Against the Light - Chapter 111
Chapter 111: I Want to Take Her Away
Hearing Gu Xinran's insults, Bai Yiyue's smile widened. "Oh, resorting to personal attacks now?"
"Hey, who are you? Do you have any right to speak here?" some Bai family relative piped up.
Gu Xinran chuckled softly. Tsk, this one certainly knew which way the wind blew. The moment Bai Yiyue was at a slight disadvantage, they jumped out to protect their master.
"Some people think that having money and power means they have the whole world, yet they still need a little lackey to fight their verbal battles for them. No one to care for her, no one to love her. Everyone who fawns over her only cares about her money. How truly pathetic." Gu Xinran retorted, shifting to the side to partially shield Yilan with her body.
"I wonder who'll be left by her side when she loses all her power and influence?" Gu Xinran's eyes were filled with amusement as she glanced around and sighed heavily.
These people were clearly a case of 'outwardly harmonious but inwardly divided.' It would be a shame not to stir the pot a little.
Upon hearing this, Bai Yiyue's expression changed slightly.
Gu Xinran keenly caught her expression. Her eyes betrayed a clear lack of confidence; Gu Xinran had obviously hit a nerve.
"Bai Yiyue, have you already forgotten what happened at the awards ceremony? It seems your skin is even thicker than I imagined." Gu Xinran smiled, thoroughly insulting Bai Yiyue.
"Hey, all you big bosses of the Bai family, are you really comfortable entrusting Wei Yi Group to such a greenhorn? Have you forgotten how she nearly ruined the company before?"
"Don't you spout nonsense here," Bai Yiyue's assistant retorted.
Gu Xinran glanced over and saw a few people around Bai Yiyue's age, likely juniors from the branch families. Each of them wore an expression of someone enjoying a good show.
"All you have is Heart Entertainment," Bai Yiyue said in a low voice, her expression growing uglier.
"That's right. What about it? Are you planning to use Wei Yi's power to suppress Heart Entertainment?"
"Rest assured, you won't have to make the first move this time. The moment you take control of Wei Yi, Heart Entertainment will declare all-out war on it. I'm laying down the gauntlet right here, right now."
"Gu Xinran, don't be so full of yourself!"
Gu Xinran pressed her lips together and gave a confident smile, her aura on full display. Even under the intense scrutiny of the entire Bai family, she showed no stage fright, even going so far as to declare war.
"So, it's President Gu of Heart Entertainment." A commanding voice cut in, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Gu Xinran glanced back. A full-figured woman with a plain, makeup-free face and dressed in simple cloth garments walked in, followed by four bodyguards.
Gu Xinran recognized her. She had previously asked Fang Yi to investigate the Bai family. This was Bai Chengli's sister, Bai Yue, a woman of high status and great power within the family.
"Hello, President Bai." Gu Xinran greeted her calmly.
"Aunt." Upon seeing Bai Yue, Bai Yiyue seemed to have found her backbone. She walked over and affectionately took her arm.
Bai Yilan gave Bai Yue a cool glance before looking away, ignoring her completely.
"The patient needs peace and quiet. Please escort the irrelevant people out," Bai Yue said.
Seeing the bodyguards beside her make a move, Gu Xinran immediately stepped forward. "Wait."
"The person being treated in there is Yilan's biological mother. If we're talking about irrelevant people, wouldn't that be all of you present here?" Gu Xinran's voice was steady, without a hint of fluctuation.
Bai Yue looked at her, and Gu Xinran met her gaze. The moment their eyes locked, Bai Yue was slightly taken aback. She couldn't see through this young woman at all. She possessed a composure and calmness that belied her age. This was an inscrutable look she had only ever seen in Shi Qing's eyes.
She took a step closer to Gu Xinran, who watched her calmly, intentionally releasing her own aura.
The two were now locked in a standoff. The members of the Bai family naturally stood by Bai Yue's side, collectively putting pressure on Gu Xinran. But to their surprise, Gu Xinran simply smiled, completely unafraid.
Just as the two sides were facing off, the red 'in surgery' light above the door suddenly went out. Everyone simultaneously turned to look at the operating room doors.
"Auntie Ye, how is my mother?" Yilan spotted Ye Nan coming out with the doctor and rushed to grab her hand, asking anxiously.
Ye Nan's eyes were red-rimmed, and she didn't dare to look at her.
That reaction made Bai Yilan's heart sink. Her legs went weak, and tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes.
Her mind went blank with a buzz, her vision blackened, and her body went limp. She suddenly crumpled, nearly falling, but Gu Xinran was quick enough to catch her.
Yilan covered her eyes, her heart aching beyond words.
Scenes of her childhood with her mother flashed endlessly through her mind.
Gu Xinran held her tightly, her own eyes turning red. Who could have imagined that the queen of a generation would make such a hasty exit from the stage? It was truly heartbreaking.
In contrast to their sorrow, the members of the Bai family had varied expressions. They all turned to look at Bai Yue, waiting for the matriarch to speak.
"Doctor, is she… gone?" Bai Yue asked.
The lead surgeon shook his head with a regretful expression. "We did everything we could. The patient's injuries were too severe. Although we saved her life, we don't know when she will wake up."
