Chapter 240 - 239: Truly Amazing

Chapter 240: Chapter 239: Truly Amazing

To prevent Gu Qingyin from forgetting the array she had just learned, the group discussed it and decided to leave for Ai Lao Mountain in one day.

Gu Qingyin, Huo Xingchen, Huo Yunjing, Gu Ziqian, Dongfang Lingjun, and Zhang Qiuyan—a total of six people.

They would have to take a plane and then transfer to a car to enter the mountains. The entire journey would take nearly a full day, so the day they set aside was for them to handle their personal affairs and pack their luggage.

Everyone who needed to leave had left. Even their host, Dongfang Lingjun, had gone to say goodbye to Dongfang Yuyao.

Only Gu Qingyin and Huo Xingchen were left, staring at each other, unsure what to do.

"How about... I take you to visit Grandma Sheng?"

Huo Xingchen said, "Hmm... I guess that works. Otherwise, we’d look pretty pathetic, with no one to even say goodbye to."

Gu Qingyin stared at him in silence. ’He’s a grown man, so couldn’t he learn a little tact?’

After Sheng Wan received news of their upcoming visit, she began preparing at home.

She prepared balloons and streamers, toys and gifts, food and drinks...

What was supposed to be a simple visit was forcefully turned into a full-blown party by Sheng Wan. Worried that Huo Xingchen would be lonely, she had even borrowed two children from the neighbors to be his playmates.

Now it felt even more like a party.

Zhou Lang was abroad again, and Zhou Jingchuan was at the office, so Sheng Wan was the only one home.

When Gu Qingyin arrived with Huo Xingchen, she was taken aback by the scene in the living room. At first, she thought some child was having a birthday party. When she learned it was all prepared to welcome Huo Xingchen, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"Godmother, you’re being too over-the-top. We just came to see you before our trip."

But Sheng Wan didn’t think so at all. "It’s the boy’s first visit, of course it has to be a grand affair." As she spoke, she shot Gu Qingyin a look, pulled her aside, and whispered, "I heard from Jingchuan. Is there something going on between you and Xingchen’s father?"

Gu Qingyin’s first thought was, naturally, of her husband. ’Of course there’s something going on between me and my husband. It’d be a real problem if there wasn’t!’ But she quickly realized that Zhou Jingchuan must have been referring to this world’s Huo Yunjing.

"No, that’s not it." Gu Qingyin hastily waved her hands in denial. "Huo Yunjing and I are just friends."

But Sheng Wan wore an expression that screamed, ’You can’t fool me.’ "What young woman would be willing to help a man raise his child unless she was interested in the father?" She then adopted a very open-minded demeanor. "Don’t worry, your godmother isn’t that old-fashioned. As long as he always treats you well, I absolutely will not object."

Gu Qingyin found it impossible to explain. ’This is just impossible to clear up. Am I supposed to just confess that Huo Xingchen is my biological son?!’

Sheng Wan didn’t seem to want an explanation anyway and smoothly changed the subject. "So, what made you decide to go on a trip?"

Gu Qingyin sighed inwardly and followed her lead, skipping the headache-inducing topic. She perked up and said, "I wanted a change of lifestyle. If this trip goes well, maybe I’ll fall in love with traveling."

Sheng Wan wholeheartedly agreed. "It’s good to get out and see the world while you’re young. When you’re old, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." She smiled and patted Gu Qingyin’s hand, asking like any ordinary elder would, "Have you finished packing?"

Gu Qingyin nodded. "I just packed a few changes of clothes. I can buy anything else I need after we land."

"Okay. Be safe when you get there, and remember to check in with me regularly to let me know you’re all right."

A warmth spread through Gu Qingyin’s heart. She opened her arms and hugged Sheng Wan like a spoiled child. "Mm, I will."

’In all these years, this is the first time I’ve been around an elder who feels like a mother. When I eventually return to my own world, I’ll probably miss Sheng Wan very, very much.’

By the time the two of them finished talking and returned, Huo Xingchen had already successfully won over the other two children and become their little boss.

Huo Xingchen was currently leading the two children in a game of Legos.

Sheng Wan watched from the side for a moment and said in surprise, "Xingchen is so smart! He doesn’t even need to look at the instructions."

Gu Qingyin smiled and nodded, but inwardly she was grumbling, ’He’s a grown man. If he needed to look at the instructions for a children’s Lego set, people would laugh him to death.’

Huo Xingchen spared a moment to look up and smile at Sheng Wan before continuing to direct the other two children on what piece to place next.

The two older kids were surprisingly obedient, placing whichever piece he told them to.

Amazed, Sheng Wan took out her phone, recorded the scene, and sent it to her group chat with her close friends.

A moment later, the group chat exploded with messages.

—"Are those still the same two little terrors? How did they suddenly become so obedient?"

—"Who is that kid? Can we borrow him for a few days? He could really put our little brat in his place."

—"I just love smart and good-looking kids! Can we adopt him?"

Sheng Wan typed with a broad smile: "He’s the son of Yinyin’s friend, just here for a visit."

After sending the message, she put her phone away and asked Huo Xingchen amiably, "Would you like some strawberries? How about Grandma goes and washes some for you?"

Huo Xingchen didn’t hold back, nodding as he said, "Thank you, Grandma."

The afternoon passed with both hosts and guests enjoying themselves. After staying for a little while longer after dinner, Gu Qingyin decided it was time to leave with Huo Xingchen.

But, as luck would have it, they ran right into Zhou Jingchuan just as they were heading out the door, and trailing behind him was Lin Xiao.

Gu Qingyin raised an eyebrow. ’Didn’t those two break up? Why would Zhou Jingchuan bring her back here?’

Sheng Wan’s brow furrowed as well. Her voice dropped a few notches as she asked curtly, "What is it?"

Zhou Jingchuan glanced at Gu Qingyin and nodded. "We’ll talk when you get back."

Lin Xiao followed his gaze and also looked at Gu Qingyin, her expression unusually complex. The envy and jealousy were normal, much like before, but today, there was something more... fear?

Gu Qingyin blinked. ’Why? Nothing even happened between us last time we met at the campsite.’

"Just say it here," Sheng Wan said, standing expressionless in the doorway, making her dislike for Lin Xiao crystal clear. "I don’t like irrelevant people entering my home."

Zhou Jingchuan looked helpless. Just as he was about to try and reason with his mother, Lin Xiao exploded.

"Irrelevant?" Lin Xiao’s voice was shrill with agitation. "If anyone’s irrelevant here, it’s her! I was, at the very least, your son’s actual girlfriend! What is she? A wandering ghost possessing someone else’s body!"

As her words fell, the entire entryway fell silent, everyone’s mind racing with different thoughts.

Gu Qingyin and Huo Xingchen exchanged a look, their eyes filled with unconcealed astonishment. ’How did she find out?’

Even though Zhou Jingchuan had heard this once before, he was still shocked, and he didn’t forget to observe Gu Qingyin’s reaction.

As for Sheng Wan, she remained silent only because she was too furious, so enraged she was momentarily speechless. She had to take several deep breaths to compose herself before raising her hand, pointing to the door, and saying in an icy voice, "Miss Lin, please get out."

’So polite and restrained, yet expressing such irrepressible anger. How civilized.’

Of course, Lin Xiao had no intention of leaving. "I knew you wouldn’t believe me." She pulled a yellow talisman from her backpack, brandishing it like an imperial decree. "I can prove it!"

Gu Qingyin and Huo Xingchen glanced up—it was a low-grade Ghost Exorcism Talisman.

The mother-son pair had the same thought, ’Lin Xiao is actually pretty impressive. A complete novice managed to buy a real talisman.’