Chapter 301: Chapter 274: A Bit Like You
Gu Yanjing took Qiao Zhiang back to Fenglin Villa, informing Aunt Mei on the way to prepare the room.
He also had Su Qi buy things in advance, clothes, daily necessities, and toys.
Qiao Zhiang was upset the entire way, unable to accept the reality of being separated from his parents at such a young age.
But as soon as he entered Fenglin Villa and found his favorite Lego, he instantly forgot the pain of parting with his parents.
With Aunt Mei, Meng Yan, Shang Chen, and Su Qi, he felt completely at ease, even freer than at home.
Gu Yanjing had to attend a dinner in the evening, so after sending Qiao Yuxian and the others home, he prepared to leave with Meng Yan and Su Qi.
Before leaving, Qiao Zhiang unexpectedly walked Gu Yanjing to the door and said, "Brother-in-law, be safe on the road."
Gu Yanjing looked down at him.
He bared his little teeth, eyes curved, smiling obediently at him.
Qiao Yuxian laughed out loud beside them.
Gu Yanjing and Qiao Zhiang both looked at her.
Then Gu Yanjing stepped forward, covering Qiao Zhiang’s eyes, and with the other hand on Qiao Yuxian’s head, he kissed her.
He kissed her on the lips and then released her.
But Qiao Yuxian stood on tiptoe and kissed him back. "Come back early."
Meng Yan and Su Qi stood outside, pretending not to see anything.
Gu Yanjing touched Qiao Yuxian’s face, released Qiao Zhiang, and turned to leave.
Qiao Zhiang watched Gu Yanjing get in the car, and after the car drove away, he looked up at Qiao Yuxian and said, "I know what you did."
Qiao Yuxian looked down at him.
"You kissed each other. Just like that," Qiao Zhiang puckered his moist lips.
Qiao Yuxian coughed lightly, "Without evidence, you shouldn’t speak nonsense."
"I wasn’t talking nonsense," Qiao Zhiang said, "when Dad kisses Mom, he always covers my eyes."
Qiao Yuxian’s slightly unnatural expression turned very gossipy in an instant, "Really?"
Qiao Zhiang nodded with certainty, "I didn’t know why he covered my eyes before, but one time Dad didn’t cover them well, and I found out."
Qiao Yuxian laughed, "So there was such a thing, Dad doesn’t seem like it."
"Hmm? That’s what my sister said too," Qiao Zhiang said.
Qiao Yuxian held his hand as they walked back to the living room, "Have you ever suddenly exposed them?"
"No," Qiao Zhiang said, "my sister says if I expose them, Dad will feel embarrassed to kiss Mom again."
Qiao Yuxian chuckled, "Your sister’s right, we must keep this secret."
"Okay." Qiao Zhiang responded as he looked at the toys in the living room.
Qiao Yuxian said, "Take what you like and play upstairs."
Qiao Zhiang let go of her hand to get the toys, picking a few so many that he couldn’t carry all, and asked for Qiao Yuxian’s help with one.
He also had Zhaocai carry one upstairs with its mouth.
Qiao Yuxian took him to Gu Yanjing’s study.
Letting him play on the sofa.
She went back to her room to get her laptop, sat across from him, and looked up Chen Xi’s phone number. Then she put on her headphones and called Chen Xi.
The first time it wasn’t answered.
Qiao Yuxian called again and got through the second time.
Chen Xi’s voice came from the phone, "Hello."
Qiao Yuxian said directly, "This is Qiao Yuxian, is there anyone around you? Is it convenient to text?"
Chen Xi didn’t speak.
"The call is encrypted, no one will know the details of our conversation," Qiao Yuxian said, "You don’t have to talk, if convenient, reply to me within a minute via text."
Serious across from her, unwrapping toy packaging, Qiao Zhiang looked up at her.
Qiao Yuxian smiled at him and continued to Chen Xi, "In your current situation, you can only trust me. Just find a safe place and text me, don’t worry about the rest, they won’t trace our contact information."
Qiao Zhiang stopped unwrapping toys and continued watching her.
Qiao Yuxian said, "Don’t be nervous, if someone is monitoring you, just say something like ’I don’t need it, I don’t understand it,’ and hang up the call."
As Qiao Yuxian suggested, Chen Xi pretended to treat her as a telemarketer, said something along those lines, and hung up immediately.
A few seconds later, Chen Xi sent a message: [There are recording devices around me, I don’t know where, I’ll move and text you from elsewhere.]
Qiao Yuxian replied: [Okay. Don’t be nervous, you’re safe.]
Chen Xi: [Thank you.]
