CHAPTER 401: CHAPTER 371: GOT DRAGGED DOWN BY YOU?

Gu Mansion

The atmosphere in the dining room was like a still pond, suffocating everyone present.

Meng Qian took small bites of her meal, never uttering a word.

Old Sir Gu watched Gu Yanjing and Gu Linhai, listening to their exchanges filled with barbs, yet he remained silent.

"Acting on my instructions?" Gu Linhai looked at Gu Yanjing, his expression indifferent, a cold smile in his eyes, "Who said that?"

Gu Yanjing glanced at him, then looked over at Meng Yan standing not far away.

Meng Yan nodded and left.

At this moment, Old Sir Gu put down his chopsticks, calmly wiped his mouth, and said, "Do I still need to be here?"

"As you please." Gu Yanjing replied.

Old Sir Gu gave him a look, then glanced at his son, finally deciding that his heart could still take it, and thus remained seated.

Gu Linhai also put down his chopsticks, looking at Gu Yanjing across the table.

His face appeared calm, but inside, it felt as though a fiery mountain had erupted, burning his insides painfully.

After a moment, Meng Yan dragged Jian Ye inside.

Jian Ye could no longer walk on his own, completely dragged in by Meng Yan, yet he remained conscious.

Meng Yan brought him to the dining room and threw him on the ground.

Jian Ye lay on the floor, struggling to move, but unable to budge an inch.

He turned his eyes to glance at Gu Linhai, then quickly averted his gaze, stubbornly focusing all his strength in one direction.

Seeing it was Jian Ye, Meng Qian’s pupils shrank suddenly. She hurriedly lowered her gaze, no longer looking at him.

Old Sir Gu looked at the man lying on the floor.

Gu Linhai gave Jian Ye a slight glance, then looked at Gu Yanjing and said, "He said it?"

"Yes." Gu Yanjing replied, "Does Uncle recognize him?"

"What do you think?" Gu Linhai retorted.

"I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking Uncle." Gu Yanjing’s voice was calm, yet each word carried immense pressure.

"You’re questioning me, which implies you think he’s related to me somehow." Gu Linhai said.

"So Uncle admits it?" Gu Yanjing said.

"I never said that." Gu Linhai said, "Although we are both in Jin City, we have no business dealings with Imperial Power Club, that..."

Gu Linhai paused to think, "That Yan something Yao, I’ve never even met him. Why would I send someone to help Imperial Power Club? To take my money from Jin City? I wish Imperial Power Club would collapse."

"Is that so?" Gu Yanjing looked at him and said, "I thought Uncle might have some secrets with Yan Zhiyao that we don’t know about."

Meng Qian, under the table, clenched her fist hard.

Gu Linhai chuckled lightly, "What does that mean, Yanjing?"

"Nothing much." Gu Yanjing set down his knife and fork, glancing at the sandwich on his plate that had been cut into tiny pieces, "Since it’s not related to Uncle, I’ll take care of this person."

Gu Linhai glanced at Jian Ye, then looked at Gu Yanjing and said, "Since when did you also get involved in Jin City’s matters?"

Old Sir Gu sat quietly, listening.

"Jin City is Uncle’s territory; I’m not interested." Gu Yanjing replied.

"In that case, why not hand him over to me?" Gu Linhai said.

Gu Yanjing looked at him without speaking.

"He’s slandering me, framing me, trying to sow discord between us as uncle and nephew." Gu Linhai said, "I’d like to see who is behind this, directing him."

Meng Yan stood with his eyes lowered behind Gu Yanjing.

He never expected that even at this point, Gu Linhai still wanted to hold onto Jian Ye.

Is it genuine affection?

Or does Jian Ye have some leverage over him that he cannot afford to lose?

"I’m afraid not." Gu Yanjing coldly refused.

Gu Linhai squinted at him.

"This man threatened my wife, intended harm on her, I must take him away." Gu Yanjing said.

