SFBF CH89

Through Mingbao’s playful banter and persistent, adorable efforts to cutely win over his mother, he was finally permitted to spend the night at Gu Duo’s house.

Tomorrow was the weekend with no school, so the three cubs stayed up late playing… or more accurately, Shen Qing led Mingbao and Ao-zai in playing until late, while Duoduo sat nearby reading a book, accompanying them the entire time.

Since Shen Qing had recently started learning the piano himself, he brought Mingbao and Ao-zai over to the piano after dinner.

Mingbao had constantly been forced to practice by his mother. When Uncle Shen proposed they try a duet of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” to see how it went, Mingbao simply raised his hands and immediately launched into “Turkish March.”

Shen Qing: “…”

Uh, actually, the full name of my piece is ‘Variations on Ah vous dirai-je, Maman,’ which still has plenty of style, and the middle section is quite difficult too!

Shen Qing commented, “Mingbao, don’t you play beautifully? Why do you and your mom always bicker over practicing then?”

Hearing Uncle Shen’s praise made Mingbao incredibly happy, but he quickly puckered his lips in a pout. “Mom always criticizes me for being lazy and not practicing hard.”

The implication was clear: Mingbao already played very well and was incredibly talented, but because he was always too lazy to practice, getting him to the piano was harder than pulling a stubborn ox. Thus, he and his mother frequently clashed over it.

Shen Qing gently stroked the soft little curls on Mingbao’s head consolingly. “Your mom probably sees your talent and doesn’t want you to waste it.”

Mingbao kept his mouth puckered, his little cheeks puffed out with grievance. However, that didn’t stop him from rubbing his big head against Uncle Shen’s palm, his curls feeling wonderfully soft.

Shen Qing: “…!”

My heart is absolutely melting! To think Mingbao’s mother could still bring herself to be so strict with such a cute child—she was truly formidable!

Just as Mingbao was vigorously rubbing his big head against Uncle Shen’s palm while clutching his arm—attempting to recount his tragic history of forced learning—Gu Duo, who was reading nearby, suddenly cleared his throat.

It was a very loud cough. And incredibly abrupt.

Mingbao: “…”

Hearing the sound, Shen Qing quickly turned around. “Duoduo, what’s wrong with your throat?” His expression was filled with concern.

Gu Duo: “…”

“It’s nothing.” Retracting his gaze from them, Gu Duo looked back down at the book in his hands, his face thoroughly solemn and serious.

Mingbao let go of Shen Qing’s arm and stopped his affectionate nuzzling, but he still pouted. “But Mingbao doesn’t understand why I have to play the piano every single day!” He had stopped clinging, but he certainly hadn’t given up on complaining.

Shen Qing smiled warmly at Mingbao’s venting. Mingbao was still small; it was entirely normal for a child his age to have a short attention span. Demanding him to sit down like a little adult for an hour and a half every day with absolute focus was something even most adults couldn’t manage. It really was a bit much to ask of a toddler.

However, every parent had different expectations and educational styles, so it wasn’t his place to say anything.

Still, Shen Qing suddenly realized—aside from studying, did his own cubs have any extracurricular hobbies?

Well, this lack of hobbies mainly referred to Duoduo. Ao-zai seemed to have plenty of interests; he would try basically anything you asked him to do without much pushback.

For instance, seeing Mingbao play, Ao-zai was currently kneeling on the piano bench with his little bottom sticking up in the air. Without any instruction or guidance, he began pressing down on the keys with his short little fingers.

Hearing the notes, Mingbao quickly went over to coach him. But Ao-zai had no concept of sheet music, nor did he know what Do-Re-Mi meant. No matter what Mingbao said, he didn’t understand. After staring blankly at his hard-working “Teacher Ming” for a long time, he ultimately extended his little paws and simply banged away at random.

Mingbao: “…”

Yet, Mingbao actually quite enjoyed listening to the chaotic noise. After listening for a bit, Mingbao exclaimed in shock, “Oh my goodness, Ao-zai, you’re amazing! You’re almost playing a chord!”

Hearing this, Ao-zai instinctively puffed out his little chest and waved his small fingers even more vigorously, tapping away!

