Guan Ciyan and Guan Jingyu sat face to face, with Old Master Guan sitting in the seat of honor, both hands resting on his dragon-head cane. “Speak! What should we do now!!”

The imposing aura of a soldier in his old age remained unchanged, and Guan Jingyu’s shoulders trembled slightly.

Guan Ciyan’s gaze drifted toward the window, his mind occupied with Jian Yang’s expression before he left, which seemed a little unusual.

“The Guan family’s discipline is so upright, and yet you are allowing it to be ruined like this! Bring that man to me!” Old Master Guan shouted.

“It can’t be done, Grandpa. It’s not his fault. It’s Uncle who didn’t manage his subordinates well. The media company that released the report must be under the Fuyu Group, right, Uncle?” Guan Ciyan coldly snorted.

“Now it’s hard to find a job. The new recruits are all eager to make an impression. They finally dig up a big scoop, and of course, they want to pick the right time to release it. But you, Jingyu, knowing he’s mine, why did you go over there? Are you used to competing with Uncle for things, that you have to compete for people too?”

“Uncle, what nonsense are you talking? Yangyang and I are just friends.”

“Yangyang? What Yangyang! You’re so friendly calling him that. What were you doing in the hotel, pulling and pushing with him! Getting old and being criticized because of you two!” Old Master Guan rarely scolded Guan Jingyu.

Guan Jingyu felt wronged. “Grandpa, I was just thinking of the Guan family. It was Uncle who forcefully took him away. I only went there hoping Yangyang might not make a big deal out of this because of me.”

“Oh?” Guan Ciyan’s gaze shifted back to Guan Jingyu. “So you have such a good relationship with him?”

Guan Jingyu’s brain suddenly worked well, and he remembered how he and Jian Yang had collaborated to steal Wen Ye’s address from Guan Ciyan.

“Well, we’re not that close. I just have some ties with the Jian family, and I thought I could say a few words in front of Yangyang.”

Guan Ciyan casually added, “Since you’re not that close, then don’t disturb him in the future.”

“You’re hopeless!” Old Master Guan raised his cane and struck at Guan Ciyan. Guan Ciyan reacted quickly, grabbing the tea tray on the table to block it.

The cane missed, and the impact caused Old Master Guan’s wrist to tremble, causing the cane to fall to the floor.

Guan Jingyu stared at Guan Ciyan in surprise. “Uncle, you… you defied Grandpa.”

“Jingyu, a younger generation should behave like one. How can you speak of ‘defying’ when you’re the one saying it?” Guan Ciyan put down the tea tray, poured tea into Old Master Guan’s cup, and refilled it with hot tea. “Are you really relying on the Guan family’s little young master status outside, behaving rudely and without manners? You’ve tarnished the Guan family’s family style.”

“Rebellious child!” Old Master Guan growled quietly.

Jian Buqing suddenly walked out from the corner and massaged Old Master Guan’s shoulders. “Grandpa Guan, don’t get angry. Take care of your health. My mom was so angered by Jian Yang that it made her sick.”

“What are you doing here?” Guan Jingyu had agreed to let the Jian family attend the banquet, even arranging a performance for Jian Buqing, but he had not arranged for Jian Buqing to meet Grandpa.

Jian Buqing lightly lifted his eyelids, his eyes glimmering, and a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips. His voice softened as he said, “Grandpa Guan said he liked my song.”

“It really was good,” Guan Ciyan spoke. “In the future, you can stay at the Guan family and sing occasionally to cheer Dad up.”

“Mr. Guan, I… I’m not… I’m not someone like Jian Yang,” Jian Buqing couldn’t tell whether Guan Ciyan was deliberately insulting him or had misunderstood his purpose for coming to the Guan family. He wasn’t like Jian Yang, who could be treated as a gift to come and go.

Guan Ciyan fixed his gaze on Jian Buqing’s eyes. “Your eyes are very good.”

Jian Buqing slightly parted his lips, his chin retracting as if he didn’t dare to look at Guan Ciyan. He secretly raised his eyes, his face turning red. “Th-thank you.”

