Chapter 58: Simple

For instance, he mentioned to Liang Shu that his mother is very amiable and easy to get along with, although she might not have thought so when she lacked firsthand experience.

The process of lunch was exceedingly harmonious.

To what extent was it harmonious?

From the initial tension to complete relaxation now, Liang Shu only needed this short hour or two.

Wen Mingting never added dishes for Liang Shu. He merely gestured towards several dishes, saying, "This one, that one, and that one are your Aunt Qing's craftsmanship," then pointing to the soup beside, "This pigeon soup was made by me."

With that, Wen Mingting personally served Liang Shu a bowl, placing it in front of her. He glanced at Gu Hansheng, who was quietly dining, then smiled at Liang Shu, "Early this morning, I called him and asked if there's anything you particularly like to eat. He said anything would do."

"Later, he mentioned that you're not feeling well, so this pigeon soup was specially stewed to help with your health."

Liang Shu nodded and said thank you.

As she lowered her head to sip the soup, tears fell into it silently.

Under the table, Gu Hansheng quietly held Liang Shu's fingers.

During this lunch, Liang Shu reaped abundant emotions at the Gu residence.

Later, during the interval of having desserts and tea, Wen Mingting inquired about Liang Shu, "You were careless with the marriage certificate, blame Gu Hansheng for it, but the wedding shouldn't be careless. When do you plan to have the wedding?"

Seeing Liang Shu's silence, Wen Mingting smiled, "If you haven't chosen a good date, I can help you with that. You won't need to worry too much then, I and your Aunt Qing will take care of the arrangements."

It was Gu Hansheng who eventually voiced, "Mom, what Ah Shu and I mean is, we won't have the wedding for now."

The old lady immediately frowned, "How can this be? Isn't this unfair to Ah Shu? Marrying you, she won't even have the most important wedding in a woman's life. Gu Hansheng, is this how we raised you?"

Wen Mingting married into the Gu family with great pomp back then, and their wedding was held abroad.

And now, it was her son's turn. She could let them keep things simple, but the wedding couldn't be omitted.

Listening to Wen Mingting's words, Liang Shu shook her head quickly, "Mom, I'm not feeling aggrieved. It's fine like this, I'm already happy with your approval."

Wen Mingting looked at Liang Shu, "Ah Shu, we cannot possibly mistreat you in the Gu family. Marriage only happens once in a lifetime. We won't make it extravagant, just a simple wedding, but there should be a formality."

"Mom, we're not saying we won't have it, just not in a hurry. Ah Shu and I got married suddenly, and we're not prepared in many aspects. Let's take it slow."

Seeing the old lady about to say something again, Gu Hansheng added, "The winter in Yucheng is too cold, and Ah Shu can't bear it. Let's wait until next year when it's warmer to plan this."

Gu Hansheng's explanation convinced the old lady. Then she said, "Your rumors haven't ceased, and not being well-prepared in everything already counts as mistreating Ah Shu. We should at least issue some announcement within the Gu clan, so everyone knows, and it's also a cause for celebration."

Before Gu Hansheng could respond, Liang Shu spoke first, "Mom, let's take it slow, no rush."

The old lady had many calculations in her mind. She genuinely liked Liang Shu as her daughter-in-law. Based on this, she also wanted to hold her grandson as soon as possible.

But today was their first meeting, and some things were not suitable to be revealed all at once. It's better to save them for later.

Wen Mingting shook her head, "You young people always like to stir things up, go ahead then."

Liang Shu smiled, "Thank you, Mom."

...

During lunch, Liang Shu drank some red wine, which hit her hard. She didn't chat much with everyone before becoming quite intoxicated.

Wen Mingting watched her uncontrollable laughter and said, "This child, I never expected her to be worse than me. Alright, alright, Hansheng, take her upstairs to rest for a while, it will be uncomfortable later if she stays here."

If Gu Hansheng hadn't tried to stop her at lunch, this girl would have probably drunk even more.

