The entire mansion fell into silence, everyone was stunned, watching this scene!
Wha-wha-what?!
It was the first time Gu Zhaoping had met such a rude younger brother.
She had always been the eldest daughter of a prestigious family, born to be a role model for all her younger sisters and brothers.
No one had ever dared to shout in front of her; they were all well-behaved, gentle, and respectful.
Generally speaking, she did not get involved in their disputes.
They were not on the same playing field, and intervening would be an unfair advantage.
She would not do such a thing.
To question her, to accuse her this was the first time it had ever happened to her as the eldest sister.
Gu Zhaoping did not feel that her authority was being challenged.
She simply believed that rules needed to be established, especially for those who acted without any sense of order.
Such people often caused trouble big trouble.
The solution was simple.
Some people do not understand how to do things properly.
Teaching by words might not work, but teaching by experience always does.
Since they said she had already taken action, then taking action once more to create a deep muscle memory would be ideal.
As long as he saw her and instinctively remembered this, it would be enough.
Although Gu Zhaoping was not yet strong enough, the strength of a normal adult combined with her technique was enough to overpower Gu Zhaoye.
The first person to react was Madam Hua.
She let out a sharp scream, wanting to rush forward but not daring to, so she could only express her concern for her children in this way: “Zhaoping, what are you doing?!”
Gu Zhaoping lifted her eyes slightly.
“Armbar.”
Madam Hua choked, stunned.
Armbar?
What armbar?
She was asking why Gu Zhaoping and Gu Zhaoye were fighting!
Or rather, it was not a fight at least for now, it was a one-sided beating from Gu Zhaoping.
An armbar is a submission technique in jiu-jitsu, nearly impossible to escape from.
Gu Zhaoping was highly skilled in this technique.
It was almost impossible for anyone to resist her once she had them locked in.
Gu Zhaoye was completely dazed from the beating.
In his twenty-plus years of life, this was the first time he had been hit so hard.
And it was by Gu Zhaoping the very person he looked down upon.
The pain was secondary; the humiliation of it was what really burned.
His face was swollen and bruised, and he turned back with a fierce glare, like a wounded wolf, suppressing his anger as he growled: “Gu Zhao “
But the hand gripping his jaw simply tightened slightly.
A wave of intense pain shot through him, instantly cutting off his words!
He tried to push Gu Zhaoping away and stand up.
But to his horror, no matter how much he struggled, no matter how much strength he used, he could not break free from this hold!
It was like a custom-made cage!
Gu Zhaoye was shaking with rage, overwhelmed by the absurdity of it all.
Had Gu Zhaoping gone mad?!
No matter how much trouble Gu Zhaoping usually caused, she had always been warm toward him.
Not just him she treated the two cousins from the second and third branches the same way.
Gu Zhaoye knew that Gu Zhaoping understood one thing: In the future, most of the Gu family’s wealth would be in the hands of the younger brothers.
She needed to maintain good relationships with them.
Once she got married, if her marriage was unhappy and she was mistreated, her younger brothers would stand up for her.
Having a bunch of brothers in the Gu family was her greatest security.
Many people envied her for having so many younger brothers to support the family.
If she were the only daughter, she would be at risk of losing everything.
Gu Zhaoping’s attitude toward driving away Ruan Nian was clear.
First, she felt Ruan Nian was unworthy of her outstanding younger brother.
Second, she disliked how much control Ruan Nian had over him.
Moreover, Gu Zhaoye’s fiancée was her close friend, Fang Yining.
If this engagement remained intact, her alliance with her brother would be even stronger.
She could not allow an unpredictable factor like Ruan Nian to disrupt things and take away her pillar of support.
Gu Zhaoye understood this.
And because he understood, he was even more shocked, more caught off guard, and filled with even greater fury!
What was Gu Zhaoping trying to do?!
Did she think he would not fight back against her?!
Did she think she could walk all over him?!
He did not even have time to question how Gu Zhaoping had gained such strong combat skills.
The mere thought of what he had failed to notice made him instinctively want to avoid the truth.
He gritted his teeth and turned his head fiercely, snapping: “Are you really trying to fight me?!”
“Do you dare let Grandpa know what you’ve done?! And now you’re even attacking me?!”
Just then, the doorbell rang again.
A servant came to report: “The old master has arrived!”
Everyone except Gu Zhaoping froze.
Gu Zhaoye struggled to lift his head from her hold, looking toward the doorway.
Through the shifting shadows, he heard the sound of a cane tapping on the steps.
He was still in a daze, not fully processing what was happening.
No way.
What kind of timing was this?
