Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Flipping the Table

Liu Yun walked over, opened the door, and was stunned.

Gu Kaiyuan was holding a bowl, staring directly into it. Behind him, apart from Bai Suihe, there were some others standing on tiptoe, trying to look inside.

"Third Brother," Liu Yun’s face twisted for a moment before quickly forcing a smile, "you’re here."

Gu Kaiyuan didn’t acknowledge him at all but looked sorrowfully into the room, "Father, the whole family is having a meal."

Bai Suihe dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, "Husband, since Father is already full, maybe we shouldn’t..."

Gu Baijiang and the others stood up in shock, surprised that there were so many people following behind and that they were all looking at them with disdain.

"Kaiyuan, earlier Big Brother couldn’t find you, so we just didn’t wait for you to eat..."

Gu Kaiyuan’s eyes were filled with sorrow at all this, now that someone was standing up for him.

"How big can this post station be? How could they not find someone?

I think it was intentional. Gu Third Master is just not welcome at home..."

"The Gu Family had such a good reputation before, but now it seems it was all just rumors.

A family dividing people into higher and lower ranks is just despicable."

"What do you guys even know? When there’s work to be done, they want Gu Kaiyuan at the forefront. But when there’s a benefit, the two elder brothers take it.

This place isn’t that big. A shout would have found him immediately. Now they say they can’t find him? How hypocritical."

"..."

The Gu Family members all looked embarrassed at this moment, resenting those meddlesome people and even more angry at Gu Kaiyuan for making a scene.

Bai Suihe, seeing their expressions, knew they were blaming the entire situation on the two of them.

With red eyes, she turned around and said to everyone, full of grievance and compromise, "I apologize, it’s all our fault, our faults as a couple. Father certainly wouldn’t abandon the two of us; these are just misunderstandings.

Everyone, you’ve had a hard journey, please go back and rest. Don’t let our trivial matters delay you."

Since Bai Suihe had said this, it was hard for everyone to keep standing there shamelessly to watch the commotion, so they brightly left. But their parting conversations reached the ears of the Gu Family.

"This couple is just too kind, getting bullied like this and still covering up for them..."

"It’s no wonder, two out of three sons are scholars, but the other one seems to have been picked from the streets..."

"Everyone in Shangjing knows about Gu Second Brother’s conduct. People even privately bet that with how he is, he’ll never pass the scholar examinations. He’s always so pretentious, but it’s obvious he doesn’t have any real knowledge..."

"And Gu Oldest Brother is even worse. They’re full-blood brothers, but instead of helping, as an elder brother, he leads the exclusion. No wonder he’s stuck in the Hanlin Academy; it turns out his superiors know about his bad personal morals..."

Hearing these remarks leaning towards Gu Kaiyuan, the Gu Family felt a sense of suffocating frustration.

"Ingrate," Gu Baijiang gritted his teeth and, although he didn’t name names, stared viciously at Gu Kaiyuan.

"Kaiyuan, if there’s something to say, we can discuss it. Why make such a big scene?" Gu Kaiping frowned and reproached.

He was still thinking of having a chance to return to the Hanlin Academy. The third brother was going to ruin him, smearing his reputation like this.

Gu Kaiyuan looked bewildered, "Big Brother, what are you talking about? What did I make a scene about? I just brought a bowl of wontons to show filial respect to Father.

I didn’t know you all were here having a feast. If you’d have told me, I’d never have come to embarrass myself."

After speaking, he looked towards the room and the table with a face full of grievance.

Bai Suihe covered her face with a handkerchief, afraid she’d laugh out loud. Gu Kaiyuan certainly knew how to play the game.

Such a compelling antagonist, she kind of liked it.

"Even if you came, why bring so many with you?" Gu Kaichen pointed outside, frustrated and ashamed. They were ditching their brother to eat alone here; how could that sound good if spread around?

They understood the reasoning, but having done it, they couldn’t tolerate being called out. Gu Kaiyuan seemed oblivious.

Gu Kaiyuan, "Second Brother accused me wrongly. I just bought some wontons to honor Father, but I couldn’t find you. Anxiously, I asked around, and it was the kind shopkeeper downstairs who helped me, or I wouldn’t have found my way up."

The Gu Family Brothers and Gu Baijiang nearly spit blood at this moment, "You still asked others downstairs?"

Gu Kaiyuan, "If I can’t find anyone, of course, I’ll ask; otherwise, how else would I find you?"

Bai Suihe couldn’t hold back anymore, lowered her head, and silently grinned.

"Foolish, totally hopeless," Gu Kaichen still didn’t forget to quote proverbs, "you’re airing our dirty laundry in public."

"This is dirty laundry?" Seeing there were no outsiders, Gu Kaiyuan stopped pretending and sneered, "So Second Brother knows this is improper and a disgrace to our family, but why do it in the first place?"

"We just forgot about you for a moment," Gu Kaichen felt he wasn’t wrong, "we’ve all been tired from the journey, so it’s understandable we forgot for a moment, why can’t you drop it?"

Bai Suihe, "Second Brother, you’ve misunderstood Husband. Just now, downstairs, Husband was genuinely worried when he couldn’t find everyone.

After all, there had been two rounds of men in black before. Nobody knows if they’ll target our family again; that’s why he momentarily panicked."

Bai Suihe took the bowl from Gu Kaiyuan’s hand and walked in to place it in front of Gu Baijiang, "Father, this is Husband’s gesture of filial piety. You may not appreciate it, and it may not appeal to you, but as a son and daughter-in-law, we must show our respect. Today’s events have put you in a difficult position."

Bai Suihe then looked at the messy leftovers on the table, "I believe Father won’t value our small offerings, like our three watermelons and two dates, so the two of us won’t embarrass ourselves any further."

Finishing, without waiting for a response, Bai Suihe retracted to the doorway, supporting Gu Kaiyuan’s arm, "Let’s go, let’s not interrupt Father’s family gathering."

Gu Kaiyuan nodded, "You make sense; we are unnecessary here."

Once the two had left, the Gu Family couldn’t swallow their indignation. Gu Baijiang looked at the half bowl of wontons and found it exceptionally ironic, unable to resist lifting both hands and flipping the table.

Hearing the commotion behind them, Gu Kaiyuan and Bai Suihe exchanged smiles, feeling they’d finally vented their anger today.

Though the means weren’t very honorable, the result was all that mattered. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"I believe the following days will be peaceful," the two returned to their room. Dong Mei and the others were busy organizing luggage and didn’t disturb them as they turned away to leave.

"Brother Gu, don’t be too upset," Ma Zhi had just finished eating and was changing shifts, running into them, "If there’s anything you need, just let us know; we’ll help as much as we can."

Gu Kaiyuan was generous yet discreet, so maintaining goodwill was beneficial.