It was a rare occasion for guests to come to the small courtyard, so Ning Yichu lit a small stove and put up an iron net for barbecue.
Mu Bailang and Fan Yuke prepared everything as if they were going on a picnic, including hot pot meatballs, beef, salmon, caviar, and black truffles, all at the most expensive price. The ingredients were all airlifted in early in the morning and then transported through the cold chain.
The hot pot was on the stove, and Fan Yuke was flipping the grilled food. Seeing that Gu Lingyang was still in a bad mood, Mu Bailang took out two bottles of the best Baidilan from his bag.
"Old Gu, I've emptied my family's savings for you. This is my treasured possession. Come and try it." Mu Bailang smiled rather frivolously, picked up a country enamel cup, and filled it with fine white orchid. "Want a sip?"
Gu Lingyang, who was originally feeling a little depressed, was swept up in the lively atmosphere, and his thoughts drifted away with the wind.
He shook his head helplessly, but still took the cup steadily and glanced at it. "You really know how to drink, but you didn't even bring a cup."
"Who knew you didn't have it here? This enamel cup is not good to drink from? That's authentic." Mu Bailang said.
The two men clinked their glasses, and Gu Lingyang, rarely amused by him, curled the corners of his lips.
With the sizzling barbecue and hot pot, Fan Yuke had just come out of confinement and was not allowed to drink alcohol, so Ning Yichu accompanied the two brothers to have a couple of drinks.
After a few drinks, the firelight shone on the faces of the four people, and Mu Bailang started the conversation first.
"Old Gu, how long do you plan to stay here?"
Gu Lingyang's eyes suddenly flashed, and the wine glass in his hand was empty. He himself hadn't figured out this problem.
How long will this escape last?
"Let's talk about it later." Gu Lingyang poured himself a glass and took another sip.
Mu Bailang and Ning Yichu exchanged glances. Both of them wanted to persuade Gu Lingyang to get over it as soon as possible, but he was the only one who could figure this out.
"A Ling, if you don't want to go back, let's bring the three children over." Ning Yichu smiled slightly. It just so happened that they were about to have winter vacation. "You'll be happier here than in the capital."
"Hey, little Chuchu, you really can't bring yourself to say anything harsh." Mu Bailang signaled Ning Yichu to stop talking, and directly stabbed the knife of words into Gu Lingyang's arms.
"You're not like the Gu Lingyang I know. Li Jianbin used Gu Sinan's death to your advantage, but you didn't indirectly kill Gu Sinan. Li Jianbin fought him for so many years. Even without you, Gu Sinan would have been killed by him."
Gu Lingyang's body trembled slightly, and his hand holding the cup tightened.
He has been thinking these days that if Li Jianbin didn't want to bring a stain on Gu Lingyang, he wouldn't have tampered with Gu Sinan's emergency surgery.
But... Mu Bailang was right.
Who knows what Li Jianbin was thinking? Perhaps the result would have been the same without him.
Mu Bailang pretended not to notice his change of mood. "Don't punish yourself for someone else's mistakes. The ending is already predetermined. You might as well think about how to kill Li Jianbin if you have this time."
Gu Lingyang pinched his brows, his thoughts in disarray for a moment, "I know my limits."
"Honey, roasted lamb, come, have a bite." Fan Yuke didn't listen carefully to what they were saying. She was only paying attention to the meat in front of her. She picked up a skewer and handed it to Mu Bailang with a smile.
Mu Bailang smiled indulgently, took it and tasted it, "It tastes good, delicious."
Having been interrupted like this, the topic was not continued.
After chatting about some random things, Mu Bailang took Fan Yuke back home.
Ning Yichu and Gu Lingyang were the only ones left in the yard.
The fire was still burning, and the slight drunkenness and warm temperature made people's thoughts fly.
Ning Yichu and Gu Lingyang lay side by side on the recliner, looking at the stars in the sky. Both of them were covered with thick blankets. The firelight flickered, and Ning Yichu spoke.
"A Ling, the responsibility for all this isn't yours. You were just a child when Li Jianbin snatched you away and used you without your knowledge, so don't blame yourself."
The stars are bright tonight. The night sky in the countryside is always much clearer and cleaner than that in big cities. The twinkling stars are so far away from them, but their hearts are slowly drawing closer...
Ning Yichu held his hand and said, "You also heard what Wang Xuan recounted about the scene at that time. Mr. Gu Sinan is a very gentle gentleman. He won't blame you. After knowing the truth, he will probably feel more guilty and distressed..."
"A Ling, and your biological mother, Chi Zhaoyi. Every woman knows how painful childbirth is, but she insisted on giving birth to you, which shows how much she loves you. They must be watching you from heaven right now, hoping that you will be happy and safe."
Ning Yichu's gentle words were whispering in his ears. Gu Lingyang was a little drunk and looked at the twinkling stars in the sky. The knot in his heart seemed to slowly dissipate through today's dinner with his best friend and Ning Yichu's soft whispers.
Yes, instead of blaming yourself and being immersed in the past that cannot be changed and unable to let go, it is better to look forward.
His life was bought with his mother's life.
He always blamed himself for not discovering the problem of his background earlier and not knowing earlier that Gu Sinan was his biological father.
When Gu Sinan was alive, he kept pressing the Gu family, and the business targeting was always a life-and-death struggle. He had never fulfilled his filial piety, and before Gu Sinan died, he didn't know the truth and didn't even have a good word with him.
These regrets and guilt overwhelmed him.
Ning Yichu picked up a stack of bound documents that he had asked Mu Bailang to bring over today. "These are some... records related to Mr. Gu Sinan. You can take a look. Aling, I'll be here with you until you cheer up. Don't worry."
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