Having a seat in front of the old master was a special privilege, so it was no wonder Gu Kaichang was furious—he had never been granted such an honor himself. Only occasionally, when playing chess with his grandfather and executing a couple of clever moves that pleased the old man, was he allowed to sit on a small stool.
What was Gu Zhaoping thinking? Did she have no sense of propriety left? Seeing an empty chair and daring to sit in it—no wonder her fiancé looked down on her so much.
"Gu Zhaoping, what do you think you're doing?" Gu Kaichang frowned, not even wanting to touch her as he looked down at her and commanded, "Get up."
Finally hearing his words, the two at the chess table lifted their heads, their concentration broken as they turned to him with varying expressions.
Gu Kaichang frowned even deeper. Though he was from the second branch of the family, he was actually close in age to Gu Zhaoping. They usually interacted as equals, and he even felt a vague sense of responsibility over her, more like an elder brother than a cousin.
He rapped his knuckles against the edge of the chess table. "I told you to get up. Didn’t you hear me?" He scowled. "Do you really think you’re worthy of sitting in front of Grandfather?"
As the de facto "eldest son" of the Gu family’s current generation, Gu Kaichang carried this sense of duty—he was supposed to oversee the behavior of all his peers, correcting them with a tap on the table or a low cough when they stepped out of line.
The feeling of having others immediately obey his subtle cues was satisfying. It was showy, yet carried the weight of leadership.
Gu Kaichang didn’t even bother to check Gu Zhaoping’s reaction—she wasn’t important. Instead, he turned to his grandfather, softening his tone as he greeted him. "Grandfather, Yingjie and I are here to keep you company. Don’t worry, with us here, you won’t be bored today—"
The old master turned away, rummaging for something as if he hadn’t heard a word.
Gu Kaichang paused, momentarily embarrassed, but quickly rationalized it. He slowly retracted his hand from where it had been braced against the table—only to suddenly feel a gust of wind brush past his face.
Then came a sharp, searing pain. Smack!
Old Master Gu had whipped him across the face with a fly swatter.
The swatter was solid, made of soft silicone, and brightly colored like a child’s toy.
Gu Kaichang was stunned. He jerked his head back, the burning sting spreading across his cheek. Clutching his face, he winced in pain, too shocked to even touch the welt. His voice cracked in disbelief. "Grandfather?!"
There weren’t even any flies or mosquitoes around—the old man had artificially bred some just to swat at, finding the sterile environment too lifeless otherwise. He carried the fly swatter on his back at all times, no different from the elderly men strolling through parks.
Without hesitation, he had left a bright red mark on his eldest grandson’s face, shoving him aside impatiently. "Get out of the way. I’m playing chess with your sister—since when do you get to interrupt?"
"Since when do you get to dictate things? Who else but your sister even plays with me?"
The authority of the Gu family patriarch bore down, and Gu Kaichang was utterly dumbfounded. He couldn’t process the injustice—a man nearly thirty years old, struck like this?
Why wasn’t Gu Zhaoping the one being hit?!
Tossing the fly swatter aside, the old master ignored the stunned expressions of his grandsons, refocusing entirely on the game.
He was anxious. His hands were still trembling—Gu Zhaoping’s skill was far beyond what he had anticipated, and he still hadn’t figured her out.
Gu Kaichang was too noisy. Who asked him to come here and disturb his train of thought?
Only then did Gu Kaichang snap out of his daze, staring at the chessboard in shock.
This was the most humiliating moment of his life. He couldn’t fathom why the old man would let Gu Zhaoping keep sitting there. What was the meaning of this?
Wait—what did he mean, Gu Zhaoping was playing with him?!
The game had reached its endgame, and from what he could tell—having studied chess to curry favor with his grandfather—Gu Zhaoping was actually winning!
Gu Kaichang’s pupils constricted. Gu Zhaoping? Since when did she know how to play chess?
Did she even have the patience for it? Every time she visited the old man, she was either taking selfies on her phone or gossiping with the ladies of high society. When would she ever sit still long enough to master something this complex?
