Returning to the Gu Mansion, Gu Yuan made a transcontinental call to Wen Fei, who was far away in Sydney.
This ti of year, the ti difference between Sydney and Hua Country was only two hours. When Gu Yuan made the call, Wen Fei hadn’t gone to bed yet and answered the phone—
Gu Yuan stared absentmindedly at the brown Hemler pendulum clock on the wainscoting.
The call connected.
Wen Fei’s cold and glamorous voice ca through the receiver: "You only rember to call on his death anniversary to remind to co back. It’s rare for you to have ti to call otherwise. What’s up today? Suddenly rembered to call ?!"
The Hemler pendulum clock chid.
It wasn’t until the third chi that Gu Yuan spoke: "Fang Yumin has been released from prison."
Wen Fei was living it up far away in Sydney. To soone as emotionally detached as her, hearing the na Fang Yumin probably didn’t bring back any mories. That was Gu Yuan’s guess.
But it took Gu Yuan slightly by surprise.
Wen Fei still rembered him and said cheerfully on the other end: "Two years went by so fast. Now Yumin is out of prison."
Gu Yuan said: "So you still rember him. I thought soone as emotionally detached as you would have forgotten him completely."
"What are you saying? Even though I’m indifferent, my mory isn’t bad." Even Wen Fei’s laugh was so cold and glamorous.
Gu Yuan couldn’t stand her laughter and asked her, "Did you ever love Fang Yumin?"
"Love?" Wen Fei laughed wantonly through the receiver: "What is love? Do you know what love is?"
Gu Yuan was silent.
Love, she had experienced it, yet now did not understand it.
She thought she loved Chi Yu more, but in the end found out that her love, compared to his, was still lacking.
This ti, he won.
Wen Fei said: "I know you and your ex-boyfriend loved each other, but it was just love. True love is etched into your bones, is intoxicating and dreamlike, is love unattainable... it’s love you won’t forget in this lifeti or the next. I’ve experienced it all. You ask if I loved Fang Yumin; is he even worthy?"
For decades as mother and daughter, Gu Yuan had never once opened up to Wen Fei.
Because both believed each was unworthy.
Gu Yuan looked down on Wen Fei, and Wen Fei couldn’t care less about Gu Yuan. The mother and daughter were like enemies, always on guard, attacking each other with words.
At this mont, Gu Yuan suddenly felt an impulse to open up to Wen Fei.
Reason returned.
She closed her eyes and was silent for a few seconds, then said: "Now you have two choices: either I have soone bring you back by force, or you pack your bags and co back yourself. In any case, the reward for returning is one billion, for this year, not counted toward future paynts to you."
One billion...
Wen Fei was indeed shocked: "Did you launder money? Giving so much money all of a sudden, I dare not accept it if it’s not clean."
Gu Yuan: "..."
No matter the ti, the mother and daughter could never have a decent conversation. Wen Fei would always prick her with thorny words.
"Are you sure you don’t want it? One billion is enough to buy the castle you’ve long dread of."
Wen Fei had always wanted to buy a castle in Sydney, but Gu Yuan only allocated her between five million and eight million a year, never more than ten million. This amount was enough for Wen Fei to live a lavish life in Sydney.
But if she wanted to buy a castle, Gu Yuan wouldn’t agree.
She wouldn’t give Wen Fei a large sum of money all at once because then she could hoard it and not fulfill her promise to return and honor Gu Yuesheng.
But now, Gu Yuan was willing to give this money.
"What event is significant enough for you to willingly offer such a large sum of money all at once?"
Wen Fei’s amusent spread, her voice light and clear: "Let guess, did Fang Yumin co for revenge after being released? Oh, wait... Even if Fang Yumin had the skill, he can’t possibly touch you. His skills are insignificant compared to yours. The only possibility left is that Fang Yumin threatened you using the person you care about the most. Am I right, daughter?!"
Gu Yuan wasn’t surprised at Wen Fei’s accurate guess.
Whether it was her precise intuition or Wen Bo having already inford her...
When she sent Fang Yumin to prison, she had just t Chi Yu shortly after. How could Fang Yumin have known about her and Chi Yu’s affair the mont he was released?!
Clearly, the driving force behind this was Wen Bo.
But for now, she lacked concrete evidence. Gu Yuan could only refrain from acting against Wen Bo for the mont, until she brought Chi Yu back and then dealt with him slowly.
"You’re absolutely right, Mom." Gu Yuan spoke softly, a rarity: "So, can you co back once?"
"Do you think my return would make Fang Yumin let go of his hatred? You’re too naive, daughter. You were the one who put him in prison and made him serve two years. Such hatred can’t be resolved just because I step in." Wen Fei mocked Gu Yuan’s desperate move, "As smart as you are, I didn’t expect you’d lose your composure over a man."
Gu Yuan completely lacked any temper right now: "Can you consider it a favor, please? At least if you co back, I still have a glimr of hope, a chance. If Fang Yumin is swayed by you to let go, Chi Yu could return to my side safely. But if you don’t co back, I won’t have any hope at all..."
