Chapter 46

When Su Ling saw An An waving his little hand at her, she became acutely aware that this was her farewell to the child—perhaps for the rest of her life.

Just a second ago, she had been relieved that her mother’s medical expenses were finally secured. But in the next moment, a sharp pain gripped her heart, and the sorrow nearly made her faint.

An An placed his small hand over his lips and blew his mother a kiss, then waved his hand a little faster.

Su Ling clenched her teeth to hold back the tears threatening to spill. It took her a long while to calm herself before she could respond in a steady voice:

“Goodbye.”

After entering the elevator, An An wrapped his little arms around his father’s neck and even helped Gu Chen pull his hat lower to cover his face. Their eyes met, and Gu Chen could see unhidden joy in those clear, innocent eyes.

Although no one would doubt their father-son relationship when they were together, Brother Li, ever cautious, still asked:

“When do you plan to do the paternity test?”

“This afternoon.”

“Alright.”

Hearing the confirmation, Brother Li let out a breath of relief. He had been worried that Gu Chen would get carried away just because the child resembled him. No matter how alike their appearances were, nothing could be more convincing than an authoritative test result.

They got into the car together. An An sat quietly, placing his small hands on his lap. Whether it was due to nervousness or seriousness, his chubby little cheeks tensed slightly, and as the car passed over a speed bump, they jiggled ever so slightly.

Gu Chen reached out and lightly brushed the side of An An’s face with the back of his hand. Compared to an adult’s temperature, his skin felt slightly cooler. The unfamiliar sensation spread across Gu Chen’s heart as he made contact.

An An lifted his chin, gazing at him curiously, seemingly puzzled by his action.

“Is your name ‘Baby’?”

Gu Chen had heard Su Ling calling him that multiple times and, lacking experience with children, clumsily tried to start a conversation.

“I’m not called ‘Baby.’ My name is An An. I’m Mommy’s baby.”

An An carefully enunciated his words, patiently explaining to Gu Chen.

After saying that, he furrowed his brows in thought for a moment, then, as if making an important decision, gritted his teeth.

“Never mind, you can call me ‘Baby’ too.”

“Alright, Baby.”

Gu Chen extended his arms, letting An An sit on his lap. He could smell the faint, comforting scent of milk from the child. His soft, fluffy head of hair was a clear indication of good health.

“Baby…”

Struggling to find a topic of conversation, Gu Chen clumsily repeated the name, hoping to capture the child’s attention. Seeing An An’s focus shift onto him gave him an inexplicable sense of accomplishment.

“Hmm?”

Before receiving that phone call, Gu Chen had never imagined he would have a child. He was well aware of his current situation—both a partner and a child were not within his plans.

Yet, out of nowhere, he now had a son who could run and talk. Though he didn’t outwardly show it, his shock was no less intense.

An An hugged his arm and slowly closed his eyes. Sunlight filtered through the car window, casting a soft glow on his curled lashes. He let out a tiny yawn, and tears welled up in his eyes from drowsiness.

Gu Chen swallowed back the words he was about to say, gently rubbing the boy’s head, allowing him to rest against his broad chest.

An An squinted his eyes and sniffed lightly. Watching him closely, Gu Chen immediately tensed up.

He had rushed over the moment he got that phone call, his mind a mess as he urgently sought the truth. He hadn’t had the time or energy to think about anything else.

Fortunately, due to his profession, he never allowed himself to appear too disheveled in front of others. Otherwise, he would’ve looked far more unkempt than he did now.

This jacket was one he had worn for an event recently, and he had used a bit of cologne then. He wondered if An An disliked the scent.

“What’s wrong?”

Gu Chen tried to sound casual, but his heart was beating fast. An An, like a little kitten, nuzzled against him.

“Daddy smells so nice~”

“It’s cologne. There’s plenty at home. If you like it, I can spray a lot for you.”

An An didn’t know what cologne was yet, but his instincts told him that spraying a lot of it probably wouldn’t be good. He frowned slightly and buried his head in his father’s chest, mumbling:

“No, thanks.”

Gu Chen had originally planned to take An An for the paternity test in the afternoon, but he suddenly received a message from a director he had previously worked with. The gist of it was that there was a new script, and they hoped he would audition for a role.

Right now, Gu Chen had a massive following, but what he lacked was a film that could truly showcase his acting skills.

This was an opportunity he couldn’t afford to miss, so he had the driver take them straight to the paternity testing center.

