Upon arriving at the grand hall, Gu Zitán was already waiting. Tea and refreshments were laid out on the coffee table, with a butler standing nearby, nodding respectfully at Bai Cha.
"Has Gu Mingze returned?" Bai Cha cut straight to the point. "I haven't been able to find him these past few days. The last surveillance showed him returning home."
Gu Zitán was startled. He remembered Gu Mingze returning home and had assumed Bai Cha was aware. But hearing Bai Cha's words now, Gu Mingze had… run away from home?
Before Gu Zitán could speak, Gu NuTao frowned, his tone laced with displeasure. "Is that brat causing trouble for Miss Bai? What use is that good-for-nothing other than running away? Miss Bai, there's no need to worry, we'll immediately send people to fetch him back..."
"Patriarch Gu, I am asking if you are aware of Gu Mingze's whereabouts," Bai Cha interrupted Gu NuTao, her brows twitching almost imperceptibly.
"Uh, that... we are not aware." Gu NuTao was taken aback by Bai Cha's interruption. He exchanged a glance with Xue Jian, and Bai Cha clearly saw their impatience and confusion. "That brat has a stubborn streak, he won't listen to anyone. He's got no real skills, only knows how to cause trouble..."
"Dad."
"Patriarch Gu."
Gu Zitán and Bai Cha spoke almost simultaneously. Gu NuTao, having been interrupted again, felt a breath stuck in his throat, his complexion turning from pale to flushed.
Cold sweat trickled down Gu Zitán's back. He knew what had been happening recently, and he understood that Bai Cha's mood couldn't be good. Moreover, Bai Cha was fiercely protective, and Gu Zitán held her in awe. His father's unguarded words made Gu Zitán deeply uneasy.
Furthermore, putting it all aside, Gu Mingze was his brother and a member of this family. Even if he had to be criticized, could it be done so in front of an outsider, tearing Gu Mingze down completely?
"Where is Gu Mingze's room?" Bai Cha no longer wished to stay at the Gu residence. Gu Mingze had returned, yet neither of his parents paid him any mind. How could they be parents? Beyond being useless and causing trouble, what else could they say?
Every word from Gu NuTao made Bai Cha feel more oppressed. If Gu Mingze was still at the Gu residence, Bai Cha would want to take him away immediately.
"I'll lead the way." Gu Zitán stepped forward quickly, fearing his father would continue to tread on Bai Cha's sensitive nerves. He hurried Bai Cha upstairs to the innermost room.
Gu Zitán hesitated for a moment before knocking. He knew his brother had returned, but his relationship with Gu Mingze was somewhat awkward, so he hadn't interacted much with him. Thus, he had no idea if Gu Mingze was lying there dejectedly or had already left.
As soon as he knocked, the door swung open unexpectedly. The door hadn't been locked and was slightly ajar. The sudden opening startled Gu Zitán. He quickly looked back at Bai Cha, relieved when he saw she had no particular reaction.
"Count this brat as sensible, he even tidied his room." Gu NuTao also followed, his sigh of relief coming as he saw the tidy room.
Bai Cha walked in. The room had clearly been cleaned recently, everything meticulously organized, so clean it hadn't even had time to collect dust, or perhaps, it was so simple there was nothing to tidy.
The room was indeed small. For such a large estate as the Gu family's, it was evident this was the smallest room. A single bed that only fit one person, a low bedside table, a two-tiered computer desk, and a small bookshelf. It looked truly modest, perhaps only the superior solid wood material made it seem like it wasn't the treatment of an ordinary citizen.
This room was like a small box, with white walls and wooden floors, devoid of any other color. Even the green plant on the desk was bare, with only withered branches remaining.
This was a room with no advantages except for its soundproofing.
Bai Cha walked to the balcony, which Gu Mingze had told her was his favorite spot.
The small balcony had no chairs, only a small cushion on the floor where sunlight fell. Aside from that, blocked by tall buildings, there was no other light. This room faced away from the sun, perpetually in the shade, and only for half an hour each day would sunlight grace a corner of this balcony.
Bai Cha could even imagine a young boy, curled up in the dim room, gazing longingly at the sunlight on the opposite high wall and the creeping ivy, lost in thought.
"I will return."
A small note was neatly affixed to the balcony. The moment Bai Cha's finger touched it, it spontaneously combusted into ashes and dispersed into the air. kuAiδugg
For some inexplicable reason, Bai Cha felt a pang of sadness. She had lost something, while Gu Mingze had never even possessed it. For a moment, Bai Cha couldn't discern whether it was more painful to have experienced sweetness and then lost it, or to have never known sweetness and struggled in the mud.
It seemed to be six of one, half a dozen of the other.
"Master." Lucifer placed a hand on Bai Cha's shoulder, snapping her out of her reverie. Behind her, Gu NuTao's scolding and Xue Jian's agreement buzzed in her ears, making her head ache.
"Lucifer, I failed to protect him." Bai Cha let out a long sigh, gently turning. Gu NuTao unceremoniously stepped on the floor and walls that Gu Mingze had cleaned, rummaging through the room and spewing words of disdain and accusation.
Bai Cha adjusted her trench coat, pushed past Gu NuTao, and quickly left with Lucifer. She didn't want to stay there for another moment, afraid she might lose control and act out.
"Miss Bai, rest assured, that useless trash is not worth keeping. Gu Zitán is a hundred times better than that good-for-nothing brat. Miss Bai only needs to cultivate Zitán. I recall Zitán is also in your team for the world competition..."
From the room, down the stairs, to the doorway, Gu NuTao continued his incessant chatter. Gu Zitán's face grew paler, and even Xue Jian could sense the barely suppressed anger radiating from Bai Cha.
