Chapter 342 - 342:i Was Wronged
Chapter 342 - 342:i Was Wronged
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Brother, do you have a strategy?¡± Gu Ci knew that this n was too vicious, and her determination was the same as Jiang Junlin¡¯s.
¡°This is a dead end, and there¡¯s no way out,¡± Wan Changtian said. ¡°He instructed that if anything happened to him, the Dark Web would fall into your hands. Whether you want to betray or be loyal, it¡¯s up to you. Just remember one thing, the Dark Web is a double-edged sword, and it should never harm its own.¡±
Gu Ci remained calm, despite the inner turmoil and torment. She asked, ¡°Is there no room to maneuver at all?¡±
Wan Changtian sighed, ¡°Miss Gu Ci, as you can see, the other side has been nning for many years and won¡¯t make a mistake. Unless the Jiang family is willing to bear the infamy.¡±
This was something that would stink for a thousand years!
Gu Ci couldn¡¯t let the Jiang family end up like this. Would it reallye to sacrificing her brother?
Wan Changtian said, ¡°The only way to turn things around is to make the Dark Web public, to be open and no longer hidden in the shadows. That¡¯s the only way out.¡±
Gu Ci was clever and immediately understood.
Qin Wan silently thought to herself that when it came to intelligence, she couldn¡¯tpare to them. Gu Ci and Jiang Junlin seemed to be born conspirators. On the way here, Qin Wan had heard Gu Ci say that the only way out of this situation was to make the Dark Web public.
Once it was made public, everything would be exposed!
This was not a glorious thing to do. Going public would attract a lot of criticism internationally. But if they didn¡¯t make it public, Jiang Junlin would truly have no way out.
As Gu Ci had expected, Jiang Junlin was also thinking the same way.
¡°Can I trust you?¡± Gu Ci yed with the tracker in her hand.
¡°Master anticipated that you would ask this,¡± Wan Changtian showed a video to Gu Ci, and Qin Wan also came over to analyze whether the video was authentic.
In the video, Jiang Junlin said, ¡°Cici, you must not send anyone to rescue me. The Dark Web cannot bear this infamy. It¡¯s a blessing, not a curse, and it¡¯s a curse that can¡¯t be avoided. Let it be. This is fate. Also, stop Ji Chi, he acts impulsively and would spare no cost to save me. I don¡¯t want him to have blood on his hands. If you really can¡¯t persuade him, make a bet with him¡¡±
Coming out of Wan Changtian¡¯s house, Qin Wan was still in a daze. ¡°Master is really out of his mind. He made such a long video, teaching you how to deal with Ji Chi, but didn¡¯t think about a rescue n for himself.¡±
Gu Ci, however, understood what Jiang Junlin was struggling with. There was no solution to this situation, and it was toote.
¡°Send someone to capture those assassins and hand them over to Interpol. Let them solve the case,¡± Gu Ci called Dr. North. ¡°Do it now.¡±
¡°Alright, i¡¯ll send Zhang Qiang.¡±
Qin Wan also understood Gu Ci¡¯s decision. The assassins sent by Xiao Min were not there to rescue Jiang Junlin or kill him. They were there to kill this entire team.
Bymitting murder and ming it on the Dark Web, they could force the Dark Web to spare no effort to save Jiang Junlin.
Gu Ci¡¯s mind worked quickly, and she soon figured out the trick. Qin Wan was single-mindedly focused on how to save Jiang Junlin, without thinking about the assassins. After all the careful nning, it had all gone to waste. Both Gu Ci and Qin Wan felt heavy-hearted.
They had lost control of the situation!
Gu Ci had a candid conversation with Chen Liangdong over the phone, hoping that he would consider making the Dark Web public. Chen Liangdong had already found out who was behind the scenes causing trouble.
However, this matter was quite tricky for him.
¡°Gu Ci, if Jiang Junlin dies, will you lead the Dark Web and defect?¡± Chen Liangdong asked very directly.
Gu Ci remained silent, providing no answer.
Their son was under the protection of the National Security!
If she defected, this matter would be handed over to the National Security, and the mother and son would be mortal enemies. If she didn¡¯t defect and her brother died, how could she willingly pledge allegiance? ¡°1 will kill the mastermind, for sure!¡±
She didn¡¯t give a direct answer but indirectly did. Chen Liangdong and Gu Ci¡¯smunication was always straightforward. ¡°Allow me to think about it. 1¡¯11 give you an answer before Jiang Junlin¡¯s nends.¡±
¡°Okay!¡±
Gu Ci disbanded the Dark Web¡¯s deployment in Paris and had them stay put. During this time, they were to do whatever was necessary. Zhang Qiang also handled the assassins and handed them over to Interpol.
After all was said and done, Gu Ci was exhausted. She had been working tirelessly during this period and hadn¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep. Now that the dust had settled, she felt like the hanging sword had finally fallen. All her efforts had been in vain. She only had one option left ¨C to let Lu Zhiyuan go and save Jiang Junlin. But how could she exin Jiang Junlin¡¯s mysterious disappearance from prison?
Had he calcted everything? No wonder when he came to her and learned of her decision, he didn¡¯t fully agree but also didn¡¯t veto it. Was he waiting for her to plead with him?
The Tiger Team was led by Colonel Li Mu, and they brought twenty-six people with them. As soon as theynded, they hurried to the prison to take over from Wan Changtian. The prisoner they were interested in was Zhou Qi, a forty-six-year-old man who was held on the same floor as Jiang Junlin. After the handover between Li Mu¡¯s team and Wan Changtian waspleted, they took charge of all matters rted to Jiang Junlin and Zhou Qi.
This team was well-trained, confident, and efficient. They quickly made all the necessary arrangements.
Li Mu came to see Jiang Junlin. ¡°Mr. Jiang, what have you gotten yourself into?¡±
¡°How coincidental,¡± Jiang Junlin recognized him. They were quite familiar, as the Dark Web had assisted him in conducting counter-terrorism missions abroad. Li Mu didn¡¯t know that Jiang Junlin was the mastermind of the Dark Web.
Li Mu was two years older than Jiang Junlin, exactly thirty years old. They attended the same school, although in different grades, but both were prominent figures. They had some acquaintance, andter, when Li Mu worked at the bank, they had met a few times.
He only opened the secret dossier once he was on the ne. This mission was officially about escorting Zhou Qi, but in reality, the target was Jiang Junlin. Zhou Qi¡¯s life didn¡¯t matter, but Jiang Junlin had to be brought back unharmed.
The dossier only provided him with the mission and the target, but it didn¡¯t reveal why Jiang Junlin had been detained in the first ce. As the president of Hun Bank, he had wealth and power, and Jiang Junlin was well-connected. What had he done to warrant the special attention of their team for transportation?
The Tiger Team was responsible for the mostplex and dangerous missions, always involving live ammunition. They were a formidable force, and their missions were always crucial. He knew that if the team had been dispatched, the mission was of utmost importance.
¡°I¡¯ve been wrongly used,¡± Jiang Junlin said with a touch of humor, evenughing at himself.
He who is not guilty fears no usation.
¡°We¡¯ll discuss this in court,¡± Li Mu said with a serious expression. ¡°No coercion.¡±
He no longer discussed personal matters with Jiang Junlin and was very polite. ¡°If youck anything, just let me know. Whatever 1 can do, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
In addition to bringing Jiang Junlin back unharmed, the mission also included a peculiar phrase: ¡°treat with courtesy.¡±
This was quite intriguing, and it was the first time Li Mu had encountered such a mission.
By looking at Jiang Junlin¡¯s wrist and overall condition, Li Mu could tell that he had been well-treated in prison, without any torture. Regardless of who had ordered this, Jiang Junlin seemed to have a good idea of the situation..
Chapter 343 - 343: Brother Was Caught Because of You
Chapter 343: Brother Was Caught Because of You
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Zhou Qi is the only one in charge, with everyone else around Jiang Junlin, even his food needs to be inspected.
¡°Captain, this guy has so many issues? It¡¯s tough to serve him.¡±
Li Mu said, ¡°Even young masters are hard to serve, so bear with it, we¡¯ll be done in a few days.¡±
¡°He¡¯s just a prisoner, he must have done something wrong, or else he wouldn¡¯t be locked up. Why should we be polite to him?¡±
¡°Then you talk back to him!¡±
¡°I dare not!¡± the man said softly, ¡°He¡ his presence is quite intimidating.¡±
¡°Then just keep quiet!¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Jiang Junlin was quite amused by this conversation, hearing it clearly.
He only hoped that Gu Ci could stop Ji Chi.
Ji Chi was indeed unwilling to give up. If Gu Ci gave up, he could understand. Gu Ziyu was still with the National Security, and no matter what, Gu Ci couldn¡¯t do something like this. Besides, she was born and raised in City A, so she couldn¡¯t do something like this.
Ji Chi was different; he had been abandoned since he was a child and had no sense of belonging to any ce. He only wanted one person to be safe, and if he was stopped, everyone would be a stumbling block.
He knew he couldn¡¯t snatch someone in the street, which would lead to a hail of bullets. So he was thinking, whether there was a way to switch things, to deceive and disguise, but he also knew the situation in the prison very well. It was basically impossible, except when Jiang Junlin was being escorted to the airport, there was almost no chance to act. Ji Chi was irritable and cunning.
Lu Zhiyuan asked, ¡°If one day I¡¯m arrested too, would you go to such lengths to save me?¡±
¡°Of course!¡± Ji Chi didn¡¯t hesitate.
Lu Zhiyuan felt somewhat relieved in his heart, at least he hadn¡¯t raised him in vain.
¡°Third Master, do you really have no way, or do you just not want to get involved in this matter?¡± Ji Chi couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°After meeting this time, I always feel that you have changed somewhat. You seem like a bystander, looking at us struggling in the midst of our emotions and desires. Whether it¡¯s me or Gu Ci, it¡¯s like actors on a stage, and you are the audience below the stage. You watch us perform, neither discouraging nor assisting, but staying out of it. This matter involves me and Gu Ci, can you really stay out of it?¡±
What has changed the attitude of the Third Master.
Whether it¡¯s the Third Master or the Third Young Master, before the Spring Festival, they would definitely have different views on this matter. The Third Young Master wouldn¡¯t care, and the Third Master would directly scold him for being crazy and wouldn¡¯t condone him.
¡°I told you not to interfere with Jiang Junlin, did you hear me?¡± Lu Zhiyuan said calmly, ¡°Since you¡¯ve never listened, why should I say it again? Some things, when you hit a south wall, you¡¯ll turn back.¡±
He used to think that in this world, with effort, there would always be results.
But after putting in the effort, he still lost.
He used to think that if he did no evil, did good, and was charitable, he would live a smooth life. However, he ended up in lifelong agony. Many things wouldn¡¯t change their minds until they experienced them.
¡°Third Master, Miss Gu Ci is here!¡± Li Jiang came in to report, ¡°She wants to see Ji Chi.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t surprised at all. When Ji Chi came to the living room, Gu Ci was already seated, sipping tea. In fact, Ji Chi guessed why she came, and Gu Ci had canceled all her arrangements and even booked a flight back to her home country on the same day.
¡°Gu Ci, you don¡¯t need to persuade me on this matter anymore,¡± Ji Chi, a determined man, said, ¡°I can¡¯t just watch him go down a path of no return.¡±
Gu Ci replied concisely, ¡°Brother said that you must not try to rescue him. If you harm a soldier, he¡¯ll be sentenced to death. If you obediently go along with it, he might survive, and your wishes will be fulfilled.¡±
¡°What did you say?¡± Ji Chi¡¯s pupils contracted, and his veins instantly popped.
¡°You didn¡¯t hear wrong,¡± Gu Ci spoke calmly, ¡°Brother said he¡¯s tired too. This time when he returns to our country, it might not be a dead end. He¡¯ll try to find a way to survive. If he seeds, he won¡¯t have to worry about the dark web of the underworld anymore. Then, your wishes will surely be granted. But if you act recklessly and harm someone, he won¡¯t forgive you.¡±
Ji Chi had never considered using violence to rescue him. He knew the stakes. If it were a group of mercenaries, he would definitely find a way to rescue him, and Gu Ci would assist. But if it was the Tiger Team, Ji Chi knew he couldn¡¯t touch them.
It was a dilemma.
¡°I understand,¡± Ji Chi said hoarsely, ¡°You can rest assured.¡±
¡°Ji Chi, my brother has been loyal all his life. If you love him and understand him, don¡¯t let him bear an eternal infamy,¡± Gu Ci gave up her n without hesitation upon hearing Gu Ziyu¡¯s words.
Ji Chi understood, perhaps better than anyone.
¡°If one day, Third Master and he were in the same situation, would you still be so indifferent?¡± Ji Chi asked. He and Gu Ci had simr afflictions, had done simr things, and they were perhaps the people who understood each other the most in the world.
¡°1 would!¡± Gu Ci¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°Brother and he are equally important to me, but there are things that can be done and things that shouldn¡¯t be done. As long as I haven¡¯t lost my mind, I know I shouldn¡¯t do it.¡±
Ji Chi sat quietly, and since Jiang Junlin¡¯s incident, this was the first time he had been so quiet. ¡°So, we can only leave him to fate?¡±
¡°No!¡± Gu Ci sipped her tea and said calmly, ¡°We will find another way to strive for it. 1 just want my brother to stay alive, even if we lose the underworld, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±
¡°But if we lose the underworld, with all the secrets he knows, how long can he survive?¡± Ji Chi sighed. ¡°In fact, there¡¯s a very simple solution: you kill me, and he¡¯ll be safe.¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She sincerely admired her brother. He really understood Ji Chi very well. In the video call, he wanted Gu Ci to stop Ji Chi, not for Ji Chi toe and rescue him.
It was Ji Chi who was willing to do something foolish to save him.
¡°Ji Chi, do you know why your brother was arrested? Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t tell you, and Rong Li didn¡¯t tell you either, did they?¡± Gu Ci looked at himpassionately.
She hadn¡¯t seen Ji Chi¡¯s little dimples for a long time.
He hadn¡¯t smiled in a long time.
In fact, she understood Ji Chi¡¯s obsession. This kind of craziness, willing to exchange the whole world for one person, she was the person who could empathize with Ji Chi the most. That¡¯s why her brother asked her to persuade Ji Chi.
¡°Rong Li said that Qin Wan brought me back.¡±
¡°Yes, on that day, your brother escaped but came back to find you. If he hadn¡¯te back, you would have died. They used your life to threaten your brother. If he didn¡¯t go with them, you would have died, and a sniper had their sights on your head,¡± Gu Ci said gently. ¡°He went with them willingly to save you. Do you think he didn¡¯t know the risks? But he still chose to let you live, so you must stay alive.¡±
¡°Have you ever seen a movie where a couple of lovers agreed to take poison tomit suicide? The woman took the poison very decisively and died, but the man was rescued and didn¡¯t dare to die. The woman had been a ghost for decades, always waiting for her lover, but she didn¡¯t know that her lover had be a deserter. Together in life and death is just a story in books..¡±
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Chapter 344 - 344: Love Is One Point More Than Hate
Chapter 344: Love Is One Point More Than Hate
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°If I were a woman, I wouldn¡¯t give him a chance. One bullet could take care of both. No one should expect to survive. My brother didn¡¯t want any regrets, and he has onest thing to say. He wants me to tell you that when he gets out, he¡¯ll personally speak with you. If one day he really dies, it won¡¯t be toote for you to join him in the grave.¡±
Ji Chi seemed like a treasure hunter who had suddenly found a treasure. He had faced countless hardships, traversed treacherous terrain, and risked his life in search of this treasure. Just when he was on the brink of despair, a ray of light appeared from the heavens, and the treasure was right before his eyes. He had achieved his goal and had no regrets.
Gu Ci looked at his expression and knew that her mission had been aplished. Ji Chi wouldn¡¯t act recklessly anymore. Gu Ci pushed the door and left, leaving Ji Chi alone. At the end of the corridor, Lu Zhiyuan was waiting for her.
Lu Zhiyuan stood against the light, his face blurry, but Gu Ci knew it was him. They had a strange aura between them. In fact, when they were children, she had a special fondness for Lu Zhiyuan. It was as if she had a destined affection for him. She had grown up being overlooked, never receiving any special affection except from Lu Zhiyuan. From beginning to end, he only liked her.
He was her guiding light.
So, when she lost himter, she held onto it with bitterness and resentment. She couldn¡¯t reconcile with Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s fickle affection. Why did his favore and go so easily?
After regaining what she had lost, that feeling of joy upon seeing him, the warmth in her heart, returned.
He was her obsession from childhood to adulthood.
If it was destiny, she could only ept it.
Gu Ci¡¯s heart raced, and she felt a sudden, intense pain. She saw Lu Zhiyuan rushing toward her, emerging from the backlight. Gu Ci¡¯s lips curled slightly, and she fainted in his arms.
¡°Cid!¡± Lu Zhiyuan carried her in his arms and shouted urgently, ¡°Call a doctor!¡±
Li Jiang heard themotion and quickly went to fetch a doctor.
Lu Zhiyuan held her, and the young girl in his arms felt as light as a feather, almost like a piece of paper. She had be extremely thin during this period, and it pained him deeply.
The doctor¡¯s diagnosis matched his own judgment. Gu Ci¡¯s condition was due to excessive fatigue, mild malnutrition, and excessive stress, resulting in a deficiency of both qi and blood. Qin Wan, who hade with Gu Ci, truthfully exined her recent condition to the doctor.
¡°She usually sleeps for only three or four hours. I don¡¯t know if she falls asleep at all. She has no appetite for food, just drinks water. Oh, and she frequently takes medication on an empty stomach. Dr. North and 1 have advised her many times, but the effect has been minimal,¡± Qin Wan sighed with concern. ¡°She¡¯s heartbroken, you know? It¡¯s understandable that she¡¯ll feel miserable for a while and endure some suffering.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan remained silent.
Li Jiang thought to himself, Qin Wan was definitely doing this on purpose!
¡°She¡¯s even drinking excessively!¡± Qin Wan said. ¡°Dr. North suggested a ss of red wine before bedtime, and she drinks a whole bottle. I had a ssmate who went through a breakup and drank heavily for half a month, getting drunk every day. Sigh¡¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s face was pale, she looked pitifully thin, with heavy dark circles under her eyes. In addition to the doctor¡¯s diagnosis, there was no need for Qin Wan to say it; anyone with eyes could see that Gu Ci had been going through a tough time.
¡°You all should leave for now!¡± Lu Zhiyuan took a towel, wiped the sweat from Gu Ci¡¯s forehead, and gave a cold dismissal order. Li Jiang escorted Qin Wan out and considerately closed the door.
After Lu Zhiyuan put down the towel, his fingers gently brushed over her face. He lifted Gu Ci¡¯s sleeve and examined her arms, which were covered in bruises, clearly not from idental bumps but more like self-inflicted marks.
With a moment¡¯s thought, he unbuttoned her shirt. Gu Ci was wearing jeans, and Lu Zhiyuan averted his gaze, as he had expected. Underneath the gauze on her legs, he saw the wounds that Gu Ci had repeatedly made with a knife, with cuts deep enough to expose flesh. Lu Zhiyuan clenched his teeth, and his forehead perspired slightly.
He felt anger, but he also felt helpless.
Heartache mixed with sorrow.
On her thighs, there were multiple gauze bandages, and some old scars. Her self-harm had been going on for months, and there was no improvement.
¡°Cici, what should 1 do with you?¡± Lu Zhiyuan held her hand and kissed it near his lips.
She was his precious treasure, but this treasure was too fragile, like a piece of ice, and his hands were too scorching. He wanted to hold onto this treasure, but he knew that in his palm, she would eventually melt away.
He had no choice but to let her go, hoping that she would get better. However, this precious treasure of his was still gradually fading, and he could do nothing about it.
For so many years, he had thought of countless ways to resolve this fate¡¯s entanglement, but he had never been able to untangle it. He had never given up, and Lu Zhiyuan thought back to their first lifetime.
Gu Ci had always been like the sun, resilient and unwavering, with a determined will. Even when she knew it was a dead end, she was like a moth, knowing that the fire would be fatal, but she still spread her wings and flew high, smiling brightly as she rushed toward him. Even if she didn¡¯t get close to him and her wings were burnt off by the fire, even if her body was consumed by the mes, she did it without hesitation.
Her love and hatred were both extreme!
What she wanted in love and hatred was also extreme!
He used to despise the gods, but now he only wanted to kneel and beg for guidance, to find a way to end this endless tragedy.
Gu Ci was receiving an IV, and though she had lost consciousness, she seemed far from peaceful. She mumbled to herself, and Lu Zhiyuan leaned closer to listen to her words. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, don¡¯t leave me alone. Take me with you, even if it¡¯s death, 1 want to die by your side. Don¡¯t leave me alone.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Cici¡¡±
Don¡¯t be like this, Cici!
He had tried, he had tried in the previous lifetime, but what was the oue?
Lu Zhiyuan asked Ji Chi, ¡°What did Jiang Junlin do? Do you hate him?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll never truly hate him,¡± his hatred was a result of love unfulfilled. ¡°I have hated, but love always outweighs hatred, even by a fraction.¡±
¡°Think again, what if he gets married?¡± Lu Zhiyuan said. ¡°What if he falls in love with someone else and marries them? Would you hate him then?¡±
¡°That would be simpler,¡± Ji Chi replied. ¡°Let¡¯s die together. Why hate? To be tormented for no reason, I won¡¯t live such a life. If he falls in love with someone else, either he dies, or I die!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t quite understand this group of people with such twisted psychology.
He could think of even the most absurd ways, but Ji Chi had blocked every single one of those paths. Ji Chi and Gu Ci were too simr, and his thoughts were likely mirrored by hers.
¡°Isn¡¯t living worthwhile?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
¡°What¡¯s the point of living like a walking corpse?¡± Ji Chi shrugged. ¡°Third Master, if you want to get married and break Miss Gu Ci¡¯s heart, 1 advise you to think twice.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan had considered such a possibility, but unfortunately, Ji Chi had blocked that path as well.
Gu Ci¡¯s sleep was restless, and in thete afternoon, she regained consciousness. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Lu Zhiyuan sitting by her side, his gaze burning with intensity as he looked at her..
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Chapter 345 - 345: You Like Ji Chi?
Chapter 345: You Like Ji Chi?
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
She was familiar with such a gaze; Third Young Master always looked at her with that kind of gaze.
In that gaze, she knew she was loved.
¡°Where is this?¡±
¡°My bedroom,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said. Outside the window, the sky had turned a shade of orange. Gu Ci tilted her head, calmly taking a deep breath. She cherished his presence, finding sce beside him. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Hungry¡¡± Gu Ci only felt dizzy and hungry.
Lu Zhiyuan walked over, picked up a bowl of warm soup that had been simmering. Gu Ci sat up, leaning against soft pillows. Her intravenous drip was not yet finished; she nced at the IV bag¡ªit still had two more hours to go.
¡°This is chicken soup I made in the kitchen. Have a little.¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s long hair fell gently on her shoulders, making her face appear even smaller. She looked like a girl who had been abused for a long time, and it was heart-wrenching. Lu Zhiyuan blew on the spoonful of chicken soup and brought it to her lips.
Gu Ci hesitated for a moment, her gaze fixed on him in silence. The scent of the chicken soup filled her nostrils, and their eyes seemed to entwine, like honey continuously wrapping around, sweet and sticky.
She couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth and silently drank a bowl of chicken soup.
She hated herself. Why did she faint when she saw Lu Zhiyuan? She had promised him that she would see a doctor and take care of herself, but now the pretense had been exposed.
She was like a brightly colored flower from afar, but in reality, her roots were rotting.
After drinking the soup, Lu Zhiyuan brought a bowl of porridge. He fed her slowly. Gu Ci kept her eyes down, never looking at him, quietly eating the porridge. The burning sensation of hunger finally eased.
¡°Cici, you¡¯re a doctor. Do you know why you fainted?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
Gu Ci knew full well. She didn¡¯t do it on purpose. She wanted to rest well, but she couldn¡¯t sleep. She wanted to eat properly, but she had no appetite. Her body didn¡¯t obey her brain¡¯smands. She could only watch herself day by day, getting thinner and falling into the abyss.
Physician, heal thyself. It had been true since ancient times.
She didn¡¯t want to fall ill in front of Lu Zhiyuan. She didn¡¯t want him to see her weak side, as if she were seeking sympathy. All her self-esteem and pain wereid bare before him.
She felt embarrassed and regretful.
¡°My problems are none of Third Master¡¯s concern,¡± Gu Ci raised her head, her gaze clear. ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan put down the bowl heavily, looking annoyed. ¡°Self-deception. Dr. North has been with you during your time in Paris. Have you sought help?¡±
¡°Let bygones be bygones. Whether I live or die, it has nothing to do with Third Master,¡± Gu Ci said coldly, then calmly added, ¡°I¡¯ve done as you wished, no longer bothering you. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±
¡°Cici, tell me, what do you want?¡± Lu Zhiyuanpromised.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, what do you want? Do you want me to leave? Are you the one tangled up in this now? What do you want?¡± Gu Ci¡¯s eyes were red, ¡°The best ex should be as silent as the dead, not entangled, and you shouldn¡¯t show me that you care for me so much. You can¡¯t love me, so stay away from me. Whether 1 go crazy or die, it has nothing to do with you.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was calmer than Gu Ci. ¡°Cici, when 1 left you, it was because I hoped you would live well. I wanted you to seek treatment, let go of everything, and as long as you recover, your life will be smooth sailing. Promise me, go for treatment, don¡¯t give up on yourself.¡±
¡°I won¡¯t give up on myself.¡± Gu Ci covered her head in pain, continuously patting her own head. Lu Zhiyuan suddenly embraced her, holding her wrist tightly.
Tears welled up in Gu Ci¡¯s eyes as she looked at him. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, I want to live.¡±
She didn¡¯t want Lu Zhiyuan to die either!
Lu Zhiyuan held her tightly, almost squeezing the breath out of Gu Ci. She was the girl he loved to the bone, the person he was willing to exchange his life for. He had naively thought that his death could bring about her rebirth.
But he had failed!
They were at a dead end, walking on a path of no return.
All the grievances, longing, and obsession Gu Ci had umted over the past few years poured out in Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s embrace. Gu Ci suddenly kissed him, a passionate kiss filled with her tears and despair.
The two of them tangled on the bed, and Lu Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t resist her kiss. Gu Ci bit him fiercely, drawing blood. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, if you want to love me for a lifetime, 1 can leave you, but if you ever change your mind, I will definitely kill you!¡±
That was her ultimate bottom line!
¡°You fool!¡± Lu Zhiyuan licked the blood from his lips, his expression both demonic and determined. If he were to change his mind, would he still be entangled in this tragic affair with Gu Ci?
Gu Ci remained unconscious, and Qin Wan circled around in the ck Hawk. Li Jiang couldn¡¯t stay with her for long as he had something to attend to. Qin Wan didn¡¯t need hispany either. In the evening, she went up to the rooftop, where she could watch the sunset. She wasn¡¯t afraid of the cold, sitting on the railing, swinging her legs, and lighting a cigarette. She also took a few photos of the sunset.
She hadn¡¯t expected that one day she would be on the rooftop of the ck Hawk headquarters, watching the sunset. Thest time she was in this area, it was to kill Xiao Min.
Hmm, to kill Xiao Min!
She had to take care of that before returning to her home country. She couldn¡¯t dy it any longer.
She heard footsteps behind her, and Qin Wan turned her head to see Rong Li. She had a cigarette between her fingers, and interestingly, Rong Li had one too. They exchanged a nce.
¡°Why are you here?¡± Rong Li blurted out.
¡°I¡¯m waiting for Gu Ci. I¡¯m not here to wander around your headquarters or steal secrets,¡± Qin Wan blew a smoke ring, her tone irritated.
Bad luck!
Rong Li also felt unlucky. The rooftop was his private space, and he had a bad temper, easily angered and prone to outbursts. asionally, he woulde to the rooftop to smoke and cool down.
Unexpectedly, someone else had taken his spot.
He turned to leave but then thought again. This was his territory; why should he leave?
Rong Li swaggered over, and both of them sat on the rooftop, smoking. Qin Wan frowned, finished one cigarette, and lit another. Rong Li thought to himself that this girl had quite a heavy smoking habit.
¡°I heard that Xiao Min betrayed us because she fell in love with you?¡±
¡°Do you actually believe that gossip?¡±
¡°She said it herself,¡± Qin Wan leaned against a post, propped up her legs, and asked casually, ¡°She infiltrated for several years, loyal and capable. You must be quite skilled to make her betray the Triad. A honey trap?¡±
Rong Li turned his head and smiled. With the cigarette in his hand, he exuded a unique charm. ¡°Is it possible that I offered a better price when you guys didn¡¯t pay her enough?¡±
¡°Can money buy someone¡¯s loyalty?¡±
¡°It can!¡± Rong Li said, ¡°Money is all-powerful. If it doesn¡¯t buy loyalty, it¡¯s because you didn¡¯t offer enough!¡±
Qin Wan disagreed. In her eyes, Rong Li was as good as dead. He and Xiao Min were going to die together. Qin Wan had seen Rong Li¡¯s file; he was just a student. Although he was secretly trained by Jiang Junlin, he still hadn¡¯t connected Qin Wan to the assassin from that day.
¡°Let¡¯s gossip a bit. You and Ji Chi are good buddies. My boss killed your whole family, yet Ji Chi had an affair with my boss.. Why haven¡¯t you severed ties with Ji Chi?¡±
Chapter 346 - 346: Can I Still Be Saved?
Chapter 346: Can I Still Be Saved?
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Hahaha¡¡± Rong Liughed heartily, his voice crisp as he finished his cigarette. ¡°Guess.¡±
¡°Do you also love Ji Chi?¡± Qin Wan asked.
Rong Li paused, then replied,¡±¡¡±
Qin Wan and Rong Li held opposing views, and with their stubborn personalities, it was unlikely they could extract any meaningful information from each other. So, they tacitly switched to gossip. Rong Li remarked, ¡°Do I look that foolish to you?¡±
¡°You look quite like it!¡±
¡°You have a strong aversion to ck Hawk,¡± Rong Limented, deducing Qin Wan¡¯s preferences with just a few words. Although Ji Chi and ck Hawk were archenemies, their rivalry was mostly in the realm of financial warfare.
Qin Wan¡¯s animosity was intense.
¡°Because of Ji Chi, my master has been dragged into this unnecessary mess. Why should I feel favorably toward you guys?¡±
¡°Little girl, it takes two to tango. Ji Chi might be a bit crazy, but if Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t want to be involved, they wouldn¡¯t be in this situation. Don¡¯t me everything on Ji Chi.¡±
¡°I know,¡± Qin Wan shrugged. ¡°My master is right, so it can only be Ji Chi¡¯s fault.¡±
Rong Li muttered, ¡°Idiot!¡±
¡°Do you like Xiao Min, then?¡± Qin Wan asked with a mischievous smile. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance.¡±
Her appearance was more harmless than Ji Chi¡¯s, and her smile was gentle and alluring.
¡°What chance?¡±
A chance to choose a painful death.
Qin Wan didn¡¯t answer, she just smiled at him, and Rong Li said, ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡±
He even despised those who betrayed their masters. Back then, his father had caused a catastrophe because of his betrayal, leading to their family¡¯s downfall. While he did hate Jiang Junlin, it wasn¡¯t because Jiang Junlin had killed his father.
The cmity that befell the Rong family was a result of betrayal, and the real culprit was his father. If he were in Jiang Junlin¡¯s position, he would make the same decision.
Rong Li recalled the past, and his expression darkened.
Those days were the darkest moments of his life, and he had no desire to revisit them.
¡°Jiang Junlin has killed three previous triad bosses, and two of them were personally chosen by him. Aren¡¯t you afraid that one day you¡¯ll be a victim of his bullets?¡± Rong Li questioned.
¡°They died because they deserved to die, just like Xiao Min, traitors must die!¡± Qin Wan¡¯s smile, in the light of the setting sun, was incredibly gentle. ¡°If they¡¯re not killed, should we keep them around for the New Year?¡±
¡°My father¡¯s betrayal was deserving of death, but what about my mother?¡± Rong Li asked with a deep voice. ¡°You people want to exterminate my whole family!¡±
¡°You¡¯d better investigate who really killed your family. My master shows mercy to the elderly, the sick, women, and children. He dislikes coteral damage. Otherwise, he would have killed you a long time ago. Take the Pei family, for instance; he only killed Pei Qiuying¡¯s father.¡± Qin Wan said, ¡°Don¡¯t hate the wrong person!¡±
¡°You¡¯re on his side, of course, you¡¯ll speak for him.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve seen the records,¡± Qin Wan said calmly. ¡°Who he killed, who he sent, it¡¯s all documented. There¡¯s no need to lie to you. If you want to hate my master for this, it¡¯s your choice. We have plenty of enemies.¡±
Rong Li frowned slightly.
Qin Wan continued, ¡°If your whole family met their end because of your father¡¯s actions, you can¡¯t me my master for that. Your family¡¯s downfall was brought about by your father¡¯s betrayal. If he had remained loyal and not turned against him, no one would have targeted him. My master doesn¡¯t indiscriminately kill innocent people. Of course, if you want to hate him for this, that¡¯s your choice. We have plenty of enemies.¡±
Rong Li remained silent.
¡°And by the way,¡± Qin Wan added, ¡°Your father¡¯s betrayal was rted to Third Master as well. It was him who leaked information to ck Hawk. I don¡¯t know the exact terms he negotiated with Third Master, but I¡¯m quite surprised by your unwavering loyalty to him.¡±
Stirring up discord was a skill she excelled at!
Rong Liughed heartily. ¡°Little girl, you really believe in an eye for an eye.¡±
She tried to sow discord between her and Jiang Junlin, so he retaliated by trying to create a rift between her and Lu Zhiyuan.
¡°Tit for tat!¡± Qin Wan winked at him. ¡°I like to settle scores on the spot!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s involvement with the Rong family was well-known to her.
¡°Let me tell you a secret. I was actually quite happy when my father died.¡±
Qin Wan replied, ¡°You¡¯re really filial.¡±
Rong Li left with a bigugh, and Qin Wan watched his departing figure, unable to determine if he was telling the truth or lying. If Rong Li didn¡¯t hate her master, why would he join the triad?
He joined the triad for revenge.
She remembered that Rong Li came from a family of five, including his younger brother and sister. They all perished in that turmoil, but back then, Jiang Junlin had spared the mastermind¡¯s life and even sent people to protect Rong Li¡¯s mother and siblings. However, they still met with misfortune, and one of the protectors was severely injured. Afterward, Rong Li disappeared.
Rong Li attributed all his hatred to the triad dark web.
After leaving ck Hawk headquarters with Qin Wan, Gu Ci was given a box of snacks by Li Jiang to eat on the way since Qin Wan had consumed all the snacks, and she was starving.
¡°ck Hawk¡¯s hospitality is reallycking. They didn¡¯t even prepare dinner for me,¡± Qin Wanined.
Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help butugh and opened a bottle of milk for her to prevent her from choking.
¡°Did Ji Chi listen to reason?¡± Qin Wan asked.
Gu Ci nodded, ¡°He will listen. What Ji Chi has always wanted isn¡¯t for his brother to hate him.¡±
¡°I hope our master can safely get through this crisis.¡±
Once Gu Ci returned to the triad, she systematically handled European affairs. Qin Wan changed into her night attire and left on her motorcycle. Before leaving, she casually remarked, ¡°1 won¡¯t be back until 1 return to the country.¡± ¡°Where is she going?¡± Norce frowned.
¡°To kill Xiao Min!¡± Qin Wan dered.
She was relentless in her pursuit of her goal. Killing Xiao Min was thest task she intended toplete before returning to her homnd. With everything sorted out by Gu Ci, it was already midnight when Dr. North brought her a cup of hot milk and ced it within her reach.
¡°Cici, let¡¯s talk.¡±
¡°Sure,¡± Gu Ci said, holding the warm milk. She had expected Dr. North to discuss Qin Wan¡¯s condition, but to her surprise, he asked, ¡°Has your condition worsened?¡±
She was momentarily taken aback, feeling a mixture of sadness and relief. ¡°You¡¯ve noticed.¡±
¡°As soon as I saw you, I knew. But I¡¯ve been too busytely, dealing with our master¡¯s affairs, and 1 haven¡¯t had time to talk to you. Would you like to talk now?¡± Dr. North asked gently.
Gu Ci took a sip of the milk, ced it on the table, and her eyes welled up with tears. Dr. North held her in his arms, gently patting her back, and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. Don¡¯t be sad. Master is here for you.¡±
¡°My connection with Lu Zhiyuan hase to an end,¡± Gu Ci confessed, clutching onto her clothes like a child longing for her mother¡¯s warmth. She sobbed in her embrace, ¡°I¡¯ve always told myself not to cling, not to be obsessed, but 1 can¡¯t do it. I keep thinking about him, and there are so many terrible thoughts in my mind. I¡¯ve thought about breaking his legs, so he can never leave me for the rest of his life. I¡¯ve thought about killing him and preparing a coffin for us to be buried together. I¡¯ve thought about luring him into skydiving and then cutting the rope to fall together. I¡¯ve had so many dreadful thoughts. There¡¯s a demon in my heart that keeps urging me. I know¡ I¡¯m sick.¡±
With teary eyes, Gu Ci asked, ¡°Master, is there still hope for me?¡±
Chapter 347 - 347: Warm Love
Chapter 347: Warm Love
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Her illness, of long-standing origin, was brought about by the obsession from a previous life, unable to break free. She fell into the abyss, and originally, Lu Zhiyuan was still holding onto her, but now, Lu Zhiyuan has let go.
¡°Cici, you have love in your heart, and with that, there¡¯s certainly salvation. You have Ziyu, a master, and a brother. You¡¯re not entirely without anything. We will all do our best to pull you out,¡± Dr. North spoke gently, as if nurturing fragile porcin. ¡°Cici, our master never tolerates traitors. He spared me, but the only condition was that 1 must cure you. He cares for you more than you can imagine, trusts you. Cici, your master will love you. Even though he initially approached you with impure intentions, he genuinely cherishes you as if you were his daughter. The fact that you¡¯re still seeking help means you will get better.¡±
The truly irredeemable ones are those who know they are in the abyss but refuse to call for help.
Gu Ci used to be one of them, but now, she has changed; she is calling for help.
Dr. North looked at the medication she was taking; they were all antidepressants. In truth, these drugs had little effect on Gu Ci. She wasn¡¯t suffering from depression. Dr. North didn¡¯t advise her to stop taking them but reduced the dosage.
¡°Go to sleep, I¡¯ll stay with you,¡± Dr. North held her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, nightmares will eventually fade away.¡±
Gu Ci was very tired. She couldn¡¯t sleep well in China, and it was even worse here. She rested for a few hours at night, but there wasn¡¯t a moment of deep sleep. No matter how fatigued her mind was, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep.
Dr. North¡¯s phone vibrated, and she received a piece of music sent by Lu Zhiyuan. She put on her headphones and listened. It was a violin piece with a unique melody, reminiscent of the wind blowing through mountain streams. ¡°Cici, would you like to listen to some music?¡±
Gu Ci nodded, and Dr. North yed the music. As soon as Gu Ci heard the opening notes, she opened her eyes. Tears welled up in her eyes. This piece of music was special; it was one that Lu Zhiyuan often yed in their past life. He had wanted to teach her, but unfortunately, after Gu Ci¡¯s hands were injured, she couldn¡¯t quite hit certain notes correctly. Later, Lu Zhiyuan recorded the piece and yed it frequently.
When she couldn¡¯t sleep at night, she often listened to this piece. It was the best luby.
Dr. North spoke gently, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to listen, I can turn it off.¡±
¡°No, I want to listen!¡±
She closed her eyes, and Dr. North sent the music to Gu Ci¡¯s phone. As she listened, Dr. North sat by her bedside. Gu Ci slept for two hours and began to have nightmares. Dr. North held her hand, wiped away the cold sweat on her forehead, but didn¡¯t wake her up. The music continued to y, and gradually, Gu Ci¡¯s nightmares subsided and moved away. She didn¡¯t wake up, and Dr. North even dozed off a bit herself, feeling somewhat tired.
She stayed with Gu Ci like this, sleeping through the night. When Gu Ci woke up at eight in the morning, Dr. North had just gone to catch some sleep. Gu Ci put the music on her phone. When Dr. North woke up, Gu Ci interrupted her intense work and started a counseling session.
This counseling sessionsted for the entire afternoon, and after it was over, Gu Ci felt mentally drained and fell asleep again.
Zhang Qiang asked, ¡°Is Miss Gu Ci not feeling well?¡±
¡°She¡¯s been very tiredtely. Let her rest.¡±
Zhang Qiang and Dr. North were mainly dealing with the matter of Pei Qiuying. She had betrayed the organization, and the evidence was irrefutable. She could no longer serve as the leader of the triad. Pei Qiuying seemed to realize that there was no way out of this situation and strongly rmended Chen Rushi as her sessor.
In the triad¡¯s financial department, the power structure was clear, and authority was highly centralized. Therefore, Pei Qiuying held immense power, and her removal had raised some objections within the Pei family.
However, Chen Rushi had limited experience, and apart from ck Hawk faction brought in by Chen Rushi himself, there were few who supported him. This was far from enough, and the leader of the triad was appointed by Jiang Junlin.
Pei Qiuying¡¯s deration was clear: Chen Rushi was not an eptable choice!
So Dr. North came up with a n to make Chen Rushi the acting head of the triad¡¯s financial department.
Chen Rushi was quite frustrated by this turn of events. However, he had not beenpletely ignorant of recent developments. The revtion that Jiang Junlin was the true mastermind behind the triad had spread, despite Chen Liangdong¡¯s efforts to suppress the information. Chen Rushi had a fairly good idea of the situation in the triad. He knew that bing the leader of the triad was like holding a hot potato, which was why Lu Zhiyuan had not tried to stop him from betraying ck Hawk and switching sides.
Chen Rushi was proud and had both ability and means. He never settled for being Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s pawn and believed that betrayal was just a matter of time. Lu Zhiyuan had been prepared for this possibility.
The triad seemed like his best choice, but he didn¡¯t have a clear picture of the situation within the organization. He had thought that Pei Qiuying was the one in charge, and he had always looked down on women, given how he had witnessed Chen Geng¡¯s mistreatment of women since childhood. He didn¡¯t think Pei Qiuying could aplish much. When he joined the triad, he believed he could easily oust Pei Qiuying and take control himself. He believed that within two years, he could remove Pei Qiuying and be the sole leader of the triad.
The n sounded perfect, but reality was cruel.
The triad was controlled entirely by Jiang Junlin, and the leader of the triad was just a puppet. They could only oversee the financial aspect of the business and couldn¡¯t meddle in other affairs or have any other intentions. If they did, they would meet the same fate as their predecessors.
Chen Rushi¡¯s personality meant that he would inevitably have other intentions and wouldn¡¯t be loyal to anyone. He wanted to be in charge of his own destiny.
But now, he found himself in a difficult position.
Leaving the triad and striking out on his own might not be as prosperous as being part of ck Hawk or the triad, but it would offer stability. The Chen family was already very wealthy, and he had the means to make his own way without getting involved in their internal conflicts.
However, he was just one step away from a position of ultimate power, and Chen Rushi wasn¡¯t willing to give that up.
Gu Ci said, ¡°Chen Rushi is a typical case of insatiable greed. He thinks highly of himself and wants to gain power from others rather than starting from scratch. He doesn¡¯t want to be second fiddle and wants the power of ck Hawk or the triad. He¡¯s not satisfied with being second inmand and probably resents Third Brother a lot right now. In ck Hawk, he was the second-inmand, but in the triad, he¡¯s nothing. This acting head position will surely be a thorn in his side.¡±
¡°Do you hope he quits?¡±
¡°If he¡¯s smart, he¡¯ll know what to do.¡±
The position of the triad leader would not go to him, and Chen Rushi should be aware of this. How he chooses to proceed is his own decision.
The matter in Paris hade to a close.
Now, they were waiting to return to their home country. Gu Ci and Dr. North decided to take advantage of the good weather and went for a walk, with Zhang Qiang and the bodyguards following closely behind.
Jiang Junlin was not present, but this elite guard had been protecting Gu Ci all along.
The snow had not yet melted, and each season had its own unique beauty. Gu Ci liked summer the most because the year that Lu Zhiyuan brought her back home was during the summer. The sunlight was just right, and since then, she had developed a fondness for the peak of summer.
Winter, on the other hand, always made her feel cold.
Psychological therapy was most effective in a closed space, at least for most patients. However, it wasn¡¯t the case for Gu Ci. In a closed space, she felt insecure, and Dr. North had noticed this after a few therapy sessions.
She felt ufortable but wouldn¡¯t tell the doctor..
Chapter 348 - 348: You Injured Yourself
Chapter 348: You Injured Yourself
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Master, why don¡¯t you ask about Little Cherry?¡± Gu Ci curiously inquired. ¡°These days, you¡¯ve been quite concerned about her, but you keep your distance and don¡¯t talk to her.¡±
¡°Regardless of the reason, i am very grateful to the owner. He has raised Little Cherry so well, and since she and 1 won¡¯t recognize each other, there¡¯s no need for us to have much contact. It¡¯s better to avoid unnecessary troubles,¡± Dr. North exined with insight. ¡°Over these years, 1 haven¡¯t fulfilled my motherly duties, and she doesn¡¯t like me either. It¡¯s fine this way, being colleagues and getting alongfortably.¡±
¡°Are you afraid that Little Cherry will me you?¡±
¡°She¡¯s past the age when she needs motherly love, and she¡¯s carefree. Right now, she¡¯s at her most carefree, wildest, and happiest. Parents might be a source of trouble for her,¡± Dr. North replied.
Gu Ci had also asked Qin Wan and knew that she was resistant to the idea of being a biological father and daughter. She didn¡¯t envy others¡¯ family reunions and found it liberating to be on her own.
¡°I respect your choice, Master,¡± Gu Ci said, standing with her hands behind her back, looking at the clear blue sky. ¡°When 1 was young, I yearned for blood ties and even forced the issue. But as I grew up, I realized that some people have shallow blood ties, and there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. However, Master, even if you don¡¯t acknowledge Little Cherry, there¡¯s no need to distance yourself from her. You¡¯re the elder, and it¡¯s perfectly normal to care for your younger generation.¡±
¡°She dislikes me,¡± Dr. North admitted with a hint of disappointment. ¡°I can feel it.¡±
¡°Then make an effort to make her like you,¡± Gu Ci said with a smile, winking.
Dr. North chuckled, and the two of them walked down the street hand in hand, appearing more like a mother and daughter. Gu Ci hadpletely let go of the hurt Dr. North had caused her. ¡°I¡¯ve always been someone who holds grudges. If someone hurt me a little, I¡¯d remember it tenfold. I¡¯ve learned that you can actually let go of these hurts. Master, my hand doesn¡¯t hurt anymore.¡±
Dr. North¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Really?¡±
Gu Ci nodded. ¡°Yes, it stopped hurting before 1 went abroad.¡±
Dr. North was overjoyed, and with a slightly reddened gaze, she wondered if Gu Ci had truly let go of her hurt. She didn¡¯t understand why she had hurt Gu Ci in her past life, but it couldn¡¯t have been without reason.
Smart people could see right through things.
The two exchanged smiles, and it seemed that this matter had truly been put behind them.
In Gu Ci¡¯s heart, she had always considered Dr. North as her mother. She had only received warmth and motherly love from Dr. North, which was why those past hurts had left her with scars.
¡°I was mistreated when i was young, sensitive, paranoid, and held grudges. I was too eager to obtain certain things, and when I did, they were shattered. It was difficult for me to ept, and 1 easily became obsessed. I¡¯ve been trying hard to correct myself.¡±
¡°Gu Ci, these are not ws; they are human nature. Gaining and losing, rejoicing and grieving, these are all human emotions. You don¡¯t need to change,¡± Dr. North said gently. ¡°Getting sick is not your fault, and it¡¯s not a w in your character. Don¡¯t deny yourself; you are wonderful.¡±
Dr. North pointed to the streets of Paris and said, ¡°There are thousands and thousands of roads in this world, and each one has a different story. People are the same way, each person is unique. To Gu Chuyun and Gu Yaozu, you may be poison, they insult you, curse you, and bully you. But to Jiang Junlin, me, and Lu Zhiyuan, you are honey. We all love you. So, don¡¯t deny yourself. It¡¯s their fault that those people dislike you and hurt you. What¡¯s wrong with being sensitive and stubborn? Because of your sensitivity, you¡¯re intelligent and empathetic. Because of your stubbornness, your love is as warm as the sun. Some people might find it too hot and fear getting burnt, but we all love this kind of stubborn love. So, what¡¯s wrong with it?¡±
Gu Ci looked at her in surprise and asked, ¡°Master, are youforting me?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the truth!¡± Dr. Northughed lightly. ¡°Gu Ci, let me put it this way: any mother in the world would want a daughter like you¡ªbeautiful, intelligent, and loyal.¡±
You treat her well, and she¡¯ll give her life for you.
Who wouldn¡¯t like such a girl!
¡°If Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s story is true, then he won¡¯t be able to resist loving you,¡± Dr. North said. ¡°Love at first sight may fade in the face of daily life¡¯s trials and tribtions, and seeking excitement is human nature. Lu Zhiyuan has loved you for so many years, unwaveringly, and you¡¯re worth it. If he left you, it¡¯s because he loves you too much, hoping you¡¯ll live a safe and sound life. As long as he¡¯s still alive and you can see each other from time to time, isn¡¯t that good enough? A man¡¯s happiness is career sess, wealth, and growing old with his wife. A woman¡¯s happiness is having money, leisure, and children. It doesn¡¯t matter where your husband is; you can love wherever you want to go. Just consider yourselves married, and when you have children, he can often travel for work.¡±
Gu Ci brought up a very practical concern, ¡°I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to kill him.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, just call the owner; he¡¯ll be more than willing,¡± Dr. North replied with a chuckle.
Gu Ciughed at the teasing, feeling much lighter. Dr. North and Gu Ziyu brought different forms of healing to her. Suddenly, she missed Gu Ziyu. ¡°Master, I miss Ziyu.¡±
¡°In a couple of days, we¡¯ll be heading home,¡± Dr. North reassured her.
Qin Wan returned early in the morning on the eighth day, but herplexion was not good, and she had suffered minor injuries. There was a scar on her left arm, deep enough to see the bone, indicating that she had been cut by a knife in closebat. Dr. North stitched up the wound with nearly thirty stitches. ¡°What happened to your arm?¡± Gu Ci asked.
¡°I was cut by a military knife,¡± Qin Wan replied with a slightly pale face. ¡°Xiao Min is dead.¡±
¡°The mission is important, but your safety is equally important. You can¡¯t do this next time,¡± Gu Ci said with a serious expression. ¡°You are more important than the mission.¡±
¡°It¡¯s just a flesh wound, don¡¯t worry. I can still perform today¡¯s mission,¡± Qin Wan reassured.
Gu Ci shook her head. ¡°With your arm like this, you shouldn¡¯t be going on any missions. Besides, today, we are only escorting my brother onto the ne. Our main goal is to ensure a safe journey. If anything were to happen, the members of the Tiger Team can handle it; we won¡¯t be needed.¡±
¡°Understood!¡± Qin Wan agreed.
Apart from the cut on her arm, Qin Wan had some bruises on her body, but they were not too severe. Gu Ci had a particrly busy day ahead. Zhang Qiang and Ji Cheng led a team to guard, ensuring Jiang Junlin¡¯s safe departure on the ne.
After stitching up her wound, Qin Wan rested while Dr. North prepared a bowl of brown sugar water for her. Qin Wan was somewhat surprised but politely thanked her, despite their strained rtionship. Dr. North said, ¡°Don¡¯t let your arm get wet for the next few days. Change the dressing every other day, and the stitches will be removed in half a month.¡±
¡°Okay,¡± Qin Wan replied.
Dr. North looked at Little Cherry¡¯s pale face, deeply concerned. ¡°Qin Wan, do you often get injured on missions?¡±
¡°No,¡± Qin Wan replied. ¡°This was an ident.¡±
¡°This wound is dangerously close to a nerve. If it had gone slightly deeper, you might have lost the use of your arm in the future,¡± Dr. North said, gritting her teeth. ¡°You inflicted this injury on yourself.. Why?¡±
Chapter 349 - 349:I Don’t Believe It
Chapter 349:I Don¡¯t Believe It
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°What are you talking about?¡± Qin Wan frowned, averting her gaze.
¡°I¡¯m a doctor, I grew up with Chen Geng since I was a child. I can easily tell the difference between self-inflicted wounds and those inflicted by others. Why did you kill Xiao Min and cut yourself?¡± Dr. North felt a mix of heartache and anger. Why would she be so careless with her own life?
¡°For the sake of survival!¡± Qin Wan replied calmly. ¡°Trading an arm for a life, 1 think 1 made a good deal. Fortunately, I have a sense of proportion. This is just a superficial wound, so I¡¯vee out ahead.¡±
¡°You!¡± Dr. North¡¯ face turned pale.
¡°What¡¯s it to you how 1 got injured? It has nothing to do with you,¡± Qin Wan furrowed her brow. ¡°I¡¯m not Gu Ci, you don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡±
Dr. North treated Gu Ci like her own daughter and had always been concerned about her well-being. ording to Zhang Qiang, she had been staying upte with Gu Ci these past few days to ensure she could sleep well.
Both of them were medical students with endless topics to discuss, and their temperaments matched. Gu Ci had little blood rtion, but unexpectedly found a motherly figure in Dr. North. Qin Wan saw this and was genuinely happy for Gu Ci.
Dr. North, who had been stabbed, silently walked away, leaving Qin Wan confused. What was going on?
The ne had been prepared in advance. Li Mu and the local police worked together, and they had a police escort all the way to the airport. Gu Ci had people apanying her, fearing that Xiao Min might not give up and would send more assassins. Fortunately, the journey had been rtively calm. Once they were on the ne, they would be beyond their reach.
It all depended on Chen Liangdong now.
Gu Ci and Chen Liangdong had a long conversation the night beforest and made a deal. She couldn¡¯t interfere in Jiang Junlin¡¯s affairs anymore, but Chen Liangdong could. The journey had been peaceful so far, thanks to Li Mu¡¯s careful arrangements. Zhang Qiang and Ji Chi were providing covert protection. It had been a bit of a nail-biter, but Ji Chi spotted Jiang Junlin in the airport¡¯s second-floor waiting area.
Jiang Junlin wore a fitted suit, handcuffed, and was being escorted onto the ne. This was a chartered flight by the Ministry of State Security, and aside from the two prisoners, there were only members of the Tiger Team on board.
¡°Brother¡¡± Ji Chi tightly gripped the railing. He recognized Jiang Junlin¡¯s figure even if he turned to ashes. Jiang Junlin appeared even thinner, and hadn¡¯t Wang Changtian taken care of him?
Well, no one could take better care of him than Ji Chi himself, after all, Jiang Junlin was so picky about food and sleep.
He must not be eating well or sleeping well.
Jiang Junlin seemed to sense something and looked up toward the second-floor waiting area, but the view was too wide, and he didn¡¯t spot Ji Chi. Li Mu approached, saying, ¡°Mr. Jiang, it¡¯s time to board the ne.¡±
Jiang Junlin nodded and calmly boarded the ne.
Inside the car on the tarmac, Gu Ci called Chen Liangdong, saying, ¡°Brother has boarded the ne.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve sent you all the contact information you need.¡±
¡°Thank you, Uncle Chen. The next twelve hours are in your hands.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Chen Liangdong hung up. Gu Ci nced at the contact information Chen Liangdong had provided. All six of them were major yers, people she usually only saw on television.
Gu Ci took a deep breath and sent all the information about the Dark Web to the top-level figures in her country.
She directly exposed the secrets of the Dark Web.
The fact that they had deployed a team led by Li Mu meant that their positions were very high. So she decided to expose everything directly, shining a light on all their actions. This way, their conspiracy would have nowhere to hide, and no matter what they did, they would have to be cautious about public opinion.
Half an hourter, the news of the Dark Web¡¯s activities shook the top echelons of the country. Chen Liangdong was urgently summoned for a meeting.
Chen Liangdong, along with Gu Ziyu, rushed from one meeting to another, engaging in multiple negotiations and power struggles. Eight hourster, things finally settled down. The team that had originally been sent to retrieve Jiang Junlin was immediately withdrawn.
The case was handed over to the Ministry of State Security for investigation.
This was a method that Chen Liangdong had taught Gu Ci. As long as she had the courage to expose the Dark Web, he had a way to take the hot potato of Jiang Junlin off her hands. Gu Ci, on the ne, remembered Chen Liangdong¡¯s words.
¡°You must trust me!¡±
Gu Ci could only go all-in. She didn¡¯t know how things would turn out, but she had to make decisions based on her own judgment. This was thest piece of advice Jiang Junlin had left her with.
He was in custody, and information was restricted, so he relied on Gu Ci to make judgments based on the bigger picture. Whatever decision she made, he epted it, whether it turned out to be bad or good. He had no regrets about his moves!
On the flight back to China, Lu Zhiyuan, Ji Chi, and Rong Li were also on board. Ji Chi seemed to have closed himself off, not uttering a word since boarding the ne. Their flight was two hourster than Jiang Junlin¡¯s, and he couldn¡¯t help but fear that he would hear news of Jiang Junlin¡¯s death as soon as theynded.
Rong Li asked, ¡°Third Master, what do you think Miss Gu Ci will do?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±
Gu Ci liked to take risks, and she especially enjoyed going all-in.
It was a personality trait of hers. She was a gambler who would bet everything on the table, no matter what the stakes.
¡°She has a simr style to yours,¡± Rong Li raised an eyebrow. ¡°She¡¯s only neen, and even if she¡¯s smart, it¡¯s a bit suspicious. It feels like Third Master has been guiding her behind the scenes during this time.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve broken up!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said indifferently. ¡°Can you be as quiet as he is?¡±
Rong Li nced at Ji Chi and taunted, ¡°I¡¯m not emotionally attached. The next second, a lover might die, and there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±
Ji Chi snorted.
Rong Li added, ¡°1 misspoke. It¡¯s not even a lover, after warming the bed for a few years, you couldn¡¯t even establish the status of lovers.¡±
Ji Chi said, ¡°Shut up!¡±
¡°Are you nning to have a fight with me on the ne?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke him.¡±
¡°Ji Chi, don¡¯t forget, as long as Jiang Junlin is alive, if you cut ties abruptly, as a man, you shouldn¡¯t waver in your decisions.¡± Rong Li advised sternly. ¡°If you keep lingering like this, I¡¯ll chop you up.¡±
¡°You should go date someone else and stop staring at me all the time,¡± Ji Chi grumbled. ¡°If you keep this up, I¡¯ll suspect you have a secret crush on me.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan and Rong Li both turned to look at him simultaneously, their expressions quite subtle.
Rong Li mocked, ¡°Damn, don¡¯t disgust me. Do you think I¡¯m a masochist? Secretly in love with you?¡±
¡°Then why are you always fixated on me?¡±
¡°I have a secret crush on Jiang Junlin, how about that!¡±
¡°You dare!¡± Ji Chi eximed.
Lu Zhiyuan was amused.
Rong Li looked at Ji Chi in disbelief, as if he had invaded his territory, like a ferocious beast, and said, ¡°Have you gone senile? You believe this too?¡±
¡°Then why are you joking about it?¡±
¡°What kind of joke is that?¡±
If they weren¡¯t on an airne, Rong Li seriously wanted to fight Ji Chi. Ji Chi, looking at Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s calm demeanor, grew bolder, ¡°Third Master, my brother and 1 are like this. So, what about you and Gu Ci? Gu Ci is the current master of the Dark Web. If Jiang Junlin safely regains control of the Dark Web, where does that leave Gu Ci in the Dark Web? Have youpletely separated from her too?¡±
Rong Li was speechless.
Impressive!
Lu Zhiyuan replied calmly, ¡°Gu Ci and I separated a long time ago.¡±
¡°Completely cut ties?¡± Ji Chi sneered.. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡±
Chapter 350 - 350: He Was Wearing a Ring
Chapter 350: He Was Wearing a Ring
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Considering Gu Ci¡¯s determination, would she be willing?
Lu Zhizhuan gazed at the clouds in the sky. Whenever there was a glimmer of hope, who would be willing to sever tiespletely?
City A, Airport.
Chen Liangdong, apanied by dozens of people, including Gu Ziyu, arrived at the airport two hours early, just in case. The control tower had people monitoring to ensure that Jiang Junlin would definitely be received.
Gu Ziyu and Chen Liangdong had been on the move all night without getting a wink of sleep. They leaned on the soft cushions inside the car, while Chen Liangdong remained vignt. The weather in City A was pleasant, and the weather forecast indicated a clear day.
Chen Liangdong¡¯s phone rang three times, and he didn¡¯t wake up. It was Chen Fei who woke him up. Chen Liangdong nced at the caller ID, rubbed his temples, and answered, walking a few steps away to take the call.
Gu Ziyu opened his eyes, then closed them again, listening to the intermittent sounds carried by the wind.
¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ Alright, let¡¯s have a meal together in a few days¡ This matter is being closely watched by many eyes. It¡¯s truly a delicate situation, isn¡¯t it?¡ Not a problem, it¡¯s part of our job. Alright, let¡¯s set a date in a few days.¡±
Chen Liangdong hung up the phone, looking unfazed. In these few hours, he had received five calls simr to this one, all from influential figures, both from the military and city administration, inquiring about Jiang Junlin. They all spoke favorably of him, and their positions were quite high, overseeing overseas operations. Even the Special Affairs Bureau had inquired.
Chen Liangdong said, ¡°The Dark Web has cooperated in so many operations, most of them overseas. For them, the merits outweigh the risks. It¡¯s only natural for them to protect him. People¡¯s hearts are fickle. Besides, he¡¯s not a viin. Otherwise, how could Li Mu have managed to get him on the ne so smoothly this time?¡±
¡°Minister Lin¡¯s move was quite¡ clever.¡±
Gu Ziyu raised his eyelids, yawned, and Chen Fei handed her a bottle of milk. He didn¡¯tment on these matters. He was a silent and obedient military man, following orders.
Wei Yiming tore open a pack of moltenva cheese bread and handed it to Gu Ziyu. He epted it as breakfast, his eyes almost too heavy to keep open. He was in a state of exhaustion. Wei Yiming asked with concern, ¡°Ziyu, you always stay up sote, won¡¯t you stop growing?¡±
Gu Ziyu replied with a muffled voice while munching on the bread,¡±¡¡±
The bread in his hand didn¡¯t taste as good anymore.
¡°I stay upte all the time, shouldn¡¯t you guys reflect on yourselves?¡± Gu Ziyuined, his mouth full.
Wei Yiming was in charge of information and was a doctoral student in A University¡¯s defense information department. He smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s all our fault for not being smart enough. You¡¯ve worked hard, and we¡¯ve learned our lesson. The entire information department has decided to pursue postdoctoral studies.¡±
Chen Liangdong didn¡¯t respond.
When it came to this matter, he couldn¡¯t help but suppress a chuckle. The national security information officers were quite arrogant, being the cream of the crop. They had passed four rounds of examinations, interviews,petitions, practical tests, and debates. It was a rigorous selection process that bookworms couldn¡¯t even dream of passing. These brothers and sisters, who were extremely high-minded, didn¡¯t expect to be thoroughly defeated by a primary school student.
Learning from their mistakes, they were all nning to pursue postdoctoral studies!
Even Chen Fei couldn¡¯t help but chuckle; they really were quitepetitive.
Luckily, he was a frontlinebatant and didn¡¯t need to get caught up in all of that.
Wei Yiming received another phone call, talked for nearly five minutes, and returned with a somewhat strange expression. Chen Liangdong asked, ¡°Whose call was it?¡±
¡°President Gu,¡± Wei Yiming sighed, ¡°He spoke in officialnguage for three minutes and then invited me for tea the day after tomorrow. Implicitly, it¡¯s all about protecting Mr. Jiang.¡±
Hiswork was indeed extensive!
¡°In recent years, finance has been thriving, and they¡¯ve formed a close-knit circle. It¡¯s normal,¡± Chen Liangdong sighed with a headache. He had already warned his subordinates that they would be receiving more callstely. Everyone needed to know what to say and what not to say. To ensure Jiang Junlin¡¯s safety, apart from the four of them, no one else would have contact with him. Once hended, it would be Chen Fei taking care of his safety around the clock, including his daily life and meals, all checked by him to ensure safety.
After Gu Ziyu had his breakfast and felt a bit more alert, a voice came through his earpiece, ¡°Attention all departments, the ne willnd in half an hour. Prepare to receive the guest.¡±
He immediately perked up. ncing at the time, Chen Liangdong led the team to the tarmac. This area had been cleared of all other aircraft, and security personnel were everywhere. Sniper positions were manned as well. Security was exceptionally tight!
On the ne, Li Mu felt strangely nervous. Zhou Qi and Jiang Junlin had been quiet throughout the journey. This was supposed to be a very routine mission, but he sensed something unusual.
He couldn¡¯t help but nce at Jiang Junlin.
Jiang Junlin had his eyes closed, seemingly at ease. The announcements about thending had nothing to do with him. Li Mu noticed a ring on his middle finger that he kept rotating unconsciously.
Li Mu wondered if it was a wedding ring. It was quite borate!
The ne finallynded without any surprises.
Zhou Qi and Jiang Junlin were met by two separate groups. The economic crimes division¡¯s team quickly took Zhou Qi away. The handover was exceptionally quick, and within twenty minutes, he was gone. Then, Chen Liangdong arrived with his team to receive Jiang Junlin.
Jiang Junlin smiled as he looked at Gu Ziyu beside Chen Liangdong.
Seeing them, Jiang Junlin had a clear understanding of the situation. Gu Ci had already exposed his identity, and Gu Ziyu and Chen Liangdong had gained the upper hand. This was currently the best situation.
Li Mu stepped forward to handle the handover with Chen Liangdong. Chen Liangdong said, ¡°Li Mu, this time, I¡¯ll trouble you to escort him all the way to the entrance of the Ministry of State Security.¡±
¡°No problem, it¡¯s my duty!¡± Li Mu readily agreed. His team had already made preparations, and Jiang Junlin was promptly escorted onto an armored vehicle, leaving the airport through a special channel.
Gu Ziyu and Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t exchange any words. Gu Ziyu wanted to wait at the airport for Gu Ci, but he couldn¡¯t afford to miss any information that Jiang Junlin might convey discreetly. So, he had no choice but to stick closely to Chen Liangdong as they left together.
Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t initiate conversation, and Chen Liangdong didn¡¯t ask. Both Gu Ziyu and Wei Yiming wouldn¡¯t start a conversation either. The journey was filled with silence. Li Mu¡¯s team continued to provide security, and they arrived safely at the entrance of the Ministry of State Security.
The Ministry of State Security had its own detention facility. Chen Liangdong had obtained the highest authorization, and Jiang Junlin was held on the top floor. Chen Fei¡¯s team rotated day and night to ensure Jiang Junlin¡¯s safety.
On the ne, Jiang Junlin hadn¡¯t eaten anything, and he felt a bit of hypoglycemia afternding. Chen Fei went to buy fast food, a burger, and a c. When Gu Ziyu returned from the information room, he saw Jiang Junlin looking at the c and burger on the table with a hint of disgust in his expression.
Gu Ziyu rolled his eyes.
Silently, he turned around and brought a security personnel to a building across from the Ministry of State Security, returning with some Cantonese cuisine. Jiang Junlin, who had been hungry for over ten hours, indeed didn¡¯t touch a sip of c or a bite of the burger.
¡°I¡¯ll bring some from home for you tomorrow.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, baby.¡±
Gu Ziyu¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°You should be more considerate,
and I wouldn¡¯t have to work hard..¡±
Chapter 351 - 351: He’ll Be Fine
Chapter 351: He¡¯ll Be Fine
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin acted like he didn¡¯t care, and Gu Ziyu was surprised to see him eat so much during their first meeting. He finished almost all of the three dishes and a soup. It wasn¡¯t because he thought the chef at the restaurant across the street was particrly skilled; it was clear he had been hungry for a long time.
Due to his connection with the Jiang family, Gu Ziyu didn¡¯t stay in the interrogation room for long. After Jiang Junlin finished his meal, Chen Liangdong signaled for Chen Fei to remove Jiang Junlin¡¯s handcuffs.
Chen Fei didn¡¯t hesitate and unlocked his handcuffs. Jiang Junlin was quite surprised. Chen Liangdong said, ¡°Mr. Jiang, you¡¯ve had a tough ten years.¡±
Jiang Junlin chuckled, ¡°In my position, it¡¯s my duty.¡±
Chen Liangdong started the recording, ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡±
Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s nesnded one after the other. Although they boarded slowly, their flight was fast. As they passed through customs together, Qin Wan looked at Rong Li with a mischievous smile and made a throat-slitting gesture.
Rong Li was speechless.
Ji Chi asked, ¡°How did you provoke her?¡±
¡°She killed Xiao Min!¡±
¡°Xiao Min was killed by her?¡± Ji Chi paused. ¡°Wait, Xiao Min is dead?¡±
Rong Li sneered, ¡°Are you telling me you haven¡¯t recharged on ck Hawk¡¯s intr and have been disconnected for so long?¡±
Ji Chi didn¡¯t deign to reply.
Could he really be med for this? Rong Li hadn¡¯t mentioned it, but she was obviously aware of this major event.
Ji Chi turned to Nick and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this?¡±
¡°Master, you told me not to mention anything about Xiao Min,¡± Nick replied.
Ji Chi shifted the me, ¡°She¡¯s dead, and something this big should have been mentioned.¡±
Nick said, ¡°Master, 1 understand. 1 won¡¯t do it again.¡±
Rong Li remained silent, and Ji Chi didn¡¯t actually care about Xiao Min¡¯s fate. He didn¡¯t want to hear her news because she had betrayed Jiang Junlin. Now that she was under Rong Li¡¯smand, she still had some use, so he preferred to turn a blind eye. Little did he know that Qin Wan had killed her. Ji Chi was somewhat surprised but not particrly concerned.
Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci went through customs together, and after exchanging a nce, Gu Ci nodded coldly and walked away without greeting Lu Zhiyuan. Ji Chi and Rong Li also exchanged nces.
Their breakup seemed quite simr.
News of Jiang Junlin being taken in for questioning had not leaked, and the stock price of Hun Bank remained stable. He had been out of the public eye for two months, but Hun Bank continued to operate smoothly. With Jiang Minghua in control of the situation, Gu Ci didn¡¯t have to worry about the bank¡¯s condition.
Upon returning to China, control was no longer in their hands, and all Gu Ci could do was wait.
Dr. North took Zhang Qiang to the Triad Division, while Gu Ci and Qin Wan returned to the Blue Fields Vi. During this time, Qin Wan served as Gu Ci¡¯s bodyguard, providing 24-hour protection. After she put down her luggage, she brought the items Zhang Qiang had scanned at the airport to the Jiang family. The Jiang family had upgraded their security, with all their personneling from the Triad. Each member had four bodyguards, and no one dared to trouble them.
Gu Ci shared Jiang Junlin¡¯s situation with Jiang Minghua and Grandpa Jiang. With no news of Jiang Junlin for so many days, Grandpa Jiang also realized something was amiss. He asked, ¡°Is he safe?¡±
¡°He¡¯s in good condition, and Ziyu is with the MSS. If anything happens, he will inform us,¡± Gu Ci reassured them. ¡°Uncle, Grandpa, don¡¯t worry. Although we¡¯ve lost control, it doesn¡¯t mean we have no options. My brother will definitelye home safely.¡±
¡°Junlin is really¡ confused!¡± Grandpa Jiang regretted. ¡°He clearly rejected them back then, so why did he go to the Triad against our wishes? It¡¯s a pitfail, once you go in, it¡¯s hard to get out. Such confusion.¡±
Gu Ci looked at her tearful grandfather. Apart fromforting him, there was nothing else she could do. Fortunately, Grandpa Jiang understood that me was useless at this point. He asked, ¡°Cici, are you in the Triad¡¯s dark web now?¡± ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡±
¡°Since there¡¯s no way to break free, just go all the way. Whether it¡¯s your brother or you, you both have responsibilities. The Jiang family won¡¯t demand anything based on past merits. But if they think they can make Junlin disappear without a trace, that¡¯s impossible. If you ever need me, be sure to tell me. I may be old, but 1 still have some influence.¡±
¡°Grandpa, I came to see you to ensure that you don¡¯t act recklessly. If someonees to you, don¡¯t agree to anything immediately. Inform me first,¡± Gu Ci cautioned them preemptively, preventing them from making rash decisions.
Gu Ziyu had already sent her a video, which Gu Ci also showed to Jiang Minghua and Grandpa Jiang. It was a video of Jiang Junlin having a meal. ¡°My brother is doing well in MSS, at least he¡¯s safe.¡±
¡°He¡¯s lost weight!¡± Grandpa Jiang wiped his tears. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cici. We understand the situation. Remember, you also need to stay safe. If they find out that you¡¯re managing affairs behind the scenes, I¡¯m afraid it could be detrimental to you.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa!¡± Gu Ci¡¯s gaze was clear and determined. ¡°1 know what to do.¡±
Aunt and Grandma were not at home, so Gu Ci took Qin Wan and left. When they returned to the Blue Fields Vi, Gu Ziyu had alreadye back. As soon as he saw her, Gu Ziyu dashed towards her. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s heart softened, and she hugged her precious son who hade running. ¡°Mom missed you too!¡±
Gu Ziyu noticed that she had lost even more weight, and it concerned him, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He twirled in front of Gu Ci and asked, ¡°Mom, do you see any changes in me?¡±
¡°Have you gained weight?¡±
Gu Ziyu blinked. He had actually gained four pounds.
¡°Mom¡¯s got sharp eyes, as always.¡±
Gu Ciughed and brought Gu Ziyu inside. He also greeted Qin Wan, and there was a security team sent by Zhang Qiang outside the Blue Fields Vi. ¡°I¡¯ve been staying at Grandma¡¯s during the New Year, but now that Mom¡¯s back, I¡¯lle home.¡±
¡°Sure, just let Grandma know.¡±
¡°How¡¯s big brother at the MSS?¡± Qin Wan perked up her ears. This was what she most wanted to hear.
Gu Ziyu replied, ¡°As soon as he got off the ne, he went to the MSS and was locked on the top floor. Chen Fei leads a squad to protect him. He¡¯s very safe. You can rest assured. The old man knows his limits, and no one can take him away from the MSS.¡±
Gu Ci breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Has big brother conveyed any messages?¡±
Gu Ziyu shook his head. MSS was full of surveince, making it not easy to pass on messages. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry too much about this. Leave it to the old man. There¡¯s very little you can do now. Don¡¯t expose yourself. Just handle the Triad¡¯s affairs in an orderly manner.¡±
¡°If he¡¯s in any danger, let me know. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to save him,¡± Qin Wan said. ¡°Even if it¡¯s a dangerous situation, i¡¯ll still go.¡±
Gu Ziyu fell silent for a moment. ¡°My intuition tells me he won¡¯t die. Rest assured..¡±
Chapter 352 - 352: The Tacit Understanding Between Siblings
Chapter 352: The Tacit Understanding Between Siblings
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Although Chen Liangdong didn¡¯t say anything, Gu Ziyu could understand his concerns and ns. ¡°Uncle will be back safely before the Lantern Festival.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Gu Ci eximed with joy.
Gu Ziyu nodded. ¡°Mom, trust me. You¡¯ve been working hard. Take this time to rest and eat well. The baby will handle it.¡±
Dr. North also arrived at the Blue Fields Vi that night. She exined the situation within the gang and the ongoing requests for gang assistance. Shepiled everything and handed it over to Gu Ci for review.
After a brief contemtion, Gu Ci said softly, ¡°Here¡¯s the n: cut off allmunication between the gang and the outside world, suspend any operational support and technical assistance.¡±
Dr. North was shocked. ¡°Can we do that?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve made the decision, and I¡¯ll take responsibility for it,¡± Gu Ci said. ¡°For ongoing operations, don¡¯t interrupt them. Wrap them up perfectly. Then, three days from now, the gang won¡¯t participate in any actions. If my brother is detained for a day, the gang will disconnect for a day. Everyone will stay quiet. The finance department should focus on making money, and other matters are not our concern.¡±
Qin Wan thought to herself that the gang¡¯s internalwork had never been disconnected since its establishment. Gu Ci indeed had a lot of courage.
This was also a form of invisible pressure!
After dinner, Gu Ci went for a walk and consulted with Dr. North. They strolled within the vi, and Qin Wan stayed on the balcony, observing the surroundings to ensure safety.
Gu Ziyu brought a cup of coffee for Qin Wan. ¡°Sister, why aren¡¯t you joining them for a walk?¡±
¡°Gu Ci is providing psychological counseling, and it¡¯s not suitable to disturb her,¡± Qin Wan replied.
Gu Ziyu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Sister, do you think Gu Ci considers Dr. North her mom?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Gu Ziyu felt a little guilty, considering that Qin Wan was her real daughter. He couldn¡¯t help but feel like his mother was stealing her motherly love. He felt a bit uneasy.
Qin Wan said, ¡°Without a blood connection, can they still be considered family?¡±
¡°If there¡¯s a bond of love, blood ties don¡¯t matter,¡± Gu Ziyu said. ¡°My mom had distant blood rtions, but they treated her like a jinx. My mom and Jinjin have no blood ties, yet they¡¯re closer than sisters.¡±
In this world, rtionships were based on genuine feelings. While blood rtions were important, love held its own significance.
¡°Dr. North cares about you too,¡± Gu Ziyu said. ¡°She made tonight¡¯s medicinal meal, which is nourishing and replenishing your blood. I guess it¡¯s for you.¡±
¡°She did it for Gu Ci,¡± Qin Wan replied, not believing that Dr. North would go to the trouble of making a four-hour medicinal meal just for her. She felt distant from herself.
Gu Ziyu chuckled as he covered his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re still a sniper with such poor observational skills. Did my mom take a single bite of the medicinal meal tonight? She doesn¡¯t like the taste of Chinese medicine at all.¡±
Qin Wan thought for a moment. It seemed like Gu Ci had taken most of the meal because she enjoyed medicinal food.
¡°Why would she make a several-hour-long medicinal meal for herself when she¡¯s perfectly fine?¡±
¡°Because she likes you?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t see that!¡±
Gu Ziyu pondered for a moment. ¡°Love is sometimes hard to express?¡±
¡°Little guy, why are you¡ Why are you trying to matchmake me and Dr. North?¡±
Gu Ziyu said with an air of maturity, ¡°I want Mom to receive a lot of love, and 1 want everyone around her to receive love too.¡±
¡°You¡¯re quite the thoughtful kid!¡± Qin Wan chuckled.
Early the next morning, Chen Fei came to the Blue Fields Vi to pick up Gu Ziyu for work and brought a message. ¡°Miss Gu Ci, the director wants you to go to the MSS.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Gu Ci inquired.
Chen Fei was concise and loyal, shaking his head. ¡°He didn¡¯t say.¡±
Gu Ziyu and Gu Ci exchanged nces, and Dr. North whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡±
¡°Is that okay?¡± Gu Ci asked Chen Fei.
Chen Fei nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±
Dr. North and Gu Ci both started packing their things. Gu Ziyu pulled Chen Fei aside. ¡°What¡¯s the reason for sending her there?¡±
¡°It¡¯s about the overseas special operations team, and it has significant implications,¡± Chen Fei exined.
Gu Ziyu understood. His mother must have cut off the gang¡¯s dark web connection, and if that were true, it would have a significant impact. The MSS also relied on the gang¡¯s assistance, and many frontline operatives needed their support.
As it was a matter of national security, Qin Wan didn¡¯t apany them. After arriving at the MSS, Chen Liangdong kindly said, ¡°You haven¡¯t seen Jiang Junlin for a while. You can go meet him.¡±
Gu Ci was surprised and delighted. ¡°Can 1 see my brother?¡±
¡°Yes, we¡¯re very democratic here,¡± Chen Liangdong said with a light smile. ¡°Some other people wille to see Jiang Junlinter.¡±
Gu Ci and Chen Fei exchanged a knowing smile, and she said, ¡°Thank you, Director Chen.¡±
Chen Liangdong led Gu Ci to meet Jiang Junlin, while Dr. North stayed outside and didn¡¯t enter. Her gaze briefly passed over Chen Liangdong, appearing murky and mysterious, but it quickly returned to calm. At this level, it was indeed very difficult for ordinary people to meet someone like Chen Liangdong.
¡°Miss. Qin, please wait in the guest lounge while Gu Ci talks with Mr. Jiang. They might have a lengthy conversation,¡± Chen Liangdong politely suggested.
¡°Alright,¡± Dr. North replied and headed to the adjacent guest lounge.
The guest lounge had a clear view of the National Security¡¯s information hall, and Dr. North looked out the window at the government office building across the street. The entire area was heavily guarded.
Her heart was pounding, and she felt an inexplicable nervousness.
Gu Ziyu and Chen Liangdong were both outside the monitoring room, listening to the conversation between Gu Ci and Jiang Junlin.
Gu Ci brought some snacks and smiled gently, ¡°Yesterday when I came back home, Grandpa asked me to bring these. They are pastries made by Aunt Gui. I thought you might not be used to outside food, so I brought these pastries.¡±
They were various Cantonese dim sum treats like cherry blossom pastries, mung bean cakes, and chestnut cakes¡ªall of which Jiang Junlin loved. Aunt Gui knew his taste well, and the pastries were aromatic and vorful. Jiang Junlin chuckled as he took a piece of chestnut cake and asked, ¡°Why did youe?¡± ¡°How¡¯s home?¡± Jiang Junlin inquired.
¡°Everything at home is fine. Grandpa has lost some weight but is still strong. 1 didn¡¯t get to see Aunt and Grandma; they went for afternoon tea with their friends. Later, I called them, and Grandmained that her pet cat got lost.¡±
¡°Lost?¡±
¡°Grandma was very sad. She picked up a stray cat in the garden, fed it water and meat every day, took it to the vet, and took care of it meticulously. But who knew, the cat didn¡¯t appreciate it and ran away. What¡¯s worse, Grandma saw it next door at the neighbor¡¯s, being all affectionate and yful.¡±
¡°That¡¯s truly an ungrateful cat.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not all. A couple of dayster, the cat came back to our doorstep, and Grandma, with a determined heart, closed the door and didn¡¯t let it in, no matter how pitifully it cried outside.¡±
Jiang Junlin twirled the ring on his finger and chuckled. ¡°Grandma did the right thing. Such ungrateful cats deserve to starve.¡±
¡°Brother, when can youe back home?¡± Gu Ci asked..
Chapter 353 - 353: I’m Kind, I Don’t Kill
Chapter 353 - 353: I¡¯m Kind, I Don¡¯t Kill
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin leaned back, looking at the camera, and smiled calmly, ¡°The matter is resolved, so naturally, I¡¯ll go back.¡±
¡°Brother, did they bully you?¡± Gu Ci looked at his thin face, which had really lost weight, as if he had been abused for months.
¡°Being held captive by Ji Chi for forty-seven days, then escaping, and then being locked up in prison¡ If you ask if it wasfortable, it definitely wasn¡¯t, but if you ask if 1 was bullied, not really. They all served me well with good food and drink,¡± Jiang Junlin said. ¡°My treatment in prison was quite good.¡±
Wei Yiming secretly thought that the treatment was exceptionally good, even having meals specified at restaurants with designated dishes.
¡°Take care of the family. You are thergest shareholder of Hun Bank. If Hun Bank faces any crisis and you sh with my father, don¡¯t worry about him. You boldly do what you need to do; I believe in you!¡± Jiang Junlin hinted at something.
Gu Ci knew he wasn¡¯t talking about Hun Bank but rather the underworld dark web.
Even if there were recordings, no one could guess what he was saying.
¡°What if I can¡¯t handle it, and Hun goes bankrupt?¡±
Jiang Junlin thought for a moment and smiled gently, ¡°Hun Bank has a strong foundation. It can withstand your extravagance. If it really goes bankrupt, let it go with the wind. Money is just an external thing; someday, it wille back.¡±
Gu Ci understood, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry, 1 have a n.¡±
Jiang Junlin looked at Gu Ci, who had also lost weight, with a hint of concern and said, ¡°Eat well and sleep well. If Lu Zhiyuan bullies you, wait for me toe out, and I¡¯ll help you get revenge.¡±
¡°¡Okay!¡±
Wei Yiming listened throughout but didn¡¯t hear any useful information; they were just chatting about family matters. Only Gu Ziyu knew that Granny Ma was allergic to cat fur, so having a cat at home was nonsense.
¡°Brother, 1¡¯11 wait for you toe home.¡±
Jiang Junlin nodded, and Gu Ci left the surveince room. Wei Yiming took a nce at the young woman in front of him, a medical student at A University, neen years old this year, and Jiang Junlin¡¯s cousin. She had seen Jiang Junlin, so wouldn¡¯t she want to know what had happened to him?
In fact, it wasn¡¯t surprising that Wei Yiming was confused. Gu Ci had reced Jiang Junlin to manage the underworld dark web, and only Chen Liangdong and Gu Ziyu knew about it. Wei Yiming couldn¡¯t understand why Chen Liangdong had asked Gu Ci to see Jiang Junlin.
After Gu Ci came out, Chen Liangdong brought her to his office, and Gu Ziyu called Dr. North over. Morning Flight was monitoring outside. Chen Liangdong said, ¡°Jiang Junlin is indeed a hot potato. He has been in the MSS for only one night, and three parties have called to request his release, all of higher rank than me. It¡¯s very difficult for me to keep him at the MSS. Cici, do me a favor and don¡¯t sever ties with the underworld dark web.¡±
¡°Uncle Chen, I¡¯ve always respected you. You are just, righteous, and have been a mentor in Ziyu¡¯s life. 1 love Ziyu like a son, so 1 hold great admiration for you. Normally, 1 would agree to whatever you ask, no matter how difficult it is. However, in this matter, 1 can only promise you that if my brother is safe, everything will remain as it is. Do you know? They sent the Tiger Team to guard my brother, and we¡¯ve made many arrangements. If a conflict arises, there will be bloodshed. The agents trained by the underworld dark web are no less capable than the Tiger Team. But my brother said that the guns of the underworld dark web should never be aimed at our own people, so he ordered me to cancel the deployment.¡±
Gu Ci chuckled and said, ¡°I was favored by my parents since 1 was young, and my personality is quite radical. I¡¯m not a person of virtue and righteousness. My belief in patriotism and righteousness is weak. I¡¯m neither from a military family nor have 1 been specially trained. I¡¯m just an ordinary person among the masses. Matters of patriotism and righteousness are for heroes. I only seek the well-being of my loved ones. For that, I¡¯m willing to do anything. My brother is the ideal leader in your eyes for the underworld dark web, not me.¡±
Chen Liangdong silently thought that Gu Ci was indeed a genius medical student from A University, clear-minded, and she yed the emotional card first, then introspected, calmly telling him that it was difficult toply with his request.
¡°You and Jiang Junlin talked about the stray cat and grandma¡¯s story. 1 guess it was about you severing ties with the underworld dark web. Cici, doing this will cost many lives,¡± Chen Liangdong advised with a heavy tone.
¡°Isn¡¯t this a moral dilemma?¡± Dr. North suddenly spoke. ¡°Without the underworld dark web, are you blind to what¡¯s happening? Can¡¯t you operate overseas without it? If lives are lost, do you me us for not providing assistance? The master of the underworld dark web is locked up here by you, barely able to move. Yet, you me us for not offering assistance, which doesn¡¯t make sense, does it? Cici took on the responsibility in a crisis and took over the underworld dark web. She hasn¡¯t dyed a single thing, and she has cooperated with all necessary actions. We haven¡¯t wronged anyone. If you truly acknowledge that we¡¯re gone, are you blind? In that case, release our master.¡±
Chen Liangdong, well aware that he was in the wrong, had a different standpoint. ¡°1 didn¡¯t capture Jiang Junlin. 1 put in tremendous effort to bring him to National Security, and in these past few days, I¡¯ve faced immense pressure to ensure his safety. 1 believe that for this, you should feel gratitude. Second, 1 am the Director of National Security. Every soldier on the frontlines of national security is a hero. I must do everything to ensure their safety. They fight on the frontline, shed blood, and make sacrifices. Because of them, you canfortably be a doctor, Cici can be a student without worries, and Ziyu can have a carefree childhood. They shouldn¡¯t be dragged into any disputes.¡± Dr. North frowned. Right and wrong were subjective, and everyone had their own perspective.
Gu Ci said, ¡°Uncle Chen, regarding the announcement about cutting off ties with the underworld dark web in three days and ongoing missions, we will cooperate until the end.¡±
¡°Cici, you¡¯re not familiar with the frontlines. Our soldiers entrust their lives to each other because of trust. If trust is lost, one wrong step could mean risking their lives. Once this announcement is made, trust will erode, and who would dare to trust the underworld dark web?¡± Chen Liangdong replied.
Gu Ziyu, standing in a neutral position, said, ¡°Old man, sister, how about this? Since it¡¯s set for three days from now, let¡¯s remove the announcement and provide a reasonable exnation. Give us three days to handle our affairs. Three days from now, if Jiang Junlin can¡¯t walk out of the MSS, we won¡¯t interfere with whatever you do.¡±
¡°Alright, three days!¡± Gu Ci seemed to be waiting for Gu Ziyu to say this and then asked Chen Liangdong with a smile, ¡°Uncle Chen, is what Ziyu says eptable?¡±
Chen Liangdong nced at Ziyu and thought, ¡°This kid, three days is too short!¡±
But once Ziyu had spoken, Chen Liangdong had to agree, saying, ¡°Alright, three days it is.¡±
¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll also release an announcement. The underworld will say that the disconnection in three days is due to server maintenance and upgrade, causing a half-daywork outage,¡± Gu Ci suggested.
Chen Liangdong and Gu Ziyu were left in shock by this unexpected move.
That was such a harsh move. Was Mom doing this on purpose?
Gu Ci asked, ¡°Uncle Chen, can I know who it is? Who wants my brother¡¯s power so badly that she¡¯s willing to kill for it?¡±
Chen Liangdong chuckled, ¡°Didn¡¯t Jiang Junlin tell you already?¡±
¡°You can¡¯t hide anything from Uncle Chen. I¡¯ll just wait for good news then,¡± Gu Ci replied.
Chen Liangdong hinted, ¡°Cici, remember to exercise restraint in your actions.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a kind heart. I can¡¯t do things like killing and setting fires,¡±
Gu Ci assured him..
Chapter 354 - 354: He Was Furious Out of Humiliation
Chapter 354 - 354: He Was Furious Out of Humiliation
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ziyu looked at her with a smile that may or may not be a smile, ¡°Mom, who just imed they¡¯re not a good person?¡±
Dr. North left with Gu Ci, and Chen Liangdong watched their backs, deep in thought. Gu Ziyu clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Old man, you¡¯re quite cunning. I never thought you¡¯d be so unconventional.¡±
Chen Liangdong continued to watch their backs, and Gu Ziyu waved a hand in front of him, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±
¡°I feel like I¡¯ve seen her somewhere.¡±
¡°Who?¡±
¡°Dr. North¡¡± Chen Liangdong felt a strange familiarity with Dr. North the moment he saw her in the hospital. It was like he had seen her somewhere before, but he couldn¡¯t remember. The image of her leaving with Gu Ci almost ovepped with a memory from his past but was also different.
After listening to their conversation, Dr. North understood Chen Liangdong¡¯s intentions. He had asked Gu Ci toe here to make Jiang Junlin tell her who wanted him dead.
Chen Liangdong reminded her to be prudent, meaning¡ no taking lives!
Gu Ci and Chen Liangdong exchanged terms, with a three-day deadline.
When clever minds sh, there¡¯s always a strategy.
¡°Who is it?¡±
¡°Lin Qing!¡± Gu Ci narrowed her eyes, and Dr. North¡¯s pupils contracted. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°This person is Lin Qing. He used to be Chen Liangdong¡¯s partner and close friend. He¡ I don¡¯t want to bring up the past. I¡¯ll check his background first.¡±
It had been many years since she had heard that name.
Gu Ci returned to the Blue Fields Vi, and Qin Wan had already found information on Lin Qing. Meanwhile, Lu Zhiyuan also obtained firsthand information on Lin Qing.
Lin Qing was fifty-three years old, the eldest son-inw of the Zhang family, and held a higher position than Chen Liangdong. Rong Li raised an eyebrow as she looked at Lin Qing¡¯s profile, ¡°Why would he be interested in the Dark Web? He¡¯s not connected to Jiang Junlin.¡±
Ji Chi¡¯s gaze was dark and unforgiving. Whoever it was, they were his enemy. At least now, this person had surfaced.
¡°Human desires are boundless. The Dark Web is a powerful tool, and everyone wants a piece of it,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said casually. ¡°The main thing is that the Dark Web has a unique feature. It¡¯s not publicly essible, only under Jiang Junlin¡¯s control. If Jiang Junlin¡¯s stance is not neutral enough and he deviates, it could lead to trouble. Moreover, he wants to make a name for himself. He¡¯s the son-inw of the Zhang family, not their son. He¡¯s fifty-three this year, still rtively young, but there¡¯s only a limited number of positions avable. In peacetime, it¡¯s not easy to achieve merit. He¡¯s also responsible for handling special situations. If he wants to advance further, he needs to achieve something. The Dark Web can help him build a reputation. If he seeds, it¡¯s a step up thedder and a source of pride for the entire family.¡±
¡°Zhang and Jiang families have a good rtionship, long-standing friends. Jiang Junlin even calls him ¡®Uncle,¡¯ and he¡¯s been close friends with Jiang Minghua for many years. During their marriage, he almost married Jiang Mingyue. I don¡¯t know why, but he ended up marrying the Zhang family¡¯s girl,¡± Li Jiang added some gossip, delving deeper, ¡°Oh, when they got married, Jiang Mingyue almost stole the limelight at the wedding.¡±
Jiang Mingyue was Gu Ci¡¯s biological mother, sparking Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s interest. ¡°What did she do?¡±
¡°She had a group of young masters perform a striptease at the wedding.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan, Rong Li, and Ji Chi were all stunned.
These young masters were probably the ones they were thinking of, right?
Li Jiang added the final touch to the gossip, ¡°Then the bride chased after her and they had a fight. They both fell into the swimming pool, single-handedly ruining their wedding. It caused quite a stir at the time.¡±
Ji Chi, curious, asked, ¡°Why?¡±
¡°That part remains a mystery. That¡¯s all the juicy gossip 1 could dig up,¡± Li Jiang did his best, ¡°Lin Qing and Chen Liangdong are old buddies from the samepound. They grew up together wearing the same pants. They even went to the battlefield together and faced life and death. Before they got married, their rtionship was rock solid. But after marriage, Chen Liangdong and Lin Qing became estranged. Chen Liangdong remained unmarried for many years, andter they went their separate ways. There were rumors in the industry that Chen Liangdong secretly admired the Zhang family girl, and Lin Qing snatched her away. So, the brothers became enemies.¡±
¡°What a mess. How many women is he involved with, anyway?¡± Rong Li was getting annoyed. ¡°Is he some kind of heartthrob? Are all women crazy about him? Is he better-looking than Third Master and Ji Chi?¡±
¡°It¡¯s definitely not that!¡± Li Jiang showed them a photo of Lin Qing when he was younger.
