Chapter 7

Old Master Gu has held power in the Gu family for many years, and for just as long, he has been a figure of immense influence in North City.

In Gu Yunhao’s memory, his grandfather was not only perpetually stern toward him, but he was also harsh to the point of being exacting with his own father. Gu Yunhao could never forget the first time he saw his father kneeling before the old man to admit a mistake when he was a child. The sight of his father—a man so imposing in his own eyes—being berated by his grandfather until he was speechless and dared not utter a single word of rebuttal, had left a deep and lasting impact.

As he grew older, Gu Yunhao gradually realized that his father was not just kneeling before his grandfather, but before power itself. Although the old man no longer held absolute sway over the Gu family as he once did, the respect and fear he inspired remained etched into Gu Yunhao’s bones.

When the butler came downstairs to find Gu Yunhao, he was in the middle of soothing an anxious Cen Meng.

"Young Master Yunhao," Butler He began, "the Old Master wants you to go upstairs and see him."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yunhao stiffened and instinctively let go of Cen Meng. Cen Meng, who had been leaning most of her weight on him, lost her balance and let out a low gasp. She stumbled before steadying herself, and seeing that the newcomer was merely an old man in a butler’s uniform, she felt a surge of dissatisfaction. They had agreed that he would introduce her to everyone, yet the moment he encountered a butler, he was in such a hurry to release her. Bound by the fact that this was the Gu family estate and that she was currently in dire need of Gu Yunhao, Cen Meng swallowed her anger.

Gu Yunhao’s expression was visibly tense. "Butler He, are you sure Grandfather wants to see me now? The birthday banquet is about to begin..."

Butler He’s tone was neither servile nor overbearing. "Yes. The Old Master gave this order, and naturally, he has his reasons. You should go as soon as possible, Young Master."

"…Very well," Gu Yunhao replied. He glanced at Cen Meng behind him.

Butler He spoke again, "Young Master Yunhao, you shouldn’t bring irrelevant people up to trouble the Old Master."

The words "irrelevant" and "trouble" were particularly grating. The corners of Cen Meng’s mouth twitched, and she barely maintained her smile. Knowing it was the Old Master’s decree, Gu Yunhao dared not utter a word of contradiction and could only nod in agreement.

Once upstairs, Butler He gestured toward the room and left the grandfather and grandson alone. In the spacious room, the silence was suffocating. The Old Master watched him quietly without saying a word, yet his stern gaze alone was enough to make Gu Yunhao feel deeply guilty. Unable to withstand the pressure, Gu Yunhao finally asked, "Grandfather, what did you need to see me for?"

The Old Master looked him up and down for a few seconds before slowly speaking: "Yunhao, did you know that Yuxuan didn’t come today?"

Gu Yunhao’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn't dared to tell his grandfather about the breakup with Ning Yuxuan himself, so he had asked his mother to help break the news to the Old Master. His mother, Wang Yahui, was a woman of great social skill—her ability to navigate complex situations was no less than her husband’s. After speaking with the Old Master, she had warned Gu Yunhao not to mention Ning Yuxuan for a while, suggesting they wait a few days before confessing that the two were simply incompatible. Gu Yunhao had agreed at the time, thinking he could at least put on a show with Ning Yuxuan at the banquet to appease his grandfather. However, he had eventually succumbed to Cen Meng’s persistent whispers and promised to introduce her to the guests.

He had reasoned that his grandfather was old and in poor health, so he likely wouldn’t interfere in the private lives of the younger generation. He would take Cen Meng to meet a few guests privately; it wouldn’t anger his grandfather, and it would let everyone know he had broken up with Ning Yuxuan and moved on to a new girlfriend. He hadn't expected his grandfather to summon him at this exact moment, specifically to bring up Ning Yuxuan.

Gu Yunhao looked down, not daring to meet the Old Master’s eyes, and tried to shift the focus. "Grandfather, I... I spoke to Yuxuan in person the day before yesterday and reminded her not to forget your birthday banquet."

The Old Master let out a cold snort. "Are you implying that she simply forgot to come?"

Gu Yunhao braced himself. "P-possibly."

The cane struck the floor with a dull thud.

"Lies!" the Old Master roared, his face full of fury. "Yuxuan sent me birthday greetings and even prepared a thoughtful gift. If it weren't for you not wanting her to come, why would she be absent?"

"Grandfather!" Gu Yunhao was truly panicked now. His voice trembled as he explained, "No, that's not it, Grandfather! I really don't know why she didn't come! I truly did remind her that day to be sure to come and wish you a happy birthday!"

The Old Master watched his terrified grandson. He knew his grandson’s character—he had some petty cleverness, but he shouldn't dare to lie like this before him. After a moment of silence, the Old Master’s tone softened slightly. "Enough. We will discuss the details after the ceremony. The banquet is about to begin; come down with me."

At noon, as the auspicious hour approached, the Gu family’s birthday banquet was set to begin.

Elsewhere, Ning Yuxuan was having lunch with Ning Fei. Ning Shiyue’s schedule was tight, and he had an event to attend today, meaning he wouldn't be home until night. Just as Ning Yuxuan was placing a piece of Dongpo pork into her bowl, her phone rang.

