Don't call me a singing god, I just want to go back to doing scientific research.

Ren Dongxuan peeked out from Gu Yang's door like a cat stealing cream. Only after the phone call inside had completely stopped did she straighten up and gently knock on the door.

"Enter."

His voice had a lazy quality to it.

Ren Dongxuan pushed open the door and saw Gu Yang sprawled on the bed, his hands behind his head and his legs swinging restlessly.

"Sent him away?" Gu Yang turned his head and glanced at her sideways. "Your acting skills have improved again. Anyone who didn't know better would think you really suspected your nephew was possessed by a ghost."

A hint of unease flashed across Ren Dongxuan's face, a subtle expression that did not escape Gu Yang's notice.

He sprang up from the bed with a "whoosh," like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"No, are you serious? You really doubt me?!"

"Oh, it's just... a tiny bit." Ren Dongxuan stretched out her little finger and gestured to indicate a distance about the size of a fingernail, trying to fool the question.

Gu Yang snorted coldly, crossed his arms, and gave a look that said, "You have broken my heart."

Ren Dongxuan was a little embarrassed and replied irritably, "You brat, it's all because you've changed so much lately! Everyone's talking about it!"

  

Gu Yang fell silent, feeling as if his heart had shattered into pieces, pieces that couldn't even be swept up.

He sat up abruptly, clutching his chest with an exaggerated expression: "Auntie, you actually doubted me! My heart aches!"

"Ouch, my foot!" Ren Dongxuan's face flushed, and she grabbed a pillow from the bed and threw it at him. "Keep acting! The old Taoist priest saved you back then. I'm helping you pay off your debt, OK?"

"But speaking of which, this old Taoist priest is quite peculiar. He's afraid his disciple will starve to death, yet he doesn't want his disciple to know that he's the one helping him behind the scenes. It's really awkward."

Gu Yang nimbly caught the pillow. "Every family has its own troubles. Perhaps the old Taoist priest and his disciple Master Zhang have a misunderstanding."

Ren Dongxuan nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Seeing this, Gu Yang grinned and leaned closer, "Hehe, but I still want to thank Auntie for helping me repay the favor. By the way, how much was the appearance fee for the old Taoist priest's apprentice this time?"

"Five hundred thousand, deducted from your New Year's money."

"..." Gu Yang's smile vanished instantly. "Auntie, if you keep cutting back, there really won't be any left! Your poor nephew will have to sleep on the streets, eat coarse food, and keep warm by burning matches..."

He became more and more pitiful as he spoke, but he couldn't squeeze out a single tear.

Ren Dongxuan frowned and patted his shoulder earnestly: "Yangyang, listen to your aunt's advice, never get involved in acting in the future, it's really not suitable for you."

After joking around for a while, Ren Dongxuan checked the time and suddenly smiled mysteriously: "By the way, I have some good news for you."

"What?"

"Your dad, your sister, and your brother are all on their way back."

"???" Gu Yang's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "What the hell did you say?!"

He was so excited that he almost jumped off the bed onto the ceiling.

"When you called, you clearly said they weren't there!"

"They're not here," Ren Dongxuan said slowly, savoring his petrified expression. "But they have legs, and I have a phone. Can't I call them back?"

"Ren! Dong! Xuan!" Gu Yang said, gritting his teeth as he enunciated each word.

He rushed to the window and looked down. Fortunately, he didn't see any cars for the time being.

There's still a chance! We can escape!

He immediately turned around and went to put on his shoes.

Ren Dongxuan sat on the edge of the bed, arms crossed, watching the show with amusement: "Hey, are you really going to run away? How many times have you stood them up? Don't you have any self-awareness?"

"Auntie, you know me! In their eyes, singing and dancing is a waste of time! If we all met, wouldn't we start fighting?"

Ren Dongxuan clicked her tongue twice: "One is your biological father, one is your older brother, and one is your older sister. So, who do you think you can beat?"

"So you want to see me get beaten up, huh!"

No sooner had the words been spoken than the person ran downstairs, and then the sound of a car engine approaching from afar came through, finally coming to a steady stop in front of the villa.

The sound of the car door opening and closing was so clear it seemed to be right next to my ear.

