Chapter 5#

Chapter 5 Tianrui Garden

Streetlights lined up like a queue on both sides of the driveway, illuminating the road ahead.

This residential area built halfway up the mountain was specially constructed by the government to accommodate government personnel. There were strict security checks for entry and exit. It could be said that everyone living here had a powerful network of connections behind them.

Gu Chenzhou walked along the path. The mountain wind blew on the dense leaves, rustling and whistling, melodious and lonely. From a distance, he saw his own three-story pink and white building standing in the darkness. Orange light spilled out from the living room window, exactly the same as in his memory.

Perhaps due to the timidity of returning home, Gu Chenzhou stood at the door of the home he hadn’t returned to for three years for a while before ringing the doorbell.

A figure seemed to move on the lit window. A few minutes later, a sixteen-year-old boy wearing a T-shirt and shorts ran out in slippers to open the door: “Who is it… Brother, Brother?” Seeing the person standing outside, he was shocked and almost cried out.

Gu Chenzhou nodded.

The other party seemed a bit stunned, wanting to make way but not knowing if he should, dawdling for a while before remembering to whisper: “Dad is not in a good mood.” As soon as the voice fell, a majestic male voice came from inside, “Zhengjia, who is outside? Why is it so slow to open a door?”

Gu Zhengjia hurriedly winked at Gu Chenzhou, but Gu Chenzhou had already raised his voice and said to the inside: “Dad, it’s me.”

After a few seconds of silence, the angry male voice sounded again: “Close the door!”

“Move aside.” Gu Chenzhou ignored it and said to Gu Zhengjia at the same time.

Gu Zhengjia, standing in front of the door, opened his mouth. On the one hand, he felt that he should listen to his old man, and on the other hand, he felt that he really had no position to block the way. After a slight hesitation, he silently stepped back.

This three-story building, which had been around for some years, was quite spacious, but the decoration was not very luxurious. The semi-old leather sofa and the wooden table against the wall all looked like they had been around for some years. Gu Chenzhou’s gaze swept lightly across the wall behind the dining table, where proof of his childhood naughtiness still remained: a few crooked swords carved on the wall, followed by his signature, also crooked, the three big characters of Gu Chenzhou.

The two walked in one after another. Turning past the entrance, they saw Gu Xinjun sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper.

Seeing his eldest son walk in, Gu Xinjun’s face immediately darkened. His first action was to heavily put down the teacup in his hand, pointing at the two brothers and saying: “Who let you in?”

“Dad…”

“I didn’t ask you!”

“I came in myself.”

Gu Zhengjia was interrupted by Gu Xinjun as soon as he started, and the next sentence was said by Gu Chenzhou.

Gu Zhengjia touched his nose, feeling that he was really a bit miserable. Every time he went up, neither side appreciated it. Not to mention, next time he would have to go up again, just like a sandwich biscuit.

Gu Xinjun was not the only one in the living room. Mrs. Gu was also sitting nearby. She was a woman in her forties, with a serious face and a capable round bun. Because she was at home, she didn’t wear professional attire, but changed into loose but conservative pajamas. Seeing that things were developing in a bad direction again, she quickly put down the large law book she was still holding, handed over a cup of tea, and smoothed things over: “Alright, alright, Xiao Zhou just came back. You usually talk about him a lot, what are you doing now?” While saying this, she winked at Gu Zhengjia again.

Well, the sandwich biscuit is on the stage again. Gu Zhengjia thought to himself, and didn’t delay answering: “Yes, Dad, Brother just came back.”

“Who allowed him to come back?” Gu Xinjun just spoke in a deep voice, and Gu Chenzhou took over, “I’m already twenty-three, I can decide where to stay, Minister Gu.”

The living room was quiet for a few seconds.

“Wings have grown hard, haven’t they?” Gu Xinjun looked like he wanted to stand up several times, but was firmly held down by Mrs. Gu beside him. Finally, he picked up the teacup in front of him and threw it heavily at Gu Chenzhou. The cup smashed at Gu Chenzhou’s feet. He pointed at Gu Chenzhou and said: “Get out!”

With this outburst of anger, the faces of the other two people in the living room were not good. Gu Chenzhou, who bore the brunt, didn’t change much: “Dad, I just wanted to tell you that I’m back.” He looked at Mrs. Gu sitting beside Gu Xinjun, and then at Gu Zhengjia who was standing and not much shorter than himself. After a pause, he said, “I’m leaving first, I’ll come to see you next time.”