"Sister, what are you doing?" Qiao Zhiang suddenly asked, "Can I see?"
"Sure. Come sit over here," Qiao Yuxian said.
Qiao Zhiang immediately sat next to her, looking at the dense code on the laptop, his eyes widened, "What is this?"
"Want to learn?" Qiao Yuxian asked.
"Will it be cool?" Qiao Zhiang asked.
"What do you think?" Qiao Yuxian countered.
"I think it seems pretty cool," Qiao Zhiang said, staring at her computer.
"Wanna learn?" Qiao Yuxian asked while sending Yuan Wei a message: [How’s Jiang Shouzhuo doing lately inside? Give him a bit more ’attention.’]
"Yes," Qiao Zhiang looked at her.
"Okay," Qiao Yuxian replied, "Let me handle something first, and then I’ll teach you a bit."
"Alright."
Then Gu Yanjing came home and pushed open the study door.
He saw Qiao Yuxian and Qiao Zhiang leaning on the sofa in the same posture.
Both had one leg on the floor and the other leg bent on the sofa.
Qiao Yuxian was petting Dou Jin; Qiao Zhiang was stroking Zhaocai’s head.
The two were memorizing English vocabulary.
Gu Yanjing glanced at the half-disassembled toy opposite them and entered.
"Brother-in-law," Qiao Zhiang greeted him wisely, knowing he should be humble and flattering in Gu Yanjing’s territory.
"You’re back?" Qiao Yuxian said.
"Mm," Gu Yanjing walked behind her and touched her face, "What are you learning?"
"Introductory hacker English," Qiao Zhiang replied.
Gu Yanjing looked at Qiao Yuxian.
Qiao Yuxian earnestly said to him, "I want to train Zhiang to become the youngest and top hacker."
Qiao Zhiang nodded, his expression very determined.
Gu Yanjing looked at the sheet of paper in Qiao Yuxian’s hand, full of elementary-level words, and glanced at her.
Qiao Yuxian gave him a mischievous smile.
Gu Yanjing looked at Qiao Zhiang, saying flatly, "Good luck."
"Brother-in-law, I will," Qiao Zhiang said confidently.
"Mm," Gu Yanjing responded.
...
It was Qiao Zhiang’s first time not being home, with his parents not around.
Qiao Yuxian was a bit worried and stayed with him until he fell asleep, before going to her bedroom to wash up.
After washing up, she lay in bed, and Gu Yanjing turned off the light, lying beside her.
The room sank into darkness, and Qiao Yuxian looked at the ceiling, "Gu Yanjing, I want to visit Brother Wen Yan tomorrow."
Gu Yanjing slipped his arm under her neck for her to pillow on and remained silent.
Qiao Yuxian turned to look at him, "Why aren’t you saying anything?"
"I’ll go with you," Gu Yanjing said.
"Didn’t Su Qi say you have something in the morning?" Qiao Yuxian asked.
"Canceled, it’s fine now," Gu Yanjing replied casually.
"Really? When was it canceled?" Qiao Yuxian asked seriously, "Didn’t Su Qi just tell you as he was leaving?"
"Just now," Gu Yanjing replied with two words.
Qiao Yuxian: "......"
Gu Yanjing kissed her temple, "What are you going for?"
"To inquire about something," Qiao Yuxian said, "I’ve contacted Chen Xi. Chen Xi mentioned someone named Gu Yao again, but can’t describe his appearance or get a photo. In such a situation, even if I find an artist, if she can’t describe, there’s no way. I want to ask Brother Wen Yan if this might be a psychological issue. I also want to see Aunt Mei."
"Mm, I’ll go with you."
"There’s one more thing," Qiao Yuxian said, "The only clue she provided today was that occasionally, Gu Yao seems a bit like you."
Gu Yanjing furrowed his brows slightly.
Qiao Yuxian didn’t say anything more.
After a while, Gu Yanjing said, "It’s not Gu Shuluo."
Qiao Yuxian took a gentle breath.
She felt Gu Yanjing seemed capable of mind-reading.
She actually wanted to ask if it might be Gu Shuluo or someone else from the Gu Family, but she avoided mentioning Gu Shuluo, fearing it would bring up something unpleasant for him.
But Gu Yanjing mentioned it himself.
"Everything Gu Shuluo does is under surveillance, it won’t be him," Gu Yanjing lightly pinched her face, "Nor should it be anyone else from the Gu Family, as any member entering Beijing would be detected."
Qiao Yuxian remained silent before saying, "Perhaps it’s just a coincidence."
Coincidentally named Gu, and coincidentally resembling Gu Yanjing...