Chapter 117 Gu Ye (ETL) Part 1
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Chapter 117 May You Live a Long and Lonely Life
Mrs. Gu was used to being fiery. In the past, she would fight back when she was wronged, even if it meant tearing off any pretense of civility. This time, however, she was truly enraged. She couldn’t even remember Gu Ye ever crying. How much injustice had the child suffered that the call ‘Mom’ sounded so heartbreaking? It felt like a dull knife had slashed into her heart.
Mrs. Gu’s heart ached, so she struck hard without mercy. The slap landed with a resounding ‘PA!’ on Jing Zhiling’s fair face, leaving 5 clear finger marks. The secretary didn’t even have time to react.
But that wasn’t all. Mrs. Gu grabbed Jing Zhiling by the collar, pulled her close, and slapped her again. “No one has ever dared to hit my son’s face since he was a child! What right do you have to hit my son!”
Like a lioness protecting her cubs, Mrs. Gu was going berserk and ready to kill. Jing Zhiling’s secretary tried to stop her, but Mrs. Gu kicked her away, yelling angrily, “Get out of my way!”
Jing Zhiling is cunning and has a high opinion of herself, so she wouldn’t resort to violence or tantrums. Getting beaten by Mrs. Gu, she couldn’t fight back, and all she could do was grab Mrs. Gu’s wrist, trying to pull her away.
From the outside, Jing Zhiling’s driver rushed in, trying to pull Mrs. Gu away. But Mrs. Gu’s eyes turned cold. “Who dares touch me? Do you guys really think our Gu family has no one to rely on?”
The driver was intimidated by Mrs. Gu’s imposing manner. He knew beforehand that Gu Ye was Gu Decheng’s son, and his family situation was no secret; it could be found online. This woman was Gu Decheng’s wife, so he certainly didn’t dare touch her.
Mrs. Gu scoffed, releasing Jing Zhiling and demanding fiercely, “Speak! Why did you hit my son?!”
Gu Ye inexplicably felt better. Looking at his stepmother’s furious expression, a smirk unconsciously crept onto his lips. He grabbed Mrs. Gu’s hand. “Mom, I’m fine. Let’s go.”
“Why should we go? She dared to hit you, so I hit her back! Just because you don’t hit women doesn’t mean your mother doesn’t!” Mrs. Gu added irritably, “Have you forgotten what I taught you? One can eat anything but never grievance (it means something like never endure injustice)! Who is she?”
Gu Ye simply answered emotionlessly, “A stranger who abandoned her husband and child but still won’t admit it until now.”
Mrs. Gu sneered, “You abandoned your own son, so what right do you have to hit mine?”
Hearing that, Jing Zhiling trembled. The mention of ‘abandoning her husband and child’ filled her eyes with panic; she couldn’t look Gu Ye in the eye.
The secretary helped Jing Zhiling up and asked coldly, “Mrs. Gu, you are also from a prestigious family. Your son dug up the grave of our President Jing’s relative and stole things from it, and you still dare to be so aggressive?”
Mrs. Gu rolled up her sleeves. “Nonsense! My son would never do such a thing!”
The secretary, annoyed by the rebuke, also frowned. “Ask your son.”
Mrs. Gu turned to look at Gu Ye.
Gu Ye said seriously, “It’s my senior brother’s empty grave. Many people in this line of work do this; some even exhume and relocate the graves of their elders to find a better burial site.”
Mrs. Gu asked coldly, “Your senior brother? The one who cured your illness?”
“Yes, I was missing a soul fragment. My senior brother cured me and even taught me skills.”
Mrs. Gu then realized and turned to Jing Zhiling, “So, you’re his senior brother’s mother?”
The secretary standing next to Jing Zhiling quickly corrected Mrs. Gu, “A relative.” Jing Zhiling’s eyes flickered, but ultimately, she didn’t dare to admit it.
Gu Ye scoffed, remaining silent.
