"You..." Gu Yunhao stared at Ning Yuxuan in disbelief. "Don’t you have anything else to say to me?"
Not a single word to keep him, not even a simple "take care."
The woman who had once loved him so deeply was now looking at him with such impatience in her eyes. The contrast was too stark, and Gu Yunhao found it hard to accept.
Him not loving her was one thing, but her acting as though she couldn’t care less about him was another.
Hearing this, Ning Yuxuan finally met his gaze for a few seconds.
Just as Gu Yunhao thought she might soften and say something conciliatory, Ning Yuxuan let out a laugh.
"If I must say something," she tilted her chin up slightly, "you should take off that tie around your neck. After all, a dog doesn’t deserve to wear a gift from me."
Gu Yunhao: "..."
He stared at her blankly for a moment, his face twisting with humiliation and disbelief. "W-What did you just say?"
Ning Yuxuan’s lips curved into a smile, but her eyes remained icy. "I said, Gu Yunhao, you’re not worthy."
Gu Yunhao could hardly believe his ears, torn between shock and fury.
He glanced down at his chest and only then remembered that the tie he was wearing today had been a gift from Ning Yuxuan when they first got together.
When he left the house earlier, Gu Yunhao had been certain that Ning Yuxuan would beg for reconciliation, maybe even break down in tears to win him back.
After all, every time they had fought in the past, it was always Ning Yuxuan who caved first.
He couldn’t quite explain why, but before coming here, he had taken extra care with his appearance—dressing formally and choosing this particular tie.
He owned countless ties, all from luxury brands, and the one Ning Yuxuan had given him was far from the most eye-catching.
In fact, he hadn’t even remembered its significance until she brought it up.
Somehow, realizing this dulled the anger burning in his chest.
"You..." Gu Yunhao softened his tone slightly. "I know Mengmeng and I wronged you, but love doesn’t follow rules of first come, first served. Breaking up with you was for your own good."
This was the first time he had ever spoken gently to Ning Yuxuan. He paused, searching her face for even a trace of the reaction he expected.
Ning Yuxuan merely stared back at him, expressionless.
Her indifference reignited his irritation, smothering the faint guilt he had felt. "Regardless, you can’t pin all the blame on me! The only reason we got together in the first place was because you chased after me relentlessly. I only agreed because I was moved by your persistence!"
Ning Yuxuan: "Is that so?"
Gu Yunhao: "...W-Well, of course!"
Ning Yuxuan looked at him and spoke lightly, "I always thought you were with me to win your grandfather’s favor."
Gu Yunhao’s expression stiffened. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Whether it’s true or not, you know the answer."
Gu Yunhao clenched his fists but had no retort.
The Gu Family had remained a prominent force among the elite of Beicheng for decades, thanks to Old Master Gu’s tireless efforts.
For years, the family’s power had rested solely in the old man’s hands.
It wasn’t until five years ago, when Old Master Gu fell seriously ill, that he was forced to relinquish much of his control over the family business.
Unfortunately, the next generation of the Gu Family lacked his vision and leadership. In recent years, the family’s influence had stagnated—even declined—in Beicheng.
Among his siblings, Gu Yunhao’s father wasn’t the most outstanding, but he had married and had children the earliest. As the eldest grandson, Gu Yunhao held a unique position, with his younger cousins still barely adults.
Old Master Gu was strict with all his descendants, yet for some reason, he had always shown Ning Yuxuan particular fondness.
Gu Yunhao’s mother, recognizing this, had urged him to pursue Ning Yuxuan to curry favor with the old man.
With Old Master Gu’s support, they could gain an edge in the family’s internal power struggles.
Ning Yuxuan had never paid much attention to these matters before. Even if she had heard whispers, she hadn’t dwelled on them.
But judging by Gu Yunhao’s reaction now, she knew her guess had been right.
She hadn’t planned to say any of this, but since they had come this far, she saw no reason to spare his pride.
Ning Yuxuan continued, "And if you didn’t love me, you could have just broken up with me. Instead, you gave me the silent treatment, stood me up on dates to buy Cen Meng’s favorite desserts, and walked out on my birthday party—in front of all my family and friends—just because Cen Meng called you."
Her tone was steady, her words deliberate. This wasn’t an emotional outburst, just a calm recounting of facts.
Gu Yunhao opened his mouth, but only managed a weak "I—" before falling silent.
He couldn’t even meet her eyes, his gaze darting away.
The two of them stood in a quiet corner near a bustling food street. At some point, a small crowd had gathered nearby.
Out of the corner of his eye, Gu Yunhao noticed someone holding up a phone, its camera seemingly aimed in their direction.
Seizing the chance to redirect his frustration, he stormed over. "Hey! What are you filming? Don’t you know it’s illegal to record people without permission?"
The startled passerby flinched and quickly pointed behind Gu Yunhao. "S-Sorry, sir! I was just taking a picture of that display window with the moving wooden doll!"
