"Yiyi, go wash up in the bathroom first. I have something to discuss with Mr. Gu," Ou Yunchen said.
Su Ruiyi obediently took her clothes and went to the bathroom, while Gu Yilong and Ou Yunchen talked by the bar in the suite.
"You need to tell me the truth. What is your relationship with Tang? And how do you know the Onassis family?" Gu Yilong asked.
Ou Yunchen poured Gu Yilong a glass of whiskey and took a large, dejected gulp himself.
"I am Old Tang's adopted son. My codename is 'O'," Ou Yunchen replied.
"You... you weren't dead? I thought the only ones left from the Adopted Son War were the old axe and K by his side," Gu Yilong exclaimed.
"It's a long story..."
Ou Yunchen recounted the Adopted Son War and how he met Mo Qingyun to Gu Yilong. Now, he felt that to survive longer, he could only rely on Gu Yilong.
Gu Yilong shook his head repeatedly after hearing the story. He had calculated everything, but fate had still played a trick on him!
If used well, this Ou Yunchen could be a sharp tool for expansion, but if used poorly, Ou Yunchen could also harm him and become the fly in the ointment of all his plans.
"Mo Qingyun is now Tang, and she has supreme authority. She can crush you, an ant, at any moment," Gu Yilong warned.
"I can feel it. She will seek revenge on me," Ou Yunchen said.
"That makes sense. Otherwise, why would she have agreed when you were nominated?" Gu Yilong mused.
"How did you manage to get everyone in the club to agree?" Ou Yunchen asked.
"Do you still think it was me?" Gu Yilong countered.
Ou Yunchen paused, then instantly understood...
It wasn't Gu Yilong's power that was impressive. Although he had influence, it wasn't enough to shake the entire club.
But when the former opponents saw that the current Tang had agreed, they no longer objected. Who would dare oppose Tang? Unless they didn't want to live anymore...
"There's one more thing you need to know," Gu Yilong said.
Ou Yunchen looked at Gu Yilong's serious expression and disliked this feeling. It felt like something major was about to happen.
"Tang has agreed to the Onassis family's plan to restart the biochemical weapons program. Before long, this world will descend into chaos," Gu Yilong revealed.
"No..." Ou Yunchen protested.
Gu Yilong patted Ou Yunchen's shoulder and said he was tired, then left.
Ou Yunchen's mind was in a turmoil. Ever since he saw Mo Qingyun's face, he found it hard to concentrate, constantly thinking about her.
Before, Mo Qingyun was the mouse, and Ou Yunchen was the cat. But now everything had changed. Ou Yunchen was more like a mouse with its tail stepped on by Mo Qingyun. Was her asking him to join the club meant to play with him to death?
But he owed Mo Qingyun. How could he repay her?
However, there was something more terrifying at hand. Was Mo Qingyun truly insane?
Didn't she know that the biochemical weapon would kill many people?
He was one of the victims of that virus, which was why he had lost his mind and killed his own siblings...
If Umbrella restarted, it would surely turn more people into cold-blooded killers with no memories...
Could it be that Mo Qingyun intended to follow Old Tang's approach and train a new batch of adopted sons to restart the old business?!
Suddenly, someone hugged him from behind, interrupting Ou Yunchen's thoughts.
"Still not asleep?" Ou Yunchen asked.
"Can't sleep," Su Ruiyi replied.
"Are you scared by tonight's events?" Ou Yunchen asked.
Su Ruiyi nodded.
Ou Yunchen put down his wine glass, turned around, picked up Su Ruiyi, and carried her to the bedroom.
An hour later, as Ou Yunchen used his last ounce of strength to withdraw from Su Ruiyi's body, he lay, exhausted, on her chest.
Both were panting and comforting each other.
"Did I embarrass you today?" Su Ruiyi asked.
"Did you see clearly who pushed you down?" Ou Yunchen replied.
"No, I just felt that person was so strong, they pushed me down in an instant."
"Mo Qingyun will find opportunities to retaliate against you. She's no longer the mute girl she used to be," Ou Yunchen warned.
"I'm not afraid. It's what I deserve. I caused her to fall. Even if she pushed me from such a high building, I wouldn't blame her..."
"I won't let her do that..." Ou Yunchen vowed.
"As for you, I'm worried she'll hurt you. She's different now. Her eyes are filled with hatred for you. Hate is more frantic than love."
"Yiyi, she can hurt me, she can even kill me..."
"Don't! I don't want you to die!" Su Ruiyi interjected.
"Let me finish. If it will appease her hatred, my life is hers anytime. But I don't want her to deal with you. Let me bear it all alone."
"If you die, I don't want to live either. We'll die together."
Ou Yunchen smiled. He had wanted to say that if anything happened to him in the future, she should leave and find a good man to marry.
"I'm serious. Don't think about leaving me to protect me," Su Ruiyi added.
