"Are you really willing to let the Yang family off so easily?"
After Yaozhong applied for listing and completed the pre-subscription of the proposed issue price, Lingyan and Guzhong agreed to meet at a coffee shop next to the Chujian Court.
In less than five years, Gu Zhong exceeded the bet they had jokingly made, and Yaozhong went public, making more than a billion.
"Do I need to take any further action? When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down. They will naturally get the ending they deserve. Just like the Gu family's fate, theirs will only be worse."
Gu Zhong's nonchalant tone revealed a cold indifference to the ways of the world.
"The Yang family has kept things too clean. Has the mole within the company been caught?"
"No one will run away before the shares are unlocked; they're all hoping to cash out their shares. It's just a few people; the bait has been laid, and the fish will naturally take the bait."
"It seems like you're indifferent to everything right now."
Sensing the laziness and negativity in Gu Zhong's words, Ling Yan couldn't help but ask in a caring tone.
"...Our agreement has been fulfilled."
After a moment of silence, Gu Zhong suddenly blurted out a sentence that struck Ling Yan's heart like a hammer blow.
"...Congratulations, you did a really good job."
Turning her head away from the person's dark, bright eyes, Ling Yan lowered her voice, momentarily unable to bring herself to say what she was supposed to say.
"I also have to thank Miss Ling for her planning, which pointed out the direction to success from the very beginning, and also for your help."
Whether it was her imagination or not, Lingyan could detect a hint of sharp accusation in those words.
"Seeing the Gu family rise again under Yaozhong's name—this should be considered as putting an end to my obsession."
"Miss Gu—"
These words sounded like a farewell, and Lingyan called out to her, as if she wanted to say something more.
"Speaking of which, today is New Year's Day—"
Looking out the glass window, a vibrant red and festive scene unfolds; this should be a day when all the hopes and joys of the world come together.
"Um."
Ling Yan gave a muffled reply.
"The district government is going to set off fireworks today, let's go watch!"
Gu Zhong's tone suddenly became lively. Ling Yan turned around and saw the person in front of her smiling broadly.
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Author's Note:
We're one step closer to daily updates!
Chapter 113 The Newly Rich CEO and the Fallen Heiress (19)
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Hand in hand, they navigated through the crowded streets, past the warm laughter of happy families, leaving behind not a trace of worldly dust, until they reached the mountaintop where they had once admired the night view together.
Even though it's a winter night, there are stars shining faintly in the sky tonight, as if they've joined the welcoming procession to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium.
Standing atop a high mountain, stretch out your arms, and take a deep breath of the winter north wind. The fresh and invigorating feeling instantly washes away all your worries.
Just as Gu Zhong once said, the breeze on this mountain peak has the magic to carry away worries.
Lingyan's mood, which had been buried by sorrow, suddenly brightened considerably.
"The new millennium is just around the corner."
Gu Zhong put his hands, which were so cold that his knuckles were starting to stiffen, back into his pockets and made a nonsensical remark.
"Once in a millennium, it is a joyous occasion worthy of celebration."
Although a thousand years is but a fleeting moment for a god who has no concept of the passage of time, Lingyan at this moment genuinely felt joy for humanity's fleeting and precious day in their short lives.
"Time flies so fast, a century has passed in the blink of an eye."
A hundred years ago, it would have been hard to imagine that we could live so peacefully today, without the smoke of gunpowder and war, without having to struggle for survival. Technological progress and change can turn everything upside down, allowing us to do things we never dared to think of before.
Just as I find it hard to imagine what the world will be like a hundred years from now…
Filled with awe at the present moment and anticipation for the future, Gu Zhong began to chatter on and on.
"It will be better..."
Lingyan, who had witnessed many similar times and spaces many years later, said this.
Human beings are so insignificant, yet the development of the world always follows its proper trajectory. No matter which direction it takes, it will be better for the world.
"This is everyone's wish, and things will get better in the future—"
However, Gu Zhong knew that she had no future, and a sorrowful sadness welled up in her eyes, making the cold wind blowing up the mountaintop even colder.
"Speaking of which, there's something else."
After a moment of silence, Lingyan changed the subject again.
She came today because she had even more important information to tell Gu Zhong.
"What?"
Perhaps sensing the unusual seriousness in Lingyan's gentle tone, Gu Zhong turned around to look at her directly and listened quietly to what she was about to say.
