You'd Better Get Involved

Wang Yong's wife did not arrive at the police station until the afternoon of the third day. She left their daughter with Wang Yong's parents before hurrying over from home.

The moment she saw Wang Yong, she could not hold back her tears. "What on earth did you do?! Our son is still waiting for you to earn the money to save his life. How could you do something so foolish?!"

On the other side of the glass, Wang Yong was sobbing too hard to speak clearly. "I... I had no choice... Our son's medical bills couldn't wait any longer. I... I only did it because I had no other choice..."

"Since you've done wrong, focus on reforming yourself. Xiao Hui, Xiao Yue, and I will wait for you to get out." She wiped away her tears. "Oh, yesterday the doctor told me that all of Xiao Hui's outstanding medical bills had been paid, and all his future expenses had been covered too."

Disbelief and joy filled Wang Yong's eyes. "They've really, really been paid? Our son's medical bills have really been paid?"

"Yes. I don't know who the kind person was, but our son finally has money for treatment! Do you know who it was? If you do, you must go and thank him properly after you get out!"

"I will. I definitely will."

The verdict came down on the third day. Because Wang Yong had turned himself in and the incident had caused no casualties, he was sentenced to two years. Tong Ziyi was sentenced to five years, and immediately afterward, news that the Tong family had expelled Tong Ziyi spread throughout Anzhou.

At that moment, Gu Zhiyue was at his adoptive parents' home in Yunxiang.

"Dad, how did your fishing trip go last time?"

Bai Qinglan smiled. "Same as always. He sat by the lake for six or seven hours, then ended up spending over five hundred on a bouquet of roses."

Gu Zhiyue asked in puzzlement, "Why buy flowers? Do fish like roses too?"

Lin Xiang said helplessly, "Your mom kept me company for so long, and I didn't catch a single fish. The flowers were to cheer her up."

Gu Zhiyue understood. "Dad, I think you should sign up for some fishing lessons first."

"Where would you find lessons like that? Besides, wouldn't signing up be a waste of money?"

"But your technique really does need some training."

Bai Qinglan laughed so hard at this that she could not stop. Only when she saw Lin Xiang's wounded, helpless expression did she rein herself in.

"Xiao Yue, you're going home tomorrow, right? I made some boneless chicken feet with pickled peppers yesterday. I'll pack two jars for you to take back."

"Great! I've been craving those for ages."

His phone vibrated in his pocket. Gu Zhiyue took it out and saw another twenty million in his account, along with messages from Gu Jiangfeng and Zhao Wanling on GreenChat.

[Dad made a little more money, so I'm sending all of you some pocket money.]

[Mom thought my darling might be short of spending money, so here's a little for you. Remember to tell me if it's not enough.]

Gu Zhiyue glanced at his account balance. Even after paying Wang Yong's son's medical bills, he had still had several million left. Now that he had another twenty million, he could never run short of spending money in this lifetime.

Luo Yunhe sent a message. [What are you doing? Want to play a game? I'm bored here at the hospital.]

Xie Zhen: [(Shocked dog.jpg) You're in the hospital again? What happened this time? Are you okay?]

Luo Yunhe: [Same old problem. I'm here to recuperate for a bit. Where's Zhiyue? Come play.]

Gu Zhiyue came online. [Coming, coming. I was talking to my parents and didn't notice. Let me get back to my room.]

"Mom, Dad, my friends want me to play a game. I'm heading to my room."

Bai Qinglan nodded. "Go on. Don't play too long, and take care of your eyes."

"Okay."

Gu Zhiyue returned to his room, put on his headphones, and opened the game. "Come on, get online!"

Luo Yunhe asked, "Are you still at your adoptive parents' place? When are you coming back?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. My dad's driving me."

Xie Zhen said wistfully, "You seem so happy. You have two sets of parents who love you, and they get along so well. Wherever you go, you're home."

Gu Zhiyue laughed smugly. "You've got that right."

