Chen Lishu: "He still has a bit of a fever, but he's taken medicine and should be fine."
He Ziyu had witnessed Rui Rui's behavior just now but said nothing. Instead, he took a couple of steps closer and smiled, "What's wrong? Haven't seen your uncle in just two days, and you don't recognize me?"
Rui Rui looked up at him, "My mom said you're my uncle."
He Ziyu: "Uncle? Your mom and I, well, your biological mom, we're close. From now on, you'll call me Uncle."
Rui Rui wasn't particularly concerned about whether to call him uncle or paternal uncle. He looked directly into He Ziyu's eyes and said, "I don't want to go to the capital. But my mom said someone there wants to see me. I want my parents to take me, let them see me, and then I'll come back."
"This..." He Ziyu hesitated. He didn't have much hope for that second brother of his. On the other hand, Chen Lishu and her husband treated Rui Rui as their own. Moreover, a child's reaction was the most honest. The dependence in Rui Rui's eyes was undeniable.
Furthermore, after a period of interaction, he deeply trusted the character of Chen Lishu and her husband. He actually felt that it would be better for Rui Rui to stay with the couple.
However, the elderly parents at home had been longing for their grandson for so long, and he really wasn't sure if he could persuade them.
"If you don't agree, I won't go. Even if I'm forced to go to the capital, I'll come back on my own." He had saved quite a lot from his usual allowance and New Year's money, which would be enough to buy a train ticket.
"You kid, you're not old but you've learned to threaten people." Hearing his words, He Ziyu couldn't help but feel amused. "But this stubbornness is just like me. When I was a child, every time Grandpa forced me to do something I didn't like, I'd go on a hunger strike to protest. But it never worked."
Rui Rui couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
He Ziyu gave a wry smile. "What else? That stubborn old man had an even worse temper than me. If I dared to go on a hunger strike, he'd beat me. In the end, under his oppressive authority, I had to compromise. But He Zinian, your father, whenever we did something bad together, he was always the first one to betray. I can't learn that from him. It's true that a child's character is set from a young age, and he hasn't gotten any better as he grew up."
Rui Rui was surprised, "You guys did bad things too?"
Seeing that Rui Rui was no longer so resistant to him, He Ziyu pulled over a stool by the table and sat by his bed. "There were many children in the compound. The boys formed gangs and could always come up with new tricks. Have you ever tried to poke a hornet's nest?"
Rui Rui shook his head, "I'd get stung." He wouldn't do something so foolish.
Thinking of his past 'great achievements,' He Ziyu said with some pride, "Back then, everyone's conditions were not good. I don't know who said there was honey in a hornet's nest, so a few of us boys..."
Chen Lishu watched the uncle and nephew, one speaking enthusiastically and the other listening attentively. She nodded to He Ziyu and got up to leave, giving the room to the uncle and nephew.
A long time later, He Ziyu came downstairs.
"I've already agreed with Rui Rui. You and your wife can accompany the child. It'll be a good opportunity for me to be a host and take you all to tour the capital properly." He had always been easygoing and didn't think it was necessarily right for the child to return to the He family. As long as Rui Rui was happy, that was the most important thing.
...
Gu Xingye: "Third Brother, I've already paid the material suppliers."
Gu Xingdong nodded and turned to Wang Kuo, "How are things progressing with the matters I entrusted to you?"
"This is all the information collected over the past two days. I was shocked when I started investigating. Gao Mingyuan was incredibly audacious. He colluded with someone called 'Coal Ball' and Jiang Huaijin, fabricating contracts to inflate prices and defraud the bank for loans. Not only that, but he also used Dong Sheng's name to bribe Du Runhai to leak the bid price. Otherwise, a company that was only recently established wouldn't have been able to secure the project for the west city development."
Gu Xingye: "He's too daring?" Although there were rumors that Gao Mingyuan had found a way through Du Runhai, he never expected him to engage in so many underhanded dealings behind the scenes.
Gu Xingdong: "He even dared to commit kidnapping and extortion, what else wouldn't he dare to do?"
He absolutely could not let them off the hook so easily this time.
In business, any conspiracy or scheme was welcome. Since they dared to harm Chen Lishu, he had to make sure they perished even more thoroughly.
Wang Kuo: "And this person called 'Coal Ball.' This is all his past information. He used to be Jin Kun's subordinate. After betraying Jin Kun and sending him to prison, he started his own business, following Jin Kun's path and continuing with demolition. However, his abilities were not as strong as Jin Kun's, but his methods were crueler. Besides the west city project, this isn't the first time he's driven someone to their death. But he paid substantial 'filial piety' money every year, so his affairs were either suppressed or someone was directly made a scapegoat."
"Then let him stay in there. In a moment, you'll send someone to anonymously submit all this information." Gu Xingdong: "Is there still no news about Gao Mingyuan?"
Wang Kuo shook his head, "We specifically informed the police that he was armed, so they've intensified their search. There's still no news."
Gu Xingdong turned and said, "Fourth, keep an eye on Pengcheng Company's movements during this time. The large amount of money owed to the bank won't just be ignored. Once the assets are sold, we'll acquire them at the lowest possible price."
Since Gao Mingyuan had Zhu Shasha behind him, she definitely wouldn't stand by and do nothing. First Zhu Changgui, then Gao Mingyuan, let this woman lose even more thoroughly.
In the evening, Gu Xingdong returned home from work and saw Chen Lishu feeding the two children. He asked, "How is Rui Rui today? Is he feeling better?"
"He's much better, but still has a slight fever. He said he was afraid of infecting the two younger ones, so he's reading in his room."
"That's good." Gu Xingdong sat down at the table. Seeing Xiao Chengzi reach for a stray noodle on the table to put in his mouth, he raised his hand and snatched the noodle away, eliciting a dissatisfied grunt from his son.
Gu Xingdong tapped his forehead with his finger, "Why are you eating like a puppy?"
Li Xiulan, standing nearby, glared at her son, "How can you talk about your own son like that?"
"He Ziyu came today and invited us to the capital," Chen Lishu said after feeding Xiaobai the last bit of noodles, then looking up.
Gu Xingdong rubbed his eyebrows with his index finger. "It's okay to go. Otherwise, if we just let him take Rui Rui away, not to mention the child would be upset, we wouldn't be at ease either."
Chen Lishu: "What about the two younger children at home? If both of us leave, there will only be Mom and Sister Xiaoyue left at home."
Besides, the two children had never been away from her side since they were born. Going to the capital would take at least ten days to half a month. She truly couldn't bear to leave them, as both were her flesh and blood.
Li Xiulan: "We'll be fine. These two children have always been easy to take care of. Besides, they're both less than a year old. Traveling to the capital by train will take at least two days, and it won't be convenient for you two to travel with two young children."