Chapter 17: Why Would He Be Sad?
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“What did you just say?”
“I will not beg him!” Xu Weilai repeated herself, word-for-word, without backing down.
All these years, she had never gone against her parents’ wishes. She had always been an obedient daughter. However, she wasn’t just the daughter of the Xu family. She was first and foremost, a human being with flesh and blood–a human being with feelings!
Gu Yu had hurt her so badly. Just because she didn’t cry out didn’t mean that it hadn’t hurt!
“I dare you to say that again!”
“I…”
The words had scarcely left Xu Weilai’s lips when Mrs. Xu raised her hand in the air. Her face turned red in anger as she glared at her daughter.
Xu Weilai stared at her hand but made no move to dodge it. Contrarily, her expression grew even calmer as she finished her sentence. “If you’re going to hit me, just do it. But I will not beg Gu Yu. I will find some other way to save the company. I will not let the Xu Corporation fall!”
Mrs. Xu’s hand didn’t come down. But her face twisted, and she began to cry.
Xu Weilai’s eyes gradually reddened, too.
–
When the call from Xu Weilai came, Gu Yu was in the office going through some reports.
The phone rang, and his eyes swept past it lazily. But when he caught sight of the name on the screen, he was dumbstruck for a moment.
That moment pa.s.sed quickly and it was as if nothing had happened whatsoever. After approximately two seconds, he picked the phone up and answered the call. “h.e.l.lo?”
There was no reply from the other side. He only heard the slight sound of breathing, but before he could identify it, the call was disconnected with a click.
Without any expression on his face, Gu Yu placed the phone down and continued to peruse his reports.
A minute later, he slammed the file of doc.u.ments shut with a loud thud. He got up and walked to the window, staring out at the night sky blankly.
When the secretary walked in, he witnessed his boss standing motionless, like a sculpture. From the back, he looked inexplicably lonely… and sad.
He must have gone crazy! Money, a beautiful woman, and power… he had it all. Why would he be sad?
The phone rang again.
Gu Yu regained his senses and walked over in two steps. He answered the call.
The caller was Xu Shuai. “Yu, would you like to come out for a drink?”
“Sure.”
–
One week later, the list of Zhang Lei’s crimes was established. The Zhang Corporation was impounded, and he was facing jail time and a huge fine.
Regardless of how rich and powerful one was, in the face of the law, all criminals had nowhere to hide.
Zhang Lei had fallen. Naturally, the engagement that the Xu family had agreed upon with him no longer held up. This alliance had been intended to provide some financial relief to the Xu Corporation. Now, the Xu Corporation was once again plunged into a fiery crisis.
All the previously signed collaborations were canceled, and the financial support stopped. The company was having trouble even paying the salaries of its employees.
Mr. Xu tried his best to keep things afloat for a few days. But he wasn’t able to take it and was sent to the hospital after he fell ill.
Mrs. Xu moved into the hospital to take care of him, while Xu Weilai replaced her father in the office in the interim, as to prevent the chaos from escalating.
She carefully studied the numbers in the company reports. They were staggeringly huge. In the past three years, she had managed to earn a tidy sum of money working her darndest as a reporter. Unfortunately, compared to what the company needed, it was a drop in the ocean and made no difference at all.
She ma.s.saged her temples and leaned back in the chair, exhausted.
The secretary knocked on the door and entered. He reminded her, “Miss Xu, your father originally had a meeting with Mr. Xu planned tonight regarding the financing. Shall I postpone it?”
Xu Weilai had just spent the day a.n.a.lyzing the company’s situation. Despite its grim outlook, as long as they were able to convince Mr. Xu, the CEO of another company, to invest with them, much of the problem could be solved.
Regardless of how little hope there was, she still had to give it a try.
She straightened her back and replied somberly, “Don’t postpone it. I’ll meet Mr. Xu tonight on behalf of my father.”
–
In the private room at eight that night…
In order to display her sincerity, Xu Weilai arrived early. However, when the appointed time came, Mr. Xu was still nowhere to be seen. Xu Weilai did not display any impatience and continued to wait quietly.
After waiting for almost three hours, someone finally opened the door and entered.