Rong Li raised an eyebrow, ¡°This in-looking guy? Women fought over him like this? Are they blind?¡±
Ji Chi nodded in agreement.
Lu Zhiyuan nced at the photo. Lin Qing was around 1.75 meters tall, with a very refined appearance, a true gentleman.
Rong Li shrugged, ¡°So, he wants to get his hands on the Dark Web but can¡¯t find a reason. Now that Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi are entangled in this mess, jeopardizing the interests of the group, he wants to take their ce?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Rong Li nced at Ji Chi, ¡°The ssic femme fatale, and he certainly fits the bill with his looks.¡±
¡°Get lost!¡± Ji Chi was annoyed. ¡°Now that we know who¡¯s behind this, it¡¯s easier to handle.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to act recklessly. Wait for Gu Ci¡¯s information. Chen Liangdong invited Gu Ci to the MSS today. His intentions are not that simple. This is their matter; we should just observe for now,¡± Lu Zhiyuan calmly advised. ¡°Don¡¯t disrupt Gu Ci¡¯s ns.¡±
Ji Chi looked out the window with a menacing gaze, while Rong Li coldly snorted, ¡°Jealous, aren¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t it painful not having any official status? You can¡¯t even visit her in prison. Are you jealous?¡±
¡°Shut up!¡± Ji Chi¡¯s true feelings were exposed, and he was furious. ¡°I¡¯m not!¡±
¡°Oh, really mature!¡± Rong Li taunted. ¡°If Gu Ci weren¡¯t Third Master¡¯s sweetheart, you would have chopped her up a long time ago.¡±
Ji Chi retorted, ¡°Shut up, you¡¯re really noisy.¡±
Rong Li said, ¡°Third Master, look, he¡¯s getting angry out of embarrassment.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan looked at him with a smirk, ¡°Is that so?¡±
Ji Chi mumbled, ¡°Well, asionally.¡±
Rong Li burst intoughter, ¡°And you admit it?¡±
Ji Chi kicked at him, ¡°Shut up, you¡¯re really annoying.¡±
Rong Li teased, ¡°Third Master, see? He¡¯s losing his temper.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan watched them y around. In reality, Rong Li enjoyed teasing Ji Chi, as it was rare to see him crack a smile.
¡°Third Master, now that Lin Qing¡¯s ns have been exposed, how do you think this matter will be resolved?¡± Ji Chi asked. He didn¡¯t have as clear a grasp of the domestic situation as Lu Zhiyuan.
Lu Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t fond of the domestic business environment, which was why he had epted the ck Hawk contract back then and had been unwilling to join the Lu family¡¯s financial empire. The close ties between capital and the government made it too restrictive.
However, in the course of human development spanning thousands of years, China had been a global leader for 4,800 years. It had only sunk and allowed itself to be exploited over the past two centuries and was now in the second position. As long as there were visionary businessmen, they would heavily invest in Chinese capital. While he didn¡¯t like the business environment, he had a positive outlook on assets. Over the past few years, he had gradually cultivated hiswork within the country and now had his own survival system in ce..
Chapter 355 - 355: Friendship with a Plastic Flower
Chapter 355: Friendship with a stic Flower
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Lin Qing¡¯s desire for the underworld dark web couldn¡¯t have been a spur-of-the-moment decision. With such meticulous nning, it must have been in the works for three or four years. If I were Lin Qing, wanting to ess the underworld dark web, I¡¯d definitely send an intermediary to sound out Jiang Junlin¡¯s attitude first. After Jiang Junlin¡¯s resolute refusal, he would start looking for Jiang Junlin¡¯s weaknesses. Since they have an unclear rtionship, Lin Qing aims to catch Jiang Junlin¡¯s vulnerabilities. Would Jiang Junlin be oblivious to this?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked Ji Chi, ¡°What do you think? Would Jiang Junlin have no defenses at all?¡±
Ji Chi shook his head and said in a very matter-of-fact manner, ¡°He must have anticipated the worst-case scenario and would have some counter measures in ce.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s wait!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Before the Lantern Festival, this matter will surely be resolved.¡±
Ji Chi furrowed his brow keenly and asked, ¡°Third Master, this matter has nothing to do with you, right?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan countered, ¡°What if it does?¡±
Ji Chi hesitated.
Gu Ci invited Jiang Minghua to the Blue Fields Vi and inquired about Lin Qing. Jiang Minghua was very sensitive and asked, ¡°Is it Lin Qing who wants the underworld dark web?¡±
¡°Uncle¡ he¡¯s your best friend, right?¡±
Jiang Minghua was greatly shaken but quickly regained hisposure and began discussing his rtionship with Lin Qing. ¡°Lin Qing and I aren¡¯t childhood friends; he grew up in the same courtyard as Chen Liangdong. We met during middle school and got along very well. We¡¯ve been close friends since childhood. When I got married, he was my best man. When Hun Bank faced several crises during the financial storm, he generously helped us. He¡¯s been on the rise, and our families have supported each other. He even wanted to be Junlin¡¯s godfather back then. How could it be him? Our families often went on trips and had gatherings together. Junlin and Linnan, even his daughter, Zhang Jiaqi, had a good rtionship. I can¡¯t believe it would be him.¡± Dr. North said, ¡°You may know someone¡¯s face, but not their heart. He and Chen Liangdong were childhood friends and had a deeper connection than you did. However, they had a falling out and became estranged. Have you never asked why?¡±
¡°He said they had different political views, couldn¡¯t agree, and went their separate ways. And¡¡± Jiang Minghua awkwardly added, ¡°Lin Qing mentioned that Chen Liangdong liked Zhang Jiaqi, who is his wife. To this day, she¡¯s not married, and their meetings would only increase the awkwardness, gradually leading to estrangement.¡±
Dr. North was taken aback and clenched her fist.
He had never married all these years. Had the love of his life married someone else?
Gu Ci didn¡¯t care about the romantic affairs of the older generation, but she recalled the refined figure of Chen Liangdong. A man of such noble character, would he really be interested in a married woman, maintaining his purity for decades?
Qin Wan curiously asked, ¡°Cici¡¯s mom also had aplicated rtionship with Lin Qing, didn¡¯t she? She even caused a scene at Lin Qing¡¯s wedding. Lin Qing seems to have quite a way with women, spreading his affections everywhere.¡± ¡°Who said that!¡± Jiang Minghua said helplessly. ¡°Mingyue has only one w, she fell in love with Gu Wenliang, which wasn¡¯t a suitable match. My mother strongly opposed her marrying Gu Wenliang. Lin Qing was fond of Mingyue at the time and wanted to take advantage of the situation. I was fine with it because Lin Qing was a better choice than Gu Wenliang in every way. Later, Zhang Jiaqi fell in love with Lin Qing at first sight. He pursued Mingyue for a long time but lost patience and agreed to Zhang Jiaqi¡¯s advances. But since we had more interactions, Lin Qing often visited my house. For him, Mingyue was an unattainable ideal, which always caused some confusion. Zhang Jiaqi had a fiery temper and misunderstood Lin Qing, and rumors started that Mingyue was interfering with their rtionship. Mingyue also misunderstood, thinking it was Zhang Jiaqi¡¯s doing, so they fought whenever they met. The feud escted. She was spoiled by us and couldn¡¯t stand the humiliation, so she had dozens of young men perform a strip dance at their wedding. Zhang Jiaqi used to visit the young men¡¯s club a lot before marriage, and she couldn¡¯t bear the humiliation, leading to a big scene. The Jiang and Zhang families have been close for generations; otherwise, this matter wouldn¡¯t have been resolved.¡±
Gu Ci was speechless.
Qin Wanmented, ¡°Drama alert, Cici. Like mother, like daughter.¡±
Jiang Minghua continued, ¡°Because of this incident, Zhang Jiaqi spread rumors after the wedding, jealous that Mingyue had a happy marriage. So, it gradually subsided after Mingyue married Gu Wenliang. For me and Lin Qing, it was a trivial farce. Although Zhang Jiaqi deviated from the path a bit, she was raised by the Zhang family, and her character wasn¡¯t too bad. The rumors were spread by troublemakers, not her, and she has gotten along very well with your aunt over the years.¡±
Gu Ci listened in silence to her mother¡¯s lively past and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Uncle, what if Lin Qing initially wanted the underworld dark web to get close to you? If 1 remember correctly, before his uncle came to see you, you and Lin Qing were already good friends.¡±
¡°But, Cici, before his uncle came to us, Lin Qing and 1 had been friends for many years.¡±
¡°But now he wants to take the boss¡¯s life!¡± Qin Wan said. ¡°Your friendship is as fragile as stic flowers, not worth a dime.¡±
Jiang Minghua felt ufortable. There are few friends in life who have known each other for almost forty years. Why would Lin Qing want the underworld dark web and, in turn, Junlin¡¯s life? When there were happy events in the Zhang or Lin families, he and Junlin would attend to offer their congrattions. Junlin also respected him.
¡°Does Lin Qing have only one daughter?¡±
Jiang Minghua nodded. ¡°Lin Nan is his only daughter. She¡¯s currently a junior clerk, and her position may not be high, but she holds significant power. She¡¯s quite steady. Cici, what are you nning?¡±
¡°Uncle, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just asking for information about Lin Qing,¡± Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but remind him. ¡°Uncle, is there anything else you can tell us about Lin Qing? The more information we have, the better our chances.¡±
Jiang Minghua, not one to be obtuse, hesitated for a moment before divulging, ¡°After Zhang Jiaqi gave birth to Nan Nan, it wasn¡¯t suitable for her to have more children. Lin Qing wanted a son, so he had an extramarital affair and has a pair of twin sons studying in college.¡±
Qin Wan sneered, ¡°He still favors sons over daughters? What¡¯s wrong with having a daughter?¡±
Jiang Minghua spoke softly, ¡°Lin Qing¡¯s parents passed away early, and he was raised by his uncle. Their family was small, and his uncle¡¯s son was a frontline special agent who died on duty overseas. Lin¡¯s family was left with only him. After his uncle¡¯s death, the Lin family didn¡¯t have much foundation, so he took his work very seriously, never engaged in corruption, and was determined to climb the ranks. He wanted a son because he didn¡¯t want the Lin family line to die out.¡±
Gu Ci furrowed her brow, ¡°He¡¯s already the eldest son-inw of Colonel Zhang, with a widework of contacts and resources. Why is he so eager to make a name for himself?¡±
¡°Colonel Zhang has three sons-inw. The second and third sons-inw are younger and have better prospects than him. Colonel Zhang also has a biological son whopeted for a position with the Mu family three years ago and lost. Colonel Zhang didn¡¯t use his influence to help him, and even afterward, he took his son to visit the Mu family to offer congrattions. This has been a thorn in his side.¡± Jiang Minghua couldn¡¯t help but reveal, ¡°He works in an office, andpeting with the second son of the Mu family for the position of Colonel is impossible. If he really took that position, Colonel Zhang would be drowned in criticism. Because of this, the Mu family has been rising rapidly in recent years, and it has always been a sore spot for him..¡±
Chapter 356 - 356: A Reversal
Chapter 356: A Reversal
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Qin Wan frowned, ¡°So he¡¯s eager to make a name for himself, wants to control the Dark Web, and he¡¯s quite the dreamer. If he¡¯s capable, he shouldn¡¯t just sit in his office and give orders. He should be on the frontlines to see how long he can survive there. The boss has only been away from the frontlines for the past three years. Three years ago, he used to handle many missions himself. He said that only by experiencing it himself can he understand the needs of frontline operations and the psychology of those working there, and only then can he provide better support. He¡¯s not doing anything but wants to take credit for the work of others for so many years. Disgusting!¡±
Qin Wan was so angry her face turned red!
Gu Ci called Gu Ziyu and asked him for a small favor. After hanging up the phone, Gu Ziyu consulted Chen Liangdong.
After a brief moment of thought, Chen Liangdong nodded, ¡°Just don¡¯t make it too obvious.¡±
¡°Alright!¡±
After hanging up the phone, Gu Ci organized Lin Qing¡¯s information. Jiang Minghua was disheartened and hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock of the situation. He held onto a glimmer of hope and asked, ¡°Cici, could it be a mistake?¡±
¡°Uncle, it¡¯s not a mistake. Lin Qing will confront the National Security in half an hour.¡± Gu Ci also received a message from Gu Ziyu. Chen Liangdong acted swiftly and didn¡¯t want to dy any longer.
Gu Ci said, ¡°Uncle, could you introduce me to Colonel Zhang?¡±
¡°You want to meet Colonel Zhang, the Commander?¡±
Gu Ci nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±
Jiang Junlin and Lin Qing sat in the interrogation room, with a one-way ss separating them from a group of high-ranking officials who were listening to the interrogation. The Dark Web was not a secret organization; many government agencies had cooperated with them. They knew that the Dark Web operated outside of their jurisdiction, providing money, intelligence, rescue, and the assistance of the ¡°ck Hawk Eye System¡± to overseas agents, which had contributed significantly to the sess of overseas agents.
The Dark Web wielded significant power; they could analyze missions and even decide whether a mission should continue. They had almostplete control over the activities of overseas agents, while also providing a continuous flow of funds and ensuring a stable market environment for the domestic financial market.
During the financial crisis, they even had the power to request substantial funds. They were wealthy and influential, but their master was Jiang Junlin, the President of Hun Bank, a fact known to very few.
The high-ranking officials sitting outside the interrogation room had an average age of around 55. They had always assumed that the person in charge of the Dark Web was around their age, but they were shocked to find out that it was Jiang Junlin, who was not even thirty years old.
In terms of shock value, this revtion was even more astonishing than Chen Liangdong hiring the young boy, Gu Ziyu.
Chen Liangdong and Gu Ziyu had seen most of their faces before, so Gu Ziyu recognized them all. Gu Ziyu apanied them, standing outside and watching. Apart from them and the information officers recording the proceedings, all other information was isted.
Inside the interrogation room, Chen Liangdong and Lin Qing sat on one side, while Jiang Junlin sat on the other. Chen Liangdong ced aputer in front of Jiang Junlin and asked him to confirm his identity, ¡°Mr. Jiang, please confirm your identity.¡±
Jiang Junlin entered the password, underwent iris and fingerprint verification, and logged into the Dark Web. The Dark Web had eleven separate departments, each with its own set of instructions.
After Gu Ci took over the Dark Web, the Financial Center and Information Security remained in a silent state. With Jiang Junlin absent, the heads of the Financial Center and Information Security Center were also silent. The entire departments had disconnected from the Dark Web, and only a small team of information officers from the ck Hawk Eye System system cooperated with Gu Ci¡¯s actions. The two main departments werepletely silent.
Jiang Junlin projected the instructions onto arge screen, initiated video conference calls with all department heads, and within a minute, all eleven of them had gathered, confirming Jiang Junlin¡¯s identity.
Once confirmed, Jiang Junlin cut off the connection, and they fell silent once again.
Chen Liangdong, although not familiar with the Dark Web system, could clearly see from Jiang Junlin¡¯s actions that the Jiang family was indeed at the heart of the Dark Web. They operated with utmost precision, and Jiang Junlin was unquestionably their central figure.
¡°Identity confirmed, he¡¯s the Lord of the Dark Web,¡± Chen Liangdong said.
Lin Qing smiled at Jiang Junlin, ¡°Junlin, this is really a misunderstanding. I had no knowledge of the Dark Web¡¯s existence. My team in Paris suffered heavy casualties, with only one survivor. They were sent to track down Ji Chi, but a firefight erupted, leaving only one person alive. Based on his report, you and Ji Chi were together and fired at them. In my anger, I sent two more teams to capture Ji Chi, thinking it was a misunderstanding. I didn¡¯t expect them to run into you again. In order to ensure Ji Chi¡¯s survival, you willingly let yourself be arrested. I had Li Mu lead the team to bring you back to rify the shooting incident.¡±
Jiang Junlin also knew that Lin Qing would have a perfect exnation. He smiled and said, ¡°The Dark Web and ck Hawk have been in constant conflict for many years. During the financial war, Ji Chi imprisoned me in his home and tortured me in various ways. That day, 1 had a bout of gastritis, and Ji Chi took me to the hospital. My bodyguards tried to rescue me on the way, but unexpectedly, a group of mercenaries came after us. My people never encountered these killers. They didn¡¯t reveal their identities, they didn¡¯t issue warnings, and at the time, 1 was unconscious the whole way, dragged without firing a single shot. Moreover, the ones who came to intercept me were my own bodyguards. To persuade them to intercept me, someone must have known my identity.¡±
¡°Junlin, your father and I have been close friends since middle school, and we¡¯ve always been like brothers. We have a close rtionship between our families. If 1 wanted the Dark Web, there would be no need for this. 1 could have simply convinced you to work for me.¡±
¡°The Dark Web is a public tool and cannot be used privately. You know I wouldn¡¯t show favoritism. Such things should only be in one¡¯s own hands for maximum security.¡±
¡°Minister Lin is seeking justice for the deceased team members, hence the arrest of President Jiang. But who were the people that arrested him? Where are they from?¡± Chen Liangdong asked.
¡°It was a group of makeshift mercenaries that I contacted, and all the contract documents are here,¡± Lin Qing said, prepared as he took out the documents for Chen Liangdong to inspect one by one.
Lin Qing added, ¡°If necessary, I can have them testify.¡±
¡°What does President Jiang say?¡± Chen Liangdong inquired.
Jiang Junlin responded, ¡°The ones who came to capture me were a team of overseas mercenaries, and they included members of my own security team. If I¡¯m not mistaken, they should all be dead, leaving no witnesses.¡±
Lin Qing chuckled and said, ¡°Junlin, in all matters, evidence is crucial. This incident appears to be a misunderstanding.¡±
Jiang Junlin calmly looked at him and said, ¡°Uncle Lin, so you¡¯re not admitting that you instigated Zhang Huan to chase and arrest me, with the intention of obtaining control of the Dark Web. Is that correct?¡±
¡°This was an entirely baseless usation from the start.¡±
¡°So, you don¡¯t know Zhang Huan?¡±
¡°How could I possibly know your security team?¡±
¡°Very well!¡± Jiang Junlin smiled and, after some keystrokes on theputer, disyed a set of photos for Lin Qing.. ¡°Can you exin what these photos are all about?¡±
Chapter 357 - 357: Get Hammered If You Want
Chapter 357: Get Hammered If You Want
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
He turned theputer around, disying a set of photos in front of Chen Liangdong and Lin Qing. These were pictures of meetings between Lin Qing, Zhang Huan, and others, all of which took ce in China. Lin Qing handed a box to Zhang Huan, and when he opened it, it was filled with US dors.
¡°You¡¡± Lin Qing¡¯s face changed slightly. ¡°These are manipted photos, Junlin. You¡¯re falsely using me.¡±
¡°Sure!¡± Jiang Junlin chuckled and yed a recording. The recording featured a conversation between Lin Qing and Zhang Huan. Lin Qing was pressuring Zhang Huan to extract the Dark Web¡¯s password and the activation code for the Eleventh Department. If he couldn¡¯t seed, he was instructed to bring Jiang Junlin back alive, or if that failed, to execute him on the spot.
Jiang Junlin looked at him with a sly smile.
Chen Liangdong could also hear his voice. ¡°Is this recording fabricated as well?¡±
That was a rather ironic question!
¡°Why do you have recordings and photos?¡± Lin Qing gritted his teeth.
Jiang Junlin smiled gently. ¡°Three years ago, after your failed mission with Colonel Mu, you spoke candidly while intoxicated, hoping I could lend a hand. You pretended to be drunk to test me andter imed memory loss. I¡¯m naturally cautious, so 1 had Zhang Qiang investigate my close guard and undercover teams, but there were no leads at the time. A yearter, the undercover team began taking frequent leaves, which raised my suspicions. I had the Information Department equip every phone used by my close guards and undercover agents with recording and tracking functions. Earlyst year, the head of the Information Department reminded me of issues with the undercover team; there might be a traitor among them. At that time, my prime suspect was Liu Bingwen, so 1 went to Paris. 1 didn¡¯t have a chance to deal with this matter when 1 was imprisoned by Ji Chi, but fortunately, Ji Chi imprisoned me, and your conversations with Zhang Huan became more careless, no longer using disposable phone cards. The Information Department had already been recording your calls, and 1 was arrested. All your call records and financial transaction records have just been transmitted to my phone a minute ago, Uncle Lin. The evidence is overwhelming.¡±
The big shots behind the ss wall watched as Jiang Junlin systematically dismantled Lin Qing, without a hint of surprise.
This was the owner of the Dark Web after all.
In his presence, no crime could escape notice. No matter how meticulous Lin Qing was, as long as he had truly turned one of Jiang Junlin¡¯s undercover agents, there would be evidence.
Gu Ziyu suddenly realized something. In the previous life, his uncle couldn¡¯t escape this betrayal and plotting, and his leg was broken. However, Lin Qing had always remained in the shadows, rising to power.
Now, ck Hawk¡¯s authority remained intact, his father oversaw all affairs, and Ji Chi had gained confidence. This time, it was a showdown to protect his uncle, mother, and Dr. North¡ªall of them were still alive.
So, his uncle won this round.
If it weren¡¯t for Ji Chi and ck Hawk, would his uncle have survived this betrayal? Even if he had nned meticulously and calcted everything, what would evidence have mattered?
Chen Liangdong didn¡¯t step in. Without the involvement of his uncle and Lin Qing, this confrontation wouldn¡¯t have urred. These big shots cared about stability, whether his uncle was innocent or guilty.
¡°Junlin, you¡¯ve always been exceptionally intelligent. I never thought everything was within your calctions,¡± Lin Qing shook his head.
¡°I¡¯m human, not a deity, Uncle Lin. This wasn¡¯t a perfectly calcted n; it¡¯s just that I knew the Dark Web¡¯s master would face threats from all sides. You shouldn¡¯t have harbored these intentions.¡±
¡°But it was you who first betrayed the Dark Web¡¯s principles, and you hadplicated ties with ck Hawk. That¡¯s why 1 resorted to this n,¡± Lin Qing said, his back against the wall. ¡°You betrayed first, which led to the betrayal by your undercover agents. Zhang Huan approached me on his own, requesting that I purge the Dark Web.¡±
The big shots frowned. ¡°What does this have to do with ck Hawk?¡±
¡°Who am I tangled up with?¡± Jiang Junlin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Ji Chi?¡±
Lin Qing was also prepared and threw out a stack of photos. They were all intimate photos of Ji Chi and Jiang Junlin, taken during theirst yful antics in the hot springs. Someone had managed to capture a blurry photo.
The big shots were taken aback.
Gu Ziyu watched their colorful expressions and felt numb, looking up at the sky.
Uncle, how are you going to defend against this?
Jiang Junlin chuckled lightly. ¡°Ji Chi and 1 originally had a premeditated encounter. I needed him to split up ck Hawk, and he was undercover by Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s order, working by my side. He¡¯s Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s pawn, and I kept my own calctions close. I¡¯m twenty-eight this year and have never been in a rtionship. Due to some peculiar preferences, 1 haven¡¯t harmed any girls. Ji Chi is a good-looking guy, and he suits my taste. You scratch my back, 1 scratch yours, and it¡¯s not illegal, right? Is this considered betrayal?¡±
Gu Ziyu remained silent.
It¡¯s a shame this couldn¡¯t be recorded. Otherwise, Ji Chi might have gone insane again when he heard this!
¡°Jiang Junlin, you¡¯re blinded by lust and betraying the organization. How dare you look for excuses?¡±
¡°Have you never fooled around?¡± Jiang Junlin leaned backzily. Though he was young, he exuded an air of a big shot in front of Lin Qing. ¡°Men dabble here and there, y around. It¡¯s perfectly normal. Having a wife at home and socializing with beautiful women¡ªI just have different tastes. How does that qualify as betrayal? If we¡¯re talking about betrayal, I¡¯d only betray my future wife, but I¡¯m not married yet, so 1 don¡¯t have a wife. But you, Uncle Lin, have deep feelings with Auntie Zhang, yet you¡¯ve fathered a pair of illegitimate children outside. They¡¯re in college now, and you¡¯ve hidden it quite well.¡±
¡°You¡¡± Lin Qing was shocked. ¡°How do you know?¡±
In order to avoid suspicion, his mistress had even married someone else, so the child was officially someone else¡¯s.
Jiang Junlin chuckled and said, ¡°Let me think. Aside from how Zhang Grandpa would react if he knew about this, with your current professional title and such indiscreet personal affairs, it¡¯s hard for you to advance any further. So, don¡¯t try tobel me as a traitor. You just wanted to climb the ranks, aimed at the Dark Web, but I wouldn¡¯t misuse my power, which brought this unwarranted disaster upon you.¡±
Jiang Junlin had basically dismantled Lin Qing¡¯s arguments.
He had nevermitted treason against his country, and he had never made any mistakes. Jiang Junlin sat there, cool andposed, his legs crossed. ¡°Uncle Lin, if you want to use me of treason, you bettere up with concrete evidence. A little love affair definitely won¡¯t convict me.¡±
¡°How much of our financial market assets has ck Hawk seized over the years, engaging in financial warfare several times a year, continuously draining our resources? The Dark Web¡¯s responsibility is to maintain a healthy financial order. Why has ck Hawk grown so strong in recent years, capable ofpeting with the Dark Web? If it weren¡¯t for your collusion with Lu Zhiyuan, ck Hawk wouldn¡¯t have the current position it does. Hun Bank is already a financial giant, and if the Dark Web and ck Hawk join forces, you¡¯ll monopolize capital and do whatever you want. This is an invisible threat. You¡¯re cautious and haven¡¯t made any mistakes, but you¡¯re intertwined with Ji Chi. Your cousin Gu Ci is in a rtionship with Lu Zhiyuan. You¡¯re bound to be one big family sooner orter, controlling capital. Everything I¡¯ve done has been selfless, all for the purpose of reiming what belongs to us..¡±
Chapter 358 - 358: Listen Up, I Want You Dead!
Chapter 358: Listen Up, I Want You Dead!
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°My younger sister, Gu Ci, and Lu Zhiyuan, grew up together as childhood sweethearts. No one knew he was the third young master of the ck Hawk. Director Chen, did you know this three months ago?¡± Jiang Junlin asked with a light smile.
Chen Liangdong shook his head. ¡°1 didn¡¯t know!¡±
These were all knew information and you guys have kept it under wraps deep enough.
Jiang Junlin continued, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s identity, Chairman Lu might not even know. How could I know? As for the impending marriage, it¡¯s quite strange. There¡¯s a legal principle: ¡®innocent until proven guilty.¡¯ I haven¡¯t heard of a day when thew convicts someone first and then waits for unknown evidence. Let me point you in the right direction. If you want to use me, provide the facts. Which year, which day, did 1 collude with Lu Zhiyuan and do what? That¡¯s the evidence!¡±
Lin Qing couldn¡¯t produce evidence. If he could, why would he bother trying to turn Jiang Junlin¡¯s covert security team against him? He would have publicly used Jiang Junlin of wrongdoing and forced him to step down.
Jiang Junlin fell silent, staring at Lin Qing, waiting for him to present evidence. This silence exerted tremendous pressure on Lin Qing, even though it was unspoken. Chen Liangdong also shared Jiang Junlin¡¯s military record with the high-ups behind the ss wall. It was a record that was second to none among any soldier.
If he had served in the regr army, this record would have earned him the highest honors at least five times, and by now, he would have held the rank of colonel. This was the honor he had earned through his own efforts on the frontlines during peacetime.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Junlin, my uncle misunderstood you,¡± Lin Qing sighed. ¡°I was too anxious, thinking about your rtionship with Ji Chi, Gu Ci, and Lu Zhiyuan. 1 felt anxious, and when I¡¯m anxious, 1 make mistakes. Please forgive your uncle.¡±
¡°Uncle Lin, if you can¡¯t provide evidence, then 1¡¯11 have to apply to the military court,¡± Jiang Junlin said calmly.
Lin Qing was shocked, his face turning pale. ¡°What did you say?¡±
The high-ups exchanged nces.
Jiang Junlin continued, ¡°Although the Underworld Dark Web doesn¡¯t belong to any formal organization, its existence is acknowledged. My people are trained ording to the highest military standards. Those who sacrifice their lives in the line of duty receive recognition and honors. You, driven by personal desires, subverted Zhang Huan, and sent people to hunt me down and engage in a pursuit. In this incident, eight members of the Underworld Dark Web were killed or injured. 1 need an exnation for this.¡±
¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Lin Qing eximed.
Chen Liangdong was not surprised, yet also not surprised. Jiang Junlin¡¯s approach didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to downy the situation. He understood that in the professional world, no one fought alone. Lin Qing¡¯s position was solid and hard to shake, and he had powerful backers. If Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t pursue this, things would blow over, and everyone would remain on good terms.
¡°If we pursue this, it won¡¯t just offend Lin Qing!¡± Chen Liangdong thought to himself. ¡°If he pulls Lin Qing down, there will surely be others who want to pull him down.¡±
He observed Jiang Junlin¡¯s actions and demeanor and realized that Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t seem to want to trivialize the situation or let it slide.
¡°Everyone here is thinking about taking a step back and letting it go lightly. Uncle Lin misunderstood, and it led to this mess. I¡¯m sitting here unscathed, and you expect me to ept a simple apology and move on?¡± Jiang Junlin calmly questioned. ¡°I¡¯ve toiled tirelessly, dedicated my mind and body for ten years. Why should I let you tarnish my reputation with baseless usations? My people are loyal and courageous, with unwavering determination, yet they died in this internal strife fueled by your personal grudges. They are still young, with parents above and wives and children below. Do you think a mere apology can bring back someone else¡¯s son, husband, or father? Why do you believe that a simple apology can settle this matter?¡±
¡°Jiang Junlin!¡± Lin Qing, with his high position and influence, hadn¡¯t been spoken to like this by anyone in years, except for Zhang Lao. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±
¡°I¡¯m perfectly sane!¡± Jiang Junlin looked into the camera and said each word clearly. ¡°He must pay the price for this!¡±
At this point, there was no turning back.
Chen Liangdong couldn¡¯t help but wonder, did Jiang Junlin win?
No, he didn¡¯t!
Lin Qing couldn¡¯t provide evidence, but the seed of doubt had already been nted. Jiang Junlin would have to be extremely cautious in his words and actions from now on. Any mistake would be seized upon by others.
If he insisted on pulling down Lin Qing, he wouldn¡¯t have an easy life ahead.
Gu Ziyu understood deep down that Jiang Junlin wanted to set an example. The Underworld Dark Web wouldn¡¯t be a one-man show anymore; there would be checks and bnces to ensure Jiang Junlin was no longer operating outside the organization.
But how to handle this matter needed to be discussed.
Therefore, Jiang Junlin had to make an example, to make them all understand the consequences of coveting the Underworld Dark Web.
In the earpiece, Chen Liangdong heard Chen Chen¡¯s voice, ¡°Director, old Zhang is here.¡±
¡°Both of you take a break.¡± Before leaving the room, Chen Liangdong turned off the recording.
Lin Qing nced at the now-off recording and said in a low voice, ¡°Junlin, the Jiang and Zhang families are old friends, and your father and I are close friends too. Handling this matter lightly would benefit everyone. You¡¯re seeking justice for the dead, have you thought about the ones who are still alive?¡±
Jiang Junlin leaned forward, lowering his voice, ¡°Listen carefully, 1 want you dead!¡±
¡°You!¡± Lin Qing had never encountered anyone more audacious than Jiang Junlin in his entire life. He had even held Jiang Junlin as a baby when he was born and yed with him as a child. Now, he was standing beside him, saying, ¡°I want you dead!¡±
¡°Well, you¡¯re probably going to be disappointed,¡± Lin Qing replied calmly.
¡°I know, you¡¯re just a passerby,¡± Jiang Junlin said with a light smile. ¡°There are plenty of people who want the Underworld Dark Web. This kind of power, money, who wouldn¡¯t want it? You¡¯ve achieved your goal, making the Underworld Dark Web subject to oversight, slowly infiltrating your people. In a year, two years, ten years, you¡¯ll eventually erode the power in my hands.¡±
¡°You¡¡± Lin Qing was shocked and couldn¡¯t believe that Jiang Junlin could see through his ns so clearly.
¡°Is this move something that Lu Zhiyuan taught you?¡± Jiang Junlin asked with a sly smile. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t mentioned Lu Zhiyuan, trying to distance yourself from his rtionship, I wouldn¡¯t have suspected. But you did, and that gave it away.¡±
¡°Jiang Junlin, you think it¡¯s easy to bring me down with just the Underworld Dark Web?¡± Lin Qing chuckled confidently.
¡°Is that so?¡± Jiang Junlin smiled and continued, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Old Zhang has already given up on you.¡±
Lin Qing¡¯s smile faded, and his expression grew serious.
Outside the MSS, Dr. North, Qin Wan, and Gu Ci were in the car. Gu Ci was resting in the back seat with her eyes closed. Dr. North expressed his concern, ¡°Cici, you¡¯ve been running around for your master¡¯s affairstely, and you haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep. Let¡¯s go back and rest. You¡¯ve done what you needed to do.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not tired!¡± Gu Ci opened her eyes, iming not to be tired, but her eyes were bloodshot.
Qin Wan was a loyal follower of Jiang Junlin and thought Gu Ci was pushing herself too hard. Gu Ci had some special conditions, and if her mental state wasn¡¯t stable, it would worsen her condition. Her illness also didn¡¯t tolerate exhaustion and stress.
Too much stress could exacerbate her condition.
Qin Wan inadvertently nced at the mental health report written by Dr. North. It was already in the advanced stage. Treatment was already challenging, and it couldn¡¯t afford to worsen..
Chapter 359 - 359: Brother Is Free
Chapter 359 - 359: Brother Is Free
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ci stared fixedly at the entrance of MSS Gate. While she quietly pondered, both Dr. North and Qin Wan felt a bit uneasy. Qin Wan asked, ¡°Cici, what are you thinking?¡±
¡°I¡¯m thinking about Lu Zhiyuan,¡± Gu Ci blurted out.
Dr. North and Qin Wan exchanged puzzled nces, and Gu Ci, realizing her slip, quickly corrected herself, ¡°1 mean, I¡¯m wondering why he¡¯s so quiet.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Qin Wan didn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°Even if ck Hawk doesn¡¯t actively intervene, they¡¯re likely watching from a distance, waiting to reap the benefits.¡±
Gu Ci shook her head, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan and his brother have been trying to eliminate each other for so many years. With such a major incident happening in the underworld, his silence is unusual.¡±
¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of you?¡± Qin Wan spected.
Gu Ci responded calmly, ¡°He and I are different.¡±
Dr. North felt a pang in his heart and whispered, ¡°Cici, don¡¯t dwell on it. Let¡¯s watch how things unfold.¡±
Qin Wan, who always believed in fighting fire with fire, couldn¡¯t help but be curious, ¡°Cici, let me gossip a bit. If there¡¯s a day when your master and Third Master are at odds, whose side are you on? What if they be enemies?¡±
Gu Ci gazed silently out of the window, offering no response.
Having been by Gu Ci¡¯s side for so long, Qin Wan had some understanding of her personality. Gu Ci¡¯s heart was like a desert, making it difficult for her to get close to anyone. No matter how kind others were to her, it might not warm her heart. She could only offer a fraction of herself.
For example, when it came to the Jiang family, Gu Ci worked tirelessly for Jiang Junlin because he genuinely treated her as a sister and protected her. But what about the rest of the Jiang family?
Gu Ci was somewhat indifferent toward them. If she saw a box of delicious snacks on the street, she might think of Lu Zhiyuan, she might think of Gu Ziyu, she might think of Jiang Junlin, but she probably wouldn¡¯t think of the other members of the Jiang family.
She knew in her heart that they were her family, but she didn¡¯t know how to love them. Gu Ci didn¡¯t understand.
So, Qin Wan found it unexpectedly touching that Gu Ci was bing close to Dr. North for no apparent reason.
¡°Qin Wan, why so many words?¡± Dr. Dr. North shook his head at Qin Wan.
¡°Just a bit of gossip,¡± Qin Wan said. ¡°Anyway, if it were me, if anyone touched my family, I¡¯d take them down.¡±
Gu Ci chuckled softly, ¡°But¡ Lu Zhiyuan is also my family.¡±
¡°He¡¯s not your husband; what does a boyfriend count as in terms of family?¡± Qin Wan shrugged. ¡°If you said he¡¯s your husband, 1 could understand, as he¡¯s your closest person and the heir to your inheritance. But he¡¯s just your boyfriend.¡±
Dr. North remained silent, and Gu Ci continued to gaze out of the window in silence.
In the MSS organization, even though Old Zhang had retired, his influence remained strong. When he arrivedte and the confrontation between Jiang Junlin and Lin Qing had already started, he hadn¡¯t heard the details. Chen Liangdong reyed the video and audio for him.
Old Zhang¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Lin Qing initiated this cmity with baseless usations. He must take responsibility. Since we can¡¯t provide evidence of Jiang Junlin¡¯s betrayal, Old Chen, you must handle this impartially, without favoritism. If Jiang Junlin needs to go to court, let him go to court openly and fairly.¡±
The others felt a chill in their hearts. Old Zhang¡¯s words indicated that he wasn¡¯t going to protect Lin Qing, and there was a high probability that Lin Qing would be removed from his position.
¡°Yes, 1 understand!¡± Chen Liangdong replied.
Old Zhang made a final deration, ¡°Lin Qing, you¡¯ve been incredibly foolish! Engaging in such actions without concrete evidence, not only did you act recklessly, but you also yed right into their hands. How can I protect you now?¡±
¡°But 1 did it for¡¡± Lin Qing tried to exin.
¡°Shut up! Do you want to make things even worse?¡± Old Zhang scolded him angrily.
The two of them locked eyes, and Lin Qing eventually gave in, dejectedly saying, ¡°I understand, Dad.¡±
Old Zhang was furious and also remembered that he had another son. He had betrayed his marriage, adding to his anger. ¡°You¡¯re on your own.¡±
Gu Ziyu breathed a sigh of relief. His mother had sessfully persuaded Old Zhang to abandon the sinking ship.
He was a smart person who knew what he had to do.
His mother also understood that uprooting a deeply rooted tree would not happen in one fell swoop. If they could bring down Lin Qing, that would be a satisfactory conclusion. But the matter with his uncle would not end so easily.
As Gu Ziyu had expected, after Jiang Junlin emerged from the meeting, he met with everyone individually.
An emergency meeting was convened.
Old Zhang did not participate; he was already retired and left after the matter was settled.
Jiang Junlin attended the meeting, which focused on the issue of the Dark Web¡¯s leadership. Without proper supervision, they needed a solution that satisfied everyone. The discussion was heated, but Jiang Junlin remained silent. ¡°Mr. Jiang, what do you think?¡± someone finally asked.
Jiang Junlin smiled and said, ¡°I have no objections. I will follow the national arrangements. How about this, 1¡¯11 step down, and you can appoint anyone you like. I¡¯ve been the leader of the Dark Web for ten years, and I¡¯m tired.¡±
The others were taken aback.
They wanted to diminish Jiang Junlin¡¯s power, but they couldn¡¯t afford to let him step down. If he did, the Dark Web would fall into uncontrolled chaos, and they would still have to listen to Jiang Junlin.
Even if he were to step down, it wouldn¡¯t be now.
¡°Regarding Lin Qing¡¯s situation, you have suffered unjustly. We have seen your hard work, and this resignation is just a rash decision. There¡¯s no need to bring it up again. The Dark Web can¡¯t do without you.¡±
¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right¡¡±
Everyone agreed, and the discussion continued. Jiang Junlin sipped his tea and remained silent.
Taking advantage of the tea-serving moment, Gu Ziyu discreetly poked Chen Liangdong.
Chen Liangdong chuckled and said, ¡°This matter won¡¯t be resolved quickly, and its impact is significant. It might be best to handle Lin Qing¡¯s situation first. Once we¡¯ve sorted out the aftermath, we can revisit this issue.¡±
Outside of MSS, as soon as Old Zhang came out, he saw Gu Ci waiting at the entrance.
His expression slightly darkened. The Jiang family¡¯s children seemed to be born assertive and confrontational. Back when Jiang Mingyue had caused a scene at the wedding, it had caused him great embarrassment. Jiang Junlin insisted on investigating the matter thoroughly, which had forced him to sever ties with Lin Qing.
Gu Ci¡¯s threat hung over him like a sword. Even if the Zhang family had nothing to do with this matter, both siblings were capable enough to pin this scandal on the Zhang family.
Only by publicly abandoning Lin Qing would Lin Qing face a public trial, and Jiang Junlin couldpletely free himself.
¡°Little girl, there¡¯s plenty of time ahead!¡± Old Zhang said with a faint smile. ¡°Don¡¯t forget toe with your grandfather and uncle to celebrate the Lantern Festival.¡±
¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be there!¡± Gu Ci replied.
Old Zhang chuckled and got into his car. Gu Chuyun had been a part of the Jiang family for eighteen years, and he had always been curious about how the Jiang family, known for their strong-willed and intelligent nature, had ended up with a granddaughter like Gu Chuyun. He had initially thought it was due to some gic deficiency in the Gu family.
But now¡ it was all a misunderstanding!
At such a young age, she dared to issue a challenge to him. Her courage was undeniable, and he couldn¡¯t help but admire it.
When Jiang Junlin emerged, the sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow across the sky. He stood on the steps of MSS, squinting his eyes as he gazed at the half-empty sky..
Chapter 360 - 360:I Dropped My Bracelet
Chapter 360 - 360:I Dropped My Bracelet
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Brother¡¡± Gu Ci stood at the steps, waving towards him.
Jiang Junlin quickly descended the steps, and Gu Ci rushed over, embracing him. Her eyes were slightly red, and Jiang Junlin gently touched her head. ¡°Cici, you¡¯ve been through a lot.¡±
¡°As long as you¡¯re okay!¡±
Qin Wan felt jealous and coldly snorted, ¡°I want a hug too.¡±
Jiang Junlin pointed his finger at her forehead, poking her lightly, which made Qin Wan angry. She jumped up, wanting to hit him, but shecked the courage. Qin Wan chuckled and said, ¡°Master, you¡¯ve been imprisoned and detained, you¡¯ve lost quite a bit of weight, nearly 40 pounds, right?¡±
Jiang Junlin remained silent.
Gu Ci looked at Jiang Junlin¡¯s slender face and said, ¡°Grandpa and Grandma must be heartbroken when they see you.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re heading home!¡± Jiang Junlin nced at Dr. North, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard too.¡±
¡°It¡¯s what I should do!¡± Dr. North was somewhat nervous. She had always wanted to hear Jiang Junlin¡¯s affirmation, to forgive her betrayal in the past.
Gu Ci called Gu Ziyu, ¡°Ziyu, when will you get off work? Mom and Uncle are both outside. Let¡¯s go home together.¡±
Gu Ziyu looked at the big shots still in the meeting room, saying they had adjourned for now, but they came back. Gu Ziyu said, ¡°Mom, I might get off work a bitte. Don¡¯t wait for me, just bring me some good food.¡±
¡°Alright!¡± Gu Ci smiled gently, ¡°Then eat less for dinner and save some room for supper together.¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
Dr. North drove, Qin Wan sat in the front passenger seat, while Gu Ci and Jiang Junlin sat in the back. Qin Wan had already informed Zhang Qiang to have the security team ready at Jiang¡¯s residence. Gu Ci said, ¡°Uncle Chen said it would take three days, but unexpectedly, it only took one day. The efficiency is really high.¡±
Jiang Junlin asked, ¡°How did you persuade Old Zhang toe over?¡±
¡°I threatened him,¡± Gu Ci said. ¡°If he didn¡¯t abandon Lin Qing, I would make sure he couldn¡¯t clear his suspicion in this matter. Old Zhang values family honor more than life, so he will definitely abandon Lin Qing.¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t have to go find him; he wille to his senses,¡± Jiang Junlin said softly. ¡°The Zhang family has nothing to do with this matter, but he probably knows which people are involved. If you don¡¯t go find him, in a few days, he wille to his senses.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± Gu Ci just wanted Jiang Junlin toe out quickly.
Qin Wan asked, ¡°Will he seek revenge?¡±
¡°He won¡¯t!¡± Jiang Junlin said, ¡°He feels that his authority has been challenged and might say some angry words, but when he calms down, he will be grateful to Cici. He will quickly distance himself from this matter, no matter what kind of judgment Lin Qing receives, it has nothing to do with the Zhang family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡±
¡°Brother, will they send someone to divide the power?¡± Gu Ci asked the most crucial question.
¡°It¡¯s unavoidable,¡± Jiang Junlin said. ¡°Managing such arge amount of funds in the underworld, anyone would be tempted. It¡¯s not that they are greedy for money, but this money can enable them to do many things.¡±
¡°Money can make the devil grind,¡± as the saying goes.
Whether used in people¡¯s livelihoods or technology, it can be considered an achievement in governance.
¡°Oh my God, Master, are you going to resign?¡± Qin Wan said. ¡°If you resign, I won¡¯t stay either.¡±
¡°Not to that extent,¡± Jiang Junlin was a bit tired. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about official matters for now. I¡¯m just tired.¡±
¡°Alright, we won¡¯t talk about it. When we get home, take a good bath and have a meal.¡±
After returning to the Jiang family, Dr. North and Qin Wan left together. Grandpa Jiang and Jiang Minghua knew what he had been through but didn¡¯t ask too many questions. They were just d he was safe. Lin Chunli and Grandma Jiang were worried that he had lost weight during his business trip, so they prepared a lot of food for a family reunion.
Jiang Minghua had wanted to ask about the underworld matters, but Jiang Junlin had managed to avoid the topic. The fewer family members knew about this, the better. After confirming that it was Lin Qing, Jiang Minghua¡¯s mood was veryplicated.
After Jiang Junlin went upstairs to freshen up, Grandma Jiang lovingly touched Gu Ci¡¯s face. ¡°Brother has lost weight, and you seem to have lost weight too. You don¡¯t look very well. Do you have anything on your mindtely?¡±
¡°Grandma, I¡¯m fine, just a little unustomed to the local food when I went out.¡±
Even though she exined it this way, Grandma was still worried, urging her to eat well and sleep well. Gu Ci listened and felt warm inside. Gu Ci was a somewhat solitary person, ustomed to being alone since childhood. After recognizing the Jiang family, she had gradually developed a subconscious feeling of being part of their family, especially after the New Year¡¯s Eve. ¡°Grandma, how¡¯s your sleep beentely? Is there anything wrong with your heart?¡±
¡°It¡¯s been fine, but in the past few days when I had no news from Junlin, 1 worried a lot. I always felt restless. But now that he¡¯s back, everything is better.¡± Grandma Jiang held her hand affectionately and looked at her with increasing concern. She felt that Gu Ci might have something troubling her. ¡°Cici, if there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t handle, you must tell us. With us here, no one will bully you.¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll remember that.¡±
Jiang Junlin still had wounds on his back from his time in prison. They had been treated by Wan Changtian¡¯s people, and during this period, he had mostly been resting. The wounds had scabbed over. After his shower, he changed into fresh clothes and came downstairs. Jiang Minghua still didn¡¯t mention Lin Qing¡¯s matter, and the family enjoyed a reunion dinner, full of joy.
Jiang Junlin looked at the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall dish on the dining table, his mind drifting for a moment.
When he was imprisoned by Ji Chi, he often had Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and Ji Chi¡¯s culinary skills¡ almost turned Buddha Jumps Over the Wall into his most hated dish.
Gu Ci also served her grandparents, picking some interesting anecdotes to make them happy.
¡°Cici seems more cheerful,¡± Lin Chunli and Jiang Minghua whispered to each other, feeling relieved. Gu Ci and Ziyu often came back to have meals, and Ziyu was a cheerful and adorable person.
However, Gu Ci remained quite silent, answering questions when asked but rarely initiating conversations or showing concern for others.
They knew that Gu Ci was somewhat introverted and didn¡¯t like tomunicate with them. They had always been careful around her. On New Year¡¯s Eve, when Gu Ci didn¡¯te for dinner, Grandpa and Grandma were actually very sad. They felt that Gu Ci didn¡¯t want to get close to them until Ziyu exined multiple times. Only then did they gather the courage to celebrate New Year¡¯s Eve together at the Blue Fields Vi.
They were afraid of upsetting Gu Ci and worried that she might dislike them.
¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll help you serve the soup.¡±
¡°Alright, alright¡¡±
Gu Ci got up and helped her grandmother with a bowl of soup but suddenly froze, her face turned pale. She looked at her wrist, ¡°Where¡¯s my bracelet?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Junlin asked.
¡°My bracelet is missing!¡± Gu Ci¡¯s face turned white, and she hurriedly started searching. ¡°You go ahead and eat. I¡¯ll look for it!¡±
¡°Cici doesn¡¯t look right,¡± Grandpa said, worriedly watching Gu Ci search for her bracelet. ¡°She¡¯s so frantic over a lost bracelet. We can just buy another one.¡±
¡°Dad, that bracelet has always been worn by Cici. It¡¯s not valuable, but it¡¯s handmade,¡± Lin Chunli observed carefully. ¡°It has a small pendant with the image of someone named Lu Zhiyuan, probably a gift from him.¡±
Grandma and Lin Chunli got up to help her search.
Jiang Junlin had initially thought they would quickly find it, but to his surprise, Gu Ci searched all around and couldn¡¯t find it. Her expression grew increasingly distressed, anxious, and even a bit tearful..
Chapter 361 - 361: Am I Cute, or Is Daddy Cute?
Chapter 361: Am I Cute, or Is Daddy Cute?
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
He realized something was wrong and asked Aunt Gui and Zhang Qiang to help search.
¡°Cici, when was thest time you saw the bracelet?¡±
Gu Ci thought for a moment. ¡°It was when I was chatting with grandma in the garden.¡±
¡°Brother knows, if it dropped at home, it won¡¯t be lost. Brother will search high and low for you,¡± Jiang Junlin¡¯s voice was very gentle. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, and don¡¯t be afraid.¡±
Gu Ci nodded in a daze.
More than half an hourter, Zhang Qiang found Gu Ci¡¯s bracelet in the flowerbed. It must have identally fallen in the garden and was carried to the flowerbed by a wild cat. It was quite hard to find.
Gu Ci held the bracelet, treasuring it as if it were a precious gem, carefully wiping off the dust.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Junlin originally wanted to talk to her about Lu Zhiyuan, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. ¡°Is there anything missing?¡± Gu Ci shook her head and put it back on.
¡°Sorry for making you all worry.¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as we found it!¡± Grandma embraced her. ¡°I like bracelets and bangles. Grandma has a lot of beautiful jewelry, I¡¯ll give them all to youter.¡± Gu Ci shook her head and said, ¡°Brother has already given me a lot. Grandma, please keep them.¡±
¡°Junlin, you¡¯re really biased. Howe Mom doesn¡¯t have any?¡± Lin Chunli jokingly said.
¡°Dad, this is your negligence,¡± Jiang Junlin shifted the me. ¡°Your wife is missing some jewelry, that¡¯s your fault.¡±
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Lin Chunli humorously lightened the mood, and the family was once again harmonious and joyful.
After dinner, Gu Ci packed some of Gu Ziyu¡¯s favorite dishes, and Qin Wan waited outside to take her back to the Bluefield Vi. After Gu Ci left, Lin Chunli couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Junlin, did Cici¡ break up?¡±
Jiang Junlin said, ¡°Young people in love, breaking up and getting back together is normal, don¡¯t worry.¡±
¡°But the way she looks¡ it¡¯s really worrisome.¡±
Grandpa spoke confidently, ¡°Invite Director Lu over for dinner one day and talk about their engagement.¡±
Jiang Junlin had a headache, ¡°Grandpa, please don¡¯t stir things up.¡±
¡°My granddaughter wants someone, I¡¯ll make sure hees!¡± Grandpa said firmly.
Jiang Junlin said with a hint of frustration, ¡°Grandpa, do you still remember that wee from a schrly family?¡±
Everyone was speechless.
On the way back home, Qin Wan said, ¡°The master asked me to follow you from now on.¡±
¡°Follow me?¡± Gu Ci pondered.
¡°Why though? He¡¯s regained his freedom, and you don¡¯t need to be involved in gang matters anymore. Why does the master want me to follow you?¡± Qin Wan asked.
¡°Did you ask him?¡±
Qin Wan shook her head. ¡°The master always has a reason for his actions, and I didn¡¯t question it.¡±
¡°Do you mind, then?¡± Gu Ci countered.
¡°Why would I mind?¡± Qin Wan replied.
Gu Ci smiled and didn¡¯t say anything more, understanding Jiang Junlin¡¯s arrangement in her heart.
Qin Wan asked, ¡°Cici, why does the master want me to follow you? You don¡¯t have to deal with gang matters anymore.¡±
¡°Brother might want me to be the leader of the gang.¡±
¡°Ah¡¡± Qin Wan humorously remarked, ¡°That¡¯s a bit ominous.¡±
¡°Why?¡± Gu Ci inquired.
¡°The master has taken down so many gang leaders,¡± Qin Wan nced at her, ¡°If one day you betray the master for Third Master, that¡ it would be quite tricky.¡±
Gu Ci chuckled and looked at the deep night sky. ¡°That day will nevere.¡± ¡°The leader of the gang bes a target,¡± Qin Wan felt it necessary to exin to Gu Ci, ¡°At first, they are loyal, but once they sit in a position of power, they gather more people around them, and opinions be divided. They may not always share your goals; they could divide you and conquer, former leaders have betrayed for their own interests, manipted by others, like Pei Qiuying who wanted both love and power. To be well-informed, but not to be biased. Siblings turning against each other for money and power is not umon.¡± Moreover, you still love Lu Zhiyuan. Can the master and Lu Zhiyuan coexist peacefully?
Gu Ci said softly, ¡°There are some things I won¡¯t do.¡±
She rarely confided in people, except during treatment when she would share her thoughts with Dr. North. Gu Ci continued, ¡°1 once felt utterly hopeless and had no attachment to this world. It was him who went to great lengths to bring me back from hell to the human world. Living for him is my obsession. 1 know I¡¯m sick, and I¡¯m trying to heal myself. 1 hope¡ he¡¯s okay, my brother is okay, and Ziyu is okay, everyone is okay, even if¡ even if he can¡¯t love me anymore.¡± She had been trying to convince herself like this, over and over again, as if to engrave it into her bones.
¡°Love and hate, if they could be restrained, there wouldn¡¯t be so many infatuated lovers in this world,¡± Qin Wan chuckled and said, ¡°Gu Ci, what does it feel like to love someone?¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s mind involuntarily recalled Lu Zhiyuan outside the prison years ago, the sunshine, dazzling. When she saw him, Gu Ci covered her face, feeling ashamed, yet also feeling the warmth of the spring breeze.
¡°It¡¯s feeling extremely happy when you see him,¡± she said. It was about feeling joyful when she saw the person even in her darkest moments.
Qin Wan seemed to ponder for a moment, ¡°Gu Ci, how much you love Lu Zhiyuan, I¡¯ve experienced it most closely. You may say you¡¯ve broken up, but you¡¯ve always worn the couple bracelet that Lu Zhiyuan gave you. You¡¯ve never taken it off!¡±
Tonight was particrly strange. Gu Ci had been touching that bracelet since she got in the car, as if touching it would satisfy her.
Qin Wan secretly pondered, when you break up, aren¡¯t you supposed to pack up and get rid of everything your boyfriend gave you?
When Gu Ci arrived home, Gu Ziyu had just returned and was lounging on the sofa. Gu Ci¡¯s mood inexplicably improved when she saw him. She smiled and pinched his little cheek, ¡°What should we have for dinner?¡±
¡°Takeout!¡± Gu Ziyu pouted. ¡°If I¡¯m as picky as Uncle, I definitely won¡¯t survive.¡± He had been busy with worktely, and it was all takeout meals. If he continued this way for another week, the meat he raised at the Jiang family for the New Year would go to waste. Gu Ci took out the packed meal and Gu Ziyu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Buddha Jumps Over the Wall¡¡±
Gu Ci served him a bowl and also picked a piece of barbecue pastry for him. Gu Ziyu, with his cheeks puffed, looked especially cute. Gu Ci felt happy just looking at him. ¡°Mom, why have you been smiling at me all the time?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so adorable!¡±
Gu Ziyu was speechless.
Gu Ci had be increasingly natural in expressing her affection for Gu Ziyu. No matter how crazy she might be, she never forgot to repeatedly give Gu Ziyu a sense of security. She loved him.
¡°Am I cute, or is Dad cute?¡± Gu Ziyu startedparing.
¡°You¡¯re cute!¡± There was no doubt about it.
Gu Ziyu was satisfied, and he even had an extra bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, eating until his belly swelled.
Gu Ziyu had inherited the advantages of both his parents, and he was especially adorable with his rosy cheeks and delicate features. He used to be a little gloomy and rarely smiled, giving the impression of a small demon. But now, he smiled and was cute like an angel that everyone loved.
Mother and son chatted about daily life for a while. Gu Ziyu suddenly said, ¡°Mom, I need to report something to you. Dad invited me to have dinner with him tomorrow.¡±
Gu Ci was momentarily surprised, and Gu Ziyu hurriedly added, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, 1 won¡¯t go.¡±
¡°Go ahead!¡± Gu Ci said, ¡°He¡ has regained memories from his previous life..¡±
Chapter 362 - 362: He Doesn’t Want to Retire
Chapter 362: He Doesn¡¯t Want to Retire
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ziyu was surprised, ¡°He¡ he¡ he has memories from the previous life?¡±
Gu Ci nodded, ¡°He regained them a few days before New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±
Gu Ziyu was both astonished and ted. No wonder his dad had hugged him that day and called him his precious son. With a joyful expression, he asked, ¡°So, in Dad¡¯s heart, am I his son?¡±
Seeing the happiness in the eyes of Gu Ziyu, Gu Ci felt a mixture of emotions, both tender and bittersweet, as she nodded.
The visible joy in Gu Ziyu made his feelings for Lu Zhiyuan extremelyplex. He had grown up without a father¡¯s love, and he had once resented Lu Zhiyuan because he had brought disaster to them. In his darkest moments, he couldn¡¯t help but think that life would have been better without a father.
But without a father, there would be no him!
He loved and hated at the same time. The first time he saw Lu Zhiyuan was on the racetrack. He had been watching Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s race for a long time, and one day, Lu Zhiyuan had walked right up to him from the video.
So young and full of life, this was his dad!
But Third Young Master didn¡¯t like anyone taking Gu Ci¡¯s attention away. Gu Ziyu didn¡¯t love Third Grandfather either. He felt aplicated mixture of love and hatred for both of his fathers. It seemed like he was surplus in either of their eyes.
In essence, he was an extra in this world, and that feeling was ufortable.
He longed for Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s love and acknowledgment.
No wonder Dad knew that he had lived to the age of eighteen in his previous life. But how did he regain his memories? Dad had already died when he was born.
¡°Mom, why does Dad have memories too? Did he also reincarnate?¡±
¡°This is a bitplicated and hard to exin,¡± Gu Ci said softly. ¡°I still can¡¯t understand his exnation, so I don¡¯t know how to tell you. You should ask him yourself.¡±
¡°Is he¡ human?¡±
This was the key question!
Gu Ci looked puzzled, ¡°If he¡¯s not human, what is he?¡±
¡°A ghost?¡±
Gu Ci paused.
Gu Ziyu¡¯s idea was even more bizarre than Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s story!
¡°If you want to know, ask him yourself.¡±
Gu Ziyu nodded, not wanting to trouble Gu Ci any further, but he was bothered by one thing, ¡°Dad has regained his memories, so why did you¡ break up?¡±
¡°You should ask him yourself.¡±
¡°Mom, if 1 acknowledge Dad as my father, will you be unhappy?¡± Gu Ziyu asked cautiously. ¡°If you¡¯re not happy, 1 won¡¯t recognize him. In my heart, Mom is the most important.¡±
¡°Why would Mom be unhappy?¡± Gu Ci chuckled softly. ¡°You¡¯re our baby born from our love, and we were both looking forward to your birth, no matter what the oue is between me and him. You two are father and son, and having one more person who loves you makes Mom very happy.¡±
Gu Ziyu saw that his mother seemedpletely honest, and his heart settled. He couldn¡¯t help but recall the events of tonight with MSS and his smile faded.
¡°Mom, after Uncle left today, they had a meeting to discuss how to distribute power.¡±
¡°Is there any conclusion to that?¡± Gu Ci asked.
¡°They all want to ce their own people in key positions. There are eleven departments in the Triad, and each department wants to install their own people, especially in the Finance Department and Information Security Center. They want to ce forty-five people in total, and they all seem to take it for granted,¡± Gu Ziyu exined. He knew that Jiang Junlin would not allow this to happen. ¡°This is going to be a tough battle.¡±
¡°Brother won¡¯t agree to that,¡± Gu Ci said softly. ¡°He might ept a maximum of three people, but he won¡¯t let anyone into the Finance Department or Information Security Center!¡±
¡°Can Uncle refuse?¡± Gu Ziyu hesitated. ¡°His identity is exposed, and now he¡¯s a target. Everyone wants a piece of the pie. These people are all very strong-willed, and Uncle may not be able to refuse them all.¡±
Gu Ci chuckled and said, ¡°People will have to be ced, but which ones to ce, that can be carefully considered.¡±
Gu Ziyu grinned mischievously and said, ¡°Mom¡¡±
He awkwardly rubbed his nose. ¡°Our MSS also wants to ce people. Can 1 mention it to Uncle?¡±
Gu Ci thought about it.
Her son¡¯s eyes showed a mix of guilt and ambition.
¡°The triad is under Uncle¡¯s control, and if MSS wants to ce people, you can go ahead,¡± Gu Ci said, distancing herself from the matter. ¡°It¡¯s not my concern.¡±
¡°Mom¡¡± Gu Ziyu wrapped his arms around her waist and acted spoiled. ¡°I¡¯m your son, your own flesh and blood, the person who loves you the most in the whole world. Uncle isn¡¯t, hmph.¡±
Gu Ci yfully tapped his nose, and Gu Ziyu continued, ¡°Anyway, we have to ce people, so why not ce our own? It¡¯s a mutual benefit, and at least we can be considered a neutral party.¡±
¡°Brother might ce a few people, and MSS won¡¯t be able topete with them, so youe and ask me?¡± Gu Ci asked.
¡°Mom, you¡¯re wise!¡± Gu Ziyu said with a hint of exaggeration. ¡°If Uncle only agrees to ce three or four people, we won¡¯t stand a chance.¡±
Gu Ci ruffled his hair and said, ¡°Well then, think about what you can do to make Uncle prioritize you.¡±
¡°Alright, 1 just want to open a back door, that¡¯s all,¡± Gu Ziyu said in a yful and cheeky manner. ¡°Mom, neither my real mom nor my uncle will open a back door for me. How sad.¡±
Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help butugh at his dramatic expression.
At the Global Center, downstairs in the training ground.
Lu Zhiyuan was undergoing rehabilitation. His injuries had not fully healed yet, and he had started with simple rehabilitation exercises. After the Lantern Festival, the new racing season had begun, and the drivers of the Royal Dynasty Racing Team were all in closed training. They aimed to maintain the team¡¯s points even if Lu Zhiyuan couldn¡¯tpete. He was actively delegating authority for ck Hawk, giving general directions while leaving the specifics to Ji Chi and Rong Li.
The coach said, ¡°Third Young Master, your training time has exceeded the limit for today. You can¡¯t continue.¡±
¡°I know!¡± Lu Zhiyuan wiped his sweat. In the winter, he was wearing summer training gear, and his T-shirt was soaked, clinging to his body, entuating his youthful and tall figure, with his muscr lines looking particrly attractive.
The female staff on the racetrack couldn¡¯t help but blush when they saw him.
¡°Can the recovery time be shortened to half a year?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked, ¡°I feel like my body is recovering pretty well.¡±
The team doctor frowned, ¡°Third Young Master, this is an illusion, don¡¯t be too optimistic. Unless you don¡¯t want your hand anymore.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan felt that his body was indeed recovering quite well. He could still train for two hours, but the coach and the team doctor vigorously shook their heads, not allowing him to continue training.
¡°Then let me take ap in the training car.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan got into the training car and drove onto the track, not as fast as before because his body couldn¡¯t handle it. He enjoyed the feeling of the track. The team doctor nudged the coach and said, ¡°Have you noticed that Third Young Master has be a bit more stable after this crash?¡±
¡°Indeed!¡± the coach scratched his head. ¡°If it were in the past, he would have thrown a tantrum and insisted on extended training. No one could stop him. Besides, he hasn¡¯t been able to race for a year. It would have been strange if he had a good temper!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s mood was indeed not great, but he had good emotional management skills and didn¡¯t show it.
When he first regained his memories, he had wanted to retire.
After his identity was exposed, a continuous stream of troubles followed. It was almost impossible for him to focus solely on racing, especially in the beginning when Third Master¡¯s emotions dominated.
But gradually, he became unwilling to retire like this..
Chapter 363 - 363: Really Spoil His Biological Child
Chapter 363: Really Spoil His Biological Child
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
He has half of his soul with no memories, growing recklessly, but eventually gaining self-awareness. When he was in Paris, he didn¡¯t feel much, but once he returned to the Global Center, he couldn¡¯t help but look at the training ground. He had an uncontroble urge to undergo rehabilitation, seeing them racing on the track without restraint. His desire to run on the track grew stronger with each passing day.
He wanted to race again!
Despite knowing that retirement was the best choice, he was unwavering and wanted topete for a few more years!
He strangely missed those years of shining and passionate days on the track.
He loved racing!
It was an emotion he had never experienced before.
His half of the soul reincarnated, and what he loved and was passionate about should have disappeared after merging, but this love and passion had prated his very marrow. In just twenty years of life, it had affected his preferences for hundreds of years.
Lu Zhiyuan wondered if it was because his love and hatred in this life were too intense?
What he loved, he loved to the extreme.
Like Gu Ci, that was a fateful love.
Like racing, it seemed to be born in his bones.
He stepped on the gas pedal, elerating wildly. His arms and chest were tingling, and the coach and team doctor shouted frantically on the track, telling him to slow down, but he ignored them.
¡°This feeling¡ doesn¡¯t seem bad either.¡±
Li Jiang looked at Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s increasing speed in surprise, very anxious. For the sake of racing, Third Young Master was willing to disregard everything, as long as he didn¡¯t lose his hands and feet, he wouldn¡¯t give up!
Afterpleting ap, the team doctor, the coach, and Li Jiang all ran over, nervously and fearfully looking at him. ¡°Third Young Master, are you feeling okay? Is your hand okay? Is your chest hurting?¡±
The team doctor was at a loss; he knew that Third Young Master shouldn¡¯t be allowed near a race car, even a training car!
Lu Zhiyuan shrugged, fearless. ¡°1 feel pretty good, not painful at all.¡±
His chest bone was a bit achy, but it wasn¡¯t too obvious, and he could tolerate it.
When Gu Ziyu arrived at the Global Center, he saw Lu Zhiyuan surrounded by a group of team doctors and coaches, but he was smiling like a peacock, giving him a strange illusion.
It was as if his father had never been in a car ident and was still full of life.
He was still the most dazzling light on the racetrack.
¡°Dad!¡± Gu Ziyu intentionally raised his voice.
¡°Over here!¡± Lu Zhiyuan heard the familiar voice, turned his head, waved his hand, and smiled. In the sunlight, the man¡¯s smile was exceptionally dazzling. He wiped his sweat, threw the towel to Li Jiang, and naturally walked towards Gu Ziyu. ¡°Why are you here so early?¡±
The team doctor and coach were both shocked. ¡°Dad? Li Jiang, did I hear that right? When did Third Young Master have such a grown-up son? Wasn¡¯t he always calling him ¡®Brother¡¯?¡±
Li Jiang remained expressionless. ¡°I said Young Master recognized Third Young Master as his godfather. Do you believe it?¡±
The team doctor and coach exchanged puzzled looks. Third Young Master himself was still quite mischievous. Why would he be someone¡¯s godfather?
Carrying a small backpack, Gu Ziyu looked cute and adorable. Lu Zhiyuan gave his backpack a little tug; it was surprisingly heavy. ¡°What are you carrying in here? It¡¯s so heavy.¡±
¡°Computer and books,¡± Gu Ziyu said with a beaming smile. His dad was so much like he remembered, yet different. The way he looked at him now was so gentle. Gu Ziyu really liked it.
¡°I¡¯ll help you carry it!¡± Lu Zhiyuan pretended to reach for the backpack, as he asionally saw parents helping their kids with their backpacks when passing by schools.
Gu Ziyu twisted his waist, avoiding his hand. ¡°1 got it, you still haven¡¯t fully recovered from your fracture.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan smiled and held his hand as they went upstairs. Gu Ziyu looked at their joined hands in surprise, and his ears turned red. This felt different from when his mom held his hand.
It made him so happy, and he really liked it!
With a song in his heart, Gu Ziyu felt like he was floating as he walked.
¡°Were you just at the racetrack? Mom said you shouldn¡¯t touch race cars for a year.¡± Gu Ziyu scolded him. ¡°You¡¯re not following the doctor¡¯s advice.¡±
¡°Be good, don¡¯t tattle on me to your mom.¡±
When Gu Ziyu reached the top floor, he saw Ji Chi and Rong Li in the study, discussing business matters. They had just finished and were making tea using Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s tea leaves.
As father and son approached, Ji Chi was breaking a piece of tea cake to make tea eggs, while Rong Li was brewing tea. It looked a bit unconventional, but the tea leaves smelled wonderful.
¡°Big brother, what are you making? It smells so good,¡± Gu Ziyu eximed.
¡°Tea eggs. You like them, don¡¯t you?¡± Ji Chi smiled. ¡°With these fragrant tea leaves, the tea eggs will surely be delicious.¡±
¡°Wow¡ you¡¯re so domesticated,¡± Gu Ziyu was looking forward to his cooking skills.
Lu Zhiyuan, with a nk expression, watched Ji Chi and Rong Li. His gazended on the tea cake. ¡°Where did you find that tea cake?¡±
¡°In the tea cab. The other packages looked expensive, but this tea cake had no packaging, so we opened it to make tea eggs. No need to use expensive tea leaves for this,¡± Rong Li exined.
Lu Zhiyuan calmly stated, ¡°I acquired that tea cake at an auction.¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li exchanged awkward nces. Rong Li had just taken back the tea leaves she was about to discard and started brewing them again.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Two hundred thousand per jin.¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li were dumbstruck.
Rong Li said, ¡°Third Master, Ji Chi is the one who took it, it¡¯s not my fault.¡±
Ji Chi gave Rong Li a re. He was trying to pass the me, even though he was the one who initially said that the tea leaves looked like they belonged to a third-rate product. He was okay with wine, but he was no expert when it came to tea. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t realize that these tea leaves would brew such fragrant tea.
¡°I¡¯ll buy another piece?¡± Ji Chi hesitated. It must be very rare if it¡¯s so expensive. Where could he get another piece for Third Master?
¡°There are only two pieces, and one is at my father¡¯s house,¡± Lu Zhiyuan smiled and asked, ¡°Where would you buy it?¡±
Gu Ziyu broke the tension, ¡°Tea eggs made from tea leaves that cost two hundred thousand per jin? 1 want to eat more; they must be delicious.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan looked down at his son, who had just diffused the situation, and smiled, ¡°Is it fragrant?¡±
¡°Fragrant!¡±
¡°Then have a couple more!¡±
Ji Chi was speechless.
Spoiling his own child, indeed!
Ji Chi felt relieved when Lu Zhiyuan went to freshen up and change clothes. ¡°Ziyu, thank goodness for you.¡±
¡°Dad doesn¡¯t even like tea; the tea leaves are for Mom.¡± Gu Ziyu saw through it at a nce. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; he won¡¯t be angry. After all, he doesn¡¯t need it anymore.¡±
Ji Chi nodded in agreement.
Rong Li continued brewing tea, knowing that these tea leaves were so expensive. He treated the tea ceremony with more solemnity. Although the taste of the tea he brewed was still poor, Gu Ziyu asked, ¡°Why are you all here?¡±
¡°We¡¯ve been staying here recently,¡± Rong Li smiled. ¡°We live downstairs.¡±
Gu Ziyu felt a bit jealous. That was the ce he and his mom used to live, and now it belonged to Ji Chi and Rong Li. Gu Ziyu was more familiar with Rong Li, but he wasn¡¯t as close to Ji Chi.
¡°Why are you both in A City? Don¡¯t you have European affairs to attend to?¡± Ji Chi exined, ¡°Baby, nowadays, most official business is handled online. There¡¯s no need to be physically present for every business deal. We¡¯re nning to settle down in China in the future.¡±
Gu Ziyu was puzzled, ¡°Settle down in China?¡±
Chapter 364 - 364: Parent-Child Time
Chapter 364: Parent-Child Time
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Indeed, City A is an international metropolis, suitable for living and working, and the environment is very pleasant. Even the headquarters of ck Hawk is relocating to City A,¡± Ji Chi said while boiling tea eggs. ¡°Since Third Uncle¡¯s identity has been exposed and be a target, if he ns to settle in City A, we must establish our presence here. Otherwise, in case of emergencies, we won¡¯t be able to handle them effectively.¡±
ck Hawk has always been focused on Europe and America, so shifting to Asia will take several years. This implies that ck Hawk¡¯s financial center will move from Europe and America to Asia. Dad sees potential in local financial assets.
Gu Ziyu pondered in silence. Dad has never liked doing business in China; he¡¯d have to rebuild his connections, and it¡¯s not as free as he¡¯s used to. Yet, he seems willing. The heart of the underworld has always been in Asia, and if Dad shifts ck Hawk¡¯s center, he¡¯ll have topete for the financial market with the underworld.
Normally, having different focuses can coexist, but now, they¡¯ll bepeting for the same piece of cake, making the situation even more challenging.
Rong Li said, ¡°We¡¯ve been nning for thistely, restructuring ck Hawk¡¯s asset portfolio, reorganizing the good assets, and disposing of the bad ones. Third Uncle wants to heavily invest in local assets, and we have no choice.¡± In fact, he and Ji Chi also see potential in domestic assets. It¡¯ll be revealed in ten or twenty years who made the right call. Even though the focus is shifting, they haven¡¯t given up on the European and American markets; they¡¯re expanding their presence there as well.
Gu Ziyu asked expressionlessly, ¡°Is this not a potential conflict of interest?¡±
Ji Chi chuckled, ¡°Baby, you¡¯re overthinking it. Third Uncle just missed you, and we¡¯re just having a casual chat.¡±
¡°Oh¡¡± Gu Ziyu had never experienced being wanted by his father, so it felt novel. But he still had his wits about him. Just a casual chat? He wasn¡¯t buying it.
Rong Li lightlyughed and poured tea for Gu Ziyu. Gu Ziyu took a sip with a hint of disdain. He spoke the truth, ¡°Don¡¯t ruin good tea leaves.¡±
¡°I find it quite enjoyable,¡± Ji Chi said.
Ji Chi handed a tea egg to Gu Ziyu, who also looked disdainful. ¡°It hasn¡¯t absorbed the vor yet.¡±
¡°Let it steep a bit longer,¡± Ji Chi advised as he took a bite himself, finding it somewhatcking in vor.
¡°Is it really not a conflict of interest?¡± Gu Ziyu looked at them warily. ¡°I want to make it clear, I won¡¯t engage in any illegal or hical activities.¡±
Ignoring Gu Ziyu¡¯s aversion, Rong Li poured more tea, seemingly oblivious. ¡°Young Master, how can we let a minor engage in illegal or hical activities? We just wanted to ask, in case your parents divorce, who will you choose to live with?¡±
¡°Of course, it¡¯ll be my mom!¡± Gu Ziyu replied without hesitation. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not even married.¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t you consider it? ck Hawk is such a massive family fortune,¡± Ji Chi teased. ¡°When you turn eighteen, you¡¯ll understand the importance of wealth and power.¡±
Gu Ziyu pondered seriously, looking like he was considering something important.
Ji Chi and Rong Li exchanged a nce, sensing an opportunity for mischief.
Gu Ziyu said, ¡°1 got into the Ministry of State Security based on my abilities. Twenty years from now, my position will surely be high, as for money¡ I¡¯m notcking. My mom is wealthy, my uncle is wealthy, and my dad has only me as his son, so the inheritance is mine. I already have more money than I can spend; it¡¯s a real worry.¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li remained expressionless; this was quite Versailles-esque.
Lu Zhiyuan leaned against the doorway, wearing a smile that was not quite a smile, and asked, ¡°What are you all talking about?¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li fell silent, while Gu Ziyu grinned and said, ¡°They asked me who I would choose to live with if my parents divorced. Dad, when did you and Mom get married? You didn¡¯t inform me.¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li stayed silent.
Young Master, you¡¯re not ying fair!
Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t seem bothered and walked over slowly. ¡°Ignore them. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to y some basketball.¡±
Gu Ziyu was surprised. ¡°You¡¯re taking me to y basketball?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t want to?¡±
¡°I do!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan asked Ji Chi and Rong Li with a semi-smile, ¡°Are you twoing?¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li shook their heads in unison, politely declining Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s lukewarm invitation. Lu Zhiyuan took Gu Ziyu to y basketball, and Gu Ziyu thought he was going to be asked about Jiang Junlin, but it turned out to be a genuine father-son bonding time.
He was pleasantly surprised and quite happy about it!
Lu Zhiyuan was skilled at basketball, a benefit of having the talents of both the Third Uncle, who couldn¡¯t y basketball, and the Third Young Master, who excelled at it. ying basketball with Gu Ziyu, he was someone Gu Ziyu could admire.
Gu Ziyu had a strongpetitive spirit. After losing a few games, he boasted, ¡°Wait until I¡¯m eighteen; I¡¯ll beat you! It¡¯s just my height that¡¯s the problem now!¡±
¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be waiting for your challenge!¡±
¡°Is your injury okay for ying basketball?¡± Gu Ziyu asked.
¡°It¡¯s nothing serious; I¡¯ve mostly recovered,¡± Lu Zhiyuan replied. After ying basketball with Gu Ziyu for over an hour, he grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to Gu Ziyu before opening one for himself.
Not far away, Li Jiang watched in admiration.
The Third Young Master really liked the Young Master.
¡°Mom said you won¡¯tpete anymore. I saw you racing earlier; do you still want topete?¡± Gu Ziyu asked.
Lu Zhiyuan did want to continuepeting, although he knew it was dangerous. But he still wanted to race for a few more years. ¡°I haven¡¯t reached retirement age yet. Once I recover fully and my skills haven¡¯t declined, I¡¯ll continue to race.¡±
Gu Ziyu couldn¡¯t help but worry. Racing would be incredibly risky, especially since everyone in the underworld knew he was the Third Young Master of ck Hawk. If he raced, there would be enemies waiting to take revenge, and he had quite a few enemies from his past dealings with ck Hawk. That would be like stirring up a ho¡¯s nest, and they could easily target him during a race.
¡°When you had that ident while racing, it nearly cost you your life, and Mom was almost driven crazy. Haven¡¯t you forgotten that?¡± Gu Ziyu asked.
¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said softly. ¡°Dad promises you it won¡¯t happen again.¡±
¡°Mom said you regained memories from your previous life. Why is that? Did Dad also experience reincarnation?¡± Gu Ziyu asked curiously. This was all so strange to him.
¡°This is a long story,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said with a hint of difficulty. ¡°Dad has some things that are hard to exin. Will you be angry if 1 don¡¯t tell you?¡±
Gu Ziyu understood the reasoning quite well. ¡°I won¡¯t be angry. When you want to tell me, you can. But how did you know I would live to be eighteen?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s gaze dimmed for a moment, and hisrge hand gently stroked Gu Ziyu¡¯s head. Fortunately, in this life, the young Gu Ziyu had someone to care for him, and he wasn¡¯t consumed by vengeance. ¡°Ziyu, it¡¯s Dad¡¯s fault for what happened to you.¡±
Gu Ziyu had once harbored resentment towards Lu Zhiyuan because of Gu Ci.
He also knew that it was misced anger.
Gu Chuyun loved Dad, and it wasn¡¯t Dad¡¯s fault. He was just too charming, and many women loved him. Was that his fault? Gu Chuyun had nursed unrealistic fantasies, and that was her mistake. There was no reason for him to hate Dad.
He understood all the logic, but during the most painful times, he couldn¡¯t help but me Dad for not handling theseplicated rtionships and grudges properly.
Ultimately, what he hated most was his own powerlessness as a child, for not being able to protect Mom after Dad left.
¡°1 thought I could watch you grow up, from the day you were born until you learned to call me ¡®Dad.¡¯ I thought I would always be by your side. 1 didn¡¯t expect to leave so early, so many things were left unresolved. After my death, many things spiraled out of control, which is why you and Cici suffered. It¡¯s indeed because of my arrogance; I didn¡¯t pay enough attention to the conflict between Lu Shijie and Gu Chuyun, and it led to a catastrophe..¡±
Chapter 365 - 365: Parent-Child Time 2
Chapter 365: Parent-Child Time 2
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
In his first conversation with Gu Ziyu about the past, he said, ¡°It should have been my father¡¯s responsibility, but it fell to you, and you suffered for it. Dad and I want to say sorry to you. Also, you¡¯ve done very well.¡±
Gu Ziyu¡¯s eyes turned red, but he stubbornly resisted crying. He rubbed his eyes forcefully, wiping away the tears. ¡°1 didn¡¯t protect Mom.¡±
If he had done better, his mother wouldn¡¯t have died.
¡°You were just a child, and you¡¯ve already done very well,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said gently. ¡°Now, you have a fresh start. Do what you love, forget the past, don¡¯t hold it in your heart.¡±
¡°Can I really forget?¡± Gu Ziyu didn¡¯t dare to forget even for a day. When Lu Shijie died, he couldn¡¯t rest easy. He even wanted to harm Gu Chuyun. As soon as this person gained power, he couldn¡¯t rest easy. He remembered every face of those who had hurt him and Gu Ci. Even though he had a fresh start now, he didn¡¯t dare to forget even for a day. When he joined the MSS, his original intention was not to defend the country, but to gain power so that he could protect Gu Ci. It was only after receiving Chen Liangdong¡¯s guidance and influence that he had other desires.
¡°Only by forgetting can you truly find peace and happiness,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said softly. ¡°I¡¯m here for everything.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll listen to you and forget the hatred. Dad, why did you regain your memories but have to be separated from Mom?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t answer Gu Ziyu¡¯s question and changed the subject, ¡°Do you still want to y basketball?¡±
¡°Yes!¡± Gu Ziyu saw that he didn¡¯t want to talk about it and didn¡¯t press further.
Gu Ziyu spent the whole day at the Global Center. After lunch, he wanted to challenge Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s hacking skills. Father and son even had an online battle, with Lu Zhiyuan secretly letting Gu Ziyu win a round. Gu Ziyu was so happy that he wanted to jump for joy.
Ji Chi, on the other hand, wanted to ask about Jiang Junlin, but seeing how much fun they were having, he didn¡¯t want to spoil the mood.
Rong Li teased, ¡°Are you really so indifferent? Who believes you want to cut ties with Jiang Junlin?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t made a single phone call to him since he came out.¡±
Rong Li mocked, ¡°Who was the one who secretly went to Jiang¡¯s doorstep in the dead of winter and endured a night of cold wind? You may not have made a phone call, but you didn¡¯t hesitate to go to his doorstep.¡±
¡°Are you following me?¡±
Rong Liughed at his anger. ¡°Do I need to follow you? Everything is crystal clear on the surveince. If I were your enemy, 1 could have shot you dead at Jiang Juniin¡¯s doorstep!¡±
Ji Chi kicked him. ¡°Wait until you¡¯re in a rtionship, and I¡¯ll see how I can tease you!¡±
¡°In the next life, perhaps!¡± Rong Li, holding a cigar, teased, ¡°You can wait patiently.¡±
¡°Sure, I¡¯ll wait!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t bring up the matter of Jiang Junlin, and Gu Ziyu didn¡¯t mention it either. With their conflicting identities, it wasn¡¯t suitable to discuss official business. This was the first time Gu Ziyu had enjoyed quality father-son time with Lu Zhiyuan, and he was excited. When Lu Zhiyuan sent him back, Gu Ziyu boldly asked, ¡°Dad, are you human?¡±
Li Jiang was speechless.
Young Master, are you insulting him?
¡°Of course, I¡¯m human. What else would I be?¡±
¡°How can humans fly?¡± Gu Ziyu was curious. ¡°In this world, there are only three types, humans, ghosts, and demons. Which category does Dad belong to?¡± ¡°In this world, there are only humans!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said with a light smile. ¡°There are no ghosts or demons.¡±
¡°Then why can you fly?¡±
¡°Dad had a special experience. I can¡¯t exin it.¡± Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want Gu Ziyu to know too much about hisplicated past.
¡°Can I inherit it?¡± Gu Ziyu asked excitedly. ¡°Can I fly too? Maybe I¡¯m too young to fly right now, but when I grow up, can I fly too?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was silent.
That was a good question!
Baby, you¡¯re a straightforward person, don¡¯t think of bing a demon.
¡°It was really cool,¡± Gu Ziyu gestured with his hands and feet. ¡°When Mom and I were in danger, you flew over in an instant. I was stunned, and I even suspected if 1 was in a movie plot.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan just smiled without saying a word, watching Gu Ziyu¡¯s lively and adorable appearance, feeling very happy.
Gu Ziyu saw that he didn¡¯t want to talk about it, so he didn¡¯t push further. As they approached the Blue Fields Vi, Gu Ziyu had a mischievous idea. ¡°Dad, since you and Mom are going to be separated, why are you still wearing matching couple bracelets?¡±
He poked Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s bracelet. This particr bracelet didn¡¯t appear feminine on him, and in the winter, with long sleeves, it could be hidden without being noticed. Gu Ziyu had seen it today during their basketball game.
Thest time they had supper together in Paris, Gu Ziyu also noticed that Lu Zhiyuan was wearing the same bracelet. It seemed like he had never taken it off.
¡°I made this bracelet myself. Why can¡¯t I wear it?¡±
¡°Oh, you made it yourself,¡± Gu Ziyu said meaningfully, ¡°No wonder Mom was so anxious. She lost her bracelet yesterday and was really worried.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was momentarily stunned and then looked out the window. Only the rise and fall of his chest betrayed a hint of emotion.
Outside the Blue Fields Vi, Gu Ci saw Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s car and was somewhat surprised. This was the car that Lu Zhiyuan used for official business. She thought it might be Li Jiang who had brought Gu Ziyu back, but she didn¡¯t expect Lu Zhiyuan to personally drop Gu Ziyu off.
Gu Ci had just finished her exercise routine. Following medical advice, she had been reading, exercising, getting enough sleep, and maintaining regr meals. She tied her hair into a ponytail, looking youthful and vibrant.
Lu Zhiyuan looked at her through the car window, the night was clear, and the woman he loved was so close yet so far away. His gaze fell on her wrist, and Gu Ci was still wearing that bracelet, as if it was an unspoken agreement and persistence between them.
¡°Mom, I¡¯m back!¡± Gu Ziyu ran towards Gu Ci.
Gu Ci smiled gently, holding his hand, and led him into the Blue Fields Vi without acknowledging Lu Zhiyuan.
Li Jiang hesitated for a moment and then said, ¡°Third Master?¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go back!¡± Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s car passed by Gu Ci¡¯s house and then turned around. He saw Gu Ci talking to Gu Ziyu with a smile on her face, looking very affectionate. Li Jiang secretly thought, Third Master, you deliberately sent Young Master back just to see Miss Gu Ci, didn¡¯t you? How can you sit in the car so coldly? At least get out and say a few words. Look, Miss Gu Ci didn¡¯t even acknowledge you.
Inside the Blue Fields Vi, Gu Ziyu excitedly told Gu Ci about their day together, and Gu Ci could tell he was very happy. Gu Ziyu even proudly mentioned that he had won a round against Lu Zhiyuan in their online game.
Gu Ci, watching Gu Ziyu¡¯s enthusiasm, couldn¡¯t help but smile as well.
¡°He called you over just to y basketball and have fun, didn¡¯t he?¡±
¡°He didn¡¯t say anything else, just basketball, meals, and ying with me.¡± Gu Ziyu promised not to tattle, but then he betrayed Lu Zhiyuan. ¡°Mom, when 1 just arrived at the Global Center, 1 saw Dad at the racetrack, and he was really fast!¡±
Although he couldn¡¯t understand racing, seeing the coach and Li Jiang so nervous, he knew that Dad must have been amazing. He also knew he couldn¡¯t go to the racetrack.
Gu Ci frowned, her face darkening.
Didn¡¯t his hand need more time to heal? It hadn¡¯t been that long, and if it didn¡¯t heal properly, it might lead to severe joint problems in the future.
¡°Wait, did you say he was at the racetrack?¡±
Chapter 366 - 366: Lantern Festival
Chapter 366: Lantern Festival
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Indeed, he¡¯s in racing!¡± Gu Ziyu replied enthusiastically. ¡°Dad said he still wants to be on the racetrack, not retire.¡±
Gu Ci felt a mixture of joy and hesitation. She had thought that Lu Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t return to racing, that he would find an opportunity to retire. After regaining her memories, she found it hard to see traces of the Third Young Master in him.
Growing up together as childhood friends, having shed for years, and the spirited Third Young Master who seemed like a dream ¨C now that she had awakened, he had disappeared. She distinctly remembered that five yearster, when he gave up racing for her, how regretful Lu Zhiyuan had been. He never missed any Fl race, and when the Imperial Dynasty team¡¯s driver won a championship, he was ecstatic. She clearly saw the fervor in his eyes.
But now, Lu Zhiyuan seemed gentle, with a kind of self-restraint and calmness, as if all those unrestrained emotions and passionate love had vanished from him.
Her heart ached heavily, and she felt regretful.
She never expected that Lu Zhiyuan would still insist on racing, even if his identity was exposed, and the racetrack was filled with dangers. This had always been the thing the Third Young Master loved most.
¡°He really said that?¡± Gu Ci asked in surprise.
Gu Ziyu nodded. ¡°I even recorded a video. Take a look!¡±
He sent the video recorded at the Global Circuit to Gu Ci. She watched it with fondness, her heart pounding. Regardless of what he said or did, or whether he was by her side or not, she couldn¡¯t help but feel the same excitement. It was an addiction she could never give up in her lifetime.
¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Gu Ci¡¯s eyes were slightly red.
She kept watching the video repeatedly until she went to sleep.
On this day, the Lantern Festival, the entire Jiang family was going to visit the Zhang family to exchange New Year¡¯s greetings. Jiang Junlin invited both Gu Ziyu and Gu Ci to join them, and Gu Ziyu wanted to spend the Lantern Festival with Chen Liangdong.
Chen Liangdong smiled, ¡°1 also want to visit Old Zhang¡¯s family for the Lantern Festival.¡±
¡°What a coincidence!¡±
¡°I heard that Chairman Lu is also taking Lu Zhiyuan to pay a visit.¡±
Gu Ziyu pondered, wondering what Chairman Zhang had in mind.
When Gu Ci heard this, she also couldn¡¯t understand why Chairman Zhang had invited the Lu family. The Zhang family¡¯s Lantern Festival celebration was always lively, with many peopleing to exchange New Year¡¯s greetings. This year, most of the other guests had declined the invitation, leaving only the Jiang and Lu families.
The Jiang family had already prepared the New Year gifts, so Gu Ci and Gu Ziyu didn¡¯t have to worry about it. They rode in the same car as Jiang Junlin and his mother, while Zhang Qiang and the close security team followed in four cars behind.
Lu Zhiyuan and Chairman Lu also arrived, with four cars following behind them. Gu Ziyu looked at the impressive procession of cars outside the Zhang family¡¯s door and couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°Is this a New Year visit or a demonstration?¡±
When Jiang Junlin got out of the car, he unexpectedly spotted Ji Chi in the crowd.
Ji Chi hade with Rong Li and was just a step away from Lu Zhiyuan. Jiang Junlin¡¯s gaze swept over him, his expression unchanged, and quickly shifted his gaze away. Ji Chi¡¯s eyes, however, seemed to be glued to Jiang Junlin, as if he wanted to peel ayer of skin off him.
Chairman Lu and Chairman Jiang, along with Jiang Ming Hua, exchanged greetings and then entered together.
Both Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan avoided eye contact and didn¡¯t greet each other. Gu Ci wasn¡¯t surprised at all, but Gu Ziyu waved his hand cheerfully and called out, ¡°Brother!¡± When Jiang Junlin nced at him indifferently, Gu Ziyu immediately put on an expression as if he didn¡¯t know him.
Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but suppress herughter!
The close security team couldn¡¯t enter, or it would indeed look like a demonstration. Ji Chi and Rong Li stood outside, and Li Jiang remarked, ¡°Look at Mr. Jiang¡¯s boldness; it¡¯s a bit excessive.¡±
¡°Trust me, it¡¯s already quite restrained.¡±
Li Jiang sighed.
The Zhang family was arge n. The head of the family had three daughters, one son, and four grandchildren, with a pair of twin grandsons in primary school. Their family prospered, and apart from their youngest daughter being involved in business, the rest of the daughters, sons-inw, son, and daughter-inw all worked within the system, making them a well-established family.
Chen Liangdong arrived early and had already yed a game of chess with the elder Zhang. When both the Lu and Jiang families entered, they greeted each other politely. The Jiangs and the Zhangs had a long-standing friendship, so their rtionship was good to begin with. The Lu family¡¯s rtionship with the Zhangs wasn¡¯t as deep, as Lu Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t fond of socializing, and he had been rebellious, always focused on racing. Lu Ze and the Zhang family had business dealings, but the Zhangs were more familiar with the Zhang daughters.
The New Year¡¯s greetings were a cheerful affair, and Gu Ci felt at ease. She stayed by her grandmother¡¯s side, exchanging greetings one by one. Jiang Mingyue and the Zhang family¡¯s children were all familiar with her. They gave her red envelopes for the first meeting, even Zhang Jiaqi smiled and handed her a red envelope. After Gu Ci declined a few times, her grandmother signaled her to ept it.
Gu Ziyu also received a red envelope, with the Jiang family introducing him as a rtive¡¯s child. Chairman Zhang had mentioned that Gu Ziyu was a child prodigy, and now he was working for National Security, so the Zhang family was quite curious. Gu Ziyu was sweet-tongued and quickly won everyone¡¯s favor.
¡°Cici is so beautiful; your family really has amazing genes. How can all of you produce such beauties? She¡¯s so fresh and lovely; I¡¯m getting excited just looking at her.¡± Zhang Jiayao, the youngest daughter of Chairman Zhang, praised.
¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Gu Ci wasn¡¯t very good at dealing with elders and was smiling to the point where her face was stiff.
¡°It¡¯s a shame my son just entered high school. Such a beautiful girl, I want to hide her away in my home,¡± Zhang Jiali, Chairman Zhang¡¯s second daughter, said with a smile.
