Chapter 74: Choice
The Gu family's old villa is magnificent, but it is filled with a suffocating low pressure.
In the luxurious yet cold living room, Gu Xu knelt on the gleaming marble floor, his back straight. He had been kneeling there all night and half a day, ever since Gu Hongyuan called him back from City A on an emergency call. He had been ordered to kneel here and reflect on his actions, without a drop of water or a grain of rice.
He had long lost all feeling in his knees, from the initial stinging pain to the subsequent numbness, and now, as if they were no longer part of his body. The prolonged kneeling position had impaired his blood circulation, leaving him with flashes of blackness, a constant ringing in his ears, and a stomach so empty it felt like acid. He was forced to keep going, relying solely on his unyielding willpower.
Gu's mother sat on the sofa nearby, her well-maintained face now filled with anxiety and fear. Tears streamed down her face like broken strings, and the silk handkerchief in her hand was crumpled to a pulp. She looked at her son, who was kneeling on the ground, his face pale, his lips chapped but still tightly pursed, and was filled with anger.
"You unfilial son, what on earth did you do behind your father's back?" Mother Gu's voice was filled with tears, confusion and resentment. "Your father has never been this angry! What on earth did you do?"
She had painstakingly schemed to become the mistress, finally squeezing out the original wife and securing her position as Madam Gu. All her hopes rested on her son. She constantly pushed Gu Xu, forcing him to excel, to strive, to compete, because she knew that only if Gu Xu firmly sat on the throne of heir could she continue to enjoy her immense wealth and forever keep that dead woman and her bastard child under her feet.
But yesterday, Gu Hongyuan called Gu Xu back with a gloomy face, made him kneel without a word, and then went into his study and never came out again. This silent rage frightened her more than any beating or scolding. She was extremely panicked, and a sense of unease, as if the house was about to collapse, gripped her tightly.
"You should go and admit your mistake to your father. What's wrong with bowing your head? Say something softly and don't be so stubborn. Why are you so ignorant?" Gu's mother kept nagging and persuading him, her voice sharp and helpless. "If you really make your father angry, what will happen to us, mother and son?!"
Her chatter was like background noise, passing through Gu Xu's ears but leaving no trace in his mind. His consciousness was a little hazy due to fatigue and dehydration, but his thoughts were unusually clear and cold.
He knew that his secret plan to cut off Ruichuang Technology and completely separate it from the Gu family had been exposed.
Gu Hongyuan, that idiot, had finally figured it out. It was just unknown how much he knew and how much evidence he had.
But what good would knowing that do? A barely perceptible quirk of sarcasm played at the corner of Gu Xu's mouth. He had kept Ruichuang Technology's equity structure, asset transfers, and business divisions extremely secretive and impeccable, and all the legal documents were impeccable. As long as he refused to give in, even if Gu Hongyuan was furious, there was nothing he could do about it legally. Ruichuang had long been his, Gu Xu's.
He knelt there now, not out of fear of Gu Hongyuan's punishment, but out of a near-numb indifference to this boring family farce, and a hint of exhaustion from his mother's hysterical panic that he himself didn't even want to delve into.
At this moment, the door of the villa was pushed open from the outside.
Gu Ye hurried in. He had received a call from Gu Hongyuan, asking him to return to the old house immediately. His tone was serious, and he dared not neglect it. As soon as he entered the door, the oppressive atmosphere in the living room and the upright but embarrassed figure kneeling in the middle of the floor made him stop in his tracks.
Gu Ye's pupils narrowed slightly. He hadn't expected to see something like this. In his mind, Gu Ye was always the mastermind, the boss who even Gu Hongyuan feared. When had he ever been so miserable and punished?
Just when Gu Ye was stunned, the door of the study opened with a "click".
Gu Hongyuan walked out with a gloomy face. He didn't even look at Gu Ye, who was kneeling on the ground, as if he was just a piece of air. His eyes fell directly on Gu Ye, who was standing in a daze at the door. His voice was cold and emotionless: "What are you still standing there for? Come in."
