Compared to Gu Zhaoye, it was Gu Kaichang who was even more shocked!
He had rushed in right behind Gu Zhaoye when he heard Gu Zhaoping’s words. Instantly, it felt like a slap to the face!
Not long ago, when they visited the old master at the nursing home, they had implied something similar to Gu Zhaoping.
Gu Kaichang had told her to get up from where she sat across from the old master.
"This is a gathering for the men of the family. This isn’t your place."
Just like how Gu Zhaoping was now telling them to get out.
At the time, Gu Kaichang had genuinely believed Gu Zhaoping had no business being there. Normally, it was always them who accompanied the old master. And after he fell ill, matters concerning the family’s affairs were to be discussed with the successors—those who would carry the family’s legacy. Such a formal occasion—what was she doing there?
It was like the ancestral halls of ancient clans, where granddaughters were strictly forbidden from entering. So when Gu Zhaoping had sat across from the old master playing chess, Gu Kaichang had lost it.
But he never imagined there would be a follow-up to this!
Now, not long after, Gu Zhaoping was seated in an even higher position. And across from her wasn’t just the old master—there were countless elites, entrepreneurs, and family leaders from all walks of life, numbering in the thousands.
He couldn’t even get close enough to say the same words to her. No—he couldn’t even greet her or strike up a conversation!
Gu Kaichang’s breathing grew heavy, his pupils dilated in disbelief.
"Gu Zhaoping, have you lost your mind? Are you really planning to go to war with Gu Zhaoye and me?"
"Since when have you had this idea?"
"How could this be your goal? Who would’ve guessed you were secretly plotting this behind our backs?! And how could the old master possibly agree to this?!"
He couldn’t make sense of it!
Was it just because Gu Zhaoping could play chess? Just because she had won that one game when they visited the nursing home, she had so easily won the old master’s favor? That didn’t make any sense!
Gu Zhaoye, upon realizing what Gu Zhaoping had just said to him, turned ashen-faced. How dare she speak to him in such a commanding tone, as if she were the one in charge? And with such humiliating words, as if he were nothing to her?
But then again… Gu Zhaoping had never regarded him as anything in the first place. If she had, would she have repeatedly beaten him without hesitation?
Gu Zhaoye’s expression darkened further.
All this time, he had simply thought Gu Zhaoping had grown too bold, striking him without restraint, completely disregarding how they would face each other in the future. He had wondered how she would handle the consequences later.
But now, in a sudden moment of clarity, he realized—Gu Zhaoping didn’t care about the future at all. She had no intention of letting him retain control of the family’s power. She planned to kick him aside and take his place!
So there was no need to consider the future.
He couldn’t even fathom where Gu Zhaoping had gotten the confidence—or how this sudden ambition had even sprouted in her.
Her representing the Gu family in this speech, even being brought by the old master to attend this summit, made one thing clear: she knew she was positioning herself as Gu Zhaoye’s competitor.
He had been the family’s unofficial heir for years. Countless resources had been funneled to him. Everyone had taken for granted that he would be the next head of the Gu family. He had received the most information and training about the family’s affairs.
And you—just some random person who suddenly decided to challenge me out of nowhere—what do you even have to compete with me?
Yet the next moment, he realized—what did she have to compete with him? Right now, Gu Zhaoping was standing above him, while he stood below.
And then he remembered the last time he had seen Gu Zhaoping standing above him—at that financial report meeting for Yuanqi Tech. He had wanted to humiliate her, but instead, she had exposed major flaws in their operations, costing him a crucial investment opportunity.
The domineering CEO’s mind, always preoccupied with thoughts of winning back his love and crushing his enemies, was once again forced to relive that pain under the pressure of a similar scene.
That had been the first setback in his otherwise smooth career. But he never imagined there would be a second.
His life, which had always been so effortless, had finally hit a snag.
And with that realization, every time Gu Zhaoping had struck him before took on a deeper, more unforgettable meaning.
She wasn’t just hitting him as an older sister. She was hitting him as Gu Zhaoye’s rival—crushing him beneath her heel!