¡°Don¡¯tpete with me for people; she¡¯s the daughter-inw of our old Lu family,¡± Lu Ze, with sharp ears, dered, taking on the role of announcing their rtionship on behalf of Lu Zhiyuan. ¡°She¡¯s in a rtionship with Zhiyuan.¡±
¡°They both wear couple bracelets; we¡¯re not blind. We figured it out a long time ago,¡± one of the twins in the Zhang family said.
¡°What a perfect match!¡±
¡°Congrattions, congrattions!¡±
Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan exchanged a nce, but he didn¡¯t exin, and she remained silent. She intentionally pulled her sleeves to hide the couple bracelet, and Zhang Jiaqi said, ¡°Don¡¯t tease Cici; she¡¯s already shy.¡±
Gu Ci stayed silent.
Lu Zhiyuan nced at her with a half-smile.
Her inner emotions remained undisturbed; she wasn¡¯t shy. Jiang Junlin¡¯s lips curled slightly, and he smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. The atmosphere was lively and harmonious.
Gu Ziyu found it hard to join the conversation. Chen Liangdong smiled and handed him a piece of chestnut cake, which he happily enjoyed. After the pleasantries, the men entertained themselves, while the women did the same.
The Zhang sisters, along with Gu Ci, Lin Chunli, and Mrs. Jiang, went to the garden to have tea, while Chairman Zhang took Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin to the study for a chat. Chen Liangdong and Gu Ziyu followed suit.
It was clear that the Zhang family had good manners. Even though Gu Ci had threatened Chairman Zhang when she visited earlier, and both Zhang sisters were present during that encounter, they were now exceptionally weing and didn¡¯t say anything to make Gu Ci ufortable. They never brought up any mistreatment of Gu Ci by her own family. Their hospitality was gracious, as if any unpleasant incidents had never urred..
Chapter 367 - 367: What Condition Can We Negotiate
Chapter 367: What Condition Can We Negotiate
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Cici, regarding Lin Qing¡¯s situation, I have to thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you exposing his false facade, I would have remained deceived by him,¡± Zhang Jiaqi said sincerely. ¡°1 owe you a favor. If you ever need help in the future, please let me know.¡±
Both Lin Chunli and Grandma Jiang didn¡¯t know that it was Gu Ci who had exposed Lin Qing¡¯s actions. They both looked at Gu Ci and asked, ¡°Cici, what¡¯s going on?¡±
Zhang Jiaqi was surprised and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Cici tell you?¡±
Gu Ci felt a bit uneasy. She hadn¡¯t told her grandmother and aunt about Jiang Junlin¡¯s situation, and she certainly couldn¡¯t reveal anything about Lin Qing¡¯s situation.
¡°I happened to see Lin Qing on vacation with his lover and child, so I informed Grandpa Zhang,¡± Gu Ci simplified the matter.
Lin Chunli and Grandma Jiang frowned, seeing through Gu Ci¡¯s lie at once. Gu Ci wasn¡¯t the type to meddle in others¡¯ affairs, and it wasn¡¯t like it was her best friend¡¯s husband who was cheating. There was no reason for Gu Ci to expose Lin Qing, as they had no prior acquaintance with the Zhang family.
However, they didn¡¯t express their doubts.
¡°Zhang Auntie, if 1 have acted inappropriately, please forgive me,¡± Gu Ci apologized gracefully.
¡°There¡¯s nothing inappropriate about it. It¡¯s better that this came to light sooner. It¡¯s good for me and for the Zhang family. I¡¯ve already drafted a divorce agreement, and I¡¯ll be getting a divorce in a few days. I¡¯ve been blind for so many years,¡± Zhang Jiaqi epted the failure of her marriage with a calm attitude.
Gu Ci greatly admired how she handled the situation.
When Zhang¡¯s daughters were busy preparing tea, Lin Chunli and Grandma Jiang finally inquired about the whole story. Gu Ci had no choice but to exin the sequence of events, omitting the part about Jiang Junlin being imprisoned, going on the run, and getting arrested.
Grandma Jiang yfully tapped Gu Ci¡¯s hand, ¡°Why are you so audacious? Coming to the Zhang family by yourself to find Grandpa Zhang. Don¡¯t you have elders at home? For such matters, you should have informed us, and we would have dealt with it. Weren¡¯t you scared?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandma, Auntie. I know I was wrong,¡± Gu Ci tried to be cute like Gu Ziyu, ¡°I won¡¯t do it again. I won¡¯t.¡±
¡°You better not!¡± Grandma Jiang said sternly. ¡°You¡¯re still a child. For major issues, you should let the elders handle them. Don¡¯t take risks on your own. Remember that.¡±
¡°I remember, I remember!¡±
Lin Chunli yfully tapped Gu Ci¡¯s nose, ¡°You dared to do this for your brother. Auntie underestimated you.¡±
¡°We¡¯re family, and when my brother was in trouble, I was really worried,¡± Gu Ci replied.
Lin Chunli found her words heartwarming. Gu Ci might be a bit cold, but she was deeply loyal. Thankfully, none of Gu Wenliang¡¯s undesirable traits had been passed on to her.
In the study, Lu Zhiyuan, Jiang Junlin, Grandpa Zhang, Chen Liangdong, and Gu Ziyu were discussing matters rted to national security, the underground world, and the ck Hawk and Triad. Gu Ziyu was mostly just listening.
Grandpa Zhang said, ¡°Junlin, regarding the matter of the Dark Web, you¡¯ve suffered unjustly this time. You have to trust your grandfather. I truly didn¡¯t know about this. If I had known about Lin Qing¡¯s actions, 1 wouldn¡¯t have tolerated it. Don¡¯t lose faith in us, and don¡¯t be disheartened. This was a bloodbath caused by personal greed. Remember, it¡¯s not for revenge; it¡¯s for vignce. This won¡¯t happen again. Your grandfather and I have been friends for many years, and we¡¯re lifelong old friends. We would never force you into such a situation.¡±
¡°Grandpa Zhang, I believe you,¡± Jiang Junlin said with a smile. ¡°This matter was caused by Lin Qing, and it has nothing to do with you.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan sipped his tea calmly, and his attitude was almost identical to Jiang Junlin¡¯s. They both listened attentively, eager to know the reason for Grandpa Zhang¡¯s visit.
Grandpa Zhang looked at the two young men before him. Lu Zhiyuan was in his early twenties, and Jiang Junlin was not yet thirty, yet they were the leaders of the ck Hawk and Triad. He felt a pang of age but also satisfaction in seeing the emergence of talented individuals in the younger generation.
Grandpa Zhang said, ¡°We always thought that Triad and ck Hawk were foreign enterprises, especially ck Hawk, which operated like international capital. We never imagined that these two major financial organizations were actually under our control. So, why should we fight each other to the death? Lu Zhiyuan, ording to national security intelligence, ck Hawk intends to shift its focus to City A.¡±
¡°That¡¯s our intention,¡± Lu Zhiyuan replied with a light smile. ¡°National security¡¯s information is quite reliable. We¡¯ve just made some moves, and you already know about it.¡±
Chen Liangdong added, ¡°We make our living from this line of work, so having reliable information is natural. However, while we¡¯re well-informed, there are still gaps. For example, despite our information, we couldn¡¯t uncover Third Master¡¯s true identity, so there are many shorings.¡±
Gu Ziyu kept his thoughts to himself.
He would just remain a spectator. There probably wasn¡¯t anything for him toment on.
Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin, as the younger generation, were quite patient, and no one was in a hurry to ask Grandpa Zhang about his intentions. Grandpa Zhang also understood their thoughts and was confident in his position.
Grandpa Zhang said, ¡°Junlin, Zhiyuan, you both are highly educated and talented young men. One has quietly contributed for ten years, and the other has brought numerous honors to our country. You are both our pride. Triad and ck Hawk share the same roots, so why rush into a life-and-death struggle? Resolving grievances and creating a shared interestmunity is what we should aim for. 1 invited you, along with Old Chen here, to my home to discuss your thoughts on a three-party cooperation. Are you willing? If you have any difficulties or concerns, feel free to express them, and if you have any conditions, you can also put them on the table for discussion.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan took a sip of tea, and Jiang Junlin poured himself a cup as well, but neither of them spoke.
Grandpa Zhang gave a subtle signal to Chen Liangdong.
Chen Liangdong said, ¡°Having an open and honest discussion can be beneficial. At the very least, we¡¯ll understand each other¡¯s needs. If we can cooperate, that¡¯s great, but if we can¡¯t, there¡¯s no need to force it.¡±
¡°If you want to hear the truth, then I¡¯ll be honest,¡± Jiang Junlin said. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan and I have irreconcble differences, and reconciliation is simply impossible!¡±
¡°It goes both ways!¡± Lu Zhiyuan added, unapologetic.
Gu Ziyu, who had been silently observing, furrowed his brows. ¡°You have irreconcble differences, and even with me here, you can¡¯t reconcile?¡±
Father and nephew!
Nephew and uncle, and they can¡¯t reconcile?
¡°I have nothing to disclose,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said lightly.
Jiang Junlin smiled ambiguously, indicating the same sentiment.
Grandpa Zhang didn¡¯t expect the conversation toe to an abrupt end, and Chen Liangdong, sensing his frustration, tried to defuse the tension. ¡°Young people have such strong tempers these days. Isn¡¯t Gu Ci in a rtionship with Zhiyuan? Sooner orter, they¡¯ll be family.¡±
¡°In a rtionship?¡± Jiang Junlin asked. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, do you acknowledge it?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan remained silent.
Chen Liangdong began to doubt his information and his own eyes. ¡°They broke up so quickly?¡±
He turned to look at Gu Ziyu, who shrugged. He couldn¡¯t help with this matter, and he didn¡¯t know either. His parents kept their lips sealed tight.
Grandpa Zhang wished these two were his subordinates so he could give each of them a good scolding.. ¡°Let me rephrase: What conditions would it take for you two to reconcile?¡±
Chapter 368 - 368: There Are Mountain Paths And Water Paths
Chapter 368: There Are Mountain Paths And Water Paths
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan sat silently, though they were younger, they disyed an air of unapproachability. Gu Ziyu found it rather irritating, thinking, ¡°Dad and Uncle are really so arrogant!¡±
During his time with Chen Liangdong, Gu Ziyu gradually learned one thing. Even someone as influential as Chen Liangdong still had moments of helplessness, and Old Zhang was even higher in status. Born as a privileged child, Old Zhang had experienced some hardships in his early years, but for the most part, he was used to receivingpliments and obedience from others. Young people like Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin were probably a rare encounter for him.
Chen Liangdong was also in a difficult position. Negotiations were discussions and judgments; you give one condition, I give another. It could be a negotiation if both sides were willing to engage, but when they both showed an unwillingness to negotiate, it became challenging.
Old Zhang said, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, the blood flowing through your veins is that of the descendants of Huaxia. You¡¯ve also brought honor to the country for many years, winning numerous championships. I believe you can prioritize the greater good.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan smiled faintly and replied, ¡°I am a businessman, and businessmen pursue profit.¡±
Old Zhang nodded, ¡°Very well, then let¡¯s talk about profit. The focus of ck Hawk should shift to City A. If we obstruct you, it will be hard for you to establish a foothold. You¡¯ve taken away numerous markets from the Triad over the years, thanks to your abilities and the financial environment. It¡¯s a mutually beneficial arrangement.¡±
¡°Is Old Zhang suggesting that you can get Jiang Junlin to agree and share this piece of cake with me?¡± Lu Zhiyuan sinctly returned the ball to him, putting pressure on Jiang Junlin at the same time.
¡°The Triad¡¯s Dark Web must obey orders,¡± Old Zhang firmly stated, ¡°I promise, it will be provided.¡±
Jiang Junlin chuckled and said, ¡°The Triad¡¯s Dark Web won¡¯t be used for personal gain. I will make my own decisions, and it won¡¯t be under Old Zhang¡¯s jurisdiction. Does Old Zhang want the Triad¡¯s Dark Web to be at your disposal?¡±
Jiang Junlin openly disrupted the conversation, and Lu Zhiyuan calmly sipped his tea, enjoying the spectacle.
Old Zhang furrowed his brows, ¡°Jiang Junlin, this is a matter of discipline. You cannot let personal grievances affect the bigger picture.¡±
¡°Neither Lu Zhiyuan nor 1 have personal grudges. We both prioritize the bigger picture,¡± Jiang Junlin said calmly, ¡°The Triad¡¯s Dark Web has repeatedly thwarted ck Hawk¡¯s financial attacks, driven them out of the domestic financial market, and recouped numerous losses. Now, you want to invite the wolf into the house. 1 would like to ask Old Zhang, what kind of bigger picture is this?¡±
Chen Liangdong stepped in to mediate, ¡°Naturally, we won¡¯t just give away half of the cake to ck Hawk for nothing. If Lu Zhiyuan wants this share, there will naturally be conditions. Jiang Junlin, you can also state your terms.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan chuckled, ¡°Since Jiang Junlin and I can discuss matters together, what do we need you for?¡±
Jiang Junlin feigned confusion, ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡±
Everyone fell silent.
This was perhaps the first time they were so united in their opposition.
Old Zhang was caught off guard; in the end, he had his own agenda.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Lin Qing was too impatient to obtain the Triad¡¯s Dark Web and stumbled. He was just a pawn. There are plenty of people who want the Triad¡¯s Dark Web. Old Zhang, you may not have been aware of this incident, but can you guess who was behind it? Can you guess it, but Jiang Junlin and I can¡¯t? There are only a few of us in total. If we join forces and serve you, your family will rise to even greater heights. The Triad and ck Hawk will both be tools in your hands. What a clever n.¡±
Jiang Junlin calmly stated, ¡°Old Zhang, cooperation requires sincerity. 1 don¡¯t care about what Lu Zhiyuan wants, but my requirement is clear. The Triad¡¯s Dark Web doesn¡¯t allow anyone to interfere. Regarding my coboration with ck Hawk, you can¡¯t provide any assistance. Many others can offer what you can, and I could work with them instead. Why should 1 choose to work with you? Don¡¯t forget, 1 don¡¯t fall under your jurisdiction, even though you want me to hand over half of the market to Lu Zhiyuan with just a word.¡±
Old Zhang took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said, ¡°The Triad¡¯s Dark Web has been exposed, and everyone wants a piece of the pie, inserting their own people. You can¡¯t keep everyone out.¡±
¡°That¡¯s your concern,¡± Jiang Junlin replied with a faint smile. ¡°If you want to cooperate with me, you have to help me handle it. If I can handle it myself, why should 1 cooperate with you? You need to establish cooperation with me first, then we can discuss my coboration with Lu Zhiyuan. Cooperation, cooperation¡ the order is crucial.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan chimed in, speaking calmly, ¡°Old Zhang, my views align with Jiang Junlin¡¯s. You also need to establish cooperation with me first to facilitate my coboration with Jiang Junlin. Otherwise, this negotiation will be utterly meaningless.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin echoed each other, nearly raising Old Zhang¡¯s blood pressure. Gu Ziyu watched from the sidelines, knowing that Old Zhang had a feeling that he might not be able to persuade them. That¡¯s why he had brought Chen Liangdong in, at least as ayer of assurance. He also subtly conveyed to them that Chen Liangdong would be on their side. Unfortunately, neither Jiang Junlin nor Lu Zhiyuan took the bait.
¡°Young people are so stubborn, unwilling topromise even a little,¡± Jiang Junlin remarked. ¡°Old Zhang, I know you¡¯re aware of our conflict and how challenging it is for us to coborate. That¡¯s why 1 called you here to negotiate openly and transparently, with no doubts. Old Zhang, you mentioned providing what 1 need. 1 can agree to it. The Triad¡¯s Dark Web has eleven departments; you can assign five people however you like. It¡¯s not realistic to have none of our people involved. Can you ept that?¡±
Jiang Junlin furrowed his brows, a typical business negotiation tactic. ¡°Three people, and one of them must be from National Security.¡±
Chen Liangdong¡¯s eyes lit up.
Old Zhang frowned, and Jiang Junlin said firmly, ¡°This time, I managed to escape Lin Qing¡¯s assassination attempt. With National Security¡¯s help, I owe them a favor, which I¡¯ll repay by helping them.¡±
¡°Agreed!¡± Old Zhang reluctantly consented. He knew that dealing with this matter would require a lot of effort and might upset many people.
¡°On this basis, if you are willing to negotiate with Lu Zhiyuan, then, Lu Zhiyuan, what do you want?¡± Old Zhang asked.
Lu Zhiyuan remainedposed, smiling as he replied, ¡°I have no desires or special requests. Regarding the cake-sharing you mentioned, there¡¯s no need to worry. Whatever ck Hawk wants, I will strive for it myself. 1 prefer to keep control in my own hands.¡±
Jiang Junlin had anticipated this and wasn¡¯t surprised, but Old Zhang was deeply shocked. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, your identity has been exposed long ago. You can hardly move freely here.¡±
¡°Mountains have their paths, and waters have their ways. No need to trouble yourself,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said, unyielding. He nced at Gu Ziyu and chuckled, ¡°This negotiation has never held much attraction for me. If 1 have any requests in the future, 1¡¯11e to you naturally.¡±
¡°You¡¡± Old Zhang¡¯s face turned ashen..
Chapter 369 - 369: Third Master’s Fatherly Image
Chapter 369: Third Master¡¯s Fatherly Image
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Lu Zhiyuan remained indifferent, although Old Zhang¡¯s proposed conditions were quite attractive, and he had the connections to fulfill them. Why agree to this negotiation and then shake hands with the underworld dark web?
To put it bluntly, the negotiation was about finding an obedient son. Who wants to find a stubborn father?
Once he cooperated with Jiang Junlin, there would be constant trouble in the future!
Jiang Junlin might not understand the unparalleled and dazzling presence of Lu Zhiyuan on the racetrack, but he understood the Third Master of the ck Hawk. From the beginning, Lu Zhiyuan had no intention of cooperating with Old Zhang. If his calctions were correct, Lu Zhiyuan had his own connections, and what Old Zhang could promise, he could obtain. What he sought, Old Zhang couldn¡¯t deliver. So, he had no intention of agreeing from the start.
Gu Ziyu was genuinely concerned. As he descended the stairs, he tugged on Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Dad, can¡¯t you make peace with Uncle? It¡¯s always like this, and it¡¯s also causing a lot of trouble for Mom.¡±
He had his selfish reasons; he didn¡¯t want Gu Cici to be too troubled. He hoped for a harmonious family. Having experienced the tragedy of the previous generation, Gu Ziyu hoped for a happy and peaceful life for this generation. If Dad and Uncle couldn¡¯t make peace, what would Mom do?
¡°I understand this matter,¡± Lu Zhiyuan rubbed his head. ¡°Eat more and worry less.¡±
At such a young age, he was already so worried.
Gu Ziyu had a dark expression. With his family background, how could he not worry? How could he not worry?
Jiang Junlin and Old Zhang were still in the study discussing, so he left ahead to take a breather in the garden. Unexpectedly, he saw Gu Cici standing on a wooden stool, trimming plum blossoms.
Old Zhang had three red plum trees in the yard, and they were in full bloom, exuding a fragrant aroma. The stool was wobbling, and Gu Cici had to asionally grab onto the branches. She had just trimmed three branches of red plum when she lost her bnce and fell backward. Gu Cici hastily grabbed onto a branch, but unfortunately, it broke. She had thought she would fall to the ground, but instead, she fell into warm arms.
The two locked eyes, and Gu Cici heard her own heartbeat. She also saw the slight furrow in Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s brows. Why did hee out so quickly?
Gu Cici calmly got up and distanced herself from Lu Zhiyuan.
She was wearing a white cashmere coat, holding red plums in her hands, and her beauty outshone the plum blossoms. Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s fingertips twitched slightly, and he took a step back.
¡°What are you doing?¡± His tone carried a hint of displeasure.
¡°Grandma likes red plums, so 1 wanted to pick a few branches to take home,¡± Gu Cici said casually. There were also red plum trees in the Jiang family¡¯s courtyard, but for some reason, they didn¡¯t bloom this year, perhaps due to excessive fertilization. Grandma and Grandpa had beenining about it, so when Gu Cici saw the red plum trees in the Zhang family¡¯s yard blooming so beautifully, she wanted to borrow some blossoms.
¡°If I hadn¡¯t arrived in time, you would have fallen to the ground.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that high; I wouldn¡¯t have died!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan took a deep breath, took the scissors from her hand, and asked, ¡°Which branch do you want to trim?¡±
Gu Cici looked at him, his posture tall and handsome, and her throat moved as she pointed to the tallest branch. ¡°I want that one!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan nced at it and said, ¡°Gu Cici, are you doing this on purpose?¡±
¡°If you can¡¯t do it, don¡¯t boast!¡± Gu Cici taunted.
Lu Zhiyuan brought the wooden stool over and ced it under her feet. He then trimmed the highest red plum blossom for her. The petals of the plum flowers fell onto Gu Cici¡¯s hair, adding an extra touch of elegance and beauty. Lu Zhiyuan asked, ¡°Do you want another one?¡±
Gu Cici pointed to the highest branch opposite him. ¡°That one!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan turned his head and gave her a faint look, then moved the stool to the opposite side and stood on it to trim another branch.
¡°Any more?¡±
Gu Cici took the red plum from his hand, sniffed the plum fragrance at the tip of her nose, and shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±
She turned and walked away, ignoring him. Lu Zhiyuan watched her coldly departing figure, his gaze dark and inscrutable. Only Gu Cici knew that she couldn¡¯t look back, fearing she couldn¡¯t control her feelings and attachment.
Not far away, Grandma Jiang and Lin Chunli, who had been secretly watching, exchanged nces. ¡°Did they really break up?¡±
¡°Junlin said they did!¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it!¡±
¡°It really doesn¡¯t!¡±
When Gu Cici returned, they stopped peeking, and Grandma Jiang happily epted the red plum blossoms, praising them endlessly. Gu Cici¡¯s cheeks were even redder than the plum blossoms.
Old Zhang and Jiang Junlin had concluded their discussion with smiles on their faces, seemingly in a good mood. Gu Cici couldn¡¯t discern any clues from their expressions.
She couldn¡¯t help but nce at Lu Zhiyuan a few times. If she remembered correctly, Lu Zhiyuan hade out early, and her brother, Jiang Junlin, and Old Zhang had talked for quite some time in the study. Were they avoiding a private conversation with Lu Zhiyuan?
Jiang Junlin served a piece of fish to Gu Cici. ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡±
Gu Cici didn¡¯t look again and began eating. The atmosphere at the table was lively, with the twin grandsons being coerced into performing their talents. It was a joyful meal. After dinner, they gathered to drink tea.
Lu Zhiyuan and Lu Ze left early, and Rong Li and Ji Chi were waiting outside. When Lu Zhiyuan came out, Ji Chi didn¡¯t see Jiang Junlin and looked slightly disappointed.
¡°Third Master, what did Old Zhang want from you?¡± Ji Chi asked.
¡°As you might have guessed, it¡¯s nothing more than cooperation.¡± Lu Zhiyuan rubbed his temples tiredly. This kind of socializing was necessary, but he didn¡¯t actually enjoy it.
Lu Ze came over and knocked on the car window. Lu Zhiyuan rolled down the window, and Lu Ze said, ¡°Would you like to celebrate the Lantern Festival together tonight?¡±
¡°I understand,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said.
Lu Ze had not expected much, but when he heard this, he was overjoyed and got into the car happily. Li Jiang drove, heading in a different direction than back to Global Center. It was the Lantern Festival, and Lu Zhiyuan had a few invitations to attend.
Ji Chi asked, ¡°Since Old Zhang wants to cooperate, did he offer any attractive terms?¡±
¡°What attractive terms can he offer? What he can do, others can do as well. If I want to cooperate with the underworld dark web, I can approach Jiang Junlin directly without the need for him to be the intermediary. It would be a free benefit for him.¡± Lu Zhiyuan saw through it clearly. ¡°Old Zhang has retired and wants to preserve the family¡¯s honor. If the underworld and the ck Hawk both cooperate, it will be like adding wings to a tiger.¡±
¡°He does have a good n. In fact, cooperation with him isn¡¯t impossible. Old Zhang has a widerwork and greater influence,¡± Ji Chi pointed out pragmatically.
Lu Zhiyuan understood this too but didn¡¯t want to give in to Old Zhang¡¯s wishes. ¡°If I have the time and energy, I¡¯d rather support Ziyu earlier. It¡¯s always better to favor one¡¯s son. That¡¯s my priority.¡±
Ji Chi chuckled. ¡°Third Master, Ziyu is still a baby, and he¡¯ll have to listen to Chen Liangdong. Besides, 1 think Ziyu has a bit of your character. He¡¯s determined, and even if you support him, there¡¯s no guarantee he¡¯ll reciprocate.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan asked in confusion, ¡°Why should there be a guarantee of reciprocation?¡±
Ji Chi shrugged. ¡°Even close brothers keep ounts, why not expect reciprocation?¡±
¡°Can¡¯t 1 be a selfless father?¡±
¡°Third Master, do you have that image?¡± Ji Chi deadpanned.. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡±
Chapter 370 - 370: Smart People Know When to Advance or Retreat
Chapter 370: Smart People Know When to Advance or Retreat
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
In the afternoon, the Jiang family also left the Zhang family. Gu Ci and Ziyu were with them. Jiang Junlin sat in a car, and Ziyu said, ¡°Uncle, Mom, I¡¯m going to Grandpa¡¯s house for the Lantern Festival tonight, so I won¡¯t be with you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jiang Junlin asked. It was Ziyu¡¯s first time celebrating the Lantern Festival with them, and Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t want to miss it after missing the New Year¡¯s Eve.
Ziyu said, ¡°Grandpa has no wife or children. He was alone on New Year¡¯s Eve and will be alone on the Lantern Festival too. 1 want to celebrate with him. We¡¯ve already agreed, and he¡¯s going to make sweet and sour fish for me.¡±
¡°Go ahead!¡±
Gu Ci never interfered with what Ziyu wanted to do, and today they were celebrating the Lantern Festival together. Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t object either. He wanted to celebrate the Lantern Festival with Ziyu, but they were close family, and not celebrating together wouldn¡¯t weaken their bond. There was plenty of time ahead.
Jiang Junlin said, ¡°When we get hometer, ask Grandma to prepare some New Year¡¯s gifts to bring over.¡±
¡°Sure!¡± Ziyu couldn¡¯t wait to bring all the goodies to Chen Liangdong.
¡°Thanks to him for being willing to help with this matter. Otherwise, the oue would have been uncertain,¡± Jiang Junlin pointed his finger at the steering wheel in the indicated direction. ¡°Tell Chen Liangdong that 1 owe him a favor.¡±
¡°You promised to let a person into the underworld in exchange for this favor,¡± Gu Ci said.
Jiang Junlin replied, ¡°That¡¯s official business, not a personal favor. It¡¯s just an excuse.¡±
Gu Ci understood, ¡°Did my brother agree to let the person in?¡±
¡°He has to, or it won¡¯t work!¡± Jiang Junlin said, ¡°The dark web of the underworld is a public matter. If 1 refuse to let anyone in, it will confirm their suspicions, and they will be even more wary. But 1 can¡¯t let them release people at will. Old Zhang will handle these matters. I¡¯m willing to give National Security a quota in front of them. Firstly, Old Zhang and Chen Liangdong are good friends, so one person counts as two favors. Secondly, Chen Liangdong will work harder to help Old Zhang settle those people. I don¡¯t need to do anything, just wait for the oue. With Old Zhang taking the lead, it¡¯s much better than if 1 did it myself.¡±
Smart people know when to advance and when to retreat.
Having just experienced such a catastrophe, Jiang Junlin should not expose himself too much in front of others. Refusing or agreeing was a dilemma. Now that he had thrown this problem to someone else, he felt much more rxed.
Gu Ci asked, ¡°What about Lu Zhiyuan? Did he mention any conditions?¡±
¡°He and Old Zhang couldn¡¯t agree and refused to cooperate.¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s heart jumped, and her eyelids twitched. Ziyu watched Gu Ci cautiously, and Jiang Junlin also nced at her. Gu Ci closed her eyes and whispered, ¡°Brother, is there something you haven¡¯t told me?¡±
Jiang Junlin fell silent.
Gu Ci said, ¡°This time, from your arrest to the exposure, was Lu Zhiyuan the mastermind behind it?¡±
¡°Why would you think that?¡± Jiang Junlin asked calmly.
¡°He didn¡¯t agree to Old Zhang¡¯s terms because he has his own connections, and his status isn¡¯t below Old Zhang¡¯s. So, he wasn¡¯t tempted by the conditions Old Zhang proposed,¡± Gu Ci whispered, ¡°He has long wanted to shift the focus of assets to the east, so exposing you and weakening the influence of the underworld dark web, with various forces involved, he can also take half of the market share. Because he can¡¯t get around you and the underworld dark web, and because of my rtionship with Ji Chi, he didn¡¯t want to kill you, so he chose this path.¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s guess was spot on, but Jiang Junlin hadn¡¯t told her the whole story because he didn¡¯t want her to worry after all the effort she had put in during his absence.
¡°This isn¡¯t something he can aplish alone,¡± Jiang Junlin replied honestly, not wanting to throw stones at Lu Zhiyuan in front of Gu Ci, despite his personal feelings. ¡°The underworld dark web would have faced such a crisis sooner orter, a few years earlier orter wouldn¡¯t have made much difference. The result is better than 1 expected. Whether it¡¯s Lu Zhiyuan or someone else, the oue would have been the same.¡±
Gu Ci looked out the window, and Ziyu was a bit worried.
Jiang Junlin said, ¡°My conflicts with him won¡¯t be resolved because of you, Cici. Don¡¯t worry about our affairs.¡±
¡°I understand!¡± Gu Ci smiled lightly. ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t need to exin. 1 understand, and I¡¯m not sad. 1 just feel a bit¡te to the party.¡±
In truth, she had noticed it long ago but hadn¡¯t thought deeply about it.
¡°Brother, will you cooperate with him then?¡±
¡°Not necessarily,¡± Jiang Junlin said with a smile. ¡°If it¡¯s beneficial, we¡¯ll cooperate; otherwise, we won¡¯t.¡±
¡°I see!¡± Gu Ci said. ¡°That¡¯s good. You already have to face many challenges in your position. You don¡¯t need to surround yourself with more pitfalls for my sake.¡±
¡°I¡¯m well aware of that!¡±
Ziyu, with a pout, propped up his chin, ¡°I¡¯m in a tough spot, Dad, Mom, Uncle, they¡¯re all family, and I¡¯m like a poor sandwich cookie.¡±
Both Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help butugh.
¡°Ziyu, don¡¯t worry too much. Your front teeth haven¡¯t evene in yet. If you keep worrying, you won¡¯t grow tall,¡± Jiang Junlin once again doubted whether Ziyu would grow tall.
Thank goodness Ziyu wasn¡¯t like Lu Zhiyuan; otherwise, it would be even more worrisome!
¡°Hmph, Ji Chi said the same thing. He boiled a pot of tea eggs for me to get more protein, fearing I¡¯d turn into a shorty.¡±
Unexpectedly hearing Ji Chi¡¯s name, Jiang Junlin¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and the smile faded from his face. He hade to Zhang¡¯s house with Lu Zhiyuan today. He wasn¡¯t Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s bodyguard; there was no need to stick so close.
While discussing matters in the study with Old Zhang, his window faced outside, and he could see Ji Chi and Li Jiang talking. He leaned against the car, smoking a cigarette, his face devoid of a smile. Jiang Junlin wondered, what was the little wolf thinking? What were they talking about? He hadn¡¯t made a single phone call to him these past few days. Was he disappointed?
But these past few days, Jiang Junlin had been stretched thin, barely sleeping at night, too busy. Most of the matters umted in the underworld dark web had been handled by Gu Ci. Only a few required his personal involvement. After returning home, he had made several trips to the bank and coordinated several operations. It was a turbulent time for the underworld dark web, and he wished he could split each day into forty-eight hours.
On the Lantern Festival, there was a bit of free time, but Ji Chi was with Lu Zhiyuan and left early, so he might have another event to attend, and it was uncertain if he¡¯d have any free time.
After returning home, Gu Ziyu¡¯s grandparents, Grandma Jiang and Grandpa Jiang, prepared New Year¡¯s gifts for him. Chen Chen Liangdong came to pick him up, and the trunk was filled with gifts. The two elders watched him leave with reluctance.
On the Lantern Festival, except for necessary and urgent matters, all other work was postponed. Grandpa Jiang took Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci fishing by the river. However, the old man¡¯s energy was waning, and he felt tired after fishing for a little over an hour, so he headed home ahead of them.
Jiang Junlin watched his grandfather¡¯s figure recede into the distance, his gaze turning somewhat somber. His grandfather had grown old. Jiang Junlin was the only child in the Jiang family, and in order to ensure the well-being of his family, he had to make choices.. He asked Gu Ci, ¡°Cici, if I were to ask you to rece Pei Qiuying and be the leader of the underworld, would you be willing?¡±
Chapter 371 - 371: Are Ji Chi and I Dead?
Chapter 371: Are Ji Chi and I Dead?
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ci had long suspected this, so when Jiang Junlin brought it up, she wasn¡¯t surprised, just a bit earlier than she had expected. ¡°I¡¯m still in my freshman year, is it too early to take over the underworld?¡±
Being young and Jiang Junlin¡¯s sister, it might not gain approval easily!
¡°I¡¯ve pondered this question many times. 1 kept thinking about it in the Paris prison. My identity has been exposed, and the underworld has only one master. 1 can simultaneously manage the dark web and the underworld. In the past, the role of the underworld master was to protect the existence of the dark web, to keep it hidden from exposure. The master was like a gatekeeper. Now, although the management system of the underworld is notpletely exposed, many people know about it. Should 1 appoint another hidden master? I¡¯m very hesitant. The matter of the underworld dark web is limited to the knowledge of the underworld and ck Hawk. They have discretion and won¡¯t casually reveal it, even if Chen Rushi, who straddles the fence, knows about it. I have too many things to oversee, and the underworld dark web upies almost two-thirds of my time. In addition, my identity is now known to Old Zhang and the others. In the future, I will have to deal with even more responsibilities. 1 need someone I can trustpletely to manage the underworld when I¡¯m in trouble or unable to act.¡±
Not only did he need to be the underworld master, but he also needed to be able to manage the underworld when he was not around.
A fish took the bait, and Jiang Junlin reeled it in. It was a nearly three-pound tpia. Jiang Junlin chuckled, ¡°This fish is great; we¡¯ll have fish soup tonight.¡± Gu Ci listened quietly to Jiang Junlin¡¯s analysis. After putting down the fish, Jiang Junlin baited his hook again and cast it into the river, continuing, ¡°Dr. North is a possibility, but she has betrayed me before. 1 can use her without grudges, but giving her a hundred percent trust is difficult, especially with Little Cherry around. For Little Cherry, she can do anything, and many things can change in an instant. 1 can¡¯t take that risk. Little Cherry¡ she¡¯s more suited to be a soldier than a general. As for Zhang Qiang¡ I trust him enough, but the situation is simr to Little Cherry¡¯s. The eleven directors of the underworld dark web are all trustworthy, but they already hold important positions and can¡¯t take on more roles. Everyone has their own specialization, and I can¡¯t find anyone to rece them. The management system of the underworld is different from that of ck Hawk. Lu Zhiyuan can let Ji Chi and Rong Li handle business as he pleases, but we can¡¯t. We are a single de, and every decision must be made carefully and responsibly. It¡¯s because of my excessive self-confidence in these years that 1 haven¡¯t been able to cultivate a second person capable of taking over.¡±
The eleven directors of the underworld dark web are equivalent to Ji Chi and Rong Li¡¯s positions in ck Hawk, but Jiang Junlin can¡¯t use them as casually as Lu Zhiyuan.
Lu Zhiyuan doesn¡¯t care who ends up with ck Hawk.
Jiang Junlin has to be extremely cautious in handling every instruction of the underworld dark web. If there¡¯s a mistake, it could cost countless lives.
Someone with Ji Chi¡¯s personality could never take over the underworld dark web. If he did, it would surely stir up trouble and provoke disasters. Gu Ci has a personality simr to Ji Chi¡¯s, and even more reckless, but when she was rescuing in Paris, she could make decisive decisions. Jiang Junlin knew she could handle it.
¡°Another important point is that you excel in the financial market and can also restrain Lu Zhiyuan. This makes you a safer choice to lead the underworld.¡±
¡°Brother, actually, you don¡¯t need to mention my ability to restrain Lu Zhiyuan. 1 understand it very well. Whether 1 have a rtionship with Lu Zhiyuan or not, I¡¯m still your best choice.¡± Gu Ci spoke softly, ¡°Give me a few days to think about it, okay?¡±
¡°Of course!¡± Jiang Junlin smiled gently. ¡°Take your time to consider. If you do decide to take on this role, we¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re in a more stable state of mind.¡±
¡°Brother, as for the master, it¡¯s because she betrayed you. For Little Cherry, she can give her all for you. What about me?¡± Gu Ci took a deep breath, suppressing the pain in her heart. ¡°If therees a day when Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s life is in danger, I¡¡±
Jiang Junlin gently moved the fishing rod, and the float drifted in the river, interrupting Gu Ci¡¯s words. ¡°If that dayes, brother will help you.¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s nose tingled with tears. She was truly blessed to have such a good brother.
¡°Okay!¡± Gu Ci smiled and said, ¡°I will cooperate with Master¡¯s treatment. I promise, brother, because 1 want you to live more freely, and I want to protect you and this family.¡±
From a young age, her brother had shouldered the enormous burden of the underworld dark web. He had to think twice before every action and word, couldn¡¯t talk about love, and had loyalty engraved in his bones. He had lived too cautiously for too long.
After the recent incident, both Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci realized that the underworld dark web needed someone who could rece Jiang Junlin.
Gu Ci remembered her loyalty and duty while protecting her principles and integrity.
Jiang Junlin patted her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have burdened you.¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. ¡°We¡¯re a family, and we should help each other, support each other.¡±
Jiang Junlin caught another tpia, a pair of them now. He let out a sigh of relief and asked Gu Ci, ¡°Cici, did both Ji Chi and I¡ die?¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s pupils shrank, and her heart ached. She knew exactly what Jiang Junlin was asking. ¡°When Gu Chuyun and Lu Shijie got engaged, I injured Lu Shijie and went to prison. Five yearster, I was released and married Lu Zhiyuan, so you never saw me. Gu Chuyun exposed her identity and also robbed Hun Bank, sending people to injure you, which resulted in your legs being broken. Later, you were imprisoned by Ji Chi¡¡±
¡°Impossible!¡± Jiang Junlin categorically rejected, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have the intelligence or capability for that. If I were crippled by Gu Chuyun, I would have wasted my twenty-eight years.¡±
¡°After I was released from prison, 1 felt very inferior due to disfigurement and lost hands. I¡¯ve been reclusive and didn¡¯t contact the outside world, nor did I reunite with you all. I heard many of these news secondhand.¡± Gu Ci cautiously nced at him. She had spent so many days with Jiang Junlin, and he didn¡¯t seem to have the temperament described in rumors. ¡°After your legs were broken, there were a series of family tragedies. Grandpa and grandma passed away, and you were deeply affected. You fell into alcoholism and decadence, and Hun Bank eventually fell into Gu Chuyun¡¯s hands.¡±
¡°Wait¡¡± Jiang Junlin couldn¡¯t even concentrate on fishing anymore. ¡°Who told you all of this?¡±
¡°Ji Chi¡¡±
¡°Is there a possibility that this little rascal is lying to you?¡±
Seeing Jiang Junlin¡¯s expression of refusal to ept this narrative, Gu Ci shook her head. ¡°1 saw what you looked like drinking heavily in a wheelchair.¡±
Jiang Junlin turned his head silently, staring fixedly at the float in the river. Suddenly, he raised the fishing rod and caught another tpia. His tone remained calm. ¡°Go on.¡±
¡°Brother, that¡¯s all I know. 1 held grudges and was very reclusive, and you were distant after the incident. So we didn¡¯t have much interaction. Later¡ Ziyu was not born yet when Lu Zhiyuan died. Li Jiang and Ji Chi protected Ziyu and me all those years. During that time, 1 was living in a daze. Later on, I heard that Ji Chi had taken control of ck Hawk, and then, I also died. 1 don¡¯t know what happened after that.¡± Gu Ci didn¡¯t inquire about the events that followed..
Chapter 372 - 372: There Are Some Things That Need To Be Worried About
Chapter 372: There Are Some Things That Need To Be Worried About
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, why was he so ipetent and passed away early, leaving you and Ziyu to fend for yourselves? How can Ji Chi and Li Jiang protect you?¡± Jiang Junlin felt sorry for Gu Ci, and his dissatisfaction with Lu Zhiyuan grew stronger.
¡°No wonder him. It was an ident. He died to protect me and Ziyu. It¡¯s my own weakness, self-doubt, that turned him into a belief for me. Without him, my heart died too. The one who suffers the most is Ziyu, the one I¡¯ve let down the most is Ziyu,¡± Gu Ci¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°He¡¯s healthy and happy now, and I¡¯m truly grateful to the heavens.¡±
¡°Is it Gu Chuyun?¡±
Gu Ci nodded. ¡°I know very little about the previous life.¡±
She considered herself as the leader of the underworld, first for Jiang Junlin and second for herself. She couldn¡¯t remain as the ignorant Gu Ci, oblivious to the outside world, ignorant of human affairs, living only for one person. If fate was unfair and tragedy struck again, she had to have enough strength to protect the people around her.
Jiang Junlin was skeptical of this story, not because he doubted Gu Ci was lying, but because he doubted what kind of story it was. Regardless of which aspect you looked at, it was highly imusible.
Lu Zhiyuan died young, his willpower diminished due to a broken leg, and he was imprisoned by Ji Chi for a lifetime. It was beyond belief.
If Cici only returned to the year she was eighteen, her life experiences before the age of eighteen wouldn¡¯t change, and he and Lu Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t change either. Ji Chi guarded them, and the fact that he and Ji Chi were still connected was proof. Lu Zhiyuan was the Third Master of the ck Hawk, he was the master of the underworld dark web. Why would he be manipted by Gu Chuyun and Liu Shijie?
Lu Zhiyuan actually took Cici into seclusion instead of killing Gu Chuyun and Liu Shijie. Wasn¡¯t that absurd?
Even if he had lost both his legs, he would never have been a person with diminished willpower. He sought revenge for his enemies and settled grievances. Enemies met their ends, and he would never sit idly by, ming himself andmenting his fate. The entire underworld dark web followed his orders no matter when or where, and he didn¡¯t need to appear in person. Could the entire underworld dark web have betrayed him?
That was impossible!
So, every aspect of this story couldn¡¯t withstand scrutiny. But unfortunately, it had actually happened!
If it had really happened, there must be hidden secrets.
But could fate be resisted by human effort?
People who were meant to meet would meet no matter how many twists and turns there were, just like him and Ji Chi. When he left the Pentagon, he never expected to meet Ji Chi again.
Just like Lu Zhiyuan and Cici, they would meet and love each other again!
In the gears of destiny, would those destined to die eventually meet their end?
Jiang Junlin felt a chill down his spine.
Gu Ci said, ¡°Brother, the people in the game of life are different. Even if it¡¯s the same thing, the oue can be different. Ziyu was spotted by Chen Liangdong and joined the MSS. This time, you were forced to return to the country, and 1 couldn¡¯t stop it. If Ziyu convinces Chen Liangdong to take you in, we can stillmunicate, all with Chen Liangdong¡¯s tacit approval. But what if there¡¯s no Chen Liangdong? Will you be forced to hand over the underworld dark web, brother? Our family is our fatal weakness. Without the underworld dark web, will the people you offended in the past spare you?¡±
Jiang Junlin had been contemting. Without Cici and Ziyu, Dr. North wouldn¡¯t have been released, and he would only have Little Cherry by his side. Could he survive this catastrophe alone?
Perhaps not!
Although he might not lose his life, he might indeed not be able to keep the underworld dark web.
¡°Brother, don¡¯t ask about your past anymore, and don¡¯t dwell on it. It¡¯s in the past,¡± Jiang Junlin finally understood why Gu Ci¡¯s heartache was so severe. ¡°Don¡¯t fear the future, don¡¯t dwell on the past, don¡¯t be troubled in your heart, don¡¯t be trapped by your emotions, Cici, the past is gone, try to let go. Brother won¡¯t ask again, let¡¯s pretend those things never happened. No¡ those things indeed never happened.¡±
Her life had beenpletely renewed.
¡°I know!¡± Gu Ci smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯m trying to let go slowly. Brother, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get better.¡±
Jiang Junlin affectionately patted her head.
The two continued fishing, not discussing the past any further. Gu Ci didn¡¯t catch any fish, while Jiang Junlin caught three crucian carp and two catfish, all of decent size. Gu Ci was a bit annoyed. ¡°We used the same bait and hooks, and we¡¯re not far from each other. How did all the fish end up on your hook?¡±
¡°You¡¯re too impatient. When the float sinks, you shouldn¡¯t pull immediately. The fish haven¡¯t fully taken the bait yet, and it¡¯s easy for them to slip away,¡± Jiang Junlin often apanied his grandfather to fish, which was a skill that required patience andposure.
¡°I¡¯ll have to learn from my brotherter.¡±
The two enjoyed a leisurely day together. After returning home, they took the fish to the kitchen. The catfish were sliced, and the crucian carp were used to make fish soup. Gu Ci went to talk to Grandma Jiang, while Jiang Junlin wiped his hands with a wet towel and called for Zhang Qiang.
¡°Go and investigate what Gu Chuyun has been up to recently.¡±
¡°Master, why do you suddenly want to investigate Gu Chuyun? What specific aspects should 1 investigate?¡±
¡°Every aspect, find out everything!¡± Jiang Junlin tossed the wet towel aside with an indifferent expression. ¡°Who she associates with, what she¡¯s doing, she¡¯s in the entertainment industry, so check if her financial records are clean, where her resourcese from, and especially her interpersonal rtionships. I want to know it all.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°Wait a moment!¡± Jiang Junlin sneered. ¡°Also, check what Gu Wenliang and Lu Man are doing.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
Jiang Junlin initially didn¡¯t want to confront Gu Wenliang. The copse of the Gu family was the greatest punishment for them, who were used to a life of luxury. Gu Ci would seek revenge, and if she didn¡¯t take action, he wouldn¡¯t interfere. Jiang Junlin had always avoided dealing with fools to prevent unnecessary anger. However, when he thought about Gu Ci¡¯s five years in prison and the pain of disfigurement, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep hatred.
¡°Some things should be confronted, and we will confront them!¡± Zhang Qiang could tell from Jiang Junlin¡¯s expression that the Gu family was in for trouble!
After their reunion dinner, Gu Ci returned to the Blue Fields Vi. Qin Wan had originally nned toe and pick her up, but Gu Ci insisted that she enjoy herself and note specially to pick her up. She could make her own way back.
Jiang Junlin had a bit too much to drink and didn¡¯te out to see her off. The elderly couple from the Jiang family saw her to the door. After the two of them left, a car parked in the distance started, and its headlights shone so brightly that Gu Ci could hardly open her eyes.
She looked closely and saw that it was Lu Zhiyuan and Ji Chi.
Lu Zhiyuan got out of the car and walked slowly towards her. In the moonlight, his smile was particrly dazzling. ¡°I¡¯ll take you back!¡±
¡°No need to trouble yourself. Someone will take me back,¡± Gu Ci had a bit of alcohol and had already nned to have Zhang Qiang find someone to drive her back.
Lu Zhiyuan had already taken the initiative to sit in the driver¡¯s seat. This car was still the one Gu Ci had chosen from Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s garage and had never been reced. He rolled down the window. ¡°Cici, get in.¡±
His voice was gentle but not open to refusal!
Gu Ci took a deep breath. They were outside the Jiang family¡¯s gate, and she didn¡¯t want to disturb anyone. She had no choice but to get into the car, and Lu Zhiyuan drove away.
Ji Chi watched them leave through the rearview mirror. He nced at Jiang Junlin¡¯s bedroom window and irritably lit a cigarette.. On such a cold night, leaving the window open while sleeping, wasn¡¯t he afraid of catching a cold!
Chapter 373 - 373: Happy Lantern Festival
Chapter 373: Happy Lantern Festival
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci drove in silence for about twenty minutes, then turned onto an elevated road. Gu Ci furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°This isn¡¯t the way to Blue Fields Vi. Where are you taking me?¡±
¡°Who once said, Til go with you to the ends of the earth,¡¯ but now seems afraid?¡± replied Lu Zhiyuan.
¡°Promises have long turned empty. I almost forgot,¡± Gu Ci sighed.
¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said.
Lu Zhiyuan drove up to a hill in the outskirts, all the way to the side of an observation deck. Gu Ci remembered this ce. During her high school years, she once ran away from home and came here to stargaze. It was deep in the night, and there was no one around. Birds and crows were cawing in the mountains, and she was so scared that she wanted to run away. However, she twisted her ankle, so she hid in the observation deck, feeling frightened. She held onto a piece of wood to muster courage, thinking that when it got light, she would descend the mountain.
In the middle of the night, thunder and lightning struck. Gu Ci shivered in fear. It was Lu Zhiyuan who found her and carried her down the mountain. At that time, her rtionship with Lu Zhiyuan was already extremely strained, and she had no idea how he managed to find her.
She was young at the time and didn¡¯t think about it. The outskirts were more than fifty kilometers away from home, and there was no public transportation at night. Lu Zhiyuan was still underage. How did hee up the mountain to find her? She didn¡¯t ask, and in that thunder and lightning weather, as long as there was someone with her, even if it was her arch-enemy, it was fine.
¡°That day, why did youe to this mountain?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
Gu Ci looked up at the starry sky, which was different from the thunderstorm years ago. Tonight¡¯s starry sky was exceptionally beautiful, the air on the mountain was fresh, and you could see the Milky Way stretching across the sky. In the city center, you couldn¡¯t see such a magnificent view.
In her heart, Gu Ci thought it was because she had seen the starry sky that Lu Zhiyuan had posted on social media. She had checked to see where in City A had the most beautiful starry sky, so she took a bus to the outskirts and hiked up the mountain by herself.
She didn¡¯t expect the unexpected, forgetting to check the weather forecast and twisting her ankle.
¡°I forgot,¡± Gu Ci chuckled. ¡°When you¡¯re young, you want to do something out of the ordinary to get your family¡¯s attention.¡±
But she didn¡¯t know that there was no one in her family who cared about her.
Gu Ci asked, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, you¡¯re not here to reminisce with me, what do you want?¡±
¡°If Jiang Junlin wants you to be the leader of the underworld, turn him down,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said.
¡°This is about the dark web of the underworld, and it has nothing to do with you,¡± Gu Ci stared directly into Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your reason?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan stared at her firmly, as if starlight had fallen into the depths of his eyes. Gu Ci, however, didn¡¯t flinch. She wanted to break free from Lu Zhiyuan, and to do that, she had to be honest with him.
When you¡¯re already infatuated, there¡¯s no need to resist too much.
Liking someone is not something to be ashamed of.
¡°Jiang Junlin bing the leader of the underworld is something that¡¯s already known, even though it hasn¡¯t been widely exposed. If you be the underworld leader, you¡¯ll be a target. Cici, you¡¯ve been given a new lease on life. Study hard, finish medical school, be a good doctor. Your future is bright, don¡¯t get involved in these matters,¡± Lu Zhiyuan advised.
Gu Ci self-deprecatingly smiled, ¡°I have a broken body and an incurable heart condition. What kind of future do I have?¡±
This remark was intentionally meant to prick at Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s heart.
She regretted saying that as soon as the words left her mouth. She couldn¡¯t bear it either. She always wanted to hurt Lu Zhiyuan. No matter how much pain she felt inside, she wanted to hurt him. But if Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s story was true, his pain was deeper and more profound than hers. What was she doing? This was the person she wanted to love and cherish. Why did she want to hurt him?
¡°Cici, 1 won¡¯t harm you,¡± Lu Zhiyuan reassured.
¡°Brother won¡¯t harm me either,¡± Gu Ci replied firmly. ¡°Perhaps you think that if my brother pushes me into this, I¡¯ll be a target and can help control you. But the truth is, my brother is not in a good situation, and the dark web underworld is tooplex. He needs someone to hold the fort. If something happens to him, I¡¯ll be the leader of the underworld, and he can only entrust it to me.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan furrowed his brow. ¡°He could entrust it to Dr. North and Qin Wan. Why insist on you? Jiang Junlin wants you to restrain me; that¡¯s his true intention.¡±
¡°I know!¡± Gu Ci wasn¡¯t naive. Jiang Junlin had been straightforward about it too. ¡°You don¡¯t need to say it again; my brother has already discussed this with me.¡± ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
Gu Ci nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan closed his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse. ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±
With that matter settled, there was nothing more to say between them.
Gu Ci looked up at the stars in the sky. ¡°When I was a child, I liked climbing to the rooftop to watch the stars. Once, after being pushed off by Gu Chuyun and falling, 1 developed a slight fear of heights. Later, in prison, everything was healed. Lu Zhiyuan, 1 still like looking at the stars to this day. I¡¯m happy that we can watch the stars together on the Lantern Festival.¡±
Gu Ci took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness in her heart. She didn¡¯t want her bitterness to turn her into a demon.
¡°I don¡¯t care why you married me back then, whether it was out of pity or sympathy, 1 owe you a statement. I really like you, and it¡¯s because I like you that 1 married you,¡± Gu Ci said, looking at Lu Zhiyuan in the moonlight. ¡°When I got out of prison and saw you standing in the sunlight, 1 felt ashamed of myself, like a moth drawn to a me, self-deprecating, cowardly. I didn¡¯t even have the courage to say ¡®1 like you.¡¯ 1 was afraid to hear you say that you married me out of pity. I didn¡¯t even have the courage to bear the weight of a failed rtionship. Did you pay any price to pull me back from the brink of death?¡±
¡°No!¡± Lu Zhiyuan denied. ¡°Your return and Ziyu¡¯s return were opportunities, not because of me.¡±
¡°Is that really so?¡± Gu Ci didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°I hate it when people lie to me.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan dared not meet her gaze. Gu Ci¡¯s love had always been intense, like a zing fire that could burn not only her but also the one she loved. When you love someone, you want to dig your heart out and present it to them, saying, ¡°I really love you, please believe me.¡±
She didn¡¯t understand that love didn¡¯t require proof. The person who loves you will always hold you in their heart, and even if you dig out your heart, it won¡¯t prove anything to someone who doesn¡¯t love you.
¡°Will Ziyu¡ leave?¡± Gu Ci asked anxiously. This was something she had never dared to think about or ask. She could only ask Lu Zhiyuan, ¡°Will he¡ go back?¡± ¡°Do you want him to leave?¡± Lu Zhiyuan gently inquired.
Gu Ci shook her head. ¡°What will he do if he goes back? That cold world has no you, and no me. So, people won¡¯t have a good ending there. He¡¯ll be all alone, and I can¡¯t bear to see him in such a lonely and deste state. I just want him to stay here and be well.¡±
¡°I understand,¡± Lu Zhiyuan restrained himself and said gently, ¡°1 will fulfill all your wishes, no matter how difficult. I will make theme true for you.¡±
No matter how difficult, no matter the cost, 1 will fulfill Gu Ci¡¯s wishes.
Gu Ci felt relieved, and her whole body rxed. She gazed at the thousands of lights in the city and smiled. ¡°Seeing the stars from a high ce and looking at the thousands of lights are all beautiful. Lu Zhiyuan, Happy Lantern Festival!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan followed her gaze and also smiled. ¡°Cici, Happy Lantern Festival..¡±
Chapter 374 - 374: Looking at the Stars Together
Chapter 374 - 374: Looking at the Stars Together
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Under the starry sky, Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci sat on the rocky hill, gazing at the stars. A shooting star streaked across the night sky, followed by three more, and Gu Ci¡¯s eyes lit up as she couldn¡¯t help but make a wish.
Lu Zhiyuan turned his head to look at the girl bathed in moonlight, and suddenly remembered their first life together. Gu Ci and he had sat on a rooftop, stargazing, and had also witnessed a shooting star. Gu Ci had made a wish that night.
¡°What did you wish for?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked. In the moonlight, the girl¡¯s face was incredibly gentle, just the way he liked it.
Gu Ci smirked yfully. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you!¡±
¡°If you were to tell me, perhaps I could fulfill your heart¡¯s desire.¡±
Gu Ci pondered with her head propped up for a while. The evening breeze rustled her hairband, and Lu Zhiyuan could catch the scent of her evening jasmine perfume. There was a vast garden of evening jasmine in the temple, and it was Gu Ci¡¯s favorite ce.
Gu Ci finally spoke, ¡°I hope that Lu Zhiyuan can be free, without constraints.¡± Perhaps it was from that moment that he fell for the girl. He had been sent to the temple at a young age, spending his days studying rituals, music, and responsibilities. He had transformed from a mischievous and lively child into a reserved and solemn priest.
Every day, he knelt in the temple, listening to the wishes of others and conveying them to the priests.
Some sought love, others wealth, some harmony in their families, and some sess in their careers. He had known from a young age that people¡¯s hearts were selfish, and the most selfless wishes he heard were from parents praying for their children.
One day, he heard his own mother¡¯s prayer, and her wish was for him.
His mother prayed for his well-being in the temple, for him to seed without making any mistakes that would lead to his expulsion. He was overjoyed, knowing that there were people at home who cared for him, and it warmed his heart.
One day, his eldest brother got married, and he requested a favor to return home and visit. The priest smiled and granted his request. Lu Zhiyuan prepared gifts with excitement, eager to see his family. He thought they would wee him with open arms, share their longing and the pain of separation. However, his parents and siblings rejected him at the door. They misunderstood, thinking he had done something wrong and had been expelled from the temple. They refused to acknowledge him, forcing him to go back and plead for mercy, hoping he would remain in the temple for life.
That year, Lu Zhiyuan was twelve years old.
He was confused, heartbroken, and felt like his heart had turned to ashes. He had clearly heard his mother praying for his health and safety, so why didn¡¯t they want to recognize him? With a cart full of gifts, he was left outside their home.
His mother exined that she had prayed for his health and safety so that he would stay in the temple forever.
Because of Lu Zhiyuan, their family¡¯s fortunes had turned around. They had once been impoverished farmers, but now, everyone ttered them, and the government provided them with privileges. His elder brother had secured a good job, his parents received care, and his younger siblings all had promising futures.
They all had a bright future, but he was trapped in darkness.
In the temple, he lived in solitude year-round, with no one to apany him. When he fell ill, there was no one to care for him. When he was hungry, there was no one to bring him food. If he had something to say, he could only confide in the flowers and nts, and he had to be emotionless and desireless, like a wooden figure.
That was Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s first time returning home, and it was also hisst. From that moment on, he never thought about his family again, nor did he have any delusions.
Even when he heard his mother praying for his safety and sess again, he remained indifferent.
Lu Zhiyuan loathed the temple; it was his lifelong demon. He tried every way to escape but was left battered and unsessful. He yearned to explore the world beyond the temple¡¯s confines, to escape this confined space.
No one had ever asked for his wishes; his life had been decided for him.
He despised this imprisoned life.
It wasn¡¯t until Gu Ci fell into his garden like a shooting star.
He had heard thousands of wishes, and everyone had their own selfish desires, but for the first time, he heard someone selflessly wishing for his freedom. He had never even told Gu Ci that he loathed this ce and yearned for escape.
Yet, Gu Ci understood him.
Lu Zhiyuan recalled the past and smiled softly. The vivid image of the girl from his memories ovepped with the one before him. He asked, ¡°Cici, what did you wish for?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you!¡±
¡°Tell me, and maybe 1 can help you fulfill your wish.¡±
Gu Ci pondered for a moment and smiled gently, ¡°If your story is true, then I wish¡ you can gain your freedom.¡±
Don¡¯t be trapped in the past like I was in my previous life, unable to break free. Only those who have experienced it can truly understand the pain. If his story was true.
Lu Zhiyuan had also been trapped by his past for centuries, unable to break free.
Lu Zhiyuan was taken aback, and the emotions he had suppressed fiercely burned inside him like a volcano, erupting. Even if he had suppressed a cier, it couldn¡¯t contain this intense heat. He clenched his teeth tightly and suddenly averted his gaze, unable to meet Gu Ci¡¯s passionate eyes.
Centuries had passed, but the stars in the sky remained the same.
And she was still herself!
Gu Ci watched him suppress his emotions and restrain himself, not saying anything more. She just looked up at the starry sky. It was truly pitiful; she had been through so much, but if a shooting star could fulfill only one wish, she had wished for Lu Zhiyuan.
She only wanted to wish for Lu Zhiyuan.
¡°I think it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go home,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said in a hoarse voice.
¡°Okay,¡± Gu Ci replied, no longer saying anything.
Meanwhile, in another ce, Jiang Jia¡¯s master, Jiang Junlin, had juste out of the bathroom and found someone sitting in his bedroom.
Ji Chi had his legs crossed, leaning arrogantly on Jiang Junlin¡¯s bedroom sofa. His coat was casually draped nearby, and he appeared at ease. Jiang Junlin¡¯s room had a cool and minimalist style, with gray and white tones, simple yet not minimalistic. The room was also scented with soothing sandalwood.
Jiang Junlin was momentarily stunned. An hour ago, Zhang Qiang had informed him that Ji Chi was outside. He had known Ji Chi had been waiting for him that night, so he had told Zhang Qiang to leave him alone.
He hadn¡¯t expected Ji Chi to actually climb through the window.
Neither of them spoke. Ji Chi seemed to be waiting for Jiang Junlin to kick him out. This was Jiang Junlin¡¯s home, and his parents, grandparents, and everyone else were downstairs. Anymotion might alert them.
Jiang Junlin also didn¡¯t want to climb through windows. On the night he had returned, Ji Chi had waited outside all night, wanting to see him. Jiang Junlin had known, but he also knew that once they met, they would have to discuss their separation.
He didn¡¯t want to, and he resisted, procrastinating like an ostrich, day after day.
Today was the Lantern Festival, and his eagerness to see Ji Chi finally overwhelmed the pain in his heart. Jiang Junlin had not contacted Ji Chi during this time. Was he preparing to cut tiespletely?
Jiang Junlin stared at the familiar yet overly handsome face of Ji Chi, then suddenly approached and leaned down.
Ji Chi¡¯s heart raced, and his body and heart both warmed as Jiang Junlin reached a hand into his thick hair.
They were like two wild beasts, constantly biting and devouring each other, engaged in a fight to the death. They wanted to consume each other¡¯s bones and blood, and the fireworks outside couldn¡¯t drown out the pounding of their hearts in the room..
Chapter 375 - 375: Don’t Want to Break Up
Chapter 375 - 375: Don¡¯t Want to Break Up
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi sat on the carpet with disheveled attire, panting heavily. Ji Chi¡¯s shirt had several buttons torn, and there were bite marks around his neck and corbone.
Ji Chi¡¯s eyes, which had been like stagnant water, seemed toe alive, filled with the fireworks from outside, dazzling to the extreme. He was ecstatic, wanting to shout it to the world.
For so many years, he had written one love letter after another, all of them seemingly lost without a trace. He had felt disappointment and pain, thinking he had reached a dead end, only to receive a love letter from the other party unexpectedly.
All love and expectations were never one-sided.
¡°Brother¡¡± Ji Chi suddenly buried his head in Jiang Junlin¡¯sp, cuddling his thigh like a child, his emotions roiling. He knew he had to make a decision, a cruel one, while he was at his happiest. ¡°When you were arrested, 1 thought 1 would never see you again.¡±
Jiang Junlin stroked his hair, suppressing those burning emotionspletely. This was the second time he had seen Ji Chi since their separation, and he couldn¡¯t help but recall those sleepless nights in prison.
At one point, he had thought Ji Chi was dead.
The sound of that gunshot had echoed in his ears, shattering countless fantasies. Even in his fitful sleep, he would be awakened, picturing Ji Chi shot in the head. He had tortured himself, thinking, ¡°What if he¡¯s dead? Even if I¡¯ve avenged him, what good does it do? Revenge is a momentary satisfaction, but it can¡¯t free me from the pain. People can¡¯te back to life. Even if I kill all my enemies, Ji Chi won¡¯te back.¡±
He had repeatedly thought about the memories he shared with Ji Chi and had a thought in his heart: Maybe it¡¯s time to give up. Perhaps one day, he won¡¯t see Ji Chi anymore. But when Pei Qiuying came to the prison and saved his life, he knew Ji Chi was alive and well, and he felt relieved. He had never considered fulfilling Ji Chi¡¯s wishes again.
People were strange; they often cherished things only after losing them. When something was right in front of them, they tended to take it for granted.
He was no exception to this.
¡°Are your wounds healed?¡±
Ji Chi got up, looking directly into his eyes. ¡°They healed a long time ago. The warden is on my side, and 1 haven¡¯t suffered. I¡¯ve been well taken care of.¡±
Their eyes locked onto each other, and they couldn¡¯t help but kiss passionately. Jiang Junlin¡¯s shirt was quickly torn by Ji Chi, but he managed to push Ji Chi away with all his self-control. ¡°Ji Chi, 1 need to talk to you!¡±
Ji Chi¡¯s fiery emotions were doused with a bucket of cold water, and all the passion faded away. He almost stumbled to his feet, quickly grabbing his coat. ¡°It¡¯ste, I should go!¡±
He didn¡¯t have the courage to face what Jiang Junlin was about to say.
He knew what Jiang Junlin would say, and no matter how much he resisted or how dead he felt inside, what was meant to happen would happen. Once imprisoned, there would be no second chances.
Jiang Junlin held his hand, and Ji Chi¡¯s hand trembled violently, as if fearing something. His palm was sweaty, soaked. ¡°Ji Chi, I¡¡±
¡°Today is the Lantern Festival, do you have to say it now?¡± Ji Chi turned around, his eyes already red. He had never been concerned about saving face in front of Jiang Junlin; if he wanted to cry, he would cry.
Jiang Junlin looked at his tear-filled eyes, and all his words got stuck in his throat.
He was decisive and resolute, but deep inside, there was a soft spot. He was d in armor from head to toe, impervious to external attacks, but in this one area, he was vulnerable.
Jiang Junlin¡¯s silence allowed Ji Chi¡¯s greed to flourish. ¡°Brother, do you hate me?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡±
Ji Chi¡¯s greed ran through his veins. ¡°Then do you love me?¡±
Knowing he shouldn¡¯t ask, couldn¡¯t ask, yet still greedy, Jiang Junlin¡¯s silence felt like a knife plunged into his chest. He broke free from Jiang Junlin¡¯s grasp and pushed open the window.
A cold breeze swept into the bedroom, and Ji Chi stood upright like a tall pine tree. ¡°When you had Gu Ci send a message to me, promising that if I didn¡¯t act recklessly, you would still be alive as I wished, was that a lie?¡±
¡°No!¡± Jiang Junlin got up and hugged Ji Chi from behind, ignoring the gazes of the guards downstairs. Jiang Junlin said, ¡°Ji Chi, 1 truly want to fulfill your wish.¡±
He wanted to, but he couldn¡¯t!
Ji Chi couldn¡¯t leave the ck Hawk. He was the heir groomed by Lu Zhiyuan, and he couldn¡¯t leave the world of the underground dark web. It was destiny, so Jiang Junlin had never asked Ji Chi.
Can you leave the ck Hawk?
¡°Do you remember every word we said on the ne to Paris? They were all sincere.¡±
Ji Chi stiffened all over, then suddenly turned around and pressed Jiang Junlin against the wall. He had tears in his eyes, looking fierce and pitiful at the same time. ¡°Then say it, say that you won¡¯t leave me.¡±
Jiang Junlin looked at the crazed face before him with aching heart. His eyes were reddening, and veins popped on his forehead as he restrained himself from saying the heartless words.
¡°I absolutely won¡¯t¡¡±
Suddenly, a ringing phone interrupted Ji Chi¡¯s words, it was Ji Chi¡¯s phone.
On the way back to the city, Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan fell into another round of silence. Gu Ci yed some music, and they were on a winding mountain road. Even at night, there were peopleing to stargaze, and halfway up the mountain, there was a camping site.
Gu Ci asionally nced at the car following behind and felt her heart race. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, something seems odd about the car behind us.¡±
¡°I know,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±
The car suddenly jolted, and Lu Zhiyuan realized something was wrong; the tire must have been punctured. The mountain road was treacherous, so Lu Zhiyuan called for their team toe to their location using his GPS.
Gu Ci¡¯s greatest fear was car idents, especially after witnessing Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s two idents¡ªone fatal and one life-threatening. Those incidents had be her inner demons. Lu Zhiyuan held onto Gu Ci¡¯s hand.
Her hand had turned icy cold.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here!¡±
¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re here that I¡¯m scared!¡± Gu Ci looked at him, and fear was evident in her eyes. She quickly regained herposure. ¡°Is there a gun in the car?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan shook his head. He had deliberately avoided everyone and brought Gu Ci to stargaze. Li Jiang had also prepared a fake route. Even if someone tried to track him, following Li Jiang would be the way. Lu Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t anticipated this situation.
The car behind them suddenly elerated and collided into them. This mountain road had eighteen bends, with a simple guardrail, and next to it was a steep cliff. Any slight collision could send them plummeting off the cliff..
Chapter 376 - 376: Sharing Life and Death
Chapter 376 - 376: Sharing Life and Death
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Lu Zhiyuan elerated, but the car rammed into emptiness, still recklessly charging forward. Lu Zhiyuan elerated once again. After all, this was a winding mountain road, and not everyone had Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s driving skills. He quickly left them behind in a curve.
Gu Ci turned to look back, ¡°It¡¯s three cars, not just one!¡±
This mountain road had twones, allowing only two cars to pass. After Lu Zhiyuan elerated, trying to descend quickly, he didn¡¯t expect another car to being up from below, with its high beams on. It was blinding, and even though it wasmon to use high beams on such mountain roads, the lights were still so intense that Lu Zhiyuan knew it was trouble. He tried to move the car as far to the side closer to the mountain as possible when suddenly he felt a jolt, as if he had hit something. The car lost control.
Lu Zhiyuan said in a deep voice, ¡°Cici, undo your seatbelt!¡±
At the moment the car crashed through the guardrail, Gu Ci also frantically undid her seatbelt. Both of them, along with the car, tumbled down a cliff that was more than fifty meters high.
Lu Zhiyuan carried Gu Ci and teleported to a rocky outcrop on the cliff. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. At the same time, the car fell into the valley below and exploded, sending mes soaring into the sky.
On the cliff, several men in ck watched indifferently. ¡°He survived the crash on the racetrack, which is lucky for him. But falling from this fifty-meter-high cliff and the explosion¡ I don¡¯t believe he¡¯ll survive this!¡±
¡°Let¡¯s go, downhill!¡±
They quickly departed.
Below the cliff, Lu Zhiyuan knelt weakly on a rock, his clothes stained with blood. Gu Ci held onto his waist, supporting him against the rock. Sweat formed on her forehead. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan, breathing shallowly, asked, ¡°Are you¡ hurt?¡±
Gu Ci had been frightened, but she was unscathed. There was not a scratch on her. ¡°What about you? What¡¯s happening to you?¡±
¡°Let me down first!¡± Lu Zhiyuan was feeling weak, and he was 1.9 meters tall. Gu Ci carrying him was undoubtedly a challenge, but he was perfectly capable of walking!
Gu Ci acted decisively, lifting Lu Zhiyuan onto her back and heading into the forest.
¡°Cici, put me down¡¡± Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s voice sounded weak. With his 1.9-meter tall athlete¡¯s physique, he knew that Gu Ci carrying him would be a strenuous task. Besides, he was perfectly capable of walking on his own!
¡°Shut up!¡± Gu Ci snapped. It was pitch dark, and the valley was even darker. She didn¡¯t know where Lu Zhiyuan was injured, but he had coughed up blood twice in a row, and she was deeply concerned. She just wanted to get out of this valley as quickly as possible.
¡°lean walk!¡±
¡°Be quiet!¡±
Gu Ci was resolute, and Lu Zhiyuan heard her heavy breathing. He had lived for hundreds of years and had never been carried by a woman before, especially not by the woman he loved. Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s feelings were incrediblyplicated.
¡°Am I heavy?¡±
¡°Do you think you¡¯re light?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was speechless.
Gu Ci stepped on a rock, losing her bnce for a moment, almost dropping Lu Zhiyuan. He felt a sudden intense pain, and his breathing changed rhythm. Gu Ci noticed it immediately.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, Lu Zhiyuan¡¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was in a daze, but he heard Gu Ci calling his name repeatedly. His heart softened, and he whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°Liar!¡± Gu Ci was frantic. She didn¡¯t know where he was injured, but she couldn¡¯t help but me him for not taking Li Jiang or a bodyguard with him when he left. This was a disaster that shouldn¡¯t have happened.
It seemed that someone had been waiting in this valley to inspect the explosion site. Gu Ci saw lights, and they were about to encounter the enemy head-on. Without hesitation, Gu Ci jumped into a nearby pool of water, carrying Lu Zhiyuan with her.
Above the water pool, there was a waterfall, and it was winter, bone-chillingly cold. The pool was deep, and Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci held their breaths, hiding beneath the surface.
¡°Did you hear anything?¡± Seven or eight men walked past the water pool.
¡°It might have been falling rocks,¡± another person said in a deep voice. ¡°Stop talking and check quickly. Li Jiang will be here soon.¡±
Several beams of light shone on the water pool, but the men standing by the pool didn¡¯t find any clues. They followed the rest of their group and left.
Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci emerged from the water, but Gu Ci¡¯s heart was pounding, and she was shivering from the cold. She coughed a few times and then looked at Lu Zhiyuan. His condition was not good at all. There was some reflection from the water, and Gu Ci saw his pale face. She quickly jumped out of the water and pulled Lu Zhiyuan up. Lu Zhiyuan staggered, and Gu Ci was afraid he might faint. She didn¡¯t care about being soaking wet and hoisted him onto her back once again.
Her boots were filled with icy water, making her feet feel itchy, but she didn¡¯t pay it any attention. She asked, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, are you okay?¡±
Lu Zhiyuany on her shoulder, not responding.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan!¡± Gu Ci shouted loudly. He gently kissed her neck and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±
It seemed like an unconscious response.
Gu Ci felt a sharp pain in her heart. Her body, which had been numbed by the cold, suddenly felt as if it were burning with heat. She was determined to get Lu Zhiyuan out of here. Back in the day, on the mountain during a thunderstorm, Lu Zhiyuan had carried her down. Now the situation was reversed, and fate had a way of turning things around.
Gu Ci hadn¡¯t expected that this group of people would leave someone behind on the road to keep watch. She had no choice but to hide with Lu Zhiyuan in a cave.
Their phones had fallen with the car, and they were unarmed. If they encountered well-equipped enemies, they would have no chance. Gu Ci¡¯s heart raced, and she hoped that Li Jiang would arrive soon.
Upon receiving the news, Li Jiang informed Ji Chi and immediately sent a team with a drone ahead. They were a bit slower in their car, and Rong Li watched the drone¡¯s feed.
The drone arrived at the valley first and saw the mes. There were definitely no surveince cameras in this ce. Rong Li said, ¡°Move the drone closer.¡±
The drone flew into the valley, getting closer to the car. The fire was still burning, but thankfully, the surrounding forest hadn¡¯t caught fire. The surveince operator said, ¡°This is Third Master¡¯s car.¡±
Rong Li¡¯s face grew solemn. ¡°Send another team with a drone over there. 1 want to see the entire view of the valley.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
Rong Li turned away, knowing that Li Jiang had brought two teams with him, and Ji Chi had gone as well. He paced back and forth, fuming. ¡°Is Third Master out of his mind? He took Gu Ci up the mountain alone! He went without bringing Li Jiang or any guards. Is he insane?¡±
He paused for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s a campsite up there, and not a single surveince camera? What if something goes wrong? How are we going to handle a traffic ident? Is it eptable not to have a single camera?!¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± Rong Li cursed. ¡°San Lin, you¡¯re in charge of monitoring along the route. See if you can find any information about vehicles entering and exiting the valley tonight.¡±
¡°We¡¯re checking!¡±
Chapter 377 - 377: We Will Find Them
Chapter 377 - 377: We Will Find Them
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Halfway up the mountain, Ji Chi and Jiang Junlin parked their car. Zhang Qiang left three people behind to protect them while he went down the cliff with the others from ck Hawk. When the ident happened, someone at the campsite recorded a video. Ji Chi asked a woman for the video, and both he and Jiang Junlin witnessed the horrific car crash scene. The cliff was so high that falling down like that would surely be fatal.
Jiang Junlin tried calling Gu Ci but got a busy signal with no answer. There was a signal in this valley, and a drone flew overhead. The fire brigade also arrived to put out the fire, and the valley was filled with people.
While waiting for news, Jiang Junlin couldn¡¯t hold back his anger. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Lu Zhiyuan? Bringing Cici up the mountain in the middle of the night with no one else? He must be really confident. If something happens to Cici, I won¡¯t spare him!¡±
His dissatisfaction with Lu Zhiyuan was almost at its peak.
Ji Chi didn¡¯t dare to argue. It was indeed a big mistake for Third Master not to bring Li Jiang or at least a few bodyguards. He tried to salvage the situation, saying, ¡°Maybe Third Master thought it was the Lantern Festival, and everyone should have a holiday.¡±
¡°Does he think his enemies are picky with which days they choose to kill him on? The Lantern Festival is a great day for that!¡±
Ji Chi remained silent.
Li Jiang had arrived a step earlier and was already searching in the valley below. Ji Chi looked through binocrs at the chaotic scene of people and vehicles.
¡°The fire brigade, the traffic police, and ambnces are all here. There are too many people,¡± Ji Chi said with some unease. If someone managed to infiltrate among the fire brigade or ambnce teams, they wouldn¡¯t be able to guard against it.
¡°Brother, can we ask the fire brigade and traffic police to leave, along with the medical team?¡±
Jiang Junlin called Gu Ziyu and informed him of the situation. Gu Ziyu was celebrating the Lantern Festival at Chen Liangdong¡¯s house. When he heard about Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci¡¯s car ident in the valley, his mind went nk for a good five seconds.
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s sacrifice to protect him and Gu Ci had been a story he had heard since childhood. All tragedies stemmed from that car ident, and not only would Gu Ci suffer from PTSD upon hearing about it, but Gu Ziyu would as well. ¡°Ziyu, are you listening?¡±
¡°Yes!¡± Gu Ziyu¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°I understand.¡±
He hung up the phone, feeling somewhat flustered. Chen Liangdong asked, ¡°Baby, what¡¯s wrong?¡±
Gu Ziyu quickly exined the situation, and Chen Liangdong made a call to have Chen Fei prepare a car. He would personally go with Ziyu.
As for the campers halfway up the mountain, they were watching themotion, never expecting such a massive crowd due to a car ident. One womanmented, ¡°The car fell off the cliff and exploded. Can anyone survive that?¡±
¡°Definitely not. The car was on fire for twenty minutes before anyone arrived. They must have turned into ashes.¡±
¡°Even if they were lucky, they wouldn¡¯t survive. Otherwise, it would go against thews of nature.¡±
Seeing Jiang J uniin¡¯s increasingly unpleasant expression, Ji Chi nced at the onlookers and gave them a cold look. Although he appeared young, he had a strong presence. The woman who had spoken earlier caught his gaze and quickly hid behind her boyfriend, clearly frightened.
The fire had been extinguished.
Li Jiang and Zhang Qiang both sent back messages. The car was mostly burnt, and there were no remains. Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Are you sure?¡±
¡°Sure, it¡¯s not a cremation furnace, how could it turn to ashes?¡±
With no remains, a new problem arose: where were they?
Jiang Junlin said, ¡°We¡¯ve searched the entire valley. We must find them!¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan were still in the valley. Lu Zhiyuan was in a semi-conscious state but managed to keep his wits about him. The valley was teeming with people at first, all enemies. They were searching everywhere for people, and there were even drones in the sky. Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci didn¡¯t feel safe in the cave. Gu Ci, carrying Lu Zhiyuan on her back, had just left the cave when someone came to inspect it and found bloodstains.
¡°Boss, the bloodstains are fresh. They¡¯ve just left!¡±
¡°Start searching, and dig three feet if necessary!¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°Boss, this is getting eerie. Falling from such a height, why are they still alive? Moreover, the crash site is far from here, and the ident happened only ten minutes ago. Unless they have wings, it¡¯s impossible for them to appear here!¡± They had divided into several groups to surround the valley, and some were checking the crash site to prevent Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci from escaping.
¡°Yeah, why would they be here?¡±
Gu Ci, carrying Lu Zhiyuan, was moving slowly, and footsteps were getting closer behind them. It was pitch ck at night, and they couldn¡¯t see the path ahead. Gu Ci slipped and fell, and Lu Zhiyuan could only manage to hold onto her. They both tumbled down and soon lost consciousness.
Morning arrived.
The fire brigade and traffic police had withdrawn, while members of ck Hawk and the underworld were scouring the entire valley, aided by drones. However, they found no traces of Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci. Gu Ci¡¯s phone had a tracking device, but it was destroyed in the car, so there was no signal.
Li Jiang¡¯s phone had run out of battery and was quickly charging. He couldn¡¯t afford to miss any calls. He usually didn¡¯t answer unknown numbers, but this morning, he had already answered three calls from real estate salesmen.
They searched until noon but found no traces.
Gu Ziyu¡¯s expression was as dark as water, and Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi had already considered the worst-case scenario. ¡°Could they have been taken away?¡±
The entire valley, both front and back, had been searched. Li Jiang even led a team to check the back of the valley, but there was still no sign of them. After all, he knew that Lu Zhiyuan could teleport, and going from north to south wouldn¡¯t be difficult for him. There was still no trace.
Jiang Junlin also contemted the possibility of them being taken away. After the ident, the enemy was in the valley, and Li Jiang was the first to arrive, but it still took thirty minutes.
In those thirty minutes, there were too many variables.
Ji Chi thought for a moment and instructed Li Jiang, ¡°Arrange for a man and a woman to act as wounded. Tell them we¡¯ve found Third Master and Gu Ci, both with minor injuries, and they¡¯re heading back to the Global headquarters.¡±
¡°But we haven¡¯t found them,¡± Li Jiang protested.
Ji Chi spoke solemnly, ¡°From the time of the identst night until noon today, it¡¯s been fourteen hours. If Third Master and Gu Ci managed to escape but can¡¯t contact us, or if they¡¯ve been taken away by the enemy, we should have received a call by now. We haven¡¯t received any calls, which means there are two possibilities: either Third Master and Gu Ci have escaped and can¡¯t easily contact us, or they¡¯ve been taken away by the enemy who¡¯s setting up a trap. If it¡¯s the second possibility, we just need to wait for the call. But if it¡¯s the first possibility, the enemy might also be waiting to see our search efforts. If we don¡¯t find them, and they im to have found them, we¡¯ll be at a disadvantage. Follow my instructions.¡±
¡°Understood!¡± Li Jiang went to make the arrangements.
After Chen Rushi¡¯s ident, Lu Zhiyuan had effectively gained control of the upper echelons of ck Hawk. Although it wasn¡¯t an autocracy, very few people dared to challenge him. If he were to encounter trouble, ck Hawk would still ultimately listen to Ji Chi. This was thetest directive for ck Hawk after the Chinese New Year, confirming Ji Chi¡¯s status as the heir.
Jiang Junlin listened to Ji Chi¡¯s orders and didn¡¯t say much. He turned to look at Gu Ziyu.
Gu Ziyu was sitting on a rock, remaining quiet the whole time, not uttering a word. Jiang Junlin feltpassion for Gu Ziyu and approached him slowly. ¡°Ziyu, we will find them..¡±
Chapter 378 - 378: Lu Zhiyuan, You Can’t Die!
Chapter 378: Lu Zhiyuan, You Can¡¯t Die!
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ziyu was very afraid, knowing full well that Lu Zhiyuan could teleport, but he was still afraid. His father had an inexplicable connection to car idents, dying in one and being critically injured in another, hanging on the brink of death. And now, he had fallen into a valley.
He was the world¡¯s best race car driver, yet he frequently died or got injured in car idents. What irony!
Gu Ziyu looked up at Jiang Junlin with a calm expression. ¡°I know they will be fine.¡±
This was a belief!
His parents would surely be okay; they woulde back to him!
¡°You¡¯ve stayed up all night here. Go back and rest,¡± Jiang Junlin said. Though Gu Ziyu wanted to stay here for news, Jiang Junlin added, ¡°Ji Chi and 1 will handle everything. We¡¯ll inform you as soon as we have any updates. If you don¡¯t rest, your Uncle Chen has been here with you all night and can¡¯t handle it. Be obedient.¡±
Gu Ziyu looked at Chen Liangdong. He had indeed stayed up all night after apanying Gu Ziyu here. It was also winter, and it was cold on the mountain, and there was a meeting in the afternoon.
¡°Alright, Uncle, if there¡¯s any news, let me know first thing.¡±
¡°I will.¡±
Chen Liangdong and Gu Ziyu were taken back by Chen Fei. Chen Liangdong had been making phone calls on the mountain the whole time. Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s ident had a significant impact, and there were inquiries from various parties.
It was unclear who had taken action, but Old Zhang had negotiated with Lu Zhiyuan the day before and failed to reach an agreement. Shortly after, Lu Zhiyuan had his ident. Old Zhang was also frantic, like an ant on a hot pan.
He told Chen Liangdong, ¡°I have absolutely nothing to do with this!¡±
¡°I know you care about your reputation and wouldn¡¯t get involved in such matters. They won¡¯t think it¡¯s your doing either. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Chen Liangdong said. ¡°There¡¯s no definitive conclusion to this incident yet. Lu Zhiyuan has made many enemies, and we don¡¯t know who discovered his whereabouts.
Don¡¯t be too impatient. We¡¯ll discuss it further when there¡¯s more information.¡±
After Chen Liangdong hung up the phone, Gu Ziyu asked, ¡°Can we trust him?¡± He didn¡¯t trust these old foxes too much. They were very cunning. His trust in Chen Liangdong was due to their old friendship, and he knew Chen Liangdong genuinely cared for him and had been busy his whole life.
¡°Yes, it¡¯s too foolish to kill someone immediately after negotiations break down. Old Zhang is far from being a fool,¡± Chen Liangdong said as he ruffled Gu Ziyu¡¯s hair. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept all night, and you¡¯re overworking yourself. You¡¯re still growing, and you don¡¯t need to be at the afternoon meeting.¡±
Chen Fei couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Ziyu, you¡¯re working yourself too hard, staying up all night. Your body can¡¯t handle it. You¡¯re still growing, and you don¡¯t have to attend the afternoon meeting.¡±
Chen Liangdong nodded. ¡°Listen to what Chen Fei is saying. Go home and rest. Consider it an order.¡±
The search teambed the valley until 3 o¡¯clock in the afternoon, confirming that they were not in the mountains. One man and one woman injured by Ji Chi were carried into a vehicle, and ck Hawk and The triad evacuated everyone. If they didn¡¯t evacuate after they found Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci, it would raise suspicion. Ji Chi and Jiang Junlin both felt that someone was still watching them on the mountain, and the camp had a mixed group of people. To gain the trust of others, they had to evacuate everyone.
They also prepared for the worst-case scenario.
Rong Li, with the informant, had been busy for more than ten hours, uncovering several useful clues. All of them involved fake license tes, and they had all gone missing. The main issue was that some of the surveince cameras in the suburbs of Area A were malfunctioning, making it impossible to retrieve any footage. Even traffic lights had faulty cameras. Rong Li couldn¡¯t believe how absurd the situation was.
¡°In the suburbs, out of thirty traffic lights, eleven cameras are malfunctioning. What¡¯s the point of installing them if they¡¯re just for decoration?¡± Rong Li was irritable, and it¡¯s no wonder they got lost.
Ji Chi massaged his temples with a headache. He had heard Jiang Junlin scold Lu Zhiyuan, and now Rong Li was berating the traffic management department. He had a severe headache, and no one had called them.
In theory, if Lu Zhiyuan had been kidnapped, there should have been a message by now.
¡°Third Master should be fine,¡± Li Jiang said. After all, he could teleport; he couldn¡¯t have been kidnapped. But bringing Miss Gu, things got uncertain.
¡°Even if he¡¯s fine, it¡¯s been more than a day, and we haven¡¯t received a single call. He can¡¯t have flown out of A City with wings,¡± Ji Chi said with some impatience. They had prepared for the worst-case scenario, but they still hoped that Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci hadn¡¯t been taken by someone.
Rong Li asked, ¡°Could it be the old Chen family¡¯s doing?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know, we¡¯ve sent people to investigate.¡±
After leaving Zhang¡¯s house yesterday, Lu Zhiyuan and Ji Chi had gone to see the head of the old Chen family. The conversation hadn¡¯t gone well, but if their conversation with the old Chen family hadn¡¯t gone well, neither had Old Zhang¡¯s conversation with them.
They couldn¡¯t have developed murderous intent over this, right?
That would be too foolish!
Li Jiang said, ¡°It¡¯s possible it¡¯s an enemy of the Third Master. Since his identity was exposed, he¡¯s been recuperating and hasn¡¯t been alone, so things have been calm.¡±
¡°If it¡¯s an enemy, the scope bes wider!¡± Rong Li said. ¡°Who knows which unfinished business they¡¯re trying to settle.¡±
Ji Chi didn¡¯t respond.
¡°Do you have any news from Jiang Junlin¡¯s side?¡± Rong Li asked. In A City, whether it was connections or familiarity, they were not as well-versed as Jiang Junlin.
Ji Chi shook his head. Jiang Junlin hadn¡¯t found much useful information either. They were all waiting for a phone call.
This kind of waiting was the most agonizing.
In the valley, Gu Ci slowly regained consciousness. She had a splitting headache, having hit the back of her head on a rock and lost consciousness. She was awakened by the sound of birds. Gu Ci felt as if there were a heavy stone on her chest, making it hard to breathe. When she regained her strength, she found Lu Zhiyuan lying on her chest. Gu Ci didn¡¯t know if there were still enemies in the mountains, so she lowered her voice, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan¡¡±
Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t respond. Frowning, Gu Ci pushed him gently. ¡°Third Brother, wake up.¡±
But Lu Zhiyuan still didn¡¯t react. Gu Ci grew anxious and pushed him away. Lu Zhiyuan fell to the side, and Gu Ci saw arge bloodstain on her chest. There was no obvious external injury on her body, just a scraped wound from rolling down the mountain, which wouldn¡¯t have caused so much bleeding. It had to be Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s injuries. Gu Ci was frantic. She quickly checked Lu Zhiyuan and found a piece of ss embedded deep in his back. Due to the rolling fall into the valley, the ss had prated into his flesh and couldn¡¯t be pulled out.
Gu Ci¡¯s face turned pale. Besides the ss, there were also sharp stones that had cut into his waist and abdomen, causing profuse bleeding. Gu Ci checked his breathing, which was extremely weak.
Gu Ci was drenched in cold sweat. She tore off her down jacket, used all the goose down to block his wounds, and tightly wrapped them with cotton fabric to stop the bleeding. Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s body was cold from excessive blood loss, and Gu Ci held him close. He leaned weakly against her shoulder.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, you can¡¯t die!¡± Another car ident, damn it, another car ident!
Gu Ci looked up at the cave they had fallen into. It was high and deep, with no chance of climbing out while carrying Lu Zhiyuan. After looking at Lu Zhiyuan again, she made a decision. She couldn¡¯t just sit and wait. She had to go out first to find help for Lu Zhiyuan. Every minute she dyed, Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s life was in more danger..
Chapter 379 - 379: Racing to Death
Chapter 379: Racing to Death
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
She inspected Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s bracelet, watch, and other belongings, making sure there were no trackers. She couldn¡¯t help but frown. Howe there wasn¡¯t a single tracker on him?
Gu Ci cradled Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s head. His face was pale, and his lips were as white as paper. Gu Ci¡¯s heart ached. She kissed Lu Zhiyuan gently and whispered, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, wait for me!¡±
When a person dies, all love and hatred fade away, bing meaningless.
Gu Ci let go of him and tried to climb up the cave. The moss on the rocky wall was abundant and slippery. Gu Ci tried several times but couldn¡¯t make it up. Once, she nearly fell on top of Lu Zhiyuan, causing him further harm.
On her nth attempt to climb, Gu Ci fell again. Suddenly, Lu Zhiyuan coughed and slowly woke up. Gu Ci looked at him in disbelief and quickly climbed to his side.
¡°Third Brother, Third Brother¡ Are you awake? Does it hurt?¡±
Her eyes were red, and her hands were covered in scratches from climbing. Bloodstains marked her hands, and she cried andughed at the same time. She knew she must look like a madwoman, but she couldn¡¯t care less.
¡°What happened to your hand?¡± Lu Zhiyuan looked at her hand, full of sympathy for the wounded palm.
¡°It¡¯s nothing, just some scratches. How about you? Does it hurt badly?¡± She wiped away Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s cold sweat. ¡°I tried to climb up to find help. This ce is remote, and even if they search for us, they might not find us.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan held her hand. The piece of ss had pierced his back when they fell from the cliff, but he had endured the pain and kept quiet. When they tumbled down, he had also sustained several other injuries, but Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t mind. He looked at the wounds on Gu Ci¡¯s palm with great concern.
¡°Silly girl, just waking me up is enough!¡± He struggled to sit up, and Gu Ci helped him. Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Hold on to me tightly!¡±
Gu Ci embraced him, and in the blink of an eye, Lu Zhiyuan had carried Gu Ci into the forest. As soon as theynded, Lu Zhiyuan coughed up blood, and Gu Ci¡¯s eyes were filled with distress.
¡°Does teleporting hurt you?¡± She wondered. ¡°If not, why didn¡¯t you teleport us out of the woodsst night?¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said with a weak voice. Without further discussion, Gu Ci carried him out of the forest. They had encountered the ident in the southern part of the valley and were now in the northern part.
This area was infested with poisonous creatures, and the path was treacherous. By the time Gu Ci had carried him out of the valley, her waist and legs were covered in scratches. She kept talking to Lu Zhiyuan along the way, trying to keep him conscious. Lu Zhiyuan had also held on, not passing out. However, after leaving the valley, there was no help in sight. They were under the scorching sun, and Gu Ci nced in the direction of A City.
The mountain was more than fifty kilometers away from the city center, located in the suburbs. There were many towns in the suburbs, and the closer they were to the city, the more towns they would find. Gu Ci, struggling with the weight of Lu Zhiyuan, crossed a vast field and stopped a passing car.
The driver was a man who drove a van. He had a tannedplexion from years of outdoor work. Gu Ci had no money, but fortunately, Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s watch still had some value. She hoped the man would be willing to take them to the nearest hospital.
Initially, the man was reluctant to help, but seeing Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s injuries and his life hanging by a thread, he reluctantly agreed. Gu Ci made up an excuse, saying they had been on a camping trip and had fallen into a ravine. The man mentioned that there had been reports of people falling into the valleyst night, causing amotion. They had searched the entire valley but hadn¡¯t found anyone.
Gu Ci exined, ¡°We fell just recently.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was in clear consciousness. He asked the man for his phone, saying, ¡°Big brother, can I borrow your phone?¡±
The man handed his phone to Lu Zhiyuan.
