Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
He Zhichu was speechless.
“Did you?” Gu Nianzhi asked. Her eyes were slightly impatient.
“By law you are the real daughter of the Gu family. I think it’s not a controversy. Is it that important if you are not the biological daughter?” He Zhichu used a napkin to wipe his mouth. His movements were elegant and befitted an aristocrat.
Gu Nianzhi sighed. “It’s important to me.”
“Why?” He Zhichu stared at her, appearing to not understand. “How did you find out?” He was under the impression that not many people knew about it. Furthermore, these people were not supposed to tell Gu Nianzhi about it for various reasons.
“Gu Yanran told me herself.” Gu Nianzhi looked a bit stupefied. Her feelings toward that less cultured sister were getting worse and worse.
“Gu Yanran?!” He Zhichu looked very surprised. “Are you sure? Did she really say it herself?” Before, He Zhichu thought that Gu Yanran didn’t have the guts to say it, but it seemed like he had underestimated her. Once these women go crazy, they don’t care about anything. They’re digging their own graves. He Zhichu wetted his lips and viciousness flashed in his eyes.
“I didn’t hear it myself, but the one who heard her say it is very reliable. I choose to believe him.” Gu Nianzhi didn’t say who it was because this thing involved Huo Shaoheng’s father, Huo Guanchen.
“That’s…” He Zhichu’s brows furrowed. A hint of coldness flashed in his peach blossom eyes. “If you don’t want to hear this kind of thing, I can ask Gu Yanran to take back what she said.”
“That’s not necessary.” Gu Nianzhi shrugged. She looked helpless and sad. “How should I say this? They all say that the one who gives birth to you is not as great as the one who raises you. But I don’t have any memories from before I was 12. That’s why I don’t have that feeling of family love toward the Gu family, toward Gu Xiangwen and Gu Yanran. I originally thought I was Gu Xiangwen’s biological daughter and that Gu Yanran was the adopted daughter. Turns out it was the opposite. I’m the adopted daughter, and she’s the biological daughter. Do you know how awkward that is?”
“That’s not a problem. You don’t need to see them as your family.” He Zhichu finally understood Gu Nianzhi’s worries. He breathed and said objectively, “They’re only there to find a husband for you. That’s all.”
“Ah?” Gu Nianzhi was dumbfounded. “What do you mean by that?”
He Zhichu realized he had blurted out a secret, so he picked up a cup of juice and took a sip. He glossed over it and said, “You are the Gu family’s daughter. It doesn’t matter if Gu Yanran admits it or not. You don’t need to take her seriously.”
“I don’t take her seriously, but she’s the one who’s paying close attention to me,” Gu Nianzhi said as the corner of her mouth showed the irony of it.
“She’s paying close attention to you?”
“Yes. She looked at me as if she wished I was not there. I feel like I’m a thorn in her side, something she can’t ignore or can’t get rid of… hahahaha…” Gu Nianzhi struck the bowl as she laughed so hard that tears came out.
He Zhichu broke into laughter and shook his head. “You think too much. Even if you are a thorn in her side, she wouldn’t dare do anything to you. Don’t worry. You have me.”
Gu Nianzhi’s smile froze as she stared at He Zhichu. “Professor He, you must know about my past. Please, what are you hiding?” After having a life and death experience and coming to a dead-end with her feelings for Huo Shaoheng, Gu Nianzhi suddenly had a strong desire to unearth her past. But she couldn’t only rely on Huo Shaoheng anymore. If Gu Nianzhi wanted to be independent, she needed to have all of herself. That included all of the present, future, and her past.
At that moment, she had her present in her hands. She was working hard for her future, but her past was in the black hole of her memory. What would she have to do to excavate her past? Gu Nianzhi knew that to have real peace of mind, she would need to find her roots. Otherwise, she would always feel empty and desolate. Not knowing who I am, where I’m from, or where I’m supposed to go… The feeling of not having roots and memories was horrible.
He Zhichu’s posture was graceful. His facial expression didn’t change, but his eyes had complicated emotions in them as he looked down. The hand that held the chopsticks was a bit tense.
Gu Nianzhi didn’t see that split second He Zhichu was vigilant. She held a cup of freshly made mango juice with both hands. She was unwilling to let it go and asked, “Professor He, today’s my birthday. Can’t you tell me about my past?”
