Chapter 34 Mr. Gu, it seems your wife really doesn't want to live with you anymore.

Ji Ying endured his foul language and wrote her name.

But before Wu Desheng could reach out, Gu Yanchen took the agreement.

Realizing the situation had changed, Wu Desheng quickly stepped forward, placed his hand on the agreement, and said with a combination of persuasion and pressure, "President Gu, it's signed. We're even now. Your new project..."

Before he could finish speaking, Gu Yanchen swung the teapot beside him and smashed it heavily against the back of his hand.

Wu Desheng let out an "Ah," trembling yet fierce as he looked at Gu Yanchen.

Ji Ying was also surprised. Wasn't he supposed to bring her here to sign the document?

Gu Yanchen snatched the agreement from his hand, tore it to shreds, and then looked at him casually.

Did I tell you to burn more paper money for yourself?

Wu Desheng suppressed his temper, "President Gu, my brother didn't raise his son well, letting him say whatever he wants. I'm sorry."

Gu Yanchen chuckled, "Disciplining your son is your family matter, but since he dared to mess with me today, that's a different story. I can cripple his hand, so I don't care what kind of bastards are behind him."

After finishing speaking, Gu Yanchen ignored Wu Desheng's flustered yet innocent appearance, stood up, and focused his gaze on Wu Jialong.

The oppressive power of those in power, once unleashed, can be suffocating.

"You can't control yourself?"

Wu Jialong's chin trembled, and he couldn't speak.

Gu Yanchen patted his second uncle on the shoulder, "Burn a portion for your nephew too."

Gu Yanchen put his arm around Ji Ying and left the private room.

Back in the car, Ji Ying removed his hand and even patted the spot where he had touched her.

Gu Yanchen laughed, "You're angry because I won't let you sign?"

"Why did you bring me here if you won't let me sign?"

Gu Yanchen grasped her hand, but avoided touching the bruised back of her hand.

"Yingying, what's causing this rift between us?"

Ji Ying thought for a moment, then, without answering, pried his fingers apart.

Chen Yuan sat in the driver's seat, not daring to make a sound.

"You're willing to sign, which proves you care about me. Can we put aside the unpleasantness of the past and start over?"

Ji Ying was amused by his last four words.

He crawled back from the brink of death time and time again, only to have it all wiped away with a casual "starting over".

"I'll say it again: the prerequisite for starting over is that you cut off all contact with Gu Lingxue. Can you do that?"

"Her presence has no impact on us."

See, he will never let go of that woman, no matter what.

Therefore, their relationship is a deadlock, and only divorce can resolve it.

Ji Ying's eyes were cool and indifferent.

"President Gu has misunderstood. I will definitely sign for the benefit of the Gu family. I am a person with a sense of contract, that's all."

After saying that, she opened the car door and was about to get out from the other side.

Gu Yanchen grabbed her, "How long are you going to keep making a scene?"

Just then, Chen Yuan's phone rang. After answering the call, he glanced at Ji Ying and reported, "President Gu, the results of the investigation into the photo studio explosion are in. It was caused by improper storage of the battery pack by the staff, so it's still... still an accident."

Whether this conclusion is correct or not, everyone knows perfectly well.

Ji Ying smiled, but her eyes didn't reach her eyes. "So, does President Gu agree with the police's conclusion this time?"

Once was an accident, twice was an accident, and if he gave an ambiguous answer again, it meant he was treating her like a fool.

Gu Yan pursed his lips into a straight line.

Ji Ying's face held a faint hint of sarcasm. "So, how do we start over?"

She shook off his hand, got out of the car, hailed a taxi, and left.

Chen Yuan felt a little anxious for his boss.

He turned his head and whispered, "Mr. Gu, it seems that your wife really doesn't want to be with you anymore. Why don't we be honest with her?"

"Will letting her know change the situation?"

Chen Yuan was speechless and shut his mouth.

"Go to the development zone."

Gu Yanchen was angry, but he could only keep it to himself.

...

In the afternoon, Ji Ying had just stepped out of the laboratory when she received a text message.

"The photo studio has reopened, and the owner is hiring someone to clean it. It needs to be cleaned within three hours."

