Phoenix’s Revenge: The Business Battle

Chapter 10: Cross-Shareholding

Gu Wanqing's world seemed to collapse in an instant, replaced by a cold, desolate wasteland. She stood frozen in the hospital room, the air thick with tension, her breath the only sound piercing the eerie silence. Mr. Shen’s words earlier had struck her like countless icy needles, driving deep into her heart and causing her unimaginable pain.

Her brother, Gu Mingyuan, the one who once gently held her hand and led her to watch the stars, had been a victim of the Shen family's crimes! And the man she loved, Shen Xubai—his father was the mastermind behind it all! The cruel and ironic twist of fate overwhelmed her with a deep, suffocating despair.

She spun abruptly, her gaze icy as it locked onto the figure of Mr. Shen, standing by the window. The shock and sorrow had now morphed into an uncontrollable fury and hatred.

"Mr. Shen," her voice was soft, but it carried an unsettling chill. "You just said... my brother, Gu Mingyuan, was a victim of the Columbian University shooting ten years ago?"

Mr. Shen’s posture stiffened for a moment. Slowly, he turned to face her, his face drawn with exhaustion and grief. "Yes, child, I am truly sorry." His voice was hoarse and weak, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

"Can a simple 'I'm sorry' undo all of this? Can it bring back my brother's life? Can it erase the ten years of pain my family has endured?" Gu Wanqing’s voice suddenly rose, filled with anger and accusation. Her tears flooded her face, blurring her vision.

Mr. Shen looked at her, his eyes filled with guilt and helplessness. "I know that nothing I say can make up for your loss, but… what happened back then wasn’t intentional. I only wanted to protect Xubai…"

"Protect him? Is your protection making him lose his memory and forget everything? Is your protection letting him live a life of lies and deception?" Gu Wanqing’s voice nearly became a scream. She couldn’t comprehend Mr. Shen’s logic, nor could she forgive his actions.

"Wanqing, listen to me, back then…" Mr. Shen attempted to explain, but Gu Wanqing had no desire to listen any longer.

"Enough!" She interrupted sharply, her eyes cold as she stared at him. "I don't want to hear any more excuses! I just want the truth! The truth of the Columbian University shooting! How did my brother really die? What role did the Shen family play in all of this?"

Mr. Shen fell silent, his gaze fixed on the burning fury and tears in her eyes, knowing that no matter what he said, he couldn’t soothe the pain and anger raging inside her.

"I will tell you," Mr. Shen finally spoke, his voice laden with weariness and resignation. "I will tell you everything, but... now is not the time. Xubai still needs rest. When he’s better, I will tell you the entire truth."

Gu Wanqing scoffed. "When he’s better? When he regains his memory and learns that his father is the one who killed my brother? Do you think he can handle that?"

Mr. Shen’s complexion grew even paler. His gaze lingered on Shen Xubai, still sleeping on the bed, filled with worry and pain.

Gu Wanqing knew now was not the time to argue with Mr. Shen. She needed to calm herself, clear her mind, and seek the true answers.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady her emotions before turning to look at Shen Xubai lying quietly in his bed. He appeared to be sleeping peacefully, his face pale, as though he had simply drifted into slumber. But Gu Wanqing knew that an insurmountable chasm now lay between them.

She walked quietly to the bed and grasped Shen Xubai’s cold hand. His skin was still icy, devoid of warmth. A sharp pang of sorrow gripped her heart, and once more, tears clouded her vision.

"Xubai, you have to wake up. You have to remember me. I have so much to say to you, so many things to ask. What really happened between us? What exactly happened with the shooting ten years ago? Why did your father do this?" she whispered in her heart.

In the days that followed, Gu Wanqing stayed by Shen Xubai’s side in the hospital, but her thoughts had shifted entirely. She no longer simply hoped for him to regain his memory and return to her. Now, more than anything, she longed for the truth, the truth that would bring justice for her brother.

She began to carefully observe Mr. Shen, seeking any hint from his words or actions. She also began to use her own connections to investigate the shooting in detail.

She pored over the news reports from the time, reached out to alumni from Columbia University, and even tried to contact the police officers involved in the investigation. But, after ten years, many of the leads had dried up, and progress was slow.

Meanwhile, Shen Xubai’s condition slowly improved. He was now able to get out of bed and walk around, but his memory had not returned. His eyes still regarded Gu Wanqing with confusion and unfamiliarity, which pierced her heart with sharp pain.

"Wanqing, are you… really my girlfriend?" Shen Xubai asked again, his voice tinged with cautious hope.

Gu Wanqing looked at him, her heart a turmoil of emotions. How should she answer him? Should she tell him the truth? Should she tell him that his father was the one who killed her brother? She feared he couldn’t bear such a cruel truth.

In the end, Gu Wanqing chose to conceal the truth. "Yes, Xubai, I’m your girlfriend. You’ve just forgotten some things temporarily. It’s alright, I’ll help you remember them, slowly."

