Chapter 20: Past Events
This residence was actually arranged by the Security Bureau for Gu Nansheng. Although it looks inconspicuous from the outside, it is home to many retired cadres and scientists, and the security facilities and environment are first-class.
Gu Nansheng didn't explain. She just asked Zhou Yu to drive the car into the community. Then she said to Zhou Yu, "Do you want to come in and sit down?"
Zhou Yu was already very curious about Gu Nansheng, so he naturally wouldn't refuse.
Gu Nansheng lives on the top floor of a villa, which also has a loft and a terrace. The two floors together cover more than 200 square meters. The interior decoration of the house is not luxurious, but it is warm and comfortable.
Although it was still not as good as the rich woman's residence in Zhou Yu's mind, it was much better than he had just imagined.
Gu Nansheng was very satisfied with the house arranged for her by the Security Bureau, otherwise she would not have given up her own properties to live here.
Of course, she also wanted to avoid causing trouble to her colleagues in the Security Bureau as much as possible.
The three of them had lunch together and discussed the next work arrangements. Zhou Yu, who had work to do in the afternoon, suggested leaving.
Before leaving, he frowned at the sight of Gu Beiming sprawled on the sofa, playing with his phone. He tentatively asked, "Xiaoming, aren't you going back to the company apartment? It'll be much more convenient for your work there."
Gu Beiming raised his head and glanced at him, then refused without hesitation, "No, if I don't live with my sister, why would I live outside? As for work, Brother Yu, I know you'll send a car to pick me up."
Zhou Yu wasn't surprised by the expected answer, but he couldn't help but complain, "Hey, now that you have your real sister, you've forgotten about me, your fake brother. You only serve to enslave me~"
Then he was attacked by Gu Beiming's pillow.
After chatting and laughing, Zhou Yu slowly walked out of the door.
There is no underground parking garage in the community, so after Zhou Yu goes downstairs, he needs to cross the central courtyard of the community to drive to the parking lot.
Anyway, he was a bit bored, so Zhou Yu, who was already curious about where Gu Nansheng lived, began to look around.
Unlike other old communities, this one has a large green area and a quiet environment. Although there are many elderly people, there are no people with noisy children.
Moreover, the temperament of those elderly people who were taking a walk was different from that of ordinary elderly people, as if they had been in high positions for a long time.
Zhou Yu boasted that he had met many powerful people in the entertainment industry, but he had rarely seen people with such outstanding temperament, not to mention that there were so many of them in this community!
Moreover, he always felt that he was being watched from behind from time to time, as if someone was always monitoring him.
At this moment, he was full of doubts and began to wonder if this community might be a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers were hidden.
Zhou Yu has always been a curious person. Once he had this idea, he immediately observed his surroundings more carefully.
Especially when he saw two old men talking on the side of the road, using words like "X country" and "army" in their conversation, he couldn't help but put his ears closer.
However, just when he was about to hear clearly, a young man in security uniform suddenly threw him to the ground and said fiercely, "Tell me! What information are you trying to eavesdrop on?!"
At this moment, not only did Zhou Yu's back feel extremely painful from being hit by the floor, but his brain also short-circuited instantly.
What the hell? How did he become a spy? What kind of place is this community?
In the end, Zhou Yu was able to leave the community only under Gu Nansheng's "bail".
As he left the security room, the security guard was still saying to him, "Don't ask about things you shouldn't ask about, okay? Don't be so curious!"
He really wanted to ask Gu Nansheng what kind of community this was, but when he thought of the scene when he was pinned to the ground, he swallowed and decided to keep quiet.
Forget it, curiosity killed the cat, so it’s better for him not to ask.
He looked at Gu Nansheng with even more admiration. Anyone who could live in such a community was definitely not an ordinary person. He was too narrow-minded before!
But he should not come to this community again in the future. He really can’t afford to get hurt.
*
Chen Jiayan and Chen Taining returned home together the next morning.
However, compared with the affectionate and warm atmosphere when they set out, the atmosphere between the two siblings was very cold on the way back.
Chen Taining had a cold face all the time, and apart from occasionally making a few sarcastic remarks about Chen Jiayan, he had no other words.
Chen Jiayan was also angry and did not coax Chen Taining like she used to.
The Chen family's villa is located in a high-end community in the suburbs of S City. The villa has five floors and is home to the Chen family's four members and two nannies.
As soon as the two siblings entered the yard, the servants easily took over the luggage from their hands.
At this time, Chen's parents were also sitting on the sofa in the living room. They were both dressed very exquisitely, just like all the successful people in the upper class.
In particular, Chen's mother has taken good care of herself. She looks only forty years old even though she is in her fifties.
Seeing the two siblings come in, Chen's father and mother both smiled brightly and went up to them to ask about their well-being.
"How was the recording of this show?"
