Phoenix’s Revenge: The Business Battle

Chapter13: The Unsealed Testimony

Shen Xubai's complexion was almost translucent in its pallor as he gripped Gu Wanqing's hand, his knuckles bone-white from the intensity of his hold. His gaze, a vortex of conflicting emotions, remained fixed on his father, awaiting the complete unveiling of the truth that had been entombed for a decade. The air within the sterile confines of the hospital room seemed to congeal, punctuated only by the rhythmic beeping of medical equipment and Shen's father's labored, raspy breathing.

Shen's father looked at his son, his eyes reflecting a profound sorrow and resignation. He knew further concealment was futile. He began to speak, his voice low and measured, as if reciting a tale long ravaged by the attrition of time.

"Xubai, back in America, our Shen family business did indeed encounter a period of crisis. In an attempt to extricate ourselves swiftly from those straits, your uncle, Shen Hongyu… he chose a misguided path, collaborating with individuals we ought not to have associated with. These people possessed intricate connections and employed ruthless methods, and we were soon ensnared in an uncontrollable maelstrom of conflict," Shen's father recounted, his voice heavy with remorse and weariness.

He paused, then continued, "The shooting at Columbia University was the crucible in which that conflict reached its boiling point. At the time, your uncle and the opposing faction engaged in a fierce altercation over the distribution of profits, culminating in a gun battle on campus. Mingyuan… Gu Mingyuan, he was merely a student passing by, yet he was tragically struck by a stray bullet and died instantly."

Shen Xubai's body shuddered violently. He squeezed his eyes shut, as if attempting to banish the gruesome images from his mind. Gu Wanqing could feel the increasing pressure of his grip on her hand, a testament to the potent confluence of pain and fury within him.

Shen's father continued, "The situation was chaotic. The police launched an investigation, but due to the involvement of certain intricate powers, the true orchestrators were never brought to light. Our Shen family also mobilized all our connections, attempting to suppress the truth and bury the matter."

"Suppress the truth?" Shen Xubai's eyes snapped open, his gaze now glacial as it bore into his father. "So, you simply allowed an innocent man to perish and then used lies and power to conceal everything?" His voice resonated with anger and disappointment, a profound disillusionment with his lineage, with his own father.

Shen's father's face grew even more ashen. He lowered his head, his voice barely audible. "At the time… I was also under duress. Your uncle… he had already embarked on a path of no return. I could only strive to safeguard our Shen family. And, at the time, I was unaware that Gu Mingyuan was…"

"Unaware?" Gu Wanqing couldn't help but scoff, tears once again welling in her eyes. "Unaware of who he was? He was a living, breathing human being. He had a family, he had dreams! And because of your Shen family's interests, his life was extinguished so unjustly, while you chose to bury the truth, allowing the murderers to roam free!"

Shen's father was rendered speechless, his gaze fixed on the incandescent fury burning in Gu Wanqing's eyes. He knew no words could ever atone for the suffering their family had endured.

"What about… the ring?" Gu Wanqing's gaze fell upon the emerald signet ring clutched tightly in Shen's father's hand. "What connection does this ring have to the events of that year?"

Shen's father's gaze followed hers, his eyes clouding with an even greater complexity of emotion. "This ring… your uncle always wore it. After his passing in the incident, I took it and have kept it with me ever since."

"Why?" Gu Wanqing pressed.

Shen's father remained silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, "This ring… is a Shen family heirloom. It represents a promise, a responsibility. Before he… before he was gone, your uncle gave it to me, entrusting me to safeguard it and warning me never to repeat his mistakes."

A flicker of understanding sparked within Gu Wanqing. She sensed that a deeper narrative lay concealed behind this seemingly simple piece of jewelry.

Just then, the hospital room door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man in a sharp suit entered. He appeared to be in his late forties, his hair meticulously combed, a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, lending him an air of composure and shrewdness. His gaze swept across the room, finally settling on Shen's father, his eyes reflecting a complex mix of emotions.

"Sir, the matter you asked me to investigate has been concluded," the man said respectfully as he approached Shen's father.

