Book 1 Chapter 180 - Formal Negotiation Between Father and Son
"Love?" Gu Weiting's fierce eyes open wide. "Two men can shamelessly talk about love between each other?"
After saying this he walks straight to Gu Hai, grabs the collar of his shirt and wants to drag him out of the door. However, Gu Hai has been well prepared and standing firm. Even with Gu Weiting's rage, he isn't able to move Gu Hai at all.
"Go back to the barracks with me right now. It's time for us father and son to sit down and communicate."
"I'm not going!" Gu Hai's eyes are sharp, "I'm just staying here and not going anywhere."
"Today you are going whether you want to or not!"
Gu Weiting again tries to drag Gu Hai. If it was three or four years ago, it would be a piece of cake for him to discipline Gu Hai. Now, he really isn't able to. He has turned old while his son is in his prime. It's so ironic that once he hoped this day would come when his son will be strong and no longer bow down under his authority. But when this day actually comes, he finds that he himself becomes so pitiful.
How he now wishes Gu Hai is still only as tall as the table. As soon as he gives him an angry stare, he would obediently stand still aside.
"You dare to disobey me!" Gu Weiting gives a kick on Gu Hai's calf.
Despite it's a leather shoe, due to the force from Gu Weiting's powerful foot, Gu Hai nearly kneels down on the floor. Even then, he is still stubbornly resisting and not going along with Gu Weiting no matter what.
Gu Weiting moves his hand to his back. Bai Luoyin inhales a breath of cold air.
Shortly, a gun is pointing directly at Gu Hai's temple.
"Go!"
It's often the case that one word commands do not allow any disobedience.
Gu Hai fixes his gaze on Gu Weiting's broad face with wrinkles as if having been carved by knife. He shows no fear on his face nor are his feet moving one bit.
Bai Luoyin's face suddenly changes color. If Gu Weiting's finger moves just ever so slightly, his heart would skip a beat.
"You go back with your dad." Bai Luoyin opens his mouth to say.
Gu Hai says without turning his head: "Not going!"
Gu Weiting's finger is already touching and ready to pull the trigger.
Bai Luoyin panics. Even though he understands the saying that a beast like tiger would not eat its child, by the look of Gu Weiting at this very moment, it's still very possible that he would open fire.
"Go quickly!" Bai Luoyin gives Gu Hai a push.
Gu Hai glances at Bai Luoyin with a relaxed air, "I've said, I will not leave you at home by yourself."
"Just pretend that I didn't hear it."
"But I can't pretend that I've never said it!" The corner of Gu Weiting's mouth slits open. At that moment, Bai Luoyin witnesses the most terrifying smile.
He really pulls the trigger and then the "bang" sound reverberates. At that instance, Gu Hai body didn't even sway a bit. The sensation is as if there is a powerful force drilling into his brain and the pain explodes at the top of the head. His ears still are humming. But his consciousness is still as clear as can be.
Meanwhile, Bai Luoyin turns all numb and his face becomes white as ash.
There is not a drop of blood on the gun barrel. Gu Weiting pulls back the gun. The cold and stiff face appears to lighten up slightly.
"I'd say at least you're still good in something!'
Over time, Gu Weiting has seen plenty of this type of people who would not yield in front of death. Even when guns are pointing at them, they can still show no signs of fear on their face and display their extrordinary courage. However, when it comes to milliseconds before the gunshot, almost all of them would consciously withdraw and surrender. This is not due to cowardice but the natural instinct for survival. Very few can achieve the level where the person is not moved from the beginning to the end. Luckily, his son is one of these few.
Actually Gu Hai was also afraid. But he knew there is one other person who was even more afraid than he was and that's the one who was holding the gun.
The gun was not loaded!
By the time Bai Luoyin realizes this, his sweat is already pouring. At this point, he really wants to shout at the father and son pair: Next time you two engage in this kind of drill, give me some warning beforehand. How can you scare people like this?
Gu Hai thought that after enduring the firing Gu Weiting was going to let him go and leave him alone. He could not be more wrong.
"I'll give you two options. Either you come along with me at your own will, or I'll get someone to come get you! If you come along with me, at least there is a possibility that you can eventually come back to this place. If I have to get someone to come get you, forget about coming back here. I'm also going also take this property back!"