In truth, Ao-zai wasn’t entirely playing at random. His Little Dad practiced the piano occasionally, and he always watched and listened from the side. Although he didn’t comprehend it, Ao-zai could memorize the order in which his Little Dad pressed the keys! He might misremember a few… but it was close enough!

Delighted by Brother Ming’s praise, Ao-zai decided to show off further, immediately slamming both little hands down in a chaotic flurry. Mingbao sat right beside him, instantly improvising a duet to accompany him.

Shen Qing hastily whipped out his phone to record this scene. Whether it sounded technically good was secondary… but surprisingly, it actually sounded quite pleasant!

Shen Qing felt that compared to them, he was truly the one with zero musical talent.

Nearby, Gu Duo—who had been reading meticulously—stopped looking at his book and turned his eyes toward the piano. Gazing at Ao-zai, who was half-kneeling and half-sprawling over the keys, and Xu Weiming, who was busily managing things like a little instructor, the corners of Gu Duo’s habitually expressionless lips curled up instinctively.

Happening to be midway through recording, Shen Qing remembered this cub and panned the camera over, capturing Duoduo’s subtle smile perfectly.

Without giving anything away, Shen Qing walked over and pulled Duoduo up. “Come on, let’s try playing together.”

The piano at home had always been placed in the ground-floor main hall. Rumor had it that this particular instrument was a world-class masterpiece, costing a fortune just to have someone come tune it every year. Set up in the house, it looked incredibly grand even when no one played it. Thus, it was considered another household treasure of the villa.

Usually, Duoduo would be studying in their room at this hour. The only reason he brought his book downstairs today was clearly to feel included in their piano session. Even if he wasn’t personally interested, Duoduo’s upbringing dictated that he accompany his friend the entire time during a sleepover.

But Shen Qing felt that this cub shouldn’t be left out as a mere bystander. “Just treat it as taking a break from reading.”

Shen Qing pulled Duoduo over, rambling nonsense like, “It’s a waste to leave such an expensive piano unplayed,” as he successfully guided Gu Duo to the instrument.

Seeing his older brother approach, Ao-zai slightly corrected his posture. Three little children squeezed together onto a single piano bench. Without needing Shen Qing to organize them, the three cubs sat in a neat row: Gu Duo sat in the middle, Ao-zai was by his hand, and Mingbao sat on the other side.

“Alright, don’t be stiff. Just play whatever you want,” Shen Qing said, holding up his phone.

Duoduo didn’t know how to play the piano and had never thought about learning it. Even though there was one at home and many children in his class were taking lessons and passing grade examinations, Gu Duo remained entirely unmoved. He had never so much as touched a piano before. Lacking Ao-zai’s confidence to just bang keys randomly, he hesitated to extend his hands.

On the other side, although Mingbao detested forced practice, blindly messing around with friends with zero restrictions clearly fell into the category of a game. Not only was he not annoyed, but he enthusiastically took the lead in playing again. Happening to be in the lower register of the piano, his section was perfect for an intro.

Mingbao played earnestly, the usual cute or pitiful expressions vanishing from his delicate face, replaced by a subtle, focused smile. In his seriousness, he looked like a gentle fairy prince from a fairy tale.

Beside him, Gu Duo kept watching him play, observing his posture, demeanor, and finger placements. Sensing the timing was right, Shen Qing gestured for Ao-zai to join in.

Ao-zai continued to play randomly, but perhaps he truly possessed natural talent; there was order within his chaos, allowing him to miraculously harmonize with Mingbao’s melody.

Finally, Shen Qing found a spot to prop up his phone before coming up behind Duoduo. He personally took the cub’s small hands, guiding him to strike the keys.

Gu Duo: “…”

Initially, Gu Duo was a bit unaccustomed to having his hands held by his Little Dad to play, his tiny back tensing up completely. But with each consecutive strike of the keys, hearing the beautiful melodies bursting forth from the piano solely because of his touch, Gu Duo suddenly realized that playing the piano… wasn’t so bad. It felt rather magical.

Eventually, Shen Qing slowly let go of his hands, allowing him to press the keys on his own.

The three little ones thus performed a collective piece whose name remained entirely unknown—and which might sound like pure noise to a professional musician. The music echoed through the massive living room.

