Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Gu Mang turned sideways and made way. In a very polite manner, she said, “Madam Ye, this way please.”


  Ye Junci did not even receive such treatment from her son. She did not expect that Gu Mang, the person whom her son held so dearly, would treat her with so much respect. But when Ye Junci heard her rough and hoarse voice, she felt a strange feeling.

  She nodded slightly and walked in. The apartment was decorated in a simple and monotonous style.

  Ye Junci saw a bucket of lollipops where vases were supposed to be placed. The bucket was filled with colorful fruit-flavored lollipops. She paused for a few seconds then she looked away calmly.

  She walked to the sofa and sat down.

  Gu Mang poured a cup of warm water and put it in front of Ye Junci. Then, she sat on the 1-seater sofa on the other side.

  “Chengzhou is searching frantically for you out there,” Ye Junci said while looking at her.

  “Mmh,” Gu Mang said slowly, “I know. I’ll contact him in a while.”


  She had to sort some things out first.

  When Ye Junci saw Gu Mang in such a state, she sighed. “He searched for you all night, but he couldn’t find you at the capital. Red Scorpion has already started looking outside the city. No matter what, you should tell him where you are. Don’t let him get worried.”


  Gu Mang looked down. After a few seconds, she looked up. “If Leng Xuan doesn’t know your relationship with him, how does he get his annual supply of medicine?”


  When Ye Junci heard this, she squinted slightly and said in a kind tone, “Why do you want to know? Do you want to use this channel so you can break free from Jijing Island?”


  “There’s no need for that,” Gu Mang answered calmly.

  The way she answered so nonchalantly shocked Ye Junci. The reason that Gu Mang and Gu Si were controlled by Jijing Island was because of the medicine.

  Ye Junci looked at her for a moment, then she picked up the cup and took a sip of water. She did not hide it from her. “The medicine is mine. I used some means to make the Elders’ Association think that I am the one who needs the medicine.”


  Other than Lu Chengzhou, only she, Lu Zhan, and Granny Lu knew about it.

  Now, Gu Mang did too.

  Gu Mang looked down again, looking rather despondent.

  The lab record with over 2000 pages.

  Ye Junci’s answer.

  The only trace of hope in her heart was swallowed up by the abyss.

  “Although you didn’t grow up on Jijing Island, you should know that some people among the big old families need Leng Xuan’s medicine,” Ye Junci said.

  Gu Mang nodded slowly.

  Ye Junci took out a cigarette from her bag, lit it, and asked, “Have you been to the Blood Institute?”


  The only way for Gu Mang to know all of this was from the Blood Institute. She did not answer. She just leaned back in her seat.

  Ye Junci blew a smoke ring. “After the research at the Blood Institute failed, he actually gave up on caring about his life. He did whatever he wanted since we had no idea when he might die. Even his father could not persuade him to continue.”


  Gu Mang listened quietly.

  Ye Junci continued, “He started making bigger moves two months ago. We all thought he had finally sorted the problems in the project out and were glad that he restarted the project. Also, he took it very seriously. We didn’t expect it to all be for you.”


  With that, she gave Gu Mang a distant smile.

  “He sees your life as more important than his own,” Ye Junci said.

  Each and every word was like a knife.

  Gu Mang’s fingers were icy cold and her throat felt a little swollen.

  Gu Mang had told Ye Junci to come over as she wanted to confirm the situation on Lu Chengzhou’s side. Ye Junci had been willing to meet Gu Mang as she had her motives as well.

  But Gu Mang spoke very little such that Ye Junci could not really tell what she was thinking. They were silent for a while and neither of them spoke.

  Ye Junci flicked the ashes on her cigarette away. “The Gu family and the Elders’ Association will never let go of you and your brother. Have you thought of a solution?”


  Gu Mang looked expressionless and her tone was cold. “If they have what it takes, they can come and claim my life.”


  Ye Junci looked up. “Do you not intend to return?”


  Gu Mang laughed and squinted. There was a ruthless look in her eyes. “They killed my parents and they still want me to work my life away for them?”


  In the eyes of the Gu family and the Elders’ Association, she was just a tool to be used to claim more and more power.

  Ye Junci paused. She had seen the intel on Gu Mang. Her parents had died in an accident long ago. She did not expect the Gu family and the Elders’ Association to be the ones responsible.

  Old Master Gu was really heartless to kill his own son.

  So did Chengzhou decide to mess with the Elders’ Association because he knew that Gu Mang would not return to Jijing Island and he was afraid that Leng Xuan might stop providing her with medicine if Gu Mang were to fight with the Elders’ Association?

  Ye Junci lost her mood and she extinguished the cigarette on the ashtray even though she had only smoked half of it. She said, “You may not care about your life, but someone does.”


  Lu Chengzhou’s words flashed in Gu Mang’s mind.

  “I care about your life a lot, so don’t do anything that will get you killed.”


  Silence ensued.

  Just then, Ye Junci’s phone rang. It was a call from Lu Zhan.

  After she picked up and heard what the other party had to say, Ye Junci answered, “I’ll be there in half an hour.”


  With that, Ye Junci hung up. She put away her phone and looked at Gu Mang.

  She was dead silent.

  Ye Junci said, “I’m going to the Lu residence. Stay safe. Although they haven’t thought to check this place at the moment, we don’t know when they will.”


  With that, she got up.

  Gu Mang followed suit and sent Ye Junci off without saying anything.

  They both walked very slowly as they were caught up in their own thoughts.

  When they reached the porch, Ye Junci turned around all of a sudden and stared at her. She put a hand to her shoulder and said, “Don’t worry about the medicine. Even if things deteriorate between you and Jijing Island, Chengzhou won’t let anything happen to you.”


  When Gu Mang heard this, she looked up immediately. “What is he going to do?”


  Ye Junci did not expect such a huge reaction from Gu Mang. She did not answer right away. Gu Mang turned around and blocked the door.

  Her actions were telling Ye Junci that if she did not answer, then she would not be leaving. Ye Junci had not interacted much with Gu Mang but she could clearly tell that Gu Mang had a bad temper.

  Now that Gu Mang had sensed something, there was no persuading her otherwise.

  Ye Junci pursed her lips and laughed bitterly. “Do you really want to know?”


  Gu Mang stared at her expressionlessly.

  Ye Junci nodded. “It’s nothing much. He just made a deal with me. If the research at the Blood Institute fails and something happens to him, half of his assets will go to the Ye family and all his medicine in the future will go to you.”


  He had gone against the Elders’ Association and he was also under others’ control. Even her son could not guarantee a good outcome.

  When Gu Mang heard this, there was shock in her eyes. It was as if her eyes could not focus. She stared at Ye Junci in a daze.