Chapter 478: Sewer Rat (Slightly Revised)

Gu Zhiyan took a deep breath, gritted his teeth and said: "I can't do this alone, you know Dad already restricted my use of the Gu family's resources early on, and this matter was actually your doing."

Gu Yinxue explained: "I didn't expect you would go this far for Lin Shutong, that's your own choice."

Gu Zhiyan: "It's my own choice, so I ask you, have I ever wronged you these years? You're treating me like this..."

"No time for idle chatter." Gu Yinxue urged, "You want to get Father to intervene? Fine, even if Father is harsh toward Mother, he wouldn't turn a blind eye to a living life."

Before hanging up, she added again: "I'm a fugitive; if I can't survive, I'll take one down with me—you and Father weigh that."

The moment the call ended, Gu Yinxue couldn't ignore her mother's fierce gaze, she turned her head to meet it.

Mother's eyes were red, tears falling, yet her stare was fierce.

Gu Yinxue averted her gaze, avoiding eye contact, silently waiting for Father and Brother.

But during the wait, Song Shiwei's gaze fixed on her made her feel uneasy all over.

Gu Yinxue had to speak: "Don't look at me like that, if you want to blame someone, blame Jiang Lai—I think you're right, Jiang Lai is a debt collector, but what does your debt have to do with me? I was brought back by Father himself, brought back to resolve your predicament; logically I should have helped you, so why do you always guard against me?"

Song Shiwei trembled all over.

Gu Yinxue kindly handed her a piece of clothing to wear: "Today I treat you this way, consider it payment for the two years after I was brought back when you threw things at me."

These years Song Shiwei hardly dared to recall what happened twenty‑eight years ago, nor even two years after that.

Because the sound of a baby's crying constantly rang in her ears, occasionally accompanied by her husband's frown and her son's puzzled look.

Such crying and such looks were like seawater, almost drowning her in the night.

No one wants to recall pain.

But someone always wants her to recall pain.

Song Shiwei only felt her head buzzing, swelling, and what flowed from her eyes wasn't tears but seemed like blood.

"I've heard bit by bit that during my first two years in the Gu family you treated me badly—you took me for Jiang Lai and were afraid, or because I'm not your biological daughter you were eager to throw me out?"

Song Shiwei couldn't answer her question.

Gu Yinxue sighed: "Forget it, you don't even know yourself, so of course you don't know why you act this way; maybe you're not even clear why, after your mental state improved, you treat me so well—you should be using me to make up for Jiang Lai."

"A substitute‑style compensation?" Gu Yinxue pondered, then nodded: "Indeed, it's almost a common malady—in love, by correcting one's past bad habits and making amends on the current partner to offset debts to the former; in friendship, when meeting a friend whose personality resembles someone you once wronged, you pay extra attention and help, indirectly mending the relationship; in family, it's even stronger—because a child resembles a lost child, you lavish favor, nurture, and entrust hopes."

"Everyone is shaking hands with the past's regrets through similar shadows, letting their conscience be at peace."

Song Shiwei listened, slowly closing her eyes; tears had long dried, she could no longer sob, only feeling intense pain all over.

"Oh, I hit the mark." Gu Yinxue smirked, "But you know I'm not your biological daughter, so you still hold back; Mother, you seem kind to me, but actually the one you care most about is Brother, and the one you love most is forever your son."

"Gu Jin says she envies me, Brother also says he envies me, saying I can live as I please, saying I have jewelry and cars on my person, but that's too superficial—just a fancy exterior, while Brother possesses inheritance rights, Father's large shareholdings, the career path arranged for him by the family, and the family's backing!"

The sister gets no backing, the brother gets no laughter; the less they get, the more they want what they lack, so Gu Zhiyan and Gu Yinxue, born into the Gu family, are both unhappy.

"You, you..." Song Shiwei strained to squeeze out two words, her neck bulging with anger, her face flushed from holding her breath.

She weakly raised her hand, still wanting to slap Gu Yinxue.

Gu Yinxue reached out and grabbed her hand, affectionately calling: "Mom, you've loved me for so many years—what's wrong with loving me a little longer? Let Brother and Dad safely send me abroad, and I'll remember your kindness forever."