No one in the villa thought the young masters played poorly. Instead, the passing domestic staff paused to watch, whispering compliments, and some even clapped enthusiastically to show support.

As the audience grew, the expressions of the three toddlers became increasingly solemn. Aside from Duoduo, who maintained a stoic face throughout, Mingbao—who was completely immersed in the music—rarely showed a smile, his demeanor turning serious and confident. Ao-zai, always dedicated to whatever task he took on, kept his chubby face taut, listening intently to his brothers’ notes while contemplating how to coordinate his own.

Shen Qing was absolutely charmed by the serious little expressions of the trio.

Finally, as the piece concluded, the villa erupted into applause and joyful laughter.

“The eldest young master and the young master are far too incredible! They’ve never taken a single lesson, yet they can play just like that!” Aunt Zhang displayed a look of shocked delight. Naturally protective, she wasted no effort in praising them upon discovering this new talent.

“Mingbao is amazing too! Does little Mingbao even need more lessons? This already looks highly professional to me!” other servants chimed in with sincere admiration.

The three cubs were praised to high heaven by the adults. Ao-zai’s interest in the piano was thoroughly sparked, prompting him to firmly clench his little fist and declare solemnly, “Ao-zai will come play again in the future!”

With that, he shifted his little body, returning to his position of kneeling on the bench with his little bottom protruding upwards. Shifting around, he realized this posture was still the most comfy!

Standing nearby, Duoduo kept a careful eye on his younger brother to prevent him from falling while changing positions.

When asked if he wanted to officially learn the piano in the future, Gu Duo still shook his head in refusal.

“Ah? Why? Do you not like it?” Shen Qing asked Duoduo, mimicking Ao-zai’s tone.

Gu Duo had already stood up with an aura of profound maturity, returning to his spot to read. He left behind a brief sentence: “It’s alright.”

Shen Qing: “…”

Lately, the Big Dad of these children has started talking a lot more, but Duoduo is becoming increasingly deep and enigmatic. Did “It’s alright” mean he liked it or disliked it?

He understood that in Gu Duo’s heart, studying was probably the only thing that mattered. This was a subtle yet deeply ingrained mindset. Because reading and studying had been incredibly difficult and constantly obstructed in the past, it made young Duoduo psychologically view education as the most precious opportunity. Mastering foreign languages and excelling in every subject was the only way he could grasp his own destiny in the future. As for other areas that didn’t involve a survival crisis, they weren’t things this highly unique child would bother considering.

Just as he had never forced him to relax in the past, Shen Qing wouldn’t force him to learn an instrument now.

However, with the Big Dad’s health steadily improving, their family’s future circumstances would naturally shift. Previously, Shen Qing had merely planned to use ample money to raise the two cubs; perhaps they would just attend an ordinary university and find a job they liked. As long as they lived well and didn’t turn villainous, Shen Qing’s mission in this life would be complete.

But now… since Gu Huaiyu wasn’t going to die, their family would highly likely maintain this luxurious standard of living. The people Duoduo and Ao-zai interacted with would lean heavily toward Huacheng’s upper echelon and elite. Most of their classmates would be just like Mingbao, receiving an elite education.

A thought occurred to him: in typical elite education, wasn’t it standard to master some sophisticated skill?

Mingbao was forced to practice the piano every day by his mother, not for the sake of passing grade exams or gaining extra credits for future school admissions, but because playing the piano was considered an essential, fundamental skill for children of prominent families.

…Thinking of this, Shen Qing suddenly shuddered.

It wasn’t that he urgently felt his own cubs needed to rush into piano lessons to keep up with high society’s parenting trends. Quite the opposite—Shen Qing was relieved that Duoduo didn’t intend to touch such things. Given Duoduo’s personality, if playing the piano was added to his list of “must-know” duties, wouldn’t he end up practicing day and night without rest?!

With that thought, Shen Qing abruptly snapped the piano lid shut with a clack. “No more playing,” he announced.

The three pairs of eyes turned to look at him in confusion. According to Mingbao’s lifelong experience, even if it wasn’t a formal practice session, adults would always request “just one more song, play another one.” Yet now, they had only played a single piece… Mingbao was entirely bewildered.

