Following the servant through the water corridor, past the rockery, and across the small bridge, Gu Ming finally arrived at the entrance of a room.
The door to the room was open, so the interior layout was visible from the threshold.
Directly opposite the doorway was a rectangular desk covered with several thick books. Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man.
He appeared to be about fifty years old, with a face that, although weathered by the many hardships of time, still retained traces of his former handsome features.
He had a thin build and a refined, scholarly style of dress, giving him a strong intellectual aura. However, his eyes were incredibly sharp, unlike those of a typical scholar, containing a hint of calculation.
This man was the Pavilion Master of Lingyun Pavilion, Ling Xiaoyun.
At the moment, he was holding a book, his gaze scanning the contents. Even as the servant led Gu Ming to the door, he did not look up once.
“Master, Master…”
The servant called out twice in a small, cautious voice. However, Ling Xiaoyun seemed so engrossed in his reading that he did not react at all.
Seeing this, the servant, who was accustomed to such behavior, whispered to Gu Ming, “Mister Wuming, I am truly sorry. The Master is currently engrossed in his reading and cannot meet with you yet. Why don’t you stand at the door for a while? Once he finishes, he will call you inside.”
Gu Ming let out a cold laugh. Engrossed in a book?
As the Pavilion Master of Lingyun Pavilion, it was impossible for someone of his strength not to know someone had arrived.
Furthermore, he was the one who specifically requested to meet Gu Ming alone. How could he not know a guest was there?
What a joke!
The only explanation was that he was trying to intimidate Gu Ming — by giving him the cold shoulder, he hoped to throw off Gu Ming’s rhythm and suppress his momentum to gain the upper hand in the upcoming conversation.
Gu Ming had used such petty tricks himself, so he saw through Ling Xiaoyun’s intentions at a glance.
Thus, he stepped directly over the threshold and walked into the study, which caused the servant behind him to turn pale with fright. The man hurriedly cried out, “Mister Wuming, you cannot go in! The Master will be angry!”
“Don’t worry. I am a guest personally invited by your master. He won’t mind,” Gu Ming said, picking a chair and sitting down on his own.
Seeing Gu Ming commit such an impolite act, the servant broke out in a cold sweat. However, he did not dare enter, so he could only fret anxiously at the door.
Ling Xiaoyun, who had been reading all along, finally lifted his eyelids and said coldly, “Leave us.”
“Yes, yes, sir.”
Hearing this, the servant hurriedly bowed and retreated.
Once the servant had left, Ling Xiaoyun continued reading, still ignoring Gu Ming.
Gu Ming’s expression turned slightly solemn. The Pavilion Master was even deeper than he had imagined, still trying to leave him hanging.
‘Fine.’
Gu Ming wasn’t annoyed. He stood up and walked toward the shelves opposite him, admiring the antiques and porcelain, acting as if he were at home.
Of course, he also glanced at Ling Xiaoyun. Seeing that the other man remained unmoved, he became even more brazen.
‘Fine, fine, fine. Still trying to exhaust my patience, are you?’
Gu Ming felt a wave of disdain. Ignoring all etiquette and hierarchy, he reached out and began to fiddle with the porcelain pieces.
Yet, Ling Xiaoyun remained indifferent.
Gu Ming wasn’t upset either; he just kept playing with the items, waiting to see who would lose their composure first.
As the minutes passed, Ling Xiaoyun finally could no longer sit still. Seeing Gu Ming handling those expensive antiques, his brow twitched. “Put it down,” he said.
“As you wish, Father-in-law,” Gu Ming replied with a grin, setting the antique down. He then sat back down on his own, not forgetting to annoy Ling Xiaoyun as a way to get revenge for being ignored for so long.
Ling Xiaoyun didn’t get angry. He put down his book, stood up, and walked to a nearby tea table. He poured two cups of tea and then approached Gu Ming.
As their eyes met, no sparks flew. He handed one of the cups to Gu Ming with a neutral expression.
Gu Ming accepted it graciously.
Suddenly, Ling Xiaoyun asked, “Aren’t you afraid I’ve poisoned it?”
“I’m not. You are the prestigious Pavilion Master of Lingyun Pavilion. Why would you use such underhanded methods?” Gu Ming smiled. “Besides, I am your future son-in-law.”
In truth, even if Ling Xiaoyun had poisoned it, Gu Ming wouldn’t be afraid because he possessed the Holy Hand of Medical Transformation, which allowed him to handle the vast majority of common poisons in the world.
Ling Xiaoyun laughed heartily before saying, “You have both courage and insight. Very good, very good indeed. I admire you.”
Then, his tone shifted. “So? Are you interested in working for me?”
Gu Ming keenly sensed that Ling Xiaoyun seemed to know about the agreement between him and Ling Yuyan. His expression tightened slightly, but he still feigned a relaxed air. “Pavilion Master, what are you saying? If you have any orders, just speak plainly. Once I marry Yuyan, I will naturally be a part of the Ling Family. The Ling Family’s business is my business.”
“There is no need to pretend.”
Ling Xiaoyun sat back at his desk and took a sip of tea. “I know your relationship is a sham.”
“A sham?” Gu Ming stood up with feigned urgency. “Pavilion Master, what do you mean? Yuyan and I are truly in love. Why would you say my feelings for her are fake?”
Ling Xiaoyun’s brow twitched slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. “You are a smart man. You know exactly what I am talking about. So, let us speak openly.”
“Pavilion Master, we are truly in love…” Gu Ming continued to play the part, refusing to admit anything. “Why won’t you believe me?”
If he admitted it, it would be equivalent to confirming that his engagement with Ling Yuyan was fake. After that, there would be no room for reversal, and Ling Yuyan’s painstaking efforts to refuse the marriage would be destroyed by his hands. Therefore, he could not admit it.
A cold light flashed in Ling Xiaoyun’s eyes, yet his tone remained as calm as water. “What Yuyan can give you, I can also provide — and even better. For example, I can help mediate your conflict with the Hundred Flowers Valley. If I step in, I suspect the Hundred Flowers Valley will not make things too difficult for you.”
Gu Ming said nothing, merely staring at Ling Xiaoyun.
Thinking Gu Ming was wavering, Ling Xiaoyun offered what he considered a generous condition.
“Of course, you won’t have to worry about the Hundred Flowers Valley targeting you again after the mediation. I will take you in as my Adopted Son and appoint you as a Manager for a branch of the Lingyun Pavilion. How does that sound?”
“Wuming!”
Just then, a voice rang out from outside the door.
Ling Yuyan rushed in frantically. Without even looking at Ling Xiaoyun, she grabbed Gu Ming’s hand, wanting to pull him away immediately.
Ling Xiaoyun didn’t stop them, instead saying confidently, “You are welcome anytime.”
When Ling Yuyan had nearly reached the study, she happened to hear Ling Xiaoyun’s words about mediating the conflict and taking Gu Ming as an Adopted Son. Her heart was in a state of panic. Now that Ling Xiaoyun was recruiting him right in front of her, she was even more flustered, terrified that Gu Ming might agree.
‘Hmm?’
Ling Yuyan realized Gu Ming wasn’t following her. She frowned and turned around, only to have Gu Ming suddenly wrap his arm around her slender waist. He pulled her into his arms, tightly embracing her delicate body. A handsome smile curved on his lips.
“Father-in-law, Yuyan and I are truly, deeply in love.”