Ou Yunchen pinched Su Ruiyi's cheek, then leaned over her and looked into her eyes seriously.
"What is it?" Su Ruiyi asked.
"Do you... are you willing..."
"Yes, yes! I'm willing!" Su Ruiyi exclaimed excitedly.
"I haven't even said anything yet," Ou Yunchen said.
"Although the proposal is a bit rushed, I'm willing to marry you!"
Ou Yunchen chuckled, then took Su Ruiyi's mouth, his hand inching downwards.
"Ah!" Su Ruiyi cried out.
But Ou Yunchen whispered in her ear, "Miss, I was wondering if you're willing to go again..."
"How can you be ready so soon..."
"Mmm, probably because I took too much medicine back then. A side effect..." Ou Yunchen replied.
***
The next day, someone was refreshed and even glowing with vitality, while someone else...
"Are you okay..." Su Ruiyi asked.
"It's really not possible to do it multiple times a night. I feel like my legs are going to give out just walking," Ou Yunchen complained.
"Who told you to..."
"Me? Did you take some medicine? No matter how many times I do it all night, you accept it all! Can't you feel sorry for me!" Ou Yunchen said.
"Don't women always act like this..."
"I'll be drained dry by you sooner or later..."
"Why don't you take a sea cucumber every day too?" Su Ruiyi suggested.
"Why?"
"To boost your yang..."
"Let's negotiate. I'm getting old, can we stop doing it every day?" Ou Yunchen pleaded.
"Then every other day..."
"So lonely... so empty..."
"Five days once!"
"So cold..."
"Three days! Three days, no more!"
"Okay..."
Ou Yunchen glared, and Su Ruiyi quickly nodded in agreement. Although more was better in this regard, Ou Yunchen was indeed pitiful.
If Su Ruiyi didn't say stop, Ou Yunchen truly wouldn't dare to stop...
***
Today was Ou Yunchen's first club meeting, and it presented him with a difficult challenge.
"It seems we need to vote on whether Hassan decides to lower oil prices," Leon announced.
Hassan looked unwilling. They had discussed this issue for a long time.
Before Tang's attendance, he could always evade sanctions. But now that Tang was present, the defecting members would rush to flatter her.
Ou Yunchen glanced at Gu Yilong, suddenly understanding what Yun Qingyang had told him.
If the vote today favored lowering oil prices, Hassan would be the one to be exploited. If he didn't lower prices, he might face a terrible attack.
Old Tang's style was to punish disobedience. Then, Mo Qingyun, sitting there now, might also continue that approach.
Poor Hassan...
At this point, anyone who sided with Hassan might become a target in the future.
"Let's vote by raising hands," Leon said.
Hassan and Gu Yilong were both bewildered. This undoubtedly increased their chances of winning. Who would dare to oppose Tang in front of her?!
"I support lowering prices," Mo Qingyun said.
Mo Qingyun was the first to raise her hand. Some members exchanged glances, hesitant. Some devout followers had already actively followed Tang and extended their hands.
"I object," Gu Yilong declared.
Gu Yilong did not raise his hand. His shout alone made those who supported him nod frequently, and then quite a few who had intended to raise their hands retracted them.
"No abstentions," Leon stated.
The vote count began. When it reached Ou Yunchen, the two sides were tied.
"Mr. Ou, do you vote to support lowering prices, or support lowering prices?" Mo Qingyun asked, smiling at Ou Yunchen. She was fully confident of winning his vote, which was why she spoke that way.
But Ou Yunchen observed secretly and had already divided the club members into three factions.
The faction supporting the Tang Empire was clearly composed of members with ties to the empire. They had to make choices against their conscience, fearing offending Tang.
The second faction was led by Gu Yilong. They had their own beliefs and did not aim to hurt others' feelings or damage their interests, representing the upright faction within the club.
The third faction were fence-sitters, also considered neutral, siding with whoever was stronger.
But currently, the third faction was wavering between the Tang Empire and Gu Yilong. They were like placing bets, unsure whether the newly appointed Tang or Gu Yilong, who existed like a sleeping dragon, was more powerful.
"I support..." Ou Yunchen began.
All eyes turned to the new member. His vote seemed to decide life and death.
Ou Yunchen nodded to Gu Yilong, then calmly stated, "I support Mr. Gu Yilong and do not agree to Hassan's oil price reduction."
The room erupted in discussion.
"The newcomer dares to oppose the Tang Empire?!"
"He's truly courting death!"
"He's finished..."
Leon announced the result and concluded the morning session.
Ou Yunchen gazed at Mo Qingyun opposite him. Her mouth moved, forming silent words: "We'll see."
A flying kiss floated from Mo Qingyun. Ou Yunchen frowned. He still couldn't believe that the bold and unrestrained woman before him was the little mute.