Lu Zhiyuan called Ji Chi and gave him their location. Ji Chi was ecstatic, ¡°Third Master, wait for us! Our teams are very close. Two teams are right by the edge of the valley, it¡¯ll only take fifteen minutes to get there!¡±
¡°Alright!¡±
After making the call, Gu Ci didn¡¯t call Jiang Junlin again, as Ji Chi would already know, and Jiang Junlin probably too.
However, before reaching the town hospital, several cars sped out from a junction ahead and blocked their path. Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci exchanged a nce, their faces turning serious.
The man with them had a hot temper and was now furious at being blocked for no reason. He got out of the car to argue with the people blocking their way. Gu Ci released her grip on Lu Zhiyuan, crawled from the back seat to the driver¡¯s seat, put the car in reverse, quickly turned around on the road, and drove away. The man heard the car engine and frantically chased after Gu Ci, shouting, ¡°Hey, my car, you¡¡±
He wanted to call the police but remembered his phone was still in the car.
The two cars quickly overtook the man and caught up with Gu Ci. Lu Zhiyuan took the man¡¯s phone, dialed Ji Chi¡¯s number, and said, ¡°Gu Ci and 1 have been spotted. License te A3DS63. We are on Provincial Highway 258.¡±
¡°Got it!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s information was ryed to the operations room, and Rong Li immediately dispatched a tracking team. They located their position within three minutes. Ji Chi informed them, ¡°Third Master, there are three vehicles from our side, about one kilometer ahead of you.¡±
The old van they were in wasn¡¯t very fast, and it was quickly caught up by the pursuing vehicles. One of the cars drove alongside Gu Ci and suddenly rammed into her. The van was flimsy and old, and it crumpled instantly. Gu Ci managed to stabilize the vehicle and pressed the gas pedal to the maximum, elerating wildly. The two cars, one on each side, continued their assault, and the scraping of metal against metal produced a piercing noise with sparks flying.
The car windows rolled down, and firearms were aimed at them. Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci ducked down as bullets shattered the windows and passed above their heads. Gu Ci didn¡¯t have time to think about them; she pushed the gas pedal to the floor and sped forward recklessly.
¡°Third Master, are you okay?¡± Ji Chi was watching the high-speed chase on the monitor and was shocked. If there was another vehicle ahead, they would be in a deadly collision.
Rong Li quickly assessed the positions of his team members. The two sides were about to collide head-on. He had a small squad of three vehicles, all ahead of them, and they were just two minutes away.
However, the two vehicles in front continued to sandwich the fragile van. The van had no chance of withstanding this relentless assault.
Rong Li ordered in a cold tone, ¡°We¡¯re half a kilometer from Third Master. Ram into them!¡±
It was a life-or-death order!
But the vehicles ahead, both Gu Ci¡¯s and the attackers¡¯, were traveling at speeds of over 150 kilometers per hour. Colliding head-on would inevitably result in a catastrophe.
¡°Understood!¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
The two vehicles at the very front finally received their orders. The voices of the Royal Guards were calm and resolute. Originally, the two vehicles, one in front of the other, quickly moved parallel to each other, upying bothnes and leaving the middlene empty. Even if it meant sacrificing themselves, they were determined to ram the vehicles that were closing in on Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s car.
Gu Ci also saw the oing vehicles ahead, speeding toward them at full throttle. Their three vehicles upied all thenes, while the opposing vehicles left the middlene empty. However, a head-on collision at this speed would be certain death, leaving nothing but shattered bodies.
The two vehicles attempting to sandwich Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan also realized the situation. When two forces met on a narrow road, it was a test of who was more fearless. The enemies in these two vehicles were determined and didn¡¯t slow down; they continued their attempt to trap Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci.
In that critical moment right before the collision, the vehicle on the right ultimately panicked and veered into the field. Gu Ci¡¯s left-hand side vehicle, however, remained steadfast and collided with the ck Hawk Royal Guard¡¯s vehicle. The impact was fierce due to the high speed, and both vehicles tumbled off the road. The vehicles were instantly wrecked. The ck Hawk Royal Guard¡¯s vehicle had been heavily modified and was extremely sturdy, but it still couldn¡¯t withstand such a violent collision..
Chapter 380 - 380: Daddy Looks Like He’s About to Die
Chapter 380: Daddy Looks Like He¡¯s About to Die
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ci stepped on the gas pedal, stopping in thene. The third car from the Royal Guard also pulled up beside them, and three individuals quickly approached, guarding them and escorting them to their own vehicle.
Without the need for further orders from Ji Chi, the three individuals protected Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci. The car that had charged into the field quickly fled the scene, heading in another direction, with Rong Li¡¯s people following closely behind.
Lu Zhiyuan soon lost consciousness.
When he woke up, he was in a hospital room, and it was already dark outside. The ss shards from his back had been removed, and though he had lost a lot of blood, it wasn¡¯t a major issue. Upon awakening, Gu Ci and Ziyu were both in the room with him.
Gu Ci had also changed into clean clothes and had some minor abrasions on her, just superficial woundspared to Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s injuries. Mother and sony on the edge of the sofa, sleeping peacefully, bathed in moonlight, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
He coughed a couple of times, which startled Gu Ci.
She quickly came to the bedside, raising the height of the hospital bed slightly, and said softly, ¡°The ss has been removed, and the rest are just superficial wounds. Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡±
Apart from the pain and a slight feeling of weightlessness, there wasn¡¯t much else bothering him. The feeling of weightlessness was due to the excessive blood loss. Lu Zhiyuan looked at her hand, wrapped in gauze with a bit of blood visible. Gu Ci said softly, ¡°Just superficial wounds, not too painful.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan restrained his emotions and pain, saying, ¡°Cici, I didn¡¯t scare you, did I?¡±
¡°Not at all,¡± Gu Ci replied, looking puzzled at Lu Zhiyuan¡¯splexion.
A person who had lost so much blood should have a pale and haggardplexion, but Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s face resembled more of a poisoning symptom, with some bluish discoloration. Gu Ci worriedly asked, ¡°Is there anywhere you don¡¯t feel well?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan shook his head and said softly, ¡°Other than feeling a bit of pain, I¡¯m okay. Is Ji Chi and Rong Li outside?¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li were waiting outside. ck Hawk had some matters to attend to, and although Gu Ci and Ziyu were close rtives, their identities were very special, so it wasn¡¯t suitable for them to stay for long. Gu Ci replied, ¡°They¡¯re here, as long as you¡¯re okay.¡±
She woke up Ziyu, who was still somewhat drowsy. Ziyu was very pleasantly surprised to see that Lu Zhiyuan had awakened. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re okay, right?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Lu Zhiyuan gently touched Ziyu¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±
Ziyu rushed over to hug him. ¡°You can teleport, right? How did you get hurt like this? It¡¯s not cool at all.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but smile at his son¡¯s childlike words, and his pain lessened a bit.
¡°Ziyu, let¡¯s go home first. Dad still has some things to deal with.¡±
¡°Dad, we¡¯re leaving now.¡±
¡°Okay!¡± Lu Zhiyuan watched them, mother and son, leave the hospital room. A mouthful of blood that had been stuck in his throat suddenly gushed out, staining the white bedsheets with arge patch of red.
He heard Gu Ci and Ziyu¡¯s voices and forcibly held it in again.
Gu Ci, along with Ziyu and Rong Li, had left after saying their goodbyes. Ji Chi and Rong Li had just entered the room when they saw the ring red on the bedsheets. Both of them turned pale, and Ji Chi reached for the bell to call the doctor, but Lu Zhiyuan stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t call, wait until they leave!¡±
¡°Third Master, it¡¯s already at this stage, and you¡¯re still holding on.¡± Rong Li was furious and turned to find a doctor, while Gu Ci and Ziyu were waiting for the elevator.
Lu Zhiyuan urgently said, ¡°Come back!¡±
His injuries were not something the doctors could treat.
Rong Li stood in front of the door, so angry that he wanted to smash it. When Gu Ci and Ziyu entered the elevator, Ji Chi hurriedly pressed the bell. Lu Zhiyuan knew that ringing the bell wouldn¡¯t help in this situation; his condition was beyond their ability to treat. He remained silent to avoid causing further concern to Ji Chi and Rong Li.
This was the most malicious curse, and once again, the curse hade true.
Every time Gu Ci came closer to him, it felt like another stab to his heart and bones.
As long as they loved each other, this curse could not be broken!
Qin Wan had been waiting downstairs for Gu Ci. Her failure to pick up Gu Ci on the Lantern Festival night had led to this disaster. Although Jiang Junlin hadn¡¯t scolded her, Qin Wan was determined to follow Gu Ci closely for the next twenty-four hours.
Gu Ci had already reported her safety to Dr. North and Little Cherry. Although Qin Wan didn¡¯t show regret, Gu Ci understood her. ¡°Qin Wan, don¡¯t me yourself. It¡¯s just some superficial wounds, nothing serious.¡±
¡°If I had gone to pick you up, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±
¡°If you had gone to pick me up, I would have followed Lu Zhiyuan anyway.¡± Gu Ci had other things on her mind and didn¡¯t want to dwell on this with Qin Wan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±
She looked out the window, recalling the strange behavior of Lu Zhiyuan in the valley, teleporting and then repeatedly coughing up blood. He had never looked good during those moments, walking unsteadily due to excessive blood loss. He had said he could walk by himself, but Gu Ci had insisted on carrying him.
When hey against her shoulder, he seemed semi-conscious and in pain. At one point, she thought she heard him cry out in pain.
He was Lu Zhiyuan!
As a racing driver, he endured bumps and knocks during training without ever uttering a word of pain. Even after the car ident, when he had a near-death experience, she hadn¡¯t heard him cry out in pain. As the Third Master, he was reserved, restrained, and would never shout in pain over a minor injury.
Third Young Master, on the other hand, was like a delicate butterfly, always wanting to show his best side to her, and it was even less likely for him to cry out in pain from an injury.
Where did it hurt so much that he couldn¡¯t help but shout in pain during moments of dizziness?
After teleporting, he had vomited blood again. Could there be a bacsh from using teleportation? Why did he keep getting injured? She hadn¡¯t seen him get injured during the previous teleportations.
As a doctor, Gu Ci had a good understanding of a person¡¯s physical condition. Lu Zhiyuan lying on the bed, gasping for breath like a thread of silk, made her feel uneasy.
Excessive blood loss shouldn¡¯t have resulted in this.
Returning to the Blue Fields Vi and seeing Jiang Junlin¡¯s car outside, Gu Ci thought, ¡°It¡¯s over, my brother is going to scold me.¡± Ji Chi had already informed Jiang Junlin of Gu Ci¡¯s condition, and he knew she wasn¡¯t seriously injured.
¡°Does it hurt?¡±
Gu Ci shook her head, and she didn¡¯t dare toin about the pain. ¡°It¡¯s just some scratches.¡±
¡°You¡¯re pretty confident, huh? Going up the mountain to watch the stars and the moon, leaving one person behind,¡± Jiang Junlinmented with a hint of sarcasm, an unusual tone for him.
Gu Ci admitted defeat, ¡°Brother, 1 was wrong, it won¡¯t happen again, I promise!¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t you break up?¡± Jiang Junlin asked, ¡°With this attitude, does it seem like you¡¯ve broken up?¡±
¡°Even after a breakup, you can still be friends.¡±
¡°That¡¯s an interesting perspective.¡±
Gu Ci asked, ¡°What about you and Ji Chi? After breaking up, don¡¯t you n to be friends?¡±
Jiang Junlin¡¯s face darkened, and Qin Wan said, ¡°You two siblings shouldn¡¯t hurt each other. Isn¡¯t Third Master more seriously injured? He deserved it!¡± Jiang Junlin had no sympathy for Lu Zhiyuan, sympathizing with the enemy was like seeking trouble!
Gu Ziyu said with a hint of grievance, ¡°Dad is also quite pitiful, he looked like he was about to die.¡±
Gu Ci frowned and gave her son a nce. ¡°Ziyu, children should be seen and not heard.¡±
Don¡¯t re at me, it¡¯s so scary!
Dad is indeed Mom¡¯s favorite.
Gu Ci wasn¡¯t angry, but her son¡¯s words reminded her that Lu Zhiyuan did indeed look like he was on the verge of death. While Lu Zhiyuan was sleeping, she had reviewed his medical records and the surgical procedure.
There was no reason for him to be injured so severely!
Chapter 381 - 381: Demon and Angel
Chapter 381: Demon and Angel
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
After Gu Ci disappeared following Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s teleportation, she told Jiang Junlin everything that had happened, down to the smallest detail. Jiang Junlin was clearly focused on Lu Zhiyuan and was only concerned about not involving Gu Ci.
Jiang Junlin wouldn¡¯t worry about Lu Zhiyuan if his sister was fine.
¡°ck Hawk will investigate this matter. Both Ji Chi and Rong Li are here, so nothing major should happen. They¡¯ve also captured a few live witnesses. In theing days, avoid too much contact with Lu Zhiyuan until they uncover the truth.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
Gu Ci felt a bit tired, and Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t stay at the Blue Fields Vi for long. Qin Wan followed him out, and seeing her looking downcast, Jiang Junlin spoke gently, ¡°This was an unexpected incident. Don¡¯t dwell on it too much. Cici has a sense of propriety. If she doesn¡¯t want you to follow, don¡¯t follow, or follow discreetly so she doesn¡¯t notice.¡±
¡°Oh¡¡±
Seeing her unhappy, Jiang Junlin patted her head. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you arge t soon. Don¡¯t be upset.¡±
¡°I want a penthouse.¡± Qin Wan was never one to be shy about her desires.
¡°Alright!¡±
Jiang Junlin left with Zhang Qiang, who asked, ¡°Master, are we not going to investigate the attack on Lu Zhiyuan?¡±
¡°ck Hawk¡¯s matter is not our concern,¡± Jiang Junlin said indifferently.
He didn¡¯t need to waste resources on an investigation. If he wanted to know anything, he would ask Ji Chi. If Ji Chi didn¡¯t say anything, he wouldn¡¯t care. Who would be concerned about how an enemy was attacked?
He hadn¡¯t kicked Lu Zhiyuan while he was down, nor had he sent anyone to attack him. That could be considered his kindness.
Lu Zhiyuan remained in aa for the rest of the night. The doctors couldn¡¯t find anything wrong, even though he had a full-body examination and all his indicators were normal. They couldn¡¯t understand why he remained unconscious.
¡°Young Master has always had excellent physical qualities. He rarely suffers from minor illnesses or injuries. He recovers from injuries faster than ordinary people. This time, we really can¡¯t find any issues,¡± the doctor exined.
Rong Li was irritable. They couldn¡¯t make a big fuss about this matter, and even the hospital director had personally examined Lu Zhiyuan, finding no serious problems. Ji Chi and Rong Li were helpless, as this central hospital was privately owned by the Lu family and attracted top-notch physicians. If they couldn¡¯t cure him, no one could.
Li Jiang didn¡¯t know why, but he knew that Third Young Master had a unique physique. Could it be rted to teleportation? Li Jiang said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Third Young Master to wake up. He might wake up tomorrow.¡±
Rong Li frowned, ¡°Has he ever had this kind of situation before?¡±
Li Jiang shook his head, he had never encountered anything like this.
¡°Could Third Young Master have some hidden illness?¡± Rong Li asked.
Li Jiang hesitated and didn¡¯t say anything.
Ji Chi had a dark expression and kicked him, saying, ¡°If you¡¯re not good at Chinese, don¡¯t use it incorrectly. ¡®Hidden illness¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean what you think.¡±
Li Jiang stayed at the hospital, while Ji Chi and Rong Li had their own business to attend to. The incident with the bodyguards and the collision had left one critically ill and another severely injured, thanks to the sturdy car and well-designed airbags, they didn¡¯t die on the spot, but the situation was still not optimistic. They were in the ICU for observation. The two individuals from the other party had died on the spot, and they had captured one person alive. This person was lucky; when the collision urred, he was thrown out of the windshield andnded in a field, suffering only minor injuries. He was quickly apprehended. Rong Li hadn¡¯t caught the escaped individuals, but having one live captive was enough.
In the interrogation room, Rong Li sat in a chair, smoking a cigar, and the arrested man had a broken right leg, which had just been set.
Rong Li lit his cigar and said, ¡°1 have a bad temper. Tell me who ordered you, straightforwardly, to spare yourself from physical pain.¡±
¡°If you have the guts, go ahead and kill me!¡±
Ji Chi shook his head from the side. This was Rong Li¡¯s area when it came to interrogations.
Rong Li sneered, ¡°Threatening me? Do you think I¡¯m easily frightened?¡±
He kicked the man¡¯s chest and abdomen, ¡°Killing you would dirty my hands. We live in a society governed by the rule ofw. What¡¯s the point of violence and threats? It doesn¡¯t look good.¡±
The man screamed in pain.
Rong Li stepped on the spot where the bone had just been set, blowing a smoke ring, ¡°We have a hundred and eight methods for making your life worse than death in ck Hawk. No need to rush, I guarantee you¡¯ll have had enough. Even the King of Hell won¡¯t take you.¡±
He applied more force, and the recently mended bone broke again.
¡°All¡¡±
The man clutched his leg in agony, and Rong Li waved his hand, ¡°Doctor, reattach the broken bone for him.¡±
Ji Chi shook his head and watched as the doctor reluctantly gave the man medical attention, casting a disapproving nce at Rong Li. The doctor was diligently resetting the man¡¯s bone.
Rong Li said, ¡°If you heal him ten times, and 1¡¯11 break his leg ten times, will he be disabled for life?¡±
The doctor gritted his teeth, ¡°What do you think?¡±
Rong Li replied sarcastically, ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t bear to do it anymore.¡±
Ji Chi yed the good cop, ¡°Brother, just tell us what you know. This is the crudest man in ck Hawk. He won¡¯t joke around with you.¡±
Rong Li sneered, ¡°In terms of cruelty, I¡¯m not even in the top five in ck Hawk. You might rank in the top two.¡±
Ji Chi red at him, ¡°Why are you undermining me?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not me undermining you. Wherever you stand, he trembles with fear. Didn¡¯t you see it?¡± Rong Li couldn¡¯t help butin. This guy knew who the real Yama was. ¡°He has good judgment.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t see it!¡± Ji Chi said calmly. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s not scared enough; he hasn¡¯t said a single word of truth. Maybe we should break his other leg too.¡±
The doctor said, ¡°Can you guys please act like human beings? Don¡¯t actually do this ten times; I¡¯m very busy.¡±
An hourter, when the doctor returned, the man was barely alive. The doctor had an expressionless face, ¡°Did he talk?¡±
Ji Chi wiped the bloodstains from his hands with a wet towel, ¡°Tough nut, didn¡¯t say anything.¡±
The doctor examined the man¡¯s injuries, ¡°If he hasn¡¯t said anything in this condition, it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll get anything out of him.¡±
Ji Chi said, ¡°Not necessarily. I haven¡¯t touched his face yet. He looks to be in his thirties. I¡¯ve already instructed the information department to find information on him.¡± Ji Chi leaned down and patted the man¡¯s cheek. ¡°Brother, do you have a wife and children?¡±
The man suddenly struggled violently, as if he wanted to take Ji Chi down with him. Ji Chi stepped back, casually smiling. Rong Li said, ¡°I told you, I¡¯m kinder than him, but you didn¡¯t listen.¡±
Ji Chi didn¡¯t like involving wives and children. In principle, one person should take responsibility for their own actions. He also disliked coercion and temptation. In this world, who didn¡¯t have weaknesses? What would he feel if someone threatened him with Jiang Junlin?
But when it came to interrogation, anything was fair game.
He wouldn¡¯t actually harm the man¡¯s family, as long as the man believed he would, that would be enough.
The information department quickly provided the details.
Ji Chi stood in front of the man, reading his information aloud, ¡°Cai Jun, from South City in A City. You¡¯re a lucky man, brother. You have a pair of twins, and your daughter is really beautiful!¡±
He seemed like a wicked, malicious murderer, smiling and giving a sinister appraisal of his target.
Cai Jun fiercely resisted, shouting, ¡°Don¡¯t touch them, you bastard, don¡¯t touch them.¡±
Rong Li shook his head, ¡°You¡¯ve done my job for me. What am I supposed to do now? Why do 1 feel like you¡¯re sexually frustrated and filled with so much malice?¡±
¡°You actually got that right.¡± Ji Chi smirked evilly, his little dimples appearing somewhat innocent. He ced a photo in front of Cai Jun, ¡°Your two children. Whether they live through tonight depends on your cooperation.. 1¡¯11 ask again, who ordered you to attack Third Master?¡±
Chapter 382 - 382: Brothers Infighting
Chapter 382: Brothers Infighting
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
After concluding the meeting, Chen Liangdong had another phone call with Mr. Zhang. When it came to the matter of Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s disappearance, Chen Liangdong made sure not to reveal any inside information to Mr. Zhang despite his repeated inquiries.
Lately, Chen Liangdong found himself in a somewhat delicate situation. Many people were discontented with his involvement in the underworld dark web, whether they were part of his camp or from elsewhere.
Unlike Chen Liangdong, Gu Ziyu was still rtively young andcked Chen Liangdong¡¯s experience in navigating theplexities of such situations. When Gu Ziyu sought Chen Liangdong¡¯s help, they had a conversation, and Chen Liangdong realized that getting involved would mean offending a significant number of people.
Chen Liangdong had been a department head for four years, and he was on the verge of bing a director. His department was meant to remain neutral and not get involved in the disputes of others. He needed to bnce many rtionships and wielded significant power, which also meant facing various constraints.
The Ministry of State Security didn¡¯t require the power of the underworld dark web; they had their own channels for overseas operations. Although the dark web was involved, it wasn¡¯t the most critical factor.
However, Chen Liangdong still got involved in this matter, even though he knew it would bring more harm than good, and that it was a path he shouldn¡¯t tread.
When Ziyu came seeking his help, Chen Liangdong hesitated. He had already declined his family¡¯s arranged marriage and opted for a more challenging path. His choice went against his family¡¯s wishes, and his rtionship with them had be strained.
Ziyu was more like family to him, and Chen Liangdong couldn¡¯t bear to refuse his request. He reluctantly decided to wade into this murky waters.
Since he hadmitted to it, he couldn¡¯t stay on the sidelines.
¡°Chen Fei, prepare a car. We¡¯re going to the prison,¡± he said to his assistant. He hadn¡¯t seen Lin Qing for many years, and at one point, he had even thought they would never meet again.
¡°Yes!¡±
Chen Liangdong arrived at the prison in the evening. Lin Qing¡¯s case had yet to be resolved, and he was being held in afortable detention center, with a private room that could rival a hotel suite. Chen Liangdong noticed a prison guard leaving with a takeout bag from a five-star restaurant.
¡°It seems you¡¯re living quitefortably,¡± Chen Liangdong remarked as he sat down, interrupting Lin Qing¡¯s dinner.
¡°How long has it been since west saw each other?¡± Lin Qing asked casually.
¡°More than a decade, I think.¡±
Chen Liangdong and Lin Qing had been childhood friends, but their personalities were quite different. Lin Qing was quiet and bookish, while Chen Liangdong was mischievous and prone to causing trouble. Despite their differences, they had been close friends for many years. Chen Liangdong often rebelled and got into trouble, and it was always Lin Qing who cleaned up the mess. When Lin Qing was seriously injured on the front lines, Chen Liangdong defied his family¡¯s opposition to bring him home from abroad. Their friendship was as solid as iron.
They had both believed they would be lifelong friends, but they had drifted apart for many years. Apart from necessary meetings, they had no personal contact, and they had heard about each other¡¯s lives from colleagues.
¡°Lin Qing, you¡¯ve already obtained everything you wanted, and you had the Zhang family¡¯s protection. Why did you still want to get involved with the underworld dark web?¡± Chen Liangdong asked.
Lin Qing burst intoughter. His greed had been widely criticized, and people said he had brought his downfall upon himself by trying to take on Jiang Junlin, a task far beyond his abilities. The Zhang family had also abandoned him, and his wife had filed for divorce. His child had bitterly asked why he had chosen to ruin himself, which ultimately led to her own downfall. His actions had left him isted, and everyone said he deserved it.
Lin Qing sneered and said, ¡°You act all righteous, but aren¡¯t you involved too? 1 want it, but does National Security not want it? Don¡¯t pretend to be so concerned. You must be delighted with my current predicament, finally getting your revenge.¡±
¡°Your extremism and narrow-mindedness have remained unchanged over the past ten years. Ever since Uncle Lin passed away, you¡¯ve be a different person, always seeking quick sess and using any means necessary. If 1 wanted to kick you when you¡¯re down, would you be living sofortably here? Even though the verdict hasn¡¯te down yet, your guilt is a foregone conclusion,¡± Chen Liangdong spoke calmly. ¡°This isn¡¯t solely your doing. Who¡¯s behind you?¡±
¡°I¡¯d love for you to find out. Go investigate it yourself!¡± Lin Qing smirked, his malice showing through. ¡°You seem to know everything. I¡¯m curious how you found out that Jiang Junlin returned to the country and that I framed him. How did you convince others to bring Jiang Junlin to National Security? If it weren¡¯t for you taking him away, none of this would have happened.¡±
Chen Liangdong was stern as he said, ¡°You¡¯ve broken thew, do you realize that? Jiang Junlin was dedicated to his duties, with slightly more authority, but he did nothing wrong. It was your borate scheme that pushed him into a desperate situation, resulting in the deaths of numerous people. Do you see those lives as insignificant?¡±
¡°You¡¯re talking about me breaking thew now? Haha, Chen Liangdong, have youmitted any fewer vitions and indiscretions?¡± Lin Qing¡¯s eyes reddened as he stared at him. ¡°Back then, you were involved in a disciplinary breach with a woman, leaked our whereabouts, and caused our mission to fail. I helped you clean up and provided a safety, but you turned against me for her and severed our rtionship. I¡¯ve had the misfortune of having you as a brother in my life!¡±
They had once had a heated argument and even got into a physical fight.
Lin Qing had initially thought that it was just a typical argument and fight, and they would reconcile after a few months. Little did he realize that the severance of adult friendships could be so quiet, graceful, and decisive.
Chen Liangdong¡¯s heartache was touched, and he suddenly stood up, his chest heaving, and veins bulging on his forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t nder me like that! I was clear and honest in that matter, and my conscience is clear. If it weren¡¯t for your interference, she wouldn¡¯t have died. It was a human life, yet you speak so self-righteously, distorting the truth. We severed our ties because of differing paths, nothing else!¡±
¡°You speak so nicely, but you never married and even shed with your family. You¡¯re quite the paragon of virtue, Chen Liangdong!¡± Lin Qing taunted. ¡°So hypocritical!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to dig up the past with you. Let¡¯s focus on the present. Mr. Zhang has nothing to do with this, so who¡¯s pulling your strings?¡± Chen Liangdong said sternly. ¡°Stop resisting, you can¡¯t handle this alone. Confess voluntarily, and perhaps there¡¯s a chance for leniency. Your ill-gotten wealth for your two children has already been frozen!¡±
¡°Why should they freeze their assets?¡± Lin Qing was indignant.
¡°That¡¯s ill-gotten wealth!¡± Chen Liangdong retorted. ¡°You have two young children to support. If you confess your crimes voluntarily, you might get a plea deal with a lighter sentence than the main culprit.¡±
¡°If you¡¯re so eager to know, why don¡¯t you ask your brother?¡± Lin Qingughed uproariously, his eyes still red.. ¡°1 guarantee he¡¯ll tell you everything in great detail!¡±
Chapter 383 - 383: Big Brother Doesn’t Really Want to Talk to
Chapter 383: Big Brother Doesn¡¯t Really Want to Talk to
You
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Global Center, Lu Zhiyuan had just regained consciousness from a bout of dizziness. His head throbbed, but he was feeling slightly better. Li Jiang had prepared a big pot of nourishing blood-boosting soup and managed to feed him a bowl.
Rong Li and Ji Chi came to report the results of the interrogation. Lu Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes, ¡°Is it really them?¡±
Ji Chi said, ¡°They are indeed cunning conspirators. We didn¡¯t have a pleasant conversation this afternoon, but we had cooperated in the past, and now they¡¯re attempting to eliminate you. Interestingly, if this n seeds, they will likely pin it on Mr. Zhang. Lin Qing would be exposed, and Mr. Zhang would have the highest suspicion. Mr. Zhang is quite sensitive, and he¡¯s afraid of this, which is why he called me earlier. He has no involvement in this matter, and he probably knows it was orchestrated by the old Chen family, but he didn¡¯t warn us.¡±
¡°He has no obligation to warn us,¡± Lu Zhiyuan mused.
Rong Li, puzzled, asked, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why they would do this. Our cooperation wasn¡¯t always smooth, but we didn¡¯t want to get involved in their power struggles. It was merely a business partnership, and now they¡¯re resorting to violence. Their actions are quite aggressive. The old man has always advocated the middle way and doesn¡¯t seem to fit this profile.¡±
Ji Chi coolly replied, ¡°Perhaps we know too much. Dead men don¡¯t talk.¡±
¡°That sounds more like your style!¡± Rong Li retorted.
Ji Chi chuckled, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not as soft-hearted and kind as you im to be. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.¡±
Rong Li gestured at him with a middle finger.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°The Chen family has two main bloodlines, Chen Liangyou and Chen Liangdong, who are brothers. Old Chen and Chen Liangyou are closer, while Chen Liangdong, who has no wife or children, stands apart from the family. Old Chen doesn¡¯t mind Chen Liangdong¡¯s estrangement from the family because the Chen family has many branches. Chen Rushi¡¯s family is a coteral branch of the Chen family, though they¡¯ve been living abroad for many years, they have maintained contact with their rtives. He has long wanted to control ck Hawk, so he has been secretly supporting Chen Rush! and cooperating with me. Regardless of who seizes power, he can benefit from ck Hawk. He didn¡¯t anticipate that Chen Rush! would betray ck Hawk and join the triads. The old Chen family would surely want to push Chen Rushi forward.¡±
¡°Chen Rushi is from a coteral branch of their family?¡± Rong Li was surprised; this was the first time she had heard of it.
Lu Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°This connection is well-hidden, and they haven¡¯t had any contact for many years, making it difficult to trace. When I was cooperating with the Chen family, I noticed a resemnce between Chen Rushi and Chen Liangyou¡¯s son, which raised suspicions.¡±
¡°What a sly fox!¡± Rong Li frowned. ¡°What do we do next?¡±
¡°Is that man still alive?¡± Ji Chi nodded, ¡°He¡¯s still breathing.¡±
¡°Send someone to leave him at his doorstep and call for an ambnce while you¡¯re at it.¡±
¡°Got it!¡±
Rong Li went to handle it, while Ji Chi washed a te of cherries. The Third Master used to only eat apples, but now he had no qualms about eating any fruit. Ji Chi ced the cherries in front of him, and Lu Zhiyuan looked at him with a half-smile, ¡°So, what else is on your mind?¡±
Ji Chi¡¯s inner thoughts were easily seen through, but he wasn¡¯t embarrassed. ¡°Third Master, you¡¯re seriously injured, and I¡¯m just taking care of you. There¡¯s nothing else.¡±
¡°No one offers help for nothing. It¡¯s either for personal gain or with ulterior motives,¡± Lu Zhiyuan wasn¡¯t fooled at all. ¡°You have three seconds.¡± ¡°If Jiang Junlin asks, should I tell him?¡± Ji Chi blurted out, not ying any games.
Lu Zhiyuan, munching on cherries, thought for a moment. ¡°It depends on your mood.¡±
This response left Ji Chi pondering. Could he say it or not? The Third Master had changed somewhat. He used to be straightforward, with clear orders and explicit prohibitions. Now, there was a touch of mischief.
¡°Third Master, your answer is a bit vague.¡±
¡°You¡¯re an adult; can¡¯t you make your own judgment?¡± Lu Zhiyuan replied irritably, throwing a cherry at him. He threw it with such precision that itnded right in Ji Chi¡¯s mouth, leaving him baffled by the uracy.
¡°Alright, if he asks, I¡¯ll tell him!¡± Ji Chi thought to himself. The Third Master had said it depended on his mood, and when it came to matters rted to ck Hawk¡¯s secrets, he always answered truthfully, with no secrets.
Lu Zhiyuan contemted. If they continued down the Chen family¡¯s path, it would be challenging. Lu Zhiyuan had always believed in the primacy of self-interest and the frailty of human nature. For the sake of fame and fortune, people would disregard thew. That¡¯s why he had offered the Chen family generous incentives. In return, they had to work for ck Hawk. This had always been the case in M country, where everyone operated under a profit-driven system, making many things simpler and more straightforward.
He hadn¡¯t expected the situation in China to be soplicated. He had nurtured thiswork for several years, and it had still failed. While he was injured, Rong Li and Ji Chi had interrogated Chen Liangyou. Chen Liangyou had even expressed concern about his health, subtly asking if he had offended someone in China. He wanted to let bygones be bygones, and Lu Zhiyuan had sensed a hidden meaning. Regardless of the circumstances, their cooperation had been pleasant, and they hadn¡¯t let anything damage their rtionship.
The Chen family had done this, but Lu Zhiyuan emerged unscathed. He treated it as if nothing had happened, and everyone continued to make money. ck Hawk needed them, and if someone else took over, they might have just endured it.
But he was Lu Zhiyuan!
When Rong Li left the person at the Chen family¡¯s doorstep, their mode of cooperation was dered broken. Regardless of whose idea this was, it was clear that they couldn¡¯t continue working together in the future. Lu Zhiyuan would have to seek a new cooperative model.
Unless he didn¡¯t want the Asian market and handed it over to the triads.
¡°When I¡¯m feeling better, arrange a meeting with Jiang Junlin.¡±
The cherry pit in his mouth almost chipped his teeth. Ji Chi hesitated for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t think Big Brother is very eager to talk to you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find a way!¡± Lu Zhiyuan insisted.
¡°I promise to get it done!¡± Ji Chi got up, turned gracefully, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go now!¡±
In the night, Gu Ci burned the rxation incense given by Dr. North, and she slept deeply. In the morning, Dr. North came for a psychological counseling session, and they talked for a solid three hours. Qin Wan had arrived early, and she and Gu Ziyu were engaged in an online gaming showdown, challenging each other three times and losing three times. Gu Ziyu introduced her to some books he often read, and they discussedputers, getting along well.
¡°Mom is going to the Global Center to see Dad this afternoon. Are you going with her?¡±
¡°Yes, 24/7 protection,¡± Qin Wan said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the ident video. Falling from such a height, the car explodes within seconds. How did they survive?¡±
This incident had always troubled Qin Wan, but she didn¡¯t dare to ask Gu Ci. It made her wish they had turned to ashes. However, it didn¡¯t align with thews of physics. In theory, it was certain death!
¡°I don¡¯t know about this,¡± Gu Ziyu said enigmatically. ¡°My dad can teleport. He can¡¯t die, but I don¡¯t understand why he got seriously injured.¡±
After Dr. North finished the counseling session, she sent the report to Jiang Junlin, as she did after every session. It included her assessment. Gu Ci¡¯s most significant progress was that she no longer engaged in self-harm. When she couldn¡¯t control her emotions, she went for a run or yed sports to distract herself. This was a positive trend, and there was noticeable improvement this time..
Chapter 384 - 385: Demons and Devils
Chapter 385: Demons and Devils
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Lu Zhiyuan watched the stubborn and resolute figure walking away, feeling as if a thousand arrows had pierced his heart. As she moved farther from him, the physical pain began to subside, but his emotional agony only intensified. In his chest, his heart was metaphorically being torn apart.
Once upon a time, they were like a pair of moths, willing to embrace the me even though they knew it would consume them. They flew towards the light, towards the fire, and if they couldn¡¯t love each other, they chose to die together.
Lifetime after lifetime, it always ended in tragedy.
Even if they loved each other again, they couldn¡¯t resist the gears of fate, and on the Three Lives Stone, they had no karmic ties.
Lu Zhiyuan covered his face in pain. ¡°Cici, I¡¯m sorry!¡±
If he hadn¡¯t been entangled in the worldly desires of the seven emotions and six desires from the beginning, he wouldn¡¯t have brought pain and despair to Gu Ci throughout eternity. He had tried every possible way and made countless changes, but none could alter the oue.
Even if he resolved to avoid Gu Ci forever, fate would still bring her to him.
Third Young Master¡¯s letter was his love letter to Gu Ci.
Even that love letter had been burnt to ashes. From the very beginning, they had no hope.
Qin Wan looked at Gu Ci, tears streaming down her face, and was taken aback, interrupting her game. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did Third Master bully you?¡±
Gu Ci shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I feel upset. Let¡¯s go!¡±
Qin Wan nced back and, puzzled, followed Gu Ci. Fortunately, when Gu Ci entered the elevator, her emotions had calmed down. She wiped away her tears and stopped speaking.
Just as the two of them stepped out of the elevator, they ran into Rong Li, who was waiting for the elevator with two men, one old and one young.
Rong Li was momentarily surprised but nodded politely to Gu Ci without saying anything. Qin Wan, who was two steps behind Gu Ci, turned to Rong Li and made a throat-slitting gesture. Rong Li sneered, a hint of disdain in his eyebrows.
The young man, Chen Yang, asked, ¡°Rong, who is this?¡±
Rong Li replied indifferently, ¡°An enemy!¡±
These were Chen Liangdong¡¯s older brother, Chen Liangyou, and his son, Chen Yang. Lu Zhiyuan was recuperating and originally didn¡¯t want to meet them, but they were persistent, so Rong Li had no choice but to bring them here.
After Gu Ci left, Li Jiang escorted Lu Zhiyuan downstairs. He had no intention of meeting the Chen family father and son on the top floor. Chen Liangyou and Chen Yang had brought a fruit basket and a box of sea cucumbers. After Li Jiang put them away, he invited them into the living room. Lu Zhiyuan, appearing genuinely weak, didn¡¯t need to pretend. He looked extremely frail, as if he might copse with a gust of wind. After Gu Ci left Global, his physical pain had disappeared.
However, the curse that Gu Ci had ced on her wish had started toe true. Already suffering from severe pain, the car ident had caused his body to deteriorate rapidly. He was as fragile as a thread of air, and there was no need for acting.
¡°Mr. Chen, Young Master Chen, I¡¯m truly not feeling well. Please forgive me.¡± Lu Zhiyuan sat on the main single sofa, with Rong Li standing by his side. Li Jiang prepared tea and served it to everyone.
¡°Third Master, you¡¯re recuperating, and we¡¯ve disturbed you.¡± Chen Liangyou had a kind and gentle demeanor. His appearance was much more ordinarypared to Chen Liangdong, but he seemed to be about ten years younger, leading one to believe he was Chen Liangdong¡¯s younger brother, considering howborious Chen Liangdong¡¯s work was.
After all, Chen Liangdong was quite overworked.
Chen Yang, around twenty-eight years old, was still young but very capable. He was the pir of the Chen family¡¯s younger generation. ¡°Third Master, these are all wild sea cucumbers, quite rare. Since you¡¯re working on improving your health, you can have more. If you ever want more, we can source them for you.¡± Li Jiang secretly thought, ¡°What kind of gourmet dishes does our Third Master not eat? He asked you to source them; who knows if they might be poisoned?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan chuckled lightly,posed and unruffled. ¡°Sure.¡±
Chen Yang was momentarily surprised. He had only meant to be polite and hadn¡¯t expected Lu Zhiyuan to be so indifferent. Chen Liangyou recalled the person they had nearly lost their lives to while delivering to the Chen family¡¯s doorstep and felt a bit uneasy. Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s actions resembled Jiang Junlin¡¯s in many ways.
¡°Third Master, someone left a person at our doorstep today¡¡± Chen Liangyou smiled and continued, ¡°Do you know who did it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s quite obvious. I did it,¡± Lu Zhiyuan replied calmly, though hecked color in his face. Yet, his presence remained unyielding.
¡°What is the meaning behind this, Third Master?¡± Chen Liangyou furrowed his brow.
Lu Zhiyuan casually exined, ¡°I had a car identst night, and my life was hanging by a thread. After escaping from the valley, I was pursued, and I happened to capture a living witness. This person confessed that you were the one who orchestrated it.¡±
¡°This is baseless nder. Third Master and I have always had a close rtionship in our cooperation. Why would I do such things that would damage our rapport?¡±
Chen Liangyou had been coborating with Lu Zhiyuan for two years. Right from the start, he had the upper hand because he had control over resources and connections. Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s focus had always been in Europe and America, and to establish a presence in China, he needed connections. Even as the heir to the Lu family conglomerate, he couldn¡¯t make much progress without these connections. At that time, his choices were between Chen Liangyou and the Zhang family.
The Zhang family had a longstanding rtionship with the Jiang family, and that wasn¡¯t a reason for Lu Zhiyuan to dismiss them. Mr. Zhang was more challenging to work with than Chen Liangyou and was known for his integrity. While he had personal interests, he prioritized his family¡¯s honor and didn¡¯t tolerate many things.
Money and power were not an issue, but Chen Liangyoucked significant resources to maintain his connections. Lu Zhiyuan could provide what he needed, and the two of them foundmon ground.
Initially, Chen Liangyou didn¡¯t hold Lu Zhiyuan in high regard. Firstly, Lu Zhiyuan was too young, havinge of age just three years ago. He seemed like a kid, even younger than his own son, and in his eyes, that made him vulnerable to maniption. Secondly, their respective statuses and positions created an imbnce. This inequality made Chen Liangyou feel superior, which was somewhat inevitable.
However, after two years of cooperation, he hade to understand Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s character. If Lu Zhiyuan wanted something, he would get it, and it would be an equal exchange. Trying to take advantage of him was nearly impossible.
Moreover, Lu Zhiyuan was incredibly arrogant and not subservient. He never looked up to Chen Liangyou¡¯s power and status, nor did he seek to ingratiate himself. He remained calm to the extreme, strictly adhering to the rules of their transactions. Whenever Chen Liangyou attempted to push his boundaries, Lu Zhiyuan firmly rejected it.
Thinking they had the upper hand in the deal, Chen Liangyou was surprised to find himself on the losing end. As a result, he dared not underestimate Lu Zhiyuan any longer.
¡°I¡¯m also curious, Mr. Chen, why did you do this and damage our rtionship?¡± Lu Zhiyuan looked at him. ¡°We have always had a good partnership. Just because we had an unpleasant discussion on the Lantern Festival, you took such drastic measures. 1 didn¡¯t expect it at all. So when this person implicated you, I looked into his financial records. Within the past week, he received a transfer of 300,000 yuan, and the sender is from an independentpany. The legal representative of thispany seems to have no connection to you. However, I also examined the transaction records of thispany and found several suspicious transfers, with the recipients being members of the mercenary group you often hire.¡±
Chen Yang¡¯s face turned extremely ugly. Lu Zhiyuan calmly presented the evidence and reasoned with him. However, Chen Yang felt irritated by Lu Zhiyuan¡¯sposed demeanor. When doing business with the Chen family, it was because the Chen family regarded them highly. There was a vast difference in status and position between the Chen family and the Lu family. When it came to dealing with officials, without the Chen family¡¯s support, whether it was Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s Global Center or the ck Hawk¡¯s market in Asia, things wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly..
Chapter 385 - 384: Let’s Breakup
Chapter 384: Let¡¯s Breakup
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
In the early morning, Dr. North came to find Gu Ci, fearing that her condition might worsen after the identst night. However, to his surprise, it was quite the opposite.
Gu Ci¡¯s emotions were also calmer. In the same anticipated situation, she had be much moreposed, devoid of any hostility. Although she wasn¡¯t cured, her condition had improved. Dr. North¡¯s greatest fear was ack of progress in her treatment. As long as there was progress, there was hope.
After Gu Ci had her meal at home, Qin Wan drove her to the Global Center. Gu Ziyu had gone to the office, and Dr. North was preparing for his schoolwork. As Lu Zhiyuan looked at the medical records sent by Gu Ziyu, he breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Gu Ci could recover, everything would be fine.
The thought of Gu Ciing to the Global Center made him anticipate the excruciating pain that he would endure once again. He had never tried to stop Gu Ci froming to the Global Center. If he did, she would surely be suspicious. He could only endure the horrifying pain.
Qin Wan followed Gu Ci upstairs and waited in the living room, ying games to pass the time. In ck Hawk¡¯s territory, one had to be cautious and not attract any suspicion.
Gu Ci brought cherries and apples for Lu Zhiyuan and also the chicken soup that Gu Ziyu had prepared for lunch. ¡°Ziyu went to work, and he said this pot of chicken soup represents his feelings for you.¡±
Li Jiang epted it and said, ¡°1¡¯11 heat it up for Third Master tonight.¡±
He was quite thoughtful as he took the chicken soup and left the room.
Only Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan were left in the room. From the moment she entered, Lu Zhiyuan had been experiencing a piercing pain, but he showed no signs on his face. The closer Gu Ci got, the more apparent the pain became. There was a thinyer of sweat on his forehead due to his silent endurance. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Gu Ci asked.
¡°The wound is hurting a bit,¡± he replied.
¡°I¡¯ll get you some painkillers.¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright, just sit down.¡±
Gu Ci took a few steps back, distancing herself from him. They were not supposed to see each other anymore, but due to a car ident, their fates were intertwined. Gu Ci asked softly, ¡°I want to take another look at your medical records.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan nced at the medical records book nearby. Gu Ci walked over, took the book, and flipped through it. Lu Zhiyuan had already anticipated that she would check, so he had made some changes, adding some symptoms to make his pain appear more justified.
After reading through the medical records, Gu Ci had a better understanding. She said, ¡°1 will abide by our agreement and won¡¯t meet you again. But there are some things 1 need to rify, or 1 won¡¯t feel at ease. Why did you bleed when using teleportation, and was this severe injury rted to teleportation?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan had guessed that Gu Ci would ask these questions. She was not someone who easilypromised, and once she had doubts, she would pursue the truth relentlessly, seeking rity in all matters, with clear distinctions between love and hate.
¡°Yes, teleportation can have a bacsh. When my body is weakened, I can¡¯t use it,¡± Lu Zhiyuan exined. ¡°The severity of the bacsh varies, and the worse my physical condition, the stronger the bacsh. That¡¯s why 1 look so weak.¡± ¡°When we were in the cave, you were already very weak. Did you force yourself to bring me out?¡± Gu Ci inquired.
¡°The cave was covered in moss and slippery. You couldn¡¯t climb up alone, and I couldn¡¯t dy my injuries for too long. Otherwise, I might have died as well. So, I did it for myself, not for you,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said in a calm tone, looking directly into Gu Ci¡¯s eyes. He softly added, ¡°Cici, I¡¯m human too. I can feel pain, and I can die.¡±
¡°If your story is true, how could you die?¡± Gu Ci asked.
¡°I¡¯m human, so I can die!¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s eyes turned red. He had died in front of her once, so she understood that feeling. ¡°Can Ziyu and 1 have a fresh start? Is it really unrted to you?¡±
This was the question that had been haunting her. She was afraid that Lu Zhiyuan had paid a painful price behind her back. He was right; their rtionship was a twisted fate. Whenever they got close, misfortune followed. When she approached him, he seemed to suffer greatly, as if he were being tortured. Gu Ci recalled the cruel curse in his story. Throughout their countless lifetimes, tragedy always befell them.
It was just too unfair!
¡°It really doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lu Zhiyuan lied, ¡°Perhaps the heavens thought 1 died too young and got off too easy. 1 haven¡¯t atoned for my sins in this lifetime yet, so why would they let me die easily? So, you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±
They had said everything they needed to say on the mountaintop. If it weren¡¯t for the ident, she and he would never have seen each other again. She struggled to restrain the demon in her heart, controlling it, tying it down, not allowing herself to change beyond recognition.
Gu Ci felt very sad. Her eyes turned red, but there were no tears. She was used to ying the pitiful card in front of him because it often worked. Lu Zhiyuan would soften because of her acting.
But he truly looked very sorrowful!
Perhaps, her presence made him suffer immensely.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, when I got another chance at life, I was full of hope to find you. I was thinking that all the tragedies never happened, and both of us were at our best. 1 didn¡¯t suffer in prison, and you never fell into a five-yeara. We would have a happy ending for sure. Even if you didn¡¯t love me, 1 would work hard to make you love me. 1 admit 1 have an obsession, and I admit I¡¯m sick. I can¡¯t handle your rejection, and I can¡¯t bear it if you don¡¯t love me. In my heart, you are the person who loves and cares for me the most in the world. I want a reunited family. Me, you, and Ziyu are a family, and it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve felt the warmth of home. That¡¯s why I kept demanding, disregarding your feelings, and not seeing your pain. From now on, I will change. My illness has progressed, and I will study hard to be a doctor and protect my family. 1 won¡¯t test you anymore, and I will try to forget you. Because loving you has drained all my strength, and all I can do now is forget you.¡± Gu Ci took off the bracelet she had been wearing since Lu Zhiyuan gave it to her. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, 1 will do as you wish, forget you, and live a good life. I¡¯m returning this bracelet to you. If it¡¯s not necessary, we won¡¯t see each other again.¡±
The excruciating pain in his heart was nothingpared to his current heartache. He had regrets and unwillingness, and he had tried every possible way to give them a happy ending, but all his attempts had failed.
If they went through it again, he would be like a moth, and if he died, it would be fine. But if the death curse that he had struggled so hard to reverse returned to Gu Ci, what would he do?
He could only look at Gu Ci¡¯s tears and say in a hoarse voice, ¡°Alright!¡±
If it wasn¡¯t necessary, they wouldn¡¯t see each other again.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, take care!¡± Gu Ci turned around, tears that she had been holding back finally falling. She didn¡¯t look back, just walked straight out of Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s room. She was afraid that if she turned around, she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave.
That was her obsession for two lifetimes, and she had to let go of it. It wasn¡¯t easy.
Lu Zhiyuan, if I had known earlier that my insistence on our love would cost you your life, no matter how painful and regretful 1 am, I would have kept my distance from you. It would have been fine for you to live peacefully under the same sky as me!
As long as you¡¯re alive, I have no other wishes!
Chapter 386 - 386: Third Master Is Really Too Corny
Chapter 386 - 386: Third Master Is Really Too Corny
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
He didn¡¯t even know how to be grateful. He shouldn¡¯t have spoken to the Chen family so evenly. Why should Lu Zhiyuan be so high and mighty? He should have been more submissive, and strike where it hurts.
¡°Third Master, there must be a misunderstanding in all this. Right after your ident, I called to inquire about your condition. When you were brought here, I investigated, and it was indeed not our doing. It was a decision made by a branch of our Chen family, acting recklessly. I will provide an exnation to Third Master.¡±
Chen Liangyou had to take a step back, feeling cornered. On his way here, he had considered that if Lu Zhiyuanpromised a bit, this incident could be forgotten. But if Lu Zhiyuan insisted on pursuing it, he could find a scapegoat.
Rong Li and Li Jiang exchanged nces, as if they had anticipated this. Rong Li was on the verge of bursting intoughter!
¡°What kind of exnation are you willing to give?¡± Lu Zhiyuan leaned forward, smiling somewhat casually. This was a side of Third Master that the Chen family had never seen before. In their impression, Third Master was as cold as ice, never one to smile or speak so casually.
¡°It was my luck that I survived the fall off the cliff along with the car. That was a certain-death collision. So, I¡¯m very curious, what kind of exnation does Mr. Chen intend to provide?¡±
His tone was gentle, but it sent shivers down one¡¯s spine.
Chen Yang said, ¡°Third Master, please don¡¯t be so aggressive. We¡¯ve said that we will provide an exnation.¡±
¡°I survived a near-death experience and I want an exnation. How is that being aggressive?¡± Lu Zhiyuan continued to smile. ¡°If you can¡¯te up with one, let me make a suggestion. Let¡¯s push him off a cliff too. If he¡¯s still alive after that, we can let bygones be bygones. How about that?¡±
Li Jiang almost burst outughing. Third Master, you¡¯re too ruthless. Isn¡¯t this taking a life?
Rong Li pped her hands. ¡°Great idea! An eye for an eye. 1 think it¡¯s excellent! 1¡¯11 volunteer to be the one to take the fall!¡±
Everyone else was left speechless.
¡°Third Master, are you nning to sever ties with our family?¡± Chen Liangyou asked in a deep voice.
He was confident that Lu Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t dare topletely cut ties with the Chen family. After Jiang Junlin¡¯s identity was exposed, he should understand who he was dealing with. Jiang Junlin had connections that hecked, and Hun Bank was a financial powerhouse. Jiang Junlin almost monopolized domestic financial assets. How could hepete with Jiang Junlin? He had no choice but to seek cooperation with the Chen family.
¡°It seems Mr. Chen wants to part wayspletely with me,¡± Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°You want my life, and yet you expect me to continue cooperating with you. That¡¯s wishful thinking.¡±
¡°This time, it was a decision made by the branch without my knowledge,¡± Chen Liangyou sighed. ¡°Originally, I wanted to protect him. But now it seems I have no choice but to speak the truth. Chen Rushi has always had connections with our family. When he was in ck Hawk, 1 tried to support him. He had the ability and ambition to be the owner of ck Hawk. You, Third Master, were a neer, and he had some grievances. The Chen family had a strong foundation on that side. Later, due to a momentary mistake, you expelled him from ck Hawk, and he joined the Triad. Now that Jiang Junlin¡¯s identity has been exposed, being the Triad leader has be a hot potato. He¡¯s not willing to give up, but he also knows it¡¯s futile, so he acted recklessly. How you choose to deal with him is up to you. Our main family truly had no knowledge of this.¡±
Chen Liangyou had no choice but to push Chen Rushi into the spotlight. Originally, it was a n that would have been a sure hit, a certain-death n. If Lu Zhiyuan had died, and Gu Ci had died as well, Jiang Junlin would definitely not reconcile with ck Hawk. At that time, he could find another scapegoat, and ck Hawk would return to Chen Rushi¡¯s hands, which he could easily control. He never dreamed that Lu Zhiyuan would survive. This made the situation very tricky.
With Lu Zhiyuan alive, the situation becameplicated!
If he gave up cooperation with the Chen family, whom would he choose instead? Apart from his arch-nemesis Mr. Zhang, there were others in the same faction. If he chose Mr. Zhang, and he and Jiang Junlin joined forces, their faction would be squeezed out. If he chose the same faction, the position of the Chen family¡¯s leader might not be secure. No matter how he chose, the Chen family would lose terribly. He shouldn¡¯t have listened to Chen Rushi¡¯s one-sided ount and made that impulsive decision. Now, he was trapped and had no way out.
¡°So, this was Chen Rushi¡¯s doing?¡± Lu Zhiyuan inquired.
¡°Yes, he¡¯s audacious and daring. The Chen family won¡¯t provide any assistance to Chen Rushi in the future. If you wish to punish him, we won¡¯t intervene either. We just hope that you won¡¯t hold any grudges, as this matter has nothing to do with our Chen family,¡± Chen Liangyou exined.
¡°If he¡¯s a member of the Chen family, how you deal with him, Mr. Chen, is your business. I won¡¯t interfere,¡± Lu Zhiyuan coughed. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well, so I won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡±
With arrogance, Lu Zhiyuan gave the order to escort them out. Chen Yang was infuriated and wanted to reprimand him, but Chen Liangyou stopped him. Chen Liangyou spoke amicably, ¡°Then, we won¡¯t disturb Third Master¡¯s rest.¡±
Li Jiang escorted them out, and Rong Li poured a ss of water for Lu Zhiyuan. ¡°Third Master, are you just going to settle things with the Chen family like this?¡±
¡°Do I look like a pushover to you?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan sighed. ¡°Chen Rushi is, at most, a troublemaker. He¡¯s ambitious and capable, but he wouldn¡¯t offend me without reason. It¡¯s clear that the Chen family is shifting the me.¡±
¡°Chen Rushi is far away in Europe, and Chen Liangyou can¡¯t control him. There¡¯s not much he can do unless he really can¡¯t ept it. He¡¯s a cunning old fox,¡± Lu Zhiyuan took a deep breath. ¡°No need to rush this matter.¡±
Chen Yang was still upset, and he said angrily, ¡°Dad, Lu Zhiyuan is just too arrogant. He dares to talk to you like this. If it weren¡¯t for you supporting him behind the scenes these past two years, he wouldn¡¯t have been so sessful. It¡¯s like biting the hand that feeds him.¡±
¡°Stop it!¡± Chen Liangyou said sternly. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the bigger picture? If Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan fall in love and get married, the Triad and ck Hawk will eventually unite. Jiang Junlin won¡¯t cooperate with us. Do you want him to be even more powerful?¡±
¡°Jiang Junlin almost killed him too. They¡¯re even. He won¡¯t stand on the same side as Jiang Junlin,¡± Chen Yang argued.
¡°Don¡¯t forget about Gu Ci!¡± Chen Liangyou furrowed his brows. ¡°Call your uncle and ask him toe home. I have something to discuss with him.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
A University started its new semester, and the second half of the academic year began.
Gu Ci, Qin Wan, and Gu Ziyu went to register together. Gu Ziyu had a heavier academic workload, so he had temporarily suspended his work and focused on his studies. Gu Ci and Qin Wan were also busy with their work after the start of the school year.
Dr. North divided her time between her duties in the Triad and her role as a visiting professor. She no longer held regr clinic hours, which gave her more flexibility. During Gu Ci¡¯s recovery period, she temporarily assumed the role of the Triad¡¯s leader. Besides studying, Gu Ci spent her time on her music, finding sce in its melodies.
When she yed music, she often lost track of time and forgot about her pain. Gu Ci had a deep passion for music, something ingrained in her genes. Dr. North encouraged her to y music during her leisure time or explore new interests.
Qin Wan was the belie of the National Defense Information Institute, exuding amanding presence with her beauty and grace. Women liked to be friends with her, and men enjoyed having her as apanion, making her the department¡¯s most scandal-free beauty. Initially disinterested in joining any clubs, Gu Ci was persuaded by Qin Wan to participate in the basketball club, debate club, and taekwondo club. Her extracurricr activities expanded greatly, and despite her cool and silent demeanor, her outstanding appearance earned her the affection of many. The club activities became vibrant and colorful with her presence..
Chapter 387 - 387: I’m Not Little Anymore
Chapter 387 - 387: I¡¯m Not Little Anymore
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ci had many more admirers than Qin Wan, receiving love letters every so often. Qin Wan had a personality more akin to a man¡¯s, while Gu Ci appeared like a goddess. Men wanted to be friends with Qin Wan and then pursue Gu Ci.
Gu Ci¡¯s daily life consisted of attending sses and club meetings while rejecting suitors.
Gu Ziyu was extremely irritated by the buzzing crowd around Gu Ci. Qin Wan even teased him about his fickleness, ¡°Who was the one who initially wanted to introduce a boyfriend to Gu Ci?¡±
¡°At that time, circumstances were different!¡±
Back then, he believed his mother¡¯s poor mental state was due to his father¡¯sck of love for her. He resented his father, but now he had grown to like him. asionally, Lu Zhiyuan would video call with Gu Ziyu, y basketball with him, have meals together, andpete with him. He had a different perspective on Lu Zhiyuan now. After all, there¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡°If there¡¯s a stepfather, there¡¯s a stepmother!¡±
So, Gu Ziyu made a deration. When he grew up, he would pursue Gu Ci. He told the older guys not topete with a kid for a wife.
The senior students were speechless.
Childish words, the senior students didn¡¯t take it seriously. Those who persisted in pursuing Gu Ci, even though she rejected them, were not few in number. Eventually, they became good friends with Gu Ci and Qin Wan.
Gu Ci¡¯s circle of friends expanded significantly. While she remained independent, Qin Wan made her a bit more sociable. As she interacted with people from all walks of life, Gu Ci became a bit more outgoing.
Zhou Jinjin didn¡¯t expect to return from her New Year holiday with a web drama in tow. Gu Ci now had a Qin Wan by her side, and even best friends could get jealous. Gu Ci understood this jealousy well.
She was someone who needed to be favored, so she empathized with Zhou Jinjin. After consoling her for several days, Qin Wan didn¡¯t mind at all and even brought Zhou Jinjin into their group. They were all high in looks and talents, and they quickly became the most popr girls at A University.
Gu Ziyu asked if Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan had truly broken up. Gu Ci spent an afternoon discussing her rtionship with Lu Zhiyuan with Gu Ziyu and calmly confirmed their breakup.
Gu Ziyu was unwilling to ask Lu Zhiyuan and received the same answer from him.
He had wanted to introduce a boyfriend to his mother, hoping that when outsiders tried to steal his father¡¯s thunder, his parents would stick together and love each other to the death. Instead, his parents fell apart.
Only Gu Ziyu was left hurt in this world!
Now, Gu Ci was genuinely happy. She was a top student, beautiful, and because of her rumored rtionship with Lu Zhiyuan, some girls didn¡¯t particrly like her, but they didn¡¯t go out of their way to trouble her. Medical school was already filled with highly educated, emotionally intelligent, and intelligent individuals. Gu Ci didn¡¯t indulge in gossip, nor did she engage in backbiting. Her strong professional abilities naturally led to good rtionships with her ssmates.
The Finance Department and the National Defense Information Institute, with social butterflies like Zhou Jinjin and social talents like Qin Wan, managed to integrate Gu Ci seamlessly into almost every activity.
Gradually, Gu Ci¡¯s smiles became more frequent.
After breaking up, Gu Ziyu noticed how genuinely happy she was. He slowly epted the fact that he came from a divorced family. asionally, he would send pictures of Gu Ci at school to Lu Zhiyuan.
Lu Zhiyuan never stopped him, and Gu Ziyu gradually increased the frequency from every three days to once a day.
Qin Wan would also share every detail about Gu Ci¡¯s life at school with Jiang Junlin. They both witnessed Gu Ci¡¯s transformation and were genuinely pleased. They hoped that Gu Ci would continue to heal and that everything would move in a positive direction.
Recently, Jiang Junlin had been busy with matters concerning the Dark Web underworld. After its exposure, various factions demanded to infiltrate the Dark Web, and he only had three slots avable, with one reserved for national security.
The remaining two slots were highly sought after, and everyone wanted a piece of the pie. With only two slots avable, it wasn¡¯t enough to go around. So, they asked Jiang Junlin to open up more positions, even if it meant five more people. However, Jiang Junlin remained resolute and refused to budge.
While he wouldn¡¯tpromise on that, he had no choice but to entertain. After his identity was exposed, his position was still under discussion, and whether or not to grant him a position became the focal point of their discussions.
Mr. Zhang helped him settle many influential figures, reducing the number of social engagements he had to attend. However, it remained a significant issue. Chairman Gu, who had a good rtionship with him, also invited him to dinner and subtly mentioned that many people were trying to get close to himtely to improve their rtionships.
Jiang Junlin was swamped, and Ji Chi sought to discuss the meeting with Lu Zhiyuan. Jiang Junlin had never found the time, which surprised Ji Chi.
Hun Bank had floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides, offering excellent views and ample sunlight. It was the tallest building in the financial district, upying the entire structure. While there were two technologypanies in the building, there were no other prominentpanies. However, a closer look at their tax records revealed that these seemingly ordinarypanies paid more taxes annually than many Fortune 500 multinational corporations.
The buildingcked hotels or shopping malls. The dining area was on the lower levels, and the elevatoryout resembled a maze. After Jiang Junlin¡¯s identity was exposed, Ji Chi guessed that this building was also the office space for the Dark Web underworld. If only Hun Bank upied the building, it couldn¡¯t justify taking up so many floors. He had been inside countless times and never discovered any clues.
After Jiang Junlin¡¯s identity was exposed, Lu Zhiyuan and Ji Chi specifically sent people to investigate thepanies within this building. They discovered a diverse range of businesses, including some with peculiar names. Some floors were brightly lit, leaving the neighboring financial district to marvel at how these employees worked harder than those in the 996 system. No one ever imagined that the Dark Web office area and Hun Bank would share the same building.
Ji Chi understood the situation but had never mentioned it to Jiang Junlin. Recently, their meetings were all held at Hun Bank, focusing on official business. Hun Bank had some financial dealings with the ck Hawk organization, and Ji Chi had always wanted to take over ck Hawk¡¯s financial business. Recently, there had been some leniency in this regard, and Ji Chi, who was in charge of negotiations, couldn¡¯t avoid meetings, discussions, and conferences, one after another.
After the meeting involving ck Hawk, the China Banking Regtory Commission, and Hun Bank, Chairman Gu invited both Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi to join him for lunch. Jiang Junlin nced at Ji Chi, who had been sweating profusely on his forehead, and shook hands with Chairman Gu with a smile. ¡°We have another video conferenceing up, and we might have to have boxed lunches. Let¡¯s meet again once this busy period is over.¡±
¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll take my leave for today,¡± Chairman Gu replied.
Ji Chi also stood up and shook hands with Jiang Junlin before seeing them off.
Once their subordinates had left the room, Jiang Junlin poured a ss of water and ced it in front of Ji Chi. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±
¡°My stomach hurts,¡± Ji Chi replied.
Jiang Junlin was taken aback and blurted out, ¡°You¡¯re so young; how can your stomach hurt?¡±
¡°I¡¯m 22!¡± Ji Chi retorted, always sensitive to Jiang Junlin calling him young..
Chapter 388 - 388: Third Master Breaks Up the Couple
Chapter 388 - 388: Third Master Breaks Up the Couple
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin turned back to fetch some stomach medicine. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still young at 22? Besides, your 22nd birthday hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±
Ji Chi protested, ¡°But I¡¯m not that young anymore!¡±
Jiang Junlin came back with the medicine and tossed it to him. ¡°Take two, then find time to go to the hospital for a check-up.¡±
Ji Chi took the medicine, and Jiang Junlin called Zhang Qiang to bring up two servings of food. He specifically ordered a bowl of fish congee. A smile tugged at the corner of Ji Chi¡¯s lips. It was nice that his brother cared about him.
Really nice!
Jiang Junlin turned to see him smiling, his two dimples looking cute and delicate. His gaze was gentle and calm, and he couldn¡¯t help but be curious. ¡°What are you thinking that¡¯s making you so happy?¡±
¡°Guess!¡±
¡°I won¡¯t guess!¡± Jiang Junlin had no intention of trying to guess what was making this lunatic so happy. They had originally been discussing their separation, but the atmosphere had be a bit awkward due to the incident with Lu Zhiyuan.
Talking about it didn¡¯t seem quite right. After all, business dealings had always been Ji Chi¡¯s responsibility. Not talking about it would leave their emotions hanging, causing interruptions and making things sticky, which was also uneptable.
Jiang Junlin looked at Ji Chi¡¯s little dimples. Seeing him so happy, he couldn¡¯t bear it. Lately, Ji Chi always seemed to be in a silly and cheerful mood, and he couldn¡¯t figure out why.
¡°Brother, when will you find time to meet with Third Master?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t he still recovering?¡± Jiang Junlin frowned, nced at his own schedule, and realized that the day after tomorrow was the weekend. He could take a day off, which would allow them to have a discussion. However, when he looked at Ji Chi, he hesitated. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡±
Although Ji Chi knew it was unlikely, he still hoped that if Third Master and his brother reached a deep cooperation, maybe he and Jiang Junlin wouldn¡¯t¡ Just the thought of this possibility made him feel really goodtely.
Jiang Junlin, on the other hand, was more rational. It was impossible for Lu Zhiyuan to have a deep cooperation with him. If they did cooperate, Ji Chi in his current position would have no involvement, and the lines between public and private would be blurred.
Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t outright reject the idea, and Ji Chi¡¯s good mood continued. However, as he slowly realized that as long as he was the heir of ck Hawk, he and Jiang Junlin had no future together, and Jiang Junlin had never mentioned the future, Ji Chi¡¯s good mood abruptly stopped and he became gloomy and stubborn.
Jiang Junlin shook his head. It was really unpredictable!
Jiang Junlin¡¯s attitude was within Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s expectations. A strong alliance was the way to go. If it came down to a life-or-death situation where both sides suffered, neither would benefit.
Ji Chi and Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Brother, why didn¡¯t you just refuse? You clearly have a hostile rtionship.¡±
If he had simply refused, he wouldn¡¯t have any lingering thoughts.
¡°If it were before the New Year, Jiang Junlin would definitely have scorned the idea of cooperating with us. He didn¡¯t need our ck Hawk¡¯s assistance. But after the New Year, the situation has changed dramatically. The underworld dark web is like a one-man show. It might seem splendid, but it¡¯s actually extremely difficult to navigate. His identity has be quite awkward. By staying hidden in the shadows, Jiang Junlin can do whatever he wants with no one to hold him ountable, and he doesn¡¯t need any official position. Now, by discussing a legitimate position for him, and after days of negotiations without any agreement, it¡¯s clear that no one wants his identity to be legalized. He¡¯s meant to be the hidden de. That¡¯s what makes him trustworthy. He¡¯s neutral, seemingly aligning with various factions but having no real allies. Mr. Zhang helping him resolve this current issue is an exchange of interests. What about the next time? Jiang Junlin urgently needs an ally.¡±
Rong Li shrugged, ¡°But it shouldn¡¯t be us. We can stab him at any time.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan lifted his chin, ¡°Have you asked if he¡¯s willing?¡±
Rong Li looked at Ji Chi, ¡°His opinion doesn¡¯t matter.¡±
Ji Chi couldn¡¯t tolerate it any longer, ¡°I¡¯m the next head of ck Hawk!¡±
¡°The Crown Prince hasn¡¯t ascended yet, and you¡¯re alreadyying out the lineage!¡±
Ji Chi threw a punch, ¡°Shut up!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan chuckled lightly, ¡°No need for deep cooperation. 1 don¡¯t need it, and he doesn¡¯t need it either. But in some matters, we can achieve a win-win situation.¡±
¡°So troublesome. Just marry into each other¡¯s families!¡± Rong Li said, annoyed. ¡°Marriage ties are the most secure.¡±
¡°1 won¡¯t marry Jiang Junlin!¡±
Rong Li pointed at Ji Chi, ¡°What about him?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan said lightly, ¡°That¡¯s not possible either. By the way, when are you breaking up with Jiang Junlin?¡±
Ji Chi hesitated.
Rong Li mocked, ¡°It¡¯s Ji Chi¡¯s first time in love, and it¡¯s also his first breakup. Young man, you¡¯re like a maiden on her bridal sedan.¡±
¡°How long are you going to drag this out?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
Rong Li chimed in, ¡°Ji Chi, you should learn from Third Master. Break up cleanly and decisively. Your hesitation makes you look like a young maiden.¡±
Ji Chi remained expressionless, feigning indifference.
Lu Zhiyuan leaned forward, with a sly smile, ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s in love unterally. Does Jiang Junlin recognize it?¡±
Ji Chi was stabbed again, lying down and taking the teasing, conceding defeat.
¡°I¡¯m quite curious about something. What have you been concocting in the kitchen recently, Ji Chi?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
Rong Li quickly spilled the beans, ¡°He¡¯s been practicing ¡®Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.¡¯ He even hired a chef from a five-star restaurant. 1 don¡¯t know how many ingredients he¡¯s wasted. Three Uncle, I¡¯ve gained six pounds from eating his culinary experiments.¡±
Ji Chi retorted, ¡°If it¡¯s not tasty, so why did you keep eating it?¡±
¡°You asked me to taste-test your dishes, and with such high-quality ingredients, it¡¯s a shame to waste them. I¡¯ve been learning for half a month, but there¡¯s been little progress. You need to reflect on that!¡± Rong Li grumbled, ¡°You have a pile of official duties to attend to, yet you¡¯re in the kitchen every day. The Crown Prince really knows how to enjoy life.¡±
¡°If you don¡¯t stop talking, 1¡¯11 poison you!¡±
¡°Hmph!¡±
Listening to their banter, Lu Zhiyuan became interested, ¡°Is your ¡®Buddha Jumps Over the Wall¡¯ really that bad? Let me taste it at lunch.¡±
Rong Li pped his hands, ¡°That¡¯s great, Third Master. Let¡¯s have it together. I can¡¯t endure it alone.¡±
¡°Third Master, are you sure?¡± Ji Chi asked.
Lu Zhiyuan nodded, and Ji Chi snapped his fingers, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s good.¡±
Ji Chi went out to prepare the ingredients. Lu Zhiyuan asked Rong Li, ¡°Is it really that bad?¡±
¡°Exaggeration. It¡¯s not that terrible, but it¡¯s far from delicious.¡± Rong Li whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that he¡¯s been quite absent-mindedtely, so 1 intentionally gave him a hard time, forcing him to put more effort into cooking and less into wandering thoughts.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was recovering rtively easily. He only needed to provide directions in official matters. Rong Li and Ji Chi reported to him about important events and followed his instructions. He didn¡¯t have to concern himself with other matters. However, during this recovery period, he had lost weight, leaving Rong Li puzzled. ¡°Third Master, are you one of those people who lose their appetite after a breakup?¡±
¡°Does it seem like it?¡±
¡°Yes!¡± Rong Liughed, ¡°I can totally understand your desire to drown your sorrows infort food.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan burst intoughter, and the two of them high-fived, disying great synergy.
Lu Zhiyuan and Rong Li continued to discuss the details of the financial business transfer for ck Hawk. Rong Li said, ¡°I¡¯ve applied for licenses several times recently, but the Banking Regtory Commission keeps rejecting them, citing various reasons. Someone must be causing trouble behind the scenes.¡±
ck Hawk had branches in Asia and conducted business in City A. However, their license wasn¡¯t a standalone one. It was obtained when ck Hawk acquired a financialpany, and the license had not expired yet. They had been trying to apply for a license specifically for ck Hawk¡¯s asset management business, but Jiang Junlin had prevented itst year. The former Asia CEO of ck Hawk didn¡¯t take it seriously and thought they could applyter, but after the New Year, the rules had changed, making the application process much more difficult..
Chapter 389 - 389: Little Wolf Cub Was Tricked
Chapter 389 - 389: Little Wolf Cub Was Tricked
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin has expressed his intention to negotiate with them. This little matter shouldn¡¯t be a hindrance; there might be someone else involved.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°We have an international financial asset license. This matter isn¡¯t important, it¡¯s just a small opportunity. If they want to obstruct even such a minor matter, they must be impatient. Rest assured, 1¡¯11 handle this.¡±
Rong Li nodded. He was gradually taking over the responsibilities and connections of the Asia Department¡¯s president. Lately, he had been socializing with Lu Zhiyuan. With the Asia Department president being transferred to Europe, there had been some changes in their positions. Rong Li was slowly bing familiar with the rules in China.
¡°The financial transactions in China are different from overseas business. You¡¯re bing more familiar with it. We are regted here, while abroad, capital rules. Information must flow freely. Cultivate the connections of the Asia Department¡¯s president well. In business, a good temper brings good fortune. You should control your temper. A nobody can ruin your years of hard work.¡±
¡°My temper is quite explosive; both of you keep reminding me,¡± Rong Li said. ¡°Ji Chi also said the same.¡±
¡°So, you should reflect on that,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said with a smile.
Rong Li clicked his tongue and said, ¡°What I can¡¯t stand the most is socializing, a group of old men calling for a bunch of youngdies to apany them, and you can¡¯t even refuse to drink.¡±
¡°Learn from Ji Chi. He¡¯s versatile and can adapt. In three days, he handled them all. When you stand firmly, you won¡¯t have to attend social gatherings you don¡¯t want to.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
Ji Chi had been busy for a few hours and managed to prepare a pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Lu Zhiyuan and Rong Li were quite hungry by the time they finally sat down to eat. It was two hourster than their usual mealtime. ¡°It looks good!¡± Lu Zhiyuan smelled the fragrance; the ingredients were high-end, and it looked appealing. The broth was thick, and at least visually, it seemed to have all the necessary vors.
¡°Delicious!¡± Rong Li also gave a thumbs up. In his heart, he thought, Third Master, even someone like me who isn¡¯t picky finds it just average.
Ji Chi excitedly said, ¡°I improved the recipe today. It should be tasty.¡±
¡°Confident!¡± Rong Li gave a thumbs up once again. ¡°Very good!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan picked up a piece of abalone and took a bite. His eyebrows twitched; the abalone had been stewed for too long andcked freshness. Moreover¡ Lu Zhiyuan looked at the pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall in confusion, ¡°Why is there no scallion, ginger, or garlic?¡±
No wonder it tastes so fishy!
¡°You stewed seafood without scallion, ginger, or garlic, so itcks aroma, and the fishy smell is strong.¡±
¡°I forgot!¡± Ji Chi pped his head. ¡°Big brother doesn¡¯t eat scallion, ginger, or garlic, and Third Master and Rong Li don¡¯t have dietary restrictions.¡±
Rong Li said, ¡°Your stew is a bit¡¡±
Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a footstep from Lu Zhiyuan. ¡°It¡¯s quite delicious. The abalone was stewed for too short a time; it should be stewed for another half an hour. The pig¡¯s trotters are too soft; stew them for half an hour less. Everything else¡ is fine, the texture is good.¡±
Rong Li hesitated, feeling quite irritable. Third Master, why is my taste so different from yours?
Have you been ill for a long time, making your taste different from us ordinary folks?
Ji Chi¡¯s Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is so fishy!
The pig¡¯s trotters are never tender, and the abalone is always too tough.
¡°Really?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan nodded. ¡°When have I ever lied to you?¡±
Rong Li thought to himself, Third Master, haven¡¯t you lied to him quite a few times?
¡°Third Master, then have some more!¡± Ji Chi looked pleased as he nced at Rong Li. ¡°You¡¯re like a wild boar that can¡¯t appreciate fine grains. Third Master seems to appreciate my dishes a lot.¡±
Rong Li looked at him with a half-smile. ¡°You¡¯re amazing!¡±
While Ji Chi went to serve another dish, Rong Li asked, ¡°Third Master, has your taste buds deteriorated? Is this thing really delicious?¡±
¡°Do you think he¡¯s cooking for us?¡±
Rong Li realized, ¡°I was too hasty!¡±
Some of the ingredients were not cooked properly, and the soup had a slightly strong fishy smell. If you overlooked these ws, the taste was still passable.
In their hearts, they gave it a four-word evaluation: ¡°a culinary disaster!¡±
However, they both showed appreciation and ate most of it, embodying the idea that Ji Chi could consider this dish mastered.
Rong Li expressed some irritation, saying, ¡°Jiang Junlin always acts aloof with him, but he still likes to tease him. He really has no backbone. It¡¯s said that powerful figures either like eighteen-year-old girls or tender young boys. Why shouldn¡¯t Jiang Junlin?¡±
¡°Where did youe up with that perspective? Tell me more.¡±
¡°Recently, at these social gatherings, all thepanions are young girls and boys.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan thought to himself, corrupted by the current trend. ¡°Let¡¯s attend fewer of these gatherings in the future.¡±
Rong Li raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
Third Master, you¡¯ve always refused to attend social events, and now if 1 stop going, it will all fall on Ji Chi. Can he handle it?
At A University, Gu Ci apanied Dr. North to attend a medical symposium held on campus. Professors could bring one or two disciples, and Dr. North brought Gu Ci. Most of the professors brought their doctoral students. Gu Ci shared her clinical insights at the conference, and the schrly atmosphere invigorated her. Dr. North, using her connections, arranged for her to observe live surgeries. After the surgeries, he asked Gu Ci to prepare reports and assigned her someplex medical cases to study.
The contents of textbooks were no longer sufficient for Gu Ci, and she immersed herself in her studies, progressing a year ahead of her peers. Qin Wan, a bit envious, remarked, ¡°Dr. North is treating you quite well, always taking you with her.¡±
¡°I¡¯m studying medicine, and I¡¯m Jiang Junlin¡¯s sister. If she doesn¡¯t take me, who will?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true!¡±
After they found Zhou Jinjin and went to the cafeteria together, they unexpectedly ran into Gu Chuyun and her group of friends on the way. Gu Chuyun had be very popr recently, with a high online presence. She portrayed the character of a fallen rich girl who was making aeback, and it was really attracting a lot of fans.
She and Zhou Jinjin shared a simr image.
Zhou Jinjin grumbled, ¡°Her manager is really smart, creating this character for her. The recent press releases are all about her dedication, getting up at 6 am, working until 3 in the morning, and being extremely polite and humble, aplete transformation from her past self. Surprisingly,izens are buying into it, sympathizing with this fallen heiress, helping her top the charts and gain poprity. I share a simr image with her, and she¡¯s more talented in music. It¡¯s infuriating! Does a prodigal son turned sessful character really attract fans like this?¡±
Qin Wan said, ¡°If she were a guy, her character would be even more popr. She¡¯s changed her appearance significantly, and she¡¯s quite humble now.¡± ¡°Do you know her?¡±
¡°I saw her a few times at a mixer when 1 first arrived on campus. We¡¯re not acquainted,¡± Qin Wan replied. ¡°I heard about her reputation as the music department¡¯s beauty. Our school doesn¡¯t have a performance department, which would suit her better.¡±
Zhou Jinjin asked, ¡°Are you insulting her?¡±
¡°What else could it be?¡±
Zhou Jinjin felt a bit better about herself.
Gu Ci chuckled and said, ¡°Whypare yourself to her? Her poprity won¡¯tst long..¡±
Chapter 390 - 390: Beautifully Done
Chapter 390: Beautifully Done
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. Female celebrities have a long shelf life, and once they be famous, they can stay in the limelight for a decade or more. 1 heard a director say that she has a ¡®talented woman¡¯ image, majoring in music at A University. Just marketing this aspect alone can outshine many illiterate people. Although her music skills may not be on par with yours, she has solidly studied it for over a decade. Her acting is decent, which is enough for now. She¡¯s only neen years old, and her future looks promising.¡±
Gu Ci smiled but didn¡¯t respond. While they were talking, Zhou Jinjin¡¯s agent called. Since she was near the school, she went to meet a director. After saying goodbye to Gu Ci and Qin Wan, she left.
Gu Chuyun also noticed Gu Ci and politely greeted her, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s been a while.¡±
Polite and gentle, presenting herself as a considerate and obedient younger sister. Gu Ci lightly chuckled and said, ¡°We¡¯re not very close.¡±
Gu Chuyun lowered her head in embarrassment, her eyes turning red.
One of Gu Chuyun¡¯s ssmates protested, ¡°Gu Ci, Chuyun greeted you with good intentions. You¡¯re being too cold.¡±
Qin Wan sneered, ¡°Is Gu Chuyun mute? If she feels wronged, she can speak up herself. Do you think she¡¯ll share her food with you or let you speak on her behalf? Mind your own business.¡±
The ssmate was furious, ¡°Qin Wan, don¡¯t push it too far. We¡¯re talking to Gu Ci, not you!¡±
¡°Did Gu Ci offend you?¡± Qin Wan frowned. ¡°If you can¡¯t even understand this logic, I¡¯m starting to doubt if someone else took your college entrance exam for you.¡±
¡°You¡¡± The ssmate turned pale, her eyes red from anger.
Gu Chuyun hurriedly intervened, ¡°Let it go. If my sister doesn¡¯t want to talk to me, it¡¯s my fault. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Gu Ci chuckled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, I don¡¯t want to talk to you. So, the farther you stay away from me, the better. Understand?¡±
Gu Chuyun hesitated.
Her friend was still indignant and wanted to argue, but Gu Chuyun pulled her away. Gu Ci was indeed in a high position now, and Gu Chuyun regretted her weakness. She should have been more obedient and avoided Gu Ci as much as possible to prevent people from digging into her true identity.
She had always deliberately avoided Gu Ci. Whenever Gu Ci went to the cafeteria, she didn¡¯t go. When Gu Ci joined clubs, she stayed away. She tried her best to minimize encounters with Gu Ci to avoid people questioning her true status as a rich heiress.
But today, she couldn¡¯t hold back. Why should she always have to avoid Gu Ci? Why? Gu Chuyun thought to herself. Someday, she would walk confidently in front of Gu Ci, and no one would dare to bully her. She would reim what she had lost.
Now, she had seeded a little.
Life was worry-free, financiallyfortable, and although she had family baggage, her future still looked bright. She aimed to be a top female celebrity and n for a better future using her strengths. In a city like A, with so many prestigious families, it wasn¡¯t just the Lus and the Jiangs.
Gu Chuyun had always been proud, and in herpetition with Gu Ci, she was determined to win. After Gu Ci graduated, her best prospects were bing a doctor. But for Gu Chuyun, it was different. She could bask in the love and apuse of countless fans, and in the future, she would also enter the realm of art. She would work hard for it.
¡°I will seed!¡± Gu Chuyun told herself repeatedly. A brief fall to the bottom meant nothing. She would climb back up and be a woman even more dazzling than Gu Ci.
Qin Wan understood some of their grievances, ¡°Are people in the entertainment industry so forgetful? She and your conflict made such a big ssh, and now it¡¯s all forgotten. She¡¯s even gaining more fans. I don¡¯t understand.¡±
Gu Ci whispered, ¡°She didn¡¯t break anyws, she didn¡¯t do drugs, and she didn¡¯t cheat on anyone. The whole thing with Lu Shijie was marketed as a case of a young and naive girl being deceived. Or it was seen as an arranged marriage by her family, which could earn her a lot of sympathy. As for taking over my identity, that was her mother¡¯s mistake. She did benefit from it, but now that I¡¯ve be the major shareholder of Hun Bank and frequently coborate with Zhou Lichang, the most important thing is that I¡¯m also at A University. Netizens might wonder what I¡¯ve lost. If I continue to make a fuss, people will think I¡¯m narrow-minded and don¡¯t understand how to repay the kindness of upbringing. Who hasn¡¯t been disciplined by their parents when growing up? True or false heiress arouses sympathy and anger. It¡¯s about one person living in luxury while the other struggles in the dust. Otherwise, how could they earn cheap sympathy from others?¡±
Qin Wan shrugged, ¡°So, you have to lose a limb or be illiterate to gain sympathy?¡±
¡°Something like that!¡±
Both of themughed and stood in line for food. They found a quiet corner to eat. While gnawing on spare ribs, Qin Wan asked, ¡°Are you just going to watch her rise to fame, or¡ in the dead of night, should 1 give her a beating?¡±
¡°No need!¡± Gu Ci chuckled, ¡°I have my own ns.¡±
After school, Gu Ziyu was held up with experiments, so Gu Ci and Qin Wan went to Gu Chuyun¡¯s house. Since their bankruptcy, they had moved. Gu Wenliang¡¯s bankruptcy didn¡¯t affect Gu Chuyun. Gu Ci¡¯s early stock dividends were in her hands, and she had bought many houses, none of which were seized. Yet they still lived in an old and dpidated neighborhood. Gu Chuyun had used this environment to market herself as a fallen heiress.
She never lived there herself, using the excuse of being a star to live separately. Gu Wenliang, Lu Man, and Gu Yaozu lived in this ce.
Gu Yaozu had originally worked in the Gu family¡¯s conglomerate, but now he had taken up a clerical job. It wasn¡¯t very high or low, but his attitude remained arrogant, and he didn¡¯t learn his lesson. He spent his days hanging out with friends at bars and flirting with girls. In just three months, he had already changed jobs four times. Gu Wenliang and Lu Man were both unemployed, relying entirely on Gu Chuyun for support.
Gu Wenliang had a gambling problem, and the casino was conveniently located not far from their neighborhood. When he lost, he would ask Gu Chuyun for money. She had tried everything to persuade him to quit gambling, but it was all in vain.
Just this month, Gu Wenliang had lost a million.
¡°Maybe that casino is rigged, did they cheat him?¡± Qin Wan asked. They had seen Gu Wenliang go in, and Gu Ci had called the police to report it, saying, ¡°Hello, I want to report a gathering of people gambling.¡±
Qin Wan replied, ¡°Impressive!¡±
She appreciated this act of righteousness.
Qin Wan continued, ¡°Find some entertainment reporters to expose her. Doesn¡¯t Gu Chuyun like to portray herself as a rebellious rich girl character aiming for aeback? Let¡¯s give her what she wants. With her family in chaos, her parents living in an old shabby ce while she resides in a vi area, it¡¯ll create excellent publicity.¡±
¡°Great idea!¡± Gu Ci asked Zhou Lichang if he knew any familiar entertainment reporters. After he understood the situation, he provided them with contact information. Qin Wan got in touch with them, and the reporters arrived faster than the police. They waited nearby for the news. Qin Wan also gave them the addresses of Gu Wenliang, Lu Man, and Gu Yaozu¡¯s homes and leaked some new information. Once it was confirmed that Gu Wenliang had been arrested, Gu Ci and Qin Wan left..
Chapter 391 - 391: Are You Crazy?
Chapter 391: Are You Crazy?
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
In the evening, it indeed became a hot topic. Entertainment reporters truly live up to their reputation. The news was vividly written, filled with rumors and juicy gossip. While Gu Chuyun resided in a small vi by herself, her parents and brother lived in an old, run-down house. They actually wanted to im that Gu Chuyun was renting it, but the Housing Bureau quickly exposed the truth. Gu Chuyun owns several vis, all of which are up for rent. She purchased these properties a few years before the Gu family¡¯s bankruptcy and has been renting them out ever since. Talk about a fallen heiress making aeback! Who else has a billion-dor real estate portfolio?
¡°Fallen heiress, I¡¯mughing so hard! Fans of the heiress, how much is your monthly sry? Can you afford even one of yourdy¡¯s vis?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been saying that Gu Chuyun was bound to have a downfall. What¡¯s wrong with marketing? Does the inte have no memory? She¡¯s getting a taste of her own medicine now.¡±
¡°A starving camel is still bigger than a horse. Gu Chuyun, you¡¯re so wealthy, why pretend to be poor? Her fans are truly pitiful, showing empathy for a capitalist. Hrious.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t Gu Wenliang owe a huge sum of money? Why aren¡¯t Gu Chuyun¡¯s properties being seized?¡±
¡°Before the bankruptcy, maybe he transferred all the assets to Gu Chuyun.¡±
¡°Poor creditors, it seems the debtor is quite the big shot!¡±
¡°Gu Chuyun¡¯s life isn¡¯t pitiful at all, is it? She enjoyed a life of luxury for eighteen years, the apple of her parents¡¯ eye, influential and powerful. Even if she¡¯s bankrupt now, she can be andy and support a smallpany with the rent. She doesn¡¯t need aeback; isn¡¯t lying low just fine?¡±
The focus on Gu Chuyun¡¯s property was more captivating than Gu Wenliang¡¯s gambling escapades.
Gu Ci and Qin Wan were drinking tea in the courtyard, casually browsing through the gossip. Qin Wan remarked, ¡°The poprity just won¡¯t go up.¡± ¡°They must be spending money on public rtions,¡± Gu Ci chuckled.
¡°In that case, I¡¯ll let them spend their money in vain!¡± Qin Wan grabbed theputer, blocking out the tform¡¯s watered-down data and leaving only the real metrics. Some of the data was directly tampered with by the tform¡¯s programmers, but Qin Wan quickly corrected it.
The tform¡¯s programmers were no amateurs, so they reverted the changes promptly. Qin Wan, in response, continued to correct it. The result was a fluctuating poprity: it would suddenly shoot up to first ce, then drop to thirtieth ce a few minutester, even though there were no significant new developments. It would then miraculously return to the top spot.
Qin Wan became irritable. ¡°Forcing me to pull out all the stops, and where is Ziyu when I need him?¡±
¡°He¡¯s asleep!¡± Gu Ci looked up at the second floor, where the lights had been turned off early.
¡°He¡¯s such a night owl, and he¡¯s already asleep at this hour. It¡¯s not even ten o¡¯clock.¡±
¡°He¡¯s been busytely and quite exhausted. Little kids should go to bed early.¡±
As Qin Wan grumbled, Gu Chuyun¡¯s trending topic remained firmly in first ce, never dropping, even when a top-tier celebrity couple was exposed at 10 o¡¯clock. Her scandalous topic stillfortably upied the top three.
¡°Interesting, money can indeed move mountains,¡± Qin Wanmented as she manipted the data, which also cost money. Even the news of a top-tier celebrity couple dating couldn¡¯t dethrone her. ¡°It must be the mastermind behind this, and he has a history.¡±
¡°Brother takes care of so many things. How could he do something like this?¡± ¡°He did something simr to Gu Chuyun before, didn¡¯t you know?¡± Qin Wan said. ¡°He shamelessly exposed a lot of celebrities¡¯ news too.¡± Gu Ci chuckled, ¡°For me?¡±
¡°Who else?¡±
Qin Wan¡¯s words warmed Gu Ci¡¯s heart. She knew that this wasn¡¯t the work of Jiang Junlin. Jiang Junlin was too busy to follow news and gossip. As for Lu Zhiyuan, he was recovering from an injury and had just finished a meeting with the ck Hawk Nine Corporation¡¯s CEO. He idly nced at the news and saw the trending topic about Gu Chuyun.
The topic fluctuated up and down, and he pinpointed Qin Wan¡¯s location at the Blue Fields Vi, so he guessed it was Gu Ci. If technical prowess could be defeated by money, it wouldn¡¯t be Gu Ziyu. So, he decided to lend a hand.
¡°Gu Chuyun still hasn¡¯t disappeared!¡± Lu Zhiyuan sneered. After regaining his memory, he had been dealing with a series of major events and didn¡¯t have time to handle Gu Chuyun. In this lifetime, she wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to Gu Ci either. But when he thought about Gu Chuyun¡¯s mindset of destroying things in his name if she couldn¡¯t have him, causing harm to Gu Ci and Ziyu, he didn¡¯t want to let her off so easily.
She was living such afortable life now, but she would have to pay back tenfold for the suffering Gu Ci endured in his previous life.
This incident with Gu Chuyun had a significant impact. Her manager, Yu Fei, was furious. ¡°You still have so much property, and you didn¡¯t tell me?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t think anyone would investigate. It must be Gu Ci. I saw her on campus today, and I¡¯ve been avoiding her. Why won¡¯t she leave me alone?¡± Gu Chuyun lost herposure, throwing things and shedding tears. The poprity she had worked so hard to build up had been undermined by this incident. Gu Ci was like her nemesis, and as long as she was around, she couldn¡¯t have a good life.
¡°The mistake in this matter isn¡¯t that someone dug up your scandal. It¡¯s that you didn¡¯t honestly admit it. If you had confessed early on, I wouldn¡¯t have let you market yourself as the heiress making aeback. Even if we did market it, we would have found a way to navigate it. Now, you¡¯re being mocked by the masses, and it¡¯s a total disaster. Why are you so foolish?¡± Yu Fei scolded her.
¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to turn out like this. I thought it was a minor issue,¡± Gu Chuyun cried.
Yu Fei was genuinely angry. He was a top-notch talent manager, specializing in creating stars. He had brought top-tier celebrities to fame and cultivated numerous rising stars. When he was first asked to manage Gu Chuyun, he wasn¡¯t willing. He had heard some rumors about this youngdy¡¯s reputation, and she had a severe case of ¡°celebrity disease.¡± However, the conditions offered were too generous, and she was quite assertive. Yu Fei reluctantly agreed.
Fortunately, Gu Chuyun was aware of her situation and had improved her temper. She was obedient in public, and her foundation was solid. She had genuine musical talent, even though she wasn¡¯t a prodigy. Marketing her as a musical talent was no problem, especially since she was from A University¡¯s music department. With a strong hand of cards, there was no way it would fail. Gu Chuyun¡¯s rise was indeed swift, and her reputation had turned around. However, who could have predicted such an incident? Yu Fei liked artists who were obedient; being a bit foolish wasn¡¯t an issue. As long as they were cooperative and didn¡¯t cause trouble. But Gu Chuyun had truly disappointed him.
