Chapter 50

"It's okay." Feeling Jiang Nuo's nervousness, Gu Jiangkuo couldn't help but feel warm in his heart. He paused and said, "It's just a minor skin injury."

He looked down at the back of his hand. It was just a minor scratch. These hands had been engaged in high-intensity physical labor for many years. They would get frostbite when it was cold and blisters when it was hot. Those minor scratches were not considered injuries at all.

But he was inexplicably attached to Jiang Nuo's nervousness.

Suddenly I want to act coquettishly.

Gu Jiangkuo didn't realize that his coquettishness almost caused psychological trauma to Jiang Nuo.

After he dealt with Wang Weiguo, he drove directly to Yanlin No. 1 Middle School according to the address given by Mr. Jiang. He drove fast and steadily, not like a novice at all. He sped all the way and arrived at the school gate at the same time as Young Master Jiang's Bentley.

Gu Jiangkuo was thinking about Jiang Nuo's words "something happened", so he left the pickup truck and strode over eagerly.

Young Master Jiang was even more anxious than him. Without waiting for the driver, he opened the door and got out of the car. He pulled Gu Jiangkuo over and looked him up and down. He saw that his clothes and pants were covered in dust, and there were indeed signs of a fight. Jiang Nuo's heart sank. Is fate really unchangeable?

"Where are you hurt?" Although it was a question, Jiang Nuo's eyes were fixed on a certain place. He looked at it for a few seconds before returning to Gu Jiangkuo's face. "Is the injury serious?"

Gu Jiangkuo said uncertainly, "...It was just a little scrape."

Jiang Nuo: “!”

The skin is completely scraped off! It's so serious! If it gets infected, it will definitely affect my function and cause disability!

"Hurry to the hospital." Jiang Nuo said without hesitation, "Let Lao Liu take you. I'll wait for Jiang Su here."

"No need," Although Jiang Nuo was worried, he was a little happy, but it was not that serious. Gu Jiangkuo stretched out his hand hesitantly, "It's just a little scratch, it will be healed soon."

Jiang Nuo took his hand and looked at it for a moment, "Is this the only injury?"

Gu Jiangkuo nodded awkwardly. To be honest, he felt a little regretful now. He had made the excuse to make him feel distressed, but when he thought about it more deeply, he still felt embarrassed.

He is such a grown man, but he still calls this little skin injury "injury". Will Xiao Nuo laugh at him?

Jiang Nuo also felt that there was something wrong with the injury. It wasn't that the injury was not serious - the skin and flesh were turned inside out. If he were injured like this, he would probably have to call a private doctor, bring two or three surgical nurses, and a scar repair team to carefully care for him for several months.

But Gu Jiangkuo is different. For him, this level of matter is not worth mentioning specifically.

Jiang Nuo still doubted whether Gu Jiangkuo was really injured there, but was too embarrassed to say it in the street.

However, before Jiang Nuo could investigate carefully, Jiang Su rushed to the school gate and argued loudly and anxiously with the security guard. It seemed that he ran too fast and did not have time to ask for a leave note from the teacher.

Seeing that the security guard was arguing with him, Jiang Nuo and Gu Jiangkuo hurried over. When Jiang Su saw his brother, his eyes turned red and his voice trembled, "Brother, is it true? Dad is really... gone?"

Gu Jiangkuo was startled and looked at Jiang Nuo.

Jiang Nuo clenched his back teeth tightly to prevent himself from losing composure. He nodded slightly, explained everything to the security guard, and took Jiang Su to the car.

Gu Jiangkuo simply left the pickup truck in the temporary parking space at the school gate, and got into the Bentley with Jiang Nuo without saying a word. He didn't sit in the passenger seat, but just sat next to Jiang Nuo.

Even though the back seat was spacious, Gu Jiangkuo was tall and had long legs, so he took up a lot of space. Young Master Jiang, who was rare, didn't feel crowded, nor did he mind that Gu Jiangkuo was dirty from the fight. He unexpectedly felt that being so close to such a tall guy had a soothing effect.

The younger brother was not yet an adult, and he could only cry when he heard the bad news, wiping his tears on Jiang Nuo's shoulder. Young Master Jiang could not cry anymore, so he had to silently grit his teeth and hold back all the sad emotions, and told the driver to drive directly to the airport.

Jiang Nuo felt exhausted. It wasn't until Jiang Su was tired of crying and fell silent that she suddenly felt a large hand, a slightly rough palm pressing heavily on the back of her hand, and then firmly grasping it. Jiang Nuo couldn't help but turn around and saw Gu Jiangkuo whispering, "The airport is still far away. If you're tired, just lean on me for a while."

.

We bought the nearest flight to City A, and a group of three of us rushed to pay our respects to the old man's body.

