The porridge in his hand was piping hot. As he opened the lid, the aroma of scallop and shrimp porridge hit him.

The rice grains had soaked up enough water and were boiled until soft and glutinous. The porridge was dotted with plump, bright red shrimp meat, snow-white scallops, and emerald green chopped scallions, making it mouth-watering.

A’Ci woke up at some point, her four short legs flailing. She jumped from the floor straight into his arms.

The silver shaded British Shorthair sheds a lot. In just that brief moment, silver-white cat fur danced in the air, dazzling the eyes.

Gu Qichi also got quite a bit on him. His black silk shirt was stuck with a lot of cat fur, and so were his trousers.

Gu Qichi pinched the back of her neck lightly, his tone indifferent but indulgent: “A’Ci, behave yourself, hmm?”

A’Ci sat down obediently, but her nose twitched, her large, round eyes fixed on the scallop and shrimp porridge on the table. It was obvious she was craving it.

Gu Qichi scooped up a spoonful, the temperature just right.

The savory aroma of shrimp and scallops blended into the soft pearl rice. The porridge melted in the mouth, the shrimp meat was bouncy and refreshing, the scallop meat was thick and firm, extremely refreshing.

It effortlessly soothed Gu Qichi’s exhausted stomach.

Not only caring for himself, he took out a small bowl from the kitchen. Waiting until the porridge had cooled down a bit more, he served it to A’Ci in his arms.

A’Ci was very content, her long, fluffy tail wagging lazily as she squinted her eyes and began to drink the porridge.

This porridge suited her taste very well. Unknowingly, A’Ci squinted her eyes in satisfaction, her meows becoming sweeter and sweeter.

While drinking the porridge, Gu Qichi glanced casually out the window.

The man hadn’t left yet.

The black Maybach seemed to blend into the night. If not for the faint light of a mobile phone screen showing through the car window, he might have thought Bo Yu had left.

Gu Qichi didn’t like owing anyone anything, and he hated taking advantage of others.

But this time, he owed Bo Yu three favors, and he didn’t know how he could ever repay them.

…

Outside the window, under the streetlamp, inside the Maybach.

Bo Yu’s face was terrifyingly gloomy.

At the hospital, listening to the conversation between Gu Qichi and Gu Yu’an, he vaguely glimpsed some clues.

Gu Qichi might not be welcomed at home.

He just didn’t expect it to have reached this point.

Gu Qichi had been swapped at birth into the family of a servant of the Gu family and wasn’t found until he was sixteen. But what greeted him wasn’t the love and careful protection his parents owed him, but lofty disgust and cold indifference.

Six years ago, when Gu Qichi first returned home, Bo Yu had heard about this matter, but he didn’t care at the time. However, recalling it now, it felt like a heavy stone was pressing on his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.

“Hey, Bo Yu, did you hear? The Gu family took the wrong child. The real young master was only found half a month ago…”

“What real young master? Isn’t he just a country bumpkin? I’ve seen him; he looks girlish. Gu Yu’an doesn’t even bother with him.”

“Why would Gu Yu’an bother with him? I heard no one in the Gu family likes him; they’re all busy comforting Gu Yuning. It makes sense, no one wants to bother with such an unpresentable country bumpkin.”

…

From sixteen until now, Gu Qichi has always been alone.

He was like an abandoned stray cat. He thought he had found a warm nest, but the cuckoo occupying the magpie’s nest squeezed out all his living space. A lonely and helpless cat, he could only lick his wounds alone in sorrow.

Fortunately, those days only lasted two years.

After coming of age, Gu Qichi was admitted to university with the top score in the city, escaping this devilish home.

Plus, Wen Xi insisted on signing him. As an artist, he has run quite a few schedules over the years and earned some money, enough to support himself…

Everything he said to Gu Yu’an in the hospital was true.

Since returning to the Gu family, he hadn’t used a penny of theirs, nor had he relied on the Gu family’s power to gain anything.

He was just him, just Gu Qichi, just himself.

