Chapter 1070: Xu Sheng Bids Farewell
Chapter 1070: Xu Sheng Bids Farewell
Even though Su Shen was feeling rather uneasy, there was no escaping Gu Zi’s question. He braced himself and replied, “Yes.”
Gu Zi’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “You broke four of my flower pots today. And not just any pots—my carefully selected, custom-made ones. Yes, you bought replacements, but a little punishment is still in order. Tonight, you’ll be sleeping in Su Li’s room.”
Su Shen felt his heart drop—again. With a wooden expression, he nodded in resignation.
Meanwhile, Su Li was positively thrilled. He barely stopped himself from shouting, “Mommy is amazing!” over the triumph.
The next few days, he threw himself into earning as many red flower stickers as possible. No one had to remind him about training anymore—he tied on his sandbags and got to work before anyone could say a word.
That afternoon, after Su Shen finished training his two sons, he received a phone call and had to head out. Though his workload wasn’t overwhelming, certain matters still required his personal attention. Lately, he had been a little busier than usual.
Su Li, fresh from training, was about to raid the kitchen for a snack when he caught movement across the street. His curiosity piqued, he turned to see the Xu father and son standing by their doorway, while two men were loading packed suitcases into a car. Forgetting his hunger, he bolted across the street.
Gu Zi, noticing Su Li’s sudden departure, followed him outside.
“Uncle Xu, where are you taking Xu Sheng?” Su Li blurted, eyes wide. “Mommy, come look! Xu Sheng looks like he’s leaving for a long trip.”
Gu Zi raised an eyebrow but nodded at her son before turning to Xu Fan with a polite smile. “Mr. Xu, what’s all this?”
Xu Fan sighed. “I had planned to bring Xu Sheng over to say goodbye after everything was packed. I’ve taken a leave of absence from work to send him back to the capital. These past few weeks, I truly appreciate how well you and your family have treated him. And, of course, your continued patience with Huang Fei.”
Xu Sheng, standing quietly with his backpack slung over his shoulders, looked at Gu Zi and Su Li with reluctant eyes. “Auntie Gu Zi, I’m leaving. Thank you for taking care of me. And thank you, Su Li. I’ll always remember you.”
Gu Zi smiled warmly. “You look much healthier now. Going back is a good idea. A gifted child like you belongs in a place like the capital.”
Still, she couldn’t help but wonder—was Xu Fan planning to move back to the capital permanently? And what about Huang Fei, who was still serving her sentence here? Was he really going to just leave everything behind? His sudden reappearance and equally abrupt departure made it impossible to guess his intentions.
At that moment, Xu Fan glanced toward the Su household before turning back to Gu Zi with a smile. “I heard that you’re the provincial top scorer in the college entrance exams. Quite the achievement. You must have already received an acceptance letter from the capital, I presume? But that does pose a dilemma—are you really planning to leave your husband and children behind to study so far away?”
Gu Zi immediately saw through him. This wasn’t just small talk—he was fishing for information about the Su family’s plans. Someone like Xu Fan had plenty of ways to gather intelligence, but by choosing to ask directly, at least he was being upfront.
Gu Zi replied smoothly, “‘Leaving behind’ sounds a bit dramatic, don’t you think? Su Shen is a grown man, and we have three children—they’re not exactly something you just ‘leave behind.’ We’ve discussed it, and they might come with me to the capital. After all, it’s only four years. And fortunately, my husband has some money—enough to make those four years quite comfortable.”
Of course, her true intention was for Su Shen to expand his business in the capital. With his vision, he would inevitably head there sooner or later. After all, the true power players all had a foothold in the capital city.
But she wasn’t about to spell that out for Xu Fan. A little mystery always worked best. Once she arrived in the capital, she was eager to see how the Xu family would handle the situation with the three children. Would they fight to take them back, or leave them wandering like orphans? And more importantly, justice still needed to be served for their deceased mother.
Xu Fan didn’t press further. Instead, he reached into his pocket and handed her a business card. “That sounds like a solid plan. Oh, by the way, several of my uncles hold positions at Imperial Capital University. When you arrive, if you ever need assistance, feel free to reach out. I sincerely hope to see you and your family in the capital someday.”
Gu Zi took the card and slipped it into her pocket with a slight smile. “I’m sure we’ll cross paths again. Su Li, why don’t you say goodbye to Xu Sheng?”
Su Li turned to Xu Sheng, suddenly at a loss for words. They hadn’t spent much time together, yet now that Xu Sheng was leaving, an unexpected sadness welled up in Su Li’s chest. He felt like he might cry.
Xu Fan patted his son’s shoulder. “Xu Sheng, didn’t you just say Su Li was your friend? Shouldn’t you say something before you go? You might never see each other again.”