"Why do this? I don't understand, I don't get it?!" Zhou Peiyu said to Wan Qiu on the phone.

God knows she was stunned when she found out about this and immediately called Wan Qiu.

"Because my younger brother felt very uncomfortable," Wan Qiu said truthfully.

"What's bothering you?" Zhou Peiyu asked.

Wan Qiu lay on the bed and said, "It's hard to say I'm a substitute. The name Chu Yigui is said to mean that she hopes I will come back."

“…Damn…” Zhou Peiyu felt that this was all a mess. “I can understand what you mean. I remember I was so angry when I saw a story about a substitute before.”

Wan Qiu asked blankly, "A substitute story?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Zhou Peiyu said. "So what will happen to him now? Will he go back to the orphanage?"

“It seems my younger brother signed some kind of agreement with Mom and Dad, and he will still stay here,” Wan Qiu said.

"Well, that's a pretty good solution. How do you feel about it? Your little brother is gone, and now you're the youngest in the family."

When asked this question, Wan Qiu turned to the side, thought for a moment, and then answered, "I didn't feel anything."

"ah?"

Wanqiu really didn't feel anything.

When Wan Qiu witnessed the powerful Chu Yigui crying, and his fingers touched the tears, he felt very sad.

But his intuition told him that Chu Yigui's tears were not actually bitter.

It seems that everything returned to normal after that day.

"Nothing has changed from before. The only change is that Yi Gui won't let me call him 'little brother' anymore, and he won't call me 'older brother' either... and he won't call me 'Dad' or 'Mom' anymore."

"Hmm... does that mean everything except identity will remain the same?" Zhou Peiyu asked thoughtfully.

“Yes, I think so,” Wan Qiu said.

“I think I can understand what Chu Yigui is thinking now,” Zhou Peiyu suddenly said.

Wan Qiu blinked and asked curiously, "What are you thinking about?"

"It's the same feeling as being a tenant, right? If you're living in someone else's house for no reason, you always feel like you owe them a favor. But if you've paid for it, you feel like you're entitled to live there."

Wanqiu has never rented a house.

Wan Qiu thought about the house that Ning Hai and Ning Qiaozhen used to rent.

It seems... I can't quite remember.

"Anyway, it's good that you didn't leave. You like Chu Yigui too, right?" Zhou Peiyu said.

“Yes, I like Yigui,” Wan Qiu replied confidently.

“He must like you too, so there’s no problem.” Zhou Peiyu thought this logic made no mistake.

Wan Qiu nodded.

"Speaking of which, where's Chu Yigui? Isn't he with you?" Zhou Peiyu asked casually.

“Yi Gui said his biological father made an appointment with him today, and he just left before you called me,” Wan Qiu said.

Zhou Peiyu: "...Holy crap, how can you sit still?! How could you possibly sit still?!?!"

Wan Qiu sat up, provoked by Zhou Peiyu's roar: "Hmm?"

"Biological father, why didn't you tell me that Chu Yigui's biological father had returned?!"

Zhou Peiyu was so shocked that she jumped off the bed and started looking for her clothes.

"Do you know where they went?" Zhou Peiyu asked, changing clothes while speaking through a loudspeaker. "We have to get there right away!!!"

"Why do we have to go?" Wan Qiu asked, somewhat bewildered.

"Aren't you afraid that your biological father will take your younger brother away?" Zhou Peiyu immediately retorted angrily.

“It’s Yi Gui, not my younger brother,” Wan Qiu patiently corrected. “...But Yi Gui said he can go by himself.”

Wan Qiu rarely refuted Chu Yigui.

Since Chu Yigui said it was possible, then it was possible.

"Are you stupid? You believe everything people say... Fine, you really are stupid. What I mean is, you need to do your due diligence. Even if they're not brothers, you're still friends. It's only natural for friends to care about each other, right?!"

Wan Qiu thought for a moment and said, "What you said makes sense."