Thanks to Brother Li’s connections, they obtained the test results as quickly as possible. Reading the confirmed result, Brother Li didn’t know whether to sigh in relief or feel something else.

From the moment Gu Chen mentioned this matter, Brother Li had been mentally preparing himself to accept it. Now, this result simply crushed the last sliver of doubt.

“The results are in. He’s your child. Did you explain everything clearly to Miss Su? You’ll need her cooperation to transfer the child’s household registration.”

“Yeah, this is her contact information. You can handle it directly.”

Gu Chen slid a business card across the table. Meanwhile, An An had already fallen asleep. Even though his arm had gone numb from the weight, Gu Chen couldn’t bring himself to let go.

A tiny human, so small in every way—his size, his belongings, even the way he spoke. The novelty of it all, combined with the realization that he was now a father, made Gu Chen increasingly addicted to looking at him.

“As for that script, I reached out to them. There shouldn’t be any issues. When we get back, you just need to focus on the audition. I’ve also arranged for a nanny with experience taking care of children, so you don’t have to worry.”

Although he was called a manager, Brother Li actually handled many tasks that should have been done by an assistant.

Having personally nurtured Gu Chen’s rise to fame, he valued his efforts more than anyone else. When it came to crucial matters like these, he felt at ease only if he handled them himself.

“Alright, thanks for your help, Brother Li.”

Brother Li reached up to rub his temples. It would be a lie to say he wasn’t troubled by such a complicated matter.

However, since it had already happened, instead of worrying about how to deal with it, Brother Li preferred to focus his energy on actually solving the problem.

“It’s no trouble. If you really feel bad about it, just give me a bigger bonus at the end of the year.”

Rolling his eyes, Brother Li picked up his phone again to discuss the script with the director. Anyone in the industry who knew him even a little was aware that he had been searching for a suitable script for Gu Chen lately.

Gu Chen had debuted from a talent show, but since he hadn’t trained in dance from a young age, he wasn’t particularly outstanding among the trainees.

After debuting, he happened to land a role in a school idol drama, followed by another perfectly suited historical idol drama. Both series performed well in ratings, solidifying Brother Li’s decision to transition him into the film and television industry.

Though the two dramas had high viewership, their ratings and reviews were average. To some, Gu Chen was still just a pretty-faced traffic star, good at looking cool but not a real actor.

This new script was a true test of acting skills, with a veteran director at the helm. Even though casting had only just begun, it was already expected to perform well at the box office.

The role he was auditioning for was the second male lead—a character with significant screen time and a standout personality. No doubt, many actors would be vying for it.

On the way back, Brother Li kept discussing this with Gu Chen, knowing that several people from their own company were also interested in the role.

“Go back and prepare well.”

“Okay.”

For Gu Chen, this role was a major challenge, but he enjoyed the thrill of pushing his limits.

After returning to his home city, An An miraculously woke up just as they got out of the car. The chubby little hands rubbed at sleepy eyes before wrapping tightly around Gu Chen’s neck.

“Daddy, we’re home?”

“Mm, we’re home.”

It was a high-end residential area with excellent privacy. Brother Li was always meticulous about such matters, and this address had never been leaked.

As soon as they entered the house, An An wriggled to get down. Gu Chen let go, watching as the little one ran around the room. It was then that he realized he hadn’t prepared a child’s bedroom.

“Renovating now would mean dealing with formaldehyde.”

Seeing his concern, Brother Li spoke up. Rushing to renovate wasn’t practical—it wouldn’t be good for either the child or the adults.

“I can roughly estimate the film’s pay. If you land the role, the money you’ve saved should be enough to buy a new house. You can renovate it then.”

“That works.”

Gu Chen had already planned to buy another place anyway, but unfortunately, everything had to start from scratch.

Thinking about the huge sum of money he had just spent recently, then looking at the little cutie bouncing on the couch so hard that he was flung back up, a smile unconsciously appeared in his eyes.

“By the way, transfer that money to Su Ling first.”

Her mother urgently needed the funds for medical treatment—the sooner she received it, the sooner her mother could get help.

“Alright. I’ll have the lawyer draft the contract. You just need to sign it.”

“Thanks, Brother.”

“No problem. Get some rest today and go to the audition tomorrow. Do you need me to send a nanny over tonight?”