"Have you been wronged? Especially Xiaoning, you've been spoiled since childhood, how could you bear such hardship? Jiayan, have you taken good care of your brother?"
"Yeah, I see Xiao Ning has gotten tanned, and I feel so bad for her. I told you long ago that there's no need to participate in such a tiring program. I might as well go find the boss of Starlight Entertainment and ask him to give you some high-end resources like national performances."
…
On the surface, Chen's parents were concerned about the two siblings who had returned, but if you listened carefully, you could understand that most of their words of concern were directed at Chen Taining.
Chen Jiayan is so smart, how could she not hear the favoritism shown unconsciously by her parents?
However, she has been living like this for the past ten years. She has long been accustomed to it and has learned to maintain a decent smile on her face no matter what she hears.
It’s a pity that Chen Taining obviously didn’t want to maintain the current harmony. After hearing his parents’ caring questions, he immediately complained bitterly.
"Everything else was fine. After all, I was mentally prepared when I participated in this program. I just didn't expect to be stabbed in the back by the person closest to me."
After saying that, Chen Taining looked at Chen Jiayan provocatively, as if to say, "Just wait and see how your parents deal with you."
Hearing their beloved son say this, Chen's parents immediately turned their guns towards Chen Jiayan.
Mother Chen was angry and anxious, "Jia Yan, what did you do to your brother? Why is Xiao Ning so angry?"
Father Chen also said, "Jia Yan, you are a big sister, how can you not take good care of your brother?"
When Chen Jiayan heard these words from her parents, her heart, which she thought had long been numb, still ached uncontrollably.
Sure enough, they were like this no matter what time it was. They always believed Chen Taining's words to accuse her.
But perhaps because it had happened so many times, she quickly calmed down and then started to speak out the words she had prepared long ago.
"Mom and Dad, I can't do anything about this. It's because the evidence that Gu Nansheng provided directly mentioned Xiaoning Studio's name. Rather than ruining both of our reputations, it's better to let Xiaoning take the blame first."
After that, she explained what happened in detail again, and finally said, "Mom and Dad, I also want to stay in Qingshan and not be afraid of having no firewood to burn. I still have a good reputation so that I can speak up for Xiaoning. I promise you that I will definitely do everything I can to deal with the public opinion about Xiaoning as soon as possible. Mom and Dad, after all these years, don't you still believe in my feelings for Xiaoning?"
After saying that, she lowered her head and acted as if she was extremely aggrieved and about to cry.
Chen's father and mother looked at Chen Jiayan and remembered that she had indeed listened to them, taken care of her younger brother, and helped the family over the years.
As a mother, Chen's mother felt a little sorry for her sensible daughter. She reached out and patted Chen Jiayan on the back, "Okay, of course we believe you. We just said harsh words in a moment of anxiety." But after thinking it over, she added, "But you still have to hurry up and help your brother clear his name. Xiao Ning is going to be a big star, how can she bear such a scandal?"
Chen Jiayan sneered in her heart, but on the surface she looked submissive, "Of course I know."
Chen Taining, who was standing by, was dissatisfied with Chen Jiayan's actions and immediately protested, but Chen Jiayan solved the problem by being ignorant.
Chen Taining was very angry when he saw this, but he was really no match for Chen Jiayan, so he could only sulk by himself.
Perhaps Chen's father and mother also wanted to deal with the people who bullied their beloved son, so they started to look at the information of Gu Nansheng and Gu Beiming together.
But after seeing Gu Nansheng's photo, Chen's father suddenly realized why this woman looked so familiar!
This was the same child he had met before! The child of unparalleled talent he had once seen!
He tried his best to maintain his composure, but distant memories came flooding back to him.
Chen's father's name is Chen Ang. More than ten years ago, he did not go into business to establish his own company, but was just an ordinary researcher in a research institute.
Although he entered a top research institute, his qualifications were actually very mediocre. But he was lucky to have a very capable partner, Gu Jiayuan.
They both have a son and a daughter, so they have a lot of common topics. As a result, they are not only good partners at work but also good friends in life.
Therefore, the two families would make plans to go out and play together during their breaks. Although the two families are not very close, they are good friends who can help each other.
Just when he thought the days would pass peacefully, they accidentally discovered a new type of material during an experiment.
Gu Jiayuan has always been extremely upright and immediately offered to hand it over to the country.
But he disagreed, because in his opinion, this new material did not fall within the research scope of their institute, but was discovered by them by chance.
If the patent for this material is sold to a large company, they will achieve financial freedom and no longer have to live the hard life of a worker like they do now.
So he and Gu Jiayuan had an argument for the first time, and neither of them could convince the other.
Until Gu Jiayuan finally said to him, "Chen Ang, I am the one who led this experiment. Only I know all the data and experimental process. I tell you, I will definitely hand over this material. As for you, you don't have any of this information. Let's see how you can sell it!"
