Chapter 251: Hidden Selfish Motive
Lian Yingying hesitated for a few seconds and asked unexpectedly.
“Gu Zhoushan cares so much about Liang Liancheng; perhaps he’ll discover the hidden dangers of the progesterone injection in advance. With treatment, she might not die. Furthermore, Gu Zhoushan is famously unfathomable and brilliant. What if he sees through our scheme?”
“Foolish.” Gu Zhoushan scoffed.
“The Liang family also has Liang Zhengping. If he were to see Liang Liancheng, that harbinger of misfortune, meet the King Yama, his wife would surely be very cooperative. As for whether Gu Zhoushan sees through it, that’s not the point. The point is, as long as he still wants to possess Liang Liancheng, he *must* make a move. This is Second Master Mo’s gambit; there’s no solution.”
Lian Yingying persistently asked, “But—the last paternity test didn’t go as expected. Second Master Mo only relied on one meeting and investigation materials to try and control him; was that perhaps too careless?”
“You seem to admire Gu Zhoushan a lot.” Gu Zhoushan’s expression darkened. “Do you like him?”
Lian Yingying bit her lip. “I don’t. Uncle, please don’t overthink it. I’m afraid that after the kidnapping, Gu Zhoushan won’t act, and Liang Liancheng’s true identity will become widely known, leaving us to retreat to Dian Province in disgrace.”
Gu Zhoushan mused, “Since you brought it up, do you have an idea?”
Lian Yingying had been a chess piece from beginning to end.
Her gains and losses, her survival and defeat, were entirely up to others. Discarding her was naturally done without hesitation, her life and death, her wealth and status depending on the conscience of Gu Zhoushan and Mo Shicheng.
But one of these two men was heartless, and the other was beyond despicable.
She wanted to guarantee that she would receive her portion of the cake when victory was achieved. She had to increase her leverage, either by joining them at the table as a player, playing chess with them, or by holding leverage as her trump card.
And then there was her own secret selfish motive.
“The time for Lin Xianzi’s kidnapping cannot be too long; exceeding Europe’s deadline is not an option. Nor can it be too short, to prevent Jin Tonghai from having insufficient time to frame Lin Xianzi’s confidant. The timing must be precise; not a single step can be wrong.”
“And if you go to Qi Province to meet Liang Zhengping, you are very likely to be noticed by Lin Xianzi and Gu Zhoushan. Without meeting Liang Zhengping, who is involved in the kidnapping case, and with the existing conflict from the Qingxi Valley press conference, if Gu Zhoushan unexpectedly turns hostile, he might immediately betray us if he sees no profit.”
Her reasoning was sound. Gu Zhoushan suppressed his displeasure and let her continue.
“Currently, Mo Shifu is wary of me, and my presence here won’t be very effective. It would be better to spread the news of the kidnapping, and I can go to Qi Province under the pretense of worrying about Lin Xianzi to help you. Liang Liancheng will also be kidnapped. As a family member of a victim in the same case, it wouldn’t be out of line for me to contact the Liang family.”
Gu Zhoushan pondered, “Yingying, are you sure you have no feelings for Gu Zhoushan?”
Lian Yingying’s palms began to sweat. “He’s handsome and noble, imposing and powerful yet abstinent and cold. This contrasting charm is exceptional; any woman would be moved. It would be a lie to say I have no feelings, but it’s definitely not love. You don’t need to worry about that.”
Seeing that she was telling the truth, Gu Zhoushan gave a few warnings and reluctantly agreed. “Whether Mo Shifu will let you come to Qi Province depends on your own ability.”
………………………………
The next day, Liancheng finished breakfast early in the morning, put on light makeup, and prepared to go out.
Last night, Director Qin had invited the museum director to dinner. A medicine had been applied to a spot on her lip. Gu Zhoushan hadn’t allowed her to wear makeup, and the lighting at the banquet was so bright, it made her complexion look terrible.
Director Qin proposed canceling the morning’s itinerary. Liancheng, unable to salvage the situation, reacted somewhat excessively. In the end, Director Qin agreed to proceed with the itinerary as planned, but Gu Zhoushan’s expression was displeased.
