The CEO is domineering, the devil Boss is addicted to pampering

Chapter 1423 Yunrui's Sincere Inscription: Fire at Hongfu Garden in Tai Po

Gu Mingcheng didn't respond. His gaze passed over his son's shoulder and landed precisely on the documents printed with Lin Xu's information. He walked slowly to his desk, where he casually placed the bamboo scissors on the flower stand in the corner, making a soft rustling sound.

Bamboo shavings were still stuck to the blades of the scissors, left over from pruning the old holly bush in the courtyard. They carried the fresh scent of grass and trees, but could not dispel the somber atmosphere in the study caused by the documents.

He neither touched the spread-out papers nor pressed Gu Yunqian for details of the investigation. He simply walked halfway around the desk, his gaze sweeping over the code lingering on the computer screen before returning to the view outside the window—the sycamore leaves in the courtyard were scattered all over the ground, and the butler was leading the servants to slowly sweep them away; everything was as peaceful as a still painting.

"Go get your mother some white fungus soup." After a long while, he finally spoke, his tone no different from when he usually called his son to eat, without the slightest hint of emotion.

Gu Yunqian was stunned. His grip on the mouse tightened, and all the plans he had prepared were stuck in his throat by this insignificant remark.

He looked at his father's profile; the white hair at his temples was particularly clear under the lamp, yet his straight back and calm eyes inexplicably brought him a sense of peace. "Dad, I..."

"Drink the soup first." Gu Mingcheng raised his hand to interrupt him, tapping the table lightly with his fingertips. "It won't taste good if it gets cold." After saying that, he turned and walked to the sofa, picked up the newspaper next to him and started reading. He looked at the financial news on the page with extra care, as if the information on the table about his daughter's inner conflict was just some insignificant piece of paper.

Gu Yunqian finally gave up. As he exited the computer program and turned to leave the study, Ye Muxue came over with a tray, the sweet aroma of white fungus soup wafting into his nostrils.

"Your dad..." Ye Muxue asked in a low voice, her eyes filled with worry. She had vaguely overheard the father and son's conversation downstairs and had a feeling that they were plotting something.

"He didn't say anything, just told me to drink the soup." Gu Yunqian took the white fungus soup and gave a wry smile. "Mom, Dad is really scary when he's not talking!"

Ye Muxue laughed and patted his arm: "You weren't this afraid of him when you were a child, so why are you afraid of him now that you're his age?"

The tense and oppressive atmosphere was eased by Ye Muxue's joke, and the look she gave when she glanced towards the study door was enough to hold one's attention for a long time...

For the next three days, the Gu family was unusually calm. Gu Mingcheng still got up early every day to prune the flowers and trees, occasionally appeared at the company in the morning, and came back in the afternoon to brew a pot of tea, either reading the newspaper or practicing calligraphy. Occasionally, he would discuss with Ye Muxue where to go on a weekend outing, but he never mentioned what happened in the study that day.

Gu Yunxi was busy with the lab project, and as expected, Cangying cut off contact with her under the pretext of an "urgent mission." Although she was a little disappointed, she didn't ask too many questions. She would only occasionally say during meals, "I hope Cangying takes care of himself."

Gu Yunqian suppressed his doubts and, following his father's instructions, did not interfere in Lin Xu's affairs. Instead, he quietly upgraded the family's security system.

The incident occurred on the evening of the fourth day. Gu Yunxi had just returned from the laboratory, holding a newly printed lab report in her hand. Ye Muxue was preparing dinner in the kitchen, while Gu Mingcheng was watching the evening news in the living room, with the latest developments of the fire at Hung Fook Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, being broadcast on the screen.

"...As of now, the fire has claimed 128 lives and injured 79 people. Police entered the scene today to collect evidence, and the investigation is expected to take three to four weeks..."

The news anchor's voice was somber, and the footage showed buildings charred black from the fire. Firefighters were carrying equipment and moving through the ruins, and the air seemed to smell of burning smoke.

"What a tragedy, so many people have been hurt." Ye Muxue brought out the dishes and couldn't help but sigh when she saw the news. "Just a couple of days ago they were saying that they were doing exterior wall renovations over there, how could such a big thing happen?"