Not long after, Lu Si heard a sound at the door: "Someone's coming."

Gu Yinxue's eyes instantly turned cold; she shoved Song Shiwei to the floor, snatched the fruit knife from the table, and pressed its tip to Song Shiwei's throat.

Song Shiwei was so frightened she forgot to breathe.

Lu Si walked to the back of the ward door holding a dagger, vigilantly waiting for someone to enter.

The door was pushed open; Gu Zhiyan was about to step inside when Father grabbed him back.

Gu Yinxue said she was two people, but Gu Sen at the door only saw Gu Yinxue holding a fruit knife to Song Shiwei's neck—where was the third person hiding?

If they rashly entered without knowing the enemy's direction, wouldn't the other side gain another hostage?

Seeing Father and Son, Song Shiwei felt as if she'd seen a savior, overjoyed, she moved slightly—then a sharp pain came from her neck, the keen blade nicked a bit of skin.

She dared not move anymore, truly feeling Gu Yinxue's cold‑blooded nature to the bone.

Gu Sen scanned the visible area and asked Gu Yinxue: "Where are your people? Since we're negotiating, let's negotiate properly."

Lu Si had no choice but to step out from behind the door.

Taller than Gu Zhiyan, with a fierce gaze that showed he often roamed the gray zones, a man who licks blood from knife tips.

Gu Yinxue revealed a ordinary smile: "Dad, Brother, you're here."

Gu Zhiyan now feels nauseous whenever he hears her call him brother.

"Let her go, we can talk." Gu Sen, now with some white hair and a thinner face, otherwise unchanged, genteel demeanor, gentle voice.

Gu Yinxue seemed to see again a kind, lovable father, but this kind father never thought of giving her rights; her heart hardened, she gripped the fruit knife tighter and said clearly: "If I let her go, I lose all bargaining chips."

"We don't need to talk anymore—I want exactly this: to get us out safely."

"Dad, Brother can't do it, but you can—Mother is the wife you personally chose, the wife you've loved for years; even if you're now utterly disappointed in her, she's still a life—you agree, right?"

Gu Sen's gaze sank slightly.

Gu Zhiyan gritted his teeth: "You need a hostage—swap me in!"

"No." Gu Yinxue shook her head, "Your build is taller than mine, your strength greater; holding you hostage would only increase our difficulty."

Gu Sen, after doubting Gu Yinxue's motives toward Jiang Lai, noticed her meticulous thinking; if everything isn't laid out in the open, Gu Yinxue will likely stir the water further behind the scenes, kill with a borrowed knife, and reap the fisherman's profit.

Unfortunately these are the tactics of rats in the sewer—only possible in the sewer to stay unseen, but once the manhole is lifted, the rats have nowhere to hide.

Rats that can't hide can only resort to kidnapping hostages to secure a dark escape route.

"He can't, but I can." Gu Sen said, "I'm old, my leg is injured—I count as old, weak, sick, and disabled."

Song Shiwei's eyes glistened with grateful tears; whether her son or her husband, they still cared for her.

Yet she overlooked that when Father and Son spoke of taking her place as hostage, their gazes never fell on her—only calmly locked with Gu Yinxue.

"No." Gu Yinxue still shook her head, "Now the person who feels most guilty toward Jiang Lai is you; if you want to help Jiang Lai capture me, even at the cost of your life—I know you're the one most eager to atone, so no."

Lu Si pulled Song Shiwei up from the floor, now pressing his dagger against her—he became the one holding her.

Gu Yinxue slipped the fruit knife onto herself, facing the three and said to Lu Si: "If anything happens to me on the road, you dispose of her, then find your own way out."

Lu Si: "Understood."

Gu Zhiyan's face turned pale, and Song Shiwei looked at the father and son with a pleading gaze.

Gu Yinxue increased the threat: "Just cut the major artery on the neck; even if we're in a hospital now, once the artery is severed, what are the chances of rescue?"

Lu Si nodded again.

Gu Zhiyan felt icy all over, both because of Gu Yinxue's words and because they came from Gu Yinxue's mouth.