"You can't take this property back!"
Gu Weiting narrows both of his eyes, "I can't? Is there anything I can't take back?"
"Because now the owner is Bai Luoyin!"
Bai Luoyin's face changes and he shoots his eye sight toward Gu Hai, "When did you change it?"
Gu Hai replies blandly, "I did it long time ago but just didn't tell you."
Bai Luoyin, "......"
Gu Weiting darkens his face and his tone is terrifyingly cold, "No matter who owns this place, it doesn't concern you anymore. Just think carefully whether you're going or not!"
Bai Luoyin's heart slowly sinks to total darkness. He suddenly realizes that if Gu Hai leaves this could be the last night they spend time together here. If he doesn't leave, this still could be the last time they see each other. After much calculation, it seems the former option is a better deal.
"I can go!" Gu Hai suddenly opens his mouth.
Bai Luoyin secretly agrees. Save the green mountain, and there won't be fear of running out of fuel logs.
"But I must take him along with me!" Gu Hai all of a sudden grabs Bai Luoyin's arm.
Bai Luoyin mulls the sudden surprise, you can do that?
The determined eyes of both of them simultaneously look toward Gu Weiting.
"I don't have opinions."
After saying this sentence, he turns around and goes out the door.
Gu Hai lets out a big breath of relief. Finally, a success at this stage is achieved. After this, it's just working on changing the old man's thinking and things should be fine. Bai Luoyin, on the other hand, doesn't think the situation allows him to be optimistic. At the instant he walks into the elevator, he is suddenly overcome by a nameless fear. He just feels that their whole army is being crushed as soon as both of them go in.
Inside the car, Gu Weiting takes the front seat while Gu Hai and Bai Luoyin both sit in the back. The atmosphere is somewhat oppressing.
The car drives into the barrack compound. After parking the car, Officer Sun and some soldiers wait in a row outside.
"Commander, you bring the kids back with you this late?"
Gu Weiting points to Bai Luoyin and says to Officer Sun: "Arrange a room for him to stay temporarily."
Gu Hai hears this and doesn't feel this sounds right. What do you mean arranging a room for him?
"What about me?"
Gu Weiting's hand presses on Gu Hai's shoulder, "You are coming with me of course!"
Gu Hai's face gets swallowed up by the darkness of the night.
"I only allow you two to come together. When did I say you two can live together here? Moreover, what standing do you have to bargain with me?"
Beneath the words, what is really meant is a reminder of whose territory this is. You want to mess around here? Don't even think about it!
Gu Weiting uses his eyes to signal Officer Sun to immediately take away Bai Luoyin. However, Officer Sun has had a good impression of Bai Luoyin after making acquaintance with him previously for the matter of Mrs. Gu. At this moment, he also sees the reluctance on Bai Luoyin's face. He couldn't hold back but to say a few more words.
"Why not let them stay together?"
Without warning, Gu Weiting yells, "If I say take away, just take away!"
Officer Sun quickly stands straight and salutes, "Yes, Commander!"
Gu Hai only takes a look at Bai Luoyin. He doesn't block them nor chase after them. He understands that at this military base, it's impossible to solve the problem by force. He has to find a peaceful way to negotiate and make the old man yield to his demand!
On the way back with Gu Weiting, Gu Hai has been plotting and strategizing for his battle.
At the end, when they get into the house, interrogation is skipped. Gu Weiting take a look at his watch. It's already two o'clock in the morning.
"Sleep first. Everything else can wait until tomorrow!"
"Don't you have business tomorrow?"
"Right now you are the most important business I have!!!"
Gu Hai sneers in his mind. All of his hostility is displayed on his face. Even if Gu Weiting wants to calm down, he can't help but get angry.
Father and Son lie down on the same bed. This is probably the first time in their life.
Gu Hai must surely suffer from insomnia now. Gu Weiting naturally cannot fall asleep either. Neither of them wants to talk to the other. Neither of them even moves. They look like two cold corpses being placed on the big bed.
They keep enduring like this. After enduring for two hours, finally he hears the sound of snoring starts next to him.
Gu Hai gets out of bed quietly and sneaks into another room.
