Gu Qiaoqiao looked at Xiao Bai with a faint smile, and didnāt ask any more about the Arctic wolf. An injured wild wolf, moreover on the other side of the mountaināitās easy for Xiao Bai, the kitten, to come and go, but not so much for the rest of them. Besides, some things are best left to fate.
So she asked, "Xiao Bai, the Gu Garden has prepared lots of delicious food, are you going back for the New Year?"
Then she added, "I heard this yearās Spring Festival is going to be lively. After all, itās the first Spring Festival of the nineties, with lots of exciting programs and activities..."
Xiao Bai nodded vigorously, "Of course Iām going back. Yesterday, the master already said that you all would definitely come looking for him, so even if we donāt want to, we have to go back."
Gu Qiaoqiao felt relieved. It turned out her uncle was already prepared, so she didnāt have to rack her brain trying to convince him to go home for the new year.
After all, Great Grandfather was eagerly looking forward to his return.
With Uncle returning home, Great Grandfather would have a very fulfilled new year.
Gu Qiaoqiao casually glanced at Danny and noticed that his mood seemed a bit better than it was earlier. At that moment, she focused, opened the door, and shouted loudly, "Xiao Nan, go call Mr. Gu and the others for dinner."
Ling Nan responded cheerfully and ran over.
The lunch was sumptuous. Though the Zhou siblings were somewhat spoiled, they still knew the necessary life skills. Especially with Qin Yize, the three of them together managed to whip up a large table full of dishes that were fried, baked, roasted, and flavored just rightāit looked quite impressive.
Of course, Danny was also invited to eat with them. Even during wartime, messengers were not harmed, let alone a man seeking help, so how could they not invite him to eat?
However, Danny didnāt have much appetite, but he knew to follow local customs.
Unexpectedly, Danny was quite adept with chopsticks. His foreign appearance belied the fact that his mannerisms and behavior were more like those of a bona fide Huaxia person, making him seem rather delightful.
Thus, the atmosphere at the dining table was quite harmonious.
Nobody was foolish enough to bring up anything troubling during the meal.
As expected, after hearing Qin Yizeās plans, the Old Grand Master did not object.
He wasnāt young anymore and had no interest in watching TV or shopping; he enjoyed the tranquility here. He had long thought that when he retired, if Mr. Gu wouldnāt mind him, he would very much like to stay and keep him company.
Oh, and thereās also the Old Patriarch.
While Gu Garden and other residences were good, they couldnāt compare to the natural environment here in the bustling city.
But these were just thoughts; it wouldnāt happen in the next few years.
He still needed to stay by Ah Zeās side for a few more years.
But to stay here for a few days now, he was quite happy to do so.
However, considering the number of people this time, Old Grand Master Qin first took into account that Zhou Luoan and his wife had been staying home for not a short period, but still, it was only a month. They needed to see some old friends and colleagues.
Another concern was whether theyād disturb Mr. Gu.
Even though Gu Junbai didnāt mind,
they were also wary of imposing too much.
So they decided that the three of them would stay just one night. The kids seemed so enthusiastic that it was hard to stop them, so the Old Grand Master didnāt bother with their opinions.
Then there was Danny.
But after the meal, Gu Junbai was going to have a talk with Danny.
Danny ate the meal and tasted nothing. When he finally finished, he followed Gu Junbai to the East Courtyard, feeling relieved.
The temperature here was different from the West Courtyard, slightly colder, carrying a faint chill, much like the aura surrounding Gu Junbai at this moment.
Currently, only Gu Junbai and Danny were in the East Courtyardās living room.
Gu Junbai scrutinized Danny carefully. There was nothing tangible within him; emotions are a type of aura, or in Mystic Sect terms, itās called a heart demonāsomething invisible and intangible, so Gu Junbai had no plans for an emotional counseling session.
He motioned for Danny to sit across from him and reclined lazily on the sofa, asking nonchalantly, "How do you plan to resolve this?"
Danny hesitated, his mouth opened, unsure of how to answer Gu Junbaiās question.
All he wanted was an ending, but how exactly to conclude it, heād never considered.
But since Gu Junbai asked, he had to answer.
After a while, Danny muttered, "Completely sever it, like strangers."
From then on, nothing would tie him to Zhou Xia, even if she had children with another man, he must remain indifferent.
Yet, he didnāt know why, thinking of this made breathing a little difficult, and his face turned extraordinarily pale.
Gu Junbai glanced at him, pondered a bit, "Thereās no precedent; I donāt have any experience. I thought about it just now, and thereās only one way."
"Mr. Gu, what way?" Danny asked urgently, though his trembling voice betrayed the complexity of his unspeakable feelings at that moment.
Gu Junbai, who had long seen through the vicissitudes of the world, saw this as a rather minor issue. He stated calmly, "Erase all your memories of Zhou Xia."
As soon as he said it, Danny couldnāt believe his ears and widened his eyes.
Erase memories?
He knew the consequences of this.
From then on, there would be no girl named Zhou Xia in his life. Everything between them, whether it was their initial encounter and love, or turning against each otherāthe sweet, the painful, the desperate, the love etched into his bonesāeverything about Zhou Xia would vanish from his life.
Seeing Dannyās face change dramatically, Gu Junbai was unmoved, merely stating lightly, "This is the only way at present."
The room fell into a deadly silence.
Danny felt breathless, clenching his hands, and after a long while, he asked softly, "Mr. Gu, if my memories are erased, will Zhou Xia remember me?"
Gu Junbaiās fingers twitched slightly, "Her memories will naturally be erased too."
There was no reason for Danny to forget while Zhou Xia remembered.
Danny sat rigidly on the sofa, motionless, but inside his mind, chaos reigned, yet one thought remained extraordinarily clear.
Erase memories!
These four words were like four bolts of lightning exploding in his mental sea.
They left him panic-stricken, with nowhere to escape, and filled him with sorrow and despair.
Erasing memories meant that everything between him and Zhou Xia would cease to exist. Heād forget Zhou Xia, and Zhou Xia would forget him.
Everything, all forgotten.
However, Danny was acutely aware that this was the best solution for both the present and future. Otherwise, whenever Zhou Xia experienced emotional turmoil, no matter where he was, heād feel unbearable heartache and uncontrollably rush to her, wreaking havoc on his mind and body, leaving everything in disarray.