Meanwhile, Gu Duo felt uncharacteristically anxious. Did I make Little Dad angry because I said I didn’t like playing the piano? After all, he knew that over half of his classmates were forced by their families to learn the piano. It seemed that failing to learn an instrument would bring shame to one’s parents…

Suddenly hit by this thought, Gu Duo lowered his head to stare at the tightly shut piano lid. He thought to himself that if Little Dad truly needed him to learn…

“Who says we absolutely have to play the piano?” Shen Qing’s clear voice suddenly rang out.

Meeting the gazes of the three little ones, Shen Qing placed his hands on his hips, speaking with an air of absolute natural certainty: “Whatever we do must be based on our own interest. If we don’t like it, we don’t do it! Therefore… it is now officially time to watch cartoons!”

Gu Duo: “…”

Gu Duo glanced at the time. It really was their designated Friday slot for watching television. He instantly felt a bit foolish for overthinking things just now. His Little Dad was, as always, entirely different from most parents. Thinking of him that way was practically an insult to Little Dad’s character.

“…Hooray!”

On the other hand, the moment he heard they could watch cartoons, Mingbao literally jumped for joy, practically wanting to throw his arms around Shen Qing’s leg. He was simply too ecstatic! In the past, he was only permitted to watch a single episode of a cartoon after practicing the piano for an hour or an hour and a half. But at Uncle Shen’s house… they could watch cartoons directly!

Uncle Shen would not only practice with him to make the piano less boring, but he even allowed cartoons right after… Mingbao couldn’t experience even a shred of suffering here! He couldn’t help but mentally sigh to Gu Duo once more: Your Dad is simply too amazing, too perfect!

However, no matter how much he liked Uncle Shen, the moment Gu Duo cast a sharp look over, Xu Weiming didn’t dare to act too wild. He instantly toned down his movements by seventy to eighty percent, eventually shuffling elegantly to Shen Qing’s side and stating politely, “Then, Uncle Shen, we’ll head upstairs first!”

Ao-zai, who had been completely out of the loop, heard they were heading upstairs to watch TV and immediately bounced onto the floor with a soft thud, fully ready to march. There was a large television in the children’s room, and the cubs usually watched their shows there.

Shen Qing smiled warmly, patting Mingbao’s soft lamb-like curls. “Go on.” Then he added, “Duoduo has to watch along too. Today is Friday, our agreed-upon day for you to watch cartoons.”

“Understood.” Gu Duo had already closed his book and stood up. tucking the book under his small arm, he took Ao-zai’s hand with one hand, leading his younger brother upstairs like a little adult while gesturing for Xu Weiming to follow.

Little Dad had claimed that watching cartoons occasionally helped develop intelligence and enrich the imagination. Gu Duo had tried it conscientiously but had yet to discover any obvious effects. However, after regularly watching cartoons, when Xu Weiming chatted with other kids at school, Gu Duo could roughly grasp their conversations now. Even if he hadn’t watched the specific episode they were discussing, he understood the context. For Gu Duo, who was increasingly habituated to controlling all available information, watching cartoons once or twice a week had effectively become a “required course.”

The three cubs returned upstairs, and Shen Qing had someone wash some fruit to send up, along with juice and the milk the cubs needed.

After that, Shen Qing’s job was done. Back when he first got Duoduo used to the frequency of watching cartoons once or twice a week, Shen Qing would accompany them. Later, he realized that the stuff kids watched was just a tiny bit too boring… fine, he lacked a childlike innocence. In short, he didn’t persist for more than a few days, and it eventually became a viewing session exclusive to Duoduo and Ao-zai.

Fortunately, Ao-zai was never picky. He would watch whatever cartoon was put on, laughing along even if he didn’t fully comprehend it. When he wasn’t allowed to watch, he wouldn’t throw a tantrum either; he could easily find something else to play with and remain perfectly content. Shen Qing frequently found this particular trait of his cub to be quite miraculous. In short, he was excellent at keeping his older brother company. Now that Mingbao was here, there was even less reason to worry about Duoduo and the others being bored during cartoon time.

Shen Qing gloriously clocked off work and began his gaming session. Later on, a question suddenly crossed his mind: since mastering the piano was a required course in elite education, he wondered if the Big Boss knew how to play?

