Chapter 201

Han Cheng scrutinized the person in front of him for quite some time. Whether it was the appearance, temperament, or attire, nothing matched the past. Even the name had been changed. It was as if they were two completely different people. Were it not for that familiar smile and those distinctive big white teeth, Han Cheng wouldn’t have recognized him at all.

With a tight embrace, Han Cheng exclaimed, “Look how much you’ve changed! You didn’t mention anything about coming back in your letters.”

Gu Zhanwang returned the embrace firmly, replying, “I miscalculated. Originally, I intended to give you a surprise. I didn’t expect to find you gone from Qingfeng Town when I arrived. And I certainly didn’t anticipate you not returning to the old house in the capital. I ended up disappointed, almost losing contact with you.”

“My uncle was staying at the old house recently. Didn’t you run into each other?” Han Cheng asked.

Gu Zhanwang shook his head and said, “Unfortunately, not at all.” He patted Han Cheng’s shoulder and said, “At three, you can see how they will be as an adult; at seven, you can see how they will be in old age. You haven’t changed at all; you’re still the same as before.”

Han Cheng curled his lips and said, “Should I call you Uncle or Mr. Gu?”

When Han Cheng exchanged letters with him, they used English names, and he addressed Gu Zhanwang by his old name. It was almost a major misunderstanding.

Gu Zhanwang and Han Cheng had no blood relations. It was just that when Han Cheng’s grandmother was alive, she took care of him for a while. Han Cheng’s mother always treated him like a brother, hence why Han Cheng called him ‘Uncle’. In reality, Gu Zhanwang was only a few years older than Han Cheng, now in his early forties.

Gu Zhanwang chuckled. “I’m just a few years older than you. Don’t make me feel old. Just call me ‘Big Brother’.”

Han Cheng was just joking. It was normal for Gu Zhanwang to change his name and surname when he went abroad with his stepfather. With strict surveillance over the past decade, communication with foreign countries had to pass through multiple layers of inspection, so they hardly had much contact. It wasn’t until recently that they started communicating again, but when they met, just like in the past, like meeting an old friend,

Han Cheng knew that Gu Zhanwang actually still had contact with his mother when he went abroad. His mother had always trusted Gu Zhanwang; in fact, before she passed away, she entrusted him with a letter and some mementos to pass on to Gu Zhanwang.

However, his mother instructed him to keep the mementos safe and not to send them by mail. They were to be handed over in person when they met again, so up until now, he wasn’t able to send those letters and mementos to Gu Zhanwang.

Han Cheng thought that his mother’s intention was not to let him lose contact with Gu Zhanwang but to give him another relative to rely on in this world. So, he kept those items safe.

Observing Gu Zhanwang, Han Cheng could tell he hadn’t simply been reporting only the good news over the years; he was genuinely living well, and Han Cheng was genuinely happy for him.

After some interaction between the two men, Su Xiaoxiao and the four children stared wide-eyed, wondering what was happening. Did Dad know Uncle Four-Eyes?

Su Xiaoxiao, slurping her noodles, shook her head slightly, expressing with her eyes that she had no idea.

Sensing something, Han Cheng took Su Xiaoxiao’s hand. “Let me introduce you. This is my wife, Su Xiaoxiao. You’ve met my children, right?”

Gu Zhanwang glanced at the kids, then back at Han Cheng, self-deprecatingly saying, “I must be blind. They look so much like you, yet I didn’t recognize them.”

Previously, when the kids were alone, Gu Zhanwang found them familiar but hadn’t connected them to Han Cheng. Now, seeing them together, they looked like carbon copies, especially Fantuan, who resembled Han Cheng in his childhood. Those eyes were identical. He hadn’t even recognized them.

Han Cheng had mentioned having four children in his letters, including a set of twins, but Xiao Roubao and Xiao Tangyuan didn’t look the same age. Fantuan and Doubao also seemed older than their actual age, especially Fantuan, who is too mature for his age. He was even managing the store with such precision. He didn’t seem like a kid in his early teens at all.

Gu Zhanwang continued, “I’ve always been curious about what kind of parents raised such intelligent children. Now that I know that they were your kids, it all makes sense.”

