Of course, adults can't really say anything about this kind of thing.
They're just kids, playing around, what else can you do?
“Brother, I want to go out and take care of some things on my own…” Ouyang Ying suddenly turned her head and asked.
"Oh, what is it?" Xu Zhengyang asked without even lifting his eyelids.
Ouyang Ying pursed her lips, then walked over and stood in front of Xu Zhengyang, saying, "Everyone in the manor is busy all day long, it's not right for me to stay here all the time."
"Aren't you pretty busy too?" Xu Zhengyang put down his book, smiled, and looked up at Ouyang Ying. "What's wrong? Feeling bored staying at home? If you go out, your sister-in-law will feel bored at home too, won't she?"
"Come on, your sister-in-law has you to keep her company, but I have no one to keep me company..."
Li Bingjie jokingly said with a smile, "Then let Zhengyang spend more time with you."
"Sister-in-law, you're so annoying!" Ouyang Ying said angrily, her cheeks flushed.
Xu Zhengyang chuckled awkwardly, picked up the book again, and flipped through it, saying casually, "It's good to go out and gain some experience..."
"Yeah, I was thinking, there are too many men in society these days who deceive women's feelings, those con artists should be taught a lesson and let them stop messing around! Humph!" Ouyang Ying said angrily.
"Hmm?" Xu Zhengyang frowned slightly and said, "Don't do anything reckless. You can't force feelings."
Ouyang Ying retorted angrily, "What? Look at the internet! People are committing suicide by jumping off buildings because of heartbreak!"
"It takes two to tango... If you commit suicide because you're unhappy in your relationship, you can't blame anyone else." Xu Zhengyang waved his hand calmly and said, "It's undeniable that there are many people in society who deliberately play with emotions, but you're not ready to deal with this kind of thing right now. Otherwise, who knows how many people might be wrongly accused and killed by you!"
"What's wrong with me?" Ouyang Ying walked back to Li Bingjie and sat down, looking aggrieved.
Xu Zhengyang stared at the book with droopy eyelids, offering no explanation.
Li Bingjie smiled and said softly, "Yingying, what do you want to do? First, write down a rough plan, be detailed, who should be punished and who shouldn't be punished... After all, matters of the heart are the most complicated, aren't they?"
"I..." Ouyang Ying was about to say something, but then she suddenly shut her mouth, lowered her head, her cheeks flushed, and she felt embarrassed.
Yes, I was just browsing a news article about a woman who committed suicide because she was deceived and hurt in a relationship, and that's when I felt compelled to write this. Then it suddenly occurred to me that while my own suicide was due to unbearable inner pain, the relationship was merely the final straw that broke the camel's back. Ultimately, can I really blame Xu Zhengyang?
Especially since her death, she's been left in this ambiguous way, almost as if Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie took pity on her and kept her by their side. Li Bingjie probably thought of Ouyang Ying as nothing more than a soul without a body, which is why she generously told Ouyang Ying in private, "Keep her. Your brother Zhengyang is a repressed guy, but he actually likes you a lot..."
Ouyang Ying actually stayed, blushing.
There are many reasons. But liking Xu Zhengyang and being willing to follow him is an absolutely undeniable point.
Now that I want to get involved in this kind of thing, isn't that a bit like saying "the magistrate is allowed to set fires while the common people are forbidden to light lamps"?
Li Bingjie was indeed very understanding. After persuading Ouyang Ying, she turned to Xu Zhengyang and said, "Zhengyang, Yingying wants to go out and gain some experience. You think she's not mature enough and hasn't thought things through properly, so please offer your opinions and suggestions. Yingying can do as you say while she's out there, as long as she doesn't overstep the bounds..."
Xu Zhengyang raised his eyelids and explained helplessly, "I've thought about this before, and I even discussed it with the judge... In the eyes of the world, when problems arise in a relationship, nine times out of ten the blame is placed on the man's infidelity. But in real life, is it really all the man's fault? With Yingying's mindset, after we get out, she'll investigate the cause and effect, examine the thoughts of both parties, and then make a decision."
Actually, Xu Zhengyang wanted to say something else: prostitution has existed throughout history, so why blame men? If you, Ouyang Ying, were to manage this matter, who knows how many people would accuse her of being a busybody? However, Xu Zhengyang couldn't bring himself to say such things in front of his wife and Ouyang Ying.
There are also rich women who hire male prostitutes, and mistresses who deliberately cling to wealthy men. Who can you complain to?
There are tons of one-night stands between men and women in society these days, why are you interfering? If both parties are happy, what's it to you?
There are countless couples who break up because they feel too tired of each other and can't get along. Men dump women, and women dump men, for all sorts of reasons, whether it's economic interests, wealth, ability, or even incompatibility... It's really absurd for gods to interfere in human emotional issues.
Is it really possible to say who is right and who is wrong?
Given Ouyang Ying's mindset and personality, Xu Zhengyang was extremely uneasy about allowing her to interfere in matters of love between men and women.