The old lady usually enjoyed indulging in alcohol and collecting wines. Red wine was of moderate strength, which Liang Shu naturally couldn't handle.

Gu Hansheng carried her upstairs, and Liang Shu nestled in his arms. Then she seemed to remember something, opened her eyes, and looked at the numerous figures in front of her, "Mom..."

Wen Mingting got up, adjusted the shawl on her, and said with concern, "Let Hansheng take you upstairs for a rest. When you wake up, we'll talk more."

"...Alright."

With that, Wen Mingting naturally didn't miss the mark on the mark on Liang Shu's neck. She glanced at Gu Hansheng and said, "Take Ah Shu upstairs to rest. Be careful on the stairs and don't fall. You should rest too."

Gu Hansheng chuckled. Alright, now he's just a companion.

Liang Shu was good with alcohol.

Even when drunk, she didn't throw tantrums, just quietly drifted off.

Gu Hansheng laid her on the bed, bent down to take off her shoes, and the person on the bed was already starting to snore lightly, obviously exhausted.

He sat by the bed for a while, then suddenly remembered something.

Two minutes later, he came back, sat by the bed, took Liang Shu's left hand, tore off a plaster, and applied it to the tiny wound on her index finger.

Glancing at the time, it was two in the afternoon.

Gu Hansheng went downstairs, where Wen Mingting and Aunt Qing were chatting.

Seeing him coming down, Wen Mingting was surprised, "You're back so soon?"

Gu Hansheng couldn't pretend not to know what she was thinking, so he didn't say anything.

Seeing the good relationship between the two today, the old lady realized that Gu Hansheng had listened to her words.

"It's your own business whether to be honest with Ah Shu or keep it to yourself. Since you're already married, just live your life well."

Wen Mingting thought that Liang Shu didn't know about the woman at the Villa Yushan, so their relationship with Gu Hansheng seemed quite good now.

But once Liang Shu found out, the consequences would probably... After all, no woman would want her husband to still support a vegetative person.

Gu Hansheng sat next to Wen Mingting, "I have a sense of propriety."

"Then when are you planning to have a child?"

At this, the man almost choked on his tea. He swallowed and said calmly, "Mom, let's just let things happen naturally. If we have one, we'll have one. There's no rush." He thought about the time since they got married, from the time they first started to... He could say they were quite excessive. They never took any precautions, leaving Liang Shu to bear everything. Perhaps, there would be good news soon.

But fearing that the old lady might be disappointed, Gu Hansheng added, "Besides, Ah Shu is still young, there's really no rush for children."

Wen Mingting gave him a sidelong glance, "But you're not young anymore."

Before Gu Hansheng could speak, the old lady patted his shoulder, "Don't use contraception. Ah Shu isn't in good health, right? I'll find a traditional Chinese doctor another day to give her a proper treatment. There shouldn't be any major problems."

Aunt Qing also chimed in, "Ah Shu is indeed a bit too thin. With her height, she should gain some weight."

When it came to the issue of being thin, Gu Hansheng had the most say.

Every time he held her, Gu Hansheng felt that Liang Shu was so light, almost weightless.

This fragile body couldn't bear much, let alone his antics.

A bit heavier and faster, she would start complaining of pain.

Gu Hansheng still had plans for the afternoon. Originally, he intended for Liang Shu to stay here and then come back to pick her up in the evening.

When Wen Mingting heard that Gu Hansheng was leaving, her expression turned a bit unhappy, "What's the hurry?"

Knowing that he would be endlessly busy once he got started, Wen Mingting didn't really intend to ask him anything. She noticed that he hadn't touched alcohol at lunch.

Back then, Liang Shu had said his stomach wasn't well, so Wen Mingting joked about how obedient he was today, not realizing he had planned to leave in the afternoon.

Gu Hansheng took his coat and car keys. He glanced upstairs and before he could speak, Wen Mingting waved at him, "I know what you mean. I won't bully your wife. Finish your work and come back later. When Ah Shu wakes up, I'll accompany her just the same."

...

Inside the Imperial City Club.

