TNSFC – Chapter 67

After Que Yining’s parents left, Que Yining told Gu Shanxue she could go to work; she was awake now and didn’t need her to stay.

But Gu Shanxue just shook her head at Que Yining and started handling her work on the sofa.

The private hospital room was well-appointed. Sunlight, sliced by the blinds, floated in fragments on the floor.

Que Yining gazed at Gu Shanxue’s profile, noticing she seemed to have lost a fair bit of weight.

She should have been happy that Gu Shanxue clearly cared so much for her, but Que Yining couldn’t feel it. She wished the woman she loved could always be happy, not looking so haggard.

Even if it was for her sake—or rather, precisely because it was for her—she felt even more guilt and heartache.

When Zhang Shiyu learned Que Yining had woken up, she rushed to see her.

She, too, was in a hospital gown, her head wrapped in gauze, her face pale. Seeing Que Yining in the hospital bed, her eyes reddened.

“Boss…”

Zhang Shiyu was in low spirits. When she woke up after the car accident, she was first relieved to have survived. But then, discovering her boss was severely injured and had been unconscious, she felt an indescribable sense of dread and anxiety.

“Are you alright? No serious issues, I hope? I’m sorry you got dragged into this because of me.”

Que Yining mustered her energy and looked Zhang Shiyu up and down, relieved to see no obvious external injuries.

This disaster was aimed at her; Zhang Shiyu had been caught up in it because of her. If anything had happened to Zhang Shiyu, Que Yining would have been overwhelmed with guilt.

“I’m fine, Boss… Boss, what do you mean?”

Zhang Shiyu tilted her head, not immediately grasping her boss’s meaning. When she finally understood, her eyes widened.

She had heard from the police that the driver was drunk. At the time, she had wondered how their luck could be so terrible, to run into a hungover drunk driver causing such a disaster. So, it was deliberate?

“I’ll get to the bottom of this. I’m sorry you were frightened. I’ll reimburse your medical expenses from my personal account later, and give you a red envelope to ward off bad luck.”

Zhang Shiyu quickly shook her head. Seeing Que Yining’s current condition, she felt incredibly distressed.

Her proud, stunning boss, now… Zhang Shiyu’s gaze fell on Que Yining’s face, and she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Que Yining, however, seemed oblivious to her gaze and propped herself up a bit.

A knock came at the door, and Li Suyin entered, carrying a bouquet of flowers.

“No need for small talk. Get straight to business. You know what I want to hear.”

Que Yining had asked Gu Shanxue to call Li Suyin. She didn’t need excessive comforting; she just wanted to know the current situation.

“Yes.”

Li Suyin nodded, inwardly admiring her boss’s formidable demeanor, and began to report on the past few days’ work.

Xie Yanhuai had handled the press conference that day. After the accident, they received a call from Gu Shanxue and learned what had happened. Xie Yanhuai and Li Suyin were already at the conference venue and made an immediate decision: Li Suyin would follow up on Que Yining’s situation, while Xie Yanhuai would proceed with the conference.

Xie Yanhuai was a core member of the game project, having hammered out the details with Que Yining. Coupled with his experience on previous well-regarded games, his presence at the conference gave no indication that he was a last-minute substitute.

“CEO Gu suppressed the news of your accident. Logically, it shouldn’t have leaked, but somehow, someone found out you were injured and unconscious… However, I’ve managed to keep it under wraps.”

Li Suyin looked grim. She knew this was a premeditated, targeted incident and was chilled by the malice of the perpetrator.

The business world is a bloodless battlefield, rife with schemes. An attack this direct, aiming to kill, was either the work of a vicious fool or someone nursing a deep grudge. True, their fledgling company had taken a slice of someone else’s pie, but that was just the market—everyone competed on their own merits, no one had stolen anything. How had they attracted such enmity so early on?

“As long as it’s contained, that’s fine. What about the project? Is it proceeding smoothly?”

“Smoothly. The current progress is…”

Li Suyin reported the details, while Que Yining, leaning against the headboard, discussed the next phase’s goals, plans, and actions.

Que Yining exuded an aura of calm and complete control. Watching her, Zhang Shiyu was momentarily stunned.

This was undoubtedly the strongest person she had ever met. Having just woken up, she was already methodically handling matters, like a general on a battlefield deploying troops, exuding a sharp, formidable air.

There was no despondency, no gloom, as if this calamity was insignificant to her. It was impossible for anyone watching to feel pity or sympathy, because she remained imposing, radiating an unbreakable strength.

The long, terrifying scar on Que Yining’s face moved with her expressions. Previously, Zhang Shiyu had felt an irrepressible pity looking at it, like a crack on a smooth mirror. Now, however, it seemed like a bold stroke of ink on a masterpiece, no longer jarring but possessing a unique, arresting charm that captivated the eye.

Zhang Shiyu marveled inwardly, pinching her fingers to snap herself out of her reverie. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Miss Gu also gazing intently at her boss and couldn’t resist glancing at Gu Shanxue’s expression.

Gu Shanxue, too, felt her heart stir at this display. She had expected Que Yining to be despondent for a while, but she was far more resilient and powerful than imagined—powerfully captivating.

A completely different person from the woman who had just been playfully complaining to her, Gu Shanxue thought, her expression softening further.

Zhang Shiyu looked away, silently cheering on her boss’s romance.

Que Yining’s energy was limited. She wanted to say more, but her headache was becoming unbearable. While she knew it was crucial to deal with the culprit, she also understood that recuperating was her current priority.

