"What kind of attitude is that?" Zhou Xue'er asked, struggling to contain her anger. "Gu Chen, don't think coming in first gives you the right to look down on everyone. You know grades aren't everything. We both come from major families. Our studies are only a way to prove our abilities, but they can't change our fates."
Gu Chen looked at her coldly. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"You know perfectly well what I'm trying to say." Zhou Xue'er cast him a sidelong glance and continued, "Gu Chen, you're nothing but a discarded son of your family. Going against me now won't do you any good!"
"Get lost."
Gu Chen's gaze turned cold, and he looked at her indifferently. "Don't ever bother me again!"
Gu Chen's cold attitude enraged Zhou Xue'er completely. She couldn't accept that Gu Chen, who had cried his eyes out over her just days ago, would treat her this way now.
"Gu Chen, if you do this, your dad's company will be dragged into it too!" Zhou Xue'er said through gritted teeth. "Treating me like this is the same as telling every family in Zhou City that you have nothing to do with the Zhou Family anymore!"
"Perfect. That's exactly what I want!"
Gu Chen smiled faintly, then reached out and slammed his hand against the wall with a bang.
Zhou Xue'er jumped, thinking Gu Chen was going to hit her. But when she looked up, she found he was less than inches away. Her heart panicked, and she asked angrily, "What are you doing?"
"Zhou Xue'er, I really want to beat you up, but I'm holding back right now." Gu Chen's eyes were thick as blood and cold as a demon's. He spoke each word distinctly. "But don't test my patience. I've already divorced you. From now on, get as far away from me as you can!"
"You divorced me? You divorced me!" Zhou Xue'er's slender body trembled as she bit down hard on her lower lip. "Gu Chen, my birthday is in a couple of days. Do you dare come to the Zhou Family and say that?!"
Gu Chen was taken aback. "Come to the Zhou Family?"
"That's right!" Zhou Xue'er said coldly. "You know I want to break off the engagement, but what does saying it at school prove? If you've got the guts, come to the Zhou Family on my twentieth birthday and say it! Say it in front of everyone!"
Saying he had divorced Zhou Xue'er at school was nothing more than venting his anger for the moment. But Zhou Xue'er's birthday banquet was a matter of the utmost importance to the Zhou Family. The leading figures of every family in Zhou City and forces from all sides would surely gather there. Unlike words spoken at school, words spoken on such an occasion carried consequences. That was why Zhou Xue'er was certain Gu Chen would never dare! He was only a discarded son, and he still had a father!
Even if the engagement was to be broken off, it should be the Zhou Family who did it! Gu Chen had no right to break it off himself, much less divorce her!
But for some reason, hearing about Zhou Xue'er's twentieth birthday left Gu Chen in a daze. He thought of his previous life, when his broken leg had forced his father, Gu Beichi, to attend the Zhou Family's banquet alone, where he had been humiliated. Gu Chen had not experienced those humiliations himself, but the sight of his father shedding tears of shame by the window in the dead of night after returning home was one he could not forget, no matter how many lives he lived!
Seeing Gu Chen lost in thought, Zhou Xue'er assumed he was afraid. She gave a cold smile, seized the upper hand once again, and said scornfully, "Gu Chen, do you dare?"
Did Gu Chen have the guts?
If he dared come and say it, he and his father would have no place to stand in Zhou City!
Zhou Xue'er's voice pulled Gu Chen back to reality. At that moment, looking at Zhou Xue'er, with her innocent appearance, skin so delicate it seemed it would break at a touch, and incomparable beauty, Gu Chen felt as though he were looking at a revolting monster.
He smiled, his smile dazzling.
"What are you smiling at?!" That smile struck Zhou Xue'er to the core. Her mouth twisted, and she asked in a low voice.
"I'll be there!" Gu Chen withdrew his hand and turned away without another glance at Zhou Xue'er. The smile vanished from his face in an instant, leaving it intensely gloomy.
Zhou Xue'er was left standing there, trembling all over, her face full of venom and her hands clenched tightly.
After leaving school, Gu Chen let out a heavy breath, composed himself, and prepared to go home. But he had only taken a few steps when someone called out to him from behind. He turned to see Xu Mo standing there.
Xu Mo's expression kept changing; he seemed to have had a hard time making up his mind to come after him.
"Something you need?" Gu Chen asked with a smile.
Xu Mo took a deep breath, strode over to Gu Chen, and said, "Gu Chen, have you been pretending this past month?"
"What?" Gu Chen was a little puzzled.
"This past month-no, this past six months, have you been pretending?!" Xu Mo stared at Gu Chen in a daze and continued, "Gu Chen, you were a genius all along, but you deliberately kept your ranking in the middle of the grade. And were you never kicked out of the Gu Family either? Was it all just a smokescreen, and you're actually still the eldest young master of the Gu Family in Shangjing?"
"Am I that bored?" Gu Chen couldn't help laughing. "Besides, what good would that do me?"
"Of course it would!" Xu Mo said solemnly. "You were testing Zhou Xue'er-or rather, testing the Zhou Family!"
"You should write novels." Gu Chen stared straight at Xu Mo, then suddenly nodded. "You're simply full of imagination!"
"Then is that the truth?" Xu Mo asked anxiously.
"Of course not," Gu Chen said calmly. "Go on, what is it you really want? I don't have time to help you plot a story."
"If you were kicked out of the Gu Family, what ability do you have to help me?" Xu Mo's expression changed, and he immediately looked utterly despondent. His voice trembled as he said, "You told me to call you, but even if I did, what good would it do?"
Gu Chen smiled faintly. "Has the Xu Family's situation become very difficult now?"
Xu Mo gritted his teeth. "Although I haven't spoken to my father or my eldest brother about it, the atmosphere at home has been very strange lately. I asked the steward, and it seems relations between our family and the Zhou Family have already started to grow strained... I, I'm starting to believe what you told me before."
"Actually, I don't care whether you believe me or not." Gu Chen glanced at him indifferently. "I just gave you a few pointers in passing. Whether the Xu Family lives or dies has nothing to do with me."
"No, it does!" Xu Mo's eyes flashed. "Gu Chen, you must need the Xu Family's help, or you wouldn't have told me all that! The Zhou Family is determined to break off your engagement, so relations between your two families are bound to fall apart completely in the end. At a time like this, making the Xu Family your ally is the most advantageous thing you could do."
"You think too highly of the Xu Family." Gu Chen couldn't help laughing. As Xu Mo had said, he had indeed considered drawing the Xu Family over to deal with the Zhou Family together, but things had changed. The Xu Family, now making a desperate last stand, was not his first choice.
If Xu Mo wanted to use this to elevate himself, Gu Chen wouldn't spare him another glance.
Seeing the unconcerned look on Gu Chen's face, Xu Mo grew anxious. Just then, however, seven or eight vans suddenly charged in from around the street, trapping the two of them in the middle of the road. A group of ferocious-looking thugs got out. Gu Chen recognized one of them: Brother Bao, who had eaten shit in the restroom. Led by Brother Bao, the thirty-plus men came in a menacing rush, brimming with killing intent.