So it made sense that they were so successful.

He was furious, but this was, without a doubt, the best option. Only a fool would think otherwise.

Wang Ruiqian sat there sighing, not saying a word.

Beside him, Boss Yang was also filled with regret, having missed out on the stone because of his own hesitation.

It would have been one thing if the stone had yielded a small profit. But this was 890 million!

With that kind of money, you could probably stop working for the rest of your life!

‘Why was a simple wish like getting rich in the jewelry business so hard to achieve?’

‘Before, when the opportunity was distant, he could pretend he didn’t know about it, or that it had nothing to do with him.’

‘But now? He hadn’t even started making money yet. How did it just slip through his fingers?’

‘The more he thought about it, the more depressed he became. Was he just doomed to never make any real money in this life?’

Boss Yang sighed at Wang Ruiqian, who sighed right back at him.

There was no telling when it came to making money. What good was regret?

They hadn’t done anything illegal. There was no way to report them or cause trouble.

——

After Gu Shengsheng and Lu Shijing left, they had planned to head straight back to Beijing City.

Their business in Rui City was more or less finished, so there was no point in staying.

Gu Shengsheng suddenly stopped, frowning at a banner up ahead.

Lu Shijing took her arm. “Is something wrong?” Following her gaze, he saw Gu Rongrong standing there.

Guan Wutian and Song Shuhua were standing there as well.

‘What are they up to now?’ Gu Shengsheng wondered.

Though she was speechless, she deliberately started walking in the opposite direction.

“I don’t know what they’re up to, but I’m one hundred percent certain it’s nothing good.”

“So let’s go a different way.”

Lu Shijing said, “That might work at another intersection, but not here. It looks like they came prepared. They knew you’d have to pass this way.”

“Why don’t you wait in the car? I can handle them,” Lu Shijing said, his heart aching as he looked at the dark circles and bloodshot veins in her eyes.

She looked utterly exhausted and miserable.

Gu Shengsheng shook her head. “Don’t worry, I can handle it. If I don’t go, that family is capable of pulling any kind of stunt. I just hate the hassle. If I can resolve it with a few words, then it’s no longer a hassle.”

Since she didn’t care, there was nothing to worry about.

Lu Shijing suddenly remembered how, when the He Family had locked Gu Shengsheng in that underground lab, she had cried out weakly for her mom… and said she didn’t have a mom anymore.

It was clear that while she acted like she didn’t care, deep down, she still did.

His heart ached for Gu Shengsheng even more. She must have learned to hide her emotions from a very young age.

‘Looks like his so-called father-in-law and mother-in-law really were in the wrong.’

In that case, Lu Shijing had no intention of being polite either.

Gu Shengsheng got out of the car first. “I’ll go on ahead. You can go park.”

“Mhm.”

As soon as Gu Shengsheng got out, Guan Wutian and Song Shuhua rushed over to meet her.

Song Shuhua managed a rare smile. “Shengsheng. Are you feeling better now? We heard you were kidnapped, so we came to see you. The whole family has been worried.”

Tears streamed down her face as she spoke.

Then Guan Wutian put on an expression of extreme anguish. “I never knew that marrying you off would lead to something like this. My daughter, my poor, dear daughter!”

Then, a very emotional Song Shuhua grabbed Gu Shengsheng’s hand. “Shengsheng, you’re finally back in Rui City! Come home and have a meal with us!”

Gu Shengsheng pulled her hand away, speechless. She stared at the two of them for a long moment. “Have you two… taken the wrong medicine?”

“If you have, I can help send you to a psychiatric hospital and have the nurses help you with it.”

Song Shuhua stared at Gu Shengsheng, completely speechless.

“How could you say something like that, Shengsheng? That’s really disrespectful. Your father and I are only thinking of you.”

“You’re my own flesh and blood, the child I carried for ten months. You’ve always been our greatest pride. Did you know that?”

Gu Shengsheng nodded. “Oh. Is the show over?”

“If it is, I’d like to go home now. Ms. Song, you’re in my way.”

Song Shuhua clutched her hand again. “Shengsheng, Mom and Dad love you. There must have been some terrible misunderstandings before. I’m begging you, please, will you come home?”

With that, Song Shuhua dropped to her knees.

They were in public. What kind of mother kneels to her own daughter?

A crowd quickly started to gather.

“Oh, my. The parents must have done something wrong, but a child shouldn’t hold it against them like this! Just do what needs to be done. Is it really that hard to forgive your parents?”

“Exactly! And besides, isn’t this young lady a big deal? She’s done so much for Huaxia, discovered all those artifacts, and I heard she even found the King of Bids right here.”

“To think someone like that could have such a terrible character.”

“…”

Gu Shengsheng didn’t want to bother with the gossiping crowd. She was tempted to ask them how they could so easily tell her to forgive, when they had never walked a single day in her shoes.

“You like parents like these so much? Be my guest,” Gu Shengsheng said to the gossips, making an inviting “after you” gesture.

At this, Song Shuhua started crying again in disbelief. “I’ve gone this far, and you’re still not willing to come home, even for a little while?”

Gu Shengsheng stood her ground. Lu Shijing walked over and put a supportive arm around her. “If you don’t want to go, we don’t have to. Don’t let them intimidate you.”

“It’s fine,” she said. “Since we’ve already stopped, we might as well go.”

‘She, Gu Shengsheng, had never been afraid of anything.’

‘This family… Gu Rongrong hadn’t even said a word, yet they were already putting on such a huge show. She really had no idea what was going on.’

The most interesting part was that Gu Rongrong looked just as surprised by Guan Wutian and Song Shuhua’s behavior, and there was even a hint of jealousy in her eyes.

‘She’s so foolish, completely unable to hide her emotions. I saw it right away.’

‘So what in the world is going on with this family?’

‘This was no longer just about satisfying her curiosity.’

Lu Shijing wanted to go, too. These biological parents and that fake heiress had bullied his wife for far too long.

‘How could he not go and see what they were up to?’

‘They might have gotten away with bullying her before, but if they thought they could do it again? They could dream on.’

Gu Shengsheng, never one to let an opportunity for a sharp remark pass, said, “Ms. Song, you’ve gone to such lengths. If I refuse to go, your whole show will fall apart.”

“So I’ll play along. I might as well see what kind of opera you’re planning to perform.”

“Let’s go, Ms. Song, Mr. Gu.”

Gu Rongrong looked at her with tears welling in her eyes. “Sister, how can you talk to Mom like that?”

“Mom and Dad have been so worried about you at home, terrified that something might have happened!”

Gu Shengsheng retorted, “So, I was supposed to be a sacrifice to improve your luck?”

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