Chapter 744: Eldest Uncle Who Left Home for Twenty Years

Editor: Henyee Translations

Gu Zhaoming remained unaccustomed to his wife’s tone, but he remained composed, a sharp contrast to the fidgety Gu Pei.

Casting a glance back at the children, he relented. “Alright.”

Gu Hongwei turned his attention to Ruan Xueling. “Is this your wife, then? The daughter of the Ruan family in Jin City?”

Upon Gu Zhaoming’s marriage, he had dispatched inquiries and gifts to ascertain details about his eldest daughter-in-law.

The Ruan Family of Jin City boasted a respectable lineage, garnering recognition throughout the region.

With a warm smile, Ruan Xueling endeavored to mimic her daughter’s voice. “Yes, Dad.”

Gu Hongwei’s gaze shifted to the children standing behind them.

Ruan Xueling pivoted, addressing them. “Yangyang, Jin, Pei, Jue, come and greet your grandfather.”

Gu Pei hastily concealed the finger he had bitten, his demeanor stiffening. “Grandpa.”

Gu Yang, Gu Jin, and Feng Jue greeted their grandfather with greater ease.

Gu Zhaoming proceeded to introduce each child individually to Gu Hongwei.

Gu Hongwei nodded, his focus lingering on Gu Pei and Gu Jin, Gu Zhaoming’s biological offspring.

Though the adopted children appeared compliant, they lacked the blood tie to the Gu family.

With a stern glance at Old Madam Gu, Gu Hongwei took charge, personally guiding Gu Zhaoming and his family into the banquet hall.

Observing from the sidelines, the Fifth Elder beamed with satisfaction, his eyes reflecting contentment.

Meanwhile, Gu Zhao’an emerged from his concealment in a corner, wearing a crestfallen expression. Had the Fifth Elder not intervened with their father, his mother might have successfully ousted their eldest brother’s family.

Now that their father had intervened personally, offering them dignity, Gu Zhao’an pondered anxiously over the elders’ potential reactions.

“Mom, what do we do now? If Big Brother indeed ascends to family headship, he won’t spare us. He distanced himself from us in the past, so he surely doesn’t regard us as brothers now.”

“I just learned from Shuxue that Big Brother has returned. How did Fifth Uncle find out?”

Old Madam Gu seethed with fury, realizing she had fallen victim to Gu Zhaoming’s machinations. “I didn’t expect that brat to learn to play politics! Fifth Brother is a stubborn old man, yet he ardently supports him even more than your father.”

“But fear not, the position of family head will never fall into his hands! Despite numerous elders backing him in the past, he failed. Now, only Fifth Brother supports him, making it even more unlikely!”

Gu Zhao’an remained unconvinced. “But… didn’t Big Brother refuse the position in a fit of temper back then?”

In the banquet hall, Gu Hongwei made a grand entrance with Gu Zhaoming’s family in tow, drawing the gaze of numerous guests as they proceeded toward the main table.

“Who could they be?”

“Why would Old Master Gu personally escort them?”

“They look oddly familiar…”

As the Gu family elders caught sight of Gu Zhaoming walking alongside Gu Hongwei, they rose in unison, their expressions a mix of astonishment and disbelief.

Meanwhile, the third master of the Gu family, Gu Zhaoye, was in the midst of drinking when he froze, his eyes widening in shock to the point that he failed to notice the wine spilling from his glass.

Gu Shuzhi furrowed her brow. “Father, what’s the matter?”

Suddenly springing to his feet, Gu Zhaoye exclaimed, “Brother has returned!”

Gu Shuzhi mirrored his astonishment. “You mean the Eldest Uncle who disappeared for twenty years? Wasn’t he thriving outside the capital all this time? Why would he suddenly return now?”

Setting aside her own biases, Gu Shuzhi couldn’t help but admire her Eldest Uncle.

Despite his departure from the Gu family, he had managed to establish a thriving business, demonstrating remarkable entrepreneurial acumen.

If only her father possessed even a fraction of her Eldest Uncle’s intelligence, they wouldn’t have endured such prolonged conflict with the second branch without resolution.

A sudden realization dawned on Gu Zhaoye. “His wife was involved in a car accident.”