Mrs. Gu, observing Jing Zhiling’s expression, grew even more disdainful. “A relative from the wild, huh? When someone dies, all sorts of ‘grasshoppers and moths’ jump out to claim kinship.”
“No,” Jing Zhiling’s eyes darkened, her voice filled with embarrassment and anger, “Don’t talk nonsense.”
“Ha! Without proper authorization, I don’t care what kind of relative you are! What business do you have about the relationship between my son and his senior brother? What right did you have to slap my son? Who gives you the right to criticize my son? Abandoning husband and child? Pei1!
Mrs. Gu’s words were as sharp as knives, leaving Jing Zhiling’s face burning with embarrassment. She was on the verge of losing her temper now. “Mrs. Gu, I don’t want a conflict with you. Don’t be so aggressive.”
“I’m being aggressive?” Mrs. Gu rolled up her sleeves again. “Say one more, and I’ll show you what being aggressive really means. One doesn’t simply hit someone in the face. Do you think our Gu family has no one left? Do you think you can bully our children like this?”
Jing Zhiling’s face darkened. She’d never seen such a shrewish woman before. Protecting her child without asking why, she even resorted to violence. This was nothing like a refined lady; even a shrew wouldn’t be as ruthless as her. Her secretary also couldn’t get a word in edgewise. Mrs. Gu was not only quick-witted but also sharp-tongued. She’d never seen anything like it before.
Seeing that they dared not utter a sound, Mrs. Gu stopped scolding and declared with a cold expression. “We, the Gu family, will remember this slap,” she said. “Son, let’s go.”
The driver at the door didn’t dare stop them. When Mrs. Gu pulled Gu Ye out, a crowd had already gathered. Mrs. Gu asked fiercely, “What are you looking at? Haven’t you ever seen a mother protecting her child?”
Many of the onlookers were instantly frightened away. Watching Mrs. Gu lead Gu Ye away, they whispered amongst themselves. Those who recognized them were completely bewildered—a wealthy socialite and a national sweetheart mother-in-law could be so fierce!
Jing Zhiling slumped into a chair, speechless. The words ‘abandon husband and child’ weighed heavily on her heart, leaving her unable to refute them. Her face burned with pain; Jing Zhiling touched her cheek, which was already swollen.
“President Jing, please use this to apply to your face.” The secretary looked at Jing Zhiling sympathetically, having already prepared an ice-cold towel. “That Mrs. Gu is too shrewish; her moves are quick and ruthless. Sigh.”
But Jing Zhiling remained expressionless, not saying a word, letting the secretary apply the towel to her face.
Then her secretary asked worriedly, “President Jing? President Jing, are you alright?”
Jing Zhiling said blankly, “I feel like something’s lost, gone, and can never be found again.” Her mind was blank; she just felt inexplicably empty and somewhat uncomfortable, yet she couldn’t pinpoint the reason.
…
After leaving the cafe, Gu Ye took Mrs. Gu’s car keys. “Mom, let me drive instead.”
Mrs. Gu asked worriedly, “Did you really dig up the grave?”
Gu Ye didn’t hide it. “Yes.”
Mrs. Gu frowned. “That’s not good.”
Gu Ye said calmly, “It’s alright, it’s just an empty grave. My senior brother doesn’t care about that.”
“It still won’t do, it’s bad luck.”
“I’ll listen to you, I won’t do it again.”
Mrs. Gu instructed, “Burn some extra paper money for your senior brother.”
Gu Ye’s lips curled into a smile. “No need, he won’t be able to receive it. To save people, his soul was destroyed. His body was gone on the spot, supposedly turned to ashes, scattered by the wind.”
“Sigh!” Mrs. Gu said regretfully, “So young, so tragic. Was that his mother?”
“She abandoned him when he was a child. My senior brother has no mother.”
Hearing that, Mrs. Gu was furious. “What kind of mother is so heartless? How old was the child when he was abandoned?”
Gu Ye’s tone was indifferent, as if he were telling someone else’s story. “Around 4 or 5 years old.”
