Previously, Bo Xiyun's account was stolen by Bai Xiu. After the incident, Bai Xiu created a mirror account and sent messages to Yi Zhongshen and Gu Sheng using that account.
Therefore, after retrieving his own account, Bo Xiyun couldn't recover the previous chat records with the two. However, the good news is that apart from Yi Zhongshen and Gu Sheng, Bo Xiyun's online communication with others was not affected.
Also, Yi Zhongshen helped handle the account attack incident.
If not for this, when receiving messages from Xu Xinyi, Bo Xiyun briefly suspected if he logged into the wrong account again.
But this time, the online communication was fine, and Xu Xinyi was not teasing or mocking deliberately.
Some things can be sensed during the process of getting along.
Unlike Bai Xiu, Xu Xinyi may have guessed Bo Xiyun's attitude a few times, but she had no malicious intent and was careful in her expressions to avoid making others uncomfortable.
The most crucial thing is... she always guesses so accurately.
The phone vibrated again, and there was a new message from Xu Xinyi, apologizing once more.
[But all of this is just my speculation, sorry if it troubled you]
Bo Xiyun's fingertips moved across the screen a few times before finally replying, [No, it's okay.]
Xu Xinyi didn't need to apologize because she was quite perceptive and understanding. She could approach matters of the heart with a sense of ease, whether it was wholeheartedly dedicating herself to numerous hobbies or expressing her liking for Bo Xiyun earlier.
Bo Xiyun slightly lowered his head, burying the area below his nose in the soft collar of his sweater.
He couldn't help but wonder why he couldn't be as skilled in handling emotions.
Bo Xiyun felt a bit lost. Recalling his experiences in the competition team, perhaps in the eyes of others, he had already taken the step of reaching the level of "liking."
But he was completely unaware of it himself.
Bo Xiyun seemed to treat studying like an ideal goal, just like regarding T University as an ideal school, without any difference.
So, there were no thoughts of cherishing carefully preserved drafts or the photos tucked in between his notes.
Perhaps there was no mistake in his previous approach. If this had happened a few days earlier, when Xu Xinyi made those speculations, Bo Xiyun would have probably dismissed them with a smile, considering it a misunderstanding.
But now, it's different.
He already know.
He likes studying.
He knows how much he likes it.
Bo Xiyun buried himself deeper in his collar, curling up into a quiet little ball, feeling lost.
So, Yi Zhongshen might be sadder than Bo Xiyun imagined—not because he knew from the beginning that his feelings were impossible, but because he might have once hoped that Bo Xiyun shared the same feelings.
And then he came crashing down so heavily.
All hope shattered.
Messages continued to come through on his phone as the sky gradually brightened. His classmates who saw the trending post on social media last night also sent messages.
The news of Bo Xiyun being taken back by the Gu family had spread completely, and it directly made it to the local trending topics on short video platforms.
It wasn't surprising that this incident made it to the trending topics. Recently, the Bai family's revelations in Q city had been creating a lot of buzz, and many local media accounts on platforms like Douyin capitalized on posting news related to the Bai family to gain followers and increase views. Naturally, they continued to follow this story.
(Tn:抖音; pinyin: Dǒuyīn), is a short-form video hosting service owned by ByteDance. it's a Chinese counter part to TikTok)
Last night's incident already attracted a crowd on the scene, and with such a surprising turn of events, it immediately sparked intense discussions.
Most of Bo Xiyun's classmates knew about the previous malicious rumors calling him a "little beggar." Now, knowing that he had found his real family, everyone was genuinely happy for him.
These kids at this age had learned not to be too blunt when discussing sensitive topics, but they also hadn't mastered the art of being too subtle.
Some of the classmates' comforting messages were obviously a bit awkward, carefully crafted after racking their brains.
Every word and sentence were sincere and heartfelt.
Although Bo Xiyun's mind was still somewhat distracted by his thoughts about studying, he still replied to each classmate's messages, saying thank you.
Inattentive, Bo Xiyun didn't bother to check the trending topics. After responding to his friends' messages, he didn't pay much attention to it.
However, Gu Sheng, who was beside him, was following the trending topics.