“Why can’t I do it?” Ouyang Ying retorted, unconvinced.
"Yingying, let your brother finish speaking," Li Bingjie quickly advised.
Ouyang Ying quickly lowered her head, glancing guiltily at Xu Zhengyang's slightly narrowed eyes. Knowing Xu Zhengyang well, Ouyang Ying understood that he was already dissatisfied.
Xu Zhengyang sighed. No longer blaming Ouyang Ying for her somewhat girlish capriciousness, he calmly continued, "Wanting to stand on your own and do things isn't impossible... Your sister-in-law also said to draw up a detailed plan, not to blindly favor one side... Besides, you need to know that in today's society, it's not just men who are playing around, but women too. How do you deal with these? Some even have ulterior motives and deliberately do things... Well, never mind, I won't say anymore. In short, these kinds of emotional matters need to be handled carefully. My advice is still not to get involved in emotional issues."
"Then wouldn't I be just a figurehead as the God of Love?" Ouyang Ying said hesitantly, lacking confidence.
"Silly girl, go and think it over carefully. Once you're fully prepared, write it down and show it to me." Xu Zhengyang waved his hand, smiled, and turned to pick up the teacup on the round table to drink some tea.
Li Bingjie said softly, "Yingying, don't worry about it. Your sister-in-law will help you make a decision. Let's go, let's ignore him."
As she spoke, Li Bingjie got up and walked out.
Ouyang Ying also stood up, glanced down at Xu Zhengyang, and followed Li Bingjie out with a slightly flushed face.
Xu Zhengyang was left alone, lying on the chair, listlessly reading a book.
There are houses of gold in books, there are houses of gold in books...
Xu Zhengyang wholeheartedly agreed.
Who would have known that Xu Zhengyang was only slowly absorbing the rapidly increasing faith power and divine power over the past few months out of sheer helplessness? Especially recently, this faith power has been filled with some repulsive faith, which not only fails to transform into divine power but also hinders the speed and quantity of faith power transforming into divine power.
This constant friction between obstruction and transformation caused Xu Zhengyang's mind to frequently show signs of disorder.
Left with no other choice, Xu Zhengyang had to abandon his idea of continuing to expand the Heavenly Court's external branches.
Although establishing branch offices only required him to provide manpower, not divine power, and the Heavenly Laws would reimburse him for the subsequent profits, the merits that establishing these branch offices brought Xu Zhengyang far outweighed the demerits.
However, the current situation forced Xu Zhengyang to be extra cautious, because no one would tell him what unpredictable consequences might arise if these chaotic signs became serious.
Whether it's because they feel guilty or because they're overly worried, it doesn't matter.
In short, better safe than sorry.
What annoyed him was that neither the Heavenly Laws nor the Divine Control Order provided any answers to these signs.
What's strange is that it seems the Heavenly Laws and the Divine Control Order have reached some kind of tacit understanding in private, deliberately ignoring him, the temporary emperor of the Eastern Azure Heaven Court, and refusing to answer any questions about this matter.
Damn it, are they trying to rebel or something?
Xu Zhengyang could only cultivate his mind and spirit by reading books, and temporarily refrain from making any rash moves.
We're only one step away from becoming the Emperor; we mustn't let anything go wrong, or it would be a huge loss.
About an hour after Li Bingjie and Ouyang Ying left the study, Xu Zhengyang received a call from Jin Changfa, the head manager of Gu Xiangxuan, informing him that Master Gu, Yao Chushun, had passed away.
Xu Zhengyang stood frozen in the recliner, holding his phone.
Humans will eventually die...
Grandpa Gu's passing wasn't entirely sudden; there were signs beforehand. After all, since his illness and hospitalization in the spring, although he had recovered and been discharged, his health had steadily declined. Xu Zhengyang had considered using his divine power to prolong Grandpa Gu's life or going to the underworld to alter his lifespan, but he remained hesitant.
Must we allow our relatives and friends to live in this world forever because of our own selfish desires?
So, can other gods do the same thing in the future?
Being a god is not easy!
Volume 7, Emperor Chapter 379: Suffering a loss is a blessing, good deeds are rewarded
When Master Gu, Yao Chushun, saw Xu Zhengyang again, he was already a ghost.
Respectfully invited by the two ghost messengers to this ancient, solemn, and dignified mansion, Master Yao Chushun was not particularly nervous, fearful, or curious.
His attention was completely focused on every brick, stone, blade of grass, and tree, even the bronze lock on the gate and the stone lions in front of it, scrutinizing them intently as if he wished he could have eyes on them. Were these fakes or genuine artifacts? What would they cost in an antique shop? What would they fetch at an auction?
Unfortunately, due to the ghost messenger's enthusiastic invitation and reminder, Master Yao Chushun could only reluctantly walk away, turning back every step of the way.
Finally, they arrived at the Emperor's study in the backyard of the Heavenly Court.
