Chapter 3399

"Gu Uncle's family of three?!"

Ye Chen was so shocked he couldn't speak.

After a long silence, he couldn't help but ask: "Why would Gu Uncle make such a decision? This is unfair to Gu Nannan. What merit or ability do I, Ye Chen, have to deserve such treatment from them..."

Ye Zhongquan sighed: "I didn't understand it at first either, and I even advised Yan Zhong, but his mind was made up, and he wanted me to persuade you. What could I say?"

Ye Chen said anxiously: "This kind of matter shouldn't be resolved this way. Didn't they consider the impact if this got out? How much would it affect Gu Nannan? Even if she retired from the entertainment industry, she'd still be the most influential female singer. The public and media would always be watching her."

Ye Zhongquan said: "You don't need to worry about this. Your Gu Uncle has already figured out a solution. Years ago, to enjoy his twilight years, he bought an island in the Maldives, which was developed into a hotel. Now he wants to shut down the hotel business and turn it into his private island."

"If Gu Nannan gets pregnant, he'll take you, Aunt Lin, and Gu Nannan's mother there to live for a while. The medical team will come directly from here, available year-round, until Gu Nannan gives birth safely. This would best keep the secret. Even if the outside world finds out after the child's birth, it wouldn't matter. Your Gu Uncle means: as long as the outside doesn't know the child's biological father is you, it won't affect you."

"After the child is born, they can live temporarily in the Maldives, then return to Yanjing when the child is two or three, or go directly to live in Britain or America. Once you resolve the Broken Clear Society issue, they'll bring the child to you."

Ye Chen refused without hesitation: "No, absolutely not!"

Ye Zhongquan asked him: "Chen'er, have you considered the worst-case scenario?"

"What worst-case scenario?"

Ye Zhongquan sighed sorrowfully: "Some words are indeed disheartening when spoken, but one must always prepare for the worst. If one day you meet with an accident, what then? Do you hope your parents' bloodline ends with you? In the Chinese world back then, who among them wasn't a dragon among men?"

Ye Chen remained silent.

Ye Zhongquan pressed on: "Among the three forms of unfilial conduct, having no heir is the greatest. Even if we die, it doesn't matter, but our bloodline must continue. That's what your Gu Uncle worries about!"

Ye Chen said angrily: "What's this got to do with anything? When Gu Nannan comes back with the child, will the paparazzi leave her alone? Will public opinion spare her?"

Ye Zhongquan said: "Once the Broken Clear Society is dealt with, you'll have no more worries, and your identity can be made public. As long as you give Gu Nannan a proper status then, everything will be resolved."

"How am I supposed to give her that?!"

Ye Chen, already somewhat anxious and losing emotional control, said: "I'm already married! You've known this for ages! On one side is my loyal wife who won't leave me; on the other is the fiancée my parents chose for me. What are you asking me to do?"

Ye Zhongquan said solemnly: "You must know that your engagement to Gu Nannan is known throughout the world! Gu Nannan has long publicly said she entered the entertainment industry just to find her lost fiancé. You are the son of Ye Changying, she is the daughter of Gu Yanzhong. The brotherly bond between Ye Changying and Gu Yanzhong back then is also a celebrated tale in Chinese business circles! If one day you resolve the Broken Clear Society and return publicly as Ye Changying's son to take charge of the Ye family, everyone will ask you one question—do you know what it is?!"

"What is it?"

Ye Zhongquan sighed with regret: "They'll ask you: since the great grudge has already been avenged, when will you marry Gu Qiuyi, who has waited for you all these years?"

"You tell me: with the whole world asking you this, how would you answer?!"

"Would you tell them you married another woman while poor and destitute?!"

"Would you tell them that despite Gu Qiuyi's countless sacrifices for you, you still insist on staying with your original wife?!"

"And what do you think—how many people in the world would actually obey you?!"

"How many would curse you instead?!"

"By then, how much pressure would the Xiao family young lady face? How many admirers of Gu Qiuyi, how many waiting to see her finally unite with you, would come to her and gossip? Have you thought about that?"

Ye Chen was left speechless by the old man's few questions.

He knew the old man was right.

Xiao Churan is not a celebrity and has no fans.

Gu Qiuyi is different—her fan numbers run into the hundreds of millions.

These years, Gu Qiuyi has been in the entertainment industry with zero scandals, zero gossip. Everyone knows this wealthy heiress worth hundreds of billions didn't enter the industry for fame, money, or fun—she came to find her husband.

Precisely because of this pure and unworldly background, many fans adore her to the extreme.

It can be said that in the entertainment industry, no other female star has achieved what she has—besides her, there is none.

Many female stars debut for years without scandals or gossip, yet in the end they marry into wealthy families—some even marry men decades older than themselves, older than their own fathers.

This makes their self-respect and purity seem driven by a strong ulterior motive.

How could these people compare to Gu Qiuyi?

Everyone knows: if you want to stan a female star who will never mess up, you stan Gu Qiuyi.

If one day the Ye family heir's identity is made public, the world will surely ask you: why didn't you marry Gu Qiuyi?

The world will also surely ask Xiao Churan: why haven't you voluntarily stepped aside?

Ye Chen nearly broke down in an instant.

He looked at the old man, emotionally agitated, and said: "This matter—whatever I do is wrong! Not marrying Gu Nannan is wrong! Marrying Gu Nannan is still wrong! Keeping it from Xiao Churan is wrong! Telling her is still wrong! Now hiding my identity can still be explained by the unresolved vengeance of the Broken Clear Society, but if I continue hiding my identity after resolving it, it's still wrong! What should I do? How can I make everything end perfectly?!"

Ye Zhongquan had never seen Ye Chen so emotionally low.

Even when he knelt before his parents' graves on Ye Ling Mountain, he had never looked this helpless.

Back then, though he was in pain and filled with hatred, he clearly knew what he had to do, driven by a strong belief to walk the path ahead.

But now, in Ye Zhongquan's eyes, Ye Chen is like a helpless child, at a loss.

He felt a pang of sympathy, gently patted Ye Chen's shoulder, and comforted: "Chen'er, if people could let go of excessively high moral standards, many problems would be easily solved!"

"The Xiao family young lady treats you well, and you've treated her just as well these past days! You've even repaid her parents' grudge with kindness. If she truly loves you, wants to continue the family line with you, and spend the rest of her life with you, then Grandfather has nothing to say—but your feelings, after all, aren't pure!"

"And you said: once she knows your identity, she'll surely be deeply disappointed. But you bear your parents' name—they died unjustly back then, and the whole world sighed and felt regret. Once your great vengeance is avenged, you cannot hide in a corner, cannot remain secluded in the city, cannot let the world think Ye Changying and An Chengxi's son is long dead, cannot let them be gradually forgotten by the world!"

"On the contrary, you must proclaim it to the world—you must let everyone know Ye Changying and An Chengxi's son is still alive! Their bloodline has not ended! You must use your strength and glory to make them regain reverence for your parents! Let their names continue to be passed down! This is your duty and responsibility as a child!"

"If you accept my words, old man, then I ask you: are you and the Xiao family young lady destined to part ways sooner or later?!"