Chapter 27: Scars of Retaliation

Life is rarely ever smooth sailing. Perhaps it takes a few more hardships and a few more trials for us to understand that there is no such thing as love without reason, nor hate without cause.

In a restaurant at the airport of Country X, two people sat facing each other. One was the well-known Shangguan Lü, and the other was a middle-aged woman with greying hair, styled in a bun at the nape of her neck. With a slender face, willow-leaf brows, and almond-shaped eyes, she possessed an elegant appearance; only her overly sharp gaze betrayed her current mood.

"Shangguan Lü, I am cooperating with your Shangguan family for the sole purpose of bringing down the Dugu family. But look at them now—not only has their company won a massive number of orders in the central region, but it is also devouring some of my existing clients in the west. I will give you seven more days. If I don't see any losses for the Dugu family by then, don't even think about me shelling out another cent to help you fund your energy projects." The middle-aged woman pulled a stack of Taiphosphor paper from her small handbag and placed it on the table. (This type of paper has the unique property of retaining ink without fading, even when written or drawn upon with special materials; to hide sensitive data, one can cover it with a special substance and remove the phosphorus layer when needed.)

Shangguan Lü shed her usual slacker demeanor, her eyes suddenly clear and bright. She picked up the stack of Taiphosphor paper to examine it. The documents contained agreements signed between the Shangguan family and this woman. As she read further, her brow furrowed deeper.

"Aunt Wei, you know as well as I do that the Dugu family has deep roots in the Utopia. This little time is simply not enough." She placed the documents back on the table and spoke urgently to the middle-aged woman.

Wei Qinghua narrowed her eyes, appraising this member of the Shangguan family she was dealing with for the first time. Although this young woman was attractive, the deep bags under her eyes suggested she was not a particularly industrious person. She began to doubt whether her investment was a wise one.

"You should address me as Director Wei. 'Aunt Wei' is not a title you are permitted to use." Wei Qinghua gave her no face at all; her words were blunt and jarring.

Shangguan Lü felt choked by her response. Though she felt a flicker of resentment, she was the one seeking help, and one must lower their head when under another's roof. She had to swallow her pride.

"Di-Director Wei, my cousin sent me specifically to request more time and more funding. Bringing down the Dugu family is no easy task. Besides, the Dugu and Shangguan families had some history in the past. The older generation doesn't want things to turn hostile; we are even doing this behind our Great-Aunt’s back." Shangguan Lü wiped the sweat from her forehead. She hadn't realized this old woman would be so difficult; had she known, she would have dumped this job on her second sister.

Wei Qinghua let out a cold scoff. The Shangguan and Dugu families had long been divided in spirit despite their superficial cooperation. Bringing that up now was nothing more than a ploy to squeeze out more money.

"Shangguan Lü, let me be clear: there are plenty of people who want to cooperate with me, and your Dugu family is not the most ideal partner. I only entrusted this to you because of the favor your Great-Aunt once did for me. I am very disappointed in you. Seven days, at most. If you still can't get it done, I will have to find someone else."

Shangguan Lü knew there was no room for further negotiation. Though frustrated, she felt helpless. She gritted her teeth; for the sake of more money and supreme status, she would stake everything on this.

"Fine, seven days it is. After seven days, I will ensure the Dugu family suffers a major blow. Even if I don't bring them down completely, I will make them pay a heavy price." Shangguan Lü stood up, slamming the table with an air of grand ambition.

A glint of something sinister flashed in Wei Qinghua's eyes, followed by a smile she hadn't shown since they first met.

"Good! I look forward to your good news. By the way, remember to give my regards to Gu Yu. Tell him that Wei Qinghua misses him dearly."

Upon hearing the name Gu Yu, Shangguan Lü paused, only realizing a moment later that Gu Yu was the husband of the current Dugu family head, Dugu Yuqing.

"I will be sure to pass on your words, Director Wei!" She nodded with a cunning smile.

"I'm leaving now." After receiving her assurance, Wei Qinghua stood up and headed for the restaurant exit, waving off Shangguan Lü without looking back.

Shangguan Lü watched as Wei Qinghua made her way toward the private tarmac, then slowly sat back down.

"Waiter!" Seeing Wei Qinghua board her silver-white private jet as it began to pull away, she snapped her fingers.

A waitress in a sharp black uniform walked over, bowing respectfully. "Madam, how may I help you?"

