Chapter 69: Suspected Identity

After hanging up the phone, Guocheng Wang stood by the window for a long time, unmoving, his thoughts adrift until another call brought him back to reality.

“Guocheng, have you really made up your mind? You’re not coming home for the New Year?” His mother, Li Fengqin Wang, nagged over the line. “Why are you so stubborn? There’s only one New Year in a year, and you decide to spend it at someone else’s house. Really now…”

Guocheng Wang was silent for a long while before he finally spoke, “Mom, that’s enough. I’ve made up my mind. I’m spending the New Year in Kangcheng. I want to spend my first New Year with Xiaoyou.”

Li Fengqin Wang continued to berate him over the phone, “Ungrateful child! You’re not even married yet and you’re already siding with your girlfriend. Once you’re married, are we supposed to serve her hand and foot? You’re too much, you’ve disappointed us so.”

Growing impatient with his mother’s familiar complaints, Guocheng Wang finally replied, “Disappointed in me? Maybe. But the moment you disregarded my feelings, arranging one blind date after another and treating me like a puppet, I was already a disappointment to you.

Mom, I’m not a child anymore. I have my own feelings and preferences. You can’t just force your choices onto me.

Marriage is for life, and I want to choose my own partner, not have you decide for me.”

Li Fengqin Wang, sensing that her son was unmoved, softened her tone. “Guocheng, look at your father and me. Together we’re nearly a hundred and fifty years old. What are you doing to us? Is it wrong for us to want grandchildren? Is it wrong for us to try to find you a wife?”

Hearing the quiver in his mother’s voice, Guocheng Wang frowned. “I’ve already booked my ticket back to Biancheng, but I’ll return after the New Year. I’ll spend it with you and Dad this year. You’ll have more freedom without me around!”

Feeling defeated by her son’s refusal, Li Fengqin Wang could only direct her disappointment toward the unseen Xiaoyou Fan. After hanging up, she muttered irritably in Biancheng, “Xiaoyou Fan, what kind of vixen are you to steal away my good son?”

In her office, Xiaoyou Fan suddenly sneezed, drawing a concerned look from Youru Feng. “What’s wrong, Xiaoyou? Are you catching a cold?”

Xiaoyou Fan waved her hand dismissively. “It’s nothing, maybe just a bit of rhinitis.”

Youru Feng studied her closely, noticing her reddened eyes and nose. “Why don’t you have Guocheng take you to the hospital this afternoon? Isn’t today the day you’re bringing him home to meet your family? You can’t let anything jeopardize your future happiness.”

Flushing slightly at her friend’s teasing, Xiaoyou Fan replied, “Youru, nothing’s certain between us yet. I just feel there’s something mysterious about Guocheng Wang.”

Youru Feng nudged her, a trace of scorn in her voice. “You haven’t been reading too many novels, have you? What’s so mysterious about your Guocheng Wang? Is he secretly some big shot? He seems approachable enough, not at all like some spoiled rich kid. I think you’re overthinking it.”

Xiaoyou Fan looked at her in confusion. “Is that so? Then why does he seem so odd to me? For starters, he wears KINGYI menswear—one of the top luxury brands in the country. That’s not something just anyone can afford.

And that car he drove on our date—he said it was a rental, but honestly, who in a small place like Kangcheng rents out a four-million-yuan car? The rental alone would cost a fortune.”

Youru Feng shook Xiaoyou gently. “Xiaoyou, you’re being paranoid. You need help. I don’t know Guocheng Wang very well, but from what I’ve seen, he’s not as mysterious as you make him out to be. Maybe it’s time to step out of those novels you read.”

Seeing her friend’s disbelief, Xiaoyou Fan felt dejected. “Forget it. Even you don’t believe me. When I told Yeye, she said I was delusional. Now you say I’m paranoid. Why won’t anyone listen to me? I really think there’s something off about him.”

Youru Feng took her hand. “You’re just lacking confidence in love right now. That’s all this is.”

“Honestly, you should relax a little. No matter who Guocheng Wang really is, as long as he loves you, that’s enough. Yeye and I may not be too optimistic about your online romance, but we want you to be happy. Now that someone cares for you, loves you, protects you—just enjoy being in love. Don’t be so suspicious, okay?”

Xiaoyou Fan sighed softly. “Alright, I’ll try to enjoy it. But is it really okay to love someone so blindly, without even knowing their true identity?”

Youru Feng eyed her friend, who seemed unusually preoccupied today. “What’s gotten into you? Why are you so fixated on Guocheng Wang’s identity? Did you discover something?”

Blushing, Xiaoyou Fan took a crumpled piece of paper out of her bag. “Look at this.”

Because Guocheng Wang had blacked out the company name with a marker, Youru Feng couldn’t make out where it was from. But at the bottom, traces of erasure remained. Despite the messy ink, Guocheng Wang’s signature was clear, and above it, there appeared to be the faint imprint of the word “Chairman.”

Youru Feng patted Xiaoyou’s shoulder. “You’re still overthinking. Maybe he was just helping someone out. Don’t let it bother you.”

As they were talking, Guocheng Wang called. “Xiaoyou, wait for me at the office after work. I want to buy some gifts for your elders before meeting them, let’s go to the mall together.”

“Guocheng, there’s really no need. My family is easygoing—they won’t make things difficult for you, and there’s no need for gifts.”

Xiaoyou Fan declined because she feared he’d buy something extravagant again. Her family didn’t lack anything, and she didn’t want to owe Guocheng Wang any favors. If their relationship didn’t work out and they broke up, returning an expensive gift would be awkward no matter what.