Chapter 66: Forgotten Memories
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When An Bu returned to the hotel, it was already past six. The bodyguard obediently didn’t disturb her but sent her a text message, asking if she needed to order dinner.
An Bu removed her makeup, changed into another outfit, and then let the bodyguard bring her a meal.
After having dinner, An Bu surfed the internet while sending a text to Jian Ningxuan: [Have you eaten?]
[(Cat Master)En]
[I don’t believe it. Take a photo for me to see.]
Two minutes later, An Bu received a picture of neatly arranged takeout boxes.
[I’m not there, and you’re eating takeout? What about your cleanliness obsession?]
[(Cat Master) Assistant bought it.]
An Bu knew that when Jian Ningxuan didn’t go out, his assistant would order meals for him from a fixed place, so there was no need to worry about hygiene.
[Just remember to eat on time. If I come home and find you’ve lost weight and don’t feel good, I won’t pamper you.]
[(Cat Master) I’m already overweight.]
[That’s not fat, it’s muscle!]
[(Cat Master) Do you like it?]
[Of course, muscular and sexy. Endlessly alluring!]
After sending this line, there was no response for a long time on the other end. An Bu was sure he must be secretly glowing.
Having cheered up the Cat Master, An Bu began to reveal her real intentions: [Mr. Jian, my friend’s funeral is the day after tomorrow, and I want to stay here for a few more days.]
[(Cat Master) …]
[I want to send him off properly, without any regrets.]
[(Cat Master) Have your bodyguard accompany you. Don’t take any risks. Take care of yourself.]
An Bu saw that he agreed and immediately replied cheerfully: [Yes, sir!]
The next day, An Bu attended the funeral with the bodyguard. However, she attended as “An Bu” and left after signing in when the crowd was dense. On the day of the burial, An Bu followed the funeral procession to the cemetery but stayed outside, just watching from a distance.
This cemetery was also a shared property of the seven founders. They had once agreed to reunite after death, and now six were laid to rest, leaving only her, who might miss the appointment. Although her memories were fuzzy, she still retained her shares in New Start and hadn’t erased the identity of “Gu An.” It showed that these people were very important friends to her.
An Bu didn’t feel too sad about their departure. She could only do one more thing for them in the end—protect their descendants.
“Brother Wang, take me back to the hotel,” An Bu said to the bodyguard. “I just want to be alone today. You don’t need to bother about me. If I get hungry, I’ll order food myself.”
The bodyguard nodded, opened the car door for her, and drove her back to the hotel.
For the entire afternoon, An Bu didn’t leave the hotel. However, she didn’t stay in her original room; instead, she used the identity of “Gu An” to open a room next door, Room 617.
In the evening, there was a knock on the door of 617, and Fu Junyao’s figure appeared at the doorway.
“Good evening, Auntie Gu An.”
“Come in.” An Bu let him in and gestured, “Sit anywhere you like. No need to be formal.”
Fu Junyao quickly scanned the room and then sat on the sofa, watching as An Bu poured him tea.
“Have you taken care of your father’s affairs?” An Bu asked as she gently placed the hot tea on the coffee table.
“Yes, everything has been taken care of.” Fu Junyao subtly examined her, his curiosity mixed with a hint of scrutiny. His father and several uncles had trusted her a lot, and he wanted to know what made this person so special.
Different from the first meeting’s cold elegance, An Bu was now wearing a loose casual outfit, her hair tied behind her head with a few strands hanging down casually. She exuded a mature charm with a hint of playfulness, resembling a Persian cat. Fu Junyao found it hard to believe that the woman before him was already in her forties, maintaining herself better than a celebrity.
“Tell me in detail about what happened that day.” An Bu, without beating around the bush, went straight to the point.
Fu Junyao took out a file from his bag and handed it to her. “Auntie Gu, take a look at this first.”