Before Gu Zhaoye could even get another word out—
The old master, surrounded by guests, had been cheerfully chatting away when he suddenly sensed the tense atmosphere. He stopped mid-sentence and sharply turned his head. The moment he saw Gu Zhaoye, his eyes widened.
Wait, when did this kid barge in? Hadn’t he already been told to leave?
And now he dared to come back looking like this—was he about to say something to Gu Zhaoping? At such a major event—
Before the old man could hurry down the steps to intervene, Gu Zhaoping calmly faced Gu Zhaoye and said in Chinese, loud enough for those nearby to hear:
"Don’t make me discipline you in front of all these people on such an important day."
Gu Zhaoye stiffened, his hands slowly clenching into fists. It was only then that he realized the flashes from the cameras in the back rows were now landing on his face.
He froze. Right—the people around Gu Zhaoping might not understand Chinese, but the reporters and media in the back certainly did!
This was a global broadcast. The slightest misstep from him would be broadcast to the entire world in an instant.
Gu Zhaoye’s expression shifted as he suddenly grasped how impulsive his earlier actions had been. They might have already been caught on camera and live-streamed everywhere.
The people around Gu Zhaoping murmured among themselves: "Is that Gu Zhaoping’s younger brother? He seems terribly rude."
"Let’s not discuss her brother in front of her."
Everyone knew to save face—but the fact that they were sparing him out of respect for Gu Zhaoping only made Gu Zhaoye’s expression twist further.
He was being mentioned as nothing more than Gu Zhaoping’s appendage.
The thought that countless people might have already seen Gu Zhaoping on stage delivering her speech while he stood below, locked in a standoff with her, made his chest burn with fury.
Ruan Nian was on the verge of fainting on the spot!
How had things escalated like this? She couldn’t just rush in—the cameras might still be rolling, and she didn’t want to be caught on film. Frantic, she shoved Gu Kaichang. "Go stop him! Hurry! What if he actually says something?!"
Gu Kaichang jolted with a start, only then realizing Ruan Nian was standing nearby. He had always harbored a certain fondness for her—so much so that it had fueled his lingering resentment toward Gu Zhaoping.
But in his haste to make an appearance at this summit, he’d completely missed that Ruan Nian had arrived with Gu Zhaoye. Now, hearing her voice snapped him back to reality, and a sudden dread gripped him: if that hotheaded fool Gu Zhaoye caused a scene here, it would be a disaster. The old man would skin them alive when they got home!
Right now, arguing with Gu Zhaoping over why she was the one on stage wasn’t the priority. The urgent task was to rein in Gu Zhaoye before he made a spectacle of himself in front of everyone—like a donkey baring its backside while turning a millstone, humiliating them all in circles!
If he could drag Gu Zhaoye away, at least it would count as atonement, a chance to redeem himself.
It took Gu Kaichang just one second to reach this conclusion. He immediately lunged forward, seized Gu Zhaoye, and began steering him toward the exit with an apologetic smile. "Sorry for the interruption, everyone! We’ll be out of your way in just a moment!"
Gu Zhaoye was still trembling with rage, but though he put up a token resistance, he didn’t actually fight back. Deep down, he knew this wasn’t the place for a tantrum. In a way, he was using Gu Kaichang’s intervention as an excuse to back down.
As he was hauled away, he twisted his head back, shooting Gu Zhaoping a glare brimming with resentment.
Gu Zhaoping merely lifted her gaze to meet his eyes—and in that instant, Gu Zhaoye stiffened, then slowly turned away.
The onlookers might not have grasped the undercurrents of this brief clash, but it was clear enough that the relationship between these two was far from cordial.
Tactfully, they avoided mentioning "the young master of the Gu family" and instead smoothly shifted back to discussing the topic at hand with Gu Zhaoping.
The old man finally exhaled in relief. At least Gu Zhaoping didn’t need his help to keep Gu Zhaoye in line.
