CHAPTER 399: CHAPTER 369: QUITE SELF-AWARE

Meng Yan spoke very thoroughly, including the shattered tablecloth, the number of people in the room, and the camera that was smashed to pieces.

But no matter how detailed, his knowledge of the events was limited.

By the time he arrived, Qiao Yuxian had already engaged with them.

He didn’t know what happened before that.

But based on his description, Gu Yanjing could roughly guess some of it.

So, Qiao Yuxian could distinctly feel the intensified hostility emanating from Gu Yanjing.

It seemed like ice had suddenly crushed down.

Instantly, the entire area was filled with a chill.

This chill seemed to have sharp edges.

The people around would get cut.

She intuitively let go of his pajamas and lowered her gaze.

Gu Yanjing hung up the phone, looked at her actions, said nothing, and silently fetched the first-aid kit, pulled a chair over, then pulled her leg over to apply medicine.

Qiao Yuxian looked down at his hands.

After a while, Gu Yanjing glanced at her quiet demeanor and asked, "Was I too harsh?"

Qiao Yuxian looked up at him, and whispered, "You do have some self-awareness."

"Got scared?" Gu Yanjing slowly applied the medicine, and after finishing, blew gently on it.

Qiao Yuxian felt the cool sensation and silently agreed.

"I’m sorry," Gu Yanjing apologized. "It wasn’t directed at you."

"I know," Qiao Yuxian said. "That’s why I’m not mad."

Gu Yanjing quietly finished applying the medicine on her leg, then gently massaged her bruised area and asked, "Why does Jian Ye want to see you?"

"You know YM, right?" Qiao Yuxian said, "That short video site."

"Yes." Gu Yanjing looked at her.

"It’s Yuan Wei’s," Qiao Yuxian said, "I own forty-five percent of the shares."

Gu Yanjing looked at her.

Compared to other matters, this kind of thing no longer stirred any waves in Gu Yanjing’s heart.

"Your second uncle wants to change the public perception of the Imperial Power Club online," Qiao Yuxian said. "YM has been opposing him. He’s used money, power, and every means to suppress and attack, yet hasn’t managed to change YM."

Gu Yanjing listened to her as she continued.

"Yuan Wei isn’t in the country, so they came to me," Qiao Yuxian said. "Wanted a face-to-face talk."

Some of Gu Yanjing’s suspicions were further confirmed.

All methods had been used, but YM couldn’t be settled.

Inviting someone for a face-to-face talk; Gu Yanjing couldn’t think of any other approach besides threats.

And that threat... along with the shattered camera,

Gu Yanjing took a soft breath.

"That Jian Ye, he’s quite inexperienced," Qiao Yuxian said. "I hurt my wrist by my own carelessness. He didn’t touch me."

Gu Yanjing’s thumb gently pressed against her skin: "Does YM use the name Qiao Yuxian over there?"

Qiao Yuxian shook her head.

Gu Yanjing asked again, "Jian Ye knows you, right?"

Qiao Yuxian paused and said, "Yes."

Gu Yanjing said nothing further.

Jian Ye knows her and surely wouldn’t dare to act on his own.

He must have asked Gu Linhai.

But Gu Linhai eventually let him proceed.

Qiao Yuxian looked at his lowered eyelashes and said, "Gu Yanjing, I’ve already dealt with them. I won’t let myself suffer any losses."

Gu Yanjing massaged her leg to absorb the medicine, then looked up at her: "Why go?"

Meeting his gaze, Qiao Yuxian’s eyelashes trembled.

"You didn’t have to go; they couldn’t do anything against you," Gu Yanjing said. "By going, you served yourself to them on a platter?"

Qiao Yuxian avoided his gaze and said nothing.

"Forcing Gu Linhai to make a move?" Gu Yanjing asked again.

Qiao Yuxian’s fingers twitched but she still said nothing.

"Letting Gu Linhai know it’s you behind YM, opposing him," Gu Yanjing said, "then forcing him to take action against you."

Qiao Yuxian’s intentions were completely exposed by him.

Upon receiving Jian Ye’s message, she agreed after a brief consideration.

It was indeed to force Gu Linhai to make a move.

Lately, she’d been living too comfortably.

Some people had been too quiet.

"For this?" Gu Yanjing suddenly grasped the Peace Pendant on her wrist.

Qiao Yuxian’s right hand instinctively clenched around his wrist, exerting force.

Gu Yanjing looked at her, watching as a glint of murderous intent flashed in her eyes.

After grabbing onto his wrist, Qiao Yuxian only then reacted somewhat. She met his gaze, and the murderous intent in her eyes faded.

Her hand also retreated from his wrist.

Gu Yanjing released her left hand and then held her right hand, gently kneading her wrist: "Is Gu Linhai related to this?"

Qiao Yuxian only then realized that Gu Yanjing never referred to him as "Second Uncle": "Maybe, I can’t be sure."

"So, you want to test it out," Gu Yanjing said.

"Yes." Qiao Yuxian said.

"Last year, there were unknown people following you and even a night assault on Fenglin Villa," Gu Yanjing said. "This year... there’s been no one."

"Yes." Qiao Yuxian said.

"You suspect Gu Linhai is related to them," Gu Yanjing said. "So, forcing Gu Linhai to act is also to force them to act. Jian Ye coming to you seems like a good opportunity to you."

"Yes." Qiao Yuxian said.

"Aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to handle them?" Gu Yanjing said.

"I know my limits." Qiao Yuxian said.

"What if you really can’t handle them?" Gu Yanjing asked again.

"I can handle them," Qiao Yuxian said again.

Gu Yanjing looked at her.

The two of them locked eyes.

Regarding this issue, they seemed to be in an endless loop.

Last year, Qiao Yuxian allowed herself to be abducted by the scalper organization, which caused a minor dispute between them.

Now, they were in the same cycle again.

Afraid the two of them would end up with another disagreement, Gu Yanjing promptly stopped the topic.

After a while, he asked again: "Is the Peace Pendant very important to those people?"

"Yes." Qiao Yuxian said. "It can represent power or immense wealth."

"Why do you keep wearing it on your wrist?" Gu Yanjing said. "To lure them out?"

"Yes." Qiao Yuxian chose to trust him, so she no longer wanted to hide it from him.

"And why do you want to lure them out?" Gu Yanjing asked again.

"They killed my grandfather." Qiao Yuxian’s tone was very calm and cold, but tinged with an undercurrent of chill.

Gu Yanjing’s gaze tightened briefly.

"My grandfather didn’t die from illness; they poisoned him." Qiao Yuxian’s expression was calm yet vacant, "It was a slow-acting poison, undetectable in the body at first, and the person wouldn’t feel anything. But as it accumulates in the body, it gradually manifests. Once it breaks out, there’s no cure."

Gu Yanjing furrowed his brow slightly.

Qiao Yuxian grasped his fingers and looked at him: "Gu Yanjing. I’ve already dealt severely with Jian Ye. You don’t need to stick up for me. Gu Linhai is your second uncle, and many things aren’t fully confirmed. Don’t let disagreements arise between you two before anything is certain. This isn’t good for you, for the Gu Family, or for Gu Group. Most importantly, Grandpa is getting old, and I’m afraid that..."

Gu Yanjing looked at her, hesitated, and then responded: "I understand."

"When everything is confirmed, it won’t be too late to resolve it," Qiao Yuxian said.

"Yes."

...