“What? Gu ZhaoChuan’s gone? You checked the surveillance footage and saw someone took him?” Gu WeiJun’s brows furrowed tightly, his tone sharp with agitation.

He rarely lost his composure like this—but when it came to this, he couldn’t keep his cool.

After all, Gu ZhaoChuan was pivotal to the entire Gu family. Most people didn’t know his true identity, so once word spread, his wife and others were bound to get suspicious. Now... Gu WeiJun figured it was time to finally tell her the truth.

He didn’t believe Gu ZhaoChuan had been taken by force. It was no coincidence this happened right after HuMing’s survival. Gu ZhaoChuan must’ve anticipated HuMing would come for him—and made his exit in advance.

If even he didn’t know the plan, he might’ve started frantically looking for ZhaoChuan. But this way, when ZhaoChuan eventually reappeared, no one would question him.

It was all part of the setup.

Sitting in the car, Gu WeiJun glanced toward the hospital. HuMing was still inside, in the room with Han YunXi.

Something about the way he acted around her felt... off.

Thinking it over, HuMing seemed to be close with several girls. What’s more—they all seemed to like him back.

As an experienced father, Gu WeiJun instantly sensed something suspicious.

But the problem wasn’t HuMing.

It was the girls.

Ordinarily, when girls noticed the guy they liked was surrounded by other girls, they’d either compete or quietly back off.

But here?

None of that was happening. In fact, they all seemed to get along just fine.

...Had they come to some kind of agreement?

The very thought short-circuited Gu WeiJun’s brain. But he quickly snapped back to reality.

Because just then, HuMing walked out of the hospital—wearing a smile that could only mean something good had just happened in that room.

HuMing rubbed his cheeks and got into the car. His father had been waiting a while.

Han LiTian had told him to go home and rest—he’d take care of Han YunXi.

“HuMing, you and Han YunXi... you sure you’re just siblings?”

“Ah—Dad, what’s with the sudden question?”

“It’s just... you don’t act like siblings.”

Gu WeiJun narrowed his eyes at him, but then suddenly grinned.

“Forget it, we’ll talk about that later. Let’s find a place to eat first.”

At the restaurant, HuMing heard about Gu ZhaoChuan’s disappearance.

He didn’t even need to think—this had to be Francis’s doing. That guy had probably whisked Gu ZhaoChuan away to brainwash him.

HuMing knew Francis too well.

Now that Gu ZhaoChuan had disappeared off the radar, Kang Xin and HuMin were working behind the scenes to track them.

All HuMing could do was wait.

Still, he trusted HuMin. That woman rarely disappointed.

“By the way, HuMing, you didn’t come back just to protect Han YunXi, did you? I remember you saying there was something else you needed to deal with?”

The question reminded HuMing of his original purpose for returning.

After everything with Han YunXi, it had slipped his mind.

He nodded and said, “Second-grandpa left me something. Lan Jun said it’s ready—I can go collect it anytime.”

“I see. Want me to take you?”

“Sure, we can go after lunch.”

“I’ll give Lan Jun a call.”

…

Their car pulled up by a bank—one of the most well-known in the area. It was where Gu ZhouXing had left his item.

When the manager heard an important client had arrived, he came out personally to greet HuMing.

“Gentlemen, I hear you’re relatives of Mr. Gu. He did leave something here, but I’ll need some verification.”

HuMing took the jade pendant from around his neck and placed it gently in the manager’s hand.

The manager examined it carefully, then sat down to run a detailed check.

Arms crossed, Gu WeiJun surveyed the place.

He’d been to places like this before, but never expected his second uncle would store something here. Was this whole situation part of Gu ZhouXing’s design from the beginning?

The more he thought about it, the more he respected his uncle.

If Gu ZhouXing had ever chosen to fight for control of the Gu family, his own father might’ve lost.

But things had taken a different path—Gu ZhouXing must’ve sensed something was off long ago, and had distanced himself.

Leaning against a nearby pillar, Gu WeiJun pondered.

Meanwhile, HuMing checked his phone.

It was a photo from Ye QiuXue.

She stood in the middle of a field, sun hat on, sweat dripping from her face.

She flashed a peace sign at the camera, smiling brightly, radiating youth and energy. In the background, an elderly woman was bent over, tending to something.

“Just finished work! Time to eat!”

“You look exhausted. Did your hands wrinkle from all that work?”

“Please, Grandma’s been doing this for years and never complained. You think I’m that pampered? I’m not that soft, okay?”

“Alright, alright. Next time I’ll come help out too.”

“Oho~ this is your chance to raise your favorability score, make sure you take it seriously!” She ended with a finger-heart and a cheeky grin.

HuMing smiled at the screen, not realizing Gu WeiJun had come up behind him.

Since getting into a relationship, HuMing had become much less alert—completely lost in a haze of pink bubbles.

Not that he minded.

These people—these feelings—meant a lot to him.

Gu WeiJun eyed him with a teasing smirk and slung an arm around his shoulders.

“She looks like a sweet, cheerful girl. When are you bringing her home to meet the family?”

“She’s still young,” HuMing said, flustered. “I don’t want to scare her off.”

He followed Ye QiuXue’s lead in everything—he wasn’t the type to make decisions for someone else.

Hearing this, Gu WeiJun nodded, very satisfied.

Just like himself—steady, thoughtful. He’d let HuMing handle things his own way.

“Oh right, there’s something I forgot to mention. Since ZhaoChuan is gone, I think it’s time we tell your mom the truth. No point letting her grieve over a fake. It just… doesn’t sit right with me.”

“…Dad, you’re totally wife-whipped, aren’t you?”

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