“What’s your name?”
“…”
The officer looked up, clearly losing patience, and repeated, “Your name?”
“…Xiao Ran.”
“What caused the conflict between you and the other party?”
“…”
Xiao Ran bit her lip and shot a resentful glance at Gu Nianqing, who was seated across from her.
Six years had passed—how was this girl still so obsessed with calling the police?!
Even if her background was questionable, she was still technically part of high society. Did she really have no sense of “saving face” at all?
Receiving no answer, the officer tapped the table and asked again, “Ms. Xiao, what led to this altercation?”
After six years, Xiao Ran believed she wouldn’t panic the way she once did. She cast Gu Nianqing with a cold look.
“I won’t say anything until the Shen family’s lawyer arrives.”
The officer set his pen down with a sigh. To be honest, he wasn’t used to dealing with people like her either. When his colleague had told him who the two parties were, he thought he’d misheard—wealthy elites actually calling the police on each other? That was new.
He turned to the other party—the one who had reported the incident.
Gu Nianqing didn’t look well. As soon as she entered the mediation room, she had asked a female officer to help buy her some painkillers. Now she sat quietly, sipping hot water in small, careful sips.
Seeing how pale and fragile she looked, the officer instinctively softened his tone.
“Ma’am, are you able to give your statement now?”
The difference in tone didn’t go unnoticed—Xiao Ran raised an eyebrow.
Gu Nianqing gave a faint smile. “Of course. I trust the police will handle this fairly.”
Xiao Ran couldn’t hold back anymore. “What are you pretending for? Always resorting to these underhanded tricks!”
Gu Nianqing let out a soft laugh. “So in the Shen family’s eyes, calling the police is considered ‘underhanded’?”
“You—!”
Xiao Ran’s expression shifted instantly. She had already noticed the officer’s displeased look.
That girl was still just as disgusting as ever—always setting traps with her words.
Irritated at herself for speaking out, Xiao Ran fell silent, watching coldly as the officer continued questioning Gu Nianqing.
When asked about the cause of the conflict, Xiao Ran gripped her handbag tightly.
Gu Nianqing took another sip of water, her voice slightly hoarse:
“I have a major financial dispute with this woman’s son’s company. The amount involved is significant, and the case is about to go to court. I suspect Ms. Xiao attempted to threaten my personal safety to prevent me from appearing in court.”
“That’s nonsense!” Xiao Ran exploded, her resolve to stay silent instantly collapsing. “You’re the one who seduced A-Yu and set him up! This is fraud and extortion!”
In contrast to her hysteria, Gu Nianqing remained calm despite her discomfort.
“Then you’re free to sue me instead of attacking me.”
“I—”
The officer hadn’t expected things to escalate like this and froze for a moment.
Gu Nianqing continued steadily, “But you didn’t. Because you know very well that Shen Yu caused a serious problem. And yet you still blindly accuse and slander me… Ms. Xiao, you may not be important, but your memory seems surprisingly poor.”
Xiao Ran’s face flushed red, then pale, under the barrage.
“I think you’ve forgotten—six years ago, in this very police station, I warned you.”
Suppressing the pain in her abdomen, Gu Nianqing tightened her grip on the cup and said clearly:
“If there’s a next time, I will take legal action. And now I am formally notifying you, Ms. Xiao—I will be suing you.”
Perhaps due to the overwhelming tension, Xiao Ran didn’t react with fear. Instead, she burst into sharp laughter.
“Haha! You’re going to sue me? You dare? Do you really think the Xu family would allow you to ruin their relationship with the Shen family for your sake?!”
Her words came faster and faster, as if she were trying to convince herself.
“You wouldn’t dare. You’re just an illegitimate daughter—there’s no way the Xu family would back you up!”
The officer slammed the table lightly. “Ms. Xiao, mind your language.”
But Xiao Ran had already lost control. She swung her handbag at Gu Nianqing again.
The officer quickly stepped in to stop her, but while he could restrain her actions, he couldn’t stop her shouting.
“You think you’re something special?! You dare sue me?! You ruined A-Yu—you’ll pay for this! Why don’t you just go die?!”
“Fourth Madam!”
