Chapter 62

Perhaps blessed by the gods, the three children encountered almost no obstacles along the way. Gu Xiuyuan's grandmother, being elderly, enjoyed raising animals and tending to plants, so a small courtyard was built for her that didn’t require an elevator. Recently, the old lady had fallen ill, and her favorite orchid seemed to have withered. The trial medicine sent by the Chen family had restored some of her energy, but now the old lady was in a fit of anger. "Call Gu Jing over here," she demanded. "That child has always been sentimental since he was young. If he were born into an ordinary family, that would be a good thing. But in his current position, it’s a fatal flaw." "Do you think I don’t know what the Chen family is trying to achieve by taking advantage of this situation?" "For so many years, the Gu family has remained stable in S City precisely because we’ve stayed neutral, not favoring any side." "He’s about to throw the Gu family into chaos, and Xiuyuan is still so young! How cruel!" Gu Jing’s secretary, looking troubled, tried to console her. "Please don’t be upset, Madam. Mr. Gu is doing this for your sake." The old lady coughed, clutching her chest. "I don’t need him to do anything for me." "I, Liu Yue, would rather die than burden the family or put my children in a difficult position." "I’ll pack up and die soon enough. Let’s see if that Chen fellow can bring me back to life with his advertisements! We’ll see how he threatens us then." The secretary’s legs went weak at her words. The old lady wasn’t just making empty threats—if she said it, she meant it. Just as the secretary was at a loss, Gu Xiuyuan suddenly appeared, which didn’t add to his troubles but instead brought relief. "Xiuyuan! Come quickly and talk some sense into your grandmother!" Hearing her grandson’s arrival, the old lady’s expression shifted as if facing a great enemy. "My grandson is here?" "Quick! Put on a mask! Give one to the child too, and don’t let him get too close." Though her face showed resistance, her eyes betrayed her eagerness—she clearly missed the child. Gu Xiuyuan had overheard his grandmother’s earlier words. Still a child, he was terrified by what she had said. Standing by her bedside, his voice choked with emotion. "Grandma, I don’t want you to die." "We promised that you’d come to watch every one of my matches in the future." Seeing the tears streaming down the child’s face and the pleading look in his wet eyes, the old lady’s heart broke. "Xiuyuan, my dear child..." She reached out to pat Gu Xiuyuan’s head. As her sleeve slipped, it revealed the ugly, mold-like black spots on her arm. Realizing this, the old lady quickly pulled her hand back. She composed herself, calming down, and then noticed the two little girls standing beside Gu Xiuyuan. Only then did the old lady realize that her grandson had brought friends along. "Who are these?" Gu Xiuyuan suddenly remembered that Ji Nian and Shen Qingtang were still there. Feeling embarrassed, the little boy pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his tears, too shy to blow his nose. In a muffled voice, he introduced them. "Grandma, this is Ji Nian and Shen Qingtang." Ji Nian wished she could do just that... But she couldn’t. Because someone was using her creations to cause trouble. Ji Nian was in the light, while the enemy was in the shadows. The best counterattack was to disrupt their plans—whoever they poisoned, she would cure! "Goodbye, Grandma." Gu Xiuyuan reluctantly led Ji Nian and Shen Qingtang away. The moment the door closed, the old lady immediately turned to her secretary. "Quick! Contact Gu Jing!" Whether Ji Tingzhou genuinely cared about her or not was irrelevant. What mattered was the signal he had sent by having Ji Nian visit, knowing she was ill. As Gu Xiuyuan stepped out, Gu Jing, who had instantly figured out what his son had done, rubbed his temples. After saying he needed to handle some matters, Gu Jing excused himself and left. Not long after he left, Ji Tingzhou also stood up. "Has she come out?" Wei Yang’s voice came through the earpiece: "Yes, she stayed for half an hour and then left." Glancing at the time, Ji Tingzhou’s emerald-green eyes carried a faint chill. "I’ll go pick her up. You can move now." Hearing Ji Tingzhou’s order, Wei Yang, who had been yawning, suddenly tensed. He was like a drawn sword, his face filled with a wild, excited gleam. He stretched his shoulders, his bones cracking. "Understood." Meanwhile, Ji Nian, eager to find Ji Tingzhou, unexpectedly ran into someone on her way back. To be precise, someone who needed help. A man in a wheelchair had his back to her, his wheels seemingly stuck. Ji Nian was about to call a nearby attendant for assistance, but as she passed, she caught a glimpse of his delicate, melancholic profile under the streetlight. Her feet seemed to have a mind of their own, steering her straight toward him. "Hey, beautiful, need some help?" Ji Nian stood beside him, her eyes glued to his face, practically drooling. The man seemed startled by the sudden appearance of a child. He slowly turned his head, and upon seeing Ji Nian’s face, his free hand clenched tightly, veins bulging on the back. "No need." He lowered his long, thick lashes, hiding the disgust in his eyes, and coldly rejected her offer. Then he stood up, roughly yanked the stuck wheelchair free, and smoothly sat back down, maneuvering it away. Ji Nian: ".........?"