Phoenix’s Revenge: The Business Battle

Chapter11: The Silent Witness

Gu Wanqing's gaze remained almost inextricably fixed upon the emerald thumb ring adorning Shen Xubai's hand. The jade's warm, verdant hue no longer appeared to her as mere ornamentation, but rather as a silent witness, a tangible vessel imbued with blood and secrets. She sensed that the key to unlocking the entire enigma might lie concealed within this seemingly unremarkable piece of jewelry.

Shen Xubai would occasionally, and quite unconsciously, caress the ring, his brow furrowing in momentary concentration as if endeavoring to capture elusive fragments of memory. During these instances, Gu Wanqing's heart would clench with a mixture of fervent hope that his recollections would return, and trepidation that the brutal truth might inflict further pain upon him.

"Xubai, have you worn this ring for a long time?" Gu Wanqing inquired with delicate caution one sun-drenched afternoon, attempting to broach the subject with an air of casualness.

Shen Xubai lowered his gaze to his hand, a flicker of bewilderment in his eyes. "Hmm, I believe so. My memory is somewhat hazy, but it feels as though it has always been there." His tone was placid, betraying no discernible emotion.

A wave of disappointment washed over Gu Wanqing. Direct questioning, it seemed, would yield no fruitful results. She resolved to adopt a more indirect approach, hoping to unearth some latent clues.

"It's a rather distinctive ring," Gu Wanqing remarked, feigning nonchalance. "Is it a family heirloom, perhaps?"

Shen Xubai shook his head. "I'm not sure. Father never mentioned it, as far as I can recall."

A subtle stirring of intrigue resonated within Gu Wanqing. Shen Xubai's father also seemed to avoid the topic of the ring, further solidifying her suspicion that it held an extraordinary significance.

Over the ensuing days, Gu Wanqing began to observe Shen Xubai's father's reactions with deliberate subtlety. Whenever Shen Xubai would absentmindedly touch the ring, his father's gaze would invariably gravitate towards it, his eyes reflecting a complex tapestry of emotions – nostalgia, sorrow, and even a fleeting, almost imperceptible hint of fear.

Gu Wanqing knew she must contrive an opportunity to speak with Shen's father privately, to directly inquire about the ring's provenance.

One afternoon, while Shen Xubai was lost in slumber, Gu Wanqing located Shen's father in the hospital's verdant garden. He sat alone on a bench, the emerald thumb ring nestled in his hand, his gaze fixed in a distant reverie.

Gu Wanqing approached and settled beside him, breaking the contemplative silence. "Uncle, would you be willing to tell me something about this ring?"

Shen's father recoiled slightly, his gaze dropping to the ring in his hand, his eyes clouded with a confluence of emotions. "This… this is merely a common trinket." His voice wavered, a clear indication of his evasiveness.

"Uncle, there is no need for pretense with me," Gu Wanqing stated calmly. "I know this ring holds profound importance for you. Xubai mentioned he has always worn it, and your expression whenever you see it is… different."

A protracted silence ensued before Shen's father finally sighed, lifting his gaze, his eyes bearing the weight of years as he looked at Gu Wanqing. "This ring… it is a family heirloom, passed down through generations of the Shen lineage."

"A family heirloom?" A flicker of excitement coursed through Gu Wanqing. "Does it possess any particular significance?"

Shen's father's gaze drifted back to the ring, his eyes becoming distant, as if lost in the labyrinthine corridors of memory. "This ring… it symbolizes the promises and responsibilities of our family." He paused, his voice taking on a somber timbre. "It has also borne witness to certain… secrets of the Shen family."

Gu Wanqing's heart rate quickened imperceptibly. She knew she was finally approaching the crux of the matter. "What secrets? Secrets related to the Columbia University shooting ten years ago?"

Shen's father's complexion paled instantaneously. His head snapped up, his eyes locking onto Gu Wanqing with an expression of startled alarm. "You… how do you know about that?"

Observing his horrified reaction, Gu Wanqing's suspicions solidified. "Uncle, I have already learned some things. I know my brother was a victim of that shooting, and I also know that your family, the Shen family, was inextricably linked to that tragedy. Is this ring also connected to the events of that year?"

Shen's father remained silent, his grip tightening on the ring in his hand, his eyes reflecting an internal battle between conflicting emotions – struggle and profound sorrow.

"Uncle, please, tell me the truth," Gu Wanqing pleaded, her voice imbued with sincerity. "I simply wish to understand what truly transpired that year, how my brother met his end. This is of paramount importance to both Xubai and myself."

Shen's father regarded Gu Wanqing, his eyes conveying a sense of weary resignation. He knew that some truths could not remain concealed indefinitely. With a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of years, he began to speak, his voice low and measured. "This ring… it was a gift I gave to my elder brother many years ago."

"Your elder brother?" Gu Wanqing inquired, a hint of confusion in her voice.

"Yes, his name was Shen Hongyu, Xubai's paternal uncle," Shen's father replied, his voice tinged with melancholy. "He was also studying at Columbia University at the time."

A jolt of realization coursed through Gu Wanqing. She sensed that a crucial piece of the puzzle had finally surfaced.

"Then… was he involved in the shooting?" Gu Wanqing asked, her voice trembling slightly with anticipation.

Shen's father offered a slow, painful nod, his eyes filled with anguish. "At that time, our family's business ventures in the United States encountered some difficulties. My elder brother, in an attempt to resolve these issues, became entangled with individuals he should not have associated with. The Columbia University shooting… it was the consequence of that conflict."

Gu Wanqing's mind reeled, a sense of utter disbelief washing over her. She had never imagined that Shen Xubai's own uncle could have been implicated.

