Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 285: The Century-Old Chu Family

Chu Tianyu was slightly taken aback. As he stepped inside the room, he was surprised to see that this time the two elders sat together with calm expressions, looking peaceful—unlike before, when they would argue as soon as they met and part on bad terms after the fight.

To be honest, the moment he pushed open the door and saw his second uncle, Chu Tianyu thought his grandfather had called him urgently just to help him deal with his second uncle. He hesitated for a moment, as it wasn’t appropriate for him, as a younger generation member, to interfere in the conflicts between his elders.

Ever since he could remember, Chu Tianyu had known about the conflict between his grandfather and second uncle. Whenever it came to matters related to the group, the two would always confront each other fiercely, and their brotherly discord was well-known to everyone.

However, in Chu Tianyu’s eyes, although his second uncle constantly opposed his grandfather and made things difficult for him, there were two things he did very well. First, he was filial. No matter how badly things went between him and his grandfather, on his grandmother’s birthday, he would always make a bowl of steaming birthday noodles for her together with his grandfather.

Second, he protected the integrity and interests of the Chu Family Group. No matter what his grandfather said about competing for power or profits, his second uncle never mentioned leaving the Chu Family to start his own business. In fact, with his wealth and years of experience, it would have been easy for him to go his own way without being controlled, but he chose to stay and continue fighting against his grandfather, remaining in the position of vice president under his control.

Perhaps as outsiders said, it wasn’t about the money but about pride—his second uncle simply couldn’t accept being the head of the Chu Family.

……

“Elder brother, you’re so lucky to have such a great grandson!” Before Chu Tianyu could even greet his second uncle, Chu Fangwei gave his grandfather a thumbs up and praised him loudly.

“Where’s that coming from? Don’t be fooled by his appearance. This kid is quite charming. You’ve seen those girls, right? How about them? Absolutely beautiful—rare finds!” his grandfather said proudly, without any modesty.

“One in a hundred? How is that possible? Considering family background, appearance, and character, it’s extremely hard to find such a person. If I could go back thirty years, I’d definitely pursue her with all my might!” Second Grandpa was speaking honestly, and from his tone and expression, it was clear he was deeply envious. Maybe, if he could go back thirty years, he would indeed do such a thing.
Second Grandpa’s envy greatly satisfied Grandpa’s vanity. He seemed immediately interested and, ignoring the fact that Chu Tianyu was already standing nearby, continued to talk to Second Grandpa: “Haha, Second Brother, though you usually seem so serious, I didn’t expect you to be such a discerning man. To be honest, I’m very satisfied with those girls too. What nonsense about monogamy and family planning—hehe. I just nodded in agreement, but inwardly I thought, ‘No way!’ Wow~haha…”
“Haha, why didn’t you just say it then?”
“Say what? Don’t believe his words. That old fellow talks nicely on the surface, but secretly, he already asked our daughter-in-law to pass on a message to me, saying to have more children so that when he retires, he can have them take care of him and enjoy childhood again.”
“Ah, his calculations are all twisted—just trying to reap benefits!”
“Sigh, he’s just an old child now. Just go along with him…”
“Oh, I see!”
Facing the conversation between these two elderly men, Chu Tianyu, as one of the involved parties, could only feel helpless. After all, he was the grandson! As the saying goes, “Old child, old child”—it really makes sense now!
Not to mention Chu Tianyu’s awkward expression, the two grandfathers became even more enthusiastic the more they talked.
“But Eldest Brother, even though we’re happy talking about this, we should still be careful. Having more grandchildren isn’t wrong, but we also need to consider his combat capabilities. If there are too many, I’m afraid Chu Tianyu won’t be able to handle it!” Second Grandpa said without hesitation.
Hearing this, Chu Tianyu felt like passing out. What does it mean to disrespect the elders? This was the reality right before his eyes. He quickly coughed, as if trying to remind the two elders of his existence.
But his efforts were in vain; he was completely ignored. Then Grandpa spoke even more boldly: “Tch, if you don’t have the skills, don’t try such delicate work. Our boy handles this effortlessly. It’s said he’s even unsatisfied. And I bet that if he disappears for a few days, I can’t guarantee anything else, but there will definitely be one or two more girls around him. Do you believe it?”
At this point, Chu Tianyu quickly coughed again urgently: “Umm… cough… cough…”

