Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 67: A Minor Problem

The mission in Hong Kong was highly rewarding for Chu Tianyu. Yet, there were many who felt frustrated and disappointed. Not to mention the scheming Shi family father and son, even Chu Tianyu’s elder brother, Chu Tianfeng, was extremely upset.
Given his personality, he had wanted to take this opportunity to fight them head-on. But unexpectedly, not only did the planned fake assassination fail, but even after the mission was declared over, when he tried to find someone from the He Xin Hui to take his anger out on, he suddenly discovered that the entire He Xin Hui seemed to have vanished overnight—no one left, not even a trace!
Even more frustrated than Chu Tianfeng, who couldn’t find anyone to vent his anger on, was Du Zhan from the He Xin Hui. At that time, he was dressed as a sailor on a transoceanic ferry bound for the United States. After using his last resort to escape at great cost—losing all his skills and enduring constant pain from torn tendons—he still hoped to gather some funds to flee. But all his assets, including bank accounts and legitimate property, had already been secretly taken over by others. Only then did he fully realize just how powerful the forces he had provoked were.
What frustrated him the most was that, despite his intelligence and cunning, he had already seen through the situation and pulled back in time. Yet, the other side still wouldn’t let him go and pursued him relentlessly. He simply couldn’t understand this.
Thus, Du Zhan was filled with deep sorrow. His proud nature made him feel utterly helpless, as if his prayers went unanswered and his ambitions remained unfulfilled before he even died.
If he had known that all his current troubles stemmed from simply asking one of the hired killers to teach the He Xin Hui a lesson, Du Zhan would likely have vomited blood on the spot…
…
The mood during the New Year is exciting, and the excitement doubles when going home for the New Year!
On the night Chu Tianyu returned home, his grandfather, Chu Fangshan, held a grand family dinner. Chu Tianfeng was likely to return only on New Year’s Eve, so all the other members of the Chu family were there. His eldest brother, Chu Tiancheng, also returned from abroad. Chu Tianyu still remembered his elder brother as the mature young man he had been in childhood. Now, aside from wearing gold-rimmed glasses that added to his refined appearance, his elegance remained unchanged, showing true aristocratic grace. Every gesture of his subtly reflected his grandfather, Chu Fangshan.

Chu Tianyu held his elder brother in great respect, but when it came to getting along, there wasn’t the same carefree, mutual reliance between him and his second brother. Yet his second brother was about to return, and he knew more about his brother’s situation than anyone else! Chu Tianyu hadn’t met his second brother properly in several years—last time it was just a sneak peek! This time, he definitely had to get close to him properly!

During the meal, Old Master Chu also announced that on New Year’s Eve, the entire family would gather for a big reunion. It was said that both his second uncle’s family and third uncle’s family had to attend, so that the grandmother could enjoy a happy New Year’s dinner and feel the joy of having a full household.

To be honest, Chu Tianyu was really looking forward to this New Year’s Eve reunion. After all, he had been away for so many years and didn’t know many of his relatives well, especially his cousins who were around his age and whom he should get to know better.

Although they had had some unpleasant moments as children, for Chu Tianyu, those were trivial matters. Looking back now, they were quite interesting memories!

Thinking of this, Chu Tianyu couldn’t help but recall a little girl’s cold voice—cold in tone but warm in meaning…

Chu Tianyu shook his head vigorously, but still couldn’t stop thinking about what happened on the plane. Those matters of love left him confused. He secretly decided that he had to take a risk and find someone to seek advice from!

After dinner, Chu Fangshan pulled Chu Tianyu into the study for a private talk, with his mother, Han Yixue, also present.

Chu Tianyu recounted everything about his trip to Hong Kong in detail, including his relationship with Ouyang Ziyi and how he had joined forces with the Ouyang family to help them.

Chu Fangshan and Han Yixue were very satisfied with how Chu Tianyu handled things, especially when Chu Fangshan heard about his relationship with Ouyang Ziyi and his connection to the Ouyang family. He became extremely interested and kept asking questions, while Han Yixue added fuel to the fire, fully playing her role as a nosy mother.

Chu Tianyu had no choice but to tell the whole truth. Since he had already opened up, he also shared his confusion about relationships and expressed his desire to hear his grandfather and mother’s opinions about his marriage to Qin Nianran.

