C2 You dare to Threaten Me

Ye Tian remained unfazed by Gu Qinian's scorn. "Don't be so cold, Director Gu. I've been waiting here for nearly two hours just to catch a glimpse of you. I nearly froze to death."

She had anticipated that Gu Qinian would surely visit Ye Ziyan at the hospital after her injury, yet the exact timing of his arrival was unknown. Determined not to miss this rare opportunity to encounter him, Ye Tian arrived at the hospital early, braving the cold. Thankfully, her patience paid off, and her wait was not in vain.

Upon hearing her, Gu Qinian let out a derisive chuckle. "Pushing your own sister down the stairs and then waiting at the hospital for me? Ye Tian, your relentless pursuit of your goals by any means necessary is a habit you just can't seem to kick."

"My sister taught me well; I'm simply following her example," she retorted with a light laugh.

She recalled the last words Ye Ziyan had uttered before her fall: "Do you think, if you push me in front of all these reporters, Gu Qinian will spare you?" Then, with a face full of terror and flawless acting that betrayed no faults, she tumbled down the stairs amid the gasps of numerous reporters.

"Comparing yourself to Ziyan," Gu Qinian said with a mocking tone, turning to regard Ye Tian with a look of lazy contempt in his dark eyes. "Do you think you measure up?"

Ye Tian's complexion grew a shade paler. She had braced herself for Gu Qinian's biting remarks, but his mocking tone still struck a chord.

Biting her lip, she looked up and forced a smile. "Of course, I'm not in the same league. In your eyes, Director Gu, I'm nothing but a lowlife who'd do anything for money. How could I ever compare to the Ye family's beloved and charming daughter?"

"Cut to the chase. What do you want from me?" Gu Qinian asked bluntly.

Ye Tian had been calling him incessantly, reaching out to his company and his home. In the past, she would have avoided him at all costs, but her sudden warmth indicated an ulterior motive.

"I need money," she stated plainly, foregoing any further pretense. "My grandfather's condition has taken a turn for the worse. He's in the ICU and requires funds for surgery and treatment—three hundred thousand."

Gu Qinian let out a derisive snort.

"Hand over three hundred thousand, and I promise I won't bother you again, nor will I harass Ye Ziyan. You can enjoy your blissful life together without my interference."

Ye Tian considered the demand reasonable. Given Gu Qinian's vast wealth, a single bottle of his wine could exceed three hundred thousand. So, asking for that amount to leave them alone wasn't too excessive.

"And if I refuse?"

Gu Qinian casually toyed with his cufflinks, a mischievous grin playing on his lips, but his eyes darkened with a chilling intensity—a clear warning sign of his growing impatience to those who knew him.

Ye Tian's heart rate ticked up. Against such a cold and menacing man, psychological tactics were her only weapon.

With this in mind, she feigned nonchalance and shrugged. "Well, if that's the case, I'm out of options. Desperate for cash and out of alternatives, I might just have to sell some juicy details to the tabloids—like the fact that Director Gu is already married, and the bride isn't Ye Ziyan. I bet—"

She leaned in closer to Gu Qinian, her lips twisted in a taunting smile, her eyes alight with challenge. "They'll eat it up."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Ye Tian found herself suddenly flipped over. Gu Qinian's hand gripped her waist like a vice, pinning her beneath him as he loomed over her, his warm breath cascading over her face as he hissed,

"You dare threaten me?"