The capital, the Gu family.
As a medical family passed down through generations, every child of the Gu family had to learn medicine and pharmaceutical preparation from a young age.
The current head of the Gu family, Gu Changlin, was just over fifty years old, but his skill in reviving the dying gave him a transcendent position within the circles of the prominent families.
Gu Huaijin, the heir to the Gu family, possessed a talent that surpassed even that of the family head.
At the age of twenty-five, he had become the youngest medical sage in the country's medical field.
At this moment,
Gu Changlin, over fifty, dressed in a Tang suit, was meticulously preparing medicinal herbs.
He still appeared vigorous and spirited.
Not far from him, Gu Huaijin sat on the floor.
He held an ancient book in his hand, reading it with careful concentration.
Just then, a mobile phone on a stone bench not far away suddenly rang.
But after ringing for a second, it quickly stopped.
Gu Changlin's hands did not cease their movements, and he continued to slowly and deliberately process the herbs.
Gu Huaijin put down his book, a look of confusion on his face, and walked over to take a look.
He saw that the missed call was marked with the large characters "Unfilial Son."
Seeing this remark, Gu Huaijin was momentarily stunned.
His first thought was whether his father had an illegitimate son outside.
However, Gu Huaijin quickly realized.
The one calling was likely his elder half-brother, whom he had never met.
Gu Huaijin took his phone and walked to Gu Changlin's side.
"Father, it seems to be Big Brother's call."
Gu Changlin's casual movements froze abruptly. After a long pause, he let out a cold snort.
"He doesn't even acknowledge me as his father anymore, why are you still calling him Big Brother?"
Gu Huaijin gave a wry smile, his hand holding the phone still extended.
Gu Changlin, with a stern face, continued to fiddle with the herbs in his hand, but found he could not calm down.
He simply threw the herbs back and took the phone.
"This unfilial son, does he expect me to call him back when he calls me?"
"He won't even spend these few cents for phone charges?"
Gu Changlin lectured with puffed-out cheeks and glaring eyes. Gu Huaijin, however, saw his father's usually steady hand trembling slightly as he held the phone.
Gu Huaijin sighed and quietly retreated a few steps.
He moved to a spot where Gu Changlin could not see him, and with a complicated mood, he flipped over the drying herbs.
His peripheral vision noted the changes in his father's expression.
The phone rang for a long time.
Just as Gu Changlin thought the call wouldn't be answered, the person on the other end picked up.
However, after the call connected, both of them remained silent.
Finally, Gu Changlin spoke, "Are you encountering difficulties outside?"
Gu Jiang Yan remained silent.
Gu Changlin said, "Speak. Don't worry about me using this to coerce you back; I wouldn't do something so embarrassing."
Another moment of silence, then Gu Jiang Yan said, "I know."
Gu Changlin was becoming impatient.
"Gu Jiang Yan, if you have something to say, just say it. Don't be so indecisive here."
"Back then, when you said you'd rather starve to death outside than return, why weren't you so sentimental then?"
Gu Jiang Yan tightened his grip on the phone.
All the people and connections he could mobilize had already been arranged. Coupled with Jian Junruo's actions.
With their combined influence, finding Sheng Sheng should not be difficult.
The call to Gu Changlin was entirely unexpected.
Just as Gu Changlin said on the phone, he would rather starve to death outside than step foot in the Gu family home.
Unless it was absolutely necessary, he did not want to ask Gu Changlin for help.
However, the events of today, from the car accident to Sheng Sheng's disappearance, were all filled with strangeness.
He could not guarantee that his people could find Sheng Sheng.
Nor could he guarantee the time of finding her, or whether Sheng Sheng would be harmed during this period.
The image of the little girl pouting her rosy lips, laughing and scolding, flashed before his eyes;
Her stubborn, tear-holding face when she tugged at his clothes, preventing him from leaving;
Her angry, hands-on-her-hips, puffed-up appearance when she accused him of being a scumbag;
Her tentative grasp of his hand and soft calls of "Dad" when she saw he was unhappy...
He suddenly realized that he seemed to have never fulfilled his responsibilities as a father.
Unconsciously, he seemed to have become the person he detested the most.
As if sensing he was making some difficult decision, Gu Changlin, after a few impatient scoldings, gradually fell silent.
Gu Jiang Yan said earnestly, "Help me with something. Consider it a plea."
Gu Changlin's back straightened sharply, his entire being becoming more alert, his expression turning exceptionally solemn.
He knew his son's stubbornness very well.
For him to now utter such words of entreaty, he must have encountered a major issue.
"Speak."
Gu Changlin said in a deep voice.
A glint of ruthlessness flashed in Gu Jiang Yan's eyes.
"Help me find someone. I'm willing to pay any price."
"Once you find her, no matter what you ask me to do, I will agree."
As he spoke, he added Gu Changlin on WeChat via his phone number.
He sent Jian Sheng's personal information and photos, along with the currently known clues.
A sharp glint appeared in Gu Changlin's eyes: "Who is she to you?"
Gu Jiang Yan was silent for a moment.
"My daughter."
Gu Changlin: "What?"
Gu Jiang Yan added in a deep voice, "My biological daughter."
Now it was Gu Changlin's turn to be silent.
After a long time, Gu Changlin managed to squeeze out a sentence, "At least you're a man."
Gu Jiang Yan responded without hesitation, "After all, with you as a precedent, I don't want to follow your example."
Gu Changlin's hand trembled in anger, and he directly hung up the phone.
After hanging up Gu Jiang Yan's call, Gu Changlin began to get busy.
Due to their specialized profession, the Gu family had always held a transcendent position within the circles of prominent families.
Their network of contacts was also the most extensive among these families.
However, before mobilizing the Gu family's resources to help, Gu Changlin first investigated Jian Sheng's personal information.
But upon this investigation, he saw the name of Jian Sheng's mother.
And after confirming that the name was not a common one, Gu Changlin fell into an even longer silence.
He glanced at his younger son, who was bringing him a notebook, and couldn't help but sigh:
"Is this fate?"
Gu Huaijin cast him a confused glance.
Gu Changlin shook his head and began to make phone calls one by one to his old friends and those he had helped before who held a certain status and influence.
For the sake of that unfilial son, he was truly going all out.
Especially after thoroughly understanding the strangeness of Jian Sheng's disappearance.
Gu Changlin finally understood why the unfilial son, even with his current capabilities, didn't feel at ease and had to come to him.
After the car accident, Gu Jiang Yan and the other two became the focus of the hospital's attention.
But precisely under such circumstances, everyone in the hospital was oblivious to Jian Sheng's disappearance.
It all seemed undeniably bizarre.
When he found the contact number labeled "Jian Jun Tan" in his address book,
Likewise, Jian Jun Tan's phone rang at this moment.
At this instant, Gu Changlin's expression became exceptionally complex.