The old lady sat expressionless, her eyes fixed on the stairs.
At this moment, Ye Yuzhen and Gu Xinyi helped Old Master Gu walk down slowly.
Seeing that Old Master Gu had appeared in front of her unharmed, Old Madam Gu, who seemed calm, suddenly felt a lump in her throat.
They have been married for over fifty years, and the two have never been apart for a single day since the old man retired from the army.
Mrs. Gu was actually going through a lot of emotional distress after Mr. Gu was kidnapped.
As Old Master Gu descended the stairs, he looked at the large group of people in the living room on the first floor. His wise eyes immediately spotted Old Madam Gu sitting on the sofa, and his tightly pursed lips visibly curled upwards.
"Sixth Grandfather".
"Sixth Uncle".
"Great-grandfather".
When the descendants of the Gu family met Elder Gu, they spoke respectfully.
Old Gu remained calm and composed, showing no signs of being coerced.
Gu Chengyou stepped forward: "Sixth Grandfather, are you alright?"
"It's alright." Old Master Gu waved his hand.
With the help of Gu Zhizhou and Qin Lin, Old Madam Gu walked up to him.
"It's good that you're back." The old lady only said four words, but they contained so much emotion.
A hint of tenderness flashed in Old Master Gu's resolute gaze, and he nodded.
"Dad, since you came back last night, why didn't you go home? Mom and we were so worried about you," Gu Zhizhou asked.
Old Master Gu glanced in the direction of Gu Tingjun and Ye Yuzhen.
Recalling Huo Zhaoyuan's words before he went downstairs, Old Master Gu said in a deep voice, "I had something to discuss with Tingjun last night, so I stayed here overnight. The reason I've gathered everyone here today is to announce something important."
Everyone looked at Old Master Gu.
Gu Tingjun's hands, hanging by his sides, were clenched tightly, awaiting his moment of glory.
"Since I took over the Gu family, I have been doing my best to follow the ancestral teachings, consolidate the Gu family's foundation, and unite the Gu family members for decades. Now I am getting old and my mind is not as sharp as before. This huge family needs to be injected with fresh blood to give it new vitality. Therefore, I am going to step down as the head of the Gu family today, and I have already found a candidate for the new head of the family."
Everyone's eyes involuntarily turned to Gu Zhizhou.
The sixth branch is the direct line. With Old Master Gu stepping down, his son naturally became the new patriarch of the Gu family, which was a matter of course in everyone's eyes.
Even Gu Zhizhou felt that the old man was about to reveal his name.
Only Madam Gu knew who Old Master Gu was referring to.
"Gu Tingjun will be the new patriarch of our Gu family."
"Gu Tingjun?"
"How could it be Gu Tingjun?"
"What exactly happened?"
"Old man, are you sure you're not mistaken?"
After all, he was kidnapped just yesterday. Although he has returned safely, the old man is getting on in years and may have memory problems due to the trauma, so it's possible that he called out the wrong name.
Seeing the astonished expressions on everyone's faces, Old Master Gu said Gu Tingjun's name again.
"I'm talking about Gu Tingjun, the eldest son of the second wife."
At this moment, apart from Gu Tingjun and Ye Yuzhen, who were overjoyed, everyone else had very complicated expressions.
Gu Jingyu looked at Gu Tingjun and Ye Yuzhen. Although the couple tried their best to restrain themselves, their eyes still revealed an undisguised sense of pride.
With Uncle Qi gone, some people have indeed started to get restless.
“Dad, this seems to be against the rules,” Gu Zhizhou said, frowning.
“The head of the Gu family has always been succeeded by the direct line. Gu Tingjun is from the second branch. Your decision is really too sudden.”
Gu Chengyou stepped forward and said, "Sixth Grandfather, you are still in good health. I don't think there's any rush to choose a clan leader. Let's discuss it some more."
"Gu Chengyou, what do you mean? What's there to discuss with the decision made by the Gu family head?" Ye Yuzhen stood up angrily and accused him.
"I think you're just after the position of the head of the Gu family, and you're jealous that our old Gu was chosen as the successor by Sixth Grandfather."
Gu Chengyou's face turned ashen with anger: "Second sister-in-law, this is not the place for you to throw a tantrum. What I just said is true. Since ancient times, the eldest son of the legitimate wife has inherited the position of clan leader in the Gu family. Sixth Grandfather has a son named Fourth Uncle and a grandson named A-Ye. No matter how you arrange it, it doesn't belong to your second branch."
Gu Tingjun's face immediately turned cold: "Heh, Gu Chengyou, I don't like hearing that. Didn't you hear me clearly? Do you need your sixth brother to repeat it again?"
Gu Chengyou looked at Old Master Gu.
"Sixth Grandfather, you should think this through. The position of head of the Gu family is not one that just anyone can hold."
Gu Chengyou began to have doubts. Could it be that his wife was right?
Was Gu Tingjun the one who kidnapped Old Master Gu?
But if Gu Tingjun kidnapped Old Master Gu, why would the old man announce in public that Gu Tingjun would be the next head of the Gu family?
I really can't understand this.
Ye Yuzhen got anxious and retorted, "Our old Gu is at least a ministerial level, much better than you, a hopeless case."
“You…” Gu Chengyou was sorely offended, and his face turned ashen with anger.
The third branch of the Gu family is the least successful among their descendants, mainly because Gu Chengyou lacks ambition.
Despite being a descendant of the Gu family, he had no interest in business or politics and instead went to teach at a university.
In the eyes of ordinary people, being a teacher is a very good profession.
In the powerful Gu family, not managing the family's connections and businesses properly and instead going to teach was considered self-degradation.
Therefore, the other families rarely interacted with the third family.
But today, Gu Chengyou, who has always been ridiculed, stepped forward to uphold the Gu family's ancestral precepts.
Cai Juan stood up and angrily accused Ye Yuzhen: "Ye Yuzhen, you come from a prestigious family, yet you have such a sharp and shrewish mouth. Although my husband is not involved in politics or business, every penny he earns is clean. Unlike some people, he can't withstand an investigation from above, can he?"
"That's utter nonsense. Our Lao Gu has never accepted bribes. Don't try to smear us."
Cai Juan sneered: "I didn't say anything, why are you in such a hurry to explain? Isn't this just a clear sign of a guilty conscience?"
Ye Yuzhen was so angry that she choked on her breath, her face turning ashen.
Cai Juan has always been outspoken and exceptionally protective of her husband.
She couldn't stand seeing self-important people like Gu Jia belittling and mocking her husband, so she developed a prickly personality.
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