Chapter 15
Qin Yu's thumb caressed Gu Jing's lower lip with undeniable force, the touch burning like fire. The words, "From now on, every laugh and every cry you make will only be for me," echoed in the empty conference room, carrying a chilling sense of paranoia and possessiveness.
Gu Jing stood there stiffly, neither dodging nor responding. The touch of his lips and the bottomless darkness in Qin Yu's eyes froze his blood, leaving only his heart beating heavily and slowly in his chest, again and again, hammering at the humiliation and cold reality.
He signed the contract, selling himself in exchange for the Gu family's chance to survive.
Qin Yu seemed satisfied with his obedience. The terrifying madness in his eyes subsided slightly, transforming into a deeper, more controlling dark light. He loosened his hand and took a half step back, as if the moment of intimacy had never happened.
"I'll take care of Zhou Liguang's mess." His tone returned to a calm, businesslike composure, as if the person who had just forced him to sign the indenture was someone else. "You know what to say to the board of directors."
Gu Jing lowered his eyes, hiding all the emotions in them, and squeezed out only a dry syllable from his throat: "Hmm."
"Get a good rest tonight." Qin Yu's gaze lingered on his pale face for a moment, his tone unclear whether it was an order or something else. "Starting tomorrow, you'll be very busy."
After saying this, he turned around, picked up the signed agreement on the table, and left the meeting room with steady steps. The door closed behind him with a soft sound, isolating the two worlds inside and outside.
Gu Jing stood there alone for a long time before he slowly raised his hand and rubbed his lower lip with his fingertips until the remaining touch and temperature completely disappeared, leaving only a slight tingling sensation on his skin from the friction.
Outside the window, the city's neon lights were still bustling, illuminating his expressionless profile.
The next day, a violent purge swept through the Gu Group.
Zhou Liguang and the core members of his faction have either abruptly resigned for "personal reasons" or been directly handed over to judicial authorities for financial problems. The speed and efficiency of these actions are astonishing. All dissenting voices have been ruthlessly suppressed the moment they begin to emerge.
Qin Yu's men, like ghosts, quietly infiltrated key positions and filled the power vacuum left by Zhou Liguang. Their actions were precise and incredibly efficient, clearly a long-planned operation.
Gu Jing sat in the president's office, listening to his assistant's report on personnel changes and business handovers, signing documents calmly. He felt like a puppet emperor, watching the true ruler complete the dynastic transition right under his nose.
No one questioned his decisions anymore, and no one "cared" about his condition anymore. All eyes turned on him with awe and cautious scrutiny. Awe for the invisible, ruthless new master behind him.
In the afternoon, a new round of board meetings was held.
The atmosphere in the conference room was completely different from yesterday, subdued and tense. The directors sat upright, their eyes flickering, not daring to look at Gu Jing, who was in the main seat.
Without any unnecessary words, Gu Jing directly announced that he had reached a deep strategic cooperation with "a certain overseas capital". The other party has become the second largest shareholder of the group by acquiring part of the equity, and will inject huge funds to stabilize the situation and fully support the advancement of the "Dawn Plan".
He didn't mention Qin Yu's name, but everyone present knew it. The Qin family, which had just "broken up" with the Gu family, had returned in a more powerful and unquestionable way.
The resolution was passed without any suspense.
After the meeting, Gu Jing returned to his office, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He untied his tie, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.
The phone vibrated. It was the only encrypted line.
[Basement garage. Area B. Now.]
The order remained concise and unquestionable.
Gu Jing opened his eyes, and there was silence in them. He stood up, and without hesitation, walked towards the dedicated elevator and went straight to the underground garage.
In the corner of Area B, there was a black Maybach parked with dark film on the windows.
He walked over and the rear door slid open silently.
Qin Yu sat inside, a laptop on his lap, data scrolling across the screen. He wore a black, high-end suit, and his profile, in the dim light of the car, appeared cold and focused.
Gu Jing bent down and sat in the car. The door closed automatically, isolating him from the outside world.
The car was filled with the faint cold fragrance of cedar and the lingering, dangerous aura of Qin Yu.