“You will believe me, if I tell you right now?” He Zhichu quickly curbed his mental state and gradually smiled with his eyes. “Would you believe me if I told you, you were engaged to me the moment you were born?”
Spoot—! She immediately spat out the mango juice she had just put into her mouth. If He Zhichu hadn’t dodged quickly enough, his light-colored suit would have been covered in mango juice.
“Hehe, you don’t believe it, do you?” He Zhichu gave a weak smile and shook his head. “So why do you bother asking? If I say you are the daughter from the Gu family, then you are the daughter from the Gu family. Why do you care if you are an adopted daughter or a biological daughter? Of course, if you really care if you are Gu Xiangwen’s biological daughter, you can go look for the answer yourself. I will provide any assistance you may need.”
He Zhichu put his hands under his lower jaw. His peach blossom eyes overflowed with attentiveness and were fixed on Gu Nianzhi. His eyes also concealed a bit of something.
Gu Nianzhi quickly wiped the table with paper towels and grumbled, “Professor He, you usually don’t joke like that. I couldn’t hold it in. That was an incredible joke.”
“Hehe. Just consider it a joke, so it doesn’t matter what people tell you. To know if it’s true or false, you will need to find out yourself, just like what I taught you before. As a lawyer, defend your client with all your heart, but never fully believe what the client and the witness say. Only when one does some strict reasoning does complete truth exist. Do not assume that many things in life are outrageous and say they are illogical. Actually, deep underneath it, there is logic. It’s just that most people do not see the logic underneath it because they only see the absurd appearance,” He Zhichu said while helping Gu Nianzhi clean the little dining table.
Gu Nianzhi repeatedly nodded and said, “Professor He, I understand. I will look into this. Even if I was adopted, I will find out where they adopted me from and who my real parents were.”
As He Zhichu listened, one of his hands trembled so discreetly that it was undetectable to the eye. However, he quickly recovered and smiled as he said, “Good, but will you be able to graduate in four months if it’s going to be like that?” To find the truth of one’s past was a big project. On top of that, there were five classes and one MA thesis. Even if it was Gu Nianzhi, it couldn’t be done.
She raised her eyebrows, suddenly came to a realization, and smiled. “Professor He, thank you for your advice. I’m wasting my time on an insignificant problem. Right now, the most important thing is to finish school, graduate early, then find a full-time job. After I settle down with my career and life, it won’t be too late to find out about my past.”
“That’s right.” He Zhichu shook her hand with satisfaction. “Nianzhi, I’m really looking forward to the day you graduate early from school.” Only after she graduated could he officially court her. Until then, their relationship was still that of a teacher and student. Although He Zhichu didn’t care how others saw it or what they thought of it, Gu Nianzhi was different. He Zhichu wouldn’t let anyone have the opportunity to bring shame upon Gu Nianzhi’s reputation. He would rather wait—wait until the day he could officially court her. Plus, he had already waited for so many years. Waiting another few months wouldn’t matter.
The two of them left the dining hall after finishing their lunch. They walked toward the warehouse-type supermarket outside the school. He Zhichu remembered the attitude Gu Nianzhi had before and idly asked, “How are things with you and Huo Shaoheng?”
Gu Nianzhi didn’t know what to say. She hesitated for a bit, then eventually said, “We broke up, but I don’t plan on getting a boyfriend for three years. I want to work hard and put a lot of effort into my career.”
He Zhichu gazed at her with a profound look. “Putting your heart into your career is, of course, a good thing. However, are you sure that you won’t get a boyfriend for three years?”
“Yes, I don’t want to. I also hope that others will not harass me,” Gu Nianzhi said solemnly. She did plan it that way. She couldn’t let people know about her marriage with Huo Shaoheng, but she also didn’t want others to think that she was still together with him, so in front of others, they must appear to have broken up.
Of course, she didn’t want He Zhichu to misunderstand. That was why she simply said she wouldn’t have a boyfriend for three years. Three years from then, the marriage with Huo Shaoheng would be dissolved. She would only be 22 years old. It would not be too late to carefully consider marriage at that time. Besides, in three years she would also be three years older. She would be more mature than what she was now.
