SFBF CH111.1

Ao-zai: “Yup!”

The tiny human cub’s voice was crisp and clear, carrying across the entire back garden.

Originally, the “brand grandpa” referred to Teacher Shen’s brand daddies, his sponsors.

“A daddy’s daddy really is a grandpa… this kid isn’t wrong at all, hahaha!”

Someone laughed outright, while others expressed surprise: “So Shen Qing’s resources were all signed by himself? He truly did rely on himself?”

“Teacher Shen’s resources are good, but there are so few of them. Considering his recent buzz and traffic, it really doesn’t look like he pulled any strings.”

“That’s true. Otherwise… he’s the boss’s spouse of Xingcheng! My god, just thinking about it is wild. Wouldn’t lining up twenty upcoming dramas a year be a piece of cake? With a little more effort, couldn’t they pile up enough awards to make Teacher Shen a Best TV Actor or Film Emperor?”

“Looking at it this way, I really don’t know what Teacher Xiao was so proud of…”

Xiao Hangying, who had originally intended to humiliate Shen Qing in public by speaking English, turned ashen in an instant, suddenly at a complete loss.

Over on the other side, because Shen Qing had guessed correctly what Ao-zai meant, Ao-zai was looking at his Little Dad with sparkling excitement.

Shen Qing bent down and held up a hand for a high five with the chubby cub.

After high-fiving Ao-zai, he did the same with Duoduo.

The two cubs’ little palms weren’t even as large as an adult’s palm, yet they executed the high five with seasoned ease and flair. Clearly, this was not their first time playing like this.

Once the high fives were done, Shen Qing led the laughter. Duoduo’s expression didn’t change drastically, but his eyes curved gently.

Ao-zai was far more dramatic; the chubby cub bounced straight up, cheering, “Yay!”

Yet right at the moment Shen Qing bent down, aided by the bright garden lights turned on by the bodyguards due to the commotion, Xiao Hangying’s sharp eyes caught several red marks on the young man’s neck.

Having frequently attended major galas in haute couture, he also possessed an experienced eye and noticed that Shen Qing’s shirt collar was missing a button.

…

There was even a loose thread dangling from it.

Obviously, that button had been ripped off.

Xiao Hangying: “…”

As an experienced adult, Xiao Hangying understood what was going on at a single glance.

What shocked him was that earlier in the front courtyard, Shen Qing’s buttons had been perfectly intact. How could it be that after slipping away for just a little while, now…

Xiao Hangying instinctively shifted his gaze toward Gu Huaiyu.

Moments later, he was so stunned he nearly forgot to breathe. Gu Huaiyu, who in his memory was always impeccably neat and rigid, had wrinkles on his suit!

This, this, this…

Xiao Hangying quickly realized what they had been doing.

Yet from the moment they left the front courtyard to their arrival at the back garden, only about forty minutes had passed. In such a short window… were they really that impatient?

And the one being so impatient was Gu Huaiyu???

What on earth did they do just now? Where did they do it!

Perhaps Film Emperor Xiao’s look was simply too shocked, because even Shen Qing, who had been self-conscious about his neck all along, felt a bit awkward.

Honestly, for a married man to have hickeys on his neck was completely normal, and it wasn’t like he was harming his brand sponsors’ image.

Psychologically, Shen Qing didn’t care all that much.

The only problem was that these love bites were freshly minted. Anyone paying attention could spot the difference, and if people realized, it would be thoroughly embarrassing!

After all, he and President Gu hadn’t spent much time in that little reception room at all!

Others wouldn’t know that inside that room, they had actually talked through Gu Huaiyu’s entire childhood and youth.

Nor did they know that in the end, they hadn’t actually done anything because President Gu insisted on heading home.

So in the eyes of onlookers, this might look like they couldn’t even keep their hands off each other for forty minutes.

…

Would that make people think they were too young, too impulsive, and overflowing with passion?

On that front, Shen Qing felt it was enough to keep the passion between themselves; there was no need to broadcast it.

Deep down, he was still someone who got shy about these things. As it stood, he couldn’t completely disregard what others thought.

Still, others were others, and Xiao Hangying was Xiao Hangying.

Seeing Film Emperor Xiao trying to stir up trouble again, currently staring blankly at his neck in total disbelief, Shen Qing decided to lean straight against Gu Huaiyu and thumped his own lower back a couple of times.

Setting aside the Gu family grudges and Xiao Hangying’s delusion that Gu Huaiyu fancied him, just remembering that Xiao Hangying looked down on people in wheelchairs made Shen Qing want to deliver a message: wheelchair or not, President Gu was extremely capable, exceptionally potent, and didn’t miss a beat!

