There was, of course, that blind date he had with that handsome man, who stood a little more than three centimetres than him. Something about the man reminded him of his uncle, a good head on his shoulders but a little too ruffian-like.

When they first met, he made it clear that his father had arranged the blind date and that he was not interested in men. Gu Yan thought it only fair to get his point across lest any misunderstanding of their positions arose.

It was a blind date lacking any sense.

Qin Shu burst into laughter, imagining the scene. “My goodness! I never knew you had a thing for both men and women, Gu Yan. You’ve truly outdone yourself! Then again, the man you went with on that blind date does have good taste.”

“You wouldn’t say the same if you ever met a true hooligan,” Gu Yan snarked.

Qin Shu patted the man’s shoulder. “Your brother is a hooligan.”

Fu Tingyu, who got shot for no reason: “…”

Gu Yan glanced at Fu Tingyu and shook his head. “I couldn’t tell.”

“So… the guy you went with on a blind date accepted your rejection but still came looking for you afterwards?” Qin Shu pressed, dying to know the juiciest details to have piqued her interest.

“Uncle Gu gave me his contact information, and I blocked him,” Gu Yan’s answer was concise and to the point.

Qin Shu smiled devilishly and asked, “Aren’t you going to consider it?”

Gu Yan shook his head like a rattle-drum. “I’m not interested in men. If I have time for a relationship, I have enough to spend furthering my medical knowledge .”

Qin Shu sighed. “I suppose that makes sense. Such a pity… for the young man, that is.”

Gu Yan nodded subconsciously, but he immediately did a doubletake. “What do you mean ‘it is a pity for the young man’?”

“I’m tired. I’m going to sleep.”

Qin Shu ducked, snuggling into Fu Tingyu’s arms with her eyes closed. Sleep beckoned.

Gu Yan bade farewell, returning to his villa.

After getting into the car, the man carried the girl to let her rest in peace.

At first, Qin Shu was merely feigning sleep, but she quickly fell asleep once she closed her eyes.

She dreamed. At least, it was how she would describe her experience when she woke because nothing else could explain what she saw while dreaming.

“Chao Yan, when I come down tomorrow, can you call my brothers and sisters over? We’ll have fun together.”

Ling Bao propped up her chin with both hands and her head tilted. Her jet-black eyes stared straight at the gauze on Chao Yan’s eyes. She had the urge to tear it off.

Chao Yan rejected her without a second thought, “No.”

Ling Bao pouted unhappily, “Can’t you say something else besides ‘no’?”

Chao Yan pursed his lips, drawing a thin line. “There is something I’d like to show you… Would you like to see it?”

Ling Bao jumped at the opportunity of seeing something interesting. “Will it be fun? Okay. Let’s go and see it!”

Chao Yan stood up and held Ling Bao’s hand as he guided her to the house.

Ling Bao had been here countless times and was very familiar with her surroundings. Guessing the general direction they were heading in, she took the initiative, pulling Chao Yan along. With her leading the way, they sped up considerably.

After a while, they arrived outside a small house. A white mink fur blanket covered the wooden floor, and in the middle of the blanket was a ball of black fluff. The black fur was a stark contrast to the snow-white blanket.

“Chao Yan, is it a cat?” Ling Bao let go of Chao Yan’s hand and ran up to it.

Chao Yan: “Yes, do you like it?”

“I like it.” Ling Bao picked up the cat. The cat was quite obedient, mewling contentedly in her arms. Curious, it squinted its eyes at Ling Bao.

Chao Yan said, “In the future when I’m not around, let it accompany you.”

Ling Bao carried the cat and walked ahead of Chao Yan. She had to look up to meet the much taller youth’s eyes. She pretended to be angry, “What nonsense are you spouting? How’ll you disappear if you’re not unwell?”

“I won’t live past my 18th birthday,” Chao Yan casually answered, as if he did not care how long he could live.

