Chapter 31
Seeing the determination in Gu Xi's eyes, Zhan Mingyuan felt a chill run through his heart. Yes—how could he have forgotten? The enemy's real target wasn't his cousin—it was his uncle. And Jinsong was just a pawn, a bargaining chip meant to threaten and manipulate. If something happened to that chip, wouldn't his uncle be even more vulnerable?
With that sobering realization, Zhan Mingyuan's gaze deepened. This little cousin of his... she wasn't simple at all.
To resolve the situation as soon as possible, Gu Xi insisted on being discharged from the hospital.
"Xixi, you're not fully recovered yet—you can't leave the hospital!" Wei Xiangqin's voice shot up an octave as her daughter returned from a short walk only to announce her plan to leave immediately. Her brows were furrowed in worry and frustration.
"Mom, we don't have time to waste. Second Brother and I have to get to Jiangzhou," Gu Xi said firmly.
"What urgent business do you kids possibly have?" Wei Xiangqin demanded. "You're not going anywhere!"
Gu Xi hesitated. She didn't want to burden her mother with her cousin's dangerous situation, but they needed to act quickly. She had to meet with her uncle and figure out their next move.
Sensing her dilemma, Zhan Mingyuan stepped in with a wink and a smooth excuse. "Auntie, please don't be angry at Xixi. This is all my fault."
He put on a guilty face and added, "Before summer break, there was this girl who kept bothering me. Somehow, she got my number a few days ago and won't stop calling and messaging me. I couldn't take it anymore, so I asked Xixi to pretend to be my girlfriend, hoping she'd back off."
"There's such a girl?" Wei Xiangqin raised her brows, clearly caught off guard. Looking at her handsome nephew, she murmured, "Isn't that girl mentally unstable? Wouldn't it be dangerous for Xixi to go with you?"
"No, no—she's just a bit obsessive, not violent," Zhan Mingyuan assured her quickly. "She won't hurt anyone."
"But Xixi's health…"
"Mom, it's just a half-day round trip to Jiangzhou. I'll come right back," Gu Xi said as she took her mother's hand. "The sooner we resolve this, the better. Look at Second Brother—he's practically wasting away from the stress."
Hey! Zhan Mingyuan gave her a subtle glare.
Gu Xi stuck out her tongue in mock apology, a playful glint in her eyes.
Watching their little exchange, Wei Xiangqin felt both helpless and heartbroken. She didn't have the time or energy to figure out whether their story was true. Mingyuan had always been level-headed. She trusted him not to let anything happen to Xixi.
The events of the past few days had left her exhausted. Her husband's company was on the brink, her daughter had fallen ill, and she'd been helpless to ease any of it. Seeing her closest family members burdened and distressed made her heart ache.
She knew full well that Xixi's trip to Jiangzhou had little to do with some clingy admirer. As a mother, she was worried—but in times like this, she could only bury that fear in her heart and give her daughter the freedom to do what she needed to do.
"Take your medication with you," Wei Xiangqin said softly. "I'll have Xiao Liu drive you."
"Mom…"
"I'll wait for you to come back," Wei Xiangqin smiled, though it was a fragile one. "And don't forget to visit your uncle when you get there."
A wave of emotion surged in Gu Xi's chest. She blinked back the bitterness in her eyes and smiled. "Okay. If I don't visit Uncle in Jiangzhou, I'll accept any punishment you give me!"