When the Mi family arrived, Yi Wei, holding his child, went to greet them. His adoptive mother, Mi Xue, had rarely left the house since returning from abroad. Her first outing had been to Yi Wei’s academy, and this was her second—she had come specifically to attend her grandson’s full-moon celebration.
“Mom,” Yi Wei smiled as he greeted her, then proceeded to greet the rest of the Mi family one by one.
Mi Xue lifted her hands and took the baby from Yi Wei’s arms, smiling down at him. “Baby, did you miss your grandma?”
Yi Wei personally pushed his mother’s wheelchair as he led the Mi family to the table prepared for the baby’s maternal relatives.
“Is the baby adjusting to being here?” Mi Xue asked.
“This baby isn’t picky about places. He eats when it’s time to eat, sleeps when it’s time to sleep, and hardly ever cries. He’s really easy to care for,” Yi Wei said as he sat beside his mother, gently tapping the baby’s soft, white cheek with his finger.
“He’s a healthy baby,” Mi Xue said, softly holding the baby’s little fist. “I’ve watched him every day since he was born, almost two months now, and I’ve missed him so much these past few days.”
“Whenever we have the time, I’ll definitely bring him back to visit you,” Yi Wei said quietly as he held the baby’s other hand. “Once my studies get busier and Director Gu gets busier with work, we won’t have any elders in the Gu family we can fully trust to take care of him. We’ll have to bring him to Mi family often and rely on you to take care of him.”
“I’d be more than happy to look after him. As long as you trust me to do so, I’ll take care of him in the best way possible,” Mi Xue said. She had witnessed the miracle of life again after the baby was born, and caring for this child felt like a blessing to her.
“Of course, we trust you. Besides, who else could we trust more than you?” Yi Wei smiled. He felt that having a true family member care for the child when they were busy was the best arrangement. It gave them peace of mind, and having Anna, who had raised him, now help with raising his child felt especially meaningful.
Aside from Yi Bo, the Yi family had also come—Yi Hong and Zhao Zhen were both present.
Seeing the Mi family seated at the table for the baby’s maternal relatives, and watching how close Yi Wei and Mi Xue seemed, as if they were truly mother and son, Yi Hong and Zhao Zhen couldn’t help but feel bitter.
Zhao Zhen muttered to Yi Hong in a low voice, “We’re the baby’s real grandparents. Ever since we arrived, Yi Wei hasn’t even come over to greet us. He hasn’t even glanced at us! Even if we were just regular guests, out of politeness, he should at least say hello.”
“This kid is too prideful. I admit we treated Yi Xuan a bit better than him before, but does that really warrant this level of hostility?” Yi Hong sighed, shaking his head. “Maybe it’s just fate. We weren’t meant to be close as parent and child. After all, he was swapped at birth, so maybe we were never destined to be a family.”
“But look at how Yi Wei and Director Gu treat the Mi family. All the benefits will go to them in the future. I can’t stand the thought of it! We’re Yi Wei’s biological parents, and we raised him for several years. Why should the Mi family get all the benefits?” Zhao Zhen grew angrier the more she spoke.
“Alright, alright,” Yi Hong glanced around and said. “Let’s talk about this when we get home. If anyone overhears us here, it’ll just make us a laughingstock.”
“I can’t stay here any longer. I’m going to check on Shuqin,” Zhao Zhen said as she stood up to leave.
“Wait until the banquet’s over,” Yi Hong said, pulling her back. “If you go now, it’ll be like you never even came. You might as well not have shown up in the first place.”
Jiang Shuqin hadn’t attended the celebration because she was sick. She hadn’t wanted to come, and in truth, she was feeling quite ill, unable to attend the baby’s double full moon banquet.
Yi Wei had married Gu Yueshan, and they now had a child together. No matter what others thought—or even what the Gu family thought—Yi Wei had already secured his position as the lady of the Gu family. He sat next to Gu Yueshan, holding their baby, smiling as he received congratulations from the guests.
As the banquet officially began and most of the guests had arrived, Yi Wei arranged for his mother and the baby to be taken back to their courtyard to rest. Crowds weren’t good for the baby, and Mi Xue didn’t like staying in large gatherings for too long. After seeing them off, Yi Wei returned to the hall.
Gu Heng sat beside Xu Hua, and Yi Xuan was next to him. Both tried to maintain their composure as the banquet went on. Even though they had little appetite, they forced themselves to eat, pretending everything was fine. From time to time, they glanced over at Yi Wei, who now sat beside Gu Yueshan—essentially in the position of the Gu family’s mistress. Even the grandmothers were seated lower than him. It was as if, overnight, Yi Wei had risen to the top of the Gu family.
Gu Heng had once considered the possibility that Yi Wei might marry his fourth uncle, but when it became a reality, it still hit him hard—both emotionally and strategically. Yi Wei had once been engaged to him, and Gu Heng had developed some feelings for him. If it weren’t for his deep love for Yi Xuan, he might have truly considered staying with Yi Wei. But now, Yi Wei was his fourth aunt and had even given birth to his uncle’s child—his own cousin. And this child’s birth would be the biggest obstacle in his life.
After a while, Gu Yueshan turned to Yi Wei and asked, “Are you tired? Do you want to go back to the courtyard to rest?”
“I’m not tired,” Yi Wei smiled. “How could I be tired just sitting here? Besides, today is our baby’s double full moon banquet. I’m so happy, I wouldn’t mind even if I were exhausted.”
Gu Yueshan held Yi Wei’s hand and said, “There are so many people here today, each one coming over to greet you. How could you not be tired? I’m happy too, but I don’t want you to overexert yourself. If you want, you can go check on the baby and rest for a bit. I’ll stay here and take care of everything.”
