Gu Kaiyuan understood now. Just because he hadn't brought anything back this time, they were preparing to put him in his place. They wanted him to know that without the family, he was nothing. Unfortunately for them, their little schemes would never succeed again.
"I think Father and Mother make a reasonable point," Gu Kaiyuan said respectfully, even changing his form of address. "Since the family's businesses will eventually involve my elder brothers, it is indeed inappropriate for me to interfere too much.
"Coincidentally, Ms. Bai has her dowry shops and estates. As a woman, it's not convenient for her to go out and manage them, and leaving them to the servants isn't a long-term solution either.
"She was complaining to me earlier, worried that over time, she might be deceived by her subordinates.
"I want to take this opportunity to take over these properties and see if I can forge a new path for myself."
