Li Xunwen and Gu Zhaoping have had conflicts for a long time.
The aristocracy is a circle, and people inside it often bump into each other.
Even though they are familiar, they mostly just know each other’s names.
Especially for Li Xunwen and his sister, they grew up with Shen Yifeng, which is very intriguing.
Shen Yifeng has been their idol since childhood.
He is older than them and had already achieved great things at a young age.
He has always been steady and reliable in his actions.
Both the elders from the Shen family and the Li family think highly of him.
However, this outstanding figure, who is like a brother to them, ended up getting engaged to the infamous Gu Zhaoping from their circle.
It’s not that Gu Zhaoping has done anything illegal, but there is a hierarchy of disdain between them.
For example, someone like Shen Yifeng, who is highly educated, capable, and took over the family business at a young age, is a leader in their circle.
Many fans admire him and want to learn from him.
Next, there are younger generations who have achieved success in other fields.
Then, there are ordinary second-generation rich people who only know how to squander their wealth, and they are not even worth talking about.
But what they look down on are people like Gu Zhaoping, who not only has no talents but also constantly causes trouble and damages the reputation of the entire Gu family, even dragging Shen Yifeng down with her.
The idols in their hearts have a very high status.
They cannot accept the idea that if Shen Yifeng holds a wedding, the person appearing at the wedding could be someone like Gu Zhaoping.
What kind of reputation does Gu Zhaoping have, according to what they’ve heard?
She graduated with dual degrees in business and law, but when she was asked about her expertise by an elder, she had no idea about her own professional knowledge.
She was completely a business rookie, causing embarrassment and making bold claims that stunned the other person.
At that time, the elders from the Gu family were embarrassed, and in the end, it was Shen Yifeng who stepped in to save the situation.
Li Xunwen and his sister’s impression of Gu Zhaoping was not good.
Later, they heard she was completely clueless, pretending to know something about art at a famous artist’s exhibition.
She criticized the artist’s paintings, pointed out problems with famous works, and tried to show off her knowledge, publicly embarrassing herself and angering the artist.
There was also an incident at a banquet where she made a fool of herself trying to steal the spotlight.
She even publicly flaunted a male model!
This last incident was too much for them to bear.
They couldn’t believe that such an excellent person like Shen Yifeng was engaged to her.
How could she do something like flaunt a male model? It was utterly disgraceful.
As for the conflict with Ruan Nian, that was something for later.
The things they had heard about Gu Zhaoping were already mild compared to what they’d heard in the past.
They just thought that Gu Zhaoyue probably felt the same way about his sister as they did.
Li Xunwen and his sister had secretly been hoping for Shen Yifeng to break up with Gu Zhaoping and get rid of her.
They couldn’t stand the idea of having such a person tied to the perfect Shen Yifeng for life.
Sometimes, malice comes in inexplicable ways.
They had never actually interacted with Gu Zhaoping but had only observed her from afar, and they already despised her.
At this time, Li Xunwen suddenly remembered something.
When he was a child, he learned chess because his family liked it.
Although Shen Yifeng didn’t dedicate much energy to it, he did learn a bit when he was young.
Li Xunwen, as a child, loved playing with Shen Yifeng, always following behind him.
To fit into their circle, he worked hard to learn chess, and it developed into a skill over time.
Li Xunwen was quite confident in this area.
After all, they had many opportunities to engage in hobbies, but few people really developed a talent.
Now that Gu Zhaoping had suddenly mentioned chess, he thought she must be trying to please Shen Yifeng.
She knew she didn’t match up to him in any way except for her family background, so this was probably her attempt to impress him.
As for the other so-called skills that Gu Zhaoping had recently showcased, they felt a bit uncomfortable, but they didn’t pay too much attention.
The siblings sneered.
“She’s probably trying to follow some underdog plot to get Shen Yifeng’s attention, but now she’s just trying to make up for past mistakes.
Gu Zhaoping has done so many ridiculous things before.
How could she still expect Shen Yifeng to form a good impression of her?”
No one wants a sister-in-law like Gu Zhaoping.
As for Shen Yifeng himself, he had indeed attracted attention.
When he went to the Gu family home, he originally wanted to discuss the matter of breaking off the engagement with Gu Zhaoping’s parents.
However, when Mrs. Hua heard what the people from Yuanqi Technology had said about Gu Zhaoping’s actions in the company, she raised the issue of Gu Zhaoyue’s problem and restructured the team.
When the discussion turned to breaking the engagement, it seemed like no one spoke up.
Gu Zhaoping had clearly heard about this, and in their hearts, they both arrived at the same conclusion.
They didn’t know why Gu Zhaoping had suddenly become like this, but after many years of complicated speculation, they wondered if the situation at the Gu family was so complex and full of internal struggles. Had Gu Zhaoping been concealing her real abilities all along?
Was her pursuit of admiration just a façade to cover up her true intentions?
Just thinking about it, although they couldn’t confirm it, the way Gu Zhaoping had pursued things before had been so passionate.