Only the brothers ever gathered to play against the old man. Gu Zhaoye and Gu Yingjie were the best, while he and Gu Zhaosi were slightly weaker—but there was no way Gu Zhaoping could…
No, even if she could play, to take it a step further—how was she winning? None of them had ever beaten the old man! How could Gu Zhaoping possibly outplay him?
Gu Zhaoping, who had been ignored all this time, finally let out a soft laugh—just that slight sound drawing all attention back to her.
She seemed unbothered by the interruption, perfectly composed.
Gu Zhaoping moved the final piece. "Grandfather, checkmate."
Gu Kaichang’s eyes widened. Checkmate?!
How was that possible?! Was he hallucinating?!
The old master slumped back in defeat, having fought hard but ultimately lost. He stared at Gu Zhaoping, realizing just how severely he had underestimated his granddaughter.
"Zhaoping, when did you learn to play like this?" he asked eagerly, undeterred by his loss.
"In high school. I was bored, so I spent my free time studying strategies." She smiled faintly, while Gu Kaichang’s expression twisted as if he’d been force-fed something vile.
Everyone knew what Gu Zhaoping was like in high school—always wearing makeup, dating early, shopping, and hanging out. Since when did she have the patience for chess?
Bored in school? Did she even attend enough classes to be bored?
Wait—Gu Kaichang’s heart lurched. Had she been planning to win over the old man all along?
Was she that calculating?
Watching as the old man, acting completely out of character, eagerly took Gu Zhaoping’s hand to lead her inside, Gu Kaichang’s temper flared. Without thinking, he grabbed her wrist.
"Wait!"
Both of them stopped, frowning at his sudden move—clearly annoyed.
Gu Kaichang’s throat tightened, but he pressed on. "Gu Zhaoping, if you’ve known how to play all this time, why didn’t you ever accompany Grandfather before? Did you never once think to show him some filial respect?!"
This was nothing but baseless accusation. Gu Zhaoping arched a brow, giving him a smile that was both indulgent and mocking as she glanced down at his grip.
"Well, of course—it’s because chess was always an activity for the male heirs, wasn’t it?" Her tone was light, as if merely stating a fact—even throwing his earlier words back at him.
But the remark struck like a blade, turning Gu Kaichang and Gu Yingjie’s faces ashen, their expressions stiff as corpses, hearts clogged with resentment.
They had played for years and never once beaten the old man.
Why did Gu Zhaoping have to phrase it so harshly?
Even the old master faltered, looking somewhat abashed before turning back. "It’s all you boys crowding around me—how was your sister supposed to join in? You think she’d want to play with a bunch of amateurs?"
"Zhaoping, come. From now on, I won’t play with them anymore. You should visit more often…"
"Having you in the Gu family is truly our pride!"
Gu Zhaoping flicked her wrist effortlessly, shaking off Gu Kaichang’s grip. She lightly brushed her sleeve and walked away, following Old Master Gu.
Only Gu Kaichang was left behind, his face marked with neat red palm prints, while Gu Yingjie stood there, his expression dark with fury.
This was the first time in their lives they had lost to Gu Zhaoping.
Old Master Gu’s hands trembled with excitement as he dialed his old friend while walking.
"Old Qi, come quick! My descendant is extraordinary—she’s a chess prodigy!"
"What rank? Don’t ask about that, she’s not a professional! You’re just nitpicking now. Who doesn’t know you’re a FIDE Master, nearly IM level? Should you really be boasting about challenging a kid?"
Old Master Gu pulled the receiver away and whispered shakily to Gu Zhaoping, "This guy—he’s already riled up! He’s coming over right now to test you."
Gu Zhaoping merely smiled and sat down. "Fine, I don’t mind."
Old Master Gu reassured her, "Don’t worry. If he bullies a kid, he’s shameless, and I’ll scorn him for it."
Gu Zhaoping chuckled again, her tone oddly serious. "I really don’t mind."
Old Master Gu paused, studying his granddaughter’s uncharacteristically calm demeanor. She didn’t seem like the old Zhaoping anymore—more like a seasoned entrepreneur, her emotions perfectly controlled, her expressions unreadable.
