"Didn't Grandpa also advise me to find a marriage match with someone of equal social standing?" Gong Chengjue seemed not to notice the gazes directed at him.
Su Ziqing's heart sank as she listened. Gong Chengjue could say one or two sentences, but every word he said was drawing a line between them. Could it be that he really wanted to break up because of what had happened recently?
It wasn't, as she thought, that he was afraid she'd get into danger; was it really a breakup? Simply because... she couldn't help him with anything?
"Didn't you also disagree with arranged marriages between people of similar social standing before?" Old Master Gong frowned. "You said that you should decide your own marriage."
“I knew before what the consequences of a mismatch between social status and family background would be, and now…” Gong Chengjue paused, looking at Su Ziqing, “I already know.”
Su Ziqing's face turned pale. Gong Chengjue was clearly annoyed that she couldn't help him at all, and he did it in front of everyone.
"Feelings are insignificant in the face of reality. I didn't understand before, but I do now. At this point, I still have a choice, right?" Gong Chengjue's indifferent tone made it seem as if he were talking about someone else's affairs.
Completely oblivious, his words were like stabbing Su Ziqing in the back.
He looked down on her, thinking she wasn't good enough for him.
When everyone said she wasn't good enough for him, what did he say?
At first...
Even if Su Ziqing had the thickest skin, she couldn't possibly remain indifferent to being disliked by Gong Chengjue like this.
"Gong Chengjue..."
"I do like you, but not to the point that I'd give up everything." Gong Chengjue interrupted Su Ziqing, his coldness chilling her to the bone.
"Are you serious?" She gave him another chance.
If Gong Chengjue looked away at this moment, people might think he had other reasons, and Su Ziqing would still think that he broke up with her because he didn't want her to be involved in danger. But!
He didn't look away; instead, he stared intently at Su Ziqing, looking into her eyes as if trying to see into her soul.
Su Ziqing blinked; his aloof expression made her almost too afraid to hear his disdain in front of everyone.
But he still said, "So-called love is nothing more than hormones acting up. In as little as six months or as long as two years, this feeling will naturally disappear."
"Heh." She suddenly regretted coming here; she felt she had come here to be humiliated.
Although she had only met the Gong family a handful of times, and each time she was reminded by one person or another that she was not worthy of Gong Chengjue, this time it was Gong Chengjue himself who looked down on her.
She stood up. "The Gong family is unapproachable, but I, Su Ziqing, am not someone you can just come and go as you please." Her stubborn pride prevented her from collapsing this time.
Gong Chengjue, you've really gone too far!
Gong Chengjue knew she was really angry. His hands clenched tightly under the table, his knuckles turning white, and he struggled to keep himself from standing up.
His heart was in turmoil, but his face remained expressionless, his indifference making Su Ziqing sad.
"I'll ask you one more time, do you want to break up?" Su Ziqing's voice trembled.
Although she was resisted by the Su family since childhood, she was never truly bullied and never let the Su family succeed.
When her grandfather was alive, he doted on her.
When she chose to study abroad, she met her senior, who treated her like a younger sister—no, even more so than a biological sister.
Those who care about her, and those she cares about, are cherished in her heart, and she loves them wholeheartedly in return.
Gong Chengjue was the one who provoked her first.
Now, in front of the Gong family, he's showing her such disdain. This is utterly insulting.
hehe.
Gong Chengjue watched as she forced herself to stand up straight despite her sadness, her trembling voice revealing her vulnerability.
He longed to stand up, pull her into his arms, and tell her that they would never break up, never for the rest of their lives.
But……
All he could answer her was, "Do you want a breakup fee? Name a number."
Su Ziqing looked at him, "I don't care what your reasons are for breaking up, Gong Chengjue, let me tell you, once you step out of this door, in the future..."
"Name your price. No need for all this nonsense. Our family has always been generous when it comes to women." Fearing she might utter a cruel vow, Gong Chengjue interrupted her with even colder words.
Su Ziqing took a deep breath and looked at him sarcastically, "Do you think you're the heir of the Gong family? I am the head of the Su family."
After he finished speaking, she retorted with his own words, "If anyone's going to pay a breakup fee, it's me who's going to pay it!"
The other members of the Gong family were somewhat confused by the sudden change in attitude between the two, but they were certain that it was not a joke.
Su Ziqing turned and left, but after a few steps, she thought of something and came back. She took out the ring hanging around her neck and placed it forcefully in front of Gong Chengjue.
Gong Chengjue watched all this expressionlessly, and even said coolly, "As expected, you stole my ring. And you stole my heart too."
"I saved you, and you helped me a lot too. We're even!" Su Ziqing snorted coldly, then left without looking back.
She got into the car with a stiff face, and only after the car drove out of the Gong family's gate did tears start streaming down her face.
A deathly silence fell over the Gong family's dining room.
Gong Chengjue looked at the ring on the table, then raised his hand...
"This is the first time the Gong family has had its family heirloom returned," Old Master Gong said coolly.
Gong Chengjue held the ring in his hand, the ring still seeming to retain Su Ziqing's body heat. He lowered his eyelids, making it impossible to see his true thoughts, and simply responded like a wooden statue, "I'm sorry, I've brought shame to the family."
"You were determined to marry her before, why did you suddenly change your mind?" Old Master Gong stared at Gong Chengjue.
"It's not really suitable," Gong Chengjue said against his will.
"She just said she saved you..."
"Grandpa." Gong Chengjue interrupted the old man's detailed questioning, not wanting to delve deeper into the matter. He looked up at the old man and said, "Wouldn't it be better if I got engaged to a daughter of a prominent family who is a good match for me, as you wish?"
The two men, grandfather and grandson, met eyes, and after a long while, Grandpa Gong finally spoke, "You can decide for yourself."
And so the matter was dropped. Old Master Gong then discussed the distribution of his remaining assets, especially the distribution of cash.
"I've already had the lawyer prepare the documents." Old Master Gong looked at the three of them. "I'm tired, I'm going back to my room to rest."
Gong Chengjue stood up. "I'll push you back to your room."
Exhausted and with his life hanging by a thread, Old Master Gong was so tired that his eyelids were drooping. He acquiesced to Gong Chengjue pushing him into the room.
Help him into bed and tuck him in.
"Chengjue, from now on... the Gong family is in your hands," said Old Master Gong.
"Uncle will manage the Gong family well, Grandpa, don't worry."
"Changfan has no children, so the Gong family will still be handed over to you in the future, and Changfan has agreed." These were their private words.
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