, lost in her thoughts, when she came to and said to me,


    ¡°Ayun, I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t stay with you any longer, I need to go back.¡±


    I could see that Jian Jing was completely distraught, and I quickly tried to comfort her,


    ¡°Jian Jing, what do you plan to do about this?¡±


    Jian Jing¡¯s eyes reddened as she rubbed them and spoke with a choke,


    ¡°Honestly, if I had a knife in my hands right now, I would stab him hard. But for my daughter¡¯s sake, I can¡¯t be so impulsive. I need to go back and talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Jian Jing, take my advice, cut your losses in time, and get divorced! Being tied down to such trash will not bring you happiness for the rest of your life.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Jian Jing had taken my advice to heart.


    She just nodded, and when she left, she still looked deeply troubled.


    After she had gone, Lin Anqi returned.


    The moment she heard I had been hurt, she didn¡¯t even care about her own foot injury and came to see me in my room right after she got home.


    ¡°Sister, how are you feeling? I heard from Louis that you were ganged up on. Are your injuries severe? Does it hurt?¡±


    I lifted the hem of my dress to show her the wounds on my leg.


    Lin Anqi held me and began to cry out of pity.


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve been wronged, your injuries are so severe, it must hurt a lot!¡±


    I hurried to comfort her, ¡°It¡¯s okay now, don¡¯t cry. I don¡¯t feel any pain at all, really¡­¡±


    Lin Anqi dried her tears and then, clinging to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s hand, she cooed, ¡°Louis, you must protect my sister. Arrange more bodyguards for her. She¡¯s the only sister I have, and I can¡¯t let anything happen to her.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou looked at me deeply¡­

 Chapter 476 - Chapter 476: Chapter 476: Tolerance Too Low

    Chapter 476: Chapter 476: Tolerance Too Low


    ¡°`


    ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    I got straight to the point¡­


    Gu Yuanzhou unbuttoned two more buttons of his shirt and poured another glass of red wine for me.


    ¡°Drink with me!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t drink! Please answer my question.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, holding the wine glass in one hand, took a seat at the table and smiled at me,


    ¡°Why do you always need an answer? You know, some questions simply don¡¯t have answers.¡±


    ¡°Those people didn¡¯t deserve to die. They could have been sent to jail, to face legal consequences¡­¡±


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t be sent to jail. Legally speaking, the situation didn¡¯t meet the sentencing criteria, mainly because, after the appraisal, your injuries could only be considered minor¡­¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou appeared very calm, speaking so fluently and transparently.


    This also meant he had already looked into the matter.


    And then made his decision after comparison.


    ¡°So, you took matters into your own hands and killed them?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou came up behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder,


    ¡°Ayun, this world is far more complex and darker than you imagine. Sometimes, you need to be ruthless, to stop at nothing, in order to survive.¡±


    I pushed his hand away, feeling increasingly that the man in front of me was becoming stranger and more sinister.


    He looked like Gu Yuanzhou but also didn¡¯t.


    The Gu Yuanzhou in my heart was a businessman, who might engage in some underhanded activities for business competition, but never took a life.


    But now, his ruthlessness shocked me.


    Was he still him?


    In the moment of my daze, hurried footsteps approached.


    Turning around, I saw Lin Nansheng¡¯s figure enter, and I instinctively kept an appropriate distance from Gu Yuanzhou.


    Lin Nansheng seemed to be worried, still on a phone call before entering¡­


    After he hung up, I greeted him, ¡°Uncle Lin!¡±


    Lin Nansheng nodded,


    ¡°Xiaoyun, you¡¯re here too!¡±


    ¡°Is Uncle Lin here to discuss business with Louis? If so, I¡¯ll step out!¡±


    I knew Lin Nansheng was speaking quite loudly, seemingly shifting business gradually over to Gu Yuanzhou.


    Hence, I would proactively leave when it came to business secrets that I shouldn¡¯t hear.


    After all, in Lin Nansheng¡¯s eyes, I was not quite his biological daughter.


    Yet as soon as the words left my mouth, he stopped me.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go, Xiaoyun. From now on, when I discuss business with Louis, you can listen in¡­ If you run into any difficult issues, you can also offer some advice to Louis. After all, it¡¯s good to have mutual support.¡±


    Lin Nansheng had me sit next to the round table.


    Gu Yuanzhou smoked and then glanced at me sideways¡­


    In the moment our eyes met, I caught the profound significance in the corner of his mouth.


    I then said to Lin Nansheng, ¡°How about we call Anqi over too?¡±


    After all, Lin Anqi was Lin Nansheng¡¯s biological daughter and was married to Gu Yuanzhou. It would be better for them to be together.


    Lin Nansheng shook his head,


    ¡°Anqi has studied art since she was young; you ask her to play the piano, and she¡¯s very accomplished. But when it comes to doing business, she definitely can¡¯t handle it. She doesn¡¯t understand.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou also commented indifferently, ¡°She¡¯s not in good health, not suited to worry about such things!¡±


    His words made me somewhat angry!


    Was I the only one suited to worry about things?


    Forget it, I won¡¯t argue with him.


    Staying with this man, his words can always provoke me.


    Lin Nansheng patted the back of my hand,


    ¡°Anqi has never been in good health since she was young. I hope that you sisters can take care of each other.¡±


    ¡°`


    ¡°Uncle Lin, don¡¯t worry, I will!¡±


    Lin Anqi¡¯s nature was kind and gentle, and if it weren¡¯t for Gu Yuanzhou being in between, I might have treated her even better.


    Next, Lin Nansheng started talking about business.


    The matters of the business world, those are¡­


    I was actually a bit distracted listening beside them, because according to Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t like others meddling in his work.


    However, I also roughly understood that Lin Nansheng wanted to acquire the largest plot of land in Beihai Bay to build a resort and amusement park, but now he was facing all kinds of blockades from his competitors.


    The current strategies are fraught with difficulties, and the solutions tried before were no longer useful.


    Gu Yuanzhou was smoking, and during Lin Nansheng¡¯s talk, he remained silent without voicing a single opinion.


    It wasn¡¯t until Lin Nansheng finished speaking that he calmly said,


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it!¡±


    Lin Nansheng looked at him skeptically,


    ¡°Our competitor this time is the local snake boss Hegemon, who has been ruling A City for so many years. We won¡¯t be able to easily defeat him.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou calmly said,


    ¡°To kill a snake, one must strike at its seven-inch mark. Everyone has a weakness, rest assured, I can handle it.¡±


    Lin Nansheng said, ¡°All right, I knew you would have a solution. I hope it can be done as soon as possible, as I¡¯m worried that if it drags on, more complications will arise.¡±


    ¡°Rest assured!¡±


    ¡°Louis, are you short of staff on your side?¡±


    ¡°I need a female secretary!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou gave me a meaningful look.


    ¡°Tell me what kind you need, and I¡¯ll describe it for you.¡±


    ¡°Fair-skinned, beautiful, with long legs, aggressively attractive, and also needs to be savvy! Bright eyes, drinks alcohol, flirty, knows when to advance or retreat, and obedient!¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou listed a lot of requirements all at once, and Lin Nansheng agreed very readily.


    ¡°Okay, tomorrow I¡¯ll have my people prepare a list and send it to your email. You can interview them one by one.¡±


    After giving instructions, Lin Nansheng left.


    I actually had my doubts¡ªwould Lin Nansheng really find such a beautiful secretary for Gu Yuanzhou?