The second he leaned against Gu Huaiyu, Gu Huaiyu turned his head toward him. “What is it?”

Glancing down, he immediately caught the young man rubbing his waist.

Gu Huaiyu’s gaze tightened. “Back sore?”

As he asked, he brought a large hand over Shen Qing’s waist, gently rubbing it for him.

Shen Qing looked up and blinked at President Gu: It doesn’t actually hurt, I’m just acting to show everyone how fierce you are.

“…”

Gu Huaiyu’s eyelids twitched, but in his concern, he failed to read the message in the youth’s eyes.

He wondered if he had accidentally bumped the young man’s back when setting him onto the storage shelf earlier.

After massaging the young man’s waist, Gu Huaiyu simply wrapped his arm firmly around him, letting him lean fully against his body.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured in a low voice, his eyes filled with heartache and remorse. “I was too impulsive just now. I’ll be gentler next time.”

Shen Qing: Wow.

President Gu was remarkably good at playing along!

He gladly leaned against his husband. If there weren’t so many people around, he might have linked arms and nuzzled him.

Over there, having brought Xiao Miao up close for that “family reunion,” Xiao Hangying heard every word of their exchange.

Xiao Hangying: “…”

In fact, the reason Shen Qing flaunted their affection so openly wasn’t merely payback for Film Emperor Xiao’s two-faced disgust toward Gu Huaiyu in the past.

It was also because of something else.

When Assistant Li explained the history between Film Emperor Xiao and President Gu earlier, he was clearly furious too, spilling several details about Xiao Hangying’s outrageous antics. Among them, he had mentioned: “Film Emperor Xiao had a miserable time abroad these past two years, struggling to make ends meet, yet he remained confident that returning home would secure President Gu as his backer. After hearing that President Gu was married, Film Emperor Xiao even attacked Young Master Shen Yuan behind his back!

“Simply because the original marriage alliance between the Shen and Gu families was meant for Young Master Shen Yuan.

“Film Emperor Xiao implied that even if Young Master Shen Yuan was a young master, he was only picking up his leftovers.”

Hearing Li Hong mention that, Shen Qing finally understood why Young Master Yuan detested Film Emperor Xiao so much.

To have someone look down on you with thinly veiled condescension, assuming you were merely taking what they had discarded, was baffling to anyone else, especially since that so-called “discarded prize” had never belonged to him in the first place. Normal people never knew what went on in the head of a lunatic, so to Shen Yuan, Film Emperor Xiao’s behavior was utterly bizarre.

Young Master Yuan had never dreamed that Film Emperor Xiao could be narcissistic enough to treat Gu Huaiyu as his personal property, and thus had no clue why the man constantly provoked him with sneers. That was why he had dug into Film Emperor Xiao’s background and gathered all that gossip.

After all, who could imagine that someone could be self-absorbed and haughty to such an absurd degree?

As for “Shen Qing,” who had entered the arranged marriage in Young Master Yuan’s stead, it was even worse. In Film Emperor Xiao’s eyes, he wasn’t even a human being, just an inanimate decoration not worth a glance.

From that perspective, both the original owner and he were victims!

In a sense, Shen Qing felt this went beyond mere narcissism; perhaps Film Emperor Xiao genuinely needed a psychiatric evaluation.

Shen Qing wanted to show him right now that even a decorative ornament was doing far better than him. The President Gu, Young Master Shen, and Shen Qing whom he looked down upon all lived better lives than he did. They had loved ones, friends, and genuine affection. Rather than spending time looking down on others, Film Emperor Xiao would be better off working on his own life!

Xiao Hangying: “…”

He saw contempt and pity clearly in Shen Qing’s eyes.

At a moment like this, whether it was pity or contempt, either was enough to push Xiao Hangying over the edge.

It wasn’t scorn born of arrogance or aloofness.

Shen Qing’s gaze looked as though he was addressing someone genuinely ill who didn’t even realize it.

Worse still, Xiao Hangying couldn’t come up with a single excuse to deny that his mental state was spiraling.

…

Xiao Hangying stared at Shen Qing in a daze until he suddenly felt a frigid gaze sweep over him. Instinctively looking back, he found Gu Huaiyu glancing his way, eyes majestic and detached, loaded with icy warning.

Just like the countless times he had looked at him in the past.

Yet every time he saw Gu Huaiyu like that, Gu Huai-yu would tell him that Gu Huaiyu was just naturally that way. How could he have been so foolish and conceited back then to actually believe it!

Just as Xiao Hangying was drowning in defeat, he noticed that the child beside them, Gu Duo, was watching him as well. In truth, the chill he felt hadn’t come entirely from Gu Huaiyu; part of it came from this child.

In this boy’s eyes, Xiao Hangying saw scrutiny, quiet appraisal, and indifference.

