Jin Xiu found a qualified confidant in An Junxi and told her everything, "My father always stays at the villa in the suburbs and never resides at the mansion. He only stays at the mansion for a night or two during the New Year. Since my grandparents went to the United States, I've been living alone at the mansion. My grandparents wanted to take me to the United States, but my father refused. At that time, my father would visit me every two months. Later, when my uncle said he wanted to take me back to my grandmother's house, my father finally let me live in the villa with him."
An Junxi was already feeling down about her senior, and upon hearing this, she felt a surge of vigor out of anger. What she heard most often from Jin Xiu was "My father won't allow it," "My father doesn't agree," "My father doesn't permit it." How is this Gu Yikun even fit to be a father? Does he not care about his own parents?
She asked in disbelief, "He let you live in the mansion alone when you were so young?"
Jin Xiu replied, "Yes, that's how it started. Because I was afraid of the dark, my father sent me to boarding school. Later, when my uncle wanted to take me back to my grandmother's house, my father brought me to live at the villa."
An Junxi found it unbelievable but refrained from cursing Jin Xiu's father in front of him. Yet in her heart, she had cursed Gu Yikun countless times.
Jin Xiu continued, "I don't even know what to do to make my father like me. Tonight, when I saw you waiting for a ride, I wanted to have the driver take you home, but I was afraid my father wouldn't agree, so I didn't dare to offer."
An Junxi felt an immense pain for Jin Xiu. Even at such a young age, he had to live cautiously under Gu Yikun's shadow—a life more pitiable than living off others.
No wonder he had the demeanor of an adult even at eight or nine years old. Who knows what this child has been through?
An Junxi asked, "Your father treats you like this, and you aren't angry at him?"
It seemed as if Jin Xiu had never considered this question. After a long while, he said, "Sister Jun Xi, I have never seen anyone dare to be angry at my father, not even my little aunt."
An Junxi looked to the sky. Gu Yikun was indeed a tyrant.
It must be because his aura was too strong and his demeanor too ruthless, which made Jin Xiu subconsciously fear him, never daring to resist, she thought.
An Junxi patiently comforted Jin Xiu for a while and even sang to him over the phone to soothe him to sleep. It was only after she heard steady breathing from the other end and confirmed that he was asleep that she hung up.
After putting down the phone, An Junxi rummaged under the coffee table and found the latest issue of a financial magazine. The cover featured the sharply contoured face of Gu Yikun.
She took a pen and ferociously scribbled over Gu Yikun's face, "You child-abusing pervert!"
Gu Yikun was in the study reading documents when he suddenly felt a chill at the back of his head and sneezed.
A servant immediately knocked on the door and asked, "Young Master, are you cold? Should I close the balcony window?"
Sister Li stood at the door, looking composed but trembling inside. The Young Master loathed being disturbed while working!
But she couldn't pretend not to hear the sneeze. Even a small discomfort in the Young Master would send ripples through the entire Gu Family's business empire!
Gu Yikun had once been hospitalized due to a stomach hemorrhage. The Gu Family worked hard to keep it under wraps, but word still leaked to the media, leading to rumors about the Gu Family's CEO being critically ill. The rumors grew more exaggerated, and the Gu Family's stock price plummeted to a new low, causing partners to pressure shareholders, making the entire Gu Family feel like they were facing a great enemy.
When Gu Yikun woke up, he didn't rest but immediately held a press conference to announce new development projects for the Gu Family and to show that he, Gu Yikun, was standing there perfectly fine.
Only then did the storm gradually subside.
Of course, the outcome of this incident was that Gu Yikun was forcibly hospitalized by the family doctor for a week and prohibited from touching any work during that period.
Since then, the servants in the Gu Family have been like frightened birds. They don't understand the intricacies of running a company, only that the Young Master absolutely couldn't be unwell. Whenever they noticed the slightest discomfort in the Young Master, they would secretly add herbal remedies to the dishes. They couldn't help it; the Young Master wouldn't cooperate!
Gu Yikun told Sister Li to leave, "It's fine, don't worry about me."
Sister Li glanced worriedly at the open floor-to-ceiling window.
Gu Yikun suddenly said, "Go make me a cup of coffee."
Sister Li responded and went downstairs to make the coffee. She sighed inwardly, the Young Master was probably going to work late into the night again! Even an iron man couldn't withstand such constant late nights!
An Junxi presided over the company for two days, and finally, Gong Xiaoyu returned. She asked, "Senior, is everything okay at home?"
Gong Xiaoyu took a sip of strong tea and said, "When Mom and Dad came back and saw Brother in this state, they cried all night, calling it a family misfortune. Marrying the wrong woman can indeed ruin three generations! Fortunately, they didn't have children. Otherwise, growing up in such a family environment would be detrimental to the child's well-being."
Listening to this, An Junxi felt saddened. When she was still studying, she often went to Gong Xiaoyu's home for meals. Auntie and Uncle were very kind to her, making her feel the warmth of home in this unfamiliar city.
Later, Auntie even included her in the clothes shopping for Xiaoyu, often calling her on weekends, "Xiao Jun, come to Auntie's house for dinner! Auntie made your favorite dishes!"
An Junxi was good at cooking and often helped Auntie out in the kitchen when she visited. Auntie praised her endlessly, "Nowadays, many girls don't like to cook. Xiao Jun is really a rare gem!"
Gradually, the dishes An Junxi cooked became even better than Auntie's.
Uncle would say, "Xiao Jun, you are our proud disciple, inheriting the true culinary skills of the Gong Family!"
Auntie would beam with satisfaction, looking increasingly pleased with An Junxi, sometimes saying, "When you leave, let Tian Fan take you home. He's free anyway!"
An Junxi wasn't aware of what was happening, but Gong Xiaoyu secretly told her, "My mom has picked you as the future daughter-in-law! I've asked my brother, and he likes you too!"
Only then did An Junxi realize it and thought it might indeed be the case.
Thinking back to that time, they were genuinely happy. Gong Tianfan was gentle and slow to open up, and she was rather shy. Neither of them ever said it out loud, but they both knew they liked each other, and the other felt the same.
Their mutual affection was pure and honest. An Junxi once believed it was the best kind of love, thinking they would be together after graduation, become partners, and through their joint efforts, live a blissfully happy life.
But unfortunately, such happiness didn't last long. He Mengya personally shattered An Junxi's dream when she approached her and said, "I'm pregnant, and the child is Tian Fan's."