20demayo Chapter 156 Xu Pingtao's Confession to Shen Wancheng
Chapter 156 Xu Pingtao's Confession to Shen Wancheng
The engagement banquet was only held at noon, and dinner was not included, so the Gu family left the He family before 4 p.m.
After the He family left, Xu Pingtao spoke with Shen Wancheng alone.
Xu Pingtao first talked to Shen Wancheng about the Gu family's affairs that afternoon.
Xu Pingtao asked Shen Wancheng directly.
You noticed?
Shen Wancheng nodded, "We were prepared."
Xu Pingtao asked about the final decision that Gu Jinxing had secretly forced Gu Mingqian to make.
In fact, when Xu Pingtao asked Shen Wancheng for her opinion in the afternoon, it was both out of respect for Shen Wancheng's inquiry and to remind her that the Gu family's interpersonal relationships were not as simple as the He family's. The Gu family was not as harmonious as it seemed on the surface, and there was even a fierce struggle between them.
Xu Pingtao is genuinely giving Shen Wancheng another chance to choose.
If Shen Wancheng insists on not getting married because of Gu Jintian's mistakes, Xu Pingtao will support her.
Moreover, the Gu family was in the wrong, so it was reasonable for Shen Wancheng to break off the engagement.
But Shen Wancheng immediately let the matter drop and didn't dwell on it.
Xu Pingtao knew that Shen Wancheng was smart and wouldn't have let things slide without thinking it through.
That could only mean that Gu Jinxing had already told Shen Wancheng about the Gu family's situation beforehand.
Although Xu Pingtao had such a speculation, he was still a little surprised when he heard Shen Wancheng say that she had been prepared for it.
Xu Pingtao continued to question Shen Wancheng.
"Was provoking Gu Jintian part of your plan?"
It's no wonder Xu Pingtao thinks that way.
Judging from Gu Jintian's behavior in the afternoon, she is clearly a genuinely naive person.
Being naive means being easily exploited by clever people.
Judging from the afternoon's results, Shen Wancheng, who was apologized to, did not really suffer any loss from beginning to end. On the contrary, it was the arrogant and domineering Gu Jintian who implicated the entire family of four.
What Xu Pingtao thought about most was that Gu Jinxing actually took the opportunity to secretly "force Gu Mingqian to resign".
Although Gu Jinxing's words in public that afternoon were very tactful, others might just feel that the atmosphere was strange, but how could an old fox like Xu Pingtao not see it?
The afternoon's events were caused by Gu Jintian, but Gu Jinxing escalated the matter to Gu Qinglan, and only mentioned Gu Qinglan.
Even though the matter had clearly ended with Gu Mingqian's apology, and Shen Wancheng hadn't held onto it, Gu Jinxing still promised to give an explanation.
This is practically telling Gu Mingqian: I'm going to deal with Gu Qinglan.
Moreover, the reason given for this decision was reasonable and justified, giving my future wife an explanation.
Everyone knows this is just an excuse, but sometimes all it takes to shatter the peace is an excuse.
Xu Pingtao believed that, apart from the parties involved, Gu Mingqian and Gu Jinxing, Xu Pingtao himself, and only the little fox Shen Wancheng understood the undercurrents that had been brewing in the courtyard that afternoon.
That's why Xu Pingtao asked Shen Wancheng if everything that happened that afternoon was planned by her and Gu Jinxing.
There was a hint of sourness in the question.
My own granddaughter hasn't even been calling me that for long, and now she's someone else's.
To stand up for others and take the fall.
Shen Wancheng quickly shook her head.
“There was no plan. Gu Jintian just stumbled upon this herself. I didn’t expect Gu Jinxing to do that either. Everyone gets married thinking about spending their whole life together, and an engagement is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Who would think of using their engagement to make a fuss from the start? Grandpa, don’t you think so?”
Xu Pingtao nodded.
That's not wrong.
Xu Pingtao thought that it would be a good thing for Shen Wancheng if Gu Jinxing could resolve the internal strife within the Gu family before he and Shen Wancheng got married.
