Chapter 25: Visible Only to Her

"Xixi, are you alright?" Tang Qiushuang’s voice came through the line, filled with anxiety and concern. "Where have you been these past few days? Your father and I have been searching everywhere for you."

"I'm sorry, Auntie. I’ve worried you. I’m fine."

"You child." Tang Qiushuang let out a long sigh of relief, but her tone quickly turned serious. "There is something I need to tell you. A relative of a friend of mine used to be a servant for the Gu family; she was let go five years ago. I reached out to her yesterday, and she told me something. Gu Wennuan was sent to Hong Kong back then because she was pregnant, and the father of her child was a member of the Gu family."

Tang Xi was stunned.

Gu Yu had told her that while in Hong Kong, Gu Wennuan had an affair with a married man and returned to Kyoto out of fear of retaliation after giving birth.

If the servant wasn't lying, then he was.

However, there were many men in the Gu family. Gu Yu had two uncles and a cousin, all of whom had sons. The servant didn't know specifically which man Gu Wennuan had been intimate with to conceive the child.

"Xixi, I’m not trying to sow discord between you and Gu Yu, but his concern for that mother and son is clearly extraordinary. On the day of the old patriarch’s birthday, I caught Gu Wennuan and Gu Yu alone together. Their relationship clearly transcended the boundaries appropriate for siblings."

She knew she perhaps shouldn't say these things, but for her niece's future, some truths had to be brought to light.

After hanging up, Tang Xi felt a chill run through her entire body. Her hand, gripping the phone, trembled, blue veins bulging.

In truth, she had always harbored doubts about the nature of the relationship between Gu Yu and Gu Wennuan, but Gu Yu’s passion and concern for her had made it difficult for her to question him.

The kindness Gu Yu showed her wasn't something she heard from others; it was her own lived experience over the past five years.

She knew how much he cared about his family. This had become her excuse to justify his every action, and also the very weapon he used to hurt her.

"I'll go get you some noodles." Song Xining noticed her expression worsening but didn't dare ask more, leaning on her crutches as she headed to the kitchen.

Tang Xi opened WeChat and saw that Gu Yu had been sending her messages and video calls.

How ridiculous. Did he really not know that her phone had been smashed to pieces by Xiaofeng?

She opened her Moments and inadvertently saw a post Gu Wennuan had made two days ago.

"A family should be complete." The attached photo showed her holding Xiaofeng at the zoo.

At first glance, it seemed to be about her and her son, but Tang Xi caught a familiar silhouette reflected in Gu Wennuan’s sunglasses.

She zoomed in on the photo repeatedly, becoming increasingly certain that the person who had taken it was Gu Yu.

Two days ago, while she lay in bed, delirious with a high fever, he had been at the zoo with Gu Wennuan and Xiaofeng.

Tang Xi clicked on another of Gu Wennuan’s posts, shared an hour ago.

"A familiar taste—not just the delicious food, but you!" It was a picture of a dining table set with four dishes and a soup.

That was Gu Yu’s cooking; those were his signature dishes.

Furthermore, the background was their own kitchen. The green plant by the stove was one she and Gu Yu had carefully picked out together at the supermarket.

Gu Wennuan hadn't gone back to the old mansion; she had returned!

Looking at the posts from the last three days, bit by bit, if one looked closely, the traces of Gu Yu’s presence were everywhere.

Tang Xi was trembling with rage. She was certain that these posts of Gu Wennuan’s were set to be visible only to her.

Gu Wennuan was letting her see them on purpose; she was openly provoking her.

The phone vibrated again. This time, it was the protagonist of the story.