Qin Yu didn't look up, his eyes were still on the screen, his fingers occasionally tapping the keyboard.
"The remaining positions in Zhou Liguang's overseas short-selling accounts have been liquidated. The losses will be offset by all his assets. The shortfall..." Qin Yu said calmly, as if stating a trivial matter that had nothing to do with him. "He will slowly repay the debt over the rest of his life, if he has any."
Gu Jing's heart tightened slightly. He could almost foresee Zhou Liguang's fate.
"Gu's stock price has stabilized and rebounded slightly. The market panic has basically subsided." Qin Yu continued, switching the screen. "Next, we need a formal press conference to announce the cooperation and reassure people. The draft is ready, take a look."
He turned the computer towards Gu Jing.
On the screen was a carefully worded press release, announcing a partnership between the Gu Group and a powerful overseas investment institution, jointly committed to the group's future development and the exploration of new energy. The Qin family or Qin Yu's name did not appear anywhere, but the dominance and control that permeated the text were unmistakable.
Gu Jing quickly glanced through it and didn't have any suggestions for revisions: "Okay."
Qin Yu closed the computer and the car fell into a brief silence.
He turned his head and his eyes finally fell on Gu Jing. He looked at him carefully, inch by inch, as if evaluating the condition of an object.
"Tired?" he asked, emotionless in his voice.
Gu Jing avoided his gaze and looked at the cold concrete pillars outside the window: "Not bad."
"You'll get used to it." Qin Yu said calmly, as if it was a matter of course. "You'll face this often in the future."
Later. The word came out of his mouth with a suffocating sense of length.
Qin Yu suddenly leaned over.
Gu Jing's body tensed up instantly, and his fingers curled up subconsciously.
Qin Yu simply reached out and closed the slightly open collar of his suit jacket, his fingertips inadvertently brushing the collar of his shirt. His movements seemed considerate, but carried a sense of casualness and possession like a master.
"I have a cocktail party tonight and I can't turn it down." He withdrew his hand and said in a tone that did not allow for negotiation, "You must accompany me."
Gu Jing turned around and looked at him: "I..."
"As the president of Gu Corporation and my partner," Qin Yu interrupted him. His gaze was deep, carrying an unmistakable warning and...an announcement. "Let everyone see clearly the current situation."
Look clearly, who you belong to.
Gu Jing's words got stuck in his throat. He knew this wasn't a negotiation, it was an order. It was one of the obligations he had to fulfill after signing the agreement.
He was silent for a few seconds, and finally lowered his eyelashes: "I understand."
Qin Yu seemed satisfied with his obedience and leaned back in his chair: "The clothes and the stylist will be in your office in half an hour."
The car started silently, drove out of the garage and merged into the traffic.
Gu Jing looked at the street scene rapidly receding outside the window and felt like an item that was being carefully dressed up and was about to be sent to an exhibition stand.
The man next to him is the collector who has absolute ownership.
The cocktail reception was held in the banquet hall of the top hotel in the city center.
The crystal chandeliers shone brightly, elegant women were in fine clothes, and the wine glasses were clinking. When Qin Yu and Gu Jing appeared at the door, the originally noisy venue fell into an eerie silence for a moment.
Everyone's eyes were focused on him, filled with shock, inquiry, awe, and ill-concealed gossip.
Just a few days ago, there were rumors of a falling out, even a possible war, between these two, now appearing side by side? And looking at their posture...
Qin Yu, dressed in a black suit with dark patterns, stood tall and straight, exuding a powerful aura. As soon as he entered the room, he naturally became the focus of the entire audience. His arm was slightly bent, and Gu Jing's hand was resting stiffly in his arm.
Gu Jing was wearing a white suit sent by Qin Yu. It was perfectly tailored, showing off his slender waist and long legs. His face was handsome and pale, but his eyes, which were always cold and sharp, seemed to be covered with a thin layer of mist, and no emotion could be seen.
He could feel the gazes from all directions, like fine needles piercing his body. Even if he couldn't hear the whispers clearly, he could guess the content.
