Chapter 80 The Truth
This distant and cold address was like two slaps to the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Gu, freezing them instantly, their feigned grief and strength fading away.
Gu Yunqing ignored their sudden change in expression and instead turned her gaze to Jun Xiangbei, who had been sitting silently in the main seat, seemingly detached from the situation, yet subtly controlling the atmosphere of the entire room.
“Brother Bei,” Gu Yunqing’s voice was soft, yet carried a strange certainty, “There are some things that you may know better than I do.”
Jun Xiangbei raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the grim-faced Gu family couple, finally settling on Gu Yunqing's face, which held a mixture of inquiry and understanding.
He did not deny it, but simply stated the facts he had investigated:
“You all knew long ago that Yun Qing was not your biological son.” Jun Xiangbei spoke, tearing away the veil of hypocrisy in the Gu family’s family relationship with his first words. “So for the past twenty years, you have always kept a distance from him and never truly treated him as your own son.”
Father Gu's expression changed drastically. He wanted to retort, but he was speechless under Jun Xiangbei's all-knowing gaze.
"After finding Lin Bufan, your attitude towards him changed drastically." Jun Xiangbei continued, his tone flat, yet every word was like a knife.
"Not only that, your biological son, Lin Bufan, suffers from hereditary leukemia."
Gu Yunqing's pupils contracted slightly. He knew about this; it was in the original owner's memories.
“He is a match for Lin Bufan’s bone marrow.” Jun Xiangbei’s gaze turned to Gu Yunqing, with a hint of complex emotion that was barely perceptible. “You had him donate bone marrow once.”
Gu Yunqing nodded. In the original owner's memories, there was indeed a "voluntary" bone marrow donation. At that time, the Gu family was extremely grateful to him, but not long after, their attitude returned to indifference, and even became worse.
Moreover, after the bone marrow donation, there was a family reunion banquet, with only two days in between.
“That time,” Jun Xiangbei’s voice turned cold, “you promised that ‘the debt of raising us has been repaid, and we are even from now on.’”
Mr. and Mrs. Gu's faces turned deathly pale.
“And this time you came knocking on our door,” Jun Xiangbei’s gaze pierced the already tottering couple like an icicle, “not just because you’re jealous of his projects and resources, but also because—”
He paused, each word carrying a chilling coldness:
"Lin Bufan has been diagnosed with severe kidney disease and needs a kidney transplant. You've come to take him back so he can donate another kidney."
boom--
It was like a thunderclap exploding in my mind.
Although Gu Yunqing had long suspected that the Gu family's motives were impure, upon hearing the words "kidney donation," a chill instantly ran up his spine. The despair and coldness of being schemed against and used by his closest relatives made him feel cold all over, and his fingers trembled slightly.
Gu Yunqing only knew about bone marrow donation before, and had no idea that kidney donation also existed. The Gu family... could they really be so heartless?!
The viewers in Gu Yunqing's live stream were shocked:
[Holy crap! Donating bone marrow wasn't enough, they also want to donate a kidney?! Are they even human?!]
[The Gu family is disgusting! What do they take Yun Qing for? A mobile organ bank?!]
No wonder the OOC (Out of Character) score was so high before; this family is unbelievable.
[Brother Bei is so cool, he practically skinned them alive.]
"No...it's not like that..." Gu's mother tried to explain in a panic, her voice shrill, "We really want him to come home...a kidney donor...we can find another kidney donor..."
"Looking for?" Jun Xiangbei interrupted her coldly, a faint hint of sarcasm playing on his lips.
"Where are suitable kidney donors so easy to find? Wouldn't it be more convenient to have an existing, matched, and easily controlled 'adopted child'?"
His words completely tore away the last fig leaf of the Gu family.
Father Gu trembled with rage, pointing at Jun Xiangbei: "You...you're spouting nonsense! This is our family matter, and it's none of your business as an outsider!"
"Family matters?" Gu Yunqing suddenly laughed, a cold laugh filled with endless mockery and relief. He slowly stood up.
“From the moment you started plotting to take my bone marrow and my kidneys, there has been no family business between us.”
Gu Yunqing took a deep breath, feeling as if some kind of shackle that had been binding her soul had snapped with the revelation of the truth and the resolute words.
