Chapter 128 - 127: Meeting the Parents, the Name Bestowed by the Empress
Chapter 128: Chapter 127: Meeting the Parents, the Name Bestowed by the Empress
He wasn’t in the entertainment industry. No matter how far-reaching Gu Lingyuan’s influence was, could it extend to him? Offend him? Ridiculous.
Gu Lingyuan’s voice abruptly stopped. A few seconds later, he flew into a rage. "Lu Qingyuan, who are you with?!"
Qingyuan yawned. "I’m having a private chat with an old friend I’ve known for years. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up."
She didn’t give Gu Lingyuan time to react, directly hanging up and adding his new number to her blocklist. "What a nuisance," Qingyuan sneered. "I really gave him too much leeway."
Xie Qingshi raised an eyebrow slightly. "Although it’s a bit inappropriate, I want to laugh at you."
Qingyuan felt a headache coming on. "I just had the misfortune of meeting the wrong person. It’s not like everyone can be like Sister Ying." She had already been mocked by Hua Shao more than once over this.
"However, you must be careful," Xie Qingshi said flatly. "He treats you as his possession and won’t allow you to disobey him. The last time you fell into the water, he intentionally let it happen."
Qingyuan’s gaze turned cold. "Thanks for the reminder. I know what I’m doing."
Gu Lingyuan, having been blocked by her yet again, stared at his phone. His handsome face was clouded with gloom, his gaze dark. He recalled the voice on the phone—it was a young man’s voice, very pleasant to the ear. He wondered who it was, and wasn’t Lu Qingyuan known for keeping a clean reputation?
Gu Lingyuan felt extremely irritable. A knot of frustration sat tight in his chest, one that he could neither swallow nor vent, and the air around him grew increasingly oppressive.
"Ling Yuan, Miss Lu has a stubborn temper. It’s not like you don’t know that," Bai Shuyi said while carefully observing his expression. "The more you push her, the more she’ll rebel against you."
"Stubborn temper?" Gu Lingyuan let out an angry laugh. "She wouldn’t have her current status if it weren’t for me. What right does she have to rebel against me?"
Bai Shuyi said lightly, "Not everyone knows how to be grateful."
Gu Lingyuan suddenly stood up from the sofa and said coldly, "Get ready. We’re going to Jianghuai." He wanted to see exactly who Lu Qingyuan had latched onto that gave her the audacity to challenge him! In Jianghuai, the only family comparable to the Gu family seemed to be the Pei family.
Bai Shuyi frowned. "Ling Yuan, don’t be impulsive. If you go to her, Miss Lu will only push her luck even further."
This remark made Gu Lingyuan pause, but a few seconds later, he continued walking toward the door. Bai Shuyi had no choice but to follow.
Gu Lingyuan had just asked his secretary to book the flight tickets when he received a call from Housekeeper Gu. "Hello?"
"Young Master Ling Yuan, Mr. Lan is returning," Housekeeper Gu said. "During this time, please do not leave Mingjing."
Gu Lingyuan’s expression froze in surprise. "My uncle?"
His uncle, Gu Lan, was only two years older than him, yet they were a generation apart. Despite growing up together, Gu Lingyuan had always felt an innate fear toward his uncle, unsure if it was due to their bloodline hierarchy or something else entirely. After they reached adulthood, his uncle became elusive. Gu Lingyuan hadn’t seen him in a long time, and he often wondered if his uncle had gone to some mysterious place. Why was he suddenly coming back?
"Alright, I understand. I’ll prepare a welcome gift for him." Gu Lingyuan got out of the car, then turned his head. "Shuyi, something has come up in the Gu family. Could you make the trip to Jianghuai for me? I appreciate your hard work."
Bai Shuyi finally revealed a slight smile. "Ling Yuan, for you, it’s not a hardship at all."
Feeling comforted both physically and mentally, Gu Lingyuan smiled as well. "You’re always so understanding. Go on, I’ve had the secretary prepare everything."
