Chapter 10: Unease

The pressure on his arm grew stronger, and Gu Jiu Si could not help but cry out in pain, "Chen Mu Bai ... ..."

What one fears is indeed what comes to pass

Gu Jiu Si looked up at the snowflakes flying in the orange light and casually replied, "Why should I worry about the young master?"

Gu Jiu Si was lost in thought when a male voice suddenly rang in her ears, the scorching breath spraying on her ear, the unfamiliar and dangerous male presence startled her, and she quickly dodged and turned to look.

Chen Mubai's hostility still lingered as he turned to look at Gu Jiusi, exuding an imposing aura, yet a hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth. "What? You look down on both Chen Mingmo and me, and now you're planning to climb up to Chen Muyun?"

Chen Mubai turned his back to them, his voice calm and unperturbed, "I am not going back. You should go rest first. Gu Jiusi will stay; I have something to discuss with you."

Chen Mubai's refined and delicate features were filled with mockery and disdain, not even casting a glance at Chen Muyun

Who would have thought that Chen Muyun would persistently approach her, squinting as he scrutinized her from head to toe, "Gu Jiusi, when you first arrived at the Chen family, you were just a young girl with yellow hair; over these past two years, you have truly become more and more captivating."

Chen Mubai stared at her for a long while, "Gu Jiusi, what exactly are you following Chen Mingmo for? For money? For power? Or for something else?"

Chen Muyun did not pay any attention to Gu Jiusi's attitude, and laughed heartily, "The concept of self-respect does not exist at all in the Chen family. Just look at the old man; how many women has he had in his lifetime? Even in his old age, he took a young wife. And what about several uncles and elder relatives? Which one of them does not live in the embrace of a woman? Not to mention the past, just look at the present!"

Gu Jiu Si lowered his eyes and shook his head

This is a trivial matter, www.hetushu.com. Chen Mingmo did not need to instruct her in person; a phone call would have sufficed. Did he specifically summon her to the study just for this?

Chen Jingkang gave Gu Jiusi a look of self-preservation before departing from the fork in the road

Chen Jingkang had returned at some point, holding a new coat in his arms. He had long understood Chen Mubai's temperament, so he did not intervene in the quarrel; instead, he quietly draped the coat over Chen Mubai's shoulders.

Chen Mingmo seems to be in a good mood, continuing to ask, "Do you not understand why I want to put my own son in a difficult position?"

Chen Mingmo seemed to sense Gu Jiusi's confusion, "Feel free to ask whatever you want."

Little did Chen Mubai know, he suddenly furrowed his brows and cast a glance at him

Gu Jiu Si coldly turned her gaze elsewhere and said, "Young Master, please conduct yourself with dignity"

Chen Mubai maintained a calm demeanor, casting a light glance at him, with not a hint of fluctuation in his voice, "Chen Muyun, do not think that just because you have the Dong family backing you, you can act arrogantly. This family is not yet in a position for you to speak!"

Chen Muyun was furious, "It is not your place as a bastard to speak! No matter what I say, I am the legitimate eldest son of the Chen family. My mother is Madam Chen, what is your mother worth? She will never be able to enter the Chen family door even in death!"

He wore a woolen coat with a fur collar, underneath which he had on a thin black V-neck cashmere sweater. In the dampness of the snowy night, he appeared exceptionally delicate, with his deep, dark eyes reflecting the swirling snowflakes, enchanting and captivating, yet the words he spoke instantly transformed into icy blades flying towards you

Chen Mubai's delicate brows and eyes appeared particularly gentle under the dim yellow light, and even that smile carried warmth. For a moment, Gu Jiu thought that perhaps Chen Mubai was truly infatuated with Meng Lai at first sight

Meng Lai immediately blushed, walking away with a shy expression, her steps hurried and chaotic, likely truly flustered by Chen Mubai's disruption of her spring heart

Chen Muyun, however, showed no signs of embarrassment at being caught, walking out nonchalantly, clapping his hands in approval, "Actually, I have always doubted whether you are truly the old man's son, but now I believe it. Even the women you like are the same; you really are his biological son!"

Gu Jiu Si frowned slightly, and his speech remained as unpleasant as ever

Chen Muyun casually asked, "Hey, Lao San, don't you think Meng Lai looks a lot like someone?"

Until Gu Jiusi left the study, Chen Mingmo did not mention Shu Hua at all. It is unclear whether he was completely at ease with Gu Jiusi and felt no need to inquire, or if he had entirely given up on Gu Jiusi and sought other means. Perhaps this is where Chen Mingmo's wisdom lies; the less he mentions it, the more anxious the other party becomes, prompting them to resolve the matter more swiftly.

Gu Jiu Si thought he would ask about Shu Hua, but to his surprise, Chen Ming Mo brought up another matter

Perhaps I am also a pawn in his scheme to undermine Chen Mingmo

Chen Mubai, filled with rage, laughed ironically, "Madam Chen probably only has this title left. Madam Chen must have frozen to death on that bed as cold as an ice cellar, and even in death, the old man was unwilling to cast a glance at her"

No one knows that she is the daughter of the once-famous gambling king from years ago

At the same time, she found her earlier notion of "love at first sight" to be truly laughable, realizing how shallow her understanding was. How could she have forgotten that Chen Mubai was not sincere? Everything he did was for the purpose of avenging Chen Mingmo. He had always taken it upon himself to strike back at Chen Mingmo, leaving no one who could be exploited unutilized, employing any means necessary. How could she have forgotten that Chen Mubai was not sincere? Everything he did was for the purpose of avenging Chen Mingmo. He had always taken it upon himself to strike back at Chen Mingmo, leaving no one who could be exploited unutilized, employing any means necessary.