Gu Hansheng arrived at the door of a private room, where Ji Chen approached him, "Sir, everything is arranged."

"Have you brought everyone you should bring?"

"Yes, but we asked for a long time, and they didn't reveal anything. Perhaps you should..."

Gu Hansheng moved his neck left and right. Today, he went to the Gu residence, so he was dressed more casually. He wore a long black coat over a loose-fitting V-neck sweater in the same color scheme, giving off a slightly softer aura than usual.

The moment he raised his hand, Ji Chen stopped talking and turned to open the door to the private room.

This private room in the Imperial City Club was specially selected, with excellent sound insulation.

Inside, the atmosphere was tense, and after Gu Hansheng entered, it became even more subdued.

There were about a dozen people in the room.

Everyone on Gu Hansheng's side was dressed in suits, while the other three or four had the attire of thugs.

These few were the ones who threatened Liang Shu at another bar last time.

At the moment, each of them was kneeling, with two men in suits standing behind them, wearing sunglasses and looking cold.

When Gu Hansheng entered, several of them looked at him unconsciously. The second man from the left, upon seeing Gu Hansheng, instantly turned pale.

That expression was one of despair after everything had settled.

Some of them were more or less injured, but the man in the middle was more serious, with one eye even swollen shut.

He stared at Gu Hansheng, gritted his teeth, and asked, "Are you Gu Hansheng?!"

Gu Hansheng had just sat down on the sofa, and as he looked up at the man in the middle, he remained silent.

The man struggled to get up, but he was firmly pressed down by the bodyguards behind him. "We mind our own business, you mind yours. You walk your path, we walk ours. We're completely unrelated. If you continue to bully us for no reason, beware, we'll come back to settle the score when we catch our breath!"

With each harsh word he uttered, the expressions of those beside him grew even more pained.

His words were loud enough and carried enough force that everyone in the private room heard them loud and clear.

And what was the man sitting at the head of the table doing at this moment?

Gu Hansheng leisurely lit a cigarette, took a drag, and his indifferent gaze turned towards them. Behind the rising bluish-white smoke, however, was his resolute and ruthless countenance, like that of a grim reaper.

The slow, deliberate sound of footsteps approached until a pair of elegant leather shoes stopped in front of the man—

The man couldn't bear it and tried to resist, but the bodyguards standing behind him didn't give him the chance.

Gu Hansheng sneered disdainfully. The next moment, a piercing scream filled the private room.

"Ah—"

It was the sound of scorching flesh meeting skin.

The people nearby were scared and horrified, turning their heads to see the man's face twisted in pain and covered in sweat from the agony. His pupils dilated. "Brother Six, Brother Six, Brother Six..."

Gu Hansheng looked at the cigarette butt, now almost extinguished, between his fingers, gave it a blow, then walked over to the man in the second left position. He squatted down, then reached out and placed the cigarette butt in the man's mouth, a cold, ruthless arc playing at the corner of his lips. "Try it, taste the flavor of your Brother Six."

The man's face was full of fear, unable to hold onto the cigarette butt at all. Sweat and tears streamed down his face.

Gu Hansheng took the warm, damp towel that Ji Chen handed him, wiped his hands, and looked at the man with the cigarette butt in his mouth with a calm demeanor. "Enjoy the taste of your Brother Six's flesh and blood. If the cigarette butt drops, it'll be your turn next."

The man's hands and feet were bound, so he could only desperately hold onto the cigarette butt and nod vigorously.

Meanwhile, Brother Six, who had just been burned by the cigarette butt, lay on the ground. With a signal from Ji Chen, the bodyguards behind him lifted him up and made him kneel again.

Gu Hansheng lounged with his legs crossed, his posture elegant and relaxed, as he looked at Brother Six. "Do you still think we're unrelated now?"

Brother Six gritted his teeth, his fierce eyes staring at Gu Hansheng. The scar on his face made his expression even more terrifying. "Today, you took advantage of us and brought us here, injuring me and my brothers. It was you who provoked me first!"

