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Gu Li’s lips curled into a sly smile as she spoke into the phone. “HZK74S. Find out who owns this chip—and cut off their business dealings with the Zhang family.”
Zhang Jingsi had truly crossed the line this time.
“Understood.” Her older brother’s reply was brief, his tone cold as steel.
But Gu Li wasn’t fooled. Beneath his stoic words, she could sense hesitation.
Feigning innocence, she cooed in a sweet voice, “Big brother, is there something else you’d like to say?”
Gu Li excelled at disguise, not just in appearance but in her voice as well. When dealing with her brothers, she used her natural tone, warm and teasing. With outsiders, however, she could shift seamlessly, embodying entirely different personas. Mimicking her brother Su Zheng’s tone was child’s play.
There was a brief silence on the line before her brother spoke again. “I heard from Gu Shangyan that you’ve set your sights on Mu Er—the most powerless, wheelchair-bound member of the Mu family?”
Ah, so he was concerned about her love life.
Feigning delight, Gu Li responded, “That’s right, big brother. Fifth Brother must have tattled. What now? Are you all betting on whether I’ll succeed in winning him over?”
“No,” her brother replied coolly, then added, “We’re betting on whether he’ll end up as our sixth brother-in-law.”
Gu Li froze for a moment, then felt her temper flare.
“Unbelievable,” she muttered.
Her brothers always managed to twist her teasing interactions with men into a running joke. Yet, for her, Mu Qinghan was different. She wasn’t looking for a brotherly bond with him, nor was this another lighthearted game.
Still, she replied playfully, “Haha, very funny. I was just joking about it.”
On the other end, the typically serious man laughed, dropping his previous indifference. “Go ahead and pursue him, Little Lizi. I’m betting on you. Let Big Brother win some money.”
Grinding her teeth in frustration, Gu Li hung up the phone.
Her brothers loved to poke fun at her, but she would prove them wrong. Her “prey” wasn’t getting away this time.
Switching to another contact, she placed a new call.
The response was immediate. “Boss? What can I do for you?”
“I need you to analyze a batch of medication. Get me a full ingredient list.” Without waiting for a response, Gu Li ended the call and sent a photo of the medicine box to “S” on WeChat.
She had a knack for identifying drugs, particularly those used for mental health issues. The moment she saw the ingredients on the label, her thoughts flew back to the circumstances surrounding her mother’s death.
When her mother had passed away, her aunt had taken a photo of her lifeless body—a keepsake meant to ensure Gu Li would never forget her face. That image, now faded with time, remained etched in her memory.
Shaking off the painful recollection, Gu Li turned her attention to the surveillance footage playing on her computer screen.
The video, retrieved from the apartment’s security cameras, showed a man in a black mask standing at her brother’s door two months ago. He handed over a box of the same medication now sitting in her hands.
The timestamp on the video read: June 29, 6:30 a.m.
That was the day before her brother went to the amusement park.
What had her brother been investigating? Or was he trying to help someone struggling with depression?
She pinched her chin thoughtfully and continued watching. The footage revealed nothing unusual—until it jumped ahead to August 1, 9:21 a.m.
Mu Qinghan appeared in the video, seated in his wheelchair. Trailing behind him wasn’t Letian, but an unfamiliar middle-aged man, who walked with an air of deference.
Gu Li leaned closer, zooming in on the footage. The man seemed to be speaking, but just as he opened his mouth, the video abruptly skipped to the following day.
The crucial information was gone.
Her fingers tightened into fists.
Someone had hacked the surveillance footage at precisely the moment she needed it most.
The timing wasn’t a coincidence.
Her slender fingers flew across the keyboard, trying to recover the missing data. She succeeded, but the restored footage was grainy, and the audio was completely muted.
Whoever had hacked her system was a true expert.
Gu Li smirked, her expression sharp. “Well played,” she muttered under her breath, shutting down the computer.
What had started as a simple inquiry into her brother’s affairs had unexpectedly tangled her with the enigmatic man next door.
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Author’s Note:
Some readers have expressed confusion regarding the four “brothers” Gu Li has. Let me clarify:
These relationships aren’t without reason. Each of the brothers shares a deep bond with Gu Li, often forged through significant shared experiences, sometimes even life-and-death situations.
This chapter is meant to reinforce the group-pet dynamic of the story. The jokes the brothers make are lighthearted and not to be taken seriously.
For example:
- Louis XIX: Gu Li initially approached him as part of a mission. He’s the head of a prominent family and more than ten years her senior. Their relationship is purely platonic, as he views her as a sister after she saves his life.
- Second Brother, Chu Yan: Their connection began during a case. While Chu Yan was once a notorious flirt, his respect for Gu Li led him to see her as a sister.
- Third Brother, Ji Nanfeng: Yet to be introduced, he works alongside Gu Li in the intelligence bureau.
- Fourth Brother: An old family friend, his Buddhist nature precludes any romantic entanglement.
- Fifth Brother: He’s her cousin, so their sibling-like relationship is natural.
Finally, regarding Mu Qinghan—he’s different. The title of the book, “The Sixth to Spoil Her,” refers to him. Unlike the others, his bond with Gu Li isn’t sibling-like, which sets him apart.
Thank you for your feedback and patience as I refine these relationships and clarify the narrative.
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