Chapter 318

Chapter 318: 311: Extra: if route grand reunion 6 Chapter 318: 311: Extra: if route grand reunion 6 “Sorry, I’m not very good at this.”

That statement lacked conviction, as everyone knew that during his junior high days, Xie Shang had dabbled in snooker for a while.

This beauty, Guan Qingyu, looked quite familiar, likely from the same social circle, but since she had spent a few years abroad, her memory was a bit fuzzy. Seeing the rejected beauty’s awkward expression, she took the initiative to help her out, “I’ll teach you.”

The beauty was visibly grateful, “Sure.” She sighed inwardly, ‘Ah, Xie Shang is so hard to get close to.’

He Dongzhou returned, and Gu Yihuan had played a round of mahjong and was heading over too.

“Fourth Brother, are you coming skiing tomorrow?”

“With whom?”

“A few friends from my bar’s band.”

The skiing invitation was engineered by Xiao Dingzhu, the lead singer of Gu Yihuan’s band. Gu Yihuan was carefree, completely oblivious to a woman’s heart, like an innocent fool.

“No, I’m not going.”

Gu Yihuan was good at acting coquettishly, “Come on, it’ll be fun with more people.”

Xie Shang pushed away his face as he moved in closer, “I have plans.”

“With whom?”

“Your brother.”

Gu Yihuan’s eyes widened, imagining who knows what, looking shocked.

Xie Shang stood up and left first.

Gu Yihuan kicked He Dongzhou’s stool, “Have you ever seen Fourth Brother get close to any woman?”

“He doesn’t play with women.”

Xie Shang never participated in gatherings involving the opposite sex. He had good manners and always maintained a polite social distance in interactions with women. Gu Yihuan had never seen him show the slightest interest or curiosity towards the opposite sex, not even in adolescence. In their social circles, due to the legacy of generations, they were exposed to many resources and temptations, and many got involved in the adult world from an early age. The Xie Family was at the top, and Xie Shang, with his looks and the bearing of an eminent monk, wreaked havoc in the capital’s circles of young lords, receiving countless overtures from all kinds of women. Yet, none seemed to catch his eye even briefly.

Gu Yihuan’s expression grew more troubled as he thought, “I suspect—”

He barely lifted his behind when He Dongzhou already knew what nonsense he was about to spout, “Who?”

“My brother.”

Gu Kaiyun was the same, never talking about women even in his teenage years. Damn, what if they already have mutual feelings for each other? This deeply concerned Gu Yihuan.

*****

In April, Xie Shang’s pawnshop relocated, prompted by a conversation with Xie Jingxian, who advised him not to be so brazen.

He was told not to occupy the best spot in the capital’s busiest commercial area, conducting transactions that could potentially violate laws and bring shame upon the Xie Family.

Having moved to Lotus Pond Street sometime ago, Ruyi Pawnshop finally welcomed its first client.

“Big sister.”

The client looked to be only about four or five years old.

Qian Zhouzhou had to stand up to see over the pawnshop counter to the little one on the floor, “What can I do for you, kiddo?”

“My mom said pawnshops are places where you can trade things.” He took out his rainbow lollipop from his pocket, placed it on the counter, “I want to trade for a Transformer.”

Ruyi Pawnshop had a rule besides accepting only unredeemed pledges: no transactions with minors. Luckily, Xie Shang came back from outside just then.

Qian Zhouzhou consulted, “Boss?”

“Go ahead and trade for him.”

Qian Zhouzhou signaled with her eyes for Zhang Xiaoming to buy it, then sought her boss’s opinion again, “What about this candy?” She wanted to know if she could just eat it.

Xie Shang silently watched for a moment before picking up a pen and writing down an address, “Send it to this address.”

Today was Children’s Day, the birthday of someone special. Someone had made it clear to remember.

*****

At the year’s end, an unexpected major event occurred: the day of Guan Sixing’s wedding was set without prior warning, startling Gu Yihuan. He heard some background from his mother, was greatly shocked, and summoned Guan Sixing to the bar overnight, attempting to wake him up from what seemed like temporary foolishness.

“What era is this, still having arranged marriages by parents? Won’t you resist?”

The marriage was said to be settled by both sets of parents.

Guan Sixing, not a drinker, took a sip of his beverage. He adjusted his glasses and sat with proper posture, “She’s pregnant.”

Gu Yihuan had also heard from his mother, supposedly a case of drunk indiscretion.

Guan Sixing surely had been tricked, his mind full of physics and research, clueless about women. Gu Yihuan was furious, “This Jhiang Family is really hitting you in the face with their calculations.”

Guan Sixing responded coldly, “Don’t talk like that.”

“How am I wrong? The others might not know, but how could I not? That Jhiang fifth girl is no lady; she’s just a player who conned you into a one-night stand, and not content with that, she trapped you with a shot-gun marriage. And you, aren’t you someone who never drinks? Grown so big yet don’t know how to protect yourself, how could you be so clueless to let the Jhiang Family just walk away with you? Jhiang Zhenghao has a reputation in our circles for pimping his daughters. Nothing he raises could possibly be a delicate flower, definitely a man-eater.”

Guan Sixing just sipped at his drink leisurely, unruffled.

Gu Yihuan was frantic, “Run away from the wedding! I’ll help you.”

“Xiao Huan,” Gu Kaiyun finally spoke.

Gu Yihuan immediately clammed up.

Gu Kaiyun disliked prying into others’ secrets, simply asking, “Are you really going to marry her?”

Guan Sixing nodded without hesitation.

Gu Kaiyun, attentive as always, noticed the subtle change in Guan Sixing’s eyes when Gu Yihuan mentioned that Jhiang fifth daughter. He understood then, Prince Xiang had planned this all along.

“Then go ahead and marry her.”

“Brother!” Gu Yihuan, barely in his twenties and fretting like an eighty-year-old father, “Sixing’s so young, how can you just push him into the fire pit like this?”

Gu Yihuan was the most naïve; only he believed Guan Sixing had been duped by the Jhiang fifth daughter. In reality, that night, Guan Sixing hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol.

As for that night,