¡°You should release a statement, stating that after your father¡¯s bankruptcy, all your assets were mortgaged to the creditors, and your current efforts to earn money are solely to repay those debts,¡± Yu Fei suggested.
Gu Chuyun¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Then 1 can bite back at Gu Ci. Among the three siblings, the debt distribution between me and my brother is terribly unfair. Gu Ci is also a child, and she ignores our father¡¯s life and death, forgetting the favor of upbringing. Since she won¡¯t let me off, 1 won¡¯t let her off either!¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Yu Fei frowned. ¡°Gu Ci is not part of the entertainment industry. What¡¯s the benefit of marketing her? Besides, she¡¯s Jiang Juniin¡¯s sister. Are you trying to drag us all down together? Can you afford to offend Jiang Junlin? She¡¯s also in a rtionship with Lu Zhiyuan. Between Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan, which one can you afford to offend? How did you be so foolish?¡±
Gu Chuyun roared in frustration, ¡°Am 1 supposed to let her bully me without fighting back?¡±
Chapter 392 - 392:i Don’t Want to See You
Chapter 392:i Don¡¯t Want to See You
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Otherwise, what qualifications do you have to contend with her?¡± Yu Fei sneered, ¡°If you had cultivated even a bit of sibling affection with Jiang Junlin over the years, you wouldn¡¯t be in such a passive situation.¡±
Gu Chuyun cried in despair. Due to their disparate statuses, she couldn¡¯t retaliate against anything Gu Ci did.
¡°Furthermore, Gu Chuyun, if you conduct yourself with dignity and integrity, no one can bully you,¡± Yu Fei sighed, ¡°Release a statement. As for what to do next, let me think about it.¡±
Gu Ci watched as Gu Chuyun posted a lukewarm statement. The vi was already mortgaged to the creditor and hadn¡¯t been transferred yet, so it was no longer her property. Netizens were skeptical, but her fans blindly defended her. Gu Ci had arranged two endorsements for Gu Chuyun behind her back. Gu Chuyun had no idea. She called them and had them release statements, terminating their cooperation with Gu Chuyun.
A little scandal was fine as long as endorsements and acting roles were still intact. However, if the endorsements were lost and hermercial value diminished, that would be a big problem. Yu Fei took Gu Chuyun to meet with the representatives that night, but they avoided them and insisted on terminating their contract with Gu Chuyun.
Gu Ci hadn¡¯t expected Gu Chuyun to have the audacity toe to the Blue Fields Vi.
On Saturday, she and Qin Wan had invited a group of ssmates to y basketball on the vi¡¯s court and have a barbecue at her ce afterward.
Early in the morning, Gu Chuyun appeared at the gate. Qin Wan was the first to spot her. ¡°Gu Chuyun? We didn¡¯t invite you, did we?¡±
¡°I want to see Gu Ci. Where is she?¡± Gu Chuyun had a sleepless night, her eyes were red and swollen, and she was in terrible shape. Qin Wan was even afraid she might pull out a knife and attack Gu Ci.
Gu Ci came downstairs, wearing a sports outfit with her hair tied in a ponytail. She had been in high spiritstely, looking cheerful and in great shape, radiant like a peach blossom, exuding the vitality that an eighteen-year-old girl should have. Jealousy distorted Gu Chuyun¡¯s face. Gu Ci said, ¡°Qin Wan, you go to the court first. I¡¯ll talk to her.¡±
Qin Wan felt a bit uneasy, but Gu Ci smiled lightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±
After Qin Wan went to the basketball court, Gu Ci invited Gu Chuyun to the garden, which was filled with flowers. Winter had fewer blooms, but the camellias were in full splendor. Gu Ci poured her a cup of tea and asked, ¡°What brings you here?¡±
¡°Were you the one who exposed my properties? I¡¯ve thought about it, and only you would do something like this. Although my brother knew about the house, he couldn¡¯t be bothered with me. I merely greeted you on campus, and you want to destroy me?¡± Gu Chuyun said in a desperate tone.
¡°Do you think I shouldn¡¯t have exposed you, Gu Chuyun? These houses were bought with my money, right?¡± Gu Ci chuckled and said, ¡°Even after the exposure, the houses are still yours. No one is taking them from you. Selling just one of these houses is enough to set you up for life. 99% of A University graduates can¡¯t make a billion in their entire lives. You can still live a life like a youngdy, free from worries. What are youining about?¡±
¡°My father is drowning in debt, and the family¡¯s properties have been seized and auctioned off by the court. It¡¯s still not enough. If those creditors find out 1 still have properties, will they spare me? Gu Ci, after the trouble with the Gu family, I¡¯ve been carrying it all alone. My dad has a gambling problem, my brother is a failure, my mom is sick, and I¡¯m the only one holding everything together. Even if I had conflicts with you when we were younger, does that deserve a death sentence?¡± Gu Chuyun cried pitifully. ¡°I was young and immature, afraid my true identity would be exposed, so I targeted you everywhere. Although my parents didn¡¯t like you, they still raised you. They didn¡¯t mistreat you. Why can¡¯t you forgive us?¡±
¡°They are your father, your mother, your brother, never mine,¡± Gu Ci said coldly. ¡°Gu Chuyun, from childhood to adulthood, you always liked taking what belonged to me. 1 didn¡¯t bother with that, but what about the incident with me and Lu Shijie? Do you want to brush it off as youthful ignorance?¡±
¡°You¡¯re here just fine, Lu Shijie is dead, and the Gu family is bankrupt. Haven¡¯t we all faced the consequences? Are you still not satisfied?¡± Gu Chuyun furrowed her brow. ¡°I avoided you at school, and you can choose not to support our dad, not acknowledge us. Even when we were in dire straits and surrounded by creditors, we didn¡¯te to you. Why can¡¯t you let us go?¡±
Gu Ci looked at the pitiful yet hateful expression on Gu Chuyun¡¯s face and remembered her own past life. When she had just given birth to Gu Ziyu and was with Lu Zhiyuan, she had kneeled and begged Gu Chuyun to spare the child. Gu Chuyun had almost dropped Ziyu to his death.
Ziyu couldn¡¯t even have the same surname as Lu Zhiyuan. Those memories of Gu Chuyun tormenting her and Ziyu in their past life were vivid in her mind.
These things would never happen in this lifetime. Gu Chuyun was right. Based on these events alone, she didn¡¯t deserve to die. But what about her in the previous life? What wrong had she done? Did she and Ziyu deserve to die?
Who would seek justice for her and Ziyu from their past selves?
¡°Gu Chuyun, if I had known this would happen, why did you do it back then? On the day you got engaged to Lu Shijie, if I hadn¡¯t woken up, do you know what would have happened? Let me tell you, I would have stabbed Lu Shijie, then he would have used me of deliberately seducing him and attempted murder. I would have been sentenced and gone to prison. Lu Zhiyuan has liked me since childhood; he was your Prince Charming. How could you tolerate that? What would you have done to me? Defenseless in prison, you would have wanted to destroy me. I would have been trampled in the mud by you for the rest of my life. Gu Chuyun, if it were just minor conflicts, unpleasant interactions from our childhood, I wouldn¡¯t hate you. At most, we wouldn¡¯t have interacted as we got older,¡± Gu Ci said bitterly, ¡°But you absolutely should not have, under any circumstances, conspired with Lu Shijie to frame me. From that moment on, I would never forgive you!¡±
¡°This isn¡¯t fair. These things never happened. How can you me me?¡± Gu Chuyun wiped away her tears. ¡°Gu Ci, what do you want in order to let us go?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let me see you anywhere,¡± Gu Ci said tly.
Gu Chuyun couldn¡¯t ept that. She copsed and said, ¡°I¡¯m a celebrity. I¡¯ll definitely be in the public eye. This isn¡¯t fair at all, Gu Ci. You have power and influence now. Are you just going to trample all over my life like this?¡± ¡°This is what you did in the past!¡± Gu Ci sneered. ¡°Until now, I haven¡¯t even received a sincere apology from you.¡±
Gu Chuyun, flexible when necessary, got up and knelt in front of Gu Ci. ¡°Sister, please, spare me. I promise to follow the rules, be a better person, and take care of our dad. I won¡¯t let him trouble you. I¡¯ll handle the family¡¯s debts as well. You can continue to be your father¡¯s favored daughter. I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have let greed blind me and conspire against you and Lu Shijie. 1 was wrong. Please forgive me. If I ever do anything to hurt you again, may lightning strike me down, and I¡¯ll deserve a wretched death.. You can do whatever you want to me at that time, alright?¡±
Chapter 393 - 393: Father and Son’s Thoughts
Chapter 393: Father and Son¡¯s Thoughts
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°It¡¯s a sincere apology just because you¡¯re kneeling?¡± Gu Ci chuckled, also kneeling before her. Gu Chuyun was startled, but Gu Ci¡¯s smile sent shivers down her spine. ¡°Look, it¡¯s just a simple act of kneeling. What¡¯s so remarkable about it? Why should 1 forgive you?¡±
Gu Chuyun was scared and kept backing away, looking disheveled. Gu Ci stood up, calmly smiling. ¡°Gu Chuyun, think carefully about what a sincere apology means.¡±
¡°Do you want me to die?¡±
¡°If you want to die, I won¡¯t stop you, but please die somewhere far away and don¡¯t dirty my floor,¡± Gu Ci said in an extremely cold tone.
Gu Chuyun left in a daze, and Gu Ci sat in the garden, clutching her chest, struggling to breathe. Every time she saw Gu Chuyun, it reminded her of some unpleasant memories.
She needed to forget!
To forget these agonizing memories. Gu Chuyun was right; she had no recollection of her actions. In her eyes, she might indeed be deserving of death. In Gu Ci¡¯s heart, it was difficult to let go of the shadow that Gu Chuyun had cast on her.
But she had to forget. If she couldn¡¯t let go of those memories, she would be trapped in Gu Chuyun¡¯s shadow for the rest of her life.
¡°Cici,e y basketball!¡± Qin Wan called her from the court.
With a smile, Gu Ci walked towards the basketball court. The sun was shining brightly, and youth was at its peak. She and Ziyu both had a bright future ahead of them.
Upstairs, Gu Ziyu watched the conversation between Gu Ci and Gu Chuyun. He hated Gu Chuyun even more than Gu Ci did. However, Gu Chuyun had died at his hands, and the satisfaction of avenging his enemy was still vivid in his memory. Despite the tragedies that had yet to unfold in this lifetime, Gu Chuyun couldn¡¯t harm him anymore. However, it was different for his mother.
Back then, at the mere sight of Gu Chuyun, he would feel fear and trembling, just like how Gu Ci would experience a shiver when encountering Dr. North. These were all inner shadows. However, now, his heart was calm. Ever since he had exacted his revenge, Gu Chuyun posed no threat to him anymore.
But his mother was different!
His mother needed to slowly break free from the shadow of Gu Chuyun.
After washing up, Gu Ziyu went to the basketball court to sketch. He had three Chinese painting and sketching sses per week as extracurricr activities, and he was doing quite well. He turned the scene of Gu Ci ying basketball into a group portrait and sent it to Lu Zhiyuan.
Lu Zhiyuan: Not lifelike enough.
Gu Ziyu: Did I ask for your critique?
I wanted you to take a look at Mom, to ease your longing!
Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t reply for a while, so Gu Ziyu sent a question mark. Still no response from Lu Zhiyuan. An annoyed Gu Ziyu decided to ignore him and continued painting. After a short while, his phone vibrated, and Lu Zhiyuan sent a modified version of the painting.
It was based on Gu Ziyu¡¯s drawing, and cleverly, he had also modified Gu Ci. It was truly lifelike and much more realistic than what Gu Ziyu, a beginner, had drawn. Gu Ziyu thought Lu Zhiyuan was even better than his Chinese painting teacher, although he didn¡¯t fully understand it. The lifelike portrayal of the characters was truly impressive.
Gu Ziyu: You can actually paint?
Lu Zhiyuan: 1 can paint in any style¡ªChinese painting, sketching, oil painting, you name it.
Gu Ziyu: I don¡¯t believe it!
His dad was a racing driver, and training took up most of his time. It was said that he yed the violin even better than his mom. Gu Ziyu suspected that Gu Ci had some kind of filter to make her look better. His mom had real talent with the violin, and everyone praised her. There was no way his dad could be better than her.
Lu Zhiyuan sent another sketch of Gu Ci, andscape sketch, and an oil painting.
Gu Ziyu was shocked: You did all of these?
Lu Zhiyuan: I¡¯m showing my skills.
Gu Ziyu asked again to confirm: Are you sure you didn¡¯t have someone else do them for you?
Lu Zhiyuan: Son, don¡¯t let the generation gap between us be a barrier tomunication.
Gu Ziyu:¡
Gu Ziyu fell into deep thought. If his dad had such high skills, why did he still pay for art lessons?
Gu Ziyu: Then why do you take me out to eat, y basketball, and go racing on weekends?
Lu Zhiyuan respected Gu Ziyu a lot: What would you like to do?
Gu Ziyu: 1 want to learn how to paint. What else can you do?
Lu Zhiyuan: A bit of this and that.
Gu Ziyu: You¡¯re not an athlete. How do you have so much time to learn extracurricr knowledge?
Lu Zhiyuan: It¡¯s a talent!
Gu Ziyu: Hah!
Lu Zhiyuan sent a subtle smiling emoji to Gu Ziyu.
Gu Ziyu: Do you know this emoji is insulting?
Lu Zhiyuan quickly reced it with a different one.
Gu Ziyu: ?
During halftime, Gu Ziyu came over to drink water. He put down his phone and proudly showed Gu Ci his paintings. ¡°Mom, how do you like my paintings?¡±
Gu Ci sat beside Gu Ziyu, sipping water and admiring his artwork. Gu Ziyu had drawn eight people, all of their ssmates from the basketball game today. He had only been learning to paint for a few months and wasn¡¯t that skilled yet, but Gu Ci always encouraged him. ¡°You did a good job. You¡¯ve made Mom look really beautiful.¡±
Gu Ziyu beamed with joy, loving this kind ofpliment that came with a filter. ¡°Of course, Mom is the most beautiful woman in the world in my eyes.¡±
Gu Ciughed heartily and gave him a kiss.
After ying basketball, they had a barbecue in their garden together. It was the first time Gu Ci had invited friends over to her house, and she generously showed them around. They had all the barbecue equipment and ingredients ready. Their ssmates brought along some drinks, fruits, and more. The courtyard quickly became lively, and Gu Ziyu brought out a speaker. When young people got together, it was all about singing, dancing, barbecuing, and having a great time.
Gu Ziyu even sang a popr inte song, although his pitch was off, and he sounded quite young. Everyone couldn¡¯t stopughing. Gu Chuyun had stayed nearby, watching the lively party at Gu Ci¡¯s house.
Jealousy gnawed at her heart, tearing at her soul and body. She couldn¡¯t help but recall the past. She had been the center of attention, and Gu Ci had lived in the shadow. No one in the family noticed Gu Ci.
Even Gu Ci¡¯s academic performance wasckluster. While Gu Ziyao and Gu Yaozu were learning various extracurricr activities like horseback riding, swimming, and music, Gu Ci was confined to the house. When the Gu family held banquets, they would lock Gu Ci away, not allowing her toe out. She had no presence in the Gu family at all.
In reality, she should have been the beloved youngdy of the family.
If their true identities hadn¡¯t been revealed, everything would be different. Gu Ci wouldn¡¯t have undergone such a drastic transformation. If Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t protect her, relying on Grandma¡¯s favoritism alone, Gu Ci wouldn¡¯t be so happy.
She had a strong hand to y, and everything should have been hers. Everything should have been hers. Gu Chuyun was unwilling, but she also knew that Yu Fei was right. She couldn¡¯t provoke the likes of Lu Zhiyuan, Jiang Junlin, and the Gu family¡¯s power and status. Unless she found someone even more formidable, someone who wasn¡¯t afraid of their power and status and could protect her thoroughly, otherwise, she would be trampled by Gu Ci for her whole life.
Yu Fei called Gu Chuyun. ¡°Gu Chuyun, Master Chen wants to meet you. Where are you? I¡¯ll pick you up..¡±
Chapter 394 - 394: Let’s Celebrate Our Birthday Together
Chapter 394: Let¡¯s Celebrate Our Birthday Together
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
In Gu Chuyun¡¯s eyes, there was a sudden glimmer of hope. Chen Yang¡ The talent agency she had recently signed with seemed to have no connection to Chen Yang on the surface. However, the web series that brought her fame was produced with Chen Yang¡¯s investment, and he personally requested her to take on a role. She smoothly rose to stardom with his support. Gu Chuyun harbored hopes that if she could get close to him, whether it was Lu Zhiyuan or Jiang Junlin, they wouldn¡¯t dare to mistreat her in any way.
When Gu Chuyun returned home, she picked out her favorite dress, dressing herself beautifully. Upon seeing her looking radiant, Yu Fei nodded and asked, ¡°Did you apologize to Gu Ci? Did she ept it?¡±
¡°I kneeled down and apologized, but she didn¡¯t ept it,¡± Gu Chuyun replied softly, feeling very wronged.
¡°Is this young girl really so heartless?¡± Kneeling down as a form of apology was Yu Fei¡¯s suggestion. He thought that a girl who hadn¡¯t experienced much of the world should have a kind heart. Moreover, they had grown up together, and although their rtionship had been unpleasant, there had been no fatal harm done. He didn¡¯t expect Gu Ci to be so stubborn.
¡°Let¡¯s just leave it for now,¡± Yu Fei also felt a bit unhappy, thinking that Gu Ci was being too stubborn. However, upon further thought, she was Jiang Junlin¡¯s sister and Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s girlfriend. She certainly wouldn¡¯t take Gu Chuyun seriously.
Gu Ci continued to hang out with her ssmates until nine o¡¯clock in the evening. During a break, Qin Wan nudged her and said, ¡°Gu Chuyun has issued an apology statement rted to you.¡±
Qin Wan read aloud, ¡°Neen years ago, due to a mistake made by my mother, our identities were switched, and 1 became the one who benefited from it. 1 have lived as the Young Miss of the Jiang family for eighteen years, receiving endless love and care from my parents and brother. The harm that my family of four has caused my sister cannot be undone. I deeply apologize and hope that my sister can forgive me.¡±
Gu Ziyu responded coldly, ¡°Is this her idea of a sincere apology?¡±
Qin Wan said in an exaggerated tone, imitating the tone of inte users, ¡°Oh, now that her little sister has apologized, what else does her big sister want?
She¡¯s just a baby, after all. This wasn¡¯t what she wanted, either. She was kept in the dark. Sisters of simr age, who doesn¡¯t argue and fight? Has Gu Ci really been mistreated by the Gu family? She even got into A University. She¡¯s really petty.¡±
Both Gu Ci and Gu Ziyu looked at Qin Wan, and she raised her hands in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m just reading it aloud, don¡¯t look at me.¡±
Thisment received the most likes.
The second most poprment was: ¡°The one who exposed Gu Chuyun¡¯s house is probably Gu Ci. This is really scary when you think about it. The intelligence of the top scorer in the college entrance examination is truly amazing. She ruined someone¡¯s life without making a sound.¡±
Gu Ziyu was furious, ¡°Do these people have any sense of morality?¡±
¡°Anyway, they won¡¯t get into A University, so don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Qin Wan waved her hand, ¡°Why is everyone criticizing her in response to her apology?¡±
¡°It¡¯s all about fan economics. Her fans are upset that their idol got manipted. Maybe some people are even ming me for not taking care of our family¡¯s debts, saying that my dad has a lot of debt, and 1 didn¡¯t help,¡± Gu Ziyu sneered.
¡°You have a point there,¡± Qin Wan remarked, ¡°There¡¯s also something about your middle school and high school ssmatesing out and saying that Gu Chuyun is kind-hearted and beautiful, and they don¡¯t believe she would ever bully you. They even said you¡¯re a weirdo, antisocial, always causing trouble, have a tendency for violence, and have fought with many people.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s not entirely inurate.¡±
Qin Wan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Did you win those fights?¡±
¡°Most of them.¡±
Gu Ziyu smirked and said, ¡°People are even buying hot searches about our family¡¯s debts. It¡¯s ridiculous. Mom, should we do something about this?¡±
¡°Her statement is well-founded, and there¡¯s nothing to refute. It¡¯s her business how much she wants to spend on buying hot searches, and we shouldn¡¯t waste our money on that. What I want to know is who¡¯s supporting her behind the scenes. I¡¯ve already sent someone to investigate,¡± Gu Ci said.
¡°Protecting Mom is also the right path,¡± Gu Ziyu argued, his hands obediently leaving the keyboard.
Gu Ci was still waiting for updates when Zhou Jinjin couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. She shared Gu Chuyun¡¯s update andmented with just one word: ¡°Disgusting!¡±
Netizens:
She was acting extremely arrogant, reposting from her main ount. Zhou Jinjin had been shooting an advertisement today and hadn¡¯te to Gu Ci¡¯s house to y. When she saw Gu Chuyun¡¯stest actions in the evening, she was disgusted to the point that she couldn¡¯t even finish her dinner.
She couldn¡¯t stand it!
With just one repost, the post¡¯s poprity skyrocketed even higher. They were the two hottest rising stars recently, and thepetition between them was intense. They even had simr roles, so it was inevitable that people would use them of trying to piggyback on each other¡¯s sess and curry favor with Gu Ci.
Zhou Jinjin alsomented on thements below, which were trying to ride the wave of poprity.
Zhou Jinjin: As if you could curry favor with her.
After a while, Zhou Jinjin went silent. Her manager had forcibly taken her phone. Originally, they were going to delete herment, but unexpectedly, the official Weibo ount of Hun Bank had reposted Zhou Jinjin¡¯sment with a thumbs-up emoji.
Her manager looked as constipated as ever, unsure whether to delete thement or leave it.
Jiang Junlin was busy and overwhelmed. He had heard about this from Ji Chi after a meeting. Recently, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Gu Ci; she seemed to be in good shape, and she hadn¡¯t maintained a close rtionship with Lu Zhiyuan after their breakup. As for her treatment, sses, and daily life, everything seemed to be going well. There was no need to involve her in the underworld affairs at the moment, so Jiang Junlin hadn¡¯t been keeping a close eye on her.
He didn¡¯t expect Gu Chuyun to cause trouble again.
Ji Chi volunteered, ¡°Brother, for such a small matter, let me handle it for you.¡± ¡°How do you want to handle it?¡±
¡°I was thinking, why not let Third Master deal with this? It would be better, wouldn¡¯t it? Consider it a test for your future brother-inw,¡± Ji Chi thought to himself, Third Master, I can only help you this much.
¡°Brother-inw? Who recognized him?¡± Jiang Junlin sneered, ¡°He hasn¡¯t had any contact with Cici since their breakup.¡±
¡°You may not recognize him as your brother-inw, but your nephew does, right? Ziyu is so cute and smart.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because Cici has good genes. What does it have to do with him?¡±
¡°No connection, Brother. But without him, where would Ziyu be?¡± Ji Chi optimistically said, ¡°They¡¯re like a divorced couple, but they show no signs of moving on to new rtionships. With a child as the bond, it¡¯s impossible for them never to meet again.¡±
¡°Do you know why they broke up?¡±
This was where Ji Chi¡¯s knowledge fell short. ¡°1 really don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°What use are you then?¡±
¡°Li Jiang follows Third Master around 24/7, and he still doesn¡¯t know. I asked Rong Li, but Third Master didn¡¯t say anything either. Can you me me?¡± Ji Chi sounded aggrieved.
When Jiang Junlin saw that Gu Ci had sent someone to investigate, he instructed Zhang Qiang topile the information they had gathered in the past few days and send it to Gu Ci. Jiang Junlin said, ¡°No matter why they broke up, a good horse doesn¡¯t turn back to eat old grass. Let¡¯s hope Lu Zhiyuan will be more sensible and not provoke Cici anymore.¡±
Ji Chi¡¯s gaze dimmed for a moment. A good horse doesn¡¯t turn back to eat old grass¡ What about you? After a breakup, are you really so resolute that you won¡¯t turn back? This question weighed heavily between them.
¡°Brother, my birthday ising up in a few days. Let¡¯s celebrate together,¡± Ji Chi said happily. ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing my cooking skills recently, and I¡¯m quite good at it now. I¡¯ll cook for you..¡±
Chapter 395 - 395: How Unlucky
Chapter 395: How Unlucky
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin remembered the days in the dungeon, where they asionally had Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a dish that almost made his soul leave his body. Every piece of clothing carried a hint of refusal.
Ji Chi said, ¡°I¡¯ve hired the best Cantonese chef, really, trust me.¡±
Jiang Junlin pretended not to hear and said, ¡°We can go out to eat.¡±
¡°I want to make it at home,¡± Ji Chi looked sad and a bit resentful. ¡°It¡¯s my birthday, and you¡¯ve never been with me.¡±
Jiang Junlin¡¯s heart skipped a beat, looking at Ji Chi¡¯s sad and unwilling face, knowing that he was partly sincere and partly acting. Jiang Junlin softened, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±
Ji Chi was delighted and smiled with dimples. ¡°It¡¯s a deal. Don¡¯t stand me up again.¡±
Gu Ci didn¡¯t need help from Lu Zhiyuan to deal with Gu Chuyun. When she found out the news, she was surprised that Gu Chuyun had connected with Chen Rushi and Chen Yang.
Gu Ziyu had educated her about the Chen family, and she knew about the rtionship between the Chen family and Chen Rushi. None of the Chen family members were simple, but was Chen Yang supporting Gu Chuyun because he liked her?
On this Friday, Gu Ziyu had a doctoral thesis and evening sses, so Gu Ci and Qin Wan went home first. Dr. North, who was going to provide psychological counseling to Gu Ci, also apanied them. As soon as the three of them left the campus, they saw Gu Chuyun and Chen Yang holding hands at the school gate, looking very intimate. Gu Ci was quite surprised.
Gu Chuyun also noticed them and walked over with Chen Yang.
Chen Yang was slightly younger than Chen Rushi, and his appearance was somewhat more delicate. He didn¡¯t have the greasy feeling of a rich second-generation. His cashmere coat was well-fitted and exuded an elegant temperament, making him appear very refined.
Dr. North frowned slightly and said to Qin Wan, ¡°Let¡¯s move aside and wait.¡±
Gu Ci didn¡¯t think there was a need to be cautious. Dr. North had already taken Qin Wan aside, and she looked a bit nervous. Gu Chuyun, with Chen Yang, walked over. Gu Ci felt that Chen Yang looked familiar. Apart from a brief nce in the underground parking lot, she hadn¡¯t really seen what he looked like.
¡°Sister, this is my boyfriend, Chen Yang. He¡¯s been wanting to meet you. How about having dinner together tonight?¡± Gu Chuyun smiled and asked.
¡°I have an appointment with my teacher, so I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not close enough to have dinner with you.¡± Gu Ci looked at Chen Yang coldly. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it.¡±
Gu Ci had dealt with Chen Rushi before, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of Chen Yang. His aura was much weaker than Chen Rushi¡¯s, and hecked the gentle yet decisive presence she had.
Chen Yang was a young man nurtured in a world of wealth and gentleness.
He smiled and said, ¡°Miss Gu, you¡¯re straightforward, so I¡¯ll be direct as well. I know you and Chuyun have had some issues in the past. She has also made mistakes, but now she¡¯se to her senses and publicly apologized. Both of you are starting new chapters in your lives. Can¡¯t we consider apromise and let bygones be bygones?¡±
Gu Ci adjusted her shoulder bag and furrowed her brows innocently. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean bypromise. I haven¡¯t forced Gu Chuyun to apologize. Whether she apologizes or not is her choice. Whether I forgive her or not is my choice. Besides, 1 haven¡¯t done anything.¡±
Chen Yang, in his elegant manner, smiled and replied, ¡°Indeed, Miss Gu, you don¡¯t need to do anything. You are the major shareholder of Hun Bank. If Chuyun wants to make it in the entertainment industry, everyone has to consider the influence of capital. Many people might create difficulties for her due to Hun Bank.¡±
¡°That¡¯s absurd,¡± Gu Ci retorted calmly. ¡°Gu Chuyun holds sixteen endorsements and has seen a qualitative leap in her resources. I¡¯ve never seen anyone causing her trouble. She skyrocketed to fame in just half a year. If I really had that much influence, could she have achieved such sess?¡±
Qin Wan scratched her head, looking puzzled as she nced at Dr. North. ¡°Have you noticed¡ he looks a bit like me?¡±
A female version of her!
Dr. North¡¯s palms were sweaty, and he was extremely nervous. ¡°Not at all.¡±
Qin Wan rubbed her chin, still perplexed. ¡°Not like me? He really looks quite simr. The Chen family¡¯s eldest son has a unisex face. Their facial features are quite alike.¡±
¡°Simrity between people ismon,¡± Dr. North casually remarked.
¡°They both have two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Their appearance is quite simr.¡±
Qin Wan shrugged. ¡°What are you so nervous about?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not nervous!¡± Dr. North protested.
Qin Wan then took out a cigarette from her pocket, but Dr. North stopped her. ¡°We¡¯re at the school gate, mind the influence.¡±
¡°Such a stickler!¡± Qin Wanined but obediently put the cigarette away.
Chen Yang chuckled and asked, ¡°Miss Gu, does that mean you¡¯re not willing to let my girlfriend off the hook?¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t done anything,¡± Gu Ci furrowed her brows. ¡°Mr. Chen, can¡¯t you understand innguage?¡±
Chen Yang¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Miss Gu, even Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin showed me some respect. 1 don¡¯t know where you get the courage to speak to me like this.¡±
Gu Ci remainedposed. ¡°Your respect is earned by your father, not something you¡¯ve earned yourself. 1 don¡¯t know you, yet youe to the school gate with your girlfriend to make trouble for me. With such behavior, who would show you respect?¡±
Chen Yang sneered, ¡°Quite the eloquent speaker.¡±
¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be on my way!¡± Gu Ci turned to find Dr. North and Qin Wan and walked away.
Gu Chuyun whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve always said that my sister is unruly and has a bad temper, but you insisted on meeting her.¡±
Chen Yang lifted her chin and calmly stated, ¡°What I do is not up to you to dictate.¡±
Gu Chuyun shivered and didn¡¯t dare to speak.
As Qin Wan crossed the street, she nced back at Chen Yang and asked Gu Ci, ¡°Cici, do Chen Yang and I look somewhat alike?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve always felt that he looked familiar, but I couldn¡¯t remember where I had seen him. As soon as you mentioned it, I realized it too, especially when he smiles. There¡¯s a striking resemnce between you two ¨C the eyes, nose, and facial contours.¡± Gu Ci nced at Dr. North. ¡°Chen Geng and the Chen family are rted by blood, and Chen Yang and Little Cherry both have Chen blood in them, so it¡¯s not surprising they look alike.¡±
Qin Wan looked nothing like Chen Rushi.
Dr. North casually remarked, ¡°In the entertainment industry, there are many people who look alike without any blood rtion.¡±
¡°I was just making a point. Who would want to be rted to him by blood? Bad luck!¡± Qin Wan decisively denied any resemnce. She was just curious about encountering someone who looked like her.
Gu Ci and Dr. North exchanged a smile, both somewhat bemused.
¡°Why did this guy inexplicablye to find you? To support Gu Chuyun? Is there something wrong with him?¡± Qin Wan asked. ¡°He¡¯s considered the pir of the Chen family¡¯s younger generation, but in terms of overall family influence, he¡¯s no match for the Zhang family.¡±
The Zhang family¡¯s daughter, son-inw, son, and daughter-inw were all exceptional individuals. The grandchildren were also well-raised, making it a flourishing family.
¡°Let¡¯s not bother with him,¡± Gu Ci said calmly. ¡°Young men are often drawn in by feminine charm, wanting to be the hero in her life. It¡¯s understandable.¡±
Qin Wan added, ¡°Among the Chen family, only Chen Liangdong can stand against the Zhang family. Ultimately, their family¡¯s younger generation is too thin. Mr. Zhang was clever, giving birth to so many children ¨C spoiled one, there¡¯s still another. With numerous offspring and grandchildren, they can easily pick out the best..¡±
Chapter 396 - 396: I’m Just a Chess Piece
Chapter 396: I¡¯m Just a Chess Piece
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Dr. North said lightly, ¡°The descendants of the Jiang family are also few, but howe every one of them is extraordinary?¡±
¡°In City A, with so many top-tier families, who canpare to my master¡¯s family?¡± Qin Wan said with a filtered tone. ¡°The Jiang family has always maintained their noble lineage and their insistence on equal social status in rtionships. With equal social status, their partners are no less exceptional. It¡¯s no wonder that Grandma strongly opposed Jiang Mingyue marrying Gu Wenliang back then; she had great foresight.¡±
Gu Ci was speechless.
Gu Ci never expected to stumble upon discussions about her own background.
¡°Chen Liangdong is quite unfortunate. He has no sons or daughters, but he treats Ziyu as his own son,¡± Qin Wan concluded. ¡°To treat him as his own child, he must be quite happy.¡±
Dr. North was puzzled.
Gu Ci had a say in this matter. ¡°He has raised Ziyu very well. The boy is truly an angel now. Both Lu Zhiyuan and I don¡¯t have that capability.¡±
After returning home, Qin Wan freshened up and started doing her homework. Just after half an hour, Jiang Junlin called her with a new task. Qin Wan and Gu Ci quickly hopped on their motorcycles and rushed off.
¡°Master, why do you seem so distracted today?¡± Gu Ci, being observant, had noticed that Dr. North seemed preupied, and his appetite for dinner wascking.
¡°I¡¯m thinking about some old matters,¡± Dr. North replied. ¡°Do you also think Qin Wan and Chen Yang resemble each other?¡±
¡°They do look quite simr!¡±
Dr. North hesitated and asked, ¡°Cici, I¡¯m torn. Should I tell her about Little Cherry¡¯s situation or not?¡±
Gu Ci, who had grown more understanding, said, ¡°Whether you tell her or not, you¡¯ll always be Qin Wan¡¯s mother. That won¡¯t change.¡±
Suddenly, the living room door swung open, and Qin Wan appeared at the entrance with an expressionless face, holding her helmet in one hand. ¡°Cici, what were you just talking about?¡±
Qin Wan had rushed out and halfway to Jiang Junlin¡¯s ce when he requested a document. She came back unexpectedly, her steps light, and neither Gu Ci nor Dr. North had noticed her return.
¡°Qin Wan¡¡± Gu Ci looked at Dr. North, rmed.
Qin Wan checked her watch, hastily went upstairs, grabbed the document, and said, ¡°I have a task toplete, and I¡¯m in a hurry. I hope you can give me an exnation when I return.¡±
She left in haste, without causing a scene or shedding tears, just like a passing breeze.
Gu Ci and Dr. North were filled with regret. They rarely discussed Qin Wan¡¯s background, but today, Dr. North had asked, and Gu Ci had casually mentioned it, not expecting Qin Wan to overhear.
¡°Master, what should we do?¡± Gu Ci asked.
Dr. North sighed, ¡°We can¡¯t hide it forever. I will tell her everything.¡±
Although Qin Wan appeared calm on the surface, as she sped on the expressway with her motorcycle, her heart was in turmoil. Her unease wasn¡¯t about Dr. North being her mother; it was the fact that Gu Ci had known about it for a long time.
Does the Master know?
Why did the Master take an interest in her at first?
When the Master came looking for her, was it because Dr. North had betrayed him? Was he seeking revenge? And then why did he change his mind and keep her by his side?
Was the Master initially here to kill her?
When Qin Wan met Jiang Junlin, she threw the documents at him and scolded, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for needing this stupid document. You¡¯ve ruined my peaceful life.¡±
Jiang Junlin raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Wasn¡¯t Qin Wan always obedient to the Master, following his everymand without question?
Jiang Junlin lowered his head to organize the documents that Qin Wan handed to him, ignoring her emotional outburst. ¡°Can you still handle the task, or should I assign it to someone else?¡±
¡°No need!¡± Qin Wan stormed off on her motorcycle again, and Jiang Junlin signaled for Zhang Qiang to follow her. ¡°Keep an eye on her, and make sure she doesn¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±
¡°Got it!¡±
Zhang Qiang followed Qin Wan.
Once they were out of earshot, Jiang Junlin propped his chin up in thought. What did she hear on her way to get the documents? Most likely, it was Dr. North and Gu Ci discussing her background.
Jiang Junlin pondered with curiosity, who was her father?
From the beginning, Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t believe that Qin Wan was Chen Geng¡¯s daughter. Dr. North had a ruthless personality, and if she had be pregnant with Chen Geng¡¯s child, she most likely would have aborted it and not gone through the trouble of sending it to a safe ce.
In thete night, Little Cherry and Zhang Qiang returned.
The mission was executed smoothly.
Little Cherry was still irritated, and Jiang Junlin said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, have ate-night snack!¡±
¡°Can we find a ce open at this hour?¡±
¡°Money can move mountains,¡± Jiang Junlin said with a smile. The group headed to ate-night eatery, one of Jiang Junlin¡¯s regr spots. It was a small family-owned ce, and the couple who ran it were struggling. Besides the food cooked by Guifang at home, Jiang Junlin loved this family-owned eatery the most. Later on, when the couple faced financial difficulties, Jiang Junlin bought the ce and only had one request: that the food be prepared ording to his taste, and he didn¡¯t take any profit from it.
With such a significant investment, the couple had turned the ce into a private kitchen restaurant. Jiang Junlin often came here for social gatherings, and over time, it became a favorite gathering spot in the financial circle, where thepany mattered more than the food.
When he arrived past 2 AM, the restaurant was still open. Jiang Junlin had called ahead to orderte-night snacks. The couple who owned the restaurant let their staff go home early and waited for him.
Thete-night snacks were quickly served. Qin Wan, hungry as a wolf, focused on her bowl of noodles while Jiang Junlin slowly savored his fish soup. He asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s bothering you? Tell me about it.¡±
Qin Wan picked up a bowl that wasrger than her face and drank all the noodle soup in one gulp, mming the bowl back onto the table. Jiang Junlin raised an eyebrow, ¡°These tableware pieces are custom-made bone china. Don¡¯t break them.¡±
¡°Is Dr. North my mother?¡± Qin Wan asked straightforwardly.
¡°Yes,¡± Jiang Junlin admitted just as straightforwardly. ¡°Did you overhear the conversation between Gu Ci and Dr. North?¡±
¡°You all knew, and you kept it from me?¡±
¡°This is your and Dr. North¡¯s private matter. If she wanted to tell you, she would have. If she didn¡¯t, there was no need for me to pry,¡± Jiang Junlin exined gently. ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve always said you disliked her. Could I say anything?¡±
Qin Wan¡¯s habit was to confront her enemies face-to-face and speak her mind. She didn¡¯t like harboring feelings overnight. ¡°When you first came to find me, were you nning to kill me?¡±
Jiang Junlin contemted. It seemed that the little girl was concerned about this.
¡°You hesitated for three seconds. Indeed, you initially came to kill me for revenge!¡± Qin Wan used. ¡°Then why did you change your mind?¡±
¡°Triad members who die in the line of duty, we have to take care of their families. If they betray the organization, their families must also be registered. After Dr. North betrayed me, I thought she might look for her daughter, so I followed this lead to find her. I never thought about killing you. Don¡¯t overthink it,¡± Jiang Junlin exined. ¡°Later on, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to you. I just had people keep a record of your whereabouts and report back to me. You¡¯re intelligent, determined, and have a good foundation. Your adoptive parents didn¡¯t treat you well. I wanted to bring you by my side, and as long as Dr. North was alive, I knew she woulde looking for you someday.¡±
¡°I¡¯m just a pawn!¡± Qin Wan looked saddened. ¡°You trained me just to find your enemy..¡±
Chapter 397 - 397: Mom and Dad Fighting For Favor
Chapter 397: Mom and Dad Fighting For Favor
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Can two houses heal your sadness?¡±
¡°Three!¡±
¡°Deal!¡±
Qin Wan mmed the table, ¡°Bossdy, another bowl of rice noodles!¡±
Jiang Junlin was speechless.
Zhang Qiang hesitated, wondering if he should tell the secret guards to say that the master had gotten used to solving conflicts with money, and they should learn from Qin Wan¡¯s shamelessness too.
me it on their reserved nature as men; they didn¡¯t manage to score this many houses.
Jiang Junlin said, ¡°Let the secret guards get one house each for their year-end bonus this year.¡±
Zhang Qiang suspected that the master could read minds, ¡°Alright.¡±
When Qin Wan returned to the Blue Fields Vi, it was almost dawn. Dr. North had stayed up all night waiting for her. Qin Wan took a shower, then went straight to bed without exining anything. Dr. North saw this and didn¡¯t disturb her.
Gu Cici had a free weekend. Early in the morning, she took Gu Ziyu to see a movie. Gu Ziyu had originally nned to paint with Lu Zhiyuan. He asked innocently, ¡°Mom, can we bring Dad to the movie with us?¡±
¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±
Gu Ziyu sighed with the wisdom of a young child, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m a child of divorced parents.¡±
¡°If you want to learn painting from Dad, I can take you there. We don¡¯t have to watch the movie,¡± Gu Cici was feeling a bit jealous. Her precious son seemed to really like Lu Zhiyuan. She hadn¡¯t expected him to get along so well with Gu Ziyu. Was this the magic of blood ties?
¡°No, I want to watch a movie with Mom. I don¡¯t want Dad,¡± Gu Ziyu decisively gave up on his dad, ¡°I like Mom the most.¡±
Gu Cici pinched his nose. Lu Zhiyuan had actually nned to teach Gu Ziyu how to paintst week. Gu Cici was supposed to watch a movie on Friday. Lu Zhiyuan even had Li Jiang buy a lot of paints, but he ended up getting stood up.
Ji Chi said, ¡°Third Master, when Mom and Dad vie for your affection, it means they have no self-awareness.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been quite freetely. I heard from Rong Li that you often have dinner with Jiang Junlin?¡±
¡°People are like iron, and food is like steel. We must eat,¡± Ji Chi had the skin of a dead pig and was not afraid of boiling water. Love on the government¡¯s dime¡ªeveryone would love that.
¡°When did you break up?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
Ji Chi didn¡¯t respond.
He really had to bring that up.
Ji Chi replied nonchntly, ¡°Soon!¡±
Rong Li had just walked in and heard this conversation. He scoffed, ¡°If you haven¡¯t talked about it, it doesn¡¯t count as a breakup.¡±
Ji Chi gave Rong Li the middle finger, but he ignored him and handed a report to Lu Zhiyuan. ¡°Third Master, a batch of goods was robbedst night.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s brow furrowed as he took the report and quickly scanned it. Ji Chi leaned over to read the report as well. Rong Li added, ¡°It¡¯s a batch of cultural relics that we were entrusted to transport back.¡±
ck Hawk had a wide range of business operations, not limited to just the financial sector.
Ji Chi was puzzled, ¡°Four cultural relics missing? There are jewels in the safe, why not steal those? What¡¯s the point of stealing cultural relics? They can¡¯t be easily circted, so they must be smuggled.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan replied calmly, ¡°That¡¯s not the focus.¡±
Rong Li added, ¡°The focus is that these four items are insured for three billion US dors with our insurancepany. They were in our cargo hold and have disappeared. We¡¯ll have to pay for it.¡±
¡°Why do we seem like the ones getting the short end of the stick? The oldest of these four items is just calligraphy and paintings from the Song Dynasty. It¡¯s not like they belong to everyone. Why insure them for such a high price?¡±
Rong Li was responsible for this matter, and she exined, ¡°The value of cultural relics can¡¯t be measured in terms of money. The other party quoted their price, and that¡¯s what we insured them for. If you think a sculpture head is not worth a billion, but they ask for ten billion, you¡¯ll see if a museum will sell it to you.¡±
Ji Chi quipped, ¡°All this talk, and it boils down to us being too confident in our own shippingnes and escorting. The higher the premium, the better. Premiums are a momentary pleasure, but ims are like a crematorium.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan looked thoughtfully at the four cultural relics. This seemed like an ordinary case, and if there were noplications, Rong Li could handle it herself. But the fact that it was presented to him meant there was definitely something unusual. Ji Chi also sensed that something was off.
¡°One calligraphy and painting, a painted koi vase, a golden armor, and coral beads¡¡± Ji Chi raised an eyebrow, ¡°These are all small items, easy to take. The other party went to great lengths for this. There are much more valuable items in the safe. So¡ out of these four items, only one is important.¡±
Losing money was one thing, but they couldn¡¯t afford to tarnish ck Hawk¡¯s reputation.
Lu Zhiyuan asked, ¡°Any clues?¡±
¡°We only found two sets of footprints. The escorts were on a 24-hour rotation and never left. The security cameras were malfunctioning, so we didn¡¯t capture anything valuable. There are no traces nearby,¡± Rong Li exined calmly. ¡°Private collectors?¡± Ji Chi inquired.
Rong Li nodded, ¡°Coincidentally, these four items were all scheduled to be handed over to Chen Liangyou. But now, we can¡¯t produce a single item.¡±
Ji Chi raised an eyebrow, ¡°This looks a lot like we stole them ourselves.¡±
¡°Tell Chen Liangyou the truth and investigate the origins of these four items. Find out which hands they passed through in thest twenty years. Did Chen Liangyou buy them, or were they gifted to him? There might be some connection we haven¡¯t thought of yet,¡± Lu Zhiyuan suggested.
Ji Chi pondered, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone look into the projects Chen Liangyou has recently been involved in. If these items were gifts, he surely wouldn¡¯t have received them for nothing.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡±
Rong Li, with ayer of concern, presented the case to Lu Zhiyuan, ¡°Third Master, what if he misunderstands and tries to use this against you deliberately?¡±
¡°No one cares about what he thinks!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said, indifferently and firmly. ¡°Send someone to exin the situation to him. You don¡¯t need to go. Follow the procedure!¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
¡°Third Master, your recovery is almostplete. Mr. Jiang will be avable the day after tomorrow. Where would you like to meet?¡± Ji Chi asked. ¡°He asked me to arrange this.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan replied with a smirk, ¡°You arrange the location, and I¡¯ll go there.¡±
Ji Chi was speechless.
He had a feeling that Third Master¡¯s smile held a hint of mischief. Was it just his imagination?
Rong Li rolled her eyes. ¡°Brother, trust your instincts!¡±
Qin Wan had a restful sleep and woke up feeling refreshed. The house was quiet. When she went downstairs, Dr. North had prepared breakfast. Gu Cici had yet to hire a housekeeper, and Dr. North didn¡¯t visit often. On weekends, Gu Cici would asionally cook, but most of the time, they ordered takeout.
Dr. North had cooked two bowls of rice noodles and prepared three side dishes. Qin Wan¡¯s stomach rumbled with hunger, and she felt a bit ufortable. Dr. North was also nervous, saying, ¡°Come and eat.¡±
¡°Where are Gu Cici and Ziyu?¡± Qin Wan asked.
¡°They went to the movies,¡± Dr. North replied.
Qin Wan knew very well that Gu Cici and Ziyu must have deliberately gone to the movies, leaving her alone with Dr. North for a private conversation. Qin Wan hadplex feelings about this. She had known since childhood that she was adopted, and she didn¡¯t care whether her adoptive parents liked her or not. She had once wondered what her life would have been like if she had grown up with her biological parents. She had also thought about whether her parents had any reasons for abandoning her. She had even felt resentment at times for why they had brought her into the world only to reject her. However, as she grew up and spent time with Jiang Junlin, her perspective broadened, and she became more open-minded and carefree. Gradually, she let go of those feelings and found that living without burdens was quite enjoyable..
Chapter 398 - 398: Mother and Daughter Reunited
Chapter 398: Mother and Daughter Reunited
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
asionally, she would envy those families with loving parents, asionally, she would feel that children with parents are truly fortunate. But she has also witnessed families torn apart over petty gains, so she no longer envies.
Being free from attachments is quite nice, she has faced danger her entire life, and in death, she won¡¯t need to worry about a final resting ce or someone grieving for her. When she dies, her ashes will be scattered into the sea, free from any attachments, and that¡¯s quite nice too.
Suddenly, she had a mother.
Qin Wan bowed her head to eat her noodles, asionally ncing at Dr. North. They had no resemnce whatsoever, so why were they mother and daughter? They didn¡¯t look alike, and there are plenty of kids in the world who don¡¯t resemble their parents.
Should she¡ get a blood test done?
What if she had made a mistake?
It¡¯s best not to be presumptuous; the other person might not want to acknowledge her. In that case, so be it.
Qin Wan was raised well by Jiang Junlin, she was open-minded and rational. She knew a bit about Dr. North¡¯s situation. She had barely survived back then while trying to escape from Chen Geng. If she had managed to survive, that was already fortunate.
Thinking about the fact that her father was Chen Geng, Qin Wan felt awful!
So, she didn¡¯t harbor any hatred towards Dr. North, not a shred of it. She just felt awkward. If Jiang Junlin turned out to be Chen Geng and had raised her, mistreated her, and oppressed her since childhood, it would be better not to even think about it. Giving birth to his children? What kind of dream would that be?
So, she should probably thank her lucky stars for being born.
¡°Do you have any questions for me?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve never encountered a situation like this in my life¡ so¡ should we do a paternity test first?¡± Qin Wan asked directly, ¡°Just to be sure?¡±
Dr. North chuckled, ¡°No need, your identity has long been confirmed.¡±
¡°Oh¡¡± Qin Wan thought, if the master has confirmed it, then there shouldn¡¯t be any mistakes. She said, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have much to ask. I¡¯ve seen your information. I can understand if you abandoned me. If 1 had to face the child of an enemy every day, even if 1 gave birth to them myself, it would be heartbreaking. At least, spare me a way out; that would be fine.¡±
Dr. North¡¯s eyes welled up with tears unexpectedly. She hadn¡¯t expected Qin Wan to think like this.
She chuckled self-deprecatingly, not ming Qin Wan. After all, she had never acknowledged Qin Wan as her daughter and had even exchanged harsh words with her. It wasn¡¯t fair to me her.
¡°Back in the ssroom, I spoke harshly to you without knowing that you had followed the Master. At that time, Chen Rush! was in A City, searching for you everywhere. I was afraid of arousing her suspicion, so I was prepared not to acknowledge you. If Chen Rushi had known your identity, it wouldn¡¯t have been beneficial for you. Plus, you got admitted to A University, which promised a bright future for you. I wanted you to have a smooth life. I had Pei Qiuying take you to the orphanage as a preparation for the worst, in case I had to go down the same path as Chen Geng. I didn¡¯t want you to grow up in the Chen family; it was a den of wolves, and Chen Rushi wouldn¡¯t have treated you well. It wasn¡¯t my intention to abandon you,¡± Dr. North exined, not trying to portray herself as benevolent but wanting Qin Wan to know the truth. ¡°I wanted to protect you.¡±
Qin Wan¡¯s heart trembled. Although she had told herself not to hate, not to resent, and not to expect, knowing that Dr. North was protecting her, not intentionally abandoning her, made Qin Wan happy.
¡°I understand,¡± Qin Wan took a deep breath and said softly, ¡°Although we are mother and daughter by blood, we never really knew each other from a young age, and we¡¯ve grown distant. I may not be able to treat you like a real mother, like how Guci views you, but 1 promise I will take care of you in your old age.¡±
That was the best she could do.
Dr. North couldn¡¯t help but smile and sigh. Their mother-daughter reunion wasn¡¯t earth-shattering; it was just a regr meal. Qin Wan didn¡¯t me her, but she also didn¡¯t draw close to her.
Dr. North felt a bit mncholic, but it was a satisfying oue.
¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m Chen Rushi¡¯s younger sister, it¡¯s just¡¡±
Dr. North hesitated, and Qin Wan, fearing she might bring up painful memories, quickly interjected, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to say anything. I¡¯m not that eager to know.¡±
¡°Your dad isn¡¯t Chen Geng,¡±
Qin Wan was so shocked that she almost choked on her food. She blurted out, ¡°That¡¯s great! So, who is he?¡±
But Dr. North remained silent, leaving Qin Wan to specte. Could there be some hidden secret? Qin Wan quickly waved her hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to say. Actually, I¡¯m not that eager to know.¡±
Suddenly having a mother had already left her feeling overwhelmed, and the thought of uncovering a father figure was even more daunting. It might be better not to dig too deep into this. She had been through enough.
After finishing her meal, she left and immediately turned to Jiang Junlin, saying, ¡°My dad isn¡¯t Chen Geng, thank goodness! Did she have any close male friends back then?¡±
¡°Did she not mention anything?¡±
¡°I sensed that she was feeling quite upset, so 1 didn¡¯t push it,¡± Qin Wan, who had been living under someone else¡¯s roof for many years, had be very perceptive. ¡°1 want to know, but I also don¡¯t want to know.¡±
¡°Want me to help investigate?¡±
¡°Forget it,¡± Qin Wan sighed, ¡°It¡¯s been twenty years. Either he¡¯s dead or alive, married, and has children. epting him as my father might not be a big deal, but if hees with any unexpected siblings, that would be troublesome.¡± Jiang Junlin couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°This is your personal matter. If you want to investigate, I can send someone to do it. If you don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t pry. But I suggest you consider talking to her yourself.¡±
¡°Okay¡ for now, let¡¯s leave it at that. I¡¯m not really interested in knowing at the moment.¡± Qin Wan hung up the phone, feeling free and unburdened, with no one to answer to.
Meanwhile, Jiang Junlin was carefully examining a painting and recording the hidden information within it. Zhang Qiang stood guard, not allowing anyone to approach. Jiang Junlin was personally handling this matter.
Zhang Qiang asked, ¡°Master, why did they risk sending the evidence to ck Hawk for protection? We went through so much trouble to retrieve it. You and Third Master agreed to cooperate. If they find out, things might getplicated.¡±
Jiang Junlin replied indifferently, ¡°No need to worry. Qin Wan is cautious in her actions, and they won¡¯t be able to find any clues. Even if they investigate the origins of these items, they won¡¯t find anything.¡±
After extracting all the hidden information from the painting, Jiang Junlin rolled it up and handed it to Zhang Qiang. ¡°Wipe all the fingerprints off the artifacts and send them to the ck market. Spread the news to ck Hawk.¡± ¡°What if they manage to extract the information?¡±
¡°The information hidden in the painting, only 1 understand its meaning,¡± Jiang Junlin removed his sses and rubbed his temples. He had been studying the painting for nearly five hours. ¡°Do it discreetly and keep our connections separate.¡±
¡°Why return it to ck Hawk? They have the items; they should handle the insurance im. In any case, they¡¯re the ones who will suffer the loss.¡±
¡°Lu Zhiyuan is very clever. Even though we¡¯ve kept things clean, we can¡¯t guarantee that their ongoing investigation won¡¯t go awry. Returning it to them is a strategic move, looking at the bigger picture to avoid small losses.¡± ¡°Understood.¡±
The artifacts made their way to the ck market and, within three hours, ended up back in Rong Li¡¯s possession.
Ji chi rested his chin on his hand and asked, ¡°Third Master, how do we exin this? I didn¡¯t understand it.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan looked at the perfectly intact items before him, and truth be told, he didn¡¯t understand either..
Chapter 399 - 399: A Storm Is Coming
Chapter 399: A Storm Is Coming
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Rong Li had verified its authenticity without any damage, and it returned intact. Rong Li was not pleased with this oue; although the item was retrieved, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that he had been yed by someone.
¡°Stolen for less than a day, and then returned in perfect condition. Could there be a thief so foolish?¡±
¡°No,¡± Lu Zhiyuan chuckled, ¡°someone obtained the information they wanted, and this item no longer holds any allure for them.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan had a strong ability to appraise old objects. He quickly noticed something amiss with the painting, running his finger over the canvas. ¡°Ji Chi, fetch a magnifying ss.¡±
Ji Chi brought over the magnifying ss, and Lu Zhiyuan said calmly, ¡°This canvas has been tampered with. Have you found any information about the origin of this antique?¡±
¡°No news yet,¡± Rong Li replied. ¡°Third Master, what¡¯s wrong with this painting?¡±
¡°The fact that it was confidently returned indicates that they believe we can¡¯t decipher it,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said with a light smile as he took a pen from the table and began analyzing the information on the canvas.
Ji Chi asked, ¡°Should we continue to investigate the person who stole the painting?¡±
¡°No need. They only wanted information, and they didn¡¯t harm our rtions. We should be understanding and not escte the situation,¡± Lu Zhiyuan nced at Ji Chi. ¡°It¡¯s rare to find someone with such temperament in our country.¡±
Ji Chi nodded in agreement.
Third Master, you should report this to Jiang Junlin!
At night, Jiang Junlin came to the Blue Fields Vi to discuss matters with Gu Ci regarding meeting Lu Zhiyuan.
¡°Are youing with me?¡±
¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± Gu Ci resisted. Lately, she had been forcing herself not to think about him or see him. She had been doing well in controlling herself, but she was afraid that her feelings might resurface when she saw Lu Zhiyuan again.
¡°Cici, if you¡¯re going to take over the underworld, you¡¯ll inevitably have dealings with ck Hawk. You can¡¯t avoid them forever,¡± Jiang Junlin said softly. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not pressuring you. The choice is yours. Let¡¯s meet in the afternoon.¡±
¡°1 understand,¡± Gu Ci replied in a subdued tone. ¡°1¡¯11 have Qin Wan drive me there.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
Jiang Junlin had been extremely busytely. After discussing the matter with Gu Ci, he had to go to the National Security Bureau to meet someone. He didn¡¯t stay long, and Gu Ci sat by the window, looking at the starlight. She remembered the time she had spent stargazing with Lu Zhiyuan that day. In that moment, she had truly felt happy.
Lately, she had been leading a fulfilling life. Even though she hadn¡¯t seen Dr. North¡¯s diagnosis report, she knew she was gradually improving. While her condition couldn¡¯t be cured, her mindset had changed significantly.
She had learned how to please herself.
From a young age, she had lived for others, constantly striving for her parents¡¯ love. Later, her heart turned to ashes, living for Lu Zhiyuan. After Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s death, she had lost all her aspirations.
She hadn¡¯t learned how to love someone; she only knew how to possess, hold on tightly, and develop obsessions. Now, she was gradually learning how to please herself. If she didn¡¯t love herself, who would?
Lu Zhiyuan loved her but had to leave her.
Although she had told Lu Zhiyuan they would never meet again, she was Jiang Junlin¡¯s sister and would eventually take over as the leader of the underworld. How could they never meet again? She had to face Lu Zhiyuan withposure.
Jiang Junlin arrived at the National Security Bureau, where Chen Liangdong was waiting for him. They went to a special prison area and met with a prisoner. Chen Liangdong had detained influential figures who once held significant power. They all enjoyedfortable treatment, with soft sofas,puters connected to an intr, gaming, movie-watching, and learning opportunities. The man Jiang Junlin saw looked quite young, having not seen sunlight for years, with pale skin and slightly lighter-than-usual irises. He wore a gray prisoner¡¯s uniform and was currently ying cards, entertaining himself.
¡°Tang Mingzhou, implicated in a coastal economic case five years ago, refused to provide the names of the masterminds and has been imprisoned here for five years,¡± Jiang Junlin said calmly. ¡°Do you still refuse to say anything?¡± ¡°Mr. Chen, who is this?¡± Tang Mingzhou asked with a smile, looking at Chen Liangdong.
Seemingly reminded of something joyful, Jiang Junlin extended his hand and said, ¡°Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Jiang Junlin, the owner of the underworld¡¯s dark web. Five years ago, 1 was the one who sent you to prison.¡±
The smile faded from Tang Mingzhou¡¯s face.
¡°It¡¯s you¡¡± Tang Mingzhou rested his chin on his hand, carefully examining Jiang Junlin. ¡°1 never expected the owner of the dark web to be so young.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t expect that after five years, there would be such a big twist in this matter,¡± Jiang Junlin squatted down, locking eyes with him. ¡°The former ck Hawk leader, Mr. Tang Mingzhou.¡±
Their eyes met, and the distance between them was very close. Every expression couldn¡¯t escape each other¡¯s scrutiny. Tang Mingzhou¡¯s hair stood on end. How did Jiang Junlin know this?
He was being deceived!
¡°People have always said that Third Master was secretly groomed by you, parachuted into ck Hawk. Five years ago, when you passed away, he took over in a crisis. But in reality, it was he who personally handed over the evidence of your crimes to me. This information, after five years, has fallen into my hands,¡± Jiang Junlin said with a hint of malice in his smile. ¡°1 didn¡¯t even know that Third Master had helped me out like this. The Crown Prince usurped the throne, and you were betrayed. Is that surprising?¡±
At the same time, at the Global Center.
Lu Zhiyuan looked at the extracted characters, his brow furrowed deeply. Neither Rong Li nor Ji Chi could decipher the hidden information within the intelligence. To them, it looked like gibberish, but it should be an exclusive secretmunication code. Extracting information from it should be challenging for outsiders, but Lu Zhiyuan could decipher one name from it. Tang Mingzhou!
No matter what message was being conveyed, the transmission of a name usually had some fixed patterns. The reappearance of this name after five years gave him a bad feeling. Ji Chi asked, ¡°Who is Tang Mingzhou?¡±
Rong Li also turned to Lu Zhiyuan.
¡°The former leader of ck Hawk.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t he supposed to be dead?¡± The leader of ck Hawk never revealed their real names, and Rong Li was hearing his true name for the first time.
¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t he supposed to be dead?¡± Lu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.
Ji Chi frowned. ¡°A person who died five years ago suddenly reappearing is quite strange. Who could have given my brother a clue rted to ck Hawk, and what could it be?¡±
Rong Li had just retrieved Tang Mingzhou¡¯s information on his phone. ¡°Third Master, Tang Mingzhou¡¯s parents died in a car ident before he died. After his death, his wife remarried and gave birth to a son.¡±
Rong Li hesitated for a moment. ¡°His son was bitten by a rabid dog in the neighborhood three years ago and passed away. His wife also went insane.¡± ¡°He was the leader of ck Hawk, and he didn¡¯t leave any protection for his wife and child?¡± Ji Chi couldn¡¯t understand. Just like when Third Master had groomed him, he had given specific orders to ensure Gu Ci¡¯s safety in case anything happened to Third Master.
Lu Zhiyuan exined, ¡°At the time, he was being pressured heavily by the major families within ck Hawk. He took a risky coboration with Chen Liangyou, hoping to use Chen¡¯s power to gain control. However, he was manipted by Chen Liangyou,mitting numerous crimes. He handlednd approvals, a position not too significant but with substantial power. 1piled and organized the information about his crimes, which led to his capture. After that, he disappeared from the scene, and apart from Chen Liangyou, few should know that he was the former leader of ck Hawk.. Why would his name appear in this painting?¡±
Chapter 400 - 400: This Is Karma
Chapter 400: This Is Karma
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
He couldn¡¯t fathom it, while Rong Li and Ji Chi were shocked by the sheer volume of information.
¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
¡°Third Master, so you plotted to seize power when you were sixteen and directly got rid of him?¡± Rong Li concluded.
¡°What of it?¡± He was sixteen in body, not in mind.
Ji Chi apuded expressionlessly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it rumored that he died suddenly, and that¡¯s why you parachuted into ck Hawk?¡±
¡°Who spread those rumors?¡±
Rong Li understood that these rumors came from Li Jiang, so they must have been spread by Lu Zhiyuan himself. He took control of ck Hawk this year and was still subject to various constraints. The owner of ck Hawk was not easy to rece. It had no natural advantage over the underworld dark web.
In terms of ancient systems, ck Hawk operated under a system of feudalism, with the Dark Lord merely a puppet. Whether the feudal lords obeyed or not depended on the Dark Lord¡¯s strength.
The underworld dark web operated under a centralized system, with no one sharing power.
Lu Zhiyuan controlling ck Hawk was much harder than Jiang Junlin taking charge of the underworld.
¡°Third Master, what about his wife and children? They wouldn¡¯t be¡¡± Rong Li made a throat-slitting motion at his neck.
Lu Zhiyuan asked with a smirk, ¡°Do 1 seem that ruthless?¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li chimed in simultaneously, ¡°Quite like it!¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t read the whole message. Tang Mingzhou¡¯s wife didn¡¯t go to the hospital when she was pregnant due to a toothache. She bought painkillers at a small store, so their son has Tang¡¯s syndrome. I have no interest in harming a mentally disabled child,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said softly, ¡°That was truly an ident.¡± ¡°Third Master, why did you want to seize power?¡± Ji Chi asked in confusion. ¡°At the time, you should have had a dual personality, with Tang Mingzhou handling ck Hawk¡¯s affairs, and you assisting him in secret. Managing ck Hawk yourself, not to mention training, wasn¡¯t that asking for trouble?¡±
¡°We had differences in managing ck Hawk. We were both willing to do whatever it took to control it, but his actions would harm many people. The main direction of ck Hawk would alsopletely turn to the dark side, and there would be no way out. If he got his way, ck Hawk would be a criminal organization by now,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said lightly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in taking over a criminal organization, and Tang Mingzhou was stubborn and self-serving. That¡¯s a path to self-destruction.¡±
¡°Understood!¡± ck Hawk indeed had some secret operations now that couldn¡¯t be disclosed. They belonged to the gray industry, but many industries had already gone legit and required official certification.
Ji Chi pursed his lips, ¡°Did he really die? What if he¡¯s still alive?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan frowned, ¡°1 saw him die with my own eyes, but 1 didn¡¯t see the body. Your words remind me, Ji Chi. Go and investigate Jiang Junlin¡¯s recent movements. This exclusive contact intelligence can only be deciphered by them, but something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±
¡°Got it!¡± Ji Chi nodded without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯ll find out everything before you meet him.¡±
In prison, Jiang Junlin pulled up a chair and calmly said, ¡°Five years ago, in that economic case from start to finish, they only caught you. The evidence against you is overwhelming; there¡¯s no way you can escape. But you¡¯ve been protecting the people behind you, colluding with each other, embezzling assets. Just in City A¡¯s bank, you diverted two billion from depositors, and you¡¯re trying to pin it all on one teller to settle it? You¡¯ve confessed to all the charges. As long as you don¡¯t expose them, you won¡¯t see the light of day.¡± Jiang Junlin continued with regret, ¡°1 me myself too. Back then, my vision was clouded. I thought we had caught a greedy scoundrel with no morals. I didn¡¯t expect that you were actually the mastermind behind ck Hawk. So, that money must have flowed into ck Hawk¡¯s system. Five years have passed, and it must have beenundered through multiple channels, right?¡±
Tang Mingzhou closed the webpage with the online Landlord game. ¡°Do you mind if I smoke?¡±
The record keeper who was apanying Chen Liangdong was about to offer him a cigarette.
¡°1 mind!¡± Jiang Junlin, a person who was even picky about food while in prison, couldn¡¯t tolerate someone else¡¯s helplessness. The cigarette the record keeper had taken out was quietly put back, pretending as if nothing had happened. ¡°How did you find out my identity?¡± Tang Mingzhou sneered. ¡°Even Third Master doesn¡¯t know my real name.¡±
¡°The money from City A¡¯s bank depositors was stolen, causing significant losses and tarnishing the bank¡¯s reputation. It also led to a bank run. Initially, the handling was improper, and there were people who jumped from the bank building, iming their innocence with their lives, severely affecting the functioning and orderly development of the financial system and humiliating everyone. Later, Hun Bank patched up that hole. 1 was in charge of the investigation, and when it yielded no results, I naturally had to clean up the aftermath. Since 1 was dealing with the aftermath, 1 was determined to catch the mastermind. Finally, I found a lead, and this case turned out to be rted to ck Hawk. So, for the past five years, I¡¯ve sent more than a dozen people into ck Hawk to investigate, even risking myself as bait. 1 want the truth about this matter toe to light. Those who did wrong must pay the price, and neither you nor the people behind you can escape!¡±
Jiang Junlin¡¯s anger red up whenever he brought up this matter. His high school Chinese teacher also died in this incident, and his wife fell ill. The life-saving money was stuck in the bank, dying her surgery, and she tragically passed away.
His teacher also jumped into the sea, following his deceased wife.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan doesn¡¯t know your real name? If he doesn¡¯t know your real name, how did he report you?¡± Jiang Junlin sneered, ¡°You may think you¡¯ve hidden it well, but in reality, you have no secrets in the eyes of others.¡±
¡°You actually know that Third Master is Lu Zhiyuan!¡±
¡°Tang Mingzhou, you think that hiding here means I can¡¯t do anything to you, but you¡¯re wrong,¡± Jiang Junlin said in a deep voice. ¡°1 know you¡¯re the mastermind behind ck Hawk, and 1 have a way to unravel this entire situation.¡±
¡°Then why are you here?¡± Tang Mingzhou said with a cold smile. ¡°Jiang Junlin, if you really had a way to find out, you wouldn¡¯t havee to see me.¡±
Jiang Junlin seemed to find something amusing, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan was someone you personally nurtured, and yet he turned against you. You¡¯re truly useless.¡± ¡°Jiang Junlin!¡± Tang Mingzhou¡¯s anger turned into a mockingugh. ¡°I won¡¯t be fooled by your attempts to sow discord!¡±
¡°It turns out you¡¯ve never known who betrayed you,¡± Jiang Junlin looked at him with a sly smile. ¡°Otherwise, why have you been here for five years with no one to rescue you?¡±
Jiang Junlin took out his phone and pulled up an old news article. ¡°Do you recognize anyone in the footage from three years ago?¡±
Tang Mingzhou didn¡¯t want to look, knowing it couldn¡¯t be anything good. It must be Jiang Junlin trying to provoke him, but he still nced at it and suddenly snatched the phone away. The news article featured his wife, who had been bitten by a dog and their child who had contracted rabies and died.
¡°You¡¡± Tang Mingzhou¡¯s eyes turned red instantly, and he looked at Jiang Junlin with a resentful gaze before smashing the phone, ¡°Jiang Junlin, how dare you!¡±
Jiang Junlin looked at the shattered phone, unfazed. It was just a disposablemunication device. ¡°This was an ident.. Do you consider it karma?¡±
Chapter 401 - 401: Angry Jiang Junlin
Chapter 401: Angry Jiang Junlin
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°This couldn¡¯t have been an ident!¡± Out of nowhere, how could there be a mad dog that killed his child? His wife was six months pregnant when the incident happened; this was his child.
Could it be Lu Zhiyuan?
Tang Mingzhou gritted his teeth and thought, it must be Lu Zhiyuan trying to wipe out everyone, not sparing even women and children. After all, that was his child, and Tang Mingzhou was trembling with anger.
Jiang Junlin and Chen Liangdong exchanged nces. Chen Liangdong, who had been silent all along, said, ¡°Tang Mingzhou, whether it¡¯s an ident or deliberate, there¡¯s nothing you can do. You¡¯ll spend the rest of your life in this prison.¡±
Tang Mingzhou gritted his teeth and looked at Jiang Junlin, ¡°If 1 provide information, can I apply for immunity?¡±
¡°Sure!¡± Jiang Junlin readily agreed, ¡°As long as the information you provide is valuable, I¡¯ll find a way to help you apply for immunity.¡±
¡°Jiang Junlin¡¡± Chen Liangdong shook his head gently.
¡°I want it in writing, signed and stamped. If you can¡¯t make the decision, find someone who can negotiate with me.¡± Tang Mingzhou was familiar with this system; he wanted to ensure his freedom.
He was locked up here, cut off from the outside world. He had left a substantial sum of money for his wife and set up a fund for his child. They should have been living carefree and happy lives, but he couldn¡¯t believe it was an ident.
¡°Let¡¯s discuss this first,¡± Chen Liangdong said.
Jiang Junlin followed Chen Liangdong outside, and Chen Liangdong said, ¡°Tang Mingzhou has a life sentence. It¡¯s almost impossible to get immunity. Even if we promise him, we can¡¯t deliver.¡±
¡°As long as the information he provides can reveal the truth from five years ago, we can promise him. That information is more important than his life.¡± Jiang Junlin said.
¡°I need some time to think about this.¡± Chen Liangdong hesitated slightly. Jiang Junlin wasn¡¯t part of the system and didn¡¯t follow the rules like Chen Liangdong did. This was something only Chen Liangdong could handle.
¡°He has been kept in solitary confinement, right? No one has visited him?¡±
¡°No, there has always been someone specifically guarding him. He has no one to talk to, and he has managed to live peacefully in prison. Back then, we designed a trap, and many people thought he was dead.¡± Chen Liangdong asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious, how did you know he was imprisoned here?¡±
¡°I have my sources,¡± Jiang Junlin said softly as he walked out with Chen Liangdong. ¡°This lead is too important; it must be kept confidential. There can¡¯t be any mishaps.¡±
¡°I understand,¡± Chen Liangdong said, ¡°No one held here has ever caused any trouble. When his wife and child had the ident, I thought about telling him, but I decided against it.¡±
¡°It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t. Otherwise, after all these years, anger, sadness, and hatred would have faded with time, and his will would have been eroded. It wouldn¡¯t have the same effect now.¡±
¡°It was truly an ident. That inte-famous dog was usually very gentle. The kids in the neighborhood loved ying with him, and no one knew he was sick. It just happened that he attacked them.¡± Chen Liangdong said, ¡°I was afraid someone might actually kill them, so I investigated this lead.¡±
¡°I know, Lu Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t harm women and children.¡± Jiang Junlin turned to look at the prison, ¡°It¡¯s a pity, Tang Mingzhou once trained Lu Zhiyuan, but he doesn¡¯t understand his character. As long as Tang Mingzhou feels it¡¯s not an ident and holds grudges, he will cooperate with us. I want the information in his mind; his grudge with Lu Zhiyuan is their private matter.¡±
¡°Master, Ji Chi is here, waiting for you,¡± Zhang Qiang whispered.
¡°What¡¯s he here for?¡± Jiang Junlin frowned. He had ns with Lu Zhiyuan tomorrow afternoon, so why was Ji Chi here tonight? As Jiang Junlin and Zhang Qiang exited the Ministry of State Security, Ji Chi leaned against the car, looking at him with a smile. ¡°Big brother, I made your favorite Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. I brought some for you to taste.¡±
Jiang Junlin¡¯s eyebrows twitched. After deciphering the intelligence and checking Tang Mingzhou¡¯s information, he had rushed to the Ministry of State Security. He hadn¡¯t had dinner yet, and now he was feeling a bit hungry. However, the thought of Ji Chi making the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall made him feel content even if he had to endure hunger.
He got into the car, and Zhang Qiang and the close security team followed him as they headed to Jiang Junlin¡¯s apartment.
Recently, Ji Chi had been staying at the Global Center, and Jiang Junlin often returned to his apartment because of Ji Chi. Jiang Junlin was a bit tired, so he dozed off while Ji Chi yed some soothing music and adjusted the seat height.
Jiang Junlin said, ¡°Drive your car, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±
Ji Chi softly asked, ¡°You¡¯ve got dark circles under your eyes. Have you been particrly busytely?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve had a lot of things piling up.¡± Jiang Junlin was juggling multiple roles, and it was getting a bit overwhelming. He hoped that Gu Ci would recover soon and help him with the Triad matters.
With a single hand controlling the steering wheel, Ji Chi reached out and held Jiang Junlin¡¯s hand, intertwining their fingers. Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t like this sticky feeling, but he didn¡¯t say anything.
After taking a shower anding out, Ji Chi had already prepared the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. When he opened the lid, a strong fishy smell wafted out. Jiang Junlin asked with an expressionless face, ¡°Have you ever eaten the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall you made yourself?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not a big fan of fish lips and sea cucumber,¡± Ji Chi replied.
Jiang Junlin struggled to scoop up some sea cucumber with a spoon but put it back down. He looked at Ji Chi, who was waiting expectantly, but restrained himself from saying what was on his mind. Ji Chi said, ¡°I hired a Cantonese chef to teach me. He said this is the most authentic recipe, and the ingredients are carefully selected.¡±
¡°Which restaurant¡¯s chef?¡± Jiang Junlin thought to himself, wondering if he should avoid that restaurant in the future.
¡°Xingyang, the one you often visit.¡±
Jiang Junlin pondered silently. He never ordered Buddha Jumps Over the Wall at restaurants because he was cautious about what he ate. He stared at the dish in front of him, and the aroma couldn¡¯t hide the fishy scent. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan got injured, and you and Rong Li handled official business. With your busy schedule, you still have time to cook?¡±
Ji Chi had grown up abroad and didn¡¯t understand the intricacies of Chinese, so he didn¡¯t realize that Jiang Junlin was subtly mocking him and took it as praise. ¡°It doesn¡¯t take much time, actually. Big brother, why aren¡¯t you eating? Seafood doesn¡¯t taste good when it gets cold.¡±
Jiang Junlin thought to himself that it might not taste that great when it¡¯s hot either.
He resisted the intense gaze of Ji Chi, caught in a tug-of-war between refusing and eating the dish. However, Ji Chi was focused on the task assigned to him by Lu Zhiyuan, wanting to uncover Jiang Junlin¡¯s whereabouts and secrets, which felt like an impossible mission. Yet, he had to find out before they met.
¡°Big brother, what are you going to do at the Ministry of State Security tonight?¡± Ji Chi asked.
¡°I¡¯m going to talk to Chen Liangdong about something,¡± Jiang Junlin replied indifferently, giving him a fleeting nce. He looked at the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and seemed to see through everything. Suddenly, he dropped the spoon and pushed the dish toward Ji Chi. He said calmly, ¡°Your sense of smell has gone bad. How did you not notice the strong odor?¡±
Ji Chi was momentarily puzzled, not sure which of his words had triggered Jiang Junlin¡¯s anger.. Why did he suddenly lose his temper?
Chapter 402 - 402: Testing Each Other
Chapter 402: Testing Each Other
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Is seafood not like this?¡± Ji Chi innocently looked at him. ¡°Brother, where did I make you angry?¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t your cooking master tell you that you need to remove the fishy smell when cooking seafood, especially for soups?¡± Jiang Junlin asked calmly.
¡°I followed his steps one by one and removed everything you don¡¯t eat. Did I make a mistake in the process?¡± Ji Chi took a sip of the soup, which had a moderate taste, not too salty or nd, but it did have a hint of fishiness.
¡°Scallions, ginger, garlic, and spices can enhance the freshness and aroma and remove the fishy smell. You didn¡¯t use any of those. So, you should remove the fishy smell before cooking. Have you ever seen me order this dish when we dined at Xingyang?¡± Jiang Junlin asked.
Ji Chi didn¡¯t want to argue anymore. ¡°Brother, hasn¡¯t anyone ever told you that you¡¯re really difficult to serve?¡±
¡°No!¡± Jiang Junlin asserted confidently. ¡°Everyone knows I¡¯m not easy to serve; they dare not say it.¡±
Ji Chi remained silent.
Jiang Junlin hadn¡¯t eaten dinner yet, and Ji Chi¡¯s attitude had irritated him. When he stood up, the chair made a grating sound as it scraped against the floor. Zhang Qiang, standing by the door, observed the whole scene and silently signaled one of the guards to go buy food.
¡°Impressive, Young Master!¡± Ji Chi mocked. ¡°We street-raised wild kids don¡¯t have so many rules!¡±
Jiang Junlin was dumbstruck.
Jiang Junlin pointed to the door. ¡°You can leave!¡±
In the span of a second, Ji Chi went from being angry to suddenly changing his expression. He smiled, revealing two small dimples. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sorry. 1 was being childish. You must be starving. Let me order some food for you.¡±
¡°No need. Zhang Qiang has already sent someone,¡± Jiang Junlin replied.
¡°Zhang Qiang has better judgment than our family¡¯s Nick,¡± Ji Chimented.
Zhang Qiang, at the door, didn¡¯t understand why they had suddenly started arguing. They seemed like statues to him, and he struggled toprehend his masters¡¯ thoughts.
Jiang Junlin took a bottle of soda from the fridge, but Ji Chi swiftly snatched it away. ¡°You haven¡¯t had dinner, and you have a stomach condition. Why are you drinking soda on an empty stomach?¡±
¡°Mind your own business!¡± Jiang Junlin grabbed another bottle from the fridge.
Ji Chi quickly pushed it back and closed the fridge. He apologized with a knowing smile. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be angry. I was wrong.¡±
He didn¡¯t know what he did wrong, but apologizing first was always a safe bet.
Ji Chi had a natural talent for acting cute in front of Jiang Junlin.
Jiang Junlin¡¯s inexplicable anger seemed to dissipate by half. ¡°Move aside!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Ji Chi understood in his heart. Most likely, as soon as he mentioned the Ministry of State Security, his brother knew what he hade for. Ji Chi clicked his tongue in his mind, his brother was really clever. He wasn¡¯t budging no matter what approach he used, truly difficult to deal with!
¡°I got scolded by Third Master and came to seekfort from you,¡± Ji Chi began, ¡°If you don¡¯t like this dish, you don¡¯t have to eat it. I¡¯ll work harder next time to perfect this dish and make it to your liking.¡±
He had humbled himself this much; his brother wouldn¡¯t still be angry, right? ¡°Why did you get scolded?¡± Jiang Junlin picked up the topic, as Ji Chi had hoped. Ji Chi hesitated for a moment, and Jiang Junlin calmly said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say, then don¡¯t.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to say,¡± Ji Chi lowered his gaze, putting on a look of grievance, ¡°A batch of cultural relics transported by ck Hawk to the port was stolen under my responsibility. The me is on me. We haven¡¯t found any clues yet, and the stolen artifacts were returned. Third Master said I was too focused on you and not paying enough attention to official business. This incident caused a stir, and I can¡¯t be med for not investigating as quickly as others, right?¡±
Jiang Junlin pondered silently. Wasn¡¯t this batch of cultural relics under Rong Li¡¯s responsibility?
But then he thought again. Lu Zhiyuan was recuperating, and both Rong Li and Ji Chi were sharing all the official duties. Ji Chi was the heir, so it made sense to entrust him with such an important matter.
¡°Since the items haven¡¯t been lost, there¡¯s nothing to be scolded for,¡± Jiang Junlin said.
¡°Third Master thinks something is fishy about this. The stolen items were returned intact, isn¡¯t this ying games with us? We had already informed Chen Liangyou on the day the items were stolen. There was a bit of unpleasantness recently, and Third Master was pushed off a cliff by Chen Liangyou. With the loss of these artifacts, Chen Liangyou, who had been inclined to reconcile with us, became estranged again. He felt we were deliberately plotting against him due to this incident, severing our tiespletely. It¡¯s quite a malicious scheme.¡±
Jiang Junlin pondered in silence. He had never thought of any malicious schemes.
¡°With ck Hawk¡¯s extensivework, losing the Chen family won¡¯t affect us much. Many others are willing to cooperate with you,¡± Ji Chi didn¡¯t say anything particrly valuable, and Jiang Junlin already knew it, ¡°You¡¯re not avoiding anything, just saying everything.¡±
¡°What¡¯s there to avoid? Third Master and Gu Ci fell off a cliff together, almost losing their lives. You¡¯d definitely investigate,¡± Ji Chi lightly chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to hide.¡±
With Gu Ci involved in such a major incident, how could Jiang Junlin not know?
Jiang Junlin changed the topic and asked Ji Chi, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan is a year younger than you. Why did they groom you as the heir? When he took over ck Hawk back then, he was also very young. Did he foresee his early death? Otherwise, why would he choose someone of the same age as the heir?¡±
Ji Chi propped his chin, smiling ambiguously, ¡°Third Master probably wanted to retire early and enjoy a life of leisure, wandering without a care?¡±
Jiang Junlin chuckled. ¡°A person who took over ck Hawk when he was underage, with no interest in power, wanting a carefree life in seclusion. Do you believe that?¡±
Ji Chi chuckled lightly. ¡°Third Master really does.¡±
¡°When do you n to take over?¡± Jiang Junlin asked.
¡°Maybe in another ten years!¡± Ji Chi wasn¡¯t entirely sure. It could be five years, or it could be ten. Five to ten years would give him enough time to establish himself in ck Hawk and maintain control over several major families.
That timeframe was simr to what Jiang Junlin had estimated.
¡°Why did he take over ck Hawk back then?¡±
¡°The previous master died suddenly, and he was thrust into the role in a crisis,¡± Ji Chi said with a sly smile. ¡°Brother, you seem quite curious about Third Master today.¡±
¡°I¡¯m curious because there are many mysteries surrounding him. Just surviving that fall alone has me puzzled,¡± Jiang Junlin asked, ¡°The car crashed in the South Mountains, so why did they end up in the North Mountains? Did they fly there?¡±
The South and North Mountains were not connected, with no roads between them. Jiang Junlin couldn¡¯t figure out how Gu Ci, half-dead, managed to cross the rugged terrain carrying Lu Zhiyuan. It had always been a question on his mind.
He had even seen videos taken by passersby of the ident. With such a severe crash, even gods would have perished. He had prepared for the worst.
He had almost believed that fate couldn¡¯t be changed, and Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci were destined to die.
Ji Chi was taken aback by this question. He hadn¡¯t considered it before. Since Third Master was fine, both he and Rong Li were just grateful. They didn¡¯t pay much attention to how he had survived. Jiang Junlin¡¯s mention of it felt strange, and Ji Chi couldn¡¯t help but find it peculiar. When the car went off the cliff, they were all inside it. What was even more bizarre was that Gu Ci only had superficial injuries. Despite arge search party looking for them at the foot of the cliff, they couldn¡¯t locate them.
¡°Maybe there¡¯s some hidden path in the mountains that we don¡¯t know about?¡± Ji Chi made a reasonable assumption.
Jiang Junlin let out a derisive snort. He leaned back against the couch, revealing his long neck, prominent Adam¡¯s apple, and a side profile that exuded both sharpness and gentleness. He was undoubtedly a side-profile heartthrob.
Ji Chi¡¯s mouth went dry, and Jiang Junlin satisfied every aspect of his aesthetic preferences, whether in terms of personality, temperament, looks, or physique.
Ji Chi was not one to stay passive, and Jiang Junlin could sense him inching closer. Ji Chi had countless desires.
He wanted to wake up every morning and see Jiang Junlin as the first thing.
He wanted to receive a hug from Jiang Junlin every evening when he returned home.
He wanted to have dinner with Jiang Junlin every day and chat about daily life..
Chapter 403 - 403: He Cheated, We Can’t Beat Him
Chapter 403: He Cheated, We Can¡¯t Beat Him
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Ji Chi¡¯s hair was as if it had just been washed, all covered in sweat. Jiang Junlin lifted his bangs, and his gaze softened.
Jiang Junlin thought to himself, this is really sticky.
Not only did Ji Chi say that, but he also said it about him!
Ji Chi was lying on top of him, almost falling asleep. The water temperature was sofortable, and Jiang Junlin¡¯s breath was toofortable. He didn¡¯t want to open his eyes at all. Jiang Junlin tapped his nose, ¡°Are you asleep?¡± ¡°Sleeping,¡± Ji Chi mumbled.
¡°Go back to the bedroom to sleep.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t walk.¡± Ji Chi reached out and hugged him like a ko. ¡°Big brother, hold me.¡±
Jiang Junlin really picked him up and went to the guest room to sleep. He hadn¡¯t eaten dinner, and he had been messing around all night, so his stomach was slightly aching.
He got up and returned to the living room, where he saw the sofa in a mess as well. Jiang Junlin ignored it, grabbed a few slices of bread to fill his stomach, took two stomach pills, and then went back to apany Ji Chi.
Ji Chi automatically snuggled up to him when he smelled his scent, insisting on hugging him to sleep. Jiang Junlin chuckled softly, turned off the lights, and the cold takeout food was forgotten.
Ji Chi left early in the morning. He hadn¡¯t slept for long. When he returned to Global, Lu Zhiyuan and Rong Li had already gotten up to exercise. Lu Zhiyuan still had a heart for racing, doing physical training, and the team doctor was on the side, worried that he might have another ident.
Ji Chi yawned and waited on the side, feeling difort in a certain part of his body, but he was still drowsy. The environment at Global was toofortable, and Ji Chi had no sense of vignce. He fell asleep leaning on the sofa, and he didn¡¯t even know when Lu Zhiyuan came over.
¡°Listen to your brother¡¯s advice and don¡¯t indulge yourself while you¡¯re young; it¡¯s bad for your health.¡±
Ji Chi looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°Third Master, I¡¯m one year older than you, and your son is seven years old.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t argue with that point, and heughed as he wiped his sweat. ¡°Did you manage to find out anything?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll rify one thing first. When I tried to gather information from Jiang Junlin, 1 basically couldn¡¯t get anything out of him. But one thing is strange; when I was at Ministry of State Security, Zhang Qiang seemed very nervous. Later, when 1 got home, my brother kept asking about your situation, so I guessed he must have some connection with you going to Ministry of State Security. He even asked why you took over ck Hawk back then, and I said you didn¡¯t have any ambitions and wanted to retire early. My brother¡¯s tone and expression were very mocking.¡± Ji Chi pondered for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m thinking he might know that you took over and killed the previous owner.¡±
¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said in a low voice. ¡°When he had his ident, I was at a race, and¡¡±
He had teleported there. Who could have expected that? Tang Mingzhou didn¡¯t even think of it, let alone Jiang Junlin.
¡°This is my spection,¡± Ji Chi yawned. ¡°When he joined the Ministry of State Security, he looked very pale. Oh, by the way, Third Master, you survived being pushed off a cliff, which is indeed hard to exin. He also found it very suspicious, and there were mostly these pieces of information.¡±
¡°After indulging yourself all night, you didn¡¯te up with a single definite clue?¡±
Ji Chi rolled his eyes not very subtly. ¡°Third Master, try asking someone else.¡± In the past, neither Ji Chi nor Rong Li would have dared to be so unrestrained with the Third Master, because the Third Master used to exude a cold and aloof aura, distant from human emotions. But now, the Third Master was humorous and kind, and gradually Ji Chi and Rong Li were no longer afraid of him.
Lu Zhiyuan sipped his water, deep in thought. The name Tang Mingzhou had resurfaced after five years, and news of his betrayal had also spread. Lu Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was off.
¡°How long did he stay at the Ministry of State Security?¡±
¡°Forty minutes,¡± Ji Chi calcted by looking at his watch, and he continued, ¡°I¡¯ve checked. No special individuals entered within five hours, and he met with Chen Liangdong.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a highly confidential ce. Ordinary people can¡¯t get in, especially considering he¡¯s the master of the underworld dark web. There¡¯s still no consensus on how the underworld dark web will proceed in the future, and Chen Liangdong will definitely want to avoid suspicion. Even if he discusses something with Jiang Junlin, it¡¯s unlikely that only Chen Liangdong met him. They probably arranged to meet somewhere outside to avoid prying eyes. By giving Chen Liangdong a spot in the underworld dark web, their rtionship has be very ambiguous, and no one wants to see them working together.¡± Ji Chi quickly grasped the situation. ¡°Unless there¡¯s someone at the Ministry of State Security that he absolutely had to meet.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t forget, besides being a highly confidential ce, there¡¯s also a prison in that building,¡± Lu Zhiyuan chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s the highest-level prison in the country.¡±
Ordinary criminals wouldn¡¯t have the qualifications to be incarcerated there.
¡°My brother is too cautious. I mentioned it briefly, and he got angry and became suspicious. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to press him further.¡± Ji Chi did his best.
Lu Zhiyuan smiled and asked, ¡°Since you indulged yourself so much, didn¡¯t you secretly check his phone?¡±
Ji Chi shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never done that.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Lu Zhiyuanughed. ¡°Even Gu Ci has sneaked a peek at my phone. I don¡¯t believe you haven¡¯t checked Jiang Junlin¡¯s.¡±
With such possessiveness, it was likely amon urrence.
¡°Third Master, are you being so good to me because I remind you of Gu Ci? Since you can¡¯t have her, is it satisfying to have a substitute?¡± Ji Chi teased.
Lu Zhiyuan was dumbstruck.
They were truly hurting each other.
Ji Chi arranged to meet at the restaurant where Jiang Junlin often went. This private restaurant was closed to the public today and would host their party in the afternoon. Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci arrived early, had lunch in the restaurant, and then moved to a private room to discuss matters.
Gu Ci had been in good spiritstely, sleeping well at night without nightmares. So, when she saw the dark circles under Jiang Junlin¡¯s eyes and his unusual fatigue, she felt concerned. ¡°Big brother, I will definitely work hard to treat you and help you relieve your stress.¡±
Her big brother was truly working too hard.
Qin Wan said, ¡°Master seems to be indulging too much, and his vitality iscking.¡±
Jiang Junlin was speechless.
With just one sentence, Qin Wan hit the nail on the head. Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t mind at all. He had been working tirelesslytely, and he already had trouble sleeping, not to mention the events of the previous night.
Zhang Qiang and the others remained tight-lipped and didn¡¯t dare to gossip about him. Gu Ci had a sharp gaze, even in the heated room, she was wearing a scarf. Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t mind their prying eyes.
Qin Wan asked, ¡°Master, are you and Third Master going to fight?¡±
¡°Why would we fight?¡± Jiang Junlin raised an eyebrow. He was here to discuss cooperation, and despite his dislike for Lu Zhiyuan, he recognized Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s abilities.
Under his control, ck Hawk was in much better shape than when it was under Tang Mingzhou.
¡°At least, it¡¯s all cleaned up,¡± he thought.
¡°Cici, if Master and Lu Zhiyuan were to fight, whose side would you be on?¡± Qin Wan enjoyed stirring things up and asked Gu Ci.
Jiang Junlin watched Gu Ci with a smile.
Gu Ci replied, ¡°I¡¯d support my big brother.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was overpowered, and there was no way his big brother could lose..
Chapter 404 - 404: Sister, I Want to Make a Move
Chapter 404: Sister, I Want to Make a Move
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin felt relieved, having raised her for nothing. Her brother was her lifelong brother, but her husband wasn¡¯t!
As soon as Lu Zhiyuan walked to the door, Gu Ci, without hesitation, said, ¡°I¡¯ll help my brother,¡± without even considering him. Ji Chi and Rong Li looked at him with a sympathetic look.
Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t expect Gu Ci to be here. As soon as he entered the door, he felt a sharp pain in his heart, unbearable, but he forcefully suppressed it, his face unchanged.
He hadn¡¯t seen Gu Ci for some time. She looked better, a bit plumper, with a well-proportioned and attractive figure, no longer as skinny as before, her eyes less gloomy.
The guards were all standing outside the door. Qin Wan didn¡¯t participate in the negotiations. She seemed more like recing Zhang Qiang¡¯s role in protecting Jiang Junlin. When Lu Zhiyuan and the others came in, Qin Wan moved to a corner, legs crossed, cigarette in hand, rebellious, trying to be invisible.
Rong Li nced at her, full of ridicule.
Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin exchanged brief greetings, both not very enthusiastic. Gu Ci got up to pour tea, her movements elegant. Gu Ci¡¯s gaze fell on the teacup. Ji Chi smiled as soon as he saw Jiang Junlin, not concealing his emotions.
Rong Li gave him a nudge, a love-struck fool, tone it down.
Ji Chi red at him, single dogs don¡¯t understand the happiness of our love.
