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Zhou Cong left the racetrack early the next morning.
“Ah Cong’s little aunt is more important to him than his own mother,” Ji Huailuo sighed, “Aunt Wu is busy with work, and when Ah Cong was young, apart from Grandpa Zhou, it was mostly his little aunt who took care of him.”
Though they were aunt and nephew, their bond was as strong as that of a mother and son.
Zhen Chuang’s girlfriend, Zheng Yingying, curiously asked, “What happened with Young Master Zhou’s aunt?”
“Multiple personality disorder,” Zhen Chuang replied. “I heard it’s pretty serious; a lot of the time, she can’t even recognize people.”
Qu Xiuxiu asked, “Is this a hereditary condition, or are there any triggers?”
“Ah Cong’s little aunt developed this condition later,” Ji Huailuo explained. “At the time, she was pregnant, and her marriage was disrupted by a third party. She couldn’t bear the blow, and as a result, the child was lost, and she went mad.”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao’s eyelashes fluttered.
No wonder Ji Huailuo had mentioned before that Zhou Cong hated third parties and their children.
It all stemmed from this event.
“Her condition fluctuates,” Ji Huailuo continued, “but no matter whether it’s good or bad, she only remembers Ah Cong. She might have come to see him as the child she lost.”
The topic was too heavy, and with the host having left, the group lost interest and returned to Shenzhen.
The National Day holiday was still not halfway through, and Qu Xiuxiu and Wei Long’s return tickets were for the day after tomorrow. Xu Zhiqiao still wanted to take them back to her apartment.
Ji Huailuo was furious. “Is there no room for you at the Ji family, or what? Where is your little nest?”
“…” Xu Zhiqiao fell silent. “What’s wrong with us wanting to live by ourselves?”
“Nothing,” Ji Huailuo said arrogantly. “Then add me to the mix.”
“…”
To hide her secret base, Xu Zhiqiao, after discussing it with Qu Xiuxiu and Wei Long, the three returned to the Ji family.
Ji Huailuo, suppressing his anger, sneered, “Hide it! If you can, hide it for a lifetime!”
Xu Zhiqiao ignored him.
When she saw Er De, she couldn’t help but think of her Baobao.
Baobao’s neck was adorned with a pink satin cloth loop, from which hung a silver heart-shaped pendant Xu Zhiqiao had taken from her bracelet.
Zhou Cong had invited the Zhou family’s private physician to help check on Baobao’s health and figure out how to care for a wild rabbit.
Grandpa Zhou’s face darkened. “A wild rabbit? Your grandpa stands at the racetrack and finishes them off. Why are you bringing one home to raise?”
“…” Zhou Cong’s temples twitched as he nervously covered the rabbit’s ears, but it was too late. “Watch your language! Don’t scare us again!”
He was in a hurry, so he could only pat the rabbit’s head. “Baobao, stay calm.”
Watching his grandson leave with long strides, Grandpa Zhou’s sharp eyes gleamed. “Baobao?”
“Old Master,” the physician said with a bitter face, “I’m not a veterinarian…”
Grandpa Zhou poked the silver pendant. “This pink thing, is it something you’re raising for someone else?”
Physician: “I really am not a vet…”
“Doesn’t matter. Make sure it’s alive,” Grandpa Zhou ordered with authority. “Maybe my grandson’s wife will have hope.”
Physician: “Wild rabbits have a big temperament, they’re hard to raise…”
Grandpa Zhou squinted at him. “Is my temperament not big enough? If I can survive, so can it.”
“…”
Zhaoping Rehabilitation Center.
In the intensive care unit, the woman on the bed, looking somewhat frail, had fallen asleep. Zhou Cong bent over and carefully tucked her in.
“What happened?” Wu Shoufang asked sternly. “She was doing fine before. Why did she suddenly relapse?”
The director and attending physician exchanged looks, both tense.
The sound of footsteps approached, and the sense of pressure intensified. The director hurriedly looked at the newcomer. “It’s like this. The National Day holiday just started, and the center held a small program for everyone to gather and have some fun. During meal time, we watched some TV, and I’m not sure what she saw, but Ms. Wu suddenly…”
Zhou Cong’s eyes were distant. “What TV show?”
“Just current affairs news,” the director said. “I checked it thoroughly from start to finish. There was nothing out of the ordinary.”
Zhou Cong: “Send me the video later.”
“Okay.”
After Wu Shoufang gave the director and physician a few more instructions, they left to continue their work.
Once the room was quiet, Wu Shoufang looked at her son. “Maybe it’s just a coincidence.”
Zhou Cong didn’t respond.
“I heard,” Wu Shoufang suddenly shifted the conversation, “you’ve been going to the Ji family a lot lately?”
Zhou Cong raised an eyebrow. “Who told you that?”
Wu Shoufang: “Don’t worry about that.”
Zhou Cong: “Not allowed,” he said with an edge, “Who else dares to report me?”
“…” Wu Shoufang sat back in her chair. “Has Huailuo transferred to the business department?”
Zhou Cong: “You’re not just concerned about me, but about him too?”
Wu Shoufang furrowed her brow. “Speak properly.”
“Uncle Ji’s plan is for him to rotate through all the departments,” Zhou Cong said nonchalantly. “So what if he’s in business?”
Wu Shoufang: “I heard that the most important business division of the Ji family is now managed by his stepmother. When she came in, she brought in several big clients. If his stepmother has a son, the Ji family might not end up in Huailuo’s hands in the future.”
“…” Zhou Cong was puzzled. “Why are you worried about that?”
“I’m old friends with Huailuo’s mother,” Wu Shoufang said. “Since she’s no longer here, of course, I have to take care of her son.”
Zhou Cong: “She has no intention of fighting for the inheritance.”
Wu Shoufang: “She only has one daughter, right?”
Zhou Cong froze.
“The child your little aunt lost…” Wu Shoufang sighed. “She would have been about the same age as this one.”
“…”
Zhou Cong’s phone buzzed with a message from the director with the news video.
The video was mostly just financial news—stock market updates, rich lists, rankings, etc.
Suddenly, Wu Shoufang’s expression changed, and Zhou Cong keenly noticed it.
“What’s wrong?” he asked in a low voice.
Wu Shoufang averted her gaze, her expression ambiguous. “Just feel like fate’s blind. Your little aunt is good at investing, and her judgment is sharp. It’s just that she’s too confused when it comes to people.”
She changed the subject abruptly. “By the way, since you’re friends with Huailuo, you should bring his sister over to the house sometime.”
Zhou Cong didn’t respond, lazily playing with his phone.
At the Ji residence.
Wei Long was video calling Wei’s Father, and Xu Zhiqiao squeezed into the frame, smiling as she greeted him.
“Qiao Bao, good girl,” Wei’s Father said cheerfully, “Uncle has missed you these days.”
Xu Zhiqiao: “I’ll visit you during the New Year if I get the chance.”
“Ah, good,” Wei’s Father replied. “Your father came by recently and asked about you…”
Xu Zhiqiao froze.
“My father? He’s back in Jindong?”
“Yes,” Wei’s Father said. “We have a charity event here, and he’s the organizer. You didn’t see it? You can look it up online, on the finance channel.”
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