Gu Ye came back to his senses instantly, suppressed the thousands of thoughts in his mind, lowered his head and replied respectfully: "Yes, father." He walked quickly past Gu Xu and entered the study without looking around.
The study door closed again behind him, isolating the suffocating silence in the living room and Gu's mother's suppressed sobs.
[Host, we've found it.] The system's voice echoed in Chu Yan's mind, with a hint of data-specific calmness. [Gu Xi's situation has been exposed. Gu Hongyuan, through unknown channels, has confirmed that Ruichuang Technology has been completely divested from Gu Xi and is now operating independently. Now, he's furious and has summoned him back to City S to make him kneel. The next step is likely to force him to relinquish control of Ruichuang.]
Chu Yan was sitting at his desk in his dormitory, his fingers tapping unconsciously. Hearing the system's report, there was no surprise on his face.
"Gu Xu won't hand it over." Chu Yan answered firmly. He knew Gu Xu all too well. While he appeared rational and restrained, he harbored a deep rebellious streak and a strong desire for control. He had expended countless efforts and paid an unimaginable price to finally extricate himself from the disgusting quagmire of the Gu Corporation and forge his own Ruichuang. Asking him to spit out the meat he had already eaten? Absolutely impossible.
[But his mother is still at the Gu family.] The system pointed out the most crucial variable. [Gu Xu can be ruthless and ruthless to outsiders, but he always has unrealistic expectations and a soft heart towards his family, especially his mother who relies on him to consolidate her position. This expectation is a slow-acting poison that will eventually lead to his unfinished death.]
The systematic analysis was cold and precise. Gu Xu's weak spot had never been Gu Hongyuan, but his mother, who seemed to rely on him but actually used family affection to hold him captive, tying him firmly to the Gu family chariot.
Chu Yan was silent for a moment, his brow furrowed. [If Gu Xu doesn't completely break away from the Gu family, Gu Ye's chances of successfully ascending to the top will be greatly reduced.] He had to admit that, for now, compared to Gu Xu, who had been in the business world for many years and was known for his ruthless tactics, Gu Ye was still too immature. As long as Gu Xu remained in the Gu family's chess game, Gu Ye would always live in his shadow, making it difficult for him to truly control the situation.
[The data deduction results are consistent.] The system confirmed, [Gu Xu must leave the Gu family and be completely eliminated. This is the optimal solution.] It paused, then posed the core question to Chu Yan: [But what if Gu Xu relented and compromised? For his mother's sake, he chose to bow to Gu Hongyuan, hand back Rui Chuang, and continue to stay in the Gu family as his heir?]
Chu Yan's gaze fell on the darkened computer screen, where the dignified, anxious expression from last night when Gu Xu answered the phone still lingered. A flicker of extremely complex emotions flashed through his eyes, ultimately settling into a cold, clear, and decisive expression.
"Then eliminate him." Chu Yan's voice was calm in his mind, without a trace of emotion. "I've already provided him with a way out. But if he chooses to turn back, jump back into that quagmire, and even make my mission more difficult..." He paused, then spoke the rest of his words clearly. "Then, I have no choice but to give up on him."
Liking something has a price, especially when it comes to tasks. Chu Yan never does business at a loss.
[Understood.] The system wasn't surprised. Having partnered with Chu Yan for years, it knew the host's seemingly amorous and romantic exterior, concealing a heart so calm and almost ruthless. [The fastest flight to City S has been booked for you. Departure in an hour.] It had already predicted Chu Yan's actions. Gu Xu was now on the brink, only one step away from completely severing ties with the Gu family. Chu Yan was to be the one to take that final step—either pull him back and lead him off the edge, or watch him fall and then turn away without hesitation.
[Okay.] Chu Yan stood up and began to pack his belongings without any hesitation.
At the same time, in the Gu family study.
The atmosphere was equally stagnant, suffocating. Gu Hongyuan sat behind a large mahogany desk, his expression gloomy. In front of the desk, besides Gu Ye, who had just entered, stood several other young men of varying ages, all of whom were Gu Hongyuan's illegitimate children, who were not considered presentable. Each of them lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, but their eyes shone with various lights: fear, gloating, and hidden anticipation.