The car drove off, carrying Bai Shuyi away from the villa.
Gu Lingyuan’s smile gradually faded. If Lu Qingyuan were even a third as obedient as Bai Shuyi, he wouldn’t have to push her so hard. Undeniably, Lu Qingyuan’s face was too eye-catching; no one could dislike it, and he was no exception. One day, he would break Lu Qingyuan’s pride and make her obediently submit to him.
Two hours later.
Shi Changying had finished reading the first Chapter of *The Great Wilderness Immortal Journey*, confirming that Pei Jiang was indeed the primary author. She searched online for historical clues about the novel. There were many differing opinions, and even the exact publication date of the first edition couldn’t be verified; it could only be confirmed that it was published after the Xuan Dynasty and during the Jiang Dynasty.
Shi Changying read all the relevant historical research. Only a few papers with very low view counts pointed out that even if the author of *The Great Wilderness Immortal Journey* wasn’t Pei Jiang, she must have been the primary writer. However, this theory was not mainstream, and the Desert Research Association, which specialized in studying *The Great Wilderness Immortal Journey*, had furiously denounced it as complete nonsense.
Shi Changying remained silent for a long time. She closed the book and called Ming Chengli, asking if he had been eating and sleeping on time.
"Hello, Changying. Don’t worry about your old man. Good news always brings good spirits," Ming Chengli said exuberantly. "The ruins the archaeological department found this time are truly extraordinary. We thought we couldn’t find any authentic Mei Opera costumes anymore, but to our surprise, we discovered hundreds of them all at once, and they’re all perfectly preserved!"
Listening to him, Shi Changying was infected by his joy. She asked lazily, "Then when are you coming back?"
"I’ll head back the day after tomorrow." Ming Chengli’s voice carried uncontainable excitement. "I’m still waiting for the final batch of artifacts to be unearthed. With this physical evidence to support us, parts of history can be rewritten. Wait for me to bring back some delicious food for you."
Shi Changying said, "I want to eat plum blossom cakes and drink plum blossom wine."
"You can eat the plum blossom cakes, but you can’t drink the wine," Ming Chengli replied.
After the call ended, Ming Chengli wiped the rainwater off his face. It was raining heavily in Jin’an City today, so heavily that even his raincoat couldn’t keep the water out.
"Little Ming, you’re drenched. Hurry back and take a hot shower." An elderly man hurried over and grabbed Ming Chengli’s arm. "You haven’t slept a wink in days. If this continues, you’ll get sick!"
Ming Chengli, however, insisted, "Uncle Zheng, it’s not like you don’t know my temper. I won’t leave until the very last moment."
"Sigh, how could I not know your temper?" Uncle Zheng said, exasperated. "It’s exactly because I know it too well that I’m telling you not to push yourself so hard. You’re not alone in this world. You still have a daughter!"
Ming Chengli still didn’t budge. Uncle Zheng could only drape a thicker waterproof coat over his shoulders. "Look at you. Back when you were in school, you weren’t this stubborn! I don’t know who taught you this..."
As if recalling something, Ming Chengli’s arm flinched. He didn’t say a word, silently drinking hot water from his thermos.
The rain poured down heavier, concealing the mountains, rivers, and trees in a hazy gray mist. Everything fell dead silent.
SCREECH.
A black car suddenly pierced through the curtain of rain. The car door opened, revealing a pair of long black boots, followed by a pair of long, muscular legs. The driver quickly got out of the car and held an umbrella for the man. The umbrella was slightly tilted, covering half of his face and revealing only a faintly tightened jawline.
Ming Chengli froze for a moment. "That is..."
A cold and indifferent voice sounded from beneath the umbrella. "A pleasure to meet you. I am Gu Lan."
He preferred the name Gu Qingjin, for it was bestowed upon him by the Divine Emperor, and it belonged to him alone.