Chapter 7: Family Tragedy
The one-year-old catch ceremony was arranged to be held at the Gu family’s hotel.
At this moment, there were still two hours before the event began.
Inside the luxurious suite on the hotel’s top floor, a small toddler suddenly dashed out with a whoosh.
Before he could reach the door, a pair of pale hands grabbed him.
“Let—let—go—”
Gu Tang’s short limbs flailed helplessly in the air like a little sea turtle swimming in the ocean.
Su Mei had finally caught him. How could she possibly let him go again?
“Good child, why aren’t you being obedient today? Let’s go change clothes.”
“No!”
Gu Tang struggled even harder.
Su Mei couldn’t understand why this toddler, who was usually so well-behaved and adorable, became so resistant whenever it came to things like bathing or changing clothes—like a little cat that hated water.
Surely he wasn’t some messy little child, right?!
Gu Tang wasn’t messy—he was just embarrassed.
He was a boy, after all. How could he let a woman change his clothes?
“I—I want Uncle… housekeeper uncle to change them… wuu…”
Afraid the pretty aunty might pull down his little pants, Gu Tang was so anxious he was almost crying.
The housekeeper had just finished helping Young Master Gu change clothes. Hearing the toddler calling him, he immediately appeared, standing even straighter than usual.
“Madam, matters like changing the children’s clothes should be left to me.”
Su Mei lightly smacked Gu Tang’s little bottom.
“What’s there to be shy about? Grandma is just helping you change clothes.”
Who wouldn’t love bathing toddlers and dressing them in beautiful little outfits?
Those soft arms and legs felt so nice to hold!
Those chubby little feet looked like they could be eaten in one bite!
Su Mei was dying with envy. But neither toddler allowed her to touch them. They even insisted on pulling a curtain while changing clothes.
Did children really become self-aware this early?
Now she was completely full of regret.
If she had known earlier, she would have raised Gu Lin herself when he was little. Thinking about it now, she envied the housekeeper!
The housekeeper smiled faintly, carried the little toddler, bowed politely toward the old madam, and left behind a very proud-looking silhouette.
Su Mei: angry!
When Gu Tang was carried back into the room, Young Master Gu had already finished dressing.
Unlike the soft toddler rompers he usually wore, little Gu Qinian was now dressed in a small suit and trousers. The few strands of hair on his head had even been combed neatly backward, revealing a round, smooth forehead.
At that moment, he was lowering his head to adjust his small bow tie. Hearing the movement, he lifted his eyes—
His pitch-black gaze met Gu Tang’s directly.
“Little brother, handsome!”
Gu Tang generously gave him a thumbs-up.
Young Master Gu merely snorted lightly and turned his head to look out the window.
Goodness!
The prototype of the future Big Boss Gu had already appeared!
Gu Tang craned his neck to look at him several times, imagining how his figure would grow taller, how the round cheeks would sharpen into defined features…
He would definitely be incredibly handsome!!!
But then again, he himself wasn’t bad either.
A moment later, after changing clothes, Gu Tang stood in front of the mirror admiring himself.
Unlike Gu Qinian’s black suit, Madam Su had chosen a pure white little formal outfit for him.
He looked like a tiny prince!
The clothes Gu Tang was most familiar with in his previous life had been hospital gowns. He had never worn such complicated and formal clothing before—especially not a miniature toddler version. Every little decoration fascinated him.
Touching here, pinching there.
The toddler lowered his head and kept fiddling with his clothes, the soft flesh of his cheeks resting against the collar.
They looked extremely pinchable.
Gu Qinian had lived a difficult life in his previous life and had never even seen clothes this luxurious. But when he saw the toddler looking so inexperienced, he instead forced himself to maintain composure.
Looking straight ahead, he lifted his chin proudly, resisting the urge to examine the little accessories on his own outfit.
“Little brother, temperament… very big!”
Gu Tang wanted to praise little Gu Qinian’s elegant temperament, but the terrible “human infant language system” restricted his vocabulary.