However, just when Gu Jiayuan was about to submit the materials to the state, it was raining heavily that night. He went to pick up his wife from get off work. When passing through a tunnel, he collided with an oncoming overloaded and skidding truck. In the end, both the husband and wife died.
He was naturally very sad about the death of his friend, but then he thought that now he could do whatever he wanted.
He sorted out the information in Gu Jiayuan's office, then submitted his resignation and contacted several companies to offer the highest bid.
In the end, he successfully sold the new materials for 5 million yuan, and this money eventually became his first pot of gold.
Although his technical talent and foresight are average, he has been very lucky over the years and has hit several opportunities.
The company he founded grew into a large company with a market value of billions, and he became a well-known figure in S City, providing a good life for his wife and children. He no longer had to fawn over others and please one leader after another as he did before.
In recent years, he rarely thought about what happened back then, but when he saw Gu Nansheng now, a deep fear surged in his heart.
He must not let anyone ruin his life!
Even though he was not sure whether Gu Nansheng knew what had happened and what he thought of him, he had to strike first.
With this in mind, he called Chen Jiayan to the study and said seriously, "Jiayan, just go ahead and deal with the Gu siblings. Dad will do everything he can to help you."
Chen Jiayan was a little confused by this. She didn't understand why her father, who was always proud of his status and very calm, would be so excited. Is the reputation of his beloved son so important?
However, she was still very touched and immediately said, "Thank you, Dad. I will definitely work hard."
After all, it was the same destination, so she just accepted it.
*
During this period of time, Gu Nansheng has lived a very leisurely life.
She wandered around S City casually, visited the places where she used to live, and occasionally met up with several old friends.
When Gu Beiming didn't need to make an announcement, he would follow Gu Nansheng like a little tail. Even though he had no interest in the libraries, science and technology museums, and university research institutes that Gu Nansheng visited, he still enjoyed it.
Although Gu Nansheng complained in his heart that Gu Beiming was still as childish as he was when he was a kid, he did not reject this kind of attachment in his heart.
She knew that Gu Beiming was afraid that she would suddenly disappear again like she did five years ago, so he cherished the time he spent with her so much.
But when he suddenly thought of tomorrow's date, Gu Nansheng felt something was wrong.
Gu Beiming cannot be allowed to follow, after all, he and Huo Sinian had been at odds since they were young.
But how to get rid of him?
Gu Nansheng began to think about what had happened recently. Gu Beiming was a top star after all, and Gu Nansheng also had some fame after the variety show. The two of them were recognized and watched by the public from time to time, so much so that they often had to go home halfway through their shopping.
So she cleared her throat and said, "Xiao Ming, it's really a challenge to go shopping with you now. Can't you just be a little more ordinary? We get recognized every time we go out."
Gu Beiming was also helpless about this, but he was unwilling to give in easily, "Sister, you have been recognized many times."
Gu Nansheng thought about the scene when he went to buy ice cream and was surrounded by people. It seemed that he really had no reason to blame Gu Beiming.
However, she was determined not to bring Gu Beiming with her tomorrow, so she pretended to complain, "In that case, my suggestion is that we should play separately tomorrow. One person is always less capable than two people. And Xiaoming, you're already a grown-up kid, you can't always follow your sister."
Gu Beiming subconsciously wanted to refuse, but he stopped just as the words were about to come out of his mouth.
He and his sister have been getting along well during this period, and his sister didn't show any rejection on her face. But now she suddenly doesn't want him to follow her. There must be something fishy going on.
He wanted to see what his sister was going to do tomorrow!
Thinking of this, he said, "Oh, I remembered I have an announcement tomorrow. Since you said so, then you can go alone."
Gu Nansheng was a little surprised that Gu Beiming suddenly made an announcement, but when he thought about the fact that celebrities’ schedules were flexible, he thought it was normal.
She nodded and said, "Okay, let's do it this way."
*
The next day at noon, Gu Nansheng estimated the time and went out.
Originally, Huo Sinian wanted to ask her out when she first arrived in S City. However, Huo's overseas business suddenly encountered a serious problem, so Huo Sinian had to fly abroad to deal with business matters and only returned today.
After leaving the community, Gu Nansheng saw Huo Sinian who had been waiting on the street.
Huo Sinian was wearing a custom-made slim-fit suit today. He was tall and slender, standing with his back straight next to the black Maybach. He was very different from the gentle senior in the white shirt in my impression.
However, Gu Nansheng had to admit that Huo Sinian looked more handsome like this. It turned out that most women had a dream of becoming a domineering CEO.
Huo Sinian obviously saw her as well. A smile appeared on his originally cold face, like a melting glacier. He waved at her and said, "Nan Sheng, here."
Gu Nansheng trotted over and looked at Huo Sinian, jokingly saying, "Not bad. Wearing a suit and tie, you look like a domineering CEO."