That evening, Shen Qing posed this question to him.

Gu Huaiyu asked, “You want to hear me play?”

Shen Qing’s eyes sparkled. “You actually know how to play?”

Gu Huaiyu tilted his head slightly, a bit amused. “Otherwise, why do you think the piano is placed in the hall?”

“Well,” Shen Qing muttered, “…I thought it might just be a high-end decorative piece for show?”

Gu Huaiyu: “…” After a moment of serious contemplation, the Big Boss actually nodded. “The scenario you mentioned is indeed possible.”

Shen Qing: “…”

Gu Huaiyu smiled and said, “Let’s go take a look.”

He was still sitting in his wheelchair at the moment, and he immediately maneuvered it out of the room. Shen Qing naturally followed.

The reason Shen Qing didn’t know if the Big Boss could play was primarily because none of the servants had ever seen him touch it. Before Shen Qing started his own lessons, that piano in the main hall truly was just an ornament.

The two returned to the ground floor. The villa didn’t keep unnecessary staff overnight; the servants responsible for cleaning and other daytime chores commuted and had long since clocked off, leaving the entire ground floor main hall empty save for the two of them. Fortunately, it wasn’t excessively late yet; the cubs shouldn’t be asleep, and the live-in staff like Aunt Zhang wouldn’t turn in this early either.

To avoid disturbing anyone, Shen Qing selected a relatively soothing piece from the sheet music and asked Gu Huaiyu if he could play it.

Gu Huaiyu merely glanced at the title of the piece, raised his hands, and a line of smooth, exquisite notes flowed effortlessly from the keys.

Shen Qing: “…”

The piece he selected was soothing, but it certainly wasn’t easy. As expected of a major boss, they were entirely omnipotent!

“I never knew you could play the piano before,” Shen Qing remarked with awe.

As a short section concluded, Gu Huaiyu sat before the piano with his eyes slightly lowered. His expression was solemn and dignified, his demeanor elegant, aristocratic, and thoroughly ethereal. Hearing Shen Qing’s words, he slowly turned his head, a trace of a smile appearing on his pale face. “You never asked.”

Shen Qing: “…”

Gu Huaiyu spoke softly, “Though I’ve only learned a bit of the basics, it’s nothing major.” With that, he lifted his long fingers and slowly brought down the piano lid, clearly showing no deep passion for playing.

Shen Qing continued to ask out of curiosity, “Is it true that in large clans like the Gu family, every child is required to learn the piano?” In his memory, the Shen family’s young master, Shen Yuan, could play the piano as well.

Gu Huaiyu replied, “Not entirely. It mostly depends on the parents’ and the child’s personal preferences.”

Shen Qing: “?”

Gu Huaiyu elaborated, “What if certain parents happen to prefer the cello, the accordion, or the saxophone…”

Shen Qing burst out laughing, “Pfft.” The Big Boss’s response remained thoroughly objective and comprehensive! It truly commanded utmost admiration!

“Was your learning voluntary then? Or did someone in the Gu family particularly love the piano and force you to learn it?” Shen Qing inquired further. He was suddenly curious about whether someone like the Big Boss was pushed by his parents or if he pushed himself as a child.

Gu Huaiyu said, “It can be considered voluntary.” Gently tracing his fingers over the piano lid, Gu Huaiyu looked at Shen Qing. “My mother was a pianist.”

Shen Qing paused. “…I’m sorry, I didn’t know that.” He instinctively stood up straighter, aware that the Big Boss didn’t share a harmonious relationship with his mother either.

Gu Huaiyu couldn’t help but chuckle. “What is there to be sorry for?” He reached out, pulling Shen Qing down to sit beside him on the piano bench.

Gu Huaiyu spoke softly, “It’s normal that you didn’t know. I only found out what her profession was after I had already learned the piano myself.”

Shen Qing wondered, “…How does that work?” Weren’t little children frequently asked what their mothers and fathers did for a living? Even if Gu Huaiyu’s mother had long stopped performing, she was still a pianist; it shouldn’t be a secret…

Shen Qing guessed, “…Don’t tell me you could play at three years old? Like a little Mozart? So you learned the piano before discovering what your mother did?”