Rong Li: Hah!
Ji Chi took the menu and ordered afternoon tea, ¡°Third Master, this ce makes exquisite pastries, sweet but not greasy, perfect with ck tea. Shall I order some for you?¡±
¡°Sure!¡±
Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci both watched as Ji Chi ordered. Ji Chi coughed twice, ¡°Why aren¡¯t any of you talking? It¡¯s awkward!¡±
They seemed very awkward!
Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t seem awkward at all. They sat calmly, and this was the first time they had sat together to discuss business. Both of them were unhappy and ufortable.
Gu Ci refilled Jiang Junlin¡¯s tea, and with a calm attitude, offered some to Lu Zhiyuan. Ji Chi and Rong Li poured tea as well.
¡°Are you all performing a silent y?¡± Gu Ci asked, ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient, we can leave, and you can talk alone.¡±
¡°No need!¡± Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin said in unison, quite in sync.
¡°Since we¡¯re going to cooperate, let¡¯s be open. We lost a batch of cultural relics, was it taken by your group?¡± Lu Zhiyuan also got straight to the point, asking calmly.
Qin Wan took a drag of her cigarette, wondering if she had made a mistake and been spotted by the ck Hawk?
¡°We did take the cultural relics, but they were returned intact. You suffered no loss,¡± Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°We had some vital intelligence hidden within the relics, which we retrieved. After obtaining the information, we returned the relics to you exactly as they were.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan said calmly, ¡°Whether there was a loss or not is not for you to judge. This urred with our mutual understanding of cooperation. If Mr. Jiang needs anything, just ask directly; we won¡¯t refuse.¡±
¡°You say that in an interesting way. Our intelligence is worth a fortune, and our agents risked their lives to deliver it. We haven¡¯t even started cooperating yet, so why should 1 trust you?¡± Jiang Junlin was not polite either.
Lu Zhiyuan sneered, ¡°If you can¡¯t trust us, then there¡¯s no need to talk about cooperation.¡±
¡°It was you who had Ji Chi deliver the message to discuss cooperation. If you don¡¯t want to discuss it, the door is right there,¡± Jiang Junlin stared at Lu Zhiyuan directly, ¡°Feel free to leave.¡±
¡°Fine, as you said!¡± Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s anger red.
They exchanged sharp words, the tension in the air palpable. Rong Li and Ji Chi, who had been with Lu Zhiyuan for years, were quite surprised to see him engaged in such a heated argument.
¡°Third Master, Mr. Jiang, let¡¯s talk properly. It took a lot to set up this meeting. Let¡¯spromise and findmon ground. There¡¯s a vast sea and sky beyond this. Don¡¯t be stubborn¡¡±
¡°Shut up!¡± Both Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin shouted simultaneously.
Ji Chi,
Don¡¯t let your quarrel harm the interests of others!
¡°Does he seem willing to cooperate?¡± Lu Zhiyuan said coldly. ¡°If you weren¡¯t interested from the beginning, you could have rejected Ji Chi. Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s mutually benefit. I advise Mr. Jiang to lower his arrogance.¡±
Just as Jiang Junlin was about to retort, Gu Ci softly said, ¡°Stop arguing and let¡¯s talk about business.¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s intervention calmed the tempers of both Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan. She handed them the terms and conditions of the cooperation project that the Triads wanted to discuss, and Ji Chi also presented the terms and conditions of the ck Hawk¡¯s project that required Triad¡¯s assistance.
Lu Zhiyuan took the documents handed over by Gu Ci and began reading them, with Rong Li and Ji Chi leaning in to see.
Jiang Junlin also took the documents from Ji Chi and reviewed them with Gu Ci. Qin Wan showed no interest in the negotiations; she opened the window, lit a cigarette, and started blowing smoke rings.
¡°This is quite a hefty demand!¡± Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin, despite their differences, both seemed to be on the same page again. They both felt like the other side was trying to extort them.
Ji Chi said, ¡°Third Master, let¡¯s finish reading them first.¡±
Gu Ci also added, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s finish reading.¡±
Negotiating cooperation was always a process ofpromise. Both parties expressed their intentions to cooperate, and there hadn¡¯t been a failed negotiation yet. Unreasonable terms could always be discussed.
After Ji Chi finished reading all the terms, he couldn¡¯t help but think that his brother was even more ruthless than the Third Master. The conditions were such that if the Third Master agreed to one-third of them, it would already be considered generous. Lu Zhiyuan picked up a pen and began crossing out uses, leaving only seven or eight out of the initial thirty-six.
Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci exchanged nces. Jiang Junlin also took a pen and began crossing out uses, making adjustments. Lu Zhiyuan proposed twenty-three cooperation terms, and Jiang Junlin rejected twenty of them.
Gu Ci sighed inwardly, thinking, ¡°Brother, please control yourself. This is getting too personal.¡±
When she saw that the terms Lu Zhiyuan was crossing out were also marked with X¡¯s, Gu Ci was at a loss. How were they supposed to continue the negotiation like this?
She pressed the bell and said, ¡°Madam, please bring us some chrysanthemum tea.¡±
¡°Jiang Junlin, are you here to cause trouble and not actually negotiate?¡± Lu Zhiyuan frowned. ¡°What demands are you making? Hoping for financial cooperation between the Triads and ck Hawk, isn¡¯t that a pipe dream? Who doesn¡¯t want to negotiate here?¡±
¡°I think sharing the ck Hawk Eye System is not unreasonable at all,¡± Jiang Junlin replied, ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s thinking too big. Do you think sharing means sharing everything? Do we have to split research and development funds equally as well?¡±
¡°That¡¯s fine!¡± Jiang Junlin continued, ¡°We have plenty of money.¡±
Ji Chi, taking advantage of the moment before Lu Zhiyuan got angrier, quickly interjected, ¡°Brother, this one isn¡¯t eptable. We have money too.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan sneered, ¡°Taking advantage of a situation!¡±
Jiang Junlin countered, ¡°Daydreaming!¡±
Rong Li couldn¡¯t bear it and mmed the table. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two just fight it out? The winner gets to speak.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan remained calm. ¡°I¡¯m fine with that.¡±
Jiang Junlin chuckled. He had wanted to fight Lu Zhiyuan for many years, and now he finally had the chance to do it openly. He wasn¡¯t going to miss this opportunity. However, Gu Ci spoke up, ¡°A true gentleman settles disputes with words, not fists.¡±
Jiang Junlin,
Sister, I want to use my fists!
Gu Ci maintained a nk expression, thinking, ¡°Brother, they have backup; we can¡¯t win this fight!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci exchanged a nce. Lu Zhiyuan could guess why Gu Ci didn¡¯t want Jiang Junlin to fight. She was probably afraid her brother would be at a disadvantage. She was truly protective of her brother..
Chapter 405 - 405: Third Master, Are You Weak?
Chapter 405: Third Master, Are You Weak?
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Chrysanthemum tea was quickly brewed. Gu Ci took it and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you two switch to chrysanthemum tea instead of ck tea?¡±
Qin Wanzily sunbathed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already smoked a whole cigarette, and you haven¡¯t even finalized one project. Do you want to spend three days here? You both can¡¯t stand each other¡¯spany, so stop chattering and get it done quickly!¡±
Rong Li rarely had a moment of understanding with Qin Wan.
¡°Are you really dragging this out just to steal a glimpse of your lover?¡± he asked.
Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin were both rendered speechless.
Ji Chi smiled and raised two small dimples at Jiang Junlin. Jiang Junlin¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What are youughing at?¡±
Ji Chi restrained her smile, looking innocent. ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯m innocent!¡±
¡°You¡¯re quite interesting. Weren¡¯t you two indulging yourselvesst night? Now, you¡¯re sitting together and acting like strangers. So, is friendship only maintainable in bed?¡± Rong Li sincerely said, ¡°JI Chi, you¡¯re worse than a warm bed.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan added, ¡°Indeed, no self-awareness!¡±
Ji Chi was thrown.
Why are you attacking me when you¡¯re discussing cooperation?
Jiang Junlin sneered, ¡°You guys care about everything, even who he sleeps with at night?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan smiled at Ji Chi, ¡°Can you manage that?¡±
Ji Chi picked up a pastry and said, ¡°These pastries are really delicious. Won¡¯t you try them?¡±
One is the master, and the other is the one he loves. He can¡¯t afford to offend either of them.
Little Cherry said, ¡°Master, the male ssmates in my ss are all handsome and have great figures. 1¡¯11 introduce them to you. The most important thing is that they all have the highest education in the country. Unlike some people!¡± Rong Li sneered, ¡°What¡¯s so impressive about a high education? Our Ji Chi is indeed illiterate and useless. Your master is shallow, only caring about his looks!¡±
Ji Chi stayed silent.
Qin Wan flicked her cigarette butt and rolled up her sleeves. ¡°Who are you calling shallow?¡±
¡°Obviously, I¡¯m talking about Jiang Junlin. Can¡¯t you understand?¡± Rong Li retorted.
Ji Chi, who had been angry, was now holding a cup of chrysanthemum tea and watching the drama.
¡°Come on, let¡¯s have a fight!¡± Qin Wan said.
Rong Li looked at her disdainfully. ¡°1 won¡¯t bother fighting with a woman.¡±
¡°Oh my god, you¡¯re chickening out, aren¡¯t you? Afraid you can¡¯t win?¡± Rong Li stood up abruptly. ¡°Come on!¡±
Qin Wan walked away briskly, and it seemed like the two of them were really going to fight outside.
Inside the private room, there was silence. No one had expected the discussion to take this turn. Gu Ci asked expressionlessly, ¡°Should we wait for them to finish fighting first or continue the negotiation?¡±
Ji Chi couldn¡¯t help but suggest, ¡°If Rong Li wins, should my brother back off?
If Qin Wan wins, should Third Young Master back off?¡±
¡°Shut up!¡± Both Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin eximed simultaneously, clearly not believing that their side could win. They were both unknown quantities.
Gu Ci took both sets of agreements and ced them together. ¡°Let¡¯s go through them one by one now. We can renegotiate what¡¯s negotiable and strike out what¡¯s not. Those of you fighting, it¡¯s not like you can¡¯t negotiate anything, right?¡±
Letting them continue their brawl would only result in no progress by tomorrow.
Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan exchanged a nce and reluctantly agreed. Ji Chi sat beside Gu Ci and picked up the agreement drafted by ck Hawk. ¡°We¡¯ll go first. The first item, Mr. Jiang, it¡¯s about financial cooperation. Can¡¯t we discuss it at all?¡±
¡°No discussion!¡± Jiang Junlin said firmly.
Gu Ci continued, ¡°On our side, the first item also has an ¡®X.¡¯ Is it impossible to discuss the shared ess to The ck Hawk Eye System?¡±
¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± Lu Zhiyuan confirmed.
Ji Chi nodded, ¡°Item two, the establishment of ck Hawk¡¯s Asian division. We hope to receive assistance from Hun Bank to solidify ck Hawk¡¯s position in the Asian financial circle. Mr. Jiang, can¡¯t we discuss it at all?¡±
After a brief thought, Jiang Junlin replied, ¡°Negotiate the details. We¡¯ll only be responsible for rmendations. How you go about it is your concern. One condition from us, though, ck Hawk mustply with the local financial market rules that we lead.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan frowned, finding it stringent, but he could ept it. ¡°Alright.¡±
Gu Ci recorded the agreements, modifying the details. She looked at Lu Zhiyuan and asked, ¡°Regarding the details, do you have any suggestions?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan experienced a sudden and severe heartache, causing him to momentarily lose focus. Cold sweat formed on his forehead, and the pain triggered an involuntary reaction.
Jiang Junlin furrowed his brows. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, have you been feeling unwell? You¡¯ve been sweating since you arrived.¡±
Ji Chi also noticed that despite being fine earlier, Third Young Master seemed unwell now. ¡°Third Young Master, are you not feeling well?¡±
Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t hold back, ¡°If you¡¯re feeling weak, you should take better care of yourself. I¡¯ll have some supplements sent to youter.¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lu Zhiyuan replied with a faint tone. Gu Ci looked at him with confusion, then suddenly grabbed his wrist to check his pulse. The contact triggered Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s heartache again, and a mouthful of blood rushed to his throat. He quickly stood up and left the private room, saying, ¡°1 need to use the restroom.¡±
The three remaining people in the room were puzzled. Jiang Junlin pointed at the restroom sign inside the private room, ¡°Did he not see that big restroom sign?¡±
Each private room had its own restroom.
Gu Ci asked, ¡°Is his injury not fully healed yet?¡±
Ji Chi softly said, ¡°He¡¯s been in excellent health recently. He even trained for four hours this morning. 1 didn¡¯t notice any difort.¡±
¡°Hisplexion doesn¡¯t look like that of someone in good health,¡± Jiang Junlin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Thinking of retirement so early, could he have some terminal illness?¡±
Gu Ci was taken aback by the suggestion.
She had seen Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s health reports, medical examinations, and there was no problem at all. He was very healthy. Even if he had been injured, he should have fully recovered by now. How did he end up like this?
¡°Ji Chi, go check on him,¡± Gu Ci said.
Ji Chi initially wanted Gu Ci to go, but he didn¡¯t refuse when he heard her request. He got up and went to find Lu Zhiyuan. Lu Zhiyuan had managed to suppress the pain in his chest without Gu Ci, and it had eased slightly.
He was washing his hands with a cold expression. This curse was so vicious, tormenting him and Gu Ci for eternity with no solution in sight. Lu Zhiyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the anger rising within him, though it was mostly a feeling of helplessness.
He couldn¡¯t tell Gu Ci about it. If he did, she would me herself and suffer. He would bear this burden alone, not wanting to trouble her.
¡°Third Master, are you okay?¡± Ji Chi knocked on the door gently and spoke softly, ¡°Are you feeling ufortable somewhere?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan opened the door, hisplexion terrible. One¡¯s health couldn¡¯t be hidden, even if he pretended to be fine. Ji Chi could tell something was wrong from his appearance.
For the past few days, Third Master had been cheerful, and he had taken great care of his health. ¡°Third Master?¡±
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lu Zhiyuan replied, though his tone was far from convincing.
¡°If you¡¯re just brushing me off, it¡¯s okay, but Miss Gu Ci is a doctor. How are you going to brush her off?¡± Ji Chi sighed, reaching out to check Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s forehead. If it were a few months ago, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to do this. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever. If you¡¯re feeling unwell, leave the negotiations to me and Rong Li. We¡¯ll talk to Jiang Junlin..¡±
Chapter 406 Baby Was Poached
406 Baby Was Poached
"When you see Jiang Junlin, it''s like a hungry dog finding a bone. What can you talk about?"
"Third Master, you''re underestimating him. There should be some restraint, and I''m well aware of it." Ji Chi thought to himself, whypare it to a dog? He hated dogs, after all, he was more of a wolf!
Lu Zhiyuan didn''t want to say what he was thinking, and Ji Chi knew he couldn''t ask.
In the private room, Gu Ci remained calm, but her heart was filled with worry. What happened to him? Why is he in so much pain? Thest time she and Ziyu went to see him, Lu Zhiyuan was also in great difort, as if his body was in excruciating pain. Is it because his old injuries didn''t heal properly?
Did using teleportation have such severe aftereffects?
"Cici, have something to eat." Jiang Junlin handed her pastries and poured a fresh cup of tea to rece the cold one. Gu Ci had no appetite, and Jiang Junlin thought to himself that she still cared a lot about Lu Zhiyuan.
It seems that Lu Zhiyuan initiated the breakup.
Cici didn''t seem to want to break up at all, and Jiang Junlin sneered. Lu Zhiyuan was really blind. With someone as good as Cici, why would he want to break up? Jiang Junlin had always understood that for Lu Zhiyuan, being with Cici brought nothing but benefits and served as a restraint on him. If Lu Zhiyuan didn''t love Cici, what did all those public disys of affection mean?
Lovees quickly and goes just as fast, does it stay passionate for just a day or two?
After he had an ident in Paris, Cici took care of him day and night, almost going crazy with him. Anyone with a bit of kindness would be touched, but Lu Zhiyuan''s heart was made of stone. He didn''t feel moved at all; instead, he wanted to hurt her.
"Cici, did Lu Zhiyuan initiate the breakup?" Jiang Junlin asked.
Gu Ci nced at the contract, her brother was currently discussing cooperation with Lu Zhiyuan. If she got angry, it might ruin their negotiations. "I initiated it."
"Why?"
"Our personalities don''t match, and he has too many fans. It''s annoying." Gu Ci said seriously.
Jiang Junlin didn''t believe her at all.
When Lu Zhiyuan came in, his face returned to normal. Gu Ci frowned and looked at him. "What''s wrong with you?"
"My old injury acted up. I need to recover quickly for training. The medical team used medication too aggressively, but it''s nothing serious." Lu Zhiyuan brushed it off casually. He was in excruciating pain as soon as he entered the private room, but there was no sign of it on his face.
Gu Ci couldn''t tell if he was lying or not. He was a man of few words, and he wanted to get back to training as soon as possible. The team doctor couldn''t persuade him, and Jiang Junlin said casually, "Let''s continue our discussion!"
Chen Liangdong brought Gu Ziyu to attend a seminar, and most of the participants at this seminar were heavyweights. It was like Gu Ziyu''s formal debut. The average age of the participants was over 40, and Gu Ziyu was the only young one. While others were sipping tea, he was drinking milk and frequently being prompted to speak. Gu Ziyu managed to hold his own in this setting. Despite his young age, he maintained a serious expression, showcasing his exceptional technical skills, which impressed everyone.
Although it was unconventional and unheard of, after months of rumors and Gu Ziyu''s frequent assistance in solving numerous domestic and international cases, they had already epted this young prodigy. Moreover, with Gu Ziyu on board, the ck Hawk Eye System had made significant leaps, and many people regretted their high moral standards, wishing they had acted quickly and been willing to exploit childbor. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Gu Ziyu received many tempting offers from prestigious government departments, all trying to win over Chen Liangdong.
Chen Liangdong had initially thought that he might face challenges from others, fearing that they might use Gu Ziyu''s age against him. However, it turned out that they were trying to woo Gu Ziyu. He couldn''t help butugh and cry. Gu Ziyu was young, but he had learned Tai Chi from the master of diplomacy, Chen Liangdong. He appeared to be epting everyone, but in reality, he was rejecting them all without offending anyone. With his childish remarks and charming personality, he won people over easily. Since the seminar focused on social issues, Gu Ziyu was well-prepared and gained universal approval.
During a break, Gu Ziyu got some snacks, and Chen Liangdong asked, "This afternoon, Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan have scheduled a meeting. Shouldn''t we wrap things up?"
It was already three o''clock in the afternoon.
"It started at two o''clock. I''m afraid one hour won''t be enough," Gu Ziyu replied. Regarding the Tang Mingzhou incident, Chen Liangdong didn''t keep it a secret from him. Although Gu Ziyu found himself in an awkward position, he had principles, and he didn''t leak any information about it.
Lu Zhiyuan was not the kind of person who would use his son to gather information, and both sides had their boundaries.
Chen Liangdong was very worried, fearing that they would have a very productive meeting but also fearing that it might not go well. He was in a dilemma. Gu Ziyu saw through his thoughts with a single nce and said, "Old man, don''t overthink it. They won''t have deep cooperation."
"If they won''t have deep cooperation, why are they talking for so long?" Chen Liangdong had just received a message from Chen Fei. They hadn''t finished their discussion yet, and for some reason, Qin Wan and Rong Li were fighting, damaging a folding screen in a restaurant.
Gu Ziyu hadn''t inquired about what Gu Ci was going to discuss, and Chen Liangdong exined, "If they get along too well, Jiang Junlin will be even more confident and difficult to control. There are already many opposing opinions, and no one has reached a bnce. If he has ck Hawk as a backer, the conflicts will intensify. But if they don''t get along, and they start fighting, it''ll be a life-and-death struggle, which will have a significant impact on the financial market''s stability."
09:14
Gu Ziyu hadn''t inquired about what Gu Ci was going to discuss, and Chen Liangdong exined, "If they get along too well, Jiang Junlin will be even more confident and difficult to control. There are already many opposing opinions, and no one has reached a bnce. If he has ck Hawk as a backer, the conflicts will intensify. But if they don''t get along, and they start fighting, it''ll be a life-and-death struggle, which will have a significant impact on the financial market''s stability."
"If you''re so anxious, why don''t you go talk to them too?" Gu Ziyu cleverly suggested, "I can help you connect with them."
Uncle and Dad probably wouldn''t refuse him.
"No way!" Chen Liangdong shook his head and tapped his nose, "Our position is always neutral."
"I''m not suggesting youpromise your principles," Gu Ziyu couldn''t help but smile, "but just a little outside the realm ofw and order."
"Your ideas are quite dangerous," Chen Liangdong remarked, "just talk to me about it."
"I''m not that foolish," Gu Ziyu was never someone to blurt out trouble, he had a sense of propriety, especially at a seminar, where he presented himself as a silent and aloof tech prodigy.
Chen Liangyou walked over, and Chen Liangdong called him "big brother."
Gu Ziyu also stood up and greeted the neer.
Chen Liangyou said, "Kid Yu, I have something to discuss with Liangdong."
"I''ll go to the restroom," Gu Ziyu took his snacks and headed out, searching for an empty balcony to enjoy his snacks. He found these seminars particrly irksome. They talked about serious matters, often rted to people''s livelihoods, technology, education, and the topics varied each time. Representatives from various departments came to discuss.
The conversations proceeded at a leisurely pace, more like sipping tea and chatting while snacking on melon seeds. How else could you describe a seminar like this? Gu Ziyu found it annoying. He didn''t like these meetings and found them torturous.
"Kid, I heard you''re the little genius brought by Old Chen. Interested in joining our national defense?" Amanding voice interrupted Gu Ziyu''s drowsiness. He silently left his snacks behind.
The man in front of him was around forty years old, still very young, handsome in appearance, with a strong and powerful physique. He was wearing a green uniform. Gu Ziyu nced at his shoulder insignia and realized he was dealing with a young major general.
"Hello, Uncle. I''m Gu Ziyu," Gu Ziyu greeted with a cheerful smile and innocently asked, "Who are you?"
Chapter 407 I Love You and Rejected Him
407 I Love You and Rejected Him
"Mu Jianxin. I believe that Old Chen has provided us with a set of monitoring and tracking devices. The Blue Army achieved a great victory a few days ago, and they''re all praising it. I heard it was developed by you, and your technology is being underutilized by Old Chen," he said without any hesitation, pinching Gu Ziyu''s arm as if he wasn''t an outsider and observing his physique. "You look like a promising talent. Transferring to a military academy would be a good choice."
Gu Ziyu was silent.
He stayed quiet for a few seconds, then smiled, "I''ve been weak since childhood. I get out of breath when I run, and my heart hurts when I move. I can''t handle hardship, and I can''t adapt to the military academy''s system at all."
Let me be azy person!
Please!
Genius teenagers should have a choice!
"I''ve heard this before; my son said the same thing," Mu Jianxinughed heartily. "Give it some serious thought. If you want to transfer,e find me anytime. We''ll always wee you."
Gu Ziyu watched him walk away briskly, squinting in confusion. Why did hee to this meeting? Was he here just to recruit him? Gu Ziyu munched on snacks, pondering.
Am I really this popr?
Chen Liangyou immediately used Chen Liangdong as soon as he spoke, "You''re the only one who would take a child of unknown origin and painstakingly nurture him, bringing him here to familiarize him with everyone. If he causes trouble in the future or has identity issues, you''ll have to deal with it. Why do you always do thankless things like this? Do you know how many people have grievances about this matter?"
"Big brother, Ziyu knows his limits. Don''t think of the worst. I brought him to broaden his horizons and help him adapt faster."
"Have you thoroughly investigated his background?"
"If something happens, I''ll take responsibility, and it won''t affect you," Chen Liangdong spoke gently. "Big brother, you don''t need to worry."
"Throughout your life, how many troubles have you caused, how many problems have you stirred up? There''s nothing reassuring about it. So many people are interested in Gu Ziyu. It might be better to have him transfer out sooner. If something happens in the future, it won''t be your concern," Chen Liangyou said without mincing words.
"Big brother, why are you so certain that he''ll definitely cause trouble in the future?" Chen Liangdong didn''t understand. "What terrible things has Ziyu done to make you dislike him so much?"
He almost quoted a ssic line.
He was still a child.
Chen Liangyou frowned, "This kid is close to Gu Ci, close to the Jiang family. He used to live in the Global Center with Gu Ci, and recently, he was seen ying basketball and street racing with Lu Zhiyuan. With such a background and connections, are you not afraid to use him, Chen Liangdong? Are you not afraid of death?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
If Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin''s identities had not been exposed and there were no issues, Gu Ziyu wouldn''t have faced any problems either. Chen Liangdong valued talent and early cultivation, which made sense.
But now, with Gu Ziyu, Lu Zhiyuan, and Jiang Junlin all being so open about their identities, the situation became quite intriguing.
"Aren''t you afraid that he might be Jiang Junlin or an undercover agent sent by Lu Zhiyuan?" Chen Liangyou said in a serious tone. "Think about it carefully. Isn''t it too coincidental for this child to appear? At that time, Jiang Junlin was also at the police station, and he could have handled it. Why did he wait for you? His background is unknown, and he''s young. Can we trust the fabricated background?"
Chen Liangdong had his suspicions as well. Ever since Lu Zhiyuan''s identity was exposed, he had trouble sleeping at night. From the moment Gu Ziyu appeared and joined them, he had been leading the way. What if it was all part of a well-orchestrated n? Why did he initially refuse, only to change his mindter? Chen Liangdong was tormented the most after the consecutive revtions of Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin''s identities.
He had asked Chen Fei to keep an eye on Gu Ziyu''s every move and had even sent people to investigate Gu Ziyu''s background, but they couldn''t find anything. After the identities of Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin were exposed, Gu Ziyu hade to Chen Liangdong to talk.
"Do you know that after the identities of Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin were exposed, Gu Ziyu came to me immediately? He could have resigned and been investigated," Chen Liangdong said. "It was my choice to trust him!"
"Are you out of your mind?" Chen Liangyou said. "He''s ying the long game. You''ve been in this position for so many years, and you''re being easily manipted by a child."
"Big brother, this is our internal matter, and it''s not your concern. You don''t need to worry. I believe in Gu Ziyu. If something goes wrong, I''ll bear it alone. I have no wife, no children, and even if I shed this skin, it won''t affect anyone," Chen Liangdong said firmly. "Don''t use suspicions on the trustworthy. I don''t want to hear such words again."
Chen Liangyou was so angry that his hands were trembling. "You are stubborn. There will be a day when you''ll suffer for it. I''m your big brother, same bloodline, and we rise and fall together. Can I harm you?"
"I know you mean well, so please support my decision."
"Stubborn to the end!" Chen Liangyou was too furious to speak and walked away.
Gu Ziyu hid in a corner, his eyes slightly red. He couldn''t believe how much the old man trusted him. In reality, after Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin''s identities were exposed, Gu Ziyu knew that Old Chen was investigating him. He had even voluntarily offered to resign.
He felt wronged too. When his father''s identity was exposed, he had a conversation with Chen Liangdong. It was indeed an awkward situation, but he didn''t reveal that he was Lu Zhiyuan''s son. Gu Ziyu knew his boundaries and had a conscience; he wouldn''t do things he shouldn''t.
Chen Liangdong also believed in him. But with his uncle''s identity turning out to be another shock, he was exhausted. He had another conversation with Chen Liangdong. After these repeated incidents, he understood that if Chen Liangdong had suspicions about him, it wouldn''t be unfounded. This situation was just too unusual.
No matter how you looked at it, Gu Ziyu seemed like he could be Jiang Junlin or an undercover agent sent by Lu Zhiyuan, infiltrating Chen Liangdong''s inner circle. He felt burdened by his family''s elders, and although he had grown fond of Ministry of State Security and wanted to serve his country, he had to be prepared to be kicked out at any moment.
He felt even more wronged because he couldn''t exin himself. If he were in Chen Liangdong''s shoes, he might have found himself suspicious as well.
Once you jumped into the Yellow River, there was no way to wash yourself clean.
But Chen Liangdong trusted him, and whether in public or private, he had never said a negative word about Gu Ziyu. He had always shielded him from many rumors. Gu Ziyu swore that he would never do anything to betray Chen Liangdong in his entire life.
Gu Ziyu bounced into the room with snacks, as if he hadn''t heard Chen Liangdong and Chen Liangyou''s conversation. "Old man, who made you so angry, you''re wearing such a long face."
"Nothing, where were you?" Chen Liangdong asked.
"I was on the balcony, enjoying the breeze. Mu Jianxin just tried to poach me, and he invited you too," Gu Ziyu patted his chest and said to a surprised Chen Liangdong, "I love you, and I turned him down t."
Chen Liangdong was speechless.
In the private room, by the time it reached 4 o''clock in the afternoon, they had discussed ten points of detail, but there was still much left unfinished. Both Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan were bing increasingly impatient. Gu Ci suggested, "How about a half-hour break?"
Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin exchanged a nce and remained silent, so Gu Ci took their silence as agreement.
As soon as the meeting adjourned, Lu Zhiyuan left the private room first. Finally, he could escape the excruciating discussions for a few hours. Jiang Junlin also stepped out to catch a breath. The courtyard was quite spacious, and in different corners, they wouldn''t interfere with each other.
Chapter 408 - 408: Belated Affection Is Cheaper Than Grass
Chapter 408 - 408: Bted Affection Is Cheaper Than Grass
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
When Lu Zhiyuan arrived in the courtyard, he saw Rong Li had put up decorations and was tending to his own arm. His face also bore the marks of a scuffle. Lu Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t believe it and remarked, ¡°You got beaten up by a woman?¡±
¡°She¡¯s definitely more battered than me!¡± Rong Li snorted. It was normal to have a few bruises when evenly matched in a fight, and he wasn¡¯t guaranteed to win against Qin Wan. ¡°That woman must have grown up eating something special; she¡¯s incredibly strong, and¡¡±
Rong Li revealed the bloodstains on his arm, saying, ¡°She had a knife hidden in her boot and used it during the fight, even after the agreed rules.¡±
¡°Who said anything about stopping at the rules? When you challenge someone to a fight, it¡¯s a fight to the finish, life or death, right?¡± Ji Chi approached from behind, leaning against a trellis and said, ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, you can¡¯t even beat a woman, how embarrassing!¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t lose!¡±
¡°Getting beaten up by a woman means you lost, admit it, it¡¯s embarrassing!¡± Ji Chi taunted.
Rong Li threw a towel at him, saying, ¡°Are you being sexist? Besides her appearance, what part of her is like a woman?¡±
¡°If you lost, you lost, be magnanimous and don¡¯t get angry,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said.
Rong Li remained silent.
On the other side of the courtyard, Qin Wan was indeed more seriously injured. Men hit harder, and although she had no visible external injuries, she was covered in dark bruises. One of her arms had been dislocated, and she had forcefully reset it herself. It was painful, and her face had turned pale. Jiang Junlin furrowed his brow and asked, ¡°Were you trying to kill each other in that fight?¡±
¡°Who¡¯s using kid gloves here? When you fight, you fight until someone surrenders!¡± Qin Wan justified herself.
Jiang Junlin sent someone to fetch a bottle of medicinal wine and handed it to Gu Ci, who had arrived slightlyter and was startled by Qin Wan¡¯s condition. ¡°It must hurt a lot. Find a room and rest for a while, lie down and apply some medicine.¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t die. I¡¯ll tough it out,¡± Qin Wan said. ¡°It looks scarier than it is; 1¡¯11 be fine after a couple of days.¡±
¡°Did you have a grudge with him? You fought pretty intensely,¡± Jiang Junlin inquired.
¡°Master, ck Hawk¡¯s people and us have a history. I¡¯ve learned my lesson, and I¡¯ll train harder. Next time, 1¡¯11 save face for you,¡± Qin Wan resolved. She realized that herck of training was the reason she couldn¡¯t defeat Rong Li today.
Jiang Junlin said, ¡°Enough talking; let¡¯s get that medicine on.¡±
Qin Wan obediently went to apply the medicine, while Jiang Junlin remained in the courtyard, smoking a cigarette to calm himself. Gu Ci understood that he needed some space and went to find Ji Chi, coincidentally meeting him on the way.
Gu Ci said, ¡°Big brother probably needs some alone time. I have something to ask you;e with me.¡±
Ji Chi nced in Jiang Junlin¡¯s direction and followed Gu Ci to a more secluded spot. Gu Ci asked, ¡°What¡¯s the story behind Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s injury? Is it really a recurring old injury?¡±
¡°Miss Gu Ci, you should ask Third Master about this matter,¡± Ji Chi replied cautiously. Besides the exnation of an old injury resurfacing, there wasn¡¯t much else to say.
¡°You¡¯ve been living in the Global Center for some time now. If he had any old injuries, wouldn¡¯t you know?¡± Gu Ci pressed.
Ji Chi hesitated briefly and decided it wasn¡¯t a major secret. He said, ¡°Cici, Third Master has actually been quite well these days. His injuries have healed for the most part, and the doctors said he could resume training. He seemed fine during training today, and hisplexion was good. But once he arrived in the private room, he started feeling ufortable, so it might indeed be an old injury acting up.¡±
Gu Ci pondered this, recalling thest time she had visited Lu Zhiyuan and found him in a simr state.
Ji Chi added, ¡°Third Master had a serious injury from a car ident that he hasn¡¯t fully recovered from. He was also knocked off a cliff, which caused two injuries in session. Some internal injuries might not have been detected. Perhaps, even though he looks fine on the surface, he might actually have hidden injuries. After we settle things here, Rong Li and I will take him for aprehensive medical check-up. We¡¯ll provide you with the medical report afterward. Don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll make sure Third Master stays safe.¡±
Despite this reassurance, Gu Ci couldn¡¯t shake her unease. She couldn¡¯t help but think about Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s words from the past.
If they loved each other, one of them would have to die.
Was it really a curse?
Could two people in love, even if separated, still not escape the fate of death that seemed to hang over Lu Zhiyuan?
Why did the curse have toe true for him?
Why couldn¡¯t it have been her instead?
¡°Cici, what are you thinking?¡± Ji Chi asked.
Gu Ci felt troubled, constantly haunted by Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s curse. She shook her head gently and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just let me know if there¡¯s anything unusual about himtely.¡±
In the courtyard, Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin crossed paths.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Ji Chi is the sessor I¡¯ve groomed, the sole heir to ck Hawk. His attachment to you runs deep. What I say, he might not necessarily heed. But what you say, he will listen. You and he can¡¯t be together. 1 know Ji Chi can separate personal and professional matters, but people are emotional creatures. Personal and professional will inevitably intertwine. Your positions and interests are different, and he still holds onto the hope that we can reconcile. Perhaps, he sees a glimmer of hope between you and him. So, he¡¯s been postponing making a decision. Jiang Junlin, you need to make that decision for him. It¡¯s better for both you and him.¡±
These words weren¡¯t unexpected for Jiang Junlin. He didn¡¯t like Lu Zhiyuan, but he acknowledged that Lu Zhiyuan genuinely cared for Ji Chi. He had been paving the way for Ji Chi all along.
If Ji Chi was willing to let go of everything and be with him, that would be fine.
However, if Ji Chi wanted to stay with ck Hawk, it was inevitable that he couldn¡¯t be with Jiang Junlin. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t gain the respect of the organization, and ck Hawk¡¯s stability would bepromised. If Lu Zhiyuan had to find another sessor, who could it be?
Perhaps Gu Ziyu?
Gu Ziyu is still very young, and he¡¯s under Chen Liangdong¡¯s guidance, with a bright future ahead of him. There¡¯s no need for him to get involved in this mess.
Jiang Junlin had made up his mind long ago and never held onto a glimmer of hope.
However, before negotiating with Lu Zhiyuan, he could dy things day by day.
¡°Understood!¡± Jiang Junlin said softly. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, if you ever let him down one day, 1¡¯11 spare no effort to take him away.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan looked at Jiang Junlin with a sly smile. ¡°Interesting.¡±
¡°If it weren¡¯t for you meddling back then, Ji Chi and I wouldn¡¯t be facing these problems today,¡± Jiang Junlin said coldly. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t in a life-threatening situation, he wouldn¡¯t be by your side today.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan chuckled lightly. ¡°If you admit defeat, there¡¯s naturally a price to pay.¡±
¡°I admit that back then, 1 was outmatched,¡± Jiang Junlin said with a bitter smile. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, who knows who wille out on top after a separation of three days? You won, but you¡¯ve also paid a price!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan looked at Jiang Junlin with a cold smile. ¡°Mr. Jiang, if I remember correctly, when you left the Pentagon, you never thought about going back, and you never considered that Ji Chi was waiting for you. But he, silly as he is, genuinely believes that you couldn¡¯t return to him due to a severe illness. Yet you know very well that even if you were sober, you wouldn¡¯t take that risk.¡± Jiang Junlin clenched his fists, and Lu Zhiyuan continued nonchntly, ¡°To this day, if Ji Chi were trapped in the Pentagon, you wouldn¡¯t necessarily go for him, risking the fate of the dark web. Let alone six years ago, you wouldn¡¯t have done it then either! You¡¯ve been deceiving him all along, and he¡¯s never wanted to delve deeper, always believing in you! Your severe injuries are just an excuse for your self-deception. You keep thinking that if you were sober, you would definitely go back to find him. But when you were truly sober back then, would you have gone? Sending people to attack the Pentagon afterward, what¡¯s the point? Late affection is cheaper than grass.¡±
Jiang Junlin had never regretted his decision from six years ago, but Lu Zhiyuan was wrong about one thing. Six years ago, he wouldn¡¯t have risked the fate of the dark web for Ji Chi.
However, he had everything arranged now, ready to go back for Ji Chi. He didn¡¯t want to break his promise to Ji Chi, although at the time, he didn¡¯t realize his true feelings. He saw it as amitment to Ji Chi.
But a sudden turn of events disrupted all his ns..
Chapter 409 - 409: His Life
Chapter 409 - 409: His Life
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ll never gamble someone¡¯s life with the fate of the Triad dark web, no one is that important!¡± Including himself!
So he never allowed Gu Ci to go to great lengths to save him, and when he returned to China, he was prepared to face death.
¡°Brother¡¡± Gu Ci coughed lightly, and Jiang Junlin turned his head to see Gu Ci and Ji Chi standing under the flowering vines.
Ji Chi¡¯s face was very calm.
He had always had a sword hanging over his heart, not knowing when it would fall and cut him in half. This sword was always held in Jiang Junlin¡¯s hand, and Ji Chiy on the guillotine, smiling and looking at the executioner Jiang Junlin with joy in his eyes. He always fantasized that if this sword never fell for the rest of his life, it would be fine, always hanging over his heart, it wouldn¡¯t be too bad.
Today, this sword finally fell.
This sword that had been hanging over his head for several years had left him battered and bruised. He had imagined how painful it would be, optimistically thinking that it wasn¡¯t a big deal, as it wasn¡¯t the first time he had gone through it.
But the dull pain was sharper than he had imagined.
Ji Chi calmly epted the fact that he had never been that important in Jiang Junlin¡¯s heart. He had once tried everything to win all of Jiang Junlin¡¯s attention.
During the craziest times, Jiang Junlin would evenpliment a roadside rose. After Jiang Junlin left, he would pluck the rose and throw it in the trash. In Jiang Junlin¡¯s eyes and heart, there was no room for living things, not even inanimate objects.
After their reunion, Lu Zhiyuan saw through his thoughts and deliberately arranged for him to be in Europe. He did not forbid him froming to City A. When he had juste of age, he had been extremely crazy, and because of this decision, he had almost fought with Third Master, and had been held down and beaten by Rong Li.
During the initial period of their reunion, he was at his craziest. He wanted to defy Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s orders. Back then, Third Master looked ruthless, but deep down, he was very lenient. He made a bet with Ji Chi that Ji Chi had to manage the European business, and if he became the Asian CEO within three years, he could do whatever he wanted, and Lu Zhiyuan would not stop him.
Moreover, if Jiang Junlin took the initiative to speak up and if he was willing, he could leave with Jiang Junlin. Both conditions were indispensable.
Ji Chi climbed up with all his might, wanting to gain the recognition of all ck Hawk members as soon as possible. He had gone from being a clueless little wolf cub to a well-rounded Ji Chi. Step by step, he firmly established his foothold in ck Hawk, and his yearning and desires had all turned into motivation.
However, Jiang Junlin had never taken the initiative to ask him to leave ck Hawk, not even once!
Three years had passed, and Ji Chi had be the true Asian CEO, in addition to the empty title of CEO. He had achieved it, but Jiang Junlin had not expressed his desire to take him away as he had hoped.
Ji Chi was willing to bet and ept the oue!
In truth, making this bet was a wild idea that had grown in his mind. Even if Jiang Junlin suggested taking him away, Ji Chi had no intention of betraying ck Hawk or Third Master.
But the fact remained that Jiang Junlin had never brought it up.
¡°I can live without this orange,¡± he thought, ¡°but you can¡¯t withhold it from me!¡±
Ji Chi couldn¡¯t leave Europe unless Jiang Junlin took the initiative to see him. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t meet. Promisedmitments always seemed to fall through, and every time Jiang Junlin met him, it was to inquire about Third Master¡¯s affairs, though it was discreet. Ji Chi wasn¡¯t naive.
Over the long years and his fulfilling rise to power, his pent-up desires had been suppressed. Ji Chi understood that waiting would only lead to a repeat of the past, so he had to take the initiative, and for that, he needed to hold power.
In the face of Jiang Junlin¡¯s broken promises and his ambivalence, Ji Chi lost patience and grew tired of waiting, which eventually led to his imprisonment.
However, the act of imprisoning him only pushed them further apart.
Ji Chi had always known that he would never be first in Jiang Junlin¡¯s heart, and he couldn¡¯t understand why, especially when he saw how Lu Zhiyuan always prioritized Gu Ci¡¯s matters. He was even more puzzled.
If Third Master could be prioritized, why couldn¡¯t he?
It wasn¡¯t until Jiang Junlin¡¯s true identity was exposed that Ji Chi finally understood why Jiang Junlin hadn¡¯t turned back to find him all those years. He realized why during those three years, Jiang Junlin never once said, ¡°Ji Chi, leave ck Hawk ande with me!¡±
He understood that no matter how much Jiang Junlin liked him, he could be discarded at any time for the sake of the Triad. Understanding this truth only deepened his pain.
Gu Ci looked at Lu Zhiyuan and said, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, 1 need to talk to you!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan understood that Gu Ci wanted to give Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi a chance to speak privately. He heard every word of their conversation and had a clear idea of what he needed to decide.
After Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan left, Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi remained in silent confrontation. It was like a tug-of-war, and Ji Chi approached, sunlight filtering through the vines and dancing on his shoulder. Ji Chi followed the dancing rays of sunlight, his gazending on Jiang Junlin¡¯s face.
The twenty-year-old Jiang Junlin and the twenty-eight-year-old Jiang Junlin ovepped in Ji Chi¡¯s eyes. Time had been kind to this handsome man, leaving no traces behind. He was still the stunning Jiang Junlin who could take your breath away with a single nce.
¡°Brother, were you really lying to me back then?¡± Ji Chi¡¯s voice trembled, finally willing to face the question he had been avoiding.
Jiang Junlin had never lied to him. He had genuinely wanted to turn back and find Ji Chi, but the condition was that he had to handle the matters of the Triad first, which were weightier than Ji Chi¡¯s concerns.
Now that things hade to this point, there was no need for exnations. They were ultimately going to part ways, so there was no need to give Ji Chi any false hope.
¡°Yes, I lied to you,¡± Jiang Junlin said softly. ¡°Ji Chi, I¡¯m never alone. So, I won¡¯t risk the lives of a group of people just for you, and 1 won¡¯t apany you to die in the Pentagon.¡±
Ji Chi finally got the answer he had been waiting for, as expected. The pain in his heart was like a tearing sensation, something he had always considered overly dramatic. How could the heart hurt like this?
But it really did hurt!
¡°When we reunited, were you indulging me because you wanted to gather information about Third Master?¡± Ji Chi looked at him with a heartbroken expression. ¡°If you never intended to turn back and find me, why lie to me? Do you know that 1 waited for many years just for a single word from you? After the Pentagon was razed to the ground, I would go there every summer. I even fantasized that you remembered there was someone waiting for you in the Pentagon. But it turns out you had long forgotten, and when we reunited, you were so surprised. Did you not expect that I was still alive?¡±
Ji Chi had hit the nail on the head with this one!
Jiang Junlin had ordered the destruction of the Pentagon andpletely annihted the organization. He had also seen the recordings of the young men from that time. He had thought Ji Chi was dead. He had to study, manage the Triad dark web, bnce the power structure within the Triad, and be on the frontlines. He didn¡¯t have time to dwell on the past, and those years had be a regret for him.
When he went on missions, he had passed by the Pentagon the following summer, but he hadn¡¯t thought about going to take a look. He felt uneasy about getting close. As soon as he got near, he remembered that he had once stood someone up, which had led to that person¡¯s death there.. How could he be willing to get closer again?
Chapter 410 - 410: Go Kill Her
Chapter 410: Go Kill Her
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°You being alive surprises me,¡± Jiang Junlin suppressed his emotions, wanting a swift resolution. ¡°Ji Chi, I¡¯m sorry, 1 deceived you.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t say it!¡± Ji Chi¡¯s eyes turned red, his heart shattered, difficult to heal. ¡°Do you really think 1 don¡¯t understand anything?¡±
He understood, yet he was unwilling to let go.
To him, Jiang Junlin was a knife coated in sugar frosting, and he was greedy for that tiny bit of sweetness. So, he would rather hold onto the knife empty-handed, even if it meant bloodshed, he was willingly devoted.
¡°Since you understand, don¡¯t be so persistent,¡± Jiang Junlin said with hidden restraint. ¡°In the past or in the future, what you want, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t fulfill.¡±
¡°Do you know that after we reunited, I made a bet with Third Master?¡± Ji Chi shed tears, turned his head to wipe them away. ¡°Third Master said that within three years, as long as you say a word to take me away, he will set me free. 1 can leave ck Hawk, and the world will be my oyster. But you never thought about taking me away, Jiang Junlin, why have you never mentioned it?¡±
Jiang Junlin thought to himself, because you wouldn¡¯t leave!
No matter how much Jiang Junlin disliked Lu Zhiyuan, he understood that Ji Chi¡¯s encounter with him was fortunate. At the time, he didn¡¯t know that Lu Zhiyuan was grooming Ji Chi as his sessor.
But Ji Chi¡¯s rise within ck Hawk was too rapid, and it was obvious that someone was pushing him from behind. Jiang Junlin guessed that Ji Chi would definitely be heavily relied upon within ck Hawk, and Ji Chi wouldn¡¯t give up the power of ck Hawk. He had to climb up step by step to grasp what he wanted, including wanting him back then!
If he took Ji Chi away, what could he give him? Could he give him the same power as ck Hawk?
No, he couldn¡¯t!
Ji Chi was loyal to Lu Zhiyuan, even if he left, Jiang Junlin wouldn¡¯t let him enter the Triad. One day, if there was a conflict between the Triad and ck Hawk, how would Ji Chi choose?
¡°Will you leave?¡± Jiang Junlin asked.
Ji Chi fell silent, not answering. Jiang Junlin smiled bitterly, ¡°You already have an answer in your heart, why should 1 go through all this trouble?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t even ask, how do you know 1 don¡¯t want to!¡± Ji Chi roared in frustration, ¡°You always think, you assume, you¡¯re self-righteous and think you can read people¡¯s minds. What if 1 agreed?¡±
You never even tried once, you just gave up on me!
¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m not good, I¡¯ve let you down,¡± Jiang Junlin said in a hoarse voice. ¡°Ji Chi, I¡¯m sorry!¡±
Ji Chi desperately restrained his madness.
Years of yearning, entwined until death, only exchanged for a single apology.
On the other side of the courtyard, Gu Ci pointed to the furthest corner, ¡°Go over there!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.
He walked over with a smile and sat on the rack. The closer Gu Ci got, the more ufortable he felt. Staying a bit farther away would make the pain more bearable.
¡°Did you deliberately force Brother to say those things?¡±
¡°Which part of what he said isn¡¯t true?¡± Lu Zhiyuan said. ¡°Cici, you¡¯re too biased.¡±
¡°He¡¯s my brother, of course, I¡¯m biased towards him. Who are you?¡± Gu Ci frowned, looking at his pale face. Apart from being a bit weak, there was nothing unusual about his appearance. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me the truth.¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t lied to you!¡±
¡°Yes, you just kept it from me. I¡¯m asking you, what¡¯s really wrong with your injury? It was clearly healed, but you¡¯re still in pain?¡± Gu Ci was worried. ¡°Thest time 1 saw you, you were still unhealed, and you were in pain. I could understand that, but after all this time, why is it still hurting?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan looked deeply at Gu Ci. Pain was inevitable, and in his past life, he had experienced this kind of heart-wrenching pain. He endured it and didn¡¯t want Gu Ci to see any clues.
For Gu Ci, he was willing to endure this kind of pain. It was both punishment and hope.
¡°I was too impatient. The medicine had a strong effect and caused side effects.¡± Lu Zhiyuan gazed at her. ¡°Cici, you look very goodtely.¡±
¡°Are you really not lying to me?¡±
¡°I¡¯m really fine!¡± Lu Zhiyuan looked at her with a half-smile. ¡°ording to Ziyu, your recent love life seems to be going well.¡±
Gu Ci held back her emotions and smiled. ¡°Yes, we are all students from A University, withmon interests, lively and cheerful. We can y basketball together and y games together. They are all very sincere and open.¡±
Gu Ci emphasized thest sentence.
Her every move was reported to him by Ziyu. Lu Zhiyuan tacitly approved of Ziyu¡¯s little tricks. Lu Zhiyuan knew that he and Gu Ci couldn¡¯t stay together, couldn¡¯t love each other. She was the pain and joy in his life that he couldn¡¯t touch. But if she changed her mind and really fell in love with someone else, Lu Zhiyuan wondered, could he attend her wedding and give her away?
He could deceive Gu Ci, but he couldn¡¯t deceive his own heart. He imagined these scenes, and they all felt unbearable.
Gu Ci¡¯s nose tingled, and she averted her gaze. The dappled sunlight on Lu Zhiyuan was as beautiful as a painting. He had the calmness andposure of Third Master, as well as the wit and charm of Third Young Master.
This man stood in front of her, safe and sound, able to talk andugh. He was so vivid, someone she had once begged the heavens for, willing to exchange her life for. Why, now that her wish hade true, was she not satisfied?
Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but reflect on herself. She had been too greedy.
To lose what one has regained is painful, and to love without being able to is also painful.
In life, pain always seems to outweigh happiness.
¡°When 1 recover from my illness, 1¡¯11 officially take up the position in the Triad,¡± Gu Ci said. ¡°Pei Qiuying has gone missing, and there hasn¡¯t been an official order from the Triad¡¯s dark web to hunt her down yet. I hope you¡¯ll handle this matter.¡±
¡°Why should I handle this when it¡¯s an Triad matter?¡± Lu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.
He had heard about Pei Qiuying¡¯s situation a long time ago. Jiang Junlin wanted to settle scores after the fact, and Pei Qiuying wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. However, the Triad hadn¡¯t issued a manhunt order yet, and Pei Qiuying had been hiding recently with an unknown whereabouts. Neither Jiang Junlin nor Gu Ci would let her off easily.
¡°Is it because you can¡¯t bear to kill her since you nurtured her?¡± Gu Ci¡¯s tone could be described as gentle. Lu Zhiyuan lightly smiled, suppressing the pain in his heart. He had noticed something strange: the more Gu Ci¡¯s emotions fluctuated, the more his pain intensified.
It was¡ quite bizarre!
¡°Why is Pei Qiuying so deeply attached to you? Because you nurtured her, appreciated her, and gave her hope. I want you to personally sever that hope!¡± Gu Ci¡¯s possessiveness was still very strong. She believed that Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s exclusive affection should belong to her alone, and Pei Qiuying had taken a part of it. She wanted it back!
She wanted Lu Zhiyuan to handle his emotional debt!
¡°Cici, this isn¡¯t fair. Jiang Junlin also appreciates and nurtures her,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said softly. ¡°Why are you singling me out?¡±
¡°So, you¡¯re unwilling?¡± Gu Ci¡¯s expression darkened, and she was clearly getting angry.
¡°Willing!¡± Lu Zhiyuan chuckled. ¡°Since it¡¯s your request, I¡¯llply with it.¡±
¡°Smooth talker!¡± Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but think of Third Young Master. Only this version of Lu Zhiyuan, with the memories of this life, left her feelingplex, both like him and not.. But if he didn¡¯t resemble him, he actually did, ¡°Then 1¡¯11 await your good news, Third Master!¡±
Chapter 411 - 411: Third Master Is Humiliating You
Chapter 411: Third Master Is Humiliating You
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Wait!¡± Lu Zhiyuan chuckled and said, ¡°I will definitely do as you wish, but Cici, what if the condition is that you can¡¯t be the leader of the triad? If 1 have second thoughts about killing Pei Qiuying, and you take her ce, what then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to kill Pei Qiuying to im that position as mine,¡± Gu Ci replied. She entrusted the matters of the triad¡¯s dark web to Lu Zhiyuan out of her own selfish interests.
¡°Isn¡¯t being a doctor, saving lives and helping the injured, a good path?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
¡°I don¡¯t have anyone I want to save,¡± Gu Ci deliberately contradicted Lu Zhiyuan, ¡°Studying medicine can¡¯t cure inner demons, nor can it save either of us.¡±
¡°Can you save them by bing the leader of the triad?¡±
¡°I¡¯m willing to try,¡± Gu Ci said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you want me to take that position? Is it because of the danger, or is your cooperation with your brother not sincere, and you don¡¯t want me involved?¡±
¡°I have many reasons to oppose you bing the leader of the triad.¡±
¡°I have many reasons why I must take that position!¡± Gu Ci furrowed her brows, ¡°We talked about it on the mountain that day, and we reached a consensus, didn¡¯t we?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan looked at her in silence, and Gu Ci understood his thoughts.
She whispered, ¡°When will you understand that your desires are not necessarily the same as mine?¡±
In fact, Lu Zhiyuan had always understood this.
Leaning against the flower vines, Gu Ci chuckled and asked, ¡°Ji Chi is so devoted to his brother, willing to give up everything. Wouldn¡¯t it be a wonderful thing if ck Hawk and the triad could reconcile, just for his sake?¡± Lu Zhiyuanughed heartily, ¡°You go and ask Jiang Junlin if he¡¯s willing?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s willing topromise for the sake of Ji Chi, just this once?¡±
¡°He won¡¯t!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said decisively, ¡°The interests entangled between ck Hawk and the triad are tooplex. Now that our identities are exposed, continued conflict is our best option. If we mix together, Ji Chi will be on the assassination list.¡±
Whose assassination list Ji Chi would be on, Gu Ci also understood. She felt a chill in her heart, not expecting the situation to be so serious. They wouldn¡¯t allow Ji Chi¡¯s existence to jeopardize Jiang Junlin¡¯s loyalty.
From the moment Jiang Junlin fell in love with Ji Chi, he understood.
He restrained himself, endured, and saw the oue clearly. As long as their identities weren¡¯t exposed, there was still room for maneuvering. However, after their identities were exposed, everything he did would have far-reaching consequences, especially in regard to his marriage.
The entire team of secret guards who had followed him for many years would mutiny because of Ji Chi.
Jiang Junlin understood, and so did Lu Zhiyuan.
Only Ji Chi held a glimmer of hope, young and confident, believing that he could escape the crossfire of bullets and evade assassination.
Can he escape on the first, and then on the fifteenth?
Ji Chi also understood Jiang Junlin¡¯s intentions. A simple ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± marked the end of their rtionship, just as Ji Chi had anticipated. He recalled the night when Jiang Junlin responded with ¡°Me too!¡±
His heart surged with resentment but there was nothing he could do. ¡°You were prepared for this long ago. What didst night mean, pity for me?¡±
Jiang Junlin couldn¡¯t bear to see Ji Chi in such a self-deprecating state. ¡°Chi, let¡¯s just consider it a dream. Meeting me was your nightmare. In a few years, you¡¯ll forget.¡±
¡°Fine¡¡± Ji Chi¡¯s voice trembled, a mix of grievance and unwillingness, ¡°Fine¡ in the future, we have nothing to do with each other. Is that what you want to hear? You dream on. Let me tell you, if you fall in love with someone else, be prepared to collect their corpse!¡±
After uttering these harsh words, Ji Chi turned and walked away. He couldn¡¯t bear the cold indifference and unwavering gaze of Jiang Junlin any longer. He knew that his tough talk made him seem tough on the outside, but he didn¡¯t know what to do now.
This dream that hadsted so long had finally ended.
From the very beginning, he should have known it was a dream. The first meeting in the Pentagon, a single nce had exchanged years of infatuation, and it was something he had earned.
The dream had ended, and the person had to exit the stage.
Ji Chi leaned against the flower wall, the sunlight falling on him but unable to warm his cold, pale face. Rong Li clicked his tongue and asked, ¡°Want a cigarette?¡±
¡°Rong Li, have you ever broken up with someone?¡±
¡°I have!¡± Rong Li said indifferently, lighting a cigarette and exhaling smoke, ¡°Before the downfall of the Rong family, I was a little kingpin. All the girls in school liked me. In three years of high school, 1 had eleven girlfriends, all different types, fat and thin, I¡¯ve had them all.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve actually had rtionships?¡± Ji Chi opened his eyes in surprise, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±
¡°I¡¯m twenty-seven this year, what¡¯s so surprising about having rtionships?¡± Rong Li snapped irritably, ¡°What kind of eyes do you have, where are you looking?¡±
Ji Chi averted his gaze from Rong Li¡¯s lower body. ¡°1 thought you were a chick.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Rong Li kicked at him, ¡°Get lost!¡±
Ji Chi¡¯s mncholic mood lightened a bit. If he had tried to break up with Jiang Junlin before, Jiang Junlin would never have agreed, and he might have gone crazy and taken Jiang Junlin down with him.
Now, besides going crazy for a while, he had to ept everything!
¡°Did you feel sad when you broke up?¡± Ji Chi asked.
¡°Sad my ass!¡± Rong Li recalled his high school days, ¡°I broke up today, and tomorrow there were plenty of girls waiting in line. Who has time to be sad?¡± ¡°Why am I feeling so sad?¡± Ji Chi sighed.
¡°Because you¡¯re an idiot. I¡¯ve never seen a lickspittle like you. Jiang Junlin beckons, and you wag your tail.¡±
¡°Did you get dumped every time you had a rtionship back then?¡± Ji Chi couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He was already feeling down, and now Rong Li was mocking him. He couldn¡¯t stand it.
That statement unexpectedly touched Rong Li¡¯s fragile self-esteem.
¡°In my day, when I had rtionships, it was the girls who were like lickspittles. If you had even half of my intelligence and wit back then, you wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this,¡± Rong Li boasted.
Ji Chi felt that Rong Li¡¯s words were somewhat dubious. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡±
ck Hawk had an informant who once pursued Rong Li. She was a beautiful girl with a strong personality, and she had many admirers, but she chose to pursue Rong Li. However, after working together for seven days, the girl voluntarily requested a transfer.
A month after her transfer, Rong Li btedly asked Ji Chi why she stopped pursuing him.
What was even more absurd was that when they met a yearter, he couldn¡¯t even remember her name.
With this guy¡¯s attitude, he couldn¡¯t believe that there were girls who would be like lickspittles for him!
Ji Chi¡¯s despair and sadness were somehow alleviated by Rong Li¡¯sments, and just then, Lu Zhiyuan came to find them. ¡°What are you guys up to?¡±
¡°I¡¯m consoling him because he¡¯s crying over his breakup,¡± Rong Li said.
¡°Who¡¯s crying?¡± Ji Chi retorted.
¡°You!¡± Rong Li said, ¡°You were even tilting your head at a 45-degree angle, pretending to be mncholy. I was worried you might not get over it and would pull Jiang Junlin down with you.¡±
¡°Get lost, I¡¯ll pull you down first!¡±
¡°Thanks for the invitation, but I¡¯m not interested!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan looked at Ji Chi, ¡°Let¡¯s go back. We still have half of the terms to negotiate. Can you handle it?¡±
Ji Chiposed himself, ¡°I can.¡±
Rong Li pped his hands, ¡°Great! Third Master and Gu Ci have settled their breakup, and Chi and Jiang Junlin have too. Everyone¡¯s happy now, and we can finally get down to business.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan furrowed his brow, ¡°Why didn¡¯t Qin Wan knock your teeth out just now?¡±
¡°Does she have the ability for that?¡± Rong Li retorted.
Ji Chi gave Rong Li a kick, ¡°You¡¯re just provoking him, Third Master..¡±
Chapter 412 - 412: Who Would Make Things Difficult for Baby
Chapter 412: Who Would Make Things Difficult for Baby
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Six people gathered in a private room once again, and the atmosphere was different. Two of them were celebrating, but the sweet romance between Ji Chi and Jiang Junlin had disappeared.
Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t changed much. This time, the negotiations seemed more solemn. They discussed terms with efficiency, making amendments back and forth. Qin Wan and Rong Li were almost celebrating as well. This was how negotiations should be conducted, and in such a setting, they needed to be taken seriously.
After the negotiations were concluded, it was already 8 o¡¯clock. Gu Ziyu, who had finished work, found no one at home. Chen Fei had brought him to the private restaurant, thinking they would each return home separately. However, they were all surprised when Gu Ziyu showed up.
¡°Why are you here?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked with a smile.
¡°Daddy!¡± Gu Ziyu smiled sweetly and threw himself into his arms, ying the role of an innocent and cute child perfectly. ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Yourplexion doesn¡¯t look good.¡±
Jiang Junlin squinted his eyes, and Gu Ci remained silent. It was evident that the two siblings were not pleased with Gu Ziyu¡¯s arrival, especially when they could see that he was only interested in Lu Zhiyuan.
Lu Zhiyuan lightly chuckled as he pinched Gu Ziyu¡¯s cheek. ¡°It¡¯s an old injury, nothing serious.¡±
There was something strange, though. Since Gu Ziyu came in, the excruciating pain in his heart had miraculously eased.
¡°It seems like father and son share a deep bond,¡± Jiang Junlin remarked sarcastically.
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s single sentence hit two birds with one stone. ¡°If Chairman Jiang envies it, you can consider getting married and having a child. Then you won¡¯t have to envy other people¡¯s sons.¡±
Jiang Junlin,¡±¡¡±
Ji Chi,¡±¡¡±
Jiang Junlin had to admit that he was bested in this regard.
¡°Big brother, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Gu Ziyu poked Ji Chi¡¯s face. ¡°Why do you look unhappy?¡±
¡°He just went through a breakup, don¡¯t mind him,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said.
¡°All¡ my condolences.¡±
Jiang Junlin was speechless.
Gu Ci,¡±?¡±
Are you sure that¡¯s how you use that word?
Gu Ziyu, the master of lightening the mood, chimed in, ¡°Have you ail finished your discussions?¡±
¡°We¡¯re done.¡±
Gu Ziyu happily pped his small hands together. ¡°Can we eat now? I¡¯m so hungry, Daddy.¡±
After a few moments of silence from those who were either heartbroken or didn¡¯t get along, Jiang Junlin rang the bell, summoning the waiter to take their orders. Gu Ziyu was about to sit next to Lu Zhiyuan, but he noticed the expressions on Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci¡¯s faces, so he casually moved to sit next to Gu Ci instead.
Gu Ci tore open a packet of wet wipes and helped Gu Ziyu clean his hands and face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have dinner?¡±
¡°I attended a seminar with the old man in the afternoon. There were only snacks, no proper meal, and then I had to work on another case at the office, so 1 missed dinner,¡± Gu Ziyu¡¯s stomach growled at the right moment.
Rong Li clicked her tongue. ¡°Hiring childbor is one thing, but not feeding them properly? Kids are still growing. What if they get hungry and don¡¯t grow tall enough?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll grow to 1.9 meters!¡± Gu Ziyu dered.
Ji Chi chuckled, his previously low spirits lifted. ¡°Boys take after their mothers. What if he only grows to 1.7 meters?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t curse me!¡± Gu Ziyu yfully squeezed Ji Chi¡¯s little fist in protest.
Jiang Junlin watched Ji Chi and Ziyu, who were happily chatting, and silently pondered that their rtionship was genuinely good.
Gu Ziyu noticed something. If he didn¡¯t initiate a topic, this group of people would remain silent, each performing a silent y. His mom was always reserved and quiet, and his uncle wasn¡¯t one for words either.
But his dad was humorous and witty, and they usually had lively conversations. His uncle and mom seemed unhappy.
Gu Ziyu looked left and right and cautiously asked, ¡°Is something unpleasant happening?¡±
¡°Internal matters, not suitable for disclosure,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said with a smirk.
Jiang Junlin gave him a matching fake smile.
Gu Ziyu,¡±¡¡±
¡°Uncle, why are you wearing a scarf indoors? Aren¡¯t you hot?¡± Gu Ziyu innocently inquired. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel warm?¡±
Ji Chi choked on his drink, coughing violently, his face turning red. Rong Li couldn¡¯t believe her eyes, and even Jiang Junlin felt somewhat awkward. Mostly because all the eyes were now on his neck.
Gu Ci was suppressing augh.
The men¡¯s expressions were all quite subtle. Qin Wan, miraculously, remained silent. Gu Ziyu sensed the strange atmosphere and innocently asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Yeah, Mr. Jiang, aren¡¯t you feeling hot? You might as well take off the scarf,¡± Lu Zhiyuan teased.
Jiang Junlin¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. This little rascal, born in the year of the dog, liked to bite him. His neck was covered in marks that even concealer couldn¡¯t hide. How could he face people? Ji Chi also remembered the passionate night they hadst night and momentarily couldn¡¯t decide if the breakup was sweet or bitter.
Gu Ci discreetly put a piece of dessert into Ziyu¡¯s mouth, and Ziyu wisely remained silent.
The others continued their silent y, some suppressingughter, others exchanging ambiguous nces.
Young Ziyu worriedly thought, ¡°When the dishes arrive, if I¡¯m the only one eating seriously and they all take out their phones to film me eating and then post it on their social media saying, ¡°My kid really enjoys his food.¡±
It can¡¯t be, right? It can¡¯t be!
His office had a colleague who posted videos of her son eating every day, and he couldn¡¯t understand it. Did you really need to share videos of your son enjoying his meals three times a day on social media?
¡°Who wants to pry into your secrets!¡± Gu Ziyu was eating some fruit before his meal. ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter, anyone with a brain can figure it out.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow yfully and said, ¡°So, you came here to have a meal with us?¡±
¡°Otherwise?¡± Gu Ziyu looked incredibly innocent.
Qin Wan tried to sow discord, ¡°He suspects you¡¯re here to gather information.¡±
¡°Really?¡± Gu Ziyu said, ¡°I¡¯m a bit hurt now.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan patted his head. ¡°Then eat an extra bowl.¡±
Gu Ziyu gave a cold snort but didn¡¯t argue with him. The conversation revolved around Gu Ziyu, avoiding other topics as much as possible. Rong Li asked, ¡°You¡¯re so young, and you attend seminars. When others discuss livelihood issues, can you understand?¡±
¡°I can understand some, and for what I can¡¯t, if someone asks me, I answer. If no one asks, 1 eat and drink tea,¡± Gu Ziyu had his own way ofmunicating. ¡°I¡¯m young, and my background suggests a pampered upbringing. If I don¡¯t understand certain topics, they can understand that.¡±
¡°Has anyone given you a hard time?¡± Ji Chi asked.
Gu Ziyu expertly fed him a grape and replied, ¡°Other than you guys, who would give a hard time to a seven-year-old baby?¡±
Everyone,¡±¡¡±
Lu Zhiyuan propped up his chin and said, ¡°Is there a possibility that no one here believes you¡¯re seven years old!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was jealous of the grape Ji Chi had in his mouth. His son hadn¡¯t fed him anything yet.
¡°I am seven!¡± Gu Ziyu red at Lu Zhiyuan, not allowing him to undermine his persona as a seven-year-old baby. He had already mastered this character.
Qin Wan frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask, baby, do you only report good news and hide the bad? You¡¯re close to both Lu Zhiyuan and my master. Has anyone suspected you¡¯re a spy sent by them? Can Chen Liangdong really use you without distractions?¡±
This was a question that both Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin had wanted to ask.
Gu Ci and Gu Ziyu had discussed this topic before, so they remained silent..
Chapter 413 - 413: Happy Boy Ziyu
Chapter 413: Happy Boy Ziyu
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
After the matter was exposed, Gu Ci was worried about Ziyu¡¯s situation in the Ministry of State Security. She talked to him, knowing that Ziyu was not exactly a child. After a deep conversation, Gu Ci was reassured. She understood that this was his career and his challenge to face, and she would assist Jiang Junlin.
¡°This is confidential, noment,¡± Gu Ziyu said mysteriously, finishing his fruit and finally turning to the cold dishes.
Ten cold dishes were served one after another, and Gu Ziyu picked up two pieces of spare ribs with his chopsticks.
Jiang Junlin said, ¡°What kind of secret is this? Let¡¯s talk about it.¡±
Gu Ziyu was a little afraid of Jiang Junlin. This matter was also rted to him. He continued while nibbling on the ribs, ¡°When my dad¡¯s identity was exposed, I talked to the old man once, and when my uncle¡¯s identity was exposed, I also talked to the old man. The old man also investigated me. Although my identity is still a mystery and can¡¯t be exined clearly, he still chose to trust me.¡±
Qin Wan admired, ¡°You¡¯re really brave!¡±
Rong Li frowned, ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone give you a hard time?¡±
¡°I told you, no one would give a hard time to a little kid. If they have any ideas, they¡¯ll find the old man, and as long as the old man can handle it, it¡¯s fine.¡± After eating two pieces of spare ribs, Gu Ziyu¡¯s hunger was somewhat alleviated.
¡°Is it that simple?¡± Ji Chi was puzzled.
¡°If you say there¡¯s no impact at all, that¡¯s not true. My actions have been recorded by Old Chen¡¯s team, and the old man checks from time to time. Some people also try to find fault from time to time. It¡¯s like solving a simple math problem. If I want to climb to the position of the head of the Information Department, I might be able to take office two years after getting my Ph.D., but now it might take five or six more years. I don¡¯t mind this time cost at all.¡± Gu Ziyu didn¡¯t mind at all. ¡°True gold fears no fire, and as for this time cost, I don¡¯t care.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin actually knew that their identities would definitely have an impact on Gu Ziyu. Originally, following Chen Liangdong would have been a straightforward path, but now they had to undergo many tests of loyalty, which was very unfair to Ziyu.
Fortunately, Gu Ziyu was only close to them in terms of rtionships, not legally rted to them.
If they were legally rted, Gu Ziyu would definitely be expelled from the Ministry of State Security.
Even with Chen Liangdong¡¯s protection, at most, Gu Ziyu would be an off-the-books employee. There was no chance of him taking over Chen Liangdong¡¯s position. Everyone tacitly understood this and never brought it up.
¡°In case someone decides to have a DNA test, that would be disastrous,¡± Ji Chi¡¯s statement was quite surprising.
Gu Ziyu clicked his tongue, ¡°1 don¡¯t look like anyone, who would bother to test our DNA?¡±
Jiang Junlin, who had too much free time on his hands, retorted,¡±¡¡±
He was indeed suspicious and had secretly gone for a test!
¡°Don¡¯t be so sure!¡± Jiang Junlin said coldly. ¡°If you want to continue on this path, you should still handle the aftermath properly. Don¡¯t let anything go wrong.¡±
Since Jiang Junlin learned about Gu Ziyu¡¯s identity, he had already helped him with the aftermath, providing him with a series of background details. Fortunately, Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan were still young, and no one suspected that they were a family of three. If they were a few years older, it would be harder to exin.
Gu Ziyu¡¯s smooth sailing was, of course, a good thing. But if someone decided to cause trouble, a perfect background could be arranged for him.
As a young man in his teens with a hearty appetite, Gu Ziyu scanned the cold dishes before finally getting to the hot dishes. Only he, Rong Li, and Qin Wan were eating seriously. Qin Wan and Rong Li had had a strenuous fight earlier, which had consumed a lot of energy.
Lu Zhiyuan, on the other hand, had no appetite as he wondered if Gu Ziyu¡¯s pain was rted to him. Gu Ci was focused on observing Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s condition, and the atmosphere between Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi was subtle, leaving everyone without much appetite.
When all the hot dishes were served, Rong Li, who had a rather straightforward personality, noticed something.
¡°This restaurant serves Chinese food, but there¡¯s no scallions or garlic in any of the dishes? Several of these are stir-fried dishes, even someone with basic cooking skills knows these are essential ingredients.¡±
Qin Wan said, ¡°My master doesn¡¯t eat them.¡±
¡°Why doesn¡¯t he eat them? Does that mean he¡¯s depriving us of what we want to eat?¡± Rong Li teased, looking at Ji Chi, and finally realized why Ji Chi¡¯s Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup never tasted right.
So, Jiang Junlin is a picky eater!
Qin Wan arrogantly replied, ¡°Because this restaurant belongs to my master!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan and Rong Li both looked at Ji Chi, thinking, ¡°You arranged the meeting ce, but you chose to meet on Jiang Junlin¡¯s turf?¡±
Rong Li gave Qin Wan a sarcastic thumbs-up, and Gu Ziyu changed the topic, asking Qin Wan, ¡°Did Brother Rong and Qin Wan fight?¡±
¡°Look at your injuries!¡±
Rong Li and Qin Wan smirked and still seemed ready to go at it.
Gu Ziyu was curious, ¡°Who won?¡±
¡°I did!¡± Rong Li and Qin Wan said in unison, each refusing to admit defeat.
¡°It¡¯s hrious! With your appearance after the fight, you still im victory?¡± Qin Wan showed her bruised arm. ¡°I fought injured; otherwise, I would have disarmed you!¡±
¡°Empty boasts. We were all injured,¡± Rong Li was nursing injuries too. He had thought of going easy during the negotiation between Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin, but he didn¡¯t expect Qin Wan to go all out.
¡°Go fight outside again!¡± Jiang Junlin spoke up. Qin Wan, seeing an opportunity to back down, and Rong Li, who didn¡¯t want to bring it up again, let it go. The feud was settled.
Lu Zhiyuan frequently served dishes to Gu Ziyu. After spending time with him, he had learned what his son liked to eat. Gu Ziyu loved meat and wasn¡¯t picky, enjoying all kinds of dishes with a sweet taste.
To outsiders, it was indeed a heartwarming scene of a loving father and filial son.
He had missed Gu Ziyu¡¯s growth and felt remorse for not being able to protect him from the inhumane treatment he had endured. He always wanted to make it up to his son. Gu Ziyu epted him without reservation, eating heartily.
However, Gu Ziyu suddenly handed arge chicken leg to Ji Chi. ¡°Have some!¡±
Ji Chi smiled and ruffled his hair.
Gu Ci, Lu Zhiyuan, and Jiang Junlin all suddenly lost their appetite.
¡°Why did you only give food to Ji Chi?¡± Lu Zhiyuan asked.
Gu Ziyu hesitated for a moment, realizing three pairs of eyes were on him. He was sitting beside Gu Ci at a round table. To his right were Jiang Junlin and Qin Wan, and to his left was Ji Chi, Lu Zhiyuan, and Rong Li.
¡°Because he¡¯s sitting next to me,¡± Gu Ziyu quickly improvised. He had noticed Ji Chi looking unhappy, so he thought giving him a big chicken leg would help. Little did he know he was poking a ho¡¯s nest.
¡°Gu Ci is also sitting next to you,¡± Qin Wan pointed out.
Gu Ziyu exined, ¡°My mom only eats vegetables and fruits at night.¡±
Rong Li shook his head and joked, ¡°So, baby, you need to be fair.¡±
Gu Ziyu was not one to indulge them. ¡°You can eat whatever you want; I don¡¯t care.¡±
Everyone was left speechless.
Jiang Junlin gave Ji Chi a nce. Since their second negotiation meeting, Ji Chi had been avoiding his gaze. Even when their eyes met by chance, there was no spark in Ji Chi¡¯s eyes.
Jiang Junlin felt a slight pang of difort. He had epted the oue calmly, but he still felt hurt.
Ji Chi was naturally stubborn and sensitive. How should he handle Ji Chi?
What should he do?
Thanks to Gu Ziyu¡¯s presence, the meal proceeded rtively peacefully, without any tension..
Chapter 414 - 414: Getting Drunk After Losing Love
Chapter 414: Getting Drunk After Losing Love
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
After eating and drinking their fill, they each went their separate ways. Ji Chi sat in the car, watching the fading figure of Jiang Junlin. His gaze was filled with both longing and pain. The cold pretense at the dining table could no longer hold.
He could never be indifferent to Jiang Junlin.
Did they really part ways like this?
Ji Chi asked himself, ¡°Are you willing? But even if you¡¯re not, what else can you do? In his heart, responsibility, duty, family ties, and the nation all weigh more heavily than you. In his eyes, you¡¯re nothing more than a speck of dust.¡±
He could only ept this oue with a calm heart.
Can he imprison himself again?
Ji Chi drank until he was heavily intoxicated. The rooftop of the Global Center was a great ce to stargaze. The moon was just right, with a sky full of stars. Winter had given way to spring, the sudden change from cold to warmth. At Ji Chi¡¯s feet, there were already two empty wine bottles.
Downstairs, Lu Zhiyuan was dealing with his work and examining the information extracted from the canvas. He was still waiting for the intelligence agents to find information about Tang Mingzhou. Rong Li came in and said, ¡°Third Master, you should go and talk to Ji Chi.¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±
¡°He¡¯s getting drunk on the rooftop. It¡¯s really pathetic.¡±
¡°Call the gastroenterology department at the central hospital and get them ready. Let him drink.¡±
¡°¡¡± Rong Li had hoped that the Third Master would provide someforting words to Ji Chi, but he was surprised by Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s rather hardcore approach. ¡°Just leaving him alone?¡±
¡°Send someone to keep an eye on him, so he doesn¡¯t identally fall off the building when he¡¯s drunk,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s a good opportunity to finally get the surgery he¡¯s been dying for half a year.¡± Rong Li raised his thumb, ¡°Impressive!¡±
Ji Chi already had some stomach issues, and he had been postponing surgery for months. Now, he was drinking excessively. Rong Li was furious, so he decided to go upstairs and keep himpany while drinking. Nick and the others would keep an eye on Ji Chi, as Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want him to identally fall off the building while drunk.
¡°You¡¯re so pathetic. You break up and start drinking. Are you still in high school?¡± Rong Li kicked him, and Ji Chi leaned against the wall, legs stretched out, looking disheveled and decadent.
Rong Li¡¯s anger red up, and he pointed at the sky, ¡°Brother, look¡ the moon is so beautiful.¡±
Rong Li looked up, but there was no moon, just a sky full of stars. Ji Chi had probably hallucinated due to his excessive drinking. Besides, Rong Li couldn¡¯t imagine Ji Chi, a gloomy disease-ridden wolf, appreciating starry nights.
Ji Chi had drunk too much and coughed up red wine. Rong Li couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and struck him on the back of his neck. Ji Chi passed out immediately. Nick watched nervously; even with ten times his courage, he wouldn¡¯t dare to knock out his master like this.
Rong Li impatiently kicked aside a wine bottle and picked up Ji Chi, instructing Nick, ¡°Go to the hospital and get his surgery done!¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Meanwhile, Jiang Junlin developed a fever in the middle of the night, and his stomach was very ufortable. When he went to the study to find some medicine, Lin Chunli was awakened. Seeing his unusually pale face, she was startled. ¡°Junlin, what¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°My stomach is hurting¡¡± Jiang Junlin endured a sharp pain in his stomach and gave up on taking stomach medicine. ¡°Mom, have Zhang Qiang call an ambnce.¡±
As soon as he said that, Jiang Junlin fainted and fell to the floor.
¡°Junlin!¡± Lin Chunli eximed, too worried to help him up. She hurried downstairs to ask Zhang Qiang to contact the hospital. By the time she came back up, Jiang Minghua was already there, supporting Jiang Junlin. Zhang Qiang had contacted the hospital and came upstairs to assist.
Jiang Junlin was wearing only a ck robe, and after fainting, the cor had loosened, revealing a multitude of kisses and scratches. Jiang Minghua and Lin Chunli exchanged puzzled looks. When did their son get a girlfriend?
They wanted to ask Zhang Qiang, but their concern for Jiang Junlin took precedence.
Zhang Qiang also noticed these ambiguous marks. He covered Jiang Junlin with a thick coat and carried him downstairs. Gu Ci, who was in the midst of preparing a medical research paper and hadn¡¯t gone to sleep yet, was shocked when she received the news. She and Qin Wan hastily packed up and rushed to the hospital.
Jiang Junlin had a polyp in his stomach, and in addition to that, it had been chronically inmed for years, so he had been on medication to suppress it.
An ambnce brought them to the Central Hospital.
Jiang Junlin¡¯s attending physician, Xia Ming, happened to be performing surgery on an important figure at the Central Hospital tonight. The surgery was already halfway done when his assistant informed him. Xia Ming quickly called in doctors from the hospital and handed over the surgery to them.
One of the doctors said with a worried tone, ¡°Dr. Xia, this surgery was personally requested by the elderly gentleman. If there are any mistakes, we won¡¯t be able to bear the consequences.¡±
Xia Ming hade to the Central Hospital precisely because it was requested by name.
He said, ¡°The riskiest part of the surgery has already passed, and the second half should be manageable for you. He¡¯s under general anesthesia, so he won¡¯t know who is performing the surgery. Continue, have confidence in yourselves!¡±
No matter how important the person on the operating table was, not a single hair of theirs was as important as Jiang Junlin.
After leaving the operating room, Xia Ming arranged for a team change, including instruments and medications, and instructed them, ¡°From the smallest thread to thergest bottle of medicine, make sure to double-check everything. The items must match the specifications exactly, and there must be no room for error.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
Regarding Jiang Junlin¡¯s unconscious state, Zhang Qiang informed Gu Ci and maintained strict information control. When they arrived at the hospital, they continued to keep everything confidential. Jiang Junlin was immediately taken to the operating room where Xia Ming and his team conducted examinations.
Xia Ming had previously performed Jiang Junlin¡¯s physical exams and gastrointestinal endoscopy, so he was well aware of the medical history. He had a good idea of the issue, which saved a lot of time on diagnostics. Gu Ci and Qin Wan came to the hospital and also brought Dr. North along, just to be safe.
Dr. North donned sterile attire and was ready to assist Xia Ming in the operating room.
Zhang Qiang and his team maintained security. The doctors, nurses, and assistants were all from Xia Ming¡¯s team. Medications were double-checked at every step. Qin Wan, feeling anxious and nervous, asked, ¡°Could it be that they poisoned him after the negotiations this afternoon?¡±
Gu Ci replied with uncertainty, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±
Zhang Qiang didn¡¯t want to cause unnecessary panic, so he instructed Jiang Minghua and Lin Chunli to wait at home for updates. Gu Ci provided them with updates on the situation and tried to reassure them. Dr. North gave her a report midway through the surgery.
Gu Ci called Jiang Minghua, ¡°Uncle, please don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s a polyp in his stomach that caused this. He needs to have it removed. It¡¯s a minor surgery, so don¡¯t be too concerned.¡±
¡°Is it a minor surgery? Why did he faint?¡± Lin Chunli¡¯s voice trembled with worry. She had never seen Jiang Junlin faint before, not even once.
Gu Ci exined, ¡°Jiang Junlin has been overworking himselftely and not getting enough rest, which has led to various symptoms. The surgery should only take about two hours, so please don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll wake up fine after a good rest.¡±
After emphasizing this several times, Jiang Minghua and Lin Chunli finally felt relieved.
Qin Wan couldn¡¯t understand the medical images and reports, so she asked, ¡°Is it just a polyp?¡±
Gu Ci shook her head. It was a series of reactions caused by the polyp. Jiang Junlin¡¯s stomach had been suffering from chronic congestion for a long time, and the gastric environment was particrly poor. The risk of cancer had doubledpared to a year ago.
¡°Is it very serious?¡± Zhang Qiang asked anxiously.
Gu Ci nced at the operating room and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the surgery is over.¡±
The surgery itself went smoothly, but the subsequent recovery and rehabilitation would be a long process. Jiang Junlin had chronic gastritis and would require careful care. Gu Ci had reviewed Jiang Junlin¡¯s medical history, and his stomach problems had started six years ago..
Chapter 415 - 415: Little Wolf Cub’s Double Standard
Chapter 415: Little Wolf Cub¡¯s Double Standard
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
The Jiang family or the Lin family, neither have a family history of hereditary diseases. Although Jiang Junlin has been a picky eater since childhood, he has always been in good health. Six years ago, he suddenly developed a stomach problem, and after spending two years on the frontlines with irregr mealtimes and continued picky eating, minor issues turned into major problems.
¡°I told him a long time ago not to be picky, especially when he has a stomach problem,¡± Qin Wan said, both angry and helpless.
Zhang Qiang hesitated to speak. In fact, the master¡¯s picky eating was just that, but he had been well taken care of since childhood. There was a reason for his stomach problems, but Zhang Qiang kept his mouth shut, not daring to disclose Jiang Junlin¡¯s privacy.
Qin Wan and Gu Ci were waiting for news when Qin Wan¡¯s phone vibrated. She nced at it and blurted out, ¡°Damn, what a small world.¡±
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Ci asked.
¡°Ji chi is also undergoing surgery upstairs, also in the digestive department,¡± Qin Wan showed Gu Ci the message sent by the Triad¡¯s dark web, which had a dedicated team monitoring the every move of the ck Hawk¡¯s top brass. ¡°What happened to him?¡± Gu Ci frowned.
¡°He had a breakup, drank excessively, developed a stomach perforation, and brought it on himself!¡± Qin Wan mocked.
Zhang Qiang cleared his throat, ¡°He had the stomach perforation¡ for several months, it wasn¡¯t caused by excessive drinking.¡±
Qin Wan smiled awkwardly, ¡°Oh¡ you seem to know a lot.¡±
Gu Ci said,
Zhang Qiang said,
Jiang Junlin¡¯s surgery took an hour longer than Gu Ci had anticipated, and there were someplications during the procedure. Overall, the risk was rtively small, and the surgery was sessful, with a bit of a scare.
Gu Ci announced that he was safe in the group chat after his surgery.
Upstairs, Ji chi¡¯s surgery was slower than Jiang Junlin¡¯s, but it went rtively smoothly as well. By some strange twist of fate, their surgeries were on the same day, and they ended up on the same floor of the hospital, right across from each other. When Gu Ci left Jiang Junlin¡¯s ward and saw Rong Li and the others escorting Ji chi into his room, he didn¡¯t know what to say. It was like a cursed coincidence.
Rong Li was surprised to see Gu Ci there; he had been waiting outside the operating room the whole time, and his phone¡¯s battery was almost dead, so he hadn¡¯t seen any messages. ¡°Gu Ci, what are you doing here?¡±
¡°My brother just had surgery; he¡¯s in the room right there,¡± Gu Ci replied.
Rong Li fell silent for three seconds. ¡°What a coincidence, Ji chi is also having surgery tonight.¡±
¡°What happened to him?¡±
¡°Stomach perforation. What about Jiang Junlin?¡±
¡°Gastric polyps.¡±
¡°How uncanny!¡±
After their awkward conversation, they went their separate ways. Rong Li couldn¡¯t help butin inwardly; why did Jiang Junlin have to end up in the room across from Ji chi¡¯s? It was like a cursed fate. Were you two star-crossed lovers trying to die on the same day?
Lu Zhiyuan had known about this news for a long time. It was a bizarre and helpless coincidence. This floor of the hospital was under strict security, and the original patients had been transferred to other floors. Zhang Qiang and Nick stood on both sides of the corridor like door gods, and the passing nurses and doctors couldn¡¯t help but look at them several times.
Nick asked, ¡°Bro, do you smoke?¡±
Zhang Qiang pointed to the no-smoking sign; the hospital prohibited smoking.
The two were quite familiar with each other, considering they often had to keep an eye out for their respective masters. Nick said, ¡°You can smoke in the hallway.¡±
Zhang Qiang declined his enthusiastic invitation, ¡°During duty, we must not leave our post.¡±
Nick thought to himself, ¡°Not even a fly can get in here; what¡¯s there to worry about?¡±
¡°Is your master¡¯s surgery serious?¡± Nick inquired.
Zhang Qiang replied, ¡°Minor surgery. What about your master?¡±
¡°Also minor surgery. Irregr meals, constant socializing, and endless alcohol consumption ruined his stomach,¡± Nick exined. ¡°Is your master¡¯s stomach condition due to picky eating?¡±
Zhang Qiang remained expressionless, ¡°It¡¯s also due to alcohol.¡±
¡°Alcohol is really harmful.¡±
¡°Great minds think alike.¡±
The two exchanged information about each other¡¯s masters; after all, it was necessary to report back, and they both had a keen sense of observation.
When Jiang Junlin woke up, he was subjected to a series of lectures from his grandparents, parents, and even his aunts and uncles about the harms of picky eating. They wanted him to correct this bad habit, eat more, and take better care of his stomach.
Grandma Jiang even subtly implied that his stomach wasn¡¯t as good as hers, even though she was much older and her stomach had always been healthy.
Jiang Junlin knew that they were worried, so he obediently listened to theirints. This lecturested for two hours, during which Jiang Junlin had just undergone surgery and was feeling unwell. He found himself getting drowsy from all the nagging. The Jiang family had many rtives, and there was a continuous stream of visitors to the hospital room. The room was filled with fruits and flowers, and Jiang Junlin had a splitting headache.
In contrast, Nick felt a bit sorry for his own master.
When Ji chi woke up, there was no one to visit him, and the hospital room was cold and empty.
Lu Zhiyuan was busy investigating Tang Mingzhou¡¯s affairs, and Rong Li knew that Ji chi had safely undergone surgery and had left. Despite Ji chi appearing to be like a loyal puppy in front of Jiang Junlin, he was quite cold-hearted underneath. In the business world, he was a shrewd operator who could see through people¡¯s true colors. Moreover, he had never informed anyone outside about his surgery and hospitalization.
Nick looked at the bustling scene outside Jiang Junlin¡¯s hospital room and couldn¡¯t help feeling even more sorry for his own master. He was truly pitiful, with no family members around him.
Zhang Qiang asked, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anyonee to visit your master?¡±
¡°He¡¯s an orphan, no family.¡±
Zhang Qiang knew that Ji chi was an orphan. ¡°Third Master and Rong Li didn¡¯te to see him?¡±
¡°They¡¯re both very busy.¡±
Zhang Qiang couldn¡¯t help but think that was indeed quite pitiful.
Nick also understood what Zhang Qiang was thinking. If they weren¡¯t on the same floor, the contrast wouldn¡¯t be so stark.
But being on the same floor, with one room bustling with visitors and the other seemingly empty, the contrast was too stark.
Ji chi had a restless day. After the anesthesia wore off, he experienced some pain, not too severe but impossible to ignore. On top of that, there was a lot of noise outside. He became impatient and called Nick into the room with an annoyed tone, ¡°What¡¯s going on outside? Wasn¡¯t this floor supposed to be cleared?¡±
It was so noisy, and it had been non-stop since early morning!
Nick said helplessly, ¡°Master, this entire floor has been cleared. There are only two patient rooms in use.¡±
The patient rooms didn¡¯t have soundproof walls, so there was bound to be some noise.
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Nick couldn¡¯t hide it any longer and said, ¡°Master, the thing is, right across from us is Mr. Jiang¡¡±
Ji chi was stunned, abruptly lifting the nket, ¡°What¡¯s going on? He¡¡±
He moved too suddenly and pulled at his wound, instantly lying back down with a pale face. Nick hurriedly approached and held him down, ¡°Master, don¡¯t worry. It was a minor surgery. Rong Li said you just had surgery, so don¡¯t be anxious. He¡¯ll tell you more in a couple of days. Mr. Jiang had a minor surgery too, really.¡±
¡°What happened to him?¡± Ji chi¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement as he gripped Nick¡¯s arm, with a hint of redness in the corners of his eyes.
¡°He had a polyp in his stomach, and they removed it,¡± Nick shared the information he had gathered. ¡°He woke up even earlier than you. Zhang Qiang said he can talk and is in the process of recovery. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±
¡°You¡¯re not lying to me, are you?¡±
¡°Why would 1 lie to you?¡± Nick handed Ji chi the surgical records and reports that Zhang Qiang had given him. ¡°Master, this is absolutely genuine. Please don¡¯t move. If you find the noise disturbing, should I ask the doctor to find you another room?¡±
¡°No need,¡± Ji chi listened to the livelymotion outside, ¡°It¡¯s fine..¡±
Chapter 416 - 416: I’m Shallow, I’m Sentimental
Chapter 416 - 416: I¡¯m Shallow, I¡¯m Sentimental
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Just a moment ago, Ji Chi, who was very impatient, envied the lively scene outside. His older brother was originally the pride of the family, born noble and beloved by many. But he was different; he was like a wild weed by the roadside.
If he were to die, no one would shed tears for him, and no one would miss him.
He was alone as a child, and now he would also die a lonely ghost.
¡°Brother, I¡¯vee to see you.¡± Little Gu Ziyu, with a big bouquet of red roses and a heavy fruit basket, came to visit. He was small in stature but carried a substantial fruit basket.
Nick hurriedly helped him with the fruit basket and ced it aside.
¡°Why did youe?¡± Ji Chi was surprised. Gu Ziyu ced the bouquet of roses by the bedside and said with a smile, ¡°Of course, 1 came to see you. Is your wound hurting, or can you dodge this one?¡±
¡°What?¡±
Gu Ziyu shook his head. ¡°Never mind, does it hurt?¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt!¡± Ji Chi¡¯s smile was genuine. Gu Ziyu¡¯s concern warmed his heart. He patted the bed, and Gu Ziyu sat down. Ji Chi yfully flicked his forehead and said affectionately, ¡°Who told baby that I¡¯m in the hospital?¡±
¡°Dad did,¡± Gu Ziyu frowned, imitating Ji Chi¡¯s yful gesture and flicking him back. ¡°Dad said you¡¯re not doing well, so you ended up in the hospital.¡±
Ji Chi secretly thought that Third Master wasn¡¯t wrong; there was indeed such a thing.
Gu Ziyu couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°Is breaking up so painful? You lost your appetite, and you wanted to drown your sorrows in alcohol?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll understand when you grow up.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to understand!¡± Gu Ziyu didn¡¯t want to get involved in such troublesome matters. ¡°You and Uncle have set bad examples for me, both of you are negative role models. 1 don¡¯t want trouble. If you¡¯ve broken up, find another one.¡±
Nick felt that he shouldn¡¯t listen anymore and pushed out of the hospital room.