    Wouldn¡¯t he worry about Gu Yuanzhou being unable to control himself?


    But, that isn¡¯t something I should concern myself with.


    In recent times, Ding Yinuo continued to treat me, and the injuries on my body slowly healed.


    I didn¡¯t know when, but those news articles about Ding Yinuo online had also disappeared¡­


    During the weekend, when I was having a meal with Wenya and others.


    Wenya brought me some new information.


    ¡°Did you know? The old lady of the Jiang Family got what was coming to her.¡±


    I was picking up ribs with my chopsticks, and felt calm inside, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that she had a stroke and is now paralyzed. She¡¯s even being hospitalized at the First City Hospital!¡±


    Jian Jing was gnawing on a pig¡¯s trotter and added when she heard it,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the First City Hospital the one where Ding Yinuo works? What a coincidence?¡±


    Wenya laughed while drinking beer,


    ¡°I say, it serves that old lady right. Not only did she raise a daughter who has done many evil deeds, but she herself, despite being old, still acted shamelessly and hysterically. She wholeheartedly wanted to ruin the Ding Family, and all the misfortunes this family is suffering are well deserved.¡±


    At this moment, I finally understood why all the negative news had disappeared. The person behind it all was in trouble, so naturally, no one was stirring things up anymore.


    Jian Jing then said, ¡°Now that some people in the Jiang Family are dead and others are injured, I¡¯m just afraid of retaliation.¡±


    ¡°Retaliation?¡± I inquired doubtfully.


    Wenya replied, ¡°What retaliation? The Jiang Family doesn¡¯t have many people left. Didn¡¯t you hear that Jiang Jiaying is an only daughter?¡±


    Jian Jing shook her head, ¡°Not quite! It¡¯s said she has a sister studying abroad! The Jiang Family is rich, a large clan! Jiang Jiaying¡¯s father and his two brothers make for quite a few male cousins in her family. It¡¯s just a matter of whether they wish to seek revenge or not. If they truly wish for revenge, the opportunity is always there¡­¡±


    Wenya said, ¡°That¡¯s true, now that you mention it, I¡¯m starting to feel a bit uneasy.¡±


    With that statement from Wenya, Jian Jing suddenly felt uneasy. She nudged me with her elbow and whispered,


    ¡°Ayun, see that man over there? I think he¡¯s been following us for a long time. When we were shopping at the mall earlier, he was behind us, and now that we¡¯re eating, he¡¯s here too¡­¡±

 Chapter 477 - Chapter 477: Chapter 477 Divorce Agreement

    Chapter 477: Chapter 477 Divorce Agreement


    I followed Jian Jing¡¯s gaze and saw a man at the opposite table indeed, dressed in a blue suit, with a buzz cut, a square face, and deep-set facial features.


    He was quite burly, and unlike other patrons here to dine, he just had a cup of coffee and was reading a newspaper.


    In this day and age, not many people read newspapers, so him holding the paper seemed less about reading and more about concealing his actions.


    Wenya also looked over,


    ¡°Ah, he looks somewhat familiar!¡±


    At this point, I also recognized him.


    So I called out to him, ¡°Awu!¡±


    Upon hearing his name, the man set down his newspaper and walked over to me, greeting me respectfully,


    ¡°Miss, do you have any instructions for me?¡±


    I smiled at him,


    ¡°No instructions, I just saw you sitting alone over there. Why don¡¯t you come and join us for a meal? My friend is treating, so feel free to order anything you like.¡±


    Awu seemed a bit embarrassed,


    ¡°Is that really okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you were here to eat anyway, isn¡¯t it more lively to eat together?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not here to eat!¡±


    Awu looked troubled.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not here to eat, are you here to follow us?¡± Wenya asked curiously.


    Caught in the act, Awu¡¯s face turned slightly red,


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, I¡¯m not following you. I¡¯m here on orders to protect the miss.¡±


    I was slightly surprised, and I gave him a deeper look,


    ¡°Awu, sit down and join us, we¡¯re going to be eating for a while anyway!¡±


    Jian Jing asked curiously,


    ¡°By orders? Do you mean by Gu¡­ Louis¡¯s command?¡±


    Finally, Awu agreed to pull out a chair and sit down, and I called a waiter over to bring him a set of utensils.


    Awu took a sip of chrysanthemum tea passed to him by the server and slowly shook his head,


    ¡°No¡­ I am here on the orders of the second young miss to protect the elder miss. The second young miss said that since the elder miss is pregnant and has poor eyesight, it would be very dangerous if she encountered bad people again. That¡¯s why she sent me to protect you in secret.¡±


    Hearing this, everyone at the table was shocked.


    Myself included.


    I really hadn¡¯t expected Lin Anqi to be so thoughtful; I had always thought it was Gu Yuanzhou who had arranged this.


    Wenya then exclaimed,


    ¡°And here I thought it was that jerk!¡±


    Jian Jing laughed,


    ¡°Sisterly love runs deep, after all.¡±


    Wenya said,


    ¡°The blood shared between sisters runs the same in our veins, making our bond deeper than any romance. Blood ties are more reliable than romantic ones.¡±


    Jian Jing also said,


    ¡°Your sister really does care a lot about you.¡±


    At that moment, Awu also said,


    ¡°Miss Anqi has always been kind-hearted since she was young. She wouldn¡¯t do anything bad. Since she has no siblings, she treasures her sisterly bond with the miss very much.¡±


    Awu¡¯s words left Jian Jing and Wenya reflecting for a long time.


    After dinner, Jian Jing suddenly pointed at a figure in the distance and exclaimed, ¡°Yu Jiahang!¡±


    That man had just come out of a shopping mall, spotted Jian Jing, and turned to run away¡­


    Without even caring for her meal, Jian Jing immediately chased after him, shouting as she went,


    ¡°Yu Jiahang, stop right there! Yu Jiahang, don¡¯t run!¡±


    I turned to Wenya and asked, ¡°What¡¯s all this about?¡±


    ¡°Yu Jiahang has been taking online loans! Now Jian Jing is looking for him everywhere, wanting to talk to him. This man has been avoiding her, not answering her calls, running away the moment he sees her. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Why not corner him at home?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no use, he hardly ever comes home, now he is resting God knows where every day. Jian Yan has waited at his mother¡¯s house multiple times and has never run into him.¡±


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to be married, then just get a divorce, otherwise dragging on like this poses a big threat to Jian Yan,¡±


    ¡°The problem now isn¡¯t about who wants a divorce, the problem is that Yu Jiahang simply refuses to talk, he won¡¯t even meet face to face, he just wants to drag it out.¡±


    We watched Jian Yan chasing after Yu Jiahang, running out of her high heels.


    Unfortunately, she was too slow, and she could only watch as Yu Jiahang ran away¡­


    Meanwhile, Awu, who had been eating, seemed to have heard our discussion about Jian Yan and stood up,


    ¡°I¡¯ll go have a look.¡±


    A moment later, Jian Yan, dragging her weary legs and limping, came over, carrying her high heels in her hand.


    ¡°Damn it, he ran too fast, I¡¯m really drunk.¡±


    Jian Yan wore a look of dejection¡­


    But what she least expected was that, moments later, Awu came running back.


    In his hand, he was holding on to a man, none other than Yu Jiahang.


    Yu Jiahang was brought over tied up, his hands bound with Awu¡¯s necktie.


    Despite clearly being reluctant, he didn¡¯t dare to resist; there were several marks on his face, clearly, Awu had given him a rough time.


