The Only One With a Mouth in the CEO Novel - Chapter 29: Third Protest

Chapter 29: Third Protest

Huh, the video call ended. Shu Lingxi instinctively looked toward Ye Jin.

Just as Ye Jin had suggested having Shu Lingxi sit in on the call, Gu Chenxi had hung up without any explanation.

Ye Jin: Never mind, don’t bother with him.

Who knows what’s gotten into him this time.

This black-hearted capitalist never liked to speak his mind, forcing others to constantly guess his intentions.

Having someone like this as your boss was already hell mode.

If you were to date him on top of that, it would be hell within hell.

Gu Chenxi didn’t want to see her precious friend.

Well, she didn’t want her precious friend hanging around with someone like him either.

Ye Jin snorted inwardly, maintaining a pleasant attitude toward Shu Lingxi: Do you have any questions?

Shu Lingxi quickly asked a few questions about the report she was holding, then promptly left to avoid disturbing Ye Jin’s work.

Shu Lingxi’s workstation was right next to Ye Jin’s.

They had directly added another desk in the office, forming an L-shape with the original one.

So whenever Shu Lingxi looked up, she could see Ye Jin.

Probably for convenience, all of Ye Jin’s clothes followed the same style.

This style could be described as corporate drone chic.

Or alternatively, as minimalist fashion.

At the moment, Ye Jin was staring at her computer, brows slightly furrowed, left hand operating keyboard shortcuts while her right hand controlled the mouse, completely immersed in her work.

She looked incredibly attractive.

Shu Lingxi propped her chin in her hands and admired the view for quite some time.

Her mood kept getting better and better. Finally, carrying this good mood, she continued helping Ye Jin with work.

Since Jinjin was so good to her, she needed to work hard too, so as not to disappoint Jinjin’s expectations.

After a while, Ye Jin suddenly heard some faint humming.

Her mind pulled away from work as she looked up.

She discovered Shu Lingxi humming while working beside her, head bowed diligently and appearing to be in excellent spirits.

Truly worthy of being a novel’s female protagonist, able to remain this happy even while working.

Unlike her.

After being buried under endless work, she had turned into a ruthless, bitter woman.

The ‘bitter woman’ shook her head, finished the last bit of work in hand, and took Shu Lingxi to dinner with people from the Land Bureau.

Ye Jin’s advance notice had prepared Gu Qingyang for his third protest.

At the entrance of Vastness Group.

Gu Qingyang sat casually on the ground without any concern, an empty iced Americano beside him.

He raised a hand to shield himself from the scorching sunlight and asked, Are you hungry? Should I go get food for everyone?

Except for the most severely injured childhood friend who was still hospitalized.

All the others had come.

They held banners and protest signs, simply sitting at the main entrance of Vastness Group.

When they first arrived, they attracted many onlookers, and even media came to interview them.

But as days passed, people gradually lost interest in them.

Not hungry.

We can just eat steamed buns.

Gu Qingyang tried to persuade them: Maybe we should just go back, no point making a scene here.

No! his friend refused righteously. We need to show people our determination!

Your issue hasn’t been resolved yet. Leaving now would mean giving up halfway.

They ended up criticizing Gu Qingyang instead.

This kind of conversation had repeated many times over the past few days.

The environment shapes the people—coming from the same impoverished hometown, their stubbornness was practically identical.

Every time Gu Qingyang tried to persuade them, it was useless.

He could only watch them.

Gu Qingyang couldn’t help but reflect on himself: Had he ever been as stubborn as them in the past?

He pondered this question for many days.

Finally, he reached a conclusion: Yes, he had. And compared to his childhood friends, his stubbornness had been remarkably resourceful.

Whether during high school or after graduation.

The things he had done.

Sigh!

Gu Qingyang lowered his head and let out a sigh.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over him.

A stern voice said, What are you all doing here?

Gu Qingyang looked up and saw several uniformed police officers.

Niu Peng raised his head, squinting against the harsh sunlight. We’re protesting for our rights.

