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◎“Let’s talk about marriage.”◎
"You..." Gu Yunhao looked at Ning Yuxuan in disbelief, "You don't have anything you want to say to me?"
They didn't try to stop him, not even a word of "take care".
The woman who once loved him so deeply was now looking at him with such impatience. The contrast was too great, and Gu Yunhao found it hard to accept.
It's one thing that he doesn't love her, but it's quite another that she acts like she doesn't care about him at all.
Upon hearing this, Ning Yuxuan finally looked at Gu Yunhao properly for a few seconds.
Just when Gu Yunhao thought Ning Yuxuan had changed her mind and was about to say a few sweet words, Ning Yuxuan laughed.
"If I had to say something," Ning Yuxuan raised her chin, "you should take off that tie around your neck. After all, a dog doesn't deserve a tie I gave you."
Gu Yunhao: "..."
He stared blankly at Ning Yuxuan for a moment, a look of humiliation and disbelief on his face: "What...what did you say?"
Ning Yuxuan's lips curled up, but her eyes were icy: "I said, Gu Yunhao, you are not worthy."
Gu Yunhao could hardly believe his ears; he was both shocked and furious.
He glanced down at his chest and then remembered that the tie he was wearing today seemed to have been given to him by Ning Yuxuan when they first got together.
When he left, Gu Yunhao thought that Ning Yuxuan would definitely beg for reconciliation after meeting him, or even cry and try to win him back.
After all, in every previous argument between the two of them, no matter how fierce it got, it was always Ning Yuxuan who eventually gave in.
Gu Yunhao couldn't quite explain his mindset, but before coming out, he made a point of tidying himself up, putting on a suit and tie.
He had many ties, all of them designer brands, but the one Ning Yuxuan gave him was inconspicuous among them.
He hadn't thought of it at all until Ning Yuxuan mentioned it.
For some reason, after realizing this, Gu Yunhao's anger subsided somewhat.
"You..." Gu Yunhao softened his tone, "I know that Mengmeng and I wronged you, but love doesn't discriminate based on who came first. I'm breaking up with you for your own good."
This was the first time Gu Yunhao had spoken softly to Ning Yuxuan. He paused for a moment, trying to find a trace of the emotion he wanted to see on her face.
Ning Yuxuan simply stared at him expressionlessly.
This reaction caused Gu Yunhao's slight guilt to be replaced by anger once again: "No matter what, you can't put all the blame on me, can you? The reason I got together with you in the first place was because you kept pursuing me relentlessly, and I only agreed because I was moved!"
Ning Yuxuan: "Really?"
Gu Yunhao: "...No, what else?"
Ning Yuxuan looked at him and said lightly, "I thought you were only with me to please your grandfather."
Gu Yunhao's expression changed slightly: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Whether it is or not, you know the answer in your heart."
Gu Yunhao clenched his fist, unable to refute.
The Gu family's ability to stand out among the many wealthy families in Beicheng for so many years is inseparable from the painstaking management of Old Master Gu.
For decades, the Gu family has been ruled by the old man.
Until five years ago, Mr. Gu fell seriously ill. After recovering, his mental state deteriorated significantly, and he had to relinquish most of the management rights of the group.
Unfortunately, the next generation of the Gu family has clearly lost sight of the old man Gu's vision and leadership. In recent years, the Gu family's development has stagnated and even shown a tendency to regress, and its influence in Beicheng is not as great as before.
Gu Yunhao's father was not the most outstanding among his peers, but he was the first among his brothers to get married and have children. Gu Yunhao was the eldest grandson of the Gu family, while the eldest of his younger brothers had just come of age.
Grandpa Gu was very strict with the younger generation of the Gu family, but for some reason, he showed special affection for Ning Yuxuan.
Gu Yunhao's mother noticed that Old Master Gu had a special affection for Ning Yuxuan, so she arranged for Gu Yunhao to be with Ning Yuxuan in order to please the old man.