When Bo Yu saw Gu Qichi, the young man lowered his eyes, but it was hard to hide his noble and distant temperament.

He thought Gu Qichi was an uncut jade held in the palm of someone’s hand, emitting a lustrous glow under the moonlight, which was why he was cold and distant to everyone.

He didn’t expect that he was just heartbroken. The stray kitten was very guarded, refusing anyone’s approach, only daring to hide in his little nest and watch people come and go.

…

The lights on the sixth floor went out silently, meaning the person inside was sleeping peacefully now.

Bo Yu withdrew his gaze, his eyes dark and unclear.

People unfamiliar with Bo Yu might not understand what he was thinking, but tonight the person sitting in the car was Bai Heng, the secretary who had been following Bo Yu.

Bo Yu was angry.

The air pressure inside the car kept dropping, chilling people to the bone. Bai Heng swallowed and glanced carefully at Bo Yu in the back seat.

After a long time, the crisp sound of a lighter opening rang out, and the corners of Bo Yu’s lips curled into an ambiguous smile.

“Bai Heng, investigate everything Gu Yuning has done over the years. Don’t leave anything out.”

“Including the Gu family, don’t let them off either.”

Bai Heng withdrew his gaze in fear and nodded in agreement.

Bai Heng: “Yes, Mr. Bo.”

Black clouds pressed down on the city, and the rain was ceaseless.

Bai Heng thought, the sky in East City might be changing.

The progress of “Xing Tian Qing” was fast. Perhaps because of the Bo Corporation’s investment, the preliminary preparations were sufficient, costumes were all available, and the sets were almost built.

Not long after, Gu Qichi received a text message from Lin Shuangyi asking him to join the crew.

“Xing Tian Qing” is a big production and a costume drama. Many shots require real scenery to make the picture more realistic. Although Lin Shuangyi is a cutting-edge director, he has extremely high requirements for filming. Every frame and every word must be carefully scrutinized to achieve perfection before he is satisfied.

So he specially rented a scenic nature reserve, carried the camera, and asked everyone to arrive in City A in five days.

But this type of reserve has its scenic advantages, but also a hard-to-hide disadvantage—

Most of these places are sparsely populated, with poor transportation, and the food is unlikely to be good. Put simply, it’s a place where birds don’t lay eggs.

Gu Qichi would be gone for more than half a month. He couldn’t rest assured leaving A’Ci alone at home. After thinking about it, he had to call Wen Xi.

Gu Qichi: “Sister Wen, I have a favor to ask you…”

Gu Qichi had always been reluctant to trouble others. When he called, Wen Xi was genuinely surprised.

Hearing his hesitant tone, Wen Xi panicked and exclaimed, “Qichi, are you in trouble, or are you terminating your contract with me?!”

Although he hadn’t made much money for Wen Xi and was following a “black-red” route, causing her quite a bit of trouble all day long, Wen Xi had always been very good to him.

Speaking of which, compared to Gu Chengtian and Gu Yu’an, Gu Qichi was more willing to consider Wen Xi his family.

The young man pursed his lips and smiled. His stomach ailment was mostly healed, and he had regained his vitality. having just cleaned up and sweated a little, his whole face was flushed with heat, beautiful as peach and plum blossoms. His beauty dazzled Wen Xi for a moment.

Gu Qichi: “I don’t have any thoughts of terminating the contract with you, Sister Wen. Don’t think nonsense. I just want you to help me take care of A’Ci. I’m leaving, and I’m not at ease leaving her alone at home as a cat.”

Wen Xi breathed a sigh of relief and waved her hand quickly: “Just this small matter, what’s the trouble? Speaking of which, once the news came out that you were going to film ‘Xing Tian Qing’, several scripts were sent over to me one after another.”

“It’s just that these scripts aren’t very good, so I rejected them for you. But there is a variety show that’s quite good. The previous guest got into trouble and went in, so the program team needs someone urgently. Filming is the day after tomorrow. Do you want to consider it?”

