"Go on, get out of here. What's a kid being so nosy for?" Su Yunqing said dismissively to Gu Xuan.
Gu Ye didn't even spare him a glance, ignoring him completely as he focused on chatting with Su Yunqing. "Mom, what are you saying? I care about the family too. I came straight home as soon as I got back from my trip."
"Keep talking. It's a good thing your father isn't home. If he were, he'd be lecturing you again," Su Yunqing said, feeling a headache coming on. "Why are you in the gossip news again?... The girl will have opinions if she sees that."
Noticing Gu Xuan was still hovering nearby, Su Yunqing changed her wording.
Gu Ye sighed helplessly. It seemed he had to explain this news story to everyone he met. "Don't worry, your son has great self-control. I won't mess around. I video-called her right then and there."
Su Yunqing continued, "Once or twice is fine, but if it happens too often, any girl would feel upset and uncomfortable."
"And you two are in a long-distance relationship on top of that. If you ask me, you've had enough experience with this job of yours."
"That's actually what I was going to say. I plan to retire from the industry, quit being an entertainer. I've already talked it over with the company."
"Really?" Su Yunqing was surprised. "Since when?"
Gu Ye nodded to confirm it. "I went to discuss it during this business trip."
Su Yunqing was delighted. "Oh, that's wonderful news!"
"Second brother, you're quitting being a star?" Despite being brushed off, Gu Xuan had stubbornly stayed nearby. Hearing that Gu Ye was quitting, he couldn't help but excitedly cut in.
He didn't understand. "Why? Being a star is great, so many people like you."
"You're not old enough to get it yet. You'll understand when you grow up," Gu Ye replied lazily.
Gu Baotian came upstairs after practicing opera in the home theater downstairs. Seeing Gu Ye, he chuckled. "So the kid's back. Have a couple of drinks with your grandpa tonight."
"No problem, Grandpa. I'll drink with you to our hearts' content today."
At the dinner table, upon learning Gu Ye was retiring from the industry, Gu Baotian remarked with feeling, "Good, finally we won't have to suffer seeing you on TV anymore."
Gu Ye: "..."
"I told you to quit before, but you were stubborn and insisted on continuing. Now you're quitting just like that. Seems love is a powerful motivator after all!"
Hearing this, Su Yunqing caught on. "Dad, you knew Xiao Ye was seeing someone too?"
"Of course I knew. How could I not?" Gu Baotian, having had some drinks, let the words tumble out. "I was even their matchmaker."
"So you knew all along and kept it from me? And here I thought I was the first in the family to know, even keeping the secret."
"That's because you lack perception, your eyes are up in the clouds," Gu Baotian teased. "Not like me, sharp-eyed and perceptive."
Gu Ye poured more wine for Gu Baotian and water for Su Yunqing. "Thank you, Grandpa. Thank you, Mom. Sorry for making you worry."
"Lucky for you, you've got some skill. Didn't waste my good intentions either. Takes after me, clever and knows how to handle things," Gu Baotian commented.
"Not like your older brother. Watching him date is more exhausting than it is for an old man like me."
On this point, Su Yunqing agreed. Her second son had some moves when it came to romance, quietly managing to win someone over.
The few of them ate and chatted, leaving no room for Gu Xuan to interject.
However, he had obtained major information: his second brother was in a relationship!
"Aunt Wang, Aunt Wang!" Gu Xuan, having finished eating, left the table early and scurried off to find Wang Xia.
"You finished dinner so quickly?" Wang Xia asked with a smile.
"Aunt Wang, my second brother is in a relationship, did you know?" He was eager to share the gossip he'd overheard.
Wang Xia became genuinely curious. "Where did you hear that? Who is your second brother dating?"
Gu Xuan shrugged. "I heard it at the dinner table. I don't know who he's dating though. Do you know?"
Wang Xia shook her head. "I really don't know."
That evening, after Li Daming returned from dropping off Gu Guofeng, Wang Xia chatted about Gu Ye. "Xiao Ye came back tonight. Xiao Xuan says his second brother is in a relationship."
"You know about it?" Li Daming asked tentatively.
"Know about what?" Wang Xia was puzzled. "I don't know who Xiao Ye's dating, though."
She nudged him with her elbow. "I have a feeling it might be a female celebrity."
Li Daming chuckled. "Not necessarily. Maybe he's eating the grass near his own nest."
"What 'grass near his nest'? Do you know something?"
"Just a random thought," Li Daming scratched his head. "Honey, what do you think of Gu Ye, as a kid?"
"He's perfectly fine. I watched him grow up," Wang Xia said, putting clothes away in the wardrobe and glancing at him. "That's a strange question. What's up with you?"
"He's good as an ordinary young man, sure. I'm just saying, hypothetically, what if as a son-in-law? What would you think of him then?" Li Daming asked, pretending it was casual conversation.
"Well, Old Li, I never saw this coming. You've got big ambitions," Wang Xia teased. "What, are you scheming to move up in the world and have him as your esteemed son-in-law?"