Ji Chi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, watching the naive and carefree Gu Ziyu. He was so entertained that even his wound hurt. ¡°Alright, when I¡¯m better, I¡¯ll find another one!¡±
¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Be more open-minded. In life, happiness is the most important thing,¡± Gu Ziyu said. ¡°Uncle is also having a minor operation in the next room, did you know?¡±
¡°I know.¡±
¡°Oh¡¡± Gu Ziyu cleverly didn¡¯t mention it again. He opened his own backpack and brought several romance novels for Ji Chi to read. Ji Chi looked at the titles and couldn¡¯t help but twitch his lips in pain. Titles like ¡®The CEO¡¯s Ball-Carrying Little Wife¡¯ and ¡®The Overbearing Boss Wants to Marry Me¡¯¡
¡°What is this?¡±
¡°I borrowed them from Qin Wan sister¡¯s desk, brought them to entertain you,¡± Gu Ziyu said. ¡°She said they¡¯re romance novels. Since you¡¯ve broken up, reading romance novels might help with the healing process.¡±
Ji Chi¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Have you read them?¡±
¡°Never!¡± Gu Ziyu blinked, said with a sly look, ¡°Qin Wan sister said I¡¯m underage and shouldn¡¯t read them. You¡¯re an adult, so you can enjoy them.¡± Definitely not what he had in mind!
Ji Chi secretly wondered if Gu Ziyu had brought him some risque literature.
Next door, Jiang Junlin had just seen off some rtives, and he was as weak as a strand of air. He was very straightforward, saying, ¡°Dad, Mom, please, don¡¯t let theme. I¡¯m recovering, and it would be painful to entertain them and move around with my injury.¡±
¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯ll tell them to go back,¡± Jiang Minghua said. ¡°Grandpa and uncles are just worried about you.¡±
¡°A text message of condolence is enough.¡±
Lin Chunli patted his hand and said, ¡°This is about social interactions and rtionships. You can¡¯t live like a hermit.¡±
Due to his busy schedule, apart from his grandfather, grandmother, and parents, Jiang Junlin could only meet with a few close rtives in the hospital. Others sent their regards via phone calls and gifts, and he didn¡¯t have much time for extensive socializing.
His connection with the Lin family had been rtively weak since childhood, so the emotional bond was somewhat thin.
After Gu Ci went to the restroom to wash the apples, Lin Chunli nudged Jiang Minghua, who shook his head, resisting the idea. Jiang Junlin, watching his parents¡¯ expressions, raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Junlin, you¡¯re in the hospital¡ It¡¯s such a big deal. Why hasn¡¯t your girlfriende to visit you?¡± Jiang Minghua asked directly.
¡°Girlfriend?¡± Jiang Junlin asked, confused.
Lin Chunli nodded, somewhat excited. Her son was twenty-eight years old, and he finally seemed to be awakening to certain aspects of life. ¡°Our family is very open-minded. As long as it¡¯s someone you like, we¡¯ll ept it.¡±
Jiang Junlin was utterly bewildered. Gu Ci wasn¡¯t around, and he didn¡¯t know whom to ask. To avoid making a mistake, he chose to remain silent.
Seeing his reaction, Jiang Minghua added, ¡°Are you just ying around? If you start something and then abandon it, Junlin, that¡¯s not right.¡±
¡°¡¡± Jiang Junlin remained silent.
Lin Chunli continued, ¡°Do you like married women, perhaps?¡±
¡°Dad, Mom, where are you getting this from?¡± Jiang Junlin couldn¡¯t fathom why they were so convinced. ¡°I¡ He¡¯s shy.¡±
¡°We¡¯re very easygoing, and we don¡¯t judge,¡± Lin Chunli mainly believed in her son¡¯s judgment.
Someone as high-spirited as him must be attractive enough to captivate someone¡¯s heart. Looking at the visible love marks on Jiang Junlin¡¯s neck, it was clear that he had been with an enthusiastic youngdy.
Jiang Junlin couldn¡¯t keep up the act any longer. ¡°Why are you so sure I have a girlfriend?¡±
Lin Chunli nced at his neck, and Jiang Junlin suddenly realized. Being stared at by his parents like this was rare, and he blushed, wearing only a loose robe when he passed out in front of his mother.
¡°Oh¡ why are you still shy?¡± Lin Chunli smirked ambiguously. ¡°Men should get married, and women should get married too. Your parents understand that. Where is she from? How old is she? What¡¯s her personality like? Do you get along well? How many people are there in her family? Is she attractive?¡±
Jiang Junlin thought to himself that if his mother continued, they might end up nning an engagement and wedding. ¡°Mom, we¡¯ve broken up.¡±
¡°Ah¡ you¡¯ve just broken up even though those love marks are so fresh?¡± Lin Chunli blurted out.
Jiang Junlin said,¡±¡¡±
Jiang Minghua furrowed his brows. ¡°Why do you seem guilty?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not guilty,¡± Jiang Junlin said expressionlessly. ¡°I¡¯m just sad. He heard that 1 had surgery and might be at risk for stomach cancer, so he decided to break up.¡±
Lin Chunli eximed, ¡°Ah¡ but you were perfectly fine.¡±
Jiang Minghua asked, ¡°What kind of judgment do you have to pick someone like that?¡±
Jiang Junlin deadpanned, ¡°I¡¯m shallow; I just go for looks.¡±
Lin Chunli and Jiang Minghua were momentarily at a loss for words, and Jiang Junlin had this knack for shutting his parents up every time.
Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as she continued slicing apples.
Lin Chunli persisted, ¡°You really broke up?¡±
Jiang Junlin asserted, ¡°Yes.¡±
Lin Chunli looked at Gu Ci, pleading with her eyes. Gu Ci said, ¡°Aunt, it¡¯s true. We really broke up.¡±
Lin Chunli looked at Jiang Junlin with disappointment. ¡°What¡¯s the use of me giving birth to you?¡±
Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t respond to her outburst, and Jiang Minghua tried to console his wife. ¡°Let it go. If they¡¯ve broken up, they can start fresh, at least to prove that he¡¯s healthy.¡±
Jiang Junlin wondered if he had been subtly insulted. What was unhealthy about him?
Lin Chunli lost interest in visiting after hearing this news. She had been so eager, hoping to meet her future daughter-inw during this visit.
Jiang Minghua changed the subject. ¡°Cici, didn¡¯t Ziyue with you? He brought a big bouquet of roses and a fruit basket.. Where is he?¡±
Chapter 417 - 417: How Close Can I Get to You?
Chapter 417 - 417: How Close Can I Get to You?
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ci nced at Jiang Junlin and said, ¡°He went to see a friend next door.¡±
Jiang Junlin raised an eyebrow.
Jiang Minghua asked, ¡°What kind of friend brings a big bouquet of red roses?¡±
¡°A good friend,¡± Gu Ci thought to herself, ¡°It¡¯s just that you two are destined to be apart, just separated from your daughter-inw.¡±
When it came to buying red roses, she and Ziyu had discussed buying lilies, which were most suitable for visiting the sick. However, Ziyu didn¡¯t like them, saying that the fragrance of flowers was too overpowering and would disrupt Ji Chi¡¯s sleep. He had also suggested yellow roses, but he didn¡¯t like those either.
Gu Ziyu picked out red roses because he liked the passionate and fiery color.
Jiang Minghua didn¡¯t ask any further questions. After they left, Jiang Junlin asked, ¡°Who lives next door?¡±
Ziyu now looked like a little angel but had a strong sense of boundaries. Besides Chen Liangdong being in the hospital, who else would make him bring flowers? But if it was Chen Liangdong, why would he bring red roses? Jiang Junlin¡¯s throat tightened slightly.
¡°It¡¯s Ji Chi!¡± GuCi said.
The answer was as he had expected. Jiang Junlin¡¯s heart sank. ¡°What happened to him?¡±
¡°Stomach perforation, they say it¡¯s due to drinking,¡± Gu Ci also spoke truthfully, cutting the sliced apple into small pieces and putting them on toothpicks. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s a minor surgery, even milder than yours. There¡¯s no organ damage, just dietary habits that caused it. He¡¯ll be fine if he takes good care of himself in the future.¡±
Jiang Junlin knew that Ji Chi had this condition and had asked him to undergo minimally invasive surgery a long time ago. But one thing after another had dyed it. Now that the surgery was sessful, he was relieved.
¡°Do you want to see him, brother?¡±
¡°No need!¡± Jiang Junlin looked out the window. Since they had separated, he wanted to cut all ties and not give false hope. Prolonging the inevitable would only make both of them more miserable.
At night.
He had slept too much during the day and was surprisingly awake at night. The hospital environment was noisy, even though it was the inpatient department, and this floor had been cleared out. He could still hear the noise from downstairs, even with the windows closed. It sounded like someone had passed away, with family members crying loudly and shouting. After a while, there was even a physical altercation.
Gradually, it became calm, with only the sound of crying in the background.
Jiang Junlin had heard from Xia Ming that doctors were willing to work at the Central Hospital. The security measures here were excellent, with strong security personnel on every floor. The probability of medical disputes was the lowest among all the hospitals in the city.
Last year, there had been a few incidents in the pediatric department. A child had identally swallowed his mother¡¯s gold ring at home, and due to improper first aid, he had passed away right at the entrance of the emergency department. The family insisted that the doctors had mishandled the treatment, and the father, in his agitation, had even attacked an emergency room doctor with a fruit knife.
Later, the Central Hospital had hired a team of the most famouswyers to take the family to court, demandingpensation and an apology. They had won thewsuit, but it had caused a lot of public outrage. The family had sent wreaths to the hospital, creating quite amotion, and the media had been quick to criticize the hospital. Its reputation had taken a hit.
However, the country¡¯s most elite doctors were concentrated in the Central Hospital, and the demand for beds was extremely high. They weren¡¯t afraid of scandals. As Jiang Junlin listened to the diminishingmotion, he knew that the situation had been brought under control.
Jiang Junlin heard Nick¡¯s voice.
Nick asked, ¡°Master, where are you going?¡±
¡°The ward is stuffy. I¡¯m going out for some fresh air.¡±
This floor was a special ward, specifically reserved. Aside from the duty doctors and nurses, there were only a few rooms. Ji Chi¡¯s surgery was less invasive than Jiang Junlin¡¯s, allowing him to get out of bed and walk around. The ward felt suffocating, so he went up to the rooftop to get some air.
Nick cautioned, ¡°Master, you¡¯ve just had surgery, and you¡¯re still weak. Don¡¯t go out in the cold air; you might catch a cold.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±
The outside gradually quieted down. Jiang Junlin endured the post-surgery pain and the dull ache in his heart. He had known for a long time that he needed to cut the ties swiftly. Lingering would only make the pain worse. However, every time the words of separation were on his lips, and he met Ji Chi¡¯s gaze, Jiang Junlin could only watch himself sink into the abyss of desire, unable to speak those heartless words.
From childhood to adulthood, he had always been indecisive when it came to Ji Chi.
An hourter, he heard Ji Chi¡¯s voice again. Zhang Qiang greeted him, and he went out for some fresh air. Jiang Junlin had no sleep, he listened to the sounds around him, and sleep eluded him even more.
He took a deep breath and made a decision.
¡°Zhang Qiang, contact Xia Ming, let¡¯s transfer to another hospital.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
When Ji Chi learned that Jiang Junlin wanted to transfer, his gaze turned extremely cold. His brother was truly ruthless, unwilling to leave him even a glimmer of hope or attachment. He was determined to sever all ties.
But no matter how much it pained him, he had to ept it.
Gu Ci came to the hospital to handle Jiang Junlin¡¯s transfer. On that day, Lu Zhiyuan also came to see Ji Chi. The two of them crossed paths in the corridor. They were now peacefully separated, and Gu Ci didn¡¯t avoid Lu Zhiyuan. When she approached him, Lu Zhiyuan felt a pain as if a knife had pierced his heart, blood flowing freely. He held onto the wall, desperately suppressing the intense pain.
Li Jiang was confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Third Master?¡±
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Gu Ci hurriedly went to support him. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡±
The moment she touched Lu Zhiyuan, it was as if she held a death sentence for him. The pain was unbearable, and Lu Zhiyuan desperately pulled away from her touch, but he couldn¡¯t hold back, and a mouthful of blood sttered on the white wall.
¡°Third Master!¡± Li Jiang was greatly rmed. ¡°Doctor, doctor¡¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s face also changed slightly. She tightly held onto his hand and asked, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, what¡¯s happening to you?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan spat out another mouthful of blood, his gaze clouded as he looked at her. Gu Ci, as if stabbed, suddenly let go of his hand. They were a deeply loving couple, and a single nce was enough for them to understand each other¡¯s hearts. Gu Ci seemed to realize something, and her eyes turned red. She retreated in a frenzy, and the red on the wall pierced her eyes.
Doctors and nurses rushed over and took Lu Zhiyuan for examination. Li Jiang hurriedly followed. Gu Ci felt as if her heart had been torn apart. She now understood everything, and it was more painful than if she had been killed.
So, her proximity would cause him to die!
That day during their negotiations, she had suspected something but hadn¡¯t confirmed it.
An hourter, on the rooftop of the hospital.
Gu Ci stood at the stairwell, not daring to get closer. Lu Zhiyuan was ten meters away from her, the farthest distance between them. Those ten meters felt like an unbridgeable chasm, a road that couldn¡¯t be crossed even in hundreds of years.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, does it hurt?¡± Gu Ci asked with red eyes. ¡°Am I causing you difort by standing here?¡±
Gu Ci was incredibly intelligent and saw through it at a nce. Lu Zhiyuan also knew he couldn¡¯t hide it any longer. ¡°Xiao Ci, it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±
¡°How about this?¡± Gu Ci took three steps forward, shortening the distance by one meter. She gazed at Lu Zhiyuan with a heartbroken expression. ¡°How close can I get to you? One meter, two meters, or five meters?¡±
Within five meters, Lu Zhiyuan began to feel pain.
¡°Cici, as long as you don¡¯t touch me, it¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°I see!¡± Gu Ci wiped away her tears. ¡°Since when did this start?¡±
¡°That night, after watching the stars..¡±
Chapter 418 - 418: Emergency Room, Doctor Gu
Chapter 418: Emergency Room, Doctor Gu
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ci understood it. No wonder they fell down the mountain. Lu Zhiyuan could teleport, but he was still so badly injured. It turned out to be because of her. She had been carrying him all the way. How much pain Lu Zhiyuan must be in.
No wonder he frequently coughed up blood.
Her touch was, in fact, his curse.
¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Gu Ci asked sternly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±
If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have recklessly approached him, causing him more pain. If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t havee close to him again, no matter how much she missed him; she would have restrained her desires.
Why didn¡¯t Lu Zhiyuan tell Gu Ci?
First, he didn¡¯t want Gu Ci to me herself, and second, even the excruciating pain couldn¡¯t stop him from wanting to see Gu Ci.
If they truly never saw each other again in this lifetime, it would be more torture than this ordeal.
Gu Ci understood the look in his eyes. They were both fools; she was a madwoman, and he was a fool. They were truly a match made in heaven. Gu Ci had med heaven, med the earth, and resented the unfairness of the gods. Now, she only med herself for why she had met Lu Zhiyuan.
If they hadn¡¯t met, Lu Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t be suffering like this.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, was it the same in the previous life?¡± Gu Ci asked in anguish. ¡°Was every day we spent together so painful for you?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t lie to me; I want to hear the truth.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan sighed and nodded. ¡°Every day after we got married was a heart-wrenching pain for me. But even so, I never once thought of letting go of your hand.¡±
Gu Ci felt a deep pain in her heart. She retreated in agony, and Lu Zhiyuan took a few steps towards her. Gu Ci shouted, ¡°Don¡¯te any closer! Are you a fool? If it hurts, why didn¡¯t you say so?¡±
¡°Cici¡¡±
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, I¡¡± Gu Ci didn¡¯t know that the person she had been holding in the palm of her hand all along was so fragile. If she had known earlier¡
If she had known, would she have acted so recklessly?
¡°Lu Zhiyuan, from now on, 1 will stay far away from you,¡± Gu Ci concealed her pain. ¡°If there is a way to break this curse, you tell me. If I die, can this curse be broken?¡±
¡°No!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said firmly, ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, you won¡¯t die. Cici, death won¡¯t solve this curse. It will only make you cycle through it repeatedly. Don¡¯t worry; 1 will spend my whole life finding a solution.¡±
He was afraid that Gu Ci would do something foolish.
Gu Ci was afraid that he would suffer so much, but she continued to bear it alone. Why was fate so unfair? They both wanted to love each other and protect each other with all their might, but they could only live with regret, unable to be together.
She had already epted the fact of being separated from Lu Zhiyuan, trying to heal herself while holding onto a glimmer of hope that someday, both she and Lu Zhiyuan could have their wishese true. But if the price of Lu Zhiyuan being with her was to endure torture, would she still be willing?
No!
She wouldn¡¯t!
She hoped that Lu Zhiyuan would live a healthy and safe life. As long as he was well, it was more important than anything else.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know¡ because of me, you¡¯re in so much pain, Third Brother,¡± Gu Ci looked at him with sadness. ¡°If 1 had known earlier¡¡±
Stay far away from you!
Just watching you from a distance would be enough.
If she had known about his pain in the previous life, she wouldn¡¯t have gone to find him when she came back. She would have been content to watch him shine as a dazzling and prominent racer at the pinnacle of the world.
¡°Cici, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said, his heart aching. He knew Gu Ci would react this way, so he never wanted to tell her. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault; don¡¯t me yourself.¡±
Someday, he would surely break free from this fate!
Gu Ci couldn¡¯t bear it any longer as she saw him approaching. She turned and left, running down the stairs as if someone were chasing her from behind. Li Jiang watched her fleeing figure in confusion. It was the first time he had seen Miss Gu Ci cry like this. What had Third Master said to make Miss Gu Ci cry like this?
It was too pitiful!
Jiang Junlin looked at her reddened eyes and asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
Gu Ci shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, big brother. The transfer procedures are done. Let¡¯s go.¡± Gu Ci didn¡¯t want to say more, and Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t force her. He knew it had something to do with Lu Zhiyuan.
Gu Ci silently swore to herself that she would heal as quickly as possible.
This cursed situation was damned, and they would find a way to break it. There were always more solutions than difficulties, and she refused to believe that they couldn¡¯t find a way to break this curse.
Ji Chi stood on the upper floor, watching as Jiang Junlin got into the car, his face even paler than the walls of the hospital.
Brother, I¡¯ve set you free. Are you happy?
Five yearster, in the Southern City Hospital.
The emergency room received a construction worker who had fallen from a great height, with a steel pipe piercing through his chest. Gu Ci was on duty as a resident doctor, and this surgery took six hours toplete. When she left the operating room, she was exhausted.
The surgery was a sess, and the emergency room was filled with joy.
When the patient was brought in, no one thought he would survive, but the surgery had seeded, once again under the skilled hands of Gu Ci.
Gu Ci, a newly graduated doctor who had justpleted her residency in the emergency room at Southern City Hospital, had gained a great reputation in just half a year. Patients who underwent surgery with her always came out safely. Her medical skills were exceptional, and she remained calm under pressure, making her a standout in the emergency room. Many cardiovascr and neurosurgery doctors liked to exchange experiences with Gu Ci.
Gu Ci hadpleted an eight-yearbined bachelor¡¯s and master¡¯s program, spending five years studying in total. After four years of undergraduate education, she specialized in cardiovascr and neurosurgery. Gu Ziyu had earned two doctoral degrees a year earlier and had already left the campus. With Chen Liangdong¡¯s promotion, Gu Ziyu¡¯s position in the national security sector was also very stable.
Her mental state had improved over the past few years. Two years ago, she had taken over as the leader of the triad. After graduating, she had been doing rotations in the emergency room at a hospital funded by the triad. She worked as an emergency room doctor on odd-numbered days.
During the rest of her time, she served the triad¡¯s dark web. For the sake of Gu Ci, Jiang Junlin had changed the triad¡¯s usual practices. Gu Ci was in charge of the financial sector of the triad, and Jiang Junlin hadpletely separated the financial sector from the dark web. As a result, Gu Ci had few enemies in the financial sector, and her role as a doctor carried little danger. However, in reality, Gu Ci was involved in most of the management and decision-making in the triad¡¯s dark web. Many decisions didn¡¯t need to go through Jiang Junlin; she could make them directly.
A young nurse handed her a cup of coffee and winked, saying, ¡°Dr. Gu, this coffee was sent to our emergency room by Zhou Li.¡±
Zhou Li had been pursuing Gu Ci, and almost the entire hospital knew about it. They were all betting on when Zhou Li would finally win over Dr. Gu.
Gu Ci didn¡¯t have to work night shifts. Southern City Hospital was funded by the triad, so she had more freedom than ordinary doctors. She finished work at 5 PM, unless there was an emergency. At night, Gu Ci dealt with triad business and didn¡¯t usually return to the hospital.
Zhou Li was waiting for her in the parking lot. Today was Zhou Li¡¯s birthday, and Gu Ci had promised to celebrate it with him and sing him a song..
Chapter 419 - 419: Parent-Child Time
Chapter 419: Parent-Child Time
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
When she went to work, her hair was casually tied up in a bun, casually but beautifully done. She wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, dressing no differently from an ordinary doctor. Gu Ci recognized Zhou Li¡¯s car, tapped on the car window, and Zhou Li opened the door, waving with a smile, ¡°Dr. Gu, who saves lives, you¡¯ve worked hard. This is a little treat for you on behalf of all the patients.¡±
Zhou Li handed over a box of snacks, and Gu Ci chuckled, saying, ¡°This famous snack ce usually has a queue of over three hours. Did you wait in line?¡±
¡°In this world, there¡¯s a group called scalpers,¡± Zhou Li teased. ¡°They stand in line for three hours and make three hundred bucks. Isn¡¯t that easy money?¡± ¡°Especially for people like you who fall for it.¡±
Although Gu Ci was teasing, she had already eaten two pieces of pastry. She had low blood sugar, but it wasn¡¯t too severe. After a long surgery, her abdomen was empty, and desserts and choctes were her favorite snacks. Every time Zhou Li came to pick her up, he would bring some sweets.
Gu Ci told him about the emergency room patients, and despite being from different fields, Zhou Li listened attentively. ¡°You saved that patient. It¡¯s trending today. It was a steel pipe piercing the body, andizens were saying there was no hope.¡±
¡°But 1 saved them,¡± Gu Ci chuckled.
¡°Wow, our Dr. Gu is truly a miracle worker,¡± Zhou Li praised, thumb raised, having looked at the trending topic a couple more times because of Gu Ci¡¯s presence in the emergency room at Nan Cheng Hospital. The situation had been quite dire, but no one expected a sessful rescue.
Gu Ci was about to respond when she received a call from her son, Gu Ziyu.
¡°Mom, I got off work early today. I¡¯lle pick you up, and we can have dinner together,¡± Gu Ziyu, who was going through voice changes, had a slightly hoarse voice but sounded cheerful.
Gu Ci replied, ¡°I made ns to have dinner with Zhou Li. I can¡¯t apany you.¡±
¡°All¡¡± Gu Ziyu was a bit unhappy. He had just returned from a business trip the previous week and had been busy with work ever since. He finally managed to arrange everything and his mom didn¡¯t have time.
¡°Alright, Mom, enjoy your meal.¡±
After some thought, Gu Ziyu asked Chen Fei to go to the Global Center while he went to find Lu Zhiyuan.
Ji Chi and Rong Li moved to live downstairs from Lu Zhiyuan. ck Hawk¡¯s business had been in Asia for the past few years, and now Rong Li, Ji Chi, and Lu Zhiyuan were all at Global Center. Security was also easier to manage, and this time, Gu Ziyu¡¯s case was rted to ck Hawk.
Ji Chi and ck Hawk had just finished a meeting with the nine major CEOs. As they came out, they saw Gu Ziyu. The kid had free ess to Global Center. ¡°Baby, why are you here?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®baby¡¯ anymore,¡± Gu Ziyu protested. At twelve years old, Gu Ziyu was over 1.6 meters tall and growing rapidly. Ji Chi and Rong Li finally believed in the young boy¡¯s ambitions; he was on his way to reaching 1.9 meters.
He now looked like a typical teenager, and his charisma was bing more and more like Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s. If he were to debut as a child star, he could easily captivate arge audience of teenage girls and their mothers.
Ji Chi chuckled and ruffled his hair, noting that Rong Li was away on a business trip. Only Ji Chi and Lu Zhiyuan were at Global Center. Lu Zhiyuan was upstairs, reviewing the information Rong Li had sent back. There was a case rted to national security, and it was Gu Ziyu¡¯s responsibility. Lu Zhiyuan furrowed his brow slightly as he heard a knock on the door from outside. ¡°Third Master, Young Master has arrived.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow. His beloved son had graduated with a Ph.D. two years ago and was now a full-time childborer. He and Gu Ci were like a divorced couple, with custody of the child in Gu Ci¡¯s hands. Gu Ziyu woulde to visit him and have meals together on weekends, mostly without discussing business.
On weekdays, Gu Ziyu rarely came by.
¡°Dad, I¡¯m here to mooch a meal,¡± Gu Ziyu threw his backpack onto the couch and flopped onto the sofa, lounging like azy fish. ¡°I finally managed to free up some time to have dinner with Mom, but she had a date.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was momentarily surprised, and Ji Chi, with mischief in his eyes, asked, ¡°Who is Gu Ci dating?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Zhou Li.¡±
¡°Oh, the superstar. He¡¯s quite famous, and he¡¯s the brand ambassador for the jewelrypany ck Hawk invested inst year,¡± Ji Chi said. ¡°You went to his concert with Gu Ci at the beginning of the year, right?¡±
¡°Yes, VIP family tickets,¡± Gu Ziyu said. ¡°He¡¯s handsome, thoughtful, and listens to my mom. He shares her interests. 1 have a chance to gain a stepfather.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan said,
Ji Chi burst intoughter. ¡°Are you intentionally here to tease Third Master?¡±
¡°I just came to mooch a meal,¡± Gu Ziyu blinked innocently. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re not mad, are you?¡±
¡°What would you like to eat tonight? I¡¯ll cook for you!¡±
¡°No need!¡± Gu Ziyu declined. ¡°Brother, you can do it. I like the food you cook.¡±
¡°Okay, I¡¯ll cook for you guys!¡± Ji Chi had improved his cooking skills over the years and had be the Ji Chi that Gu Ziyu remembered, the one who made delicious meals. He was also quick in the kitchen. He prepared five dishes and one soup for Gu Ziyu and Lu Zhiyuan, with both meat and vegetables, ensuring a nutritious and healthy meal.
¡°We¡¯re more like a family of three,¡± Gu Ziyu couldn¡¯t help but remark as he enjoyed the spare ribs.
Ji Chi and Lu Zhiyuan chuckled helplessly.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Why do you, a minor, have to go on business trips? You work over ten hours a day, and asionally you have to go on business trips. Even the seasoned professionals in the field can¡¯t match your dedication.¡±
Gu Ziyu was frustrated when he talked about this. ¡°One of my team members messed up, so 1 had to go and clean up the mess. That¡¯s not the worst part; they also deducted my bonus.¡±
¡°Poor thing. How much did they deduct?¡± Ji Chi asked with a smile.
¡°My entire year¡¯s bonus.¡±
Ji Chi pitied him and pinched his cheek. ¡°A childborer going on business trips and getting his bonus deducted. How unfortunate.¡±
¡°You¡¯re about to burst intoughter!¡± Gu Ziyu scolded.
Ji Chi couldn¡¯t help it and burst intoughter. ¡°How much is your bonus? Why¡¯re you so upset?¡±
¡°Regardless of how much your bonus is, it¡¯s your hard-earned money.¡±
¡°As a leader, if your subordinates make mistakes, it¡¯s only natural that you take the me,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said. Although Gu Ziyu had improved his understanding of human rtions and the world, managing a team would inevitablye with its challenges.
He was still so young.
The admission criteria for the MSS were either a doctoral degree in a defense-rted field from a military academy or a top-tier university. Some of the people who got in were already in their thirties, and they were all highly talented, arrogant, and thought highly of themselves. Gu Ziyu was only twelve years old, and it was challenging to assert authority over such individuals.
Lu Zhiyuan and Ji Chi had heard Gu Ziyu talk about problems with his team multiple times before.
¡°You should learn from Ji Chi,¡± Lu Zhiyuan advised. In terms of managing subordinates, Ji Chi was the most naturally gifted person Lu Zhiyuan had ever seen. Perhaps it was because he grew up on the streets and had experienced hardship, but he had an innate ability to understand people¡¯s hearts and always knew how to find their soft spots.
Gu Ziyu had also gone through a dark period in his life, but he had been withdrawn and avoided socializing with others. Therefore, he had to start from scratch when it came to managing subordinates. It would have been different if he were an adult, but with his entire team averaging around thirty years of age, it was challenging for him to assert authority. Chen Liangdong seemed to understand the root of the problem but didn¡¯t intervene.
¡°My team currently has nine people, and only three of them arepetent. Apart from these three, one is a bookworm who only knows how to work with data and has almost zero adaptability. The other two got in through connections, and I suspect they bought their doctoral degrees. They need things exined to them in the simplest terms, and they act like theye from privileged backgrounds. They think they¡¯re talented, and no one can tell them otherwise,¡± Gu Ziyu sighed with exhaustion. ¡°If I were the boss, I would have fired them all by now..¡±
Chapter 420 - 420: Happy Birthday
Chapter 420: Happy Birthday
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Being able to enter MSS, your foundation shouldn¡¯t be that bad. When you measure by your own standards, naturally, no one qualifies,¡± Lu Zhiyuan reminded him, ¡°Trees have heights, people have disparities. When you use people, don¡¯t just focus on their shorings; look at their strengths.¡±
Ji Chi remained silent. It was rare for the Third Master to teach his son, and it was quite an honor. Ji Chi was much luckier than him. The Third Master would even teach him hands-on, whereas he had to learn by observing the Third Master.
Gu Ziyu seemed lost in thought. ¡°Is it my fault for being exceptionally intelligent?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan replied with hesitation,¡±¡¡±
Ji Chi burst intoughter. ¡°No, it¡¯s the Third Master¡¯s fault for passing on such a high IQ.to you!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t credit my dad; my intelligence is entirely thanks to my mom.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan and Ji Chi couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. After dinner, Gu Ziyu rested for half an hour before going downstairs with Lu Zhiyuan to jog. Ji Chi didn¡¯t disturb their father-son time; he stayed upstairs analyzing data.
Zhou Li brought Gu Ci to an outdoor Western restaurant. As a top-tier superstar and a high-traffic individual, he had reserved the entire ce early. The restaurant was located by a river that ran through the center of A City. It had been specially decorated with flowers, balloons, and lights, creating a beautiful ambiance. The tables were adorned with red rose petals arranged in a heart shape, with ¡°Happy Birthday¡± written in the center.
Upon seeing the romantic setting, Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.
¡°The restaurant did this; it has nothing to do with me,¡± Zhou Li exined quickly, fearing she might misunderstand. ¡°1 just asked them to do a little decoration.¡±
However, it touched her heart.
¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡±
Zhou Li snapped his fingers. ¡°Bring the food!¡±
Waiters came in one after another, serving the appetizers. Gu Ci was genuinely hungry and finished her food without leaving a trace. She was a true foodie. She looked out and saw the intertwining lights and the warmth of the city reflected in the river.
Their table also had a perfect view of the Universal Building.
Gu Ci shifted her gaze back, smiling. ¡°Zhou Li, happy birthday! I promised to write a song for you, and I¡¯ve already finished it. You¡¯re the first listener.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my honor!¡± Zhou Li chuckled and took out a prepared violin.
Medical students had an extremely demanding workload, and every year¡¯s final exams drove them to madness. Her dorm mates often eximed, crying and yelling, that the tears shed during these exams were the result of having water in their brains when they decided to study medicine. Gu Ci was even studying ahead of her grade, so her workload was even heavier. She had spent these past few years constantly studying, treating psychological disorders, and participating in the training arranged by the gang.
She and Zhou Li had made a monthly music arrangement, but because of her studies, training, and medical work, she often had to break their dates. Zhou Li neverined or got angry; he always patiently waited for her.
But she had not touched a violin as often as she would¡¯ve liked over the past couple of years.
¡°Perhaps I¡¯m a little rusty, don¡¯t be too critical,¡± Gu Ci said.
Zhou Li chuckled, ¡°Even if you¡¯re a bit rusty, you are the best violinist in my heart, the most spirited musician.¡±
Three months before Zhou Li¡¯s birthday, he had pleaded with Gu Ci to create a song for his celebration. Gu Ci, busy with her shifts in the emergency room, had been writing the song intermittently. As his birthday approached, she made two more revisions before she was satisfied.
It was an originalposition inspired by Gu Ci¡¯s five-year journey of psychological healing. Therefore, the melody started off mncholic and dark, reflecting her initial struggles during the therapy, a period marked by self-deprecation and despair. Midway through, it shifted to a lyrical and warm tone, symbolizing her process of self-repair during therapy. Thetter part was lively, reflecting the hustle and bustle of the world, with a strong emotional impact. The overall tone was warm and healing.
When Gu Ci yed the violin, it was when she lost herself the most. In those few minutes of performance, it felt like she was reliving the five years of her life¡ªa process of self-redemption.
Zhou Li was mesmerized as he watched Gu Ci y. He was captivated by the charm she disyed.
A beautiful and graceful woman, a graceful and warm piece of music¡ªthey were both his crimson mole.
As the song concluded, Zhou Li apuded enthusiastically. Each year on his birthday, he received a variety of gifts from brand partners, coborators, and friends. However, Gu Ci¡¯s song had touched him deeply. He couldn¡¯t even bear to share it with others; it was exclusively his.
¡°It was rushed, and I didn¡¯t have time for meticulous refinement. The structure of the song couldn¡¯t be adjusted in time. I¡¯m just showing my humble skill,¡± Gu Ci said modestly. Besides Gu Ziyu, music was her most effective form of self-healing.
¡°I¡¯m willing to use very eloquentnguage to describe the perfection of this piece. Whether in terms of appreciation or the intended message, this song is truly moving. I feel like I¡¯ve seen a young girl trapped in the abyss, yearning for light and stars. She struggles to climb out of the abyss onto the cliff and reaches out to touch the stars. They are warm and touching, rich in emotion. 1 really love it,¡± Zhou Li expressed.
Gu Ci was momentarily surprised but then smiled. This was why she liked being friends with Zhou Li. She had never revealed the inspiration behind her songs, her struggles with mental illness, or her experiences in therapy. Zhou Li had no way of knowing what she had gone through.
Yet, he could understand the meaning and story behind each of her songs.
Truly understanding someone was a rare and precious bond.
¡°I¡¯m giving it to you!¡± Gu Ci ced the violin down. ¡°This piece sounds good because the tone of this Stradivarius violin is excellent.¡±
The sound of this Stradivarius violin was indeed outstanding, and the music yed on it could tug at one¡¯s heartstrings.
¡°The piece is excellent, and the violin is the icing on the cake,¡± Zhou Li still felt a bit regretful. ¡°It¡¯s a loss for the music world that you didn¡¯t be a musician.¡±
¡°If I became a musician, it would be a loss for the medical field,¡± Gu Ci teased.
¡°That¡¯s true. Let¡¯s stick to being Dr. Gu, saving lives and helping the injured,¡± Zhou Li said. ¡°asionally, discussing music and talking about art with us ordinary folks is more than enough.¡±
Gu Ci presented her gift. In addition to the song, she gave Zhou Li a pen as a gift. Zhou Li, as the brand ambassador for HY Jewelry, always carried a pen with him for autographs whenever he met his fans, be it at the airport or during coborations. The gift was practical and thoughtful.
¡°Happy birthday!¡±
¡°Thank you, Cid!¡±
Zhou Li took out a square box. ¡°I also have a gift for you!¡±
¡°Why are you giving me a gift on your birthday?¡±
¡°I am the Asian spokesperson for HY Jewelry, and they¡¯ve released a limited edition piece. I cheekily reserved one for myself to give to you.¡±
Gu Ci had no shortage of jewelry, mainly due to Jiang Mingyue¡¯s love for it. She had collected a lot of jewelry, and although Gu Chuyun had taken some, most of it had ended up in Gu Ci¡¯s hands. However, Gu Ci wasn¡¯t particrly fond of jewelry. She had worn the jade bracelet that Jiang Junlin had given her on her wrist for a long time. After bing an emergency room doctor, she rarely wore any jewelry, whether it was bracelets, nes, or watches.
¡°It¡¯s very beautiful,¡± Gu Ci didn¡¯t decline his kindness. She remembered that HY Jewelry was affiliated with ck Hawk Investments, and they had encountered issues with raw materials and even had a legal dispute with the Triad a few years ago. Gu Ci was well aware of it. In recent years, Ji Chi had marketed the brand exceptionally well and was willing to invest money. HY Jewelry had be very profitable, capturing a significant market share in the international first-tier brand market..
Chapter 421 - 421: The Adults Are Troublesome
Chapter 421: The Adults Are Troublesome
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
The most sensational incident was when HY Jewelry sponsored the costume design of a historical drama. All the jewelry featured in the show was designed and crafted by HY Jewelry. The phoenix crown alone was worth millions. This drama first gained attention for its exquisite jewelry andter for its captivating storyline. It became a nationwide sensation, catapulting HY Jewelry to fame and swiftly conquering the domestic high-end market.
It¡¯s unclear whether this was due to Ji Chi¡¯s excellent judgment or simply good luck.
Zhou Jinjin also yed a supporting role in this drama and gained poprity. She is now the female lead in a production by S+. Therefore, it¡¯s safe to say that Ji Chi excels in investment, marketing, and operations.
In recent years, Heiying has diversified into finance, jewelry, film and television, and real estate, with half of its assets transferred to the domestic market. The most profitable sector remains technology, which is shrouded in mystery. Recently, there have been attempts to coborate with military enterprises, but they have faced numerous obstacles.
Below the Global Center.
Gu Ziyu and Lu Zhiyuan are jogging together. Lu Zhiyuan retired a year ago, and after a year of recuperation, he resumedpeting for three more years. It has been a perilous journey, as many people wanted to sabotage him on the racetrack. It¡¯s the most vulnerable and easiest time to strike. Every race, Li Jiang and Ji Chi felt like they had experienced death. They were always on high alert and thwarted many assassination attempts. The racing schedule is too demanding, and there are moments of misjudgment. Three years ago, there was a serious ident, but luckily, Lu Zhiyuan escaped unharmed. For the safety of other racers, Lu Zhiyuan had no choice but to announce his retirement.
Even now, in every officialpetition he participated in, the worst result was a silver medal, but most of the time, it was a gold one. He was undoubtedly the king of racing, even in retirement, leaving a legacy that no one could match.
Others could only admire from a distance, chasing after him for their entire lives.
Gu Ziyu belongs to the information warfare branch, involved in technical research. He doesn¡¯t need to be on the front lines, and even when he is, his role is primarily technical. There are specialists to protect him. Therefore, Chen Liangdong doesn¡¯t require him to undergo solobat training. However, Gu Ziyu holds himself to strict standards. He exercises with Lu Zhiyuan on weekends, asionally practices boxing, and follows Chen Fei¡¯s training regimen during his free time. When Chen Fei goes on missions, Gu Ziyu participates in group training and undergoes systematic training.
The two of them sparred on the track for half an hour, working up a sweat. Gu Ziyu and Lu Zhiyuan had a match, and even with one hand tied behind his back, Gu Ziyu couldn¡¯t win. He was left panting for breath.
The third and fourth floors housed an indoor racing training center. During their break, Gu Ziyu noticed that Lu Zhiyuan frequently looked up at the upper floors. There were racing car models disyed on the outdoor tform.
¡°Dad, do you regret retiring?¡±
¡°Not really. If I didn¡¯t retire, there would be frequent idents on the racetrack, and other racers¡¯ lives would be at risk.¡± Lu Zhiyuan didn¡¯t want to jeopardize their careers.
Whenever Gu Ziyu and Gu Ci could, they would ask Li Jiang for tickets to watch his races live in China. If he waspeting abroad, they would watch the broadcast on television.
Thest time there was an ident, the car rolled three times on the racetrack. Luckily, Lu Zhiyuan only suffered minor injuries, but Gu Ci was too worried to get close. She was deeply concerned about his pain.
For the sake of everyone¡¯s safety, Lu Zhiyuan gave up his beloved racing career. ¡°You¡¯re doing the right thing!¡± Gu Ziyu gave a thumbs-up. In truth, when he was racing, Li Jiang, Ji Chi, and Rong Li were always worried, fearing he might have an ident. They were afraid that ck Hawk would stir up trouble again. Ji Chi tried to persuade Gu Ci, but she remained indifferent. She turned to Gu Ziyu, who also couldn¡¯t change her mind. As a result, Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s career was extended by four more years.
Lu Zhiyuan smiled and ruffled Gu Ziyu¡¯s hair. ¡°You came to the Global Center today for a reason. What did you want to talk to me about? Take advantage of my good mood, and I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡±
¡°Look at you! Can¡¯t I just miss you?¡±
¡°You missed your chance¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t¡¡± Gu Ziyu raised his hand. ¡°We¡¯re currently working on a drug trafficking case, and we¡¯re approaching the final phase. The situation is a bitplicated, and after some in-depth investigation, I found that one of our informants used to work at ck Hawk and used seafood as a cover to smuggle goods into the country. When we dug into this line, we uncovered a lot of secrets.¡±
Gu Ziyu pulled up the list and sent it to Lu Zhiyuan. ¡°Do you want to handle this, or should we?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan had also received the news that afternoon.
¡°Does Chen Liangdong know about this?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve already reported it,¡± Gu Ziyu said. ¡°This person has resigned, and theoretically, he has no direct connection to ck Hawk. However, this shipping line is still involved, so I¡¯d like you to handle it. Can you provide us with a prompt response? It would help us maintain good rtions.¡±
¡°Do you really trust me this much?¡±
¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Gu Ziyu raised an eyebrow and said half-jokingly, ¡°ck Hawk has moved all its operations to Asia, paying substantial taxes every year. We rely on taxpayers to make a living, so we can¡¯t afford to offend them.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan chuckled and said, ¡°1 received the message today, and I¡¯ve already asked Rong Li to take care of it. I¡¯ll get you the information after it¡¯s organized in a few days.¡±
¡°Thank you for that!¡±
After a brief pause, Lu Zhiyuan asked, ¡°As a return favor, can you tell me where Tang Mingzhou is being held?¡±
Gu Ziyu feigned a puzzled expression, ¡°Who is Tang Mingzhou?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±
¡°Should 1 know?¡±
They exchanged a few moves in their Tai Chi session, and Lu Zhiyuan smiled, ¡°Never mind.¡±
¡°So, who is Tang Mingzhou?¡± Gu Ziyu wondered silently. How did his dad know about Tang Mingzhou? Tang Mingzhou had been secretly moved three years ago. He provided intelligence, and Jiang Junlin applied for immunity for him, granting him freedom. He was then sent out of the country and lived under a new identity. Theoretically, no one should be able to trace any information about Tang Mingzhou.
This was a person who had been dead for many years!
¡°The previous owner of ck Hawk,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said lightly, ¡°He should have been dead for many years. His name resurfaced five years ago, and I recently received some intelligence suggesting that he¡¯s still alive and being held by your National Security.¡±
¡°If you want to know, I can check the prison detainee list when I get back.¡±
¡°No need. This is your top-secret information; you don¡¯t have to reveal it to me.¡±
Gu Ziyu didn¡¯t press further, secretly relieved. Tang Mingzhou¡¯s situation was mainly his uncle¡¯s doing, and he couldn¡¯t make decisions about it. Changing the topic, Gu Ziyu asked, ¡°Dad, aren¡¯t you jealous of Mom¡¯s dates with Zhou Li? You don¡¯t feel jealous at all?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan fell silent for a moment. He knew Zhou Li and had no romantic involvement with her. She was devoted to her music, and her only rumored girlfriend was Gu Ci. A few years ago, there were photos of him and Gu Ci having dinner together.
In recent years, his poprity and fanbase had been steadily rising, and his romantic life had attracted considerable attention. He had protected Gu Ci well, and she shared his interests. Sheposed music for every one of his albums. Without him, Gu Ci and Zhou Li would probably be a perfect match.
¡°We broke up five years ago.¡±
Gu Ziyu clicked his tongue. ¡°Then why do you ept the photos and videos of Mom every day? Aren¡¯t you bothered by it?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan was momentarily at a loss for words. Gu Ziyu shook his head.. ¡°Adults are so troublesome!¡±
Chapter 422 - 422: It’s Better to Shorten the Pain
Chapter 422: It¡¯s Better to Shorten the Pain
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Gu Ziyu, you¡¯re eighteen plus six, so you¡¯re also twenty-four. Don¡¯t act young.¡±
¡°Pff, I¡¯m only twelve this year, I can still act cute with Mom. I¡¯m not that old!¡± Gu Ziyu threatened him, clenching his little fists. ¡°If you mention age again, I¡¯ll set up Mom with Zhou Li.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s pulse was pinched, and he sighed, shaking his head.
Gu Ziyu squinted his eyes. ¡°Did you and Mom break up because you¡¯re afraid of having another baby, and 1 would leave?¡±
¡°No!¡±
Gu Ziyu thought seriously, ¡°If you have another baby, will there still be a ce for me?¡±
¡°Myself and Gu Ci won¡¯t have a second child, so you can rest assured.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Gu Ziyu didn¡¯t want a younger brother or sister. ¡°Mom can only spoil me.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan said nothing.
Gu Ziyu¡¯s phone suddenly made a notification sound. He picked up the phone and saw that Zhou Li was trending. He had a bad feeling. Were Mom and Zhou Li having dinner together tonight? What good news could there be about Zhou Li trending?
He opened it and indeed, it was a romantic video of Zhou Li. The restaurant was reserved for them, and it seemed a server secretly recorded a short clip. It showed Gu Ci ying the violin, and Zhou Li listening with a deeply enamored expression. The server was considerate, capturing the angle just right, making Gu Ci¡¯s delicate figure visible while subtly blurring her face.
The video was filled with a rosy atmosphere of love, with beautiful music ying. Zhou Li listened with rapt attention. Gu Ziyu yed the video right in front of Lu Zhiyuan, who immediately recognized Gu Ci. It was Sucru¡¯s famous violin, and besides Gu Ci, who else could it be?
Back then, he had gone to great lengths to acquire this violin. When Gu Ci didn¡¯t go to the auction house, he nned topete with Pei Qiuying. But when he found out that Gu Ci was going to the auction, he removed all obstacles for her.
Now, she was ying this violin for another man.
This piece of music seemed to reflect her journey over the past few years.
It contained struggles and pain but also warmth, redemption, and a new beginning. She had truly found a new lease on life, as evident in her music.
It was a good thing!
Cici should have a brilliant life.
¡°Dad, are you jealous?¡± Gu Ziyu asked.
Lu Zhiyuan avoided the question. ¡°Have you rested enough? Let¡¯s continue running.¡±
He got up and started running ahead. Gu Ziyu rolled his eyes and followed. ¡°In a few years, I¡¯ll be able to outrun you.¡±
¡°In your dreams, son!¡±
The trending topic about Zhou Li quickly faded, but it was inevitable since the topic was heating up. Moreover, today was Zhou Li¡¯s birthday, and fans were well aware of it. The studio celebrated his birthday in the early morning, which counted as a pre-birthday celebration. When the studio posted pictures, fans were curious about why they chose to celebrate in the wee hours, and now they understood.
It was because he had ns, a birthday date with his girlfriend. Fans kept asking who the girlfriend was because Zhou Li had always imed to be single in interviews.
¡°Cici, we¡¯re trending. Someone recorded the video of you ying the violin just now.¡± Zhou Li sent the video to Gu Ci and said casually, ¡°I¡¯m going to cklist this ce.¡±
He had repeatedly emphasized not to take pictures.
The waitstaff, standing nearby, seemed to understand that they had caused trouble. A young girl ran over, apologizing desperately, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to. My best friend is a fan of Zhou Li, so I recorded a short clip to send to her. I didn¡¯t expect it to be leaked. I told her to keep it private. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±
Gu Ci looked at the girl who was tearfully apologetic and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, no need to apologize.¡±
¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡± The girl wiped her tears and hurried away.
Zhou Li regretfully said, ¡°I told them not to take pictures or record videos. I didn¡¯t want to trouble you.¡±
¡°Zhou Li, we act openly, unafraid of rumors and gossip,¡± Gu Ci said softly.
¡°But I¡¯m not open enough.¡± Zhou Li finally gathered the courage to ask Gu Ci, ¡°Cici, it¡¯s been five years since you and Lu Zhiyuan broke up. Do I still have no chance?¡±
He wanted to confess on his birthday.
After all these years, he had mustered the courage once again.
¡°Zhou Li, 1 can¡¯t forget Lu Zhiyuan, no matter how many years have passed.¡± This was what Gu Ci had always told Zhou Li, and she had never shied away from it. She loved Lu Zhiyuan, even though they had broken up.
These five years, she had been extremely busy with her studies, work, and treatment, taking up all her time. She had received waves of suitors during this time, but she had rejected them all, except for Zhou Li, who was willing to stay by her side as a friend.
She had not spent much time with Zhou Li in reality. There were two years when they onlymunicated through text messages and never met in person. Gu Ci never tried to please anyone. In recent years, she had carved out a little time to spend with her son, visit the Jiang family, and enjoy family time. When her illness was not cured, she spent holidays with Dr. Noth, traveling and rxing.
After her illness was cured, she had no holidays.
Without her studies, she plunged into her work in the emergency room and the innerwork of the gang.
Since her graduation, her schedule had been packed. Thest time she and Zhou Li met was three months ago. She knew that Zhou Li still had feelings for her, and she intentionally maintained some distance.
During these five years, Zhou Li had not clearly expressed his pursuit and had not eagerly inquired about her well-being. Gu Ci hadn¡¯t had the chance to reiterate her stance.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan has no scandals and no girlfriend. If you like him, why don¡¯t you pursue him?¡± Zhou Li couldn¡¯t understand. She liked Lu Zhiyuan so much, why did they break up?
If they hadn¡¯t broken up, he wouldn¡¯t dare to entertain even a glimmer of hope.
During these five years, Zhou Li had been cautious, fearing that he might reveal his feelings and risk her distancing herself. He could sense that Gu Ci was bing more distant, and even his agent scolded him for being a devoted puppy, but he didn¡¯t care. Being friends with her, staying by her side, made him happy.
¡°We have some special reasons between us that prevent us from being together, but we¡ love each other deeply,¡± Gu Ci said gently. ¡°We love each other but can¡¯t be together.¡±
¡°I understand,¡± Zhou Li was rejected again, feeling both hurt and relieved. Five years ago on that mountain, Gu Ci had rejected him, and he had pushed too hard.
Gu Ci continued, ¡°Zhou Li, you are a great friend to me. I don¡¯t want to hurt you, so don¡¯t waste your time on me. There must be many girls who like you wholeheartedly. Find someone who loves you with all her heart, don¡¯t wait for me.¡±
Zhou Li smiled with grace. ¡°Actually¡ I¡¯m not deliberately waiting for you. I haven¡¯t met a girl who truly captivates me, so I¡¯ve continued to like you. If one day I meet a girl who captures my heart, I won¡¯t miss the chance.¡±
He concealed his own difort and said calmly, ¡°Cici, don¡¯t distance yourself from me. Consider me your friend, your confidant in music. We may not be lovers, but we can still be friends, right?¡±
¡°It¡¯s better to end it sooner rather thanter. Why be so persistent?¡±
¡°If I meet a girl who truly captivates me, I¡¯ll pursue her,¡± Zhou Li said. ¡°This isn¡¯t retreating; it¡¯s being selective. I don¡¯t want to settle. I truly envy Lu Zhiyuan..¡±
Chapter 423 - 423: I’m Going to Have a Stepfather
Chapter 423: I¡¯m Going to Have a Stepfather
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°He has nothing to envy.¡± Gu Ci remembered Lu Zhiyuan, feeling somewhat sad.
The person he loved in his heart was like a knife, his death sentence!
¡°Because he has you. It¡¯s been five years since you broke up, and you¡¯re still holding on. 1 envy that,¡± Zhou Li said. ¡°He and you have known each other since childhood, and you¡¯ve never missed a moment of your life. This kind of young and deep friendship is really beautiful.¡±
¡°Zhou Li, you will meet your Gu Ci.¡±
Zhou Li wondered if he would have the fortune to meet his Gu Ci in this lifetime.
Online discussions were in full swing, all guessing who the girl ying the violin was. Some guessed it was Gu Ci and even posted a photo of Gu Ci at a medical conference.
Zhou Li¡¯s fans¡¯ reactions were quite interesting.
¡°We approve of this rtionship!¡±
¡°It¡¯s been five years, and it¡¯s still Gu Ci. Did my son¡¯s sincerity finally win her over, and she agreed to be his girlfriend?¡±
¡°Station Sister has the inside scoop, and Brother has been pursuing Gu Ci all along.¡±
¡°Five years toplete the undergraduate, master¡¯s, and doctoral courses at A University. Medical students are really envious. 1 just started my freshman year and already want to change majors.¡±
¡°She¡¯s excelling in cardiothoracic surgery and neurology, winning numerous research awards. Let¡¯s see where her papers are published. She¡¯s definitely a genius girl.¡±
¡°Zhou Li might not be up to the task!¡±
¡°Hun Bank¡¯s little princess, a genius girl, fair-skinned and beautiful, with a cool and noble temperament. 1 wonder which window God closed for her.¡±
Gu Ci had been very low-key in recent years, rarely active on social media. She asionally kept up with current events to stay informed but hardly followed entertainment news. When Zhou Li released an album, she would write songs for him. Due to her status, Zhou Li didn¡¯t push Gu Ci to coborate more, fearing that people would use him of riding on Hun Bank¡¯s poprity or cause trouble for Gu Ci. A few years ago, she had a brief fling with Gu Chuyun, but the hype had long since faded, and her daily life could only be found in Zhou Jinjin¡¯s updates.
The online buzz had no impact on her, and Zhou Li saw no need to rify anything. In a few days, the excitement would die down. After dinner, although he was disappointed not to have escaped singledom, Zhou Li¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t greatly affected.
He had a hunch that Gu Ci wouldn¡¯t ept him, but after five years, he wanted to give it a try. If it worked out, he would have struck gold. If not, Gu Ci wouldn¡¯t reject him from a thousand miles away and would still consider him a friend. There was nothing to lose.
Gu Ci told Zhou Li that for his own good, they should maintain some distance to let him move on. It was a natural course of action because she was genuinely busy, working tirelessly day in and day out, with very little personal time.
When Zhou Li drove Gu Ci back to the Blue Fields Vi, he handed her the bouquet of roses. Gu Ci didn¡¯t refuse; since he had already bought them, it would be a shame to waste them. So, Gu Ci held a bunch of fiery red roses and came face to face with Lu Zhiyuan.
Lu Zhiyuan happened to run into Gu Ziyu naturally when he came to pick her up. There was no special arrangement of timing.
There was one year when he hadn¡¯t seen Gu Ci in person, relying solely on the videos and photos Gu Ziyu sent him.
Five years hadn¡¯t left too many traces on her. With her hair in a bun,pared to when she was eighteen, her facial features were even more exquisite and radiant. Her beauty was like that of a woman from an ancient painting, every stroke outlining her unparalleled charm.
She was more beautiful than the flowers!
Gu Ci hadn¡¯t expected to meet Lu Zhiyuan suddenly, and it was quite surprising. Zhou Li nodded at Lu Zhiyuan, ¡°I¡¯ll go now.¡±
¡°Alright, be careful on the way!¡± Gu Ci advised as she saw Zhou Li off.
Both of them stood at the doorstep without saying a word. Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s appearance and demeanor were exactly as she remembered from her memories. No matter how many years had passed, those memories remained vivid and profound in her heart. Seeing him still made her heart race and brought sadness. Even though she had epted the breakup, her feelings of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness were all connected to him.
Gu Ci had often wondered how things would have been if Lu Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t passed away suddenly, and their child had been born safely. Would she and Lu Zhiyuan be together? But as soon as she thought of Lu Zhiyuan approaching her, the pain in her heart became unbearable, and Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but take a few steps back.
Thest time they had met was at a project meeting involving ck Hawk and the Yakuza.
She had sat as far away from him as possible.
¡°Ziyu went to have dinner with me, and I just brought him back.¡± Lu Zhiyuan said softly, his breathing slightly irregr.
Li Jiang could have taken Ziyu home, so there was no need for Lu Zhiyuan to personallye. Gu Ci didn¡¯t mention it, and their rtionship had remained distant and indifferent since their breakup. Neither of them dared to step into the minefield.
¡°Okay,¡± Gu Ci nodded, indicating that she understood, but her gaze avoided Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s eyes.
Lu Zhiyuan looked at the ring bouquet of roses in her arms, his gaze dimming. He wanted to ask Gu Ci if she had epted Zhou Li¡¯s pursuit, but he knew he had no right to inquire.
¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going then.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan got into his car, and Gu Ci finally looked up at him. She gazed at his face through the windshield, looking at him openly. Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but wonder sadly, would he feel pain from this distance? Knowing what would happen when he met her here, why did hee? Was he enduring the pain with a calm expression? Five years had passed, would this kind of pain decrease or intensify? As long as she still loved him, would Lu Zhiyuan never be free from the pain?
After Lu Zhiyuan started the car, he continued to look at Gu Ci. When Gu Ci noticed his gaze, she casually averted her eyes. Gu Ci turned to the side and stood by the roadside. The two of them appeared as the most familiar strangers, yet their hearts were still entangled, and every exchanged nce carried a sense of ambiguity and pain.
As he drove away, Gu Ci unabashedly watched the car¡¯s taillights. Through the rearview mirror, Lu Zhiyuan also saw Gu Ci standing by the roadside. Gradually, as he moved farther away, her figure became indistinct.
Cici, do you like Zhou Li? Did you agree?
Lu Zhiyuan felt waves of tearing pain in his heart. It had nothing to do with curses; just the thought alone was unbearable for him.
The trending topic had been trending all night, and it was known throughout the inte.
When Gu Ci returned home holding the roses, Gu Ziyu was leaning on the railing. He raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Mom, are you in a rtionship?¡±
He had purposely entered the house first, leaving Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan some private time. However, to his disappointment, his dad left after just a few words, and his mom didn¡¯t stop him either. Gu Ziyu watched their interaction from upstairs, wishing he could pursue Gu Ci on behalf of Lu Zhiyuan.
¡°No!¡± Gu Ci replied.
Gu Ziyu let out a sigh of relief and ran downstairs. ¡°The trending topic is all about you and Brother Zhou Li. You came back with a bouquet of flowers, so I thought you were going to announce that you¡¯re in a rtionship. I¡¯d have a stepdad.¡±
Gu Ci put down the roses, and Gu Ziyu fetched a vase to arrange them. ¡°I bought the flowers, and they¡¯ll stillst for a few days even if we keep them at home. It would be a waste to throw them away.¡±
In fact, there was no shortage of flowers in their home. Gu Ci had hired a florist, and their garden was always filled with a variety of flowers. Roses, hydrangeas, and gardenias blossomed beautifully year-round..
Chapter 424 - 424: The Little Wolf Cub’s Desire to Dominate
Chapter 424: The Little Wolf Cub¡¯s Desire to Dominate
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ziyu had long stopped caring about Gu Ci and Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s rtionship. His parents were both incredibly intelligent and deeply in love with each other. If they were not together, there must be a reason, and they wouldn¡¯t get back together just for him. So, Gu Ziyu had let it go and adopted a more neutral stance, being a child of divorced parents. However, when it came to epting Gu Ci¡¯s marriage to Zhou Li, Gu Ziyu felt uneasy.
¡°Mom, do you like Zhou Li?¡± he asked.
¡°Of course!¡± Gu Ci replied. ¡°I like him a lot, just like 1 like Qin Wan and Jinjin.¡±
She was her best friend, and over the years, Gu Ci had made many friends, mostly ssmates from A University. Most of them were working in A City, except for those who had gone abroad for further studies. Zhou Jinjin was quite sociable, and when she wasn¡¯t working, she enjoyed organizing gatherings with her ssmates. Gu Ci attended these gatherings less frequently, but she had always maintained her connections.
¡°Why did you go to see Dad today?¡± Gu Ci inquired.
¡°There¡¯s a case rted to them, and digging into it could strain our rtionship. So, I informed him and let him investigate on his own,¡± Gu Ziyu exined. The Ministry of State Security often coborated with the underworld dark web, and some information was shared between them. Gu Ziyu was somewhat conflicted. ¡°Mom, there¡¯s something I¡¯m considering whether to tell you.¡±
¡°Tell me your thoughts first, and then I¡¯ll decide whether to listen,¡± Gu Ziyu said, sitting up straight. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about Dad¡¯s intentions in asking about this matter. First, it could be just casual conversation, a way to test me, but that¡¯s unlikely. Dad usually doesn¡¯t engage in pointless tasks. Second, it could be a deliberate attempt to make me convey this to you, so you be cautious, and then he can trace and find the information he wants. If I tell you, and you take action, he¡¯ll follow your lead to locate the person. If he does find the person, it could getplicated. So, I¡¯m not sure whether to tell you.¡±
Due to differing positions within the family, they all had their own hidden agendas, and Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but feel helpless.
After a moment of hesitation, she said, ¡°Go ahead and tell me.¡±
¡°It seems like Dad is still looking into Tang Mingzhou¡¯s whereabouts. He hopes 1 can tell him where Tang Mingzhou is,¡± Gu Ziyu revealed.
¡°Why is he suddenly asking about Tang Mingzhou?¡± Gu Ci wondered.
Gu Ziyu shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve already brushed him off, and he¡¯ll likely believe me. I think he might have received some information or maybe he hasn¡¯t received any information at all, but he¡¯s convinced that you have it. Once you know, you¡¯ll confirm Tang Mingzhou¡¯s whereabouts. If that happens, he can trace it through your actions and potentially locate Tang Mingzhou.¡±
After all, a few years ago, Tang Mingzhou had gained his freedom, and now, only the underworld¡¯s dark web knew his whereabouts.
It was a kind of freedom, to be sure. He had been given enough money and a new identity to start life anew. However, the dark web had kept a close eye on his movements, and Tang Mingzhou had lived a disciplined and systematic life during these years.
Based on the intelligence and information provided by Tang Mingzhou, the National Security and the underworld had coborated to solve an economic case from several years ago. It had remained unsolved for many years due to insufficient evidence, and many individuals had escaped the clutches of thew.
This was the sensational coastal economic case that had shaken the entire nation, implicating arge number of people and resulting in aplete overhaul.
Tang Mingzhou¡¯s contributions outweighed his past transgressions, earning him immunity, which was considered fair.
¡°I understand,¡± Gu Ci said as she got up. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit. You should rest early.¡±
¡°Alright!¡±
Gu Ci left the house and headed to the Jiang family¡¯s residence.
The Jiang family was currently arranging a blind date between Jiang Junlin and a youngdy from a prestigious family named Lin Anna. Lin Anna¡¯s father was the CEO of a securitiespany, and her mother was the general agent for an international top-tier brand in the Asian region. Lin Anna had received education in China from a young age and spent a year studying fashion design in France after graduating from college. She now owned a high-end clothing store and benefited from her mother¡¯s resources, making her highly sought after by the upper echelons of society.
Lin Chunli also liked to shop at Anna¡¯s store, and the rtionship between Mr. Lin and Jiang Minghua was quite good. So, they had the idea of a marriage alliance. Jiang Junlin had just returned from a business trip to Europe,pletely unaware of the impending blind date. There were no signs at all.
Lin Anna strongly disliked blind dates and preferred the idea of free love. She considered blind dates to be a very old-fashioned concept, driven solely by the wishes of the older generation. Out of respect for her parents, she reluctantly apanied them to the Jiang family¡¯s dinner.
Jiang Junlin had kept a low profile in recent years, not appearing in financial news, and it was challenging for the public to obtain a photograph of him. This young leader of Hun Bank was a prodigy in the financial world, highly renowned, and Lin Anna had never seen Jiang Junlin. She assumed that a family heir groomed from a young age would be dull and uninteresting, much like the other family heirs she had encountered.
Moreover, Jiang Junlin was already thirty-three years old!
The eldest sons of upper-ss families usually married early to continue the family line, especially if they were the designated heirs. Typically, the eldest son would inherit the family business, while the second son had more freedom.
At the age of thirty-three, the eldest sons of prestigious families usually had children who were already in kindergarten. Jiang Junlin¡¯s fate of ending up on a blind date left Lin Anna wondering if he had an undesirable personality or appearance. Otherwise, why would he need a blind date?
However, as soon as Jiang Junlin entered the room and casually handed his coat to the butler, Lin Anna¡¯s eyes lit up. It was no wonder she had a conservative impression before; no one had informed her of how handsome Jiang Junlin looked.
Jiang Junlin,pared to five years ago, had hardly changed at all. The only thing that had grown with his age was his dignified aura. He was exceptionally handsome, with broad shoulders and long legs, almost like a walking clothes hanger.
Miss Lin was immediately captivated. With such looks and charm, if he were still single, it would be a matter of overly picky preferences. Lin Anna had always been confident and aplished, and at that moment, she was determined to engage in a meaningful conversation.
Jiang Junlin understood the situation immediately. His upbringing and family values didn¡¯t allow him to show displeasure or use harsh words. After washing his hands, he greeted the Lin family members one by one, sat down, and began dining. The atmosphere was jovial. Lin Anna and Jiang Junlin had both attended the same elementary and middle schools, although Jiang Junlin was six years her senior. When he graduated from elementary school, Lin Anna had just entered the first grade.
Jiang Grandfather and Jiang Grandmother never rushed the topic of marriage, and it naturally arose as both Jiang Junlin and Lin Anna were interested in it. The two families even made ns to have a pic together over the weekend.
After dinner, they moved to the living room for tea and casual conversation.
Lin Anna found topics to chat about with Jiang Junlin. When she learned that he was in the fashion business, she was a bit surprised. ¡°You¡¯re a fashion designer?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Lin Anna nodded. ¡°I studied finance for my undergraduate degree, but I didn¡¯t really like it, so I went to France to study design for a year.¡±
Lin Anna had sharp eyes and smiled as she asked, ¡°Is your clothing from Dragon Phoenix Tower?¡±
¡°Yes!¡± Jiang Junlin nodded. ¡°Good observation!¡±
¡°Dragon Phoenix Tower¡¯s men¡¯s designs are rare and quite unique. When you first walked in, 1 noticed that your coat was from Dragon Phoenix Tower, with the embroidered logo on the cor,¡± Lin Anna remarked. ¡°Is it the work of the head designer? He only designs two women¡¯s outfits and one men¡¯s outfit a year, and they¡¯re in high demand. I never expected that he would design an entire set for you.¡±
Even the essories bore the Dragon Phoenix Tower emblem..
Chapter 425 - 425: Can’t Change What I Was Born With
Chapter 425: Can¡¯t Change What I Was Born With
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin took a sip of tea to moisten his mouth, while Zhang Qiang, standing nearby, pondered quietly. Our master¡¯s entire wardrobe is designed by Ji Chi, and each season brings new designs for him to choose from.
¡°We started our brandter than Dragon Phoenix Tower, but our men¡¯s clothing is exceptionally well-received. Manydiese to our store to buy clothes and essories for their husbands and boyfriends. Would it be my honor to design an outfit for you?¡± Lin Anna had a creative mind. If Jiang Junlin agreed, they could go through the process of measuring, designing, selecting fabric, and tailoring. It would be a great way to build rapport.
She noticed that Jiang Junlin was quite talkative and had a pleasant demeanor, so he probably didn¡¯t dislike her.
Zhang Qiang thought to himself, ¡°My goodness, if the master agrees, Ji Chi will definitely be jealous of you!¡±
Jiang Junlin politely declined, ¡°Miss Lin, my clothes are all custom-made by a specialist, so there¡¯s no need to trouble you. 1 appreciate your kind offer.¡±
Lin Anna was a smart girl and immediately understood that Jiang Junlin had declined her.
She was about to try again when Gu Ci arrived, surprised by the lively scene in the house.
¡°Cici, have you eaten?¡± Jiang Junlin greeted her.
¡°Yes, I have. I need to talk to my brother about something urgent.¡±
¡°Come to my study.¡± Jiang Junlin invited her in a friendly manner. After exchanging pleasantries with everyone, they all headed upstairs, with Zhang Qiang remaining on alert.
Lin Anna watched Gu Ci with curiosity, she was such a beautiful woman that anyone would be captivated by her.
In the study, Jiang Junlin frowned when Gu Ci mentioned Tang Mingzhou¡¯s disappearance.
¡°I just got off the ne, and I haven¡¯t had a chance to tell you yet, but Tang Mingzhou has gone missing.¡±
¡°Missing?¡± Gu Ci nodded, concerned.
¡°He¡¯s been living on Paradise Ind for the past few years, enjoying a carefree life. I purposely chose that vacation ind because it doesn¡¯t have many tourists, and information is tightly controlled. The guards thought Tang Mingzhou posed no threat, so they becamex for one night, and he disappeared. I¡¯ve sent Norris and a small team to search Paradise Ind.¡±
¡°Do you think he might have escaped?¡±
¡°The ind¡¯s economy is under our control. As soon as we received the news, we halted all transportation routes, by sea and air. It¡¯s an ind, and he can¡¯t just sprout wings.¡± Jiang Junlin asked, ¡°Why is Lu Zhiyuan asking about Tang Mingzhou?¡±
¡°Ziyu didn¡¯t dare to dig too deep, and I didn¡¯t press further. It seemed like he mentioned it casually. I suspect he might be intentionally leaking information to me. While we were searching for Tang Mingzhou, he followed the trail and took Tang Mingzhou away.¡±
¡°This situation is a bit tricky,¡± Jiang Junlin remarked. ¡°We had dealings with Tang Mingzhou and even signed a waiver agreement. He kept this agreement somewhere, and if anything happens to him, it could be exposed, leading to public scrutiny and scandal. There have been precedents for such incidents, but they¡¯ve never been made public. If we obtain immunity and something happens to him afterward, people might wrongly believe we were involved, which would have a very negative impact.¡±
¡°Do you think Tang Mingzhou¡¯s disappearance is rted to Lu Zhiyuan?¡± Gu Ci inquired.
Jiang Junlin leaned back and shook his head slightly. ¡°The information Tang Mingzhou exchanged back then was all rted to the cases, and he never provided any information about ck Hawk. Before Lu Zhiyuan, he was the master of ck Hawk for eight years. Despite being marginalized by the nine major families of ck Hawk, the fact that he held the position for eight years without being ousted shows hispetence and independent power. 1 suspect he wants to seek revenge on Lu Zhiyuan.¡±
Gu Ci had been involved in all of ck Hawk and the Triad¡¯s dark web projects, so she had some understanding of ck Hawk. ¡°Brother, Lu Zhiyuan has consolidated ck Hawk¡¯s power, and now ck Hawk obeys his orders alone. It¡¯s not the same as a few years ago when he was marginalized. Why is he relentlessly pursuing Tang Mingzhou? Ever since news of Tang Mingzhou¡¯s disappearance surfaced, he has been actively investigating. What threat does Tang Mingzhou pose to him?¡±
Jiang Junlin contemted the situation. ck Hawk¡¯s internal dynamics were far moreplex than the Triad¡¯s, and Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s ability to clear obstacles and consolidate power was indeed impressive. Tang Mingzhou¡¯s life or death probably wouldn¡¯t affect him significantly.
¡°Why is he searching for Tang Mingzhou?¡± Gu Ci asked.
¡°Does Tang Mingzhou have something incriminating against him?¡±
¡°The internal workings of ck Hawk areplicated, and we don¡¯t know the full story. It¡¯s also strange why Tang Mingzhou would cultivate Lu Zhiyuan. When he was grooming Lu Zhiyuan, Lu hadn¡¯t even finished primary school,¡± Jiang Junlin said. ¡°Alternatively, ck Hawk may have some secret that only Tang Mingzhou knows. He was a naturally suspicious person, so even if he was grooming Lu Zhiyuan, he would have had a backup n.¡±
¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± Gu Ci agreed. ¡°Should I go to Paradise Ind?¡±
¡°No need, Norris is there,¡± Jiang Junlin replied. ¡°If you go, it might reveal Tang Mingzhou¡¯s location.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Gu Ci nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±
Zhang Qiang knocked on the door. ¡°Master, Miss Gu Ci, the Lin family is about to leave.¡±
¡°I understand!¡± Jiang Junlin raised his voice, and Gu Ci followed him downstairs to see off the Lin family. Lin Anna hadn¡¯t had a chance to speak with Jiang Junlin alone, but fortunately, she had added his WeChat.
Although Jiang Junlin had politely declined, Lin Anna wanted to give it a try.
After seeing off the Lin family, Jiang Junlin reluctantly spoke, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, how many blind dates is this already? Please don¡¯t arrange them for me anymore. 1 have no intention of getting married, and it¡¯s disrespectful to the women on the other side.¡±
¡°You¡¯re already thirty-three. If you don¡¯t want to get married, you can at least date. Over time, you might change your mind about marriage,¡± Grandma suggested.
Jiang Junlin took a deep breath. He was actually quite annoyed by his family¡¯s constant matchmaking arrangements. While he didn¡¯t like it, he could understand their concerns. His grandparents were eager to have great-grandchildren, but he had to spend time dealing with these matters.
¡°Junlin, you should start thinking about your lifelongmitment. Your dad was already in elementary school at your age,¡± his mother added.
¡°Auntie Gui, it¡¯s time to finish up in the kitchen,¡± Jiang Junlin said.
Auntie Gui, who had been tidying up nearby, hesitated but then led the household staff out of the room, leaving only the Jiang family members. Zhang Qiang also discreetly stepped out, and Gu Ci was torn between speaking or not. ¡°Brother¡¡±
¡°This is something that needs to be discussed sooner orter,¡± Jiang Junlin said, looking at Gu Ci.
Gu Ci hurriedly went to her grandmother¡¯s side, taking her arm gently. ¡°Grandma, take a deep breath. Whatever you hear, don¡¯t get angry, okay?¡± ¡°What¡ What¡¯s going on?¡± Jiang Minghua had a bad feeling about this.
¡°Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom¡ I¡¯ve never married or dated women because I¡¯m attracted to men,¡± Jiang Junlin dropped the bombshell without any emotion, leaving everyone stunned.
Grandma nearly fainted, her vision darkening, and she struggled to catch her breath. The others were equally shocked and left speechless.
Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re quite brave!¡±
She knew that the Jiang family would find it extremely difficult to ept this revtion.
¡°Take back what you just said. 1¡¯11 consider it a joke!¡± Jiang Minghua was the first to regain hisposure, his voice noticeably colder. Lin Chunli¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, and she turned away to discreetly wipe them.
Gu Ci helped her grandmother to sit down, continuously trying tofort her and pouring her some tea. She nced at her grandfather, who seemed to be handling the shock better, showing no signs of difort.
¡°Dad, I¡¯m not joking,¡± Jiang Junlin said calmly. ¡°It¡¯s something innate, and 1 can¡¯t change it..¡±
Chapter 426 - 426: Talked About It, Separated Again
Chapter 426: Talked About It, Separated Again
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Jiang Junlin smashed the pot and broke all bonds, putting an end to it once and for all.
¡°Jiang Junlin!¡± Grandfather Jiang eximed in anger, ¡°You¡ you¡¡±
He pointed at Jiang Junlin, wanting to curse him, but the words wouldn¡¯te out. Jiang Junlin knew he had crossed a line at home, and he didn¡¯t try to defend himself any further. He had already said what needed to be said.
¡°Did you make up the lie about avoiding an arranged marriage on purpose?¡± Lin Chunli clung to a glimmer of hope, ¡°Tell me, everything was a lie you fabricated, right?¡±
¡°Mom, it¡¯s the truth!¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe it. No one is born this way. In our family¡ we¡¯ve never had such a situation before,¡± Lin Chunli cried, still hoping for grandchildren. Was all that hope in vain?
¡°Liking someone is neither right nor wrong, regardless of gender. Marriage is the bridge that binds two families together. Throughout history, men have worked in the fields, while women managed the home. This created a fixed social structure. Survival mode dictates behavior. In ancient times, men did physicalbor, and women depended on men to survive, so marriage and reproduction became essential. This fixed survival pattern has existed for thousands of years and is widely recognized as a social structure. Why is a behavior pattern outside this established structure considered wrong? It simply doesn¡¯t conform to the norm, but does that mean it should be condemned? I haven¡¯t harmed anyone, nor have 1 affected anyone¡¯s interests. So, where am I wrong?¡±
Grandfather Jiang was still furious, ¡°Thousands of years of validated beliefs have their reasons. If I hadn¡¯t married your grandmother, there wouldn¡¯t be your father, and there wouldn¡¯t be you. Today¡¯s family happiness wouldn¡¯t exist.¡±
¡°After all is said and done, it¡¯s about reproduction,¡± Jiang Junlin sighed. ¡°Some people like children, so they respond to the country¡¯s call and have three children. Some people don¡¯t like children and choose to remain childless. Everyone has their own way of life. If you force me into an arranged marriage and marriage, it would be irresponsible to the woman and to my own life. Even if we have children, they won¡¯t be happy. Grandfather, grandmother, dad, mom, if I can¡¯t lead a happy life myself, how can I bring happiness to others? If I¡¯m not happy, what¡¯s the point of marriage?¡±
Grandfather Jiang slumped into the sofa, silent. They were a family of schrs and couldn¡¯t use harsh words. Jiang Junlin¡¯s words had closed off all their possible avenues.
Jiang Minghua was frustrated, ¡°When did this start?¡±
Jiang Junlin began to weave his lie, ¡°It started in high school. The guys in my dormitory would watch movies together, and they were all interested in the female characters in the films. I had no interest in them and would actually pay more attention to guys with good physiques. As 1 spent more time with them, I realized 1 was different from others.¡±
Gu Ci secretly thought, is this for real?
She couldn¡¯t believe it!
Her brother was the kind of person who would put on headphones and continue studying when his roommates were watching movies.
¡°So, it¡¯s really something you were born with?¡± Lin Chunli was in despair, ¡°Can¡¯t it be changed?¡±
¡°Mom, it can¡¯t be changed,¡± Jiang Junlin hinted with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡±
¡°What do you mean by ¡®toote¡¯? Do you have a stable rtionship?¡± Lin Chunli asked, and everyone¡¯s eyes turned to him, filled with curiosity and fear, their breaths held in nervous anticipation.
¡°No!¡± Jiang Junlin shook his head.
The entire Jiang family breathed a sigh of relief. Jiang Minghua, unusually stern, said, ¡°Even if you can¡¯t change, you have to change. In any case, we won¡¯t allow it, and we won¡¯t ept it.¡±
¡°I can like whoever 1 want, 1 don¡¯t need your permission. Whether you ept it or not¡¡± Jiang Junlin smiled self-deprecatingly, ¡°No one asked you to ept it.¡±
With that, Jiang Junlin left and went upstairs.
¡°All, brother¡¡± Gu Ci didn¡¯t manage to call out before this unexpected drama unfolded. If she had known, she would havee back tomorrow. She lowered her head andforted her grandmother, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry, it¡¯s all my brother¡¯s fault. Let¡¯s not be sad.¡±
Jiang Junlin had a different status at home. Even though he was a grandson, the elders were a bit wary of him. He tried to keep a low profile at home, but he truly was a decisive person. The family¡¯s tastes would change ording to his preferences, and although they wouldin, they would still go along with it.
So, when Jiang Junlin came out to his family, despite their anger, what could they really do? Beating Jiang Junlin was impossible; he had never been disciplined by anyone in his entire life. Gu Ci couldn¡¯t even imagine Jiang Junlin getting hit.
¡°No wonder he¡¯s thirty-three and has never brought a girlfriend home. Why have 1 never heard any rumors?¡± Jiang Minghua was still angry, not knowing what to do.
This was the downside of a situation where the son¡¯s authority was greater than the father¡¯s. If Jiang Junlin had been morepliant, his father would have resorted to more extreme measures.
¡°Didn¡¯t he mention having a girlfriend?¡± Lin Chunli cried, recalling the many love bites on Jiang Junlin¡¯s body from several years ago when he was in aa. Gu Ci felt awkward and chose not to respond.
Grandma Jiang, who had been silent, said softly, ¡°He never said it was a girlfriend.¡±
Everyone was taken aback.
This was even more shocking news. They had just absorbed the bombshell that Jiang Junlin had dropped, and now they had to digest the fact that he had once been in love. Grandfather Jiang felt like his heart couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Cici, 1 can hardly breathe¡¡±
¡°Get the emergency heart medication, give grandpa one.¡±
Lin Chunli brought the medicine box over from the side and actually gave him a pill. Lin Chunli then remembered the love bites on Jiang Junlin¡¯s body and couldn¡¯t help but think, How could it be¡ How could she have thought it was a fiery chili pepper? It turned out to be a man.
Those marks¡ How could they be from a woman!
She wished she could turn back time and give herself a p. Why hadn¡¯t she pursued the matter further?
Gu Ci keenly noticed that several pairs of eyes were fixed on her. She nced at her watch, ¡°Grandpa, grandma, it¡¯s gettingte, and Ziyu is home alone. I¡¯m a bit worried, so 1 should go home first.¡±
She cleverly stood up but was pulled back by her weak grandmother, who sat back down. ¡°Who is your brother dating?¡±
Gu Ci secretly wondered, is it appropriate to share this kind of privacy?
Can I say it?
¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Gu Ci put on a sincere face. ¡°Grandma, you can ask my brother about it. I don¡¯t know anything about his affairs.¡±
¡°You must know,¡± Grandfather also didn¡¯t let her off the hook. ¡°Cici, have pity on us and tell us.¡±
Gu Ci looked at the elders, who were angry and didn¡¯t dare to scold Jiang Junlin. She felt both sad and amused and couldn¡¯t help but sympathize with them. But she really couldn¡¯t say anything. Gu Ci tightly sealed her lips.
¡°It couldn¡¯t be Zhang Qiang, right?¡± Jiang Minghua was angry. ¡°He¡¯s with Junlin twenty-four seven, knows everything about him, and is always at his beck and call¡¡±
¡°Absolutely impossible!¡± Gu Ci thought of Zhang Qiang¡¯s physiquepared to Ji Chi, ¡°My brother probably likes someone¡ more refined.¡±
Jiang Minghua and Lin Chunli began to filter through the security guards to see if there were any handsome young men. It all seemed a bit suspicious, and Gu Ci was really overwhelmed. ¡°Grandpa, grandma, even if he¡¯s been in love, he broke up five years ago..¡±
Chapter 427 - 427: Careers and Love Must Be Satisfied
Chapter 427: Careers and Love Must Be Satisfied
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Did they break up?¡± Grandma Jiang asked in surprise, ¡°Is he deceiving us?¡±
¡°They really broke up,¡± Gu Ci replied, feeling that this was something she could say. ¡°They haven¡¯t been in touch for years.¡±
¡°Why did they break up?¡± Grandpa Jiang couldn¡¯t understand. His grandson was perfect in every way, so why would they break up?
Jiang Minghua added, ¡°With his temper, 1 bet he was domineering in the rtionship. Anyone who could tolerate his eating habits for a month could be considered true love.¡±
¡°They were together for so many years,¡± Gu Ci subtly tried to give Ji Chi¡¯s reputation a boost, ¡°He even learned to make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall just because his brother liked it.¡±
Everyone was silent.
¡°He¡¯s¡ even better looking than Ziyu,¡± Gu Ci silently thought. ¡°Ziyu, in Mom¡¯s heart, you¡¯re the most handsome. Sorry about that.¡±
¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Jiang Minghua sneered. ¡°It¡¯s obviously an exaggeration. I¡¯ve never seen a boy better looking than Ziyu.¡±
¡°Do you have any photos?¡± Lin Chunli asked anxiously.
¡°You¡ epted it?¡± Gu Ci was surprised.
¡°Impossible!¡± The four elders all said in unison, ¡°Absolutely not.¡±
Gu Ci chuckled, ¡°Then why did you want to see the photos?¡±
The elders were silent.
The elders¡¯ attitudes were quite subtle. epting Jiang Junlin as a fact was unlikely, but they hadn¡¯te to terms with it yet. However, knowing that he had been in a rtionship made them curious about who could pull him off his pedestal.
There was a subtle curiosity, perhaps because Jiang Junlin had umted too much prestige, alwaysposed and never lost his cool. They were curious about who could make him fall from grace.
¡°No photos, it¡¯s really over, and I really have to go home.¡± Gu Ci couldn¡¯t withstand their gaze and hurriedly left.
Brother, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not loyal, but you¡¯ve dug this pit yourself, so you should deal with it.
Jiang Junlin was on the second-floor windowsill, smoking a cigarette. He didn¡¯t have a strong addiction to smoking, but he would smoke one or two when he was annoyed. He didn¡¯t like alcohol or cigarettes, making it difficult for those who wanted to give him gifts to figure out his preferences.
He hadn¡¯t considered openly revealing this fact to his family, but the endless blind dates had be annoying and time-consuming. It was better to put an end to it once and for all.
The elders must be very sad.
Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t want to be so firm in his attitude, but in rtionships between people, whether they were family, friends, or lovers, if you were one step stronger, the other person would be one step weaker. If he softened his stance on this matter, his family would take advantage of it. They would dy him, try to change him, and even y the family card. What was originally a simple matter would be dragged out and end up the same way. It was better to cut the mess with a sharp knife and show a strong attitude. Whether they epted it or not, it wouldn¡¯t change.
At eighteen, he could still control his own life, let alone now, at the age of thirty-three.
Ji Chi¡
Ji Chi!
Jiang Junlin knew that parting ways was the best choice. After the exposure on the dark web, he would have to deal withplex rtionships frequently. If his lover was the heir of the ck Hawks, they couldn¡¯t touch him directly, but they would go after Ji Chi, subjecting him to endless assassination attempts. One slip-up, and Ji Chi would be gone. Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t want to take that risk.
Day in and day out, a passionate and tumultuous love life had never been his temperament.
He wanted Ji Chi to live well.
Having reached the pinnacle, if love couldn¡¯t be as desired, then at least his career should be.
You couldn¡¯te into this world and have both your career and love life go awry, not achieving anything.
But some people, once they entered your heart, were like a slow-acting poison, constantly eroding your reason, emotions, memories. He wasn¡¯t someone who liked dwelling in the past, but because of Ji Chi, he had been trapped in memories for these past few years.
It was only in the quiet of the night that he allowed himself to indulge in longing.
At the Global Center, Lu Zhiyuan received a message from Paradise Ind. He called Ji Chi over. ¡°This is Tang Mingzhou¡¯s address. Find a way to get him out;
1 want him alive.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Rong Li is departing from France and going directly to Paradise Ind. He¡¯ll arrive two hours earlier than you. Once you meet up, adapt to the situation. Jiang Junlin should have people looking for Tang Mingzhou too; he can¡¯t die.¡±
Hearing Jiang Junlin¡¯s name, Ji Chi showed no reaction. ¡°I understand.¡±
Ji Chi packed his belongings and, apanied by Nick and eight members of the Royal Guards, took a helicopter from the staircase to the airport. Rong Li had indeed arrived two hours earlier, but unfortunately, they couldn¡¯tnd directly on Paradise Ind. The ind¡¯s port had been closed, so their ne touched down at a small airport on a nearby ind.
Rong Li had arrived two hours earlier, and the equipment was already set up. Information officers were busy extracting information. ¡°The water routes to Paradise Ind are also closed. Ships can¡¯t enter, and they¡¯re all waiting offshore.¡±
¡°Has the official announcement been made?¡±
¡°They said there are terrorists conducting attacks, so they¡¯re closing the ind as a precaution. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true or not.¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li surveyed the sea, filled with cargo ships, all anchored offshore and waiting to enter. Ji Chi contemted, ¡°Did you check the industries on the nearby inds?¡±
¡°We did. This is a resort ind, mostly frequented by Europeans and Americans. It makes money through tourism and gambling. The permanent poption is less than a million, a tiny ind. The terrorist attack is just an excuse. If Tang Mingzhou was found on the ind, and it was conveniently sealed off, 1 don¡¯t believe it¡¯s a coincidence. Two hours ago, a nended on the ind.¡±
The people sealed off were the ones on the outskirts, including their own team.
Ji Chi nced at the equipment. ¡°How good are you in the water?¡±
¡°It¡¯s decent,¡± Rong Li replied, a hint of concern in his heart. ¡°Are you crazy, swimming there? It¡¯s ten kilometers away. Are you out of your mind?¡±
¡°There aren¡¯t many soldiers on the ind, and their defense is weak. The ships from the open sea are all anchored at the southeast harbor, and their troop deployments are concentrated there too. We¡¯ll approach from the north, where there¡¯s a cliff. If we climb it quietly, we can enter the ind. The key is how to proceed. If we can silently bring Tang Mingzhou to the north, their ships can pick us up. If this area is sealed off, we need to be prepared to swim ten kilometers; that¡¯s our fallback.¡±
Ji Chi took out a map, and Rong Li quickly understood. Finding Tang Mingzhou was one thing, but figuring out how to extract him was another problem. Since the ind was sealed off and a ne had entered, it meant the underworld had a presence there. They wanted to take Tang Mingzhou away, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy. They needed to prepare multiple ns.
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±
If they were going in, they had to take advantage of the fact that the underworld¡¯s internalwork defenses hadn¡¯t been fully established yet. They needed to act swiftly.
As night fell, Ji Chi and Rong Li, escorted by six others, arrived in the northern sea area. There were still two kilometers to go, which wouldn¡¯t take long to swim. Ji Chi and Rong Li, along with the six, submerged and swam to the ind¡¯s shore. The boat then departed and returned to the waiting area among the cargo ships. The open sea was full of discontent; being sealed off for half a day had caused dys. Nick remained outside as their backup, praying for their sess.
Due to taking the sea route, they couldn¡¯t bring their equipment with them, but luckily, they hadn¡¯tpletely lost surveince capabilities. They could hack into the ind¡¯s cameras, although there might be a slight dy in issuingmands..
Chapter 428 - 428: Determined to Win
Chapter 428: Determined to Win
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Dr. North and Qin Wan are both on the ind. Qin Wan arrived here on ayover with Dr. North. Qin Wan still has one more year toplete her graduate studies, and it happens to be during the summer break when Jiang Junlin assigned her a mission. They¡¯ve been traveling throughout Europe and the Americas, and this time they are here to assist Dr. North in bringing Tang Mingzhou back to their home country.
¡°Tang Mingzhou, that old fox, why did he disappear for no reason? Did the ck Hawks¡¯ people take him away, and has he left Paradise Ind?¡± Dr. North conducted a thorough search, but to his surprise, he couldn¡¯t find Tang Mingzhou. This ind isn¡¯t particrlyrge, and there aren¡¯t many ces to hide. Where could he possibly be hiding?
¡°He vanished, and the ind has been locked down. There¡¯s no way out by sea or air. He can¡¯t just sprout wings and fly away. He must still be on the ind,¡± Dr. North said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s not so easy for him to escape.¡±
Qin Wan studied the map of the ind. ¡°The lockdown will onlyst for two days, and the natural gas supply on the ind will onlyst for three days. No cargo ships cane in from the sea either. In three days, everything will have to be reopened.¡±
¡°I understand. So, within these two days, we must find him. Don¡¯t let him get away; he¡¯s scheming something,¡± Dr. North replied.
Qin Wan continued to examine the ind¡¯s map. Despite the lockdown, it hadn¡¯t caused much disruption. Tourists were stuck on the ind, hotel costs were halved, and the outside world was told that the ind had been attacked by terrorists. However, inside the ind, everything was calm. The regr citizens and tourists didn¡¯t feel any danger, and the shops remained open. Qin Wan even visited nightclubs and bars, where the atmosphere was lively. She was approached by a stranger and politely turned him down three times, but he persisted, so she had to resort to using physical force.
A punch brought him back to his senses. ¡°Still up for it?¡±
¡°No, no, I¡¯m not¡¡± The man covered his bleeding lip, scared and repeatedly backing away.
Qin Wan insisted, ¡°This won¡¯t work. Nightclubs, casinos, and stores are all open. Searching for one person like this is too difficult. Let¡¯s close all the casinos, nightclubs, and stores tomorrow, shut them down for a day.¡±
Dr. North sighed, ¡°It¡¯s challenging to implement. The ind is already under lockdown, and the tourists are getting upset. We received a bunch of protest letters this afternoon. If we close down the entertainment facilities, restaurants, and stores, they will cause amotion. It¡¯s different here than in our home country; there aren¡¯t many troops, and our personnel are limited. We can¡¯t execute such a n.¡±
This country had police, fire services, and maritime police, but itcked a significant military presence. In the case of any incidents, it fell upon the local police to handle them. However, the local police force¡¯s resources were also quite limited.
Qin Wan was growing increasingly frustrated. Theck of manpower was indeed a significant issue, and she couldn¡¯t risk disrupting the ind¡¯s basic order by having the local police go after a member of the criminal underworld. They had toe up with a solution.
On the ind, surveince wasn¡¯t extensive, so Dr. North deployed drones to the skies while information officers conducted personnel checks. Three people were responsible for each designated area, and since the ind wasn¡¯t particrlyrge, they were essentially conducting a meticulous search.
¡°Dr. North, there¡¯s a ship approaching the northern side of the ind. I¡¯ve already sent a drone to investigate, and I suspect there might be someone attempting an illegalnding,¡± an information officer reported.
Dr. North inquired, ¡°Is it a cargo ship or a fishing boat?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a cargo ship.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go check it out,¡± Qin Wan said. She left to investigate, feeling a bit restless in the information room. She took her bike, and the information officer kept in touch with her.
¡°Today, most of the cargo ships are waiting in the open sea, mostly staying in ce. Some may attempt to dock in smaller ports to unload secretly. We haven¡¯t spotted anyone on surveince. If your inspection doesn¡¯t reveal anything suspicious,e back early,¡± Dr. North advised.
¡°Understood!¡±
The ind was rtively small, and it took Qin Wan about thirty minutes to reach the designated location, which happened to be a cliff. Just a kilometer away, there was a vige where a bonfire party was in full swing, creating a lively atmosphere. People by the coastline were also setting off fireworks.
Wherever Qin Wan went, the drone followed closely, and there wasn¡¯t a single seabird in sight.
¡°It¡¯s likely just a cargo ship. Come back,¡± Dr. North said. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything suspicious, but Qin Wan remained cautious. She was convinced that the ck Hawks¡¯ operatives were responsible for taking Tang Mingzhou. When they discovered Tang Mingzhou¡¯s whereabouts, there couldn¡¯t be many ck Hawk members on the ind. To sessfully take Tang Mingzhou away, they must have found a way to infiltrate the ind either by waiting for the lockdown to be lifted or by finding a way to sneak in themselves.
Having studied the ind¡¯s map, she knew this area was a goodnding point. Ships couldn¡¯t get too close, but individuals could swim to the ind from the sea and then climb the cliffs. Qin Wan suggested, ¡°Let the drone fly closer to the sea surface, lower it a bit, and see if there are any people on the water.¡± ¡°Alright!¡±
The drone circled the sea surface for about ten minutes, capturing all the footage, but nothing out of the ordinary was spotted. Qin Wan nced down at the cliff, the waves were turbulent, and there were no signs of anyone attempting to climb.
Perhaps she was just being overly cautious.
