The Ice King's Little Trouble Maker-Chapter 613 - 577

"Thank you all for coming to the Gu Family’s recognition ceremony tonight."

The recognition ceremony began, and everyone took their seats as Gu Linhai went onstage to speak.

Qiao Yuxian sat in the front row, closest to the stage.

Chu Zhengran and Lu Muyao sat on either side of her.

The three of them clapped along with the crowd, listening to Gu Linhai’s speech on stage.

After expressing his gratitude to everyone, Gu Linhai started recounting his struggles over the past twenty years in Jin City and thanking those who accompanied him along the way.

Qiao Yuxian listened for a while and then glanced at the cameraman nearby.

It felt like this recognition ceremony was conducted like an entertainment industry’s annual gala.

Countless media outlets were invited.

Cameras were everywhere.

Even close-up shots were taken.

Qiao Yuxian looked at the cameraman consistently filming in front of them, with a big bag on his waist and a camera in hand, zooming out, zooming in, zooming out, zooming in.

She glanced at him, then looked back at the stage.

Gu Linhai was recounting his entrepreneurial experience passionately, his eyes reddening when he talked about those who helped him during tough times.

"This doesn’t really feel like a recognition ceremony; it feels like Qian’an Group’s annual summary," Chu Zhengran said gently.

Qiao Yuxian smirked slightly, "With such a grand setup, of course they have to seize the opportunity to promote Qian’an Group."

Chu Zhengran raised an eyebrow and smiled, "It’s a good time for promotion, letting everyone know about it."

Qiao Yuxian perceived his somewhat meaningful smile and smiled in return.

Lu Muyao listened to their conversation, glanced at Qiao Yuxian’s profile, then withdrew his gaze and looked at the stage.

Ten minutes later, Gu Linhai finally got to the main point.

"Over the years, I’ve focused all my energy on work, neglecting my family," Gu Linhai’s tone was full of apology, "I’ve let down my father, my wife, and my children. What’s most shameful is that I’ve allowed my child to live outside for so many years."

Qiao Yuxian showed a numb expression and whispered, "We must show this segment to our company’s actors."

"Why?" Chu Zhengran asked.

"As a cautionary example," Qiao Yuxian said, "Such nonsense."

Chu Zhengran laughed.

Lu Muyao also smirked.

Gu Linhai seemed unaware of how exaggerated his performance was, his eyes bright red, almost shedding tears on stage. But he didn’t mention a word about Gu Yao’s background.

He simply said he wanted to recognize him.

But how did he come about? Why has he been outside all this time, and why did neither Meng Qian nor Gu Yicheng attend today’s recognition ceremony, he uttered nothing.

He said, "The reason for holding such a grand recognition ceremony is to formally acknowledge the child. All mistakes are mine as a father; the child is always innocent. I’ve missed twenty years of your life. I don’t know how to make amends, only using this clumsy way to hope to mend a little of what’s been lacking all these years, even if it’s just a bit."

Gu Linhai looked towards Gu Yao in the audience.

Gu Yao stood on the left side of the stage, looked at Gu Linhai, and smiled at him.

Gu Linhai said, "Come on, Gu Yao, let the elders formally meet you."

Gu Yao went up on stage, stood beside Gu Linhai, and bowed to the audience, "Good evening, everyone, I’m Gu Yao..."

Qiao Yuxian watched Gu Yao, listened to his self-introduction, but didn’t pay much attention to what he said afterward.

Gu Yao wore a black suit, standing at about 1.86 meters tall.

She couldn’t help but admit, the Gu family really has good genes.

Each one of them looks exceptionally good.

Plus, that kind of noble temperament is ingrained in their bones.

This temperament is very similar.

Each person seems to exude it to varying degrees.

Standing together, it’s immediately apparent that these people belong to one family.

But besides this similar temperament, they each have their own characteristics.

Gu Yanjing is cold, like clear, clean ice.

Gu Yicheng distinctly carries a touch of a playboy son persona.

And Gu Yao, in his current image, gives off a slightly refreshing and obedient vibe, speaking gently and slowly.

Judging by this image alone, he seems like a soft, easily bullied younger brother.

Qiao Yuxian found it hard to associate him with what he had done.

Thinking this way, she slightly tilted her head and saw Chen Xi standing on the left of the stage.

The light was dim under the stage, but Chen Xi’s gaze was clear.

Constantly watching her.

Qiao Yuxian always felt Chen Xi had something she wanted to say to her.

They stared at each other for a while, then Chen Xi first looked away and turned her gaze to the stage.

Qiao Yuxian looked at her for two more seconds, glanced down at the time, then looked back at the stage.

"Father always feels he owes me. In fact, I don’t feel that you owe me anything. My life at the orphanage was always good, largely thanks to Qian’an Group’s annual donations," Gu Yao said, "In the unseen connection, our father-son bond existed early on. Besides, you gave me life. Without you, there’d be no me. That is the most precious to me."

The crowd began to applaud again.

Qiao Yuxian also clapped a couple of times.

As the applause ended, the banquet hall quieted down.

Piano music still softly drifted around.

Chu Zhengran lowered his gaze to the watch on his wrist.

The second hand ticked bit by bit, reaching twelve when Qiao Yuxian suddenly stood up.

Sitting in the front row, as soon as she got up, everyone noticed and turned their attention to her.

Even Gu Linhai, speaking on stage, paused for a moment, his heart jumping slightly.

Today’s recognition ceremony.

Qiao Yuxian was undoubtedly a major focal point.

As she rose, several cameras focused on her. Several cameras continued pointing at the stage, monitoring Gu Linhai and Gu Yao’s reactions.

The cameraman in front of them immediately zoomed the camera towards her, following her.

Just like that, Qiao Yuxian acted nonchalant. Seeing Gu Linhai silent, she even said, "Oh, my back hurts from sitting, just getting up to stretch."

Gu Linhai’s excitement was caught in between, not knowing what to do, his expression turning somewhat awkward: "......"

Quan Rong, sitting in the second row, looked at Qiao Yuxian, a hint of interest glinting in his eyes from beneath his glasses.

Though Qiao Yuxian complained about her sore back, she rose to stretch her wrists. Looking at Gu Linhai, she paused before saying, "Um... since Uncle stopped speaking, let me say a few words."

"What do you want to say?" Gu Linhai felt his heart pricked by her sharp tongue; hearing her speak made him nervous, prompting him to blurt out instinctively.

"I am nonetheless the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gu Family; speaking on such a day isn’t excessive," Qiao Yuxian said as she moved closer to the center.

The cameraman kept following her from behind.

Gu Yao kept watching her.

Chen Xi saw her move to the center and began feeling inexplicably nervous.

Gu Linhai subconsciously didn’t want her to speak, but before he could find a suitable reason to refuse, Qiao Yuxian quickly said, "Uncle said Gu Yao was outside for over twenty years. I have a question. Before calling him Gu Yao, what was his name? Was it just coincidentally always Gu?"