Zhou Qishen had gone down a dead end and was sticking to this idea. "She's avoiding me and punishing me. When she gets stubborn, she can really do this kind of thing."
Gu Heping and Lao Cheng exchanged a glance, thinking to themselves, "It's over."
Mr. Zhou firmly believes that he has a son.
For the past two nights, Zhou Qishen has been suffering from insomnia. He could sketch out the general framework, but as Gu Heping said, many details simply didn't match up. But so what? When people are obsessed and deluded, they are most easily misled.
Zhou Qishen's outburst has caused great concern for Gu Heping and Lao Cheng.
Gu Heping may seem unreliable, but he is actually very loyal to his brothers. His grandfather was a veteran general, and by his father's generation, almost everyone had gone into politics or the military. The family had a strict tradition and a reputation for being tough and ruthless. Although there were many siblings in the Gu family, they weren't all particularly close. His true bond was with Zhou Qishen and the others. They had been through thick and thin together, and their relationship would never be broken.
"How about I go see Xiao west tomorrow?" Gu Heping said. "With Boss Zhou in this state, he's bound to run into trouble sooner or later."
The next afternoon, Gu Heping went to the dance studio right on time to catch the person. However, he got stuck in traffic and was a few minutes late. The troupe had dismissed early that day, and only a few people remained. Gu Heping was wondering what was going on when he heard a girl's voice, "Hello."
Cen Yue was wearing a dance costume, a black V-neck fitted dress that accentuated her slender waist and legs, making her look less cute and more like a ripe peach. Gu Heping remembered her very well, "Oh, isn't this my sister?"
Cen Yue was very obedient and gave him special face, "Yes! Hello, Brother Heping."
Gu Heping was cheerful; his peach blossom eyes seemed to be blessed, and when they lit up, they appeared even more dashing. He asked, "Where's your sister Xiaoxi?"
"She's gone."
"So early?"
"Yeah, she went on a date."
Gu Heping frowned. "With whom?"
Cen Yue scratched her nose, her curled eyelashes fluttering. "I'm thirsty."
Gu Heping realized what he meant and smiled gently, "Alright, I'll treat you to a drink."
After driving the young girl around the Third Ring Road and stopping at a shopping mall, we bought a strawberry tea from Heytea. Gu Heping was quite patient. "Tell me, who did she go on a date with?"
Cen Yue bit her straw and said, "She didn't go on a date. I was lying to you."
Gu Heping chuckled and crossed his arms. "Little girl, not bad." He wasn't angry and asked with a smile, "Just because I bought you a drink, you managed to scam me out of money?"
Cen Yue made no attempt to hide her feelings, letting go of the straw and asking frankly, "Gu Heping, do you have a girlfriend?"
Gu Heping nearly choked, laughing uncontrollably, "What are you doing, little girl?"
Cen Yue said, "Since you have a girlfriend, I'll give you back the money for this strawberry soda."
Gu Heping suppressed a laugh, "What if there isn't one?"
Cen Yue said, "If not, I'll pursue you, is that alright?"
——
Sunday night was quite lively at the Meng family's house.
No sooner had the medical team left than Meng Weixi's father arrived, berating her, "Don't you even consider this your home anymore? You're so badly injured, how long are you planning to keep this a secret? Where's your secretary? What's she doing?"
The news of Meng Weixi's injury eventually reached his family. His grandfather personally came to the manor that night in three black Mercedes-Benz cars, making quite a show of force, like escorting a prisoner. Meng Weixi simply remained indifferent; he listened to the scolding but never retorted.
His father threw a huge tantrum and was pushed downstairs by Yan Pinlan.
Later, Yan Pinlan brought hot milk and a plate of osmanthus pastries into his bedroom. Before she could speak, Meng Weixi glanced at the pastries on the plate and interrupted, "Why is it just a single serving?"
Yan Pinlan was stunned, then overwhelmed with grief, and began to cry again.
Ever since Meng Weixi broke up with Zhao Xiyin, he's become obsessed with odd or even numbers for everything. The milk in the refrigerator can't be an odd number, the dishes and utensils can't be an odd number, and it's even gotten to the point where his notebooks, pens, socks, and pants are all in even numbers.
Meng Weixi said, "Odd numbers are unlucky, as they always remind people of separation."
Yan Pinlan consulted a psychologist, who diagnosed this as another symptom of emotional disorder. It was then that she learned her son had received psychological treatment.
If asked what he regrets most in his life, it would probably be opposing his relationship with Zhao Xiyin back then.
Yan Pinlan's sobs grew louder. Meng Weixi sighed and said softly, "Mom, go and rest. I want to be alone for a while."
Yan Pinlan could no longer suppress herself and began to sob.
Meng Weixi stood up, put his arm around his mother's shoulder, and silently saw her out of the room.
Shortly after, the phone rang; it was Guan Qian calling.
Guan Qian reported, "President Meng, I just got off the plane and am now on my way to Ms. Zhao Lingxia's residence. I'll stay for about two to three days. Once I've gathered some information, I'll keep you informed."
Meng Weixi said, "Okay, be careful."
Guan Qian understood that Meng Weixi was determined to dig up every secret about Zhou Qishen's past. Investigating people in private might be dishonorable, but he was acting recklessly, as if possessed, with the air of someone settling scores later.
——
Early winter in Beijing was marked by fierce winds, with alternating periods of sunshine and sudden downpours, the weather unpredictable. Dr. Ji Furong was busy until 2 PM before she finally had a chance to rest. Her medical assistant came in and said, "That gentleman has been waiting in the lobby all morning, ordering takeout for lunch, and hasn't left for a moment."
Ji Furong glanced out the window. Zhou Qishen was standing there, pacing back and forth in a small area. When he turned and saw her, he immediately smiled. Ji Furong sighed, "He's really persistent."
"Dr. Ji, have you eaten?" Zhou Qishen asked her solicitously as she came out.
Wearing a white coat, Ji Furong appeared rather aloof. "Mr. Zhou, you don't need to bother. I am a doctor, and I will keep my patients' conditions confidential without question."
Zhou Qishen still smiled, "You misunderstood. I'm not here to inquire about any medical conditions. I just wanted to ask if women experience blood and qi deficiency after childbirth and need a long time to recover?"
Ji Furong was taken aback, then asked suspiciously, "Why are you asking this?"