Chapter 934 — Kicking a Man When He's Down!

"An Jianwen? What are you doing here?" Gu Pengzhan asked with a frown.

He and An Jianwen had never really clashed over anything — his daughter had merely turned down An Jianwen's advances, nothing more.

"Uncle Chu, I've come to help you!" An Jianwen said, his manner exceedingly humble and respectful, maintaining before Gu Pengzhan the proper attitude of a junior.

He had taken a different road. He had not come to pressure Gu Pengzhan — he had come to rob him while the house was burning.

"Help me? Help me with what?" Gu Pengzhan was taken aback, and shot back the question.

"Uncle Chu, you must be in dire straits right now, aren't you? So many people coming to make trouble for you — the Xiao family, the Yu family, and Zhao Qibing too. You must be frantic with worry by now?" An Jianwen said with a smile.

"Did you come here to make snide remarks?" Gu Pengzhan was in no mood for this; he had no patience to bandy words with An Jianwen. "What exactly do you want?"

"Uncle Chu, don't keep people at arm's length like that! You know what kind of person I am, don't you? Yaoyao and I have been childhood sweethearts since we were small. My feelings for Yaoyao are plain as heaven and earth. So the moment I learned you were in trouble, I hurried over to lend a hand!" An Jianwen said.

"And how do you intend to help me?" Gu Pengzhan asked, reining in his temper.

"Uncle Chu, the truth is, things have come to this pass because that brat Wei Zhao is useless. He's lost his strength, and that's why your enemies all came knocking one after another, all at the same time!" An Jianwen said. "It's what they call 'when the wall falls, everyone pushes' — kick a dog when it's down, that's the way of it! If Wei Zhao hadn't lost his strength, I ask you, would any of these people still come to make trouble for you?"

"Isn't that just stating the obvious? If Xiaoyi were still the same as before, why would anyone come making trouble?" Gu Pengzhan was somewhat displeased. Kick a dog when it's down? Are you calling me a dog? But his temper had been worn away to nothing today, and he couldn't be bothered to take issue with An Jianwen.

"Exactly! So if you had a powerful backer, your troubles would just melt away, wouldn't they!" An Jianwen said with a smile.

"A powerful backer? And where is this powerful backer?" Gu Pengzhan snorted impatiently. "If I had a backer, would I need you to tell me?"

"Right here!" An Jianwen patted his own chest with a touch of disappointment. "Uncle Chu, your powerful backer is me!"

"You?" Gu Pengzhan frowned.

"That's right — you still don't know my true background, do you?" An Jianwen introduced himself with a hint of smugness. "Our An family works for the Fire Wolf Gang now! Surely you've heard of the Fire Wolf Gang?"

Of course Gu Pengzhan had heard of the Fire Wolf Gang — the greatest gang in the north. Only, the Fire Wolf Gang operated in secret. Though they controlled many industries from the shadows, they never acted openly themselves, making them the sort of gang that was not easily known to outsiders.

But Gu Pengzhan had also heard that the Fire Wolf Gang was enormously powerful, and that many great families gave them face...

"The Fire Wolf Gang? You can get the Fire Wolf Gang to help me?" Gu Pengzhan asked in return.

"That... well, naturally I can't..." An Jianwen shook his head awkwardly.

"Then what's the use of telling me this?" Gu Pengzhan had a feeling that An Jianwen's visit at this moment boded no good, and so he showed him no pleasant face.

An Jianwen gave a dry laugh. "But we can borrow their power! If Yaoyao married me, she'd be a daughter-in-law of the Fire Wolf Gang too. Then when I stepped forward, I believe the Xiao family, the Yu family, even Zhao Qibing, would all have to give me face and drop their designs on you!"

"Marry you?" Gu Pengzhan couldn't help but laugh. He finally understood what An Jianwen was after — so this was his scheme, coming to take advantage of another's misfortune!

"That's right!" Here An Jianwen spoke with some pride. "I don't mind telling you, Uncle Chu — the Fire Wolf Gang has already assigned an expert to my side, an external-school master at the peak of the mid Mystic rank! That Pi Bo of the Xiao family is only an external-school expert of the mid Mystic rank, and Yu Bide of the Yu family is merely an internal-school expert of the early Mystic rank. The Medicine King beside Zhao Qibing is only an internal-school expert of the early Mystic rank — and he's spent his life on medicine besides, so when it comes to real combat, he's even less worth mentioning!"

Gu Pengzhan was startled. He had not expected such an expert to appear at An Jianwen's side! No wonder the man dared to come and negotiate terms with him!

"I didn't think you were so formidable — to have such an expert at your side!" Gu Pengzhan nodded and said mildly.

"Indeed, Uncle Chu. So what do you say? Just let Yaoyao marry me, and I'll announce to the world that An Jianwen is your son-in-law. Then I'll have my external-school master at the peak of the mid Mystic rank step out and overawe them. I reckon no one will dare refuse me face then!" An Jianwen said with a laugh.

"But I'm afraid that even if I agreed, Yaoyao would not." Gu Pengzhan politely declined An Jianwen's proposal. "So, An Jianwen, you'd best be on your way."

"Huh?" An Jianwen was stunned. He had not expected Gu Pengzhan to reject his proposal! When he had come, he had been full of confidence! From what he knew, Gu Pengzhan had reached the end of his rope — unless he accepted the proposal, he had nothing but death ahead of him!

Yet Gu Pengzhan had actually refused! An Jianwen grew anxious at once. "Uncle Chu, what do you mean by this? Don't you want to preserve the Gu Group?"

"To me, Yaoyao's happiness matters more than the Gu Group." Gu Pengzhan shook his head. To cooperate with An Jianwen was undoubtedly to bargain with a tiger for its hide — especially now that he knew of An Jianwen's underworld background, Gu Pengzhan was all the more unwilling to have dealings with him!

Besides, to make Yaoyao marry An Jianwen — she would never agree to it, not in a thousand years. What difference would it be from marrying into the Yu family? With Yaoyao's temperament, she would sooner die.

"But if Yaoyao doesn't marry me, she'll still have to marry into the Yu family!" An Jianwen said, unwilling to let it go. "Or does Uncle Chu already have a countermeasure?"

"No!" Gu Pengzhan shook his head, crisp and clean. "But Yaoyao won't be marrying into the Yu family either!"

Hearing this, An Jianwen was instantly set at ease. So Gu Pengzhan had no other countermeasure after all! Then his current refusal must mean he still clung to some hope — the Yu family had not pressed him too hard, so Gu Pengzhan must still believe he could negotiate the terms with the Yu family further?

At this thought, An Jianwen was in no hurry. "Is that so? Then think it over, Uncle Chu. If you find no other way, you might consider my proposal!"