Chapter 117 Gu Ye (ETL) Part 2
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Chapter 117 May You Live a Long and Lonely Life
Jing Zhiling returned to the hotel, and it took her the entire afternoon to recover. Her face was swollen and burned with pain when touched. She had told her husband the reason for returning to China was to handle company matters, and that she would be back in 3 days. But judging from the marks on her face, it wouldn’t heal in just 3 days.
“That shrew!” Jing Zhiling frowned. She was unable to describe Mrs. Gu’s shrewishness; only the word came to mind: shrew.
The secretary applied the medicine, and upon hearing the phone ring, she quickly answered. After a few words, the secretary’s expression changed. “President Jing, several clients in China that we just negotiated with have all cancelled their orders.”
“What?” Jing Zhiling looked up in confusion, her face pale. “Wasn’t it all agreed upon?”
The secretary’s face was ashen. “All contracts that haven’t been signed yet have been withdrawn. Furthermore, our brand’s jewelry has been completely removed from the shelves of the Huaxia Electronics Market. Major department stores have also sent messages saying they won’t be renewing their orders with us next quarter.”
Jing Zhiling was completely stunned. She dealt in jewelry and luxury women’s bags, with the Chinese market accounting for 50 percent of her business. “Why would this happen? Take it off the shelves? Weren’t we working together so well before? Those companies don’t want to make money anymore?”
Jing Zhiling couldn’t sit still any longer. She stood up coldly, grabbed her laptop, and said in a chilling voice, “Send me all the reports.”
“President Jing,” the secretary received another message, “we just received notification that the brand ambassador has posted on the official Weibo account, preferring to break the contract rather than continue the endorsement.”
“Has he gone mad? Breaking a contract is tantamount to self-immolation for an artist.”
“From what I understand, the agent’s statement is a company requirement.” After quickly reviewing the information, the secretary forwarded it to Jing Zhiling, saying despairingly, “President Jing, this male celebrity’s company is owned by Gu Ye’s second brother. His second brother not only owns an entertainment company but also 3 publishing companies, completely controlling online public opinion. Furthermore, it will be difficult for us to find Chinese spokespeople in the future.”
Jing Zhiling’s eyes grew increasingly cold. “Is this also Gu Ye’s doing? How could a student like him have such power to make major e-commerce platforms remove our products and cause major retailers to abandon our supply?”
“President Jing, I showed you the information before you returned to China. His father is Gu Decheng, the largest real estate developer in China. Data from 2 years ago showed his assets reached 200 billion. His older brother, Gu Sen, is currently taking over their father’s business, but he also has a listed company in the US, mainly engaged in the electronics industry, which I heard was transferred to Yehong Technology Group for 50 billion. I just received some news that Yu Ze, the current chairman of Yehong Technology Group, is Gu Ye’s boyfriend.”
There was something the secretary didn’t dare say aloud: “This one slap has destroyed most of your life’s hard work. What was the point?”
Jing Zhiling’s face paled, her body turning ice-cold. “Yehong Technology Group, Yu Ze, is that the young man who refused to cooperate with Bertram last year?”
“Yes. Mr. Bertram has been trying to get this business connection, but hasn’t been able to until recently. However, you’ve offended Yu Ze’s boyfriend,” the secretary advised kindly. “Now that the two companies have joined forces, there’s no turning back. You should give up on the domestic market.”
Jing Zhiling calmed herself, her eyes turning cold. “No, I won’t let my hard work go to waste. Abandoning the domestic market means abandoning 50 percent of my profits.”
The secretary sighed helplessly, watching Jing Zhiling work through the night, replying to emails and handling company affairs, trying to salvage the situation. It wasn’t until the next morning, almost dawn, that Jing Zhiling finally collapsed. She had just lain down to rest when her husband called. Exhausted, Jing Zhiling said, “Hello, Bertram.”
The person on the other end asked impatiently, “Where are you right now?”
“I’m in China.”
“Come back now! I need to talk to you. What are you hiding from me?”
Jing Zhiling’s heart skipped a beat. Her nails dug into her palms, the pain bringing her back to her senses. She calmly said, “Darling, did you hear some gossip…?”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses. Come back now, or we’re getting a divorce!”
The other end didn’t give her a chance to speak. Jing Zhiling took a deep breath and calmly said, “Okay, calm down first. I’ll be back when I’m done.”
Without waiting for the other person to reply, she hung up the phone, her face pale and her brows furrowed. She had been unable to conceive, so Bertram had kept several mistresses outside the marriage. He had several children with them, but Bertram didn’t care about Jing Zhiling’s feelings at all, bringing them all home. These children all had blond hair and blue eyes; not a single one had black hair or black eyes. In that home, she felt completely out of place.
Those mistresses were eager to replace Jing Zhiling. If it weren’t for her increasingly successful business in recent years, which helped Bertram, they would have divorced long ago. If her business in China suffered, their marriage could break down at any moment. Without Bertram’s support, her overseas business would also be difficult.
Just then, Bertram called again. Jing Zhiling frowned and answered helplessly. Bertram said irritably, “You’re never going to China again!”
Jing Zhiling was also annoyed. “This is my hometown.”
“Then never go back to your hometown again! Leave there and come back right now! You ruined my business for the next 3 years! You ruined billions of dollars in revenue!”
“…” Jing Zhiling opened her mouth, too angry to speak, and hung up the phone in a huff.
