Gu Chengzhao, who was engaged in academic research, was usually dignified, but he was extrely strict in emotional managent, especially at ho. No matter how angry he was, he would not let negative emotions affect his family.
But this ti, he rarely showed anger.
This made Madam Gu realize the seriousness of the situation.
Na Amo looked at Gu Bichen and sighed deeply, "Bichen, you’ve greatly disappointed your father and ."
Gu Bichen’s body trembled slightly, his head bowed, not daring to look up.
"I didn’t cheat, Dad, Mom, you have to believe ."
Gu Chengzhao slamd the table, startling everyone present. He stood up, pointing at his nose, and shouted, "Even now you won’t repent, still arguing, all these years of teachings from your mother and have gone to the dogs!"
Gu Chengzhao was so agitated that he directly resorted to foul language, which shocked Na Amo and Madam Gu.
This was definitely not the kind of profanity that the usually gentle Gu Chengzhao would utter.
Apparently, he was truly enraged this ti.
Gu Bichen was also frightened by this severe and stern side of Gu Chengzhao. Although his father was stern, he had never scolded him. This was the first ti...
Gu Bichen’s lips quivered a bit, retreating a step instinctively, only shaking his head.
"No, I really didn’t, Father. The outsiders misunderstood ; how could you and Mother also misunderstand ? From a young age, I’ve been guided by you, and I would never do such a thing."
Looking at his unrepentant manner, Gu Chengzhao was furious, "Didn’t your mother and I teach you from a young age that recognizing and correcting mistakes is of utmost importance? People make mistakes, but if you don’t repent for them, you’re digging your own grave, deceiving yourself. Do you take everyone for fools?"
Na Amo raised her hand to gently stroke Gu Chengzhao’s back to calm him, then she looked sternly at Gu Bichen.
"Bichen, you weren’t like this before. Mom believes that you have reasons, but no matter the reason, it cannot excuse wrongdoing. First, you should admit it, not evade."
Gu Bichen suddenly looked up, a trace of resentnt flashing in his young eyes, "I’m your biological son, why don’t you believe , but instead believe the slander of outsiders?"
Na Amo shook her head, "You’re still evading."
She took out her phone and played a recording.
Gu Rui’s fearful and trembling voice ca out.
"Sir, I really didn’t an it. The young master felt a lot of pressure attending the show; his performance in the first episode wasn’t good and he was afraid of losing face for the Gu family, so he begged to leak questions to him. I’m doing this for the young master, for the good of the Gu family..."
Gu Chengzhao and Na Amo usually paid no attention to variety shows, always focused on research. When the first episode of "Brainstorm" was aired, Na Amo learned about Gu Bichen’s participation from her students.
Na Amo watched "Brainstorm" during a al break.
She saw the impressive performances of Shen You’an, Rong Xianning, and Liu Runxi on the show and was deeply impressed by each of them.
Gu Bichen’s performance was disappointing, but Na Amo didn’t criticize him. After all, it was probably his first ti participating in a variety show, feeling nervous and not adapting was understandable, and poor performance was excusable.
Moreover, for Bichen, competing on such a big platform with more talented peers was an experience and progress in itself.
She called Gu Bichen, comforted him, and encouraged him to learn from it and strive harder.
After the second episode aired, she hadn’t had ti to watch it, but her students imdiately found her, and that’s when she learned of the overwhelming allegations of cheating against Gu Bichen online.
Na Amo didn’t question Gu Bichen imdiately. She attentively reviewed the online accusations, every word and detail until she felt sure.
Though she didn’t go online often, she knew the power of public opinion in the internet age, how it could exalt a person or utterly destroy them.
Once she understood, she found Gu Chengzhao and told him about it. Initially, Gu Chengzhao didn’t believe it, but he wouldn’t blindly shelter his son either, so he called Gu Rui.
Gu Rui initially refused to admit it, but under Gu Chengzhao’s strong pressure, he confessed everything.
Gu Chengzhao, though ntally prepared, couldn’t suppress his anguish when confronted with the truth.
Born into a family with a scholarly history spanning a millennium, ticulously educated to uphold noble virtues, yet committing such rebellious acts—it was a disgrace to the Gu family.
Thus, Gu Chengzhao and Na Amo dropped their work and rushed ho as soon as possible.
On the way, the couple discussed that if the child recognized his mistakes, they wouldn’t be too harsh, considering the pressure he faced leading him astray was partly their failure as parents. It was the parents who needed to reflect most.
But Gu Bichen wouldn’t admit fault, cunningly evading and arguing. Only then did the couple fully realize that this child had indeed gone astray.
After listening to the recording, Gu Bichen’s face instantly turned pale.
Madam Gu, after a mont of shock, looked at Gu Bichen in disbelief.
"Chenchen, is this true?"
Gu Bichen looked at the three people in front of him, the eyes of his most beloved family mbers uniformly showed strong disappointnt in him.
The tightly held string in the depths of his heart suddenly broke under their unwavering gazes.
Gu Bichen suddenly burst out, shouting fiercely, "Yes, I cheated. I was afraid of losing, afraid of disgracing the Gu family. I asked Gu Rui to leak questions to . So what? I didn’t do anything wrong; I did it for the Gu family’s reputation."
The young man shouted with his neck stiffened.
Like the final struggle of a trapped beast.
"Pa!" Gu Chengzhao slapped him hard across the face.
Gu Bichen was stunned by the strike.
This was the first ti in his life that Gu Chengzhao hit him.
Gu Chengzhao felt a bit of regret, but he quickly cald himself down, not allowing himself to be caught in the whirlpool of family affection.
"Still arguing even now, wrong is wrong, don’t use the Gu family’s reputation as an excuse for your vanity."
Gu Chengzhao resolutely said, "Imdiately release a statent admitting the mistake and withdraw from the show."
Gu Bichen laughed coldly, "Absolutely impossible."
The young man lifted his head, his face expressionless, fearlessly eting their gaze.
"How can the heir of the Gu family make a mistake? Wouldn’t it destroy the family’s thousand-year reputation? How would you face the ancestors a century from now, besides..."
The young man sneered and curled his lips, "Since it’s wrong, let’s continue to make it wrong."
Gu Bichen and Na Amo simultaneously took a deep breath, staring incredulously at the cold-faced young man before them.
This heir whom they had taught with care and poured all their efforts into felt so unfamiliar now.
Soti in the past, he had beco unrecognizable.
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