That brat was growing more reckless by the day, utterly devoid of propriety. His disappointment in Gu Zhaoye had been piling up, and seeing him still oblivious only made him sigh deeply.
Bringing Gu Zhaoping here hadn’t been an easy decision. There had been moments of hesitation.
But after hearing about her performance at Yuanqi Tech, he’d started to see her as reliable, even visionary. Still, he hadn’t expected her to excel so brilliantly at this summit.
One person kept sinking below his lowest expectations; another kept soaring above his highest.
His resolve hardened. Perhaps many things needed reevaluation.
As Gu Zhaoye was dragged off, Gu Zhaoping’s expression remained unreadable—no flicker of triumph, no satisfaction. To her, this was simply what needed to be done, nothing worth celebrating.
She turned to the person beside her. "Apologies for the interruption. Shall we continue?"
Theodore watched her from across the room. Meanwhile, Valentine slowly snapped out of his daze, his voice tight as he asked his brother, "You’ve met Miss Gu before?"
Theodore’s eyes stayed fixed on Gu Zhaoping as he murmured in reply, "Is that a problem?"
Valentine’s face paled slightly, a sense of foreboding tightening in his chest.
His gaze turned anxious. "You’re not… investigating her because I’ve been spending time with her lately, are you?"
His sea-blue eyes, still young and earnest, locked onto Theodore with a stubbornness unique to youth. He genuinely wanted an answer, a confrontation.
But he was too inexperienced to realize some questions were better left unasked—or that they had no answers at all.
"This isn’t your concern," Theodore said, turning away. Valentine blinked, stunned, as his brother stood up.
With effortless grace, Theodore adjusted his suit and strode toward Gu Zhaoping.
The crowd, hearing his footsteps, parted instinctively, clearing a path to her.
Theodore extended a hand in congratulations. "Thank you for the invitation. Your speech was remarkable—I won’t forget today."
The onlookers exchanged glances. They recognized Theodore, of course, but none had guessed he was here at Gu Zhaoping’s request. The revelation that they knew each other—and seemed close—left them stunned.
Valentine watched helplessly as Theodore walked away, stopping right beside Gu Zhaoping.
His brother’s words echoed in his ears, his chest rising and falling unevenly as if he still couldn’t believe it.
Dark suspicions swirled in his mind.
He didn’t know Theodore well, but even the little he did know included whispers of his ruthlessness.
Heart pounding, Valentine hurried after him, squeezing through the crowd to stand beside them. "Miss Gu!"
The audience’s confusion deepened. Now the younger brother was here too? What was going on?
Theodore’s smile, which had been at an eight, dimmed by half a degree when Valentine joined them.
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched his younger brother deliver his own rushed but sincere congratulations.
Gu Zhaoping’s impression of Valentine was favorable. She shook his hand warmly.
After all, who wouldn’t be charmed by a handsome, earnest young man who listened to her so attentively?
Valentine exhaled slightly. Her demeanor was unchanged—clearly, she wasn’t upset about Theodore’s interference.
"Thank you both for coming," Gu Zhaoping said casually.
Theodore’s smile faded another fraction. "I’ll honor our agreement," he said smoothly. "The details can be discussed later."
"I’d be delighted—" Gu Zhaoping began, only to be interrupted by another voice.
"Miss Gu."
Ni Tiansong had been trying to reach her earlier, but the crowd had blocked his path. Patiently, he’d waited for an opening before slipping through.
His eyes flickered briefly toward the direction Gu Zhaoye had been taken, concern flashing across his face.
But he didn’t bring up the unpleasant incident. Instead, he offered his congratulations first.
"Thank you for inviting me. It was a privilege to listen to such an outstanding speech."
He had been squeezed in the crowd earlier and hadn’t overheard their conversation, so he didn’t understand why the moment his words fell, the people around Gu Zhaoping suddenly fell into silence.
However, after a brief pause, some quickly rationalized it—this was an important conference, after all. Naturally, Gu Zhaoping would have invited many familiar faces to witness her speech.
