Rebirth with a Space to Counterattack and Abuse the Scumbag

My heart skipped a beat as I looked at the invitation in gold lettering on my phone screen.

As my fingertips traced those unfamiliar foreign words, I felt an irrepressible excitement mixed with a hint of wariness.

These are top international fashion giants, why would they suddenly extend an olive branch to me?

I looked up at Gong Lin beside me. He was looking at me intently, his deep eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

I handed him my phone, and he took it. His rough fingertips touched the screen, which gave me a sense of security.

He read it carefully, his brows furrowing slightly before relaxing, his face still bearing that calm expression.

"Qing'er, this is indeed an opportunity." His voice was deep and magnetic, and it sounded particularly clear in the rather quiet living room.

“But I still feel uneasy.” I stared intently into his eyes, hoping to find the answer.

“Your intuition is always very accurate, it’s never a bad thing to be careful.” Gong Lin gently held my hand, his palm was warm and dry. “I’ll try to make time to go with you.”

I nodded heavily, and the unease in my heart eased slightly, but the faint doubt still lingered.

Sure enough, not long after, some discordant voices began to emerge within the family.

"Is there something fishy about this so-called international cooperation?" A questioning voice reached my ears. I looked in the direction of the voice and saw it was Uncle Gong, who was looking me up and down.

"Seventh Uncle, this isn't some shady business, but a win-win opportunity." I tried my best to keep my voice calm and emotionless.

"A win-win situation?" Fourth Aunt sneered. "You're making a fortune outside, but what about inside the family? Who knows if you're just trying to get something for nothing?"

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

"Fourth Aunt, you may not know much about the fashion industry. This collaboration will not only bring me development opportunities, but also inject new vitality into the family and enhance the international influence of the entire Gong family."

"Hmph, that's easy for you to say, but who knows what you're really up to?" A sharp voice chimed in; it was my fifth aunt, who had always looked down on my achievements.

I felt my patience was wearing thin. They had no desire to understand the truth; they were simply driven by instinctive rejection and suspicion, as if all my efforts were threatening their interests.

“Elders, I think you may have misunderstood.” Gong Lin spoke up at the right time. His tone was still calm, but it carried an unquestionable authority. “This cooperation is entirely beneficial to the family. As the heir of the Gong family, I guarantee that if any problems arise in the cooperation, I am willing to take full responsibility.”

He stood up, his tall and slender figure as upright as a pine tree. He looked around, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's, making people afraid to look him in the eye.

The atmosphere in the living room instantly plummeted to freezing point. The elders who had been so aggressive just moments before fell silent, their faces showing a hint of fear, but even more so, dissatisfaction.

"In that case, let's leave it at that for now and see how it goes later," Uncle Qi said reluctantly.

Seeing their unwilling faces, I knew this matter was probably not over, and my vigilance increased even further.

"Qing'er, there are some things I'd like to discuss with you privately." Gong Lin suddenly walked to my side and said softly, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

The rich aroma of coffee filled the office, but it did nothing to dispel the gloom that shrouded my heart.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, night has fallen, and the city lights are dazzling, like twinkling stars, a stark contrast to my anxious mood.

The collaboration proposal felt like a boulder pressing on my chest, making it hard for me to breathe.

In order to make enough space and resources for it, I had to temporarily put aside several other ongoing projects.

This means that several months of hard work have gone to waste, and all previous efforts have vanished without a trace, like stones thrown into water.

I rubbed my sore eyes, and a wave of fatigue washed over me.

The numbers on the reports at hand became blurry, and I irritably pushed them aside.

The office was quiet, with only the hum of the air conditioner and my breathing mingling together, creating a suffocating atmosphere.

"Qing'er, are you really sure you want to do this?" Gong Lin's voice broke the silence, but it was like a bucket of cold water that extinguished the last glimmer of hope in my heart.

He stood in front of my desk, his brow furrowed, his tone hesitant and questioning, which surprised me greatly.

He has always been my staunch supporter, and no matter what decision I make, he will unconditionally stand by my side.

"Do you think I shouldn't accept this collaboration?" My tone unconsciously became sharp, and my grievances and dissatisfaction surged up.

“That’s not what I meant,” Gong Lin sighed, walked to my side, and gently pulled me into his arms. “I just think we should be more cautious. After all, our partner this time is an international giant, and their way of doing things is quite different from our domestic companies. We must be fully prepared to avoid falling into their trap.”

"But..." I wanted to argue, but I didn't know what to say.

I know his concerns are not unfounded, but the current situation leaves me no room for further hesitation.

“I know you’re anxious, but some things can’t be rushed.” Gong Lin’s tone softened, with a hint of reassurance. “Let’s calm down first, analyze the pros and cons, and then make a decision.”

His words only irritated me more. I shoved him away, my voice icy: "You have no idea! This isn't just a collaboration; it's an opportunity for me to prove myself. I can't miss it!"