Muttering under his breath about how strange this was, he was about to ask more when Gu Zhaoping steered the conversation back to its original purpose.
"Grandfather, about the reality show Four Seasons of the Elite—which members of our family are participating?"
Old Master Gu finally remembered. He had approved the show, which aimed to showcase the lifestyle and values of high society. The Gu family’s reputation wasn’t the best, and if they wanted to expand their influence in other fields, improving their public image was crucial. So he hadn’t interfered.
He frowned. "Zhaoye, and… you, I suppose."
He hadn’t initially planned to include Gu Zhaoping—Gu Zhaoye, as the eldest son of the main branch and a prominent figure in the family business, was the ideal face of the Gu family.
And then there was his girlfriend, Ruan Nian, who was quite popular with the public…
In families like theirs, marital fidelity wasn’t the priority—public perception was. Fang Yining might be Gu Zhaoye’s fiancée, but since the engagement wasn’t public, no one knew.
So they could let the misunderstanding slide and allow Ruan Nian to be seen as Gu Zhaoye’s official girlfriend.
A well-received romance could only boost their image.
But adding Gu Zhaoping? That was a first.
Gu Zhaoping nodded. Good—she hadn’t come here for nothing. "Understood. I’ll arrange a meeting with the director this weekend."
Her system-assigned task was to appear on this show, likely to display the Gu family’s century-old prestige. She’d need to prepare.
Old Master Gu laughed at her earnestness. "Why not tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow’s a workday. I have to go to the company."
Her tone was firm.
Old Master Gu nearly choked.
Her…? Work? Was she joking? Everyone knew she was a troublemaker, barely showing up even when assigned to a minor department.
Was this for real? Had Zhaoping actually turned over a new leaf?
He almost reached out to check if she had a fever, but restrained himself. This was a chess prodigy—she deserved respect.
So he solemnly nodded. "Good. I’m glad you’re taking work seriously… Ah! Old Qi’s here. Go crush him!"
Work was routine for her—she never took days off. Gu Zhaoping smiled faintly. Old Master Gu would have many more reasons to be proud, until it became the norm.
But with her opponent arriving, she said no more.
Old Qi stormed in, dressed in traditional attire, carrying a set of translucent chess pieces. "Who’s the genius?" he boomed.
Gu Zhaoping sat across from him. "After you," she said politely.
Old Qi’s eyes nearly popped out. He recognized Gu Zhaoping and almost recoiled, glaring at Old Master Gu. You’re making me play against your good-for-nothing granddaughter? Are you mocking me?
But Old Master Gu eagerly pushed him into the seat. "Just watch her skills! I guarantee you won’t win easily!"
Baffled but intrigued, Old Qi studied Gu Zhaoping before finally sitting.
She calmly arranged the pieces, listening as they spoke, and finished setting up the board.
"Begin."
"I’m a certified FIDE Master, FM. If my moves are too aggressive—I won’t go easy," Old Qi warned.
He recalled a popular endgame he and Old Master Gu had been studying. "I’ve nearly cracked it. If I pull it off, don’t cry."
At the mention of the endgame, Gu Zhaoping’s expression flickered oddly, but she steadied herself. "Very well."
Her composure unsettled Old Qi, who began the match with deep suspicion.
Old Master Gu held his breath.
Gu Zhaoping remained unreadable.
Old Qi’s eyes widened further.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, his hands trembling as he hovered over the board, nearly ready to resign.
Old Master Gu, whose own skill wasn’t enough to follow the game, stared at Old Qi in confusion.
Finally, Old Qi hunched forward, voice strained.
"…Young lady, you didn’t lie to your grandfather, did you?"
He nearly shouted, "You’re not a professional?!"
Gu Zhaoping smiled. "No."
"Then how—how do you know this endgame so—so—"
Seeing his agitation, she explained simply, not wanting him to overestimate her as some on-the-spot solver.
"There’s only one solution to this endgame. I happen to know it well."
She spoke with polite detachment. "Because I discovered it when I was sixteen."
Silence.
Only the sound of two old men’s blood pressure skyrocketing.