With the old man's support, they can gain a greater advantage in the struggle for family power.
Ning Yuxuan had never cared about these things before, and even if she heard a little about them, she wouldn't think about them too deeply.
Judging from Gu Yunhao's reaction at this moment, Ning Yuxuan knew that she had guessed correctly.
She initially felt some things were unnecessary to say, but since things had come to this point, she didn't mind tearing away the other person's pretense.
Ning Yuxuan continued, "And if you don't like me, you can just break up with me directly. Instead of continuing to treat me with cold violence, standing me up at the beginning of the date to buy Cen Meng's favorite snacks, and leaving the scene on my birthday in front of all my family and friends after receiving a call from Cen Meng."
Her tone was calm and her words were clear; it didn't sound like an accusation made in a state of emotional distress, but rather a calm statement of facts.
Gu Yunhao opened his mouth, but could only manage to utter the word "I," unable to utter a single rebuttal.
He was even somewhat afraid to meet her gaze, his eyes darting around.
The two stood in a secluded spot near the food street, and a few people had appeared not far away, seemingly out of nowhere.
Gu Yunhao glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw someone holding up a phone, with the rear camera seemingly pointed directly at the two of them.
He seemed to have finally found an outlet for his anger, and rushed forward, shouting, "What are you filming! Don't you know that taking photos without permission is illegal?"
The passerby, startled by Gu Yunhao's shout, quickly pointed behind Gu Yunhao and said, "N-I'm sorry, sir, I was just taking pictures of the doll in the shop window."
Gu Yunhao subconsciously turned his head to look, and there was indeed a shop window behind him, inside which was a wooden doll that could move.
Taking advantage of the moment Gu Yunhao turned around, the passerby quickly ran away.
Gu Yunhao didn't want to chase after him, so he had to give up.
The two had completely broken off relations. Gu Yunhao was unwilling to admit what Ning Yuxuan said, but deep down he knew she was right.
Now that things have come to this, Gu Yunhao has given up any hope of making Ning Yuxuan back down.
He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down, walked back to Ning Yuxuan and stood still, barely maintaining his dignity: "Since we've already broken up, there's no point in saying these things. I have a few last words to say to you, and then I'll leave."
Ning Yuxuan looked at Gu Yunhao coolly, waiting for him to speak.
Gu Yunhao cleared his throat: "Grandpa's birthday banquet is the day after tomorrow. No matter how dissatisfied you are with me, Grandpa has always been very good to you. You should come over for Grandpa's 80th birthday."
Without waiting for Ning Yuxuan's reply, he turned and left.
Ning Yuxuan looked at Gu Yunhao's back and felt both amused and relieved.
Although she was controlled by the plot before, her efforts and tears during the year she spent with Gu Yunhao were real.
Those words were meant for that silly girl who used to only have Gu Yunhao on her mind.
After this incident, she would never waste another word with this man.
As for the birthday banquet, Gu Yunhao wanted her to attend, which was undoubtedly Old Master Gu's idea.
Gu Yunhao had initially gotten together with the old man to please him, so naturally he didn't want to upset the old man by breaking up with him.
However, the Gu family's affairs are no longer her concern. She will deliver the gift prepared for Old Master Gu, so there is no need for her to appear.
Ning Yuxuan went to the snack street and bought some sour plum drink, and also bought some other snacks.
Ning Shiyue's work was scheduled to end very late, so he sent a message in advance saying he wouldn't be going home today.
For an entire day, Ning Fei didn't ask her daughter about Gu Yunhao.
Yesterday, before her daughter's recording of the show, she received a call from Gu Yunhao, who mentioned "breaking up," which Ning Fei naturally wouldn't forget.
However, Ning Fei was afraid that all her previous efforts would be in vain, as her relationship with her daughter had finally shown signs of improvement. Therefore, she decided to temporarily stop interfering in their affairs.
After all, she and her daughter had argued countless times before because of her daughter's boyfriend.