    ¡°Miss Jian, it¡¯s your call now.¡±


    Awu directly pushed Yu Jiahang in front of Jian Yan.


    Jian Yan sighed, turning to Wenya, ¡°Please ask Su Peisheng to come over.¡±


    Wenya said, ¡°He¡¯s nearby, I¡¯ll give him a call.¡±


    As it turned out, there was a courthouse nearby, and Lawyer Su had just finished handling a divorce case there.


    Upon receiving Wenya¡¯s call, he came over without delay.


    Yu Jiahang was still complaining,


    ¡°It¡¯s illegal to kidnap me like this; it¡¯s a crime, I¡¯m going to call the police!¡±


    Lawyer Su replied,


    ¡°Mr. Yu, by stealing your wife¡¯s ID card and borrowing a large loan to gamble online without her consent, you have already violated the law. If you call the police, it will just be more convenient to lock you up.¡±


    If it came to legal clauses, Lawyer Su was the professional.


    Knowing he was in the wrong, Yu Jiahang didn¡¯t dare to make a sound and instead complained to Jian Yan,


    ¡°Are you sick, ganging up with outsiders to bully your husband?¡±


    Jian Yan couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and said to Lawyer Su instead,


    ¡°Lawyer Su, I asked you to bring a copy of the divorce agreement earlier, did you bring it?¡±


    ¡°I brought it, and I have already drawn it up according to your requirements. Take a look.¡±


    Jian Yan took the divorce agreement and skimmed through it, seeing all the clauses she wanted, she quickly took a pen and signed her name.


    Then she pushed it in front of Yu Jiahang,


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn now. From this moment on, you are no longer my husband.¡±


    ¡°But how can I write when my hands are tied?¡±


    Yu Jiahang protested.


    Awu then untied his wrists for him,


    ¡°You better keep it straight, or I¡¯ll knock your teeth out.¡±


    With Awu waving his fist and threatening beside him, Yu Jiahang signed his name on the agreement.


    After both parties had signed, the marriage was officially over.


    It was after Jian Yan had dealt with Yu Jiahang¡¯s issue.


    After we had paid our bill, we were about to leave and head home when Wenya stopped me.


    ¡°Look, that woman is really freaking beautiful.¡±


    I looked up, and from a black luxury car, a young woman in a red tight dress stepped out, her long chestnut hair cascading over her shoulders like seaweed, breathtakingly beautiful and sexy¡­ from a distance, she was an incredibly sexy career woman.


    ¡°Damn, she¡¯s so pretty, I¡¯m a woman and even I¡¯m enthralled! I wonder what her boyfriend looks like.¡±


    Wenya exclaimed with a sigh.


    However, the next moment, a man in a suit got out of the car. It wasn¡¯t just anyone; it was Gu Yuanzhou.


    The two of them then walked to the hotel, chatting and laughing.

 Chapter 478 - Chapter 478: Chapter 478: The Revealed Truth Behind Ding Yinuos Secret

    Chapter 478: Chapter 478: The Revealed Truth Behind Ding Yinuo¡¯s Secret


    ¡°Fuck, it¡¯s actually that scumbag Gu Yuanzhou, how could he do this?¡±


    Wenya blurted out a curse.


    I took a serious look, and actually, the two of them didn¡¯t look like a match from behind, nor did they seem to have any intimate relationship.


    Suddenly, I remembered Lin Nansheng once said he wanted to get Gu Yuanzhou a gorgeous secretary. Could it be her?


    Jian Jing said:


    ¡°It seems to be a secretary!¡±


    ¡°Having such a beautiful secretary by his side, can he still concentrate on work?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Lin Anqi mind?¡±


    Everyone was buzzing with discussion.


    As for me, I was rather calm.


    I couldn¡¯t be bothered with Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s affairs anymore.


    Wenya turned back and asked Jian Jing,


    ¡°In your divorce agreement, there¡¯s nothing about Yu JiaHangJiahang giving you any compensation besides child support for your daughter?¡±


    Jian Jing shook her head and sighed,


    ¡°Forget it, with his online gambling addiction like this, any compensation he¡¯d give me would probably be worthless, he can¡¯t do it. What I want now is to separate from him as much as possible. Only by breaking off our relationship can I protect myself. As for the rest, let¡¯s talk about it in the future.¡±


    Wenya stepped forward and hugged Jian Jing,


    ¡°Congratulations on regaining your freedom. From now on, for the rest of your life, you no longer have to be entangled with that scumbag.¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    ¡°Jian Jing, don¡¯t worry, if you have any problems in the future, just let us know. Your child is our child too, and we will all help you.¡±


    ¡°Actually, if you meet a good man, you can still go for it, don¡¯t be too obstinate. That bodyguard of yours is pretty handsome, are you interested?¡±


    To cheer Jian Jing up, Wenya made quite a joke.


    At that moment, I also went along with their laughter, when suddenly, a bout of acute pain struck, and I nearly couldn¡¯t stand.


    Fortunately, Wenya was quick to support me,


    ¡°Ayun, Ayun!¡±


    The pain made me lose my senses, and it felt as if my eyes were about to explode, with buzzing ringing in my ears.


    It was a kind of nerve pain that pulled at my entire face.


    And it was the kind of pain that was unbearable.


    As if spreading down from the crown of my head, it enveloped my whole being.


    In that instant, I felt as if I had been torn apart, shattered into several pieces.


    By the time I came to, I found myself in the hospital brought by Wenya.


    The doctor administered a painkiller shot, and only then did I slowly regain consciousness.


    But the pain had left me drenched in sweat, soaking my clothes.


    ¡°Ayun, are you awake?¡±


    Wenya was by my side, keeping me company.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m okay¡­¡±


    At this moment, I still had an IV hooked to my arm, receiving the drip.


    The on-duty doctor checked my eyes and stated bluntly,


    ¡°Miss, your eyeballs are necrotizing! You won¡¯t last long before you go blind. We recommend that you get surgery as soon as possible.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s words shocked me. My eyes were still under Ding Yinuo¡¯s treatment, how could they possibly be necrotizing?


    Wenya seemed to think the same thing as I did, and she quickly asked the doctor,


    ¡°Could you have made a mistake? Our eyes have been under treatment the whole time.¡±


    Because my pain was so intense at the time, Wenya picked the nearest hospital to rush me to.


    This wasn¡¯t the city¡¯s first hospital where Ding Yinuo worked.


    Therefore, the doctor here was not familiar with my previous condition.


    He shook his head and said,


    ¡°Which hospital treated you like this, constantly clearing away necrotic tissue without replacing the cornea? It¡¯s useless; the cornea is already necrotic. If it isn¡¯t removed soon, it will corrode the entire eye, then spread to the brain. I have to say, this doctor is extremely irresponsible. This is outright deceiving you.¡±


    After hearing this, Wenya broke out in a sweat of anxiety and kept questioning the doctor, who only sighed helplessly.


    ¡°How is that possible? You must be mistaken.¡±


    The doctor shook his head with a sigh,


    ¡°I¡¯ve practiced medicine for so many years, how could I make a mistake like that? If you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t you go ask another doctor?¡±


    The doctor left shaking his head and sighing.


    Wenya, however, was stunned for a long time before she finally let out a long sigh,


    ¡°Could it be that Ding Yinuo was pretending the whole time? How could this be? I thought he was being quite nice to you recently, devoting himself completely to you.¡±


    I remained silent.


    Actually, I¡¯ve always been puzzled about why Ding Yinuo was always secretive about my illness.


