daisy
She unconsciously raised her hand, her fingertips landing on the daisy ornament, feeling its warmth.
Unconsciously, he opened his mouth, wanting to ask Sun Qian what she meant, what she meant by being able to use Lu Yushi's identity to do things while wearing the necklace.
But it seems... there's no need to ask.
Wearing the necklace allows her to use Lu Yushi's identity to get things done, which naturally indicates that she has a close relationship with Lu Yushi.
Her mind was in a mess when she suddenly remembered that the necklace had been left at Chenyue No. 1 for a whole night. When she rushed over, the packaging had already been opened, and there were signs that it had been carefully examined.
"There are some things the boss doesn't want to say, probably because he doesn't want to put too much pressure on you." Sun Qian herself was also confused, but at least she was certain that Lu Yushi's rush to stop Gu Nan from seeing Shen Ming at this time was more about protecting her than holding her accountable. "The boss definitely doesn't mean any harm... Hey, where are you going?"
Gu Nan couldn't spare a glance; her mind was entirely focused on Far East Capital.
Five years ago, she pretended to be Lu Yushi's fiancée. The first person to recognize her was Kang Shengtai. If... if... Gu Nan's eyes were moist. If Sun Qian was telling the truth, if the daisy necklace could represent Lu Yushi, if this necklace really belonged to Lu Yushi, what had she done?
The person I've been searching for for years is right beside me.
She repeatedly and tirelessly caused trouble for Lu Yushi, and Lu Yushi tirelessly came to her rescue time and time again. Perhaps it was an accident in front of the Rose Mansion, but it wasn't at Ping An Hospital, rescuing someone from the cold storage was not the case, and even bringing in Dr. Du was not the right thing to do.
The wind whistled in my ears, and sand and dust drifted into my nostrils, making it stuffy and hard to breathe.
The receptionist smiled and met the man's gaze, speaking in fluent Mandarin: "President Kang instructed that you can go straight upstairs. He's in a meeting, so you might have to wait a while."
Before he could finish speaking, his gaze fixed on the woman who had barged in so abruptly, he loudly demanded, "Hey, who are you looking for?"
Gu Nan kept her eyes straight ahead, her face grim, and strode towards the private elevator.
The down indicator light had just stopped when Gu Nan stepped inside, almost bumping into the man in the suit.
"Miss Gu?" He Xiao asked in surprise. He looked up into the distance, then held onto the elevator door, gesturing for President Meng to enter. "President Meng."
Upon hearing the address, Gu Nan turned around in surprise, "It's you."
Mr. Meng, the general manager of Ling'an International, had avoided him several times at the Ganfeng banquet. After Kang Shengtai recognized her, it was Mr. Meng who followed up by extending an olive branch, which made everything go smoothly for her afterwards.
Their eyes met, and President Meng's lips trembled slightly. He looked away, his usually composed demeanor in the business world now showing embarrassment. He awkwardly covered his lips with his hand and coughed lightly.
He was not as close to Kang Shengtai as he was to Lu Yushi. On the day of the Ganfeng banquet, Lu Yushi invited Kang Shengtai to sit in the lounge, while he was arranged to "parade" downstairs at the banquet.
After the party, Kang Shengtai said the exact same thing he had said five years ago.
"Don't mess with this woman."
He heard it five years ago.
Five years later, he heard it too.
Staring at the elevator indicator light, they questioned their existence. Gu Nan was clearly the one pretending to be the fiancée, so why were they, the onlookers, being so cautious?
Where is justice?!
"bite."
As the elevator reached the floor, President Meng snapped out of his daze and quickly took out his phone to type.
[A word of advice: you'd better clear the area first.]
Both of them witnessed that farce five years ago; when Gu Nan went crazy, they really couldn't handle it.
In a medium-sized conference room, a cell phone on the table lit up briefly before quickly going out.
Kang Shengtai stared intently at the business department's presentation slides, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table. The business manager was lively, and the meeting room was filled with a harmonious atmosphere.
"Bang—"
Kang Shengtai's comments suddenly stopped, startling most people who turned to look at the door. The employees with shorter tenures just frowned, while the older employees with more than five years of service were surprised and sensed a hint of tension between each other.
Gu Nan stared straight at Kang Shengtai without looking to the side: "Let them out."
"We're in a meeting, you..." Before the new employee could finish speaking, the senior employee covered his mouth, staggered and dragged him outside, not even turning back to close the door halfway.