"So where is it? I'll go there first, hurry up and come!"

Wan Qiu hung up the phone, still somewhat bewildered.

In fact, Wan Qiu was not indifferent.

Because of their previous meetings, Ran Yongrui had not left a good impression on Wan Qiu.

Chu Yigui is very smart; he always makes the right choices.

But that's his biological father; he's a different person.

Zhou Peiyu's phone call also gave Wan Qiu the courage to secretly investigate.

Wan Qiu found Butler Bai and tugged at his clothes: "May I go find Yi Gui?"

Butler Bai smiled, as if he had known all along that Wan Qiu would do this.

"Then may I drive you there?" Butler Bai asked softly.

"Okay." Wan Qiu nodded.

Butler Bai looked at Wan Qiu, who was obediently following beside him, and felt a mix of emotions, including some感慨 (gǎnkǎi - mixed feelings of regret and reflection).

Although Chu Yigui's sudden announcement that he wanted to leave the Chu family surprised everyone who had worked for the family for a long time.

They watched Chu Yigui grow up and witnessed his outstanding achievements.

They were initially worried that Chu Yigui would be bullied because of her position, but later they realized that they might be overthinking it.

But now Butler Bai realizes that they hadn't thought things through at all.

Chu Yigui was thinking about far too many things.

Butler Bai drove the car and asked Wan Qiu for directions, and Wan Qiu accurately gave the destination.

Butler Bai paused for a moment, then asked, "Wan Qiu, how did you know where Chu Yigui was?"

“I called him and asked,” Wan Qiu said truthfully.

Butler Bai: "..."

Butler Bai's expression was somewhat subtle: "Well, Miss Zhou probably meant for you to eavesdrop with her, right?"

Wan Qiu didn't react immediately and asked, "Is that so? Should I call Yi Gui now and tell her I'm not going?"

"No...no need, forget it." Butler Bai was somewhat amused and exasperated.

It's true, even though it's a very serious matter concerning Chu Yigui, for some reason everything changes as long as Wan Qiu is involved.

Should we be thankful that at least when Chu Yigui made this decision, the person in that position was Wan Qiu?

At least they have a good relationship.

So good that those complex and delicate thoughts can be gently soothed and smoothed out.

——

"When that child arrives, remember to be gentle with him. He is our child, not our student."

Fei Zhuojun listened to her husband Ran Yongrui's repeated instructions and nodded in agreement.

Fei Zhuojun and Ran Yongrui were teachers at the same university and had been married for over ten years. Because of her poor health, it was difficult for her to have children. After finally having a child, she damaged her health and could no longer have children.

Everything was originally perfect.

The unexpected event happened too suddenly.

Fei Zhuojun was shocked for a long time when he learned that there was a child named Chu Yigui.

The past is too long ago, so long that Fei Zhuojun can't even find a reason to pursue it anymore.

Fei Zhuojun remained numb throughout her husband's entire confession process.

A mother who has just lost her child seems to have nothing left to affect her.

Fei Zhuojun heard about Chu Yigui's situation.

That child is outstanding and remarkable.

Fei Zhuojun didn't know how he accepted it; it was an emotion so complex that it couldn't be expressed in words.

"You've arrived." Suddenly, Ran Yongrui's voice interrupted Fei Zhuojun's thoughts.

Fei Zhuojun immediately stood up and saw Chu Yigui.

No matter how much her husband talked about how outstanding the child was, she had no idea until she saw the child with her own eyes.

But when he actually saw it, Fei Zhuojun suddenly began to doubt himself.

Why is it that children born to other women are so obviously outstanding?

She and her husband share many physical similarities, but their temperaments differ from those of the husband Fei Zhuojun remembers.

Fei Zhuojun clearly remembers how her husband used to navigate relationships with a group of women.

This child appears independent, intelligent, and extraordinary; he doesn't stand by anyone's side, nor is he allowed to be arbitrarily taken over by anyone.