Qin Yu, however, seemed oblivious. He calmly led Gu Jing into the venue, accepting greetings and compliments, whether genuine or fake. Occasionally, he would tilt his head and whisper a few words to Gu Jing, his gestures intimate, as if the two of them were truly close partners, or even... even more so.
Gu Jing was forced to cooperate, maintaining a stiff, formulaic smile on his face. Every time Qin Yu leaned in to whisper, the warm breath brushing against his ear sent a chill down his spine.
He could clearly sense that Qin Yu was using this method to declare his ownership to everyone, firmly nailing him to the position of "Qin Yu's property."
"Mr. Gu is really young and promising. He can still stabilize the situation after going through such a big storm. I admire him!" A bald middle-aged man came over with a wine glass and spoke to Gu Jing, but his eyes were always glancing at Qin Yu.
"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Li. It is inseparable from the support of... our partners." Gu Jing spoke in a flat voice, and enunciated the word "partners" clearly.
Hearing this, Qin Yu raised the corners of his lips into a half-smile. He exerted a little force with his arms and pulled Gu Jing closer, almost half-hugging him in his arms.
"Mr. Li is right," Qin Yu said, his voice quiet but with a natural sense of control. "I have always admired Mr. Gu's abilities."
His words were ambiguous, and the people around him immediately smiled knowingly.
Gu Jing's body was as stiff as a stone, his fingertips cold. He felt like he had been stripped naked and thrown into the spotlight, enduring everyone's scrutiny and speculation.
Just then, a slightly sharp female voice interrupted.
"Hey, isn't this Mr. Gu? I haven't seen you for a few days, and you look better." A female entrepreneur in a gorgeous evening gown, who had once tried to get close to the Gu Group but failed, came over with a glass of wine in hand. She glanced back and forth between Gu Jing and Qin Yu, with undisguised sarcasm in her eyes, "It seems that Mr. Qin really is... good at 'taking care' of people."
There was a lot of implication in these words, and the surroundings suddenly became quiet, waiting to see the show.
Gu Jing's face turned pale and he pursed his lips.
The smile on Qin Yu's face faded. He turned his head and looked at the woman. His expression was blank, but his eyes instantly turned cold, like a blade tempered by ice.
The woman was caught in his gaze, and the sneer on her face froze instantly, and she subconsciously took half a step back.
Qin Yu ignored her, but withdrew his gaze, raised his hand as if no one was around, and gently brushed the non-existent hair on the side of Gu Jing's ear with his fingertips. His movements were gentle, but carried a strong sense of possession and protection.
Then, he slowly raised his eyes and looked at the pale-faced woman. His voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard in every corner around him:
"My partners will naturally be taken care of by me personally."
He paused, his eyes sharp as a blade, and every word he said was painful:
"Don't bother outsiders. And don't have any thoughts that shouldn't be thought of."
This was not only a warning to the woman, but also a warning to all those present who had ulterior motives.
There was a dead silence. The woman's face turned red and white, and she turned away dejectedly, feeling extremely embarrassed.
Qin Yu acted as if nothing had happened, hugged Gu Jing again, and said in a normal tone: "Tired? Go over there and rest for a while."
He led Gu Jing towards the terrace. Wherever they passed, the crowd automatically parted ways and no one dared to cast prying or provocative glances at them.
The breeze from the terrace brought the coolness of the evening, blowing away the stuffiness and extravagance in the banquet hall.
Qin Yu let go of his hand and handed Gu Jing a glass of champagne.
Gu Jing didn't answer. He just held on to the cold railing and looked at the lights of the city downstairs. His back looked thin and stiff.
"Why bother?" He suddenly said, his voice so soft it seemed to be blown away by the wind. "Is this acting for you or for them?"
Qin Yu stood beside him, shaking the wine in the glass, his eyes also fixed on the distance.
"It's not acting." He said in a low voice, "It's the rules."
He turned his head and looked at Gu Jing's profile with his hair blown by the wind.
"From the moment you sign your name, this is the new rule between you and me."
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