Mrs. Gu was shocked. “At that age, they can already remember things.”
Gu Ye smiled coldly. “Yes, they can remember a little.”
Mrs. Gu said angrily, “It’s too tragic. Being abandoned at that age is worse than being abandoned right after birth. At least a newborn doesn’t know who their mother is, but a 4 or 5-year-old can already remember things.”
Gu Ye simply nodded without answering, not wanting to bring Jing Zhiling up again.
Mrs. Gu patted Gu Ye’s head, comforting him, “It’s alright, your mother will never abandon you. If we ever run short of money, we’ll sell your younger brother and use the money to buy steamed buns2.”
Finally amused, a smile appeared in Gu Ye’s eyes. “If we don’t have money, we’ll get Big Brother and Second Brother to support us, but we can’t sell my younger brother.”
Mrs. Gu smiled with relief and asked Gu Ye, “Does your face still hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt anymore. She’s not very strong, not as strong as you.”
“Pfft!” Mrs. Gu was amused too. She glanced at Gu Ye’s face; it was only a little red, no swelling or cuts, so she was relieved. But inside, she was still seething with anger. “When I get back, I’ll tell your dad, damn it! If she really pushes me too far, I’ll beat up her husband too!”
Gu Ye was both amused and exasperated. His stepmother’s temper was truly something else.
…
Meanwhile, Yu Ze, after seeing the message on his phone, his eyes turned chillingly cold. He stood up with a cold face and hurriedly prepared to leave.
At the side, Secretary Liu was bewildered. He grabbed Yu Ze’s coat from the hanger and chased after him. “President Yu, where are you going? There’s a meeting this afternoon.”
“Cancel it,” Yu Ze said coldly. “Postpone all the meetings for these 2 days.”
“Ah?!” Secretary Liu exclaimed anxiously, “You have a business deal tomorrow…”
Yu Ze’s face remained cold. “Don’t you understand my words?”
“Yes, President Yu, I understand.” Secretary Liu shuddered at the coldness in Yu Ze’s eyes, not daring to offer him his coat. Watching Yu Ze hurriedly leave, he muttered under his breath, “…Over a billion yuan, just like that, he throws it away.”
After lunch, Gu Ye coaxed Mrs. Gu away. He was unable to concentrate on class, so he held Dahei in his arms. Lying on the sofa, countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He wanted to sleep, yet was unable to fall asleep. Listening to the ticking of the clock on the wall, second by second, he stared blankly for half an hour.
When Yu Ze swiped his access card and entered the house, Gu Ye’s dazed expression was what he could see. Yu Ze’s eyes darkened.
Hearing the noise, Gu Ye sat up and walked over in surprise, asking, “Yu Ze, what brings you here?”
Yu Ze tenderly touched Gu Ye’s face, his eyes deep and unsettling. “Does it hurt?”
“It’s nothing, I’m almost better.” Gu Ye chuckled. “You got the news too quickly, didn’t you even care about work?”
“Don’t care.” Yu Ze hugged Gu Ye tightly, holding him close. With a pained heart, he tenderly pressed his face against Gu Ye’s forehead and gently kissed it. His movements were gentle, but his eyes grew colder. “It won’t happen again.”
Gu Ye’s lips curved into a smile. “I’m really fine. This is good. After seeing her, I’m completely at peace. I’ve never felt so relaxed.”
Yu Ze didn’t know how to comfort Gu Ye, so he tenderly kissed Gu Ye’s brow again and again.
Gu Ye noticed Yu Ze’s cold body and asked with concern, “Why aren’t you wearing a coat? What if you catch a cold?”
“I won’t.”
“You haven’t eaten either, have you?”
Yu Ze didn’t answer, but Gu Ye already understood. “You should rest for a bit. I’ll make you something to eat.”
Gu Ye’s previously listless mood instantly changed. He pushed all those random thoughts to the back of his mind; seeing Yu Ze arrive immediately brightened his mood. While he went to the kitchen, Yu Ze opened Gu Ye’s computer and logged into his own email account. He sent several emails, both domestic and international.