But it wasn’t a big problem.
Gu Qinian understood.
Although he looked indifferent to the milk dumpling’s praise, when he turned his head away, a faint smile appeared on Young Master Gu’s face.
The little brat at least had some taste.
“Mm… tight…”
Once the novelty wore off, Gu Tang realized that the gorgeous little formal outfit was not nearly as comfortable as the usual romper.
Especially the ruffled collar around his neck.
It was squeezing him uncomfortably.
Take it off!
Gu Tang reached behind his neck to unbutton it.
Unfortunately, his arms were too short to reach. After a while, he was sweating from the effort.
Click.
A soft sound of a button coming undone.
The tight ruffled collar immediately loosened and fell away.
Gu Tang turned his head.
Behind him, Young Master Gu stood in his walker against the light, holding the removed collar in his hand.
“Thank you…”
Before Gu Tang could finish his words of gratitude, Young Master Gu had already turned away and left, the small bells on his walker jingling softly.
Gu Tang pursed his lips and swallowed the words “little brother” back down.
He actually felt a little guilty.
Just now, he had received a new task.
[Make the male lead suffer in the furnace. Reward: 10 life points upon completion.]
After communicating with the system these past few days, Gu Tang had learned that his current body was inherently very weak. The only reason he could run and jump was because the life bar was supporting him. And life points weren’t permanent—they would gradually decrease as he moved around.
Once the life points dropped, discomfort would appear.
He had struggled quite a bit while changing clothes earlier, and now he felt slightly short of breath. He urgently needed those 10 life points to recover a little.
But this mission was way too abstract…
[Abstract is good! That gives the host room to improvise!]
The system and Gu Tang had developed a deep revolutionary friendship. It secretly gave him a hint.
[In the original story it says: “Gu Qinian’s life in the orphanage was like suffering in a furnace.” Pay attention—the key words are like suffering!]
Right!
It was just a metaphor!
“Thanks, System Baby!”
[You’re welcome, Tang Baby!]
Gu Tang immediately had an idea and ran off to chase after Gu Qinian.
Unlike Young Master Gu, who still needed a walker to move around, Gu Tang had learned to walk over the past few days. Occasionally he could even run a couple of steps.
Although because his legs were short, his running looked suspiciously like hopping in place.
After finally hopping his way in front of Young Master Gu, Gu Tang grabbed the edge of the walker with his small hands.
“Want… sunbathe?”
Plan One: The sun is like a giant furnace. Sunbathing equals mission reward!
Gu Qinian glanced at the toddler’s hopeful eyes and shook his head.
Sigh…
Failure.
Gu Tang silently crossed out “Plan One” in his mind.
“Warm by the fire?”
He tried another suggestion.
Plan Two: There was a simulated fireplace heater in the room. Sit by the fire and roast a bit—mission reward!
Gu Qinian didn’t answer this time. He pried the toddler’s hands off the walker and continued practicing walking with his head lowered.
There was no way that the milk dumpling could already run while he still couldn’t walk properly.
Rejected again, Plan Two was also declared bankrupt.
What should he do?
He really needed those 10 life points.
Otherwise he might not even survive the upcoming one-year-old catch ceremony.
Gu Tang had no more ideas. Looking at little Gu Qinian’s small back slowly moving forward, he pouted and simply flopped onto the other boy’s back.
You stop walking for a moment. Let me think of Plan Three!
It was the coldest part of winter, but the hotel’s indoor heating was set very high.
Gu Qinian was wearing a thick little suit and had been practicing walking for quite a while, already sweating. When the toddler suddenly clung onto his back, the natural body heat unique to children pressed against him…
So hot.
Young Master Gu frowned.
From Gu Tang’s angle, he couldn’t see the other boy’s expression. He could only see the round little side profile and those red little ears.
The ears were even covered with a thin layer of soft fuzz.
Gu Tang immediately thought of the succulent plant he used to grow on the windowsill of his hospital room—Rabbit Ears Kalanchoe.