“Who said you won’t live past your 18th birthday? Tell that person to see me. Let’s see if they’ll say the same thing with me asking! Whoever it is can speak a human language, can’t they? How could anyone be so crass to wish your death?”

Ling Bao’s aggressive stance made it look like she was about to start a fight.

Although Chao Yan could not see Ling Bao, he could imagine her fierce look, and he felt touched, “My family said so.”

“Why did they say you wouldn’t live past your 18th birthday?” Ling Bao’s tone softened. Anyone who heard her would feel her concern.

Chao Yan paused, thinking of how he ought to respond, “I have a very strange illness.”

“If you’re unwell, you should see a doctor. Now that medicine is so advanced, I’m sure you’ll find a cure to your illness.”

“Not all illnesses are treatable,” Chao Yan murmured.

“How would you know if you haven’t even looked around or asked anyone for help? Or is it the fear of pain keeping you from searching for a cure? I hope you’re not afraid of needles! That’s absurd!”

“…” Chao Yan did not know whether to laugh or cry.

While Chao Yan stewed in silence, Ling Bao took the opportunity to think the matter through. Suddenly, she remembered something her mother once said: No mountain is insurmountable if one has a goal and strives towards it.

Bearing her mother’s words in mind, she said, “Let’s establish a sect together. By the time you’ve found a cure for yourself, I will have made some achievements in my studies. What do you think of assassins? I like the idea. Wouldn’t taking on marks be cool?”

“Do you have the nerve to kill people?” Chao Yan reposted.

Ling Bao did not want Chao Yan to look down on her, so she said, “I’ve killed plenty of wolves!”

“Wolves aren’t the same as humans,” Chao Yan explained patiently.

Ling Bao was not convinced, retorting, “Are you afraid?”

Chao Yan snorted lightheartedly. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t dare do.”

Ling Bao was having second thoughts. Being an assassin was not easy. Hastily, she changed her proposal, “We’ll do something together when you recover from your illness, but whatever we do, we’ll make sure we’re the best of the best!”

Chao Yan quietly listened. After a long while, he asked, “Are you serious?”

Ling Bao raised her chin with her nose upturned, “Of course, I’m serious. Whoever doesn’t keep their word is a dog.”

“I believe you,” Chao Yan said.

Seeing that Chao Yan had agreed, Ling Bao stared at the cat in her arms. “Have you given the cat a name?”

Chao Yan shook his head. “No, not yet.”

“Then I’ll give it a name. It is smaller than most cats, and it is also so obedient. How about calling it President Ba?”

“I’m glad you like it.”

…

…

“Babe, babe. Get up; it’s time for dinner.”

Qin Shu shuttered eyelids cracked open, landing on Fu Tingyu’s figure.

Fu Tingyu saw his wife wake up but heard no response, so he pinched her cheek, “Are you still sleepy? Haven’t you slept enough yet?”

“No, I had another dream just now,” Qin Shook her head and sat up with her hands on the bed, trying to recall the dream even as it slipped away into the fog of memories. It had something to do with Chao Yan…?

Ever since she had injured Chao Yan, Chao Yan had not contacted her as he would have before.

“It’s just a dream. Don’t think about it. Let’s have dinner.”

“Okay.”

After dinner, Fu Tingyu went to the study to deal with some matters.

The results of the paternity test were out. It was Ye Luo who brought it over.

Qin Shu looked at the results. The paternity test affirmed her assumption; she was not Qin Hai’s daughter. The results settled things.

She put down the paternity test and looked at President Ba, curled up on the sofa. She recalled her dream in the afternoon and suddenly felt a sense of unease.

She picked up her phone and flipped to Chao Yan’s phone number. The chat records were still there. She scrolled through them, and the further she scrolled, the more uneasy she felt.

When she reached the end, she froze. Chao Yan had helped her obtain Lanzhi Grass.

It forced Qin Shu to remember Yin Shi’s words that day. What price did Chao Yan pay to get Lanzhi Grass?

She lowered her head and stared at Chao Yan’s contact information, her finger hovering over the dial function. Even now, she hesitated.