Brother Li glanced at the little one on the couch. Gu Chen had no experience taking care of children, and if An An got fussy at night, he wouldn’t be able to get proper rest.

“No need.”

Gu Chen shook his head after looking at An An. If he got the role, he wouldn’t be able to spend much time with An An in the foreseeable future.

Having just brought him back, only to soon be separated, he felt reluctant.

“An An is very well-behaved. He won’t cause trouble.”

Brother Li didn’t agree. Many kids who were little angels during the day turned into tiny demons at night.

But seeing how Gu Chen was gazing at An An with such reluctance, whatever he wanted to say got stuck in his throat. He had a daughter himself, and he felt the same way after work.

He could only comfort himself—at least the audition was in the afternoon. Even if An An was fussy at night, Gu Chen would still have time to catch up on sleep before heading out.

Gu Chen’s ability to perform under pressure had never disappointed him. Who knew, maybe there would even be a pleasant surprise.

Once he had experienced this once, next time, he wouldn’t need Brother Li to talk him into anything. Gu Chen was stubborn—one of those people who wouldn’t turn back until they hit a dead end.

“Alright, there’s food in the fridge. Make yourself something for dinner. I’m heading back to the office.”

“Okay.”

After Brother Li left, An An ran up to Gu Chen and tugged at his shirt, signaling for him to crouch down.

“What do you usually like to eat? Do you still drink formula?”

Gu Chen had never looked into what kids this age should be eating. He picked An An up and sat him on the couch, preparing to search online.

“No carrots. No broccoli.”

“Hm? What about formula?”

“I don’t drink it. It’s expensive.”

Grandma was old, and Su Ling’s monthly salary was only 6,000 yuan. After covering her expenses, there wasn’t much left to send home. Considering the child’s future, Grandma was extremely frugal.

Hearing such a young child worry about saving money, Gu Chen’s heart ached. He regretted not learning about this sooner.

“It’s not expensive. Daddy has money.”

After saying that, he watched An An’s face closely. But instead of relaxing, the little one still seemed troubled.

Gu Chen turned on the TV in the living room. The first two dramas he acted in when he started his career were frequently rebroadcast, so he could see himself just by switching to a random channel.

“Look, acting is Daddy’s job. Daddy is very rich now, so I can buy you anything you want.”

Before picking up his son, Gu Chen had never understood why some people found spending money on others more satisfying than spending it on themselves.

But now, seeing his baby looking at him with eager eyes, he inexplicably felt that even if he spent every penny he had, he would still be completely content.

“I… I want to drink formula.”

As An An said this, he swallowed lightly. For a child his age, the sense of displacement from taking over the original host’s body wasn’t too strong. His memories were still vague, so he considered all of the original host’s experiences as his own.

When he lived with his grandmother, he had seen other children drinking formula. One child had generously shared some with him—it was sweet and delicious.

“Pipi let me try, it was yummy!”

Gu Chen could roughly guess what he was trying to say. Feeling heartbroken, he hugged him tightly and gently kissed his cheek.

“Alright, Daddy will buy you lots and lots of toys and snacks.”

“Thank you, Daddy~”

An An leaned over and sweetly expressed his gratitude. Hearing his soft, childish voice speaking so seriously, Gu Chen couldn’t resist lowering his head and planting a firm kiss on his chubby cheek.

“This side too~”

An An, who had a slight obsession with balance, immediately turned his other cheek toward his father after being kissed on one side.

Noticing his little scheme, Gu Chen deliberately ignored it, pretending not to understand.

“Hmm? What’s wrong, baby? Are you thirsty? Do you want some water?”

“This side, kiss it too.”

An An didn’t realize his daddy was teasing him. He patiently explained, rubbing his head against Gu Chen’s chest as he spoke.

Seeing the determined look on his son’s face, as if he’d become a little clingy troublemaker if he didn’t get his way, Gu Chen couldn’t bring himself to refuse. Helplessly, he gave him another kiss.

“Like just now.”

An An emphasized again. Gu Chen was both amused and exasperated, but his son looked so adorably stubborn and serious.

“Alright, alright.”

After another firm kiss, An An presented his other cheek again. This time, no words were needed—just their father-son bond was enough for Gu Chen to understand what he wanted.

After receiving another kiss, An An nodded in satisfaction, rubbed his little belly, and said to his dad:

“Daddy, tummy hungry.”

“How about dumplings?”