“Mr. Ran.” Chu Yigui’s eyes turned to Fei Zhuojun.

"This is my wife, and your future mother. Her name is Fei Zhuojun."

They sat opposite each other, and Fei Zhuojun noticed that Chu Yigui's eyes looked around as if she was searching for something.

Fei Zhuojun also looked around, but there was nothing there.

When she fixed her gaze on Chu Yigui again, she noticed the way he was looking at her.

Fei Zhuojun felt somewhat embarrassed when his plan to observe Chu Yigui was exposed.

"You look very handsome, and I heard your grades are excellent too." Fei Zhuojun also knew about Chu Yigui's high school entrance exam results. "You're an outstanding student, your name is... Chu Yigui, right?"

"Thank you for the compliment, Aunt Fei. I am Chu Yigui." Chu Yigui remained calm.

"Have you severed your adoption relationship with the Chu family?" Ran Yongrui's question was direct, yet it was enough to show his eagerness.

"Yes, it's been lifted now." Chu Yigui didn't hide anything.

A look of surprise flashed in Ran Yongrui's eyes, but Fei Zhuojun felt complicated.

So, how could she sever ties with her adoptive parents so readily? Did she not care about their kindness in raising her at all?

"Then why don't you change your name? Chu Yigui is the name your family gave you before, right?"

“No, I really like this name, and it’s a name I must keep,” Chu Yigui said.

"Really?" Ran Yongrui murmured, "Does it have some special meaning?"

"It's a reminder of what I have to bear, and I want to keep it to remind myself," Chu Yigui said with a smile.

"Yi Gui? Yi Gui is just an average name. If I were to choose it, I might be able to come up with a better-sounding and more meaningful one."

Ran Yongrui smiled gently and spoke in a friendly tone.

Fei Zhuojun knew that Ran Yongrui had already thought about what name to give the child in front of him.

Her husband disliked calling the child Chu Yigui.

"Chu Yigui..." Fei Zhuojun murmured, "If we were to change the surname, would it be Ran Yigui?"

This unintentional remark elicited two different reactions.

"It sounds quite nice this way too." Ran Yongrui made no attempt to hide his fondness for Chu Yigui.

Fei Zhuojun lowered his eyes and remained silent.

“You told me last time under the high school entrance exam notice board that you would terminate your adoption with the Chu family, so we have been waiting for you.”

Ran Yongrui hadn't looked for Chu Yigui for a while, because he was waiting for Chu Yigui to finish this matter.

And now it has finally arrived.

"Why don't you set a time for us to go register our household?" Ran Yongrui said with a smile.

Fei Zhuojun looked at Chu Yigui and vaguely sensed that something seemed amiss.

In her eyes, Chu Yigui was calm, indifferent, and without any expectation.

"We've prepared a room for you at home. When do you plan to move in?"

Ran Yongrui's expression was quite cheerful, a stark contrast to his serious demeanor when lecturing.

"I'm sorry, I have no intention of becoming your child, nor do I intend to live in your home."

When Chu Yigui uttered those words, Fei Zhuojun felt a sense of 'as expected'.

Ran Yongrui's face immediately darkened: "What do you mean by this?"

“I did tell you that I would terminate the adoption, but I did not say that I decided to form other family relationships. You misunderstood.”

Ran Yongrui's expression changed several times.

From Ran Yongrui's expression, Fei Zhuojun knew that the child in front of him was probably not lying.

"You're only sixteen years old, you still need a guardian. You can't be so willful. Do you want to go back to the orphanage?"

Ran Yongrui's face was somewhat gloomy, revealing the seriousness he displayed when encountering students who disrupted discipline at school.

“I have signed a contract with the Chu family. I am capable of supporting myself and no longer need your family,” Chu Yigui said.

"You've been contacting me all this time, isn't it because you want to come back to me?" Ran Yongrui frowned deeply.

"It's not me contacting you, it's you contacting me."