Saying that, he bent down to pick up the fragments at his feet. Mrs. Gu, sitting beside Gu Xinjun, quickly stood up: “Xiao Zhou, what are you doing? Let Auntie do it!”

“It’s okay, just handy.” Gu Chenzhou said, turned and walked out. passing the trash can, he threw the fragments in. Behind him came Gu Xinjun’s angry voice: “What are you two doing? Sit down, let him go!”

From indoors to outdoors, the cool night breeze refreshed Gu Chenzhou’s spirit. He walked towards the way he came and saw Wei Xiangjin’s off-road vehicle staying in place. Wei Xiangjin was really still waiting for him in the car.

Sitting in the car with his chin in his hand listening to the radio, Wei Xiangjin heard footsteps, turned his head and saw Gu Chenzhou walking out. Separated by a car door, he looked at Gu Chenzhou for a while: “Really kicked out?”

“You saw the result, why ask?” Gu Chenzhou said.

Wei Xiangjin was also speechless: “Hey, Uncle Gu is such a calm person outside, his emotions are not shown on his face. You are not much different. Why do you two become like firecrackers that explode at the slightest touch when you meet at home… How about you come home with me first?”

“Come on, am I missing a place to sleep? I’ve already prepared it.” Gu Chenzhou shook his head and answered Wei Xiangjin’s previous question, “This shows that people who are good at their careers may not necessarily manage their families well.”

Wei Xiangjin thought, isn’t that right? The father and son are like enemies. He said: “Where are you going? I’ll send you.”

“You’re already home and you want to send me? Don’t bother.” Gu Chenzhou waved his hand.

“Alright.” Wei Xiangjin said, “Give me your address, I’ll find you tomorrow.”

“En.” Gu Chenzhou said, “Paper.”

This thing… Wei Xiangjin turned around and rummaged in the car but couldn’t find it, so he said: “Just send it to my phone.” As soon as the voice fell, he saw someone running towards here from a distance in the small path.

Wei Xiangjin looked over there a few times: “Your brother?”

While speaking, Gu Zhengjia had already run to the front of the off-road vehicle: “Big Brother, Third Brother Wei is also here.”

Wei Xiangjin just smiled, and Gu Chenzhou asked: “What’s the matter?”

Gu Zhengjia said: “Big Brother, where are you going now?”

“Find a place to live.”

“Where is it?” Gu Zhengjia was a bit persevering.

“That’s a good question, hurry up and write the address for me.” Wei Xiangjin suddenly interrupted, obviously helping Gu Zhengjia.

Gu Zhengjia immediately handed over the paper and pen he was holding, fully prepared.

Gu Chenzhou glanced at Wei Xiangjin, took the paper and pen from Gu Zhengjia, wrote the address and handed it to the other party, then said to Wei Xiangjin: “I’ll send it to your phone later. How did you get out?”

Gu Zhengjia, who got the address, was stunned for a moment before realizing that Gu Chenzhou was asking him. He said: “Walked through the main gate…”

Gu Chenzhou glanced at him: “Go back quickly.”

“En,” Gu Zhengjia said, “By the way, Big Brother, Auntie said you must come back for a meal in two days.”

“I know.” Gu Chenzhou said.

Gu Zhengjia repeated it again uneasily before turning back.

Wei Xiangjin in the car watched the figure disappear at the end of the path before saying: “He climbed down from the window, right? His clothes and hands are full of dust.”

“Minister Gu is in a fit of anger, he can’t walk out from the main gate.” Gu Chenzhou explained half mockingly.

“I think your brother is not bad,” regarding this brother, Gu Chenzhou rarely said a few more words, so Wei Xiangjin followed the trend, “You say who calls their own mother Auntie?”

“They knew each other before my mom passed away.” Gu Chenzhou said.

“You still remember this?” Wei Xiangjin simply got out of the car, leaned against the car door side by side with Gu Chenzhou, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and handed one to Gu Chenzhou, “I think this is really unlikely. Uncle Gu and Auntie Shen had a very good relationship back then.”

This Auntie Shen referred to Gu Chenzhou’s mother. The two families were old friends and lived next door. Wei Xiangjin knew almost everything about Gu Chenzhou, so even if he privately felt that Gu Zhengjia and his mother were nice, he would occasionally talk to Gu Chenzhou about it. But when really facing those two people, Wei Xiangjin never did anything other than superficial politeness.

