Chapter 228: In Your Dreams, No Way
Chapter 228: Chapter 228: In Your Dreams, No Way
Guo Dongmei didn’t go directly to the Hua family. Instead, she waited for Hua Yusen at the entrance of his workplace.
As Gu Qingyu’s personal bodyguard, Hua Yusen’s status rose with the tide. After Gu Qingyu’s health improved, he began to implement project reforms and adjust regulations. In just half a year, when the autumn statistics were compiled, the output of various grains and agricultural by-products had surprisingly increased by fifty percent over the previous year, with some items even doubling.
These achievements were plain for all to see, and the Chairman was also very impressed with the results Gu Qingyu produced.
However, Gu Qingyu’s return to power over the entire group displeased the faction led by the Li family. They felt the power and interests they held were slowly dwindling, gradually shifting over to Gu Qingyu.
The Li family patriarch had, on more than one occasion, privately raged in front of his son, cursing Gu Qingyu. ’Why won’t that old bastard just hurry up and die!’
They believed that if Gu Qingyu died, the Li family would be able to seize control of the group after the Chairman’s passing. But as long as Gu Qingyu lived, it would never be the Li family’s turn to take the lead.
As the Chairman’s health deteriorated, the Li family’s schemes became more frequent. Eliminating Gu Qingyu was the only way to obtain the greatest benefit.
Hua Yusen was heading home after work when he saw Guo Dongmei at the gate.
Hua Yusen wanted to pretend he hadn’t seen her, but Guo Dongmei had specifically researched his work schedule. How could she possibly let him leave?
He had just gotten into his Jeep when Guo Dongmei slid in from the other side.
"What are you doing here?" Hua Yusen asked, frowning. "I don’t think we have anything left to talk about. After all, you understand the situation between our families better than anyone. If you continue this ambiguous association with me, the Li family will get the wrong idea."
Guo Dongmei gave Hua Yusen a smug, superior smile, her gaze condescending. "Heh, you’re overthinking things. Gongming trusts me completely. He won’t have a problem with me coming to discuss official business with you. The Li family elders are also very fond of me, so you have nothing to worry about."
Hearing Guo Dongmei’s bragging, Hua Yusen let out a sneer. He started the car, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Heh, I find it hard to believe the Li family is all that fond of a woman engaged to another man—especially when that man is from a rival family."
Guo Dongmei’s face fell at his words, but she forced herself to remain composed. "That’s because they trust me!"
"Heh, whether they trust you or are just using you—you know the truth better than anyone," Hua Yusen said coldly. "You’re so desperate to be with Li Gongming, so why have you been dragging your feet on breaking off our engagement?"
Guo Dongmei smiled, her expression sweet. "I’m the woman. If I’m the one to initiate breaking it off, people will gossip. You’re the man; you should take the initiative! The Hua family should be the one to propose it."
"Heh!" Hua Yusen laughed coldly. "A brilliant scheme! You know the situation in Jincheng City is precarious, so you want me to break the engagement. The moment I do, the Guo Family will jump out and point fingers at the Hua family, cursing us!"
Called out so directly by Hua Yusen, Guo Dongmei looked a little embarrassed. But her father was unwilling to break the engagement—on the contrary, he wanted to use the annulment to attack the Hua family. Her only choice was to try to get to Hua Yusen directly.
"Maybe you don’t care about me, but what about Zhao Nuanyue?" Guo Dongmei looked at Hua Yusen with a faint, mocking smile. After all, Zhao Nuanyue was the apple of his eye, his precious darling. "Just think, such a lovely girl, left behind in that remote Nianqiao Village, even having to raise her younger siblings. How pitiful. You, her man, left and never came back, leaving that poor young lady to wait and watch for you. How tragic!"
When Guo Dongmei mentioned Zhao Nuanyue, Hua Yusen’s heart skipped a beat, as if a crack had just split open inside him.
Zhao Nuanyue was now his weakness; Hua Yusen had to admit it. He had wanted to bring her back from Nianqiao Village ever since he left. However, the reality was not as simple as he had imagined.
It wasn’t just that his family was temporarily against calling off the engagement; the situation in Jincheng City was also incredibly volatile. Elder Gu had resumed some of his duties but was facing intense pressure from the Li family and their allies. As Elder Gu’s personal bodyguard, Hua Yusen didn’t dare bring Zhao Nuanyue into this.
In remote Nianqiao Village, she had people like Miao Dahai and Li Guihua helping her openly. Behind the scenes, she had the protection of County Magistrate Zhou and his brother Zhou Jian Country, as well as Director Xu and Old Man Sun. Nuanyue, Nuanyang, and the Little Red Carp should be safe from any major danger.
This was the most important reason why Hua Yusen wasn’t in a hurry to bring Zhao Nuanyue to Jincheng City.
Still, Hua Yusen was deeply worried that his absence would cause Zhao Nuanyue to worry, to doubt him, or even to give up on their relationship.
"Heh, that’s none of your business," Hua Yusen said. "Just worry about your own affairs. By the way, I was at the Friendship Restaurant yesterday and saw the Li family’s second son having dinner with a very beautiful woman. They seemed to be getting along splendidly. I was a bit far, so I couldn’t see clearly, but she looked a lot like the eldest daughter of the Wu Family, Wu Jingjing."
"What?" Guo Dongmei was taken aback. She narrowed her eyes and stared at Hua Yusen. "What nonsense are you spouting? Don’t try to sow discord between Gongming and me. We’re doing just fine!"
"Whether you’re fine or not, only you truly know," Hua Yusen chuckled. "The Li family is trying to win allies everywhere these days. Your Guo Family is already on their side—that’s beyond doubt, anyone with eyes can see it. The Li family would do anything for more resources. In order to rope in the Wu Family, what’s a little bit of physical charm?"
"You’re lying! Don’t talk nonsense!" Guo Dongmei felt a surge of panic, her chest tightening with anxiety. She knew that in the eyes of the Li family, the Guo Family’s importance couldn’t possibly compare to the Wu Family’s. If the Li family was trying to win over the Wus, they were absolutely capable of doing what Hua Yusen suggested.
’What should I do now?’
Guo Dongmei closed her eyes, trying to sort through her tangled emotions without speaking. Perhaps Hua Yusen was right. The Li family really might be looking to forge a marriage alliance with a more powerful family.
Hua Yusen sneered inwardly. ’Trying to use me? Not a chance.’
After a long moment, Guo Dongmei finally said slowly, "Hua Yusen, let’s call off our engagement. Please, I’m begging you. You be the one to propose it, and I’ll owe you a favor."
"Heh, I’m not the one in a hurry. If you want to break the engagement, have the Guo Family do it. I have no intention of granting your wish only to be attacked by your family for it," Hua Yusen refused. "The Hua family is in a delicate position right now. I can’t gamble with our future."
Hua Yusen saw they were almost at his home. Not wanting to talk to Guo Dongmei—and certainly not wanting to be alone with her—any longer, he pulled over to the side of the road. "Go back and think about it," he said. "And if you want to break the engagement, you’d better do it soon. Don’t wait until Li Gongming is engaged to the eldest daughter of the Wu Family to come looking for me. By then, it’ll be too late."