Shen Xubai nodded, still lost. "But… I feel like there’s something between us. I… I can’t feel what you’re saying."

Gu Wanqing’s heart twisted in pain. She knew his feelings were right. There was indeed an insurmountable barrier between them, one forged by blood and lies.

Mr. Shen also noticed the change in Gu Wanqing’s attitude. His eyes were filled with suspicion and unease, as if afraid she would reveal the truth to Shen Xubai.

One day, Mr. Shen approached Gu Wanqing again, his tone more serious than before.

"Wanqing, I know you care deeply about what happened, but for Xubai’s sake, I hope you can let it go for now. Once he fully recovers, I will personally tell him everything," Mr. Shen said.

Gu Wanqing scoffed. "Let it go? You make it sound so easy. That was my brother, not a burden that can be discarded at will! And do you really think the truth you’ll tell him will be the whole truth?"

Mr. Shen’s face darkened. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I won’t believe the Shen family anymore. I will investigate the truth myself, and I will bring justice for my brother!" Gu Wanqing’s voice was filled with determination and resolve.

Mr. Shen’s eyes flashed with anger. "What do you plan to do? You’ll only make things more complicated, only bring more harm to Xubai!"

"Harm? What could be more harmful to him than losing his memory and living in lies? What could be more harmful than the truth being concealed and the killer walking free?" Gu Wanqing retorted firmly.

Mr. Shen looked into her eyes and realized he couldn’t stop her. He sighed, his voice weary. "Do as you wish, but remember, don’t harm Xubai. He knows nothing."

Gu Wanqing said nothing, merely casting him a cold glance before turning and leaving. She knew the war between her and the Shen family had just begun.

In the following days, Gu Wanqing redoubled her efforts to investigate the shooting. Through various channels, she finally managed to contact a Chinese student who had been at Columbia University and had witnessed the shooting.

The student told her that the shooting had indeed been horrific, with many innocent people injured or killed. The scene had been chaotic, with a group of students involved in a confrontation before the gunshots rang out. However, the student wasn’t clear on the details.

But the student inadvertently mentioned something that caught Gu Wanqing’s attention: he had seen a young man wearing an emerald ring, who seemed to be connected to the group that had started the conflict.

The emerald ring! Gu Wanqing’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately thought of the ring Shen Xubai wore on his finger. Could it be that Shen Xubai was at the scene? What role had he played?

Her emotions grew more complex. She had once thought of Shen Xubai as an innocent victim, but now it seemed things were not so simple.

To uncover the truth, Gu Wanqing decided to directly ask Shen Xubai. Although he had lost his memory, perhaps his subconscious still retained some fragments of the past.

On a sunny afternoon, Gu Wanqing took Shen Xubai for a walk in the hospital garden, pushing him in a wheelchair. His health had improved, but his eyes remained clouded with confusion.

"Xubai, do you remember the shooting at Columbia University ten years ago?" Gu Wanqing tentatively asked.

Shen Xubai furrowed his brows, struggling to recall something, but his face remained blank. "Columbia University? Shooting? I don’t remember. I’ve never heard of it."

Disappointment filled Gu Wanqing’s heart, but she didn’t give up. She pointed to the emerald ring on Shen Xubai’s finger and asked, "Do you remember this ring? When did you start wearing it?"

Shen Xubai looked down at the ring, a hint of confusion crossing his face. "This ring… I think I’ve always worn it, but… I don’t know where it came from."

Gu Wanqing’s heart stirred. Shen Xubai’s words matched exactly what the student had said. Had Shen Xubai really been at the scene?

"Xubai, think carefully. Ten years ago, did you ever go to Columbia University? Did anything unusual happen?" Gu Wanqing gently prompted him.

Shen Xubai concentrated, his brows furrowing deeper as sweat beaded on his forehead. Suddenly, he clutched his head, letting out a pained groan.

"Ah… my head hurts! I… I think I saw some images… gunshots… blood… and… a girl…" Shen Xubai’s voice was filled with agony and confusion.

Gu Wanqing’s heart skipped a beat. She squeezed his hand, eager for more. "Xubai, what did you see? Think harder!"

Shen Xubai tried to recall more details, but the pain in his head grew worse, and finally, he could only shake his head in despair.

"I… I can’t remember. My head hurts too much," he said, his voice tinged with exhaustion and frustration.

Gu Wanqing watched him in pain, her heart breaking for him. She knew she couldn’t push him too hard—memory recovery took time.

But what he had just mentioned—"gunshots," "blood," and a "girl"—was enough to shock her. It meant that deep within his subconscious, Shen Xubai still remembered something about the shooting ten years ago.

Gu Wanqing took a deep breath. She knew she needed more evidence to truly uncover the truth. And that emerald ring, which Shen Xubai wore, was likely the key to unraveling the entire mystery.

She made a silent vow: she would uncover the origins of that ring, and she would find out what really happened ten years ago. She would seek justice for her brother, and she would give Shen Xubai the truth about their past.