Chapter 3400: What Should One Be Loyal To?

The old man's heartfelt words left Ye Chen feeling a wave of despair.

He had never before considered this issue so deeply; on one hand, he felt it wasn't yet time to make a choice, and on the other, he knew such matters rarely had an ideal solution.

What Grandfather said was naturally correct: if he could resolve the Broken Clear Society and deal with Wu Feiyan, he must openly return to the Ye family and let the world know that the son of Ye Changying and An Chengxi had come back.

If that day arrived, how should he face Xiao Churan on this side?

She would eventually learn everything—only a matter of time.

Upon this thought, Ye Chen couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

Many things, once lies begin, turn into endless chains of falsehoods.

During this time, he had not only concealed his identity from Xiao Churan but also hidden many other matters, even numerous ones tied to her parents.

To say nothing else, Ma Lan's first imprisonment came after she stole his bank card and transferred its balance; he had her sent there then, while Xiao Churan anxiously worried inside, he merely put on an act—once his identity was exposed, she should be able to piece it all together.

Seeing Ye Chen silent, Ye Zhongquan knew his words had taken root, and so said: "Chen'er, think this over carefully yourself; if you have time these two days, go visit your Uncle Gu."

Ye Chen sighed: "Ah! I had intended to visit, and I'd already told Gu Nannan I'd pick her up tomorrow morning and go to her home, but after you shared all these unexpected things with me, how could I possibly go now?"

Ye Zhongquan asked in surprise: "You're going to pick up Gu Nannan? Is she coming back?"

"Yes," Ye Chen said: "Gu Nannan is already on her way back to China and should arrive in Yanjing tomorrow morning; I had originally planned to meet her there."

Ye Zhongquan immediately questioned: "What? You promised to pick someone up, and now, just because I told you these things, you're not going? That poor little girl has traveled halfway across the world from overseas, flown over ten hours, full of joyful anticipation to see you upon landing—and you'd rather stand her up?"

"I..." Ye Chen also felt a headache: "I didn't say I wasn't going to pick her up... I just don't know how to face them, especially Uncle Gu and Aunt Lin."

Ye Zhongquan waved his hand: "You don't need to worry so much; Uncle Gu would never say these things to your face, otherwise he wouldn't have consulted me. If you're thick-skinned enough, just pretend you know nothing when the time comes—he won't bring it up, you won't either, and the matter will just pass."

Ye Chen looked at Ye Zhongquan and said glumly: "Grandfather, you can't slip in your own agenda—your meaning is just saying I'm thick-skinned, isn't it?"

Ye Zhongquan quickly denied: "I don't mean that at all—I'm just giving you advice. Think about it: my advice is the best solution. If you don't agree, you'll have to play dumb; if you directly refuse Uncle Gu, it's like slapping his whole family in the face—you know they've waited twenty years for you!"

Ye Chen felt gloomy, knowing he couldn't possibly refuse Gu Yanzhong's family outright—just how thick-skinned would he need to be to do such a thing?

The kindness shown by that family of three toward him could be said to be eternal and unrepaid, and they were even willing to let their precious daughter marry him, even to let her bear his heirs first—even if beaten to death, he could never directly utter a word of refusal.

So, for now, this matter could only be handled by playing dumb.

Although Ye Chen knew Grandfather was speaking ironically, he couldn't say more at the moment and could only sigh: "Alright, Grandfather, thank you for your advice—I know what to do now."

Ye Zhongquan nodded and smiled: "Good, since you're still going to Uncle Gu's house, I think you should stay for lunch there tomorrow noon, and in the evening bring Gu Nannan over—we'll eat together. Frankly, it's been so long since I've seen Gu Nannan, this old man misses her."

Ye Chen knew these were unavoidable formalities; regardless of his relationship with Gu Qiuyi, her visiting the old man in Yanjing was perfectly natural.

So he agreed, saying: "After I see Gu Nannan, I'll let him know I'll come visit you tomorrow."

"Good!" Ye Zhongquan was delighted, laughing: "Tomorrow we won't go out to eat—we'll have a family feast at home. And since Gu Nannan is coming, why not invite Uncle Gu and Aunt Lin over too?"

Ye Chen exclaimed: "Grandfather, what are you trying to do?"

Ye Zhongquan laughed: "Nothing in particular—I just haven't eaten with that family of three in a long time. As an elder, having them come visit me is perfectly fine."

Ye Chen resigned: "You decide—if you plan to invite Uncle Gu's family of three, you should call him yourself; I won't be the messenger."

"Fine!" Ye Zhongquan agreed without hesitation, laughing: "Tomorrow, after you pick up Gu Nannan, go see Uncle Gu and Aunt Lin at her place—I'll call Uncle Gu at noon to invite him over for dinner; I'm sure he won't refuse."

"Fine."

Ye Chen knew he was in the most passive position—whatever he said would be wrong—so he might as well say nothing."

Ye Zhongquan added: "Chen'er, I'd like to invite your aunt over—what do you think? That way, the Gu family of three and our three generations would be quite fitting."

Ye Chen's aunt, Ye Changmin, had been exempted from guarding the Ye Ling Mountain tombs to care for the old man, while other Ye family members still hadn't descended from Ye Ling Mountain.

As for Ye Changmin, Ye Chen didn't dislike her—the old man doted on her, and Ye Chen was well aware of that.

Perhaps the old man also wanted him to reconcile with his aunt.

So Ye Chen nodded: "Everything is up to you to decide."

"Good, good, good." Ye Zhongquan chuckled: "Then it's settled—I'll arrange everything tomorrow. Chen'er, you go rest properly—you're not leaving so early to pick up Gu Nannan at the airport, are you?"

Ye Chen also felt mentally drained, so he said: "Then I'll go sit in my father's study for a while."

Rising to bid farewell to the old man, Ye Chen came to his father's study.

Everything remained as it had been years ago—every arrangement could help him recall his childhood memories.

Sometimes Ye Chen also felt the old man was rather pitiful: his only truly talented son died young in his prime, and the remaining Ye family members were each worse than the last, incapable of amounting to anything.

This was also why the old man had always kept this place unchanged.

【44> He often sat here alone all day without speaking, mourning the son who had made him most proud.

He often sat here alone all day without saying a word, missing the son who made him most proud.

Ye Chen sat at his father's desk, with a question in his heart: if his father were still alive, how would he have wanted him to choose?

Should he be loyal to marriage, or to his parents' command, or perhaps to the family?

It seemed that the latter two choices were, in fact, the same.