Gong Lin's face also darkened, and the atmosphere in the office instantly plummeted to freezing point, filled with the smell of gunpowder.

"Since you've made your decision, I won't say anything more." He gave me a deep look, then turned and walked towards the door.

"Wait!" I suddenly called out to him, a strange unease welling up inside me. "Where...are you going?"

Gong Lin stopped, but didn't turn around. He simply said, "I have things to take care of." Then, he left the office without looking back, leaving me standing there alone, my unease growing stronger...

“Gong Lin…”

he's gone.

The office door closed softly, emitting a barely audible sigh that struck my heart like a hammer blow.

I slumped into the chair, my hands clenched tightly, my knuckles turning white.

Could it be that even he has begun to doubt me?

no, I can not!

I shook my head violently; Gong Lin wasn't that kind of person.

He just...

They're worried about me.

Thinking of this, my heart felt a little warm.

He has always been like this, silently protecting and supporting me.

A soft footstep sound came from behind me. I looked up and saw that Gong Lin had returned, carrying two steaming cups of coffee.

He walked over to me, placed a cup of coffee on my table, then sat down opposite me and said softly, "Qing'er, I'm sorry, I was too impulsive just now."

Looking into his deep eyes, all the grievances and resentments in my heart vanished.

I took the coffee, took a small sip, and tasted a bittersweet flavor, just like the relationship between him and me.

“I was wrong too,” I put down my coffee cup and looked at him. “I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you.”

Gong Lin smiled, reached out and took my hand. His palm was warm and dry, which made me feel at ease.

"I know you're under a lot of pressure, but Qing'er, you have to believe me, I'll always be by your side."

His words were like a spring breeze, brushing against my heart and dispelling all the gloom.

I gripped his hand tightly in return, feeling the strength he was giving me.

"I believe you."

He pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. I leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat and feeling his warm body temperature. All the grievances and unease in my heart completely disappeared.

"I know you can do it, Qing'er." His voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of doting.

The next day, I walked confidently and calmly into the meeting room to negotiate with the international fashion giant.

The representative was an elegant blonde lady who praised my design concept and business plan and expressed a strong desire to cooperate.

"Ms. Miao, your talent and vision are truly admirable."

I smiled and replied, "I also look forward to cooperating with your company."

The elders in the family also attended the meeting. They had come with doubts and dissatisfaction, but after witnessing my exchange with the other party's representative, they all showed expressions of surprise and appreciation.

After the meeting, I stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the bustling city night view outside, and my heart was filled with pride and joy.

Suddenly, I felt a burning gaze behind me. I turned around, but only saw Gong Lin's back disappear at the end of the corridor.

He was carrying a file folder and walking briskly, as if he had something urgent to attend to.

As I watched Gong Lin's hurried departure, a sense of unease rose within me.

The file folder in his hand looked bulging, as if it contained something important.

Could there be some problem with the collaboration?

In the following days, Gong Lin became unusually busy, often leaving early and returning late, sometimes even staying out all night.

I tried to ask him what happened several times, but he always avoided the topic, only saying that he had a lot of work to do at the company and that I should stay home and wait for him.

However, I could tell from his furrowed brow and tired eyes that things were not as simple as he made them out to be.

One night, Gong Lin returned home at two in the morning.

His face was pale, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked extremely haggard.

I poured him a glass of hot water with a pained expression. He took the glass, his hand trembling slightly, and drank the water in one gulp.

"Gong Lin, what's wrong with you?" I could no longer contain my worry and asked.

He sighed, pulled me into his arms, gently stroked my hair, and whispered, "Qing'er, I may have run into some trouble."

"What trouble?" My heart sank.

He paused for a moment before slowly saying, "Someone in the family is secretly investigating us, seemingly trying to find some incriminating evidence."

My breath caught in my throat, and a chill ran from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. Who was it? Why did they do this?

“I’ve already started my investigation,” Gong Lin’s voice was tinged with coldness. “I will definitely find out who’s behind this.”

In the days that followed, the entire family was shrouded in a tense atmosphere.

Everyone was cautious, afraid of accidentally getting into trouble.

I live in constant fear, afraid that something might happen to Gong Lin.

Just as Gong Lin was about to uncover the truth, he suddenly received an anonymous letter.

That night, I was reading in my study when I suddenly heard a loud bang coming from Gong Lin's room.

I rushed over and saw Gong Lin standing by the window, pale-faced, holding a letter in his hand. There was no signature on the envelope.

He slowly unfolded the letter, his eyes scanning its contents. His face instantly turned ashen, and his hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

"What's wrong?" I asked anxiously.

He suddenly raised his head, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't say anything. He just handed me the letter in his hand.

I took the letter and quickly glanced through its contents. I immediately felt a chill run down my spine, and my blood seemed to freeze.

The letter contained only one sentence:

"There's more to your mother's death than meets the eye."

Gong Lin snatched the letter and clenched it tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white.

He looked at the clues in the anonymous letter, his brow furrowed, his eyes revealing seriousness...