Chapter 11: Gu Junxing: Filial Piety Killed Me
Chapter 11
Although almost every working person curses their boss in their heart and behind their back, Qin Cangqiu wasn't bold enough to speak ill of her boss in front of the boss's wife.
Even though the boss's wife was an especially adorable girl who gave her delicious little cakes, she still couldn't say anything bad.
So she could only force an awkward laugh and say, "Haha, there's nothing wrong with the boss." As if.
Hearing her say this, Nian Suian knew she wasn't telling the truth, but having been a worker herself, she understood.
"It's alright, I'll come visit your company sometime. After all, I'm a shareholder too."
"Great! You must come." Whether it was good or not, she'd see for herself when she came.
Qin Cangqiu estimated the time. Apart from the travel time, she'd be able to report back to work just in time to finish for the day. Perfect. Today the boss had asked someone from the legal department to come over, and everyone was quite busy lately, so it was convenient for her as the newcomer.
...
"Boss Gu, I've shown the documents to your wife and explained the relevant regulations. She said there were no issues."
"Did she say anything else?"
"No, apart from asking about a few clauses, she didn't say much else." Qin Cangqiu lied without batting an eyelid.
However, Gu Junxing didn't believe her anyway. Gone for a whole afternoon and said nothing? Did she think he was an idiot? It didn't even take half an hour to get from his house to the company! And was it possible for Nian Suian to say nothing? Obviously not.
Hmph, how capable she was, getting everyone on her side. Gu Junxing sneered inwardly, but he couldn't pursue the matter further.
"I see. You may go."
Jinjiang City No. 15 Middle School.
Ring ring! Ring ring! (The dismissal bell)
"Hey! Gu Zhijing, why are you running so fast? Wait for me, let's go back together."
As soon as Gu Zhijing heard the evening study session's dismissal bell, he bolted out. His good friend Qi Siyang called out to him.
"There's something at home! You're too slow, I'm leaving first." He had already called for a car on his phone, and by the time the car arrived, he'd be at the school gate. Since middle school, his dad hadn't allowed the family driver to pick him up after school, so he always went home by himself. His dad's intention was not to spoil him, but it actually made it convenient for him to hang out with friends after school, so he didn't object and always went home by himself.
Today he couldn't concentrate on his classes all day, worrying that his dad and little mom-sis might be arguing at home. What if little mom-sis got angry and didn't want to play with him anymore, or didn't take him for barbecue?
"Driver, please go faster! My parents are about to divorce, I need to hurry home to persuade them!" Gu Zhijing got in the car, patted the back of the driver's seat, and said anxiously.
"What?! Sit tight and fasten your seatbelt." The driver floored the accelerator. Today he wasn't racing, he was saving a family!
Gu Zhijing was very anxious. As soon as he got home, he asked, "Where's my little mom-sis?"
"Madam has already gone upstairs to rest."
"Resting?! Why didn't she wait for me to have a late-night snack? Did my dad scold her?"
Fortunately, Gu Junxing was in the study dealing with work at this moment. Otherwise, hearing his son come home and immediately ask for Nian Suian, and even complain about him, he might have considered re-educating his son.
Nanny Zhang brought a bowl of noodle soup for Gu Zhijing. "Young master, have a bowl of noodles. You come back from school so late, you can't skip your late-night snack. The boss also said that as long as you don't eat unhealthy things, your late-night snacks can continue as usual."
Gu Zhijing was indeed hungry. He had dinner after 5 pm when classes ended, and had been doing exercises during the evening study session. But before eating, he still asked, "Did my little mom-sis eat?"
"Madam said she's on a diet, so she's not eating."
"Diet? Why wasn't she dieting yesterday? She must be angry." Gu Zhijing pouted. Eating is more enjoyable when two people eat together.
Nanny Zhang saw through Gu Zhijing's thoughts and quickly persuaded him, "Young master, please eat quickly. If you don't eat because Madam isn't eating, the boss will be even more unhappy later."
Gu Zhijing understood and picked up his chopsticks to eat. But he still muttered, "It's all his fault."
Nanny Zhang also felt in her heart that this matter was the boss's fault. She had been with the Gu family for many years, since the young master was a child. The boss was very good to the young master, but also strict. He was often away on business trips, and when he came home, it was always to check schoolwork, never saying a kind word.
The grandparents felt sorry for the child and would at most take him to play for a couple of days, but the boss said the grandparents spoiled him too much and couldn't let them take care of him all the time.
Although this was all for the child's good, what child doesn't want their parents to play with them? In other families, there's usually one strict parent and one gentle one, but with the boss, there was only strictness left.
Although Madam's status was that of a stepmother, she was a very nice person with a lively personality. From what she observed, the young master looked at Madam as if she was a sister, a mother, and a playmate all at once.
Gu Zhijing didn't know that Nanny Zhang had already thought so much. He finished eating, wiped his mouth, and was about to go upstairs to find Nian Suian.
Nian Suian wasn't asleep yet. Joking aside, she was used to staying up late, and couldn't fall asleep before midnight. She was catching up on a TV series when she heard a knock on the door. Without even thinking, she knew it must be Gu Zhijing coming back.
"You're back? What's up?"
Her grudges with Gu Junxing had nothing to do with Gu Zhijing, and she wouldn't take it out on him.
"Are you hungry? Nanny Zhang said you didn't have a late-night snack."
"Oh, I'm on a diet! I've eaten too much lately and gained five pounds already. I can't go on like this." Nian Suian wasn't lying, she really needed to lose weight. Recently, she hadn't been working and had been eating Nanny Zhang's delicious food at home every day, plus late-night snacks. She had gained quite a bit of weight.
Gu Zhijing came in and sat down on a random chair, then asked Nian Suian, "Did you argue with my dad today?"
Nian Suian thought for a moment before saying, "It wasn't really an argument." Their conversation wasn't heated, so it didn't count as an argument. "We were just discussing divorce matters."
"Divorce?!" Gu Zhijing suddenly stood up from his chair.
Well, in this family, Gu Zhijing had the biggest reaction to the divorce issue, much stronger than the two parties involved.
"Yes, but for various reasons, we can't divorce for now."
Before Gu Zhijing could breathe a sigh of relief, Nian Suian continued, "But I'm considering moving out to live separately, to be separated from your dad!"
"No way!"
"Why not?"
"What about me if you leave? I don't want you to go." Gu Zhijing sat right down on the floor.
"But you must have seen it - your dad and I just can't get along," Nian Suian said. It was laughable, really. Who could possibly get along with Gu Junxing? Nian Suian felt that only her high school disciplinary director might stand a chance of going toe-to-toe with him.
"It doesn't matter. He's away on business trips for 300 days a year anyway. We can just pretend he's not here," her child replied.
"What if your dad and I get divorced in the future? I can't keep living here then, can I?" Nian Suian asked.
"If you two divorce, I'll tell the judge I want to stay with you!" the child declared resolutely.