Chapter 70: Past Events

He turned around, gazing upon her.

Liang Shu jogged lightly to his side. The wound on her knee still stung a bit, so she furrowed her brows and said, "Could you wait for me, please?"

The man glanced at Liang Shu, then glanced at Xiao Chen behind him, and said to the driver, Xiao Chen, "Take Madam back to Zero Mansion."

Xiao Chen nodded, "Yes, sir."

Then, Gu Hansheng strode towards his car, and Liang Shu followed, wanting to catch up. Xiao Chen called out to her from behind, "Madam, sir said to take you back to Zero Mansion."

Liang Shu didn't even turn her head, "You go back yourself, I'll go with the sir."

Gu Hansheng opened the car door and got in. As he started the car, the passenger door opened, and Liang Shu slipped in, staring at him.

"Today, it was my fault. Actually, there was nothing wrong with me. I told you not to come over at that time."

Gu Hansheng took out a cigarette and lit it, scoffing, "So, it's my fault for coming over, or am I wrong, Madam Gu?"

The woman shook her head. Her nose was red from the cold, but her face remained fair, with a hint of absurdity, "No, no, I'm very happy that you came, extremely happy indeed."

"It's quite joyful, with other men," he said harshly, taking a drag from his cigarette, then added, "One wouldn't even know you were hit by his car."

Liang Shu glared at him, her eyes very captivating.

She leisurely said, "Mr. Gu, your tone makes it seem like you're jealous."

This man was really despicable.

He smoked without opening the car window to let the smoke out, so the entire car was filled with smoke in no time. Despite Liang Shu's words, he still blew a smoke ring towards her, "You know I would be jealous, yet you still provoke me. You're quite courageous."

Liang Shu wanted to explain her relationship with Lu Zian, but she couldn't find a way to start now.

It was strange. She had spent so many years in the Lu family, which could even be considered the richest experience in her life, but the way Gu Hansheng looked at her, it seemed like he knew nothing at all.

Didn't he investigate her background?

Impossible.

Then, could he not find anything?

With Gu Hansheng's ability, it seemed unlikely.

Liang Shu sighed silently and voluntarily recounted everything she had done today, "I went to see Qian Hui in the afternoon, intending to settle things with her, but I never thought I would encounter such an incident."

At this point, Liang Shu suddenly came to her senses.

It seemed that since she married Gu Hansheng, she had been constantly causing trouble for him.

Troubles, big and small, never ceased.

Could it be that she was truly jinxed?

Liang Shu was chilled by this sudden thought. She looked at Gu Hansheng, who coldly commanded, "Get out of the car."

She shook her head, feeling a bit aggrieved, "Can't I stay in the car?"

The man rolled down the car window and casually flicked the cigarette butt outside. His thin lips uttered two sentences, "Let Xiao Chen take you back, don't make me say it a third time."

Afterward, they dawdled for another ten minutes.

Liang Shu still got out of the car.

Xiao Chen's car was nearby as well.

Liang Shu looked back at Gu Hansheng's car several times, but ultimately she got into Xiao Chen's car. Glancing at Liang Shu's red face through the rearview mirror, Xiao Chen smiled gently, "Madam, please sit comfortably."

She didn't answer, her mind heavy as she stared out the window.

On the way, she suddenly asked Xiao Chen, "Xiao Chen, do you think Mr. Gu would agree to find me a position in the company?"

Xiao Chen asked, "Madam, what do you want to do?"

Liang Shu leaned against the window, speaking somewhat lazily, "I don't know yet, but don't you think I'm too idle? As Mrs. Gu, if I can't be a helpful wife to Mr. Gu, it seems like I'm always causing trouble for him."

If it were Qi Zhen, she would surely say: "Madam Gu is quite self-aware."

But Xiao Chen said, "Sir doesn't need a perfect wife."

Right.

Gu Hansheng of the Gu family didn't need a virtuous wife. He didn't have a career that required a woman's support to stabilize or pressure from his family.

On the contrary, the commercial empire he had built through his own efforts was already vast enough, and his family was good enough.

Why would there really be such perfect people in the world?

God was truly unfair.

But Liang Shu didn't know that everyone has their own struggles.

It's just a matter of coming sooner or later.

...

At night, Gu Hansheng returned close to midnight.

There was little conversation between him and Liang Shu; it seemed like they were in a cold war.

She didn't find an opportunity to ask Gu Hansheng for the fifty thousand.

Liang Shu tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She stared at the pitch-black ceiling, recalling how she had stumbled upon the ring while sorting through old items in the cloakroom in the evening.

It was a large and stunning rare blue sapphire ring.

She had once secretly inquired about it in the black market and found out it could easily fetch over a million.

But it belonged to Lu Jinsheng.

She didn't have the courage.