Upon seeing Xu Zhengyang, Master Gu paused slightly, then laughed and cursed, "You son of a bitch, you've actually become an official..."
"How dare you!" Wang Yonggan roared.
Xu Zhengyang quickly waved his hand and scolded, "You go out first."
Wang Yonggan bowed and agreed, then walked out somewhat unwillingly. As he passed Yao Chushun, he glared at him fiercely as a warning: don't take yourself too seriously, this is not the time for you to live.
"Mr. Gu, please sit down and ignore him." Xu Zhengyang smiled and stood up, personally inviting Mr. Gu to sit down.
At Xu Zhengyang's signal, the two ghost messengers quickly bowed and withdrew.
Despite Xu Zhengyang's polite attitude, Yao Chushun naturally understood what was going on after Wang Yonggan's previous threatening actions. He knew Xu Zhengyang was a deity when he was alive, and now it seemed his official position was quite high. He really needed to restrain himself; after all, this was different from when he was alive, so he had to consider Xu Zhengyang's face as an official to some extent.
He shouldn't let his subordinates look down on him, should he?
Yao Chushun pondered to himself, but his actions betrayed a hint of unease. After all, this was a deity. He asked, "Zhengyang, what exactly is your official position?"
"Hehe, let's not talk about that. Please sit down." After inviting Master Gu to sit down, Xu Zhengyang returned to his seat and smiled, "Everyone dies eventually, Master Gu, don't be too sad. Take it easy..."
"Hey, ever since Zou Mingyuan's matter was settled back then, I've long since figured it out. What else is there to worry about in this life?" Old Master Gu shook his head and said with a wry smile, "It's all thanks to your help, Zhengyang. I'm content."
Xu Zhengyang said, "Given our relationship, it would be too formal to say such polite things."
"That's true, haha." Master Gu felt a little more relaxed.
"Think about it. If you still have any regrets, I'll take care of them for you." Xu Zhengyang said with a smile, "People always talk a good game, saying that death is just death, but only after they're really dead do they realize how many regrets they left behind in their lives."
Yao Chushun was taken aback for a moment, then nodded with a wry smile and said, "Yes, yes, you're right."
Xu Zhengyang smiled, said nothing, and looked at Yao Chushun.
“Your dad… cough cough.” Yao Chushun swallowed half of his catchphrase and quickly said, “The only thing I’m worried about is Gu Xiangxuan. This shop has taken a lot of my effort. I was thinking that you didn’t want any of the shares a long time ago. Why don’t you just give all of Gu Xiangxuan, except for the shares that are to be donated, to Jin Changfa and the others?”
"Didn't we already give them to them?" Xu Zhengyang asked, puzzled.
“I didn’t give them any. The money is all in Gu Xiang Xuan’s account.” Yao Chushun shook his head and said, “Besides the money donated, the profits from the shop are distributed to them, and the rest is saved for emergencies…”
Xu Zhengyang nodded and said, "Okay, I'll handle these. Go on, is there anything else?"
"And..." Yao Chushun pondered for a moment, then said, "My two daughters, hehe, I'm getting old, but I'm blessed. Although they're not my biological daughters, they're closer than my own, and their husbands are both good people. It's just a pity that I, as their father, have only left my wife one property... I'd like to suggest she remarry, but she's so old, and she's already been married twice. How can I let her remarry? Zhengyang... could you help me look after them?"
"No problem." Xu Zhengyang nodded in agreement, then asked, "Is there anything else?"
Yao Chushun thought for a moment, leaned forward, scanned the furnishings in the room, and said seriously, "Tell me, are all the things in this mansion genuine?"
Xu Zhengyang was taken aback, then said with a wry smile, "You're the expert, do you need to ask me this?"
"Hey, expert my foot." Yao Chushun waved his hand and said, "I think these things are real, but it's unrealistic. Where would so many real things come from? This isn't ancient times..." He paused for a moment, then exclaimed as if suddenly realizing something, "This...this isn't a place in the human world?"
Xu Zhengyang smiled and nodded, saying, "This is the Heavenly Court Palace. Didn't you see the plaque when you came here?"
"Huh?" Yao Chushun exclaimed in surprise, "How was I supposed to know it was the real thing? Oh well, I'm all dead now..."
"Master Gu, please think about it. Would you rather be reincarnated or stay in this Heavenly Court to help me with some tasks?" Xu Zhengyang asked with a smile.
Yao Chushun asked in astonishment, "Zhengyang, what's your rank now?"
"Let's not talk about official rank, it will determine whether you stay or leave, so you can choose for yourself," Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
"This..." Yao Chushun lowered his head and pondered for a while, then smiled bitterly, "I won't cause you any more trouble. Besides being good at appraising antiques, I'm good at nothing else. I might as well just reincarnate."
Xu Zhengyang felt a pang of sadness and bitterness in his heart, and didn't know what to say.