Gu Junshi glanced at him, her gentle voice tinged with a hint of regret, "Since that's the case, would keeping you here be of no use?"
Li Sheng hadn't expected this reaction to his words. His deer-like eyes blinked, and he realized that when she was unwilling to play along, she was frighteningly clear-headed and perceptive, as if she could see through everything hidden in the depths of one's heart.
Li Sheng swallowed, a blush spreading across his face, and stammered, "No, it's useful. I've heard there's a prescription in the world called 'create life by facing death.'"
"Tell me about it."
"If we just provoke him enough in front of him, he'll definitely rekindle his passion."
Gu Junshi mused slightly, "Wasn't what we just did enough?"
"This, this requires him to be truly heartbroken. To make him believe in our relationship, in front of him, we..." The blush on his face deepened, spreading to the nape of his neck, and he said shyly, "should be more intimate in our actions."
"Does holding hands just now count?" Gu Junshi asked.
He emphasized, "I suppose it does, but we need to be more intense."
"Then how much is enough?" she asked, feigning ignorance.
At least... he shyly but bravely leaned closer to her, his eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, his lips a vibrant red, and hesitantly mumbled, "Just like… true lovers..."
His voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum, but his words were bold.
Gu Junshi watched him with composed amusement.
"Since it's acting, it's naturally pretend. If we were like true lovers, that would imply mutual affection. If you want to help me reconcile with him, and the pretense becomes reality, how should I explain it to him afterward?"
Her simple words caused Li Sheng's expression to freeze; his small face turned pale, devoid of color.
But Gu Junshi remained oblivious to it all. She reminded him unfeelingly, "He didn't speak today. You only have seven days. If he still doesn't reveal what I want to know within those seven days, you'll leave with him."
After speaking, Gu Junshi left him to his own devices and entered the bamboo pavilion.
Li Sheng watched her retreating figure. His innocent rabbit-like expression slowly shifted, becoming wickedly charming. His fingertips lightly brushed over his red lips, and a thin, crimson ripple flickered in his eyes. The corners of his lips curved upwards silently.
"Why is her attitude different from before... Does she truly discern it..."
—
Dada-da-da... Gu Sijun ran with great speed. He had previously found an excuse to play and separated from his mother, but in reality, he was returning along the same path to secretly see his father.
In his heart, his father, who had always appeared lofty and god-like, was now confined in a beautiful, gilded cage by his mother. This truly shocked him.
As soon as his father encountered his mother, he seemed to transform into a different person, adopting an aloof and distant demeanor, as if he wanted no entanglement with his mother. Yet, from Gu Sijun's perspective, his father seemed to be feigning weakness.
When people apprehended him, he hadn't resisted at all, had he?
Even though his mother had sealed his spiritual power, his father possessed those unfathomable mysterious techniques and the vast accumulation of various magical artifacts, yet he hadn't used any of them. What was the difference between this and willingly surrendering himself?
However, Gu Sijun was still young and couldn't analyze the complex psychological activities of adults. He thought perhaps his mother was more powerful, which was why his father couldn't resist.
Gu Sijun slowed his pace as he saw the golden cage from afar, no longer appearing as frantic as before.
He calmed his breathing and approached the apricot-pear cloud flower tree where Liu Jiangfusheng was confined.
Gu Sijun was no longer wearing the simple cloth clothes and felt hat of his previous wandering days. He was now dressed in a soft, cloud-like, exquisitely tailored white and blue robe, with a jade pendant bearing the inscription for longevity hanging around his neck. His mother had also styled his hair into the current fashion for children, a topknot. His fair, clean little face was meticulously tidy, radiating spirit and energy.
His body was covered in various hidden protective talismans and counter-attack inscriptions, making him appear like a small, shimmering treasure trove.
Seeing Gu Sijun so well cared for by Gu Junshi, Liu Jiangfusheng finally dropped his dignified expression. He beckoned Gu Sijun closer, "Sijun, come here, let Father have a look at you."
After years of separation, the father and son finally had the opportunity for a private conversation.
However, Gu Sijun did not approach him.
"Are... are you alright?" he asked awkwardly, tugging at the hem of his clothes.
Liu Jiangfusheng, having heard all of Gu Sijun's grievances and complaints, felt a surge of sorrow and discomfort.
This was his first time being a father, and he had been clumsy. The children had never had their mother by their side from birth. He had to be both father and mother, taking care of two children alone, and one of them was congenitally weak. At that time, even when he managed to close his eyes for a moment of rest, he was filled with unease and fear in his dreams.
Later, his circumstances became complicated. In addition to caring for the children, he was busy with clan affairs, and he had inadvertently neglected to pay attention to Gu Sijun.
It wasn't that he didn't want to care for him personally. He had always thought that once Le Bao's condition improved a bit, he would bring him back to care for both children together.
But unexpectedly, Gu Sijun had run away in anger.
"Sijun, you're with your mother. Does she treat you well?"
He knew that even if Gu Junshi didn't yet know Gu Sijun was her biological child, she would still treat him well, because the deep bond between mother and son was something she had exchanged half her life for.
Thus, even though these two children had never met their mother since birth, they had always deeply missed and cared for her.
He asked this simply because there was a rift between father and son, and he didn't know what to talk about with him.
He likes his mother, Liu Jiangfusheng thought. By using his mother as a topic, it would be easier for Gu Sijun to speak.
Gu Sijun finally looked at him, his stubborn, bright eyes filled with confusion and a hint of fierceness, "Why didn't you tell Mother that Le Bao and I are her biological children?"
Liu Jiangfusheng smiled and asked, "And why haven't you told her?"
Gu Sijun froze. He bit his lower lip, his small face contorted in worry, "I, I don't know... I'm just scared."
Liu Jiangfusheng immediately understood, "You're afraid she abandoned you deliberately back then?"
"..." Gu Sijun remained silent.
Clearly, that was his fear.
Liu Jiangfusheng had rarely mentioned Gu Junshi to the children before, partly because they were too young, and partly because the memory of her ruthlessness towards him, the nightmares that had never faded, made him unwilling to reopen the scarred wound and suffer again.
"Sijun, she didn't abandon you. To protect you and Le Bao back then, she schemed and exhausted all her efforts, nearly losing her life on Dragon Island."
Gu Sijun looked at his father in astonishment at these words, his eyes immediately turning red.
"Is, is that true?"
Liu Jiangfusheng nodded.
"Mother, Mother really wanted me and Le Bao?" Tears welled up in his eyes, falling one by one, and he didn't bother to wipe them away.
"Sijun, come here."