Gu Xingyu's brows furrowed in annoyance as he looked at his silly son. He felt that Gu Tianhu was, usually, able to keep a steady mind, but somehow he had taken the lead in welcoming their Second Young Master, painting him, the patriarch, in a bad light.
Even so, it was not suitable to show his displeasure, so he merely ignored his disappointing offspring that jumped the queue and instead focused on the polite Luo Xiao in front of them.
No matter how Gu Xingyu looked at this young man, he felt that what he saw was pleasing to the eyes. Knowing that this young man was a very special person to their master, they also adored him and were willing to use their lives to protect him. Hence, their initial impression was highly biased.
Unfortunately, only the father and son duo were aware of his true identity and thus wore rose-tinted glasses while looking at him. The rest did not think that he was pleasing to the eye at all, nor did they find him polite or impressive. They all disliked him from the very first time they laid eyes on him.
However, the Gu family was under the complete control of the patriarch, so no matter how unhappy these elders and other members of the Gu family were, they did not dare to voice their disagreements during this critical time.
"I, as the patriarch of the Gu family, have made the decision of bringing back my nephew, Gu Tianyu, to recognize his ancestors and return to the Gu family.
"Tianyu's mother was a member of the Gu family, and our blood runs through his veins. After losing his parents, he has been left to fend for himself, and we cannot allow our bloodline to roam around outside.
"I have decided to bring him back, and today is the first time for the rest of the family to meet him. I hope that you will all treat him well, and help him adapt to his new home."
Gu Xingyu was speaking politely, but every member of the Gu family felt bitter as they understood his indirect orders. They were all to treat him politely, and as a member of their family. They also had to consider his current situation of having to adapt, and bear with him, even if he did something wrong.
Such blatant favoritism was truly making them feel bitter, but they could do nothing, and the person they expected to be the most upset had turned from a fierce tiger into an adorable puppy, begging for attention.
Looking at their admirable Brother Hu, who no longer looked as dependable as before, many of the girls felt their hearts shattering from disappointment, and the young boys looked as if their idol had fallen down from a pedestal.
Luo Xiao, who was the most objective thinking person in the entire room, could see how many members of the younger generation looked heartbroken as their mental support and the great hero of their minds was self-destructing, and the elders were all furious because their patriarch was being capricious.
To think that the fanaticism these two people held towards Jiang Yao was so extreme that they did not care about their image at all, wanting only for him to like them. The event made Luo Xiao feel that they were both quite cute.
However, right now, his purpose was not to find these supporters cute, but to ensure that the rest of the Gu family would not create a mutiny in protest of their silly actions.
"Uncle, I am grateful for your willingness to allow for my return to the family. I also understand that you wish the best for me on behalf of my late mother, but I have to accept the consequences of her actions while she was still alive.
"My parents were the ones who brought me into this world, and I am grateful to them. However, they both left the world before I was able to fulfill my duty of filial piety.
"After the death of my parents, it is you, my uncle, who has been looking after me and ensuring that I could grow up safely. I am already grateful for what I have, and I should not get greedy.
"My mother was a descendant of the Gu family, but she made her own choice when she eloped from the family and broke my grandfather's heart. Even if she had stayed in the Gu family, she would have been married into another family, and thus I would have nothing to do with the Gu family.
"I am grateful for the assistance you have provided, and I genuinely wish to acknowledge my ancestors, but I am also aware of my identity. I have the blood of the Gu family flowing in my veins, but my identity is not suitable to gain such honor where every genuine member of the Gu family has to go the extra mile to help me adjust."
Luo Xiao's composed and calm voice was pleasant to the ear. He had matured greatly since he met Jiang Yao, and he was no longer the young boy who was still undergoing puberty.
He had grown taller and more mature. His body used to be thin and weak, and while he was not a sturdy person, Luo Xiao's body was still considered slim, but one could see the muscle that was hidden underneath the skin. He resembled an elegant panther that would be graceful but deadly when making a move.
His voice had also developed from being young, and without the rust of age to become mellow and pleasant. It was not powerful as Jiang Yao's but it was pleasant and contained tranquility that made others wish to keep listening