"Gu Zong" (Mr. Gu) once again reprimanded Gu Mingyang, "Mingyang, you have disappointed me greatly."
"Don't divorce your sister, don't fight for property with your sister. Be obedient, and we will treat you well and take good care of you. I will ensure you live the rest of your life without worry about food or clothing, in good health and safety."
"Dad, are you trying to fool a ghost? You won't let me starve to death, will you?!"
"Of course, I will make sure you eat well and live luxuriously."
"Heh heh!!"
Gu Mingyang said with a bitter smile, "Are you asking me to beg for alms? Or to scavenge for trash? Or, to live the rest of my life like a dog, barely surviving?"
"You're unwilling?" Gu Zong frowned.
Gu Mingyang shook his head, "I am unwilling."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to live a life of subservience, nor do I want to barely survive, and I certainly don't want to live like a dog."
"So..."
He looked at Gu Zong and said, "So Dad, give up on that idea! I will not divorce my sister."
"You..."
Gu Zong was furious, pointing at Gu Mingyang and yelling, "You ungrateful brat, your wings have grown strong, and you dare to threaten me now, haven't you?"
"Dad, this isn't a threat, it's advice. If you don't want to listen, then so be it."
"You're forcing my hand to beat you."
"Come on! Come on! It's best if you beat me to death, otherwise, I will eventually drive you out of the company and out of the Gu family."
"You..."
Gu Zong was choked, grinding his teeth and saying, "You ungrateful wretch, I was blind to have raised such an ungrateful wretch like you."
Gu Mingyang said coldly, "Dad, you were also blind to have raised such an ungrateful wretch like me. I am an ungrateful wretch, but what are you?"
Gu Zong snorted, "I am your father, your dad. Of course, I am an ungrateful wretch."
"You..."
Gu Mingyang was exasperated.
Although he was very unconvinced, he could not refute Gu Zong's words.
Because he was indeed an ungrateful wretch, raised by Gu Zong, and Gu Zong was also an incompetent father.
Gu Mingyang remained silent. Gu Zong sneered, "Mingyang, since you refuse to change your name or your household registration, and you are unwilling to change, I will have to resort to unconventional means."
"Unconventional means? What unconventional means?" Gu Mingyang looked at his father with confusion.
Gu Zong said, "Find a lawyer, draft a divorce agreement, and have your sister leave with nothing. From then on, my son and I will be quits, each going our own way."
"Impossible."
Gu Mingyang directly refused, "Dad, I will not let my sister leave with nothing, nor will I sign any divorce agreement. Give up on that idea!"
"You..."
"What about me? Am I wrong?"
"This is not filial piety, this is foolish filial piety. With this attitude, no matter how hard you try, you will never achieve greatness." Gu Zong reprimanded sternly.
"I won't achieve greatness?"
Gu Mingyang sneered, "Dad, you underestimate me too much. If I can't achieve greatness, then there are very few people in this world who can."
"What do you mean by that?" Gu Zong asked suspiciously, clearly disbelieving Gu Mingyang's words.
Gu Mingyang said, "I have a friend who, at a young age, is already a billionaire. Furthermore, the company he founded, Hengyuan Real Estate, is listed, and his net worth is as high as tens of billions."
"This... this..."
Gu Zong's eyes widened, "Mingyang, you're not joking, are you?"
"Why would I joke about something like this?"
Gu Mingyang said, "Moreover, you can check the stock of Hengyuan Real Estate. Hengyuan Real Estate is currently in a period of growth. Selling just a small portion of shares would be enough to make him rich overnight."
"Who is this friend of yours? How do you know him?" Gu Zong asked eagerly.
Gu Mingyang said indifferently, "I won't tell you."
"If you don't tell me, then don't. Do you think I care?"
Gu Zong said grumpily, "However, you must remember, in this world, besides your sister, no one else can be relied upon, not even your own son."
"I understand."
Gu Mingyang agreed, "Therefore, I'd rather not tell him who I am, than tell him my identity."
"This..."
Gu Zong was surprised, "Your friend doesn't mind that you're not his son? He doesn't mind that your sister is my wife? He doesn't mind that you are the bastard child of me and your sister?"
"He doesn't mind." Gu Mingyang shook his head, "I don't expect him to mind. I just want him to take good care of my sister, so she doesn't get bullied."
"As for me, I'm used to it."
"Used to it?"
"Mhm!!"
Gu Mingyang nodded heavily, his eyes moist.
Yes, he was used to it.
From the time he could remember, he lived under oppression every day.
Every day, he had to shoulder the responsibility of supporting his sister, and every day he had to leave home to earn money to support her.
He was tired, he felt tired.
However, he had no choice, because he had to earn money, and without money, even studying was difficult.
He didn't want to be a good-for-nothing, he was unwilling to be a coward his whole life. Even if he died, he wanted to die spectacularly, to die with dignity.
He wanted to be a useful person, not to live a mediocre life, and he even wanted to be like his friend, to succeed in entrepreneurship and become a billionaire.
"Hoo!!"
Gu Zong let out a long sigh. "Alas!!"
He also felt very sorry for Gu Mingyang, but there was nothing he could do. Gu Mingyang was his son-in-law, and he had to discipline him, to make him obedient.
Otherwise, he would never be able to hold his head high.
He continued, "Mingyang, I hope you don't blame me. I'm doing this for your own good."
Gu Mingyang remained silent.
Gu Zong continued, "Mingyang, we are father and son, the closest people in this world. You should understand my good intentions."
"I understand." Gu Mingyang nodded.
Gu Zong said with relief, "This is my good child. When you divorce your sister, I will send you abroad to study. You can do whatever you want then, which will be a thousand times better than now."
"Okay!!"
Gu Mingyang agreed, no longer insisting, because he knew he could not win against his father.
He didn't want to fight, but could he choose? He had no choice.
His only consolation was that his father did not know he liked Shi Xinxin.
This was a good thing. As long as his father didn't know, Shi Xinxin would be safe for the rest of her life and wouldn't face imprisonment.
At the same time, he could also use his father's connections to escape his current predicament and gain freedom.
He would not give up, absolutely not.
Gu Zong patted Gu Mingyang's shoulder with relief, "This is truly the son of Gu Yunfei."
"Dad, stop talking. You can leave now."
"I will move back in tonight. Prepare my room for me."
"Oh!!"
Gu Mingyang replied.
Gu Yunfei turned and left.
Watching Gu Yunfei depart, a sinister smile crept onto Gu Mingyang's lips.
Soon, Gu Yunfei would discover what he had missed all these years.
He would also know how the things he possessed now came to be, and he would hate him to death.