Gu Yunhao turned and saw the shop window behind him, which did indeed feature an animated wooden figurine.
The onlooker took advantage of his distraction and hurried away.
Left with no one to confront, Gu Yunhao had no choice but to let it go.
The mask had been torn off completely. Ning Yuxuan’s words were things Gu Yunhao didn’t want to admit, but deep down, he knew she was right.
Now that things had come to this, he abandoned any hope of her backing down.
Taking a few deep breaths to steady himself, he walked back to Ning Yuxuan, struggling to salvage his dignity. "Since we’ve already broken up, there’s no point in rehashing the past. But I have a few last words for you. After this, I’ll leave."
Ning Yuxuan watched him coolly, waiting.
Gu Yunhao cleared his throat. "The day after tomorrow is Grandfather’s birthday banquet. No matter how much you resent me, he’s always treated you well. For his 80th birthday, you should at least show up."
Without waiting for her response, he turned and walked away.
Ning Yuxuan watched his retreating figure, torn between amusement and relief.
Though she had been bound by the story’s plot before, her feelings during their year together had been real—her devotion, her tears, all of it.
The words she had spoken today were for the foolish girl who had once cared for nothing but Gu Yunhao.
From now on, she wouldn’t waste another breath on this man.
As for the banquet, if Gu Yunhao wanted her there, it was undoubtedly Old Master Gu’s wish.
He had pursued her to please the old man in the first place. Now that they had broken up, he wouldn’t risk angering his grandfather by keeping her away.
The affairs of the Gu family were no longer her concern. Though she would send the gift prepared for Old Master Gu, her presence was unnecessary.
Ning Yuxuan went to the snack street to buy some sour plum juice and picked up a few other treats along the way.
Ning Shiyue’s work would keep him late, and he had already sent a message saying he wouldn’t be coming home today.
The entire day passed without Ning Fei asking her daughter about Gu Yunhao.
Yesterday, before the show recording, her daughter had taken a call from Gu Yunhao and even mentioned a "breakup"—something Ning Fei couldn’t possibly forget.
But since her relationship with her daughter had only just begun to thaw, Ning Fei feared undoing their progress and decided not to pry into the matter for now.
After all, she and her daughter had argued countless times before over her daughter’s boyfriend.
Still, as a mother, Ning Fei knew exactly how deeply Ning Yuxuan felt about Gu Yunhao.
The two had broken up several times in the past, but each time, after her daughter’s persistent efforts to reconcile, they had eventually gotten back together.
So this time, Ning Fei assumed it was just another temporary conflict that would resolve itself in a few days.
The next morning, Ning Yuxuan met with the person in charge of the chain hotel that was preparing to transfer ownership of its stores.
Upon seeing that Ning Yuxuan was a young woman, the manager couldn’t help but look down on her slightly.
Ning Yuxuan first asked a few questions about the hotel, then inquired, "I’d like to know—are there any other interested buyers for these properties?"
The manager glanced at her. "Of course."
Ning Yuxuan widened her eyes slightly. "I thought I was the only one asking about them."
Her surprise seemed genuine, which only deepened the manager’s disdain.
He could tell this young lady was wealthy, but this was Beicheng, where land was worth its weight in gold. Even in the relatively remote areas, purchasing four stores was beyond the means of most affluent individuals.
A young, naive girl like her didn’t seem like someone with that kind of financial power.
Still, she was undeniably beautiful, with a pleasant voice and polite manners—enough for the manager to humor her with conversation.
Ning Yuxuan pressed further, "So, who else has shown interest?"
Seeing her innocent curiosity, the manager let his guard down.
"Quite a few, actually," he said. "For example, the famous Gu family, and many other wealthy figures in Beicheng—names you probably wouldn’t recognize."
Ning Yuxuan nodded thoughtfully.
After asking a few more questions about the hotel, she bid the manager farewell. "I’ll contact you again in a couple of days."
The manager replied with a perfunctory "Sure," though inwardly, he sighed—another afternoon wasted.
Since this was a business meeting, Ning Yuxuan hadn’t driven herself.
Settling into the back seat of the car, she sent a message to Xie Zhiyan: [President Xie, is the offer you made the other day still valid?]
Gu Yunhao had already set his sights on buying the hotel. She had to act before he did.
Perhaps there were other ways to solve the problem, but when it came to her mother’s lifelong efforts—and recalling how devastated her mother had been in the original storyline when her career was ruined—Ning Yuxuan didn’t want to take any risks.
Moreover, according to the original plot, for the sake of his true love, Cen Meng, Gu Yunhao might very well rally the entire Gu family against her.
With Xie Zhiyan—the story’s greatest antagonist—on her side, she would have more leverage to stand against the Gu family.
It was a weekday, and Xie Zhiyan was likely busy.
An hour later, he finally replied with a terse two words: [It is.]
Ning Yuxuan: [Then when would you be free to meet? Let’s discuss the marriage arrangement. I’m available anytime before this Saturday.]
Saturday was the recording day for the first episode of Dear Mom, but aside from that, she had no fixed plans.