Chu Yigui smiled slightly, though it meant nothing, but Fei Zhuojun interpreted it as mockery.

"Because you've invited me so many times, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to keep refusing. I'm only accepting your invitation out of politeness."

Fei Zhuojun was somewhat surprised.

Students often feel naturally suppressed by their teachers, but this is not the case with Chu Yigui at all.

"Is there something you're unhappy with about me?" Ran Yongrui was more patient, suppressing his temper. "We can work things out together; there's plenty of time in the future."

"No, Mr. Ran, I simply don't want to start a family with you, there's no other reason."

Fei Zhuojun examined the documents, and as if possessed, she asked, "What is your opinion of us?"

Ran Yongrui was somewhat annoyed by Fei Zhuojun's interruption, but he also wanted the answer to this question.

Chu Yigui answered without much hesitation, "They are just ordinary elders."

“I am your elder, but most importantly, I am your father!” Ran Yongrui said immediately.

"Yes, from a biological point of view, that's true." Chu Yigui didn't refute it and said calmly.

Ran Yongrui rubbed his temples with a hint of helplessness, as if trying to calm himself down.

"You're too young. You don't understand what it feels like to have important family members."

Chu Yigui did not respond.

Ran Yongrui sighed and said, "When children are young, adults often force them to learn a hobby, even if they don't like it. Even if they are forced to learn it, the children will thank their parents for forcing them when they grow up."

Chu Yigui simply nodded with a polite smile.

“I’m letting you come back to my home now, not just for my own sake, but also for yours. You are my child, and I want the best for you no matter what.”

Ran Yongrui's tone was very serious.

Fei Zhuojun also knew that what Ran Yongrui said was true.

Although her husband had minor flaws in many ways, he was indeed a conscientious and responsible teacher.

The same applies to one's own children.

However, Fei Zhuojun suddenly realized that although she was talking to Ran Yongrui, Chu Yigui's gaze had somehow lingered on her.

"So, what are your thoughts on this, Ms. Fei?" Chu Yigui unexpectedly asked Fei Zhuojun for his opinion.

“You…” Fei Zhuojun swallowed the bitterness spreading in his throat. “You are still a child. Being responsible for children is a teacher’s nature.”

"Even as a teacher, not a mother, you can't deceive yourself into accepting a child born from infidelity, can you?"

Chu Yigui's words caused Ran Yongrui's expression to change slightly.

"You must still be missing your deceased child, and I'm not even worthy to be a replacement for your child, am I?"

Chu Yigui's words struck Fei Zhuojun's heart directly, leaving her speechless.

Ran Yongrui frowned, turned to Fei Zhuojun and said, "Didn't we already agree on this?"

"What a scumbag!!!"

Suddenly, a very bright voice came from beside them.

The voice was so clear and its content so subtle that it immediately drew the attention of everyone in the coffee shop.

The three people at Chu Yigui's table were all drawn to this sudden sound.

Chu Yigui was the least strange of the three.

The loud voice that suddenly appeared came from Zhou Peiyu, who had been secretly listening from the side.

Zhou Peiyu arrived at the coffee shop early because she was there earlier than usual.

Only after seeing Chu Yigui arrive did he secretly put on his hat and sit down next to the three of them.

Separated by deliberately obscuring partitions, they could hardly notice each other.

Although the conversation had been going on for some time, Wanqiu still hadn't arrived!

After listening for a while, Zhou Peiyu finally couldn't hold back anymore.

Zhou Peiyu took off his hat and peered through the partition to look at Ran Yongrui and Fei Zhuojun.

"Who are you?" Ran Yongrui's face immediately darkened.

Ran Yongrui had originally booked a private room, but for some reason, Chu Yigui changed her mind and booked this room instead.

They hadn't thought much of it, but they never expected that someone was eavesdropping nearby.

"Hey, sir, don't you think you've gone too far?"

However, Zhou Peiyu didn't care about Ran Yongrui's problem. His carefree personality and loud voice gave Ran Yongrui almost no time to react.