Last night, Gu Sheng noticed how rapidly the news about Bo Xiyun spread on short video platforms. He(Gu Sheng) casually opened a related video, and each of the comments below had tens of thousands of likes.
On platforms like Douyin, with a larger active user base, it was challenging to control the narrative. Although Gu Sheng also left some deliberately accusing comments about Bo Xiyun, those messages were quickly overshadowed by more positive and supportive comments.
Most of the comments expressed sympathy and blessings, rejoicing that the child who had been wandering for so many years had finally found his true home.
However, Gu Sheng followed the trail of those accounts that had been manipulating the comment section and managed to catch a few of the culprits who didn't live stream in front of the café last night.
He knew that the Bai family's disgusting tactics hadn't stopped.
When it came to online skills, Gu Sheng was probably the most proficient among his group of friends.
Unlike Yi Zhongshen, who took over the family's projects during the break, Gu Sheng was mostly free during the holidays. In the past, he often stayed up late and had a hard time waking up early, all because he was doing game live streams.
To avoid letting his family know about this and to escape his older brother's watchful eyes, Gu Sheng chose to stay in Q city during the winter break and didn't go back home.
So, he had been monitoring the online discussions related to Bo Xiyun being taken in by the Gu family.
Even Gu Sheng couldn't have predicted that this incident of Bo Xiyun being taken in by the Gu family would not only trend locally but also gain attention beyond the city.
It all started with someone sharing the news on a short video platform and then retelling it in a QQ group.
(Tn: It is a messaging app but with all the FB or Insta like characteristics. It also has music)
Because the way the story was presented in the chat was quite amusing, coupled with the several plot twists in the news itself, the conversation was full of ups and downs, making it truly captivating.
So, some idle group members took screenshots of the chat and posted it on a microblog.
The screenshot was originally shared as a joke, and the blogger didn't pay much attention to it.
Surprisingly, the screenshot of this joke was quickly shared and within an hour, the number of reposts surpassed seven to eight thousand. Moreover, with each scroll and refresh, the repost count continued to increase at a rate of dozens to hundreds per second.
Due to the large number of people sharing it, someone in the comments section soon pointed out that this incident was actually from a video on Douyin.
In other words, this was not just a joke; it was a true news story.
Once the news video was discovered and linked to the screenshot, the post became even more popular. Comments pointing out that it was a real news event were also widely shared, and many reposts expressed astonishment.
Reality indeed turned out to be more bizarre and thrilling than fiction.
Within just a few hours, the story of a boy being maliciously swapped and expelled from a Q city family, identified as an orphan with no parents, and later revealed to be a child from B city, made it to the top trending topics on all platforms.
And this was just early in the morning.
When daytime traffic joined in, this extraordinary and almost story-like news would undoubtedly spread even further.
When the screenshot on the microblog reached over ten thousand reposts, Gu Sheng took notice.
After investigating and confirming that it was not a deliberate plan but rather a random post that unintentionally sparked attention, the topic had already climbed to the top twenty trending list.
Since Bo Xiyun didn't reveal his appearance during last night's live stream, although the news gained significant attention, his photos didn't leak out.
Moreover, platforms generally have some level of protection for underage individuals' information, so Bo Xiyun wasn't disturbed much.
During the break from checking the trending topics, Gu Sheng glanced at the boy sitting next to him.
The young boy was quietly leaning against the backrest and the corner of the car's wall, not lifting his head, seemingly asleep.
Upon seeing this, Gu Sheng made his movements even lighter.
Interfering with those trending topics now wouldn't make much sense, and besides, it wasn't a bad thing for them.
The Gu family even wished for everyone to know that they had found their child.
In the end, Gu Sheng simply sent a message to a few friends, asking them to continue monitoring the situation.
As long as there was no leaking of privacy and no malicious attacks from abnormal IPs, it would be fine.
Afterward, Gu Sheng opened the message sent by Yi Zhongshen.
Yi Zhongshen's investigation into the Bai family's various pieces of information had yielded some results.
Yesterday, Gu Sheng directly apprehended Bai Gelei's younger brother, Bai Gewen, in the crowd, and he was detained that same evening for causing trouble.
