Living in a county town, starting as a stock market maker...

The lightning bolt that ignited the storm was ultimately struck down by Meng Xiaoyan herself.

She ignored the seemingly innocent and talkative girl in the pink dress.

In her opinion, this kind of girl was obviously naive and at most an accomplice who had been led astray.

The real bad boss is the one in front of you.

This well-dressed woman with a cold gaze exudes shrewdness and resourcefulness.

Meng Xiaoyan's steps were heavy, each step landing on Gu Ming's heart.

She stopped in front of Su Qingying.

Then he raised his bloodshot eyes, filled with humiliation and hostility, and stared intently at the other person.

The air in the living room was so thick it felt suffocating.

"Miss Su."

Meng Xiaoyan spoke, her voice not loud, but sharp and piercing, like the scraping of a rusty knife.

"Our family is small and poor; we can't afford to play the games of you rich people."

"If you're looking for fun and excitement, don't drag my son into it!"

These words were like a bullet, hitting Su Qingying squarely.

Gu Ming's heart sank.

It’s over.

His worst fears came true.

His mother channeled her fear of the rumors, her panic about not knowing what would happen, and her inferiority and anger stemming from poverty into an attack on Su Qingying alone.

She saw Su Qingying as the root cause of her son's corruption.

But Su Qingying had never been subjected to such barbed words before; it was practically an insult directed at her face.

In her world, all problems can be solved through communication, negotiation, and rational analysis.

Her beautiful brows furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly.

It felt like a top hunter encountering an animal he couldn't understand; he instinctively became cautious and a little bewildered.

She wasn't angry, and her voice didn't change at all; she still had that professional demeanor ingrained in her bones.

"Auntie, you may have misunderstood."

She was thinking of ways to resolve the current trouble in the most peaceful and rational manner.

"We have a legitimate business relationship with Gu Ming, and I'm here today to discuss future projects with him..."

"Business cooperation?" Meng Xiaoyan interrupted her in a shrill voice as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world.

Her face was contorted with anger and fear, and her expression was one of barely concealed mockery.

Her voice suddenly rose, sharp as a knife, full of accusations.

"What kind of business collaboration?"

"What kind of business collaboration requires taking those...those kinds of shady photos?"

The words "shameful photos" were like filth, squeezed out by Meng Xiaoyan through her teeth and splashed onto everyone in the living room.

Gu Yuanshan suddenly looked up, dropping the cigarette ash from his hand onto the ground.

Gu Ming closed his eyes, a tremendous sense of powerlessness almost swallowing him whole.

The most toxic and disgusting part of the rumor was ultimately exposed by his mother in the most direct way, in front of everyone.

Su Qingying was also stunned.

Her expression froze for the first time.

photo?

Photos that are not meant to be seen?

Her first reaction wasn't anger, but rather the investor's alarm.

Could it be that Gu Ming's business involves some shady dealings that she is unaware of, with significant legal and ethical risks?

She looked at Gu Ming, her eyes full of questions.

But Shen An'an, standing nearby, saw it as a completely different matter.

She was in a daze from the moment she walked in.

First, there was Gu Ming's mother's murderous glare, and then there were the two of them, Gu Ming and Su Qingying, talking as if they were about to fight.

What kind of game is this for the rich? What kind of business cooperation is this?

She was completely confused and felt that the atmosphere in the house was strange and oppressive.

Until the words "shameful photos" reached her ears.

photo?

She knows that word very well!

Gu Ming just brings people to take photos and videos of me every day, doesn't he?

She subconsciously connected Meng Xiaoyan's words with her own project.

Seeing Meng Xiaoyan's angry and frightened expression, she had only one thought in her mind: to help explain.

She felt that Gu Ming's mother must have misunderstood something.

The things Gu Ming photographed for himself are all art! How can you call them shameful?

Then, this overly protected young lady had no idea what a bombshell she was about to drop.

She blinked her innocent big eyes, curiously leaned closer, and chimed in.

The sound was crisp and loud, with a touch of childish self-righteousness.

"Auntie, what kind of photos are considered shameful?"

"Gu Ming took a picture of me too!"

The moment those words were spoken, the air in the entire living room seemed to freeze.

Gu Ming's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Shen An'an in disbelief, trying to stop her, but it was too late.

Meng Xiaoyan's gaze also "whooshed" from Su Qingying to Shen An'an's face.

But Shen An'an didn't sense any danger at all, and was still excitedly trying to defend and clarify for Gu Ming.

"It's the shape of a coin! We took so many photos and videos!"

"It's so much fun! And it's not anything shameful, it's performance art!"

To make her words sound more convincing, she specifically emphasized how valuable this art was.

"We spent eighteen million to film that!"

one...

Eighteen million...

This 18 million was like a bolt of lightning.

Without any warning, without any buffer, it struck Meng Xiaoyan squarely and hard on the forehead.

"boom--"

Her mind went completely blank.

All the previous rumors, speculations, and fears have now been solidified into undeniable facts by this astronomical figure.

In my mind, a very absurd yet perfectly logical chain of thought immediately formed.

Spend eighteen million.

Give it to a young, beautiful, and wealthy girl.

To take photos that are not meant to be seen by others.

It’s over.

It's all over.

My son wasn't led astray.

My son... my son has gone mad!!

He's hooked! He's completely trapped in the quagmire of these rich people's reckless spending!

Eighteen million! !

How much is that?

That's money she and Lao Gu couldn't earn in a lifetime, no, ten lifetimes!

Just to take a few photos? Isn't that insane? Isn't that wasteful? Isn't that taking the wrong path?!

Meng Xiaoyan's lips trembled, and she couldn't utter a single word.

Her gaze, like a slow-motion video, swept desperately over everyone present.

She first looked at Shen An'an, who had an innocent look on her face and spoke of 18 million as if she were talking about 18 yuan.

That young and beautiful face was filled with a madness she couldn't understand.

Then, she looked at Su Qingying, who had remained calm throughout.

In her eyes, this calmness was now the coldness and composure of the mastermind behind the scenes.

Finally, her gaze fell on her son, Gu Ming, who had just walked out of the door looking bewildered and helpless.

All the anger, humiliation, and fear at that moment transformed into a bottomless despair.

That was watching helplessly as your most precious possession was completely destroyed, and you were powerless to do anything about it—the deepest despair.

"It's over..."

A groan, as if from a dream, escaped Meng Xiaoyan's throat.

"My son... has been completely corrupted by you..."

The voice just fell.

The last bit of strength she had to support herself seemed to have been drained away all at once.

My legs went weak.

He fell straight backward.