With this thought, Liang Shu changed her position again. It would be New Year's Eve in two months.

New Year's Eve was the day to return to the Lu family.

...

Lu Zian thought Liang Shu would pretend not to know him, but she called him the next day.

He chuckled, "Ar Xi."

"Sister, did I bother you?"

"No, go ahead."

"In fact, the relationship between me and... Gu Hansheng is not simply explained by the words husband and wife. Anyway, thank you for not exposing me yesterday."

Lu Zian said, "If you want to distance yourself from the Lu family, Sister, of course Big Brother respects your wishes. Moreover, regarding the past, he still doesn't know about it."

"Sister, thank you."

"Do you have time? Big Brother invites you to dinner."

Liang Shu hesitated for a moment, then declined, "Next time, Brother. Can you help me with something?"

...

When Liang Shu took the fifty thousand to see Jiang Jiucheng, he was beaten half to death in an alley.

The weather was dim, and the old street lamp on the dilapidated low tile wall emitted a dim yellow light. There were faint signs of snowflakes in the air, and even the moths circling under the lamp seemed to have disappeared in this season.

The slender man huddled in the corner, his black hair and clothes covered in a thin layer of frost, with faint traces of dried blood still visible.

She walked slowly towards him, holding an umbrella, stopping about a meter away.

There were faint traces of other red marks on the ground.

Liang Shu held a card in her hand, silently watching the man who was hunched over with his head lowered into his collar.

Distant barking echoed from the depths of the alley, sounding unusually clear in the silent night.

She tossed the card in front of Jiang Jiucheng with a cold tone, "There's fifty thousand in here, neither more nor less."

Hearing the voice, the frail man lifted his head, his fingers stained with blood trembling as he reached out for the bank card in front of him. However, before his hand could grasp it, a pair of deerskin boots stepped on it.

The woman stared at him expressionlessly, her head bowed. "Where are his ashes?"

Jiang Jiucheng gasped, reaching for the protruding half of the bank card with fingers still showing signs of confusion, "Give me money, I need money..."

At this moment, he was beaten to near death, and this amount of strength was nothing to Liang Shu.

With a cold face, Liang Shu repeated herself.

Only then did Jiang Jiucheng speak, "He's in Wencheng, in Wencheng... His parents took him to Wencheng!"

Hearing this, Liang Shu moved her foot away and slowly squatted down. Her gaze met Jiang Jiucheng's, then she tugged at the corner of her lips, but said nothing.

On this same snowy evening...

An unexpected guest arrived in Qian Hui's ward.

Gu Hansheng.

Due to the medication, Qian Hui could sleep for sixteen hours a day.

She woke up from a deep sleep, her gaze seemingly consciously shifting to the window side, then unexpectedly met the dark eyes of the man sitting cross-legged on the sofa.

Outside the window was a thick night sky with snowflakes fluttering like tattered rags.

And he sat there, like a suddenly appeared deity.

Yes, those were the two words that suddenly came to Qian Hui's mind. This man was like a refreshing breeze, a rare flower on a high peak, and also the embodiment of countless romantic ideals in the hearts of many women.

But at this moment, meeting his profound and mysterious gaze, Qian Hui couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine.

Her heart raced, and even her wounds felt a bit sore.

There were only her and Gu Hansheng in the ward.

She silently clenched her fingers under the blanket, lips pursed as she looked at Gu Hansheng, her voice extremely weak as she spoke, "Mr. Gu..."

The lack of confidence symbolized fear.

The man's cold gaze fell on her, seemingly calm but the person being looked at felt as if a knife was cutting into their body, inch by inch.

It felt like torture.

He shifted slightly, and Qian Hui's gaze, as clear as day, saw the simple and inconspicuous ring on the middle finger of the man's clearly defined hand.

Initially, there was still a glimmer of hope in her heart, but now all her gratitude was shattered.

The same style of ring... A day ago, Qian Hui had seen it on Liang Shu's neck.

After she said 'my husband' those three words, she even took out a necklace from her neckline with a ring hanging on it.

It was the same style as the one on Gu Hansheng's hand.

The implication was crystal clear.

The outside world had never heard of Gu Hansheng being married, yet he boldly wore the ring on his finger, even though it was on his middle finger. Wasn't he afraid of arousing suspicion?

Or perhaps, when it came to his married status, Gu Hansheng was never afraid of exposure.

At first, Qian Hui didn't believe that Liang Shu was married to Gu Hansheng.

She remembered that she had just woken up not long ago, and the gossiping nurses who came to check on her were discussing the rumors about Yu Cheng, the handsome and wealthy merchant tycoon.

"Today's hot search is really exciting. Lin Jingtai was suddenly caught, and in the early morning hot search, have you seen it? Gu Hansheng and Ruan Yunyun's affair has been confirmed."

