Cub's Dad Chapter 42

 Chapter 42

Bo Zai sat at the dining table, resting his chubby face in his hands, looking a bit troubled.

He was sure that Grandma missed him, which was why she came here.

But he didn't know if Grandma knew that he and Dad were keeping something from Mom.

If Grandma didn't know and, in front of Mom, called out like she used to, "Bo Zai, Grandma's little sweetheart, come let Grandma give you a kiss," then the fact that he and Dad were pretending to be poor would be exposed.

Mom likes old and worn-out things. If he found out that he and Dad weren't poor, he definitely wouldn't like him and Dad anymore.

The thought of Mom not liking him made the little chubby boy's heart sink.

Even the gummy bears in his mouth didn't taste sweet anymore.

He couldn't take that risk, so the most urgent thing was to get in touch with Grandma.

He needed to tell Grandma that he and Dad were now penniless and ask her to help cover for them in front of Mom.

But those words were too complicated, and without Tori's help, he couldn't spell them.

With Mom right beside him, he couldn't directly call Grandma either.

Bo Zai furrowed his chubby face, feeling a bit troubled.

Xie Yishu finished packing away the leftover food and turned around to see the little chubby boy lying on the dining table, racking his brain for a solution.

He didn't know what was on Bo Zai's mind and thought the little chubby boy was missing Gu Yanzhi. After putting away the food containers, he walked out of the kitchen and suggested, "Bo Zai, how about we make a video call to Dad?"

A video call?

A light bulb went off in the little chubby boy's head. He quickly sat up straight, nodding his chubby face eagerly, "Yes, yes!"

He could hint to Dad during the video call that Grandma had visited, so Dad could talk to Grandma and get on the same page.

Xie Yishu picked up the little chubby boy and went to the living room.

He sat on the sofa, placing the little chubby boy on his lap, then picked up the communicator and sent a message to Gu Yanzhi: 【Has today's training ended?】

Gu Yanzhi was resting with his eyes closed in the car.

The car was very quiet, and neither the driver nor the assistant made a sound.

In the silence, the communicator on the small table in the back seat vibrated.

Gu Yanzhi picked it up and glanced at it, discovering it was a message from Xie Yishu.

【Xie Yishu: Has today's training ended?】

【Xie Yishu: Is it convenient for a video call? Bo Zai wants to see Dad.】 

Gu Yanzhi's gaze softened, and he replied: 【It's over. On the way to the dormitory, I'll video call when I get there.】 

After Xie Yishu replied with "Okay," Gu Yanzhi put away the communicator and asked, "How much longer until we arrive?"

The assistant, sitting in the front passenger seat, heard Gu Yanzhi's question and quickly glanced at the navigation system, cautiously answering, "There's a bit of traffic ahead, it should take about another fifteen minutes."

After speaking, he looked into the rearview mirror and saw Gu Yanzhi nodding. Unable to resist, he asked, "Mr. Gu, are you really going to stay in the electronics factory dormitory tonight?"

He had originally thought that living in an old neighborhood, flying economy class, and eating employee boxed meals were already enough for Mr. Gu to experience life.

He didn't expect that Mr. Gu still found it insufficient. Instead of staying in a perfectly fine luxury hotel, he chose to stay in a collective dormitory at an electronics factory they had partnered with.

A collective dormitory! He had heard it was an eight-person room.

Just thinking about it made the assistant's scalp tingle.

He had only lived in a dormitory a few years ago when he was in college, and that was a four-person room. Four-person rooms were already cramped enough, and an eight-person room was double that. Could Mr. Gu even sleep in such a place?

But Gu Yanzhi himself didn't seem to mind, looking out the window and responding with a faint "Mm."

Seeing Mr. Gu's calm and unruffled demeanor in the rearview mirror, the assistant felt even more conflicted.

As a junior assistant, having himself sit in first class while his boss sat in economy was already quite improper. Now, he was going to stay alone in the hotel arranged by StarTech, while Mr. Gu stayed in the factory's collective dormitory... Would he be fired by Mr. Gu for these reasons in the future?

The more he thought about it, the more he broke out in a cold sweat. Trying to make amends, he suggested, "Mr. Gu, how about I also stay in the dormitory tonight? That way, tomorrow morning, Driver Chen can pick both of us up directly, without having to go to two places..."

