All the members of the Zhuang family, except for the still-young Zhuang Tong, were at the company, including Zhuang Ruyun, who should have been sent abroad by Zhuang Yiqing’s orders.

And once these people learned the news, the choices they would make were utterly predictable.

Pulling the door of the break room shut to block out the sounds of arguing from within, Zhuang Zhen, utterly exhausted both physically and mentally, returned to the meeting room. He glanced wearily at Zhao Yu. “Miss Zhao, may I speak with you alone?”

“No. I have nothing to discuss with you.”

Zhuang Zhen hadn’t expected such an uncompromising refusal and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Zhao Yu smiled faintly. “You know, when I watch movies, the plotline I despise most is whitewashing the villain. They commit a mountain of evil, and then at the end, the story tells me how pitiful they are, what hardships they’ve endured? Sorry, I don’t want to hear it. All I know is that she owes me three lives. And you—you have the least right to plead for her, because you are the very source of all this. The tragedy of every person in the Zhuang family stems from your irresponsibility. You were unworthy of being a father, and now, you are even less qualified to beg for her leniency.”

Being so sharply reprimanded by a young woman for the first time, Zhuang Zhen froze, then suddenly let out a low chuckle, murmuring, “I truly am… unworthy…”

Zhuang Ye, who had been sitting silently in the corner, lifted his head upon hearing this. He looked at his father, then at Zhao Yu, but ultimately withdrew his gaze and continued staring silently at the floor.

Zhao Yu could sense something was profoundly wrong with his state of mind. In fact, since they had met again, he had never seemed normal. He was someone who was already undergoing psychological treatment, and having suddenly suffered such a massive blow, it didn’t take much thought to imagine how much agony he was in. But what could she do about it?

Shang Lu squeezed her hand, glanced at his watch, and said leisurely, “What has Chairman Zhuang decided? If you’ve made up your mind, we can proceed with preparations for the shareholders’ meeting.”

Zhuang Zhen glanced at the deathly pale Zhuang Yiqing but remained silent.

Zhao Yu also shifted her gaze to Zhuang Yiqing. “Don’t want to leave Lanxi? Don’t want to leave the Zhuang family? Fine, I’ll give you another choice.”

She stretched out her hand and pointed towards the elevators. “Jump down from the stairwell over there. If you die, our feud ends. If you live, then by all means, go to the hospital for a hysterectomy, and after that, allow yourself to be confined by me for three years and be at my beck and call. How about that?”

Zhuang Yiqing stared at her coldly, not uttering a single word.

Zhao Yu scoffed. “Can’t even stomach that? What you did to me was a hundred times more vicious than this. Shouldn’t I let you experience what it feels like to watch your own parents die before your eyes?”

His taut shoulders trembled, and Zhuang Ye closed his eyes, lowering his head, remaining silent.

Shang Lu’s phone vibrated. He looked down at the message and smiled at Zhuang Zhen. “Yicheng has acquired a 4% stake in Lanxi. Combined with the shares held by Huacan, Yiyuan, Kuangshiji, plus Ji Sui, and…” He glanced towards Zhuang Ye in the corner, not stating it explicitly, but the meaning was clear. “Would Chairman Zhuang like to make his choice quickly?”

Zhuang Zhen hesitated for a long moment before saying, “Give me a day to consider.”

At these words, the bloodless Zhuang Yiqing suddenly smiled. In the corner, Zhuang Ye also smiled. Even Zhao Yu felt a slight urge to laugh.

In truth, for the Zhuang family, what kind of dead end was this? Even if they were ultimately forced out of Lanxi’s management, their family still held their equity shares; abject poverty wasn’t even a possibility. Yet even so, he couldn’t bring himself to answer decisively, “Our family will stick together through thick and thin.”

Years ago, Zhao Yu had already learned from Zhuang Ye about his father’s cold, fickle nature. She wasn’t the least bit surprised by his hesitation now. But she also knew that this was a near-fatal blow for Zhuang Yiqing.

Because this practically signaled that her own biological father was very likely to abandon her for the sake of the company—just as this man had neglected his wife at home, had affairs everywhere, and sired a brood of illegitimate children back in the day.

