However, this good mood did not last long. Suddenly, Gu En forcefully pushed open the door and strode toward He Zhilan. With a sharp, piercing voice, she accused, "He Zhilan! Is the issue with Ding Long caused by Lin Chan? Did Lin Chan set him up? Why is everyone around you so despicable?"
Ever since He Teng threatened Lin Deng about involving the military to resolve the issues between He Zhilan and Gu En, Gu En had calmed down. She hadn’t bothered He Zhilan recently. Yet, her sudden outburst frightened everyone in the room.
"Gu En, what’s gotten into you?" He Zhilan sat calmly in her chair, devoid of fear. "You think Lin Chan is a clairvoyant? She predicted that Shang Cunshu would go bankrupt at this moment and figured out what he’s been hiding? It’s hilarious. Even if Lin Chan knew everything, doesn’t this align perfectly with your belief that the winner takes all? Why are you angry? What’s there to be angry about? Ding Long rushed to snatch Lin Chan’s business opportunity on his own, expecting a sweet deal. Who knew he’d get a ticking time bomb instead? Whose fault is that? If anything, Ding Long is to blame for his own shady tactics. If he hadn’t stirred things up behind the scene with ill intentions, how would this mess have fallen onto him?"
After a pause, He Zhilan gave Gu En a once-over. "Ding Long’s company is in trouble, and you’re freaking out. Are you this worried about Ding Long?"
"Do you fancy him?" Chen Xiting cheekily chimed in.
"But Ding Long is getting married on the 10th." He Zhilan laughed, "Or are you worried that if Ding Long’s company collapses, the union between the two Ding families will fail? If Ding Jinshi isn’t forced to marry Ding Long, she might rekindle her old romance with Lan Li? Gu En, Lan Li is your cousin. One day, he will marry and have children of his own. He’ll cherish another woman. Can you monopolize your cousin forever? Can he protect only you for the rest of his life? Gu En, you have malicious thoughts, yet you’re incredibly naive!"
"Mind your own business! I don’t need a country bumpkin like you meddling in my affairs!" Struck a nerve, Gu En’s voice turned cold. Indeed, as He Zhilan had said, what she feared most was the failed union between the Ding families. If Ding Jinshi remained out of Ding Long’s control, she might tempt Lan Li’s heart again. Moreover, Gu En knew that the elders in the Lan Family still cared for Ding Jinshi very much and had sighed in regret countless times after learning about Ding Jinshi’s engagement to Ding Long.
With that, Gu En stormed off, leaving everyone wondering where she might be heading on such a late night.
He Zhilan scornfully laughed at Gu En’s retreating figure, "Even though Gu En has an impressive status, she’s not God. Things don’t always go her way."
Jiang Biyun and Chen Xiting gathered around He Zhilan, whispering, "What’s the story between Gu En and her cousin? Judging by your tone, it seems Gu En is truly fond of this Brother Lan Li?"
"Cousins in love, forbidden indeed!" Chen Xiting exclaimed, "If Gu En had been born a few hundred years earlier, she might’ve been able to marry her Brother Lan Li. Unfortunately, she was born too late. Nowadays, laws prohibit marriage between close relatives for fear of bearing a mentally handicapped child."
"Enough! With a malicious and crafty woman like Gu En, even without inbreeding, she would likely give birth to a mentally handicapped child!" Jiang Biyun scoffed. She then turned her gaze to the cactus on her desk, sighing, "My poor cactus, ever since I repotted it, it hasn’t been doing well. It’s dying, and I can’t save it."