Fantuan couldn’t resist asking, “Uncle Gu, do you know my dad?”

Gu Zhanwang glanced at Fantuan and chuckled. “Well,” he said to Han Cheng, “you might as well call me ‘Uncle’. Then Fantuan can call me ‘Great’ Uncle.”

Fantuan, gnawing on a pig trotter, muttered to himself, “Great Uncle, my foot!”

Gu Zhanwang enjoyed Fantuan’s sarcastic glance. This kid was usually sharp-witted; making him speechless wasn’t easy.

Han Cheng knew Gu Zhanwang was teasing Fantuan. He knew Gu Zhanwang was living well with his stepfather now. Other things didn’t matter.

“Oh, by the way, before my mother passed away, she asked me to pass on something to you. I’ll get it for you when I go home,” Han Cheng said.

Gu Zhanwang tapped the table lightly, scanning the empty restaurant. At this time, most of the customers had left, and Bai Lan and Uncle Yang in the kitchen wouldn’t overhear their conversation.

Gu Zhanwang didn’t respond to Han Cheng’s statement but asked instead, “Did you find out about that painting I asked you to inquire about?”

Su Xiaoxiao blinked at Han Cheng. “Is he the person you mentioned, the one who knows a lot about paintings and who you asked to find?”

Han Cheng nodded and said, “Yes.”

How could there be such a coincidence in this world? Han Cheng had just mentioned it to Su Xiaoxiao, and now they met Gu Zhanwang.

Gu Zhanwang smiled knowingly. “It looks like you found the item. You don’t need to hand over the mementos your mother left me. You’ll need them in the future.”

A sudden realization hit Han Cheng. “Could it be…”

Gu Zhanwang nodded. “Yes, just as you thought.”

Su Xiaoxiao also figured it out. “Mother was truly wise. She came up with such a clever way to keep the key safe. It’s now in your hands without knowing that it was all in your hands. If you don’t want to find those things, let them remain buried, and you don’t need to know the whereabouts of the key. Let Gu…Big Brother take care of it for you. If you need those things and Big Brother senses it, he’ll naturally hand over the key to you.”

Gu Zhanwang indeed had a trustworthy face, and he had truly lived up to Han Cheng’s mother’s trust. Su Xiaoxiao then asked, “Big Brother Gu, what if Han Cheng never seeks out those things? What will happen to the key in the end?”

Gu Zhanwang replied, “If your next generation comes of age, I’ll pass it directly to them. If they don’t, there might even be a chance of selling the old house, like squandering the family fortune. I’ll advise you to donate the items if you find them or sell the old house to me for safekeeping. But now, it seems I have no fate with your Han family’s old house.”

Su Xiaoxiao and Han Cheng exchanged a glance and chuckled. “Indeed, it’s a well-thought-out plan. You truly have no connection with it. We’ve already renamed Han Family’s old house as ‘Han Mansion’ for our family, Fantuan. We’ll hand it directly to Fantuan in the future.”

Han Cheng had indeed considered selling the old house before, but before doing so, he would have retrieved the items. However, it was unnecessary now. They wouldn’t let Fantuan know about those unpleasant events from the past. As they passed away, those memories would be buried with them. After renovating the courtyard, it would be the Han Mansion of Fantuan’s generation.

Gu Zhanwang nodded slightly and said, “Han Mansion, that’s a nice name. I hope your Han Mansion will be passed down through the generations, keeping its legacy alive.”

Su Xiaoxiao nodded and said, “I will accept your kind words.”

Han Cheng said, “Since the souvenir left by your mother has become mine, I will take the initiative to give you the XX Wind and Rain Picture as a keepsake.”

Gu Zhanwang waved his hand and said, “This is something that has been passed down from generation to generation in the Han family. The saying goes, ‘A gentleman is not good at pleasing others.’ You are not good at calligraphy and painting, but these children in your family like it very much.” Gu Zhanwang pointed to the wall and said, “If they can continue to study and improve their calligraphy and painting skills, they may become masters in the future.”