"You cheated on me, you cheated on me, you had a child with someone else? Right? Did I hear that right?!"

By this time, some gossipy people around had started to prick up their ears, all listening to what was happening.

Chu Yigui's gaze, however, fell on the car parked outside the coffee shop, and he indeed saw Wan Qiu getting out of the car.

Wan Qiu also seemed to be looking over with curiosity.

Chu Yigui heard the small ringing sound of the doorbell when she swiped her card at the coffee shop; it sounded particularly crisp in the chaotic coffee shop.

"What nonsense are you spouting here? Who are you?" Ran Yongrui was still arguing with Zhou Peiyu.

Teenage girls don't care what others think; their extremely extroverted nature allows them to express their anger without restraint.

"How dare you let your wife accept your cheating child? Are you out of your mind? If my dad did that, I would call the police and send him to jail, okay? How can you be so self-righteous?!"

Zhou Peiyu didn't notice Wan Qiu's arrival; he stared intently at Ran Yongrui, his face full of disbelief.

"You're an outsider, don't try to cause trouble here."

However, Ran Yongrui didn't offer any explanation; instead, he directly targeted Zhou Peiyu.

"You don't even know the details of the matter, you just hear a few words and start making wild guesses and spreading them around. You clearly don't understand anything but think you're a righteous person who's condemning wrongdoing. Haven't you thought that your impulsive actions will ruin a family?"

Ran Yongrui is a university professor and is naturally eloquent. Since he is facing students, he is naturally not intimidated.

Zhou Peiyu's eyes widened: "Do you still think you did nothing wrong by cheating?"

"Why should I listen to your accusations? What right do you have to speak so recklessly to an elder?"

Ran Yongrui's face darkened, making him appear very stern, and his expressionless demeanor made Zhou Peiyu feel uneasy.

For some reason, she always felt suppressed in front of Ran Yongrui, just like she felt when facing a teacher after doing something wrong.

"But you clearly..." Zhou Peiyu's voice faltered as he spoke again, having already lost the initiative in front of Ran Yongrui.

"Then let me ask you, can you bear the consequences of saying these things in public and affecting my reputation?" Ran Yongrui asked sternly.

Zhou Peiyu only vaguely heard the words and for a moment didn't know what to say.

Chu Yigui spoke up at this moment: "This is something you did yourself, yet you say it's something that affects your reputation. Don't you find that ironic, Mr. Ran?"

Those who were secretly eavesdropping nearby all showed expressions of curiosity.

Suppressed and unable to retaliate, Zhou Peiyu immediately became arrogant again, but he didn't dare to speak as much.

The moment Zhou Peiyu saw Wan Qiu, his eyes suddenly lit up.

He turned around and went to Wanqiu's side, grabbing Wanqiu's clothes.

"Holy crap, let me tell you, that guy is really something. I've never seen anyone who does something wrong and still acts so self-righteous."

As Zhou Peiyu spoke, he quietly half-hid behind Wan Qiu.

Wan Qiu had just come in and didn't understand what was happening yet.

"You are this child's older brother."

Ran Yongrui's emotions calmed down after seeing Wan Qiu.

"What? You no longer have a legal relationship with this child. Are you still going to stop me from taking this child home?" Ran Yongrui asked in a low voice.

Wan Qiu did not answer immediately.

Surprisingly, Wan Qiu's gaze first fell on the woman next to Ran Yongrui, rather than on Ran Yongrui and Chu Yigui.

The woman had dressed up carefully, but even that couldn't hide her low spirits and pale face.

Her eyes were slightly red, and there were bloodshot veins in them.

Wanqiu saw swathes of withered leaves, devoid of life, falling to the ground, their shapes intact yet fragile enough to shatter at the slightest touch.

She was very sad.

Wan Qiu thought to himself.

Standing there, Wan Qiu still hadn't found anything he could say.