At dawn, Ye Chen drove an unassuming van out of the Ye family estate toward the airport.
Gu Qiuyi, traveling back on a private jet, had her itinerary hidden from the public.
As the first light broke, the plane touched down, and Ye Chen waited outside the VIP terminal until a group of sharply dressed, well-trained men and women in black escorted a young woman—wearing a cap and mask—briskly toward him.
Ye Chen rolled down the passenger window, and Gu Qiuyi spotted him instantly, quickening her pace to jog over.
Wrapped up tight, only her big eyes peeked out, but Ye Chen could still see the joy and excitement in them.
A female bodyguard from the Gu family stepped ahead, opening the passenger door for her.
Gu Qiuyi hopped in, beaming at Ye Chen, her voice sweet, “Brother Ye Chen, how long have you been here?”
Ye Chen smiled faintly, “Just got here a bit ago.”
Gu Qiuyi quickly shut the door and window, saying, “Brother Ye Chen, let’s head straight home, Mom and Dad are waiting.”
Ye Chen asked, “Uncle Gu and Aunt Lin are up this early?”
Gu Qiuyi giggled, “Not usually, but today’s special since we’re both coming back!”
“Got it.”
Ye Chen nodded, starting the car and driving off toward the Gu family estate.
The sun was only half-risen, Yanjing’s traffic smooth as silk, and in under forty minutes, they pulled up to the Gu residence.
Gu Yanzhong and Lin Wanqiu came out to greet them personally, and when Ye Chen parked and stepped out with Gu Qiuyi, the couple was over the moon.
It’d been a while since Gu Yanzhong last saw Ye Chen and Gu Qiuyi, with his daughter abroad for so long, he’d missed her dearly.
Seeing them return together now felt like his daughter had married and come back to visit with her husband.
He mused to himself, if they tied the knot someday and popped by often, that’d be a thrill worth getting excited over.
After yesterday’s talk with his grandfather, Ye Chen felt a mix of nerves and guilt facing the couple.
He approached a bit stiffly, greeting them, “Hello, Uncle Gu, hello, Aunt Lin.”
Gu Yanzhong already saw him as a son, clapping his shoulder with a gratified smile, “Your Aunt Lin and I were just talking about you a few days ago, wondering when you’d drop by, didn’t expect it’d happen so soon.”
Lin Wanqiu, doting as she stroked Gu Qiuyi’s face, smiled at Ye Chen, “Chen’er, you don’t know, your Uncle Gu mentions you a dozen times a day, more than he does Qiuyi.”
Gu Yanzhong laughed, “Qiuyi’s out performing, I mostly feel bad for her, not worried, but Chen’er’s always tangling with those shady types, open or underhanded, it’s dicey, as an elder, I can’t help but fret.”
He grabbed Ye Chen’s arm, chuckling, “Come on, Chen’er, let’s head in and chat, Uncle’s got a lot to ask you.”
Ye Chen’s nerves tightened, but he could only steel himself and follow inside.
Once in, Gu Yanzhong gestured him to the sofa, the Gu living room lined with three sets, Gu Yanzhong and Ye Chen on one, Lin Wanqiu and Gu Qiuyi on another.
Gu Yanzhong looked at Ye Chen, concern in his voice, “Chen’er, how’s everything going lately?”
Ye Chen knew he meant the Po Qing Society, so he said, “Overall, we’re making steady progress, just took out one of their bases in Africa not long ago.”