Had the old master come to punish Gu Zhaoping?
This was the perfect scenario an undeniable crime caught in the act!
When realization hit, Gu Zhaoye sneered coldly.
Ignoring his disheveled state, he turned back to Gu Zhaoping with a vicious grin: “Just wait until Grandpa sees what you’ve done! You’re finished! Still not letting me go?! Do you think you can cause trouble in front of Grandpa?!”
Before he could finish his sentence, pain shot through his arm again.
Gu Zhaoping simply shifted her position, tightening her grip.
Gu Zhaoye’s face twisted in agony.
Even a domineering young master could not withstand this kind of pain.
He gasped sharply.
Gu Zhaoping had no reaction to his words!!
Grandpa was about to walk in, yet she showed no sign of letting go!
She was even calm.
She did not care at all!!
Was she insane?!
That was Grandpa!
At the entrance of the mansion, Old Master Gu finally ended his phone call: “Ah, alright, thank you for the trouble.”
“Sigh, it’s all because my granddaughter is too outstanding. I never expected it either she secretly trained and became a master! I didn’t even notice. Oh ho, this child is just too low-key, way too low-key.”
“Yes, yes, you’ve verified this solution, right? It’s the only possible answer? So far, no one in the world has managed to solve it?”
He climbed the steps, stopping at the last one, using his cane for support.
He gazed at the distant evening sky over Muyun Mountain, his heart filled with joy.
He tapped his cane, his voice growing louder: “Of course! I knew from the moment she was born that my granddaughter was extraordinary! Even when she’s so busy, she still has to go to work at the company tomorrow!”
“Tell me, why is this child so hardworking?”
“Yes, yes! Even better than her younger brothers! The Gu family is truly proud to have her.”
After his chat with the chess association, the old master was finally satisfied.
He had come to tell Zhaoping the good news.
He had to tell her personally no one else could share his joy.
The door opened.
The usually stern old master entered with a kind smile, shouting:
“Zhaoping! Zhaoping!”
“Great news!”
His energy was boundless.
He even waved his cane excitedly, striding inside without anyone’s help.
His eyesight was poor.
He glanced at the two people standing dumbfounded in the hall his son and daughter-in-law and ignored them.
Then, he saw Gu Zhaoping squatting on the floor.
Was she tidying something up?
This child, always so diligent, even at night.
Beaming with joy, he stepped forward, not noticing what he had just stepped on, and announced: “Zhaoping, the chess association has confirmed it! Your solution is now officially recognized as the only optimal answer to this chess problem in the world! They’re applying for an international chess record! And I thought why stop there? We’re applying for a Guinness World Record too…”
Gu Zhaoping froze.
She hadn’t expected that this was what the old master had been busy with all day.
She wouldn’t oppose anything that added to her advantage, so she nodded and said,
“Thank you, Grandpa. As long as it makes you happy.”
Old Master Gu felt an immense sense of comfort hearing this.
In the past, he had overlooked Zhaoping too much and had never realized that she was so good with words.
It was only at this moment that he noticed something moving under his feet.
He looked down carefully and realized it was a hand.
“What is this?!”
Old Master Gu was so startled that he quickly took a step back!
Finally freed from the grip on his jaw, Gu Zhaoye managed to turn his face slightly.
He wanted to shout, but no sound came out.
He was so furious he could have exploded on the spot, coughing violently as if he were about to cough up blood.
Gu Zhaoping did it on purpose.
She absolutely did it on purpose!
She had covered his mouth so he couldn’t scream!
Only then did Gu Zhaoping release her hold on him.
She clapped the dust off her hands, stood up, and said,
“Your grandson.”
Old Master Gu shuddered, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Was she cleaning up his grandson in the middle of the night?!
Gu Zhaoye, now finally free, had the urge to grab her by the collar immediately.
But before he could act, he hesitated he couldn’t be sure of Gu Zhaoping’s strength anymore.
Besides, Grandpa was right there…
Unlike Gu Zhaoping, he had his limits.
So, he could only clutch his throat, coughing harshly before finally managing to sit up.
“Grandpa!”
Gu Zhaoye’s eyes were dark and menacing.
Let’s see how you escape punishment this time…
Wait.
The punches had left him dazed, and only now did he have the capacity to process what Grandpa and Gu Zhaoping had just been talking about.
The Chess Association…?
Her…solution?
A record?
What record?
Guinness World Record?
Could there be another one with the same name?
No way Gu Zhaoye’s mind snapped back to focus.
Since when did Gu Zhaoping know how to play chess?!
He clutched his collar, looking up in disbelief.
