Chapter 89: A Belated Apology
Madam Gu didn’t dare respond to that.
Xu Youyou continued, “If you’re not sincere, then don’t disturb me. Otherwise, I might suspect that you’re after my wealth.”
Madam Gu snorted coldly. “An orphan like you, how much money could you possibly have?”
Suddenly, Cen Mingzhu appeared and said, “Madam Gu, Miss Xu is one of my biggest clients. I’m counting on her to make me rich.”
Madam Gu recognized Cen Mingzhu—she had once considered her as a potential daughter-in-law. In her eyes, the Cen family was the ideal in-laws: they had only one daughter but owned a vast business empire. If Cen Mingzhu married Gu Fengchuan, then the Cen family’s jewelry company would eventually belong to the Gu family.
Xu Youyou went on, “Whether or not I’m capable of making money is none of your concern. At least I don’t rely on honey traps to get rich.”
Madam Gu’s face turned pale. She hadn’t thought about her past for many years, but hearing those words now, she couldn’t help but wonder—did Xu Youyou know something about it?
Xu Youyou didn’t push further. Tonight, all three members of the Gu family had lost face, and she was already thinking about leaving.
However, Lu Jingyao hadn’t forgotten his main point. He turned to Gu Jianming and said, “Whether she’s your real daughter or not, offending a lady requires an apology. A leader who lacks accountability surely runs a company that isn’t a reliable business partner.”
His words immediately gained the agreement of the guests.
Gu Jianming’s guilt was now undeniable, and all his excuses suddenly seemed weak and useless.
Even admitting to the real and fake daughter situation at this point would only add another layer of scandal to the Gu family’s reputation.
Gu Jianming had experienced hardships in the first half of his life and success in the second. He couldn’t even recall the last time he had been this humiliated.
Many of the guests present were potential business partners. His rivals were eagerly waiting to snatch his deals. If he apologized, he might not gain anything—but if he didn’t, he would definitely suffer losses.
“…I’m sorry.”
Those three words felt unbearably heavy for him.
Xu Youyou stared at him and said, “I didn’t hear you.”
Everyone present could tell she was deliberately making things difficult for him.
Madam Gu, protective of her husband, scolded Xu Youyou, “Don’t push it too far!”
Xu Youyou waved dismissively. “Since the Gu family isn’t sincere, then forget it.”
Gu Jianming held his wife back and, gritting his teeth, raised his voice. “I’m sorry.”
Xu Youyou nodded indifferently, completely ignoring the three Gu family members. She then turned to Lu Jingyao with a smile. “I want to go home.”
Lu Jingyao noticed something complex in her smile—an emotion he couldn’t quite understand, layered with years of pain.
“Alright.”
He stood up and bid farewell to Lu Zeyuan.
Lu Zeyuan looked exhausted. What was supposed to be a grand birthday banquet had turned into a scandalous mess, and now no one even cared about the celebration anymore—everyone was just focused on the Gu family’s drama. It felt as though the birthday had ended before it even began.
As soon as Lu Jingyao got into the car, the driver told him about the trunk.
Xu Youyou looked a bit embarrassed. “Sorry, I took the liberty of having my things moved into your car’s trunk and forgot to tell you.”
Lu Jingyao didn’t mind such a small matter. “It’s my car—use it however you like. No need to be so formal.”
Xu Youyou forced a smile, but as soon as she sat in the car, her mind was once again flooded with the faces of the Gu couple.
They looked younger than she remembered.
“Still thinking about the Gu family?” Lu Jingyao asked.
Caught off guard, Xu Youyou nodded instinctively.
Lu Jingyao thought for a moment before asking, “You and that Miss Gu… were you really switched at birth?”
“You noticed? Do you think I’m ungrateful for accusing my biological father?” Xu Youyou chuckled bitterly.
Lu Jingyao replied, “I haven’t experienced what you’ve been through, so I have no right to judge your actions. But the you that I know is someone who values loyalty and principles. I believe you have your reasons.”
A warmth spread through Xu Youyou’s heart.
Lu Jingyao continued, “Parents who deliberately hide the truth and sacrifice their biological daughter for an adopted one clearly prioritize the adopted daughter more. It’s only natural that you wouldn’t want to acknowledge them.”
That was exactly what hurt Xu Youyou the most.
Her life had been stolen, yet instead of making amends, they acted as if she had no right to ask for compensation, as if they wanted to take away everything she had managed to build for herself.
“Don’t dwell on it. Get some sleep when we get back, and forget all about this,” Lu Jingyao comforted her.
Xu Youyou forced a smile.
When they arrived at Tomson Riviera, Assistant Liu and the driver helped carry her belongings out of the trunk. It was an old, filthy blanket.
Everyone was confused—why had Xu Youyou brought something like this back?
Lu Jingyao didn’t understand, but he respected her wishes. “I’ll have Assistant Liu find a professional cleaning service to make sure it’s spotless.”
Xu Youyou shook her head. “No need to clean it.”
Lu Jingyao looked puzzled.
Perhaps because he had helped her all night, Xu Youyou surprisingly took the initiative and asked, “Would you like to stay for some tea?”
Lu Jingyao immediately agreed. He turned to dismiss Assistant Liu and the driver—after all, he had his own place in Tomson Riviera and didn’t need a car right now.
The dirty blanket was placed in the entryway of Xu Youyou’s home. Housekeeper Zhang approached to take care of it, but Xu Youyou stopped her.
“Zhang Jie, bring me the toolbox,” she instructed.
Though confused, Zhang Jie complied.
Xu Youyou changed out of her formal dress into sportswear for easier movement. She also dismissed the household staff, leaving only herself and Lu Jingyao in the entryway.
Although she had managed to buy the blanket in the shortest time possible, she hadn’t had the chance to examine it closely.
It wasn’t actually a carpet but a tapestry. One side was made of animal skin, while the other had fur.
The furry side was completely blackened with filth—who knew how much dirt was embedded in it? Its original color was impossible to discern.
“This isn’t a carpet—it’s a wall tapestry. Qing Dynasty court tapestries were quite popular at one point. About twenty years ago, many wealthy people in Shanghai sought to buy palace tapestries. I remember that even Lu Shaoyan’s grandmother bought one,” Lu Jingyao said.
Xu Youyou was surprised. “You remember things from twenty years ago so clearly?”
“I have memories from as early as when I was two,” Lu Jingyao explained.
Xu Youyou was impressed. She hadn’t expected him to have such a sharp memory. “Was the Lu family’s tapestry really from the imperial palace?”
Lu Jingyao shook his head. “I’m not sure. I just remember hearing that Grandma Lu might have been scammed.”
Xu Youyou pondered, “No wonder this tapestry ended up so dirty. I heard from the Lu family’s staff that it was being used as a foot mat under a mahjong table. So it seems Grandma Lu was furious about being tricked.”
As she spoke, she picked up a large pair of scissors from the toolbox.
The system’s directive couldn’t be wrong—this tapestry had to be valuable. But a filthy old tapestry, even if it were an antique, wouldn’t be worth much. The real treasure must be hidden inside.
Lu Jingyao wanted to help, but Xu Youyou glanced at his tailored suit and said, “Forget it—you don’t want to get your clothes dirty.”
She started cutting along the edge. At first, it was difficult, but after a few snips, the material suddenly loosened. She didn’t even need scissors anymore—she simply tore the tapestry open with her hands.
At that moment, the hidden contents were revealed.
