Hidden identities of the AI Heiress
Chapter 690 - Chapter 690 Chapter 690 The Storm Is Coming

Chapter 690: Chapter 690 The Storm Is Coming Chapter 690: Chapter 690 The Storm Is Coming Just when the Qin Family patriarch thought Lu Shiran was accepting his help, he heard Lu Shiran assert with unwavering conviction, “This is my family’s issue; we’ll solve it ourselves, so there’s no need to trouble you.”

The Qin Family patriarch frowned subconsciously, speaking with an air of ‘why don’t you understand’, “If they could resolve it, the matter wouldn’t have become so serious.”

Lu Shiran was silent for a long while, “I have no reason to accept your help.”

Having already decided not to get entangled with the Qin Family,

he wouldn’t take even a cent from them, even if it was offered as help.

Moreover, if he dared let the Qin Family patriarch lend a hand, the people at home would surely be furious.

Lu Shiran was very familiar with his grandfather’s temperament.

Even if it meant bankruptcy, they would never accept any kindness from the Qin Family.

The Qin Family patriarch was undiscouraged, “It’s not about accepting my help, but as your grandfather, I want to help you. Even if you don’t accept it, I’ll always treat you as my own grandson.”

Lu Shiran couldn’t comprehend the Qin Family patriarch’s intentions, his gaze landing on the older man’s eyes.

His eyes looked back at him with benevolence, devoid of any scheming, as though they truly came from the heart.

Lu Shiran’s eyes drifted, tentatively asking, “Do you have a way to solve the Lu Family’s troubles?”

The Qin Family patriarch responded vaguely, “I have my methods.”

Lu Shiran came to see the Qin Family patriarch specifically to hear what solutions he might have. Now, seeing he couldn’t get an answer and couldn’t possibly accept his help,

his refusal became even more steadfast, “Even if you want to help, I won’t accept it, so don’t bother. If there’s nothing else, I need to go back and take care of my grandfather.”

Without waiting for the Qin Family patriarch to speak again, Lu Shiran ran off at an impressive speed.

He was afraid that continuing the conversation with the Qin Family patriarch would weaken his resolve.

Honestly, he’d do anything to get his family through this crisis.

Only, he had reservations and feared causing his family grief.

Lu Shiran was very clear that his family didn’t want him to have any contact with the Qin Family.

The Qin Family patriarch narrowed his eyes, watching Lu Shiran’s retreating figure.

The youth’s back was straight, his footsteps swift, but the moment of hesitation that crossed his face did not escape the old man’s observation.

Lu Shiran’s refusal was both within and beyond the Qin Family patriarch’s expectations.

“Master, the young master is unwilling to accept your help. What should we do now?” Xiaozhang asked the Qin Family patriarch about the next plan with reverence.

The corners of the Qin Family patriarch’s mouth curved upward, “You really think he doesn’t want to accept? He’s eager but just doesn’t dare. I don’t need his agreement. This visit was to let him know that I have the capability to resolve this matter. Once the crisis at Lu Group is over, I will be the first person he thinks of.”

The Qin Family patriarch planned to kill two birds with one stone, not only to take Lu Group into his fold but also to make Lu Shiran indebted to him, compelling him to acknowledge his roots and return to his family.

He was doing all this not solely for Lu Shiran.

The Qin Family patriarch had investigated Lu Group and discovered their business had been booming this past year, never incurring a loss.

If he could acquire Lu Group, it would greatly benefit the Qin Family’s development within the country.

It would also serve as a deterrence to other families domestically.

Turning around to exit the hospital, the Qin Family patriarch said with a smile, “The stock price of Lu’s has not dropped sharply enough yet.”

Xiaozhang had an epiphany, “Understood, Master. I know what to do now.”

The Qin Family patriarch could see from Lu Shiran’s expression that the people of Lu Family were really panic-stricken.

With this thought, a smile could not help but break across his face.

Just a while ago, his Qin Family was in a similar situation because of the Lu Family.

Now the tables had turned.

Yet, it wasn’t enough; it should be more miserable to truly assuage his anger.

…

When Lu Shiran returned to the sickroom, the elderly madam asked, “Where did you go? Why were you gone so long?”

Lu Shiran’s gaze darted about, “Nowhere much, just walked around outside.”

The elderly madam thought Lu Shiran was worried about his grandfather’s condition and went out for some fresh air, so she didn’t probe further to avoid upsetting him more.

Qiao Yun turned her head, her clear, distinct eyes circling Lu Shiran before retracting back.

“Shiran, Grandpa is fine.” The old master also felt a bit guilty for making his family worry about him amid their busy lives.

As he grew older, there were some things he could no longer control.

Suddenly, Lu Shiran asked, “Grandpa, our family will be okay, right?”