However, Ning Fei, as her mother, knows best how deep Ning Yuxuan's feelings for Gu Yunhao are.
The couple had broken up several times before, but each time they reconciled thanks to their daughter's persistent efforts to win them back.
Therefore, Ning Fei also tends to believe that the two of them are just having a short-term conflict and will make up in a few days.
The next morning, Ning Yuxuan met with the person in charge of the chain hotel that was preparing to transfer its stores.
Upon meeting, the person in charge, seeing that Ning Yuxuan was a young woman, began to look down on her.
Ning Yuxuan first asked a few questions related to the hotel, and then asked, "I'd like to ask, are there any other buyers interested in your properties right now?"
The person in charge glanced at her: "Of course."
Ning Yuxuan widened her eyes slightly: "I thought I was the only one asking."
The surprise on her face seemed genuine, which only fueled the person in charge's growing disdain.
He could tell that the young girl was rich, but this was Beicheng, where land was incredibly valuable. Even in relatively remote areas, four shops were not something that just anyone with money could afford.
Such a young and naive girl doesn't seem to have that much wealth.
It's just that this girl is really beautiful, has a pleasant voice, and speaks politely, which is why the person in charge was willing to patiently talk to her for so long.
Ning Yuxuan then asked, "So who comes to ask?"
Seeing that Ning Yuxuan seemed simply curious, the person in charge lowered their guard.
"We've had quite a few inquiries," the person in charge said. "For example, the very famous Gu family, and many wealthy people in Beicheng, you probably wouldn't even know them."
Ning Yuxuan nodded thoughtfully.
After asking about the hotel, Ning Yuxuan said goodbye, "I'll contact you again in a couple of days."
The person in charge said "okay" but secretly sighed to himself: This afternoon is definitely going to be another waste of time.
Ning Yuxuan came to discuss business today and didn't drive herself.
Once in the back seat of the car, she texted Xie Zhiyan: "Mr. Xie, are the conditions you offered that day still valid?"
Gu Yunhao had already decided to buy the hotel, and she had to get there before him.
There might be other ways to solve the problem, but considering her mother's hard work over the years and how desperate she felt when her mother's career was destroyed in the original story, Ning Yuxuan didn't want to take the risk.
Moreover, according to the original plot, Gu Yunhao is very likely to bring the entire Gu family to deal with him for the sake of the heroine he truly loves.
With the help of Xie Zhiyan, the biggest villain in the entire book, she was able to have more leverage to challenge the Gu family.
During weekdays, Xie Zhiyan is usually busy.
An hour later, he finally replied with a concise two-word message: 【Effective.】
Ning Yuxuan: [When are you free? We can meet to discuss the wedding. I'm available anytime before this Saturday.]
Saturday was the recording of the first episode of "Dear Mom," and she had no other scheduled activities planned.
Five minutes later, the other end replied with four words: "Tomorrow afternoon."
...
The following day, Mr. Gu's 80th birthday banquet was held as scheduled.
Ning Yuxuan instructed her family driver to deliver the prepared gifts to the birthday banquet, and told the driver to personally deliver them to the Gu family members.
The birthday gift was a table screen that she had specially commissioned from a craftsman a long time ago. The front was carved with a picture of pine trees and cranes symbolizing longevity, while the back featured a picture of the God of Longevity.
This double-sided screen was not only expensive, but it also took her a lot of time and effort.
One of the reasons I prepared the birthday gift so carefully was to make Gu Yunhao happy.
But before she got together with Gu Yunhao, Grandpa Gu had already taken good care of her, so Ning Yuxuan decided to give her the gift as usual.
At 11:30 a.m., Ning Yuxuan guessed that the birthday banquet was about to begin and sent a birthday greeting to the old man.
As for the fact that she and Gu Yunhao had officially broken up and therefore she didn't plan to attend the birthday banquet, she didn't specifically mention it in the message because it was the old man's birthday today.