Everyone has a reverse scale. Gu Chenzhou is Wei Xiangjin’s childhood friend, a good friend for ten or twenty years, and may be an offensive and defensive ally and a life-changing comrade in his career in the future. As much as he cherishes Gu Chenzhou, he carefully protects the other party’s reverse scale.

Gu Chenzhou took Wei Xiangjin’s cigarette, let the other party light it but didn’t put it in his mouth, just looking at the flickering fire of the cigarette butt: “From the past to the present, you have thought so, which shows the integrity of the Gu family style.” He smiled and said slowly, “How could I not know what you understand? Even if I don’t believe in Minister Gu’s character, don’t believe in his relationship with my mother, I have to believe in the Gu family’s atmosphere and his own high standards and strict requirements. The Gu family will not let a woman who rushes to be a mistress enter the door, and Minister Gu will not marry such a woman with character problems.”

This was hard to answer, so Wei Xiangjin remained silent.

Gu Chenzhou stopped: “Alright, it’s all in the past. I’m leaving first.”

“I’ll find you tomorrow.” Wei Xiangjin said.

Gu Chenzhou responded casually and walked down the slope. The trees scattered on both sides of the road were shrouded in darkness, lush and deep. Under the illumination of the streetlights on both sides, it seemed that clusters of pale green hazy mist were floating above the canopy, like a layer of light gauze rising and falling in the wind, or like blue waves slightly rippling with smoke.

He spread his hand in front of him, hard calluses and fine scars covered the whiteness in his memory; he clenched it again, and it was no longer as weak as in the past.

Don’t rush.

He just came back.

There is still time.

He can still verify and change.

Change those… possible futures.

On the other end, Gu Zhengjia, who got the address, quietly circled back to the back of the small building, climbed up along the water pipe outside the wall, and had to fearfully avoid the master bedroom on the second floor with the light on, fearing that his old dad would be depressed and run to the balcony to smoke, catching him red-handed.

After finally climbing to the third floor, Gu Zhengjia just put his hands on the windowsill when he was pulled by someone from inside.

Borrowing this force to climb into the room in one go, Gu Zhengjia let out a long breath and complained: “Entering my own home is like being a thief…”

The person who pulled Gu Zhengjia in the room was Mrs. Gu. She always looked a bit serious when she wasn’t smiling: “Did your brother give you the address?”

“He gave it,” Gu Zhengjia waved the paper in his hand, “Big Brother really didn’t live at Third Brother Wei’s place. When I went over just now, Third Brother Wei even helped me out.”

“It’s not like he has nowhere to live, how could he live in someone else’s house.” Mrs. Gu said lightly, took the address from Gu Zhengjia’s hand and looked at it, then returned it to the other party, instructing, “Go to this address tomorrow morning and bring a jar of freshly pickled radishes from home.”

Running errands again. Gu Zhengjia responded listlessly.

Mrs. Gu walked a few steps out, saw Gu Zhengjia still lazily staying in place, frowned, and raised her voice slightly: “What are you doing standing there? You’re covered in dust, go wash up quickly!”

Gu Zhengjia was resting. Hearing this, he immediately said angrily: “Mom, are you really a stepmother? Why are you better to Big Brother than to me? It’s too unprofessional!”

As a court judge, even though she usually heard a lot of debates and endless arguments, Mrs. Gu was choked by this sentence. She said: “You two are both my children, of course I love and protect you equally.”

Gu Zhengjia curled his lips: “I treat you as my mom, but Big Brother may not.”

Mrs. Gu frowned: “Are you getting excited today?”

Really angry! Gu Zhengjia shrank his neck: “No, no, I’ll go wash now!”

“Go quickly.” Mrs. Gu urged and walked out of the room.

The lighting in the corridor had been used for a long time and appeared a bit dim.

This three-story building built in the early years was six or seven hundred square meters. Because they didn’t like outsiders, usually only Gu Zhengjia and Gu Xinjun and his wife lived there, which was very deserted.

Mrs. Gu walked along the corridor for a while, her footsteps echoing quietly in the long corridor. The room near the stairs was close to her. The dark solid wood door exuded the unique smell of time. It was Gu Chenzhou’s room. Since Gu Chenzhou left three years ago, this room had been locked. The three people in the family maintained a tacit understanding and never touched it.

She stopped in front of Gu Chenzhou’s closed door for a while, and sighed softly after a long time:

“Alas, Xiao Rou…”