Since the press conference, her attitude had been off. She left and then proactively returned, ran out of the courtyard, knowing she couldn’t get down the mountain, and attended the banquet without any struggle, claiming a newfound love for Chinese style out of nowhere.
Although Gu Zhoushan had never probed or questioned her, his lack of outward reaction was itself a cause for concern.
Liancheng went downstairs. Gu Zhoushan was lounging on the sofa, his legs crossed casually, with a laptop displaying foreign languages on his lap.
Liancheng maintained her distance, unable to see clearly.
“Director Qin isn’t here yet.”
Liancheng continued walking, her reply perfunctory. “I’ll go down and wait.”
Gu Zhoushan pushed the laptop aside. “It’s windy outside; wait in the room.”
Liancheng stood still for a moment, then turned back to the bedroom.
“Do you detest being in the same room as me?”
Liancheng paused and turned to look at him. “Why the sudden question?”
Gu Zhoushan’s brow furrowed with an unnamable emotion. “Detest me?”
Gu Zhoushan was actually rigid. When it came to matters of love and romance, apart from the time she was pregnant in Iceland, he had rarely spoken of them openly. He would always just watch people, quietly waiting, his gaze thick and fixed. Apart from anger, his words were sharp, his gaze fierce, his presence a dangerous deterrence that made people too afraid to breathe.
Now, surprisingly, Liancheng felt no danger.
“If you don’t make any advances, I won’t detest you.”
He pursed his lips, seemingly enduring something, but enduring it poorly, a hint of something escaping. “Where am I inferior to Shen Lichuan?”
Liancheng’s face changed immediately, annoyance and defensiveness masking her true feelings. “Why are you bringing Shen Lichuan into this again? I haven’t been in contact with him recently.”
Gu Zhoushan remained in the same posture, not angry, not tense. In the morning light outside, his figure was heroic and broad, the gloom that had accumulated over four years, deeply ingrained in his bones.
At this moment, it seemed to have all subsided, his heart calm and his demeanor gentle, exuding the aura of a mature man from an old movie.
“I know he hasn’t contacted you.” He looked at her. “Do you still like him?”
Liancheng couldn’t figure out his intentions, but he was steady. She shook her head. “Shen Lichuan and I accepted our separation long ago. My current feelings have nothing to do with liking.”
Gu Zhoushan’s gaze flickered, and after a long while, he spoke. “If you don’t like him, why won’t you accept me?”
Liancheng was shocked. “I don’t like him, so why should I accept you?”
“After Iceland, I couldn’t find any trace of my brother in your eyes. Why can’t you accept me?”
Liancheng frowned.
Gu Zhoushan didn’t receive an answer and didn’t press further. His gaze shifted from her eyes to the corners of her mouth. “Remove your makeup and apply the medicine. You are my wife; your status is not ordinary. Whether you wear makeup or not, whether you appear presentable or not, others will accommodate you; you don’t need to consider others.”
“But that’s Director Qin.” What she cared about wasn’t her appearance, but the fear that if her complexion was poor, Director Qin might cut the meeting short.
Gu Zhoushan’s eyes were too sharp; he saw through her. “If you truly like Hanfu and want to learn more about the fabric, as long as you persist, she won’t refuse your request.”
Liancheng was greatly surprised. At the banquet, the deputy had lectured Gu Zhoushan several times. She had thought Gu Zhoushan’s relationship with the deputy was in the category of junior to elder.
Hearing this now, it didn’t seem like that was the implication.
They were equals, their status the same, as if Director Qin had to consider and weigh his opinion.
The shadow in Liancheng’s heart grew even larger.
What was his mindset and emotions when he agreed to the Chinese-style wedding back then?
“Do you want me to accompany you?”
Liancheng’s mind cleared instantly. “No need—”
She clasped her bag and smiled. “You’re returning to Nan Province this afternoon. The morning is only enough time to look at fabrics; there won’t be time to choose styles. You’d better handle your documents at the hotel.”
Gu Zhoushan gazed at her for a long time, then stood up and approached her, putting his arm around her shoulder. The strength was heavy and out of proportion, but in a blink, it became gentle. He led her into the restroom and removed her makeup with makeup remover wipes.
“What do you want to eat for lunch?”
Liancheng couldn’t answer the question and gave up resisting, tilting her head back and obediently enduring his rough methods.