He searches for something all over the place. Every time he opens a drawer, he stops for a moment to hear if the snoring sound is still there or not. Finally, Gu Hai finds what he was looking for, a tube of ointment for bruises. He carefully takes small steps to go back to the bedroom, puts on a jacket and then heads out.
"Are you already going to find him now?"
Gu Hai stops his steps suddenly, and curses secretly in his mind for his bad luck!
The light in the room is now turned on. Gu Weiting sits up on the bed. The cold and dark rays of his eyes scan up and down Gu Hai who is standing not far away.
"What are you holding in your hand?"
"Ointment."
"What are you doing getting the ointment?"
"You hurt his hand."
"Gu Weiting hears in Gu Hai's words a sense of accusation and complaint. His eyes now become even more interrogating. In this confusing state, it appears as if he no longer recognizes his son.
"When I went away for my work assignments, I got numerous injuries big and small. I don't remember you had ever showed any concerns for me."
Gu Hai smiles with embarrassment, "If you don't meddle with Yinzi and me, I guarantee I'll care a lot about you in the future."
Gu Weiting raises his thick eyebrows, and says quietly, "It looks like your illness is pretty serious."
"I've been ill for a while. And it has taken root. It's too late for a cure."
"Who is playing words with you?" Gu Weiting again scolds without warning.
Gu Hai stands straight. Facing the exaggerated anger, he does not have any feelings.
"Dad, I'm already eighteen. I'm not at the age anymore when you can make me listen to you by slapping me around. I already have my own life view and criteria for distinguishing right and wrong. You can't change me using violence. Therefore, please watch out what you say and do. Learn to respect me. I'm not only your son, but I'm also an ordinary citizen."
Gu Weiting has already got out of bed and sat down on the sofa nearby. He lights up a cigarette while looking at Gu Hai with a superficial smile on his face
"Now you tell me, what are your criteria for distinguishing right and wrong?"
Gu Hai's upright body approaches Gu Weiting step by step. Light gets reflected on his mature face and casts a circle of brightness surrounding it.
"If I feel something is right, then it's right. If I feel something is wrong, then it's wrong. If I benefit, then it's a gain. If something is taken away from me, then it's a loss."
Gu Weiting's face becomes twisted, and the corner of his mouth turns inside out, "A bunch of nonsense!!"
"I'm just lightening up the atmosphere." Gu Hai suddenly smiles and walks over to the side of Gu Weiting. "From this moment, let us father and son have a serious talk."
Actually, the reason Gu Weiting forced Gu Hai to come here is not to keep him captive but to find a way to change his thinking. It's just that the way Gu Hai speaks is too disrespectful. Nine out of ten times he speaks, he makes Gu Weiting angry. If he had a better attitude like this earlier, Gu Weiting wouldn't have used force on him.
Then, the father and son sit face to face and start the first peaceful talk ever in their life.
"Dad, let me get this out of the way first. Where did you put Yinzi?"
Gu Weiting looks at Gu Hai with his cold face, "Are we having a talk with each other or are you trying to get something out of me?"
"No, you misunderstood." Gu Hai tries as much as possible to be gentle, "I'm just curious, what kind of room is it?"
"What does it have to do with you?"
Gu Hai still asks what's on his mind, "It's not a shabby room, is it?"
Gu Weiting's face, just softened a moment ago, starts to get tight and tense again.
"A room that fits four people? One that fits three people? It's not one that fits two people, is it? At least there should be a private bathroom. You're not going to make him use public restrooms and bathrooms, right? Don't get me wrong. I'm not worried about him intentionally. I'm thinking for you. He is considered your son now. It's not nice for people to see him live like that."
Gu Weiting holds on to the last bit of his patience, "You don't need to worry about these things. I have made arrangements."
Gu Hai nods, "Then let's start."
Gu Weiting clears his throat, "When did you start to have this kind of perverted feelings?"
Gu Hai's eyebrows still tie in knots due to worrying. He is still deep in his own thoughts. He waited until Gu Weiting finished speaking before raising his eyelids.
"Dad, can I interrupt again? I promise this is the last time."
"Speak!"
"Does the room that Yinzi is staying have a goose down comforter? It's better not made of silk threads. Those are all fake and not warm at all."
".... I feel we need to resort to violent means again."