"CRASH!"
The doorframe splintered upon impact, abruptly silencing Gu NuTao's accusations. Gu NuTao snapped back to reality, only then realizing the profound, unyielding killing intent in Bai Cha's eyes.
"Gu Mingze is the secretary I personally chose for my successor. He has made outstanding contributions to the Shadow faction and is one of our most exceptional logistical support. If you do not want him, I can arrange for him to sever ties with you. However, you, Gu NuTao, are not qualified to criticize him in front of me."
Gu NuTao was clearly stunned. He had never expected his seemingly useless son to receive such high praise from someone as influential and capable as Bai Cha.
"Gu Mingze is more outstanding than any of you. He possesses loyalty, righteousness, and a resilient spirit that you, as unworthy parents, will never possess."
"Gu Zitán, you too. You are a good person who remains silent, always in silence. But he is different. He stands by my side and speaks for me, therefore he is my person."
"He is determined and hardworking, surpassing any of you. You, all of you, will never be able to compare to him."
When Bai Cha was brought back by Lucifer, everyone noticed something was amiss with her.
Indeed, it was Lucifer who brought Bai Cha back.
For the first time, everyone saw Bai Cha with her eyes closed, looking tired and drowsy. Yet, Lucifer remained as gentle as ever, politely nodding to everyone before escorting Bai Cha into the room.
The next day, Bai Cha stood before everyone to conduct training as usual, leading them back to the training grounds. Everyone tacitly maintained silence, not mentioning the events of the previous night.
Even though she had been uncomfortable with Gu Zitán the day before, Bai Cha still called Gu Zitán to train with everyone, correcting their mistakes, as if nothing had happened. Zhi Yue was also the same, but after several days, both of them appeared distracted.
After Zhi Yue and Gu Zitán were easily defeated by others once more, Bai Cha could no longer hold back and called a halt with a clap of her hands.
"Stop. Gu Zitán, Zhi Yue, what did I teach you? How can you miss such a large vital point? You can miss a stationary target, are you seeking death on the battlefield in the future?" Bai Cha rapped her bamboo whip against her palm and berated them sternly. "After hitting an enemy, immediately retreat and observe the situation. Zhi Yue, where was your demeanor as a world-class expert just now? You almost tripped yourself. Do you not want the ranking anymore?"
Zhi Yue shrank her neck, suddenly jolted awake, and quickly lowered her head to apologize. "Yes, yes, sorry, I was distracted."
"Sorry, I'll be more careful next time," Gu Zitán also apologized quickly.
More apologies.
Bai Cha's head throbbed from the repeated apologies. She flicked her bamboo whip again, supporting her temples with a hint of helplessness. "Sorry, more apologies. How many times do I have to hear 'sorry' from you this week? When will you learn your lesson? If you don't get a good ranking and face criticism, it will be your own fault, not mine."
Zhi Yue and Gu Zitán lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
"The world competition features world-class experts. They won't make such amateur mistakes. The two of you are practically handing points to the opponents." Bai Cha sighed in frustration. "If you are too tired and need to rest, take leave and rest properly for a few days. When you train, train properly, don't be distracted."
"Cang Liu is dead, and you're not even sad?" Zhi Yue lowered her head, Bai Cha couldn't see her reddened eyes, but she could hear the sob in her voice.
Zhi Yue was such a person, passionate like fire, pursuing whatever she desired with absolute fervor. Even if she couldn't obtain it, she would wholeheartedly give everything, even if the recipient was an eternally frozen block of ice.
But now, that person had suddenly disappeared, and Zhi Yue was truly lost and helpless.
She felt an emptiness in her heart, an emotion bottled up that she couldn't release. Cang Liu's death was directly caused by the Bright Faction, meaning it was directly related to her parents. As their daughter, did it also mean she had a part in killing Cang Liu?
Zhi Yue's mind was in a turmoil. Hidden admiration, intense grief, and wavering beliefs almost made it impossible for her to think. She even spoke carelessly to Bai Cha, "He was so good to you, always by your side, dedicating himself to you. You never even glanced at him. Even after he died, you refuse to mourn him?"
Bai Cha: "..."
The training ground fell silent. Everyone looked at the quiet Bai Cha, afraid to speak. Lucifer's expression instantly turned grim, his smile tinged with a hint of殺意 (killing intent).
Zhi Yue might not know, but everyone in the Shadow faction absolutely knew how much Bai Cha valued each and every one of them. No matter how angry Bai Cha was, any good news from them could improve her mood, even for the most trivial matters.
Everyone knew how strong Bai Cha's sense of responsibility was. Otherwise, she wouldn't have grit her teeth and climbed her way up at just twelve years old. Cang Liu was dead, and Bai Cha was undoubtedly the most self-blaming.
Furthermore, even if she was grieving, she couldn't display it openly. If the leader couldn't move on, how could others? Didn't Zhi Yue have any emotional intelligence to bring this up at this moment?
Everyone muttered internally.
"In the months after my father's death, I led the national team to achieve third place in the world. I personally advanced into the top three globally. So, according to you, am I unfilial?" While everyone was terrified, Bai Cha did not show anger, but simply asked calmly.
"I..." Zhi Yue was speechless. She also realized that her words had been excessive.
"The preciousness of rare resources in the world competition doesn't need me to explain to you. If we win first place this time, the rewards will double. This can shorten our country's development by at least ten to a hundred years." Bai Cha's words were very rational, even cold-blooded, causing Zhi Yue to shiver. "Zhi Yue, can you distinguish between personal affections and national interests?"