I Have Decided to Go Look for My Father

“Speaking of, Gu Xi, did your dad attend some important activities today? He’s really dressed up,” said Dong Mingming.

Gu Xi, too, had noticed that Gu Shao was dressed more formal than usual.

“Daddy Gu is super hot today.” Dong Mingming’s eyes have stars in them.

“I think so too,” said Gu Xi with a smile as she agreed with Dong Mingming.

And then, fishing out her own phone stealthily, Gu Xi took a photo of Gu Shao sitting in her spot.

For the keepsake of someone being at the parent-teacher conference for her for the very first time.

Witnessing that, Dong Mingming, too, pulled out her own phone as though she didn’t want to be left out and she aimed it in Gu Shao’s direction. “I will take a photo as well.”

Gu Xi’s lips twitched when she saw the excitement on Dong Mingming. “Please take photos of your own dad.”

Dong Mingming was taken aback a little when she heard Gu Xi’s words. Looking over at Daddy Dong sitting next to Gu Shao, she lost interest right away.

“What is the point of taking a photo of my dad?” said Dong Mingming as she waved her hand. She didn’t need to take any of his photos. Her mother’s friend's circle was filled with photos of the two of them at the park. She had seen enough of those.

“I am taking one of your dad, keke.” Then she would be able to brag about it to others going forward: Look, my deskmate’s father. Handsome, right?

Gu Xi, “……”

***

Inside the classroom.

Even though they had already met previously, sitting next to Boss Gu at the parent-teacher conference still made Daddy Dong nervous.

While the class teacher was talking about other students, Daddy Dong smiled awkwardly and chitchatted with Gu Shao.

“Your Gu Xi did quite well this time,” said Daddy Dong.

Having heard that, Gu Shao nodded. Glancing over at the report card, he replied politely, “Dong Mingming didn’t do half bad as well.”

“Like heck she did. She did worse than the previous time, even.” Daddy Dong waved his hand, paused, and said, “Gu Xi is awesome. Taking #1 in her first examinations.

“I take it that she had always been the top one or two at her former school?”

Gu Shao nodded. He had learned about Gu Xi’s grades at Liming when they were going through her transfer process. Same as she was right now, she had always been the top one or two in her class.

“Tsk. That’s right. An outstanding child will be outstanding no matter where they go,” added Daddy Dong.

Gu Shao did not react too much to that statement, but happiness could be seen in his eyes.

Gu Xi looked back over at the final essay on Gu Xi’s literature test paper.

It was an essay about affection, reunion, and family. Gu Xi wrote it in an analogy form. There was no mention of actual people or incidents, but her fondness and appreciation of her family members were clearly conveyed in between her words.

That was very different from her essays in the past.

She had written about similar topics in the past and the concepts and writing were equally poetic but there were still subtle differences. What she had described in the past were good, but empty. Now, they were real.

The difference between the lines was very subtle. So subtle that even Gu Xi might not have noticed it herself, but Gu Shao had picked up on it.

***

Gu Shao left with Gu Xi after the parent-teacher conference.

Their plan was to head over to the Gu’s main residence.

As it turned out, they were halfway there when Xu Fei received a call from a secretary from NTN Technology Center.

“Boss, Mr. Qiao had arrived, and he wanted to meet with you,” said Xu Fei after he hung up on the phone.

The one that he was referring to as “Mr. Qiao” was Qiao Luo whom they had worked with in the past when he had acted as their purchasing agent.

This time, however, it wasn’t Qiao Luo who reached out to NTN. It was Gu Shao who had reached out to him.