The atmosphere in the living room suddenly froze. Gu Zhiwei looked at the two juniors, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.
At this point, no amount of explanation would be of any use.
He coughed twice. "You've all seen how sick I am now. Your eldest brother is in charge of the company. If you have any problems, just talk to him. I'm old and don't have the energy to take care of these things anymore. Planting flowers every day makes me tired."
Lu Anning nodded seriously. "Since you're unable to do it, I won't force you. With your approval, I can make other plans with my elder brother. Jingyuan, I still think that the elders can communicate more easily with each other, and they're old acquaintances. No, I'll go see this Mr. Gong first and make an appointment for our mother to meet with Mr. Gong. We can resolve any misunderstandings in person. If we can talk it out, maybe we can get Mr. Gong's support, and things might go more smoothly for the clinic."
Tang Jingyuan nodded in agreement. "Mr. Gong might not be aware of this news, but I think this method is feasible. Let's see what they want to do first. If they are one of our own, it would be bad if they were accidentally injured. If communication is really impossible, my brother and I will think of another way. Right now, the procedures for the clinic have been approved, and we will start recruiting apprentices soon. It won't be a big problem."
The two people talked to themselves, completely ignoring Gu Zhiwei's wide eyes.
When he heard that two people were going to make an appointment with someone from the Gong family in the name of An Li, he obviously couldn't sit still.
"Don't go!"
Gu Zhiwei's roar came from the living room, and even the servants almost thought they had misheard. Since Gu Zhiwei fell ill last time, there has been no such sound in the house.
Gu Yue and Ding Wan happened to walk in at this time. They were a little shocked. Only Lu Anning had the ability to make Gu Zhiwei angry now.
"What... is going on?"
Lu Anning smiled and spread his hands: "Dad, didn't you just say that you were willing but unable to take care of so many things? What are you doing now..."
Gu Zhiwei slowly stood up, glared at Lu An Ning with a cold face, but was helpless.
"Whatever you want to know, we have to wait until after dinner to discuss it. Butler, go check the kitchen. Why isn't dinner ready yet?"
Lu Anning looked at Gu Zhiwei who was trying hard to save face, and was really worried that he would get too excited and fall down.
Gu Yue and Ding Wan didn't understand what was going on. After Gu Zhiwei went upstairs, Ding Wan pulled Lu An Ning aside to ask clearly. For a moment, the four young people couldn't help laughing in the living room.
Gu Yue couldn't help but give Lu An Ning a thumbs up: "Little sister, you still have a way."
Lu Anning quickly waved his hands: "Jing Yuan taught me."
Ding Wan smiled: "As expected of you, Third Master!"
When it was time for dinner, Gu Yu came back in a hurry.
"Dad, what's the matter that you called me back so anxiously?"
After receiving the call, Gu Yu turned down a social engagement and rushed back, only to see the whole family waiting for dinner in the living room, and his father looked much more energetic than before.
Is he overthinking it?
Gu Zhiwei cleared his throat. "Nothing. It's just that you said before that you wanted to give me acupuncture. I suddenly remembered that I haven't been feeling well lately. Can you help me take a look and treat me later?"
Gu Yu spit out the soup he had just taken with a puff of his tongue. He quickly wiped the soup stains from the corner of his mouth with a tissue and checked with his father again.
"Dad, didn't you say before that you can take care of your own body?"
Gu Yu had tried to persuade him several times before, but was always choked back by Gu Zhiwei, so he gave up and stopped caring. Unexpectedly, his father actually took the initiative to ask him to help regulate his body.
He stared at the others in amazement, wondering what had happened today that had caused such a big change in his father.
Lu An Ning lowered her head and smiled without giving too much explanation. There should be no one more stubborn than her father!
The meal was surprisingly quiet and harmonious. Although Gu Zhiwei's movements were a little slow and stiff, he was trying hard to maintain the demeanor of a head of the family.
After dinner, everyone sat in the tea room tacitly, drinking tea and waiting for Gu Zhiwei to talk about the Gong family.
Being stared at by several children, Gu Zhiwei actually felt a little uncomfortable. After a long while, he finally spoke.
"It's just a family that was eliminated decades ago, so why are you mobilizing so many troops? You're not as calm as I was in my youth. Jing Yuan, you're the most stable one, why are you fooling around with them?"
Lu An Ning rolled his eyes. "After all, we're not as cold-blooded as you. No matter who we are, we can always put the overall situation first. This matter, when you look back to it, is caused by you, isn't it? Professor An is bearing the pressure for you."
Gu Zhiwei was choked and dissatisfied with his daughter's attitude towards him. He looked at her and wanted to say something, but finally held back.
He coughed twice. "Alright! Don't you just want to know about the Gong family? Actually, there's nothing much to say. The Gong family is also in the medicinal materials business. The only son of the Gong family just returned from studying medicine abroad. He looked down on the orthodox medical skills of our Gu family and repeatedly challenged them, but in the end, he was defeated by An Li and was completely conquered by her."
Having said this, Gu Zhiwei paused.
"That kid had a wild idea, actually wanting An Li to teach him traditional medicine. With the little talent he had learned on his own, he found excuses to see An Li every day, for no apparent reason. Not long after, the Gong family was reported for selling high-grade medicinal herbs and was investigated, leading to their decline. He was smart enough to cut his losses and leave Kyoto with his parents. From then on, the Gong family was eliminated from the list of aristocratic families in the capital."
Gu Yue muttered, "Since you've been in the medicinal materials business all this time, how come you were suddenly caught selling fake medicine? Such a big business, are you giving it up?"
Gu Zhiwei's eyes flashed and he smiled contemptuously: "I don't know about that! Some people, in order to make money, don't care so much. I don't bother to care so much about other people's affairs."
The Gong family was defeated. It is conceivable that who would eventually take over the clients that the Gong family had occupied at that time.
Tang Jingyuan and Lu Anning exchanged glances, half believing and half doubting the truth Gu Zhiwei had said. The true cause of the Gong family's decline remained to be verified, but judging by this, the Gong family's descendants' return this time was likely related to what happened back then.
Lu Anning asked doubtfully, "You haven't told me whether the Gong family, my mother, or the Gu family have any grudges against each other. Did Mr. Gong really just seek medical advice from my mother and fail?"
"Otherwise, you still think there should be something. Although the Gu family and the Gong family are competitors in business, I will not go behind their backs to trip them up. The Gu family's current family business was all earned by me in an upright manner."
Gu Zhiwei emphasized his integrity, and the more Lu Anning listened, the less credible he seemed.
When businessmen compete with each other, they all resort to some trickery. The Gu family's business had been running smoothly until now, and she didn't believe her father's hands were completely clean. If he were honest, there wouldn't be any trace of her mother's tragic past.
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