As for Bai Gelei, who was absent last night, he was also not idle.
Bai Gelei finally discovered that fourteen years ago, it was his younger brother, Bai Gewen, who had conspired with the Liu family to switch the results of the paternity test.
It wasn't the person they had initially suspected, Wu Ying.
Even at the beginning of this year, when Bai Gelei had not yet found his biological son, Bai Gewen had secretly contacted the Liu family.
With concrete evidence of his brother's secret dealings with the Liu family, Bai Gelei was furious.
He had always prided himself as the head of the family, not tolerating any defiance from others. He had never imagined that his own younger brother would be involved in such underhanded schemes right under his nose, causing the Bai family's reputation in Q city to be utterly disgraced.
Furthermore, as the news spread on trending topics, not only people from Q city, but also others from different places who were interested in the Bai family's affairs, started paying attention.
Bai Gelei's embarrassing actions naturally gained wider circulation.
Gu Sheng wasn't concerned about how Bai Gelei would react to this revelation.
However, he had discussed it with Yi Zhongshen before, and the information now confirmed their previous discussions.
The incident of switching blood samples years ago was not actually done by Bai Gelei's younger brother.
In fact, Bai Gewen only found out about it earlier this year when he learned that his elder brother's son had been switched, but he didn't know who the actual person involved was.
The reason Bai Gewen had contacted the Liu family was to find out if his elder brother's biological son was still alive.
Bai Gewen's intentions were solely focused on inheriting the family's wealth.
If his elder brother's biological son was no longer alive, then he would be the rightful heir to the family's lineage.
However, Bai Gewen's contact with the Liu family earlier this year yielded no results. The Liu family didn't reveal the truth at that time.
Recently, the Liu family falsely claimed in their revelations that some Bai family members were involved in the switch, but that was not the truth. His main purpose was to upset Bai Gelei.
Now, Bai Gelei, influenced by the rumors, is investigating his younger brother, and he, too, has been deceived by the Liu family.
Bai Gewen is fortunate that he is currently detained and unable to defend himself or explain anything to his elder brother.
Bai Gelei, in his anger, has even refused any attempts by his siblings to negotiate for Bai Gewen's release from the police station.
Although Gu Sheng and Yi Zhongshen know the truth, they have no intention of getting involved.
Let the Bai family and the Liu family deal with each other's antics.
Gu Sheng was more concerned about another piece of news, which was also sent by Yi Zhongshen—
Bai Xiu was also detained last night.
(Tn: I really dislike him)
Due to the attention on Bo Xiyun being taken in by the Gu family, Bai Xiu's actions were also exposed.
However, the specific details of Bai Xiu's behavior had not been widely spread. The public only knew that he had intentions to threaten Bo Xiyun.
Dealing with Bai Xiu was quite tricky for Gu Sheng because there was currently not enough evidence to prosecute him. They could only accuse him of an attempted illegal detention, but that alone wasn't enough.
If they wanted to handle Bai Xiu, they would have to continue the investigation slowly.
Bai Xiu is still a minor, and it's currently winter break. Although the incident has already spread in their school, it's difficult to say if it will have a lasting impact.
If the detention ends there, Bai Xiu wouldn't even be delayed in returning to school when classes start.
Moreover, Bai Gelei is desperately trying to protect Bai Xiu and has already hired a lawyer to prepare for his release, which is a completely different attitude from his stance on Bai Gewen.
After all, Bai Xiu is Bai Gelei's biological son.
However, Yi Zhongshen's handling of Bai Xiu is extremely clever.
Even Gu Sheng was tempted to call him brilliant—
One High School received a message that, after a review by the competition committee, it was suspected that Bai Xiu had falsified his qualifications to participate in the competition.
As a result, his qualification for the competition has been revoked, and his competition results have been invalidated.
Gu Sheng then recalled that Bai Xiu's participation in the competition was a last-minute addition, arranged by Bai Gelei who paid money to get him in.
Unexpectedly, the competition committee actually discovered this matter.
For high school students, academic dishonesty is a very serious issue. Although the full impact of this incident has not yet surfaced, Bai Xiu's reputation in the school has already suffered.