The comical action didn't elicit a single sarcastic remark.
President Meng peeked out from behind Gu Nan, raised his hand and shrugged, mouthing, "I don't know anything, I already sent you a message."
Kang Shengtai subconsciously looked at his phone.
There was no chance.
Why did you acknowledge me five years ago?
"Ahem," Kang Shengtai glanced quickly at President Meng, feigning ignorance, "What does Miss Gu mean by this?"
President Meng sensed something was wrong and turned to leave, but Gu Nan suddenly turned back, her face cold: "Then, President Meng, what do you have to say?"
President Meng pointed to himself, on the verge of tears.
He insisted on coming along to watch the excitement, and now he's become part of the excitement too.
"I don't understand what Miss Gu means either."
I can't think of a better way than to play dumb.
After all, Lu Yushi hadn't made a statement yet, so they didn't believe that Gu Nan would dare to reveal to his face that she was pretending to be Lu Yushi's fiancée.
They knew nothing about Gu Nan's madness.
“Five years ago, at the dinner party at Beicheng Club, you,” Gu Nan pointed back to President Meng, “President Meng, and your good friend, President Kong of Wangyue Technology, you were all present.”
The time, place, and people are all clearly stated.
"Miss Gu... Miss Gu."
Gu Nan ignored her: "Back then, I was pretending to be Lu Yushi's fiancée, so why did you accept me?"
Kang Shengtai rubbed his forehead and lowered his head.
The thieves acted with righteous indignation, while those who should have been upright and honest were so guilty that they dared not even breathe.
This is utterly upside down.
"say!"
And then they keep asking them questions.
The two stammered, their eyes frequently darting away.
Gu Nan yanked off the fishbone chain. The joint couldn't withstand the strong pull, and the clasp snapped off a long way. The tiny latch landed without making a sound.
The meeting room was quiet enough to hear the three people's heartbeats.
"Because of it, isn't it?" Her eyes were bloodshot, and her voice trembled at the end.
President Meng carefully observed Gu Nan's expression, trying to smooth things over, and said with an awkward laugh: "Miss Gu, please don't make things difficult for us. If Young Master Lu sees you like this, he'll think we're bullying you. How about this, I'll take you to the company? Young Master Lu should still be working overtime at this time."
How could Gu Nan not understand the hidden meaning in his words?
Should she ask Lu Yu clearly? How could she dare?
"Your name wasn't on the guest list for the Ganfeng Winery's party. Why did you go that day?"
"Miss Gu."
After repeatedly declining, Gu Nan's voice turned cold and sharp: "I'm asking you why you went there!"
Kang Shengtai took a deep breath and paused for a moment before saying, "I can't say."
Seeing Gu Nan clench her fist, President Meng spoke first: "Miss Gu already knows the answer, doesn't she?"
Although not said directly, this question was no less than an affirmation of what she was thinking.
Or perhaps, she came here with an answer in mind to vent her frustrations, hoping for a sliver of room for maneuver.
Her fingertips dug into her flesh, a metallic taste filled her mouth, and all her strength seemed to drain away. She staggered a couple of steps, grabbing the table for support, nodding repeatedly, enduring the throbbing pain in her nose for a long while: "Okay, I'll just ask one question, him..."
His lips trembled for a moment, then he took a deep breath and closed his eyes: "Never mind."
She wasn't even given a clear reason why she was suddenly called to the party, so what else could she possibly ask?
My vision blurred, and guilt overwhelmed me.
Her steps were hurried as she rushed out the door, her fists clenched tightly as if she wanted to meld the daisy necklace into her very bones.
She searched for and waited for 18 years while wearing this necklace, only to be told in the end that the owner of the necklace was the very person she had repeatedly and recklessly hurt.
How could she not know Lu Yushi's situation? How could she not imagine how many sleepless nights Lu Yushi would have to spend to make up for those losses?
"Hey, Miss Gu!" Seeing that she was disoriented and lost, He Xiao quickly grabbed her as she fell.
He asked with concern, "What happened?"
Gu Nan turned pale, shook her head, pushed him away, and went downstairs.
If she had known that the person who saved her back then was Lu Yushi, she would have preferred to postpone her plans and give herself more chances to escape death than to involve Lu Yushi.
But... there are no "ifs".
But... the arrow was already on the bowstring, and it had to be released.
This is the final step.