    Previously, both Lin Nansheng and Lin Anqi had urged him for a long time to decide on a surgery date, but he always gave evasive answers, never providing a clear reasoning.


    Lately, I had noticed that he was always opting for conservative treatment.


    Those treatments could only alleviate my pain but could not treat the root cause.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Wenya!¡±


    After thinking it over, I still didn¡¯t know how to respond to Wenya.


    Wenya was so angry that she immediately called Ding Yinuo and launched into a tirade over the phone.


    Half an hour later, Ding Yinuo rushed over in a hurry.


    As soon as he entered the hospital room, Wenya blocked him at the door and started berating him,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, I knew it! No wonder you didn¡¯t care when Ayun was seriously injured last time; you were the mastermind behind the scenes, the one who wanted to put Ayun in a deadly situation, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ding Yinuo turned to look at me on the bed,


    ¡°Ayun, what did the doctor here tell you?¡±


    He tried to reach for my hand, wanting to comfort me.


    I silently withdrew my hand, my gaze silent.


    Wenya snorted coldly,


    ¡°You really think someone is a fool! You vehemently opposed Ayun¡¯s going abroad for treatment, claiming lifelong commitment, staying by her side every day, so this was your true intention. Ding Yinuo, is this because Jiang Jiaying died and you feel unbalanced, wanting to take revenge on Ayun, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    This time, Ding Yinuo became visibly agitated,


    ¡°No! Of course not!¡±


    ¡°Then tell me, why would you harm Ayun?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t harm her!¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong with her eyes?¡±


    Wenya relentlessly sought a clear explanation.


    I stopped her, ¡°Wenya, let it go, don¡¯t ask anymore! Give him some dignity, and give me some too.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, you¡¯re still defending him? I¡¯m so angry, sigh, I can¡¯t stand to watch this anymore, I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    Wenya was impulsive, and if she had stayed, she would surely have ended up fighting with Ding Yinuo.


    Watching her pack her bag and leave, I did not ask her to stay.


    Only the two of us were left in the hospital room.


    Ding Yinuo looked at me, while I turned my gaze to the window.


    ¡°Ayun, do you also hate me in your heart?¡±


    Ding Yinuo asked in a deep voice, I pursed my lips and stayed silent, truthfully, I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Ayun, let me ask you, do you trust me?¡±


    After a while, I replied indifferently, ¡°Trust? How can I trust you when you refuse to tell me the truth?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to say, I¡¯m just afraid that you won¡¯t be able to accept it if I do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather suffer consciously than numb myself with lies.¡±


    After hesitating for a while, Ding Yinuo decided to tell me the truth.

 Chapter 479 - Chapter 479: Chapter 479 Ding Yinuos Apology

    Chapter 479: Chapter 479 Ding Yinuo¡¯s Apology


    ¡°I indeed opted for conservative treatment with you, because the necrosis of your cornea is irreversible. The only solution is a corneal transplant, but over these days, I¡¯ve been secretly searching for a matching cornea without success. I had planned to tell you once I found a donor, never expecting your eyes to deteriorate faster than I imagined.¡±


    Ding Yinuo spoke in a very heavy tone.


    As expected, after he revealed the truth, my mood plummeted to rock bottom.


    I became dejected.


    The inability to find a donor also meant that I was going blind.


    This is a terrifying prospect.


    Having been blind before, I knew all too well¡­


    That¡¯s when you stand at a crossroads, never knowing if a dog will rush out to bite you, if a car will come hurtling towards you, if the person beside you is a friend or a ghost.


    The taste of being engulfed in darkness is something I absolutely do not want to experience again.


    Ding Yinuo sat next to my bed, took my hand, and urged me,


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll find a way.¡±


    ¡°What can you do? You¡¯re just a doctor, not a god. You can¡¯t conjure a cornea out of thin air, can you?¡±


    I said helplessly.


    In truth, I felt quite despondent and didn¡¯t want to say another word.


    Ding Yinuo just sat quietly beside me, holding my hand tightly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s switch hospitals, go to the First City Hospital. I can continue to treat you there.¡±


    ¡°No need, let¡¯s just stay here.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t quite explain why, but I was holding back a burst of frustration.


    Or perhaps it was a loss of faith in the future, a profound desolation. At this point, I couldn¡¯t take in anything Yinuo said.


    I never thought the blindness would come so swiftly.


    The effect of the anesthetic wore off rapidly, and the pain came back, this time like an avalanche.


    I was almost driven mad by the torment¡­


    Really, that pain was frightening. Every time it flared up, I wished I could smash my head against a wall to shatter it and be done with it.


    This time they increased the dose of anesthesia¡­


    I fell into a deep sleep that lasted a day and a night.


    When I woke up, my vision was already blurry.


    I could faintly see several white figures moving in front of me; I tried hard to blink my eyes.


    It took a long while before my sight cleared up¡­


    Only then did I realize there were many people in the patient room.


    Lin Nansheng, Gu Yuanzhou, Ding Yinuo, and Lin Anqi had all come.


    Those white figures were the doctors of the hospital.


    They were discussing something, and, now that I was conscious, I could hear everything clearly.


    The doctor said, ¡°The patient¡¯s cornea is completely necrotic. It must be removed immediately, or else the infection might spread to the brain cells, which would be troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Is it that serious?¡± Lin Nansheng¡¯s voice trembled, and he seemed to have lost his composure.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. Sister has divine protection; her eyesight will definitely recover.¡±


    Lin Anqi was comforting Lin Nansheng on the side.


    Lin Nansheng kept sighing.


    Ding Yinuo declared firmly beside him,


    ¡°I¡¯ll perform the surgery!¡±


    Before he finished speaking, Gu Yuanzhou grabbed him by the collar and slammed him violently against the wall, punching him squarely in the nose.


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s nose bled on the spot; he neither fought back nor retaliated.


    ¡°You son of a bitch, are you sent by the Jiang Family? Are you deliberately trying to kill Ayun? How did I not see through you sooner?¡±


    ¡°Louis, stop it!¡±


    Watching Gu Yuanzhou get angry, Lin Anqi quickly got up to mediate.


    She wrapped her arms around Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s and pulled him away a bit.


    Yet, Gu Yuanzhou still pointed at Ding Yinuo¡¯s nose, cursing,


    ¡°Get out of here immediately, don¡¯t come any closer to Ayun, or I¡¯ll kill you right now.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Ding Yinuo¡¯s face showed no fear as he calmly wiped away the blood from his nose.


    He stubbornly said to Lin Nansheng,


    ¡°Uncle Lin, let me perform the surgery on Ayun¡¯s eyes. Other doctors don¡¯t have as much experience as I do, and I want to do one last operation for her.¡±


    Lin Nansheng sighed,


    ¡°Little Ding, can you really cure Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes?¡±


    Ding Yinuo turned his head and glanced at me,


    ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    Lin Nansheng sighed and shook his head,


    ¡°To be honest, I had high hopes for you at the beginning. I thought you could take good care of Xiaoyun, and I even considered letting you two remarry. But you ended up doing such a thing. How can I trust you again?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Lin!¡±


    ¡°Enough said, sigh! I¡¯ve already given you a chance, but this time, let it be. Let the doctors in this hospital do it. It¡¯s just the removal of the necrotic cornea, not a major surgery. Others are capable, so you should rest well.¡±


    When Ding Yinuo looked at me again, his eyes were full of pain.


    He came over to me again and held my hand.