Gu Yunxi put down the report, walked to the sofa and sat down. Looking at the scene on the screen, she frowned: "I heard that the fire started from the lower-level shed netting. The foam board is flammable, and the fire spread very quickly. Many people didn't have time to escape." She had been an exchange student in Hong Kong and had some impression of the Hongfuyuan residential area. Looking at the scene of devastation, she felt particularly heavy-hearted.

Gu Mingcheng didn't speak, but just held the remote control between his fingertips, his knuckles turning slightly white.

The news was still reporting on the rescue progress, mentioning the support from the Hong Kong SAR government and donations from all sectors of society. Suddenly, he raised his hand and changed the channel. The scene switched to a concert, and the soothing piano music replaced the somber news reports.

Just then, Gu Yunqian's phone suddenly rang urgently, and the name "Uncle Chen" appeared on the screen!

Why would Uncle Chen call him at this time?

Gu Yunqian glanced at Gu Mingcheng and then quietly pressed the answer button. The voice on the other end of the phone was very low and had a hint of panic: "Yunqian, something bad has happened. Bai Xiuxian is in trouble! She was taken away by the police this afternoon. I heard it's related to an economic case. I don't know the specifics yet, but it's caused quite a stir. I just heard about it."

Gu Yunqian's heart sank: "When did this happen? Was there no prior warning?"

“It was this afternoon. She suddenly left with her people in less than ten minutes. She didn’t even let them go home.” Uncle Chen’s voice became more urgent. “And coincidentally, her company is near Hongfuyuan. When the police went to collect evidence today, they went to her place on the way. Now everyone is saying that her case may be related to corruption in the fire project, but there is no concrete evidence. It’s all speculation.”

Gu Yunqian unconsciously tightened his grip on the phone, his knuckles turning white.

He turned to look at the living room, where Gu Mingcheng was leaning back on the sofa listening to music. His profile looked exceptionally calm under the light, as if he hadn't heard anything from the balcony.

Ye Muxue and Gu Yunxi were discussing the aftermath of the fire, their faces full of worry, unaware of his unusual behavior.

After hanging up the phone, he took a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent emotions, before turning and walking into the living room. "Dad, Mom, Yunxi," he said, trying to make his voice sound normal, "I just received news that Aunt Xiuxian... had some trouble and was taken away by the police."

Ye Muxue's soup spoon clattered into the bowl, splashing a few drops of soup: "What? How could Xiuxian have gotten into an accident? We talked on the phone a few days ago, and she said she was going to send Yunxi some dim sum from Hong Kong."

Gu Yunxi was also stunned, and the lab report slipped from her hand: "Aunt Bai? What did she do wrong? Is it related to the fire in today's news?"

All eyes turned to Gu Mingcheng. He finally raised his hand to turn off the music, slowly opened his eyes, and calmly swept his gaze over everyone: "Don't speculate, the police will find out." He stood up, walked to the dining table, sat down, and picked up his chopsticks. "Let's eat, the food is getting cold."

His tone remained calm, but Gu Yunqian noticed that his hand holding the food was incredibly steady, and there was no surprise in the depths of his eyes, only a calm that seemed to have settled down.

Although Ye Muxue and Gu Yunxi were full of doubts, they could tell that Gu Mingcheng was unwilling to talk about it, so they had no choice but to suppress their questions and sit down to eat in silence. The atmosphere at the table became particularly oppressive, with only the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the occasional sound of wind coming from outside the window.

Gu Yunqian lowered his head and ate his rice, but his mind was in turmoil.

The timing of Bai Xiuxian's accident was too coincidental—it happened right after Cangying delivered the information, right on the day of the evidence search for the Hong Kong fire, and right during the few days when her father seemed to have done nothing.

This is no coincidence; the father must have been behind it. But how did he do it? Without mobilizing the Gu family's resources, without conspiring with anyone, and without even leaving the old house, he quietly brought Bai Xiuxian, who was far away in Hong Kong, to justice, without letting a word slip by.

He looked at Gu Mingcheng, who was slowly and gracefully sipping his soup. The television switched back to the news, still reporting on the aftermath of the fire, showing firefighters carrying a body out of the rubble and covering it with a white sheet.