Chapter 33
From the moment Mr. Jin appeared, Guo Jiadong knew he was finished. Although Mr. Jin appeared amiable, how could a person who could elevate the Jin family from the bottom of the Luocheng aristocracy to its current top status really have a good temper? Guo Jiadong couldn’t understand how things turned out this way; it shouldn’t have been like this. Guo Jiadong felt as if he’d lost all support from his body, collapsing onto the sofa, staring dazedly at Xu Ke.
Xu Ke didn’t regard someone as weak-willed as Guo Jiadong. He knew Guo Jiadong was looking at him, but so what? Had he been looked at any less in his life?
Xu Ke completely ignored the almost burning gaze from Guo Jiadong behind him and casually chatted with Mr. Jin. Few people who had reached this level were so rash; they all had active minds. From Mr. Jin’s attitude towards Xu Ke, they detected something unusual. Those who were smart had already quietly moved closer to the six people, planning to later extract some information from them.
And at some unknown time, the previously soulless Guo Jiadong had left the sofa.
The six people, unaware they were about to become targets, were standing obediently behind Xu Ke. Only after a few words with Mr. Jin did Xu Ke realize they hadn’t left yet. “Go ahead with your own things; no need to mind me,” Xu Ke waved them off.
Having successfully dispatched the group, Xu Ke exchanged a few more words with Mr. Jin before preparing to take his leave.
“I’m sorry for the inadequate hospitality, leaving you talking to an old man like me for so long. It’s quite dull. How about I let Yanyan accompany you for a stroll? You young people have more in common to talk about,” Mr. Jin said with a smile.
“No need; there’s a curfew at home, and I need to get back early, lest the one at home gets worried.” A gentle smile appeared on Xu Ke’s face at the right moment.
Where did the Lin Family have any curfew? It was just an excuse Xu Ke set for himself because he missed Lin Mengyao. Mr. Jin’s suggestion for Jin Yuyan to accompany him was clear, though unspoken, but Xu Ke could guess. However, considering Jin Yuyan had repeatedly stood up for him today, he couldn’t let her fall into any mistaken impressions.
His heart was only for Lin Mengyao; no other woman, no matter how good, could catch his eye or enter his heart.
Both parties were smart; even without explicitly saying anything, seeing Xu Ke’s demeanor, Mr. Jin knew his intentions were futile. So be it, children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. He just hoped Yanyan could let go. Mr. Jin patted his granddaughter’s back and said to Xu Ke with a smile, “Well then, I won’t hold you any longer. I’ll have the driver send you home.”
This time, Xu Ke nodded without rejecting, and under Mr. Jin’s escort, he walked to the door and left without looking back.
Jin Yuyan’s nose felt a bit sour, but thinking about how it was her grandfather’s birthday today, and the many hours she had spent on her makeup, she held back her tears.
“Stop looking; since he already has a family, it means the two of you aren’t meant to be. There are many outstanding young men in Luocheng. Grandpa will find a good one for you.” Mr. Jin sighed inwardly, seeing his most beloved granddaughter so heartbroken, and comforted her.
“I know, Grandpa, I’m fine. Let’s go back in.” Jin Yuyan sniffed, took her grandfather’s arm, and returned to the party. Although she said she was fine, only she knew how she really felt inside.
Even though Xu Ke left the party, he remained the main topic for the entire event. Almost everyone present was discussing him. Xu Jie and her group were approached by different people all evening, and though they responded to only a few, they had no time to rest. By the end of the event, they were extremely exhausted, with their throats feeling overworked like never before.
As the party ended and they walked out, they exchanged a smile, feeling as if they’d survived a disaster.
While Xu Ke’s life was stable, the Lu Family, which had been constantly targeted by Xu Jie, was in a state of gloom. Their previously hand-fractured son had mysteriously disappeared from the hospital, only to return in a coma, with multiple fractures all over his body. If a kind passerby hadn’t found Lu Chi in an alley, who knows how long he would have laid on the cold ground. Even though he was brought back, the injury to his hand ensured he could never handle heavy objects again, and his hand’s dexterity would greatly diminish.
Lu’s parents were furious looking at their son, injured and unconscious. Mr. Lu even used his connections to pull surveillance footage, trying to find out who had hurt his son. Unfortunately, Xu Ke had evaded all cameras, and there were no cameras in the alley where Lu Chi was found, so Mr. Lu couldn’t uncover who the culprit was, and everything depended on Lu Chi waking up to reveal the truth.
“My poor son, having suffered such a grave injury, once we catch the culprit, he won’t get away easily. I want him to suffer ten times the pain my son did,” Mrs. Lu cried in Mr. Lu’s arms, her eyes swollen like walnuts.
“Stop crying, or your eyes will hurt again. Don’t worry; once I catch the culprit, they won’t have it easy.” Mr. Lu gently patted his wife’s back. The continuous stress had quickly aged him, leaving several wrinkles on his once well-maintained face and many more gray hairs at his temples, making him look more than ten years older.
“Alright, I’ll watch over the company for you. You sleep for a while first; I’ve noticed you’ve lost a lot of weight recently.” Though Mrs. Lu was heartbroken for her son, she also felt for her husband. Her tear-streaked, reddened eyes were filled with concern for him, as she tenderly traced the new wrinkles on his face, feeling both sour and bitter. Her husband had never seemed so haggard before.
“Okay, I’ll take a nap. Call me if anything comes up.” Mr. Lu didn’t force himself to stay awake. His wife, being a daughter of a prominent family, had her insights into business. He was confident leaving the company under her watch. The moment he closed his eyes, he fell asleep, truly worn out by recent events.
Just a few minutes after he closed his eyes, the office door was knocked open by the secretary. The normally composed male secretary dispensed with formalities, “Madam, it’s not good. The bank just called, demanding we repay the previous ten billion loan within three days, or they’ll freeze our company’s bank accounts and seize Mr. Lu’s assets as collateral.” The secretary’s words spilled out like a Peashooter from the game Plants vs. Zombies.
“What, how can this be?” Mrs. Lu exclaimed, looking at the stack of resignation letters in the secretary’s hand and lost her voice. Her body, which had sprung up, wobbled and fell back into her chair, her lips trembling uncontrollably.
In this critical moment for the company’s survival, the bank’s move was no different from removing the foundation. If the company’s funding chain broke, the Lu Corporation could face a bankruptcy crisis.
“Madam, what should we do now?” The male secretary asked in a low, red-eyed voice.