“Haha. What did you say? Ouyang Boshu is planning to come to Nanjing after the New Year. Great, great! His daughter wants to enter our Chu family, so we can’t be careless. Hehe, I heard they’ve been making significant investments in Beijing and have many connections!” As he spoke, Chu Fangshan slowly stroked his beard, looking dreamy. Chu Tianyu didn’t need to ask—he knew his grandfather was showing his entrepreneurial side again, trying to take advantage of the situation to raise prices!

When Chu Tianyu turned his gaze to his mother, Han Yixue, she asked with apparent concern, “Is that girl, Ouyang Ziyi, pretty? What’s her personality like? Is she gentle? How does she speak? Is she from Peking University too? Or is she your junior sister? Her academic performance must be good, right? And…”

Chu Tianyu was fed up. If he didn’t want to answer, he’d just say so—why play games like Tai Chi push-hands or change the subject?

“Grandpa, Mom, there’s nothing else. I’m leaving now. While I still have some time, I’ll go talk to my elder brother…” Chu Tianyu said gloomily.

“Hey, daughter-in-law, do you have any detailed information about Oulijiabao Group?” “I think so. When we planned to use Hong Kong as a stepping stone to enter the European market, we did some research on local companies there.” “According to Tianyu, Oulijiabao Group might be withdrawing from the European market. If we take their place and use their existing channels and information, hehe… Since we’re family anyway, why not give preferential treatment to our own?” Han Yixue didn’t say anything, just smiled and nodded, her intentions clear.

Chu Tianyu looked defeated by them both. Still troubled by his love issues, he was about to leave the room when Han Yixue called out, “Tianyu, did that Xue Feifei really know those ‘sounds of heaven and earth’ you mentioned? No wonder her singing is so beautiful. Mom is even her biggest fan!”

After a pause, Han Yixue continued as if casually: “Since he possesses such deeply hidden strength, coupled with her status as a towering star in the music industry, her influence cannot be underestimated. Moreover, what is her relationship with Shi Yundong from Hengyun Group? And why would she help Shi Yundong drive Ouyang Boshu to his death? These questions cannot be ignored. You should take action or become more vigilant. Especially since you were the only outsider among those who accompanied him—this makes you a variable that could easily draw attention!” After listening quietly to his mother Han Yixue finish speaking, Chu Tianyu said, “Hmm, I’ve already arranged for people in Hong Kong to continue investigating. The situation at that time was indeed critical, so acting was a last resort. I don’t know if she’s aware it’s related to her, but I hope she’s smart enough to weigh her own capabilities before investigating. Well, Grandpa and Mom, you go on discussing expanding into Europe. I’m leaving now…”

Watching Chu Tianyu’s retreating figure, Chu Fangshan and Han Yixue exchanged glances and smiled. Chu Fangshan spoke first, “Hehe, this silly boy still has issues with love!” Han Yixue smiled shyly and said, “I’m staying neutral because, as a modern woman, I can’t tolerate polygamy happening to Chu Tianyu! But since Father-in-law isn’t taking a stance, I’m puzzled. Logically, for a daughter-in-law like Qin Nianran or Ouyang Ziyi, the more, the better for you—after all, it’s just a matter of numbers!”

Chu Fangshan smiled slightly and said, “Hehe, my dear daughter-in-law, don’t treat me like some feudal patriarch. The reason I don’t take a stance is that I believe problems should be left for Tianyu to solve on his own. Life is truly fascinating—just like when you’re not at the peak, you’ll do anything to climb higher, but once you reach the peak, that’s when you start to lose your direction… There aren’t many things in this world that can truly trouble or stump Tianyu. Sometimes I’m afraid that one day, when our Tianyu reaches that peak, with no troubles or difficulties, and no desires or ambitions left, life will lose its meaning. So why go out of our way to deprive him of the right to experience difficulties? Besides, I think Heaven has given Tianyu too much already; he’ll surely have to bear a lot in the future. What does it matter if he has a few more virtuous wives? As for monogamy—so long as Tianyu is capable, who else can handle matters in our Chu family?” “By the way, my dear daughter-in-law, since you, as a modern woman, oppose polygamy, why don’t you give him some advice? I’m sure no matter what you say, Tianyu will follow it!” Chu Fangshan pressed further.

“Because I’m not only a modern woman but also a mother—a mother who wants to hold grandkids in her arms. I don’t care how many wives Tianyu finds for me, but he must give me lots of grandkids!” Han Yixue said, a sly glint in her eyes.

“That’s the reason?”

“Mm, that’s exactly the reason! I’m not like your father-in-law, who can come up with such profound reasons about the meaning of life. My goal is simple: the more wives, the more grandkids, hehe…”

“Haha, that makes sense too…”

…

“Achoo~ Achoo~” Chu Tianyu, who was walking outside the garden, suddenly sneezed violently several times.

