Zhilan would say, they all got what they deserved. When a person loses their true nature and principles, it’s just a matter of time before they end up in a dire situation.
In the military unit, even in the grip of winter, He Teng could be bare-chested and drenched in sweat, shaking the droplets off his head as he headed towards his office. Upon seeing Lan Li waiting for him, he hesitated before approaching, "Did you need something from me?"
Lan Li glanced at He Teng, nodding, "It’s a personal matter."
"Sit." He Teng gestured towards a chair nearby. He first went over to a basin, rinsed his face with cool water, wiped his upper body, put on his shirt, and only then turned to Lan Li, "Is this about Zhilan?"
Some time had passed since the incident, yet the Gu Family had not made further actions. On the day of the call, Zhilan had divulged so much about Gu En; the Gu Family couldn’t possibly let it slide, so it was no surprise to He Teng that Lan Li was the one to approach him.
"Yes." Lan Li did not beat around the bush, "Why does Zhilan know so much about Gu En’s childhood? Even the elders in the courtyard have no idea about Gu En’s secrets, how then does she know Gu En’s concealed age and his past as a beggar?"
"This summer, she went to C Province. That’s where she found my younger brother, He Da. Surprisingly, my brother and Gu En had similar backgrounds, both having been manipulated by the same gang. Hence, it’s not surprising at all that Zhilan knew about Gu En," He Teng explained. "All the information about Gu En was shared by He Da. My brother spent many years inside that gang, so knowing certain facts about them comes naturally."
Lan Li nodded. He had heard about He Teng’s lost brother, He Da, being found, as it was a known story in the military unit. During summer, He Teng had hurriedly taken leave to return home, and he was much brighter and livelier when he returned. Lan Li had also heard the commander mention how He Teng had resolved a long-standing worry on that visit home.
However, Lan Li did not know the details about He Da’s circumstances, including why he disappeared all those years. But having listened to He Teng’s recounting, he thought that if that were truly the case, it made sense that Zhilan knew so much.
"Lan Li, the Gu Family has gone too far this time. Zhilan cannot be your victim forever. When you acted against her, did you ever consider that she is only nineteen? For this company, she borrowed a large sum from the bank as startup capital. The Gu Family’s actions have ruined her reputation along with her business. Have you ever thought about how a nineteen-year-old girl can deal with a mountain of debt and a life in disrepute? The Gu Family is essentially driving her to death!"
He Teng huffed coldly, "Does the Gu Family only care about their prestige? So a girl must lose everything? You think it’s unacceptable that Zhilan threatens you with this knowledge, but what about your actions? Are those the actions of a conscientious person? Or is it that families like the Gu Family, from their high pedestals, are bound to discard their humanity and morph into devils?"
Every word of He Teng’s smacked of sarcasm towards the Gu Family’s actions, including Lan Li’s accusatory confrontation at that moment.
"While I am well aware politics is a battlefield without ceasefire, it is not a competition devoid of humanity."