Chapter 238: Chapter 218: Déjà Vu

Even though he knew his father and Uncle Gu wouldn’t agree easily, Tang Qingshan still made his stance clear. He even went to see Gu Qiming again before leaving Beijing. Although the two fathers didn’t see eye to eye, everyone could tell that Tang Qingshan was serious.

「A few days later.」

Gu Shaojun returned from the front lines to the rear command post. Just as he got out of the jeep, Wei Zhenqing came up to meet him. "Your dad wants you to call him right away!"

Gu Shaojun glanced at the two staff officers getting out of the car with him, then started walking toward the command post. "I don’t have time!"

Wei Zhenqing followed him. "He didn’t say to call right this second, but you have to call him back when you get a chance. He’s furious! Why’d you have to stir up a hornet’s nest right now? Couldn’t you have waited until you got home to talk it over?"

"No! I had to make it clear as soon as possible!" Gu Shaojun patted Wei Zhenqing’s shoulder. "You go on. I’ll definitely call home after my debriefing."

"I’m not getting involved with your family issues, but I did promise your dad I’d make you call him!"

"Alright, I get it!"

As the two entered the main entrance and parted ways at the stairwell, a young soldier came down from upstairs. He was tall and trim with handsome features. From a distance, he had a cold and aloof air, but when he came closer, he broke into a smile like a spring breeze that instantly made one feel his warmth and friendliness.

In the military command post, everyone was always rushing, racing against the clock. Most people just nodded as they passed each other; even half a sentence of conversation was a luxury. The young soldier’s smile was for everyone, but his nod was directed at Gu Shaojun.

Gu Shaojun and Wei Zhenqing exchanged a look. "That guy... why do I get the feeling I fought with him when we were kids?"

Wei Zhenqing shrugged. "Must be your imagination, right? Yang Junfan is from Shanbei. How would you know him?"

"Yang Junfan... Junfan... even the name sounds so familiar!"

Wei Zhenqing was speechless. Adviser Tong, standing to their right, chuckled softly. "You didn’t participate in the last competition. This Battalion Commander Yang snatched the first-place title our regiment has held for three years. How could he not be familiar?"

’Is that the reason? It doesn’t feel like it!’

Gu Shaojun shook his head, waved to Wei Zhenqing, and went upstairs.

「Forty minutes later.」

Gu Shaojun walked out of the conference room. He found a quiet, empty office in the command post, picked up the phone, and dialed a number. After the operator’s voice, he soon heard Gu Qiming’s cold, stiff voice. "Gu Shaojun!"

"Yes, Father."

"You... you’ve got some nerve now, don’t you? Are you trying to worry the elders to death? Give me an explanation!"

"I already explained to Grandpa."

"I’m not your grandpa! Don’t try to fool me! I’ve had you investigated thoroughly. There’s no girl who’s taken a liking to you. So what’s this about a change of heart? Speak! What’s your real motive!"

Gu Shaojun was speechless.

’Can you not take things out of context like this? I only told you to assume I’d had a change of heart. In reality... it’s not like my feelings had changed at all!’

"When I’m with Xuanxuan, it’s like I’m with Shaoling. I just don’t feel that way about her! The truth is, I’ve been waiting for her to come to her senses, for her to understand this hopeless relationship between us... Father, I can’t keep this up anymore!"

"Bullshit! How dare you say something like that? You are the eldest grandson of the Gu family. This is your responsibility. Once you’ve shouldered it, there’s no putting it down!"

"If it has to be this way, can I just stop being the Gu family’s eldest grandson?"

"You! Gu Shaojun..."

Gu Qiming was shouting up a storm on the other end. Gu Shaojun held the receiver away from his ear. His hand unconsciously reached for his chest, only to find nothing. He couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh—the Jade Token was gone, but the habit remained!

When he was anxious, when he was in a hurry, or even when he was pushed to the brink of physical exhaustion, just touching the Jade Token and pressing it tightly against his heart would magically make things better!

The image of an adorable, jade-like little girl appeared in his mind. She tilted her little head, playfully blinking her big, bright, beautiful eyes, and said seriously, "You can’t untie it, can you? That’s good, because I can’t untie it either!"

’Not being able to untie it is a good thing?’

The corners of Gu Shaojun’s lips curled up. He glanced down and saw his own smiling face reflected in the glass tabletop. ’Smiling like this is a little foolish,’ he thought, ’but... what can I do? I can’t help but smile whenever I think of that little girl.’ His heart was racing, his temperature rising. ’The feeling was strange, but indescribably wonderful!’

’Little girl, the Jade Token has vanished without a trace. It certainly wasn’t a token of love. But you went to so much trouble to tie it on me, drawing on the power of heaven and earth just to keep me safe. There must be a reason for that, right?’

’I don’t need to know the answer. Forgive me for being greedy, but I want to watch over you, wait for you to grow up, and then we can discuss this!’

"Gu Shaojun! Are you mute? Are you still there?" Gu Qiming, having yelled for some time without getting a single word in response, was furious.

"Father, what did you just say?"

Gu Qiming was rendered speechless.

Realizing he couldn’t do anything to the boy for the time being, he could only suppress his anger. "Right now! Immediately! Call Grandpa Tang and Uncle Tang. Dispel the rumors! And apologize!"

Gu Shaojun sat up straight, his expression turning cold and serious again. "I’m sorry, Father, but I’m serious. I can apologize, but that’s all. I don’t want this engagement! Alternatively, you can discuss it with Shaofeng or Shaozheng!"

"You... You’re the damn eldest grandson! She’s the eldest granddaughter of the main family line! You expect her to be paired with a younger grandson? Who do you take for a fool?"

"Then there’s nothing I can do!"

"The reason! Give me the reason!" Gu Qiming had roared this question three times without getting an answer. This time he was so agitated that his voice almost cracked.

"I’ve had a change of heart!"

"A change... Who’s the girl? Is she a goddess descended from heaven?"

"No."

"Xuanxuan, she... Ah! Shaojun, you don’t know yet. Let me tell you, Tang Yaxuan..."

"Father! I’m out of time, I have another meeting to attend! Let me state this one more time, formally: I only see Xuanxuan as a little sister!"

"Hey... Hello? Hello!" A dial tone buzzed in Gu Qiming’s ear. He nearly exploded with anger.

Gu Shaojun had only hung up the phone because he’d glimpsed someone standing at the door for a moment. But when he took a few steps out, the hallway was completely empty. The sounds of people talking about work on the phone drifted from other offices.

’I probably took someone else’s office,’ he thought, ’and they were too polite to come in, so they left.’

「Two minutes later.」

A man walked out of the office next door. Tall, handsome, and with a dignified air, it was the same young soldier he had met in the stairwell earlier.

Yang Junfan glanced in the direction Gu Shaojun had left, his expression indifferent, but a mocking smile played on his lips. ’Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Gu Shaojun? We’re old friends, you know. Childhood playmates. For you to have forgotten me just like that... and here I’ve remembered you so clearly all this time!’

He walked straight into the room, picked up the receiver that Gu Shaojun had just put down, and shook his head as he dialed a number. ’Still the same as when we were kids. Your taste, your hobbies... you always had to copy me! This office has always been vacant; it’s not for public use. I found it first. I like to make my calls from here when I’m on business, and you just had to show up!’

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