Chapter 21 Warning

Chapter 21 Warning

Gu Wei swore this was the fastest he’d ever moved in his life.

His fingers ended the video call before his brain even registered it. As the man’s gaze lingered on his now-dark phone screen, Gu Wei hooked his foot, sending the door swinging shut.

His eyes sparkled with anticipation.

*Bang!*

The man’s palm pressed against the door, his storm-cloud eyes reappearing in Gu Wei’s field of vision, leaving no room for refusal.

It completely extinguished the light in Gu Wei’s eyes.

If only this villa had a courtyard—then this guy wouldn’t even have made it past the gate.

“Pig… I mean, Uncle? What brings you to my humble abode?” Gu Wei forced a smile.

“I’m looking for Xue Shu,” the man’s voice was as deep as Xue Shu’s, but raspier, carrying a hint of menace.

“He’s not here,” Gu Wei said with as much sincerity as he could muster, praying inwardly that his cousin wouldn’t choose this moment to show up and ruin the act. “And I have no idea where he went.”

“Heh.”

The man, in his fifties but well-maintained, with fierce eyes, let out a cold, threatening laugh.

Enough to make a dozen tough guys cry.

Gu Wei’s insides quivered at the sound. He was just glad he’d hung up the call quickly, sparing his elder brother from witnessing something dirty.

His shaky gaze swept over the row of black-clad bodyguards behind the man. His sweaty hands clenched, preparing for bloodshed today.

Xue Zhu watched his tense expression unmoved and said dismissively, “Fine, I won’t look for him anymore.”

“I really don’t… Huh? Why…” Gu Wei’s words came to an abrupt halt. “…Safe travels.”

*Why ask why?* he thought. *If he’s not looking anymore, then just leave already, damn it!*

Gu Wei tried to slam the door shut, but Xue Zhu jammed it firmly with his foot and hand.

After a futile struggle under the man’s mocking gaze, Gu Wei gave up.

*Damn, this old fossil. How is he so strong?*

“Was there something else?” Gu Wei asked with a strained smile.

“I’m not here for Xue Shu…” Xue Zhu took a step forward into the doorway.

A threatening presence advanced, carrying a faint scent of tobacco. Goosebumps rose across his skin.

He forced himself to stay calm, crossing his arms defensively. “Right, right, you’re not here for Cousin… But there’s no one else here. You can’t be here for me, can you? Hahaha… Uh?”

His phone was plucked from his hand. Xue Zhu swiped it open right in front of his frozen face and casually scrolled through his photos. A cold smirk tugged at his lips as he looked at the pictures.

Snapping back to reality, Gu Wei snatched his phone back. “You old—”

The row of bodyguards simultaneously lifted their heads.

Meeting the man’s dangerous gaze, Gu Wei quickly changed his expression, forcing another smile. “Uncle, how could you just go through your nephew’s *private* belongings? This is a violation of my *privacy*!”

He was screaming profanities between the lines.

This old man hadn’t changed—still had no sense of boundaries.

Xue Zhu narrowed his eyes slightly, studying Gu Wei’s furious expression for a moment before suddenly reaching out and patting his head.

“Good job.”

His tone sounded like he was praising a dog.

Then he turned and left, closing the door behind him.

Gu Wei stared at the dark door for two seconds before grabbing his head and howling.

*Ahhhh!*

He’d been defiled! His head had been defiled!

*This stupid head is unusable now!*

“…What are you doing?”

With tear-filled eyes, Gu Wei looked toward Xue Shu, who was standing at the staircase. He sobbed, “Wahhh… Cousin… That Xue old fossil touched my head! Wahhh…”

“…”

His eyes showed disgust. Xue Shu dropped a folder from the second-floor railing onto the coffee table downstairs, then turned away. “Then don’t come looking for me today.”

With that, he walked off and slammed his bedroom door.

A faint *click* followed—the sound of the lock turning.

“…”

If he remembered correctly, he muttered, this was *his* house, right?

*If only I’d been nicer to Xue Shu when we were kids. Who knew he’d grow up and claim my house and company as his own?*

He hadn’t even been told what the company had been busy covering up recently.

*Wahhh… I’m so pitiful… A member of the Gu family, violated by the Gu family’s archenemy… Wahhh! I can’t face Grandpa back home anymore!*

Gu Wei turned on his phone, showing a photo of him with his eldest and second brothers on Baiyue Beach.

His racing thoughts suddenly froze.

*That old fossil was looking at photos of Big Brother earlier?*

*Why?*

Gu Wei couldn’t make sense of it.

He opened up WeChat.