The distinguished status of these guests only highlighted the strength of her social connections.
Perfectly normal. Perfectly normal.
Ni Tiansong shook hands with Gu Zhaoping earnestly, glancing around to confirm that the others had already finished speaking with her. Relieved that his timing was just right, he relaxed slightly.
But then, another voice joined the conversation.
Theodore took Ni Tiansong’s hand from Gu Zhaoping and shook it himself. "Hello. A pleasure."
Ni Tiansong paused, recognizing the man who had caught his attention repeatedly throughout the day. Suppressing his thoughts, he returned the greeting. "Likewise."
Turning back to Gu Zhaoping, Ni Tiansong said, "Have you seen Old Master Gu yet? He mentioned hosting a celebration banquet tonight. He seemed surprised to see me and invited me as well."
"Of course. There’ll be plenty of familiar faces there tonight."
Gu Zhaoping smiled politely. "Forgive me if the hospitality falls short."
Ni Tiansong chuckled. "Not at all. Just being invited by you is an honor in itself."
As time was running short, Gu Zhaoping prepared to leave. She turned to bid farewell to the surrounding guests. When it came to Theodore, however, he remained silent.
Only when she and Ni Tiansong walked away side by side—with Ni Tiansong frequently initiating conversation and Gu Zhaoping occasionally turning to respond—did Theodore glance back at Valentin.
His gaze lingered for a moment before he looked away, the smile on his lips fading.
"So, you still haven’t cleared out the competition?"
The words were spoken so softly only Valentin could hear them, almost gritted between his teeth.
Valentin stiffened slightly, though he remained guarded. After a brief hesitation, he nodded with the earnestness of youth.
"…Of course not. Others are free to pursue Miss Gu. I don’t have the right or the standing to interfere."
Theodore’s gaze returned to the retreating figures ahead, watching them until they disappeared.
He exhaled softly.
No competition, no contention.
What a foolishly passive younger brother.
Meanwhile, Gu Kaichang had barely managed to drag Gu Zhaoye out of the conference hall. Only once they were outside did Gu Zhaoye wrench himself free, his voice rising in fury.
"Why the hell did you pull me out? I need to ask Gu Zhaoping what she’s playing at!"
Gu Kaichang rolled his eyes. You didn’t put up a fight inside, but now that we’re out, you’re acting tough? Just looking for an excuse to back down, huh? And now you’re putting on a show for me?
Already seething, Gu Kaichang didn’t hold back. "You’re yelling at me? If I hadn’t dragged you out, you’d be humiliating yourself in front of the whole world right now! Don’t think I don’t know you’re just saving face. Now you’re pretending to be the victim? Gu Zhaoye, have you no shame?"
Normally, they wouldn’t clash so openly, but Gu Kaichang was boiling over with frustration, his lips nearly blistering from the stress.
Gu Zhaoye was momentarily stunned. He’d never been insulted so directly before, and his anger flared hotter.
"Have you lost your mind, Gu Kaichang? If we tear each other apart here, Gu Zhaoping wins by default. Is that what you want?"
The logic seemed sound to him. Their relentless infighting had only weakened them both, leaving Old Master Gu with no choice but to favor Gu Zhaoping. How stupid they’d been!
An internal feud, so vicious it handed victory to an outsider.
But Gu Kaichang was in no mood for solidarity. He scoffed. "Oh, now you want to team up? Think I’ll be your stepping stone in this sibling rivalry? Dream on!"
He turned and stormed off without another glance.
Once outside, he hurriedly typed a message to Old Master Gu: Grandfather, listen—I wasn’t trying to disobey you! You told me to leave, and I was ready to go, but then Gu Zhaoye barged in like an idiot. I had to drag him out before he embarrassed the family!
Everything I did was for our reputation!
As he sent the message, his teeth ground together.
All his meticulous planning for this summit—gone to waste. Worse, he suddenly remembered his last call with Old Master Gu, when the old man had said Gu Zhaoye wouldn’t attend. Overjoyed, he’d showered his grandfather with praise, insisting that whatever decision he made was wise and that they’d all accept it.