"I shouldn't have been on duty last night. I went home early to sleep, so I didn't see it. What happened?"

"It's so exciting! Someone captured Gu Hansheng and Ruan Yunyun staying at the same hotel. It was almost midnight at the time. According to reliable sources, they stayed in the hotel for several hours. When they came out, Ruan Yunyun was still wrapped in his coat, and they left together, so ostentatious!"

The nurse continued, "You can search for the pictures yourself. On Weibo, it's all over the place."

Upon hearing this, Qian Hui didn't think deeply about it, but she didn't expect that a day later, Liang Shu would be the female lead described by the nurses.

So, Lin Jingtai's plan failed?

Because she heard that Lin Jingtai barely survived, and for the rest of his life, he would probably live as a ghost.

Qian Hui's mind wandered for two minutes, and when she came back to reality, the man sitting on the sofa finally spoke.

He said, "Did you use means to deceive A Shu into being your bait?"

But from the words 'A Shu', Qian Hui could hear a strong sense of protection.

Qian Hui shook her head in denial. "I didn't deceive her into coming. She came voluntarily."

The man's expression remained unchanged, his dark eyes coldly fixed on her.

"A Shu is so smart, she can't be easily deceived. I'm sure you also know a bit about A Shu's character. If there's something she doesn't agree to, no one can force her."

Gu Hansheng half-closed his eyes, his fingers rhythmically tapping on his knee. A dense shadow covered the area below his eyelids. "What if she was forced?"

"It's impossible—" Tears welled up in Qian Hui's eyes, making her already pale face even more pitiful. She said, "I didn't know about A Shu's relationship with you... When I asked her if she needed money, she said yes. Coincidentally, I had a quick way to make money, so I invited her."

A tear rolled down from the corner of Qian Hui's eye, soaking into the white pillow. "I didn't know she was Mrs. Gu. I just thought she still owed that twenty million, and everything she did was voluntary."

Gu Hansheng listened with closed eyes, a raging storm brewing in the depths of his eyes, like the calm before a storm.

He said, "So you recklessly sent her to that disgraceful place?"

Qian Hui's gaze evaded his. In front of Gu Hansheng, all her tricks were useless.

In the next moment, Gu Hansheng's voice suddenly became more stern. "Are you sure she needed money?"

Qian Hui, lying on the hospital bed, was startled by the sudden change in tone. Her body trembled violently, aggravating her wounds, and her eyelashes trembled incessantly.

Then, without any reservation, she said, "She only asked me for fifty thousand that day!"

Gu Hansheng was furious.

Whether it was because Qian Hui's schemes finally backfired on Liang Shu, or because Liang Shu went to such a place to sell her dignity for a mere fifty thousand, Gu Hansheng felt it intolerable, no matter which one it was.

He stood up and slowly walked to Qian Hui's side.

The man was tall, and as he stood by the hospital bed, he blocked out all the lights behind him. Qian Hui felt immense pressure, her vision blurred by tears. In a daze, she could barely make out Gu Hansheng's handsome facial silhouette.

"What did you see about Su Qiping's outcome?" he asked.

Cold sweat broke out on Qian Hui's forehead. Her fingers gripped the bedsheets tightly underneath the blanket.

She wanted to cry for help, but she couldn't utter a word.

It was as if her throat had been sealed shut.

In fact, even if she shouted, what difference would it make?

Shortly after she woke up, someone exposed her affair with Su Qiping online.

Being labeled as a mistress was shameful, and when these nurses matched her face with the photos, it was easy to see that she was Su Qiping's mistress. Regardless of her injuries, people would openly or secretly mock her.

For example: "Madam Su has such grace, facing her husband's affair and still holding a press conference to announce the divorce agreement so calmly. She truly deserves to be called a worldly-wise lady. As for someone else..."

Someone else chimed in, "Don't just say 'someone else,' just directly name this mistress. I'm also really angry looking at her. Does this mistress even know her place? Does she really think she can take over the position?"

"That's right. I think even a chicken dreams of becoming a phoenix."

The ward wasn't closed at the time, and the voices outside were loud and clear. Qian Hui heard everything clearly.

Perhaps they did it intentionally.

And why didn't these people think about why she was lying here?

If Madam Ye Lan really remained calm as they said, why would she lose her mind and stab her?

Gu Hansheng, at this moment, in the ward, spoke to Qian Hui in a dark and fierce tone: "Do you know what Su Qiping's fate will be?"

Qian Hui didn't know, and she didn't want to know.

However, the next second, the words from the man's mouth seemed to nail into her brain. He said, "You will only be worse off than Su Qiping. Do you understand?"

Qian Hui shuddered, and the fear that spread from the depths of her heart made her momentarily forget the pain in her abdominal wound.