After answering, the voice of the old butler from the Gu household came through the speaker: "Miss Ning, the Old Master asked me to make this call to you—"

The butler first conveyed the Old Master’s appreciation for her gift and then expressed his sincere hope that she could attend the banquet. After hanging up, Ning Yuxuan hesitated. Butler He’s choice of words had been extremely polite and courteous, with no hint of coercion; he had simply reiterated that the Old Master really wanted her to come. Ning Yuxuan was the type to respond to kindness rather than force; if they had used seniority or the Gu family’s power to pressure her, she would have refused without a second thought.

Ning Fei noticed her daughter’s conflict. "Is it from the Gu family?"

Ning Yuxuan nodded.

Ning Fei said gently, "Old Master Gu has always been kind to you, and since today is his eightieth birthday, you should go."

Her daughter’s connection to the Gu family was through her ex-husband. After the divorce and their move to North City, no matter how difficult things were, Ning Fei had never considered asking her ex-husband for help. But her daughter was different, and Ning Fei didn't want her daughter to suffer as she had. Therefore, when her ex-husband mentioned his acquaintance with the Gu family and offered to introduce their daughter to Old Master Gu for his patronage, Ning Fei had hesitated for a long time before agreeing. She knew from her daughter that the banquet was today, but fearing that mentioning Gu Yunhao would hurt her, she hadn't asked about it until now.

Hearing her mother’s advice, Ning Yuxuan pondered for a moment. "I’ll text you when it’s over."

"Alright," Ning Fei said. "I’ll have Uncle Li drive you."

The Gu family’s old estate was not in the city center, and it would take about half an hour to get there from the Ning residence. As Ning Yuxuan sat in the car, she remembered something. She had an appointment with Xie Zhiyan at 3:00 PM today to discuss their marriage. There should be enough time, but one never knew what might happen, and the travel time was a factor.

Ning Yuxuan texted Xie Zhiyan: [Mr. Xie, I have something unexpected to attend to this afternoon, so I might be a little late. Could you wait for me for a while? At most half an hour. If that doesn't work, we can reschedule.]

Ten minutes later, Xie Zhiyan replied: [Old Master Gu's birthday banquet?]

Ning Yuxuan was surprised for only a second. The elite circles of North City were small; it was perfectly normal for Xie Zhiyan to know about the Gu family’s banquet.

Ning Yuxuan: [Yes.]

She wondered if she should explain more about why she was suddenly attending the banquet. Xie Zhiyan was a busy man of great importance and might not have the patience for her explanations, but not explaining seemed impolite. Before she could decide, two more messages popped up.

Xie Zhiyan: [No need to reschedule.]

Xie Zhiyan: [Keep an eye on your messages around 3:00.]

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

What did he mean by "keep an eye on his messages"? Ordinarily, she would have pressed for details, but since she was the one who was late, she felt in the wrong. After thinking it over, she simply replied with a "Good."

Inside the banquet hall, the party had just begun. Old Master Gu appeared before the guests, accompanied by Gu Yunhao. Cen Meng, who had been feeling uneasy, felt a sudden sense of relief at the sight. Gu Yunhao appearing with the Old Master meant that being summoned earlier likely wasn't a bad thing. As long as Gu Yunhao was fine, she had nothing to worry about.

The Old Master was not in the best of health, so the ceremony was not overly complex. Everything proceeded step by step, and once the formal portion concluded, guests approached the main table to offer their blessings. The Old Master was accompanied by his sons, while Gu Yunhao, being younger and less senior, stood nearby, exchanging pleasantries with other guests.

Cen Meng hadn't had a chance to speak to Gu Yunhao until now, and she seized the moment. She naturally hooked her arm into his. "Yunhao."

A guest nearby asked, "And who is this?"

Recalling the dressing-down he had received from the Old Master upstairs, Gu Yunhao hesitated. Seeing the man beside her remain silent, Cen Meng felt a flicker of annoyance, but she forced a smile. "Hello, I am Yunhao’s girlfriend."

The guest let out an "Oh," and said with understanding, "I’ve heard of you. You are... Miss Ning, right?"

Cen Meng’s expression froze. "I..."

Gu Yunhao suddenly coughed. "Alright, I’m discussing business with this gentleman, and it’s not something you’d understand. You should go wait for me over there."

Cen Meng: "..."

The feeling of grievance surged within her. How many times had Gu Yunhao embarrassed her today? The guest had mistaken her for someone else—that woman she looked down upon—and he hadn't even bothered to clarify. Yet, given the occasion, she couldn't afford to show her dissatisfaction.

Cen Meng took a deep breath. "Alright, Yunhao, I’ll go wait for you elsewhere."

She turned and took only two steps before she stopped, her eyes widening. That graceful figure in the distance—wasn't that—?

In the past few days, Cen Meng had repeatedly watched the replay of the "Dear Mother" livestream, specifically Ning Yuxuan’s scenes, trying to find points to attack her. Thus, she recognized Ning Yuxuan’s back instantly. But wasn't she supposed to be absent?

Cen Meng instinctively looked toward Gu Yunhao, wanting to ask what was going on. Gu Yunhao was also staring, stunned, in the direction of Ning Yuxuan.

Among the crowd, Ning Yuxuan’s attire was not particularly elaborate; she was simply wearing a formal, light-cyan dress.