Even though he was still just a human cub, his eyes already mirrored the look Gu Huaiyu had given him just moments ago.

Xiao Hangying: “…”

Xiao Hangying took an involuntary step back.

Xiao Miao, still held by his hand, looked at him strangely and finally summoned the courage to call him “Dad.”

Xiao Hangying tugged Xiao Miao and said, “We’re leaving.”

“Wait.”

This time, the voice came from Gu Duo.

Gu Duo looked at Xiao Miao and said, “He can’t leave yet. He hasn’t apologized to Uncle Tian.”

“What apology?” Xiao Hangying asked.

Gu Duo remained cold, merely lifting his chin slightly as he looked at Film Emperor Xiao: “He bit Uncle Tian. What’s more, he tried to harm my little brother in the beginning.”

Ever since Gu Hao and the others got involved, the situation had grown far more complicated.

Yet only Gu Duo remembered that the reason he fought Xiao Miao and made a scene in the first place was that he needed Xiao Miao to apologize to the people he cared about.

Stopped from leaving, Xiao Hangying paused. “…Harm your brother?”

He had assumed the Gu family kids were picking fights and Xiao Miao had just joined the commotion.

So that wasn’t how it started at all?

Xiao Hangying looked down at Xiao Miao.

Gu Duo simply waved his hand, unwilling to waste his breath describing how Xiao Miao had tried to push Ao-zai before the surveillance arrived.

Hearing this brought up, Xiao Miao clutched his own face and snapped resentfully, “But you hit me too!”

Gu Duo nodded calmly, not denying the hit in the slightest, but added, “Hitting you was your punishment, to stop your hands and mouth from being so nasty in the future. But an apology is what you owe.”

This was what his Little Dad taught him.

Once upon a time, back at the Gu mansion, little Gu Duo’s only wish was not to be bullied, to eat his fill, and not to be locked in the dark room.

Later, when he grew a bit wiser, his approach became enduring the bullying first, then settling the score later within his own capabilities.

The most vital priority had always been protecting his younger brother.

After being brought to his Youngest Uncle’s home and adopted, having a place where he was well fed and never wrongfully scolded, Gu Duo’s pattern shifted again.

He would still instinctively take the hit first and figure out how to settle the score later.

And he still kept it strictly within his own abilities.

Except what held him back was no longer just protecting his brother, but also not wanting to cause trouble for his fathers.

Now, gradually realizing that his fathers were ready to stand as his pillars, and frequently being called “baby” by them, Gu Duo had begun learning to fight for his own fairness and rights.

Knowing that adults would stand fairly on his side, Gu Duo no longer chose to endure when bullied.

He would never pick on others, nor would he nitpick over trivial matters.

When things crossed the line, however, he would not hold back.

Ever since he had his fathers, whether it was squabbles with other kids or being bullied at school, Little Dad always made the other side apologize to him.

So Gu Duo had learned. He wouldn’t provoke others, but if someone crossed his family, that person had to apologize.

Gu Duo said to Xiao Miao in a serious, solemn voice, “You have to apologize to Uncle Tian and Ao-zai before you can leave.”

Having said that, Gu Duo turned straight toward the bruised and swollen Gu Hao: “You have to apologize to my father and Uncle Tian too.”

Right at that moment, Li Hong arrived after retrieving the surveillance footage upon President Gu’s call. Holding a tablet, the security footage from earlier was completely displayed on screen, laying out what happened in plain view.

It truly was Xiao Miao who had charged forward first, lunging toward Ao-zai’s back to push him while he was leaning over the edge of the pool. Fortunately, Tian Yi had grabbed him just in time to stop it.

Tian Yi had been bitten as a result.

It was also true that Gu Hao had shoved Gu Duo first. The audio of their quarrel was muffled, but there was no question that Gu Hao had struck first, and the subsequent brawl had been initiated entirely by Gu Hao’s group.

Gu Huaiyu glanced at the footage and said directly to Li Hong, “Call the police. Let them handle it.”

“Gu Huaiyu?!”

Opposite them, Gu Huaixiang shrieked Gu Huaiyu’s full name in shock. Why call the police again!

She had seen the footage of Gu Ming viciously charging at Gu Duo with the toy pistol. Even if the police wouldn’t intervene over young kids squabbling, ending up at the police station tonight over a dispute with Gu Huaiyu’s kids would ruin the Gu family by tomorrow morning, even before Gu Huaiyu’s legal letters arrived!

“Huaiyu, think this through carefully. It’s Huacheng Night right now. Calling the police here wouldn’t look good, would it…”

Shen Qing spoke up at this point: “It’s merely a conflict between children during a banquet.”

