The CEO is domineering, the devil Boss is addicted to pampering

Chapter 1236 Yun Rui's Heart: Being Replaced

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Before Gu Yunqian hung up, he only said, "I hope you don't regret it."

The next day, the second-in-command of the institute held an emergency press conference and announced that Gu Yunxi had suspended all scientific research work due to "health reasons."

Gu Yunxi was arranged to sit in a corner of the venue and was not allowed to go on stage. She stared at Qi Ruixiang, who was also sitting in the audience in a suit and tie.

He was holding the microphone and speaking in a steady tone, going through the interview process, asking indirectly the reasons for Gu Yunxi's "retirement", and no emotion could be seen on his handsome face.

After the show, Gu Yunxi stopped Qi Ruixiang and said, "You did it, right?" Her voice was soft, but it was chilling.

Qi Ruixiang took off his glasses and wiped them, his eyes dodging behind the lenses: "Yunxi, I just..."

"You just want to keep me by your side?" Gu Yunxi interrupted him, her eyes red. "You used your reporter's keen sense of smell to create public opinion, and used your identity as the president to push the development of events. Qi Ruixiang, you really have a good plan!" She thought of the sugar water he sent her these days, and the way he protected her in the laboratory, and felt it was extremely ironic.

Qi Ruixiang stretched out his hand to grab her, but she dodged him: "Yunxi, I'm worried that something will happen to you! Those experiments are too dangerous. The last reactor incident was just a fluke..."

"So you're depriving me of my right to choose in this way?" Gu Yunxi took a step back, "Do you know what scientific research means to me? What's the difference between you and those who want to control my life?" She turned and left, the sound of her high heels hitting the ground crisp and decisive.

Qi Ruixiang stood there, watching her back disappear around the corner.

The night wind blew up the press release at his feet. He bent down to pick it up, his eyes falling on the words "suspend scientific research work".

His nails dug deeply into the paper, and he thought about how he worked hard in the journalism industry after his mother passed away and learned how to manipulate people's hearts with public opinion.

But he never thought that one day he would hurt the person he loved the most in this way...

In the living room of the Gu family's old house, the air seemed to freeze. Gu Yunxi stared at the document on the table that suspended scientific research work, his knuckles white.

Gu Yunqian pushed his gold-rimmed glasses, his tone carrying the dignity of a brother: "Yunxi, this is a decision that William and I have reached unanimously, and it is also for your safety."

"For my safety? Or for your face?" Gu Yunxi stood up suddenly, and the chair made a harsh sound on the marble floor. "The No. 3 reactor project has entered a critical stage. Once it stagnates, all the manpower and material resources invested in the early stage will be wasted! Have you considered my team? Have you considered the project partners?"

Ye Muxue sighed and reached out to pull her to sit down: "You deal with dangerous chemicals all day long in your job, we are really worried about you..."

"So you're going to use public opinion to force me to submit?" Gu Yunxi sneered, took out his phone and threw it on the table. The screen was still stuck on Qi Ruixiang's chat interface. "What's the matter with his reports? Did you instigate it?"

Gu Yunqian's face suddenly darkened: "How do you talk to mom?"

"What do you want me to say?" Gu Yunxi's eyes were red. "Are you trying to use family affection to kidnap me again? Or are you trying to use my parents to kidnap me?"

Gu Yunxi seemed to have already known what the group would do next and just watched coldly, even though she knew that Ye Muxue would definitely be very sad!

"Yunxi, you are the daughter of the Gu family, so you have to be cautious about some things." Gu Yunqian's voice came from behind, with unquestionable toughness, "From today on, you will stay at home and wait for public opinion to calm down."

"Stay home?" Gu Yunxi turned around slowly, his eyes full of despair and determination. "Do you know? We have just made a major breakthrough in the catalyst ratio of Reactor No. 3. This project is not only related to my personal ideals, but also to the future of the entire industry. You want me to give up everything with just one sentence?"

She took a deep breath and tried to calm her voice: "I am an adult, I have my own judgment and choice. Can you please stop interfering in my life?"

However, she received only silence.

Gu Yunqian turned his back and stopped looking at her; Ye Muxue lowered her head and wiped her tears, but did not stand up to support her.

At this moment, Gu Yunxi felt unprecedented loneliness and helplessness...

The morning light shines into the Gu family's old house through the carved window lattices, but it cannot dispel the depression in the air.

Gu Yunqian stood at the stairs, and actually glanced at Gu Yunxi's door before gathering all the servants in the house. His serious expression revealed an unquestionable tone: "From today on, she cannot step out of the house without my permission."

Gu Yunxi gripped the bedroom door handle tightly, his nails almost digging into his palm.

The scene of the quarrel last night kept replaying in her mind. She remembered her mother's shaking hands and her brother's gloomy face when she questioned Gu Yunqian. While she was lost in thought, she heard the servants whispering outside the door.

"Have you seen the lady? Her eyes are swollen like walnuts. She said she cried all night last night."

"That's right. The second master passed away early, and the master and the mistress hoped that the young lady would be safe and sound. How could I not be sad when the young lady said that?"

"And the eldest young master, he sat in the study all night, and his hands were shaking when he was reading the documents this morning..."

These words were like needles piercing Gu Yunxi's heart.

She slumped on the edge of the bed, thinking of Gu Mingcheng's silent back and Ye Muxue's hesitant eyes.

Did I really hurt their feelings?

But what about those scientific research projects that have been forced to pause and those confused team members?

The phone suddenly vibrated. It was a new message popping up in the lab's work group. Gu Yunxi clicked it with trembling hands. The top announcement stung her eyes: "According to the decision of the superiors, Li Bo will be the new head of the No. 3 Reactor Project Team and will take over all work from today."

Replies from colleagues popped up in the group: "Welcome Li Bo!" "Please give me more advice in the future!" "I believe that the project will be successful under Li Bo's leadership!"

Gu Yunxi felt like his breathing was about to stop.

She frantically called her mentor, but only heard a mechanical prompt tone: "The number you dialed is turned off." She called the assistant again, and the other party hesitated: "Dr. Gu, we can't do anything about the decision above..."

Tears blurred vision.

She recalled the countless days and nights she had spent in the laboratory, the catalyst formula she had repeatedly adjusted, and the cheers of her team members when they overcame difficult problems. All that hard work and ideals were easily replaced by others.

In the study, Gu Yunqian watched the surveillance video of Gu Yunxi's distraught look, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table. The secretary sent the latest public opinion report, and the negative news has begun to cool down.

"Mr. Qi said that the follow-up reports can be withdrawn." The secretary said cautiously.

Gu Yunqian rubbed his brows and said, "I understand."

He looked at the garden outside the window, thinking back to the time when he first met Gu Yunxi.

She was innocent back then, unlike now, with her eyes full of stubbornness and defensiveness.

In the living room downstairs, Ye Muxue was holding a cup of hot tea, staring at the family portrait on the wall in a daze. In the photo, Gu Yunxi was wearing a bachelor's gown and smiling brightly, but now, that smile can no longer be seen.

She wiped her tears and whispered to the servant, "Send the sweet-scented osmanthus cake that the young lady loves to eat, and say that it is... a new skill learned in the kitchen."

Gu Yunxi looked at the osmanthus cake placed at the door. The fragrance was so fragrant, but it made her feel nauseous.

She grabbed her phone and searched for news about the No. 3 Reactor Project on social media platforms.

Sure enough, new reports have flooded the market, and the protagonist has become Li Bo, who has just taken over. The whole article is full of praise for him, as if he was the one who was in charge of this project from the beginning.