Previously, some people had sympathy for Bai Xiu because of the swap incident.
But now, everyone is critical of him.
Gu Sheng felt overwhelmed by all the information and news he received along the way.
As they approached the high-speed rail station, he woke up Bo Xiyun next to him.
"Someone will pick us up later, and we might go to the hospital first."
Bo Xiyun didn't know if he had fallen asleep, but when Gu Sheng woke him up, there was no sleepy look or blush on his face. His expression seemed a bit dazed.
Gu Sheng was taken aback for a moment and quickly explained, "It's because Grandma is in the hospital, so we are going there. The family is gathering, and it's usually at the hospital."
Bao Xiyun snapped back to reality and nodded, saying, "Okay."
Gu Sheng didn't want to let Bo Xiyun misunderstand, as he thought that the Gu family was in such a hurry to go to the hospital for a paternity test.
But in reality, Bo Xiyun didn't think much of it.
Subconsciously, he turned his head and glanced at the two people in the back seat not far away, who were also getting ready to get off the train.
Bo Xiyun quietly averted his gaze again.
However...
He couldn't help but keep thinking about Gu Sheng.
After the train came to a stop, the four of them got off. The train was almost full, so there were many people disembarking, making the way to the exit crowded.
However, Bo Xiyun was always surrounded by the three guys in the middle and wasn't jostled by the crowd.
He belatedly noticed that he seemed like a little kid being carefully protected by his family.
Because of their uniformly tall and handsome appearances, they attracted many onlookers. Some people were even whispering and speculating whether they were members of a famous boy band.
But it seemed unlikely for celebrities to travel by high-speed rail.
Bo Xiyun didn't pay much attention to the surrounding commotion, partly because he was being closely guarded by the others, and partly because he finally started to feel a bit nervous at this moment.
Gu Sheng said someone was coming to pick them up.
That person should be a member of the Gu family's older generation.
Before, Gu Sheng had mentioned to Bo Xiyun that the Gu family's patriarch had two sons and one daughter.
Both sons had their own families, and one of them had a son, Gu Zeng and Gu Sheng.
In other words, Bo Xiyun had two uncles.
Without waiting for him to think much, they had already walked to the exit.
As they walked out of the ticket gate, they saw two people waiting at the station's exit.
It was a middle-aged couple. The man was dressed in a dark-colored coat, while the woman wore a sky-blue windbreaker with a gentle-colored shawl draped over her shoulders.
Both of them exuded an extraordinary temperament, easily standing out among the crowd of people waiting for arrivals.
As Bo Xiyun expected, Gu Zeng, who was leading the way, walked towards the middle-aged couple as soon as he stepped out of the station.
Before reaching the man, Gu Zeng straightened his already upright back, clicked his polished black boots together with a crisp sound, and respectfully performed a perfectly standard military salute.
Gu Zeng was still wearing military boots, and the gesture he made was executed with precision and a touch of fierceness.
Even unintentionally, the commanding presence of the tall and handsome middle-aged man infected others, who subconsciously straightened their backs as well.
With their outstanding appearances, the group attracted even more attention from the people around them.
The middle-aged man had a serious expression, and without showing any surprise, he calmly returned the same standard military salute to Gu Zeng.
Bo Xiyun observed them and speculated that this was probably Gu Sheng's father.
The father and son really looked alike.
But just as he finished his speculation, he saw Gu Sheng hesitatingly walking up to them and bowing his head before saying, "Dad, Mom."
Bo Xiyun was taken aback.
Oh?
This was actually Gu Sheng's father?
(Tn: It was probably he wasn't sure before. But after confirmation he was surprised.)
Bo Xiyun recalled how Gu Sheng always seemed anxious whenever he mentioned his older brother before.
Now he understood that Gu Sheng's fear of his older brother might have been partly due to the striking resemblance between his brother and their father.
Perhaps their shared military background also played a role.
These two indeed looked remarkably alike.
"This is my parents," Gu Sheng introduced to Bo Xiyun, "My dad is currently stationed in Z Province, and my mom is on her way here."
In fact, Gu Sheng's father had rushed over from the military base.