Gu Huaiyu laughed again, constantly amazed by the youth’s endless pool of whimsical imagination. He couldn’t help but clasp Shen Qing’s hand. “Not quite. I only learned to play when I was seven.”

Shen Qing asked, “…Then why…”

Gu Huaiyu explained, “It’s just that I rarely saw her during my childhood. I never thought about what kind of work my mother had, nor had I ever heard her play…” His voice paused slightly before he continued in a detached tone, “I learned the piano at a boarding school.”

“Boarding school? At seven years old?!” Shen Qing instinctively straightened his back. “Big Boss, what kind of life did you actually live as a child?!”

Hearing the youth’s astonished tone, Gu Huaiyu smiled faintly once more. “Back then, it was quite popular to send children abroad to boarding schools. For me, being able to leave was actually a good thing.” His voice remained entirely calm.

Shen Qing murmured, “Mm.” That actually made sense. Perhaps for Gu Huaiyu, going abroad to study was far better than staying home to battle his various siblings… assuming his older brothers and sisters shared the same toxic traits as the current generation of the Gu family.

Still, going abroad to boarding school at seven years old… could a young child truly endure that? Shen Qing projected himself into that scenario and felt certain that his tiny self would have been terribly homesick. But if he projected Duoduo into it… it suddenly became entirely understandable.

Fine, traits like independence and self-reliance might truly be tied to genetics. That being said, Shen Qing could never bring himself to send Duoduo away to a boarding school at such a tender age.

Previously, he had been incredibly curious about what Gu Huaiyu had gone through to end up in such a cold, desolated state. The original novel stated that the Big Boss had suffered a catastrophic accident that shattered his health, while simultaneously enduring countless betrayals and injuries from those around him. Consequently, he simply refused to stand up, practically waiting for death. He possessed his own private hospital and had assembled a medical team for research, yet he never actively sought treatment for himself. He had merely been keeping his vital signs going while waiting to pass away. His will to live had withered entirely, and occasionally, he would even use illness and the brink of death to torment himself.

If he were purely tired of living, he would have chosen to end it sooner. But for Gu Huaiyu, perhaps dying was far easier than staying alive. Back then, for some reason, he chose not to take the easy way out. He tormented himself like that for two full years. And two years was fast approaching his absolute limit. If he hadn’t taken in Duoduo and Ao-zai during his final days—granting him a newfound sense of responsibility and love—the Big Boss might truly have passed away.

Thus, once upon a time, Shen Qing had been deeply curious about what this man had endured. This curiosity had reached its absolute peak especially after discovering that Gu Huaiyu actually didn’t need to rely on a wheelchair at all, yet had chosen to sit in one for two years. Given Gu Huaiyu’s intellect and resilience, how could minor injuries cause a major boss to abandon himself to despair? Furthermore, for someone as intensely driven and diligent as the Big Boss… he certainly wouldn’t sit in a wheelchair simply because he was too lazy to walk!

Back then, Gu Huaiyu had also promised that once his surgery succeeded, he would tell him why he had always found life entirely devoid of interest. However, at that time, Shen Qing hadn’t genuinely expected Gu Huaiyu to survive, and Gu Huaiyu himself likely wasn’t certain of a full recovery. Neither of them had brought up the past. After all, their remaining days didn’t seem long, so what was the point of wasting precious attention on unhappy things that had already occurred? It was meaningless. At least, that was how Shen Qing viewed it.

Even though his future with the Big Boss had now stretched out significantly, his mindset remained exactly the same. He was curious about the Big Boss’s past, but he would never deliberately pry into it. The present moment would always be infinitely more important.

Brushing aside all his lingering doubts, Shen Qing directly threw himself forward, opening his arms to give the Big Boss a massive embrace. Due to the restriction of their sitting positions and Gu Huaiyu’s height, this hug looked very much like he was pouncing right into the man’s lap. But… who cared? He simply wanted to hug him!

Gu Huaiyu naturally wrapped his arms around the youth’s waist the moment he pounced over, asking softly, “What is it?”

Shen Qing replied, “Nothing, just giving you an affectionate hug.”