"Exploiting us?" The man slowly chewed on these words, then suddenly laughed, "Truly a gangster's leader. Do I need to exploit you to catch you guys? Those who hurt my people, your lives are no longer in the hands of the King of Hell, but in mine, Gu Hansheng's."

The man next to him, with the cigarette butt in his mouth, suddenly remembered something. His eyes widened in horror as he mumbled with the cigarette butt in his mouth, "Brother Six, that woman... is she really..."

Only then did Brother Six realize, and he cursed under his breath before looking at Gu Hansheng. "She owes twenty million, it's been almost four years of dragging, and with compound interest, who knows how much it's turned into now. Paying back debts is only fair. Since she hasn't paid up, our debt collection is justifiable!"

"For this, you come after us? As a renowned figure in Yucheng, your behavior is despicable!" Brother Six spat on the ground, "Since she's your person, why would it come to this over a mere twenty million?"

Each word seemed to hit Gu Hansheng's sore spot precisely.

But Gu Hansheng merely curled his lips into a smile. However, that smile carried a hint of menace that anyone could sense.

He approached Brother Six, towering over him, and unhesitatingly stomped his shoe onto the man's shoe, showing no regard for him. "I am a businessman, not a righteous person, let alone a saint. I've never claimed to be a gentleman. As for what kind of person I am, I, Gu Hansheng, have never cared!"

As he spoke, he exerted force with his foot. Watching Brother Six's face contort and flush red, but Gu Hansheng's eyes remained cold, devoid of any other expression. "A mere twenty million... What's this? Not paid and you have the audacity to touch my people. Who gave you the courage?!"

Gu Hansheng's kick was forceful, causing Brother Six to scream in agony.

When he finally stopped, as if finding it uninteresting, he turned around and casually instructed, "Cut off one finger for each person. Those who resist, add another."

The person beside him pleaded, "Mr. Gu, Mr. Gu, last time we really didn't harm her. You must know by now that she's fine. We didn't do anything to her."

"Please spare us. It was our mistake, we won't dare to do it again in the future."

The pleas echoed one after another, but Gu Hansheng remained indifferent. He glanced at Ji Chen, who nodded.

With the blade in hand, the youngest member on the far right had already lost a portion of his pinky. The bloody piece fell to the ground. Gu Hansheng glanced indifferently before saying, "Continue."

It was now Brother Six's turn.

He was truly frightened now, knowing Gu Hansheng meant business.

Brother Six looked at the severed finger on the ground, then back at Gu Hansheng. "You've always wanted to know who her guarantor is, right? We haven't lied, nor have we intentionally withheld information. This person has always been mysterious. Even our boss never met him when he was alive."

Ji Chen suddenly kicked Brother Six hard, who looked at the bloody scissors and swallowed hard. "He's very mysterious. We only have one phone number for him, and we don't even know if it's really him."

Furthermore, that foul woman... the money owed by the lady, he merely acted as a guarantor, paying no heed to whether she would repay or not. When the elder brother was alive, he sometimes pressured her tightly. If she couldn't produce the money, the elder brother wouldn't bother with her guarantor. Even if the woman lived or died, it didn't matter. It can be said that this guarantor was merely a decoration.

Merely a decoration, yet this person indeed exists.

Moreover, as time passes, Gu Hansheng feels increasingly constrained, like a fishbone stuck in his throat.

Liu Zi explained everything, then yelled at the person on his left, "You, quickly give him that person's phone number!"

Ji Chen took the paper and handed it to Gu Hansheng, who glanced down at the numbers on it, then stood up expressionlessly.

Liu Zi looked up at him. "About the debt she owes..."

The man's thin lips curved into a chillingly indifferent arc, a thick shadow passing over his brows and eyes. "After that person is brought out, I'll pay you double, otherwise, not a single penny!"

Gu Hansheng left the private room, casually setting fire to the piece of paper before instructing Ji Chen, "Tidy up properly and don't reveal anything that shouldn't be exposed."

"Understood."

...

