Vol. 1 - Chapter 235 - JingDu Gu Family
The car drove through the torrential rain, its wipers struggling to keep up with the relentless downpour. HuMing sat quietly in the back seat, his gaze fixed on Lan Jun, who was driving.
From the moment Lan Jun appeared before him, HuMing sensed that something was off.
There was no doubt that Lan Jun knew something about this whole situation. Perhaps he could get a clue from him?
It was with this thought in mind that HuMing had agreed to get into the car.
Of course, if Lan Jun had any intention of assassinating him, HuMing wouldn’t hold back.
As for whether the car was rigged with explosives—that wasn’t something he could worry about.
“Young Master, it looks like you’ve finished what you needed to do here. We should be able to return now.”
“Lan Jun, who exactly are you?”
“I know you have a lot of questions right now, Young Master. But first, let me ask you—are you ready? If not, we can stay here for a while longer, though we don’t have much time.”
“Why do you think I came back here? If not for that person behind all of this, I would’ve disappeared from this city already.”
“I see. It looks like the old sir was right—after he was gone, you would inevitably return to that place.”
HuMing’s sharp instincts caught onto the key term in Lan Jun’s words—“old sir”.
In his memory, there was only one person who could be referred to that way.
“You mean my grandfather?”
“That’s right. Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is Lan Jun, and I am the old sir’s adopted son.”
HuMing froze.
If what Lan Jun said was true, then his grandfather had always known his real identity. And not only that—he might have been deeply involved in everything from the start.
But why had he never come forward and told him the truth?
HuMing recalled something his grandfather once said—that he and his own brother had a terrible relationship, and in the end, he was driven out of the family.
More importantly, in the original trajectory of events, HuMing was supposed to die at Han ShuYi’s hands.
If all of this had been part of his grandfather’s plan, why hadn’t he intervened to save him?
What other hidden truths lay beneath the surface?
Lan Jun’s sudden involvement had plunged HuMing into a fog of uncertainty.
Fortunately, in this fog, there was at least one guide.
HuMing silently studied Lan Jun’s profile from the back seat. He was carrying out his duties without question, refraining from prying into HuMing’s affairs.
But perhaps he could still learn something from him.
“Young Master, I don’t know much about the inner workings of the old sir’s household. He forbade me from investigating anything. My only task is to assist you in returning to that place.”
“He treated you that well?”
“You could say he saved my life.”
“Then tell me—who is my real family?”
Lan Jun kept his eyes on the road, unfazed by the storm raging outside. Even as lightning split the sky, his hands remained steady on the wheel.
“The Gu family. In JingDu.”
“The Gu family?”
HuMing’s furrowed brows eased slightly. He leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes.
Now everything made sense.
The Gu family was one of the three most powerful families in JingDu. If anyone controlled the city’s economic lifelines, it was them.
The force working against him from the shadows had such vast influence—no wonder they had been able to orchestrate everything so flawlessly.
HuMing thought back to Han ShuYi’s billiard hall. Given Han ShuYi’s status at the time, there was no way he could have purchased that place on his own. But if the Gu family had been behind it, then everything added up.
They had used Han ShuYi to eliminate him, ensuring he disappeared from this world.
Once he was dead, no one would ever uncover his true identity, and the person occupying his rightful place could remain secure.
But why go to such lengths?
HuMing was certain it had to do with the immense power and legacy of the Gu family.
His identity had been switched at birth—undoubtedly part of some larger political maneuver.
Someone had targeted his biological parents.
But who?
“All these years of scheming… I never expected the mastermind to be a behemoth like the Gu family of JingDu.” HuMing chuckled, shaking his head. “So my next destination is that place, huh?”
He had only just said goodbye to Ye QiuXue, yet soon, they would find themselves in the same city once more.
When she finally learned his true identity, would she be shocked?
HuMing suddenly looked forward to seeing Ye QiuXue’s reaction. That would be interesting.
“Young Master, we can’t return just like this.”
Lan Jun’s sudden remark caught HuMing off guard. He had assumed the conversation was over.
But Lan Jun ignored his questioning gaze and continued,
“The Gu family’s situation is complicated. Even if you announce your true identity, returning won’t be easy. The Gu family won’t readily accept a blood relative they haven’t seen in years.”
“Why not?”
“Because many years ago, the Gu family was embroiled in a power struggle that led to a large-scale purge. Countless people were cast out. The current head of the Gu family spent years restoring order. If you suddenly show up now, he’ll assume you’re being used as a pawn to disrupt their stability.”
“No room for sentiment?”
“There will be some considerations, of course. But they won’t allow you to make a public return. If word gets out that the Gu family’s child was switched at birth, the backlash would be something they’d rather avoid.”
Lan Jun’s reasoning made sense to HuMing.
Even setting aside the matter of blood ties, the current head of the Gu family was known for his caution.
He had personally reshuffled the internal hierarchy, ensuring stability after a period of chaos. There was no way he would casually acknowledge a long-lost son and risk upsetting the balance.
Blood meant nothing compared to upbringing.@@novelbin@@
HuMing thought of Han ShuYi, still locked away in prison, and found the whole situation darkly amusing.
“So, I have no way of returning?”
“No. The old sir has already made arrangements for you.”
“Oh? Let’s hear it.”
“Despite the Gu family’s ironclad defenses, there is one final gap—a way in. And that is through the old master of the Gu family, the elder brother of the old sir!”
Hearing this, HuMing’s expression turned to one of surprise.
Hadn’t his grandfather said that his relationship with his brother was terrible?
Why would he suggest using him as an entry point?
Seeing HuMing’s doubt, Lan Jun revealed the final piece of the puzzle.
“The old sir always claimed he had a bad relationship with the old master. But in truth, when he was exiled from the Gu family, it was for the old master’s sake.”
HuMing’s lips parted slightly.
Something was wrong.
It was becoming clear that his grandfather’s departure from the Gu family had been anything but simple.
There was much more to this story than he had ever realized…
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