Earlier, when Brother Li told Gu Chen to prepare dinner for himself, he had already checked the fridge. There was a box of lean meat in the freezer, and cabbage and vermicelli in the fridge. The flour at home wasn’t expired either.

“Okay.”

“Then be good and watch TV while I cook.”

Since An An was still small—his height barely reaching Gu Chen’s thighs—Gu Chen didn’t expect him to help. As long as he stayed put and didn’t cause trouble, that was good enough.

“Mm.”

Back in college, Gu Chen had rented an apartment and cooked for himself because he found takeout unhygienic. His cooking skills were decent, so he skillfully prepared the dumpling filling and started kneading the dough.

Considering that he had a little one to feed, Gu Chen made the dumpling wrappers extra small—just the right size for An An to eat in two bites.

By the time he finally finished cooking, he looked over and saw An An still watching his old historical drama. For once, Gu Chen felt a little embarrassed.

That drama had been a huge hit when it aired—an impressive achievement for a rookie actor. However, it had always been mocked for lacking depth, with a plot that resembled an old-school, melodramatic CEO romance.

Some scenes were so cringeworthy that even Gu Chen felt secondhand embarrassment watching them now.

Clearing his throat to get An An’s attention, he called out when the little one turned from the couch, half-kneeling and leaning over the backrest to look at him:

“Time to eat.”

“Coming!”

Watching An An waddle over on his short little legs, Gu Chen found himself unconsciously smiling.

Their first day together had gone surprisingly well.

Since Gu Chen didn’t know An An’s food preferences, he prepared a dipping sauce based on his own taste.

But when An An saw the plate of dumplings and the oddly colored sauce, he hesitated, gripping his chopsticks without taking a bite.

“What’s wrong? You don’t like dumplings?”

Gu Chen had seen plenty of picky kids before, so he was already prepared. There were still other ingredients in the fridge, and if necessary, he had time to make something else.

Although Brother Li and his assistant were busy, food delivery services were convenient now. He could order groceries online and have them sent straight to the door.

An An wasn’t sure how to explain. In his memory, dumplings weren’t eaten like this, and he felt both confused and unsure of how to proceed.

Gu Chen misunderstood his hesitation as dislike.

“Do you not want this?”

“I do.”

“Then why aren’t you eating?”

An An lightly shook his head. He wasn’t sure why either—he just couldn’t explain it to his dad, which made him anxious.

It wasn’t until the dumplings started to cool that Gu Chen suddenly remembered he had added Su Ling’s contact information.

Initially, he only wanted to be able to help her if she ever ran into trouble. He hadn’t expected to need her assistance so soon.

He snapped a few photos and sent them to Su Ling, simply saying that An An wouldn’t eat but he didn’t understand why.

Su Ling received the money transferred by Brother Lin, settled the hospital bills, and arranged for her mother’s surgery as per the doctor’s recommendation.

That night, she stood on the hospital rooftop, letting the wind blow past her, unable to sleep. She had already spent a significant portion of the money, a stark contrast to her previous days of scraping by, where every cent had to be stretched to its limit.

Her mother’s condition was finally showing some hope, and she should have been happy. Yet, knowing that money had come at the cost of her precious treasure left her feeling uneasy no matter what.

Since she couldn’t sleep, she decided to just stay there and enjoy the night breeze. At that moment, her phone chimed with a message alert, its sound particularly crisp in the quiet darkness.

She picked up her phone and glanced at the screen, assuming it would be some junk message or a random notification. To her surprise, it was a message from Gu Chen.

There were a few photos—all of them featuring An An.

One picture showed An An sitting at the dining table, holding a pair of chopsticks with an aggrieved expression. Right after, Gu Chen sent another message.

【An An doesn’t eat dumplings?】

It was only then that Su Ling noticed the plate of dumplings on the table in the photo, accompanied by some dipping sauce. She had seen people eat dumplings this way when she worked outside before.

After thinking for a moment, she gave a response that sounded more reliable.

【Where we’re from, we eat boiled dumplings without dipping sauce. You should put some in a bowl along with the dumpling broth.】

Upon receiving this message, Gu Chen quickly followed her instructions. Since the dumpling broth had already cooled, he reheated it before placing the bowl in front of An An. Sure enough, An An started eating immediately.

He stuffed the dumplings into his mouth, his cheeks puffed out as he struggled to chew.

His eating habits were neat, and his appetite was oddly contagious. Gu Chen found himself eating two more dumplings than usual.

