Gu Changwei was choked speechless by Xie Chen's words.
In a moment of desperation, he blurted out, "Tingxue has loved me for so many years. No matter what A Nian is like, he is my blood, my lineage!"
"So what? You can only emphasize blood ties now?" Xie Chen scoffed. "How pathetic! You know how outrageous you've been all these years, don't you!"
Gu Changwei felt another stab.
Yet, he couldn't think of anything to refute Xie Chen's words.
Given A Nian's attitude towards him, Gu Changwei didn't believe their father-son relationship could improve in the future.
Therefore, the only breakthrough was through Tingxue.
Yes, Tingxue had loved him for decades. How could decades of love just vanish?
As long as he focused his attention on her from now on, she would surely be willing to be with him again.
That's right, as long as Tingxue was willing to change her mind, how could Xie Chen still be so arrogant?
So, even though Xie Chen seemed to have gained Tingxue's favor now, in front of him, he was nothing.
Thinking of this, Gu Changwei looked at Xie Chen with pity.
What's the use of your current smugness?
There will be a day you cry!
Xie Chen found it somewhat inexplicable. Was Gu Changwei pitying him?
No, he was the one who should be pitied. What was Gu Changwei imagining to suddenly give himself the illusion that he was the winner?
"Xie Chen, you are still as unclear in your mind as you were in your youth," Gu Changwei said condescendingly. "Never mind, what's the point of talking to you about this? Let's wait and see. The one who laughs last is the winner."
After speaking, Gu Changwei brushed off his long robe, put his hands behind his back, and strolled out without even looking at Xie Chen.
Xie Chen felt stifled. He looked at Gu Changwei's retreating back and barely managed to restrain himself from kicking him away.
After leaving the Dali Temple, Gu Changwei didn't go straight back. Instead, he went to a clothing shop and picked out a new, fashionable long robe. He changed from head to toe, and the person in the bronze mirror looked spirited and proud.
Gu Changwei then paid the silver with satisfaction.
He had to go see Tingxue.
He wanted to coax her well, to make her change her mind.
The gatekeeper of the Qin family, as usual, did not allow Gu Changwei to enter.
This time, Gu Changwei's attitude was much better. He said he would rekindle his past relationship with Qin Tingxue, which scared the gatekeeper so much that he slammed the door shut and ran to report.
Gu Changwei firmly believed that as long as this message reached Tingxue's ears, she would surely be moved.
As a result, Gu Changwei did not wait for Tingxue's maid to come out and invite him in. Instead, he was met by several men with capable physiques.
These were the men Xie Chen had left at the Qin residence.
Their purpose was to prevent Gu Changwei from bothering them.
Initially, these men thought they would have no use for their skills.
Unexpectedly, they were given a chance to show their worth so quickly.
If they performed well, they could bring honor to their master, and thus, their master could gain enough favor in front of the future mistress.
Gu Changwei's newly acquired attire served no purpose and was immediately reduced to rags.
Gu Changwei's martial arts skills were not weak, but he was outnumbered, and these men were no weaker than him.
The men looked at Gu Changwei with satisfaction. Their master would surely be pleased to see him in this state.
It was possible they might even receive a reward.
Qin Tingxue arrived a moment later, accompanied by the Qin family's eldest madam.
Qin Tingxue took in Gu Changwei's disheveled appearance.
It couldn't be denied that twenty years ago, Gu Changwei was a dashing young man.
Now?
Although not corpulent, his eyes had lost their youthful clarity.
Instead, they revealed calculation.
Qin Tingxue's obsession suddenly dissipated. Perhaps she wasn't madly in love with Gu Changwei, but merely unwilling to accept it. Seeing Gu Changwei like this, Qin Tingxue felt at ease.