"Bring me a freshly brewed coffee and a steak." She ordered, her mind already racing as she tried to piece together the relationship between Wei Qinghua and the Dugu family.

"Certainly, one moment please." The waitress noted the order and turned to leave.

Shangguan Lü stared out the window. The sky was very blue—different from the sky over the Utopia. Only a few clouds drifted by, and this place felt freer; at least here, selling energy wasn't illegal, and no government departments would intervene.

Wei Qinghua wasn't exactly a celebrity, but she was a formidable businesswoman with vast connections, ranging from the Secretary-General of the World Nations Association to common street peddlers. She belonged to no single country; it was said she lived in the middle ground between continents and islands, a place governed by no one where she reigned as a self-styled queen.

Rumor had it she was once a lowly sugarcane worker who, for reasons unknown, dared to challenge tribal leaders for territory, eventually uniting them under her rule. Now, with her expanding business empire, she had hit a wall against the Dugu family—a clan with a long and storied history. That was why she was secretly looking for someone to take them down. The Shangguan family had approached her, though she hadn't originally thought much of them.

These were all just rumors, but having met Wei Qinghua in person, Shangguan Lü felt there might be truth to them. A woman like that, elegant on the outside but harboring unfathomable depths—she was beyond the likes of Shangguan Lü to fully grasp.

For now, her only option was to do everything in her power to topple the Dugu family. Even if she couldn't destroy them entirely, she had to at least force them to halt operations. She rubbed her chin, her eyes darting around.

"Madam, your coffee and steak." Time passed, and the waiter returned with her meal.

The coffee bubbled as it was set down, the patterns shifting in the cup, though a single circle in the center remained persistent. Shangguan Lü used her spoon to slice through that circle, splitting it in two. She found the game amusing and repeated it several times.

At some point, she suddenly stopped.

Gazing at the bubbles that hadn't yet converged, a scene flashed through her mind. She vaguely remembered accompanying her Great-Aunt to the Dugu estate when she was a child. Dugu Yuqing had just married, and as the newlyweds came out to greet guests, the groom, Gu Yu, showed no sign of joy on his face. Dugu Yuqing, however, was beaming, as if she had struck gold.

Later, a servant reported that a guest was waiting in the back parlor, a guest who gave her surname as Wei. She remembered that upon hearing the name, a flicker of joy had appeared on Gu Yu's face, though he quickly suppressed it. Could that person have been Wei Qinghua?

Shangguan Lü stroked her chin, a smug smile spreading across her face. She took pride in the accuracy of her deduction. She wasn't just some decadent socialite; look how brilliantly she had reasoned this out!

A story formed in her mind: Wei Qinghua and Gu Yu must have been lovers. Later, Dugu Yuqing had used her aristocratic status to force Gu Yu into marriage. Heartbroken and resentful, Wei Qinghua had strived for success, established herself as a queen, and years later, returned for revenge. It all fit perfectly. As she thought about it, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Hahaha..." Her unrestrained laughter echoed through the restaurant, drawing stares from other tables.

***

The season of peach blossoms and willow catkins had arrived. Men and women on the streets wore vibrant colors as early summer arrived in quiet, subtle steps.

Gu Xinyao carried an insulated lunch box to the Dugu family company. There were no security guards or gatekeepers at the main entrance; access was completely unrestricted. To the right of the gate, gold-stamped characters read: Wanhe Energy Company.

The name sounded a bit plain, even a bit rustic, but it was this very company that kept the Dugu family firmly entrenched as the underground rulers of the Utopia.

Having been married to Dugu Yi for over half a year, Gu Xinyao was well-acquainted with the company's layout and environment. During the first two months, she and Dugu Yi had been inseparable. Although she still couldn't enter the core areas, her persistence and humble desire to learn had earned her the guidance of several energy engineers, allowing her to grasp the basics of energy activation, sourcing, and distribution in the Utopia. In the following months, she had buried herself in research at home, trying to find a way to slowly export and import energy. Sometimes, when Dugu Yi returned home and wasn't too tired, he would study it with her. However, because the energy structure was so deeply rooted, it couldn't be easily separated, so even with a basic plan, it couldn't be implemented immediately.