In a few days, Mubai will take you to a card game. At that time, you must ensure that he loses. After all, you are the daughter of the former gambling king, so you should be able to manage it, right

Chen Mubai chose the most opportune moment to quietly push aside Meng Lai, seemingly expressing concern with a single admonition, "Be careful"

In other aspects, Gu Jiusi may not be as competent, but at the card table, no one is a match for her. She almost knows what cards each of the three opponents has, what to play, and the outcomes of playing different cards; she is fully aware of it all. This is also the result of her father's training since childhood.

Gu Jiu Si felt that this man's obsession with cleanliness had reached a point that was almost pathological and beyond remedy

In fact, Chen Mubai plays cards quite well; he plays steadily. The card table is the best place to test one's character. He is neither servile nor arrogant, neither flustered nor hurried, and he remains very composed. However, when it is time to take action, he is not at all ambiguous.

Chen Mubai was smiling and chatting with Meng Lai, while Chen Jingkang stood at a distance that was neither too far nor too close, making himself inconspicuous.

Chen Mubai! The roar of Chen Muyun pierced through the dense snowflakes, jarring the eardrums of everyone present, yet Chen Mubai merely rubbed his ears and walked away as if he had not heard a thing

Chen Muyun did not detect any hint of gunpowder in the air and continued to provoke, "I never said she resembled anyone, so why are you getting so worked up?"

The Wangfu Garden is vast, and Gu Jiusi has a poor sense of direction. As she wandered around the garden, she became somewhat disoriented. After passing by a rockery, it seemed she saw something, and her face turned pale as she quickly took two steps back and hid behind the rockery

However, Gu Jiu Si is somewhat confused

Gu Jiu Si furrowed his brows as he emerged from the study and the library, yet he harbored a vague sense of foreboding in his heart, unable to pinpoint what exactly felt amiss

Gu Jiu Si trembled slightly upon hearing the words "gambling king"; her momentary loss of composure was brief, and she quickly regained her calmness

After speaking, he gestured for Gu Jiu Si to look behind him

It was probably due to the heavy snow and slippery ground that Meng Lai lost her balance and fell. Chen Mubai quickly reached out to support her, and she leaned into his embrace. From this angle, it appeared truly ambiguous yet warm.

Finally, she is useful to Chen Mubai and Chen Mingmo; being useful means she will not be abandoned, and thus she is safe

The last few words he uttered were delivered in a sarcastic tone, sounding particularly awkward

"Have you seen enough? If you have, then come out!" Chen Mubai called out, facing away from the rockery.

This stepmother and stepson scenario is quite intense, isn't it

Gu Jiu Si walked far away, and when he came to his senses, he realized that it had unknowingly started to snow heavily. The ground was already covered with a layer of snow, and the trend was only getting heavier.

While speaking, he glanced at Gu Jiusi's chest, as if he could see something through the thick winter clothing, his intentions were evident. There were many women around him who were eager to please, but the overly proactive nature of these women became tiresome over time. He found himself increasingly interested in Gu Jiusi, whose cold beauty only heightened his desire to conquer what he could not easily obtain.

Gu Jiu Si was taken aback; she did not know who Chen Mu Yun was alluding to with Meng Lai, which caused the elegant Chen Mu Bai to lose composure in an instant

After dinner, Chen Mingmo indeed called Gu Jiusi to the study.

Chen Mingmo suddenly smiled, "You will understand."

Gu Jiu Si and Chen Jing Kang followed behind Chen Mu Bai for a while before Chen Jing Kang tentatively asked, "Young Master, will we be returning tonight?"

She did not know where Chen Mubai had gone with the books, nor did she have any plans to return tonight, so she could only follow the path to search for him

Gu Jiu Si let out a sigh and could only brace himself to walk out from behind the artificial hill

You! Before Chen Muyun could say anything further, Chen Mubei had already turned around, "Ah, I’m sorry, I forgot, the young master is a useless person, someone who cannot be provoked, he shatters at a touch"

As Meng Lai stepped out of the garden, Chen Mubai immediately ceased his smile, disdainfully threw his coat to Chen Jingkang, who was not far away, wiped his hands with a handkerchief after having touched Meng Lai, and finally disposed of the handkerchief in the nearby trash bin. Chen Jingkang, holding the coat, also walked away.

Chen Mubai glared at her fiercely, "Gu Jiusi, if you had made any progress over the years, you should understand what I am reminding you of!"

Gu Jiu Si hesitated for a while before finally asking, "I do not understand. Since Mu Shao is the successor you value, why do you always make him stagnate at critical moments?"

Gu Jiu Si! He grasped her arm, and in his pair of dark, narrow eyes, there was a frosty glare at that moment, as if it were about to splatter out along the slightly raised corners of his eyes

The so-called card game is not an ordinary one; when four people sit together, the winner occupies a position that represents one side, and the winner can arrange for their people to sit in that position. Over the years, Gu Jiusi has witnessed many people's rise and fall in the card game while following Chen Mubai. The purpose of bringing her along is to ensure that Chen Mubai can win. Very few people know that Gu Jiusi plays well; she never boasts about it. Each time she sits beside Chen Mubai, she plays the role of a companion, subtly reminding him at critical moments. Over the years, Gu Jiusi has witnessed many people's rise and fall in the card game while following Chen Mubai. The purpose of bringing her along is to ensure that Chen Mubai can win. Very few people know that Gu Jiusi plays well; she never boasts about it. Each time she sits beside Chen Mubai, she plays the role of a companion, subtly reminding him at critical moments. The two of them have a remarkable tacit understanding at the card table

The outcome was just as they had anticipated; Chen Muyun was not a match for Chen Mubei