Obviously, Second Grandpa Chu Fangwei was also full of doubt about his elder brother’s words. He couldn’t help but glance at Chu Tianyu, examine him carefully, and critique him for a long time before suddenly saying, “Fine, let’s gamble. Even if he’s that good, one against five is already the limit. I don’t believe he can pull off seven or eight against us…” Before his words faded, Chu Tianyu almost spat foam at the mouth—completely choked by such talk between grandpas! What the hell was this? Especially Second Grandpa, who had studied him thoroughly yet came up with such nonsensical and baseless remarks. What did he mean by one against five? He had no idea where that figure came from. Even if Xue Ning’er showed up at the banquet one day, there would still only be four people—where would five come from? As Chu Tianyu grew more and more dizzy, the two disrespectful elders immediately huddled together. They made oaths by clapping hands and even swore by hanging themselves, making bets. Seeing this, Chu Tianyu was once again thoroughly defeated. He rolled his eyes and finally resigned himself to looking up at the sky, letting them make their mess. Just as Chu Tianyu became completely numb, Grandpa suddenly stopped joking. He stared straight at Second Grandpa Chu Fangwei, their little fingers still intertwined. His expression turned serious and sad, as if the clear blue sky had suddenly turned overcast. With a trembling voice, he said, “Second son, it’s been so long since I’ve felt this happy! I’ve been holding back for thirty years. You’ve made my life so miserable!” Faced with Grandpa Chu Fangshan’s sudden emotional shift, Second Grandpa Chu Fangwei’s eyes also welled up. With a heartbroken expression, he said, “Elder brother, how could I not miss you? All these years, these pretended battles, they’ve been tormenting me constantly—day after day, month after month, year after year. I can’t even talk to anyone about it or vent my feelings. Just think, what kind of feeling am I in?” By the end, Second Grandpa Chu Fangwei’s voice was almost choked with emotion. Grandpa, after hearing this, seemed to use all his strength to pull his younger brother into his arms and give him a fierce hug. Their bodies, trembling with excitement and emotion, pressed tightly together… At this moment, Chu Tianyu, who had long lost his initial embarrassment, was now filled with confusion and bewilderment. What kind of drama were these two elders putting on today? From mocking each other disrespectfully just now to showing affection at their age—it was simply incomprehensible. Perhaps this was the generation gap. That was the only explanation Chu Tianyu could think of.

After a long while, the two elders, under Chu Tianyu’s puzzled gaze, parted reluctantly with sighs of emotion and returned to their respective seats.
“Alright, alright, we’re already quite old, yet we still embarrass ourselves in front of a child. Really…” Grandpa Chu Fangshan said self-mockingly as he tried to calm his excited emotions.
“Yes, look at how confused this kid is. The two of us old men were too busy venting our feelings. We should quickly explain things to Tianyu, so he won’t misunderstand and think we’re crazy, and end up sending us both to a mental hospital again. Hehe!” The second grandpa said, turning to look at the bewildered Chu Tianyu with a smile.
Grandpa Chu Fangshan also turned to look at him, his face full of affection. Clearly, today filled his heart with only one feeling—“happiness”!
“Tianyu, don’t blame your grandpa and I for acting foolishly. It’s just because we were too excited. Ah, decades have passed…” Grandpa Chu Fangshan murmured.
But before he could say more, the second grandpa, Chu Fangwei, quickly interrupted him, “Brother, stop teasing him. Tianyu has been standing here for ages.”
“Oh, oh. As we get older, the only thing left is the habit of sighing, and now you’re taking that away from us too! Alright, enough joking. Tianyu, come, take a look at this video first.”
With that, Grandpa Chu Fangshan pressed the holographic projector, and immediately several familiar figures appeared in the center of the living room, surprising Chu Tianyu.
The figures were none other than the second grandpa, Chu Fangwei, his cousin Chu Tian, and sitting across from them was his elder brother, Chu Tiancheng!
At the same time, a conversation also came through the holographic images.
“Second grandpa, I wonder if you’re interested in my proposal?” Elder brother Tiancheng asked.
“Aren’t you betraying the interests of the Chu family by splitting it up?” Cousin Tianao said sternly after hearing this.
“Tianao, as the saying goes, business is business. There are no eternal friends or enemies—only eternal interests. Although we had some misunderstandings earlier, personally, we have no grudges. I’m here to reach this agreement, which is beneficial for both us and you. Why not do it?” Chu Fangshan seemed to be answering Tianao’s question, but in reality, he was addressing Chu Fangwei the whole time.

