Chapter 163

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

Turning back to her room, Shen Yao paced two slow circles around the spacious living room, then headed straight next door to the study to work.

Calling it work isn't quite accurate, because Shen Yao returned from her honeymoon rather early, and her own company's affairs don't yet require her to handle them.

So Shen Yao, with plenty of time on her hands, decided to first properly sort through the Gu family's internal affairs during this period.

Qiao Xiyue, Gu Jingzhi, Su Yingying, Gu Mengqing, Qin Kelan... following the fragmentary timeline she had heard, Shen Yao dug up the relevant news and cross-referenced them one by one, finally reaching a very interesting conclusion.

Qin Kelan most likely isn't as brainlessly impulsive as she appears on the surface.

As for Gu Mengqing's illegitimate son... tsk tsk, turns out the Gu family from top to bottom truly inherits this knack for copying each other move for move.

First the Gu family patriarch fished Gu Mengbai back from abroad and placed him in Gu Group to be groomed; then Gu Mengqing kept his illegitimate son by his side and carefully cultivated him.

Of course, Qin Kelan isn't a fool either — the Cao family Gu Mingyue married into and the Liu family Gu Jingzhe married into are all chips that can help the three of them, mother and sons, vie for power.

Leaving aside Gu Mengyan's branch as the Gu family head, just Gu Mengqing's family of four has plenty of drama.

Qiao Xiyue was merely the fuse that drew these things out; used and then discarded, tsk tsk, rather tragic.

Leaning back against the soft chair, Shen Yao speculated in her mind on the story's upcoming direction.

Gu Jingzhi and Su Yingying's affair is a done deal; it seems Qiao Xiyue is already completely out of the picture.

Gu Mengqing was openly slapped down by Gu Jingzhi on the surface, but actually can't be separated from Qin Kelan; this couple will likely formally tear their masks off.

As for Gu Jingzhe's situation in Gu Group, with the Liu family's help he should be able to hold his current position, but if he wants to advance further — or rather, smoothly take over the companies in Gu Mengqing's hands — he'll still need to bide his time.

After all, Gu Mengqing was backstabbed by his own family (or rather, people he didn't care about), and under that stress reaction he'll definitely cling tightly to the cards in his hand.

People like him act selfishly; family and relatives are more like items used to exchange for resources — as long as the other party offers an attractive enough price, a transaction and cooperation can be conducted.

"Calculated this way, the Gu family's relatively stable life won't last more than a few years."

Should I make plans early? At least I can't leave only one escape route, lest on the day things capsize it's not enough to run away.

"Wouldn't that be thinking too pessimistically? Gu Group wanting to fall isn't that easy."

Gu Jingrun returned home after a full day's work, and what greeted him wasn't sweet words but a more direct reminder and warning.

Shen Yao leaned against the chair behind her, expression serious and stern, "I just looked up a few data points; they show the country's newly inaugurated presidential administration has quite close ties with the Xin family and other financial consortiums."

Gu Jingrun didn't take it to heart, "That's normal. The president serves a three-year term; basically the various financial consortiums take turns running the show.

The term before last was the Gu family, last term was the Li family, this term is the Xin family, next term will be the Jin"

Speaking to this point, Gu Jingrun suddenly couldn't continue; the hand moving to unbutton his collar stopped, his pupils dilated, his expression instantly darkening.

Shen Yao smiled, breaking the frozen air around them, "The Li family, the Jin family, the Xin family — the three families have always had an unusual relationship.

Moreover, their business directions are highly complementary. I heard the news emphasize that the new president will restrict the real estate industry's development and promote medical industry reform."

Gu Jingrun:...

"Before, those wanting to step onto the front stage would use these two matters as political chips. It's just that saying is one thing, doing is another."

The real estate and medical problems have dragged on for a long time; the issues involved are so complex that even financial consortiums can't settle them — they're fundamentally not something that can be solved.

Shen Yao flicked her sleeve, "The new president may not have wanted to solve them either, but one can't deny that once these two issues are brought out and exploited, Gu Group suffers the greatest impact."

Because real estate and medical are two of Gu Group's three pillar industries.

Relying on Gu Electronics alone completely cannot support a shell as large as Gu Group.

Gu Jingrun rubbed his wrist, "You mean you think the Xin family and them have intentions to move against the Gu family?"

Shen Yao spread her hands, "Nothing is absolute; one must guard against it."

"Then, what do you want to do?" Gu Mengyan looked at Gu Jingrun, his whole bearing calm and composed.

Gu Jingrun lowered his head slightly, "This son plans to investigate from inside the company first.

No matter how the outside schemes, to topple Gu Group requires inside-out collusion."

So we must first ferret out the moles inside the group before we can talk about what comes next.

After a long pause, Gu Mengyan finally spoke, "If you want to do it, go do it.

But since you're doing it, don't leave the other side any leeway."

Compared to Gu Jingrun's small-scale tinkering, Gu Mengyan's methods were more decisive and clean.

He directly convened a board meeting to launch a joint investigation; the entire Gu Group from top to bottom, no one was spared.

Seeing such a grand mobilization, Shen Yao was secretly startled, thinking her father-in-law hadn't been family head for so many years for nothing — strike first to gain the upper hand, then throw out the reasons she worried about, and only then could he shut the mouths of everyone in the group from top to bottom.

However, "Are we being used?"

Shen Yao, her belly already a full five months along, met the gaze of the returning Gu Jingrun.

"Dad doing it like this, never mind how Second Uncle fares, Eldest Cousin's side will definitely have a rough time.

Just got married at the start of the month, and now he has to yield his position to the worthy — can the sister-in-law and the Liu family accept it?"

Shen Yao teased Gu Jingrun with a smile, incidentally mocking the absent Gu Jingzhe and Liu Zhenyuan.

