“President Liu is right. Every family has its own difficulties; it’s most important to handle one’s own affairs,” Bai Ruochu said, forcing her voice to remain steady. “I won't trouble you any further then.”
After hanging up, Bai Ruochu’s chest heaved with frustration.
The subtle shift in the Liu family’s attitude, the bizarre coma of Li Bao and his men, the growing number of mysteries surrounding Su Wan...
It was all like a tangled mess, making her feel that things were slipping away from her initial control and expectations.
Su Wan...
What exactly happened to you?
Or rather... is someone helping her?
A name flashed into her mind almost instantly—
Gu Huaiyu!
That was it. It could only be him!
Only Gu Huaiyu had the capability and the potential motive to help Su Wan escape from the likes of Li Bao, and to make that old fox Liu Zonghan relent!
His gaze that day...
Outside the auction house, that brief glimpse he had taken at Su Wan’s retreating back had been like a thorn, prickling deep within Bai Ruochu’s heart.
Combined with Gu Huaiyu’s attitude toward her over the past few days...
Bai Ruochu’s heart tightened painfully.
Lately, Gu Huaiyu had become noticeably colder toward her.
He was slow to answer her calls, and his tone was always professionally distant. Even when she acted spoiled or made excuses to meet, he would often brush her off, saying the company was busy.
On the rare occasions they sat together, he was often distracted, his mind elsewhere.
What stuck in Bai Ruochu’s craw the most was that even though they had been in a relationship for some time now, Gu Huaiyu had never shown her any real intimacy. They rarely even kissed, let alone...
This left her with an unprecedented sense of insecurity.
She considered herself outstanding in beauty, family background, and intellect—more than enough to match Gu Huaiyu. But this man was like a drifting iceberg; she seemed to have boarded the ship, yet she could never reach the core, let alone feel any warmth.
She always felt like she couldn't truly grasp him, even though they had joined forces to bring down the Su family and stood on the same side of their shared interests.
This insecurity, mixed with suspicion and jealousy, fermented into a burning impulse.
She couldn't wait any longer!
She needed a catalyst to push their relationship to a point where it couldn't be easily severed...
For example, having a child.
Once the thought arose, she couldn't suppress it.
Bai Ruochu took a deep breath, took out her phone, and dialed Gu Huaiyu’s number.
The phone rang several times before it was picked up. Gu Huaiyu’s voice came through the receiver with a practiced coldness. “Ruochu, is something the matter?”
“Huaiyu,” Bai Ruochu softened her voice, adding a hint of intentional allure, “Are you free tonight? I miss you...”
“I’ve booked the presidential suite at the Genting Hotel.” She emphasized the location. It was the hotel Gu Huaiyu usually stayed at when they had the occasional date, and one of the most luxurious and private venues in Jiangcheng.
She believed Gu Huaiyu would immediately understand her hint—
It wasn't just an invitation for dinner or a chat, but an invitation to take things further.
There was a two-second silence on the other end.
That brief silence made Bai Ruochu’s heart skip a beat.
“I have an international video conference tonight. I can't make it.” Gu Huaiyu’s voice remained flat, without even a hint of apology as he rejected her outright.
A wave of chill mixed with humiliated anger surged up Bai Ruochu’s spine.
He had actually rejected her so bluntly!
Without even a moment of hesitation or an explanation!
The neglect of the past few days, the rejection now, and the suspicion that Su Wan might be receiving his help—all of it was like a spark landing in a fuel tank, instantly detonating Bai Ruochu’s suppressed emotions.
“Gu Huaiyu!” She could no longer maintain her soft, beautiful voice. Her tone suddenly rose, carrying a sharp interrogation. “What do you mean by this? Is that bitch Su Wan still on your mind?!”
Gu Huaiyu’s tone darkened. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Nonsense?” Bai Ruochu sneered, her voice trembling with agitation. “Then let me ask you: Li Bao took two men to cause trouble for Su Wan and Liu Xin, but now all three of them are lying in the hospital unconscious, and the doctors can't find a reason! Meanwhile, Su Wan and Liu Xin walked away without a scratch!”
“And that old fox Liu Zonghan, who values profit above all else, actually allowed Liu Xin back into the Liu family!”
She practically screamed, “Besides you, who else could settle Li Bao and his men with such untraceable methods?! Who else could make that old man Liu Zonghan suddenly change his tune?”
“If it wasn't you helping her in secret, did Su Wan suddenly develop superpowers?!”
“Gu Huaiyu, don't forget that we brought the Su family to where they are today together! Do you pity her now? Or are you seeing her in this miserable state and feeling regret, or perhaps your heart aches for her and you want to go back to her?!”
Bai Ruochu’s chest heaved violently, her knuckles white as she gripped the phone.
On the other end of the line, Gu Huaiyu didn't respond immediately after hearing Bai Ruochu reveal the matter of Li Bao and his men.
But even through the receiver, Bai Ruochu could clearly feel the pressure on the other end plummeting.
A chill seemed to spread through the electronic signal.
After a brief, dead silence, Gu Huaiyu’s voice rang out. It was no longer coldly dismissive, but possessed a biting sharpness that could draw blood:
“What did you say? Li Bao? You sent someone to deal with Su Wan and Liu Xin?”
“Bai Ruochu, who gave you the right to do this?!”
His interrogation was sudden and merciless, carrying a sense of extreme disgust and anger toward her actions.
Bai Ruochu was stunned by his sudden shift in attitude and his harsh questioning, followed by a deeper sense of grievance and disbelief.
“Why shouldn't I? Su Wan deserved to be taught a lesson! Her family has already fallen, yet she dared to—”
“Enough!” Gu Huaiyu cut her off sharply, the coldness in his voice enough to freeze the air. “Business matters are settled by one’s own ability. If you lose, you accept it.”
“But you used such low-life tactics in private, hiring loan sharks to pressure two women?”
“Bai Ruochu, since when did your methods become so dirty, so beneath one's dignity?!”
“Dirty? Beneath one's dignity?” Bai Ruochu felt a sharp pain in her heart from his words, and her voice turned shrill. “Gu Huaiyu! Are you criticizing me for Su Wan’s sake?! We are on the same side! When we were dealing with the Su family, why didn't you think my methods were dirty?!”
“That was different!” Gu Huaiyu’s voice was resolute, carrying an unquestionable finality. “Acquisitions, suppression, and commercial competition—those are games played within the rules. But your behavior now is pure baseness and bullying!”
“Different? Heh...” Bai Ruochu sneered. “Gu Huaiyu! What kind of high-and-mighty act are you putting on?”
“When you used those filthy methods to deal with Su Zhuo, why didn't you say you were dirty? When you tricked Su Wan into Xu Tianlin’s room, why didn't you think you were dirty?”
Gu Huaiyu’s breathing quickened slightly. That incident was the one thing he was most unwilling to mention.
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