10 Tension in the Gu family

Master Gu arrived home, the weight of his footsteps echoing through the grand entrance of the house. His eyes, filled with anger and determination, fell upon Madame Gu, who was seated gracefully in the living room, sipping her favorite tea.

Madame Gu, caught off guard by her husband's unexpected return, stood up with a polite smile. "Hubby, why are you back home so early?" she inquired, her tone carrying a hint of curiosity. "Did you leave something behind?"

Master Gu, his anger simmering just beneath the surface, cast a penetrating gaze at his wife. His eyes were like smoldering embers. "Where is Gu Liang?" he demanded, his voice laced with frustration.

Madame Gu's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety. She wondered if Master Gu had somehow learned about the recent altercation she had with Gu Liang, particularly the slap she had delivered. Despite her unease, she replied, trying to maintain her composure, "Liang is in her room. What is the matter, dear?"

Master Gu's patience was wearing thin. He couldn't contain his frustration any longer. "Call her down here right now," he ordered, his voice stern and unwavering.

Madame Gu's concern deepened as she watched her husband's agitation escalate. She couldn't fathom what had triggered such anger in him. Desperate for answers, she implored, "What is going on, hubby? What happened?"

Master Gu's jaw tensed, and he repeated his command with even more urgency, "Call Liang now."

Madame Gu, recognizing the gravity of the situation, nodded and hurriedly left to summon Gu Liang. The tension in the room was palpable, and it was clear that a confrontation was imminent.

Madame Gu left the living room with a sense of trepidation, her footsteps faltering slightly as she made her way to Gu Liang's room. She found her daughter, Gu Liang, inside, engrossed in a book. Gu Liang looked up in surprise as her mother entered the room, her expression filled with concern.

"Mother, what's going on?" Gu Liang asked, sensing the unease in Madame Gu's demeanor.

Madame Gu took a deep breath, her maternal instincts urging her to protect her daughter, even if it meant revealing an uncomfortable truth. "Your father is in the living room," she began cautiously. "He's asking for you."

Gu Liang's brow furrowed in confusion, but she rose from her chair and followed her mother down to the living room. As they descended the grand staircase, they were joined by Gu Hua, Gu Liang's older brother, who had emerged from his own room after hearing their father's sharp command.

When they reached the living room, they found Master Gu standing near the center of the room, his posture rigid and his eyes seething with anger. He scanned his family with a piercing gaze that seemed to bore into their souls. The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense, as if the very air had thickened with anticipation.

Madame Gu stood beside her daughter, her worry evident, while Gu Liang tried to maintain a composed facade despite her growing anxiety. Gu Hua, too, stood nearby, sensing that something significant had transpired in his absence.

Master Gu's anger was palpable, and he wasted no time in addressing his family. His voice, though controlled, carried the weight of his displeasure. "Sit down," he instructed tersely, gesturing to the seating area in the living room.

The three family members complied, taking their seats in silence, each one bracing themselves for the storm that seemed imminent. The room was now filled with an uncomfortable tension, and the unspoken question hung heavily in the air: What had transpired to warrant such fury from Master Gu?

Master Gu's anger was palpable as he turned his attention to Gu Liang, his voice heavy with accusation. "Where did you go last night?" he demanded, his eyes boring into his daughter's.

Gu Liang's heart skipped a beat as she felt the weight of her father's gaze. She knew that her father had a knack for seeing through her lies, and the fear of the consequences loomed large. Trying to maintain her composure, she replied unconvincingly, "I went out with my friends for dinner."

However, her father's discerning eyes immediately caught the falsehood in her words, and his anger flared even brighter. He issued a stern warning, his voice laced with frustration. "If you lie to me again, there will be heavy consequences."

Madame Gu, realizing that her husband might have discovered Gu Liang's secret date with Sun Gang, decided to intervene. She spoke up, her tone attempting to justify their daughter's actions. "Hubby, Liang had a date with Sun Gang," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "Sun Gang comes from a wealthy family, and if our daughter were to marry him, just imagine how our family's status would elevate."

Master Gu's face contorted with rage at this revelation. The notion that his daughter had gone on a date with another man while still married sent him into a furious fit. He couldn't contain his anger any longer. With a swift motion, the room filled with the sharp sound of a slap landing on Gu Liang's cheek. 

