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Overpowered by his grandson's academic credentials, Elder Chu reluctantly swallowed his indignation.

Gu Bai poured tea into the cup in front of Elder Chu. "Grandpa, have some tea."

Elder Chu shot Chu Zeshen a cold look, then turned to Gu Bai with a beaming smile. "Our Xiao Bai is the filial one after all."

The three enjoyed a harmonious meal.

Still thinking about Chu Zeshen's mention of B University's finance department, Gu Bai turned to him and asked curiously, "You went to B University too?"

Chu Zeshen used the serving chopsticks to place a piece of smoked salmon on Gu Bai's plate. "I graduated from B University, then went abroad for graduate school."

Gu Bai asked, "Which university abroad?"

Chu Zeshen said, "H University."

Gu Bai froze again for a few seconds. He had studied finance at H University in his previous life.

He had to admit that both the Gu Bai in the book and the Gu Bai who had transmigrated here had some connection to Chu Zeshen.

The book mainly revolved around fighting over the family fortune and household infighting. Gu Bai was cannon fodder who was scum from his very first appearance, with little written about him later on. There was even less about the Chu Family and Chu Zeshen, only a brief mention that it was an enormous family. Since Gu Bai had died before finishing the book, he had no idea how things developed afterward.

The marriage alliance and moving into the Chu Family were a refuge he had arranged for himself, taking him a little further from the cannon fodder's original trajectory and laying the groundwork for a lifetime of lazing around.

Seeing that Gu Bai had fallen silent, Chu Zeshen asked, "What's wrong?"

Gu Bai smiled, his voice carrying some indistinct emotion. "Nothing. I just think you're really impressive."

A breeze brought over a faint woody fragrance with Sichuan pepper in its top and middle notes. Looking at Gu Bai's smile, Chu Zeshen lost himself for a moment.

Until Elder Chu spoke. "You brat, Xiao Bai's plate is piled high, and your grandpa has nothing."

While lost in thought, Chu Zeshen had kept habitually putting food on Gu Bai's plate, almost filling it to the brim.

Chu Zeshen calmly served Elder Chu some food. "Grandpa, eating more vegetables is good for you."

After lunch, the three sat outside drinking tea and chatting for a little while before Elder Chu got up and went inside, claiming that sitting too long made his back hurt.

His brisk steps showed no sign of back pain, and his cane was merely decorative. Once inside, Elder Chu headed straight for the second floor.

The two younger men followed behind, one after the other.

Gu Bai reached the second floor while Chu Zeshen was still on the stairs. Turning and bending down, Gu Bai lowered his voice. "Don't worry. I've arranged everything."

They were very, very close, almost within an appropriate social distance. Chu Zeshen only had to tilt his head slightly to touch Gu Bai's cheek.

Chu Zeshen raised his eyes to look straight into Gu Bai's, seeing only himself reflected in them.

He nodded. "I trust you to handle things."

Gu Bai straightened and looked back at Mocha, who had secretly followed them. "Don't come up here and cause trouble."

Mocha whined at his words and pressed affectionately against Chu Zeshen's leg.

Chu Zeshen smiled. "We won't cause trouble."

Elder Chu came out and looked at the family of three on the stairs. "What secrets are you whispering that I'm not allowed to hear?"

Chu Zeshen shifted aside to let Mocha up the stairs. "Telling Mocha not to open bedroom doors at night."

Elder Chu looked at his shameless grandson, seemingly having seen through his true colors.

Elder Chu did not really inspect the young couple's bedroom. They were newlyweds, after all, so it was somewhat inappropriate. He took one look from the doorway, then turned away.

They were even wearing the same perfume now. Their lives were already very intimate.

Seeing signs that someone was staying in the spare bedroom, Elder Chu asked, "What are you using the spare bedroom for?"

Mocha jumped onto the bed out of habit and lay down on the pillow on the other side.

Gu Bai said, "Mocha sometimes sleeps in this room. His things are all in here."

Remembering his grandson's remark about telling Mocha not to open bedroom doors at night, Elder Chu immediately understood. He would just treat it as a nursery, then.

Mocha was also a perceptive dog. Respecting the old and caring for the young, he stuck exceptionally close to Elder Chu.

On the way downstairs, he hurried to the front, looking back at Elder Chu with every step as though afraid he might fall.

In the living room, he used the skills he had learned to make Elder Chu laugh again and again.

After Mocha brought over the tissue box for Elder Chu to wipe his hands for the umpteenth time, Elder Chu hugged him. "Our Mocha is so clever. Do you want to get into university like your dad?"

Gu Bai smiled. "Mocha's mom and dad are the truly clever ones. They've won countless awards in competitions held all over the world."

Elder Chu said dotingly, "Those are other people's children. All you need to do is be a child of our Chu Family."

Chu Zeshen glanced at the dog nestled in his grandfather's arms. "When I was in school, you often used the Li Family's children to motivate me. I still remember it vividly."

Elder Chu said dismissively, "You're you, and Mocha is Mocha. How is that the same?"

Perhaps this was the special affection grandparents had for their grandchildren.

With Mocha keeping Elder Chu occupied, Gu Bai and Chu Zeshen temporarily escaped some questions. But Mocha was a lazy little pig too, and before long he was dozing on the sofa.

Elder Chu took the towel the butler handed him and wiped his hands. "When are you planning to hold the wedding?"

A wedding was not on Gu Bai's agenda at all. Theirs was a contractual marriage, not a marriage alliance in the true sense. If they could avoid having a wedding, they would, to prevent unnecessary complications when they divorced later.

"We're not planning to hold..."

Before Gu Bai could finish, Chu Zeshen interrupted him.

"We're not planning to hold a wedding for now. We'll decide once things have settled down."

Elder Chu sighed. "You have your own plans, and I can't be bothered to interfere. But our two families should at least have a meal together."

Chu Zeshen agreed. "I'll arrange it."

Elder Chu did not stay at the Chu Family for long, leaving at three that afternoon. He did not have Chu Zeshen take him back, instead having the driver from the old residence pick him up.

Once Elder Chu left, Gu Bai sat on the sofa and sighed in relief. Entertaining elders was a tiring business.

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