Chapter 111 Day 2 of Transmigrating into a Vintage CEO Novel

Chapter 111: Day 2 of Transmigrating Into an Old-School CEO Novel

An Yi's face betrayed nothing, maintaining his usual gentle demeanor. Having just "woken up," the corners of his eyes and brows even carried a perfectly timed drowsy softness, making him appear utterly non-threatening.

He lowered his lashes slightly, their thick lashes casting a small fan-shaped shadow beneath his eyes, hiding the momentary speechlessness in his eyes.

Just then, Gu Mingzhi, leaning against the wine cabinet, casually let his gaze sweep across the corner of the side hall.

Through the gently swaying gauze curtains and the hazy winter light, he spotted the young man sitting alone on the corner sofa.

He wore a white turtleneck sweater that looked extremely soft and form-fitting, paired with simple black trousers. He was slender and tall, with a clean, sharp silhouette, the curve of his neck graceful yet fragile.

He lowered his head slightly, soft black hair falling naturally over his forehead, half-covering his delicate brows and eyes, revealing only a straight, jade-like nose and a pair of pale yet beautifully shaped thin lips.

The winter afternoon sunlight seemed to favor him in particular, outlining a faint halo around him. It made his entire presence appear pure and translucent, yet oddly wrapped in an indescribable aloofness.

He sat there quietly, a stark contrast to the glitz and noise around him, like a white narcissus growing silently in a luxurious corner, untainted, standing apart from the world.

Gu Mingzhi's hand, swirling the glass, paused almost imperceptibly.

The amber liquid rippled faintly in the cup.

Interesting.

When did the Gu family get someone like that?

He looked away without a trace, speaking in a detached tone, as if just making casual conversation, easily cutting off an older relative beside him who was in the middle of an animated conversation: "Who is that?"

He gave an almost imperceptible tilt of his chin toward An Yi.

The middle-aged man, interrupted mid-sentence, his face flickered with displeasure, but he didn't dare show it. He followed Gu Mingzhi's gaze.

Upon seeing An Yi, his brow immediately furrowed with disdain, his tone carrying undisguised contempt and impatience:

"Oh, him. That's An Yi. Don't you remember? Your Uncle An's son, both of his parents died. He was taken in a few years ago."

His tone was like introducing an insignificant piece of furniture.

"An Yi..." Gu Mingzhi repeated the name softly, his tone unreadable.

His gaze once again swept over that quiet silhouette, almost merged with the shadows, a faint ripple flickered in the depths of his eyes.

So that's him.

The one rumored to be so gentle he was almost timid, the Gu family's adopted son—practically invisible.

Quite different from the rumors...

He asked no further questions and made no additional remarks, as if it were just a casual remark. He soon returned his attention to the glass in his hand, going back to playing the cold, detached observer.

An Yi sat quietly in the corner, as if he had merged into the background. Only his fingertips unconsciously tapped the sofa armrest once, a flash of an ice crystal vanishing in an instant, so fast it could have been a trick of the light.

A slight stir came from the main staircase in the first-floor hall.

Gu Xinghui was helping Old Master Gu down the stairs.

Old Master Gu's face was somber, but he seemed to have temporarily suppressed his anger, resuming the dignified bearing befitting the family head.

Gu Xinghui followed behind him, his young, handsome face no longer showing the earlier agitation, replaced by a tense silence.

Their appearance immediately became the center of attention. Everyone stepped forward, greeting them with smiles and small talk.

Gu Chengzai exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries, his gaze sweeping across the hall before finally landing on the wine cabinet—on Gu Mingzhi.

The old man's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He raised a hand in Gu Mingzhi's direction, his voice low but loud enough for those nearby to hear: "Mingzhi."

Gu Mingzhi, hearing this, opened his eyes at the right moment, the hint of a perfectly timed smile and deference appearing on his face. He straightened up and walked steadily through the crowd, and stopped before Gu Chengzai, nodding slightly: "Father, you called for me."

Gu Chengzai looked at him with his usual condescending scrutiny and grunted in acknowledgment. His tone was not warm, but it was considered calm: "Mm. You're always running around. Now that you're back, stay for a while."

"Got it, Father. I'll see how it goes," Gu Mingzhi said with a low laugh, but gave no definite answer.

A faint flicker of displeasure crossed Gu Chengzai's eyes—he seemed long used to this evasive attitude. He said nothing more, turned, and walked away to continue conversing with others.

Gu Xinghui stood behind his grandfather, his gaze complex as it quickly flickered over Gu Mingzhi, who was half a head taller.

This young uncle, who held significant power at a young age and was rarely seen, was, aside from his grandfather, the most feared and unpredictable figure in the Gu family's power structure.

He pressed his lips together and quickly looked away.

Gu Mingzhi seemed oblivious, merely taking a light sip of the remaining whiskey in his glass.

The ice had long since melted, losing its initial bite, leaving only the rich, spicy liquid sliding down his throat, bringing a warm, burning sensation.

His gaze once again drifted to the young figure in the corner shadows—An Yi.

He seemed utterly uninterested in the subtle power play at the hall's center, still immersed in his own world.

Gu Mingzhi withdrew his gaze, gently placing the empty glass on the tray. The bottom of the glass made a faint but clear sound as it touched the tray.

He adjusted his coat collar and finally began walking toward the crowd.

As a pivotal figure in the Gu family, lingering too long outside the inner circle after the old master himself appeared was ultimately just bad social etiquette.

But as he passed the entrance to the side hall, his steps paused almost imperceptibly. He swept his gaze over that corner one last time.

An Yi still sat quietly in that velvet sofa, his head slightly tilted, gazing out the window at a bare branch of a tree standing stubbornly in the winter courtyard.

The oblique light fell on his delicate profile, outlining a smooth jawline and a straight nose bridge. His skin was pale to the point of translucence, giving him the fragility and delicacy of a piece of art.

As if sensing his gaze, An Yi's lashes fluttered almost imperceptibly. He slowly turned his head, his gaze meeting Gu Mingzhi's lingering sidelong glance head-on.

They were beautiful eyes, with light-colored pupils that appeared clear and transparent in the light. Yet the expression within them was... elusive.

Not purely gentle, nor timid. It seemed to hide a deep vortex beneath a calm sea surface—calm at first glance, but unfathomable upon closer inspection.

Gu Mingzhi withdrew his gaze. The corner of his lips seemed to lift almost imperceptibly before returning to its cold hardness as he blended into the crowd's chatter.

An Yi, in the corner, watched that figure disappear and smiled.

Gu Mingzhi—the immensely powerful young uncle of the male lead, Gu Xinghui.

In the original novel, he was the biggest potential rival the male lead was secretly wary of, believing he would eventually return to seize domestic assets.

The book laid out a lot of foreshadowing, emphasizing his danger and unpredictability. But whether due to the author's forgetfulness or deliberate omission, this heavily foreshadowed character never really caused the expected storm by the novel's end, instead just becoming a high-level background piece.

Comments section:

"Huh???" "The description feels off. An Yi and this newly introduced Gu Mingzhi exchanged a glance. The atmosphere is really subtle, isn't it?"

"Wasn't it just described earlier that this Gu Mingzhi came back to snatch the male lead's assets—he's a villain!"

"Could An Yi, due to his unrequited love for Weiwei, go dark and team up with Gu Mingzhi?"

"Maybe!"

"Hold on, everyone up there—I have a question: Since when is the Gu family the male lead's assets?"

"Uh... isn't it just assumed?"

"On what grounds? Because he's thick-skinned?!"

"..."