A voice suddenly cut through the chaos, interrupting Xiao Ran’s outburst.
At the door of the mediation room, another officer had just brought in the Shen family’s lawyer—only for them to overhear Xiao Ran’s outburst.
The lawyer’s expression turned extremely grim. On his way over, he had repeatedly warned Xiao Ran to keep quiet. Not only had she ignored him—she had said exactly the worst possible things.
The moment Xiao Ran saw him, it was as if she’d found her lifeline.
She broke free from the officer’s restraint and rushed toward him, grabbing his sleeve tightly.
“I want to sue her! This bitch is extorting my son—I’ll take her down in court!”
“Fourth Madam, please calm down.”
The lawyer forced himself to stay composed as he pried her hand off his sleeve.
If not for the old master’s orders, he wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with this branch of the Shen family. Lawyers like him, who served elite families, usually handled corporate contracts—not bail people out of police stations. Especially not for a sidelined family like theirs.
The officer who had escorted him in looked alarmed—the commotion inside was intense, and he was worried his colleague might not be able to handle it.
Hearing how the lawyer addressed Xiao Ran, and recalling the identity she had given during registration, something clicked in his memory.
He paused, then turned toward the quietly observant Gu Nianqing, meeting her unforgettable fox-like eyes.
“…Wait a second, miss—you’re…,” he hesitated, searching for the most distinctive label, “…you’re that ‘200,000’ girl, aren’t you?”
Gu Nianqing: ?
Not just her—even Xiao Ran, who had been in full meltdown, suddenly went silent.
Gu Nianqing narrowed her eyes and studied the officer carefully. At last, she matched him with the clerk who had mediated between her and Xiao Ran six years ago.
“…What a coincidence.”
She had a good memory, but the man had changed—a bit heavier, a receding hairline, and the insignia on his shoulder now showing three stars instead of one.
The officer rubbed his hands awkwardly. “Yeah, quite the coincidence… How come you two are at it again?”
Gu Nianqing shrugged. “Maybe Ms. Xiao just really wants me to sue her again.”
“Gu Nianqing!”
Compared to Gu Nianqing’s calm recognition, Xiao Ran felt only rising anxiety and humiliation.
Six years ago, in this very place, she had been publicly scolded by Shen Lei in front of a still-underage Gu Nianqing. In the end, the Shen family had to give up a lucrative exhibition deal just to get Gu Nianqing to agree to settle.
And now, with someone who knew all that standing here again, Xiao Ran felt like her dignity had been thrown to the ground and trampled over and over.
A chill ran down her spine.
If Gu Nianqing could corner her like that back then… what about now?
Her lips trembled.
What if that girl really filed a lawsuit? What would she do? And if the old master found out she’d lost to Gu Nianqing again…
Her vision began to blur.
But Gu Nianqing didn’t press the advantage.
Instead, she looked toward the Shen family’s lawyer with caution.
She wasn’t in good condition right now. Dealing with an unstable Xiao Ran was one thing—but going head-to-head with a seasoned legal professional? That was another matter entirely.
One wrong word, and she could lose control of the situation.
She sighed softly.
This wasn’t the first time she had handled something like this alone—but today, for some reason, she felt unusually… isolated.
Even someone as incompetent as Xiao Ran had people backing her up.
For someone used to fighting alone, that realization stung more than expected.
Just then, the door to the mediation room opened again.
“President Gu!”
Xu Xiaxia rushed in first. Seeing Gu Nianqing’s pale face, she panicked. “I—I brought medicine, do you want—”
A shadow fell over her head—a coat, clearly too heavy for the current weather.
Out of habit, Xu Xiaxia reached up to catch it. In that brief moment of distraction, someone had already walked past her and reached Gu Nianqing.
Xu Xiaxia: …
Great. The boss’s man is competing with me for caretaker duties again—what am I supposed to do?
Gu Nianqing, meanwhile, felt like she was dreaming.
She watched as Qin Fu walked toward her step by step, then took her hand. The warmth from his rough palm jolted her back to reality.
“…Old Qin?!”
Qin Fu bent slightly and helped her to her feet.
“Your hands are freezing. I’ll take you back. Let Xu and Ouyang handle things here.”