Chapter 74 Part 1

The interview ended, and Gu Ningzi still had Spider’s weekly video meeting that evening. Xue Wen came over and suggested they grab a drink together, so Chi Nuan used that as an excuse to decline.

Xue Wen said, “Then let’s plan for next time, Gu Ningzi. You join us too.”

Gu Ningzi said nothing in front of Xue Wen, but turned to Chi Nuan and asked, “Am I close to her?”

Her tone carried no question—it was more like… not close, no plans.

Chi Nuan: “…” Right, you’re definitely not close.

It was still early, so they headed to the cram school to pick up Little Wutong ahead of time.

“Auntie Gu!” Little Wutong hadn’t seen Gu Ningzi in a while. As he climbed into the car, he beamed vibrantly. “I’ve missed you!”

Gu Ningzi looked at him. “Do you still get scared at night?”

“Not anymore!” Little Wutong hugged his backpack and chatted happily with Gu Ningzi. “Uncle Zhu from across the street moved away. The bad guys won’t come anymore.”

Chi Nuan slid into the driver’s seat and glanced back. “They sold the house… Though the new owners haven’t shown their faces yet. Everyone’s guessing it’s for investment.”

Gu Ningzi’s gaze fell on the Transformers keychain zipper pull on Little Wutong’s backpack. “I don’t see much investment potential in your neighborhood.”

“…” Chi Nuan choked. Fine, you’re always right.

The car headed toward He Nan Shan. Little Wutong had no concept of investments. Seeing his mom and Auntie Gu fall silent, he lightly tugged at Gu Ningzi’s clothes and switched to a topic he cared about. “Auntie Gu, how are you so good at painting?”

“The painting you helped me fix—my mom loves it so much, she even framed it!” Little Wutong said enviously. “Can I get as good as you?”

A red light loomed ahead, and Chi Nuan slammed on the brakes.

“Oof!” Little Wutong jolted forward. He turned to grab his seatbelt, and Gu Ningzi helped buckle it for him. “…I’ll take you to my studio later.”

Little Wutong bounced with excitement. “Yay, yay!”

After dinner, Gu Ningzi took Little Wutong to the fourth-floor studio. Chi Nuan went upstairs with them. The moment Little Wutong entered the studio, his eyes went wide. He clutched his head in disbelief, bounced in place a few times, and looked at Gu Ningzi with a flushed face.

Gu Ningzi nodded.

With permission granted, Little Wutong shot off like a cannonball toward the northeast corner of the studio and pounced on the yellow model. “Bu-Bumblebee!”

He hugged it for a few seconds, then darted to another one, pressing his little face against its leg. “My Optimus Prime…”

“…” Chi Nuan had been coming and going from the house for over a month but had never been to the fourth floor, let alone known about these two massive figures. Judging by Little Wutong’s height, each model stood over three meters tall.

Little Wutong completely forgot why he’d come to the studio. His emotions went haywire as he circled the two Transformers models nonstop.

“Wow! Mom, look, look—it turns its head!”

“So cool, the eyes light up!!”

“Hahaha, I love it so much!! Auntie Gu’s house is awesome!!”

“…”

But Chi Nuan only noticed the paintings in the studio.

All the paintings in the studio faced the wall, backs turned outward—except for the half-finished piece on the easel.

It was an abstract oil painting in dark tones, perhaps depicting a night sky or the sea.

Chi Nuan couldn’t forget the fireworks-like burst of happiness from the first time she saw herself as the subject in one of Gu Ningzi’s paintings… That wouldn’t happen again.

She thought of those discarded paintings, and a damp weight settled in her chest—heavy and aching.

Downstairs, headlights swept by—He Zhen must have arrived.

Little Wutong was having the time of his life, so Chi Nuan and Gu Ningzi went down together.

He Zhen opened a folder and handed it to Gu Ningzi. “BOSS, tonight’s meeting agenda.”

Gu Ningzi walked toward the conference room while reviewing it. He Zhen added, “I’ve made some progress on the matter you asked me to investigate. That person moved overseas a few years ago due to an elder’s health issues. I left a message at her old work email and contacted Spider’s project team there. We should hear back soon.”

“Mm.” Gu Ningzi looked up from the documents and glanced at Chi Nuan. “Coffee.”

Chi Nuan brewed the coffee, mixed it to Gu Ningzi’s preferred ratio of milk and sugar, and delivered it to the conference room. The atmosphere inside felt tense.

“Daniel’s company is supposed to enter Series C funding soon, and now a company on the verge of going public has a broken cash flow?”

Gu Ningzi crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. “What caused it.”

He Zhen stood at the conference table. “Daniel’s new wife passed away in a paragliding accident. She was carrying a preterm fetus. Daniel’s completely broken down emotionally and can’t work.”

Gu Ningzi: “The entire company’s management relies on Daniel making all the decisions?”

Her speech was even-paced and measured—no agitation, no anger—but He Zhen didn’t dare breathe. A near-hundred-million investment was at risk of going down the drain.

“The two new projects were both personally handled by Daniel. No one else in the company can take over, and those projects dragged the cash flow under.”

Chi Nuan set the coffee on the table and turned the handle toward Gu Ningzi for easy access.

Gu Ningzi glanced at Chi Nuan. “This is Department A’s project. What does Professor Lin say?”

He Zhen: “President Lin sent his regards to Daniel, hopes he pulls himself together soon, and is considering additional funding to tide Daniel’s company over.”