I Became the Eye Candy: Four Bigshots Claimed to be My Dad?-Chapter 21: Dead Memories Attack Me

"For all these years, I thought your personalities changed simply because you were growing older. But now, it seems that wasn’t the case. Ever since the journey back to the Capital City, you’ve all changed so much. Your relationships grew distant, to the point where you’re now mortal enemies who want nothing to do with each other. What exactly happened back then in Fuhua Cave?" Sang Yan was now certain of his suspicions.

’The child at the Changyang Prince Mansion... she must belong to one of them.’

Zhan Chi’s lips tightened, and his face paled slightly. The memories haunted his dreams, jolting him awake in the middle of the night, too terrified to fall back asleep.

Qian Fanji’s fingers clenched inside his sleeve. Nanyuan was a memory he, too, was most reluctant to revisit. But back then, in Fuhua Cave, they had incurred a debt of gratitude.

A flicker of something unusual crossed even Gu Shuo’s nonchalant expression.

"If you still consider me a friend, then tell me the truth. Whose child is she, really?" Sang Yan’s tone hardened slightly.

The three men remained silent for a long moment before Qian Fanji finally shook his head. "We’re not sure."

"How can you not be sure?" Sang Yan asked, puzzled.

"Back then, the four of us were afflicted with a Poisonous Gu, and it was a woman who cured us," Qian Fanji explained.

"A beauty saving heroes—quite the romantic tale. It’s only natural that feelings would develop. But to become intimate with her and not bring her back to the Capital City, to just leave her in Nanyuan... what sort of behavior is that?"

"It’s... complicated." Qian Fanji lowered his head, seemingly wrestling with his thoughts. Some things were just too difficult to say.

Sang Yan frowned. The expressions on the three men’s faces were indescribable. ’What could possibly have happened to make them so conflicted?’

Gu Shuo’s face was grim, his voice low. "The four of us were afflicted with a Love Gu." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"..."

Sang Yan froze for a moment. When the meaning sank in, the color drained from his face.

Nanyuan’s Love Gu is an incredibly rare and potent type of Gu. Anyone afflicted by it must... within a short time, or they will surely die.

The four of them were brought out completely unscathed. It wasn’t hard to imagine what must have transpired.

"Then... you were all... saved by the same person?" Sang Yan asked.

Qian Fanji nodded.

Sang Yan was utterly stunned.

"Zhan Chi noticed the child the moment she entered the Capital City. At first, he suspected someone was pulling the strings, so he didn’t make any sudden moves that might alert them."

"And what did you find?"

"There’s nothing suspicious about the old woman or the child. Our contacts in Nanyuan confirmed that the girl is, in fact, Ye Qian’s daughter. The old woman taking care of her brought her all the way from Nanyuan. Since this involves all four of us, we felt it was best to wait for General Xiang to return to the capital before we meet the child together and make a plan," Qian Fanji said.

Sang Yan nodded. "The girl is staying at the Prince Mansion for the time being. After General Xiang returns, you can each test your blood to determine her paternity. After all, a child can only have one father."

Gu Shuo was unconcerned. "Go ahead. It’s not like she’s my daughter, anyway."

"And she’s certainly not my daughter," Zhan Chi added, disgusted.

Although Qian Fanji said nothing, he felt the same way. ’That chubby little girl can’t possibly be my daughter.’

"Don’t be so quick to deny it. I, for one, think the child is wonderful—she’s pretty, well-behaved, and smart. Look at you all, in your twenties, and besides General Xiang with his flock of wives and concubines, none of you even have a wife. How long must your families wait for you to carry on their lines?" Sang Yan finally felt he understood why they were so averse to women.

"There’s nothing wrong with being on my own," Gu Shuo said with a nonchalant shrug. "The Gu family is large and prosperous; the duty of continuing the line doesn’t fall to me."

’He hadn’t been part of the Gu family for a long time anyway. He could marry whenever he pleased. Of course, his standards for women were exceptionally high; just anyone wouldn’t be able to catch his eye.’