In the past, he didn’t quite understand why most elders adored children with good appetites. But now, he was starting to get it.

Just watching this kid eat made the food seem even more delicious. If he ever failed to make it in the entertainment industry, letting his son become a mukbang streamer would surely be enough to sustain their daily lives.

After finishing his dumplings, An An drank every last drop of the dumpling soup, not leaving a single bit behind.

Gu Chen watched as the little boy leaned back in his chair, letting out a satisfied burp. While tidying up the tableware, he casually asked:

“How did it taste?”

An An stretched out his hand and gave a big thumbs-up as a sign of approval. On top of that, his round little belly—filled to the brim—was proof enough.

“I haven’t been able to find clothes that fit you well yet, so tomorrow, I’ll ask Auntie to take you shopping for new ones. Sound good?”

“Okay~”

Raising a child for the first time, Gu Chen hadn’t considered many things carefully. He had just bought random clothes based on what he saw, and if not for Brother Lin’s reminder, this little guy would have had to spend the night in dirty clothes.

An An, now freshly bathed, was wearing a fuzzy, one-piece dinosaur pajama suit. His hair, after being blow-dried, had naturally curled a little. His skin was fair and delicate, and his lips were a rosy pink—his overall appearance was especially adorable.

Gu Chen took out his phone and snapped a bunch of pictures of him. Unfortunately, he still hadn’t figured out how to publicly introduce this little one.

Otherwise, with all these cute photos, he would’ve already posted them on Weibo. Now, he finally understood why so many parents loved showing off their kids online.

With such an adorable child, he’d want to boast too. Hearing others praise his kid would be an immense source of pride.

“Want to sleep with Daddy tonight?”

“Okay~”

When An An was placed on the bed, he obediently lifted the blanket himself and climbed in, lying down properly in his spot without any fuss.

Every time Gu Chen looked over, An An was blinking at him innocently, as if silently urging him to hurry up.

Gu Chen had been busy all day and was exhausted. While showering, he even searched for tips on putting kids to sleep since he had no prior experience.

One suggestion was to tell bedtime stories—not only could they help lull children to sleep, but they could also strengthen their bond.

Taking this advice seriously, Gu Chen memorized one of the highest-rated bedtime stories with the same level of dedication he used when learning scripts for work.

By the time Gu Chen came out of the bathroom, An An had already fallen asleep. He gently lifted the blanket and lay down beside him, staring at him for a long time but still unable to fall asleep.

Eventually, he quietly took out his phone and snapped a few pictures of An An, sending them to Brother Lin.

【Brother Lin, look! My son! Alive! And breathing!】

Brother Lin was truly under immense work pressure. Besides handling everything on Su Ling’s side according to Gu Chen’s instructions, he also had to figure out how to deal with Gu Chen suddenly having such a big child.

At the same time, he reported this news to the company, prompting a meeting to discuss whether to go public with the information or find a way to keep it under wraps.

Both Brother Lin and the other members of the company leaned toward the latter.

For most male celebrities, as they reached a certain age, their fans naturally shifted from treating them as idols to seeing them as “mom fans,” caring about their personal lives and even contemplating which female celebrities would be suitable partners.

With Gu Chen’s current career trajectory and future plans, in ten years or so, he would undoubtedly become one of those male stars.

By then, whether the child’s existence was revealed or not wouldn’t matter. At that point, even if someone discovered Gu Chen had a son, there would likely be fans defending him.

From both a reputation management standpoint and his long-term career perspective, keeping it a secret was the better option.

After the meeting, their temporary decision was to keep the news under wraps. If rumors surfaced on social media, they would suppress the buzz as much as possible.

The entertainment industry was filled with countless real and fake rumors. As long as there was no concrete evidence, they would dismiss any claims as slander.

Alongside this plan, they also prepared backup strategies.

For crisis management, they needed a backup plan in case some paparazzi really did expose the situation. PR statements had to be prepared in advance.

After finally finishing everything, Brother Lin finally had a moment to rest. Just as he opened his phone to check the time, he saw a message from Gu Chen—sent at nearly midnight, despite repeated reminders to rest properly.

And the content of the message… was utterly ridiculous!

As long as a child is alive, of course they can move and breathe. Brother Lin seriously considered waiting until Gu Chen woke up the next morning to resend the message back to him, so he could see just how delirious he had been.

