She went to the wrong table on a blind date and ended up getting married to a billionaire CEO.

Chapter 307 Life in Chess

Gu Tingyu drove his black sedan out of the Cloud Villa, but instead of going to the company, he headed towards the Gu family's old residence.

The early summer sun shone through the car window onto his sharply defined profile, and his deep eyes gleamed with a complex light.

The pain he has recently suffered is like an invisible knife, tearing his heart apart time and time again.

Whenever Gu Tingyu thought of his child's pale face and helpless cries, he felt a suffocating pain.

&34; If it weren't for my indecisiveness, if I had made up my mind to deal with Shen Wanjun sooner, Chengze wouldn't have suffered like this. &34;

His fingers, gripping the steering wheel tightly, turned white from the force, and his heart was filled with regret and self-blame.

During this time, he has been thinking about a question:

Should we continue to bide our time and wait, or strike immediately?

Now, the answer to this question has been found.

Gu Chengze's plight became the last straw that broke the camel's back, completely igniting the flame deep within Gu Tingyu's heart.

34; From this day forward, I will never allow such a thing to happen again. 34;

He silently vowed in his heart, "I cannot bear any more potential shock or loss. To protect Maggie and Chengze, it's time to end all of this."

The car drove smoothly on the city roads, and the surrounding scenery gradually changed from modern high-rise buildings to low and quaint buildings.

Gu Tingyu parked the car in front of the old house, took a deep breath, composed himself, and then got out of the car.

The old house has a spacious courtyard with evergreen pines and cypresses.

Upon entering, you can smell the unique aroma of wood and old books, which gives you a sense of peace.

At ten o'clock in the morning, as usual, Grandpa Gu practiced Tai Chi in the courtyard.

Gu Tingyu stood quietly to the side, watching the old man's slow but powerful movements.

Although he is over seventy years old, the old man's steps are still steady, his eyes are clear as water, and his posture is as upright as a pine tree.

In the morning light, Grandpa Gu seemed to blend into the entire courtyard, every movement brimming with strength and wisdom.

For a moment, Gu Tingyu suddenly had a strange feeling—the old man seemed to know everything.

Those weathered eyes seemed to see through everything, revealing the deepest secrets of people's hearts.

"He's not as fragile as I imagined," Gu Tingyu thought. "Perhaps, the truth isn't a harm to him, but a form of respect."

On this sunny morning, Gu Tingyu suddenly realized that the truth was not only about respecting everyone, but also about truly protecting and safeguarding the Gu family's wealth and the inheritance of the next generation.

The old man finished the last Tai Chi movement, slowly stopped, and turned to face his grandson standing to the side.

His eyes were calm and deep, and a faint smile played at the corners of his mouth.

"Tingyu, you're here." The old man's voice was gentle yet powerful, carrying the vicissitudes of time.

Gu Tingyu nodded respectfully: "Yes, Grandpa. I've come to see you."

The old man glanced at his grandson quietly, and after a moment, he said softly, "Go to the study and play a game of chess with me."

Gu Tingyu nodded in agreement and followed the old man toward the study.

The study in the Gu family's old house is located on the north side of the courtyard; it is a simple yet dignified room.

The walls are lined with bookshelves, filled with all kinds of ancient and modern books.

In the center stands an antique-style mahogany square table, upon which sits an exquisite chess set.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows on the chessboard.

The old man gestured for Gu Tingyu to sit down, while he himself sat opposite him, gently moving the chess pieces, making a crisp sound.

"You go first with the red ball." The old man said calmly.

After a moment's thought, Gu Tingyu began to make his plans.

His playing style is just like his personality: steady yet ambitious, seemingly conservative yet containing a sharp edge.

As soon as the game started, Gu Tingyu quickly gained the upper hand.

His chariots and horses were well coordinated, and his artillery fire was fierce, putting great pressure on the old man's army.

However, the old man remained smiling and calm, playing chess at a leisurely pace, as if he didn't care about the current situation at all.

34; The one who seems to have the upper hand may not necessarily have the last laugh.

The old man suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a profound meaning.

The old man still wore that calm smile on his face, his fingers moving the chess pieces nimbly, completely at ease.

As the game progressed, Gu Tingyu gradually discovered that his grandfather, who seemed to be on the defensive, was actually making moves in secret and had quietly turned the game from defense to offense without making a sound.

He, who originally held the advantage, has found himself in a hidden passive position.

"Playing chess is like life; you can't just look at the next move, you have to think ten moves ahead," the old man added, gazing intently at his grandson. "Sometimes, taking a step back is for a better future."

Gu Tingyu nodded silently, seeing the unfathomable light shining in the old man's wise eyes, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart.

Gu Tingyu's situation is becoming increasingly difficult.

His chariot was restrained, his horses were blocked, and his once powerful artillery fire lost its effectiveness.

Ultimately, his handsome appearance was driven into a corner, with no way out.

"General." The old man gently moved a pawn, trapping Gu Tingyu's general in a corner.

Gu Tingyu looked at the chessboard, feeling both amazed and impressed.

He thought he had been careful enough, but he still fell into the trap his grandfather had carefully set.

"Playing chess is like life," the old man said meaningfully. "Sometimes, victory doesn't depend on how strong you are, but on how you use the rules. The rules are fair; as long as you know how to use them, you can protect yourself."

Gu Tingyu looked up and stared directly into his grandfather's eyes.

Those wise eyes seemed to pierce through his soul, seeing into his deepest struggles and hesitations.

A strange feeling welled up in Gu Tingyu's heart. He suddenly felt that his grandfather seemed to know something, or at least had guessed some things.

"Grandpa," he mustered his courage and asked directly, "If the truth would hurt people, do you think people should be protected, or should they face the truth?"

The moment the question was posed, the air in the study seemed to freeze.

The sunlight still streamed through the window onto the chessboard, but the warm light seemed to have become heavy.

The old man remained silent for a long time, slowly shifting his gaze from the chessboard to the bookshelf in the distance, as if he were pondering something.

&34;Isn't false protection also a form of harm? &34;

Finally, the old man spoke slowly, his voice deep and powerful: "If the truth is ugly, only through time travel can it bloom beautifully anew."

These words struck Gu Tingyu like a bolt of lightning, hitting the depths of his heart.

He suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, as if the emotions that had been suppressed for so long had found an outlet and were about to burst forth.

He knew what he had to do.

The sunlight still shone warmly into the study, illuminating the grandmother and grandson.

An old man and a young man, separated by a chessboard, seemed to be communicating in some way that transcended words.

On this tranquil afternoon, Gu Tingyu felt an unprecedented clarity and determination.