A Star Reborn: The Queen's Return

Chapter 721 - Stroke

Chapter 721: Stroke

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Hence, the two of them leaned back onto the huge rock and waited leisurely.

Xia Ling’s MV filming took a long time as some of the scenes were difficult to film and had to be retaken several times.

Father Gu waited impatiently outside the film site for more than an hour, but Lin Yunan, who told him that he would take “just a second” didn’t appear. Father Gu grew anxious and called Lin Yunan several more times to no avail.

Father Gu was someone who was experienced in the marketplace. Seeing this situation, he understood what was happening. Clearly, he was not welcome and they were making him wait to show their authority. When had he ever suffered such insult? He wanted to turn and leave immediately.

However, his daughter’s precarious position came back to mind. He had no choice but to suck it up and wait.

The sky grew darker.

Xia Ling was finally done with her MV filming and was helped out of the water. She accepted the towel handed to her and dried her hair before changing out of her MV outfit and coming before Lin Yunan. “I’m done. Let’s go.” She said happily to Lin Yunan. She was in a great mood as all the filming for the MV was done and all that was left was final editing.

Lin Yunan gave a wry smile. “Don’t you think it’s too early for you to leave?”

Xia Ling was used to his weird temperament and raised an eyebrow in response. “What now? Just say it.”

Lin Yunan told her about Father Gu waiting outside and then said, “Tell me now, what trouble did you get into? Why isn’t he leaving after I’ve left him stewing outside for so long?”

Xia Ling glanced at Lin Yunan. “I reported Gu Lin to the police.”

She told Lin Yunan all that happened in the past few days.

Lin Yunan had heard some hearsay about the incident and wasn’t too surprised to hear her story. He was more surprised that Xia Ling had found out the truth after so many years. He said, “This matter is a little complicated. We’ve settled the matter before, are you sure you want to rock the boat? Xiao Ling, you know that you’ll offend the entire Gu Family, right? They will do all they can in this period to turn the tide on you, not only to clear Gu Lin’s name but also to get back at you.”

Xia Ling responded lightly, “Whatever.”

Lin Yunan shot her a look but merely shrugged.

After interacting with her for so many years, he was aware of her ability to get into spats. As long as she had made up her mind, she would do all she could to reach her target regardless of what it took. As her manager, he had long given up on advising her otherwise, and would simply deliver what she asked.

He said to Xia Ling, “Just get on the van. We will go directly back to the city now.”

He waved her away as he turned and walked towards the barricade.

On the sprawling sandy beach with the sea breeze gently blowing, the red signs on the barricade stood out. Lin Yunan swaggered over to where Father Gu was waiting with a fake smile plastered on his face. “I’m so sorry, CEO Gu. Xiao Ling had a prior appointment and had to leave first. Perhaps you can speak to me if there are any issues.”

Father Gu was so angry that the veins on his neck and forehead were visible. That b*itch, she stood him up even after making him wait for several hours! What had the world come to?! Father Gu was someone that typically kept a poker face, but he couldn’t control the anger from showing on his face right now.

Lin Yunan ignored his dark expression. “If CEO Gu doesn’t have anything important to tell me, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Hold it!” Father Gu realized that this wasn’t the time to throw his temper as he hurriedly stopped Lin Yunan from leaving. “Mister Lin, don’t go. It’s like this. My ignorant Lin Lin has offended Miss Ye, and I’m here to apologize to her. Can you tell me where Miss Ye went? Is it convenient to bring me there? The Gu Family will definitely reward you grandly for your kindness.”

Reward grandly?

Hur hur.

Lin Yunan laughed to himself. Even though he loved money, that was only for money that he had earned through hard work by his own hands. That gave him a great sense of satisfaction. The Lin Family was also a wealthy family, and he was not so in need of money that he would accept such a bribe.

He responded impatiently, “I told you that Xiao Ling is busy. For a long time, Xiao Ling won’t have time to see you. If CEO Gu can’t handle the matter with me, then please leave.”

Father Gu rarely had to beg anyone, and seeing that he was being stone-walled, he grew unhappy. The anger in his heart festered and threatened to explode, but he controlled himself. He asked, “Does Mister Lin know that there has been a small misunderstanding between Miss Ye and my Lin Lin recently?”

“Ah? A small misunderstanding?” Lin Yunan did not hesitate to call him out. “Gu Lin hired a hit man. Is that a small misunderstanding?”

Seeing that Lin Yunan was well-informed on the matter, Father Gu was taken aback. “Mister Lin, please don’t jump to conclusions. How can my Lin Lin think of killing anyone? She’s innocent... ” He continued to offer Lin Yunan a whole range of benefits for him to keep quiet about the matter and to persuade Xia Ling not to pursue the matter with Gu Lin.

Lin Yunan didn’t respond other than to keep the fake smile plastered on his face and humor Father Gu.

Father Gu grew more anxious as he realized that he was not getting through to Lin Yunan at all. He wanted to plead Lin Yunan even more, but Lin Yunan was tired of hearing his woes as he lifted his wrist to look at the time before turning and leaving without another word.

He called out to Xia Ling when he was halfway back to the city. “Xiao Ling, be careful. That old man is furious right now. I’m worried that he will do something drastic.”

“What can he possibly do?” Xia Ling was on the way home when she received his call and only laughed. “We’ll just take it as it comes.”

Lin Yunan shook his head. He knew that Xia Ling was unafraid of offending the wealthy powers in the city and, thus, hung up without saying more.

The Gu Family’s attempt at revenge came quickly.

This day, Xia Ling was just stepping out of the broadcast station after her schedule when she was surrounded by reporters. They were asking, “Miss Ye, is it true that you wrongly accused Miss Gu Lin of masterminding the incident from four years ago? Is it also true that CEO Gu tried to reason with you and you angered him so much that he had a stroke such that he’s now lying in the hospital?”

Xia Ling was stunned seeing the entourage in front of her.

Her assistant and bodyguard formed a human wall around her and she asked from behind them. “Where did you guys get this information from? I did report Gu Lin to the authorities because I suspected that she was behind the deworming medication incident at the orphanage from four years ago. Wrongly accusing her? Hur hur... what a joke... the police hadn’t come to a conclusion on the investigation yet. How can the Gu Family be so sure that I’ve wrongly accused Gu Lin?

The flashes from the cameras flickered continuously.

Many reporters gleefully recorded down her statement.

Another reporter asked, “Then, what about you angering CEO Gu so much that he’s had a stroke? Is that untrue as well?”

Xia Ling replied without hesitation. “I have no idea that he’s had a stroke.” The reporters started firing a whole series of questions after hearing her statement, but she was shepherded to her van by her bodyguards.

The reporters outside the van were not prepared to give up and started to hit the van windows hoping that she would open up.

The van moved off slowly and Xia Ling turned to ask Lin Yunan, “What’s going on? How did Gu Lin’s father suddenly have a stroke?”

Lin Yunan had been accompanying Xia Ling on all her schedules for the past few days and was, similarly, only aware of Father Gu’s stroke when the reporters asked about it. He made some calls to find out what had happened. After a while, he told Xia Ling, “It’s news that the Gu Family released themselves. They said that you made him wait in the hot sun outside the film site for several hours. Given that he’s getting on the years, the heat, coupled with you standing him up, caused him to have a stroke when he got home.”