Pack up your things and come with us to the police station, the officer said. Someone reported you for involvement in a group brawl. Cooperate with our investigation.

Gu Qingyang sprang to his feet and called out to his friends, Don’t just stand there! Let’s go!

He quickly gathered his belongings, crumpling them into a ball in his hands, then eagerly asked, Officer, where’s the police car?

Gu Qingyang continued, How many cars did you bring? Can they fit all of us? If not, we can just take taxis.

His enthusiasm was downright outrageous.

It left everyone speechless.

The officer pointed in a direction. The cars are over there.

Gu Qingyang happily headed that way, even turning back to urge, Hurry up and follow me!

The police: …

His childhood friends: …

Wait, is this right?

They were going to the police station, not on a elementary school field trip.

Nevertheless, the police escorted them all back to the station.

Then came the formal questioning.

The officer asked, Someone reported you for involvement in a violent brawl. Do you admit it?

Having grown up in a rural village, these kids had rarely encountered police officers handling cases, let alone been questioned at a police station.

So, his friends nodded in unison. We admit it.

This was Gu Qingyang’s third time at the police station, and it felt oddly familiar. He began to space out.

The officer frowned and rapped on the table.

Stop looking around and answer the question!

Gu Qingyang snapped back to attention. Huh? What question?

Seeing him play dumb, the officer’s expression turned even more severe. What did you do wrong?!

Oh.

Gu Qingyang explained to the officer, I’m different from them. They’re the ones who committed the offense—I’m the one who reported it. You only need to interrogate them.

Silence fell over the room.

Gu Qingyang sensed something and turned to find all his friends staring at him in disbelief.

You reported it? Niu Peng asked.

Gu Qingyang: Yeah.

Gu Qingyang!! You son of a bitch!!!!!!

Niu Peng roared, lunging forward to punch him.

This is a police station!!!

The officer across the table slammed his hand down, his expression fierce. Calm down right now!

Niu Peng immediately shrank back and fell silent.

The officer didn’t immediately believe Gu Qingyang and questioned him, You, the one who reported it, were hanging out with the perpetrators?

Gu Qingyang reasoned clearly, I had to keep an eye on them. What if they ran off?

The officer: … That did make sense.

But Gu Qingyang’s childhood friends weren’t having it.

They all silently glared at him in accusation.

Gu Qingyang pressed his lips together and avoided their gazes.

Actually, even before they went to Vastness to cause trouble, Ye Jin had already told him: when the time was right, she would file a report to have the police arrest them, and Gu Qingyang needed to distance himself from the situation then.

He and his sister were of one mind, so by extension, he could be considered the one who reported it.

Truthfully, Gu Qingyang’s conscience was quite troubled about setting up his childhood friends to be taken to the police station.

But his sister had also said: on the surface, it seemed like he was betraying them, but in reality, he was saving them.

As someone who had once been on the receiving end of such a setup, Gu Qingyang deeply resonated with this.

So no matter how much it weighed on his conscience, he had to carry it out meticulously.

I’ll step out first.

Realizing that his presence might hinder the police’s work, Gu Qingyang took the initiative to leave.

Before going, he turned back and instructed, You all need to confess everything truthfully, not a single lie allowed.

Childhood friends: …

Chunsheng was really too unscrupulous.

They had gone through fire and water for him, and in the end, he sold them out.

Seeing Gu Qingyang switch sides, they naturally saw no reason to hold out any longer and immediately spilled every detail of what had happened that day.

Outside the interrogation room.

Gu Qingyang happened to see Ye Jin coming in.

Sis, I’ve done what you asked, no issues at all, Gu Qingyang walked over eagerly and said excitedly.

Well done.

Ye Jin praised him, then handed a disk to Gu Qingyang, Give this to the police.

Gu Qingyang took it: Is this the surveillance footage from when they were fighting?

Ye Jin: Yes.

Ye Jin had also brought Shu Lingxi and Lawyer Zhang with her this time.