This is the retribution for having a wedding grander than mine — hahahaha, it came too fast.

Gu Jingrun:...

Gu Jingrun helplessly stroked Shen Yao's cheek, while simultaneously reaching out to steady her arm, letting her be careful of her belly.

"Rest assured, I have my limits, nothing will happen. Besides, I still have my cheat, and with one pill a day going down, the baby's healthier than me."

Shen Yao's company affairs have been going smoothly lately, and the channels built earlier have now been formally activated. She spends most of her time choosing to remote-control from home, and the occasional trip to the company is with the Gu family arranging a chauffeur-driven car to pick her up and drop her off — it can be said to be safe and worry-free.

In contrast, Gu Jingrun has it worse; Gu Group is so large, and with one order from Gu Mengyan the commotion stirred up is equally significant.

As Gu Mengyan's son, Gu Jingrun has been running up and down, busy for several months, and looks noticeably thinner and more tired.

Shen Yao felt a pang of heartache; after all, he was her own child's biological father, and nothing must happen to him here.

Gu Jingrun stretched out his arms to encircle Shen Yao, relaxing his spirit. "I'm fine; the Group's matters have already come to a conclusion.

As for the paternal cousin, he can only accept his bad luck and temporarily lower his head to admit defeat."

This time, quite a few moles were dug up throughout the Group.

Some people were dealt with severely, made into the chickens used to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.

Some people were raised high and gently put down, letting the Gu Group gain a good reputation.

Anyway, after a bout of busyness, the Gu Group's overall revenue had more benefits than drawbacks.

And as the mastermind who offered the strategy, Gu Jingrun pried a company out of Gu Mengqing's hands once again.

"A pharmaceutical company again?" Shen Yao looked up, thinking to herself that wool couldn't be plucked like this; it would go bald.

"It's an electronics company, and it has some connection with Fourth Younger Brother's Chengfeng Electronics."

Chengfeng Electronics used to be under Gu Jingzhe's charge, later transferred to Gu Jingmu's hands.

Now Gu Jingrun has obtained a Yufeng Electronics, which counts as Chengfeng Electronics' predecessor.

Briefly explaining the cause-and-effect relationship between these two companies to Shen Yao, Gu Jingrun lowered his head and kissed her cheek, another bout of tender affection.

Compared to the other Gu family members, Gu Jingrun could be considered a breath of fresh air.

Shen Yao enjoyed Gu Jingrun's kindness toward her, then turned her head and urged him to hurry up and wash up and rest.

"So young and working yourself to death like this; be careful your body can't take it and you'll find it hard to bear."

"Then I'll have to count on President Shen to take good care of me; I believe President Shen won't be able to ignore me."

"Not necessarily; everyone loves beauty; it depends on President Gu's future performance."

"..."

The two joked with each other a few sentences in the room, then snuggled up together intimately.

Affected by pregnancy hormones, Shen Yao's emotions had some ups and downs and fluctuations.

Fortunately, Gu Jingrun was very good at taking care of Shen Yao's feelings, and daily life also involved much companionship and concern.

Throughout the pregnancy, Shen Yao passed it relatively easily; by the time she gave birth to the child in her belly in February of the next year, she recovered quickly.

"This child is a bit fat; she should lose weight," simply a little fatty~

Shen Yao looked at Gu Xuan Yu lying in the crib stretching her arms and legs, couldn't help stretching out a finger to poke her smooth little face.

Xiao Xuan Yu was doing her own thing; suddenly ambushed by her birth mother, her pair of round eyes directly widened, not to mention the little person was still humming at the mouth.

Gu Jingrun looked at his own lively mother-and-child pair, shook his head and smiled wryly.

"Alright, let Xiao Yu sleep a bit more; you're going to the company, I'll send you there."

Hearing this, Shen Yao spread her hands, letting Gu Jingrun pick her up from the bedside.

Instructing the nanny caring for Xiao Xuan Yu to be careful and attentive, Shen Yao changed clothes and went out the door with Gu Jingrun.

Recently Shen Yao was living quite well at the Gu Family Old House; Zhou Min Hui had the previous two daughters-in-law to worry about, so her attitude toward Shen Yao was mostly laissez-faire.

Of course, this also had a certain relationship with Shen Yao knowing how to win Zhou Min Hui's favor.

Although the new Second Sister-in-law is a standard financial consortium daughter, but how to put it, the conflict of interest between the two sides isn't large; instead they can get along harmoniously.

"But with a virtuous wife helping inside, Second Older Brother is proud and successful in his career. President Gu, you'd better be careful~"

Shen Yao looked at Su Yingying currently sitting in the garden outside the Old House chatting with Zhou Min Hui, turned her head and playfully blinked at Gu Jingrun.

Gu Jingrun's eyebrows and eyes were gentle; his arm encircled Shen Yao and pulled her into his embrace. "Is President Shen gloating?"

Shen Yao hmmed, laughing lightly. "Liveliness is for people to watch. President Gu, you mustn't act too petty."

Gu Jingrun:...

Gu Jingrun didn't say anything, merely using actual actions to prove he wasn't petty at all.

Shen Yao:... rogue~

"Third Younger Brother and Third Young Mistress's relationship is really good; Xiao Xuan Yu has grown up well too; truly enviable."

Su Yingying withdrew her gaze, smiling as she chatted with Zhou Min Hui sitting opposite.

"You and Jingzhi also privately hurry up a bit; rest assured, with Mother at home, she won't let you be wronged."

Zhou Min Hui held Su Yingying's hand; truly, however she looked, she was satisfied.

Su Yingying hmmed at the words, feigning shyness as she lowered her gaze.

In her heart she thought this matter didn't need urging; she herself also needed a child.

As long as Gu Jingzhi isn't muddleheaded, he knows what he should do.