21 Task one

Grandpa Wu tried to reassure his son even though things were looking bad. "At least, we're not in debt nor did any of us go to jail. There is still an opportunity for a comeback! Look, I'll give you the $60 million in my offshore bank account and you can start a new company again. It won't be the same company as before but it is something that can make money."

Wu Ling replied feeling extremely frustrated: "Who is it that is dealing with us? Do you remember offending anyone recently?"

Madam Wu shook her head and shrugged: "We offended too many people and they all wanted to deal with us. It would be hard to pick out anyone in particular." Wu Ling gritted his teeth and took another swig of hard liquor. He even almost shed tears of sorrow but he blinked them away - he couldn't show weakness now. 'My hard work, all gone!'

Wu Chenren also felt that things had gone a bit too far then he had an epiphany. "Elders, actually, we may have offended someone. Do you remember my girlfriend? I investigated her and it turns out that she was connected to many different heirs of rich families. I think there is someone behind her who is definitely trying to deal with us. Anyone you remember surnamed Mei?"

Wu Ling slapped Wu Chenren so hard that a red handprint formed on Wu Chenren's pale cheeks: "Turns out that it was you! Instead of studying obediently, you were trying to get girls huh? Now, we've all paid for your stupidity! Lao Tzu worked so hard for you to squander all my efforts?" Hot anger surged through Wu Ling's veins and he saw red. He started furiously beating Wu Chenren to the point where many of his bones were broken and his face, black and blue. Wu Ling even smashed the chair and used a chair leg to continue beating him.

No one intervened because they were also angry and they didn't want to be accidentally beaten.

"Ahhh! Dad! I'm sorry! Stop!" Wu Chenren's screams were so loud that some neighbours knocked on the door in concern.

"Lao Wu! What's happening inside there?"

Madam Wu opened the door but refused to let them in. "Sorry about that - my son was practising for his drama classes."

"Wow! He really sounded tragic just then - he has great potential! Don't forget to give us an autograph before he becomes famous!"

Madam Wu nodded and the neighbours left promptly without asking any more questions.

"Ok! Stop beating the child! It won't solve our problems." Wu Ling sat back down and took another swig to quench his thirst. Wu Chenren crawled back to his room leaving a trail of blood on the tiled floor. He reached for the door and struggled to lock it. He was very scared that his family would kill him.

--

Mei Qinghua found herself in a dilapidated house when she opened her eyes. She wasn't nervous or scared because this often happened when her employer wanted to meet her privately. She still didn't know who it was that pulled her out of poverty and she did desperately want to see his face but he always came with his face covered or he covered her eyes so she couldn't see him.

She heard the footsteps so she turned to look at who was coming. A man, in a very luxurious gray suit and another man behind him in black, walked slowly toward her and she guessed that this must be her employer. Both their faces were covered with masks so she didn't know who it was. They didn't speak to her but instead played a voice message.

"Well done for your hard work! I am very pleased with everything that has happened to both the Yue and the Wu families. It is a pity that nothing was done against the Hu family but you don't have to worry about that now. As promised, l have sent $10 million to your parent's accounts - enough to last them the rest of their lives. Any last words you have to say will be recorded and sent to them. Finally, goodbye from me!"

The man in black pulled out a gun from his back pocket and aimed it at her. Mei Qinghua knew that nothing could be negotiated at this point. Her life would definitely be left here today. "Just tell my parents that their revenge has been reported for now. They should move on."

The man in grey nodded and wrote all she said down on a notebook.

The trigger was pulled and Mei Qinghua slumped to the ground in a pool of blood. There was no time for her to regret at all.

--

Bai Lianhua saw the task completion bar increase to 95% and she was confused because she hadn't done anything much at all. Nevertheless, she continued working to make sure that all the work set by her teachers was ready.

The next day, she walked into school and it was deathly quiet. Most students were whispering quietly in the classrooms and people were staring at her with sympathy.

She sat down at her usual table and her friends quickly flocked to her eager for any news or gossip that she had.

"Hey, Huahua, did you know that Wu Chenren dropped out of school? He didn't come to school today so we all assumed that he dropped out! I mean, the school is pretty expensive and l heard that his family's company just went bankrupt!" Her deskmate spoke quietly but quickly showing her excitement at Wu Chenren's misfortune.

"I didn't know. Did my sister come to school as well?" Bai Lianhua asked because she didn't want to see Yue Linlan.

Her deskmate shook her head: "She hasn't come. Actually, she was in the news recently! The police were asking for witnesses to some of her crimes in the newspaper. My dad's uncle works in the police and he told me that our former class teacher was also arrested for taking her bribes!"

Some girls shook their heads lamenting the class teacher's stupidity. "Teachers earn so much at this school! I don't know why he had to take extra money from Yue Linlan." Bai Lianhua kept her thoughts to herself because she didn't others to think she knew everything about the situation.

A teacher walked into the class and announced that there would be an assembly after recess where the principal would explain the recent news and the new changes that would take effect in the school. At this moment, Bai Lianhua also received a text from Hu Pingheng about their little date. He'd planned to take her camping for one night and she wanted to go!

Of course, she needed permission from her parents but she would just tell a few white lies to guarantee that they would let her go.

This decision also cost her her life.