According to the customs of Yanlin, the body needs to be brought back for storage and cremated after the seventh day. Jiang Nuo vaguely remembers these red tapes due to his experience in the previous life. The difference from the previous life is that the person accompanying him this time is Gu Jiangkuo. Gu Jiangkuo is silent and reliable, and many things have been handled properly without Jiang Nuo's instructions. In the eyes of others, he has become Mr. Jiang's spokesperson, a number one celebrity who is more popular than Wu Tong.

Only Young Master Jiang himself knew that thanks to Gu Jiangkuo's company and support, he was able to manage the old man's future in a seemingly decent manner.

God knows how many times he's had a private breakdown.

For example, on the first day after Old Jiang was brought back, right after the body was placed, Jiang Su disappeared. Jiang Nuo was too lazy to look for him. He sat in the funeral hall in a daze, listening to the howling night wind outside the window, and asked Gu Jiangkuo as if talking to himself: "Is it Old Jiang who is talking?"

"Do you believe in ghosts?"

The news of Old Jiang's passing hadn't been announced yet, and they were the only two keeping vigil in the huge hall. For some reason, the temperature in the funeral home seemed colder than elsewhere. Gu Jiangkuo borrowed a military coat from the staff on duty and wrapped Jiang Nuo tightly in it. "If he was there, he would definitely be saying, 'Don't be sad, Xiao Nuo. I have a son like you, and I have no regrets in this life.'"

"No," Jiang Nuo sniffed, "He calls me 'Nuonuo'."

"Nuonuo," Gu Jiangkuo whispered in a coaxing tone, pulling him into his arms, clothes and all. "They say 'A son wishes to support his parents, but they are no longer around,' but you've done your best. I have no regrets, except that I can't bear to leave Mr. Jiang. ... Starting tomorrow, there will be many people paying their respects. You have to hold on. Go to sleep first. I'll watch over the incense burner and make sure it doesn't go out."

Jiang Nuo was reluctant to sleep at first, but his emotions had fluctuated greatly that day, and Young Master Jiang was weak, so he didn't make it to the second half of the night and fell into a deep sleep.

By this time, even the staff on duty at the funeral home had fallen asleep. Gu Jiangkuo was afraid that Jiang Nuo would be cold, so he simply took off his coat and covered Jiang Nuo with a thick layer. Then he quietly put him down, walked to the altar, and respectfully lit three more incense sticks. He introduced himself and said, "Mr. Jiang, Uncle Jiang, my name is Gu Jiangkuo, I'm almost twenty years old, and I'm a student in the Finance Department of Yanlin University..."

The door was clearly closed, but a cold wind came from somewhere and blew out the flames of the incense that had just been lit, which started to burn with a crackling sound.

Gu Jiangkuo subconsciously looked at Jiang Nuo and found that the tightly wrapped Young Master Jiang was not woken up by the wind, but his brows were slightly furrowed and he was not sleeping well.

"Is this an agreement or a disagreement?" Gu Jiangkuo muttered to himself. He then solemnly knelt on the mat, put his head to the ground, and kowtowed three times. "Uncle Jiang, I swear in front of your tablet that I will take good care of Nuonuo for the rest of my life. With me around, he won't suffer the slightest injustice. As long as he needs me, I, Gu Jiangkuo, will not hesitate even for a moment. I mean what I say. I'm by his side, so please rest assured."

The violent wind subsided, and the incense slowly calmed down, slowly burning out three faint and long smoke strands.

.

At the same time, Jiang Su took a taxi home alone.

It is the villa where Lao Jiang always lives, the home where he and his parents have lived for many years.

In a blink of an eye, Jiang Su and Lao Meiqin had been in a cold war for nearly two months, but she was his biological mother after all. He had cried enough since he heard the news of his father's death in the morning until now, and he also remembered that he should tell his mother about this.

Perhaps it was the loss of her father that softened Jiang Su's stubborn heart. After all, they were a family, and she was her father's wife, so she had the right to know first.

Jiang Su knew that Lao Meiqin and Jiang Nuo did not get along, so he did not say anything and just came back quietly.

It's not that Jiang Su wanted to choose to stand on his mother's side to deal with his brother, but he felt that he could still throw himself into his mother's arms and cry his heart out, but now his brother has nothing, and he can't bear to let Jiang Nuo be hurt again. Besides, Jiang Su also wanted to take this opportunity to resolve the grudge with his mother.

After all, they are mother and son, what can't be resolved?

Dad’s spirit in heaven wouldn’t want to see the family become disharmonious after he’s gone, right?

However, Jiang Su still had a childish mind and was not thoughtful. He did not say hello before returning home. Late in the night, he quietly opened the door and went straight to the bedroom upstairs.

At this time, Lao Meiqin should not have gone to bed yet. She usually watched live shopping and found that the lights were not turned off.