The secretary, standing nearby, earnestly advised, “President Jing, let’s go back. We can handle the business here back home; we’ll always find a way. The Mister is already angry; it won’t be easy for you to deal with it back home.”
Jing Zhiling stood up, finally compromising to save the marriage. “Book plane tickets, but first to Huaixin City.”
The secretary anxiously asked, “You are going there again? Why bother?”
“I want to take him with me.” Jing Zhiling walked to the window, gazing at the slowly rising sun, momentarily lost in thought. After all these years of hard work, what had she ended up with? Was it all worth it? She was confused for a moment.
Upon arriving in Huaixin City, with the secretary’s help, the two climbed the mountain together, only to find the summit bare and empty. When they came before, they had the grave repaired, the tombstone re-erected, but now, nothing was left. Jing Zhiling stared in disbelief at the scene before her. “How could this be? Where’s the tombstone?”
The secretary was equally puzzled. “It was right here. I remember it clearly. Could it have been moved?”
Jing Zhiling’s face was cold. “Have someone dig it up again.” Her persistence left the secretary with no choice but to have it dug up again, hoping to find Gu Ye’s urn1. Unexpectedly, after digging a pit over 2 meters deep, they still found nothing.
Jing Zhiling squatted on the ground in disbelief, staring dejectedly at the large pit. Years ago, he wanted to go with her, but she pushed him away. Now she wanted to take him with her, but she couldn’t find him. Jing Zhiling grabbed a handful of soil, her hands trembling, tears silently streaming down her face. “Where did he go?”
The secretary whispered, trying to comfort Jing Zhiling. “Maybe he was moved somewhere else.”
Jing Zhiling refused to give up. She had people search the entire mountain, but they couldn’t find Gu Ye’s tombstone or urn.
“No, I have to find him.” Jing Zhiling was frantic. She pulled out an address on the map, an address she had avoided for decades, a place that terrified her. “I want to go there.”
“President Jing, please calm down. We can’t possibly find it there.” Seeing that Jing Zhiling hadn’t slept for 2 days and 2 nights, with her face haggard and her eyes bloodshot, the secretary was afraid she might faint at any moment. “Since we can’t find him, let’s stop looking and go back.”
“No, I want to go see him.” Jing Zhiling thought of Gu Ye’s words, especially the mention of a scar on his leg before he died. For some reason, it felt belatedly real, and a suffocating pain gripped her heart. She couldn’t find any trace of Gu Ye. The existence of this child seemed like a figment of her imagination. She wanted to take his ashes with her, but she couldn’t even find a grave. She just wanted to go back to the place where she had abandoned Gu Ye, to see if such a place truly existed. She wasn’t dreaming; she had a son, black hair, black eyes, a particularly beautiful and well-behaved son.
They finally arrived at the small mountain village Jing Zhiling had mentioned. More than 20 years had passed, so the surrounding landscape had changed drastically. Before they even got close to the mountains, their car was stopped at a T-junction. “Sorry, this area is being developed into a tourist attraction. No one is allowed in now, so don’t go there. Turn here and head straight out of the mountains.”
Jing Zhiling asked with a pale face, “Is that Nanjiang Village ahead?”
The uncle guarding the mountain pass shook his head. “I only know that the area ahead is called Chang Le Mountain.”
Jing Zhiling’s breath caught in her throat, and she said in a trembling voice, “No, this mountain isn’t called Chang Le. I remember it very clearly. It wasn’t called Chang Le. It really existed, didn’t it? It’s not just my imagination, right? Right, that orphanage…”
The secretary said helplessly, “The orphanage moved away a long time ago. The site has been developed into a residential area.”
Jing Zhiling gazed at the mountains outside the window. Gu Ye was like he’d never existed; she couldn’t find a trace of him anymore. A sudden, sharp emptiness filled her heart. Jing Zhiling collapsed, covering her face in despair. All her aloofness, elegance, and strong-willed demeanor vanished. She sobbed, “Everything’s gone. I’ve lost my son.”
The secretary advised, “It’s okay to cry, but don’t mention it again when you get back. The Mister already suspects you.”
Jing Zhiling clutched her suffocating chest. In the end, Gu Ye hadn’t even left her any evidence of his existence. Having this son felt like a dream.
Upon getting off the plane, Jing Zhiling fainted. The company’s troubles, the disappearance of Gu Ye’s grave, and her husband’s constant pressure—she hadn’t slept for 3 days and 3 nights. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. The secretary rushed her to the hospital, where the doctor diagnosed her with just one word: overwork.
Just as Jing Zhiling was settled in, the secretary received another call and had to frantically wake her. “President Jing, our company’s stock was maliciously acquired last night; 20 percent has already been taken.”
Jing Zhiling was jolted awake. “What? How could it be so fast?” Seeing her life’s work ruined in just a few days, Jing Zhiling felt a chill run through her. Completely panicked, she struggled to sit up. She pulled out the IV drip, ignoring the blood stains on her hands. “No, I have to go back. I absolutely cannot allow my life’s work to be destroyed like this.”
At this moment, the doctor walked in. He was holding a form with a strange expression. “Your medical expenses have already been paid. The other party left you a message.” The doctor paused, then said apologetically, “He said, ‘Leave China, and never set foot in the country again. May you live a long and lonely life.'”
Raw word count: 7346 (whole chapter)
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