Meng Qing's voice was ethereal: "After using so many people, can you still distinguish between sincerity and pretense?"
Gu Nan took out her phone and entered the password three times in a row, and the password error message appeared three times in a row.
A punch slams into the corner of the wall, letting the pain control the physical tremors.
He dialed the phone: "Jin Yan, you need to do me a favor."
-
The Shen family's old residence.
Shen Manman stood up in surprise: "What? Gu Nan still dares to come?"
Shen Ming reassured Shen Manman by helping her sit back down on her shoulders: "Don't worry, it's alright."
"How can it be nothing! If I hadn't trusted her so easily back then, how could our relationship with the Wan family have become so strained? Even if we've reconciled now, it's all just a facade. Brother, don't try to comfort me. Dad is right, this is indeed my fault."
Shen Manman's eyes were filled with sadness: "That day I disobeyed my brother and secretly ran away. Lin Haoyu hired people to beat me up, wanting to play the hero and save the beauty. Little did he know that the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Gu Nan suddenly kicked me in halfway. I saw through Lin Haoyu, but I didn't realize Gu Nan's treachery."
"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind," Shen Ming chuckled softly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "How do you know we're not the oriole?"
"ah?"
Shen Ming had no intention of answering her question, but patted her shoulder and said, "Get ready. Gu Nan will be over soon, and you two girls can chat about everyday things."
"But."
“No buts,” Shen Ming said seriously, gently stroking his sister’s long hair. “Gu Nan will be staying in Ulm for an extended period next Wednesday, the day the bidding ends. You will go with her.”
"I'm not going." Shen Manman turned her back angrily.
"obedient."
Shen Ming deliberately lowered his voice, not offering any explanation to Shen Manman, and instructed, "I assure you, it will be at most two days. I will arrange for you to return to China in two days. During these two days, you must stay by Gu Nan's side at all times."
Shen Manman suddenly turned around, her eyes full of anger. She stared at Shen Ming for a few seconds, stomped her foot, and walked out.
The side door opened, and Old Master Shen strolled in slowly with his hands behind his back, his tone ambiguous: "Such a delicate thing."
Shen Ming immediately stood up: "Dad."
"Have you thought it through?"
Shen Ming smiled and raised his eyebrows with ease: "After it's done, we'll have no more worries."
Gu Nan wanted evidence of the Wan family and Lin Jianye burning down the Yun Jian villa, and of course he gave it to them.
Not only that, he also wanted to give Gu Nan another big surprise.
Mr. Shen said with admiration, "As soon as the plane arrived in Ulm, Walbus immediately shared their latest research findings with us."
Shen Ming's lips curled up, his eyes gleaming with greed, and he said confidently, "Actually, it doesn't matter whether Manman goes or not. Gu Nan is going to Ulm to seek refuge anyway, so naturally she won't leave during the layover."
As the two were talking, the servant knocked on the door.
"Sir, young master, a lady has arrived at the door. She says she has an appointment to meet with you."
Shen Ming stood up and straightened his suit: "Dad, I'm going over there."
Old Master Shen then stood up and patted him lightly from behind, his cloudy pupils flashing with a cunning light.
"Be careful, things might get complicated if you wait too long."
"I see."
But deep down, he didn't care at all; why waste time on useless people?
Under his deliberate guidance, Gu Nan repeatedly targeted the Lu family. Only Lu Yushi's tolerance allowed her to act as if nothing had happened and remain carefree. Once Lu Yushi completely despises Gu Nan, what trouble can Gu Nan cause?
The Lu family's blockchain project had been in preparation for a full year, with all procedures completed and just waiting for next year's bidding conference. The fact that they failed to win the bid, which they thought would guarantee a 100% success rate, was a loss that could not be compared to the few percentage points of profit of a branch office or the impact of a failed new product launch.
After the bidding meeting, even if Lu Yushi loves Gu Nan deeply and is willing to bear the losses, Old Man Lu will not agree.
It would be better if they all started fighting.
"Young Master Shen." Gu Nan stood with his hands at his sides, his cold gaze barely lingering before he put on a fake smile.
Shen Ming smiled broadly, pulled Gu Nan to sit down, and kept praising her: "Nan Nan, you did a great job. The new generation of Tianyu System launched by Lu's Group is exactly the same as the information you gave me. Thank you for your hard work."
Gu Nan calmly withdrew her hand: "Evidence? I'm in a hurry to leave."
