He had been wondering how to bring this up, but the other person had found out without him having to put any thought into it. That certainly saved him some trouble!
Gu Jiangfeng frowned slightly. "You can hear it too?"
Zhao Wanling nodded. "Xiao Shuo, you, and I can all hear him. I suspect everyone in our family can hear Xiao Yue's thoughts, but Xiao Yue doesn't know."
Gu Jiangfeng drew in a sharp breath. "This is so strange. No wonder you waited until I got home to tell me."
"You heard what Xiao Yue said in his thoughts too. What are you planning to do?"
"We can't let our guard down around others. Tonight, I'll take some people and keep watch in the office to catch that traitor. As for my eldest brother and the others, let's not tip them off yet. We'll act once we have direct evidence that they're plotting against the company."
Zhao Wanling agreed with Gu Jiangfeng's plan. "We don't have any evidence right now. Even if we catch that traitor, we won't be able to establish that your eldest brother and the others were behind it."
Gu Jiangfeng chuckled. "Why don't we lure them into a trap? Doesn't my eldest brother want to pry information out of me? I'll give him some. I just can't guarantee that what I tell him will be accurate."
"What about the bid proposal? Are you going to let it get stolen on purpose too?"
"I have an old, scrapped bid proposal sitting around. This is the perfect chance to put it to use. Suddenly, that traitor seems a little useful. We won't arrest them just yet."
Gu Jiangfeng stood up. "Something urgent has come up at the company. I need to go back and make some arrangements."
Zhao Wanling straightened his tie for him. "Go on. Come home early for dinner."
In the back garden, Gu Zhiyue held a large armful of jasmine flowers. "Will this little bit be enough to make pastries?"
Gu Shuoyan's hands were also full of jasmine flowers. "Not enough for pastries, but definitely enough to make flower tea."
Gu Zhiyue wrinkled his nose. "Why didn't we find something to put them in? Couldn't we have picked more that way?"
"Uh... well, I forgot. Let's leave it like this for now. We'll find a bucket tomorrow. Come on, it's almost lunchtime. I'll take you out for a drive after we eat."
When they went inside and found no sign of Gu Jiangfeng, Zhao Wanling told them he had gone back to work at the company. Gu Zhiyue marveled inwardly, He deserves to earn that much money. He's so busy he's spinning like a top.
Lunch was ready, and Aunt Sun came over to tell the three of them they could eat now.
Zhao Wanling ladled a small bowl of clear-stewed sea bass soup for Gu Zhiyue. "Xiao Yue, try this soup and see how it tastes. And this big steamed crab too."
"It looks delicious. Thanks, Mom."
The cut on his forehead had never been deep, and after being well cared for over the past few days, it had mostly healed. All that remained was for the scab to fall off naturally. The wound had been itchy these past few days, perhaps because new flesh was growing.
To let the wound heal completely, Gu Zhiyue only dared to rub it gently with his sleeve to relieve the itching. He cared a great deal about his face.
"Mmm! This soup is delicious."
"If you like it, have another bowl later. Eat your meal first. Eat plenty. You're still growing, so you need to eat more."
Gu Shuoyan teased, "Let's see whether our little brother can make it past one hundred and eighty centimeters."
Gu Zhiyue was chewing, one cheek bulging. "Of course I can! I'm already one hundred and seventy-nine."
Gu Shuoyan spread his hands and smiled. "That's not necessarily true. Some people get stuck on that last centimeter."
"Not listening, not listening! I'll definitely get past one hundred and eighty. I might even end up taller than you!"
Zhao Wanling said helplessly, "You two, eat properly. If you want to bicker, wait until after the meal."
Gu Zhiyue wrinkled his nose at Gu Shuoyan and gave a loud huff before lowering his head to keep eating. Adolescence was a crucial period of growth, and boys had bigger appetites at that age.
Gu Shuoyan clicked his tongue. "I was probably about the same when I was growing."
A little over an hour after lunch, Gu Shuoyan helped Gu Zhiyue choose his clothes and style his look. Only when both of them were satisfied did they drive out.
