"Chenchen, you’re back."
Elder Mrs. Gu stood up with the help of her cane, and Gu Bichen quickly stepped forward to support her.
Elder Mrs. Gu patted his hand. "Are you getting used to the new environment and classmates?"
"Everything is going well," Gu Bichen replied humbly.
Elder Mrs. Gu gazed at him, a hint of relief showing in her eyes.
"Let’s eat. I asked the kitchen to prepare your favorite three-flavor shark fin soup."
Though the Gu family appeared wealthy and influential, Elder Mrs. Gu and Gu Chengxuan, along with his wife Amo, were actually very thrifty and humble people. Their daily lives were never extravagant. The couple often ate at the research institute’s cafeteria, wore uniforms, and traveled in simple cars. Their personal desires were minimal, and most of their income went into research. Each year, they even allocated part of their earnings to charity, embodying the selfless and modest spirit of true scholars devoted to their work.
After retiring, Elder Mrs. Gu lived a similarly simple life. Her only companion was Feng Gu, a maid who had worked for her for many years. The family’s cook, Master Wu, was a deaf-mute man whom Gu Chengzhao and his wife had rescued while volunteering as teachers in a remote mountain village. Master Wu’s cooking skills were exceptional, and he had been a loyal member of the Gu family for decades.
Elder Mrs. Gu upheld a frugal lifestyle, preferring plain clothes and simple meals. The only exception to this was her grandson, Gu Bichen, the sole grandchild of the Gu family.
Parental love knows no limits. No matter how economical Gu Chengxuan and his wife were in their daily lives, they spared no expense when it came to Gu Bichen. With their busy work schedules, they had little time to spend with their son, and they always tried to make up for it by providing for him generously.
Elder Mrs. Gu was even more indulgent with her grandson. While she lived on plain porridge and simple dishes alone, she always ensured that Master Wu cooked Gu Bichen’s favorite meals whenever he came home.
Gu Bichen was a picky eater, favoring luxurious delicacies. Elder Mrs. Gu often joked with Feng Gu, "This child was born to live a life of comfort."
Elder Mrs. Gu was not skilled at raising children. Amo, deeply career-oriented, had even less time and energy for the task. Therefore, the family had hired Cheng Gui, an experienced nanny known for her expertise in child-rearing. Cheng Gui played a maternal role in Gu Bichen’s upbringing, knowing him even better than Amo, his biological mother. When Gu Bichen went to Qingzhou to attend school, Cheng Gui accompanied him to manage his daily needs. Now that Gu Bichen had returned to Jingzhou after entering the Young Talent Class, Cheng Gui had come back as well.
Grandmother and grandson sat quietly at the dining table, eating in silence.
Elder Mrs. Gu glanced at the unusually quiet Gu Bichen across from her and, sensing something amiss, asked, "Chenchen, do you have something on your mind?"
Gu Bichen lowered his gaze.
Elder Mrs. Gu put down her chopsticks and picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth. "Chenchen, if there’s something on your mind, you can tell Grandma."
Gu Bichen gripped his chopsticks more tightly. "Grandma, today at the library, I wanted to look up Professor Yu Yisen’s research papers, but I didn’t have access. What wrong has Professor Yu done?"
Elder Mrs. Gu froze momentarily before letting out a sigh. "He hasn’t done anything wrong."
The only mistake he made was being born into the Yu family.
"There are many people and things in this world that lack fairness or reason. One day, you will understand. But Grandma hopes that, no matter what, you will hold on to your principles. Be an upright and kind person, and never bring shame to the Gu family’s integrity."
Gu Bichen set down his chopsticks and stood up. "Grandma, I’ve had enough to eat. I’ll return to my room to study."
With that, he left the dining room and went up to the second floor.
Elder Mrs. Gu watched the boy’s slightly hurried figure retreating upstairs, her brow furrowed faintly. "This child is still being affected by the Yu family."
"Young Master will figure things out eventually."
"Never mind. He didn’t eat much. Let Agui heat up some milk and take it to him."
Gu Bichen returned to his bedroom, leaning back against the door, breathing rapidly.
Slowly, he sank to the ground, wrapping his arms around his knees and closing his eyes in pain.
It’s fake. All fake. That woman, Yao Huia, is lying to him.
He mustn’t fall for it.
Gu Bichen pulled himself together again, went to his desk, and took out the test paper he had worked on earlier that afternoon. He began scrutinizing each question carefully.
But his thoughts continued to wander uncontrollably, and he couldn’t focus at all.
Just then, there came a light knock at his door.
"Xiao Chen, the Elder Mrs. asked me to bring you a glass of warm milk."
Gu Bichen inhaled deeply. "Come in."
Cheng Gui pushed the door open and walked in, placing a cup of warm milk on Gu Bichen’s desk.
"If you feel hungry later, let me know, and I’ll prepare a midnight snack for you," Cheng Gui said before turning to leave.
"Wait a moment,"
Gu Bichen suddenly called out to her.
Cheng Gui turned around.
She was a woman in her forties, her fair complexion complemented by slender brows and almond-shaped eyes—a gentle and refined beauty typical of women from Jiangnan. Even her demeanor echoed this gentleness.