Fantuan, who had just finished a bowl of pig’s hand rice, couldn’t help but reply, “Uncle Gu, I think you’re overthinking it. Writing and drawing well are basic skills in our family, like how you can eat rice with chopsticks. It’s not a hobby or a career path; it’s just something we all know how to do. Who in our family doesn’t have good handwriting or can’t draw well?”

Gu Zhanwang: “……..”

He had indeed overthought it. These people weren’t ordinary at all. He refused to talk to Fantuan anymore!

Su Xiaoxiao said, “The children learn calligraphy and painting to pass the time. Whether they pursue related careers in the future is up to them to decide when they’re adults. We won’t force any arrangements.”

Gu Zhanwang sighed. “I said too much. Only parents like you can raise such exceptional children.”

Su Xiaoxiao affectionately patted Xiao Doubao’s head, who listened to her the most. “It’s not that we taught them well; our children are naturally obedient.”

Xiao Doubao, who always listened to his mother, squinted his eyes and, imitating their puppy, Cotton Candy, nudged Su Xiaoxiao’s palm, saying with a smile, “Mom teaches well. I have learned from my mom since I was little.”

Su Xiaoxiao wanted to hug the well-behaved child, but Xiao Doubao had grown up, and she couldn’t lift him anymore. “Xiao Doubao has always been the most obedient.”

Among the children, Xiao Doubao and Xiao Zhuzi had similar temperaments and were the most obedient.

The other three children disagreed: “Mom/Mommy, we’re obedient too!”

Xiao Doubao, who rarely competes for a favor, said with a smile, “Mom said I’m the most obedient!”

Gu Zhanwang sighed again. “These children from your family are making me envious that I want to get married and have children right away.”

Han Cheng was taken aback for a moment and said, “Big Brother, you’re not married yet?”

Gu Zhanwang shook his head and said, “Western countries are more open-minded in this regard than us. There is no such thing as too old to marry, and whether to get married or not depends on whether we can meet the right person.”

Han Cheng said, “I was narrow-minded.”

For some reason, Su Xiaoxiao’s mind flashed back to Jiang Xue, whom she had just met today. “This thought is actually quite good. Only by finding the right person can it last.”

Everyone tacitly avoided continuing on this topic.

As if everything had been arranged from above, this treasure hunt unexpectedly went smoothly. Everything fell into place.

Seeing there was no one in the restaurant, Su Xiaoxiao decided to bring up the topic, “Big Brother Gu, we want to sell some of the gold and exchange it for some real estate. When do you think is the best time? My classmates told me that international gold prices are much higher than domestic ones and they are still rising. Do you have any good ways to cash out abroad?”

Gu Zhanwang looked at Su Xiaoxiao in surprise, then flashed a bright smile, saying, “I’m quite familiar with this matter. I’ve been helping a few friends with these matters lately. If you’re not in a hurry, wait a bit longer. Prices might rise further. When it’s time to sell, I’ll inform you.”

Su Xiaoxiao nodded. “Thank you in advance, Big Brother Gu.”

Gu Zhanwang waved his hand and said, “You don’t need to thank me. Just make your children less angry with me. By the way, I haven’t told you my main business yet. Can I have your children paint murals for my mall?”

Su Xiaoxiao glanced at Fantuan and said, “Our children always make their own decisions. I really need to consult Fantuan’s opinion on this matter. If he agrees, we have no objections.”

Fantuan, who was calculating their income at the cash register, responded, “Depends on my mood.”

Gu Zhanwang almost choked on his own saliva.

Gu Zhanwang: “Is your mood good or not?”

Fantuan: “We’ll know in the summer vacation.” In fact, Fantuan wanted to go back to Sujia Village to bring Da Bao and Xiao Bao over so they could earn some extra money. But let’s wait until summer vacation.

Gu Zhanwang: “…”

Xiao Roubao had already finished his third bowl of pig trotters. Gu Zhanwang whispered to Han Cheng, “I’ve been observing for a while. Your youngest son eats more than all of us combined. Are you sure there’s no problem?”

Han Cheng replied, “Don’t worry, he’s fine. He digests quickly. He’s been eating like this since he was little.”

Gu Zhanwang: “…” What kind of family is this?