Page 13

His presence was powerful, yet restrained.

Seated, Gu Bai lifted his eyes slightly to look at the man, as calm as when they had first met.

Many people looked toward Chu Zeshen when he entered the living room, their gazes invariably probing, but one unfamiliar gaze caught his attention, and he met that person's eyes.

Those eyes held a cool reserve, as calm as if he were looking at a stranger for the first time, without any of the ingratiation that irritated him.

They were clear and refreshingly soothing.

Seeing his grandson standing there like a block of wood, Elder Chu spoke again. "Why are you standing there like a block of wood? Is there nowhere for you to sit?"

Chu Zeshen walked over and sat on Elder Chu's other side. With his grandson and grandson-in-law beside him, Elder Chu already seemed to be enjoying the pleasures of family life, smiling from ear to ear.

Gu Haisheng and Zhao Xinran sat together, while the three seated before them looked more like a family. At the sight, Gu Jiazi's heart began to ache faintly again, and a trace of hatred entered her eyes as she looked at Gu Bai.

Elder Chu chuckled. "Before Xiao Bai was born, his mother and my daughter-in-law were the closest of friends, and they verbally arranged a marriage between their children. Who would have thought that what seemed like a joke would actually come true twenty-two years later?"

Gu Jiazi suddenly spoke. "Xiao Bai hadn't even been born then, and they didn't know whether he would be a boy or a girl. How can a casual remark from the elders of two families be taken seriously? Isn't that a little disrespectful of the younger generation's wishes?"

Gu Haisheng frowned. "Jiazi, how can you interrupt when your elders are discussing something? This marriage was arranged by my Third Brother's mother and the late matriarch of the Chu Family."

Elder Chu fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "That's true. If they don't agree, then it's just wishful thinking on our part. Xiao Bai, what do you think of this grandson of the Chu Family, who looks presentable enough and is reasonably good-looking?"

Gu Bai had thought he would ask his own grandson's opinion first. If the other man was unwilling, he wouldn't insist either; they could simply part on good terms.

Gu Ruilin gave a light cough. "As far as I know, my Third Brother's ideal type is a sweet-looking girl. Ze Shen is tall and strapping, a million miles away from sweet-looking. We shouldn't force this."

Seeing that Gu Bai still hadn't spoken, Gu Haisheng said, "Third Brother, have you made up your mind?"

How could Gu Bai not know that Gu Haisheng had arranged this marriage alliance for him? He was being given no more than two choices: sacrifice his own happiness to gain full inheritance rights to the shares, or reject the marriage for the sake of so-called happiness and thereby lose all his inheritance.

As it happened, he had nothing but disdain for this thing called happiness. How could he not be happy if he had money?

"Since my mother arranged it, as her son, I have no reason not to comply."

He had barely finished speaking when Gu Ruilin said incredulously, "You... Third Brother, you..."

Zhao Xinran suddenly laughed. "Hahaha, another fine match for the Gu Family. This really is cause for celebration. As an elder who watched Third Brother grow up, I can say I wasn't wrong about him. He's sure to accomplish great things someday."

Gu Jiazi stared at Chu Zeshen and asked, unwilling to accept it, "Ze Shen, what about your opinion? Do you really want to be tied down by this marriage alliance?"

Chu Zeshen said much the same thing as Gu Bai. "I'll follow my elders' arrangements."

He looked at Gu Jiazi. "Miss Gu, marriage is never a shackle that binds a person."

Hearing the two young men's answers, Gu Haisheng smiled and said to Elder Chu, "Stay for lunch. I had them start preparing today's family banquet last night."

The words "family banquet" filled Elder Chu with delight, and he agreed several times in succession.

The living room seemed perfectly harmonious, but everyone harbored their own schemes, though they had no choice but to go along with it all with strained smiles.

The Gu Family had prepared lunch with great care, with a lavish spread of dishes. Several people present had little appetite, however, and almost every dish was removed untouched when the next one arrived.

Gu Bai's appetite had remained excellent throughout, and his mood hadn't been affected either. When the dishes he finished were cleared away, they were almost always empty.

Sitting beside Gu Bai and watching him relish his food, Gu Ruilin said snidely, "Third Brother, you certainly have a good appetite. Anyone who didn't know better would think our family had been mistreating you."

Gu Bai kept his eyes lowered to the food on his plate without sparing Gu Ruilin a glance. "Second Brother, wasting food is shameful."

Hearing this made Old Master Chu like the young man even more. The more he looked at him, the more pleased he became. He smiled and said, "Children these days have it too easy. It wasn't like this when we were out trying to make our way in the world. Even getting a full meal was hard."

Chu Zeshen didn't speak up to embarrass the old man. The Chu Family was a long-established family, and as its youngest child, his grandfather had been showered with affection. He had never struggled out in the world as he claimed.

Without too many interruptions, the meal was a cheerful, harmonious affair.

After lunch, it was time for the Chu Family to leave. Gu Bai didn't want to stay at the Gu Family home either, so he informed Gu Haisheng and planned to leave with them.

Knowing that Gu Bai didn't live at the Gu Family home, Elder Chu said, "Xiao Bai, let Ze Shen drive you home. It's on his way."

He hadn't even asked where Gu Bai lived before saying it was on the way. His real aim was to let the two spend time together and get to know each other.

Gu Jiazi picked up her bag from the sofa and said to Chu Zeshen, "I need to go back to the office for something. Could I get a ride?"

If Gu Bai still couldn't see Gu Jiazi's feelings for Chu Zeshen by now, his eyes would have been wasted on him. He had always thought she was scheming over this marriage alliance for the shares, but now it seemed that wasn't the whole story. She was deeply in love with Chu Zeshen.

It wasn't Gu Bai's turn to speak, so he quietly stood to one side and watched the show.

Chu Zeshen politely declined. "That won't be convenient. Please have someone else drive you, Miss Gu."

Gu Jiazi pressed him. "What's inconvenient about it? If you marry Xiao Bai, I'll count as your elder. You're not even together yet, and you won't so much as give me a ride?"

She was determined to get into Chu Zeshen's car.

Gu Bai remained silent, letting the spectacle escalate.

Chu Zeshen glanced at Gu Bai, who was thoroughly enjoying the show.

"Miss Gu, you'd be intruding on my time alone with Xiao Bai, so please have someone else take you to the office."

Gu Jiazi had still clung to the hope that Chu Zeshen had been forced into this marriage alliance by Elder Chu. But hearing Chu Zeshen himself say that she was intruding on their time alone shattered that so-called hope.

Top