*Doesn't matter, I'll talk to Big Brother first.*

***

After sending his reply to Gu Wei’s message, Wen Xiaoyi happily turned off his smart watch and skipped off to find Wen Yu.

“Dad…”

Thump-scuffle—

Slippers slid and skidded across the thick carpet, his bouncing steps scrambled backward, and Wen Xiaoyi tumbled to the floor, his voice muffled by the rug.

“Huh?” Wen Yu peeked out from the kitchen. “Did Wen Xiaoyi just call me?”

Seeing no sign of the child in his line of sight, Wen Yu tilted his head, puzzled.

“Wen Xiaoyi? Everything okay?”

“Huh? No…” Wen Xiaoyi slowly arched his bottom up from the floor, then pushed his upper body up with his hands, answering intermittently as he did. “It’s nothing… No, I didn’t call… Dad~”

“What’s wrong, Wen Xiaoyi? Why does your voice sound funny?”

“Nothing, nothing. You keep busy, Dad. I’m just playing.”

Wen Yu blinked suspiciously but, with his hands full and trusting Wen Xiaoyi, he didn’t press further.

Wen Xiaoyi crouched near the entryway, cupping his little nose and taking soft, shallow breaths.

Even with the thick carpet cushioning his fall, the fall still stung a bit, but he didn’t want Dad to worry.

After a moment, Wen Xiaoyi sniffled and picked up the culprit that had caused him to slip—a photograph.

How did a photo end up here?

Wen Xiaoyi stared at the person in the photo, his little mind whirring away.

It was a bit overwhelming.

Well, better put this back.

He scampered over to the wooden cabinet, scanning the cabinet’s surface until his eyes landed on an elegant box.

His big, peach-blossom eyes blinked.

Did Dad buy a new box? Don’t remember seeing it before.

His small hands held the photo against the box, sizing it up. Seemed… about the right size?

Might as well put it in.

Wen Xiaoyi opened the box. Such a big box for just a pair of buttons?

But they’re kinda pretty… shiny.

He pressed down on the padding inside, which took up most space, and tried to slot the photo in.

Something in the middle kept blocking it, and it wouldn’t fit.

Hmm.

His chubby fingers carefully pried the photo out, then removed the two buttons before placing the photo inside.

Perfect fit!

Wen Xiaoyi admired his handiwork with satisfaction, closed the lid, and put the box back.

Then, he tossed the buttons into a random drawer.

He bounced cheerfully back to the kitchen.

“Dad~ Dad~”

“What is it?” Wen Yu cracked an egg into a bowl and started whisking. “We’re having fried egg rolls tonight.”

“Wow, Wen Xiaoyi’s favorite fried egg rolls!” Wen Xiaoyi was immediately sidetracked by that. “Wen Xiaoyi wants them with pork floss.”

“Of course.” Wen Yu tested the oil’s heat, ready to pour the egg in.

Wen Xiaoyi watched the lightly bubbling oil, humming a little tune.

Wen Yu hummed along and casually asked, “By the way, what did Wen Xiaoyi want to ask Dad earlier?”

“Huh?” Wen Xiaoyi blinked, then remembered. “Oh right, are you free on Saturday evening, Dad?”

“Saturday?” Wen Yu instinctively thought about his schedule for that day, then recalled something he had promised Wen Xiaoyi. “Of course, I am.”

“Then Dad will accompany Wen Xiaoyi to a banquet, okay?”

“Ban…quet?” Wen Yu’s eyes filled with confusion.

Why would anyone invite Wen Xiaoyi to a banquet?

“Yep, we’re going to Wen Xiaoyi’s third brother’s house to play.”

Wen Yu’s mind conjured an image of Gu Wei’s comical face buried in the sand.

Oh, that explains it.

Probably Young Master Gu wanted to invite friends to play with Wen Xiaoyi? He must have mistaken a gathering for a banquet.

“Sure, Dad will go with you to play with your third brother.” With him around, even if Gu Wei was unreliable, nothing should go wrong.

“Hehe.” Wen Xiaoyi covered his mouth and giggled softly.

“?” Wen Yu paused what he was doing and turned around, puzzled. “What is it, Wen Xiaoyi? Isn’t it Third Brother Gu Wei?”

“It’s him~”

“Then what’s so funny?”

“It’s a secret~”

“…”

As a father who knew his child all too well, Wen Yu suddenly felt an ominous premonition.

***

“Boss, the goods have arrived.”

“Just find a place to put them.”

Clothes and shoes piled up in the living room as Xue Shu directed where everything should go.

“?” The owner of the living room walked out with a cup of tea, glancing at the “guest” comfortably seated on the sofa, flipping through documents.