Gu Qichi had never been on a variety show before, so Wen Xi hesitated a little.

It was a live-streamed parent-child variety show on Fruit TV. The fact that they were willing to invite Gu Qichi naturally meant they were eyeing his “black-red” traffic and topicality.

On one hand, live streaming eliminates the malicious editing by the program team’s monsters and demons. But on the other hand, live streaming has no script and is the greatest test of a person’s true character. Every move you make will be infinitely amplified through the lens, subject to public scrutiny. A slight carelessness could mean burning yourself.

Many top stars and award-winning actors and actresses are unwilling to participate in such variety shows. If the persona they worked so hard to create collapses, no one can save it.

Gu Qichi agreed very readily, almost without hesitation.

Early in the morning the day after tomorrow, A’Ci was still fast asleep in her dreams, a large lump pressing on Gu Qichi, almost suffocating him.

The alarm vibrated. The young man on the bed slowly opened his eyes, looking dazedly at the still dim room.

Blackout curtains blocked the sunlight tightly, not letting a single ray through.

Gu Qichi liked this environment very much. The dark night was quiet and lonely, but it always made him feel at ease.

Lifting A’Ci by the scruff of her neck and pulling her off him, Gu Qichi washed up simply before his mind regained clarity.

A’Ci ate cat food until her belly was round, then lay lazily by Gu Qichi’s trouser leg, refusing to move.

She wanted Gu Qichi to hold her.

Gu Qichi ignored her, picked her straight up, and stuffed her into the cat bag.

He seemed cold and distant, but his movements were very gentle.

When Wen Xi arrived downstairs, she saw a person and a cat squatting obediently on the ground, exceptionally harmonious.

Taking the cat bag from the young man, Wen Xi raised an eyebrow and sighed with emotion: “It seems A’Ci didn’t find the wrong owner. The distressed young lady has turned into a wealthy daughter.”

When adopting A’Ci, Wen Xi was right beside Gu Qichi.

It was raining heavily that day. The newborn kitten got caught in the rain and caught a cold. When sent to the pet hospital, she was listless and had a fever.

The doctor said at the time that A’Ci was too small and might not survive, asking Gu Qichi to prepare himself.

After all, there was no need to spend so much energy on a stray cat.

But the young man shook his head stubbornly, only begging the doctor to cure the sick kitten.

That was one of the few fragile moments Wen Xi had seen of Gu Qichi.

Fortunately, A’Ci was tough. Not only did she survive, but she is now eating until she is white and chubby. Wen Xi can’t even lift her with one hand.

Wen Xi: “This parent-child variety show is quite popular, but taking care of children is mentally exhausting. can you handle it?”

At this point, she pinched the center of her eyebrows again and said with a headache: “It doesn’t matter if you can’t handle it. You must control your expression in front of the camera. Never shout at children, and don’t compete with them…”

The nanny van swayed all the way, coupled with Wen Xi’s nagging, making people drowsy. Gu Qichi closed his eyes, trying hard to listen to what Wen Xi was saying, but couldn’t withstand the sleepiness and fell asleep again.

He actually liked children very much.

An hour later, the group successfully arrived at the filming location, and Gu Qichi opened his eyes.

This filming location was Haicheng, a neighboring city.

As soon as he got out of the car, the salty sea breeze hit his face, mixed with a heatwave, making his head spin.

Gu Qichi was afraid of the heat. He frowned slightly and looked up to observe the surrounding environment.

His gaze froze.

There was a familiar figure in the distance—

Broad shoulders, narrow waist, incredibly long legs, cold eyebrows and eyes.

It was…

Gu Qichi was a little embarrassed. Before leaving that day, he should have asked for the other person’s name.

After all, the man’s umbrella was still left at his home.

Looking closer, Bo Yu was holding a little radish head in his arms.

Gu Qichi’s mouth opened slightly.

Did Bo Yu already have a child?

_

Author’s Note:

Bo Yu: Third time meeting wifey, hehe, haven’t seen wifey for so long, miss wifey so much