Chapter 963 — Friends with the Rival?

"I understand!" Liu Tianli nodded and said.

But while the Liu family was still in their meeting, fresh news arrived from outside: Wei Zhao had never lost his strength at all—he had been playing the pig to eat the tiger! Yu Bide was dead, Pi Bo had been reduced to a vegetative state, and Zhao Qibing's leg was broken once again!

When the Liu family heard this, they could only look at one another in blank astonishment. A moment ago Wei Zhao had been the underdog—how was it that in the very next instant he had completely reversed the situation, turning passivity into initiative? And Wei Zhao was ruthless beyond words, wasn't he? He had dared to kill even Yu Bide of the Yu family, and Pi Bo of the Xiao family had been beaten into a vegetative state? Even Zhao Qibing of the hidden Zhao family had had his leg broken by Wei Zhao a second time?

"Ha! That Wei Zhao—he fooled us all! He was playing the pig to eat the tiger the whole time? Made us worry over him for nothing!" Hearing the news, Liu Tianyi could not help but let out a long breath. If Wei Zhao was unharmed, then no one was happier than the Liu family; Wei Zhao would surely remember the favor of that hundred million, and would not treat the Lius shabbily in the future.

"True enough—it was I who was short-sighted!" Liu Tianli sighed in self-mockery, then said, "But this Wei Zhao really is vicious. By doing this, hasn't he offended the Yu family, the Xiao family, and the hidden Zhao family beyond all hope of reconciliation? If our Liu family keeps company with him, might we not bring the fire down upon ourselves?"

"Hmm..." Liu Tianyi fell into deep thought at these words. The situation was indeed somewhat complicated now. Wei Zhao and the Yu and Xiao families were already locked in a hatred that could never be dissolved. If the Liu family still stood at Wei Zhao's side, would that not put the Lius in a passive position?

With the Liu family's present strength, it truly was unwise to make enemies of the Yu and Xiao families at the same time!

"Jingjing, what do you think?" Liu Zhenhu made no comment of his own, but turned his gaze to his granddaughter and asked for her opinion.

"I think we can let it be known that Wei Zhao saved Grandfather's life," Liu Jinghan said after a moment's pondering.

"Oh?" Liu Tianli was taken aback, unable to see what the one had to do with the other. His daughter had simply answered a question he had not asked! Liu Tianli was the conservative sort—he could hold on to what was already won, but striking out afresh was hard for him.

"Brilliant! Jingjing, truly the gifted daughter of our Liu family!" Liu Tianyi clapped his hands together and burst out laughing. "Wei Zhao is the savior of the Liu family, so it is only right and proper that we keep close to him—anything else would be returning kindness with ingratitude! We help Wei Zhao, but there is a reason for it, and even if the Yu and Xiao families learn of it, they can say nothing against us!"

"So that's it!" Liu Tianli said, the truth dawning on him at last. "Quite right. Though many great houses carry on their sordid little trades in the shadows, on the surface they still care greatly for face and for reason. We of the Liu family have received Wei Zhao's kindness; if we did not stand at his side, we would be ungrateful and unrighteous!"

Liu Zhenhu nodded. "Do as Jingjing says."

"Yes, Father!" Liu Tianyi and Liu Tianli answered together.

Liu Jinghan, however, showed not the slightest trace of pride or joy. She still stood quietly behind Liu Zhenhu, yet a flicker of doubt crossed her lovely eyes. This Wei Zhao—was he truly playing the pig to eat the tiger? Was there something in all this that she did not know?

What a strange man! Liu Jinghan shook her head. Whether the Liu family's hundred million could truly buy Wei Zhao's friendship, she was no longer so certain...

After parting from Tang Zhi at school, Wei Zhao went to find Zhen Dazhou to collect the money, and gave Zhen Dazhou the account number Gu Pengzhan had provided earlier. Once Zhen Dazhou had completed the transfer, Wei Zhao returned to the Gu family villa.

The main gate outside the villa now looked brand new; the places that had been kicked in had been repaired, though the cement in some spots had not yet dried.

Gu Pengzhan had not yet gone to the company. Instead he had gone to Uncle Qing's room. Wei Zhao's injuries were healed and his strength restored—could he now cure Uncle Qing? Earlier, when Wei Zhao had lost all his strength, Gu Pengzhan had not felt able to ask him to treat Uncle Qing, and could only bring Uncle Qing along as they fled, slowly letting Wei Zhao find a way.

But now all of that was past, and Gu Pengzhan meant to ask Wei Zhao whether he might be able to cure Uncle Qing.

The young mistress and Shen Yushu, meanwhile, sat on the sofa in the living room, talking in whispers.

"Why is Gum-wrapper Bro taking so long? What has he gone off to do?" Shen Yushu kept glancing at the clock in the living room, counting the time.

"Probably gone to see Tang Zhi. Since he isn't going back to his hometown after all, he had to go and tell her." Gu Mengyao knew Wei Zhao well; he was very good to Tang Zhi.

"Oh. I wonder if Tang Zhi will be disappointed? From now on Gum-wrapper Bro will be with us again—I bet Tang Zhi will be furious when she hears the news, maybe she'll faint dead away!" Shen Yushu said, somewhat excitedly.

"Xiaoshu, don't talk nonsense!" For the first time, Gu Mengyao spoke up for Tang Zhi. "Actually, Tang Zhi is very noble. She was willing to give up everything here and follow Wei Zhao back to his hometown—you can see from that how much she cares for him. Since she is the one Wei Zhao chose, then while we accept Wei Zhao, we should accept her as well!"

"Oh—so, Yao Yao, you'd accept Tang Zhi as Shield Bro's number-two wife?" Shen Yushu asked.

"Number-two wife? What nonsense is that?" Gu Mengyao shot Shen Yushu a glare and knitted her brows. "What I mean is, we could all actually be good friends—at the very least, we wouldn't be at each other's throats the way we are now!"

"How could rivals in love ever become good friends?" Shen Yushu said, a note of curiosity in her voice.

"Who's a rival in love? I already told you, I don't like Wei Zhao!" Gu Mengyao said.

"Oh, Yao Yao, you're lying!" Shen Yushu refused to believe it.

"Fine, then let's say I do like Wei Zhao... I'm only giving an example, it isn't real," Gu Mengyao said. "You like your Shield Bro too, and you even want to be his number-two wife—so doesn't that make us rivals in love?"

"Uh... I suppose it does." Shen Yushu shook her head.

"And are we good friends?" Gu Mengyao asked again.

"I suppose we are." Shen Yushu nodded.

"Then why can't we and Tang Zhi be friends too?" the young lady asked once more.

"But... Yao Yao, what you said was only a hypothetical—you said you don't like Wei Zhao, that it isn't real," Shen Yushu said.

"Exactly. And since it isn't real, then we aren't rivals in love, are we?" Gu Mengyao looked rather pleased with herself; she had finally managed to tie little Shu up in knots, just this once.

"Oh..." Shen Yushu, thoroughly muddled by the circular logic, shook her head somewhat deflatedly. "Then I'll just make friends with her. I don't mind either way—being the number-two wife is good enough for me!"

"..." Gu Mengyao was rather speechless. Your ambitions really are a bit too modest, aren't they?