"Miss Gu, please be careful. There's no small force to deal with your Gu family."
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Author's Note:
Thank you so much, little angel who helped me earn money to buy steamed buns! Mwah!
I'd love to add the novel next door, "After the Villain Killed the Protagonist," to my pre-order list!
I can't keep my promise to update twice a day, I'm just too slow, sob sob QAQ When will I be able to make up for the extra chapter?!
//Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2021-12-02 21:21:39 and 2021-12-03 23:16:34!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: I earned enough to buy one steamed bun;
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Mo Liyuan for 10 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 99 The Newly Rich CEO and the Fallen Heiress (Part 5)
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"Third Brother, what do you mean by that?"
Gu Zhong frowned and pressed for an answer.
The destruction of such a large family cannot be accomplished overnight, and Gu Zhong knew this principle deeply.
However, it just so happened that the global financial crisis was coming. Gu Zhong thought that his father had misjudged the situation and was too eager for quick success, which led to the family business being squandered in the blink of an eye.
The betrayal of former partners is merely a matter of going with the flow, making the decision that best protects themselves. Businessmen are inherently profit-driven and have no concept of loyalty.
She never imagined that the downfall of the Gu family was a deliberate scheme orchestrated against them.
Moreover, judging from Third Brother's words, this person is someone even they dare not easily offend, so he must not be just an ordinary wealthy family. The Yan family, the Yang family, and the like are just there to help him.
"That's all I can say, Miss Gu. Consider this a gesture of goodwill, and I wish you good luck!"
When she pressed him for answers, Third Brother remained tight-lipped. He glanced at Ling Yan again, politely said goodbye, and then hurriedly left with his men.
Having lived through several lifetimes, Lingyan knew the answer—the Black Fox. She was the only one who could be the mastermind behind this.
However, for some unknown reason, Lingyan couldn't find a trace of her in this life.
I don't know who she is or where she is.
The scheme targeting the Gu family unfolded gradually from a casual remark by someone, involving countless people, yet there was still no news of her.
She was like a ghost, not existing, yet omnipresent.
“Miss Gu, there’s no need to worry. If there really is someone who has a deep-seated hatred for the Gu family, they will eventually show their tracks again.”
Worried that Gu Zhongyin might get caught up in revenge after suddenly learning the news, Lingyan tried to comfort him.
"...If such a person really exists, I am not qualified to fight against him in my current state."
After the initial shock, Gu Zhong quickly came to her senses. She was not a reckless fool, and naturally knew that it was a class she could not confront at her current level.
"Miss Ling, that agreement—why don't we just drop it?"
After hesitating for a moment, Gu Zhong spoke again, his words filled with unspeakable guilt.
“Ms. Gu, you don’t need to worry about implicating me. Besides, in all these years, none of the agreements I personally signed have been broken in the blink of an eye—”
Looking at Gu Zhong's conflicted expression, Ling Yan found her quite adorable.
Despite being a gentle and kind person, she insists on using layers of armor to pretend to be sharp, selfish, and worldly.
Inspector Wang's curious gaze shifted back and forth between the two men, but he ultimately restrained his curiosity and did not ask what "that agreement" was.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Ling, it's a shame you've encountered such a dispute so soon after arriving in Hong Kong."
With sincere remorse, Inspector Wang apologized for the incident that had just occurred.
"Inspector Wang, what are you saying? I should be thanking you for getting Miss Gu and me out of that predicament. If it weren't for you being there, these gangs wouldn't have been so easy to talk to."
Lingyan hurriedly and respectfully turned around to thank her.
In truth, Inspector Wang was used by her.
Ling Yan has been in contact with the Hong Kong Island government recently. Today, due to official business, she had an appointment with Inspector Wong, but the meeting place was not originally in the Metropolitan area.
After receiving a message from the person sent to follow Gu Zhong, Ling Yan had a feeling that Gu Zhong, who never frequented such places, was acting strangely and might have been tricked. Worried, she made an excuse that she was passing by and interested, and changed the meeting place at the last minute.
After entering the Metropolis, Lingyan went straight to the second floor, found a good spot, and looked down at the field below to try and find out where Gu Zhong was.
The lighting inside was dim, and if Gu Zhong hadn't been surrounded by the Money Gang, where a large group of tattooed men stood out, she probably would have had to search for quite a while.
She had intended to go down and help, but Gu Zhong reacted quickly and escaped the encirclement. At the same time, Ling Yan received the message that Inspector Wang had arrived.
In order to solve Gu Zhong's problem once and for all, Ling Yan deliberately blocked the end of her escape route.
—Let alone the risks of jumping from the second floor, even if Gu Zhong manages to escape today, the Money Gang will always find another opportunity to strike.