"Then… my brother? How… how did he die?" Gu Wanqing's voice was barely a whisper, choked with emotion.

A profound sense of guilt clouded Shen's father's eyes. "During a violent confrontation between my elder brother and the opposing faction, the situation spiraled into utter chaos. Your brother… he was merely an innocent bystander, tragically struck by a stray bullet…"

Tears welled up in Gu Wanqing's eyes once more, spilling down her cheeks. She pressed a hand to her mouth, desperately trying to stifle the sobs that threatened to erupt. The truth was far more devastating than she could have ever imagined. Her brother, an innocent soul, had lost his precious life due to the Shen family's entanglement in a dangerous feud.

"And… Xubai? He was there too, wasn't he? Did he witness everything?" Gu Wanqing asked, her voice thick with unshed tears.

Shen's father nodded slowly. "Yes, Xubai was present. He witnessed the entire horrific event unfold, leaving him with deep psychological trauma. He has always carried a heavy burden of guilt, believing that if it weren't for him, his uncle would not have…" Shen's father's voice trailed off, but Gu Wanqing understood his unspoken words.

"So, in an attempt to prevent Xubai and me from being together, to make him forget all of this, you orchestrated that car accident, stealing his memories?" Gu Wanqing's voice was laced with a mixture of fury and profound sorrow.

Shen's father remained silent, unable to refute Gu Wanqing's accusations.

"Uncle, was it truly worth it? Did you ever consider whether Xubai, stripped of his memories, would truly find happiness? Did you ever think about the decade of suffering our family has endured? Don't we deserve the truth?" Gu Wanqing's voice was now tinged with a raw, almost desperate quality.

Shen's father looked at Gu Wanqing, his eyes reflecting a profound weariness and resignation. "I know I have wronged your family, and I have wronged Xubai. But… I only wanted to protect him. I did not want him to carry such a heavy burden for the rest of his life."

Gazing upon the frail and aged figure before her, Gu Wanqing's heart was a tempest of conflicting emotions. She felt a surge of resentment towards him, towards his selfishness and perceived cruelty, yet she also recognized that his actions, however misguided, likely stemmed from a deep-seated love for his son.

Just then, Shen Xubai's voice drifted towards them from nearby. "Dad, Wanqing, what are you two talking about?"

Gu Wanqing and Shen's father turned their heads in unison, seeing Shen Xubai standing a short distance away, his expression one of mild confusion. His complexion had improved significantly, but a lingering haze of disorientation still clouded his eyes.

Gu Wanqing's heart skipped a beat. She had no way of knowing how much of their conversation Shen Xubai might have overheard.

"Nothing, Xubai, we were just having a chat," Shen's father replied quickly, striving to maintain an air of composure.

Shen Xubai furrowed his brow slightly. He sensed an odd undercurrent in their exchange, though the specifics eluded his grasp.

"Is that so?" Shen Xubai looked at Gu Wanqing, a hint of inquiry in his eyes. "Wanqing, you seemed a little upset just now. Is everything alright?"

Gu Wanqing forced a smile, shaking her head gently. "I'm fine, Xubai, just a little tired."

Shen Xubai nodded, not pressing the matter further.

Over the following days, Shen Xubai's condition steadily improved, and the doctors indicated that his discharge from the hospital would be imminent. However, his memories remained elusive, a fact that caused Gu Wanqing considerable anxiety.

She knew she had to uncover more evidence and fully unravel the truth of what had transpired before Shen Xubai's memories resurfaced. And the emerald thumb ring on his hand remained the focal point of her investigation.

Gu Wanqing began to observe the ring with even greater scrutiny. She noticed that on its inner surface, there appeared to be some minute inscriptions. Due to the play of light and the angle of observation, she had previously overlooked them.

One night, while Shen Xubai was asleep, Gu Wanqing carefully slipped the ring from his finger and examined it closely under the lamp's illumination. She discovered that the markings on the ring's interior were not merely decorative; they were ancient characters, resembling a family crest or a coded inscription of some kind.

A thrill of excitement coursed through Gu Wanqing. She knew she had stumbled upon a significant clue. She immediately retrieved her phone and photographed the inscriptions on the ring's inner surface, sending the images to a friend back in China who specialized in ancient languages, requesting his assistance in deciphering their meaning.

Several days later, Gu Wanqing received a reply from her friend. The message indicated that the characters inscribed within the ring were indeed an ancient family crest, representing a lineage with a long and storied history. And the surname associated with this crest was none other than "Shen."

This revelation further solidified Gu Wanqing's suspicions: the emerald thumb ring undoubtedly concealed secrets about the Shen family's past.

Just as Gu Wanqing was diligently pursuing these new leads, Shen Xubai suddenly informed her that he had been experiencing a series of peculiar dreams recently. These nocturnal visions were fragmented and indistinct, filled with the sounds of gunfire, flashes of firelight, and the fleeting image of a girl's silhouette.

A sense of anticipation stirred within Gu Wanqing. She knew that Shen Xubai's memories were beginning to stir. She patiently guided him, encouraging him to recall every minute detail of his dreams.

As time progressed, the images in Shen Xubai's dreams grew increasingly vivid. He began to recall fragmented memories – his own presence at Columbia University at the time, the sudden eruption of gunfire, the ensuing chaos and terror, and a fleeting recollection of witnessing a girl courageously saving someone's life.

Although these recollections remained somewhat nebulous, for Gu Wanqing, they represented a significant breakthrough. She was confident that, given sufficient time, Shen Xubai would eventually remember everything.

And she, in turn, would remain steadfastly by his side, facing all the truths and challenges that lay ahead. No matter how arduous the path might prove, she would not falter. She would safeguard their love with her unwavering devotion and perseverance until the full truth was brought to light.