“You mean to use the funds you have, along with our resources and connections, to undermine my elder brother—or rather, your incredibly smart sister-in-law—by splitting up the Chu family, transferring all current projects to cash out, effectively hollowing out the Chu family, and leaving half as a shell for that Qin Nianran, is that right?” Chu Fangwei put down the documents in his hands and looked at Chu Tiancheng calmly as he spoke slowly.

“Exactly. After this is done, Second Grandpa, we’ll split the profits fifty-fifty!”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“Why do you want to do this?”

Faced with Chu Fangwei’s calm questioning, Chu Tiancheng thought for a moment before his eyes lit up as he replied, “Second Grandpa, please forgive my audacity in asking, but why have you been fighting against Grandpa for such a long time?”

Without waiting for Chu Fangwei to answer, Chu Tiancheng continued, “I suppose it’s all about power struggles! A man can do without everything else, but he can’t do without power. It doesn’t have to be huge, but as long as it’s within his capabilities, he must hold onto it tightly! I don’t understand why Grandpa would want a woman to compete fairly with me. To be honest, from the moment the competition was announced, it was already unfair! In this world, ability comes first. Since others won’t give me a fair chance, I’ll fight for it myself, with my own hands! Just now, Tian Ao said I’m betraying the Chu family by splitting it up. I don’t know where that idea came from. I’m seeking help from my Second Grandpa, someone who also shares the same surname, ‘Chu’. Is that considered betrayal or splitting up?”

At this point, Chu Tiancheng paused, raised his voice, and said excitedly, “What I’m doing is to get a chance—a chance that should belong to me, a chance to take back the Chu family! Don’t you have such an idea either, Second Grandpa? We can even have an open discussion about this. We can also ask Tian Ao if he doesn’t want to control hundreds of stock companies one day, where one decision can manipulate hundreds of millions, even billions of funds. Have you guys never thought about that? Aren’t you tempted?”

As Chu Tiancheng’s tempting words faded, silence filled the room. Second Grandpa Chu Fangwei remained calm and unshaken, while Chu Tianao appeared deep in thought—especially after hearing those words about control and manipulation, which made him imagine that one day he too could have the unrestrained sense of decision-making and supreme power as described by Chu Tiancheng…

At that moment, Chu Tiancheng stared intently at Second Grandpa Chu Fangwei, trying to discern something from the eyes of this old fox who had fought against his grandfather his entire life!

Chu Tiancheng wasn’t worried that Second Grandpa would refuse; he was afraid that Second Grandpa would demand an exorbitant amount from him at a time when he was in trouble, taking advantage of his situation.

In fact, seeking Second Grandpa’s cooperation this time was out of necessity. In terms of business skills, he was far inferior to Qin Nianran—a fact even he had to admit. Yet, despite this, he couldn’t help but marvel at his third brother Chu Tianyu’s good luck, wondering why he hadn’t met any such beautiful confidantes.

Moreover, the backing he once relied on—thetheMing Domain behind Lord Qin behind Lord Qin—was engrossed in a fierce battle with the Tian Sheng Gate, leaving them with no energy or time to deal with his business matters.

Although his early exploits had allowed him to amass a great deal of wealth, it also led to the awkward situation of having money he couldn’t spend. That’s why Chu Tiancheng was eager to find partners and investment opportunities now.

But this was his weakness. Aside from his status as the eldest son of the Chu family and his later secret cooperation with Lord Qin, he had never truly experienced the ups and downs of business, let alone possess extensive experience or skill in handling affairs.

Yet Chu Tiancheng wasn’t a fool. He was well aware of his weaknesses and knew what he needed. Therefore, his decision to seek Second Grandpa’s help came after careful consideration. Whether from the perspective of the relationship between his grandfather and Second Grandpa or from a business competition standpoint, his substantial funds combined with Second Grandpa’s resources could reverse the current unfavorable situation, allowing him to take control and deal a heavy blow to his grandfather and Qin Nianran!