Huo Sinian shrugged and said, "There's no way you can fool people in the business world. Just like in the research institute, most people wear the same white coats. Few people dress flashily, except you, of course."
This joke successfully dispelled the last bit of awkwardness between the two. Gu Nansheng stuck out his tongue and said with a smile, "Okay, let's talk in the car. Besides, I'm so hungry."
Huo Sinian naturally would not refuse this. He turned around, opened the passenger door, let Gu Nansheng get in, and then drove away.
What they didn't know was that after they left, Gu Beiming, wearing sunglasses and a mask, ran out from behind the telephone pole, then hurriedly hailed a taxi and got in.
Gu Beiming, who was sitting in the car, was gritting his teeth. He knew that his sister must have been hiding something from him. He didn't expect that she was going to meet Huo Sinian!
Although Huo Sinian looked handsome and upright, he had long seen through the man's hidden ill intentions towards his sister.
Damn it! His sister treated him as a gentle senior and work partner, but that guy actually wanted to seduce his sister, which really tarnished his sister's pure feelings!
He certainly couldn't stand by and watch his sister get deceived and fall into the trap of that hypocritical guy.
Thinking of this, he said to the taxi driver, "Driver, just follow the Maybach in front."
The taxi driver was a little intimidated by luxury cars. He couldn't afford to pay for any damages if they were to hit him. He was about to refuse when he heard the boy behind him say, "Go ahead and drive. I'll give you ten times the fare. If anything goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility."
Thinking of the tenfold fare, and still feeling somewhat confident in his own driving skills after more than a decade of experience, the driver nodded and agreed immediately, "Okay, just sit tight. Trust my skills, I won't lose you."
*
Gu Nansheng and Huo Sinian did not make the appointment at any high-end restaurant, but instead came to a hot pot restaurant near the university, which was also their favorite place.
The hot pot restaurant business is still booming, and the environment is much better than it was five years ago.
Gu Nansheng remembered that the owner of the hot pot restaurant always said that taste was the most important and the environment was not important. Has he changed his mind and come to terms with it?
It was lunchtime and the lobby of the hot pot restaurant was already full of college students. However, Huo Sinian had obviously made a reservation in advance. As soon as they entered the door, a waiter came up to greet them and took them into the private room.
Gu Nansheng was a little surprised. She remembered that when she was in college, the hot pot restaurant didn’t have private rooms?
Has the owner of the hot pot restaurant changed so much in the five years since she left?
Thinking this, she asked, and then she heard Huo Sinian say, "Two years ago, when I came here to eat hot pot, the owner told me that he was planning to close the shop because of something going on back home. I figured this place would be a source of our memories, and since I had money, I decided to buy it and provide more affordable and delicious hot pot for the students at this university."
Gu Nansheng's heart was filled with an indescribable feeling of being touched and sweet. She knew that Huo Sinian bought this for her.
In the past, it was because she loved hotpot that she would drag him and his junior brothers and sisters to this restaurant every time, but Huo Sinian himself preferred light taste.
She even forced him to eat the red pot for the first time, and then made him, who had always been clean and refreshing, sweat all over his forehead and drink water continuously.
The atmosphere suddenly became ambiguous, and Gu Nansheng quickly picked up the menu and started flipping through it in order to change the subject.
The prices of the dishes on the menu are still the same as they were five years ago. Five years ago, the pricing of this hot pot restaurant was to make small profits but quick turnover. To be able to maintain such prices today when prices are soaring, Huo Sinian can be said to be really losing money to maintain this hot pot restaurant.
Gu Nansheng felt her face getting even hotter. How could this man be so capable?!
After a long while, she could only let out an awkward laugh and said, "The price of this dish hasn't increased at all. I really want to thank you, boss, on behalf of my fellow students."
Huo Sinian replied in a relaxed manner, "As a senior, it's my duty to take care of the younger students."
With Huo Sinian as the boss, the dishes were naturally served to them as soon as possible. After being immersed in the delicious hot pot, Gu Nansheng no longer had time to pay attention to those ambiguous feelings.
After all, love affairs are not as important as eating.
Huo Sinian was obviously very sensible. Apart from helping Gu Nansheng to eat with serving chopsticks, he did not engage in any more intimate behavior, which made Gu Nansheng greatly relieved.
After finishing his meal, Gu Nansheng started talking about business.
Naturally, the reason she came to see Huo Sinian this time was not just to reminisce about the past, but to get the information about the Chen family that she asked Huo Sinian to help her investigate.
Huo Sinian pulled out a file bag from behind his back, his expression serious. "I originally thought the Chen family was just an ordinary wealthy family, but when I investigated, I found out their story was actually quite interesting, and I also found out that you have a connection to them."
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It's on Sunday, so the update will be postponed to 11pm that day.
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