It’s over.

Gu Yang stood frozen in place, just in time to see the Gu family father and son entering through the door.

Ren Dongxuan stood on the stairs, grinning smugly, "Too late!"

Gu Yang turned around and silently mouthed four words to her.

The situation, not, two, stand.

"You're back." His late father, Gu Yan, saw him with a complicated look in his eyes, but his tone was much calmer than he had expected. "Have a meal before you leave."

Two question marks slowly appeared on Yang's forehead.

What's going on? You didn't yell at him? Did the sun rise in the west today?

This doesn't make sense!

"What are you standing there for? Come in." His older sister, Gu Yue, appeared behind him at some point, pulled him to sit down in the living room, and whispered in his ear, "You've been doing a good job lately, and Dad's attitude has softened a bit. Be smart today and don't provoke him again."

"Oh." Gu Yang nodded obediently, then looked pleasantly surprised. "Sis, weren't you in Italy? When did you get back?"

"I just arrived yesterday and I'm still jet-lagged, so I didn't tell you."

The atmosphere in the living room became somewhat tense for a moment.

The elder brother, Gu Jing, and the elder sister, Gu Yue, sat side by side on the sofa, their eyes fixed intently on Gu Yang, as if trying to see right through him.

Dad Gu Yan sat expressionlessly on the single sofa, scrolling through his tablet while working.

Gu Yang felt a chill run down his spine and was extremely uncomfortable under his gaze.

He subtly shifted back, cleared his throat, and asked cautiously, "Um... Dad, where's Mom?"

The late father didn't even lift his eyelids, uttering two words: "Play cards."

"oh."

Gu Yang pondered whether he should send a WeChat message to his mother for help first, otherwise if a real "war" broke out, he would have no one on his side who could fight.

I had just taken out my phone when I heard my late father speak in a very unnatural manner.

"Well done."

After saying that, he put away his tablet and went straight upstairs.

Gu Yang stood there dumbfounded, completely bewildered.

He just... was he praised by his father? Was it a compliment?

He mechanically turned his head to look at his older brother, then at his older sister and his gloating aunt.

"Holy crap...it's not me who needs exorcising, it's Dad!"

"Slap!" Ren Dongxuan was both amused and exasperated, and slapped him on the back of the head. "How dare you talk to your father like that?"

"Auntie, you hit me again!" Gu Yang rubbed his head, feeling that his status in this family had been reduced to dust.

I can't beat my older brother, I don't dare mess with my older sister, and there are three mountains above me: my father, my mother, and my aunt.

The only two people who could help him were his maternal grandparents, who lived thousands of miles away.

Humans are worse off than dogs.

Gu Jing, however, seemed unsurprised. He adjusted his glasses and said, "Since you've decided to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, then do your best. As for the branch company..."

"Big brother~" Gu Yang immediately put on a pitiful smile.

"Alright, alright, I'll keep an eye on things for you for now. If you ever really can't make it here, then get back to work."

"Hehe, I knew my older brother was the best!"

"Come on." Gu Jing rubbed his arms, which were covered in goosebumps, with disdain.

"Then, elder sister, what can I do for you?" Gu Yang turned to Gu Yue, who was sitting there with her arms crossed and had a very heroic appearance.

Therefore, Yue's words were concise and to the point: "Avoid trouble, do more work, and if you need anything, come to home. That's all."

"Received! Thank you, big brother and sister!"

After the two powerful figures finished speaking, they got up and went back to their rooms, and the tense atmosphere in the living room instantly dissipated.

Gu Yang let out a long sigh of relief, slumped onto the sofa, and complained to Ren Dongxuan, "Auntie, you didn't let a word out, making me worry for nothing."

"What are you talking about? I don't know anything about this." Ren Dongxuan blinked, looking completely innocent.

Just as Gu Yang was about to say a few more things, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. He sat up abruptly and stared at Ren Dongxuan.

"Wait a minute, Auntie, is this the good news you mentioned?"

Ren Dongxuan tugged at her sleeve: "Hey, you brat, isn't this a good thing?"

Okay, that makes sense.

"Then I'll go back to my room and rest for a while."