Chapter 204 - 204: A Life for a Life
“Someone was involved in a car accident.”
“This driver is speeding dangerously. He may be driving under the influence.
Otherwise, why would he crash without any apparent reason?”
“What are you waiting for? Call 911!”
“Let’s go help the driver.”
“I didn’t dare to assist. Last time, an elderly man fell and was aided by someone, only to later exploit the person who helped him. What if the driver isn’t fatally injured and tries to take advantage of us?”
The airbags in Gu Qingcheng’s car deployed, and the world spun around her. The cacophony in her ears was giving her a splitting headache.
“Gu Qingcheng!” Lu Chi’s voice trembled with anxiety and helplessness as he shouted, “Are you okay? If you’re conscious, please say something!”
“I… He’s alive.” Gu Qingcheng’s forehead was burning with pain. She knew that blood was flowing, but the pain in her arm made her realize it wasn’t broken but dislocated.
“Hold on.” Lu Chi was frantic. “I’ll be right there.”
Gu Qingcheng surveyed her dislocated right arm and placed her left hand on her shoulder. She gritted her teeth, muffling a painful groan as she tried to reset her dislocated arm.
“Are you alright?” A passerby opened the car door to help her. “We’ve called 120, and an ambulance is on its way.”
Dazed, Gu Qingcheng looked at the passerby who was offering assistance. “Don’t touch me, or I might get injured again.”
The passerby quickly withdrew his hand.
“Clear the way!” Lu Chi’s anxious voice echoed. When he saw Gu Qingcheng’s bloodied face, he scolded in anxiety, “Damn it, how did you manage to crash like this? You even hit a tree?”
Despite his scolding, he swiftly moved forward and asked with genuine concern, “Are you injured anywhere? Can I assist you?”
Gu Qingcheng understood that Lu Chi was worried about her, so she refrained from rebuking him. She lacked the energy to engage in conversation at that moment.
During this time, she shifted slightly. Her body seemed to be fine, but she was plagued by a pounding headache and dizziness.
“Have they found him?” She struggled to exit the car, determination in her eyes. “I need to see my son, even if he’s not alive. I won’t accept it until I’ve seen my son.”
In truth, Lu Chi knew that it was his declaration that Gu Qingcheng’s son was dead that had caused her to have a shock-induced accident. He fully accepted the responsibility.
“Allow me to assist you.”
Gu Qingcheng evaded Lu Chi’s outstretched hand. “I’m not dead!”
Lu Chi’s hand hovered in mid-air. “You haven’t changed a bit after all these years. Still as tough as ever.”
Breathing heavily, Gu Qingcheng urged nervously, “Since you’ve located my son, take me there quickly.”
“Get in the car.” Lu Chi opened the car door. “Someone will handle things here.”
Due to her bloodied face, no one would recognize her as the principal of Royal Dance unless they looked closely. Gu Qingcheng settled into the backseat of Lu Chi’s car, gasping for breath.
“My son won’t die!” Her heart raced, and fear consumed her. It had taken root in her bones, flowed through her veins, and turned her entire body into a trembling mess.
Fear.
This fear left her feeling helpless, yet she forced herself to regain composure.
She couldn’t bear the thought of Huo Xuan’s death, especially since she couldn’t forgive herself. What troubled her the most was how she would explain this to Huo Sicheng. Xuan’er was the son Huo Sicheng had raised, and losing him would devastate him.
She had grown fond of Huo Xuan in such a short time. The charming boy had found his way into her heart, and she cared for him as if he were her own.
Even though Huo Xuan had deliberately let her discover Huo Sicheng’s medication and had clashed with him, she bore no grudge against him. She had to thank her clever son for revealing the truth about Huo Sicheng’s medication. Losing her child without expressing her gratitude was unbearable.
Lu Chi had never seen Gu Qingcheng so lost. He opened his mouth to console her, but after a long silence, he finally said, “Where’s your husband, Huo Sicheng? Your son has been in a major accident, and you’re the only one searching for him. Where is he? Huo Sicheng holds great power and is married to you. He can’t simply ignore his son, can he?”
Gu Qingcheng was gripped by a throbbing headache, and she was overwhelmed by fear. “I don’t know… I don’t know.”
She longed to see Huo Sicheng again, but at the same time, she dreaded facing him when he had lost his son.
Tall and lean, Huo Sicheng wore a black overcoat. The scar on his face gave him a fierce appearance under the night’s dim light. Lu Chi cast a sidelong glance at Gu Qingcheng, unable to speak for a long while, focusing solely on driving.
Gu Qingcheng’s emotions were in turmoil, but she forced herself to speak, asking Lu Chi, “Lu Chi, have you found out who ordered my son’s life?” “Still investigating, but I have information on the assassin,” Lu Chi replied.
“Tell me,” Gu Qingcheng urged.
Lu Chi explained, “The assassin had a criminal record and had served a 20-year prison sentence before being released. His family had disowned him, leaving him homeless. However, he had a daughter. Someone paid 20 million yuan to have your son killed, and he took the job. Afterward, he took his own life. He had set up an account in his daughter’s name, and the 20 million yuan was laundered, ultimately reaching her account. He’s gone, and his daughter now has a fortune to rely on.”
Gritting her teeth, Gu Qingcheng remarked with anger, “The assassin had a daughter, and he willingly took my son’s life. Doesn’t he understand how precious a son is to a parent?”
“Heartless criminals lack empathy. You can’t expect killers to share your sentiments,” Lu Chi replied.
Gu Qingcheng’s eyes welled with frustration. “Lu Chi, you must uncover the person behind the hit on my son.”
“Of course,” Lu Chi promised. “Tell me, how did you come to adopt your son? With whom? Why is your son so pale? What illness does he have? Have you taken him for treatment?”
Gu Qingcheng lacked the energy to answer Lu Chi’s questions. Every time she thought of his declaration that her son was undoubtedly dead, she felt like she was in hell, torn apart by darkness.
Darkness. Darkness was all she could see.
This despair reminded her of the time when Gu Mei had deceived Huo Sicheng, almost leading to his death in bed.
Fear.
She feared losing both Huo Sicheng and Huo Xuan. Father and son were her entire world, irreplaceable and indispensable.
The car remained eerily silent, and the tension was suffocating. Lu Chi lit a cigarette and took a drag. He couldn’t see Gu Qingcheng’s expression in the rearview mirror.
“Here’s a wet towel. Wipe the blood off your face,” he finally broke the silence. “Car accidents can cause internal injuries. If you feel unwell, let me know immediately. Don’t let the person who ordered your son’s death win by losing your son and your own life.”
Gu Qingcheng’s heart was heavy, her body trembling with despair and fear.
She cared little about wiping her face or the pain she was in. Lu Chi’s words cut deep, amplifying her agony.
“Please, no more,” she uttered, and Lu Chi fell silent.
After a while, his phone rang, and he answered it. “Yes?”
He hung up the phone and turned to Gu Qingcheng. “Qingcheng, there’s something you need to know.”
“What is it?” Gu Qingcheng asked, her unease palpable..