As Li Chen was deeply engrossed in setting up his office, a storm was silently brewing in the Gu household.

Master Gu returned home earlier than usual, a rare smile gracing his face. He found Madame Gu leisurely sipping tea and inquired, "Why are you back so early, dear?"

Madame Gu was instantly curious, her greed always searching for new opportunities. "Did something special happen, darling? You seem unusually happy."

Madame Gu, fueled by her own ambitions, pressed further, "Don’t keep us in suspense, dear."

Master Gu eventually disclosed the news, "I received a call from the Shan family in Beijing. Their son is interested in our Liangliang."

Madame Gu’s eyes gleamed with a hint of recognition, but she remained silent. She knew the Shan family all too well, but she wasn’t about to share her knowledge with her husband. Her thoughts raced, considering the potential benefits of this newfound connection.

Gu Liang, hearing their conversation descending the stairs, felt a sense of confusion. The Shan family was unfamiliar to her, and she couldn’t understand their sudden interest.

Gu Liang finally spoke, expressing her uncertainty, "Dad, I have never met anyone from the Shan Family."

Master Gu, despite his selfish desires, tried to sound understanding, "Apparently he saw you at the Jiang Family banquet last year."

Madame Gu feeling uneasy asked. "Why did they keep quiet all this time?"

Master Gu, not noticing anything replied, "Because Liang was married then"

Madame Gu, driven by her greed and her knowledge of the Shan family, interjected, "But Liang has been going out on dates with Sun Gang."

Master Gu’s expression hardened, his selfish ambitions taking precedence as he countered, "I know, but this is an opportunity for our family to enter the Beijing market. The Sun family has not fully expanded there, and they can’t assist us with that. If Liang could marry into a prominent family in Beijing, it would be our chance to expand our business there."

Madame Gu, despite her inherent greed, expressed her reservations, her agitation palpable. "Beijing? But everything is going well here. We can continue to grow our business locally."

Master Gu sensed his wife’s reluctance and questioned, "What’s wrong? You seem agitated."

Madame Gu, unwilling to reveal her ulterior motives, simply said, "Nothing, I just don’t see a reason for us to expand to Beijing."

Master Gu, frustrated by his wife’s resistance, couldn’t hide his annoyance as he responded, "What do you know about business? You’re always at home, drinking tea, and you don’t know how hard it is to make the money you use for your almost daily shopping sprees."

Noticing her father’s growing irritation, Gu Liang, ever the obedient daughter, tried to defuse the situation, "Dad, I will think about it. Besides, I’ve always wanted to live in Beijing, too."

Master Gu, pleased with his daughter’s apparent willingness to consider the proposal, smiled and said, "That’s my girl. Beijing will offer you many opportunities."

After their conversation, the atmosphere in the Gu household had become more charged and complex. Madame Gu, a woman of many secrets and concealed emotions, sat quietly, sipping her tea, her thoughts racing. She had always been secretive by nature, and there was a particular past she wished to keep hidden, even from her husband. The mention of the Shan family had sent an unexpected chill down her spine, and she couldn’t help but feel that their sudden contact was far more than what had been conveyed.

Madame Gu had a history with the Shan family, one that she hoped would remain buried in the shadows of her past. Their sudden interest in her daughter left her suspicious, as she knew them all too well. Her silence was a mask to conceal her unease and fear, for she knew that the past had a tendency to resurface when one least expected it.

Master Gu, on the other hand, was consumed by his ambitions. The prospect of expanding their family business to greater heights than ever before through a strategic marriage alliance had become a fixation for him. He had big dreams and even bigger plans, envisioning the Gu family name becoming synonymous with success and wealth across the nation. The spark of opportunity presented by the Shan family’s proposal had ignited a fire within him, and he was relentless in his pursuit of what he believed would lead to their ascent.

Gu Liang, caught in the midst of her parents’ conflicting emotions and motivations, had her own reservations and concerns. While she shared her mother’s greedy tendencies, she felt a weight on her shoulders from the burden her father was placing upon her. The idea of marrying a stranger for the sake of the family business was daunting, and she couldn’t help but feel that her own desires and dreams were being overshadowed by her father’s relentless ambitions.

In the midst of all this, the secrets that shrouded Madame Gu remained a heavy, unspoken truth. The prospect of facing her past and her association with the Shan family filled her with dread, and she was determined to keep her history hidden at all costs. The shadows of her past loomed over her, threatening to expose a side of her life that she had fought hard to leave behind.

As the Gu family grappled with their individual emotions and hidden pasts, the future held uncertainties that none of them could predict. Madame Gu’s secrets, Master Gu’s ambitions, and Gu Liang’s apprehensions were all woven into the intricate tapestry of their family, creating a web of complexity and intrigue that would shape their destinies in ways they could never have imagined.

Madame Gu’s call to the number she had sworn never to dial again was a stark reminder of a past she had desperately tried to bury. As the voice on the other end answered with a hint of familiarity and a touch of darkness, her apprehension grew.

"What do you want?" she inquired, her voice laced with tension, and the person on the line responded with a chilling confidence, "Nothing much, just a close relationship where you can’t run away from me anymore."

Madame Gu’s heart sank as the person called her Rumeng, a name she had vowed to leave behind along with her past. The voice continued, "You had a mission but chose emotions over work. Of course, your old ghosts will eventually come knocking soon."

"Don’t call me that," she snapped, trying to distance herself from the name that had once defined her life. But the person on the other end of the line laughed coldly, as if the passage of time had only deepened their sinister amusement.

"You still owe me, Rumeng," they taunted. "But don’t worry, I will be seeing you soon."

Madame Gu’s spine ran cold as she heard those words, a harbinger of impending darkness. She pleaded, "Stay away from my family," desperate to shield her loved ones from the haunting shadows of her past.

The person’s response was as ominous as ever, "Unfortunately, I can’t. I told you I would get you. I wonder if your husband really knows who he married."

"Keep my husband out of it," she implored, her voice trembling with a mix of fear, anger, and deep-seated hatred.

With a final, chilling laugh, the person on the other end of the line concluded, "I have to go. See you soon, Rumeng."

Madame Gu hung up the phone, her emotions in tumult. The call had resurfaced old wounds, and the looming threat of her past returning cast a dark shadow over her family’s future.

Madame Gu’s mind raced with thoughts of safeguarding her loved ones from the looming threat of her past. She reluctantly dialed a certain number once more, a connection to a world she had long tried to sever. The voice on the other end was curt, "We haven’t found an opportunity to eliminate that brat."

Madame Gu got straight to the point, saying, "I am not calling regarding that." The man on the line replied with a sense of detachment, "What do you want?"

With determination, Madame Gu stated, "I need a few of your best men to protect my son and daughter." The man retorted, "My men are not bodyguards. You have those in your large house." Madame Gu persisted, "I need people who will protect them in the shadows. I will pay very well."

The man hesitated for a moment, considering the request. He then asked, "What about your husband? Judging from your voice, it seems like your family might be in danger." Madame Gu reassured, "He has our best men beside him, so he is safe."

The man agreed, saying, "I see. So when do you want my men to start?" Madame Gu responded with urgency, "As soon as possible." The man promised, "Consider it done." Before concluding the call, Madame Gu reminded him, "Don’t forget to finish off the other deal."

The man assured her, "I will update you in three days’ time." Madame Gu breathed a long sigh of relief as she hung up the phone. With this arrangement, all she could do was protect her children and hope that her past remained hidden and would not harm them.