As Gu Yuan spoke these words.
Across the ocean, Wen Fei felt the call was surreal.
Her proud daughter, who had never bowed to anyone, was calling her so late, asking her to co back and admitting defeat. It was truly rare. The thing Wen Fei thought would never happen in this life was happening at this mont.
Wen Fei chuckled lightly, "So you’re begging now?"
Gu Yuan’s voice ca through the receiver, "Mm, I’m begging you."
Wen Fei said, "You need to think carefully, not a penny less than ten billion, and it has to be this year, no extensions. Also, I can’t guarantee that Fang Yumin will easily calm his anger and stop his revenge just by seeing . I’m giving you a heads up to prevent you from blaming if the situation can’t be resolved."
"But with you there, the odds are better, aren’t they? Don’t worry, no matter the end result, I’ll fulfill what I’ve promised." Gu Yuan’s words were concise, but her sincerity convinced Wen Fei.
"Alright then, considering how earnest you are, I agree, but it has to be by tomorrow morning..."
Gu Yuan interrupted, "How about leaving tonight? The flight takes over eleven hours."
"That won’t do," Wen Fei’s stance was firm, "No later than ten o’clock tomorrow morning. At the earliest, I’ll try to leave by seven. I need my beauty sleep; you can hope I wake up early."
With that, Wen Fei forcibly hung up the phone.
Gu Yuan’s expression turned cold.
Her hand holding the phone slowly dropped to her side as she stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.
Several oak trees were growing in the Gu Mansion, their luxuriant leaves stirring in the gentle night breeze. The room was bathed in warm light, casting shadows among the leaves.
That night, Gu Yuan didn’t close her eyes.
The next morning.
Gu Yuan, who had been sitting in a chair all night, received a ssage from Wen Fei at seven o’clock sharp—
[Boarded at seven, at least I can take this ten billion with a clear conscience.]
Seeing this ssage, Gu Yuan’s nerves, taut all night, finally relaxed a little.
At ten o’clock in the morning.
Dao An arrived at the Gu Mansion, and with just one glance, he noticed the fatigue on Gu Yuan’s face, "Did President Gu not sleep last night?!"
Gu Yuan responded with a sound, holding a tablet displaying a map, with a satellite red dot in the middle indicating the current position of the cruise ship on the sea of Haojiang.
Now, Fang Yumin was waiting on the cruise ship for her, and Chi Yu was on the cruise ship too...
"President Gu, there’s still five hours until the agreed ti. You should rest for a while. The wind on the sea is strong, and unexpected events can happen during negotiations. You need to be in your best state to respond."
Dao An was worried about Gu Yuan’s current state.
After being busy all day yesterday, and then another sleepless night, even a person made of iron couldn’t withstand such exhaustion.
But Gu Yuan didn’t feel any sleepiness right now. Even if she rested, she couldn’t close her eyes, "I’m fine, don’t worry."
Dao An had no choice but to relent, not daring to persuade further.
"Are the divers arranged?" Gu Yuan inquired.
Dao An replied, "Everything’s set. The yacht, the divers, everything is arranged as per President Gu’s instructions. The helicopter is also ready."
"What’s the movent from the Quan Family’s side?"
"Everything’s in cooperation with President Gu from the Quan Family’s side."
Gu Yuan raised her hand to her nose, her voice carrying a trace of fatigue, "Even if it’s foolproof, what if I can’t bring Chi Yu back..."
"Think positively. President Gu, you have to believe you can save Chi Yu, and Chi Yu will definitely be safe." Dao An didn’t say much in terms of comfort, as President Gu might not like listening to it.
The focus is still on practical actions.
However, there was one thing Dao An still didn’t understand until now.
He asked, "President Gu, after you learned about Chi Yu’s incident yesterday, you had contact the Quan Family in Yanjing imdiately. Then, they quickly cooperated with your arrangents. I still don’t understand what the connection is between Chi Yu and the Quan Family? Or is it because of Old Madam Quan’s friendship with you?"
This puzzling issue was quite challenging for Dao An.
He had thought about it for a long ti but couldn’t figure it out.
The only reasonable explanation was that President Gu had a deep friendship with Old Madam Quan.
Gu Yuan lifted her gaze slightly, her usually calm voice now becoming dry and hoarse, "Chi Yu is the young master of the Quan Family."
At those words—
Dao An was first stunned, then imdiately widened his eyes, his disbelief fully evident on his face.
"Chi, Chi, Chi Yu he he he..." Dao An was truly stuttering at this mont, unable to believe what he just heard.
Chi Yu is actually the young master of the Quan Family!!
The young master of the Quan Family in Yanjing!!
Gu Yuan asked, "Surprised?"
Dao An nodded, "More than surprised..." It was more of a shock!
Gu Yuan lowered her eyes again, "After learning about his true identity, who wouldn’t be surprised? He’s always hidden his identity so well, and he’s disguised his habits so flawlessly that he never showed a flaw detectable by ."
User Comments
0 comments from readers