Gu Yanzhi frowned and stopped him, "No need."

He guessed the assistant's thoughts and, after thinking for a moment, added, "I only had them prepare a dormitory room for one."

A dormitory room for one?

So, Mr. Gu would still be staying alone?

True, after all, the wealthy were still wealthy; it was unlikely they would really squeeze into a collective dormitory.

The assistant felt a sense of relief, secretly glad he didn't have to stay in the collective dormitory.

Since Mr. Gu had said he only prepared a dormitory room and intended to stay alone, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to insist further. So he said, "Then, Mr. Gu, have a good rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, Driver Chen and I will come to pick you up."

After passing through a slightly congested intersection, the road ahead became less crowded.

The car soon arrived at the factory gate. The driver reported their identity, and the guard, who had been informed in advance, let them through.

Following the signs, the driver drove all the way to the collective dormitory building.

The person in charge was waiting downstairs. Seeing a car approaching from a distance, he put on a welcoming smile and stepped forward. As soon as the car stopped, he went up to open the door for Gu Yanzhi.

"Mr. Gu."

Gu Yanzhi got out of the car and shook hands with him, "Director Zhao."

Director Zhao greeted him warmly, "Mr. Gu, the dormitory has been arranged for you on the top floor. I'll take you there. Your luggage..."

As he spoke, he reached out to help Gu Yanzhi with his luggage.

Gu Yanzhi, maintaining a sense of distance, said, "I'll handle it myself."

Director Zhao immediately responded, "Alright, alright, Mr. Gu, please follow me."

The assistant stood to the side, hesitating, "Then, Mr. Gu, I..."

"Have the driver take you to the hotel. Come with the driver to pick me up tomorrow morning," Gu Yanzhi instructed, then picked up his luggage.

Director Zhao, perceptive as ever, said, "Mr. Gu, this way, please."

On the top floor, only one of the six dormitory rooms had its light on.

Director Zhao opened the dormitory door and stepped aside to let Gu Yanzhi enter first, "Mr. Gu, does this meet your needs?"

The room had a bunk bed design, with each bed neatly made, complete with pillows and bedding.

Several suitcases were neatly lined up against the wall.

Except for one bed that was still empty, the other beds had a few scattered pieces of clothing on them, as if other people were living there.

"Mr. Gu, rest assured, everything is brand new."

Gu Yanzhi nodded and politely said, "Thank you."

Director Zhao waved his hand, "Not at all, Mr. Gu, you're too kind."

Gu Yanzhi said, "Director Zhao, I have some matters to attend to..."

Director Zhao quickly responded, "Alright, alright, I'll take my leave then. Mr. Gu, feel free to contact me if you need anything."

Gu Yanzhi nodded. After Director Zhao left, he quickly organized his luggage, then sat on his bed and took out his communicator, sending a video call invitation to his partner at home.

The video call was quickly answered, and filling the screen was their son's chubby face.

"Dad!" Bo Zai energetically blinked at his father, "Dad! Bo Zai misses you so much!"

Gu Yanzhi: "...What's wrong with your eyes?"

The little chubby boy, who was trying hard to give his dad a hint: "...???"

Feeling deflated, the little chubby boy shrank back into Xie Yishu's arms, a bit aggrieved.

He felt that the tacit understanding between him and his dad was hopeless, and he pouted, answering sullenly, "Nothing."

Xie Yishu, hearing Gu Yanzhi mention the little chubby boy's eyes, quickly looked down to check but didn't see anything unusual. He then said to Gu Yanzhi, "Maybe he was just staring at the communicator for too long. I'll move it a bit farther away."

With the communicator moved farther away, Xie Yishu's figure appeared on Gu Yanzhi's screen.

The other side was sitting on the sofa, holding the little chubby boy. The warm yellow light in the living room fell on them, making it very comforting just to look at.

Gu Yanzhi inadvertently curled his lips into a smile, "Miss me?"

Bo Zai had already said he missed him earlier, so this question was specifically directed at Xie Yishu.

His voice was deep and magnetic, coming from the other end of the communicator. Xie Yishu's ears turned slightly red, but he calmly replied, "Yes."

Then he looked at the little chubby boy in his arms, "Isn't that right, Bo Zai?"

