Chapter 73

Chapter 73 - 73 072 Fang Jiyin files a lawsuit Xie Shang takes Chapter 73: 072: Fang Jiyin files a lawsuit, Xie Shang takes action (first update) Chapter 73: 072: Fang Jiyin files a lawsuit, Xie Shang takes action (first update) The fourteenth day of the lunar month was the birthday of Elder Guan Musheng.

Elder Guan held a high status in the academic community, and guests who came to celebrate his birthday covered various professions. In fine fettle, the elder personally greeted visitors in the front hall.

An old friend inquired, “Why haven’t I seen Sixing?”

Guan Musheng had two sons and one daughter, and three grandchildren. His eldest granddaughter Guan Qingyu studied architecture, and his grandson Gu Yihuan studied... well, he didn’t excel at anything, ending up a profligate. Only his youngest grandson Guan Sixing followed in Guan Musheng’s footsteps.

Speaking of his youngest grandson, Guan Musheng couldn’t hide the smile in his eyes, “He’s at the research institute, they’ve started a new project up there.”

His friend was genuinely envious, “Among these youngsters, there aren’t many who can match your Sixing. Such a young age, and he’s already the chief engineer, unlike our own.”

The friend’s surname was Xiao, and his family included a disgraceful descendant, Xiao Congcong, who did nothing but squander the family wealth, too shameful to be seen in public.

Guan Musheng consoled his friend, “Different fields cannot be so casually compared.”

The old friend sighed.

“Uncle.”

It was Su Nanzhi, with someone following her.

Su Nanzhi’s father had been close friends with Guan Musheng, and the two families had always been close. She approached, presenting a gift, “Happy birthday to you, I wish you health and happiness.”

Su Nanzhi was famously beautiful in her youth, and she still was—time had left few marks on her.

Xie Shang’s looks were inherited from Su Nanzhi.

Guan Musheng accepted the gift, handed it to his second son Guan Zhengan, and asked, “Why didn’t your mother come?”

“Her leg has been hurting; she hasn’t been out for several days.”

“Has she been to the hospital?”

“The old lady is so stubborn, she simply refuses to go. The older she gets, the more she acts like a child, and our words don’t make a difference,” Su Nanzhi said. “Later on, I’ll have Xiao Shang take her.”

There was no way around it; Madam Zhai would only listen to her grandson.

Speaking of Xiao Shang, Guan Musheng remembered something, “Did Xiao Shang come today? I have a painting I’d like him to have a look at.”

“He’s here, upstairs,” Su Nanzhi replied.

The person who had been following Su Nanzhi quietly stood by, not saying a word, looking polite and refined.

Not far away, someone noticed the gentleman who kept close to the side of the actress.

“That person following your daughter-in-law, he’s the youngest of the Liang family, right?”

Southern Liang, Northern Guan.

Northern Guan referred to Guan Musheng, and the father of Liang Shuchuan, Liang Ruoxiu, represented Southern Liang. The Guan family produced physicists, and the Liang family, artists. Both were renowned in their respective fields of arts and sciences.

Upon hearing this, Xie Jingxian frowned unhappily, “At such an age, and yet speaking without any propriety.”

The old man who’d spoken returned the smile and sheepishly closed his mouth.

Su Nanzhi had divorced Xie Liangjiang for decades; no matter how you counted, she could not be considered a daughter-in-law of the Xie family anymore.

After exchanging pleasantries with the elders, Su Nanzhi was about to go find food when someone called out to her.

“Auntie Su.”

The call was warm and affectionate.

Su Nanzhi picked at the leather of her bag and turned around elegantly, “Yingying, you’ve become even more beautiful lately.”

Liang Shuchuan bowed his head and smiled, knowing she was becoming impatient.

Fang Jiyin approached, “Auntie Su, you jest. I’m still the same old me.”

When Fang Jiyin was small, Su Nanzhi was also very fond of her since she once saved Xie Shang from drowning. But as the girl grew up, her mind became more complex.

Su Nanzhi straightforwardly considered her as an adopted daughter.

Fang Jiyin didn’t change how she addressed her and kept calling her Auntie Su, saying she was used to it and couldn’t change.

Let her be. Some things couldn’t be determined by mere titles. Su Nanzhi was a magnanimous person, “So pretty now, you could get married. Do you want Auntie Su to introduce you to a few candidates?”

Fang Jiyin looked listless and her complexion wasn’t great, “Please, don’t tease me.”

It was not mockery.

It was a reminder not to keep holding on to a lost cause.

“Do you know about your fourth brother dating a girlfriend?”

Su Nanzhi had just found out, and kept her composure, “Yes, what about it?”

Fang Jiyin hesitated, apparently finding it difficult to speak, but she still asked, “Have you met that girl?”

Too many roundabout ways.

