御都会所, underground level three, the gray-black high-end tones lent a touch of chill to the enclosed space, yet a dark red sofa added a hint of mockery, sarcasm, or perhaps, arrogance, to this chill.
Gus sat on the sofa, his black long coat making him resemble a deity from hell.
"Have I been too lenient with you all?" Gus rubbed his wine glass, his laziness carrying a natural sexiness.
The person kneeling on the ground kowtowed with a clatter, "Boss, I was wrong, I'll never dare again, please give me another chance."
Gus's eyelids lifted slightly, his gaze as indifferent as if he were looking at an inanimate object, "Before, you only stole my money, but thankfully the amounts weren't large, so I didn't dwell on it. But now, you've betrayed me. Tell me, why should I give you a chance?"
The person on the ground trembled like a sieve, stammering, "I... I've followed you for ten years, please, boss, consider that I've put in effort, if not merit..."
"Effort?" Gus chuckled lightly, "Ten years ago, you were barely surviving on the streets like a dog. But ten years later, you have a car, a house, and savings..." He glanced at Su Bin.
Su Bin quickly said in a low voice, "Fourteen million."
"Savings of over ten million, and you talk about effort? Ah, indeed, it must have been hard work, counting money all these years." Gus said with a smile.
The person on the ground grew more fearful. Perhaps due to extreme fear, he suddenly lifted his neck, showing a desperate, all-or-nothing spirit, "I've followed you for ten years, I know all your shady dealings, and I've kept evidence. If you dare to touch me, I'll die, but you won't get away with it either."
The man in black behind him immediately stepped forward, grabbed his head, and smashed it hard onto the ground. A scream immediately echoed in the room.
Gus nodded slowly, drained the wine in his glass, and stood up, "This is his bargaining chip. Find the evidence and dispose of the body cleanly."
Su Bin responded with a "yes" and sternly said, "Drag him away."
The person on the ground immediately started shouting frantically, "You won't find it, I've hidden it well, you'll never find it."
Gus opened his phone to the dialer, pressed a sequence of numbers, and after just two rings, the other party answered.
"You're crazy, why are you calling this number." It was Jiang Mengran.
Gus turned on the speakerphone, letting the struggling and screaming sounds of the person on the ground be fully captured. Only when the sounds disappeared did he speak into the phone, word by word, his tone casual, yet filled with madness and malice, "If you dare to lay a hand on anyone close to me again, this is your fate."
Jiang Mengran's heart skipped a beat. This wasn't a threat, but a warning, she could tell.
Thinking this, she immediately softened her tone, "I didn't want to, but I was desperate. I only asked him to do this one thing for me. With our relationship, how could I possibly harm you? What benefit would that bring me? After a pause, she added, "Don't worry, it won't happen again. But please, keep my words in mind."
Gus said indifferently, "Don't test my limits. You know I have no room for sentiment."
Jiang Mengran took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound normal, "So, did she appear? Has she really returned?"
Gus hesitated for a moment before uttering two words.
"No."
Jiang Mengran murmured, "How is that possible? If she hasn't returned, why would A Rong suddenly put up her poster? She must have forced A Rong."
"I have no obligation to listen to you talk about this," Gus said impatiently.
Just as he was about to hang up, Jiang Mengran suddenly said urgently, "Wait, help me with one more thing, and I don't believe she won't show up.
Her uncle, Quan Xingfa. Find a way to create some sort of accident. A dilapidated house is nothing, but she lived and ate at her uncle's place for years. If something happens to her uncle, she'll definitely appear."
Receiving no response, Jiang Mengran resorted to pleading, "I'm begging you, I really need your help. For... the sake of our past relationship, please help me one more time.
That bitch actually forced A Rong to announce her existence to the public. She clearly wants to reclaim the position of the Chu family's young madam. She tried to snatch it once seven years ago, and I can't let her snatch it a second time."
Gus hung up the phone impatiently, his eyes filled with disgust, "I hate it most when people nag in my ear. Why are they so annoying, why must they chatter and make noise? It's too noisy, too noisy."
Su Bin quickly walked out.
Just as he was about to close the door, he heard, "Wait, go investigate Quan Xingfa."
Su Bin responded with "yes," exited the room, and closed the door tightly.
In the silence, which felt like a space capsule, Gus's restless mood finally calmed down a little. He picked up the wine bottle and drank it down like water.
...
A little past three in the afternoon, Quan Jiu received a reply from Song Ren.
Vehicle owner: Gus, single, orphan, 36 years old, 186cm, 75kg. Owner of Yu Du Hui Club, A City gang leader, businesses under his name...
Danger level: ☆☆☆☆☆
Quan Jiu silently finished reading the information and replied with "Thank you."
Immediately after replying, she received a new message: "Are you free tomorrow? I feel awkward going to the cinema alone."
It was Guan Shi.
Quan Jiu temporarily put aside her worries and replied, "Yes, but I want to bring Mimi and Tutu along. I don't want to leave them home alone."
Guan Shi, outside the screen, secretly gave a thumbs-up and quickly replied, "I couldn't ask for more. I haven't met the two little ones yet."
Quan Jiu put down her phone and said to Mimi and Tutu, who were playing with puzzles, "Mimi, Tutu, Mom will take you to see a movie tomorrow, and Uncle Guan Shi will be with us."
Tutu exclaimed, "Wow! The online friends are finally meeting in person! I'm going, I'm going! Back in the day, we only video chatted. I haven't seen them in person yet. I wonder if they're as handsome as in the photos."
Mimi secretly pinched Tutu's back and said with a smile, "Brother, you forgot. Tomorrow you have to go dancing with me."
"Dancing?" Quan Jiu was surprised, "When did that happen? How come I didn't know?"
Mimi chuckled, "Brother wants to learn to dance recently. There's a children's dance studio near the school, so we scheduled a trial class for tomorrow, right, brother?"
Tutu looked confused, "Ah? Oh, right." He nodded blankly.
Quan Jiu became happy, "Great, great, great, then Mom will accompany you both tomorrow..."
"No need, Mom," Mimi shook her head, "Brother and I are just going to take a look. You should go see the movie with Uncle Guan Shi. Don't be like other moms who only focus on work and kids. You need some leisure time too."
Although Tutu didn't understand the reason, he knew one thing: it was always best to support his sister. So he also advised, "Yes, Mom. You already promised Uncle Guan Shi. He's always taken good care of us, and it wouldn't be good to break the appointment."
"This..." Quan Jiu hesitated, "But I'm not at ease about you two..."
"There's nothing to worry about, it's right at the doorstep. Don't worry," Mimi comforted.
Persuaded by the two children, Quan Jiu finally agreed to their requests and replied to Guan Shi.
While Quan Jiu was replying, Tutu looked at Mimi with a sly expression, "Sis, what exactly are you planning?"