When she and Gu Qingyang were openly discussing their plans, they didn’t avoid them.

Ye Jin: Same as before from here on out—I’ll play the villain, and you keep playing the coward.

Gu Qingyang: Got it.

Listening nearby, the lawyer couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

No wonder Assistant Ye had specifically mentioned double agents to him earlier. He had thought it was just an offhand joke, but it turned out to be real.

And this double agent was none other than the usually slow-witted Young Master Gu.

Next, Ye Jin took the stage. As the person in charge of the freight company, she brought a list of property damages caused by their fight and demanded compensation from Gu Qingyang’s childhood friends.

One of the friends muttered, Chunsheng said we didn’t have to pay.

He used to be the general manager, so he did have that authority, Ye Jin adjusted her glasses and said, but now, I’m the one in charge of the freight company.

The friends scratched their heads anxiously:

But we don’t have any money.

Yeah, we haven’t even been paid last month’s wages yet.

Ye Jin: Your wages aren’t nearly enough to cover the company’s losses. Not only will you not receive your pay, but you also need to pay our company 40,000 yuan in compensation.

No one spoke.

Forty thousand yuan might be a small amount to Gu Qingyang.

But to them, it wasn’t.

Some of them were already married and had families to support.

Others had no concept of financial management and had always spent whatever they earned.

Now, bound by legal constraints, they all looked as dejected as frostbitten eggplants, completely stripped of their former arrogance.

Ye Jin asked, Will you still dare to trust Gu Qingyang in the future?

The rhythm of this conversation had been firmly in Ye Jin’s control from start to finish.

Caught off guard by her sudden question, they all shook their heads in unison without even thinking.

Alright, then I’ll give you a hand. Ye Jin curled her lips and said, As long as you stop listening to Gu Qingyang and no longer stand up for him, I won’t pursue the debt, and I’ll still pay you the wages you’re owed.

They had just experienced Gu Qingyang’s betrayal.

Hearing Ye Jin say this, they immediately nodded repeatedly, indicating they would cut ties with Gu Qingyang from then on.

A day passed like this.

The 24-hour interrogation period ended, and they were all released.

As they were unsure where to go, they saw Gu Qingyang driving a dilapidated blue tricycle that rattled noisily, stopping right in front of them.

Gu Qingyang: Let me give you a ride.

Chunsheng, why are you driving a tricycle?

They were so shocked that their resentment toward Gu Qingyang for tricking them was temporarily set aside.

After all, in their minds, Gu Qingyang should normally be driving luxury cars worth millions.

Because I’ve become a pauper too. Gu Qingyang shrugged, deliberately making himself sound pitiful. You know my stepbrother Gu Chenxi, right? I gave him all my shares, and my sports car too. I knew you were getting out today, so I specially bought this tricycle to pick you up.

Why did you give him all your money?

Yeah, why!

Gu Qingyang sighed but didn’t answer: Just get on, I’ll take you back.

Suddenly, everyone’s hostility toward Gu Qingyang vanished, and they all climbed onto the vehicle.

As he drove the tricycle, Gu Qingyang said: You can keep working at that freight company from now on. I’ve made arrangements—no one will dare give you trouble.

Chunsheng, what about you?

Me? Gu Qingyang said indifferently, I’m fine. I just can’t work at the conglomerate anymore.

Gu Qingyang had become so destitute overnight, yet he had still arranged all this for them.

And he never mentioned the reason for his downfall.

…Could it be that Chunsheng had surrendered to his stepbrother to rescue them?

If that were the case, perhaps Chunsheng had called the police to have them arrested as a way to protect them.

The waters of wealthy families run deep.

The childhood friends exchanged glances, all arriving at the same understanding without a word.

Good brother! One hand suddenly clapped Gu Qingyang on the shoulder.

Another hand landed on his other shoulder. Good brother.

Everything was understood without being said. Good brothers.

Up front, Gu Qingyang’s lips were twitching as if at a dance party.

He struggled to suppress it, putting on a pained expression: Yeah! Good brothers, for life.