With Inspector Wang, who was intimidating the gang, present, she settled the Gu family's debts, so that Gu Zhong could have some peace of mind.
At least I am the creditor, which is equivalent to Gu Zhong not having to repay this debt, thus easing a lot of burden.
Looking back now, the outcome was as Ling Yan had predicted, except that the "agreement" proposed by Gu Zhong was somewhat unexpected.
"Miss Ling—about our matter—"
Inspector Wang glanced at Gu Zhong hesitantly, seemingly not wanting her to join their conversation.
“Miss Gu, could you please sit outside for a while? Inspector Wang and I have some important matters to discuss.”
Knowing that Inspector Wang's concerns were related to matters that needed to be kept secret to a certain extent, Ling Yan had no choice but to temporarily compromise and consider the consequences.
"It's alright. Since Miss Ling has other matters to attend to, I'll head back now."
Raising her slender wrist, Gu Zhong glanced at the hands on the small quartz watch face; it was already getting late.
"Then—may I shamelessly ask Miss Gu to fulfill her obligations under the agreement and wait for me to get off work?"
Lingyan earnestly requested.
She was ultimately worried about Gu Zhong going back alone. Although Hong Kong Island looked bustling and prosperous at night, there was a lot of filth and sin hidden beneath the glitz and glamour.
Without the bodyguards accompanying him, Lingyan was not entirely at ease about Gu Zhong's safety.
Now that the Money Gang's debt problem has been resolved, Xia Xiange will certainly not let this go unpunished.
Over these lifetimes, Lingyan discovered a pattern: Xia Xiange did not know Gu Zhong's whereabouts in every lifetime, but once she identified her target, she would suppress Gu Zhong to the extreme before taking her life.
But it's better to be safe than sorry. What if something unexpected happens?
Moreover, with such precise planning and execution in this life, Gu Zhong was completely exposed to Xia Xiange's sight and was being watched by her at all times.
Lingyan was unwilling to gamble with Gu Zhong's fate any longer, and was determined to protect her at all times.
"···good."
Gu Zhong glanced at Ling Yan with some surprise, a smile appearing in his eyes. He chuckled and nodded.
Ling Yan was relieved and followed Inspector Wang into the private room.
"Miss Ling seems very nervous about Miss Gu."
Before closing the door, Inspector Wang jokingly remarked, a thoughtless remark that made the hearts of the two who had secretly signed the agreement skip a beat.
"Maybe it's just a matter of first impressions."
Ling Yan winked playfully at Gu Zhong and casually changed the subject.
"I'll go downstairs and wait for you."
Gu Chong returned with a sweet smile, turned around and went downstairs.
——
After finishing their business and leaving the private room, Ling Yan quickly walked to the railing and immediately saw the woman lazily swirling her wine glass in front of her, who happened to be looking over at her.
Seeing Lingyan's eagerness, Gu Zhong raised his wine glass upstairs in a toast, then drank the wine in his glass in one gulp, put down the glass, and stood up.
"Inspector Wang, then it's settled."
Ling Yan extended her hand to Inspector Wang, who was walking towards her, and prepared to say goodbye.
"Thank you very much, Ms. Ling. It was a pleasure working with you."
He only lightly touched Lingyan's fingertips, maintaining the proper etiquette expected of a gentleman.
"It was a pleasure working with you. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
"Miss Ling's identity seems to be far more complex than I imagined."
Hand in hand, they walked out of the magnificent gates of the metropolis. Gu Zhong tilted his head and looked at Ling Yan. Her face, slightly flushed from drinking a few glasses of wine, made her look very cute and well-behaved.
"Miss Gu, are you at least a little relieved now?"
Taking her car keys from the doorman, Lingyan deftly opened the passenger door for her, placing her hand on the edge of the roof as an invitation.
"...I always feel that the contents of that agreement are very unfair to you."
Gu Zhong was stunned for a long time before he realized that what Ling Yan said was what she had just been worried about.
She got into the car, shook her head, and looked somewhat apprehensive.
"Miss Gu, there's no need to be so formal."
Lingyan walked around to the other side of the car from the back, opened the car door, and sat in the driver's seat.
Just as she was about to start the car, she noticed that the person next to her was still staring blankly at her, without even fastening their seatbelt.
Although this person still appears to be fully conscious, their brain has probably already shut down.
With a helpless sigh, Ling Yan moved closer to Gu Zhong and reached for the seatbelt on the other side.
Due to the unique characteristics of Hong Kong Island, the streets are narrow, and the cars are designed to be extremely compact, which also makes the interior space quite cramped.
As Lingyan moved, the two were almost pressed tightly together, her hair falling onto Gu Zhong's shoulder.