“The baby is already two months old, and my body has recovered well,” Yi Wei said, his face slightly flushed as he lowered his head.
Gu Yueshan leaned closer, looking at him. “I know, which is why I’m suggesting you go rest for a while and check on the baby. I can handle things here.”
The two spoke intimately, their faces nearly touching, which didn’t go unnoticed by the other guests. They appeared to be as close as a couple could be.
Gu Yueshan gently touched Yi Wei’s warm cheek and said, “Go on.”
Yi Wei stood up, heading back to the courtyard to check on the baby and rest for a bit. After watching Yi Wei leave, Gu Yueshan rose to mingle with the guests and offer toasts.
Yi Wei returned to the courtyard, where the baby was sound asleep. He leaned back on the bed, quietly chatting with Mi Xue and Anna.
An hour later, as the banquet began winding down, guests either sat or stood, engaged in small talk.
When the baby woke up, Yi Wei brought him back to the hall, where friends and family had left many gifts. He carried the baby around, thanking everyone for their kindness.
All the gifts and monetary presents were entrusted to Yi Wei to manage on behalf of the baby. Of course, everyone knew that “managing on behalf of the baby” really meant that Yi Wei was in control.
Gu Yueshan had also prepared a gift for their child: the estate at Laihai Villa. This, too, was entrusted to Yi Wei to manage. Laiahai Villa had long been given to Yi Wei, but this occasion served as a formal announcement, making it easier for Yi Wei to openly use the estate in the future.
Most of the gifts were met with little surprise, but the mention of Laihai Villa made the Gu family’s expressions change, particularly those of the grandmothers and Gu Heng. Although Gu Yueshan had bought the villa himself using some connections, to the Gu family, Laihai Villa was a symbol of their wealth and status. Now it was being given to Yi Wei under the guise of being for the baby. With the child so young and Yi Wei managing it, it felt as though it had been given directly to Yi Wei.
Even though many of them were uncomfortable with this, they couldn’t express their displeasure in such a public setting. The grandmothers quickly composed themselves, pretending they had known all along.
Gu Heng had long coveted Laihai Villa. He had thought that once he inherited the Gu family’s business, the villa would come with it. But now that hope was dashed, and it felt like another heavy blow. Gu Heng, still young, couldn’t conceal his emotions as easily as the older generation.
Even the guests were taken aback by this development.
Ye Feng, however, quickly composed herself. Since Laiahai Villa was never going to fall into her hands anyway, she smiled and said, “Yi Wei has done a great service to our family by giving birth to the eldest son. Since the estate is for the child, it’s only right that he manages it for now.”
Yi Wei observed the others’ reactions. The younger ones couldn’t hide their emotions, while some of the older relatives, including Gu Yueshan’s uncles and elder cousins, concealed their feelings well. Others, however, let a hint of their dissatisfaction slip through. Yi Wei smiled inwardly and, after a while, returned to the courtyard with the baby.
After the full moon banquet concluded, the guests began to leave.
“This child is only two months old, and Director Gu has already given him Laihai Villa. Is this his way of telling the rest of the Gu family that all of Gu’s future assets will belong to his son, and everyone else should just give up?”
“Well, Director Gu is already in his thirties, and he’s spent years pretending he couldn’t have children. Even though it was his own secret, it must have weighed on him. Now that he finally has a son, it’s understandable that he’s overjoyed. When you’re that happy, and it’s your own child, what wouldn’t you give?”
“I think Director Gu is definitely sending a message to the rest of the family, but I also think he’s genuinely thrilled.”
“But the child is still so young. I can’t help but feel that giving Laihai Villa to Yi Wei is just a cover. Isn’t this really just about giving the estate to Yi Wei?”
“Yeah, saying it’s being held for the child is just an excuse. It’s clearly meant for Yi Wei.”
“Did you see how the Mi family was seated at the table for the baby’s maternal relatives? With Director Gu’s attitude toward them, the Mi family is bound to thrive under the Gu family’s influence.”
“What do you think Yi Hong and his wife are feeling? They swapped the children at birth and didn’t treat Yi Wei well when they found him. You’d think they’d try to make up for it, but instead, they favored a child that wasn’t even theirs. No wonder Yi Wei distanced himself.”
“I heard about that too. If it were my child who had been lost for years, I’d be heartbroken and would want to do everything to make it up to them. I can’t understand what was going through their minds. They must regret it now.”
“From the looks of it, the Yi family won’t be part of the picture anymore.”
Meanwhile, Zhao Zhen had gone to visit Jiang Shuqin, who was sitting up in bed, looking pale and weak. “Did you just come from the main house?”
Zhao Zhen nodded.
“The baby’s double full moon banquet must have been lively,” Jiang Shuqin said.
“It was,” Zhao Zhen replied, letting out a sigh, feeling an indescribable sense of regret.
Jiang Shuqin sighed as well. “Even though Gu Heng’s grandmother and grandfather told me we still have time to plan for the future, I know in my heart that any hope of him becoming the heir is all but gone. It was already a struggle before, but now it’s practically impossible.”
“The future is hard to predict,” Zhao Zhen said. “Who would have thought that Yi Wei would marry Director Gu and give birth to his child?”
“If I hadn’t had that hope in the first place, if I hadn’t held onto it all these years, maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much now. Gu Heng’s fourth uncle is ruthless. Not just to the Gu family, but even to himself. I can’t fathom why he would lie about something as significant as not being able to have children.”
“Just focus on resting,” Zhao Zhen said, patting her hand. “No matter how bitter things get, life goes on. Nothing is more important than getting your health back.”
Jiang Shuqin nodded in agreement.
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I’m hoping the Yi family tries to pull “but we’re your REAL family” and then get smacked down!!! Hopefully publicly