Five minutes later, he responded with four words: [Tomorrow afternoon.]
---
The next day, Old Master Gu’s eightieth birthday banquet arrived as scheduled.
Ning Yuxuan had the family driver deliver the prepared gift to the banquet, instructing him to personally hand it to a member of the Gu family.
The gift was a custom-made table screen she had commissioned long ago. One side was carved with a scene of cranes and pine trees symbolizing longevity, while the other depicted the God of Longevity.
Not only was this double-sided screen expensive, but it had also taken her considerable time and effort to arrange.
Back then, she had put so much thought into the gift partly to please Gu Yunhao.
But even before she and Gu Yunhao had gotten together, Old Master Gu had always been kind to her. So she decided to send the gift as planned.
At half past eleven in the morning, estimating that the banquet was about to begin, Ning Yuxuan sent Old Master Gu a birthday greeting.
As for the fact that she and Gu Yunhao had officially broken up and she wouldn’t be attending—since it was the old man’s birthday, she refrained from mentioning it in the message.
However, she had already called Steward He in advance to clarify that she wouldn’t be attending. By now, the old master must have known.
---
Meanwhile, at the Gu residence.
Due to Old Master Gu’s frail health, the banquet was held at the family’s ancestral home.
The banquet hall was already filled with guests, the atmosphere lively and bustling.
The old master remained upstairs in his room, not yet having come down to greet the guests.
Though the Gu family had declined somewhat from its former glory, Old Master Gu’s prestige, built over decades, remained intact. The guests in attendance were all influential figures—either wealthy or powerful.
The heads of the Meng Family and the He Family had come in person. Even Xie Zhiyan, the most prominent figure in Beicheng in recent years, though not present himself, had sent the Xie Family's Eldest Uncle as his representative.
Nearly half of Beicheng’s elite had gathered under one roof.
Gu Yunhao, worried that Cen Meng might struggle in such a setting, excused himself after being introduced to guests by his father and sought her out in a quiet corner.
Cen Meng was indeed visibly nervous, her lower lip lightly bitten. The moment she saw Gu Yunhao, she hurried toward him.
"Yunhao, you’re here."
Seeing her delicate, dependent demeanor, Gu Yunhao felt a surge of protectiveness.
He gently pulled her into his arms. "Mengmeng, don’t be afraid. I’m here."
Cen Meng gave a soft "Mm," then whispered, "Yunhao… are we really announcing our relationship in front of all these people today?"
Gu Yunhao’s own confidence wavered slightly.
He had promised Cen Meng long ago that he would introduce her to everyone at the banquet.
But having only recently joined the family business, he lacked his father’s seasoned ease. After being led around by his father to exchange pleasantries with those high-profile figures, he couldn’t help but feel intimidated.
Yet when he looked down again and saw the petite woman in his arms, her eyes filled with admiration and trust, his resolve hardened.
Gu Yunhao nodded firmly. "Don’t worry. I keep my promises."
---
Upstairs, in the master’s room.
Steward He stood nearby, reporting the final preparations for the banquet.
Everything was in order, waiting only for the scheduled start.
A notification chimed on the phone. Old Master Gu adjusted his reading glasses and frowned slightly after a moment.
"Steward He," the old man’s voice, though not as robust as in his younger years, still carried authority, "have all the guests on the list arrived?"
Steward He replied, "All the distinguished guests are already present."
With a birthday banquet of this scale, it was nearly impossible to ensure every guest matched the invitation list exactly—some arrived unexpectedly, while others canceled last minute.
However, the staff handling the check-in at the entrance had just reported to him that all the important guests had arrived.
Old Master Gu nodded, then asked, "Has that girl Yuxuan arrived yet?"
Steward He froze.
Yesterday, he had received a call from Ning Yuxuan, informing him that she and Gu Yunhao had broken up, so she wouldn’t be attending the banquet. She promised to send her gift over separately.
Steward He had initially planned to inform Old Master Gu, given how fond the old man was of the young woman.
But on his way, he happened to run into Gu Yunhao’s mother. The sharp-witted lady, upon hearing the news, advised him not to bother Old Master Gu with it.
She reasoned that the old man’s health was fragile, and there was no need to trouble him with such trivial matters.
After some thought, Steward He agreed it wasn’t a significant issue and followed her suggestion.
Yet now, just as the banquet was about to begin, Old Master Gu had specifically asked about the girl.
Steward He didn’t dare hide the truth. "Old Master," he replied respectfully, "Miss Ning said she and Young Master Yunhao have parted ways, so she won’t be coming."
Old Master Gu’s expression darkened instantly.
Despite his aging body, the authority he had wielded for decades still radiated from him.
"Steward He," the old man’s voice carried a suppressed anger, "summon Gu Yunhao here immediately. Then call Yuxuan and tell her—"
He paused briefly before continuing, "Tell her she has nothing to worry about. I’m the one who wants her here, and it has nothing to do with anyone else."