"The driver who caused your car accident recently has confessed—"
"Hmm? That was several years ago."
Gu Zhong still vividly remembers the car accident that completely changed her life.
“It wasn’t an accident at the time. Someone bought your life, to exchange your life for his father’s life.”
"Has his conscience bothered him after all this time?"
"His father's old illness relapsed, and he died despite all efforts to save him."
"No wonder... Miss Ling is so knowledgeable about the situation. She must have put in a lot of effort over the past few years, right?"
"This hard stone was indeed difficult to grind, but we've finally managed to grind it down, but—"
At this point, Lingyan seemed a little embarrassed and paused for a moment.
"The mastermind behind this is too well hidden; he doesn't even know who it is."
Those who truly yearn for the truth are likely utterly disappointed.
However, Gu Zhong was different. She simply maintained a faint smile, looked at Ling Yan, blinked her bright black eyes, and solemnly said, "Thank you, Miss Ling."
"Actually, there was a bit of a pleasant surprise, but it seems you don't care about the truth of this matter."
With a sigh, Ling Yan swallowed back all the words she wanted to say.
"Because the more things you care about, the more you'll cherish them. You understand, right, Miss Ling?"
"···Feel sorry."
Lingyan was speechless, offering only an empty apology.
“Miss Ling, there’s no need for that. In the end, it was all consensual. Besides, I’ve already accomplished what I wanted to do, and the past twenty years have been rich and colorful enough. Even if I’m not the one to witness the next era, it doesn’t matter.”
And how do you know I won't continue to exist in another form?
Perhaps because he has possessed so much in this life, Gu Zhong is unexpectedly magnanimous.
The first chime of the New Year resounded deeply, piercing the sky and reaching the other side.
The two of them turned their gazes to the brightly lit city below the mountain.
The colorful fireworks illuminating the sky began to cheer, painting a noisy picture in the originally quiet night sky.
"Happy New Year."
Gu Zhong didn't turn around, he just said it softly, and if you weren't paying close attention, it would have been drowned out by the sounds of fireworks vying for attention throughout the city.
"Happy New Year."
Lingyan closed her eyes and responded softly and gently.
"Happy New Year, Ah Yan."
The person beside her placed their hand on her shoulder and gently pulled her into their arms. It was the person she had been waiting for, the embrace she had been away from for so long.
——
In this life, "Gu Zhong" truly left and never appeared again.
When she accepts her true existence from the bottom of her heart, it is destined that she will merge into the origin.
The days ahead still need to be endured, and Gu Zhong takes her place, continuing to strive for the never-ending goal of restoring the Gu family.
The unexpected surprise that Ling Yan didn't tell Gu Zhong was that she had caught a fox's tail.
Perhaps it won't be long before we can find out who was truly behind the downfall of the Gu family.
The police inspector Zhang who had previously prevented Ling Yan from interrogating the perpetrator was not simply deliberately picking a fight with police inspector Wang that day; he was also being kept an eye on this traffic accident case at someone's request.
The perpetrator had met him a few times and only knew him as a messenger.
After learning that Inspector Zhang was involved in the case, Ling Yan did not immediately alert him. Instead, she once again took advantage of the convenience provided by the police station's construction project to investigate everything he had done over the years.
His ability to act as a middleman suggests he can't be considered particularly honest and upright. Even with the utmost care and caution, such behavior over the years would inevitably leave traces.
Using this wealth of evidence of corruption, Lingyan finally managed to pry open his mouth, bringing them one step closer to the truth.
At the time, shortly after the Yaozhong press conference, Lingyan's real estate project in the mainland, which had been built with huge investments, unearthed an ancient tomb under the foundation, which may even be a burial complex.
Due to policy and legal constraints, it is impossible to develop any more real estate projects in this area. The process of handing it over to the relevant departments for disposal is extremely lengthy, and the huge investment cannot be recovered in a short time, which could bankrupt a company.
If Yaozhong had not dealt well with the Yang family's attack at the time, both sides would have faced the predicament of broken capital chains.
Even if it manages to stay afloat, if it encounters any further setbacks, Lingyan's business empire will not be able to withstand the pressure and will collapse.
The two-pronged attack was too coincidental.
Nothing in this world is without a trace; it's just a matter of how well it's hidden. As long as no one can discover it, it's flawless.