However, Ning Yuxuan had already called the Gu family's housekeeper, He, in advance to make it clear that she would not attend the birthday banquet, so the old man must already know by now.
.
At this time, the Gu family...
Because the elderly person was in poor health, the birthday banquet was held at the Gu family's old house.
Inside the banquet hall, most of the guests had already arrived, creating a lively scene.
Grandpa Gu was still in his room upstairs and had not come down to greet everyone.
Although the Gu family has declined considerably compared to before, the old man's reputation accumulated over the years remains, and the guests who come to celebrate his birthday are all wealthy and influential.
The heads of the Meng and He families attended in person. Although Xie Zhiyan, the most prominent figure in the Xie family in the past two years, did not come in person, he sent his eldest uncle, who held an important position, to attend on his behalf.
Most of the powerful and influential people in the northern part of the city gathered together.
Gu Yunhao was worried that Cen Meng wouldn't be able to handle the situation, so after his father led her around to greet the guests, he found Cen Meng waiting in a corner.
Cen Meng indeed looked very nervous, biting her lower lip lightly, and immediately came to greet Gu Yunhao upon seeing him.
"Yunhao, you're here."
Seeing the charming Cen Meng before him, who was completely relying on him, Gu Yunhao felt a surge of protectiveness.
Gu Yunhao gently pulled Cen Meng into his arms: "Mengmeng, don't be afraid, I'm here."
Cen Meng gave a soft "Mmm" and whispered, "Yun Hao, are we really going to announce our relationship in front of so many people today?"
Gu Yunhao was actually feeling uneasy.
He had already promised Cen Meng that he would introduce her to everyone at the birthday banquet.
However, he had only recently joined the family business and was not as experienced as his fathers. He was inevitably a little apprehensive after being led by his father to exchange pleasantries with those bigwigs.
He looked down and saw the petite and lovely woman leaning against him, her eyes full of admiration and trust.
Gu Yunhao nodded firmly: "Don't worry, I will never break my promise to you."
Second floor room.
Butler He stood by and reported to the old man on the preparations for the birthday banquet.
Everything is ready, just waiting to start on time.
The phone beeped, and Grandpa Gu, wearing his reading glasses, looked at it for a moment before frowning slightly.
"Old He." The old man's voice, though not as strong as before, still carried an air of authority. "Have all the guests on the list arrived?"
Butler He: "The distinguished guests have all arrived."
With a birthday banquet of this scale, it is difficult to ensure that every guest matches the guest list perfectly; there will always be those who arrive at the last minute or are unable to attend.
However, the staff at the entrance who was in charge of registration had just reported to him that all the important figures had already arrived.
Grandpa Gu nodded and then asked, "Has Yu Xuan arrived yet?"
Butler He was taken aback.
Yesterday, he received a call from Ning Yuxuan, saying that she and Gu Yunhao had broken up and therefore she would not be attending the birthday banquet, but that her gift would be delivered by someone else.
Butler He originally wanted to tell the old man, since the old man usually took good care of that young girl.
But on the way, he happened to run into Gu Yunhao's mother. The shrewd lady, upon hearing this, told him that he didn't need to report to the old man.
They said the old man wasn't in good health, and there was no need to bother him with such trivial matters.
After a moment's thought, Butler He decided that it was not a big deal and did as instructed.
Unexpectedly, just as the birthday banquet was about to begin, Old Master Gu would specifically ask about that girl.
Butler He dared not conceal the truth and respectfully replied, "Master, Miss Ning said she has broken up with Young Master Yun Hao, so she will not be coming."
Old Master Gu's expression suddenly darkened.
Having held a high position for many years, even though his health is not as good as before, his aura remains.
"Old He," Old Master Gu's voice held a hint of anger, "Bring that brat Gu Yunhao up here immediately, and also call Yu Xuan, and tell her..."
The old man pondered for a moment: "Just tell her not to worry. It was my idea for her to come, and it has nothing to do with anyone else."
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