“Uncle, don’t tell me you’re interested in every child from the Jian family!” Guan Jingyu saw Jian Buqing’s flushed cheeks and suddenly felt uneasy.

“Absurd!!”

Old Master Guan spoke, and both Guan Ciyan and Guan Jingyu exchanged glances.

“Someone, take Xiao Jian back. The Hetian jade bracelet from the storeroom, let Xiao Jian take it with him.” Old Master Guan was unkind to his son and grandson but treated Jian Buqing warmly, gifting him a present, as if implying he would be invited back in the future.

Jian Buqing felt a slight stir in his heart. Since this was the Guan family’s private matter, he didn’t want to say much. He only happily thanked Old Master Guan. “Buqing is unworthy. My singing isn’t very good, but Grandpa Guan doesn’t mind. Just send someone to call me. Please don’t be angry. My younger brother has always been hopeless. Grandpa, please don’t blame him. He’s still young. I’ll have my parents take him home. It’s my fault for making you angry; that’s the biggest mistake.”

Look at how he speaks, with not a single flaw. Jian Yang’s mouth—besides being tough, has no other advantage.

“I didn’t know the Jian family could treat my people so casually.” Guan Ciyan chuckled twice.

“What do you mean ‘your people’? He’s from the Jian family!”

Old Master Guan waved his hand, and Jian Buqing silently stepped back.

“Dad, the report is a misunderstanding. I’ll handle it, but it’s also true that Jingyu has his eyes on my people,” Guan Ciyan suddenly turned to Guan Jingyu. “You came to find me at the hotel that day. I thought I made it clear to you. After I left, you quietly went to find him—what does that mean? Were you planning to steal him from me?”

Guan Ciyan furrowed his brows and took a sip of tea. “Dad, we can’t blame the people who released the report. They just stated the facts. News people, you know, have to be responsible. Mr. Jingyu had improper thoughts, so we can’t blame them for reporting it.”

“Uncle?” Guan Jingyu was speechless, trapped by Guan Ciyan’s logic and given no chance to defend himself.

“Stop talking about ‘your people.’ Who is he to you? Are you planning to marry him?” Old Master Guan, trying to defend Guan Jingyu, grabbed onto Guan Ciyan’s errors, “Since when did the Guan family teach you to play with men? You even took him to a hotel. How shameful!”

“Marriage should still be carefully considered,” Guan Ciyan said seriously.

“No, Uncle, do you really like Jian Yang?” Guan Jingyu reacted. Jian Yang’s attitude toward him had changed drastically, could it be that his uncle was pursuing him? Did he have a new support?

“The Guan family does not allow such people to enter the door. What kind of person is he that you would even look at him?” The old man was half-angered, as if Guan Ciyan liking Jian Yang was a disgraceful thing. He was noble and upright, while Guan Ciyan still couldn’t erase the inferior traits within him, even though half of the blood running in his veins was from the old man.

“Dad, are you overthinking? If Jian Yang comes, he will come through my door, and has nothing to do with the Guan family, with you, or with Guan Jingyu,” Guan Ciyan’s face turned cold and stern. “Jian Yang won’t come to see you, won’t come to the old house, and there’s no chance for anyone to take him away because the other side won’t have a chance.”

The last sentence was directed at Guan Jingyu.

“I already anticipated this day, your wings have grown strong,” the old man looked at Guan Ciyan, “Jingyu, you can go back.”

Guan Jingyu moved but didn’t get off the sofa. They were all from the Guan family, what was it that he couldn’t hear? Why was he always asked to leave during such times? What secrets were there between the old man and Guan Ciyan that he couldn’t know? He was the heir of the Guan family!

Guan Ciyan met the old man’s gaze, without hiding or avoiding it. The aura of authority built over years in the military remained, his oppressive presence, like that of someone always in a superior position, made people instinctively lower their heads. Guan Jingyu swallowed and felt uneasy, his breath crushed under Guan Ciyan’s presence, even his breathing cautious. Their standoff was like a wake-up call.