Gu Chen, too exhausted, fell asleep without even charging his phone. The next morning, when he woke up, An An was still sleeping soundly beside him.

Children usually need more sleep than adults. Gu Chen changed into fresh clothes, put on an apron, and went to personally make breakfast for An An.

Just as he was thinking about how to wake An An without making him cranky, he saw a little round-headed figure standing at the doorway, rubbing his eyes with a tiny hand.

“Daddy…”

“Hmm? What’s wrong? Are you awake? I just finished making breakfast—come try it.”

Gu Chen waved him over. With the built-in bias of a father’s love and An An’s naturally obedient and adorable nature, he couldn’t help but find him more and more endearing.

Whenever Gu Chen might have faced a tricky situation, this little guy always handled things by himself, making everything incredibly easy.

“Daddy, I feel a little groggy…”

When Gu Chen picked him up, An An gently shook his little head, trying to wake himself up. But instead of becoming more alert, he seemed even sleepier.

His big, dazed eyes showed pure confusion, like he had no idea what was going on. Gu Chen was utterly charmed—he lowered his head and kissed An An’s soft little cheeks, one on each side, making sure to be fair.

“Come on, finish your breakfast, and then Daddy has to go to work. A nanny will come to take care of you. If you miss Daddy while I’m gone, just call me, okay?”

While eating breakfast, Gu Chen figured he should let An An know about his schedule. If it were just an audition, it wouldn’t take long, but there were other work commitments as well.

He was at a crucial stage in his career, and Brother Lin had been keeping him busy to maintain his popularity and secure roles that could solidify his position.

Taking a day off had only delayed the inevitable—he still had to catch up on all the work.

After the audition, he had a commercial shoot, which would take up most of the day. Then in the evening, there were additional obligations, including a lesson arranged by Brother Lin that he had previously missed.

In short, he wouldn’t have extra time to spend with his little one today.

“Okay! Daddy, I’ll be good~”

“I won’t bother the nanny, and I won’t cry.”

As An An promised to behave, he even began listing all the ways he had been a good boy. When he finished, he lifted his chin proudly, as if waiting for Daddy’s praise.

Gu Chen, who had intended to say a few more things, suddenly found himself speechless.

“Mm…”

He knew that An An had been raised by his grandmother, while Su Ling had been working outside. And as his grandmother aged, she probably didn’t have the energy to handle a lively little boy.

Perhaps due to generational differences in parenting, Gu Chen didn’t want An An to be too obedient.

“You don’t have to be too good. The nanny is someone Daddy hired to take care of you, so don’t worry.”

“Daddy paid money for her?”

“Mm.”

Gu Chen nodded, thinking that An An would feel reassured. But instead, the little boy scrunched up his face, clearly distressed—he looked like he was heartbroken over the expense.

“Alright, Daddy’s going now.”

Following Brother Lin’s plan, the nanny would only arrive after Gu Chen left to avoid them meeting.

After gathering his things, he left. An An sat there obediently, waving goodbye.

“Daddy~ Come back early, okay?”

“Okay, I promise.”

On the way to the audition, Gu Chen was still talking with Brother Lin about An An.

Having a child had completely shifted his perspective—unlike before, when he was entirely focused on work, he now wanted to set aside more time to spend with An An.

If possible, he wished he could stop working altogether and just play with An An all day.

“I suggest you put those thoughts away,” Brother Lin warned.

“I know, Brother Lin.”

Gu Chen had only been speaking hypothetically—he knew he couldn’t actually do that.

Before even arriving at the audition venue, Brother Lin received a message from a colleague, informing him that another scandal about Gu Chen’s ex-girlfriend had surfaced online.

Since Gu Chen had attended a university unrelated to the entertainment industry and had outperformed many of his fellow trainees over the years, rumors and gossip about him had never ceased.

Brother Lin didn’t even think this was worth mentioning at first. Rubbing his aching temples, he reminded his colleague:

“Haven’t you guys handled things like this before? Do you really need to ask me?”

“No, Brother Lin, this time it’s much more serious! A lot of photos have been leaked! And they’re even saying that Gu Chen already has a child!”

This revelation sent Brother Lin into a brief state of shock. Before he could process it, his colleague’s anxious voice continued:

“It’s bad, Brother Lin! That woman—allegedly Gu Chen’s ex—just started a livestream, claiming that he’s refused to pay child support all these years!”