After Gu Chen left, not a single person in the hall spoke.
Then Xiang Zexi said, "Boss Zhou, my father is feeling unwell and has matters to attend to, so we'll take our leave."
Without waiting for Zhou Nanfeng's permission, the members of the Xiang Family rose and left the Zhou Family residence.
They just left like that?
The guests around them didn't dare speak and could only look at Zhou Nanfeng on the raised platform.
"Boss Zhou, what do we do now?" Jiang Kun asked through tightly clenched teeth, with no outlet for the fury burning inside him.
Zhou Nanfeng clenched his fists, his chest heaving. After a long while, he finally forced down the resentment weighing on his heart and looked around.
"Everyone, please forgive me for any shortcomings in our hospitality at my daughter's birthday banquet today. I'm feeling unwell and must take my leave early."
After leaving an elder of the Zhou Family in charge, Zhou Nanfeng turned and went upstairs.
The guests knew Zhou Nanfeng was furious, and they probably wouldn't stay at the birthday banquet much longer either.
"Dad!"
Zhou Xue'er was crying like a rain-soaked pear blossom, but her eyes were full of venom. When she saw her father open the door, she threw herself into Zhou Nanfeng's arms.
"It's all right, it's all right."
As Zhou Nanfeng comforted Zhou Xue'er, murderous intent flashed in his eyes!
Damn Gu Chen and Gu Beichi! Today, those two had not only made the Zhou Family lose all face, but had also subjected his daughter to such humiliation!
Zhou Nanfeng said coldly, "Don't worry. Dad won't let your humiliation go unanswered. The Gu Family will pay for what happened today!"
"Patriarch Zhou."
At that moment, Jiang Kun's voice rang out.
At some point, Jiang Kun had appeared on the second floor.
"Your timing is perfect." Zhou Nanfeng let go of his daughter and went outside with Jiang Kun. He said coldly, "I don't need to tell you how to deal with that father and son from the Gu Family, do I?"
"Of course!" Jiang Kun lowered his head, then said with a vicious expression, "Gu Chen actually dared to hit me. Of course I won't let him get away with it. Don't worry, Boss Zhou. I have a backup plan. That father and son won't be able to jump around much longer!!"
"I want them alive!" Zhou Nanfeng said, his face gloomy. "We can't let them die just like that!"
"All right." Jiang Kun nodded, as though this brief exchange had already sealed the death sentence of Gu Chen and his father. After a pause, however, Jiang Kun added, "By the way, Boss Zhou, about my son and Miss Zhou..."
Ji Yun's appearance today had put some pressure on Jiang Kun, and he felt that the marriage alliance with the Zhou Family was more urgent than ever.
"We'll talk after you've settled the matter." With that, Zhou Nanfeng turned and went back into the room.
After leaving the Zhou Family residence, in the car.
Zhu Jian was driving, but his heart was still pounding.
The scenes that had unfolded at the Zhou Family residence still made him tremble with fear when he recalled them. Looking at the father and son in the rearview mirror, Zhu Jian swallowed and asked, "Boss, are you all right?"
"I'm fine." Gu Beichi's expression was extremely grim. "But you got a fright today."
"I don't mind." Zhu Jian forced a smile. "But we offended the Zhou Family today, and we've completely fallen out with them. It might be hard for us to gain a foothold in Zhou City from now on."
"Focus on driving." But at that moment, Gu Chen's cold voice rang out.
Zhu Jian shuddered and hurriedly nodded.
He no longer dared look down on this young master in the slightest. In fact, what Gu Chen had done earlier had completely overturned his impression of him.
This young master, who usually kept his abilities hidden, was actually so terrifying when he got angry. Not only had he stood his ground against the Zhou Family, but he had even dared to hit Jiang Kun!
Even now, the memory sent a lingering shiver of fear through him. He had truly worried that the three of them wouldn't get away.
Twenty minutes later, they returned to the residential complex.
It was late at night, so Zhu Jian drove home, while Gu Chen and Gu Beichi returned to the house.
"Master, young master."
Uncle Liu was waiting at the door. When he saw the two return, he greeted them respectfully.
"Uncle Liu, go and get some rest," Gu Beichi said. Then he looked at Gu Chen. "Chen'er, come to the study with me."
Gu Chen nodded and followed his father to the study. Only then did Gu Beichi ask in a deep voice, "Chen'er, was everything today still under your control?"
"There wasn't much deviation." Gu Chen took a deep breath. "But a break with the Zhou Family was bound to happen sooner or later. I couldn't let them humiliate us for nothing, so naturally I had to take the initiative too."
"When did you get in touch with the Xiang Family?" Gu Beichi asked again.
Gu Chen smiled faintly. "I solved his chess problem, which helped him put a major concern to rest. Xiang Linde has always been clear about his debts and grudges. He probably only helped me this time to return the favor."
"A chess problem?" Gu Beichi naturally knew that Xiang Linde was Zhou City's most famous chess fanatic. Although his medical skills were unmatched, chess was his life. Yet Gu Chen had managed to get hold of what Xiang Linde valued as his life, and that made Gu Beichi see him in a new light.
"How much more are you hiding from me?"
Gu Beichi studied Gu Chen over and over. First Zhao Haiqing, and now Xiang Linde. He felt that his son was becoming more and more mysterious, and more and more like a stranger.
"Dad, I'm your son," Gu Chen said in a deep voice.
Although he hadn't received a direct answer, Gu Beichi understood what Gu Chen meant. He sighed. "Forget it. If you don't want to talk, I won't press you. But if you hadn't been quick-witted today, I'm afraid we never would have left the Zhou Family residence safely. That bastard Zhou Nanfeng had planned everything long ago. He made his move today because he wanted to leave us with nowhere to show our faces in Zhou City."
At this, Gu Beichi's eyes shone intensely. "But Chen'er, the Zhou Family won't be easy to deal with. For all we know, your eldest uncle is backing them from behind the scenes. Since you dared to do this, what assurance do you have?"
"Soon." Gu Chen smiled faintly, confidence shining in his eyes. "Father, keep running your company as usual for now, but don't clash with the Zhou Family's forces head-on yet. Leave the dark and complicated matters to me."
Gu Beichi stared at Gu Chen for a while before finally nodding. "All right, I'll listen to you!"
He remembered Gu Chen saying that the hidden dragon would emerge from the abyss!
And perhaps, after today, it was time for Gu Chen to emerge from the abyss!
When Gu Chen returned to his room, he received a call from Su Qingqing. She called to apologize, saying she felt deeply guilty for not stepping forward to clear things up for him at the banquet.
The girl's awkward, nervous and uneasy expression seemed to appear in his mind. A warm smile touched Gu Chen's lips, and he told her it was all right.
He naturally knew that the Su Family could never have allowed Su Qingqing to step forward. Apart from the Xiang Family, no power or family would have chosen to support him at that moment.
But that was exactly the effect he wanted.
For thousands of years, he had grown accustomed to fighting alone!