It was a very cute plant.
Its leaves had jagged edges but weren’t prickly at all. Instead they were covered with soft white fuzz. Whenever he had nothing to do, he liked touching them.
But now his hands were holding onto the walker. What should he do if he couldn’t touch them?
Without thinking, Gu Tang leaned forward and gently bit the other boy’s ear.
“!!!”
Gu Qinian’s entire body froze. Instinctively he turned around and shoved Gu Tang.
“Go away!”
The toddler fell onto the floor with a plop.
Gu Qinian’s pupils shrank immediately afterward, but he was stuck in the walker and couldn’t reach him.
Fortunately, the hotel floor was covered with thick carpets. Gu Tang wasn’t hurt at all. Instead, he grinned happily.
Hehe, just like he imagined.
The bad-tempered Young Master Gu really had a pair of fluffy soft ears!
[Ding— Mission completed! Reward: 10 life points!]
The host’s efficiency had become so high that the system didn’t even have time to slack off before the task was completed.
The system suddenly felt like an employee who couldn’t keep up with the boss’s pace.
Waiting to be carried by the boss!
Woohoo!!!
Since the mission was completed and Gu Tang had already gained what he wanted, he stopped bothering Gu Qinian.
Let Young Master Gu continue practicing walking in peace.
As for him—this toddler who could already move freely—it was time to wander around!
The little toddler patted his bottom, stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and slowly strolled out of the room.
Gu Qinian wiped the sweat in his palm onto the decorative teddy bear on his walker. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He grabbed the teddy bear’s head and threw it onto the floor with a smack.
Go ahead and run around. Don’t cry if you get kidnapped later!
Of course Gu Tang wouldn’t get kidnapped. Behind him were at least four security guards.
Yes.
He could see four of them, and it was said there were also hidden ones protecting him secretly… just like shadow guards in ancient times!
This one-year-old catch ceremony was a large event. With so many people coming and going, things were complicated. Gu Quan had assigned multiple security personnel to each toddler, ensuring that they could move freely inside the hotel while their safety remained absolutely guaranteed.
Gu Tang suddenly felt a little like an emperor.
Every time he walked somewhere, a whole group followed behind him.
Very impressive.
Taking the elevator down to the first-floor lobby.
He came through the staff passageway, so there weren’t many people here. Besides, he was so small—barely reaching someone’s knees—that it was easy to overlook him.
Gu Tang leaned against the doorway leading into the main hall and poked his head out to watch the excitement.
So many people!
He loved watching lively scenes. Back in the hospital, he had never seen anything like this.
Excited, Gu Tang leaned his little head out a bit further.
Just then he heard someone shout—
“The movie queen has arrived!”
Hmm?
Wasn’t Gu Qinian’s mother the famous Movie Queen Shen?
In the original novel, the description of Young Master Gu’s movie-star mother was fewer than ten sentences.
The only reason Gu Tang remembered her was because he liked beautiful people.
Half of the future Boss Gu’s good looks came from his mother, so he wanted to see just how beautiful Gu Qinian’s mom really was!
But just at that moment—
Gu Tang suddenly hated the fact that his eyesight was so good. He was especially sensitive to fast-moving things.
Even though the other person was already walking very quickly and weaving skillfully through the crowd, Gu Tang still caught sight of Gu Qinian’s father performing the most unusual act of going against the flow.
While everyone else rushed toward the entrance to catch a glimpse of the movie queen, only Gu Quan had his arm around a graceful lady with a slender figure, quietly avoiding the crowd and heading toward the VIP room.
Sneaking around was the most thrilling thing. Even the happy back view of the Gu family’s head looked a bit suspicious.
Gu Tang: ?
Gu Tang: !!!
This was bad!
Little Gu Qinian was about to experience a family crisis!!
***
Author’s Note:
Tang Tang: Your dad is cheating!
Gu Qinian: That possibility cannot be ruled out.
Father Gu: ???