Gu Ye consciously kept a distance from those people and stood there expressionlessly.
Gu Hongyuan's gaze swept across his sons' faces one by one, as if he were evaluating a pile of merchandise for sale. His gaze finally settled on Gu Ye. This son's recent performance had indeed surprised him. He had excellent grades and considerable abilities, and most importantly, he was incredibly obedient, unlike Gu Ye, who wanted to fly as soon as he had enough wings.
"Gu Yu'an," Gu Hongyuan said, breaking the stifling silence in the study. "Starting tomorrow, you will follow Vice President Sun and learn how to manage a company."
As soon as these words came out, the air in the study seemed to freeze. The illegitimate children suddenly raised their heads and looked at Gu Ye in disbelief, their eyes filled with jealousy and unwillingness.
Vice President Sun was a veteran of the group. When Gu Ye first joined Gu's, it was Vice President Sun who brought him up. Gu Hongyuan asked Gu Ye to follow Vice President Sun, and the meaning behind this was self-evident.
Gu Ye's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained submissive, his brows lowered, his face unmoved, as if this were just an ordinary arrangement. He bowed slightly, his voice steady, "Okay, Father. I will seriously learn from Vice President Sun."
Gu Hongyuan watched him remain unfazed by praise or criticism, a subtle flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. He then casually assigned seemingly insignificant positions to several other illegitimate children, as if sending them away as beggars.
Gu Ye watched with a cold eye, his mind clear. Gu Hongyuan was delegating power, deliberately dividing and weakening the power in Gu Xu's hands. He wanted to use them as pawns to check and balance, or even replace the "heir" who had already lost control.
When the few people retreated from the study, Gu Xu was still kneeling in the living room like a sculpture, his face as pale as paper, as if he would fall down at the next second.
Gu Yu, one of the illegitimate children, suddenly stopped in his tracks as he passed by Gu Ye. He put on an extremely flattering smile, leaned closer to Gu Ye, and said in a low voice, "Brother An, I was blind and offended you before. Please be magnanimous and don't take it personally."
There really aren't any real fools in the Gu family. Seeing Gu Ye suddenly gaining power, Gu Yu immediately took advantage of the situation and came forward to show his goodwill.
Gu Ye raised his eyebrows. Looking at his arrogant and respectful face, he felt ironic in his heart, but said calmly, "You are quite smart."
Gu Yu's smile grew wider, with a hint of flattery: "I'm not smart. The truly smart one is still kneeling inside." He glanced meaningfully at the kneeling Gu Xu, and then continued to express his loyalty to Gu Ye: "Brother An, if there is anything you need from me in the Gu family, just let me know. Dad and I will fully support you!"
This was a blatant show of siding. Gu Xu was indeed exceptionally capable, but his methods were too ruthless and unyielding. Over the years, his suppression had suffocated the subordinates, who had long since complained. In contrast, Gu Ye was younger and his methods appeared more "gentle," so these subordinates naturally preferred to support someone who seemed easier to control and could bring more benefits.
Gu Ye sneered in his heart, but remained expressionless on his face. He even reached out and patted Gu Yu on the shoulder, saying in a "sincere" tone: "We are all brothers, it is only natural that we should take care of each other."
The two exchanged a few hypocritical pleasantries and then parted ways.
As soon as they turned their backs to each other, the flattering smile on Gu Yu's face instantly disappeared without a trace, replaced by a hint of cold jealousy and disdain. He spat in a low voice: "Bah, a lucky abandoned child."
Gu Ye's gentle expression instantly froze, and a barely perceptible arc of sarcasm appeared at the corner of his mouth. In a voice that only he could hear, he coldly cursed, "Hypocrisy."
He quickly walked out of the disgusting Gu family mansion and took a deep breath of the fresh air outside.
At this time, on the flight to S City, Chu Yan turned off his mobile phone and looked at the rolling sea of clouds outside the window with a calm look in his eyes.
The pusher is already in place.
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