    I silently withdrew my hand¡­


    ¡°Ayun, do you not trust me either?¡±


    Ding Yinuo¡¯s voice trembled slightly.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your intervention back then, I could have gone abroad and maybe my eyes would have been healed.¡±


    My voice was hoarse, and to say that I felt no resentment at all would be impossible.


    ¡°Impossible, Ayun. Your eyes wouldn¡¯t have been any use abroad either.¡±


    ¡°Why impossible? If you can do the surgery, can¡¯t they do it abroad?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    Ding Yinuo struggled for a while before saying,


    ¡°Ayun, I am truly sorry, really sorry!¡±


    ¡°Sorry for what? Ding Yinuo, what exactly did you do?¡±


    I could tell he was hiding something from me, and it was something deep.


    ¡°Sorry!¡±


    He kept apologizing over and over, but still refused to explain why.


    I was so angry,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo, it¡¯s gotten to this point and you still won¡¯t tell the truth. Do you realize that I could possibly die on the operating table? If you don¡¯t explain now, you¡¯ll never have the chance.¡±


    Ding Yinuo seemed to finally grasp the severity of the situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. During the last surgery on you, I connected all the nerves incorrectly, which led to the gradual necrosis of your cornea. Unless the cornea is removed, there¡¯s no saving it. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t let you go abroad¡ªbecause there was no cure¡­¡±


    Ding Yinuo said with deep sorrow.


    After I heard this, my heart also grew colder.


    Lin Nansheng too was beating his chest in frustration upon hearing these words.


    In a fit of rage, Gu Yuanzhou charged in and threw a barrage of punches and kicks at Ding Yinuo before pushing him out of the ward, then instructed the bodyguards outside.


    ¡°Block him, don¡¯t let him in again.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, what kind of person is this? With my temper, I really want to kill him!¡±


    ¡°Forget it, Louis, with the way sister is suffering right now, you need to calm down!¡± Lin Anqi said, persuading Gu Yuanzhou to hold back.


    However, reality did not afford me much time,


    After the doctors consulted, they decided to perform the surgery to remove my necrotic cornea.


    The surgery was soon underway, and after that, I never saw Ding Yinuo again.

 Chapter 480 - Chapter 480: Chapter 480 Surgery

    Chapter 480: Chapter 480 Surgery


    Because of the anesthesia, I didn¡¯t have much sensation, or perhaps the dose was too large¡ªI lost consciousness for a long time.


    At that time, my heart also plummeted to rock bottom.


    I had already prepared myself to spend the rest of my life blind.


    I held no hope whatsoever.


    The surgery seemed to take a very long time.


    At times I was lucid, and at other times I was groggy.


    In my haze, I seemed to hear Ding Yinuo calling my name during the operation.


    After a while, I began to hear Lin Nansheng and Lin Anqi¡¯s voices near me.


    ¡°Dad, when do you think Sister will wake up?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say, the doctor said at least three days!¡±


    ¡°Having tubes all over must be really uncomfortable, right?¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­ about Dr. Ding¡¯s situation, should we tell Sister?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, let it go, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. It¡¯s too upsetting.¡±


    Hearing their conversation, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit suspicious¡ªwhat happened to Ding Yinuo?


    Did something happen between him and Gu Yuanzhou?


    ¡°Uncle Lin!¡±


    At my slightest movement, they immediately gathered around me.


    Lin Anqi came over and took my hand,


    ¡°Sister, how do you feel right now?¡±


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s like there¡¯s a layer of gauze over my eyes, I can¡¯t see anything clearly.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the doctor said it will take a week before we can take off the gauze. Does it still hurt?¡±


    Lin Anqi asked with care, and I felt around a bit. There was indeed a slight pain in my eyes, but it was within a bearable range.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt that much anymore!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, the doctor said the surgery was very successful!¡±


    Although Lin Anqi and Lin Nansheng were reassuring me, I knew very well that their idea of a successful surgery was merely the successful removal of the cornea.


    Even if the wounds were to heal, I would still be blind from now on.


    For the rest of my life, I was going to live in darkness forever.


    However, I didn¡¯t feel too much sorrow. The previous episode of blindness had already taught me to accept reality.


    Once I was fully conscious, Wenya and Jian Jing came to visit me one after the other.


    Bringing me delicious food, they talked about things that had been happening outside.


    Jian Jing even took special care to tell me about company matters, trying to lift my spirits a bit.


    But in fact, I was very calm, with no ripples in my heart.


    Gu Yuanzhou was also mingling in the crowd. Although he was silent, I could feel his presence.


    He was right there beside me, standing silently, sometimes for hours at a time.


    Finally, when there was no one else in the ward, I said to him,


    ¡°Prepare a white cane for me!¡±


    He answered me in a deep voice,


    ¡°You don¡¯t need it!¡±


    ¡°What, now that I¡¯m blind, are you still going to be difficult with me?¡±


    ¡°Who says you¡¯re blind?¡±


    ¡°Are you just trying to comfort me again? There¡¯s no need for that, I can endure it on my own. Being blind isn¡¯t something new to me.¡±


    I said helplessly, and he passed his hand over my forehead and gently touched the thick gauze over my eyes.


    ¡°Stop thinking about what could¡¯ve been. Who knows, maybe things will turn out okay.¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    I took Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s words as mere comfort, so I didn¡¯t take them to heart.


    On the third day after the surgery, I was already able to get out of bed and grope my way forward.


    Although my eyes were still covered with gauze, when I strained to blink, I could feel light filtering in.


    It was that kind of dim light source peeking in through the edges of the gauze.


    I was puzzled. Wasn¡¯t I blind?


    Why did I feel like I could sense the light source¡­


    Although I was somewhat puzzled, I knew there was no way for me to regain my sight, so I didn¡¯t dwell on it.


    In the following days, my condition improved more and more.


    Jian Jing would bring her daughter over to chat with me, the little girl babbling away as she learned to speak.


    Wenya would bring a lot of delicious treats and even said that when my eyes were better, we should go play an escape room game together.


    A new murder mystery game came out; it sounded like fun.


    I just smiled and said nothing.


    Who has ever heard of a blind person playing a murder mystery game?


    But, to not dampen their spirits, I didn¡¯t object and even agreed to their plans cheerfully.


    Time flew by, and before I knew it a week had passed.


    Today was the day to remove the stitches.


    My friends all came to the hospital to wait.


    The air was filled with tension.


    Sitting on the hospital bed, in the darkness, a large hand gripped mine tightly, as if to lend me strength.


    Even though he didn¡¯t make a sound, I knew it was Gu Yuanzhou.


    Wenya was cheering me on at my side,


    ¡°Ayun, your eyes will definitely get better. Just for the sake of playing the murder mystery game together, your eyes must heal.¡±


    ¡°Not just the murder mystery game, we sisters are going to drink, travel, and go deep-sea fishing.¡±


    ¡°Right, there¡¯s a new SPA in town that¡¯s opened up. They do amazing face treatments and the massage is really comfortable; I¡¯m treating.¡±


    A group of them were chattering nonstop, excitedly.


    My mood was very calm.


    I could clearly feel the doctor¡¯s hands gently lifting the gauze from my face.


    Layer by layer.


    Strangely enough, with each layer of gauze removed, the light became clearer and clearer.


    Until the last layer was peeled away, the doctor instructed,


    ¡°First close your eyes, cover them with your hands, then slowly remove your hands.¡±


    Although I didn¡¯t understand the reasoning, I complied.


