Chapter 4: Dad Got Beaten

Gu Xia walked out of the Empire Building, still feeling as if she was hallucinating. Did the recent events feel like a dramatic and over-the-top ordeal? A raffle? A husband? To hell with that—she had long discovered that marrying into wealth was not her destiny; she might as well stay single, right?

As the raffle ended, the crowd in front of the building also gradually dispersed. Gu Xia finally breathed a sigh of relief, received orders from her superiors that she could go home, and wanted nothing more than to sprint all the way home, take a shower, and eat some ice cream to cool off from the scorching August heat in G City.

When Gu Xia was returning home around noon, she was considering whether to order some takeout as her dad would be in the Martial Arts Hall.

At that moment, her phone rang. It was a call from their neighbor, Uncle Liu, informing her that her dad was injured and in the hospital.

Gu Xia frantically hailed a taxi to the hospital and saw her father in the emergency room, his head and legs wrapped in bandages.

"Uncle Liu, what happened to my dad?" Gu Xia pushed through the surrounding crowd and rushed in.

Uncle Liu, who was close to Mr. Gu, explained, "It was all the ruckus caused by the Du Family's dogs. Today, two people from the Du Family, claiming to be the Chairman's son and daughter, came with a demolition team intending to forcibly tear down our place. We clashed with them, your dad was at the front when someone pushed him, and he fell back onto a rock, injuring his head and legs. Those two scoundrels probably fled quickly... They didn't even pay the medical bills."

After hearing the full story, Gu Xia bit her lip, her heart filled with extreme anger.

She and her dad lived in a 60-square-meter two-bedroom apartment that was so rundown it scarcely resembled a home anymore—the wall paint had long peeled off. In Gu Xia's room, Mr. Gu had cheaply re-papered the walls himself, making it somewhat resemble a bedroom again.

Father and daughter had been living there for over twenty years; Gu Xia was just six months old when Mr. Gu had brought her home to raise her.

This had even angered Mr. Gu's ex-wife, who, unabashedly and heartlessly, packed her bags and left to find her old flame.

And that old flame was none other than Du Chenglin, now a real estate magnate and the heir to the Du Family interests.

Coincidentally, the impoverished area they lived in had long been marked for redevelopment. Last year, the Du Family won the bid for the land, but since they offered a very low price, it satisfied few residents, so an agreement was never reached. Mr. Gu, acting as the residents' representative, became a primary target of attack.

The Du Family's vicious son and daughter would come around every so often to make trouble and hurl unpleasant words at Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu had a broad mind and didn't want to stoop to arguing with the younger generation, but Gu Xia was different—she was quite adept at clashing with others.

"Damn it... I'm going to settle accounts with them," Gu Xia clenched her fists and stood up to leave.

But she was held back by Gu Jian Country, "Xiao Xia, don't be rash. Remember, we live in a society governed by law."

Before Gu Xia could respond, she heard a noisy commotion behind her. Turning around, she was slightly taken aback.

It was a middle-aged beauty with a high hair bun, an oval face, and red lips and white teeth, looking to be only in her forties.

She was dressed in a deep red cheongsam, the fabric looking expensive and luxurious, and the handbag she carried was indeed a limited edition Hermès.

"Yufang... Mom," Gu Xia felt a bit awkward since it had been a long time since they last met.

This person was none other than Mr. Gu's ex-wife who had now become the wealthy Mrs. Du of the Du Family — Liang Yufang.

"Everyone, please leave. I need to speak a few words with Old Gu," Liang Yufang, seeming not to want to speak much with Gu Xia or liking those old neighbors, gave a somewhat frosty look.

Everyone understood their relationship, and the crowd immediately dispersed, leaving the hospital room suddenly quiet.

Liang Yufang walked in and met the eyes of Gu Jian Country, lying on the hospital bed. In that instant, Mr. Gu's expression grew complex.

"Old Gu, can we talk for a bit?" Liang Yufang spoke in a tone that was strictly business.

"What's there to talk about?" Mr. Gu turned his head, seemingly unwilling to face this woman directly.