As the car traveled down the mountain road, its engine gave a smooth, steady, deep rumble. With the convertible's top down, the midday breeze blew straight into their faces.
Gu Shuoyan held the steering wheel with one hand and rested his other arm on the edge of the window. "Feels pretty good, doesn't it?"
Gu Zhiyue could only squint against the wind. "It's nice, but the wind's too strong. I can't keep my eyes open."
Gu Shuoyan smiled and adjusted the sunglasses on his nose. "Now you know why I told you to wear sunglasses, right? They're not just for looking cool."
"Do you have another pair?"
Gu Shuoyan took a pair of square sunglasses out of a small compartment and handed them over. Gu Zhiyue put them on. "Now I can finally enjoy the scenery."
"Your big brother's taking you to a racetrack for some fun."
Gu Zhiyue looked at Gu Shuoyan. "Let's not. I can't handle racing."
"Don't worry. We'll try the beginner course. Besides, I've already had them clear the place out. It'll just be the two of us. I'll let you experience it."
A little anticipation stirred in Gu Zhiyue's heart. "Since it's for beginners, it shouldn't be dangerous. Let's go play for a bit, then!"
"All right! Let's give you a taste of speed and excitement!"
Panxiang City, Jizhou
There was a large conglomerate owned by a family surnamed Gu in this area. Its businesses covered almost every field, and its many subsidiaries were spread across half of Jizhou. The man at its helm was still a young man under thirty.
But once people learned who his father was, no one doubted his ability. He was from the Anzhou Gu Family, a family that even all the other prominent families had to treat with respect. It was hardly surprising that he could take charge of such a large conglomerate before turning thirty.
The conglomerate's headquarters towered into the clouds, sunlight reflecting off its glass exterior. In the chairman's office on the top floor, the man at the desk was giving his assistant work instructions. After receiving his orders, the assistant left the office.
The man casually tossed his fountain pen onto the desk, then picked up the phone lying beside him, opened the calendar, and slowly checked the dates.
"I'll go home once I get through these next couple of busy days. I hope my little brother likes the presents I sent him. I wonder whether he's settled in at home."
The man put down his phone, stood up, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows to look down. Everything below looked as small as toys.
On the beginner loop, the car roared around its final lap at high speed before coming to a steady stop at the finish line.
Gu Zhiyue got out of the car, held on to the door, and bent over, repeatedly patting his chest. "Racing really isn't something just anyone can handle. Are you sure this is for beginners? I feel like I'm about to die."
Gu Shuoyan rubbed the tip of his nose. "I suppose I did go a little fast. Are you all right?"
"No. I feel like the ground is swaying, and I'm nauseous."
Gu Shuoyan patted Gu Zhiyue's back to help him catch his breath. "Everyone feels like that their first time racing. You'll get used to it. Want another round? You can drive this time."
Gu Zhiyue was astonished. "I don't even have a license, and you want me to race? Aren't you afraid I'll total your car?"
"It's just the two of us here. Isn't this the perfect chance to practice driving? Who said anything about making you race? It's early driving practice, understand?"
"Practice driving here? Won't people complain?"
Gu Shuoyan put his hands on his hips. "Let them complain. I've booked the entire racetrack. I can do whatever I want. Even if they object, there's nothing they can do."
Gu Zhiyue smiled. "All right, I'll get some practice in, then. I'll find a chance to take the driving test later. Dad did teach me how to drive, actually. I know how, but I wasn't old enough, so I never took the test."
Gu Shuoyan smiled and ruffled Gu Zhiyue's hair. "Uncle Lin and the others really did teach you a lot."
"Of course. I can play the guzheng too, though I wasn't exactly willing when I first started learning."
The two got into the car. Gu Zhiyue gripped the steering wheel, excited and eager to try. "I'm starting it. Hold on!"
Gu Shuoyan nodded. "Step on the gas."
Three minutes later, Gu Shuoyan said with a smile, "Press the accelerator down a little farther. Worst case, you wreck the car and we get it repaired."
Gu Zhiyue pressed his lips together and nodded with a determined expression, but the speedometer needle remained firmly at forty kilometers per hour.
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