Jiang Su raised her hand to knock on the door, but heard a sound from inside... It didn't sound like live shopping at all. Jiang Su's raised hand froze in mid-air.

He was no longer a child. He had already secretly seen everything he needed to know and see under the covers. There was nothing he didn't understand. He didn't need to carefully analyze what the sound meant, nor did he want to. He almost wanted to kick the door open and expose their ugly appearance.

But Jiang Su didn't kick it in the end, he just banged the door hard.

"Who is it? What the hell are you doing?"

A man's voice came from inside. It was Pan Yian.

Although the sound had changed to cursing, the other sounds had stopped abruptly. Jiang Su's jaw muscles were extremely tense. He took a few deep breaths before suddenly yelling, "Lao Meiqin! My dad is gone! Are you satisfied?"

"I'm just letting you know that you don't need to go to pay your respects. Otherwise, don't blame me for what I say or do in public!" Jiang Su finally kicked the door open as if to vent his anger, but he didn't even look at the person inside. When he turned around and left as if escaping, the tears in his eyes had already blurred his vision.

.

Mr. Jiang's funeral was held with great fanfare. Almost all the prominent businessmen in the Yanlin business circle came to say goodbye, and even some leaders of relevant departments came to send wreaths - after all, the Jiang Group was a major taxpayer, and especially now under the leadership of Jiang Nuo, it was thriving.

There were crowds of people, and the atmosphere was solemn and dignified.

The two brothers Jiang Nuo and Jiang Su were all dressed in mourning. Some close relatives also wore white clothes, and the rest of the people wore solemn and polite black.

Only Gu Jiangkuo quietly tied a white belt, which was only worn by relatives, under his black suit.

Jiang Su was a little absent-minded, always hesitating to speak, as if he had something to say to Jiang Nuo, but Jiang Nuo, as the eldest son, was always busy, so he pursed his lips and followed behind him, looking out the door from time to time. As expected, he had not seen Lao Meiqin yet.

At such an event, half the business district would be filled with people, so it was inevitable that the Ding family wouldn't be there. The Ding family was very respectful, and the head of the family, Ding Yansheng, and his two sons were all present. They presented wreaths, elegiac couplets, and bowed their goodbyes with all the proper etiquette. Even Ding Yansheng, the old fox, was genuinely moved, his eyes reddening as he held the coffin and wiped away tears. "We've been fighting for so many years, and I didn't expect you to attend your funeral before the outcome is even decided."

Mr. Ding and Mr. Jiang are both veteran entrepreneurs from the same period. They are often compared by the media and are competitors. How could they not have a mutual understanding?

Seeing him like this, many people present also sighed, even Jiang Nuo couldn't help but be moved. However, although he was moved, Jiang Nuo knew in his heart that people are the most complicated things. The regret and grief for the death of his old friend was real, and it would not prevent the Ding family from finding ways to swallow up the Jiang family in the future.

Jiang Nuo walked over and supported Ding Yansheng, "Uncle Ding, thank you for coming all the way to see my father off."

"Good boy, Old Jiang has a good son like you, so he can die in peace." Ding Yansheng wiped away his tears and winked at Ding Pingzhou. "Pingzhou, you and Xiaonuo grew up together and have the deepest relationship. At a time like this, you should be trying to comfort him. Why are you just standing there like a wooden stake?"

In fact, Ding Pingzhou was not like a wooden stake at all. From the moment he entered the door, his eyes never left Jiang Nuo.

As the saying goes, "If you want to be pretty, wear mourning clothes." Jiang Nuo was dressed in white from head to toe, except for the red circles under her eyes, which made her look even more pitiful. Ding Pingzhou was different from Ding Yansheng. He was of a different generation from Old Jiang and they did not have that many interactions. He did not feel much when the old man passed away. He was even a little happy to have such an opportunity to meet Jiang Nuo openly again.

After not seeing her for so many days, he felt that Xiao Nuo was getting more and more beautiful. Her plain white dress made her look dazzlingly beautiful. He wanted to go over and comfort her, but he was worried that he would not have the chance. He immediately went down the stairs and said, "Xiao Nuo, don't be too sad——"

"No," Jiang Nuo said without even looking at Ding Pingzhou. "I'm still young. When I run the Jiang family in the future, I'll need to consult seniors like you, Uncle Ding. Jiang Kuo, please take your distinguished guest to rest."

Gu Jiangkuo stepped forward, standing tall and blocking Ding Pingzhou's way. He pushed him back without saying anything, but he remained polite. "Thank you for coming all the way here to pay your respects. The front hall is crowded, and I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Please have some tea in the back hall."

The author has something to say:

My dears, congratulations on working from home, at least until Wednesday, and I will update more steadily tomorrow.