Gu Yibo watched his daughter clutching the vegetables and fleeing, feeling a complex emotion stirring inside.
Lan Baozhen cheerfully said from the side, "Girls are extroverted; they're all like this. If Weiwei could wake up, she'd be on your side, too."
A smile finally appeared on Gu Yibo's face.
He ate dinner quickly, took a shower, changed into his pajamas, and then moved the sofa next to Fang Lingwei's bed.
He lay down and held her hand, speaking softly, "Weiwei, I'm so tired today. I dealt with Xinfeng's issues and also gave a statement to the police. I went to the factory to watch over the new products, and helped Xinfeng get in touch with overseas brokerage institutions..."
As he spoke, Gu Yibo fell asleep.
The small hand in his palm gently grasped his large hand.
Time passed, silent and beautiful.
Gu Xinzhou and Lan Baozhen bathed McDull together, told him stories, and coaxed him to sleep.
Lan Baozhen said, "Zhouzhou, I have to go back to Wan'an Town tomorrow to fetch my things.
If you could talk to Song Zhen for me, and arrange for a car for me, that would be great.
There are quite a few things, and as an old lady, I can't carry them all on the bus."
Gu Xinzhou laughed, "Song Zhen said that RV is for our private use.
I'll accompany you with McDull tomorrow.
We won't have any issue going there and back in the RV, and McDull really likes that car with its bed and TV, so he won't find the trip too tiring."
Lan Baozhen glanced outside the door and then at McDull, who was sound asleep.
Suddenly, she stepped forward, took Gu Xinzhou's hand earnestly, and said, "Zhouzhou, when your grandfather was seriously ill, he left something for you.
He made me promise to give it to you after you turned 20.
I had initially thought of letting Yibo bring it back to you.
But then you went abroad for five years, and it got delayed.
With everything that has been happening these past few days, it completely slipped my mind. I'll fetch it for you tomorrow."
Gu Xinzhou asked curiously, "What is it?"
Lan Baozhen sighed, "It's just a small iron box, and it's locked.
I've never opened it all these years, so I don't know what's inside.
But don't have any expectations, because the Fang Family was already in decline at that time, and your grandfather didn't have much wealth to leave you."
"I guess it's probably some mementos he wanted to give you."
Gu Xinzhou smiled, "Hmm, whatever grandfather left me, it must be the most valuable memento!"
At 10 p.m., Gu Xinzhou left Lan Baozhen's room.
She went back to her room upstairs.
After taking a bath, she sat cross-legged in her pajamas on the bay window.
Her eyes, full of expectation, remained fixed on the yard.
At midnight, a text message from Song Zhen arrived: Go to bed early.
Gu Xinzhou snorted coldly and immediately replied, "I was already asleep, and your text woke me up."
Unexpectedly, Song Zhen replied quickly, "Miss me that much?"
Gu Xinzhou: You're so loud.
Song Zhen called her directly.
Gu Xinzhou cleared her throat and answered, "What? Sending a text in the middle of the night to disturb my sleep."
Song Zhen's voice, like a serenade, was intoxicating, "Someone who replies to texts in seconds can't be woken up by them; were you holding your phone and waiting for me?"
Gu Xinzhou's lips curled into a rainbow smile, and although she laughed silently, her clear eyes twinkled, her previously solemn face finally lit up with radiance.
She held her phone, and with a touch of shyness looked out at the night: "When will you be coming back?"