Liang Shu slept until four in the afternoon, waking up from the spacious bed.

Initially feeling disoriented in the unfamiliar place, she gradually realized that this should be Gu Hansheng's room in the Gu Mansion.

The style wasn't much different from Zero Mansion, perhaps the arrangement here seemed a bit... cozier?

This conclusion was drawn because there were quite a few photos of Gu Hansheng in this bedroom.

She was quite curious about this person, the outstanding pride of heaven, envied by many, probably.

Her fingertips felt a slight tightness, and when Liang Shu looked down, she saw that her wound was covered with a band-aid.

No need to guess who did that.

She had slept very comfortably, just a bit thirsty upon waking up.

Heading downstairs, everything was quiet. Just as she reached the living room, someone approached her, "Madam, please have a seat for a moment, I'll fetch you something to drink."

Liang Shu nodded, then sat on the sofa lost in thought.

The surroundings were very quiet, with birds occasionally stopping by on the lawn outside.

Soon, the maid brought her a cup of warm milk and placed it in front of her, saying, "Madam specially instructed to heat a cup of milk for you upon waking up, it's good for your health."

Liang Shu held the cup, feeling the warmth flow through her palm and into her body, warming her heart as well.

Later, in the warm flower room, Liang Shu was led in by the maid. The scene inside was almost a replica of the morning scene at Zero Mansion's flower room, just with different protagonists.

Two elegant middle-aged women were trimming plants and leaves, with books and a teapot nearby.

When Wen Mingting saw Liang Shu coming over, he hurried to the door and took her hand, "How did you sleep?"

"Quite well."

Liang Qing poured her a cup of hot tea and placed it aside to cool. Wen Mingting pulled her to sit on the sofa and spoke before Liang Shu could ask, "Hansheng is busy with something this afternoon. He'll come by during dinner."

Liang Shu nodded, feeling a sense of embarrassment as if her thoughts were being read. She apologized, "Mom, I actually didn't intend to ask about his whereabouts."

Wen Mingting smiled and resumed handling the gardening shears. "I understand this clinginess between you two. He left while you were still sleeping and didn't have a chance to tell you. He just instructed me to inform you after you woke up."

With that said, Wen Mingting worried she might be bored and handed her the shears. "Why don't you give it a try? Your Aunt Qing and I have been working on it for quite some time. There's this one pot left, you can give it a try."

Liang Shu looked at the bamboo plant in front of her, vaguely feeling, was it really just a coincidence that Gu Hansheng taught her basic gardening skills in the Zero Mansion's flower room that morning?

But she waved her hand, not out of modesty, purely because she didn't quite understand. "Mom, you do it. I'll learn from you."

Liang Qing chuckled beside her, covering her mouth. "It's alright. The old lady is happy, just seeking some amusement. Whether you trim it well or not, she'll be pleased."

Wen Mingting said, "Aunt Qing is right. Even if you trim it poorly, I'll still like it."

Almost repeating what Gu Hansheng had taught her and some of his actions, Liang Shu found it particularly easy.

Ten minutes later.

Liang Qing admired the plant Liang Shu had trimmed. "Wonderful! Madam, look, it still bears a resemblance to Hansheng."

"Very good, A Shu shouldn't be so modest in the future."

"He is the teacher, and he teaches well."

Liang Shu was actually a bit embarrassed, but she could also tell that Wen Mingting truly liked it. At times like this, she couldn't help but admire Gu Hansheng's ability to handle things so adeptly.

If their relationship wasn't somewhat special, Gu Hansheng would probably be a perfect son and husband.

Someone was instructed by Wen Mingting to bring all the gifts they had received today over here. Among them, there was one item that Wen Mingting personally brought.

Liang Shu looked at those bottles of foreign liquor and some finely carved jade ornaments, each carrying a weight of history.

At a glance, it was clear that the gift giver had put a lot of thought into it.

At this moment, Wen Mingting looked at the bottle of wine that Liang Qing was wiping and lightly chuckled, "Did Hansheng mention anything about the Jing family to you?"