"Ah Zheng, why...why are you doing this? You're using them! How could you...how could you do such a thing!"
Chapter 63 I spoil him, indulge him
Upon hearing this, Gu Zheng's expression finally took on a different meaning.
“Uncle, now Xiao Chen can call out to people, talk, eat by himself, and do puzzles by himself. All of this was brought by Xia Ran. If Xia Ran were not here, Xiao Chen would still be the same as before. Why can’t I do this? Am I just supposed to watch Xiao Chen stay the same forever?”
Qin Shi was speechless at Gu Zheng's words. Thinking of how Gu Chen had excitedly hugged Xia Ran and called her "Dad" just now, he couldn't help but soften his heart again.
That's how people are; most of them are still used to thinking about their own interests, just like in the current Qin Shi.
Between feeling sorry for Xia Ran and being able to help Gu Chen get better, he would rather feel sorry for Xia Ran.
“You… treat her well in the future, don’t let her feel disappointed. I think she’s a good person.”
If she weren't a good person, Gu Chen wouldn't like her so much.
Gu Zheng nodded. "I will."
Qin Hao, standing to the side, stared at the two of them, somewhat dumbfounded.
This is not what he imagined. He deliberately did not tell his parents what Xia Ran looked like, because he wanted to wait for his parents to come back and see her so that he could give Gu Zheng a good scolding and questioning.
But now Gu Zheng has just brushed it off in a few words? What about the show he wanted to see?
Gu Zheng's gaze fell on Qin Hao, and he spoke in a somewhat cold tone.
"It seems you're still too idle. I remember the company has a development zone that's about to start construction. I think you'd be a good fit for that."
Qin Hao's eyes widened upon hearing Gu Zheng's words.
He knew exactly what was going on with that development zone that was about to start construction. It was very far away, and it would be difficult for him to come back even once!
Moreover, his eating habits are all about spicy food. How could his frail body, who loves sweets, possibly handle that?
"No, well... bro, I've got other things to do lately, I think we should go eat instead, hahaha, let's go eat first!"
He ran toward the restaurant as he spoke.
Qin Shi shook his head as he watched from behind. Logically speaking, his son also had the blood of the Gu family, so why did he look nothing like Gu Zheng?
This meal made Aunt Gu even more satisfied with Xia Ran, because during the meal, Xia Ran coaxed Gu Chen into calling her "Grandma" several times.
But while I was satisfied, my feelings were also more complicated.
This person is so good, yet they...
Because Gu Chen has a habit of taking a nap, he felt sleepy after eating, but he didn't sleep. He just yawned while lying in Xia Ran's arms.
Xia Ran thought for a moment and then spoke to Aunt Gu and the others.
"Auntie, I'll take Xiaochen upstairs to sleep first, and then I'll come down to chat with you later, okay?"
It was indeed inappropriate to leave after only meeting Aunt Gu Zheng for the first time, but he couldn't do anything about Gu Chen's condition. He couldn't just let Gu Chen stay in his arms, half-asleep, forever, could he?
Upon hearing Xia Ran's words, Aunt Gu immediately agreed.
"Alright, alright, you take Xiao Chen back to sleep first. If you're sleepy too, you can take a nap together. Anyway, we haven't gone anywhere else here, so we have plenty of time to chat."
Upon hearing this, Xia Ran nodded quickly. Of course, he couldn't actually go to sleep with Gu Chen; he would just come down after coaxing him to sleep.
So after glancing at Gu Zheng, Xia Ran carried Gu Chen out of the living room.
After watching Xia Ran go up the stairs, Aunt Gu's smile vanished instantly.
She looked at Gu Zheng with a calm expression and asked in a cold voice,
"Gu Zheng, what exactly is going on? What are you trying to do?"
Because they were the only elders in the family who had raised Gu Zheng, they dared to question him now.
Qin Hao ate an orange on the side, his eyes sparkling, but he huddled in the corner and dared not speak.
He wanted to see the gossip, to see his mother scold Gu Zheng, but he was also afraid that her anger would affect him.
After all, this kind of thing has happened quite often before.
In the past, whenever Gu Zheng did something that upset his mother, such as being sick but not seeing a doctor or taking medicine, his mother would get very angry and would keep scolding him.
But every time he scolded Gu Zheng, Gu Zheng would come and scold him again, asking why he didn't supervise his brother.
Qin Hao felt extremely aggrieved every time he heard this. Was his brother someone he could supervise at will?
But faced with his mother's anger, he could only dare to be angry but dare not speak out.
So now he's in a dilemma, not knowing whether to continue reading the gossip or prioritize saving his life and leaving first.
In the end, his gossipy nature prevailed over his desire to leave, though he even found himself breathing much more lightly.
Faced with Aunt Gu's questioning, Gu Zheng's expression remained unchanged. He simply repeated what he had just said to Qin Shi to Aunt Gu.
However, this time he added an extra sentence.
“Auntie, Xia Ran went back to his hometown because of some things. Xiao Chen kept crying then, and we couldn’t comfort him. He just kept silently shedding tears and wouldn’t eat.”
