HuMing looked at Gu YunQin. The hostility in her gaze was unmistakable, her eyes filled with disdain, as if she found his very presence displeasing.
He had anticipated this. After all, if everyone in a family welcomed him with open arms, now that would be strange. Gu YunQin’s reaction only confirmed his expectations.
"Her name is Kang Xin. We grew up together. But according to your logic, she should be considered my personal maid."
HuMing curled his lips into a smile, his gaze locked onto Gu YunQin.
Kang Xin remained silent, yet her lack of protest seemed to affirm HuMing’s words.
"A maid? Are you implying that the maids of the Gu family are inferior to her? If that’s what you think, you can forget about it. The maids of the Gu family undergo professional selection. There is no disparity in their service."
Gu YunQin lifted her chin arrogantly, her eyes sharp with superiority.
At her words, Gu ZhouTing’s composed expression darkened instantly.
He had heard about the mistreatment HuMing suffered after his identity was revealed. Though Gu YunQin was unaware of this, her words had inadvertently hit a sore spot.
Just as he was about to reprimand her, HuMing’s voice cut in.
"I do believe your maids can’t compare to Kang Xin. She’s been by my side for years—she understands me best. But you—if your Gu family’s maids are truly as professional as you claim, then tell me, why did the Gu family fall into internal strife?"
Silence fell over the room.
All eyes turned to HuMing. Even Gu WeiJun, who had been about to speak, fell quiet.
Gu ZhaoChuan stared at HuMing, his heart anything but calm.
The Gu family’s internal strife was a wound that had yet to fully heal. Even if the crisis had passed, the pain it left behind could not be erased.
Even Gu ZhaoChuan himself would not dare mention it in front of his grandfather. Yet HuMing had brought it up so openly—was he courting death?
Gu YunZhou instinctively glanced at his father. But his father’s face remained impassive, showing no clear reaction.
His brows furrowed as he looked at HuMing, then at his sister.
He did not think his sister was in the right. This banquet had been arranged for HuMing, yet Gu YunQin had chosen to provoke him right from the start. It was a reckless move.
Moreover, he had caught a glimpse of their grandfather’s expression earlier—his wrinkled face had tensed into a deep frown.
At this rate, his sister was bound to be confined again.
However, his attention soon returned to HuMing. He doubted HuMing had brought this up for no reason. Clearly, there was more to his words.
This cousin he had never met before was no easy opponent. He was the very person who had personally sent the young master of the Han family to prison.
It was obvious—Gu YunZhou had done his research on HuMing.
Yet HuMing himself didn’t seem to care what others thought. He scanned the room, his expression steady.
"I’ve always believed that the most crucial thing in a family isn’t anything else—it’s trust. That’s something I learned from the Han family. Kang Xin has been with me for years. There are things I can tell her that I wouldn’t entrust to other maids. That’s why I need Kang Xin—not to hand my secrets to a maid, only to be betrayed later!"
His voice suddenly rose, carrying an edge of emotion.
Because in this matter—he was a victim, too.
Who could have expected that during his trial, he would encounter unexpected enemies? And the reason for it—was that a Gu family maid had leaked his whereabouts.
Whether or not those uncles of the Gu family had played a hand in it, he didn’t know.
But HuMing had made one thing crystal clear:
If they weren’t his people, he wouldn’t trust them.
Gu WeiJun and Gu WeiYi exchanged a glance, their expressions growing serious.
Meanwhile, Gu ZhouTing nodded repeatedly, clearly in agreement with HuMing’s words.
In his heart, his younger brother’s grandson had not disappointed him.
This wasn’t just a speech—it was proof of HuMing’s own thoughts and principles. He hadn’t come back to the Gu family to sit back and squander their resources.
As the former head of the family, Gu ZhouTing feared nothing more than seeing his descendants grow complacent, leeching off the Gu family’s resources without ambition. If that were the case, the Gu family would never have stood where it is today.
HuMing’s words shifted the atmosphere in the room.
Mo QingXia looked at him, her lips slightly parted.
For some reason, at that moment, she thought she saw a shadow of her husband in HuMing.
But she quickly regained her composure.
She admired this child. If he could say such things now, he must have endured much.
‘That girl, YunQin, was too reckless.’
She sighed softly, disappointment flickering in her eyes as she glanced at Gu YunQin.
Across the table, HuMing tapped his index finger lightly against the surface. The simple motion quickly caught Gu YunQin’s attention.
Yet as she stared at his fingers, it felt as if he was tapping directly against her heart.
"I had thought that after the internal strife, the Gu family would be more united. And from the looks of it, you have succeeded in that. But as for whether I need to be a part of it—"
Gu WeiJun cleared his throat, interrupting HuMing before he could continue. "HuMing is right. A family must stand united. And as a new member of the Gu family, we should extend the same trust to him. If he says Kang Xin is someone he trusts, then Kang Xin is one of us."
His words weren’t just to smooth things over.
He was giving HuMing an out—while also protecting Gu YunQin.
If HuMing had continued, she would no doubt be confined for a long time.
Anyone could see how much their father had been paying attention to HuMing.
Gu WeiJun glanced at Gu YunQing. The girl had already shrunk into herself, head lowered like a frightened quail.
He shook his head, then picked up his teacup and stood.
"Come, let us celebrate HuMing and Kang Xin becoming part of the Gu family!"
Everyone rose to their feet—even Gu ZhouTing, assisted by the old butler, stood up.
His deeply wrinkled face was filled with warmth and approval as he looked at HuMing.
It was clear—he was very satisfied with what HuMing had said.
Everyone took this moment to heart.
HuMing lifted his cup and met Gu WeiJun’s gaze before downing the warm tea in one go.
Only after he sat back down did Gu ZhouTing, who had remained silent all this time, finally speak.
"Son, a girl must be properly disciplined. Otherwise, she’ll bring shame to the Gu family in the future."
"It was my failure in teaching her."
Gu WeiYi nodded calmly, not sparing his daughter even a glance.
Gu YunQin trembled. Beneath the table, her hands clenched tightly around the fabric of her dress.