Chu Tianyu rubbed his nose in confusion. Although it was a bit cold, it shouldn’t have caused him to sneeze so much. What worried him even more was his grandfather and mother’s ambiguous attitudes earlier, with no clear stance. According to his expectations, at least after hearing what they said, his mother should have sternly criticized him and firmly supported his relationship with Ouyang Ziyi, canceling his marriage to Qin Nianran. Then he could have stepped back and followed his mother’s wishes, giving up on his other plans.

But things took a strange turn—none of them raised any demands, not even touching on the topic! If Chu Tianyu had taken a little more time to eavesdrop using his spiritual powers, he would have been so shocked his jaw would have dropped—turns out they had simply tricked him because some unscrupulous elders wanted more grandchildren.
Sigh, he’d better talk to his elder brother. It’s been years since they last met; maybe he has some good advice.
Yet in less than ten minutes, Chu Tianyu came out again, equally frustrated. His elder brother dismissed him with just one sentence: “Tianyu, given our status, the most important thing in marriage is matching social standing. We can’t even decide that, so it’s better if you listen to what Grandpa and Mom have to say!”
Chu Tianyu really wanted to say he had already asked but got no result…
…
The New Year’s Eve dinner for the 30th was held officially at the Zijin Garden of the Chu family. The Chu household was bustling with activity—even Grandpa Er’s family was all gathered together. The old lady was overjoyed to see four generations under one roof, with sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons everywhere!
By then, Chu Tianyu was already playing around with his second brother, who had returned after a long journey. They were extremely close. His second brother, seeing Chu Tianyu regain his composure, was so excited he couldn’t speak, only hugging him over and over again.
After calming down, the two talked about their respective lives. Chu Tianyu shared some interesting stories from school, while Chu Tianfeng boasted about the fierce fights in the military camp. Their conversation shifted only when it came to the dialogue between Chu Tiancheng and Chu Tianao, the eldest grandson of Grandpa Er’s family.
“I heard Brother Tiancheng has achieved great success in his studies abroad and is now a doctorate holder. I wonder when he’ll return to take over the Chu family’s business?” Chu Tianao asked in a seemingly casual tone.
“Another half year—‘doctorate holder’ is an overstatement. It can’t compare to your courage and perseverance, Cousin Tianao, who started from the bottom. I heard you’ve already become an assistant manager?” Chu Tiancheng replied.
“Hehe, the day before yesterday, I officially received the appointment notice from headquarters. I’m now a department manager!” “Oh, congratulations! I wonder which level of Chu’s subsidiaries you’re in—level five or six?” “Level three!” Chu Tianao replied, his expression changing.
“Oh! That’s pretty fast—after all, you’re Grandpa Er’s top protégé. Surely…” Chu Tiancheng said insinuatingly.
“What did you say? My brother made it all on his own! Unlike you, who thinks you’re great just because you were born with a golden key! Damn it!” Chu Tianjie, who was beside Chu Tianao, said angrily.

“Tianjie, shut up! Today is New Year’s Eve, a day of joy for everyone. Don’t use vulgar words!” Before Chu Tianjie could finish speaking, Chu Tian scolded him loudly.
“Tiancheng, I apologize on Tianjie’s behalf. He was reckless in his words!” Chu Tianao said without the slightest hint of anger.
Just the word “shit” had already made Chu Tiancheng frown deeply, and Chu Tianfeng and Chu Tianyu were also extremely annoyed, especially by the overt and covert struggles between their grandfathers, which further strained the atmosphere.
However, Chu Tianao’s apology immediately eased the tension. Only Chu Tianjie remained sitting there, upset, not understanding why helping only led to his brother being scolded in front of everyone.
At that awkward moment, Chu Yunjiao, the only girl in their generation and from their second grandfather’s family, suddenly raised her glass to defuse the situation. “Today is a day of reunion. As the younger sister, I offer a toast to all my brothers. Here, I’ll drink first!” With that, she tilted her head back and drained her glass in one gulp.
“Good, then I’ll drink first as well!” Chu Tianfeng said generously.
Encouraged by them, the brothers of the Chu family all stood up and clinked their glasses together.
Chu Tianao, still under the influence of alcohol, turned to Chu Tiancheng and said, “Tiancheng, I’ll wait half a year. After that, according to the Chu family’s rules, you can take over as the manager of the third-level department. By then, I’ll officially challenge you. The position in the Chu family goes to the most meritorious person—through fair competition. I, Tianao, will do my best to compete with you to see who can elevate the third-level department to the first level. How about it? Do you dare take this bet?” As he spoke, Chu Tianao stretched out his right hand high, with his fingers spread.
With a “slap,” Chu Tiancheng hesitated none before slapping his hand against it, a confident smile on his face as he said, “I’ll go all the way!!!”
New Year’s Eve truly was a night of reunion. For Chu Tianyu, aside from the bet between his eldest brother and Chu Tianao, his cousins from his second grandfather’s family were quite easy to get along with. After all, they were all young, and it was easy to find common topics. Especially considering Chu Tianyu’s miraculous recovery from his brain illness, the arranged marriage, and the luxurious engagement, they were even more curious and kept asking questions. Chu Yunjiao, with her determination to get to the bottom of things, delved into every interesting detail about Chu Tianyu. As for the occasional mentions of their childhood and who bullied whom, it no longer mattered—most of them would just exchange smiles.