Selfish and heartless.

Watching the self-mockery on Zhuang Yiqing’s face, Zhao Yu nodded. “Fine, you have one day. Whether your entire family leaves Lanxi, or Zhuang Yiqing is kicked out—the decision rests entirely with Chairman Zhuang.”

Shang Lu stood, took Zhao Yu’s hand, and without a backward glance, walked towards the elevator. Only when they reached the underground parking garage did Zhao Yu’s legs give way, but Shang Lu promptly pulled her into his arms.

Revenge had long become an obsession for her. Yet now that everything was truly beginning, she suddenly felt lost and powerless, even constantly dazed, feeling as if she had no idea what she was doing.

“I thought I would be happy…”

“I understand.” Shang Lu held her tightly, gently patting her shoulder. “Don’t think about anything. Just rest a while.”

Both of them had walked through fire to reach this day. How could they possibly feel truly happy right now?

After leaning wearily against his chest for a long time, Zhao Yu straightened up and only then noticed that Zhuang Ye had followed them down at some point. He stood silently by the elevator entrance, watching them.

Following her gaze and spotting Zhuang Ye, Shang Lu asked, “Do you want to talk to him?”

Zhao Yu was silent for a moment, then shook her head. “Let’s go.”

Zhuang Ye watched silently as Shang Lu held her close, walked her to the car, opened the passenger door, and carefully helped her inside…

Not until the car sped away did Zhuang Ye turn and walk back to the elevator.

His whole being was like a walking corpse.

Zhao Yu’s injuries hadn’t fully healed yet, so she returned to the hospital. But that night, she slept extremely restlessly.

Unlike usual, she didn’t dream of the events from four years ago. Instead, she kept seeing Zhuang Ye and Ji Sui in her dreams: one moment Zhuang Ye was covered in blood, saying goodbye to her; the next, Ji Sui was covered in wounds, staring at her. The fear of being trapped in darkness always suffocated her, leaving her breathless.

“It’s alright, don’t be afraid.” Seeing her startle awake from a nightmare once more, Shang Lu could only hold her tight and soothe her repeatedly, “I’m here, don’t be afraid.”

Zhao Yu felt an intense unease. Grabbing her phone, she saw it was just past two in the morning. But she truly didn’t want to sleep anymore, and could only say, “Sit with me for a while.”

“Alright.”

Shang Lu got up to pour her some water. She unlocked her phone and casually scanned the news, only for her eyes to be met with the glaring headline: “Family Dispute of Lanxi Jewelry Chairman Leads to Shooting Incident.”

The hand holding the phone trembled involuntarily. Zhao Yu strained her eyes to stare at the news headline. It was indeed a shooting incident in the country, and it did involve Lanxi. She hadn’t misread it.

She had intended to use the Zhuang family against Zhuang Yiqing, to slowly torment that woman step by step, but she had never imagined something like this would happen to the Zhuang family.

Was Zhuang Ye involved?

Clicking on the news and scrolling down urgently, she read a few detailed lines: illegitimate daughter secretly possessed firearm, lost emotional control and attempted to murder her biological father; long-time adopted son, deeply loyal, at the critical moment recklessly took the bullet for his father; hospitalized, in critical condition, not yet out of danger…

Zhao Yu felt a buzzing in her head. How could it be Ji Sui? Hadn’t Ji Sui resigned and left the Zhuang family? Why would he appear at such an occasion?

“You want the Lanxi shares in my hands, right?”

“Alright.”

His words from that day slowly replayed in her mind. Only then did Zhao Yu abruptly realize that his single word “Alright” had already encompassed everything that followed.

The Zhuang family had been kind to him, yet he had given her, the enemy, the shares the Zhuang family had given him to use against them. So, was he choosing to repay the debt with his life?

Had he already made that decision that very day?

Had he known Zhuang Ruyun was hiding a firearm all along? But he deliberately didn’t expose it, just waiting for this day?

Was that it?

Could someone like him really resort to such an extreme and resolute act?