I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?

Chapter 501: How About the Three of Us Share a Family Register?

"Grandfather, what are you all doing here?" Gu Shuo’s usual coldness returned.

Old Master Gu, holding the little girl’s hand, looked up and said, "I went to the Water Mirror Platform to find you. The Shopkeeper said you’d come to the General’s manor."

"You could have just come on your own. Why did you bring them along?" Gu Shuo’s dark eyes swept past the four elders.

"To add you to the clan register, of course."

Gu Shuo frowned.

"Come, come, let’s go inside and talk," Old Master Gu called out, leading Ye Qianning into the main hall.

The four elders exchanged a look and stepped into the main hall. They watched in surprise as Old Master Gu went straight for the seat of honor in the General’s manor and, without a shred of hesitation, sat down in the host’s position.

Even if Xiang Minghou wasn’t present, an outsider couldn’t just sit in the seat of honor. How could Old Master Gu be so casual?

Qian Fu, Qian Fanji, and the others were already used to it.

Given the relationship between the four families and the fact that Old Master Gu was the eldest, he could have taken the seat of honor even if Xiang Minghou himself were present.

After sitting down, Old Master Gu pulled Ye Qianning onto his lap and looked at the elders. "About Gu Shuo being added back to the clan register... why don’t you tell Shuo’er what needs to be done?"

The first elder said, "He must bathe and burn incense for a full day."

The second elder said, "He must perform three kneelings and nine kowtows, then kneel before the Gu family’s ancestral tablets for three days and three nights."

The third elder said, "He must receive thirty lashes from a thorny cane."

The fourth elder said, "He needs to—"

"None of that will be necessary," Gu Shuo cut in coldly.

The elders all frowned in unison.

Ye Qianning was speechless. ’Is the Gu family’s clan register gold-plated or something?’

The corner of Zhan Chi’s mouth twitched with every statement. ’Just to add a name to the clan register, and there’s all this bullshit?’

Even Old Master Gu hadn’t known it would be so complicated. ’Thirty lashes from a thorny cane?’

’The nerve of them!’

The Qian Fu father-and-son pair remained impassive, silently observing the Gu clan’s elders. Each was wiry and gaunt; clearly, none of them were pushovers. Their minds seemed to spin with a thousand schemes at a moment’s notice.

’You have to bathe and burn incense just to get into the clan register?’

’Even the imperial family’s register isn’t this complicated!’

"Gu Shuo, do not interrupt when your elders are speaking," the fourth elder said, extremely displeased.

"My name is no longer on the Gu family register. While you may be elders of the clan, you are not *my* elders," Gu Shuo said coldly.

The fourth elder couldn’t sit still any longer. He slammed a hand on the table and shot to his feet. "Once you left the Gu family, you lost even the most basic manners! Old Master Gu, the Gu clan register cannot accommodate such a person."

"None of the Gu family’s branches objected to Gu Shuo’s return to the clan. You few have no right to be making trouble. Bathe and burn incense? I’ve never heard of such a rule for entering the clan register," Old Master Gu said angrily.

"It’s true that there’s no such rule for a child being added to the register," the first elder said gravely. "But Gu Shuo was *removed* from it. If he wants to be re-entered, he must show sincerity. If he can’t even do that, what right does he have to be added back to the ancestral records?"

It dawned on Old Master Gu. "Oh... so you’re saying you old coots made up these rules yourselves."

"Old Master Gu, how can you be so crude?" the fourth elder rebuked.

"What? So you lot are allowed to stir up trouble, but no one else is allowed to speak? Crude? I’d love to say something pleasant, but just look at yourselves. Are you even worthy of hearing it?"

"Old Master Gu, are you determined to make an enemy of the clan?" the first elder asked, his face darkening as he stood up.

"It’s you who are determined to make things difficult for my grandson! It’s just adding a name to the clan register, but you demand this and that. Do you really think you’re the masters of the Gu family?" Old Master Gu scoffed, his face full of disdain.

"You... you’re simply unreasonable!" The elder flung his sleeve, fuming.

The other three elders also looked indignant, but all they could do was glare.