    I moved my fingers away from my eyes, little by little.


    After a while, I opened my eyes.


    Actually, there were no windows open in the patient¡¯s room; they had closed them, fearing I would be stimulated, and only the light from inside the room was present.


    Yet, even this soft light made my eyes sensitive, and I had to shield them with my hands immediately.


    As I slowly released my fingers again, several big heads crowded in front of my face.


    ¡°Ayun, can you see me?¡±


    ¡°Ayun, look at my hand, what number is this?¡±


    ¡°Sister, can you see my phone?¡±


    Several people waved at me as if I were still blind.


    I widened my eyes, staring blankly at the people before me.


    ¡°It¡¯s over, Ayun can¡¯t see, she¡¯s not saying a word. I knew it, that doctor didn¡¯t know squat, talking about being certain of the recovery. No, we¡¯re going to make them pay.¡± Wenya couldn¡¯t contain herself and burst out first.


    Only then did I speak up,


    ¡°Wenya, I can see you.¡±


    Wenya, who had already run to the door of the ward, came hurrying back, waving her hands in front of me again,


    ¡°Can you really see? What number is this?¡±


    I grabbed her hand,


    ¡°Stop it, why can¡¯t I see? Wasn¡¯t I supposed to undergo corneal excision surgery?¡±


    At that moment, the lead surgeon walked in with a look of satisfaction,


    ¡°You¡¯re really lucky! Originally, we were only going to perform a corneal excision, but on that day, a volunteer happened to donate a cornea that matched your blood type. So, during the surgery, we also transplanted it for you.¡±


    The lead surgeon came over, shone a flashlight in my eye for an examination, and finally gave a thumbs-up.


    ¡°Good, the recovery is going very well!¡±


    I took the opportunity to ask,


    ¡°Who is the volunteer? Where are they now? I¡¯d like to visit them to express my gratitude.¡±

 Chapter 481 - Chapter 481: Chapter 481: This Is The End

    Chapter 481: Chapter 481: This Is The End


    ¡°Yes, Doctor! That mysterious volunteer donated their cornea and restored my sister¡¯s health. Our whole family wants to go express our gratitude.¡±


    The doctor shook his head,


    ¡°I can¡¯t reveal that information!¡±


    I was puzzled,


    ¡°Donating a cornea is a charitable act. Rest assured, I am not going to harass anyone; I just want to say thank you.¡±


    The doctor still refused,


    ¡°No good, the donor signed a confidentiality agreement with the hospital. We don¡¯t have the right to disclose it.¡±


    ¡°Ayun, this is because you¡¯ve done so many good deeds; you¡¯ve received the grace of heaven.¡±


    Wenya was thrilled beyond words; she hugged me tightly.


    Through the crowd, I saw Gu Yuanzhou standing at the door of the ward, smoking, looking at me with complex eyes.


    It was hard to tell what his mix of sorrow and joy really meant at that moment.


    At this time, Lin Anqi was asking the doctor with great concern,


    ¡°The child in my sister¡¯s womb is okay, right? She had surgery and was given so much anesthesia. Will it affect the fetus?¡±


    ¡°We chose the drugs least stimulating for the child as much as possible during the surgery. As it stands, the fetus¡¯s development is unaffected. Of course, when you reach four to five months, you should go in for screening. If the screening clears, then everything will be smooth.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Doctor. After we go back, are there any other things we need to be mindful of?¡±


    ¡°In terms of diet, try to eat light! And keep your mood cheerful!¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you, Doctor.¡±


    Lin Anqi was especially attentive to me; she took out a notebook and wrote down all the doctor¡¯s instructions.


    To be honest, just for her sincere care, I couldn¡¯t possibly harbor any complaints against her because of Gu Yuanzhou.


    Not even the slightest bit.


    After completing the hospital discharge procedures, I stood under the sunshine for a long time.


    Bathing in the sunlight, I stretched out my hand to feel the free wind, looked up at the blue sky and white clouds, and suddenly felt how wonderful it is to have eyesight.


    Jian Jing followed behind me and said softly,


    ¡°Ding Yinuo is really something, claiming over and over that he still loves you, even planning to remarry you, but when it comes down to it, he won¡¯t even come to see you once. You¡¯ve been hospitalized for so many days, and he hasn¡¯t come to visit you at all.¡±


    My memory of Ding Yinuo last stopped at the day I was admitted to the hospital, amid his dispute with Gu Yuanzhou.


    I had no idea what happened after that.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he get into a fight with Gu Yuanzhou that day? Gu Yuanzhou said he assigned bodyguards to keep an eye on him and not let him get close, did you know?¡±


    I asked Jian Jing.


    Jian Jing nodded,


    ¡°I know about that; I saw it too, Ding Yinuo¡¯s face was all swollen. But Gu Yuanzhou didn¡¯t really assign bodyguards to guard, however, Ding Yinuo never came back after that.¡±


    ¡°He really didn¡¯t come back?¡±


    ¡°Mhm, he never came back!¡±


    Just then, Wenya and Su Peisheng walked over, and I took the opportunity to ask him,


    ¡°Lawyer Su, have you seen Ding Yinuo recently?¡±


    On hearing this, Wenya said,


    ¡°Ayun, have you lost your mind? Your eyes were damaged by Ding Yinuo, why are you still thinking about him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not thinking about him; I just don¡¯t know what kind of state Gu Yuanzhou beat him into, that¡¯s all I¡¯m asking.¡±


    Su Peisheng seemed reluctant to answer my question. After I asked a few times, he finally answered hesitantly,


    ¡°I¡¯m not clear on the specific situation, but Ding Yinuo has resigned from the City Hospital. I went to his house last time, but couldn¡¯t find him. I heard he has gone abroad.¡±


    Before I could speak, Wenya cursed again,


    ¡°Damn it, fleeing abroad when things go awry, that¡¯s the epitome of scum. At the very least he should come to apologize, right?¡±


    ¡°Let it go, Wenya! No more talking about it¡­¡±


    I don¡¯t know why, but I just can¡¯t bring myself to hate Ding Yinuo.


    Even though I knew he had deliberately hurt my eyes, I couldn¡¯t hate or resent him as Wenya said I should.


    After being discharged from the hospital.


    At Lin Nansheng¡¯s request, I moved to Yiju Island.


    Because Ding Yinuo had disappeared, Lin Nansheng felt there was nobody to take care of me, and moving to Yiju Island meant that someone could.


    I didn¡¯t refuse.


    Lin Anqi and Lin Nansheng treated me like family, and I really liked them in my heart.


    A week later.


    My eyes had completely recovered, but I needed to take the anti-rejection medication prescribed by the hospital regularly.


    Now living on Yiju Island, I can see Gu Yuanzhou almost every day¡­


    But actually, during the daytime, he¡¯s out socializing and I don¡¯t see him.


    He usually comes back after nine at night¡­


    To avoid meeting him, I make sure to return to my room promptly at eight fifty, and then I lie on the couch in my bedroom, scrolling through my phone by myself.


    Wenya sent me two dates,


    ¡°Which one do you think is better?¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Su Fagun proposed to me! My mom has been nagging me non-stop, so I¡¯ve decided to accept him.¡±


    ¡°Well, congratulations to you both, as for the date, the sooner the better. Let¡¯s pick the ninth, for everlasting love.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with your suggestion! Hey, you have no idea how worried my mom was about me getting married. When discussing the dowry, she didn¡¯t even want a single cent and even offered a car as a dowry, fearing the Su family might have second thoughts. You wouldn¡¯t believe how submissive she acted, it was so embarrassing for me.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re not getting any younger yourself!¡±


    ¡°Cut it out, I may not be young, but I¡¯m outstanding, okay!¡±


    I chatted with Wenya until after ten and then hung up.