After sending the emails, Yu Ze saw that Gu Ye’s Weibo page was still open, so he posted a Weibo message: [Something came up today. The live stream is postponed to next week. —Yu Ze]
Gu Ye’s nearly 30 million fans exploded: [Holy crap!!! I must be blind!!!]
[It’s official! This must be official! This name isn’t Gu Ye, is it? Although it’s two characters, it doesn’t look like Gu Ye!]
[What could possibly make Gu Ye stand someone up? He can’t even post on Weibo himself, needing someone else to do it for him?]
[The comment upstairs, are you blind? That’s not ‘someone’! That’s Gu Ye’s long-time rumored boyfriend!]
[Seriously? Is this just a publicity stunt? Is it the same Yu Ze I see in the news?]
[Does Gu Ye even need a publicity stunt? It’s official! Absolutely official! From now on, I won’t believe they say they’re just friends.]
[I only care about what happened to Master Gu. Why doesn’t he come out and say it himself?]
[Ahhh, honey, it’s broad daylight, you two should be more reserved!!]
Netizens have lost their minds, but some gossip tabloids sensed something unusual. After some inquiries, they learned that Gu Ye had a conflict with someone at noon. Apparently, he got slapped, and his mother returned the hit to the woman. But there are no pictures or evidence online.
Several reporters were unusually interested in this and wanted to investigate, but were immediately scolded by their superiors.
“Are you stupid to want to get involved in this situation? Yu Ze has already made his move. Do you think the Gu family doesn’t know? If these two families join forces, they can create a huge stir in the business world with just a breath. If a single report is inaccurate, several gossip tabloids wouldn’t be enough to handle the pressure. Don’t go looking for trouble!”
“Can’t you tell someone’s controlling the comments? Look online, how many comments like this (the slap in the cafe) are left? There aren’t even any pictures. Isn’t it obvious what’s going on?”
“In the past, when Yu Ze appeared, it would be all over the headlines in minutes. Now, Yu Ze’s name isn’t even on the entire Weibo page. Gu Ye’s fans are only jumping around under Gu Ye’s posts. It’s obvious someone’s controlling the flow. The gossip about Gu Ye we posted before was harmless, and nobody cared. This is clearly different. If we get involved again, we’re definitely asking for trouble.”
Some discerning people know they can’t offend certain people. They’re telling the reporters in the newspaper to keep quiet. Making money isn’t about short-term gains; it’s better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing.
…
Gu Ye cooked a plate of dumplings, placed it on the table, and called to Yu Ze, “Have something simple to eat, I’ll make more tonight.”
Yu Ze closed his email. “I’m postponing tonight’s livestream until next week, no streaming for now.”
Gu Ye said seriously, “No, I already promised my fans, I have to keep my word.”
Yu Ze touched Gu Ye’s slightly flushed cheek. “I asked for leave for you. We’ll talk about it when you’re in a better mood.”
“Holy crap!” Gu Ye was startled. “How did you ask for leave? You posted it on Weibo for me?”
Yu Ze nodded.
Gu Ye immediately had a bad feeling. He quickly opened the Weibo page, and his lips twitched. “You… why did you leave a signature! Showing off your nice name?”
Yu Ze thought for a moment and said seriously, “It’s a habit.”
Gu Ye watched his fans frantically spamming rose emojis and photoshopping a row of marriage certificates for the two of them, not knowing how to explain. Wasn’t this basically telling everyone, “You guessed right, we’re together!”
The fans’ enthusiasm had overshadowed the live stream itself; everyone was asking about their relationship. Live stream or whatnot, it could wait until next week. Gu Ye reluctantly closed the webpage; it made his eyes dizzy, so he simply stopped reading.
In the evening, Secretary Liu brought Yu Ze’s computer over. Yu Ze sent a few more emails, concealing the coldness in his eyes before closing the laptop expressionlessly.
…
Raw word count: 7346 (whole chapter)
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