After the first meeting ended, a crowd surged towards the exit.
"Hey, you were amazing!" Hassan exclaimed.
"It was nothing," Ou Yunchen replied.
"You're the only one I've ever seen who dared to put on a show of force against someone from the Tang Empire as soon as you joined the club."
"Don't celebrate too early. You escaped this time, but he might not," Gu Yilong warned.
"You helped me, I'll help you in the future."
"I don't think I have anything that can be publicly exploited in a meeting, do I?" Ou Yunchen asked.
"Punishments that cannot be brought to the table are the most terrifying. You never know if she's hiding a knife or a gun under the table," Gu Yilong said.
"Don't scare our new friend. That woman isn't that terrifying."
But Gu Yilong and Ou Yunchen asserted with certainty to Hassan, "No, she is very terrifying."
Yes, outsiders didn't know Mo Qingyun's situation, but Ou Yunchen and Gu Yilong were very clear about it.
Ou Yunchen's name was probably already in the Tang Empire's black book. It was said that those whose names were written there met a miserable end.
"Shall we have lunch together...?" Hassan invited.
"No, I'll eat back at the hotel," Ou Yunchen replied.
"Yes, your little girlfriend is waiting for you," Gu Yilong added.
Hassan's interest was piqued.
"The pretty Asian girl?"
Gu Yilong nudged Ou Yunchen. "You need to be careful of this guy. He's very interested in all Asian women."
"You know, I'm currently pursuing Michelle."
"No, you're not her type."
"I'm not, then are you?"
"I'm not either."
"Then I still have a chance..."
"Alright, believe me, she doesn't like guys like you," Gu Yilong said.
Gu Yilong and Hassan argued as they left the conference room, while Ou Yunchen smiled, watching his new friends, and returned to the hotel.
But as Ou Yunchen opened the suite door, he immediately rushed in to help Su Ruiyi up.
Mo Qingyun was sitting there, and Su Ruiyi was kneeling before her.
"Tell him you knelt down yourself, not that I forced you," Mo Qingyun commanded.
"No, it has nothing to do with Mo Qingyun. It was me, I accidentally fell..." Su Ruiyi stammered.
"Mo Qingyun, if you have any grievances, take them out on me alone. Don't hurt Yiyi!!!" Ou Yunchen pleaded.
Mo Qingyun laughed heartily. She had seen too much of Ou Yunchen's heroics. It was precisely because Ou Yunchen had always saved her from danger that she had been blind enough to fall for this scoundrel!
"If you are guilty, she is too. Don't forget she pushed me step by step into the abyss!" Mo Qingyun retorted.
"You're alive and have a new identity. You're living well now. There's no need to torment Su Ruiyi anymore!"
"Have you ever felt despair? Do you know what it's like to wish for death? You people turned me into this!"
"Just because I'm alive, should I forgive you? No, I tell you, I will never forgive you. I will make you feel the same pain as me!!!"
"Alright, do whatever you want, but please spare Su Ruiyi. I'll bear all the pain for her."
"No, you can't! I don't want you to bear it alone!!!"
"Yiyi!!!"
"Didn't we agree to face it together?"
Su Ruiyi tearfully begged Mo Qingyun not to let Ou Yunchen bear it alone. She no longer had the arrogance of a pampered young lady from back then. Instead, she was so humble she could kneel like an ant and lick Mo Qingyun's shoes.
"Enough! Don't you two put on a show in front of me!" Mo Qingyun stood up, lifted Su Ruiyi's chin with her hand, and then looked at Ou Yunchen.
"Neither of you will be spared," Mo Qingyun declared.
With a slap, Mo Qingyun suddenly struck Su Ruiyi. Su Ruiyi covered her face with one hand, while blocking Ou Yunchen with the other, continuously saying, "It doesn't hurt."
What Mo Qingyun initially felt was satisfying, but seeing Ou Yunchen's concern for Su Ruiyi stung her eyes. She ground her teeth in hatred, wishing she could kill that young lady.
"Is that enough?" Ou Yunchen asked.
"It's okay, it doesn't hurt, it really doesn't hurt," Su Ruiyi insisted.
Su Ruiyi was truly afraid of Mo Qingyun now. Before Ou Yunchen returned, Mo Qingyun had told Su Ruiyi that she would torment her severely, and if she was happy, she would let Ou Yunchen go.
To atone for her sins, as long as Ou Yunchen was not harmed, Su Ruiyi would do as she was told.
So Su Ruiyi truly believed it. She knew Mo Qingyun's hatred for Ou Yunchen was enough to make her kill.
But to protect Ou Yunchen, Su Ruiyi could even abandon her dignity. If it meant making Mo Qingyun hate Ou Yunchen a little less, what did kneeling, licking shoes, or taking a few slaps matter?
"See you this afternoon, my dear ex," Mo Qingyun said.