The two younger discipline inspectors saw Jiang Xiaoyu’s panicked reaction and felt even more that there was something fishy going on.
They said coldly, “Please cooperate with the discipline inspection work.”
One of them turned on the recording device and notepad, signaling Jiang Xiaoyu to comply with the rules.
Jiang Xiaoyu looked toward Jin Ge, whose face had darkened. Knowing even his master had to follow national regulations, he could only pale as he called Ye Qingxu.
The call was on speaker as required. Once connected, Ye Qingxu said, “Little Yu? Have you gotten to work? Why are you calling Dad at this hour? Did you forget something at home?”
Jiang Xiaoyu weakly called out “Dad,” but before he could finish, the old inspector interrupted, explaining the situation to Ye Qingxu.
“Jiang Xiaoyu is a national public servant. We are conducting a background check and supplementing his records in accordance with the law. Please cooperate with the discipline inspection work, Mr. Ye.”
Ye Qingxu was in the middle of cleaning and had no free hands. The call was also on speaker. Hearing the words clearly, his slender frame stiffened for a moment. Only after a good while did he straighten up, pretending to be calm as he said, “Little Yu’s mother is abroad. We haven’t been in contact for a long time.”
His expression was tense, nerves strung tight, so he didn’t notice that the Curly-Haired Old Cat, which had been curled up in the cat bed, had now gotten up.
“Okay… I’ll come over.”
After hanging up, Ye Qingxu felt a bit uneasy inside. The kid’s job was special; background checks were unavoidable. He reassured himself that their family had never done anything harmful or immoral—they were all upright commoners with clean ancestry. If it really came down to it, he’d generously admit he was Jiang Xiaoyu’s “mother.”
He wasn’t worried about his own situation, but he worried about Jiang Xiaoyu. He feared his special physique would bring scorn upon the kid. Jiang Xiaoyu had been born from a man—if others looked down on his child or excluded him because of it, what would he do?
He sat in the chair, thinking left and right, deciding to go pick up the kid first. Just as he was about to stand, a elderly voice came from behind him: “Little Ye, wait. I’ll go with you.”
Ye Qingxu turned around and saw an old man with white hair draped in a blanket standing there. Even in such an undignified appearance, it couldn’t diminish his dignity one bit. After decades of peace, the righteous and murderous aura between his brows still inspired awe and respect.
“Call Wan Keyao and have him contact the army base to send someone to pick me up.”
—
While waiting for Ye Qingxu to arrive, Jiang Xiaoyu couldn’t leave the interrogation room. The discipline inspectors handled things by the book—strict, but without deliberate targeting. Jin Ge stayed with him, wanting to ask about the situation but unable to discuss it in front of the inspectors.
“Tch, if I’d known, I would’ve told you to tone it down when I saw that car of yours,” Jin Ge muttered softly. He figured it was normal for a father to spoil and dote on his long-lost son, but how was he to know the car wasn’t bought by Ye Qingxu for Jiang Xiaoyu, but by Wan Keyao?
He was full of suspicions, wondering what the relationship was between Ye Qingxu and Wan Keyao. What kind of relationship would make someone give such an expensive gift to another person’s child?
Pursuit could be understandable, but the cost was far too high. Jin Ge inwardly griped, thinking this must be how the rich chased people—not treating money like money at all?
After about an hour or so, someone knocked on the interrogation room door. The old inspector signaled with his eyes for someone to open it. When it opened, it wasn’t the expected Ye Qingxu, but the gate guard. He looked very tense: “A big leader has arrived. The chief wants everyone to come out and greet him.”
The old inspector, ever dutiful, looked displeased: “What big leader comes at this hour? Such a big show? Having everyone come out to greet? Even if the mayor came, he’d wait for normal work to finish, right?”
“Wan Qianli, the old general.”
The gate guard spoke with difficulty. After all, he never imagined seeing in real life someone who’d only appeared in textbooks. He’d thought this legendary figure was long dead! Turns out he was still alive and well!
The old inspector shot to his feet, no longer minding Jiang Xiaoyu and Jin Ge as he called the other two inspectors to head down with him.
Jiang Xiaoyu was a bit dazed, thinking the name “Wan Qianli” sounded familiar. Jin Ge pulled him downstairs. Just as they exited the building, they saw several rows of people standing in the front courtyard, the unit’s leaders respectfully supporting an old man with white hair, bent at the waist.
Jin Ge’s heart tightened. He hurriedly pulled Jiang Xiaoyu to the back of the group and whispered, “It’s really him. This old general is still alive?”
Jiang Xiaoyu peered out from the crowd. The old man was thin, but his back was straight. He wore a military uniform adorned with a dense array of medals on his chest, like a suit of armor that left no gap on the front of his jacket.
He finally remembered who this was—his illustrious deeds were in the textbooks, one of Ginkgo Country’s founding elders, General Wan Qianli. Though retired and no longer handling affairs, who would dare neglect him in the slightest?
As he watched, the old man’s sharp gaze swept toward the crowd. The officers in front of Jiang Xiaoyu all unconsciously straightened their backs. Seeing the old man walk toward them, many silently held their breath.