Everyone was stunned. A vegetative state?
Gu Xinran processed this. While this outcome was also hard to accept, it was so much better than losing her life! She quickly patted Yilan. "Yilan, did you hear that? She's not dead, just unconscious for now. You can't give up! Yilan!"
Bai Yilan took a few deep breaths and slowly came back to her senses. She looked up at Ye Nan, stammering.
"Auntie Ye…" she asked, her voice hoarse.
Ye Nan nodded. "She might… be in a ve… vegetative state."
Bai Yilan sat on the floor, collecting herself and gradually regaining her composure. Xinran was right. She couldn't give up like this. At least, it wasn't a dead end!
Gu Xinran glanced back, silently memorizing their cold, ugly faces. When she saw Bai Yue narrow her eyes, a cold glint flashing within them, even someone as worldly as Gu Xinran felt a shiver run down her spine, a chilling sensation spreading through her.
"I'm taking her with me." Bai Yilan pushed herself up using the wall and turned to face the Bai family.
"No," Bai Yue rejected immediately.
"She is my mother."
"No. Before she was your mother, she was the head of the Bai family."
Bai Yilan clenched her fists tightly. She suddenly let out a soft, cold laugh, her thin lips pressed into a firm line. She remained silent for a long time.
She knew what these people were plotting. They wanted her mother's life!
"I am her biological daughter. I can act on her behalf, renounce control of Wei Yi, and hand the group over to Bai Yiyue."
Hearing this, Bai Yiyue's eyes lit up.
Bai Yue remained unmoved. "Shi Qing dedicated half her life to the Bai family. Now that this has happened to her, how could the Bai family possibly abandon her?"
"My mother and I will leave with nothing. From this day forward, we will have no connection to the Bai family."
Bai Yue shook her head.
Anger flared in Bai Yilan's eyes. "I am taking her away today, no matter what!"
Bai Yue took half a step back, and the four bodyguards behind her stepped forward.
Gu Xinran and Bai Yilan, plus a completely bewildered Jiang Boyan, were no match for those burly men, no matter how tough they were.
"Shameless." A scoff came from behind them.
Everyone froze, turned to look, and froze again.
"Ming Zhen? What are you doing here?" Bai Yiyue was the first to react, her voice filled with surprise.
Ming Zhen had just stepped out of the elevator, running a hand through her hair in frustration. She usually preferred casual wear, but today, uncharacteristically, she was dressed in a slim-fitting black suit.
Not only that, but she was followed by seven or eight bodyguards—an impressive entourage.
With a single look from Ming Zhen, the bodyguards instantly rushed over to shield Bai Yilan and the others.
Only when she saw Bai Yilan did Ming Zhen's gaze soften. She walked over and gave Yilan a warm, comforting hug.
"Honestly, you… We've been best friends for so many years, and I never knew you were Auntie Qing's daughter. Do you even consider me your best friend?"
Bai Yilan didn't respond.
"Forget it. I'm not blaming you. I know you're hurting right now. Don't worry, Auntie Qing will be fine."
"Why are you here?" Bai Yilan asked.
"I don't know either. My mom insisted I come. Oh, right." After speaking, Ming Zhen looked up at Bai Yiyue.
"You were waiting for my sister, weren't you? Hoping she'd come and help you turn the world upside down? Forget it. My mom said her ambition outstrips her ability, so she's been sent to the countryside to teach and temper her character."
Bai Yiyue froze completely.
"Ming Qian? Then the Ming family is now…?"
"Temporarily under my management. Yilan and I are best friends, a friendship of over a decade. I would trust her with my life. Do you have any other questions?" Ming Zhen delivered these lines with such cool confidence that it stunned everyone present. Even Gu Xinran couldn't help but look at her in a new light.
The arrival of Ming Zhen and her bodyguards caused a 180-degree turn in the situation. The crowd exchanged glances, then all looked to Bai Yue, waiting for her to give the order.
Ming Qian, who had been staunchly supporting Bai Yiyue, had been 'exiled'? And her successor, Ming Zhen, was Bai Yilan's best friend? This was getting good!
Bai Yiyue's face turned a little pale.
Even Bai Yue was frowning deeply.
"Auntie Bai, when I was leaving, my mom specifically told me to bring extra bodyguards. I've been racking my brain, but I can't figure it out. Even if your Bai family is having some internal strife, no one would dare hit me, right? So why did she insist I bring so many bodyguards?" Ming Zhen asked with a puzzled look.
Bai Yue's expression shifted. Ming Zhen's words were clearly a reminder that the Ming family had chosen to side with Shi Qing, and was even willing to tear all pretenses apart with the Bai family over it.
Bai Yue weighed her options, then tilted her head and whispered a few words to her assistant.
Before long, a man in a suit who introduced himself as a lawyer came over and presented a document for Bai Yilan to sign.
Bai Yilan glanced at it. It was a transfer agreement for shares, property, and other assets, along with a power of attorney agreement to prove that her signature on her mother's behalf was valid.
Bai Yilan read through it carefully. At the end, she added a final line: 【From this day forward, Shi Qing and Bai Yilan sever all familial ties with the Bai family and will have no further connection to them.】
Then, she solemnly signed both of their names.
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