She bypassed the offices of Dugu Nan and Dugu Ning, heading straight for Dugu Yi’s office. It was at the very back and was the smallest office in the building; moreover, he had to share it with the manager’s secretary. As the eldest son, he was subjected to many injustices, but fortunately, he had her love and care.

Thinking this, she quickened her pace. Just as she reached the door, she heard arguing inside.

"Big brother, don't forget, you're just an assistant, and one without any real power at that. I am the General Manager; I know better than you how to assign personnel." It was Dugu Nan’s voice, sounding exasperated yet undeniably aggressive.

"He is fundamentally unsuitable for that position. Not only does he lack the qualifications, but he doesn't even have a basic understanding of energy. Letting him handle such a large batch of energy is tantamount to handing it over to outsiders." Dugu Yi’s voice followed immediately. His speed was normal, but his words were etched with gritted-teeth intensity.

"Do you have any idea what the consequences of an incorrect energy output would be?" Dugu Yi asked again.

"I don't care about that. Mom made me General Manager so I could do whatever I want. I’m making Xiaochu the head of the Energy Department. If you don't sign this, I’m going to Mom." Dugu Nan showed no fear of Dugu Yi’s anger, his tone filled with arrogant complacency.

"You!?" Dugu Yi’s tone rose sharply. Having lived with him, Gu Xinyao knew he was beginning to lose his temper. Usually, at such moments, he would become increasingly calm and stubborn.

"I will not sign it. Go find whoever you want!"

Hearing the hint of fire in Dugu Yi’s voice, Gu Xinyao’s brows arched slightly. It seemed that in the time they had lived together, he had changed quite a bit. At least he was expressing himself now, instead of bottling it up and hurting himself inside.

*Click.*

Before Gu Xinyao could react, the door opened. Dugu Yi, standing in the doorway, froze when he saw her, his stern expression softening.

"I brought you lunch!" Seeing his sour mood, Gu Xinyao quickly held up the insulated box. She was afraid of him when he was like this, so it was best not to provoke him.

"Hmm. Let's eat in the small garden outside." He nodded and pulled her away.

Gu Xinyao glanced back at the office. Dugu Nan’s face was ugly, dark and gloomy like a venomous snake. She couldn't help but shiver, turning her head away as she followed Dugu Yi out.

They had just stepped out of the company gate and were about to cross the street when a silver-gray Jeep suddenly swerved toward them as if it had lost control.

Gu Xinyao’s reflexes were lightning fast. She shoved Dugu Yi onto the grassy verge by the road, but she couldn't escape the Jeep’s fast and powerful impact herself.

The insulated lunch box was sent flying into the air, and as it hit the ground, the steaming food spilled everywhere. Gu Xinyao was thrown a great distance. After the collision, the Jeep quickly reversed and sped away at an impossible speed.

Dugu Yi, having regained his bearings, subconsciously looked toward the direction the car had fled, noticing it had no license plate. Having been shoved by Gu Xinyao, he had twisted his ankle and fell back down after trying to stand. He clutched a nearby trash can to pull himself up, ignoring the sharp pain in his ankle, and scrambled toward where Gu Xinyao had landed.

Passersby had already gathered, and some kind souls were calling for an ambulance.

Dugu Yi couldn't care about anything else. He limped into the crowd, where blood was already pooling beneath Gu Xinyao.

"Xinyao? Xinyao, wake up!" Dugu Yi nearly knelt beside her. He didn't dare shake her too hard, only calling her name with desperate urgency. Sadly, she did not respond.

He panicked. He had always been alone; he had never known what it felt like to be cared for and loved, so he had convinced himself that being alone his whole life was fine. But then she came. She slowly walked into his life, caring for him, loving him, almost spoiling him. Whenever he needed her, she was by his side. He had never truly considered what he would do if she were no longer there.

"Wake up, you can't leave me, do you hear? You spoiled me, and now you want to just leave?" No matter how he called, she didn't answer. Had he done something wrong? Did she not want to love him anymore? No, she couldn't; he wouldn't let her leave. He pleaded with her, questioning her, all his coldness forgotten.

He sat up and struggled to lift her into his arms. There was blood on her forehead; he tried to wipe it away, but it wouldn't come clean. He was terrified. He pulled her tightly into his embrace, calling her name over and over as if possessed.

The ambulance arrived, but they couldn't separate the two. The medics had no choice but to lift them both into the vehicle—the first time they had ever had to carry two critically injured patients in such a state.