Chapter 540: The Secret About the Past (158)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“He only responded with a nod. Well, what else can he say? Actually, I really like people like my uncle. He’s so devoted and loyal,” Tuoba Danxue remarked.
“Who wouldn’t fancy a man like him? Your Highness, all women love men who are loyal,” Zhi Yin said while smiling.
“Zhi Yin, would you be willing to marry my uncle?”
An Xiaoning looked at Zhi Yin to find that she was all smiles. “Your Highness, you’re making fun of me again. How am I in any way worthy of your uncle?” said Zhi Yin.
“He doesn’t care about status and background.”
“Your Highness, wouldn’t you have to address Sister Zhi Yin as your auntie if she were to marry your uncle?” An Xiaoning asked with a mirthless smile.
“That’s right. This damned lass would stand to gain,” said Tuoba Danxue, poking Zhi Yin in her forehead. “You two are indeed too incompatible in terms of age. But, my uncle looks really young and fair. My grandmother probably hasn’t heard about this yet,” she continued.
An Xiaoning stared at the ground without uttering a single word.
—
“Hubby, seems like getting your father drunk didn’t work. Have you thought of another solution yet?” Xu Youran asked while getting out of bed.
“I haven’t thought of something yet.”
“Actually, I’ve come up with two solutions, but they’re very risky and dangerous. We can’t take the risk unless absolutely necessary.”
“What ideas have you got?” Gu Dongcheng asked, greatly enticed by her words.
“Drugs.”
“What!?! You want my father to abuse drugs?”
“Drugs possess the ability to severely impair one’s nervous system and cause hallucinations. When a drug addict is experiencing withdrawal symptoms, they’d do anything for a chance to alleviate their suffering, even if you tell them to kowtow to you,” said Xu Youran.
Gu Dongcheng immediately shot her idea down, “No, it’s hard to kick the addiction once one is addicted to drugs. My father is already so old, I can’t risk it. What’s the other solution?”
“Stage a kidnapping.”
“And then force them to reveal the answer? Do you really think Father and Mother will tell us? They’d know clearly the purpose of our question. They would definitely rather die than reveal Beicheng’s birth characters,” Gu Dongcheng again refused, thinking that her suggestion was not feasible.
“I really can’t think of anything else,” Xu Youran lamented.
“Then let’s not take any action for now. We’ll continue when we’ve come up with an appropriate solution. Safety comes first.”
Xu Youran leaned in closer toward him and said, “Hubby… why don’t we make your stepmother become a drug addict? Don’t you detest her anyway? I don’t like her either, she’s not your biological mother, after all. She’s Gu Beicheng’s mother, which means she’d definitely know her own son’s birth characters and time of birth. Your father might have forgotten, but she definitely wouldn’t.”
Gu Dongcheng looked at her and said, “There are surveillance cameras at home.”
“You’re so silly. How did such an intelligent woman like me marry a fool like you? I can easily tamper with the surveillance cameras. I just have to be extra careful and make sure no one finds out. We’ll be able to kill her and her son in one go. When that happens, the Gu Corporation will belong to you alone,” she said with a squint.
Gu Dongcheng had actually had plans of his own. After much consideration, he said, “Be careful then.”
“Yes, you can count on me,” Xu Youran said confidently.
When they went downstairs for breakfast, Xu Youran asked with a smile, “Mother, have you got any plans for today?”
“I’m not going anywhere, it’s too hot outside. I’ll be staying at home instead.”
Xu Youran chuckled and said, “You can’t keep cooping yourself up at home all the time, Mother. Why don’t you look for your friends to have some fun and chit-chat about life? Wouldn’t that be at least more interesting than staying at home?”
“I just aired my woes to them yesterday. I’d prefer to rest at home today,” said Mrs. Gu, who had initially planned to go out today. However, she quickly changed her mind upon hearing Xu Youran’s question, perhaps because she was extremely paranoid and cautious of the latter.
