From BOSS to Canon Fodder: She is Currently Out of Service!

Finally, Huaixi gave him an answer, shaking his head and saying, ”We haven’t been waiting long, not hungry at all. After seeing the elders, we need to get ready to leave. Uncle Changxi and Aunt Su Mo are still waiting outside.”

Gu Molin exclaimed, asking, ”You live with your uncle and aunt? What about your mom and dad? Did they leave you temporarily in the care of your uncle and aunt because they had no time? That’s quite irresponsible; children this young should be closely guided by their parents. Do you miss your mom and dad?”

Huaixi and Huaifeng nodded, answering in unison, ”Of course, we miss them very much...” But they would never see them again.

”If that’s the case, then Grandpa could step in and order them to drop everything and take you with them?” As the retired former Clan Leader of the Gu Family, now serving as the Great Elder, Gu Molin certainly had the authority for such a statement.

Huaixi shook his head, speaking blandly, ”It’s not necessary... probably won’t help much...”

Just as Gu Molin was about to say something, the large door of the hall opened. Gu Zhengye hurried in, taking off his military jacket and tossing it to the accompanying robot, removing his military cap as well. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot.

”Where are you sneaking off to, you troublemaker?” Gu Molin glared as he saw him striding upstairs, his face serious.

Here he was, sitting with two small kids, all ignored by this audacious guy. Just because he’d been away for a few years, did this boy fancy himself the patriarch of the entire Gu clan, not considering anyone else anymore?

Recognizing the familiar voice, Gu Zhengye halted in his tracks, as if someone had pressed pause on his urgent mind. He looked towards the source of the voice, his face twitching involuntarily... Why did the old man have to come home now?

Huaixi and Huaifeng exchanged a glance, their mouths pressed into tight lines, entwining their fingers uneasily, an indescribable melancholy welling in their hearts. Although they had already decided not to live here, seeing themselves ignored as if they were invisible was still painful.

After all, they were only just shy of seven years old. No matter how mature they might appear, children are still children, and some things about them cannot be changed. Even though they’re still confused about which man was actually Grandpa, it’s clear they weren’t exactly welcome here... It might be better for them to live independently, easier for themselves and others.

”Dad... Dad? What brings you back now?” Gu Zhengye changed direction towards the sitting area, only then noticing the two small children beside Gu Molin... Suddenly he remembered their identity, silently cursing his forgetfulness. With the fall of Augustus Capital Star, he’d somehow forgotten about these two little ones at home...

”Do I need your permission to come back home? You think you can take over just because your old man isn’t dead yet?” Gu Molin grunted in displeasure, taking in the sweaty, disheveled appearance with slight disdain, ”Were you working or doing something else, to make yourself look like this?”

Gu Zhengye didn’t answer, his gaze resting on Huaixi and Huaifeng for a long while before he sighed and said, ”You’re little San’er’s kids, right? You really do look like your father when he was little... Can Grandpa call you Xiao Xi and Xiao Feng?”

The children’s names had already been decided, chosen by little San’er before he passed away. Now that their parents were gone, Gu Zhengye wouldn’t agree to change them for the sake of family tradition. So, they’d continue using those names.

”Come to Grandpa’s side, let Grandpa guess. You’re Xiao Xi, and he’s Xiao Feng, right?” Before the two children had arrived, Gu Zhengye had done his homework in advance, remembering features of the twins quite clearly.

”Grandpa?” Huaixi was momentarily taken aback. So, this was Grandpa? Then who was the one calling himself ”Grandpa” earlier?

”Ah, my good great-grandsons.” Gu Zhengye smiled, picking up Huaixi and Huaifeng. Although he was past his prime, a daily regimen of exercise kept his muscles firm and strong. As he held the two Little Bears, they could easily feel the breadth and solidity of his chest, enveloping them in a sense of security. Although they’d been ignored before, being held like this made their previous neglect seem irrelevant.

Great-grandsons? So they were his great-great-grandsons? Gu Molin thought for a moment, realizing the two buns must belong to Ningyi’s generation of offspring. He originally assumed they were Ningyi’s or Ningzhi’s, but from what his son said, they were of Ningxuan’s lineage?

Ah... in the blink of an eye, he was a man with great-great-grandchildren... Although five generations living together wasn’t an unusual sight in the Future Interstellar world, for the Gu Family known for marrying and having children late in life, this was indeed a rare blessing.

He had thought the two children were from a branch family, not expecting them to be his direct descendants! Gu Molin was quite pleased; Huaixi and Huaifeng’s extreme caution and wariness, which he’d observed earlier, now appeared to him as rather valuable merits. Prudence was good, certainly better than being reckless!

Gu Molin hadn’t been in touch with the family for a long time and was naturally unaware of events over the years. Recalling the small, solitary figures of the two children waiting in the hall filled his heart with displeasure towards Gu Ningxuan. ”What happened with little San’er, leaving these two kids to wait here alone? If this old man hadn’t returned two days early, who knows how long they’d be left to stand foolishly...”

The smile on Gu Zhengye’s face waned slightly as he gently set the two children down, ”Good kids, go with the head housekeeper to the room where your father lived as a child, get familiar with it here... Grandpa has some words to share with your great-grandfather...”

Gu Molin instinctively sensed something was off, noting his son’s ghastly expression... From the time Gu Zhengye reached adulthood, it was rare for him to lose control of his emotions so blatantly... What significant event had occurred? (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, we welcome you to vote with recommendations and monthly tickets on Qidian, your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)