Cen Xiuzhi didn't pay much attention to Chen Yihan. He found Gu Jin and exchanged a few words with the young lady before preparing to take him out for a meal. Given the stifling and unbearable atmosphere during meals at the Gu family, it's no wonder Gu Jin has no appetite.

To Gu Jin's surprise, Cen Xiuzhi did not take him to a fancy Western restaurant, but instead a very ordinary Chinese eatery. Once inside, Cen Xiuzhi greeted the owner familiarly, and ordered some home-style dishes. Seeing Gu Jin in a daze, he asked, "What are you spacing out for? Is there anything else you want to eat?"

Gu Jin hesitated for a moment, and Cen Xiu Zhi immediately caught on: "Curious why I didn't take you to a more upscale restaurant?"

After being exposed by Cen Xiuzhi, Gu Jin's expression changed slightly.

"The place is nothing good except for the high prices," Cen Xiuzhi lowered his gaze and flipped through several pages of the menu. "You used to live with your mother before, so you should be more accustomed to these home-cooked dishes, right?"

Gu Jin hung his head in silence. Cen Xiu-er guessed correctly. Gu Jin indeed preferred home-cooked stir-fries. Every meal at the Gu household was Western-style, and he still hadn't gotten used to it. However, Cen Xiu-er's sudden kindness made him extremely uncomfortable.

When all the dishes were brought to the table, Gu Jin eagerly picked up his chopsticks and couldn't wait to start eating. It was at that moment that Cen Xiuzhi spoke up, saying, "Something seems to have happened at school today, didn't it?"

Gu Jin's hand stiffened, and he looked at Cen Xiu Zhi in disbelief. Anger flashed in his eyes as he said, "You eavesdropped on my conversation with Xiao Che?"

Xiao Che had already called up all his close friends. This relationship was truly progressing by leaps and bounds, even faster than his relationship with Gu Jin.

Cen Xiu's expression remained unchanged as he casually said, "Your voices were so loud during your conversation that I could hear them from afar. How could you accuse me of eavesdropping?"

Gu Jin couldn't argue with him and could only remain silent.

"Do you really want to listen to that servant's child?"

Gu Jin gritted his teeth and said, "Xiao Che is right. I shouldn't hold ill intentions towards the people around me. As long as I have a broad mind and make effort to accommodate everyone, one day, the people of the Gu family will accept..."

"Daydreaming." Cen Xiuzhi interrupted Gu Jin's words directly, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

"Gu Jin, I only have one question for you: How do you want to handle this?"

Gu Jin was stunned.

"Your mother was expelled from the Gu family and deliberately killed by someone. Your power, connections, and status have all been taken away by others. Those people and precious things you cherished have all been destroyed one by one," Cen Xiuzhi's words were piercingly cold, piercing Gu Jin's heart like an icepick. "Don't tell me that you want to use love to change them and forget all of this, starting anew."

"I can guess even if you don't say it. It's probably at school, where Su Che was ridiculed and you lost your temper and hit someone, right?" Cen Xi said.

Gu Jintong's pupils suddenly contracted: "You..."

"Don't be so nervous, I swear I didn't track you, it's just that you're too easy to guess," said Cen Xiuzhi, twirling the spoon with his slender fingers and laughing. "Even the survival rule of a lowly person, you actually believed it?"

"Weak individuals strive to become stronger, while the strong ones feign weakness," Cen Xiuzhi said pensively. "Gu Jin, why do you so arduously suppress your own nature?"

Gu Jin's heart tightened.

"But he did not say one thing wrong, strength is used to protect important people," Cen Xiuzhi continued, "However, when faced with someone who truly conflicts with your interests, there is only one thing you need to do."

"Get rid of him."