Gu Wantong’s expression visibly relaxed as she said softly, "Yu, thank you. Regardless of whether this succeeds, I’d like to host a banquet for your brother when time permits. Please pass the message to him."
Young Master Chen was truly a maverick. He was clearly helping her escape her predicament, yet he refused to speak a single word to her.
She wondered if she had failed to catch Young Master Chen’s eye. Perhaps he despised her for having been engaged before, and for currently being targeted by the Zheng Family’s Tributor, giving her a poor reputation. At this thought, a hint of gloom flashed deep in her eyes.
Cheng Xiaoyu noticed her mood and quickly comforted her. "Miss, Brother Yuan is a very good person. Don’t overthink it; this has nothing to do with you."
Gu Ye sighed at the sight. Indeed, what did this have to do with his niece? It was the Gu Family who had been blind. If they hadn’t treated Chen Yuan the way they did, how could their relationship have deteriorated to this point? With this in mind, he hurried toward his older brother Gu Changfeng’s study to inform him of the matter.
Inside the study, sandalwood incense curled upward. Its calming properties allowed Gu Changfeng to settle his mind and consider family affairs.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK. Gu Ye pushed the door open and entered.
Upon seeing him, Gu Changfeng’s heart stirred. "Ye, how did it go? Did Chen Yuan agree to help?" he asked hurriedly.
The only reason the Zheng Family dared to pressure them so heavily was their certainty that the Gu Family couldn’t find helpers on short notice. If Chen Yuan sided with the Gu Family, everything would be resolved effortlessly. However, with so much having happened between them, Gu Changfeng had no confidence in the outcome. He had only dared to send Gu Ye to negotiate. Of course, he was already prepared to offer a lavish gift.
Gu Ye’s expression was complex. He sighed and said, "Chen Yuan... he should have agreed to help."
Gu Changfeng instantly looked pleasantly surprised. "This is a good thing! It means there’s still room for reconciliation. Why the long face, Ye? Did Chen Yuan demand an exorbitant price?"
As long as they could get Chen Yuan to change his mind, he was willing to give anything the Gu Family possessed!
Gu Ye shook his head with a bitter smile. "No, Chen Yuan agreed to resolve the forced marriage for Wan Tong, but he didn’t set any conditions. He didn’t even discuss it with me; he just left.
"His meaning is very clear. He doesn’t want to negotiate with us. Instead, he will solve it his own way. This action isn’t to help our Gu Family, but a personal favor done out of consideration for his cousin." He then recounted the entire sequence of events exactly as they had happened.
Gu Changfeng’s smile froze.
No conditions—this was far harder to accept than an exorbitant price. It carried a resolute finality, an unspoken declaration that they would forever be strangers with severed ties.
He slumped into his chair, looking as if he had aged a century. "How could this be? Is there truly no room for salvation?" he muttered.
He realized he had misjudged the young man. To dismiss Chen Yuan based solely on his seemingly rebellious acts of severing ties with his parents and attacking his cousin, without understanding the underlying reasons, was far too arbitrary. How could someone who willingly and unconditionally helped Wan Tong for his cousin’s sake be a heartless person?
Unfortunately, he had woken up to this realization too late!
Gu Ye took a deep breath and spoke frankly. "Changfeng, since things have come to this, let’s not make unnecessary attempts to win Chen Yuan over, lest it backfire. As long as the relationship between Cheng Xiaoyu and Wantong remains, there will always be a thread connecting us. As for the rest, let nature take its course."
Gu Changfeng sighed heavily, his voice wooden. "That’s all we can do. However, we must still observe proper etiquette. Prepare a generous gift. The moment this matter is resolved, invite him to our estate as a guest, and I will personally apologize to him.
"If he refuses to come, then deliver the gifts to his home. I just hope he will accept them."
The next day, the spring weather was warm and beautiful.
Chen Yuan ate breakfast at the Huo Courtyard, warmed up with a few rounds of stance training, and headed straight to the Zheng Family. He didn’t think this matter would be difficult to handle.
After stating his identity to the Nursing Home guarding the gate, he was respectfully invited directly into the main hall of the Zheng Family.
Several people were already waiting inside. It was quite a lineup.
The man rising from the seat of honor was likely Patriarch Zheng, Zheng Suifeng. The middle-aged man on his right, who looked like a toad, was almost certainly Liu Ha Ma; his real name seemed to be Liu Man.
Chen Yuan walked in and gave a slight cupped-fist salute. "I am Chen Yuan. Greetings, Patriarch Zheng. Please forgive me for this sudden intrusion."
Zheng Suifeng stepped forward with a smile, speaking amiably. "No harm done at all. Your visit brings light to our humble abode, young master. Please, have a seat."
Chen Yuan sat down unhurriedly, and a maidservant immediately served hot tea.
After some brief pleasantries, he learned that the tall, burly man on Zheng Suifeng’s left was named Wang Ta, an expert on the same level as Senior Brother Huang. As for the others, they were unimportant; there was no need to know them. Only Wang Ta gave him a faint sense of pressure.
After chatting for a while, Zheng Suifeng changed the subject. He narrowed his eyes and smiled. "May I ask what brings you here today, young master? Could it be related to the Gu Family?"
Given the timing of his visit, it was almost a certainty. However, Zheng Suifeng genuinely hadn’t expected Chen Yuan to stand up for the Gu Family after their relationship had grown so stiff. Yet, he wasn’t particularly worried. Although Chen Yuan had impressive talent, he hadn’t fully matured yet. It was unreasonable to expect the Zheng Family to back down just like that.
Chen Yuan nodded slightly. "You have a sharp eye, Patriarch Zheng. Chen Mou has come this time in the hope that the Zheng Family and the Gu Family can make peace and prosper together, rather than continuing this dispute.
"Furthermore, please stop forcing Miss Gu Wantong into marriage. She has some connection to me. I wonder if everyone here could do me a favor and drop the matter?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall instantly turned somewhat subtle.