Now, his face burned with humiliation.
Had Grandfather already chosen Gu Zhaoping back then? Had his flattery only cemented her position?
Gu Kaichang wanted to slap himself.
Stupid, stupid mouth!
Fuming, he stomped away, fists clenched, leaving Gu Zhaoye and Ruan Nian alone outside the venue.
Gu Zhaoye’s expression was icy.
How dare Gu Kaichang speak to me like that?
Forcing himself to calm down, he scrambled to strategize.
He’d been groomed as the heir. He still held plenty of cards. This was just one appearance—even if Grandfather favored Gu Zhaoping now, it only meant she’d be elevated to compete with him. He wasn’t defeated yet.
First, he’d controlled Yuanqi Tech for years. Gu Zhaoping had nothing comparable.
Second, his allies were powerful and influential.
Third, even their parents likely supported him.
Three advantages. The game wasn’t over.
Gu Zhaoping, aside from currently enjoying a bit of favor from the old master, was utterly isolated and without support.
There’s still a chance, still a chance… There are plenty of ways…
"Zhaoye, are you okay…?" Ruan Nian had just started speaking when she caught sight of Gu Zhaoye’s expression and immediately fell silent. She knew whatever she said now would fall on deaf ears. Gritting her teeth, she quickly called out to her system again.
[System, are you there? What’s the deal with this supporting female character?! Didn’t you say she was a perfect match for the original Gu Zhaoping? That as soon as she arrived, the mission would go smoothly, and I’d achieve the conquest value needed to marry into the Gu family?]
[Explain to me what’s happening now! Why is Gu Zhaoping standing on that stage, even overshadowing Gu Zhaoye?!]
[Is she trying to compete with Zhaoye for the family fortune?!]
The system fell silent. Its database had become disordered from excessive scanning and repeated checks. No matter how meticulously its program ran, it couldn’t figure out why this supporting character was acting this way—when she and the original Gu Zhaoping had a near 100% compatibility rate.
The original Gu Zhaoping was a spoiled playgirl. She should have been even worse.
Now, the system realized it had messed up. The punishment it had assigned the supporting character was absence. No one could have predicted that skipping the show’s recording would land her on an even bigger stage.
This was the greatest failure of its system career.
It was scrambling to find a solution.
Ruan Nian was desperate: [Can’t you send this supporting character back and bring the original Gu Zhaoping? Or find someone else?]
[No, Nian. Character transfers aren’t that simple. My permissions aren’t high enough—even last time was a special case.]
[Then charm points! How many charm points do I have left? Weren’t they rising recently?]
The system was about to say there was still a little left—enough to draw an item.
But at that moment, it nearly glitched out in panic.
[They’re dropping! Nian, your charm points are plummeting! How is the decrease this drastic?!]
This was the most exaggerated, rapid decline Ruan Nian had ever seen. Watching the numbers free-fall, she was stunned.
What’s going on?!
Her legs nearly gave out beneath her.
Had the world gone mad?! What else could possibly go wrong?!
Meanwhile, in an office on the other side of the world…
The glow of the screen reflected off Sister Li’s glasses as a smirk curled on her lips. She sent out the meticulously prepared content in one go.
Liang Zhiwei’s disappearance, the smear campaigns against her these past few days, the exaggerated accusations and blame previously pinned on Gu Zhaoping for harming her…
Ruan Nian, you want to settle scores with me? But this debt has plenty of people waiting to collect from you.
When news broke of Gu Zhaoping’s record-breaking achievement, Sister Li had only hesitated for a moment before making her decision.
Then, seeing the news broadcast—Gu Zhaoping’s face appearing at an international energy industry summit in another country—she acted.
No one had heard a whisper about it before, yet there she was.
Most hadn’t even noticed yet.
Strike while the iron is hot. Add fuel to the fire.
Sister Li burst into laughter.
Miss Gu, you wanted to keep a low profile?
Sister Li won’t allow it.