Shen's father looked up, his eyes filled with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. "What did you find?"

The middle-aged man nodded, retrieving a file from his briefcase and handing it to Shen's father. "This is the detailed investigation report on the Columbia University shooting from that year, including police records, eyewitness testimonies, and some undisclosed internal documents."

Shen's father's hand trembled slightly as he accepted the file. His gaze fell upon the words "Columbia University Shooting Incident" emblazoned on the cover, as if witnessing the bloody tragedy of a decade past replaying before his eyes.

Gu Wanqing and Shen Xubai also looked towards the file, their hearts pounding with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. This might be the crucial evidence to unravel the entire truth.

Shen's father took a deep breath and slowly opened the file, beginning to peruse its contents with meticulous care. Silence descended upon the room, broken only by the soft rustle of turning pages.

As Shen's father read, his face grew increasingly pallid, and fine beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. His hand tightened around the emerald signet ring, as if seeking solace or strength from it.

Finally, Shen's father stopped reading. He looked up, his gaze filled with a complex mix of emotions as he met Gu Wanqing's and Shen Xubai's eyes. "This report… contains many detailed records about the shooting from that year. There is one eyewitness testimony…"

He paused, his voice trembling slightly. "This testimony mentions that at the scene, besides your uncle, there was also a young man wearing an emerald signet ring…"

Gu Wanqing's and Shen Xubai's hearts leaped into their throats. They held their breath, awaiting Shen's father's next words.

"That young man… was Xubai," Shen's father's voice resonated through the room like a thunderclap.

Gu Wanqing and Shen Xubai were both stunned, staring at Shen's father in disbelief, as if time itself had momentarily ceased.

"I… I was at the scene too?" Shen Xubai's voice held a note of bewilderment and shock.

Shen's father nodded, his eyes filled with pain and remorse. "Yes, Xubai. You were studying at Columbia University back then. You had always been very close to your uncle, so you were there that day as well."

"Then… what did I see?" Shen Xubai asked urgently, fragmented images flashing through his mind once more: the sound of gunfire, the sight of blood, a figure collapsing in a pool of crimson.

Shen's father looked at his son, his gaze filled with a complex mixture of emotions. "You saw… you saw your uncle shoot and kill Gu Mingyuan."

Shen Xubai's body recoiled as if struck. He stumbled backward, his face ashen. He stared at his father in disbelief, as if he had just heard the most preposterous statement in the world.

"No… impossible! Uncle… how could he…?" Shen Xubai's voice was filled with anguish and denial.

Gu Wanqing's heart clenched as if an invisible hand had squeezed it mercilessly. She looked at the tormented Shen Xubai, tears welling in her eyes once more. The truth was so brutal. Shen Xubai's uncle was not only the murderer, but Shen Xubai himself had witnessed the entire horrific event!

Shen's father looked at his son, his eyes filled with guilt and agony. "Xubai, I know this is incredibly difficult for you to accept, but… it's the truth. You witnessed everything that day. It was a tremendous shock, and afterwards, you were in a state of mental disorientation, even experiencing temporary amnesia."

"So… so you orchestrated that car accident to make me forget everything, to completely erase my memories?" Shen Xubai's voice held a note of despair and fury.

Shen's father lowered his head in defeat. He knew he could offer no further justification.

A deathly silence descended upon the room, broken only by Shen Xubai's ragged breathing. He looked at Gu Wanqing, then back at his father, his eyes filled with pain and confusion.

Gu Wanqing walked over to Shen Xubai and took his hand, her gaze soft yet resolute. "Xubai, it's alright. This isn't your fault. We'll face this together."

Shen Xubai looked at Gu Wanqing, his eyes filled with love and gratitude. He knew that no matter what happened, he would not be alone, for he had Gu Wanqing by his side.

He took a deep breath, striving to regain his composure, then turned his head, his gaze now glacial as it fixed on his father. "Dad, I want you to tell me everything, including why you have always opposed Wanqing and me being together."

