Chapter 314: You take care of it in your next life

Arguing with family members? That's basically Uncle Gu.

Aunt Gu loves life more, dotes on the kids, and usually only argues with Uncle Gu; she would never idle away picking fights with the children.

Uncle Gu, meanwhile, is known for his domineering personality.

Jiang Liangjin turned these thoughts over in his mind, handing the candied hawthorn the bodyguard brought over to her.

Mu Youyu bit into a strawberry candied hawthorn, fed him another, then worriedly asked, "Should we go look for them?"

He spoke gently: "Don't worry, A Ci will take good care of him; let's just play our own thing, and we can check in later."

Mu Youyu felt somewhat reassured by his words.

She temporarily suppressed her worries, took Lin Ning and Yu Anwei's hands, and headed toward the VIP passage.

Not far away at the edge of the viewing platform, Gu Xingnan leaned on the railing, his downcast eyes lacking any luster, unknown what he was thinking.

The wind carried the amusement park's music over, but it couldn't dispel the low pressure surrounding the boy.

Yu Ci stood beside him, seeing his unhappy demeanor, feeling irritated inside, yet not knowing how to comfort him.

He kicked the pebble at his feet and muttered, "It's just a few words with Uncle; don't be angry."

"Worst case, we just don't go to the Leng Family; can he even drag you there?"

Saying that, he couldn't help recalling the scene he'd bumped into that morning at the Gu Family.

In this generation of the Gu Family there's one son and one daughter, and Uncle Gu favors the elder sister more.

The elder sister took over the Gu Group upon coming of age, yet inexplicably found a good-for-nothing boyfriend lacking any ability.

During that time it caused quite a stir; the sister didn't hide it, and when Uncle Gu found out he was furious, directly handing that man ten million yuan to make him break up immediately.

Unexpectedly, the boyfriend came running to the sister in tears, her protective instincts flared, and she on the spot argued with Uncle Gu.

Uncle Gu thought the daughter's boyfriend clearly wanted to be a live-in son-in-law, which made him tremble with anger.

But now the Gu Group's actual power is wholly in the daughter's hands; he's dissatisfied, yet can only swallow it.

Because of this, Uncle Gu turned his attention to his son, Gu Xingnan.

Regarding the earlier arranged marriage with the Leng Family, he knew it was the Leng Family's own scheme, understood Leng Yueyue's nature, yet thinking this girl genuinely liked his son, he still nodded in agreement.

The Leng Family is the Leng Family; at least it's better than finding a good-for-nothing with no background and no ability, and it won't let the Gu Family become a laughingstock.

... Who would have thought later Leng Yueyue would inexplicably go mad, provoking Jiang Liangjin and Mu Youyu, causing the marriage arrangement to naturally fall through.

Uncle Gu was exasperated that he couldn't live up to expectations.

Seeing that Gu Xingnan would turn seventeen in a few months, he had another idea.

Leng Yueyue won't do; the eldest miss, Leng Yueyou, isn't favored; how about the second miss, Leng Anzhi?

This morning, Uncle Gu barged straight into Gu Xingnan's room, saying he wanted to take him to visit the Leng Family and settle the matter.

At that moment Yu Ci was playing games with Gu Xingnan in the room, hearing this he casually replied, "Oh, A Nan, go ahead; we haven't seen Anzhi since the break."

He never expected that as soon as those words left his mouth, Gu Xingnan exploded on the spot.

He put down the game controller, lifted his gaze to Uncle Gu, his tone carrying an unprecedented coldness: "You can't control my sister; her affairs are none of your business, yet you come to pressure me?"

Gu's father was startled by his son's demeanor, yet remained firm: "Xiao Nan, what are you saying? I'm doing this for your own good! Do you want to find a good-for-nothing girlfriend like your sister and make the Gu Family a laughingstock?!"

Gu Xingnan sneered, "Then I'll just not get a girlfriend, stay single my whole life—would that work? That way nobody would laugh at us."

Gu's father, angered, stomped hard on the carpet: "Hey, what are you saying? Who's going to carry on the Gu lineage on this side? What if your sister's side…"

Gu Xingnan cut him off: "What does it have to do with me? If you really want to continue the line, you do it in your next life."

Yu Ci stood there stunned, seeing the two argue ever more fiercely, he hurried forward to mediate: "Uncle, are you treating Aunt Gu like a boy? Didn't she say she'd have children?"

"No matter who she has children with, they're still her Gu Family bloodline; why are you worrying so much?"

Gu's father was taken aback by that, momentarily speechless, then after a pause said, "Xiao Ci, you'd better not meddle in this…"

Before he could finish, Gu Xingnan grabbed Yu Ci's wrist, voice icy: "Fine, we're not getting involved, goodbye."

Having said that, he dragged him out without looking back, leaving the Gu Family gate.

Gu's father pointed at his retreating back, shouting: "You dare leave! I'll—I'll cut off your allowance!"

Gu Xingnan: "Oh, do as you please; anyway my sister will send me money."

"'You you you… stop him!' Gu's father stomped the carpet again in fury."

The servants dared not lay a hand on him.

The butler stepped in to stop Gu's father: "Sir, please calm down; if the madam finds out it won't be good."

"'Right, the madam will be back shortly."

"'What if the madam gets angry and goes abroad again?"

"……"

Gu Xingnan, however, left the house unimpeded.

At first Yu Ci wondered why his childhood friend reacted so strongly.

Leng Anzhi gets along well with them too, she's pretty, and she seems like a fine choice all around.

Only after seeing Gu Xingnan's tense profile all the way did he finally realize——

A Nan doesn't dislike arranged marriage; he dislikes being scheduled, dislikes his father imposing his will on him.

"……"

Thinking this, Yu Ci's irritation grew a bit more, and his dissatisfaction with Uncle Gu deepened.

But since Uncle Gu is an elder, it wasn't proper to say too much; he stewed for nearly a minute before bursting out: "No, he really is annoying—how could he threaten you!"

Gu Xingnan lifted his eyes, his gaze landing on Yu Ci's flushed cheek, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he ultimately said nothing.

It wasn't that he was angry about his father's arrangement; his father wanted him to meet Leng Anzhi and settle the so-called engagement.

His first reaction wasn't resistance to arranged marriage itself, but an inexplicable concern: if he found out, what would his reaction be?

Gu Xingnan even clearly remembered that at the time Yu Ci sat beside him playing games, head down, saying: "Oh, A Nan, go ahead; after the break we haven't seen Anzhi either."

His tone was as flat as it could possibly be.

Gu Xingnan thought that Yu Ci might bless him without any ripple, even help him come up with an idea.

Upon thinking that if they really got engaged in the future, Yu Ci patted his shoulder and said, "Ah Nan, you really are blessed."

Gu Xingnan's heart felt as if something was tugging at it, leaving him feeling stifled and panicky.

He and Yu Ci grew up together from childhood, doing everything together.

Yu Ci was the person closest to him, but this closeness had always been just friendship.

Yu Ci's thoughts were simple; in his eyes, Gu Xingnan was a good brother with whom he could play games, cause trouble, and complain about elders……

He had never had any other thoughts.

Gu Xingnan, the more he thought, the more confused he became; the more he thought, the less he dared to think further, which led him to argue with his father on the spot.

Yu Ci saw him finally lift his eyes to look at him, thought he had taken it in, immediately moved closer, saying, "Don't be angry, Uncle Gu is just an old fogey; we'll ignore him."