Affected by their tension, Jiang Xiaoyu also stood ramrod straight involuntarily.
The old man walked slowly, but his posture was upright. As he drew nearer step by step, Jiang Xiaoyu noticed many officers beginning to tremble with excitement.
Finally reaching the front row, the old man rasped, “Jiang Xiaoyu, step forward.”
Jiang Xiaoyu’s mind went blank. Seeing the crowd part to the sides on their own, he walked out in a daze and stood before the old man, nervously lifting his head to meet a pair of piercing eyes.
He couldn’t help but straighten his back, instinctively coming to attention and saluting: “Report! Jiang Xiaoyu reporting!”
The old man looked him up and down, gaze like a torch.
Then suddenly, his expression softened, and he called out, “Good cub, I’m Grandpa.”
“Huh?”
Jiang Xiaoyu’s mind went blank.
—
The same interrogation room, the same three inspectors. The difference was that the old inspector who’d just been in the high seat was now bending at the waist, respectfully saying to Wan Qianli, “Please speak, sir.”
Wan Qianli held Jiang Xiaoyu’s hand: “This is Jiang Xiaoyu, my grandson. Blood-related.”
The old inspector was baffled inside but kept a steady face, sticking to his duties: “We’ve found that Comrade Jiang Xiaoyu’s biological father is Mr. Ye Qingxu. So… how is he your grandson?”
Wan Qianli said flatly, “My son Wan Keyao, my grandson Jiang Xiaoyu.”
“Then… the child’s mother?”
“Ye Qingxu.” The old man’s expression was calm, imposing without anger: “Do your job, but I don’t want a single detail leaked to outsiders.”
The old inspector broke out in a sweat: “Of course. Even without you saying it, our work is confidential. The reason we’re investigating Comrade Jiang Xiaoyu is because his living situation has changed drastically recently.”
Wan Qianli lifted his chin slightly: “The child was lost outside since young. Now that he’s back, it’s only natural to spoil him a bit more. Moreover, my son Wan Keyao doesn’t serve in the military or government. All his income is legal and compliant. What’s wrong with buying the kid a car?”
The old inspector wiped sweat: “Of course, of course. We just didn’t know about this relationship before. Since it’s father and son by blood, no bribery involved, then we’re good.”
“Mm.” Wan Qianli’s voice was steady.
With nothing to hide, the rest was easy to handle. No need for Ye Qingxu or Wan Keyao to step in—from a legal standpoint, Jiang Xiaoyu’s family ties were now firmly bound to the two, never to be separated again.
After watching the inspectors wrap everything up, only Jiang Xiaoyu and Wan Qianli remained in the room. The old man’s withered hand still gripped Jiang Xiaoyu’s palm as he said, “Don’t be afraid. You have Grandpa.”
Jiang Xiaoyu hadn’t felt aggrieved before, but hearing this, his eyes reddened like a little beast whose parent had finally shown up after being bullied. He couldn’t speak, just hung his head and shed tears.
Wan Qianli heartbrokenly patted his head: “It’s Grandpa’s fault for not holding on a few more years, letting you father and son suffer so much.” He was rarely lucid: “You can blame your grandma, but she’s not bad at heart. Grandpa doesn’t ask for your forgiveness. There’s a long road ahead—as long as you’re happy from now on, that’s good enough.”
The old man’s body was too weak after all. After mustering the energy to back up the kid, his spirits visibly wilted.
Wan Keyao and Ye Qingxu, who arrived later, sat together in the army base’s vehicle. Seeing Jiang Xiaoyu helping Wan Qianli out, they hurried down to assist.
Once in the car, the old man could no longer maintain human form and turned back into the Cat, wearily falling asleep.
“Dad.” Jiang Xiaoyu looked at Ye Qingxu and called out.
Ye Qingxu responded with an “ai” and pulled his head into his arms, patting his back soothingly: “No need to be scared anymore.”
Wan Keyao carefully secured the Old Cat in the safety seat, then drew the father and son into his arms and said in a deep voice, “Dad’s here.”
The words took advantage, so Ye Qingxu shot him a fierce glare and, while the kid wasn’t looking, pinched his flesh again.
Wan Keyao grinned shamelessly, cleared his throat, and said to the kid, “Go back to work. We’ll talk when you get home tonight.”
Jiang Xiaoyu stroked the Old Cat’s heavy body and nodded, getting out of the car.
Back at the Case Handling Office, Zhang Pangpang stared in shock, shoving snacks into his mouth: “Holy crap, General Wan is really your grandpa? You’re legit military… wait, how do you even say this? Is this the real world? This is way too fantastical!” Who could’ve imagined that not long ago, Jiang Xiaoyu was still a Cat Cub scraping by, splitting a single yuan into halves?
Jiang Xiaoyu’s ears turned a bit red as he whispered, “Don’t say it so loud.”
Zhang Pangpang mechanically shoved food into his mouth. “No way, no way, I’m too shocked. There’s this inexplicable sense of satisfaction.”
Jin Ge walked out of the office with a straight face. “Jiang Xiaoyu, come here for a sec.”
Jiang Xiaoyu hurriedly got up and followed behind Master Jin. After closing the door properly, he sat obediently across from him.