Hearing that Bo Xiyun had motion sickness, they had prepared to drive to Q city yesterday to pick him up.
Yi Zhongshen also greeted the two seniors, "Second Uncle, Auntie."
Finally, all eyes fell on Bo Xiyun, who was standing behind them.
Bo Xiyun slightly tensed and subconsciously curled his fingertips.
He wasn't used to being around elders because he had never experienced it before.
Moreover, these were elders he had never met before.
Mr. Gu had a very serious demeanor.
Even though Gu Sheng was certain that Bo Xiyun was the child of the Gu family, there were still many years of separation between them.
Bo Xiyun hadn't even decided what to call them, whether to address them as uncle and aunt or uncle and auntie.
(Tn: the second one was more intimate than the first one, right?)
Hesitatingly, he opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the stern-looking Mr. Gu walked up first.
"You..." Bo Xiyun's voice trailed off as he felt unsure about how to address him.
(Tn: Formal You)
Bo Xiyun hesitated, and then he saw the tall figure of Mr. Gu walking towards him.
Mr. Gu's expression was stern, and he lowered his head before suddenly raising his hand.
His large and powerful palm enveloped Bo Xiyun in a warm embrace.
Bo Xiyun was suddenly surrounded by a cold but faint tobacco-scented aura, falling into a broad and sturdy embrace.
For a moment, he couldn't even react properly.
This was too unfamiliar to him, the affection from an elder that he had always been lacking.
His back also felt a touch of warmth as Mrs. Song reached out to hug him too.
Her voice carried restrained emotion but was still trembling with excitement.
"Darling, welcome back home."
Even Gu Sheng, who was standing beside them, couldn't hold back his emotions.
His eyes welled up silently.
Finally, finally.
It had been too long.
—It was just perfect.
The emotional reunion of the family drew even more attention from the surrounding people. Many passengers turned their heads, and some even stopped to watch the touching scene.
Realizing the situation, the family decided to leave the station and find a quiet and secluded corner indoors.
There were only a few seats inside, and in this corner, there were only two available seats. The empty seat was given to Mrs. Song and Bo Xiyun, but Mrs. Song didn't sit down. She tenderly looked at the seated young boy.
Bo Xiyun still felt a bit overwhelmed, his slender nose slightly red from accidentally hitting the button on his uncle's coat when he was embraced.
Mrs. Song couldn't help but scold her husband, "You, even when you're hugging a child, you're so forceful."
Mr. Gu maintained his serious expression, listening attentively, and responded, "I'll change next time."
(Tn: too cute...)
It sounded like a solemn promise of some sort.
Bo Xiyun felt his nose getting even redder from the embarrassment and quickly shook his head, "It's okay, it doesn't hurt."
But Mrs. Song couldn't let it go and carefully checked again. She even took out a soft tissue and gently wiped the tip of the boy's nose.
After making sure Bo Xiyun was fine, Gu Zeng, who was on the side, looked at his wristwatch and said to Mr. Gu, "I'm going back now. I have to return to the base by 4 pm."
Gu Zeng had taken leave to come and send Bo Xiyun. His leave only lasted until 4 pm, and he had to return to the base, which was located next to Q city. It would take over three hours to get there.
Mr. Gu nodded, "Be careful on the road."
Upon hearing this, Bo Xiyun raised his head and called out, "Brother Gu..." When Gu Zeng turned his head, he saw the boy bow slightly and heard him say sincerely, "Thank you for seeing me off! Thank you."
The warm sunlight in the room shone through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, reflecting the young man's fair and beautiful face.
His expression was so serious, which made him even more surprisingly cute.
Gu Zeng smiled and nodded.
Looking away, he said to Gu Sheng, who was next to him, "Put on some weight."
(Tn: They are talking about BXY)
Gu Sheng just nodded when he heard his elder brother's expressionless remark.
"At the same speed you gained weight during the holidays."
Gu Sheng: "?!"
If it weren't for the elder brother's strong authority, he would almost want to accuse the other party.
This is an outright slander!
But Young Master Gu completely ignored Gu Sheng's reaction, turned around, raised his hand, and ruffled Bo Xiyun's head.
