Chapter 13
Edward Quan ·
He smiled.
“Thank you all for coming.”
Applause rang out.
He continued:
“Today is a happy day for the Gu family.”
“My daughter-in-law has woken up.”
“My grandson has returned safely.”
“And Gu Group is about to enter a new phase of growth.”
I stood beside Gu Mingzhe.
I watched the smile on the old man’s face.
For some reason, I felt a chill crawl up my spine.
The old man raised his glass.
“On this occasion, I’d also like to announce a decision.”
The entire hall fell silent.
He looked at Gu Mingzhe.
Then said slowly:
“From today onward, I will officially hand over control of the group to my son.”
Applause broke out at once.
I was stunned.
Gu Mingzhe also paused.
Clearly, he hadn’t known about this in advance.
Old Master Gu smiled.
“Mingzhe, come up here.”
He stood motionless.
Only after a long while did he step forward.
The old man handed him a stack of papers.
“Just sign here.”
I looked at the documents.
My heart suddenly began to pound.
For some reason, I remembered what Baozi had said:
“Mom argued with Grandpa because she wouldn’t sign the papers.”
I immediately stepped forward.
“Wait!”
The whole hall turned toward us.
Gu Mingzhe looked at me.
So did Old Master Gu.
He frowned slightly.
“Ms. Song?”
I took a deep breath.
Then asked seriously:
“Mr. Gu, may I see the papers first?”
The hall erupted in whispers.
The old man looked at me.
“What right do you have?”
I froze.
That was true.
What right did I have?
I was only a new employee.
Not a shareholder.
Not a lawyer.
And not a member of the Gu family.
But just then, a woman’s voice came from the doorway.
“She has every right.”
Everyone turned.
Xia Siyu was sitting in a wheelchair.
My mother stood beside her.
She looked straight at Old Master Gu.
Then said slowly:
“Because she is the rightful heir to the assets you stole.”
The hall erupted.
Me: “???”
Wait a minute.
I only came here to collect my overtime pay!
How had I suddenly become an heir?
Chapter 17: The Poor Girl and the Three Billion Yuan That Fell from the Sky
I stood frozen.
Only after a long while did I turn to my mother.
“Mom?”
She looked at me.
Her eyes were full of guilt.
“Ruoxi, I’m sorry.”
I panicked immediately.
“What are you apologizing for?”
She didn’t answer.
Xia Siyu looked at me.
Then at everyone.
“Twenty-three years ago, my grandfather made a will.”
“He left part of his shares to his two daughters.”
“My mother, Xia Qinglan.”
“And my aunt, Song Qingmei.”
I was stunned.
Song Qingmei.
That was my mother.
Xia Siyu continued:
“But after he died, some people forged transfer documents.”
“The assets that belonged to my aunt were transferred to a company controlled by Old Master Gu.”
The hall murmured.
Old Master Gu’s expression turned cold.
“Siyu, you just woke up. You shouldn’t listen to outsiders.”
Xia Siyu looked at him.
“Outsiders?”
She laughed.
“You’re calling my aunt an outsider?”
Old Master Gu fell silent.
Xia Siyu continued:
“Would you like me to play the recording from back then?”
His expression changed immediately.
But only for an instant.
He answered coldly:
“If you have evidence, then present it.”
Gu Mingzhe stepped forward.
He picked up the remote control.
The large screen behind the stage lit up.
A series of documents appeared.
Forged contracts.
Bank transactions.
A handwriting-examination report.
And the recovered recording.
Old Master Gu’s voice rang through the hall.
“As long as Qinglan can no longer testify in court, this will be over.”
The atmosphere froze at once.
I looked at the old man.
For the first time, the smile had disappeared from his face completely.
But he did not panic.
Instead—
He laughed.
“You think you can convict me on the basis of one old recording?”
Gu Mingzhe looked at his father.
“Dad.”
The old man turned to him.
“You suspect me too?”
Gu Mingzhe clenched his fist.
“I just want to know the truth.”
The old man laughed coldly.
“The truth?”
“Do you know who built this group?”
“Do you know how much I had to sacrifice to get where I am today?”
Gu Mingzhe looked at him.
“I know.”
“Then how can you…”
“But I can’t accept that you harmed other people.”
Old Master Gu froze.
The entire hall fell silent.
After a long while, he said slowly:
“Mingzhe.”
“You’re choosing outsiders over your own father?”
Gu Mingzhe looked at Xia Siyu.
Then at Baozi.
Finally, he answered:
“I’m choosing the truth.”
I stood beside him.
For some reason, I felt a little moved.
But just then, a man suddenly rushed onto the stage.
Chen Kai.
The former driver.
He pointed straight at Old Master Gu.
“It was him!”
The hall erupted.
Chen Kai shouted:
“Three months ago, he was the one who told me to change Madam’s route!”
“He said if I did as he asked, he’d pay me a large sum of money!”
Old Master Gu went pale.
“You’re talking nonsense!”
Chen Kai sneered.
“I have a recording!”
The old man immediately looked around.
His eyes were full of panic.
And just then—
The doors to the hall opened.
A group of police officers came in.
The older officer from before appeared.
He looked at Old Master Gu.
“Mr. Gu, we need you to come with us for questioning about the matters under investigation.”
Old Master Gu stood motionless.
After a long while, he laughed.
A dry, brittle laugh.
“Do you think this is the end?”
I suddenly sensed something was wrong.
He looked straight at me.
“Song Ruoxi.”
I jumped.
“Yes?”
He said slowly:
“Do you really think you’re the true heir?”
I was stunned.
He laughed coldly.
“Do you know why your mother hid your identity for twenty-three years?”
My mother’s face immediately turned pale.
“Stop!”
But the old man continued:
“Because if your real identity were made public…”
He paused.
Looking at me with a strange expression.
“The first person who would want you gone wouldn’t be me.”
I went cold all over.
“Then who?”
The old man smiled.
“The person who gave birth to you.”
Chapter 18: Is My Dad Not My Biological Father?
I felt as if all the sounds around me had suddenly disappeared.
The person who gave birth to me?
I turned to my mother.
She stood motionless.