When did his weak little uncle, the one who listened to the old man and suffered the most family discipline, gain the power to stand against the old man?

When did it become necessary for Guan Ciyan’s approval before the punishment in the admonition room could fall on him?

Was the respect and fear of the Guan family for the old man, or was it for Guan Ciyan?

“Grandpa…” Guan Jingyu’s voice trembled.

“Get out,” Guan Ciyan said lightly.

Guan Jingyu looked at the old man. How dare Guan Ciyan say “get out” to him?

The old man didn’t say anything. Guan Jingyu hesitated, stood up from the sofa, knelt for half a minute, and slowly walked out of the room.

“Do you still want to use my mother to threaten me?” Guan Ciyan spat out coldly, “Dad.”

“I’ve never threatened you, don’t you understand? Jingyu doesn’t have to live as difficultly as you did because he has his dad. Your brother is the legitimate heir of the Guan family, and even though his health is poor, Jingyu’s mother still treats him with respect. If the Guan family were passed down to Jingyu, his mother would support him with all her strength, expand the family business, and since she’s an only child, Jingyu is the only one to inherit everything. Jingyu doesn’t need to do anything, just by existing, he can gather the capital of three generations and three families. As for you, Guan Ciyan, everything you have was given to you by me.”

“If that’s the case, why did you use all your connections to bring my mother back? Tell me, can these words really convince you?”

“Because your mother can only belong to me. She gave birth to a child of the Guan family, so she must stay in the Guan family.”

“Don’t deceive others and fool yourself. Is it my mother who can’t leave you, or is it you who can’t leave my mother?” Guan Ciyan leaned back and relaxed, his tone casual. “Jian Yang is not my mother, you can deal with him yourself, no need for me to step in. He can handle you on his own.”

Guan Ciyan thought of how Jian Yang often made him so furious, a helpless smile escaped him. “Of course, I will step in. You can gather all the people you just mentioned—Jingyu’s mother, grandmother, and other unimportant people—and see what happens. I’m sure many people are waiting for the internal conflict in the Guan family to release some market space.”

“How dare you?”

“You use the Guan family to threaten me?”

“Do you think I can’t do anything to you?” The old man’s chest heaved, his brain seemingly about to split. He looked at Guan Jingyu in disbelief. “You, your mother…”

“Master, Master, take your medicine first.” Someone immediately brought hypertension medicine, gently patting the old man’s chest. “Master, the doctor is here, it’s time for the check-up.”

The old man kept his eyes fixed on Guan Ciyan, who shrugged indifferently. It seemed that even if the old man died in front of him, he would only make a phone call to have the funeral home take the body.

A large group of people rushed in, with the doctor leading, helping the old man out.

In his later years, no matter how fierce the appearance, it was all a façade.

The room was left empty, only Guan Ciyan remained. He didn’t even believe the words that had come out of his mouth. After lying low in the Guan family for so many years, he hadn’t cared much. The repeated punishments, mere surface wounds, healed in ten days. He wasn’t yet at the point of tearing his face with the old man.

And he had never considered marriage.

There were a million things to argue against the old man’s words, yet how did he end up saying “marriage”?

Moreover, Jian Yang looked really good in a white suit. If he were to wear it at a wedding, spending a year for an Italian craftsman to tailor it for him, how dazzling would that be? His wedding attire should complement his golden eyes.

The concept of a wedding was blank in Guan Ciyan’s mind. But his heart rate slowly started to rise. He touched the base of his ring finger, where there might be a ring someday.

Guan Ciyan took a deep breath, considering how to handle the news. After his heartbeat calmed down, he walked out of the room. His new assistant handed him the phone. “Sir, there are 13 messages and 7 calls.”

“What’s going on?”

“I… I didn’t check your private information,” the assistant said, his face turning pale.

Guan Ciyan shook his head. It’s still the familiar people who are most useful.

He unlocked the phone and saw a message from Zhang Bo, urging him to come back quickly. Guan Ciyan sighed softly. The little troublemaker at home was throwing a tantrum again.

Bang—

The new assistant heard the sigh and fainted immediately.