I was criticized on a dating reality show, but I retaliated and became an internet sensation.

All of this was done naturally and smoothly, and Gu Danchen and Xia Yun were used to it.

"By the way, Nuonuo," Gu Danchen took a sip of soup and asked casually, "did no one cause you any trouble on the show?"

Shu Zi swallowed the food in her mouth and waved her hand, "Uncle Gu, don't worry, I can handle it."

She paused, blinked, and said, "Besides, who dares to bully me! I'm the overlord of Northern Beijing!!"

"Hahahaha! That's right!"

Gu Danchen nodded, "Our family doesn't cause trouble, but we're not afraid of trouble either. If there's anything outrageous, you can let Gu Yan handle it, or there's always Uncle."

"Okay, Uncle Gu!"

Shu Zi felt a warm glow in her heart and placed a piece of spare rib on Gu Danchen's plate. "Don't worry about these things, just eat well. Your spare ribs today are absolutely outstanding!"

"Really? I also think I'm having a particularly good game today!"

Gu Danchen's attention was immediately diverted, and he began to talk at length about the secrets to making this dish.

Xia Yun shook her head with a smile and gave Shu Zi a look that said, "Look at him."

The meal was warm and lively.

After the meal, Shu Zi insisted on helping to clean up, but Xia Yun and Gu Danchen worked together to "kick" her out of the kitchen.

"With Gu Yan here, there's no need for you to lift a finger. Come, come, play a game of chess with your uncle, and let me see if you've gotten any worse!"

Gu Danchen went to the study with great interest to move his treasured Yunzi Go set. Shu Zi took the opportunity to wrinkle her nose at Gu Yan, who had just come out of the kitchen wiping his hands, and mouthed a silent wail:

Help! My life!

Gu Yan draped the hand towel over the back of the chair, glanced at her, his face expressionless, but his eyes clearly said, "Good luck to you."

Gu Danchen was a big chess addict with an "unconventional" playing style (commonly known as a "bad chess player"), and he also loved to take back moves.

Aside from Gu Yan being able to withstand the pressure and win against him without holding back (and then being nagged by Xia Yun for not letting your dad have a chance), the others accompanied him, especially Shu Zi, who was basically there to keep the "old man" happy with their playful interactions.

"Nuonuo, come here! Get ready, let Uncle see if you've improved lately!"

Gu Danchen set up the chessboard with an imposing air, as if he were holding not a chessboard, but a negotiation table for a multi-billion dollar project.

Who would have thought that Chairman Gu, who is so successful in the business world, is actually a complete chess novice with terrible chess skills?

Shu Zi resignedly sat upright opposite him, her expression as serious as if she were participating in an international competition, but her words were sweet enough to overflow with honey:

"Uncle Gu, I'd be delighted if you could offer your guidance! Please go first!"

"Alright! Watch closely, this move is called 'Golden Horn, Silver Edge, Grass Belly'!"

Gu Danchen, holding the black pieces, landed on the center position with a "snap".

A point that professional players would almost never choose in the opening phase.

Shu Zi: "..."

Gu Yan silently looked away, picked up a financial magazine, and covered the subtle smile that might have been revealed at the corner of his lips.

Xia Yun brought over a fruit platter and couldn't help but chuckle at the start of the conversation. She sat down next to Gu Yan and whispered with a smile:

"Only Nuonuo could handle your dad's unique opening move without batting an eye."

Gu Yan's gaze swept over the top of the magazine and landed on Shu Zi's small face, which was trying hard to maintain an attentive listening expression. He gave a soft "hmm": "She has good stamina."

Xia Yun thought to herself: That's right, without some endurance, how could you withstand your dad's godlike chess skills?

She looked at her son's calm profile, then at Shuzi, who was completely oblivious and fully absorbed in playing with him. She felt both gratified and secretly anxious.

These two kids, one is too steady, and the other hasn't figured it out yet.

The game unfolded "intensely" amidst Gu Danchen's "powerful" but actually chaotic moves.

Sometimes he would place his pieces in completely insignificant places, and other times he would "think" for a long time over a piece that had little impact on the overall situation, before making a "brilliant move" that would shock Shu Zi.

If randomly covering one's own eyes counts as a skillful act.

Shu Zi's task quickly evolved from a "chess game" to guiding the game towards a harmonious ending that appears to have been a fierce battle, with Mr. Gu ultimately "slightly winning" as little as possible.

At the same time, they also had to be ready to deal with Gu Danchen's sudden explanations of chess principles.

"Nuonuo, look, doesn't Uncle have a great sense of the big picture? That's called... um, foresight!"

Gu Danchen pointed to his scattered black stones, his face full of pride.

Shu Zi stared at the chessboard that looked as if it had been hit by a meteor shower, nodded sincerely, her eyes filled with awe for the "unknown territory":

"Uncle Gu's plan... is truly profound. I haven't fully grasped it yet, but it feels incredibly impressive!"

Gu Yan paused almost imperceptibly as he flipped through the magazine.

"Haha, take your time learning! Hey, that was a good move, you've improved! But..."

Gu Danchen suddenly frowned, pointing to the move Shu Zi had just made to secure one of her pieces—a move that couldn't have been more technically correct:

"Isn't this too conservative? Young man, you need to be more adventurous in chess! Watch your uncle!"

With that, he slammed a black stone down in a position that would completely jeopardize the survival of another group of his stones.

Shu Zi: "..."

She secretly glanced at Gu Yan, sending an SOS with her eyes: He really doesn't need me to give way; he's destroying his own foundation!

Gu Yan looked up, his gaze meeting hers for a fleeting moment, then put down the magazine and calmly intervened:

"Dad, are you sure you want to play there? This group of stones seems to have no liberties."

Gu Danchen was taken aback, leaned closer to the chessboard to examine it closely, his brows furrowed, and after a long while, he suddenly waved his hand:

"Oops, wrong move! A true gentleman observes chess in silence, Ah Yan, don't disturb us!"

"Nuonuo, Uncle was just testing you to see if you could figure it out! That doesn't count, I'll try again!"

He then reached for the chess piece.

"Uncle Gu!" Shu Zi exclaimed quickly, her face a mixture of "sudden realization" and "annoyance":

"That was a really high-level test! I was so focused on watching your amazing skills on the other side that I didn't even notice this part!"

"If you hadn't told me, I definitely wouldn't have found out! This step doesn't count, you should take it back now!"

Gu Danchen, feeling flattered, took back his chess piece and comforted Shu Zi:

"It's alright, it's alright. You're still young, your eyesight needs some practice. Uncle will try again, watch carefully..."

Xia Yun stood to the side, her hands supporting her forehead, her shoulders trembling slightly with laughter.

Ultimately, under Shu Zi's "exhaustive" guidance, Gu Yan's occasional "seemingly helpful but actually disruptive" assistance, and Gu Danchen's several "tactical reversals," the game was successfully completed.

The game ended in a thrilling and evenly matched draw.

In reality, Shu Zi had no other choice but to "narrowly win" after giving Shu Zi an 80-move handicap, and could only desperately try to create a draw.

Gu Danchen looked at the chessboard again and again, stroking his chin with satisfaction:

"Hmm, not bad, not bad! Nuonuo played very well today! It was a back-and-forth game, that's what chess is all about! It's much more interesting than playing with Ayan."

"That kid doesn't know how to be tactful at all; he just knows how to act recklessly!"

Gu Yan, who was inexplicably blamed for his reckless actions, was speechless.