Luo Yunhe sighed. "Dad told me about my cousin again the day before yesterday. My cousin has started shutting himself in his room, and my uncle blew up over it."

Xie Zhen said helplessly, "Tell your uncle to let your cousin leave. They should stop tormenting each other."

"That's what I think too, but it's my uncle's family business, after all. It's not really my place to interfere."

Gu Zhiyue reminded him, "There's still hope for your cousin right now. You'd better get involved."

"Why do you make it sound so serious?"

"Hasn't your cousin already started shutting himself in his room? If no one steps in now, it might get worse and worse." Gu Zhiyue switched his game character's weapon. "As the saying goes, you take on the color of the company you keep. Your uncle doesn't understand what he's done, but you can see it as bystanders."

Luo Yunhe nodded. "That makes sense. I'll try talking to him the next time I visit my uncle."

Xie Zhen downed an enemy with a few shots. "The seven-day holiday went by just like that. Is there any way to go back to the first day?"

"No idea."

"In your dreams."

By the time the three finished playing and logged off, it was almost six in the evening. They had played for nearly two hours.

Gu Zhiyue left his room and went to the water dispenser to get a drink.

Bai Qinglan was cooking in the kitchen. Gu Zhiyue sniffed. "Mom, are we having spicy diced chicken tonight?"

Standing at the gas stove, Bai Qinglan stirred the food in the wok. "What a sharp nose. There's braised pork and braised fish too. You're going back tomorrow, so I'm making a big dinner tonight."

Gu Zhiyue leaned against the kitchen doorframe. "Anything you cook yourself is a feast, Mom."

"The fumes are strong in here. Go wait outside."

"It's fine. I'll stay here and keep you company. We can chat."

By the time Lin Xiang emerged from the study, dinner was ready, and Gu Zhiyue was helping carry the rice, bowls, and chopsticks to the table.

"Dad, wash your hands and come eat."

Lin Xiang chuckled. "All right."

The three sat down at the dining table. Bai Qinglan ladled a bowl of vegetable soup for each of them. "Have some soup to cool off that internal heat. It's good for you."

Gu Zhiyue held his bowl and took a few small sips, then set the soup aside and picked up his chopsticks. "Dad, when will you be done with work? Then we can find a time for you all to get together."

Lin Xiang said, "Soon. About a month."

"Then we'll work out a time then. My mom and dad are free anytime."

Bai Qinglan picked up a large piece of fish belly and placed it in Gu Zhiyue's bowl. "When your dad gets some time off, I'll find a time for our two families to have a meal and spend a few days together."

Gu Zhiyue nodded. "Pick a time when I'm on break. I want to come too."

"Of course we'll bring you."

Xiao Jiu appeared and sat at the edge of the table, his short little arms braced against it as he looked up at Gu Zhiyue. [Host, Luo Yunhe's uncle's family has brought their adopted son back again.]

Gu Zhiyue raised an eyebrow. [What happened? He'd already left. Why bring him back?]

[Actually, the adopted son came back on his own. He said he couldn't bear to leave the Su couple, who had raised him for over twenty years. Su Yongqing has been angry over Su Baixuan lately, so when he saw Su Mingrui return, he let him come straight back without a second thought.]

[Sounds like that adopted son is no innocent.]

[That's right. A large part of why Su Baixuan later became depressed and killed himself was Su Mingrui's meddling. And Su Baixuan and Su Mingrui being switched at birth wasn't an accident at all. Su Mingrui's mother did it deliberately.]

Gu Zhiyue was a little shocked. [Does the Su couple know about this?]

Xiao Jiu shook his head. [They don't. Also, Su Mingrui's mother is working as a nanny for the Su family. Now that Su Mingrui is back, mother and son are reunited.]

Bai Qinglan placed more food in Gu Zhiyue's bowl. "Eat more. Who knows when you'll next come home and have my cooking?"

"Okay, I'll have an extra bowl of rice today!"