Seeing that Mr. Xiang accurately ntioned the tistamp, Li Le Wen lowered his head deeply, knowing that he could no longer hide anything from Mr. Xiang.
Ten years after he ca to George’s side... That’s right, it was that ti. Calculating back from now, it was approximately over six years ago. A few months before that incident happened.
That was when George decided he wanted costic surgery.
At that ti, Li Le Wen was still dutifully reporting George’s decision to Huangfu Huazhang. Huangfu Huazhang listened but remained inscrutable, with no discernible reaction, only asking indifferently, "What do you think?"
Li Le Wen rembered being startled at that mont.
At that ti, he was also standing at a crossroads in his life, unsure whether to move towards George or to return to Mr. Xiang’s side. So for a mont, he didn’t know how to answer.
But Mr. Xiang was a man of deep sches, and if he took too long to answer, it would reveal his hesitation to Mr. Xiang. No matter what decision he made in the end, Mr. Xiang would inevitably beco suspicious of him.
At that mont, he closed his eyes tightly and finally said, "...This is naturally good news for you, sir. It shows that his self-confidence has collapsed, knowing he can never defeat you, so he would rather destroy himself and beco you."
Mr. Xiang had not seen George for ten years, and all the key information about George ca from him, so Mr. Xiang always trusted his opinion.
Sure enough, Mr. Xiang gently smiled and said, "Then let him be."
From the mont he hung up the phone, he understood that he had actually chosen the path leading to George.
Because he knew that George wanting costic surgery, although to so extent a manifestation of George’s psychological collapse, was precisely the result Mr. Xiang wanted—after all, George was the eldest grandson of the Ford family, and Mr. Xiang couldn’t directly take George’s life for the sake of reconciling the company’s relationship with the Ford family. Mr. Xiang wanted to destroy George’s spirit.
As long as George’s mind collapsed, he would lose the ability to fight back, and Mr. Xiang would effectively have eliminated this great threat.
So when he reported to Mr. Xiang in this manner, he could imagine Mr. Xiang secretly exhaling in relief, lowering the level of defense against George.
But in fact, he understood very well that George had not reached the extent he claid. George wanted to beco Mr. Xiang to fight back, intending to impersonate Mr. Xiang and then pin all the bla on Mr. Xiang in the end.
George’s approach sounded sowhat childish at first, but Li Le Wen knew it was still returning Mr. Xiang’s thods to him: because the things George did later were actually things Mr. Xiang had done in the past. George just kept repeating them to attract the police’s attention and guide them to pursue the investigation, eventually exposing Mr. Xiang’s cris.
So by making such a downplayed report to Mr. Xiang, he had effectively betrayed Mr. Xiang and had no choice but to stand with George.
And then, all the events that followed... when traced back, Li Le Wen could not shirk responsibility.
.
Huangfu Huazhang’s eyes showed no warmth as he slowly asked, "I’m just curious about one thing: What did George have that surpassed , that made you, Xiao Li, ultimately decide to betray and side with him?"
This question pierced Li Le Wen’s heart.
He smiled with a mix of bitterness and resignation: "What answer did you think of, sir? Money, status, or won?"
Huangfu Huazhang snorted, "If it were these external things, I could offer you ten tis more than he could."
"Moreover, you are soone I personally selected and cultivated. I valued your intelligence and, even more, your character. If you were soone who could be bought with money and wealth, I would have let you drown on that smuggling ship in the first place. Why would I save you?"
Huangfu Huazhang looked directly at him: "It’s not those external things; it’s sothing more important."
For a mont, Li Le Wen was speechless and lowered his head deeply.
After a long ti, he reluctantly said, "Sir, you might as well kill . I owe you, and I’ll repay it all. As for the reason, I’d rather die than tell you."
Sorrow welled up in Huangfu Huazhang’s eyes as he looked towards the window where sunlight stread in like gold.
There’s always a window separating him from the world he wants.
He sighed and lowered his head: "Even if you’d rather die than say it, do you think I can’t deduce it? Since it’s not wealth or money, it must be sothing inherent to you."
"But you no longer have any family. Your family all perished on that capsized smuggling ship. So it has nothing to do with them either."