But what Chu Tianyu needs to do now is take advantage of the rare chance that Third Grandpa is here to catch this old playboy who has indulged in love affairs for decades in Grandpa’s eyes, and ask him properly about the so-called “love problems” that have been bothering him. Yesterday, Chu Tianyu was deceived once again on this issue—when he raised it with his second brother, Chu Tianfeng didn’t hesitate at all and said boldly, “The most important thing when dating a girl is to just go for it. No matter who it is, once you like her, just do it—talk about anything else after that! And then there’s the word ‘kick’—no matter how great the person is, just kick them away without hesitation, no second thoughts! Hey, where’s Tianyu? Tianyu, Chu Tianyu…” Chu Tianfeng finally shouted at the top of his voice.

Sitting face to face with Third Grandpa Chu Fangwu, Chu Tianyu, who had already faced three setbacks, was no longer polite and got straight to the point, expressing his questions and confusions.

After listening, Third Grandpa didn’t speak right away but closed his eyes and pondered for a while. Seeing this, Chu Tianyu was overjoyed and thought to himself, “So profound! This is truly the demeanor of a sage!” “According to what you said, you now want to be with that Ouyang girl and like her, while wanting to break off your engagement with Qin Nianran. Have you ever asked yourself a simple question—why do you still have worries?” Third Grandpa suddenly opened his eyes and asked.

As if he had already thought about this, Chu Tianyu replied somewhat embarrassedly, “I guess I can’t let go of that encounter in my childhood and his words, especially the last one—‘I am his wife’—which still echoes in my mind!” Faced with Chu Tianyu’s honesty, Third Grandpa closed his eyes again. After a while, he opened them once more and said, “Do as you please. That’s Third Grandpa’s advice to you. As for Ouyang Ziyi, since you’re already together, just stay together. As for Qin Nianran, even though there’s an engagement, as you said, she’s too scared to even approach you—so what does it matter if you break it or not? As for those other girls who like you, can you really stop them from liking you?” “Does Third Grandpa mean reaching a state of doing nothing without effort?” “Mm, exactly…” Third Grandpa Chu Fangwu nodded in agreement.

“Tianyu, Tianyu, someone’s looking for you—says it’s one of your classmates!” At that moment, his second brother’s voice came from outside the door. Having already found an answer, Chu Tianyu thanked Third Grandpa excitedly and hurriedly rushed outside.

Third Grandpa Chu Fangwu nodded while inwardly groaning, “Ugh, what the hell is going on! This little fool has turned normal and now has to deal with love troubles? Damn, these kids just waste my time. I can have dozens of beauties in an instant—luckily I just made up some nonsense, and he actually believed it! Ugh, I forgot to call Weiwei. Oh, no, wait—let me think. In the morning it should be Juanjuan, in the afternoon Weiwei, and at night Qiqi…” “Hey, darling, oh, my little baby…”

Chu Tianyu entered the living room and saw Bai Lei, who was fiddling around here and there with a sly look—Bai the Boss! As soon as Bai Lei saw Chu Tianyu, he excitedly rushed forward and gave him a tight hug, leaving Chu Tianyu stunned. “Third brother, no need to be surprised or shocked. For this boss, anything extraordinary that happens to me is completely normal—after all, I’m a genius!” Bai Lei boasted arrogantly. Chu Tianyu was sweating profusely and could only mutter, “It’s okay, it’s fine. No surprise, no shock!” But in his heart, he thought, “Of course not!”