Gu Hansheng looked down at her coldly and asked again, "Tell me, why did Su Qiping insist on giving that municipal project to an unknown small company?"

At this moment, Qian Hui had lost her ability to think for herself.

She trembled as she answered, her voice hoarse, "That company was opened by someone I know. His career has been struggling, so I begged Su Qiping to give him this project. Then, I used... A Shu to exchange for the list in Lin Jingtai's hands, helping Su Qiping to remove certain people when the term changes. He promised to give me Madam Su's position if this plan succeeded!"

"What's your relationship with that person?"

...

Qian Hui had always felt a sense of unresolved resentment.

She was grateful to Aunt Mei for saving her life, but at the same time, she resented her.

Before her fall from grace, Qian Hui had a boyfriend.

The two of them were very much in love.

Qian Hui's family was not happy. Her mother died when she was young, and her father remarried shortly after. Her stepmother later gave birth to a younger sister, who was six or seven years younger than Qian Hui.

Stepmother was dominant, and Qian Hui had almost no way out in this family.

Physical abuse was commonplace, and in such a household, she initially had no freedom, but later lost herself completely.

As Qian Hui grew older, she began to resemble her beautiful biological mother more and more. Her father would often stare blankly at her face.

She knew that this man had no regard for her; when she was bullied by her stepmother, he never intervened.

At this moment, even if he stared at her face in a daze, he was probably thinking of her mother.

For this reason, her stepmother was even more resentful. When this man was not at home, she would often use scissors to cut her face and scold her harshly, "How shameless can you be? That's your father. Do you also want to seduce him with your face like this?!"

Qian Hui was probably sixteen years old at this time.

She had no capital to resist, nor did she know how to fight back.

So she could only endure the abuse, both physical and verbal.

That year, many things happened.

For example, her father had an accident at the construction site. While working at heights, safety precautions were not properly taken, and he fell from a height of over twenty floors.

According to witnesses, his brains and blood splattered all over the ground.

The safety issue at the construction site was no longer just an accident.

This is unquestionably a criminal case, one that can lead to conviction.

However, the stepmother, driven by greed, was persuaded after causing a commotion at the construction site. Regardless, the fault lies squarely with the construction party. The opposing side proposed a settlement, which essentially involves compensation.

The exact amount compensated in thousands is unknown to Qian Hui. Nevertheless, later at her father's memorial, the stepmother, accompanied by her sister, sincerely knelt before her father's black-and-white photo, kowtowing three times.

Qian Hui stood aside, overhearing her gazing at her father in the photo, saying, "This is how it ends. Do not blame me for not seeking justice for you. We, as widowed mothers with orphaned children, also face hardships. I will ensure a good life for the children in the future. If you are watching from above, please bless us."

The statement "I will ensure a good life for the children in the future" has no relevance to Qian Hui.

Later, the stepmother remarried with her daughters.

Qian Hui endured three extremely difficult and unforgettable years.

The difficulty stemmed from the incessant torment by the stepmother during these three years, exacerbated by the mistreatment from the other man.

The unforgettable aspect was her encounter with the man she loved.

Named Chen Ge.

It was the year Qian Hui turned nineteen.

The stepmother and this man conspired to sell her to an elderly man in the town.

When she was being escorted to that man's house, it was Chen Ge who saved her that night.

As Qian Hui watched the blood gush from the balding man's head, she felt a wild sense of gratification.

That night, she and Chen Ge boarded a green train to Yucheng with the little money they had.

However, their hopes for a happy life were shattered. Instead, as soon as they disembarked, they were surrounded.

It was the henchmen sent by the elderly man.

Qian Hui was tightly shielded by Chen Ge. He was proficient in martial arts, but ten against two were overwhelming odds.

That night, facing ten men, they managed to escape.

Qian Hui emerged unscathed, but Chen Ge was severely injured, barely able to stand straight, blood spurting from his mouth in waves. Qian Hui wanted to take him to the hospital, but the people of Yucheng were indifferent.

Pedestrians on the road avoided them, covering their noses.

None of the taxi drivers would take them.

She was at her wits' end, as Chen Ge was on the verge of vomiting all his blood.

Finally, she couldn't support Chen Ge any longer. His once sturdy body slumped like a rag, tears and mucus streaming down Qian Hui's face, her hands smeared with Chen Ge's blood.

Chen Ge said, "Hui Hui, I went through great pains to save you. You must live well, do you understand?"

Qian Hui shook her head, "Don't die, please don't die. We've escaped, someone will surely help us. Please, don't die, don't leave me alone..."

But it seemed Chen Ge couldn't hear her pleas.

Grasping her hand, Chen Ge smiled through cracked lips, then another gush of blood flowed from his mouth. He said, "Hui Hui, I've only accompanied you this far. Even without me, you must live well. If you get the chance, please find my younger brother for me."