But just as this thought crossed their minds, it was still uncomfortable and even unbearable.
Shen Yifeng hadn’t thought much about this matter.
He had been quietly waiting for the conclusion, waiting for Gu Zhaoping to bring up breaking the engagement, and for the Gu family to officially annul the engagement.
Even though Gu Zhaoping had no feelings for him, while waiting for this notification, he felt like he was waiting for some kind of judgment.
When someone you’ve always been able to understand suddenly changes their ways, and you realize that all their actions before may have been a façade in front of you, it’s a bitter realization.
In her heart, you are worth nothing.
The disdain and frustration you had toward her all along now seem like a self-inflicted joke.
The more arrogant a person is, the more they suffer from their own self-delusion.
He should have thought more about this, but the thought kept lingering in his mind, making him feel confused.
He wanted to understand it.
Did he have many flaws? Had Gu Zhaoping really had no interest in him all these years? Could she have faked her admiration so convincingly that he truly believed it?
Just thinking about how he had taken it all seriously made Shen Yifeng feel a subtle irritation.
After hearing that Gu Zhaoping had gone to participate in a program, he tried to divert his attention from it.
But the buzz around Gu Zhaoping was too big, and no matter how much he tried to avoid it, it often came right in front of him.
So, when Shen Yifeng finally saw Gu Zhaoping’s name again, it was in connection with her news about acquiring a jiu-jitsu dojo.
He looked at it.
Why was Gu Zhaoping suddenly interested in a jiu-jitsu dojo? He had never heard of her having such a hobby.
He clearly didn’t want to pay attention, he just wanted to focus on his own matters.
But as he looked at the flood of news reports, he couldn’t resist clicking on it.
After reading it, he realized the whole situation.
Just like everyone else, he thought there was no way Gu Zhaoping could have anything to do with jiu-jitsu.
But in this situation, Gu Zhaoping didn’t hesitate to slap everyone in the face.
She was actually a hidden jiu-jitsu expert.
Shen Yifeng’s pupils trembled slightly.
He had never imagined that Gu Zhaoping would have such a hobby.
In the footage, she had a calm expression, dressed neatly and in an elite style.
She casually threw the person down after a few moves, her hair not a single strand out of place.
She squatted down nonchalantly and softly asked, “Is that enough?”
Shen Yifeng pressed his lips tightly.
At this moment, he fell into an unprecedented silence.
He wasn’t sure how to explain the complex, somewhat suppressed feelings he was experiencing.
Meanwhile, the family patriarch, Old Master Gu, who had been watching the show on time, was utterly stunned after watching the entire program.
Wait a minute, who is this?
Is this his granddaughter?
She can play chess, fine, but how does she know how to fight?
When did she secretly learn jiu-jitsu behind our backs?
Old Master Gu, still in shock, suddenly recalled something that time he visited the Gu residence and saw Gu Zhaoping easily subdue Gu Zhaoyue.
Thinking of this, Old Master Gu stiffened.
So, she had already revealed her true capabilities long ago!
What had Gu Zhaoping secretly learned and practiced all these years while they weren’t paying attention to her?
As her abilities began to surface more and more, Old Master Gu began to find her increasingly mysterious and unfathomable.
After thinking it over, Old Master Gu felt compelled to call Gu Zhaoping’s mother, Hua Bingfan, who should have known her best.
“Hello, Bingfan, did you see today’s program?” Old Master Gu’s voice was full of disbelief, puzzled.
“Do you know what happened with Zhaoping? Has she secretly been practicing jiu-jitsu? What on earth was she doing these past few years?”
Upon hearing Old Master Gu’s voice, Hua Bingfan felt embarrassed.
She had no idea what had happened.
But since she had claimed to understand Gu Zhaoping, she could only bite the bullet and reply, “Old Master, I’m not too sure, but Zhaoping hasn’t been idle these past few years.
Maybe… we’ve just been neglecting her.”
Suddenly, Hua Bingfan remembered something she hadn’t reported to Old Master Gu yet.
“By the way, Old Master, did you know that Zhaoping discovered a major financial error at Yuanqi Technology while she was working there? Although this mistake led to Gu Zhaoyue’s failed funding, it uncovered a hidden danger.
This failure is small, but if it continues, it could lead to a big disaster.
Zhaoping handled it well.”
“What?” Old Master Gu froze.
He hadn’t heard about this matter before.
The Gu family’s business was vast, and what had been handed to Gu Zhaoyue was just a small part, not a significant piece.
Old Master Gu, who had spent most of his life running the business, now lived in a nursing home and no longer handled trivial matters.
It was only now that he heard that Gu Zhaoyue had made a mistake!
He was stunned for a long time.
Before, Gu Zhaoping’s abilities had only made him think that she was persistent, smart, low-key, and had a talent for chess.
But now, hearing this news, he was truly taken aback.
This was the first time he had seen Gu Zhaoping getting involved in the family’s business affairs without his guidance.
How did Gu Zhaoping suddenly become so sharp, identifying problems in the company? Old Master Gu was bewildered.