After Que Yining lay down, Li Suyin and Zhang Shiyu quietly exited. Gu Shanxue gazed at Que Yining’s sleeping face, her own features softening further.

She hadn’t rested well these past few days either. Nightmares had plagued her whenever she closed her eyes, terrified that the woman in the bed might never wake up. Thankfully, Que Yining was awake now and would surely recover.

Her phone vibrated twice. Gu Shanxue immediately glanced at Que Yining to see if the sound had disturbed her. Seeing her still fast asleep, she quietly left the room.

She instructed one of her assistants to stay and watch, then walked out, her expression grim and her steps purposeful.

In the detention center, a middle-aged man in handcuffs sat on a chair, his expression calm as he faced the beautiful, icy woman across from him.

“I’ve told you, I wasn’t acting under anyone’s orders. I just drank too much and made a foolish mistake… I was wrong, I’ll reflect on it, I repent. I swear I’ll never drink again!”

Fan Zhengwen explained, picking at his fingers, his voice lacking conviction.

Gu Shanxue had heard the same story three days ago. For the past few days, the man had stubbornly stuck to this answer, refusing to say anything else.

Gu Shanxue knew this man was an experienced repeat offender; after all, the charges for drunk driving and attempted murder were vastly different. But she hadn’t come today to hear the same nonsense.

Gu Shanxue pushed what she was holding across the table to Fan Zhengwen. She watched as his expression changed dramatically and he leaned forward.

“Did you think you’d hidden your wife and child so well? Your son is only three, isn’t he? He looks quite cute.”

Gu Shanxue’s voice was cool, her expression detached. The seemingly complimentary words she uttered nearly froze the man’s heart.

“But I doubt you’d want your son to remain three years old forever, would you?”

Gu Shanxue leaned back in her chair, observing Fan Zhengwen’s reaction.

For an instant, Gu Shanxue did feel a murderous intent, though not towards the little boy.

“I know drunk driving was wrong of me! Please, I beg you, spare my son and wife! I’ll definitely change my ways. If it really comes to it, I’ll trade my life for that person’s! Just please, don’t touch my wife and child!”

Fan Zhengwen’s voice grew frantic, his face a mask of desperation.

Gu Shanxue’s eyes grew colder. Even now, he refused to talk.

Gu Shanxue had no patience for his act and stated another address.

This time, all color drained from Fan Zhengwen’s face, and his lips began to tremble.

The place this woman mentioned was an extremely secret residence of his, one that not even his wife and child knew about. He had bought it under the name of his cousin’s friend’s uncle—such a convoluted connection, outsiders would never trace it back to him. Yet, this woman knew!

“If you don’t want to talk, fine. Then use the money hidden in that house to buy coffins for your wife and child. How about I send them off using the exact same method you employed?”

Gu Shanxue was never one for idle chatter. After Que Yining’s accident, she had poured all her energy into investigating this, putting everything else aside. She had dug up everything on this man; she knew him inside out, down to where his ancestors for three generations were buried.

She would definitely resolve this hidden threat for Que Yining and make the person lurking in the shadows understand the monumental stupidity of their actions.

Fan Zhengwen trembled, his head bowed, saying nothing.

Gu Shanxue gathered the photos. The slight rustle made him flinch.

“I won’t be back tomorrow. Since you refuse to speak, there’s no need. After you’re imprisoned, I’ll arrange a… reunion for all of you.”

The threat in Gu Shanxue’s words was palpable. If Fan Zhengwen didn’t tell the truth, not only his wife and child, but he himself would meet his end in prison.

Gu Shanxue rose and walked to the door, counting down silently.

“I’ll talk!”

Fan Zhengwen hurriedly called out to her, his heart pounding.

“I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything! Just spare my family! This was all my mistake alone!”

Gu Shanxue returned to her seat and gestured for him to begin.

Like beans spilling from a sack, Fan Zhengwen poured out everything he had done, cold sweat continuously breaking out on his face.

The first time he went to prison, it hadn’t been intentional. He had killed someone while drunk driving at night, paid a hefty compensation, and served time.

Killing someone by drunk driving is a crime of negligence, typically prosecuted as a traffic offense. Fan Zhengwen hadn’t fled the scene and had compensated the victim’s family. He was eventually sentenced to two years and nine months.

When Fan Zhengwen was released, his wife had gone from being heavily pregnant to their child being nearly three. He felt deeply indebted to them. His actions had made their already difficult financial situation even worse.

Fan Zhengwen had intended to find honest work, but with his criminal record, companies wouldn’t hire him. He could only take on odd jobs.

Then, two and a half months ago, someone approached him, asking if he’d consider a certain ‘job.’

The person was extremely generous. While he was still hesitating, they offered a deposit—a full two million.

Two million! He could never earn that much in his entire lifetime!

After several days of hesitation, he couldn’t resist the temptation. Fearing the person might retract the offer, he indirectly bought a house under someone else’s name and stashed the rest of the money there, all without telling his wife.

He figured, at worst, he’d spend a few more years in prison. When he got out, he’d still have two million—enough for him, his wife, and child to live comfortably for a lifetime. He never imagined he’d be caught.

Gu Shanxue’s expression was terrifyingly cold. She knew this was a premeditated murder attempt, but to think the mastermind had plotted for two and a half months—perhaps even longer—for this specific car accident.

Gu Shanxue thought, I need to accelerate my plans to seize control. I originally intended to encroach gradually, but now, I can’t wait any longer.

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