Needless to say, Xu Youran had no idea what Mrs. Gu was thinking in her head.
Breakfast finally ended after a morning of frivolous conversations. Gu Dongcheng and Gu Beicheng headed to the office while Lin Mingxi proceeded to the fitness center to supervise renovations, and Mr. Gu went out to have a few games of chess over tea with his friends, leaving Mrs. Gu and Xu Youran alone at home.
On the surface, they were mother and daughter-in-law. However, in actual fact, they both knew deep down that neither of them acknowledged that relationship between each other.
Mrs. Gu sat on the couch while playing a farming game on her mobile phone.
Xu Youran hesitated at the thought of the surveillance cameras at home, though she wanted to execute her plan as soon as possible.
After thinking twice, she decided to be careful and wait until Mrs. Gu was not at home to take action.
A while later, Mrs. Gu returned to her bedroom and locked the door from inside before proceeding to give An Xiaoning a call.
An Xiaoning picked up very soon.
“Xiaoning, it’s me.”
“Mother, why is your voice so shaky?”
“I don’t know why, but I’m feeling flustered all of a sudden. Where are you now?” Mrs. Gu asked softly.
“I’m attending to some matters overseas. What are you feeling flustered about? Tell me about it,” said An Xiaoning, sensing that Mrs. Gu was ill at ease.
Mrs. Gu said upfront, “I just find something really strange about the way Xu Youran looked at me today. I don’t know if I’m being paranoid ever since the incident about the ancestral hall. Xiaoning, when are you coming back?”
“Mother, tell me your birth characters. I’ll tell you about your fortune for the upcoming month.”
Mrs. Gu frantically revealed her birth characters and said, “Dongcheng must know about my birth characters and time of birth. Otherwise, how would the ancestral hall incident have come about?”
Recalling the incident in M Nation, An Xiaoning reminded her, “Mother, no matter what, don’t reveal Beicheng and Mingxi’s characters to just anyone. On the surface, my mother-in-law is said to have passed away due to a fatal illness, but she actually died because of a death curse.”
“She didn’t die of an illness? I was rather puzzled when I heard the news too. I remember meeting your mother-in-law several times and she seemed pretty healthy and fine. I was wondering why she passed away all of a sudden. Xiaoning, what’s a death curse?”
“It’s a sinister ritual performed using one’s birth characters and clothing. My mother-in-law died shortly after the hex was put on her. Mother, don’t tell anyone else about this matter.”
“I know, rest assured. By the way, hurry and help me read my fortune for this month,” Mrs. Gu urged eagerly.
“Alright.” An Xiaoning was momentarily stunned beyond words after analyzing and reading Mrs. Gu’s birth characters. “Mother…”
Noticing the shift in her tone, Mrs. Gu asked worriedly, “Xiaoning, tell Mother honestly, am I going to meet with mishaps recently?”
“Mother, tell me Father’s birth characters. I’ll explain it to you after I’ve read his.”
Mrs. Gu hurriedly revealed Mr. Gu’s birth characters, “Sure, your father’s birth characters are…”
After reading them, An Xiaoning said straight away, “Mother, you’ll be facing a major mishap in the next month or so, so listen to my instructions now. Pack your bags immediately and move in with me at Wei Ni Estate. I’ll call Qingyan and inform him about it. Stay in Wei Ni Estate for an entire month and don’t step out of the estate at all. Listen to me.”
Mrs. Gu frantically replied, “Yes, yes, alright. I’ll go pack my luggage now. But your father…”
“Father will be fine, don’t worry.”
“Xiaoning, do read Beicheng and Mingxi’s fortunes too. I’m really worried for them,” Mrs. Gu said anxiously, overwhelmed with fear and panic.
“I’ll give Beicheng a call later. Rest assured. By the way, Mother, use the telephones in Wei Ni Estate if you’d like to call me again from now on. I’m just afraid that there may be monitors planted on your mobile phone.”