Chapter 84: A Family Cannot Have Two Daughters

The three of them dawdled in the dining room for over an hour, until Jiang Yulan came to hurry them along: "Why are you eating so slowly? It's time to head to Junyue Court."

Only then did they get up and head out, directly boarding Gu Jinghan's BYD without saying a single word to Gu Chacha.

Gu Chacha didn't mind, though. She and Gu Jinghan had never gotten along since childhood—they never spoke when they met.

Only...

She glanced at the car, a mocking smirk curling at the corner of her mouth.

To please He Huanhuan, Gu Jinghan had actually gone and bought a cheap car. How tacky.

When the car arrived at Junyue Court, Brother Bao was already waiting at the main entrance.

He carried two gift boxes in his hands, a fervent smile plastered on his face.

The moment Old Mr. Gu stepped out of the car, Brother Bao strode over and enthusiastically shook his hand: "Hello, Uncle. I've admired you for a long time. Truly an honor to finally meet you today."

Gu Chengye was taken aback: "And you are?"

Today was a family dinner—no one else had been told. How did this man know to wait here?

Brother Bao let out a hearty laugh: "Hello, Uncle. I'm Chacha's friend, Chen Jiarong."

"Friend?"

Gu Chengye frowned and gave him a once-over. Dark skin, slightly protruding cheekbones—a typical Southeast Asian look.

He knitted his brows and glanced at Gu Chacha: "Chacha, this is your friend?"

This Mr. Chen looked to be about thirty-five or thirty-six. How could he be Chacha's friend?

Gu Chacha stepped forward, linking her arm through Gu Chengye's in a cajoling manner: "Dad, Jiarong is Malaysian. He recently came to Jiangcheng to expand his business."

Gu Chengye's expression shifted slightly, clearly displeased.

He stared at Gu Chacha with a heavy gaze: "Your friend?"

The accusatory tone was unmistakable. Gu Chacha blinked, looking aggrieved and timid: "Dad, what's wrong?"

She didn't answer Gu Chengye's question directly, just wanted to play the victim and muddle through.

But Chen Jiarong didn't give her that chance. He walked over to her with a smile: "Uncle, I'm currently pursuing Chacha. I hope we can become family in the future."

Whoa. The moment he said that, three pairs of eyes instantly locked onto him.

Gu Jinghan's eyes were like an infrared scanner, sweeping over him twice in three seconds.

Then he gave a satisfied shake of his head and muttered to He Huanhuan: "Ugly, old, but rich."

The watch on his wrist could buy a decent three-bedroom apartment in Jiangcheng.

He Huanhuan and Qi Meili stared wide-eyed: "That watch costs that much? Must be a few hundred thousand, right?"

Gu Jinghan held up two fingers: "Over two million."

Qi Meili's eyes nearly popped out: "Jiangcheng real estate is that expensive?!"

He Huanhuan immediately pulled out her phone to check—her total savings were around five hundred thousand. They'd been transferred to her by Han Mo and her two older brothers, and since she had nowhere to spend them, she'd just saved it all.

Originally, she and Meili had planned to buy an apartment in the city center and move out on their own.

Two small-town girls who only frequented fancy circles in their county had no idea how much a place in Jiangcheng actually cost.

Five hundred thousand could buy an old three-bedroom in a small county town.

In Jiangcheng, it couldn't even make them Liang Ye's neighbor.

His run-down place was over nine hundred thousand.

The two exchanged a bitter look. No matter how grand the manor was, it wasn't the same as having their own place!

Gu Chacha was in worse shape than both of them at the moment. Gu Chengye's face had gone sour to the extreme—almost black.

What friend!

This was her new boyfriend!

So old, and so...

Gu Chengye gave Chen Jiarong a blunt once-over: triangular eyes, sclera showing beneath the pupils—a textbook villain's face.

The viciousness in his gaze was unmistakable. He couldn't just be an ordinary businessman.

He said coldly to Chen Jiarong: "Today is a family dinner, so we won't—"

But before he could finish, Chen Jiarong cut him off with a genial smile: "I know—the welcome dinner for Sister Chacha, right? I specially brought a gift for her."

With that, he walked straight up to He Huanhuan: "I heard you went missing for a few days. You must have suffered a lot. A small token of appreciation—please don't think less of it."

He held the small gift bag out to He Huanhuan, and Gu Jinghan's eyes immediately lit up. A Patek Philippe 7118—that's over seven hundred thousand!

He couldn't help but lean in and whisper to He Huanhuan: "Can I borrow it later?"

Luxury cars and fancy watches—the playthings of the rich.

The family had luxury cars; Gu Jinghan could drive them anytime.

But he didn't have nearly as many fancy watches.

He was unreliable, so Old Mr. Gu didn't let him touch the company.

He could only collect a monthly allowance from the family. The amount wasn't small, but his spending habits were even bigger.

A decent watch easily cost hundreds of thousands, even millions. He hadn't reached that level of extravagance yet.

He stared at Chen Jiarong with longing. If Chen Jiarong gave him a watch too, he'd happily package Gu Chacha up and hand her over.

He didn't have the authority to make that call, but damn it, he'd make it anyway!

Right now, this instant—take that watch off and give it to him!

While he was still being greedy, He Huanhuan shoved the watch back: "I don't like wearing watches. Too tight."

Chen Jiarong looked at her and smiled: "Chacha told me you had a rough life before. Consider this my, or rather Chacha's, apology to you. Keep it."

Gu Chengye's face went instantly black. How dare an outsider meddle in his family's affairs?

His lips twitched downward hard. He stepped forward to intervene.

But He Huanhuan refused, righteous and firm: "Who even are you? What's a crappy watch supposed to compensate? Our old man here is way more generous than you!"

She then turned to Gu Chengye with a beaming smile: "Right, old man?"

Gu Chengye's eyes instantly filled with warmth: "Of course. Dad will transfer you the money when we get back."

He Huanhuan's eyes sparkled: "Then I want five hundred thousand!"

Gu Chengye nodded with a chuckle: "Deal."

Gu Jinghan panicked and quickly whispered in her ear: "You little idiot! The watch he's giving you is worth over seven hundred thousand!"

Ask Dad for more!

And while you're at it, get some for me too—I want to buy a Patek Philippe to play around with.

He Huanhuan immediately changed her tune: "Then I want seven hundred thousand!"

Gu Chengye laughed indulgently: "Alright, alright... Even a million, Dad would still give it to you."

Gu Jinghan flashed a sycophantic smile: "Dad, I want a million too~"

Gu Chengye shot him a glare: "You're not young anymore. All you know is how to spend money—what else?"

......

Whether she was the real daughter or fake, he was the fake son, wasn't he? Huh?

The mood eased considerably. The family laughed and chatted as they headed toward their private room.

Chen Jiarong followed behind them firmly, holding the watch, with Gu Chacha timidly by his side: "Brother Bao, I'm sorry..."

Chen Jiarong wrapped an arm around her shoulder: "Remember, in Jiangcheng, my name is Chen Jiarong."

Gu Chacha nodded obediently: "Yes, Jiarong."

Chen Jiarong leaned in and murmured: "A little cold shoulder is nothing."

Gu Chacha couldn't help but tear up: "It's all because I'm not the Gu family's real daughter, making you suffer all this cold treatment..."

"Heh heh..."

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Chen Jiarong's eyes: "Chacha, you've hit the nail on the head. The Gu family can't have two daughters."