    Pregnant women tend to get sleepy very easily; after turning off my phone, I fell asleep on the couch.


    I don¡¯t know when, but I was awakened by some strange noise.


    Opening my eyes, moonlight shone through the window, and a figure stood by the bed.


    In a pure black shirt, with deep eyes, I recognized it was Gu Yuanzhou at a glance.


    Startled, I immediately sat up. Just as I was about to reach for the light, he caught my hand, stopping me.


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, what the hell do you want?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to see you sleeping¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s incredibly rude to sneak into another woman¡¯s bedroom in the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°I come here every night without harassing you! What are you afraid of?¡±


    ¡°You, you, you¡­¡±


    He sat down by the bed and let go of my hand.


    However, he didn¡¯t do anything inappropriate; he just looked at me.


    In truth, I didn¡¯t dare to make any noise.


    It would be even worse if others heard us.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, I just want to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to talk about; I want to sleep now. You can leave.¡±


    Instead of leaving, he grabbed my wrist, pulling me into his arms, and his other hand caressed my cheek.


    ¡°Ayun! I must come to see you every night, only seeing you quenches the fire that burns in my heart¡­ You don¡¯t know, every night I dream of you and the kids¡­¡±


    His voice was low, filled with sorrow.


    I could smell the alcohol on him, and in a burst of deep emotion, he suddenly hugged me tight.

 Chapter 482 - Chapter 482: Chapter 482: Grand Finale

    Chapter 482: Chapter 482: Grand Finale


    Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s remarks made me empathize deeply. It wasn¡¯t just him, I was suffering as well.


    After all, emerging from such a tragedy was incredibly difficult.


    I instinctively hugged him tightly.


    He gave me an appropriate response.


    However, in our moment of passion, I suddenly came to my senses; our relationship had already ended.


    The reality was that he was now Lin Anqi¡¯s husband.


    Lin Anqi was my sister, and he was my brother-in-law. I couldn¡¯t be with him any longer.


    So, amidst the passion, I pushed him away.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Leave, I don¡¯t want to see you anymore!¡±


    ¡°Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Enough, don¡¯t call me Ayun!¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to push me away?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yuanzhou, we may have loved each other, but that¡¯s all in the past.¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou, relying on the courage from a few drinks, held me tightly,


    ¡°There is no past, Ayun. I dream about you every night; I can¡¯t lose you again. I can¡¯t get over this hurdle.¡±


    ¡°Have you gone mad? You are now Louis, you are someone else¡¯s husband. Go back to your own room and stop this confusion here!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going, Ayun. I am your Gu Yuanzhou, not Louis.¡±


    This man had truly gone crazy.


    He couldn¡¯t be reasoned with.


    He just lay on my bed, crying and causing a scene. His loss of composure was evident. If I forcibly removed him, I feared it would cause a huge commotion.


    After some thought, I decided not to ask him to leave for the time being.


    He made a fuss for a while, but eventually, as the alcohol wore off, he quietly lay down and soon fell asleep.


    He managed to sleep, but I was unable to close my eyes, watching over him with wide-open eyes.


    Early the next morning, as the sky began to brighten, I got up, intending to find Awu to help take Gu Yuanzhou out.


    But to my surprise, as soon as I opened the door, Lin Anqi walked in.


    ¡°Sister, the workers at the farm said the strawberries are ripe. I was thinking of asking you to go picking with me¡­¡±


    She had barely finished speaking when her gaze fell on my bed, instantly noticing Gu Yuanzhou, who was sound asleep.


    It was indeed a bit awkward.


    Fortunately, I wasn¡¯t in bed, so I explained to Lin Anqi,


    ¡°He was drunk last night and mistook my room for yours. It was too late to wake him, so I slept on the sofa.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lin Anqi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much, as if she believed what I said.


    ¡°Oh, then I¡¯m sorry for the trouble, Sister. I¡¯ll take him back to the bedroom now.¡±


    Lin Anqi called the security guard to carry Gu Yuanzhou into her own bedroom.


    At that moment, she had no desire to go pick strawberries anymore.


    ¡°Anqi¡­¡±


    I hesitated about what to say, thinking to myself that if Lin Anqi asked me for any reason, I would tell her everything.


    But as she looked at me, her expression was so innocent, as if she hadn¡¯t any suspicions at all.


    Yet, I faintly felt that something was not quite right.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of my own guilt or if there was indeed a subtle change in Lin Anqi¡¯s attitude towards me.


    She seemed to avoid maintaining close proximity to Gu Yuanzhou in front of me from then on.


    A week later was Wenya¡¯s wedding with Su Peisheng.


    I attended in full dress.


    Watching a friend of many years find true love, I felt genuinely happy for her.


    Su Peisheng was a man of noble appearance, polite and handsome.


    Wenya, dressed in her wedding gown, was stunning as well. In the presence of friends and family from both sides, they exchanged rings and made their vows of love.


    And on this day, I encountered Mother Ding¡­


    The Ding Family had been long-time acquaintances with the Su Family, so it was natural for Mother Ding not to miss Su Peisheng¡¯s wedding.


    What surprised me, however, was that my seat wasn¡¯t far from hers. A single glance was enough to meet each other¡¯s eyes, yet she pretended not to see me.


    During the toast, everybody was eating and drinking merrily, and soon after the banquet ended, she was quick to leave.


    I still stood up and stopped her, ¡°Auntie!¡±


    I knew that the Ding family were reasonable people. She wouldn¡¯t ignore me over a trivial matter. Moreover, she always believed the child in my womb was Ding Yinuo¡¯s. She had no reason to ignore me.


    If she was clearly disregarding me, it meant there must be a particular reason she was doing this deliberately.


    Upon hearing me, Mother Ding stopped and looked at me. I noticed that in just a month, her hair had turned completely white, and her eyes had become murky, as if she had suffered a significant life event.

 Chapter 483 - Chapter 483: Chapter 482: Grand Finale Part 2

    Chapter 483: Chapter 482: Grand Finale Part 2


    ¡°Auntie, do you avoid me when you see me because I did something wrong?¡±


    Mother Ding sighed deeply, looked at me again, and suddenly tears started flowing from her eyes.


    Seeing this, I got a bit anxious and continued to ask,


    ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s wrong? If there¡¯s something upsetting you, you can tell me!¡±


    She sighed,


    ¡°It¡¯s his fate! It¡¯s the karma he¡¯s created, he deserves it. As his mother, I shouldn¡¯t feel sorry for him.¡±


    ¡°Auntie, I haven¡¯t seen Ding Yinuo for a long time, and I can¡¯t get in touch with him either. I heard from Su Peisheng that he went abroad, is that true?¡±


    Actually, I found it strange. Ding Yinuo was so close to Su Peisheng, so naturally, he should have attended Su Peisheng¡¯s wedding.


    Even if he was abroad, he could have taken some time to come back. It¡¯s just a flight of a dozen or so hours.