Qin Wan left on her bike, and below the cliff, Ji Chi, Rong Li, and others breathed a sigh of relief. They had heard the sound of the motorcycle when it approached and saw the drone flying overhead.
Certainly, it was the yakuza searching for something. Their drone posed a risk, so they swiftly retreated, hiding behind the rocks and remaining motionless. When the drone descended, they all submerged underwater to avoid detection.
Fortunately, it was dark at night, and visibility was poor, or they would have definitely been exposed.
¡°Let¡¯s wait a while longer,¡± Ji Chi said, showing caution based on his experience. He didn¡¯t want to climb recklessly.
¡°Wait for what?¡± Rong Li asked.
¡°What if someone on the shore opens fire when we try to climb up?¡± Rong Li said in a hushed tone.
Indeed, Qin Wan had fired a warning shot earlier. This time, she had left her bike parked halfway up the slope, lit a cigarette, and walked back to sit on a rock. She leisurely gazed at the cliff. After finishing her cigarette, she moved quietly towards the cliff again. She had calcted the timing; it should be just enough time for them to swim to the shore after the cargo ship departed. If there were no disturbances, they would likely start climbing.
Waiting for nearly half an hour, Qin Wan had the drone scout ahead again, but there was still no sign of movement. She decided to return.
Meanwhile, Ji Chi, Rong Li, and the others were submerged in the water, shivering from the cold. Ji Chi nced at his watch, ¡°It¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s go.¡±
The group gathered at the base of the cliff and changed into dry clothes. They then climbed the cliff with their bare hands. It was only about twenty meters high, and rock climbing wasn¡¯t particrly challenging for them. Qin Wan had made a trip to the cliff but had found nothing, which was quite disappointing.
Soon, Gu Ci sent a message, ¡°Rong Li and Ji Chi have both gone to Paradise Ind. Be careful.¡±
Dr. North and Qin Wan were both surprised. Rong Li and Ji Chi had different responsibilities within the ck Hawks. Ji Chi was the sessor to Lu Zhiyuan and wasn¡¯t typically involved in risky missions. The fact that both of them were near Paradise Ind at the same time indicated that Lu Zhiyuan was determined to capture Tang Mingzhou.
¡°This is getting interesting; they¡¯re probably already on the ind,¡± Qin Wan remarked..
Chapter 429 - 429: Do You Dare?
Chapter 429: Do You Dare?
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
After listening to the situation on the ind, Gu Ci found it a bit tricky. She said, ¡°Tang Mingzhou used to be the leader of ck Hawk, with a long tenure and extensive training. He is incredibly patient. His disappearance this time might have been nned by him personally, not necessarily discovered by ck Hawk. If they have information about him, it¡¯s likely that he voluntarily revealed it. His ability to evade tracking must be strong. Their manpower is limited, so finding him will be difficult. The best approach is to make them lower their guard. Right now, a nket search will only make him hide deeper.¡±
Dr. North also found finding Tang Mingzhou challenging, like finding a needle in a haystack. However, rxing their guard could lead to ck Hawk¡¯ people on the ind capturing Tang Mingzhou, which would be counterproductive.
Gu Ci continued, ¡°Tang Mingzhou deliberately disappeared, waiting for ck Hawk¡¯ people toe looking for him. He will definitely leave clues behind. As long as he hides in a secluded ce and waits for ck Hawk to show up.¡±
Gu Ci couldn¡¯t help but feel that this whole situation was very peculiar. She couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what was strange about it, but there were many irregrities, whether it was Tang Mingzhou or Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s arrangements. The one thing she was sure of was that Lu Zhiyuan was determined to catch Tang Mingzhou.
Doesn¡¯t Tang Mingzhou know?
If he is Tang Mingzhou, fully aware that Lu Zhiyuan is looking for him, and remembering that Lu Zhiyuan even killed him years ago, would he willingly walk into a trap?
But why did he give a signal, allowing ck Hawk to take him away?
The whole situation was filled with mysteries.
A message came from the information room, ¡°Dr. North, we¡¯ve found a suspicious lead. You can send someone to follow up. The aircraft has been tracking it.¡±
After ending the call with Gu Ci, Qin Wan headed to the scene. A fire had urred in a rented apartmentplex one kilometer away from the casino. Six people were trapped, and the fire department had already arrived to extinguish the fire. The police were counting the people, and one person, due to passport issues, got into a conflict with the police and escaped during the chaos. The aircraft captured his image, and his appearance bore a striking resemnce to Tang Mingzhou.
Qin Wan rode her motorcycle to the scene and directly knocked him down as she approached, a rather straightforward approach. The many on the ground, unable to move, and Qin Wan gestured to two of her special agents, ¡°Don¡¯t move, raise your hands.¡±
The man cursed butplied, raising his hands. Qin Wan looked at his features, furrowing her brow slightly. Her agents approached and noticed that he was wearing a human skin mask and a wig, with a striking resemnce to Tang Mingzhou.
Dr. North immediately recognized Tang Mingzhou¡¯s tactics, ¡°Bring the man back!¡±
This was a local young man who had an okay rtionship with Tang Mingzhou. Tang Mingzhou had spent several years on the ind, and the two were somewhat like colleagues. Their physical appearances were already somewhat simr. Six days ago, Tang Mingzhou had given him a sum of money to impersonate him and stay in the rented apartmentplex. He also provided him with a fake passport. Six days for ten thousand dors, which was several months¡¯ sry for the man. He had foolishly agreed to it.
For the past six days, he had stayed in his room, not venturing outside. He had stocked up on supplies, had food and drinks, and could y games. The rental agreement for the shared apartment allowed for only four people, but thendlord had vited the rules and rented it to six people. They had managed to fool the authorities during the investigation, so they hadn¡¯t discovered anything amiss.
The fire today was caused by aging electrical wiring, a rather idental event. The police discovered the fake passport during their investigation, and the man, following Tang Mingzhou¡¯s instructions, had fled as soon as he was discovered. It was sure to cause amotion.
¡°Where¡¯s Tang Mingzhou?¡± Qin Wan asked.
¡°I don¡¯t know. He just had me impersonate him and stay in the shared apartment for ten days. I have no idea where he went. I stayed indoors for six days and didn¡¯t go out once.¡±
¡°Did you have any phone contact with him?¡±
¡°None!¡±
This man was simply hired to do a job, a smoke screen for Tang Mingzhou. However, Qin Wan thought of a problem. If this man had impersonated Tang Mingzhou in the shared apartment for six days, wouldn¡¯t that mean Tang Mingzhou could now move around using this man¡¯s identity?
This man also worked as an unlicensed taxi driver and had his own old Ford car. Qin Wan checked and found that this Ford car had been operating normally in the past few days. Tang Mingzhou was using his real identity to move around on the ind. No wonder there was no information to be found.
When Qin Wan and her team went to the man¡¯s home, it was empty. News traveled quickly on the ind, and Tang Mingzhou knew the man had been exposed, so he was fleeing especially fast.
With this lead, the search would be less like finding a needle in a haystack. At least there was one trail to follow.
Ji Chi and Rong Li were following a different lead. After entering the ind, they found a message left by Tang Mingzhou at his former residence. It was a unique contact method and code used by ck Hawk. Only they knew about it.
Rong Li arrived at the man¡¯s home a step behind Qin Wan and decided to follow her, using the assistance of the gangsters to investigate Tang Mingzhou. Ji Chi went to handle a different lead. They split up and acted separately.
After her unsessful pursuit, Qin Wan was feeling frustrated. She decided to have ate-night snack at a street vendor and enjoyed her meal thoroughly. Afterward, she bought two packs of cigarettes from a nearby convenience store. Suddenly, she squinted her eyes as she saw a shadow leaning against a pir not far behind her. While conversing with the store owner, she discreetly adjusted the position of the store¡¯s mirror and caught sight of Rong Li.
Fuck! How did he end up on the ind?
And he¡¯s been following her, trying to take care of her once and for all!
Qin Wan smirked maliciously. She mounted her motorcycle and sped away, weaving through the ind¡¯s roads. At night, there were few cars on the ind, and no one cared about reckless driving. Rong Li cursed under his breath and followed her.
She was driving so fast that Rong Li thought she had uncovered some clues. However, Qin Wan was casually riding her motorcycle, circling the ind twice, singing a song while doing so. After twops, Rong Li was certain ¨C she was just joyriding!
He had already figured out her whereabouts!
Rong Li decided not to follow her any longer. He parked his car by the sea, lit a cigarette, and began to smoke. Twenty minutester, he heard the roaring sound of a motorcycle. Qin Wan¡¯s motorcycle stopped in front of him with ir. She shook her head, her hair swaying, ¡°Why did you stop following me?¡±
Rong Li gave her a disdainful look but remained silent.
¡°How did you get to the ind?¡±
¡°I was already on the ind before it was sealed off.¡±
¡°Nonsense, on the day of the ind¡¯s lockdown, you were still on a ne flying in from Europe.¡± Qin Wan retorted without restraint, ¡°While ck Hawk and the gangsters are cooperating, this matter is beyond the scope of cooperation. Don¡¯te looking for trouble, or I won¡¯t mind sending a corpse back to ck Hawk.¡±
Rong Li taunted her with a smirk, ¡°Over these years, have you been trying to take me out in secret? How many times have you seeded?¡±
¡°That¡¯s just your dumb luck. It doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll always be that lucky.¡± Qin Wan pulled out her gun, chambered a round, and pointed it at him. ¡°If I kill you, what can ck Hawk say? It¡¯s just a chance encounter, and guns can identally discharge, right?¡±
Rong Li remained unfazed, blowing a smoke ring, ¡°Qin Wan, do you dare to pull the trigger?¡±
Chapter 430 - 430: Ji Chi and Rong Li
Chapter 430: Ji Chi and Rong Li
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Qin Wan¡¯s gun veered off course, and the bullet grazed past his ear. Rong Li instinctively raised his hand to cover his ear, experiencing a ringing sensation and sharp pain. For a few seconds, his hearing was impaired, and anger surged within him. This woman must be out of her mind, actually daring to shoot!
¡°Don¡¯t provoke me!¡± Qin Wan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed with anger. ¡°I have an impulsive personality, and I act without considering the consequences. Don¡¯t push your luck!¡±
She bolstered her gun, mounted her motorcycle, and drifted away. Rong Li wasn¡¯t one to be taken advantage of. He aimed his gun at her back, hitting the motorcycle¡¯s rear tire. Qin Wan liked to ride fast, and when she elerated, it was intense. The bullet precisely pierced the rear tire, causing the entire motorcycle to malfunction ande to an abrupt stop. Due to inertia, Qin Wan was thrown off and collided with a rock. She hadn¡¯t even been wearing a helmet, and blood instantly sttered half of her face.
Qin Wan,¡±¡¡±
Fuck!
Rong Li tossed his cigarette butt aside, drove past her leisurely, and deliberately rolled down the window, stopping to say, ¡°Oh dear, you¡¯ve ruined your face. Remember to go to the hospital for stitches; 1¡¯11 reimburse the medical expenses.¡±
He drove away triumphantly.
Qin Wan pounded her fist on the ground, her eyes filled with fury. She should have shot off one of Rong Li¡¯s ears just now!
Dr. North sent someone to pick her up. When they saw her covered in blood, they were startled. However, Qin Wan didn¡¯t care much, saying, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡±
¡°What do you mean it doesn¡¯t matter? Let¡¯s go to the hospital!¡± Dr. North was furious as she escorted Qin Wan to the hospital. She found a tool herself to stitch her wound, which was on the back of her head, quite arge gash that required shaving a portion of her hair for the stitching.
Qin Wan resisted, ¡°1 don¡¯t want to; I¡¯ll be bald.¡±
¡°If we don¡¯t shave it, how can we stitch it?¡± Dr. North ignored her protests and proceeded to shave the area before stitching it up with eight stitches. Qin Wan was seething with anger. She would definitely settle this blood debt with Rong Li!
After the stitches were done, her hair was tied up to conceal the shaved spot. However, Qin Wan still felt a strange emptiness at the back of her head, which was ufortable. Dr. North said, ¡°Why did you provoke Rong Li?¡±
¡°He provoked me first!¡±
¡°You fired the first shot!¡±
Frustrated, Qin Wan simply ignored Dr. North, who, in turn, was torn between concern and helplessness. The stitches she received didn¡¯t seem to bother her much, and Dr. North had other matters to attend to, so he left her be.
Rong Li was on the ind, and Ji Chi must also be on the ind. They had split up, but what was Ji Chi up to?
Ji Chi was ying in the casino, a wealthy and extravagant figure. In just one hour, he lost ten million yuan. Wearing a white shirt, jeans, and a stud earring in his left ear, he looked like a spoiled young master, rich and foolish,vishly spending his fortune.
Casinos loved customers like him, and a crowd had gathered around to watch the spectacle. Because of his extravagant losses, he was the center of attention. The most ridiculous thing was that he even took out one million yuan to bet with tourists on a simple game of odds, with a 50-50 chance of winning.
The dealer frowned as she watched him lose more and more money, but Ji Chi, the more he lost, the more excited he became, practically throwing money around.
On the other side, Dr. North also noticed Ji Chi¡¯s situation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. He¡¯s just one person deliberately drawing our attention. Ji Chi and Rong Li wouldn¡¯t be alone on the ind. Let¡¯s see what the others are up to. If Ji Chi wants to y, let him y.¡±
Qin Wan couldn¡¯t help but feel something was amiss. Why was Ji Chi making such a high-profile appearance at the casino, throwing money around?
Meanwhile, Rong Li was diligently investigating Tang Mingzhou¡¯s case.
Ji Chi seemed to be at ease in the casino, and the dealers advised him to stop while he was ahead. Ji Chi blinked and said, ¡°A thousand gold pieces can¡¯t buy my willingness. Deal the cards.¡±
It seemed he wasn¡¯t very skilled at Texas Hold¡¯em, as he called regardless of his hand, and when the cards were revealed, he consistently had lousy hands. However, more and more people were attracted to him because of his extravagant spending. After two hours of losing, Ji Chi had an incredible stroke of luck and got a winning hand, recouping his losses.
¡°Oh my, lucky me,¡± he said with delicate features, clean eyes, and youthful attire that made him look like an innocent young man. The wealthy yers who had lost money couldn¡¯t see through his act.
They yed another round, and without a doubt, Ji Chi had another good hand.
People started to catch on; this was his style. He called every hand regardless of its quality, and with his deep pockets, he either won big with a strong hand or lost miserably with a weak one.
ying this way required a substantial bankroll, and not everyone could afford it.
¡°I¡¯m done. Why is everyone leaving? Come on, I haven¡¯t had enough fun yet. Don¡¯t you want to turn your fortunes around?¡± Ji Chi watched the wealthy yers rise from their seats. They weren¡¯t interested in ying with this inexperienced young man.
Ji Chi raised an eyebrow, and the casino staff came over to count the chips. They handed him a check.
The dealer said, ¡°Congrattions, sir, you¡¯ve won quite a bit of money tonight.¡±
¡°Even after dealing cards to me all night, you still didn¡¯t recognize me, did you, Mr. Tang Mingzhou?¡± Ji Chi¡¯s smile faded slightly as he looked at the dealer, seemingly amused. ¡°Your observation skills arecking.¡±
The dealer¡¯s smile froze. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about. I don¡¯t understand.¡±
Ji Chi lightly tapped the table, picking up two chips and tossing them to Tang Mingzhou. ¡°Consider it a tip.¡±
The dealer epted his chips. This scene was not umon in the casino; customers who won money often tipped the dealers. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to draw attention, follow me quietly. The Triad members are all over the ind. It¡¯s up to you whether you want to walk with me or with them. Your choice.¡±
Ji Chi walked away, quickly disappearing into the bustling casino.
Behind the casino, inside the car¡
Ji Chi had received a call from Tang Mingzhou and had also informed Rong Li. Tang Mingzhou hadn¡¯t removed his disguise yet. ¡°How did you recognize me?¡±
¡°Cutting-edge technology,¡± Ji Chi replied nonchntly. This technology wasn¡¯t fully mature yet, and it was the first time he had used it, but he had no intention of revealing that to Tang Mingzhou. ¡°You led us to Paradise Ind. What¡¯s your n?¡±
Just as they were talking, Rong Li opened the car door and got in. Ji Chi started the car and drove away.
Tang Mingzhou taunted with a smirk, ¡°Lu Zhiyuan sent two inexperienced youngsters to Paradise Ind?¡±
Rong Li was even more acerbic in his response. ¡°Back in the day, you were taken down by the so-called ¡®inexperienced Third Master.¡¯ Disrespecting the younger generation led to that fate.¡±
Tang Mingzhou,¡±¡¡±
Ji Chi burst intoughter. Their car merged onto a truck, and with the truck now in motion, they were hidden from sight inside the cargopartment. ¡°Speak up. You went through all this trouble to lead us here. What do you want?¡±
¡°I want to see Lu Zhiyuan!¡± Tang Mingzhou stated calmly. ¡°Take me back to the country.¡±
¡°You were arranged by Jiang Junlin to enjoy your retirement on Paradise Ind. It¡¯s a great ce¡ªyear-round pleasant weather, beautiful scenery, renowned for retirement and leisure. You could have peacefully lived here for a few years. Why do you suddenly want to return to the country?¡± Ji Chi was more approachable in appearance, tone, and demeanorpared to Rong Li.
Only ck Hawk and those who truly understood them knew that Ji Chi was much more formidable than Rong Li.
Tang Mingzhou seemed to be swayed by appearances and thought Ji Chi would be easier to manipte. ¡°I have some personal matters to attend to with Lu Zhiyuan. Since you are part of ck Hawk, you should know that I am the true leader of ck Hawk. Lu Zhiyuan is just a temporary stand-in for a few years. I advise you not to stand on the wrong side..¡±
Chapter 431 - 431: Sudden Incident
Chapter 431: Sudden Incident
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Ha¡¡± Rong Li couldn¡¯t control his mocking tone, ¡°ck Hawk only recognizes Third Master. You, an adult, lost to a minor like Third Master. It¡¯s not just your embarrassment; I¡¯m embarrassed for you. And now you dare to talk big. Where does your confidencee from?¡±
Tang Mingzhou sneered, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for The Dark Lord colluding with the triads, would I have been arrested? Would 1 have been framed? The leader of ck Hawk, who conspired with the enemy and betrayed his master, do you really believe that? If he could betray me back then, he¡¯ll betray you all today. You work for him, and one day, you won¡¯t know how you¡¯ll meet your end!¡± ¡°Being locked up by the national security for a few years seems to have made you lose your mind,¡± Ji Chi remarked without mincing words. ¡°You don¡¯t even understand ck Hawk¡¯s structure, and you dare toe here and try to turn us against each other. Do you even know us?¡±
The information gap was truly terrifying.
Tang Mingzhou had been locked up by national security for several years, andter, Jiang Junlin sent him to Paradise Ind, where he was under constant surveince. They imed he had gained his freedom, but how much real freedom did he have? He couldn¡¯t find any information about ck Hawk¡¯s internal affairs online, and he dared not contact his own connections for fear of exposure. If even thest bit of hiswork was exposed, controlled by Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin, he would have no chance.
Ji Chi and Rong Li both spected that Tang Mingzhou wouldn¡¯t dare to expose his own connections, which is why he knew nothing about ck Hawk¡¯s internal affairs.
Tang Mingzhou had once been the leader of ck Hawk; he wasn¡¯t a fool. He also sensed that Ji Chi had an ulterior motive in his words. ¡°Who are you people?¡±
He couldn¡¯t be med for underestimating Ji Chi and Rong Li. Ji Chi¡¯s appearance was deceptive; he could easily pass for a ¡°seductive¡± type. He had a handsome face, a great physique, clean eyes, and looked several years younger than his actual age, appearing to be in his early twenties. Rong Li was calm, young, and had a quick temper. In his memory, men with high status and power shouldn¡¯t be so easily angered; they should be like Jiang Junlin.
¡°Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Ji Chi, the next leader of ck Hawk.¡± Ji Chi looked at Tang Mingzhou with a surprised expression. ¡°Third Master sent me. Are you surprised?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Tang Mingzhou blurted out. ¡°Whose child from the Nine Great Families are you?¡±
The leader of ck Hawk had always been a figurehead, and Tang Mingzhou thought Lu Zhiyuan had colluded with one of the Nine Great Families to groom Ji Chi. However, none of the Nine Great Families had the surname Ji.
¡°I¡¯m a child that Third Master picked up in the Pentagon. I have no family or background. Tang Mingzhou, the ck Hawk in your memories is outdated. Nowadays, ck Hawk follows the orders of Third Master alone. What do you want to do? Do you want to meet Third Master? What are your intentions?¡±
Ji Chi didn¡¯t underestimate Tang Mingzhou. Even though he seemed a bit senile, it might not be an act. After all, Tang Mingzhou had endured silently for several years under national security¡¯s watch, and he ultimately received immunity. If it weren¡¯t for his proactive disclosure and contact with them, Tang Mingzhou could have spent his retirement peacefully on Paradise Ind. He had Jiang Junlin in his grip, and Ji Chi was confident that Jiang Junlin wouldn¡¯t kill him; otherwise, his act of exchanging immunity would also be exposed, bing a scandal. He should have been sentenced to death, but he gained his freedom instead. Such a person couldn¡¯t be foolish.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan actually groomed a child with such an unclear background like you?¡±
Tang Mingzhou couldn¡¯t believe it. Could that be something Lu Zhiyuan would do?
¡°When Third Master was groomed by you back then, he was also a child. But Third Master won¡¯t end up like you because I¡¯m not Third Master, and Third Master isn¡¯t you!¡± Ji Chi said calmly. ¡°If you want to meet Third Master, that¡¯s no problem. A video call will suffice!¡±
¡°No, I want to meet in person!¡± Tang Mingzhou said coldly. ¡°If it were just a video call, 1 would have contacted him long ago.¡±
Rong Li was getting impatient. ¡°Why make thingsplicated with a video call when a phone call can do the job?¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Lu Zhiyuan?¡±
Rong Li raised his hand and impatiently knocked Tang Mingzhou unconscious.
Ji Chi remarked, ¡°You¡¯re quite rough!¡±
¡°He hasn¡¯t spoken a single truth; it¡¯s boring to chat with him,¡± Rong Li said impatiently. He dialed Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s video call and briefly showed him the unconscious Tang Mingzhou.
Lu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow. ¡°What happened to him?¡±
¡°I knocked him out!¡± Rong Li said. ¡°Third Master, he wants to meet you, and his intentions are clear. He refused a video call. Are you sure you want to bring him back?¡±
¡°Bring him back!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said coldly. ¡°I have some unfinished business with him to settle.¡±
¡°Alright, understood!¡±
Rong Li hung up the call and injected Tang Mingzhou with a small dose of a tranquilizer from a hidden stash. The needle hole was tiny, and even if Tang Mingzhou woke up, he wouldn¡¯t notice. Ji Chi asked, ¡°Are you being too cautious?¡±
¡°Better safe than sorry. 1 have a feeling he led us here for a reason, and it¡¯s not that simple,¡± Rong Li said, pointing to his eyelid. ¡°My eyelid has been twitching all day.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you a staunch materialist?¡±
¡°When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I¡¯m superstitious now too.¡±
After receiving a message from Dr. North, Gu Ci checked the hospital¡¯s schedule and found that she had three days off. She applied for leave and came to Paradise Ind. When she arrived on the ind, the lockdown had just been lifted. If it hadn¡¯t been, the ind¡¯s resources would have been depleted, and there would have been unrest.
¡°Have you seen Ji Chi and Rong Li on the ind since yourst meeting with them?¡± Gu Ci asked.
¡°I haven¡¯t seen them at all. It¡¯s been two days, and there¡¯s been no sign of them,¡± Gu Ci replied.
As Gu Ci watched the numerous boatsing and going from the harbor, she couldn¡¯t help but think that ck Hawk¡¯s members were truly skilled at hiding their tracks. Just as she had that thought, Dr. North intercepted a message.
¡°Ji Chi and Rong Li are escorting Tang Mingzhou out of the harbor. They have a clear flight number,¡± Dr. North informed her. ¡°Where was this message intercepted?¡±
¡°ck Hawk has a frequent encryption channel that we just cracked,¡± the information officer reported.
Gu Ci thought about Jiang Junlin¡¯s orders. Tang Mingzhou couldn¡¯t fall into Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s hands. ¡°Everyone to the harbor!¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li arranged for Tang Mingzhou to board a cargo ship. They had been hiding on the ind for two days, waiting for the day when the ind would be unsealed. Theing and going of ships in the harbor were particrly chaotic on this day, and no one woulde to check.
They blended in on the cargo ship, hoping to leave the harbor as soon as possible.
But they didn¡¯t anticipate that they hadn¡¯t even left the inner sea when Gu Ci and two ships from Dr. North intercepted them on the open sea. Gu Ci appeared on the deck, smiling as she greeted Ji Chi. ¡°Ji Chi, where are you going in such a hurry?¡±
Ji Chi immediately realized that something was very wrong. Rong Li secretly sent a message to Lu Zhiyuan.
¡°We lost someone. Do you mind if wee aboard to search?¡± Gu Ci asked with a smile.
¡°Cici, please don¡¯t make it difficult for us!¡± Ji Chi whispered. ¡°This person is wanted by Third Master. If we lose him, we can¡¯t bear the consequences.¡±
¡°Coincidentally, this is someone my brother specifically requested. If we lose him, we can¡¯t bear the consequences either!¡± Gu Ci was about to board the ship, and Ji Chi and Rong Li couldn¡¯t stop her. If it were Dr. North and Qin Wan, they might have had a chance.
Gu Ci¡¯s words made it clear that she was wary of their ship!
Gu Ci and Qin Wan brought two teams of people onto the ship, while Dr. North stayed on his own ship. Tang Mingzhou was brought up on deck. Ji Chi and Rong Li exchanged a nce. ¡°I also want to know how our information leaked.¡±
Qin Wan sneered, ¡°Our information officer decrypted one of your encryption channels and intercepted your messages.¡±
Ji Chi and Rong Li were taken aback. Ji Chi said, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Since the arrest of Tang Mingzhou, we haven¡¯t used any encryption channels, nor have we had anymunication at all. You¡¡±
Before Ji Chi could finish speaking, he suddenly smelled the scent of gunpowder and heard an explosion. In an instant, the ship was blown to pieces..
Chapter 432 - 432: Unexpectedly
Chapter 432 - 432: Unexpectedly
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Lu Zhiyuan was startled awake by a sudden palpitation and knew that something had happened to Gu Ci. Every time Gu Ci was in a critical situation, he had a premonition, but his teleportation had limitations. Gu Ci was on Paradise Ind, thousands of kilometers away from him. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t get to her side. There was no news from the ck Hawk Information Office, so Lu Zhiyuan changed into a different set of clothes and rushed out, and Li Jiang hurried over.
¡°Third Master, som-something¡ happened!¡± Li Jiang stammered, an unusual sight.
¡°Take your time,¡± Lu Zhiyuan remained calm.
Li Jiang said, ¡°Miss Gu Ci intercepted the ship of Ji Chi and Rong Li in the Inner Sea. Tang Mingzhou was also on the ship. When they were still in a standoff, the ship exploded, and everyone disappeared. Localmunication was lost for twenty minutes. During these twenty minutes, the agents couldn¡¯t notify us. Ji Chi and Rong Li are missing, and the tracker lost its signal. I¡¯ve already dispatched nearby agents to the scene.¡±
¡°They were all on the ship when it exploded?¡± Lu Zhiyuan grabbed the nearby handrail abruptly, his hands trembling with fear.
Li Jiang also saw Lu Zhiyuan so panicked for the first time. ¡°Yes, they were all on the ship when it exploded. The ship was blown to pieces, and the local police salvaged¡ eleven bodies.¡±
These bodies were pieced together, and the scene was too gruesome, especially being at sea, many body parts were impossible to locate. The marine police patrol team was still searching. Lu Zhiyuan had a moment without any response, and Li Jiang worriedly called out to him, ¡°Third Master?¡±
¡°Go to the airport!¡±
¡°Yes!¡± Li Jiang had already arranged for a helicopter to be waiting on the rooftop. ¡°Third Master, Miss Gu Ci and Qin Wan are also missing. Dr. North is critically injured and in aa, and the Jidao suffered heavy losses. We¡¯ve been yed by Tang Mingzhou.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan took a deep breath, suppressing the fear in his heart. ¡°Send the biological information of Ji Chi, Rong Li, Gu Ci, and Qin Wan to the local police. Let thempare with the bodies to see if it¡¯s them.¡±
¡°It¡¯s already been sent!¡± Li Jiang had taken care of these matters without needing Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s reminder. ¡°Third Master, Mr. Jiang is waiting at the airport. He sent a message, hoping you can take a flight with him.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin arrived at the airport one after the other. Jiang Junlin had received the news while he was in a financial meeting with President Gu. It had been another sleepless night, and the meeting had not even concluded when the tragic news from Paradise Ind arrived. The Triad Dark Web had never witnessed such a catastrophic ident. Jiang Junlin had immediately sent people to Paradise Ind, and he was also heading to the scene in person.
The ne had been granted clearance and was ready to take off. Jiang Junlin waited for Lu Zhiyuan at the boarding gate, his expression extremely grim. Lu Zhiyuan led Li Jiang and three information officers onto Jiang Junlin¡¯s ne, while a portion of Jiang Junlin¡¯s team boarded Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s ne.
Once the personnel arrangements were settled, they each boarded their respective nes. As soon as Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin were on the ne, they entered the meeting room with Zhang Qiang, Li Jiang, and several information officers to review the footage of the incident.
Both the Triad Dark Web and ck Hawk had stored footage of the incident. Less than two minutes after Gu Ci and Qin Wan boarded the ship, it exploded, cutting off the video feed. All that remained was audio, including a burst of intense gunfire. It was impossible to discern who had fired first, and alongside the gunshots, there were sounds of speedboats.
Jiang Junlin nearly crushed the cup in his hand. The footage was clear: when the explosion urred, Ji Chi, Gu Ci, Qin Wan, and Rong Li were all thrown into the sea by the st¡¯s shockwave. The only relief was that the explosion had urred in the center of the ship, and they had been standing on the deck.
Ji Chi had the quickest reaction and immediately pulled Rong Li into the sea. However, their figures were still engulfed by the mes, and their fates were uncertain. Both Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t urately judge their condition based on the footage.
Jiang Junlin stared at the mes in the footage and wondered, would they be burned?
Ji Chi was so concerned about his appearance; having a scar would surely upset him.
If they suffered burns and fell into the sea, it would be painful, wouldn¡¯t it?
He forced himself not to think about the bodies. He didn¡¯t even dare to look at theparison data sent by the police.
Despite the magnitude of the incident, Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t me each other. Lu Zhiyuan asked, ¡°When you sent Tang Mingzhou to Paradise Ind, the entire ind was under your control. How many people did you deploy?¡±
¡°Paradise Ind is a small tourist destination with a small poption. We handle natural gas, coal, and electricity transportation, and we monopolized the energy sources on the ind. Therefore, the local police have always cooperated with us and have been helping keep an eye on Tang Mingzhou. When we first sent him there three years ago, we left thirty people. After evaluating the situation over these three years, we reduced it to ten. Even though we reduced the manpower, the police presence remained the same. Could it be that Tang Mingzhou intentionally leaked information to lure you here?¡± Jiang Junlin also came to this realization after the incident. He had always believed that Lu Zhiyuan was actively searching for Tang Mingzhou and had proactively discovered information about him.
¡°This intel came from a secure ck Hawk channel. I¡¯ve had people constantly searching for information about Tang Mingzhou. About a month ago, one of our information officers saw him while vacationing on Paradise Ind.¡± Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°That information officer suffered a heart attack and died just an hour ago.¡±
¡°Died while on duty.¡±
Jiang Junlin felt a malicious fire burning within him, but he couldn¡¯t let it out. ¡°How do you have so many turncoats?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan replied, ¡°Jiang Junlin, in the Triad Dark Web, you¡¯re the absolute authority. Your personal guard team would collectively betray you, not to mention the difference in the ck Hawk¡¯s systempared to yours. The nine major families in our organization bnce each other, and I¡¯ve had to deal with one family after another. It was difficult enough to consolidate power, and 1 couldn¡¯tpletely overhaul the system in a short time. Having turncoats is quitemon. When the news came, 1 was afraid it might be orchestrated by Tang Mingzhou himself. That¡¯s why 1 sent Ji Chi and Rong Li, both of whom are skilled in strategy and courage. No one wanted them to be in danger. Why did Gu Ci go to Paradise Ind?¡±
¡°Once Ji Chi took Tang Mingzhou away, Cici was afraid they would leave the port on Unsealing Day, so she decided to make a trip since she had a vacation.¡± Jiang Junlin learned this news only after Gu Ci had boarded the ne.
During the past two years, Gu Ci had made many decisions without the need to inform him about everything. Besides, he didn¡¯t consider this mission to be particrly dangerous.
The ck Hawk team sent on this mission consisted of Ji Chi and Rong Li. Even if they encountered someone, they wouldn¡¯t engage inbat.
Who could have anticipated this kind of oue?
Lu Zhiyuan hadn¡¯t expected it either. The worst-case scenario he had envisioned was that both sides would meet, perhaps leading to some friction. They had coborated on numerous projects, and there was no reason for a major confrontation. The established pattern of cooperation in recent years had caused them to overlook the variable that was Tang Mingzhou.
¡°Let¡¯s synchronize our information,¡± Jiang Junlin took out his tablet to continue when Zhang Qiang said, ¡°Master, the police have sent the bodyparison data.¡±
The entire conference room fell silent for several seconds.
Both Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan fell into silence. Out of fear, neither of them had the courage to immediately examine the data Zhang Qiang held.. Zhang Qiang hesitated and then asked, ¡°Shall I open and check it?¡±
Chapter 433 - 433: All in One
Chapter 433 - 433: All in One
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Unfortunately, among the eleven bodies, three of them were ck Hawk personnel, all from Ji Chi¡¯s personal guard, and two were members of the Triad. At the time of the incident, these five individuals were rtively close to the center of the ship, near the source of the explosion. It was a cargo ship, and the rest were crew members. Gu Ci, Qin Wan, Ji Chi, Rong Li, fortunately, were not on board. Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin had already anticipated casualties, but when they saw the list, they were still furious!
Tang Mingzhou, he¡¯s done for!
Both of them had this thought in their minds at the same time. Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin didn¡¯t want Tang Mingzhou to die before this incident. If he died, it would bring them a lot of trouble. Now, they just wanted to tear him apart.
¡°Since we re going to cooperate, we need to be honest, Lu Zhiyuan, why do you want Tang Mingzhou to live?¡¯1 Jiang Junlin asked in a deep voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to live, and the reason is simple, as you can guess. Why do you insist on keeping him alive? I can¡¯t figure it out.11
¡°Both of you, leave!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said in a low voice.
Jiang Junlin nodded at Zhang Qiang, and Zhang Qiang and Li Jiang led their men out, with Li Jiang guarding the door.
¡°I¡¯m not like normal people.¡±
Jiang Junlin taunted. ¡°I can see that!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s the literal meaning. Gu Ci and Ziyu both came back to life, and you should have guessed that I have memories from the previous life too. Jiang Junlin, once upon a time, Gu Ci jumped from the top of the Global Center but survived unscathed. Why? Because I caught her. This is a secret, known only to Li Jiang besides me. Gu Ci from thest life didn¡¯t know it either. A few years ago, Gu Ci became suspicious and bet her life on it by jumping from the top of the Global Center, forcing me to reveal it. Tang Mingzhou knew about it earlier and had a video clip of it; that¡¯s why he wanted to cultivate me. I can¡¯t let him expose that video clip; it¡¯s his trump card. 1 thought Tang Mingzhou was just setting a trap back then and didn¡¯t pay much attention to it after he died, but he¡¯s still alive, and he has patiently waited for several years. This is the bargaining chip he¡¯s using in negotiations.¡±
¡°Are you making up a story?¡± Jiang Junlin asked expressionlessly.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°I know you had Gu Ci and me undergo a paternity test, and you¡¯ve seen the results. Gu Ci¡¯s background is a mystery, and to prevent investigation by the National Security, you even gave him a fake identity. Would you have gone to such lengths if he didn¡¯t have a blood rtionship with you?¡±
The matter of Gu Ziyu was their unspoken agreement, and no one had ever revealed this fact.
¡°That¡¯s why 1 want Tang Mingzhou to live. If this video clip is made public, it will cause me a lot of trouble,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said lightly. ¡°Back then, we did indeed sh due to differences in our beliefs, and 1 took action against him. After his death, the matter of the video clip faded away. I thought Tang Mingzhou was just creating suspicion and didn¡¯t pay it any mind. But he¡¯s still alive, and he has patiently waited for several years. This is the bargaining chip he¡¯s using in negotiations.¡±
Jiang Junlin wasn¡¯t interested in why he was different from ordinary people. ¡°So, Tang Mingzhou s target is you?¡±
Lu Zhiyuan nodded!
Jiang Junlin sneered, ¡°Now that we have no news about them, it¡¯s good news. The worst-case scenario is that all four of them have been captured. I hope you can be sensible and exchange them back!¡±
Li Jiang,
Mr. Jiang, you are quite courageous!
Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan had more information to coordinate. They called in their informants, and in a rare disy of openness, both sides shared what they knew about their respective strengths and weaknesses on Paradise Ind. Only through honest cooperation could they have the best chance of rescuing the others.
¡°Without a doubt, Tang Mingzhou couldn¡¯t have aplished this on his own; there must be someone helping him,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said calmly. ¡°Whether it¡¯s ck Hawk or the Triad, he¡¯s made a lot of enemies over the past decade. Tang Mingzhou is skilled at leveraging others¡¯ power to achieve his goals. It won¡¯t be difficult for him to recruit certain individuals to assist him. Li Jiang, follow this lead and investigate.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡±
Jiang Junlin nced at the recorded actions of Ji Chi and Rong Li on Paradise Ind. Every detail was meticulously documented. He raised a question, ¡°Why was Ji Chi able to urately locate Tang Mingzhou inside the casino?¡±
¡°Tang Mingzhou left a clue at his residence, directing the ck Hawk personnel to find him at the casino,¡¯1 Lu Zhiyuan exined. ¡°Ji Chi was known for his extravagant spending in the casino, so he kept an eye on Tang Mingzhou to prevent you from getting there first. Rong Li kept Qin Wan distracted, drawing most of the attention. Nors won¡¯t be focused on the casino either; at most, he¡¯d assign one or two people to watch Ji Chi. A few people couldn¡¯t effectively monitor him.¡±
Jiang Junlin pulled up the surveince footage of Ji Chi and Tang Mingzhou and carefully examined the people around the casino. It seemed that something was amiss in the casino. Tang Mingzhou wasn¡¯t alone, and perhaps Ji Chi and l ang Mingzhou had been tracked when they left the casino.
They hadn¡¯t noticed it when they were on the cargo ship.
¡®I underestimated Tang Mingzhou!¡± Jiang Junlin regretted deeply. Due to legal constraints, he hadn¡¯t Lulled Tang Mingzhou earlier, and this had led to the current situation, which was his biggest regret this year.
¡°Tang Mingzhou was also on the ship. When the ship exploded, he was in a life-threatening situation. Why would he choose to go down with the ship?¡± Lu Zhiyuan mused. ¡°He wrongly believed that I had killed his wife and child. If I were on the ship, and he chose to go down with it, 1 could understand. But why¡¡±
¡°Gu Ci was on the ship!¡± Jiang Junlin realized.
l ang Mingzhou wanted Lu Zhiyuan to experience the despair of losing a loved one.
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s face subtly changed, but he had been separated from Gu Ci for five years and had no contact with her. Why would Tang Mingzhou target Gu
¡°ck Hawk and the Triad have a global surveincework. I¡¯m curious about where he¡¯s taking them,¡± Lu Zhiyuan pondered.
Li Jiang couldn¡¯t help but remind them, ¡°If his target is only Miss Gu Ci, perhaps she still has a chance, but for the others¡ it¡¯s less certain.¡±
Jiang Junlin¡¯s face darkened instantly. He didn¡¯t need Li Jiang s reminder; when he realized this, he also became aware of it.
On the sea, inside the ship¡¯s cabin.
Ji Chi was the first to wake up, his hands and feet bound. He had been awakened by a burst of gunfire. His arms were sore and stinging; his already troubled arm had been burned by the fire, but luckily, it was just a flesh wound. He couldn¡¯t move his hands and feet. Ji Chi tried to observe the cabin, and he saw that Gu Ci, Qin Wan, and Rong Li were also there. Gu Ci had a gunshot wound to her abdomen, with blood staining her clothes.
The condition of the others wasn¡¯t much better. Ji Chi shifted his body upward and used his head to support Rong Li. ¡°Rong Li, wake up, Rong Li¡.¡±
Chapter 434 - 434: Reincarnation
Chapter 434: Reincarnation
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Rong Li¡¯s abdomen is injured and is continuously being bumped by Ji Chi¡¯s head, causing him excruciating pain. Me hoarsely says, ¡°Stop bumping!¡± ¡°Thank goodness, you¡¯re still alive!¡± Ji Chi felt somewhat relieved. His body struggled to move on the floor, ¡°Where are you injured?¡±
¡°My whole body hurts¡¡± At the moment they fell into the sea, Rong Li had shielded Ji Chi in front of him, and the mes had swept over his back. Afterward, he fell into the sea, and his shoulder was burned. Fortunately, the water extinguished the fire, leaving only a minor burn. However, after falling into the sea, they didn¡¯t lose consciousness. They were shot, with bullets piercing through their shoulders. Then they were knocked unconscious. Now, they feel intense pain all over their bodies.
Ji Chi also notices the gunshot wound on his shoulder, which has not been treated after being soaked in water, making it prone to infection.
Ignoring his own injuries, Rong Li asks, ¡°What about you? Did you get shot?¡± ¡°No!¡± Ji Chi¡¯s arm was burned, but he felt much better after falling into the sea. After they fell into the sea, they realized it was a conspiracy, but they couldn¡¯t react in time. Dr. North and Tang Mingzhou¡¯s men engaged in a firefight, while the few of them fell into the sea and tried to swim to Dr. North¡¯s side. However, the speedboat arrived immediately, and bullets were fired in rows. Dr. North didn¡¯t dare to shoot at the area where they fell into the sea, but Tang Mingzhou¡¯s men didn¡¯t care at all. The oue could be imagined ¨C they were all pulled out of the water by Tang Mingzhou¡¯s men and knocked unconscious.
With their hands cuffed and their legs bound, their movements were restricted. Ji Chi used his shoulder to sit up and moved toward Gu Ci and Qin Wan. Gu Ci had a shrapnel wound in her abdomen that had torn through her flesh, still bleeding after being soaked in seawater. It was unclear whether any shrapnel was embedded in her body. Ji Chi finally got closer and patted her thigh with his hand.
¡°Cici, Cici¡ wake up.¡±
Gu Ci didn¡¯t wake up, but Qin Wan woke up first. Qin Wan was the least injured. When she was caught on the speedboat, she attempted to resist and was knocked out with a gunshot. She wasn¡¯t injured in the sea, and no bullets hit her. She also avoided being engulfed in mes. She and Gu Ci were closer to the railing than Ji Chi and Rong Li when the explosion urred. They jumped into the sea while embracing each other, with the initial intention of swimming back to the cargo ship.
However, Ji Chi and Rong Li also fell into the sea, and their situation wasn¡¯t very good. Gu Ci managed to swim five meters before turning back to pull Ji Chi and Rong Li. Qin Wan had no choice but to follow Gu Ci.
These few minutes of dy cost them dearly.
Qin Wan was quite annoyed. Why bother saving the enemies? Without saving them, they could have safely escaped.
¡°Qin Wan, how are you?¡±
¡°I won¡¯t die!¡± Qin Wan examined Gu Ci¡¯s injury, moving clumsily. Gu Ci¡¯s condition didn¡¯t seem right. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t she woken up? Rong Li woke up even after getting shot.¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s constitution was slightly weaker than Ji Chi, Rong Li, and Qin Wan. When she was pulled onto the speedboat, she was directly drowned unconscious due to her resistance. Qin Wan and Ji Chi checked her breathing, confirming that she was still alive.
Without further ado, Qin Wan smashed down onto Gu Ci¡¯s abdomen, her iput hitting Gu Ci¡¯s abdomen heavily. Gu Ci¡¯s pent-up breath is released, and she coughed up seawater, moaning in pain. This blunt force managed to expel the umted water in her abdomen, but it also hit her wound.
Ji Chi,¡±¡¡±
Rong Li,¡±¡¡±
That was straightforward!
Gu Ci was in so much pain that she almost lost her breath. After expelling the seawater, she finally regained consciousness. All of them had their hands cuffed and their legs bound. Both Gu Ci and Rong Li had gunshot wounds, while Qin Wan and Ji Chi had milder injuries. The two of them attempted to unfasten the handcuffs.
¡°Do you have anything like a safety pin?¡± Ji Chi asks.
Gu Ci, in pain, leaned against the side without speaking. When they were captured, they were thoroughly searched, and all concealed weapons were taken away. At this moment, they have nothing on them; it¡¯s an unexpected situation.
Neither Gu Ci nor Qin Wan had the habit of wearing earrings, so they didn¡¯t have any useful items on them.
¡°Let¡¯s start by untying the ropes on our legs,¡± Ji Chi suggested, moving to position his legs towards Qin Wan¡¯s back. They tried to free each other from the ropes, and both were rtively skillful at it.
Gu Ci and Rong Li both had gunshot wounds, but Ji Chi and Qin Wan didn¡¯t pay them much attention for now. They moved closer to the cargo hold. It was eerily quiet outside, with only the sound of waves. They could confirm that they were on a ship that had not yet docked.
They searched around the cargo hold for useful items. It was filled with agricultural products. Ji Chi and Qin Wan, in unspoken agreement, each hid an iron nail as they couldn¡¯t find anything else useful.
After circling the cargo hold and finding nothing more, Gu Ci endured the pain. Rong Li¡¯s condition was the worst, with continuous bleeding, and Gu Ci was deeply concerned. Left untreated, the wound was likely to be infected. Ji Chi found a clean towel and used his foot to apply pressure to Rong Li¡¯s wound. Her wound also needs attention!
¡°Stop struggling. Are you afraid of dying too slowly?¡± Qin Wan noticed that Rong Li had been struggling to free himself from the handcuffs and kicked his leg.
¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Rong Li shouted angrily. He was already on fire, and if he¡¯d calcted and killed by Tang Mingzhou in the cargo hold, he wouldn¡¯t rest in peace.
¡°Don¡¯t kick him,¡± Ji Chi intervened.
Qin Wan clicked her tongue. ¡°I didn¡¯t kick his wound. I just wanted to remind him not to exhaust himself. More people mean more bargaining chips. If we die, they¡¯ll just throw us into the sea to feed the fish.¡±
Everyone was taken aback.
No one expected to be captured like this. They were all filled with anger, with Gu Ci and Ji Chi being the most emotionally stable among them.
¡°You ck Hawks are such a bunch of useless traitors!¡± Qin Wan couldn¡¯t help but curse, ¡°What are you good for? Even your encrypted channels werepromised, utterly foolish!¡±
Rong Li¡¯s voice was hoarse from the pain, but he still retorted, ¡°It¡¯s your stupidity! You believe any piece of information without question. If it weren¡¯t for you rushing onto this ship, it probably wouldn¡¯t have exploded. Who knows who they were targeting!¡±
Ji Chi gave his leg a kick, ¡°Stop arguing, we¡¯re in the same boat now, quite literally. We need to cooperate wholeheartedly, no time for bickering.¡±
Qin Wan walked up to him, smirking at his gunshot wound, ¡°Indeed, save your energy. Oh my, this bleeding won¡¯t stop. Are you going to turn into a mummy?¡± She had just sutured her own head wound after falling into the sea, and the salty seawater seeping into the wound was far from pleasant. So, seeing Rong Li in such a sorry state, Qin Wan couldn¡¯t resist gloating, ¡°What goes aroundes around!¡±
Ji Chi looked at Rong Li¡¯s wound with concern, ¡°Cici, what should we do about his injury?¡±
¡°The bullet needs to be removed, stitched up, and we can¡¯t dy. These conditions are cold and damp; the wound will get infected,¡± Gu Ci says, ncing at her own wound. Her injury also needed attention. She loudly called out, ¡°Is anyone there? Is anyone here?¡±
¡°What are you doing? We haven¡¯t discussed a n yet,¡± Qin Wan stopped her.
¡°Who¡¯s discussing a n here?¡± Gu Ci retorts. She was clearly just taking pleasure in seeing Rong Li injured. After Gu Ci¡¯s shout, both Qin Wan and Ji Chi sat back down and casually wrapped the ropes around their legs.
Before long, they heard footsteps, and to their surprise, it was Chen Rushi.
¡°It¡¯s you?¡± Ji Chi and Rong Li, in particr, couldn¡¯t have imagined this turn of events. After retiring from the underworld, Chen Rushi had established himself independently, no longer relying on ck Hawk or the triad. The Chen family had gradually faded into obscurity in North America, no longer the influential force it was five years ago.
Chen Rushi looked at this group of captives with a light smile. If it were five years ago, he would have never imagined this day..
Chapter 435 - 435: Together in the Same Boat
Chapter 435: Together in the Same Boat
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
¡°Gu Ci, long time no see!¡± Chen Rushi looked much more mature than five years ago, with a hint of frost at his temples. Once he had left the triad and ck Hawk, he had too many things to worry about. If onebored too much, they would age faster than others. This was inevitable!
Ji Chi could tell it was Chen Rushi. If anyone had the ambition and capability to respond to Tang Mingzhou, it was Chen Rushi. His ambition had always been as clear as day, just like Sima Zhao¡¯s, and everyone knew it.
Rong Li and Ji Chi remained silent. Gu Ci leaned against a pir. ¡°Chen Rushi, the fact that we¡¯re still alive means we¡¯re still useful. Show us your injuries. If we die, it won¡¯t benefit you either!¡±
Chen Rushi shrugged. ¡°What can I do? There¡¯s no doctor on the ship.¡±
¡°I am the doctor!¡±
¡°But we don¡¯t have any tools!¡± Chen Rushi calmly looked at Rong Li¡¯s wound. He walked over and suddenly stepped on Rong Li¡¯s wound, causing fresh blood to gush out. Rong Li twitched in pain but didn¡¯t make a sound. He was a tough guy. Ji Chi couldn¡¯t bear it and rushed forward, angrily pushing him away. ¡°Chen Rushi, get lost!¡±
¡°These are truly two loyal dogs of Lu Zhiyuan!¡± Chen Rushi evenined that his shoes were dirtied with blood and deliberately rubbed them on the floor, leaving a bloody mark. Qin Wan turned her gaze away in disgust. Although she didn¡¯t like Rong Li, she disliked traitors like him even more.
¡°Rong Li, how are you? Rong Li¡¡± Ji Chi crawled over to Rong Li. ¡°Rong Li¡¡±
Rong Li was in so much pain that he was almost passing out, but he struggled to say, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I won¡¯t die!¡±
Chen Rushi and Rong Li had some personal grievances. If it weren¡¯t for Rong Li acting as a stand-in for Lu Zhiyuan and handling ck Hawk¡¯s affairs on his behalf, Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s identity wouldn¡¯t have been so well-hidden.
Rong Li had also seized the resources that should have belonged to the Chen family. When ck Hawk quickly gained a foothold and Rong Li remained loyal to Lu Zhiyuan, Chen Rushi tried to win him over. While Rong Li pretended to cooperate with him on the surface, he secretly reported everything to Lu Zhiyuan. The Chen family was expelled from the family power structure of ck Hawk, and Rong Li had made a significant contribution. How could Chen Rushi not hold a grudge?
This kick was intentionally aimed at Rong Li¡¯s life!
Ji Chi secretly resented this and nced at the ropes on the ground. He looked at Qin Wan, and Qin Wan also looked at Chen Rushi. New and old grievances would be settled together, and it was only fair. Our traditional culture always favored collective responsibility!
¡°We are wounded and crippled. There¡¯s no benefit for you in killing us. If you wanted us dead, you would have done it already,¡± Gu Ci remained calm. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go down with us, do you?¡±
¡°I have you and Ji Chi in my hands, and those two aces are enough. Whether he lives or dies, who cares?¡± Chen Rushi approached Gu Ci and nced at her abdomen. ¡°Cici, following Lu Zhiyuan, do you regret it? Can he protect you?¡±
Gu Ci¡¯s face turned pale due to excessive bleeding, and she broke into a cold sweat. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you that 1 broke up with Lu Zhiyuan five years ago?¡±
Suddenly, Ji Chi hooked the rope on the ground and threw it towards Qin Wan. Qin Wan¡¯s right leg wrapped around the other end of the rope, and the two of them quickly flipped. The rope stretched across Chen Rushi¡¯s chest, and he sneered, about to retaliate. However, Ji Chi and Qin Wan stood up, their legs skillfully maneuvering the rope upward, positioning it around his neck. Qin Wan and Ji Chi swapped positions, and after a few rounds, they had Chen Rushi¡¯s neck ensnared. Each of them pulled from one side, causing Chen Rushi to scream in agony. Although he tried to put his hands between the rope and his neck, the two of them had him tightly wrapped up.
Ji Chi and Qin Wan couldn¡¯t use their hands, so their legs reced them, and each side of the rope pinned Chen Rushi down. Their synchronized movements formed a deadly technique.
Their coordination was impable!
¡°Chen Rushi, 1 can easily cut off your head with a little force!¡± Ji Chi said coldly. He tugged on the rope, and Chen Rushi was strangled, his face turning red, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound.
Due to his heart condition, Chen Rushi couldn¡¯t engage in strenuous physical activity. He always had someone protecting him when he traveled, so he was no match for Ji Chi and Qin Wan, both in terms of reflexes and agility.
Ji Chi returned all the pain that Chen Rushi had inflicted on Rong Li. ¡°Useless!¡±
Gu Ci shook her head at him, indicating not to provoke Chen Rushi. Currently, Chen Rushi was struggling due to choking and pain. Ji Chi and Qin Wan loosened their grip slightly. Chen Rushi angrily warned, ¡°If you dare to attack us, you won¡¯t be able to escape!¡±
Ji Chi sneered, ¡°I¡¯m just telling you that killing you is simpler than ughtering a chicken!¡±
Qin Wan coldly added, ¡°You, a weakling like you, dare to be arrogant in front of us. If it weren¡¯t for Rong Li being shot, we would all be tied up. Would you dare toe in?¡±
Ji Chi and Qin Wan had no intention of taking Chen Rushi¡¯s life. They released him, as killing him would serve no purpose, and they couldn¡¯t afford to take such risks at sea.
Chen Rushi took a few steps back, still trembling, and took deep breaths. A red mark appeared on his neck.
Gu Ci said, ¡°Chen Rushi, you¡¯re out of anger, and we¡¯ve given you a scare. We are your captives. Since you don¡¯t want us dead, unlock my handcuffs and give me a first aid kit. If Rong Li dies, there will be no negotiation between us.¡± Chen Rushi red at Ji Chi and Qin Wan with hatred, then turned and left. ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t agree?¡± Ji Chi crouched beside Rong Li. ¡°Rong Li, can you still hear me?¡±
¡°I won¡¯t die!¡± Rong Li gritted his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. You¡¯re the heir of ck Hawk. Chen Rushi won¡¯t harm you.¡±
¡°Shut up!¡± Ji Chi said fiercely. ¡°None of us will die!¡±
Gu Ci frowned, ¡°If Chen Rushi remains indifferent, we¡¯ll have to y ourst card.¡±
¡°What card?¡±
Qin Wan snorted. ¡°He thinks I¡¯m his own sister.¡±
Rong Li and Ji Chi remained silent.
The guards under Chen Rushi¡¯smand brought a first aid kit and unlocked Gu Ci¡¯s handcuffs. One of the guards said, ¡°There are no medical supplies on the ship. Whether you live or die depends on your own luck.¡±
Soon, heavily armed agents came down to the cabin, monitoring them from all angles.
Gu Ci opened the first aid kit and found that it didn¡¯t contain many medical supplies, but at least there were some tools. She nced at her own abdomen, quickly stopped the bleeding, and bandaged herself before proceeding to examine Rong Li¡¯s gunshot wound.
Ji Chi and Qin Wan were still restrained and couldn¡¯t help. Gu Ci cut open Rong Li¡¯s clothes, cleaned the wound with alcohol, and found that the bullet had prated deeply. She had to remove all the bullet fragments.
There was no anesthetic or aplete set of surgical instruments in the first aid kit. Moreover, the ship was swaying in the sea, making it a challenging situation for Gu Ci¡¯s medical skills. After a thorough examination, she could only say, ¡°There¡¯s no anesthesia or morphine. You¡¯ll have to endure it.¡± ¡°Bring it on!¡± Rong Li hadn¡¯t made a sound since getting shot. The bullet was still lodged in his wound, and he was deteriorating rapidly. Gu Ci rolled up a piece of gauze and had him bite on it before starting to extract the bullet.
Qin Wan leaned against the side, watching Gu Ci cut open Rong Li¡¯s wound. Rong Li was obviously in extreme pain, clenching the gauze tightly in his mouth. Ji Chi wanted to wipe his sweat, but he was restrained by the handcuffs. Ji Chi encouraged him, ¡°Hang in there, Rong Li, don¡¯t pass out..¡±
Chapter 436 - 436: Shocking but Not Dangerous
Chapter 436: Shocking but Not Dangerous
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
On the ship, Tang Mingzhou was recuperating.
When the explosion urred, he couldn¡¯t evade in time and suffered minor injuries. The mes grazed his arm, not causing severe harm. Chen Rushi, standing respectfully before him, dared not show any disrespect. Tang Mingzhou¡¯s expression was extremely stern. This time, he had nned everything meticulously, intending to wait for Lu Zhiyuan to board the ship and then execute his n. All the instructions were for Ji Chi and Rong Li to charter this passenger ship and leave Paradise Ind. One of the cabins was filled with explosives, all set to go off with Lu Zhiyuan on board, ensuring their demise together.
However, a ck Hawk special agent identally discovered the explosives in the cabin while fighting Tang Mingzhou¡¯s men. Thismotion alerted the crew, and without further ado, Tang Mingzhou detonated the ship.
If the news leaked out, he couldn¡¯t kill Lu Zhiyuan, and it would be a failure. It was better to blow up the ship, especially since Ji Chi and Rong Li were on board, along with Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s loved one. It was destiny.
Although this explosion wasn¡¯t part of Tang Mingzhou¡¯s n, the oue pleased him. Fortunately, Chen Rushi had been there to assist them. Knowing that the triad figures were nearby, he arrived in several speedboats and rescued everyone.
¡°How are they?¡± Tang Mingzhou asked with a grim expression.
Chen Rushi replied, ¡°Gu Ci and Rong Li have gunshot wounds. Rong Li¡¯s injuries are severe, and I fear they might not survive. I gave the first aid kit to Gu Ci; she¡¯s a doctor. If she can save him, it¡¯s Rong Li¡¯s lucky day. If not, then it¡¯s his own fault!¡±
Tang Mingzhou sneered and poured himself a drink. While he was in power, Chen Geng was still alive, and Chen Rushi was considered Chen Geng¡¯s heir. Chen Geng had intended for Tang Mingzhou to groom Chen Rushi as the sessor to ck Hawk. However, several major families obstructed this n, making it difficult to execute. But there were still ways. Later, Tang Mingzhou began grooming Lu Zhiyuan, who appeared out of nowhere, and Chen Rushi had some reservations about this.
Tang Mingzhou wasn¡¯t entirely sidelined. Compared to the former head of ck Hawk, he still had real power and could bypass the nine major families in many ck Hawk affairs, so he was quite authoritative.
Three years ago, Tang Mingzhou had contacted Chen Rushi, sharing a hiddenwork of contacts and advising Chen Rushi to remain low-key and not reveal himself too early. After Chen Rushi left the triad and ck Hawk, he wasn¡¯t willing to retire from the pinnacle of power and always sought the opportunity to make aeback.
He wanted a chance to return to ck Hawk and take control of it. Their goals aligned.
¡°He can do anything, even using Lu Zhiyuan,¡± Tang Mingzhou coldly remarked. ¡°Are you sure Gu Ci is his loved one? But ording to the information, they broke up five years ago. If the n fails, Chen Rushi, you bear the consequences.¡±
¡°Gu Ci¡¯s identity is more important than you imagine. She is not only Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s loved one, but Lu Zhiyuan was willing to give up everything for her, including his career and even his life. She is also the younger sister of Jiang Junlin. Even though she works as an emergency room doctor at Southern City Hospital, she is also responsible for the triad¡¯s financial sector, overseeing the financial operations of the triad. Her status and position are extraordinary. As long as she¡¯s in our hands, both Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan can¡¯t make any reckless moves.¡± Chen Rushi didn¡¯t believe that Lu Zhiyuan and Gu Ci had broken up. If they had truly parted ways, why was the child with Gu Ci frequently in contact with Lu Zhiyuan? He believed that, due to their unique identities, they were using a cover story to secretly carry out their ns.
This time, when the incident urred, both Lu Zhiyuan and Jiang Junlin came to Paradise Ind. There has been constant searching on the sea, and they want to find a few people on the vast ocean, which is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
¡°Leader, the most challenging part is what to do once we reach the shore. ck Hawk and the triad¡¯s surveince systems are highly advanced. They can monitor every corner of the world, as long as there are cameras. Unless we stay hidden in the dark all the time, we will eventually be discovered.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a safe ce they will never think of.¡±
Inside the cabin, Rong Li had passed out from the pain. Gu Ci took out the bullet and shrapnel and stopped the bleeding, stitching the wound. The medical supplies in the first aid kit were insufficient, so Rong Li would have to endure more suffering.
Ji Chi asked, ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡±
¡°No problem!¡± Gu Ci had confidence in her medical skills. After giving Rong Li an antibiotic injection, she helped him sit aside. Gu Ci took a piece of gauze and bit down on it, then lowered her head to stitch her own wound. Her abdominal injury was significant, and without anesthesia, she had to endure it. Qin Wan looked at her in pain, wondering if Chen Rushi had intentionally provided inadequate supplies.
Gu Ci bit the gauze, enduring the excruciating pain, and quickly stitched her wound. After disinfecting and dressing it, she wrapped it up to prevent infection. Qin Wan asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±
Gu Ci shook her head, her face as pale as a sheet.
Chen Rushi sent someone to deliver food, consisting of bread and water. Originally, their hands were handcuffed behind their backs, but now that they were injured, the guards unlocked the handcuffs and cuffed them in front for ease of eating. The three of them quickly filled their stomachs, and Gu Ci gave Rong Li some water. She also treated Ji Chi and Qin Wan¡¯s wounds; fortunately, their injuries were minor, so they were rtively fine. After everything was taken care of, Chen Rushi¡¯s guards took the first aid kit away, leaving only antibiotics and fever reducers for Gu Ci. The four of them sat together, discussing their next steps.
Ji Chi said, ¡°This is a sea voyage. They will definitely look for a ce tond and then decide what to do. We should seize any opportunity to escape.¡±
Only by leaving could they hope to bring back reinforcements. If they were trapped together, there would be no hope.
Ji Chi and Gu Ci both had needles hidden on them. After disassembling them, they concealed the thin needles on their bodies. Gu Ci shook her head and said, ¡°We are unarmed, and they have guns. It¡¯s better not to try to escape. My brother and Lu Zhiyuan will definitelye to rescue us.¡±
Unlike Ji Chi, Gu Ci had a natural trust in Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan, sincerely believing that they woulde to their rescue.
He was different!
¡°Once, 1 also had hope for someone. Even if 1 could leave, 1 foolishly waited, afraid that if I left, I would miss him. I believed in him wholeheartedly, thinking that no matter how difficult it was, he woulde to find me. Butter, I understood that believing in others is not as good as believing in yourself. Your life is your own, and only you can save it. You can¡¯t rely on anyone, no one can.¡± Ji Chi looked at the dimly lit cabin, thinking of the past.
Qin Wan and Gu Ci both knew who he was talking about.
Rong Li gradually regained consciousness, and Ji Chi quickly moved closer. ¡°Rong Li, are you in pain?¡±
¡°I won¡¯t die!¡± Rong Li took a deep breath, and due to the pain, he was still sweating profusely. ¡°Gu Ci, thank you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Gu Ci listened to the sound of the waves, and suddenly the ship jolted. She said, ¡°There must be a hidden reef here. We should be nearing the shore.¡±
Ji Chi and Qin Wan both sensed it.
¡°The triad and ck Hawk¡¯s surveince systems are everywhere globally. Where can he take us?¡± Qin Wan furrowed her brow.. ¡°Why not negotiate directly?¡±
Chapter 437 - 437: A Common Enemy
Chapter 437: A Common Enemy
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
A group of secret agents entered, roughly blindfolding them. After being pushed onto the deck, they were immediately ced in a vehicle. Rong Li, weakened after surgery, copsed onto Qin Wan, who pushed him away in disgust.
Her bald spot was still visible on the back of her head, and she wished she could kick him. But to her surprise, Rong Li turned back over and leaned against her shoulder. Qin Wan said in a gruff voice, ¡°Get lost!¡±
Rong Li remained silent, and Qin Wan furrowed her brow but didn¡¯t push him away. She had more important things to do. Although her eyes were blindfolded, her sense of smell, touch, and hearing were intact. Qin Wan and Ji Chi remained silent, while Gu Ci, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t very proficient in the localnguage and stayed quiet too.
The coast had a strong, fishy smell. They were in a run-down van that became unbearably hot as soon as they disembarked. The sunlight was intense, and even though the ind was known for its year-round pleasant weather, the real-feel temperature here was at least forty degrees Celsius, much hotter than they had expected. The road was extremely bumpy. They had just passed through a vige after half an hour onnd, and it was bustling with activity. The locals spoke in their own dialect, not the standardnguage. Ji Chi furrowed his brows slightly.
The weather was scorching, and they had the windows open without air conditioning. Before long, they were drenched in sweat due to the rough ride. Due to the bumps in the road, Rong Li ended up copsing onto Qin Wan¡¯sp and lost consciousness.
Qin Wan wanted to smack his face but restrained herself, thinking about his injuries.
After a few more hours of driving, just when they thought everything had calmed down, they caught a whiff of a distinctive poppy scent. It was easily recognizable, and Gu Ci, Qin Wan, and Ji Chi all noticed it.
They were surrounded by vast poppy fields, and the road became even rougher, like they were heading into the mountains. Suddenly, a thick smoke filled the vehicle, and everyone except the driver lost consciousness.
Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s nended on Paradise Ind. Despite the recent explosion, Paradise Ind remained a happy vacation destination and was not significantly affected. Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan had mostly aligned their information.
Li Jiang said, ¡°Third Master, your guess was correct. Chen Rushi has indeed arrived on Paradise Ind. Tang Mingzhou used Chen Rushi¡¯s help to leave Paradise Ind, and there¡¯s no trace of them on the sea. We haven¡¯t figured out where they¡¯ve been taken.¡±
Theck of information could be seen as a good sign; at least everyone was still alive. Both Jiang Junlin and Lu Zhiyuan thought so because the explosion had been sudden, leaving no time to leave any clues.
Dr. North was severely injured, and a fierce battle broke out between his team and the people brought by Gangster and Chen Rushi. Before Dr. North fell unconscious, he dispatched a flying craft and a team of people to pursue Chen Rushi¡¯s speedboat.
Later, they ran out of gasoline and were stranded at sea. The flying craft eventually ran out of power, but at least it was confirmed that they headed north.
Jiang Junlin took out a map, and the northern direction led to West Asia, at the junction of Asia, Europe, and Africa. Wherever they went, the scope was quite extensive. Jiang Junlin said, ¡°Let¡¯s start by investigating Chen Rushi¡¯s whereabouts. We need to find out how she and Tang Mingzhou got in touch all these years, where Tang Mingzhou has been traveling for his projects.¡±
This puzzled Jiang Junlin as well. While Paradise Ind wasn¡¯t heavily guarded, it wasn¡¯t easy to contact Chen Rushi, especially since she needed to meet him. They must have had a special means ofmunication.
Lu Zhiyuan Jiang said, ¡°The owner of ck Hawk and the leaders of the Nine Great Families all have certainmunication methods. Although Chen Rushi was expelled, he is still the head of the Chen family. Tang Mingzhou should have a unique way to contact him. However, it should have been destroyed by now, and finding it again won¡¯t be easy.¡±
Jiang Junlin was annoyed by the decentralized system of ck Hawk. Now, Lu Zhiyuan Jiang was worried about another issue ¨C both Ji Chi and Rong Li had gone missing. Jiang Junlin had delegated power over the past few years, and with Tang Mingzhou and Chen Rushi pulling off this operation, could ck Hawk face a possible split? The power of the major families had been eroded repeatedly, and now was the best time for a counterattack. Was Lu Zhiyuan Jiang prepared for this internal and external challenge?
Tang Mingzhou and Chen Rushi¡¯s destination was unclear, and they had no choice but to wait for information toe in. Late at night, both Lu Zhiyuan Jiang and Jiang Junlin were still awake, waiting for news. Jiang Junlin had not slept for two days and nights in a row, and his eyes were bloodshot.
Internally, ck Hawk was stable. There had been turmoil five years ago, but despite other department members being inserted, Jiang Junlin and Gu Ci handled all affairs, ensuring that no trouble arose.
¡°Why haven¡¯t they called yet? It¡¯s been three days. What does Tang Mingzhou want, and why hasn¡¯t he called? It¡¯s like dealing with a kidnapper who doesn¡¯t want a ransom,¡± Jiang Junlinmented.
¡°Lu Zhiyuan Jiang, you know Tang Mingzhou best. Where do you think he might go?¡±
¡°He definitely won¡¯t go to Europe. Despite moving his industries to China, his position in Europe is still deeply rooted. He won¡¯t risk going there and revealing himself. So, we can exclude Europe. But at the junction of Asia and Africa, the territory is vast, and there are often conflicts along the border. Would they go there?¡±
¡°If he has four hostages with him, he¡¯d need a hiding ce. I¡¯ll mark all the border conflict areas as eliminated possibilities.¡± Jiang Junlin said, eliminating potential locations on the map.
Lu Zhiyuan Jiang proposed, ¡°What if 1 reach out to Tang Mingzhou proactively?¡±
Jiang Junlin replied, ¡°They¡¯re holding your Achilles¡¯ heel. If you offer yourself willingly, are you afraid they won¡¯t kill you fast enough?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not asposed as you. I can¡¯t ept any unexpected harming to Gu Ci. I¡¯m willing to trade my life for his.¡±
Jiang Junlin rebuked him, ¡°Stop pretending to be sentimental. This disaster was brought upon us by you!¡±
Zhang Qiang interjected, ¡°Master, we¡¯ve received Chen Rushi¡¯s information.¡±
Jiang Junlin nodded, projecting the information onto arge screen. He narrowed his eyes and focused on a particr location, his gaze inscrutable.
Lu Zhiyuan also squinted and asked, ¡°The Pentagon? What¡¯s he doing there? Whopiled this information?¡±
Zhang Qiang exined, ¡°Since Chen Rushi left ck Hawk, we¡¯ve been tracking him for three years as per our protocol. This data covers his movements during the three years after leaving ck Hawk. After those two years, we lost all information about him.¡±
They had tracked him for three years without any issues and then ceased their efforts. After all, they didn¡¯t want to waste resources on someone who didn¡¯t pose a threat.
¡°Erge the map of the Pentagon!¡± Lu Zhiyuan Jiang said in a deep voice. ¡°We haven¡¯t been back to the Pentagon in years. If there have been changes, we wouldn¡¯t know.¡±
The ck Hawk Eye System moved to the Pentagon region and zoomed in. To their surprise, the Pentagon area appeared to be thriving, with a well-developed town. Lu Zhiyuan furrowed his brow and moved the map, revealing extensive poppy fields.
¡°Back then, this ce was reduced to ashes, and the soil structure was severely damaged. 1 can¡¯t believe that more than a decadeter, it has be a poppy supply hub.¡±
¡°Poppy¡¡± Jiang Junlin squinted.. ¡°Is Chen Rushi involved in the drug trade?¡±
Chapter 438 - 438: When Will the Killing End?
Chapter 438: When Will the Killing End?
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Li Jiang also received some information, ¡°Yes, he has dealings with the drug lords in Colombia.¡±
¡°Go check who¡¯s buying poppies and whether the people involved in the transactions have any connection to Chen Rushi,¡± Lu Zhiyuan said indifferently. ¡°Do we have any agents nearby? Send someone to investigate.¡± ¡°The quickest we can get there is five hours.¡±
¡°Have him go and investigate without alerting anyone.¡± ¡°Understood!¡±
¡°Do you suspect they might be heading to the Pentagon?¡± Jiang Junlin asked, having no fondness for the ce himself. It was impoverished, backward, and morally corrupt¡ªa haven for criminals. He had spent a lot of effort cleaning it up back in the day, but it seemed to have risen from the ashes.
¡°There¡¯s something¡ I¡¯ve never told you!¡± Lu Zhiyuan nced at Jiang Junlin.
Jiang Junlin had a premonition that he wouldn¡¯t be pleased with what he was about to hear.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°The Pentagon is controlled entirely by ck Hawk, a criminal organization I used to lead and nurture.¡±
¡°What did you say?¡± Jiang Junlin mmed his hand on the table. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan, do you realize what you¡¯re saying?¡±
¡°I and Tang Mingzhou disagreed on how to manage ck Hawk, so we went our separate ways. 1 wanted to kill him to eliminate future trouble. At the time, you were nning to clear out the Pentagon, so I used that opportunity to get rid of him. I thought the Pentagon was engaged in various criminal activities, so the police would sweep the ce, and 1 could use it to my advantage,¡± Lu Zhiyuan recounted the past with a calm tone. ¡°This is a secret known only to the former leaders of ck Hawk. He single-handedly controls the Pentagon, and I was young and had supernatural abilities, so I was ruthless. Tang Mingzhou thought 1 was like him, so he shared this information with me. Since then, I¡¯ve wanted to kill him. 1 thought the Pentagon was involved in so much wrongdoing that it needed to be eradicated, so when the police were nning to raid the ce, 1 seized the opportunity.¡±
Jiang Junlin¡¯s eyes reddened as he stared intently at Lu Zhiyuan.
The past felt like a knife lodged in Jiang Junlin¡¯s heart.
Lu Zhiyuan said, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. ck Hawk nurtured the Pentagon for many years, and I had no connection to it. If 1 hadn¡¯t been the leader of ck Hawk, the Pentagon would still be standing today. When you obtained so much intelligence back then¡ªterrain, troop deployments, weapons caches wasn¡¯t one of those pieces of information incorrect? Did you think it was a gift from heaven, specially delivered to you?¡±
¡°Does Chi know?¡± Jiang Junlin¡¯s voice trembled.
Lu Zhiyuan, rarely silent, shook his head. How could he bring himself to tell Ji Chi? Ji Chi had suffered for eight years in the Pentagon, and now he was loyal to ck Hawk.
Now, he might not be able to keep it a secret any longer!
The thought of Ji Chi learning this information made Jiang Junlin¡¯s heart ache. ¡°Chi has always wanted to destroy the Pentagon, to escape it, but in the end¡ he identally ended up in ck Hawk. He¡¯ll be entangled with ck Hawk for the rest of his life. Lu Zhiyuan, how could you?¡±
¡°What choice did I have?¡± Lu Zhiyuan was also frustrated. ¡°1 did a good deed by saving him. When I saved him, he was on the brink of death, half-dead and half-alive, with nowhere to go. He had been locked up in the Pentagon since he was a child, and what he saw and heard was not what a normal young person would experience. If I let him go, how long would he survive? How many people would he harm? Have you thought about that? When he didn¡¯t even understand right from wrong, he thought killing a person was no different from squishing an ant. He wasn¡¯t a normal young person. I had to tell him the truth about the Pentagon being controlled by ck Hawk. Otherwise, he would have harbored hatred and resistance, and he would have gone out into society on his own. What kind of life would he have led then? Have you thought about that?¡±
Jiang Junlin closed his eyes and turned away, losing hisposure.
Chi, now that you know, it must be heartbreaking!
¡°Ji Chi recuperated for a long time, and after he recovered from his illness, he asked if he could stay by my side, just to have a meal. Originally, I didn¡¯t want to keep him. I had made proper arrangements for the survivors of the Pentagon, except for Ji Chi. Oh, he wanted to find you, but unfortunately, you left him a false name. Even if you had given him your real name back then, I would have sent him to you!¡± Lu Zhiyuan said, deliberately needling Jiang Junlin, knowing full well that Jiang Junlin had been an undercover agent in the Pentagon, so he couldn¡¯t provide Ji Chi with his real name.
¡°You!¡± Jiang Junlin turned angrily, fully aware that Lu Zhiyuan was provoking him. Jiang Junlin couldn¡¯t control his anger, though. During his time undercover in the Pentagon, he couldn¡¯t have given Ji Chi his real name. Zhang Qiang said, ¡°Master, calm down!¡±
Lu Zhiyuan said calmly, ¡°Jiang Junlin, you must admit that staying with me back then was Ji Chi¡¯s best choice. There was no better ce for him. Otherwise, a few yearster, the Ji Chi you would have encountered wouldn¡¯t be the Ji Chi you know today.¡±
Jiang Junlin knew rationally that what Lu Zhiyuan said was true. Keeping Ji Chi by his side was the best choice, but he felt a deep sense of unease and guilt in his heart. It was like a stone pressing on his chest, impossible to move. In his mind, he recalled the innocent smile on Ji Chi¡¯s face when he left the Pentagon, the smile of a child who had suffered unimaginably. He knew the cruel nature thaty beneath that innocence. Children raised in the Pentagon had no trace of kindness, but Ji Chi had given him all of his smiles and innocence.
He had let Ji Chi down!
¡°Jiang Junlin, do you love the Ji Chi from the Pentagon?¡± Lu Zhiyuan ruthlessly pointed out the truth. ¡°No, you love the Ji Chi as he is now!¡±
The Ji Chi from the Pentagon was a little devil.
Now, the little devil had grown up, with a tough and adaptable personality, knowing how to pretend to be what others liked.
Jiang Junlin¡¯s eyes reddened, but he didn¡¯t refute Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s words.
The Ji Chi from the Pentagon was someone he had left behind, and for many years, he had felt regret and sorrow when he thought about it. Time could gradually diminish such regrets. It was a fleeting infatuation in his youth, one that hadn¡¯t had time to take root and grow. Ji Chi had knocked on the door of his heart, but had left abruptly, and he hadn¡¯t even realized what that feeling was before it came to an abrupt end.
He liked him and regretted it, thinking Ji Chi shouldn¡¯t have grown up in such an environment and feeling sorry for the suffering he had endured.
This liking and the feelings he had now were worlds apart.
Ji Chi had truly entered his heart after they reunited.
Jiang Junlin quickly regained hisposure, steadying his turbulent emotions. ¡°If Tang Mingzhou has taken them to the Pentagon, Chen Rushi will undoubtedly establish a new base there. Zhang Qiang, go and investigate. Find out where the major construction projects have been in the Pentagon in recent years, and check the local construction teams.¡±
¡°Understood!¡± Zhang Qiangplied. Jiang Junlin ordered his men to erge the surveince map. On the surface, the town didn¡¯t appear to have anything unusual, and poppy cultivation was legal. He shifted his focus to the old location of the Pentagon.
There, a temple had been built. It was ironic!
Lu Zhiyuan couldn¡¯t help but admire how quickly Jiang Junlin had regained hisposure. ¡°Jiang Junlin, was your alias in the Pentagon back then ¡®Lin Shen¡¯?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Jiang Junlin asked.
Li Jiang thought to himself, Third Master, your personal emotions are quite evident.
Lu Zhiyuan exined, ¡°When Ji Chi was unconscious back then, he kept calling that name. Li Jiang once checked all the people named ¡®Lin Shen¡¯ in City A and had him try to identify them one by one, but he couldn¡¯t find the person he was looking for..¡±
Chapter 439 - 439: The Crazy Ji Chi
Chapter 439: The Crazy Ji Chi
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s strike was especially ruthless, and Jiang Junlin, knowing that it was deliberate, still took the blow without any defenses. Since their reunion, Ji Chi had never brought up what happened back then in front of him, nor had he mentioned what kind of days he had gone through in ck Hawk. He never mentioned the confusion and fear he had to deal with aftering out of the Pentagon.
He always smiled harmlessly, eager to please him, obeying his every word, except when his emotions got out of control, and he would angrily question whether he had forgotten their agreement. Ji Chi held a grudge against him for not telling him what he had experienced during those crucial years in ck Hawk.
Ji Chi had neverined about why he had given him a false name, causing his long-cherished wish to remain unfulfilled. He always presented his best side to him, intentionally or unintentionally making Jiang Junlin forget the young Ji Chi.
When Lu Zhiyuan saw Jiang Junlin¡¯s expression, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction. The events at the Pentagon back then had each of them with their own roles and purposes. It couldn¡¯t be said who was right or wrong, just that their choices and positions were different, a twist of fate.
He killed Tang Mingzhou,pletely separating the Pentagon from ck Hawk, and no one else knew.
Jiang Junlin destroyed the Pentagon, cooperating with the police to solve an international major case.
Only Ji Chi had his wish shattered, a twist of fate, and he remained in ck Hawk.
When Gu Ci woke up, she had a splitting headache. She had no idea what was in the smoke, but her head hurt terribly. Gu Ci peeled back the ck cloth and found Ji Chi and Rong Li lying beside her. Qin Wan was still unconscious. Everything before her eyes seemed surreal, like she had taken some kind of drug. In the dungeon, there was a scent of poppies mixed with a hint of incense.
¡°Qin Wan, wake up¡¡± Gu Ci crawled over and shook Qin Wan. Ji Chi and Rong Li also removed the ck cloth. This was clearly a prison cell, dark and damp, with guards outside who were well-equipped, probably Chen Rushi¡¯s people. They were unarmed, and a confrontation would likely end badly.
Ji Chi, Qin Wan, and Rong Li slowly regained consciousness, all removing their ck cloths. This was clearly a prison cell, dimly lit and damp, with guards outside who were well-armed. They were defenseless, and a direct confrontation wouldn¡¯t end well.
¡°Rong Li, how are you feeling?¡± Gu Ci inquired.
Rong Li checked his wound; it hadn¡¯t reopened. The gunshot had been deep, and given the limited medical supplies, it was as good as it could be. Rong Li responded, ¡°It stings a bit, but I can manage. I¡¯ll tough it out. I¡¯m young, so my body should recover well. I should be fine.¡±
He could endure a surgery without anesthesia, so this little pain wouldn¡¯t scare him. The cell had only one window, and as they were talking, someone on the other side threw bread and water through it.
¡°Time to eat!¡± the agent tossed the food in, then closed the window.
Qin Wan and Ji Chi took the food. It looked like generic stuff. The water had no branding, and the bread had some packaging, which both Ji Chi and Gu Ci inspected.
Ji Chi¡¯s face turned pale as he crushed the packaging of the bread, squeezing it into a lump in his hand.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Ci asked. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±
Ji Chi¡¯s neck veins protruded as he forced a smile. ¡°Nothing.¡±
Gu Ci was confused but suddenly remembered the origin of this food. It seemed toe from a town near the Pentagon, and it hadn¡¯t changed its name in all these years. Gu Ci¡¯s heart sank. Were they in the Pentagon?
Rong Li kicked Ji Chi lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t starve yourself. The bread didn¡¯t offend you.¡±
Suddenly, Ji Chi clutched his head, curled up in a corner, trembling, and convulsing. Rong Li and Gu Ci were both startled. Rong Li wanted to go over, but due to his injury, he felt dizzy when he tried to get up.
Gu Ci rushed over with water and bread, avoiding touching Ji Chi. ¡°Ji Chi, Ji Chi¡wake up, can you hear me?¡±
Ji Chi couldn¡¯t hear anything Gu Ci was saying. Beads of sweat as big as beans dripped from his forehead, quickly soaking his shirt. Gu Ci held his hand. ¡°Ji Chi¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Ji Chi shouted, pushing Gu Ci away.
Qin Wan was busy eating bread and didn¡¯t pay much attention to why Ji Chi was acting this way. When she saw Ji Chi push Gu Ci, she frowned. ¡°You¡¯re all in the same boat; don¡¯t go crazy.¡±
Gu Ci was pushed to the ground, and she shook her head at Qin Wan. Rong Li crawled over and roughly grabbed Ji Chi by the hair, smashing his head against the wall. It made him bleed, and Rong Li yelled, ¡°Wake up!¡±
Both Gu Ci and Qin Wan were stunned. Qin Wan bit into her bread, paused for a few seconds, and suddenly felt that Rong Li¡¯s previous actions towards her were quite gentle inparison.
This¡ Are you sure they¡¯re brothers?
Ji Chi¡¯s forehead had struck the wall and instantly broke open, with blood flowing into his eyes. The pain brought him back from a brief moment of deafness, as if he had remembered something terrifying. He curled up rapidly, his breathing bing rapid and shallow, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He distanced himself from Rong Li and Gu Ci, saying, ¡°Don¡¯te closer!¡± ¡°Chi, you¡¯re twenty-seven, not seven!¡± Rong Li felt sorry for him but spoke roughly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±
The blood continued to drip into his eyes, running down his cheeks as Ji Chi touched his face, his gaze suddenly turning fierce and menacing, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins, like an uncontroble beast.
Seeing this, Gu Ci, following Rong Li¡¯s rough approach, delivered a strike to the back of Ji Chi¡¯s neck, causing him to faint.
After Ji Chi fainted, Gu Ci caught him, and Rong Li sighed in relief. He quickly wiped away the blood from Ji Chi¡¯s forehead. Fortunately, the wound wasn¡¯t too deep, but Rong Li still felt regretful.
In the midst of the chaos, only Qin Wan had finished eating her bread and drinking her water. She was getting hungrier, as her good physical condition and regr eating habits left her unsatisfied with just one piece of bread.
This was the first time Gu Ci had seen Ji Chi lose control like this. How could he, who could calmly imprison his own brother, be so uncontroble?
¡°Is he¡ alright?¡± Gu Ci was deeply worried. Ji Chi was lying on hisp, and even in his unconscious state, something seemed off. Gu Ci looked down at him, thinking about Ji Chi¡¯s usually harmless and smiling demeanor, and it was hard for him to see him like this.
¡°How could he be alright?¡± Rong Li whispered, ¡°This ce is his inner demon.¡±
This was Ji Chi¡¯s minefield, one step and it would explode. Moreover, this was the second time he had been locked up in a ce like this. Thest time he was imprisoned in the Pentagon, he spent a full eight years there!
Gu Ci, wiping away the blood from Ji Chi¡¯s constantly bleeding forehead, couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°Be gentler next time. Hitting him like that can give him a concussion.¡±
¡°I know!¡± Rong Li also acted in haste. He didn¡¯t want Ji Chi to be trapped in endless darkness; he just wanted to wake him up as quickly as possible.
Qin Wan looked at the three lonely pieces of bread on the ground, her stomach growling. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys hungry?¡±
If they weren¡¯t hungry, she wouldn¡¯t mind eating four pieces of bread.
She was really hungry!
Chapter 440 - 440: Cat and Mouse Game
Chapter 440: Cat and Mouse Game
Trantor: Dragon Boat Trantion Editor: Dragon Boat Trantion
Gu Ci once again heard some strange bells. Aside from the scent of incense, all that filled the air was the sound of bells. Qin Wan said, ¡°We must be not far from a temple.¡±
There was no trace of light in the windowless dungeon, which was dim and damp. Gu Ci touched the dampness on the walls, furrowing her brow slightly. Ji Chi had been unconscious, lying on Gu Ci¡¯sp, and Qin Wan circled the dungeon. Strangely, the special agents guarding outside had inexplicably withdrawn. Qin Wan knocked on the window, ¡°Is anyone there? We need medication.¡±
There was no response from outside. Rong Li was running a fever. Gu Ci gave him a bottle of water and had him swallow one of the anti-inmmatory pills she had hidden. He leaned against the wall with a grim expression.
The Pentagon!
Why of all ces, the Pentagon!
This was a ce both ck Hawk and the underworld despised.
Seeing that there was no one around, Qin Wan sat down and asked, ¡°Rong Li, why is Ji Chi reacting so strongly?¡±
¡°You investigated Ji Chi¡¯s background, didn¡¯t you? He grew up in the Pentagon,¡± Rong Li replied calmly. He nced at Ji Chi, who was still unconscious, thinking of the young boy he had seen years ago, like a half-human, half-ghost.
¡°I¡¯m not interested in his background. 1 only know he grew up in the Pentagon, but I don¡¯t know what he went through there. This is clearly a stress reaction, and he must have suffered a significant trauma,¡± Qin Wan said. She didn¡¯t investigate things she wasn¡¯t interested in. She knew Ji Chi grew up in the Pentagon, but she didn¡¯t know what he had experienced there.
Rong Li didn¡¯t want to discuss Ji Chi¡¯s privacy with outsiders. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±
Qin Wan didn¡¯t press further. ¡°It¡¯s so boring. They¡¯ve locked us up like this, and we have no idea if we¡¯ll live or die. Say something.¡±
There were no surveince cameras in the dungeon. Qin Wan had managed to unlock the handcuffs using a needle she had stolen from the medical kit, only to lock them again. She yed with the handcuffs repeatedly, and Rong Li watched her, frowning.
Qin Wan held up the needle and asked, ¡°Do you want it?¡±
¡°Give it to me!¡±
¡°Ask me nicely!¡±
¡°Get lost!¡±
¡°Humph!¡± Qin Wan scoffed. ¡°Prisoner, yet still so temperamental.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you a prisoner too?¡±
Gu Ci interjected, ¡°Both of you are in the same boat, stop bickering.¡±
¡°Even if we¡¯re in the same boat, he should die first!¡± Qin Wan and Gu Ci shared a knowing look, both avoiding useless arguments. Even if they managed to unlock the handcuffs, they couldn¡¯t open the dungeon door. There were heavily armed guards outside, and despite theck of any visible threats now, attempting to escape would be foolish. They had no weapons and were all injured.
A direct confrontation would be a break-even situation at best, killing two would be a gain, but it wasn¡¯t necessary. It would be better to wait for Chen Rushi and Tang Mingzhou toe to them on their own.
Ji Chi slowly regained consciousness, but for a moment, he couldn¡¯t figure out where he was. Gu Ci quickly lowered her head and checked his forehead. He didn¡¯t have a fever. Rong Li had torn open a package and tossed a piece of bread to him, saying, ¡°Eat quickly!¡±
Ji Chi¡¯s expression remained calm, as if nothing had happened. After getting up, he leaned against the wall and started eating the bread. Qin Wan watched him, and Rong Li was afraid that Qin Wan might say something to provoke Ji Chi due to her unfiltered mouth. Rong Li made a throat-slitting gesture to Qin Wan, who responded by raising her middle finger at him. They both looked away, annoyed with each other.
Gu Ci opened a bottle of water and handed it to Ji Chi, saying softly, ¡°Don¡¯t just eat bread, drink some water.¡±
Ji Chi took the water and drank it all in one gulp. His breathing suddenly became rapid. Gu Ci whispered, ¡°Ji Chi, your brother wille to rescue us.¡±
Ji Chi remained unmoved, but Gu Ci thought for a moment. ¡°Ji Chi, Jiang Junlin wille to rescue us, trust me.¡±
That name seemed to strike a chord within Ji Chi, and his eyes briefly lit up before dimming again. ¡°He won¡¯te.¡±
Years ago, he had heartlessly abandoned him.
Gu Ci knew that this was a deep-seated fear and obsession for him. She spoke softly, ¡°Ji Chi, you¡¯re not alone anymore. 1, Rong Li, and Qin Wan are all here with you. We¡¯re in this together, for better or worse.¡±
She knew that when someone was gripped by fear and obsession, words might not be enough to console them. If something happened to Lu Zhiyuan, and someone tried to reassure her and tell her not to worry, she wouldn¡¯t be able to listen.
Ji Chi looked at her with slightly reddened eyes, and Gu Ci held his hand. ¡°We came here together, and we¡¯ll leave together.¡±
Rong Li reached out to ruffle his hair. ¡°Gu Ci is right. We came together, and we¡¯ll leave together. 1 won¡¯t abandon you.¡±
Both Gu Ci and Rong Li knew that these words, if spoken by Lu Zhiyuan, would have a more profound effect on Ji Chi. Perhaps havingpanions by his side was already helping to reduce his stress reaction.
Suddenly, footsteps could be heard outside the door, and Chen Rushi had returned. ¡°Gu Ci, Tang Mingzhou wants to see you.¡±
Ji Chi instantly snapped back to attention, and Qin Wan furrowed her brow. ¡°Do you want to take Gu Ci away alone?¡±
¡°Do you have a better solution?¡± Chen Rushi shrugged. He had heavily armed agents behind him.
Qin Wan really wanted to give him a good beating. This guy¡¯s attitude was even more annoying than Rong Li¡¯s!
¡°Fine, 1¡¯11 go with you,¡± Gu Ci said calmly. Rong Li, Ji Chi, and Qin Wan couldn¡¯t stop them, so they could only watch helplessly as Gu Ci was taken away. In situations where one is at the mercy of others, it¡¯s essential to conserve one¡¯s strength and not engage in futile struggles.
After being brought out of the dungeon, Gu Ci realized that they were still underground, and they had to take an elevator to go up. In the elevator, Gu Ci sneered and said, ¡°Chen Rushi, don¡¯t forget that I once saved your life. Is this how you repay me?¡±
¡°Cici, rest assured, I will make sure you stay alive,¡± Chen Rushi¡¯s voice was cheerful, but there was a terrifying gentleness in hisughter. Gu Ci shuddered. Over the years, Chen Rushi had changed dramatically! When she first met him, he was a charming young man, but now he waspletely different.
When ambition exceeds one¡¯s abilities, it¡¯s a kind of tragedy!
He couldn¡¯t escape from this kind of cage!
Gu Ci was seeing Tang Mingzhou for the first time, but Tang Mingzhou had seen her before when she was much younger. He had thorough investigations of Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s every move. Therefore, he knew exactly where Lu Zhiyuan¡¯s weaknessesy and what his preferences were. He had no doubt about his ability to control Lu Zhiyuan.
Gu Ci stood by the railing and looked outside. She first saw a temple with predominant yellow and green colors, resembling an Indian style. The sound of bells came from the temple. Beneath the attic, there was a field of poppies, and it was heavily guarded by well-equipped agents. Gu Ci knew that the neers meant trouble, but she remainedposed.
¡°Miss Gu, do you know how my child died?¡± Tang Mingzhou asked.
Gu Ci had seen the information. The child had died in a car ident.
¡°It was an ident,¡± Gu Ci replied. ¡°Lu Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t harm women and children.¡±
Tang Mingzhou burst intoughter. Then, he suddenly pped Gu Ci across the face. ¡°Shut up! 1 know Lu Zhiyuan better than you!¡±
Tang Mingzhou was a man, and he had considerable strength. Soon, a red mark appeared on Gu Ci¡¯s cheek.. Tang Mingzhou sneered, ¡°Take her down!¡±
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