The next morning, HuMing got up early and changed into a fresh set of clothes.
Likewise, Kang Xin also dressed neatly and prepared a simple breakfast for him.
In her mind, a so-called family dinner was just an excuse to bring things to the table for discussion—people probably wouldn’t even eat much.
But that wasn’t the case in the Han family. They rarely held family gatherings, and when they did, no one was particularly mindful of etiquette.
Kang Xin even thought she probably wouldn’t be allowed to sit at the table for the meal.
She didn’t know much about the Gu family, so she had to prepare in advance to handle whatever came her way. It was necessary—if only to avoid causing trouble for HuMing.
"Hm? You're up this early? I thought you'd sleep in a little longer today."
HuMing glanced at Kang Xin’s attire, quite pleased.
As expected of his maid—no matter what she did, she was always so reliable.
"Should I still call you 'Young Master' later?"
"No, just call me HuMing. I need to make that clear to the Gu family. In certain situations, you represent my will."
HuMing wasn’t joking—he genuinely considered Kang Xin as one of his own and was teaching her accordingly.
Kang Xin was momentarily stunned before nodding.
She had assumed that after exposing HuMing’s secret, he would distance himself from her, and she’d need time to regain his trust.
But she hadn’t expected him to entrust her with such an important responsibility so soon.
The person standing before her had truly chosen to believe in her.
"Alright, let’s go. They’re already waiting for us downstairs."
HuMing looked out the window at the vehicles outside, spotting Lan Jun already chatting with the Gu family’s chauffeur.
Inside a luxurious restaurant—
"Dad, how did I suddenly end up with another cousin? Wasn't the Second Grandfather’s line already separated from the Gu family?"
A stylishly dressed girl chewed bubblegum as she slouched in her seat, looking utterly casual. She turned to her father, her expression filled with confusion.
Her father, however, didn’t respond. Instead, the young man sitting beside her spoke up.
"YunQin, Second Grandfather may have left the Gu family, but now that Uncle has brought his grandson back, that naturally makes him your cousin."
"Brother, have you met him?"
"No. Even ZhaoChuan hasn’t seen him, so how could I have?"
The young man chuckled, though his gaze frequently flickered toward the entrance as if waiting for someone.
Listening to their conversation, the man seated nearby finally spoke.
"YunQin, YunZhou, when HuMing arrives, be mindful of your manners. Don’t do anything that might make us look ridiculous."
"Dad, you’re making a big deal out of this! We haven’t even met him yet, and you’re already setting rules? If we have to see him every day in the future, does that mean we’ll have to walk on eggshells around him all the time?"
Gu YunQin pouted, her face full of disdain.
In her opinion, that boy named HuMing should be the one in awe of their Gu family.
After all, the Gu family was a prestigious name in the capital. If it weren’t for the internal strife years ago, they would’ve long since cemented their position as the leading family in the city.
Surely, HuMing would be the one impressed by them.
"This isn’t about walking on eggshells—it’s called basic etiquette. And if your grandfather hears you talking like that, you’ll be grounded again!" the man reprimanded.
Gu YunQin stuck out her tongue but dared not say another word.
Clearly, the last time she was grounded had left quite an impression on her.
Just then, the door swung open.
All three turned to look—
Gu WeiJun had entered with his wife and son.
"Good morning, Uncle, Aunt, ZhaoChuan!"
At the sight of the newcomers, the once-rebellious Gu YunQin instantly transformed into a well-behaved girl. Her polite greeting made Gu WeiJun’s wife beam with delight. She immediately stepped forward, cupped YunQin’s face, and smiled.
"What a good girl! How about I take you shopping later?"
Watching this unfold, the man sitting nearby sighed.
"QingXia, don’t spoil her too much—you’ll just make her even more unruly."
"Oh, come on, she’s a girl. A little pampering won’t hurt, as long as she doesn’t turn bad."
Mo QingXia clearly adored her niece.
Meanwhile, Gu ZhaoChuan greeted the man politely.
"Good morning, Uncle."
"Morning, ZhaoChuan."
Gu WeiJun turned to his younger brother, Gu WeiYi, who returned his gaze and asked,
"Brother, where’s Dad?"
"He’s downstairs, waiting for HuMing."
"I see. It looks like he really cares about HuMing. I’ve heard about what he did in the Han family—he’s quite capable. He’s not just some clueless outsider."
Gu WeiJun agreed with his brother’s words, but as he took his seat, he added,
"Regardless of his abilities, from today onward, he is one of us. You know how much Dad wants the family to stay united—he doesn’t want history to repeat itself."
He sighed, as if recalling the chaos of the past.
"Brother, that’s all behind us now. No point dwelling on it. Since he’s Second Uncle’s grandson, he’s family."
Downstairs in the hotel,
An elderly man sat on a sofa, eyes fixed on the entrance, as if afraid he might miss someone.
Standing beside him was his longtime butler, equally silent, his gaze also locked onto the door.
"BaoZhi, do you think I scared HuMing the last time we met?" the old man suddenly asked.
"Old Master, from what I can tell, HuMing isn’t someone who gets intimidated easily. You know what he did in the Han family—even when Han ShuYi hired assassins, he remained calm and personally sent Han ShuYi to prison. With that kind of skill, I doubt he’s the type to be frightened."
"Yes, but that’s the problem. What if he doesn’t want to return to the Gu family? He’s Zhou Zhao’s own grandson!"
Gu ZhouTing frowned deeply, the wrinkles on his age-spotted face tightening.
"If he refuses, then there’s no need for him to participate in the trial."
"Speaking of the trial, I’m furious just thinking about it! How did outsiders get onto that island?"
"That person was from the Zhou family. It’s clear he got wind of the Gu family’s trial from somewhere."
"Those damn people! They must have leaked the Gu family’s secrets!"
Gu ZhouTing’s voice rose in agitation, his cane tapping against the floor.
Suddenly, a voice sounded from behind him.
"Grandfather, you look quite energetic."
Gu ZhouTing whirled around—
HuMing stood behind him, smiling.
‘Finally, he’s here!’