All the words he wanted to use to expose Gu Zhaoping were stuck in his throat!
His sharp gaze shot toward Gu Zhaoping like a blade!
Madam Hua and Father Gu were also completely dumbfounded.
Huh?
What just happened?
They still hadn’t fully grasped it.
Was there something wrong with their hearing?
Or was there some kind of malfunction in their brain’s central processing?
Gu Zhaoping?
Chess Association?
Record?
All of these were Chinese words, yet why did they sound so unfamiliar together?
Could they even be put in the same sentence?
Seeing Old Master Gu’s stunned expression, Gu Zhaoye finally gritted his teeth and coughed before speaking in a hoarse voice,
“Grandpa, Gu Zhaoping not only attacked my woman outside, but she also fought me when she came home!”
“She has absolutely no regard for the Gu family’s reputation!”
Old Master Gu stared blankly at him as he got up, as if waking from a dream.
It seemed like he was beginning to understand what was going on.
He then turned to Gu Zhaoping, as if waiting for her to summarize the situation.
“Zhaoping, what’s going on? Is it like your brother says?”
No one realized that Old Master Gu’s impression of Gu Zhaoping had already changed drastically.
He was no longer blindly believing Gu Zhaoye’s words.
Even though he had walked in and witnessed Gu Zhaoping hitting someone, he hadn’t immediately jumped to conclusions.
He wanted to hear her explanation first.
Among everyone present, the one who remained the most composed was Gu Zhaoping.
She showed no sign of guilt for having just beaten someone up.
She walked over to the table, picked up the teapot, and poured two cups of tea.
Her movements were unhurried, yet they did not seem sluggish.
Even the act of pouring tea felt like a controlled performance, making those watching her unconsciously quiet down.
It was almost as if she was controlling the room.
Straightening up, Gu Zhaoping picked up the two cups and turned to Old Master Gu, handing him one.
Everyone’s conversation was interrupted by her action.
Old Master Gu instinctively took the cup.
Gu Zhaoping slightly lowered her own cup in acknowledgment before taking a sip.
Leaning casually against the sofa, she stretched out her long legs, her demeanor relaxed as she said,
“It’s nothing. The younger ones in the family don’t know the rules. As the eldest sister, I had to teach them a little.”
Her gaze lifted through the thin lenses of her glasses, coldly landing on Gu Zhaoye, who was still in the corner.
“Well? Have you learned to call me ‘sister’ now?”
Gu Zhaoye’s entire body tensed.
He was instantly enraged by her attitude.
But instead of his usual impulsiveness, what came rushing back to him was the suffocating moment from earlier.
Gu Zhaoping had really lost her mind.
She had completely snapped.
She had actually dared to hit him.
And she wasn’t just playing around she had truly intended to press him down and nearly choke him to death.
She wasn’t going to apologize to him for interfering in his relationship with Ruan Nian.
No.
Forget apologizing she wouldn’t even offer a perfunctory, insincere apology just to smooth things over.
It was completely irrational.
Absolutely irrational.
Gu Zhaoye had never seen Gu Zhaoping like this before.
It was as if she had been possessed by a demon.
He wanted to lash out at her.
He wanted to grab the teacup from her hand and smash it onto the floor.
He wanted to warn her to remember this day and to never come crying to him in the future.
But for some reason, his instincts told him that threats wouldn’t work.
In fact…it felt like Gu Zhaoping had many more secrets that he had never noticed, let alone understood.
Clutching his throat, he coughed violently for a long time, his face alternating between shades of red and green.
He decided not to suffer any further humiliation.
Grandpa seemed to be favoring Gu Zhaoping now.
Although he didn’t understand what that chess problem was about, with the old master here, he couldn’t just stand up and openly question Gu Zhaoping.
Fine.
He wouldn’t argue with a woman.
After all, he couldn’t hit a woman.
He was the heir to the Gu family.
If he let Gu Zhaoping drive him mad so easily, what kind of successor would he be?
He and Gu Zhaoping were not even on the same playing field.
If she wanted to challenge his authority in such trivial matters, she was welcome to try.
But once Old Master Gu passed away, and he held the real power in the Gu family, she would finally understand that control had nothing to do with age or seniority.
Even her position in the company he would be the one to decide that.
Gu Zhaoye inhaled deeply, suppressing the extreme humiliation burning inside him.
Facing someone he had never respected, the anger and disgrace almost made him tremble.
But under Grandpa’s gaze, he clenched his teeth and forced himself to say,
“Sister.”
Oh, so they’re all assuming they just never paid attention to her and that’s why she’s revealing so many talents?