C2 I'll Take You Home

Lin Qingwan hadn't left the hotel; instead, she found refuge in the restroom to rinse the wound on her forehead. The dried blood on her face was unbearably uncomfortable.

Yet, as she was about to step out of the banquet hall, the doors swung open from the outside, revealing a phalanx of men clad in identical black sunglasses and suits, standing in two neat rows at the entrance.

Curiosity piqued, she looked up. Who warranted such an elaborate entrance?

The crowd's attention converged on a figure who now stood at the threshold—a man in a black suit, his attire notably more refined than the rest. It was clear that a top designer had tailored it specifically for him.

His arrival brought with it a wave of icy solemnity that filled the room.

Almost immediately, everyone bowed their heads in deference.

"Second Young Master Gu!"

A member of the Gu family? Lan Wu's eyes slightly narrowed as she took in the newcomer. Then she paused, realization dawning. Gu Ergong?

The enigmatic Second Young Master of the Gu family, Gu Mingfeng?

In her previous life, she had been the matriarch of the Lan Family, and though she wasn't much older, she was still senior to Gu Mingfeng.

She remembered Old Man Gu attending the meetings of the nine great families with his other grandsons, but she had never met this Second Young Master.

Rumor had it that he was the one managing the family's affairs, seldom seen in public.

And there was another significant detail—his disfigurement.

Gu Mingfeng stepped into the banquet hall with a measured pace. The room fell silent, punctuated only by the resolute sound of his footsteps.

"Second Young Master Gu, save me! Please, do something about your family's Ninth Lady—she's committed murder!" Lin Xuan scrambled toward Gu Mingfeng, his cries trailing him as he moved.

Gu Mingfeng looked down at him, his voice a frigid monotone, "Are you that celebrity?"

Lin Xuan shivered involuntarily, his voice barely above a whisper, "It was all Ninth Lady's doing. She wouldn't leave me alone, I..."

But as he caught sight of the half-face looming above him, terror seized him, and he recoiled sharply. "Ah! Your face..."

Half of Gu Mingfeng's face was sunken in, creating a stark contrast with the other flawless half, which sent Lin Xuan into such a panic that he let out an involuntary scream.

The others shuddered with fear, thinking this fool must have a death wish to mention Gu Mingfeng's face right in front of him. They all hoped to avoid being dragged into the mess.

Lin Xuan, realizing he had indeed offended Gu Mingfeng, lacked the courage to face him and kept his head bowed in apology. "I'm sorry, Young Master Gu, I'm truly sorry..."

Gu Mingfeng's lips curled into a barely-there smirk, his eyes as inscrutable as a deep abyss.

He spoke to his assistant in a detached tone, "Take him away. He's no longer needed here." A simple glance conveyed his intent.

The other guests were shocked, their eyes wide with dread, clearly understanding the implications.

Amidst Lin Xuan's cries, he was escorted out by several men in suits.

Gu Mingfeng spared him no further glance; to him, Lin Xuan was no more significant than an ant.

He then turned his icy gaze to Lin Qingwan, who met his eyes without wavering. "Is there something you need?" she asked, her voice steady.

Gu Mingfeng turned his head, exposing the marred side of his face to Shen Qingwan, who, unlike before, did not scream. Instead, she regarded him with a composed curiosity, her lips curling slightly.

He frowned but spoke evenly, "Grandfather sent me to bring you home."

Lin Qingwan's brow furrowed in thought. Grandfather? Was it that shameless elder of the Gu family?

She recalled the white-haired old man who, without fail, would try to matchmake her at every annual gathering of the nine great families, calling her a spinster and infuriating her to the point of wanting to throw him out.