Bo Zai glanced at the communicator and reluctantly nodded his chubby face.

Even though Dad and he had no tacit understanding, he still missed Dad very much.

The curve of Gu Yanzhi's lips became even more pronounced.

When working overtime at the company, he had encountered employees taking a moment to call their wives and children in the stairwell.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't envious... but now he didn't need to envy others.

Bo Zai nestled in his mother's arms, listening to his dad and mom chat.

Dad talked about the automotive repair training, Mom talked about the kindergarten, and the little chubby boy, unable to hold back any longer, put aside the matter of Grandma's visit and joined the conversation, sharing his day at kindergarten with his parents.

After chatting for a while, Gu Yanzhi switched hands to hold the communicator, causing the camera to move and capture the other beds.

Only then did Xie Yishu realize that Gu Yanzhi was staying in a collective dormitory today. He paused for a moment and reminded, "You're not wearing earphones..." If there were other people in the dormitory, wouldn't their conversation be overheard by others?

Gu Yanzhi knew his partner was shy and explained, "They're all out."

All out?

Xie Yishu asked, "Where did they go?"

"There's a small restaurant outside. They went there to drink. I didn't go."

Xie Yishu slowly nodded.

Although he didn't approve of Gu Yanzhi drinking, in such situations, when everyone in the dormitory went except him... Was it because he was reluctant to spend money on such things?

Since he had just learned in the evening that Bo Zai had never eaten at Little Bear House, Xie Yishu easily made this connection.

He pressed his lips together, feeling a bit distressed, "I took Bo Zai to eat at Little Bear House tonight... Gu Yan, you should also eat well when you're out."

As he spoke, Xie Yishu transferred 300 interstellar credits.

Gu Yanzhi hadn't connected Little Bear House with a frugal lifestyle. Seeing the 300 interstellar credits transferred by Xie Yishu, he was momentarily stunned before catching up with his partner's imagined scenario. He softly replied, "Alright."

"When you come back, we'll take Bo Zai to Little Bear House again."

Gu Yanzhi lowered his eyes, "Alright."

Looking at his partner on the other side of the communicator, he suddenly felt an urge to reveal everything.

He wanted to tell Xie Yishu everything.

He didn't want Xie Yishu to feel sorry for him, nor did he want Xie Yishu to suffer alongside him.

He wanted to give him everything he had.

This thought, like a seed, began to grow wildly with the slightest breeze.

Gu Yanzhi's hand clenched and then relaxed. Finally, he spoke, "Xiao Shu..."

"Gu Yan, I realized I really like this feeling."

Xie Yishu noticed that Gu Yanzhi had become somewhat silent after he transferred the money.

He worried that his actions might have hurt Gu Yanzhi's self-esteem. His five years of silence had already left Gu Yanzhi feeling insecure, and Xie Yishu was concerned that Gu Yanzhi might overthink things again. So he said, "No wonder people like to hand over their money after getting married."

Gu Yanzhi didn't react immediately.

He looked at the screen and listened as Xie Yishu said to him, word by word, "This feeling of 'transferring money to you and watching you use my money' is just too satisfying."

"..." Gu Yanzhi asked with difficulty, "You really like this feeling?"

Head of the household, Xie Yishu, affirmed, "Of course."

Gu Yanzhi fell silent.

He could understand, because he also liked this feeling.

Seeing Gu Yanzhi deep in thought, Xie Yishu subtly changed the topic, "Speaking of which, when Bo Zai and I came home today, there were a lot of people gathered outside the community. They said that Actress Ye had come..."

Bo Zai suddenly sat up straight, tense, upon hearing his mother mention Grandma.

Gu Yanzhi's brow twitched at the familiar name, "…Actress Ye?"

"Yes, but Bo Zai and I didn't see her. By the time we got back, it seemed she had already left."

As Xie Yishu spoke, he gradually trailed off.

He suddenly remembered that Gu Yanzhi seemed to have some connections with the actress and her husband.

Fifty million.

Gu Yanzhi noticed Xie Yishu, who had suddenly stopped speaking and was now looking at him, and felt a slight sweat in his palms.

Although Xie Yishu thought it was unlikely, he still tentatively asked, "Gu Yan, why do you think Actress Ye would suddenly come here?"

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