Chapter 155: Influence
Gu Huaichang had been retired for over a year, living a peaceful life of elderly leisure.
Until not long ago, when someone came to his door, and he decided to return to his hometown of City C after many years.
There was a force that had existed for many years, hidden beneath the deep sea.
From the day he stepped onto his official career path, he had belonged to that force. It could be said that the greatest storms he experienced over the years failed to unseat him because of that force’s power.
Now, the person holding the power of this force had finally appeared. An old retired fellow like him could go and find her.
Sitting in the car, driving from outside the villa to inside, the simple lines of the Zouyu pattern on the doorplate to the left of the gate flashed by.
He suddenly understood why, out of so many people, it was him.
The Gu Wanrong before him, who was young to an extreme, was clearly from a family that couldn’t be more ordinaryâhow was she the one holding this terrifying power?
Clouds of mystery shrouded her.
But Gu Huaichang wouldn’t ask; he only needed to know it was her.
Gu Huaichang didn’t speak, but solemnly took out a wooden box carved with exquisite patterns. Opening the box, he gently picked up a jade tablet from inside and handed it to Gu Wanrong.
Gu Wanrong took it and examined it carefully.
The jade tablet felt warm and moist, without a single impurity. In the center, a beast pattern was carved in openwork. It wasn’t the commonly used dragon, phoenix, turtle, or crane, but a Zouyu, an auspicious beast from ancient times.
[Dingâ]
[Unlocking Domestic Influences within Xia Country.]
Gu Wanrong was startled by the sudden appearance of the System in her mind, causing the hand holding the jade tablet to tremble slightly.
“You are my Si Yeye, and I am your cousin’s granddaughter.” After returning the jade tablet to Gu Huaichang, Gu Wanrong spoke in a calm and natural manner.
Gu Huaichang took back the jade tablet.
Wen Yinghua, who had stepped away, walked over carrying a tea tray.
“Yuanyuan, the taste of the fruit and vegetable juice at your house is truly good. Old Gu won’t drink a single sip of the juices I make at home.”
“Si Popo, how can I let you do these things?” Gu Wanrong helped support the tea tray, speaking with a slight reproach.
“Just carrying a tray, why would I need anyone else?” Wen Yinghua replaced Gu Wanrongâs empty glass with one filled with fresh juice. “Here, this is yours. Young girls should replenish their vitamins; itâs good for the skin.”
“Old Gu, this is yours, take it.” She handed the one belonging to Gu Huaichang to him, praising, “This is good, it clears the alcohol and greasiness.”
Gentle, caring, considerate, and amiableâit was as if these words were tailor-made for Wen Yinghua. Where she was, one could instantly feel the warmth of a home harbor.
The next second, Gu Wanrong cleared her head.
Among the ten parts of sincerity, at least six were intentionally displayed.
As Gu Huaichangâs spouse, by stepping out when Gu Huaichang showed his cards just now, it was clear she had some level of understanding of it all.
In that case, Gu Huaichang and Wen Yinghua’s kindness toward her wasn’t based solely on the fact that she was a younger relative related by blood.
Gu Wanrong wore a perfectly calculated smile. After taking the juice, she said, “Thank you, Si Popo.”
Then she looked at Gu Huaichang. “Si Yeye, Si Popo, you took the high-speed rail all the way to City C, drank so much, and then came back with me. Itâs been non-stop; please rest early.”
“Now that you mention it, I really do feel quite tired.”
“Our Yuanyuan is truly well-behaved.”
Gu Huaichang and Wen Yinghua went to the guest room together.
Gu Wanrong also turned and went upstairs. After returning to her room, she locked the door, leaned against it, and let out a deep sigh. She hadn’t sighed as much all year as she had today.
Home, family, ah…
From today on, a total farewell to “family.”
Shaking her head, she clicked on the newly unlocked Domestic Influences list from the System to shift her attention.
What met her eyes was page after page of names, each with a detailed introduction. The areas involved were broad, with people in every circle.
“System.”
[I am here.]
“Tell me, won’t I be ‘checked for the water meter’ (investigated by the government) if I take this over?” Gu Wanrong’s implication was that it was fine for the people to be involved in daily industries, but why were there so many in the official career path?
[The System understands the principle of not overdoing things. It accurately grasps the balance to ensure the Host’s activities can develop without interference or suppression.]
“That’s good then.” Gu Wanrong spoke in a relaxed tone. However…
Something was wrong. The System wasn’t a novice system?
When did it train these people?
When the identity was unlocked last time, the System hadn’t answered why.
Gu Wanrong had a faint suspicion during this time. “System, tell me, will the people left behind by the previous hosts bound to the System be loyal to you and to me?”
[Of course.]
The System didn’t deny it. Gu Wanrong was delighted; she had guessed correctly.
[All the people of the world come for profit and leave for profit. They all have something to gain, let alone the fact that people maintain a heart of awe for the unknown.]
“I see.” Gu Wanrong looked thoughtful and asked again, “Then that Zouyu jade tablet from just nowâdoes everyone under the System have one? And, is the Zouyu the symbol of the System, right?”
[First, not everyone has one. Second, the Zouyu is indeed the symbol of the System.]
“I understand.”
After explaining Gu Wanrong’s doubts, the System disappeared again.
Gu Wanrong secretly calculated in her heart. Since the people left by the System could be used by her, her previous worries were no longer an issue.
It was enough that Gu Huaichang knew her true identity. She would find them when she needed them; they had been developing fine for all these years without her anyway.
As for herself, happily living each day was the best.
Sleep, sleep.
While Gu Wanrong had figured it out upstairs, Gu Huaichang was still awake in the first-floor guest room.
“Old Gu, why is the light still on? Hurry and turn it off to sleep. Stop thinking so much; tomorrow we have to visit Eldest Brother.”
After speaking, Wen Yinghua turned over and reached across Gu Huaichang to turn off the desk lamp.
In an instant, darkness swallowed all the light in the guest room.
“Hey, you, why are you so impatient!” Gu Huaichang couldn’t help but complain.
“No turning on the light!” Wen Yinghuaâs voice in the dark was firm, without any intention of backing down.
In this pitch-black space, only Gu Huaichangâs faint sigh could be heard before he slowly spoke. “Itâs not like you don’t know me. If thereâs something I haven’t figured out, I can’t fall asleep at all.”
Hearing this, Wen Yinghua sat up with a flip. Guided by memory and feeling, she fumbled for Gu Huaichang’s blanket in the dark and pulled it hard, directly covering Gu Huaichang’s head.
“When you and Yuanyuan were alone, I looked it up. Yuanyuan is the Chairman of Qianyuan Group, which was just established in the second half of this year.”
While struggling to poke his head out from under the blanket, Gu Huaichang responded, “Oh, based on what you said, she hasn’t been in charge for long.”
“Mhm.” Wen Yinghua hummed in confirmation.
For a long time afterward, Gu Huaichang remained silent. Wen Yinghua thought he had fallen fast asleep, so she also slowly closed her eyes and gradually drifted into a dream.
Translator’s Note: “Checked for the water meter” (ćĽć°´čĄ¨) is internet slang for a sudden visit by authorities. The Zouyu (銺č) is a mythical creature in Chinese legend, known as a righteous beast that doesn’t harm living things. “All the people of the world come for profit and leave for profit” (夊ä¸ççç为ĺŠćĽďźĺ¤Šä¸ććç为ĺŠĺž) is a famous quote about human motivation.
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