Su Nanzhi liked to be straightforward, “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“That girl,” she hesitated, revealing a worried look, “her situation isn’t very good.”

“What do you mean not very good?”

“She has a bit of a problem with her ears.”

So it turns out that Xie Shang really had a girlfriend now.

Su Nanzhi felt relieved. She could report back to Madam Zhai now; her mood greatly improved: “Not bad at all, at least it’s not a guy.”

Su Nanzhi had no demands for Xie Shang’s other half, as long as Xie Shang was happy that was all that mattered.

A servant passed by carrying drinks.

Liang Shuchuan carefully helped Su Nanzhi step aside.

Fang Jiyin didn’t expect Su Nanzhi to react this way and wanted to say more, but Su Nanzhi interrupted her: “Yingying, I respect my family Xingxing’s choice, and I hope you respect it too.” She adjusted the tasseled cape over her cheongsam, “Alright, I’m off to look for something to eat now; you go and have fun.”

Su Nanzhi turned around to look for food.

She had missed several main meals because of a photoshoot and was absolutely starving.

Liang Shuchuan followed her: “Nanzhi, you’re going the wrong way; the kitchen’s over there.”

The gift Gu Yihuan prepared for Guan Musheng was a turtle made of gold.

Because of the gift, he had been nagged at home by his mother for over an hour. He didn’t think there was anything wrong with a turtle; turtles live long, and gold is solid—how could that be tacky?

In any case, due to the scolding, he arrived late, using a crutch, and didn’t arrive until after ten.

The Guan Family had many visitors today. Gu Yihuan searched the front hall and didn’t see Xie Shang, so he called: “Fourth brother, where are you and my brother?”

“The second floor.”

“How am I supposed to get up there with this leg?” He was like an ancestor with a plaster cast, “You come down and get me.”

“Dongzhou’s at the door; you can go up together with him.”

Xie Shang hung up.

Gu Yihuan felt that Xie Shang had changed. He waited in the front hall for a while until the Qin Family arrived, three of them, with He Dongzhou at the very back.

Gu Yihuan, leaning on his crutch, went over, looked at the middle-aged man to the left, then the one on the right—identical in appearance.

Once, some fair-weather friends had bragged to Gu Yihuan about their numerous female companions. The friend was loyal, his companions all had big eyes, small mouths, round faces, and long hair. Gu Yihuan asked him how he could tell them apart since they looked the same in pictures. The friend chuckled: “Just call them all ‘baby,’ can’t go wrong.”

Gu Yihuan understood how to apply the same principle elsewhere.

“Uncle Qin.”

He then called the other one: “Uncle Qin.”

The first Uncle Qin nodded at him, then turned back to He Dongzhou and said, “Why don’t you join the young people?”

After the two Uncle Qins left, Gu Yihuan asked He Dongzhou, “Can you tell the two of them apart?”

“You’re the only one who can’t.”

Qin Qi wore glasses and always had a Qinan bead bracelet on his wrist. Qin Ke was Qin Qi’s twin brother, a real beast.

This beast was He Dongzhou’s foster father.

All the young people were upstairs.

Xie Shang was playing a game of chess.

“I’ve lost again.” The one playing chess with Xie Shang was called Yue Shaoqun, his friends jokingly referred to him as Young Master Yue.

Young Master Yue wasn’t bad at chess, so he thought he’d ask Xie Shang for a few lessons. His elders at home always praised Xie Shang, and he figured if he could beat Xie Shang, he could also have his moment of glory. But he ended up losing three games in a row.

Tong Taishi, the second son from the Tong Family, was there, gloating on the side: “Playing chess with Xie Shang, aren’t you just asking for torture?”

Just then, Fang Jiyin came upstairs.

Young Master Yue immediately sought reinforcement: “Professional 7th Dan Fang Jiyin is here!” He went over, dragging her in shamelessly, vacating his own seat for the savior, “Come on, help me play.”

Fang Jiyin was a professional 7th Dan, known in the Go community as the hand of god.

Online, they said that if it weren’t for Fang Jiyin’s health issues, she could have climbed another step in rank.

With an ace up his sleeve, Young Master Yue was emboldened, slapped the hand of god skillfully holding the pieces, and cheerfully challenged Xie Shang, “Scared, aren’t you? This one’s a professional Go player.”

Fang Jiyin, slightly embarrassed, laughed: “Don’t make fun of me.”

As she was about to get up, Xie Shang suddenly spoke, “Let’s play a game.”

Delighted, she responded, “Sure.”

Xie Shang picked up the chess pieces one by one from the board, putting them into the chess box. These pieces were polished from jade, gleaming and translucent in Xie Shang’s hands, incredibly beautiful.

“How about we raise the stakes?” he toyed with a piece, looking across, “If you win, you can ask for anything.”