"The debt of gratitude for raising me?" Gu Yunqing repeated the word, her eyes as cold as frost. "That debt of gratitude was exhausted long ago when you used me as a medicinal ingredient."
"From this day forward, I, Gu Yunqing, sever all ties with the Gu family."
He spoke each word clearly and forcefully.
The OOC index fluctuated wildly at this moment, but eventually stabilized at 35%.
The system determined that after experiencing such extreme betrayal and exploitation, the character's reaction of making a complete break and seeking stronger protection is a completely reasonable and logical personality evolution.
Mr. and Mrs. Gu were furious and embarrassed by his words, and wanted to say something more.
Jun Xiangbei had already lost his patience. He stood up, looked down at the couple, and said in a low voice, but with an undeniable order to leave: "I've made my point. Please leave."
He didn't even give the Gu couple a chance to speak again, and directly signaled the bodyguard to "see them out."
Under the "polite" but forceful "escort" of the bodyguards, the Gu couple left the Jun family villa in a disheveled state.
After the noise subsided, only Gu Yunqing and Jun Xiangbei remained in the living room.
Gu Yunqing stood still, his back still straight, but his slightly trembling fingertips betrayed his inner turmoil.
The break just now, though seemingly satisfying, had drained him of a lot of energy, especially since the lingering emotions of the original owner were still causing him pain.
He didn't look at Jun Xiangbei, but simply said in a low voice, "...Thank you."
Thank you for finding out the truth, and thank you for protecting me at this moment.
Jun Xiangbei walked up to him and looked at him silently.
A moment later, he suddenly reached out and gently grasped Gu Yunqing's cold, trembling hand.
Gu Yunqing stiffened slightly, raised her head, and met Jun Xiangbei's eyes, which were no longer calm and still.
There was complexity within it, clarity within it, and a profound focus that he couldn't comprehend.
"Let's go up and get some fresh air." Jun Xiangbei didn't say much, but took his hand and led him to the rooftop terrace.
A cool evening breeze dispelled the suffocating oppression in the living room. The city lights stretched out beneath my feet like a flowing galaxy.
The two stood side by side in front of the railing, speechless for a moment.
After a long while, Jun Xiangbei finally spoke, his voice sounding somewhat low in the night wind:
“I know,” he turned his head, looking at Gu Yunqing’s profile as her hair was blown by the wind, his eyes serious yet complicated, “you have been using me all along.”
Gu Yunqing's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively wanted to defend herself.
But Jun Xiangbei didn't give him a chance and continued, his tone as calm as if stating a fact: "But I don't care."
Gu Yunqing froze, looking at him in astonishment.
Jun Xiangbei's gaze met his, and something seemed to slowly melt away in those cold eyes, revealing an almost stubborn honesty:
"From the first moment I saw you in the banquet hall, I knew that you should be mine."
He paused, seemingly considering his words, but ultimately chose the most straightforward expression: "You give me a fatal sense of familiarity and attraction."
Gu Yunqing's heart began to pound uncontrollably.
He looked at Jun Xiangbei, and for the first time, he shed all pretense and calculation in his presence, his eyes revealing genuine confusion and a hint of barely perceptible vulnerability, as he softly asked:
Even if... I'm meticulously planning and taking every step with careful strategy?
Jun Xiangbei looked at his rare, unguarded state, and his icy lips seemed to soften almost imperceptibly for a moment.
He raised his hand and gently brushed away a stray strand of hair that had been blown across Gu Yunqing's forehead by the wind, the movement as natural as if he had done it a thousand times.
His fingertips, slightly cool in temperature, touched Gu Yunqing's skin, sending a shiver down her spine for no apparent reason.
Then, he heard Jun Xiangbei answer clearly in that cool and resolute voice:
"I gladly accept your schemes."
The viewers in Gu Yunqing's live stream never expected to be subjected to this display of affection:
Ahhh, it's so sweet, I'm done.
[Beishen's love talk skills are maxed out!]
Is this a confession? It's definitely a confession.
[OOC, look! OOC, it's down to 30%! Oh my god!]