After all, Shen Wancheng is pregnant. If Gu Qinglan and her people were to shift their focus to Shen Wancheng, that would be dangerous for her.
It all boils down to the Gu family's affairs and has little to do with the He family. I believe that the Gu family will undergo a major reshuffle in a few days.
Xu Pingtao changed the subject and mentioned He Lin.
"Your Grandma He was briefly lucid today, you probably guessed that, right?"
Shen Wancheng responded truthfully.
"Hmm, I guessed it. Did she... say something?"
Shen Wancheng was a little unsure how to ask.
"She's fine."
Xu Pingtao sighed softly and remained silent for almost a minute before continuing.
"She acknowledges that you and Shen Yao are members of the He family."
“I hope you can also treat her as an elder.”
Xu Pingtao spoke with a heavy weight, taking a long time to utter his words.
“If atonement is needed, it is all my fault, so please don’t blame her.”
"It was because I couldn't resist the temptation of profit back then."
Is Xu Pingtao repenting?
But what's the use of repentance when the person is dead?
Perhaps he wanted to receive a word of forgiveness, to lessen the lingering guilt in his life, and to live more comfortably?
Shen Wancheng guessed at Xu Pingtao's thoughts in this way.
These days, Xu Pingtao has been genuinely good to the sisters, and Shen Wancheng can feel it.
As a result, Shen Wancheng gradually came to accept from the bottom of her heart that Xu Pingtao was her and Shen Yao's family.
But as I said before, we can talk about the present and the future, but when it comes to the past, Shen Wancheng has no right to say a word of forgiveness on behalf of the original owner's mother and grandmother.
Xu Pingtao remained silent, slowly revealing the words in his heart.
“I admit that I have let your mother and grandmother down, and I do not ask for their forgiveness.”
After accepting He Lin's advances, Xu Pingtao suffered from a guilty conscience for a period of time.
He finally convinced himself that since he had already wronged his wife and daughter, if he continued to feel guilty and couldn't get along with He Lin, he would be wronging another person.
Therefore, Xu Pingtao's feelings for He Lin were not as bad as outsiders claimed; in fact, they were genuinely good.
Xu Pingtao entered the He family and took control of it, but he never thought of changing the dynasty of the He family.
Xu Pingtao continued.
"I should have told you these things honestly a long time ago, but I'm only saying them today."
"It just so happens that you're getting married soon. I was worried that if I didn't say it today, we, grandparents and grandchildren, would drift further and further apart."
Shen Wancheng remained silent for a moment before speaking.
"If you ask me to forgive your past actions, I really can't bring myself to say it. I'm not qualified to forgive on their behalf."
“But Yao Yao and I both understand the principle of reciprocity. We can see and remember your kindness to us.”
Xu Pingtao took a deep breath, as if a stone that had been weighing on his heart for a long time had finally been lifted.
The grandfather and grandson remained silent for a long time, processing all their inner emotions.
Xu Pingtao then brought up the more serious matter concerning Shen Wancheng.
"The gifts the Gu family brought for the marriage proposal today included too many sweets, cakes, and fruits. I had them given away. Have you thought about what to do with the cigarettes, alcohol, and tea?"
Shen Wancheng felt a headache coming on when she thought about the dozens of boxes of gifts she had carried.
She couldn't possibly sell the betrothal gifts that were brought to her, could she?
"Why don't you take it and give it away?"
Xu Pingtao nodded and said thoughtfully.
"Since you're running a luxury brand, we should be able to keep the red wine for you as VIP gifts."
Shen Wancheng chuckled. It was her own company, and she hadn't even considered the VIP issue yet, but it was being brought up frequently by others today.
However, Xu Pingtao's suggestion was indeed very good.
"That's a good idea."
Finally, Xu Pingtao mentioned the last few boxes of cash.
"I'll deposit all 99.9 million yuan in cash on the Gu family's gift list into the bank tomorrow. I'll just give you the card."