"What? What did you say?!" Old Sir Gu, who had been listening indifferently, immediately straightened up at the mention of Qiao Yuxian, "What did you just say? What happened to Yu Xian?"

Gu Linhai looked at his father without speaking.

Old Sir Gu turned to Gu Yanjing, "Is Yu Xian alright? Is she hurt? Was she frightened?"

"She’s fine." Gu Yanjing replied.

"Fine? What do you mean by fine?" Old Sir Gu asked, "What does Yu Xian have to do with this? Why was she threatened? Was she caught up because of you?!"

Gu Yanjing: "......"

Meng Yan on the side gave Old Sir Gu a brief explanation.

Old Sir Gu understood, realizing she wasn’t caught up because of Gu Yanjing. But he added, "What are you doing, putting her in such danger?!"

Gu Yanjing remained silent.

Meng Yan glanced at Gu Yanjing, quietly feeling sorry for Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu was already feeling guilty enough, and here Old Sir Gu was ruthlessly rubbing salt in his wounds.

Old Sir Gu observed him for a moment, then picked up his cane and stood up.

Meng Yan quickly stepped up to support Old Sir Gu.

Old Sir Gu walked over to Jian Ye, wielding his cane upon the wound on Jian Ye’s leg, "Rascal, who do you dare to bully? Do you think the Gu Family has nobody?!"

In excruciating pain, Jian Ye’s veins bulged, his eyes bloodshot, teeth clenched, uttering a pained cry.

Meng Yan stood beside Old Sir Gu, watching as he struck repeatedly, his own forehead twitching.

He had never seen Old Sir Gu so brutal.

Gu Yanjing walked over to Old Sir Gu, holding his hand, "Leave him conscious, there is much we need to ask."

Gu Linhai’s eyes narrowed.

"Uncle." Gu Yanjing looked at Gu Linhai.

Suddenly, Gu Linhai’s expression changed, hastily squeezing out a gentle look at Gu Yanjing.

Gu Yanjing’s demeanor remained unchanged, cold and indifferent, his voice equally so, "Once I find out something, I’ll let you know."

Gu Linhai looked at him and after a moment, smiled, "Then I’ll trouble you."

Gu Yanjing didn’t respond further and assisted Old Sir Gu back to his room.

Before leaving, Old Sir Gu struck Jian Ye once more and then left with Gu Yanjing.

Meng Yan then lifted Jian Ye again and, under Gu Linhai’s gaze, took Jian Ye away.

As for Jian Ye, he never once looked at Gu Linhai.

Gu Linhai watched Meng Yan take the man away and watched Gu Yanjing and Old Sir Gu return to the room. His gaze darkened bit by bit.

After a while, he stood and returned to his courtyard.

Meng Qian watched him leave and, after a moment, followed him.

Gu Yanjing accompanied Old Sir Gu back to the room.

Old Sir Gu went to sit on the balcony chair, and as soon as he sat, he said, "Is Yu Xian’s matter related to your uncle?"

"Yes." Gu Yanjing replied.

Old Sir Gu clasped the cane with both hands, silently gazing at the clivia before the window.

After a while, he said, "I’m old now. Living is just like this. You don’t have to consider me for anything."

Gu Yanjing sat opposite him, also staring at the clivia without speaking.

"Your great-grandmother once told me, with relatives, some are here to form bonds, some to repay debts, and some to claim debts." Old Sir Gu said, "But no matter what, the same blood flows within, and family ties cannot be severed."

"Our family has never encountered such a situation." Old Sir Gu looked at Gu Yanjing, "I don’t know what happened with your uncle and them."

Gu Yanjing remained silent.

"I know you have it in your heart, and I know you’re sentimental and cherish family ties." Old Sir Gu said, "But I must remind you, no matter how far things go, do not let your hands be stained with a relative’s blood."

"I understand." Gu Yanjing replied.