The once obedient and gentle sister no longer exists; she has become a cold-hearted, ruthless wolf.

Gu Sen saw in Gu Yinxue the Gu family's ruthless tactics, and the thing he feared most still happened.

He did his best to give Gu Yinxue a good life, letting her pursue what she liked, able to stay away from the Gu family's power center, to live a carefree life—yet it backfired.

In his life, as a son, husband, and father, he could be called a failure.

"Fine, I'll send you off." Gu Sen readily agreed, but Gu Yinxue was instead stunned.

Her vigilance grew stronger, because the first to investigate her was her father; when Jiang Lai, his biological daughter, appeared, he immediately sided with her without hesitation, so how could he possibly let her go so easily?

But under the current circumstances, not leaving is also not an option.

Lu Si changed his method of holding Song Shiwei hostage, one arm around her, the other pressing a dagger against her lower back.

Gu Yinxue and the two others got into a black sedan.

Gu Sen insisted on driving himself, letting no one follow, not even Gu Zhiyan.

Gu Zhiyan clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot.

Gu Yinxue gave Gu Zhiyan a warning look, and Lu Si pressed the blade harder against Song Shiwei's neck.

Song Shiwei widened her eyes in terror, cold sweat poured out, and a trickle of blood appeared on her neck.

Gu Zhiyan glared fiercely at Gu Yinxue, watching helplessly as the car disappeared into the night.

In the car.

Gu Sen glanced at Gu Yinxue through the rearview mirror: "Let's take the water route; other ways you can't escape, though the water route is more arduous..."

"You don't need to say so much; you only care about Jiang Lai, saying this won't lower my guard." Gu Yinxue's expression sank into the darkness, only a pair of gloomy eyes revealing hatred.

Gu Sen said nothing more, driving the car all the way onto the overpass.

The nearest dock is in the neighboring city; driving there takes some time.

Meanwhile.

Ke Zhongyu and Jiang Lai stood on the dim dock, watching the red dot move on the tablet, getting closer.

"Don't worry." Ke Zhongyu put his arm around Jiang Lai's shoulders and had just finished speaking when Gu Zhiyan's phone rang, telling them that the father himself was driving the car.

Hearing that, Jiang Lai frowned slightly.

Gu Zhiyan added: "Gu Yinxue is very vigilant, doesn't trust her father, and she has an aide, like a mercenary; I'm worried something might change, so I'm now driving to chase after them."

Hearing the three words "mercenary," Ke Zhongyu frowned slightly and coldly warned: "Keep your distance."

Jiang Lai looked at Ke Zhongyu's profile, gently pinching his finger with her own.

Ke Zhongyu pinched her finger in response.

I don't know if Gu Zhiyan's words gave a psychological hint, but Jiang Lai also felt a faint unease.

She recalled Gu Sen's lame leg—how could he drive?

The two held hands; Ke Zhongyu sensed Jiang Lai's unease and asked what she was worried about.

Jiang Lai: "What if Gu Yinxue guesses we're intercepting her on the water route?"

Ke Zhongyu: "There are people elsewhere too; the heavenly net is vast, though sparse, it lets nothing slip."

Jiang Lai nodded, her heart still uneasy; she couldn't say what this unease was, as if it weren't worry that Gu Yinxue would escape successfully.

Ke Zhongyu's gaze lingered on her face for a moment: "Let's drive over and take a look."

Jiang Lai answered without thinking: "Okay."

Ke Zhongyu brought Jiang Lai into the car, one driving, the other watching the red dot on the tablet.

Their car approached the red dot.

They met the red dot, crossing paths.

Just now they had only passed a black sedan with its window open; the person in the driver's seat was definitely not Gu Sen.

Jiang Lai's heart tightened.

Ke Zhongyu furrowed his brows, turned the car around to chase after it, and pursued with maximum horsepower.

The car's body lay across the sedan's front, abruptly forcing it to stop.

Jiang Lai quickly opened the car door and stepped out, asking: "Who are you? Who owns this car! Who was originally driving it!"

The man in the driver's seat looked bewildered: "I'm the substitute driver."