Gu Yunqing's pupils contracted slightly as she stared blankly at Jun Xiangbei, almost unable to believe her ears, let alone the wildly fluctuating numbers in the corner of her vision—the OOC index had miraculously plummeted to 30% at this moment.
Looking into Jun Xiangbei's eyes, which clearly reflected his own image, Gu Yunqing felt an almost absurd sense of security for the first time in this perilous dungeon world.
He slowly relaxed his tense shoulders, and even very lightly, almost imperceptibly, squeezed Jun Xiangbei's hand back.
No further words are needed.
Some alliances begin with calculations, but may end up...something else.
After coming down from the terrace, something seemed different.
Gu Yunqing no longer sees Jun Xiangbei merely as a "backer" and "target" to be carefully dealt with, but as an ally who can truly fight alongside her.
In Jun Xiangbei's study, the two truly began to join forces.
Gu Yunqing revealed without reservation all the secrets and weaknesses he knew about the Gu family's business, as well as the methods the Gu family might use to retaliate or smear him based on the available intelligence.
He was meticulous in his thinking and ruthless in his actions, devising a series of counterattack strategies targeting the Gu family's core industries and key figures.
"...They value the logistics hub project in the north of the city the most. We can start by exploiting the loopholes in their environmental review and bring the project to a standstill."
“Deputy Director Li is their biggest protector. I have some records of his ‘hobbies’ here, which may be able to ‘help’ him get a different position.”
"In terms of public opinion, they will definitely play the family card. We can take the initiative and selectively reveal some facts about Lin Bufan's illness and the injustices they have done to me before, so as to seize the moral high ground..."
Gu Yunqing analyzed the situation meticulously, her eyes calm, even carrying a hint of chilling ruthlessness.
At this moment, he was no longer the innocent "little white flower" who needed protection, but instead revealed the sharp fangs of an infinite flow player and the mastermind behind it all.
Jun Xiangbei listened quietly without interrupting.
He watched Gu Yunqing scribbling on the paper, outlining a comprehensive trap for the Gu family, and his indifferent eyes grew increasingly appreciative.
Only after Gu Yunqing finished speaking did he slowly reply, "Okay."
There was no questioning, no hesitation, only complete trust and support.
He immediately picked up the internal phone and began to mobilize the Jun family's resources and connections to push Gu Yunqing's plan forward with greater efficiency and power.
One of them devised strategies with precision and ruthlessness; the other mobilized resources with swift and decisive action.
The coordination was seamless, and the counterattack was swift and effective.
With the Gu family's core projects suffering setbacks one after another, their protectors being transferred from key positions, and public opinion, guided by the Jun family's media, began to overwhelmingly sympathize with Gu Yunqing and condemn the Gu family for "cold-bloodedly exploiting their adopted son" and "being greedy and insatiable."
The Gu family was caught off guard, suffered heavy losses, and were in a state of utter chaos.
In this process, Gu Yunqing's decisiveness and ruthlessness were in stark contrast to his usual gentle image in front of Jun Xiangbei and even to outsiders.
However, both the system rules and Jun Xiangbei expressed their "understanding" of this.
The system determined that self-defense and counterattack after encountering extreme persecution, along with the use of necessary commercial and public opinion means, falls within the scope of reasonable behavior.
The OOC index remained stable at 36%, with a slight increase, but because the motivation was reasonable, it did not trigger a rule alert.
As for Jun Xiangbei, looking at Gu Yunqing's sparkling, sharp eyes as she strategized behind the scenes, he felt... she was even more attractive.
He didn't seem to care about how many sides Gu Yunqing had, whether she was vulnerable, docile, or sharp and assertive like she was now; he accepted them all.
Even when Gu Yunqing frowns slightly because of a thorny problem, he will take the initiative to offer better solutions, as if they are working together to create an interesting work.
“We can try a different approach here,” Jun Xiangbei said calmly, pointing to a section of the plan. “I can use my connections to do this faster and more thoroughly than going to the media for exposure.”
Gu Yunqing's eyes lit up: "Brother Bei, you're so thoughtful."
He looked at Jun Xiangbei, his eyes sparkling with the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent, as well as reliance and trust.
Jun Xiangbei looked into his bright eyes, and the corners of his icy lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly.
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