Shen's father looked at his son, knowing that there was no salvaging the situation. He sighed, then began to speak slowly, "Actually… back then, your uncle and Gu Mingyuan's father, Gu Zhenhua, who is also Gu Wanqing's father, were very good friends. They started a business together in America, and their relationship was very close. However, later on, due to some business disputes, a significant conflict arose between them, and they even became bitter enemies."

"Bitter enemies?" Gu Wanqing frowned. She had never heard of such a history between her father and the Shen family.

Shen's father nodded. "Yes. The competition between the two companies was fierce at the time. To gain market share, both sides resorted to some less than honorable tactics. Your uncle, in order to completely crush the Gu family, even secretly plotted to frame Gu Zhenhua, leading to the Gu family's business plummeting and ultimately going bankrupt."

Gu Wanqing's heart sank. She finally understood why Shen's father had always opposed her relationship with Shen Xubai. Their families were bound by such a deep-seated animosity.

"Then… my brother's death, was that also because of this?" Gu Wanqing's voice trembled slightly.

Shen's father shook his head. "Your brother's death was merely an accident. Your uncle and the other party got into a fight. He only intended to teach the other party a lesson; he never expected it to result in a fatality. He regretted it deeply, but what was done could not be undone."

"Regretted?" Gu Wanqing couldn't help but scoff. "Does a single word of regret erase everything? Does it bring my brother back to life?"

Shen's father was rendered speechless, his gaze fixed on the incandescent fury burning in Gu Wanqing's eyes. He knew no words could ever atone for the suffering their family had endured.

Just then, the middle-aged man who had remained silent spoke up. "Sir, there are actually some details about the events of that year that you may not be aware of."

Shen's father, Gu Wanqing, and Shen Xubai all looked towards him, their eyes filled with confusion.

The middle-aged man retrieved a photograph from the file and handed it to Shen's father. "This is a photograph I found during my investigation. It's a picture of Mr. Gu Zhenhua and Mr. Shen Hongyu when they first started their business in America."

Shen's father took the photograph and examined it closely. His face instantly paled, and the hand holding the picture trembled slightly.

Gu Wanqing and Shen Xubai also leaned closer, curious. The photograph showed two young men standing shoulder to shoulder, their faces beaming with confidence and smiles. One of them was a younger Shen Xubai's uncle, Shen Hongyu. And the other…

Gu Wanqing's pupils dilated. She stared at the other man in the photograph in disbelief. The face, though younger, was undeniably familiar. It was her father, Gu Zhenhua!

"This… this is my father?" Gu Wanqing's voice trembled with disbelief.

The middle-aged man nodded. "Yes, Miss Gu. Mr. Gu Zhenhua and Mr. Shen Hongyu were indeed very good friends back then. They worked together in America and founded their first company."

Gu Wanqing's mind went blank. She could not fully comprehend the reality before her. Her father and Shen Xubai's uncle had once been close friends who started a business together! What was truly going on?

Shen's father looked at the photograph, his eyes filled with pain and remorse. "Yes, they were the best of friends, but… everything changed."

He sighed deeply and continued, "Back then, in the pursuit of greater profits, your uncle betrayed Gu Zhenhua, secretly framing him and leading to the Gu family's bankruptcy. Gu Zhenhua was deeply affected by this and ultimately succumbed to his despair."

Gu Wanqing's body shuddered violently. She stared at Shen's father in disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes once more. "What did you say? My father… he was killed by your Shen family?"

Shen's father nodded weakly, his face etched with profound guilt and agony.

Shen Xubai looked at Gu Wanqing, then at his own father, his face ashen, his eyes filled with shock and confusion. He had never imagined such a complex and cruel history of animosity between their families.

Silence descended upon the hospital room once more. Everyone was rendered speechless by the sudden revelation. Gu Wanqing's body trembled violently. She felt waves of dizziness and nausea, as if all her strength had been drained away.

She looked at the man she had once loved deeply, at his pained and bewildered eyes. Her heart was filled with despair and sorrow. Their love had been built upon such a brutal truth. A profound sense of powerlessness and bewilderment washed over her. Could they ever return to the way things were?