Chapter 72

Chapter 72

The documents crashed to the floor with a loud thud.

His secretary, carrying a cup of coffee, knocked and entered the room. She was startled by the scene, having walked in at the exact moment of the outburst.

Quickly setting the coffee on the desk, she bent down to pick up the papers. As she gathered them and placed them on the table, she cautiously observed Gu Beixian’s expression.

Though his face was calm and devoid of emotion, his eyes were cold and dark. It was like the surface of a calm sea with undercurrents surging beneath, ready to whip up a violent storm at any moment.

The secretary didn’t even dare to breathe loudly. She carefully said, “President Gu, your coffee.”

Gu Beixian lifted his eyelids, his gaze cold and hard. He glanced at the cup of coffee but didn’t respond.

The secretary held her breath and tiptoed toward the door, terrified that a heavy footstep might provoke him further.

After walking a few steps, she heard Gu Beixian pick up his phone and dial a number. “It’s your first day of apprenticeship,” he asked. “How does it feel?”

His voice was so tender it could have melted stone.

The secretary froze.

She couldn’t hear what the person on the other end said.

Gu Beixian gave a faint smile. “Our Huahua is so amazing. You can already appraise treasures on your first day?”

His tone was incredibly doting. It didn’t even sound like a conversation between lovers; it sounded more like a young father talking to his daughter.

The secretary thought she was hallucinating. She had clearly seen a CEO on the brink of a furious outburst. How could he become so gentle and doting the moment he made a phone call?

It was too bizarre!

She secretly made a mental note of the name “Huahua.” If she ever encountered this person in the future, she would have to serve her with the utmost care. This person was clearly a vital figure she couldn’t afford to offend.

At the same time, in front of Tianshou Pavilion.

Su Hua said to Gu Beixian over the phone, “Remember to drink more water and less coffee. Drinking too much coffee will affect your sleep.”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you.” Gu Beixian picked up the coffee from his desk, walked over to the trash can, and poured it out. Placing the empty cup on the coffee table, he said, “It’s almost noon. Shall we have lunch together?”

Su Hua smiled. “No need. I’ll just grab something simple nearby.”

“Fine. Then I’ll take you out for dinner tonight. It’s your first day of apprenticeship; we should celebrate.”

“Okay.” Su Hua hung up the phone.

Gu Jinyao stood silently to the side, listening. His face remained expressionless, but his heart was a mess of conflicting emotions.

Su Hua put her phone in her pocket and smiled at him. “Mr. Gu, why don’t you open the painting and take a look? Are you satisfied?”

Gu Jinyao’s lips curled into a faint smile. “I am familiar with your skill. There’s no need to look.”

“Alright then, I’m going back to the shop.”

“Mm, go on.” He watched her with a lingering gaze.

He had very beautiful eyes, somewhat like those of a stallion. When he looked at someone, they were clear and moist, naturally carrying a sense of deep affection that stood in stark contrast to his cold, hard exterior.

Unfortunately, Su Hua didn’t notice.

She turned and headed toward the shop. After a few steps, her phone rang again.

She thought it was Gu Beixian calling back, but when she took out her phone, she saw it was the number of a neighbor from her mother’s apartment complex.

Su Hua stopped and answered. “Auntie Wang, is something wrong?”

The neighbor spoke urgently. “Xiao Hua, I don’t know what’s happening at your mother’s place, but there’s a lot of crashing and shouting. I knocked for a long time trying to check on her, but no one opened the door. Do you have the house keys? Hurry back and check!”

Su Hua’s heart instantly skipped a beat. “Okay! I’ll be right back!”

After hanging up, she hurriedly called her driver. “I need to go to my mother’s house. Come back quickly.”

The driver, who was smoking under the shade of a tree not far away, immediately threw down his cigarette butt, crushed it with his foot, and ran over.

Gu Jinyao had overheard the conversation. Seeing Su Hua’s panicked expression, he guessed that something had happened. He stepped toward her in a few strides and asked, “What’s wrong? I’ll drive you.”

Despite her worry for her mother, Su Hua didn’t want to keep bothering him. She declined politely, “No need, the driver can take me back.”

Gu Jinyao went silent for a moment. He pulled a small, silver-carved dagger from his pocket and handed it to her. “Take this. At least you can protect yourself if you run into danger.”

Su Hua shook her head. “I don’t want it.”

Gu Jinyao took her hand and forced it into her palm. “It’s just a dagger. You gave me a painting, so I should give you something in return.” Fearing she would refuse again, he added, “I don’t like owing favors either.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Su Hua didn’t have time to overthink it. Holding the dagger, she stepped into the shop to inform Hua Tianshou. After grabbing her bag, she came out and got into the car.

The driver arrived just then and started the engine.

Sitting in the backseat, Su Hua kept calling her mother. The calls went through, but no one answered. She gripped her phone tightly, her face calm, but her eyes were filled with anxious agitation.

When they hit a red light, the driver took out his phone and sent a message to Gu Beixian: President Gu, there is an emergency at the Young Mistress’s mother’s house.
Half an hour later.

Su Hua returned to her mother’s home.

Before she even reached the door, she heard the sounds of crashing and banging coming from inside the house, as if things were being smashed and thrown about.