Hearing this, Gu Huaixiang nodded repeatedly in agreement: “Right, right, right! So we can just…”

Shen Qing cut her off with a smile: “So having the police mediate is perfectly fine. This is just an affair between our families; it won’t disrupt Huacheng Night, nor will it disturb everyone else’s evening and socializing.”

Gu Huaixiang: “…”

Hearing mention of calling the police, Gu Huaiyao sobered up halfway as well.

There was no way Xiao Hangying could go to the police station. Seeing the footage and hearing the other side mention the police, he hurriedly urged Xiao Miao to apologize.

Xiao Miao felt utterly humiliated. Only now did he realize: he was the one who lost the audition to Ao-zai, he was the one who picked the fight and lost, and he was the one who got hurt!

Xiao Miao desperately didn’t want to apologize, but the murmurs around them made his face burn red. Realizing that his actions might have been far too extreme, pressured by the crowd and his uncle’s stern demand, he finally sobbed as he apologized to Tian Yi, whom he had bitten, and to Ao-zai, whom he had tried to harm.

Even more chaotic than this side, however, was Gu Hao and Gu Ming’s side.

Suffocating under tension, Gu Huaixiang barked directly at Gu Ming: “Apologize!”

“Apologize to Gu Duo right now!”

Gu Ming, who had been wailing dryly and sniffling non-stop, was scared senseless by his mother and choked on his cries on the spot.

The person he feared second most was his mother, not only because Gu Huaixiang would yell at him like this, but also because Gu Ming vaguely understood that while she treated him well on ordinary days, she would never consider him when push came to shove.

It seemed his mother would always love herself most of all.

Gu Ming broke down in grievance immediately. His hurt over his mother’s lack of love far surpassed his fear of her, and this time, real tears streamed down his face.

Gu Huaixiang only grew more irritated hearing his cries. If not for the crowd around them, she would have slapped Gu Ming right then and there. Catching sight of Gu Jie standing quietly nearby with what looked like a hint of schadenfreude, Gu Huaixiang flared up even more.

When Gu Ming got into a brawl and Gu Jie ran to fetch her, Gu Huaixiang had thought her daughter was finally being sensible.

Who knew she was still this jealous of her brother!

Gu Huaixiang turned her fury on Gu Jie as well: “What are you looking at? Why didn’t you keep an eye on your brother instead of letting him hit people with that thing?! What were you doing while they were fighting?! What are you staring at? Are you talking back to me now?!”

While chaos reigned on that side, Gu Huaiyao, sobered up halfway, saw that Xiao Miao had apologized and shoved Gu Hao’s head down to force an apology to Gu Duo.

He finally realized how severe the situation was. First, they definitely couldn’t involve the police; second, they couldn’t provoke Gu Huaiyu any further. His father had chewed him out earlier because Gu Huaiyu intended to sue them, which was why he had drowned himself in alcohol in the first place.

Realizing Gu Huaiyu was determined to cut ties with them, Gu Huaiyao chickened out. If the Gu family collapsed, he would be nothing. Never mind anything else, he wouldn’t even know how to pay off his gambling debts!

Since his father had given strict orders to appease Gu Huaiyu at all costs, Gu Huaiyao shook his groggy head and shoved Gu Hao forward.

So what if he was the eldest grandson of the direct line? He had disliked this brat for a long time anyway.

Gu Huaiyao pressed down on Gu Hao’s head, snapping, “Apologize! You caused this mess, so apologize like Gu Duo said!”

Gu Hao had never respected his second uncle. Feeling his drunken uncle pushing down on him, Gu Hao ducked out from under Gu Huaiyao’s palm, swung around, and struck Gu Huaiyao, cursing, “Who do you think you are? If my dad hadn’t cleaned up your messes time and time again, would you still be the Second Young Master of the Gu family?! You would have been beaten to death ages ago!”

Gu Hao had picked up foul language from who knew where, spewing vulgarities effortlessly and hurling a barrage of ugly insults.

Gu Huaiyao’s childhood had been just as unruly as Gu Hao’s. How could he tolerate a kid talking to him like that, especially when he already resented Gu Hao? In his generation, his father only cared about Gu Huai-yu, and in the younger generation, his father only cared about this Gu Hao.

Even though he had no children of his own, seeing his father dote on Gu Hao always dredged up bitter memories. Feeling that the Gu family was doomed anyway, Gu Huaiyao cast all restraint aside and unleashed his frustration.

“You little bastard, you won’t even listen to your Second Uncle? Today, I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents!”

Gu Huaiyao rolled up the sleeves of his expensive suit, preparing to beat Gu Hao.

Yet Gu Hao wasn’t about to stand still and take a beating; not only did he dodge, but he fought right back.