“Of course,” the old master confidently assured, “you have to believe in your father and your younger uncle’s abilities. Even if they can’t bear it, there’s still your older cousin.”

Lu Shiran managed a weak smile: “Okay.”

Because they had school the next day, Lu Shiran and Qiao Yun didn’t stay long and were sent home by the adults.

The two protested in vain and could only leave.

In the hospital corridor, Lu Shiran walked with his eyes and brows lowered, lost in thought.

“Brother…” Qiao Yun called out to him.

Lu Shiran was momentarily stunned; Qiao Yun rarely called them brother, probably because she wasn’t used to it.

He was surprisingly pleased to hear Qiao Yun call him brother all of a sudden.

“Sister, what is it?”

Qiao Yun spoke softly and slowly: “I saw it, you and the Qin family’s people…”

“You saw it?” Lu Shiran was taken aback.

Qiao Yun nodded: “Mhm.”

Lu Shiran smiled awkwardly: “That, I… We just happened to meet; he wasn’t specifically looking for me.”

There was an unmistakable guilty feeling.

Qiao Yun didn’t dwell on this matter, and she asked unhurriedly: “Do you want his help?”

Qiao Yun didn’t need to guess to understand the intention behind Lu Shiran’s meeting with the old Qin master.

Lu Shiran pressed his lips together, saying nothing.

Qiao Yun recognized his dilemma and struggle.

“Don’t do the things you dislike.”

“But there are some things that I must do regardless if I dislike them or not, as long as they can help the family. No matter how distasteful, I must go through with them.”

“The Qin Family is bad news.”

Qiao Yun rarely made such resolute judgments about people, showing just how poor her impression of the Qin family was.

“Trust me, everything will calm down in no more than two days,” she said with measured clarity, each word distinct.

Lu Shiran was momentarily confused before he realized, was his sister comforting him?

Strangely, listening to Qiao Yun’s steady voice,

All his entanglements, hesitations, and feelings of powerlessness vanished in an instant.

Lu Shiran clenched his fists, deciding to wait a little longer. If the Lu Family’s crisis could not be overcome, then he would…

…

In the city outskirts of Shangjing, there was an abandoned building complex left desolate after the developer had fled.

For years, no one bothered with it. Weeds grew wild, and at night it was so dark that one could hardly see their own hands. Many people called it Ghost Town.

In this forsaken place where no one set foot, a black sedan came to a stop.

At the same time, a middle-aged man was pushed out of the car.

With a thud, he fell to the ground.

Before the trembling and fearful middle-aged man could recover his wits, he was lifted by the arms by two burly men and taken away.

Besieged by too much fear, the man was unable to speak.

He was carried all the way to the rooftop of the seventeenth floor.

The night wind chilled, and the middle-aged man shivered as he looked at the dozen or so black-clad brutes surrounding him.

“Why so slow?”

Hunched over, the middle-aged man searched for the source of the voice and looked in that direction.

He saw a well-built, strong man with icy eyes coming towards him.

At a glance, he was so frightened he dared not even take a deep breath.

“Who, who, who…who are you? What do you want to do?”

The middle-aged man had been walking down the street when he was kidnapped, and still hadn’t figured out what had happened.

Zhou You said casually, “What’s the rush? Let’s introduce you to a few people first.”

He gestured, and two more people were thrown over.

The middle-aged man was shocked and exclaimed, “My wife, my brother-in-law!”

The two people who were thrown over were indeed the middle-aged man’s wife and her brother.

As soon as the middle-aged woman saw her husband, she started crying and shouting as if she had found her mainstay and also began cursing.

Zhou You, annoyed by the noise, threatened, “Make any more noise, and I’ll cut your tongue out.”

The middle-aged woman took a sharp breath, her eyes full of anger, yet she dared not curse anyone again.

The middle-aged man felt as if the sky was collapsing and summoned his courage to say, “This is kidnapping, it’s illegal!”

Zhou You, with a fierce face, said, “We’re not kidnapping; we’re just friendly inviting you over for a chat. As long as you answer honestly, I promise you and your family will be fine.”

“What, what do you want to ask?”

Zhou You bluntly said, “I’m asking you, when procuring substandard safety helmets for the workers, was someone behind you instructing you to do so?”

The middle-aged man was startled, “Are you guys from President Lu?”

He was a bit surprised that Lu Xian would resort to such methods to intimidate him.

This was completely out of character for the Lu family.

Zhou You, with a menacing tone, said, “You don’t need to worry about who I am, you just need to answer my question.”

The middle-aged man had been slightly scared before, but now that he took Zhou You and his group as Lu Xian’s people, he suddenly wasn’t afraid anymore.

Because he knew Lu Xian wouldn’t really harm him.

He declared righteously, “I’ve already explained everything to President Lu.”

Zhou You didn’t waste words, and immediately ordered his men to tie up the middle-aged man’s brother-in-law.