As silence settled in the living room, Chu Fangwei glanced at Chu Tiancheng, who looked full of anticipation, and slowly said, “Sixty-four split—sixty for me and forty for you. If you have no objections, we’ll each prepare a detailed plan. As for the terms of our cooperation, we can discuss them thoroughly once the plans are ready. What do you think, my nephew?”
Chu Tiancheng finally felt relieved, but at the same time, he felt a sting of pain. To show his sincerity, he had already reduced his demands to the lowest level, only to be taken advantage of by his second uncle. Though it hurt, it was in line with his second uncle’s usual tactics. He had to endure it for now. Not to mention the forty percent still at stake—if this cooperation failed, he might end up with nothing. All his funds were tied up in Chu Corporation’s accounts, and aside from investments in regular projects, he couldn’t access them personally. But it couldn’t be blamed on Chu Tiancheng for not preparing a backup plan. Based on past circumstances, he was the clear successor to Chu Corporation. Who would have thought his grandfather would suddenly push his third brother, Chu Tianyu, forward and even bring in a daughter-in-law to compete against him, catching him off guard!
Thinking of this, Chu Tiancheng gritted his teeth and said, “Okay, I agree!”
“Hmm, then let’s meet again in a week?” After saying that, Chu Fangwei picked up the data in his hand and started reviewing it again.
Realizing his second uncle wanted to send him off, Chu Tiancheng got up and said, “Alright, second uncle, Tianao. I won’t bother you any longer. See you next week!”
After seeing Chu Tiancheng go, Chu Tianao rushed back and said to his grandfather, “Grandfather, do you really want to cooperate with him? He’s clearly trying to exploit us. And with Chu Corporation causing all this chaos, he’s bound to fail! It might even end up harming both sides. Shouldn’t you reconsider?”
“Hmm, we’ll decide everything after his plan is ready,” Chu Fangwei replied, adopting a relaxed posture.
……
With a “thud,” as the holographic image ended, Chu Shanshan threw a thick data file onto the table, signaling for Chu Tianyu to take a look.
As Chu Tianyu picked it up, recalling the image just shown, he guessed that it was the plan prepared by his elder brother, Chu Tiancheng. Flipping through it, he confirmed it was indeed good work.

At this moment, Chu Tianyu’s thoughts were no longer about his elder brother, but rather about his second grandfather’s unusual decision to turn against them at the last moment. Especially after seeing the two of them acting like childish fools just now, Chu Tianyu was truly confused by their behavior!

Seeing Chu Tianyu’s confusion, Chu Fangshan and Chu Fangwei naturally understood what he was thinking. Chu Fangshan glanced at Chu Fangwei, who nodded with a smile. Getting his approval, Chu Fangshan solemnly took out an ancient-looking small box from the drawer. After opening it, he carefully took out a yellowed but framed booklet. Seeing this, Chu Tianyu quickly reached out and gently took it. The first thing that caught his eye were four large characters in gold: “Chu Family Instructions.” In the upper right corner were two smaller characters: “Secretly Passed Down.”

When he flipped it open, he saw a few short passages in classical Chinese. Though brief, they filled Chu Tianyu with awe and wonder. His face showed relief, pride, and, of course, deep reverence…

After reading it, Chu Tianyu respectfully returned the booklet to his grandfather. All the complex expressions and emotions on his face had disappeared, replaced by one of utter admiration.

The booklet was written by the ancestor who founded Chu Xuan Pavilion, aiming to warn future generations to avoid arrogance, impatience, and debauchery, and not to squander wealth and ruin the family. In the booklet, the elder didn’t lay out any grand principles but established one rule: every generation in charge of the Chu family must appoint someone to act as a check on power, even if it meant choosing a woman, ensuring there was always a counterbalance to the family head.

There are four implications: First, it keeps each generation of legitimate family head aware of potential threats and the danger of being replaced at any time, thus maintaining the Chu family’s drive to strive for progress and continuous development. Second, it ensures survival of the fittest—if a family head is truly incompetent, those with checks and balances can easily take over. Third, it serves to conceal true intentions; as a large family, the Chu family will inevitably face scrutiny and jealousy from various forces. Internal strife and brotherly conflicts can reassure many that a family unable to unite internally would have no energy to threaten others. Fourth, it provides a hidden tactic—a tool for sowing discord. For any force seeking to undermine the Chu family, the best and fastest way is to create division among them, intensifying existing conflicts. This is done by allying with those who have long been suppressed and resentful, with ulterior motives…

As for the fourth implication, the most obvious example is right before our eyes! Chu Tiancheng’s move, no matter how carefully planned, failed to account for the fact that this tactic had already been blocked by the Chu family’s ancestors over a hundred years ago. What’s happening now is merely following a preordained path!

This also made Chu Tianyu couldn’t help but mutter in secret, “Elder brother, you’re really unlucky!”