They all knew Old Master Gu’s fighting prowess. When it came to arguing, his logic was twisted. When it came to cursing, even if you doubled their numbers, they still might not win against him.

"Grandfather, you don’t need to say any more. From the moment I was removed from the Gu family register, I never planned on rejoining it." After speaking, Gu Shuo looked at the four elders. "Please see yourselves out."

The four elders snorted coldly and turned to leave.

"You can’t leave," Old Master Gu barked. He set Ye Qianning down from his lap, stood up, and walked down from his seat.

"Say no more, Old Master Gu. Gu Shuo’s conduct is vile. The Gu family cannot tolerate such a disloyal and unfilial person," the first elder said, turning back.

"No matter how vile he is, he’s not as vile as you old coots. You’ve all got one foot in the grave, yet you’re still so demanding."

The elder snorted again, not wanting to argue with him further.

"I think I finally understand now," Old Master Gu said, no longer insisting. "Forget it. If he can’t join, he can’t join. It’s just a clan register. The four of you can go ahead and remove my name from the Gu family register as well."

The expressions on the four elders’ faces shifted from anger to shock. They couldn’t believe Old Master Gu was asking to be removed from the clan. Without his name in the register, he wouldn’t be considered a member of the Gu family, and he couldn’t be interred in the Gu family’s ancestral hall after death.

"Grandfather?" Gu Shuo was also surprised.

Old Master Gu waved his hand, signaling him to be quiet.

"Go on, strike my name from the register too."

The four elders hesitated for a long moment, looking at each other. Old Master Gu was the highest-ranking member of their Gu clan in terms of generation. They didn’t have the authority to remove his name.

"Old Master Gu, you’re at such an advanced age. Don’t throw a childish tantrum," the third elder said helplessly.

"Who’s throwing a tantrum? I’m serious. Just now, I had an epiphany. It’s just a clan register; it doesn’t matter whether I’m in it or not. As long as I have money and can live freely, that’s all that matters."

"Grandfather, please stop making a mess of things," Gu Shuo said, a headache coming on.

Old Master Gu turned his eyes. "You’re not even in the register. How is the little one supposed to be added to the Gu family register in the future? If she’s not in the register, what’s the use of me being in it? When I pass away, future generations won’t even know I had a great-granddaughter!"

Gu Shuo: "..."

’So *that’s* what this is all about!’

Ye Qianning: "..."

’His logic is on another level!’

Zhan Chi: "..."

’This is the highest level of doting on a great-granddaughter. I’ll have to take notes!’

Qian Fu: "..."

’I need to get the little one into the Qian family register quickly, too, so that future generations will know I have a granddaughter!’

Qian Fanji: "..."

’Makes sense!’

The four elders: "...???"

’Great-granddaughter?’

’Gu Shuo has a child? A daughter?’

’We’ve never heard anything about this!’

"Did you bring the clan register or not? Hurry up," Old Master Gu urged, growing impatient.

The first elder thought for a moment and asked, "Gu Shuo has a daughter?"

"That’s right."

"Where is she?" If it was really a girl, then perhaps Gu Shuo’s re-entry wasn’t entirely impossible.

After all, for the Gu family, whose direct line had not produced a daughter in three generations, a girl was a treasure. Her birth would also shatter the rumors that the Gu family was cursed.

"Isn’t she right here?" Old Master Gu said, turning to beckon Ye Qianning over. "Come here, little one."

"..."

When the four elders saw it was Ye Qianning, their hearts sank.

’Is he kidding?’

’How can a goddaughter be entered into the Gu family’s clan register? She’s from the Xiang family! Isn’t he afraid Xiang Minghou will hold him accountable when he returns?’

Ye Qianning rubbed her nose and shuffled her feet reluctantly. This was all rather awkward.

"Old Master Gu, are you truly dead set on leaving the clan?" the first elder asked.

"Of course."

"We will return to the clan and discuss this."

"What’s there to discuss? Do those juniors have the nerve to interfere in my affairs?"

The elder lowered his eyes in deep thought.

"Grandfather, I’m begging you, please stop causing trouble," Gu Shuo pleaded, his head throbbing.