There was also the sound of a man’s harsh shouting and her mother’s angry retorts.

Fearing that her mother was being bullied, Su Hua hurriedly took out her keys and opened the door.

She pushed the door open and entered the house.

She saw that the living room was a complete mess.

Shattered cups were scattered everywhere.

Throw pillows, the television remote, and fruit were strewn all over the floor.

Stools and chairs were overturned or skewed at odd angles, and even the sofa and coffee table had been pushed out of their original positions.

Su Peilan’s hair was disheveled, and her clothes had been pulled into a mess.

A strange man was standing there with his hands on his hips, saying to her, “Give me five million, or else don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Su Peilan’s eyes were rimmed with red, and she snapped back angrily, “You can just give up on that idea! I won’t give you a single cent!”

The two of them were arguing so fiercely that they didn’t even notice someone had entered the room.

Su Hua looked at the man with a cold gaze and raised her voice to ask, “Who are you? Why have you come to our house to cause trouble?”

Hearing her voice, the two of them turned their heads to look at her.

Su Hua finally got a clear look at the man’s appearance.

He looked to be about fifty years old.

He had a square face, graying temples, thick eyebrows, and large eyes.

One could tell that he must have been a handsome man when he was young.

But now that he was old, his facial contours were bloated, the bags under his eyes were swollen, and the whites of his eyes were heavily bloodshot.

Because he was enraged, his expression looked quite fierce.

When Su Peilan saw Su Hua arrive, a flicker of panic appeared in her eyes for a moment.

She quickly ran over, pulled Su Hua to the side, and whispered, “Why are you here? Who told you to come?”

Su Hua said, “Auntie Wang from next door called me and said there was someone fighting at home.”

“I’m fine, you should leave quickly.” Su Peilan tried to push her toward the door.

Su Hua refused to leave. She looked her mother up and down, and seeing that she hadn’t sustained any injuries, she tucked her mother’s messy hair behind her ear and asked, “Mom, who is he? Why is he asking you for five million? Do you owe him money?”

Su Peilan was just about to speak.

The man let out a cold snort and said, “I’m your father! My surname is Ding, and my name is Ding Lie! You don’t even recognize your own old man!”

Su Peilan glared at him fiercely. “What kind of father are you to Xiao Hua? Have you raised her for even a single day? Have you ever given a cent in child support? You’re shameless!”

Su Hua froze.

She quietly gazed at the man named Ding Lie.

So, he was her father.

Ever since she was very small, she had imagined what her father looked like countless times.

Seeing that all the other children had fathers while she was the only one who didn’t, she had been incredibly envious.

She had asked her mother many times, “Where is my father?”

Her mother would always say with a cold face that he was dead.

At that time, she had believed it. She had even secretly run to the willow grove behind the village to look for her father’s grave.

She searched and searched but couldn’t find it.

So she would just face an anonymous grave and secretly wipe away her tears.

Later, when she grew a bit older, she found out that her parents had divorced long ago.

Today, she finally met her father, but it was under these circumstances.

Su Hua’s mood was surprisingly calm. She wasn’t excited at all, just a little bit heartbroken.

So this was what her father was like.

He was very fierce and not warm at all.

He was nothing like what she had imagined.

Seeing that she was quiet and remained silent, Su Peilan touched her face and said, “You don’t need to worry about him. You are my daughter alone; you have nothing to do with him.”

Ding Lie let out a cold laugh. “Su Peilan, remember to transfer the money to my account. As for the rest, I don’t think I need to say more…”

Su Peilan interrupted him loudly, “I’m not giving it to you!”

Ding Lie furrowed his brows and threatened, “If you dare refuse, just you wait!”

Su Peilan stepped forward, grabbed his arm, and pushed him toward the door. “Get out! Get out of here!”

Ding Lie hadn’t gotten the money, so he refused to leave.

The two of them shoved and grappled with each other, and in the midst of the dispute, they started fighting.

No matter how tough Su Peilan was, she was still a woman after all. How could she be a match for Ding Lie?

Seeing her mother being bullied, Su Hua quickly rushed in front of her to protect her.

Su Peilan was afraid she would get hurt, so she hurriedly tried to pull Su Hua behind her.

The driver also came in to help.

Amidst the struggle and pulling between the four people.

Ding Lie swung a fist that went wide, and with a dull thud, it struck Su Hua right on the nose.

A wave of intense soreness hit her, accompanied by a sharp pain. Su Hua clutched her nose in agony.

A warm flow gushed out from her nose.

She reached up and wiped her nose, and her palm was covered in a jarring, bright red.

The pain was overwhelming. Su Hua saw stars, and cold sweat poured down her face.

At that moment, the sound of a lock turning came from outside the door.

Click!

The door was pushed open.

Gu Beixian strode inside.

As soon as he entered the room, he saw that Su Hua’s face below her nose was covered in blood.

That blood was a stark, brilliant red.

In an instant, it stung his eyes.

His mind felt like it exploded with a bang.

His brow twitched with rage, and his handsome face darkened instantly as he demanded sharply, “Who did this?”

Su Peilan pointed her index finger straight at Ding Lie. “This bastard hit her!”