The child's hair is very soft.
He is a very well-behaved kid.
Bo Xiyun felt a little embarrassed being ruffled by someone, so he smiled, waved his hand, and said, "Brother Gu, be careful on the road."
Gu Zeng thought to himself, "Sure enough, he's very well-behaved."
After a brief farewell, Gu Zeng was about to leave.
Before leaving, Gu Zeng called Yi Zhongshen.
"Is Young Master Yi going back to Q City? I'll give you a ride."
Before Yi Zhongshen could say anything, Gu Sheng heard it and replied first.
"Don't go back to Q City, Zhongshen is also going home to celebrate the New Year."
"Oh," Gu Zeng replied expressionlessly, "Then shall I take you back to Yi's house? It's on the way."
(Tn: Brother Gu knows...)
Gu Sheng was still puzzled, wondering when did the two become so friendly. On the other side, Bo Xiyun suddenly spoke, stopping Yi Zhongshen.
"Would you like to come with me?"
Yi Zhongshen turned his head and saw the boy approaching a little nervously, seeming to unconsciously avoid his gaze. But the boy squeezed his fingertips and continued, "Just now my aunt said there might be a lot of people on the subway during weekends. So I thought... you shouldn't come with me. I can drive back here. If I experience motion sickness, the symptoms can be relieved."
Ms. Song even said, 'It's a very serious motion sickness.'"
"Seriously, let's take the subway,"
Bo Xiyun shook his head, "It's not that serious."
After a pause, he said, "You'll be fine if you stay with senior."
(Tn: looks like this sentence was said by Gu Sheng. author didn't really mention any name)
Ms. Song was a little surprised; she had known Yi Zhongshen and the Yi family child for a long time, but she hadn't considered this option before.
"Does Zhongshen have a remedy for motion sickness?"
Bo Xiyun pinched his fingers again and replied, "I learned to use a particular perfume that senior used, and I feel much better after smelling it. I don't get dizzy anymore."
Feeling embarrassed to admit that he finds Yi Zhongshen's scent pleasant, Bo Xiyun mentioned the perfume instead.
Ms. Song nodded and said, "Let's go together, that way we can have a place."
She also turned to Yi Zhongshen and asked, "Which perfume does Zhongshen use? Let me know, and I'll get some for Xiyun."
Yi Zhongshen noticed the young man's eager eyes looking at him but didn't explain anything. He simply responded in a low voice, "Okay."
Bo Xiyun breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew that cooperation with Yi Zhongshen was essential.
And this decision was the result of Bo Xiyun's contemplation during the entire high-speed rail journey.
He realized that it was his own fault, whether it was his performance of "unrequited love" during the competition team or when he told Yi Zhongshen while declining, "In the future, it would be easier for me if I didn't develop feelings."
It was a mistake.
Therefore, Bo Xiyun felt a strong urge to make up for it, even if it was out of guilt.
He couldn't afford to make Yi Zhongshen sad anymore.
Perhaps there were still many emotional matters that Bo Xiyun hadn't figured out yet, but one thing was clear to him: the most important thing right now was to make Yi Zhongshen happy.
Bo Xiyun knew that Yi Zhongshen's mood improved when he was with him, so he took the initiative to speak.
"If you follow along, I feel much better."
The boy stood up on his own initiative, stretched out his hand, and gently grabbed Yi Zhongshen's arm.
His pale fingers carefully pinched the edge of Yi Zhongshen's sleeve, and Yi Zhongshen lowered his eyes deeply without saying anything.
He pressed down on his wrist, causing the boy's hand to hang a little lower.
Immediately, Yi Zhongshen's cool fingers grasped the boy's hand in the palm of his hand and put it into his side pocket, warming each other with body heat.
"..."
Gu Zeng, who had been silent for a long time, looked at the two of them and silently narrowed his eyes.
It's fine if he couldn't immediately take Yi Zhongshen away.
The key question was:
Why did Yi Zhongshen hold the boy's hand so skillfully?
—So proficient?
(Tn: 熟练 shúliàn was used which means skilled, proficient and practiced.)
_____________________________________________
Tn: Everyone is so cute in this chapter
<3