Shen Ming raised his chin slightly, gesturing for the maid to hand over the file folder. He slowly leaned back, his back against the sofa armrest, his legs crossed, his posture languid, his brows lowered, taking in Gu Nan's joyful expression.
Gu Nan suddenly looked up, not missing the panic in Shen Ming's eyes as he concealed his confidence. Pretending not to know, she shook the written record in her hand of Lin Jianye and Master Wan discussing burning down the Yun Jian villa, and asked, "There's one more person?"
"Old Master Chu."
The name was as expected. Gu Nan stood up abruptly, then lowered her body in disbelief, her voice rising unconsciously: "The Chu family? I remember you and Young Master Chu were childhood friends."
“You’ve done me such a big favor, so naturally I’ll do my best to help you in return,” Shen Ming said, changing the subject, “but I have no evidence.”
Gu Nan traced a line between her teeth with her tongue, her tone sarcastic: "No evidence, or you just don't want to give it to me?"
Shen Ming put down his crossed right leg, reached out and pulled Gu Nan to sit down, explaining in a gentle tone: "Since I clearly told you that person is the old master of the Chu family, naturally you are more important than the Chu family."
"Important?" Gu Nan remained expressionless.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you the truth so you won't always be suspicious of me." Shen Ming coaxed and persuaded, his low voice clear and distinct. "I was worried that Lu Yushi would hurt you, so I kindly arranged a private jet to take you to Ulm. But thinking that you're not a member of the Shen family, and that the bodyguards might not take good care of you, I specially arranged for Manman to accompany you."
"laugh."
Gu Nan sneered.
Did they kindly offer to take her to Ulm?
I'm afraid we'll be staging a real-life Temple Run as soon as we get off the plane.
Accompanying her all the way was a pretense; her real purpose was to have Shen Manman monitor her and prevent her from leaving midway.
"After Manman posted those photos, Lin Jianye panicked and sought advice from Master Wan. During that time, the Chu family patriarch was also a frequent visitor to the Wan family's old house."
Gu Nan was still somewhat skeptical, and her tone softened slightly: "Really?"
“Why would I lie to you?” Shen Ming said.
Gu Nan paced back and forth in the living room, arms crossed, occasionally looking down as if in thought, her fingertips tapping her arm intermittently.
“You were neither the real culprit who burned down the Cloud Villa back then, nor were you involved in the affairs of the Chu and Wan families. How do you know these secrets that should not be known to anyone other than the murderer?”
Such a sharp question actually put Shen Ming at ease. Gu Nan had single-handedly prevented Lin Jianye from marrying into the Shen family, and had repeatedly stirred up trouble between the Shen and Wan families, not to mention her schemes against Lu Yushi. It was clear that she was meticulous in her thinking. If he easily believed her, he would suspect that Gu Nan was setting him up.
“Because…” Shen Ming spoke very slowly, “I personally witnessed how Master Wan gave Lin Jianye advice to tamper with the alarm system, and how he locked the doors and windows in advance, trapping everyone in the Cloud Villa. Later, many accidents happened, and coincidentally, those people knew something about it.”
"Then why did he allow your Shen family to live? It seems your existence poses a greater threat to him," Gu Nan suddenly turned around and looked at him. "Could you be accomplices?"
Shen Ming unconsciously tightened his grip on the sofa, adjusted his posture, and said with a half-smile, "If you're an accomplice, you won't get this evidence, or those words you just said, even if you helped me."
"That makes sense." Gu Nan nodded. Appropriate skepticism is beneficial and harmless; it's best to stop short of making a point.
"I never expected Young Master Shen to be so good to me."
Shen Ming waved his hand and smiled, looking relaxed.
Gu Nan deliberately changed her tone: "The Chu family and the Shen family have a deep relationship. Master Wan has also given the Shen family a lot of benefits. Young Master Shen is quite ruthless."
Shen Ming's face stiffened, his eyes narrowed, and he quickly hid his displeasure, chuckling softly, "Likewise, Lu Yushi seems to treat Miss Gu quite well, but I haven't seen Miss Gu go easy on the Lu family."
The recording abruptly stopped.
"Crack... Bang."
Master Wan crushed the teacup with just two fingers, and the table collapsed with a crash.
Gu Nan crossed his arms and leaned against the wall with a lazy smile: "Master Wan, do you still think the Shen family is on your side?"
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