Had Gu Zhaoping really changed this much? Was she always able to act like this?
His throat tightened, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Bingfan, where is Zhaoyue? How did he fix this issue?”
He was still hoping to hear about some miraculous solution from Gu Zhaoyue, but the other side suddenly went silent.
Hua Bingfan looked awkward.
This was her first time hearing about the issue from the senior executives at Yuanqi Technology, but the answer she got was far from satisfactory.
“…Old Master, after this incident, Gu Zhaoyue… left the company to relax.”
Hua Bingfan felt embarrassed.
She actually felt something was off about this.
It seemed like Gu Zhaoyue should have handled it, but he left.
She could only continue awkwardly, “It seems like Zhaoping is handling the mess at the company now.”
At this point, Hua Bingfan froze.
Oh right, after this incident, Zhaoyue should have stayed at the company to handle things!
Since there were financial issues, he should have resolved them, reorganized the team, and started over. How could he just leave like this?
He was the president of Yuanqi Technology! He was the heir to the Gu family!
Realizing this, Hua Bingfan was stunned, and Old Master Gu on the other side fell into the same silence.
They both realized what each other was thinking.
It was…
How could this happen? Why was Gu Zhaoyue’s performance so unreliable, while Gu Zhaoping seemed more like the true heir?
After a long silence, Old Master Gu finally spoke.
“Zhaoping wants to get involved in the company’s affairs?”
Hua Bingfan quickly responded, “Yes! Zhaoping has changed quite a lot recently.
Maybe she has grown up and wants to change herself, do something serious.”
She was uneasy and didn’t know what else Old Master Gu would say next, but to her surprise, he just quietly paused for a moment, then said,
“There’s a case in the U.S. we were supposed to send Zhaoyue for, but since he is unreachable, we can’t leave it open. Let Zhaoping go instead.”
Hua Bingfan was stunned.
What does this mean? She remembered that the case in the U.S. seemed to be a significant cooperation…
She quickly said, “But she has a variety show…”
“What’s the big deal if she misses one or two episodes? Our family’s business cooperation is more important.”
Old Master Gu said calmly.
This cooperation represented the Gu family, and even Yuanqi Technology couldn’t have hoped to get such an opportunity.
Gu Zhaoyue hadn’t taken this seriously, but Gu Kaichang had competed for the chance for a long time, and Old Master Gu had never relented.
Why hadn’t Gu Zhaoyue competed for this important matter before?
Hua Bingfan froze again.
Could it be that because he was the only heir, the eldest grandson of the Gu family, the rightful heir, he never felt any sense of urgency and hadn’t truly cared about these business matters?
Thinking about this, Hua Bingfan fell silent.
After a long pause, Old Master Gu sighed and finally hung up the phone.
At that moment, a sudden realization struck him.
Why had he never noticed that Gu Zhaoyue’s performance always seemed unreliable? Or perhaps he had noticed but hadn’t paid attention?
Perhaps he had always thought Gu Zhaoyue was young and a bit reckless, and even if he was obsessed with a female celebrity, it seemed normal.
Even if he occasionally made mistakes and shut himself off, it was just a young person throwing a tantrum?
But… Old Master Gu then thought of Gu Zhaoping’s calm face on television.
She had pinned a man with years of jiu-jitsu experience to the ground, with no trace of pride.
She simply handled the situation.
She said lightly, “I’m the owner here.”
She added, “You can attack, then consider the next question.”
Each word, each movement of hers was so composed, it seemed nothing could affect her emotions.
At this moment, Old Master Gu realized his impression of his eldest granddaughter had completely changed.
Yes… she was the first true eldest grandchild of the Gu family.
She was the true heir.
Old Master Gu remained silent for a moment.
In any case, Gu Zhaoyue’s absence didn’t matter.
Let Zhaoping go instead.
Looking at Zhaoping’s current performance, she likely wouldn’t cause trouble or make a scene like before. On the contrary, her current behavior made Old Master Gu look forward to seeing what she could achieve.
“At that time, I’ll personally take her to Los Angeles, and let everyone meet Zhaoping.”
…
The time came for the guests to check into the manor and begin filming for the show.
Ruan Nian kept pumping herself up, preparing for any surprises.
Ruan Nian frowned at the system:
“Have you thought it through? What kind of punishment can you threaten that female supporting character with?”
The system replied: Her current method of clearing her name is by using this variety show to refresh her image and slap you in the face.
If she agrees to fix her image and become the evil female supporting character again, I’ll force her to miss the recording due to an accident.
Ruan Nian was finally satisfied.
She had already contacted them and knew that Gu Zhaoyue wouldn’t be coming this time, so she would have to use the excuse she had already prepared.
Her excuse was that Old Master Gu’s health wasn’t well recently, so Gu Zhaoyue couldn’t attend.
She had heard that Old Master Gu had been staying in the nursing home, so this excuse was very reasonable.
After all, Old Master Gu wouldn’t be appearing in public anytime soon.
She wouldn’t get caught.
The Gu family members likely all knew this, and who would bother to expose her?
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