Liu Lingyu walked forward and directly stuffed the check back into Mrs. Gu’s hand, chiding, “Look at you, your health isn't good yet you’re getting so angry? It’s your own family’s money, just keep it.”
Distracted by her words, Mrs. Gu regained some clarity. Right, this was her own family’s money, why would she give it to Cen Ya?
Mrs. Gu put away the check and her eyes lit up when she saw Ye Zhi, “President Ye, you’re here? Please, have a seat…”
Seeing her about to get out of bed, Liu Lingyu quickly pushed her back down.
Ye Zhi smiled faintly and said politely, “Auntie, you don’t need to fuss over me.”
After a brief exchange with Ye Zhi, Mrs. Gu turned and saw that Cen Ya was still there. Her face immediately darkened, “You’re still not leaving? What else do you want?”
Cen Ya bit her lip, feeling very hurt.
Liu Lingyu had doted on her so much before, but now, Liu Lingyu had been here for so long and hadn’t even looked at her. How could Liu Lingyu be so heartless?
Hearing Mrs. Gu’s question, Cen Ya stubbornly replied, “Mrs. Gu, you have a misunderstanding about Gu Sheng and me. I can’t just leave like this…”
“You…!” Mrs. Gu’s face turned ashen with anger, almost making her unable to catch her breath.
Liu Lingyu quickly helped her to calm down. Ye Zhi said with exasperation, “Cen Ya, are you and Gu Sheng married?”
“Of course not!” Cen Ya immediately denied.
“A couple then?” Ye Zhi continued to ask.
“No! We’re just friends! Ye Zhi, do you want Mrs. Gu to deepen her misunderstanding of me? You’re going too far!” Cen Ya’s eyes reddened.
Ye Zhi completely ignored her accusation and nodded calmly, “That’s enough. Mrs. Gu now knows your relationship with Gu Sheng. You are not husband and wife, not lovers, just friends. Your purpose for coming here has been achieved, you can leave.”
“I’m not leaving!” Cen Ya stated stubbornly. “Auntie Gu hasn’t forgiven Gu Sheng yet, and mother and son haven’t reconciled. I can’t just leave!”
Seeing Mrs. Gu tremble with anger, Ye Zhi let out a scoff, “Cen Ya, why pretend to be confused? Did the Gu family kick Gu Sheng out because of your relationship with him? They did it because Gu Sheng helped you repay your debts.
Surely you don’t think that by saying a few sweet words and moving someone to tears, you can offset millions? Why don’t you go to the bank and cry dozens of times to offset your two hundred million?”
“Ye Zhi, why must you be so harsh?” Cen Ya exclaimed, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “I never asked Gu Sheng to repay my debts for me, he did it voluntarily! Besides, I will repay him in the future, I won’t owe him!”
“Then repay him now. Actually, don’t repay him. His money came from the Gu family. If you repay the Gu family, then the Gu family will be harmonious,” Ye Zhi said calmly.
“I want to repay, but I don’t have the money…” Cen Ya said aggrievedly.
“Then write an IOU,” Ye Zhi said lightly. She turned to Mrs. Gu, “Do you have a pen and paper?”
“Yes!” Mrs. Gu’s eyes lit up and she quickly said.
Then, she took out a pen and paper from a nearby drawer at high speed. Under Ye Zhi’s guidance, she quickly wrote down the cause and effect, and wrote a five-million IOU for Cen Ya.
“Alright, sign it,” Ye Zhi handed the IOU to Cen Ya.
“I…” Cen Ya opened her mouth, feeling a bit stunned.
She had only come to visit Mrs. Gu, hoping the Gu family would reconcile with Gu Sheng. But now she had incurred a debt of five million?
“What? You’re not going to sign, are you?” Ye Zhi frowned in confusion. “Could it be that what you just said was false, and you don’t actually want Gu Sheng to reconcile with the Gu family?”
“I’ll sign if I have to!” Cen Ya angrily took the pen and quickly wrote her name.
“And then press your fingerprint,” Ye Zhi continued.
“I’ll go get some ink from the nurse…” Mrs. Gu said eagerly, afraid Cen Ya would go back on her word. She raised her hand to press the call bell.
“No need for that much trouble,” Ye Zhi pointed to Cen Ya’s handbag. “You should have lipstick, right? Lipstick will do.”
“Can lipstick replace ink?” Mrs. Gu asked, sounding a bit worried.
“Ink contains a fixing agent, which can preserve the print for longer. However, a fingerprint is usually to prove that the signatory’s true intentions are expressed in the agreement, so as long as the fingerprint is clear and recognizable, it has legal effect,” Ye Zhi explained.
“Then press it,” Mrs. Gu urged.
Cen Ya blinked, but she still opened her handbag, took out her lipstick, and applied some to her index finger.
Under the gaze of the three, Cen Ya gritted her teeth and finally pressed her fingerprint.
Holding the IOU, Mrs. Gu, who had been wearing a dark expression, finally revealed a happy smile.
Cen Ya, however, felt lost and disoriented, as if she had signed a contract to sell herself.
“Alright, you can go now,” Mrs. Gu carefully put away the IOU and waved dismissively.
Cen Ya wanted to say something else, but after a glance at Ye Zhi, she left. Cen Ya owed five million as soon as Ye Zhi arrived; if she stayed any longer, she really didn’t know what would happen.
Cen Ya cast a dejected glance at Liu Lingyu, and then turned and left.
“If I ever find out Gu Sheng used the Gu family’s money to help you repay debts again, I’ll come for you to write another IOU!” Mrs. Gu shouted at Cen Ya’s retreating back.
Cen Ya stumbled, and quickly left.
Seeing her leave, Mrs. Gu became even happier. She couldn’t help but hold Ye Zhi’s hand and say, “President Ye, thank you so much! You came at the perfect time! If you hadn’t come, I really would have been in a daze and given her ten million! Fortunately, fortunately, now not only is ten million saved, but I’ve also gotten back a five-million IOU…
I don’t expect this IOU to actually get the money back, but at least I’ll have some peace and quiet and won’t be bothered anymore, right?”
“Auntie Gu, you can just call me Xiao Zhi,” Ye Zhi smiled faintly. Indeed, with this IOU, Cen Ya would be hesitant and wouldn’t dare to bother Mrs. Gu again.
“President Ye, you are so approachable. Even with such a large company, you have no airs,” Mrs. Gu said with emotion. Suddenly, she realized something and repeatedly apologized with a smile, “Look at me, still calling you President Ye. Xiao Zhi, if my son could be half as sensible as you, I’d be happy for half my life…”
Afterward, Mrs. Gu and Liu Lingyu chatted together. With Liu Lingyu keeping her company, Mrs. Gu was greatly comforted.
Then, Mrs. Gu began to worry about Gu Sheng stubbornly insisting on selling his house to repay Cen Ya’s debts. Liu Lingyu told her Ye Zhi’s suggestion, and Mrs. Gu accepted it without much hesitation.
Seeing that Mrs. Gu’s mood had improved considerably, Liu Lingyu and Ye Zhi left.