Gu Hua couldn't bear to see his sister in distress, so he quickly rose from his seat and moved to Gu Liang's side, offering her comfort and support. He turned his gaze toward his father, his voice trembling with a mix of frustration and concern. "Dad, why did you slap Liang?" he questioned. "You know she doesn't love Li Chen, and truthfully, you dislike him as well. Her date with Sun Gang is a great opportunity for our family."

Master Gu's anger was still smoldering, but he shifted his attention to Gu Hua. His voice remained stern as he replied, "Do you know how much the family has lost due to her actions?" The weight of his words hung heavily in the air.

Madame Gu, perplexed by her husband's words, interjected with genuine confusion. "What is there to lose?" she inquired. "The Sun family is the second richest family in the city, and we have more to gain than lose."

Master Gu's expression turned even darker, and he uttered a biting remark, addressing his wife sharply, "Stupid woman." He then continued, his tone laced with urgency, "Uncle Shang Xiang came to the office today. He has people spying on us, and he knows about Liang's date."

The revelation sent shockwaves through the room, and the gravity of the situation became all too clear. The family had unwittingly exposed themselves to scrutiny, and the consequences of their actions were now looming ominously on the horizon.

Master Gu's voice was laced with disappointment and anger as he continued to address the situation. "Mum had a clause in her will," he explained, his tone sharp and unforgiving. "Whoever is unfaithful in the marriage loses 44 million yuan. Liang, you have lost 44 million yuan, and Li Chen is to take that 44 million yuan, totaling the amount he gets after the divorce to 94 million. Now, can you see how much we have lost?"

Madame Gu's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "What? You mean that good-for-nothing Li Chen will take 94 million that should belong to our family?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with incredulity.

Master Gu nodded solemnly. "Yes, all because of our daughter's impatience," he lamented, his disappointment evident. "Only two months left, and she just couldn't wait, now could she?"

Gu Liang, her eyes brimming with tears, finally spoke up. "Dad, I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I didn't think someone would spot me at the restaurant."

Master Gu's anger hadn't subsided, and he demanded an explanation. "Why did you go there in the first place?" he questioned sharply. "And what is this that I hear from Uncle Shang Xiang that Li Chen is locked in the basement? Explain that to me."

The room was filled with tension as the family grappled with the consequences of their actions.

Madame Gu, in a hurried attempt to mitigate the consequences and protect her children from her husband's anger, quickly explained her actions. "Hubby, I am the one who locked Li Chen in the basement," she confessed. "I was going to have him released before lunch. I was still upset about the fact that he punched Gu Hua, and I also wanted to make sure that he didn't interrupt Liang's date."

Master Gu's anger flared at this revelation, and he directed his frustration toward his wife. "So you are the one who condoned Liang going on a date with Sun Gang?" he demanded, his voice stern.

Madame Gu, attempting to justify her actions, replied, "I am doing it for our family's sake, Hubby."

She then turned to the butler and issued an order. "Tell the guards to release Li Chen," she instructed, her tone indicating her urgency. The butler promptly bowed and left the room to carry out her command.

Master Gu, his anger simmering but still palpable, emphasized the gravity of the situation to his wife. "Uncle Shang Xiang said that if he finds out that something like this happened again, we have more to lose than just 94 million," he warned, his words carrying a weighty implication.

Madame Gu nodded in understanding and said, "Yes, Hubby, it won't happen again."

Gu Hua, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, couldn't help but seek further clarification. "Dad, what would happen to the money if Li Chen were to also be caught with another woman?" he inquired.

Master Gu answered truthfully, "He would get only 6 million, just like Liang."

Gu Hua then pressed, "What would happen to the rest of the money?"

Master Gu replied, his tone resolute, "It would be donated to charity."

Madame Gu chimed in, her voice bitter, "So that means your mother never intended for you to get the money anyways. So if my daughter won't get it... Li Chen shouldn't get it either."

"What do you mean?" Master Gu asked his wife.

"I mean... Li Chen has to be caught with a woman so he will leave with only 6 million yuan. He doesn't deserve this 94 million"

The rest of the family quickly caught on what Madame Gu meant and Gu Liang and Gu Hua nodded in agreement.