Huangfu Huazhang withdrew his gaze, looking at his fingers: "It’s your love. You fell in love with George."
In this world, as long as one is human, they have human emotions.
Recalling when he sent Li Le Wen to George’s side, Li Le Wen was just a teenager. At that age, he knew nothing of love, so Li Le Wen stayed safely by George’s side for ten years.
But perhaps because Li Le Wen was too dutiful, he dedicated all his ti to George, stayed by his side and watched over him, leaving him with no opportunity to et suitable girls after reaching the age where he could fall in love.
Ultimately, people need emotional expression, and with only George by his side, perhaps imperceptibly, George beca Li Le Wen’s sole emotional anchor.
Whoever said this once before, the opponent you most hate, your feelings towards that person are in fact close to love.
Moreover, George also hasn’t had any female companions over the years... Everything, intentionally or unintentionally, fell into place naturally.
Considering George’s intelligence, even if he could be fooled by Li Le Wen early on, over the years, he would undoubtedly suspect Li Le Wen’s identity. Out of self-preservation and to undermine his opponent, George had even more reason to use feelings as leverage to turn Li Le Wen.
Li Le Wen couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at this.
Yes, yes!
However...
He raised his eyes to stare intently at Huangfu Huazhang: "Sir has always been astute, with a keen understanding of human hearts. Sir, just assu it is this way. As a subordinate, I thank you."
As Li Le Wen spoke, he seriously kowtowed to Huangfu Huazhang, then said wearily, "I beg you, sir, please send westward."
Huangfu Huazhang’s blue eyes filled with a gray mist, tightly locking onto his eyes.
After a long while, he called for Xia Zuo, instructing him to hand Li Le Wen over to the local extremist group, Isee.
"Tell them this is the hostage I’m handing over to them. Have them make a video, upload it, and then offer a bounty."
That extremist group, Isee, survives by kidnapping hostages for ransom. They won’t refuse such a lucrative offer. If no ransom is obtained, they will brutally behead the hostage, and no one can save them.
Upon hearing this, all hope drained from Li Le Wen, and he despairingly locked his gaze on Huangfu Huazhang: "I’d rather be killed by your hand. How can you be so ruthless, sir!"
"You can’t bla ," Huangfu Huazhang replied without even glancing at him, "You can only bla George. He cut off my contact with him, leaving with no thod to reach out. If I had the proper channels, I could use you to negotiate with him, but unfortunately, I don’t know his whereabouts now."
"So the only way is to hand you over to Isee, hoping to gain George’s attention through their ans."
He said this with a cold smile: "Since you love him, and he loves you, then after seeing the news, he will undoubtedly spare no cost to ransom you back. At that point, it will prove how enduring your love is—wouldn’t that be better?"
Yet, what he truly wanted was Shi Nian.
George would certainly understand his intention, so if George chose to save Li Le Wen, he would hand over Shi Nian. At that point, he would be willing to exchange Shi Nian with money—no matter the cost, he would spare no expense.
.
Xia Zuo dragged Li Le Wen away again.
On the entire way, Li Le Wen’s condition was even worse than when he first arrived. As he walked, it seed Li Le Wen was already a dead man.
Once the door was closed again, the small world returned to silence. Only then did Huangfu Huazhang let out a gentle sigh.
He understood Li Le Wen’s heart.
Yet, precisely because Li Le Wen dared to harbor such thoughts, he deserved to die!
Huangfu Huazhang had only ever loved one person in his life, and he only permitted his young lady to love him.
Beyond their eternal union, anyone daring to interfere was extraneous, deserving to be eliminated.
.
Not long after, Isee’s video surfaced, both on television news and online.
Confused subordinates panicked, seeking Xia Zuo for an explanation.
But Huangfu Huazhang himself remained indifferent, rely instructing Xia Zuo to closely monitor Isee’s response, observing when George would agree to a transaction, if he would agree at all.
Isee set a five-hour deadline, threatening to burn Li Le Wen alive if it expired.
Ti ticked away, and at the four-hour mark, the sky darkened, yet no word had been received from Isee.
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