    Mother Ding sighed deeply,


    ¡°He¡¯s not abroad, he¡¯s on Qingyun Mountain!¡±


    I was even more shocked,


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t he come to Su Peisheng¡¯s wedding?¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t come, he has no face to show up!¡±


    ¡°Auntie, what on earth happened? Can you tell me, please?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I promised him I wouldn¡¯t reveal it to anyone. Child, you live your life well from now on, forget about Yinuo!¡±


    ¡°Auntie, even if I have to forget, I need to have a clear understanding, don¡¯t I? I can¡¯t just forget about it when it¡¯s so unclear, can I?¡±


    Mother Ding really kept her mouth shut; no matter how much I asked, she didn¡¯t reveal a single word.


    She just kept saying that Ding Yinuo brought it upon himself¡­


    After the wedding was over.


    Back on Yiju Island¡­


    By that time, the sky had already grown dim. I was sitting alone on the sofa, looking at my phone, discussing Ding Yinuo¡¯s current situation with Jian Jing.


    I simply couldn¡¯t understand what Ding Yinuo was doing at Qingshan Temple now.


    Maybe I was too engrossed in the chat with Jian Jing and didn¡¯t notice a man approaching by my side.


    By the time I came to my senses, Gu Yuanzhou was already sitting next to the sofa, wrapping his arm around me, with a ring in his hand.


    ¡°Look, do you like this?¡±


    It was a platinum ring with a blue diamond, something I had wanted many years ago, but the exorbitant price had made me step back.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Yuanzhou had bought it now.


    ¡°How much is this?¡±


    ¡°Money is not the issue, as long as you like it.¡±


    He started to slip the ring onto my finger. I truly liked the ring and got a bit carried away for a moment, failing to notice that Lin Anqi had reached the doorway.


    What she could see was Gu Yuanzhou embracing me, a scene of close intimacy. She must have been shocked.


    ¡°Anqi!¡±


    I hurriedly stood up.


    Lin Anqi nodded, her face etched with embarrassment, ¡°Sis, you¡¯re all here!¡±


    ¡°Anqi¡­ let¡¯s talk!¡±


    I intended to explain things to her alone, but she waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sis. I¡¯ve been out all day and am a bit tired. I want to rest now. We can talk about it tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright.¡±


    I stood there, watching Lin Anqi quickly walk to her bedroom.


    I kicked Gu Yuanzhou.


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. Can¡¯t you restrain yourself a bit, indulging like this at home? Look what¡¯s happened now! Aren¡¯t you going to explain to her right away?¡±


    Gu Yuanzhou remained seated, lazily retorting, ¡°No need!¡±


    ¡°Hey, you!¡±


    I talked for a long time, but Gu Yuanzhou remained indifferent.


    He stayed with me for over an hour before heading towards Lin Anqi¡¯s bedroom.


    I didn¡¯t sleep well that night, not knowing if Gu Yuanzhou had explained things to Lin Anqi.


    I even thought about moving out from here tomorrow if things didn¡¯t improve.


    I struggled with this idea until dawn.


    The next morning, just after six, a servant came knocking on the door. ¡°Miss, the Second Miss asks you to come to her room.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    I freshened up and hurried over.


    After entering, I found several suitcases packed in Lin Anqi¡¯s bedroom.


    She stood by the window, holding her arms and looking somewhat melancholic.


    ¡°Anqi, I¡¯m sorry, about yesterday, I can explain¡­¡±


    Lin Anqi turned to look at me, quickly stepped forward, and took my hand,


    ¡°Sis, you don¡¯t have to explain. He told me everything, you were his lover from the start, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, although I have a past with him, since the two of you truly love each other, I wish you happiness, and I¡¯m willing to step aside.¡±

 Chapter 484_End - Chapter 484: Chapter 482: Grand Finale Part 3

    Chapter 484: Chapter 482: Grand Finale Part 3


    Lin Anqi shook her head with a smile, ¡°No need, sister! The one who should leave is me, not you!¡±


    ¡°Anqi, I know you¡¯re kind-hearted, but love is something you can¡¯t just hand over to someone else; it¡¯s your happiness for a lifetime,¡± she said.


    ¡°Sister, sit down, let me explain it to you slowly,¡± Anqi implored.


    Then, Lin Anqi revealed the entire history between her and Gu Yuanzhou.


    It turned out that during her university years, Lin Anqi had been in love with a man named Louis, and the two of them had even gotten pregnant together.


    They had planned to go to the United States together to meet Louis¡¯s family and to hold a wedding, but coincidentally, there was an accident on the cruise ship on that day.


    In Louis¡¯s country, a child had to be born in wedlock to be considered legitimate.


    Gu Yuanzhou happened to be on that cruise, and seeing that he resembled Louis to an extent, Lin Anqi pleaded with Gu Yuanzhou to impersonate Louis and go with her to register their marriage.


    During this time together, she gradually developed feelings for Gu Yuanzhou¡­


    ¡°Sister, I know I was wrong! The child in my belly isn¡¯t Gu Yuanzhou¡¯s. I can¡¯t let my selfishness force him to do something he doesn¡¯t want to do for the rest of his life. Now, I¡¯m giving him back to you, you two are the true couple,¡± she said.


    ¡°Anqi!¡±


    I wanted to speak but halted, as Lin Anqi patted my shoulder,


    ¡°I need to go back for a while, my mom is not in good health, and she misses me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll come back in three months. By then, I hope to drink to your wedding. Also, you don¡¯t have to worry about dad, I¡¯ll explain everything to him,¡± she assured.


    Although I didn¡¯t know what Gu Yuanzhou had said to Lin Anqi, I had to admit that this man still had some skills.


    Lin Anqi left peacefully¡­


    Right after Lin Anqi left, Gu Yuanzhou couldn¡¯t wait to move into my room.


    The original housekeeper, Afang, didn¡¯t get along with me, so he fired her and hired a whole new set of servants.


    After ten months of pregnancy, I gave birth to a precious daughter.


    Coincidentally, this child was not only born on the same day as my eldest daughter, but even weighed the same, seven pounds nine ounces.


    I knew that the universe had its own arrangements, and everything I had lost would be returned to me by the heavens.


    After the baby¡¯s first full month, Jian Jing took me to Qingshan Temple to burn incense and fulfill a vow.


    That¡¯s when Ding Yinuo came to my mind.


    After inquiring around, I finally saw that solitary and cold figure in a simple monastery room.


    He was monotonously beating a wooden fish, sitting on a cushion, his entire being so ethereal as if he did not partake in the concerns of the mortal world.


    ¡°Ding Yinuo!¡±


    I knew it was him, I called out to him several times, but he seemed not to hear, intent on chanting, as if he had gone to another world.


    Seeing that shouting his name elicited no response, a young monk by the side kindly said,


    ¡°Patron, there is no use in calling for him, he is blind, he cannot see you!¡±


    Hearing this, my heart trembled, and I grabbed the monk¡¯s sleeve,


    ¡°How did he become blind?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s said that he donated his eyes to his lover¡­ Ah, but that¡¯s just what I¡¯ve heard, I don¡¯t know the details!¡±


    I wanted to inquire further, but the monk had already walked away¡­


    On the way down the mountain, my heart was constantly in turmoil, because I knew that the corneas in my eyes were donated by Ding Yinuo.


    He had given me the light of his remaining life!


    Afterward, whenever I went to Qingshan Temple, I never saw Ding Yinuo again.


    Some said there was a monk wandering near Sifang Mountain with excellent medical skills; even though he was blind, he was very good at treating illnesses¡­


    Despite my inquiries, I never got the chance to meet him again.


    A year later, I remarried Gu Yuanzhou, and we had a second child, a son!


    I knew that all my children had come back to me!


    In this life, I would love them with all my heart!


    End of the story!