Chapter Sixteen: I Did It On Purpose

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After shouting, Gu Zhenshan still felt unsatisfied. He grabbed a glass teacup nearby and hurled it straight at Gu Yichao’s face. The scene seemed as if Gu Yichao and he were sworn enemies destined to kill each other.

At that moment, the professional security team that Shen Jin’an had hired with a huge sum of money sprang into action. One of the guards stepped forward and caught the glass cup firmly in his palm, not letting a single drop spill onto Gu Yichao’s clothes.

Gu Yichao didn’t even blink, as if the deadly attack was nothing but a gentle breeze against his face.

Shen Jin’an, however, parted her red lips slightly and let out an unrestrained sneer. “You dare ask what we mean? At your age, you still dream so grandly. Do you really think we’re fools who won’t fight back?”

“Shen Jin’an!” Gu Zhenshan trembled with rage at her ruthless words. His withered finger pointed directly at her nose. “Shut up! I’m talking to Gu Yichao. Who do you think you are to interrupt?”

Shen Jin’an simply thought Gu Zhenshan was spouting nonsense and smiled disdainfully, “You’re not my father; why should I listen to you? If you’ve got the guts, throw another cup. If it turns into a brawl, who’ll suffer? It might not be you.”

“Dad! Dad! Calm down! Calm down!” The youngest son, Gu Yihan, saw his father’s face turning red with anger. Even though the bodyguards were showing signs of wanting to intervene, he quickly stood up to plead, “Dad! Don’t be impulsive! Third brother… he didn’t mean it! Let’s talk it out calmly! Please, Dad!”

Just then, Gu Yichao, who had remained silent until now, curled his lips slightly. When he spoke, his voice was like a blade forged in ice.

“You’ll be disappointed,” he said quietly but clearly, his words echoing throughout the dining room, “I did it on purpose.”

“You!”

Gu Zhenshan was used to others flattering him, but now being repeatedly confronted by Shen Jin’an and Gu Yichao—especially on his own birthday—made him furious to the point of nearly fainting.

He puffed up his cheeks and glared, but Gu Yihan stopped him.

Glancing at the tall and burly bodyguards standing behind Shen Jin’an and Gu Yichao, Gu Yihan swallowed nervously and lowered his voice to warn, “Dad, stay calm. There’s something more important coming up. It’s not wise to anger him now.”

“Hmph!”

The suffocating atmosphere in the living room eased just a little. Those around, afraid to speak, forced awkward smiles and tried to smooth things over with small talk.

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“Oh, come on, we’re all family. Let’s talk things through.”

“Exactly, exactly. Let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

“Yichao, you too. Why hold a grudge against your dad?”

Several people surrounded Gu Yichao, chattering away, but no one said a word to Shen Jin’an. They completely ignored her and Gu Li.

Shen Jin’an was perfectly comfortable with this. After all, she hadn’t come expecting to get along gracefully with them.

She found a random seat, holding Li Li in her arms. She casually picked up the communal chopsticks and first served the little one a tender piece of steamed fish, then scooped several bright shrimp into her own bowl. She began eating as if no one else was there.

She completely disregarded the birthday celebrant, Gu Zhenshan, who still sat frowning at the head of the table, having not even formally started the meal.

Gu Zhenshan felt defeated when Gu Li reached out to grab a favorite rib. He ruthlessly used his chopsticks to knock the rib away. “How selfish of you! You’ve eaten all the meat. What are the rest of us supposed to eat?”

Gu Li glared back, refusing to back down. “I’ve only eaten three pieces. There’s still plenty left!”

“Is this how you treat your grandfather? It’s outrageous! Today, I’ll teach you a lesson.”

Before he could even stand up, two bodyguards pressed Gu Zhenshan firmly back into his seat at Shen Jin’an’s silent command.

“I’m still here with Yichao, so you don’t get to teach the child. But since you’re slandering Li Li as selfish without proof, we’d better confirm that title, or else we’d lose out.”

Without hesitation, Shen Jin’an placed a plate of beef in front of Gu Li.

She moved so quickly that Gu Yijuan, who was about to pick up some beef herself, awkwardly froze with her chopsticks midair.

From then on, Shen Jin’an brought any dish Li Li wanted right to her plate. Only after she was done did she put the plates back.

Throughout the meal, aside from Gu Yichao, Shen Jin’an, and the happily munching Gu Li, everyone else was filled with resentment but dared not voice it because of the circle of bodyguards surrounding the table.

When dinner ended, Gu Zhenshan could no longer contain himself. Abruptly, he said, “I’ll be straightforward. Third brother is just recovering from a serious injury. I plan to assign someone to help you share some of the workload. I’ve already chosen the person. Get ready to hand over the work.”

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Though it sounded considerate, it was more of a direct notification, leaving no room for discussion. This was likely the real reason Gu Yichao was summoned for dinner tonight.

“Sharing the load” sounded pleasant, but in truth, it meant gradually transferring power.

Back then, under the stubborn, incompetent fool Gu Zhenshan, Gu Corporation had been declining, even teetering on the brink of bankruptcy multiple times.

It was Gu Yichao, still a university student then, who stepped up and took on the burden. With iron will and exceptional talent, he turned the company around and grew it into the current scale.

He had poured his heart and soul into Gu Corporation, only to be met with suspicion and betrayal from his father and other relatives.

Shen Jin’an turned to look at Gu Yichao, her expression still familiar and impassive, but her eyes held only cold indifference and a mocking insight into everything.

“I do not agree.”

Gu Zhenshan seemed to have found a handle to strike back. He forced a smug, reckless smile.

He slammed the table sharply. “Gu Yichao, don’t forget, I am still the largest shareholder of Gu Corporation! I’m the final authority. Whether you agree or not, you will agree! That’s final!”

Others did not understand, but Shen Jin’an saw clearly. Though Gu Zhenshan spoke harshly, if he truly held decision-making power, he would have simply notified Gu Yichao directly. There was no need to call him back for a meal.

The dining room fell silent once more. Except for Shen Jin’an and Gu Li, everyone else looked on with schadenfreude, ready to watch Gu Yichao’s gradual fall from the top.

Gu Yichao’s face showed no anger. Instead, he let out a cold laugh.

“Is that so?”

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed firmly on Gu Zhenshan’s self-satisfied old face.

“Are you sure you’re still the largest shareholder of Gu Corporation?”