An Bu put down the tea cup, took the file, and carefully read through it. It turned out that Fu Haiya had initially suspected foul play in the car accident that led to Tian Bin’s death. After extensive investigations, he narrowed it down to Tian Bin’s wife. However, before he could confirm anything, Tian Bin’s wife died in an unrelated chain car accident shortly afterward. Since there were no suspicious elements, the matter was dropped.
Two years later, Luo Tiancai committed suicide by jumping off a building due to depression. Fu Haiya had consulted a doctor about his condition, confirming abnormalities in his mental state that were worsening over time. However, Fu Haiya always had a bad feeling. After thorough investigations, he seemed to have found some clues six months ago. He made some preparations but didn’t reveal much to his family. Unfortunately, half a year later, he suddenly died at home.
The file in An Bu’s hands recorded the investigation results of Fu Haiya over the past few years. Although there were suspected individuals, there was no concrete evidence. Fu Haiya was clever, never allowing these people to enter the upper echelons of New Start. However, with his death, New Start inevitably faced shocks, and no one could suppress the ambitions of the Fu, Luo, and Tian families anymore.
“What do you want me to do?” An Bu closed the file, looking up at Fu Junyao.
“Find out the real cause of my father’s death and prevent those people from getting involved with New Start.” Fu Junyao spoke with a cold tone.
An Bu remained silent for a moment and said, “I can try to help you investigate their causes of death, but the issues within New Start must be solved by you.”
“Why? You are one of the founders of New Start. If you step forward, no one will oppose it.”
“I haven’t intervened in the affairs of New Start for many years,” An Bu smiled, “but you’re different. You started learning business management with your father when you were in your teens, more familiar with the company’s operations than I am. You are the successor to the future of New Start.”
“But I’m still too young; I can’t command respect.” Fu Junyao had confidence in his abilities, but what he lacked was prestige. On the other hand, Gu An possessed both, making her the most suitable candidate for management.
“You won’t know unless you try,” An Bu had already understood Fu Junyao’s situation—intelligent, talented, and importantly, steady in demeanor, displaying the qualities of a great leader.
Fu Junyao hesitated. Try? Could he try to manage such a large company casually?
Seeming to read his thoughts, An Bu encouraged, “Go ahead and give it a shot. I may not have much else, but I have plenty of money. Whatever losses you incur, I’ll cover.”
Fu Junyao: “…” Is she really the last ace that his father and uncles held in high regard?”
The two talked for more than two hours, and Fu Junyao didn’t receive a clear endorsement from Gu An. He left the hotel with a heavy heart.
Driving back to the villa, the family had already gone to sleep. Fu Junyao was preparing to rest when he glimpsed the butler passing by the corridor. With a thought, he called, “Uncle Long.”
The butler turned around, seeing Fu Junyao. “Young Master, it’s so late. Haven’t you rested yet?”
“Uncle Long, how long have you been with my father?”
The butler recalled and said nostalgically, “It’s been about ten years. Back then, New Start had just started, and I was just a security guard hired by the company.”
Fu Junyao’s eyes lit up. “Uncle Long, I have some questions. Let’s talk in my room.”
As the two entered the room, Fu Junyao couldn’t wait to ask, “Uncle Long, do you know Auntie Gu An well?”
“Miss Gu An…” The butler smiled as he prepared tea. “She is a very good person.”
“My father and uncles all say that, but is she really worth their trust?”
The butler chuckled. “If Miss Gu An didn’t save the lives of your father and uncles, do you think she would be trustworthy?”
“What?” Fu Junyao was surprised.
While pouring tea for both, the butler explained, “You should know that when New Start was founded, all the funds came from Miss Gu An.”
Fu Junyao nodded.
“At that time, they were unknown, and their technology wasn’t mature. No one was willing to invest in them. Only Miss Gu An supported them without hesitation.”
“That shows Auntie Gu An has good judgment and courage.”
The butler laughed. “You say that because you have witnessed the success now. However, in the first five years of New Start’s establishment, the company struggled to make ends meet. Miss Gu An spent all her savings, receiving no returns. But even so, she didn’t give up. It’s because of her persistence that your father and uncles were able to withstand the pressure and continue.”