Gu Huaiyu smiled warmly, seemingly reading the youth’s thoughts perfectly. He raised his hand to gently caress the youth’s waistline, knowing that crouching beside his wheelchair would tire him out. He simply lifted the person up, pulling him to sit directly on his lap. His pale face bore little expression, yet his gaze was exceptionally open and relaxed.

As if merely chatting about everyday matters, Gu Huaiyu looked at Shen Qing. “Are you feeling sorry for me? My past actually wasn’t all that tragic.”

“I’m not,” Shen Qing stated. “Even if it was tragic, it’s all in the past now. I don’t possess any grand capabilities, but I’m exceptionally good at looking forward… and I don’t mean looking toward money!”

“…” Gu Huaiyu pondered for a moment. Sensing the truth in those words, he nodded. “You truly are like that. Highly wise.”

Shen Qing: “…” Being praised by the Big Boss caused him to playfully kick his legs out. He countered, “Wisdom might be a stretch; I’m merely adept at drifting along and taking things as they come.”

Saying this, Shen Qing fully leaned into his philosophy of drifting along, executing a perfect “salted fish slump” against the man.

Gu Huaiyu, who firmly caught the youth and exerted strength in his arms to support his reclining posture: “…” He couldn’t help but chuckle once more.

Shen Qing believed that since past events were already over, obsessing over them was entirely meaningless. Gu Huaiyu’s perspective aligned perfectly with this. He never fixated on the past either.

The reason he had appeared so utterly devoid of life and animation in the past wasn’t due to some severe trauma he had suffered. In fact, it was quite the opposite; those who had harmed him had long since paid the price. Those who had wronged him had tasted the bitter fruits of their actions. Those who failed to love him eventually lost his protection, leaving them filled with deep regret. There was nothing he desired that he couldn’t obtain. Once an objective was set by him, it inevitably fell into his hands. Scenarios like “lingering regrets” seemed entirely nonexistent for Gu Huaiyu.

Once upon a time, he too had immersed himself in a frantic pursuit of fame and fortune. The issue was that once he secured all the wealth and status he could ever want, the goals that drove him to fight and pursue began to vanish. Therefore, what caused his will to live to wither in the past was never any obstacle or setback.

Rather… it was boredom. A completely meaningless existence.

The boredom stemmed solely from the fact that everything he wanted had already been acquired, and everyone he wished to retaliate against had already been dealt with. He felt utterly bored. There were no interesting elements left to sustain his life, nor did he comprehend what it meant to be vibrant or amused. Every single day he opened his eyes was merely a repetition of the previous day’s routines and obligations.

Under such circumstances, when the accident occurred—when that person told him he was unworthy and should never have been born into this world—and when he was subsequently diagnosed with a condition that would end his life without a highly risky surgery, Gu Huaiyu suddenly felt that fading away like that wasn’t a bad option. He hadn’t been using pain to intentionally torment himself; it was simply that physical pain allowed him to feel his own existence.

He had contemplated leaving this world countless times. Yet, because he didn’t know what the true purpose of his birth had been, he wanted to live just one more day, to wait a little longer. Confident and proud as he was, excelling effortlessly at everything he did, he ultimately wanted to know if his existence held any meaning whatsoever.

Until…

Suddenly, one day, a youth wrapped in a pink aura appeared within his line of sight, as brilliantly radiant as a blazing fire.

Suddenly, one day, a person lazily spoke to him about living a relaxed lifestyle, yet seemed to possess boundless youth, vitality, integrity, and justice, bringing immense laughter and joy to this household.

Suddenly, one day, he began to look forward to the cold office door being pushed open, revealing the youth peeking his head inside.

And suddenly, one day, confident and proud as he was, he began to despise and regret his dying body—he finally discovered a treasure he feared he might lose, a treasure he wished to cherish forever.

“I told you before that if the surgery succeeded, I would tell you why I always found life entirely devoid of interest. But in truth, none of that matters anymore.”

Tightening his embrace around the youth’s waist, Gu Huaiyu gazed intently at the handsome face in his arms. After a brief pause, he spoke with utter tenderness, “More than anything, I wanted to wait for the right moment to tell you…

“It is because of you that I have never felt bored again.”