Chapter 12

Gu Bai agreed. After hanging up, he set his phone aside and picked up the controller to continue his game.

Only now did he seem to feel that this book was a domestic power struggle over an inheritance. Gu Ruilin did not truly have his best interests at heart; he had called to sound him out. Besides, Gu Bai was not the anxious one now-Gu Ruilin was. They were the ones on the back foot.

The arranged marriage was not entirely a bad thing for Gu Bai. Gu Haisheng had probably reached an agreement with the other family and would not simply hand over the Gu Family's shares. Judging by the current situation, Gu Jiazi and her brother did not have much chance of getting those shares, which was why they wanted to get there first and use the marriage to pave the way for what came afterward.

Besides, it would not be too late to decide after meeting his prospective marriage partner.

Gu Bai worked the controls, and the character on the screen cleared the level smoothly. Those two phone calls had not affected him at all.

The next morning, Gu Bai was woken by Mocha nuzzling him. Ever since Mocha had learned to open doors, he had enjoyed even greater freedom to come and go from Gu Bai's room.

With his eyes half open, Gu Bai wrapped an arm around Mocha and said lazily, "Sleep with me a little longer."

Mocha obeyed for one second before letting out a series of whines at Gu Bai.

Gu Bai sighed helplessly. "You needy little thing."

Gu Bai could not resist a large, fluffy pet acting cute. He got up, washed, and took Mocha for a walk around the residential complex. By the time they returned, the housekeeper had arrived and prepared breakfast.

He fed Mocha before eating his own breakfast.

After lounging around at home for a while, it was almost eleven by the time he left.

Several cars were already parked outside the Gu residence when he arrived, and a few bodyguards stood at the entrance. It seemed his prospective marriage partner had arrived.

But judging by the size of the entourage, the other party's elders might have come too.

Gu Bai walked into the Gu residence as casually as ever. A broad stretch of lawn lay just inside the entrance. This was something he would have to consider when buying a house in the future. A fishpond in the backyard would be even better; he could fish to supplement Mocha's meals.

There was no thought of marriage in his mind, only his retirement.

The plants in the Gu Family's front yard were well tended. It was early autumn, and the sunshine was still intense, but the several large trees along the path provided ample shade. Gu Bai followed the paving stones, one step at a time.

"Young Master Chu, the path to the backyard is this way. There's a back gate that leads straight outside, and the old Chu Family residence is right next door."

Gu Bai looked up at the voice and saw the butler speaking to a young man. From the butler's words, his surname was probably Chu.

The man stood more than half a head taller than the butler and listened with his eyes lowered. His black hair was cut rather short, revealing sharp facial contours and handsome features. From where Gu Bai stood, he had a perfect view of the man's striking profile.

Gu Bai took several good looks. If this man was his prospective marriage partner, at least he would be a feast for the eyes.

The man turned toward the backyard. Then Gu Jiazi came out of the house and followed him.

Gu Bai headed for the front door. When the butler saw him, he smiled and said, "Third Young Master, you're back. The master is waiting for you inside."

The butler led Gu Bai into the house. Inside were only a few members of the Gu Family and an elderly man he did not remember ever seeing before.

The elderly man was the first to notice Gu Bai entering. His welcome was warmer than that of Gu Haisheng, his own father, upon seeing his own son.

"Xiao Bai is here. Hmph, that brat Ze Shen just had to pick this moment to look at some old house. What's so interesting about it?"

Zhao Xinran spoke up for him from the side. "That's where Ze Shen lived as a child. Now that he's here, it's only natural for him to feel nostalgic."

Something apparently struck Gu Ruilin as funny, and he laughed. "Auntie Zhao, Ze Shen hasn't even become related to the Gu Family by marriage yet. Why are you so eager to act like his in-law and speak up for him?"

Gu Haisheng showed no sign of speaking up for Zhao Xinran, while Elder Chu seemed oblivious to the Gu Family's verbal sparring and kept looking kindly at Gu Bai.

Gu Bai walked over to Gu Haisheng. "Father."

Gu Haisheng said to him, "You're here. Say hello."

Elder Chu beckoned. "Come sit beside me."

Gu Bai sat beside Elder Chu and greeted him politely. "Hello, Elder Chu."

"What do you mean, Elder Chu? Call me Grandpa. Xiao Bai, do you remember me? I held you when you were little." Elder Chu smiled. "You were so fair, like a little white steamed bun. Absolutely adorable."

Gu Ruilin frowned. "Grandpa Chu, our youngest had only just learned to walk when you moved away. My sister was seven, and I was five. Only the two of us remember a little. My sister and Ze Shen are close in age, so they have more to talk about."

"Is that so?" Elder Chu asked.

"Of course," Gu Ruilin said with a smile. "My sister has stayed in touch with Ze Shen all along. Didn't they just go out together? They seem to have endless things to say to each other."

Elder Chu seemed quite convinced that there was nothing between his grandson and the Gu Family's eldest daughter. "They're just friends who haven't seen each other in years."

Gu Ruilin felt something was off when he heard that. "He's unmarried, and so is she. You can't jump to conclusions so easily, or there'll be another pair of star-crossed lovers in this world."

After saying that, he gave Gu Bai a look, signaling for him to say something to derail today's marriage arrangement.

Before Gu Bai could speak, Elder Chu gave a chuckle of unclear meaning. "My grandson is attracted to men. Whether she's unmarried has nothing to do with him."

Chapter 7

A crash came from the entrance, followed by the butler's voice. "May broken pieces bring peace, year after year. Eldest Young Miss, Young Master Chu, go on inside. I'll clean this up. Mind the broken vase on the floor."

Gu Jiazi walked into the living room in a daze, while the man beside her remained calm.

This little interlude did not disrupt the atmosphere surrounding the marriage arrangement.

Seeing his grandson enter, Elder Chu immediately said, "I told you not to wander off, but you did it anyway. Hurry over here. Xiao Bai has been waiting for you for ages."

Gu Bai raised his eyes and met the gaze of the man before him. Up close, his stunning looks were even more apparent. This time, compared with seeing him from a distance, there was an added, inherent aggressiveness, probably stemming from his bearing. The sharpness of his features created a sense of distance, yet his angular face was so handsome that it made people want to draw closer.