Fu Junyao’s eyes flickered with a hint of surprise.
“However, that’s not the most admirable thing about Miss Gu An,” the butler continued. “The other three founders of New Start, Mr. Yang Cheng, Mr. Yang Yong, and Miss Yang Liu, all came from a polluted village, suffering from cancer and having a short lifespan. In the last few years of their lives, they suffered greatly from illness. It was Miss Gu An who spared no expense to find medical treatment, regulate their bodies, alleviate their pain, and extend their lives, allowing them to spend the remaining time peacefully.”
“When Uncle Yang and Aunt Yang passed away, Auntie Gu An had already left the company, right?”
The butler shook his head. “Miss Gu An left when the company was on track and no longer had to worry about funding.”
Sticking by them in poverty, quietly withdrawing in prosperity—someone like that, how could they not be trusted?
Fu Junyao finally understood why his father and uncles valued Gu An so much.
At this point, the butler continued, “After Mr. Yang Cheng, Mr. Yang Yong, and Miss Yang Liu passed away, as they had no descendants, they completely transferred all their shares to Miss Gu An.”
“What?” Fu Junyao couldn’t believe it. “So, Auntie Gu An is now the largest shareholder of New Start? Wait, including the 2% my father transferred, she only has 12% of the shares.”
The butler laughed. “Of course, only 12%, because she transferred all the shares gifted by the Yang family to her as original shares for the company to attract talent. Most of the current shareholders’ shares were transferred by Miss Gu An.”
Fu Junyao looked shocked, unable to believe that someone could give up such a huge fortune.
The butler affirmed, “Anyone in this world might covet New Start, but Miss Gu An won’t.”
Indeed, back then, New Start could have been hers if she had wanted it.
In Fu Junyao’s mind, Gu An’s face appeared involuntarily, and a subtle touch of emotion arose.
After a while, Fu Junyao spoke again, “Uncle Long, I went to see Auntie Gu An today.”
“Oh? Why did you go to her?”
“I suspect there’s something wrong with Uncle Tian, Uncle Luo, and my father’s causes of death.” Fu Junyao took out the file he had shown An Bu before.
The butler didn’t look at it because he already knew what was recorded inside.
“You’re right; there is indeed an issue with Mr. Tian and Mr. Luo’s causes of death,” the butler confirmed his suspicion.
“So, I want to ask Auntie Gu An to help me investigate their deaths and seek revenge for them!”
The butler sighed, looking at him helplessly. “Why didn’t you discuss it with me beforehand?”
“I’m sorry; it’s not that I don’t trust Uncle Long. It’s just that Auntie Gu An rarely shows up, so I wanted to contact her as soon as possible.”
Uncle Long waved his hand, “That’s not what I wanted to say. It’s about their causes of death. Your father had already investigated it thoroughly, and your Aunt Gu An has avenged them.”
“What?” Already avenged?
Uncle Long pointed to the documents on the table, “The investigation into the causes of death was actually completed a year after Mr. Luo’s suicide. The subsequent investigation mainly focused on internal corporate espionage and competitors. Your father destroyed the crucial information because he didn’t want Aunt Gu An to be suspected.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your father found the culprits who killed Mr. Tian and Mr. Luo, but unfortunately, there was no evidence to take legal action against them. So, he planned to set a trap to ruin them financially. Unexpectedly, shortly after, both culprits started showing symptoms of mental disorder and were eventually sent to a mental hospital, meeting a tragic end. Although not explicitly stated, your father had subtly revealed that Aunt Gu An was behind it.”
Fu Junyao was truly shocked this time.
Meanwhile, after seeing off Fu Junyao, An Bu returned to her original room, took out her palm-sized computer, and inserted a memory chip. This small chip carried her memories of over a decade.
Opening the files, An Bu meticulously went through the moments she and Fu Haiya and others established New Start and ventured into business together.
Half an hour later, she sighed lightly. It turned out that they were indeed killed by someone, and she had already avenged them. It was just too long ago, and she had completely forgotten…
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