“What are you doing? What are you doing? Brother-in-law, save me!”

Zhou You said, “According to you, it’s your brother-in-law who took money from the corrupt company and went through the back door at your place, so your brother-in-law should bear full responsibility? Very good, then let him learn a lesson!”

The middle-aged man’s teeth trembled as he watched his brother-in-law being hoisted by a crane and then swung out over the rooftop of the seventeenth floor.

Zhou You, holding a knife and gesturing, said, “Now all I need to do is cut the rope, and he will fall from the seventeenth floor, his body shattered.”

The brother-in-law, upon hearing this, rolled his eyes back and fainted in fright.

The middle-aged man felt weak in his limbs and nearly fainted on the spot.

“No! My brother is innocent; he doesn’t know anything! Husband, please tell them the truth! Otherwise, they’re going to kill my brother!”

The man’s wife immediately shouted frantically.

The middle-aged man struggled to keep silent.

Zhou You made a sign with his eyes.

His subordinate, understanding the signal, came forward and pinned the middle-aged man to the edge of the rooftop.

The middle-aged man reflexively looked down.

It was pitch dark and looked sinister and terrifying.

His face turned instantly pale, as he felt for the first time what it was like to be on the brink of death.

“Ever wondered what bungee jumping feels like here?” Zhou You stroked his chin and ordered his subordinate, “Go, let him have a try.”

“Yes.”

His subordinate approached to tie the rope on the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man was terrified, “No, please, no! I’ll tell, I’ll tell you everything, as long as you spare me!”

He was truly scared of this group of people.

Zhou You said with a chuckle, “Tell me.”

The middle-aged man spoke with a pale face, “I don’t know who he is, I don’t recognize him.”

It turned out that the middle-aged man had accepted a large sum of money, enough for him to spend for several lifetimes, in exchange for tampering with the safety helmets, plunging the Lu Group into a public opinion storm.

The reason that the extra money wasn’t found in his account was because the transaction was done in cash.

He had always been unaware of who the other party was, the only time he made contact with them was during the cash transaction.

The other party placed the money in a designated location and instructed him to collect it himself.

Fortunately, he had been cautious and had been waiting at the predetermined location early on, after which he managed to capture a side view of the person’s face.

“It was him…” the middle-aged man said tremulously as he took out his phone and handed it to Zhou You.

Zhou You took a look at it.

In the photo, a young man had his face turned to the side, his features not very clear.

If it were someone else, it would likely be difficult to find out who he was.

But with the help of Tianqi Research Institute, Zhou You knew that using their technology to identify this person shouldn’t be a problem.

Zhou You took a photo of the picture with his phone, then told the middle-aged man, “Do you need me to teach you what to do next?”

“No, no, there’s no need.” The middle-aged man nodded vigorously, his forehead drenched with cold sweat: “I won’t tell anyone that you’ve been here, I don’t know anything.”

“Good.”

Zhou You’s eyes were devoid of any warmth: “As for you… don’t think of running away, my people will be watching you.”

The middle-aged man truly felt faint now.

Even though he was paid to do the job, he had indirectly caused someone’s death, and jail time was inevitable.

Zhou You instructed his men to throw the man back.

He then sent the blurred photo to someone at Tianqi Research Institute, asking them to assist in identifying the person.

After all was done, Zhou You asked his subordinate, “Did you get everything he said on tape?”

“Got it.”

“Good, send it to Pei Ye.”

“Yes.”

…

The news that the Lu Group was about to hold a shareholder meeting caused panic among the staff of the entire group.

There were guesses that the group might undergo changes, perhaps President Lu would be dismissed because of this incident.

The Lu Group’s building in the financial center was only two kilometers away from Shengqiao Group, with Li Group right next door.

The office buildings of the two major domestic groups towered into the clouds, exuding grandeur.

Lu Xian sighed as he looked at the two skyscrapers, “When will the Lu Group grow as big as Shengqiao and Li Group.”

Lu Rui just smiled and didn’t answer.

Lu Xian said, “Now the media is spreading rumors, the stock price has plummeted, and the shareholders are restless.”

Lu Rui asked, “Should we tell dad?”

“I don’t want to stress the old man into a stroke,” Lu Xian straightened his cuffs, “Let’s go. I have to take care of what needs to be taken care of. If worst comes to worst, I’ll resign voluntarily, but I won’t allow anyone to seize power from our Lu Family.”

Lu Rui, however, was full of worry.

He had just received news that someone was offering a high price to buy up the Lu Group’s scattered shares.

Some individual investors and smaller shareholders were interested in cashing in their shares.

Lu Rui received the news too late, and it was by now too late to intervene.

The person buying up shares behind the scenes was likely up to no good…

…

Meanwhile.

A major piece of news had broken out on the internet.