C14 The President's Miserable Childhood

Every time Gu Yufei thought of Huo Niannian's charming face and the way Gu Tingshen gazed at her with such adoration, she was seized by a fierce desire to buy a bottle of sulfuric acid and throw it on Niannian.

Yin Jie weighed her options, then shook her head decisively. "That's a last resort, and far too dangerous. If that ever came to light, we'd both be ruined."

"But they're already married! What am I supposed to do?" Gu Yufei exclaimed, her voice tinged with desperation.

"Marriage certificates don't make divorces impossible. Remember how I ousted that woman and secured my place in the Gu family home? I'll have a word with your father. You must remain patient, understand?" Yin Jie advised, patting her daughter's shoulder before walking through the porch, following Gu Tingshen and Huo Niannian out to the backyard.

There, Gu Changqing, Tingshen's father, was engrossed in the company's quarterly financial report. Tingshen let go of Niannian's shoulder and instead clasped her hand as they approached his father. "Father, this is Niannian," he introduced her with due reverence.

Gu Changqing put his laptop aside and regarded Huo Niannian. Though in his fifties, he appeared youthful and exuded a commanding presence. Niannian could tell that Tingshen's cool demeanor was inherited. As she stood before her imposing father-in-law, she felt a flutter of nervousness; his piercing gaze seemed even more intense than Tingshen's, as if he could peer into her very soul.

"Good to meet you, Uncle," Huo Niannian said, maintaining the formality they had agreed upon to give their parents time to get used to the idea of her joining the family.

Gu Changqing nodded slightly. "I'm aware that the media pressure expedited your marriage to Tingshen. However, the Gu family takes these traditions seriously. Be assured, we will hold all the appropriate ceremonies when the time comes."

Huo Niannian responded with a gracious smile, "Of course. I'm happy to follow your guidance."

It seemed that Gu Changqing was quite satisfied with her attitude, as a brief smile crossed his face before he quickly resumed his austere demeanor. He turned to Gu Tingshen and asked, "Have you seen the Imperial Group's ranking in Asia this year?"

"I have. We're ranked second," Gu Tingshen responded.

While Huo Niannian was internally praising Gu Tingshen for his impressive accomplishments at such a young age, she was taken aback by Gu Changqing's scoff. "Satisfied with second place, are you?"

Gu Tingshen lowered his head. "No, sir."

Gu Changqing's voice became even more stern. "This is your third year leading the company. In all this time, you've yet to reach first place. Do you think that's an achievement to be proud of?"

Gu Tingshen remained silent, and Huo Niannian didn't dare to speak.

"If you don't achieve first place in the next ranking, you can relinquish your title as President. As for the inheritance, I will consider redistributing it," Gu Changqing announced. He then stood up and walked towards the house. Upon reaching the porch, he spoke to Uncle Zhang, the attentive butler, "Take good care of the young madam."

"Yes, Old Master," Uncle Zhang responded, bowing respectfully.

Huo Niannian, who had been concerned for Gu Tingshen, felt the sting of the reprimand as well. Yet, when Gu Changqing called her "Young Madam," she felt a reassuring sense of belonging; it appeared that the Gu family patriarch had accepted her.

She gently pulled at Gu Tingshen, who seemed frozen in place, and commented, "Your father is incredibly strict."

"He's never been fond of me. Even if I secured first place, he wouldn't have a word of praise for me. I'm used to it," Gu Tingshen replied, then after a brief pause, he added, "Let's head upstairs to visit Grandpa."

Huo Niannian felt a twinge of compassion for Gu Tingshen.

Her own adoptive grandmother had always been so gracious, celebrating even her smallest achievements. Thinking about Gu Tingshen's upbringing, Huo Niannian realized that perhaps her own circumstances weren't as challenging by comparison.

With this reflection, she found herself more understanding of Gu Tingshen's reserved nature, suspecting it was rooted in the deep-seated wounds of his past.

Huo Niannian tugged at Gu Tingshen, who was still standing in place. "Your dad is really strict."

Huo Niannian followed Gu Tingshen up to the second-floor study, where an elderly gentleman with snow-white hair was deeply engrossed in his calligraphy. Upon hearing their approach, he looked up, his eyes settling on Huo Niannian and Gu Tingshen.

"So, you're Huo Niannian?" he asked.

Setting his brush aside, the Old Master walked over to Huo Niannian with a warm, welcoming smile. After a moment of thoughtful scrutiny, he nodded in approval and turned to Tingshen, commenting, "Your wife is quite impressive."