Ji Ying grabbed her car keys and walked out.

Xiao Xia poked her head out of the office and called out to her, "Where are you going? Aren't you going to eat dinner?"

Ji Ying waved her hand, "It's urgent, wait for my news."

Xiao Xia was taken aback. "What should I say if Gu Yanchen calls and asks you about it?"

Ji Ying paused and thought for a moment, "No need for him to ask, just tell him I went to the photo studio in an hour."

Xiao Xia was completely confused. "What were you doing at the photo studio? Didn't you get enough of the toxic fumes?"

The person who texted Ji Ying was a cleaner at the shopping mall next to the photo studio.

Ji Ying gave her money and told her to keep an eye on things here and call her as soon as the lockdown was lifted.

When she arrived at the photo studio, the cleaning lady was waiting for her at the door.

"Coincidentally, the owner of this place hired me and a few of my sisters to help him clean."

Ji Ying took out 100 yuan and gave it to her: "Thank you, Auntie."

The cleaning lady smiled and said, "It's alright, take your time looking for whatever you're looking for. I'll have them clean the other side first."

Ji Ying was still looking for the remains of the burned battery.

The evidence found at the cake shop is gone, but here's an opportunity.

Due to ventilation issues, there was still a pungent smell on the second floor, but it was much fainter than that day.

Wearing a mask, Ji Ying searched for a long time before finally finding some remnants of a high-energy battery in a pile of shoveled debris.

The appearance and color are similar to those found at the cake shop.

Ji Ying concealed her excitement and carefully packed away the remaining wreckage.

When I went downstairs, the cleaning ladies were still cleaning.

Ji Ying thanked them and left the photo studio.

The trees along the street are quiet.

This area is a pedestrian plaza. Ji Ying put the small transparent bag into her pocket and headed towards where she could hail a taxi.

As she approached the main street, Ji Ying quickened her pace, and then hurried footsteps sounded behind her.

Without even looking back, a sense of crisis, like being watched like prey, surged up.

This is the city center, yet they are so arrogant.

As Ji Ying was thinking, two more dark figures flashed out from the front, and the three of them formed a flanking maneuver.

She had no choice but to risk turning into the alley.

The alley connects to the street at the other end; if you can rush through, you can escape.

However, just as Ji Ying was about to reach the alley entrance, the man in black who had been chasing her suddenly tackled her to the ground.

At the same time, the Maybach came to a sudden stop at the alley entrance.

"Damn woman, hand over the stuff!"

The leader of the men in black grabbed Ji Ying's hair, forcing her to tilt her head back. Two other accomplices also surrounded her.

Gu Yanchen saw this scene just as he got out of the car.

When Ji Ying saw him, she subconsciously wanted to throw the evidence in her hand to him, but she froze in the next second.

The passenger door opened, and Gu Lingxue got out of the car.

"Don't follow me!"

Gu Yanchen sternly stopped Gu Lingxue and threw her his suit jacket at the same time.

"Brother, let's call the police."

Gu Lingxue's voice trembled, clearly frightened by the scene before her.

"I'm saying this one last time, hand over the stuff!"

The man in black lost his patience and raised his hand to slap Ji Ying.

Gu Yanchen took a step forward, first kicking aside his accomplice who was blocking his way, and then delivering a heavy punch straight to the opponent's face.

Taking advantage of the other person's pain and loosening of their grip, he quickly pulled Ji Ying behind him.

The two men in black took a half step back warily, but still stared at them menacingly.

"What did you take?" Gu Yan asked in a low voice.

Ji Ying took a transparent evidence bag out of her pocket: "The explosion was deliberate; they wanted to destroy the evidence."

Before he could finish speaking, two men in black pounced at the same time.

Gu Yanchen shoved her away: "Get in the car!"

Ji Ying took the opportunity to run towards the alley entrance, but was suddenly stopped by the black-clad man who had been kicked down earlier.

In the midst of the violent shoving, her back slammed heavily against the wall, and the transparent bag in her hand flew out of her grasp.

Gu Lingxue, who was standing next to the car, exclaimed in surprise and instinctively caught it.