"Later, I took him to see Xia Ran, and only then did he agree to eat again."
As expected, Gu Gu's heart clenched at his words.
Her biggest worry was Gu Chen, and now that she heard this, she completely forgot about questioning Gu Zheng.
“But…but what you’re doing isn’t right either…” Aunt Gu said with a bitter expression.
How could their family treat others so unfairly?
Gu Zheng continued speaking without changing his expression.
"What's wrong with that? He loves me, I married him, I pamper him, indulge him, and make him happy. I won't cheat on him or do anything to betray him, and Xiao Chen can become a normal person. What's wrong with that?"
Gu Zheng's words left his aunt speechless.
Qin Shi had long seen through Gu Zheng's resolve and knew they couldn't change his mind, so he patted his wife's hand, sighed, and said...
"Forget it, let's just leave it at that. We're already married anyway, and there's no point in doing anything about it. The most we can do is be nicer to Xia Ran."
“As long as our family doesn’t say anything, Xia Ran won’t know some things. We’ll just be nicer to him in the future. Besides, I think A-Zheng spoils Xia Ran, so… let’s leave it at that.”
Aunt Gu wanted to say something more, but thinking of what Gu Zheng had just said, she could only sigh helplessly.
Finally, for reasons unknown, she grabbed Qin Shi's hand and left, leaving behind only a hasty sentence.
"Let's go out for a bit, and we'll let Xiaoran know when he wakes up."
This shows that Aunt Gu has completely accepted Xia Ran and even likes her very much.
Gu Zheng didn't inquire about his aunt's affairs. In any case, he had already made both of them understand him, so there was nothing more to say or ask.
Chapter 64 Selling the Stupid Younger Brother
Qin Hao, watching from the side, was dumbfounded again.
Why is this still different from what he imagined? His brother managed to fool his parents again with just a few words?
Why didn't he receive the same treatment? He had tried to fool his parents in the same way before, but all they gave him was a slap!
Qin Hao grew increasingly indignant, and finally shoved the orange into his mouth in frustration, as if only in this way could he vent his anger.
Gu Zheng's gaze slowly fell on him.
Qin Hao, who was about to take another orange, froze and subconsciously looked up at Gu Zheng.
"Brother... Brother, why are you looking at me like that?"
After asking the question, he nervously swallowed. Why did he feel that his brother's eyes were so sinister?
A meaningful smile suddenly appeared on Gu Zheng's lips.
"You enjoyed watching the play just now?"
Qin Hao: "...No! I didn't, brother, how could you think of me like that! I'm on your side, otherwise I would have told Mom and Dad about Xia Ran a long time ago, instead of waiting until now."
"Is that so?" Gu Zheng said. "Isn't it because you want to see me get a lesson that you've been dragging your feet on saying anything?"
Gu Zheng saw through Qin Hao's thoughts at a glance, but he didn't bother to argue with Qin Hao just now because there were other people around.
Qin Hao: "Cough... Of course not! Brother, what are you thinking! How could I be that kind of person!"
Qin Hao's eyes widened, his face filled with anger and discomfort at being questioned. Of course, if there hadn't been a hint of guilt in his eyes, Gu Zheng would have actually believed him.
Gu Zheng looked at Qin Hao in silence without saying a word, as if he was thinking about something.
Qin Hao felt a chill run down his spine under Gu Zheng's gaze and couldn't help but ask a question.
"Brother, can't you just say what you want to say? Don't look at me like that, it's making me a little uneasy."
Gu Zheng seemed to have been waiting for Qin Hao to say this, and nodded after hearing Qin Hao's words.
"I'll give you two choices: one is to follow up on the development zone over there, and the other is to talk to Lin Yi of the Lin family about a collaboration."
This Lin family is the one they were discussing last time.
"Hmm?" Qin Hao was a little puzzled. "Talking about cooperation with Lin Yi? But didn't he always want a share of our development rights? How did it turn into cooperation now?"
Gu Zheng's expression remained unchanged. "There's no reason why. You just need to choose where to go."
"Can I... not choose either one?" Qin Hao asked with hopeful eyes.
Gu Zheng nodded. "Okay."
Qin Hao's eyes lit up, but before he could even feel happy, Gu Zheng's next words poured cold water on his enthusiasm.
“Since you don’t want to choose either of these, then you should go abroad. Things abroad need to be handled by someone. It’s inconvenient for me to travel back and forth between China and abroad so often, especially since I have a family now.”
"So, the last resort is for you to stay abroad and handle things at the company there. I think if I mention it to my aunt and uncle, they will agree."
Qin Hao gritted his teeth, rolled his eyes at Gu Zheng in front of him, and was so angry that he glared at him.
"Fine, I'll choose! I'll choose to negotiate a partnership with the Lin family!"
Although rumors circulated that the young master of the Lin family, who had returned, was decisive and difficult to get along with.
But Qin Hao didn't think so. Even if someone was difficult to get along with, could they be as difficult as his brother?
He's lived under his brother's oppression for so many years, how could he not reach a cooperation agreement with that Lin Yi?