“What’s all this?” Gu Wei poured himself a cup of tea and sifted through the pile of property deeds and housing brochures on the table.

“I ordered the clothes,” Xue Shu said, his tone flat, as he flipped open the next property deed.

“You… what?” Gu Wei let the papers in his hand slip slowly, asking dumbly.

Xue Shu stayed silent, knowing Gu Wei could figure it out himself.

“…”

“!” Gu Wei's eyes suddenly widened, and he slammed his teacup onto the table. “You… all these clothes were ordered by you?”

“Who else?” Xue Shu looked at Gu Wei like he was an idiot for asking the obvious.

“Why… why?” Gu Wei stammered.

Someone who rarely cared about his appearance suddenly starting to dress up… An astonishing guess popped into his mind.

Hearing the question, Xue Shu paused while flipping through the property deeds. He seemed to recall something, pressing on the bandage on his hand, a faint smile unconsciously appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Gu Wei… Gu Wei quietly pulled out his phone to call his aunt.

Xue Shu sharply lifted his eyelids, his deep gaze instantly seeing through his little scheme.

“…”

Gu Wei raised both his hands and his phone in surrender, sighed, and changed the subject. “Hey, what's with that injury on your head?”

He had initially thought such a large wound was from a fight with the old man, but after seeing Xue Zhu completely unharmed, he knew his assumption was wrong.

If it really was a fight, how could Xue Shu not hold his own against that old man? If Xue Shu hurt his head, the old man would've been hurt worse.

Like last time, when the old man threw a vase at him, Xue Shu dodged but got cut near his eye by the fragments—then another identical antique vase ended up smashed over the old man's head.

…So why did this guy suddenly have a hole in his head?

Combined with Xue Shu's peacock-like eagerness to show off, Gu Wei had a guess…

A curious glint appeared in his eyes.

Xue Shu didn't answer, calmly took a sip of tea, silently confirming Gu Wei's speculation.

“Wow!”

Gu Wei's gaze shifted to Xue Shu's hand. “Moving that fast? It's only been two days since you started pursuing…”

He recalled Xue Shu's unusual behavior these past few days, and suddenly the pieces clicked into place in his mind.

Yikes.

Gu Wei looked at the house photos—one after another of cozily and beautifully decorated homes—not at all Xue Shu's usual style.

So, were the houses also chosen for that person?

Gu Wei raised an eyebrow, watching Xue Shu's serious and focused gaze as he scanned through file after file, and felt that… he could actually understand it.

He had one last question: “What about the little sweetheart you've been pining for all this time?”

He especially remembered that the first big fight between Xue Shu and the old man was because Xue Shu came out for the little sweetheart and refused an arranged marriage.

Over the past four years, thanks to Auntie and Xue Shu's resistance, the old man's chauvinistic tendencies had fewer opportunities to exert it. But since Xue Shu had remained single all these years, the old man seemed to have regained the idea of forcing Xue Shu into marriage.

Gu Wei worriedly wondered: Could this be a lover who's also a stand-in specifically hired to deal with the old man?

He didn't think Xue Shu would give up on his feelings for the little sweetheart, but he was worried Xue Shu might project his feelings onto someone else and raise a substitute.

Xue Shu didn't answer, but a clear spark of amusement spilled from his eyes, shining even brighter.

Seeing him like this, Gu Wei suddenly understood: So it was the same person all along.

Then it really is…

He actually got his wish.

Having resolved—or unilaterally resolved—all his questions, Gu Wei confirmed that his perpetually single good brother was indeed about to embrace his own happiness.

He felt a sense of relief, like a father seeing his son get married.

***

“Dad, hurry up!”

“Okay, just a moment, almost done.”

Wen Yu quickly put on his last jacket to brace against the cooling evening air.

Wen Xiaoyi, dressed in a little white suit, crouched outside the entryway, scratching at the floor with a wooden stick he had somehow collected.

The serious attire contrasted comically with the child's chubby cheeks, creating a sense of a kid playing dress-up—both humorous and adorable.

Wen Xiaoyi looked at Wen Yu's simple casual wear and seemed to want to say something, puffing his cheeks.

In the end, he said nothing, just rapped the floor harder with his stick.

Wen Yu glanced at him. “Xiao Yi, don't tap the floor. You'll disturb the neighbors.”

“Okay~”

“What's wrong?”

“Come on, Dad!”

“Hm? Yeah!”

As they passed the wooden cabinet, Wen Yu's gaze fell on a small box on the counter.

Though he knew he wouldn't need it, he inexplicably slipped the box into his pocket.